Sparks of Blue (Dark Light Book 2)

by Rose Wulf

  The sword slipped from Belle’s numb fingers as her eyes took in the sight now before her.

  The woman chained to that wall, unconscious and bleeding, appeared to be … but she couldn’t be.

  It’s impossible… “M-Madelyne…?”

  Chains coiled around her neck, her waist, both wrists and both ankles. Her hair was longer and dirtier. Her body was slimmer, a little sunken in. But circumstance and cosmetic changes aside, she looked just like Madelyne. Like her sister.

  “Recognize her, Nephy?” Creed asked arrogantly, smirking confidently, revealing his sharpened teeth.

  “Creed,” Kai called, anger seeping into his voice, “what the hell have you done?”

  It can’t be! “Madelyne!” Belle cried, sprinting forward, her attention focused on her starved and obviously tortured baby sister. The sister she’d sworn was dead and gone.

  Kai spun and just barely managed to catch her by the shoulders, sword held awkwardly so as not to risk cutting her. “Belle, wait.”

  “But, Madelyne!”

  “I know,” Kai said, his voice gentled. “But it’s a trap.”

  “I don’t care!”

  “Oh,” Creed started, his voice full of the smugness of assured victory. “You don’t get to save her today.” At his words, Kai released Belle and turned again to face his foe. “Today is to deliver a message. You have forty-eight hours to make a choice. Your precious sister, who’s been held in demon clutches for a very long time, or your human charge—whose soul already belongs to us, anyway.”

  As soon as he was done, the shadows sprang up, sucking both him and the unconscious Madelyne into the darkness.

  “No!”

  ****

  “That was Belle’s sister?” Gwen asked quietly when Kai returned to the living room. He’d helped Belle into the suite, where she’d mumbled something about needing to soak, and so he’d helped her into the hot tub. He couldn’t ever remember seeing her so broken. The sight both broke his heart and infuriated him simultaneously.

  Creed was going to pay for what he’d done. Creed and whoever was responsible for torturing Madelyne.

  “Yes,” he said. “Madelyne. Belle thought she’d watched her die … decades ago.”

  Gwen sank into the sofa. “I can’t imagine,” she mumbled. “Poor Belle.” After a moment she looked up and asked, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave her alone? Outside in the hot tub?”

  Restraining the sigh that tightened his chest, Kai inclined his head. “Belle relaxes best with a good soak. She needs time to process before we bombard her.”

  Seconds passed before Gwen asked another question. “So what now, then?”

  Scowl deepening, Kai replied, “Now we get some answers. I need to talk to Knox.”

  Gwen scrunched her face. “Why do you talk to that demon? Has he really been that helpful?”

  “Time will tell,” Kai said. He looked toward the center of the room, still standing, and added an echoing, “Knox.”

  Almost immediately the nearby shadows of the furniture twisted and raised into the form of the demon. Within moments Knox was once again standing there, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. “You summoned?”

  “Creed has Belle’s younger sister,” Kai declared. “He or someone associated with him has been holding her hostage for nearly a century. I need to know who. I need to know where.”

  “Shit,” Knox muttered, his arms falling to the sides. “That must be his big play. He tried coming at me earlier but got summoned away. I couldn’t follow the trail, so I figured it probably involved that angel again.”

  Kai cursed. Knox was probably right. Angels hated Nephilim more than demons did, perhaps because demons were more prone to darker feelings in general or perhaps because “purity” didn’t tend to be a point of pride with them. Either way, for a demon to hold captive and torture a seemingly random Nephilim for so long would hardly make sense. But for an angel… Kai could see where some would be interested in learning about them. Like fucking lab rats.

  Focusing, he locked his stare on Knox. “Find Madelyne. Or at least the identity of her abductor. That’s all I want you focusing on right now.”

  Distinct throat clearing earned their attention and Kai glanced sideways to see Gwen wiggling her fingers. “Excuse me, I hate to interrupt your meeting, but shouldn’t it also be mentioned that there’s a time limit? Or are you guys just gonna give me up after all this babysitting you’ve done?”

  “Time limit?” Knox repeated, arching another brow in Kai’s direction.

  “We’re not giving Creed anything,” Kai replied before turning back to Knox. “He’s given us forty-eight hours to decide whether or not to make a trade. Which gives you forty hours to get me that information.”

  Knox released a breath. “It’s a good thing I don’t sleep, then,” he grumbled before promptly disappearing into the shadows beneath his feet.

  “What if he fails?” Gwen asked immediately. “Or what if this mystery Archangel is the one holding her? What then?”

  Kai moved to the chair that faced the deck, where he could catch a corner glimpse of the hot tub. “Then we fight until someone winds up dead.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The hot water barely penetrated her skin. She was numb from head to toe, flesh to bone. Madelyne… She was alive. Her baby sister; the only real family she’d had for most of her life. Her sister was alive. But she was being held and tortured by demons. She’d been held and tortured for nearly a century.

  Belle’s stomach heaved at the thought and for a moment she wasn’t sure she could keep it down. But once the threat of vomiting passed, the numbness remained.

  “Belle! Look at these flowers I picked.” Madelyne, barely twelve, ran up to her with colorful wildflowers in her arms. Her wavy, dirty blonde hair bounced behind her in her enthusiasm. “Here, they're for you. Happy birthday!”

  She was so innocent. So sweet and thoughtful. So full of life.

  “Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Madelyne suggested as Belle collapsed against her shoulder. Sobs wracked her body, and Madelyne wrapped her arms around her. “Shh, let it out. I’m sure in time you’ll see he had a good reason. I’m a very good judge of character, remember.”

  Even when she’d taken her anger and frustration out on Madelyne over the years. Even when she’d thought her heart destroyed forever, Madelyne had been there, supporting her and loving her like the amazing woman she was. And then those demons had attacked, taking advantage of Belle’s distracted state of mind. She’d still managed to fell one, but the second recognized the opening she’d given him, and he’d taken it.

  And Madelyne, who couldn’t bring herself to kill spiders, let alone demons who looked human, had leaped in front of the blade. Sacrificing herself to save her older, broken sister.

  “Oh, my God… No—no! Madelyne!” Her final outcry as the demon had disappeared with Madelyne’s dying body still resonated through her ears.

  She’d thought she’d never see her sister again.

  Now she almost wished she’d been right.

  Ninety-three years… Madelyne had been held captive by demons, possibly Creed himself, for ninety-three years. Tortured and starved. For ninety-three years.

  Tears finally stung the backs of Belle’s eyes in a brief warning before rapidly spilling over. Hot liquid rolled in streams down her cheeks, and she sucked in ragged breaths of air. She formed a cradle over her face and choked on a sob before letting herself sink beneath the surface of the water.

  Madelyne!

  ****

  Done warding Gwen’s bedroom and the attached bathroom for the night, Kai let himself into the room he and Belle were to share. Belle was already curled up on the far side of the king-sized mattress, the comforter pulled her to chin. He eased the door shut, though he suspected she was awake, and refrained from turning on a light as he approached the bed. Watching her now, seeing her so openly vulnerable and hurting, made him sick to his stomach. He as much
wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her until she found her inner strength again as he wanted to chase down the bastards who’d caused this pain in the first place and burn them alive.

  He would do both. But he could do only one at a time.

  Kai slipped beneath the covers after changing into a pair of dark blue sweatpants and resting his sword against the nightstand—easily within reach. He rolled behind her, slid an arm around her waist, and tugged her up against his chest. Once he’d wrapped her as much in his embrace as he could, Kai lifted his lips to her ear and whispered, “We’ll save her, Belle. I promise.”

  A soft, poorly muffled sniffle preceded her response. “How?”

  Letting his nose linger in her hair, Kai said, “I already have Knox searching. If you want, if you’re comfortable with it, I’ll call Isabella first thing in the morning.”

  Belle sank into him. “There’s no point,” she said. “I still don’t think Isabella’s the angel working with Creed, but … the armada won’t waste manpower on a Nephilim. No matter how useful I am.” Her voice choked again near the end of her statement, and she reached down, threading her fingers through his.

  “Then I’ll do it myself,” Kai replied. “I won’t stop until she’s safe.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’ll bring her back to you, Belle.”

  Her breath hitched, the sound watery, and she squirmed in his arms until she’d rolled around in order to look into his eyes. With her hands curled over his bare chest, she murmured, “I-I can’t make a decision on us until my sister is safe.” She paused, swallowed, and said, “But … but I do love you, Kai. Please know that.”

  Heart clenching painfully in his chest, Kai pressed his lips to her forehead, letting the kiss linger. “I’ll wait as long as you need,” he promised. “I’ll wait right here.”

  ****

  Belle had slept fitfully. Kai hadn’t slept at all. He kept running over the options in his head. Turning Gwen over to the demons wasn’t a choice to be considered. They had to find and rescue Madelyne before she was killed. But the more he thought about it, the more he determined that Creed wouldn’t be dumb enough to hold Madelyne directly. No, he was an agent. Or he had a friend in an even lower place than himself. Either way, Kai was sure now that the one responsible for Madelyne’s horrible situation was the mystery Archangel. He was equally sure that Isabella was not the culprit. If only because it wouldn’t make any sense for her to put her Second in prime position to risk learning of her treason.

  So first thing in the morning, Kai warded the entire suite for a good twelve hours, instructed Gwen and Belle to please remain indoors while he was away, and then he took himself back to base. It was the one true place he knew no demon could eavesdrop and the most likely place to find Isabella. They needed to have a conversation—a conversation she wasn’t going to like.

  “Sir,” the angel guarding her office said in greeting. “Is she expecting you?”

  “No, but it’s urgent,” Kai replied.

  The angel nodded and pressed the intercom button beside the door. “Commander. Your Second is here with urgent news.”

  There was barely a pause before Isabella’s voice rang through. “Send him in and see that we are not disturbed.”

  Kai stepped forward before the guard could finish his reply. Isabella was standing before a trio of monitors, and she turned with a polite smile as he entered.

  “Kai, what could be so important you’d leave your post?” There was no accusation in the question. She knew him better than that.

  “I’ve learned things in the past couple of days,” Kai replied. “Things which won’t go over well. One of the demons Creed originally used to attack me and capture Gwen has defected, and in his following of Creed, he’s learned something valuable.”

  Isabella frowned. “This demon. Do you trust him?”

  “I trust his resentment of Creed,” Kai said. When Isabella nodded her understanding, he plowed ahead. “Creed has an associate. An angel. And the only other thing we know about this angel is that he’s more powerful than me.”

  Isabella sucked in a breath and said nothing for several seconds. At length, she said, “I take it you don’t suspect me of this treason.”

  Allowing a twitch of a smirk to show, Kai replied, “You wouldn’t be dumb enough to risk me finding out.”

  Sighing, Isabella nodded. “But you believe this accusation? That an Archangel could be involved with Creed?”

  “Yes. I’ve suspected something similar for a while, given Creed’s impeccable way of avoiding me.”

  Moving to the wide window on the opposite side of the room, Isabella asked, “Do you have any theories? You said ‘he,’ yet there are female Archangels, too.”

  Kai turned but did not follow her to the window. “My source said he saw a male when he sensed the presence, but he didn’t linger once he realized how powerful it was. So we’re inclined to believe it’s a male.”

  “That’s a heavy accusation,” Isabella said, thinking out loud. “But one that should be investigated. Quietly. I’ll look into it right away.” She paused and turned again, a slim eyebrow lifting on her forehead. “You used the plural. What else is there?”

  Inclining his head, Kai replied, “Yesterday Creed appeared to us with a proposition. He has Belle’s younger sister, Madelyne, in captivity. She’s been tortured for decades. But he won’t release her unless we turn over Gwen.”

  Isabella’s eyes widened. “I didn’t even know Belle had a sister. She must be devastated.”

  Fighting the flare of anger and sympathetic grief inside him, Kai said, “She is. Madelyne was believed dead over ninety years ago.”

  With a hand over her heart, Isabella said, “I can’t imagine. Please give Belle my sympathies. If you need help in the search, let me know.”

  ****

  Belle released a heavy breath after Kai disappeared. She’d slept horribly, her heart hurting so badly that even Kai’s strong, warm embrace hadn’t been enough to rest. But she appreciated that he’d tried. And she even more appreciated that he’d understood the sad, but sincere revelation she’d had the night before. She couldn’t think about whether or not she really trusted someone while her sister was—in need of help. That was how she had to think about it for now. She’d fall apart otherwise.

  “Hey, ah, how are you … you know, feeling?” Gwen asked awkwardly.

  With an honest half-smile, Belle replied, “Functioning. So, better than yesterday.” She inhaled long and slow, orienting herself. There was nothing she could do right now about her sister. But there was something she could do for Gwen. “How did you sleep?”

  With a small shrug, Gwen said, “Probably better than you.” She hesitated and the question formed blatantly in her eyes.

  Shaking her head, Belle asked, “Could we not talk about it? I’m not ready for that. Let’s talk about you.”

  Gwen’s breath rushed out in a huff, and she took a seat on the couch. “We’re always talking about me,” she said. But the tease was obvious in her voice. “I am feeling better, though. I think I can feel the difference a little now.”

  “Good,” Belle said, moving to sit next to her. “You should feel even better after another week or so. Although I do wish this would go faster.”

  “You’re trying to heal out a curse, Belle,” Gwen pointed out. “How fast do those usually go?”

  Belle grinned, though the gesture felt less enthusiastic than it probably appeared. At least it didn’t feel like a full-on lie. “Touché.” She paused, looking around the room. She could move the chair beside the couch and sit fairly comfortably. Or they could move to Gwen’s room. “Where would you like to do this?”

  “You’re the one doing the work,” Gwen replied. “All I do is lie down and sometimes fall asleep.” A mischievous look settled on her face, curving her lips and lighting her eyes, and she said, “Or I could ask you about Kai.”

  At that Belle actually laughed a little. “You can ask,” she said, emphasizing the
final word. Standing, she added, “Let’s use your bed, then. It’s most comfortable for me.”

  She was walking ahead, by a whole foot, when Gwen quietly asked, “Do you think Ben will ever see her again?” There was no doubt in Belle’s mind who Gwen was referring to.

  As Gwen climbed up to one side of the bed and Belle sat on the other, Belle said, “Honestly, I’m not sure. He’s lucky his memory hasn’t been wiped; that’s the usual policy. Jaelyn is probably in detention.”

  Gwen propped herself up on her elbows. “Detention? Is that like prison?”

  Belle paused. “More like … police holding cell, if you will. Although that’s still not right.” She pressed on Gwen’s shoulders. “Down. Good.” Drawing a long, deep breath, Belle spread her fingers over Gwen’s chest.

  Despite a few earlier setbacks, Gwen’s blood flow was finally stable. She hadn’t even needed healing after yesterday’s teleport. Which was good, because Belle hadn’t been in the condition to heal anyone.

  “That still seems harsh,” Gwen mumbled, oblivious to Belle’s dangerously wandering thoughts.

  Instead of commenting on her words, Belle prompted, “You had questions?” Gwen immediately perked up. Belle was pleased with the response from her still-weakened heart. Unfortunately, her heart refused to heal beyond a certain point.

  “So are you guys together-together again?”

  Belle stifled her laugh at the phrasing. “I guess,” she said slowly. “We’re … still working on things.” I’m still working on things. Kai definitely seemed, at least on the surface, to have figured his part out.

  She wanted to believe in that.

  “I get your breakup was bad before,” Gwen said. “I mean, from what I’ve inferred, since neither of you has been all that clear. But you love him, right?”

  Infusing a little more energy into her power, Belle replied, “Yes. Even after what he said, a part of me always has. But sometimes it’s not that easy.”