by Lisa De Palo
“It’s Kane!”
Dimitry stood slowly from his chair and leaned heavily across the desk, his eyes piercing Anastasia’s like a hawk about to fall upon its prey. She took a step back as he gritted his teeth.
“You will show me respect,” he said.
Anastasia took another step back on her shaking legs and dropped to one knee and lowered her gaze. She could feel Dimitry above her, staring into the back of her head.
“Dimitry, I am sorry. I have come with sad news,” she said.
“What is it?” he replied.
“It’s Kane, Sire. He has been killed.”
Anastasia’s knee gave out and she fell to the floor in a flood of tears. She brought her hands to her face trying to hide the outburst from Dimitry, but it was no use. She couldn’t even catch her breath. Over and over again she kept sobbing, he’s dead… he’s dead… he’s dead…
“Pull yourself together, child,” Dimitry ordered with a level voice.
Anastasia got back to the knees, wiped the ruby tears that continued to flow, and tried to calm the short breaths in her chest. She watched Dimitry’s face ease and the frown lines retreat away. His arcing shoulders straightened up and he stood tall.
“Who did this?” he asked.
Anastasia stood up, her body tense with the answer on the tip of her tongue. She stared straight into his eyes and her lips curled as she spoke.
“It was angels,” she spat.
Dimitry took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. Anastasia watched him walk over and pour two glasses full of bourbon.
“Drink this,” he ordered.
She took a seat at his desk, while he walked around and faced her from his leather chair, and slid the glass over.
“Anastasia, I want you to understand. Going to St. Lucy’s is a risk for any of our kind. Kane knew of this. The ancient law still holds strong that no downworlder can cross the river. We have stuck to that law for the better part of three hundred years…”
“It’s Layla’s fault,” she snapped. “Since she came along, everything’s changed. I will ruin her.”
Dimitry slammed his whiskey glass down on his desk.
“I will not have that girl harmed, Anastasia, not by you or anyone. She might have caused you pain now, but her blood is our savior.”
Anastasia felt a gush of fear from the tone of his ancient voice. She lowered her gaze and remembered her place.
“Sorry, Sire, forgive me. My heart breaks.”
“We need to tread carefully, Anastasia. But, I feel your loss. I am old now, I have known too well the sorrow of love and loss. Immortality seems like a good idea to most newborns until time reveals it’s ugly face. To live eternally is a curse, Anastasia, in more ways than most could understand.”
Her heavy eyes caught the bourbon sitting on the table. She limply grasped it and pulled the glass across the wood and drank a mouthful of the liquor.
“Give me some time to think about my next move, Anastasia. We shall avenge Kane’s death one way or another. But, our powers are no match for angels so we cannot rush into this blindly.”
Anastasia stood up and pulled her shirt straight.
“Thank you, Sire,” she said.
He gave her a half smile and a nod and she knew that was her dismissal. She turned from Dimitry’s table and was sure to close the doors quietly behind her as she left.
15
TOLERANCE
Jeremiah sat, his body tense, his eyes facing the floor. He knew that he was being too stubborn, but his loyalty to God and the sanctuary meant he needed to stay far away from anyone of the underworld. He turned his head to the side as Sophie walked into the room. Her steps were purposeful and she gave him a stern look.
“Really, Jeremiah?” she said. “Are you going to sit there acting like she means nothing to you? Do something before it’s too late.”
Jeremiah let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. She was right, Layla needed him now more than ever. He heaved himself up to his feet and gave Sophie a nod.
He ran for the door and slammed it behind him as he made for the street. Layla was walking halfway down the dimly lit road and he sprinted after her. He grabbed her by the arm and forced her to turn and face him. He watched her jump in fright and she quickly turned around with a clenched fist.
“No Layla,” he said. “It’s me.”
“Let me go,” she growled and pulled away from his grip.
“Stop acting like a martyr,” Jeremiah snapped. “You’re no good to anyone dead.”
“I’m sure it would make you happy…” she said sarcastically.
She shook her head like he was some kind of joke and Jeremiah stepped up closer and took hold of both her shoulders. He quickly looked around and pulled her in toward a darkened corner near someone’s house.
He felt something rush over him as he studied her, he watched her face as her frown lines disappeared, and he knew she was trying to read his thoughts.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said seriously. “Do you know how long I searched for you?”
His heart began to thud heavy in his chest and he remembered how he felt when she went missing. Slowly, her mouth began to part.
“I tried my best to make you see the light Layla, but you were unstoppable,” he said. “You were hell bent about knowing the hidden world and I did warn you about that side. I knew there was something special about you since the first moment I met you. And I…” he paused awkwardly. “I… took it upon myself to protect you at any cost.”
He watched Layla’s eyes dart down toward his chest and he realized that she could hear his heart reacting to her.
“Jeremiah, you’re an angel,” she said as if she were trying to figure out what was going on.
He smiled shyly as his head dropped.
“Yeah… the last time I checked I was.”
“Do you even get those sorts of feelings?” she asked.
“You have so much to learn,” he said.
She looked up, eyes wide in disbelief.
“Come on, let’s get out of here before we are spotted, grab ourselves a drink at O’Leary’s.” He said.
Jeremiah noticed her hesitation, her mouth trembled slightly as if she was going to talk but then she sealed them shut. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her all his security and comfort. But, she pulled back from his arms again and was reluctant to move. She had fear written all across her face. He took a step back to see her more clearly.
“I… I can’t,” she said covering her face with her hands.
“What’s wrong, Layla?”
“I don’t know, I just don’t want… I mean… I just can’t handle people looking at me. You wouldn’t understand.”
She fumbled around, fidgeting her hands and turned her back on him trying to hide her face.
“I’m a monster, Jere.”
Jeremiah looked up toward the glistening stars and realized that he hadn’t even really noticed her transformation. She wasn’t the monster she thought she was, no, she was scared… just a scared young girl.
Everything came crashing down on him. He felt so cruel because of the way he had treated her. How had he failed to see the beauty in her frailty? She was only living and learning through her mistakes, just like everyone else. He should have known better to see her for who she was rather than what she had become.
He sighed deeply and remembered all the times she had called him for help. And now, in her darkest and most desperate hour, when she needed someone the most, he had turned his back on her. She deserved better, such a young and innocent soul lost to the winds of darkness. He knew he had to help her.
He stepped up close to Layla, turned her by her shoulders and gently lifted his hand to cradle her face.
“You will never be a monster to me, Layla.”
He stood frozen as their faces came closer and something shifted at that moment. She stole his thoughts as their eyes connected and his heartbeat reminded him he was alive.
Time seemed to stop and his courage danced on a wire as his face neared hers. Enchanted by her beauty he pulled her closer until he felt the warmth of her breath. He felt all her fears slowly fade and the gentle touch of his lips changed everything.
16
ACCOMPLICE
Jeremiah and Layla walked nervously together to O’Leary’s. The place was quiet and there was only a half-dozen men chatting away and a few couples in booths at the back. Jeremiah took up Layla’s hand and reassured her with a smile, the solid door closed behind them as Shannon lifted her head.
“Holy Mother…” she said, her face dropping as she almost let a glass slide from her hand.
Jeremiah smiled at her, looking back at Layla as they took seats at the front bar.
“Lord have mercy,” she said still startled, looking back and forth between Layla and Jeremiah. “Have you two gone mad, then?”
“Layla, you’ve met Shannon?” Jeremiah said trying to ignore the barmaid’s reaction.
Layla managed to break out a smile.
“It’s been a while.”
Shannon leaned forward over the bar toward Layla.
“My dear,” she said in a hushed voice. “They’re looking for you…”
Layla’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands.
“Who, Shannon?” Jeremiah asked quickly.
“Vampires…” she whispered. “Two of them, a man and woman and nasty pieces of work at that.”
“H- H- How does she know?” Layla stammered.
“Relax, Layla,” Jeremiah soothed her. “Shannon’s a nephilim. I should have told you.”
“Nephilim?” Layla asked in confusion. “Like… half angel, half human?”
Shannon smiled at her, rubbing Layla on her arm.
“It’s okay, dear, there is much for you to discover about this world in time.”
Jeremiah’s jaw tensed, and he was lost in thought. He wasn’t going to take any chances, Layla would not be taken again, and being at O’Leary’s meant they were already too close to the docks.
“Shannon, we need to go… Call Rafael and have him meet us at the monastery.”
Jeremiah stood up in his seat and nodded his head sideways at Layla for them to leave.
“Wait, Shannon, which vampires were they? Do you know them?”
Jeremiah’s head dropped as his heart ached. He realized she was asking after Marco. Shannon looked at them both and picked up on the tension. She cast her gaze back toward Jeremiah.
“It was just Anastasia and Kane, dear, and they weren’t too kind about it all.”
Layla looked half disappointed, lowering her eyes with an obvious sigh. Only to feel Jeremiah’s eyes glued on her.
“I’ll get in touch with Rafael now,” Shannon said. “You two, be safe.”
17
TREACHERY
The arched wooden doors creaked open and the knave of the monastery was dark with only a few of the isles being lit by the full moon through high windows. Its light radiated stunning rainbow hues as it shone in all its brilliance through the leadlight panes.
Jeremiah walked in first with Layla following directly behind. They knew it wasn’t safe here, it wasn’t safe anywhere. The room felt eerily empty as their footsteps creaked and echoed on the floorboards towards Jesus’ crucifix hanging high above the altar.
“Hello, brother.”
Layla’s head swung sideways as the single voice broke the silence, It had come from the far left yet there was no one in sight. She noticed Jeremiah was squinting through the gloom in search of the voice and moved his arm back to shield Layla. There on the second pew was a single man, sitting alone in contemplation. She felt Jeremiah relax his arm indicating he knew the man.
“Rafael,” Jeremiah said. “Thank you for coming.”
The two angels walked up to each other and greeted one another in the customary way, and Rafael’s eyes shot over to Layla, she slowly stepped sideways behind Jeremiah as her shield.
“I see you’ve brought a friend with you,” he said.
“Rafael, this is Layla Sinclair.”
Rafael painted a huge smile across his face and briskly walked toward her, he forced out his arm to welcome her with a handshake. The man moved like a wolf and she pulled her arms in close, watching him nervously.
“It’s okay, Layla,” Jeremiah reassured. “He won’t hurt you.”
She held her arm out and weakly shook his tight grip.
“We have a problem,” Jeremiah said to Rafael.
The archangel looked back toward his brother and dropped Layla’s hand as his eyes grew wide.
“Oh, I know… I know,” he said menacingly.
Jeremiah looked back toward Layla and cast his eyes in the direction he wanted her to go.
“I won’t be long,” he said.
She felt the tension in the air and didn’t want to make things any worse than they already were. She nodded and took his orders as though he were her master. She didn’t mind sitting away, she would be able to hear everything anyway and so she sat quietly, watching for any sign of trouble.
“Why would you bring that filth in front of me, Jeremiah?” Rafael hissed under his breath.
Layla let her eyes drop and her stomach tightened. She cast her eyes up toward Jesus, even though she had never given faith a second thought. Maybe her father had driven it out of her, she wasn’t sure.
Maybe there is a supreme being…
She bowed her head low and attempted to find a silence inside herself. She felt a little awkward and overwhelmed, yet surprisingly, she found herself talking with God.
Dear Lord, she started in the only way she knew. I know I’ve been a stranger for some time and I hope you can forgive me for what I have become. I’ve never wanted to hurt anything or anyone in my whole life. She sniffed back a tear. Please… please, please, please look over my mother and Kendra… make sure they are okay. I miss them so much. My father John, I haven’t heard or seen him since, well since everything bad started to happen, if you could find it in yourself to let him know I’ll be ok… A tear fell down her cheek and she said Amen.
Layla noticed the size of the monastery’s cross and thought it was a little ridiculous. If He was ever resurrected the last thing He would want was to see himself nailed and hung like a sick sacrifice.
The somber nature of his eyes and the horrific execution reminded Layla of herself, she sat almost entranced with her mind flashing over her recent experiences. Suddenly, the statue’s eyes opened and turned to look at her. It looked almost as if he were judging her in the same way everyone else seemed to. She jumped in her seat as a chill came over her spine which shook through to her core. Her body fluttered and she attempted to fight off the feeling while squinting her eyes trying to get a clearer look. However, the statue’s eyes appeared normal and closed. She shook her head to herself wondering if she were going mad.
She darted her head sideways when the angels began to raise their voices, Layla realized things weren’t going well. Jeremiah had his chest puffed out and he was pointing every time he spoke. Rafael’s arms were crossed stubbornly and he shook his head at almost everything Jeremiah was saying.
Layla got up and snuck up a few pews to get closer. Jeremiah swung his arms out in front of him and pushed Rafael back. Rafael pushed forward and then Jeremiah shoved him again. A blue luminescence burst from Jeremiah’s hands burst out in front of him sending Rafael crashing into the stone wall behind him.
The rocks shattered from the impact of the angel’s blow, and Rafael crumpled to the ground. Jeremiah came storming up to her and grabbed her by the arm pulling her along.
“Let’s go, now!” he growled.
He dragged her back outside as she struggled to keep up and he threw her onto his motorbike. Jeremiah kicked the engine into a roar and Rafael came storming out the monastery’s entrance. He yelled something but she couldn’t hear it as Jeremiah let the throttle go and they sped off away.
18
DEMONIC
Ardat felt like the weight of the world had finally been lifted as she guided her demons into her lair. Their venture into Vault was a total success, it couldn’t have gone better. Her succubus had killed an angel and they had possessed enough souls to push their plan along.
She stormed into the dining hall with a smile spread wide across her face. Rezaal was sitting at an old wooden table, drinking whiskey with some fellow demons when he looked up and saw.
“What are you so chirpy about?” he asked as he leaned back in his chair. “Please, tell me you have brought me good news for once.”
Ardat smiled and turned to the red-head, waving her arm toward the door behind them. The succubus skipped over and opened the door, ordering thirty-three human bodies to walk in.
Rezaal placed his glass on the table and stood aghast to his feet. He looked over in disbelief as the possessed humans stood there like zombies. Rezaal walked over and around looking the new recruits up and down. One of the men appealed to him and Rezaal got closer and closer until he was nose-to-nose, glaring into his eyes.
“My young brother, Alastor!” he beamed. “You finally made it through!”
He turned with a slight hop and walked over to Ardat with a face that could have melted butter. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply on the lips.
“You have done well,” he said. “We may actually have our whole family here one day soon.”
Ardat smiled looking toward the others proudly.
“Get them into vessel training,” she said to the succubus.
She watched while they left through the doors, and walked over toward the fireplace where Rezaal stood looking into the flames.
“You will have her back brother, I will make sure of it.”
Rezaal turned toward her with raised eyebrows.
“I have waited a long time for her, I won’t have this messed up. It’s only a matter of time before the angels or vampires capture her first…”
