by Lola StVil
“There are some Quo friends of ours that are trying to find a way to kill the flames, but that may take days or even weeks,” the Face says.
“What does Bex say about this?” Randy asks me.
“Nothing. We’ve been trying to get in touch with him, and so far…” Swoop says.
“And we’re sure the fires were set by the Paras?”
“Yes, Randy. We’re certain,” Diana says.
“Wow…well, I have some good news. I think I have a lead on Malakaro. If it pans out, we’ll be able to find out more about his history.”
“Great, what’s the lead?” East asks.
“Not yet, I still need to double-check. I don’t want to be wrong. Just let me check out a few things online and I’ll know for sure.”
“I still think we should hide our location with mixtures. If the Paras are after the kids for whatever reason, they’ll be able to find them if we don’t,” the Face says to Winter.
“No, if we do that, then Bex won’t be able to find us either,” I reply.
“Are we so sure that’s a bad thing?” East says.
“Do you really think Bex would harm us? East, he’s a part of this team. Even if it is unofficially,” Swoop counters.
“I’m sure he’ll be glad to know that,” someone says behind us.
We all turn towards the window and find six Paras floating just beyond our reach; they are the Omari. Right away we prepare to attack. The Omari are six Paras tasked with watching over the king and hunting angels who have broken the law. They are powerful, skilled, and almost never lose.
“Everyone, remain calm,” Bellamy says as she signals to her team to lower their Powerballs.
Bellamy is the first female leader of the Omari; she’s tall and muscular, with black hair and stark gray eyes. She reminds me of an Amazon warrior. Her voice is calm but firm. She commands the five male members of the team with a strong presence. She’s famous in the angel world. She’s been written about in good and not-so-good terms. I’ve always admired her but never got to see her up close. She’s even more impressive in person.
“The Kon said the First Noru is not to be hurt,” Bellamy reminds her team.
“That’s so nice of him,” Diana mocks.
“He wants to see you,” Bellamy says, ignoring Diana’s snide comment.
“Then why didn’t he come himself?” I ask.
“Things are complicated. You will have to speak with him yourself. Come with us,” she replies.
“She’s not going anywhere with a Para. You burn down our houses and nearly kill our families and now you want us to hold hands and go on a field trip with you? Lady, what are you smoking?” East says.
“He’s right. She’s not going anywhere with you or your team,” Aaden vows.
“Bellamy, tell us what’s going on and let us decide if we will let her go,” the Face says.
“I was under the impression Pryor Cane was the leader. Why are you telling her what to do?” Bellamy asks.
“I am the leader. And they don’t tell me what to do. However, they are my family and they deserve an explanation. So explain or get out,” I reply.
“You have all been under attack by Paras,” she says.
“Yeah, we got that part. Move on,” East replies.
“It’s not the entire Para world that is after you. It’s a new radical group called the New Order,” the long-haired Omari next to Bellamy informs us.
“Troy, you are not to speak. The Kon wishes to explain things himself,” Bellamy instructs.
“Then he should have come himself. But since he didn’t, start talking,” I tell Bellamy.
“Who is this New Order group, and what do they want?” Aaden asks.
“Vengeance,” Bellamy says.
“Actually, I think it’s more justice,” the blond Para in the back says.
“Clay, enough,” Bellamy orders.
“Justice for what?” Swoop says.
“The New Order is an extremist group of Paras who lost their families to Malakaro at the night masquerade massacre. When they found out that the Kon was dating Malakaro’s sister, they started protesting. They want him to stop dating you,” Troy says.
“They’re doing all of this so Bex can break up with me?”
“That was before. With everything Malakaro has done since then, the New Order has new demands…”
“What does the New Order want?” I demand.
“They created a mixture that may kill Malakaro. But to know for sure, they’d have to use it on you. The New Order wants the Kon to consent to your death.”
Chapter Six:
Faxten
Although the team protests, I agree to follow the Omari to where Bex is staying. We fly over to a small city in Germany called Cochem. We land on a cliff with a towering black stone formation that reaches high into the sky and seems to go on forever. Bellamy signals to the rest of the Omari that they are to stay behind while we fly up to the peak of the tower.
“It’s just a tower of black stone. Where is Bex?” I demand.
“Look again,” she says.
Suddenly the structure begins to reshape itself. The smooth stone surfaces become large black bay windows, and the jagged edges that circle the formation become winding staircases. Somehow the stone tower has configured itself into a dark, sleek skyscraper. Bellamy tells me that for security reasons, we cannot fly in. So we land on the steps and follow them to the top. Bellamy places her hand on the smooth glass of the bay window and it parts, allowing us to enter. It then closes behind us.
“What is this place?” I ask.
“This is Onyx, the home of past Kons and their family. It’s the place where retired Kons go once they have done their jobs and a new Kon has taken over.”
“So what’s Bex doing here?”
“I brought him here because it is the most secret and hidden place I know. It’s essential that no one see him.”
“Bellamy, what’s happening?”
“I told you the Kon asked for you; that is not true. He didn’t summon you here, I did.”
“Okay, care to tell me why?”
“The New Order didn’t just bomb your homes and the school. They wanted to make a point to the Kon himself. They obliterated the place he loves the most—it’s known as the Garden of Eden. But to us it’s called—”
“La Belle,” I reply as I recall the stunning, vast garden that Bex took me to after my breakup with Aaden. It was such a peaceful place. Omnis made it as a tribute to humanity.
“The New Order bombed the garden? Did everyone get out safely?” I ask.
“No. That’s why I brought you here. Follow me,” she says.
We turn the corner and walk down a dark hallway of marble. A few feet away from us stands a glass door that goes from floor to ceiling. Bellamy signals for me to go in. Not sure what I will find, I hesitate before going beyond the threshold.
Once on the other side, the door closes behind me. My eyes immediately fix on the trail of red blood on the floor. I follow it down a long corridor and into a room with a black stone balcony. Bex is on the ground a few yards away, holding someone in his arms. His body looms protectively over her. They are both bloody and pale.
Oh my Omnis!
“Bex!” I call out as I rush over to him. I get on the floor beside him and shake him. He looks up at me, and it’s as if he doesn’t recognize me.
“They want to take her away, but I can’t let them. She’s sleeping. She needs to rest,” he says, motioning towards the body.
I look down into the face of the woman in his arms. At first it’s hard to make out who it is; half of her face is missing. There are severe burns across what remains of her body. After some effort, I am finally able to place the elderly woman—it’s Mrs. Doris, the lady who runs La Belle. When I was there, she made sure I was cared for. She fixed an herbal bath to soothe my troubles, and it worked. She’s looked after the Kons and their family all her life. But Bex is wrong. She isn’t sleeping, s
he’s dead.
Damn…
I take his face in my hands and look into his despondent eyes. I’ve never seen him this lost and in this much pain.
“Bex, you have to let them take her,” I reply gently.
“No, she’s sleeping. I got to her in time. We landed, and I saved her before the explosion went off. She’s sleeping.”
“No, honey, she’s not. She’s gone.”
“SHE’S SLEEPING!” he screams as he holds the body tighter.
“Bex, look at me. Look at me,” I insist.
When our eyes meet, he starts to read the expression on my face. I don’t need to tell him she’s gone again; he reads it in my eyes.
“She’s…she’s not sleeping,” he says as he cradles her in his arms.
“No, she’s not,” I confirm.
I signal for Bellamy to enter. She reaches down to the ground to take the body away. Bex resists and holds on to her. I place my hand on top of his.
“Bellamy will take good care of her,” I promise him.
He looks down at her. His voice and hands are shaking as he speaks to her. “I am so sorry I didn’t save you in time. I love you. Please don’t hate me,” he pleads as he sweeps the blood-soaked hair from what remains of her face.
I signal to Bellamy that she can take the body. As Bellamy disappears down the hallway, Bex looks on, completely distraught.
“It was just a few days ago that she was nagging me about not spending enough time in the garden, and the next thing I know, she’s engulfed in flames. She screamed so loud. Her flesh was melting right in front of me, and I…I couldn’t get to her. She died in pain. So much pain.”
I pull him to me and hold him as tight as I can. I want to get rid of the image in his head of her charred body, but I know from experience only time can do that.
“I’m sorry about Mrs. Doris. I didn’t know she meant that much to you,” I admit.
“After my dad died, it was years before my mom could look me in the eye. She didn’t mean to, but she held back her love for me because I got our dad killed. But Mrs. Doris took her place. She loved Hunter and me when my own mom didn’t. I was never a Kon to her; I was her son. I tried to save her, Pry, I really, really did,” he says as he gets up from the floor.
“I know you did,” I reply as I stand up beside him.
“SHE NEVER HURT ANYONE!” he rages.
And without warning, Bex grabs a chair carved from stone and hurls it through the glass window. The glass shatters and rains down on us. The Omari burst into the room, and I promise them that everything is okay. Bellamy looks at me with serious doubt.
“I got this,” I vow as I walk over to her.
She tells her team to leave us alone. But before she disappears again, she whispers to me, “He needs to control himself. If he gives even the appearance of being unstable…actions will be taken.”
“What kind of actions?”
“If enough Paras feel he is unbalanced, they will replace him. That’s why I brought you here. You need to get him back to his senses and soon,” she warns as she closes the door behind her.
This is so not good…
“Bex, I need you to try to stay calm.”
“She died in my arms, looking up at me. How can I be so powerful and so damn useless?”
“You tried to save her. We all know that.”
“But I didn’t save her, did I? I know what I need to do. I need to find the New Order and kill them. Kill them all,” he says as he marches towards the door.
“I agree that we need to do something, but you’re not thinking straight right now. The New Order is made up of Paras. You can’t just go after your own kind without thinking it through.”
“There’s no thinking needed. I will find. And kill.” He pulls the door so hard, it splits from the hinges and smashes just like the window.
“If you make the Omari come in here one more time, they are going to think you’ve lost it. They will replace you. Do you get that?”
“They killed a woman who has been there for me my whole life. She…Pry, she was the only one I had after my dad died. The only one who would even talk to me. With Hunter gone, she was all I had. She was all I had…”
“No, she’s not. You have you. You have me. So please, please, just talk to me. Okay? Talk to me,” I beg as I see the Omari approaching from the corner of my eye. I hold my hand out, signaling to them to stay back.
“Bex, baby, I need you to talk to me. Please. Or they will declare you unfit to rule. Tell me something about Mrs. Doris. Tell me something about the woman who raised you.”
“She…” He gasps as if talking about her is physically painful.
“Bex, tell me something about her, something no one knows but the two of you,” I beg as I place my hands on either side of his face.
“She was taking break-dancing lessons.”
“What?!”
He laughs at the absurdity of his statement. “One of the human kids started teaching her as a joke, but it turns out she liked it. So I’d see her by her window, practicing in her room late at night.”
“Was she any good?”
“No. She was awful, but it made her smile. Sometimes, that’s all I needed to see: Mrs. Doris’s smile.”
(PLEASE NOTE YOUNGER READERS CAN SKIP THE MATURE CONTENT AHEAD WITHOUT MISSING VITAL PLOT POINTS.)
It’s another hour before Bex is calm. He commands the Omari to search for the New Order so that they can pay for what they’ve done. He wants to join the Omari in the hunt, but Bellamy and I convince him to take a few hours’ rest. Fearing that he won’t take our advice if left alone, I fly him to Maui, and we check into the Four Seasons hotel.
I text my team to let them know I’m okay. They have questions, but I promise them an update in a few hours. Bex needs to get away from everything, a feeling I know all too well. So as we enter the lavish hotel suite, with dim lights and fresh roses, I promise myself to give him some time before we talk business. But Bex, on the other hand, is all business.
“It doesn’t make sense that the New Order would only attack the garden,” he says.
I haven’t told him what happened at the house and the school. I want to wait until things die down, but if he turns on any angel network, he’ll know.
“They attacked other places, my house,” I reply carefully.
“What? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I did, but it went to voicemail.”
“Shit! I dropped my cell in the fire when I was trying to get to Mrs. Doris.”
“I figured.”
“Pry, I’m so sorry. But why didn’t the necklace I gave you alert me?”
“I told you I don’t like wearing it. It’s not fair to have to drag you to save me every time a little demon comes around.”
“Tell me what happened,” he says, on high alert.
“It’s just a little smoke. The point is we’re all fine. Everyone on the team,” I assure him.
“Argh, Pry, you should have told me. Things could have been even worse today.”
“There were some bad things that went down today but some good things too. We got our powers back. And Randy is finally starting to snap out of his funk.”
“Okay, tell me everything. And start with why you keep sending away your protection detail,” he insists.
I update him on everything from dinner at Uncle Rage’s house to the battle in the hospital. The more I talk, the more he worries.
“The demon said I sent him?”
“Yes, but I’m sure someone managed to fake your seal or something,” I reply.
“The Kon seal is made in blood. The only way to replicate it is to be a relative. I know everyone is thinking it might be Hunter. That’s why I’ve sent a team out to find him. But no matter what you think of Hunter, he would never hurt Mrs. Doris. He loved her.”
“Maybe someone faked the royal seal another way. Let’s not worry about it tonight, okay?” I offer.
“Did you really think I
could hurt you?” he asks.
“No, never,” I reply as I look away.
“You did,” he says, sounding hurt.
“Only for a few seconds, and only because…”
“Because Silver hurt you.”
I don’t reply, I just look out towards the window.
“I get it. It’ll take time,” he says as he kisses my forehead.
“I always forget how pretty this place is,” I tell him, desperate to change the subject. I open the double doors that lead out on to the terrace. Our suite faces the ocean. I can hear the waves crashing along the shore. The breeze entering our room brings with it the intoxicating scent of a warm summer evening.
If I close my eyes long enough, I could fool myself into thinking Bex and I are here on vacation. And that everything is normal. Almost. I turn away from the spectacular view and find Bex sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down. He’s back to that horrific moment in the garden again.
“Hey, we should take a swim,” I offer.
“I should be out looking for the New Order.”
“You have a very capable team. And you need this downtime. If things were reversed, you’d make me take time off. In fact, that’s exactly what you did, remember?”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
“No, we aren’t arguing about this. You need a few hours. And you are taking it. Period. I have spoken. I’m your girl, and that means I’m the final word,” I inform him as I kneel before him.
“Oh, so being with me means you get to control what I say and do?”
“Yup.”
“What if I object?” he asks.
I reach up and glide my lips against his slowly until they part. His silky warm tongue coils itself around mine. Being fused together makes my body tingle. With every passing second, our kiss grows more and more intense.
The Kon picks me up and flies us down to the beach below. Thankfully, it’s nearly abandoned and the dark night serves as a cloaking device. The only light comes from the moon high above us. He lays me down on the warm, wet sand and kneels over me. But once again, the sadness creeps into his eyes. He’s hurting again.
I sit up and trace his soft mouth with the tip of my thumb. He looks down as it grazes the surface of his lips. He takes my hand and kisses my palm tenderly. I slowly unbutton his shirt and reveal his tan, taut muscular chest. I slide the shirt off his back and let the ocean take it away. I kiss his neck and then slowly travel across his broad chest with my tongue. When I suckle on his bare nipples, he groans with need and grabs onto a fistful of sand.
