"That's why you eat so slowly."
"Yep. I have to be careful." He set down the leather and his sword. "Toss me some of those pills, please."
Kato hesitated.
"Please. I'm fine. You'll know if I start going down that road again."
They both looked up to see a raven tapping its beak repetitively on the window. Even in the snow, it continued furiously pecking at the glass.
Jaylen was hurriedly pushed into the closet then he jumped as the door was slammed in his face. He knelt down and looked through the keyhole to see Kato opening the window. She was talking to the bird.
"Xair, what's wrong?" Kato asked.
"I came as quickly as I could. They have Gavin."
"Gavin? Who's Gavin?"
Jaylen stepped out of the closet. "Hello, Xair."
Xair and Kato looked at each other.
"It's okay, Xair. I won't tell anyone you're alive." He went up to the raven and petted his head gently. "Gavin is an incubus who is the embodiment of half a soul. When extremely good people die, their souls have a chance of being reborn as an angel. When bad people die, they have a chance of being turned into a demon. There was a man named Carver whose soul was divided in half. Gavin was the demon half. But he's not bad. Gavin is a very good friend of mine."
Xair hopped from the windowsill to the desk and walked across the map, idly studying the marked parchment. "Jaylen is correct. Eternal Eclipse has Gavin. They're going to use Doran to drain his blood to the point where his soul is extremely weak. Then they will use my people's magic to overload his soul then destroy Heaven."
"Destroy Heaven?" Jaylen asked. "They can actually destroy Heaven?"
"If they kill Heaven's defenders. Every single angel in existence is on Eternal Eclipse's list for execution."
"They're going to kill the angels?" Kato asked.
"Every angel that doesn't side with Carvael and join Eternal Eclipse. Axaniel is already beginning to round them all up, in secret of course."
Jaylen's heart sank. He went over to the cabinet and took a drink from the bottle of wine. Had his run come to an end? After all this past year of trying to break away and find a new life for himself, was he truly going to go back to the very same people he ran away from? Maybe it was time. He couldn't stay away from the one person who meant the most to him. "Xair, can you lead us back to the others? I have to get to Zeriel."
Chapter 9
Scraps of mold-encrusted bread, unidentifiable yellowish stains, bits of ripped paper, speckles of dark red, and blood-soaked black feathers covered the chipped hardwood floor of the cold bedroom. The hearth remained untouched and empty. The windows were encased in a thick layer of frost peeking out above the high snowdrift that blocked any mage-glow from the outside. The only light in the room was from a single burning candle that had turned to mostly wax that was now stuck to the floor in a hardened pool. The soft yellow glow danced across the jagged claw marks that ran all the way from the ceiling to the floor.
Zeriel was in his wrinkled underwear, lying on his back with his wings stretched out as far as they could go. The once shiny black feathers were ragged and turning grey from his life fading from him. Half of them had been ripped out in his seemingly endless nights of agony and self-loathing. Zeriel's normally well-kept spiky black hair was messy and long, just like his uncharacteristic bushy beard. Dark circles surrounded his bloodshot eyes whose white irises were even paler than before. As he used every ounce of energy he had just to continue breathing, his ribs were extremely visible, evidence of him wasting away from weeks of barely eating enough to keep himself alive.
Truthfully, he didn't know why he even bothered to do so. There was no reason to keep himself alive if he had nothing to live for. Zeriel's only thoughts consisted of memories. Those memories were of the happy times when he had Jaylen and they were together. He would have given anything to have him back in his life, or to even just know that he was safe and happy. For the first few months, he had held onto the hope that Jaylen had simply gone somewhere and gotten lost. Then that changed to worrying if he had been kidnapped and sold again. But then time dragged on with no word from him and Zeriel knew. He knew that Jaylen must have been killed. And it destroyed him inside that he wasn't there to protect him. While it was true that they weren't bonded anymore, Zeriel had treated Jaylen like his son and would have done anything for him. His dark thoughts were interrupted when a cold blast of air came through the window as it was slid open and a voice spoke to him.
"Forgive me for interrupting your suicide attempt, Fallen Angel Zeriel."
Zeriel didn't care enough to look over at the intruder. If the man was going to kill him, he would rather welcome it than to bother fighting. It simply wasn't worth it.
The heavy boots thudded on the floor until the young blond-haired man with the diamond earrings and a long grey coat was standing over Zeriel's chest and peering down at him with large hazel eyes. "Peek-a-boo. I see you."
Zeriel's voice was hoarse and raspy as he whispered. "Jaylen?"
"Jaylen? Uh, no. I'm Jeremiah."
"Oh. Go ahead and kill me."
Jeremiah frowned. "Do I look like Jaylen Corrifus? I haven't actually met him yet."
"Yes. You look like you could be an older Jaylen. But he had blue eyes."
"Are you all right?"
"Sure. I'd be much better if you would just kill me."
"You want to die when the boy you love more than everything is waiting on a ship not too far from here?"
Zeriel groaned as he managed to sit up. "What?"
"Jaylen is alive. I can't stay here for long, but Jaylen wants you to come with us. I was told to come get you by one of your good friends. I was told not to mention his name, so I'm not going to mention his name. If you agree to abide by the rules of Captain Kato, I can take you right now to be with Jaylen. I have a prisoner in a cave near here who is waiting for me to come back, so time is limited. He cannot know that I am helping you. The thing is, my prisoner is after Kato and things are very complicated. He also wants to steal away Cael and Nimiel, but I won't let him. I may or may not be something like a double agent. Again, it's all very, very, very, very complicated."
"Say very one more time."
Jeremiah tilted his head to the side like a confused puppy. "Very."
Zeriel glared at him. Maybe he was already dead and in Hell. Could this Jeremiah idiot be a demon about to devour his soul? "How can I trust you?"
"You can't. But I'm your only chance to see Jaylen, so you'd better get dressed and come with me. Don't worry. I have enough strength for both of us. I will carry you to the ship."
"What are you?" Zeriel asked.
"I am a seraph. Please come with me. I can help you, Zeriel. We need you."
"Why does a seraph need me?"
"Because you are Carvael's son. Yes, you are Fallen, but that doesn't matter right now. The fate of Heaven is in your hands, Zeriel. We need you to help us take down Eternal Eclipse."
Zeriel found a half-empty glass of water in the corner and drank it all. "Like you said, I'm Fallen. I can't even get into Heaven."
"No, you can't. But your son can."
He nearly choked on the water. "What? My son?"
"Yes."
"Hold on a minute! I don't have a son."
"I will explain on the way." Jeremiah took Zeriel's hand and helped him to his feet. "Right now, I have to go kidnap the ishim."
"Ishim?"
"Cael. He's an ishim and he's coming with us so Jaylen and Kato can keep him safe from the people who want to hurt him."
"All right." Zeriel began doing what little he could to make himself presentable. "I'm coming with you. But you have to tell me about my supposed son."
"I will. I need your help right now, though. Can you distract everyone so I can steal a baby angel?"
* * *
"No."
"Please."
"Absolutely not."
Jeremiah cradled the tightly-swaddled baby Cae
l close to his chest as he flew with Zeriel on his back over the snowy forest. "Zeriel, do this for the good of Heaven."
"No. That's final."
"Please, please, please!"
"I'm not going to sleep with a human woman just so she can have an angel baby." Zeriel snapped in his ear. "There isn't even a guarantee that the child will be a boy. Female angels aren't allowed into Heaven. You should know that."
Jeremiah wasn't about to give up yet. "But there is a chance."
"We can't just make angels to fight for us. The gestation period is a year for angels. We will never make an army with this plan."
"But . . . but . . . oh, fine. You're right. I'm just running out of options."
"You know, I thought that beings as powerful as seraphs would be able to come up with better ideas."
"I'm new to making my own choices." Jeremiah said. "Pretty soon, I'll probably be part demon just like Divinus."
"Who's Divinus? Wait. He's that creepy guy who was living inside of Jaylen."
"Yes. He is one of three seraphs. You wouldn't know it by looking at me, but I am the eldest. Divinus is the middle one. Then we have been missing our youngest seraph brother. We now know that Nimiel is the last one."
"Why aren't you bringing Nimiel with us then?" Zereil asked.
"Because I can only carry so many people. Besides, Nimiel is safe where he is. Nimiel's case is different than me or Divinus. Nimiel's body and mind were taken over by the youngest seraph at birth because there was no complete soul. Nimiel was born from a demon and Sola, therefore void of any actual soul. Without the seraph taking over, Nimiel would have died. But the seraph took on the identity of the young angel and merged with the tiny bits of a soul he did have because he didn't have a physical form. Nimiel is safer than most anyone else. But we have to find his father before it is too late."
"His father?"
"An incubus named Gavin. Do you know him?"
Gavin? He's alive? "Yes, I know him. Where is he?"
"It's . . . a secret?"
Zeriel growled at him. "Jeremiah!"
"Fine, okay. Your father has him."
"Of course. I go away for a year and the world falls apart."
"I'm pretty sure the world started falling apart a long time ago."
Cael whimpered as he woke up and started to get fussy. His tiny arms reached out and grabbed onto Jeremiah's ruby necklace.
Jeremiah laughed and held the baby tighter to his chest. "Shh. Cael, it's okay, little one. I know you're cold, but we'll be there soon and your uncle Zeriel can change your diaper."
"Not funny, Jeremiah."
"I bet you don't even know how to change a diaper."
"I'll have you know that I changed many of Jaylen's diapers when he was little. Oh, and what does a seraph know about tending to babies?" Zeriel asked.
"Absolutely nothing. It's just fun to mess with you, Zeriel. You're a funny guy. Most of the lesser angels I've met are all hoity-toity."
"Hoity-toity? Where are you from, exactly?"
"Me?" Jeremiah asked. "I've lived my entire existence in Purgatory. It is a lot less flashy than Heaven or Aldexa. I haven't been to Hell, so I wouldn't know how it compares. Do I say strange things or something?"
"Everything about you is strange. What's with the diamond earrings?"
Jeremiah flew lower towards the rocky shore. "I don't understand."
"Well, I figured that someone like you would have a meaning behind everything you wear or do."
"I have my earrings because I like them. No other reason. Oh, but I do have my ruby sun necklace. That has meaning."
"And that meaning is?" Zeriel asked.
"It holds a very ancient soul."
"What is it?"
Jeremiah looked down at his necklace being sucked on by Cael. "A ruby carved like the sun sigils and filled with a very special woman's soul segments. Her soul was accepted to be devoured by angels, but she didn't want that fate. Instead, she gave herself to me for safe keeping. She told me that she felt secure and safe by my side, so I agreed to always carry her next to my heart. She was so scared when she first arrived in Purgatory, but then she realized who I was and she . . . forgive me, Zeriel. I am not at liberty to discuss this further."
"Who was she to you?"
"I'm sorry. I've already said too much."
* * *
"That black-winged bastard!" Trevor stormed out of the empty nursery with Brinx following behind him with tears in her eyes. "Oviel, get out here."
The bedroom door opened as a very tired-looking Oviel squinted in the mage-glow. "Trevor? You're alive!"
"Yes, yes. We have more important things to tend to. Zeriel is gone and he took Cael with him."
"You're serious?" Oviel wrapped a robe around himself then joined them in the hallway. "But Zeriel has been unable to do anything for months. This doesn't make sense."
"Where's Liam? I bet that dirty little thief had something to do with this."
"Liam is in bed. He's been there with me all night."
"What? You sleep with him now?" Trevor asked.
"I . . . it's not . . ."
Liam peered out from behind the door, only wearing one of Oviel's buttoned shirts. "Ovi, come back to bed with me. I'm cold."
Trevor's anger was about to explode as he looked between the boy and a blushing Oviel. "This is not okay, Oviel."
Oviel sighed. "It's not what it looks like. We . . . uh, Liam had a nightmare."
Trevor's hands tightened into fists. "I'm not stupid."
"And I'm not the kind of man you're making me out to be. I would never hurt him!" Oviel snapped.
"We will discuss this later. I'm leaving."
Brinx grabbed Trevor's arm. "Darling, please don't go. You just got here. I've missed you so much."
"I am leaving. I have to go find my son!"
"Then we're coming with you. We will bring Nimiel with us as well. We can all help you." Oviel turned back to the door. "Liam, go get dressed in something appropriate. I don't know why you think it's okay to just wear my clothes."
Liam whispered. "You told me to, Ovi."
"Shush. Go."
"But Ovi, you took my clothes away."
Trevor glared at Oviel in disgust. "Are you serious? Has being away from Axaniel for so long made you this voracious?"
Oviel tied his long white hair back behind his shoulders as he pushed Liam into the room and shut the door. His muffled yelling did nothing to ease the tension in the building.
When Liam started crying, Trevor had heard enough. He kicked the door open. "Oviel, out. Leave. I will help Liam get dressed."
Oviel let Liam go. "I didn't do anything."
"I don't care. Go. We don't have time to be bickering about this right now. Where are Liam's clothes?"
"They're in the closet. I took them from him so I could put them where they belonged instead of stuffed under the bed where he put them. You are twisting everything to be something it's not. You can't actually believe that I would do something like that."
"We will talk about it later." Trevor pushed him out of the room then started throwing all of Liam's clothes onto the bed. "Liam, get dressed. I shouldn't have to be babysitting at a time like this."
Liam only stared up at him with wide bright green eyes. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"
"No. You didn't do anything wrong." Trevor set out a pair of pants and a long tunic on the bed. "Here are your clothes. Please get dressed. Grab your coat. We are going for a long trip."
Chapter 10
Jaylen was busy looking over the stack of maps from the various regions surrounding the Onyx Sea while sipping from his cup of hot peppermint tea. Kato's desk was covered in papers from where Jaylen had immersed himself into his work to get his worrying mind off of Zeriel. Not only that, but he was extremely nervous about seeing his angel again after so long. It was strange to think of him as his angel even though they weren't technically still bonded. He held out his hand to summon another ball of white ma
ge-glow in his palm. He let it fly up towards the ceiling where it hovered, cascading its light over the desk. Jaylen poured himself another cup of tea. He had to wake up. There was too much work to be done to be sleeping.
The door to the cabin creaked open as the tall pale man with black wings stepped inside. "You wanted to see me?"
Jaylen swallowed hard, his nervousness manifesting itself in his shaking arms. He looked up from the maps to see his dearest friend. "You look so . . . terrible. I didn't even know you could grow a beard."
"I'm doing good to just be standing here."
"Come on. Let me help get you cleaned up." Jaylen went to the door and closed it before turning to him. He unbuckled Zeriel's belt and pulled down his pants. He slipped the dirty tunic off over his head then pushed Zeriel towards the bathtub. "Get in."
Zeriel stepped inside then frowned. "It's cold."
"Just hold on." Jaylen slipped his blue topaz amulet over his head and stuck his hands in the water. As he concentrated on the water, he unleashed the pent-up energy, channeling it through his hands. He stayed there, growing weaker by the second until the water was steaming. He dried his arms off then removed the amulet. "How's that?"
Zeriel sunk down into the water and closed his eyes. "Wonderful. You're getting better with your magic."
"I've been practicing in private. You just relax. I've missed you, Zeriel."
"I'm missed you as well."
It was surreal, being the one on this side of the bathtub. For so long, Zeriel had been the caretaker, the protector, the provider. Now it was the opposite. Jaylen carefully dragged the razorblade up Zeriel's neck, shaving away the last remnants of the scruffy beard. He then set that aside and picked up a cloth. As he bathed his best friend, Jaylen kept his eyes locked on the defeated angel's face. It was almost like he was a completely different person without even a single spark of the man he used to be. To his surprise, Zeriel was the one to break the silence.
"Why?"
Jaylen sighed as he picked up a jar of gooey shampoo and smoothed it through Zeriel's hair. "Why what?"
"Why did you leave? I thought you were dead."
"I did what I had to do. I know it's hard to understand, but I needed to get away for a while. I felt suffocated there with everyone. Then you were constantly pressuring me to bond with you again. But I didn't want to. I wanted to be my own man for the first time in my life. I wanted to make my own decisions, to know some scrap of freedom."
Angel of Darkness Books 6-10 Page 8
