Zeriel spun his shotgun in his hands then fired twice more, sending three demons to the ground. "She's fine. There's a group of children and other citizens taking shelter in a store not far from here. I'll hold off the demons so you can go take them up to the temple on the hill."
"Will do. What is going on out there on the water? Who is leading these demons?"
"No idea. There haven't been any other angels around."
"Trevor or Brinx?"
"No sign. Nothing from Jeremiah either." Zeriel leapt into the air and rained down a nearly continuous volley of lead. "Go now, Jaylen. There are more demon reinforcements on the way."
"Be safe." Jaylen pried his sword from the dying demon at his feet then turned back to the children. "Boys, with me."
* * *
Kato pulled herself over the railing of the Reef Runner and took a deep breath. It was time to get this naval battle going before more of the demon-controlled Ka'taylin ships made it near the shore. She looked up to speak to her crew. "If you all had been farther out, we wouldn't have made it. You all know how old Thomas is getting to be rowing that far."
"Do they, Kato?" Divinus appeared in a cloud of glowing red mist, his white wings illuminating the carnage around him. "You're late."
Kato choked back a scream as she looked around the deck of her ship. The bodies of her crew were strewn haphazardly around in macabre piles of severed limbs, lakes of blood, and unidentifiable mangled body parts. She covered her mouth, but screamed when Divinus grabbed Thomas as he was climbing over the railing. "Don't! Don't hurt him. He didn't do anything to you."
Divinus grinned cruelly then placed his clawed hands on either side of Thomas's head. With one quick and powerful movement, Thomas's neck snapped and he slumped to the deck, lifeless. "It's just me and you now, dearest Kato."
Kato backed up as the seraph's slanted orange eyes stared into her deepest, darkest places. It was as if they were digging up all of her buried secrets, her hidden feelings, and the ways to unlock her innermost fears. "What do you want? Why are you attacking these innocent people? Why use demons?"
"You think these demons are mine? Interesting. But I don't have demons. These belong to Carvael."
"What?"
Divinus's dry laughter drowned out the cannon fire around them. "Sweetheart, I work for Carvael. I work for Heaven." He held out his arms, motioning to the burning buildings and the screaming people being cut down by demons on the beach. "This is the will of Heaven, the will of Sola! Cast off your loyalty to Finalis then become my bride, my partner in this glorious mission. Together, you and I will conquer all of Aldexa and bring about a new era for humans, elves, and werewolves. We will live in harmony with angels and demons. Think of it, Kato. Think of a future without fighting, without Heaven or Hell. No. We will have only Aldexa. We will have only peace."
"No. Angels and demons were never meant to work together. I don't know who told you all of this, but all of it is lies."
"Sulstair has-"
"Sulstair?" Kato shook her head in disbelief. "The necromancer? Why are you siding with them? I know you're a good man deep down, Divinus. You don't have to walk this road that ends only in pain and suffering and death. You have the power to change things for the better. Not this. Killing and hurting people? That's not you. That's not the Divinus who saved me and who I fell in love with so many years ago. Think about what you're doing. Please."
Divinus slipped his hands around her neck, the tips of his claws scratching against her pale skin. "I have thought about it. And I've thought of all the ways I am going to claim you as mine. Marrying Jaylen? Have you truly stepped that low, Kato? I don't share my things with anyone, especially not a whiny sniveling little boy. Now, what do you say we leave this fighting to the professionals and retire for the night? We have as long as I need, my love. I will teach you to seek the comforts of someone like Finalis."
* * *
Night fell over the brutalized island, making the smoke and blood less noticeable. But the orange and red glow from the numerous fires was bright, dotting the landscape down in the valley below the cliffs where Jaylen stood guard outside of the small old temple to Sola. He leaned against the doorway where the ancient wooden doors had long since started to crumble and fall to pieces from years of use then neglect as the pirates moved away from worshiping traditionally. Locusts hummed in the humid air of the warm night underneath the brilliant stars that began to show through the fog of thick smoke. The fighting had moved off of the land and was now concentrated solely out in the bay where the ships fired at each other, pirate against demon.
Jaylen hadn't seen much of anyone else from his group since he left Zeriel in the town to fight off the demon forces. He could occasionally see Karix's black scales far off over the water and hear the low roar, so he knew that Karix and Liam were safe. He thought this would have been finished long before sunset, but the hours had dragged on without any word of progress or victory.
Jaylen yawned, barely holding onto the energy he needed to stay awake. It had been a long day of leading the innocents out of the rubble. Overall, it had been mostly boring. For that, he was glad, but a little fighting would have made the entire thing more interesting. But this way, no one got hurt under his watchful care. He looked behind him to check on everyone. The older children had found enough dry kindling to start a fire and cook some emergency rations of black beans for dinner. By now, the fire had gone out and everyone was asleep. The tiniest of the children were wrapped up in protective bundles of blankets in the corner underneath the single oil lamp. The older ones and the two adults took turns checking on the young ones and bringing them water or extra blankets. It was comforting to see that complete strangers could still care for one another in dire situations.
His hand tightened around the hilt of his longsword as he turned back to watch the long winding road down into the valley. Always vigilant. Always focused. Always prepared. That was what it meant to be trained in the Holy Order. Although he had denounced his religion and became an apostate, Jaylen could never forget his training even if he tried.
A tiny voice whispered to him. "Who's Kato?"
Jaylen turned to see the young girl with yellow ribbons in her hair who was poking him gently on the leg. "Huh?"
"You were mumbling her name."
"Shouldn't you be in the blankets with the other children?" Jaylen asked, smiling at her uninhibited caring.
"But you look so lonely. I came to check on you."
"Awe. Thank you. I'll be all right. Kato is my wife. We were married yesterday, actually. It was on the beach and it was perfect."
The girl's brown eyes grew wide and she pouted. "Where is she?"
"I don't know. She went to find a way to stop the attack while I helped all of you. I thought she would find a way back to me by now, but none of my friends have shown up. At least the fighting out on the water has stopped."
"But now the island is burning."
"You shouldn't watch this. Why don't you go lie down? You're freezing."
The girl ducked behind Jaylen's legs and whimpered.
"What's wrong?" Jaylen looked out to where the girl was pointing up towards the sky above the palm trees. "Zeriel?"
Zeriel landed on the front steps of the temple, but he stumbled and dropped down to one knee. Blood had soaked through the front of his black long coat, a deep cut trailed from his left ear to his lips, and the black feathers on his wings were caked in grey soot. "Jaylen . . ."
"Zeriel!" He ran to his angel's side and lifted his face in his hand. "Are you all right?"
"I will be. Water, please."
"Sure. Come inside."
Zeriel grabbed his arm as he started to walk away. "No. There's not time. Wolfekin Inquisitors have been spotted amongst the ranks of the demons. They're working together. On top of that, Kato hasn't reported back yet. Her ship moved off toward the enemy ships, but they haven't engaged. Something has to be wrong. Kato wouldn't join them. Some of the pirates are coming ba
ck to land to be with the children. You and I are going to figure out where your wife is. Jaylen . . . for your sake, I hope my suspicions are wrong."
Chapter 14
Kato huddled in the corner of her cabin with a thin cotton sheet from her bed clutched tightly around her bruised and scratched bare legs. The fire in the hearth had died out, leaving the room darkened like the night outside. She watched Karix flying thorough the starry sky with Liam on his back as they continued to sink the enemy ships in the harbor with the dragon's water breath. At least they were making progress. At this point, Kato needed any spark of hope to cling to that she could find.
She caught a glimpse of her mascara and tear-stained cheeks in the mirror on her desk. Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from crying. A stripe of dried blood had covered her chin from her busted lip where Divinus had hit her. Her wedding dress and undergarments were strewn around on the floor where they had been brutally ripped from her.
It was surreal for Kato to place everything into perspective. Just the night before, she had removed her wedding dress and made delicate love with the most caring and listening man she had ever met. Now she had been torn away from her husband and defiled in a way she wanted only to forget. Though the physical and emotional pain wouldn't let her do that. All she wanted was to be back in Jaylen's protective arms. Despite his emotional crisis, their first night as husband and wife had been as if it was from a dream. Kato hadn't known how gentle and all-encompassing pure love could be. Jaylen's inexperience had faded as they became more and more involved in their passions and the initial nervousness gave way to trust and ecstasy. She would never forget the love she found in her husband's bright blue eyes.
But now she was far from Jaylen's warm arms and the comfort of their marriage bed. That became all too obvious when the door to the cabin, which had been barred from the outside, was forced open. She pulled against the thin iron chain that was wrapped around her ankle in an attempt to crawl away from her attacker.
Divinus's slanted orange eyes glowed menacingly as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "You're ugly, Kato. Fix that mess of hair and find some makeup to cover those bruises, will you? I hate having to look at you."
"You're the one who did this to me."
"Shut up!" Divinus shouted as he pushed a stack of papers from the top of Kato's desk.
As the pages and notebooks fell to the floor, Kato spotted a glimmer of silver in the dim light. Jeremiah's seraph bell. The tiny bell rolled across the floor and came to a stop inches from her foot. She watched Divinus closely. He didn't seem to have noticed. Once he turned his back, she quickly scooped it up and clenched it in her fist. Kato held onto the tiny silver bell with all of her strength and continued to discretely shake it, hoping that Jeremiah could hear her call for help.
The sound of rustling feathers, swooshing of wind, and boots landing on the wooden deck came from outside. Divinus growled under his breath then pulled the curtains back and glimpsed outside. "Angels. Damn it all."
A powerful male voice came from the other side of the door. "Divinus, we have the ship surrounded. You are hereby under arrest for your crimes against Sola and Aldexa. Come out of the cabin with your hands up and relinquish your hostage. If Kato Vallen is still unharmed, your punishment will be reduced. Deliver her at once, by the order of Seraph Jeremiah's host of angelic guards."
Divinus scoffed. He glared at Kato as he unlocked the chain around her ankle. "So Jeremiah has his own angel squad? How cute."
She wasn't above begging. "Divinus, please let me go. You heard him. If you let me go, your sentence will be reduced. Don't do something you'll regret."
"Stand up and follow me. Do exactly what I say. If you make one move, I will kill you in front of all of them, do you understand?"
Kato shakily stood up, holding the bed sheet around her body.
Divinus yelled at her, grabbing her wrist and shaking her violently. "Do you understand?"
"Why are you doing this? I thought you loved me."
"Loved you? I could ask you the same thing, Kato. You were my world until you ran away years ago. Then you marry some immature ex-clergy boy? I spent close to four years inside that boy's brain. I know how he thinks and how he acts. That is no life for a woman as talented and beautiful as you are. Why choose him over me? Answer me that."
Kato ran her thumb over her plain silver wedding ring. "Why did I marry Jaylen? Because he is everything that you will never be. He is strong, caring, and loving. I was blinded by your tricks of false love and attraction. I was young and confused. If I have learned anything in the past year, it is that I deserve so much more than you. You are scum. You are worthless."
"Enough!" He dragged her out of the cabin and stopped when he saw the twenty Holy Angels in pale yellow robes, silver chainmail, and steel pauldrons with their bows drawn. Their ethereal arrows sparked in the night air, their tips pointed threateningly at Divinus's chest. He then made eye contact with the older seraph in the long grey coat. "Jeremiah."
Jeremiah's short blond hair moved slightly in the sea breeze as he stood there with his hands on his hips, looking much more stern and authoritative than Kato thought possible. "Divinus."
Kato implored Jeremiah for help through her eyes as best as she could. But as she opened her mouth to speak, Divinus punctured the skin of her arms with his claws roughly. She bit her lip and tried not to cry from her mounting frustration. Couldn't he see that she needed rescue? She shivered as the wind caught in the thin sheet that served as her only clothing. Her bare feet on the cold deck wasn't helping the situation, but being uncomfortable was the least of her worries. Then she heard it. Divinus's dagger sliding out of the sheath on his belt. Kato's spine went rigid and she remained as still as she could.
Jeremiah seemed to take immediate notice of the subtle maneuver. "Put the weapon down, Divinus. This isn't about Kato. This is between you and the true Angelic Court, not the blasphemous construction Carvael has compiled so he can play a god. These angels are Heaven's best. They are ex-Guardian Angels who have defected to my side."
"Your side? And what side is that, Jeremiah? What could you hope to accomplish with a host of twenty angels?"
"Notice their wings." Jeremiah pointed at them all. "Unsullied white, green, purple, and yellow. No black. They are pure and holy, not Fallen. I am the new speaker for Heaven, now that Archangel Carvael has joined sides with the demons. With my angels at my side, I will figure out what is going on and put a stop to this madness."
"Why so few?" Divinus asked, raising an eyebrow expectantly.
"What do you mean?"
"Why do you have so few angels under your command, Jeremiah? Just twenty out of ten thousand angels in existence? Why is that? You look confused, my seraph brother. Because you are fighting on the wrong side of this war. You are no hero, no speaker or defender of Heaven. Heaven has its angels already. All you are doing is attempting to incite a rebellion and seize control of Heaven for yourself. You have lost sight of what Sola wants."
"Enough of your lies, Divinus." Jeremiah held up his hand for the angels to ready their arrows once more. "You are under arrest. Let Kato go then we will take you to Heaven to face judgment."
"Stay back, or she dies."
Jeremiah lunged at him, but stopped mid-air. His glowing wings faded and he landed on the deck again. "Put the knife down!"
Kato felt the razor edge pressed against her throat and Divinus's hot breath on the back of her neck. Then she gasped. The sharp ripping pain was quickly overshadowed by an incredible weakness flowing from her scalp down to her toes. A hot sticky liquid doused the front of her body and soaked into the bed sheet. The taste of metal flashed across her tongue. Divinus's clawed hand tightened brutally around her pulsing neck. Kato's breathing grew rapid and shallow, her raspy gurgling filling her ears and making her panic. The pounding of her labored heartbeat drummed against her forehead as her legs buckled under her until her weight was supported solely by Divinus behind her.
Divinus growled at the angels. "I said stay back or she dies. I slit her throat, you idiots. If I remove my hand, Kato will bleed out. I'm the only thing keeping her alive. You don't want that to change, do you?"
One of the angels in the back called out to him. "We are the guardians of Heaven. We will never negotiate with demons like you!"
"Fine. Have it your way." Divinus dragged Kato across the slippery deck to the side. "Sorry, babe, but you know how I hate to share my things."
Kato would have cried out if she could have when Divinus lifted her up then tossed her over the railing of her ship. As she fell the short distance to the dark water below, Kato felt her life ebbing from her. Her mind went blank before she hit the water.
* * *
"No!" Jaylen stripped his shirt off then dove into the rough waters. He swam as quickly as he could, blocking out the fighting occurring around him and back on shore. His mind was fixated on one thing, one place of red growing on the surface of the water. Every muscle urged him on, to make it to that place and find his wife. Even with one hand, he continued through the waves.
Jaylen was knocked under the salty water, but found his way to the surface again, his eyes pink and stinging. "Kato! Kato, swim to me! I can save you."
When he eventually reached the area near the side of the ship, the blood had dissipated from the waves, but he wasn't about to give up on her yet. Taking a deep breath, Jaylen dove down into the darkness, forcing his eyes to remain open. When he couldn't stay below any longer, he frantically kicked his way to the surface gain. Time after time, he repeated this ritual. And each time, he came back with nothing but more goose bumps on his skin and more violent shivering. "Kato, no! Kato! Kato, where are you?"
Strong arms grabbed Jaylen around his chest and plucked him out of the icy waves. "Stop it, Jaylen. Stop this. She's gone."
Jaylen struggled against Zeriel's grasp. "No! No, she can't be gone. Let me go. I have to find her!"
Angel of Darkness Books 6-10 Page 24
