I nodded my acknowledgement of his wishes, but he wasn't finished. "This includes staying away from Hunter, Cassandra. If he does manage to escape from Nergal's tortures again, he will come back for you. The bond that you created with him is strong, almost as strong as your bloodline, but you must sever it. His fate was sealed long ago and it does not include you. You are forbidden to be with that demon again, just as you are forbidden to enter Sheol. The consequences will be the same."
I wasn't about to argue with him, not after all he'd done tonight. He'd been my Guardian and I was surrounded by the people that I loved because of it. It was time to concede to the path he was pointing me towards. I'd follow his direction... for now.
Before they all disappeared, Anael explained that she still had a special connection with me and she'd always know when I was in trouble. She wasn't sure what Hadraniel had in mind for her, but she promised that no matter what, she'd come to help if I ever needed it.
Nora ran up to Hadraniel and Anael as they began to walk away from the car and I watched as they talked. My heart felt heavy, knowing she'd probably go back with them since her job with me was done. Or was it? I saw her walking towards my mom and me until the brilliant flash of light from the angels forced me to look away. As soon as my eyes adjusted back to the darkness, Nora was in front of me, smiling.
"They let me stay," she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "I asked them and they said I could stay as long as—" she stopped, afraid of speaking what I already knew.
"As long as I don't get all demon on you, I get it."
She put her head down. "That was the deal. It's still my job to watch over you and report anything suspicious."
"It's okay, Nora. I'm glad. You're my best friend, even if you're watching for little horns on my head, and I want you here with us. I love you, I don't care what your job is. Besides, I'm going to need all the help I can get, trying to remember what normal is."
Tears began to slide down her cheeks, tugging at my heartstrings, creating a chain reaction in my mom and me.
All three of us stood there in the street, in the middle of nowhere, having no idea where fate would lead us. All we did know was that we were Guardians of Fate, and it was our job to save the souls of the innocent, so that was what we intended to do.
Epilogue
It took me a few months to find any semblance to "normal" in my life. I went back to school, but the dream of becoming a psychologist felt empty now, knowing that our destinies were determined by far more powerful forces. The only reason I kept it up was the thought that I might be able to help others deal with life as they knew it. Plus, sticking to an average person's routine gave me a way to stay under the Elders' radar while I contemplated how I would get my dad out of Sheol.
Yes, that was still forefront on my mind. My mom, even as strong as she was, went into a depression after everything happened, and I had to be strong for her, every day attempting to lift her spirits. But I knew how much it pained her that my dad was in Hell suffering for us. I knew, because it was killing me. She didn't get Guardian visions anymore. Maybe her mind was deliberately blocking them, or somehow the powers of Heaven knew that her heart wasn't in it enough to save others. She went to work finally, after not leaving her house for at least a month, but everything she did was robotic now. It was as if she'd given up on happiness and hope. I couldn't say that I blamed her.
I still got visions, and I did my Guardian duties by saving others' souls when they needed it. I wasn't about to let anyone else suffer on my account. The recurring dreams of Hunter and me, and even those of Caleb and me, stopped. They were replaced with me in Hell, always searching for something that I could never find. My determination to find my dad led me to believe the dreams were about him, but my heart would hit me with sudden emotional flashbacks of Hunter. They were both in Hell now, or at least I thought they were. Would I ever find either one of them? I was bound and determined to find a way, but it wasn't like I had a secret Seeker on my friend list to tell me how to go about it.
I had a feeling Nora knew something, but we had grown so much closer since everything came out that I didn't want to scare her by making her think I'd gone rogue demon on her, so I never mentioned it. The only thing I talked to her about was being a Guardian and our normal lives, which consisted of work and school. She did tell me more about the Elders though. I thought the angelic army that showed up that night were the Elders, but she told me only Hadraniel was one. The rest were merely angels serving under him as warriors. Warrior angels. Who'd have thought? The Elders, she told me, were a select group of higher-powered angels with special abilities. They kept Heaven functioning, constantly keeping tabs on the underworld and its intentions. Sounded to me like another terrifying group of beings that had the power to change the world as we knew it.
That's why I had to be very careful musing about how to get into Sheol. I didn't want to be some kind of fallen Guardian, enemy of the Elders. Right now, they seemed to be the more powerful force, so I wasn't about to stick my neck out too far, just to get it cut off. I was afraid to tap into my inner demon, not that I knew how to anyway. Not to mention, my fears that somehow the Elders would sense it. But I didn't know of any other way to get in Sheol. Hadraniel once alluded to the fact that I had to use my Seeker abilities, but I just didn't know how to do that, and, to be honest, I was too damn scared.
Lately, I started having days where I felt like giving up hope of ever seeing my dad again. I was just too... guarded. But then one day, my fate turned in a different direction. I was running through the park, as I did every morning, when I noticed a man out of the corner of my eye sitting on the bench where Hunter and I kissed for the first time. I picked up speed as I passed it, trying to block out the images of Hunter. They only brought about an empty yearning now that I knew could not be fulfilled.
"Cassie!" I heard a familiar voice yell as I passed the bench. I stopped so abruptly, I nearly fell over. Chills ran through my body causing my hands and legs to shake uncontrollably. I knew that voice! It was one that I never wanted to hear again.
Turning slowly, hoping like hell that my mind was playing tricks on me, I stared in awe at the man sitting on the bench. My fight or flee reflexes decided they weren't taking the chance and I turned back, set on getting the hell out of there.
"Cassie, wait! I'm not what you think I am," he yelled to me. As I ran, I could hear his footfalls behind me quickly catching up. I turned my head as my feet picked up the pace.
"Stay the hell away from me, Caleb!" I screamed.
I wasn't fast enough. His hand grabbed my wrist and I was yanked back to face him. "Cassie, look at me. I'm not like I was before. I'm not a Seeker anymore!"
While struggling to free my arm from his grip, I looked into his face. It was... different. Gone was the cynical air it usually held. It almost appeared softer, with fewer edges to it; less... evil. Eyeing him up, I tried to look for signs that he had some kind of trick up his sleeve, but I saw nothing. Nothing but his eyes pleading with me to hear him out.
Shaking my head I stuttered, "But... but how?"
He relaxed as I stopped struggling. "I'm not positive, but I think it was your blood. I think your blood turned me and gave me back my soul."
I looked at him, squinting my eyes in doubt, his words completely outrageous to my ears. "You're lying!" I started to pull my arm away from him, but he tightened his grip again.
"Cassie, wait. Look at me. Look at my eyes!"
I stopped fighting him and looked dead in his eyes. That's what was so different about him. It was his eyes. They were no longer the mesmerizing blue orbs that seemed to captivate you. They'd lost their glow entirely. Instead, their brilliant green hue matched my mom's.
I couldn't help it; I stood there, transfixed by the change and the meaning it represented. My mouth hung open in complete shock of what this meant.
"Is that even possible?" I asked, trying to make sense of it myself as the words came out of my mouth.
>
He pulled me over to the bench and I sat down mindlessly. "I don't know how it's possible. I've never heard or seen anything like it. All I know is, after I licked your blood off the Sword, I felt something. I could almost feel a heat running through my veins. I don't remember anything after Hunter knocked me down until I woke up in a chamber in Sheol. I felt completely different. I can't even explain it, but I knew that I was no longer a Seeker. I felt... good. And then I saw my reflection... my eyes. I knew I was changed."
"Didn't anyone question what happened to your eyes? They had to have been thinking the same—"
"I didn't give them the chance. After I saw my eyes, I hightailed it out of there. When I finally realized how it happened, I wanted to tell you right away, but I was afraid it might only be temporary. I waited for a little while, and when I didn't seem to be changing back, I came looking for you. "
I stared at him, my mind running on overdrive. I was afraid to trust him after all he'd done in the past, but the proof of his words was staring right back at me. Then a thought hit me.
"Wait! So you knew how to get out of Sheol without being a Seeker anymore?"
"Uh, yeah. I just went out the same way I always did. Well, except I had to avoid anyone seeing me. Why?"
"So that means you remember being a Seeker? I mean, you haven't lost any memories of what you were?"
"Believe me, every last evil thing I did is stuck here," he said pointing to his head.
I knew then that fate had just handed me what I'd been trying to figure out for the last several months.
"Do you know where they are holding my father?"
"Yes," he said slowly, trying to figure out where I was going with this. I could tell the moment he figured it out. His eyes became wary. "You want me to show you how to find him, don't you?"
"Yes," I said bluntly.
He stood and paced a bit in front of the bench with his head down. I just watched him, knowing this was a big decision. I was asking him to go back to Hell with me, or at least show me how to get there. He was no longer a demon, and if he were found helping me, they'd kill him for sure. He'd just come back to this life, and I was asking him to put it right back on the line.
"I'll do it," he said stopping in front of me, looking me in the eyes. "It's the least I can do after putting you through everything I did."
This was it. I was going to Hell. Oddly enough, I felt hope surge through me like I hadn't felt in so long. I had a mission and the wheels started to turn on a plan to get my dad back. And I had a former demon laying out the blueprints.
It's funny how fate works. I spent weeks running from the demons, and now I planned to run right into them.
As we walked back to my apartment, a question lingered in my head, which I had to ask, so I just blurted it right out, "Did you see Hunter there?"
He stopped walking and I stopped with him. He didn't look at me, just kept looking straight ahead. "I won't help you get him out, Cassie. There was one thing as a Seeker that stayed with me as I am now, and that is how I felt about you. I really did want you, more than just to turn you. I'm no longer a demon and you have no need to fear me anymore. But he is."
His words of affection shocked me. I didn't think he'd actually felt anything emotional towards me. I didn't think he was capable. But then again, why would he have been any different from Hunter?
I tried to hide the hope in my voice that Hunter was still alive. I needed Caleb to help me, and if he knew that I had any intention of finding Hunter in Sheol too, I risked that favor. "You said 'is'. So that means he's still alive?"
"No, Cassie, he's a demon, and demons don't live, they exist," he said irritated. "But, yes, he's still in Sheol."
I started walking again, leaving him slightly behind. "That's all I needed to know."
THE END
Acknowlegdements
Guardian Of Fate started as a spark and grew to what it is today because of the great people that I have in my life. First and foremost, I cannot even begin to thank my critique partner, motivator, co-conspirator, slave-driver, and most of all, best friend Loni Flowers, enough. This book would never have made it this far without you. I look forward to many books to come together. Alice Lynn, you have been cheering me on and giving me great advice throughout the long, trying, process. You truly are a great, helpful, and inspirational friend. To my husband, Rick: thank you so much for putting up with my crazy dream of making it happen, my long nights of ignoring you with my headphones on, and for the great crash info for an unforgettable scene. I love you. Sammy, thanks for being one of my favorite beta readers. You inspired me to keep creating a world you couldn't wait to hear more about. Jacob, I thank you for being so patient with me, standing by while Mama finished one last sentence. Mom & Dad, thank you for believing in me and pushing me to follow my dream, no matter what. Mom, thank you for spreading the word and telling everyone how proud you were. J.D. Stroube, thank you so much for the awesome cover you have created, and all of the advice through the self-publishing process. Special thanks to the beautiful and extremely talented, Jody Ellen, for representing Cassandra so perfectly on the cover. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful representation of her. Teri, you are such a great person to work with and an unbelievable editor. Thank you! A huge thanks to all of my beta readers for making it the best it can be and giving me faith that it was good enough. And thank you to everyone for picking up Guardian Of Fate, supporting me and these crazy characters. I hope you continue with them until the very end. John Stipa, you helped me tremendously see Guardian Of Fate in a whole new light - Thank You!
http://www.dreamscapecovers.com
http://www.editingfairy.com
http://www.jodyellen.com
CHECK OUT A SNEAK PEEK
OF BOOK TWO IN
THE FATE SERIES
CHAPTER ONE
I am running through the familiar woods, fear pulsating through my veins. My eyes dart back and forth, scanning my surroundings, frantically searching for something in the dense foliage. My arms bleeding, I swipe at branches that feel as if they are made of pointed nails, but I forge on, slicing my bare skin. I will not stop until I find what I am looking for.
Finally, my fingers brush against cement beneath a feathery wave of vines that emerge from the mossy grass under my feet and extend beyond my sight. A pungent smell hits my nose, its smoky nature competing with the woodsy smell of the forest around me to overpower my senses. My heartbeat racing, my breaths cause short, quick plumes of transparent smoke to form. The tough vine stalks prove more tenacious than they appear, as I struggle to pull them from the concrete behind, using all of my weight to bend and yank them away. After trampling the remaining pillared guardians, I step back to behold a huge mountain of stone, which to most might be confused with one of nature’s natural formations, but to me, it is much more than that. I recognize the solid wall as the barrier that blocks the world we live in from the evil that lies below the surface of human cruelty and error. This evil has a home — one that is hidden deep inside the very forest I have been running through for years.
It is what I was looking for all along, but now that I’ve finally found it, my instincts conflict with my will to stay. Half of me wants to run from the mass I see before me, while the other half feels that I belong somewhere beyond this wall. I place my hands against the cool stone, lightly rubbing its rugged surface, as if coaxing it into telling me how to enter its depths.
I close my eyes slowly, imagining what I think Hell would look like. A ball of fire manifests in my heart, stretching, radiating heat throughout the rest of my body, until I feel like the flames will consume my skin. I know I have changed inside, I can feel myself hardening. But as I open my eyes, the only thing that appears to have changed is my impression of where I was going — home.
With pure force and determination, I pound on the stone wall. Slowly, it slides aside, accepting me, waiting for me to return to its fiery halls.
Hell welcomes me home.
I woke up the same way as I always did upon having this dream: T-shirt drenched with sweat and stuck to my skin, while unruly, damp curls plastered my shoulders and face. Throwing the damp sheets from the bed, I got up and mopped the sweat from my forehead. Despite the perspiration that glistened on my skin, my body trembled from chills that would stay with me for the remainder of the day. To most people, this type of dream would be unnerving, to say the least. But they would be fortunate enough to allow it to fade like the morning sun, with the comfort of knowing it existed purely on another level of consciousness. I didn’t have that luxury. My dreams were never allowed to be forgotten. They were analyzed and deciphered because in time, they would become my reality.
Two kinds of dreams control my world. My Guardian visions consist of prophetic dreams, involving the death of a human whose soul is stolen by the shadowy demons from Hell. As a Guardian of Fate, it is my job to take the information from these visions and use it to save victims from untimely and evil-induced deaths. Without my intervention, their souls would be destined to an eternity in Hell. I have learned to live with these kinds of visions. They are very much a part of my life, what I consider now my responsibility.
There are other dreams that haunt my sleep. Although just as deadly as the Guardian visions, they are much more obscure to me and nearly impossible to comprehend. Just when the puzzle begins to unfold, they change, leaving me as confused ever.
I headed straight to the bathroom, and shut the door to avoid waking my roommate, Nora. She was well aware of my visions, but since it was two a.m., I did not really think it was a good time to bother her with my newest puzzle. Letting the water run cold enough to make me gasp, I splashed it onto my face. Its iciness chilled my body even more, shocking my system from its fuzzy musings. After wiping my face with a towel, I looked at my paled features in the mirror. The luster in my skin was no longer there, as if it had all washed out from everything I’d lost in the last year. The deep furrows weren’t etched from an abundance of smiles, but rather, a hardened air I’d recently developed in my determination to get everything back.
Guardian Of Fate (Fate Series) Page 22
