by G. K. DeRosa
Massive wings fluttered overhead as we emerged from the tunnel that ran under the highway. I paused at the opening that led straight into a backyard and turned around pressing my finger to my lips.
Trinity lay across Declan’s arms still pale, sucking down haggard breaths. He didn’t look any better. The tendons in his jaw were taut and though he’d never admit it, the pain was obvious.
The steady drone from above fell away, and I peeked outside. All clear.
I led the way through the overgrown grass to the side of the pale yellow house. Pushing aside the trash bins, I crouched down and knocked on the window. Come on, Parker. Come on.
A weary face framed by scraggly gray hair appeared through the glass. Parker narrowed his eyes, squinting through the darkness and a big smile flashed across his lips. He pushed the window open, his blue irises sparkling. “Liv! Good Lord, child, what are you doing here?”
“I’ll explain in a second. Can me and my friends come in?”
He craned his neck to see over my shoulder and Declan bent down, showcasing an exhausted Trinity.
“Of course, come in.” He backed up, clearing the way and I jumped down into the basement. Declan lowered Trinity through the tight opening, and I helped her onto the bench along the wall. Declan and Duke followed right after.
The decent-sized basement felt crowded filled with so many bodies.
“Thank you, Parker. We really appreciate it. We had some angels on our tail, but I made sure we weren’t followed in here.”
He hobbled over to the chair and sat as his gaze traveled over my companions. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. Is your friend okay?”
Declan helped Trinity to the cot along the wall. The second she lay down, her lids fluttered closed. “She should be soon.”
I sat on the bench across from Parker and Declan moved beside me.
“I’m glad to see you alive, Liv. Did you ever make it to Arx?”
The corners of my lips twisted down involuntarily. Just the mention of that wretched place brought back painful memories of Asher.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered, reading my expression.
I shook my head and schooled my facial features to neutrality. “I did actually. With Linc’s help.”
He sat up straight, his eyes wide. “You found Linc?”
“Yeah. Him and his sons. I would’ve never made it into Arx without them.” I motioned to my left. “And my friend, Declan.”
Parker extended his hand. “I apologize for my lack of manners. It’s been awhile since I’ve had company.”
Declan took it and gave it a firm shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Thanks for taking care of Liv.”
Parker’s eyes bounced between Declan and me, and heat seeped into my cheeks. Why did I feel like my dad was checking out my boyfriend? I pushed the weird thought aside. “Why didn’t you tell me Linc was your brother?”
He shrugged, his wizened blue eyes shining.
“You weren’t sure you could trust me?” It really was a sad state the human race found itself in. I took his silence as a yes.
He rubbed his hand down his bad leg and glanced back up. “So how is Linc?”
“He’s good. They’ve got this whole underground network built up. I didn’t get to see much of it because I had to leave kind of unexpectedly.” I didn’t like lying to Parker. He’d been nothing but kind to me, but how could I tell him about Declan and that I’d almost sold out my half-angel friend in exchange for acceptance to their rebel crew?
“Yeah, I heard about their progress.”
My ears perked up. “You heard?”
“They sent some scouts up north last week. They stopped by on their way up bringing news.”
“What kind of news?”
Parker eyed Declan, and the years of FBI wariness kicked in.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek, debating how much to tell Parker and what to divulge to Declan. I trusted Declan enough to know he’d never do anything to hurt me, but what if it came down to protecting his father from a human rebellion?
Declan rose, obviously sensing Parker’s discomfort. “I’ll let you speak privately. Can I use the bathroom?”
Parker nodded and pointed him to the door at the corner. I didn’t have the heart to tell Parker it didn’t matter how far Declan went in this small space; his heightened angel and vampire hearing would leave nothing a secret.
Once he left, the tension lifted from Parker’s shoulders. “It’s nothing personal. I just can’t be the one to cost them their chance.”
“I get it. I remember having to drag the truth from you myself.”
He chuckled, scratching at his overgrown beard. “There was no way you were leaving here without it as I recall.”
“So what’s going on?”
“Linc’s assembled quite an army. They’re calling themselves the Rural Renegades, and he’s sent out scouts to search for more able-bodies.”
My heart picked up speed. “To fight the angels?”
He nodded. “They’ve got a good amount of men inside Arx. It shouldn’t be long now. If they can release the captives, they could overthrow the tower. Once the head of the snake is cut off, the rest will follow.”
I gulped uneasily. I’d been inside Arx; it was a fortress. And the angels were more powerful than the humans understood. Not to mention there was still the vampires to contend with. “Parker, it would be a suicide mission. Even if you had thousands of men, they’d be no match for a handful of angels.”
A glimmer twinkled in his eye. “Even with massive amounts of vampire venom? They’ve done more testing. Given the proper dosage, it’ll take out nephilim for hours.”
“And how about full-blooded angels?”
“We haven’t been able to test it out on one yet.”
Because they could never catch one.
He leaned on the table, drawing closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. “But what if the angel leaders were out of the way?”
My brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“The angels are an extremely hierarchical society, much like the military. Without the commanding officers to give directives, there’s no structure, no organizing force. There’d be chaos.”
He paused for a moment, and I attempted to process his words. It made sense, but I wasn’t a military strategist. I had no idea how it worked with the angels, but I knew someone who would.
“According to our sources,” he began again, “an angel delegation is due to meet with the vampire king in New York City at the end of the month. The leader of the angels, Nathanael, will be a part of that group. It’ll be the perfect opportunity to make our move.”
I flinched at Declan’s father’s name. It sounded like Linc and his men had learned a lot more about the angels in the weeks since my departure.
Declan shut the bathroom door, drawing Parker’s attention. “Please keep this between us,” he muttered as Declan approached.
My mind raced, a jumble of possibilities swimming inside. The humans didn’t have a chance alone. Even with vampire venom and Nathanael and his commanders out of the way, I was still certain they’d easily be defeated.
Unless we found the shield.
May had just begun, giving us a few more weeks until the deadline. I glanced over at Trinity on the cot. Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful. Could we really pull this off?
Zeke’s words of another war filled my thoughts, spiking my blood pressure. If we could find out when the vampires planned to strike, we could take advantage of the angels in their weakened state. There were a lot of ifs in the plan forming in my head, but for the first time in months I let a twinge of hope stir.
Parker slowly stood and leaned on the chair. “I’ve got some extra blankets and pillows. You can arrange them on the floor for the night. Sorry I don’t have anything better to offer.”
I stopped him, resting my hand on his arm. His leg seemed worse than last time I’d seen him. “I can get them, just tell me w
here.”
He pressed his lips together, clenching his teeth as he sat back down. I hadn’t noticed it before, but the pain was written across Parker’s haggard face. He pointed at a wooden chest beside the metal racks of supplies. “In there.”
Declan sat on the bench beside Parker, his words filtering to my ears as I walked away. “What happened to your leg?”
He grunted. “Stupid accident. Broke it jumping out of a tree.”
“It looks like the pain’s pretty bad.”
“It’s definitely been getting worse.”
I gathered the blankets and pillows and went back to join them. The agony twisting Parker’s lips was like a knife to the gut. I glanced at Declan, and he returned my look with a knowing nod. He could heal him. I wasn’t sure if his power could mend broken bones, but he could at least lessen the pain.
That meant revealing the truth about what Declan was. I wasn’t sure Parker could handle that.
“Well if you kids will excuse me, I’m gonna hit the hay.” He slowly stood, holding onto the chair for support. “Make yourselves at home.”
As soon as Parker’s light snores filled the basement, I turned to Declan. We were sprawled out on the floor next to Trinity’s cot. Neither of us could sleep, and it wasn’t only because of our close proximity. My traitorous fingers longed to touch him, but I couldn’t give in.
I pulled the onyx dagger out from under my pillow and traced the intricate carvings on the hilt to keep my wandering digits busy. I never kept it out of reach. “Declan, what if we had more of these? It would give the renegades a fighting chance.”
He took the dagger and flipped it over in his palm. “Special blades forged with demon blood aren’t exactly easy to come by.”
“You could ask your uncle. Maybe he’d help us.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
There had to be something to give the humans an advantage. The vampire venom wouldn’t be enough. If anything happened to Parker or even Linc and his men, I’d never forgive myself.
Parker rolled over in his sleep as if he’d heard my thoughts, and a sharp groan filled the quiet basement.
“Can you help him?”
“Maybe. I’ve never healed broken bones before. And ever since my death, I’m not certain my abilities are back at a hundred percent. Duke was the first being I healed after… I wasn’t sure that I could.”
I propped my head on my hand and turned to face him. “I didn’t know that.”
“How would you? I didn’t want you to.” He winked, and then his smile faded, his face growing serious. “When my healing power worked on Duke, it was the happiest I’d been in awhile. I didn’t think I could face you again if I’d let him die.”
My heart clenched. I’d been so upset at Declan for lying to me about what he was that I never stopped to consider what it had done to him. As much as he hated being part angel, the possibility of having his powers torn away had to have been tough.
Then there was the dying part at the hands of those monsters. That couldn’t have been pleasant.
“I’m sorry you went through all that alone.”
He shrugged. “I survived so that’s all that matters. And then I met you.” A cute smile lit up his face.
“That’s why you saved me in the woods from those stryx.” The realization hit me abruptly.
His eyes took on a faraway look, settling on a spot over my shoulder. “I didn’t want someone else to suffer the same fate I had. Or a worse one.” He focused his gaze on me, and a storm brewed within his captivating irises. “And then I saw you, and that was it. Those fierce golden eyes called to me, awakening something I thought they’d killed. I had to protect you, no matter the cost.”
I inhaled slowly, the intensity of his words catching me off guard. “I’m glad you found me.” Lame, I know, but my mind had blanked and my tongue was tied.
Declan had saved my life more times than I could remember. He always showed up when I needed him. Could Trinity’s visions really be true? Would the dark angel and I save the world?
Chapter 26
A scream rang out, echoing in the small basement. I dropped my spoon and leapt up from the table. By the time I realized it had come from Trinity, Declan was already kneeling by her side.
“Are you okay?” I bent over her petite form and squeezed her hand.
The milky cloud that had settled over her dark irises receded, leaving huge dilated black pupils. Trinity’s head whipped from side to side.
“It’s okay. You’re safe,” I whispered. “We’re at a friend’s house.”
Slowly, she sat up and wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. “The visions are getting more frequent. And more intense.” She drew in a breath and leaned against the wall.
“Visions?” Parker shuffled closer, peering over my shoulder.
I glanced at Declan, and he nodded ever so slightly. We’d spent most of the night talking about the shield, the rebellion, and our roles in it. He’d been against telling Parker at first but finally conceded.
Telling Parker meant coming clean about what Declan really was. The idea had my insides in big fat knots.
“Parker, there are some things you need to know,” I began.
“Wait.” Declan tugged on my arm. “Shouldn’t we find out what Trinity saw first?”
All eyes turned to my new friend. She swept her braids back, twirling one around a finger. “Like I told Liv before, the visions are hazy and constantly changing.”
“Just tell us what you saw.” Declan’s eyes seared into her, and she sucked in a quick breath.
“I saw you, dark angel,” she murmured. “Dead on the battlefield.”
My hand flew over my mouth to suppress the strangled gasp. My knees wobbled and it took everything I had to remain standing. Declan swayed beside me and then sat back on his heels.
I grabbed Trinity’s shoulders, my hands trembling. “Are you sure?”
She nodded, darkness blanketing her expression. “I’m sorry.”
“But what does that mean?” Declan sat up straighter, the momentary shock passing. “You said that Liv and the dark angel would save the world. How can we do that if I’m dead?”
“Just because I saw you save us, doesn’t mean you survived the final battle.”
The edges of my vision blurred, darkening. Horrifying images of a dead Declan swirled in my head, and nausea crept up my throat. “No, it can’t be,” I muttered. A chill swept through my body, robbing me of all warmth. I couldn’t lose him too. I refused.
Declan’s arm came around my shoulder. “Everything’s going to be fine, Liv. Trinity said her visions are unpredictable. Nothing is set in stone.”
Parker cleared his throat, reminding me of his presence. “You kids have a lot of explaining to do.”
The four of us huddled around Parker’s table. He stared at me expectantly, but my tongue refused to cooperate. I didn’t even know where to start. He’d think I was crazy when I told him about mythical shields and sacred bloodlines chosen by God thousands of years ago.
Declan squeezed my knee under the table, and I unraveled. The words spewed out of my mouth like a fire hydrant on a hot summer’s day. I didn’t stop until I came to the part about Declan.
I wanted to protect him, and a part of me realized that Parker would never trust him once he knew what he was. But if we wanted Parker and Linc’s help, he deserved to know the truth.
I paused and fixed my gaze on the kind FBI agent. I barely knew the man, and yet there was something in his gentle eyes that urged me to continue. “I’m really going to need you to keep an open mind when I tell you this last bit.”
A leery chuckle slipped out. “Oh man, and I thought the other part was crazy.” He sighed and clasped his hands together. “Okay, let me have it.”
With a quick glance to Declan, I spat it out. “Declan’s a nephilim—”
The screech of Parker’s chair across the floor as he leapt up cut me off mid-sentence. I hadn’t even gotten to
the vampire part.
“Are you out of your mind bringing him here?” His normally serene blue eyes churned like the ocean during a storm. The look of betrayal stung.
“Parker, I swear he’s on our side. He abandoned the angels a long time ago. I wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for him. He saved my life countless times, and he wants to help us.”
Parker’s outburst had taken a toll on him. A sheen of sweat glistened his brow. He leaned against the chair, his bad leg trembling under his weight. Still he eyed the chest in the corner of the room—his weapons’ stash.
“Don’t Parker, please.” I followed his line of sight so he’d realize I knew exactly what he was thinking.
He grunted and shifted more of his weight onto the back of the chair as he muttered.
“I can prove it to you.” I helped him sit back down and waved Declan over.
Parker eyed him suspiciously as he hovered beside him.
“Do you trust Liv?” Declan asked.
He sighed. “I did before she pulled this stunt.”
My eyes met his, pleading for him to understand. His jaw softened, and he huffed, “Yes. I trust her.”
Declan drew closer. “I’m going to ease your pain.” He lifted his hands, and a warm glow emanated from his palms. “Just relax.”
Parker’s wide eyes flicked toward me, and I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
Almost immediately, the tension in Parker’s shoulders abated. The deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes lessened, and he released a contented sigh. “That’s amazing,” he breathed out, stretching his bad leg.
Declan bent down so they were at eyelevel. “I swear I’m on your side. There’s nothing I want more than to end this war.”
Parker clasped his hands together, his jaw twitching. “Even if I did trust you, I know my brother and his men. There’s no way they’d allow an angel on their team.”
“Even if that half-angel was the son of the Archangel and nephew of the vampire king?” I had to lay all our cards out if we had any hope of teaming up with the Rural Renegades.
Parker’s mouth formed a capital “O”. He turned to me with a wry grin. “When you make friends with a nephilim, you really go all the way to the top, don’t you?”
