by G. K. DeRosa
A huge gash tore across my heart, invisible claws ripping away at it. This. This was why I pushed Declan away. Maybe he hadn’t lied this time, but he still kept things from me for what he thought was my own good. I wasn’t stupid. He was doing this to keep me safe, and a part of me appreciated that. But the other part was too pissed for leaving me.
Dinner passed by in a blur. I stabbed my fork into some peas and shoved them in my mouth. It tasted like sand. I was vaguely aware of people sitting around me and carrying on casual conversation. I think I even spoke a few times, but I couldn’t be sure. I was still numb from Declan’s betrayal.
It wasn’t until Linc’s son, Jayse, mentioned going north that my ears perked up.
“You’re leaving tomorrow?” I glanced at Linc’s youngest.
He nodded, chewing on a mouthful of beans. “I’m heading out with a few dozen men. We’re hoping to make it up and back before the fighting breaks out at Arx. Jaxon is heading up that assault. If he needs us sooner, we can circle back.” Jayse glanced at his brother. “Pass the potatoes?”
The sullen one grunted and handed him the steaming hot plate right under my nose.
Parker’s earlier words of recruiting and setting up another underground rebel base came to mind.
Jayse kept talking, filling Linc in on the latest details of the mission. They were headed north of the city to enlist humans to their cause. Little did they know there was no one left there. Or at least Asher and I hadn’t seen any.
Trinity and Duke were up north though. So were Azazel and his mystical angel-killing dagger. A blade we needed to give the humans a fighting chance. The vampire venom wouldn’t be enough. They didn’t even know if it worked on the full-blooded angels. Maybe Parker had been right—Declan was where he needed to be and so was I.
Parker’s eyes were on me so I snapped my mouth shut. If I asked any more questions he’d get suspicious. He’d never let me go with Jayse.
Sneaking out was my only option.
Chapter 6
“Hey!” I jumped out from around the corner and blocked Jayse’s path.
“Geez, angel girl.” He leapt back. “You scared the bejeezus out of me.”
“Sorry.” I hooked my hands together behind my back. “I was hoping I could talk to you in private for a second.”
His eyebrow arched, and his lips twisted into a lopsided grin. “I’m flattered, but you know I’m like ten years older than you, right?”
Eew. Parker was like a father to me, which made Jayse a cousin. “That’s so not where I was going with this.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him into my container, whipping the curtain closed. This was one time I wished for the four solid walls of the tower.
I motioned to the chair at my small table. “Sit, please.”
He eyed my skeptically as he folded his big frame into the seat. The little chair creaked ominously under his weight but somehow held.
I figured there was no point in beating around the bush. “I want to go north with you.”
His light brows pulled together. “Now why would you want to do that? I thought you were supposed to be hiding out down here.”
“That’s just Declan and Parker’s misguided attempt to keep me safe.”
He rubbed at the back of his neck, his ears reddening. “I don’t know that I want to get in the middle of this.”
“Please, Jayse. I’ll make it worth your while.”
He rubbed his hands together readjusting his position in the chair. “What were you thinking?”
“I have a friend in New York that I need to get to. She’s keeping a dagger for me. It kills angels. I’ll give it to you and even do one better.”
“Wait. A weapon that kills angels?”
I nodded. “It’s dipped in demon blood, and I think I can get us more. It’s exactly what we need to win this war.”
“I don’t know, Liv. Aren’t you like special or something? We’re supposed to keep you safe.”
I reached out and ran my finger over Jayse’s forearm. “I’ll be safe with you. Won’t I?” I was not above using flirtation to meet my ends especially after he’d gone there.
Crimson flushed his cheeks, and he smirked. “Of course you will, but can you handle the hike?”
“Oh we’re not walking. I have a car.” I shot him a grin.
His face lit up. “We leave at four. Be ready and I’ll come get you when it’s time.”
My leg bounced up and down as I stared at my watch. Ten to four. I hadn’t slept a wink. What if Jayse left without me? I’d just go by myself.
Yeah that would be stupid. And reckless.
Declan would kill me, but it would serve him right for leaving me.
A little voice in my head told me going to New York with Jayse and his crew was crazy. But I told that stupid voice to shut up.
I was the one that was supposed to save the world, right? I pulled the sword out of my duffel bag and turned it over in my palm. This thing wasn’t revealing its secrets so it was time I took matters into my own hands.
I was sure if I could find Trinity, get the Book of Salvation and the dagger back, everything would fall into place. Azazel was the only tricky part of the equation. Trusting him was out of the question, but somehow I had to enlist his help in retrieving more daggers. One angel-killing blade wasn’t going to help against an entire army of them.
Luckily, I had a four-hour car ride to figure out a way to blackmail Azazel into helping me. I cringed as his creepy mismatched irises filled my vision. Declan had always said that Azazel only did what benefitted him. I just had to find something he wanted bad enough to betray his own brother. Something told me he wouldn’t be that difficult to persuade.
A quiet knock on the metal container drew me away from my plotting. I tucked the sword back into my duffel bag and threw it over my shoulder. Pulling the curtain back, Jayse’s cocky smile met mine.
“You ready to go, angel girl?”
“I’ve been waiting on you for hours.” I pushed past him and led the way through the dark sleeping quarters.
Sneaking out of renegade headquarters was easier than I expected. Apparently, no one thought I was stupid enough to escape. Little did they know.
Outside, we met two more guys who Jayse introduced as Rex and Ace. Practically every renegade I’d met so far was a carbon copy of Jayse and Jaxon—short military haircuts, packed muscles, and wary stern expressions. I really wanted to ask if Rex and Ace were their real names, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. They sounded like military nicknames to me and from the dog tags tucked into their t-shirts, I assumed that’s exactly what they were.
“Shot gun,” I called out as we approached the vehicle.
The burly twins frowned at me, and I shot them a sweet smile in return. It was my car after all. Kind of anyway.
The three big guys dwarfed the compact electric car, but we fit and that was all that mattered. I hoped the extra weight didn’t deplete its power any faster.
“I thought you said there were like fifty guys coming with you?” I asked Jayse as I fastened my seatbelt.
“They’ll be coming behind us.” He pushed the ignition in the little sedan, and it sputtered to life. “Since we got the unexpected car, we figured we’d take advantage of the increased speed. If we can cut the mission time, we can get back before Jaxon and his team move on Arx.”
“With the daggers,” I added.
“Daggers?” He put extra emphasis on the S. “Did you figure out how to get more?”
“Maybe.”
“Really?” He quirked a brow.
“It may take some time though.”
“Time that we don’t have,” one of the guys in the back said. I wasn’t sure which was which as I glanced back in the rearview mirror. I only now realized they were actual twins—that was how frazzled I’d been.
“We’ll figure it out,” I muttered, hoping I was right. I still hadn’t come up with a plan to bribe Azazel. I was sure it would come to me though.
&nb
sp; It had to.
Chapter 7
Deep crimson blood pooled around the blade that protruded from Declan’s chest. An uncontrollable gasp squeezed from my lungs as I collapsed to the ground beside him. “No, Declan. No! You can’t leave me.”
I cradled his limp head in my lap willing his eyes to open. Oh God, what I wouldn’t give to see those maroon irises just one more time. “Wake up,” I pleaded. The life had drained out of his cheeks leaving a pasty white coating over his skin.
I pulled him to my chest and held my breath. I strained to hear the familiar, soothing pitter-patter of his heart but was met with a sickly silence. My insides roiled as nausea clawed up my throat. Rocking back and forth, I swallowed down the bile, forcing myself to keep it together for Declan.
Glancing down, a faint glow from my heart birthmark caught my eye. I adjusted my hold on Declan and tugged at my collar. Brilliant blue iridescent light outlined the raised skin. It grew brighter with every breath.
Slowly, the heartbreaking sadness transformed into anger, then all out rage. Fiery fury bubbled in my chest, an inferno raging to break free from its confines. I lowered Declan’s body back to the ground and brushed my lips against his clammy forehead.
The sword of honor appeared in my hand, blinking to existence from my sheer will. I rose to my feet as adrenaline hemorrhaged through my veins and thrust the blade into the air. I’d annihilate the person responsible for Declan’s death and then I’d kill the rest of them. They would all pay, each and every one of the angels and vampires.
“Liv! Liv, wake up.”
A deep voice filtered into my unconscious thoughts. I pushed it away, refusing to leave Declan’s side. Hands clamped down on my shoulders, shaking me.
What the heck?
My eyelids jolted open. A pair of green irises hovered over me, snapping me back to reality. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Jayse answered. “You must’ve fallen asleep and then you started screaming. I’ve been trying to wake you up, but you were in a trance or something.”
I glanced around, recognizing the interior of the silver sedan. Murky light seeped in through the windshield. The car was pulled over on the side of the highway, thick woods encroaching on either side.
I released a long breath. “It was just a dream.” Or was it more than that? Had I just seen Declan’s death? A pit of dread unfurled in my stomach. I couldn’t help but think of Trinity’s vision again. I pushed the inconceivable thought of Declan dying to the farthest depths of my mind. “Where are we?”
“New Jersey,” Jayse answered. “We’re almost at the New York border.”
Wow, I’d been out for a while.
“We’re bypassing the city and heading straight to that little town you were talking about.”
“Thank you.” I ran my fingers through my hair, a weak attempt at grounding myself. My hands still trembled from the vision. I needed to get to Trinity ASAP.
Jayse pulled the car back onto the road, and I rolled down my window for a breath of fresh air. Hot air, that is. Summer was officially here.
“How far north are you going?” I asked Jayse.
“As far as it takes.”
“We need all the people we can get,” added Rex from the backseat.
I didn’t have the heart to tell them I doubted they’d find many. Asher had done some scouting before we went south and had returned empty handed.
Jayse angled his head toward me. “How long do you think it’ll take you to get those daggers?”
That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? “A few days, maybe.”
He nodded. “Okay, we’ll circle back for you on the way down then. The timing should work out perfectly.”
I gulped. Assuming Azazel was willing to cooperate.
Ace poked his head in between the front seats. “So is it true that you’re some kind of immortal-killing weapon?”
I couldn’t help the big laugh that burst out. “Yeah, right. I wish.” I wondered how much Linc had told his men and how much was the result of rumors. When Ace didn’t settle back in his seat, and Rex sat forward too, I realized I wasn’t getting out of this interrogation that easily. I decided to keep it simple. “I know of a weapon that supposedly exists as a failsafe to protect humans from a situation like this.”
Perfectly vague.
“Really?” Ace arched a brow. “Someone predicted that vampires and angels would try to screw over all of mankind?”
I shrugged. “I guess so.”
“And that nephilim that came with you—he’s really on our side?” asked Rex.
A sharp pang sliced through my chest. “Yes, he really is.” I rubbed at my heart birthmark, the origin point of the pain. Declan was fine. I had to keep reminding myself what I’d seen had only been a terrible nightmare. Or else I wouldn’t be able to breathe.
As my gaze bounced from twin to twin, I noticed subtle differences between the two. For one, Rex had a faint scar across his left brow. It made him look tougher, while Ace’s angular jaw held a softer expression.
What would happen to them when the war broke out? They didn’t seem the type to sit on the sidelines. I needed to find the shield of light. With everything going on, our original mission had somehow gotten sidetracked. Once I found Trinity and secured the onyx daggers, I vowed to refocus on the shield.
I owed it to Sammarah and to all the surviving humans out there.
Before long, we pulled up to the small white house. Plywood covered the two picture windows over the garage, but the majority of the stone façade remained intact. Sammarah’s car sat in the driveway, and a flutter of hope worked its way up to my chest. Duke. I could already picture his big tongue hanging from his slobbery mouth as he covered me with wet kisses.
Jayse turned off the engine, and the boys all got out. It took me a second. I needed to prepare myself for the possibility they wouldn’t be there. It had been weeks and so much could have happened. Last time I’d seen Trinity she was leading the rescued humans from St. Patrick’s Cathedral back through the tunnels.
I took a steadying breath and pushed the car door open. Jayse and the guys were already halfway up the stone walkway. I rushed to catch up with them, stopping the burly military men before they reached the steps.
“Wait. Let me go first. Trinity won’t recognize you.”
Jayse clenched his jaw. “Be careful. My dad and uncle are already going to rain hell down on me for letting you come with us. If anything happens to you, they’ll murder me for sure, and I don’t even want to think about what your angel boyfriend would do.”
I nodded and pushed down the unwelcome feelings the word boyfriend had incited. Slowly, I crept up the stairs to the entrance. The screen door hung on by a hinge, but the timber behind it seemed solid. I pulled it open and a loud screech broke the uneasy silence. I cursed every squeaky joint as I held my breath.
“Trinity,” I whispered through the seam in the door. “Trinity, it’s me, Liv.”
The scuffle of claws on hardwood floor sent my heart racing. I’d recognize that sound anywhere. “Duke!”
The door opened, and weary dark chocolate eyes met mine. “You’re okay!” Trinity breathed out as she wrapped me into a huge hug.
Duke barreled by her, leaping on top of me, his front paws reaching my shoulders. He covered my face with slobbery licks, his rough tongue not even bothering me today. “I missed you too, buddy.”
Trinity glanced over my shoulder. Frowning, she asked, “Where’s Declan? Did something happen—”
I lifted my hand, stopping her dark trail of thoughts. “He’s okay. He’s with his father at Arx.”
“What?”
“There’s a lot I need to catch you up on.”
Jayse cleared his throat behind me. Oops. I’d totally forgotten about them. I motioned to him and the guys. “Trinity, this is Jayse, Rex, and Ace.” I hoped I’d gotten the twins’ names right.
“Come on in.” She stepped back and ushered us into a qu
aint living room.
Duke eyed the newcomers and growled. I suppressed a giggle as the tough Jayse staggered back. “He’s harmless,” I said. “Duke, behave.”
We sat on the threadbare couch, and Duke curled up at my feet. His warm breath tickled my toes and for the first time since waking with Declan gone, a slight sense of peace descended over me.
“I’ll be right back,” Trinity called over her shoulder as she disappeared down a corridor.
Jayse scanned the small room, his military training kicking in. “Maybe one of us should check the perimeter.”
“Sure. If it’ll make you feel better, but if Trinity’s been living here for the past few weeks, it must be pretty safe.”
Rex and Ace stood as one. “We’ll go.”
I debated telling them about the human slave camp we’d found at the other end of town but held my tongue. I bit back the gruesome images it brought up, convincing myself it wouldn’t help anything.
A few seconds later, Trinity reappeared. Five sets of anxious eyes peered over her shoulder keeping to the shadows.
“Oh.” I shot up to my feet and Jayse leapt up beside me. I put my hand on his arm when I noticed him bristling. “They’re humans,” I whispered.
“I’ve got some friends for you to meet, too.” Trinity motioned for the group of frightened people to step into the light.
An olive-skinned man and a woman stepped forward first, followed by a girl nearly my age and two smaller boys. I hadn’t realized how young they were that day in the dark church or that they were a family.
The man extended his hand, and I couldn’t help but stare at his emaciated arms. His skin stuck to his sharp bones, and it took everything I had to tear my eyes away. “I’m Stavros, and this is my wife, Sheena.” The wiry woman stepped forward and gave me a tentative smile. “These are our children, Mina, Max and Milos.”
The dark-eyed siblings stared up at me. They were skinny, but not as malnourished as their parents. My heart broke for them.
