Dark Angel (An Angel Novel Book 2)

by Jane West

  ***

  The doorbell rang, and we all jumped. Val assured us it was one of his fighters that he’d requested for duty. He went to the door and brought his sidekick to the kitchen, where we all waited. The Zop-fighter wasn’t quite as tall as Val. He was shorter and boxier, more compact. His features were dark hair and deep-brown eyes, nice looking, yet he paled in comparison to his leader. Val stood at least a head taller and was leaner. Although, they both could’ve passed for giants. “Hey...everyone, this is Razz. He’ll be watching over you until we correct the problem.”

  Razz nodded his head without speaking a word. His expression was stern but with ease until his eyes landed on me. He quickly stiffened, eyeing me with caution. As you know me, I never back down. I eyed him back just as equally cautious. The young Zop appeared a few years younger than his commander. By his stance, he reminded me of an English bulldog.

  Then a bizarre incident happened. They began to exchange conversation in their native tongue, a strange, foreign language. I gasped when I realized I understood the words. Before I could contain my excitement, both Zops’ eyes switched to me. I quickly pulled myself together, confessing, “Silly me. I bit my tongue. Ouch! It hurts. I’m gonna go check it out.” I lent a tight smile. Talk about awkward.

  As my back turned, I couldn’t help the fat grin that spread across my face. I understood their alien language. Wow! On the other hand, I didn’t care much for what I was hearing from the shorter Zop and his opinions of me.

  Val didn’t waste any time assigning me to my new regime. I had to learn how to as Val called it, stretch my abilities. First, I had to do a stupid breathing exercise similar to learning how to push within your gut, like a singer. Best part of the training—the Commander in Chief, Val, allowed me the privilege of practicing in the garden.

  The assignment was tedious, mundane and uninspiring. I kept checking the time as it dragged by. After a while of uneventful stretching, I decided to take a break. I went straight for the swing.

  Time elapsed. I didn’t’ care. I was happy, swinging back and forth with my toes reaching for the white-puffy clouds in the sky. I leaned back, eyes closed, enjoying the crisp cool breeze brushing across my face.

  Then my little bit of happiness abruptly halted in midair. Stunned, my eyes flew open. I’d found myself locked in an iron embrace, facing two very angry gold eyes.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Val’s voice had a healthy dose of exasperation slapped between two slices of bread with me in the middle.

  “I’m taking a break!” I snapped. “I’d been out here since the crack of dawn.” I tried squirming out from under his grip, but my attempts were futile. He was much stronger.

  His brows knitted. “Do you think my exercise is too tough for your tender behind?”

  Oh, no he didn’t! Thems fightin’ words! As we say in the south.

  “That tender behind you’re referring to,” I spat as I struggled to free myself from his iron-clad hold, “is as tough as you and any of your gang!” My eyes blazed at my captor. Then abruptly he dropped me, causing me to land on my ass with a thud. “Ouch!” I mumbled.

  I scrambled to my feet, fist loaded, ready to fight. Obviously Val sensed my irritation. He’d not bothered hiding the smirk athwart his face. I first wanted to smack him. On second thought, what was the point? He’d just dodge my blow, and my luck, I’d end up over his lap with my ass exposed to the palm of his hand. He had turned into a brute. I wanted my gentle Ben back. This tower looming over me with the fragrance of acerbity was not my sweet Val.

  “No breaks! You are Zophasemin. It’s time you start acting like one.”

  There was something almost predatory in his tone. I didn’t like it one damn bit either. “My weak humanity is what drives me. I am proud to claim my human side. After all, I am my father’s daughter. Don’t you ever forget that!” I hissed, shoving my hands into his chest. Though, he might as well have been a rock. He didn’t even waver against my thrust.

  Without warning, the grand warrior, Val, burst into a roar of laughter. Unaware, I heard another source of chuckles on the back of my neck. I twirled on my heels to find the Zop fighter, Razz shooting a barbed-wire grin down at me, leaning against my favorite tree. That was all it took—I simply snapped. “What’s so damn funny, Zop?” Before I had realized what I was doing, I’d thrust my knife straight at him, missing his head only by half an inch. The blade notched the tree, making a metal chime. My eyes flashed fire, that same burst of flames like Aidan’s as I revealed my secret. “I understood every word you said last night, Razz. I’d tread lightly if I were you.” I spoke with clarity and confidence. Apparently, the Zop had a problem with my Druid blood. He’d made it clear if it weren’t for his Commodore, he would’ve enjoyed killing me with his bare hands. He looked upon me with disgust—a fifty impure. He even went as far as to insult my father, and for that, I hated him.

  Both Zops stood frozen in stunned silence. Good, I thought. “I’m hungry.” I announced. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you care to find me.” Without another word, I left them there to their gaping faces.

  I heard Val bark orders at Razz to stand watch. I high-tailed it to the house. I needed distance between those two lugs and their stupid Zop pride.

  When I stepped into the kitchen, Dom and Jeffery had disappeared, leaving the table set with a delicious spread of cold cuts, various sorts of cheese, pickles, lettuce, and chips. It wasn’t fancy, but I liked it this way—simple.

  I’d already taken a seat at the table with my sandwich in hand when Val strutted in from outside. After washing his hands, Val sat down in the chair next to me. It appeared that his eyes were filled with wonder. I held my breath, trying to hide my snarky grin. Nonetheless, my pride didn’t lesson the effects of my piqued feelings. Val should’ve never brought that creep into my home.

  Finally, he broke the unbending quiet. “How long have you been speaking Zophasemin?” Catching a sideways glance, I noticed that Val had a glint in his eyes like he‘d caught my hand in the cookie jar.

  I first swallowed my bite, then I answered, eyeing my food. “I haven’t a clue to what you mean. I can’t speak Zophasemin. I only understand the language. And it was not until I overheard the two of you babbling in your native tongue did I realize I could interpret it.” I refused to face him as I took another bite of my sandwich.

  “Then explain to me,” he pushed, “how you were speaking my native tongue just moments ago?”

  The corner of my lip tipped into a sneer. “I so was not speaking your stupid language.” I vehemently denied, still keeping my gaze to myself.

  “Stevie, you spoke our language better than any Zop.”

  I snatched up a chip and popped it in my mouth as if I was unfazed. “Maybe you need to clean the wax out of your ears, Commodore. I only understand Zop.”

  Val blew out a harsh sigh, “Be as it may, I think the only right thing for you to do is apologize to Razz. You nearly ended his life with that damn knife of yours.” He bit down into his sandwich, taking almost half. It seemed his bite was bigger than his bark.

  “What the hell!” I snapped my head up, facing the golden beauty, clenching my teeth, sparks flying mad. “I can’t believe you!” I screeched. “First of all, how can you bring that jerk into my home when he wishes nothing more than to rip my heart from my chest? You’re not protecting me. You are putting me in harm’s way with that beast who walks the grounds aimlessly.”

  “You’re wrong. Razz won’t go against an order. Forget what he thinks!” Val tried to blow this off like I was having a P.M.S. moment.

  “It will be a cold day in hell before I ever apologize!” I avowed. “You made a bad judgement call, Commodore.”

  Val lowered his head for a second and took a jagged breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have much of a choice.”

  “You have a choice. Don’t invite him!”

  “Look! You might as well get used to not being the most popular among our kind.” I got the impres
sion that Val was out of his element. How could he truly understand my stance? After all, he was the perfect Zop.

  “For your information, I’m good with unpopularity. I’ve had that all my life. It’s the Wanting-My-Head-On-A-Silver-Platter part that I’m having an adjustment problem with.”

  “I’m sorry, Freckles. I did warn you. It’s our way. I can’t change tradition.” Val’s jaw tensed, but his eyes were elsewhere. I suppose he had other situations more pressing than my little ole life.

  “Our way?” I stormed. “Excusez-moi! Not mine! I’ll never hate someone merely because of their origin.”

  “I understand you haven’t been raised in our culture. We are a proud race. We wish our kind to stay whole and pure.”

  “Oh my god! That’s the real reason you pushed me out of your bed.” I stormed. “It has nothing to do with my heart belonging to another!” My green eyes threw shards at him.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he scoffed. “Now you’re acting like a woman.”

  “Ridiculous! Is that anything like a Zop female?” I struck back.

  “This conversation is over!” Val demanded as anger rolled off his body.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not one of your soldiers. Answer my question!” I ordered fiercely.

  “Which question? You ask so many, it’s hard to keep up.” Val met my heated stare.

  “Did you not want me in your bed because I’m part human?” I repeated under clenched teeth.

  Val blew out a wind of frustration. “The human part wasn’t an issue at the time. I wanted you to myself. I didn’t want to share you with another—even if he was dead. I meant what I said.” He halted his words briefly. I saw the struggle in his face. “However, after considering this connection you and I share, I believe we are better off as friends. My culture and customs are very important to me. This is who I am. If I gave you my name in marriage, I would bring shame to my kind. And worse, our children would be an outcast as well as you and I. I don’t want to do that to you or my unborn children. So you see, there’s no future for us. And I think you would be better with a human or a Druid.”

  I sat there dumbfounded, staring at him. What was it with these guys and their freak-n family ties? I didn’t know why his words stung so much, but they did. Why would he say that to me? I never planned a future with him. I didn’t dare. In fact, I never gave him any indication that I expected us to become a couple. Now that he’d admitted openly that we had no future, assuming that I’d expected more, set my teeth on edge. “I guess this means I won’t be getting a ring?” Sarcasm sugar coated my words.

  It didn’t help matters any when he smirked at my reply. “Guess not!” he relented stiffly.

  Then I let him have it. “You know...I never asked for any commitment from you. As far as I was concerned, you were a mere entertainment. So don’t get all worked over with worry that you’re going to crush me. I never thought of you as a permanent fixture anyhow.” I pushed from the table and charged outside. I needed a distraction, anything to get my mind off the burn of Val’s words.

  I made my way to the tree where I’d left my embedded knife, deep in the bole of the oak. In one angry jerk, I ripped it from the grasp of the oak.

  Suddenly my attention shifted to footsteps behind me. I twirled around with my trusty knife in my hand, ready for whatever came next.

  “You’re pretty good with that knife,” Razz addressed me in his tongue.

  To my surprise, I replied back in his native language as if I’d been speaking it my entire life. “My throw was off. I was aiming between your eyes.” I eyed him cautiously.

  “I heard you’re a spit-fire.” His hunted eyes raked over me sending eerie chills over my body. “I suppose if I were in your skin, I’d be a bit angry too.” The Zop stepped closer into my personal space. “Our ways may seem unfair, however, it has worked for our race centuries in fact. It’s nothing personal.”

  “None taken. I know my place, but you need to know yours as well. Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate your assistance. However...this is my home and my family. You will respect my position as long as you are here. I hope we have an understanding.” I held my proud chin high.

  “Fair enough, impure.” His dark glint made me want to coil, but I refused to coward under his condemnatory eyes. “Know this as well, if I ever catch you out and free of my leader’s protection, you are fair game.”

  My brows knitted in confusion. “I don’t get how you can hate another only because he or she is different.”

  “It is not another. It is impures we detest.”

  “Why do you hate us so much?”

  “Mixing our kind with yours is forbidden.”

  “Who instills this idiocy in your head?”

  “Our creator, naturally.”

  “A creator who is prejudice?” I couldn’t wrap my head around his barbaric belief.

  “ My creator is righteous. Your kind wasn’t meant to exist. We are pure. Our kind does not destroy each other in war. Rather, we stand together as brothers, whether we like each other or not. Humans are wasteful and selfish. War is used for greed. Zophasemin are selfless. We would lay our life down for our brothers. Tell me—would your humans do the same for you?”

  “For the most part, you are right. Humans at times can be very self-absorbed, yet not everyone. Unlike your kind, mankind was given a choice—a freedom to decide for themselves. There is nothing far greater than the gift of freedom, to choose your own destiny. So my answer to your question is I’d lay my life down in a second for anyone I love. And those two humans inside my house who’s been gracious enough to feed you would return the favor to me at any given moment. It’s called humanity.” I ended the conversation by walking away. I’d had it with politics and self-righteous pricks. The human part in me was really starting to make me proud. Screw these prideful Zops. They should watch themselves. They were on my turf.

  Hidden Treasure

  All week it had been miserable. By all the bruises and body aches, one might wonder if I was the redheaded stepchild. Val was beginning to think my human side affected my Zop abilities. He tried everything in his powers to awaken my dormant abilities, but instead, he got the human side of me cussing at him.

  I did have some gifts. I was quick on my feet and swift with a knife. I’d gotten very good with my aim. I hit my target nearly every time. At least I had that going for me, even still if I ever came up against a supernatural, my chances of winning were slim.

  I decided I needed a human break. I didn’t feel I was getting any closer to reaching my goals or finding my daughter. I wanted to decompress. So I headed for Bourbon Street—plenty of action there. It was a Friday night, and it was certain the streets would be hustling and bustling with folks.

  A little guilt pricked my conscious as I had snuck out like a grounded teenager. Val gave Razz strict orders not to let anyone leave the house, and that order especially was directed at me. But if the truth-be-told, the Zop soldier didn’t give a rat’s ass if I choked on a carrot stick. In fact, if it were left up to him, I’d be dead by his doings.

  Funny though, why did Val seem different? He was full-blooded Zop. He didn’t appear to be offended by my anomaly. Rather, he protected me. I couldn’t figure him out. He hated my kind, yet he came to my rescue every time. There have been a handful of times I could’ve lost my life if it had not been for him. So why the big deal about my birth? Should I be punished for something I had no control over? I had no say in my birth no more than the color of my skin. Why couldn’t the Zop nation abandon their prejudiced ways? Perhaps pride made them blind?

  And no argument, Val was prideful, arrogant, too confident, kind, gentle, sweet...I shook myself hard. No niceties! I warned myself inwardly. It made me weak. I had to remember he was nothing more than a device for helping me find my daughter. I shouldn’t forget the Zop leader stood with the enemy. His kind. It seemed my list of adversaries kept getting longer, and my friends kept dwindling down.

  Still I
didn’t understand what came over me the other day at lunch. Val denying any future between us really stung. It felt like a stab through my heart. I didn’t see us as a couple, so why did I get all irked?

  Soon my cab stopped, and I reached over the seat and handed the driver his fare. I slid out and shut the door behind.

  Stepping up on the sidewalk, I breathed in the surroundings. I adorned downtown, the Spanish architecture bold yellows and various shades of orange, the jaunty music and neon lights. It was my little piece of king cake.

  The tourist were starting to stir. Chatter was growing as the crowd thickened. The spirit of good times hung in the air. The whole street seemed on fire tonight. Jazz music flowed onto the street. People were merrymaking, hopping from bar to bar, boozing up for that splendid hangover the following morning.

  Certain hot spots here weren’t exactly for the fainthearted. Unfortunately, it didn‘t matter how tough of a stomach a person had, most didn’t have a clue to what lurked in the dark shadows.

  Speaking of which, I planned to steer clear of Val’s bar. First, I didn’t want word to get back to him that I was hanging around in the French Quarter, and two, I didn’t want to run into one of his Zop comrades. Losing my head tonight wasn’t an option.

  Wanting to be left alone, I wasn’t in the mood to attract any interest, so I wore a tank top and my cutoff jeans. I didn’t bother with makeup. To hide my face, I wore a cowboy hat I’d had for years. It was pretty beat-up and tattered. I figured it’d help me to blend in with the crowd.

  In case there was some trouble, I came prepared. Hiding under my shorts, I strapped my dagger to my thigh an easy reach for the unexpected.

  It was not until I reached about halfway down the street that I came upon an new-age bookstore. It read, Magie Noire. I knew what that meant Black Magic.

  It continued to read, Tarot Readings, Spells, and Herbal Magick.”