The Dark Princess (The Balance Series Book 3)

by Janelle Stalder

  “I’m still not leaving this place,” she said, her voice hoarse.

  His lips lifted at one corner. “And I’m the stubborn one?”

  She shrugged, unable to smile with the ache inside her almost unbearable. She knew he could sense it, could feel the barely constrained need of his own pulsing beneath his skin.

  “Hope’s coming back in, and I have some work to do. I’ll come back and check on you two tomorrow.”

  He was leaving? Disappointment flared in her gut, but then her better sense told her this was a good thing. They couldn’t just rush into - anything. There was a lot to work through, and right now, Hope’s situation was the most important.

  “Okay,” she managed.

  He stroked her cheek once more, before reluctantly stepping back a second before their daughter walked in.

  “I’m heading to bed,” she announced.

  “Okay, honey,” Vivian said, turning with the best smile she could muster. “Sleep tight.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Caleb said, walking over to kiss Hope on the forehead. Her daughter smiled sweetly as he did, and then he left them. Vivian sent her upstairs and then sat down on a stool by herself, taking a deep breath as her heart finally slowed to a regular pace.

  Things had definitely not turned out the way she had planned when she left Caleb in that penthouse all those years ago. She just couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.

  My eyes had barely shut when I heard a tap on my window. Laying there, I stared up at the ceiling, bracing myself for a confrontation I wasn’t sure I wanted to have just yet. Another tap, and I was pulling myself out of bed.

  I knew who it was. How? I didn’t know, I just did. He’d left while I was still talking to Emily, and I’d already known then we’d have to talk at some point. I just hadn’t expected him to come back so soon.

  Pushing the curtains aside, I looked out the window to see Gabriel there, his magnificent wings flapping soundlessly behind him as he hovered in the air. Holding up a finger, I turned, grabbing my housecoat to throw over my shorts and tank top, and tip toed my way downstairs. I’d heard Mom come up shortly after I’d gotten out of the shower, and could hear her gentle snores through the opened door to her bedroom.

  He was waiting for me just off the porch, his wings now tucked behind him, a loose pair of white pants and a matching shirt on that made him unmistakable for what he was.

  The angel to my demon.

  I walked down, pulling the housecoat tightly around me. His face was unreadable, almost as stoic as another male in my life.

  We stared at one another in a heavy silence. Neither of us seemed to know what to say. I certainly didn’t. “Sorry I flashed you my boobs,” just didn’t seem appropriate right then.

  “I’m...unaccustomed to apologizing, and am finding it difficult right now,” he admitted.

  I shifted on my feet. “Do you feel I’m owed an apology?”

  He nodded. Now that he wasn’t playing “human”, he seemed so different. Colder, more reserved. Exactly how Mary at the fish and chips shack had described him.

  “My intention was not to betray you,” he said. “I am a Soldier, Hope. We live our lives by one rule, and that is to obey and follow orders.”

  “So you lied to me because you were following orders?”

  “We don’t reveal ourselves to humans, so my deception at your school was necessary. I cannot discuss my explicit instructions when it came to you specifically, but I can tell you that for the first time in the centuries I’ve been alive, I didn’t follow that one rule. I...followed my own path, and I’m...not sure why.” His eyes raked over me. I shivered under the weight of them. “The time we spent together wasn’t supposed to happen, and yet, I don’t regret it. Any of it.”

  My heart raced. “Why reveal yourself now? Why even come to the club?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

  “I knew the attacks were getting closer together. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

  I took a deep breath, looking away from him at the forest around us.

  “Our kind are ancient enemies, even though we are distant cousins,” he said as I stared out at nothing, his words like a slap in the face. “Not the lower demons like Cillian Black,” he continued, his voice darkening. “They were already around before our kind fell. Your father, and part of you, are the higher demons, the...fallen angels. I shouldn’t...”

  He paused, and I heard him blow out a frustrated breath.

  I turned to look back at him, his profile now facing me as he seemed to glare up at the sky. Whether he was cursing the heavens, or himself, I didn’t know, but I could feel his inner conflict almost to the point where I could reach out and touch it.

  “Shouldn’t what?” I asked, when he seemed unable, or unwilling to continue.

  Those ancient eyes, eyes that were the same as before, and yet infinitely different, stared into mine.

  “I shouldn’t want to spend time with you. I should view you the way I do them all...but I don’t. You are...different. I find you, fascinating.”

  I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. I said as much.

  “I haven’t found anything worth my fascination in all the years I’ve been alive.”

  Okay. I decided it had been a compliment then. “Thank you,” I said. We lapsed into silence again, my eyes trying to take in this new version. It was almost as if Gabe and Gabriel were two completely different people. Two sides of the same coin. I realized I was going to have to get to know Gabriel the way I had Gabe. “So the surfing?” I asked. “Was that just part of the character you were playing?”

  He hummed under his breath, looking away. “No, that was me. It is an...indulgence I allow myself when I want to get away from my duties.”

  I was starting to think he didn’t have many “indulgences”.

  “I wanted to share it with you the moment we met. I’ve never...I’ve never told anyone I even do that. The others would find it - odd, I suspect.”

  “Then thank you again,” I said, offering a small smile.

  He cleared his throat, his wings rustling. “I need to get back and speak with my commanders. Are we...good?”

  I chuckled at his attempt to sound more human, less...angelic. “Yes, we’re fine.”

  He nodded. “I’m glad. Will you be around tomorrow evening? I’d like to take you to do my other favourite thing - for real this time.”

  I was about to ask what, but his wings flared out, and I knew he meant he’d take me flying. My stomach swirled with butterflies as I nodded.

  “I’ll see you then,” he said. He stepped forward, closing the distance between us, and leaned down, kissing me gently on the cheek. I didn’t move, too afraid I’d scare him away. He smelled like air and light, the warm spring breeze, or that fresh summer grass. His hair tickled my face as he leaned back, and I could see my wonder and uncertainty mirrored in his eyes.

  “Good night, Gabriel,” I whispered.

  “Good night, Hope. Sleep well.”

  And then he took off, and I watched him until I couldn’t tell which was him, and which was a star in the sky. Perhaps they were one and the same. Taking a deep breath, I headed back inside, my mind and body both exhausted.

  Nineteen

  Surprise, Surprise

  Mom let me stay home the next day, probably because we were both exhausted, and my neck was a mess. We spent the day curled up on either end of the couch, binge watching Gilmore Girls, and snacking on food that we were likely going to regret come the morning. It didn’t matter. It was the most normal thing I had done in what felt like ages. It was just Mom and me, like it used to be. I needed it.

  That didn’t stop me from thinking about Gabriel and our sort of date later. Every time I did, my stomach would turn, and the back of my neck would heat up. I’d fidget on the couch until I forced myself to concentrate on the show again, and then I’d be okay. Mom seemed a bit off at time
s too, but I didn’t ask why. I was sure everything that was happening wasn’t any easier for her than it was for me.

  Dad called around six to check up on us, so I left her to talk to him while I went and got dressed. Gabriel had never given me an exact time, so I decided I’d get ready now just in case he had meant early evening. Considering we were flying, I threw on some black tights, a tank, and then a comfortable sweater over top. I knew from experience with Cillian that it got cold up there. Usually I snuggled into his heat, but I wasn’t sure how Gabriel would react to that. I was just pulling on some runners when Mom poked her head in.

  “I ordered Chinese,” she said.

  “Yum,” I said, smiling.

  She straightened, eyeing my outfit. “Are you going somewhere?”

  “Uh...”

  “Is it with the tall, dark and sinful one, or the tall, hunky, and golden one?” Her lips curled at one corner.

  I sighed, shaking my head as I went back to my laces. “If you must know, it’s the tall, hunky, and golden one. And I find it very disturbing that you’ve made up these classifications for them.”

  She chuckled, leaning back against my door, arms crossed. “Do you think it’s wise to go with him?”

  I furrowed my brows, sitting up straight. “Why not?”

  “Well,” she said, splaying her hands. “For one, there’s someone after you and your father only warded the house, and for another...he’s an angel. How do you know you can trust him?”

  I laughed. “Are you listening to yourself? You’d rather me be with demons than angels?”

  “Hope, you’re half-demon. This angel, he’s not your ally.”

  “Yes he is,” I defended, standing. “He’s had plenty of opportunity to harm me if he wanted to. You’re forgetting he helped save me last night.”

  “Have you asked yourself why that is? Why they would suddenly be interested in helping your kind instead of hunting them? I’ve seen...a lot. I’ve witnessed how the other side views your father’s kind. It can be very dangerous.”

  “I trust Gabriel, Mom. He won’t hurt me. He’s not my enemy.”

  She nodded slowly. “I hope you’re right then. Make sure you don’t stay out too late.”

  “I won’t,” I said, watching her leave. I looked out the window, her words playing over in my head. She was wrong, Gabriel wasn’t against me. I didn’t know why he was here, but I knew he would keep me safe. I had faith in him.

  By nine, he still hadn’t shown up. I’d been alternating back and forth between sitting anxiously on the couch pretending to watch television, and standing at the window looking outside like Cat. When the sun went down, I decided to go for a walk to ease some of my nerves.

  I strolled down the driveway, looking up at the clear night sky, breathing in that twilight air as the bugs started their evening songs. There was always something comforting and relaxing about being surrounded by nature.

  Stopping at the end of our driveway, I turned to head back when I heard two feet land. My heart skipped a beat as I spun to face him, saying, “I was wondering when you’d get here.”

  I took one step and then there was a blinding pain at the back of my head before everything went dark, and the songs of the crickets faded into complete silence.

  ***

  Everything hurt.

  There was a throbbing at the back of my head, and something told me from the way it itched, that I was bleeding there too. My hands and wrists burned, my arms wrenched back, as were my legs, leaving me bound and unable to move.

  What happened?

  I moaned, blinking up at a bright light above me. Beneath was dirt, a strange red dirt that was warm against my skin. The ceilings and walls were all an unfamiliar black rock that sparkled. It would have normally been pretty, if I wasn’t looking at it while trussed up like a pig.

  “Good, you’re awake.”

  The familiar voice turned every drop of sweat on me cold. I shivered, trying to get a look at him, but he stayed behind me, just out of my line of vision.

  “I was worried I might have hit you too hard,” he continued. “You weren’t moving for a while, thought I might have killed you.” He laughed. “Not that I won’t anyway, but we have to have our fun first.”

  I swallowed, my mouth dry.

  Then he was in front of me, the good-looking face I’d once admired, twisted into a look of such deep hatred and disgust that I actually recoiled.

  “You’ve been a pain in my ass for as long as I can remember,” Aaron said, crouching down. “When I finally got the go ahead to end you, I figured it would be easy, but no. You just have to keep fucking it up. Well, guess what?” He leaned down so his face was right next to mine, his sour breath in my nose. “No one is here to save you this time. You’re not getting away.”

  I licked my lips, trying to focus. He obviously didn’t realize I had powers of my own. “What are you?” I asked, my voice hoarse. I had to play for time so I could figure out how to tap into my abilities.

  “It doesn’t matter what I am. And don’t start thinking you’re going to attack me with whatever vile shit is beneath your skin. I’ve drugged you with something special, so there’s no point in even trying.”

  I gulped. I would have thought he was lying just to scare me, but he was right, I couldn’t seem to even graze that part inside me where my powers lay. That special place that normally pulsed was now flat, dormant.

  “Why are you doing this?” I asked, watching with wide eyes as he stood, sneering down at me.

  “Because you’re an abomination, a curse on mankind. If that damn Brotherhood had done their job properly, you wouldn’t have even been born.”

  Was this guy on sauce? What was he talking about?

  “Look at the confusion on your face,” he said with a laugh. “No one ever told you why you were being targeted, did they?”

  I kept still, not wanting to admit anything, even though I was sure my silence did that for me. He chuckled again, and for the first time, I saw madness in his eyes, and wondered how I’d never noticed it before.

  Walking over to the wall, he grabbed a lever bolted to the wall, yanking it down. Suddenly the cave-like room was filled with a loud squeaking sound a second before I felt a hard tug on my arms and legs. Pain speared through my limbs as I was hoisted into the air, my back arched unnaturally. I cried out as I hovered over the ground.

  Aaron walked back over to me, looking up with a wild grin. “You were prophesied, Hope. The child of a demon and a human, born with such immense powers they would be the anti-Christ, and destroy our world as we know it.”

  The -?

  Was he nuts?

  Well, obviously he was. I wanted to say these things, but I couldn’t speak over the pain. My arms felt as if they were seconds away from ripping from my body. My weight being suspended by them was too much.

  “I’m not,” I managed through clenched teeth.

  “You are. When you hit eighteen next year, your powers will rival even your father’s. You cannot be allowed to live. For the good of everyone.”

  I shook my head frantically as he stepped back. “No,” I said, gasping for breath.

  “It has to be this way, dear Hope. But first, we need to make sure everyone gets the message.” Standing beside a table with a cloth over it, he pulled back the fabric revealing metal devices that screamed pain and torture. I broke out into an immediate sweat, my hands pulling at my bindings, until that small movement made the pain skyrocket and all I could do was scream out again.

  “Let’s get to it, shall we?”

  Cillian awoke to a banging in the apartment, a second before Caleb appeared in the doorway of his bedroom. One look at him, and he knew that something was terribly wrong. He had never seen Caleb so pale.

  “She’s gone,” he said.

  That had Cillian up and out of his bed in the next instance.

  “What do you mean she’s gone?”

  “
Vivian said she was outside waiting for the god damn angel, and then she was just gone.”

  “I’m going to kill him.”

  “He showed up afterward looking for her.”

  “So he says.”

  Caleb grunted. “There’s no trace of her. Nothing. I can’t get a scent or feel of whomever or what might have taken her.”

  Cillian cursed, grabbing his pants from the floor and shoving them on before grabbing his sword from the dresser.

  “You need to find her, C.”