Dark Angel

by Amanda Jones

  Part of her had recognized it when she’d met Bellerophon, her father, when she’d seen his eyes. She had his eyes; she had her mother’s eyes — a perfect combination of both of them, he’d said. She was an immortal creature, an endangered species; she shared a soul with her brother. Whether he was alive or not, a part of him lived on as long as she was breathing. The thought comforted her at a base level. Katia was dimly aware of conversations happening around her. The others were making plans and leaving to execute them.

  Turning her head to the side as it lay on her father’s shoulder, she saw Luc. He looked so afraid for her as he had a hurried conversation with Amir. She watched as Amir nodded in agreement to something Luc said. He then turned and pulled wide that strange curtain in the fabric between the worlds and disappeared from view. Luc just stood rooted to the spot looking shell-shocked and staring blankly at the space where Amir had recently been standing. She wanted to reach out to him to comfort him but her body felt so numb as though the shock of all that she’d just learned had paralyzed her.

  As she stared at him, Luc turned slowly to face her. She watched as his expression shuttered and became impassive. A coping mechanism, she mused. The same one she always used when she tried to distance herself. For some reason, he really cared what happened to her but didn’t want to. Strange, she thought, because she was in the same place. For some reason, she was finding herself caring about him but didn’t want to either.

  Lucifer

  Luc gazed at Katia from across the room as she rested in Bellerophon’s arms. The past forty-eight hours flashed through his mind like a runaway bullet train. This was definitely not what he had expected when he’d been tasked with Katia’s abduction. The worst-case scenario had happened; he had now been cast as the accidental savior of a beautiful creature he was drawn to that just happened to be the only being standing between the status quo and Sheol on Earth. Between his inexplicable feelings of possessiveness towards Katia, he had a sudden burning desire to save her, not just to prevent a war — because it was her. Time to get some information out of Bellerophon about Katia’s abilities, and then they had to go into hiding, until he figured out how to not get terminated by his employer. Squaring his shoulders, Luc headed towards the small group huddled on the couch. Taking a seat on the coffee table in front of them, he met Bellerophon’s eyes.

  “I need to know details so I can keep her safe.”

  As though he were looking for some answers of his own, Bellerophon searched Luc’s eyes. Clearly he found what he’d been looking for in Luc’s gaze and nodded for him to continue.

  “We know why my erstwhile employer is interested in your daughter. What I need to know is what other abilities she has that may be useful or dangerous while we’re on the run.”

  Bellerophon dropped a quick kiss on Katia’s forehead and replied. “My daughter is immortal, so she is able to heal very quickly. As she was raised amongst humans her healing abilities would have mimicked theirs, now that she’s in the company of other immortals, such as yourself, they will return to their normal state.”

  “Yes, we’ve already seen that,” Luc murmured.

  Nodding, Bellerophon continued. “As a Chimera, her other abilities will depend upon a couple of factors. The Chimera are not bound to Sheol or Heofon. They are essentially able to absorb the abilities of any creature of the Otherworld they choose. Those abilities and the light or dark essence associated with them become a part of her. That is why the Chimera are also called Mosaics – they are an amalgam of the many species they can choose to absorb.”

  “Is it something she can do naturally, or does she need to learn how?”

  “For the most part, it’s a skill that will come naturally to her. She has already been exhibiting the ability, if what you say is true regarding her enhanced healing abilities since being in your company. That being said, her abilities will likely be limited. Without her twin, she alone is only half of the puzzle.”

  At the mention of her brother, Katia stirred in her father’s arms. She took Bellerophon’s hand, as though he were anchoring her to the past she had just discovered as they discussed the future that was uncertain. Wiping the stray tears off her face she turned to face Luc, straightening up, and raising her head. Her gaze was steady and confident again. Luc could only marvel at her strength as she sat across from him looking as regal and confident as a queen despite the heartbreaking revelations she’d just had dropped on her. Clearing her throat, Katia looked back at her father. “If my brother’s alive I need to find him.”

  “That may prove a challenge,” Bellerophon replied as he reached up to stroke her cheek. “As I said, I lost track of his essence the day your mother was killed. If he’s alive, the only place he could be is within the walls of Halja. I have my doubts that Satan would have kept him alive once he discovered the binding couldn’t be accomplished, but he is the only one that has the power to mask Keir’s essence.”

  “But if there’s even a chance that he’s alive, I have to find him. I can’t just let it go and forget about him as though he didn’t exist.” Despair laced her voice as Katia replied, her eyes flicking back and forth between Bellerophon and Luc.

  Bellerophon shook his head sadly. “No, I’m sorry. You can’t do that.”

  Confusion and anger coloured her expression as she turned back towards her father. “Why not? If he’s still alive, that means he’s been held captive for over thirty years! I can’t just let him rot away forever as someone’s prisoner!”

  Sighing sadly, Bellerophon looked back down at their linked hands. “I know. If I’d been able to reach him myself, I would have taken the risk and gone to Halja in search of him years ago, but angels cannot enter. If Satan does have your brother in his clutches and were to gain possession of you as well, he would be able to complete the binding and leave Halja. He would be able to start his unholy war upon the heavens and earth. We cannot allow this to happen. He needs both of you for the binding; one complete soul to bind to his.”

  Luc reached out and placed his hand gently on Katia’s knee. “Our first priority right now is finding a way to keep you safe and hidden. Amir agreed to take us somewhere in the human realm for the next day or so, but we need to come up with a long-term plan. If Satan gets his hands on you, he’ll try to use you for the binding. If he finds me, I’ll be tortured, and probably killed for disobeying an order of this magnitude. I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to deal with your brother later; there’s just no other option.”

  A mixture of horror and awe were written across her face as Katia replied. “Tortured? Killed? Oh my god! I had no idea. Why are you doing this for me? Why didn’t you just take me in? You don’t know me. You don’t owe me anything. I…I…thank you just seems so lame right now.”

  She was looking at him as though he were a savior — as though he were a good man. All Luc felt was dirty and deceptive. There was no way that she could possibly know who she was putting her gratitude and faith in. If she knew who he really was, she’d be running in the other direction so fast his head would spin. Luc pulled his hand back from Katia’s knee, uncomfortable with the contact as though it were a betrayal of her trust. Luc swallowed past the lump of guilt and shame that had made a home in his throat.

  “If he gets to you, the world won’t be the same. I can’t allow that to happen.” What he said and what he felt yielded the same result. He just wished he had been the kind of man she wanted him to be — the kind of man who had the right to tell her the truth. I just can’t let him get his hands on you. You’re my Katia and I will keep you safe.

  Katia seemed unable to meet Luc’s eyes as she replied, “Right, of course…the fate of the world.” She gave a dry laugh. “I still feel like I should be waiting for someone to jump out from behind something with a camera telling me that I’ve been punked. The fate of the world rests in my hands; it’s like something out of a comic book.”

  Sergei took Katia’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Look, I know all
of this is coming at you at warp speed. I grew up knowing about this stuff because of my family, so I can only imagine how hard all of this is for you.”

  Turning her head to face him, Katia gave Sergei a wry smile. “It’s amazing how quickly you can get used to the supremely weird. As much as I’m still pissed at you for keeping all this shit a secret, I’m glad you’re here for me. At least there’s still one thing in my life that makes sense. You’re a good friend, Sergei; I’m lucky to have you.”

  “Yeah, I’ll always be your friend,” Sergei said softly, looking down at their linked hands. “So, where will you be taking her?” he asked, looking back up at Luc.

  “I don’t know,” Luc said, shaking his head. “Amir will take us somewhere off the grid. He’ll be the only one who knows. It seems safer that way. The fewer people who know where we are, the lower the risk of our being found before we come up with a long-term plan.”

  “Sounds reasonable,” Sergei replied, giving Katia’s hand another squeeze before letting go.

  “How long before we leave?” Katia asked.

  “As soon as Amir gets back, we’ll be heading out. The longer we stay here, the higher the risk. Your apartment is in this building. As soon as Satan realizes I’m not playing ball, this building will be the first place he looks,” Luc said. Turning and giving Sergei a pointed look, he added, “You should probably clear out of here, too. He’s got your name and knows you’re close to Katia. He may send someone here to get information.”

  Sergei nodded. “Yeah, I’ll probably take a quick nap after you guys leave. I’m pretty wiped from lack of sleep and that locator spell took it out of me. I’ll pack up a few grimoires in case you guys need me again and head out later tonight.”

  “Sounds like a good plan. Do you need a place to stay, or do you have something in mind?”

  “I should be good. There’s a coven house not far from here that I’ll probably hole up in and I’ll give you my number in case you need to get hold of me for any reason.”

  Luc reached into his pocket, pulled out his Blackberry, and handed it to Sergei. “Put yourself in my address book. We should probably try to limit contact though. The less you know, the better.”

  As Sergei clicked away on Luc’s Blackberry, a curtain of air began to shimmer on the far side of the room. A moment later, Amir was stepping into the living room, leaving the doorway between the worlds open behind him.

  “Sorry to break up the family reunion, but we’ve really got to head out,” he said, shooting a sympathetic look at Katia and Bellerophon.

  Katia turned towards her father and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “Will I ever see you again?”

  Closing his eyes, Bellerophon breathed in her scent as though he were trying to permanently imprint it on his memory. “Heofon-willing, we’ll see each other again very soon. I’d like nothing more than to finally get to know my daughter. We’ve already lost so much time together and there’s so much I’d like to tell you about your mother.”

  Katia pulled back and smiled at her father. “I’d like that very much.”

  Luc nodded at Katia and she took a deep breath. Together they rose and made their way to Amir. Turning back one last time, Katia raised her hand in farewell to both her father and Sergei. Both men waved back to her as she placed her hand on Amir’s shoulder and they stepped into the spirit world.

  “So, where are we headed?” Luc asked Amir as they began their walk down the misty corridor.

  “Little out of the way place I found in a small town far, far away from here. Trust me, it’ll be the last place anyone will look for you guys.”

  “Sounds good. Lead the way.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lucifer

  As Katia stepped into the room, Luc moved to shut the door with a click behind her. Room thirteen — it figured they’d be in room thirteen. Not only were they now stuck in the crappiest motel known to man, Amir had dropped them in room thirteen — his idea of a sick joke. Luc hoped it wasn’t some kind of omen or predictor of the rest of their mission. As Katia walked around inspecting the room, Luc walked over and tossed the room key with the gaudy orange plastic tag onto the dresser. The Red Roof Inn was most certainly not five-star accommodations. The décor was nineteen-seventies chic, faded and scratched with the passage of time. Water stains decorated the ceiling like a large-scale Rorschach test. As he looked around, Luc made a mental note to slap Amir later for dropping them here. Turning to face Katia, who was now inspecting the bed sheets for cleanliness, Luc cleared his throat.

  “Amir said he would stop by both our apartments to pick up some of our stuff. He’ll be by tomorrow to drop off a bag.”

  Glancing up at him, Katia gave him a tired smile. “Sounds good.”

  Taking another look around the room, Luc realized they had another small problem on their hands.

  “You take the bed. I’ll sleep in the chair,” he said, pointing to a supremely ugly orange armchair placed next to a table by the window.

  “No, you won’t,” Katia said shaking her head. “We’re both adults here. Either I’m taking the chair or we’re sharing the bed. You’re already doing so much for me; you should at least be comfortable.”

  Hearing the determination in her voice Luc nodded in agreement. “Alright, but we’ll share the bed. I don’t want you sleeping in a chair.”

  “Good. Then it’s settled. I’m just going to take a quick shower, if that’s okay. Between kidnapping, drugging, and the drama at Sergei’s, it might help me relax so I can get some sleep.”

  “Yeah, go for it. I don’t blame you.”

  With a big sigh, Katia turned and headed into the bathroom, closing the door softly. A moment later Luc heard the sound of water running. Grabbing the television remote off the dresser, he turned it on, lowered the volume, and set the channel to the news. He hoped background noise might help lull Katia into sleep.

  It had been a horrendous couple of days for her, and Luc knew he was a big part of the stress. With any luck, he could also be a big part of the solution. At least some good had come out of this whole nightmare. Katia now knew where she came from; hopefully that would bring her some kind of peace, that is, if they could get out of this mess without one or both of them being tortured or killed.

  Frowning and lost in thought, Luc took off his jacket and t-shirt, tossing them over the back of a chair. He was about to strip off his jeans, then stopped, and re-thought that plan. Luc knew Katia was stressed enough without worrying about sleeping next to a half-naked virtual stranger. He left his jeans on, and thought he should put the t-shirt back on too. He didn’t feel like inviting any questions about his Sigil. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable night’s sleep, but it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

  Laughing internally at himself, Luc gave a half-smile. His being a gentleman and putting someone else first was more evidence to add to his growing list that he cared about her. The funny thing was, the more that thought occurred to him, the better he felt about it. He liked that he liked her. He was starting to like that he wanted her to like him. Turning towards the mirror with a smile on his face, he froze at the image reflected back at him. It wasn’t possible. Raising his hand to the blackened sigil over his heart, he traced a vein radiating outwards, but instead of the thickly raised blackness creeping across his chest, he ran his shaking finger over a vein of dully-flickering gold. Frowning, he leaned closer to the dresser mirror. The sigil itself was still midnight black; however, the shade of the veins tracking outward had lightened, more than one showing evidence of a low-level glow. What was this? In centuries the only change he had noticed in his sigil was the increasing pain and throbbing, along with the insidious spread of blackness. He placed his palm flat against the sigil and applied light pressure. For the first time in centuries, he felt no pain at the contact. He stood there in shocked silence for what seemed like an eternity before a soft voice broke the spell.

  “Are you okay?” Katia said, standing in the doorw
ay of the bathroom.

  Turning his head towards the sound of her voice, Luc was struck dumb yet again, but for an entirely new reason. Katia was leaning with one shoulder against the doorframe, the steam from the bathroom hung in the air behind her like mist. She was wearing the oversized white t-shirt from earlier, but now it hung loose covering the tops of her thighs, but leaving the rest of her thin, toned legs bare. Her wet hair hung in one long braid over the front of one shoulder. Luc’s mouth watered as he imagined tracing that phoenix tattoo with his tongue. With her doe-like mismatched eyes, fine features, and small, thin body, she looked like an otherworldly princess that had wandered out of her fairy tale and found herself in this awful motel. Luc’s breath caught in his throat.

  “Yup, everything’s good,” he said in a strangled voice.

  Giving him a dubious look, Katia headed towards the bed, pulled back the covers and sat down leaning back against the headboard. Luc turned back to the mirror, watching her in it as she flipped her braid over her shoulder and leaned her head back with a sigh. Locking eyes with his own reflection, Luc started to mentally panic. There was a small problem — well, not a small problem, and it was getting bigger. If he didn’t get this under control, she would have no doubt that he was attracted to her. And he couldn’t stand there staring at himself in the mirror until she fell asleep. Sports stats? Nope, not working. Watching her kiss Sergei at the café? Nope again. Satan and the torture he’d be in for if they got caught…yup, okay that was definitely working. Moments later, he breathed a sigh of relief and was able to turn and walk towards the bed without embarrassing himself. Taking a seat beside Katia, but leaving a respectful amount of space, Luc turned to face her. “How are you feeling? It’s been a rough couple of days.”