Текст книги "The Promise"

Автор книги: Jessica Sorensen

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Chapter 19

(Alex)

Iwas going to kill him, strangle him until he died. At least I wanted to. But I wouldn’t or couldn’t. Killing Laylen would nearly kill Gemma and she’d hate me for it. Besides, that’d be stooping to my father’s level. No matter how hard he tried to turn me into one of his murderous soldiers, I refused to give in. I had to be stronger than he was. If anything, to save Gemma from dying.

So I held back on the strangling, instead knocking him in the side of the head with a snow shovel I stole off someone’s back porch. Once he fell unconscious, I tucked his body under a tarp, beside a pile of firewood. Then I stood there in the darkness, trying to come up with some kind of plan that would salvage this mess. I had an unconscious, killer vampire in front of me and the two people who could take me away were missing.

There was only one thing to do. Go back to the Banshee and find out what happened. Then maybe I could figure out my next move.

She was wailing when I arrived, a cry of death, perhaps for me. I barged in, not bothering to knock and the pleased look on her face was enough that I saw red. I shoved her back and she tripped twisting her ankle as she fell to the floor.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

She smirked despite the pain. “Don’t you think I should be asking you the same thing?”

“You don’t get to ask the questions here.” I squatted down beside her, pointing my knife at her throat. “Now who are you?”

Her eyes widened, the color shifting from green to blue and her hair from brown to blond.

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“You’re the Banshee from the alley,” I said. “Why are you here?”

“You didn’t think Draven would just hand you the information, did you? Who are you really?

And why do you want the help of a Banshee?”

“He didn’t just give it to me.” My jaw tightened at the idea that this was just a set up a very long, waste of time, set up. “I have to pay him back later.”

“And you will,” she said. “But we needed to see why you seek her. Why do you need a Banshee?”

“I m not telling you anything, until you tell me why you brought me out here.”

“Because this is the entrance to the Afterlife,” she gesture at the blackened walls. “This is where you cross over.”

“I m not going anywhere.” I had an idea. “Where’s my mom? I know you know.” Her breath was venomous. “We don’t just give away information about our kind.” My knife was at her. “Where is she? Tell me where she is!”

“In hiding.” She sneered. “In a place where no one wants to hide.” I grabbed the Banshee by the collar of her shirt and yanked her toward me. “Where? Tell me.”

“I will.” She grinned slyly. “But it’ll cost you.”

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Chapter 20

(Gemma)

“Tesha’s a friend of mine,” Adessa clarified, but I still wasn’t thrilled about the idea. “If we can just get back to the house, I can take the mark off her.”

“But what if it doesn’t work.” My eyes were fixed on the bright neon lights of the building.

Standing in front of the glass doors, was a short woman with choppy hair, pointy ears, and turquoise eyes Tesha. At first I thought she was a pixie or something, but I wasn’t even sure if pixies existed.

Adessa explained that Tesha was a vampire friend of hers and that she’d somehow gotten branded with the Mark of Malefiscus. I tried to tell her a million times that it was a bad idea, because the last thing I wanted to do was take down a vampire when Aislin and Laylen were running around, doing who knows what. But when I saw the way Adessa looked at Tesha, I wondered if she might have been more than a friend.

“Alright, do you have a game plan?” I asked, peeking over the hood of the truck we were hiding behind.

Tesha was chatting with a man twice her size. I wasn’t sure what breed he was, but from the blue glow in his eyes made me guess he wasn’t human.

“I was hoping you had one,” Adessa said with a sigh. “I’ve been trying to get to her for weeks, but it s useless.”

I frowned. I had a plan, but I wasn’t very fond of it. “Okay, I m going to foresee my way over there, grab her, and blink us back here you better be ready to work the spell.” Adessa nodded, opening up the baggy. “I will, but be careful.” 87

“Give me the knife.” I shoved my hand at her.

Adessa shook her head, pulling the knife closer. “You can’t hurt her.”

“I’m not,” I said. “But I’m not going in unarmed either.”

Reluctantly, she handed over the gold-bladed knife. “Please, don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t.” Unless I have to.

“You’ll have to be the one to puncture her mark.” She tapped her left arm. “It’s on her left wrist.”

I put on my game face, even though I was scared out of my mind. “Be right back.” I shut my eyes and pictured the front door of the casino where Tesha stood. In a heartbeat, I had foreseen my way over, but managed to land myself between the tall man with glowing eyes and Tesha.

Their eyes darkened and the blue-eyed man reached for me.

“Sorry, not going to happen,” I said and forced him back. He barely stumbled, but I grabbed Tesha’s arm and whisked us away to Adessa.

As soon as we hit the asphalt, I shoved Tesha to the asphalt. Her fangs snapped out, sharp and long, and she nicked my arm. I snatched her wrist, fighting her as I made the incision on her left wrist where the triangle traced her skin. She snarled her fangs at me and then, as if she couldn’t resist herself, bit into her own arm where blood was starting to pool.

“Adessa!” I shouted and Adessa knelt beside us, her hands trembling as she opened the bag of Vitis vinifera. She crumbled it into the open wound and it mixed with the blood. Again, Tesha nicked my skin with her fangs and I slapped her. She blinked, stunned, and Adessa looked like she was going to cry.

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“Say the spell,” I ordered. “Now!”

With a nod of her head, Adessa’s lips parted. “Liberare vos ligaveris!” Then we watched as the mark slithered away, off Tesha’s arm and onto the ground, like a snake. Even though I had seen it before, it still got to me; the way the mark kept going, toward the entrance of the casino, as if going to seek another.

I was on my feet before the next breath left my lungs and I stomped on the snake over and over again until it was smashed into the ground.

“Well,” I said. “I think I just figure out how Aislin and Laylen were marked.” But Adessa wasn’t listening as she seized Tesha in her arms.

“I’m so sorry.” Tears poured down Tesha’s cheeks.

“It’s not your fault,” Adessa said, smoothing Tesha’s hair. “It’s no one’s fault.” Guilt choked at me, strangling away my oxygen. It was my fault.

Adessa helps Tesha to her feet.

“And who’s this little warrior?” Tesha asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

Aislin gave her the quick details of who I was and what I could do. Although, there wasn’t any mention of the star. But I’d be surprised if they didn’t know. Word had spread that the girl with the violet eyes was the one.

We Foresaw back to Adessa’s house, Tesha awing over my gift. We crowded around the couch, waiting for Aislin to make her grand entrance. The tick of the clock was driving me mad, along with everyone’s restlessness.

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“Where the heck did she go?” I muttered, tapping my foot against the floor, anxious to get this over with and make the lives of at least two people right again. “Maybe I should —” But then she appeared like a ghost, only she wasn’t a ghost. She was a very powerful witch that wanted to hurt me, her green eyes glowering with murder. And she wasn’t alone.

“Remember these,” Aislin sneered, jerking at the chains of a woman wearing a leather dress.

Her black hair waved to the bottom of her back and her laced-up leather heeled boots clicked across the floor. The recognition in grey eyes told me she was the same Black Angel from the Black Dungeon.

She snapped out her wings, like a giant crow, ready to eat me alive. Aislin started to laugh hysterically, and I was beginning to wonder if an evil Aislin meant a crazy Aislin.

The Black Angel strolled toward me, her wings so wide they knocked things from the shelves, sending glass shattering to the floor.

“Take care of Aislin,” I shouted to Tesha and Adessa. “I’ll handle this.” But my head laughed at me, because I had no clue how to kill one of these things. The only thing I knew about them was a) whoever freed them from their cage become one b) they were angels from hell and c) they liked to wear a lot of leather.

I tried not to look her directly in the eyes as I circled her. She turned, following me with her gaze, her lips snarling. I dared a glance at Aislin and was relieved to see Adessa was making the cut, while Tesha pinned Aislin down and covered her mouth. I kept moving, wanting to distract the Black Angel so that Adessa could complete that spell and get the mark of Aislin.

But then she began to flap her wings and it was like a wind storm had blown through the room. I blinked, shielding my eyes from the flying glass and papers. The Black Angel growled and all my attention focused to her. It was like I was paralyzed, a helpless victim, as she sauntered toward me, grey eyes desperate to be free from the chains. My hands raised on their own, bounded by invisible strings the Angel controlled. I reached for the cuffs trapping her wrists and making her a prisoner, and with the strength of a Keeper, I broke her free. The 90

metal fell to the floor and the Black Angel shrieked with freedom. A loud boom reverberated through the house and the ceiling began to collapse.

I hit the floor, flat on my stomach, searching through the fallen debris. Finally, the air settled and I dusted myself off and got to my feet. I blinked at Aislin, Adessa, and Tesha, all their eyes filled with fear.

But I was glad for the fear in Aislin s eyes, because it meant she was back.

“What was that?” I asked, picking a piece of ceiling out of my hair.

“Gem-ma,” Aislin stuttered, which was weird because Aislin never stuttered. Then she lifted her hand, pointing her finger to the side of me. Instinctively, I jumped, discovering an unknown woman close. She nipped her teeth and then grinned.

“See you in hell.” She winked. Then with a puff of smoke, she was gone.

As the wheels clicked in my head, I glanced down at my arms. The first thing I saw was the same set of black symbols that traced Laylen’s arm the Mark of Immortality. Then I inched my hand behind me, touching the softness of the feathers.

“Oh my God.” My hand dropped. “I have wings.”

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Chapter 21

(Alex)

It was going to cost me. A lot. More than my life. More than a year working for Draven. The damn Banshee wanted my soul and she’d led me out here thinking she could trick me into giving it to her. Apparently when someone sacrificed their own life, their soul was worth more. So if Gemma or I had drunk the poison she sent us to collect, our soul would belong to her and give her more power.

It was always about power.

What the Banshee didn’t realize was that my soul belonged to someone else. It was something Gemma still didn’t understand, that no one understood. My soul belonged to her. And I wasn’t speaking in an I love you kind of way. I’d actually given her some of my soul. When we’d made the forever blood promise, cutting our hands and uttering the forever words, it had been sealed by more than our blood. It had been sealed by our souls.

The night I’d wandered over to her house, the day when her emotions revived, I’d had a hunch that something might happen. I was still brainwashed by my father, but all that time away from her finally took me over. And I knew I had to see her. I’d made sure to keep my distance, staying in the shadows, watching her through her bedroom window. She seemed lost, like she didn’t know what to do with herself, and my heart ached to go save her.

But my mind told me to leave.

As I’d started to go, I felt the strangest thing, like I was leaving my body, yet I still stayed on the ground. I clutched onto the fence, gripping so tight it cut into my hands. I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t move. And then I saw Gemma at the window, staring at me as my soul reconnected with hers.

It wasn’t the electricity that had done it. It was my soul breathing back life into its other half.

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Which might be why we had to die together.

I ran home after that and never said a word to my father. He’d have killed me if I did. But I heard about it. Sophia had kept this list and she would keep track of every time she performed the Unus quisnam aufero animus soul detachment on Gemma. I guess her soul had been a tough one and kept trying to revive itself. But the last and final time it was preformed was right after I’d showed up.

February 8th. The very day our souls rejoined.

My father came in raging, saying Sophia had tried to detach it again, but this time it was sticking. Then he forced me, like a puppet, to go to school and poke my nose around and find out what I could. But I was warned not to get close to her.

The sucky thing was I didn’t even put up a fight.

That’s why I couldn’t make the deal with the Banshee woman. But it didn’t mean I was going to give up.

I rounded the corner of the house, heading back to check if Laylen had run off. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of Iceland. I couldn’t fly since I didn’t have my passport. If all else failed, I would just have to track down a witch. I ducked behind the house and peeked underneath the tarp. He was still there, drooling all over himself.

“What am I supposed to do with you?” I said to myself. “I’d just leave you here, but I’m pretty sure Gemma would kill me.”

“I can fix him.”

I whirled, my knife out of my pocket before she could even work up a flinch. “Where is she?” My sister threw her hands in the air. “She’s fine. I’m fine.” She rolled up her sleeves and the mark was no longer on her arm.

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“So Gemma kicked your ass.” I grinned.

She glared, but then shook her head. “We need to go.”

I nodded my head at the wood pile. “You want to take care of him first.”

“Oh, yeah.” She seemed a little out of it, even for her, blinking confusedly. She rushed over to Laylen, giving a sad sigh as she worked her magic on him. Moments later, there was this strange snake thing moving toward me.

“Step on it!” she cried.

I stomped on it hard. “What was that thing?”

“That was the mark.” She stood, dusting her hands. “And apparently, it doesn’t die when it’s removed.”

I lifted the bottom of my shoe, pulling a face at the black goo. “So that’s how you guys went craz… how you got the mark.”

She scowled. “Yeah, from now on, they need to be stomped on.” Laylen woke up, confused and grabbing his head. “What happened? And why does it feel like someone punched me.”

“No one punched you.” I helped him to his feet. “I hit you in the head with a shovel.” He blinked, dazed, and I decided not to mention he’d bit Gemma because his own guilt would be more than enough.

“So where are we going?” I asked Aislin. “Back to the house?” She glanced around nervously. “We’re going to Adessa’s.”

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“That’s where you ended up?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”

“It was Gemma,” she replied, brushing the snow off Laylen’s back. “And it s a good thing she did because it was Adessa who got the mark off me.”

We huddled together, preparing to go to Vegas.

“But I have to warn you,” she said. “You might want to prepare yourself.” I didn’t have time to ask her why as she transported us away.

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Chapter 22

(Gemma)

When I saw them, I took cover behind one of the purple velvet sofas.

“What the hell is that?” Alex asked in disgust and I wanted to cry, but at the same time kick him for being so judgmental.

“Gemma.” Aislin’s voice was gentle. “You can come out. I promise you re okay.” Yeah, easy for her to say. She wasn’t the one with wings, very heavy wings sprouting out of her back.

“I’d rather not,” I called over the sofa, wishing I could curl up in a tiny ball.

“I don’t understand,” Laylen said. “What is that thing?”

Well, at least he was back to his old self.

“They can see your wings,” Aislin called out. “They’re sticking up behind the couch.”

“Wings!”

“Wings?”

I sighed, rising to my feet. I felt like an animal in a zoo, their wide eyes on me, making me feel ashamed. It was bad enough I had wings coming out of my back, but somehow, I also ended up in the Black Angel’s clothes. I had a dress on that barely covered the top part of my legs, and shoes which added more height to my already ridiculous tall frame. Laylen’s blue eyes met mine, and I wanted to run up and give him a big hug because I could see he was himself again.

But I didn’t, fearing I’d freak him out.

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I avoided Alex’s eyes all together, because, let’s face it, he was definitely prejudice when it came to things that weren’t human.

“There was an accident,” I said to the wall.

“What kind of accident?” Laylen asked, astonishment in his voice.

“I did it.” Aislin started to cry. “It was my fault. I brought the Black Angel here.” I turned to her. “It’s not your fault. You weren’t yourself.” Tears flowed down her cheeks. “Yes it is.”

“It’s not your fault,” I repeated. “If it wouldn’t have been for me, the mark would have never gotten so out of control.”

But she continued to sob and I felt him move toward me, my senses drawn sharply to him, even with the wings. He didn’t say anything, only turned me to face him. I tuck my head down, mortified. But he put a finger under my chin and elevated it up, so I had to meet his eyes, which were all over me, warming my skin with embarrassment.

“You’ll be fine,” he said with a relieved sigh. “We still have time. We can still change you back.”

“But I don’t want anyone to have to take my place.” I frowned.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’re not going to do that. We’ll find another way to get those wings off you. But we have to hurry, before you completely transform.” I let out a breath of relief. “I thought I was going to be stuck like this forever.” He shook his head. “But we have to hurry. You’re still you right now, but you won’t be for long if we don’t move quickly.” He paused, his eyes doing a quick sweep up my body, and a dark look crossed his face. “You can keep the dress, though, if you want to.” 97

I stared at him blankly, but on the inside my heart was about to explode. “Keep looking at me like that,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady. “And you’re going to kill us both right where we stand.”

He shrugged. “I’m just saying.” He checked me over again and then turned to Aislin and Laylen. “So where s Adessa?” he asked. “We’re going to need her help.”

“She left,” Aislin said. “With her… friend. They said they were going into hiding until all this crap was over.”

“Which it will be soon,” I said. “Alex and I found a way.” Alex shook his head. “Not yet. I still haven’t found out where my mom is.” Aislin’s eyes popped wide. “Our mom.”

I elbowed Alex in the side. “You didn’t tell her?”

He winced, clutching his side. “Ow… you’re like freakishly strong now.”

“And immortal.” I stuck out my arm.

Alex snatched it, tugging me to him. He blinked at the Mark of Immortality, then let me go and headed for the front door.

“Wait. Where are you going?” I chased after him, wings slamming into the walls.

“To find a witch,” he explained. “So we can get those things off you.”

“Wait,” Aislin said, racing after him. “I’m going with you.” Alex paused, looking at me. “Are you going to be okay?” His eyes wandered to Laylen. “By yourself.”

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I shooed him away. “Go, I’ll be fine.” But then I pulled him back, looking at the Mark of Immortality on my arm. “Are you sure we want to change it.” I almost gagged on my words.

“Because this could maybe help us if I don’t die, neither can you.”

“It’s not worth it,” he said. “Besides, you wouldn’t last long. You’d become one of them.” I leaned in, lowering my voice. “I thought you said I was supposed to get stuck in a cage.” He gave me a soft pat on the wings, ticking the black feathers. “Give it time and you will.

You’re in transition.”

I glanced at Aislin. “How did you free her?”

Aislin’s face twisted with confusion. “I used magic. A spell I didn’t even realize I knew. It was weird, but I seemed to know a lot of spells I’d never heard of, darker spells.” Then she sighed, reached in her pocket, and retrieved my locket. “Sorry I took it.”

“It’s okay.” I put my locket back on and then gave Alex a heavy stare. “Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to keep me like this.”

He pressed back a smile. “I’m not going to let you turn into an Angel of Hell.”

“Fine.” I sighed. “I just wanted to make sure this wasn’t our way out of dying.”

“We’ll find a way.” He touched the feathers on my wings and this time I shivered. “I promised I’d save you and I will. Just not this way.”

They left, slamming the door behind them and Laylen and I were left alone. An awkward silence built between us. Even worse, we both knew it wasn’t because of my wings or the weird leather getup I was wearing.

“So,” he began, staring at the black and white checkerboard floor. “How bad was I?” 99

“You don’t remember?” I gasped.

“No, I remember, well at least enough to know that I…” he trailed off awkwardly. “I was just asking you… I mean, you were the one that was hurt.”

I touched my neck. The bite marks were gone, but I swear I could still feel them. “It wasn’t that bad.”

It was like he’d relapsed or something, his bright blue eyes a deep sea of shame. “Don’t sugarcoat it for me.”

I sighed. “You know what, you’re right. It was bad. You scared the crap out of me.” I walked across the room, tucking the hideous wings against my back. I stopped in front of him, throwing my arms around his neck. “But we’ve all done things we’re not proud of. And we just have to live with it and move on. Our mistakes don’t define us, it’s what we do afterward how we grow that makes us who we are.”

Wow. I wasn’t sure if I was saying that more for him or myself.

He was quiet for a while and I started to think my little speech bombed. But then he sighed and hugged me tight.

“When did you get to be so insightful?” he asked with a soft laugh.

I loved to hear his laugh, because it was such a rare occurrence. “I learned from the best.” We stood there in the silence, hugging each other, wings and all.

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