Blood In The Stars (24 page)

“That’s putting it mildly,” Luke scoffed. He eyed Jason. “You are so broken because of one human. Do you know what it’s like to feel that way about every human?”

“Luke,” Mike warned.

“It’s one big fucking lie!” Luke let out a heavy breath. “Everything you think is true, is a lie. You’ve watched over Daria her entire life. Imagine watching over all of them and feeling that way. Helpless.”

“That’s enough,” Mike interjected. “Jason is not one of us. He doesn’t need to know.”

“
He’s my son
. He is every bit one of us. But he will
not
be going up there with you, Mike.”

“That may not be your decision, Luke.”

Jason had no intention of going anywhere with Mike, especially after tonight. But given the weakened state they were in, he wasn’t about to voice any of that.

“I left because I was tired of watching them suffer. Just watching. Stupidly watching and doing nothing.” Luke spread out his arms. “But now I’m here. With them. And I can make a change.”

Jason stared at his father. That was why his father revolted in Heaven? To change the livelihood of humans?

He understood better than anyone the powerlessness of watching over someone and not being able to make any changes, unable to do anything to help. He knew. What he never fathomed was that his father knew and suffered through the same thing. More importantly, was it possible this selfish angel actually cared?

“What change did you possibly think you would make?” Mike asked in disgust. “Humans go through the same motions generation after generation. Free will means mistakes.”

“When I came to this realm, things were in chaos,” Luke pointed out with a snarl. “Demons roamed. Monsters preyed. On top of regular wars and disease. Absolute disorder. So when I saw a way to enact rule over the supernatural realm, I took it. But every five hundred years, the risk would happen again. Chaos could ensue, disrupting the order people desperately craved.”

Mike stood and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Alice was not my fault,” he bit out. “No one knew how Balthazar got to her.”

Luke struggled to stand and Miller helped both Luke and Jason, leading them away from the church where their powers would not be restrained. But Jason barely noticed any of it. His mind had stayed on Mike’s last comment.

Why were they talking about Alice now?

Miller, who had remained silent throughout most of the exchange, recovered first. “So you had wanted to kill Alice before Balthazar ever got hold of her,” he murmured. “That’s clever. It would secure the House of Fallen Angels as the ruler of the realm. And since you controlled Uncle Luke, Heaven ultimately controlled all.”

Jason gazed at his father with new eyes. All this time, had his father really been a puppet of God? Just a figurehead to control the unruly masses?

“Don’t look at me like that, son,” Luke joked. “I’m every bit as evil as they say.”

Mike crossed his beefy arms over his chest and threw them all a disapproving frown. “You make it sound like it was a bad idea.”

“It
was
clean,” Miller admitted. “
If
you could tie up all the loose ends.”

“So Alice and Daria . . .” Jason turned to his father and uncle for answers.

“They are truly auspicious,” Luke finished for him. “Daria’s power could surpass even yours, my son.”

“That’s what makes her dangerous,” Mike said. “We don’t know what could happen.”

Jason barely heard Mike’s warning. Daria could never be dangerous. He shifted his father to Miller. “Take care of him. I think Alastor took her to the villa. I need to go after them.”

Chapter 22

For the fourth time, Daria fell into a never-ending abyss. The first time with Damien had her screaming. The second time with Jason had left her dizzy but feeling safe. The third time they were escaping with a wounded Candy and Daria hadn’t had time to react to anything. This was the fourth time and she didn’t cry out nor did she feel sick. She had become used to this type of travel by now, the out-of-body, lighter-than-air floating sensation. A strange peace invaded her soul. A finality.

Wherever she was taken, Jason would find her.

Daria kept her eyes open this time, though she could see nothing while she fell. A hand touched her arm and when her feet landed on solid ground, Alastor stood beside her.

To her left, two men with beautiful wings guarded wide, double wooden doors at least twenty feet tall. Swords hung from the belt on their waists and they appeared as an odd mix of medieval knights and modern-day bodyguards. Chains extended from their wrists to disappear into the floor and they both wore a black trench similar to Jason and Alastor.

“Welcome to the realm of fallen angels,” Alastor told her.

Was that why their wings and chains displayed for all to see? Because this was their turf? Their land?

Daria surveyed the room. Two imposing chairs sat at the back center of the room and a red carpet rolled down the middle. It looked like a throne room.

Alastor had done the same thing as Damien, taking her to a land where she couldn’t escape. She assessed her surroundings again. It would be much harder to leave this time around. Damien had just put her in a cage at the time. No guards.

“You’ve been waiting for this chance, haven’t you?” she accused.

Alastor tipped his head to one side as if mulling over her question. “I didn’t plan for this, no. But I saw a chance and I took it.” He stepped closer and looked down at her. “Whatever chance I have to ruin Jason, I’ll take.”

Uneasiness swamped her. He was going to use her to destroy his brother. “Were all the attacks from you?”

His brows rose and he laughed. “You really don’t think well of me, do you? Sorry to disappoint you, but no, I didn’t orchestrate the attacks. I didn’t have to. Everyone found you without any obstacle.”

Her body chilled in terror as she stared into the face of someone who would stop at nothing for his agenda.

“And Damien’s father?”

“Purely coincidence. I couldn’t have asked for better timing.”

“The water sprites?”

“That coalition never became quite what I had hoped,” Alastor admitted with a shrug.

“So why kidnap me now?” Did he want to kill her? He’d had plenty of chances for that. If he wanted to take her, he could have done it when she left Club Triple Six that night. Why save her only to bring her here? Waiting until now made no sense.

Alastor grinned. “I know you can’t understand and I really don’t expect you to. But soon you will. Until then, you should rest as we will be wed tonight.”

“But you’ve never wanted to marry me!” What was he saying? Jason and Damien had proposed. Alastor had never once said he wanted to marry her though he had inferred it often enough, mostly to needle his own brother. “You know Jason will be coming for me,” she stated.

Alastor leaned forward, his face a breath away from hers. “Nothing would please me more.”

Daria stiffened in shock. Alastor
wanted
Jason to come? A cold sweat washed over her. God. Did Alastor lay a trap for his brother?

“Don’t think about it,” Alastor advised lightly as he clapped his hands.

Two guards surrounded Daria in a flash. They towered over her and she was sure if they unfurled their wings, that alone would knock her down.

“Perhaps you’d like a little tour of your new home?” Alastor motioned for the guards to follow him.

They didn’t leave through the large double doors. Instead, they went through a back door behind the throne chairs and stepped outside.

Birds chirped and flowers bloomed in the garden as they strode down the long stone hallway. A simple, circular fountain sat in the center of a large rectangular atrium. Water cascaded down from the third tier and sunlight glinted off the pool. A wren flew down, splashing in its eagerness to enjoy a bath.

They passed by flowering vines winding around the circular columns. The lavender petals softened the hard lines of the building, surrounding it in a cascade of greenery. Given different circumstances, she would have wanted to take some time to sit in the lovely atrium. But she knew Alastor didn’t bring her here for a vacation.

As they neared the edge, she could almost picture Jason as a child, sitting near the fountain. Perhaps he read a book while playing with the water or maybe he basked in the sound of the falling water as he gazed up into the sky.

Alastor stopped for a moment to stare at the fountain. “Jason used to have trouble sleeping as a baby. Mother tried everything to get him to sleep but nothing worked. One afternoon, she took him out here and he fell asleep instantly. From then on, we always took him here to listen to the water.”

They rounded the corner and to the left, Daria saw a long drive paved in loose gravel lined with vibrant green hedgerow. Flowers and small trees dotted the sides.

“We used to race our horses here,” Alastor said. His lips quirked into a smile. “He bet me he could jump onto the horse while flying. He failed and scraped his legs up badly. He was stupid to try since he was only half the size of the horse at the time.”

As they continued through the house, Alastor shared little stories about their childhood. Occasionally, they included Candy. But mostly, they were about Jason.

A curious wonderment formed in Daria’s mind. She didn’t hear hatred in his voice when he talked about Jason as a child. Instead, endearment framed each memory, adding charm and intimacy. That meant at one point, the brothers got along well as normal siblings. What had happened to change everything?

But she didn’t have a chance to learn more as they continued through the villa. Everywhere she turned, she saw angels. It was a walk through a storybook fairytale if one didn’t notice the chains.

When they finally arrived at her room, she was surprised to see Alastor didn’t leave her at the door. Instead, he entered behind her and said, “This is your room. Or prison cell. However you want to think about it.”

“I don’t get it.” She turned to him, head tilted to one side, trying to understand. Over the last few minutes, Alastor seemed like a different man.

His face suddenly became guarded, as if expecting she’d say something that he needed to prepare for.

“You bring me here, say we’re going to get married, but all you’ve done is talk about Jason. Why?”

“You asked me once why I didn’t like Jason. Remember what I told you?”

Alastor had never directly answered that question. Luke and Alastor seemed to have the same reasons for pushing Jason away—he didn’t accept who he was.

“Jason has chosen a different path. You said you wanted the best for your family. How is this good for anyone? If anything, it just creates bad blood.”

“One can only hope.” And with that cryptic remark Alastor left, locking the door behind him.

Daria stared out the window at the amazing city before her. For all intents and purposes, the city was the same as any other from a bygone era with cobblestone walkways, thatched homes, and horse-drawn carts. Yet this city was filled with angels who carried chains with them wherever they flew.

Surreal. That was the only word to describe it. She wondered where all the other angels came from. Were they the same ones who revolted against God with Lucifer? Or were they like Jason, second-generation angels who had always lived in chains?

When Alastor had left her alone, she had scoped the area immediately, wondering if there was a path to escape. The front doors were guarded so she went to her balcony. When she stepped outside, she was surprised to see this entire side of the castle stood against a bluff. The sheer cliff couldn’t have been scaled by anyone without wings. The land lay far below, shrouded in fog. The townsfolk that she had seen through the windows couldn’t be found here.

She discovered nothing that would allow her to escape, short of jumping to the neighboring balcony. But what then? If the doors were locked, would she keep jumping until she found one that was open?

With nowhere to go, Daria had begun pacing her room, trying to think of another solution. Still, no answers came to mind. It wasn’t just escaping from here that plagued her. It was the question of what would she do once she got out.

That was an hour ago. Now, she had resigned herself to gazing out the window. How much time would pass before Jason came for her?

All day, she had searched for newfound power and felt nothing to speak of, except for some small changes. Where once she’d wonder about the hidden meanings behind people’s words, now she didn’t have to because the answer seemed obvious. Maybe this new and clearer mind wasn’t the true beginning of her ‘gift,’ but it helped her keep fear at bay. And it helped her wait for Jason.

The sun dipped behind the mountains in the distance, throwing golden rays across the room. And suddenly, she felt the need to stand by the window. Something was out there. Waiting for her.

The force pulling her to the window grew stronger as she marched to the balcony, pulled apart the glass doors, and stepped outside. A gust blew her hair back and she squinted as her eyes watered.

Out in the open sky, a black speck marred the clouds streaked in orange. The speck grew closer and larger. Her hands gripped the railing and she narrowed her eyes harder against the glare.

Jason.

He flew high, away from level sight of the other windows before dropping in front of her. His wings flapped gently, barely making a sound, and his chains dangled from his wrists to disappear into the darkness below.

As soon as he alighted on the balcony she threw herself at him, stopping his words. His arms wrapped around her, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

“Let’s get out of here,” he murmured into her hair.

“I knew you would come.” She pressed her lips against his chest.

The bedroom door clicked open behind her.

And a familiar voice said, “So did I.”