Blood In The Stars (25 page)

Chapter 23

Jason had guessed where Alastor would keep her. The villa sat on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the populace. But on the southern end, the rock fell to nothingness. His family kept unwanted guests and prisoners here. Jason knew this was where Alastor would bring Daria.

The moment he arrived, Jason had sensed her easily enough and had hoped they could escape before Alastor was alerted of his presence. But it seemed that was wishful thinking.

Jason gazed down at Daria with love. He gently brushed aside her hair and held her to him for a second longer. Alastor glared at him from across the room.

His brother was deceived. Like all of them.
I have to explain.

Releasing Daria but retaining hold of her hand, Jason led her back into the room to face Alastor. “I’m leaving with her,” Jason stated firmly.

Alastor pulled out his sword and pointed it at Jason. “Then you’ll have to go through me.”

Daria’s hand tightened in his. At her gasp, he glanced down and saw her eyes flare, her face grow pale. “No,” she whispered.

“What is it?”

A cold sweat lined her brow and her hand felt clammy. Her glazed eyes locked onto his brother. ”You can’t do that, Alastor,” she breathed.

From the look on Alastor’s face, his brother seemed just as confused.
What’s going on?

No time to worry about that. He had to explain first. “Alastor, Uncle Mike was trying to kill Daria when you saved her. It’s a scheme from Heaven. Father’s law makes it so Heaven retains control.” Jason tried to convey his urgency to his brother.

“I didn’t do it to save her,” Alastor answered woodenly. “You think this was about her? This was always about you and me. If you want to leave with her today, you will have to go through me.”

Jason suppressed a sigh. It was going to come to a battle after all. Where were his parents at a time like this? They should be here to stop it. But their father also agreed that if he wanted to marry Daria, he should kill Alastor. Was this still what Luke wanted even after everyone knew the truth?

Determination gleamed in Alastor’s eyes, some twisted resolve to destroy him. Perhaps it was already too late to get through to Alastor.
Fine. So be it
.

Jason pulled out his sword. The blade gleamed as it always did and he smelled the blood of thousands.

“I don’t care about ruling the House,” Jason tried for the last time. “I will leave with her and you never have to see us again.”

At that, Alastor gave him a strange little smile, one that Jason had never seen before. It was as though Alastor had finally found peace.

“My poor baby brother. You just don’t get it.”

Alastor struck with his sword and Jason parried. “Stay back,” he ordered Daria. When she didn’t move, he pushed her aside. She stumbled, her eyes never straying from Alastor. But she didn’t look
at
his brother, he realized, so much as
through
him.

He had forgotten how good Alastor was with the sword. The last time they fought, he had been a child with a wooden weapon. Alastor had stood two heads taller with his golden hair flashing under the sun. That golden hair would separate them forever. Perhaps appearances alone really were enough to segregate him from his family. Or maybe their blood just didn’t run thick enough.

Alastor thrust his sword and kicked at Jason’s legs. Jason jumped back to avoid getting knocked down. Then his brother grinned and swung his sword at Daria.

Before he knew what he had done, Jason slashed at Alastor, cutting across his body from gut to shoulder. His brother’s sword hovered, mere inches from Daria. For a second, Alastor stood paralyzed with his arm outthrust, his weapon ready to kill.

Then he turned to Jason and that odd smile lit his face. “Finally, little brother.”

And he fell.

Jason froze, horrified by what he had done. A thin line of blood trailed down the sharp blade. He dropped the weapon as though it burned his hand. Blood poured from Alastor’s chest and that strange little smile still played on his lips.

“Why didn’t you dodge it?” Jason whispered. Burning fury exploded in his chest. “You could have avoided it!”

“Alastor wanted you to kill him,” Daria said in a small voice, falling to her knees next to them. “He wanted to complete you as a fallen angel.”

Her words pummeled him like the waves of a tsunami. He collapsed, his legs no longer able to support his body. Tears streamed down his face as he cradled Alastor in his arms. “Is that true? Why? For something so stupid . . .”

Alastor laughed weakly and pressed his hand over Jason’s. “Now you are worthy.”

“No.” Jason shook his head in denial. He placed his hands over the wound. A blinding white light began to glow but Alastor’s next words made him falter.

“Fallen angels don’t heal their enemies.”

“You’re my brother.”

“They don’t heal family, either.”

Refusing to reply, Jason focused his thoughts and energy on closing Alastor’s wound. He couldn’t let his brother die. This was just a sick joke. Alastor had never liked him. Why would he do something so stupid? Why would he think that forcing Jason to kill him would complete him as a fallen angel? Even their father had said he was always more angel than fallen. Perhaps Luke was right.

“I don’t want to be saved,” Alastor wheezed.

“Shut up!”

“Make him stop,” Alastor begged Daria.

“Does that mean you have come to a decision?”

Jason turned to the doorway at the sound of that voice. Mike stood there with his father. Blinded, that was how Jason felt. Absolutely blinded by the light emanating from the two. Any brighter and he’d be burned, the way he’d been at Miller’s house.

His eyes locked on his father, whose face filled with disappointment and sadness. Bitterness rose in Jason. Was Luke upset that Alastor couldn’t finish the job?

“Come help him,” Jason pleaded. “He’s your son!”

Anguish lined Luke’s forehead and his indecision was transparent for all to see as his gaze flickered back and forth between his children. “If I save him, I will lose you.”

Daria didn’t understand why Luke thought he’d lose Jason, but she felt everyone’s emotions and motivations as clearly as though they voiced them aloud. And the inner voice that spoke the loudest came from Mike.

She stared at the angel, trying to sort through all the information running through her head. He intended to take Jason away if he chose to heal Alastor. To Heaven, perhaps never to see his family again. He’d never be allowed to see her again, either.

No way in hell.
She would not let anyone take him away from her. Daria’s mind raced through alternatives. Jason had to stay with her and Alastor had to be saved. She had promised to protect her friends, had promised no one else would risk their lives. Now came the time to prove it.

When Mike averted his eyes, she sensed something else. He was afraid of her and what powers she would gain. If her powers surpassed them all and she married into the House of Fallen Angels or any of the other Houses for that matter, then Heaven would lose control over the realm. That must have been the reason he tried to kill her. He would have rather fallen than allow her to live.

Alastor’s hand on her arm jerked her away from her thoughts. She clutched his fingers tightly as if that alone could give him life.

“You’ll take care of him?” Alastor rasped.

Daria glanced at Jason, his countenance one of torment and misery. She shook her head. “No, I won’t. Not in the same way as you have. You two need each other.” She turned to Jason. “You must heal him. Concentrate. Focus.”

Not waiting for a response, she stood and strode to Luke and Mike. Adrenalin flowed through her and her hands balled into fists. She would never let anyone take Jason from her. The day they parted was the day one of them died. And even then she was sure they would meet in the afterlife.

She stopped in front of the two men and instantly discovered Mike was the more frightening of the two. Luke had always stabbed her with fear but Mike had appeared congenial. All a façade. At least everyone knew what to expect with Luke. With Mike, all had been fooled.

But she wouldn’t be intimidated. He was just an angel. She was the auspicious one. Her flesh and blood granted immortality and power. Within her was the ability to develop powers beyond everyone’s imagination. She alone determined who ruled the supernatural realm. And she had chosen Jason.

Michael
should be the one intimidated.

Daria glowered at him, her lips curling back with scorn at his underhanded methods to get rid of her. “You’re not taking Jason away from me.”

As Mike flushed at her domineering tone, an amused smile touched Luke’s lips.

“That’s not your decision. Someone upstairs wants him,” Mike told her.

Ire ripped through her and her blood boiled at his insinuation. A foreign energy began to course through her veins. Her fingers tingled. Daria leaned in close and added in a dangerous whisper, “Then I’ll have to speak to the guy upstairs. You tried to kill me because you’re frightened of my powers. Well, let me tell you, I’m not like Jason. I won’t have any qualms about killing you if you try to keep us apart.”

Mike lifted his chin and stared down at her. He stood over a head taller and it wasn’t easy to look down her nose at him. But somehow she managed.

“You’re bluffing. You’re scared of taking a life.”

That new power within her churned and magnified with his challenge, begging for release. It was like a wild beast, banging against the prison of her restraint. How satisfying it would be to show him how wrong he was.

She fisted her hands at her sides, tightening the control over the powers warring inside her.

“Are you sure about that?” she seethed. “You dare touch Jason and I’ll make you sorry.”

“You don’t have any powers,” Mike asserted.

She heard his voice quaver and she dove in for the final blow. “Then you’d better kill me to make sure it stays that way.”

Mike glared at her, his face purple with rage. A tic pulsed in his cheek and for a brief second, she thought for sure he’d reach out and strangle her in front of everyone. She dug her nails into her palms as the energy continued to snake inside of her, wrestling for freedom.
Get it under control.

Precious seconds trickled by as they stared each other down. Mike narrowed his eyes, lips pursed in contemplation. Could he sense the power inside her?

Then it passed. He stepped back with a short nod. “There will be no killing today.” His eyes swept the room one last time before turning to leave.

Luke gave her an appraising glance filled with reluctant admiration. “Not many would dare to speak to the Angel Michael that way. Certainly no human. You are auspicious in many ways, my dear.” He patted her shoulder before striding past her to check on Alastor and Jason.

The adrenalin pumping through Daria’s veins vanished and she sagged against the wall. Perhaps it wasn’t a new power? Just the heat of the moment? But as she stared down at her hands, she knew that something had wanted to come out earlier. She just didn’t know what.

With his father’s and brother’s help, Alastor gained his feet, the gash in his body healed. Jason had saved him. The thought warmed her and she rejoiced to know he still had his healing abilities. They were a part of him whether anyone approved or not.

Luke supported Alastor out of the room. But Daria had eyes for only Jason.

With gentle hands, he brought her to him and she rested her cheek against his chest. She relaxed against his solidness and his cool fingers swept the hair away from her temple. He would protect her always and she him. His steady heartbeats thumped against her ear, soothing her nerves.

They said nothing for several minutes, just enjoying the feel of each other. She would have happily fallen asleep against him if they had the time. But she knew they would need to check in on Alastor.

“What just happened, exactly?” Jason asked with a confused smile. “My father only said you were intimidating as hell. Absolutely magnificent.”

She leaned back and gave him a tired, but elated grin. “It’s about time I protected you.”

Epilogue

A funny thought suddenly occurred to Jason as he watched Alastor rest against the pillows of the recliner. Their family had been spending an awful lot of time recovering from near-fatal wounds lately. Once every five hundred years wouldn’t kill them, but he certainly didn’t want to make it a regular occurrence. He rubbed his wrists, remembering the way the bands had dug into his flesh. He hoped he wouldn’t have to go through that again in the near future. But with the situation in Hell still unresolved, he suspected he’d be feeling them again soon.

They sat by the fountain in the atrium. Jason shifted his position on Alastor’s footstool, tilting his head back to soak in the warmth of the morning sun while the sound of falling water surrounded them. He had always loved this spot in the atrium as a child and it had been centuries since he’d enjoyed it as an adult.

“You’re thinking about a joke. I could use a joke,” Alastor grunted.

“Why? You’re recovered.”

“Then stop treating me like an invalid,” Alastor shot back.

Jason looked at the orange he had peeled for his brother and stifled the laughter threatening to burst free.

Yesterday’s ordeal had worn out the entire family and after he and Daria affirmed that Alastor was indeed all right, everyone had gone straight to bed. This morning they met downstairs and even had breakfast together. He couldn’t recall the last time his family had done something so . . . familial. The only person missing was Candy.

“Where’s Candy?” Alastor asked as though he heard Jason’s thoughts.

“She’s probably still torturing Miller. The party for his succession to the House of Witches is coming up. I got the invitation today.”

He wondered what Candy thought about that. Maybe one day the two of them would finally work things out. Alastor sniffed but didn’t provide any snide comments. Instead, he queried, “Daria?”

“Our father is grilling her about her powers, I believe.”

Luke had called for Daria after breakfast and they had cloistered themselves in the library. Jealous and annoyed that his father monopolized Daria, Jason had reluctantly let her go after Luke said he wanted to talk about her powers. But that was hours ago. What did they still have to discuss? He needed time alone with his future bride, away from everyone.

“She was definitely acting oddly yesterday,” Alastor mused. “The way she was looking at me—I don’t know. Her intensity was a little frightening.”

Jason shrugged. Luke had told him everything Daria had said to Mike yesterday, including sensing an energy surge within her. He never knew she had so much courage that she would dare incur the wrath of the Angel Michael. And he most assuredly didn’t think she had it in her to kill anyone. But that was what she had threatened . . . Mike’s death.

“What now?” Jason asked. “I still want to marry Daria, but you should rule.”

“Father will rule,” Alastor replied.

“But his laws—”

“Will need to be modernized,” Alastor finished for him. “They are antiquated and from what you told me, were meant as a way to keep power up the chain of command. Depending on what powers Daria eventually develops, we no longer need to obey them.” Alastor’s wicked smile knocked Jason’s breath away.

Voices echoed from down the hallway and they turned to see who had arrived.

“I’m not going to help you guys launch a war on Heaven,” Daria asserted as she marched down the hall. She glared at Luke who strode beside her. “And you’re crazy for even thinking it.”

Luke remained silent, a pensive expression on his face.

Jason still hadn’t come to terms with everything he learned last night. Looking at his father now, he wasn’t sure how much he believed, either. His father killed thousands in Heaven for his rebellion, and the damnation brought on him and everyone who followed him was known across the realms. To learn now that it was all within the calculations of God . . .

The thought of that power staggered logic.

Luke had dressed casually today in jeans and a button-down plaid shirt. Daria had borrowed one of his mother’s dresses and looked resplendent in sea foam green. Though they both appeared refreshed, neither was smiling as they neared. Aggravation had drawn Luke’s lips into a thin line and a crinkle had formed on his forehead. Frustration flushed Daria’s face and she huffed when she sat down at the edge of Jason’s stool.

Jason twined his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Never close enough, though. His glance shuffled between the two of them before he asked with an amused smile, “Things didn’t go well?”

Luke sighed and Jason realized his father seemed more disappointed than annoyed. “Daria has powers, but they seem . . . shy, for want of a better word. We can’t repeat any today. Based on what she said, she could sense things from us as though someone spoke them aloud.”

“That’s great. So she can read minds like you.” Jason pressed a kiss to her temple. That was nothing to fear and actually quite common in his family.

“I didn’t say she could read minds,” Luke replied, choosing his next words with caution. “She seems to know motivation and perhaps can even anticipate what another person will do before it occurs to that individual.”

Jason straightened and stared at his father in speculation. “Are you saying she can predict the future?”

At those words Alastor sat up and stared at her with new eyes.

The implications of such a power were astonishing.  Knowing his father’s ambitions, Heaven would be well within reach.

“I suspect she can predict
possibilities
of the future, rather than the future itself,” Luke clarified.  “We’ve never had an auspicious one live to adulthood, so we don’t know when her powers will come into their own or just how powerful she’ll become.”

All eyes turned to Daria.

“Stop looking at me like I’m some freak show,” she hissed. “That’s just what he
thinks
.” She jerked her chin toward Luke. “No one said he was right.”

“True,” Luke acknowledged. “This is unprecedented. We’ll have to watch her very carefully, continue to monitor as her powers grow.” Then he waved his fingers at his sons and added in a low voice, “I also saw inklings of a fizzle in these.”

Daria shot to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m not going to be your lab rat. I want to go home.”

“You can’t,” Jason burst out in panic. Three pairs of eyes focused on him. He blew out an unsteady breath. They were safe in his father’s villa for now, but if they stepped outside of their House’s protection, would there be creatures after Daria again? It was too risky.

“We don’t know who will come after her,” Jason explained slowly, trying to calm his thumping heart. “It’s dangerous out there. She’s—”

“Free to go back,” Mike interrupted as he strode into the atrium, grim-faced.

“You want me dead that badly?” Daria snapped.

“No,” Mike sighed, “that’s not it. I worry about the precedence it sets and what consequences it opens up.” When all Mike received were confused faces, he explained, “He has sanctioned your marriage and will grant you a reprieve so you can enter the church. This was against my recommendation but He thought your commitment to each other should be rewarded.”

Jason’s heart thundered in his chest. God was going to allow him to enter a church to marry Daria. She would truly be safe and they could be together.

Mike gave them cautious smile. “Now that Daria is under the protection of the House of Fallen Angels, the mortal plane should be safe. Besides, I think the demons are a little too busy with the uprising in Hell to worry about her flesh and blood.”

Unease spread through Jason. There were still many unanswered questions. Visions of Balthazar and Alice came to mind. And with Daria’s maturation and Miller’s upcoming succession, it all seemed too much of a coincidence. He would have to meet up with Miller and Damien.

But for now, he had everything he wanted.

“You two should pick a day for the wedding,” Mike added, interrupting Jason’s thoughts. “I can preside. Or Miller.”

Euphoria coursed through his body and he wanted to grab Daria and swing her around in joy. They could finally marry. They could reside in Chicago or stay at his father’s house. It wasn’t important where they lived so long as they were together. No matter what happened in their future, he would continue to protect her.

Daria leaned against Jason. “We did it,” she whispered. “We can finally be together.” She gazed up at him with a dreamy smile. “Still want to marry me?”

He pressed a kiss on the silky hair at her temple. “I thought you’d never ask.”