Soul Bound (34 page)

She took his hand and stood beside him as Cal, Marcus and Regan scampered off to help the others prepare for battle. Together they watched the scene unfold like a clip from a movie, two silent spectators standing in the sidelines, observing the commotion. Just like a movie, it put them in a sense of suspended disbelief.

The Watchers were shockingly in tune. They moved as one, men and women who shared a common purpose. But it was more than that. Between them Jace sensed kinship, even affection. For a bunch of soulless creatures, they sure looked like…

“Family.” Lia voiced his thoughts. “That’s what they are.” She gazed into his eyes, staring into the soul he no longer possessed. “You could be part of that.” Sadness laced her words, as though she knew this was where he belonged, despite the fact that joining the Watchers would dash all hope of them having any kind of relationship. Regan had made it clear that alliances were strictly forbidden. The Watchers’ loyalties lay only with Cal and his righteous cause.

“Who says I wanna be? I don’t work well in groups.” He shifted his weight and rearranged his scabbard so that it wouldn’t feel so damn uncomfortable. It didn’t work. “Last time I teamed up with someone was back in elementary school. His name was Justin. I don’t think I need to remind you how that turned out.”

A puzzled look came into her eyes, followed by wonder. “How could you possibly know that?”

Only then did he realize what he’d said. He stilled, searching his mind, suddenly finding it inhabited by disjointed snapshots of the life he thought he’d forgotten. He remembered being assigned as Justin’s lab partner, the science project they’d aced, even the fleeting friendship they’d shared before he’d gone and addled the kid’s brain.

“You remember?” Pleasure resonated in Lia’s voice.

Jace nodded. “Some of it. Not sure how. Maybe it has something to do with what Kyros did to me. Or maybe it’s because of what happened between you and me.”

Was it possible? Could making love to Lia have given him access to the memories he’d lost along with his soul? The more he forced himself to think back, the clearer the flashbacks became. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted them. With oblivion had come bliss, a chance to start fresh, to reinvent himself.

No pain. No baggage. No regrets.

Memories shackled him to a past he wasn’t proud of, a life he’d live differently given half a chance.

“Ready?” Regan came marching toward them, putting an end to his musings. “Remember what I taught you. Don’t do anything stupid, okay? Just stick to the basics.”

“Now would be a good time to teach me that invisibility trick.”

Humor made her lips twitch at the corners. “I’m not sure I can. It’s just something I do. I fold space, bring two points together and travel from one to the other. You’re either able to do it or you’re not.”

Jace battled a wave of frustration. “Gee, thanks. Nice thing to know moments before I go barreling into a war zone.”

Regan gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “You’ve got enough tricks of your own up your sleeve.”

Silence fell to cloak the room, and Jace turned to see Cal approaching them. Dressed for battle, a sword strapped to his side, he looked like something right out of a King Arthur movie. The funny part was that the image fit him to a tee. Exactly how old was this guy? For all he knew, Cal had wielded a sword alongside Lancelot and Galahad.

“Thank you for assembling so quickly,” he praised his troops. “What we’re about to face may seem like a challenge, but remember, it is also an opportunity. One we’ve been awaiting a very long time.”

Jace fought not to roll his eyes.
Here comes the pep talk, maybe a group cheer.

“We have uncovered Athanatos’s location, but we must act quickly. We can’t allow him to go into hiding again.”

Cal walked over to the steel table at the center of the armory, spread out some pages. “A trusted source just e-mailed me the plans for The Beach Palace. We must cover all exits, top to bottom. Remember, we need to gain access to the catacombs. Kyros has informed us that the entrance is in the basement, beneath a trapdoor.”

A long-winded spiel ensued, where Cal assigned everyone their tasks. Then he turned to Marcus, Regan, Jace and Lia. “While the rest of the troops distract the Kleptopsychs, you four will follow me to the basement. Together, we must venture underground in search of Athanatos.”

When he was done explaining their attack strategy, Cal locked eyes with each and every one of the men and women who’d sworn to serve him. “Stay focused,” he said. “And stay safe. We stand together, we fight together, and we all come home together.”

Jace felt the powerful allegiance that bound this group, and it disconcerted him. He knew why he was putting his ass on the line, for Lia, but why these Hybrids chose to risk their lives for the sake of some higher cause eluded him.

He felt Lia’s burning gaze upon him, and he shook the thoughts from his head. He kept forgetting she could read his mind. Right now he would’ve given his good arm for a few minutes of privacy.

“Let’s go end this,” Cal said.

One by one, the Watchers filed out, but their leader remained behind.

Jace turned back, caught a glimpse of the blond man’s face. “Are you coming?”

Cal snapped out of his daze, wearing a look of quiet resignation. For a guy who was about to take down his lifelong enemy, he appeared oddly repentant. “Keep moving. I’m right behind you.”

In the distance the ocean roared, but the rhythmic crash of waves seemed to be coming from within Kyros’s head. He felt weak, his gut wrenched a thousand times over, his thoughts muddled. The angel’s blood was slowly seeping into his system, poisoning him. He had to get free, to warn his father of the impending attack. But how?

Outside, he heard movement. Someone stood guarding the door.

Kyros had a very special ability. By focusing his energy, he could strengthen a Hybrid’s connection to his lost soul, same as the Watchers’ bond. In other words, he could make the half-breeds feel. Gathering what little strength he had left, he tapped into the guard’s muted emotions, looking for something he could use. Images flashed through his mind, accompanied by faint impressions of feelings—pain, love, sadness, despair, guilt.

This was precisely what made Hybrids so weak and susceptible. They congratulated themselves on not being slaves to emotion, and yet they suffered from all of humanity’s failings. Like humans, they were ruled by guilt, pride, even by some ambiguous moral code, and that always proved their undoing.

Today, he chose compassion as his weapon. “Please,” he screamed. “I’m in agony. Please help me.”

Using his unique set of skills, he wrung every drop of sympathy from the Hybrid and amplified it.

The door inched inward, and the guard, who remained connected to his lost essence thanks to Cal’s blood bond, entered. Sympathy twisted his face.

“Please,” Kyros begged. “Loosen my bonds.” He delved deeper, milked the Watcher’s empathy until it overflowed.

“I’ve been ordered to keep my distance.”

“My skin is on fire. My very blood blisters as we speak. Run me through and be done with it.”

The guard squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn’t have to witness Kyros’s pain.

“If you don’t help me, then you’re no better than we are.” Kyros understood how desperately the Hybrids sought to deny their nature. They refused to accept what they were, struggled to hold on to their humanity even though it had chosen to forsake them. “I’m weak, powerless. I cannot replenish myself unless I feed. What harm can it do to ease my suffering?”

The guard’s eyes filled with tears. Kyros’s influence was taking hold, despite his feeble state. Tugging on a pair of gloves, the Hybrid approached him and removed the braided copper wire imprisoning him.

Before the guard could retreat and lock the door again, Kyros reached for the moron’s weapon, yanked it free and stabbed him in the heart. The Watcher fell to squirm and gasp on the ground as the black veil of death unfailingly swept in to curtain his gaze.

Weak beyond words, Kyros dropped to his knees, where he remained for a few minutes, panting. He’d lied when he’d said he would need to feed to replenish his energy. He’d ingested enough life-forces at the last feast to sustain him for weeks. Without the angel’s blood sucking him dry, those life-forces would quickly restore him to his former glory.

When he was strong enough to stand, he stumbled out of his prison cell, his mind set on one task and one task only—the preservation of his kind.

Chapter Thirty-One

They arrived at The Beach Palace one hour later, a dark procession of SUVs filled with an army of Hybrids that had the look of a SWAT team, with one exception—they carried swords instead of guns. On the way here, Jace had learned that blades were more effective because one coat of angel’s blood could take out several Kleptopsychs at once and because swords didn’t require the Watchers to reload. Manipulating bloody bullets was a task that could prove complicated in battle, a fact Jace had witnessed firsthand when Lia had failed to reload the revolver in time.

When Jace had asked why they didn’t use automatic rifles with preloaded cartridges, Cal had simply shaken his head and said, “Obtaining weapons of military caliber is too risky. The last thing we want is to draw the attention of the wrong people. The government can’t know of our existence. Guns are too conspicuous.”

Jace wasn’t entirely convinced. Right now, even a semi-automatic would’ve been welcome, conspicuous or not.

Following Cal out of a black Escalade, he held fast to Lia’s hand, cursing himself for having been stupid enough to agree to this. He should’ve argued more adamantly, insisted that Lia stay behind. Still, it reassured him to have her beside him. He didn’t trust anyone else to keep her safe. Half the time, he didn’t even trust himself.

When everyone had gathered, they approached the abandoned hotel, swords raised in anticipation.

“Everybody, assume your positions,” Cal commanded, and several Watchers took off to cover the back and side entrances. Those who remained behind proceeded to the front door, along with Cal, Marcus, Regan, Jace and Lia.

Jace made it a point to walk a few steps ahead of Lia, just in case. The place looked deserted, as though it hadn’t been inhabited in years, but where the Kleptopsychs were concerned, one never really knew what lurked in dark corners.

Silence permeated the air, save for the creaking sound the door made as they entered. The lobby was empty, filled with dusty furniture and a slew of crooked frames adorning the walls. The unmistakable scent of mold peppered the air, and conflicting energies fought to dominate the atmosphere. “I feel something,” Jace said. “A presence.”

“I know.” Marcus’s face was set in a grim scowl. “They’re here.”

“Can you track them?” Cal asked.

Marcus shook his head. “They’re cloaked. I can only feel their presence, same as the rest of you.”

Dark energies congealed around them, gyrated and slithered, until the shadows came alive. A shuffle, then Jace sensed movement beyond the walls. Blade raised, he pushed Lia back and swung around, to be greeted only by cobwebs and gloom.

Marcus’s scowl gave way to glittering apprehension. “Get out,” he yelled. “It’s a trap!”

Just as he spoke the words, Kleptopsychs began pouring from the walls. They stepped into the lobby as though emerging from behind a cover of drapes. Dozens of them suddenly surrounded them, armed with gleaming blades.

“What the—” Jace had never seen anything like it. He raised his weapon, adopted his battle stance, while sandwiching Lia between his body and Regan’s.

“Perceptual walls.” Regan spun on her heels so her back was to Lia’s, ensuring no one approached them from behind. “Athanatos can raise all kinds of structures, remember? Double-sided walls are part of his repertoire. Hard on one side, completely penetrable on the other.”

“Preserve the circle,” Cal ordered. “Fight as a team.”

Back-to-back, the Hybrids struggled to keep their enemies at a distance. Almost instantly, the Watchers began to go down, tendrils of gray smoke rising from their fallen bodies.

“How is this happening?” Regan’s voice resonated with shock and confusion. “The Kleptopsychs don’t have access to angel’s blood.”

“They do now.” Marcus’s expression was murderous as he cut down their attackers with skill and deadly precision.

All conversation dwindled away to nothing as more of their enemies closed in. Jace took a few of them out, and to his surprise so did Lia. She was getting quite handy at wielding a blade. She didn’t like it, though. He felt her revulsion with each strike of her sword. But she didn’t have a choice.

Kill or be killed.

The creatures they fought were incapable of mercy. They struck the Watchers without a second’s hesitation or an inkling of remorse.

Whenever a Kleptopsych fell, an odd blend of blackened smoke and white light gushed from the corpse. The smoke lingered like fog, but the white light—souls that had yet to be extinguished—was instantly absorbed by the others who still stood, strengthening them.

“We need to go after Athanatos,” Cal said, still swinging his sword. “While we still can.” He inched away from the battlefield. “Follow me.”

Cutting through the throng of clashing swords, Cal led Marcus, Regan, Jace and Lia away from the war zone toward the basement.

Thankfully, no battle raged here, and Jace reveled at the brief moment of respite. “How are you holding up?” he asked Lia, whose skin had grown so translucent, he could almost see the white bone beneath it.

“I’m okay. Where are we going?”

“To find Athanatos.” Jace reached for her hand, felt his heart swell when their palms connected.

Lia tossed a glance over her shoulder. “What about the others? They’re getting slaughtered.”

“They can hold their own,” Regan answered. “That’s what they’re trained to do.” Despite her assertion, her words lacked conviction. “We’re here to take down Athanatos. The Watchers will hopefully hold off his army long enough for us to find him.”