The Chosen Knights (Read Prequel--The Angel Knights first) (The Angel Knights Series Book 2) (13 page)

Chapter 15

I loved surprises. The kind when you opened a present and it was something you didn’t expect. Venators didn’t receive presents, nor did we give presents. We didn’t celebrate birthdays or any special human holidays, except for one, because Mother adamantly celebrated it since growing up as a human. At Christmas time, my parents, uncles, and aunts in Crossroads left presents under a tree Zach and I had helped decorate. These were the best surprises.

Surprises I didn’t like included finding out Abel was a demon. How could I have missed that? Were human emotions affecting my angel intuition? Having seen Abel and his friends tear through the black mists with their hands and teeth, it was clear what type of demon they were.

Fireballs shooting across space meant Milani was there too. I watched in awe as she manipulated water as a weapon. The water formed into a giant hand, and once it had grabbed hold of the mist, it transformed into a long ice spear and pierced through the mist’s body.

The first time I had encountered the Possessors at Black Sand Beach, I had been so terrified, I hadn’t paid attention. Watching, I realized the Possessor demons had hearts. It made sense, considering they had to have stolen human bodies and transformed them into demons. One of the ways to kill them was through their hearts. Abel’s friends took care of that by ripping them out with their hands. Some of them ripped through the bones first, and then went in for the kill. As we approached, I readied myself to be the badass Eli expected, but the remaining Possessors retreated.

“Lucia.” Abel held me tight. His eyes may have been amber a few minutes ago, but they weren’t anymore. “You’re okay. I was worried about you.” He let go to look at me. “I guess now you know I’m not human.”

“Then you know what I am?” I gaped at his friends, especially Cayden and Vanessa. Since I didn’t see Khol, I assumed he wasn’t one of them. I jerked when Cayden flashed me his sharp teeth. All the times I’d had lunch with them, I hadn’t suspected. Abel peered to the sky and watched as Zach landed next to me. “I do now.”

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, Abel,” Zach seethed. His wings flapped once more, then folded to close.

Abel sized up Zach to show domination of his domain. “I don’t have much to tell you. The headmaster of the Possessor demons, Vince, second in command to Cyrus, told me I needed to hand over Eli to him. I told him to screw off. He must have gotten to one of my friends.”

“Which friend?” Eli got off his Jet Ski and stood in front of Abel.

Abel crossed his arms. “Like I said, I don’t know.”

“I told you not to come here,” Eli growled, taking a challenging step toward him. “You never listen to my warnings.”

“And you know everything.” Abel threw his hands in the air, scowling.

Eli scoffed. “Every time I’m right. And you know it.”

Abel scowled. “I don’t take orders from you. You left our group. You’re not our leader anymore.”

For some unknown reason, Eli looked at me and started to walk away without another word.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Uncle Davin stepped around the bonfire. He looked directly at Zach and me. “I told you I would be near. Just had a strange feeling.” Then he directed his attention to the others. “You, you, you, you, and you.” He pointed at Eli, Abel, Milani, Zach, and me. “Sit down.”

The rest of Abel’s friends scrammed, leaving only our little group. We brought the beach chairs closer to the fire and sat. Still acting like the host, Abel passed out drinks to us.

Uncle Davin plopped onto the sand next to Zach. “This isn’t a party, Abel. But hand me a beer.” After he grabbed one from Abel, he took a sip. “So...” Uncle Davin placed his beer down and slapped his hands together to get our attention. I had never seen him so angry before. Well, I had, but it was only the second time. “Who’s going to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Milani timidly raised her hand.

“This isn’t school, Milani. Spit it out,” Uncle Davin roared.

“We only came here to help. It’s Abel’s fault. He never takes Eli’s warnings seriously,” she spat with attitude.

Uncle Davin made a circle with his index finger. “Obviously, you all know each other. You fought like you’ve worked as a team before. So why the division among the two groups?”

“We can’t get along,” Eli answered. “Don’t tell me angels don’t have that problem. It doesn’t matter; where there are people or supernatural beings, there are always differences.”

Uncle Davin rolled his eyes. “I can understand that. So tell me, what other demons live here besides Lamias, Possessors, and Elementa?”

Milani pointed at us. “There are angels now.” Her lips curled slightly. I couldn’t tell if she was smiling or mocking us.

“We’re not demons. We are not the definition of stupidity,” Uncle Davin huffed. He was not himself today for sure. “Tell me about Lamias. I’ve only heard of vampires, and you fight like them. How did your kind evolve?”

Abel took a sip and placed his bottle down on the sand. “Lamia is a modern term for vampire. Our kind, like the Elementa and Possessors, evolved over generations. Unlike the elder generations, we can walk in daylight, and we don’t need to drink blood. We prefer food.”

“Our kind started from Cain, one of Adam and Eve’s two children. When Cain murdered his brother, he was cursed by God and transformed into a demon. In addition, he was given a mark on his wrist as a reminder of what he had done and for others to remember ‘thou shall not kill.’ We call it the mark of Cain.”

“What does it look like?” Zach asked.

“I’ll show you.” Abel turned his arm over, palm facing up. I had never seen the small tattoo on his wrist, small enough it would be easy to hide. It resembled a number seven with two lines, never touching and pointing east. “It’s a birthmark. All Lamias have them.”

Abel continued, “As a demon, Cain couldn’t go out in the sun and he thirsted for human blood. Cain met a powerful witch named Lilith, one of the original Elementa. From Lilith, Cain learned how to create others of his kind.

“Again, these were the ways of generations before. Our DNA has changed and evolved over the years. Our ancestors mixed blood with others. In fact, our skin is warm to the touch. Our hearts beat with human counts. We don’t drink blood. We can go out in the sun. However, when we’re in defense or killing mode, our eyes turn amber, not red. We’re as normal as it gets.”

It all made sense. That was why I hadn’t been able to tell they were demons. I didn’t feel so incompetent.

Uncle Davin pushed his feet deeper into the sand and rubbed his chin in deep thought. “I did some research. Cyrus is not only lord of the Possessor demons, but also part fallen angel. When Lilith wanted the Possessor demons to guard the child with the ice heart, she called upon a fallen angel, Cyrus, to draw out these Possessor demons. Cyrus has someone doing his dirty work and I know he’s up to something. He is trying to remain hidden. The less we know of his whereabouts, the harder it will be to detect him. Tell me about Vince.”

Abel threw wood onto the fire. “There’s not much to tell. Vince works under Cyrus. All I know is Vince took the missing teens.”

“Are you sure?” my uncle asked. “You have proof?”

“If seeing with your own eyes isn’t proof then I don’t know what is.” Eli threw a second piece of wood onto the fire. “Vince and his crew were at your house a week after you moved in. I know this because I was keeping a watchful eye over your family. Possessors can sense energy, and your family is strong. They’ve been circling around your house. I know you’ve seen them. They’re searching for teens with a special bloodline. Vince approached me too, wanting my help. But I’m not sure why they want the teens or which bloodline they’re after. He’s been after me because, well, if I’m not with him, I’m against him. As for Jack, I have no idea why they want him. He’s just a human.”

Milani broke the silence, “If the teens who went missing had a special bloodline, then why does he need more? Jack must have that special blood.”

Abel dug his hand into the sand and picked up his bottle to take a gulp. “Maybe their blood wasn’t pure enough.”

Zach tapped Uncle Davin’s arm. “I think he has something there. It makes sense. If Vince is going to do some kind of ritual, he would need pure blood. We need to keep a steady watch on Jack’s house.”

Uncle Davin nodded in understanding. “Abel, can you send some of your guys to Jack’s place? Tell them to observe from afar and report to me immediately if they notice anything suspicious.”

“Yes, I can send a few of my guys to watch 24/7.”

“Perfect. Don’t tell Jack about it. The more he’s aware of, the more danger we’re putting his family in.”

I peered upward when I saw moving shadows. My pulse spiked when I saw Brody and Jack walking toward us. I stood up. “Jack’s coming. He told me his mother will show us the book tomorrow night.”

“Perfect,” Uncle Davin said. “Abel, Milani, and Eli meet me at my house tomorrow at eight. Be there. If you don’t show up, I know where you live.” Uncle Davin gave them a hard stare. “By the way, who are the leaders in charge of your clans? Who can I speak to regarding these matters?”

“Abel and Eli are our leaders. They have been for a long time,” Milani confessed.

“What? You’re all so young. Where are your parents?”

“Dead,” Eli said simply. “Most of our parents are dead. A few lucky ones
do
have parents but they won’t stand up to Cyrus. They’d be dead too. Everyone has been laying low and hiding.”

Uncle Davin gazed at the flickering fire and said softly, “I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”

“Jack.” I ran to him when he reached the bonfire, embracing him tightly. “Are you okay?”

Jack gazed at everyone still seated, rubbing his temples and acting confused. “Yes. I think. That was some wipeout. I kind of feel embarrassed. I’ve never been knocked out by a surfboard before.” He rubbed the back of his head where the board had hit him. “But if that’s what it takes to get that kind of hug from you, I can do it again.”

Leave it to Jack to joke to ease the tension.

Abel got up and patted his back. “There’s always a first, my friend. Glad you’re okay. See you at school.”

Still dazed, Jack asked, “Where did everyone go?”

“Home,” I said. “Let’s get you home.”

Chapter 16

Uncle Davin knew how to be a perfect gentleman. My parents had told me many stories about him. He was the one who told Father to bring flowers for Mother on their first date. Though this wasn’t a date for him, he brought bouquets for Lana and Jack’s mother.

“Hello.” Jack opened the door wider, inviting us in. The scent of edelweiss candles filled my nose. Uncle Davin and Zach twitched their noses as they caught the scent. It was strong and overwhelming, compared to my last visit.

Goose stared hard, examining Uncle Davin and Zach carefully. When he let go of the leash, Lucky jumped on me and then Zach.

“Hi, Lucia,” Goose said in a friendly tone, but his voice deepened as he greeted my brother and uncle. I immediately noticed his white T-shirt. It had a picture of a shield with a sword across it. Above it were the words “I am a,” and below read “Chosen Knight.” Judging from the quality, I was pretty sure he’d made that one too.

“Don’t worry. They’re fine,” I assured. Goose flashed a quick grin and adjusted his glasses.

“These are lovely,” Lana gushed, accepting the bouquets from my uncle. “Audrey, our guests are here.”

A lovely woman with light-brown hair hanging just past her shoulders stepped into view. “Welcome to our home.” She beamed a warm smile and her hazel eyes lit up. I knew then where Jack and Goose got their pretty eyes.

Uncle Davin shook Audrey’s hand and kissed the back of it.

“Oh, thank you.” She dipped her head shyly. “Have a seat at the dining table. Dinner is ready.” She led the way.

After we had settled into our seats, Audrey and Lana brought out traditional Hawaiian food. I recognized the pork, ahi tuna, and cabbage, but the others stumped me. They had gone out of their way to prepare so many dishes to show their appreciation of our friendship.

“Please, help yourself.” Audrey poured wine for Uncle Davin. “Jack has expressed how much he enjoys Zach and Lucia’s friendship. It’s been very hard—” She looked at Jack and stopped. “Anyway, Jack told me Zach and Lucia’s parents are always traveling, and that’s the reason they are staying with you. They are so lucky to have you.”

Uncle Davin reached over to place food on Audrey’s plate beside him. He then placed some on mine and his own. He was such a gentleman. “I tell them that all the time. And Jack and Goose are so lucky to have a loving grandmother to watch over them. It must be difficult to work at night.”

Audrey dabbed her lips with her napkin. “I work in the ER. Someone has to pay the bills.” She smiled. “It can be boring, but sometimes we get unusual cases.”

Uncle Davin’s attention was piqued. He stopped poking the kalua pork with his fork. “Oh, like how strange?”

Audrey’s eyes gleamed in the candlelight as she excitedly shared her experiences. “I’ve had numerous injury cases in which the patient exhibited two incisions in the neck and a fever at levels above human tolerance. The strange thing is their eyes are bloodshot red and their skin is cold to the touch. Medically, they would be considered dead but they weren’t. Some died on my watch, and some—well, let’s just say miracles can happen. They got up and walked out the door as if nothing had happened.”

Lana narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. It seemed as though she wanted to say something, but Audrey’s hand on her shoulder eased her expression.

“Demons,” Goose hissed softly. Chowing down on the pork and cabbage, he slipped some under the table for Lucky. Lucky gulped it down in one swallow and barked twice as if to agree. Then she lay on her stomach, watching us, as if she understood what we were talking about.

Audrey laughed. “Goose watches too many supernatural shows. He can tell you all about them. If only he could apply that to school.” She patted her son’s back.

I kept my eye leveled to my plate of food and one word came to mind: Lamia. Was someone creating these demons? Uncle Davin would most definitely ask Abel about this when we saw him later that night.

“That’s interesting.” Uncle Davin humored Audrey. “At least they didn’t turn into zombies.”

“Then I would have turned into a zombie too,” Audrey giggled.

We had a good laugh at their comments, but it was no laughing matter. Jack and Goose gave fake smiles, and I could sense their apprehension.

“Anyway,” Audrey continued, taking a sip of her wine, “Jack told me you were interested in seeing the book that belonged to my father-in-law. I’m not sure what information you are looking for, but I don’t think you’ll find much. The written language is not familiar to me. Many pages are blank and some are missing. But I’ll show you after dinner.”

After dinner, we had macadamia nut ice cream for dessert. It was the best I’d had, besides the ice cream from the shop where Abel worked. That made me think of him. Checking my phone, I saw we had one hour left before the meeting. Goose kept a watchful eye on Uncle Davin. He seemed fascinated by him. We sat in the family room while Lana poured him some tea.

Lana sipped her tea and placed it down on the table. She moved her long, silver braid behind her and watched Audrey go into her room. She then shifted her attention to us. “Audrey doesn’t believe in anything. Since my son passed away, she’s drowned herself in her work. My husband and I practically raised the boys after that. They’ve been fascinated by anything supernatural from all the stories my husband shared. Sometimes Goose goes a bit too far and pretends he’s a demon, but a good demon, of course.” She lifted her teacup to her lips.

I wanted to tell Uncle Davin that Jack and Goose could see demons and explain the reasons why, but it was not the time. I made a mental note to do that later.

Goose stood up and placed his fists on his hips. “Sometimes I pretend to be an angel like you and fly to the sky.”

Uncle Davin let out a snort and almost choked on his tea. “Kids. They have such wild imaginations.” He scowled at us accusingly. Then he quickly changed the subject, “You have nice walls. Maybe we should paint ours too.”

Zach raised his brows, surprised by the odd comment. Though Uncle Davin was right, the house could use some color. I tuned out their conversation when it went to politics and Uncle Davin’s travels. The glass case holding two swords looked far more interesting. I was about to get up and take a look when Audrey walked in, holding something in her hand.

“Here’s the book,” She walked over to us.

It was made of the finest quality old leather, with weathered edges and binding. The brown leather had black smudges, mostly on the front, an indication of the hardship the book had been through.

Uncle Davin stood up. “May I see it?” he asked Audrey as though it were something precious.

“Sure.” She handed it over and took a seat across from him.

There appeared to be no title or letters on the front. Placing the book on his lap, he ran his finger along the cross—the Knights Templar emblem—that ran the length of the book. After doing that several times, he opened it. I stared intently at his fingers, following every single word, not wanting to miss anything.

Seven names were listed, with many more on the next page. One of the names was Jacques de Molay. Another page showed the route from France to Jerusalem. Flipping through several more, Uncle Davin stopped at drawings of artifacts—a chalice, Moses’s staff, Jesus’s shawl, and others—until he stopped at a blank page. It perplexed me when his fingers ran from left to right as if he were reading lines that clearly weren’t there. Turning the page, he stopped when he realized the next ones were obviously missing. There were shreds left near the spine as though someone had hurriedly torn them out.

I surmised the missing pages held the key to solving the mystery behind the teens’ disappearance. We had to solve this before Friday the thirteenth. 

The sound of the book slamming caused me to jump. Glancing up at everyone, I knew they hadn’t been expecting it either. They were mystified.

Uncle Davin stood up. “Could I please take this home to study it? I promise to take good care of it. And you know where I live.” He gave Audrey a charming smile and a wink.
Dang.
Uncle Davin could flirt.

Audrey shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. It belonged to my father-in-law. It’s a part of our family history. You’re welcome to come over and take a look at it anytime.”

Uncle Davin’s eyes grew wide with surprise. He stepped in front of Audrey. “Audrey, you will let me take it home, won’t you? I promise to give it back.”

I knew he was using the power of glamourizing. 

“Sure,” Audrey stood up and then everyone else followed suit except for Lana. “You don’t live that far, just a hop and a skip away.”

Uncle Davin held the book in both hands when Audrey handed it to him. “Thanks for your wonderful food and hospitality.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “But we must go. I have many exams to correct. And it’s a school night.” He walked over to Lana who sat in a rocking chair. “Again, thank you for dinner. We should do this again soon.”

We said our goodbyes and rushed out the door.

I looked up at the sky, searching for any Possessor demons swarming around our house. Thankfully, there were none. The clouds were thick and heavy, covering most of the blue. I preferred to see the sun. It was less ominous, but the sun had already bowed to the moon.

A big black truck and a black sedan were parked along the curb next to our house. As I wondered who owned them, I saw Brody and Milani standing on our porch. Where were Eli and Abel?

“Hey, Zach, Lucia, Mr. President,” Brody greeted cheerfully. Pushing his shoulders back, he strode in with a cool swagger. He appeared strong as a bear, but had a jovial side that shone when he smiled, reminding me of Uncle Davin. They could pass for brothers.

Milani always greeted us with an evil eye as if she didn’t trust anyone. She didn’t smile much. Perhaps she didn’t have much to smile about.

“Good, you’re early.” Uncle Davin opened the door and waited for everyone to enter. Zach and I waited outside with our uncle. “Where’s Elmo?”

Milani curled her lips, blocking the door from closing. Was that a smile? “He’s not coming.” 

Soon after, I noticed a soft breeze brush the side of my cheek and the smell of sweet coconut.

“My name is Eli,” he said in his smooth, velvety tone, stepping onto the porch. His hair was rumpled and his eyes were tired as if he’d had a long day. “I still have five minutes.” He made no eye contact with anyone until he saw me and his expression became angry. I figured it had something to do with my wings. He’d looked at me the same way when he first found out about them.

Sporting a leather jacket and jeans, he was the ultimate hot bad boy. His presence alone made my body tingle. The air suddenly became lighter and different, and so did my heart. Oddly, I wanted to smile.

“Good, you can hear,” Uncle Davin grumbled to Eli and then turned his back to snicker softly. He stepped into the house and then looked out again when he heard a noise. “What’s up, Abel?”

“Mr. P,” he greeted with a tilt of his head. “What’s up?”

Abel was cheerful as always. He raised his hand to give Uncle Davin a high five, but never received one. Uncle Davin gave him a frown instead.

“Don’t call me that. It’s Mr. President to you.”

“Yes, sir.” He saluted. He tried to suppress a laugh, but a short burst of sound escaped his mouth.

Milani, Eli, and Brody must have come in the same car; there were only two parked outside. Abel wouldn’t have come with them. I took a peek outside. A fancy black and silver motorcycle was parked next to the big truck and a gray car I hadn’t seen earlier.