Celestial Beginnings (Nephilim Series) (28 page)

Evil breeds evil.
It’s that simple. Their job was to prevent this as much as possible.

He spent the next few hours studying up on leads and scheduling missions.
Checking in with his team twice, he was reassured that everyone had been successful. Losing track of time, engrossed in his work, he was shocked when he looked up and it was well into the evening. Deciding to call it a night, he started to pack up.

Malachi had everything almost put away when his phone rang.
Being in his line of work, it didn’t surprise him that someone would call him this late.

Hitting the button, he gave a curt answer.
“Yep”

“Starkman.
Wallace here.” Malachi immediately recognized the caller as an informant of his. Wallace was a middle aged man that had ears everywhere. He has used him in multiple cases. “You still looking for that Masters guy?”

This got Malachi’s full attention and he sat up straighter in his chair.
“Most definitely; do you have something for me?”

“Might be something, might be nothing.
There’s a guy down here that sometimes operates as an inside man for me. He swears he knows the guy from the picture you sent me, and he’s never steered me wrong before.” Malachi could tell that Wallace was trying to sound nonchalant, but there was an undercurrent of excitement. He must be pretty sure it’s the guy.

“Where did he see him?”
Malachi asked cautiously, trying not to get his hopes up.

“My source said they had met a few times through mutual acquaintances at a place forty miles west of the city.”

Before Malachi could answer, Wallace continued. “Anyways, my guy swears that he can get this guy to that location again at a specific date; for a price, of course.”

“How soon?”
Keeping his tone business-like was hard.

“I’d give him a little time to get everything in order, tomorrow night at the earliest.”

“I’ll give him till tomorrow night, no later. We’ll meet him at the agreed destination at six o’clock that evening.” Plans were already firing through his head; who would go, what he needed to bring. He wanted to wrap this conversation up and start coordinating. “Message me with the location and price. I’ll look at it and make sure it’s suitable.”

“Will do.”
Wallace paused, then continued again nervously. “You have to know something. If this is the guy you are looking for, he runs with a rough crowd; well-known thieves and murderers. It won’t be easy getting him out of there.”

“You don’t worry about that.
It won’t be a problem.” Malachi wanted him to put up a fight. That way, no one would blame him when he beat the shit out of the guy.

Hanging up the phone, he felt excited.
There was so much to plan before tomorrow, but for now, he was going home to bed, and to Trinity. All the stress and long hours were finally catching up to him. He could feel the weight of it pressing down on him, but being able to sleep next to Trinity every night had made it bearable.

The drive went quickly and he was home in no time.
Malachi knew he should inform the others about tomorrow, but he didn’t feel like having everyone inside his head at the moment.

A little apprehensive about what he would find when he went inside, he walked slowly.
The last words between him and Trinity were not very inviting, and he wondered if she had cooled off from earlier.

The moment he entered the house, he realized something was not right.
It was too quiet and dark…too empty. Reaching out with his mind, he confirmed his suspicion that there was not a single living soul in the house besides him. He couldn’t pick up the dead though.

He immediately went on alert.
She was supposed to be here. What if someone made it through the protection and got to her? Trying not to panic, he started to maneuver through the house, praying he didn’t stumble across her body. He was trying to remember who was watching her, but couldn’t think strait. Therefore, he projected to the entire team.

Where is she!?!

There were a few confused remarks that he paid no attention to. Then he heard Tori come through.

She’s at her house.
I’m with her, everything’s fine.

Malachi was livid.

Why the hell didn’t you inform me? … and what the hell is she doing there?

I thought you knew.
She said she was staying at her house now. I just assumed you knew.

The answer came so fast that Malachi knew Tori was genuinely shocked at his ignorance to the situation.

You were wrong!

Malachi took a deep breath to calm himself.
She was okay…but not for long.

I’m on my way to relieve you.
You can inform your charge that I’m on my way.

Yes sir

The entire way to Trinity’s, he had to force himself to relax when he felt himself tensing. He pulled up to the duplex and was off his bike in no time.

Half way down the walkway, Tori came out of the house.
Rushing up to him, she tried to cover her ass. “Dammit Mal, I’m sorry. I figured you…”

Not letting her finish, he held up his hand to silence her.
“Tomorrow.”

He didn’t want to get into anything now, but there was enough menace in the single word, he was sure that she understood.
As of right now, tomorrow was not going to be pleasant.

He only had one thing on his mind right now.
This infuriating woman! How could she not tell him she would be here? She knew he would worry!

Without knocking, Malachi walked right in.
Slamming the door, he made his presence known.

******

“I’d like to keep my front door attached, thank you very much.” Trinity was standing in the living room when he came in. Squaring her shoulders, she was preparing herself for the storm she knew was coming. Tori had warned her of it enough.

All day long, she had been thinking how to distance herself from him.
The first part, she knew for sure, was to stay at her place once again.

It took all of her might to stick to her guns and come here tonight.
Her place felt so foreign to her anymore, and she dreaded crawling into her big bed without Malachi. This had to be done, though. She could already see her heart getting broken. He was so consumed with finding Seth, and she knew that when it was all over, he wouldn’t be able to stop looking at her as a job.

“Would you mind telling me why you are here and not at the house?”
Trinity could tell he was extremely angry by watching the tick in his jaw. It showed her how far she had actually come. Watching the tick in other men’s jaws used to make her tense and expect the worst; looking at Malachi, she saw a strong gorgeous male that made her heart rate speed up. With her hands on her hips, she held on, less she reach out for him.

Trying to appear at ease, she shrugged her shoulders.
“It was time.”

“Really?
What is that supposed to mean?” Stepping into the living room, he started to remove his coat as if he was planning to stay.

“Precisely what I said.
It’s time. We’ve had a good run Malachi, but I just don’t see this…” she gestured back and forth indicating both of them, “going any further.” The words felt like acid on her tongue and she felt sick to her stomach. She was kidding herself to think that she already wasn’t emotionally attached to him. She was hoping that by doing this now, it wouldn’t hurt as much as later. It wasn’t working though.

“Fine.”
If it was possible, he looked angrier than before.

To her amazement, he sat down on her couch and grabbed the remote to turn on the television.
Flipping channels, he completely ignored her.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to find something to watch. What does it look like?” He answered her, but still wouldn’t look in her direction.

“How about this…what are you still doing here?”
Trinity was desperately trying to figure out what was going on here.

“I’m on protection duty tonight.”
Finally he looked over at her and she saw the fire in his eyes. “Just like every other night.”

A mental flash of their nights together popped into her head, and she swallowed.
It took a few seconds for what he said to sink in. “Wait a minute. Protection? I thought we just cleared it up that I didn’t need that anymore?”

“No, that’s still going on.
Only I can stop that and I have no intention of doing it. You just cleared up the fact that I no longer have the right to fuck you whenever I want.”

Trinity visibly flinched.
That hurt. Was that all she was to him this entire time? The hurt quickly turned to anger, and she put herself in between him and the TV before pointing at the door. “Get out! I don’t want your “protection” anymore. I don’t want you trying to find Seth anymore and I don’t want you! Get out!!” She stomped her foot at the end of the rant to emphasize her point.

Malachi looked up at her as he would a child throwing a tantrum.
“No”

“What do you mean, no?
This is my life; you don’t have that say.”

Malachi leaned forward, placing an elbow on each knee.
Looking her in the eye, he spoke directly to her. “Let’s get something strait here. No one tells me what to do, including you. I’m going to find the dickhead, and my people will be on your ass like glue. You’ve made it abundantly clear that you don’t want me for who I am, but that won’t stop me from finishing out my promise. It’s not just about you anymore, Princess!!” Sitting back in the chair, he directed his attention away from her again. “Now, if you don’t mind, it’s been a long day and I’m trying to relax.”

Trinity just stared at him for a few seconds, wondering what to do.
Eventually she conceded and started towards the stairs. “Fine, whatever. Be gone in the morning.”

“Whatever you say, Princess.”

She growled in frustration and started stomping up the stairs. “What an arrogant man!”

“Oh, and while we’re on the topic, don’t ever pull what you did tonight again.
I was naive enough to think something had happened to you.” Malachi yelled up from the living room.

Feeling worse than she did before he had shown up, she reached her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
She put on her favorite t-shirt of Malachi’s that she had become accustomed to sleeping in every night. While collecting her stuff, it was the one thing of his she couldn’t part with. Her movements were forceful and jerky as she crawled into bed. Punching her pillow with a little extra oomph, she tried, unsuccessfully, to get comfortable.

She had no idea how she was going to fall asleep tonight, with everything on her mind.
How dare he tell her, no? She should call the police and have him escorted away. Smiling deviously at the thought, she pulled her pillow over to hug onto. She hadn’t fallen asleep by herself in weeks and it took most of the night, but eventually her eyes started to droop.

Soon, she found herself standing on a river bank, observing a group of men.
Staring at all of them, she found it odd that amongst, what looked like workers, was a sharp dressed man. His face looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember ever seeing him before. What she did know, was that she could feel a deep hatred directed toward the man. None of it made any sense to her.

When she looked around to try and figure out where she was, she noticed a few people that looked familiar.
It was all of Malachi’s team. Craning her neck all around, she tried to find Malachi, but had no luck.

She then moved to draw out her sword.
Looking down at it, she noticed that it was the same one that was in every other dream of hers; smaller with one side of the tip curved in. It was odd, but she was starting to feel comfortable with it in her hand. It made her feel powerful and finally not scared.

The next part happened so fast that she had to hold on to keep her bearings.
It was as if her world was set to fast forward. There was screaming and explosions. She felt tugged from one body to the next as she…healed people with her hands? She could hear rushing water, but mainly what she smelled was smoke.

After some time, Trinity jumped into the raging water in search of something.
She eventually made it to a woman. Not being optimistic about this one, she had to try anyway. Pressing her lips to the woman’s, Trinity breathed out and gave this woman life again.

It was then that Trinity realized where she was.
She was back at the bridge when it collapsed, but this time, she was in Malachi’s place.

Relaxing some, now that she knew how it ended, she decided to see where the dream would take her.
She brought herself to the shore, heard Nicci screaming, and laid herself on the grass. What happened next had her reeling. She brushed the hair from her other self’s face and an intense wave of despair mixed with confusion gripped at her. The feelings were so great; they gave her trouble breathing, especially when anguish joined in. It finally hit her. She was feeling Malachi’s emotions from that day. How could he feel this strongly about her though, she thought.