Fallen Angels (26 page)

I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. I hope they yelled and screamed at Kara. I even wished they would shove the demon in her face. How many times she had been saved by the dangerous demons? My patience was wearing when I heard the yelling begin. I forced my feet to remain planted. She would no longer be able to use my power only when she needed it. Now she would go it alone, in a room full of unhappy demons.

Chapter Twenty-One

Ravyn

Last Dance

I stood, leaning against my Ferrari, enjoying the warmth of the sun while staring at my home. Home. What did that even mean? Before Kara, it meant a place to rest my head, a place to train, and a place to talk with my mentor, Nebiros.

When Kara arrived, she made it something more. She brought a cheeriness and a comfort. She brought all of us together for the single purpose of protecting her. It was Kara that made us a family without even knowing it. We all looked after one another; we were here to lend a helping hand whenever someone needed it. We had barbecues and movie nights; sometimes we all just sat around the table laughing at stories and memories. Kara had turned my house into a home, a place filled with love and family.

I couldn’t support what Kara was currently doing. In her need to quench a life of chaos and violence she was doing the unthinkable. She was destroying the home she had created for a dream that would never become reality. 

Kara was currently inside discussing her issue with the demons who had always stood by her. I knew the house would soon be rather empty, as most would refuse her request. I would miss my friends and the comfort they brought to my home. I would miss the understanding they offered when they looked at me. Soon it would be gone, and I had to decide if I too would leave Kara because of her ridiculous request.

Abby suddenly exited the house, shaking her head in disbelief while rushing down the stairs toward me. “Did you know about this shit?” she asked with a huff.

“Are you ready to go out then?” I smiled, holding up the key to my favorite car.

“Hell yes! I need to find a place to live,” Abby snapped. Then she did a double take, looking at the car then the key. “Is this a joke?”

“No, you could use a distraction. Remember, it is still mine, so do not wreck it,” I said, placing the key in the palm of her hand.

She drove fast and angry. I knew where she was going. The place she would soon call home. Maybe I could stay with her and watch over her? No, she was young and probably wouldn't want me there.

“Did you agree to Kara’s request?” she asked, almost nervously.

It was the first time I heard her use Kara’s name in a long time, which meant she was very unhappy with her adopted mother. “I haven’t made my decision yet.”

“How can she ask us to be something we are not? I do good things for people and so do you! Everyone in that house has helped her stay alive more than once! Now she suddenly has some perturbed bullshit with her conscience and thinks she can change us?” Abby ranted, her eyes flicking back and forth between me and the road while the speedometer steadily rose. 

“Calm down,” I said, taking her free hand in mine. I could feel the anger and overwhelming disappointment radiating from her. It was the same emotion I felt, and I abruptly wondered how the others took the news. “What about the others?”

“They’re out, everyone except Emma and Nebiros, of course. Devlin is going back to his club in the city. Angela and Lokie are moving back to the city. So, I’m going to the city too! Volac offered me his place, but I want my own. I don’t think I’m ready to move in with him. I don’t know if I want to, I mean I do love him, but his place is so crappy, ” she said, almost in defeat. “Maybe I’m just spoiled by your place? Am I being snobby?”

“No, you are not snobby Abby. You shouldn’t have to settle for a crappy place since you are being forced out. I want you to have a nice place in a good neighborhood, with working lights and appliances. You can be close to Devlin and Angie. Hell, when you are ready and you want to live with Volac then he can move in with you. I’ve made some calls, we can look at some condos today if you are up to it?”

Abby was smart, but she was still young and I didn’t want her to fall back into the dark place I had found her when I returned. I still felt a need to protect her. I didn’t think that feeling would ever go away. 

“It sounds great Ravyn, but it’s not what I want! Chloe needs us around to help her learn how to keep her abilities under control. This careless decision isn’t helping at all!”

“Kara is convinced it will. Maybe she is right? Only time will tell, child. In the meantime, let’s find you a place of your own. Then we can celebrate at Devlin’s. I think we all need a night out on the town.”

“Why don’t you stay with me? We could hunt at night! We would be like the night watchmen or something. It would be quite an adventure,” she exclaimed with a smile.

“We will see.” I smiled back.

Her offer sounded incredibly inviting. And I can’t lie, the two of us could put a serious dent in the city’s crime rate. If we had Angela, Lokie, and Devlin by our sides we could own the city again in a matter of minutes. Tempting? Goddamn fucking right! However, that would mean leaving Kara forever, and the thought alone wiped the smile right off my face.

After almost four hours of house hunting, we had a winner! One we both agreed on. I insisted on a balcony, a decent neighborhood, and Abby had to absolutely love it. My requests were met, and as a bonus her new place was only four blocks from Devlin’s. It cost over a cool million, but Abby was worth that and more.

Being extremely wealthy has its perks. Not only can you afford fancy cars and big houses, but money also bends the rules most people have to follow to buy these things. It didn’t take much to acquire the keys to Abby’s new house that day.

Abby wanted to share the excitement with her family, so she called her adopted family members. To my surprise she called Devlin first, then Angie and Lokie, and Nebiros last. She told Nebiros she would send him pictures, but when he asked if she wanted to talk to her mom, she refused.

Devlin, Angie, and Lokie arrived to check out her new place shortly after she invited them to come see it. They were truly happy for Abby, and to show their support Devlin offered her a free shopping spree at his After Dark shopping center. Angie and Lokie agreed to help her pick out the decor. So we were all off to the shopping center.

Devlin had accumulated a swarm of workers to assist Abby and load the furniture and household items into the delivery truck. Abby almost danced around the store she was so happy, and Angie and Lokie nearly danced with her. How could everyone be so happy when our family was being forced apart?

“That was very kind of you, Ravyn,” Devlin said, walking beside me.

“Ditto…Devlin, I’m sorry I didn’t see the truth,” I blurted out. It was rare to get these apologies out of me, and he knew it. I hated that I had treated him so poorly. I wanted my friend back.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the truth. I can’t believe I didn’t feel it. My mind even argued what I was feeling. I don’t even like her like that. She was like a baby sister, and what is she thinking kicking us out?” he ranted.

“She is falling into Peter’s trap. He said that Chloe had to be introduced to violence. Now, if this is true then she has already been introduced to it. If we leave, Chloe will have no one to teach her about her abilities, or to guide her away from the kill. Kara is not seeing the big picture, but she doesn’t want to listen to anything I have to say about it.”

“You can’t possibly stay there, Ravyn. You’ll kill everyone in that house if you try to go without the violence. We need it, like Kara needs air.”

“I know. I don’t want to leave. I don’t know what I will do. Let’s not worry about that tonight. It’s Abby’s night so let’s celebrate,” I said.

We acted like a bunch of immature children, goofing around and acting like everything belonged to us. We tried on ridiculous outfits, laid on furniture that was so ugly we harassed Devlin for even putting it in his store. We laughed our asses off, and Abby made sure to capture plenty of photos on her iPhone.

When we were finished shopping we went to the nightclub at Devlin’s, where Volac met us. I watched him carefully as he greeted Abby with a tender kiss and a loving embrace. The two danced and laughed, while I looked on in awe.

It was a strange feeling seeing Abby so happy. It filled my body with a loving warmth to know she was going to be more than okay on her own. It also made me wish Kara were here to see it.

Kara filled my mind with a longing to go home. It also reminded me why she wasn’t here with us right now. She couldn’t accept us for what we were. I shook the haunting thought from my head and smiled at my friends.

“Why are you still here Ravyn?” Angie asked.

“You know why I am here Angie. The same reason we are all here.”

“We don’t have to conform to her rule. We have nothing to lose by moving out. We can still visit when we want. You want to be with Kara, so go to her,” she said.

“You make it sound so easy, excuse me,” I said, taking my leave from my emotional friends. “Abby?” I interrupted her and Volac’s dance. “I’m going to go for some fresh air. I’ll be back to help with your place tomorrow.”

“Where are you going? I’ll come with.” She knew me too well and didn’t want to miss out on the action.

“You really should stay here Abby,” I urged.

She quickly shook her head and kissed Volac. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

He nodded and let her come with me without any question. “You two behave out there.” He winked. 

We walked through the streets talking and laughing. We were surprised when our victims chose us. A group of gang members who were on a hunt of their own chose the two young helpless girls as their next score. Acting like helpless victims was hard, but we pulled it off as we were led into a rundown building. The men thought they were the ones luring two gullible girls for a night of what they called fun, but really we were luring them.

I looked around the small white room furnished with a nasty twin bed and trash littering the tile floor. These white walls would soon serve as my canvas. When the oldest man pulled his chrome pistol and ordered us to strip, I stared at him while two thoughts warred in my mind. First, what would Kara think if she knew what these men wanted to do to Abby? Second, should I use my curved daggers or my frightening demon to make them suffer?

The man shouting threats made my decision for me. Taking my coat off, I tossed it aside with a devilish grin, welcoming the shock on their faces at the sight of my own weapons. Then I let my deadliest weapon loose with a fierce roar.

Abby struck first with her own weapon of choice, the kodachi sword, a shorter version of a katana. When she sliced the guy’s gun hand off I didn’t hesitate to join in the kill.

I took my time slicing and toying with them. My precise hand sliced multiple major arteries in all eight men. Blood gushed and sprayed from their wounds, making it look like it was raining blood in the confined room. My demon relished every drop that fell onto my skin.

The blood quickly pooled around my feet. I didn’t strike out to end their lives. I wanted to wait and watch, to listen to the slowing throb of their hearts. It had been so long since I had truly watched death claim its souls. If I had a heart it might have been racing; instead, the blood rushing through my veins felt like a fizzy concoction of fire. It made me feel alive, overjoyed.

I dropped to my knees, watching the blood splash around me in a shimmering spectacle of bliss. My hands instinctively dove into the magnificent puddle of life surrounding me. I focused in on each man when their heart revealed the approaching last breath, and every death made me think Kara and Abby were a little safer in this world.

The men were dead, and I was still kneeling in the cooling blood, feeling like it was over too soon. That was when I noticed Abby in the corner of the room, her back turned to me. I stood to go to her but she stopped me.

“I think you should stay with Mom. It might be good for you,” she whispered shakily.

I knew my actions had scared her and maybe even damaged her opinion of me, but I couldn’t change it. My deed was done, and she had witnessed every second of it. “I think you are right,” I agreed.

I think my demon knew it was the last time it would taste the kill, and it wanted to savor every last drop. Satisfying my demon’s need for the kill was important, but it could never be more important than Kara.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kara

Happy Ending?

The happy celebration was over as soon as we returned home. I asked Mom to take Chloe up to her room while I rounded everyone else up and set out to have a discussion about the violence the demons I had come to call family were teaching Chloe. It was uncomfortable sitting at the large dining room table with so many nervous eyes on me.

Nebiros, Devlin, Angie, Lokie, Abby, and even Volac all sat, waiting for me to say something. I was stalling, praying Ravyn would come in and show me at least some support by being here.

“What is it Kara?” Angie asked.

I stood and cleared my throat. “I’ve been thinking about what we just went through Angie. The violence that Peter was trying to awaken in Chloe. I can’t take any chances with her. You guys know how much she means to me.”

“To all of us Kara,” Nebiros added.

I swallowed hard, trying to figure out how to tell a room full of demons that they could no longer kill or fight if they wanted to stay here. Nebiros jerked his eyes to mine, but to my surprise he stayed quiet. I had the impression it wasn’t to be polite. Nebiros didn’t want to tell them the news.

“We have become a very close family and have been through too much. I cannot have killers around Chloe. If you want to kill and fight then you can’t stay here anymore,” I blurted out.

“Mom, you can’t be serious?” Abby asked.

The blank expression didn’t stop with Abby. They all wore it, like a mask hiding the raging storm of emotion behind it.