Lost In Time: A Fallen Novel (7 page)

What was he going to do with her? He had been searching for months for Calliope and the minute he hooks up with the Demon, Calliope pops out of the air.

Literally.

Marcus wondered for a moment whose side she was on. But Dante’s daughter? He couldn’t imagine she would turn against her father and brothers. The Reapers were a lot of things, but loyal to each other was their highest priority.

If this had happened with any of the Tracker brothers, they would have killed her on the spot and walked away with a clear conscience. Marcus couldn’t kill like that. He had to have reason and proof. It had to be justified. He looked back down at the woman. She was beautiful. He had let that sway him. That utter look of innocence, not beguiling or cunning, just innocence had starred back at him as he tried to choke the life right out of her. He had the proof he needed, had seen her talking to Calliope. She hadn’t even attempted to pull her weapon out.

Marcus pulled his gun out and pointed it at her. She was a Demon. They were the most untrustworthy Others. They killed and maimed, ate raw meat. They survived like scavenger, and she hadn’t even tried to stop Calliope, he reminded himself. That was the most damning. But the look in those violet eyes, rimmed with dampened eyelashes as if she had been crying, swayed him.

Swearing, he put his gun away. Just shooting her wouldn’t kill her. Besides, she was Dante’s daughter. There would have to be more to it than just pulling a trigger. He slammed his hand against the wall. He never felt helpless, never was at a loss. He swung around and glared at her.

“Who’s side are you on?” he growled.

The sound drew a moan from the bed. Her eyes opened, not quite focused and were slightly glazed. Dark bruises were starting to show on her throat. Blood vessels had burst in her eyes. When she was finally able to focus, she glared at Marcus.

“What the—” she tried to say, but her voice was scratchy and she reached up to touch her throat. She opened and closed her mouth several times. No words came out. She gave him such a pitiful look he couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her. He went to the phone and ordered a very rare steak. Food would increase her ability to heal.

When he was done, he turned back to her. She was still looking at him like she had never seen anything like him before, like he was the Demon.

“What did you expect? You stood there talking to the enemy for ten minutes.”

She shook her head. “Not ten,” was all she was able to get out. He couldn’t stand to listen to her scratchy voice and went into the bathroom he got her a glass of water.

“Long enough for you to have pulled out that fancy Sword and kill him. But what did you do? You decided to have a little conversation with him? Pass on information on what our plans are?” Marcus was working himself up again.

She only shook her head. “Surprised me.” The water hadn’t really helped her scratchy voice.

“Gods, STOP talking,” he bellowed. Every time she got a word out, it ripped at him for acting before thinking. He had been hanging out with the Trackers for too long.

She launched from the bed as if it were on fire. Her cloak flew off. He got his first real look at her. She wore blood red leather pants that hung low on lean hips, a matching mid-drift leather vest barely covered her full breasts. She had bright red hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the crown of her head. It hung in a thick braid down to just below her knees. A gold chain wound around and around her mid-drift, the chain linking to a stud in her bellybutton.

She was so stunning he just stood there staring at her. When she pulled a gun from a holster under her arm he came to his senses.

“What?” he barked, throwing his hands up.

She had opened the door between their rooms and was now pointing to him with her gun and then to the open door. Marcus sighed. He was doing a brilliant job. First he strangles her, and then ogles her. He should slap himself.

Nodding to her, he walked through the door, but turned to say they would be talking about what had happened later, when she felt better, but the door was already slammed and he heard the lock click into place.

Swearing to himself, he stood by the door until he heard room service come and leave. When he heard the clink of utensils he moved away. If she was eating then he knew that she was going to heal.

Marcus headed for the shower wishing he understood woman just a little bit.

****

“He tried to kill me,” Celeste muttered to herself for the hundredth time. At least her voice was back and her throat didn’t feel as if she had sucked down lava. She wandered to the mirror and looked at the fading bruises.

She had to admit to herself he hadn’t actually tried to kill her, but he had certainly tried to hurt her, and regardless of how fast she may heal, it still hurt like hell. Beyond all that, why had Calliope come to her? Why had he made her the offer he had?

She wasn’t about to turn her back on her father and brothers, but what was the Reaper trying to accomplish by getting her to trade sides?

There were so many questions and little time. Celeste stood at the window watching the sunrise. It was an amazing and wonderful thing to watch. Anyone who lived on this plane should never take it for granted. Nothing in the Infernos came close to the beauty she saw whenever she was on the mortal plane and was blessed to watch a sunrise she took advantage of it and gloried in the sunrise. She placed her hand on the cool glass watching the dark colors of night bleed into bright oranges and reds, purples and then blue. It took her breath away every time, bringing with it a calm she hadn’t had several moments before. She had a job to do and regardless of what Marcus thought of her, she wasn’t working with Calliope. The only way she knew how to convince Marcus of that was to prove it. She added proving she wasn’t a traitor to the list she had going for showing Marcus her worthiness. With that in her mind, she headed for the shower, a new day was beginning, and with it a new resolve to make today better than yesterday.

****

“Did you get any sleep?” Marcus accused the moment he set eyes on her. “You look terrible. Don’t forget your cloak.”

Celeste smiled. “Actually I didn’t. I was cowering in the corner of my hotel room in fear of my life from my own partner,” she said with as much sarcasm as she could. “And don’t you think wearing a cloak around Sydney is going to draw more attention to us then me walking around in normal clothing?”

“I don’t know where you got your definition of normal.” He looked her up and down, his green eyes finally coming back to hers. He gave her a look like he had been forced to eat something he thought horrible distasteful. “But that is not normal.” The last part he barked. Celeste looked down at what she was wearing. Trendy combat boots, with flared distressed jeans, a wide belt, and a white v-neck t-shirt. “Excuse me, but this is the most normal outfit in the world.”

“Where are your weapons?” Marcus asked.

Celeste rolled her eyes and lifted her shirt. Marcus jumped back as if a viper was going to jump out of her belly button. She showed him the holster she was wearing. “See? You can’t even see it.” But all he saw was the silver chain around her midsection. “And I have a knife in each boot. Do I need anything else?”

“The Sword?” he croaked.

“Why don’t I stay here in the hotel, and if you need help you can give me a ring. I promise to try to get there in time to save your ass.” She crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the fact they were standing in the hall in front of her hotel room.

He grumbled something to himself and then walked away. Celeste followed. If he was going to be grumpy, she could be just as grumpy.

They were waiting for the elevator when the stairwell door opened up and a figure stumbled through. Celeste stepped back. He was covered in sweat, dirt, and blood and looked terrified.

He looked up, his eyes blood shot. “Fallen?” he reached out to Marcus and then dropped to the floor.

“Is he dead?” Celeste asked looking at the body.

Marcus snorted. “No.” He picked the man up and tossed him over his shoulder before he carried him back to Marcus’s room. He was coming to when Marcus laid him on the bed.

“Aren’t you a little freaked he knew you were a Fallen?” Celeste asked. It didn’t seem right that a guy would just stumble out of the stairwell and right into Marcus’s lap.

“He’s a Guardian, Celeste.”

“So? Do you have some type of Guardian beacon or something?”

“Do you have some type of Calliope beacon?” he threw back. She rolled her eyes.

“So how do you know he is a Guardian?” Celeste studied the man trying to discern anything that made him stand out. She didn’t smell anything, didn’t see anything that would point him to anything other than mortal.

“Because I know, like he knew I was a Fallen. We sense each other. When you see another Demon don’t you know they are a Demon?” Marcus asked. Celeste gave him what had to be a strange look because he rolled his eyes. “You don’t get out of the Infernos much do you?”

Nothing he could have said to her could have hurt worse. The words like a stab straight into her heart and soul. She turned from him before he could see the pain his words caused.

“Celeste—”

She held up her hand, cutting off anything further he had to say. “Wake your Guardian and let’s get this taken care of, Fallen.”

****

Marcus had stuck his foot in his mouth, and he wasn’t actually sure how he had done it. But he had seen the pain in her violet eyes before she turned away from him. Every woman he came across practically fell at his feet and liked him instantly. And it wasn’t just for his looks, but he was a nice guy. But there was something about Celeste that had him on edge and he couldn’t seem to say or do the right thing when it came to her. He didn’t blame her for hating him. He hated him right then.

There wasn’t anything he could do about that now, though. Kneeling next to the bed, he shook the man. He was a nondescript man, and his brown eyes fluttered open slightly glazed, but then rounded to the size of saucers, and he backed himself up the headboard.

Marcus held up his hands. “You’re safe. What can I do for you?”

The man looked between Marcus and Celeste. “My guard, something is attacking the Guarded. We split up. Whatever it is can sense me.”

“Idiot.” Celeste swore. “He can sense you both. Where is your guard?”

The man cringed away from Celeste. “I… I haven’t been a Guardian for long. He is one of my first.”

“Seriously?” Celeste growled. “This is what the Angels do? Assign a complete innocent and novice to guard a Touched?”

Marcus turned to Celeste. “Shut the hell up.”

Her mouth snapped shut, but her violet eyes shot fire at him. She wasn’t done. He could tell she had more to say.

“What’s your name?” Marcus asked. They didn’t know for sure he was the Guardian they were looking for.

“George, sir.”

Marcus shook his head. “No need to call me sir. My name is Marcus, and this is Celeste. We are here to help. How many Guarded are there in the city?”

He hesitated. It was strictly forbidden to speak about the special mortals that were Guarded. To speak with them to a Fallen, he would be raked over the coals. But Marcus knew that, and if he had taken the chance to come and find him, then George was already in a great deal of trouble.

“I lost contact with Charles.” He checked his watch. “Ten minutes ago. I was headed here. The other Guardians don’t think there is anything you can do.” He looked from Marcus to Celeste. “You can help, can’t you?”

Marcus stood, extending his hand to George. “Where did you last sense him?”

“I told him to hide just outside the city. There is an old estate.” George started to ramble and Marcus picked out what was needed.

“You can Shift there. Shift to the last spot you sensed him?” Marcus reassured him.

“Yes, but what about you?” he looked again at Celeste.

“We will be right behind you.” Marcus gave Celeste a hard look. “Go now.” He patted the man on the shoulder just as George nodded and disappeared.

“We can’t use the Portals, but you can Shift, yes?” he asked, advancing on her.

Celeste didn’t even take a step back. “We Flash, we do not Shift. There is a difference. And why don’t you just Shift there?”

He knew the moment she put the pieces together because light flashed through her eyes. “You don’t trust me because you think I’m working with Calliope.”

“And because of it, I’m not letting you out of my site for a moment,” Marcus said between his teeth.

Celeste narrowed her eyes and glared at Marcus. “Fine. Think about where we are going.” She reached forward and placed her palm on his chest. “Oh, and by the way. It hurts.”

Marcus sucked in a breath as fire burned through every vein in his body. And then he was on his hands and knees in a grassy plot, throwing up his breakfast and everything else he had in his stomach.

“What the fuck was that?” he growled, right before he emptied his stomach again.

“That was Flashing,” Celeste said with a small smile. “I said it might hurt a little, next time try breathing out first.”

He forced himself to his feet and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. He just couldn’t stop himself.