Marked (27 page)

Kara’s turned towards to the child. Her body prickled as she felt a wave of energy wash through her.

Take the child, Kara. Don’t be afraid…he will not harm you.

Without a second thought, Kara jumped to her feet and ran towards the elemental. She reached out her hand and touched his face.

“What the—? Nothing’s happening? I’m—I’m still here!” She held his face with both of her hands. “I can touch you? Oh my God!” She opened her arms. “Come,” she said smiling. “We have to go.”

A tear escaped the little child’s eyes as he stretched out his tiny arms towards Kara. She lifted the little boy in the air and clasped him tightly against her chest.

“Well, well, well—what do we have here?” Asmodeus strolled towards them, a confused look across his face. “How is that possible? You are touching an elemental—and your angel soul is still intact! This is very, very interesting.”

The warmth of the child felt good against Kara’s cold mortal suit. She felt him shivering and held him tighter.

“I would have never believed it possible, but yet here you are…with this child against your breast. Only mortals can survive the touch of an elemental. So how can this be? You are angle, no doubt, and yet you can survive his touch. Tell me, little angel—why is that?” Asmodeus edged closer.

“Stay back!” she yelled. “Don’t you touch him!”

The demon lord laughed. “Touch him? I certainly don’t want to
touch
him…I want to kill him and use his power! With the elemental’s energy, I will become invincible! I will destroy the legion!” His forehead came together in a frown. Evil eyes mocked her.

Kara narrowed her eyes and made fists with her hands. “You will never hurt him!”

“My, my, aren’t we motherly—tell me, what is your name, little angel?” Asmodeus walked slowly towards Kara. Pain spilled inside her core, but she wouldn’t give up the child.

Asmodeus flashed his white teeth. “No name? Let me see—” He closed his eyes and lifted his eyebrows. Kara sensed a sudden chill forming inside her forehead behind her eyes, the same kind of brain freeze she’d feel when drinking an ice coffee too fast. And then the brain freeze faded. She felt lightheaded, with a tickling sensation as though hundreds of tiny fingers were going through the files inside her brain, reading all her thoughts.

“Ah, Kara…Kara…Kara…tut, tut, tut. We meet at last.”

“What?” Kara backed away, she didn’t like anyone prying inside her most intimate thoughts. “How—how do you know my name?” She shook her head, trying to rid it of the awful tickling.

“Kara Nightingale—rookie in the famous guardian angel legion.”

“—on a life-quest,” said Asmodeus. “Hmm. This is very interesting.”

Kara saw his lips curl. “You’re
in love
with someone called David—how very
mortal
of you,” laughed Asmodeus. “And he is not returning your
amour
anymore, is he?” He rolled his eyes at the sky. “Romance is
so
overrated. So many insignificant feelings get in the way. It’s too distracting. Who has time for love nowadays anyway?”

He closed his eyes and raised his eyebrows. “Ah, yes—you want your life back. I can feel it—yes, very strongly. You want to be with your mother again, don’t you?”

Asmodeus’s gaze searched Kara’s face. “You were going to become a famous painter before the bus hit you, were you not?”

Kara pressed her mouth shut.

Asmodeus closed his eyes again. “Ah—what is this? I feel something else inside you…something different than anything I’ve ever felt before. I feel a sense of
power
—of a wild power.” He opened his eyes. “It feels almost…elemental.”

“That’s impossible. You’re lying!”

“But it’s the truth.” The demon lord cocked his head to the side. A strange eagerness flashed in his eyes, his hands trembled. “Such a pity you’re playing with the
wrong
team.”

His face twisted in disdain as he shook his head. “But you’re still so
weak
—look at you! Getting
emotionally
attached on the job! Regardless, with your power and my power combined…we could achieve greatness!”

“No thanks, I think I’ll pass.” She hissed.

There was a short pause, and then Asmodeus continued, a sly smile forming across his face. “You see—you were supposed to be on
my
team, Kara. I had
chosen
you to be part of my army.”

Kara’s jaw dropped to the ground. This couldn’t be true. “W—what?”

“It’s true,” continued Asmodeus, his voice pleasantly soft. “Who do you think gave you that mark?”

“What?” It was like a ton of bricks had fallen on her.“You…you gave me that mark? You did this to me! Why?” She felt paralyzed by his words.

“You have the potential to become a great warrior—the greatest perhaps.” Asmodeus placed his right hand on his chest. “I can feel it—just like I felt it before.”

Kara saw him lift his shoulders and let them drop.

“Some guardians beat me to you. When we got to the crash site, your dying body was already protected. But not before I had grazed your leg with my hand. Half second earlier—your soul would have been
mine
.”

“I would
never
have been
yours
!” said Kara, her voice shaking.

Asmodeus twisted his face in a smile and chuckled. “Either way, you have something of mine. I’ll give
you
want you want, if you give me what
I
want.”

Kara shook her head like a stubborn child.

Asmodeus took a step forward.

“I can give you your life back, little angel. Just like that—” He snapped his fingers.

Kara frowned. “No—you can’t. You’re lying!”

“Oh yes, I
can
. And all I ask in return—” he kicked the metal cage between him and Kara, “is that you put this silly little boy back in his cage.” Asmodeus’s beautiful face creased into a smile.

Fragments of her past life flashed before her eyes. She felt her grip on the child loosen.

Asmodeus spoke softly. “I was an archangel once—the most powerful angel in all of Horizon! They resented me for it and that’s why I left.”

He paused for a brief moment and then held out his arms. “I can give you back your life, Kara, I promise. All I need from you,” he said, his voice as smooth as silk, “is to put the child in the cage and—” he snapped his fingers, “you’ll be back on Earth, in your old body, without any knowledge of your angel experiences. Your life will be as it was. As it should be.”

Kara felt sick and confused. She looked down into the child’s wet blue eyes and cringed at his tears. She knew the demon would kill the little boy. She couldn’t live with that. She might never remember any of this once inside her old mortal body again, but she believed in karma. And karma, would eventually bite her in the ass. She wouldn’t give him up—not even for her own life.

“No…I will never give him to you. I would rather die.” said Kara.

Asmodeus’s eyebrows lowered dangerously.

“NO?” he repeated as he came rushing towards her. “PUT HIM IN THE CAGE—OR I’LL KILL YOU!”

She stepped back shaking her head.

“I—SAID—PUT—HIM—IN!” Asmodeus scooped up the cage and threw it at Kara. It hit her hard and then bounced on the ground. He edged closer. He was nearly on top of her.

Kara tightened her grip on the child, cradling him. “Don’t be frightened. I’m here with you.”

An image of David flashed suddenly before her eyes. She trembled.
I’m ready.

In a frightening rage, Asmodeus lurched forward and charged. He moved with lightening speed, striking out at her with lines of black electric current.

Kara threw out an open hand protectively in front of her. Her palm hit his chest and golden light exploded from her hand. Asmodeus was propelled back in the air and landed hard on the ground. He rolled over, howling in pain. A golden glow emanated from his chest and spread slowly all the way around his body until he was covered in golden light.

Kara stared at her hand. Traces of gold light hovered over her palm and finger tips.

She backed away and watched as the demon lord convulsed uncontrollably. He spit up a thick liquid that showered the floor in black puddles. He wailed as he clawed at his own flesh, scratching bloody holes into his body and face. He let out an ear piercing scream. And then his body twisted, bent inwards and with a pop—he vanished.

Kara blinked several times. “What the hell just happened—?” she walked over to where Asmodeus had stood seconds before. There was nothing left of the demon lord, not even a burn mark. Kara searched the ground with her shoe, brushing away clumps of dirt and dry leaves. The ground underneath was bare.

He’s gone!

She stared at her hand again and made a fist.

Pursing her lips, she turned her attention to the little boy. Kara lifted the child by its arm pits and searched his grinning face.

“You know, we were really lucky—you’re like my good luck charm. But how come I can touch you and no one else can, eh?” She lowered him into her breast. “I guess you don’t know either. Boy—do I have a lot of debriefing to do,” she laughed. “I’ll be in there for weeks! But the important thing is—you’re okay!”

The child grinned and clapped his tiny hands together.

Kara laughed. “We make a good team! Good job, little one. High five—” she held out her hand, palm facing the little boy. He smacked it and giggled.

She studied the boy for a moment, her eyebrows low. “You need a name.” She bit her lip and squinted. “From now on, I’m calling you…Lucky. You like that?”

The child smiled and wrapped his small arms around Kara’s neck. His cool skin brushed against the nape of her neck. She felt a shiver. She knew that Lucky was part human and probably cold.

“Here—let me put this over you.” She took off her jacket and wrapped him in it. “There you go. I don’t want you to catch a cold, now.”

Lucky looked up at her and smiled. His big fat cheeks wrinkled his face.

“Okay. Let’s get out of here.”

She held him tight in her arms as they walked out of the cemetery.

Chapter 17. Level Seven

K
ara debriefed for hours back at operations. Gabriel was speechless when she told him she could touch the elemental without the silver gloves. But when she got to the part where a golden beam shot out from her hand—Gabriel stopped blinking. The three oracles writing up the reports fainted and fell off their crystals.

“Golden light shot out of your hand?”

“Yup.”

“It—it came out of your hand?”

“Yes, like I told you…it just sort of came out…and bam!—Asmodeus went flying. Then he started to shake and twitch. He was all covered in a golden light and then he vanished. I’m sure that’s happened before, right? Um—are you okay? You look like a little freaked out?”

“I have to speak to the council of ministers. Stay here.” Gabriel stormed out of the tent.

“Okay…?” Kara watched him disappear beyond the red dunes.

A few hours later, an oracle found her and told her to present herself to level six, where the council of ministers awaited her.

She had succeeded in her mission, her life-quest. Soon she would be reunited with her mother, back in her old mortal body. She needed to make up for all the years she had wronged her mother—her mother who has been a guardian angel all along. She was restless. She ran all the way back to the elevator.

Kara followed the oracle down the platform towards the entrance to the council of minister’s chamber. Her mind flashed back to Asmodeus and wondered if she should tell the council that he had given her the mark.
No—it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going home.

The oracle pulled open the metal door to the building and rolled himself back out of the way.

Kara stepped inside.

Cheers exploded all around her, like a sudden burst of thunder. In the thousands, the entire legion of guardian angels were gathered along the length of the hall to welcome her back. The thousands of clapping hands sounded like firecrackers. She walked through the crowds. She saw angels pushing and shoving each other just to get a look at her. She saw a young angel fall flat on her face in a faint.

“Look, it’s her! That’s Kara Nightingale!”

“The one who beat Asmodeus!”

“She saved the elemental!”

“She saved us all!”

Kara couldn’t help but laugh.
This is so freaking weird. I have my own paparazzi
.