Wasteland (17 page)

Yes. The pain. More.

I withdrew my hand from the needles. My dark blood coated the spikes but they didn’t sizzle. Didn’t melt from the potent evil flowing. Beka now had my blood pulsing through her veins. Did it burn like hers burned me?

Probably not. The goodness and Light flowing through her was more potent, no doubt. Overpowered my evil, fighting it like a cancer, expelling it from her purity. Light and darkness couldn’t exist in the same body, it went against the dichotomy of good and evil.

The needle holes faded, and my hand return to normal. The sting died, but not the sizzle of my heart.

I snatched a rock from the sandy desert floor and threw it at the cactus. It bounced off, thudded to the ground. I faced the black sky, stretched my mouth open as wide as it could go and yelled. The noise resembled the cry of a wounded lion or bear.

I loved Beka. With every human fiber in me, I loved her. Her angelic face flashed in my brain. Her flesh spilling from the brassiere. The taste of her skin. Her tongue against mine.

Even in my demon form, my body responded, picturing her beneath me as we became one. I took off running again. I let the anger and rage rush through me, clinging to the demonic side. The power was addicting.

Maybe as a full demon I wouldn’t remember her. Remember the love. The peace. I could erase her memory by lying with every woman I wanted to.

I dug my nails into my palm. I would never forget Beka’s purity. She’d branded my human and demonic soul for eternity.

A white-hot pain ignited in my back, near my left shoulder blade. I stumbled forward and skidded to a stop. I reached behind me and met the cool metal of a small dagger embedded deep in the bone. I yanked it out and lost myself to the demonic side even more as I turned around.

Russell cleared a small bush.

A curtain of red descended over my vision. I leapt and met him mid-air. I latched my fingers around his throat. We spun one revolution and landed on our stomachs. The thistles of a small cactus ripped through my shirt, slicing my skin.

I jerked him to the side and we rolled.

“David,” Russell said. “Wait.”

I cracked a fist into his jaw. He planted his foot against my chest and launched me into the air. One twist had me landing on my feet, and I attacked again, tackling him around the waist.

We collided with another cactus, and Russell’s scream permeated the thick darkness of the desert. I wrenched him from the needles piercing his back and raked my talons across his chest. I snapped at his hand, nipping the medial edge.

Sparks lit up as his blade met my neck.

“See. You cannot kill me.” I guided the dagger back and tried it again. “No one can.”

“David.”

“I wish you could take my head and end this agony.” Tears stung my eyes.

“Get off me, David. Listen.”

I pushed off and towered him while he jumped to his feet.

He patted his chest and shook the sand from his hair. “You didn’t need to do that.”

I paced before him, my animalistic side maintaining control.

He tensed and drew his sword from the sheath on his back.

“Don’t bother, it is of no use,” I said. “Did you not see the sparks from your dagger? You cannot kill me.”

“Nevertheless, I’ll hold it anyway.”

Stupid Guardian.
“What do you want?”

“Beka ordered me to track you down and explain.”

“Ordered?”

Russell kicked a rock. “Yes.”

“You are her servant.” I paced. “I should not be surprised. You did seem to wait on her more than I thought was normal.”

“You don’t know everything going on here, Demon—er—David.” He faced me, but squinted.

“Guess Guardian eyes are not as good as demon’s. How’d you find me?”

“I jumped off the building directly after you did. Beka was mortified and ordered me after you immediately. She fears for your safety.”

“I can’t die, remember?” I showed him my back. “Although I wish I could many days. If you can figure out a way to end me, I would be most grateful.”

Footfalls approached. “But your Master may call you to him. She greatly fears losing you to him.”

“You best stay back, Guardian.” I flashed my fangs. “I’ve not been in my demonic form for this long in quite some time. I’m very close to losing control.”

“Let me talk to David Sadler,” Russell said. “He is friend to the Queen of the Guardians.”

CHAPTER 25

“Did you say queen?” I faced Russell.

“I will speak only with David.”

Releasing the hold on the demon proved more difficult this time. I faced the dark sky and closed my eyes. My flaming chest cooled as I told the demon to retreat to the dark corner of my heart.

I would wait, for now, to let the beast out permanently until I heard what Russell had to say.

“Much better.” He sheathed his sword. “You do look quite frightening as that beast.”

“Get used to it.”

He cocked his head. “Meaning?”

“Nothing. Tell me what you came to say and be gone.”

“Sorry. It does not work that way.”

“Excuse me?” I straightened my back.

A cool breeze seeped through my shredded jeans. Darkness pressed over me as I stood in the depths of the desert, surrounded by black void, facing a Guardian.

“First, I must apologize for my actions earlier.” He bowed his head. “I misread what happened. I thought you had violated my Queen in a way that would ruin her for her future mate.”

“You mentioned betrothed.” The word tasted like bile as it left my mouth.

He nodded. “Rebeka is the oldest of the Guardians and our Queen. She is to keep herself pure for the predicted King who will join her. I saw you—” He coughed into his hand and analyzed the ground. “Well, I thought you were taking advantage of my Queen.”

“And you stabbed me; therefore, stabbing her.” I sprung, planting my palms against his chest and gripped the fabric. “Now tell me what do you mean predicted king?”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Minutes earlier she’d held me in her arms. Kissed my mouth. Touched my body. To think of her with another—

“She is prophesied to join with an Angel, hand chosen by the Light. Their union will sanctify Good’s supremacy on this earth. They will rule as king and queen of The Guardians.”

“And Jessica? How does she fit in all this?”

“We have yet to receive that revelation. We only know that on her sixteenth birthday, which nears, she will be a vessel of Light, one of the strongest known to earth.” He came closer. “We think it is through Jessica the Angel will be revealed, so Rebeka will know her mate, the future king, and join with him.”

I clasped a hand to my neck and squeezed. On the roof, she said she wanted me and no one else, but she was not in the position to decide, like I have not been. I wanted her, but could not have her. We have both been kept from love.

“Rebeka is confused by you, David. Your darkness brings her to a place she cannot afford to go. You understand that, don’t you? You’re a temptation to betray her calling. She wants to give herself to you, but knows she can’t, and she is ready to turn her back on her destiny to be with you, a—”

“Demon,” I said.

“I’m sorry, David. I am here under her orders, but not telling you what she wanted me to, which is to come back and be by her side. But she’s confused. I must look out for all the Guardians. For Jessica.”

I stared him down. “You’re defying her orders.”

“Partially. I came here to apologize as she instructed. But instead of asking you to return with me, I am begging you to stay away from her. For everyone’s sake.”

His words were like salt pouring over an open wound in my stomach.

“You could never be what she needs. You are demon.”

“Half human, though.”

“Regardless.” He gripped the hilt of his sword.

“I will go.” I showed him my back.

“You will? So easily you will go? I don’t understand.”

I faced him. “Would you like me to stay and make things more difficult?”

“No. I—” He shrugged. “I was just surprised. I expected—”

“A fight? Fangs and claws and swords?”

He nodded.

I tilted back, facing the sky. “I want nothing more than to stay, to be by Beka’s side and to join with her the way only a true mate could. But I am not free to be with her in much the same way she’s not free to be with me.”

“Tell me.”

“As she has to keep herself pure for her future King, I have to keep myself pure to prevent full transformation into demon.”

“You would lose your humanity if you lie with a woman?”

“Yes.” My shoulders sagged. “I am too tempted by Beka to stay. The minute I bed her, I would convert to full demon and lose what’s left of my human soul for eternity. And more than likely, I would kill her in the moment as well.”

“I had no idea.”

“How could you? No one knows. I am doomed to servitude, never able to experience love, and compelled to do the bidding of the devil’s right hand man.”

A deep sigh from Russell sent my blood boiling.

“You said Jessica may be able to help, yet you ask me to leave.”

“Not leave as in disappear. Only stay away from Beka until we can protect Jessica’s conversion. If she can save your soul like we think she can, I will bring her to you. But that still would not give you freedom to be with Rebeka.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “You’d be human.”

“I will stay away, but Master can call me back at any moment. I cannot resist his call for very long.” I clutched my shirt where it hid Master’s brand. 

“I had Abraham bless another location at the south end of town. A secondary location in case we needed it. Would you wait there? I believe the blessing protects you from your Master’s detection.”

I squatted and snatched a rock into my hand. “Tell me where this place is, and I will consider it. I may just go and face my punishment for giving you Jessica. I am surprised he has not called me to him yet.”

“The four demons that attacked, one had a collar.”

“Yes.”

“What is that?”

I threw the rock at the cactus. “It renders me weak so they can escort me to Master.”

“But not weak enough to kill you?”

“No. Only to subdue and transport if I do not cooperate.” I rubbed my neck. “It’s been used only once, and it is not pleasant.”

“As if two hundred and fifty years of solitude is. Yet you chose it when you gave up Jessica. Why?”

“I’m starting to ask myself the same thing.” I faced Russell. “I’ve considered going in and getting her, but that would hurt Beka.”

“You love her.”

I nodded. “I love her with whatever amount of soul and humanity I have left in me, but it is that very love that will kill her. So I will go to your lock and key until you can tell me if Jessica is able to save me.”

He smiled.

“But, I tell you this, Russell. You left Beka to die once when you left with Jessica.” I hissed, remembering the blood gushing from her neck and over my hands holding her together. “Do it again, and I will hunt you down, unleash the beast within me and tear you limb from limb.”

CHAPTER 26

I settled into the hard cot near the corner of the small space and closed my eyes. Beka’s scent tainted the room. She must have been with Abraham when he had blessed the dwelling. The smell tortured me with the memories of kissing and touching her. But as long as she did not show up, I would survive.

I slid into darkness, losing my mind to the void, but a pounding at the door slashed its peace. I rolled from the bed and to my feet, scanning the room. Only a cot with two chairs against the wall to my left and a short hallway to a bathroom stall.

A whimper leaked through the door followed by a thud. Hairs prickled at my neck. I’d made certain I wasn’t followed after Russell and I separated several blocks away.

Another bang and a moan prompted me to stride to the door. A silver tip of a sword split the wood. Streaks of crimson dribbled through the crack. I yanked the door open and Abraham’s massive body flinched.

A sword anchored him to the door, but what worried me most was Jessica’s body fastened to his. The weapon had pierced her as well.

“Demon,” Abraham said. “Pull this out and get the girl inside, we are under attack.”

I jumped in front of the door, absorbing a dagger between the shoulder blades to shield them. Abraham coughed, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he never let loose of the girl. I gripped the hilt of the weapon and extracted it from Abraham and Jessica. Turned out the blade skimmed her shoulder.

The Guardian stood. “Take the girl inside.”

“Where is Beka?”

“Our Queen fights. Holding them back for me to get the girl here. I—”

“Hold on to Jessica.” I pushed him into the room and slammed the door shut. “I will get Beka.”

My dark surroundings came alive. Red demons, black nails and silver swords ready for blood crawled out from the surrounding shadows. They marched forward.

Not many places to go. Safe house behind me. Brick walls on either side. A gravel parking lot spanned before me, but seven demons ate up the distance, weapons raised.

“There is the half breed. He is in with the Guardians,” one said, pointing his dagger.

Distant clanks of metal hitting metal snared my attention. Must be Beka fighting. So close I scented the sparks of sword battle.

I just had to get through the brutes rushing me. One held a collar.

“You killed Gage,” the demon holding the collar said. “Master will be pleased I caught our betrayer.”

I morphed into my monster. “You have not captured me yet.”

A blade pierced my shoulder, and the demons pounced. They seemed more interested in detaining me than getting Jessica. Or maybe they realized they couldn’t get to her through the blessed room.

Dagger in hand, I spun and flicked my wrist. The metal slid through the forearm of the demon clutching the collar. The limb fell to the rocky ground, and I kicked the blasted device away. Sure. He’d grow another hand, but at least it would not be holding my collar.

A dagger pinged off my protected neck. I hoisted him a foot off the ground and sliced, rendering him a pile of ash. A heel cracked my knee, and I tipped. I clutched the necks of two demons on my way down. Another swipe of my lethal weapons met red skin, splicing it open. Two heads drummed against the ground and plumed into dust.