The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

I LANDED IN A DIMLY LIT SUBDIVISION IN A TOWN CALLED CHASIN. I wanted to fly us farther, but I could feel her slipping away. Plus the higher altitude here and encountering snow slowed me down. I’d reached out, searching for any sign of celestial power as I’d soared through the sky. I’d found at least two celestials here. It would be enough shelter.

The little town sat in the shadow of snowcapped mountains. Cars were parked along the cobblestone streets, small houses lining either side. Trees spiraled toward the sky, snow dusting everything and dancing in the air around us. 

Dianna groaned and shivered in my arms as we landed. Her blood soaked the front of me, and fear gripped me when I felt her heartbeat slow. A part of me knew she would not die, but there was that little niggling doubt. What if she were wrong and she did not know the true limits of her power?

I focused my sight on each home, seeing if I could pick up on any Celestial light. I knew I’d sensed some. My vision changed, allowing me to see the shapes of mortals, their hearts beating away. I stopped at a house, the couple inside gleaming with the cobalt signature of a celestial.

Ah, there they were. Perfect.

I was on the porch in mere seconds, not bothering to walk. I used my foot to lightly kick on the door, afraid to let go of Dianna for even a second.

Several locks clicked before the door opened, revealing a small woman. To mortals she would look to be in her mid-eighties, but I knew all too well she was pushing a few thousand years.

‘Samkiel.’ Her voice hitched. I heard the other being in the house rush forward. They stared at me, their eyes flashing blue.

‘May we use your home please? My.’ Dianna groaned in my arms, clutching me tighter and I paused words escaping me and what she truly meant to me. She was so much more than what I was about to say. ‘My friend is badly injured.’ 

They nodded, taking in the bloody figure in my arms and stepping aside. The home’s warmth caught us in its embrace, the fireplace in the back licking at smoldering logs. I passed by the small living room, the gentleman ushering me toward the kitchen. He moved the items off the table as the woman came in with several towels, placing them on the tabletop. I laid Dianna down on it, hearing her hiss as her back touched them.

‘I’m sorry.’

I looked around the small kitchen for anything that may help.

‘Do you have any herbs from our world? Anything saved?’ I asked, looking between them. The woman scurried to a shelf and pushed, the wall giving way to what resembled a small fridge. She opened it, revealing several glass jars, their contents running low. She picked one and hurried back to hand it to me.

Secctree leaves. They were greenish-yellow and smelled terrible but helped ease pain. I twisted the lid off and plucked out a single one. I picked up Dianna’s head as I brought it to her lips. ‘Open your mouth, Dianna. I need you to eat this. It’s palpable like that colored candy cloud creation you gave me. It will help with the pain.’

She tried but failed, the muscles along her jaw straining. She was cut too deep. I shifted my hand, angling her head back and lifting her chin. She struggled weakly. I knew I was hurting her, but I had no other option.

‘I know it hurts, and I am sorry, but If I am to heal you. With the cuts that deep it will feel like getting ripped open once more. I have to do this.’

Her bloodshot eyes met mine, and I could see the acceptance in them, her body relaxing.

I cradled her head a little bit higher so she could swallow without choking before slipping the leaf into her mouth.

She closed her eyes as I gently laid her back on the table. Her white pantsuit was a crimson, shredded mess. I rolled up my sleeves as I turned back to the homeowners.

‘I have clothes she can wear once she is healed.’ The woman said before gently grabbing her husband’s arm. ‘We will get your rooms ready.’

I nodded. ‘Thank you.’ before they headed out of the kitchen and out of sight.  

They left the kitchen, their footsteps echoing down the hall as they cleaned or reorganized another room.

‘This will hurt and for that, I apologize.’ 

She nodded slightly once more, her eyes tracking my every movement. I clenched my fist and opened it a moment later the silver light arcing off my palm. It danced and reached out in small whips of energy. I stared at her bruised and dirty feet, the shoes she had worn long gone. I directed the energy where it was needed, and her toes wiggled slightly as the skin beneath my hand healed.

The lights in the kitchen flickered several times as I drew more energy from the nearest power sources. The TV and radios nearby cut on and off, static filling the room. I followed the lines of her shins, knees, and thighs. She hissed when several large gashes on her thighs knitted themselves back together. A loud crack echoed in the room, and she twisted in pain as her hip popped back into place.

‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ I murmured, wiping the blood-soaked hair from her face. She eased, lying flat on the table again. She forced another short nod and I straightened, summoning more energy to keep going. My hand continued its journey just as the power went out completely, leaving us in darkness. I heard the couple murmur down the hall. The lights outside flickered and soon the whole street was blanketed in darkness as I drew more energy to me. I hovered my hand over her lower abdomen and midsection. Her hand whipped out, gripping my wrist, and I stopped.  

Dianna’s eyes remained closed, but I could see the pain she tried to hide. She breathed in and out slowly, riding the wave of agony. I waited patiently, stroking her hair lightly with my free hand, until she let me go with a shuddering breath. I concentrated once more, hovering my hand over her ribcage, breasts, collarbone, and throat, then moving up to ensure every scratch and bruise on that gorgeous face was gone.

The power kicked back on as soon as I called my energy back. Noise filled the kitchen as the TV played and the radio continued its joyous song. I took a step back as she sat up slowly. She gazed at me, her eyes softening before she looked down at herself. She raised her arms slowly, flipping them over to examine them before moving to her legs. She swallowed and looked back up at me.

‘How do you feel?’ I knew I was hovering, but I couldn’t make myself take another step away.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. ‘Cold but whole.’

‘Good, good.’ I had so many things to say but did not know how or where to start. She started to say something but stopped at the light sound of footsteps in the hall.  

 ‘I have the guest rooms ready.’ The woman smiled coyly as she wrung her hands together. ‘There is a bathroom in both, not quite as large as what you’re used to, my liege, but enough. Both rooms are at the end of the hall and I tried to find some clothes that would be sufficient.’

Dianna took a deep breath, looking at me once more, her expression unreadable as she hopped off the counter.

‘Thank you, Miss—?’

‘Call me Coretta.’

‘Thank you, Coretta.’

Coretta smiled again, clasping her hands in front of herself. Dianna nodded as she straightened her torn clothes. She looked at me once more before heading down the hall and out of my sight.

The steam-clouded mirror stared back at me as I leaned against the small sink. I reached behind me, grabbing the borrowed clothes, a plaid shirt that fit well enough and a pair of gray lounging pants. I button the shirt before turning back to the mirror.

I took a deep breath, centering myself before I reached forward and drew a circle, slashing the ancient symbols on the mirror. I stepped back and watched as it shimmered as if a small drop had fallen into a placid pool. In the next breath Logan’s face appeared.

‘Liam. I have been calling you for hours. Where is your phone?’

I stopped, realizing I had not seen or had one for a while now. ‘I do not know. What has happened?’

He scoffed, ‘You tell me. A part of El Donuma is in flames. A freak storm appeared and then an earthquake felt all the way to Valoel.’

I looked down. The Oblivion blade. I had not left it in the ground for long, but apparently, it was enough for it to be felt that far.

‘Fuck.’

Logan looked taken aback, his brow raising. ‘Where did you learn that word?’

I ran my hand through the short wet curls of my hair. ‘Not important. Kaden launched an attack. He has beasts that are smaller versions of the creatures from legends, including the teeth, claws, and wings. Everything. He sent them for Dianna. I acted.’

He did not ask me to elaborate, only nodded. ‘So that’s the power we felt. I assume she is safe.’

‘Yes.’

‘Good. Her sister may be small, but I fear she would try and skin all of us alive if something happened to her.’

‘I’m sure Dianna will call her soon.’ I rubbed the side of my head.

Logan sighed. ‘Oh, thank the old ones. I would like to have my wife back. She keeps stealing her every night for these ridiculous movies. I hear them in the living room crying and assume the worst. But they tell me it’s normal and they enjoy it? It’s confusing. Why do women like to cry so much?’

I shook my head, smiling as Logan ranted. He saw it and stopped. ‘You’re smiling again. I noticed it at that vampire’s castle too. It’s good. You even look decent once more. You’ve put on weight which means you are eating.’

My brows furrowed. ‘You noticed my lack of appetite?’

‘I notice everything, brother. I just refuse to get scolded for calling you out for it. Unlike Vincent and the dark-haired beauty you are currently stuck with.’ He smiled, the image flickering, and I knew it would not hold much longer. ‘That light seems to be glowing in you again. It’s nice.’

‘Yeah.’

My smile dropped and Logan cleared his throat, obviously aware of the change in my mood. ‘Regardless of what has happened in El Donuma, we haven’t experienced anything even remotely Otherworldly here. No attacks and no activity, it seems he may be saving all his power and efforts for you two.’

I felt the muscle tic in my jaw. ‘It would appear so. I need you and the others to research two witches, Santiago and Camilla. The moment you find anything on them, let me know. Santiago ran a coven out of Ruuman. Vincent probably knows something about him. Camilla operated one in El Donuma.’

‘Done and done, sir.’

I shook my head, pushing up off the sink. ‘Don’t call me that.’

‘Look at that, even your language is changing.’ Logan smirked. ‘What about the book? Any leads?’

‘Yes, actually. Azrael’s daughter lives.’

Logan stepped back, his eyes widening. ‘No fucking way.’

I grinned at him. ‘Now your language.’

‘Hey, I’ve been on this plane longer than you. Their words are contagious.’ He moved closer to the mirror. ‘Where is she? I mean Victoria survived even if Azrael didn’t. I just figured we would have known.’

‘That’s what I am going to find out.’

He wiped a hand across his face. ‘This changes everything.’

My stomach sank, knowing it changed more than he could imagine. ‘Yes, yes, it does.’

‘Do you really think he can end the world?’

I lowered my head and stepped back, gripping the sides of the sink. ‘I don’t know. If my visions are accurate, then that’s what will happen.’

‘Liam, your father said those are what could happen, not always what will happen. Even he had visions that never came to be.’ 

‘But why so strongly? Why is the same version repeated? It has to be a sign.’ I felt the words leave my lips even as I turned toward the bathroom door. I could hear her heartbeat from here, and the rest of the world was drowned out by it. She had become a focal point for me, and I hadn’t been able to keep myself from monitoring the sounds of her survival. I had dreamed of her death, and saw it as that beast ripped a hole through her. It has happened which means the world ending part will too. I turned back toward the mirror, the rest of the world rushing back. The TV and murmurs from downstairs flooded my ears. A car door opened down the street and the sounds of slumber from houses near us were loud in my ears. 

Logan sighed. ‘What will you need from me?’

‘Transportation in the morning. A convoy that can be undetected for where we have to go.’

‘Done and done.’

We spoke a few minutes longer before I dropped the connection with a promise to get a real phone. Logan would inform the others and I had promised to fill in the ones on the Council of Hadramiel as soon as I had a chance.