His Soul to Hold (The Dark Knights of Heaven Book 2) Read online

  Groans filled the room.

  "How long do you think the barrier was down," Kaz asked.

  "Best estimate? Three–point–seven seconds."

  "Well shit." Gina slouched in her chair. "How many things can get out of Hell in three seconds?"

  "Depends on how many things were camped against the portal entrance waiting for something like this to happen," Boomer answered. "Could be one skratar or a dozen higher level demons. Or anything in between."

  "One of Lucifer's minions alone could give us more trouble than a troop of lesser demons," Kaz reminded the group. "Bass, Boomer, Rail, you three head out to Alaska and see what's going on. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think this is just the beginning."

  Bass agreed. Cassidy's computer programs pointed to a soul-keeper living in Alaska, based on previous attacks. The information had sent them on two searches in the wild land already, but they came up empty. Big ass piece of property to search. But it wouldn't be boring.

  With a whoop, Bass jumped to his feet and all but ran for the door. Behind him, Cassidy argued with Rail about why she should be allowed to come along. "Hey. Are you two coming or not," Bass shouted from the hall.

  "Coming!" Cassidy popped up on her toes, gave Rail a quick kiss, dodging his attempt to grab her. "Let's go kick some demon ass!"

  Bass smiled as she ran past. Yep, he was all in for some ass-kicking.

  Chapter Three

  "Breanna! Breanna! Wake up!"

  Sam's voice cut through Breanna's foggy mind. "Go away!" She grabbed a book from the chair next to her cot and tossed it at the door. Nodding at the satisfying thunk, Bree rolled over and pulled the covers over her head. Returning to dream land, she was in the mists surrounded by an ancient forest, fighting demons. She held her own, but she was tired. From the darkness, a gallant warrior dressed in black leather riding a black horse charged forward and joined the battle.

  "Bree! Damn it. Get up. Now. They're back."

  Breanna was awake, jumped out of bed and pulled the door in seconds. "How many?"

  "Three. No, wait, four. One was smaller than the others. Almost missed him."

  "Where are they?" Bree spun around and grabbed her sword case, thankful she'd gone to sleep fully clothed.

  "In town," Sam panted.

  "Oh my God! How many were killed? Did you see where they were heading before you came back here?" The words tumbled from her mouth with barely a pause.

  Sam cocked his head to the side. "Killed? Who's been killed?" He took a deep breath and stared at his sister.

  "The people in town—" Breanna stopped trying to get her boots on and turned to her brother.

  "What are you talking about? No one's been killed."

  "What?" Bree mirrored her brother's confused look. "Demons came in to town and didn't kill anyone?"

  "Demons? No, those guys are back. The ones I told you about. We've got to pack up and get out of here."

  Breanna growled and threw a boot at her brother. "Jerk! You scared the hell out of me! I thought something was attacking!"

  "Sorry." Sam drew out the word as he stalked away. "God. I'm only trying to protect us."

  "By giving me a heart attack," Bree screeched, her voice echoing through the hanger.

  Sam ignored her, stomping into the office he used as his room and began throwing packs out the door.

  With one boot on, Bree retrieved its mate and stormed after her brother. "So what, we're just going to run away?"

  "Yes," he hissed like an angry snake.

  "We don't even know who these people are. Maybe they are from one of the military bases. Maybe they're like us and fight—"

  Sam flew out of the room to stand an inch from his sister. "I don't care," he snapped. "We don't need them. We're fine on our own."

  Bree stepped back from the venom in her twins' voice. "No, we're not, Sam." When he growled, she shoved him a little harder than she'd meant to and sent him stumbling over the packs.

  "What the hell?"

  Before Breanna told him to shut up, the door at the far end of the hanger flew in, ripping from its hinges.

  The twins took defensive stances facing the intruders.

  "They don't look like demons," Bree whispered. "I mean, do demons wear parkas?"

  "Remember that one in New Mexico? He didn't look like a demon either— until he tried to eat your face," Sam quipped, pulling a blade from his boot.

  Breanna snarled in response and prepared for the attack.

  Sam couldn't believe his crappy luck. He’d led the strangers right to his sister.

  Bree was right. They didn't look like demons, or at least not the beasts they'd fought in the past or run from. These guys looked like soldiers, warriors. Human. Big, imposing humans. Each had to be a minimum of six and a half feet tall. Their winter gear did nothing to hide the rock-hard bodies underneath. Power emanated from them in waves and they moved with animal prowess. Each reeked an, I will kick your ass attitude. Well, all but the smaller of the quartet. That one moved with a great deal more caution, radiated calm, and kept to the center of the other three.

  As he sized them up, the smaller one pulled down his hood and stepped forward.

  Sam almost swallowed his tongue, a shiver of shock running through him. The woman wasn't much older than he and his sister. Really, it shouldn't have surprised him to find a female soldier in the mix; after all, his sister was a kick-ass fighter herself.

  Taking off her gloves, the woman extended her hand in welcome. "Hi. I'm Cassidy. Sorry about the rude entrance." She cast a scathing look at her companions. "But we heard a scream."

  "Oh, that was Sam. We were messing around," Breanna answered, surprisingly comfortable with these strangers.

  "Bree," Sam snarled. "Shut up. You don't know who they are."

  The woman took another step toward them. Sam shifted to a better angle to protect his sister. The woman gave him no more than a passing glance, addressing Breanna directly.

  "Brother?"

  Breanna nodded.

  "Figured." Cassidy chuckled. "Look, I know this is going to sound crazy, but there are some monsters nearby and we think they're after one of you."

  "Not as crazy as you think," the twins answered together.

  Pulling off his gloves and knit hat, the biggest guy stepped forward, power rolling off him. "You were right, Cass."

  "The girl," the next giant commented. "She's the Aktura. God damn, her resonance is strong. It must be like having an all-you-can-eat buffet sign hanging out front."

  Breanna gaped at the speaker as he stepped forward, lowered his hood, and turned glowing eyes her direction. If the first guy could be considered gorgeous, she didn't have an adjective beyond gloriously edible for this one. He had an aristocratic face with high cheek bones shadowed with a few days scruff, Roman nose, and almond eyes the color of twilight surrounded by dark lashes. The corner of his sensual lips quirked. Bree's knees were weak. He had bad boy written all over him, and he knew it.

  As she stared back at the Player, she vaguely heard Sam talking. "We know about the monsters. We've been fighting them for years."

  Shaking herself from her reverie, Bree added, "Ten years."

  The quartet of strangers mumbled amongst themselves for a moment.

  "Where are your parents," Cassidy asked.

  "Dead," Sam answered flatly, tensing when the first guy stepped closer. "They were killed by monsters when we were kids."

  While Sam stared down the visitors, Bree noted everyone's position. The exit was blocked by the third guy casually chewing a red licorice whip. If these people were a threat, she and Sam were screwed.

  Clearing his throat, tall dark and brooding number one stepped forward. "Has anyone else approached you asking about the monsters?"

  The tone in his voice reminded Breanna of a growling lion. The rumble gave Bree the impression he didn't like the idea that someone else may have been snooping around asking questions.

  "I don't think so—" Bree start
ed, but was cut off by the scream of claws against metal.

  Everyone dropped to a crouch. As a unit, the three warriors took up defensive positions. The man she'd come to think of as Mr. Growly hovered over Cassidy, while the one with the licorice repositioned himself to face the open door. Bree moved closer to her brother, and found herself shadowed by Bad Boy.

  "Hi." He winked, sliding a sword from under his parka. "Name's Bass."

  "You're named after a fish?"

  His smile widened. "What's your name?"

  "I'm Breanna Thorn. You can call me Bree."

  "That's Rail there with Cassidy, and that's Boomer." He nodded toward his companions. "Stick with me and we may get out of here in time for happy hour. You like to dance?"

  Really? He's flirting at a time like this? Bree was about to rip into him for being an asshole idiot when she noticed his body tensed, priming for a fight. So much for flirting, he was trying to distract her. Keep her from being scared.

  A terrifying roar exploded outside.

  The one named Rail, formerly Mr. Growly, glanced around, searching the walls and curved ceiling. Everyone braced for attack.

  "What was that?"

  ***

  Bass turned to the girl. Her brilliant topaz eyes searched his face— looking for what, he didn't know. She didn't shy away from him; instead, she looked prepared to fight if things got nasty. Maybe she wasn't lying about her and her brother fighting monsters. The idea of watching her do battle intrigued him, but he didn't want to test her abilities under these circumstances. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

  He laughed when her eyes narrowed, spearing him with displeasure.

  "I can protect myself, thank you very much," she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Before Bass commented, a crash sounded outside the rear of the hanger.

  "Sounds like something's at the shed," the boy whispered, a rough edge to his voice.

  A loud thud sounded against the far wall, followed by another roar and another, louder, thud. A third thud echoed around the hanger. The metal wall bowed.

  "Form up!"

  Breanna followed Rail's gaze to the ceiling.

  "We can help fight." Sam huffed, pushing Boomer out of his way. "Bree, get your sword."

  Breanna swung around and crashed against a six–foot–plus wall of muscle. "You are staying right here," Bass ordered.

  "But—"

  The hanger erupted in angry shouts as Boomer dragged Sam back into place. "We fight." The warrior grunted, taking an elbow to the ribs. "You stay put." Unceremoniously, he dropped the kid on his ass.

  "But this is what we do," Sam protested.

  A thunderous bang followed by another roar shook the roof.

  "I will not let you take them!"

  The voice came from above them. Whoever it was paced in a circle; each stomp shook the entire structure and the metal screeched in protest.

  "Shit!" Boomer shrugged off his parka and rolled his shoulders. "Must be a minion."

  "Then what was all that noise out there," Rail asked. "You think they're fighting among themselves now?"

  "What's a minion," Breanna asked.

  "A true Fallen Angel from the depths of Hell. Nothing like us," Bass answered. "But don't worry, babe. We got them."

  Bree gawked. "Wait, what?"

  "I'll explain it to you later." Cassidy reached up and pulled Bree away. Bass took his position. "Right now you just need to know that no matter what you see, these are the good guys." She indicated the three warriors forming a triangle around them.

  Another roar sounded, echoing in time with rending metal. A snow shower erupted as a section of ceiling vanished, revealing a dark shadow against the snow grey sky.

  Without a word, the warriors forced everyone back toward the wall. A large fur-clad figure dropped to the floor, landing as though he hadn't just dropped fifty–plus feet.

  "Release them," he bellowed, raising a sword and pointing at the twins.

  "Not again," Sam snapped. "Fuckin' asshole! Leave us alone!"

  Chapter Four

  "You know this crazy ‘muther?" Bass growled.

  "He's been following us since our grandparents died," Breanna answered. Annoyance dripped from every word.

  For a moment, the wind screaming through the opening in the roof was the only sound. All eyes watched the stranger transform. His skin darkened to charcoal and a pair of horns erupted from his temples, wrapping around his head like a halo. Wings flared from his back.

  Bree gasped, “He never looked like that before,” but gave no signs of hysterics.

  An odd sense of pride rippled through Bass.

  There was no warning before the entire group was blasted by an energy wave, forcing them back.

  Instinctively, Bass dropped his blade, spun, and placed himself in front of Breanna, taking the brunt of the energy against his back. The force pushed them across the room. In desperation, he bent his knees to create resistance to slow their movement. When they stopped, Bass braced his arms against the wall on either side of Bree for support. The crushing pain bordered on unbearable and he couldn't imagine what it would have done to the girl if hit with its full force. Picked up by the same energy wave, debris moved around them and smashed into the walls. Bass almost buckled when something hit him in the back of the head. He couldn't think of a single minion or demon they'd encountered with power even close to this. Hell, most couldn't match the Knights in strength.

  Bree stared up at him with pain in her eyes. Bass gazed back into the glittering topaz depths. The blast crushed Breanna between his body and the wall.

  The metal walls shrieked under the strain and shook.

  Grunting, Bass slid his hands down until he wrapped his arms around her waist and pull her to the floor. Thankfully there was less pressure there. Curling into a ball around the slim body, he prayed the attack would end before the building came down around them.

  Just when he thought he couldn't take the assault another second, the crushing weight lifted and he rolled to the side. His body felt like lead, and his muscles protested. The attack couldn't have lasted more than two minutes. He felt like he'd been fighting non-stop for hours.

  "Shit that hurt," he ground through clenched teeth. "You okay?"

  Bree nodded and gasped. "Your ears are bleeding."

  When the intruder roared again, Bass and Bree turned toward the sound. Bass knew he'd made a mistake the second his head moved. The bones in his neck right below his skull grated and a grey haze clouded his vision. His body grew heavy and numb.

  In the distance he spotted Rail and Boomer in demon form struggling to their feet. His vision narrowed until it was no more than a pinpoint of light in the distance.

  The scent of cinnamon and snow wrapped around him and a soft breath caressed his cheek.

  "Hey, don't pass out on me."

  "Not passing out," Bass whispered. "Dying."

  "No. No, no, no."

  The pain in Breanna's voice made Bass' chest constrict, which was a strange sensation considering he couldn't feel his body anymore. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be back." Hoping he delivered the line with his best Terminator accent, he took one last breath to catch the cinnamon scent floating around him and slid into the comforting womb of darkness followed by Breanna's scream.

  ***

  Racked with sobs, Bree looked for help.

  A short distance away, Sam lay on the floor. Another demon, presumably Boomer, protectively crouched over him.

  Bree wanted to go to her brother, but became distracted by Cassidy yelling at their attacker as Rail pulled her to her feet. "What were you thinking? You could have killed us! You could have killed a soul-keeper!"

  Abruptly the beast, demon, whatever fell to his knees, babbling, begging for forgiveness.

  Spotting the opening, Bree rushed forward, screaming like a mad woman and swinging Bass' sword. "You bastard! You killed him!"

  A hair's breadth from the man's neck, the blade stopped. Bree s
truggled to make the killing blow, but the blade never moved. For the first time since her parents' deaths, she felt utterly desolate. Cold. Hollow. A complete stranger gave his life for her and she couldn't avenge him. She let go of the hilt and turned to find another weapon.

  Bree froze.

  Beside her, instead of Cassidy and Rail there stood a being of pure light; a being holding the abandoned blade in its bare hand.

  The sword dropped to the floor, clanging like a funeral bell. Bree stepped back, staring. The being was neither male nor female, yet somehow both, completely devoid of facial features, and sporting jet black feathered wings which towered over its shoulders and skimmed the floor.

  How she'd missed this tower of light and power in her charge forward, she had no idea— other than she'd been blinded by rage.

  "Who, what," she stammered, her legs threatening to drop her on her ass.

  "It's okay, Breanna," the voice spoke calmly. "Don't be afraid of them. Remember, I told you, they're the good guys."

  "Cassidy? Oh God what's going on? Bass is dead and you're, you're..." Unable to comprehend the shift in reality, Bree sank to the floor sobbing.

  ***

  Watching the spectacle before him, Boomer took a moment to collect his wits. Never had he seen such a transformation. Choking back a wave of apprehension, he stood.

  "You know," he called, walking forward, sword balanced on his shoulder. "You two are taking this becoming one soul-mate thing a little too seriously, don't you think?"

  "What?" The glowing figured turned to face him.

  Raising his blade, Boomer turned it flat so it could be used as a mirror. The reflected radiance created a thousand tiny rainbows around the hanger.