Elemental, Soul Guardians Book 2 Read online

  Kara flinched as she thought of Tom. She knew his desperate screams would haunt her forever.

  “Are they going to punish me for what happened to Tom?”

  David shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I don’t think Gabe’s too happy about it. But since it’s you—maybe he’ll make an exception.”

  The archangel Gabriel was the pit bull amongst the rest of the archangels. She searched down the hills and recognized the great white tent. What would happen to her? She was responsible for the death of a rookie.

  “Kara are you okay?”

  David’s words shook Kara out of her trance. “Yeah. I’m fine. We should get going, they’re waiting for me.”

  She walked down the slight slope.

  “You don’t look fine.” David caught up beside her. “We’ll find your mother’s soul. I can promise you that.”

  Kara lowered her eyes. “It’s not just that. I got Tom killed today! It’s my fault his dead—and now I’m going to pay the price!” She wanted to kick herself for being so foolish.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I would have done the same.”

  “You’re just saying that to make me feel better—but it’s not working.”

  “No,” said David, his voice growing louder. “I would have done the same. But I would’ve probably stopped at a pub for a beer or two afterwards, and you know it!”

  Kara searched David’s face. She knew he spoke the truth, and she let herself relax a little, even if it was only for a moment. But with every step closer to the white tent, Kara felt increasingly uneasy.

  The death of Tom weighed heavily on her—she had broken the rules and ignored her mission for her own selfish agenda. And now she would pay for the consequences. Was she to be exiled forever from Horizon? Banished to a fate with the demons?

  Already on thin ice with most of the members of the High Council and a large part of the Legion still believed her to be a demon spy. Tom’s death on her first assignment only added more fuel to their suspicions.

  She clenched her fists and pressed on. They passed a group of guardian angels. Kara kept her eyes on the ground. Her shame materialized in tiny uncontrollable spasms. Too soon David and Kara reached the great white tent.

  The archangel Gabriel sat patiently behind the great table. Oracles rolled above their crystals balls and attended to the many guardians waiting for their next assignments. Gabriel watched Kara approaching. His face was unreadable. Somehow, that made her feel worse. If he had looked mad, at least she could prepare herself.

  “Kara Nightingale. How good of you to join us. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.” Gabriel’s voice boomed over the general noise in the tent. Kara’s mouth was glued shut.

  “Hey—what’s up Gabe.” David brushed past Kara and put himself first. “You look great! Have you been working out? Look at those bulging muscles.” He lifted a playful eyebrow.

  Gabriel’s forehead rippled in a scowl. “Mind your tongue, David McGowan. I’m not in the mood for your foolishness.”

  “Ah—come on now. I was just playing nice, your worship. You know you’re right. I am being foolish—no one is as good looking as me.” He brushed his fingers through his tousled blonde hair.

  Kara rolled her eyes. She realized in the moment of silence that followed that Gabriel was struggling to stay calm.

  His face darkened. “You disobeyed our laws and forfeited your assignment. As a result of your bad judgment, Kara, two angels have lost their lives.”

  Kara opened her mouth to protest, but she shut it immediately because she knew that guardian angels had died trying to save her. She dropped her eyes to the ground.

  “The punishment for such behavior,” continued Gabriel, “is a trip to Tartarus for an undetermined period of time.”

  Kara flinched. She had never heard of Tartarus. She suppressed images of angels being tortured in a deep dark dungeon. A prison is a prison, she realized. It wasn’t good. She couldn’t even begin to fathom what an undetermined period of time would be in Horizon.

  The ground near her feet moved slightly. Her body swayed. David held her arm and steadied her.

  “Surely, your holiness can understand that the circumstances surrounding these incidents mean that Kara is not responsible for them,” David said, his voice rising. “The deaths of the two guardians is unfortunate, I agree. But Kara encountered a new breed of demon. They used her mother as bait.” He stepped forward.

  “This isn’t her fault!” He shouted.

  A slight breeze lifted Kara’s hair off her neck. In the distance, she could hear the faint clatter of weapons from the training tents. She clamped her trembling hands into fists.

  Gabriel looked at them both and said: “Well then, consider this her lucky day.”

  Kara lifted her head. “Wh—what? I’m not being punished?”

  “No. Not unless you really want to be punished, I’m sure it can be arranged,” a ghost of a smile lingered on Gabriel’s lips.

  “Uh—no, no. Of course not.” Kara shut her mouth before she got into any more trouble. She stood wide-eyed.

  Gabriel pushed back his chair and straightened himself. “Right now, the Legion has more pressing matters to attend to,” said Gabriel. “Guardians are being killed by the thousands. This new breed of demons is very disheartening. It comes at a grave period. We need all available guardians ready to fight.”

  “See Gabs, it wasn’t that hard to be nice now, was it?” David flashed his usual smile. “You’re the man, Big G! Muscles and all.”

  The air around her felt lighter, and Kara relaxed. She didn’t think they could see her trembling anymore.

  “What about my mother,” Kara blurted out. “What about her soul?”

  “We cannot do anything about that now,” replied the archangel. “It is very unfortunate, but my hands are tied. I’m sorry.”

  “What?” Kara threw up her hands. “We have too! Her soul is missing, you know this. Why isn’t anyone looking for it?”

  Gabriel appeared surprised and astounded. Kara was sure he didn’t approve of her raising her voice to him.

  Gabriel continued, “I am sorry, but right now we do not have the man power to go searching for a single lost soul. We need every available angel on duty. As of now, we don’t have enough angels to protect the mundane. I cannot allow guardians to go after your mother. It’s too risky.”

  “You can’t do this,” said Kara, gazing straight into his dark eyes.

  “I’m afraid I can. And I will.” His eyes narrowed. “Thousands of mortals are now without their guardian angels. Which means thousands of mortals souls are killed every day. You’re lucky you mother’s is still out there. Perhaps one day, you might get the chance to search for her. But not today.”

  Kara clenched her teeth—if they didn’t help her, she would do it on her own. She promised herself.

  A sudden beep came from Gabriel’s computer. He brushed his hands over his keyboard. After typing for about thirty seconds, he glanced up.

  “Kara, you need to present yourself to level five,” said Gabriel, “the Department of Defense.”

  “What—she’s going to level five? Are you joking?” David seemed really shocked about something.

  Gabriel ignored him. “The archangel Cassiel awaits you, Kara. From now on, you will report to him directly. He will fill you in with the details.”

  “Just a second!” David paced on the spot. “What about me? I should go too. You know I’ve been waiting to join the division on level five for at least five years. And five years is a long time!” shouted David.

  “I’m sorry, David.” Gabriel stared at his keyboard and spoke to the screen. “My orders are to have Kara present herself to level five. It is unfortunate, but you were not summoned. Perhaps the Legion has overlooked you at the present time. But hear me now, David. Your reputation speaks for itself—not everyone is as patient as me with your monkeyshines. Level five is a very serious unit.”

  Kara had never seen David
speechless before. His lips pressed into a hard line. Anger flashed in his blue eyes. He stood without moving. Kara thought she could see steam coming off from his head and through his ears.

  “Maybe some other time, David.” Gabriel’s voice had a hint of regret. “But as of now—I only have a request for Kara—and you should go now, they are waiting.” He picked up a golden key card from his desk and handed it to her. “Here—take this. Without this key, you can’t go up to level five. Give it to the elevator operator.”

  Kara took the card and turned it around in her hand. It fit perfectly in her palm. It was made of gold, and she saw stars etched onto the sides. She could see her face reflecting in it. She looked up and her eyes met David’s. Even though she was uneasy, she put a hand on David’s shoulder to comfort him. He brushed it off.

  “Come,” he said hastily, “I’ll walk you back to the elevator.” He turned and walked away.

  Kara looked at Gabriel, and she thought she could see some regret flash behind those dark eyes. She ran to catch up with David. His face was wrinkled in a frown. His arms swayed back and forth as he marched on purposefully. Kara couldn’t take his silence anymore.

  “David. What’s so special about level five?” She searched his face. “What’s level five? I’ve never heard of it?”

  He didn’t answer at first. And when he finally did, he had let his frustration subside

  “It’s the best kept secret in the Legion. It’s where they keep the crème de la crème of the guardian angels,” said David, with a trace of bitterness.

  Kara struggled with the urge to reach out to him. She wasn’t sure how he’d react. Since their kiss thing had gotten weird between them, and Kara didn’t know where their relationship lay. So instead, she asked him a question.

  “So…what is this level five? How come I’ve never been there before?” She held out her golden key card. “And why do we need these special cards?”

  David glanced at the card for a second then looked away. “Because it’s top secret. Only a handful of angels are part of the division—an elite group. Think of them like the CIA of the Legion.”

  “The CIA?” Kara wrinkled her nose and reflected on this new information. She looked into eyes. “And you wanted to be part of that, right? That’s why you’re acting like this.”

  “No. I just wanted a flashy badge to attract the ladies,” he said in a conversational tone, although his face was hard.

  “Don’t be angry at me because I’m going. I didn’t ask for this.”

  David suddenly stopped walking. The corners of his mouth curled. “I’m not angry with you, Kara. I—I just wanted this really bad. It just sucks.” He sighed. “They just don’t want me there because of my hotness.”

  Kara gave him a playful push. “David—I have to find my mother’s soul somehow—will you help me?”

  “I’ll look into it on my side. I know you think Gabe doesn’t want to help you, but he’s the one who has been giving me all the information. He’s looking too. I’m sure we’ll find her.” Kara was shocked to hear that Gabriel cared about her. She was pleased.

  “Thanks.” Kara gave out a long sigh. “I wish you were coming with me. I need a friend right now. I don’t know what these angels expect from me.”

  “Great things, I’m sure.” He appeared to be amused. “You’ll do fine. You’ve always have, Kiddo. You alone vanquished Asmodeus. There’s no one else out there like you.” His eyes locked onto hers.

  Kara felt a thrill pass through her. Her knees shook. She couldn’t answer so she just nodded.

  He smiled briefly. “Well, I’ve got to go to my next assignment. I’ll catch up to you later—and you can tell me all about level five.” He winked. “Maybe you can sneak me in? Later.”

  Kara watched as David turned and walked away from her. She watched him go until he disappeared behind a red dune.

  Chapter 6

  Department of Defense

  KARA HELD HER GOLDEN KEY READY in her trembling hands. A mixture of excitement and fear rippled inside her. The unknown was terrifying to her, but thrilling at the same time, like a giant rollercoaster ride that wiggled and creaked, ready to fall to pieces. This new division, David had said, was a secret one. A sense of pride welled in her chest, and she couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps this was her chance to prove to the Legion once and for all that she wasn’t tainted—that she was a guardian through and through, true to the cause, ready and willing to save mortal souls from danger.

  With a ting, the elevator doors opened. The ancient primate on the operator’s chair was hunched over so much that his head nearly touched the seat. His fur was completely white. His elbows and knees were dry and the skin was cracked and flaking. His face was so wrinkled that Kara could hardly see his wet pink eyes hidden in the layers. A single round monocle rested comfortably around his right eye socket. His huge lips were pressed together in a hard line.

  “What floor, Miss?” said the white primate in a raspy voice, as though it hadn’t spoken in years.

  Kara watched his lips move and realized he didn’t have any teeth. “Uh—right. Level five please.”

  The old ape searched Kara’s face for a moment. “And do you have a key, Miss? Only those with a golden key can go to level five.”

  “I almost forgot—here.” Kara handed the ape her golden key.

  He held the key right up to his monocle. He examined it closely, as if somehow Kara had produced a fake key. When he seemed satisfied he slid it a thin slot bellow the control panel. Golden light shone from the tiny opening and the elevator shuddered slightly as the doors slid shut. Then the old primate pressed the number five brass button on the control panel, and the elevator responded with a jerk as it ascended.

  Excitement grew in Kara’s breast. She had never been to level five, and from what David had told her, it seemed to be something of great importance. She hoped silently that the whole thing about being Marked had finally blown over. Why would they bring her to such a secret group if they didn’t have faith in her? She bit the inside of her cheek and decided that they must trust her to a certain level. A tickle of excitement welled inside her. She figured her best chance to find her mother probably lay with this new division. How she was going to pull it off, she still had no idea. But somehow she knew this was her best shot.

  After a moment the elevator doors slid open and revealed a giant circular room the size of a baseball field. Metal staircases reached to a second and third floor, where hundreds of offices were separated by glass walls. Hundreds of guardian angels walked up and down the stairs or sat at desks, busying their fingers with keyboards.

  Her attention went to large holographic screens that looked like moving wallpaper. She watched as the GAs touched the screens and caused images to disappear and other images to replace them.

  A large round desk was raised on a platform in the middle of the large space. A group of angels sat around the desk, arguing about what the holographic screen showed them. A large man sat with this group. He had short disheveled light brown hair, and his skin was light beige. His tight black t-shirt revealed a muscular chest underneath. Kara could see he had on black cargo pants, and she thought of the military. She quickly realized that this must be the archangel Cassiel. He was large, but he was nowhere near as big as Gabriel.

  Without thinking, Kara stepped off the elevator and planted her feet on the grey concrete floor.

  “Ahem.” The white primate stuck out a long skinny arm. He pointed the golden card at her. “Don’t forget your card, Miss.”

  “Oh, right.” Kara stepped grabbed her card. She took a moment to examined the stars etched on it, then jammed it in her pocket.

  “Thank you—”

  The elevator doors shut in her face.

  “Typical,” hissed Kara angrily. “You’d expect them to be a little friendlier…but no! Just a bunch of moronic monkeys—”

  “Who are you speaking too?”

  Kara flinched and turned around. A petite teenag
e girl with a pixie cut of purple hair stared at her. Black kohl and purple eye shadow outlined her big green eyes. She was pretty with sharp pointed features. She smiled at Kara. She was dressed exactly like the archangel Cassiel, except her top was purple. Her polished purple combat boots glimmered in the soft light coming from the neon lights above.

  I guess the pixie likes purple.

  Kara began to feel uncomfortable under the scrutinizing stare from the pixie girl. She turned her head towards the elevator. “Ah—no one. I was just…admiring the…craftsmanship on these doors,” she lied, avoiding her eyes.

  “Really,” laughed the girl. She lifted her brows. “You’re a weird one. Well, then. So you’re the famous Kara.” Her smile widened. Pleased to see that her attention was making Kara uncomfortable, she stuck out her hand. Purple nail polish decorated her fingers. “I’m Jenny Harris.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, Kara shook it. “Nice to meet you, Jenny.”

  “Likewise.” Jenny lifted her hands in the air. “Welcome to CDD.”

  “CDD?” Neither Gabriel or David had ever used the acronym CDD.

  “CDD—Counter Demon Division,” informed Jenny proudly. “We track and eliminate demons.”

  She turned and pointed to the holographic screens. “We monitor Earth from here. And search for demon activity.”

  “Demon activity? What kind of demon activity? Like when they attack us, or when they try to eat a soul?” asked Kara. She remembered the new breed demon sucking Tom’s life source like a breakfast shake, and wondered why CDD didn’t show up with David and the others.

  Jenny nodded. “Yes. But mostly we look for Rifts.”

  “Rifts?”

  “Black holes caused by changes in the Earth’s magnetic fields. You probably call them portals or gateways. Demons travel back and forth from their realm to Earth through Rifts—the more Rifts they open, the more demons roam the Earth. We track them and destroy them” Her face was serious.