The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) (100 page)

Sean was healed.

“Let not your sacrifice be in vain,” Michael murmured.

Sean met his eyes and nodded gravely. “I will do my best. Thank you, Michael.”

Killian stepped forward and gave Sean a hand down from his concrete prison. Once down, he hugged him hard and clapped him on the back. Dec was next and the three of them stood together having a bro-ment until Michael cleared his throat. Killian’s eyes flew to Michael’s and he gestured to Mica with his chin. She stood hugging Raphael with tears of joy running down her cheeks. Killian held back a teasing laugh knowing she wouldn’t appreciate it much. She really couldn’t help it anymore. Thanks to Michael’s gift, she was an Empath; and a very strong one at that. Her empath power was happily soaking up all the emotion filling their little bubble of joy. She was completely overwhelmed. One of these days, he needed to help her learn to compartmentalize everyone else’s feelings. Either that or he’d start building an ark.

“Mica.” Sean’s eyes filled with tears and he picked her up and crushed her against him. He tried to speak but he couldn’t form words over the emotion closing his throat. He bent his head to hers and lost it completely. The two of them cried like the world was ending.

Killian grinned like an idiot at Raphael. “That’s my woman! Isn’t she amazing?”

“Without doubt,” Raphael smiled and whispered something to Michael.

Michael studied Mica and Killian and stepped forward once more. The air of formality straightened everyone’s spines. They braced for more drama.

“It is truly as you say, Raphael. It is beyond time,” Michael announced.

As the words sank in, Killian sucked in his breath like he’d been punched in the gut.

Now? Surely not now?

He had to force himself to stand still, to not panic, or worse, grab Mica and run away. With fear raging through him, he planted his feet and tried to hear Michael’s words over the slamming of his heartbeat.

Michael said, “Mica, come here.”

She was terribly confused. She obeyed Michael but dragged her feet as she tried to read Killian’s face.

Michael kissed her on each cheek and said, “Killian? I believe I need you for this part.”

No, no, no…

His head was spinning so fast he stumbled over to them like a drunk. He wasn’t ready for this. He wasn’t prepared to lose her again. Not now. What if…

Michael snapped, “Now!”

Killian obeyed instantly and stood shaking like a leaf, fingertips glowing as his body went into full panic mode. He finally understood the flight or fight response. He could face Satan himself, but he didn’t have the courage to lose her again. Not now, not now…

Michael said, “A very long time ago, Killian made a promise to Raphael. In return, Raphael made an unbreakable vow to Killian. It is time to honor that vow.”

“Take his hands and close your eyes. There is something you must see. You will see everything and then you will choose.”

“Killian? What’s going on?”

“It’s okay--”he started to answer before Michael cut him off.

“Quiet!”

Mica’s face was ashen and her eyes darted frantically to Killian’s. She was terrified. Her heart raced and she was near to tears again. Damn it! She was totally unprepared; he should have told her…he wasn’t
allowed
to tell her, couldn’t influence her thoughts or her heart. That was the catch of the angel’s promise. The vow hinged on Mica’s free will, her choice.

It was her soul.

It was his heart.

That heart cracked at the desperate fear in her eyes. Just one more kiss…one more to remember. Sweeping her into his arms, he kissed her with all the longing and fear of lifetimes. If this was the end, he wanted one last memory of her in his arms. Digging his fingers into her back, he felt the strength in her muscles and softness of her skin. He would remember every pore, every dip and shadow of her body. It would last him. It would have to.

His life was endless.

Living without her would be worse than living in stone.

Her lips parted under the urgency of his, taking as much as she gave. Dec shuffled his feet and looked away. Raphael cleared his throat, but still he deepened the kiss to taste her, to soak up her essence, her scent. When he finally had the strength to pull away, she was as shaken as he and he steadied her by the elbows.

Looking into her wide blue eyes, he said, “Follow your heart and be free.”

Michael stepped forward and gently placed his hands on each of their heads. As they sank into a deep sleep, the icy churchyard shimmered and disappeared. When they opened heavy eyes, they stood in stasis in the back of a stone temple. Killian’s temple.

Unable to move or speak, Mica sent her thoughts to him.
I know this place.

As do I.

He knew this place and exactly what they were about to see. This was the moment he’d waited for and now he didn’t want to watch. This was his memory. He’d relived it a million times, knew it by heart. It was the last thing he wanted her to see. When Mica squeezed his hand, he knew the vision had started. He opened his eyes and held his breath.

In front of them, a much younger version of himself fed peat into a brazier and frowned. The wind whistled shrilly and a gust found its way inside to lift his hair. He wore a heavy shirt over simple woven pants. The shirt was thick enough to protect against the freezing cold of winter. A familiar medallion nestled on his chest, its blue stone winking when caught by the light. Unable to sit still, he busied himself by putting away small pots of herbs and straightening a pile of kindling. His movements were loose, relaxed; more human, less predator.

Where was she? A storm was coming and she should be home by now. Suddenly his head snapped up and he stared at something outside of the room. Agitated, he paced and worried. He was on his way to go look for her when she hurried inside. Well, she tried to hurry but her belly was heavy with child; her movements clumsy and awkward. This was her first pregnancy and she complained about her waddling gait. Though she fussed over it, it was heaven to him. She was beautiful with his child growing inside of her. He was so proud he could explode. The other villagers were waiting anxiously for her to have the baby so he would shut up already. As she caught sight of him, her face glowed with happiness and good health.

He rushed over to her and supported her by the arm. “Come, love. You’re much too cold. It’s not good for the babe.” He led her to the small fire and took her wet cloak from her.

“You spoil me, Killian. It is not necessary to fuss over me. I am perfectly fine.” Her smile belayed her words though as she sank gratefully against his chest.

“I will always worry for you. You are my wife, the mother of my child. It’s my job to worry over you.” He leaned down and gently kissed her. There was such tenderness in the kiss that Mica caught her breath as she watched from her corner.

“Are you ready for the ceremony?” she asked him. It was nearly winter solstice. December 21st.

“All is prepared. We have some hours before I have to get started. How should we spend them?”

Smiling mischievously, she curled her fingers in his hair and pulled him to her. She’d barely touched his lips with hers when she cried out and hunched over in agony. As she did, a dark shape separated itself from the shadows and moved closer.

He didn’t see it, didn’t sense it. He was too focused on Mica. She collapsed to the floor with blood pooling underneath her legs. The smell of the blood sent his heart pounding in terror. She was too early. The child wasn’t ready. It was yet too young to be born. Screaming shrilly, Mica clutched at the mound of her belly with her face twisted in a grimace.

“Help me!” Her fingers clawed at his arm as another contraction ripped through her.

“Hold on! Please hold on.” Frantic, he used her cloak to try to stop the bleeding and looked around for help that was not there. He needed the midwife but she was in another village. She was too far to help them now.

Mica cried out again. This time the sound was weaker and less human. Curling against the agony, she panted harshly.

An icy voice shattered the cave. “Perfect. I’ll take the child now. Its mother is of no use to me.”

Killian turned to see the demon standing a foot away with its hand extended towards Mica. As he watched in stunned horror, the demon’s finger twitched and Mica moaned in agony again. Jumping between them, he snarled and lunged. The demon threw him into the wall hard enough that his eyes rolled up and he lay still.

While he lay there, the demon leaned over Mica showing its fangs. Its smile turned to a howl of rage when it saw the small leather pouch that lay on her chest. It reached for it and fell away shrieking with burned hands. It tried again and came away with more burns. Killian’s eyes were open and he shoved himself forward again. The demon took one last look and vanished with a curse.

Dropping heavily to his knees, he pulled Mica against him. Her face was white and still.

No, no, no! You can’t die on me! He rubbed her hands in his to warm the icy cold. Her eyelids fluttered.

“Raphael! Raphael!” Killian’s voice was a hoarse shout.

“You’ll be okay. Raphael is coming. He’s an angel. He can heal you. Stay with me! Mica, stay with me!”

Her eyes were unfocused as she gazed at something he couldn’t see. Her lips curled into a sad smile and she whispered, “I love you…always.”

His roar of pain drowned out Raphael’s arrival. Raphael took one look at the scene in front of him and rushed over to Mica’s side.

“You have to save her! She’s dying…dying.”

Raphael felt her pulse and sadly shook his head. “I’m sorry, my friend. I cannot save her. She is already gone.”

Mica gone? Dead? Forever? It wasn’t possible.

She was his world, his life. She couldn’t be gone.

He clutched her to him and wept against her hair.

Raphael tried to shake him out of it. He grabbed his shoulder and said sharply, “You can still save the babe!”

Killian looked at him blankly.

“The babe! You can cut it out. It’s not yet dead.”

Killian blanched. Cut out the babe? Cut open his wife? Desecrate her body?

“I will not gut her like an animal!” He clutched her closer and bared his teeth in a growl. He would kill the angel if he tried to cut her.

Raphael tried again, strained patience in every word. “She would want the babe to live. You know that. You have to hurry before it’s too late.”

Frozen with grief, Killian stared unseeing into the darkness. By the time he looked up again, it was too late.

The baby was dead.

His wife was dead.

His life was over.

Raphael surveyed the damage with his own grief etched in the lines of his face. He sat with his back against the wall for endless hours until Killian finally sat up and noticed him.

White-faced with fury, he glared at Raphael and came to a decision. His eyes burned with the thirst for vengeance, a need to kill and destroy. Very carefully, he laid the body of his wife against the ground and stood. Covered with her blood, he looked like a demon himself.

“I have one request. I want her back. You give her back to me and I will serve your God.”

“You agree to join my Primani?”

Gritting his teeth to steady his voice, he said, “She is the only woman I will ever love. There is nothing here for me now. I will do what you need. But I want her back.”

Raphael frowned at Killian and looked at Mica. As he studied the delicate pale face, he fought back his own emotion. It was a shame. She had been a beautiful woman; graceful and full of life and love. Her senseless death was an anathema to all that was good. Her soul was lovely and delicate, far too delicate for Killian’s. She was too fragile, gentle…too innocent to be a perfect match for him.

His powers were strong and only growing as he practiced. Once Primani, his warrior soul would overwhelm hers after a time, causing pain for them both. Killian couldn’t know that, but Raphael knew she’d not survive her life with him. Not as she was on this day.

He could maybe change that destiny for them both.

So he made an angel’s promise.

“If you will give your life to me, I promise you will find her again. But Killian, my friend, her soul will drift until that time, not resting, not at peace. You will not find her until she is strong enough to survive the life you are choosing. Will you do that to her? Will you condemn her soul to drift through time? Will you wait for her, giving up your chance for love and family?”

“I would wait a thousand years for her unless you would kill me now.” He thrust his blade towards Raphael, haft extended in invitation. “Perhaps that is the better choice.”

Raphael frowned again. “Your talents are too valuable for you to die now. The world has need of you.
I
have need of you. So no, I’m not going to take your life.”

“Then it’s agreed?”

“One more thing before we go. When the time comes, you cannot influence her choice. Her soul will always have the option to reenter its original body and move on to its place in Heaven.”