He paused and stood wide-legged, his hands on his waist as sweat ran down his stuck-on tank. His dark maple skin, glistened buttery brown from the sweat, his arms taut with the workout. “Kyo, as they work on their jabs, let's show that roundhouse you pulled off back in that battle.”
Kyo smiled in excitement and bounced on the balls of her feet. As she realized what he asked, her mouth suddenly turned up in a frown. “Um, I don't think I remember how I did that.”
Scowling, Lenox swung out, his white Nike planted firmly.
Kyo stepped back. Her hands instinctively went out to block her chest as she shifted and dipped in a duck, coming up under the other side of his arm.
Lenox smiled with a nod, switching his stance quickly to double back and swing again.
Kyo stepped back, her black legging clad leg lifting in the air as her eyes narrowed and she saw her opening to hook the back of her knee over his neck, moving swiftly to flip him backwards.
Lenox went down fast but arched his back to kick himself forward into a low crouch, as he slowly clapped using his thighs to balance himself on the balls of his feet. Kyo's leg was still extended out as she watched, shifted her weight and slowly dropped her foot.
“You say you don't remember, huh?” He flashed a lopsided smirk as she flushed a thousand shades of red.
Music suddenly rippled through the complex. Calvin's familiar silky deep voice crooned then flipped into lyrical rapping as the beat mixed, scratched, and made Sanna want to pop her hips and dance.
Khamun bobbed his head as he walked on, motioning for Sanna to follow. She looked around as she continued her tour, finally making it to the main floor.
Walking around, she spotted Amit and headed his way. She passed Calvin as he nodded at her, while working in his studio, blaring and mixing music. He was talking to a handsome Asian guy who sported a swirling, dazzling black, ruby, and gold dragon irezumi with a bar piercing in his right eyebrow, and who had a low-fade Mohawk on his screen.
“Who's he talking to?” Sanna asked, glancing at Khamun.
“RJ. Your brother introduced them. Don't know much about him except that he's into music, teaches a b-boy and hip-hop class and martial arts class at UIC. Oh, he was also at the party your brothers were at.”
“Does he know about you all? I mean us?”
Khamun shook his head. “No, everything is kept confidential. Calvin is working on some tracks with him.”
Kali glanced as she saw Sanna approach. She grinned hard and turned to embrace Sanna. Kali had rich brown highlights in her loose crinkled hair that accented her rich cinnamon skin with gold hoop chandilier earrings.
She stood at the same height as Sanna, in ripped jeans, an oversized shirt that said DANGER in big black letters, with splashes of colors over the shirt. Her smooth brown shoulder peeked through, and her bangle bracelets accented her wrists. The pink and black Nike she wore emphasized the hot pink in her shirt, and her pink lipstick kicked everything off.
Sanna studied Kali's mehndi-covered hands that were done in a way to state what power level she was at.
“About time you are here, cousin. I have so much to share with you.”
Her soft smile warmed Sanna's heart and calmed her nerves. This was definitely a home full of family, and she had nothing to stress about in the least bit. If anything, she had to worry about how much she'd want to protect them all.
Both women chuckled as they quietly spoke and watched Amit move like the wind on the computer.
“Wow, he's really good with computers,” Sanna remarked.
She laughed when Kali scoffed. “Not really. I'm better,” she muttered.
Amit looked behind him. He shook his head before locking eyes with Sanna, and nervousness hit him. Quickly he saved his work, slowly standing to approach.
He looked healthy and better outside of his hands. His deep cinnamon rich skin seemed to gain its soft ruddy glow back, and he stood a full six seven over her, his thin body filling out into a thicker track runner's shape.
His jet black hair was freshly cut in a shag look that accented his strong jawline and green-grey eyes that now had a grey pale ring around his irises, marking him as a Broken Wrath Angel. His plush lips formed into a smile as he quirked an eyebrow. His V-cut grey shirt showed a slight peek of his hard, cut chest with black veins of his healed and cleaned Cursed bite threading from his neck, disappearing under his shirt and peeking from his pectoral muscle like a swirling tattoo. His dark denim jeans hung well over his white Nike.
Sanna was happy that he seemed to be filling out because she knew once he was at his full peak, her cousin would have to lock herself away from her secret desires for Amit.
“Hey, it's good to see you and not have anything chase you,” Sanna joked.
“Yeah. I want to apologize. Everything in me was saying run, and when I saw your car, it felt safe. Now I know why.” Amit glanced at Kali, who rolled her eyes, squeezing by him to take over the computer and he laughed. “Damn! She has a righteous attitude.”
Sanna bit her lower lip, swallowing her chuckle. “No, that just means she's warming to you. So how does it feel to be a . . . a Broken Wrath Angel, whatever that is? Talk to me and let me see your hands and see what I can do.”
“All right.” Extending his hands, Amit watched her slowly.
“I'm not sure. It's a huge shock. All this time I thought I was a Disciple, you know, and to learn I have that extra bump in the DNA is kind of crazy to me.”
Sanna's hands hovered above his. She was careful not to touch him while she nodded. “I can understand that. Being something you don't understand what it is. I'm glad you didn't die.” She flashed a soft smile and shifted her hands. She had enough flashes and jolts from touching folks to last a lifetime, so she just lightly poked a finger at the psychic glove and watched it disappear.
“Me too. I thank you for what you did. Damn! If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't be a tool for the dark, and I'm not down for that.”
Sanna chuckled.
Amit leaned in. “I mean it. That world is crazy, and if I was able, I would have tried to end my life, Death Wrath or not. Thank you, Sanna. Oracle-Vessel.”
“It is what it is. The Most High has a plan, and it wasn't your time to leave. And you for damn sure were not meant for the Dark.”
“Ahh! That hurts. Seriously, what did that bitch to me?” Amit said through gritted teeth, and he watched Sanna do her thing.
Khamun quietly observed her from behind, and Calvin stood by his side watching as well.
“You think you can help him, shawty?” Calvin calmly questioned, concern briefly flashing in his green eyes.
“I think. I don't know but”âSomething twinkled, and she looked closer at his blistered hands, shaking her head. His skin was red like it was just dipped in scalding water. How the skin peeled and leaked, she knew he was in pain. Silver strands seemed to be embedded in his hands. She frowned. “Give me some water to clean his hands.”
Kali quickly stood and jetted, bringing back a bottle of water.
Pouring it over his palms, power seemed to hum around the room. “Keep your hands cupped.” Sanna motioned, her third eye open, guiding her as her hands hovered over his. She felt the tug of the silver slivers in his hands seeking their exit. Power pulsated, causing the pool of water in his cupped hands to undulate as it wrapped around her and kissed her skin. Images flashed across her vision, making her briefly close her eyes.
She saw Kyo running, panting and reaching out to a falling Calvin, blood pouring from his body. Her body jolted as she saw beautiful red and gold wings rip from her sister's back, and she screamed. The woman she saw chasing Amit stood with blood on her hands and mouth. Her eyes shifted like a reptile's. Her cocoa-rich skin glowed with power and she leered. Calvin's blade lay in her side.
Sanna knew this wasn't right, and she almost screamed. She saw a woman dressed in jewels, with Asp bracelets, walk her way, a book in her hand and a gun in the other. The bullet discharged, and she watched as it went past her and hit Khamun, who stood behind her with his own barrel pointing her way, his silver dark wings filling the sky.
She saw more, but it moved so fast that she couldn't retain it all as a piercing pain ripped through her stomach. A blade extended from her body as her neck was suddenly ripped to the side.
A tall, handsome, older man, who mirrored the jewel-clad woman, held her from behind, his hand sliding over her blood-soaked body to cup her between her legs as his wild eyes flashed, and he bit down.
“I will have you,” echoed in her mind, and she saw the woman Darren later told her was named Winter attempt to run to help her, when a demon ripped her apart, her Witch power exploding like a bomb. The bodies of the people who vowed to protect her and her own family lay around her in pieces.
Her brother Darren took out a demon with one touch of his hand before nodding at her. His stomach was suddenly torn apart while he fell to his knees dying. That was when she knew her life was being cut short as the bite polluted her body and the man groped her, holding her against her will.
Tears spilled down her face, and a voice within her whispered, followed by a sharp screech that jolted her back to reality.
“Find the keys and find the scrolls to complete the books before they find it,”
echoed in her mind and she
gasped
. She pulled, and the silver slivers ripped from Amit's hands as he roared in pain, dropping to his knees, his hands still cupped and up in the air.
The water pulsed, and the slivers floated atop the water, forming a circle, until it became a ticking mechanical disc. The water pulsed, solidified, and wrapped around the silver disk, covering it in a diamond-like case that also shifted and ticked with the disk. Her power kissed the disc, making it glow, and she reached out, holding it in her hand. Gears clicked and ticked as she flipped it between her fingers before watching Amit's hands heal.
“Amit?”
Holding out a hand, Amit shook his head, and his back rose up and down in sharp breaths until they slowed, and he looked up.
“Thank you. It's all gone. All that shit is gone out of me. Thank you, Oracle. Shit.” He stood up too quickly, slightly wavering, then reached out to wrap Sanna in a tight hug.
Healing flashes flowed from her, and she smiled. “Call me Sanna, and we are good. I'm happy to have helped.”
Amit nodded, backing away. “Okay, Sanna.” A slight smile played at his lips as he flexed her hands.
“A'ight, let's talk about what the fuck that is right there, San!” Calvin interjected.
Sanna nodded. “Let's get that book Winter gave us.”
Chapter 22
The Reaper stood facing his enemy. They had hunted well and grabbed a target they knew would draw him and his family out. Anger seethed within him as he let his mind relax and process. He couldn't believe how everything had panned out. Just almost a year earlier, he was guarding a woman he had fallen for and knew he wasn't allowed to crave. A woman he knew he couldn't have. He had accepted it, only breaking protocol when he knew he couldn't hold back his desire for her. That slip made him watch her more, made him protect her, even though he had no idea of what she really was. He had to laugh, thinking how blind he was in watching this woman for so many years and not know she was the Oracle and a Vessel.
The one who would help bring Nephilim Society in the US and the world back to where it needed to be. This one who would find more Oracles, women and men who were the backbone to their way of life. He was glad when he learned of her true nature. He felt elated when that truth allowed him to be with her, and now here he stood defending and protecting not only Society itself, but with her by his side. They stood equally yoked, protecting each other and fighting an enemy that was too damned determined.
Rolling his neck, he felt his fangs rip from his gums, slowly extending and flashing in the night air. His hands clutched as the windy night air of Chicago wrapped around him. His fiancée stood at his right, dressed in dark denim leggings, black Nike, and a black tank that showcased her beautiful breasts. He didn't want her here, he needed her protected, but she had insisted.
Â
Â
Prior to the face-off currently going on, everyone was back at the compound glancing at the clear and silver mechanical disk in Sanna's hands.
Khamun stood behind her as she sat in a big chair, looking down at the book. Her fingers traced over the leather cover, not understanding the Ancient Nephilim script. His Shield, Marco, reached out and flipped the book open for her as she looked at the blank pages, with several visible pages.
“
Mira
. Nada here at all. I looked this book over, backward and forward. Outside of five pages that have drawings on them, nothing is here. No braille or other markings.
Coño
. So what do we do?”
“Flip it to the last page. I saw something.” Sanna bit her lower lip.
Everyone's nerves seemed to flood over her, and she almost felt sick with the feeling. Marco was gentle with the book, and she was grateful. Khamun had quietly told her that he was a closet bookworm, through all his hard edginess and vulgar language. Marco was into knowledge, cars, and into finding ways to help his people via books, which was why at one point he and Kali were so close and part-time lovers, never mind they were always bickering.
“
¡Coño carajo!
There's something here.” He narrowed his eyes, flipped the book to him, and touched the back cover. His fingers ran over the hard leather until they dipped and left an imprint in the inner part of the back cover.
Raising an eyebrow, he pressed and traced until the soft pliable leather revealed raised grooves that formed a circle. Continuing to press the pliable stripping down until it shaped and contorted like clay, his eyes flashed as he looked up at Sanna and flashed a smirk.
Holding the book so everyone could see, Marco slid the book down on the table in front of Sanna. “On my soul, this wasn't there before. The cover and inner covers were hard as typical books should be.
¡Carajo!
”
Khamun watched as Sanna continued to trace the book.
“I know. When I touched the book, my power reacted to it, and something changed.” Sanna removed the disc, brought it over the book, and maneuvered it.
Every male in the room except for Marco bellowed out, “Whoa! Whoa!”
Calvin spoke up. “Time out, and hold up, shawty.”
Lenox held both of his hands on top of his head, his elbows poking out as he began to pace. “Do we know what that is? Are we sure this shit isn't a trap by Winter? She's good for playing fucking games. Or am I wrong?” He glanced at Marco and Khamun, who both stayed silent, a sudden mask of coldness filling their faces.
Winter was a thorn in both his and his cousin's sides. They had history with the Witch and wasn't keen in rehashing that dark past, so he kept quiet before answering his second hand.
“Baby, what do you feel from the book and disc? Does this feel like a setup or threat?” Khamun's eyes held Lenox's, who glanced off in understanding.
“Everything in me says do this. I feel no threat, but just in case, can we make some protection around us?” Sanna's face lit up with knowledge and concern. She looked around, and Calvin and Kali both nodded, standing to link hands together, fingertip to fingertip. White light flashing turquoise, yellow, then white again ebbed between their palms and fingers.
Both chanted in the old language, and Takeshi and Kyo followed suit. Their eyes flashed and glowed with an inner fire as they stood, walked, and sat on either side of Sanna, their palms flat against the middle of her back.
Khamun kept his stance as Darren moved to sit opposite his sister, and Marco shifted to let him sit.
Power grew, coating the room when Darren linked a hand with his sister. That current grew stronger and attached to Kyo and Take.
Khamun slid his own hands over Sanna's shoulders, and she gasped, her wings breaking free, as did his own, and they both locked as one.
This was what he had wanted to do in the office but knew he couldn't yet, and now he could. His touch fused with her, her brother, and their Gargoyles, as it threatened to spill out. The intensity of it made him let go as his breathing quickened.
His fangs crested, and he ran his hands down his face. Static power sizzled through his locks, making them rise. “Too much, too soon. Amit, sit near Sanna. Marco, Lenox, you both know what to do.”
He watched his team gather around his fiancée, and he kept his stance as the power cloaked them all.
Sanna briefly glanced at him as she turned and held the disk, which seemed to glow even brighter and spin even faster as she slid it in place and twisted, a locking sound letting her know it was secure. As she let go, cranking from the book filled the room as everyone leaned back in their circle of protection.
Buzzing and a
Ding
,
Ding
,
Ding
sounded as the book snapped open on its own, shooting blank pages in the air. They rained in the room, freezing mid-air to hover over the book. Nothing but the book cover was left, with many slots and a hinge.
“Okay, so this means what now?” Amit muttered as the pages shifted then locked together. Multiple blank pages linked to five spaced-out illustrations, creating one synched page.
Slowly reaching out, the page settled into Sanna's hand as the whizzing sound stopped.
“Fuck! All of that and we got what, one huge-ass page with nothing on it but spaced-out pictures. Come the hell on,” Khamun bellowed, as their protection ring dropped and everyone shook their heads.
Calvin sat back in a slump in his chair, legs spread as he cursed in every language he knew.
Marco pulled out another trinity, tossing one to Khamun. They both lit up and took a similar stance, arms crossed, brooding.
Lenox was the only calm voice who broke up the disappointment in the mix. “Okay, everyone, now look. I know this crap didn't happen without reason so . . . ”
“No faith can lead to destruction,” Sanna calmly stated as she turned the pages in her hand. She studied each page as if it were a precious fabric before she slid the book cover to Marco, who picked it up and quietly watched her.
Sanna said, “Baby, look at this. What do you recognize?”
Khamun rounded her chair, dropped into a crouch, wisps of smoke escaping his closed mouth before discarding his cigarillo.
Glancing at the ancient pages and random illustrations of patterns that had no sense, he looked closer and saw faint swirls. Each swirl rose then fell like a wave, before moving in circles. Braille-like indentations popped up in the shape of a crest. He frowned, reaching out.
“That's the crest of my family,” he muttered. Energy hit him, and the ink from the paper rose up and around his hands, becoming hard and slicing into his hands.
“Shit! Get that crap off of him!” Lenox roared.
While Khamun kept a calm demeanor, ink softened and mixed with his dripping blood onto the crumbling yellow paper. “The fuck is this,” Khamun mouthed, his eyes wide as he tilted his head, watching closely.
The paper absorbed his blood and the ink as it glowed. What was once old decomposing paper was now brand-new as if it came straight from the paper mills of old. His blood and ink swirled on the paper, forming words, numbers, and images as a current hit Khamun, making him hold onto the paper before it disappeared with an exhale from him and a flicker of fire illuminated his eyes.
Everyone hovered around him, and he held up his hand. That power felt as if it came from the Ancients. Something so strong, it had his muscles taut, his dick on edge. He glanced at his fiancée. Her eyes glowed in familiar power as she cupped his face. He felt their power pass to each other and settle back into each other.
“Khamun, man, you good?” Marco asked.
Khamun stiffly nodded, trying to work his mouth. Knowledge hit him, and he bowed his head for a second before Calvin sat up, anger blazing in his eyes.
“It's a map. It'll take us to one of the scrolls, and that cover, we use to bind them all together once we collect them. Calvin, man, what's up?”
Hands clenched, his arms almost shaking, Calvin glanced at Sanna before looking back at the team. “We have a situation. We need to roll out and hunt ASAP. A member has been taken.”
Khamun knew what was being said within the lines as he quickly stood, the Reaper taking over. “Grab the rides, and we roll out. Do you know where we are going?” he icily asked.
Calvin shook his head. Lenox, Kali, and Marco headed to the second level to grab weapons and a ride, their running feet echoing through the compound.
“Winter's massive was broken up, which means she was rushing, and she couldn't connect all the way. We have to track her.”
Sanna stood looking around. “Who was taken? Let me help.”
The Reaper looked at what was his, and he growled. Was no damn way he was going to risk her life and have her out there, ass out, not sure of her power. Fuck that shit. “No. You stay here with Kyo, Take, and Darren. I'll hit up Dr. Toure. You all need to stay out of this. Amitâ”
“Hell, no. I'm not staying. I passed the class tests and was supposed to be a part of the Chicago team before I got snatched. I may be new, but I know some things. I'm going.”
“You're not a Slayer, man, and you still healing. It's best that youâ”
Pissed, Amit narrowed his eyes, his fist thumping against his chest. “I can hold my own. I'm a Disciple and a fucking Broken Wrath Angel! I got some white magic in me. Let me help. The Oracle healed me fully.”
The Reaper kept his eyes on his fiancée, who kept pacing, throwing angry stares his way. She was who he was worried about. He nodded at Amit. Reaching out to cup Sanna's angry face, he bent down to kiss her, but she stepped back, and he closed his eyes before dropping his hand. “All right. Let's roll out.”
“Calvin, I want to”âSanna reached out to clutched Calvin's arm hard, pain ripping through her as she fell to her knees. Tears spilled down her face, and Calvin cursed as he was locked into the same power.
“Momma!” Sanna screamed and let go, cradling her face.
The Reaper quickly grabbed her, his eyes flashing at Calvin.
“Fuck! Those bitches! They have Momma Tamar? Huh, Calvin?” Khamun roared.
Calvin dropped his head and nodded as he stepped back. “We need to go, my man,” he quietly stated.
The Reaper looked down at Sanna's rocking form, and Kyo held her shoulders as he held Sanna against him.
“I'm going. We are going,” Sanna croaked.
The Reaper opened his mouth to fight, but Kyo hissed, her mismatched jade eyes blazing at him, and he stared her down. “We go into this, eyes open! You protect her with your life because that's what the fuck I will be doing. Got that?” He glared, speaking between his teeth.
Kyo nodded. “I've had her back all my life. I will lay my life down for her,” was all she said, simmering with anger.
The Reaper looked up to get Darren and Takeshi in check, only to notice that they were not there. “Where the hell did they”âThe Reaper stopped, homing in on the pair, and he smirked, shaking his head. “My brothas.”
“They are strapped and ready to go. Baby, I need you. Be safe out there. You don't understand what will go down if I lose you or anyone here. You got it.”
He watched his soulmate stare him in the eyes, the Oracle in her blending as one, and he knew without an answer from her what her choice was. All the Cursed had officially declared war, and his baby was ready to administer her wrath.