Imperial (Insight #8)(6)

I’d always thought that because my line had fallen, that great King of Anger would have come to his senses and taken a stand. But I suppose I was not there to influence his thoughts any longer.

My being ached for the souls of the universe. Grieved for the demise that was surely aimed at them. Soon, that darkness I’d just pulled from that infected vessel would consume their reality.

I stared into the dark forest, still feeling the sensation of Vade’s energy within my soul. Wrath. Yeah, I owned that emotion. It was vibrating my very being at the moment.

I couldn’t even tell you how long we had been here. How long or how many chances Vade had to find me.

At first, I assumed he was enraged and busy killing off Xavier’s line, then I assumed he was searching each and every dimension for my human form, that finally he would search the Veil, ask for a conference with the Reaper. Find me.

When the time for each of those acts to transpire had come and passed, only one conclusion could be made: he had another one bringing him fever. I was nothing but a lost memory of a forgotten world our Creator had borne me into.

That made killing Escorts that tried to invade this Fall all the more pleasurable. I may not be alive, but I would be damned if I let them reach their ultimate goal: to rule both realities, to create a feast of darkness. Too much of a good thing was bad. I didn’t care what they said.

Vade’s line had never reached this point. Knowing that his was the strongest, the one line that could reach this Fall with little effort, always led me to believe that meant he was in some way fighting or forming fruitful alliances with the others.

That hope was dead now. Surely as dead as I was.

I caught the sway of the distant trees and tensed as I breathed deeply.

“This one is all yours, Glory,” Mazing bit out as the aroma of crisp mint penetrated the air.

She vanished, not to leave me alone, but to spread the aroma of warm honey that we were known for in every direction, confusing the prey that was now in my sights.

I vanished and appeared again behind numerous trees, finally settling on a branch just above my next kill. The core of my soul was at war within itself. Half of me screaming No, this is wrong. The other demanding that justice was due. Seeing Vade’s image in my mind, feeling his tantalizing touch race across my skin was not helping matters. One side yearned for loyalty to that memory. The other saw a new girl under his flesh.

This was business. I finally forced myself to believe that. The Fall could not be penetrated—by anyone. I didn’t make this choice. Vade did, apparently long ago.

As the moonlight touched the Escort’s face, a sharp pain tore through me. It was Rasp, Vade’s First. Might as well have been Vade himself. When I killed Rasp, it would take Vade down for some time. The loss of energy would not easily be reversed. Well deserved, the dark part of me thought. Not Rasp’s fault, the kinder side of me argued back.

Rasp was always kind to me. Not warm, just kind. He had served as a guard of mine before my status was clearly acknowledged. Knowing that you were about to end a soul that had vowed to protect yours was not an easy sensation to swallow.

In my mind’s mid-argument, I jumped down, landing just before all six-foot-five of Rasp. His shoulders were as wide as my body was long. Well, maybe not as wide, but close enough. His body was toned, sleek, lean muscles over every inch of his perfectly sculpted warrior vessel. His eyes were like deep ice, not as intense as Vade’s, but damn near close. The dark hair and mesmerizing image was apparent not only within him, but everyone in Vade's prodigious line. Walking heartbreakers, that’s what they were.

Before he could utter a word, my hand pierced through his gut, grasping his soul. He didn’t moan, flinch, or fall to his knees as the others had done instantly. No surprise there. Strong line. Strong sire. My intent was not to kill. Not this time.

I peered up at him. “Long time.”

He smirked, glancing down at my arm, then to my eyes. “Sovereign.”

“I see that time has not stolen your memory,” I said as I gripped his soul tighter. “This is the part where I kill you.”

He offered no fight whatsoever. He knew me all too well. “Remember that if you ever come near my Fall again.” I squeezed him tighter. “Give Vade my best.” And with that, I thrust him upward with every ounce of my power. Instantly, he was out of sight.

It would be decades before he or Vade were even close to out of my mind.

The lingering scent of mint encased my skin. Before I could stop myself, I brought my hands to my face and breathed in deeply, feeling rage-filled tears threatening to spill from the edges of my eyes.

Mazing manifested at my side and let her hand rest on my shoulder. I could not bear for her to see me fall apart, not now or ever. I vanished and appeared in my quarters, the highest floor of the Cathedral.

I leaned forward on the banister of my stone balcony and breathed in and out heavily, mentally screaming at myself every time a moment from my past fought to surface. Vade was not going to get to me again. I would be damned.

Just as I caught my breath and settled my thoughts, I saw a warm light ease across the room behind me. I should have known this was coming.





Chapter Three





I straightened my stance as I held my gaze on The Fall before me. All these years, all this time, time that was endless, had now been marked. I thought I was over my past. Over the childish war that was fought. That I had my own little corner of this vast universe. One job and one soul beyond my own to protect. But I was a fool. The war was fated to find me here. My one little job had now become the last line of defense for The Fall and the twin reality behind its powerful wall of energy.