Blood In The Stars (23 page)

“Your father was
not
right.” Mike sighed. “You really are more like him than you know. Both of you are quietly defiant.”

Usually Jason had no trouble blocking his family from entering his mind. But in his weakened state, he couldn’t stop Mike from invading his thoughts.

“It doesn’t matter what you say.” Jason reached for a shirt that someone had placed on a chair for him. “I’m not going to abandon Daria.”

The sudden smile on Mike’s face sent panic ripping through Jason. “You’re going to try to take her away from me, aren’t you?” Not waiting for an answer, Jason stumbled to the door and yanked it open. He had to make sure Daria was all right. He had to hold her in his arms.

Outside the door, Daria straightened and relief flooded her face as new tears overflowed from her already red eyes. “You’re awake! How are you feeling?”

The tightness in his chest unknotted strand by strand while the muscles in his shoulders relaxed. Everything was fine as long as Daria was safe. He could bear the weight of the world if she could be spared. No matter how much their destiny had been planned and contrived, no one had pre-determined his feelings. They were his own and he loved her.

“I’m fine,” he whispered. “You’ve been worried.”

She laughed sheepishly. “Is it that obvious?”

He swung his arm around her shoulders and she guided him down the hall. “I like it when you worry about me.”

She didn’t say anything, just steadying him as he leaned into her for support. His strength was returning, though slowly. He hoped he would feel strong again by midnight for their escape. And they
would
escape.

They were heading to the family room when Jason heard his father call for him. He glanced down at Daria and nudged her to the family room. He had no doubt his father had plenty of things to say to him. None of them kind.

Her eyes filled with uncertainty and reluctantly, she left him behind after a quick kiss.

“I need to sit down,” Jason muttered, stumbling to the living room.

As he heard Luke’s footsteps behind him, Jason dropped onto the sofa, still feeling like an army had mowed over him. If he stood any longer, he might keel.

“You can’t take a little beating?” Luke asked.

Jason shut his eyes, wishing he could block his thoughts from his father’s telepathic powers. What was there left to say? Wasn’t he one big disappointment to them?

“When will you accept who you are?” his father probed.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Jason spat. “It’s rude. If you want to know what I’m thinking, then just ask.”

When he opened his eyes, he saw the corners of his father’s lips tilt into a reluctant smile.

“Then tell me what’s on your mind. We haven’t seen each other in hundreds of years and for this human, you would come home to beg me. For this human, you would face armies. Why do you love this child so much? She’s a human.”

“So was Mother!”

His father pursed his lips, obviously annoyed by Jason’s outburst.

“Your mother is special.”

“So is Daria!” Jason cried. “You were the one who said the auspicious one gave you the right to rule the Houses. You were the one who declared the opportunity for the other Houses to compete.”

Luke’s eyes hardened. “I did. And none of them have survived to adulthood until now.”

“Because I have watched over her every minute of every day.”

“Even when I wanted to pull you off,” Luke added with a sigh. “I never should have taken Mike’s suggestion.”

Jason sniffed. “That was a plot from the beginning.  Did you already figure out he wanted me to act as her guardian angel?”

Speculative and intense, Luke eyed Jason. “I did.” He paused for a moment before lifting his chin in contemplation. “But Mike miscalculated one thing.”

“What was that?”

“He never thought you would be willing to kill for her. That’s why he’s here, isn’t he? To make sure you don’t dirty your hands?” Luke’s disgust coated every word.

“I haven’t yet,” Jason answered quietly.

“Accept who you are, Jason. Who we all are.” Luke bowed his head, visibly searching for the right words. “Circumstances may force you to accept.”

How could he not accept the chains when he carried the reminder with him all the time? The constant weight of these black shackles followed his every waking hour. Even if he wanted to pretend he came from another family, the chains never let him.

“I know who we are. I also know that your ‘oldest child thing’ is crap. It’s a stupid law that you made up and you could retract it if you wanted to.”

“I could,” Luke pondered in a soft whisper. “But I don’t. Why do you think that is?”

“How the hell would I know? You didn’t even have any siblings. At least none cast down with you. And you were the one who came to the mortal world and learned of their powers. You were the one who came up with the rules.”

A cold sweat broke through Jason as another sick realization in his gut grew like cancer. His chest clenched. He couldn’t breathe.

No. It couldn’t be. Could it? He stared at his father, seeing him in a new light. Luke returned his stare with a steady, almost defiant gaze.

Jason slumped back into the sofa cushions, the gravity of his discovery almost crushing him, immobilizing him.

“Oh my God,” Jason whispered. “It was you?”

Chapter 21

Jason stood in his room, staring out the window into the dark night as he fought a desperate battle within himself. The clock showed twenty until midnight.

His father had said nothing after Jason’s accusation, preferring instead to stare him down before leaving. No denials or even the sick smile of triumph. Instead, his father chose to satisfy none of these. Luke excelled at the expressionless evasion. Like a snub in the nose, the non-answer always said volumes while leaving doubts.

Like now.

But for Jason, even the possibility of realization had crippled him. He hadn’t been able to think, had barely been able to breathe. The gravity, the implications, were enough to kill him. Could kill
her
.

And it didn’t make any sense. He still missed an essential clue, still hadn’t put his finger on a pivotal piece of information. His father hadn’t enlightened him and Jason almost preferred the ignorance.

No more revelations of this magnitude. His brain had barely been able to process the first one. Jason turned away from the window and his questions. Dwelling on it now wouldn’t yield answers. He had to go.

When his hand reached the knob, he stilled.
This is it. If I walk out of here now, there’s no turning back. Ever.

With a resigned smile, Jason opened his door. The decision had been made the moment he fell in love with her. What was the use of dwelling now?

He crossed the darkened hallway, strode through the house, and out the back door.

Miller already waited on the patio. A minute later, Daria emerged from the house. She slid his hand into his and neither said anything.

The moonlight cast a ghostly silver glow on their faces and Jason surveyed the perimeter of the barrier for enemies. The rest of the coalition never arrived. Damien’s oven mail confirmed his fears—they’d regrouped in Hell for the revolt. It didn’t bode well for the House of Demons, but they could use the short respite to get married.

Miller motioned for them to follow him. They tread across the dewy grass and their footsteps fell silent on the stone walkway, which wound a path around the back of the house.

Suddenly, Jason froze. He whipped around and saw the light had come on in the living room.

“Run!”

Miller sped down the walkway and skidded to an abrupt halt in front of a little stone stairway that led down to the beach. In front of the stairs stood two pillars and atop each pillar sat a decorative stone ball.

A door slammed shut back at the house. “Hurry!” Jason commanded. He turned to Daria. “Don’t let go of my hand, no matter what.”

Miller hefted the left sphere and the barrier opened around the stairway. He shifted the sphere to one hand while holding out his other hand to them. “Don’t step through the shadow until I put the sphere back on.”

But they never got the chance.

His father and Mike ran from the house. Jason hurled an energy ball their way. In one second, he stepped across the barrier, changing to his true form, his long black coat swaying against his booted feet. Then with his free hand, he grabbed Miller’s arm and crossed through a shadow.

A second later, they arrived ten feet from the chapel at the nearest university. Jason stared at the imposing wooden doors below the majestic stone façade. The contemporary Gothic architecture expanded to the heavens with sixty-foot tall buttresses covered by large stained glass windows. The front panes glowed in multi-colored hues from within the chapel. He blinked at the name. Coincidence, that this place held the same name as Alice? Or was it fate?

The white cross above the doors shone brilliantly even in the night. It bore down on Jason and for a split second, he couldn’t breathe. He sagged, his lungs struggling for air, for survival. Just when he thought he’d suffocate, they expanded and he inhaled the life around him in desperation as a man escaping death by drowning.

Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest.

He knew the words well. How fitting, as though Matthew said those words especially for him in this situation. Apropos, but what did Matthew know of his burdens? How could he know the weight of their chains?

Miller headed straight for the heavy wooden doors, which opened with ease. “I called the dean of the school,” he explained in answer to Jason’s raised brows.

Nothing about the open doors brought welcome. The orderly rows of pews reminded him of coffins and the moonlight shining through the stained glass splayed eerie streaks of blood red, indigo, and canary-yellow bevels across the aisle and walls. The chancel window in the center drew his eye. He stared at the red glass representing sacrifice and wondered if his arrival today acted as another offering upon the altar.

He stepped forward. Just one more sacrifice. For Daria.

A glance at the night sky allowed him to gauge the position of the stars. They had begun the dawn of a new day. He turned to look down at Daria.

“We made it through your birthday.”

She gazed up at him. “You are the best present ever, Jason.”

Her earnest declaration stung his heart. Emotion burst from within, clenching his chest in longing. He wanted to tell her he loved her, that none in the world could ever love her as he did. But they had only a few minutes before his father and uncle figured out where they were. And they—no, he—still needed to get into the church.

Daria grabbed his hand and ran to the door. With every step, his wrists felt heavier. When he stood merely three feet from the doors, his wristbands began to dig into his flesh. Two steps later, he fell to his knees. His palms spanned the stone floor, bracing his body from complete collapse. His chin dropped to his chest as he struggled to breathe from the exertion. A chilling sweat beaded along his brow and dripped down his neck.

Kneeling beside him, Daria gasped at the sight of his blood-soaked hands and the rapidly growing red stain on the ground. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she breathed. “These were the consequences?”

“Miller,” Jason wheezed.

Miller tried to pull her back but she flung his arm aside. “Let’s go,” she pleaded, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Marriage doesn’t matter. We can run away.”

Run? No more running. Even if he and Alice had managed to escape, they would have turned into fugitives. He refused to condemn Daria to the same fate.

“It’s the only way to give you two freedom,” Miller said.

Jason had never known such a thing. He had developed wings at three years of age and the wristbands with the chains had materialized that same day. They had never left him and never would. They were as much a part of his body as his ears and legs. If cutting off his arms would free him from the chains, he would consider the option. But it wouldn’t.

Freedom had never been in his vocabulary. But Daria deserved better.

Jason focused on gaining his feet. He leaned back, hands still plastered to the floor, and bent his leg forward, foot arched like a relay racer ready to spring.

“Please don’t,” she cried.

“Miller,” Jason snapped. “Take her!”

Miller dragged Daria from his side. The pain pulsing through his body drowned out her sobs. He wanted to comfort her and dry her tears but his entire being focused on standing.

His shoulders and back ached as when Atlas carried the world. The weight seemed to come from above now and not merely the chains pulling him down.

He had to get up. If they wanted to get married, he had to step inside. He gritted his teeth. In one violent heave, he stood. His soul-crushing cry of torture shattered the night. Whimpers flitted to his ear and his eyes shot to Daria. Tears streamed down her face.

“Jason,” she begged.

“Two more steps, Jason,” Miller encouraged. “You just need to step inside and I’ll say the words.”

Daria sniffled back tears and reached out her hand to clasp his. “Why can’t we just marry here? He can’t take another step!”

Jason swallowed hard, trying not to focus on the unbearable knife-like pain in his hands. His future lay before him. Daria. His light, everything he had waited for all these years. If he hadn’t had Daria in his life, he would have long ago become no better than a zombie. Using inhuman effort, he lifted his left hand toward her. Blood dripped from his wrist.

“Marry me, Daria.”

She didn’t have a chance to answer because a voice interrupted from the grassy fields in front of the chapel.

“You can’t enter the church. Not as you are now.”

Uncle Mike
. Dread consumed Jason. He didn’t turn around.

“You’re killing yourself. Would you die to protect her?” Now his father spoke, standing somewhere beyond the dangers posed by the church.

Jason hadn’t noticed when they arrived since pain had blanketed all his other senses while one thought ran through his mind. He had to get up for Daria.

All of this was for her. His father would kill her to keep his dirty little secret. Uncle Mike could grant her the angels’ protection at the cost of her happiness. What could he do to protect her, truly save her from everything and everyone after her?

He needed to buy some time. He looked to his father. “Tell your brother, Father. Tell him about Mother.” As he spoke, Jason inched forward. He was so close. A little more. Maybe he could throw himself inside. But the chains might wrench him back.

Luke said nothing but Mike began to walk forward. Anxiety quickened Jason’s heartbeats. What was his uncle planning to do?

“You made up the rules for the auspicious one so you could rule the realm. From the very beginning, the auspicious one was a lie.”

“You’re wrong, Jason. The auspicious one is very real.” Mike didn’t let Jason protest. “We’ve always known your mother isn’t the true auspicious one. Her twin sister who died young, was. But it didn’t matter.”

Luke’s menacing laughter pealed through the night.  “Do you see what they are, Jason? Father cast me down and then wanted me to secure the mortal world,” he spat. Enraged, he turned to Mike. “You and Father never cared what lies were told to ensure a balance of power. And then you keep me in these,” he added in disgust, lifting his hands, “so you can control me.”

An energy ball formed in Mike’s hand and his face had become as hard as stone. “The powers of the auspicious one are unfathomable. We can’t have that falling into the wrong hands.”

Jason’s eyes widened and his mouth went dry. Where was his uncle planning to throw that energy ball? Suddenly, he felt eyes on his back. With difficulty, he turned to see someone standing across the street under the curved arch of the university’s name. Jason tensed.
Alastor.
The silhouette vanished.

A hand reached out from the shadow for Daria just as Mike threw his energy ball. And though Jason’s strength had dwindled, he dove for her. His hand clutched air as Daria shrieked. Death flew at her in a flash of blue and he realized Mike intended to kill her . . . except now he stood in the way. Something knocked Jason aside from the left and he hit the ground with a thud.

“Christ,” Miller whispered.

Jason shook his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears. He glanced over and saw his father lying face down, white wings limp to the side, blood dripping from his hands. Jason’s blood froze and his guts twisted and wrenched.

Why wasn’t his father moving? He was Lucifer, the brightest star in the sky, the general who controlled an army of angels to rebel in Heaven. He was the most powerful angel that ever lived until he was cast out. He was the most powerful even then. Jason struggled to stand and managed only to crawl to his father. Though Luke lay a foot away, the exertion drained Jason of the rest of his strength.

Miller stooped down, helping to turn Luke over. His shallow breathing indicated a tenuous hold on life. Somehow the beautiful light that always surrounded Jason’s father had dulled.

Then Luke’s eyes fluttered open and Jason let out a relieved breath.

“Are you trying to silence me, Mike? Go ahead,” Luke rasped. “Kill me in front of my son. And when you fall, I will be waiting for you.”

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” Mike said, bending down next to them.

Jason felt a gentle hand on his arm. Blood dripped from his father’s wrists onto his clothes. He couldn’t imagine the effort his father had used to launch himself across the chapel’s grounds in time to block Mike’s energy ball with his body.

“When I was cast down, your mother saved me,” Luke whispered. “I fell in love with a human. As you have.”

“We can talk about this later.” Jason swallowed hard. “You’re hurt. Let Uncle Mike heal you.”

Luke gave him a wry smile. “I won’t die that easily.” He glared at Mike. “Only death speaks no words, eh?”

Mike pursed his lips and didn’t respond, only placing his hands over the gaping hole on Luke’s chest.

“I met her identical twin. She died before ever reaching maturation so I told a little lie. I told everyone your mother was the auspicious one to secure my rule. But your grandfather sanctioned it.” Luke smirked in contempt. “You might even say it was all part of his master plan.”

“Just stop talking,” Mike muttered, continuing to heal Luke.

Luke snickered even as he coughed up blood. “Why? Afraid Jason will know how unclean you truly are? Tell my son why I left.”

Mike sighed. “We’re going to talk about that old thing?”

“Why not?” Luke shot back. “Why would I, the brightest star in the sky, choose to leave my luxurious home?”

Jason had wondered that many times. He imagined most people who had heard the story of Lucifer had questioned the same. If Heaven were so great and Lucifer the most favored, why did he rebel? Was it truly because God favored the humans? They were nothing to his father and to most with power. So that couldn’t have been the reason.

“Luke didn’t like the way things were done up there,” Mike murmured.