Divinity: Transcendence: Book Two (The Divinity Saga) (43 page)

I
turned my head to the side with a slight wince and an inhale. It didn’t smell foul, dank or rotten in here. In fact, it smelled…fresh and clean. I took in another deep whiff of air, catching something tropically floral and sweet wafting back into my nose. My sensitive ears finally picked up on the sound of a softly, crackling fire. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking a few times to adjust my vision.

I wrinkled my brow, nearly flinching and jumping back
, until I realized what was lying beside my head on the pillow next to me. It was a single, gorgeous, fresh stargazer lily in full bloom.

I gasped and sat up quickly.

It was similar to the dying one that Lira said had been in my hair, when they retrieved me from the field. That was the only connection I could make. Someone had put the flower in my hair. Which meant, someone was there when I died. But Durien said we died alone, because humans weren’t allowed to see the elite seraphim coming to retrieve our bodies.

Well, whoever it had been then…had to be the same person…or being
who put this one here too.

I must be in
his or her bed. It was large and extremely comfortable, made of super soft fur. I ran my hand over it, glancing down…and freaked.

Both of my forearms w
ere covered with, long, silver-coated gloves, up to the elbows. There were dark, markings all over them, nothing like I had seen before. They interlocked between my fingers and I couldn’t understand how they had been put on in the first place. It looked impossible.

When I tried to wield the one
deific blade that I had managed to wield earlier, I couldn’t. I mean I could, but it was being blocked from unsheathing fully by the silver gloves. It wasn’t so much the why, that was obvious, but who had done this?

I felt panic co
ming on. More so, knowing that no one would be able to get to me or find me. I was as good as dead, just like that Devlin girl.

I wasn’t sure if I should move yet. I continued to investigate my surroundings, finding it all surprisingly
well decorated in a simplistic way that conveyed a Zen-style of relaxation and harmony.

I was
instantly reminded of white, stone, castle walls. This stone though, was smooth and bone colored, with tiny specks of glittering rocks embedded in it. There seemed to be an illumination to them, which cast a romantic, soft glow. The only opening for a window was set way up high in the ceiling above the bed. It was circular shaped and huge.

I could understand
its position and the reason. The bright sky would be a beautiful thing to see when one first woke up. It was night right now.

A lar
ge, rectangular fireplace was built into the far wall. A fire was currently crackling, softly in it. In front of it, was a long, wide, handcrafted, light brown chaise lounge chair made of fur too. A grand bookcase beside the fireplace housed countless numbers of books and music, from records, to CD’s, cassettes, and movie DVD’s. I didn’t see a television, music, or DVD player anywhere though. I was fascinated. The sizes, types and colors were all carefully arranged and organized. Contemporary artwork hung over the fireplace, spaced out perfectly from each other.

To the far right
, was an archway into another room that I really couldn’t see from here.

I thought
that synthetic stuff couldn’t exist here? Then again, that’s what I was told at the divine hall. Demons could do anything, they had the magic. Demons listened to music, read books and watched movies? Maybe I wasn’t in a demon lair. Maybe some rogue group…like those humans with the dark brandings had managed to rescue me from my fall. They were doing magic against us.

That thought chilled me. I didn’t want to be a prisoner of any being, let alone anyone working on the side of darkness.

I shifted to scoot off the bed. Something metallic rattled, sounding like chains. What the…

I hadn’t even noticed it bef
ore. I was too caught up in taking in my surroundings after the flower, and the gloves. My ankles were secured with chains that were inscribed with the same writing as the gloves. I think it was safe to assume that they were infused with magic too, so I wouldn’t be getting out of them easily if at all.

A flurry of p
essimistic thoughts and scenarios began to race through my mind.

I could suddenly hear voices
, floating in from somewhere now, but it was hard to make out the words.

I tried to pry and pull at the gloves, but it was no
use. They weren’t coming off. I came to the same conclusion, when I pulled and jerked at the chains around my ankles, which were bolted to the floor securely.

I sighed, pausing to look around and gauge my options. Even if I were to escape, I had no idea where I was. Would Lira be able to scout for me? I wondered if
she’d even know where to start. Was I reported as taken? Were the others even looking for me, or had they simply written me off as another loss already?

Why the hell had I
tried to save Jamie?

It was a natural instinct, one that I didn’t regret
, but hated that it had gotten me caught so easily and so soon.

After my internal tirade
of self-flagellation over being stupid enough to literally trade places with Jamie, instead of going into the portal like I should have, a sudden thought gave me a glimmer of hope.

Did I still have my portal gems? I frantically felt around the pockets of my crop
ped leather jacket. Excitement grew when I felt them, hearing the soft clicking inside of the pouch. Would I be able to break and use one here?

Another revela
tion dawned on me just then too. How in the world did I not think of it? I stared back down at the magical gloves that covered my brandings. I licked my lips and began thinking of all the things that had pissed me off since I’d been here, including being captured so easily.

The heat i
nside of my entire body began to intensify, warming my veins and skin like liquid fire. The heat was in my brain, waiting to disperse and set fire to all of my limbs, maybe even my entire body. Was that possible? I could sense it’s hesitance, waiting for me to direct its path.

This
was new.

I’d never been in control of that before. Wieldi
ng a single blade, and now this. I guess it was all finally falling into place now. In my mind’s eye; I pictured my arms, my hands, and fingertips. The soft eruption of flames was so bright, it lit up the entire room, instantly catching and dissolving the magical gloves into nothing.

A
drenaline begin to surge at the excitement of being able to get them off.

Now, the chains.

“Don’t. You’re not in any danger, Starling.”

I gasped, my eyes darting around the room frantically.

Whoever it was, knew my name.

I wielded my blade…
and this time they both unsheathed from my palms. My fire crawled up and along each blade, turning them into metallic torches of white flames.

I di
dn’t see who the voice belonged to right away, but I could feel and sense their presence. It was either a fallen or another spiritual type of being. The outline was clear enough for me to see. It moved in a steady, casual pace, several feet from the bed. Scoping me out.

Some
where in the back of my mind, the voice sounded familiar to me.

“Yo
u must be. Isn’t that why you chained me?” I answered the ethereal voice, looking at the outline of a figure…a tall figure.

There was no immediate answer.

“No. You’re free to go anytime. I just needed to see you again.” It answered.

See me again?

That answer gave me chills.

I hadn’t
fully begun any training or classes on Demonics yet. I did know that there were beings that could manipulate things to make you hear, see and believe anything they wanted to. Falling for the tricks of one would be easy for humans, but not for a divine warrior. Is that what temporarily happened to Jamie?

Suddenly, right before my eyes, the being materialized into solid form.
He was —gorgeous.

For a brief moment, I had forgotten all else and my mouth dropped slightly.

The flames on each of my blades began to die down and slowly peter out.

Dark haired a
nd dark eyed, he was tan, incredibly well- built, and tall. Right away, I noticed his dark reddish brandings, and that his arm was bandaged from the bicep down to his elbow, in a sling. He had to have been really injured.

He was t
he one that was fighting with the fallen who cornered Lira and me. The one that seemed familiar to me. My next immediate question paused on my lips, as I continued to stare him down from head to toe.

He wore no shirt, just low hanging, white cotton lounging pants. The firm ridges of muscle in his abdomen,
chest, and bulging biceps appeared perfectly chiseled from smooth stone. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his beauty. I should have been on my guard, and I was…in a sense but there was something about him.

He eyed the white flames with both cautious fear and fascination.

Then he smirked. “You’re drooling.” He said softly.

Though he meant it jok
ingly, he was tense.

I snapped my gaze away from his chest and torso,
instantly hardening my expression.

My f
ire had completely dissipated and winked out from both of my blades and my hands. I could see his relief, though he still appeared wary of me.

He should be.

“Who are you?” I asked him.

“The one who saved you from becoming that sea blobs next meal.” He quipped
with a slight grin.

Is that what happened? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to believe him. He didn’t seem like a demon or a fallen at all, but he clearly was.

“How do you know my name?”

“We all know your name. I told you mine before.” He then said.

Before? I’d remember this one if I’d seen him before…without a doubt.
I just awoke in the spirit realm the other night. For me, knowing the name of any fallen was impossible. He was messing with me. He had to be.

“Why were you fighting that other fallen?”
I then asked.

He gave a heart-stopping smirk, moving caref
ully to the chaise lounge chair where he sat, facing me. The posture he held wasn’t relaxed. He was definitely ready to move if I moved.

“They were all after you.” He answered
simply.

“I got that much. Why were you guys fighting
each other, instead of working together?” I then asked.

“We aren’t of the same ilk.” He flatly said.

Was he trying to tell me that there were different kinds of Fallen? Right.

I felt a little sorry for his injury, but I wasn’t sure if I should feel grateful fo
r his rescue, just yet.

“If I’
m free to go, why bother bringing me here in the first place?”

He got up, keeping his eyes on me
, while moving over to his bookshelf to retrieve something. Upon first glance, it looked like a glittery, pink book. Glittery pink? Odd for him to have something like that. I scooted to the edge of the bed, the chain rattling with my movements as I planted both of my feet firmly on the floor.

He gently laid it on the floor
and slid it over to me.

I didn’
t take my eyes off him at all, as I stopped the book with my own foot, without even looking at it. He gave another half smirk that made me melt.             

With my eyes only, I glanced down at the cover.

It was a photo album —with my name on it.

My brows furrowed curiously.

Is this how he knew my name?

“What’s this?” I asked him. Still not reaching down for it yet.

“It’s yours.” He nodded, returning to the chaise lounge chair to sit.

Mine? I didn’t recognize it. E
ven if it were mine, what would he be doing with it?

He watched me c
arefully.

I eyed him. “How w
ould this be mine?”

“Why don’t you open it and take a look.” He nodded
towards it.

I quickly
glanced over at the flower on the pillow beside me, and then my eyes returned to his.

“What’
s with the flower?”

“It’s you
r favorite, isn’t it?”

I paused.

“How would you know that?”

He
inhaled and raised a brow, nodding at the photo album again.

“Look in the album.” He
softly repeated.

“What for? You’
re saying its mine and even if it was, I wouldn’t know or recognize anyone in it. I want to know how you got it if it is mine.”