The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)

MY PAWS BEAT AGAINST THE FOREST FLOOR AS I ZIPPED BETWEEN THE LARGE BUSHES AND SHRUBS OUTLINING THE LOWER PART OF THE MOUNTAIN SIDE. The sleek shape of the panther I’d donned allowed me to slip easily through the dense forest. The animal’s smooth black fur blended perfectly into the shadows beneath the trees.

We had made it to Ophanium hours ago, but Kaden was nowhere in sight. A large tomb-like monument was found in that remote area of the forest, and Alistair, Tobias, and I were sent ahead to scout the area before he arrived. It was concerning that it wasn’t on any local maps and the residents that lived closest to it seemed to not know of its existence at all. Alistair had pulled the information from Peter’s mind, the Celestial under his control. Peter had heard talk of moving relics closer to the City of Arariel. They were planning to clear Ophanium in the next few days, so we had gotten here first.

A sharp roar cut through the trees, causing birds to take flight. My ears tipped forward and I cut to my left, running toward the sound. I raced up an incline, passing a small ravine to my left as the trees began to thin.

I slowed as I caught Tobias’s scent. He sat on his haunches, his ears alert and listening, his tail twitching at the end. He didn’t turn as I stopped next to him. His red eyes stayed focused ahead on the overgrown dirt road that wound toward the top of the hill. Twigs snapped behind us as Alistair approached.

‘One last pass,’ Alistair said, his telepathic voice clear in my mind. Tobias lowered his head once in a nod.

‘Why? It’s abandoned. The road hasn’t been used in ages. It’s an old tomb. Let’s just go,’ I thought to both of them.

‘Why can’t you just do what you’re fucking told?’ Tobias’s voice echoed between us.

‘Because I don’t have to listen to you. Last I checked, I was second in command.’

That pissed him off and if he could have killed me on the spot, I swear he would have.

‘Now, now, ladies, you’re both pretty.’ I could feel Alistair’s sarcasm and slight irritation even through his mental voice. ‘One last pass, and then we call Kaden. Those were his orders.’

The last part was directed towards me. ‘Fine.’

They didn’t say another word as they turned and headed back into the thick overgrowth. Tobias went left and Alistair right. I heard the soft thud of their paws as they took off, venturing deeper into the forest. I started to follow, but stopped when I felt a tingle run down my spine as if something large had flown overhead. My ears laid flat as I looked toward the sky, but I saw nothing. I glanced at the ruins and then back to where Alistair and Tobias had disappeared.

If I’d felt a celestial here, we needed to get to whatever they were coming for first. It wasn’t like we couldn’t take them, but we didn’t need a member of The Hand showing up. I didn’t want to wait to confront them. It would only give whoever I’d felt arrive more time to find what they’d came for. Decision made, I headed toward the ruins, trotting along the dirt road and over the hill.

The mountainside was desolate. Ruins of a once established village were all that was left here now. Several homes were caved in with green vines draped over every square inch. Nature itself had reclaimed this place. I hopped from the top of one ruined building to another, the bright crescent moon and stars my only light. I looked around, but didn’t see a temple or monument anywhere, just more of this broken, once vibrant, town. Maybe Kaden was wrong? Maybe Alistair finally made a mistake. But if that was the case, what was that energy I felt earlier? I swore it had to be one of them, and yet I saw no one and felt nothing.

I jumped down from my high perch. Dust rose around my paws, but my landing was silent. I had taken a few steps back toward the road when the fur along my back stood on end as if someone was right behind me. I whipped around, baring teeth and claws, expecting a fight, but only crushed buildings greeted me. My tail swished from side to side in agitation. I knew I’d felt something. I took another step, turning to head back, when my hackles raised once more. What the fuck? There wasn’t anything around me. I checked and triple checked and that’s when I stopped. There wasn’t anything around me, but what was beneath me?

I studied the ground beneath my paws. I walked forward, once more heading for the road. The tingle along my spine eased, my hackles resting. I turned toward an abandoned building on my left, the feeling still fading. I probably looked insane to anyone watching me walk in circles around an abandoned city, but I knew I felt something.

I almost gave up, but on my last pass by the same building it hit me again. I spun toward the pull of the sensation and the static along my fur seemed to increase. My eyes locked on the ground, I sped up, paws beating against the dirt until. My head hit solid concrete as I collided with the side of a rundown building. I hissed and sat back on my haunches, shaking my head.

Black smoke curled around my feet and soon engulfed my entire being. A breeze played over my skin, dispersing the dark mist as I changed back to myself. The black jeans and red crisscross tank I wore still looked as clean as when I’d put them on, a perk of Kaden’s blood. The magic we used to change only altered our outer appearance. It meant we didn’t have to deal with nudity when we changed back, which helped when we were in public and trying to blend in. I needed all my clothes, please and thank you. My hair was tied back into twin thick long braids, making it easier to keep it out of my face during a fight. And a fight was what I was expecting. I needed all my clothes please and thank you.

My heels crunched against the rocky sand as I stepped inside the ruins of the stone building. It didn’t look like a temple at all, but it was the source of the energy. Dust swirled in the air at my intrusion as I took a look around. The moonlight shone through the missing parts of the house, highlighting the neglect. A half -broken table sat in the middle of the room. The remains of other pieces of furniture took up more space to the right, waiting for the forest to reclaim it.

The hum pulled at me as I walked further into the house. My skin prickled like static electricity danced across it. My heels echoed in the stone space as I continued to search. The place looked like every single one here, destroyed and abandoned. What was I missing? I checked what should have been a bedroom and a kitchen area then returned to the main living room. I placed my hands on my hips as I sighed and tapped my foot against the floor. That was when I heard the hollow echo back and realized there was a sub-level

I crouched, my hands roaming across the stone floor. Every few steps, I would press hard, looking for a weak spot. I’d practically crawled to the broken table in the middle of the room when a stone finally gave way. I jumped to my feet as a sharp hiss filled the air and several stone carved bricks slid back one by one. The table split, the narrow space beneath it opening. I stepped forward and peeked down to see a gaping black abyss staring back.

‘Talk about creepy,’ I said to the empty room as I peered down. Well, I had been through worse, this was nothing. I shrugged and jumped into the darkness.

I fell for a few seconds before my feet hit solid ground. I landed in another crouch, my knees taking the impact. Dust tickled my nose, telling me the floor beneath me was the same gritty sand as above. I flicked my hand out and summoned a small ball of fire into my palm that now danced there. The walls around me glowed, my embers casting shadows as it danced against my skin. My own personal torch revealed a wall at my back, so forward it was.

The cavern style walkway had no painting or engravings along the walls. I made sure to check as I passed. I was careful to watch for any more trap doors or booby traps but nothing other than darkness laid in front of me. The hallway opened into what resembled an old and deserted library. Tapestries eaten away by time hung on the walls, the red and gold so worn it looked as if one touch would make them dissolve. I squinted as I made out what appeared to be a three headed lion in the center of one, recognizing it as a mark of the celestials.

Broken candle sticks lay upon the massive, worn table in the center of the room, and an assortment of shelves hung precariously on the walls. A tattered tapestry bearing the three-headed lion beast hung from the high ceiling. It danced and bellowed as if a draft spun through the room, but the air felt still.

Statues, half formed and decayed, lined the back wall. I moved closer, raising my hand and growing the small flame in my palm, increasing its light. The stone figures stood in different poses, holding what looked like broken swords, spears, and bows. Their faces were chipped and half of their features missing, but I knew who they were. These were the Old Gods.

Fuck. Alistair’s sources were right. Peter hadn’t been lying. This was one of their temples and an old one at that.

‘An ancient buried library. Good for you, Peter,’ I whispered to the empty room. No wonder Kaden wanted us here. If that book did exist where else would you hide it? I felt my stomach roll. Could it actually be real?

I shook my head, turning away as I glanced around the room. ‘Bookshelves, yes. If I were an ancient book that could open realms, I would probably live there.’ I was talking to myself to calm my nerves. The sensation of being watched was overpowering. I walked between the decaying bookcases. Some still stood while others were broken in half, nothing but heaps of wood. I ran my finger through a layer of dust before wiping my hands on my pants. Other than the grime, the shelves were mostly empty.

The silence was a heavy weight as I stepped around the corner and spotted what looked like some old weathered scrolls. The crunch of debris beneath my shoes was the only sound in the room as I drew closer. I reached forward, picking up a scroll. The rough texture was abrasive against my hands, the material made from something not of this world.

As I read through the ancient texts, one by one, I noticed that most of these dated back hundreds of years or further. They spoke of mortals and how they interacted, their languages and the places of the world. I didn’t see anything of importance, but I would take them anyway. Kaden wanted anything that belonged to the Celestials. I started gathering what I could and placing them on the rustic center table in the room. I figured I would collect as much as I could and carry it out. Alistair and Tobias would be here soon anyway. They would come looking for me once they figured out I hadn’t followed.

I paused, feeling the air in the room shift. Maybe they were here already. I spun toward the door, expecting to see them glaring at me, but the oval carved doorway was empty. I shook my head and turned back toward the table, stopping once more. I kept getting the feeling I was being watched, and yet, I saw no one. Nothing moved, no footsteps were heard and I was completely alone. I shrugged it off and walked back to the shelves, searching for anything else that might interest Kaden. Some of the texts I found were so old and fragile they crumbled to dust in my hands. The shelves of the last bookcase were bare and still there was no book. It was another dead end which meant another useless mission.

I extinguished the flame from my hand and closed my eyes, pressing my forehead to the ancient wood of the bookcase with a sigh. I was so over this. So—

Goosebumps slid up my arms as a chill danced along my spine. I opened my eyes, raising my head slowly. Vibrant blue light filled the room, casting eerie shadows in the corners. The darkened silhouette of a man stared back at me, lines of the same color glowing beneath his eyes.

Not a man, was the only thought I had before a silver blade cut through the shelf in front of me, splitting it in half like it wasn’t as thick as a tree itself. The wood sizzled and popped as if the blade was made from some burning material. I jumped back to avoid being split in two and landed on my ass. I scurried backward on my hands, moving away from the glowing blue creature.

My eyes adjusted, and I saw what appeared to be an outline of a man, but he was something more. Blue lights ran along the exposed skin of his hands, arms, and neck in a glowing tribal style. He twirled his silver blade as he approached.

‘What are you?’ He sneered. ‘No creature alive should have the power to wield flame.’

So, I wasn’t insane. He had been here the whole time, waiting and watching me. How? How had I not seen him?

‘Oh, you liked that? Want to see something cooler?’

I didn’t hesitate as I sat up, throwing my arms forward and releasing twin flames that tunneled toward whatever the fuck he was. His eyes widened for a split second before he ducked to the side. My fire set the shelves ablaze, the flames crawling up the walls, eating everything in their path. The tapestry that hung from the ceiling bearing the crest of the Celestials burned, pieces of it falling all around us.

I jumped to my feet, watching as the blue creature rose from the floor. In the firelight his skin was a light ivory complexion. He looked human, but not. His body glowed with a peculiar light, his beauty capturing all who looked upon him. His hair was jet black and tied back in a long ponytail that swayed behind him. The sides were cut in a few zig-zag patterns with several silver earrings lining both ears. He was gorgeous in a wanted me dead kind of way. He stood a foot taller than me but it wasn’t his height that I found intimidating. It was whatever he was and that blade he twirled in his hands. Those made my skin crawl.

We sized one another up, slowly circling one another, not once breaking eye contact. Any move he made, I copied, keeping myself a safe distance from him and that silver blade. His face held no rage or anger, his emotions controlled. He was a born fighter. He assessed me, looking for weapons, not knowing I was the weapon. What caught my eyes first were the silver rings decorating his right hand.

My gaze caught on the silver rings decorating his right hand. Déjà vu struck as I remembered the woman who smiled and waved at me and Gabby in the club. She’d had the same silver rings, and I’d seen those same bands on the hot stranger at the bar. Family heirlooms he’d said.

‘What are you?’ I practically hissed, repeating the same question he had asked me.

A smile crept along his lips making the lights beneath his skin pulse for a second. ‘I am a Guardian of the Etherworld and the Netherworld. The Hand of Samkiel.’

I froze. It was only for a second but long enough for him to notice.

The Hand.

Fuck. I had hoped to never come face-to-face with one, and yet, here stood one. Double fuck. Two of The Hand had been near me, near my sister, and I had been none the wiser. Their presence meant that this book was probably real and Kaden was closer to finding it than he knew. So close, in fact, that we had kicked a hornet’s nest and were now on The Hands radar.

‘Your eyes.’ He twisted that blade once more. ‘I know what you are now. Beasts of legend whose eyes drip as red as the blood they consume. Only one breed of creature could wield that much strength and harness that much dark power. The Ig’Morruthen.’

He was standing a few feet away from me, and then I blinked. When my lashes lifted he was in front of me, his blade crashing down. I threw myself to the floor, rolling beneath his strike. I hopped to my feet but he was already there. Fuck he was fast. I swung my fist outward but he sidestepped, swinging that blade at my head. I bent back and twisted away from him as he swung the blade once more, the tip scraping across my side. I hissed and grabbed at the burning wound. Blood pooled in my hands as I looked down at the perfect slash in my top.

‘This is one of my favorite shirts.’

He looked at me like I was crazy, and for a split second he was distracted. I jumped, propelling both of my feet into his chest and sending him crashing into more shelves.

I landed on my back, but quickly placing my hands on either side of my head, flipped to my feet. If he thought a little bit of pain would slow me down he was sorely mistaken. He recovered quickly, jumping from the rubble he launched himself at me. I heard him cut through the air, debris and papers flying in his wake. He was headed straight for me, and I shot my fist out, preparing for a counterattack. I expected it to hit, my fist to sting for a moment as it connected with bone, but all I got was air and suddenly he was behind me.

What the fuck.

I dove forward, rolling into a ball as I came to a stop. I felt the swing of the blade and knew if I had hesitated even a moment longer, he would have chopped my head off. He advanced on me again, faster this time, driving his blade down toward me. I rolled to the side, the steel burying itself in stone rather than my body. Adrenaline coursed through me and I took my chance, jumping to my feet and bringing my knee up to smash against his face. I felt and heard the crunch as he flipped backwards, his blade still stuck in the floor. He straightened and wiped blood the same color as the light pattern that shone upon his skin from his nose.

‘You’re a fast creature,’ he said, shaking the blood from his fingers, ‘but I am faster.’

‘Yeah, I’m learning!’ I shouted back, the fire from my first attack crackling behind us.

‘How do you exist?’ His words were as swift as the blade he sliced toward me. ‘You and your species were extinguished when Rashearim fell.’

I dodged two more of those powerful swipes. He didn’t make contact, but the blade made my skin tingle just being near it. ‘I could ask you the same thing.’

He lunged forward as I jumped over the large table in the center of the room. I landed on the floor and spun. I kicked the table, sending the massive structure toward him.

The lights upon his flesh seemed to dance as he turned and cut through the table with ease, The two halves clattered to the floor, a new cloud of dust rising into the air.

‘How many more of you have survived all this time?’

If I focused, I could predict his moves. Every time he came at me it was a fake out. He wanted to play this game, pulling information from me until he had what he wanted. I wouldn’t fall for it, and I needed to remain focused. I had already taken note of his tell. The tip of his foot would shift and yet he would take that chance to move in the opposite direction.

‘You know I heard stories about The Hand!’ I shouted from behind one of the fallen shelves. If he wanted information so did I. ‘Fabled warriors hand selected by some douchebag god. All special in their own way, all powerful, and yet only a few survived The Gods War.’ I laughed loud enough for him to know it was an insult. ‘Some warriors.’

The shelf behind me crumbled as two arms shot out, grabbing me around the waist and yanking me backward with enough force to send me sailing across the room.

‘You know nothing of us, creature. None of The Hand fell. We are still as many as the day Samkiel chose us. And once he learns of your existence, he will come back.’

‘Come back?’ I pushed up on my arms as the words he spoke blasted through my subconscious. He meant the God Samkiel? ‘You’re lying. All the Old Gods are dead.’

‘Is that what you believe?’

He lunged again at blurring speed, but this time I was prepared. I waited, counting the seconds it usually took for him to disappear and reappear before rolling away at the last second.

I heard a thud as he drove that blade into the space I had been. My foot lashed out, catching him in his gut hard enough to send him flying. I wasted no time in hopping to my feet and grabbing the hilt of the silver sword. I yanked, pulling it from the floor in one fluid motion. The blade hummed beneath my hand, a sharp searing pain eating at my palm. I ignored the sensation and twirled it in my hand, testing its weight and balance. It held no runes or markings. It was basic and yet not, the edge razor sharp and the blade slightly curved at the tip. I had never seen a metal like this. It looked silver and yet a shine danced across the entire blade as if it were crafted from stars.

Movement had me looking toward the fallen debris. I pointed the weapon at my newest friend. ‘You know, you’re starting to get predictable.’

He rose from the pile of broken wood, paper, and stones, wiping the dust off as if it were nothing. He stopped and looked at me, my hand on his weapon, and back. If shock could take up those dangerous features of his, they would.

‘You know, you won’t be able to hold that for long. It will burn you from the inside out.’

‘Hmm. Good to know.’ I shrugged, frowning slightly. ‘But I think I can hold it long enough to cut your head off.’

He didn’t charge me, only tilted his head slightly, a small smirk forming. ‘In the face of absolute death you make crass sarcastic assumptions? Cameron would have liked you.’

‘I don’t know who that is.’ I shrugged, twirling the blade as I saw he had.

He flexed his right hand and one of his silver rings lit up for a second. Then he held another sword, a near replica to the one I had.

‘Oh come on,’ I said which only made him smile.

He advanced and steel on steel rang out in the ancient library. I wasn’t by any means an expert swordsman. I rarely used them, just trained with the basic wooden staff here or there. This? This was not my style and he knew it. I ducked a swing of his blade and raised back up, driving my own upward. He blocked, and I aimed for his chest, head, anything I could hit, but he was too quick, too fast, too skilled. For everyone I missed, he connected. I had cuts along my arms, legs, and a fresh one across my cheek. My hand burned where I held the hilt so I tossed it to the side. It was no use to me, and was only causing me more pain.

His foot caught my midsection, sending me sailing across the room.

I pushed to one knee, the other foot flat on the ground, preparing to rise.

‘I give you credit. You’ve lasted longer than I thought you would. Especially unskilled with a weapon like that. It would be impressive if it weren’t for what you are.’

I wiped the blood that dripped from my cheek. ‘Are all of you massive dicks?’

He chuckled, the sound making him seem human if not for his glowing weird tattoos. I needed this over and now. An idea formed in my head. I stood and took a step forward, faking a slip as if I was getting too tired to even stand. My knees hit the floor as I dropped to my hands.

‘I can’t fight anymore. I can’t fight you. You’re too strong.’

He walked closer, tossing the blade from one hand to the other. He was all arrogance and ego.

Perfect.

He stopped in front of me, raising the blade, the tip of it touching my chin and forcing me to lift my head. He was ready to end me, and all I did was meet his gaze.

‘You put up a good fight. It’s been a while since I have had a worthy opponent.’

‘Please,’ I begged, looking up through my eyelashes. I forced fresh tears to my eyes and lowered my head. I needed him to get closer. ‘Just make it quick.’

‘I am not going to kill you. Samkiel and The Council of Hadramiel will place their final judgement.’ The tips of his shoes took up my vision. I raised my head slowly, a brief, wicked smile curving my lips.

He’d fallen into my trap. Before he realized what was happening, my body dissipated and reformed behind him. He didn’t have time to react as my foot connected to the back of his knees, forcing him down. I reached forward and grabbed him under his chin, my other hand at the back of his head.

I leaned next to his ear and hissed, ‘Simple men, even supernatural ones, are always falling for the damsel in distress act.’

I forced his head forward and twisted quick and hard. The sounds of bones breaking rang out in the empty library.

His body sagged, his head turned at an ungodly angle as he dropped to the ground with a thud. I stepped over him and toward the stack of books on the table. I needed to grab them and get out. If there was one, there was bound to be another, and Alistair, Tobias, nor Kaden had shown up. I grabbed what I could and moved toward the door.

‘That was a mistake,’ he said from behind me and I stopped. I heard the bones in his neck snap back in place.

‘What’s it take to kill you?’ I snapped, turning back toward him and dropping the piles of papers and scrolls.

‘More than that.’ He didn’t waste a second as he launched forward, swinging the sword at me once more. I caught the blade with my free hand. I was done playing games. His eyes widened as he tried to yank it from me and failed. Talons grew replacing my nails as I gripped it harder. My skin burned beneath the strange metal but I was done with this dance of ours.

‘Okay, I’ll try harder then.’

He yanked on the sword, but I held tight. The blade cut into my hand, but I ignored the pain and squeezed it with everything I had. The blade snapped in half, shards falling to the floor as a thunderous sound rang throughout the room.

I smirked and it was his turn to stumble back. ‘Oops. I broke your toy.’

‘Impossible,’ he whispered.

I flexed my hand, the cut on my palm healing slowly. Too slowly.

‘Not really.’ My head tilted to the side. ‘Apply the right pressure and anything can break. Even you.’

It was my turn to take the offensive, and I sailed toward him. Shadows and steel danced between us for what felt like hours but was actually mere minutes. We ended up where we’d started, circling each other. We were both panting and bleeding in some way or another. Neither of us was letting our guard down, and it didn’t matter how much I hurt him, he still fought. He was a true warrior.

‘Looking a little worn out there, champ. Stamina giving out?’

He sneered, rotating his new blade once more.

‘Don’t be so cocky. I fought creatures far bigger and far worse than you.’

‘Oh yeah? Were you bleeding this bad too?’ I grinned as I pointed toward his right leg. ‘What about the limp?’

He had the audacity to smirk as if I’d told a joke. He stopped and the glow beneath his skin brightened as he closed his eyes, breathed, and then opened them. I watched as the bone in his leg popped back into place with a single snap. He opened his eyes shaking his head at me ‘You really don’t know who you are dealing with do—’

His words cut off as a clawed hand burst through his center of him. He screamed and reached for his chest, the blue tattoos on his skin flickering.

‘I do,’ Kaden’s voice, deeper and animalistic, whispered from behind him.