Page 14 of Blood and War
“You’re human.”
The council had neglected to tell them that little piece of information.The Horsemen had been dispatched for a fucking human. Out of everyone that could have easily eliminated her, they’d chosen him. His siblings. He couldn’t decide if he should be angry or insulted.
“What else would I be?” Like a caged animal, she growled at him. “Let me go.” With wild eyes, she shoved at him in a desperate attempt to free herself. Her hands balling into fists as she hit him across his armored chest. He dropped his dagger and nudged it out of the way when she tried to claw at him like a creature fighting for its life. She was, in a way. Grabbing her small hands in one of his own, he held them above her head. He didn’t pity the human.
“Not an option.”Idiot. “We were sent to restore the balance that you so graciously destroyed.” Her body stilled for a moment as another wave of confusion crossed her face before hardening into stone once more. “Do you have any idea the beings you’ve killed?”
“Monsters. I’ve killed monsters like you to protect my home.” The girl hit him and his laughter erupted, echoing into the night. It only made her madder. He recognized the look on her face.The fire that burned beneath her stare. He’d worn it many times himself, even.
“I’ll spare you the trouble of overworking that little human brain of yours.” Slowly, he removed his elbow from her throat. She wasn’t a threat. Her strength had been nothing compared to his own, and he didn’t sense any growing power within the girl. “You have single handedly pissed off the entire High Council of Eden.” He couldn’t help but smile at how her features faltered, and continued on. “You’ve killed Demon Lords and Archangels, and the council seem to think you’re here to exterminate both.”
“If I could, I would.” Demitria snapped. “I’d kill you all in a heartbeat to save my family.” Despite being completely incapacitated, the human still had fire. He’d give her that.
“We were sent to restore the balance on Earth, and one side cannot continue without the other. You see where I’m getting at?”
Twenty yards away her horse whinnied loudly as he tried to get closer, dust kicking up at his heels.Obedient. His own mount blocked the beast at every turn he’d made. Upon his quick glance, Kellan spied the silver scars lining the sides of the creature. The horse wasn’t of this world, that much he knew.
Interesting.
“Get off!” His side burned for a moment as she embedded the dagger, breaking free from his grasp.
She’d stabbed him. The human had actually stabbed him. The blade pulled easily from his side and he stared at it for a moment, watching the crimson liquid bead to the dirt at his feet. He hardly felt the open wound, only the initial stab as it pierced through his skin, and it was nothing more than a nuisance now. He stared at the dagger again. Small, but exquisite. If he hadn’t been a Horsemen, the blow would have been deadly.
Demitria ran, sprinting into the darkness. He knew the girl had no idea where she was going as she blindly took off, but heexpected her to do anything to get away from him. He gave her a few moments before beginning his pursuit.
He enjoyed the chase.
The woman sprinted toward her horse as she pulled the dark cloak over her head, trying desperately to blend in.
“I can still see you.” He taunted, chuckling as her speed increased.
The air changed when he was nearly upon her, chilling, as a spark surged through him. Something was approaching from behind, far faster than he would have liked. He could sense it was something not human. Now he was irritated.
He let the girl go. Watched as she mounted the horse and made to leave, then watched as she turned back toward him and stopped.
“Quite the surprise to see you here, War.” The angel’s voice held a sinister tone as he touched ground before the Horseman. White wings stretched wide from the males back as strong gusts of wind blew toward him with each powerful beat of the angel’s wings. Those familiar golden eyes of the male’s kind pinning him with a smile.
Noel.
Now he was both insultedandangry.
He was a revered Horseman on Eden. Had done the high councils bidding for a millennia doing their dirty work, yet here he stood. War, Horseman of the fucking Apocalypse, and they sent a god damn Archangel.
They were a different race, the angel and him. The Nephilim had been part human once, but that was long ago. Before his time. Neither human nor angel, their blood now ran pure.
It was rare for the angels and Nephilim to intermingle. While him and his siblings were the warriors of Eden, most of his kind lived along its western coastline in a forested village, Daire. It was the council who sought them out. Created out of malice andforever paying the price for the choices their ancestors made, they didn’t get a choice if chosen. The high council saw to that, threatening families if they didn’t comply. From a young age they were brought up as fighters, training most of their days.
He was really, truly angry. Noel was here for the girl. Had to be.
Pulling the sword from its sheath, he blocked the path between them. Readying the blade. He and his siblings were the ones dispatched. She’d be his kill, and no one else’s. Not even his siblings would be the ones to end her, now. Had marked vowed to be the one to kill her the moment she’d drawn his own blood.
“Noel.” His voice was hard, angry, as he spoke, which only made the angel smile. “What do you want?”
“Give me the girl, and there won’t be any problems.” The Angel moved closer, weapons drawn. “Hand her over, Kellan.”
“Why are you here.” Kellan asked, his hand at the ready as he gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. Clenching his fingers around it.
“I could ask you the same thing, Horseman.”
