15. Rai

Chapter fifteen

Rai

A Fortune is Told

T he Owner led me past a curtain to an area of the shop that was more colorful than the rest of the place. He sat down on one side of the round table and then gestured for me to sit down.

"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather just pay for this potion and get going. I'm trying to save a little girl's life," I said.

His black eyes were freaky to me and the whole vibe of this place felt right and wrong at the same time.

"You'll have time to give that potion to the girl, but you won't be able to save her," he said.

I frowned, because that didn't make sense. "What are you talking about?"

Again, he motioned for me to take a seat. I huffed and decided to humor him, even though I didn't want to. I sat down. "Why won't I be able to save her?"

"Because you don't know why they wanted her, or if she's the only one they want," The Owner said.

"That's why I need to get back to her and finish my investigation after I get her somewhere safe," I stated.

"Demons who need the lives of children never stop until they get what they want."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that," I snapped, because I didn't appreciate him holding me up with information I already knew.

"And you won't be able to stop them as you are."

I sighed. "If this is about that demon out there, I already Called him," I said. I had broken down and done something I'd promised myself I'd never do. I had to accept my demonic Champion.

The Owner nodded and then reached for a deck of Tarot cards.

I frowned. "I don't really have time for any of this," I said. Did he understand that I was on a clock and the seconds were ticking?

"Oh, time you do have. And you'd be wise to spare me a bit more of yours," The Owner said.

I exhaled as I looked at him. He didn't seem like too much of a big deal, but even Azazel had bowed his head to him and showed him a level of reverence that seemed out of character for him. If he could get that from a Demon Knight of Azazel's grade, then perhaps I was being foolish right now. It was just that I wanted to save that poor child. I'd already been too late to save her family.

"To make it easier for you to come to a decision, I won't allow you to leave until you give me a bit of your time," The Owner said.

Considering we were in the middle of ‘nowhere and everywhere' as Azazel had put it, I decided to agree. "Fine. What do you want to do, read my fortune?"

The Owner smiled and nodded. "Exactly." He began to shuffle the cards and he did it so fast, I almost didn't see him mixing the cards. He then laid only one out for me, and sighed with a shake of his head. "The Hanged Man."

I looked down at the card of a man being hung upside down by one ankle and both hands behind his back. It didn't look good and I frowned. "What does that mean?"

The Owner tapped the card with a slender finger. "This is you, Rai Harrington."

Okay, how in the fuck did this dude know my damn name? "How did you—"

"An Owner must know what he knows about his customers to better serve them," he said in that cryptic manner of his.

I decided to keep it moving. This dude obviously wasn't human, but he wasn't a demon either. I sensed that much. "Can you explain that card to me?" I asked, since it was so important for him to read my fortune.

"Right now, you are in the reversed version of this card. You have allowed your ego, stubbornness, and inability to adapt to the unforeseen to hinder your growth and opportunity."

"Azazel?"

He nodded. "Your Champion, my dear Guardian is a part of you whether you want him to be or not. By refusing to trust him, to accept your feelings for him, you might as well cut off both of your arms. That is how defenseless you have left yourself."

I frowned. "My feelings?"

He nodded. "I sense they run deep, so deep, they have rooted themselves within your soul."

I scoffed. No way I felt that much for Azazel. I shook my head. "I disagree."

"You must trust him and in what you share."

"How can I ever trust a demon? Do you even know who he is?"

"Do you?" he shot back.

"He's one of the demon Knights of the Round Court in the Hades Empire," I said.

"He was one of them and has not been for quite some time."

"He's evil," I added.

"He is indifferent, but he is learning."

I huffed because I didn't like how this guy had an answer for everything. "He's been killing people for thousands of years. He's the reason why so many humans have slaughtered each other," I said, because I knew Azazel was the Demon of War.

The Owner nodded. "And that is what makes him such a valuable gift to you, Guardian. He isn't an Archangel, which means your Champion will give you access to powers no other Guardian will ever possess. You must reverse your fortune if you have any hope of saving that girl."

I lowered my head as I thought about what he said, then licked my lips. "How? How do I do that?"

"You must surrender completely. Let go of your bias, your hatred, your mistrust. But most of all, you must overcome your fear."

"I'm not afraid of Azazel," I protested.

The Owner shook his head. "Your fear of what will happen if you give him all of you and he gives you all of himself. Give in to him, Guardian Rai Harrington. Make that sacrifice to save yourself and him," The Owner said. "So much depends on you doing that."

I still didn't fully understand what he meant, but regarding Azazel, I knew that I needed him. I had that much perspective. I nodded. "I will try," I said.

"You must," The Owner urged.

I nodded again, then rose. "Can I go now?"

The Owner nodded, then pointed to the item I held. "Oh, and the price will be a few strands of your hair and your Champion's."

"Why? What are you going to do with it?"

He smiled. "I'm simply a collector of rare valuables."

"I don't like you taking my hair," I said.

He picked up the Hanged Man's card from the table and extended it to me. "Don't forget this."

I took the card and felt a sting from my scalp. I rubbed the sore spot and looked at him. He was grinning. "What the fuck? Did you just snatch some of my hair?"

"This concludes our transaction," he said, then rose and took off his hat and bowed like it was the Victorian period. I felt a rush of air and disorientation and then all of a sudden, both Azazel and I were standing in my living room in the middle of the doorway to the Magic Shop sigil that was on the floor. "That motherfucker," I snapped as I staggered a bit to the sofa to steady myself.

"He took some of our hair," Azazel said and he was standing tall, seemingly unaffected by the teleportation.

I sighed in annoyance but nodded. Once I had my senses in check, I looked down at the card in my hand and noticed that it was different. "What the hell?" I gasped with a frown.

"What?" Azazel looked at the card. "Is that me?"

The card had changed from what it was at the Magic Shop. Now, it was clearly Azazel holding an hourglass with the sands of time, and inside was the hanged man. Did it mean that Azazel had some control over me? Or was he waiting for me to break out of it? Hell, I hadn't a damn clue and The Owner wasn't here to explain this tricky shit.

"It's definitely you, not sure what it means, and I don't have time to worry about it," I said and tossed the card on the end table. I walked over to the girl and she was still breathing and looked to be in the same shape she was in before we left. I untwisted the cap to the potion and lifted her head a little so she could drink, and she did. With each swallow, she grew stronger and I saw the color come back into her dark brown skin and her veins were no longer black and protruding. The potion was working.

"We've only been gone less than two minutes in this realm," Azazel said. "Time is different there."

"That's good," I said, it explained why he said I had time for his little Tarot reading. I put the empty vial on the end table and watched the girl as she blinked her eyes. I knew I was going to have a lot of explaining to do.

"Ahhhh!" Her brown eyes shot open and zeroed in on me, then she screamed. She jolted into a sitting position, her chest heaved, arms flailing as she looked around frantically.

"It's okay! You're okay," I said over and over again as I grabbed her arms and tried to get her to calm down.

"Help," she screamed, tears flowed from her eyes and I could see the sheer terror in them. The last thing she must have remembered was the demons killing her family.

"It's okay, Veronica. We're here to help you," I said.

Still, she shook her head and cried. I turned to Azazel to see him standing there with an unreadable expression on his face. "Are you going to help me with her or not?" I snapped.

He rolled his eyes but walked over to her. "The demons who killed your family are dead. They can't hurt you, calm down, you foolish human."

"Oh, for fu—" I had to cut myself off because I didn't want to curse in front of the hysterical girl, but Azazel annoyed me to no end. He only shrugged when I tossed him a heated look. I sighed and returned my attention to Veronica and she was starting to breathe normally. She also stopped fighting me. It was as if Azazel's coldness was the only thing that could calm her down.

"See, you can talk to her now," Azazel said.

I rolled my eyes but took the opportunity. "Veronica, we're here to help you. But you must listen to us, because that's the only way I can protect you, okay?"

Her cheeks were soaked with tears and she huffed as she looked at me. "Who... who are... you?"

"My name is Rai and he is Azazel. We fight the forces of evil," I said and I heard Azazel snort and snicker behind me. I turned to him. "You're not helping."

He waved his hand. "I apologize. It's just... that line was so cheesy."

I sighed in exasperation "I don't have time for you." I turned back to Veronica. "I'm so sorry I didn't get to you before they could hurt you and your family."

When I said that, she began to cry all over again, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. "They're... gone... are they really gone?" she asked.

I nodded. "I'm so sorry."

"We need to know if those demons told you why they were there," Azazel said.

"Give her a minute to process all of this, all right?" I snapped at him.

"They are still looking for her, I'm sure. We need to get her someplace safe," Azazel said.

"They didn't say anything," Veronica said suddenly, cutting off the conversation Azazel and I were having.

"Perhaps it wasn't in English. What sounds did they make?" Azazel asked.

"I don't know!" Veronica yelled at him.

He cocked an eyebrow as if he was insulted that a mere human dared to raise her voice at him. "Just stash her someplace safe and let's hit the demon bars. I'm sure we'll get more information out of them than her."

He was probably right, but I didn't like how he was treating her. "If you want me to trust you, then prove to me that you have some humanity," I told him.

The annoyance in Azazel's expression faded then and he looked softer, sympathetic even. "I'm sorry," he said, and it was my time to be taken aback a little. He sounded genuine and it made me feel... something. Still, I had to get back to Veronica.

I nodded. "Let me talk to her, okay."

"All right." Azazel took a seat in a chair and watched us.

"Veronica, I know you've been through so much tonight. More than any kid should have to experience. But I need to know why they came after you. It wasn't a random attack," I said.

"So, demons are real?" she asked.

I nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. And it's my job to make sure they can't harm people. It's my job to take them out."

"Can you bring my parents back?" she asked. "Are you an angel?"

As far as I knew, there was no way to bring back her parents. I shook my head as I frowned. "I'm not an angel and there is no way to return a soul back to their body."

Guardians who were bonded with their Champion could bring someone back from the brink of death, but not actual death.

Veronica looked crushed, but there was nothing that could be done. "I'm so sorry, and I know you're going through a lot, but I really need to know of any little detail you could remember."

"They didn't say anything," Veronica said in her tender feminine tone.

"Any sounds that they made. It doesn't matter how obscure, it could help me," I said.

She frowned as if in deep concentration. "‘Vally'... they said that and I think ‘Cammy'?"

"Vali Cam'mal?" Came the voice of Azazel from behind me.

Veronica nodded. "I think so."

I turned to Azazel. "So, does that make any sense to you?"

Azazel nodded. "And you're not going to like it."

Fuck.

***

I'd given Veronica a blanket, some food, hot chocolate, and most importantly, a bit of time to gather herself. This was of course after I gave her my shoulder to cry on. She just needed to be comforted. After letting all of that emotion out, she was still upset over the loss of her parents and wanted to be alone. Now, I was sitting in the dining room with Azazel, waiting for him to elaborate. "So, what are we in for with these demons?"

Azazel sighed, one perfectly dark brow arching. Damn, why was he so fucking gorgeous? Every time I saw him, I thought back to the moment we first met... at that club. And I had wanted him to take me home that night. Sure, I'd been drunk at the time, and sixteen, but also highly turned on. Why did he have to be a demon?

"For millennia, demons have been trying to resurrect the Old One," Azazel said.

I frowned. "The Old One... Satan?"

Azazel nodded. "The one demon who can unite the three empires under one ruler."

"It took a Divine Weapon to be able to lock him away thousands of years ago," I said. I'd learned about the Great War during my studies.

Azazel leaned back, his lips pursing. Damn, his lips were sexy too. His gaze leveled on me and a wicked smirk appeared on his face. "You know... I can sense your desire for me, Rai. Always could."

My eyes widened and I coughed to clear my throat. "I don't have any desire for you, demon."

Azazel smirked. "Yes, you do. I thought Guardians were all supposed to be pure of heart and not tell foolish lies."

"That's your demonic arrogance talking, not your intuition. Getting back to the issue at hand. Tell me more about this plan to resurrect the Old One," I said. It was best I derailed his flirtation. I mean, yes, he was my wet dream walking and talking, but he was also unworthy. A filthy demon. No way I wanted him... I was sure... right?

Azazel shrugged. "Very well," he said. "There are Three Empresses of Hades, each one has four Knights that make up the Round Table—"

"Yeah, I know all of that already. Fast-forward to the shit I don't know," I said, cutting him off.

"Rude," he commented.

"Azazel."

He chuckled and leaned forward, licking his lip, and I could tell he was trying to seduce me. I felt the heat rise in my body and had to take a deep breath to fan out the flames. "You've spent months trying to keep me at bay. But I've kept my eyes on you, watching over you, because I knew you'd need me."

I rolled my eyes. "What? You want a cookie for being a stalker?"

Azazel scoffed with a sneer. "What is it with you righteous religious types? You think you're so much better than the next person because of whatever God you believe in."

"Because you're evil and you know God is real," I said, looking Azazel directly in his beautiful indigo eyes.

Azazel nodded. "Yes, God is real. But it is humans who have used God to harm each other. They know nothing of God, Heaven, or even of Hades. They even made God a male simply to elevate the male species over the female when God is no gender. All religion is distorted in order to suit the needs of men."

"Guardians do not go by the Bible or any religious doctrine. We know the truth because of our Champions," I said. My education inside of the Guild came directly from Angelic doctrine.

"And yet, you look down on me from your perch."

"You're a demon from Hell. Why shouldn't I see you as the immoral trash that you are?"

Azazel laughed. "Demons didn't create evil, humans did. Your rage is misguided and misdirected. And your angelic doctrine was bias."

I scoffed. "So, I'm to believe you're just victims of circumstance?"

"We just are. Understand, where humans are concerned, there is good and evil among them. Humans in their feeble attempts to put reason to the unknown created in their own minds a way to separate themselves from people they wanted to hate. So, even those who think they are good are in fact evil when they harm their fellow man in the name of their gods. I've witnessed their delusion for thousands of years."

I decided to remain silent and allowed Azazel to give me his point of view.

Azazel arched an eyebrow. "Oh, nothing to say?"

"I'm just giving you the chance to get that chip off your shoulder."

He snorted. "Fine. I'll continue, because I think you need another perspective." He rose from the table and walked over to my large floor-to-ceiling windows and looked down. "Humans are told through their religion that there will always be rich and the poor. How when all were created equal? When did humans stop being equal? The moment religion was introduced into the world, more blood flowed. Demons had nothing to do with that. It's humans who say 'if you don't believe in my God, you're wrong and blasphemous.' An infidel, heathen, a sinner. Sooo many insults given to each other to support your superiority complexes. And once you feel like you're better than those you hate, it extends out to misogyny, racism, bigotry, and everything that keeps humans oppressing each other." He turned to face me. "Every religious doctrine man has created in the name of God has created a set of rules that keep men in power."

"Their doctrine gives them hope and guidance," I pointed out.

Azazel smirked. "They don't need it. Not really. And do you want to know why?"

"Tell me."

"Because every human already knows what's right and wrong. It comes at a time in their growth when, even as children, they know what doesn't feel right and what feels good. It's innate and only when that sense is ignored, do they choose to be wicked. You don't need a book to know that killing or raping someone is wrong. You don't need a piece of parchment to tell you to treat your fellow humans with dignity and kindness. But every day, humans choose their paths, because they are flawed creatures."

Okay, I didn't like that he was making points I often asked while at the Guild.

"You know that I'm right," Azazel said.

"Say that you are... where do demons come in, then?" I asked. "Why do what you do?"

"Because there needs to be a balance. We don't force humans to do what they ultimately already want to do. Even the ones you think are good want to be bad." He cocked his head to the side and smiled at me. "Isn't that why you and your friend snuck out of the Guild that night? Why you both indulged in depravity? A Guardian-in-Training and a Guard—also in training."

I rolled my eyes. "We were just dumb teenagers."

"You are human and you made that choice. Unlike demons and angels, you don't have any set of rules your very souls are governed by. Understand, Rai. No demon has ever done more harm to humans than humans themselves. They always have to find ways to make war. All I ever did was inspire them to create the tools for them to act out their natural instincts, because that is what I was created to do. I played a very tiny part in humanity's existence and its inevitable downfall." He looked off to the side and shrugged. "Well, at least I did before the curse."

"You're right," I said. "I've felt the way you did, Azazel. Probably why I was looked down on at the Guild. My views weren't everyone else's. I once wrote a report titled: ‘The Greatest Victory the Rich Had Over the Poor.'"

Azazel smiled. "Was it getting the poor to believe that they, themselves were the problem?"

I chuckled softly and nodded. "I got an A, but also had to have a conference with the Headmaster."

"Having faith means you don't question. As a demon, I only followed my instincts, but now... I no longer have to. I've been able to see the world differently, but that also means I see the flaws on your side as well," Azazel said.

I nodded, because I did too. "Azazel, you still play a part, only now you're not the cause of humanity's downfall. You're its protector."

Azazel blinked in surprise.

"What? Shocked that I'm choosing to put my faith in you? Isn't that what you wanted?"

He nodded. "Yes, because I have only spoken the truth."

"I want you to prove to me that we were meant to be together, Guardian and Champion," I said.

"I've protected you, isn't that enough?" Azazel said.

"Is it enough?"

Azazel sighed. "Yes. So, what does it matter as long as you get what you want? I'm your faithful Champion."

I leaped up from my chair and shoved him against the wall, then came in closer, so close our chests pressed together. Our faces were inches apart, which excited Azazel. I could tell because the pretty color of his indigo eyes glowed ever so slightly. His cheeks flushed and I found it cute that a demon could blush. I had to brush aside my own desires to make my point, because it was important. I could only trust him if I could believe in him.

"I don't want you to protect just me. I want you to fight for me. I want you to fight with me, so I can protect the humans that you seem to have so much disdain for. And I want that to be your motivation!" I snapped, then pushed off Azazel, causing the demon to grunt.

Azazel exhaled, and I looked down to see his hard cock tenting his pants. I was right about him. Did my aggression turn him on? Interesting. I kind of liked that because I was an assertive person.

"So, where do you stand?" I asked him.

Azazel adjusted his clothing. "I've been waiting for you to take me as your Champion, but I see that you need to be able to put your life in my hands. You need that level of devotion from me, but I don't know if I can give that to you. I'm not the Archangel you should have gotten, but I do want you to accept me. For now, that is my only motivation, Rai. Take it or leave it."

I thought about what the Magic Shop Owner told me about my fate. Was this moving in the right direction? I didn't know. But at least now we were willing to work together. I nodded. "Fine. So, demons are trying to bring back Satan, aka Lucifer, aka A Huge Pain In The Ass. How do we stop them?" I asked, getting back to the problem at hand.

He shrugged. "Not sure. First, we need to find out what their plan is. All she was able to tell us was the fact they are looking for Vali Cam'mal—The Old One."

"And was that innocent kid the Chosen One?" I asked.

"I don't think so, that is why she was poisoned by the demon blood. Whoever it is, the child will be one with a demonic link so their blood can open the door. That is what the key is for," Azazel said.

"Fuck," I hissed.

"Do other members of the Celestial Guild curse as much as you do?"

I tossed him a look. "Please don't tell me you're sensitive?"

He shook his head. "On the contrary, I find it very sexy. A breath of fresh air, if you will."

I huffed. "So, if you don't think she's the Chosen One, how do we find the kid who is?"

He smirked. "You're just no fun."

"I'm all business,' I said.

"I see. Anyway, I'm not sure if I'll be able to tell or not. We've never once come across a human who had that aspect. To be honest, it's a bit of a myth among demons because no such human has ever existed."

"So, what's changed? Why are they searching so earnestly now?" I asked.

"Not sure. I've been exiled for over a century."

I sighed. "So that means we need to find a demon higher in rank to get information out of."

"Won't be easy. Most powerful ones don't frequent this plane unless it's necessary," Azazel said.

"Well, we will need to start somewhere."

"Excuse me?" came a soft voice from the living room. Both Azazel and I turned to see Veronica staring at us.

"Yes?" I asked.

"What is going to happen to me?" she asked.

I looked at Azazel. "Can you give her a better memory or erase the trauma in some way?"

"No," he said.

"Demons can't do that?" I asked.

"Some can. I have no such ability. Not that I ever needed it," Azazel stated with a shrug. "You're a Guardian, can't you? I've witnessed a Guardian easing the mind of a human before."

I shook my head. "I wasn't bonded to an Archangel, they have the power of the Whisper . It can make a human forget what happened or take away their fear. Unfortunately, I was bonded to you."

He smirked. "You should be more grateful."

I sighed and rolled my eyes then walked over to Veronica. "We're going to get you someplace safe."

"Where's that?" Azazel asked.

I had to think about it. The safest place I knew was my Guild. If demons still wanted this girl dead, then that was the best place for her. "To the Celestial Guild."

"What's that?" she asked.

"The safest place for you. No demons will be able to get you there," I said. Also, I was sure Darius could put her mind at rest.

"We should teleport there," Azazel suggested.

"I don't think..." I paused because it was the better option. Trying to fly there under these dangerous circumstances would not only put us in jeopardy, but everyone at the airport or on the plane if she was still on the demon's radar. I nodded. "You're right. But I can't do that."

Azazel smirked. "How fortunate for you that you have me."

I snarled at him, I couldn't help it. He was just so pompous.

"Are you a good demon?" Veronica asked Azazel.

He looked at her and I gave him a warning glare. The girl had been through hell tonight and she didn't need any bullshit from him.

He knelt down in front of her and gently covered her hand with his. "Yes, I am." He looked at me. "You see, Rai is a warrior for God. He was born with special powers that he uses to protect people like you. And I was bonded to him to help."

Well, I hadn't expected him to say that and it seemed to work wonders for Veronica's mental state. I saw the muscles in her shoulders relax as she exhaled.

"But why were you two fighting before?" she asked.

Azazel smiled. "Because we're both stubborn. But that's not anything you need to worry about. We need to get you to a safe location, okay? Can you trust us?"

"It won't hurt?" she asked.

I allowed Azazel to do this part, because he was the one who'd be teleporting us.

He shook his head. "It will tickle. You might feel a little queasy after we get there, like riding a rollercoaster, but it will pass. All right?"

"I don't want to be sick," she said.

"Only for a little while. Just keep breathing and swallowing," Azazel assured. "Come."

"You know where it's at?" I asked him.

"I'll get us as close as I can. You'll have to take her the rest of the way," Azazel said.

If he was going to take us as close as he could, that meant we'd be safe going the rest of the way on our own as no demon could follow us. "Let's go."