His Soul To Keep (Dark Knights of Heaven Book 1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: TW Knight
snorted his disgust. Realizing they needed help, members of the Hierarchy convinced God to use the imprisoned angels, send them back to Earth to fight the war."
Cassidy raised her hand. "Uh, who is the Hierarchy?"
"The Hierarchy consists of the first children of God. They are born solely of the Heaven dimension. They became known as the Arch Angels and are the most powerful. Lucifer was once a leader amongst their ranks. My brothers and sisters are lesser angels created after humans became more than animals."
"Wait. If you guys are weaker and the new angels are weaker, then why didn’t this Hierarchy fly in and take care of business?"
Rail's sharp laugh made Cassidy jump.
"Let me guess," she offered, "these big-high-mucky-muck angels realized they were in deep shit, didn’t want to risk themselves or the other angels, and decided you were expendable?"
"Pretty much." Pride flooded Rail. Cassidy had a quick wit and a quick mind. And she was his. "But the imprisoned said, ‘No, not after what you did to us and the people we loved.’ They were willing to stay imprisoned forever, even if it meant turning their backs on the humans. Who could blame them?"
"Understandable." She nodded solemnly. "I’d tell them to fuck off too."
"The Hierarchy took offence, as did God—who wanted the humans to be protected."
Caught up in the story, Cassidy leaned forward. "What happened next?"
"One day, every one of the imprisoned angels were tossed out of Heaven and told to stop the demons."
"Why didn’t they refuse to fight, or go into hiding, or join Lucifer like the escapees had?"
"The Hierarchy hobbled them." Rail tightened and released his fists. Rage simmered just below the surface, feeding the need to transform and relieve the pressure. Sucking in air through clenched teeth, he willed his inner beast to calm. "Just before they cast out the prisoners, the Hierarchy tore the immortal souls from the angels and scattered them amongst the unborn humans."
Cassidy lifted a shaky hand to her pale cheek. "Why?"
"Insurance. The angels didn’t know where their souls landed and if they wanted to keep their souls from being devoured by demons, they would have to protect the humans."
"How is it you know so much about this?"
"Because I was there." Rail shrugged. "I’m one of the outcasts."
Chapter Four
"And what does this have to do with me?" Cassidy asked, a hint of skepticism and irritation in her tone.
"You are my Aktura , my soul-keeper."
"Excuse me? I’m your what?"
"My…"
"I heard what you said," she snapped, "but you’re wrong. I am not some storage unit for your soul."
"There is no mistaking the connection, Cassidy."
Moving with confidence, if not strength, Cassidy stood and moved in front of Rail. "Well, I gave you a chance to explain yourself, and you have."
"I have? You believe me?" The tension slid away; relief coursed through him.
"Yes. You are just as insane, if not more so than I thought you were."
"I am not insane. Everything I told you is the truth."
" Riiight. " Cassidy patted his arm and shifted to the side, attempting to get past him. "Get out of my way."
"You’re not leaving." Rail parked himself in her path, arms crossed over his chest.
"Yes. I. Am." Once again, she pushed against him and found it was like trying to push a mountain. "Move!"
"You are not leaving. I can’t protect you from the skratars if you’re out running around . "
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cassidy huffed, giving one more weak push.
"The creature that attacked you is a called a skratar. They hunt our soul-keepers and kill them in order to kill us. If you die, I die."
* * *
Cassidy blinked a few times and then sat on the edge of the bed. There was so much weight and emotion behind Rail's words; she felt their truth. It was staggering. Maybe this is really happening . Cassidy chewed on her lower lip and reviewed what she remembered since leaving work. She had been attacked by a monster—not a rabid bear,
Cassidy raised her hand. "Uh, who is the Hierarchy?"
"The Hierarchy consists of the first children of God. They are born solely of the Heaven dimension. They became known as the Arch Angels and are the most powerful. Lucifer was once a leader amongst their ranks. My brothers and sisters are lesser angels created after humans became more than animals."
"Wait. If you guys are weaker and the new angels are weaker, then why didn’t this Hierarchy fly in and take care of business?"
Rail's sharp laugh made Cassidy jump.
"Let me guess," she offered, "these big-high-mucky-muck angels realized they were in deep shit, didn’t want to risk themselves or the other angels, and decided you were expendable?"
"Pretty much." Pride flooded Rail. Cassidy had a quick wit and a quick mind. And she was his. "But the imprisoned said, ‘No, not after what you did to us and the people we loved.’ They were willing to stay imprisoned forever, even if it meant turning their backs on the humans. Who could blame them?"
"Understandable." She nodded solemnly. "I’d tell them to fuck off too."
"The Hierarchy took offence, as did God—who wanted the humans to be protected."
Caught up in the story, Cassidy leaned forward. "What happened next?"
"One day, every one of the imprisoned angels were tossed out of Heaven and told to stop the demons."
"Why didn’t they refuse to fight, or go into hiding, or join Lucifer like the escapees had?"
"The Hierarchy hobbled them." Rail tightened and released his fists. Rage simmered just below the surface, feeding the need to transform and relieve the pressure. Sucking in air through clenched teeth, he willed his inner beast to calm. "Just before they cast out the prisoners, the Hierarchy tore the immortal souls from the angels and scattered them amongst the unborn humans."
Cassidy lifted a shaky hand to her pale cheek. "Why?"
"Insurance. The angels didn’t know where their souls landed and if they wanted to keep their souls from being devoured by demons, they would have to protect the humans."
"How is it you know so much about this?"
"Because I was there." Rail shrugged. "I’m one of the outcasts."
Chapter Four
"And what does this have to do with me?" Cassidy asked, a hint of skepticism and irritation in her tone.
"You are my Aktura , my soul-keeper."
"Excuse me? I’m your what?"
"My…"
"I heard what you said," she snapped, "but you’re wrong. I am not some storage unit for your soul."
"There is no mistaking the connection, Cassidy."
Moving with confidence, if not strength, Cassidy stood and moved in front of Rail. "Well, I gave you a chance to explain yourself, and you have."
"I have? You believe me?" The tension slid away; relief coursed through him.
"Yes. You are just as insane, if not more so than I thought you were."
"I am not insane. Everything I told you is the truth."
" Riiight. " Cassidy patted his arm and shifted to the side, attempting to get past him. "Get out of my way."
"You’re not leaving." Rail parked himself in her path, arms crossed over his chest.
"Yes. I. Am." Once again, she pushed against him and found it was like trying to push a mountain. "Move!"
"You are not leaving. I can’t protect you from the skratars if you’re out running around . "
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cassidy huffed, giving one more weak push.
"The creature that attacked you is a called a skratar. They hunt our soul-keepers and kill them in order to kill us. If you die, I die."
* * *
Cassidy blinked a few times and then sat on the edge of the bed. There was so much weight and emotion behind Rail's words; she felt their truth. It was staggering. Maybe this is really happening . Cassidy chewed on her lower lip and reviewed what she remembered since leaving work. She had been attacked by a monster—not a rabid bear,
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