Fallen Angel Reclaimed: The Complete Series by Lacey Carter Andersen
4
Surcyand her demons stood at the edge of a large farm surrounded by woods. It reminded her of somewhere, but she couldn’t quite place where. The sunlight bathed the entire place in a glow that warmed it like a painting, but something lingered underneath the beauty and peace of the place, a bad scent she couldn’t quite place.
Mark’s note had said that the farmer of these lands was an Immortal, but he believed himself to be nothing but a human. She didn't know whether this man had somehow managed to avoid Caine and his angels, but she was planning for trouble.
And she was sure she was right.
“So, what’s the plan?” Daniel asked.
“We get him, fast.” She tried to take a step forward, but Tristan grabbed her shoulder.
Staring back at him in confusion, she frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“This can’t be like the other times. We have to move faster—“
“I just said that!”
He held up a hand, and she closed her mouth. “We can’t explain why we’re here. We just need to grab him and go for the next Immortal.”
“We have to bring him to the sanctuary first though—“
“There isn’t time.”
Her stomach twisted. “But if we get caught, we lose all of them.”
“And if we aren’t fast enough, we lose all of them anyway.”
After a second, Daniel sighed. “I’m with Tristan. If we could teleport into the sanctuary, that’d be one thing, but we’re going to have to spend hours walking back and forth beyond the barrier. That's time we don’t have.”
Surcy didn’t like it, but their logic was sound. Every second they wasted was dangerous. Caine could decide with the flick of his wrist to destroy the souls of any Immortals in his control, and then all would be lost forever.
“Fine, let’s go.”
They started across the field, her hands itching to call for her soul-blade, to not enter an unknown territory weaponless, but she forced herself to just keep walking. To hope for the best.
Suddenly, two children darted out of the corn field, laughing. A boy and girl that had the same dark hair and dark eyes. They had to be twins.
The girl’s gaze slowly moved to them, and the laughter died on her face. She grabbed her brother’s arm, the boy looked at them, and then they were tearing through the field away from them.
“What do we do?” Daniel asked. “Chase them?”
Tristan’s deep voice came, soft and certain. “Never chase children. There is nothing more fierce than a parent who thinks his child is in danger."
They continued forward, and seconds later, a farmer emerged from the cornfield. He gripped a pitchfork in one hand, like a stereotype. But other than that, he wasn’t what she expected. For one, he seemed young, perhaps in his forties, with dark hair and a muscular body. And something in his stance—it screamed that he was ready for a fight.
“This isn’t good,” Daniel whispered.
“Just stay calm,” Tristan said, his gaze locked on the man ahead of him.
They continued forward until they were about fifteen feet from him, then they stopped, trying their hardest to look non-threatening. The farmer’s gaze ran over each of them for a minute, and she saw his jaw lock.
“What can I do for you three?”
“We have need of your help.” Tristan’s words were carefully chosen and screaming of caution.
“What sort of help?”
In the field behind him, white-winged angels appeared. Surcy took a step back, her fingers itching to call her blade. The six angels were dressed in the clothes of hard-working farmers, and their glamours made them appear human.
Are they working for the farmer?
She racked her brain, trying to figure out why. With each Immortal they had found, Caine had trapped them in their own personal hell. He planned to break them down slowly until he could finally steal their powers and become the most powerful being in existence.
So what hell were these angels creating for the farmer by working for him?
Tristan didn’t react to the angels, never moving his eyes from the farmer. “Our car broke down on the road.”
Some of the suspicion died from the farmer's tanned-face. “What’s wrong with it?”
“The battery.”
He regarded the three of them for a few more seconds. “I can jump you; just give me a minute to get my car.”
One of the angels came up behind the farmer and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Clarence, we’ll stay here and keep an eye on the wife and kids.”
The farmer nodded. “Thanks.”
She clenched her fists. Clarence might not understand what the angel meant, but she and her demons knew. The angels were threatening them. If they took off with Clarence, his wife and kids would pay.
Now what?
“Actually,” Surcy rushed out. “I’m feeling a bit overheated from the sun and walking so far. Would you mind if I get a glass of water?”
The farmer stared at her.
Think, Surcy, think!
She forced a smile. “Some women get morning sickness. Not me! I stay sick all day.”
His gaze moved to her belly and he relaxed a little bit more. “My wife was the same way. Come on, then, I’m sure she’d be glad for the company.”
The angel walked beside the farmer, explaining to him some problem with the chickens. She and her demons followed slowly behind, tense as they felt the other angels sliding through the cornfield, keeping pace with them. Their odds were a hell of a lot worse without Mark.
Before, we had a chance against all these angels, but now? Not at all.
Her eyes stung, and she was glad she didn’t have to talk, because she thought she’d start crying if she did, which was stupid as hell. She was supposed to be alert and ready for anything, but instead, her mind kept slipping back to Mark.
If she couldn’t focus, she might make a mistake. She couldn’t make a single mistake, not with the stakes this high.
By the time they walked past the broken down farm equipment and fenced-in animals, she was feeling less emotional, but even more nervous. Glancing behind her, she saw the angels glaring near the farm equipment.
Creepy fuckers.
The farmer went into the house and came back out a minute later, a woman and two children behind him. His wife was tall and thin, with long blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. She wore a smart-looking blouse and ironed slacks. When her gaze met Surcy’s, she smiled.
“Welcome, I’m Beth. You want to join me inside for coffee while the boys jump-start your car?”
“Surcy,” Daniel was suddenly at Surcy’s side, his grip tight on her arm. “We shouldn’t split up.”
I know I agreed this would be fast, just in and out, but I can’t leave this woman and her children behind. I just can’t. I’m sorry.
She plastered on a smile. “Let go and act normal.”
He released her arm, but she could sense his frustration.
“That sounds just perfect!” She moved up the porch, nodding at the farmer, and coming to stand beside his wife.
“We’ll see you soon!” she called, waving to her demons.
Both men looked like they’d swallowed glass, but Tristan nodded in a casual way she knew was forced.
The farmer and her demons squeezed into his truck together, and Surcy looked back at them as she followed the woman into her house. Five angels used a glamour to conceal themselves, stretched their wings, and took off into the air. But a few angels remained, staring directly at her, a challenge in their gazes.
Swallowing hard, she closed the door behind her. Now what?
