The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"Because I can," his voice whispered in my ear, making me shriek in fright. Whipping around, I stuck my arms straight out to ward off a possible attack.

"Where are you, coward?" I yelled, angry that I was once again at his mercy. I turned back around and raced down the hallway, away from the voice, back where I knew there was a way out. I allowed panic to get hold of me and in my mad dash to get away I crashed headfirst into an unseen obstacle.

My head reeled from the blow as I slumped down into unconsciousness.

***

A bright light shining in my face finally pulled me out of the black oblivion I had sunk into.

"Why is it I'm always the one knocked unconscious?" I griped to myself, attempting to sit up. My head spun and my stomach threatened mutiny. I closed my eyes briefly to gather my bearings.

"What the heck," I muttered, finally able to focus my attention on my surroundings. My eyes widened in disbelief as I took in the room I was in. I had seen this space months ago on a monitor in Victor's lab. This was where Victor kept our missing Links. I swept my eyes around the space, taking in everything in the room. My eyes skittered over the delicate furnishings that sat on the elegant oversized Oriental rug that highlighted the antique look of the room to a tee. The fact that it was hidden within a mountain was another story. The room was actually beautiful if not for the overwhelming sense of evil emitted throughout. I continued to scan the room, taking in each elegant detail. My heart jumped to my throat when I spotted two individuals on the far side of the room, studying me. I instantly recognized them as the Links I had seen on the monitor in Victor's lab. What a relief to find them not only safe, but also in obvious good health. I had harbored gruesome thoughts at the torture Victor was possibly inflicting on them. My relief was short lived when a third individual partially stepped out of the shadows on the far side of the room. A face as familiar to me as my own peered at me from the shadows.

I had dreamed of this moment for months as my eyes greedily took in his appearance. His hair was longer than before and he looked too lean, but other than that, his appearance was just as I had remembered it. I longed to search his eyes, but the shadows where he stood prevented me from seeing them. I couldn't help sending my emotions toward him, searching for the link we had once shared, but my emotions were deflected back almost instantly. I swallowed back tears. I knew our link was gone, but I had so hoped that I would somehow be able to reach him. It was obvious now by the way he deflected my emotional probe that he was forever lost to me.

I now knew why I felt the presence of pure evil in the room.

Mark was a Descended.

Standing up, I ripped my eyes from his and moved them to the pair of links we had come to save. I met the kindhearted eyes of the brother Lynn had never met. I smiled, hoping to reassure him. Finally, I turned my attention to Mark's sister. For months, my focus had been on saving her once we lost Grace and Faith. It had become crucial that we save at least one of the softhearted Guides that The Light had blessed each Band with. My eyes met hers, expecting the same warmth her Link held, but was shocked when I saw the calculating look in her eyes.

"For a supposed, Ascended you're awful slow," she said in a hard voice that didn't match her appearance.

Realization crashed into me as I used my new gifts to study her.

Someone was indeed evil in the room and it wasn't Mark.

Chapter 13

I swept my eyes back toward Mark and could clearly see what I had missed. Mark was not standing in the shadows avoiding me, nor was he blocking his emotions from me. I could just barely make out the metal cuff that surrounded his ankle. It had to be attached to some kind of power source that kept him from leaving the area.

"You blocked my emotions from him?" I asked incredulously, still reeling in shock.

"Of course I did stupid. I didn't want to miss out on watching you figure it out. I do have to admit, I’m a little disappointed at how long it took you to put the pieces together. The way father has been singing your praises, I expected something more," she said, eying me disdainfully.

"Now now dear, I've told you before, cattiness is not a human trait I admire," Victor said, stepping into the room. "Well Krista, look at you all grown up in your new leadership role. If I was partial to those still in the Heavenly Realm, I would say it looks quiet lovely on you," Victor said, eyeing me in a way that instantly made my stomach curdle.

Victor had always been a power freak and his shallow admiration towards me wasn’t so shocking.

I heard a growl of outrage behind me as Victor continued to drink in my presence.

Though it was irrational and the worse possible moment, but I could not contain the surge of joy that shot through me as the growl of disgust filled the room. Turning around I saw that Mark had moved out into the open as much as his electronic jail cell would allow.

My heart crashed violently inside me as I finally searched into his eyes which were nothing like the last time I had looked into them. Gone were the dead, lifeless eyes that haunted my waking moments. Instead the liquid chocolate brown shined brightly back at me.

"Well isn't this heartwarming," Mark's sister said.

"Tsk-tsk, Harmony, cattiness," Victor admonished her gently. His affection for her went against every conceived notion I had of him.

"I am capable of affection Krista, after all, she reminds me so much of myself at that age," Victor said, picking my thoughts from my head.

I cringed and securely closed the door surrounding my thoughts to stop any further intrusion.

"You did this to her?" I asked, sickened by his words.

"This was my wish for all of you," he said, eyeing Mark with obvious disgust. "Imagine the power I would have held.”

"You would give your own flesh and blood to The Dark One?" I asked, not bothering to hide my disgust.