The Blood Bracelets #4 - Hell Raised

Chapter Four

Taryn exhaled slowly, and then opened her eyes to look down at her hands. The tips of each finger were glowing with pure white light, and the more she focused the more the light grew, spreading down her fingers to cover her palms.

'I don't understand what this power is actually for,' Taryn said, knowing Fury was listening.

You know of Heaven's Signums, yes? They are mere shadows of an Angel's power, given as gifts to the Immortals so they could continue to uphold balance and protect humankind. Angels themselves do not bear the Signums because they do not need them; their blood is their power. With a single touch, they could banish a demon and this is the power you're currently manifesting. Yours, however, is not strong enough to truly banish a demon, but it will leave them severely burned. Along with sensing demonic energies, you should also be able to tap into other Angelic powers because of your blood.

'Like what?' she asked. The entire underside of her hand was now shedding light, bright enough to cast a halo around her that kept the darkness of the hotel room away.

Heal minor wounds. Look into the past. Possibly even the future.

Distracted by Fury's words, Taryn let the light in her hands disappear. 'I've had visions before. They were both of the past, but I thought it was the blood bracelets that caused them.'

The blood bracelets are nothing but conduits, amplifying your powers by taking energy from Kael when necessary. This is likely why you only manifested your powers of banishment and visions after the blood bracelets forged its connection. Having the shade Julius placed on you disappear would have also helped.

Taryn reached across the bed to switch on the nearby lamp, glancing at the digital clock as she did so. It was almost 1o'clock in the morning, but when Taryn had woken at midnight Kael and Ace had already left for The Hornet's Nest. Her memories of the bar were clearer now, and although it had concerned her that her mind had forgotten she put it down to exhaustion only.

Fury scoffed.

Ignoring her, Taryn brushed her hands through her hair to detangle the locks and walked out of the room.

Taryn crossed the hall to Eljae's room, but before she could knock Eljae called, 'You can come in.'

'I wasn't sure if you would be awake,' said Taryn, finding Eljae polishing her claws one-by-one as she sat back against the pillows. 'Have you—'

It occurred to Taryn then that Eljae and Ace had pushed their beds together, just like she and Kael had. Her brow lifted in surprise.

'Okay. When did this happen?'

'When did what happen?' Eljae asked on a yawn, busy inspecting the middle claw of her left hand. She looked up though, just as Taryn gestured to the joined beds, and then she scoffed. 'About the same time you and Kael—'

'Got it,' Taryn interjected, her cheeks heating.

Eljae grinned. 'You seem like you're feeling better.'

'I am. Sorry if I worried you, I was just—'

'Really tired?' Eljae offered. She straightened from the pillows, a single eyebrow quirking. 'I can tell when you're lying, remember.'

Taryn hesitated, and then with a sigh she slouched down to the end of the bed. She loosened the blouse Eljae gave her by untying the laces at her neck, then pulled aside the blouse to reveal more of her collarbone and shoulder where the black veins had stretched up from her heart.

Eljae made a sound that was both a hiss and a sharp inhale. 'That looks like—'

'What you had?' said Taryn. 'I know, and I suppose it is similar. The markings you, Ace and Kael had was a result of Fury anchoring herself to you and using your energy to help break the last of the seal keeping her back. This...' Taryn trailed, dropping her gaze to the markings just as Eljae leaned forward to scrutinise them. 'It's like a curse. Lucifer poisoned me, and the poison is slowly weakening my human soul. Once my soul is weak enough, Fury will have no choice but to take over my body to stop it from dying and that is when she becomes vulnerable to Lucifer. Aside from these veins, the other symptom that the poison is working—'