Scion's Destiny (Seven Seals Series Book 1) Read online

  Scion’s Destiny

  Seven Seals Series Book One

  Traci Douglass

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About the Author

  Also by Traci Douglass

  Also by Traci Douglass

  Sneak Peek of Scion’s Surrender

  Copyright © 2018 by Traci Douglass

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN 9781980800057

  SpinTale Publishing

  PO Box 85033

  Fort Wayne, IN 46885-0033

  USA

  Created with Vellum

  Dedication

  To my mother, who is watching from Heaven

  and

  To all those readers who’ve stuck with this series

  since the beginning in 2013

  Thank You!

  1

  Images flickered at quicksilver speed across a wall-sized screen. Kagan took them all in, focusing on each long enough to search for his target and understand what was happening. He’d been watching over the mortal hosts of the first Seal of the Apocalypse since its creation at the beginning of time. He’d also watched as the world changed and humanity forgot his kind.

  No one knew of the Scion anymore.

  Even Divinity had not summoned him for duty in many long centuries.

  Yet Kagan still waited for the call to come, faithful and patient, committed to his duty even as others in the brethren chose to live by their own rules. Many of his fellow warriors had softened and fallen for mortals, their devotion wavering and their commitment to sacred duty becoming a casualty of love. Kagan would do no such thing. He had no romantic interest in those he was created to protect.

  His aqua gaze darted over the screen, following the history recorded, stopping on images that interested him. War. Greed. Pestilence. Brutality. These things had never changed. But if the host of the first Seal was killed, then the Earth would know the true meaning of destruction. For breaking the first Seal would unleash the pathway for the other six to open and the end times would see the annihilation of all living things. He would do whatever was necessary to prevent that from happening, no matter the cost.

  The pale light of the screen cast his face in stark relief, his hands loose at his sides. The sigil Divinity had branded upon each of Her warriors glowed pale gold against the olive skin of his lower abdomen, the flesh burning slightly as an ever-present reminder of his responsibilities.

  With a sigh, Kagan turned away to pace his heavenly quarters, staring around at the sublime perfection of it all, then upward into the vast starry universe visible through the shimmering ceiling high above. For all its luxurious amenities, however, he longed to visit the earthly realm. It felt like it had been eons since he’d left these marbled halls, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the wind brisk against his face. He ached to visit the glittering human cities again, to speak with those he spent his days watching and enjoy something other than divinely boring conversation.

  Most of all, he longed to be free of the stifling purity of Heaven.

  He was about to head to the Empyrean libraries when his gaze caught an image onscreen. Frowning, he stepped closer and squinted at the scene taking place. He knew this female like he knew the back of his own hand.

  She was the current host of the first Seal.

  There wasn’t anything particularly striking about the scenario presented. He’d seen her often enough over the twenty-six years of her life. She liked to walk along the shores of the lake near her city of Chicago. She was usually alone, and these days often wore a troubled expression that spoke of a heavy burden on her slim shoulders. He sometimes wondered what made her look so troubled, since it could not have been anything to do with the Seal. Hosts never had an inkling of the dormant power woven within their DNA.

  It had to have been something else in her life causing her pain.

  If Kagan was truthful, these walks weren’t the only place he observed her. He also found himself drawn to watch her while she worked at a bar called The G Spot. Her place of employment was often chaotic and occasionally dangerous, so duty required him to keep an eye on her there as well. And if he continued to follow her as she walked home alone then climbed the stairs to her solitary home above a liquor store, well, he was her sworn protector, after all.

  Today, though, she stood staring out over the water, her back to him and the gentle breeze catching her brown curls, tousling them. Kagan didn’t need to see her face to know it was her. No other mortal captivated him as she did.

  The bulky winter coat she wore obscured much of her figure. He cocked his head, running his gaze over what he could see of her body. Winter was in full force in her windy city, and she wore a red hat and mittens and heavy black boots to combat the elements. For him, the seasons passed so quickly on Earth. Just yesterday it had been summer and all the plants were in bloom.

  She walked away, arms crossed and head lowered. The image on his screen dissolved into the famous Chicago skyline. He longed for his charge to return, until the glorious sunset caught his gaze, stretching in endless shades of fiery golds, reds, and deepest purple.

  Kagan blinked at the screen, desperate to see the real sky, to feel the sun beating on his skin as he walked by the shore.

  The skyline drifted away, replaced with another succession of images of the Seal’s host, now with the new man she’d been dating, a pale man in fitted suits who wasn’t fit to wipe the Seal host’s boots, but then Kagan was biased. He stood there a moment longer, eyes closed, imagining the exhilarating sunset once more, imagining the whole of the city stretched out before him. He’d never been to Chicago, but he felt like he knew it well because of his Seal’s host.

  What would it be like to visit such a place?

  To finally see this female in the flesh?

  He quickly shook away the thought, reminding himself he had no interest in mortals.

  Then why does your heart stumble when you see her?

  Kagan glanced one final time at the screen then walked away. His duty was to Divinity. His orders were to remain here, guarding the first Seal’s host, ensuring the transition from one mortal to the next was smooth and seamless, to wait all the endless days and nights until he was called into active duty again by circumstances or peril or both.

  He gave a rueful snort.

  Divinity wasn’t going to call him. The Seals were safe, as they’d always been. As they always would be, for eternity, thanks to the Scion. Thus, he was stuck here in the heavenly version of his own private Hell. He cursed under his breath and thunder rumbled in the distance.

  He’d nearly reached the libraries when the sigil on his abdomen suddenly seared white-hot, the sign of a call. He closed his eyes and searched for the source. He strained to hear, to discern the location, but it wasn’t clear. The summons sizzled through his blood, compelling him to heed the call, but had no idea who or where it was came from.

  After rushing back to his rooms and checking his shoulder holster to make sure his Glock was ready for use, Kagan slipped a dagger in each boot then grabbed several extra magazines of ammo. This was his chance to escape the heavenly realms and he would take it.

  He had a mission again at las
t.

  Fully armed, he closed his eyes and manifested a vortex by which to travel. Soon, the space behind him filled with bright light and vibrant colors. At the center of the maelstrom was a wormhole that would allow him passage to the source of the call. He stepped into the light, chest squeezing tight with adrenaline as he zoomed toward Earth.

  Inside the vortex, Kagan hovered, suspended it time, his sigil burning bright on his abdomen. Through the swirling chaos, he saw the solid ground below as his feet touched down at last. Icy wind ruffled his closely-cropped brown hair and chilled his skin through his white cotton shirt and faded jeans. He stared at the skyline, the vast lake behind him, the people going about their business in the park, oblivious to the arrival of the immortal warrior amongst them.

  Chicago.

  It was as beautiful as he’d imagined. More so, in fact.

  He stood, getting his bearings and searching for his mission, for the source of the call. His Scion instincts told him the Seal and its host were safe. Perhaps his assistance was needed for another task. He would do anything for Divinity. She’d granted him eternal life. He would battle any enemy, destroy any foe. Even defeat Lucifer himself, if necessary.

  Turning, he frowned at the geometric lines of the skyscrapers against the horizon. The desire to find this bar called The G Spot and the Seal’s host was strong, but he resisted. Instead, he took off on foot through the park, sticking close to the lake shore. The call was quieter now, making it far more difficult to locate. Still, his sigil burned his skin, driving him to search relentlessly, even as he wondered if this had somehow been a cruel joke played on him by his Scion brethren because he’d cursed in Heaven.

  Sloane might do such a thing, or perhaps Lin. Both had strong voices that carried. And Sloane was still angry after Kagan had ruined his plans to steal a priceless Rembrandt from the Louvre in Paris to keep his cat burglar skills sharp. Kagan had felt compelled to tell Divinity. Stealing was far worse than cursing, but Sloane might not have seen it that way, especially after he’d spent weeks in an Empyrean jail cell for his folly.

  Kagan continued out of the park and into the bustle of the downtown area. The wind bit harder here, gusting between the tall structures, but he relished the brisk breeze prickling over his skin, impervious to the world’s weather. He weaved through the crowds, cloaking his presence from the mortals surrounding him, stopping periodically to look into the display windows of the stores, now decorated for the upcoming holidays at month’s end. He passed a vendor selling candied almonds and bought a bag, leaving the man with a golden coin worth a fortune in earthly money before walking into the entrance of the Hancock Building and taking the elevator to the top floor. Receiving such pleasure from cloaking his identity was probably wrong, he supposed, but he so rarely got to enjoy the benefits of his Scion powers of invisibility.

  A bell dinged, and he emerged from the elevator into a deserted office space. Twilight had fallen now, and the humans had left their work for the day. He weaved through the empty cubicles, enjoying handfuls of his almonds along the way, until he reached a service door leading upward. With a wave of his hand, the lock opened, and he climbed the metal stairs, emerging onto the roof. This high, the wind was nearly gale force, but the sky was clear, sparkling with millions of diamond stars. He stayed up there until his food was gone and his curiosity was sated, then prepared to summon another vortex to take him across the blocks to the top of the Willis Tower. But as he closed his eyes again, the whisper of his name shivered over him once more.

  The call had returned.

  Scion instincts snapping to attention, Kagan focused, doing his best to discern the direction. His gaze shot to a spot south of the Willis Tower. A nondescript red brick building sandwiched between a hardware store and a storage facility. A flashing pink neon sign proclaimed The G-Spot. His pulse raced.

  He summoned a vortex and stepped inside, emerging again half a block from his destination. Ducking and weaving through the crowds, he stopped beneath a streetlight to watch the line of patrons entering the bar. The call came again, this time from inside the building. Kagan narrowed his gaze, scanning the people going in and out the door.

  Who would summon me from in there?

  Surely not Divinity. Not that She could not enter such a place. That was Her prerogative, of course. As Queen of All, Divinity could do as She wished, go anywhere, be anyone.

  Kagan’s gaze darted over the mortals again, stopping for a second on each face, but none of them resembled an older woman with white-blond spiky hair and iridescent blue eyes.

  The call came grew louder, clearer this time, beating in time with his heart. He pushed through the crowds and stopped before the table where they were collecting cover charge outside the entrance. The call reached its zenith and realization dawned.

  It was her, the Seal’s host. And she had called him.

  She sat before him now, on a stool, her brown curls whipping in the wind from beneath her bright red hat, her cheeks pink from the cold. Her full lips parted as she gazed up at him, her hazel eyes full of shock and awe. A flurry of snowflakes fell, settling on his skin before melting from his body heat.

  Kagan frowned.

  This was impossible. It had to be his Scion brothers messing with him.

  Never before had a Seal summoned its Scion protector. Not that he knew of anyway.

  Then again, he had been watching her, at the time she’d called to him.

  No. That was ridiculous. Mortals couldn’t summon Scions, even if they were hosting a Seal. Only Divinity had that power since She’d created them. They’d been granted immortality in exchange for their everlasting loyalty.

  Wary, Kagan looked at the female, searching his preternatural awareness of her emotions, trying to understand. She glanced away, a wave of sorrow and anger flowing from her to wash over him.

  She was hurting.

  He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out another coin to pay his admission. He extended the golden coin to her, giving her what he hoped was a polite smile.

  “Are you alright?” he asked, praying his words were correct. He hadn’t spoken to a mortal in so long and although he knew modern languages, he never used them. In the heavenly realms they either spoke Enochian, the language of the angels, or sometimes Latin.

  The woman stared at the coin he handed her, a frown darkening her expression. When she looked up at him again, her hazel gaze flicked over his face, traveling downward to his arms and chest then lower still. She was beautiful, her skin soft and smooth and her eyes glowing with health and vitality. He hadn’t realized from his observations just how petite she was though. He guessed her to be at least a head shorter than him, perhaps more.

  Her gaze met his again and she handed him back the coin. “I can’t take that. American money only. Sorry.”

  Kagan stepped aside as other patrons pushed toward the table.

  Soon, a man came out of the bar and took the woman’s place, relieving her at the table.

  She disappeared through the door and Kagan went after her, cloaking himself again until he was inside the bar then became visible once more.

  She glanced over her shoulder at him as she shrugged out of her coat and hung hit on a peg on the wall. It was easy enough to close the gap between them. His strides were long, and the wall gave her little chance for a swift escape.

  “Leave me alone,” she said, her quiet tone rife with warning.

  If she called me, was is she avoiding me?

  “Get away from me!” She faced him and sidled away, back to the wall, fear warring with fury in her hazel eyes. She scowled, her gaze darkening. “I know who you are, Scion.”

  He hadn’t heard the name spoken by mortals in a long time.

  She knew he was an immortal warrior.

  But how? It had been millennia since they’d walked the earthly realm. He looked at the other patrons at the bar. None of them looked afraid. If they saw a heavenly Scion before them, however, they would not be so calm. F
or prophecy said the return of the Scion meant the Apocalypse was nigh and the world was going to end.

  Of course, no one believed in the legends anymore.

  No one but this woman. She was the host of the first Seal, perhaps that explained her odd reactions to him and how she knew who he was, what he was, when all of these other mortals did not. Perhaps the power of the Seal was somehow manifesting through her.

  “I see you in my dreams every night,” she muttered beneath her breath and cast him a fearful glower, as if answering his silent question. “More like nightmares.”

  That was unexpected. None of the previous Seal hosts had seen him or the other Scion, in their dreams or otherwise. To her, he should have appeared the same as any other mortal man, albeit with strange coins in his pocket. He needed to figure out what he was doing here and if this was some sort of trick.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, making herself small as her sadness threatened to overwhelm him again. A strange urge rose, to reach out and ease the suffering roiling through her. Whatever had hurt her, it was strong in her mind and heart, tormenting her. He felt it, just as he felt his Scion sigil blazing into his skin from her nearness. He was her sworn protector. She needed him. That could explain why they’d met here today.

  Except the previous Seal hosts had never summoned him, no matter the calamities and heartaches they’d faced in their mortal lives. As long as the Seal was safe, he’d stayed locked in the heavenly realms, watching, waiting.

  Kagan scrubbed a hand over his face, his frustration mounting. Perhaps he’d been alone too long, and this was nothing but a dream, as she’d said. Perhaps he’d lost his immortal mind, seeing things as he wanted them to be and not as they truly were.