Page 90 of Under a Wicked Moon
His sixth sense didn’t tingle to indicate supernatural danger. Instead, the church gave off a sense of comfort and inspired him to pray. He touched a finger to the goblet of holy water near the candles, made the sign of the cross, and muttered the rosary.
Roman copied.
Flynn studied the humans in the main chamber at the front near the pulpit.
An elderly nun sat in a pew next to a young boy while the boy’s parents sat a pew away. She spoke to him in hushed tones and pressed rosary beads into his hand.
Roman met Ky’s gaze. The nun wasn’t what she seemed. He could feel the magical energy coming off her, but he didn’t sense the tarnished, twisted evil that came off power-hungry magicals who’d begun invoking black magic. The energy off her felt almost mystical.
The nun rotated to face them. Deep wrinkles slashed through the dark skin of her kind face. Concern flashed through her eyes, but she stood her ground as she took a few steps toward them. “Can I help you gentlemen?”
The boy and his parents watched, curious. It was obvious that they didn’t understand English. Good.
Roman removed a small crystal and let it dangle on its chain. He spun a slow circle as he walked up the aisle. It swung back and forth. If it picked up evil, it changed color, but it remained clear. “We were sent to investigate a threat. Are you experiencing anything unusual? Anything scary?”
The nun waved a hand. “I help with health care of the locals,which should be of little concern to you. I serve God.”
“I am sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Roman glanced at both him and Flynn, and shook his head. Nothing evil here.
“Why were we sent halfway around the world?” Flynn asked. “Why here?”
“Have you noticed anything off? Anyone who isn’t behaving?” Roman asked the nun.
The nun shook her head. “I haven’t met any like you in a very long time. None come to this part of the world. But you three seem different than others of your…kind.”
“How do you know about…” Ky trailed off. All three of them whipped around when the front door of the church opened and shut.
Wearing a white NY Yankees baseball cap, khaki pants, and Birkenstocks, a late-twenties man strolled in. His electric-blue eyes were so bright they looked like someone plugged them into an outlet.
“Zadkiel? What are you doing here?” Roman asked. At a whisper he said, “Nova, did you miss the angel walking in the front door? Little heads-up, please.”
“We didn’t see anyone,” Nova said.
“That’s the angel in disguise?” Ky asked Flynn.
Flynn whispered back, “Yep.”
“Thought I’d pop by,” the archangel said. “Maybe warn you to get out of here…like now.” He whipped off his cap to show his hat hair.
Ky’s ears picked up something. The unique, high-pitched signature of an exploding weapon about to impact in seconds. “Bomb! Roman, you get the ladies. Flynn and I will get the people. Run!”
Roman ran for the front door.
Ky threw the nun over a shoulder and snagged the child she’d been speaking with.
Flynn grabbed the few other people to clear everyone from the church. They sprinted across the grounds as far and as fast as they could.
…
For a moment, Ky thought he’d been in a plane crash. Been there before. Felt exactly like this. Smelled the same with the dust and the smoke. And the pain. Each breath burned as if drawing fire directly into his lungs. He couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in his ears.
His last memory pushed itself into his brain.
The smoking pit of the church sat hundreds of yards away. Shame to have destroyed such a beautiful bit of architecture.
Vivi. He tried to make sound but nothing came out. Or maybe it did but he couldn’t hear it. Hearing still wasn’t working well. He rolled to his back and cradled his head.
Someone tried to assassinate them? They’d been sent here on purpose. To die. Apparently, whoever it was didn’t care about human casualties.
