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  The light filling this small chamber didn’t come from any modern lighting source, but emanated from the books and scrolls themselves. No other illumination was needed here. There was so much magical energy.

  Most of the books in this room technically ‘did not exist’ and were accessible only to those with the highest clearance. It was from here she pulled the remaining eight books on the list. She had studied all of them in depth, so she naturally began to analyze what they had in common. What could the man be looking for in such rare and ancient texts? Atlantis and ancient Egypt figured prominently in many of them. Demon lore and legends also. Could Geoffrey le Court be a demon hunter?

  She spent a moment pondering that. She also conjectured about the man himself—tall, handsome, ripped. Though quiet, he would probably dominate just about any room full of people. He had an aura of silent power surrounding him, but she didn’t find that intimidating.

  There was something innately predatory and sexy about him. If the guy would just loosen up a bit, she wouldn’t have any problems working some long, late hours with Mr. Geoffrey le Court.

  As Kelly returned with the books, she couldn’t help but take a closer look at him. She wasn’t as adept at reading auras as some of her friends, but she did detect the agitation that he exuded. There was something else, too. His soul seemed tortured…almost ancient, and there was a darkness about the man’s aura she couldn’t explain.

  Still, she wished she could figure out why he seemed so irritated by her. Maybe he just needed to get to know her better—maybe he just had to be warmed up a bit. Kelly decided that warming Geoffrey le Court up, could be a really fun challenge.

  Down girl. Remember, this is business, not pleasure. Put away those fantasies and get back to work.

  Speaking of which…

  She texted Salina Fry, a fellow Arcanist and part time library aide, to come in a cover for her upstairs. That way she could devote full time to Geoffrey’s needs.

  The hours passed, mostly in silence, as the man studied text after text and made copious notes. Geoffrey took some time to work through the original books, then began to request other manuscripts. Some she had to access online through the vault’s computer terminal.

  The computer seemed to fascinate the man. It was as if he’d never seen one before. Without questioning his inability, Kelly patiently taught the man what he needed to know to navigate the system.

  “Fascinating.” He caught on quickly, once he figured out how to maneuver the mouse. In the end, the lesson elicited the first genuine smile she’d seen from the man.

  And that smile was glorious, lighting up his face and putting a sparkle in his eyes. God, he was stunning.

  After that, she found herself having to tamp down the sexy visions her brain kept throwing at her. Working closely with this guy was turning out to be harder than she thought it would be.

  He located an old magazine article online and pointed to it on the terminal screen. “This is amazing.” Kelly wasn’t sure if he meant the article or the computer, but she enjoyed the man’s smile and enthusiasm. He was definitely warming up to her.

  Occasionally, she also found herself going up to the main library for books there. He’d asked for numerous history books, some centering on the occult and a few centering on ancient architecture. Most of the latter dealt mainly with European castles and medieval buildings.

  At one point the man stood to stretch. Kelly couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders and the corded muscles of his arms. He certainly didn’t seem to be the academic type, giving off more a man-of-action vibe. And Kelly found herself constantly thinking of a few actions she wished he’d take.

  * * *

  Geoffrey le Court began to read the passage from the old manuscript for the third time. The woman was behind him now, paging through a book as she waited for more instructions. Too vividly he could envision the type of instructions he’d like to give her. What was Nathan Gray thinking, getting someone like her involved in this?

  Granted she was very helpful, intelligent, and insightful when he’d asked her questions, but working with her was so distracting. When Nathan said he’d be working with a librarian, an archivist, he’d assumed he’d be working with a sage, someone older, not a young attractive woman.

  She was out of his sight, working behind him, but her scent hung in the air—light, floral, intoxicating. How was he to get any work done? Over seven hundred thirty years he’d been imprisoned away from the touch of a woman. Even his iron will couldn’t keep his body from reacting. Her hair was like spun gold, lying loose across her shoulders and running down the middle of her back. The brief glances he’d allowed himself of her face showed beauty unmatched by any he could remember from his life before. Skin smooth and unmarred by scar or blemish, as so many of the women of his time had been. Her wide green eyes had a hypnotic draw. Her luscious red lips begged to be kissed.

  And her clothing! Geoffrey was still adjusting to twenty-first century women’s fashion. In his day women did not leave so much exposed. Her straight red skirt did not even cover her knees, let alone those shapely ankles, which were the only part of her Geoffrey felt safe enough to stare at for any length of time. Her tailored white blouse did nothing to conceal her curves. She was temptingly attractive, there was no denying that.

  He shook his head to clear it. Concentrate. There was so much to be done, and so little time. But that didn’t stop his mind from wandering whenever the woman was close to him. He sighed and started reading the passage for the fourth time. Forcing his concentration now, the words he was reading finally crystalized into something with meaning.

  And it was something he did not like in the least.

  “Working together?” He’d read the phrase out loud. The notion was so absurd; it had to be a lie. It just could not be.

  A bell dinged just then, interrupting his thoughts. Looking up, he saw the elevator door open. The elevator itself had been a new experience. What magic caused a door to close on one room and open into another? The world had changed so much. Could he adjust? Well, he didn’t really have a choice.

  “What the…?” Kelly said. “Who are you?”

  Three rough looking men emerged from the elevator, one carrying a wooden club. The other two slipped long knives from beneath their jackets. It was not completely unexpected, but Geoffrey had to wonder how they’d found him so quickly.

  He rose, throwing back the chair. “Find cover and stay down,” he yelled to the librarian as he rushed the men. There was no way to avoid it. If he was to stand against three Whargan, Geoffrey would have to use his powers. Drawing on the divine would expose him to the woman, but it was necessary. Perhaps, if she kept her head down, she wouldn’t see. The pure beam of white light shot from his hand and showed the Whargan thugs for what they were. The wolf-headed demons hid among humans with clever illusions, but such illusions could not stand up against the pure light of the divine. The beam would also weaken their unearthly powers.

  “Templar,” one of the Whargans snarled, pointing at him. “Kill it!”

  “Foul demons, prepare to return to the hell that spawned you.” He summoned his holy armor, sword, and shield. It felt good to wield the Sword of Light once again. Its balance was as perfect as he remembered it from over seven hundred years before. Swinging in a wide arc, he deftly disemboweled one of the knife-wielding demons.

  The creature fell heavily to the floor, but the other two closed in on him, limiting his ability to fully swing his sword. The one with the club attacked, but it was a lazy swing, easily deflected. Geoffrey followed up with a shield slam at the Whargan that sent it sprawling across the floor.

  Only then did he recognize his mistake. He’d turned his back on the last Whargan.

  Blast it all le Court, you’re a rusty old fool!

  He spun but knew he’d be too late to meet the descending dagger. And even armored, he knew he had little hope in turning the blade aside. He’d recognized the weapon and knew well the dark ar
ts used in its crafting. It would slice through his armor like butter. Had seven hundred years in purgatory dulled his wits so that it took only three lesser demons to bring him low? Not that one strike of the blade would likely kill him, but it would hurt like hell and greatly weaken his powers.

  A blast of arcane energy came from behind and the Whargen vaporized in a field of magical force. Geoffrey turned and found Kelly standing behind him. Her hand was still aflame with arcane energy.

  “Arcanist witch!” Geoffrey spat. He now faced an enemy far worse than the bungling Whargan demons.

  “Damned Templar!” The woman cursed right back at him. Though she made no move to attack him, she also did not drop the magical aura of protection surrounding her.

  * * *

  Un-fucking-believable! Kelly’s gut churned. Geoffrey le Court was a Templar! And Nathan Gray, a man she would trust with her life, had asked her to bring a Templar, her sworn enemy, into one of the most secret archives in the Arcanist arsenal. What was the old man thinking? Certainly, he’d known. Could this Templar have somehow bewitched the old man?

  “Put your weapon away, Templar, or you’re next.” She hoped the threat didn’t sound as hollow to the knight as it did to her, as she aimed her flaming fist at him. If Geoffrey le Court wielded the forces of a High Templar Knight, she probably didn’t have the power to even scratch him.

  The tableau held long moments with Geoffrey glaring back at her, eyes narrowed, set to attack. But eventually, he eased his stance and shrugged. The sword, shield, and armor shimmered, then disappeared. He stood before her, arms folded, dressed as before. “What now, witch?”

  The movement behind Geoffrey, took her by surprise. The remaining Whargan, the one that the Templar had bashed across the room, had returned to consciousness and was creeping toward the elevator.

  She could only hope Geoffrey wouldn’t misinterpret her next action, but she wasn’t about to let that demon escape. She needn’t have worried. With a grim nod Geoffrey le Court spun. Twin bolts of energy, one purest white, the other blood red, flew at the demon, vaporizing it as they struck.

  Kelly had to give the knight her grudging respect. His instincts and reactions were good. And why did he have to be so completely sexy looking?

  Guilt and regret assailed her. It didn’t matter what she thought of Geoffrey. He had to die. Preserving the secret of this collection was her responsibility. She didn’t dare let a Templar live with this knowledge.

  As he turned back to face her, he waved his had to indicate the basement research area. “This is an Arcanist archive?” He seemed genuinely surprised. “Nathan Gray has much to explain!”

  Kelly let her protective aura drop. “That, Templar, is probably the only thing we will ever agree on!”

  Interlude 1

  Nathan Gray was not surprised when Kelly and Geoffrey stormed into his home. He’d expected it…planned it. His two friends had some hard lessons to learn about the Arcanists, the Templars, and the world in general.

  Hopefully they would be the first of many.

  Known throughout the ages as druids, warlocks, and witches; the Arcanists received their magical energy from the Earth Mother, Gaia. Ancient shimmering pools and stone circles connected the world to the cosmic ether where the goddess reigned. Those who knew the ancient rituals, drew power from these points, to work their magic. Kelly Grant, despite her young age, had become quite powerful in the art, thanks to Nathan’s tutelage.

  The Templar Knights, worshipers of the High Lord, followed the path of light, using the trappings of the world’s more traditional religions. Prophets, oracles, and miracle workers were the ancient forerunners of this group. Houses of worship, be they church, temple, or mosque, were the places these devout followers were granted great power through prayer and pious deeds. Though there were many believers in ‘the one true God’, the Templar Knights had been elevated by the High Lord and granted power beyond others for His service. Geoffrey le Court had not simply chosen to join the Templar Knights—he’d been called by a divine voice.

  The High Lord and the Earth Mother had been at war over Earth’s believers since the time of creation. Nathan had seen the suffering, pain, and devastation caused by the war the two deities had waged. At the whim of these gods, their devout followers (the Templars and the Arcanists) fought each other fiercely throughout the ages. Now, in the living room of Nathan Gray’s small home, old hatreds appeared ready to rage anew.

  But these two were special. It had taken Nathan years to orchestrate this moment. A confrontation with Gaia herself, slipping the library elevator keycard to just the right demons at just the right time. It was a dangerous move, no doubt, but something that had needed to be done. At no other time in history had the demons been so close to complete dominance of humanity. Gaia and the High Lord needed to put aside their differences, and so did their believers. It would start here.

  Still, there was no way to tell how this would play out.

  …and if one needs further proof that the Templar doctrines are lies, one only need consider how many different religious leaders espouse that they, and only they, know the one true god. – Seeking Oneness by Ebar Zbignzie, 1861

  Chapter 2

  “Nathan, what kind of game are you playing?” Kelly couldn’t help raising her voice as she questioned her old friend. “He’s a Templar!”

  “Yes, he is,” Nathan acknowledged, nodding his head.

  She’d had to shout her accusations over the loud berating Geoffrey le Court was giving the old man.

  “The writings of the Arcanists are corrupt. You know that. How could you expect me to learn anything useful from them?”

  Irritatingly, Nathan remained calm amidst the storm of their interrogation. Finally, he held up his hands for silence, turning to address Geoffrey first. “Ah, but you did learn something down in that Arcanist archive, did you not?”

  “Well…yes, perhaps I did,” the Templar admitted. He glared at Kelly then, and added, “Yet, how can I trust the information?” His aura reflected his suspicion, distrust, and loathing. “As you’d suggested, the gate was studied in depth in the early sixteenth century, while it was securely held in a Templar stronghold.”

  Kelly wasn’t sure what the men were talking about, but she bided her time, determined to find out what was going on. How could her old friend have betrayed her like this?

  “Yes, during the Renaissance.” Nathan nodded. “That would make sense, would it not? It was the age of enlightenment after all. Did you learn who did the study?”

  Several of the texts she’d retrieved for the knight had been about the Renaissance. Kelly tried to think back on what specifically Geoffrey le Court had asked her about that period.

  “You see, here is where I don’t believe we can trust the Arcanist documents.” Geoffrey stood stiffly, resolutely. “I saw it written that a joint taskforce of Arcanist and Templar scholars spent three years studying the gate. You know that can’t possibly be true.”

  Kelly recalled seeing that citing. She’d instantly rejected it as impossible as well. The Arcanists and the Templars had never, and would never, work together on anything. Kelly had even noted down the passage, with plans to check the source when she had the time. Once again, she found herself in complete agreement with the Templar. It was a feeling she loathed.

  “And why is this so unbelievable?” The hint of a smile played on Nathan’s lips, as if he knew what the answer would be.

  “Templars would never work with the Arcanists,” Geoffrey answered. “Arcanists are evil, as evil as the demon-spawn. The vile witches and warlocks seek the destruction of all that is good in our world.”

  Arrogant ass. Kelly could hold back no longer. “Delusional fool. We Arcanists have worked hard over the years to repair the damage you Templars continue to cause throughout the world. Your wars, your evil grip on political power—”

  “Weave your web of lies elsewhere, woman.” The knight was in her face defiantly. “I know the truth!”
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  “Templar Truths? I’ve read it. The book doesn’t stand up to the light of day.” Kelly glared at the knight, then turned her back on him. “Why do I even bother? Your kind never listens. You’d rather let the world burn than even question your ancient documents.”

  Geoffrey huffed. “Every word in your Arcanist manifestos is just as sacred to your kind.”

  She threw up her arms and rounded on Nathan. “Nathan, why would you do this? You’ve put me in a desperate position. I have to protect our archive.” The old wizard must have been duped somehow by the Templar Knights. He most certainly couldn’t be working with them.

  Despite the betrayal, Kelly still wanted to trust him.

  “If you are both finished, I would be more than happy to explain.” He indicated the chairs in his living room. “Sit, and let’s try not to kill each other, at least for now. There are things that I must say that you both need to hear.”

  Kelly put as much distance between herself and the knight as the small room would allow. At this point half a world would not be enough. Still, on another level, she found herself drawn to him—his conviction, the intensity in his eyes, his confident stance. In anyone other than a Templar she would have found these traits admirable. But Templars were her mortal enemies, as evil as the demons. The damage caused by the Templars’ blind convictions over the ages could not be set aside. They were an arrogant, deluded bunch. She’d been given abundant proof of that.

  “It all comes back to the Demon Gate. This portal came into being over three thousand years ago.”

  Kelly pulled her attention away from Geoffrey to listen to Nathan’s narrative.

  “It was the sorcerers of old Atlantis who created and first opened the portal to Ballor, the demon world. Like small children playing with fire, they started a blaze that still smolders to this day. The initial opening of the portal was devastating. Hundreds of Ballor flooded out of the gate. Thousands of Atlanteans lost their lives in the onslaught that followed. So many others were led in chains back through the portal to be used as slaves of the Ballor demons. Only the sinking of the island itself managed to stem the tide of the invaders.”