Collide: Book 2 of the Obligatory Fate Series

By Heather Burke

There's an ancient prophecy that a blend of bloods will bring about the purest form of balance. On earth, heaven and hell will stop fighting because the destroyer of worlds will fuse in blood with the ones of old. Because of this, humanity will cease to exist and only the spirit ones will remain.

Nothing is easy or clean when it comes to love. Both Whit and Cami find that the birth of their child has opened doors to the darkest realms and brightest hopes. The greatest evil is more than happy to get his hands on Samuel and take him to the depth of depravity unimagined. Bellator, the house which fights evil tirelessly, battles to keep the child safe all the while inadvertently pitting Cami against Whit. Foes then become allies, and friends lose their lives all for the cause of good versus evil. This story twists and turns through the gritty love story that is all contorted with no end to the consequences. For love, this supernatural thriller will go to places untold and fight for what's right, even if it means destroying their own families and lives in the process.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886547382

Book preview

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Collide

Book 2 of the Obligatory Fate Series

Heather Burke

Copyright © 2023 Heather Burke

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88654-723-8 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-738-2 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Dedicated to my readers

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Let's keep going to the stars and back together.

Bring your swords.

Coram deo

Prologue

Part 1

Chapter 1

Returning

Chapter 2

Going Dark

Chapter 3

Security

Chapter 4

War Zone

Chapter 5

Bishop to Bishop

Chapter 6

Presentation

Chapter 7

Dark Deceptions

Chapter 8

Lost

Chapter 9

Change

Chapter 10

Unending

Chapter 11

Secrets and Spies

Chapter 12

Opposing Houses

Chapter 13

When I Call

Chapter 14

Angel of Light

Chapter 15

Losing

Chapter 16

What Remains

Part 2

Chapter 17

Leftover

Chapter 18

Johnathan

Chapter 19

Keeping Secrets

Chapter 20

Prisoner 29

Chapter 21

Bond

Chapter 22

Skipping Stones

Chapter 23

In Between

Chapter 24

Hostility

Chapter 25

Colossal Disaster

Chapter 26

Destruction and Dependency

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Dedicated to my readers

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

Let's keep going to the stars and back together.

Bring your swords.

Coram deo

Prologue

I 'm not leaving them, I said resolutely. In a move that surprised even me, I handed the weakened angel killer my most precious gift. Something inside me knew he wouldn't harm him but that he would still harm an angel given half the chance. He looked at me in surprise as I thrust my crying toddler in his hands and took off out of the bait shop.

The sounds were still muted under the veil, but I could see it all. Dozens of people lay dead on the ground. Elder Alexander tangled midflight with something massive with flapping membrane wings that resembled a bat. Altus was out in the water and grabbed several people and flew them to shore. Other elders fought the horde, and angeluses joined in. It was a bloodbath, and I charged straight into it.

The sounds resumed as I got closer. A slimy-jawed demon jumped off his victim and onto me. I shoved my dagger through its neck and then rammed my shield into its chest, sending it flying backward and oozing. My long sword met the torso of another tall sharp-clawed figure as he slashed at me and nicked the side of my face with his gruesome yellow talons. I jammed the sword in so hard as he wriggled and tried to reach me. Without warning, blood and puss ran from his headless neck with Altus standing behind him, holding his severed head by its scalp. Without a word, Altus impaled another demon that had snuck up on me and continued to slash and smash with his weapons until the group that congregated around us were annihilated.

Part 1

Chapter 1

Returning

No one said it would be easy to watch the man, who moved from hell to heaven, suffer in ways only a former serial killer with an attack of conscience suffers. His hardened facade waned as more of him splintered away. The reality of what he'd done for the last hundred years began to settle in, and there was no telling how much longer he could be among the enemy, stay sane, and stay alive.

You aren't seeing what I see. He's disappearing more each time he comes back from the Rite. What he has to do is eating him. I picked at my cuticles as my stomach churned inside.

We've infiltrated for the first time in over a century, watcher. All will be in grave danger if they aren't accepted into their ranks before he leaves. Aside from this, he wants to see their kingdom fall for all he's suffered. This you know as well.

Elder Alexander leaned forward with heavy eyes. He hoped that this mission would pan out in Bellator's favor so that the watchers would be able to slide in as spies among the Rite without notice. Hope was all any of us had to go on, and the watchers that took such risks knew that acting like cult members would get them killed if they were found out.

Is this even possible to defeat them before Judgment Day? Doubts invaded my once solidly convinced mind. Fear wormed through me, making it hard to have faith when all I saw was a never-ending war raging before me.

It is possible to dwindle their numbers enough to cause them to retreat to a different region and the demons we kill are taken straight to Gehenna, suffocating their attempts to expand. Just thinking of Gehenna made me even more anxious. It was the place that awaited them with an open empty gaping mouth and they feared that most. As did I. Elder Alexander seemed to feel a twinge of pain just speaking the name. The only concrete thing I knew about what went on there was what Whit told me that made me feel ill. It was never-ending madness and suffering where the wings of the fallen were grown and ripped out of their backs endlessly. This was part of their great cost for rebellion. Weakening them is our goal here on earth. We have done this in Ireland and a few other countries. It is a part of the plan for final victory. Elder Alexander usually put me at ease. However, this time, my instincts told me that Whit was not doing well and using him to work in this capacity was taking from him what couldn't be replaced. Any peace he sought would be quickly snuffed by participating in the horrific nature of the Rite.

Look, he grieves, and the pain swallows him. Right now, he is a ghost struggling to be a human most of the time.

He will feel the full brunt of his unnatural life, and the life of those he took are going to haunt him. They haunt us all, eventually. The war inside him has raged in blood for over a hundred years and this can't be undone in a few months' time. It's a part of the process of a truly repentant person to reflect and mourn on where they've been. I leaned against the cool window pane that looked out at the manicured grounds from my apartment in Bellator's tower. It seemed perfect and safe in there away from the death and darkness that Whit was likely surrounded by. I knew the truth that nothing was ever truly safe. The terrible darkness that found its way into our dreams was a reminder that buildings, people, and hallowed boundaries could all be broken by anything wicked enough to do so. Every night, I dreamt of what the world was largely ignoring: slaughter, sacrifice, and never-ending mangled words upon indistinguishable faces. May I suggest something? He stood up from the sofa and joined me looking out from my apartment and to the grounds below. Take these next days before your little one arrives to be with him and prepare for a new life that you two have been blessed to have with one another.

He's coming back? Relief and joy squirmed as did our son inside my womb.

I got wind that he is to arrive tonight. Elder Alexander smiled his wide easy way. His eyes lit up as he saw my excitement begin to effervesce. He has new intel and sent word that he would be released from the Rite's duties, for a limited time, to be with you and the baby.

I had no clue they would give him paternity leave. Evil is strange, I flatly joked.

Don't mistake this for kindness. They want him to be with you so that you do not defect and run with the child as your mother did with you. He is their insurance policy that you will present the baby. Or at least that's the tactical advantage I'd pursue. He looked at me with a small pause and saw the excitement of Whit's return settle into sadness. The thought of presenting my newborn before a horde of evil bent on perverting him made me feel sickly. Even though I was assured by our house and Whit that it's nothing more than showing the child is well and alive to the Rite's council. I had better be on my way. I have new watchers to train. There have been thousands identified worldwide, blessedly so. Are there anymore concerns you have at this time? I shook my head and tried to bow to Elder Alexander when he laughed at me mid bow. Watcher, no bow needed. Your child may not feel so comfortable. Agreeing, I chuckled while we both looked upon my very round midsection.

*****

I could feel his presence when he slid under the covers in the bed next to me. We held each other, not saying anything while we soaked in the warmth of one other's arms and fragrances.

Miss me, his voice cooed in the dark. His biceps flexed, and he pulled me tighter and closer.

Absolutely. You miss me?

Kissing me on the head, he sighed and exhaled and said, More than you can imagine. His voice gave way to the weight he carried on his shoulders.

Have you debriefed yet?

I wanted to talk to you in person first before we assemble. Worry spread over me as I reached up and turned the bedside lamp on. We always followed proper protocol even though we were wedded. Debrief first, then discuss. Not the other way around. Anytime an operative arrived from the field, day or night, the assembly of watchers was held to get every detail down before anything was possibly forgotten or misconstrued. Accurate reports were critical for any successful operation. My goodness, look at you. I've only been gone a week. Sitting up with my belly bulging, he grinned from ear to ear, kissing me and lightly rubbing the top of my stomach until Samuel bumped inside.

Whit, what's going on? I touched his soft ebony hair as he began to twist mine between his fingers.

My love, I have some news that I didn't want to surprise you with in front of everyone. I wanted you to have some time to process this.

Okay.

"I have been promoted to eternal master of the Rite. They are proud of me for these last…for the work I've done. I knew he was referring to the slaughter of those teens, I left him over, and his continual recruitment of our family. Being eternal master means there aren't any others above me with the exception of the Morning Star." Morning Star was a term of endearment used for their putrid prince of darkness and an intimate way to describe the leader of the eternally damned. My teeth clinched, knowing he said this with such ease.

So you outrank Master Corridor? His foul rot and fester smell came to mind with the mere mention of his name.

Yes, I do. The promotion should have gone to him, and when Eternal Master Garret arrived, he expected to be made equal in rank due to the success of the latest campaign in this region.

Campaign?

The assignment issued to all masters to bulk up new recruits for worship.

Ugh, sorry I asked.

New recruits meant new cult members of all ages, which meant fresh meat to procure for their sick practices. Whit's eyes were dull with darker circles around them than I'd seen. My fingers fumbled through his ebony hair while I tucked a loose sprig behind his ears. He was still so very beautiful in every way. His essence flashed with golds, white, and soft greens, and small traces of gray still remained. The X on his chest was large with silver and gold intertwined until suddenly, it all flooded mauve, the color of fear.

With Eternal Master Garret awarding me the new rank, Master Corridor was outraged. He maintained his ghastly composure, although his essence was spinning, rapidly giving away, only to me, what was going on inside. He moved my hands to his neck and motioned for me to massage the tight, stiff muscles, which I was more than glad to do. He's jealous, and this makes me a target for retribution. But that's not what concerns me most. With my new rank comes my new duties. I am no longer a slayer, which is on the positive side.

So no killing? My hands moved to his hard shoulders down to his back, and he relaxed a little more with each touch.

Not by my hands, unless I chose to. Instead, I must over see those that do, which means we have a new bishop. He got up off the bed and started to change into his Bellator uniform, motioning for me to do the same. In Bellator, we all wore a simple white tunic with white pants underneath symbolizing purity, truth, and complete unity. The new bishop is Ryan Meyer.

What? I nearly shouted. Panic started to kick in immediately. The room felt hot and small as my heart rate soared through the roof.

He was accepted in the Rite because of two reasons. One, they knew it would be a few years before you would be fully active. Our son is priority to them, and they will afford us what's necessary to keep him healthy and well, which means you would be unavailable for rank. The other reason is he actually tried to stop his brother from—I looked down as his face met mine—harming you. He made a very convincing case to Master Corridor, who accepted his story, and then initiated him in the Rite.

He took off his shirt, baring a new brand marking behind his others. This one said eternal in a quasi-demonic adaptation of Hebrew. Since I had been incubating our baby, I was put on light duty, which entailed studying Aramaic Hebrew as well as many other languages often used by the houses.

Even if he did try to stop him, he still was complicit in all of it. Outrage rose and flushed my whole face. But that doesn't matter to those with no morals. I guess this means you have to work with him, I shot angrily at the whole situation.

Whit stopped for a moment as he studied the fear stained in my essence. He sympathetically and almost apologetically wrapped his arms around me before I motioned for him to stop so I could get dressed and stew in my anger properly.

The worst part is—he gently nudged me to sit down on the bed as I adjusted the uniform that nearly didn't fit my girth—he has been charged by Eternal Master Garret as your new guardian and trainer when I am away on missions. They want Dominick back at the priesthood.

You're joking! Acid shot up my throat, and the room felt small when a ticktock and the humming bird heartbeat of our baby were the only sounds for a second. Time resumed moving around us as I swallowed to get control over my rage. Why would they want him back and give us Ryan? This makes no sense at all.

Hey, look at me. The love of my life, you know you can trust me. He tried to reassure me as I closed my eyes and focused on slowing my breathing while he continued. I disputed it at first, ready to maim him with my sword right then and there, when Bishop Meyer took a knee and swore on his own eternal life that he would serve our child and you faithfully. He presented a sacrifice before the Rite that satisfied the oath, making it binding and impossible for him to neglect for all eternity. My mouth hung open with shock. It's actually a form of a curse that cannot be removed by anyone except by he who we wish not to name.

Whit, what if he finds out that we're not in the Rite? If he's around me when you're gone, I can't have any contact our house, and for God's sakes, the bastard might try to take our baby. What if— I started to cry, and he wiped my tears as they flowed. A surge of panic threated to knock the breath out of me and anchor time in place at my feet.

If we are to complete this mission, you cannot have any contact for a long time with Bellator. His voice was low and heavy. They cannot intervene under any circumstances, and I assure you, our child and you will be safe from him. Even if he is loyal to the Rite, he cannot do anything that would not contribute to your well-being. Trust me with this. I promise you, we will be done with this mission after all the watchers get in position. Fuming, my chest ached and my emotions tangled tightly. Now after tonight, we are alone on our mission until it is over. Although—he pulled me into his embrace—you know we are never forsaken. His whisper wasn't convincing as mauve crept into his essence. Even he didn't fully believe his own words.

Chapter 2

Going Dark

W atcher O'Connor, how many do we have in ranks among them?

Four, excluding my wife. Claudio stood silently behind Elder Alexander. The blond rough-cut oval wood table stretched the length of the conference room. Every seat was at full capacity, with elders, angels, and available watchers, despite the late hour. Then this puts us at an extreme advantage. Are they recognized before the Rite yet?

Only as additional potential worshippers in the cult sects. Those who were labeled as potentials typically had to be initiated in a ritual that would take place before the next full moon.

What is the word on the apostate ex-watcher, Ryan Meyer? Watcher Pitman narrowed his eyes at Whit. He was a short slender man in his early thirties with disappointed eyes of deep brown. He had been trained by the twins, Griffin and Ryan, and he wore his anger at their betrayal very vividly.

He is now a bishop.

Now I know he has intel on us. However, he has very little. They found a few of our outposts, but they had long been abandoned, as we made certain to evacuate them once he went rogue. The buildings were torched and that's it. Everyone gasped as Elder Alexander spoke loudly in his heavy Scottish brogue as he tried to reassure the board that he had a lot less intel than they first assumed.

Him being a bishop is the least of our worries. Eternal Master Garret is back. Those of you who remember the last time he led a campaign through here know what he's capable of. Mass influence leading to mass suicides. Whit looked at me. He has a nasty habit of taking cult members and influencing them to drink sulfuric acid. The visual image associated with organs liquefying inside a living person as they melted away from the inside out made me nauseated. Whit looked back at the elders and spoke, He's here to gather the cult recruits and move them across the eastern seaboard. The Rite has plans to insert its followers in more major cities to vie for power and influence.

Whit studied the back of his knuckles in a sort of daydreamlike state as questions circulated. His weariness was plain. Essences of those who were not human furiously flung around their owners in mauves and greens, with blinding flashes of violet. I could only pinpoint a few of what the colors meant. Every time I asked Whit to help me discern the colors, he would tell me interpretation was subject to the watcher's own experiences. This vague explanation felt off, and I hated to think he was hiding something. I tried to dismiss it as me being paranoid, but it still bugged me.

Whit, my voice was small among the crowd yet drawing all their silence, tell them.

He nodded as they all looked to him while he repeated what he told me just a few minutes before about Ryan becoming my protector. Everyone was aghast at the news of Bishop Meyer as my guardian. Dominick's demeanor changed from concerned to near terror as Whit explained that he was being recalled to be a dark priest once again. His lips began to quiver as he held himself together while the room was in an uproar. I felt terrible for Dominick. His life before Bellator hollowed him out, and I could see how going back to serve them under the guise of still being on their side was like sending a POW back into the very camp he was just released from. It felt cruel to ask him to keep playing his role in the Rite. But it was necessary.

Quiet all. Elder Alexander's voice called for order, and it rose above the Bellator members nearly to no avail. Even Claudio joined in the chorus of anxiety. The angelus present were the only ones who didn't move as the room frenzied. Now we can do this! Our Creator has equipped us. Though they cannot make contact with us for a while, it doesn't mean they are helpless. The Creator hears and sees all. In addition to this, he has given them their positions for a reason. They will succeed, and they will not fail. I assure you. He looked directly at Whit and Dominick. You all will succeed. There is a reason for all this. Have faith.

Dominick's eyes were wide with fright. He did not feel a shred of comfort returning to the hell from whence he came and this was very clear. The room continued to buzz as opinions flew and alternate plans were researched and drawn until early in the morning. I left long before Whit came to bed. He arrived just after sunrise, and when I got up, I watched his young face, beneath his freshly grown short black beard, relax and tense as he dreamt. A rapid knock roused him.

Lay back down. I'll get it, I told him. His eyes closed as I kissed his cheek. I grabbed my robe—that I could barely bring to a close—as I opened the door.

I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. Melissa was disheveled with her cotton hair windblown. Her clothes looked like she took them out of a laundry basket rather than her carefully perfected office attire she typically dawned.

Not a problem. I was just about to get up—

I saw them moving through the northern portion of Wakefield. Her words rushed out, They are marching in the direction of your apartment. I've already sent word to the elders, but no one called me back.

We knew that they would be on the move toward us. I have been assigned another protector, and they must be getting antsy since I'm due. Whit and I are going back tonight to make it look like we still live there.

"You can't wait that long. You need to go now. They saw Bjorn."

It didn't surprise me that they recognized him. Bjorn and Melissa married just a month ago, and he was a very recent defector from one of their worship centers. Whit protested that he was a liability when he was allowed to live off Bellator property so quickly after arriving there. Bjorn had served under a black priest as an apprentice for two years until he encountered the reality that his vicious master, the black priest over him, hated those who served him. Often, he would lure them to his home to perform rituals and procedures I dared not even think about. The dark priest over Bjorn received word that evil incarnate required Bjorn to sacrifice a child from his own family in order to gain rank into the priesthood. He said he was trying to figure out a way around this child sacrifice just before the dark priest approached him and knew there was no way out of it. That is when he asked Yahweh, the Creator, to deliver him and if he did, he would serve in Bellator. It wasn't but a week later when he had taken his infant niece to a new moon festival and it just so happened that Bellator raided it before the festival was even able to begin. Bjorn told us how he knew God had sent them to intervene and it was his chance to escape. Thus, he sought sanctuary from us while renouncing his place with the Rite. Bellator welcomed him, allowing him to join us as a civilian lookout, just as Melissa was; however, the real problem remained unaddressed. His defecting was rather quickly discovered, and Whit warned him to stay invisible or get killed.

Where is he now?

I don't know. He freaked out and told me to get up and tell you what was happening. Then he took off. Tears fell from her eyes.

I'll wake Whit. Don't worry. Bjorn knows where hallowed ground is. He'll seek it. I dashed and woke up my sleeping prince. His face aged as I spoke while he moved in a blur, throwing our items in the suitcases. I reached for my comb and felt wet warmth slide down my leg.

Whit. I stared down in disbelief.

Huh? He turned to me and looked as I stood leaking. Our son was coming. Panic consumed my husband while I remained unusually calm. Melissa shot to the bathroom to get towels as Whit grabbed the phone and called April. He stared wide eyed as he spoke to April on the phone. Okay, yes. See you soon. Cami, let's go to the midwife clinic. We can deliver there. She's getting a space ready now.

What about the—

They will not suspect anything. They know you're due and will most likely assume you have gone to a hospital when they see we aren't home. He had an answer for everything, yet I knew nothing would play out according to plan. It rarely ever did. Trepidation shook me as my body kicked in gear, signaling the painful exit of our baby. My love—he took my face gently in his hands and breathed deeply—it will all be fine. I promise you.

Chapter 3

Security

Seventeen long hours I labored before his meek newborn cry sounded. Whit sobbed tears of delight as he held our six-pound son that flailed with each wail. Thick black hair topped his tiny head in waves, and we both marveled at Samuel Stanly O'Connor. April cleaned him off and laid him skin to skin on my chest, and this was the first time in my existence that I felt undiluted euphoric love. No matter how exhausted I was, I couldn't do anything other than look at him in wonder as he sucked hi s fist and made tiny grunting sounds. I was so wrapped up in the moment, I didn't even notice the knock on the clinic door until Whit sprang into action.

April—Whit's eyes narrowed—get in the closet and don't say a word. Terror struck my exhausted and weak body as she did exactly as he said without hesitation. I clutched my warm tiny velvet son, and Whit covered