Hero of the InBetween

by Erin Snihur

  Almighty, give me strength.

  Growling, I take one of her nipples in my mouth once more and clamp down tightly, eliciting a mewling sound from her sweet lips. The mewling stops as she whispers, “I love you, Darius.”

  Grinning wickedly down upon her, I don’t hesitate and take her with such force that the bed moans under the pressure. Such exertion leaves us both panting to catch our breath an hour later, still warm in each other's embrace.

  I hate to break this tender moment with her as I caress her body against mine, “We need to start packing you a bag, Elara. Only a few days worth of stuff.”

  Elara groans and stretches against me. Damn her body. Pulling myself reluctantly away, I move to stand and find my clothes once more. They are strewn about the room in such a fashion, that I was thankful I was able to find them at all.

  “I’m already packed,” Elara says from the bed and I turn to stare at her, bewildered by her comment.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, not sure if I will like the answer or not. Had she planned on running if I came looking for her?

  Elara appears sheepish as she shyly holds the bed covers to her naked body. I can feel myself hardening once more at the sight of her neck and my mark there. I find myself becoming more and more possessive of her as time passes.

  Watching her almost die had caused me to become covetous of my Little Moon. The others would surely enjoy themselves at my expense. Shaking myself inwardly, I focus on her words and try not to focus on the arousing sight of her pink cheeks and puffy lips.

  “Well, I made sure to have a bag packed in case you ever showed up. I wanted to be ready. It wasn’t like I thought something bad was going to happen, but after everything we had been through, I didn’t want to take any chances,” Elara says as she smiles shyly up at me. Her eyes warily sneak over to her closet before wandering back to me, eyebrow raised in question, “Would you like to see it?”

  6

  Elara

  Darius appears curious and a little confused by my statement. I didn’t want to tell him that over the last six months, I’d waited, hoping and praying he would appear back in my life. I’d even done something insanely stupid and visited this crazy lady on Long Island who claimed to have a connection with angels and demons. It hadn’t worked. I’d been left feeling frustrated and disappointed.

  Those days had been dark, but I’d risen from the ashes with the hope that one day we’d be reunited. I had decided instead of waiting for Darius to show up, I’d research and be prepared in case there was trouble. Climbing out of the bed, I began to feel a tad self-conscious about the fact that I am completely naked except for my bedsheet. My hands instinctively grasp the bed covers tighter and wrap it around me like a dress.

  “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but we never really talked about stuff like this,” I say as I pull the duffel bag out of the back of my closet.

  I slowly open it up to show him my hidden treasures. Inside are the essential toiletries and a few pairs of clothes, but the rest had slowly become my obsession over the past few months. Without even thinking about his reaction, I pull out the sharp dagger I had wedged between two socks.

  “Elara, give that to me. It’s sharp.” Darius orders and strides forward in an effort to take the dagger from me as he asks, “Where in the Almighty’s name did you even get something like this?”

  Bristling at his attitude, I take a step back and flip the dagger between my fingers expertly by the thin hilt. I admit it. I was showing off my new skills. Hours of watching videos of swordplay and dagger handling was enough to keep me entertained until Darius returned into my life.

  “It’s mine. I bought it and had it blessed by a priest. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?” I ask. When Darius’ eyes brighten with the laughter that he tries to hold in, I feel like a complete idiot.

  Darius doesn’t hold his laughter in for long and soon his booming laugh fills my bedroom. I grasp the hilt tightly and place the dagger back in my duffle bag, ignoring the amused man behind me.

  “Fine. Forget it. Have fun saving the world without me, angel boy,” I say as I turn on my heel and march into my bathroom, slamming the door behind me.

  Darius’ voice still sounds like he was smiling as he knocks on the door, “Come on, Little Moon, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just…the image of you entering a church and asking a pious priest to bless that dagger was too much.”

  Pouting, I open the door a smidge. Glaring up at him, I ask, “So it was a waste of time? That priest seemed pretty serious about the whole thing. He spoke Latin and everything.”

  Darius pushes the door open further and grins down at me. “He probably thought it was some gimmick and only wanted to humor you. Don’t worry. The dagger, while probably not officially blessed, will still be able to gut a demon. Although, I’m not happy with the idea of you being anywhere near another demon ever again.”

  I roll my eyes and push away from Darius, ignoring the heat in his eyes as my blanket drops to the floor, effectively leaving me naked before his eyes as I grumble to myself.

  “Get used to it, buddy.”

  Leaving my apartment had been an interesting experience. When I walked out of my bedroom, I found that my living room, kitchen, dining room and front door are completely fixed. No evidence of torture or my door being kicked down is present. Even my vases full of lavender blooms are present once more around the room. I hesitate as I gaze around. Something is different. My apartment is definitely cleaner than before.

  “Can you have angels come and clean my apartment all the time now?” I ask teasingly as Darius takes my bag from me and we walk hand in hand out of my apartment.

  Leaving the actual building is been interesting as well. None of my neighbors who are coming or going even seem to notice us. It is when one of my elderly neighbors almost walks right into me and I have to quickly dart out of the way that I realize the truth. We are invisible to everyone.

  I cast a questioning glance at Darius who merely smiles down at me in response. He takes my hand once more with a comforting squeeze. As we walk, I recall my first meeting with Darius and the looks I’d gotten from people during my yelling fest. I had assumed the looks were because I was causing a scene over some ducks. The truth, I soon realized that night, was that Darius and all angels could make their presence completely unknown to humans.

  Walking along the busy sidewalk, I find it even more difficult to keep myself from bumping into people or accidentally tripping them. Keeping my hand locked with Darius’ seems to help as he weaves us through the crowded sidewalks until we find ourselves in a more upscale neighborhood of New York.

  “Do angels always make themselves invisible or just in the presence of humans,” I ask the question as Darius gracefully darts a bike messenger who flies by on the crosswalk we are waiting at. All around us men and women rush here and there in their fancy business suits and stellar dresses. They are all completely unaware of the powerful being in their midst.

  “Mostly in the presence of humans. Sometimes we don’t need to, because we aren’t acting under official business. With our wings hidden, we appear like average humans.” Darius grins down at me and wiggles his eyebrows mischievously.

  I laugh at his teasing and squeeze his hand in mine as I whisper, “I will never describe you as average.”

  The flashing light tells us to cross as we make our way toward a busy street and an even busier, luxurious looking hotel. As we move closer, I recognize the hotel immediately.

  Wicked.

  The large, red sign that is wrapped around the front of the hotel shines out over the New York skyline in a way that makes me shiver with anticipation. The hotel chain is owned by some European billionaire and he has beautiful hotels in every major city across the planet. Only the best for the rich and famous.

  Too rich for my blood, I think inwardly.

  Darius hasn’t picked up on my unease as he pulls me toward the hotel and we are greeted by the doorman
under the VIP doorway. The man tips his hat at Darius and seems to pause as he shifts his gaze over me. His leering face morphs into a wolfish grin as he nods his head at me.

  So, they can see us now? My thoughts are interrupted at the sound of Darius’ low growl. I freeze as the doorman pauses and turns serious.

  “My apologies. Enjoy your stay,” the door man murmurs.

  Before I can ask what was wrong, Darius is pulling me into the hotel lobby. I don’t like being seen now. Too many people seem to zero in on us as we enter. Scratch that. Too many women seem to zero in on Darius. The man is a freaking wet dream. I shoot a simmering glare at one particular woman sitting in the lounge area as she licks her lips at the sight of Darius. Her cat-like eyes meet mine and she reluctantly snorts before turning away.

  Moving closer to him, I raise myself up on my tiptoes in my flats and whisper in his ear, “We can be seen now?”

  Darius nods, but doesn’t speak as his eyes scan the busy bar area off to the side of the lobby. Movement in the back corner seems to catch his eye and I follow his gaze through the crowded bar. The raised hand of Gideon has me tensing.

  As we approach hand in hand, Gideon’s boyish face morphs into a grin as he takes in my dark jeans and fancy top. Gideon lets out a low whistle as he sips at his drink and he mutters, “Damn, Darius, maybe I need to get myself a human girlfriend.”

  Before Darius can growl out a response, I swiftly step forward, gaining Gideon’s attention. Taking an empty seat in the booth opposite Gideon, I ignore his appreciative gaze.

  “I don’t think you have the wings to handle a human, Gideon.”

  I grin as Gideon’s face droops at my comment before he playfully glares back. He quickly signals a waitress to swing by to take our orders. Once Darius has ordered a whiskey and I ordered water, we were alone. I scan the booth, Ezekiel, Dina and Pascal are not present.

  “Where is everyone?” I ask Gideon and notice as he quickly glances at Darius before leaning forward over the table, to keep our conversation private.

  “Pascal is meditating in a room upstairs, Ezekiel is polishing his sword and Dina is trying to pick out a dress,” Gideon grunts before swigging back the rest of his drink and sets the empty glass down on the table.

  I can’t help but giggle at his statement. The words just seem so normal, like he wasn’t even talking about angels. I shake my head in disbelief, waiting for the waitress who delivers our drinks to leave.

  Gazing up at Darius, I inquire quietly, “Why were you growling at the doorman?”

  “He was looking at you too closely for my liking,” Darius murmurs.

  He casually takes a sip from his glass as he scans the room, before sliding into the booth next to me. His arm comes to rest on my shoulders as he brings me in closer, and I feel his nose delve inside my hair to bump against my ear.

  His whisper is low, but I hear it as if he is yelling the word, “Demon.”

  I tense and slowly shift my eyes to the mirror that rests behind the bar. It gives me an excellent view of the front doors. I quickly spot the doorman who stands at the ready to open the VIP doors. He doesn’t look like a demon, he looks human. Inwardly, I know he gives off a creepy vibe, but nevertheless he appears human.

  “Look closer,” Darius purrs, his face still buried in my hair. “Unlock all of your senses.”

  I blink my eyes and find myself really staring at the man in the red doorman jacket and black pants. As I stare at him harder, the image before me shifts and his human appearance melts away to reveal a hulking grey, skinned demon. Two short, stubby horns stick out of his head and barely hold his red cap on. When his dark eyes swing about and meet mine in the mirror, I gasp and look away, focusing on my glass on the table.

  Darius’ hand caresses my shoulder in a comforting gesture and when I gaze back up in the mirror, the doorman is once again human. The sense of evil emanating off of him does not dissipate.

  “How is he able to do that? And how am I able to see him like that?” I ask and my eyes meet Gideon’s across the table who sneers in disgust at the mention of a demon.

  “Their bred from the depths of hell. What do you expect?” Gideon answers and I feel Darius tense again at my side.

  At Darius’ glare, Gideon sighs, “Sorry. Old habits. I hate demons. Don’t like the fact that we’re so close at present. You can probably see his true nature due to a side effect of coming into contact with the sword.”

  Somewhere in the distance, I hear the sound of an elevator dinging and Gideon mumbles, “Finally,” before standing.

  Darius helps me to stand from the booth and I watch as Pascal, Ezekiel and Dina step out of the elevator by the front desk. More heads turn as they walk toward us and I notice that groups of beautiful men and women whisper as they pass. When I focus hard enough on the whispering bodies lounging in chairs or at the bar, I can see some human faces melting away to reveal more demons. I freeze at the realization that we are surrounded, literally.

  Darius holds me tighter and I pull my gaze away to look up at him. He smiles and whispers in my ear, “Relax. We don’t bother them, they don’t bother us.”

  When the others join us, I immediately notice Dina has changed. Her short, blond hair is curled perfectly around her pale face. She is wearing a deep, maroon cocktail dress that ends just above her knees with tall, black heels.

  The slit that runs up her thigh shows enough for me to wonder if she is wearing anything more beneath the revealing dress. I immediately send a glance down at my own clothes and feel underdressed.

  Gideon speaks first and grins at Dina, “Just wanted to throw something more comfortable on before meeting with the big guy, huh?”

  Dina glowers at Gideon, “Watch it, Gideon. Loose lips lose them.”

  Their playful banter continues as Ezekiel speaks to Darius who remains at my side.

  “Are you sure we should bring her? It seems too great of a risk.” Ezekiel murmurs and my ears perk up. I know instantly that Ezekiel is referring to me. I don’t think he likes my presence very much.

  Darius merely tightens his hold on me, “She stays.”

  Pascal hasn’t said a word and behind his dark glasses, I wonder if he is truly even listening. He even remains quiet as Dina scans our group and snaps her fingers, “Let’s go. No time like the present.”

  As Dina spins on her tall heels toward the back of the bar, I pull Darius to stop so that I can glance up at him and ask, “What exactly are we doing and who are we meeting?”

  Dina hears my questions and quickly spins back around to face us, anger and shock evident on her face, “You didn’t tell her? What were you doing this whole time?”

  Gideon chuckles and nudges Pascal, whose face remains passive. Gideon jokingly mutters, “I bet I know what they were doing.”

  Dina ignores Gideon and lets out a huff of frustration before pulling me away from a sputtering Darius. I glance over my shoulder at Darius and the others as she drags me away. Darius doesn’t look happy as he glowers in Dina’s direction and walks in step with the others behind us. I turn to face forward as Dina stops before a black wall hidden away at the back of the bar.

  I stare at the wall, half expecting us to walk right through it until Dina extends her hand and presses her red polished fingernail to a hidden button off to the side. The button lights up and with a ding, the black wall parts open to reveal a pristine elevator on the inside.

  Rushing me into the elevator, Dina waits until everyone is inside before pressing the only other button inside the elevator. The elevator itself is glamorous with golden walls and black designs interwoven with the gold. Some of the designs even resemble the angelic runes I’d seen in the past.

  Dina presses the only button, which I quickly see is labeled “L”. I shift uncomfortably before turning an arched eyebrow on Dina who is crowding me into the corner of the elevator, far from Darius, who continues to glower. Dina continues to press the “L” button and the elevator proceeds to move, down, not up, like I had
thought.

  Clearing my throat, I let out a nervous chuckle, “So where are we going and who are we meeting?”

  This is my first ever conversation with the woman Darius considers a sister and family. I need to make her comfortable with my presence. I want her to like me. I want all of them to like me, but Dina is my first attempt. I can tell she is nervous or perhaps has her guard up around me. Darius had alluded to the fact that Dina was protective of all her brothers. As I cast my eyes over Dina’s dress, a small smile formed on my face.

  When she doesn’t answer my first question, I chuckle, “Are we meeting someone you’re trying to impress? Because if so, that dress would make a blind man see.” I sneak a glance toward Pascal and sheepishly smile at him, “Sorry, Pascal.”

  Gideon is the only one who laughs with me and I meet his teasing eyes. Gideon’s wink reassures me and I’m grateful that I’ve gained one ally in Darius’ family. His playful face quickly turns serious and everyone faces the doors of the elevator at the sound of the elevator stopping.

  Here we go.

  7

  Elara

  Dina slowly pulls her hand away from the button as the doors open. Weaving my hand through hers, she tugs me through the now open doors of the elevator into very modern looking office lobby.

  The walls are gold with black and red accents. The tapping of nails on a keyboard is all that is heard along with the click of Dina’s heals as we approach. A young woman is sitting at a large desk, tapping away on a desktop keyboard. Behind her are two large oak doors that seem imposing and out of place in this office lobby.

  The woman sitting at the desk doesn’t look up at us and instead continues typing away on her computer. Her dark hair is perfectly in place and her pale skin gives her an ethereal look, much like a fairy from my mother’s bedtime stories.