“Yeah, there’s apparently only ten of you. Unless you’re a lot stronger than you look, I doubt you can do much of anything for us at all. Do you at least have some kind of divine power behind you?” the French representative demands.
“Yes, but we are not all-powerful, despite what you may believe. Angels can kill demons, and demons can kill angels. We live in the same world, separate but not as separate as your ideas of Heaven and Hell would suggest. None of us live on the same plane as God. There was even a time when angels couldn’t hear the word of God.”
The French representative replies, “You don’t sound like angels at all. Are you saying God left you here on this planet, without any guidance, just like he did humans?”
“In a way,” the confidant says. “However, unlike you, angels are born with an innate sense for light and goodness. We are born to carry out God’s work. Demons, on the other hand, are born to carry darkness. They are powerful just as we are. Together, we create balance. While darkness cannot be destroyed, we can prevail over it. We can control it. Fighting darkness is a test for both angels and humans. It is too easy to let it consume you, and it is difficult to overcome, but it can be done. We are here now to clear your world of the darkness that does not belong with you. This darkness is too great compared to your light, and therefore it must be banished.”
Silence falls over everyone in the lobby.
“So you’re saying we’ll be fighting against darkness forever, even after we get rid of these demons. The difference is it’ll be darkness meant for us,” a representative from Brazil stands up and says.
“Until the day you die,” Confidant Valor concludes.
“Forget all this visionary and metaphysical stuff,” a representative from Taiwan exclaims. “I think the question on everyone’s mind is whether you can actually help us.”
“A show of strength?” the confidant asks. “I’ll be happy to give it to you. Who would like to volunteer to face me right here and now?”
Several groups with large, hulking hunters snicker. I can see all the EEA members outside of the PA Branch have banded together. They want to pick out the strongest among them. Eventually, a large man from one of the USA branches stands up.
“I’ll face you,” he says.
He’s huge, even bigger than Donovan. He steps away from his fellow representatives and makes his way over to the confidant. We make room for them to move, since it seems we’re doing it right here instead of going to the gym. As soon as the man is standing right in front of the confidant, I see just how big he really is. Confidant Valor is not short, but this man is a good few inches taller than she is, and his muscle mass is much greater. I know how it must look to the humans who haven’t seen angels in action. They probably think he’ll be able to take the confidant out easily.
“You really think you’ll be able to move well enough in that medieval chainmail to do me in?” The man asks with a toothy grin.
“My armor will not be an issue for me. However, if you feel it will be an issue for you, I will take it off,” she replies.
The confidant’s gaze and expression is unwavering. It’s hard to tell what’s going through her mind.
The man howls. “Yeah, take it off.”
I notice a few other men in the audience get excited at the prospect of the confidant stripping off her armor. It’s completely disrespectful, but the confidant ignores their animalistic behavior as she quickly sheds her armor. She calls me and another angel up to take the pieces for her. She must notice the apprehension I’m feeling, because she offers me a small smile.
Once the other angel and I have gathered and taken the confidant’s armor back to the sidelines, she stands before everyone in formfitting attire not unlike the EEA’s armor, except what she’s wearing is only formfitting, a simple bodysuit—not armor at all. A few hunters whistle and catcall. It’s disgraceful, and it makes me feel sick, but the confidant doesn’t let it bother her in the slightest.
“I’m ready when you are,” she says steadily, watching the USA representative in front of her who was drinking her in the entire time she shed her silver armor.
“Yeah, all right,” he says. “Blade, you call it.”
Blade steps forward reluctantly. The look on her face tells me she’s feeling much the same way I am. She looks between the confidant and the USA representative, holds up her hand, and calls, “Start.”
The man wastes no time rushing forward, but his stance is all wrong for fighting. He is going for her just to grab her. The confidant evades with ease, sidestepping at the last minute and making it look like she didn’t move at all. The man flies forward, a confused look on his face as he barely catches himself before falling.
“What the hell?” he says under his breath.
“Try again,” the confidant replies.
The man growls and reaches for her again, this time trying to grab her long flowing hair. Once again he is unsuccessful, and Confidant Valor ends up right behind him. She kicks his legs out from under him with ease, and then she places her right foot on the small of his back. The man grunts and tries to push himself up, but it’s like he’s been trapped between a cement wall. The confidant isn’t applying much pressure to her foot, but she’s immovable like a mountain. The hunter is stuck. He tries grabbing at her leg and kicking her, but none of it does anything. She doesn’t budge an inch.
The hunter eventually stops struggling as he pants. That’s when the confidant looks out at the crowd.
“Would anyone else like to test my strength?” she asks.
All the hunters from anywhere but the PA Branch of the EEA completely avoid her gaze. No one volunteers.
Confidant Valor lets the hunter in front of her get to his feet as she steps back from him. He returns to his fellow representatives, wiping sweat from his brow, and looking angrier than ever. I think he’s in disbelief.
“We need to find the natural demons inhabiting your world,” the confidant says. “God has blessed one of you, a girl named Tasia and a fellow hunter in this branch, with great power to help take down the demons. Together, with your help, all the natural demons in this world will be tracked down and eliminated. When there are no more natural demons, your monster problem, made demons as we call them, will begin to dissolve. The strongest monsters are the first generation made by demons. If we stop them from making monsters, the monsters you are left with will be weaker and weaker.”
“Do you know that for a fact?” a Singapore representative asks.
“Am I wrong in believing that you have faced monsters and their offspring? Surely you’ve seen a power difference.”
“You’re right,” Blade informs. “We’ve fought monsters, and offspring of those same monsters, and they’ve never been as strong as their parent.”
“Will you accept our help?” the confidant asks. “We have no intention of changing how you run things. We are only here to assist you and to guide you.” She folds her arms. “All we want is to help.”
The first representative to stand and accept her invitation to help is a representative from Mexico. Many follow soon after, until it’s a unanimous vote.
“Let’s save our world!” a Japanese representative shouts.
The other hunters shout along with him.
I watch the confidant as she stands tall, her eyes glimmering as she looks out at all the hunters around her. She’s serene, genuine, and even charismatic when it calls for it. She knows when to show her strength, but not in a way that’s degrading, or even showing off. She won over these hunters. I can see why she’s in charge here.
Now that her heavy armor isn’t concealing the curves of her body, I can see the beginnings of her pregnancy starting show. It’s only a subtle bump in her stomach, and maybe I only see it because I’m looking for it.
My thoughts wander to Tasia. I wonder when she’ll be back. I want to see her again, but I also wish she was far away from all of this. I don’t want her to face this destiny. I don’t know if I’ll ever
get over that feeling. There’s something inside of me that won’t rest: a feeling of impending doom.
CASSIUS TAKES ME back to the hunter base. He sees me there personally like he did last time. When I’ve reached the gate that will lead me to the EEA’s private property full of warehouses, it’s time for him to go.
“I’ll see you again soon,” he says.
“Don’t you want to come inside?” I ask. “You can see Valor.”
“Valor is busy, and she doesn’t need me interrupting her,” he says. “I’ll see her again soon enough.”
He begins walking. I feel my two diamonds underneath my shirt, warm against my heart.
“Cassius,” I call.
He stops and turns to face me.
“Thank you,” I say. “For giving me this black diamond and for saving me. Thank you for everything you’re doing for me. Since my parents died I was in a really dark place. I was fighting for something, but I couldn’t see a bright future ahead of me. Now I can.”
He smiles at me gently. “It is my pleasure,” he says.
I run up to him and this time I do hug him. I’m not sure if this feeling is coming from my black diamond, or if it’s a feeling of my own, but I want to hug him. At first, he’s a little tense at my touch, but he quickly relaxes and wraps her his arms loosely around me in return.
I don’t know how to explain this hug. It’s like no hug I’ve ever felt before. That doesn’t mean it’s the best hug I’ve ever felt, but there’s something very special about it, something that makes me warm and cold at the same time.
“Go inside, Tasia” Cassius says quietly. “We’ll meet again.”
I still have my arms wrapped around him as I look up at him. Reluctantly, I let go of him and nod my head. I reply, “See you soon.”
I stay outside the gate as I watch Cassius walk away. Once he’s out of sight, I head inside. I go through all the procedures and offer up all the information I have to in order to get inside of the base. When I’m in the lobby, I notice a lot of hunters I’ve never seen before. My first thought is to find Rynne, but I’m intercepted by Divya.
“Tasia!” she exclaims.
She rushes over and gives me a hug. I hug her back. She hasn’t been wearing makeup a lot lately, and she still isn’t. She looks tired.
“Are you feeling okay?” I ask her.
“I’m fine, just a little tired,” she informs.
“Do you know where Rynne is?” I ask. “What’s going on?”
“The representatives from the different EEA branches are here,” she replies. “Rynne and Fiona are busy.” She takes my hand. “Come with me for a while. You can see them later.”
“O-okay,” I stammer, surprised.
Divya doesn’t let go of my hand the whole time as she leads me to her room. Once we’re inside, she closes the door and urges me over to her bad. I sit down on the edge and ask, “What’s up?”
She sits down beside me. “Meditate with me. I need you to astral project with me,” she says urgently. “I’ll answer your questions after we’re both in our astral bodies.”
I want answers now, but it’s obvious she has no intention of giving them. So, I do as she says instead. I sit on her bed in a cross-legged position and close my eyes. I breathe in and out in smooth motions, finding a sense of peace quicker than I’ve ever found it before. I swear only a few seconds pass and suddenly I’m floating above my body.
I stay hovering above my body as I wait for Divya to follow me. She joins me a minute later in her washed out, ghost-like form. I think it’s interesting how even though our astral bodies are insubstantial, they reflect how our physical bodies currently look, clothes and all.
“You got here fast,” she says, astonished.
“I did,” I say. “Are you going to give me answers now?”
“Follow me,” she says as she phases through the roof.
I follow behind her as we set off at a quick pace, the world turning into a blur beneath us.
“So what are we doing exactly?” I ask.
Divya replies, “I’ve been tracking Arsen. I left him in New York City a few minutes ago when I needed a break. You want to see what he’s up to, don’t you?”
I hesitate before answering, “You’ve been tracking him?”
“Yes. It’s the perfect way to learn more about him before coming face to face with him. I’m sure together we can find him again. I’ve been keeping a good eye on him so far.”
Divya has a point. It would definitely be educational to observe Arsen as an unseen observer.
“Lead the way,” I say.
Since our ethereal bodies can move so quickly, we find ourselves in New York City almost immediately since Divya knows exactly where she’s going. It’s evening, but there’s a lot of people out despite the cold. We slow down as we observe the area, looking for Arsen and the angel with him, the angel I was so jealous of before. I still think greeting kisses are weird, but I don’t doubt that what Rynne feels for me is different from what he feels for Imae now.
It takes a moment, but we find Arsen. I find him. The way he moves, dangerous and agile, is something that is burned into my mind.
“Let’s get closer,” Divya says.
We move until we’re hovering just above Arsen and Imae.
“Has Arsen kept his promise so far?” I ask.
“Yes, I saw him kill a demon. He’s searching for the second one now.”
“Has he hurt the angel at all?”
“He hasn’t.”
I watch as Arsen and the angel comb their way through the crowded streets of New York City. They’re mostly quiet. They’re both wearing street clothes and winter coats, so they don’t stand out other than their amazingly good looks and perhaps the glow of their eyes if you’re looking.
“Are we really going to find another natural demon among all these made demons?” Imae asks in exasperation. “The presence we’re coming up on is different from the other darkness I feel around here, but there’s a lot to sift through. You should pick the quickest target possible. It would be most efficient.”
Arsen completely ignores her. He doesn’t say a word. But he keeps looking behind him. There’s an odd tick to the behavior that I’ve never seen in him. He keeps changing the direction he’s looking in until he’s looking right at my astral body. He squints, but then he goes back to watching in front of him as he advances through the city.
He didn’t see me, did he?
“Are you listening, Arsen?” Imae asks. “And what is your problem? You’re acting like you have fleas.”
He snarls at her as they step off onto a rather unwelcoming and crowded street.
“Don’t you feel that, angel?” he says, finally speaking.
The sound of his voice sends a shot of energy through my astral body. If I could shiver, I’m sure I’d have goosebumps all over my skin.
Arsen continues, “Don’t you feel as if we’re being watched?”
He looks right up at me again, but there’s no recognition in his eyes. He can’t see me, but he can feel me.
Divya looks nervously at my side, but the two of us stay quiet as we observe.
“I don’t feel anything at all,” Imae mutters. “This place is far too muddy to pick out a random observer.”
Arsen’s glimmering green eyes shift away from me as he once again turns his gaze forward. He doesn’t look behind him again, but I can tell he wants to. I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. Him looking at me and saying things like that should give me a lot of anxiety, but it mostly makes me curious. Seeing Arsen like this, traveling the streets of New York City alongside an angel… I’ve never seen him like this before. All encounters I’ve had with this demon have always been very short and somehow invasive, but not right now. Right now I get to watch and learn more about him in the safety of my astral body, where he can’t touch me.
Arsen weaves through the crowd gracefully with the angel at his heels. They keep going farther into alleyways that don�
��t look safe. This part of the city is also getting really loud with the nightlife. I notice women in big coats, talking to men as they open their coats up to reveal dresses that hardly cover anything. They often disappear into one of the bright buildings lining this street with a man in tow. There are neon signs and bars with people screaming and shouting. I see a fight break out, too. Everything here gives me a bad feeling.
“What are we doing here exactly?” Imae demands as she sticks closer to Arsen than before. She seems to repel the people around here, just as they are repelling her. Is she seeking comfort or safety in Arsen? I guess I get it. This place doesn’t seem safe at all. She must be sticking closer to him because of his promise.
“Let’s get out of here,” she says urgently.
Arsen lets out a low growl. “Do as I say if you want to live.”
That’s when I notice all the people that I thought were staying away from Imae have actually been gathering and calling others toward her. Based on how the angel’s eyes are flickering, I’m guessing most of these people are monsters or demons. I hadn’t noticed before how strange some of them look.
The angel draws a shallow breath as she stands right beside Arsen. She’s standing so close it’s a miracle she isn’t touching him. “Do I have to remind you that all of this is for nothing if I get killed?” she hisses a whisper into his ear.
Arsen doesn’t say a word. Instead, he grabs her and holds her tightly in front of him as a very powerful looking man wearing a suit and slicked back hair, probably a demon, emerges from the crowd. He’s staring at the angel with darkness in his eyes. He reaches out to grab her, but Arsen jerks her away, holding her tight against himself and out of the hungry man’s grasp. Now the man assesses Arsen as well.
Arsen says flatly, “I assume delivering an angel to you is enough for a lifetime acceptance into your ranks? I’ve heard great things about your demon city.”
The man smiles a dangerous smile, but he also looks very pleased. “You have, have you? There are many demon cities around, but mine is the most prosperous. We mingle with the humans, blend into the darkness, and live the best lives imaginable.” He holds out his hands. “No demon has ever brought me an angel before, however. What is it you want other than a lifetime entry?”
The Pull of Destiny (Undying Love, Book 2) Page 17
