by Susan Reid
“What did this dark angel look like? Do you remember?” I asked her.
She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair to push back the curls that had fallen forward.
“It was just ugly, scary ugly, and it was rancid smelling…that I do remember vividly.” She then said. It seemed as if she was leaving a few things out, and I don’t know if it was on purpose, but I wasn’t going to ask her about it.
I nodded in acknowledgment. That was a true dark fallen she described, the ones that lived around Morning Star and his domain.
“Pay attention to those dreams no matter how scary. Dreams and visions are like roadmaps and hints, there’s a reason you’re having them over and over.” I then told her, which was generic but on point.
She exhaled a slightly trembling breath with a nod.
I figured she’d feel better now hearing this, knowing what I was now, and what I had been before I was a demon as being true, I hoped.
“Where are we going now?” She asked.
“My place, I’d like to finish dinner.” I told her.
She raised a brow and smiled.
I had decided against taking her back to the concert…something told me that I would find out who this traitor was there, and I didn’t need to worry about her being with me. Screw Drakael…I would accept punishment and make amends with Elohim
somehow, if he allowed me to.
XX: Starling:
Though I was still trying to wrap my brain around everything, which included finally realizing what Cam and Drake were…I still could not get over the fact that he called me a slob.
I know I wasn’t neat and tidy, or even a clean freak, but I know I was not a slob.
It all felt so unreal, in fact in actuality, I felt like I was in a dream now. I wished I were, but if I had been…then I wouldn’t feel the way I felt about Cam — if that was his real name.
I wanted to ask a million things, but with his vagueness and silence about most of the things I asked already, I figured he was probably not allowed to tell me for a reason, and I would respect that.
I felt relief in that it explained so much, but annoyed because I wanted to know if I was in danger, and when and how would I die? If my dreams were showing me all of these things, I don’t know if I could handle seeing that, and I shuddered at the thought.
We arrived at an abandoned, dilapidated two-story farmhouse, and he pulled around back to park. I began to have second thoughts on the truthfulness of what he had been telling me.
A place like this reminded me of where killers would take their victims to do sick and sadistic things to before murdering them in the movies. After all, I was with a demon, no — correction, a fallen. One who had more sense of honor, romance, humanity and consideration than most humans did for each other. I admired him, because even knowing that none of those things would ever change who or what he was, he did them anyway.
I think he noticed the way I eyed the run-down farmhouse, being out in the middle of nowhere when he retrieved the food from the back, and then opened my car door for me.
“It’s for visual sake. I don’t want anyone to know anyone is here from the road,” He explained after reading my expression before I could even ask or comment.
“Oh, I see,” I nodded, still a bit of apprehension.
He led the way, and I was pleasantly surprised once we entered the backdoor, which led into the kitchen. It was then that I understood exactly why he felt the need to criticize my cleaning skills, and why my little mess had bothered him in the first place. Every appliance gleamed and sparkled, the counters and cabinets all looked brand new, and you could literally eat off the floors — without a plate. Wow.
He set the food on the kitchen island and began to unload it as I walked through the archway into the living room, with my mouth open in awe.
“I’d give you a tour but there isn’t much else, just a bunch of empty rooms upstairs, unless you’d like to stay the night.” He offered with a smirk.
I stopped and smiled over my shoulder with deviance at him and his suggestion, and then turned to fully face him,
“You just said the rooms were empty.” I pointed out.
“That can be changed easily,” He replied with a grin.
“Black magic?” I asked.
“Magic is magic, it’s only black if you use if for self-gain and sinister purposes.” He clarified.
I stared at him in awe for a moment; marveling at the fact that he used to be an Angel. Here before the dawn of mankind, residing with God…the things he’s seen, he’s known, that he does know — he knows what God looks like, what and where he is! All the secrets of the universe like — are we the only ones out here? I had so many questions, and I could spend countless days and hours asking them though I was sure he’d probably stick a permanent muzzle on me after a while.
“You’ve got stars in your eyes. Why are you looking at me like that?” He then smiled.
I shrugged a shoulder, “I’m just amazed.” I smiled.
“At what?” he seemed bothered by my admiration of him.
“With you.” I said.
“Are you sure amazed is the right word?” he joked.
“It’s the perfect word.”
He sighed, exhaling through his nose in thought as he looked at me with what looked like his own amazement of me, and there was a twinkle in his beautiful eyes, “Don’t let me fool you.” He then winked.
“Oh don’t worry, you don’t fool me at all.” I replied with a smirk as I giggled, and continued on with my self-tour.
Demon, fallen or not…I still couldn’t get being with him sexually out of my head, despite everything else and knowing it was taboo. I mean, we already made out anyway as it was. Now I knew why simply kissing him had felt like he was making love to my entire body, every sensitive area had come alive in response to the way he worked his mouth and tongue. I shivered just thinking about it.
The entire wide open farmhouse was spotless, fresh smelling, clean and orderly. It looked like a brand new showcase home, complete with glossy wooden floors inside, nowhere near representative of what the outside conveyed. The walls were bright cream and spotless, all the way down to the wooden beams above and the moldings along the floors. It was open, decorated with just a nice, expensive looking couch, armchair and coffee table sitting in front of a clean hearth and fireplace, and a cherry wood, fancy dining set, complete with about eight chairs.
Music cued up from some unknown source, soft R. Kelly old school, and I instantly smiled to myself. My entire perception of fallen changed with Cam. I know it was easy to be fooled by a dark one, because that was what they did best, but for some reason I couldn’t explain, I both believed and trusted Cam, and for that I may go to hell.
I heard him pop a bottle of wine or champagne, and I was curious as to where that had come from, but then again — where had the music come from? He was full of surprises and I hoped that was a good thing.
The doorbell rang, which scared the hell out of me. Cam was in the living room in a flash, with dark anger masking his face…making him look even more dangerous to me being he was a dark fallen. We both knew there was no reason for anyone to approach the farmhouse, let alone ring a doorbell that shouldn’t even be working, and I could tell he already knew it wasn’t any…human visitor.
“Go upstairs into the first room on the right and lock the door, do not come out for any reason. I’m sealing you in, and only I can enter got it?” He told me.
My eyes widened and my legs wouldn’t move. I was scared now.
“Go!” he urged.
With that, the door flew open swiftly, nearly ripping from its rusted hinges, and Cam was a blur, standing guard in front of me protectively.
Though I was shaking, I peered around him to see who or what it was.
“Hi, I’d like to talk to you about Jehovah, and get your views on the end of the world as it is coming…soon.” He said with a devilish smirk.
There was a sharp dresse
d — extremely gorgeous, regal-looking young guy about my age at the door; wearing a bright white smile, and an expensive dark gray three piece suit, complete with briefcase in one hand, and holding up a Watchtower magazine in other. He too, was also tanned, and was as tall as and muscularly built like Cam, but with light caramel, wavy brown colored hair that had been brushed back neatly, cleanly.
I retched as violent spasms of intense cramping and nausea gripped my insides, making me fall to my knees with a hand cupped over my mouth.
Cam gave me a worried look, but not wanting to avert his attention completely away from the stranger at the door. Though he was blocking him from coming inside, the stranger had already managed to step just inside the doorway. He was looking directly at me now with the most gorgeous and perfect smile that I’d ever seen.
He was absolutely stunning, but the more I looked at him, the more my body kept trying to force me to vomit…it was obvious what he was.
Someone was coming down the stairs, the footsteps light and quick, but I heard them and I turned to look towards the stairway, gasping for air to quell the sickening feeling overpowering me. I hadn’t thought anyone was here. Why would there have been? It was her, the girl from the Laundromat…or another fallen apparently, when I remembered what the air around her felt like.
I couldn’t stand straight in order to move or run on my own if I needed to, I felt so ill.
She moved swiftly towards me without a word, looking only once at Cam and the stranger at the door, before chanting something in a language I’d never heard before.
Immediately, I felt some sort of warm sensation envelope me like a blanket, and she quickly hoisted me up to my feet, allowing my full weight on her. My feet barely moved as she swiftly brought me upstairs and into the room that Cam had originally told me to go to. I couldn’t even walk, but I didn’t need to. She was swift and strong, practically carrying me.
She led me to the bed and the door slammed shut firmly behind her on its own. I sat and watched as she went to the set of three large windows, and whispered more strange words, waving her hand to outline the shape of each window quickly. Her hand was a blur as she moved from window to window. The nausea was lessening now, but I still felt the twinge of sourness that made me thirst for fresh water. The room had been dim, but I thought Cam said the rooms were empty. He had apparently worked some lightning fast magic in the last few moments.
She turned on a lamp without touching it, as if she had suddenly realized that I could barely see anything. The room appeared clean and brand new too; complete with king sized comfortable bed, sheets, and nothing more than a side table with a lamp.
I was in awe as I glanced around, my eyes finding hers again in wonder.
“You — you were at the Laundromat earlier,” I said first, admiring her curvaceous yet slim physique and long, jet black, straight hair.
“Yeah, it’s nice to finally meet you. Sorry about the spider.” She then said as she leaned against the wall next to the window with her arms folded across her chest, and glancing out of it every now and then — watching or looking for something.
I pursed my lips and frowned at her.
I could hear faint voices downstairs, of Cam and the other being, but it was in a language that I couldn’t understand.
“You live here with him?” I then asked.
She smiled, “No, just dropping in for a favor.” She then said.
Being all that I knew now, I understood what she meant, though I was still fascinated.
“I could use some water.” I said trying to muster enough saliva to swallow and get rid of the sour feeling in my stomach.
She sighed, reaching an arm up as if she were expecting to catch a fly ball, and then there was a sudden, soft, smack as her fingers curled around a water bottle that had apparently materialized from out of thin air to my unbelieving eyes and amazement. She stepped over to me and held the cold, brand new bottle of spring water out for me to take.
I was in shock, looking up at her unsurely.
“Oh I’m sorry, did you want imported?” She quipped sarcastically, seeing my hesitation.
“No. It’s fine, thanks,” I said and reluctantly took it, examining the contents and the seal on the cap for any tampering. I twisted the cap off and took my time before raising it to my lips, and finally taking a long, refreshing much needed drink.
That was so much better.
It was cold and it tasted even better than regular spring bottled water.
I wondered if that was because she had magically conjured it out of nothing right before my eyes.
Was this really water?
Oh well.
She sat down at the end of the bed and watched me as I downed half the bottle, before capping it and setting it back on the table next to the bed.
“What did you do to me downstairs? I felt some kind of warm sensation,” I then asked her.
“It’s a spell of protection, and it was just a safeguard,” She said.
“A spell? A safeguard against what?” I asked with wide eyes.
“I can’t tell you that,” She said as she got up and peered out of the window again.
“Does it have anything to do with the uninvited guest?” I then asked.
She laughed a bit, “Uninvited guest? That’s an understatement.”
“I guess he’s another fallen too then? One with bad intentions? What does he want?” I asked her, feeling myself begin to tremble with fear.
“Another fallen…uh yeah, you could say that. As far as what he wants, I think that’s a little obvious,” She then said.
My eyes widened, the fear making my pulse race and my heart began to hammer hard in my chest, feeling as if it were in my throat.
She eyed me with a smirk, “Don’t worry, one day soon you’ll be able to kick his ass and any other fallen who tries to come at you…maybe.”
I gave her a questioning look of confusion.
I heard sudden thumps, thuds and what sounded like glass shattering, and my reflex action was to jump up and run out to help.
“Chill. You’re acting as if there’s actually something you could do,” She chuckled and shook her head, as if all that commotion and noise was nothing to be concerned about.
“Something’s going on! Cam could be in trouble…” I said scooting off of the bed.
“And what are you going to do? Run out and get either taken or killed?” She then said.
She was right, but I couldn’t sit up here and do nothing, listening to what sounded like a big fight downstairs.
“Maybe he could use your help too,” I then said with worry.
She pursed her full lips, “Cam is fine, don’t worry about him.” She assured.
Surely just as soon as she had said it, the sounds of a fight had ceased, and it was quiet for a moment, which sparked more worry and fear in me in thinking something had happened to Cam.
“I don’t hear anything,” I was frantic, as I went to the door and pressed my ear against it to listen.
There were voices, several of them. Deep voices, which told me they were male, and they were all also speaking in the same strange language that I had heard earlier between Cam and that beautiful stranger.
“I hear several voices now. There are others here too. What’s going on? Who was that guy at the door?” I asked turning back to her.
“You certainly ask a lot of questions. I guess I can’t blame you, the lids already off the pot now thanks to Cam,” She mumbled the last part.
She studied me and it made me a tad uncomfortable.
“So you’re a fallen too,” I stated more than asked.
She merely smirked at me.
“I’m Star. Sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. With the spider and all, it was a little off-putting,” I then said.
“I know who you are.” She replied nonchalantly.
“Oh. And you are?” I led on for her to tell me who she was.
“You don’t need to know, there’s no point.�
� She snapped.
Rude, I thought but I didn’t pursue it.
She was leaning against the wall looking at her manicure as if she were bored, when her expression suddenly changed. She then moved lithely towards the door. It opened by itself and she stepped out into the hallway, “Come on,” She motioned with her head as if I should have been following her out.
I was nervous and afraid, wondering what happened, and if Cam was okay. I wanted to call out to him as we descended the stairs.
I wrinkled my brows, looking around. The living room was…as pristine and orderly as it had been when I first walked into it, nothing was broken or in disarray at all. But it was warm and heavy with a layer of electricity and static lingering in the air. The sensation was a lot denser than it had ever been before, and that made it almost stifling.
There was laughter and rumbling, deep voices coming from the kitchen where she led the way, expecting me to continue to follow her.
I did — though cautiously, still wondering where Cam was, and when I entered the archway I stopped with stunned apprehension until I saw one familiar face.
My hair automatically frizzed, crackled and stood on end. I could only imagine what it looked like as I reached up to attempt to smooth it all down with no luck. The thin, silky material of my dress crackled and clung to me too, like fabric would, fresh from a dryer with no dryer sheet.
There were five guys…or fallen, and they were all the size of tall, muscular linebackers except with more girth and broader builds. They looked normal enough on the surface, like humans and they were all hovering over the food that Cam and I had brought back from the restaurant, gorging and smacking as if it was the last hot meal on Earth.
“You guys are pigs. Show a little class for a change,” The girl said.
“Class is my middle name hon.” The one with a perfectly cut, reddish brown, long mohawk that draped over to one side said, with a waggle of his thick brows at her.
“Short of two letters you mean,” she grumbled as she grimaced, and rolled her amethyst eyes in response to his comment.
