Dream Angel (Angel #1)

by Jane West

  One firefly landed on my arm. I giggled, looking up at Bane. Our eyes locked. “It's incredible?” I smiled.

  “In all my years, I’ve never seen anything like this.” A smile of enchantment touched his lips.

  “How did you find this place?”

  “Hmm,” he shrugged. “I fine solitude in the forest.”

  “I’m the opposite. Not a big fan of bugs and creatures that have larger teeth than me.”

  Bane laughed. I found myself liking his deep velvety voice. “Well,” he stepped closer, declining his head to my ear. “I hope not all bugs are on your hit list.”

  My cheeks heated.

  I smiled shyly. “I can assure you that the fireflies are safe from extinction.”

  Unsuspecting, Bane drew me into his arms, resting his hands on my waist. Surprising me, I exhaled a faint gasp. My hands fell against his chest, and his phone fell to the ground. Yet he didn’t seem to care. His eyes never left mine. “Have you ever been kissed?” He looked at me as if he was photographing my face.

  Breathless, I whispered. “Hmm, does nonparticipating count?” Sam was the last person I wanted in my head right now.

  He gave a throaty laugh, shoulders bouncing mildly. “No, I suppose not.”

  “Then I’d have to say, no. I haven’t.”

  His fingers clamped over my trembling chin. The sudden sadness in his eyes touched me. I wanted to reach out and caress his face, but I was too frightened. I froze, my mouth half opened, waiting for him to kiss me. God, I wanted that kiss too.

  Then without explanation, his mood darkened, his hands dropped. “You ready to head back?” His lips tightened as he stepped back. Our moment had vanished and a cold chill settled between us. The magic vanished.

  Did I offend him in some way? I blinked, stunned as he turned his back to me, heading in the direction of the car.

  Flustered by his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde replica, my anger seized the moment. “Hold on just a damn minute!” I stomped up to him and grabbed his sleeve. Bane stopped, though he kept his back to me. “What just happened?” I demanded as confusion burned through my mind.

  “Whatever do you mean?” He tossed over his shoulder.

  I couldn’t see his face, yet his voice was like an ice burg.

  I’d reached my limit with boys gone-douchebag tonight. Boldly, I stepped in front of him. “What is wrong with you?” I studied his face, hoping to make sense of this. “I thought you were going to ” I stopped. The words stalled in my throat. I flushed with humiliation.

  “Oh?” His eyes were frigid and unresponsive. “You thought I was going to kiss you?”

  Smothering a sob, I lashed out. “You’re a jackass!” I spun on my heels headed for the car. I was grateful for the flies’ light. Otherwise, I would’ve been groveling on my hands and knees, trying to find my way back to the car.

  The trip home was utterly the most uncomfortable ride that I’d ever experienced. Not even one word uttered between us. The worse part I didn’t have a clue to the sudden mood change. If I lived to be hundred, I’d never understand boys.

  I stole a quick glimpse at Bane. Just as I figured, he was brooding. Over what? I might be inexperienced with boys, but there was no doubt in my mind that Bane had his mind set on kissing me. I saw it in his eyes.

  Then with no explanation, his whole demeanor changed, and he’d dismissed me like I was the hired help. I was stupid to think he would’ve been remotely interested in me. After all, I was the girl with the rusty bike.

  When we reached my house, I was so relieved. The night was finally ending. I rushed the door open the second the wheels stopped rolling and leaped from the car. I twirled about face, hurling his jacket at him. He caught it in midair and tossed it to the floor of the car. When we looked at each other, the glower in his dark blues stung like a nest of hornets.

  I had to get my feelings off my chest. Using the universal language of all time, I flipped him off with the one finger salute and slammed the door to his precious car. I was sure he understood that!

  With a moan of distress, I stormed off to the house. Spotting the light in the window, I thought Sara might be home. The house was lit up like a Christmas tree. When I reached the door, I found it unlocked. I suddenly needed my mom.

  As I shut the door behind me, I heard the car peeling out. “Great! Alert the whole neighborhood why don’t you!”

  After an instant had passed, I realized I was alone. Sara must’ve been here earlier. She might’ve needed her clothes. Sara had been staying with Francis. I hardly ever saw her unless I went to the diner.

  I braced myself against the door and slid to the cool floor. Drawing my knees to my chest, I let myself have a good old fashion cry. The gates opened, and I sobbed. I wanted to go back to Texas. I missed my friends, Laurie and Becky.

  Then I buried my head into the folds of my arms, propped on my knees. I stayed like that for a long while, sobbing, until I heard a light knock on the door.

  Confessions from the Dead

  I peeled myself off the floor. It took me a minute to gather myself. I felt drained. I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand and slowly opened the door.

  “Hey babee, I wanted ta check ” Ms. Noel stopped in the midsentence. “Oh, Catin, ya been cryin’!” Her forehead deepened with wrinkles.

  I gave a faint smile. “I’ll live.” I breathed a long sigh. “Come on in.” I stepped aside. I caught sight of two grocery bags in her arms. “Ms. Noel!” A pain of guilt struck. “I hope you didn’t ” She stopped me before I could finish.

  “Oh hush, Chile! It’s not much, just a little gumbo and cornbread. Oh, and my sweet potato pie that you love.” She smiled as she entered. I grabbed the two sacks from her arms, and we headed to the kitchen.

  “What time is it?” My brain felt cloudy.

  “It’s mornin’!”

  “Morning?” I peeked out the window. “It’s not daylight!”

  “Oh,” she waved her hand in the air like she was swatting flies. “I get up before those darn roosters.” Ms. Noel smiled. “I figured ya awake since ya lights are on.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t made it to bed, to be honest.” I stretched. “I’ll fix some coffee.” I must’ve dose off on the floor.

  “Good lord have mercy! Why on earth have you not gone to bed, Chile?”

  I shrugged. “I had a bad night and ” My voice cracked. I didn't want to talk about it. I just didn’t have it in me.

  “You’ll be fine, babee after you get some rest.” Ms. Noel’s face brightened with a broad smile. “Let me help fix the coffee.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mind. You feed me all the time. The least I can do is fix coffee.” I smiled, reaching for the cabinet, getting the coffee down.

  Since moving here to Tangi, Ms. Noel has taken a shine to me as a grandmother. Although, I missed my friends in Texas, my friendship with Ms. Noel had made life here bearable.

  After we had settled down at the table with coffee and a large dish of homemade pie, Ms. Noel asked. “What’s troubling ya, Chile?” She smiled, but I could see that her pleasant display only masked her weariness.

  “I had a misunderstanding with a couple of frenemies.” I eased out a torn sigh. “It was my bad. I should’ve known better.” I shrugged, staring at the curls of steam rising from my coffee.

  “Was that the boy who dropped you off?”

  I laughed to myself. “The guy with the car?” I inhaled and exhaled. “Yeah, he was one.”

  “You know him from school too?”

  “Kinda, I guess. He’s moody is all.”

  Ms. Noel leaned back in her chair and sighed. “Babee, ya gotta be careful who ta trust.”

  I caught something there, a hidden meaning. “Hmm… do you know this boy?”

  Ms. Noel reached over slicing a piece of pie and placed it into one of the small plates, sliding it over to me. She laid the knife down and answered. “Fannie has been talkin’.”

  I leaned in. “Why do I get a s
neaky feeling there’s something you’re not telling me?”

  Her lips thinned. “Fannie says ya were goin' to meet a dark haired boy, blued eyed. She senses a darkness lurking amidst him.”

  Suddenly I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. “What kind of darkness?”

  Ms. Noel shook her head. “I don’t know, but it can’t be good.”

  I twisted my lips into a frown. “Fannie needn’t worry. I won’t be seeing him anymore.” I shrugged.

  “Catin, ya like this boy?”

  I lifted my shoulder into a short shrug, hiding behind my lashes. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  She reached across and patted my hand. “Don’t worry, babee. Ya feel better after ya get some sleep.”

  My brows puckered. “Can I ask you something?”

  Her eyes lit up “Sure!”

  “At the fair when I’d trailed off on my own, there was an older man dressed in a black suit, wearing shades.” I swallowed, trying to calm myself. “I think he was following me.”

  “Why do ya think that?”

  “When I first spotted him, he was standing alone, staring at me.” Chills rushed over me as I thought about last night. “When I started walking away, he began tailing me like he was stalking me.”

  “Oh, my heavens! How did ya get rid of him?”

  “That’s when the blue eyed boy in the Corvette showed up. I think he might’ve saved my life.” I chewed my bottom lip as I realized just how much trouble I could’ve been in if Bane hadn’t shown up.

  “My goodness, Chile! I think so too.” She clenched her chest.

  “I might know him,” I paused, “Do you know anyone fitting this description?”

  “No, but I have a sneaky feeling ya mom’n’em has.” Ms. Noel might’ve had impaired vision, but she was the keenest person I knew.

  “Why my mom?” I rubbed my temples, feeling a throbbing headache coming.

  “Your mom’n’em has a heavy spirit circling her. She’s a keeper of secrets.”

  “What do you think she’s hiding?”

  Ms. Noel’s brows pulled down into a frown. “I can't say. Your mom’n’em is full of untold truths.”

  “I’d rather keep this between us for now.” My gut twisted. Sara had a white wash grave full of ugly secrets. “Is there anything you can do? Like read my palm or look into your crystal ball?”

  “Sometimes we have ta catch when catch can!”

  I wrinkled my nose, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

  Ms. Noel had a wealth of odd idioms.

  “Chile, we need ta find out who this snake is while it’s fresh.” She drew in a deep breath. “Do ya have a white candle?”

  “Hmm, wait! Sara has one in her bedroom. She won’t even notice it’s gone. Like she’s ever home, anyway.” I jumped from my chair and darted upstairs.

  Only a handful of seconds and I made it back with a white candle in hand. I placed it on the table and grabbed matches from the drawer next to the stove. I held the small box up and asked, “Shall I light the candle?” I smiled.

  “Yes, since this man is locked ta ya, ya need to light it. First, let’s clear the table and dim the lights. Spirits gravitate ta the light much like bugs ta a lightbulb at night.”

  “Okay, you know best.” After I had cleared the table, I flipped off the light switch. All of a sudden, we were doused in darkness. Only a soft stream of moonlight filtered through the window, giving a silver sheen to Ms. Noel’s face.

  I took my seat across from Ms. Noel and exhaled to ease my pounding heart.

  “Catin, are ya sure ya want ta do this?”

  There was a deep sense of shame that stirred within me from the last time we sat at a table. An apology was in order. “I know I didn’t handle myself very well last time.” I flushed miserably. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved. I was frightened, but I can handle this now.”

  Ms. Noel smiled. “Chile, it’s all forgiven.” She took my hand and squeezed it. “This is different! The door we’re knockin’ on will come from a dark place. Make sure this is what ya want. There’s no goin’ back, Catin.”

  I swallowed hard as my body trembled. I didn’t even begin to understand the magick world of spooks and bad juju. Keeping this in mind, I believed the only way to put this to rest was to find the answer. That meant I needed to find out who the man in black was, and why he was stalking me and I couldn’t feel any safer than having Ms. Noel’s guidance. “I’m prepared.” I nodded, giving her the go-ahead.

  “Okay, let’s place the candle in the center of the table and light it, Catin.

  I took out a match from the box. My fingers were fumbling. I had to strike the box a couple of times before the matchstick struck. Soon the candle came to life, casting shadows on the walls.

  “Now let’s gather hands, leaving the white candle in the center of the table. Whatever happens, do not break contact.” Ms. Noel waited for me to nod.

  “I won’t let go. I promise.” I could barely hear myself think with my pounding heart. I wouldn’t lie, messing with the beyond frightened me.

  “All right,” Ms. Noel smiled. “Let’s get started. Close ya eyes and clear ya head. Picture this man in ya mind just like ya were back at the festival. Lock ya mind on that image and freeze-frame it.”

  “Okay.” I followed Ms. Noel’s directions.

  After several minutes, Ms. Noel asked. “What are ya seein’, Catin?”

  I began to shake as the fearful image built in my mind. “I see him. He’s standing by the lemonade stand. Again, I sensed he wasn’t human.”

  “Open ya knowing eyes. Ya internal eyes, Catin. Look for clues.” Ms. Noel nudged.

  “I’ll try.” I sat back breathing in and out, allowing the quiet to take over my mind. A few moments passed as the clutter cleared and my focus became more apparent. With each breath, I kept sinking deeper and deeper into the bowels of my mind. It was like a roller coaster traveling through an electric tunnel, spiraling down at torqued speed.

  It was as if the sky had dropped me. I was there at the fair, standing. I could feel the dirt under my feet. The smell of corn dogs and cotton candy drifted in the air. A light breeze tousled my hair, roaring laughter, girls screaming over the blaring music, neon lights blanketing the grounds as it all flooded my senses.

  Then my eyes landed on him. I stalled, staring at the man in black. Like a magnet pulling me, I edged closer. Now only a few feet from him, I paused, studying his features.

  The stranger turned to me. At first, he only moved his lips. It was like I was in a dream. I strained to hear him. I stepped closer as I came into earshot.

  Unexpectedly, his words vibrated inside my head.

  “Hello, Dream Angel, I am coming for you.”

  He reached up and removed his dark shades. Immediately, I gasped and the vision shattered.

  I jolted back in my chair. Fear bullet through me. I lifted my eyes to Ms. Noel, breathless. “I saw him and his eyes!”

  “What did ya see?” Ms. Noel mirrored my fear.

  I shivered as a sense of eyes watching brushed over me. “He’s not human!”

  Ms. Noel’s eyes rounded. “Why do ya say that, Catin?”

  “He pulled his shades off and revealed his eyes to me.” I shook my head in disbelief. “His eyes were unnatural!”

  “What did you see?”

  “They were like a feline. His pupils were vertical slits like a cat.”

  “Lord have mercy!” Ms. Noel’s eyes darted to the candle and then back to my face. “Did he say anything?”

  “Yes! He called me Dream Angel.” A tense silence enveloped the kitchen. Then I just said it aloud. “He said he’s coming for me!”

  Ms. Noel’s breath drew in a harsh intake. “Let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.” She paused. “Did he say anything else?”

  “No. That was it.” Fear gnawed at my insides. “Do you think this man is the one my father tried to warn me about?” I bit my bottom lip, trying to prevent a full-blown panic.


  “I can’t be certain. I’ll speak with Fannie. She may have heard something from the other side about this stranger.”

  “Please talk to her! None of this makes any sense to me.” I couldn’t take another minute in the dark. The candle was flickering low. I jumped from my chair and jerked on the chain from the ceiling. The small bulb from the ceiling shed its generous light over us. I felt a little better though I didn’t think there was anything that good knock the chills off my shoulders. I grabbed up the pie and wrapped it up in saran wrap. Then I snatched up the pot of coffee and poured Ms. Noel and myself another cup. I needed to be busy. It seemed to ease my nerves.

  “I’ll try to find out if Fannie has heard anything.” Ms. Noel kept talking.

  I handed Ms. Noel's cup to her and seated myself back down at the table. “I appreciate your help.” I took a slow sip. The coffee was a bit strong but was what I needed.

  “Don’t fret none! We gonna get ta the bottom of this.” Ms. Noel smiled, attempting to ease my mind.

  I was thankful I had Ms. Noel. If I’d gone to Sara, she would’ve laughed at me and told me to take two aspirins and call a shrink.

  Ms. Noel was a loyal friend, and she’d do everything in her power to help me. Even still, my stomach churned in a cold knot. I had an eerie feeling this wouldn’t be the last that I’d hear from the man in black. I suddenly shivered.

  My Life Sucks

  Since it was still before daylight and I was off work today, I climbed into my bed and fell asleep.

  When my eyes popped opened, my memories of the early morning with Ms. Noel came barreling through my mind. I rolled over and looked at the clock. “Damn!” Straight up noon. I flopped back, staring at the stark white ceiling. I tugged a pillow over my head hoping to clear my brain. Regardless, I couldn’t get the MIB, the man in black, out of my head.

  I stilled a moment, listening. The house was too quiet. I blew out a sigh and thought of Dad. I leaned over and pulled out a picture that I’d kept hidden in my nightstand. It was the only one left. Sara had destroyed all the others. I sat up, drawing my knees to my chest. I cradled the picture in my hands. I was eight and happy back then. My world filled with cartoons and ice cream, life was good then. My thumb brushed across my dad’s face. A sudden tear fell from my cheek.