Not quite what I was thinking but, I felt pure relief he was okay. It had been so long since he had joked with me. We both needed that right now even if it may have been mildly inappropriate. I leaned down and kissed him. Out in the open. For anyone to see. I heard a throat clear behind me.
I stopped and looked up at my Father who was looking on disapprovingly. But it was my Dad, I recognized the difference immediately and was angry, even more so now, for not seeing the Shadow ruling over him sooner. The vindictive edge that had been so familiar, to me anyway, was gone. He still had an edge – but not a surgically bladed one.
“Well, I guess I have to give him some credit, he did save you and me, to a degree.” I laughed at his Fatherly remark and stood to throw my arms around his neck. He hugged me tightly and warmly and I bathed in its lightness. I had missed him so much.
Anie was helping Az up off the ground and I felt my jealousy flare white hot. I was a horribly jealous person anyway and didn’t like Anie touching Az. Az knew me well enough to know how I would feel about Anie’s hands being on him. He stood and even though he couldn’t stand well, he told Anie he was fine and looked me in the eyes. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. I put my arm around his waist and squeezed in answer, feeling a little sheepish for acting on the jealousy I had felt. My Father and Anie flanked us on both sides and we walked/limped out of the cemetery.
As we rounded the corner to walk onto the main street, it felt like I had been struck by lightning. I felt a clout of power surge at me. As I slowly looked up, I found supernaturals of all kinds converging on the street, all eyes focused on me.
Mother. Fucker.
~XVII~
“But hold on to what you believe in the light, when the darkness has robbed you of all your sight...”
– Mumford & Sons, Hold on to What you Believe
I immediately grabbed Az’s hand.
“We have to keep any humans from seeing this mass of supernaturals.”
Az waived his hand and while the rest of the supes continued moving, the rest of the world was still. There was even a bee suspended mid flight right next to my head. I poked it and it continued its journey as though nothing had just happened. Az pulled my finger down.
“Don’t do that please.” Az was already weak and I could tell using that much power had not helped.
As I took in the communities that were closing in on us, I realized there was a little bit of everyone here. There were Werewolves, Vamps, Fairies, Drovers and Demons. There was even an Angel standing with them, but off to the side, and I was having a déjà vu moment looking at him.
I closed my eyes briefly and realized this Angel was the one who had burned down my house. But for all I knew, they all looked exactly the same. But that was not the feeling I got. He had the same power signature as the one that had killed Bob, my only beloved pet, my house plant. The Angel was standing separate from the rest, but only by a few feet, but it felt like the Angel was far more removed than the few feet. It was weird.
The Angel was looking right at us, me and my band of misfits, my family. He was studying us with passiveness and I wondered if he saw us at all. I mean we were pretty awesome. He should have some look on his face. But no. I couldn’t read anything from him. Damn Angel.
I finally leaned into Az’s ear.
“What. The. Fuck? What is this?”
A Werewolf, Vamp and Drover stepped forward. I didn’t know what it meant that these three stepped forward. But I think I was about to find out.
“What are you?” The Vampire asked me. He was tall and had dark features and skin, he also looked very angry. I leaned into his space, never losing eye contact.
“A reject.” I smiled. I didn’t want to let anyone know who I was yet. He laughed.
“You pulled us here. How?” The Werewolf now chimed in.
“Because I wanted to. I actually pulled your power. The part of you that is magic.” It was specific enough to be an answer, but vague enough to keep him guessing.
The Drover looked from Anie to me.
“Is this Delaney?” The female Drover asked Anie.
“It is.”
I hadn’t realized how her life had evolved; the intricacies of being in a new community and what that entailed until that moment. The leader of Anie knew who I was, which was weird and also a little convenient. Less explaining.
“Do you back her still?” Said Anie’s leader.
“Yes.” Anie said. It was a simple answer, but it was so much more. I felt a shift coming and I was nervous as to where this was going.
“The three of us lead our communities in this area. And while we’ve never met you, the energy you just pulled from all of us who were close by, tells us that you are more powerful than any of us, or anyone before you.” The female Drover raised her hand. “I vote to follow her.”
She turned to the gathered supes. I saw a large contingent of the Drover’s raise their hands.
“We will follow you.” The leader of the Drover’s said simply. As though this was just a normal, everyday pleasant conversation.
“I don’t like you. But she’s right, that kind of power could be an asset. We will follow you.” The Werewolf said, dropping to his knee. The rest of the Weres dropped to theirs as well. This was gaining speed quickly.
“We don’t agree on much, Weres, Drovers, Vampires…but we do on this.” And the Vamp bowed to me, along with all the other Vamps. How the fuck were the Vamps out during the day?
“How are you here right now?” I asked. Because curiosity would kill me if I didn’t find out.
The Vampire looked up from under his eyelashes, never coming up from his bow.
“Something with that power of yours. I haven’t seen sunlight in 300 years. We would be stupid not to follow you.”
I didn’t want anyone else knowing the extent of my power, but I had a bad feeling that word was going to spread. Considering I just gave a whole nest of Vampires the ability to walk in the sun.
“You nor any of your nest will speak of your day in the sun, to anyone.”
“You have my word.”
I straightened and saw that the supernatural community that lay before me was mixed, but all were in some sort of respective bow to me. Az finally let go of my hand.
“Remember what I said, Laney. I trust you.” And Azrael dropped to his knee. I really wanted to see him drop to his knee, but not in this context.
“Not you too. Come on!”
And with my plea still on my lips – Anie dropped next. My Father was still standing. With my eyes, I begged him to stay that way.
“You do what you think is right.”
I felt the now familiar sting at the back of my eyes at the trust my Father had in me. Although I could’ve lived without it in this particular situation, I still appreciated it. My Father dropped to his knee. And I wanted to hug him and smack him at the same time. He was the head of the Hunters and by him dropping to his knees, it was a sign of submission to me. My supe leadership had just bled into the Hunters as well. Fan-fucking-tastic.
As I took them all in I walked further down the street. It was just me and a shit ton of supes. What was I going to do to lead them? And then a brilliant idea crossed my mind and I held onto it like I was adrift in rapids and it was the only raft around.
I figured the reason that the Demons and the Fairies present hadn’t claimed fealty to me was because their leaders weren’t close enough to have felt the energy pull I had cast out, but the ones that were close enough had felt the draw and needed to see what had done it. At least, that’s what I thought the reason was.
“In my life, I have killed many of your kinds.”
I didn’t correct it for Hunters, there had been times when I should’ve had a Hunter’s back or been more diligent in planning and I had lost a fellow Hunter because of it. It was the nature of the Hunter machine. I could have excluded the Angel as well, but he was alone and if he was the one who burned down my house, I could not be held accountable for my actions wh
en I got my hands on him. I pushed on.
“I make no promises to you here, now. I will do my best to be what you need me to be.”
I knew what I was about to do would make or break my relationships with the only three people in my life that I really cared about, but they were my only choice. The only people I trusted with everything.
“Azrael, Aniese, Janesh, please stand.” I felt the need to use all of their names formally since this was, really, a formal occasion. I waited as each rose.
Az seemed to be healed. He moved with little hesitancy. I met each of their eyes. I recognized each as a piece of my heart and family.
“These three will act as my seconds. Each will be charged with certain groups. Now rise and disperse.”
As they all rose, all eyes were on us and we were studied like a weird science project. Ohhhh, let me see the cool purple color she’s turning. Oooooh, how weird! The supes looked at me in varying forms of awe, affection and some with outright distrust. Well, hell, I didn’t twist their arms to be there, they made that decision on their own. Right? Hopefully, eight hands would be enough to handle what was coming. Anie leaned into my ear.
“You know, word is going to spread.”
“I’m hoping I can get them to keep quiet.”
Anie laughed and shook her head. She was right. I’d be fighting for my life in the near future. I grabbed Anie’s hand and squeezed it. It was the closest I would bring myself to actually admitting she was right.
I turned and saw the Angel creeping around the edge of the supes. I saw the light off the Angel intensify and I closed my eyes to see him better. He was walking away from me so I decided to take my opportunity to get my two cents in.
“You’re an asshole!” I yelled.
I’m sure I looked like a crazy person with my eyes closed screaming. I opened them briefly and gave everyone around me a sheepish grin. I knew I looked crazy but it was better to keep them guessing. I closed my eyes again and saw that the Angel had frozen in place. Then he turned and started toward us. I wanted to run, but couldn’t in case any of the other supes could see him. I knew Az could see him and I heard him next to my ear.
“Really? You had to yell at an Angel?” I shrugged. What was I going to do now? What’s done was done.
As I watched the Angel, he twitched and then his brightness dimmed. He stepped behind a tree and as he walked out I could see the light forming around what looked like a human form.
I opened my eyes to find a gorgeous man walking my way. He looked just like Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair from the Hunger Games Movies). He looked sweet on the surface, but I knew better. He was imposing but only because I knew what he was. The supes watched him and gave him a wide birth. Strange. He was all muscles and light, though. He had white blonde hair and very strange eyes. They were a shade of purple grey I had never seen before on a human or a supe.
“You could catch a lot of flies with your mouth like that.” Said Az as I snapped my mouth shut. Once it was shut he continued. “He looks like a douche.” I was glad we were on the same page.
“You shouldn’t talk about one of your family members like that.”
“He’s no family member of mine. But I probably shouldn’t push too hard…not yet.” I looked to find Az staring at me with a salacious grin and a glint in his eye as he drowned me in a feeling of pure lust.
The Angel stopped in front of us and feeling his power was all it took to snap me out of my Az-trance and turn my attention where it should be and to the Angel that took my Bob. To top it off the Angel was grinning like he hadn’t a care in the world. That bastard had no sympathy for my loss.
“Delaney, long time, no see.”
“So it was you?! You were the one that burned my house down and killed my Bob!?” The Angel looked confused.
“I didn’t kill anything. But I did burn down your house.”
“You killed my plant! Aren’t you supposed to be an Angel?”
“A plant? Well aren’t you amusing.”
I decided now was probably a good time to move on.
“What do you want?” I asked him.
“To know what your plan is.” The Angel honestly believed that I was going to clue him in on what was going on. Riiiiight. He was totally ignorant that blowing up someone’s house and belongings was insane.
“Oh, you’re the guardian Angel for the crazy people. And apparently it’s rubbed off.”
The Angel laughed, throwing his head back. I did appreciate good sarcasm and enjoyed someone who could too. My Father spoke up before I could touch on that, though.
“What’s your name and what do you want?”
Took long enough for someone to speak up. As I said, my Father still had his edge just not as sharp of one. And just as the Angel had been as jolly as old St.Nick a moment before, his switch flipped. His eyes lost their happy spark and were now flat non-gloss paint. And there was no play at a smile. He stepped in front of my Father imposingly.
“My business is with Delaney. But I am known as Nolito.”
I stepped up and put my hand on Nolito’s chest and pushed him back away from my Father. I had just gotten him back. I wasn’t about to lose him again because of a pissed off Angel. I didn’t know enough about him to allow him that close to my Father. Although I will say that my Dad was really holding his own, considering he was just getting over being possessed for a significant amount of years.
Nolito looked down at my hand still resting on his chest and I removed it, too afraid to make the situation worse than it already was. He didn’t like being touched, apparently. Fair enough.
“You may call me Lito.” He spoke formally. “We’ll follow you, Hybrid. Life isn’t easy here.” He motioned around him like the here he was talking about was earth. “We can always use the help.”
“You’re stuck on earth.” He nodded with a sad tug on his lips. “Why?” I couldn’t help myself. My thirst for knowledge was endless. That or I had a death wish.
“Why does He do anything? It’s better not to ask. We’re the Guardians. We’re here guarding those who need it.”
“But you can’t go home?” Maybe my brain wasn’t working right and it short circuited. Man, I loved that movie.
“Not until the end of the term allotted.”
“And, how long is that?”
“It varies for us all.”
“How many Angels are here?” I waived my hand around as he had done moments before.
“Currently,” He closed his eyes briefly and opened them just a second later, “6,527, 26, 27.”
“Are you sure?” I asked sarcastically.
“It’s constantly changing. There have been more sent recently. Something must be coming.” His eyes bore into me.
“Yeah, I get that a lot.”
He studied me for a moment longer. I wanted something to talk about other than me.
“So, who are you to the Guardians?”
“Their leader. Here on earth at least. Second in command with no instructions. That’s where you come in.”
“How?” I was so damned confused.
“We’ll work on it.”
“Well, that’s insightful.” Sarcasm was like a warm blanket. “One more thing, why’d you burn down my house?” I figured since he was being so informative. I may as well use it to my gain.
“I lost control when you ran from me.”
“Why’d you tell Anie to kill me?”
“I thought you were a threat. I felt your change. Felt your blood sing to me. She was going to be my back up.”
“Some Guardian.” I looked into his eyes and they were smiling again. For an Angel, Lito had some serious bipolar issues. Or maybe he was on his meriod. His man-period
“I don’t really do the whole Guardian gig anymore, I’m just a supervisor. But guarding doesn’t always mean saving.”
A chill ran down my spine at the look on his face. When he was in a relaxed happy mode he spoke more modernly. When he was in a tense serious mode he spok
e in a more classic fashion. He was weird and I was pretty scared.
“Those who can’t do, teach?”
“You’re very wise. But if I told you who I was supposed to guard on my last mission you would know how horribly I had failed.” He was looking at me again and it made me feel bare, naked, and mostly uncomfortable. “We’ll be in touch.”
He turned to leave, but I had one more thing I had to place into action – it was just becoming too much too quickly. I mean, I didn’t even know what I was yet.
“Wait!” He turned very formally and rolled his hand to tell me to hurry up. I guess being boss of so many Angels was time consuming and he had been here with us for a while.
“You’ll be in touch with Azrael. He’ll be in charge of your group. If you need me you call him first.”
At that moment, Az and Lito really did look like they were cut from the same cloth. They were both looking from me to each other and back. If I hadn’t just been through hell and back, I would’ve laughed. But I just didn’t have it in me. I felt like every ounce of energy had just been sucked out of me through my toenails. I was about to drop like a depth charge.
“You’ll work together.” It brooked no argument and they knew it. They nodded. Lito left.
Az picked me up like I was his bride on our wedding night. Wishful thinking, I know. But I still wanted it. I wanted a little romance and normalcy in my world of fuckedupness.
I put my head down on his shoulder, resting comfortably. Probably as much rest and comfort as I was going to get for a while. There was still so much to figure out and do that I didn’t know how I was going to get through it. At least I had my Demon, my Father and my friend to help me out. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be. Well, yes I do. I’d be in a really comfortably padded room jumping around like I was 4 again, on the bed, when life didn’t have the complications of being a super-supe, attachment to a prophecy, being able to know and do things that I don’t ever remember learning, being in love with a Demon and being everyone’s leader.
Did I mention I was glad my Father wasn’t possessed anymore? One down, five thousand things to go.
Demons: A Hunter's Novel, Book 1 Page 12
