“And here I thought you’d never call again,” Lili teased. “You really are a bad date, Caelum.”
I could say the same for you, Lili, he replied, but through Miss Fortune’s mouth. The effect was immediate on the female demon, who doubled over, laughing.
“What the—” Lili said in between her laughs. “Cat got your tongue?”
Haha, he thought sarcastically. I’m pleased that my situation amuses you.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Lili tried to apologize, though not very convincingly. “What happened to you? Don’t tell me you ran into Mikaela? Damn, the monsters these days are getting more aggressive!”
Thankfully, no, Caelum replied, irked at the mention of the witch’s name. Something else did this to me. And I’m not certain if she’s not worse than the witch you speak of.
“Oh, you’re so adorable,” Lili teased, walking over to pick up Miss Fortune. She cradled the pleasant cat and took it to the couch. She bounced on the soft cushion while scratching the cat’s ears. She looked at Miss Fortune the way a mother would look at a toddler. “So who’s the meanie that took your voice, sweetheart?”
Caelum rolled his eyes. An angel, he answered her query, and the mood in the room completely shifted. Lili raised her eyes to him, brows pulled together.
“What?” Lili’s voice became serious. “An angel? Caelum, what have you done this time?”
Long story, really. Let’s just say I played a game with one and I lost the bet.
It was Lili’s turn to roll her eyes at him. “Caelum, really. Dealing with angels? Then again, I’m not surprised that you of all demons would be stupid enough to do such a thing.”
Thank you, Caelum said, arms folded.
“But in all seriousness. Angels are bad news, Caelum. How did you come across one? I thought they’d locked themselves up in those clouds for centuries. What got them back down into these unholy grounds?”
Can’t really say. Caelum shrugged. But I guess they’re back. At least one of them is, and I just happened to get involved with her.
“Oh, so a pretty little angel, huh?” Lili raised a brow. “Bet you just couldn’t resist.”
Oh, please, Lili, Caelum teased back. I can’t have you jealous when I’m trying to get a second date.
“A second date?” Lili repeated. “With the angel? Are you kidding me?”
I need to get that second date to get back my voice, Caelum explained. What, don’t you miss my charming voice already?
“Now that I think about it, Miss Fortune has a more charming voice than you do,” Lili claimed, rubbing her face into the cat’s fur. “Though, I hate to argue with someone who meows at me.”
So, you will help me? Caelum asked.
Lili sighed. She pouted at him and said, “Can’t we do a puppet show in Hell before we get your voice back? I’m sure it’s would be a hit over there.”
Lili… he warned her.
“Oh, fine.” She threw her hands up. “But please promise me you won’t get yourself involved with angels afterwards? I’d hate to lose a toy to those bastards.”
Caelum cocked his head. You seem to have such strong emotions against them. Is there a story to this?
“I’m a demon, and they’re angels. All the hate comes naturally, Caelum. You should have learned that somehow,” Lili said. “But you’re right; there is a story. Though I don’t want to scare you with it just yet. Little Caelum isn’t ready to hear the horrors of my past.” She winked at him.
If it’s as horrible as you are, then perhaps I don’t have the patience for it yet, Caelum said.
“However, my warning stands. If you think demons are bad, angels are worse. At least we admit how horrible we are.” Lili moved Miss Fortune away from her lap and walked over to Caelum, resting both palms on each of his shoulders. He was much taller than she was, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. So she had to look up to him as she said in a mockingly sweet voice, “By the way, you’re gonna owe me big time for this little favor of yours. I completely have no love for angels, but because of you, I’ll call one down.”
Fine, I’ll send you an IOU, Caelum said, and Lili frowned again.
“Okay, teasing you and getting a reply from a cat is definitely getting on my nerves,” Lili said, moving over to the gilded bowl Caelum had used to summon her. “One holy pain in the ass coming up.”
While Caelum was desperate to locate her, Ariel returned to where he first expected her to be. Dawn was breaking when Ariel set foot on the balcony of Maxwell Saunders’ apartment. She had hidden herself from the demon the moment she’d invoked the curse. And then she’d tried to track him down to see if he would lead her to the answers she searched for. Unfortunately, the demon was as careful at hiding his steps from her as she was hiding hers from him. Ariel was left with no choice but to let go of the situation with the demon and instead focus on her duties. She had thought of reporting the incident to Heaven but decided against it. Ariel could handle one demon and did not need the assistance of the other angels.
She descended on the building and walked over to the large windows that allowed her to view the entire apartment. She wondered how someone with as notorious a persona as Maxwell found it secure to have an open residence. Ariel was well aware of how humans could be creative and hire mercenaries to do away with enemies. Although, his notoriety was also Maxwell’s shield, his listeners knew well enough how he poked into others’ business and his victims would immediately be turned into suspects if something did happen to him. But Ariel wouldn’t let the situation get to that point.
Taking a peek inside the residence, she found the man sound asleep in his couch. A bottle of beer stood just below his dangling hand, suggesting that he’d drowned himself in alcohol after the events of last night. No doubt the demon named Caelum had affected the man’s mind by introducing his unborn child to him. Ariel cringed at the thought of the innocent child falling victim to the misgivings of its parents. Though she was in no position to judge. Ariel was there to protect Maxwell, not to deliver punishment.
A loud noise suddenly blared around the vicinity. Maxwell’s mobile phone alarm was set to go off at 06:00 hours, and the noise it made was intended to wake him up. Ariel took a step back, annoyed by the sound, and waited for the human to shut it off. Minutes passed, and Maxwell didn’t move an inch from his slumber. Did the alcoholic drink put him in such a deep sleep? she wondered, finding it hard to imagine how one could rest with that sound so near. She waited another minute, and the alarm finally shut itself off.
Thankful of the peace, Ariel extended her wings and embraced herself with them. She allowed her consciousness to be released from her physical body but didn’t enter the home just yet. Her spirit wandered about the area, making sure that no demonic energy was present while her consciousness was detached from her body. When she was certain that the area was safe, she shifted and returned to the residence.
Up close, Maxwell’s sleeping face was haggard. His jaw hung open, saliva trickling down the corner of his lips. His hair was a messy mop as if he’d run his fingers through it numerous times before succumbing to sleep. His odor, alcohol and sweat, assaulted her nostrils. Ignoring the displeasure of his appearance, she moved over to enter his mind.
Suddenly, she was back to the apartment. Ariel turned to see Maxwell still asleep behind her. Confused, she attempted to enter his mind again. She moved over and found herself back inside the apartment instead. What is happening? she asked herself. She tried again, slower and more carefully. She leaned in towards his mind and a force suddenly made her bounce back. Ariel felt her spirit recoil at the force.
What is going on? Ariel needed to investigate this. She returned her spirit back to her body and curled away her wings. She searched for a way to enter the room physically and found the lock on the window on the other side. She willed it to become undone and opened the window. With the premises unsealed, Ariel was able to walk between the spaces and enter the home. Without making a sound, she
physically approached the prophet and placed her palm flat on his forehead. She closed her eyes and tried to peer into his mind.
Something was blocking her. Something cold, dark, and strong. She couldn’t pierce through the veil and search the man’s mind. Ariel tried harder, careful not to damage him. She pushed against the shield around his mind, and a piercing pain throbbed inside her own head. Ariel recoiled back, the icy sensation still lingering on her fingertips as she removed herself from the man. Ariel moved away, eyes never leaving him as she tried to search her mind for a solution to the problem.
Should I seek the assistance of Heaven? Ariel considered. But no, she wouldn’t have her first opportunity to redeem herself fall flat so quickly. She had to figure things out by herself. One thing she was certain of was that Maxwell’s consciousness had been sealed, which prevented the man from waking and her from entering. Ariel already had her suspect in mind, but she needed to make sure before she pursued her target, lest she accidentally ignite a war for false accusations. With her current standing in the eyes of Heaven, she couldn’t afford for such a thing to happen.
Ariel approached the human again and placed her index finger against his forehead. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the contact as she slowly pulled her hand away. When her eyes opened, a trail of energy floated between the man’s forehead and her finger. The energy was a murky deep violet that was tardily turning black. And then, like a puff of smoke, it vanished.
There was no doubt in Ariel’s mind now. The shield had been created with demonic energy. And she knew exactly which demon was the culprit.
Chapter Six: Dealing with the Enemy
Fury built up inside the angel’s chest. Her brows pulled tight together and her jaw was set as she left the premises of Maxwell Saunders’ apartment. She hated demons. But never had one pestered her quite like this in such a short amount of time. Ariel should've expected it, she should've known that demon would do something to spite her. Perhaps she had been away for too long that caution was no longer part of her nature. It's my fault, Ariel was convinced. And I'll set this right on my own.
She reached the balcony and spread her wings. Searching for the demon was her priority now, and this time, she would not hold back. The wind picked up, and Ariel readied herself to take flight, only to stop. She was angry, furious even, and that was a dangerous emotion. Anger was uncontrollable and could lead her to unnecessary actions. Ariel recoiled her wings and took a moment to think. What set angels apart from humans and demons was that the angels were taught to control urges brought on by emotions. Humans and demons followed their whims without considering the outcome of their actions. Ariel didn’t want that to happen to her.
So she waited until her mind had calmed. With her feet standing on the ledge, Ariel closed her eyes and released a breath. She contemplated what option was best for her to take in order to free the prophet from the cage of his mind. She would need to track down the demon who dared to call himself after her home. Demons were scheming and treacherous. Ariel didn’t trust that the demon would be willing to lift the curse immediately. He must have thought to use it as leverage for me to return his voice, Ariel concluded. And she didn’t want to give in to what the demon wanted.
Ariel turned on her heels and returned to the apartment. She walked over to the sofa where the unconscious prophet laid. She stood just above his head and positioned her palms on both sides. Closing her eyes once again, she tried to search for any trace of the demonic energy that may lead her to its owner. Icy flames tickled her palms as she coaxed the energy to seep out. Demonic energy could be toxic to angels, but having contact with as little as possible will keep the damage to a minimum.
When enough energy had seeped out, Ariel opened her eyes and focused her own energy into her eyes. Again, she saw the murky dark energy floating between her palms. Like fog, it shifted slowly in mid-air. Ariel concentrated on the energy that expanded slightly as she watched. She tried again, but the energy did not expand enough for her to trace the source. Ariel sighed, releasing the energy and watched it return to Maxwell’s mind. Caelum had made sure it would be hard for her to manipulate the energy he’d used, disabling her to trace it back to him, much less remove it.
“Looks like you’re in quite the predicament.” A man spoke from the window of the apartment. Ariel wheeled around to find Daniel watching her. His face had the same sternness as it always did, only tonight there was a tinge of suspicion that Ariel couldn’t ignore. She felt her stomach drop at the sight of him. “What is the situation, Ariel?”
Ariel stood up from where she kneeled. With her chin held high, she answered him. “It seems that another entity has taken an interest in John Maxwell Saunders. He— It has sealed off the prophet’s consciousness, and I am unable to enter his mind.”
“Another entity?” Daniel repeated. “And where were you when this happened? Are you not the one tasked to guard him?”
Ariel considered her answer for a moment. Telling the truth would condemn her, but telling a lie would be a greater sin. “There was a demon who visited the prophet. I drove the evil one away, however, it placed a curse on our prophet before it left.”
Daniel’s brows furrowed. “A demon?” He spoke the word like a curse. “Why have you not reported this yet?”
“I—” Ariel hesitated. Realization hit her that her reason for not reporting had been selfish. She wanted the glory all to herself in order to redeem her image in the eyes of Heaven. Her pride had placed her in the situation she was in now. “I meant to take care of it myself and not bother the others. I made a mistake, underestimating the demon like this. I will not make the same mistake again.”
Daniel’s eyes bore down on her as if he would cast down Heaven’s judgment at that second. Finally, he spoke. “Where is the demon now?”
Ariel looked over to the sleeping prophet. “I am still trying to trace him. He is alive, but I have not located him.”
Daniel sighed in frustration. Ariel could feel a rising flush in her cheeks. Already, she was failing her test. But she had no intention of admitting defeat just yet. Mustering up her confidence, Ariel spoke again. “I will find him. And I will finish the task the archangels have trusted me with. I have made a mistake and I have learned from it.”
Daniel looked over at her, still with doubt in his eyes. “Will you be requiring my assistance?”
“No.” Ariel was quick to answer. “I appreciate the offer. However, I am certain you have other matters on your hands.”
“I do,” Daniel admitted. “Very well, Ariel. I will give you twenty-four hours before I visit again. The message from Heaven must be in his mind in time for the prophet to deliver it tomorrow.”
“Understood,” Ariel confirmed. Daniel remained in his position for a prolonged time, possibly considering if it was best to leave her to her own devices. After much contemplation, Daniel gave her a nod before disappearing into the wind.
Ariel released the breath she’d been holding while in his presence. Now that her secret was known, Ariel had more motivation to deal with the nuisance that was the demon. She bent her knee and knelt down next to the top of Maxwell’s head again. She concentrated, pulling out some of the energy and sealing it, praying to God she’d gathered enough to track down Caelum.
Any trace of a being was necessary for tracking them down. Even Lili, who was an expert at this task, could do so little without the main ingredient. Caelum was the one who had contact with the angel they sought, not Lili. And it was difficult to search for someone with only their name to trace.
“We might accidentally locate The Little Mermaid instead, you know?” Lili said.
I wish I could let you meet her face to face, but the reason why I am asking for your help is because I cannot find her myself, Caelum retorted.
“Oh, poor you,” Lili mocked. “But my claim still stands. I can’t make magic without a magic wand.”
If Caelum had his voice, he would’ve groaned. But not even the reverberation in
his throat made a sound. His hand suddenly flew to his neck. He fumbled with the button on his shirt and caught a glimpse of Lili’s wide eyes.
Oh, you wish, Caelum teased, to which Lili replied with a sly smile. “Please, continue.”
Caelum scoffed and revealed the Enochian tattoo marking his neck. The sight of it drew Lili’s attention, who neared him to take a closer look. “Will you bend down to let me see, Goliath?” she demanded. Caelum frowned and leaned forward instead to let Lili take a closer look. “Enochian, huh? Talk about touched by your feathered friend.”
Is this enough for you to trace Ariel? Caelum asked.
“Hmmm… Maybe,” Lili said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Go on, sit over there and let me do my magic.” She pointed to the chair behind his desk, and Caelum complied. He sank back in the chair, stretching his neck to expose the tattoo further.
“Hmmm…” Lili murmured, leaning forward. “You have a sexy neck, has anyone told you that? Vampires would just love to bite that.”
Miss Fortune jumped onto the desk and meowed Caelum’s thoughts humorlessly. Let’s not get sidetracked, please.
“You’re no fun.” Lili frowned. She moved to Caelum’s side and placed her middle and index fingers above the Enochian tattoo. Caelum felt as though warm air left his skin. The feeling was both comforting and stinging. He watched Lili draw out the energy from the tattoo and gather it in her palm as if it were liquid. Lili leaned back and closed her eyes. She was concentrating on the angel’s energy and let it lead her to its owner, Caelum assumed. It took two minutes before Lili reported back to him, her expression filled with annoyance.
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 6
