by Vivi Dumas
“You should stop by after you put away your little toy.” She sneered in Angel’s direction.
The women glared at each other, ready to pounce. Angel’s chocolate eyes challenged Bell. The scene was comical. He wasn’t even sure if either of the women wanted him. However, each refused to back down. Competition brought out the worst in females.
“Angel. This is Isabella LaCoste, Lilith’s daughter. Bell teaches Demonology at the academy.”
“You make it sound so impersonal. He forgot to mention we’ve been dating for the last half-century.” She shifted her eyes from him to scrutinize Angel. “I guess you’re Lucifer’s new plaything, right?”
Angel’s eyes fired daggers. “I’m no one’s plaything.”
“Whatever. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.” Bell flipped her long blonde hair behind her shoulder and snorted.
“I’m sure you will,” Angel retorted with a smirk, hesitating before saying more. She stepped a little closer to Jacque and hid behind him.
Alarmed, he took a step forward when Angel’s breast rubbed against his arm.
Her reaction surprised him. She had more spunk than he gave her credit for, but messing with Bell was a mistake. Luckily, Angel came to her senses before it went any further. Bell played to win at all costs. Competition made her irrational. The last thing he needed was to be caught in the middle of a catfight.
“Let’s go.” Jacque caught Angel by the elbow. “I’ll show you to your room. Bell...you can retract the claws.” Pushing past Bell, he started down the hall.
***
Angel was pissed she allowed Isabella get to her. She didn’t even know why she let the woman ensnare her into this frenzy. Jacque wasn’t her man. She had no right to be jealous. Although it was crazy, she couldn’t bring herself to stop fuming over Isabella.
Jacque picked up his pace. She had to half-run to keep up with him. At the top of a long winding staircase, they turned right down a narrow hall. After walking past three rooms on the left, he came to a halt and pushed open the wooden door.
Peeking into the room, she saw a massive cherry canopy bed with plum velvet draperies hanging from the rod at the top. The same plum fabric covered the window gathered back by gold cording. The old wood floor was covered with an antique oriental rug. In the corner of the room, a shadowy figure lounged in the armchair. Her heart sank when she realized who waited for her.
“I’m glad to see you made it safely, my Angel. I hope Jacque treated you well on your journey here.” Lucifer’s ebony skin sparkled in the darkness.
Her chest tightened and her eyes watered. “He took good care of me, unlike you who left out a bunch of information the last time we talked.”
His black eyes danced with the flames from the fireplace. “I apologize. Some things just aren’t relevant to me. If not asked, I tend to overlook the simple things humans find important.”
“Excuse me. Is there anything else you need from me?” Jacque interrupted.
“No. You may leave.”
Jacque dropped the bags by the four-poster bed. “I’ll see you in the morning. Breakfast is in three hours.”
The weight of the day wrapped around her shoulders, strangling the fight out of her. She needed sleep. Closing her eyes, she wondered what training entailed, expecting it to be grueling. Isabella definitely wasn’t going to roll out the welcome mat for her.
“Isabella is less frightening than her bark,” the Devil guffawed.
With her hands on her hips, Angel glared at Lucifer. “Now you’re playing in my head?” The Devil rooting around in her mind was the last thing she needed right now. Her thoughts and emotions bubbled in a cauldron of confusion, especially her thoughts about Jacque. She didn’t want to give Lucifer anything else to use against her.
Lucifer waved a hand as if to dismiss her comment. “It’s not anything I do consciously. Thoughts just come to me.”
“I’m tired. Is there anything else you need from me?”
“Of course...I’ll take my leave. You need rest.” Lucifer brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek, sending a shudder down Angel’s spine.
Before another word escaped, she was alone in the large room. Feeling trapped in a crazed nightmare, she longed for her grandmother’s embrace and advice. Gran would’ve known how to get out of this mess. Stripping her clothes off and throwing on a T-shirt, she pulled the gold and black duvet down and plunged into the welcoming comfort of the bed. Weariness drew her into the dark abyss of sleep.
***
Loud banging drew Angel from a deep sleep. The force of the pounding vibrated the glass in the windows. She jumped from the bed, running to stop the ruckus before they woke the whole castle.
Still groggy, she swung open the door. “What!”
Jacque’s expression jogged her out of her fog. “You’re late. Get dressed. You need to be out in the courtyard in ten minutes.”
She pushed her hair out of her face and leaned on the door jam. “Okay...fine. I’ll be down in ten. Should I wear anything in particular?”
“Just a little more than what you have on now ‘cause it’ll be distracting to the others if you don’t.” Jacque turned and stomped away before she could answer.
As she steadied herself against the doorframe, she looked down at her outfit. She answered the door in a T-shirt and purple lace panties, her usual sleepwear.Shit! She slammed the door and snatched her travel bag off the floor. Grabbing a pair of jeans, her Saints jersey, and cosmetic bag, she headed for the bathroom.
***
Jacque’s gaze followed her as she stepped out the front door. She blushed when she met his stare. Pushing through the crowd, she made her way to him. A tinge of pain pricked Jacque’s heart as he watched the reaction of the guys she passed. Females weren’t the only ones with a problem with competition. Another reason to stay away from her. The girl had trouble written all over her.
***
Angel’s day slid further downhill when Isabella entered the room. Isabella strutted in with an air of confidence reserved for royalty. Angel met her glare as she sidled toward her.
“Glad to see you made it this morning. I was concerned when I didn’t see you at breakfast.” Isabella leaned against the desk across from her.
Angel’s lips turned up in a smile. “I’m sure you were worried sick. It’s okay, Jacque came and found me.”
“Look, human... you don’t want to play this game with me. He belongs to me. Always has, always will.”
“No one wants your man. I’m here to train and afterward, I’m gonna go back home. But understand this...if I wanted him, I could have him.”
“Jacque would never stoop so low as to sleep with a human. Even if he thought about it, he’d come to his senses when he realizes the consequences. You could never have him, no matter what you look like.”
“We’ll see,” Angel mumbled as Isabella sauntered to the front of the room.
Isabella addressed the class. “Morning. I’m Captain LaCoste. We’ll be together for the next few weeks learning Demonology. By the time you leave here, you should understand the weaknesses and strengths for most of the creatures in the Underworld and Topside.”
Angel’s head spun with all the information of demons and other creatures she thought only lived on the pages of books or on movie screens until now. Two and a half hours later Jacque’s six-foot-five, muscle-bound body filled the doorframe. His black wife-beater and camouflaged cargo pants matched everyone else’s. She was the only one without a uniform. He gathered and marched them outside to an obstacle course. Angel hated heights and several of the contraptions hung high above the ground.
Her heart raced inside her chest as Jacque’s voice faded out of her head. Sweat covered her palms. The flip-flop of her stomach made her thankful she was too late for breakfast. She stared at the enormous tower in front of her. The class began climbing up the stairs one-by-one. Only after a couple steps, Angle froze as fear struck. The demon behind her persuaded her up the ladder
with a small shove. Not wanting to back down, she inhaled a deep breath and continued. Her legs shook as she clutched each rung on the ladder. Keeping her eyes fixed above her, she inched her way to the top. When she reached the platform, she clawed her way to safety.
A hawk attacked the first cadet on the hand bridge. As she spun around to leave, the others caught her and pushed Angel to the front when it was her time to maneuver the course. She swallowed hard and grabbed the rope over her head, balancing her foot on the one below.
Angel gripped the rope so tight, the color faded from her hands, leaving them a pasty shade of white. She slid one foot in front of the other, refusing to look down. Trembling in fear and dreading the unexpected, she scooted in slow motion across the braided cords. She stopped when she began to sway with the wind. Tears stung her eyes and the braided hemp slipped in her sweaty hands. The squawk of the brown and tan creature approached above her head, forcing her to take action. She inched slowly, trying to make it to the other side. Her hands burned and the skin chaffed underneath as they slid over the cord.
When the hawk swooped millimeters from her head, she released the rope to swat at the bird. She fell unobstructed toward the ground. Nothing separated her from the hard compacted red dirt below. Her screams echoed through the air. Shutting her eyes, she braced for the impact. Instead of the crushing pain of hitting the ground, strong arms scooped her from the air and held her close.
Jacque stood still as Angel clung to him, burrowing into his chest and listening to his heart beat as fast as hers. He flew so fast she didn’t even see him until she was cradled in his arms. She couldn’t believe he caught her. She watched him allow a dozen other cadets hit the dirt. She wanted him to sweep her away, hold her close and take her to the safety of her room. When she lifted her head from the solid wall of his chest, she realized all eyes were watching them. Instead of sweeping her away, Jacque dropped her on the ground.
“This is why humans shouldn’t be a part of training!” he spat. “Get back on the tower and do it again,” Jacque demanded, leaving her to stare blankly after him.
Her body cried out for help. She ached all over from a combination of bumps and bruises earned throughout the day. Jacque pushed her harder and harder as the day continued. After shoveling dinner down her throat, she climbed the long stairway to her bedroom. Soaking in the tub, she closed her eyes dreading the punishment waiting for her the next day.
Chapter Four
The growls and snarls inched closer. Angel’s feet pounded the dirt, kicking up red dust all around her. The barren trees provided little sanctuary. Her heart and mind raced as she tried to think of her next move. The skies darkened above, thunder rumbled through the thick clouds, and the air smelled of dampness.
How long had she been running? It seemed hours. Other than Noel, the other cadets were long gone ahead of her. Being human sucked when it came to supernatural warfare, but she refused to give up. Every day the class waited, watched, wondering when she was going to quit. Two of the others had already dropped out, and they were demons.
Noel passed Angel on the left, ducking through the low branches of the charred trees, cackling as he passed. Angel picked up her speed, her calves cramping and an ache developing in her side. She wanted to stop. Stopping meant quitting. Quitting was not an option. The hellish howls closed in on her.
Angel glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of one of the ugly beasts. Its long, rounded snout protruded from an enlarged head. Red eyes peered through the burnt trees, scanning the landscape. A ridge of ivory spikes ran down the monster’s back extending from each vertebra. The dog-like fiend pounded through the forest on powerful, muscular legs, which carried its compact body. Outrunning them wasn’t going to work. She had to come up with another plan. Surveying the terrain in front of her, the only place to go was up. The trees disappeared into the grey clouds. If she could climb high enough, maybe she could wait them out. Or maybe they would go find another victim.
She lunged for the closest branch, leveraged her foot on the tree trunk, and boosted herself off the ground. It took all her strength to hoist her weight into the tree. As she reached for the second branch, three hounds pounced on the trunk, clawing at her dangling foot. The dark-haired one’s razor sharp teeth nipped Angel’s ankle. Stretching for the next limb, she stared down just in time to see the dagger like claws of the reddish colored beast rip into her calf.
Scurrying up the tree, she climbed higher until she was out of reach of the animals. Angel perched on one of the higher limbs, praying it could hold her weight. She clung to the trunk and observed the creatures clawing the burnt bark off the tree. Slowly, deliberately, a hound dug its sharp claws into the wood, using them like spikes, and began to maneuver its way to her.
Tremors quivered through Angel’s body, almost causing her to lose her grip and fall. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed. Ominous clouds gathered overhead, growing darker as the hound drew nearer. The animal swiped at Angel’s bleeding leg, barely missing as she jerked it onto the branch she sat on. Electricity hummed in the air. Angel felt the energy gathering about her, a strange, eerie sensation floating on top of her skin.
The hound’s red eyes glowed as it stretched toward Angel, drooling from its mouth and snarling. Angel stood on the limb, grabbing for the one above her. As she pulled on the branch, it snapped in her hand. She wrapped her arms around the trunk to keep from falling. The beast snagged her ankle, jerking its head, trying to yank her from her perch. Lightning flashed through the sky, hitting its target—Angel.
Angel closed her eyes as the pain she expected never came. Her body absorbed the energy and channeled it to the beast attached to her ankle. The smell of burning fur wafted to Angel’s nostrils. The hound fell to the ground with a thud. The two other monsters sniffed its cohort and growled up at her. Angel redirected the remaining energy to the creatures below with deadly accuracy.
***
Hidden behind a tree, Jacque watched, impressed and amazed. Angel had more power than he imagined. It was clear why she was so important to Lucifer. There were very few people with the power to control the elements. She needed to learn to deal with her gifts better.
The sound of a branch breaking caused Jacque to focus back on Angel. The limb she sat on snapped in two and she plummeted to the ground, trying desperately to grab hold of anything to break her fall. The high pitch of Angel’s screams ripped at Jacque’s reason. Her body bounced off the tree trunk and crashed through the dark branches. Again, he raced to her rescue. Before Jacque could reach the tree, Angel’s fragile body hit the ground.
He kneeled beside her and brushed the hair out her face.
“Hey. You took quite a spill,” Jacque murmured.
Angel stared up at him and smiled. “Yeah. But I showed those hellhounds who’s boss.” She chuckled, grimacing as she held her ribs.
“Yep. You showed them. Doubt they’ll mess with you again.” He examined Angel, wondering if he should move her.
“Did I pass the test?” A tear rolled down her face when she tried to sit up.
He held her hand. “Look. I’m gonna pick you up, and it’s gonna hurt. I’m sorry. I gotta get you back to camp and get you fixed up.”
She bit down into her lip, waiting for his next move. “Okay.”
“You let me know if anything hurts too bad.” He slid his arms under her back and legs, lifting her gently.
She was light as a cloud in his arms, her head rested against his shoulder. As he made his way through the forest, she moaned whenever he shifted her in his arms. Jacque cringed, knowing he caused her pain.
“Sorry,” he whispered in her hair.
Her hand caressed his neck. “I’m fine.”
The warmth of her touch spread a tingling sensation to the back of Jacque’s neck.
The campsite lay ahead. Jacque hurried through the brush. The other cadets waited, turning their attention to them as they entered the open area. He laid Angel on the back of the wagon with the
equipment. “Bring me some Vamp Juice,” he barked.
Everyone scattered, gathering items. The tall dark-haired cadet brought the Vamp Juice, and Noel handed Jacque the medical bag. Jacque sat on the back of the wagon and propped Angel’s head in his lap.
Cracking open the bottle, he held it to her mouth. “You got to drink. Hey, let me see those big brown eyes.”
She groaned and her eyes fluttered opened.
“Hi there.” He smiled down at her. “Drink.”
She drank the juice, choking on the thick liquid. Jacque cradled Angel in his lap, helping her with the juice. Her body relaxed and her breathing steadied as her pain subsided. He fought the urge to kiss her and turned to the others.
“What’re y’all standing around here for? Pack up the equipment and let’s get ready to head back.” Jacque’s voice boomed.
He prepared a pallet in the wagon for Angel to lay on for the ride back to the city. Jacque hated the bumpy dirt roads. A point for living Topside, at least most of the roads were paved. Angel hadn’t fully healed. She took longer to regenerate since she was human. After ensuring Angel’s comfort, he slid into the driver’s seat and took the reins from the wide-eyed cadet.
“I got this.” Jacque nudged the kid. The fair-haired boy hopped down, his eyes questioning. Jacque looked forward, not rewarding him with an answer.
The wagon bumped and trudged up the road. Jacque released a sigh of relief when the city gates appeared ahead. Angel slept soundly in the back. Her soft moans brought Jacque comfort during the journey. It told him she was still breathing and alive. The fall was rough, even for a demon. She was a fighter. She survived. Her agony twisted in knots inside of him, drawing him closer to her, making him want to take care of her. He ignored the feelings, writing them off as sympathy.
