Milayna's Angel

by Michelle K. Pickett

  “But he—”

  “I had it under control. You trust me, right?”

  “Yeah,” he grumbled.

  “Then stop.”

  “I will when he does.” I gave a frustrated sigh, and he grinned. I was a sucker for his smile. Full, lush lips over straight white teeth. It was a mouth made to kiss, and we put it to good use… a lot.

  He’s aggravating. I wonder if I can switch seats so they can have their pissing contest without me.

  Class started and I felt a kick under my seat. I ignored it. He kicked the bottom of my seat five times. Each time, I gripped my pencil a little harder and clenched my teeth. By the sixth kick, my nerves were strung so tight I broke my pencil in half.

  “Knock it off,” I said over my shoulder. He handed me a piece of notebook paper. I grabbed it out of his hand, hoping he’d get a paper cut.

  Can I see your calc. homework?

  I wadded the note up and tossed it over my shoulder when the teacher wasn’t looking.

  “I guess that’s a no.” There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

  ***

  Gym. I hated it. Didn’t everyone? I was good at two things—swimming and softball. Other than those two, I sucked at sports. I couldn’t hit little pucks across the floor, I didn’t like white volleyballs flying toward my head, and I didn’t care if I managed to get the little yellow tennis ball over the net. Swimming and softball. That was it.

  We were running track. That wasn’t too awful. I pretended it was a big softball diamond without the bases.

  What made the class unbearable was Shayla. She used to be part of our group of demi-angels. Then she jumped ship and sided with Azazel to become an Evil. I couldn’t stand to look at her, much less share the same class with her. Not because I was scared. The sight of her, knowing where her allegiance stood, made me feel physically sick.

  “Nice ring,” Shayla said as she passed me on the track.

  I didn’t answer, just focused on my feet hitting the pavement, pushing myself to go faster, harder.

  “It’s not over, you know. Azazel isn’t finished with you.” She looked over her shoulder. Her gaze met mine for a few seconds before she faced forward again.

  Whatever.

  I doubled over, holding my side. It felt like something was burrowing a hole inside me. Breathing hard, I walked to the side of the track out of the way of the other runners. Images scrolled through my mind. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers. My head pounded like someone was using it for batting practice. My side burned, and it wasn’t from running.

  Me. I can’t breathe. Hands are around my neck… choking me. Cutting off my airway. My chest burns, my head pounds. I’m clawing at the person’s arms. I hear laughter in the distance. My head swims… stars blink in front of my eyes…

  The images vanished. I gasped for air, filling my lungs until they were stretched to capacity. I looked up, still squeezing my side with my hand. Shayla ran past, a knowing smile on her lips.

  ***

  Chay was waiting outside the locker room door when I left gym class thirty minutes later. He immediately pulled me into a massive hug. I smiled against his shoulder, inhaling his scent. The smell of his cologne, fresh and outdoorsy, calmed me.

  “What’s wrong?” He pulled back to look at me. I tried to pull him close again. Partly because being in his arms made me feel safe and loved, but mostly because I knew he’d see the truth in my eyes. He didn’t budge.

  “Nothing’s wrong.” I was a terrible liar. He read me like a book, and I knew it. “Your Spidey-sense for danger must be on the fritz.” No one knew how or why he could sense when one of the group was in trouble, just that he could.

  “Yeah, right. Now tell me what happened.”

  “Just got winded running track is all. I’m fine.” I smiled up at him.

  He blew out a breath of frustration. “Milayna…”

  Ugh. He knows I’m lying. Why can’t I get the lying thing down? I can’t even pull off a teeny, tiny white lie.

  “I’m fine. Really. I’d tell you if there was something wrong.”

  Shayla walked out of the gym and brushed past us, shouldering me so hard I stumbled into Chay. I rubbed the back of my shoulder where she hit and shrugged at Chay. “I could do without her,” I said.

  “Why don’t you have your dad talk to the counselor and rearrange your schedule? You know he would do it if you’d ask.”

  “I’m not going to show any weakness in front of her or any of the Evils. Plus, I doubt there’d be a way for me to arrange my schedule so I wasn’t in any classes with either an Evil or a demi-demon. There’s only three months until graduation. I can stick it out until then.”

  He leaned down and kissed me lightly. “We could arrange it so you and I would have more classes together.”

  I bit my lower lip, thinking about that. It was tempting. “Sorry, but I’m not going to look like I’m running scared and need protection.”

  “You’re too stubborn,” he said, shaking me gently.

  I laughed at his scowl. “Yeah, and you love that about me.”

  He grunted in response, and I laughed harder.

  Wait, why did Chay sense I was in trouble? It was just a vision.

  ***

  “Can I talk to you, Dad?” I sat on the arm of the chair where he was reading the newspaper.

  “Of course, what’s up?” My dad set the newspaper on the side table. He slipped off his reading glasses and tossed them on top of the paper.

  “I have a question about Azazel.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Well, you said after my eighteenth birthday, I would be immune to his powers. That as the most powerful demi-angel he wouldn’t be able to touch me. Right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Is there any way he can get to me? I mean, could he use someone else?”

  My dad leaned forward in his chair. His elbows rested on his knees, his hands falling between them. “What’s going on, Milayna?”

  I looked at the floor, twisting my fingers together. For some reason that I didn’t understand, tears pressed the back of my eyes. I didn’t have anything to cry about. Nothing had happened but a few visions and a couple of threats from the hobgoblin duo, who were notorious troublemakers. Nonetheless, big, warm tears dripped from my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

  My dad didn’t wait for me to say anything more. He reached out and pulled me into an enormous hug. I felt small wrapped in his six-foot frame, like I had as a little girl. I laid my head on his shoulder and smelled the familiar scent of his spicy aftershave mixed with the slight smell of laundry detergent that lingered on his shirt.

  We sat like that for countless seconds, maybe minutes. I looked around the family room. A bright, airy room, it was decorated in muted sage and yellows. My dad and I sat next to a small fire burning in the fireplace, family photos lining the mantle. His favorite chair smelled of softened leather and squeaked slightly when he moved. It was a room full of happy memories. Birthdays and Christmases were celebrated there, and the sights and sounds still resonated. I hated that those wonderful family moments now shared a place with memories of Azazel and the suffering he brought to my family, and everyone else’s.

  I pulled back and looked at my dad. His face was pinched with worry. Lines fanned out from his eyes and a small frown pulled at his lips. “It’s just… well, the hobgoblins have been hanging around again, telling me things aren’t over. Shayla said the same thing at school today, and I’ve been having visions of someone trying to kill me,” I said in a rush. When he didn’t answer right away, I added, “I think.”

  “Okay, I think we need to start over. Tell me what the hobgoblins said.”

  “That ‘he’s coming.’”

  “Honey, you know Azazel can’t—”

  “I told them that he didn’t have any power over me, but then they said it wasn’t Azazel who was coming. When I asked who, they told me it was the one who would kill m
e. And then in gym today, Shayla told me it wasn’t over. That Azazel wasn’t finished with me.”

  “What about the visions? Tell me about those.”

  “I’ve had three. Instead of seeing someone else in my vision like usual, I see myself. There’s no one else in the vision. Well, that’s not true. There’s at least one other person, but I can’t see them. It’s like I’m seeing myself through their eyes. In the first one, I just saw myself talking to someone, my hands held toward them, palms out, like I was pushing them away. I couldn’t hear what I was saying. The second…” The tears started again. “Well, in the second, it looked like someone was trying to hurt me. They had a knife and raised it above my head just before the vision dissolved. In the vision I had today, I know someone was trying to hurt me because I could feel it. They were choking me. I couldn’t take a breath, my lungs burned, and I could feel their hands tightening around my neck.”

  “Holy shit.”

  I raised my eyebrows. It wasn’t often I heard my dad swear. It worried me that he did then. It scared me.

  “What does it mean, Dad?”

  “What does what mean?” my mom asked, walking into the room after putting my brother to bed.

  “I’m not sure, Milayna. But I think we need to be extra careful. The group needs to know what’s going on. It’s time to pair up. Milayna, you aren’t to be alone. Demi-angels are strongest when they are together.”

  “Dad, I don’t want to go back to having bodyguards everywhere I go. I’m stronger now. I don’t need the group babysitting me like they did when Azazel was trying to get to me. Going to and from school, to and from classes, at school functions, at home while you’re at work—I don’t want them to put their lives on hold for me again. To change their routines, their plans, just to shadow my every movement.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger. “Milayna, until we get this figured out, we need to act like Azazel is indeed threatening your life and take precautions.”

  “Azazel?” my mother whispered. She walked over and laid a hand on my dad’s shoulder. He reached up and took it in his, rubbing his thumb gently over the top. I could sense the fear in her, see it on her face.

  I wondered if she would have married my dad if she’d known then what she’d have to deal with in life. Being married to an angel had to be difficult, and being the mother of demi-angel children had to be even more worrisome. She had to look over her shoulder day and night to make sure evil wasn’t touching her family—it must’ve been exhausting. Was it fair of my dad to have asked it of her? He’d been her guardian angel, after all. Was it fair that he stopped guarding her and put her in harm’s way instead?

  Judging by the love on their faces every time they looked at each other, by the long, passionate kisses they snuck when they thought I wasn’t looking, and how they always held each other’s hands, I guessed she wouldn’t have changed her mind. They still acted like teenagers in love, not a couple who’d been together for twenty-five years.

  But sometimes, I’d see what looked like a flash of guilt cross my father’s face, and I wondered if he asked himself the same questions. If he’d ignored his love for her and remained an angel, she wouldn’t be touched by Azazel’s evil.

  “Have the group come over tomorrow for pizza and a movie. We can talk with them then and see if anyone else is having any visions. We’ll tell them the importance of no one being alone… not just you, Milayna. None of you should be alone right now. Not until we know what’s going on.” My dad rubbed a hand over his face.

  “Jonathan Jackson, what’s the matter?” my mother asked. I cringed when she used my dad’s full name. She did the same thing to my brother and me when we were in trouble.

  “Rachael, it’s nothing to worry—”

  “Don’t tell me it’s nothing to worry about, John. If it involves Azazel and a member of my family, it is something to worry about.”

  My dad told my mom what we’d discussed. I didn’t want to think about it anymore and wandered upstairs to my bedroom. When I walked in, I heard my cell phone vibrating in its charger. I picked it up and read the text.

  Chay: What’s wrong?

  I smiled.

  Me: Nothing. What’s up with you?

  Chay: Milayna, I know something is going on.

  Me: Wanna come over for pizza tomorrow?

  Chay: Yes.

  Me: Good. The group is coming.

  “That oughta get him going,” I whispered in the empty room.

  Chay: I knew something was wrong.

  5

  Meeting

  “Can you guys come over tonight for a movie and pizza?” I asked the group at lunch the next afternoon.

  “If there’s pizza, I’m there,” Drew said.

  “Sure, what’s up?” Muriel looked at me, brushing her black hair from her eyes.

  “We just need to talk. No biggie.” I shrugged a shoulder.

  We fell silent when Xavier approached our table and sat down.

  ***

  That evening, we met at my house. My mom fluttered around the kitchen like a hummingbird making sure everyone had enough pop and pizza to keep them fed for a week. She hovered when she was nervous. And Azazel definitely made her nervous.

  “Okay, why are we here? What gives?” Jen asked, a sassy, kick-ass tomboy who could beat down a demi-demon without breaking a sweat. She was never one to mince words.

  “Yeah, I’d like to know that myself,” Chay said, looking pointedly at me. Glaring might be a better word. He’d known something was wrong and was irritated I hadn’t told him, and as the second-ranking demi in the group, he had a right to know.

  “Okay… let’s see. I’m not sure how to start—”

  “Just say it.” Jen pulled her shoulder-length blonde hair into a ponytail and turned to look at me.

  “The hobgoblins have been hanging around again, telling me things aren’t over. Shayla said the same thing yesterday at school. I’ve also been having visions of someone trying to kill me. There. That’s it. Oh, and the hobgoblins said that, quote, ‘he is coming.’” I made little air quotes with my fingers before dropping my hands and shrugging a shoulder. “Whatever that means.”

  They all stared at me for what seemed like hours. I squirmed under their gaze.

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Chay rubbed his hand over the back of his head, mussing his hair, and all I could focus on was that I wanted to be the one running my fingers through it.

  Focus, Milayna.

  “I’m telling you now. Things just started heating up yesterday. And besides, you knew the hobgoblins were here.”

  “I didn’t know about the visions,” he said quietly.

  “So I guess what I want to know is if anyone else has had a visit from the hobgoblins or if you are having visions.” They all said no to both.

  I’m the only one having visions. And, so far, the goblins have only visited me. I feel so special… yeah, right.

  Dropping his pizza on his plate and pushing it away, Drew said, “Well, we need to decide what we’re going to do.”

  My dad was the highest-ranking angel before he left his seat on the Iri Council and came to live on earth, which made me the highest-ranking demi-angel in our group. As the highest-ranked demi, I was the leader of the group—not that I particularly liked the position. I made sure we made decisions together.

  “My dad wants us to stay together, for none of us to be alone, just like three months ago. We’d have to alter our schedules, change our routines. Make sure we’re always within reach of another demi in case we needed them.”

  “Sounds good,” Jen agreed. The others nodded.

  “Then that’s what we do,” Drew said. “Problem solved. Until we know what Azazel is up to, we pair up. No one is alone. We’re either with another group member or with our angel parent. At all times.”

  Luckily for us, sticking together wasn’t hard to do. The five of us lived in the same subdivision, within two streets of each ot
her. Demi-angels tended to gravitate to one another. We stayed close because we were stronger as a team. Alone, we were weak and easily susceptible to Azazel and his groupies. We also drew comfort from each other. Comfort we didn’t feel around humans or anyone on Azazel’s team.

  Muriel, my cousin and best friend, lived directly across the street from me. Chay lived on the block behind me and two houses to the right. Drew and Jen lived next door to each other on the next street over from Chay.

  “Okay, now that we’ve decided what to do, we need to make sure to tell each other if we have any visits from little red goblins or demis of any kind. We need to know what’s going on with each other.” Chay looked at me. “That includes you, Milayna.”

  I rolled my eyes. Like I don’t already know that.

  “I’ll pick you two up in the morning,” Drew told Muriel and Jen when it was time for them to leave.

  “No, I’ll pick you guys up. My car is cleaner. Drew’s is like a petri dish,” Muriel said.

  “It’s not that bad.”

  “Yes, it is. You have things growing in there! I think I’ve actually seen something moving.”

  Jen looked at me and shook her head. “I wish they’d just kiss and get it over with already. So much drama.” She followed Drew and Muriel down the front steps to her car.

  Chay looked at me. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

  “Good.” I smiled. He didn’t smile back.

  “You should have told me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Pulling me into his arms, he hugged me to him. He laid his cheek on the top of my head. “Whatever is going on will work out. He doesn’t have any power over you. Keep reminding yourself of that.”

  He hooked his fingers through the belt loops of my jeans and pulled me even closer to him. Lowering his head, he kissed me slowly and I forgot I was standing in my living room with my parents only one room away. I put my palms on his chest, gently pushing him away.