“Then what do you call a person who is being dishonest?”
“I have a dark history here, Gabriel. I do not wish to go into details about it at the present moment.”
“Suit yourself then. Now what do we do?”
“We find a place to rest for the evening. I’ll figure out a plan in the morning.”
It didn’t take long to find a suitable spot to lay our heads. Though I had been given free rein on my actions, I didn’t feel I should add breaking and entering to my already long list of transgressions. For tonight, the overgrown grass of the front lawn of an abandoned house would provide enough cover until the morning.
Lying down, I tossed around ideas on how I would complete my task. Every time a plan started to come together in my head, the discomfort of my recent transformation from Arch to human mixed with the brisk winter’s chill and an overwhelming homesickness would send it fleeing. I sensed I would be in for long night. But soon, the cool damp ground carried more relief to my aching, frail, new form and lulled me into a deep sleep.
“Hey! Hey you!” a voice called out, followed by something poking me in my ribs.
“Should I call my dad?” another voice whispered. It took only a split second to place it. Unfortunate for me I didn’t rise quickly enough before receiving another jab to my ribs.
“Hey, buddy, this isn’t a motel.”
As I sat up, my eyes first met a tallish, curly-haired blonde girl holding a broom by its bristles. At least now, I knew who and what had jabbed me so hard in my side. Behind her, in a stance any professional baseball player would be proud of, stood my Etta, ready to swing her aluminum bat.
I froze, mesmerized. How beautiful she appeared as the morning sun danced on her perfect skin. As if she had been dusted in gold flakes, she shimmered before me. No longer hiding behind clothes too large, her well-fitting threads accentuated the sweeping curves of her hips. The gloss of her lips reminded me of cool, rippling water. What I wouldn’t give to taste her lips once more.
I hadn’t expected to see Etta so soon upon my arrival. I hadn’t quite come up with a plan of action, nor did I know what, if anything, she remembered. I needed to wake Gabriel up before our cover was blown, or I blew my chance.
“You got two seconds to get up before my friend calls her dad, and believe me, you want nothing to do with him.” The blonde slapped the end of her broom against my bare foot.
“Benjamin, wake up.” Thinking of the first name that came to mind, I elbowed Gabriel in his arm.
“What the hell, Ra—” I cupped his mouth before he finished my name.
“Benjamin, it seems we’ve crashed in the wrong yard. Excuse us, ladies. We didn’t know this house had occupants.” I shot Gabriel a censoring look as I stood up, dusting off my damp clothes.
“Well, it is. Next time you guys decide to pull an all-nighter, I suggest you find a designated driver to make sure you get home.”
“Our apologies, ladies. We’ll be out of your hair in a moment.” Gabriel gave a small bow of his head before grabbing his shoes from the ground.
“I got enough chocolate and sugar to get you girls through the next week.” John walked up behind the girls carrying a large pink box. Certain they were safe with John’s arrival, the girls lowered their household weapons. I nudged Gabriel as he hopped around trying to put on his shoes. After brushing his ear length dreadlocks from his face, his stare followed mine. I knew what John became, but did he know what we were?
I learned after my return home, John had in fact died from injuries sustained during the collapse of his house. With an honorable selflessness, he put his life on the line for his daughter’s. In return for his oath to protect all that is righteous, holy, and sacred, John’s life had been somewhat returned to him as a High Knight Templar.
High Knights share some of the same gifts of an Angel, but were forever caught between the two worlds of not being quite Angel, not quite human. The down side was once the oath was taken, only one fate remained—spending what may be centuries—if they’re lucky enough to survive that long—on Earth defending what Father asks you to defend. Should your time come to an end by the blade of an enemy, choose to no longer serve, or commit a sin, the only place to call home is Purgatory.
He came to an abrupt halt, caught off guard by the two of us. We studied each other before John broke eye contact with us and gave Etta an inquisitive glance.
“It’s not what you think, Dad. We just found them here this morning.”
“I see. Rough night out, boys?” John asked as he watched Etta’s face for a reaction.
“Yes, sir. We were just leaving. C’mon, Benjamin, let’s go.”
“Mmm. What is that wonderful smell?” Gabriel asked.
“We don’t have time for that now, Brother.”
“The best doughnuts Quantico has to offer. If you boys are hungry, c’mon inside. I’ve got plenty,” John offered as he herded the girls ahead of him onto the porch.
“What are you doing?” I asked Gabriel as he followed John.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I’m going to eat.”
“We can’t go in. We don’t have a plan yet.”
“Improvise, Brother. The whole point of being here is to get close to Etta, right? Then what better opportunity? Unless you have another idea on how to ease the rumbling in our stomachs?” Benjamin winked as he walked inside. I followed reluctantly.
Chapter Three
“So, what are your names?” John asked no sooner than I closed the door behind me. To the left of the entryway was a long dark hallway. To the right, everyone relaxed in the living room. As I stepped further in, I noticed a four-foot tall pony wall dividing the living room from the kitchen space.
A mismatched laminate wood coffee table and book shelf, bare white walls, and stained avocado-green shag carpet were not what I would expect to find in a home shared by two young women. In the center of the living space sat a sky blue, circular, sectional couch that appeared brand new. The rickety entertainment center only held a stereo where a television should be.
“He’s Benjamin. The other one is Ra.” The blonde girl spoke, breaking me from my surveillance of the surroundings.
“Ra?” John asked. I hadn’t come up with a name yet, and Benjamin’s loose lips locked me into a name starting with Ra. I racked my brain trying to think of a quick response when I noticed a Styrofoam cup with red lettering on the kitchen counter.
“Yes. It’s short for Ramen.”
“Ramen? Your mother named you after noodles?” Etta snickered.
“Well Benjamin and Ramen, I’m John. The sarcastic one is my daughter Etta, and this is her friend Amy.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir, but we should be leaving. Isn’t that right, Benjamin?”
“No, please stay. Have some doughnuts. It appears as though you need a few after what appears to be one hell of an evening.” John glanced down at my mud-covered feet.
“Oh yeah, those. I lost my shoes.”
“And your own clothes it would appear. Who’d you steal those from?”
“We stole them from the Laundromat. Oh man, these are so good. What are they called again?”
I wanted to punch Benjamin in the back of his head as he shoved another piece of doughnut in his mouth.
“You don’t know what a doughnut is?” Amy asked.
“He meant the type of doughnut,” I tried to recover.
“Glazed.” Etta answered as she got up from the couch and disappeared down the hallway. Amy followed shortly after.
“Sit down, Ra,” John ordered. His body language changed from inviting to rigid once the girls were out of the room. He had something important on his mind by the hardened look on face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” My butt hadn’t even touched a cushion when he lunged from his seat and into my face.
“If you know who I am, then you know why I am here.”
“Don’t for one second think because of my position
, I won’t kill you if you so much as touch a single hair on her head.”
“You make it sound as if I am here to hurt her. I’m only trying to win her back. As for your threat, remember the pecking order, John. I’m still an Arch and you’re nothing more than a High Knight.”
“Which is one step above you in your current state and no one, and I mean no one, is untouchable.” John drove his finger into my chest.
“What is your problem?” I snatched his finger, pushing him back as I stood up. With a flick of his wrist, he removed his finger from my grasp and twisted my head in a chokehold.
“My problem is my little girl not getting a chance to be just that…a little girl.”
“She’s not a baby anymore.” Sweeping his leg from under him, I slipped out of his hold and slam him onto the carpet. With a hard kick, John’s heel crushed my groin, and I doubled over onto my knees.
“It’s going to take a lot more to win my baby girl. You will once again have to prove you’re worth the space you take up, and you will do it with honor. Do you understand me?” Seeing no end to our little tiff, I conceded with a nod.
“And that’s the best you could do for clothes? You know where I live. When you leave here, go straight to my house. Don’t let her see you.” John handed me a key off of a ring, when Etta cried out.
“Dad! Dad!”
With his abilities as a High Knight Templar, John flashed to a door in the hallway. My human feet were unable carry me as fast as my upper body wanted to go. Barreling into the wall as I rounded the corner into the hall, I realized how weak I had become by changing into a human.
John had beat me to the bathroom where a fully clothed, yet soaking wet Etta clung around his neck in tears, soon joined by Amy at their side. I wanted so much to take her and hold her in my arms to let her know I was here to love and protect her.
“Tell me what happened, baby?” John stroked Etta’s hair.
“I saw them in the shower. They’re waiting for me.”
“You need to leave now!” John commanded as I took a step toward them. Stepping back, I watched as Etta hid her face in John’s neck.
“C’mon. Let’s go.” Gabriel said, grabbing onto the doorknob and my shoulder, making me wince in pain. I must have slammed harder into the wall than I thought.
“Are you okay, Brother?” he asked as we walked down the porch steps.
“I am well. This body is going to take some getting used to.”
“That is not what I meant. I saw your face. You appeared as if your soul had been ripped apart.”
“Seeing her go to any other man for comfort, even if it is her father, will take some getting used to. C’mon. John’s house is just a block away.”
“Why do you suppose John wants us to go to his house? His clothes cannot possibly fit you.”
“I don’t know.”
“Man, he’s pissed at you. You think maybe he just wants to kick your ass again without Etta seeing?”
“First off, what’s with the foul language? And second, he didn’t kick my butt.”
“Appeared different on my end. To answer your question though, aren’t we supposed to be badass sinners? I doubt they watch their language.”
“Here it is.” I placed the key in the lock when the door suddenly opened.
“You’re here. John said you two were on your way.” Dumbfounded by the sight of a healthy and sober Rene, my jaw dropped.
“Well, don’t just stand out there. I have a warm shower going for you guys and some clean clothes in the spare bedroom.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Gabriel pushed me aside and entered the home.
“John told me what happened to you boys. What kind of world are we living in when our men in uniform are carjacked at the airport and forced to walk all the way here? You should have called him sooner. He would have picked you up.”
As I stood at the base of the stairs, a cold chill passed through me. The goose bumps on Gabriel’s arm told me he shared the same chill. Shooting each other a sideways glance, Gabriel confirmed my fears; Demons still plagued the Divad home.
“Well, are you gentlemen going to get cleaned up or stand around, staring at the paint?”
“Sorry, ma’am. It’s been a long night. Benjamin, why don’t you go first?”
I stood in the foyer, studying the interior of the Victorian house I once dwelled in. Of all my visits to this house, I never left Etta’s room. To be in the rest of the home brought on an unwanted nostalgia. I walked to the fireplace, where recent photos decorated the mantle. The center photo showed a happy John with his arms around Rene and Etta, both laughing, appearing to be a perfect family.
“Would you like some iced tea?” Rene asked. When I turned around to answer her, I noticed the bar in the dining area had been demolished. All that remained were the studs of the wall.
“I’ll take a beer if you have one?”
“Sorry, dear. We don’t carry alcohol in this house.”
“Iced tea will do fine then.” I said, hoping she didn’t pick up on the surprise in my voice. Rene really changed her ways for the better?
“Doing some remodeling?” I asked as Rene handed me a glass.
“Yes, we are. I’m sorry John didn’t give me your names.” Rene stiffened as she patted down the side of her hair. My question had put her on edge.
“Ramen! Hey, Ramen!” Gabriel yelled from the top of the stairs.
“I’m Ramen, and the one upstairs being very rude is Benjamin. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see what he needs.” I found Gabriel at the bathroom door, fully clothed.
“Hey, man, I need your help.”
“With what?”
“I don’t know what to do.”
“What do you mean you don’t know what to do?”
“There’s a lot of stuff in there man. Bottles and knobs everywhere.”
“Haven’t you ever watched what they do?”
“Hell no. I’m not a pervert like you. C’mon, man, help me out here.”
“First off, you have to get naked.”
Pulling open the shower curtain, I could see how he could be easily confused. Their shower held enough different products to fill a shelf in a salon. I pulled down one bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Gabriel undressed and watched with his hands on his hips.
“This is for your hair. Shampoo first and then conditioner. This one is for your skin. Be sure to use it everywhere, including that thing you call an anaconda. Then rinse it off with the water.” I gave him instructions as I set each bottle on the bottom of the bathtub so they would not get confused with the others.
“Oh my! I’m so sorry!” Rene cried as she dropped a stack of towels on the floor. It didn’t take a wild imagination to know what she thought she walked in on.
“It’s not what you think, ma’am.” My attempt to explain fell on deaf ears. She’d already run down the stairs to call John.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Just get clean already.”
Avoiding an awkward situation, I chose to wait in Etta’s room for Gabriel to finish his shower. Sitting on her bed, I thought how bringing Gabriel might have been a mistake. Being an Arch, he only came to Earth for business. He was incredible at getting the job done and nothing more. That’s a great thing in that line of work, but with the job at hand now, it might be a hindrance. The lack of knowledge about life on Earth, and his childlike fascination with it all, would make it difficult to blend with the locals.
To calm my mind, I pulled Etta’s pillow to my chest. Her aroma saturated the cotton case and awoke a part of me I tried to hold back. The twinge below my belt, though natural, alarmed me. If I allowed the urges to control me, I might screw the whole thing up.
Chapter Four
“Okay, that has got to be the strangest thing I have ever done.” Gabriel barged into the room in his towel. Shoving the pillow in my lap, I hoped I covered the bulge before he caught a glimpse of my momentary weakness. The grin on his fac
e told me I hadn’t been quick enough.
“So, it’s slightly larger than an earthworm?” Gabriel burst out laughing.
“Shut up.”
“Oh c’mon, relax. I read about those. It’s natural.”
“Get dressed,” I ordered as I threw him a set of clothes that had been placed on Etta’s bed.
“Fine. I’ll get dressed while you go take a shower and take care of your little friend,” Gabriel said with a chuckle.
“I said, shut up!” I slammed him against the door.
“What is your issue?” Gabriel shoved me back.
“You’re my issue. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I get I don’t have the in-depth knowledge of life here you do, but there are things I do know. When I saw that Amy girl, it took everything I had to tuck that thing between my legs. What I do know is if you get upset like this every time your body does what it’s supposed to do, then you’ve already failed before you started. Get over yourself, Brother.”
Aggravated, I pushed him from the door and stormed off to the bathroom.
After completing my sinless shower and getting dressed, I went downstairs to find Gabriel and John playing cards at the kitchen table.
“Feeling better, Brother?” I knew what Gabriel tried to imply, but I wouldn’t give him any satisfaction. I took a seat at the table across from John as he taught Gabriel the fundamentals of poker with breath mints as the bounty.
“I’ll raise you three orange Tic-Tacs.”
“I only have two left.”
“Well, do you believe your cards are better than mine? I doubt they are, but you never know. If so, call it. If not, you can fold.”
Gabriel studied his hand as he played with his remaining mints.
“Now, Gabe, see how Ra is studying me? He’s looking for cues, little telltale signs I may be bluffing. Everyone has a cue that is a dead giveaway when they are lying. For some it may be as small as a twitch of their lips, a fidget of their hand, or maybe something more noticeable such as playing with their hair or shifting their glance.”
“I’ll fold.”
The Human Side (The Demon Side Series) Page 2
