Prey

by Carlos King

  “I’m glad I could amuse you. Maybe now you can tell me what’s happening to me.”

  Gabriel steps toward Alex. “You’ve had your fun, kid. It’s time to end this. I’ve been sent here to tell you that your presence is required back in Heaven. You have some things you need to account for up there.”

  “Is Jade going to be looked after if I go?”

  “That’s no longer your concern, Alex. Believe me when I tell you, there are bigger things you have to worry about now.”

  “No.” Alex told Gabriel.

  “No?” Gabriel repeated, standing directly in front of Alex, his expression hardening. “You’re really starting to wear out my patience, young man. I could easily drag you back, but I’m under orders to let you make your own decision. Now personally, I don’t care if you ever see the inside of Heaven again, but what I think is irrelevant.”

  Holding his position in front of Jade, Alex stares Gabriel square in the eyes and replies, “That’s right, angel. It isn’t your choice. You’re a pawn—a spoke on a wheel. You’re a mindless drone that has to follow every order you’re given. Unlike you, I can make my own decisions because I still have something you never will…A soul.”

  Showing a look of restrained anger, Gabriel clenches his jaws to help release his anger. He then follows jaw clenching with a forced smile. “It’s because of man’s soul that this world’s in the shape it is now. Maybe if you were all mindless drones this planet would be the utopia it was meant to be.”

  Gabriel glances at Jade and then resettles his sights on Alex.

  “Bottom line, Alex,” Gabriel went on, “either you come back with me and face your punishment now…or you stay here and suffer the consequences.”

  “Consequences? What consequences?” Jade asked. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He saved my life...He saved all of our lives.”

  Keeping his sights fixed on Alex, Gabriel answers, “Maybe he has, darling, but he achieved that feats through illegitimate actions. He broke the sacred laws and he will be held accountable for that.”

  “You may as well tell me the consequences I face because I’m not leaving Jade’s side,” Alex declared.

  “The wheels will immediately be set into motion the moment I leave without you. You’ll no longer be considered an angel of Heaven from that point on.”

  Alex’s facial expression remains the same. On the other hand, Jade develops a look of worry and concern that’s enough to cover them both.

  Gabriel continues. “Since you refuse to leave the humans, you’ll become one. Slowly but surely, you’re going to see your abilities diminish. Pretty soon, you’ll begin to notice that all of your strength, speed—everything will steadily deplete. Last thing to go will be your ability to heal. Once that’s all gone, you’ll be nothing more than a frail human…Vulnerable to sickness and death.”

  Alex’s face finally shows a look of disturbance at the new revelation.

  “What good would you be to Jade then, Alex?” Gabriel asked.

  “I’m not leaving her, and nothing you say will change my mind.”

  “Amazing. You’re love for her is so strong you’re actually willing to risk spending an eternity in the home of the very beings you’re agitating. The powers of the two realms have merged inside you, making you quite a force to deal with. Too bad it’s going to be a brief experience. I guess you’ll need his help after all.” Gabriel looks up at the overhead catwalks at Drake, who is silently watching them.

  Gabriel turns away from Jade and Alex and prepares to ascend up the very set of stairs he came down.

  “Gabriel!” Jade shouted out.

  Gabriel stops at the foot of the stairwell and turns to her.

  She walks out from behind Alex and says, “I need to ask you something.”

  “Sure, darling. Shoot.”

  “Zandor was telling me earlier about how the bible is based on lies, and how God never speaks to man. Is any of that true?”

  “Do you know the one thing you have to always remember about demons, Jade?” Jade shakes her head. Gabriel continues. “They’re the universe’s best liars.”

  Jade decides to ask one last question. “Gabriel, I just want to know one more thing. Why doesn’t God talk to us as much now as He did in the days of the Bible?”

  Grinning, Gabriel responds, “You know, Jade, there’s another funny answer to that question. God often asks himself that very same question. He wonders why His favorite creations don’t talk to Him as much as they did back in those days. Every last one of you humans has a direct line to God’s ear. Whenever you want to talk to Him all you have to do is pray. He may not answer you as fast as you’d want him to, but He always responds when you need Him to.”

  Gabriel turns and walks up the stairs. Before he gets midway up the stair casing he vanishes into thin air.

  “So what do we do now?” Jade asked Alex.

  “We keep fighting,” he told her. “We may’ve won this battle, but the war is just beginning. We’re going to see this thing to the end…Together. I promise.”

  “But what about you? Gabriel said that you’re going to turn human again. You won’t be able to fight those things off as a human.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I told you in the beginning that I’d die for you, and even then I’d still find a way to come back to you again. Nothing’s changed about that.” Alex looks up at Drake and then back at Jade. “Besides, if push comes to shove, we’re still stuck with him.”

  Drake looks down at Jade and Alex with a smirk on his face. “So does this mean we’re all friends now?”

  Alex looks up at Drake and answers, “Let’s just say, we’ll co-exist…For now.” Alex trains his eyes on Jade. “Just for now.”

  END OF BOOK 1