An Angel's Ascent

by Christina Worrell

  I realized that I could easily sense these people’s thoughts now. Sen had updated Switch through thought was my guess, giving him actual scenes of what he’d seen.

  “Oh get a room you two,” Switch called as he went to find substance for the night and get more information.

  “That would be a bad idea Switch, you know this, apocalypse duh!” I retorted.

  “Don’t remind me,” he replied, laughing sarcastically as he went out and started his motorcycle. The dull roar could be heard most of the way down the mountain.

  Aries seemed anxious. I realized for the first time he thought I’d sometime leave him, and he would be alone again. He knew that it would kill him.

  I wrapped myself around him tightly and whispered mentally to him as Sen said I’d be able to do. I didn’t merge with him, only reversed the flow of thought.

  Aries stiffened but listened. He thought it was coming from himself. I was telling him he was the only thing I wanted, and I could never give him up. He was a part of me, and I could not live without him. He was the thing that kept me stable. His mind wanted to argue these points.

  'Your mine... always... always... I can’t take anymore without you…’ these things I shared with him. His mind still couldn’t fathom where they came from until I smiled.

  “You’re doing that aren’t you?” He asked in total bewilderment.

  “What do you think?” I mentally relayed stronger than before, my words echoing gently inside his head.

  “There’s nothing you can’t do...” he said, awed once again by my abilities.

  “I told you once before I was an empath. Once I unlocked the door to entering wildlife's consciousness I realized I couldn’t go back, I could sense everyone’s thoughts, so I used my power to reverse the flow until I found the right frequency. Well at least that’s how I think it works” I smiled sweetly while saying this.

  “I spoke with her about it. I’ve been able to do the same thing from the moment I soul wandered. I am afraid you would be unable unless you lived for several hundred more years. Just don’t stay in as long as I did. One day you two could go together.”

  “Kali said that she enjoyed the experience and wished to go back someday herself, also that I would someday be able to control the time. What does that mean?”

  “Kali was with you?” Sen exploded. The book he’d been looking through clattered to the ground.

  “I think so, she commented on it.”

  “That place is not for her! She can only walk in this realm and hers, but that one is strictly for souls. As a goddess, her soul belongs to her master. It was a terrible price for the gods and goddesses in my time to pay. That is why they so desperately wish to be human. If they are born into a human body then yes they could, but this is outrageous.”

  “From the way I understand this, she has a soul already, that’s why she is able to be a part of me.” I replied.

  “No, she is such a mighty being that she could merge her essence with you, but it’s not her soul. It’s hard to explain. Gods have physical bodies only because they wish it. They are flesh with life. They are their power. She must earn her soul, her freedom I guess you would say. When her master made the gods they had intelligence and power, and when he made humans and animals they became jealous. Same goes for demons and angels. They are alive, but they don’t have free will. Gods have rules and limits. They can do anything they choose within those boundaries.

  “Almost limitless compared to us. We could visit any realm if we simply found the right door, whereas they can’t. They are not allowed. Also, when we die we can be with the Almighty, if we earn it anyways. When we die and are not reincarnated we are judged. If we lived a pure life and learned our lesson in that life, we moved on to be with the Alpha. If we didn’t, then we lose our souls. We became like the demons and had to accept our punishment, which was never being with him.

  “I say him, but really it is believed that he is a consciousness, a limitless living power that IS everything. So our ultimate goal is to join that essence. She couldn’t ever do that, unless it allowed her to have her soul back and she became human. With her eventual death, however long that may take, she would be judged.”

  “So we have souls?” Aries asked. A personal question he had struggled with since he had been changed.

  “I can’t say for sure, but if that is true, then yeah you could. I think though, that before you were judged at your death, something or someone gave you another option.”

  I thought about this and had more questions.

  I spoke with Sen for several hours on the experience I had encountered saving my question until afterward.

  “Each species has a different level of awareness, some more instinctual or focused on more basic needs, while some like your squirrel are innocent and playful. I encountered a panther one time and found that they are ruled by hate and anger. They consider themselves above all others and are not very social. They would attack your body just to get you out of their heads, they prefer mostly to be nomads or have mates. They would rather kill than question something. Yet with the bear, most of their kind, in fact, is more defensive, not so aggressive. They like to share stories with you of their exploits. Something you should know is that a Were, or shape shifter when in their alternate form, are more like that side than human until they change back.”

  I thought about that for a minute. So Sen was like whatever creature he turned into when he shape shifted? Hmm that was good to know.

  “So Frank is like the wolf when he changes?”

  “Exactly,” Sen replied waving his hand towards us.

  I squirmed in my seat next to Aries. My leg was cramping again so I stretched it out straight using Aries as a prop.

  “How does that work for the Undead Ones?”

  “They are dead; they have thoughts, but there are questions as to whether or not they have souls. I don’t know if they do or don’t, but if they don’t then what animates them?” Sen asked.

  “Magic?” I whispered.

  “Maybe, but it’s not witches magic if it is, maybe a goddess or god creates them without magic or a soul. Their souls have moved on to wherever, and the question vampires fear of where do they go after their second death is moot. I think their bodies have an essence of their soul before it departs, like a stain left behind. There are mindless ones who make me believe this theory above all others.”

  “I’m not exactly a vampire. Maybe she cloned us from one but left our souls intact. I think it is bullshit, though, if we go to hell; we spent our immortal lives doing good and the will of a goddess.”

  I thought about that and realized the answer lay within me.

  “Kali?”

  “Hmmm...”

  “Does Aries have a soul?”

  “That’s a hard question to answer. I guess the best way to answer that is this... He has two souls. When he chose this at his death part of his soul left and went wherever souls go. The second part becomes what animates his body. It’s no longer a soul, though. When he dies again, his body will cease to be. His soul is already where it will be. I just tap into the soul to keep their bodies alive. That’s why they must drink blood like the vampire. They must drink others essence to stay strong, to keep the magic going. Does that answer the question, mother?”

  “Thank you, yes.” I didn’t share my answer just yet.

  “Sen, as an ancient one can you change into anything like the rumors say?” Aries asked.

  “Honestly I can’t answer that yet. It is a promise I made long ago. Suffice to say, though, that as unbeatable as Angel may be, or will be. I could hold my own with her. If I were to truly fight her after she turned and gained ALL her powers, it would be close. Something I wonder about daily...” He shared, and then went off by himself deep in thought.

  I felt his shield strengthen to keep me out. I doubted I could have read him before. Why wonder if he could beat me? I left that thought for another day…

  I led Aries upstairs. I had de
cided something after hearing Kali's answer; I knew he had not fed recently, and his strength would be affected shortly. I didn’t know if he could die without it, but from Kali's answer, I was pretty sure I didn’t want to know.

  I led him to the bed and stood beside it.

  “Drink,” I said showing him my neck.

  Aries stepped back and put his arms up.

  “Not yet I’m fine,” he told me refusing.

  “If you don’t drink I’m going to get selfish on you,” I replied thinking of different comebacks or blackmailing techniques, whichever I thought of first.

  “How?” he asked suspiciously.

  “If you’re too weak to keep me safe then what good are you?”

  I regretted it as soon as it left my mouth. It had not come out the way I had intended.

  Aries face scrunched up as he thought about that and must have realized it was all true. I thought I had emotionally wounded him.

  He cringed and berated his nature, cursing the fact that he had to do this.

  He laid me down and held me close. I kissed him hoping to ease his fears. Before I knew it I was wrapped around him moaning and out of my mind. His hand had made its way underneath my shirt and moved from my stomach to my bra. His other hand cupped my neck as he kissed me. He was up on his knees straddling me, bent to reach my face.

  My hands traced the contours of his back down to his pants line and found their way up under his shirt and then back down over his firm backside. My legs were around his waist and made this a little difficult.

  His fangs grazed my jaw line and sent shivers down my body. I wanted him fiercely in every way I didn’t understand.

  He sunk his fangs deep as his fingers released the latch of my bra. He traced my nipples and slowly, tenderly massaged them both. He released my neck after a moment and moved his head down for a taste. My back arched, and I gasped. His razor like fangs nipped at me and teased.

  Then bit down. The blood didn’t flow the same, but it was more erotic. While he suckled, his free hand found its way beneath my pants and inside my thong. His fingers traced their way over the sensitive flesh. Becoming impatient he pulled his hand free of my neck and ripped my pants down. I whispered his name and spread my legs wider.

  As his finger entered me, I clung to him. He moved in a slow, steady rhythm as he sucked harder, in and out in circles. My body felt electrified. As something in me built, ready to snap I felt my powers grow, as well. Fire burned within me; electricity tingled along the surface of my skin, and the room trembled. As I came the fire lashed out at Aries. The electricity jumped from me to various parts of the room.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Aries flew from me to the floor, yelping.

  I was so relaxed I didn’t care. I’d know if he was seriously hurt. The fire dissipated, and the electric currents went through the walls to the wiring I suppose. I couldn’t move. I could have fallen asleep as calm as I felt.

  After a few minutes, I remembered Cross and called out to Aries to make sure he really was alive.

  “Yep, just let me rest here. If I hadn’t drunk your blood, I think that would have killed me.”

  I sat up and decided another shower was in order. I just hoped the water didn’t go crazy.

  “I think your emotions affect your powers. I hope you don’t sink the island when you have sex the first time,” Aries laughed.

  “I'm going to shower.”

  “MMM kkk...” was all I could hear from the other side of the bed.

  Normally I would’ve checked on him, but he’d have told me if he was hurt. I was kind of sore but so relaxed; this was better than meditating.

  When I came back out Aries was gone, and new sheets replaced the ones we had been sleeping on. I walked downstairs and noticed Switch on the couch with a laptop on the coffee table in front of him. He was showing Aries something.

  “There’s the little earth mover,” Switch called. I was confused.

  “It seems a small earthquake erupted earlier today, followed by small aftershocks,” Aries told me reaching for my hand.

  Switch was laughing, and Sen simply rolled his eyes.

  “Back to business though. Things are all on track and the first and second set of people have landed on the island. There are fields being plowed and seeded. We are a week or so behind planting season but from what I hear that should be fine. We’ve been donated fifty cows and pigs. Frank had rounded up all the Lykan’s and their family, and has established jobs for most of them. The rest will help out where needed or at the church.”

  “That’s great.”

  “So do you think you are stable enough to finally see what all we have accomplished?”

  Switch had a smile still. Aries looked worried.

  “I need one more day to see what my worst is, but yeah otherwise I’m ready,” I told him. I stood next to Aries peering around his elbow at the screen.

  Switch flipped it around.

  It was the website. We had one million and counting hits already, and had several thousand comments and requests to visit. I just realized how easy the guys had made all this.

  Without this, any spots we had left we would have to search for the right people, now we could just go among the ones here and see who would work best. I didn’t want any criminals, bums, or people who were sick or elderly, and I realized how cruel that could sound. Every spot was needed, and I couldn’t afford a waste. We would be stretched to our limit I could tell.

  “This is amazing,” I told them.

  “Look at how much has been donated so far.”

  It was two times more than what I would make in a year.

  “Frank and Arch have the animals, clothes, and medical supplies worked out. They will be on a ship headed there in a week.”

  I nodded and asked about other things.

  Switch showed them an online 3D blueprint of the finished island.

  I gasped. It was exactly like what I had envisioned. The hotel was built out of the same material and attached to the monastery, making it appear gothic, almost like an ancient castle. The huts were plus shaped with each end as a room. There were quite a few of them.

  “Which hut do you want?”

  “You get first pick Angel,” Aries said.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Can I suggest something?” Switch asked seeing me struggle.

  I nodded.

  “This one here has a view of the ocean on one side, the jungle on another, is close to the hotel and monastery, and the meeting hall. All the huts, by the way, are three stories. I have spoken to Frank and the others. We decided that the band and I would share one. There are five rooms in each hut. Frank and his family would occupy one, and so on. Michael can bunk with us if he wishes, but from what I gather he and Raven are dating. She sent us an email for you. Here it is.”

  Switch opened another tab and up flashed a purple and black email.

  “Angel, Michael and I are good. The shops nearly empty and I have three potential buyers, the one I have in mind has offered quite a bit for it, more than we expected and wishes to finalize everything in three days. All profits have been deposited at the bank, and a bank summary is attached at the bottom. Your stuff upstairs has been taken; they came a few days ago, and it is on its way to the island. All the stuff you wanted to get rid of is at the Goodwill now. I had to pay next month’s electric because after cleaning and everything the bill will be due.

  “A man came by as well and said you had bought some books from him weeks ago. I had them shipped to the island as well. Switch says you are good and have mastered quite a bit. He thinks you, Michael, and me will show up around the same time. I’ll send another email before we leave, take care, and Michael says Hi. Oh, Bella stopped in. I told her the public reason for all of this. She says she wants to come see you. I told her that if she and her sister want, that they could move over there in a month or two. She said great and had to check with her sister. They heard from their aunt that their mom died. They do
n’t know how. See You Soon Babe! Later Aries!”

  My heart went out to Bella and her sister. I knew how it was to lose a parent, but I really could not remember my mother and she could.

  I glanced at the bank statement and was surprised to see how much was in there. I wouldn’t be making an insurance payment so the total was several hundred thousand. It would be over a mill when the shop sold.

  We discussed the blueprints more. I was surprised by how the huts would have two levels below ground, as well. There would be room for maybe another hundred at this rate. Just enough after everyone was accounted for. Worry I didn’t know I still carried was lifted off my shoulders, and I sighed with relief.

  “If everything goes well the first five huts will be ready in days. They have so many workers that they are moving faster than normal. They work in shifts, from an hour before dawn and an hour after. The hotel will be complete within a week of that. They estimate ten huts a week from there on out, having the last done in eight to ten weeks. We should be fully up and running in three months. Give or take a week,” Switch informed us smiling.

  I was mystified by the speed and success. We had a goddess on our side, though, so I had to expect great things. We finished chatting, and Sen retired to bed.

  Switch told us about the guys and how they were. One had a girlfriend. Arch, he was dating a Lykan. Frank wasn’t happy about it, but gave his blessing shortly after seeing them together. Thorn was trying to convince a nun to join him. Good luck with that was all I said.

  The guys seemed to be looking in all the wrong places to me. Cross was infatuated with the pilot, who was a female of course, and also friend to Frank. I wasn’t sure if she was a Lykan, but either way I was sure Frank was fuming, three down two to go. I was sure Bella would interest Madness, but who knows. Near five, I headed back to bed for a short nap. Aries stayed up with Switch a while longer and ended up talking to Sen who had awakened right after dawn. I couldn’t see how Sen did it, but at dawn every morning he was wide awake ready to go.