by Lisa Olsen
“Hello… Earth to Mercy… what is up with you today? You missed a perfectly good insult.” Daphne seemed offended by my lack of offense.
“What? Sorry, I’ve been trying to decide what to do about Ben and Adam. I mean I hate that Ben’s in the dark about what’s going on, and it’s not something I can really talk to him about over the phone.” If I could even get him on the phone.
“I thought you told Ben all about the angel stuff?”
“I did, I meant about what’s going on since then.”
“Sam told me a little about what happened to you with the demons, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m alright. It wasn’t exactly the most fun I’ve ever had, but I survived it, that’s all I can ask for, I guess.” Knowing Sam only had part of the story, I filled her in on the most salient points of what had happened in Midian. To her credit, Daphne didn’t interrupt me once, listening with rapt attention. Though I did question whether or not I should have waited until she wasn’t driving before telling her, when she almost rear ended the car in front of us after traffic stopped suddenly.
“And Ben doesn’t know about that part yet?”
“No, he knows about it. He sorta flipped out when I told him last night and he walked out.”
“Ooh, that’s rough. Maybe you guys can sort things out after he cools off a little bit?”
“That was my plan, but now… I don’t think things are salvageable, not anymore.” It was getting easier to deal with the more I said it out loud, but I still wasn’t looking forward to the conversation. I didn’t want him to hate me, and if I was him, I was pretty sure I’d hate me.
“Because of Adam?”
That’s why I love Daphne, she always sees to the heart of the matter. “Adam is a big part of it, but not entirely.” Things had started to self destruct with Ben before I gave myself to Adam, partly because I’d waited too long to bring Ben up to speed on what was going on.
“Do you love him?”
“You know it’s crazy, but I do. One minute he’s driving me insane with his obnoxious behavior and leaving me in a nest of demons and the next he’s telling me no man will ever love me the way he loves me. It’s enough to turn my brain into oatmeal. It’s… it’s almost demeaning for someone to have that much power over me. But what can I do? I’ve never felt like this about anyone before, Daphne, this goes way beyond puppy love. What I feel for Adam is the real deal.”
“Actually, I meant Ben…”
“Oh.” That brought me up short.
“There you go then, that must make things easier. If you’re in love with Adam you can’t be with Ben anymore.”
I loved how simple that made it for her, and in a way I could agree it was. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t in for a world of heartache with Adam if I let him become my whole life. I did not want to sit around waiting for the time when he could come to me, living for my dreams. It sounded inherently weak, and I hate any weakness within myself. “Yeah, but he’s not here, he’s never here for me. What kind of future is that? Am I setting myself up for a great big letdown in pinning my hopes on a life with Adam?”
“You can’t help who you love, Mercy.” Daphne gave a romantic sigh and I knew she wasn’t quite catching what my objections were all about. I could easily picture her waiting forever and a day if that’s what it took to be with her true love. Maybe she was the perfect match for Sam?
The sound caught my attention again, louder that time and my head came up, looking for the source. “Do you hear that? Is your car making a weird noise?”
“Hear what?”
I turned off the radio, listening carefully, but it didn’t sound like the kind of noise a car would make. It sounded almost like…horns. Rolling down the window the sound grew louder and I stuck my head outside like a dog on a trip to the park. It was a long, steady note, like the call to a hunt rather than the melody of a song. “There, do you hear it? It’s like a horn blowing in the distance.”
“I don’t hear anything but the wind.”
“Seriously? How can you not…” The note stopped and I scowled, my eyes starting to tear from the sting of the wind whipping past. “It stopped. Can you tell it stopped at least?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you’re letting all the heat out, roll up the window.” I did as she asked, but couldn’t help but feel a little… strange - as if I expected to hear the horns start up again any second. “Are you going to talk to him then?”
“Talk to who?” I blinked, realizing I had no idea who she meant.
“Seriously, what is going on with you? Are you sure they didn’t do something to you in the demon world? Or maybe Azazael found a way to get into your brain and…”
“Shut up a minute…” My hand came up as the sound started up again, stronger that time.
“Nice!” Daphne’s cheeks turned pink with indignation but I was too busy trying to track the source of the sound.
“Can you take the next exit? That one? Quick, quick, quick!” I all but grabbed the wheel and Daphne wrenched it to the side, almost losing control of the car when she overcorrected and ended up on the shoulder.
“What the hell?” she demanded but I was still focused on the sound. And yes, I fully realize now that Adam’s behavior was starting to rub off on me. My only defense is… okay, I have no defense, bond or no bond, I shouldn’t have been so rude to her. All I knew was, I had to find the source of that horn. It felt like it was calling directly to me.
“Turn right at the light, I think it’s coming from that direction.” I pointed towards a copse of trees in the distance, beyond the city.
“You want us to go to the park?”
“Um, yeah, to start with.” My toes tapping with impatience, I just hoped we’d find it before the sound stopped again.
“What about shopping?”
“Will you forget about the stupid shopping? This is important!”
“Okay, okay, hold your horses, I can’t move any faster in this traffic,” she retorted and I realized I was acting like an asshat.
“I’m sorry, I can’t explain it, I just need to get there.” Once we were headed in the right direction, some of my agitation eased and I shot Daphne an apologetic look.
“I still have no idea what you’re hearing. Maybe it’s like a sound only dogs can hear?”
Or angels. Was I hearing something meant for angelic ears only? “Keep going Daph, it feels like it’s coming from that park up ahead.” Obediently she turned into the long driveway that led to the park nestled among the trees. There was a small playground area with walking trails and a playing field that was mostly empty at that time of year. A boat launch lay at the end of the road next to the lake. “Down there, by the water.” We were getting closer, I could feel it.
As soon as she stopped the car, I threw open my door, freezing when the sound cut off abruptly. “Damn it!” I could still feel the pull even without the call of the horn. It came from a small island in the center of the lake, about a hundred yards across the water. Obscured by trees, I couldn’t see if there was anyone on the island itself or who was making all the racket.
“What’s the matter?” Daphne asked, getting out of the car.
“The horn stopped.”
“I don’t see anyone around. Maybe whoever it was went home?”
“No… they’re out here somewhere. I just have to find them.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Mercy, there’s nothing out here and it’s kinda cold,” Daphne hugged her arms close to her body.
“I have to get to that island. I’m sure that’s where it came from.” Only I had no idea how to get out there. There were no boats around. In fact, that entire area of the park was completely deserted. I started down towards the water’s edge with no real plan in mind and Daphne chased after me.
“Mercy, you can’t… hey!” Something in her voice made me turn back to look at her despite the pull to the island, and I saw her standing there frozen in place, a look o
f comical surprise on her face.
“What’s the matter?”
“I can’t… something is keeping me from going forward,” she frowned, backing up a step and trying again a foot over to the side. “It’s like there’s an invisible wall.”
“Weird.” I hurried back to her, crossing back and forth through the unseen barrier with no problems. “Here, try taking my hand.” I held my hand out but she shrank away from it. “What’s the matter?”
“I don’t want to. I feel a little strange, like… maybe we should get out of here.”
I looked between Daphne and the lure of the island, my feet already backing towards the water. “I can’t, Daph. I have to go and check it out. Wait here for me and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“How are you going to get there?”
That was the million dollar question. I didn’t fancy a swim in the cold November water but there didn’t seem to be another way to get over there. It was a cinch any angels in the area would be using their wings, and I spared a moment to check the sky but it was too overcast to see much. “Wait here and maybe have the heater going, okay?” I sidled closer to the water.
“Are you crazy? You’ll freeze to death if you go in the water!”
I didn’t know what else to do, so I ignored her, my foot squishing in the muddy rocks as I got right up to the water’s edge. Preparing myself for the rush of cold water, it took me a few steps to realize I wasn’t sinking into the lake. I stood on top of it. With a gasp I froze, raising one foot and stomping it to see if it would splash, but nothing happened. Chalk up another of my nearly useless party tricks, I could walk on water.
Daphne didn’t start to notice until I was several feet out and I could hear her trying to get my attention from the shore. Instead I forged on, not sure if it would last the entire time. I wanted to get as close to the island as possible before I accidentally plunged into the water. With that thought in mind, I sprinted the last several yards until my feet were on solid ground again, digging the toes of my shoes into the dirt to satisfy that I was actually on the ground instead of hovering over it.
With a little wave to Daphne to let her know I’d arrived safely, I started into the trees, the call even stronger on that side of the water, even though I couldn’t hear the actual horn anymore. The island itself wasn’t huge, and I didn’t see any structures on it or a dock for boats to tie up there. The trees were dense though, and I had to pick my way carefully through the underbrush as there were no trails to follow.
A rush of air was my only warning as Sam landed beside me. “What are you doing here?” I asked automatically, though I could guess he’d heard the same call as I did.
“I could ask you the same question,” he replied, his voice hushed as he looked around carefully.
“I heard that sound, like a horn calling me, so I came to check it out. It’s an angel thing, isn’t it?”
“You heard that?” he blinked. “Nevermind. Go home, Mercy. You don’t belong here.” Sam strode away from me at a brisk pace.
Like I was gonna turn around and head for home. He should have known me much better than that. I chased after him, knowing instinctively he was headed in the right direction. “What is it? A meeting of the Fallen Angels Club and I can’t come?”
“Not fallen angels,” he said shortly and I could understand why he was so tense. It was a meeting of the big boys, and I was strictly persona non grata with them.
“What are you doing here then?” He didn’t seem like the type to flaunt the rules.
“I am not joining them. I am merely trying to…”
“You’re spying!” I hissed back at him, tickled beyond belief to find he wasn’t above something petty like that, and a flush of color stole up the side of his cheeks.
“I only want to know if their plans will affect those I care about.”
Me. I could read that on his face plainly enough. He wanted to know if they were holding a pow wow about my situation. “Okay then, I’m coming too.”
“They will see you.”
“Not if I’m real sneaky like,” I grinned, slowing instinctively as the trees started to thin out.
And then I spotted them. Angels. Gobs of ‘em.
A dozen or so angels stood alone or in pairs, chatting amiably like it was a church social. Their auras gleamed against the gray, overcast day, casting the clearing in a halo of golden light almost as if it were a sunny day. “Wow, what are they all doing here?” I whispered, ducking behind a tree.
“They came in response to Gabriel’s horn, as you and I did.”
That begged the question, “which one is Gabriel?”
“The one with the horn, duh, standing over there by Nathanael.”
Sometimes I liked Sam better before he picked up on modern qualities like sarcasm. “Oh,” I whispered back shortly. The pair of them stood next to each other but didn’t appear to be talking, Nathanael looking stern as ever, Gabriel serious, but not quite as intimidating as his brother. As we watched, Gabriel lifted the horn to his lips and blew out another impossibly long note without taking a breath, and the pull towards the clearing grew impossible to ignore. “I’m gonna go check things out.”
Sam immediately caught hold of my arm, stepping into my path. “Mercy, you can’t go out there, it’s forbidden.”
“Then why are they calling me?” Maybe the horn didn’t discriminate against the Fallen or weird hybrids like I was. All I knew was, I had to get into that meadow and find out what all the fuss was about. Side stepping around him, I tugged my arm free.
“They’ll see you,” Sam hissed after me but I was undeterred.
“I know but… don’t you feel it? I have to go.” For a moment I thought he might try to tackle me to the ground, but instead he retreated back into the shelter of the trees as I approached the clearing. As soon as I was spotted, all eyes were on me with varying degrees of shock and surprise. Most of them appeared curious, but more than a few were openly disapproving of my arrival and I started to rethink the wisdom of venturing into their midst unannounced. The gathering parted, giving me a wide berth as if I’d brought contagion with me.
Not that I got far, as Nathanael stepped up to block my path. “Leave this place,” he ordered imperiously, but I wasn’t about to let him intimidate me.
“Hey, you’re the ones that called. I came to see what was going on.”
“You were not summoned, the call was for the heavenly host only.”
“Then what am I doing here? Obviously I was summoned or how would I even know you’re having a jamboree in the first place?” I pointed out, and I could see the effect my words had on the crowd.
“She speaks the truth,” one of the angels nodded, but Nathanael wasn’t having any of it.
“The call is sometimes heard by the Fallen, it does not mean they are among the chosen.”
Another stepped forward. His long dark hair and close cropped beard reminded me a little of the big JC, but he had quite a bit more muscle on his frame. Dressed in a cashmere turtleneck and dress slacks all in earth tones, he was the epitome of refined grace and his voice was cultured and well spoken. “She is not of the Fallen, and she shares the Grace of God. Should she not be privy to his words?” I liked the guy on sight and I was glad to have him in my corner.
“This is not to be borne! Will we allow our ranks to be polluted by this abomination?” Nathanael demanded, and I was afraid he might physically toss me out of the clearing in another moment. But at Gabriel’s light touch he quieted, his face dark and glowering. I had unconsciously taken a step backwards in the face of Nate’s anger but forced myself to hold my ground as Gabriel approached.
“I haven’t done anything wrong. But if you want me to leave… I will,” I said respectfully, all of the sarcasm falling out of my tone. Unlike Nathanael, who rubbed me the wrong way from day one with his pompous attitude, Gabriel radiated authority but also a gentleness. It soothed my prickly temper, and I found I really craved his approval. All looked to
Gabriel who studied me with those big blue eyes, a touch of melancholy to his expression. It made me wonder; was he bummed because I interrupted his party, or because of something else?
He approached slowly, coming to stop a couple of feet away from me. I expected him to say something, but he just stood there looking at me. Could Gabriel read minds? Was he trying to judge the quality of my soul based on the Grace? Was he wondering if he was going to miss Monday Night Football by the time all of it was over? I couldn’t tell what was going on in that head of his, but he seemed to come to a decision, his head bowing the slightest of nods before he turned and strode away.
Apparently I’d passed some kind of test, because the other angels clustered around me then, and I was reminded that I really was like a shiny new toy to them. Most kept a respectful distance as though they were afraid to commit to actually choosing a side, but a few came closer to introduce themselves, their voices full of varying degrees of reverence and amusement. I felt a little like the belle of the ball; if the ball was full of glowing sexy angels. I’d never seen so much perfection in one place. Ever. Of course I hadn’t heard of any of them in particular, until one approached, the one with long dark hair who had stood up to Nathanael in my defense.
“Greetings,” he nodded formally.
“Hi,” I nodded back.
“You are well?”
“Yes, I’m… well. I guess.” It seemed an odd question after my outburst but then I remembered they weren’t all that big on small talk. At least that one didn’t look like he was afraid to talk to me. “Hey, I’m a little rusty on my angel mind reading, is it actually okay for me to be here? ‘Cause I could leave if it’s gonna cause a problem.” I wasn’t sure how much leeway I was given from that slight nod out of Gabriel.
“No, you were given leave to attend. Though as I understand it, it pertains to this gathering only.”
“Wow, I must have missed that part of the message. You got all that from a single nod?”
He chuckled at that, a deep rich sound that made my stomach flutter. “We are all familiar with Gabriel’s ways, he is not one for words.”
