Seraphina: Initiation

by Sheena Hutchinson

  “Did you have a girlfriend up there?” I blurt out as my mouth catches up with my mind.

  Startled he coughs an uncomfortable cough before responding, “No…it’s not like that up there. In Heaven, you serve the Lord. There is no boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife, mother/daughter, everyone serves and worships Him,”

  Shocked by his answer, I continue to pry, “So, did you have another human girlfriend?”

  “Another? Are you admitting to being my girlfriend?” he slyly implies with one eyebrow raised.

  “Don’t you change the subject, Mister!” I quickly fire back, leaning forward to poke at his hard chest and admitting to nothing.

  “Sera, I told you. You were my first assignment here on Earth. I was Guardian to the Lord’s throne before that, I was pretty high up there in ranks believe it or not,” he states looking into the fire as if reminiscing.

  “What does that mean? Is that a boring job? It sounds kind of …”

  He laughs.

  “What?”

  “There is nothing greater that being deemed powerful enough to protect the lord’s throne. I had to protect him from rowdy souls and Demon attacks, so boring it definitely is not!”

  “Do you miss it?” I’m struck with guilt watching his face lights up as he talks about it.

  “Sometimes…” he pauses before looking me in the eye, “But then I look at you and I can’t say that I would be able to go back to how things were,” he admits honestly. After a few seconds of silence, my mind starts working on overdrive and I begin to think out loud.

  “Wait a minute, so that means... so you mean you never… ya know…with a girl… ever?” I stutter, finally coming to the realization that Nate may be experienced in the ways of an Angel, but he is inexperienced in the passions of the human flesh.

  “No, never,” he replies with a smirk. I sit pondering this for a few minutes before I find I have to change the subject.

  “So, tell me about being an Angel, like what can we do? Am I going to sprout wings? Do I have to swear devotion to fighting evil for as long as I shall live?” I lean back against the side of the fireplace as I munch on the last crust.

  I see a smile spread over his face, I’m glad he finds my ignorance funny. “Only God can give an Angel wings, since he didn’t exactly make you I don’t think those are coming anytime soon. As far as the devotion to fighting crime, you have sworn no oath, you do not have to do anything. I, on the other hand will not be able to come across a Demon I don’t want to kill, old habits and all.”

  “So there’s no Angel-loyalty program or anything?”

  “I was released from my oath when God took my wings, I am no longer an Angel of God, I am considered a Fallen Angel.” I cringe at the word as if it were a curse. I don’t know why but something inside me hates that term.

  “Okay, now get to what I can do now!” I change the subject to something more exciting.

  “Well, I can tell you what Angels can do. They have heightened senses of the world around them, they can move things with their mind, and we do something called ‘conjuring’ where we can create objects with our minds.”

  “Conjuring,” I repeat curiously.

  “Can I alter already created things? Like say a shirt?”

  “Yes,” he responds closing the empty pizza box, “Why?”

  “I think I’ve done it…” I admit thinking of the shirt I changed from green to red in the mall a few days ago. It was creepy when I didn’t know what was going on—now it kinda seems cool. “But wait, that’s it? I can’t read minds or fly? This is kinda lame!”

  “Well, some Angels have certain… shall I say, gifts.”

  “Now you’re getting all Twilight on me…” I roll my eyes.

  “Twilight?” he asks, sometimes I forget he’s not human.

  “Nevermind.”

  “I don’t know about this ‘Twilight,’ but Angels are created with certain talents in Heaven and after they fall they don’t ever seem to shake them.”

  “What are your talents?” I lean in finally getting to know the real Nate.

  “In Heaven, I was known for mastering the element of fire. Not just literal fire, but the deep fire within everyone. I can burn out thoughts of doubt and instill desire and passion. I don’t alter minds, but I can influence emotion.”

  “So… can I do what you do?”

  “I don’t know... Can you access peoples feelings or emotions?”

  “I don’t think so…”

  “Put your hands up towards my head and try to open yourself to my mind,” he instructs me.

  I follow his directions, placing my hands near his face and closing my eyes. I relax my mind and focus on his mind, his brain. Show me his thoughts, his emotions, his deepest desires, I think. I stay like that for a while trying to enter his mind, trying to get deep into the mysterious Nate, but I’m met with nothing but silence. Finally giving up, I lower my hands and shrug my shoulders in failure.

  “Well, if I had to guess, I’d say your talent has something to do with the power you create in your hands, I’ve never seen anything like that before, in Heaven or on Earth.”

  “What could it be?” intrigued at this new development.

  “I’m not sure, but the way it made that possession curl up and sizzle like bacon I’d say it comes straight from God.”

  “But, how can it come from God if you said that he didn’t make me himself? Wouldn’t it make sense if I have your powers since it’s your blood I have inside me now?” I feel my face crinkle up and I let out a shiver. I see Nate rise and make a move toward me. Freezing in my spot as my heart begins to flutter, I begin to think he might kiss me, his eyes meet mine as his hand reaches behind me. My eyes immediately fly to his perfect lips, I feel my eyes close slightly and my head tilts back preparing, until I hear a shuffling behind me. I turn my head to notice he was reaching for the fireplace poker. I let out a sigh as I scoot out of the way so he can adjust the fire, looking around my room trying to distract me from his body being so close to mine. Once he has returned the fire to the roar it once had, he comes back into sitting position across from me.

  “I don’t exactly know what to tell you,” and I realize he was pondering his answer this entire time, “You are the first of your kind. I don’t know what is supposed to happen or what you can do because there is no norm. We have to figure it out as we go along.” I stare into his blue eyes that are echoing the flickering flames they stare at. I have mixed feelings myself about all this, but Nate seems to hate the unknown and I have a feeling guilt is behind all of this uneasiness.

  “You did the right thing, you know that, right?” I echo his words of encouragement from earlier.

  He finally snaps out of his thoughts and looks over to me, “I know,” he finally smiles.

  “You know Nate, I’ve been thinking a lot about something Jack told me,” I catch him roll his eyes slightly knowing full well he doesn’t care too much for my friend Jack. Maybe it’s because we date. If one awkward date counts as ‘dating.’ He waits patiently for me to continue, “He said someone went through a lot of trouble to create me. That Angels don’t love, Angels don’t bleed, and the circumstances surrounding my accident were kind of… impossible.” I see Nate’s teeth clench when my words seem to echo his own thoughts, “I take it you already knew this! You know, Nate, we are in this together! You kinda have to let me in on these things. It involves me just as much as you now, if not more!”

  “I didn’t want to worry you, I wanted to wait until I had more answers to give you.”

  “No,” I shake my head, “That’s not how this works! I thought we agreed no more secrets remember?!” glancing over to him his eyes are looking at me as I lay into him and I soften, “You bring up a problem and we discuss it and come to a conclusion together. We are a team now. You aren’t protecting me by keeping me in the dark.”

  “I’m sorry, I’m used to more of a hierarchy, if you didn’t have proof- you didn’t bring it up.”

>   My last shred of anger fades when I come to the realization that this is all new to him. Earth, relationships, democracy, and I have to be more patient. “Team?” I ask holding up my pinky finger for a pinky promise, something me and Amanda do all the time.

  He flashes me his mind-boggling smile as he extends his hand and links his finger with mine. “Team,” he repeats as I feel the fire flickering within him warm my finger before we let it fall between us.

  “So, let’s start with why you didn’t tell me about this, is it something to be concerned about?” I ask popping open a can of soda and taking a swig.

  Nate takes a deep breath before he begins, “Someone did go through a lot of trouble to make sure you came to fruition. But –who is still uncertain. Only high ranking Angels can invade dreams, give Angel feelings, or blood for that matter, but they don’t necessarily have to be good.”

  The thought makes me shiver even with the heat from the fire against my back. I can’t help the goose bumps that sprout up along my arm at the thought of my creation being some kind of evil plot. “So… I could be evil?” I swallow hard finally saying the words out loud.

  “You can be whoever you want to be, Sera. The circumstances regarding your accident can be tainted, but you and your powers care all mine—Good,” he incessantly points to his chest, his heart.

  My mind is going a mile a minute, I don’t think for one second it’s some kind of accident that the ‘Fire Angel’ was picked to give me his blood. What is the one thing a person thinks of when they think of Hell—Fire. The fact that Lucifer has gone above and beyond to get my attention at every turn, but God hasn’t contacted me once gives me the feeling that I am a product of evil. Nate’s eyes seem to be pleading with me for a response and I melt under his gaze. If he has faith that I can change my destiny, I must have faith in myself. I mean I’ve kept the evil at bay for this long, I can choose my own fate. “Well, ain’t that a kick in the pants.”

  “What?!” he bursts into a roaring laughter that makes me smile.

  Between my own giggles, I respond, “It’s the only thing that came to me.” I shrug.

  “Maybe it’s exhaustion,” he offers his eyes alive with laughter before climbing to his feet. “You’ve had a long day today and tomorrow we begin training. You need some rest,” he holds out his hands to help me to my feet. Taking them he pulls me up fast and I don’t catch myself until I’m against his solid chest. “You know Sera, just when I think I have you figured out you always seem to surprise me.”

  “What do you mean?” I ask breathlessly as my heart feels like it’s bouncing around in my rib cage. His strong hands are still clasping mine at both sides of our faces and I feel the warmth of his rock hard body against the length of mine.

  “I wanted to be the first one to kiss you,” he tells me with his soft eyes smiling down on me.

  I smirk, “Sorry, spur of the moment and all. We can have a do-over if you want?”

  “Nah, I wouldn’t change it for the world,” glancing away as if remembering, “I’m just going to have to make up for it with the second one…” he finishes and my stomach leaps into my throat. Leaning down to meet my lips I feel is warm soft lips against mine again. Only it doesn’t stop at a peck like mine had, his fingers slip through mine and meet the sides of my face. He pulls me deeper into the kiss as my hands lean against his chest because I don’t want to move. I’m afraid if I move it will break our moment and this moment I never want to end.

  Eventually, he reluctantly pulls away from my pouty lips as he places his forehead to mine. “How’d I do?” he whispers.

  “You win—blew mine out of the water,” we pause looking into each others eyes for a second before he finally blinks and lifts his forehead from mine.

  “I think it’s time we get you to bed.”

  “Fine,” I turn to climb into bed, but instead Nate grabs my wrist and spins me back around to meet his lips again. This time it was a sweet soft peck then a second before he turns and walks towards the door.

  “Over-achiever,” I mutter as he grabs hold of the door handle and turns to smile mischievously back at me. Leaning my back against the post of the bed, I tilt my head slightly and softly state, “Goodnight Roomie.”

  “Goodnight Sera,” he whispers shutting the door behind him leaving me alone with my fading butterflies and I throw myself backward onto the bed snuggling into the covers.

  Chapter 3: One with Nature

  I’m running, dashing through a crowd of black soldiers. I lost sight of Nate a while ago and I’ve been searching for him ever since. I come face to face with a black soldier whose face is skeletal and his eyes are all black he takes a swing at me with his black dagger and I duck narrowly missing it before I bring up my fist in an upper cut to his jaw. Twirling around, I grab hold of a dagger from my belt and stab him in the back before pushing him to the ground. Once he fades back into the ground, I turn to face another creepy dark soldier that I kick with all my might and he collapses onto a few other soldiers. When they regain their balance, they all come to attack me at once. I stand my ground and allow them to attack me first. The first reaches his hands out to grab me and I jump over him onto another and twist his neck with my feet. Collapsing to the ground when he disappears beneath me, I look up and lock eyes (or at least I think I lock eyes, it’s hard to tell when they are all black) with the third soldier who I then round house kick his head off. It rolls onto the ground, still looking at me with his mouth open as it disappears into the soil. Glancing around, my eyes are still looking for any sign of that chestnut hair or blue eyes I’ve grown to love. After I stab another dark figure in the chest he drops to the floor in front of me and my eyes lock on the broad back and chestnut hair of Nate across the field from me. Without thinking, I begin making my way to him, punching, kicking, and stabbing enemies like I have some kind of Special Ops training. It’s almost like a dance to me, as soon as I land on my feet from a kick I twirl into a punch to another figure before I whip out a knife and stab someone else. I’m surprised at how much grace and poise I have, I never seem to lose my balance and I’m killing hundreds. Finally reaching Nate, I scream his name for him to turn around. When I see a huge figure rise from the dirt and stab him in the heart with a huge sword. I let out an earth-shattering scream that makes everyone around me disappear and I run up to Nate as he collapses on the ground. I pull him into my arms and I’m screaming, “Stay with me! Stay with me!” I almost believe that if I say it enough it might happen. He looks up at me with his big blue eyes and my heart wants to stab itself too so we can at least have a chance of being together in the afterlife.

  “Sera, it’s up to you now… you have to defeat him,” he stammers out as he chokes up blood.

  “Shhh …don’t talk like that, you’re going to be fine!” I try and hold back tears.

  “I love you,” are the last words he whispers as life fades from his eyes and I feel his body relax in my arms. NO!

  I awake gasping for air and twisted in my new sheets. I put my hand on my chest and it’s beating uncontrollably fast. I think that was by far the worst dream that I’ve ever had. Watching Nate die right in front of me is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to witness. Wiping my cheek I find that I was crying in my sleep. Sighing to myself, I collapse back onto my bed and take another deep breath. I roll over onto my side and glance out my window, the sun is just beginning to rise above the edge of the cliff. Finally, I come to the decision I might as well start my day. I untangle myself from the covers and head for the bathroom. Splashing my face with hot water to fully wake myself up, I then twirl my hair into a bun before returning to my closet. Not knowing what this training session will entail, I dig through the piles of clothes lying about before deciding on black cargo pants, a black tee shirt, and sneakers, before heading downstairs to grab a bite to eat.

  I’m halfway down the stairs when I realize that all the boxes in my room weren’t there when I woke up, was Nate in my room when I was sleeping? I shrug it off, con
tinuing to bop down the steps through the foyer toward the kitchen humming a song I don’t recognize. I see Nate’s chestnut hair over the ledge of his loft style kitchen above the dining room. He motions for me to have a seat. That’s when I notice he has set up place settings in the little breakfast nook of the kitchen instead of dining room overlooking the cliff. I have to admit I prefer this better, it’s more casual and intimate.

  “How do you like your eggs?” he asks with two white plates in his hands eyeing me walking up the steps into the kitchen.

  “Like you don’t already know,” I smirk knowing he probably knows me better than I know myself being he was my Guardian for so long.

  He doesn’t respond he just places the two empty plates on the table. I climb in and watch as he sits across from me before closing his eyes. Thinking he may be praying, I close my eyes as well. By the time I look down my plate is full with scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns. I grab my fork, and take a bite before feeling him eyeing me.

  “Is everything okay?” he asks putting his fork back on the table. Wow, he really does know me.

  “I just had a bad dream,” I state filling my mouth with egg before I have to explain.

  “About what?” he inquires leaning his elbows on the table.

  I swallow hard, “I dreamed you died,” we sit in silence for what feels like an eternity before he finally responds.

  “Well, it was just a dream,” as he picks up his fork and begins to eat. We both know he’s lying, my dreams mean more than they appear. Lately, my dreams have felt more real than usual. I feel the tears building up behind my eyes, I didn’t realize how attached I have become to Nate until I was forced to watch him die in my arms.