by Holly Vane
“What do you want my help for?” Jo shrugged her shoulders, “guys well...like you. You’re really pretty.” Holly rolled her eyes. “So are you. Just be yourself...you'll have him wrapped around your little finger in no time.”
Jo studied her friend. After knowing her for like ever it still confused her why Holly couldn't see what everyone else saw. Holly was a beauty. With her long dark hair that was just the right side of wavy; deep blue eyes and full red lips pale unblemished skin that looked like porcelain; and the fact that she wasn't so up herself about it. Holly didn't seem to notice why all the boys stared and all the girls glared when she walked past. While Jo on the other hand had never owned a hair straightener and detested skirts with a passion. Boys didn't really notice her at least not when Holly was around; but Jo never begrudged her friend Holly was the sweetest kindest girl she knew.
Holly heard Jo's breath catch and her eyes looked right through Holly; turning to see what Jo found so interesting she glimpsed a flash of black before Jo held her in place. “What is it?”
“Dominic Prince has just walked in!” Jo nearly shouted with panic Holly smiled at her and pried her friend's death grip from her arm. “Jo just remember what I said be yourself.” Jo looked at her horrified. “What do I say?”
“Try introducing yourself.” Jo nodded but still hadn't made any movement to get up. Holly pulled her up and pushed her towards Dominic. “You'll be fine.”
Jo walked like she was in a daze.
Holly tried not to look. Jo seemed really keen on this guy Holly didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their friendship; s if she didn't look then she wouldn't feel anything. She grabbed her pad from her bag and tried to take her mind off of what Jo might be saying to him; by drawing the Oaks.
After a few seconds she gave up her mind just wouldn't stick to the trees. Holly had to know. She sat in the opposite chair the one Jo had just vacated.
They were standing just a few feet from the library entrance. Jo was looking up at him, laughing. Her body seemed to edge closer to his of its own accord. He was saying something to her with a smile on his face which made Holly's whole body ache with desire. Why did he do this to her? Suddenly they both looked her way and she felt herself blush. She tore herself away quickly embarrassed that they had caught her watching.
“Holly this is Dominic Prince.” Holly's head snapped up; she hadn't even heard them approach an found herself looking into his dark stormy eyes. He was closer than he needed to be towering over her like a Greek God; she could look into his eyes forever it felt like drowning.
“Hi.” He said to her Holly realized she was being rude. “Oh...sorry. Hi I'm Holly Adams.”
“I know. Jo here told me.”
Jo let out a big cheesy grin.
“It's nice to meet you.” Holly felt her throat dry up and the words fly out of her head. What was wrong with her?
The weird feeling from lunch returned with a revenge; hitting her with such force that she barrelled over in pain.
“Holly!” She heard Jo call out.
Holly grabbed the edge of the library table it had never hurt her before. The icy fingers changed to a sharp stabbing pain in the pit of her stomach. God it hurt!
Strong arms wrapped around her waist; steadying her: Dominic.
“Just relax,” he whispered in to her ear; his tempting lips were only inches away from hers. Almost at once the pain subsided. How had he done that?
Holly gazed up at him with confusion and awe. Dominic held her eyes but his own were hard and unreadable making her wonder if she had imagined his intimate words in her ear. His arms were still around her holding onto her tightly as if they never wanted to let go.
“Holly dear, are you okay?” The school's librarian, an elderly warm woman walked towards them and pushed past Jo who glared at Holly.
Miss Wilson forcibly separated Holly from Dominic forcing him to break his hold. Holly thought she saw for the briefest of seconds anger flash in his eyes. “Dear me you've gone as white as that wall.” Miss Wilson said. “Come on follow me, I'll phone your parents.” Holly was too dazed at what had just happened to argue. “Jo I think it's time that you and your...friend.” Miss Wilson glared at Dominic with evident disdain that she didn't try to hide. “Should be running along home now. It'll be getting dark soon.” Miss Wilson steered Holly past them and into her office on the other side of the library. From her seat Holly saw Dominic hold the library door open for Jo, before he passed through it himself he looked straight at Holly and her heart skipped a beat.
***
“Mum, I'm fine, really.”
Holly's mother stopped fusing with the bed sheets and put a soft warm hand on Holly's forehead. “You're not fine Holly! You still look as white as a ghost.” She took her hand away and muttered to herself, “maybe you’re coming down with something.” She looked down at her daughter. “I'm calling Dr Windsor.”
Holly leaned for her mother's hand and gripped it tight. “No mum! Really I'm fine. Just a bit tired.” Her mother sat down on the bed a smile spreading across her face. “Honey, I know me and your father have been putting a lot of pressure on you lately. But we just want the best for you.” Holly smiled back. “I know mum.” Her mother kissed her on the cheek. “You should get some rest. We'll be just downstairs if you need anything.”
“Thanks.”
Her mother walked over to the bedroom door and stopped half turning. She opened her mouth then closed it again. She had a distant look in her pale, grey eyes. “Goodnight Holly.” She whispered sadly before leaving.
***
Holly snapped awake.
Her heart was thumping in her chest. A thin film of sweat covered her body and the bed sheets. It took a moment to remember that she was in her own bedroom. She couldn't remember what had woken her but knew instinctively by the frightened well of dread in the pit of her stomach that she had had another nightmare. She had been getting a lot of them lately; but what bugged her most about them was that upon waking she could never recall what they had been about. The only way she knew she had one was the jolting awake in a cold sweat.
She heard something smash downstairs then raised voices wafted up from below.
Holly frowned. Was her parents arguing?
In all of her seventeen years Holly had never once heard her parents fight. Not even a raised word. She looked at the clock on her bedside table: 10.33 pm. Her parents were always in bed by ten.
She tossed back the covers and snatched up her dressing gown. Lightly she crept downstairs. A light was shining through the bottom of the kitchen door. Holly pressed her ear up to the wood and listened.
“Did she say anything?” Her father's voice said.
“Did you not just hear me Jeff? Miss Wilson swore it was him!” Her mother sounded scared.
“Yes well, Miss Wilson is older than my bloody Buick. We can't just take her word as gospel.”
“She still has her wits. Why won't you listen? Holly's been having the nightmares. She turns eighteen in a few months! This isn't all coincidence!”
“Fine,” she heard her father sigh. “What do you want to do?”
“We should call them. They'll know what to do.”
“Do we have to?”
“Jeff! This is our daughter's life we're talking about it. Do you really want to take the chance?”
“I'll make the call.”
Holly heard a chair scrape against the kitchen tiled floor and ran back up the stairs. She leaned against her bedroom door panting. What the hell were they talking about?
Something about a him and her life in danger?
Holly thought about calling Jo. She really needed to talk to someone about this; but she remembered the look Jo had given her before Miss Wilson had ushered her away. She was upset about Dominic about where his hands had been and Holly couldn't really blame her. She did feel an irresistible urge to kiss him. She threw herself on her bed and sighed. How had her life gotten so complicated?
Chap
ter Two
∞
Concerning Heaven
“Why have you brought me here?”
Castillo stood in the Adams back yard. He was dressed in a blue pin-striped suit which accentuated his dark skin.
Jeff Stevenson coward behind his wife who greeted Castillo warmly. “My apologies for bothering you but we have news.” She said.
Castillo regarded the woman with curious eyes. How could one forsake who they were and still be happy?
Margaret Adams had fallen for love. Leaving behind her family her Father. Many of the Angels refused to mingle with these...traitors. But Castillo knew that there was a purpose to everything. That was the wonder of his Father. He was a master of creation. God never left anything to chance.
“Then pray do tell Margaret.” Castillo smiled and waited patiently. His arms folded in front of him. Margaret looked unsure Castillo saw realization break out on her pretty face. Angels didn't like to be coped up inside. They loved the fresh air, the blue of the sky, the gust of the wind. That's why all Angel business was discussed either in heaven itself or out in the open.
“We think...” her voice faltered for a second. Castillo saw her look to her husband, as if unsure how to proceed. Castillo cleared his voice. “I don't have all day Margaret.”
“Yes of course you don't. Holly's in danger.” She said quickly then looked at Castillo searching for a reaction.
He showed none.
“And what are your reasons for thinking this?”
Margaret stepped forward. “One of them has been spotted in town. They have managed to avoid detection. He...made contact with her yesterday.”
“Margaret,” Castillo stepped closer to her. He could hear the fear in her tone. “I have already been notified about the intruder.”
Margaret gasped. “You have? Then what is to be done about it? How did he manage to avoid our gaze and get so close to my daughter?”
“Rest assured. Your daughter is perfectly protected.”
“How can you say that? A DEMON TOUCHED HER!” She shouted at him, unable to keep her temper under control.
“I understand your concern Margaret.” Castillo's tone was calming. “The demon however is unfortunately not just your average run of the mill type. Lucifer has sent his most powerful warrior to claim her and his strategy is not one that we had considered him taking.”
“What do you mean? Who is he?”
“The demon is Lucifer's very own son.”
Castillo waited for the words to sink in then carried on. “Well at least one of them.”
Margaret looked stunned. “Well then we have to drive him out. Kill him so he can't blab her whereabouts to his father.”
“Oh I'm afraid that is out the question. You see we cannot risk bringing any attention to our presence here. That is not how we work. You know that. An all-out attack on Lucifer's son would bring unwanted eyes our way. After all we do have...other interests to protect.”
“But...my daughter.” Margaret stammered, not quite believing what she was hearing.
“Is not in any immediate danger. He can’t harm her.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Margaret, he does not intend to hurt your daughter because Lucifer will not risk open warfare with us while he is still locked away in his prison. Holly being hurt or snatched would not be something we would take lightly. We would burn him to ashes before he could make it over the town boundary.”
“I don't understand...” Margaret was close to tears.
“Lucifer's tactics are much more subtle but just as painful. He intends to seduce her; bring her over to his side of her own accord and he's using his son to do it.”
“But if he succeeds they're be no bringing her back!”
Castillo nodded his head grimly. “We plan to never let it get that far. We have...dispatched an Angel to run some interference. Trust me. She will never be allowed to fall for this demon. The Angel will see to it.” Castillo backed away. “I must go now.”
“When will the Angel arrive? How can we identify him?”
“Margaret it would be best to stay out of his way.”
Castillo was bathed in bright yellow light. Margaret ran to him. “When will he get here?” She cried out urgently before Castillo disappeared.
“He's already here......”
***
“Jo!” Holly shouted at the top of her lungs for the fourth time.
Either Jo had her ear-buds in and couldn't hear or was pissed at her. Holly knew it was the latter by the speed in which she was walking. Holly ran as fast as she could and grabbed Jo by the arm. Jo whirled around. “What do you want?”
Holly bent over to get her breath back, “You... weren’t waiting for me... at the corner. Are you okay?” She huffed, straightening up.
“What do you think? You totally messed up my plans with Dominic. All he could talk about on the way home was you! And what was with all the touching anyway?”
“Jo, I’m sorry about that. I never meant to...”
“Feign an illness to grab his attention! Just go away.”
Holly felt her blood boil. “Is that what you think?” Jo spun back around to face her.
“That's what happened! You know how much I'm into him. And that doesn't happen very often for me!”
“I would never do anything to hurt you Jo; you've been my best friend since I can remember. I never meant to spoil anything I just …Is that what you think of me?”
Something in Jo's face softened and she leaned against an Oak. “I know you never meant it like that...It's just this guy's really gotten under my skin. I can't even explain it...”
“So...friends again?”
Jo wrapped her up in a tight bear hug. “Always.”
“Group hug!” Ricky threw himself at the two girls.
“Ricky get off!” Jo shouted stepping back. “This is a private moment butt-head.”
For a second Ricky actually looked hurt then his lop-sided grin returned, “one day Jo when I'm a millionaire and own a dozen fancy yachts. You’re going to want a private moment with me.” He battered his eyelids and blew her kisses.
“That'll be the day.” Jo muttered.
“Damn!” Holly cursed out loud.
“What's up Hols?” Ricky was the only one who called her that.
“I was supposed to see Miss Wilson before class. I better go.”
She pushed through the entrance leaving Jo and Ricky behind. Her mother had told her that she should thank Miss Wilson for taking care of her until her parents had picked her up. Holly couldn't see the point in it; it wasn't like she had been dying. But after the conversation she had overheard in the kitchen last night between her parents she had questions that needed answering.
They had mentioned a 'him'; Miss Wilson had obviously told them who Holly had been with in the library. Maybe the librarian make sense of it all for her.
The library was eerily quiet as Holly pushed open the wooden door. There wasn't a soul here except for her and Miss Wilson who was in her office stamping books. Holly could hear the dull thump of the stamper as Miss Wilson brought it down. She looked up as Holly approached; a smile crossed her old wizened face. “Holly dear! How lovely it is to see you looking better. I was very worried.” There was something about the old woman that oozed friendliness.
“Hi. I just wanted to thank you for everything you did yesterday.” Miss Wilson placed a liver-spotted hand on Holly's shoulder and her warm dull eyes peered into Holly's. “You're very welcome Holly. You'd better run along now. You're late for class.” She went back to her stamping. Holly nodded hesitantly should she bring up Dominic?
It had seemed that Miss Wilson, who was normally so well-mannered and polite to everyone, was almost...rude to him yesterday. The way she had broken in between them. It was totally unlike her. Holly noticed Miss Wilson looking at her from beneath her glasses. “Was there anything else dear?”
Now or never.
“I was just wondering...if you kne
w the boy I was with yesterday?” Holly asked her sheepishly; avoiding her stern gaze.
Miss Wilson motioned for her to come closer. “No...” She replied slowly. “But I know the kind Holly. He's no good and you should not be associating with him. He's not fit to wipe your boots.” Holly looked at her in surprise. She was not use to Miss Wilson speaking ill of anyone, never mind being flat out hostile.
Holly felt a sudden unexplained hate for the librarian rise up inside her. She didn't even know him. How could she say those things?
Holly was about to say what she felt when Miss Wilson walked calmly away balancing a stack of books in her arms. Holly wanted to get out of there. Fast. Before she said something she shouldn't.
She was still fuming at Miss Wilson's short mindedness when she slammed her locker door shut and found Dominic's devilishly handsome face inches from hers. Her breath caught in her throat; she hadn't been expecting him to pop out from nowhere. She stepped back in surprise.
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn't mean to scare you.” His dark eyes swept over her face. “It's okay.” She muttered making a conscious effort to put as much space between them as she could without offending him. She couldn't think when he was this close. All she wondered about was what his lips would feel like against hers.
“I was worried about you, after what happened yesterday. Are you okay?”
She could feel his concern for her roll off him in waves. She swallowed hard. “I'm fine. It was nothing. Really.” She shouldn't feel this way about him; it would break Jo's heart to know what was running through her mind right now.
Holly felt very...dirty. “I should get going...” She told him quietly. He reached out and lifted her books out her hands; their fingers touched for the briefest of moments and Holly felt her heart flutter like a wild bird's wings.
A breeze whistled down the corridor making her shiver and sent the books flying from Dominic's grip. The door at the end of the hall banged against its frame then stilled as the freakish wind died down.
Holly looked at Dominic as if to say what the hell was that when the darkness in his eyes made her words catch in her throat. He was looking through Holly focusing on the corridor behind; the shadow's that lurked in the far off corners seemed to expand eclipsing the light above their heads.
