by Holly Vane
“I'm a crappy friend.” She cried into his chest. She felt his body tense as Caleb held her away from him looking at her no… into her. That's what it felt like. His blue eyes were so penetrating.
“Listen to me.” He said aggressively. “You are not a crappy friend do you hear me?” Holly was taken aback by his violent reaction. “You don't know what I've done...” She gasped. “I don't need to. A girl as sweet as you could never be anything but perfect.” He said softly. Caleb’s conviction was so earnest that she almost believed him. “Let's get out of this rain, before we both catch our deaths.” He took her hand in his and gently led her inside.
School had let out an hour and a half ago. The corridors felt vast and empty. They were just about clear when turning the last corner they bumped into Dominic.
As soon as Holly saw him she averted her eyes quickly; not wanting to look at him in case she felt the overwhelming need to throw herself back into his arms. Caleb's hand tightened around hers protectively. “Well fancy bumping into you...again.” Dominic said to Caleb.
“What are you doing here?” Caleb asked him in a hushed tone.
“I go here remember?” Dominic threw at him. “Hello Holly.” She hid herself further behind Caleb and felt Dominic's eyes on her willing her to look at him. Caleb pulled on her hand “well we were just leaving.” Caleb guided her past him but at the last second Dominic grabbed her wrist. “We need to talk.” He muttered to her. Caleb spun around and pushed Dominic away from her with one forceful hand.
“Get away from her.” He yelled at him.
Dominic staggered a few feet then lifted his head. His eyes were as black as night. “No need to get so pushy...Caleb.” He spat out the name like it tasted sour on his tongue.
Suddenly Caleb was flying through the air he hit the ground with a dull thud then skidded across the surface.
Shocked at his aerial display Holly watched him get to his feet. A grin crossed his perfect cupid’s bow. “Is that all you've got?” She saw his hands clench into fists as Dominic stepped towards him.
“Wait!” She cried stepping in the middle of them. “Stop! Both of you.” She pleaded. Caleb blinked quickly uncurling his fists. Dominic stepped back but his stormy eyes never left Caleb's. “Leave.” He told her harshly.
“Why? So you two can beat the holy crap out of each other? I'm not going anywhere!”
“Holly please do as he says.” Caleb pleaded. “I'll see you tomorrow I promise.” She looked at them both like they were crazy then Caleb's arms engulfed her. And she melted into his embrace. Her body felt tired and emotional perhaps she should go home. But what would happen to him if she left these two alone?
“Holly?”
She looked up into Caleb's gorgeous face. “We'll be fine. But you need to leave. Now.”
The blue in his eyes seemed to swirl into little whirlpools they pulled her in. She nodded mechanically.
Caleb watched her trudge down the corridor and out the building.
***
A small ball of fire narrowly missed Caleb's head. He ducked instinctively and it hit the wall, leaving a scorch mark behind. He retaliated with a ball of light. It glimpsed off a wooden trophy case behind Dominic.
They ran at each other in a fit of rage. Dominic glanced a couple of blows off Caleb's face.
Caleb drove a knee into Dominic's stomach. Dominic head butted Caleb, they parried for close to an hour. Throwing each other off of walls. Kicking, punching. The corridor looked like a battle zone.
After two hours Dominic sat down and leaned against the wall; while Caleb walked in a circle working a nick out of his neck trying to hold his temper at bay. Dominic spat blood out of his mouth. “Well that was fun.” Caleb flashed him an angry glare.
“Oh come on. You can't kill me and I can't kill you. Being immortal sucks sometimes doesn't it?”
“This is all a game to you, isn’t it?” Caleb said.
Dominic smiled. “You can't stop it Caleb. No more than I can. We're pawns, you might as well get used to it” He got to his feet gingerly. Caleb packed quite a punch. “My Father will get the girl. He will be freed, it's inevitable.”
“So you don't care that you're leading Holly to her death?”
Dominic faltered. “Why should I care? She's just a mortal. Plenty more around.” His tone was defensive.
“She's far more than that and you know it.”
Dominic looked at him and an instant Caleb thought he saw fear cloak his face like midnight. Dominic vanished from the corridor.
***
Caleb sat in the dark room.
He watched Holly toss and turn under her sheets as he leaned against the window frame. He knew he shouldn't be there but he had to make sure that she got home okay; otherwise it would have been tormenting him all night. Caleb had sworn to himself that he would never compel her; an oath he had broken back at the school when he had sent her home against her will.
It had been necessary he told himself Holly could have gotten hurt; or their secret would have been revealed and Caleb knew that Holly wasn't ready...yet. She tossed violently on the bed almost falling out of it; her face covered in perspiration. Caleb knew the evil that would be tormenting her sleep and it would only get worse as her birthday grew closer.
She called out his name making him start; he crossed to her and settled down on the bed. He couldn't resist the temptation to touch her; with a hand he gently moved a few stray ends of dark hair from her face. Instantly she grew still under his touch looking almost peaceful. He moved away quickly. He too could be dangerous to Holly.
Caleb had heard about his kind falling for mortals; forsaking everything but their eternal love. He had never understood how they could bear to leave behind their grace...their wings.
But he did now.
He had been charged to watch over Holly since she had been born. He had watched her grow. He knew what made her laugh and what made her sad. He knew that her eyes burned brighter when he was near something Holly would never notice; but Caleb did. He knew her so well that she felt like a piece of him.
It had been hell to watch her meet people; watch them touch her life. He longed to be able to show himself but that had been against the rules...till now.
There was a spike in temperature warning Caleb of another’s presence; he looked around the small bedroom and wasn’t shocked to see Castillo stood beside him; like Caleb he gazed down at the sleeping Holly. “Was that fight really necessarily?” He asked Caleb in the same pleasant voice that Caleb had grown used to. Caleb looked at him in alarm. “Oh, don't worry. She can't hear us. You may speak freely.”
“It was unavoidable.” He answered. It had felt good to vent; on earth he felt a constraint that had never bothered him in Heaven.
Castillo nodded his head then inspected the charming deco. “Well it's all tidied now. No one will ever know what went on. So...” He smiled at Caleb. “No harm done.”
Caleb nodded still unable to tear his eyes away from Holly even though he should. Angels were not supposed to fall In love with their charges. It was a sin.
“Caleb there was a few in Heaven who disagreed with my decision to send you to protect her against the demon.”
Caleb looked at him in surprise but kept quiet. When Castillo spoke you listened.
“Some are...concerned that you are...too close to the girl; but I knew that you would protect her far better than anyone else could.” Castillo placed a firm hand on his shoulder and Caleb felt warmth flow through him. The glow of Heaven. It surprised Caleb how much he had come to miss it while on earth. “It's a good thing that you care too much; it's what I need at the moment. I know that if called upon, you'd give up your own life to save hers.”
Caleb's eyes sparkled with tears. He felt ashamed. “If you knew of my...sins. Why I'm I not being punished?”
Castillo wiped a stray tear from his cheek. “I'm afraid you will be punished Caleb. After this business with Hell is behind us. At the moment, like I’ve mention
ed I need you here with her.”
Caleb looked away of course they knew. It was almost impossible to keep a secret when you were an Angel. He was connected spiritually to his brothers and they would have felt it when his devotion started to sway.
“I came to warn you Caleb. It may not be just Hell you're up against.” The warmness vanished as Castillo removed his hand and his voice hardened.
Caleb glanced at Holly his face turned to stone. It was time for his poker face. “Who else is after her?”
“I fear...Michael. He has never been a fan of the girl. He thinks that keeping her alive was a mistake. Now that Hell has found her, he is even more determined to see her perish.”
“Michael?” Caleb's doubting voice repeated. “But our Father made it very simple. She is to be protected. Michael would never go against the wishes of our creator.”
“I fear that Michael has lost his faith in Father's ways.”
“No.” Caleb said sternly. “I could never believe that of Michael. Our brother is committed to Heaven and to Father.”
Castillo sighed heavily. He sat down delicately on a wooden chair beside Holly's desk. For the first time since the beginning of creation Caleb saw weariness on his bosses face.
“It has been a long time since any of us saw Father. Angels are losing their faith in his continued absence. We have lost nearly a quarter of our number in recent years.” He looked at him, his eyes held sadness that broke Caleb's heart.
“More of us are falling.”
Caleb stared down at the grey carpeted floor; he had felt it they all had when their Father had left. No one knew where he had gone. After Lucifer's revolt their Father had been greatly upset weakened at losing half of his children; his family fractured. They had hoped Father would return to Heaven to them when he had gotten over his grief; but that had been millennia ago and they were still waiting. The seraphim the highest ranking Angels in Heaven had taken over the reins; making sure that that their Father's legacy still ran like clockwork.
Caleb knew that their Father's abrupt absence hurt Michael. Michael had been very close to him. It had been Michael that their Father had turned to to stop Lucifer's wave of rebellion; and Michael had done just that; without ever having a doubt that Lucifer maybe had a point.
Michael's devotion to their Father had been unwavering.
Caleb knew that God still relayed orders to The Seraphim but never in person; and only on rare occasion. The last they had heard from Father had been the night Holly was born. Almost eighteen mortal years ago.
“You know. I always had big hopes for you.” Castillo's voice brought Caleb out of his thoughts; when he looked at him Castillo's sadness had disappeared. He was smiling.
“You may be young. But you have such strength.”
Caleb had been among the last Angels to be created by their maker, earning him the title of youth. “Caleb if we fail this girl...”
“We won't.” Caleb's voice rang out true and strong. He couldn't even think about losing Holly. He would not allow it to happen.
Castillo studied him. “I admire your conviction. But Lucifer has many...tricks up his sleeve. In the off chance that this girl does move in their favour....You will have to make sure that she doesn't fall into their hands. The consequences....Well you know what would happen.”
He was looking at Caleb intently. “What are you saying?”
Castillo got up and walked to him. Their eyes locked.
“You will have to kill her.”
Chapter Four
∞
The Party
“There you are!” Jo's voice drifted along on the morning wind. “Where were you last night?” She was lying in wait for Holly at their usual meeting place two streets away from school. Holly gave her a puzzled frown. “What?”
“God! You look like death!” Jo told her.
“Rough night.”
They walked on in silence Holly could feel Jo's eyes on her. Watching.
“So?” Jo looked at her questioningly when Holly looked back at with a blank expression Jo added. “Movie night. My house. Last night. Remember?”
Holly slapped a hand against her forehead in frustration. It had totally slipped her mind. She had been too preoccupied with guilt tripping over Dominic.
“Sorry. I totally forgot.”
Jo shrugged her shoulders. “Don't sweat it. You weren’t the only one who was a no show.”
“Ricky forgot too?”
“Nah. Dominic.”
Holly felt her cheeks flush at the sound of his name and hoped Jo wouldn't notice.
“Just me and Ricky. I had to practically push him out the front door. So where were you anyway? I tried calling but your mum said you were out.”
Holly felt her whole body tense. It was no use. One look at her guilty face and Jo would know. She had never been a very good liar. Holly was just about to confess when Caleb came round the corner.
Her words stuck in her throat and her head spun. The ground seemed to dissolve under her she felt like she was flying way from her troubles; Caleb always made her feel that way; that nothing really mattered any-more. Nothing but him.
“Hey Holly. Jo.”
She wanted to dive into his arms.
“Hi Caleb.” Jo greeted him her eyes flickering back and forth between Holly and Caleb.
There was a tense energy emanating from him she felt it in the way he refused to meet her eyes; and the way he bristled his fingers against his blue jeans. He seemed agitated.
“I just wanted to see if you were okay? It got pretty...” He hesitated looking in Jo's direction.
“Heated last night.”
Holly had forgotten all about his and Dominic's altercation until Caleb mentioned it. How she had managed to let it slip from her mind she couldn't fathom. She had been pretty frightened at the time. The extent of their hatred for one another had been evident on both of their faces; for some reason watching them go at hit her like a jack-hammer.
Before she could say anything Jo pulled her away. “Excuse us a second Caleb.” He looked at Holly while Jo dragged her away his sad eyes never left her.
“Oh My God!” Jo exclaimed. “You and him...?”
Caleb was leaning against a tree by the side of the road he looked worried; as if something heavy was on his mind.
“I thought that I sensed a strange tension coming off you. You slept with Caleb!”
Holly looked at Jo whose eyes were wide with disbelief.
“What? Jo...”
“I can't believe it! Miss-I'm-waiting-till-I'm-married. You only met him yesterday. How the hell did it happen?”
“Jo. I need you to listen to me okay. I haven't slept with Caleb.” Holly spoke slowly so there could be no misunderstanding. She glanced over at him and grimaced inside when saw him looking their way. Had he heard what they were talking about?
Jo looked confused. “But he said that things had gotten heated last night. What else could he have meant? And the checking on you this morning was he a bit rough with unbridled passion? Is that what you meant by rough night?” She had an eager glint in her eyes that Holly couldn't help laughing at.
“Unbridled passion?”
“So I read a lot of mills and boon. So what.”
“Jo! Caleb got into a fight last night. That's what he meant by the heated bit.”
“Oh.” Jo said not bothering to hide her disappointment. “Who with? Did you get hurt?”
Holly stalled should she tell Jo about Caleb and Dominic's feud?
No it was best not to worry her and besides it was really their business. “Just a guy. No I'm fine.”
“Good.”
“Come on he's waiting.”
Holly walked quickly back to Caleb before Jo could ask any-more questions. They all walked to school together. Caleb was distant and quiet all the way there which quite frankly worried her. Jo was rambling on about finals and god knows what else all Holly could concentrate on was how her hand brushed against Caleb's lig
htly while they walked.
Neither of them moved away.
Even the slightest touch from Caleb could warm her whole body. Instantly thawing the cold ice that had seemed to have permanently taken up residence in the pit of her stomach. Except when he touched her.
Jo spotted Ricky waiting just beyond the Oak trees. “I'll see you two in class.” She waved while skipping off toward him. Caleb watched her go then turned to Holly. “She's really...something.” He said. Holly grinned. “You get used to her.” His smile made Holly's heart skip a beat. She frowned when the light caught him, revealing a long shallow fresh gash on the side of his head. She reached up to check it. “Did he do this?” Caleb caught her hand midway. “It's nothing to worry about. I'm a fast healer.” Holly looked into his eyes. They seemed duller then they had been last night. “What's wrong?” She asked him.
He shook his head. “Nothing. Come on, I'll walk you to class.”
He held her hand as they walked side by side.
***
The first thing Holly saw as she walked hand in hand with Caleb through the schools corridor was Dominic. He was propped up against a locker talking to Jo while Ricky hovered in the background. Heather passed by and Holly watched her make a bee line for Dominic; who saw her coming and winked at her over Jo's head. Holly saw Heather touch his arm as they said something she couldn't make out.
“We're here.” Caleb said quietly in her ear making her feel rotten. Here she was holding Caleb's hand while drooling over Dom. It was getting silly. Holly knew she had to make a decision. Dominic excited her. But there was a whole, different side to him that she had only glimpsed and it scared her.
In her heart Holly knew the guy she wanted.
She had only known Caleb for one day but is seemed like she knew who he was. She felt their connection. It was undeniable. After one day Holly was falling for Caleb Williams. If she needed proof all she had to do was listen to the way her heart pounded every-time he was near, how his slightest touch made her feel safe and protected, how her eyes were drawn to him whenever he was close.
“Jo's having this party Friday night,” she started suddenly placing her hands on his muscular arms that wrapped around her waist pulling her to him. “I'm not really the partying type...” he said while looking into her eyes. “That makes two of us. But since I have no choice. I thought that maybe we could go together?”
