by Holly Vane
“I love you Holly.” He said softly as his hands pressed her further into him.
The commotion sounded closer now. But still Holly could not pry herself away from Dominic's seductive embrace.
She felt burning hot flames shoot through her. The ground around her feet started to quake.
Dominic stepped back. Amazement on his face.
The forest was eerily quiet.
Holly felt a foreign force take over. It burned her insides as it flushed through her system. Her head drooped and her shoulders sagged.
“Holly?...” Caleb called her name from somewhere close. But she didn't look up. Her fingers tingled with needles and pins. She flexed them irritatingly.
“What are game are you playing Caleb?” She heard Michael ask him. His flat voice had come alive with concern.
Michael. The name flashed through her mind till it was all she could think. His name was chanted by a thousand voices until it was stamped on her very core. His name ignited a cold, dark thing deep In her belly. It slithered upwards gathering momentum.
This was all because of him.
He had sent Angels to kill her. Hurt her loved ones.
Hurt Caleb!
She was cold, tired, and hungry, all she wanted was to go home but she couldn't because of him!
Suddenly hot searing flames expelled from Holly. They seemed to flow out of her pores. They wrapped around the Angels like tendrils. Screams of terror filled the forest. As flames seared through their clothes, skin and wings.
As the heat intensified Holly was lurched off her feet. Caleb stared as her body lay suspended in the air.
The Angels retreated, taking to the sky.
Slowly the flames turned from a hot reddy-orange to blue then faded.
Dominic caught Holly before she hit the ground.
Chapter Eleven
∞
Torment
Holly bolted up to a sitting position.
“What the hell was that?”
“Whoa, slow down girl. That was some powerful magic. You should lay down for a while.”
Holly shrugged off Dominic's arm. She felt fine, just a little shaky. She climbed to her feet, then stumbled. Caleb steadied her and lowered Holly back onto the forest floor.
“Dom's right Holly. You need to rest.”
Damn resting! She wanted answers. “Magic?” She snapped at them.
Caleb sat down next to her. “Yes. You just chased off the fiercest Archangel in Heaven.” He smiled at her, his eyes full of pride.
“Shame You didn't kill him.” Dominic murmured. Leaning against a fallen tree. It had soot marks on its trunk.
“But I'm not eighteen yet. I shouldn't have any magic yet! Should I?” Her tone had raised a few decibels.
“Traditionally no you shouldn't.” Caleb told her soothingly. “But you came into them last night. Not even Heaven knows why.”
“Last night?” Holly asked. Mouth agape.
“Yes, kept us up all night with your screaming and fitting.” Dominic said matter-of-factly.
“I didn't know...” That's why they both looked wrecked this morning. But she hadn't felt a thing, or at least couldn't remember feeling it.
“It puts you into a kind of trance.” Caleb explained. “You don't hear anything, or see anything. You don't even feel it.”
“Which is a good thing trust me.” Dominic told her. “the sounds you're body made as the bones cracked...”
“Dom!” Caleb called, looking at him in anger.
“So I'm a witch now?” Tears fell from her eyes. Things had just got real.
“Yes.”
Holly got to her feet. “Why'd you let him kiss me?” She hurled at Caleb.
Dominic tried to hide his grin.
“When I met with Castillo he told me Michael was planning on ambushing you. He'd been tracking Dominic for a while. I just got here seconds after they did. You were our only chance of getting out of it alive.”
“So why'd he kiss me?” Holly yelled barely able to control her anger.
“When you're practised. You can command you're power at will. But with it being you're first time it needed to be coaxed out. And with your power being tied to your emotions I knew Dominic could bring it out of you. Desire is a strong emotion.” Caleb's voice sounded hurt.
“You think I desire him more than you. You could have just...”
“I couldn't Holly. Dom had to push you pretty hard. If I'd been the one to do it. I might have not have been able to stop myself...The passion it would have took... would have destroyed us both.”
“This is to do with your glory thing again doesn't it?”
He nodded. “I'm learning to control it around you. But I couldn't trust myself...”
Holly let out a big breath. “but I felt hate not....”She trailed off not wanting to hurt Caleb.
“I just got the ball rolling.” Dominic finally said. He had been watching her intently. “You channelled the...emotion I gave you and turned it into raw hate. You could say my desire fuelled you're hatred of Michael.”
She looked away from both of them. She didn't like her feelings being manipulated like this. Even if did just save their lives. Dominic had brought her feelings for him back to the surface. She had spent all this time burying them. He had guided her to the edge and had thrown her off. As if reading her mind Caleb came to her.
“Holly if there had been any other way...”
She hugged him tightly to her. It had hurt Caleb almost as much as it had hurt her. Seeing Dominic kiss her, knowing that he couldn't trust himself enough to be the one to have brought out her powers, it was killing him. She just had to look in his eyes to see that.
“How did Castillo know?” Dominic suddenly asked.
Caleb kept his eyes on Holly. “Heaven has its spies too.”
Dominic muttered something she couldn't catch. But Caleb must have because he said, “not this again.”
Dominic tossed him a sideways glare.
“The shields up. It's time to take Holly home.” Caleb interjected quickly before Dominic could say any more on the subject of Castillo.
“Shield?” Holly asked. Looking up at him.
“It's a force field really. It will stop any-one from getting to you. You'll be safe. Michael can't cross.”
Before Holly could ask any more questions Caleb drew away from her. Dominic took his place. “Hold on tight.” He said to her grinning.
Once again the scene shimmered then disappeared in darkness. But this time the ripping pain was twice as bad. It felt like someone was trying to split her body into two separate half’s with a meat cleaver.
As soon as her feet touched solid ground, She vomited. She wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her jacket. Her head was spinning. “I don't feel so good...” She muttered.
Dominic helped to her feet. “Yeah we should probably lay off with the blinking for a while. Twice in close succession is more than you can handle.” She realized they had landed in the same field as before. Holly glanced around still feeling the after effects of blinking. She was missing something.
“Where's Caleb?”
Dominic avoided her gaze. “He's got stuff to...check up on. Don't worry he'll see you tonight. When you've settled in.”
For a Prince of Darkness he was a very bad liar.
“Well we better go. My mum will be waiting.” She started off but stopped, turning back.
“Me showing up at your house is the last thing you need. I am still a Demon.” He moved closer. “I'll watch till you enter the town' line. After that the shield will protect you.”
“Are you...” Holly couldn't bring herself to say it.
As if reading her mind he kissed her forehead. “Taking a well-earned break. I'll still be around. But you don't need us twenty four seven any-more. You have the shield. Now get going.” He pushed her gently away. Holly didn't trust this shield thing. She trusted Dominic and Caleb. She needed them around. One look in Dominic's dark eyes told her he fel
t the same. He was finding it as hard as her to walk away. Not for good, but for a while at least.
For the past few weeks the three of them had been a...unit.
He slapped her backside. “Holly I have a very hot date with a horny blonde that I'm already ten minutes late for. Get that sexy ass of yours moving.”
She started to walk towards the fence. He had a date? With a blonde? Holly found herself wondering who that blonde could be. Was he messing with her? Knowing Dominic most likely.
She climbed over the battered wooden fence, catching a glimpse of him as she did. He winked at her then disappeared.
For the first time in a while, Holly found herself completely and utterly alone. She knew Caleb and Dominic were due some R&R after watching her round the clock.
But she felt...abandoned.
Even if she hadn't seen them Holly had known that they were still watching.
Now she couldn't feel them at all.
She trudged home.
Jo, Ricky and her parents met her at the door.
They hugged, kissed and questioned her at the same time. Then guided her along the passage to the kitchen where breakfast was waiting.
It felt so good to be in their company again. Holly glanced at the calendar, that hung on a hook on the kitchen wall. It was Sunday the 2nd of December. Where had the time gone?
After breakfast Ricky and Jo followed Holly upstairs to her bedroom.
Holly flung herself on her bed. It felt so good to be in her bed again. Jo shut the door firmly then turned to her, eyes wide. “Spill it.”
“Spill what?” Holly asked her.
“You think we're buying the-Holly-went-to-her-aunts-story. You're parents have been selling?”
Holly looked at Ricky. “It's a bit lame. You don't even have an aunt.”
Holly sighed. It killed her to keep secrets from her best friends. It would be nice to have someone besides Angels and Demons to share this with.
“Why are phys-co’s posing as police officers trying to kill you?” Jo asked her. Her expression hungry for gossip.
“How did you know they were dressed as police officers?” Holly didn't know how much Jo and Ricky had been told.
“Are you kidding me?” Ricky exclaimed. “The whole town knows. “The county sheriff was all over your house with forensics. But they haven't found the perp's yet.”
Holly knew no one ever would. Dominic had killed them both and she didn't want to know what he had done with their bodies.
“It's Dominic isn’t it?” Jo insisted ignoring Ricky. “His in a gang right? And a rival gang came for you to get to Dominic. I'm right aren’t I ? Same as the boy that attacked us at school. That's why everything's being hushed up...” She stopped when another thought hit. “Oh My God! Holly are you in witness protection!”
Holly bit her lip to stop from laughing. Still it was plausible, except the witness protection bit.
“You're right.” She said. “That's what's been going on. I wanted to tell you guys but I didn't want to put you in danger.” It wasn't far off the truth Holly tried to tell herself. Jo wouldn't give up until she had an explanation. And Dominic was in a gang. Hell's gang.
“I knew he was shifty.” Ricky said.
“Yeah right bug-breath.” Jo threw at him. She crossed to the bed and dropped down on it next to Holly. “This is so exciting. Bout time something happened in Cherry Falls. You guys are like star-crossed lovers.” She sighed. “It's so romantic.”
“Jo I'm not with Dominic.”
“Then why would the gang come after you?” Ricky asked perplexed.
“Because dumb-ass. Dominic's into her. Why aren't you together?” She said turning back to Holly. “It's not because of me is it?”
Holly got up to a sitting position, drawing her legs under her. “Because I'm with Caleb.”
She felt heat cling to her face as she said it.
“Didn't see that coming.” Ricky said.
“Wow...” Jo trailed off looking dreamy. “I wish my love life was as busy as yours. What does your parents think? I mean Caleb's you're first real boyfriend.”
“They don't know. And that is the way I would like it to stay.” She added, looking specifically at Jo.
“Caleb's a sweetie. His parent material unlike Dominic.” Jo said casually.
Holly remembered her mother's strained voice, when they had talked about Caleb. Holly didn't understand it. Jo was right, Caleb was the kind of guy parents loved. So then why'd she get the feeling that her mother wasn't fond of Caleb as she had been.
“So you wanna hang out Holly? We could watch a movie?” Ricky asked her.
Holly beamed at him. That was what exactly what she needed. bud-time. Ten minutes later they were all snuggled on Holly's bed munching popcorn and watching TV.
Eleven hours later Holly lay in bed.
Jo and Ricky had long gone, leaving her with so alone time with her parents. They had gone to Main street to do some Christmas shopping.
On the way home they had driven past the park where Caleb had held Holly in his arms, after the first Angel attacked her. It seemed like years ago. A lot had happened since then.
Her heart ached at the memory of his embrace, she was missing Caleb already.
A soft tap brought Holly tumbling back to the present.
“Hello dear.” Her mother walked in. She fussed with Holly's sheets. “I'm so glad you're home.” Her voice was warm but there was a strange tone underlying it. She had something on her mind.
“What's wrong?”
Her mother sighed. “I've never wanted this life for you Holly.”
She sat up and hugged her mother tightly. “I know. But it's that not bad being magically gifted.” She joked lightly.
Her mother tensed. “Holly I mean you and Caleb.”
She felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach. “What? How'd you...”
“On come on Holly. I've seen the way he looks at you, and you at him. But you're from two different worlds Holly. It can't work.”
She pulled away from her mother. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. “You and Dad did.”
“That's different. I wasn't his Guardian Angel. You and Caleb share a deeper connection because he is you're Guardian. I don't know what he's thinking...But it has to stop. It won't end well, and I don't want you to go through the pain of losing him.”
“Mum, what are you not telling me?”
Her mother backed off the bed, before she left she glanced back at Holly. Her eyes were wet with tears. “He'll break your heart Holly. He doesn't have a choice.”
Her mother's words left Holly with a haunted feeling.
Why would her relationship Caleb not work? Sure he was An Angel but so what? They loved each other. It would work Holly told herself stubbornly, they would make it work.
Where was he anyway?
Holly awoke with a start.
She must have dozed off. Wind bristled through her open window fluttering the curtains.
An icy chill hit her. She had locked it before she went to bed, she knew she had.
A warmth spread through her, chasing away the cold.
Caleb!
He detached himself from the shadows of her room.
Her heart drummed loudly at the sight of him. She kicked back her covers and met him halfway, sinking into his familiar embrace.
He pulled away far too quickly and sat down on the bed. She knelled beside him taking his hand in hers.
“Where're you been?” She asked him.
He took a moment before he answered her. His eyes pinned on the wall.
“I have to go away for a while.” He said eventually. His tone was low.
“What? Why?” She asked in disbelief.
He got to his feet. “Because I've been ordered to. You're safe...for the time being. You don't need me.”
She scrambled to her feet, turning him forcefully, so that he faced her. “Of course I need you. I love you.”
His eyes softened
. “It's just for a while. Heaven has assigned me...other duties.”
“But...”She stammered trying to find words. Any words. Why was he doing this to her? Did he really not know how much she did need him. “You're my Guardian Angel.” She poured out.
“Holly at this moment in time...you're body doesn't need guarding. Nothing can get past that shield. You're safe.” His hands held her face, making her focus on him.
“That's what they said last time. Right before two Angels disguised as Police tried to murder me in my own home!” Her voice was raised reflecting the panic that surged inside. “I don't trust them.”
“That's why Dominic will be around, if you need help go to him.” His voice was tense.
“Why can't you stay?” She asked in a hurt voice.
“Because...” His head went down. When he looked at her again his eyes were hard almost cold. “There are other souls in need of guiding Holly.”
Her breath caught in her throat. He was going to be some-else's Guardian! Was it a girl? Was she pretty? She flopped back on the bed, tears welling in her eyes at the thought of him sharing the connection they had with someone else. Was she being selfish? Surely she should have known that Caleb wasn't just guarding her.
Is this what her mother meant? That Guardians weren’t exclusive. That Caleb would fall for another of his charges. Guardians did share every moment of your life. They could feel you, sense you, it was a very personal, intimate thing. They knew every part of you, probably better then you did yourself.
And Caleb was going to be sharing that with someone else.
Reading the pain in her eyes Caleb held her to him. He lifted her head up so that she was looking up at him. “I will always love you, and only you Holly. Forever. Never forget that.”
“When do you have to go?” She asked. The corners of his mouth curved upwards in a sly smile, that reminded her suddenly of Dominic. A dozen butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she saw his eyes flicker towards the bed. She was consciously aware that she only had on a flimsy camisole top and short-like panties.
Her pale skin gleamed in the moonlight, as Caleb's jacket fell to the floor.
***
Holly's alarm clock woke her up, to the sound of Cock-A-Doddle-Doo.
