Across the expanse of front lawn, Gabriel crouched. “I’m ready,” he growled.
Most of the time these days, Aaron felt like Gabriel at that moment, tensed, ready to confront the latest obstacle head on.
He let the snowball fly, and as it fell, Gabriel leaped up into the air to capture it in his mouth. “Good catch, boy,” Aaron said, clapping his hands and praising the animal for his skills.
Gabriel proceeded to eat the snowball, crunching upon the firmly packed snow, pieces falling from the sides of his mouth as he chewed. “Make another one,” the Labrador urged between chews.
It was so easy to get caught up in the flow of it, to become the ultimate leader, the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He needed moments like this to remind himself that there was more to life than being the leader of the Nephilim.
Gabriel had finished his icy snack and was waiting for the next, tail wagging happily. “C’mon, Aaron,” the dog urged. “Throw another one.”
He squatted down and grabbed some more of the wet white stuff. “You’ll never be able to catch this one,” he said in mock warning, making his best friend all the more excited.
Aaron knew that his was a great responsibility, that the protection of the world had been placed in his hands and the hands of others like him. It was up to him to make sure that they were ready for this chore, a daunting task, yes, but one that he was more than capable of performing.
“Here it comes,” he warned the animal, and tossed the ball of snow as hard as he could up into the air in an arc, watching as it began its descent. Gabriel bounded across the snow in pursuit, his eyes upon the plummeting prize.
Was it the life that he would have chosen for himself? No, not a chance, but he no longer resented the fate that had been unceremoniously thrust upon him. It was his destiny, and he had learned to accept it as that.
Gabriel returned to him, snowball clutched in his mouth, and dropped it at his feet.
“What, that one didn’t taste so good?” he asked the dog.
“I’m full,” Gabriel said, deciding to lie down in the snow and roll upon his back. Aaron laughed at his dog’s antics, kicking snow onto the animal’s pink exposed belly.
They both felt it in the air, a familiar disruption that foretold of a Nephilim’s arrival, and recognized it as someone special.
“She’s coming,” Gabriel said excitedly as he shot to his feet, shaking snow from his fur as Aaron scanned the open space before him for signs of her arrival.
No more than five feet away the air began to shimmer and ripple, a darker patch beginning to form at its center. Gabriel began to bark happily, tail wagging like mad. Aaron sometimes wondered who loved her more.
Vilma Santiago emerged from the ether, her downy white wings the color of freshly fallen snow parting the substance of space around her. It was amazing how far she’d advanced in such a short period of time. She, too, had come to accept her heritage, embracing the angelic nature inside her.
Gabriel could barely contain himself, galloping through the snow to see her. “Vilma’s here!” he said over and over again, and she knelt down to accept his excited affections. She seemed just as happy to see him.
It had been a few days since they’d last seen each other, what with getting ready to start classes at a nearby college in spring and gradually getting her aunt and uncle to accept the fact that she was going away to school. Vilma Santiago was taking control of her life, and of that Aaron was very proud.
Not long after Aerie’s fallen had been forgiven, she had returned to Lynn, to her aunt and uncle. He guessed that it had been difficult, their relationship now strained by her abrupt departure from their home, but they had come to begrudgingly accept her explanation of needing some time away to find herself. Aaron chuckled with the thought. She’d certainly done that.
Vilma finished showering the excited Labrador with affection and proceeded toward Aaron, a sly smile upon her face. He watched as her beautiful wings receded on her back, only the slightest expression of discomfort on her features.
“I missed you,” she said, leaning forward to plant a big kiss upon his lips.
He met her halfway, his own lips eagerly pressing against hers. The two embraced, and he was positive that there wasn’t anything that felt better than having her in his arms. If there was, he didn’t remember it.
Upon returning to Lynn, she had contacted the superintendent of schools and had worked with him and her teachers to make up the finals and projects that she had missed with her sudden absence. In no time she had completed the necessary requirements and had received her high school diploma with honors, albeit without the pomp and circumstance of a graduation ceremony, but Vilma had what she needed to continue her dream of a college degree.
Maybe I’ll complete my own high school requirements someday, he thought as he held the young woman that he loved and respected so much. But if he didn’t, that would be okay as well, for he was certain that life had other things in store for him.
Gabriel attempted to squeeze his blocky head in between their embrace. “Hi, remember me?” the dog asked, often as ravenously hungry for affection as he was for food.
Vilma laughed, a light airy sound that Aaron had learned to adore, and bent down to hug the animal as well. “How could we ever forget you, Gabriel?” she asked in mock horror.
“I know,” the Labrador responded, accepting her additional attentions. “I am pretty special.”
“That you are, my friend,” Aaron said as he took Vilma’s hand in his and began to lead her toward their new home within the old orphanage.
“And how is everything here?” she asked, walking by his side through the snow.
“Fine,” he answered her, “especially now that you’re here.” And he gave her hand a gentle squeeze to stress how glad he was to be with her.
Vilma responded in kind with a smile that was pure magick. He doubted that Lorelei could summon anything quite as powerful.
Aaron needed moments like this, for it helped him to put it all in perspective.
“When are you two going to have babies?” Gabriel suddenly chimed in, a look of seriousness upon his canine features.
They were completely taken aback by the question, and Aaron felt a flush of embarrassment blossom upon his cheeks. Vilma fared a little better than he, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. Gabriel did not care to be laughed at. The dog waited for his answer. She had no idea what to make of the question, but Aaron suspected that it had something to do with what the last of the Malakim had said to him before he had been taken by Verchiel.
“May I be the first to say that your children will be absolutely magnificent,” the angel sorcerer had said in that strange place between worlds.
Lehash had said that the Malakim had the ability to look into the future, and had seen that he and Vilma had children—magnificent children. Aaron had never bothered to share this information, not wanting to pressure her in their relationship in any way.
“Where did that come from?” Vilma asked the dog.
“Just curious,” Gabriel answered. “I’m certain that they would be magnificent.”
Aaron felt her gaze upon him as they reached the entrance that would take them inside the building.
“And what do you think, Mr. Corbet?” she asked as he reached out to pull open the door. “Would they?”
He held the door against his back, allowing them to enter before him. Vilma waited just inside, arms crossed, as he let the door slam shut behind him.
“Well?” she chided.
“Yes,” he told her, a smile upon his face that he couldn’t control. When they decided to take that next step, to marry and eventually have children, he knew that it would be the most amazing thing in his life. To have a family with her was something to look forward to.
Something for the future.
“Yes, they will most certainly be magnificent,” he told her.
Until then, there was still so very much that needed to be done.<
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Reckoning f-4 Page 18
