Queen of the Immortals

by T. R. Hamby

  Mel chuckled. “Angel children don’t call their parents ‘Mother’ or ‘Father.’ They call them by their names. And ‘Mica’ isn’t a nickname. It’s a form of Michael’s name, but it’s closer to meaning ‘Dad.’”

  “Oh, is that why they call you ‘Kira?’ It’s like--the ‘Dad’ version of ‘Uncle?’”

  He squeezed her waist and kissed her brow. “Yeah. Close enough.”

  She wasn’t yet satisfied. “What about ‘Seri’ and ‘Gabe?’”

  “Those are terms of endearment. Like ‘darling’ or ‘sweetie.’”

  “I can’t imagine Gabriel likes being called ‘darling’ very much.”

  “They’re actually gender neutral terms. Hard to find an example in English.”

  Nora frowned. “Michael is, like, the last person who would use terms of endearment. But he uses ‘Seri’ all the time.”

  Mel smiled. “Michael’s always adored his children.”

  She smiled too, her brown eyes sparkling. “Yeah. It’s lovely to see.”

  He looked at the ceiling. If anyone had asked him three months ago where they would be now, he wouldn’t have imagined it would be here. Serene and Gabriel were now reunited with their father, Gilla had Angel strength, they had a scrappy human as a pet, and Mel and Michael were….they were something.

  Nora shifted, and Mel sensed a conversation approaching.

  He looked at her, and she said, her voice tinged with concern, “We need to talk about Barry.”

  Mel took a deep breath and sighed. “Yeah. You’re right.”

  “We can’t….send him out into the world now. Ever. He knows too much. It’s dangerous.”

  “To be honest, I don’t think he wants to leave anyway,” he replied dryly.

  Barry and Gabriel had officially abandoned their sneaking around. They sat together during meals, fell asleep together on the couch. Barry was teaching Gabriel how to use a computer, and even took him shopping. They slept in the same room, to the point that they had washed and cleaned Gabriel’s old room for another’s use.

  “Do mates usually act like that?” Nora asked.

  Mel hesitated. “Not exactly. There’s the infatuation, yes….the endless sex….but doing everything together, living together--that’s a human thing. And I swear to god,” he sighed, before Nora could speak, “if Gabriel is in love, I’m going to lose my ever loving shit with Father.”

  “Hey, breathe. It’s not necessarily the end of the world.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  Nora thought, tracing circles in Mel’s skin. “Maybe he has plans for Barry too.”

  Mel pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths. He didn’t want his anger flaring.

  “He’s an innocent,” he said firmly. “He’s just a kid. A kid with problems. He’s vulnerable.”

  “When has God cared about that?” Nora said darkly.

  Mel ground his teeth together. She was right, of course. What good did Father really care about? Whatever machinations he had, they had nothing to do with right or wrong. Except, it seemed, when it came to saving innocent lives.

  “He’s enrolled in a school,” Nora said gently. “For the summer term. He’s going to focus on business.”

  Mel couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s hope they ignore that tattoo on his neck.”

  Nora giggled. “It is awful.”

  “You think I’d look good with one? I’ll get your name on my ass.”

  Nora laughed, and when she couldn’t stop laughing he tickled her, making her squirm and shriek.

  But then there were footsteps on the stairs, and the door opened.

  “We found Grayson!” Serene said, breathless. “Come downstairs.”

  They hurriedly dressed and raced down to the kitchen. Gilla had her laptop open, and everyone, including Barry, crowded around to look. A handsome man with long dark hair, coal black eyes and high cheekbones was pictured, with a fairly generic bio beside the image.

  A message app was in the middle of the screen, with one text: Hey there darling. What are you doing tonight?

  “Ugh,” Nora said, wrinkling her nose. “That’s the best he can do?”

  “I just wish I knew what he has to do with Persephone,” Serene said, frustrated.

  “Maybe nothing,” Gabriel said, leaning on the counter. “Or, maybe he’s another Angel. Helping her out.”

  Serene frowned. “She’s up to something, I know it. As soon as I found out she was on Earth I knew.”

  All seven were quiet, stumped.

  Finally Mel said, “We have to investigate this guy anyway, human or not. He’s our only lead.”

  Serene sighed, but nodded. “Right. So what should I say? Meet him somewhere?”

  “You’re not going alone,” Michael said firmly.

  “No, of course not,” Nora agreed.

  “You’re not coming,” Mel and Michael said at the same time.

  Nora gave such a dramatic eye roll that Mel was sure her eyeballs were going to get stuck to the back of her head.

  “Can we for once not have this argument? For the last time, I’m Immortal, I’ve been practicing my fighting, and I made a deal with God. I am going.”

  Gilla clapped her hands and signed Me too, very firmly.

  Mel decided not to mention the fact that Gilla no longer had to argue, considering she was just as strong as the other Angels now, and god knew why.

  Michael took a large breath, as if praying for patience, and said, “We need to figure out where to meet.”

  “This isn’t going to work,” Gabriel said, shaking his head. “We can’t have five Immortals hiding in the bushes while Serene goes on her date. If this guy’s an Angel he’ll sense us immediately.”

  There was a silence as everyone thought.

  Then Barry spoke up, munching on crisps out of the bag. “Food court at the mall. Too many people….right? Wouldn’t that, I don’t know, mask your scent?”

  “No, it wouldn’t,” Michael replied. “I sensed Bakker’s Presence coming from a sidewalk packed with people.”

  “We were just at that food court,” Gabriel said, looking struck. “It’s huge. We could be far enough away where he wouldn’t sense us.”

  “And you could still see what’s happening,” Barry said.

  Mel considered this. It seemed possible. An Angel’s Presence dissipated with distance. And with Serene’s Presence front and center, this potential Angel would be too distracted to notice another faint Presence anyway.

  He looked at Michael, who nodded.

  They had a plan.

  Serene

  She had decided to go with the scantily clad airhead gimmick again, wearing a short tight skirt and a shirt with a plunging neckline.

  Serene looked at herself in the mirror and shivered. She felt dizzy, something she hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years.

  It was happening. God, it was actually happening. She could feel her power weakening. She had barely been able to get the truth out of that girl at the club, and it had been close to a miracle that she had been able to calm that doctor so well.

  She fought back tears, taking deep breaths. She couldn’t do it. She desperately wanted Mica’s advice--or her mother’s--but she couldn’t bring herself to tell them. She certainly couldn’t tell Mica--he wouldn’t let her help them if he knew. Gabriel as well.

  She was alone.

  But no, not now. Focus.

  She swept her hair into a bun again--if there was going to be a fight, she didn’t want it to get pulled.

  It was another rainy night. They rode in two cars, and Serene was dropped off by the Fenwick. The plan was for Serene to hang out in the store, wait a few minutes, then take the escalator down to the food court. Mel, Nora, Michael, Gilla and Gabriel would have taken their positions by then, spreading out across the hall. Serene would meet Grayson, and if any funny business happened, the five would swarm them.

  She was nervous, just like she had been at the club. She couldn’t use her
powers on Grayson; they were too weak. She would have to go on charisma alone, and she had been low on that lately.

  When she got to the food court she made her way straight down the hall. She could feel different Presences as she passed by--Mel, Gilla, Nora. Once she got to the Gregg’s she felt another Presence. She looked, and there he was, sitting at a table to her left. He was wearing a nice shirt, and his hair was braided.

  He stood, studying Serene cautiously.

  “I was expecting a human,” he said in their native tongue.

  He held out a hand, and she shook it.

  “Sorry to disappoint,” she replied, trying to sound sultry. “I like picking up humans this way. I didn’t think I’d run into one of us.”

  His lips twitched. “I’m not disappointed. Are you?”

  Serene pulled her best smile. “No.”

  “Let’s sit, then.”

  They sat down. Serene abandoned the airhead act; she knew Grayson would see right through that. There weren’t many stupid Angels out there.

  She did, however, mask her accent. If Grayson told Persephone about her--that is, if he was working with Presephone--she would instantly know that the pretty Australian Angel he had met was actually Serene.

  “And you are?”

  “Lucius,” he said, with a smirk. “What about you, love?”

  “Helena,” she replied.

  It was her mother’s name, an easy alias.

  “You’re very beautiful.”

  She smiled. “Thank you.”

  “What brings you here on Earth?”

  “Vacation,” she said vaguely.

  She shrugged. “What did you leave Home for?”

  He smirked. “So I could hunt women.”

  A sort of warmth spread through her, and she giggled. “Don’t be silly.”

  “I’m not, love. Tell me, where are you living right now? Maybe we could go to your place.”

  Serene opened her mouth, but then closed it. No, don’t mention Knightsbridge….of course don’t mention Knightsbridge….

  She stuttered, confused. “Um….my place isn’t the best….”

  “Mine, then,” Lucius said gently.

  He touched her hand, and her arm tingled. She looked at his dark eyes, and realized with a jolt just how beautiful he was.

  He smirked. “You don’t mind that I have a couple roommates?”

  Serene shook her head instantly. No, of course not….she would be quiet….

  She giggled at the thought, and Lucius chuckled. “You have a lovely laugh.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  He stood, and she followed on wobbly legs. “My roommates might want to meet you,” he said, taking her hand. “You don’t mind? They actually….love women too.”

  Serene shivered at the thought, biting her lip. “That sounds fun.”

  He grinned. “Good. Let’s get out of here. We don’t need food, do we?”

  “Yes…let’s go….”

  She was excited, feeling a rush as they made their way to the escalators. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time….she wasn’t sure she had ever felt this way….

  Suddenly a hand was on her wrist, and she jumped, looking around.

  Another Presence--Gilla.

  Serene frowned. “What?” she asked, confused.

  Gilla smiled politely at Lucius, then linked arms with Serene and tugged.

  “Stop it, Gilla--”

  “Two Angels?” Lucius asked, surprised.

  He looked at Serene suspiciously. “Friend of yours?”

  “No one special,” Serene said quickly, not wanting to lose him. “Get off, Gilla.”

  But he smiled at Gilla anyway, his dark eyes glittering. “How are you, love? What beautiful blue eyes you have.”

  Serene felt an even more intense wave of giddiness wash over her, and she leaned against him, her knees weakening.

  But Gilla stared right back at him, unmoved. She turned to Serene.

  “But I’m not done yet,” Serene growled as Gilla tugged on her again.

  Lucius dropped her hand.

  Suddenly everything happened at once. Lucius stepped backward, clearly about to Travel. But Gilla was quick, grabbing him around the shoulders and throwing him to the ground. He grabbed her ankle and yanked her to the floor, rolled and grabbed her neck. She struck him in the face and he wobbled, and in one fluid motion she swung her leg, her foot making contact with his head.

  Then there was Michael, shoving Lucius to the ground. Lucius jerked, grabbing Michael’s ears, and they rolled, growling like hungry wolves. Mel appeared, and he and Gilla tried to drag Lucius off of Michael.

  All the while Serene stood, dazed and watching.

  Then there was a pair of hands on her. “Come on,” Nora’s voice said, dragging her away from the fight. “Use your legs.”

  But her legs weren’t working right. Serene stumbled, her eyes still on the fight. She had a desperate urge to rush them, to drag her uncle and her father--and now her brother, who had joined the fight--off of Lucius, so they could be together….

  But she hadn’t gotten far before a gunshot rang out. There were screams, and the food court was swarming with people running this way and that. Serene looked around--a human, apparently frightened by the fight, had drawn a gun.

  Michael grabbed Gilla, and Serene saw Lucius jump to his feet and tip backwards, vanishing into space.

  Barry

  He was in the middle of playing a video game when the doorbell rang.

  Barry sighed and took his headset off. If it was another preacher he was going to lose his mind.

  He hopped down the stairs two steps at a time and went to the door, glancing out the window. It wasn’t a preacher--it was a short, tan woman with a pixie cut.

  Interesting.

  Barry opened the door, frowning. “Evening.”

  “Hello,” the woman said, in what was clearly a fake posh accent, “I’m looking for Serene. Is she in?”

  Barry paused. He didn’t think Serene had any friends around here. Not that he would know; she barely spoke to him. He didn’t think she was happy about his relationship with Gabriel.

  He chuckled, still unsure of what to do. “Sorry--you are?”

  “Oh--Alice Jameson,” the woman replied in that same fake accent. “We went to school together.”

  Barry nodded slowly. “Huh.”

  Angels didn’t go to school.

  He put on a bright smile. “No, no Serene here. Sorry. Perhaps the neighbors could help you.”

  Alice stared at him for a long moment, her smile almost frozen on her face, like plastic.

  Then she said, “Lived here a long time?”

  Barry picked at a nail. He knew what she was insinuating. He didn’t belong here.

  “I’m the dog-sitter.”

  “A dog-sitter usually wears sweatpants to work?”

  Barry raised an eyebrow. “Oh, sorry. Should I be wearing a maid’s outfit?”

  She shrugged, smiling. She studied the tattoos on Barry’s bare arms, the large black diamond on the inside of both elbows.

  He stepped back inside. “Good night, then.”

  She didn’t reply, just walked off, through the gate and onto the pavement.

  Barry watched her through the window, frowning.

  That wasn’t suspicious at all.

  He returned to his room, ignoring the video game still running. He sat at the desk and went over a sum on a piece of paper. He was trying to figure out living expenses if he found a new flat. His textbooks for summer term would be about seven hundred pounds, more than a month’s rent in some of the places he had lived. He was getting paid shit as a bouncer.

  He bit his lip. If he moved in with the Kings permanently….

  He sighed. He knew it was imposing. Leeching. But if he promised to continue to keep house--do all the cleaning, the shopping, stay out of the way of their freaky Angel shit….maybe it was possible.

  Maybe.

  He thought of Ga
briel, and his heart sank. He probably wouldn’t be around long. And besides, he had told Barry how Angels were--that they weren’t romantic. Barry wished it was the same for him. It had been a long time since someone had treated him the way Gabriel did, and he was falling for it hard.

  He suddenly heard the sound of multiple pairs of feet slamming into the flooring downstairs. Traveling. A gaggle of voices was coming from the foyer, and he hurried down the stairs.

  He stood at the bottom step, staring in shock. Serene, Gabriel’s older sister, was losing her mind, shouting and sobbing, while Michael and Gabriel hauled her to the kitchen.

  “Get off of me--I’ll never forgive you--I hate you, I hate you!”

  “Will you shut up?” Gabriel shouted, planting her in a chair and holding her so she wouldn’t get up.

  Coming in behind them was Gilla, with a bloody nose, and Nora and Mel.

  “Fuck you,” Serene spat, as Michael went to the liquor cabinet.

  “Barry, get some towels,” Nora said, sitting Gilla down.

  He went to the bathroom, not quite sure what he was seeing. Tonight had been the big date, but he hadn’t expected there to be this much drama afterwards.

  He came back with some damp cloths, and helped Nora mop the blood off Gilla’s face. She had dried blood coming from her ear, too.

  “You all right?” Barry asked her, and Gilla nodded, managing a shaky smile.

  Barry gave her an encouraging grin. “I’d like to see what the other bloke looks like.”

  “Get that oaf to shut up,” Serene growled.

  “Don’t know how long it’ll last,” Michael was saying to Mel, shakily pouring a tall glass of whiskey, more than enough to incapacitate a human.

  Gabriel took the glass and shoved it into Serene’s hands. “Drink, for god’s sake.”

  But she threw it, clear across the room, and it smashed against the wall.

  “Christ, Serene!” Mel cried, clearly annoyed.

  She began to sob.

  “Seri, calm down,” Michael said soothingly, slipping his arms around her.

  She leaned into him, burying her face into his shoulder, and he shushed her.

  Barry watched, concerned. He had no idea what had happened, but it had clearly been bad enough to send Serene into hysterics. He watched as she calmed enough to whisper in Michael’s ear.