The Angel Trials

by Michelle Madow

  Rosella’s was among those few.

  We stepped through the small door and found her sitting at a table with a middle-aged woman, giving her a palm reading. “Your lifeline is long,” she said as she ran a finger over the woman’s palm. “You’re going to live to a nice, old age until eventually passing in your sleep. But don’t let this knowledge stop you from living in the moment or asking for forgiveness from past mistakes. People are more forgiving than you realize. And above all else, always remember to appreciate life and the time spent with those you love.”

  “Thank you.” The lady smiled. “I’ll remember that.” She thanked Rosella again, paid, and headed out.

  “I’ve been expecting you.” Rosella didn’t turn to look at Noah and me as she spoke. “Please, sit.” She stood up, closed the door, and switched the signed in the window from open to closed.

  Noah and I took a seat on the deep red sofa that looked like something from an antique shop. He sat as far away from me as possible.

  Did I smell bad or something? I’d showered that morning, but a lot had happened since then. I hadn’t bothered looking in a mirror since the bathroom at the restaurant, but I was surely looking—and smelling—far from my best.

  “That poor lady,” Rosella said as she situated herself in the antique chair across from us. “She’s going to be killed by a drunk driver eight months from now.”

  “What?” I widened my eyes, shocked. “Why didn’t you say so? You could have stopped it from happening.”

  “Just because one can see the future doesn’t mean they should meddle with it,” she said. “The future is like a finely woven tapestry. Unravel one string, and the rest come undone as well. I learned that lesson the hard way in my first decade as a seer. However, what I said to her will help her mend relationships she thought were permanently broken, and live these final few months to the fullest. It won’t save her life, but it will make a positive difference in the months she has left to live.”

  I nodded, although I was unsure about how I felt about all of that.

  “Anyway, we’re not here to talk about her—we’re here to talk about you.” Rosella faced me, staring blankly with her milky eyes.

  I hadn’t taken a good look at her before. Now, I was surprised by how young and frail she was. She appeared to be fourteen or fifteen, tops.

  It was hard to believe she was a real, live vampire.

  I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable. Because vampires drank blood to survive—human blood. She’d closed down shop and no one knew I was here.

  My instinct told me to flee.

  On the other hand, Noah had kept me safe from the demons, so I trusted he would keep me safe from a vampire, too. But she was still the predator, and I, the prey. It was definitely enough to make me antsy.

  “You don’t need to be so nervous,” Rosella said. “I survive solely off of animal blood. I haven’t tasted human blood since the completion of my change into a vampire centuries ago.”

  I glanced at Noah to verify if she was telling the truth.

  “Rosella’s allegiance is to the kingdom of the Haven,” he said. “Haven vampires drink only animal blood. You’re safe with her. I wouldn’t have brought you here if you weren’t.” His gaze intensified, as if it angered him to think I suspected him of bringing me somewhere dangerous.

  “Okay.” I relaxed and turned back to Rosella, eager to get to the point. “I need to know where my mom is.”

  I figured there was no need to tell her that my mom was taken by a demon. Since she was a seer, she should already know why I was here.

  “Your mother has been taken by the greater demon Azazel,” she said. “I believe you met him earlier tonight in the alley behind the Mexican restaurant on this Pier.”

  “The man in the leather jacket,” I realized. “The one who took my mom’s necklace.” I reached for where the crystal had been on my skin, although of course there was nothing there.

  “Yes,” she said. “That was Azazel.”

  “My mom’s okay, right?” I asked the question that had been torturing me since discovering she’d been taken. “She’s still alive?”

  “She’s alive,” Rosella confirmed.

  I noticed she didn’t verify she was okay, but just knowing she was alive made me breathe slightly easier. “Why take her?” I asked. “What does this Azazel want with my mom?”

  “You’re asking the wrong questions,” the seer said simply.

  “Seriously?” I threw my hands down on the couch. Everything inside me was wound up tight, and I felt close to the edge of shattering. “My mom’s been taken by a demon. I just want to know how to get her back.”

  “That’s the question I was waiting for.” Rosella sat straighter and smiled in approval. “Because to get your mom back, you must go to the island of Avalon.”

  Raven

  That’s where my mom’s been taken?” I asked. “Avalon?”

  “No,” Rosella said. “Avalon is where you must go if you want to find your mom.”

  “But where is she?” I fiddled with my hands—I was getting beyond impatient with her roundabout answers.

  “I’m afraid I do not know,” Rosella said. “There’s a barrier keeping me from seeing her location. But if you want to save her, you need to get to Avalon. That, I can say for sure.”

  “All right.” I dropped my hands to my sides and got ahold of myself, since this was the best start I had right now. “So where’s Avalon?”

  “It’s an island in the Atlantic Ocean,” she said. “Only the members of the Earth Angel’s army—or those who have chosen to go through the trials to join the Earth Angel’s army—can get there.”

  “What’s an Earth Angel?” I asked.

  “She’s a person,” Noah said. “Her name is Annika. She was a Nephilim until the angels in Heaven turned her into a full angel. But since she was born on Earth and not in Heaven, she’s the only angel who can walk the Earth.”

  “And she has an army?” I asked.

  “Yes.” He didn’t elaborate further.

  “Why?” If he thought I was going to leave it at that, he still hadn’t realized who he was dealing with. “Who’s she fighting?”

  “The demons,” he said. “Earlier this year, hundreds of demons were released from Hell and onto Earth. Now, supernaturals everywhere are going to Avalon to join the Earth Angel’s army to stop the demons from reaching their ultimate goal.”

  “Which is…?”

  “To kill all supernaturals, rule over Earth, and take humans as their slaves.”

  “Whoa.” I sat back in shock. “Are you serious?”

  But as I asked, I knew he was. Because this had to be the darkness my mom had felt.

  She’d told me all of this herself earlier. She’d been saying stuff like this for weeks. Why hadn’t I believed her?

  And if she wasn’t a witch, how was she able to sense that all of this was happening?

  “He is,” Rosella confirmed. “The situation is dire, but as long as the Earth Angel’s army is there to fight the demons, hope isn’t lost.”

  “And you want me to go to Avalon.” I swallowed, still confused. “Even though only supernaturals can get there?”

  “Only members of the Earth Angel’s army and those who have chosen to go through the trials to join the Earth Angel’s army can get to Avalon,” Rosella repeated what she’d said before. “Humans can choose to join the trials. If they pass, they’ll be turned into Nephilim.”

  “Hold up.” I held a hand up, unsure if I understood this properly. “To save my mom, I need to go to Avalon. But only members of the Earth Angel’s army or those who are going through the trials to join the Earth Angel’s army can get there. So you’re saying that to save my mom… I need to go through these trials and join her army?”

  “That seems like the most logical solution.” Rosella gave me a closed lipped smile. “Does it not?”

  “But I just want to find my mom,” I said. “I don’t want to join an ar
my.”

  “To find your mom, you must go to Avalon,” Rosella repeated.

  “I know that.” I ran my hands through my hair, frustration erupting through my veins. “But isn’t there another way to get there? One that doesn’t involve going through trials in an attempt to become a… what did you call it again?”

  “A Nephilim,” Noah jumped in.

  “I don’t even know what a Nephilim is!” I was yelling now, and I didn’t care. Because there had to be an easier way to save my mom.

  This was way more complicated than anything I’d thought I was signing up for.

  “Nephilim are humans with angel blood in their veins,” Rosella said. “The angel blood gives them supernatural abilities, like strength, speed, and more. They’re perfectly designed to hunt and kill demons. Nephilim are the most valued members of the army, because while any supernatural can kill regular demons as long as they’re wielding a heavenly weapon, only Nephilim can kill greater demons.”

  “Is that what you are?” I asked Noah. “A Nephilim?”

  “No.” He turned away from me, not meeting my eyes.

  He was keeping something from me, and I was going to find out what it was. But for now, I needed to know more about Avalon and the Nephilim.

  “So to save my mom, I have to go to Avalon and become one of these Nephilim.” The more I said it, the more I realized I was accepting it.

  I would do anything to save her—even this.

  “Yes,” Rosella said. “Your path is your choice—it’s always your choice—but that is the path that leads to the highest likelihood of saving your mom.”

  “Fine.” I straightened. “I’ll do it. How do I get to Avalon?”

  “Noah can lead the way,” Rosella said with a knowing smile. “It just so happens that he’s heading to Avalon as well.”

  “Great.” I turned to Noah, eager to get started. “When do we leave?”

  “We don’t,” he said simply. “At least, not anytime soon.”

  Raven

  What?” I slammed a hand against the couch. “I thought you were going there too.”

  “I am,” he said. “But there’s a bit of a complication.”

  “Go on.” I sat back and crossed my arms, waiting for him to continue.

  “Before going to Avalon, I need to complete a task given to me by the Earth Angel,” he said. “I need to kill ten demons and bring a tooth from each of them to her as evidence. Only then will I be allowed on the island. I’ve killed six so far, so I’ve got four more to go.”

  “That’s why you’re hunting demons,” I realized. “For admittance to Avalon.”

  He nodded, which I assumed meant I was correct.

  “Does everyone have to complete a task to get onto Avalon?” I asked.

  If they did, that meant one more step I’d have to take to save my mom.

  “Not everyone,” he said, although he left it at that.

  “All right,” I said. “Then can someone else take me to Avalon?”

  “No,” Rosella cut in. “You must go with Noah.”

  “Why?” Noah and I asked at the same time.

  I looked over at him, and he glared at me before looking away.

  What was his problem? It was like he was angry at me for just thinking the same thing as him.

  “Raven will join you on the remainder of your hunt,” Rosella said. “She’ll need the experience if she hopes to pass the Angel Trials.”

  Shivers raced down my spine at the sound of that. “What happens if I don’t pass the Angel Trials?” I asked.

  “The details will be explained by members of the Earth Angel’s army before you enter Avalon,” she said. “That’s when you’ll decide if you want to take part in the trials or not. You’re only allowed onto Avalon if you agree to participate.”

  “Then the details don’t matter,” I said. “Because I’m getting to Avalon, which means I’m participating in those trials.”

  “Stupid,” Noah muttered from next to me.

  “Really?” I whipped my head to the side and glared at him. “Since when was it stupid to do everything I can to save someone I love?”

  “You’re jumping in blind.” He rested his elbows on his knees, his eyes intense as he stared me down. “It’s stupid. Not that it matters, because you’re not coming with me on my hunt.”

  “Why not?” I asked. “Didn’t you hear what Rosella said? Going with you will give me the best chance to pass the Angel Trials.”

  “And babysitting you on my hunt will slow me down,” he said. “You’re not coming.”

  We held each other’s gazes, neither of us backing down. I felt like I was in some kind of dominance staring contest—like if I broke eye contact with him, I’d lose.

  “If she doesn’t go with you, she won’t pass the Angel Trials,” Rosella finally said.

  “Why should I care?” Noah broke his gaze with mine to focus on Rosella. “She’s just some human I saved from a demon. She’s not my problem.”

  I gasped, his words stinging like a knife to the chest. After everything that had happened tonight, I’d thought Noah was on my side. I’d thought there was some kind of connection between us. I’d trusted him. Not just with my life, but with my mom’s, too.

  I felt beyond stupid for that now.

  “If I’m ‘not your problem,’ why didn’t you leave me back at my apartment?” I asked. “That’s what Sage wanted to do, right?”

  “I couldn’t just leave you there,” he said. “Not when you might have been able to help me figure out what the demons are hunting.”

  “I might still be able to help you figure out what they’re hunting.” My eyes welled with tears as I looked at him, begging him to reconsider. I hated that it was coming to begging, but if Rosella was right, Noah was my best shot at getting to my mom. “Just give me a chance. Please.”

  He watched me closely, looking like he was thinking about it.

  Then he turned back to Rosella.

  “You think I should take her with me?” he asked her.

  “I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” she said. “But I think I’ve made it clear that I think you should bring Raven on your journey.”

  “Fine.” Noah turned back to me, not looking too happy about it. “You can come.”

  “Really?” I held my breath, afraid he was about to take it back.

  “Really,” he said. “Mainly because the seer says so, but also because I wouldn’t have this opportunity to get to Avalon if someone hadn’t given me a chance. So I guess I’ll give you one. But Raven?”

  “Yeah?” My stomach dropped, and I braced myself for whatever he was about to say next.

  “Don’t make me regret this.”

  Raven

  When we returned to the compound, a group of about ten people stood at the gate, blocking our entrance.

  Noah placed his feet down on the sides of the bike and stared at them. I kept my arms tightly around his waist. I didn’t have a good feeling about this, but I was curious, so I peered around him to observe the others.

  Sage stood in the middle of the group. Next to her was the tallest man of them all, his muscles so large that he looked like he could rip a person apart with his bare hands. He was like a tanner twin of the Rock.

  The others were still intimidating, but less so. Equal amount males and females, they were all dressed in leather and expensive-looking denim, just like Noah and Sage. Most of them had their arms crossed or on their hips, staring us down like we were kids who’d gotten home after curfew.

  I supposed this was the “pack” that Noah and Sage had mentioned earlier—the group they were trying to keep me from meeting until the time was right.

  Noah zeroed in on Sage. “You told them.” He said it as a statement, not a question.

  “Flint knew something was up.” She motioned to the tall body builder next to her—I assumed he was Flint. “He noticed my ring was gone, and he could smell Raven on me. Then he came outside and sme
lled her around the gate. He figured out what we did.”

  Flint cracked his knuckles and stared at me like I was a piece of meat. “You know the rules,” he said, turning his gaze to Noah. “No one comes back to the compound without my permission. Especially not a human.”

  I tightened my grip around Noah’s waist, not daring to speak. I hated backing down in front of anyone, but Flint was the most intimidating person I’d ever seen. I had a feeling that one wrong move would have him flattening me to the pavement.

  “I’m sorry.” Noah lowered his eyes—it was like he purposefully wasn’t meeting Flint’s gaze. “The demons targeted Raven and her mom. They took her mom, but I was able to get Raven to safety. I don’t know why those demons targeted them, but they must have a reason. Finding out what that reason is will benefit my mission—a mission that helps us all. So I had to bring her with me to figure out what why she was a target.”

  “Sage already told us everything—don’t repeat it all and bore me to death.” Flint’s teeth glinted in the moonlight as he spoke.

  I glared at Sage. Wasn’t she supposed to have been on our side?

  She lowered her eyes, unwilling to even look at me.

  Apparently, Flint was the king of this compound, and whatever he said or did was law.

  “Where did you go with the human?” Flint asked Noah. “And why did you bring her back here?”

  “We went to see Rosella.” Noah spoke calmly and steadily, still not looking straight at Flint.

  Flint tilted his head, looking doubtful. “The seer of the Haven?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Noah said.

  “But she lives at the Haven.” Flint stepped forward and pounded his fist into his palm, the loud smack cracking through the air. “In India.”

  Noah didn’t flinch. “Tonight, she was at the Santa Monica Pier,” he said. “She sought out Raven specifically. When I was briefing Raven, she told me about a run-in she had earlier with Rosella. We had to go to the seer at once.”

  “And what did the seer say?” Flint asked.