Marie wrapped her arms around Addison, giving her a tight squeeze. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. I promise, I’ll be fine. Just a rough night.”
“Just a few more months and you can quit this place,” her friend added with cheer. “When that happens, I’m throwing you the biggest, best graduation party a stripper could have.”
“Thanks, Marie. You’re the best.”
“I know,” Marie teased before disappearing through the curtain separating them from the stage.
Addison took her time getting dressed, trading her skimpy dance gear for her comfortable shorts, tank top, and sneakers. After pulling her hair up into a ponytail and then slinging her messenger-style bag over one shoulder, she left feeling much more like herself. Everything that happened on stage got left there. The woman she portrayed on that platform existed as a separate being, a persona she put on to make tips and nothing more.
“Until tomorrow night, Red,” she mumbled, stepping out through the side door of the club. The narrow, short alleyway led her right toward Bourbon Street. The flashing lights of other clubs and bars greeted her. People milled about on either side, and in the middle of, the boulevard. Across the street, the bouncer of a competing club gestured to the two half-naked girls at his side, hoping to steal some business. He called out to passing men like an auctioneer, his wild gestures ushering them toward the club’s double doors.
Before she broke free of the alley, footsteps sounded behind her.
“Hey, Red.”
She turned, but before she could react, a fist had crashed into her jaw. Pain exploded across her face and one of her eyes stung as she went reeling against the brick wall of the club next door.
The blond from the club and two of his friends came into view, their smiles menacing. Instead of the fear she should have felt, she experienced a rush of exhilaration. The punch had given her a surge of adrenaline, one that had her ready to tear each of them limb from limb. Part of her knew the feat would be impossible—she stood at only five-foot-six and one-hundred-thirty-five pounds. Still, something deep down inside of her whispered a different story. It told her she could dismember each and every one of them with very little effort if she wanted.
Balling her hands into fists, she dropped her bag to the pavement.
One of the guys came up behind her, his arm wrapping around her waist in a tight grasp.
Addison didn’t even fight him, using the disgust his touch triggered to fuel her anger. The blond approached next, his fingers gripping her chin in a crushing grip.
“Not so tough now, are you?” he whispered, spittle flying from his mouth and landing on her cheek.
Addison panted with anger, her chest heaving and bursting with fury. “I thought I told you,” she murmured as her vision went dark and hazy again, “no touching.”
The heat creeping along her skin reached an unbearable limit, leaving just one way to get relief.
Closing her eyes, she released the feeling, sighing with relief as the wave of fury left her body in a rush. It reached out with invisible hands and slammed all three of them to the ground. When she opened her eyes, not one of them appeared to be conscious, and thin tendrils of black smoke started curling around her. In case they hadn’t gotten the point, she added a kick in the blond guy’s ribs for good measure.
Stepping over him, she reached for her bag and slung it over her shoulder once again, then moved with a confident stride out onto Bourbon Street. Maybe, just maybe, a little anger wasn’t so bad. If she could control it, perhaps it could do her some good. It had certainly come in handy teaching those guys a lesson.
“I suppose you think that was a pretty neat little trick you just pulled.”
She startled, one hand coming up over her pounding heart as she turned to face the voice that had reached out to her from the darkness.
A tall, willowy woman with smooth, ebony skin and dark, glittering eyes came toward her. She wore plain clothing—a black T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. Her hair hung in neat dreadlocks pulled back from her face. She seemed unimposing, but still, something in Addison reacted to this woman. She knew at once this was not a chance encounter. This woman understood what she’d just seen Addison do, and she wasn’t pleased.
“Yeah, well, they asked for it.”
The other woman smiled. It was one of the most radiant sights Addison had ever seen.
“You’re right about that,” she replied. “Still, you could have lost control and killed them. You’re strong, Addison, stronger than most of the others. That’s why He chose you.”
Addison frowned, taking a step closer to the woman. Despite the noise around them, she could hear her voice loud and clear, almost as if it echoed inside her mind. But that sounded ridiculous … the woman’s mouth had actually moved. Hadn’t it?
“What are you talking about? Who are you?”
“My name is Elle, and I’ve been sent to give you a message, Addison. As to who He is … well, I suspect you already know the answer to that question. After all, He’s the one you talk to when you’re angry or sad, the one you blame for the circumstances of your life.”
“God?”
Elle nodded. “Him.”
She shook her head, backing away from Elle. “Listen, I don’t know how you know my name, or any of that other personal stuff about me talking to God but … I’m gonna go now, okay? Please don’t follow me. I don’t want to do to you what I did to them. You seem nice.”
She turned to walk away, but Elle fell in step beside her. Her legs were long, making it easy for her to keep up.
“You cannot escape the truth anymore,” Elle insisted. “That’s why He sent me. There are things you need to know, and we don’t have a lot of time.”
Addison couldn’t help it. Curiosity got the best of her and she paused, turning to face Elle once again. “Wait a minute. Are you saying He sent you?” she asked, pointing skyward. “He, Him?”
Elle smiled at her as if patronizing a child. “Of course.” She didn’t bat an eyelash when hitting Addison with her next statement. “I’m a messenger of God, Addison. An angel.”
4
The Bitter Pill
“Before the dawning of the Earth, there was war in Heaven.”
Addison leaned forward, elbows braced on the tiny, round table in her box of a kitchen. She ignored the steaming mug of tea between her hands, unable to take her eyes off Elle for even a second. She wanted to laugh in the woman’s face, tell her how ridiculous she sounded walking around telling people she was an angel.
Sure, she believed in God. She even believed in Heaven and Hell. Beyond that, she was skeptical. She’d have thought an angel would be more to look at, and Elle looked like half the folks walking around New Orleans. In a city full of people who practiced voodoo and believed in even the most ridiculous of superstitions, it was possible that Elle was just some nut job.
Yet, somehow deep down, she had always known that the truth about her … condition … lay out there somewhere. If it weren’t for the abnormal things she could do when stressed or angry, she’d have chalked it up to some kind of mental disorder. But there had to be more to this, so she’d decided to humor Elle. It couldn’t hurt to at least listen.
After her stunning declaration, she’d invited the alleged back to her place. She’d done the polite thing and offered her guest the tea, but had been itching to get down to business the entire time. Now, they were getting somewhere.
“Lucifer was the most beautiful of the angels, and had a gift for music,” Elle continued, pausing to take a sip of her own tea. “His name means the Morning Star, and it fit him. He shone brighter than even the sun. His place was one of honor at Father’s side. Over time, he became proud and vain, desiring the power and omniscience possessed by Father alone. He rebelled, taking a large portion of the other angels with him. He wanted a throne above that of God’s.”
“I think I can guess where this is going, seeing as how Lucifer is also the name of the devil,�
� Addison interjected.
Elle nodded. “Father sent Michael, the Archangel, and his warriors to defeat Lucifer and his horde. One-third of Heaven’s angels aligned themselves with him. Their betrayal brought so much pain, as many of those angels were our friends, our brothers and sisters.” She paused, lowering her eyes. Her lips pressed into a thin line and sighed as if reliving the memory. Unshed tears glimmered in her eyes when she raised them. Yet, she remained composed. “Still, Father did what had to be done, and when Michael imprisoned Lucifer and his followers, bringing them to his throne room for judgment, it marked the beginning of a never-ending battle between Good and Evil. Lucifer and all who joined his rebellion were cast out of Heaven, never to return. Lucifer became the Evil One, Satan, The Deceiver. His followers were stripped of their wings and their beauty, cursed and banished to Hell for all eternity.”
“But that sounds like the end to me,” Addison said. This story grew more fascinating by the second. “I mean, Lucifer rebels, God kicks him out into Hell. Good wins; the end.”
Elle sighed and shook her head. “Unfortunately, that is not the case. When the Earth and mankind were created, the battle raged on. Lucifer began it with his temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We have battled the demons for the souls of mankind since the dawn of time as you know it.”
Addison frowned, shaking her head. “It doesn’t make any sense. If I were God, I would just make all of mankind love me and then Satan wouldn’t have anything to work with. Battle won.”
Elle smiled. “Then it isn’t actual love, or devotion, is it? Not without free will and the ability to choose. Father has given all men free will, and with that, you may choose to live a good life and love others, or choose a path of hatred and harm. That is why the battle persists, because before the end, only one will win.”
“So, how does it work? I mean, you’re telling me that angels and demons are fighting for territory here on Earth. Since you’re the first angel I’ve ever met, I’m assuming this is a war being waged where we can’t see it.”
“In a manner of speaking,” Elle answered. “The battle is happening right before your eyes. If you choose to see it, it becomes very obvious. Angels and demons walk the Earth in human disguise; they are everywhere. However, they are not the only ones involved in the war. The scales are balanced by other beings who also fight on either side.”
Addison’s pulse began to race at Elle’s words. She’d been expecting angels and demons; the thought of other things that went bump in the night was nerve-wracking. “What other beings?”
“There are many. On the side of Hell are witches, sorcerers, and the demon-possessed. These are people who have chosen to sell their souls for power. Lucifer has promised them places of power in Hell when the end of the world has passed.”
Addison snorted. “Yeah, right.”
Elle shrugged. “He isn’t called The Deceiver for nothing. He is good at making the distasteful look attractive. For the side of Heaven, there are Oracles, and the Guardians. They are a special race of humans created by Father to tip the scales and even things out a bit.”
“Do these humans know they’re involved in a war? I mean, you say the bad ones choose to serve Hell, and I get that. But it doesn’t sound like the Oracles or Guardians have a choice in the matter if God makes them. What’s special about them, anyway?”
“These people are a hybrid breed, given gifts to aid them in their service to Earth and Heaven. Oracles have the gift of foresight and wisdom. They can look into the past and future, and they are very knowledgeable about the spirit world. The Guardians have different gifts that vary from person to person—superhuman abilities that give them strength beyond that of ordinary humans. While these people are born the way they are, they have just as much right to choose as anyone else. When they are called upon, they decide if they wish to get involved or not. Everyone has a choice, Addison.”
“So … I must be one of those Guardian people, right?” she guessed. “I mean … I’ve always been different and I knew I couldn’t be the only one.”
Elle leaned back in her chair and studied Addison with a pensive look on her face. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Addison glanced down at the hands clutching her now-empty teacup and realized they were shaking. She trembled all over, her heart racing a mile a minute.
What would an angel think about her past? Above all the incident that had revealed the extent of what she could do. How would Elle react when Addison told her about the nauseating thoughts that ran through her mind when she became angry? Images of dismembered body parts and blood; thoughts of killing and destruction. There had to be something wrong with her. If she was one of these special people God had created, then she must be defective. Somewhere along the way, she’d been messed up.
“You don’t have to feel ashamed,” Elle said when Addison lowered her eyes without responding. “I am not here to judge you. I am here to help you.”
Her eyes widened as she glanced back up at Elle. How could Elle have known what she was feeling?
“I know how you’re feeling, the same way I knew that you blame God for your problems,” Elle said with a knowing smile.
“If you know so much, then why even ask me?” she snapped.
“Because I want to hear about it from you.” Elle’s voice remained calm despite Addison being anything but. “I want to know the truth as you’ve experienced it.”
Addison ran a hand through her hair before blowing out a heavy breath. What could it hurt to talk about it with Elle? She had insight into Addison’s thoughts and feelings, and she saw firsthand what happened to those men. Maybe she’d found someone who could understand.
“All my life, I’ve thought something was wrong with me. I never tell people about it, because I’m afraid they’ll lock me away in some mental institution. I’m not even sure they wouldn’t be justified. I have thoughts that no person should be having. Dark, sadistic thoughts that I don’t want to have, but they come upon me anytime I get angry or stressed out. When someone pisses me off, all I can think about is ripping their head off. And when I’m angry, I get … weird.”
“You possess the powers of telepathy and telekinesis. That is how you were able to drop all three of those men to the ground with just a thought,” Elle said with an even tone. “You also possess quick reflexes, strength beyond that of a mere mortal, which is exacerbated when you become angry. There is more inside of you that has yet to manifest. Your potential is beyond anything you could ever imagine. You are nothing as simple or basic as a Guardian or Oracle.”
A twisting sensation started in her gut and she couldn’t push it away. For a moment, she’d dared to hope that maybe God hadn’t abandoned or tossed her aside. If she was a Guardian, she was special, and that meant, maybe He gave a damn. But now …
“What aren’t you telling me? I need to know the truth, Elle. What am I?’
“There is one more group of players in this game that I have yet to tell you about. Mankind isn’t the only one with free will. As I told you, Lucifer chose his fate, and so did the other angels who became demons for their crimes. Since the fall of Lucifer and his minions, other angels have fallen, as well. Free will sometimes leads them to do things that are against the rules governing my race. While on Earth in human form, sometimes angels and demons interact with people and attraction sparks. Out of those unions come special children with the blood of both celestials and humans in their veins. Those children are known as the Nephilim.”
Something resounded in her at Elle’s revelation. She’d never known her father, and her mother had always been very secretive about him. In fact, just the mention of him sent her mother into a tizzy, and she refused to tell Addison anything at all.
“He’s nobody you need to know … ever,” she’d told Addison the last time she’d asked. “You’re better off not knowing, Addie.”
“I never knew my father,” she murmured.
Elle nodded. “I know. Your mother
had her reasons for keeping his identity a secret. She just wanted to protect you.”
“I don’t understand why, though,” Addison replied. “I mean, would it be so bad for me to know that my dad’s an angel? It’s kind of cool, when you think about it.”
For a moment, Elle didn’t speak; she watched Addison with an expression of pity lining her face.
That’s when it all came together. Addison understood why her thoughts and feelings turned toward the macabre with such ease. Why her anger often grew strong enough to almost choke her. Why sometimes she wondered if she wasn’t the most evil, heartless person on the planet.
She had it in her blood.
“My dad’s not an angel, is he?” she asked.
Elle shook her head. “No,” she replied gently. “He is not.”
5
Temptations
“Stop sulking. We’re doing this.”
Jack watched Micah from the corner of his eye. Side by side, they worked to set the dining room of Mama Jo’s Café to rights at the end of a long shift. Their apartment sat over a Cajun diner owned by Josephine Broussard, a squat Cajun woman with a mother’s personality—thus the nickname ‘Mama Jo.’ She allowed the guys to live there for next to nothing. The two also worked for her—Jack as a waiter and busboy, while Micah assisted in the kitchen.
Micah’s oversized biceps bulged and rippled as he wiped down tables with a white rag. “I ain’t sulkin’.”
Jack snorted, the sound heavy with sarcasm. “Like hell, you’re not.”
Micah paused and sighed, keeping his head lowered over the small, round table. His jaw appeared tense, his eyebrows furrowed. When he got like this, Jack knew his sister’s memory haunted him. Micah was almost never serious, but when he thought about the sister he had lost to the wrong side of the war between Heaven and Hell, he became angry and sullen. Rightfully so, but Jack couldn’t let Micah’s feelings interfere with their new mission. This might just be the most important assignment they’d ever been tasked with.
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