I see her looking just as confused as I am, as I grab her hand to run the opposite way. Only, we can’t find our way out of the fog. Placing the bags of desserts down, I snap my fingers to summon all of our belongings to my house a few miles away.
With only one look at Scar, she understands, and prepares herself for whatever is going to attack us. My katanas quickly materialize in my hands and I place myself in front of Scarlet, ready for anything and everything. Deep laughter echoes all around us, from no particular direction. It’s everywhere.
“You imbeciles. How could you possibly believe a normal life is attainable to casters like yourselves.” The Latin accent is so thick and menacing, it almost gives me chills.
“Vincent.” Scarlet informs me who our visitor is, and immediately all of my guards go up.
Grabbing my hand, Scarlet sees me casting a protective ward around us. Lending me some of her power to make it stronger, a small weight is lifted when I feel it complete itself. Again the sinister laughter fills our ears.
“A protection cast? Really? With our blood magic, we can get through any of your casts. Listen and listen well to what I'm saying, I don't have time for games. I have somewhere to be, someone to rescue from Eden. You two will be busy enough here, fighting for your lives, to try and stop me. But do not fret, we will see each other again. Enjoy your date.”
The last of his message fades away as he leaves us to defend ourselves against whatever waits for us outside of the fog. Within seconds, arrows, daggers, and bullets fire directly at us. Scarlet shouts as she watches the ammunition hit an invisible barrier and fall to the ground. Turning around as quickly as I can, I grab her gloved hands.
“We got this, love. You and I can take on whoever is out there. The ward won’t last long. We have to split up to distract them. Take your gloves off the minute you start fighting, it could help you…depending on the attackers.”
I try to show her I'm not losing my shit. Even though that’s exactly what’s happening. Scar nods once and I watch her take a deep breath. She summons the blade I got her and, moments later, an earpiece appears in my ear.
“If you need me or I need you, these will help. I mind spoke a message to Derek, since they should be at the dorms. Hopefully we’re close enough for him to get it. I love you, Evan. Let’s show them what power we have, together.”
And just like that, she motivates me to annihilate whoever tries to come in between us.
“I love you more, Scar. Let’s do this.”
I bring her hand to my lips to kiss the top of the glove and just then, an arrow pierces through the ward, landing right beside my feet. I turn to give Scarlet the nod to separate. At the same time, we both run in opposite directions. Once we’re out of the fog, only one word escapes from my lips.
“SHIT!” There have to be over two hundred Chamois demons on my side alone.
“Yeah, same here. Still, we got this.” I hear her grunt and know she just began the fight on her side.
There is no time for me to worry about her keeping her ground, although I am fully confident she can. A demon comes close enough to almost puncture my arm but, as I bring my sword down on its hand, I slice it right off not giving it the chance.
Screeches of death sound all around us and it’s a sweet sound knowing how many demons we’re killing. At first, I stay in one place, holding my ground and letting them come to me. But as the thick muck grows under my feet, it becomes stickier and harder to lift my legs.
I run to where Scar is and try to have her back while she has mine, like we’re trained to do. As I get to her side, I realize how many more demons she’s killed than me. Like a dancer, she moves graciously but viciously along row after row of beasts, slicing their throats with one hand and throwing lethal balls of her power with the other.
I almost got so entranced with her work that my arm nearly gets chopped off. As I get back into my rhythm and my katanas find their taste for blood again, I hear the sound of footsteps behind me as the demons from my side join the fray. I spin around with my swords extended, cleanly decapitating the first five in line.
Bending down, I spin again, now slicing the next line of demons right off their feet. As quick as I can, I summon an electrical power ball the size of a disco ball and roll it straight to the other thirty in this group. The demons appear amazed and distracted by the electricity. The moment I flick my hand, the ball explodes like a grenade. The demons fall to the floor, electrocuted to a crisp.
As time goes by, I can feel my energy begin to dwell and I take the time to run somewhere that I can climb, to find out how much more we need to defeat.
“Are you okay, Scar?” I ask, as I run to a mailbox.
Hopping up on top of it, I see Scarlet in the center of a hoard of Chamois. My heart races as I fear exhaustion might kill us both. Grunting, still in the fight, Scarlet answers in pieces.
“Yes. I'm. Fine. How much. More!?” She takes only a second to see where I am and, as I look around the empty streets filled with vile monsters, the numbers continue to grow. I can’t figure out where they’re coming from. But they just keep coming.
“Scar, there’s too many. Try to transport over here.” Instantly she’s by my side. The circle of demons that were just surrounding her, look around frantically for their target.
“Holy...” She begins to swear, but stops herself. I can tell she’s trying to come up with a plan. Just when I think she has one, someone new speaks, cutting her off before she began.
“Tired? Already?”
The voice comes from behind us and, as we slowly turn around, afraid for our lives, my breath hitches when we catch sight of who it is. Three groups of Fallen angels fill the space of the entire parking lot. The demons behind us pause as they await their orders from the Fallen.
“It’s okay, Scar. I won’t let them take you. If worse comes to worse, use your Angel speed to get out of here. Get Derek and call Ava. They’ll fix this.” I don't want her to think I am giving up, but I want her to know of a backup plan just in case.
“We are not afraid of you. And no, we are not tired. We’re just getting started.” Scarlet bravely talks down to these Fallen and stretches her neck from side to side.
Jumping down from the mailbox, Scarlet takes her defense stance, arms up ready to fight. I jump down to stand directly next to her and know right away, what her plan is.
Scar brings her lips to cover mine and I immediately feel my gift leave my body. Too fast for anyone to notice, Scarlet uses my gift and her angel speed to take out the group of angels to her right. Before she can tackle the other, the head Fallen stops her mid run.
“Uh, uh, uh. If you kill another one of my men, I’ll call my brother who is outside of your sister’s house. With one call, that house will suddenly catch fire. With the residents inside.”
With a threat like that, I know Scar will turn herself over without any more of a fight. And that is exactly what I need to prevent. I begin to panic inside, but I work hard to keep that in.
“What do you want?!” She shouts at him, mere inches from his face.
“Why, you, Scarlet Winter. All we want is you.” He says it so simply as he rubs his massive beard. Without explanation, without hesitation. He knows he has her. And so do I.
“Scar, please don't. No. Don't go.” I try to talk her out of what I already know for certain she is going to do. She’s going to let him take her away.
“I love you, Evan. I know you will find me.” She gives me this message as a tear rolls down her face. She wipes it away aggressively and walks to stand behind the Fallen one.
“Fine. But only after you call your brother off.”
She is so smart. But so fast to give herself up. Completely unaware of how brutally this will affect me and everyone else. With an agreeing nod, the angel picks up his phone and dials a number.
“Return to the post. We have her.” And just like that, her family is safe. But I can’t just stand here.
“You can’t have her
!”
I feel my adrenaline spiking and all my defenses are up. Scarlet still has my gift, but even without it, I feel like I can rip someone’s head off with my bare hands. With a slow laughter, the head Fallen walks towards me, standing inches away.
“She is not yours. Your caster traditions mean nothing to us. Move along before you get yourself hurt.” He talks to me like such scum that it angers me even more.
He can see the rage growing inside of me. Only it seems to be entertaining him instead of leading to any sense of fear or concern. He brings one finger up to my forehead and touches me. Instantly I feel all the bones in my body freeze up and tense. I can do nothing but fall to the ground.
“Evan!” Scarlet screams, watching me go down.
As the head Fallen laughs on his way back to his group, someone drops from the sky right behind him. Wings larger than I have ever imagined glow against the sunset. Bright white and silver feathers glisten as they beat behind the angel.
An ethereal sword glints in the light from the rays of the setting sun. With a single swipe, the head of the Fallen leader falls to the floor and rolls right by my feet. The woman from the sky slams her sword into the ground and stands tall in front of Scarlet, in defiance of the rest of the Fallen angels.
“BE GONE.” Her voice vibrates with authority. And with that command, the Fallen and the demons vanish.
Scarlet falls to her knees as she stares at the woman, unblinking and speechless. The woman turns to face me and walks to my side. She pulls a feather from her wing and touches my forehead in the same place the Fallen had touched me. With her heavenly touch, my body returns to normal. A single word escapes my lips in a whisper.
“Charlie?”
Chapter 16
Charlie
Scarlet
I'm not quite sure if I'm hallucinating from exhaustion or if I died and went to heaven. I can’t come up with any other explanation as to why my best friend, who died at the hands of the Dark Coven, is standing in front of me, dressed in a skin tight black jumpsuit and black leather boots with wings behind her back. Then I hear Evan say her name and I know I’m not in heaven. So now both he and I look like we’ve just seen a ghost.
Technically, that is exactly what we’re seeing. Only she’s more than a ghost. I'm not certain what I should call her. I can’t even stand up to fully take in the situation because I’m so in shock.
I can only stare at her in awe. She was beautiful before, when she was mortal. But now she’s a different kind of beautiful. Like if I touch her, she’ll sparkle away into thin air. Her hair is longer and her skin looks luminescent.
As I look at her from my position on the ground, the rays of the sunset dim behind her, making her look radiant and angelic. I can feel the power of the Divine pulsing within her being. Her wings glitter as the moon takes its place in the sky. Shyly, she shines her bright smile down to me as she holds out her hand for me to take, and I realize nothing happens when we touch.
“I know this is a lot to take in right now, Scar. But we have got to get moving. They're most likely telling Vincent that you're protected as we speak. So move now, freak out later.” It seems as if the world is in slow motion and every move she makes multiplies her beauty.
“I got her.” Evan says, as he places his hand on my back, where my shirt is over my skin, leading me forward.
The entire walk home is silent. Evan and I stare at her while she tries not to be uncomfortable under our scrutiny. She can’t blame us for staring, so she just lets us keep gawking at her.
We’re a block away from Evan’s house when I hear a stretch-like cracking sound. Since I am already staring at Charlie, I don't need to search for the source. Our mouths fall open as we watch her retract her wings into her back. They were massive, and she’s still so petite.
How can they fit inside of her? Will that happen to me? It did not look pleasant. Charlie avoids eye contact with us because I'm sure we look ridiculous with our eyes bulging out of our heads. As we make it through the front door, Evan is the first to break the silence.
“Well, at least we have dessert.” He clears his throat when neither of us respond.
I can’t sit down. I already tried. I can only pace the small space by the couch, with my eyes on her the entire time. She decides to take a seat and pats the cushion next to her. But I literally can’t stop pacing.
Evan sits across from her, ready to listen and completely not fazed by me anxiously pacing back and forth. We watch her, awaiting the explanation that neither of us can sum up the courage to ask. Evan tries to reach for my hand, but I take it away before he has the chance to touch me.
“You know you can control when your angel gift works, right?” Charlie informs me, like it is the simplest thing. Just like she used to do when she would help us with our classwork. Finally, I find some sense of calmness and sit next to her.
“No, Charlie, I didn't know that. How could I know that? I don’t know anyone else like me.” Taking my hands slowly, she rubs her thumbs over mine.
“Well, now you do.”
Again, her words leave me speechless and stunned. I don't know how I'm going to get any answers if I can’t form any questions. Thankfully Evan is here.
“What did you mean when you said ‘They’re telling Vincent that you're protected’?” He asks slowly, as if he still can’t believe his sight. Getting comfortable on the couch, Charlie takes off her leather boots, tucks her feet under her, and lays her head back, ready to answer the immensely loaded question.
“I have been waiting for this moment for what feels like forever. I’ve had to watch you all from afar since I was given the opportunity to return. You have no idea how hard it’s been trying to protect you and stay out of sight at the same time. Especially seeing Luke so…broken.”
Gasping on all the air I have, my eyes grow even larger than they already were.
“It was you that was in my vision. You're the one who’s been following us!” Whispering this revelation more to myself than to her. It’s nice to know the angel that’s been following us is, in fact, my dear friend.
“What happened, Charlie?”
More curious now than I have ever been about anything else, I follow her lead to get comfortable for the story she’s about to tell. I flick my wrist casting a pair of my comfortable clothes on Charlie so she isn’t in her leather suit the whole time. With a surprised and grateful smile, Charlie melts deeper into the couch. We hear a snap from Evan’s direction and the bags of desserts from our date appear on the table in front of us, along with a very old bottle of liquor.
“I figured we’re all going to need this.” He says, pouring the liquid into three small glasses. Without waiting, Charlie quickly takes it and finishes it in one gulp. With another snap of his fingers, the glass refills on its own.
“This is exactly what I need to get me through this.” Again she downs the shot in one sip. And again, it refills itself.
“Alright. I’ll begin with the day I died. It was…eventful. I was with a group of recently deceased souls when I heard two angels having a verbal disagreement, which was odd because everything was so…serene. One of them, Scar, was your Aunt Callie.
She recognized me and pulled me from the group I was in. She informed me that you, my friend, were in need of a new guardian and, no offense, but there wasn't exactly a line of volunteers.” She stops her story to take another shot.
“So I thought I would be perfect for the job. Callie thought so, too. So she helped me plead my case to the High Court. If it wasn't for her and Theo, I probably would have been laughed out of there.” Stopping her, I'm already beginning to get confused.
“My aunt? Theo?” I simply ask. But I only get a chuckle out of her as she downs another shot. I join her, this time drinking mine slower.
“THAT is a story for another time. For now, I will continue with my story and why I'm even here. So, as I said, there weren't any angels up there willing to watch your back because, let’s admit, you don
’t exactly live a calm and safe life. After I pled my case to the High Court, I trained hard so I could return to where I am needed.
I know your background and, honestly, I was just so eager to get back. To Luke, to all of you.” Sadly she looks into her full glass and drinks it before showing how much this transition has affected her.
“I wasn't supposed to willingly show myself to you. My orders were to wait until your wings emerged, then I could have shown myself and assisted you with how to use them properly. Unless, of course, you're in such a dire predicament that I had no choice but to show myself.
And finally, now that you know I'm back, I can show myself to the others. I can help you through this angel process, through controlling your gift. And, at last, I can deliver the messages I was sent with from above.” Lifting her glass, she urges me to drink with her.
“You're gonna need this. So the message from the High Court is simply to try harder to stay out of trouble. As if that is something you can control.” Callie’s message is much more personal.
“She wants you to know she has always watched over you, since the day you were born. She asked me to tell you not to worry, you're not alone. We will be receiving more help soon. Now for the worst message. This war you have with the Dark Coven is only the beginning of a much bigger war. A Divine prophecy of our own. And guess what? You're the one who is to save our world, as well as your own. Even the mortal world…this world.” Bringing the liquor up again to drink, I turn to see that Evan has begun joining her with every bit of news she delivers.
“But…how?” Of all the information she has just given me, this is all I can say.
“I know you don't really believe casters are the only other magical beings here with us. There are a vast amount of species here on this earth. But 90 percent of them stay far away from the mortals and stay in their own realm. Because, believe it or not, mortals are the most blind and unwilling to accept anything or anyone different from themselves.
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