Personal Demons: A Supernatural Action Adventure Opera (War Of The Angels Book 4)

by Michael Todd

  Korbin crossed his arms over his chest. “I am very aware of that, and try not to think about the rest of the team’s sexual decisions.”

  Pandora put her hands out, flabbergasted. “How can you say that but be standing here lecturing me?”

  Korbin put up his finger. “Katie and Brock aren’t doing it on my desk.”

  Pandora gritted her teeth. “You work with your wife, and the two of you were dating when you were mercs before.”

  Korbin took in the annoyed voice. “Well, that’s true.”

  Pandora clapped her hands together. “Okay, then. So, it sounds like everybody is getting all up in their coworkers, but the first time I do it, I’m wearing the scarlet letter.”

  Korbin sighed gustily and flung open the door. He was frustrated as hell with Pandora, but he was trying not to make her feel any worse. “Enough. Get out of here. I still have work to do. And the next time you want to get busy with someone, preferably not a trainee, please don’t use my office. And don’t get caught, because the government will have a few things to say about it.”

  Pandora sighed and walked past Korbin. She paused and turned back to him as he stepped around his desk and sat down. “The truth is, I think you’re right. I’m kind of lost right now, you know? Maybe you don’t know. I’m just missing the voice in my head. Actually, I’m missing being the voice in someone else’s head.”

  Korbin put his hands in his lap and softened his expression. “And I am understanding of that. You do see that everything I just told you not only protects the team, but it protects you as well. I’m not trying to spoil your fun, Pandora. I’m trying to rein you in a bit, so you realize that when you are on your own, you have to be responsible for your choices. And since you don’t have Katie’s body to jump back into, you are the one who will face the consequences when things backfire and blow up in your face.”

  Pandora nodded, tapping the doorframe. “Right. I’ll see you later.”

  Angie whistled as she walked, picking Juntto’s clothes up off of the floor and tossing them in the laundry basket on her hip. The music played loudly in her earbuds and she smiled, thinking about how good a time they’d had in Paris. Now it was back to work, though, doing the normal stuff while he worked on the fort. She was glad that she’d come to France, not just for the beautiful views, amazing shopping, and crazy good food, but for a change of scenery.

  After spending so much time trying to be a warrior when she obviously wasn’t, she had forgotten who she was. But with Juntto assuring her she was more than enough for him, she was able to get back to being herself, doing her job, and enjoying life. France had been the first item on her list of enjoying life, even if she was staying home that day washing clothes.

  She walked around the corner and began filling the washer, not hearing Pandora come in until the door slammed, which made her jump. She took her earbuds out and turned around to stare at the bedroom door, where she could hear Pandora grumbling, and then a burst of light flashed underneath it.

  Slowly Angie walked forward, carefully reaching for the doorknob. She turned it and cracked the door, peeking inside. She could see Pandora’s boots and legs from the back, so she pushed the door all the way open and tilted her head. Standing in front of her, breathing heavily, was Pandora. Only instead of her normal risqué outfit, she was fully decked out in angel armor. She held her sword up in the air in front of her.

  Angie put her hand to her mouth and cleared her throat. Pandora’s wings stretched out, and then she pulled them back in as she turned to face Angie. “Sorry, did I scare you?”

  Angie shrugged. “Just because I had my music on and didn’t hear you come in. What’s going on? Is there a battle or something?”

  Pandora sheathed her sword, her shoulders beginning to sink. She walked over to her bed and plopped down, putting her hands in her lap. “No, there’s no battle. I wish there was. It would give me something to focus my mind on.”

  Angie tilted her head and walked in, sitting down next to her. “I know you and I haven’t had a lot of one on one over the years, but I’m here if you want to talk. No judgments. I don’t know if I’ll be able to help you, but sometimes just talking…just saying what’s up out loud can really help you feel better.”

  Pandora looked down at her lap. “I’m okay.”

  Angie laughed. “Please! You are not okay. Anyone who lays an eye on you can tell that you’re not okay. Come on, spill it.”

  Pandora smirked and looked at her. “You sure are persistent. I like your spirit. I understand now why Katie saved you.”

  Angie frowned. “Wait, you didn’t understand that before?”

  Pandora cleared her throat, ignoring the question and standing up. “I really do hate feeling like this. I have never been in this position, or at least not since I was human a gazillion years ago.”

  Angie giggled. “You just dated yourself older than the universe.”

  Pandora groaned, throwing her head back. “I feel that old.”

  Angie laughed and shook her head. “Why? I mean, I know you have been through a lot and have been alive a very long time, but…well, now you’re an angel again.”

  Pandora dropped into the armchair. “I am, but I don’t know how to do it by myself. I came in here and summoned my armor because I wanted to feel like myself again. Like Pandora the badass warrior in control of herself and her own brain.”

  Angie tilted her head. “And did it work?”

  Pandora sighed, letting the armor fade. “No, not in the least. I don’t know, maybe it will just take some more time. I’ve felt so strange since Katie left for New York. I feel…”

  Angie waited. “You feel what?”

  Pandora looked at her with an anguished face. “I feel very alone. It’s been a long time since I was alone. Even with Lucifer, I wasn’t alone. It feels like I’ve been with Katie forever, and it’s strange being apart. There is some sort of connection between the two of us, an ability to really feel like we are part of each other.”

  Angie nodded. “And now that you’re separate, you aren’t really sure how to put one foot forward?”

  Pandora looked at Angie, surprised. “Yeah. Actually, yeah, that’s exactly it.”

  Angie breathed deeply. “When I was in my last abusive relationship, I felt alone. I felt like there was no one else in the world, and even if there had been, I couldn’t have talked to them. Then you guys came, and boom! I had a family, and I was treated with respect. It was hard to accept that feeling. Then, when Katie started being gone all the time, I felt a hole in my chest. A loneliness that I had once known, knocking on the door again.”

  Pandora nodded excitedly. “Yes, yes, that is exactly how I feel. How did you get past it?”

  Angie smiled. “I figured out who I was. Everybody needs to figure out who they are on their own once in a while. That includes you and your demon/angel ways. You are no exception. Find yourself, and you’ll feel that anxiety just drift away.”

  Pandora chuckled. “Man, that is some great advice. Thank you, Angie.”

  Pandora stood up and put her hand out, pulling Angie to her feet. She hugged her tightly, thankful that she’d had her to talk to. Angie smiled, hugging her back. “Uh, Pandora?”

  Pandora had her eyes shut, and she was smiling. “Yes?”

  Angie lowered her eyelids. “Are you really grabbing my ass right now?”

  Pandora yanked her hand back. “Oh. Sorry. Force of habit.”

  New York was hustling and bustling, even in the cold temps and chilly wind. This was one of the worst winters they had seen in years, but on that day, the sun attempted periodically to shimmer through the clouds overhead. It was a relief for many since it gave them a moment to shovel their walkways without having to go back an hour later to do it again. The streets were in good condition, though, the plows having gone through constantly since the storm hit.

  Katie, though, didn’t have to worry about that. She didn’t have any interest in grabbing a cab or even walking down
the streets. She had become accustomed to diving off her balcony and flying high in the sky through the buildings around her. It was incredibly cold that day, and Katie had learned her lesson the night before. Flying solo, she had her big thick coat zipped up over her usual outfit, thankful that her wings didn’t seem to disturb the clothes she was wearing.

  She wrapped a scarf around her neck and up over her mouth and nose as she flew, and she had pulled her knit cap down over her ears. But her attention was somewhere else, and she didn’t even feel the wind whipping around her.

  Seriously, I don’t know why I can’t just find this guy. I mean, do you believe Gabriel? I can’t even figure him out lately. He didn’t even ask what was happening. He just barged in to tell me about the portals. I mean, sure, that’s a big deal, but I was seriously focused on finding this demon. All I could see in my mind was Amir lying in that bed, wrapped like a mummy from head to toe and his little girl staring at me with big sad eyes. Damn that Teddy bear she was gripping with everything in her power.

  Katie shook her head, swerving around a small military drone flying low. She narrowed her eyes and turned, flying backward. Looks like they’re trying out new ways to survey the city for demons now. It’s hard enough tracking them down when they’ve already committed a damn crime. I don’t know, maybe I should go back to the scene of the crime again. What do you think?

  Katie was silent for about five seconds before she realized that the entire time she had been flying, she had been fucking talking to herself. She had completely forgotten that Pandora was not there. She was so used to her being quiet in the mornings that the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Great, now I am a psycho, flying around New York talking to my fucking self. This day couldn’t have started off any better.”

  She reached up and pulled the scarf down from her nose and mouth, looking around for a good place to land. Soaring up higher, she spied the top of one of the high rises with limited access from below. The last thing she needed was to land in the middle of a crowd. She was feeling even more anti-social than normal. Her feet touched down softly, but she kept her wings out and slightly tilted up to protect her from the gusting wind and blowing snow.

  Her leather gloves tugged at her skin as she pulled them off, putting them in the pocket of her coat. She pulled her hands to her mouth and blew hot air on them, rubbing them together quickly. “Okay, just summon and get with it. The warmth of the energy should help you.”

  Katie closed her eyes, wringing her hands and then concentrating on the energy in her chest. She grunted as she slammed her hand up in the air, summoning her angelic powers. The armor clanged as it snapped around her, and her hand gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. Blue eyes flashing, she let out a breath and pushed the sword into its sheath on her back. She smiled, feeling the warmth of her powers heating her up. She had always relied on Pandora for that.

  Katie walked across the rooftop and looked off into the distance, aiming toward the bodega. She took flight again, and this time the ice crystals on her wings melted away almost instantly. The sun peeked through the clouds, sending a beam of light down on her. Her armor sparkled brilliantly, sending rays of light bouncing across the sides of the buildings as she passed.

  She turned hard into the street leading to Amir’s bodega and slowed as it came into sight. Her eyes moved in every direction, taking in the people out and about. She didn’t see anyone who made her feel suspicious, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t someone hiding in the shadows. She circled in the air above the bodega, winding farther and farther down toward it.

  As she grew close, there was a twinge in her chest that caught in her throat. She cleared her throat and rubbed the front of her armor. She glanced around, but there was nothing new. Thinking it was a fluke, she continued down, but suddenly her wings jolted her back. The feeling in her chest surged again, and her eyes sparked bright blue. She could feel strong demonic energy, but it wasn’t just coming from below. Her powers were tugging on her, both mentally and physically. She stopped struggling and looked off in the distance where her wings were pulling her.

  Whatever the energy was, her angel senses wanted her to follow it away from the bodega. She glanced down at the shop and furrowed her brow. Without Pandora there, she wasn’t going to make the mistake of not listening to her intuition.

  22

  Turner sat across the table from Eddie, putting a fry in his mouth and shaking his head. “Dude, the horror movies in this day and age are just not like the old ones. The old ones were a mixture of freaky scenes, not too crazy, and you had to use your imagination. In those circumstances, your mind can come up with some fucking crazy shit, dude.”

  Eddie shook his head. “I just don’t agree with you. I mean, with as far as stuff has come in the technology, we can make anything seem real. I like the idea of watching something like the new Chainsaw Massacre. You literally see what it would be like to walk into that fuck’s basement.”

  Turner cringed. “See. The Chainsaw Massacre shit was different, though. That shit was a real story, and they never caught that motherfucker. I know by now he’s probably dead, but he could also be that weird motherfucker who lives down the street. You just never know. I don’t like the ones where the story is true.”

  Eddie nodded. “It can definitely be freaky. So what do you think are the best horror movies?”

  Turner smiled. “This is so easy for me, dude. Definitely Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.”

  Eddie put his hands up. “Isn’t The Exorcist based on a true story?”

  Turner rolled his eyes. “So loosely that it’s stupid. I just really like, or did growing up, that crazy religious horror cult shit. Even if you weren’t religious, just the sight of a crazy-ass demon infecting a girl and…”

  Eddie lifted an eyebrow. “You mean, like real life?”

  Turner pursed his lips. “Yeah. Didn’t see that one coming until it was halfway out of my mouth. Okay, how about you? What are your favorite scary movies?”

  Eddie tapped his fork against the table. “I would have to say The Ring and The Grudge.”

  Turner stared at him, blinking. “Really?”

  Eddie nodded. “Hell, yeah. Definitely. I know they aren’t typical, but the fact that in both of those, there is very little gore and the villain is creepy but not crazy-scary. It is psychological, man. The ringing of the phone after you watch some fucked-up movie… I mean, that fucks with your head. I thought twice about getting on fucking YouTube after watching that thing. And The Ring is the same fucking way. It’s all in your head, but at the same time, visually frightening.”

  Turner sighed. “I don’t know if we can be movie friends, man. I only have one question. What comes to your mind when I say Evil Dead?”

  Eddie tilted his head back, chuckling. “Epic.”

  Turner gave him a high-five. “All right, you may not be that delusional after all.”

  Just then, Sofia appeared in the doorway of the dining hall. She leaned against the doorframe, her hair down in front of her, shading her eyes. She was wearing her nightgown and no shoes. The hall was loud and boisterous, filled with almost all of the soldiers taking lunch at the same time. They had added a ton more tables in there when the military was beefed up, so it felt homey, but at the same time seated a ton of people.

  At first, all of the soldiers were way too busy talking and joking with each other to pay any attention to Sofia. Turner and Eddie glanced at each other nervously, then back at her, knowing they were both thinking the same thing. Sofia looked kind of like someone from one of their movies.

  She started to walk forward, her feet barely lifting from the ground, her body tilted slightly forward. She gripped her fists and took in a deep breath, straightening as if she were trying really hard to look normal but was failing miserably at it. Dragging her feet to the first table in front of her, she looked at the guy who was staring down at the fries on his plate. They all knew who she was, but no one was brave enough to talk to her.


  Sofia reached over and grabbed a handful of fries and shoved them in her mouth, letting several fall to the ground in front of her. The table went quiet, but no one looked up. She turned her head to the right and began to shuffle in that direction. When she reached the next table, she grabbed half a sandwich and did the same, smearing jelly and peanut butter all over her face. She chewed, wiping her hands down her nightgown and grabbed the guy’s drink, tilting her head back and chugging it down.

  She finished and tossed the container over her shoulder, scanning the table. As she reached for another piece of food from someone’s plate, the guy grabbed her wrist and looked up at her. “Hey. Sorry to be a bummer, but that’s mine. Do you need some help or something?”

  Sofia pulled her arm out of his hand with a strength not typical of her stature. She raised her head and looked at him for a moment, swallowing the last bit of food in her mouth. For a moment it looked as if she were struggling in her own mind.

  “I’m pregnant, all right?” she finally said.

  Her head snapped toward Eddie and Turner, and her eyes flashed red. Then she ran out of the room, her shoulder slamming into the doorframe before she took off down the hall. Turner slowly turned his head toward Eddie and they stared at each other for several moments, completely freaked out.

  Eddie swallowed. “Uh, was it just me, or did Calvin’s wife look like a cross between The Exorcist and The Ring?”

  Turner’s breath was shallow. “Yeah, with a little Evil Dead bitterness thrown in there. What just fucking happened?”

  Eddie pushed back his chair. “I don’t know, but I think we should get Calvin.”

  Turner stood up. “Agreed. This is definitely above our paygrade.”

  Katie let her wings be her guide, but she knew where she was going from the moment she took off from the bodega. It wasn’t hard to figure out when she was taking the exact path she had taken the first time she had caught the idiot thugs who had gone out of their way to hurt Amir. As her wings beat, the snow got harder, but she could see the warm neon glow of the bowling alley ahead of her. It was open for business, although no one was really going inside.