Archangel Zach

by Lisa Hughey

  As if.

  She had no idea what her subconscious was trying to tell her but she wished it would stop.

  She was haunted by the ocean. The images and feelings of love, joy, and fear were so overwhelming that lately all her work bore elements of water. More and more her paintings had become visions of terror, of the horrifying might of an angry sea. Images of things which she knew she’d never experienced. She never went anywhere near the ocean. Ever.

  Shasa Jefferson trudged toward the kitchen in the dark, groaning at the early hour and hoping she’d left her cell on the counter. The Saltillo tile was frigid beneath her bare feet, and she cursed her mother for waking her up. She’d been in the middle of the dream—as she’d taken to calling the damn thing—again when Mama’s ring tone had harshly torn her out of the disturbing and recurring vision.

  She was continually amazed at the joy her dream self found in the ocean. She always awoke with an aching sense of longing and loss, never sure if the longing was for the man or the water.

  Most days she thought the yearning was for the man, but some days she thought she was longing for the sea. Which was beyond odd. She was terrified of large bodies of water. Always had been. The first time she’d seen the ocean as a little girl, she’d screamed so loud, nearly crazed with fear, her parents got in the car, turned around, and went home.

  She managed to control herself around water nowadays.

  Mostly.

  However she avoided oceans, lakes, bays, and rivers, choosing to live in the desert as far away from water as she could get. The sick fear that rose up in her whenever she was anywhere near a body of water was easy to avoid by living in an arid climate. Even staying away, her pathological, illogical fear of water had only increased as she’d gotten older.

  However, as the fear increased so did the fascination. She was drawn to water with a morbid fear so powerful that she was alternately repelled and compelled. That obsession had fed her painting. Her work had become an ode to the ocean in all its moods.

  Shasa rubbed her eyes, fingers stained with Phthalo turquoise and Bismuth yellow, the colors embedded beneath her short nails. The earthy scent of raw minerals and turpentine permeated her nose. She’d been up late working last night.

  Her cell phone continued to trill sweetly like a waterfall. The sound was at complete odds with her mother’s personality.

  Abruptly the room went silent.

  Within seconds her cell rang again. Shasa snatched the phone from the counter and unplugged from the charger. Her mother had called ten times in the last five minutes. No wonder she’d woken up.

  Everything within her tightened, and fear replaced the mild annoyance at being woken up when she’d barely had a chance to sleep.

  She hit one on the speed dial, her fingers tight on the plastic casing as she waited for her mother to answer.

  Her mother picked up immediately and Shasa let go of some of the tension riding her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I broke both my feet.”

  “What?”

  Her mother’s voice was groggy with pain while she explained what happened. “I need your help,” her mother finished.

  “Of course.” Shasa leaned against the cool, hard cement counter-top, the edge digging into her hipbone and rested her head on the turquoise-stained maple cabinet.

  Her mother continued to drone on, detailing her accident and her current problems in vivid Technicolor. Shasa listened, growing tenser with every second. Acid pitched and rolled in her stomach, then began to edge up her throat as her mother’s plea sunk in.

  Her mother claimed to be an Angel. A Dowser. She told Shasa that she had ‘the gift’. Shasa always just smiled vacantly, hoping her mother wouldn’t force her to admit that she didn’t believe Mama’s bizarre fantasies.

  She loved her mother. But she wanted no part of the odd mysticism that her mother insisted was her heritage.

  “I need you to come take care of me.”

  Everything in Shasa rebelled. No, no, no, no, no. She couldn’t possibly go to Oregon. Her mother lived near three major bodies of water. She couldn’t.

  “What about Duane?” she asked desperately.

  “Haven’t you been watching the news? Huge fires out here.”

  She hadn’t been watching the news. She’d been immersed in painting. The compulsion to record the terrifying images that haunted her was an obsession. So she didn’t have any idea. “So he’s working the fire?”

  Shasa wondered how bad they were.

  “Goodness yes, everyone is working the fire. It’s huge.”

  Dammit. If Duane was gone, she would have to help her mother.

  God, she didn’t want to go to Oregon. The sickness would rise up within her, overwhelming her system, and she’d be nauseous, weak, and dizzy. Kind of like she’d been feeling lately at home.

  “Please, Shasa, baby.” Her mother’s voice trembled with just the right amount of uncertainty. Her mother knew how much she hated being anywhere but the desert. “I’m all alone.”

  Shasa sighed. “I’ll catch a flight in the morning.”

  Two

  Oregon

  Present Day

  Zach had been looking for Uriel for almost three months. Ever since Nora had approached him at the Angelic Realm pool, he’d had little luck in finding even a trace of Uriel, the Archangel of Birth and Renewal. He had no leads on where the missing Archangel had gone, and now that quest was on hold.

  Since the Archangels had uncovered a nefarious plot to harm humans, by the Grigori, the Fallen Angels who had escaped banishment, he had been reassigned. Everyone had been reassigned.

  Zach had been ordered to take a break from looking for Uriel to help Jehudiel stop the Nephilim, the evil hybrid half angel/half humans who, with the help of the Grigori were intent on destroying the humans on Earth.

  Jed, his Angel Luci, and Zach had foiled a Nephilim plot to shut down the internet and block all communications except those who were connected on the Dark Net. It was the first phase in a series of planned attacks. Shut down the internet. Then the Grigori planned to unleash the second phase upon the Earth and trigger tsunamis to wipe out anyone who wasn’t part of the underground Nephilim network.

  They had stopped phase one. But now they needed to stop phase two.

  So all the Archangels were on Earth trying desperately to find their enemies before they could unleash violence in the form of tsunamis upon the unsuspecting human population. His task had changed from finding Uri to stopping the Grigori.

  But to stop the ancient evil Angels they had to find them first.

  The only intel they had to go on was to focus on the Pacific Northwest, Oregon specifically. So after defending Jed and his human Sage in a small but influential Angelic Realm hearing, Zach was back on Earth looking for the Grigori, while Jed and Luci searched for more clues about the upcoming attack in The Book of Angelus.

  After what they’d found in the Nephilim stronghold, the Archangels and Angelic Realm believed they had a limited amount of time before the Grigori launched the next strike.

  Even though his mission had changed, Zach wasn’t about to abandon the search for Uri. With every day the Archangel remained missing, Zach’s guilt grew. His undertaking was now twofold. Find the Grigori. Find Uriel.

  Because once they found the Grigori they would need to bind them again. And they couldn’t do that without Uri. In addition to Uri’s power over fire, he was the only Archangel who could bind the Fallen Angels and banish them back to their prison.

  Based on Luci’s information, Zach thought it was possible that the Grigori were somehow using the power from ley lines to hide their presence. While Zach had a mighty command over water and the power of forgiveness, he could not sense ley lines.

  He needed the aid of his human Angels. A Dowser. A human with extra gifts who could pull water and also had the ability to find the most powerful ley lines.

  So he was, near Portland, Oregon, close to the Colum
bia River and Multnomah Falls, about to enlist the help of Anna Jefferson. The strongest Dowser in the area.

  Mist and rain coated all the greenery with a fine brush of gray. The majestic falls were to his right and the Columbia river only a few hundred yards to his left. Zach breathed in and filled his lungs with the energy and power of the mist. The rain skimmed along his cheekbones and neck, the fine spray permeated the jeans and long-sleeved Henley t-shirt he wore.

  Zach inhaled deeply and absorbed the moment. The falls rumbled from across the arched foot bridge, and tires swished against the damp pavement. The rain on his tongue, the damp curling his hair, the ozone in the air all wrapped around him like a comforting embrace.

  His body drew the water in the atmosphere like a lighthouse drew sailors. The life-giving liquid hydrated and cleansed him at the same time. The rejuvenation was a welcome and familiar process. He’d forgotten how incredible he felt after getting a good dowsing from the elements. It had been weeks since he’d been swimming in the Angelic Realm pool. He needed this moisture even if it wasn’t nearly as satisfying.

  The smell of charred wood slithered through the air and cut through his cleansing rain bath.

  The fires.

  Something about those fires called to him.

  Before he enlisted Anna Jefferson, he decided to take a look at the burn site. Something inexplicable was drawing him toward the wildfire nearby, even as he acknowledged that fire was the yin to his water yang.

  Zach began the climb to the top of the falls. The fire should be visible from there. Even though the footing was tentative, he strode quickly, not even sure why he was taking time from his quest. Only a few brave souls were making the trek to the top of the slippery rocks. Most people huddled in the sturdy, A-frame mountain lodge, sipping their local micro-brew and enjoying the falls while sitting next to the crackling fireplace in the restaurant.

  When Zach reached the top, he could see the fire in the distance.

  He stared at the flames licking into the gray sky. Of course the fire reminded him of his nemesis, Uriel, and his continued absence. Uri who was needed in the Realm. Uri who had an affinity and a love for humans. He used to come down to Earth and just hang out with his humans. Zach had despised him, and envied him, for that joy alone.

  He knew his primary task was to locate the Grigori. And Zach also knew that he was the Angelic Realm’s best chance of stopping the Grigori if they began their water assault on the Earth.

  Uriel was the Archangel who had bound the Grigori in the first place. They needed his skills and his power in order to re-contain both Remiel and the Grigori once they found them.

  But this fight was going to need everyone on board. Every Angel in the Realm and every human on Earth were critical to fight the evil Angels.

  They needed all hands on deck. Their world was changing. In order to fight the Grigori, certain restrictions needed to be changed. There was no time for archaic rules about humans and Archangels mixing. Zach hoped that the Council pulled their heads out of their asses and listened to his defense of Luci Serafim and Jed. The Sage had a beautiful soul and an amazing gift for compassion. They needed her in the fight against their enemies. What they did not need was to punish Luci for loving Jed, the Archangel of Wisdom and Knowledge.

  His heart clenched when he thought of another human who did not deserve to die merely for loving an Archangel. But now was not the time to dwell on his greatest failure as an Archangel and his greatest loss in all his years alive.

  Zach shook off the melancholy and shoved his memories away, into the dark abyss that housed his soul. He needed to focus on now. Needed to focus on finding those ley lines.

  And for that he needed his Dowser.

  Each Archangel had a legion of human Angels on earth. Humans whose power over Angelic gifts aided the Realm and helped keep the humans on Earth safe. Typically these Angels were descended through their mother’s lineage. Only one Angel per generation and only one Angel in the family was gifted with the Vis viva, angelic power, at a time. His Angels’ power was dowsing. The ability to find water and energy. For this upcoming important mission, he needed the most powerful human Dowser in his arsenal. His assistant, George, had given him the location of the strongest Dowser in the area.

  He’d had as little contact with humans as possible over the last few centuries, unwilling to grow attached or put them in danger, which was why he was dragging his feet right this moment.

  Zach knew it was time.

  He translocated to the home of Anna Jefferson. She lived northeast of Portland in a fairly remote area with houses scattered haphazardly along the Columbia river and with plenty of distance between neighbors. Zach knocked on the old cabin’s weathered door. But no one answered.

  According to his internal radar, Anna was home.

  Although he left the training and the management of the human Angels to his undersecretaries, Zach was still connected to every human Angel Dowser. They were under his protection and he was ultimately responsible for their safety and care, even if he left the day to day interaction to his underlings.

  Zach knocked again and thought he heard a faint sound.

  “Hello?” he called.

  Again he heard a warble so he translocated inside the Dowser’s house. He found her on the couch in the cluttered Craftsman living room. “Anna?”

  “Zachariel.” She breathed in awe. Her eyes were rounded as if being in the presence of an Archangel held all the mysteries and secrets of the Universe. But Zach didn’t need adoration, he needed action.

  However when he observed Anna Jefferson, he realized he wasn’t going to get it here. She lay on the sofa in the humble and homey living room, legs propped up on pillows, with both her feet encased in large heavy casts.

  Casts. Not the kind that could be removed but the old-fashioned plaster ones. There was no way she would be mobile enough to tramp around the Pacific Northwest looking for ley lines.

  “What happened?”

  “Broke both my feet.” Her voice was soft, slurred. She was clearly on pain medicine.

  And...there went his Dowser.

  As if she sensed he was about to leave, she said, “Wait, no. Don’t go. This is perfect.” But he didn’t have time to indulge her.

  “Perfect?” He didn’t think so. He’d just wasted time he didn’t have.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.” She beamed at him, her gaze a little hazy. “It’s time anyway.”

  Zach scowled, his mind racing. He needed to figure out who else was close, or he’d have to grab a Dowser and bring them here. Because he was pretty damn sure that the ley lines were important, and that an attack on the Earth was imminent, he needed a serious plan B right now.

  It was possible that if he followed the ley lines, he might be able to locate the Grigori’s bolt holes. He knew that somehow they must be hiding in the force field of the powerful magic lines that crisscrossed the Earth.

  Zach also wondered if there was a possibility that somehow they were using the ley lines to mask Uri’s energy trail. Michael, leader of the Seven Archangels, had been trying unsuccessfully for the past three months to reconnect with Uri’s energy, hoping they could find him from his energy trail. But they’d been shit out of luck.

  “My daughter will be here later today.” Anna interrupted his musings.

  Her statement pulled him out of his dark thoughts and Zach tracked back into the conversation. “Your daughter.”

  “She needs to transition,” Anna said. “I am ready to retire.”

  Human Angels descended from either a matriarchal or patriarchal line. Only one angel in the family at a time had the their angelic powers, the Vis viva, until the current Angel was ready to pass the gift on to the next generation. Typically, the transition process took several weeks of training before the human Angel was ready to complete the process and begin their duties on Earth. The Archangels watched over the human Angels and gave them assistance when necessary.

  Zach didn’t car
e if her daughter needed to transition. An untried human Angel who hadn’t learned to direct her power held no interest for him. He didn’t have the time to deal with this. He needed someone who was on board and ready to go.

  Zach scowled. “I’ll get my assistant to schedule it.”

  “But you need to do the transition,” she implored.

  Not. A. Chance. In. Hell.

  Zach didn’t do transitions any longer. He spent as little time as possible among humans. Ever since Jamaica. He refused to hurt another human unless absolutely necessary. The tsunami of Port Royal haunted his dreams still. She haunted his dreams still. The unforgotten pain was a living breathing force within his body. He didn’t get close to humans, he stayed away. He wouldn’t be here now except for the fact that Michael had ordered him to find the damn Grigori. “My assistant is very capable.”

  “The power within her is immense. My daughter is extremely strong.” Anna pushed herself up higher against the worn sofa cushions. “She will need your help. She has…issues.”

  Issues? Just what he didn’t need. But he wouldn’t tell the mother he had no intention of transitioning the daughter.

  “She doesn’t believe,” Anna stated baldly.

  She doesn’t believe? It seemed impossible that someone who grew up living with an Angel of power could not have any inkling of what lay within her.

  “She’s terrified of water.” Anna went on blithely oblivious to Zach’s rejection of her request to transition her daughter. Anna reached for his hand and gripped his so tightly that her knuckles were white.

  “I need someone right now.” He didn’t have time to wait until this daughter was ready to take over her mother’s responsibilities. His voice was rough with annoyance.

  “She is extraordinarily strong,” Anna said again. The desperation ran deeply through her like a submerged river flowing beneath mountain rock. Her hold on him was strong, and she was frantic in her zeal. He carefully tried to extricate from her fanatical grip even though his interest was piqued. “Stronger than you?” he asked curiously.