by Mary Ting
Everyone’s eyes fell on me.
I squeezed my eyebrows to the center. “I have no idea why she’s picking on me, but you’ve known me for a very long time, Ezekiel. I would have told you if I knew anything. She threw a fishing line and you’re taking the bait.”
I was tired of being scrutinized by a lowly demon. Before I had a chance to think, I pushed a button without knowing what it would do to her.
Kelly shook like an earthquake when lightning zapped her body from all directions. Her lips parted to scream, but the sound could not escape.
“What the hell, Keira?” Daniel pushed me back. “This isn’t your way.”
I stepped to him, face to face. “Maybe you don’t know me. Any way to get an answer is my way. Do you think that thing cared when it tortured our people?”
I stole a glance at Kelly slumping on the ground, its skin still searing. Then it stood and pressed its head and palms against the glass window, blood smearing where it touched.
Kelly hissed, crimson liquid filling in her mouth. “My master is coming. You should be afraid. When I’m freed, I’m coming after you, bitch.”
“Not if I kill you first.” I pressed the button again and again until someone yanked me away.
“Get out. Go take a walk.” Ezekiel’s harsh tone did not startle me.
“I think I will,” I snarled, squaring my eyes at Kelly, and stormed out.
Chapter 20
The Story
Enoch
“You have a lot of explaining to do, Jonah.” I plopped on the sofa. With an elbow on the armrest, I pressed my head to my palm. So much had happened. If I believed in supernatural things, it would be so easy to accept it all. But what I witnessed shouldn’t exist.
So tired. I was so tired. Though my shoulder had healed, it still ached. A reminder I had been attacked by demons.
“I know.” He went into the kitchen and came back with bottles of beer. He opened one cap with a twist of his fingers and handed the bottle to Mayra, who sat across from me, then handed me one with the cap still on.
“I need something stronger than this. Aren’t you going to use your super strength and open mine?” I sounded weary.
“You know, now that you know you’re something other than human, you can do it yourself.” Jonah pushed back into his seat next to Mayra and took a gulp.
I arched my eyebrows and contemplated his words. Staring at the bottle, I pinched my fingers on the cap and twisted it off easily.
Mayra shrugged and crossed her legs. “See. Told you so.”
“I wish I had known earlier.” I practically swigged down half the bottle.
Jonah’s lips tugged up at the corner. “Want to find out what else you can do?”
“We should find out if he can fly.” Mayra let out a wicked giggle.
“I don’t think so.” Now that I knew she wasn’t Jonah’s girlfriend, I gave her the bird.
She laughed even more. I didn’t think it was funny.
“Before we do anything, I want to know more.” I finished the rest of the liquid and tossed the bottle at the trashcan knowing I would probably miss. “Why did Marcus ask me if I had the book? What book?”
“Score!” Jonah shouted. “You should have tried out for the basketball team.”
“Holy shit.” I stood up. I had actually made it into the trashcan fifty feet away. “Cool.” I shook my head when I realized I sounded too happy. “Tell me everything.” I dropped back to the sofa.
Jonah sighed. “This book Marcus spoke about is called the Book of Watchers. Honestly, nobody knows what will happen when the book is opened. All we know is that the person who opened it the first time is the key. They call this being the gatekeeper. Rumor has it that Uriel first opened the book to stop a war. Nobody knows what happened that day except for him. We believe when the book is opened, the archangels will appear and take all the demons with them. The watchers believe that the original watchers will arise to take back Earth. They think because they were created first, they have rights over the mortals.”
I rolled back my shoulders to stretch and scooted closer to the edge of my seat. After I glanced around the apartment, I lowered my voice. “Demons think I am Uriel. How? I don’t understand.”
“It’s been said Uriel and his lover died together. Not by their choice. They were to be reborn after a hundred years passed. Their entwined souls would fall like a fallen star as one and split into two. We believe one went into your body, and we don’t know whose body the other occupied.”
“How do you know it’s me?”
“We followed the nearest fallen star first, and the light led us to you.” Mayra stared at her nails, as if this topic bored her. “And though you can’t see it, a faint light glows around you.”
“Great.” I threw up my hands and punched the cushion. “I’m a beacon. And Father Sam or Samyaza told me the same during confession. A long story,” I added when Jonah lifted an eyebrow asking for more explanation.
“Yeah, you’re a beacon.” Jonah snorted.
“But why now? Why not when I was younger or last month? Why are they after me now?”
Jonah placed his finished bottle on the table and shifted in his seat. “It takes a long time to comb through the sea of billions of people. It took them this long to track you down. You’re lucky we found you first.”
I rubbed my temples and down my nose. It dawned on me that Jonah had been my friend since high school. Had he always looked the same? “Are you always...do you always look like you? Do you look like someone else? Do you age? How long...” Flabbergasted, I smacked my forehead.
Jonah gave me a sympathetic look and Mayra’s eyes held pity.
“To answer your question, I don’t age.” He pointed at Mayra and back to him. “I mean, we don’t age.”
“It’s okay to be scared, Enoch.” Mayra rested her elbow on the armrest. “This is—how should I say it—strange. Unbelievable. I...we understand.”
“I’m not scared.” My voice rose in pitch and I cleared my throat. Great. I sounded like a scared girl.
Mayra hiked her eyebrows and Jonah did the same.
“Okay.” I ran my hands down my face, feeling acid rising to my throat. “I’m scared shitless. You saw those demons. I’m a target. They won’t stop looking for me, right?”
“Pretty much.” Mayra swung her legs to uncross them and hit Jonah’s feet in the process.
Jonah glared at her. “We can prevent this war. It’s up to you, Enoch.”
“How?” I sat taller and inhaled a breath.
Jonah had always been there for me. He had given me hope, even if he didn’t know it. Every time my parents fought or I fought with my dad, I’d gone to visit Jonah. And though he had no idea what I had been through, just being with him cheered me up.
“First, I need to tell you a few things,” Jonah began. “There is an organization called Trinity Order. They are made of representatives from the councils that keep all the supernatural groups in order. One, you have the Daemonium, run by the demons. They actually uphold the law given by Trinity Order. But like all organizations, there are bad demons who don’t follow the rules. Then you have the Nephilim Unification. You met Keira. Half human and half angel. Then you have the rebel watchers, like Marcus and Tanya. For the most part, watchers don’t give shit who they hunt or hurt. They work with anyone that pays them the most cash. I’d bet my life that Malum, the current head of the demonic group, paid them to bring you in.”
“How do you know that?” Mayra sauntered to my bookcase and admired the angel statues. “You have no proof. That’s a strong allegation, Jonah.”
If she broke one of my statues, I was going to let her see a side she’d never seen.
Jonah stretched the length of the sofa and lay there as if he had no care in the world. “Once you’ve been around as long as I have and get to know those bastards, you can pretty much predict their actions.”
Mayra moved my statues around as if they were chess pieces. Sh
e even picked them up one by one and looked under each. “Malum hasn’t crossed the line in decades.”
“No. He has others do his dirty work,” Jonah said nonchalantly. “It’s how he stays out of trouble with Trinity. He doesn’t want his nightclubs confiscated.”
Mayra turned to face Jonah with her arms crossed. “Nothing you’ve told him has anything to do with how we’re going to help him.”
Jonah shifted his legs and placed his arms under his neck, looking relaxed and content. “Hold your wings. I haven’t gotten to that part yet.” Jonah turned to me. “So where is that book, Enoch?”
“What?” I snipped. “I don’t know what book everyone keeps asking me about. And why are you asking me? You already know the answer.”
My patience gave out. I came so close to walking out the door. Unfortunately, I had all kinds of weirdos looking for me.
Jonah swung his legs and sat up, feet planted on the ground in one swift motion. “Tell me who you saw after you left the church. You didn’t just wander around. I know you saw someone. Who was it?”
I swallowed. Though I trusted Jonah, something in my gut told me not to tell. Not to tell anyone. To keep the secret safe with only me.
And why would it be a secret? What did I know when I had no recollection of my past?
I shook my head, unable to meet his eyes. “I-I can’t remember.”
“The hell you don’t.” With a blink of an eye, Jonah sat beside me. His eyes warned me, demanding that I speak the truth.
“Uriel flew down the aisle to save the girl. He took her out of the church. That was when you were gone. I was there, Enoch. I saw it happen. I’m not going to tell Samyaza, but you need to tell me the truth. You need to trust me. Who did you see?”
I could have easily told him a lie, but I did need to trust someone. And it seemed like right then, Jonah was the only one who could help me. He had saved me from the demon. Jonah had proven he could be trusted, right?
“Okay. I lied.” I rubbed my clammy hands together as I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I saw Uriel and that’s all.”
I jolted from Jonah’s excited bounce.
“I knew it. I knew you were Uriel.”
“Oh, wait a minute.” I jerked back and twisted to face him. “You don’t know for sure.”
“Father Sam knows what he’s doing. He said whoever you saw, whoever you attach to is the person you were from the past.”
I scratched the back of my head. “What if he made me see Uriel? What if he planted those visions in my head?”
Jonah looked at me as if I had grown horns. “Why would he do that? What purpose would it serve? We’re looking for Uriel. You can’t fulfill anyone’s destiny beside your own.”
Again, Jonah was right.
“Fine. Let’s say I’m Uriel. But I have no idea what I’m supposed to do.”
I flinched when Mayra massaged my shoulder. In less than a second, she had moved from the bookcase to stand behind me.
“Let’s start by searching for the book.” Mayra bent low and whispered in my ear. “I looked over your bookcase and I didn’t find what we are looking for.”
“He wouldn’t just leave it in plain sight.” Jonah eyed the few books I’d collected. “Uriel would either hide it only where he would find it or keep it with someone he trusted.”
I rolled my eyes. Nothing they said made sense. “Why would I...he...I don’t know this book you talk about. You know very well I don’t read.”
Mayra laced her fingers through my hair again and again. I moaned.
“What does the book look like?” I asked. I closed my eyes and relaxed into her magical hands, coaxing me into sleep.
“It’s not really a book.” Jonah’s voice sounded muffled.
I flinched from the opening and closing of drawers and doors. Jonah was going through my dressers and closet. He didn’t have much to dig through. I hardly had any possessions in our apartment.
“What do you mean it’s really not a book?” I said softly, finding myself falling asleep. So relaxed. Such peace. “You give great head massages, Mayra.”
“I’m not giving you a head massage, Enoch.” Her warm breath brushed against my ear. “I’m digging into your memory.”
I didn’t care if she stripped me naked. It felt so damn good, I wanted to be in that state forever.
“It’s more like a treasure box. It’s silver and has a seven-pointed star on the front.” Jonah’s voice sounded closer than before.
Just as he finished his words, Mayra said, “Got it. Enoch has seen it before. But I don’t know—”
I jolted off the sofa and swayed. My head spun. Dizzy. I anchored my hand on the coffee table and sat. Something had sparked inside me at the same time Mayra had seen the book. It was as if our minds had joined and we had seen it together. I was holding the book, only she didn’t know where I was.
“I know where it is,” I declared.
Jonah and Mayra clutched either side of my arm.
“Let’s go, Uriel. Take us there,” Jonah said.
I didn’t like being called Uriel. That wasn’t my name. But a small part of me acknowledged it as the truth.
The evidence was there. I had to accept it.
Chapter 21
Uriel’s Past
Enoch
When Jonah said let’s go, I hadn’t thought things through. I hadn’t invited my friends to my parents’ house in ages. No need when I had my own place. What would I say to my mom? My dad certainly would kick us out.
“Maybe you two shouldn’t be here. Let me—”
“Enoch.” Jeffrey’s elated voice startled me when he opened the door. “This is your house, too. You shouldn’t feel like you need to wait until someone opens the door. And you brought friends. Just like the old days. Come in. Your mother will be home shortly. She went out with her friends.”
“How about my father?” I couldn’t help the disdain in my voice.
“On a business trip, as usual.”
Though I had no evidence, I was sure he had another family in another state.
“Good,” I said under my breath. “Oh, by the way, this is Mayra and you know Jonah.”
“Yes.” Jeffrey gave a curt nod to Jonah and shook Mayra’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Then he faced me. “Would you like for me to bring you something to drink or eat?”
Father and Mother gone—this was a perfect chance for me to take the book without either of them knowing. “Sure, Jeffrey. Can you fix us some tea and sandwiches? And take your time. I’m going to give them a tour of the house.”
“Sure. Whatever you want.” With that, Jeffrey shuffled away.
I led Jonah and Mayra to the door that looked like a part of the wall. “I have one problem. My parents will know I took the book because of the security camera. Can you do anything about that?”
“That’s my job. Point me to every camera we encounter and I’ll make sure it doesn’t see us,” Mayra said.
I didn’t know how that was possible, but I trusted that she’d done it before and knew what she was doing.
After I punched in the code, the wall slid open. When we stepped inside, Mayra grabbed my shoulder. I whirled from the force of her pull.
“What?” I whispered sharply.
“The code you used to open this room—”
“You can hear the numbers I pressed?” I asked, impressed by her ability.
“Yes, and so can Jonah.”
“What about it?” I asked.
Mayra’s eyes grew wider. “It’s the exact number under one of the angel statues. I wondered why that one specific angel had numbers while the other...” She looked off to the distance. “I’ll need to look at it again.”
That explained her obsession with my angel statues. Now I was curious too. I had never examined the bottom of them. Why would I?
After we entered the vault, the same eerie chills waved through me. When I pointed out the several hanging cameras, Mayra did her thing and Jonah s
hadowed me.
“Wow. Your parents have an impressive stash.” Mayra walked ahead of me to admire the hanging swords.
“We don’t have time to waste. Where’s the book?”
Jonah’s temper unnerved me, and I didn’t like his tone.
“Right here,” I said, standing before the glass case.
The treasure box seemed more stunning than the last time I had seen it. The light reflected a shimmering of silver within, like diamonds sparkling.
“It’s beautiful,” Mayra breathed.
“Can you take it out?” Jonah asked.
I punched in the code, praising Mother for saying the numbers as she entered them. The case whooshed, as if to let out air and the lid lifted. I carefully lowered my hands. The last time, an electric charge had shocked me. I also anticipated an alarm. When neither happened, I relaxed.
“Can you open it?” Mayra asked.
“Let’s find out.” I sat on the sofa, inhaled a deep breath, and tugged at it.
It wouldn’t budge.
I tried again.
Nothing.
I dropped my shoulders in disappointment.
“Are you sure this is it?” Mayra sighed.
I shrugged and narrowed my eyes at her. “Didn’t you see the same image when you went shuffling through my mind without my permission?”
She gave me a sideways glance. “Well, it doesn’t mean I found the book. Your mind showed it to me. So technically I didn’t pry.”
I bared my teeth and slammed my hand on the seven-pointed star. “This has to be—” I never got to finish. As if my palm was the key, the star illuminated and air swirled around. And then like a shooting star, the light blasted the room, coating the walls and the ceiling too. No one and not a thing in the room had been disturbed when the light diminished except—oh God—except for me.
My hands began to glow. The light traveled up my arm then my chest, my stomach, and down my legs until I was wholly covered. Either darkness engulfed the room or I had become too bright to see anything but myself.
Enoch, the boy I had known, disappeared. And though I still looked like him, it was as if I had been just born. And all my memories came at once. I was Uriel.