by Maya Daniels
“Helena just showed Eric who wears the pants in the relationship.” Gasping for air, she sweeps her fingers under her eyes and wipes the tears away. “I would’ve paid to see this!”
“This is so not funny!” Managing to squeeze the words through my numb lips, I gingerly walk towards Eric. “I’m…” Clearing my throat and ignoring Maddison’s continuing laughter, I swallow the lump that lodged there. “I’m sorry, Eric. I have no idea what I did.”
“You did nothing, Hel.” Finally lifting himself off the sofa, he looks at it, grimacing. “It’s that asshole’s fault.” Stabbing an accusing finger at Raphael, he takes a threatening step towards him. “He fucking mixed his fingers where they don’t belong!”
“I did no such thing…” Raphael stutters, but Maddison laughs harder, silencing all of us to stare at her like she’s lost her mind. “You think she’s okay?” Stepping away from her like she is a ticking bomb, the Archangel inches his way towards Eric and me.
“You and Eric are stupid!” Her laughter stops, and Maddison glares at Raphael like he insulted her. “It’s either that, or I have no idea what to say to the two of you.”
“What are you talking about?” Eric growls at her, clenching his fists harder the closer Raphael comes to where we are standing.
Ignoring him, as is her habit I’ve noticed, she looks me up and down. I squirm. “How old are you, Helena?”
The question is so out of left field that my brain short-circuits for a split second. I answer automatically, out of habit when someone asks a simple question. A passerby says, “How are you,” your automatic response is “Fine, and you?” Even if you are not fine at all. “I’m twenty-one.”
Maddison smirks, watching Raphael pointedly first, then Eric. They stare at her, confused along with me, because apparently, I’m stupid too, since I don’t get it either. Slapping a hand on her forehead with a resounding slap, she huffs a breath and shakes her head. “Let’s sit. This is one of those things I guess I have to explain, although it should be obvious to these two knuckleheads.” Waving a manicured hand with red painted nails at the men, she strides and sits primly on the sofa that I didn’t push away with my new She-Hulk ability.
Eric pulls the sofa back towards the coffee table, Raphael and him sitting on it next to each other, forcing me to suppress a laugh. They look like children at the principal’s office after they got into trouble, their dislike of each other forgotten, bonding in hopes to get out of whatever trouble they’re in. Since we are acting like five-year old’s, I go and sit next to Maddison, making her grin at me, which she follows with a wink.
“Well, children.” Clapping her hands like a teacher, Maddison smiles demurely at them. I burst out laughing but stifle it down after a second. Waving a hand for her to continue, I close my mouth, biting the inside of my lips. “We have obviously forgotten that our dear Helena here”—one of her hands moves up and down in my direction like I’m a specimen in an exhibit— “is not a human, regardless of how she’s been raised.” She looks at Eric and Raphael expectantly. “No? Nothing?” Groaning, Maddison twists her lips in displeasure. “She’s twenty-one, you idiots. Raphael was right that she was feeding off him while Michael had her in that awful place. He was wrong that he was making her more ‘angelic,’ however. She was only replenishing her own energy because she was depleted with what was happening to her. I’m sure Michael didn’t help with it either. She’s been coming into her powers since her birthday. I’m sure this is not the first thing that popped up.” Turning to me, she watches me intently. “Anything unusual happen since your birthday before this?” At my confused face, she clarifies, “Any dizziness, bursts of energy? Unexplainable things happening?”
Eric and Raphael perk up at her words, turning to each other with a look on their faces that says, “Oh, yeah,” but I’m still confused. “Uhm…I can’t think of anything off the top of my head.” And just like always in situations like this, my mind supplies unhelpful reminders of everything unusual that has happened.
Maddison was frowning, but at my guilty look, she perks up. “What was it?” Leaning eagerly towards me, she grabs both my hands in hers.
Doing my best not to glance at Eric, I keep my focus on her. “Apart from actually fainting a couple of times, which I thought was from anxiety…actually, now that you mention it, I’m not so sure it was that. There were a couple of other things too.” Squirming, my heart is beating like a hammer against my ribs. “The rogues stopped trying to kill me. They were trying to capture me. I thought it was because of the blood that one of them got from me, but now that I think on it, it started right before that. And I was also able to see other demons, not just the rogues. Until the night Amanda died, I’ve never seen anything but the rogues.”
With a satisfied smirk, Maddison releases my hands and folds hers in her lap, then she shoots the two men an arrogant glance. Raphael looks like he has swallowed a hot potato, his yellow eyes pulsing with light. Eric, on the other hand, watches me intently through a narrowed gaze, like he is trying to see through a glamour I’ve put on myself. Glaring at him, I lift my chin defiantly. The wicked grin that spreads on his face makes me almost slide into a puddle on the floor.
Eric
Maddison has an excellent point. I am stupid for not realizing this straight away. I was going to tell her again that there is a reason why she is the brains of our operations, but the arrogance coming off her at the moment changes my mind. I’ll be hearing about this for years to come, so I might as well keep it to a minimum. I think Helena was expecting to get a reaction like the one she received from the Order when her bloodline was revealed. She couldn’t be more wrong.
This changes everything.
Blowing a breath through pursed lips, she looks at Maddison for answers. It eats at my pride that my mate can’t turn to me, but I don’t blame her. My own stupidity and acting before thinking brought us here. She is wise to look at my cousin for help. I also feel the Archangel next to me practically quivering in his attempt to stay quiet.
“So, what does all this mean?” Glancing at us, Helena wiggles in her seat to better face Maddison.
“It will take a full year or two until your strongest attributes show themselves.” Tilting her head left and right, Madison sighs. “That is the case for demons and angels alike. I’m hoping it’s the same for you, but…you are a special case, for lack of a better word. You have both traits, which means you’re either the same as the rest of us, or we will get surprises as we go.”
“Great!” A frown forms on Helena’s forehead. “I’m the freak amongst the freaks. I can’t even get that right.”
“You are not a freak!” Raphael bursts out next to me, and I almost jump out of my skin. Turning to glare at him does nothing because he wouldn’t take his eyes off my mate.
“Says you, one of the holy asses.” Waving a hand dismissively at him, Helena stays lost in her thoughts.
Maddison snorts.
“Michael is the holy ass. I’m just holy,” Raphael says, defensively making Maddison laugh outright, and even Helena’s lips twitch at that.
“Touché, holy one, touché.” Smiling at him, my mate locks her gaze on mine. “No comment, monster boy? You got stuck with the queen of freaks. How unfortunate for you.”
“But you forget one thing, she-devil. You’re my freak.” I know my eyes are pulsing with amber light because she does that to me.
“You must know how messed up that sounds when the son of Lucifer tells you that you are ‘his freak.’” Her lips curl slightly at that but it’s gone in an instant. “All joking aside, what now?” Glancing from one of us to the next, Helena wipes her hands on her thighs. “I don’t have time to wait for whatever it is going to manifest. Hector doesn’t have the time.”
“You’ll be okay, Helena,” Maddison cuts me off when I open my mouth. “We will take it one step at a time and guide you.” Glancing sideways at Raphael, amusement dances in her gaze “We are more than equipped for it in this unlikely b
and of brothers in arms.”
“We will deal with it as it comes, Hel. Now that we know what’s going on.” Beaming, I give her a reassuring nod. “You’ll be fine. I have no doubt.”
“You seem to always have more faith in me than I do.” Her words are soft like she’s not aware that she spoke out loud. “All this is taking too long; the daylight is almost gone. What’s our plan? First, get Hector out, then meet Michael?”
“I think it’s best to go that route. I know you won’t be at your best if you keep thinking about what Hector is going through.” Remembering my earlier question, I lean my forearms on my knees, making sure I don’t miss a twitch of her muscles. “Why aren’t your guns on you? You didn’t want them further than an arm’s reach.”
Shifting uneasily on the sofa, Helena stares at the coffee table for long moments before turning to me. “I don’t know, Eric.” Her distressed look makes my gut tighten “When I touched them after you guys got me out of that cursed, loony place, I felt nothing. I always felt calm when my skin touched the metal, or when the weight of them was in my hands. But, now…” Shaking her head, puzzled, she glances at Raphael as if she’s uncomfortable saying it in front of him. “They are made with blessed metal, using blessed bullets and all. Yet, I felt nothing. Like they are not my guns, although I know they are. I thought maybe the demon in me is stronger than the angel, at least that’s how I explained it to myself. Whatever it is, they’ll be useless to me now. The bond is broken…it’s the only way I can explain it.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Raphael growls, leaning towards her as well. “The powers manifesting now are angelic.”
“Are they now?” Maddison pipes in, shooting daggers at the Archangel through her eyes. “And who said that? You?”
“Guys!” Helena snaps, cutting off the argument that was about to start. “I’m not a damn toy for you to argue over. Geez! It’s my life we are talking about!” Glaring at both of them, she shocks me, even more, when her green eyes pulse with a strange light, something between amber and gold, like liquid fire. “Can we focus on not arguing and help the freak?” Taking a deep breath, she releases it slowly “Please!”
“You don’t need the guns.” I surprise myself as well as her. “You are well trained. Don’t you remember how many hunters you put out of commission with a mop handle?” Her lips twitch at my words, but there is fear lurking in her gaze that doesn’t sit well with me. “The guns are just an object that you used to center yourself. To concentrate on doing what you do best. You don’t need them. What you need is to stop doubting yourself. And stop worrying if you are more demon or angel. You are Helena. That’s all that needs to matter.”
“Was he always this philosophical?” Not looking away from me, Helena asks Maddison. I glare at her.
“No, I can’t say he was.” Musing, Maddison give me a scrutinizing look. “I think you bring that out in him. Who would’ve thought? Ha! The king of ‘I don’t give a damn’ was wise somewhere deep inside.”
“We don’t have time for you to make fun of me!” Squeezing the words through clenched teeth, I turn my glare from Helena to Maddison. When together, these two will be the death of me. “That being said—” Without warning, my arm shoots out, fast as lightning, punching Raphael square in the face and flinging him off the sofa. “Ahhhh…that felt good!”
“You miserable exc—” Raphael’s angry growl cuts off, probably remembering that he is an angel and cussing is not something the righteous assholes do.
“That’s for pissing me off all day.” Lifting myself off the same sofa the sprawled Archangel shared with me until a moment ago, I pull a stunned Helena to her feet. “You’re expending too much energy because of all these new powers manifesting. You need food.” I start dragging her towards the kitchen. She must still be stunned from me punching Raphael because she follows me without argument. “Let’s get something in your belly.”
“I’m all for food if you’re cooking!” Maddison jumps up and follows us excitedly, snickering when she walks past Raphael.
“I will get you back for this demon. Don’t you worry.” Lifting himself off the floor, Raphael reluctantly joins us, rubbing his jaw.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of you yet.” Glancing over my shoulder, I smirk at him before pulling a chair and pushing Helena to sit. “You are known for your vicious fighting, after all.” Chuckling at my mocking tone and his reddening face, I turn to the fridge and begin pulling foodstuffs to feed my mate.
We all eat, lost in our own thoughts. I keep glancing at Helena, but she doesn’t notice. Her eyes keep flicking from side to side, her mind going through everything that was said no doubt. I let her process it all without disturbance, glaring bloody murder every time Maddison or Raphael open their mouths to break the silence. Wisely, they keep quiet, staring at their plates. When Helena finishes her food, I push my plate away and grab her hand, guiding her to the bedroom. She is watching me questionably but allows me to lead her away. After closing the door to the world, I hug her to my chest for a long moment before making sure she is laying down on top of the covers. One of her eyebrows goes up when I’m still standing next to the bed and haven’t ripped her clothes off to shreds.
“You need to rest, too.” I know what’s coming and I’m prepared for it now.
Her eyes narrow angrily at me as a wave of power slams into me like a bull.
“Don’t you dare or you’ll pay for it!” She pushes on her elbows, trying to lift herself up, but I’m faster.
“Sleep.” My voice is deeper than usual, and her lids flutter before closing. “I know you’ll make sure I pay for it,” I tell my sleeping mate, kissing her forehead while inhaling her scent. “I’ll gladly pay whatever you need, as long as you are at the top of your game.”
Helena
Watching the city of Atlanta pass in a blur through the window of the SUV, my mind keeps going back to everything Maddison said. Whoever it is that is creating our destinies, or fates—whatever you want to call it—must be a bigger bitch than karma. Like I didn't have enough on my plate right now, I had to be going through some transition, or transformation, like some larva coming out of a cocoon. A grunt from the back seat makes me glance at Maddison.
She is driving, and I’m sitting shotgun, leaving Eric and Raphael in the back seat. After the jerk made me sleep against my will, he is in the doghouse. Hence, he had to begrudgingly climb up in the back next to Raphael. Although the vehicle is large enough to have a soccer match in the back, it's not big enough for both their egos to fit nicely inside. As if they are toddlers, they keep pushing, shifting, and elbowing each other, and they’ve been doing it ever since we left the parking lot of Eric's building.
An ungraceful snort escapes my lips, followed by one coming from Maddison at the shifting, then another grunt from the children in the back. Since I woke up, after a few hours of sleep that I needed but would never admit to needing, I made it my mission to make him suffer.
Successfully so far, I might add.
Changing my clothing to fit my new mood accordingly, I waltzed out of that bedroom. Dressed in leather pants that hugged my body like a second skin, a black tank top layered on top of a white one—symbolic for my half-demon half-angel bloodline—a leather vest tight around my waist, and calf-high black boots pointy enough to be used as a cold weapon if needed. All that just to irk him. It’s been fun. I've been feeling his intent gaze like a physical caress all over my body, his glowing amber orbs following me like the predator tracking prey. It makes my blood pump faster through my veins, warmth spreading all over me. I might've put an exaggerated sway to my hips just to gloat as part of his punishment. He will think twice before doing something stupid like that again.
Eric managed to surprise me as well. He changed out of his trademark leather pants, wearing jeans that are sitting low on his hips and, as usual, a tank top hugging his torso, outlining every dip and curve of his muscles. I pinch my forearms a few times to snap out of it wh
en I catch myself following his body movements. Luckily for me, he didn't see it. I'm still winning this game. For now.
"Again, why are we going to your office first?" Raphael sounds pained, my smile stretching from his discomfort.
"I made a few calls and I need to pick up something important before we storm the Order." Grinning at me, Maddison does her best not to show it in her voice. She sounds dead serious.
Eric mumbles something intangible, huffing and puffing like the wolf in front of the piglet's house. I have to force myself not to allow my shoulders to shake when all I want to do is laugh. A few minutes later, we turn into the parking garage where I first met Maddison. The tension in the car skyrockets when she guns the SUV, heading straight for the wall. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I see the horrified expression on Raphael's face, much like my own when Eric brought me here, I imagine. His eyes squeeze shut for a while before one eyelid peels open. Both his eyes open wide and he leans between the two front seats to stare around us. Eric is not happy about the Archangels reaction, but that doesn't seem to faze Raphael at the moment. He looks like a kid taken to Disneyland for the first time.
"Don't forget to breathe, Raphael." Laughing, I slap his face playfully. He grins at me eagerly.
"I always wondered how they stayed off the radar, and how come we could never pinpoint where they were." Still smiling, he keeps twisting his neck to look around at everything at once.
"It better stay that way if you want to keep your feathers!" Eric growls from behind me.
"I would never tell a soul, demon." Raphael sounds insulted, his smile slipping off his angelic face.
"You can't help but be a party popper, monster boy. Can you?" Unable to pass up the opportunity, I make a jab at him.
I don't hear everything he says, apart from this not being a joke, because Maddison parks and we jump out of the vehicle. Raphael scrambles out from the back, no doubt eager to see more. Eric, on the other hand, slams his door with a lot more force than necessary, walking purposely towards me. Instinctively, I try to move faster before I catch myself.