Sins of the Fallen

by Karina Espinosa

  “Don’t laugh, Max or I’ll go get those Ninja Turtle boxers you love to sleep in.” He turned around blocking our view of his underwear and pointing a finger at me. I couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Dude, you wouldn’t.”

  “Oh please, Max, I’ve seen you in those so many times,” Angela confessed between giggles. My face flushed scarlet.

  “Don’t think you’re excused from this Ang, I got some dirt on you too,” Jones smirked her way.

  “Shut up!” She threw a pillow at him and she winced from the motion. This must be good.

  “Nope,” he said as she got up from the floor to go after him.

  “Max, you remember our junior high prom when you thought you were going to get your first kiss from Suzie Little?” They had stopped chasing each other and were at a standstill with my dad’s desk in between them.

  “Jones stop! You promised you wouldn’t say anything!” She tried to get him to shut up but we were all crying at this point. Even her.

  “And you remember how she grinded on you all night and then left you to hang dry at the end of the night.”

  “Shut up!”

  “Angie over here felt so bad, that she went over to poor Suzie and scared her into kissing you.”

  “Loran Jones I’m going to kill you!” She jumped over the desk and tackled Jones to the ground. I couldn’t even be mad, it was so long ago. It actually made me feel good that she cared that much. That kiss was the best kiss I ever had; until Angela…or Melanie. It was so good that for a thirteen year old, I thought I was going to get lucky that night. Now I know she was just scared. Ha!

  “What is going on in here?” Xavier walked in and we froze. His face was tight and the slight smirk gave him away. He was trying to stay serious.

  “Nothing.” We responded in unison as he walked in and eyed each of us, his stern gaze ending with me. He let out a sigh and shook his head.

  “You all look like crap, pass me the kit.”

  While he administered first aid to the three of us, he informed us on what was going to happen from here on out. “Now that the archangels are involved, no one should be able to even come near Max. He is their most prized possession. According to them, the fallen angels don’t have all the right details on this whole Nephilim business, but they don’t want to correct them either. The less truth they know the better. Unfortunately, we’re all caught in the middle but as long as we have their protection for Max then everything should turn out fine.”

  “How were you able to contact Samuel?” Angela asked as he bandaged up a cut on her hairline.

  “I might be fallen but I still have some tricks up my sleeve. I’ve known Sam since the creation, so I guess you can say we’re longtime friends.” We laughed at my dad’s poor attempt at humor.

  It all sounded like a happy ending, so why wasn’t I feeling the happy part? I looked to them and they all appeared relieved. Why couldn’t I be as well?

  28

  Everything was in black and white. Angels and demons surrounded me in battle. Swords and daggers gleamed everywhere and amongst the chaos was a single person standing still in the middle of it. I couldn’t see their face clearly but a sense of worry came over me. I tried to hurry toward this individual so they wouldn’t get hurt but I was moving in slow motion. I stretched out my hand but the person suddenly went up in flames. It all happened so fast, I didn’t know I was on fire. I set this person on fire. The screaming was so deafening I hunched over and covered my ears. The smell of charred skin entered my nostrils and I felt the bile rising. I took one final look at the person on fire but it was too late. There was only ash.

  It was the week before winter break finals and things had calmed down. With the Archangels on our side, my family seemed to be at peace.

  Except me.

  Azrael’s words haunted me because I knew them to be true, even when everyone dismissed it.

  The nightmares started the night after the incident at the Devil’s Lair. I couldn’t help but feel responsible because whoever was going to die, would die by my hands if my dreams were accurate. I could never see who it was but this person was engulfed in flames until they were nothing but dust.

  It was the same nightmare, night after night and I was starting to lose sleep from it. Even Melanie was concerned. I couldn’t blame her; I was starting to look like a junkie. I thinned out, with dark circles around my eyes. If I didn’t figure this out soon, I’d be a walking corpse.

  I jogged to the park where I was meeting Angela for training. She was sitting in her work out clothes under the oak tree. Things had gotten a bit better between us, or bearable enough that she could train me again.

  “Yo, what’s up?” She said looking up from the book she was reading, a small smile on her face.

  “Nothing really. Just dropped Mel off at home and decided to run here.”

  Her face scrunched up in a scowl for a moment but then she composed herself.

  “Cool I guess…well Jones will be here in an hour or so. We’ve noticed you’ve lost some weight so he wants to do some combatives and strength training with you.”

  Oh.

  “So are we going to wait for him?” She nodded and closed up her book.

  Okay, this was my queue to talk to her.

  Say something Max, anything.

  “I’m sorry.” It came out low and quickly. She cocked her eyebrow and I elaborated, “I’m sorry about your hand and for kissing you and just being pushy I guess.”

  She sighed, opened her mouth to speak a few times but stopped. Standing up, she shifted her weight and said, “It’s okay, Max. I guess I should apologize as well. What happened to my hand was my fault not yours. I just didn’t expect to be affected by it.” Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion but quickly righted themselves. “As for the kissing, I’d be lying if I said you were wrong. I do have this odd attraction to you. It’s probably the reason why I’ve been such a jerk to you. I don’t understand these feelings.”

  I held my breath. This had been what I was waiting for. Though the feeling of a ‘but’ crawled over me.

  Because there was.

  She shook her head and turned away. “But that doesn’t mean anything, Max. Nothing can be between us. You’re with Melanie and I have something with Jones. Let’s not mess up what we have. I’ve never seen you this happy before and I’ve seen you with plenty of girls, but you’re different with this one.”

  She looked away from me and I felt the awkwardness. No matter what, she was never going to give us a chance. It all sunk in and the realization was like a swift kick to the gut.

  It hurt.

  Knowing that no matter how hard I tried, there would always be her wall in between us and she was never going to let me in. Guilt crept in me as I thought of Melanie. It was so easy to forget her in all the chaos and it was not right that she wasn’t one of my top priorities—like Angela.

  “I can’t say I understand, but I respect your decision. I just need to ask for one favor,” I said.

  She cocked her head to the side.

  “Tone it down with him when we’re together. Seeing you guys sets some things off inside me that I don’t know how to control. The last thing I want is to hurt either one of you.”

  A small smile crept on her face but she quickly concealed it. She nodded in agreement just as Jones walked up to us. Sensing the tension, he gave us a questioning look.

  “You two okay?” He said and we both nodded.

  “Well get up then so I can kick your behind,” he said, with an all too knowing smirk and I think he had overheard our conversation.

  After training I headed over to Tina’s. Since my mom bought the truck, I asked to reduce my hours and I no longer had to wear that horrendous red dress. I just came in to close the shop now. Tina let me off the hook with the whole drag queen thing as long as I didn’t quit. She wasn’t happy because Brittany had to do it, but she compromised.

  I worked the register and ordered from suppliers. I was making
my last purchase when Aiden walked in.

  “Hey lad, how’s it going?” He leaned on the countertop.

  “Nothing man, what you doing in here?”

  He shrugged his shoulders.

  “We haven’t really hung out much and you’ve been looking a bit sick. Are you sure you okay, brother?”

  I looked at him for a while because I didn’t know how to proceed. How do I go about telling him that I think he’s a freakin demon? I mean he had never done anything suspicious except take me to the Devil’s Lair, but that was evidence enough.

  “Max?”

  “Dude, what are you?” His whole body tensed and he let out a nervous chuckle. Yeah, as if that weren’t obvious.

  “What are you talking about lad?” My senses heightened and I noticed his nervous shifting. He would suck at poker.

  “Alright I’ll cut the crap, how do you know about the Devil’s Lair? There’s no way you would have been able to go in unless you are uh…something else.”

  I still couldn’t say demon.

  He stilled and a smirk came across his face.

  “Well it’s about bloody time you figured it out. I was starting to believe you were dumb as a post.”

  I tensed. I didn’t expect him to come right out and admit it.

  “I figured it out a while ago, I’ve just been distracted. You didn’t answer my question though.”

  Yeah, I’d been distracted. I was scared to death at what was coming and worried about why everyone was acting like things were just dandy.

  “Ah yes, I heard about what happened that night. Glad I wasn’t there, but don’t get your knickers in a twist Max, I’m not the bad guy here. Not even close. I am a friend of the Nephilim, sent to make sure you’re protected. The last thing we want is for you to get hurt.”

  Of course, every-freakin’-body wanted to protect me. I couldn’t trust anyone.

  “Right, and I’m supposed to believe that. Great. Well Aiden you can be on your merry way because I’m fine and I don’t need you on protection duty.”

  The bastard still didn’t tell me what he was but I didn’t even care. I didn’t need anyone else worrying about my well-being—another person at risk.

  “You see lad, that’s where we’ll have a wee bit of a problem. Whether you like it or not, I’m sticking around. It’s better if you just accept my help and not fight me on it, brother.”

  Before I could respond, Jones came in and I knew Angela wouldn’t be too far behind.

  The look on his face told me he knew what we had been talking about. Geez, did they have me on surveillance cameras or something? I could have sworn I had my emotions in check.

  “We got a problem here?”

  The smirk on Aiden’s face made Jones clench his jaw.

  “Nah mate, we’re just here pissing the time away. Maybe go out for drinks after Max gets off work.”

  What?

  “Over my dead body,” Jones spit out through clenched teeth.

  Time to diffuse the situation.

  “Hey Jones, what up?” I said, trying to be subtle.

  “Don’t worry, Max; your guardian is just doing his job. No need to deflect the conversation. Better if we all just lay our cards out on the table.” He kept his eyes on Jones and if it wasn’t because I was a dude I would have thought they were having a pissing contest—over me.

  “Well if either of you want to date me, I’m partial to jewelry.” I tried to make a joke but I was the only one laughing. They were still staring each other down. How long could this go on?

  “Good one, Max. They are totally fighting over you, I can feel the testosterone in the air and I don’t know if I should be jealous or if I should congratulate you.”

  Oh thank you sweet baby Jesus.

  Angela walked in the store with her easy attitude and those menacing green eyes. I couldn’t be more grateful. “Now, now boys, settle down. I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. Aiden is it?” He broke eye contact with Jones and sized up Angela, lingering a bit on her hips and back to meeting her eyes. He smiled at her in response. “Well Aiden, I know everyone wants a piece of young Maximillion, but we don’t like to share,” she said.

  He kept eyeing her and I didn’t like the look on his face and I’m pretty sure Jones caught it because his whole demeanor changed. He looked deadly.

  “And you are?”

  “I’m his guardian.” Aiden’s eyes lit up.

  “Well doll, I’m not one for sharing either, but with you I’m willing to compromise. How come I didn’t know about you?”

  Angela kept a steady hand on Jones arm and I knew he was going to pounce. I had to be ready. “Let’s just say I’m a silent party in this matter and there’s no compromising with us. So beat it.” The coldness in her voice dripped icicles and she was getting down to business.

  Not in a million years did I see this happening. The three of us working together. Although I didn’t think Aiden was going to harm me in any type of way and honestly I was sort of curious as to why he was here.

  “Aiden.” They all turned in my direction and it took everything in me to not turn beet red. “You said you’re a friend of the Nephilim. Are you a Nephilim?” That got my guardians’ attention.

  He started walking around the store front, looking at the nail polishes.

  “Good observation, Max. You really are bright but no, I am not Nephilim. I’m the…guardian of one.”

  His words sucked the air out of the room. I was sure all our eyes were bulging out of their sockets because that was how I felt.

  I also had a sense of relief. This had to be the best news I’d had in a while. This was the help we needed for whatever was coming because if my dreams were telling me anything, it was that this peace was the calm before the storm. Someone was coming for us and I didn’t think the archangels were going to be able to stop it.

  Angela, didn’t flinch. I envied her sometimes. Jones on the other hand, looked as I felt and I fought the urge to snort. He glared at me before he spoke and I stifled my laugh.

  “Where is this other Nephilim? Shouldn’t you be protecting him?”

  Aiden walked over to the door, looking out. I didn’t know if he was signaling for someone or just making sure no one was coming in. He opened it like he was about to leave, over his shoulder he said, “I came to make sure Maximillion is protected. My Nephilim is strong and quite old; he can take care of himself. Max on the other hand, needs all the protection he can get. They’re coming for him.” He stepped toward the door, but I had one more question,

  “Wait! The day we played soccer at the park,” I said, “why were those guys singling me out?”

  His ‘I know it all’ expression fell and his response was simple, “they were friends with the Wrath before you.”

  Just like that he was gone. Out the window I saw him climb onto his Harley Davidson and head out of the parking lot. I was at a loss for words.

  Was I shocked? No. It seemed nothing could surprise me anymore. Not even hearing about the Nephilim I replaced.

  I closed up shop and we all got in Angela’s Jeep and headed home. Surprisingly, we agreed to keep this new information from Xavier. Knowing how adamant he felt about not finding other Nephilim, this would put him in a frenzy and he would probably move us all to Antarctica or somewhere so resolute we’d never be found.

  Passing by the kitchen before I headed upstairs I saw my parents in there talking. From the hand holding and whispers, my dad was apologizing. Good. This cold shoulder he’d been giving her had to end.

  One thing I never realized until all this drama unfolded was how much my parents cared for each other. I’d never seen them fight, yell or even get mad at one another until recently. Heck, my dad gave up everything to be with her, even while knowing that her mortal life was short and he wouldn’t have forever with her. When it counted, he chose her. I could only hope I’d have that one day.

  There was no point in ruining their moment, so I went to bed without dinner
, which I didn’t mind since I had some snacks around my room. I stripped to my boxers and grabbed the basketball shorts from under my bed. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror and I didn’t even recognize myself. I had never questioned my genes. I had always thought I was just lucky. Never having to work out and still be lean and built no matter what I ate. I thought my height came from my mother but now I’m not so sure. I never suffered from acne or a bad hair day—I never suffered from anything. I had the perfect life.

  Had.

  Now, I wasn’t so sure. Even with the lack of sleep and the weight loss, I still looked pretty good. It didn’t feel fair, but I didn’t want to be ungrateful.

  I laid down in bed and my thoughts ran over to Angela. Jones was staying with her and I wondered if they were sleeping together. I hoped not. God, I hoped not. That would drive me crazy knowing they were right next door.

  Oh crap.

  The heat in my stomach sparked and I knew at any moment the flames would appear.

  Calm down, Max, he’s sleeping in the guest bedroom. Relax.

  Oh sweet baby Jesus, thank God for her telepathy. The last thing I needed was for my mom to get upset for burning the bed down.

  Yeah, Emily would have a fit. She just bought you that bedroom set.

  Okay Angela, you can get out of my head now. Unless you can’t sleep?

  I can sleep, I just know you can’t. Those nightmares still buggin’ you?

  Yeah. Especially after talking with Aiden today, it only confirmed the dreams. I just don’t get how you guys can be so calm about it.

  We’re not, Max. We’re scared too—we just do a better job at hiding it. It’s our job to keep you safe. You have nothing to worry about because we would never let anything happen to you.

  I’m not worried about myself, Angela. My dream shows one of you guys dying. That’s what I’m scared about. Even the archangels said they can’t protect you.

  We know, Max and like I said before, it’s our job. Every single day we’re at risk, the stakes are just higher now, that’s all. Let’s change the subject, how are you and what’s her name?