“Some very disturbing news unfortunately.” His dark eyes scanned over toward me and he adjusted his robe. “Jeremiel has gone missing.” The gasp that escaped me was a little over the top but I was too shocked to care. Jeremiel? How could this happen? He was an archangel and more powerful than any angel here on earth.
“But how? Why would he disappear? Is he fallen now?” I demanded, standing by my dad at this point.
“Young Maximillion, I don’t think you understand. Jeremiel has not disappeared on his own free will. He’s been taken.” That was the last thing I would have expected to hear. I stared ahead with my mouth hanging open, trying to understand what I’d just been told. Jeremiel, an archangel, had been kidnapped.
Feeling Jones come to my side, and before he even did it, I knew his hand was going to my shoulder trying to calm me down.
“How could you let this happen? Do you know where he might be?” The overflow of questions poured out and I felt myself panicking.
“Max,” my father warned, but I didn’t care if I was talking to some high-up-on-the-food-chain archangel. I needed answers.
“Its fine, Xavier. From my understanding, Maximillion and Jeremiel had gotten close recently, which is why I’m here delivering the news. We don’t know who could have done this yet, this is all a mystery.” Samuel took a seat again on the sofa and rubbed his forehead, evening out the wrinkles.
“Has the link been severed?”
“No, we still feel him so we know he’s alive. It’s just not strong enough to give us a location. Whoever has him is keeping him barely conscious.”
The thought of Jeremiel being tortured made the hairs on my arm stand. I gripped my shirt at the chest and shut my eyes as hard as I could. The heaviness in my heart reached a point where I could barely breathe.
“Max, are you okay?” Angela walked in and asked, but I couldn’t answer. I didn’t want to see the disappointment on everyone’s face when they saw how weak I was, but it was all too much. Everything that had happened to me since the night of the party was just too much. Nobody should have to live through this.
“Why?” I croaked out as soon as I was able to calm myself. I strained to speak because the pain was too much. I still clutched at my chest as I opened my eyes, staring directly at Samuel. “Why is this happening? Why now? I don’t understand how everything can turn to chaos in only a few weeks,” I practically screamed as the archangel cleared his throat and straightened himself to speak.
“Well Maximillion, I don’t know why this is happening, but this is life. They’re always good and bad things that happen to everyone.” He looked around the room to the rest of us for someone to agree with him but no one did.
“No,” I challenged him, “I find it incredibly hard to believe that you didn’t know about me and everything else. I think you know it all but you’re refusing to say anything. I think you threatened Jeremiel to the point where he couldn’t tell me either because I know he knows. So I’ll rephrase, what is going on?” The archangel’s eyes darkened and he was fighting a grimace that wanted to consume his face. I held firm and maintained eye contact without wavering and was surprised when he looked away first.
Standing up, he folded his arms and cleared his throat again.
“I believe I’ve overstayed my welcome. If I have any news on Jeremiel, I will send a messenger.” And just like that Samuel vanished into thin air.
33
The next five minutes after Samuel’s departure were the longest and quietest five minutes of my life. It seemed like everyone was holding their breath in the aftermath. I couldn’t tell if they were upset or not, so it just made my anguish worse. Not that I regretted speaking up—even if I was out of line talking to someone with his rank—but things were just not adding up. I might have been new to all this but I was not a complete idiot. We made these discoveries and none of them line up with one another: the succubus found me by sheer chance; my dad had no idea what I was; the sudden appearance of Azrael and Aiden; the attack at The Devil’s Lair; and now Jeremiels kidnapping. I couldn’t connect the dots, at least not on my own. Everyone had a different theory about what they needed me for but I was starting to believe that none of it was true. As if it were some cover story for what they really wanted or were trying to hide.
“I don’t mean to pry Max, but I think you’re on to something,” Angela said. She explained how she was listening to my thoughts and recanted my questions and went on, “He’s right, Xavier. The fallen angels believe he’s going to free them by tilting the balance between good and evil here on earth, but not even the Nephilim have that much power to control the masses like that. The succubus and Azrael didn’t want to hurt him, but use him for God-knows what. Now Aiden’s here to protect Max from what? We don’t know but he’s a guardian and that speaks volumes. The lines between right and wrong are starting to blur and I don’t know if I trust anyone…not even the archangels. Samuel’s hiding something. We know that for a fact by his quick departure.”
My dad nodded his agreement but I knew what he was going to say even before he said it: “Your intuitions aren’t completely off, I guarantee that. But we cannot go about speaking ill of the archangels. Especially the two of you.” He pointed at Angela and Jones. “Unless you desire to become a fallen angel like myself, I suggest you both walk the line like you’re bound to do. None of this sits well with me either, but our choices are limited in the matter at this moment. Right now we need to sit in the background and watch how this unfolds and pray to the one above that they find Jeremiel soon.”
I couldn’t disagree with him because at this point they were too many unknown variables and any wrong move we made could carry some serious consequences. Jeremiels disappearance wasn’t random; it had to be connected with what was going on. And by the looks on their faces, I wasn’t the only one with these suspicions.
The nightmares returned that night but they were different. I was no longer seeing who was going to die by my hand. I saw Jeremiel. No matter how much I tried running to him with my arms stretched out, I wasn’t able to reach him—like I was running in place. After some time, all I saw was a hand too big to be human with nails that were long, pointed and rotten, reach out for Jeremiel and pull him into the darkness. Once he disappeared, I fell into the pits of the abyss and woke up with a start.
I went over this dream during Chemistry class, trying to find a clue or a meaning to it but I drew a blank. If it wasn’t for Melanie who snapped me out of my thoughts, I might have stayed rooted in my chair for the rest of the day.
By my last class I had racked my brain so much that I was a complete zombie. Not paying attention, I ran into Mr. Delaney, my history teacher. Knocking some of his books and papers to the ground, I dropped to a knee and helped pick them up.
“Ah Mister Taylor, what a pleasant surprise.” Once he had everything in order, he looked around the hallway and back at me. “And where is Miss Walker? You two seem to be attached at the hip.” Scratching my head, I looked towards the double doors that led to the student parking lot; wishing I had paid more attention to where I was going.
“Uh…yeah she has a thing going on with student government, I think. She’s going to catch a ride with her friend.” Shifting my weight between my feet, I tried to express how much in a rush I was to get home, even if it was just to hole up in my room and drown myself in my own thoughts.
“Hm, I see.” He peered over his glasses. “Mister Taylor why don’t you come into my classroom for a moment, I want to show you something. I promise it will only take a minute.”
Without waiting for a response, he walked back into his room and I was forced to follow.
I sat down where he directed and my right leg started to bounce, anxious to get off school property and back home for an uneventful family night. I didn’t notice Mr. Delaney’s intense stare, at least not right away.
Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, I started to look around the empty classroom—anywhere just to get out from under
those scrutinizing eyes that were making me shift in my seat.
“You know Mister Taylor, everyone has a purpose in life, whether it’s to lead, follow, create, etcetera. But we tend to let anger, heartache, and even ignorance—as well as other emotions—stand in the way of fulfilling the destiny that has been paved for us. All because of the fear of the unknown. Yes, the unknown variable is frightening.” He took off his glasses and with a handkerchief from his left breast pocket, he started cleaning the lenses. “And yes, it is much easier to stay away from it all, but when we are destined for remarkable things, we are caught in a crossroad of choices and sometimes the dangers outweighs the reward. It’s never easy, but it’s a choice none the less and one that is quite the burden.”
As he stood in front of his desk with his glasses back in place, I realized this conversation had nothing to do with schoolwork.
“Mr. Delaney, I’m sorry but I don’t think I’m following.”
He smiled in understanding. Reaching into his pocket, he walked over to me and laid something on my desk. I looked down to see a gold ring with a blue stone in the middle. It was similar to my senior class ring in shape and size but that was it as far as comparisons go. Around the stone and band, were writings in an unfamiliar language. With my pinky, I brushed over the blue stone and it felt like ice.
“It’s a blue sapphire gemstone. It is said that this ring is a talisman of sorts and offers protection and knowledge to the one who wears it, as long as their intentions are pure,” Mr. Delaney leaned over my desk and whispered as if it were a huge secret.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because Mister Taylor, I want you to hold onto it for me. It is many centuries old and I need someone responsible who will keep it well preserved.” I furrowed my eyebrows and looked back down at the ring.
“I’m sorry Mr. Delaney but I’m not so sure I can keep this for you. I’m just a kid, aren’t you concerned that I might lose it or sell it for some quick cash?”
I’d known Mr. Delaney my whole life. He had seen me grow up and had been my teacher for many years, so I knew I wasn’t a stranger to him, but at the end of the day, I was still a seventeen-year-old teenager.
“Ah Mister Taylor, on the contrary; your concerns alone lets me know that it will be in good hands,” he said as he grabbed my hand, and placed the ring in the middle of my palm, closing it into a fist around the coldness, “but if you fear the loss of it, the best way to remedy that is to just wear it. Who knows, it might help you find your purpose in life.” Taking a step back, he gathered his things from his desk and walked towards the door, leaving me in a state of confusion.
“Come now Mister Taylor, it is getting late and you need to get home.” I scrambled from the desk and fell in step behind my history teacher, slipping the ring onto my right middle finger.
34
I parked in the driveway, thinking about what Mr. Delaney had said. If he would have done a few months ago, I would have thought he was crazy. But now, not so much.
As I repeated our conversation in my head, I become convinced that my history teacher knew about me. I was also pretty sure he was trying to advise me on something, though I’m not so sure it was about current events…and then there was the ring. Protection? Knowledge? Sounds nice but could I trust him?
Angela was right about one thing last night, and that was that we were at a point where we couldn’t trust anyone at this moment. Even if they meant well, we couldn’t take the risk.
I smelled my mom’s cooking as I went past the threshold. My stomach groaned in anticipation. What I didn’t expect to see was the three women in my life together in one room—getting along. I stood in the door frame and watched them laugh and help each other out in the kitchen.
Melanie with her innocence plain as day, smiled brightly when she caught sight of me at the door.
“Max! You’re home!” She hustled over to me and I wrapped my arms tightly around her in a hug.
“I was hoping to get home sooner but I got caught up with some stuff at school. Not that I don’t mind, but what are you doing here?” I asked Mel and she pulled away from our embrace.
“Oh sorry, I hope it doesn’t bother you that I’m here. I ran into your mom and Angela after student government and they invited me over for family night. I can go if you’d like, I didn’t mean to crash.” I couldn’t hold in the laugh that escaped. She never wanted to step on anyone’s toes. People might take that as a weakness, but I knew it was just her being polite. Before I could respond, my mom swatted her comment away with her spatula.
“Nonsense Melanie, you’re family now so I expect you here every Thursday night from here on out.” Even with my mother’s reassurance, she still looked to me for confirmation, and I looked to Angela.
“Mel of course it’s not a problem.” I wrapped my arm around her neck and pulled her into me and whispered, “I love having you around and Thursday nights are now going to be my favorite day of the week.” I kissed her lightly on her forehead and saw her radiant smile and the pink blush that crept up her cheeks. She only nodded in response and went back to work with my mom. Angela kept quiet the whole time and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was okay. I had never introduced Mel to my parents so I assumed Angela did, and after that day in chemistry class, I didn’t know how I felt about that.
I excused myself from the kitchen and went to my dad’s study, knowing he would be there. With the door slightly ajar, I heard whispers but couldn’t make out what was being said. Instead of eavesdropping, I decided to knock and enter.
My dad and Jones were huddled around the desk with a map spread open.
“Hey, what are you guys up to?” I plopped myself down on one of the sofas.
Letting out a deep breath, my dad pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re trying to figure out where to go.”
“What?”
“Max, I don’t think it’s safe here anymore. Jones and I have been considering your questions last night and they’re not far-fetched. If you are correct in your assumptions, then too many people know of your whereabouts. It’s time we start thinking about relocating, starting fresh.” He looked defeated and I hated the fact that I had caused this, even if it was unintentional. If I weren’t Nephilim, this wouldn’t be happening. Hell, if I’d made better choices, this wouldn’t be happening.
“Is it that bad?” He nodded but didn’t say a word. “Okay then, is there anything I can do to help?” That got me a small smile from my father and he gestured for me to join them. He was probably worried I’d protest.
“So far we haven’t found anything concrete but we’re looking into the Midwest. We need to be somewhere as far from civilization as possible, but the idea of not being near an airport worries me. What do you think?” This was the first time he’d ever sincerely asked for my opinion.
“Well we haven’t really needed it out here and with the speed and teleportation that some of these angels and demons have, it wouldn’t matter if we lived next door to one. They’d still be able to get us.” I said and he nodded in agreement.
Jones pointed to an empty space on the map that had no cities nearby. “Also, I’m not so sure we should move to the middle of nowhere either. Xavier, you’re thinking about living some place where your closest neighbor is a mile away. I don’t know if I like the idea of being so secluded. We’re going to want to kill each other within a week of being under the same roof.” We laughed at a point well made because if we did move out there, there’d be no point in Angela and Jones living in the house next door. So we’d all have to share a space and I didn’t think it’d be paradise.
“What about moving to a big city? Lots of people, easy to get lost in the crowd?” I’d always wanted to get out of this small town and start fresh somewhere exciting, but the grimace that was on my dad’s face told me all I needed to know.
“I don’t know Max; sometimes being lost in a crowd isn’t a good thing. Too many variables.”
At that I jerk
ed my attention to my dad and said, “Anywhere we go there’s going to be unknown variables. We just can’t be afraid to encounter them.”
Squinting at me, he crossed his arms over his chest and said, “My son the philosopher. When did you start getting so wise?”
The corner of my mouth rose in a smirk trying to cover how much his words had affected me.
“I –” I was going to tell them about my conversation with Mr. Delaney but Angela poked her head into the study.
“Hey, Emily is demanding you get your butts to the dining room table.”
“No she didn’t.”
“Eh, I embellished a little, so what. The point is she’s about to blow her lid.”
Our banter hadn’t stopped there. By dinner time, everyone was involved and it was the first family night in which we held a conversation while we ate.
“What did Angela say about me?” My mom asked between bites of lasagna.
With my mouth too full to respond, Jones said, “That you asked her and I quote, ‘go get those airheads from Xavier’s office before I go in there and kick their butts myself.’ Word for word.” My mom’s face went bright red and Angela coughed on her food.
“I – I did not say such a thing!” By now we were laughing and only Melanie didn’t catch on to the joke, her eyebrows scrunched up, in confusion.
“You four are pulling my hair, aren’t you? We’ll see if I serve dessert tonight.” She straightened in her seat and we begged.
“Ma, you shouldn’t punish us all for Jones over active imagination.”
“Dude! What happened with having my back?” Jones exclaimed.
“I was in the kitchen earlier and saw what was for dessert. There’s no way I’m missing it. It’s every man for themselves.” I shook my fork in front of me and without my mother’s knowledge, he flicked me off. And that was how the dinner continued.
I leaned into Melanie and asked, “Are you okay? You’re really quiet.”
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