Keeper of the Innocents

by Kristy Centeno

  This information wasn’t new to me. I had the feeling that Mina would probably drop out during the first semester. She was at that point in her life where she only cared about parties, boys, and herself. Not that I had anything against partying. I’d gone partying many times with her. She was a lot of fun when she was in a good mood. The difference between us however, was that I didn’t think of parties as a way of life. As a form of entertainment yes, but definitely not something I wanted to base my life on.

  Though I liked to have a good time every now and again, I was also now eighteen and thinking about my future. Not only was I about to embark on one of the toughest journeys in my life because of my Keeper Witch duties, but college was only a few short weeks away. Soon, I’d be leaving the nest and striking out on my own.

  “Mina, I know you. And I know that when you try hard enough, you succeed. You’re not good with books because you don’t even try.”

  She giggled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She pushed her legs down until her bare feet were once again touching the carpet. “I used to be on the honor roll.”

  “See what I mean?” I tapped the tips of my fingers on my knees. “College is a stepping stone for many. I know this will define my future, at least.”

  “I guess I could give it a try. I mean, I’m not even there and I’m already giving up.” She shook her head.

  “Just try. Besides, it’s not like you’ll be going through this on your own. I’ll be there, too.”

  She bobbed her head up and down. “Maybe it’ll be fun.”

  Well, she looked at lot less determined to fail than moments before. Sometimes it was hard to understand her, but I tried. I knew she had a lot on her plate. Being abandoned by both parents probably wasn’t easy, but at least she had people that cared. Evan, my parents, and me. We all cared for her, tried to reason with her when she wouldn’t see the errors of her ways, and sat down to talk with her whenever she needed it.

  Turning my attention back to Renee, I smiled when she glanced up at me and grinned. I settled back on the seat to watch TV with her as I waited for eleven o’clock to roll by, which was usually the time of day I prepared the tiny girl’s lunch. However, as I sat there and thought about what to make her for lunch, another thought crossed my mind. I was hours away from meeting with the person, individual, supernatural being that would eventually reveal my charge and for the first time since Mom mentioned my upcoming duties, I was nervous.

  What Innocent would I be in charge of watching or guarding? Was it someone I knew? Or was it someone I’d never met before? And most importantly, who or what was I going to guard him or her against?

  Chapter Four

  The Angel Of Death

  Renee sat on a booster seat, comfortably hunched over the dining room table as she gobbled down the macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets I’d made her for lunch. It was one of her favorite meals and usually she was good at consuming everything without a protest. I walked over to the table and placed a half full cup of apple juice next to the plate. She glanced up briefly and smiled before resuming her meal.

  Satisfied that she seemed well, her asthma symptoms not acting up, and her appetite healthy, I took out my cell and texted Mom. It was almost time for my meeting, but unless Mom watched Renee, I wouldn’t be able to make it.

  Mina was already talking about meeting up with Albert, and I knew that if she really wanted to take off, she wouldn’t think twice about leaving her little sister behind. I shook my head in exasperation. How could she be so mature for some things yet act so reckless with others? Especially when her little sister was involved? One would think that because she had been abandoned she would feel the need to protect her younger sibling, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

  Thankfully, Mom texted back, stating she’d be up in a couple of minutes. I sighed in relief. Mom used to watch over Renee during the day while Mina and I were at school, so the little girl was comfortable around her. I had taken over after graduation, but Mom would probably take on babysitting duties again once I left for college.

  “Why do you have to leave?” Renee raised her head and scrunched her chubby face. “I don’t want to stay alone with Mina.”

  I laughed softly. “Mom will stay with you so you won’t be alone with Mina. Besides, I’ll only be gone for a little while.”

  She reached for the cup of juice, took a sip, and then placed it back down on the table. “You promise?”

  I nodded. “I promise.”

  A rap on the front door drew my attention.

  “That’s probably her.” I tugged gently on one of Renee’s curls as I walked by. “Finish your lunch.”

  She picked up her spoon and starting eating again.

  Smiling at the enthusiasm with which she devoured her favorite meal, I padded toward the front door, glanced through the peephole just to be sure it really was Mom, and opened the door.

  “Hey, Mom.” I stepped aside so she could walk in.

  “Hey.” She closed the door. “How’s everything in here?”

  “Renee is in the dining room eating, and Mina is taking a shower.” I glanced in the direction of the bathroom door, waited a second to make sure I could still hear the water running, before asking, “So, uh, where is this meeting supposed to take place?”

  Mom stepped closer. “Your bedroom.”

  This sounded weird, even to me, but I didn’t put too much thought into it. I’d had encounters with supernatural beings in weirder places. I could still vividly recall a shifter ghoul attacking me in the bathroom of the local high school one November morning. One minute I was fixing my hair and the next, a hand grabbed a hold of my ponytail and slammed me against the bathroom stall behind me. It was then I noticed something I failed to pay attention to upon entering the room: there had been an extra sink which had conveniently retained its original shape of a reptilian looking beast with yellow claws, green eyes, and a foul breath.

  Even though I’d managed to kill it efficiently, I’d gotten a good beating, too.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure. What’s on your mind?”

  I hesitated. How should I approach the whole demon-for-a neighbor thing? Should I even mention it at all?

  “Do you know who lives in the apartment next to ours? Have you ever seen the tenants?”

  Mom nodded. “I did see a blonde woman and a young boy a few times, but it’s been a while since I last saw either of them.”

  Well, Mom’s statement pretty much coincided with what I’d observed. With the exception of my summer months, I was hardly ever home. When I wasn’t at school I was either participating in some after school activity or chasing off some demon, so coming in daily contact with my neighbors wasn’t common for me.

  “Have you ever sensed something weird in the hallway?”

  Mom’s eyes widened. “Not really, but I have to assume, since you’re asking, something is going on.”

  I faltered a bit. I had no idea what to say. I didn’t want to needlessly worry her.

  “Well, I’m not so sure,” I lied. “But I’m determined to get to the bottom of things.”

  Mom appeared concerned for a moment. “Demi, if this is regarding a demon or—”

  “I gotta go, Mom,” I interjected. I really didn’t want a lecture. I wanted answers. Unfortunately, the answers would have to wait. “We’ll talk later. I promise.”

  Mom opened her mouth as if to protest, but she must have thought better of it because she said, “Right, honey. Get going. We’ll talk later.”

  “Just make sure Renee doesn’t run around. Evan said her asthma is acting up, but I haven’t heard any wheezing or anything. Just make sure she doesn’t guilt you into a race or something like that.” I smiled. “She’s kind of hyper today.”

  Knowing the drill, Mom merely nodded.

  I hurried out of the apartment without saying another word and made my way down to the second floor. As I strolled down the hallway, I looked straight ahead, staring at
the door marked 4B until my eyes hurt. This time I didn’t feel eyes on me. Nor did I get the weird feeling as if someone was following me. Instead, I felt alone. It dawned on me that maybe it was due to the demon being locked in his apartment. He was no longer cloaking himself and watching my every move.

  That realization forced me to cringe. How long had he been watching me? Waiting for me to make a mistake? Why didn’t he attack when he had the chance? What was he hoping to accomplish?

  As I approached the door to my apartment, I felt tension winding itself inside of me like a rattler waiting to strike. A demon lived next door. How could that have gone unnoticed by Mom and me?

  I released some air and opted to concentrate on the task ahead. He was trapped in there so, for the time being, we were all safe. As I reached for the doorknob to our front door however, the handsome stranger must have sensed my nearness because he immediately called out to me.

  “Witch? Hey, witch?” he said, irking me. Why did he have to refer to me as witch? Then again, he didn’t know my name. Or at least I thought he didn’t. By this point I’d been willing to bet he knew a lot more about me than I thought. “I have played your game. You can let me out now.”

  I bit my lower lip to keep from cursing him straight to hell and stormed right up to the door.

  “Stop screaming. People will hear you.”

  I could hear footsteps on the other side of the closed door.

  “I’m going to be late for work.” His tone was less than friendly. “Let me out.”

  “Really? What kind of job would a demon have? Witch hunting? Gathering innocent souls? Sacrificing a maiden to a power hungry underground Lord?”

  He laughed, but even I could tell there was no humor in it whatsoever. I didn’t have to see him to know he was in a foul mood.

  “I’d expect a witch to think that. However, I assure you I have a job just like every other human. I even go to college.”

  I scoffed. “Is that where you recruit all your victims?”

  “Damn it,” he barked. “Stop with this nonsense. You don’t even know me.”

  I started to roll my eyes but then I recalled he couldn’t see me. “Quit complaining. I’ll figure out if I can set you free once I figure out who you work for. And if you’re telling me the truth about being half human.”

  “I’m not working for anyone,” he added quickly. “And if you—”

  “I gotta go.” I stormed back in the direction of my apartment, smiling as I heard him curse and toss something across the room.

  I found Dad sitting on the couch, watching a movie. He acknowledged me briefly as I strolled past the living room to my bedroom. I swung the door open, stepped in, and spun around to shut the door. At first glance nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but the moment I turned to face what should have been my bedroom, I jumped up when I realized nothing was as it was when I first stepped in.

  My surroundings had completely changed in like one second. Where there used to be a medium size bedroom filled with furniture and my personal belongings, now there was a cloudy sky shrouded by a dense fog that barely allowed me to see more than five or so feet in front of me. In areas where the fog wasn’t that thick, I could see the cloudy skies and could even hear thunder. I saw no lightning though, which I thought was odd.

  The gloomy atmosphere immediately reminded me of my terrifying nightmare, but something about this place made me aware of the fact that this wasn’t the same scenario. And, of course, I was wide awake as opposed to being unconscious.

  Not really understanding what was going on but determined to find out, I warily stepped forward, my gaze scanning the area around me. So far, the only thing I could see was the fog, and the green grass beneath my black boots. I pushed forward, my heart speeding into a race as the thunder above clapped frequently and loudly, forcing me to cringe every now and again. I’d never been too fond of thunderstorms and I was deathly afraid of lightning, so every step I took was like pure hell for me.

  Unfortunately, I knew I couldn’t go back. I was here for a reason. Someone had brought me to this particular place.

  Hugging myself, I paused and glanced up, immediately regretting it. My heart nearly stopped as I spotted a dozen or so figures flying above me, high enough to make it difficult for me to identify what they were, but low enough for me to see they were huge and had a wingspan that appeared longer than my five-foot-five figure. I realized right away that what I thought was thunder at first was, in fact, the sound of their flapping wings. Every time they flapped their massive wings, it sounded as if the sky was about to unleash its fury upon me.

  “What the hell is this place? And what the hell are those?” I mumbled under my breath. It certainly wasn’t my bedroom. Nor was it anywhere I’d ever been before.

  As a witch I tended to come in contact with things that no human hoping to remain sane should ever see, but even this place was a first for me. I’d never seen anything like it.

  I continued forward, not knowing what I was getting myself into. My steps never faltered. Even though I was a little nervous, I couldn’t just run off. There was no place for me to run or hide in, anyway. It was incredibly unnerving to be in a place like this all alone. Well, I wasn’t exactly alone if I counted the flying vultures above me. They were certainly big enough to eat me if that’s what they wanted. And I was all alone and unprotected. I didn’t even know if my powers would work in this strange place.

  I continued breaking through the fog, trying to stay on the positive side the whole time. I was still alive, wasn’t I? If those things meant me harm I’d probably be half dead already, right? When the loud flapping of a pair of wings grew closer, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I chanced a glance up and that’s when I spotted a huge form coming straight toward me. I froze. My entire body went numb. I couldn’t even scream. The massive creature was heading straight toward me.

  My entire body shut down as the figure swooped down, arching slightly as it dove head first toward me. As a witch, I had come to see many incredible things in my lifetime, but this creature took my breath away. I’m not even sure I should have referred to it as a creature since its body at least, was human.

  He was probably the most amazing supernatural creature I’d ever seen. Impressive didn’t even begin to describe him. His features were absolutely striking. He had long, raven black hair, dark eyes, and pale white skin. He wore no clothes except for the pair of black pants that covered his lower half. He had no shoes or socks, either. And as he landed a few feet from me, my breath hitched in my throat.

  Was he an angel? But then, angels have white wings. This guy’s wings were as black as midnight and at least twenty feet from tip to tip, if not longer.

  “Demi.” His voice was low and gruff. “I’m glad you came.”

  If he wasn’t my Overseer, someone should seriously appoint him the job. I could live with seeing him more often.

  I think I stopped breathing. “How do you know my name?” It seemed like a stupid thing to ask, but in my defense, my brain wasn’t working well. If this was my Overseer, then it would be kind of obvious for him to know my name.

  “I know pretty much all there is to know about you,” he replied in a low, sexy voice that made me want to throw myself at his feet.

  He knew a lot about me yet I knew nothing about him.

  “Who are you?”

  He took several steps forward, and as he moved, his wings folded behind him.

  “My name is not important right now.” His gaze assessed me with interest. “You’re here for one reason and one reason only.”

  “To find out who my charge is?” I replied.

  He dipped his head slightly, his black hair swaying forward. “But you want to know what this place is?”

  There really was no point denying it. “Yes. I have no idea where I am.”

  The few times I’d heard Mom refer to her Overseer and her first meeting with him, she had never described such a place. In fact, she had kept most of the details
to herself.

  “I understand your curiosity. All who come here want to know what this place is and why they are here. It is a normal human behavior to want to know.” The winged man extended both arms to his sides, gesturing to our surroundings as he added, “We are the Angels of Death and this is the realm in which we live.”

  I glanced around, noting there really wasn’t much to look at. With the exception of the green grass, there was nothing appealing about this dark, gloomy place.

  “I know what you’re thinking.” He allowed his hands to fall to his sides again. “But there is more to this place than meets the eye.”

  I certainly hoped so. So far, all I could see was a cloudy sky, impossibly thick fog, and an unnaturally green pasture.

  “What is this place called?” I asked as my gaze landed on him once again.

  “This is a realm no human, with the exception of those like you, can enter,” he replied. “This is Levion.”

  “I’ve never heard of it.” I studied him, wondering the whole time how someone could look more like a rock star than an actual angel.

  “Only those who are allowed to enter here ever know of it and once you’ve been here, you can never speak of this place to anyone.”

  Ah, so that’s why Mom wouldn’t tell me where I had to go.

  “What is this place exactly?” I asked.

  “Levion is a realm beyond the world you live in. It is the place where the army of The Levion was condemned to live for all eternity as a consequence of breaking the rules many years ago. Here,” he pointed to the sky with one finger, “we exist in our true forms. Not really humans yet not purely angels.”

  I glanced up at the sky, noting the figures circling above us. There must have been at least thirty of them up there now. It seemed the more time passed, the more the numbers increased.

  “So, you’re an angel of death? Does that mean you collect the souls of the dead?” I directed my gaze back to him.

  “That is a job for the Grim Reapers. What we do is a lot more complicated.”