by Cameo Renae
I could tell he wanted to add to the conversation, but everyone had gathered in the middle of the room, each carrying a black duffle bag filled with who-knows-what. Guns, knives, swords? One could only guess that kinds of things were in them. Kade walked over to the others, picked up his duffle, and swung it over his shoulder.
They were all in uniform: black beanies, black jeans and fitted black t-shirts, worn under black leather coats. They looked like assassins, but beautiful assassins, if there was ever such a thing. I wondered if that’s what they really were. Assassins. It wouldn’t surprise me. From the little I saw that night in the bathroom, Kade was super-strong and super-fast; unlike anyone I’d ever seen before. But then again, I’d never seen a Darkling either, nor did I have the slightest clue they’d existed until a night ago.
The mood changed instantly as Alaine entered the room. She was also dressed in black, but in a very feminine way. Her hair was tied back into a long ponytail, and even though she didn’t have any make-up on, her face was luminous. She shot me a look; a look that my mother would give me when she wasn’t happy with my decisions and it made my heart hurt, but only for a split second.
“Let’s roll!” she exclaimed, heading towards the door. In an instant, we were all on the move.
As soon as we stepped outside, the cold air slammed me in the face. White haze swirled from my mouth as I exhaled. I quickly attempted to slide my hoodie on, but the skinny sleeve wouldn’t fit over my stupid, bulky cast! Ugh! It was so frustrating.
Then, warmth suddenly covered me. I turned back as Kade draped his coat over my shoulders. The lingering warmth of his body emanated like a heating pad.
“Thanks,” I smiled, hugging it around me, breathing in his sweet scent.
“Kade,” my Aunt interrupted. Her voice was firm, and for a second I thought she was upset.
“Yes,” he answered, taking a step forward.
“I want you to watch over Emma tonight. Guard her with your life. Her safety is your main priority and responsibility this trip, and you know how important that is to me,” she said glaring at him.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with enthusiasm. I saw a slight grin form on his face and a gleam in his eye. Inside, my heart fluttered at the thought of him being my bodyguard for the night.
I let out a huge sigh and relaxed a bit, knowing I’d be close to him for the entire trip. I was his responsibility, and that made me happy. I had Kade and a small army of bodyguards surrounding me. Maybe… just maybe, I’d have a chance of surviving this night.
Two black Hummers roared up the roundabout, one behind the other. Alaine walked to the first car, opened the front passenger door and slid in. Kade ran over, opened the back door, and motioned for me. All the others piled into the second car, slamming their doors shut. I jumped in and Kade slid in right next to me.
Malachi was our driver. He turned and gave us a smirk, rolling his eyes when he saw me. He was probably upset I was coming.
“Which way?” Malachi asked.
“Head south. I’ll update you as we go,” Alaine answered. I sensed her stress rising. Her demeanor and voice were tensed.
“So what’s the plan?” Kade asked her.
“The plan is to go in, get Caleb, and get out of there with everyone alive,” she said so matter-of-factly, keeping her head down, rummaging through her bag. Kade sat still with a look of confusion on his face.
That plan of hers wasn’t a real plan…it was more of wishful thinking. I could have come up with a plan like that myself.
It looked as if she finally found what she was searching for, and discretely tucked it into her pocket, then craned her neck back to face me.
“Emma, it is imperative that you stay put in this car tonight. This vehicle is nearly impenetrable, and the safest place to be where we’re going. And, you have to promise me one thing… Never, and I mean NEVER, open the door for anyone, under any circumstance. The Darkling are crafty, and some have been known to shift into other forms. Each of us has our own key. We can get ourselves in if we need to. Do you understand?”
“Am I gonna be alone?” I questioned in a high, fear-filled voice.
“Of course not,” she assured, looking over to Kade. “Kade will be with you. And Kade…I’m putting my full faith in you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered in a distinguished voice. He glanced over to me, and winked. My heart fluttered. I knew I’d be safe, but even if I wasn’t, at least I’d be with him.
Chapter 10:
“Turn right here,” Alaine said almost a little too late.
Malachi made a sharp right-hand turn down a narrow dirt road… a road, that if you blinked, you’d pass right by. The brakes and tires screeched, and everyone was caught off guard. With the sudden turn, Kade’s body flew up against mine. I gasped as an immediate electrical surge sent heat throughout my entire body, but he quickly pushed himself away from me. I looked to see if anyone heard my loud gasp, but no one turned back. They were too busy straightening themselves up.
“That’s why they installed that second pedal down there called a brake,” Alaine scolded.
“I’m sorry! But you could have announced the turn a little sooner,” Malachi rebutted, while she returned a loud, breathy sigh.
Night had pounced upon us like a jaguar upon its prey, and the world outside was now painted in dark black. Neon-green streaks of light danced across the night sky above us. It was the first time I’d witnessed the wondrous aurora borealis. It was awesome but eerie at the same time. Jeremy told me that the native Alaskans believed that the lights were torches from spirits who had passed, guiding the feet of newly deceased. Would that be me? Would any of us be one of those whom the lights beckoned?
Dark silhouettes of trees pressed in on either side of us, making it impossible to turn the car around. This was definitely a one car road.
What would happen if another car headed towards us? But I doubted anyone else would be out here. Any human, that is.
My gut was telling me that we were getting close. I didn’t know how, but I just had a feeling. My insides twisted and my heart pounded furiously against my chest, much like a war drum, but far from rhythmic. This beat was frantic and fearful. The rush of fear and adrenaline had me on the edge of my seat, gripping the door handle much too tightly.
Kade must have noticed, and carefully placed his hand upon my cast. I glanced at him, and for a moment was mesmerized by the faint glow in his hazel eyes. I was lost, swimming in their comfort and warmth. At that moment, I had a feeling that he would do anything to protect me.
“There’s a fork in the road ahead. Take a left. It’s not much further,” Alaine announced.
Kade immediately let go of my arm and reached down into the darkness. He brought up his duffle and set it between us, quickly unzipping and searching its contents. I strained to catch a glimpse of what was inside, but everything he extracted was as black as the night. But then, I saw a glimmer. Something silver. A refraction of light from the headlights behind sparkled on a shimmering piece of metal. It was a blade, almost like a sword but not too long, and it looked dangerously sharp. He leaned forward, fastening something around his waist, and then sheathed the blade into it. My pulse raced faster than ever.
In the front seat, Alaine was going through her own bag, and attempted to strap something over Malachi’s shoulder.
“Ouch,” Malachi snapped.
“Oh, come on you big baby,” she retorted, flinging one end over his head and fastening it to his side. The belt was filled with large ammo and what looked like… grenades??? Oh my God!!! What would they be using grenades for? Were they even legal? That was some serious weaponry.
I was starting to feel unsure of my decision to come along. This place was the perfect setting for a horror flick: dark ominous woods, the blackest of nights, horrifying creatures of death and terror lurking somewhere out there.
“Why do they want to kill me?” I asked, and was shocked that my thoughts had actually left my lips
. I guess it was because it was one question that had been wreaking havoc on my mind ever since I had the encounter with the Darkling. It was a lingering, unanswered question pressing on every cell in my being. What had I done to deserve this death sentence?
There was silence for a few moments.
“Malachi, please stop here for a moment,” Alaine whispered, resting a hand on his shoulder. Malachi nodded and stopped the Hummer in the middle of the nowhere, and turned off the headlights. He clicked on a dim inside light so I could see Alaine.
The Hummer behind also stopped and turned off their lights, awaiting the next step. Malachi’s cell buzzed. It was probably the group behind wondering what was up. Malachi texted them back.
Alaine faced me and let out a sigh, a sigh of finally revealing the truth to me. A truth that was kept from me my entire life. A truth that I needed to know, but wasn’t sure I was ready for.
“I know that right now you don’t feel like there’s anything special about you, but you are very special, Emma. As you get closer to your eighteenth birthday, there are things that will start to happen to you that you won’t understand. Actually, ever since you turned seventeen, you’ve started your change. Your transformation.”
“What are you talking about?” I questioned. Her words completely baffled me. They were like a riddle that I couldn’t solve. All I wanted to know was the straight truth, “What’s wrong with me?”
She laughed. “There’s nothing wrong with you sweetheart. You are one of a kind, and there is not one other like you.”
“In teenage terms please.” I was frustrated, and just wanted the straightforward truth, something I could understand.
“Alright Emma. You…,” she paused, and I could tell she was weighing her next words. “You are not entirely human. Actually, humanity is the least of your genetic make-up.”
I sat there, staring at her. All I could do was shake my head. I couldn’t speak, and felt like I couldn’t breathe. When I didn’t say a word, she continued.
“Your mother is a Nephilim, Emma, and your father…well, he was an Angel. A Fallen Angel.”
Every single part of me became numb – my brain, my mouth. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me. Fallen Angel? Nephilim? Wait! The Darkling in the bathroom called me Nephilim.
“What is a Nephilim?” I managed to push the words out. I needed one question answered at a time.
“A Nephilim is a child born of a human and an angel. A half-breed,” she answered.
“How is that even possible? I mean…how am I one?”
“It started from your grandmother. She was a human, and your…blood grandfather was an Angel.”
“A Fallen Angel?”
“No. Your grandfather was an Angel of light. Your father was a Fallen Angel…or an Angel of darkness,” she clarified.
Oh my God! This was beyond confusing! “But, aren’t Fallen Angels considered demons?”
“There are different levels to everything, like in an army. The Fallen Angels are the leaders, and among them are different ranks. Next are the demons, who worship the Fallen. Lastly are the Darkling who are used by the Fallen to do their evil biddings.”
“So my father was evil?”
She paused, staring at me blankly. “Your father was a Fallen Angel, but there was a struggle within his self. He wanted to be good.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I was speechless. It felt like I was suddenly thrown into the middle of a twisted dream? I mean…come on…my father a Fallen Angel? That was craziness! For one thing, my father didn’t possess any special powers, supernatural strength, or anything else out of the ordinary. If he did, he kept his secret way too well. And, he just didn’t seem to have that angelic persona about him. He was balding for heaven sakes. Did angels even bald? I’d never seen a single picture of a balding angel. They all had thick, long, beautiful, flowing hair. My dad was just a simple guy, no muscles, and even had a protruding beer belly.
And my mother…half angel? Well, she actually could have been. She was a wonderful, caring person, but still…they both just didn’t seem to fit into what I thought the description of an angel was supposed to be. To me they seemed…completely human. And I should know. I’d lived with them for the past seventeen years.
Next question…if there were angels and demons, then…“What are Darkling?”
“The Darkling were once human. Thousands of years ago, one man began worshiping the Fallen, and built a temple and shrines, and offered sacrifices to them. The arrogant leaders of the Fallen were pleased with the man, and in turn, took care of him and his family. Word spread, and soon others traveled to the temple, offering their own sacrifices.
“But the demons became envious of the relationship between the Fallen and those that worshiped them. In fact, they became so jealous, that they invaded the minds of the humans, drove them into madness, and sent them into eternal darkness and damnation. Then the demons cursed their eyes, so they would never be able to look upon the light of day again.”
“The crazed humans hid away and evolved underground, thus becoming the Darkling. But, the Fallen eventually found them, and made them a proposition… If the Darkling obeyed their biddings on earth, they would be taken care of in the afterlife.”
I sucked in a long breath. This was all so overwhelming. This was something that wasn’t taught to us in history lessons or in church.
Neither Malachi nor Kade moved an inch. Their heads remained frozen, staring out of their windows, probably an attempt at giving us some type of privacy.
Alaine continued. “There is a rift in the ranks of the Fallen. Lucian, one of the leaders and second in command, has gone rogue. His brother was murdered by a Nephilim, and though his brother rightfully deserved death, Lucian has sworn revenge and has vowed to wipe every last Nephilim from the face of the earth. Abominations are what he calls them. And now there is a mark on every Nephilim head.”
“Were they responsible for my parent’s death?” I questioned.
“Yes. But it wasn’t your parents they were after. They were after you. Your mother and father were innocent victims.”
“Innocent victims? Weren’t they targets too?”
“Emma, your parents were human.”
Her eyes became saddened. There was something deeper to all of this. Ever since the accident, I’d been spiraling further and further down that black hole, a hole that was swallowing me, like Alice in Wonderland. Only, Alice got to wake up. I could only wish that my ending would be similar, that I could just open my eyes and everything would be as it was before the accident. But I don’t think I would ever wake up from this, and so… my nightmare continued.
“But you just said that they were angels…”
“Yes, I know what I said,” she said softly. She exhaled another long breathe. “I knew one day it would come to this, I just don’t know where to begin.”
I could feel my insides twist in tight knots. My eyes began stinging with hot tears. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for her answer. I wasn’t sure about anything anymore.
“Are you trying to tell me that my parents weren’t my real parents?”
“They were your parents, Emma, because they raised you, but no…they were not your birth parents. They were…human decoys, caring for and hiding you until your eighteenth birthday. But I know for a fact, that they loved you as their own.”
“So my whole life has been a lie?” I exhaled, as the tears streamed down my face.
“I hate to interrupt this moment, but… we’re not alone!” Malachi alerted, in an urgent tone. We all stared into the darkness ahead, and then Malachi clicked the on the headlights. About a dozen horrifying creatures stood in the middle of the road before us.
Darkling!
They all looked the same… pasty white skin, dark, sunken eyes, and long, black stringy hair. They looked like a pack of zombies, but these zombies were fully alert and ready for battle.
As soon as the headlights hit their eyes, deafening screams of
pain sliced through the air. The Darkling immediately took cover, some dropped to the ground, scurrying out of the beams, while others dove off the road into the cover of the trees. All that is… except one.
The last Darkling standing was huge…more like gigantic. Muscles bulged from the horrific, freak of nature. He stood around ten-feet tall, and wasn’t budging. The reason…he had the darkest black goggles hiding his eyes. So, I guess the big guy wasn’t that stupid after all.
“Holy shit!” Malachi cursed. “Are you guys seeing this? That freakin’ thing is crazy! They must have shot that thing up with some major steroids. I’ve never seen anything like it! You Kade?” Malachi was pumped, excitement gleamed from his face.
“Nope. Never seen anything like that before,” Kade answered. His eyes steeled on the creature.
“Should I run it over?” Malachi shot a glance at Alaine, whose eyes were also on the Darkling.
“Malachi. Something’s wrong,” she said, pointing.
In a second, the giant Darkling pulled something from his back. It was large, black, and looked like some type of weapon; a weapon that looked awfully similar to a missile launcher, or something else that shot out big, exploding things. I’d watched a lot of war movies with my dad, and knew that a weapon like that caused death and devastation.
From the moment he pulled the weapon, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Malachi and Alaine kicked open their doors and dove out of the Hummer. Alaine screamed my name. Kade grabbed my arm and in an instant, I was flung outside, off the road, and rolled into the trees.
Kade jumped over me, grabbing hold of my arm, dragging me on my back away from the Hummer. He suddenly threw his body on top of mine.
BAM!
The explosion of the Hummer sent shockwaves through the trees, and sent fiery shrapnel shooting everywhere. Flames and smoke bellowed from the wreckage, which had flipped onto its side. I couldn’t believe that just a few seconds ago we were sitting inside, thinking we were safe.