Then finally, I did it. I jumped off the high branch of the oak, flapping my wings, and instead of making steady progress toward the ground, I dropped a few feet and leveled off, staying in the air. I kept having to adjust as I drifted a little to one side or the other, and I lost a bit of altitude every few seconds, but I gained a little back as I flapped my wings harder.
I was flying, really flying. The crows went nuts, calling and flying all around me, congratulating me. I made it to the far end of the field and might have kept going, but there was a stand of trees in the way. I’d have to try flying in the other direction next time, where the field stretched on farther. Most of the crows kept praising me, but a few teased me for flying like a fledgling. It was good-natured teasing, though. I laughed it off, too happy to be annoyed.
You did it! Mew-Mew said from his spot under the tree.
I jogged back over to try again. After I lost the nervousness that I would fail, I got to fully enjoy it. The wind rushing against me, the ground streaking by under me, the giddy sense of being in the air under my own power. It was awesome.
I kept flying until it started getting dark and my stomach reminded me that I hadn’t had dinner yet. Mew-Mew had taken several naps, curled up in patches of sun that slanted through the branches of the oak. He was sleeping when I reluctantly decided it was time to go home. I woke him and he stretched, front legs first, then back legs with his tail held high. Oh, good. I’m starving.
“Yeah, I meant to leave sooner but I was having too much fun.” I grinned. I had to try this again, but for now I headed for home and dinner and some quality time with my DVR.
Chapter 4
I made it to Elliot’s school with fifteen minutes to spare and waited near the main doors. I pulled up my hood to hide my face. I didn’t want anyone but the bullies to see me. The bell rang and a few seconds later kids streamed out. They went past me without a glance. I was using one of my mind tricks to try to make myself invisible. That one needed some practice. I wasn’t sure if it was working or if they were just ignoring me naturally. Elliot came out, glancing around. I waved and headed toward him.
“So you promise you won’t hurt them?”
“Yes, I promise. I don’t need to hurt them, I just need to freak them the fuck out.”
He studied me and I was worried he’d change his mind. He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Okay. Come on.” He led me around the side of the school, past the waiting yellow buses.
“I’m doing this for you so they won’t pick on you anymore,” I reminded him, although this would also be fun for me. “I want you to be able to go to school without being picked on.”
He glanced over at me. “Will I owe you after this?”
That hurt. “No. I owe you. After this we’ll be even.”
He nodded and led me silently across a grassy area toward the football field. The bullies were on the other side, under the bleachers. Elliot said they went there every day after school to smoke. I spotted them as we got closer, shadowy figures shifting around under the white-painted bleachers. Elliot slowed down.
“Don’t be scared. Just walk right up to them,” I said. He veered to the side, headed for the end of the bleachers so we could duck underneath them and confront the bullies. I waited until we passed into the shadows before bringing out my wings and horns. I’d thought about bringing my sword, but Animus might resent being used as a prop.
I huddled close to the deepest shadows and tried to make myself invisible. I wanted to appear all dramatic-like when Elliot introduced me.
One of the bullies noticed him and nudged his closest friend. “Hey, look, it’s the wuss.”
I bristled but tried to keep myself hidden.
“H… hi,” Elliot stammered, slowing even further until he was barely moving forward at all.
“You coming here to ask for a beating, faggot?” one asked, puffing out smoke.
I reconsidered my promise not to hurt them.
They all laughed. Another said, “Maybe he wants to suck our dicks.” They laughed harder.
Oh, yeah. Definitely reconsidering.
Elliot stopped several feet away. “No. I want you to leave me alone.” His voice shook.
More laughter. “You better run, faggot, before we fuck you up.”
They hadn’t said anything to me or seemed to notice I was there, so the trick must be working. I dropped the invisibility and conjured some fire around my hands, just for extra dramatic effect. “Leave him alone, or you’ll answer to me.”
They gaped, and two of them jumped. “What the fuck?”
I moved to stand just behind Elliot’s left shoulder. “I’m his guardian angel, and you’re pissing me off.”
“Is this a joke or something?” the biggest one asked.
I held up a hand, showing off the fire. “You want to find out how funny this is?”
One of the others blinked like he was trying to clear his vision. “You… you look just like him.”
My hand dropped a little. “Him who?”
“The Antichrist.”
Now it was my turn to blink. “Wait. What?”
“There’s a picture of him on my family altar. You look just like him. The wings, the horn, even your face, man. Everything.”
I stepped around Elliot. “You worship the Antichrist?” My stomach turned.
“Yeah.” He dropped his cigarette and stubbed it out, then pulled down the collar of his shirt to show the upside-down cross on his left shoulder. “I’m a Satanist. Are you really him?”
Now I knew what the tone in his voice was. Not fear, but awe.
“I think we should go, Alex,” Elliot said, tugging on my arm.
I shook him off. “Not yet.” To the bully I said, “I’m the devil’s son, but I’m not your fucking god. I’m not his pawn, so fuck him and fuck you.”
The bully stared at me for another second, then got down on his knees. He bent over, pressing his head to the ground, just the way all the Satanists had done at my twelfth birthday when my dad showed up. I felt even sicker. I kicked him, not hard, just enough to knock him onto his side.
“Get the fuck up!” A little shimmer started in front of me. I was pissed enough to give off heat. If Elliot hadn’t been so close, I might have just let it happen, let the heat build and burn all four of them.
“Alex! You said you wouldn’t hurt them.”
I looked over at Elliot and took a deep breath. “Fine.” I looked at the other three bullies, then focused on the Satanist as he slowly got to his feet. “You hear that? The only thing keeping me from hurting you is Elliot. He doesn’t want me to hurt you. I think he’s way too fucking nice, but I promised.”
The Satanist backed up a few steps. “But you’re… him. You’re supposed to—”
“Fuck what I’m supposed to do!” The bleachers above me squealed as they buckled a few inches. The three other bullies started backing away and looked ready to run. “Stay right there.” I pointed at the three of them. “You Satanists too?”
They all rapidly shook their heads. “No.”
“Good for you. Leave Elliot alone, and stay away from this one.” I pointed at the Satanist. “Next time I show up, I might not have promises to keep.” I gave them a long look. “Now go.”
They lost no time running for the far end of the bleachers.
I looked at the Satanist, who stank of fear. “And you. Take down the picture. Stop worshipping me. Find another religion and stop being such a fucking asshole.”
“Yes, my… uh, um… sir?” He tried to look at me with his eyes still lowered.
“I guess sir works. Leave Elliot alone. If you ever pick on him again, I’ll make you very sorry.”
“Yes, sir. I won’t, sir.”
“Come on, Elliot.” I turned away from the bully and started walking.
Elliot followed and didn’t say anything until we were out from under the bleachers and back in the bright sunlight. “I didn’t know he was a Satanist.”
I took slow breaths, tryi
ng not to give off heat. “How were you supposed to know?” I shook my head and muttered, “They fucking worship me.”
“Are you going to hurt him?”
I wanted to. Him and his parents, and any other Satanists they were associated with. Anyone who worshiped me as the Antichrist. But killing Satanists would get my dad’s attention, and I wanted to avoid him as long as I could. I hated it because it made me feel like a coward, but I needed better control of my powers before I took him on again. I’d been lucky on the moon, and I wasn’t arrogant enough to think I could do it again.
The devil hadn’t come back for me after I exorcized him two months ago, but it was only a matter of time. I just didn’t want to do anything to catch his attention. I couldn’t be sure Joshua’s protection would last, although Mew-Mew said he could still see it surrounding me.
“Not if he does what I told him,” I said.
We were almost back at the school building before he spoke again. “You really think they’ll leave me alone?”
I laughed. “They’d be fucking stupid not to.”
“Do you think they’ll tell anybody about what happened?”
“What? You mean that the Antichrist appeared under the bleachers and threatened them so they’d leave you alone?” I snorted. “Yeah, fat chance anyone’s gonna believe them, even if they’re dumb enough to talk.”
“So you’re not worried?”
“Fuck no. And you shouldn’t be either.”
We barely made it back in time for Elliot to catch his bus. He hurried on and waved to me from the tiny window. I waved back and wandered off to find a secluded spot to teleport back home.
Chapter 5
On Thursday I went back to school. I got strange looks on the bus and no one sat with me. I guess word had gotten around about what happened. More weird looks in the halls and in homeroom. It was the fucking theme of the day. I saw a few of the bullies, but all they did was glare at me. I used my power to trip them when they were too far away to think it was me. Two bullies at two different times. One fell and the other stumbled into the wall.
When lunch came, I dropped a book off at my locker and considered what I was going to do. Ignore the jocks? Intimidate them to reinforce that they shouldn’t fuck with me? Maybe a slow, creepy smile while I passed them?
“Hey, Alex.”
I hesitated. It had to be some other Alex. I didn’t know anybody.
“Alex!”
I turned and saw the emo kid—Casey.
“Hey,” he said, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. “You, um, wanna sit with me at lunch?”
Just a friendly gesture, or did he want me to protect him from the jocks? Either way, this was a good chance for me to start making friends. Normal kids had friends in school, so I wanted it too, and Casey was the type I probably would’ve hung out with if I was normal. “Sure.”
He smiled. “Cool.”
We made our way down to the lunchroom and got in line. “I heard what happened,” Casey said. “That didn’t have anything to do with me, did it?”
“Not really. I fucking hate bullies, and if it hadn’t been you they were picking on, it would’ve been someone else. I didn’t want to fight, but it was bound to happen.” I grabbed a tray.
“I heard you took out all six of them.”
“Yeah.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. When I looked over, he was staring at me with his mouth half open. “How’d you do that? Are you a superhero or something? Or like, a ninja?”
I laughed, although saving the world probably did qualify me for superhero status. “I know how to fight, that’s all.” Lie. If I was going to have human friends, there was going to be a lot of lying.
“I guess so. Damn.” He shook his head, the chunk of bangs falling over his eye again.
We got through the line and I stepped aside to let Casey take the lead. “Over here.” He led me along the wall, a table and an aisle between us and the jocks’ table. They shot me glares and I shot one back. I considered flipping all their trays, but I didn’t want people to associate me with weird stuff. Taking out six jocks in a fight was bad enough.
“Here,” Casey said, setting his tray down at a half-full table. The four kids closest to us gave me the same look I’d been getting all day, only more surprised.
“That’s my sister, Hayley.”
A girl across the table looked up from her phone and smiled at me. My chest got this funny tight feeling. Damn, she’s cute. She didn’t look much like her brother, except they both had short black hair.
“Hi. Alex, right?”
“Yeah.” I felt a little warm. She smiled. Everyone else is staring at me and she smiled.
“Thanks for sticking up for my brother.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“That’s Lucia and Tavon.” Casey pointed out the two people next to Hayley. “And Alice, and Jayson.” One on his other side and the last next to me.
“Hi,” I said to the group and sat down next to Casey.
“Hi,” they said, quiet and a little nervous.
“Did you really beat up all six of them?” Jayson said.
I had pretty much the same conversation I’d had with Casey in the lunch line, only this time with five more people asking me questions. “No, I’m not a ninja, or a secret agent, or a mutant.” I was something worse. “Those guys don’t know how to fight, they’re just big.”
“Did you learn how to fight in juvie?” Alice said.
“Is that what they’re saying about me?” I asked in a light tone and took a bite of bland lasagna.
“Did you go to juvie?” Tavon asked.
Should I let that rumor keep going? Well, if these kids were going to be my friends, I wanted to tell the truth where I could. “No. I was homeschooled, but I had a broad education.” There, let them think I took martial arts or something.
“Why were you homeschooled?” Casey asked.
“My parents are… really controlling.” Which was true enough.
“So why are you in school now?” Lucia asked.
Because Joshua gave me a blessing which means I can banish Satan when he tries to drag me back home. “I don’t live with my parents anymore.”
“Who do you live with?” Casey struggled to open his milk.
“Myself.”
“Wait, how old are you?” Hayley asked, frowning.
“Sixteen.”
“How can you live on your own?”
“I’m emancipated.”
“What does that mean?” Casey asked.
“It means I have a legal document explaining that my parents don’t control me anymore.” It came out a little more strongly than I intended. I looked down at the last bite of lasagna on my tray and speared it. I chewed for a bit and realized everyone was quiet. I looked at my new friends and they all had similar expressions: questioning and uncomfortable.
I swallowed. Might as well get this out of the way. “They abused me.” I’d told my other friends years ago, and the gods I met, and Joshua. So why did it hurt to admit it to these kids?
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry,” Hayley said.
I shrugged. “It’s not your fault.”
“I’m sorry it happened to you and that we brought it up.”
I remembered Emily hugging me the first time I told her and how that made me cry. I was starting to get choked up now and I clenched a hand under the table to keep control. Damn it. “Well, I’m out now,” I managed after a few seconds. “This might sound crazy, but I wanted to go to high school.”
A subject change was definitely in order. “I didn’t realize classes would be so boring.” That got a laugh out of everybody.
***
Hayley caught up with me at the end of the day. “Hey.”
“Hi.” A smile spread across my face like my mouth had a mind of its own. Fuck. I didn’t just think she was cute. I liked her.
“We’re going to a movie tomorrow after school. You want to come with us?” She
held her books tight against her chest, and her cheeks were a little pink. Double fuck. I didn’t want a complication like this. A little voice insisted, Oh, yes you do.
“Sure. I need some friends.” Why the fuck had that come out of my mouth? “I mean, not that I’m desperate, but you know, since I’m new to the school and everything. I mean, I have friends, but not here.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d sounded so stupid. My face felt warm and I panicked for a second, thinking I was leaking heat, but it wasn’t that. It was almost as bad: I was blushing. Fuck.
“Yeah, it can be hard to make new friends, but I can be your friend. We can. Be your friends, I mean. Casey and me and the others.” She laughed. “So, um, see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Bye, Hayley.”
“Bye Alex.” She hesitated a second, then turned and joined the stream of students leaving the building.
I faced my locker and took a deep breath. I had a crush on Hayley. My first crush on a real person. Well, okay, actresses are real people, but you know what I mean. I’d once thought I had a crush on Emily, but it had just been an abstract thing. She was a girl, and cute, and a demigod like me, so I’d considered things like what it would be like to kiss her, but she was my friend and I didn’t want more than that.
Hayley made me feel all fluttery. This was the real thing. I closed my locker and laughed. Well, I wanted the real high school experience, didn’t I? Having a crush was part of the deal.
***
Smiling and humming, I walked into my apartment. Mew-Mew met me at the door, purring and twining around my legs. “I made some friends today.” I leaned down to pet him.
Is that why you’re so happy? He jumped into my arms and rubbed his face against my chin.
“Yeah. We’re going to a movie tomorrow. That kid I stopped the bullies from picking on, Casey, and his sister and their friends.”
Did you have any trouble with the bullies?
“No. They just glared at me. If they’re smart, they realize if they try to fight me I’ll just kick their asses again. I really don’t want to get suspended a second time. If the school starts digging into my records, they might find out everything is faked. I’m lucky they haven’t already. I don’t want to start over, especially now.” I thought about Hayley and smiled again.
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