Fallen Desire

by N. L. Echeverria

  I can feel Derrick’s tension as he replies, “My only desire is to protect you, Lindsay, and I won’t tolerate you being around Ethan anymore. I’ll help you in any way that I can so that you can reach your potential, but you have to promise me that you will stay away from Ethan. You must understand that he’s designed to hurt you. Your powers can be used for whatever you desire. You don’t have to dedicate it to saving those who are consumed by the demons. You can stand by my side and fight evil. But now is not the time to be making choices as big as these. I do have the capability of teaching you but you have to promise me you will not see Ethan.”

  “Okay, I promise. I’ll stay away from him. I just need help, and I can’t do this on my own.” Of course I can only promise that for now because once I know how to help Ethan it’s going to be the first thing I do. Derrick’s wrong but I’ll play along if it will get me what I want. Derrick’s soft lips touch my forehead, which I wasn’t expecting, then in an instant he’s gone. His silk white wings quickly become a blur in the cloudy overcast daylight sky and I’m left in the forest with nothing more than the promise I left with Derrick and the hope I hold for Ethan.

  EIGHTEEN

  Walking back home, all I can think about is Ethan and how much I wish I could see him, but deep down I know that when I look at him it isn’t going to be the Ethan I know. Right now there’s no way I’m going to be able to start that job with Kim; I have too much going on. Since I already told my parents I got a part-time job that should keep them off my back for a little while. I just won’t let them know that I’m not actually going. I need all the time I can get to figure this out. I have to stick this out and get the knowledge I need and in the meantime I need to stay away from Ethan. Walking up the back steps of my house, it looks cold and empty without my parents there. Sometimes I feel like all they do is work. It’s so rare I get time with them. At least this means that I’ll have the house to myself and can do some research. I need to find out what all these colors mean when I look at someone and see their aura. I want to better understand what it is that I’m looking at. There are so many websites with information. Who knew that so many people were interested in auras? One specific website stood out the most and states that the “aura is the electromagnetic field that surrounds the human body and every organism and object in the world.” The list of colors and meaning just goes on. Reading them out loud, I’m realizing that I’m going to need to write these down on something I can keep with me because there’s no way I can remember. I’m realizing the meaning behind the colors that I saw surrounding Ethan and Avarie. The first time I saw him when waking up on the couch in Avarie’s living room, he had a muddied red color surrounding him with specks of black within it and his aura was lined with white and a small line of gold on the edge of the white. This explains that the red is probably coming from the demon inside of him.

  The black is from all the guilt he carriers on himself from hurting so many people and then the white and gold are his angelic parts that are still inside of him. Avarie on the other hand was surrounded with the bright emerald green aura with violet at the edges. I could see Derrick in the forest had a glowing white coming off of him with blue lined around the aura stating that he’s an angel but is loving and caring and truly pure. I’m not really sure how this helps me. The only thing I can think is that by seeing the aura of a demon helps give insight to if they are worthy of redemption. Like with Ethan, I can see that his aura does contain white and gold. Maybe that means that there’s angel still inside of him and the Demon hasn’t fully taken over. This would be a good moment for Derrick to show up that way he could explain to me what it is I’m supposed to do with this information. Maybe I should be testing it out and seeing if I can read people. The only person I can think of right now is Kim since my parents are off at work like always.

  I’ll just shoot her a text: Kim…At home and bored! Wanna hang out? It took a few minutes but she responded: Oh! So you only need me when you’re bored! Guess I’m full of fun. LOL Do you wanna meet in town at the Starbucks down the street from the high school? Coffee in the afternoon isn’t really my idea of a good time but I do want to expose myself to people in order to learn to read them? Sure. Heading out now. See you soon. My computer screen is still on, so I close it down and jump up out of my desk in my room. In front of me is my body-length mirror. My long straight brown hair is frazzled from being out in the forest in the gloomy weather. I’m still in my sweats and a sweatshirt. I’m looking like I just woke up. I throw on my dark blue worn jeans with a white V-neck T-shirt and a cream zip up sweatshirt and my white high top converse. Putting my hair up in a ponytail, I do my face up just a bit so I look presentable and then head out the door. The school is not too far of a walk and the Starbucks is just a block away.

  I had to put my hoody over my head to protect my ears from the cold breeze. For it being the middle of summer, this is sure a cold windy day. Even though the sun isn’t out, I take in a deep breath of fresh aid and clear my mind. The whole walk is silent and peaceful as I focus on my surroundings and focus on nature in order to forget the situation for the time being and for a moment everything seems normal. The walk seems really quick.

  Walking up to the Starbucks parking lot, all the people that are walking by and getting in and out of their vehicles have colorful glows surrounding them. It’s a world full of color gleaming off of everyone around. This lady with brunette hair and a tall lean build is getting into her car and is glowing the most beautiful violet color. While walking into Starbucks, I can see all the people with the different colors beaming off of them and at first it’s overwhelming since these coffee shops are always packed. The colors are mixing with how close some of the people are to one another. In all the bright colors I’m able to spot out Kim who’s sitting in the right corner at a small two-person table. She’s glowing with a white as well as a brilliant green that’s surrounding her entirely. I slowly pull out my little cheat sheet and read that green shows love of people, animals, nature and social. This completely reflects her personality and her love for being social but also her love for people. As soon as she spots me, she stands up, and I watch the glowing white and green move with her body. I know that the white stands for purity and angelic qualities, but I know there’s no way Kim’s an angel. It must mean that she’s a good person. I let it go and put my arms around her to give her the biggest hug I can.

  “Wow, Lindsay! You okay?” She asks.

  Normally I would start crying and letting out all my frustration, but since I already did that with Derrick there isn’t really much left. Thankfully since we’re in a public place I really don’t want to have a breakdown in front of all these people either. “Yeah, I’m okay. I just feel like I don’t get to talk to you anymore. I’ve had so much happen. How are you doing?”

  I want to tell her everything, about Ethan and Derrick and the aura’s I see but I can’t. I have to keep it to myself. “Good. I’ve just been busy you know. Shopping, hanging out at the clubs. You know the things that make life fun!”

  I can always count on Kim to cheer me up with her enthusiasm. “Well, I’m glad to hear you’re having fun. I do need to have a night out, but I guess I’ve been wrapped up in things with Ethan. But that’s done for now at least.”

  She cocks her head at me, “What? Why?”

  I have to tell her something, “I guess you could say we’re taking a little break. I saw Derrick today, though.” Hopefully changing the conversation will keep Kim from asking too many questions about Ethan and me.

  “Oh, yeah? Where did you see him at?”

  “Well, actually I was behind my house in the wooded area and I just happened to run into him. Kind of strange but it was nice seeing him.”

  She shakes her head at me, “What were you doing just hanging out in the woods? I don’t think that is very safe, Lindsay.”

  If I tell her I went out there based on a feeling I had she would really think I’ve lost my mind. “I needed to get some fresh
air, so I went for a walk and just kept walking until I found myself in the woods and ran into Derrick. I’m not really sure what he was doing there, but nonetheless it was nice seeing him. How about you? Have you talked with him lately? During school it was like you guys were inseparable. Well, I guess we all three were.”

  “Yeah, I’ve seen him around, but he can be kind of boring at times, if you know what I mean. He isn’t too much into the partying and having fun. Sometimes he’s just a little too serious for me.”

  I smile and shake my head, “I know what you mean. He does seem all business and no fun.” We both laugh a little at the same time. It’s nice having a girlfriend to laugh with. I feel like I never laugh anymore. I’m always stressed lately.

  I wish I could get back to those moments with Ethan, they were absolutely incredible. Ethan! I really need to stop thinking about him. I’m never going to be able to focus on what I want to accomplish with my mind always wandering back to Ethan. The coffee is good, and we both sit here in silence for a little while, enjoying the surroundings and the warm coffee in hand. The coffee shop is actually really large. All the people behind the counter are moving so quickly to get the orders of coffee filled and the line from the counter goes out through the door. All the tables are now filled with people chatting and others on their laptops. The room is beautifully filled with all the different colors of auras, varying from red to lavender and green to blue.

  It’s amazing, and if I focus on them it isn’t too overwhelming. Kim is still glowing with her brilliant green color and now that I’m focusing I do see the white lining her aura and it’s gorgeous. She’s beautiful with her blonde bouncy curls and her skin that glows a radiant shade of olive. I don’t stand out the way that she does in a room and she doesn’t even have to try. That’s something I’ve always envied of her. I can’t help but be anxious to get together with Derrick so that he can help me with grounding myself and finding my abilities with the elements. I really hope he has some kind of spell book or something, because the chants that Avarie had me say is something I could never be creative enough to come up with on my own. For the rest of today, though, all I’m going to do is enjoy my time with Kim.

  NINETEEN

  Derrick

  Speaking with Lindsay has me thinking. Her spirit is as pure as an Angel’s and she’s the most beautiful human I’ve come in contact with. She’s amazing. I only agreed to help her so that she’d stay away from Ethan. There’s no way she’ll be able to save him and I won’t give her the opportunity to try. His kind deserves to die, those that chose to side with Lucifer after the fall don’t deserve any kind of forgiveness. I may have gone against God’s wishes to destroy mankind but I never did and never will let the evil that roams this earth and those in it consume me. Lucifer’s descent was not because he cared about mankind but because he wanted to take God’s place and was selfish and greedy. Those who followed him in the fall also became consumed with evil and now all they do is feed off of innocent souls to keep the evil within them fed. I won’t allow him to harm her. She’s too valuable. Little does she know she can help me and the others that have formed a group to rid the earth of demons for good. I’ll train her to use her powers to help us. I’ll show her the dark side of those like Ethan and once she sees what they’re capable of, she’ll change her mind. He’s putting on this show for her that disgusts me. It’s only the littlest bit of angel quality that he has left in him that lures her in, once she sees that this is what they use to capture their next soul she will see him for what he truly is. I’m the one who has possession of the book. I’ll have some sort of control and I can guide her on the right path. I have an old witch friend from back in London to thank for the book of “The Redeemer”. She told me that one day the redeemer would come and that this book would help me in teaching that soul to use the powers gifted to aid the Fallen Angels in destroying those that became Demons.

  Elizabeth was her name, and she felt the same way I do – that the demons can never be saved and even once the redeemer does come they will not deserve it and it is our duties as Angels of God to see that they are never returned to his side. Her teachings are what led me to joining a group of Fallen Angels who will take out the demons with the help of the redeemer’s powers once the redeemer was reborn on earth. For the Redeemer is the only one who can kill a Fallen Angel or Demon. The time I had with Elizabeth was such a turning point for me. I spent so many centuries wasting time doing nothing. All I’ve ever wanted was to be able to prove myself to God, prove that I have the abilities of a great Angel.

  Even though there is evil in mankind I want nothing more than to show Him the love that is here as well. I spent so much time following those that did spectacular things to help others, once I realized that God no longer cared, I knew that all I could do at this point was to get rid of the evil on earth that doesn’t belong. I can’t change mankind because without evil there could be no good but I can kill the evil that doesn’t belong here. I know now that this is my purpose. Lindsay is the type of person that drives me to continue my path of ridding earth of demons. She’s a human that has no evil and she is pure. It’s her and those like her that keep me on this path. She’s special and I will protect her and keep her safe from Ethan. If she learns her abilities and tries to run around saving demons, she’ll just end up with her soul taken. They will show no mercy. I won’t allow that to happen to her. She means too much to me and when she came here and I first got sight of her I knew she was special. There’s a reason why she was brought here. We all have our greater purposes and hers is to be with me and stand by my side during the war that will come. She has so much power inside of her and once she can use it she will be more powerful than any angel that could stand by my side.

  I’ll go to her tomorrow, and we’ll spend day after day practicing until she’s ready – and once she is I will show her the demon world and open her eyes to the truth that is all around her. Her sight gives her the clear ability to see the Demons. By the time I’m done with her, not only will she see those that are Angels and those that are Demons but she will see those that have passed. She’s capable of seeing all those that exist. She will also hold the power of magic not only in spells but pure power within her. I will do all I can to show Lindsay how much I love her and I have faith that in the end she will choose to stand by my side. I’ll never allow Ethan to tamper with her soul.

  All I’ve been able to do is stand by for centuries as Demons fed on innocent people, taking their souls, taking from humans the only thing that makes them who they are. I will no longer stand down and allow the demons to wreak their havoc unpunished. Whatever makes the Guardians think that it’s okay to let Demons roam free as long as they obey the law of not killing humans is beyond me. Allowing them to take part of a humans soul is just as bad as killing them. The laws that the Council of the Fallen put down after the fall were all to protect the earth from war between Angels and Demons. They felt that there would be too many innocent sacrifices and Yolanda’s unwavering love for her demon mate, Laurence, who is on the Council didn’t help much either. I know that the whole purpose of having demons and angels on the Council is to keep it balanced and equal so that we can both inhabit earth without there being a war but we should not just sit around while demons are out there harming humans. Many are killing them as well but the killings aren’t being reported. It’s only a matter of time before the Angels fight back and I’ll be there when it happens. Not all the Angels on my side are the Fallen, but they inhabit this earth as well and want nothing more than to help me kill the Demons. We have gone to the Council over and over again trying to convince Yolanda, Laurence and the rest that many demons are breaking the law.

  No matter how much proof we had or how many times we went to them, they turned us down every time, telling us that if they allowed the angels to begin a war with the demons it would only bring more harm to the innocent humans and would bring destruction to this planet. Now that we have the Redeemer, we can take care of
this war without hurting any humans and it will be quick. There will be no long battle filling the sky in Angels and Demons. There will only be the silent tracking down of each and every one of them and the use of Lindsay’s magic. It will be a silent war.

  TWENTY

  Lindsay

  The temperature really cooled overnight, and with my window open, I’m wrapped up like a burrito in my blanket, still shivering. I really hope that this sky clears and gives me some sunshine. Summer is supposed to be sunny not all gray, cloudy and cold. I get up to close my window and notice that the sky is clear and not cloudy like yesterday. Maybe today will be nice after all.

  “Lindsay! You awake?”

  “Yes, Mom. Come on in.” As she walks in my bedroom door, I notice the beautiful silver glow radiating all around her. She has on her black dress suit with a purple blouse under the jacket and her hair is tightly pulled up into a perfect bun. I notice my list of the aura colors on my desk and peek over to see that silver is a sign of abundance in spiritual and physical. This definitely fits her since she works so hard for everything that she has but is filled with love and everything always seems to work in her favor. I see people so differently now. It’s like their inner beauty shines on the outside. I can truly see them for who they are, and my mom is a beautiful soul.

  “Just wanted to let you know your father and I are heading off to work. Sorry we have been gone so much lately. The firm has been really busy which means more time at the office.” My father walks in behind her, dressed in his suit with his briefcase in hand and ready to go. He has an orange yellow glow surrounding him which I know is a sign of creativity, intelligence and detail-oriented, which total describes my dad. His attention to detail is what has gotten him to where he is today in the law firm.