by Linda Creel
Lucifer lifted Mehri’s chin and cupped it in his hand. “We’ll continue with our plans, and if Samhael has any reservations about your safety, he will return you to me. The more we learn about Aura through her friend, the better prepared we will be for an attack.”
“I was hoping to take Mehri to the bungalow tonight,” Samhael said. “I’ve already made arrangements for supplies to be stocked. If she has need of anything else, I can have it delivered.”
Mehri wanted to wait, but she didn’t want to disappoint her husband.
“Let me change and pack a few of my belongings.” She walked into the bedroom, closing the door quietly.
Samhael promised to keep me safe. It may be good to get away from Mortriel for a short time. Lucifer has forbidden him to go to Aeden.
Slipping out of her night gown, Mehri exchanged it for a long-sleeved, black velvet frock. Maryland would be cool this time of year. Since being gone so long, she wondered if she would be immune to the cold temperatures.
After carefully selecting a few other gowns and placing them in a carpet bag, she looked around the room one last time. I wonder if I will ever return.
Mehri closed the door and met Samhael in the living room. “I’m ready.”
Lucifer drew her into his arms and kissed her passionately. When they broke free, he stepped back.
“Remember why you were chosen. The information you gather may be our deliverance. You’ll find the cottage isn’t far from where we first met. You won’t have any trouble adapting.”
She smiled and gave a slight nod. “I won’t disappoint you.”
Lucifer walked over to Samhael and patted his back in a fatherly fashion. “I am placing her in your care. There is no one I trust more. Keep me informed of any news.”
“You can count on me.”
Samhael extended his arm, and as soon as Mehri took hold of it, they exited the room. When they were near the gate, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “Do not be afraid. You will be safe.”
“Lucifer trusts you explicitly, so I will trust you too.”
After they cleared the entrance, Samhael took her by the hand and they were immediately transported to the cottage. “Does anything look familiar?” he asked.
Mehri smiled. “I grew up about fifty miles from here.”
As they walked through the front door, she stopped to take in the décor. It was obvious Samhael had gone to a lot of trouble to make her feel comfortable and welcome.
The cherry wood and leather furniture was similar to what she shared with Lucifer. Chantilly lace curtains covered a large bay window in front of the house and a fire was already burning in the brick fireplace.
Bowls of fresh mango, kiwi, papaya, apples and oranges were spotted in the kitchen. Crystal vases filled with fragrant roses, lavender and orchids were in the dining and living rooms. Mehri couldn’t resist smelling the stems.
“I think you’ll be comfortable,” Samhael said.
“It’s quite cozy.” She noticed a picture of a young man wearing a white dinner jacket and black tuxedo pants, in a gold frame on one of the tables. “Who’s this?”
“That is your son, Byron. The photograph was taken on his eighteenth birthday.”
Mehri pulled the frame to her chest and a tear slipped down her cheek.
Good, that’s exactly the reaction I was hoping for. She won’t forget Paul killed her son.
He grabbed her valise, and she followed him into the master bedroom where an oversized canopy bed awaited.
He pointed to an armoire in the corner. “You’ll find clothing in there, but if it isn’t to your liking, I’ll have it replaced. I realize you haven’t been here since the ‘40’s, so the fashion has changed. Girls wear tight jeans and t-shirts now.”
Mehri knew about the changes in style. Over the years she had seen the clothing of the young girls who were brought to Hell. Lucifer never allowed her to wear jeans. In his opinion, a proper lady would never wear anything casual.
She had centuries of fashions to choose from, but Lucifer insisted Mehri wear sophisticated suits, or fancy ball gowns. She was after all his wife, and needed to command respect from the other women in Hell.
After placing the picture on the nightstand, she walked over to the cupboard. When she opened the door, she found a rack full of blouses, skirts, sweaters, slacks and blue jeans.
Samhael opened the dresser drawers to show her they were stocked with under garments and night clothes.
“The bathroom is just through here,” he said, pulling open a pair of French doors.
Mehri followed him into the room which was almost as large as the sleeping quarters.
Arranged around the beige marble garden tub were fancy glass bottles filled with perfumed soaps and shampoos. Another vase of fresh flowers sat atop the vanity.
When a loud knock came to the front door, Mehri nearly jumped out of her skin. She clutched Samhael’s arm, fearing the angel-bloods had found her.
Samhael laughed. “Don’t be alarmed; I’m expecting my daughter.”
“I wasn’t aware you had any children.”
“My daughter was born around the same time as your son. I have gone to a lot of trouble to keep her identity hidden. If the Guild knew Stella was mine; they would look for a reason to kill her. She’s lived here since her mother’s death, forty years ago. I’m sure you will become fast friends.”
Mehri relaxed her grip on Samhael’s arm, and then followed him to the living room. He opened the front door to a middle –aged, grey-haired woman. With suitcase in hand; she greeted him with a hug.
“Forgive me, but I was under the impression angel-bloods didn’t age,” Mehri said.
“Stella is a Nephylim. Unlike the angel-bloods, she doesn’t have the blessings of Heaven; therefore she ages like any other mortal. She just celebrated her 53rd birthday. She has another home not far from here, but I’ve asked her to stay with you for a few days. She has already established a relationship with Aura’s family and friends, especially the young priest. Plus, her knowledge about the area will be invaluable to you.”
He placed the satchel next to the couch. “Might I make a suggestion? If you’re going to pretend to be one of the troubled teenagers, you may want to consider wearing your hair short.”
Mehri’s mouth dropped as she ran her fingers through her long blonde locks. “You want me to cut my hair?”
“No – no, Stella will take care of everything. She’s an amazing stylist. It’s your choice, but you would be much more convincing with the proper hairstyle.”
“Don’t worry, Dearie; you’ll still be beautiful. I guarantee, after I work my magic, you’ll look just like a teenager again.”
Mehri thought about the picture of her son, and then loosened her braid, allowing her hair to tumble down to her waist.
“I have everything ready,” Samhael said.
He led the two women into one of the spare bedrooms, which was being used as a salon. After seating Mehri in one of the two chairs situated next to a large sink, Stella began the process of washing her long tresses.
“While you ladies are doing your thing, I’ll have a look around the property.” Samhael excused himself and Mehri listened to the front door open and close.
It took Stella less than an hour to transform her into a young girl again. Staring at the extensive strands of hair on the floor, Mehri ran her hands through her new shortened do.
“Let’s have a look,” Stella said, after handing her a mirror.
Staring at her reflection, Mehri fluffed her wispy bangs. Samhael was right; the style suited her. With jeans and a t-shirt, no one would ever suspect she wasn’t a teenage girl.
“I hardly recognize myself.”
Stella swept the floor and dumped the hair into a wastebasket. “The cut brings out your beautiful sapphire eyes. I’m happy you’re pleased.”
Samhael walked into the room and handed his daughter a wad of cash. “Lucifer will be delighted.”
The
grandfather clock in the corner chimed one o’clock.
“I had no idea it was so late; we have an appointment with the priest in the morning,” Stella told Mehri. “Even though he hasn’t yet taken his vows, everyone calls him Father Ryan. He is holding a meeting with the girls tomorrow. They usually arrive mid-morning. You aren’t opposed to being in the basement of a church, are you?”
Mehri looked to Samhael for an answer. “You may have heard you can’t walk on sacred ground, but that is a myth. You’ll be perfectly safe. Stella has been working for the angel-blood’s priest, Father Patrick, for ten years. He trusts her emphatically.”
After motioning for the women to sit, Samhael poured each a glass of wine from the carafe on the table. He filled his own glass, took a seat next to Lucifer’s wife, and leaned back against the sofa.
“Now, I think we should discuss your upcoming meeting with Aura’s friend.”
Chapter 22
Paul asked Adam to wait for Caspian and Axel, while he accompanied his family back to Aeden. Rita and Jessica accepted Will and Joshua’s invitation to stay in Utopia a while longer.
Aura wasn’t surprised they decided to stay, but when Reaghan asked to remain in the city too, she was stunned. Apparently, the memory of Meredith’s slap was long forgotten.
Most of her siblings had a best friend, but Reaghan was the youngest, so there was no one else in the valley close to her age, save Bren and Tracy, who were often doing their own thing.
Thomas and Tess Allgood weren’t much older than Rita, but they had married at sixteen and had a two-year-old daughter who was born on the same day as Reaghan – the fall equinox.
After meeting the young couple at the wedding, Tess explained her daughter Meaghan, who they called Meg, was a shy child who rarely left her mother’s side. They viewed the request to have Reaghan stay as a positive step toward some independence.
Both little girls shared pale blonde hair and blue eyes, but that’s where the similarities ended. The way of life in Utopia was far different than what Reaghan was accustomed to. In Aeden, even though she was only two years old, Reaghan could still go unaccompanied from one house to the next, something her little friend would never be able to do.
Eve knew it was good for her children to be away from home, so they could see how the other angel-bloods lived. Though Aura was wary, Joshua swore Meredith wouldn’t be anywhere near the children.
“It’s not Meredith I’m worried about,” Aura mumbled.
“I don’t think we’ll have any more unexpected visitors,” Rita said. “Jess and I are staying at Will’s house in the country. No one should bother us, but if there is trouble, we’ll come home. You don’t want to disappoint Reaghan, do you? I think it’s terrific she finally has a best friend. We’ll make arrangements with her parents for Meg to come and visit us in Aeden. Tell Dad, Willow is staying with us too. She doesn’t have to return to Savannah for a few more days. We might as well make the most of our time.”
Aura shook her head and laughed. “If there’s trouble, the last thing you and Jessica will do is come home. Since when do you walk away from a fight?”
Rita smiled. “Never – and you should be thankful that we always have your back.”
After hugging her sisters and their friends, Aura joined the rest of the children. As she glanced over her shoulder, she noticed how comfortable Reaghan was. My little ones are growing up too fast. Sometimes, I wish they could stay young forever.
Soon, she would realize her wish would come true, at least for some of the young ones, but her memory would have to return before she fully understood the story of Alannah, Alexis and Alorrah, the three seers who stopped aging when Lucifer attacked Heaven.
As soon as they returned home, Eve and Angie helped the children out of their dresses and settled them in for a nap.
Paul left to meet with Hespa, a former member of the Elite Guard. He wasn’t sure what her response was going to be when he delivered the news that Jeziel had been chosen as her son Elijah’s guardian.
Hespa lived on the outskirts of Aeden, and though Paul tried repeatedly to convince her to move to the valley, she always refused.
Though Elijah had the blood of the angels, his father, Frank, was mortal. A good man, Frank knew nothing about the Heavenly gifts his children were blessed with, so he was unable to help them develop their powers.
While a member of the Elite Guard, Hespa’s position often kept her away from home, leaving Elijah, and his older sister, Ericah, in the care of their father.
After Ericah married and joined the Guide -- a group, who helped lost mortal souls cross over to the light -- she moved to their training facility, leaving her younger brother and father alone for the most part.
After Frank’s death, Hespa asked to leave the Elite Guard, citing it was better for her to work alone.
Paul suspected the real reason was that she no longer trusted the leaders, Caeus and Malakiel, and blamed them for killing her husband. Without proof, she couldn’t openly accuse the brothers, but she was determined to find the evidence to convict them. So determined, she left her son to deal with his sorrow far longer than she should have.
Ericah adapted to her father’s death; she had a support system with the other angel-bloods in the Guide, but Elijah was lost without Frank, albeit he never admitted it. Paul and Adam promised to watch over him until he could come to terms with his grief.
For a while, Elijah was a familiar fixture at Aura’s house, but then his visits became less and less frequent. Hespa’s sixteen-year-old son seemed more comfortable in the company of animals, than he was with other angel-bloods his own age.
Elijah was nothing like his mother. Hespa was a huntress, feared by many. Rita and Jessica tried to take him under their wing, teaching him the basics of protecting himself from the dark wings, but Elijah wasn’t very good with a sword, or any other weapon for that matter. Finally, when he showed no interest in the training, the girls gave up.
As Paul stood in front of Hespa’s log cabin, he understood why she didn’t want to abandon her home. The property encompassed almost one hundred acres of wooded farmland, surrounding a lush green meadow where deer, squirrels, rabbits and the occasional skunk roamed freely.
Before he could knock on the back door, Paul saw Elijah in the copse behind the cabin. Chuckling as he watched the teen feeding a family of deer; Elijah’s blue jeans were ripped at the knees, there were stains on his t--shirt, and his chestnut hair had probably not seen a comb in days.
Dusting the dirt from his pants, Elijah waved, and then hurried to greet Paul. “How was the wedding?”
“It was interesting. Is your mother here?”
“She’s just inside.”
Paul followed him through the back door leading into the kitchen. Hespa was standing over the stove, stirring a large pot of stew. When she turned around, she put the ladle on the counter, and greeted her friend with a hug.
Elijah wasn’t the only one who changed after Frank’s death. Hespa’s blonde hair was cropped short and she was wearing blue jeans and a cotton tee. She had always been meticulous about her appearance. Now, she was almost slovenly.
“I wasn’t expecting you today; do you have news from the Council?” Hespa asked.
“May I speak freely in front of Elijah?”
“Of course, I keep no secrets from my son.”
Hespa knew about the deaths of the angel-bloods and rescue of their children from Purgatory. It was the reason she requested a guardian for her son.
Though she was considered the most efficient huntress, Hespa was so preoccupied with her mission to destroy Caeus and Malakiel; she was often out of the loop when it came to the politics of the Guild. Her duties did not permit her to police the fallen angels. Though she would have liked to avenge the deaths of her brothers and sisters, Lucifer’s disciples were no longer under the influence of Heaven.
As they sat at the small wooden table, Paul told her of the discussion he had with Uriel. “I have s
poken to my father and he has selected a guardian to watch over Elijah during your absence.”
A faint smile crossed the guardian’s lips. “If the Council has approved him, I’m certain I’ll be satisfied with their choice. Is it someone I know from the Guard?”
“You’ve known this guardian for some time, but before you go off the deep end, I want you to hear me out.”
Hespa cast a curious gaze at Paul. “Why are you so nervous? Please tell me it’s not Caeus or Malakiel.”
Paul drew in a deep breath and shook his head. “Jeziel has been chosen to serve as Elijah’s guardian.”
Hespa slammed her fist into the table, shattering the ceramic soup bowls as they landed on the tile floor. “Absolutely not – I refuse to allow that girl into my home. If Lucifer discovers his daughter is here, he’ll do everything in his power to re-establish their relationship. I won’t have my son placed in the middle of a tug of war between Heaven and Hell.”
Paul’s voice was calm. “This decision comes from the highest power. I too have reservations, but we are forbidden from refusing a command from our Father. Jeziel has been faithful since Lucifer’s exile; we see no reason to doubt her loyalty now.”
Hespa’s posture stiffened and Paul could see the veins pulsing in her neck.
“I want to speak to the Council myself. The reason Jeziel has been loyal is because she wasn’t allowed to leave Heaven. There have been several sets of eyes on her at all times. I never trusted Lucifer, and I certainly don’t trust his daughter.”
“Perhaps the Council will reconsider, if you were willing to move into one of the vacant houses in the valley. There, my family can watch over Elijah.”
“I know what you’re trying to do, and the answer is No! We’ve been through this before. My son has given up everything dear to him; I refuse to ask him to give up his home. We are staying at the cabin.”
“Very well; it’s your choice. Jeziel won’t be traveling alone. Michael is sending Aidan and Alannah here too. We aren’t prepared for Aura to meet them yet, so they will be staying in Savannah with the other members of the Guild for a short time.”