by Rose J. Bell
“Let’s get it over with,” said Ellen, and marched into the lake.
“What are you doing?” Rose asked, confused.
“Guess what.” Ellen didn’t look at her. “We’re getting the talisman.”
“But why—”
“Stop talking and just follow me.”
Rosa kept her mouth shut and moved into the cold water. When the water was up to her waist, Ellen stopped. Rosa stood next her. She threw her arms around herself. Her clothes were soaked completely and she was freezing.
“W-what do we do now?” Rosa asked. Her teeth began to chatter. Ellen stood motionless in the water. It seemed the cold did not bother her.
Ellen raised her right hand, ignoring Rosa’s question as she began to mumble something that Rosa did not understand.
She opened her mouth to ask another question, but then the ground shook under her feet.
It felt like the ground moved and waves splashed over them. She grabbed Ellen’s arm so as not to lose her balance and fall into the water.
Then the ground seemed to stop moving, and the water calmed.
“What was that?” Rosa asked Ellen as she let go of her.
“I have opened the ground,” was Ellen’s answer. She turned to Rosa. “You have to dive now.”
“And what then?”
“The water will lead you to your goal.”
“Okay,” Rosa said slowly. “Will you come with me?”
Ellen nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Rosa moved deeper into the water before she dove. For a few seconds nothing happened, but then something grabbed her foot and pulled her down.
The pull dragged Rosa deeper under the water. She waved her arms, but it didn’t help. Her lungs began to burn.
The moment when Rosa thought she would choke, the pull let go of her leg and she fell.
Rosa landed hard on the floor, stumbled, and fell to the ground. The burning pain increased in her chest and she moaned. Tears welled in her eyes.
Come on. Get up! Get up!
No matter how much she forced herself to stand up, she couldn’t. The pain was too huge.
“Rosa, you okay?” Ellen asked her. She hadn’t even noticed that Ellen had arrived.
“N-no,” Rosa gasped. “My ribs hurt. Are broken.”
“From the fall?”
Rosa shook her head.
“Come, turn on your back.” Ellen turned Rosa slowly onto her back. Rosa moaned in pain and grimaced.
“It will be over soon,” Ellen assured her. Her voice was soft and maternal. She tore at Rosa’s blouse and put her hands on her chest. Rosa wasn’t able to ask what Ellen was doing.
Ellen began to mumble something unintelligible. Cold tingles spread through Rosa’s chest. Slowly, the pain disappeared.
Rosa realized then what Ellen was doing—she was healing her.
The tingling disappeared and with it the pain. Ellen opened her eyes and took a deep breath.
“You didn’t have to do that,” said Rosa, still lying on the ground.
Ellen looked at her then she bent down. She raised her hand, placing it on Rosa’s injured eyes, healing her.
“I cannot heal much more,” said Ellen. “My healing powers aren’t very strong.”
It felt good to be able to see with both eyes.
Rosa rose up. “Thank you,” she said.
Ellen nodded and stood up.
Cold water ran in small streams over her back as her wet hair stuck to her face. Her sopping wet clothes felt like they weighed a ton.
Rosa looked around. They stood in a hollowed-out hole that, oddly, wasn’t dark. The end of the hall, however, was plunged into darkness.
“Where are we?” Rosa asked. It was cold—so cold that her breath hung like a white cloud in the air.
“Under the earth, of course,” Ellen replied.
“This is where we’re going to find the talisman?”
Ellen nodded. “Yes.”
They started down the hole.
“How do you actually know Lord Constantine?” Rosa wanted to know, breaking the silence.
“He broke into my house one day and forced me to do this task.”
“Typical of him,” Rosa mumbled.
“It must be quite corrosive to have a boss like him.”
Rosa snorted. “Corrosive is an understatement. It’s like hell.”
“I’m sorry about before,” Ellen apologized. “I know that you had no choice, but it was a shocked and I couldn’t help it.”
Rosa bit her lower lip. “You don’t need to apologize. I must apologize. At least I’ve killed...” She didn’t finish the sentence. Her feelings of guilt for Madison’s death had returned—this time stronger.
“Is that your real hair color or colored?” Ellen changed the topic.
Rosa smiled at her gratefully. “Colored.”
“Why have you dyed your hair red?”
“I wanted to be something else, not normal. Normal is boring.”
Ellen smiled at her. “You’re right. Normal is boring.”
“How is it to live as a witch? It has advantages for sure.”
“Yes, it has,” Ellen replied. “But only if my parents aren’t around. They don’t allow me to conjure anything. They say I should know the true life. Blah. Blah.” She looked at Rosa. “Why should I? I can conjure.”
Rosa smiled. “No idea, but you know how parents are.”
“Did you have parents?”
Rosa’s smiled disappeared. “No, I don’t have parents.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Ellen.
Rosa just nodded.
Two passages appeared in front of then. Rosa and Ellen stopped.
“Which passage should we choose?” Rosa asked. Ellen opened her mouth, but Rosa put her finger in her lips, quieting her. She had heard something. Rosa pushed Ellen behind her and pulled out the dagger from her boot.
“What is it, Rosa?” Ellen asked quietly.
A demon appeared. His yellow eyes flashed dangerously, as he watched the two girls. He had bared his sharp teeth, and sharp, curved claws.
“Oh God!” Ellen whispered.
“Stay behind me.”
The demon lunged at her. Rosa lifted her knife and ran toward him. She crouched, so she avoided his claws and punched him in the stomach. The demon groaned. Rosa raised her dagger to stab him inhis heart, but he hit her hand.
The blow was strong and distracted Rosa. The demon took the opportunity, and scratched her arm with its claws.
Rosa cried out in pain and stumbled backwards. She looked shocked, from her injured arm to the demon.
“Hello? Do you know how expensive this jacket was?” Rosa yelled. The demon looked confused.
“This jacket was made of real leather and it was more expensive than you’ll ever be.” She raised her dagger. “And I loved this jacket. You’re dead.”
With an angry cry, she ran toward him. She gave him a punch in the face. His head flew back and for a split second, his chest was unprotected. Without hesitation, she pierced her dagger deep into his heart. He screamed and blue blood flowed from his body.
Rosa withdrew her dagger from his chest. The demon slumped to the floor and his body shrank until nothing was left of him.
“Bastard,” Rosa murmured, wiping her dagger on her pants. Then she turned around. “Are you okay?”
Ellen nodded. Her eyes were wide. “You can fight really well.”
Rosa smiled. “I’m a hunter. I was born to kill and to fight.”
Ellen nodded and she realized that Ellen was afraid.
“Hey.” Rosa reached out her hand. “You don’t have to be afraid, Ellen. I’m not dangerous, and I would never hurt you.”
Ellen nodded. “I know, I know. But you looked quite dangerous, as you fought.”
Rosa pressed her lips together. She didn’t want Ellen afraid of her. Somehow, she liked Ellen, and saw her like a friend.
“These demons are lurking everywhere,” said Rosa and lo
oked at her torn sleeve. The cuts on her right arm weren’t very deep. “And he destroyed my jacket.”
Rose sighed sadly. She was aware that it was ridiculous in this situation to get upset about her tattered jacket, but she had loved that jacket.
“Let me fix it.” Ellen was beside her, and muttered something. Before Rosa could understand what had really happened, her jacket looked like new.
“Ellen,” said Rosa smiling. “Thank you.”
She laughed. “No problem, Rosa.”
“Okay, let’s find this talisman and get out of here,” Rosa said, starting to walk.
“We have to go through the left passage,” Ellen replied. Rosa nodded and walked ahead. Ellen followed her.
The corridor was dark and narrow. Rosa and Ellen squeezed themselves into the aisle.
After endless minutes, they came out into a big hole. It was built of large, thick chunks of earth with something lit in the middle.
“Is that the talisman?” Ellen asked quietly.
Rosa walked to it. She knelt down and looked at the talisman. It was small, as small as a button. The stone was round and shone the color red. The color seemed to move in the inner of the stone.
“Is it the talisman?” Ellen questioned.
“I think so.” Rosa took the talisman between her thumb and forefinger and lifted it. It was strange that such a small piece would be so powerful, and should have sparked a war between angels and hunters.
When Rosa lifted the stone, the ground began to shake.
What is happening now? The floor and the walls trembled. Stones fell to the ground.
Rosa shoved the talisman in her pocket and ran to Ellen.
“Quick! Get out of here!” She shoved Ellen into the hallway. They forced themselves through the narrow passage.
The tremor was getting stronger. If they didn’t get out quickly, they were going to die.
Rosa and Ellen left the narrow tunnel behind and ran to the exit. The tremor increased, making it difficult to keep their balance.
They avoided falling rocks. Rosa remained at the end of the aisle. Directly behind her a giant boulder fell on the floor.
“Where’s the exit?” Rosa shouted, turning to Ellen.
“I must conjure it,” Ellen said terrified.
“Then do it!”
Ellen stretched her hand and closed her eyes. Then she began to conjure.
Rosa waited impatiently for Ellen to conjure the exit. More and more stones fell on the ground, hitting Rosa and Ellen. The hole was going to collapse in on itself.
“Faster Ellen!” Rosa urged Ellen.
“Okay!”
Finally, the exit opened.
“Get inside!” Rosa pushed Ellen into the opening. Ellen looked at her.
“I’m right behind you,” Rosa assured Ellen. Ellen nodded and disappeared through the opening.
In the final second, Rosa made it out before the hole in the ground collapsed.
The suction pulled Rosa in at high speed to the top. Suddenly she was out of the water.
For a few seconds, she was weightless, and flying, as she had always wished.
The flight ended abruptly when she landed painfully with her back on the cold, wet grass. Immediately, the pain spread through her body and she had difficulty breathing.
“Are you okay?” Ellen asked concern. Her face appeared in front of Rosa.
Groaning Rosa sat up and rubbed her back. “Yes. This suction isn’t very nice.”
Ellen helped her get up. “You have to be accustomed to pain,” she said.
“That doesn’t mean I welcome it.”
Rosa would never get used to pain, although it was a part of her life.
“So we’ll go back to the hotel?”
Rosa nodded. She needed a warm shower and a warm bed. That night had gone in a very different direction than she had expected.
She was a full member, Jason knew that she was a hunter, and she had found the talisman.
How could all this happen in one night? Amazing.
“Let’s go.” Rosa wanted to go, but Ellen grabbed her arm.
She smiled. “I can conjure. Remember? We don’t have to walk.“
Rosa sighed happily. “I love you, Ellen. You know that?”
“No, I didn’t. But I do now. Give me your hand and close your eyes.” Rosa obeyed.
When she had closed her eyes, nothing happened at first. She could still feel the rain pattered down on her, but then she felt a pressure in her head and ears. The rain was gone. She felt weightless.
A few seconds later Rosa felt the ground under her feet. She stumbled and almost fell over when Ellen hadn’t grabbed her arm.
“Wow,” Rosa said. “That was awesome!”
Ellen laughed at Rosa’s enthusiasm.
They entered the hotel. Rosa didn’t know if Matt was still in the club or in the hotel, or where Jason had gone.
As they walked through the foyer, they were leaving wet traces behind them. Rosa wanted to get rid of her dripping clothes.
“My room is on the second floor,” said Ellen, and remained in front of the stairs. She looked at Rosa with friendly brown eyes. “If you want to come you can. Today was ... funny.”
Rosa smiled. “Thanks for the offer. It was fun today.”
Ellen turned around. “Good night, Rosa.”
“Good night, Ellen.”
Rosa waited until Ellen vanished. Then she turned and bumped into Jason.
Jason saw the shock in Rosa’s face. Surely, she hadn’t expected to see him.
After she had left the house, Jason had followed her to see what she was doing.
It had surprised him that Rosa had met with Ellen, and even more when they simply disappeared into the lake, and had appeared afterwards. He wanted to know what Rosa had done. He wanted to know what a hunter was doing in the angel’s city. And he wanted to talk to her now.
“Jason,” Rosa said, stepping back. Her injured eye was healed. Only some bruise was left. Her red hair was stuck in her face, which looked pale.
“How did you healed your eye so fast?” Jason asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
“That’s none of your business, Nephilim,” Rosa replied, looking at him defiantly.
Jason took a step forward. Rosa stepped back.
“Don’t you think that you owe me some answers?”
She snorted and folded her arms across the chest. “I owe you nothing, Jason. Okay, you’ve saved me from the Nephilim, and I’m grateful, but I didn’t ask for it.”
Jason arched an eyebrow. “But you told them that you knew me.”
Rosa bit her lower lip and looked away. Jason knew that Rosa had hoped that he would get her out of there when she had said his name.
“Don’t you think that it’s time we’re honest with each other, Ice Princess?” Jason asked, closing the distance between them. Rosa couldn’t retreat, as the wall was already behind her. She refused to look him in the eye.
Jason was standing directly in front of her. Her warmth made his heart beat faster. The hot tension between them at the club was in his mind and Jason still felt her soft skin under his lips, but he pushed his emotions aside. It wasn’t the right time for it.
“Why did you steal the book from my room?”
He felt Rosa freeze. So he was right in his conjecture, after he’d discovered the book was missing.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Rosa answered, looking at him. Her face was expressionless, but he knew she was lying.
“Ice Princess, you cannot lie. We had that conversation already. So just answer my question.”
Rosa pressed her lips together and shook her head. Jason sighed, annoyed. Anger rose in him.
“Why did you steal the book and cheat me?” he asked. “I thought we were friends.”
Rosa snorted. “Friends?” Her ice-blue eyes sparkled. “How old are you, Jason? We can be never friends. I’m a hunter and you’re a Nephilim. We’re destined to be enemies. Besides ene
mies can do anything to each other. Steal and cheat. This is normal.”
Jason’s mood darkened. He had really thought that he could be friends with Rosa and even more. He should have known that humans were still the same little bastards. His feelings for Rosa had made him blind.
Jason nodded and stepped back several steps. “Okay, if you say that it’s normal to cheat on enemies, then I should probably go to the archangel, and tell him that a huntress is in his city.” Jason considered that idea for a moment. “Yes, that’s exactly what I should do.”
He turned and walked towards the exit. His anger increased. He would betray Rosa, as she had done to him.
A hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.
“Jason, please,” Rosa said. “Don’t do it. They’ll kill me.”
Furious, Jason turned and stared at her. “And did you think about me when you stole the book?” His voice grew louder and workers at the front desk looked over at them, but Jason didn’t care.
Rosa lowered her head and he got his answer.
Jason laughed bitterly. “Of course you didn’t! Why should you? I’m your enemy, and enemies cheat each other!”
“Jason,” Rosa said quietly, looking at him honest. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done it.” She let go of his arm. “It would be only fair if you did it.”
Jason looked at Rosa in silence. This reaction he hadn’t expected. Countless emotions raged within him. He knew what he was doing now was very wrong for an angel, but he could not help it.
“Oh, Ice Princess, I have a weakness for you,” Jason said wistfully. “And I can’t even hate myself for that.”
Rosa looked at him with wide eyes, as if she couldn’t believe that Jason wouldn’t betray her.
“You know what you’re doing is wrong,” Rosa replied, looking at him. Her ice-blue eyes casting a spell over him.
When had he begun to feel so attracted to her?
When had he started to feel such strong emotions for her, even when he had thought these emotions died in him?
“You want to dissuade me from not betraying you?” He grinned at her.
“No! Of course not!” Rosa laughed. “I thought ... Oh, no clue what I thought.” She put her face in her hands. “I’m just tired.”