by Holly Vane
A bright light flashed behind her eyes. A warm, dull, aching spread across her temple.
Holly slid in a heap on the floor.
Her vision swarmed. Her brain screamed at her to get up.
She groggily crawled to all fours. A powerful foot kicked her in the stomach.
The momentum hurled her up against the kitchen wall. Her left shoulder smacking the floor hard as she landed. Pain ripped through her whole body, but her shoulder burned in excruciating torment.
She tasted blood from where she had bit her lip. A laugh carried across the room.
They were toying with her. They knew that she was powerless to stop them. Her anger flared. These were far from the Heavenly occupants she had learned about in Sunday school.
The body builder grabbed her by the collar and heaved her up with one hand.
“Such a pathetic thing for us to be fighting over...” He said quietly.
Holly drove her foot up between his legs with all her might.
He dropped her, barrelled over in pain.
Suddenly a dark figure smashed through the kitchen window above the sink.
Dominic rolled to his feet. He was covered from head to toe in blood and...bits of pinky flesh. Holly stared at him in horror. He looked like he'd dived right out of a teen slasher film.
Dirty Feathers stuck to him . He looked like he'd been in a war.
He cast a worried glance her way as the tall one lunged for him.
Dominic was faster.
He sidestepped him then placed a booted foot in his back and pushed the Angel head first out the gaping hole that used to be the window.
The front door was rocked off its hinges and Caleb stood in the kitchen doorway.
His fierce eyes took only a heartbeat to process the scene before him.
But that was all the body builder needed.
He used Caleb's entrance as a distraction. He yanked Holly to her feet by the throat. He held on to her hair as she struggled against him, she felt a sharp point touch the skin on her throat.
“Stop fighting.” He growled in her ear.
She stiffened.
“One more step Demon and I’ll silt the bitch from ear to ear.” He spat at Dominic who had moved a few inches closer to them.
Holly saw fury in his eyes, but there was also fear. Their eyes connected as he backed off.
“Not so tough now are you Hell spawn.” The tall one appeared through the kitchen door. Mud caked to his face.
Dominic fists curled at his sides. She knew he was dying to get his hands on them. But one wrong move from him ended Holly's life. They all knew it.
The air was thick with tension.
“You don't want to do this Christopher.” Caleb said suddenly to the tall one. “Can't you see that Michael is wrong.”
“How dare you take that...slut's side over your own brother's!” Christopher screamed at him.
“Michael knows what Heaven needs. He doesn't beat around the bush with all these pleasantries.”
“If his cause is so just. Then why did he send you to do his dirty work?” Caleb asked. He darted a reassuring glance at Holly who was trying not to pass out from the pain racking her body.
The one holding Holly laughed at Caleb. “He has better things to do than associate with this...slag.” He thrusted the blade into her throat harder, piercing the skin. She cried out as blood trickled down her chest.
“Stop calling her that!” Caleb yelled. He was usually calm and collected. Taking everything in his stride. The only time she had seen him lose the slightest of control. Was when her life was threatened.
“Why? That's what she is. It's all her race knows.” Christopher said to him.
“Caleb. Michael does not blame you. These mortal women can be very pervasive. You're too naïve to see her game. She means to ruin you brother.” He had softened his voice. “It's the Demon she lusts after.”
Dominic tore his gaze away from her to throw a quick glance at Caleb. Holly knew what they were trying to do. She prayed Caleb wouldn't fall for it.
Christopher encouraged by Caleb's refusal to meet Dominic's eyes went on. “They spent the night together you know. She let him touch her Caleb.”
She saw Caleb's eyes harden.
“She doesn't let you touch her like that, does she? He was inside her Caleb and she liked it.”
“Caleb.” Dominic's tense voice called out to him in a -not-here-not-now-tone.
Christopher spun to strike Dominic but Caleb grabbed his wrist spun him back around and banged his head into the wall repeatedly. The other's looked on in silent shock. Caleb's emotionless face chilled Holly to the bone. A good time later Christopher's still body fell to the floor.
Caleb rounded on Holly's captor who was trembling.
“Let her go.”
“I'm sorry my brother. But I must do this. It's for your own good.” He said sadly.
Dominic had been inching closer, he struck quickly, slippery as a snake he grabbed her attacker's hand and she heard his finger bones crack.
Holly collapsed on the floor.
She heard a horrible wailing from above her. Then the body builders face lay inches from hers. His lifeless eyes staring into her own. His mouth open in a silent scream of terror.
Arms lifted her and carried her out the house to the back garden. She knew by their tender touch that it was Caleb.
A frightened scream fell on her ears as Dominic finished off Christopher. She flinched at the inhuman sound.
Darkness descended.
Chapter Nine
∞
The Gift
Holly opened her eyes slowly.
The first thing she saw as her sight adjusted was a white washed ceiling.
She swallowed hard and ran her tongue over her dry, cracked lips.
The smell of bleach assaulted her nose. She looked around; a thin metal pole with a bag hooked on the end, filled with clear liquid, was stationed at the side of her. There was a white, cheap chest of drawers on the opposite wall, next to a window. She glanced down. Thin, white sheets had been tugged around her body. She saw the needle to the drip patched into her right hand.
Caleb sat in a chair next to her bed. His hand clenched hers. It took some time before she felt his squeeze.
“Where I am?” Her voice sounded distant and thick with disuse.
“Green-Fields hospital.” He said.
“What happened?”
He faltered. “I'm not doing a great job of guarding you am I.” His voice broke with emotion.
She turned her head slightly to look at him better.
He looked tired. His hair was knotted, his face streaked with pain. His eyes were unbearably barren. He looked so...defeated.
“I'm still here, aren’t I?”
He lowered his head. “Thanks to Dominic.”
“Is he...?”
“Fine.” He answered her.
“Caleb please. This was not your fault.”
He moved to the window. The street lights outside reflected his haunted expression in the pane.
“They found you because of me Holly. Angels can sense each other.” His tone was flat. He was scaring her. She had never seen him like this. “I'm a GPS emitting a beacon to all those that want you dead.”
“They would have found me eventually Caleb.” Her mind was still trying to remember. But her memory was hazy. “Are they dead?”
“Yes.”
Suddenly the door to the room swung open and Dominic peeked his head in. He flashed her a smile and moved to her bed side.
Caleb didn't even acknowledge his presence.
“Hello sleeping beauty.” He said kissing her on the check. “You gave us quite a scare.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Two days.” Caleb said quietly.
You're parents just left. Ricky and Jo were here earlier.” Dominic said rolling his eyes. “She was like a cat in heat.”
Holly laughed softly. “You know the more y
ou blow her off the harder she'll try.”
“She's certainly persistent. I'll give her that.”
“Dominic what took you so long?”
He sighed. “There were more of them outside. They came for me first. I had to fight my way to you. Sorry it took so long, they caught me unaware.”
“They know about our truce.” Caleb said turning to them, leaning against the wall. “Someone has to be tipping Michael off.”
Dominic nodded. “Got any ideas who?”
“They were prepared for you not me. Which narrows the field. There are a few who knew I wouldn't be guarding Holly that night.”
“What does it matter who's guarding me?” She asked them confused.
Caleb sat on her other side and took her hand in his. “Angels aren’t allowed to kill their own kind. They struck when they knew I wouldn't be around.”
“At least there's one rule Michael doesn’t intend to break.” Dominic said darkly.
“Yet.” Caleb said quietly.
“So, where shall it be princess?” Dominic asked her cheerily.
“What?”
“You can't stay here any longer Holly. Green-fields isn’t Cherry Falls.” Caleb told her.
“Yeah because that worked out well.” Dominic said teasingly, rolling his eyes. “We have to move you before Michael tries again. And since you're injured I’ll let you pick our destination.”
“But my parents...” Holly said.
“It won't be for long. We're working on something. I talked to your mother, she agreed to it. If it pans out the way it should Cherry Falls will be free of all supernatural beings.” Caleb explained.
“Except us of course.” Dominic winked at her.
“Guys I don't think I can be moved. My body's killing me.” She winced as a stab of pain travelled up her side.
“That's because you have a concussion, dislocated shoulder, two broken ribs and multipliable cuts and bruises.” Dominic told her.
“Oh... That's nice...bloody Angels”
She saw his face darken and his eyes snapped to the door. Caleb's too.
They glanced at each other.
“I'll delay them as long as I can.” Dominic told him quietly. Caleb nodded grimly.
The door shut quietly behind Dominic.
“Where's he...” Holly started to ask Caleb but he cut her off.
“Can you stand?” He asked her, as he threw open the window. The night sounds of the city flowed in.
“I don't...I'll try.” She lifted her heavy body into a sitting position then shrugged off the covers. She was wearing a thin hospital gown. Her legs and feet bare. her ribs screamed in protest and she winced.
The pain was momentary forgotten as she looked in Caleb's direction. He had tossed his jacket and sweater aside. His brown skin bare. She could see the light play off his abs. Her breathing picked up. Now wasn't really the time to strip off. Her cheeks blushed violently.
“What are you doing?”
“You've always wanted to fly.” Caleb said grinning.
The room shimmered as Caleb's wings unfurled magically behind his back.
They seemed to materialize right out of his skin. Holly looked on in shock and wonder.
At full span they reached the length of the room, the edges scraping across the wall.
They were brilliantly white.
The edges on all sides were made up pale muscle and cartilage, rimmed with big, fluffy white, bulky feathers. Further in they changed in shape to smaller, finer, and almost luminescent. There must have been millions of feathers making up the dazzling, huge wings.
Caleb shone with a magnificence she had never seen before.
She gasped. “You're...glorious.” She spilled out.
He flashed her a smile. It was wider and brighter than any he had given her before.
He walked over to her, his wings reigning in behind him to accommodate the room. He took out the needle in her hand, then scooped her up in his arms.
“Caleb...I'm scared of heights.” She said sheepishly.
“Don't worry. I won't let you fall.”
He walked over to the window jumped through it like they were weightless, then they were plummeting towards the ground. She held on to his slender neck so tight that her nails dug into his skin.
“Caleb!” She yelled in horror.
With one graceful motion, he beat his wings once, lifting them up into the sky.
“Sorry, couldn't resist.” He said to her.
They were gliding along on the wind's current. His wings making an amazing whoosh noise whenever he beat them. Green-fields trailed out below her.
They flew over skyscrapers, water, fields.
“This is...out of this world.” She said breathlessly.
Caleb kissed her neck. His lips trailing heat down her skin. “So are you.”
“Where are we going?” She asked refusing to take her eyes off the land that spanned out beneath her feet.
Heights had always crippled her but with Caleb's arms around her the only thing she felt was moved.
He had chosen to share this feeling with her. Her.
“You'll see when we land.” He whispered in her ear.
Her eye-lids felt very heavy. “What about Dominic? Why didn't he just blink us there?” This was altogether better than blinking.
“He'll find us. We couldn't risk blinking you when you're so weak. It could kill you.”
Holly remembered blinking. Her whole body felt like it had been split in half. Not a good feeling. “I'm almost glad those Angels attacked me.” She said trying to hold in a yawn.
“Why?”
Her eyes closed. “Otherwise I wouldn't be here right now. With you.”
***
“Got your message...” Dominic stopped abruptly.
Caleb was gently setting a sleepy Holly down onto the bed. He covered her with the duvet and kissed her forehead. She let out a contented sigh and snuggled into the covers.
Caleb motioned for Dominic to follow him. They sat on green-metal chairs on the balcony of the bedroom. The French doors open just a crack, so that they could get to Holly quickly if need be.
They drank in the scene for a while.
The Golden gate bridge outline was just visible in the gloom. Row upon row of quaint, brightly coloured houses stretched away in the distance. “Why LA?” Dominic asked Caleb suddenly. “I hate this place. The last time I was here, they tried to burn me alive.”
“Dom that was in 1775, and you did bed the mayor's wife.”
“And daughter.” Dominic added with a grin.
Wherever Dominic went trouble soon followed. LA hadn't been the first city that had tried to lynch Satan's son.
“ he bricked them up in the attic after that. The murdering swine.” Dominic broke Caleb's thoughts.
“What?”
“The mayor. It was such a waste too. His daughter was the dirtiest...”
“Dom I don't need to know the sordid details of your sex life.” Caleb said. “I brought Holly here because she's always wanted to see it. She told me the first day I met her.”
“Aw, how romantic.” Dominic mocked.
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Did you have any problems getting away?”
Dominic flashed him a -are-you-serious-glance. “It was like swatting files. I blinked to a few locations before coming here. Knowing you're lot they'll still be chasing their tails next November.”
“Michael wasn't among them?”
“No. When is he going to show his ugly face? I'm getting sick of dealing with his cronies.”
Caleb looked at him, trying to read him. Even after a millennia he still found Dominic to be an enigma. “Why did you take so long getting to Holly?”
Dominic flinched like he'd punched him. “I just wasn't ready for them...”
“Dom I’ve seen you clear battlefields in a few seconds. Something happened that night to throw you off you're game. I need to know it won't happen again.”
“It wo
n't.” He said looking away.
“How can you be so sure?” Caleb asked him. He needed to know that Dominic was investing himself completely in their task.
When Dominic finally turned back, his eyes were dull, black ambers. “Because I'll only let Holly break my heart once.”
Caleb froze. Holly had told him about them? He tried to reign in his smile. He could only imagine what Dominic was experiencing. If the shoe had been on the other foot, Caleb was sure he wouldn't be taking it so well.
“I'm sorry.” He said simply, meaning it.
Dominic shrugged. “I'm still hoping she'll come to her senses.” He laughed.
Caleb frowned. He knew that there was a connection between Dom and Holly, he also knew that things had gotten hot and heavy. Christopher hadn't been lying, he only had to look at Dominic's face to know it was true; his eyes gave him away.
Dom had had many conquests over the years, and had bragged about every single one.
Except Holly.
There was a restrained hunger about Dominic whenever Holly was around. Whatever had happened between them, was their business.
She was with him now, and Caleb trusted her. But he didn't trust Dominic not to push it when he wasn't around.
He would have to put his faith in her.
Lust and desire was a hard thing to fight. But he knew that for his sake Holly would do it.
“So what's the plan?” Dominic asked.
“We wait until Castillo sends word that it's safe to return.” Caleb told him. Glancing back at the French doors. He had thought he heard...Never mind.
“How do you know that he isn’t the one betraying us?”
“Castillo is risking his life for us Dom.” Caleb said turning back to the balcony. “I know who our traitor is. She's being dealt with as we speak.”
Dominic's eyes flashed with fury. “You knew and you didn't tell me!”
“I knew what you would do if I did.” Caleb told him firmly. “She's still an Angel Dom. I can't justify her murder by handing her to you.”
Dominic got up and leaned against the railings. “You didn't see her Caleb...” His tone was barely above a whisper. “When I got to her...I thought she was really hurt.”
Caleb joined him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. “But she's fine. Her injuries will have all but healed by tomorrow.”