by Kay, Jenna
Four guys, maybe teenagers, had appeared around my car. Two sat on the hood, one leaned against the driver’s side door with his arms crossed and head facing down, and one was sprawled on top of the trunk with his long legs dangling off the bumper. They were all dressed in black, blending into the night. Even through the darkness I could see every detail on their faces, thanks to my flashlight hands. They all had pale faces and strong, flawless features, and my first impression of these guys were that they were totally hot—but that thought rapidly vanished when they raised their heads and met my eyes with theirs. My breath caught in my chest and my heart sped up to my throat. I rubbed my eyes to make sure that what I was seeing was accurate.
Unfortunately what I was seeing was reality.
Shiny black eyes peered out at me from their pale faces. Not just really, really dark but black, with no whites around the pupils. With just one look at these devious characters, I knew exactly what I was up against. They were definitely not human—I could tell by the animal-like glints in there ebony eyes.
My palms had stopped pulsing but the red lights glowed steadily. They were still burning like I was holding the hot end of a fire poker, but my head was else where. My mind was focused on the sinister goth-looking guys who appeared to be out for blood, and their hungry eyes were zoned in on me.
Their glares held a visible grudge, as if they were violating me through their eyes. I wanted so much to run but found in a discouraging panic that my feet were super glued to the ground.
Fright, trepidation, painful ice-filled terror raced through my blood, shaking me from the top of my head to the bottoms of me feet. That was when the realism of the situation popped me square in the chin.
Was Sam telling the truth when he said he was an angel? And if that were true, is it possible that these dudes in front of me are demons?
Before I could speak, the guy leaning on the driver’s side door beat me to the punch.
“Clarity,” he said, his voice tender yet malicious. His hair matched the color of his shiny black eyes, falling just below his shoulders. He took a couple of steps forward, his moves fluent and light. The others followed, jumping up from their places on the car, their shifty eyes cemented on me.
“Who a-are you?” I stammered nervously, my voice a small squeak.
He narrowed his ebony orbs, tilting his head to the side. They continued edging closer to me in smooth, graceful efforts. I could see that, to my disgrace, they were dangerously handsome.
“I believe the real question is what are you?” The others snickered except for the one with shiny gray, almost silver hair; He seemed unresponsive in his expression. The other two had very riveting hairstyles as well. One harbored platinum blond hair shaped into a high Mohawk, and the other had short and spiky blood red hair, much redder than Kora's new style. They were strangely and unnaturally attractive. But also they were extraordinarily brutish.
My body began to tremble, the fear finally winning over and taking control.
“I-I know w-what you are,” I whispered, my eyes presenting intimidation. Sam had been telling the truth. Holy. Crap.
“Good,” the black-haired dude replied, his lips curling into a sneer. “We know what you are, too.” His gaze drifted down to my hands.
I looked down at my hands. “You—you can see my tattoos?”
They all laughed, evil cackles of hatred. The black-haired guy narrowed his eyes once again.
“Yes, we can see your...tattoos.”
Instinctively I hid my hands behind my back. “I gotta go...”
“No, no, no, you can't go.” He laughed, shaking his black hair out of his blackened eyes. “No, see, we haven't been introduced properly. My name is Lukus.” Without taking his gaze of me he gestured to the others. “Go ahead, boys. Introduce yourselves.”
On cue, platinum Mohawk guy raised a hand. “Markus,” he announced, his tone bored and careless.
“And I'm Stone,” spiky red-hair said.
Silver Head stood still as a statue, his expression wooden.
“This is Raine.” Lukus said as he slapped him on the back, adding, “He don't say much.”
I stood still, motionless, not knowing what to say. I wasn't sure what these guys were, but if they were demons I didn't know how to react to their weird introductions. I hadn't taken any classes on Demon Etiquette.
“And you are Clarity,” Lukus said, licking his lips and roaming his eyes up and down my body. “Now that we know each other, let's get down to business.”
My heart was beating frantically against my ribcage. “What do ya want from me?”
Before I could blink an eye Lukus, fast as lightening, appeared right in my face, his breath the most horrible stench I had ever encountered. The other three moved just as inhumanly fast, trapping me into a heinous, tight circle.
“We want what every angel of darkness wants,” he whispered, his features twisting into a venomous sneer. “A Seer's soul.”
Angel of darkness? Seer's soul? What the crap?
Lukus grabbed hold of my arms and my breath became snared in my lungs. Just one touch from him froze my entire body, my heart turning into a big ice ball. My lips trembled and my teeth chattered as the temperature of my body took a downward plunge. The smell of rot and decay hung thickly in the ice cold air. He tilted his head to the side, studying me with fascination.
“You do know what you are, don't you?” he questioned. “Your little angel must have informed you.” I stayed silent, not understanding what was happening.
Markus snorted. “She doesn't know, Lukus. The angel is too late.”
“Quiet Markus!” Lukus roared, his eyes searing into mine. “If the angel is too late that means she is up for grabs.” He paused, looking at the others. “Looks like we're about to bag a Seer, boys!”
My stomach contracted in horror as a weak cry crawled up out of my throat. The cold was so harsh it literally took my breath away, my lungs aching from the pressure. Their voices echoed all through the parking lot, evilly taunting me.
“Such a tasty soul!”
“Little sweet Ra'ah!”
“Let's take her now, Lukus. NOW!”
Lukus smirked, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Calm down, boys. Calm down.” He took his hand and gently stroked my cheek, his fingertips cold and biting against my flesh. “Let's take our time with this Chozeh.”
Ra'ah? Chozeh? Seer? What were they talking about?
“Don't t-t-touch m-me,” I stuttered, my teeth clicking uncontrollably.
Lukus laughed, and then rubbed his nose roughly against my cheek, sniffing, as if he was trying to breathe in my soul.
“You said you know what we are—we want to hear you say it.” He continued sniffing my skin, as if savoring my smell.
Narrowing my eyes defiantly I responded, “S-screw y-y-you.”
My retort amused them as they let their offensive barks of laughter ring into the night. Numbness consumed my body, my legs failing me. Lukus let go of me, and I fell hard to the pavement, hugging myself into a ball. The palms of my hands, for the first time in months, felt like ice packs, their red glow no longer blazing. My eyes flew upward and I found Lukus and the others had encircled me, like buzzards in flight searching for their next meal.
My brain had questions circling it—why did they want me so badly? Could they really be demons? What was a Seer? What was a Ra'ah? Why was I freezing?
“Your time has come to an end, Seer.” I whimpered as Lukus bent down and licked my face, tasting my skin. In my ear he whispered, “Yes, we are demons. Welcome to hell.” Then they began chanting in an unknown language as I lay on the ground, completely open and unguarded.
Suddenly a bright light illuminated the parking lot, the white glare so radiant it almost changed the whole scene from night to day. The demons recoiled from the light, backing away, hissing and howling in pain. A hand touched my shoulder and automatically warmed my bones, taking away my fear and replacing it with relief. The smell of lav
ender arose in the air, overtaking the dead, rotten animal smell.
Sam.
My eyes fluttered up.
My mouth gaped open.
What I saw caused my heart to skip a hundred beats, my body to tingle with raw amazement, and left me completely and utterly hypnotized.
Chapter Eleven
When I looked up all I could see was the fluffy white feathers of Sam's wings that unfurled from his back. I was so transfixed on them that I reached out and stroked one of them, the texture so soft it was unreal.
Wearing a white tee and jeans he looked like any ordinary teenage boy, except for the fact he had wings protruding from his back. His eyes were glowing bright blue as he searched me, an anxious concern flitting across his perfect face.
Sam had been telling the truth—he was an angel!
“Are you OK?” he questioned, a breath of lavender touching my face. “Did they hurt you?”
His eyes were so spectacularly luminous they held me tight in their unworldly charm. I shook my head, telling myself that I needed to wake up and come back down to planet earth. I had just been attacked by monsters and here I was drooling over Sam's wings.
Before I could answer him an ugly demented voice roared a few feet away.
“What are you doing here?” Lukus snapped bitterly, his voice engorged with poison.
Sam ignored him, keeping his attention on me. “Clarity?”
“I...I'm fine.” I was so captivated by his superior appearance my words were coming out in a babbled mess. Since the day I had met him, he had been exceedingly beautiful, but actually seeing him in his angel form he was more than resplendent—he was powerful.
A look of pain cruised over his face. “Are you sure?” he inquired, worry thick in his voice.
I blinked my eyes, continuing to soak in his loveliness. “You came for me.”
He relaxed, sighing with alleviation. “I've never left you,” he whispered.
“You were tellin' the truth,” I continued. “You're really an angel.”
He nodded with a grin. “So, you're a believer now, huh?”
I nodded slowly, the realization finally sinking in.
If I had not believed before I sure as heck did now. Demons and angels were real, and God did exist. There was real evil in the world. Monsters really did walk among us, and I was now in the middle of a war that started way back when. My only question in the whole matter was this:
Why was I in the middle of this supernatural war?
“The Ra'ah is ours!” growled Lukus angrily, knocking me out of my cognitive state. The demons began yelling something in a different language. I did not know what language they were speaking but I was positive that what they were saying was nasty and vile. I noticed that there were only three demons now—Lukus, Markus, and Stone. Raine had skipped off as soon as Sam appeared.
Feeling more than terrified, I glanced up at Sam. “They're demons, aren't they?”
Sam nodded, unfazed by the demons incoherent ramblings. “Yes, they are demons from the lowest regions of hell.”
I let out a breath I did not know I was holding. “Holy sh—”
“Clarity,” Sam interjected, pulling me swiftly to my feet, “listen to me. I want you to get in your car and drive.” He held my face in his hands, studying me. “Are you hearing me?”
“Y-yeah.” I had been listening but my eyes had once again found his beauteous wings and I was mesmerized by them. Sam noticed what I was ogling and a lazy grin extended across his face.
“Whatever you do,” he continued softly, “don't look back.”
“But—” I protested, but his fixed expression told me there was no point in arguing. I would have to do what he told me.
“Please trust me.”
He then took me in his arms, his wings folding over me, and in a split second I found myself behind the wheel of my car, the keys in the ignition. My hair was wind blown, like I'd been in the middle of a tornado, and my breaths came in laborious gasps. My head was stuffed with heavy dizziness and my heartbeat was thudding in my ears.
“Wha—?”
Dumbfounded I turned my head, looking outside the car window. Sam was walking toward the demons, his muscles taut and rippling under his shirt as he rolled his shoulders. He kept his head high and straight ahead, ready to face the demons. I watched as he slowly stretched his strong wings out to their maximum limit, and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets at the sight of how immense they were. I sat there, my eyes unblinking, when Sam's voice echoed in my head.
Please, Clarity—drive and don't look back.
As he spoke a bright light started to materialize, a light that was emanating out of him with such force the ground began to shake, vibrating the car. The pine-scented air freshener hanging from my rear-view mirror danced back and forth with the mini-earthquake happening in the parking lot. The demons were still busy running their mouths, glaring menacingly at Sam. As the light moved closer to them their expressions changed into concern as they shielded their eyes and walked backward.
Go, Clarity. NOW!
Quickly turning the key in the ignition my car roared to life. I floored the gas and high-tailed it out of there. The light was growing brighter and brighter, reflecting off the mirrors in my car, nearly blinding me. Even with my growing curiosity I did not look back, just as Sam had told me.
Once I turned off the square and headed for home, all was black around me. Little dots darted across my vision because of the light being so brilliant. Halfway home dense buckets of rain began pelting my windshield. My windshield wipers weren't up to par, so I was forced to go the speed limit.
A few minutes later I was pulling up to my house. The rain stopped as soon as I got out of my rust bucket, the glow of the moon lighting a path for me to follow to my house. I ran quickly to my porch, slipping on the wet steps and falling down. I bit back tears as I tried to get the key in the deadbolt. A curse slipped from my lips as I tried to steady my hand long enough to get the key into the lock.
Eventually I got the key in the lock, opened the door, slammed it shut behind me, and threw the deadbolt. Then I made my way through the house, turning all the lights on. Also I checked and double checked the window locks, and closed all the curtains and blinds.
Running upstairs to my bedroom I locked the door and threw myself inside my closet, hunkering down in the corner. My hand found my hidden bottle of vodka. I unscrewed the top and slung the bottle back, taking three huge gulps. Closing my eyes I tried to clear my head but I couldn't because my mind was in overdrive mode. All I could see behind my eyelids was the demons shiny tar-colored eyes, and all I could hear was their unrelenting voices of evil barking over and over again.
I stared out into the dark recesses of the closet, feeling the total unbalance of my life crash all around me. I took another sip of vodka in hopes that the clear fluid would ease the momentum of my revolving thoughts. Taking slow deep breaths my heart finally ceased its rapid beating. My skin was still cold, raised gooseflesh coating every inch of my chilled body. The tears I had been holding in spilled over my eyelids, plunging down my cheeks.
Everything in my life was just so screwed-up, a big pile of chaotic nonsense that continued to drag me further and further down insanity road. What normal teenage girl can see and speak to an angel, and be attacked by demonic beings that smelled like road kill. I mean seriously? This was all too disturbing.
I stopped my blubbering when a noise from downstairs caught my attention—the sound of the front door opening and closing. I cowered even deeper into my closet as the sound of footsteps started up the stairs. I whimpered, clamping my hand tightly over my mouth. The doorknob to my bedroom began rattling as someone tried to open it. I gritted my teeth and pinched my eyes closed as ice-cold fear slithered down my spine.
“Clarity, are ya in there?”
Extreme relief rushed into me, sending much needed repose to my wound-up brain. Getting up out of the darkness of my closet I ran to the door and
unlocked it. Opening the door I threw myself at A.C., hugging her with all my might.
“Whoa!” she cried out, surprised. “What's up with you? Your hair is all wet and you're friggin' cold! And why the heck are all the lights on?” She leaned back, regarding me with concerned eyes.
“I...um...”
I gasped out loud when I saw Sam standing directly behind her.
A.C. jumped. “What? What is it?” she hedged, taking a look behind her. Of course she couldn't see Sam standing there because she couldn't see angels—I was the only one in this town that, for some odd reason, saw angels, demons, and tattoos of crosses, wings, and crowns that sometimes glowed red or green.
Man, I'm totally going cuckoo.
A.C. squeezed my arm. “Honey, I'm worried about you. You look like you've seen a ghost or somethin'.”
No, A.C., more like an angel.
Sam grinned mischievously, lifting a finger to his lips.
“Shhh,” he said.
Looking at A.C. I said, “I'm fine.”
She raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Ya sure?” I nodded. “Okay. Now then, tell me why all the lights are on and why you had yourself locked in your room.” She walked passed me, suspiciously looking around my room.
I turned around to follow her and almost screamed.
Sam was now lying down on my bed with his fingers laced behind his head and his eyes shut. I stared at him dubiously, my mouth wide open. A.C. snapped her fingers in front of my face to seize my attention. She glared at me angrily.
“Have you been drinkin', Clarity Elise Miller?”
“No!” I exclaimed, maybe a little too fast because she shot me her trademark “whatever” look. Racking my brain I tried furiously to come up with a semi-believable story. Oh, how I wished Kora had been with me! She was the world’s greatest liar.
“The reason all the lights are on is because, uh...when I was driving home tonight I thought I saw someone following me.” I snatched a quick glance at Sam and wished I hadn't, because his mouth had formed into a silent laugh. Wanting so much to walk over and punch the smile right off his face I found, to my shock, my own lips forming a smile.