by D. F. Jones
Luc spoke with a silken tongue, smooth as glass and sweet as chess pie. “Most humans don’t possess the intellect to see me. But you saw me in the cave and the library. I’m impressed, Dr. Kelly.”
Anna’s stomach flipped, but she stilled her nerves with a silent prayer. With calm assurance, she said, “I’m not afraid of you.”
Luc laughed loudly and rubbed his hands together in excitement. “That’s what Raphael said to me only a moment ago. Oh, but wait, you call him Ralph. Very cute.” Luc stepped closer and placed his hands in prayer mode. “You can’t lie to me. I read your thoughts, even your prayers. It’s truly delightful to rule by fear. You’re wasting your healing talents with The Creator. You could go places with me, even run a hospital of your choosing. Have a wing dedicated to your name.”
In an instant, Ralph materialized in front of Anna. His shimmering, translucent wings spanned the width of the room, shielding her. “Back off, Satan. You devious, bottomless pit of putrescent rubbish.”
Luc wore an insane smile and shook his head back and forth. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Raphael, Raphael, you cannot defeat me. You need to stick with healing. You have no stomach for violence. It’s not in your nature. You’re going to get this very talented human killed and yourself maimed for life. Give her to me, and I tell you what—I’ll leave her friends alone. I’ll even allow Ruby’s baby to live.”
Anna stood on her tiptoes and tried to stick her head around Ralph’s wings. That burning feeling crept inside her gut, and the urge to protect her friends and even Ralph overcame her. An intense glow outlined the frame of her body, and she shouted, “You stay away from Ruby and her baby.”
Three more angels appeared next to Ralph. Anna assumed the angels were Seneca, Luwenia, and Baldric, based on the descriptions Ralph had previously given her.
The Guardians of Campbell Ridge held weapons in their hands. Ralph held two daggers in each hand. Baldric whipped out a sword that hissed through the air and created an electrical charge in the room. It glowed with incredible, pulsating light. Baldric bent his knees in readiness for an attack. Seneca and Luwenia spanned their wings to overlay Ralph’s wings, making a wall of protection around Anna. Luwenia’s bow and arrow aimed at Luc’s chest, and small blue spheres that emitted an extraordinary amount of energy hovered in the air less than an inch above Seneca’s hands.
Luc snapped his fingers, and immediately behind him, the room filled with demons. The demons’ bodies resembled humans, but their heads were reptilian. Their mouths opened, revealing sharp, pointy teeth and oozing what appeared to be saliva. The bunker became a living thing. The walls seemed to pulse, and she knew they would cave any second. The two sides prepared for battle.
Her battle—Luc wanted her. Crap on a cracker.
With an air of aloofness, Luc waved his hand about the room, spreading the stench of death. Luc casually walked closer to Ralph and gave Anna a piercing look, and it felt like hands were roaming over her body. “Anna, you do amaze me. The Creator has given you some incredible gifts for such a small human.”
Luc turned to Raphael and said, “Do you want this to go down right now in a place already filled with human suffering? I will destroy this place. I will level it to the ground, and every human here will die.” Luc’s laid-back attire swiftly changed into what appeared to be a steel meshed breastplate, and a rainbow of colors filled the room when his wings spanned out and broke the ceiling’s surface.
Ralph’s voice resonated with the strength of a warrior and was music to Anna’s ears. “I will fight for Anna. I will do what is necessary to ensure her safety.”
Suddenly, the room filled with incandescent light. They were no longer in the bunker but in a tropical place with lush forest. Anna glanced up to see raging waters gushing over a towering waterfall. Another angel appeared behind Luc, and he grabbed Luc by the wings.
All hell broke loose.
Anna stood in the flat valley in the midst of a supernatural battle in what she could only describe as a glass bubble. To her right, Baldric battled two demons, ducking and weaving while swinging his blade with incredible speed. When his sword made contact with a demon, it disintegrated into ash.
In rapid succession, Luwenia released flaming arrows to plunge deep into a demon’s chest, which had the same effect as Baldric’s sword. Seneca threw the blue spheres of light, which exploded at the moment of impact against the demons. One by one the demons disappeared.
Ralph body-slammed the demon heading straight for Anna. He grabbed the demon by the head and headbutted the demon into ash. Ralph flipped around before the next demon could grab his wings. He threw consecutive punches to the demon’s gut and an uppercut to the demon’s jaw.
Anna screamed, “Watch out, Ralph. Nooo.” But he didn’t hear her and the demon stabbed Ralph with a dagger to the kidney. Ralph’s knees hit the ground.
Luwenia shot an arrow, hitting the demon between his eyes. Luwenia picked up Ralph and placed her hand over his injury. In less than a minute, Ralph was back on the balls of his feet fighting the last demon. Ralph swiftly reached in his side belt, withdrew another dagger, and slashed the demon across the jugular. The demon’s ash floated in the air, disappearing before it hit the ground.
Anna turned to the fight between the short and stocky angel and Luc. Luc shouted, “I’ve waited an eternity to fight you, Michael.” Luc escaped from Michael’s wing hold. He drove his fists into Michael’s face, knocking his head back. Michael recovered fast and, with a swift kick of his right foot, Luc hit the ground.
The sound of thunder echoed throughout the valley, and screaming winds blew the trees and plants violently back and forth. Ralph screamed, “Baldric and Luwenia, guard Anna.”
Ralph threw himself in the middle of the battle between Luc and Michael. Michael shouted, “Stay back, son, I have this bastard.” The second Michael looked at Ralph, Luc punched Michael in the gut, and he doubled over, gasping for air. Ralph flew in the air and slammed Luc into a huge evergreen tree, giving Michael time to regroup. Ralph wrapped his arm around Luc’s neck in a chokehold.
At the same time, Luc brought up his left foot and crashed it down on the top of Ralph’s left foot while Luc elbowed him hard in the ribs, allowing himself enough time to escape from Ralph.
Luc flew into the air with his wings spanned at full extension. He shouted, “This is only the beginning, my brothers.” He disappeared in the howling wind.
***
Anna woke up on the couch in the bunker. She glanced up at the clock on the wall, and it still read 3:05 p.m. Holy Smokes. Anna looked around the room, and Ralph was nowhere in sight. She intended to get the full scoop on the battle that went down today. Time had stood still during the battle between Heaven’s angels and Hell’s demons. She shook her head in disbelief. Nothing in the room seemed amiss.
Anna had to get back to work and would discuss the apocalypse with Ralph later. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. Focus on work, focus on work, that’s what I’ll do. She repeated her mantra all the way back into the ER.
* * *
Today had released a shit storm of trouble for Anna with her coming face-to-face with the leader of the dark world. She was ready for a bottle of merlot and a long hot soak in the Jacuzzi. Anna wiggled the key in her front door and pushed it open to find Ralph had created an obstacle course in her living room.
Anna threw her backpack down on the floor and sagged against the couch. “Whatcha doing, Ralph?”
Ralph wore a pair of navy blue sweats and a white, long-sleeved T-shirt with a pair of cross-trainers. He stood on a small ladder, nailing up blankets on the wall on the other side of the room. Ralph stepped down from the ladder and, with a look of pure determination, he said, “You have to start training. After the battle today, you must be prepared in case Luc decides to make another impromptu visit with you again.”
Anna could see lines etched around Ralph’s gorgeous violet eyes. In the whole time she had known Ralph, he’d always been so upbeat. Now he seemed tens
e and a little on the edgy side. “Today was not your fault.”
Ralph walked over to her and pulled her up into his arms. He hugged her and then took a step back. “I should’ve known he was coming for you. Luc could’ve taken you. He could’ve killed you. Anna, I know I’m not supposed to form emotional attachments to my human, but you’re like the daughter I never had, and I failed you today.” Ralph’s head fell forward, and his shoulders slumped.
Anna tilted his chin up, and his eyes met her gaze. She said, “You saved me today. You have never failed me. If I could choose from all of the angels in Heaven to be my guardian, I would pick you every single time. I love you. You’re my rock, Ralph.”
Ralph dropped to his knees and with his head bowed, he said, “You’re too magnanimous, Anna.”
Anna knelt down beside him and placed her hands on either side of his face. She smiled broadly, and he smiled back. “Ralph, we make a good team. Remember, The Creator doesn’t make mistakes. But right now, I’m pooped. I’m going to grab a glass of wine and soak in the Jacuzzi for about thirty minutes. I’ll tell you what… You let me relax, and then you can train me on how to be a warrior ward.” She snickered and said, “Oh, I like that—warrior ward. I’ll have to tell Sandy to write it down in the diary.”
Ralph stood first and helped Anna to her feet. Ralph’s smile warmed her, and the stress seemed to disappear from his face. He said, “Anna, wait on discussing this event until the other guardians have talked to their wards. Go and relax. I made lasagna with French bread and a tossed salad. Fighting makes me restless and cooking releases tension. I’ll get you a glass of wine and bring it to you.”
“No, my brave protector, take a load off. Do whatever you do to relax, and I’ll be back to eat dinner later. By the way, dinner smells heavenly.” Anna went into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
* * *
Anna lit lavender and vanilla aromatherapy candles around the tub and dimmed the light switch. She laid her Walkman with Wham’s Make it Big tape ready to play and placed her glass of merlot on the marble ledge of the tub. Anna stepped inside her Jacuzzi and immersed herself. A few seconds later, she broke the water surface. “Ahh, now that’s what I’m talking about.” She took a sip of wine and placed her headset on her ears and pushed play. Anna used her toe to push on the jets, and the soothing pulsating streams of water began to knead her tired and aching muscles. She released a moan of delight and leaned her neck against a rolled up towel.
As the music played, Anna began to unwind, pushing the thoughts of today’s battle away, and she allowed her mind to get into the slow grooves of George Michael singing “Careless Whisper.” She glanced up at the ceiling before closing her eyes.
At twenty-eight years old, Anna had an incredible desire to have sex. Maybe it was the fact she could have died today. She needed to make love every once in a blue moon and cringed at the thought of how long it had been since she’d done it. So she fantasized about Jerry making love to her.
But thinking about Jerry making love to her only created a deep longing for him, and the empty place inside her heart seemed to grow larger. Anna reached for her wine and drained the rest of the glass. The jets made her legs feel like jelly, and she took a washcloth out of the basket and lathered it up with Savon de Marseille soap.
Anna quickly dried off, applied body lotion, and combed her hair. She pulled on a pair of black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, then grabbed a pair of socks and her running shoes. Anna’s bare feet slapped on the tile floors as she strolled into her new workout area.
Ralph sat on a stool in front of her bar. “You’re positively glowing.”
Anna’s cheeks flushed pink, and she dropped the shoes next to the couch. “A bath with wine and jets can work miracles, and I had a few fantasies about Jerry, too.”
Ralph burst out laughing. “Well, that answers for the glow. Come on, let’s get you fed and later we’ll work out.”
The food was delicious, and the carbs gave her a renewed energy. Anna followed Ralph back into the workout area. She slipped on her running shoes and said, “Ralph, what happened today? It was weird when we went into the forest, and I was suddenly in this glass globe. It scared me to death watching you fight. I guess you were right. Luc is after us or, at least after me?”
“Michael threw us into an alternate realm to protect the humans in the hospital. We had to take you with us. Other demons could’ve shown up. The protective globe shielded you against the supernatural energy and weapons dispensed in the battle. Luc will make another attempt at you, and you have to be ready when he does.”
Anna stood with her hands on her hips. “So where do we start?”
Ralph walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection. He placed his hand on her diaphragm. “First, I want you to concentrate on breathing. In through your mouth and then exhale out. Feel the steady rhythm. Breathing exercises help to keep you centered. I’ve placed three objects on the kitchen table.”
He moved her back about five feet from the center of the table. “I placed a pillow, a five-pound bag of sugar, and a twenty-pound bag of potatoes on the table. I’m going to teach you how to use the energy you displayed today in the bunker. I want you to move those objects off the table with your mind. I laid a painter’s drop cloth down on the floor to catch debris, so don’t wrinkle your nose.”
Anna frowned and turned to face him. “Uh, my healing shoots to my fingertips, but that energy today came from my gut. When Luc mentioned hurting Ruby and her baby, I experienced this intense burning right in the middle of my abdomen.” Anna placed her hand over her belly button.
He smiled and said, “That is exactly where your life force begins. Anger is a good thing if you use it in the right way and it doesn’t develop into hatred. Are you ready?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Anna said. She shook out her arms, loosened up her neck, and did a few leg stretches.
Ralph took a step away from her and said, “Now raise your arms, but not higher than your shoulders, and point your fingers level toward the pillow.” Anna did as he requested. “Good, now I want you to think about Luc. Think about how he made you feel and next, think of your life’s energy force.”
Anna pointed to the pillow and concentrated on the burning growing inside her stomach, and she thought about Luc. The energy shot to her fingertips. “Okay, the energy is at my fingertips, so what do I do now?” She lightly bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet and thought of Muhammad Ali. She was going to fly like a bird and sting like a bee. No, that wasn’t right. She was going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
Ralph leaned in next to her ear and said, “The pillow is Luc’s chest. You want to push him against the wall. NOW.”
Ralph yelled at her, and the energy shot from her fingertips across the room and the pillow exploded into a massive amount of down feathers floating in the air. “I exploded the dad-blamed thing.”
“Excellent.” Ralph walked over to the table and positioned the sugar in the center of it. “You have an extraordinary gift. I didn’t know if this would work. You blew the thing apart. Which means, once we get your power under control, you’ll be able to blow demons apart.”
Anna straightened her shoulders and readied herself for the five-pound bag of sugar. She felt like Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun. She had the movie and might pop it in later if she didn’t fall asleep first. “I’m ready to try to aim at the sugar. Why don’t I just try to push it off the table without you yelling at me? You nearly made me pee my pants.”
Ralph leaned against the other wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “And the student teaches the instructor. I love it. Go for it, Annie Oakley.”
Anna relaxed and allowed her mind to concentrate on the energy that hummed steadily in her fingertips. The energy shot from the tips of her fingers and blew the bag of sugar off the table, slamming it against the wall. Thankfully, the bag didn’t burst apart.
Anna made a gesture wi
th her fingers like they were imaginary pistols. She blew on the tips of her pointers and placed her energy guns back into her invisible holsters. “Wow, Ralph. Why haven’t you taught me this before?”
Ralph stepped over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s sit on the couch for a minute.” They sat down, and Anna sat cross-legged to face him. He said, “It’s against the rules for angels to teach humans this kind of power. Some humans would use it in the wrong way. Without permission, I risk getting fired from my position, but the risk is worth it after what happened in the bunker today.”
A wave of panic rose into her throat at the thought of losing Ralph. Anna reached over to hold his hands. “Ralph, I don’t want to lose you, and I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
“I discussed your training with my dad today before he went home.” Ralph gently touched the side of her face before placing his hands on his thighs.
Anna leaned into her comfy couch pillows and stretched her legs out, so her feet rested in Ralph’s lap. “Your dad? I thought The Creator made angels?”
He massaged her foot in a slow stroking motion, pushing his thumbs into her arch. “As I’ve said before, angels and humans are similar. My biological father is Michael. He’s in charge of the Angels Armed Forces over Heaven and the Universe. He is the one who saved the day. And before you ask, I wasn’t conceived out of love or lust, but out of necessity. My biological mother, Ahneeta, is in the New Soul Departure Division. They both love me in their way. There are some angels who fall in love in Heaven. Angels who fall in love are paired in a commitment ceremony. But most angels are paired out of necessity to create more angels as the populations of the universe increase and as the demon angels increase their numbers.”
Anna sank further into the couch on the verge of sleep. “Ralph, I want you to fall in love. I think you care for Luwenia more than you realize. She saved you today. The way she reacted and the way she looked at you made me think she loves you, too.” Anna made a motion with her forefinger and thumb. “Maybe you love her just a little more than you’re letting on.”