An Angels Ascent (Faellin Angels Realm)

by Christina Worrell

  Surprisingly Lillian was pregnant again. She’d have the first baby in two to three weeks, more than likely after the apocalypse. She and I had become good friends. Raven seemed a little weird at first, but quickly understood the need for me to ask advice from another pregnant woman.

  Nearly to my hut I spotted Raven. She was headed to the dock, and I caught her.

  “Come with me,” I told her.

  We walked towards the jungle, where a secluded glen was.

  “I just found out some interesting. I can’t explain it all right now so just bear with me. I found out who my father was, and that he’s alive right now.”

  “That’s great,” Raven said.

  She waited for me to say more, but I was trying to contain more tears.

  “Let’s bring him here.”

  “That’s the part that hurts the most. Even if he’s here he’ll die, and I found out more. He knew where I was the whole time. Honestly, I’m having a pity party.”

  “Why?” she asked, sitting down, realizing I truly needed my friend.

  “All the shit I’ve been through and will go through, for having to be the one to fix everyone’s problems when I didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Well, chick, don’t get mad at the messenger here, but like that old saying goes, shit happens every damn day,” she replied with a sigh.

  She was right of course.

  “My father knew where I was the whole time, and saw the things I had to deal with, and still wouldn’t take care of me or help me!”

  “I know that doesn’t help much, but look at it this way, at least your immortal. Or will be…”

  I looked at her and then, unable to take anymore I cried harder than I ever had. My best friend, no my sister, would die. She was a sister witch true, but she could be no closer if she was born from the same mother, or father.

  Switch found us sometime later huddled together bawling like the girls we were. He stared at us like we were insane or something, which we might have been a little. Then he pulled us into his arms and held us while we got the worst of it out.

  Toward the end, he asked us what was wrong.

  “Raven… Raven’s not… will… die!” I cried sobbing so hard he barely understood what I was saying.

  “Angel shouldn’t… it’s not fair… why her… so much pain…” Raven wailed, gasping and hiccupping between words.

  He must have, moments later, understood all the gibberish because he sat back and looked at us.

  “I’m sorry that you girls are upset, I wish I could fix this but I can’t. Only the gods’ can I think. I do know that things happen for a reason. That each of us, immortal or not, are strong enough. Or we wouldn’t be chosen for these roles in which we were given. We have to do our best, because giving up, or in, means that we are weak. I know for a fact that neither of you are weak. Ha, you are the strongest, bravest, smartest, and most beautiful women in the world. We can’t have it all. Some get more, or less, but either way that’s the hand we were dealt and you win, you lose, or you tie.”

  He was right as well, and we both stood up. We had a moment of weakness. I wouldn’t let her die. One way or another, before she grew too old I’d find a way to save her.

  Raven smiled tentatively at Switch, perhaps seeing him in a new way. Michael wasn’t like this for her. He had his own problems to deal with. Switch was strong, hot, and smart. Michael was too, but Switch was also made of stronger stuff.

  We all walked back towards the center of things, back to what we were doing. Michael saw us walking, smiling and laughing together and assumed the worst, like he always did. He was smart but blind.

  Aries and the others had made it to the hotel and were staring at us, as well.

  I went to him and put an arm around him.

  “Did you fix that problem you guys had?” he asked me.

  “Yep, I needed some girl time,” I whispered.

  He raised his eyebrows.

  “I think you should go rest Angel; you’re kind of pale,” Raven said.

  “Yeah, love,” Aries agreed.

  I nodded and went to our hut. Raven walked with me.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to take over my job. Switch has been doing it, but here shortly he’ll be a little busy. I need you to do it if you would.”

  “Sure, the hotel has calmed down so I’m left wandering around looking for something to do.”

  “I’ll speak to Switch and have him work with you, catch you up on everything. It’s easy but can get frustrating figuring out where everyone is and keeping things up to date.”

  “Not a problem, I need more to do,” she replied.

  I told her thanks and went inside. Nanna handed me something to drink and gently put me in a chair. I may not suffer like most women from various pregnancy problems, but it wasn’t easy either.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  I ended up taking a nap. When I woke Nanna was sitting in a chair not far from the bed.

  “We need to talk, girl.”

  “What is it?” I asked, sitting up. I was still a little groggy. Did all pregnant women feel so tired?

  “You’re near your time, yes?”

  “Very.”

  “In da mortal world, I’d say a week or two. Yes?”

  I nodded. My back was achy from supporting all the weight so long. I was getting stronger yes, but I was still human, and had such a tiny frame.

  “If you were completely mortal chile, you could not do dis. It’d kill you. You need to rest more, if not I foresee complications.”

  I hoped she was wrong; there was so much work left.

  Nanna left after that to finish dinner. I dressed and went back upstairs. Aries was just coming through the door with Sephina. She had begun to talk to me, but no one else. I had noticed she communicated with Nanna but without words.

  “Michael and Raven got into a massive fight a few moments ago. He’s moving into the hut with the band. He should be here soon. I don’t know if they officially broke up, but I figured you would want to understand why he was taking his stuff out of here in a minute or two,” Aries said sitting next to me.

  “It was only a matter of time. I think I was wrong to set them up.”

  “It’s not your fault, love. He can’t get over you, which is seriously starting to piss me off.”

  We stopped talking because Michael walked in and went straight downstairs. Ten minutes later he came back up with two bags, a pillow, and a large box.

  “Michael, I hate to bug you when you’re busy but um, have you heard from your parents? There’s not much time left,” I asked.

  He glanced at my stomach, glaring for a second, sighed, and then shook his head no.

  “Have you called them?” Aries asked.

  “They’re not coming.”

  “Why?”

  “They have family business to attend to they said.” Michael looked impatient and kept glancing at the door.

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know,” and with that Michael walked out.

  I realized that I was not alone with my problems. Everyone had to sacrifice something. Switch was right.

  I went to visit Bella who was bouncier than ever. She gushed over me being pregnant, saying she wished she had known, she’d have bought something. She chattered for half an hour before I had taken in too much. I told her to make herself at home, she was welcome forever, and I’d be around, just ask anyone, and they’d show her where I was. Her emotional roller coaster was a bit much to take in right now.

  I found Raven with Switch. He seemed to be consoling her. When I walked up I overheard them talking about her taking over our work.

  They smiled, and Switch gave me his seat.

  “She told me what you had decided, and I think it's a great idea,” Switch said.

  “I thought so,” I replied smiling.

  We discussed final details, and then asked Switch to walk with me to talk with Aries and the other band members. I had sen
t them texts to meet me in the meeting hall. I had also asked Aries to let Sen know, as well.

  Ten minutes later we were all surrounding a large oak table. It could fit a few more if necessary.

  “I think you all should know that we’re almost there,” I told everyone.

  “How do you know? You're only eight months, right?” Madness said.

  “Let’s say women’s intuition. I wanted us to meet to make sure we’re all up to date on what happens when I go into labor.”

  Aries picked up the conversation from here.

  “I’ll stay with Angel and Nanna inside the monastery, downstairs. We’ve been working on having beds, eating-places, and other things ready when the time comes. You're jobs will be to get everyone inside and downstairs. Make sure everyone is accounted for. That’ll be Switch and now Raven’s job. This week I want all loose ends tied up. Let’s prepare for this. Next week anything not done has to be finished, and we’ll have to reinforce the huts and anything that would not make it through gale force winds and heavy rains. That way if she goes into labor we’ll be ready. By the end of the two weeks, I want the orphans downstairs as well as their supplies. If they are there a few days they’ll be fine, at least their safe. I don't want one of them left behind. Sephina will be in Lillian’s care, which I’m leaving in Thomas and Cross’s care. If those two are not below when this happens, then something's wrong. We’ll have to work together to get this done. These next two weeks will be harder than all of them combined. I don't want all our hard work wasted. Sen, your job is to make sure things run smoothly, that there’s no panic. I think you can figure out what that means.”

  Aries authoritative voice provoked the men some, but they knew he was right.

  “We want to make sure that two people are not doing the same job and people get hurt. And as for the boats we need to make sure they are anchored and sealed tight and in the cove. We can’t control what happens to them, but there is a cliff south of the island through the jungle, it docks with a cave and will block a majority of the elements. Thorn your job is to find the cave and make sure that all the boats are there by the end of the week. All medical supplies and food must be downstairs before the thirty-first of December.

  “I realize Christmas is next week, and it's cold. The children are expecting something so we figured we would put off Christmas until the thirty-first and celebrate it then. We’ll tell the people that we are not ready, and plan to have everyone group in the caves. A storm is coming in, and we want the holidays safe, as well as give them something to do while we’re all down there.”

  Everyone agreed to this. I could see the men working out minor details.

  “When each of your jobs are done text Switch or me and let us know,” Aries said sitting back.

  Sen offered some last minute advice.

  Everyone seemed to know what to do and had no more to say.

  “Alright, Angel will be resting. When she goes into labor, we believe she’ll experience the last change. When all is said and done, she’ll be completely immortal. When everyone is downstairs and ready I want two men at each exit ready for anything. We don't know where these gates will appear, so we have to be ready to defend everyone. In the event that the island is lost, we have a backup plan. It hurts me to say this, but Angel and I have spoken to some of the others.

  “Our main concern is Angel and Kali when she is born. We’ll take to ships and load them with certain individuals. The first boat will consist of Angel, Kali, Switch, Nanna, Lady Kara, Sen, Raven, and I. The second will be the rest of you and as many orphans as possible. Of course if we can save any of the others we should do so. These people must survive. We have spoken to Frank. He’ll have a third, and possibly fourth ship ready if need be, with the Lykan’s. He’ll take as many of the others as he can, but if it comes to this we feel that most will not be saved,” Aries told everyone.

  “This is unlikely to happen, and Kali has said everything will be safe. It’s just back up planning of course. We hope that things go smoothly. We suggest anything you cannot live without or will need within a week, such as weapons, you should store in the caves before the two weeks are up,” Angel informed them all.

  “You act as if you know for sure that two weeks is all we have,” Thorn said.

  “No, not really, but if I had to guess based on everything I’d say absolutely,” Angel told him.

  They concluded the meeting and each returned to their huts as it was getting late. The band members would begin their jobs after feeding.

  Frank had solved another problem when reaching the island. It seemed that the werewolves drank blood in their animal forms, and if triggered would need some. He had found a private medical corporation that would supply bagged blood for a price.

  The band could survive on it, as well. So Frank bought the entire shipment and kept it in the fridge. There was enough to keep them alive for years if they conserved the supply. Frank would receive a last shipment in three days. He had bought out the entire east coast under different names. Some he had shipped to the doctor back home and then here.

  Unfortunately, the band could only drink positive, so the negative was left for the wolves.

  We’d thought of every contingency. We couldn’t allow the wolves and vamps to go into a frenzy with all the innocents down in the caves. We needed more blood, in the event of some emergency, as well. I spoke to the band, and they thought my idea was a great one.

  I went in search of Frank hoping he could solve my problem before the shipment arrived.

  “I was thinking that even with all the blood we have stored, we might not have enough. I know we have medical supplies, but I think we should get in extra equipment and start having people donate. We have a limited way to check the blood to see if it's clean, but I can make it mandatory before the time comes that everyone is checked. For those who have clean blood, ask them to donate as often as it is safe. After the apocalypse, I mean. That way we can keep the stock up. The band said they could use diseased blood if they had to, it wouldn’t hurt them.”

  “My clan is still human. They have to have clean blood. I see where you are going with this, and I agree. It couldn’t hurt at least. I’ll call and have them send additional supplies as well as some kind of storage container, something that doesn’t waste much space.

  I thanked him and returned to my hut. Sephina was there practicing with Nanna. I listened for some time before I went to lie down.

  I wasn’t exactly tired, but more restless. I now knew the time was close. It was merely days away and I had been impatient, hating the waiting. Now that it was here, even with how close I had gotten to the child inside of me, I was in no rush.

  I had felt Kali kick, move, and grow inside of me for some time now. I’d experienced most of the same symptoms as most pregnant mothers, and was beginning to feel the bond that they spoke of.

  Aries felt a little held back, unsure of how to react, and feel. He’d never be as close to her as me; I felt. Kali and I had shared the same body spiritually, for twenty-one years as of the first, and eight months physically. It was hard to imagine her in a childlike way, as a baby… Yet she would be this I knew. As childlike as a reincarnated goddess could be I presumed.

  My nightmare woke me violently, my breathing rapid, my heart pounding relentlessly, and sweat covering me lightly. I was crying, sobs being torn madly from my chest, burning a hole in its wake.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Aries was at my side almost before I was awake. He held me gently and smoothed my hair back away from my face. He seemed scared by my nightmare, almost as much as me, even though he had not experienced it. The dead faces of the people here on the island burning, or in heaps of mangled, twisted body parts.

  Aries had fought valiantly beside the others only to fall, as well. The uber demon from some unimaginable, hellish realm had nearly won. I had lost so many because I’d allowed him to run me through with a swordlike weapon. It was some kind of metallic blade in the shape of
flames, sharper than a brand new, unused razor blade. I stood there in my leather attire staring, terror stricken at what had just happened.

  I glanced up at the seven-foot tall foul thing before me in burnt flesh, his red, amber glowing eyes piercing me to the core. His talons reaching for me as his wings slowly spread. A smell of rotten flesh engulfed me, knocking me to my knees, while a single tear wavered precariously on my bruised eyelid. Time slowed almost to a standstill; the tear silently making its way down my cheek as the master demon mocked my weak, insignificant attempts to slay him.

  My bloody trembling hands reached for the offensive thing spearing me, of their own accord. My eyes followed to see the destruction that has become of my immortal body. Wings flapping drew my attention elsewhere. Some kind of beautiful angel had appeared. His long, black, silky hair flowed into black feathery wings upon his back. And his sky blue eyes pierced my slowing heart. I knew this man. I’d seen him many times and had not known him as I did now. I had walked with death all my life.

  This creature before me was the angel of death. He had come to carry the dead, the ones I was supposed to protect, home. I would surely go to hell for this. I had not tried hard enough, because I had done something wrong and would now reap the consequences. God Almighty would never allow me into heaven; my actions had barred me. I was a killer, a slayer of not only evil, but man, as well. We had fought so hard only to lose because of me. Kali was nowhere in sight. Had I lost her, as well?

  The angel walked to me while everything else stayed in some kind of slow motion. He squatted beside me, smiling at me.