by Mary Ting
Mortem jutted out his dark wings, and then with a spin, he disappeared, along with the ones who hadn’t been too chicken to escape beforehand.
“Is everyone all right?” Uncle Davin asked.
I ignored him and kneeled next to Victoria’s body.
“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you escape. I did all I could.” Tears poured down my face. I didn’t know her well, but we’d fought together. She’d saved my life a couple of times, and she was the closest thing I’d ever had to a friend.
Zach knelt beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He was such a great brother, always concerned about me. Maybe because I was the emotional one…the one who felt too much.
“She was brave.” Uncle Davin scooped her up. The pain in everyone’s eyes was palpable. “She’ll be greatly missed.”
Death was the absolute worst part of our calling. There would be many losses along our journey. That was a guarantee. But Victoria was my first loss, and she certainly wouldn’t be the last. For now I would grieve, and I had to learn to deal with it.
Father pulled me up from the ground and held me in his arms. “What you did was reckless. I know you did it because you cared for her. Frankly, I know you would have done it for any one of us, but you have to stay behind your mentor. You have to learn to control not just your fear, but your other emotions. That could have been you. Not to make Victoria’s life mean any less, but you acted out of your own free will. There will be consequences when you pull yourself out of the team and act on your own. Do you understand, Lucia?”
I nodded through tears, endless at the thought I would never see her again. Stop feeling. Mixed emotions tangled inside me—fear, anger, pain, loss, and guilt—all at once, and I didn’t know how to handle them. I’d never felt so much, and it was the first time I’d felt the ache of death.
“It’s okay,” Father reassured, caressing my back as the love and warmth of him filled me. “This is all new for you. You have much to learn. One step at a time. Let’s go home.”
Chapter 8
No funeral took place, the way humans would have mourned a family member or a friend. The ones who’d left us were sent to Nubilus City and were placed in their own casket. Nobody went there to place flowers or spend time on the anniversary of their deaths. We simply let it be and moved on. We guarded our hearts and accepted that they had passed on. Because to us, they had moved on to a happier place, and one day we would see them again.
Victoria would mostly be missed by our team. She had no family, except her human family she had opted to forget when she’d dedicated her life to be a Venator. As far as friends.… “Friend” was an odd word—Venators truly weren’t capable of understanding the depth of its meaning. Humans understood it. They needed it, craved it. It was part of their world, like having no friends was a part of our world. Elders trained us to protect our hearts from human emotions, but could we completely block them out as half-humans?
As the others returned from their missions, we learned many didn’t make it back. Such unfortunate news meant the fallen angels and demons grew stronger.
“Lucia.” Uncle Davin snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Uncle Davin? Did you need something?” I asked. He sounded desperate.
“No, I don’t need anything. I want to make sure you’re okay. It was your first loss. I remember when it happened to me. It took a while to get over it. But I promise, you’ll be able to bear it. When you’re up against these demons, think of those who have passed on. Harden not your heart because they’ve died, but rejoice because they are living their new life. Fight with love in honor of them. Your mother can attest to that. She killed one of the most evil angels of all time.”
“Okay.” I nodded with a smile and hugged him. I appreciated his wisdom. He’d taken the time to find me to show me he cared. But he didn’t have to. I’d known since the day I could say his name he was part of my family. If anything happened to him, I would feel a thousand times worse.
“Do you think you’ll be ready to come with me, or do you think you need to stay behind?” he asked when I released him. “I’ll understand if you need to stay close to your parents.”
My muscles became taut. I thought he’d changed his mind about me. Maybe this was his nice way of telling me he preferred someone else. Needing to convince him, I stood tall, marked with a serious expression. “I’m ready, Uncle Davin. I really am. I’m a demon hunter. This is who I am. This is my destiny.”
Uncle Davin curled his lips to his ears. “That’s what I wanted to hear. At first I wasn’t sure, but you’ve persuaded me you’re ready. We’ve got lots to prepare. Pretending to be human is a lot of work. You and Zachary need to learn how to sit at a dinner table and understand how humans interact with one another. You’re going to need cell phones, learn how to surf the net, and most importantly, how to act like high school students. I’ve been furnishing our home during my free time, getting it ready for us. And, oh, I need to take you school supply shopping, and we need to get you more suitable clothes.” He assessed my clothing. “You look like a karate student with your white wardrobe.”
I stared at him for a second, not understanding what he’d said. “Karate” was a foreign word to me, and then I remembered. He had explained what humans learned to defend themselves. Snorting, I grumbled, “I do not.” Then I glanced at my attire—white, loose pants and a white, long-sleeve shirt—an outfit Venators wore on a daily basis when we were at home in Halo City. It made us look innocent and angelic. “Okay, maybe.” I shrugged. Leaning closer so only he heard, I asked, “Do I get to wear jeans? It’s what you call those blue pants you’re wearing, right?”
“Yup.”
Excitement coursed through me. “Do I get to wear pretty dresses?”
“Yup, but it depends on what kind of dress.” He narrowed his eyes at me as if I had a motive.
Exhilaration coursed through me and I squealed like a human teenage girl. “Do I get to make friends?”
His lips twisted. I couldn’t tell if it was a grin or a frown. With a shrug, he said, “You kind of have to make friends to assimilate in high school.”
A small smile spread across my face. I couldn’t wait to make friends.
“No more questions. You can ask me all the questions you want later. Right now, I need you to find Zach. You two have an appointment with Katherine.”
“Katherine?” I shrieked. Katherine was one of the original angels. She had never given me any reason to be afraid of her, but I felt nervous.
“Yes, Katherine,” Uncle Davin confirmed. “Don’t worry. She might act and talk like a robot, but I assure you, she has a huge heart. You are to meet her in the meeting room.”
“Okay.” I gulped the nervousness down my throat.
Chapter 9
I had planned out the scenario in my mind. After I knocked on Katherine’s door, Zach would open it. I would smile…no…no smile. Maybe a little hint of a smile? Why am I so nervous? Is she going to scold me for acting reckless and putting my team in jeopardy?
The door stood open, so what I had envisioned in my mind went out the window. Katherine sat at a round table, which seated twelve. With her head down, she seemed to be in deep thought. Dressed in an elegant, long, purple dress, her dark hair pinned up neatly, she was simply stunning. When she looked up, my breath hitched.
“Come in.” She smiled. “Have a seat. Anywhere you like.”
I quickly scanned the room and noted Zach did the same. We both glanced at the paintings of the Divine Elders on the wall. One of the paintings was of Father’s father, Zachariah. Zach was named after him, loosely. Paintings of my parents hung on the wall as well, but the ones who had betrayed them had been taken down, as told by Uncle Davin. He’d told us many things while we were growing up. Zach and I took the first seats, unintentionally putting ourselves at a distance from her. We did so out of respect.
She looked at us with purpose, and then spoke again. “You both have
a big responsibility. Going down to the human world may seem like fun, but it’s a lot of work. You’ll have to constantly remind yourself you are not one of them. You’ll have to hold back your strength, as well as human emotions that may come on strong…anger, jealously, lust, and many more. The temptations will come full force, and at the same time, you have to submerge yourself in their culture. Supernatural beings are everywhere throughout Earth. Some don’t even know they have the power within them. But we are searching for those who know, especially the half-human and half-angel. We need to bring them to the light before they fall to the darkness. Vivian and Caleb are looking for these beings. Recently, there have been more of their kind. I have a bad feeling about this. We are only sending the three of you so we don’t arouse any attention. There have been a lot of activities in Hawaii. Hopefully, we’ll get answers soon. Without applying too much pressure, we are counting on your investigation. Do you have any questions?”
Zach and I exchanged glances, and then turned back to Katherine. “No. We will do our best,” I stated with conviction.
“We are ready,” Zach confirmed.
“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.” Katherine smiled, looking content. “After all, you are Michael and Claudia’s children. You were meant to do great things. Everything happens for a reason. I held both of you in my arms when you were born, and I felt so much energy and light from you both. I believe one or both of you may have the gift of light like your mother. The light which will save us if ever needed. It is a glorious gift."
Katherine stood up. Her dress swayed with the movement of her graceful stride as she walked toward us. Standing up, we were captured in her embrace.
“God speed,” she said softly.
We walked out feeling proud and partly confused. My gut feeling told me Katherine had held back information. Something in her eyes was deeply troubled. And it wasn’t only her. The whole atmosphere in Crossroads felt different. I didn’t know if what I’d sensed came from the many losses we’d experienced recently, or if in the pit of our guts we sensed something evil coming. Whatever the reason, I didn’t like the feeling one bit.
“I’m excited to go, but I’m also worried about what we’ll find,” Zach muttered as we strode side by side to our training room.
“I wish we could go back to when we were young. Everything seemed simpler then. And Victoria would be with us.” My tone trailed off to a somber one.
Zach draped his arm around my shoulder. “I know what you mean. Don’t worry, sis. I’ll be there with you. You’ve got me.”
I snuggled closer to Zach, matching his steps. “And you’ve got me.”
“Something feels off. Do you feel it?” He changed the tone of our conversation.
“I feel it, too. Mortem said their master was coming. Do you think there will be another uprising of the Fallen and demons?”
“It’s possible. Anything is possible. It’s been too quiet for too long. I bet they’ve been planning and scheming all these years in hiding. When one evil dies, another one rises to take its place. Let’s hope we can stop this before it gets out of hand.”
Inhaling a deep breath, I rested my head on Zach’s shoulder and looked out into the halo light. The light always gave me a sense of hope and serenity. I needed assurance that everything would turn out fine in the end. Then I pulled away from Zach as we rounded the corner of the hallway. When Zach opened the door to the ginormous room we entered every day to train, I gazed upon my peers with respect. Each and every one of them were giving up their lives for the sake of all of us. This gave me hope. With so much love and devotion in the room, light would conquer all. It had to.
Chapter 10
A week had passed. We were cramming about human history, mannerisms, and everything else we needed to know. Though Zach and I prepared to submerge into human culture and traditions, there were still so many left to learn. One day at a time, I told myself. Like my parents and Uncle Davin had said before, it was all in the attitude. It all started there.
“It’s time. We knew this day would come, but we’re not prepared.” Mother did her best to hide her emotion, but her eyes pooled with liquid, and she forced a smile. “Make sure to take care of each other, and Uncle Davin, too.”
Uncle Davin embraced her and let go. “I know you’ll miss me the most, but don’t you worry, we’ll be back soon.” He winked, and then his tone changed. “You know how much I love them. I would give up my life for them. They have brought me happiness and a new sense of belonging, hopes, and dreams.”
“Thank you.” Mother’s lips quivered. “I know how much they mean to you. And they love you just as much.” She shifted her attention to us. “Please be careful and listen to Davin. He might not act mature at times….” Uncle Davin narrowed his eyes at her and allowed Mother to continue. “But he knows what he’s doing. He’s one of the top angels. And he believes you both are the best of the best, the reason why you’ve been chosen. Always remember…spread your wings, find your way, and soar as high as you can. Don’t be afraid. Love will guide you.” Then she embraced us with all of her love and slowly let go.
“Your mother is right,” Father said. “I don’t want to repeat everything she said, but we want you to know how proud we are. Keep in mind to follow your heart. Remember all the rules in the Venators’ handbook…it will help you keep a straight course.” Father kissed our foreheads. “Well…Davin, they are in your hands, as you are in theirs. Be safe together. And, if for any reason—though I hope that time won’t come—we will be ready. Give us the word, we’ll be there.”
As we backed away, ready to transport, I fought the tears threatening to fall. I needed to be strong, to let my parents know I would be fine. I was ready for this. I am a Venator, a demon-hunting angel. Trained from the age I could hold a sword, I was molded to be the best. Having an archangel bloodline, I am stronger and faster. They say the darkness is rising and we may be their last hope. I say, let the Fallen and demons come. We will annihilate them. As those thoughts ran through my mind, a smile spread across my face. A new me—the confident demon hunter version—took form.
Uncle Davin spread his arms and said, “See you when I see you. Whoo hoo. Hawaii, here we come. Sun bathing, lots of pretty ladies in bikinis, and lots of alcohol twenty-four hours a day.”
“Davin….” Father frowned, but his eyes twinkled.
“Got ya.” Uncle Davin clicked his tongue. “I’ll be reporting soon. Bye.”
When Uncle Davin placed his arms around our shoulders, my parents became a blur, and we were gone.
Claudia
I jumped into Michael’s arms and let the tears flow. It had been so long since I’d felt so empty in my heart. Even knowing that day would come, nothing could have prepared me. And knowing our children would possibly be in danger was the worst feeling of all, but I had no choice. It was who they were. My grandmother had tried to protect me from this life, but destiny always wins. You can’t fight it, no matter how hard you try.
Michael held me tighter. He was hurting, too. He wrapped his wings completely around us, knowing how much I loved to be surrounded by them. It gave me comfort for the moment, but the ache in every fiber of my being would still be there until my children safely returned home. I wished we could go with them, but we had to let go. The Divine Elders did not go hunting, nor did we interfere until we had to, but I made an exception for my children. Our duty was to oversee all the Venators, placing them in between, beyond, and throughout Earth.
In some ways, they were our children, too. They weren’t really children. In the angel world, anyone old enough to hold a sword and fight was of mature age. We all had the same job: to protect and defend the angel and human worlds.
Michael stroked my back and released a long sigh. “They will be fine. Davin is with them. I trust him with my own life. And…they will have fun, too. You know how Davin is.”
“Yes, I do know how Davin is…too well. That’s what worries me.” I let out a soft chuckle. I tru
sted Davin with my life and knew he would do anything for them. He always had, since the second they were born.
“Meanwhile, let’s go check up on the others,” Michael coaxed, caressing my hand. “That should keep our minds occupied for a while. We also have a meeting with the Divine Elders. We’re going to have to send teams to scout around the world as precautionary measures.”
I nodded to agree, but before I could say a word, Michael pressed his lips to mine for a toe-curling kind of kiss. For some reason, it reminded me of the time we’d spent by the waterfall. When he released me, I kept my eyes closed from being dazed and dizzy. His kisses were so powerful, causing me to feel so much. When I opened them, he held a naughty, playful grin.
“Maybe we can do something else before we head to the meeting, Mr. Michael. Then we’ll check up on the others.” I waggled my eyebrows and gave him a seductive smile.
“I like your thoughts, Mrs. Michael.” Michael let out a soft, predatory growl, giving me pleasant tingles in every nerve ending in my body. Effortlessly lifting me up and cradling me in his arms, he wrapped his wings around us and took us to our room.
Michael
After the discussion with the Divine Elders, Claudia and I held a meeting with the Venators and their mentors. The room felt empty without Davin, Zachary, and Lucia, even though there were thousands of others listening for their assignments. When the meeting was over, I took off for the halo light to think—a place to gather my thoughts and clear my head. I needed to do something to calm my nerves.
Soaring above the endless puffy, white clouds and the wind brushing against my face gave me a sense of peace. Inhaling a deep breath, I let all my fears and worries fade away. It was challenging to be half-human and half-angel, but it was most difficult to be a parent. I didn’t know how human parents did it, but they weren’t sending their children to chase after demons. I chuckled at the thought and stood near the tall grass where I’d first spotted Claudia.