Thomas shook his head. “After all I’ve done for you. After what my father did. You’re going to ruin us both with your arrogant selfishness.” Spinning on his heels, he stormed out the door.
Sinking back into his chair, Daniel rubbed his eyes. Thomas was right. As usual. The logical thing to do, the best thing to do, would be to run as fast and as far from Angel and her friends as he could.
♦♦♦
Dreams woke Angelica yet again. They were coming more frequently now, more violent, frightening, and each with an ever-growing sense of urgency. Rising to sit, she crossed her legs, pulled up her covers, and leaned back against her headboard with a sigh. This particular one had started off so beautifully. It was preparation for a party—a wedding, it seemed—in the most gorgeous setting—an exquisite garden filled with lush bushes, majestic trees, and myriads of exotic flowers in vivid colors she’d never imagined existed. A velvet green carpet spread over the ground, and a massive white gazebo sat in the center—ribbons of flickering white lights twinkling around the top. Servants rushed to and fro, setting plates of painted china and shimmering silverware on white-clothed tables. Silver-laced candles, surrounded by red roses, sat in the center of each table. Beside the gazebo, a white carpet led to a canopy positioned before a cascading waterfall that glittered in light that came from neither moon nor sun. The place was buzzing with joy and excitement as an orchestra began playing and a choir started singing.
The scene switched to a woman sitting by a window. Friends surrounded her, each one holding a lamp—the only light in the house. She wore the most beautiful wedding dress Angelica had ever seen, and her face was glowing as she watched for what Angelica assumed was the arrival of her groom.
Another scene flashed of the same woman in another room, alone. Her dress was torn, ragged, and only half sewn together. But instead of fixing it, she flipped on the TV, grabbed pizza from the fridge, and picked up her cell. A man’s voice came over the speaker, and the two began saying things only illicit lovers would say in private.
Angelica wanted to call out to her, to help the woman get ready, but she could only watch from afar as the bride sat in her dingy room, in her tattered gown, eating cold pizza. She had no idea of the extravagant wedding her groom was planning for her. She had no concept of the incredible life he would provide, for it was obvious he was of royal blood—a prince or even a king. Instead of getting ready, she chose to indulge herself with instant gratification, even going so far as to betray her fiancé with another.
Darkness swept away the vision, and the same man Angelica had seen in another vision returned—the one speaking on stage before a cheering, worshiping crowd. He spoke with the same eloquence, stirring up the mob with his words and promises. Behind him, the two lizard-like creatures grew bright red. Flames spewed from their mouths.
Yet no one in the crowd seemed to notice.
Angelica’s screams of warning must have been what had awakened her.
Drawing her knees up to her chest, she replayed the dreams in her mind, knowing they were significant for some reason. “Father, I don’t know why You are showing me such horrible things. What can I do with this information?” After several minutes of waiting in silence, peace settled on her, and she knew God would reveal His purpose in time. She continued praying, thanking God for Greg’s salvation and deliverance, for Melody and Sal—yes, even Sal—and for others she had waited on at the Mermaid Den last week, others she had told of God’s love. She prayed for Leigh and Joel. And, of course, for her beloved Isaac, as she always did—fearfully and tearfully begging God to watch over him, to keep him from the evil in the world and from the coming deception.
Which led her thoughts to Daniel. What did he think of the deliverance he’d witnessed? At the very least, he’d stayed when she’d thought he would run. But she feared from his expression of shock and disbelief that the miracle of God’s power and love hadn’t opened his eyes any further. Now, she had no idea what to do with him. Leave him be—as her mind was telling her—or rush to see him as her heart was screaming? Lord, help me know Your will.
She finished off her prayer with a song of praise, then got dressed and made her way to the kitchen where she flipped the TV to her Internet news station.
An Islamic Cleric was shouting something in Arabic from behind a podium.
“In today’s news, history in the making, the Islamic Caliphate has been officially resurrected. A Caliphate, which is an Islamic kingdom, has not existed since the early twentieth century, and it has been a dream of many Muslims that this day would come.”
Taking all this in and wondering at the significance, Angelica turned on the coffee maker.
The news continued.
“Several citizens reported seeing a large metal disk in the sky above Rachel, Nevada. Reports are coming in from California and New Mexico as well. The Pentagon is neither affirming nor denying these sightings but—”
The screen went black. Grabbing the remote, Angelica tried switching channels and found the regular channels still worked. She flipped back to her Internet station. Written in bright white letters across the screen, it read, “This station is no longer transmitting.”
What? Angelica grabbed her phone and went to the website that broadcasted the station. She got an error message saying “address unknown.”
Great. The GIFP finally shut it down. They’d been threatening to do so for years, labeling various news sites—the ones who didn’t propagate their lies—as broadcasting fake news that was harmful for humanity.
Harmful to their agenda was more like it.
After waiting for the coffee to finish, she poured a cup, sat at the table, and dropped her head in her hands. A thousand questions spun through her mind, but the one that clambered for attention the most was the formation of a Caliphate. What did it mean? She’d read about Muslim end-times beliefs long ago…something about a messiah who would come during chaos and war after a Caliphate was formed. And what about those disk sightings and the aliens in her dream? “What does it all mean, Father? What do you want me to do?”
Go tell Daniel.
“Tell him what?”
What you have seen. Time is short.
“Are you coming for us soon, Father? At least tell me that.” She was so tired. So very tired.
Tell him he is not ready.
She wanted to remind God that that particular message hadn’t worked the last time she’d given it. But, of course, He knew that. “Okay. You got it, Lord.” Then putting on her best pleading look, she glanced up to heaven. “Then will you stop asking me to see him?”
Chapter 25
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
Revelation 19:7 (NKJV)
Angelica hurried down the road toward Daniel’s church. She was almost there when she noticed her gas light was on, but every station she passed had a line of cars that stretched endlessly for miles. The recent gas crisis had caused people to panic and fill up whenever they spotted an open station. She would have to deal with it later.
Once again, she entered the main sanctuary of the Fort Lauderdale Church of Grace. And once again, she wondered what she was doing there. She hadn’t gotten too far down the maze of halls before she reached a set of locked doors and one of Daniel’s bodyguards stopped her and asked who she was.
He put her under watch of another guard while he took her name to Daniel. Within minutes, he returned and escorted her into the opulent room Daniel called an office.
Daniel stood in the center awaiting her arrival, wearing jeans, a T-shirt that showed every muscle, and a smile that took her back twelve years to the boy she had once adored beyond reason.
“Angel, wow, it’s good to see you.”
He crossed the rug and drew her into an embrace before she could protest—before she could avoid the rush of warmth covering her in waves as he cocooned her in his strength. Oh, how she had missed his hugs, his
caresses, the confidence and depth of his voice … all of which made her feel like nothing in the world could ever hurt her.
But he had been the one to hurt her. In the worst possible way. She must remember that.
Pushing from him, she turned around so he wouldn’t see the flush on her face.
“How is Greg?” he asked.
“Good. Great, in fact. They are releasing him today.” She faced him. “Thank you for your help.”
One brow lifted. “I didn’t do much but stand there.” He sighed and studied her, his blue eyes more intense than she’d seen them in a while. “What the heck was that, Angel?”
Seriously? How could he not know? “Demons, fallen angels, possible offspring of Nephilim. You know, our enemy? Greg was fighting a losing battle with them. He almost lost his soul. Thank God he called out to Jesus before it was too late.” She drew a deep breath. “But I didn’t come to talk about them.”
He frowned as if he were disappointed, then gestured toward a leather couch that looked comfier than her bed. “What, then?”
She sank into the cool cushions, wondering at her nervousness with this man. “Daniel.” She swallowed. “I don’t know exactly how to say this.”
Sitting beside her, he reached for her hand. “Please tell me you’re not breaking up with me again.”
She laughed. She couldn’t help it. The man was incorrigibly confident or maybe just vain. She was about to remind him that he was the one who had broken up with her, but then that charming dimple of his appeared, and she didn’t want to sour the mood.
“How can I break up with you when we aren’t even together?”
His lips slanted and he raised her hand for a kiss, just like in one of those historic romance novels. “Can’t a guy hope?”
Feeling things she shouldn’t, she retrieved her hand and scooted away. “Okay. This is the thing. I have dreams sometimes…well quite often lately. Most of them I believe are from God. He shows me things that will happen, warnings—like premonitions, sometimes visions of the future.”
He gave a skeptical sigh.
She might as well just blurt it out. “The end of this age is near. I mean, really near.”
Groaning, he leaned back into the couch and rubbed his eyes. “Angel, we’ve been through this before.”
“I know. Hear me out. I had this dream last night of a bride waiting for her groom. Two brides, really. One was so excited, dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown, sitting at the window with great expectation. The other had on a half-made gown and wasn’t looking for her fiancé at all. In fact, she seemed more interested in food and entertainment and talking with her boyfriend on the phone.”
His curious look made her continue.
“I believe this is God’s way of saying that Jesus is only coming for a bride who is ready, who’s been faithful, who’s excited for His return.”
His brows collided. “Are you talking about the rapture here? C’mon Angel! There are so many theories about that event. I’m not even sure I believe it’s biblical. I mean, believers soaring up into heaven? A little far-fetched, wouldn’t you say?”
Drat. This was going to be harder than she thought. “It is biblical, quite biblical. I can show you the verses.” She said a silent prayer for help. “For argument’s sake, let’s just say it’s real and it’s happening soon. Wouldn’t it be right to warn people about it? Like I’m trying to do to you?”
“Why would you need to warn me?” He huffed. “I’m a believer just like you.”
“But you don’t believe like I do. What if it takes more than a generic belief in God to be part of the rapture? Even the demons believe in God and tremble, right? But they won’t make it to heaven.”
“Huh?”
“James 2:19 says, ‘You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder,’” she quoted. “Don’t you remember anything from the original text? Back in seminary you had such a love for the Word.”
“Coffee?” Standing, he grabbed his mug and started for his mini-kitchen.
Angelica sighed. “No, thank you. Think of it this way. Let’s say you’re engaged, and you had spent an entire year planning the most elaborate wedding to show your bride how much you love her. Not only that, but you had bought a magnificent mansion for your new wife, filled it with grand furniture and all the latest appliances. Then on your wedding day, you excitedly anticipate seeing your beautiful bride waiting at the end of the aisle for you. But she isn’t there. When you find her, she isn’t ready at all. She has no gown, no jewelry, and not only that, she’s been cheating on you. Would you still want her?”
“Of course not.” He poured coffee into his mug.
“That’s all I’m saying. We believers are the bride of Christ. Think about it, Daniel. If we—”
“I’m not sure what you’re implying here, Angel.” He spun and sipped his coffee, staring at her over the rim. “And I’m not sure I want to know. Sounds blasphemous to me. We aren’t saved by works, but by grace. We cannot earn a trip to heaven.”
“Absolutely! And I thank God for that. But I’m talking about an issue of the heart.” She paused to collect her thoughts. “If that second bride had truly loved her groom, had truly committed herself to him, if she couldn’t wait to finally be his wife, then she would have done those things the other bride did to get ready. But she didn’t truly love him, wasn’t committed to him, and she sought her satisfaction elsewhere. Her lack of works proved her lack of love, whereas the other bride’s love was displayed in her efforts to do everything she could to please her groom.”
Daniel continued sipping his coffee, staring into space as if he hadn’t heard a word she said.
Frustration rising, she rummaged in her purse and pulled out the book. “Here, take this.”
He glanced at it, then took a few tentative steps forward before halting as if it were contaminated. “You dare bring that in here?”
Rare anger fired in his eyes, but she’d come too far to back down. “Take it home. Read it. Remember your first love, Daniel.”
“What are you talking about? I love God.”
“The Antichrist is almost here. I’ve seen him in my dreams.”
Setting his mug on his desk, he crossed arms over his chest. “Antichrist, monsters, meteors, the sea turning to blood, that’s all from Revelation. It’s allegorical, Angel, all allegory.” Though his tone lacked the usual conviction. “Okay.” He rubbed his chin. “Yeah, I remember being into this stuff. Some of what you’re saying makes sense. And I know the world has gone crazy around us.”
She slipped the tiny Bible onto the table and stood. “I’ve got to go. Leigh’s watching Isaac.”
He walked toward her. “Hey, when can I see you again? Next Friday I’m going to D.C. for a few days. How about before that? Dinner? I can take you and Isaac out.”
She appreciated that he always included her son, but, once again, he’d totally dismissed a critical message from God. “I don’t know, Daniel.”
“It’s just dinner.”
No, dinner was never just dinner with this man. “It’s not like we can start up where we left off. We’re two different people now.”
“Not that different, Angel.” He approached and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand so gently, she closed her eyes beneath the sensation. “We still love each other, don’t we?”
Did she? She could hardly think with him so close. But she already knew the answer. She did love him. But it didn’t matter. He was still resistant to God. Sensing his lips descending on hers, she opened her eyes and backed away. “Please read it.” Her eyes shifted to the Bible.
“If I do, will you let me take you to dinner?”
♦♦♦
“He’s so close!” Nazare pumped his fists in the air. “I can feel it.” He turned to Baliel beside him, his eyes bright with anticipation.
“You are getting too involved, my friend.” Baliel warned.
Nazare sighed, glancing back at Daniel and Angel
ica, deep in conversation. “How can I not? His light flickers brighter every time she speaks truth and life to him.”
Baliel smiled proudly. “It pleases me that she obeys the Father, even when it opens so many old wounds. But her true test is coming.”
“And one for Daniel as well.”
Baliel only nodded.
The two angels watched as Angelica retreated from Daniel, Fear stalking her in his ever-vigilant attempt to penetrate her shield.
She hesitated before answering, as if she were seeking the wisdom of the Father. “You should want to discover the truth on your own,” she finally said. “But I’ll consider dinner if you read some of the forbidden passages and wish to discuss them.”
Baliel nodded his approval. “She is wise, that one.”
“And he is considering it.” Nazare rubbed his hands together in excitement. “See how the darkness recedes from his soul.”
“Do not get ahead of yourself, my friend.” Baliel eyed Angelica as she left the room.
Nazare, more than pleased, watched as Daniel picked up the Bible. “Didn’t you say the Father had big plans for him? Perhaps this is the beginning.”
“Just remember, the Father’s plans are never what we expect. Now, I must go.” Grabbing the hilt of his sword, Baliel started for the door. “She is in danger.”
♦♦♦
Battling a flood of unwanted emotions, Angelica sped down the hall and didn’t see Thomas following behind her until he grabbed her arm and swung her about.
“I see you haven’t learned your lesson.”
Angelica forced back tears. “What do you want, Thomas?”
“I’ve already told you. I want you to stay away from Daniel. Yet here you are.”
“I had something to tell him. Now I’m leaving.” She started to turn, but he held her arm fast.
When Angels Cry Page 22