Right when she went to explain her feelings, he reached across the table taking her hands in his, staring deeply into her eyes. “I want you to talk, I want you to be yourself. How is a relationship supposed to work if one person never talks? I know you don’t know that much about me, so this is our chance to get to know each other. Ask anything you want.”
It seemed reasonable that if they were stuck together it would be better to get to know each other and make the most of it, but he was supposed to be a demon. His caring actions contradicted everything she thought she knew. Everything just seemed more and more confusing.
She needed to play along if Blake was going to get her out. Taking another drink of wine, she decided to make the most of the night and get to know her captor.
“Okay, so why purgatory?”
Anock laughed at this taking back his hands and taking a drink of wine. His wine glass was about empty as her sat full. She took another drink, admiring the smell of raspberries, but the after taste of strawberries.
“You mean why do I preside here?”
“Yeah, like I don’t know. This is going to sound stupid.” A smile tugged at her lips and she continued. “I thought demons all lived in hell, and looked like ghosts, or spirits and went around possessing people.”
This made him laugh harder, which put her a little at ease that he hadn’t been offended. “There’s so much, I’m not even sure where to start. Think of Hell as a pie. Like a pie chart.” He corrected before clearing his throat. “Purgatory is one of the pieces to the pie. So technically we are still in Hell, but just in a realm of Hell.” He paused scratching at his back above his right wing, the act gave him a boyish charm.
“I guess let me start by telling you that not everyone in purgatory is dead. This realm is also where we keep mortal prisoners, people awaiting trial with the dark lord’s court, and about the demon thing, well, demon is such a broad term. Just like there are different angels that have different responsibilities, the same applies to demons. Take me for example, I am a fallen angel that Satan took in. He gave me a dark identity and because I remain under his command, I’m considered one of his subjects. All subjects are demon. I preside here so that I can use my abilities to control minds to keep souls wondering and confused while they are here. It’s their punishment for not choosing either heaven or hell. Because of my power and strength I was giving the title of prince and made in charge of Purgatory. Which is a particular piece of the pie that connects to Earth, the mortal Realm.”
“What about demons that prowl Earth?”
“The demons that can cross to the mortal world come mainly from Lilith’s realm unless they are a Watcher, or Gatekeeper to a realm. The exception being the Nephilim created, your werewolves, or everyday shapeshifters but those are kept to a minimum. It’s a lot to learn, we couldn’t possibly scratch the surface of all the things you don’t know in one night.” He paused laughing at her sunken brows, she was seriously lost. “But you will learn it all eventually.”
“Hmm, that is a lot to take it.” She fiddled with her silverware, glancing up at him. “So what you’re telling me is that you don’t have a pointy tail and horns, and you are just considered a demon because of your submission to Satan. That you’re really the same as you were when you were an angel?”
Anock tucked his upper lip in biting it slightly. He looked lost in thought. A longing flashed over his face but only for a second. The more she studied him the more she felt drawn to him, his beauty was immaculate.
“No, I have changed to the dark for good, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be good in some ways. I am capable of some things, and no I don’t have a body of your human folk lore version of the king.”
Mikayla watched as Anock poured more wine in her glass, before refilling his glass as well. She had been downing the stuff ever since she started to relax and knew it would only be a matter of time before she was slurring her words.
“Anock?”
He looked at her now with an extreme intensity. “Yes?”
“Am I your prisoner?” Of course she was, but did he see her as that?
“I’d prefer you not to see it as that.” Taking her thoughts she wondered if he read her mind.
Pictures of her friends and family flashed through her mind. She held back tears. “I miss them you know…my friends, and my family.” She took a big swallow and avoided his gaze, she needed to get these words out. “Will I ever see them again?”
“You are well past the age to leave your parents and join in marriage. You don’t need to see them.” His response was quick, and his breathing had picked up. He didn’t seem mad, at least not yet anyway, but he seemed flustered, or maybe insulted. She felt like his words had affected her more than they had affected himself though. He was getting what he wanted, or at least he thought he was. Did he even have a right to get upset?
“I just wish I could reassure them not to worry. Give them some closure. I’m sure they’re worried.”
The silence that fell between them, made it even harder not to dwell on the thoughts of people who might not see her again.
“I know your blood father Mikayla.” He tried changing the subject, but she didn’t know if she’d get a chance with him like this again. A chance maybe to appeal to his once angel side. As left field, and unfair his change of subject was, she was staying on topic. So she ignored him.
“I don’t understand why you want me! What’s so special about me? Sarah had told-“
Mikayla didn’t get to finish before Anock spoke over her, his voice was calm but there was a warning undertone, telling her she needed to tread carefully. He sat up, muscles bulging through his sheer shirt, and she could tell she struck a nerve. “Ignore anything that wretch said! She has been an idiot ever since she fell. She tried to act like I wouldn’t recognize her from heaven. She has been calling herself a human now for as long as I can remember. Which is a dangerous game.”
That didn’t really answer her question. Anger stewed low in her gut, but she tamed it remembering what had transpired earlier in the night. Transforming into a giant snake at the moment wouldn’t solve anything. Well, unless she could just eat him.
After more awkward silence, he sat up clearing his throat. “You’re special because your soul can be the reason for Hell taking over Earth. You have unlimited powers at your disposal, we just have to be careful how we use them…but other than your powers, you’ve always been special to me.”
His answer brought up nothing but more questions.
“You make it sound like my soul is pure evil, but you keep insisting you know my father and that he’s an angel.”
Anock scoffed. “Your father is an angel, an arch angel to be precise. Gabriel. He was giving permission to create you when Blake and James birth set off the apocalypse on Earth. They were trying to level the balance, but with your parentage, you were left open to either succumb to the side of good or evil.”
She felt sick at his words. She had been created. Lowering her hand to her stomach and biting her tongue to hold back the bile, she took a deep breath and forced herself to continue to listen.
“That wasn’t enough for Heaven though because it was still to open to chance. See the twin’s birth throwing the mortal realm into the end times before Heaven, Hell and the Magical were ready put everyone in a frenzy. A meeting was called. The Watchers, Chosen, and council of the Magical were called to a neutral ground. With Blake and James’ birth, Hell would win. Heaven wasn’t ready for that to happen.”
“Well of course they wouldn’t, it’s foretold in the bible that Heaven would win.” She interrupted feeling more venom in her words than she intended.
His lips drew into a frustrated line, before ignoring her statement and continuing. She held back a scoff. “The apocalypse is just the old fool’s way to end things when he gets sick of managing all the creatures he created. It’s a curse. His scape goat.”
Her eyebrows touched her hairline taking in that he actually called the cre
ator of every single thing, an old fool. Seeing her reaction made him laugh.
“The apocalypse is a literal curse Mikayla. He created everything and everyone. Then he forced the Magical, to create a curse to end everything when he was sick of it all, but only if his favored beings in Heaven won.”
Her hand flew up stopping him before he could say more. “So you’re saying the Magical is like witches and wizards, and stuff like that?”
He chuckled. “Exactly like that.”
“Why are they involved with angel and demon stuff?”
“Like I said, the old fool gets bored. They were just the result. Instead of him having to do anything he took a line of mortals, twisted and molded them to hold enough magic to do his bidding when he didn’t want to interfere.” Her mouth dropped open and she sucked in a laugh.
“You’re telling me that the magical beings are the liaison for God?”
He scoffed. “Hardly. Witches and warlocks are born from a human and demon. Wizards are made. And all this is beside the point.”
Now it was her time to scoff. “Not really. You just said he made them to interfere with stuff when he didn’t want to.”
“To even out the playing field on Earth. There is a whole legion of Magical that just has the purpose of limited angel and demon activity on Earth, and when it comes to angels and demons they are the neutral party. They are there to keep the peace when major events are to happen, and as I’m saying they, I’m only referring to the council members of the Magical. Think of them as…” He stopped rubbing his forehead.
“As like the magic movie stuff you like.”
She laughed before she was ready and a dribble of wine came from her mouth that she quickly caught in her napkin, making him laugh and shake his head.
“Are you talking about, ‘Harry Potter’?”
“Well, whatever it is you like.” He said with an amused smirk. “Anyways. Just think of them for now as the council people in the movie.”
Her mouth dropped open and she almost spilled more wine. “Are you shitting me right now? You watched the movie?” She was stunned.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyways, just listen.” He cleared his throat, looking at her unexpectedly and she nodded her head for him to continue still wondering how he even knew what TV was. Trying to hold in a smile at the thought of him and the twins tucked in for a movie night to watch Harry Potter.
“The curse could be put into motion if the balance between heaven and hell was tipped too far one way. When Lilith and Samuel created beings that were never supposed to be made, it tipped the balance and triggered the curse. Hell was okay with this. We would take over the mortal realm, use it as we saw fit and destroy the other side and be done with it. I even formed the Watchers to try and create more just to keep us in the lead. So naturally we were pissed when we were called to a meeting where these celestial beings, and the Magical, scrambled about to stall the curse.”
She sat on the edge of her seat lost in the story being painted in her mind.
Anock paused motioning a flick of his wrist, like he was shooing someone. She looked over seeing two waiters she hadn’t seen previously as they turned rushing inside. Her stomach rumbled and she hoped it was to get food. Looking down at her empty plate while he talked wasn’t helping. Of course the twins said she didn’t need food now that she was immortal, but what did they know.
He cleared his throat of some wine, snapping her attention back to him and off the plate.
“The meeting was held in some weird side realm neither Heaven, Hell, nor Earth. The almighty allowed the Magical to create it, and it looked like stepping into bad version of the Colosseum in Rome. They had this huge circle table in the middle where we all stood around, neither side too comfortable to sit on the broken concrete stools pushed around it. Gabriel, your father, was the first to speak. It was hard being close to someone I had admired and aimed to please all my existence but turning dark allowed me to fill the sadness with hatred and I remained hard during the meeting.
“Informing all realms of the dilemma, Gabriel told the attendees of his and Michael’s plan to bypass the curse. He said it would be the only fair way to determine who would win, or so he said. They had decided to create a being that would level the playing field. They called it the Fated. Within the Fated would be the dream walking twins, and their female counterpart.”
Her mind had just caught up to what he was trying to say, when his voice pushed through her shaky thoughts.
“Mikayla, you are the female counterpart.”
13
Loved
Mikayla’s chair scraped roughly behind her as she flew to her feet, anger and fear rushing through her. The burning of her eyes and tremble of her lips paled in comparison to her heart rate. “I was created!? Just brought into existence to level the playing field!?” She brought up air quotes through shaky hands.
He wouldn’t even look at her, he had the audacity to look ashamed. Eyebrows tilted down as he clenched his fist close on the table.
“You’re saying Gabriel never cared about me? Just poofed me into existence to stop a curse then threw me to Earth! Thank God I had someone to take care of me! I would hate to think what would happen to your precious female Fated if she would have ended up in the gutter!” Her shaking started as a white-hot rage swirled throughout her like it had in the hall. It was clear now shaking and heat were the first signs of her using her demon powers.
Anock looked up studying her current situation. He spoke as she breathed like a freight train. “Just listen. I know it sounds bad, and, it is but turning into a giant snake isn’t going to help.”
Asshole.
“Can you read my thoughts or something?” She said putting her hands on her hips. She had just thought that same line not ten minutes ago.
He smirked. “No. I mean I could, but for our love to form naturally. For the ritual to work. We both have to be in love with each other, for real. No manipulations. I can’t risk invading your mind and anything going wrong in this ceremony. No tricks.”
His words melted the anger and she stood still and totally blank not knowing whether or not he was serious. When he sat still staring, she knew he was serious and unable to help it, laughter bubbled her throat and loudly out of her mouth. Before she could stop it, she was bending over holding herself up on the table, laughing like a mad woman, while a stitch of pain grew in her side.
He really thought she could fall in love in two days? With someone who kidnapped her? With someone who admitted to being in attendance with her father when it was proposed to “create her.”
“Are you done?” Anock said, a deadpan to his voice. She muffled her laugh, wiping the tears from her face.
“Yeah continue.” She said trying to smother the smile forming. It was official, she’d lost it. In no way was this funny, but she apparently needed a loony bin because she couldn’t stop laughing at the joke of her life. It explained why she didn’t fit in anywhere.
He motioned for her to sit. As she scooted in, he refilled her wine and waiters came around the table serving them their meal. A steak with a side of shrimp parmesan and steaming vegetables were on both their plates, and the smell was amazing. She grabbed at her stomach as it growled and Anock chuckled. She looked up at him embarrassed and he simply motioned for her to eat.
“So, the Fated.” He paused almost like he was waiting for her to lose it again and seeing her calm, he continued. “Would include Lilith’s offspring and a female counterpart that the almighty signed off on allowing Gabriel to consummate with a mate of his choosing.” He threw up a hand, right as she opened her mouth. “Before you ask. I don’t know who it is. No one does. Your mother is a mystery, and I’m sure it was left that way for her safety.”
She twirled the pasta around her fork, saliva forming in her mouth at her hunger and the delicious smell of cheesy goodness. She took a bite, a moan escaping as she shut her eyes. Holy hell, she was hungry. The sauce had just the right amount of creaminess and seasonin
g, making it perfect. She opened her eyes stabbing and biting into a shrimp, only to look up and see Anock running his hands up in down his face like he was stressed.
She stopped chewing, “What?”
He took a big gulp of wine, his eyebrows frowning. “Do not ever.” She held her breath. “Do that again.”
What?
“What did I-“
He didn’t let her continue. “If you moan like that over food, I can’t even image what you sound like in bed. If I hear that again I will slam this table into the wall and take you right here.”
She gulped down her food, almost loudly and said, “Oh.” Heat rushing to her face. She didn’t realize she’d done that. Oops. Anock sat up adjusting in his seat. She continued to take small measured bites suppressing the moans and eye rolls. She loved some good pasta.
“We thought that was all, when Samuel stepped up and threw two metal cubes, and a scroll on the concrete table. It got quite fast. The angel of death isn’t one of many words and even being an angel he is massively disliked. Mortal’s think he’s the grim reaper. He isn’t. He’s the angel that is in charge of the timely demise of immortals. Samuel is possibly the scariest being second to the almighty and the king that is in existence. When he threw those cubes down, everyone thought they were nothing more than trinkets. Samuel informed everyone that the black cube would be assigned to Blake, the silver cube would be assigned to James. The cubes would take into account their lives from the moment they accepted their immortality up until the Reaping. Whenever it was to occur.”
She set her fork down, the metal clinging on the glass plate. “The Breaking, the Reaping, the Fated. I’m starting to get confused.” Her head had formed a dull pain behind her eyes, and if it wasn’t for the ten pounds of makeup the twins put on her, she would be rubbing it.
“I’ll get there, just listen. We didn’t know what The Reaping was either, until he explained. You have to remember these are a bunch of immortals with nothing better to do. So I know it won’t lessen the blow, but just try to stay calm and listen before you fly off the handle.”
The Beloved Fire Page 16