“And? Wasn’t she that when she left here?”
Grandmother walked over and put a hand on Denise’s shoulder.
“Everyone has a right to make amends. While they were out trying to find you, she agreed to go through the cleansing.”
Mary stepped forward. “You’re letting her back in here?”
“Mary, I know that you would never do anything like Analise has done, but if you had, I would hope that someone gave you another chance. She will be on a probation of some sort but we cannot allow her to be out there on her own.”
“Whatever is coming, I don’t trust her to help. She put everyone in danger when she came after Denise and I don’t trust her.”
Grandmother nodded. “I will take responsibility for her. I would not expect her to help anyway. Her heart needs to be pure.”
Logan crossed his arms and stared at Analise. “I don’t like it. It’s bad enough that we have to watch our backs with angels trying to kill us, but now we must watch our backs with her.”
Analise put her hands up. “I’m not going to cause trouble. I promise.”
Logan lifted a brow. “We’ll see.”
Denise shook her head and marched past Analise. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
She ran up the stairs and closed the door.
62
Mary and Logan followed Denise to her room and Mary knocked.
“Come in.”
Denise eyed them both as they came into the room. She started to pace and paused with her arms crossed.
“I’m not staying here with her. She kidnapped me.”
“Denise, where are you going to go?” Mary asked as she walked over and touched her arm.
“I don’t know, but I don’t feel comfortable staying here with someone that meant to do me harm.”
“I understand.”
“She can stay with me,” Logan stated quietly.
Mary turned around and Denise peeked around her. He smiled a small smile and dropped his hands. His purple eyes glowed in the sunlight that shone through the window. He walked forward and stood in front of them.
“They don’t know where I live and its secluded. We’ve got plenty of room also. What would happen if they brought the fight here? Mary, you have neighbors, and we need to protect them as well.”
“I… I like it.” Denise nodded.
“Dee! I can’t let you go over there alone.”
“Then come with us. Mary, I can’t stay here.”
Mary let out a defeated breath and put her head back. She groaned loudly and shook her head.
“I don’t like this.”
Denise went to say something, but Mary put a hand up and walked out of the room.
Denise looked at Logan concerned, and he came over and hugged her. She could feel the tears forming.
“She will be alright. She just got you back and she’s nervous also.”
Denise nodded into his chest and hoped that he was right.
63
Mary was confused and angry as her mom and grandmother agreed with Denise and Logan.
“Mom! How could you say yes?”
“Mary, this isn’t about just you anymore. They have Guardians and no neighbors. I myself couldn’t handle it if our neighbors became casualties of this war that they didn’t sign up for. It makes so much more sense to remove her from here. They would be expecting her to be here with you. You have part of her powers also, so you can protect us.”
Mary looked back and forth between her mom and grandmother and knew that she’d lost this fight. When Denise came down the stairs with a bag, Mary pouted. Denise walked over and pulled her into a hug.
“You are my other half and I’m not far.”
“I know, but what if I can’t get to you in time?”
“Let’s focus our energy on finding him and killing him.”
Mary nodded and hugged her back.
“Please be careful.” She looked at Logan with a scowl. “You’d better protect her.”
He nodded and placed a hand over his heart.
“With my life.”
Mary nodded her head and looked back at Denise.
“I’ll call you later?”
“You’d better.”
They hugged one more time before Denise walked out the door with Logan.
Logan cloaked the car in magic and hurried to his house. Marcus and Sabastian were following closely behind them. After the blow up with Jeriah, Denise was feeling her powers more and more. It was like a soda bottle that had been shaken. If you removed the top, it would blow. She closed her eyes and looked up in astonishment as she felt the Guardians energy around them. She looked at Logan, who was driving and he had no idea what was happening. She closed her eyes again and focused. Close by, she felt another angels presence. They weren’t here for her. They were on a job and it felt peaceful. A nudge came from them, and it was like an acknowledgment of some sort. She smiled and looked at Logan. He looked at her quizzically.
“What?”
“I felt another angel.”
His car started to swerve and she placed a hand on his arm to steady him.
“No! Not Jeriah. Another angel. Here, on earth. They were doing their job, but I felt them. Do you know what this means?”
Logan looked at her with anticipation.
“If I can feel them, I can feel when he gets to close. The Angel that I felt just now was so peaceful. I’m pretty sure that Jeriah wouldn’t feel like that.”
Logan’s smiled at her excitement but inside he was a mess. “That is wonderful and very useful. Great job.”
Denise smiled and sat up straighter in her seat feeling very proud of herself. She could do this, she just had to stay focused.
64
Jeriah was pissed. He and the other two angels ended up in some old junkyard. They had to regroup. They had the upper hand and then Denise’s power overwhelmed them. He was just glad that he took out those warlocks before he got out of there. Her power was so strong, but at least he got something out of it. The way that the youngest one’s eyes widened in horror. It shouldn’t have felt that good. Just thinking about her powers and how strong she was. He didn’t know that she had that much of a handle on them. He shook his head and focused on the two that stood before him,
“Dammit! We almost had her.” He looked at the other two who had cuts and bruises all over. “We’ve got to get more help.”
“How Jeriah? If they are looking down here, which you know that they are, they can see how strong she is! We can’t fight her.”
“You’re talking nonsense. Others will join us. Do you really think that we are the only one’s wanting change? And as for fighting her, we won’t have to.”
They looked at him in question and then he smirked.
“I just have to knock her out and marry her. If we are married, then she has no choice.”
“Jeriah, it has to be free will. It will never be seen as law.”
“You two are pissing me off. Go up and see if we can get more angels.”
They both looked shocked and then looked at each other. They knew that they were being watched and didn’t want to go back. Jeriah gave them a calculated look and one of them disappeared.
“He’d better come back with help.” Jeriah kicked a hubcap and it went flying across the lot.
The angel didn’t want to go back to heaven, and he didn’t want to die by Jeriah’s hand either. He flew up to the lowest tier and it was quiet. It’s usually busy and full of talk, but it was eerily quiet. He walked the great halls of the city and there wasn’t an angel to be seen. He looked into each room and on the street and there was no one. He called out, but no one answered. He turned around and was surprised to see five Guardians standing before him. His eyes widened, and he dropped his sword and knelt down. He was not going to die today.
“Simeon,” A great voice sounded and the Guardians knelt down. Simeon’s body quaked at the sound that he had only heard twice in his existence.
�
��Yes Father?” He lay himself flat on the ground and closed his eyes tight.
“You will leave my sight and never return.”
God’s voice was beautiful, and he was thankful to hear it. He breathed a sigh of relief and his body still shook. He could handle banishment. At least he would be able to live among the humans.
“Yes Father. I am truly sorry.”
He listened but God did not speak again. He looked up, and the Guardians were gone. He looked around confused and then shook his head. He focused on trying to get back to earth, but he didn’t move. Now he was even more confused because he couldn’t get out of heaven. Did God add another Tier? He heard a faint sound, and it was growing louder. Just as he turned around, a black mist appeared before him and it turned into a chariot with five horses breathing fire. His eyes widened, and he turned to run but it was useless. It was like he was moving in slow motion. The chariot was upon him, and he felt the heat of the fire from the horses’ breath as the faceless man driving the chariot grabbed him by the back of his shirt and laughed. One minute he was in the clouds and the next he was standing in front of his fallen brother.
“Lucifer!” He cried out as he fell and tried to scurry away.
Lucifer laughed and Simeon could feel it reverberate through his bones.
“Oh, you must have pissed daddy off badly. Welcome to my home…brother.”
Simeon screamed in pain as felt his skin melting from his body. This was absolutely his worst fear. Burning. Now he will feel it for eternity.
65
Logan pulled up to the house, and it took Denise’s breath away just like the first time that she saw it. He smiled at the look on her face and parked the car in the garage. Marcus pulled in right behind them and they walked in the house together.
“Marcus, I can’t believe that this is your home.”
Marcus smiled at her and nodded.
“We built this home from the ground up. Back then, it was not abnormal to have large houses. We needed a place where we could be safe and a place for our children…” He looked at Logan. “Or child to grow up. It was hard back then, but we made it work.”
“Well, it’s beautiful.”
“Did Logan show you the gardens?”
Denise’s eyebrows rose and she looked at Logan.
“No. We hadn’t made it that far.” Logans cheeks reddened.
“Once you get settled, you should go. It’s beautiful this time of year. I choose to clear my mind out there whenever I’m dealing with something heavy.”
“Thank you.”
Marcus nodded. “This house is yours. Whatever you need, just let us know. There is a cook so don’t be alarmed if you see an older lady walking about.”
“Good to know. I can’t imagine you guys cooking.”
Marcus barked a laugh. “I’ll have you know that I can cook rather well.”
Denise crooked her mouth up and he laughed.
“I can!”
Sabastian stepped forward and placed a hand on Marcus’s shoulder.
“Magic doesn’t count, Father.”
Denise giggled at the look that Marcus gave him and shook her head.
“Come, I will show you to your room.” Logan smiled and waved her to the stairs.
Denise looked over at Marcus and smiled. “See you in a few?”
“Yes, later. Sabastian and I will check in our books to see if there is anything else that we can do to protect ourselves.”
Denise nodded and started up the stairs. She stopped halfway up and turned around.
“Thank you again Marcus, for letting me stay here.”
He bowed and she giggled as she continued on.
Logan showed her to a room that sat opposite his. It was beautifully decorated with light grey curtains and dark blue furniture. The bed was large, and Denise would have to jump to get in it. There was a couch that sat in front of the bed and a fireplace on the wall before it. There were two shelves by the window that held lots of books. A chair sat in the middle under the window and it looked peaceful.
“This is beautiful. This room is about as big as our apartment.”
Logan smiled and carried her bag in and sat it on the bed.
“Please feel free to use anything that you want. There are towels in the cabinet and a robe in the closet. I am just across the hall if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course. I’ll let you get settled and you can come downstairs and get me when you’re ready to go out to the gardens.”
“I can’t wait to see them.”
He smiled softly and walked up close to her. She looked up into his eyes and he placed a hand on her cheek.
“You are so beautiful.”
Her breath hitched, and she closed her eyes as he stroked her cheek. His lips barely touched hers and then he was gone. She opened her eyes and watched him walk away. Her heart was racing as she closed the door and let out the breath that she was holding.
66
After Denise’s shower, she put on a pair of stretch pants and a long white shirt. She slipped on her slides and went downstairs. She didn’t see anyone right away, but she heard voices coming from down the hall. She walked toward the voices and into an office. The fireplace was huge, and the books that lined the walls went on forever. Marcus was standing in front of the fire, and Sabastian and Logan were sitting in the chairs that faced him. Marcus smiled as he saw her come around the corner.
“Feeling better?”
Denise walked further into the room.
“Much better. Am I interrupting?”
Marcus placed the drink that he was holding onto the mantel.
“No, not at all. We were just conversing.”
Logan stood up and walked over to her.
“Ready?”
She nodded as he put out a hand for her. He guided her out of the room and down another hall. There were two glass doors that were shaded in white, and Logan walked and pushed one open. The smell of fresh grass and flowers hit her nose before she saw anything. She walked through the door and there were flowers everywhere. The whole room was inside the house. The glass ceiling was so high up and you could see the stars in the sky.
“Oh my god. This is magical.”
She walked the path before her and saw the flowers and bushes and it was so quiet. She heard water and walked toward the sound. She placed a hand on her mouth as she came to a small stream. There was a bench that sat on the edge. It was so close that if you took your shoes off, you could place your feet in the current. She closed her eyes and focused on the sound of the water. It was so calming. She felt herself sway and Logan steadied her from behind.
“Whoa. I’m sorry.”
His voice was close to her ear.
“It’s okay. This place can become overwhelming for your senses if you aren’t careful. It’s a great place for meditation.”
“Yes, it is. It’s so beautiful. I could stay here forever.”
He pointed to the right and she followed his hand.
“There is another seating area right over there.”
She allowed him to take her hand and lead her down another path. This path opened to a large space. The flowers were all around but in the middle was a gravel circle. Benches lined the small trees and flowers, but the circle was nothing but gravel.
“This is where I come to meditate. I sit just there in the middle and focus.”
“Logan… This is… I just…”
She ran out of words as she looked around the great space. When her eyes focused back on him, his smile had her focus on his mouth. His face changed and you could see the want. She walked over and stood in front of him.
“I could stay here forever.”
He put a hand on her cheek and smiled. “Yes, you could.”
His voice was soft and she barely heard him. Her eyes widened at his words but before she could speak, he kissed her. She closed her eyes and let her mind go. She kissed him back and felt a pull inside herself tryi
ng to get out. She didn’t question it, she let it happen. He gasped and his face came away from hers. His eyes closed and he moaned. His hands gripped her shoulders and she shuddered. If she didn’t know any better, she would swear that they were making love. Her eyes snapped open, and there was a bright light between the two of them and it seemed to be merging. She started to panic and the light disappeared. Logan fell to his knees and he was breathing hard
“What just happened?” Logan asked.
“I-I’m not sure.”
He looked up her and then closed his eyes.
“I have made love countless times, but have never felt that before.”
“I don’t know what that was either but goddamn… I think I need another shower.”
67
Denise thought that she would have a hard time falling asleep that night, but she didn’t. She actually slept better than she had in a while. This morning she awoke to noises of metal striking metal. She sat on the side of her bed and listened. It was faint, but it was close enough to hear. She hurried her pants and slippers on and walked downstairs. The noise was getting louder as she followed the sound. She saw the door that led to the gardens, but that wasn’t where the noises were coming from. Her brow pinched in concentration as she turned the corner and walked down a hallway. That hall led to a back terrace. The stonework on the patio and pillars were amazing. There were green vines with pretty pink and blue flowers growing up each pillar. There was a round steel table with four chairs in the middle of four pillars. She walked to the edge of the patio and there was a small staircase that led to a square below. The square was surrounded by trees on either side. There in the middle of the square was Marcus and Logan. They both wore a pair of white pants and they had no shirt on. They wielded their swords masterfully as they danced across the square. Out here, the sounds of the swords clanking were loud. She stood in awe at the concentration and fluid motion of them both. Their hair flowed with their movements and she couldn’t help but watch the muscle play of Logan’s form. He was graceful and with each strike, she could see the excitement of almost besting his dad. She noticed the light bouncing off of Logan’s necklace. He was masterful as he swung and ducked with his sword. She shook herself out of her thoughts and watched as Marcus landed a series of blows and turned in a complete circle to come back as his sword stopped surprisingly close to Logan’s neck. Marcus smiled and took his sword away.
Angel’s Fury Page 12