Between
Crossroads Saga Book 2
By
Mary Ting
World Castle Publishing
http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used factiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
World Castle Publishing
Pensacola, Florida
Copyright © by Mary Ting 2012
ISBN: 9781937593797
First Edition World Castle Publishing January 12, 2012
http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com
License Notes
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you respecting the hard work of this author.
Cover: Karen Fuller
Editor: Maxine Bringenberg
“Love is in question. Trust is debatable. No one is safe. Between by Mary Ting is an enchanting, nail-biter that will leave you breathless from the exquisite cover to the thrilling end.” Gabby, Nashville Young Adult Fiction Examiner/What’s Beyond Forks
“The fluid motion of her words and realistic characters wrapped around my imagination like the very angels Mary Ting writes about. OMG I laughed and cried!!!” Joann Buchann, author of I Am Wolf/Shark Radio
“You will be completed entranced by the world of Mary Ting’s angels. With loveable characters, sweet romance, suspense and an original plot, Between will captivate readers of all ages. A heavenly debut!” Charlotte Blackwell, author of Embrace series
“Hang on to your wings, you are in for a thrilling and gripping story about love, promises, and sacrifice. Everything a sequel should be, Between is a brilliant and lovely tale that is remarkably tender, sexy, poignant, and made the romantic in me swoon.”Jennifer Howell, LateBloomerOnline.com
“Mary Ting does it again! Unlike many other angel stories I’ve ever read, this beautiful love story kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the night. I couldn’t put it down!” Author Lenore Wolfe
“Between reaches a completely new level of storytelling. Descriptive writing and heartfelt emotions captures your soul in this enticing saga of Angel lore, romance, betrayal, and the battle for good. One cannot help but fall in love with the superb characters and the world Mary Ting has created.” Michele Luker , PageTurners Blog/Insane About Books
“A breathtaking sequel that is just as addicting as Crossroads, Between will leave you wanting more. With new characters, a new love interest, danger and plenty of plot twists, I couldn't get enough of Mary's enchanting world and her mesmerizing mythology” Katie, Mundie Moms
“When reading Between you feel that you are immediately wrapped up in Angel wings and taken for the flight of your life. At times you feel like you might fall but then your back up in the clouds feeling Heavenly again. This sophomore novel delivers everything that makes a book Great: Romance: check, Action: check and even heartache: check plus I can't forget to mention about those swoon-worthy Angels! Between will leave you on a celestial high!” Yara, Once Upon A Twilight
“The book has this effect of getting its readers hooked up with it and it’s just superb! Between is a very enchanting read that would surely get your head stuck in the clouds!” Angelica, We Fancy Books
“Between returns us to the vivid world Mary Ting has created where we find Claudia trying to live her life, trying to return to normal in a world that she has learned is anything but. Filled with relatable characters, a love triangle, a battle between good and evil and plot twists I never saw coming, the sequel to Crossroads will draw you in and have you turning the pages well into the night.” Louise, Between The Cover
“Like a special friend you haven't seen in awhile, you jump in right where you left off. That comforting relationship of a friend sharing stories that take you in and want you leaving more!” Ellie, EllieSewSweet
“OMG, What a ride!!! I adored Crossroads (book1) but Between oh lord! It blew it right out the park!! It's bigger and better. Full of danger, excitment, passion, betrayal and above all love!” Siobhan, Totally Bookalicious
“Mary Ting has done it again! She has written a beautifully romantic and suspenseful tale of forbidden love. Micheal and Claudia’s passion in Between will leave you breathless and wanting more.” Shari, My Neurotic Book Fair
“A heart pounding sequel to Crossroads, Between is as perplexing, intense and endearing as the first. Where love is the reason for everything; readers are bound to get sucked into the supernatural world that Mary has created.” Andrea Newkirk, Dark Readers
“Between is a fascinating angel story that keeps you awake until the last chapter. The portrait of Claudia is beautiful and the world of angel is unique. Best book I have read!” Trajce Kuzmanov, I Love Teen Books
“Everything you want in a book! ROMANCE that would make you believe in the power of love, ACTION that could make your heart beat fast and ANGST that would make you want to pull your hair out and the biggest plus are the gorgeous beings with wings with whom you can't help but fall in love with. Mary Ting is one amazing author who has the ability to write with so much heart that every word could be felt which captivates her readers!” Lady Krishna Asi, Journey With Books
“Between is just as romantic and adventurous as Crossroads. This book is a definite home run!!!”– Cierra, Books Ahoy
“Escape into a beautiful world. Like Crossroads, Between has it all, danger, forbidden romance and everything you want in a book. You will be completely riveted!!!” Muzna Shafi, M.S. from Imprintation
Dedication
To the loves of my life, my husband and my two children. I could not do this without their sacrifice and support.
Countless thanks to my wonderful editor, Maxine. Thanks for being so easy to work with and putting up with my…how about this or one more…lol!!! Special thanks to my publisher, Karen and authors at World Castle and extra thanks to authors Charlotte Blackwell-Embrace series and Joann Buchann-I Am Wolf. The character Caspian and the world of blood seekers were created by author Charlotte Blackwell and used with her permission and guidance. Thank you Charlotte for all your help and encouragement with this addition to my story line. I am so excited to have our characters cross-over in Crossroads saga, book 3.
Many thanks to these fantastic
blogs and Facebook sites: Jennifer, Late Bloomer Online; Michele,
Insane About Book/Page Turner; Trajce, I Love Teen Books; Yara, Once
upon a Twilight; Gabby with Nashville Young Adult Fiction
Examiner/What’s Beyond Forks; Tevya, Reading Lark; Louise, Between
the Covers; Angelica, We Fancy Books; Kaite, Mundie Moms; Siobhan,
Totally Bookalicious; Shari, My Neurotic Book Affair; Andrea, Dark
Readers; Ellie, EllieSewSweet; Cierra, Books Ahoy;
Lady Krishna
Asi, Journey With Books; Lindsay,
Team Twilight; Amanda, Twilight Moms; Krystal, Bellasdiary; Victoria,
Team Kellmett; Teri, Twilight Fampire; Muzna Shafi, M.S. With
Imprintation; Nanci; Elliot;
:)
Tasha;
author Patti Roberts and author Lenore Wolfe. I cannot express how
grateful I am to have your support and best of all, everlasting
friendship.
My wonderful family and friends, for your love, support and encouragement: My mom and dad, Roy, Maggie, William, Jenny T, Linda, Michelle, Kristina, Jennie, Lily, Jane, Holly, Gracie, Hung, Patricia, Sylvie, Ai, Patty, Jenny S, Eileen, Janet, Tim, and Los Molinos Elementary teachers, staff and parents.
Writing Crossroads was a way for me to heal the loss of my grandmother. I wrote it for her, but I wrote Between for my fans. My fans have been so dedicated and their encouragement and enthusiasm has inspired me. So, for all the Crossroads fans out there, Between is for you!!! Thank you so much for your support and for loving Crossroads where love and friendship know no boundaries!!! Hugs!!!
Read how it all began…
In the beginning…
God created the world in seven days. Filled with the living and fruitful land, it was perfect–paradise. He then created man in his image to walk upon His world. Then God sent angels known as the watchers with pristine, enormous white wings. These beautiful creatures sole purpose was to look after his creations; but they could not resist the temptations confronting them. Thus, forbidden children were created, half angel and half human, called nephilim.
For their sin and betrayal, Earth was flooded for 40 days and 40 nights, wiping the land clean. But He saved the ones who asked for forgiveness. After the land was fruitful again, God sent the Twelve and Earth angels to guide his creations. The Twelve resembled watchers with their majestic wings, but the Earth angels had none. The Earth angel’s role was to guide and interact among his creations as the Twelve balanced the world, keeping it safe from unworldly creatures.
Again, temptations were irresistible and nephilim were born. Instead of cleansing the land once more, the Royal Council, a group of God’s first angels, sent the nephilim to a place called Crossroads. These nephilim were known as the alkins – the only group of nephilim sent to Crossroads. All was peaceful until Aden, one of the Twelve, rebelled and procreated a legion of evil angels known as the fallen. More of the fallen escaped when he opened the gates of the Abyss with Alexa Rose’s help. Out of the Abyss came many demons and fallen, and one of God’s first angels named Aliah–the most dangerous, heartless angel ever created.
“The earth also was corrupt
before God,
and the earth was filled with violence.
And
God looked upon the earth,
and, behold it was corrupt;
for
all flesh had corrupted
his way upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah,
The end of all
flesh is come before me:
for the earth is filled with violence
through them:
and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
(Genesis 5:11-13)
Prologue
A blanket of thick fog settled along the dark entrance of Specus, a place between Heaven and Earth. The stench within the cave smelled sour, foul and like burnt flesh. The inner walls were cemented with the bodies of dead souls, crying out to be saved, but there was no way out; they were trapped for eternity. No sound was audible from them, but sorrow and pain screamed out from their eyes. Their tears dampened the walls, forming a constant wet residue that trickled down a path to the core of the cave, creating a pool of acid water.
In the stomach of the cave, light beamed through cracks from high above providing just enough light to see the nearby surroundings as it glistened within the pool of tears. The water sparkled with colors of fuchsia, turquoise and violet, overlapping, hypnotizing the eyes.
Kyle stood nervously between his two victims. They were petrified, slumped over on bended knees as they shivered from the freezing cold. Their hands were tightly bound behind their backs, cloths were stuffed inside their mouths, and their faces were shielded by black hoods. Their hearts were thumping out of their chests in sheer panic and their breaths were short and heavy. As hopelessness settled in, death was the only thing on their minds. Desperately, the male victim groaned loudly through his muffled covering.
“Shut up!” Kyle scolded and saw mist puff out of his mouth when he spoke. “You need to keep your mouth shut. Master does not like noise. He will be here soon and when he does arrive, both of you must cooperate.”
The female victim whimpered softly as frightened tears escaped her eyes, but they were soaked up by her mask before they could fall down her cheeks.
“Don’t be afraid, my sweet. Your life will be taken for a good cause.” Kyle smiled cunningly, running his hand through her soft, long auburn hair.
The temperature was slowly rising. Kyle could feel the heat as one drop of sweat trickled from his dirty, silver hair, and he began to tremble in fear. “Master is near.” Then he stood tall, trying to look confident and proud.
Without a sound, Aliah appeared. His once pure alabaster wings were now filthy and unevenly sheared at the bottom, and countless feathers were missing, as if they had been randomly plucked.
“Ahhh, you have brought Claudia Emerson to me; the one with the soul of the Holy Spirit.” Excitement rushed through his evil veins as he circled his victims–how long he had waited for this moment! “Are you positive she is the one?” Aliah questioned, desperately wanting it to be true.
“Yes, without a doubt.” Kyle was almost certain, but not absolute so. Please let her be the one, he thought as he crossed his fingers in hope.
“Take off her mask…let me take a look at this beauty,” Aliah commanded.
Kyle exposed Claudia’s face. Her forehead was damp and strands of hair clung to her face. She blinked her teary eyes to adjust her vision. When it had cleared, her eyes widened with horror and disbelief and her heart hammered even faster.
“Master, have I fulfilled my duty?” Kyle asked nervously, wanting to leave as quickly as possible. He didn’t want to stick around, afraid of what Aliah may do to him if he had brought the wrong girl.
Aliah gave him an icy ominous stare. “You leave when I tell you to leave.”
“Yes, Master.” Kyle looked down submissively.
“Bring the girl to me.”
“Yes, Master.” He gripped Claudia’s arm firmly, pulled her up, and dragged her to Aliah. She tried to wiggle free from his hold, but it was no use. All she could do was stare at the being in front of her that was staring back with eyes like endless black holes.
“I heard you were feisty.” Aliah ran his index finger along the side of her right cheek. Claudia jerked back from his icicle touch, and her whole body shook from being deathly frightened beyond her control. Aliah continued and ignored her response. “And beautiful.” His jet black eyes sparkled as he lowered his face to breathe in her scent, filled with jasmine. “Splendid.” He ran his hands gently down her arms, and Claudia shivered in fright and disgust, yanking her arms back when he touched her. “Soft. You’re slimmer than I had imagined, but none the less, perfect.” Then he took the cloth out of her mouth.
Claudia’s mouth felt dry, sore, and hot, and she used her saliva to moisten what she could. She desperately needed water, but she was in no position to ask. Unable to catch her breath, her chest heaved with terror and exhaustion. Every nerve in her body had awakened and she had never known fear like she had known today. The creature before her was unlike anything she had ever seen, something straight out of a nightmare. This had to be just a terrible dream; after all, this place and whatever he was didn’t exist in real life.
“Is your name Claudia Emerson?” Aliah asked. He placed his finger under her chin, forcing her to look him in his eyes.
“Yes,” Claudia nodded hesitantly.
“Does he mean anything to you?” Aliah pointed at the male victim. Kyle pulled off the boy’s covering, unveiling his face.
“Ryan,” Claudia said in hoarse whisper.
“Do you love him?” Aliah asked.
“Yes.”
“Then do as I say and he will be set free. Do you understand?” Aliah’s voice was calm, yet forceful.
After Claudia nodded, Aliah held his long sword upward as if it was an extension of his arm. Horrified, Claudia backed away as far as she could, but Kyle was right behind her. At that moment, she prayed to God, asking for forgiveness, for she knew that she would face death today. Ryan’s eyes grew wide in panic, grunting, begging for Aliah to let her go. Aliah gave him a bone chilling look and pointed his hand toward him. Ryan flew across the room, his body slammed against the wall, and he fell to the floor, unconscious.
“Ryan!” Claudia cried. “No!” She tried to run toward him, but Kyle held onto her shirt. Claudia’s tears poured down. “Why are you doing this? Who are you? What do you want with us?”
“I just want your soul, that’s all. Just say, ‘I give my soul willingly unto thee’ and he shall live.”
“Are you going to kill me?” she asked hesitantly, afraid of his answer.
Before he could answer, they were abruptly interrupted. Aliah turned to two angels that appeared behind him. His eyes rolled with irritation. “Michelle, Gracie, I told you not to disturb me. Why must you disobey my order?” Aliah scorned.
“Master, your demon spirits are out of control. Many have escaped, invading human bodies,” Gracie informed.
“The demon spirit can only possess the weakened soul, especially those who do not believe. Their souls are already destroyed. They didn’t escape; I sent them. They are under my orders to look for Claudia since I can’t leave the realms of these dimensions. I can only travel in the Betweens.” Aliah looked at Claudia standing in front of him, his eyes gleaming with hope. “Perhaps…after today, I can.”
“Is she the one for sure?” Michelle asked, glaring at Claudia.
“Kyle brought her to me. Fly away and let me continue, and don’t forget to find the healing crystal.”
“It’s nearly impossible. We would have to get close to the Twelve.”
“Find a way!” he snapped. “And don’t come back to Specus without it!”
“Yes, Master,” the girls said. They opened their silver wings and disappeared.
“Now, repeat the words,” Aliah demanded, pulling her closer.
Claudia stood her ground, looked straight into his eyes and shook her head. “I won’t give you my soul.”
“Don’t be foolish, my child. You see what I can do. With a snap of my finger, I can break his spine.” He gazed toward where Ryan lay, lifeless. Aliah pointed at Ryan, and his body elevated off the ground. “Shall I drop him?”
“No, no, no…I’ll say it! Please, don’t hurt him. Put him down,” she cried. “Please…I’ll do it.”
Ryan was lowered to the ground. Aliah looked at Claudia. “Say it right now.”
“I…um…I…give…”
Aliah was losing patience. “Now!” he shouted.
Startled by the loudness and anger in his tone, she surrendered, knowing with all her heart that there was no escape. “I give my soul…willingly…unto…thee,” Claudia said reluctantly, as tears streamed down her face.
“Now, now, that’s a good girl. Everything will be just fine.” Aliah gave a deceiving smile, placed his left hand behind her back and pretended to give her a hug. With the other hand, he drove his sword straight into her heart and muttered, “In the sweet of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
With Aliah’s last word, he leisurely pulled out his sword, savoring the sound of tearing flesh. Claudia gasped deeply and collapsed in his arms. Blood oozed out of her mouth. Aliah lowered his lips and gently placed his mouth over hers. Carefully, he inhaled and drew Claudia’s breath from her mouth, and with one final gasp, her soul was gone.
Without care, Claudia’s body was thrown to the ground. Aliah ran his tongue across his lips to wipe away Claudia’s blood. Relishing the taste, he raised his arms and looked up to where the light beamed through, anticipating his prayer to be heard. He spoke. “By the word of the Lord where the Heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His word. Thy soul given, freely to take. To ascend into Heavens and proclaim.” He waited for something to happen, but nothing. He tried again…nothing.
“You fool!” he shouted fervently. “She isn’t the one! You brought me the wrong Claudia Emerson!”
“But, Master, you told me to look for a girl with long auburn hair, about my height, who is dating a guy named Ryan. It has to be her. Everything matched. It’s difficult to match all the elements of what I’m looking for,” Kyle replied, panicking, backing away to create a wider gap between them.
“There are many Claudia Emersons, just like the one that died in the car accident. Nicholas killed her by accident when he escaped from Aden. He was lucky she wasn’t the one or I would have killed him myself. Now, go and find the right one this time.”
“But there are so many!”
“The reason I have plenty of demon spirits looking for her! Find all Claudia Emersons! I don’t care how many we kill. Now that Aden is dead, it’s free for all. I want her soul. It shall belong to me. I will rule Heaven and Crossroads and have everyone bow to me.”
“Yes, Master, I won’t fail you.”
“You just did. Now, go. Go back to Canada. Find Nicholas in Banff, Alberta.”
“What do I do with him?” Kyle pointed to Ryan.
“Weak, pathetic human,” Aliah mumbled, gravitating Ryan toward him. Ryan, still unconscious, floated unresponsively. Aliah pointed his sword at a precise angle and Ryan’s body plunged into it. Scarlet liquid dribbled along the sword, down to Aliah’s arm. “Beautiful,” he expressed. Then he swung the sword toward the pool of water and Ryan’s body thumped onto the surface like a rag doll, spreading red fluid. The water started to bubble and rise. Acid, it ate away Ryan’s body, engulfing him completely until there was no sign of his existence.
He could have let him escape or ordered Kyle to take him back home, but killing the wrong Claudia got him fuming beyond anger to the point that if Ryan wasn’t there, he would have killed Kyle. With a twirl of his wings, he flew upward, creating a tunnel of dust and tumbling the loose pebbles. Kyle covered his face with his arms. Then in a matter of seconds, Aliah disappeared, leaving behind only a few scraggly feathers.
Chapter One
Sunday morning came. All was quiet as I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and reflecting on all that had happened. My life was like a young adult novel; something I would have enjoyed reading about, but for me it was real. It was my life and I was living it –surreal.
I could have never imagined Gamma to be an Earth angel and my dad to be one of the Royal Council, God’s first angels. And to top it all off, I found out that I was adopted and my real mother, Sophia, was dead. Aden killed her when I was a baby. I’d never know the color of her hair, her eyes, or what she looked like. I wondered if I resembled her in any way.
Everything about my life was too unbelievable, something I could never share with anyone. My mom didn’t even have a clue. To make it even worse, she didn’t even know I was not her daughter. In fact, she never got married or had children. She was thrown into this life all because of me.
Many times I wanted to tell her, but I thought about the consequences. She would think I went bonkers. Who knows, being a nurse she may even seek professional help. Hiding this part of my life was agonizing, especially since we were very close. I couldn’t even tell my best friend, Patty. We’d shared so many secrets ever since we met, but hiding this big secret from her was eating at me. I had to tell her lies about what I’d done or where I’d been. Though our times together became infrequent because of Andrew and my secret life she had no clue about, she was still Patty, someone I knew would be there for me.
I hoped one day, I could share this part of my life with her, because there were times when I felt like I was going to break apart, with nobody to vent to or express my feelings to; all those emotions bottled up, locked away deep within my soul, I didn’t know when I would explode from a nervous breakdown. Regardless of my unsettling emotions, I had to hold myself together. I didn’t want Michael to see me as this weak, fragile being. He would worry constantly, something I did not want. Life is a precious gift and every moment counts. I refused to let demons, fallen or fear take over my life.
As many thoughts whirled through my mind, I decided to take a bath. Usually, I took my baths at night, but I felt like one right then; I guess I was hoping it would help me relax. The warm water, fragranced with lavender Epsom salt, would surely bring relief to my achy muscles, I thought. Recalling the events from the weeks before—falling off a cliff and being tossed around—it was no wonder I was so sore.
It wasn’t until I stepped into the bathtub that I realized how much my body ached. Seeing the water rise, I gently sat down, carefully stretching my body across the length of the tub, until I was completely in the water from my neck to my toes. I closed my eyes and let out a soft “ahhhh.” It was like being wrapped inside a hot towel, completely separate from all other elements. The warmth penetrated my skin, flowing to every part of my body, and I became one with the water. For a brief moment, I could almost feel my worries and sorrows melting away.
We had buried Gamma about a week ago. Though I knew that it was real, it seemed more like a nightmare, one that I couldn’t wake up from. A part of me still had not accepted that she was really gone. I wanted to call her, just to hear her voice, but I couldn’t. I wanted to go visit her, and again realized I couldn’t. Thinking back, I wished I had done more with Gamma, but now it was too late. All of the coulda, woulda, shoulda’s didn’t matter; none of them would give her back to me.
I recalled Mom’s words, ‘Be good to those who are alive because what good is it when they are dead?’ Much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Gamma and I had shared a final moment, and for that, I felt very lucky. It was brief, but I knew how fortunate I was–I was given the opportunity to hold her hand, tell her how much I loved her, and whisper one last good-bye. It was something I would treasure forever.
Shortly after Gamma passed away, the executor of her will stopped by. Gamma left the house and all her possessions to me. There were enough funds in the bank that I could actually retire. I never knew Gamma was that rich. Not sure of what I wanted to do with my life, given the unbelievable life I was living, I decided to hold off on college for a year, though I’d thought about applying to the universities. With all that had happened, I wanted to take one day at a time.
Given the heart-wrenching week, Mom thought it was best that we stay home instead of going to church. I was glad, because I didn’t want to face everybody with all of their questions and “I’m sorry’s” again. I was drained, and was certain that I didn’t have an ounce of politeness left. Patty understood; in fact, she was the one who arranged the day off from work for me. She always knew what I needed without me saying anything. Friends like her were rare, and I knew how lucky I was to have her.
As I inhaled the warm vapors, I slowly waved my hands inside the water. Gentle ripples swaying back and forth reminded me of the waterfall where Michael and I had been. It was a magical place where he took me on our first date. A rush of joy and excitement coursed through me as I reminisced about the way he’d held me in his arms when we were there—the way he kissed me, the way he wanted me, and the way he melted me to my very core. The thought of him caused my body to react, and I became even hotter in the tub.
I kept my eyes closed and took in long, deep breaths in an attempt to clear my mind. It was so peaceful just doing nothing. Suddenly, images of demons and faces of the fallen flashed in my head, invading my thoughts. All I wanted to do was think of nothing and I was being bombarded with these images. I tried to shake them out of my head, but it wasn’t working.
The water was now lukewarm, and had become almost unbearably uncomfortable. What had been calm and soothing was now suffocating me–I felt like I was drowning. My chest was tight as if someone was squeezing my lungs, and it became extremely difficult to breathe. I stood up and prepared myself to get out.
After I wrapped the towel around my body, I reached for the second towel to wrap my hair. At that moment, something flew upward and started falling straight down to the water. The fear of my T-shirt getting wet sent a jolt of heat down my spine. As I instinctively reached my right hand out to catch it, a tingling sensation shot through my hand, unlike anything I had ever felt before, and the shirt floated in mid-air.
I was so perplexed at what had happened that I backed away in surprise, almost falling flat on my butt as I watched my T-shirt continue falling and sink straight down into the water, now drenched. It had only floated for a split second, but it was just long enough for me to know that there was something bigger than me at work here. Intrigued with what I had just experienced, I reluctantly extended my hand in the direction where my T-shirt had appeared to be floating, much the same way Alexa Rose had floated when Michael extended his arms.
Was it the supernatural, divine intervention? Did it really happen? Immediately, I rubbed the palms of my hands, feeling confused, excited, and frightened, all at the same time. The warmth once shooting through me had subsided. I couldn’t wait to talk to Michael and show him my new power! But could I do it again? Wanting to repeat this phenomenon, I got out of the tub, got dressed, drained the water out, and positioned the towel and a dry T-shirt exactly the way it had been.
I could feel my heart race with anticipation as I clenched my fist several times, hoping, wanting, and wishing that I could do it again. Here goes nothing, I thought. As I reached for the towel like before, my hand was positioned in exactly the same way, ready to do the magic thing, but…nothing. The T shirt flew off the towel bar, then fell straight down. It was a good thing that I had drained the water. I tried it again and again, but to no avail. Frustrated and disappointed, I realized that my hands didn’t feel the same tingling sensation as before. Why did it happen just once? Was I doing something differently from the first time? Was it the water?
About to attempt it one last time, I was interrupted by my cell phone ringing. Thinking it was Patty, I headed out of the bathroom and tossed the towel and the T-shirt on the floor. To my surprise, the caller ID read Andrew. Had something happened to Patty? Nervously I answered, “Hello, Andrew.”
“Hello, Claudia. You’re probably wondering why I’m calling. I was hoping you could help me with Patty’s eighteenth birthday party.”
With all that was going on in my life, it had totally slipped my mind that her birthday was coming up in two weeks. I was so glad that he’d called me for help. Knowing Patty was fine, I said enthusiastically, “Yes, of course. How can I help you?”
“I want it to be a surprise for her; not too many people. I haven’t worked out the details yet, but I’ll keep you informed.”
“That sounds great. I can’t wait. Let me know how I can help.”
“I will. Thank you. I’ll call you soon,” he said and we hung up.
Excited about Patty’s surprise party, I decided to forget about what I was trying to do for now, since it was only making me aggravated. Patty’s party became a great distraction. After all, Patty had done so much for me that this seemed like the perfect way to be able to thank her. I turned on the computer to get some ideas on party favors. Such a simple act reminded me of Davin. He told me once that he had learned human mannerisms by observing us and doing research on search engines on the computer. I giggled at the thought of the alkin Davin Googling or Yahooing us humans. Curiosity got the best of me, and I wanted to know what things he searched for on my computer.
I typed “how to,” and immediately a bunch of “how to” options popped up on the history: how to dance video, how to drive a car video, how to treat a date, and many more. I smiled and chuckled out loud. No wonder he’d known how to be a perfect gentleman when he met my mom. Davin, Michael, and all of them were such powerful beings, yet they were constantly learning new things about humans. Thoughts of Davin, Vivian, and Caleb put a smile on my face. And of course, Michael—how he made me laugh, how he made me smile, how he made me feel special, and how he made me crazy for him. It was easy to care deeply for him, especially knowing what a wondering being he was. The way he cared for his friends, the way he cared for me, and him having a genuine warm heart made him all the more attractive.
Michael had said to me, when I asked him how long he would be gone, “However long will be too long,” and that’s exactly how I felt. As I Googled party favors, thoughts of Michael and the alkins were on my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder what they were doing.
Lost in thought, I accidently entered a website. The headline read: ‘Missing girl, Claudia Emerson. Last seen in Los Angeles, California with her boyfriend Ryan Weber.’ That’s bizarre, I thought. A name identical to mine was on the news website, and this Claudia’s boyfriend had the same name as my ex-boyfriend; except my Ryan’s last name was Powell. What were the odds? I wondered what had happened to her. Was she kidnapped by her own boyfriend? Maybe they ran away together. Either way, her parents must have been devastated. I hoped she would be found or go back home soon, but I couldn’t help the icy chills that settled in as I wondered if this had anything to do with any demons or fallen looking for me. But, perhaps it was pure coincidence–I hoped.
As I continued to search the computer, I brushed the back of my neck. Michael had shown me where my birth mark was located. My fingers traced the Omega sign that looked like an upside down horseshoe; a birth mark given to the one with the soul of the Holy Spirit. Only a child born from one of the Royal Council, God’s first angels, would have this mark. An icy, frightful chill started to creep up again and fear over took me.
Chapter Two
Statues of the archangels Michael and Gabriel were stationed tall in the center of a fountain as if they were ice sculptures, flawless and perfect in every way. Their grand majestic wings were expanded, showing their glorious status. Michael held his sword, pointing toward the sky victoriously, and Gabriel’s arms extended outward, giving a feeling of peace and comfort.
The water from the fountain glistened like sparking diamonds as it reflected from the beaming light, giving off golden hues. It blinded Michael for a brief second as he walked toward it. He noted the rose bushes that were nearby as their fragrance awakened him, and he recalled Davin explaining how red roses symbolized love in the human world. Immediately, a warm flame ignited inside his heart at the thought of Claudia…he could sense that she was safe, but wondered how she was spending her days without him.
He rarely visited this section of Halo City and for the first time appreciated the beauty of the place. His perspective about anything and everything had gotten brighter since he’d found his true love, so that even the ugliest creature would have looked just as beautiful in his eyes.
He stood there, gazing into the water. Only the Twelve knew that the deathly crystals were hidden there, so fine and grain like that there was no way of telling the difference between the water and the crystals. But Michael knew the precise location where they were hidden. Aden had told him when he once fought alongside him.
The Twelves’ swords were made from these crystals, a gift by the Royal Council to insure the death of an angel. Without permission, Michael had used the crystals to make the beaded butterfly necklace for Claudia on her birthday. Then his gaze shifted upward to the archangels, wondering who Claudia’s father could be. Even in their perfection, they could not resist the temptation of being with mortal women. If they couldn’t, how could they ask it of him or any other angel? As these thoughts ran through his mind, Alexa Rose surprised him by placing her delicate thin arms around him from behind.
“Hmmm…I wonder who it could be?” Michael asked playfully.
Alex Rose giggled inaudibly, trying not to give away her identity, but then was unable to control her laughter when Michael reached behind and tickled her.
“It’s me, Michael,” Alexa Rose announced, twisting and turning, trying to escape his tickling hold as she continued to laugh.
Michael stopped, knelt down to her and spoke sternly. “I know it seems like all I ever say to you is never leave Crossroads, but I must remind you again.”
Alexa Rose’s blue eyes grew wild and she frowned. “I know. You told me like a thousand times,” she mumbled.
“I’ll tell you a thousand times more if I must.”
“I already pinkie promised. You were there when we spoke to Philip, Margaret, and Agnes. I know I’ll get in big, big trouble if I do it again. And I really don’t remember what I did or how I did it. And I don’t like it when you’re mad at me,” she pouted, crisscrossing her arms, emphasizing the word “don’t.”
Michael slid his hand down her golden hair. “Alright then. Enough is enough. I won’t remind you again,” he smiled, enjoying her pouting. “Why don’t I tell you a story? Gather your friends around and I’ll retell the story of Noah and his ark.”
Alexa Rose beamed with excitement. “I’ll be right back,” she said and quickly ran to find her friends.
As Michael waited for Alexa Rose’s return, he recalled the conversation he’d had with Philip. Though he had sided with Aden at one point in his life, Philip continued to treat him with only kindness and respect, and the truth he kept from Philip was eating at him. Guilt had consumed him and it was unbearable to look Philip in his eyes. But Philip knew Michael too well, and he knew something wasn’t right. Michael finally owned up to his guilt and told Philip almost everything; everything except the part about loving Claudia.
Michael’s thoughts were broken by the sound of laughter. Alexa and the other children gathered around him. He instructed them to sit comfortably on the grass, the grass that never grew, the grass that never needed a trim. Halo City was a place where there were neither clouds nor sun, but a light that glowed constantly. Where the day never met night, and there was no sense of time of day; everything was always and had always been perfect here.
As the children sat, they waited attentively. Michael sat on the brick that surrounded the fountain and began. “A long time ago, there was a man name Noah. He was a good man. He had a wonderful wife with many children.”
The children giggled, gasped, and smiled as Michael continued. After he finished, the children clapped and asked for more.
“Sorry,” Davin interrupted. “It’s time for the grownups to play.”
“Play?” Alexa Rose giggled. “Grownups don’t play.” The children joined in and laughed out loud.
“Okay then, Michael and I are not grownups, we’re big kids,” Davin replied, making the children laugh even harder when he poked Michael on his chest.
“Speak for yourself,” Michael said, poking him back. Then Michael effortlessly pulled Alexa Rose up in midair by her arms and squeezed her tightly. “I’ll tell you more stories later. I promised this big kid that I’d practice sword fighting with him.” Then he planted a kiss on her cheek. After he let her down, he walked beside Davin to the main corridor.
“So, have you thought about when we should see Claudia?” Davin asked suddenly.
“We?”
“Yes, we. You know, like Caleb, Vivian, you, and me; the fantastic four team.”
Michael kept on walking, ignoring Davin’s question.
“Ahhh, come on Michael, we want to see her too. Don’t be selfish,” Davin chuckled, hoping to lighten Michael up a bit.
Michael curled his lips and raised his brows. He was just about to say something when Davin spoke first. “Fine. If you win, we stay. If I win, we go too.”
“Deal,” Michael said and took off like a lightning bolt, surprising Davin, then Davin took off after him.
“What took you so long?” Michael teased, twirling his sword, gliding from side to side.
“We were supposed to have a romantic walk together. How was I supposed to know you were going to take off like that?” Davin teased back, circling Michael.
“So, you want to see Claudia?” Michael asked.
“Not just me, but Vivian and Caleb too.” As Davin released his last word, Michael caught him off guard and struck.
Davin blocked. The two swords collided as Davin’s sword slid off, causing a loud metallic slicing sound that reverberated in the room.
“You know you’re making a deal that is impossible?” Michael said, blocking Davin’s sword, causing Davin to coil.
“You may be faster and stronger than me, but I’ve got some secret moves up my sleeves.” Davin flipped and landed behind Michael. Michael anticipated what Davin would do and drove his sword behind him, blocking the attack.
Michael chuckled. “I know all your secret moves, my friend.”
“Oh, yeah? Maybe so, but you don’t know this one.” Davin stopped suddenly. With the sword still in his grip, he pointed it downward. He looked past Michael. His eyes widened, looking bewildered, as if he had seen a ghost. “Claudia? What are you doing here?”
Michael’s heart beat out of control; she wasn’t supposed to be here. Something must have happened. He turned to look for her. When there was no sign of her, he realized he had fallen for a trick. But before he could turn, Davin grabbed him from behind and held his sword across his neck. “I told you I had a secret move and yet you fell for it,” Davin chuckled. “Must not let a woman under your skin; they are the hero’s weakness.”
Michael rolled his eyes, placed his hand on Davin’s arm and peeled him off, then lay his sword down in defeat. “That was a good trick–and I fell for it! You nearly gave me a heart attack, not that I could have one. I thought something terrible had happened to her.” Energy drained out of Michael’s face like he had just been given terrible news. “I don’t know what I would do if…”
Davin felt horrible. He didn’t like seeing Michael looking fragile. He reached for Michael to give him comfort and to apologize, but as soon as his hand touched Michael’s arm, he realized his error. Davin felt Michael’s grip, and instantly knew he was in trouble. Michael flipped Davin over, causing Davin to fall flat on his back. Even before he hit the ground, Michael’s sword had contacted Davin’s chest. “And that, my friend, is an even better trick.” He chuckled out loud in triumph.
When Davin realized what had happened, his face grew warm. “I have to admit, you are quicker than I thought. That was a better trick.”
With a huge smile, Michael gave Davin his hand and helped him up. “Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.”
“Yah, yah, yah! But we still get to go–I won first,” Davin reminded.
“But I won last,” Michael challenged and took off again, having Davin chase after him.
They came to an abrupt halt when they realized the door to the main hall was closed. Having the door closed meant one thing; the Twelve were holding a meeting and the alkins were not invited. Davin gave a mischievous smile and placed his ear on the door. “I hear Philip’s voice.”
“What are you doing?” Michael asked worriedly.
“Doing what I do best?”
“Being a dummy?”
“That’s right,” Davin said at first, and then realized too late that he’d misheard Michael’s words as he attempted to hear Philip and Michael at the same time. “No…very funny. You know what I mean. You called me peeping Tom once.”
“You mean several times.”
“Shhh!”
“What are they saying?” Michael whispered urgently.
“I’m not sure. These thick doors are sound proof; something about Alexa Rose. How she let the demons out.” Davin paused. “Jeremiah is saying that Alexa Rose should be punished.”
Michael felt furious and placed his ear on the door. He would find away to prevent that from ever happening. He didn’t know what the punishment would be; he didn’t care, he didn’t want that for her.
“Why don’t you just use your supersonic ears and tune into their conversation?” Davin whispered.
“I can’t. They’ll pick up on it right away. When such powers are utilized, they can sense it.”
“Then, forget what I said,” Davin said as they continued to listen intently.
“She is only a child. You need not worry. Philip cleared her memory. She does not know how to release herself from Crossroads,” Margaret conveyed.
“You should have made her forget that she is a gate keeper too,” Samuel fumed.
“The poor child has no idea what that means. Please take note, we will keep her safe and guard her here,” Philip promised.
“How does a child escape? Either you are all fools or someone allowed this,” Jeremiah accused.
“You dare to call us fools?” Anger flushed through Philip. “We tapped into her mind to find out who may have assisted her, but that part of her memory had been erased. My brothers and sisters, I assure you, Margaret, Agnes, and I have nothing to hide. If anything, you all have access to Crossroads. You come and go freely. How do I know one of you did not came and lure her out?”
“Philip, please,” Katherine interjected. “You need to calm down. And Jeremiah and Samuel, you need to watch what you say. Philip, we are not accusing you of any wrong doing. If anything, we are all to be blamed. Our main concern is not Alexa Rose anymore. We need to worry about the demon spirits that have escaped, consuming the weakened souls. Fortunately, my venators are highly skilled in what they do. I’ve already given them orders to hunt and kill every single one of them. And who knows what else has escaped? We all need to keep our eyes and ears open.”
“What are you doing?”Caleb said out loud.
Davin and Michael leaped frightfully backwards, afraid of being caught. Their hearts dropped to the ground. Davin’s hand shot to his heart, panting in panic. “What in the…” Before he could finish, Michael clutched Caleb’s and Davin’s shirts from behind and flew out of there as fast as he could.
Chapter Three
It was the following Saturday, my usual work day at Fashion Wear. Patty would have been working with me, but today, she had taken the day off to be with Andrew. Luckily, I wasn’t alone. Nanci, one of the weekday employees, had filled in for her. I didn’t wake up eager to work, but since I had taken so many days off, I didn’t have a choice. It was unusually slow for a Saturday, which only made me miss Patty more. At least she and I would have had things to talk about to help pass the time. She always made the best company. I decided to park myself behind the register and leave Nanci to tend to the customers. The day seemed only to drag and I found myself daydreaming, especially about Michael.
“Claudia…Claudia,” a voice spoke softly.
It took me a second to realize it was Nanci.
“Claudia,” she repeated, looking at me with her soft hazy eyes.
“Nanci…hey,” I replied, wondering what she was thinking. I must look out of it.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure, do I not look okay?” I asked hesitantly, wondering if I looked sick or something.
“It’s just that, you look—”
“I was just busy in thought, that’s all.”
“Okay, that’s good, but could we close a few minutes early? I mean…” She shifted her body from side to side, twisting strands of her strawberry blond hair with her index finger. “I’d like to go home. I mean, I’m meeting some friends…well…I have a date.”
“Oh,” I said in surprise. “Good for you,” I cheered; at least one of us did. I looked at the clock. It was five minutes till nine. “Why don’t you head on home? I’ll lock up. I won’t tell Mrs. Lee, if you don’t.”
“But, don’t you think I should stay and close up with you?” she asked nervously.
I couldn’t tell if she was concerned for my safety, being that we were the only two in this whole shopping complex, or at the possibility of Mrs. Lee finding out. “Nah, just go. What could happen?” Those were the exact words I had said to Patty on the night I was attacked by Julia. I should just keep my mouth shut, I thought.
“Okay. Thanks,” she said gratefully and rushed out the door.
After she left, I realized that we hadn’t counted today’s earnings. Mrs. Lee told us specifically that two employees needed to count the money and sign the papers. Nanci was gone, so what was I suppose to do now? As I thought about how I was going to handle this situation, the chimes of the store bell rang. A customer walked in, but I didn’t bother to look up.
“Sorry, we’re closed,” I said, thinking I should’ve asked Nanci to lock the door on her way out.
“Hey, Claudia.”
I looked up, startled by the sound of the familiar voice. I didn’t know he knew where I worked. Surprised to see him I said, “Uhhh…hey, Ryan. What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d stop by. You’re here alone?” he asked, absorbing the scene.
“Nanci, the other employee, just left.”
“It’s not safe to be here by yourself. Does this happen all the time?” He approached closer.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” I said as politely as possible. “No, it doesn’t. Nanci just needed to leave early today.” I began to take the money out of the register, thinking about the reasons why he would want to visit me.
“Do you need help counting money? Since I’m here, you might as well use me.”
He was right and I did need the help. “Sure, thanks. You can pretend to be Nanci,” I teased.
He chuckled lightly and walked forward to where I was standing. His sandy blonde hair was gelled neatly, and when he stood next to me, I could smell his cologne. He looked nice wearing a blue and gray striped sweater; it brought out his blue eyes. I stacked the bills in separate piles, according to their denomination. After I counted, he recounted. Suddenly, Ryan gave a short laugh.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“You look so serious. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s cute.”
He made me blush. “Be quiet and count the coins,” I said playfully, nudging him.
“Yes, ma’am.”
After the money was counted, it got quiet and things were awkward. “Well…thanks for coming by. I better get going, or else Mom will worry.”
“Do you mind if I use the restroom?”
“What?” I asked, thinking he had bad timing. But before I could say a word, he started walking. “In the back, towards the left,” I directed.
While waiting for him to come out, I locked up the money bag in the safe and went to lock the front door. It must have been five minutes before I realized Ryan was still in the restroom. I began to worry, so I went to check up on him.
“Ryan,” I called out, knocking on the door.
No answer.
“Ryan!” I shouted. “This isn’t funny! I need to go home!”
“In here,” he answered, peeping out of the storage room, then slamming the door.
Feeling irritated, I stormed in. It was dark, so I quickly turned to switch the light on. When I turned, Ryan grabbed me and pressed his lips to mine.
“Get off me!” I yelled, trying to push him off me. “What the heck is wrong with you?”
“Claudia, I miss you,” he muttered, aiming for my lips again.
When I struggled to push him off again, he backed me against the wall, then he locked my arms with his grip. His hands were slowly making their way inside my shirt, and I became frightened as the guy I knew became a total stranger.
“Get off me!” I yelled again, horrified of what he was trying to do. I fought with both my arms and legs. It was useless; he was stronger. “Don’t do this, please,” I begged. “This isn’t you.”
“Do you tell your boyfriend to stop?” he asked sharply, raising my arms and pinning them against the wall, his eyes piercing mine with jealousy and anger.
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I replied calmly, but my heart was beating too fast for me to catch my breath. Choosing my words carefully, I had to think fast. This was an opportunity for me to get away.
“Who was with you the night of my birthday party?”
Someone far better than you, I wanted to say, but didn’t, afraid what he may do. “A friend.”
“A friend? You could have fooled me.”
“How would you know? You were…drunk,” I said hesitantly, afraid to upset him.
“I remember…some.”
“You remember nothing. You made a fool out of yourself. How did you get alcohol?” I asked.
“I have my ways; money talks. Don’t change the subject. Who is he?” he demanded.
“A friend. I wanted to get you jealous. Obviously, it worked. But you were too drunk to even notice. He went home early. I stayed because of you. It’s too bad you don’t remember ‘cause I gave you a birthday kiss you would never forget,” I lied, hoping I sounded convincing.
“You did?” First, he looked doubtful, then confused and finally relaxed. He took the bait. “I knew you would come around.” He sounded convinced.
He slowly let go of my arms, and rested his hands on my shoulders. He leaned closer for a kiss. “Why don’t you show it to me again?”
I played his game, led him on and welcomed his kiss. Anxiety coursed through me as I prepared myself for my escape. After a few seconds, I bit down hard on his lips and kneed him where I knew it would hurt the most. It felt great to get him back.
“Ahhh…” he tried to scream. The rest of his cry was inaudible. He was in too much pain and I saw him drop to the ground, curled up into a ball.
“Sorry,” I squealed, knowing the kind of pain I’d inflicted on him, but what was I sorry for? He attacked me first. Without thinking, I bolted out of the storage room. As I looked back to see Ryan still on the ground, moaning, I ran into something or someone.
“Ahhh!” I screamed frantically, as my heart raced even more. He wrapped his muscular arms around me. I smiled, thinking it was Michael. “It’s okay. It’s me,” he said quickly. I looked up, but it wasn’t Michael, it was Austin. I hated to admit it, but he looked really good. He wore jeans and a black T-shirt, and his hair looked slightly longer than last time I’d seen him; plus, he smelled refreshing, like the ocean breeze.
“Austin,” I whispered, disappointed because it wasn’t Michael, but relieved to see him. Given the dilemma I was in, I was terrified to be alone with Ryan. Having Austin here gave me a sense of security. “What are you doing here?” I asked as he released his hold, and my heart beat became steady again.
“I was in the neighborhood. I stopped by to see you and Patty.”
“Patty took the day off.”
“It looks like you have a friend. He seems to be in a lot of pain. Are you okay, Claudia? What’s going on?”
“He tried to…” I stopped. Ryan was wrong to do what he did, but I knew him. I had never seen that side of him. Whatever the reason, I knew he would be sorry when he came to his senses, so I decided not to tell Austin. But looking at the scenario, I knew Austin would get the picture.
“You should be careful of who you hang out with,” Austin scolded, cocking his brow.
“Excuse me!” I huffed. He had no right to say that to me. Come to think of it, didn’t I lock the front door? How did he come in? Hmmm…maybe I thought I did and didn’t. “I can take care of myself, thank you.”
“Looks like you can, right where it hurts the most. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now.”
I needed to find a way to get Ryan out of here. “Were you planning on going somewhere?” After all, it was Saturday night.
“No, I don’t have any plans. Like I said, I just stopped by.”
“Can you do something for me, please?” I pleaded. “I’ll owe you one.”
“Or two,” he said smiling. “I’ll take him home.”