The Guardian ~ Excerpt 1

Please remember all of my excerpts are rough ROUGH drafts and are here for you to critique.

Music blasted from the speakers around the bar as he fixed a Krucifiction for the girl that had just wandered up to him. She looked to be barely legal, and dressed like she needed to be crucified.
Flame red hair, short in the back and long in the front, hung over hazel covered eyes that were outlined in a little too much eyeliner. Her eyebrows were as black as her lipstick, obviously not a natural red head. She wore a strapless, shiny black dress that barely covered all the important parts and didn't leave much for the imagination, but was still nice to look at as she leaned over the bar watching him. He knew from watching her on the dance floor that she was wearing a pair of red CFM heels that made her pale legs look longer. He finished mixing her drink and set it down in front of her, watching as she took a sip, her eyes never leaving his face.
"So," she drawled, "What’s your name?"
"Well, little lady," he said in an Irish accent, "my name is Minus, what's yours?"
"Selena."
"Well Selena, I don't believe I've seen you in here before, you must be new in town."
“You could say that," she swirled her glass and peeked up at him.
"Oh ya, so what brings a pretty girl like you all the way to Wolf Point, Montana? You look like the type of girl who thrives in the atmosphere of Los Angeles or some sort."
"Well, Minus, as it so happens I am from Los Angeles, and I'm just passin through. Why? Do I stand out?"
"Don't take it the wrong way love; we just don't get a lot of visitors all the way out here, that’s all."
The music continued to pulse through the room, different scents wafted through the air around them. Most people in the bar were dressed in cowboy boots and jeans. The town was made up of mostly ranch hands, and herders. It was the largest town in the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, but it was still small with barely 3,000 people. Strangers as extravagant as this one were a rare commodity.
Selena kicked back her drink, eyed him once more and wandered back onto the dance floor.
“So, who’s the new girl?” His brother Jonah walked up next to him, cleaning out a pitcher with a hand towel. He and his brother had moved from Ireland to Wolf Point six years earlier and opened up an Irish Pub.
“Some girl from LA, passin through she says.“
"She must be lost then, this right here is the first stop to nowhere.” They laughed and turned to watch as the new girl slinked through the night crowd. She was attracting attention from every corner of the room as she stopped in front of an older fella with a beer gut and started to dance provocatively, gaining a sloppy grin from the old rancher.
“Tell ya what though, I’ll bet ya anything she’s gonna cause all kinds of trouble before she leaves,” said Jonah, turning away to help a young couple that had just sat down.
Minus went into the back room to get another case of bottled beer and came back out in time to see another stranger walk through the door.
“Hey Jonah, check this out,” he nodded his head to the girl still standing in the doorway.
“Bloody hell, are we missing something? First we get Dracula’s bride on the dance floor, then Buffy comes in. I just hope they don’t know each other, I’d hate to have a fight on our hands,” shaking his head he turns to go into the back but Minus stops him, suddenly very serious.
“You don’t think she’s one of them do ya?” he says in an undertone.
“I don’t think so; I heard that they prefer big cities, more people ya know. But even so, we got Big Jake under the bar, that’ll make em’ think twice.” Louder he added, “Relax, it’s just college kids on break or something,” in retreated in the back leaving him to deal with Buffy.
A coffee-black, wide brimmed hat covered most of her face. An old, worn looking, black trench coat fell to the floor around her feet. Underneath the coat, she was wearing what looked like a corset with just one strap that came up over her left shoulder. A small cross dangled around her neck, while a slightly larger one hung down to her navel, both silver. A black leather belt hung around her hips with a large silver belt buckle in the shape of a dragon. Leather pants enclosed shapely legs, and knee high combat looking boots with straps around the tops covered her feet and calves.
“Well hello there, what can I get for ya.” The girl sat down at the bar, facing the dance floor across the room. She left her hat on, strangely.
“Just a water, with lemon," her voice was soft, but commanding, no tease or hesitation. Interesting.
“Hmm, alright love, but tell me,” he got a glass and started to fill it with ice and water, “what brings a little girl like you, all the way out to the middle of nowhere, to the only Irish Pub in town, in the middle of the night, to get a nice tall glass of water?” He set the glass down in front of her, and leaned against the bar watching her. She picked up the glass to take a sip and noticed that she had a black fingerless glove covering her left hand.
“Just passing through,” she said, setting the glass down.
“So where ya from?”
“Don’t bother carrying on idle chit chat with me Minus, I have proven to be a very boring conversation partner.”
He hesitated, “I never told you my name.”
“No need, it’s printed on the bottom of the picture of you and your brother on the wall,” she said bluntly, gesturing to the picture and taking another sip.
“Aye, lass, but how do ya know that’s my brother, and that I’m Minus?” he asked, intrigued now.
“Because you’re twins and your name tag says Minus. Who’s the redhead bleeding the old man for everything he's got?”
“I thought you said you were a boring conversation.”
“I am,” she said, setting down the glass with a definite snap, “you didn’t answer the question.” She lifted her head slightly and a got a glimpse of her eyes. One blue and one green. Freaky.
“Just a college kid from Los Angeles,” he said, going on the defensive, “who are you?”
“I'm your savior of the night, and that’s no college kid.”
He turned around and froze. The old man with the beer gut was still sitting in his chair, his head tipped back and blood running freely down his chest and onto the floor. Everyone in the room was still as stone, frozen in fear, as the redhead straddled his hips.
“You know,” she said, running a blood red nail down his face, “I always did have athing for older guys.” The music suddenly shorted out and stopped, leaving the room in silence. A voice sounded behind him.
“Selena McKenzie, you've been ordered by a higher power to stand down and surrender yourself to punishment for your crimes.” Minus turned to see the Buffy girl standing and holding a big ass crossbow pointed in his direction. The red head snarled, fangs protruding from her mouth, blood dripping from her chin, she slipped off the old man's lap and walked across the floor, her heels loud and sharp in the silence. Coming to the edge of the bar she leaped up, landing on the bar in front of the Buffy girl.
“And just who the fuck do you think you are, little girl? The higher power's own private assassin?” She trailed a finger across the blood on her chest and brought it up to her mouth.

~

“As a matter of fact,” she said, cocking the bow, “I am.” She brought up the bow and fired.
"Well that was a cluster fuck. Can you be any more subtle Ava?" Gabriel let out a breath and looked at her as she blew cigarette smoke into the night air. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Nope." She let out another huff before lying back against the car hood she was perched on, the cold night air sending goosebumps over her skin. He knew Gabe was only trying to look out for her but at the moment she really didn't care. She was finding herself with a lot of those moments lately.
He shoved his hand through his hair, just to have the wind blow it back again. "Dammit Ava, you're gonna get yourself killed if you keep going like this."
She looked at him, "Like what? And besides don't your 'brothers' want me dead anyway. As a half breed I’m destroying their rep of 'purity'."
"Ruthless, dangerous, no self preservation what so ever. You're spiraling out of control."
"Oh relax. Your just pissy that a half breed, and a woman no less, is out doing your job."
"Well you're doing a right lousy job of it. The point is to avoid making scenes,especially among humans.”
“So I love the theatrics-.”
He slammed his fist down on the car hood, “Dammit Ava, if one of the twisted fucks you go after doesn’t kill you an angel will. Now I don’t know what kind of identity crisis is going through your head right now but you better figure it out.”
Sitting up she looked him in the eye “Oh knock off the protective father theatrics. If you ever gave a damn you would have done something fifty years ago rather then left me to be raised by drug addicted humans. Now I’m all grown up, and one of the best damn assassins in the world, sanctioned by the government, vampires, even angels come to me with their dirty work, and you,” she said, anger lacing her voice, “will just have to put on your big boy panties and live with it.”
Out in the empty parking lot her voice carried with the wind but with nowhere to go. The police had long since been and gone from the scene, caution tape skittered across the asphalt. The vampire and her casualty had been dealt with, compensation offered to the victims family and the bar owners for discretion. And her? She got a nice fat check, a pat on the back, and guarded stares from whatever humans happened to have to come and clean up her mess. To them she was just another vampire, but one willing to kill her own kind for the right price. They also believed that they could control her. Right. So she killed vampires, only the ones whose time was up. She killed humans to, but only those whose soul had become blackened and depraved beyond repair.
God’s angels were set out into the world with a goal, a mission. Safeguard and guide the innocent, do away with darkened and fallen souls that walked amongst them.
Every evil soul sent from this world helped keep the natural balance of good and evil in check. As of late however, that balance had been teetering dangerously in favor of evil. Lucifer and all his little devils and fallen comrades were running rampant throughout the mortal realm.
Vampires were by nature a shy lot. They were not considered evil simply by existing. They tended to keep to themselves, out of the eyes of humans. Generally they didn’t run amuck stealing children or draining random humans dry. The ones who did were dealt with, either by angel or vampire, quickly and harshly, and their messes cleaned up.
When the creation of cloned blood came into existence however, certain members of the vampire community brought to light the existence of vampires, exposing them to the human public. The good work of Lucifer no doubt. And since the American government saw it as their right and duty to tag all known vampires like sex offenders when and if they were found. And if a vampire were to say, get out of hand, like Miss Selena McKenzie, she was brought in. The government’s very own Blade.
Now of course there were other non-human races running around, more than you could count on your fingers and toes, but they were doing everything possible to stay out of the way of humans and celestial eyes.
“You know that had I known I would have come for you. Your mother died before she could tell me,” sorrow laced his voice at the statement. He had loved that woman, and regretted every minute of every day that he had every tried to hide her from his brothers. Now she was dead.
“She did not die. She was killed. By the very people you call your brothers. And what was the point of this visit? I feel like you didn’t just come down here to chastise me for killing a vampire turned piranha,” she watched him, her gaze unwavering. Gabriel, The Messenger, He Who Stands At The Left Hand Of God, had a fling with a vampire and had been so ashamed he left her to be butchered by his own people, after giving birth to his child.
“Your putting a mark on your forehead Ava, your setting yourself up as a target for the Fallen, vampires, humans, angels . . .” he trailed off, creases forming between his brows. For once, his age was starting to show. “I don’t want to lose you.”
Looking down she felt pain for him, guilt for always being so harsh. But she also felt anger, and anger won in the emotion game, “what did you want Gabriel?” She heard him sigh in defeat, but she knew he would try again another day. Ever since he found out she even existed three years ago he had been trying to worm his way into her life every chance he got.
“Balthazar is looking for you,” he said, “it seems that once again his charge has eluded him and he can’t find her anywhere. And I have to admit, it takes talent to not just hide from him, but also piss him off the way you do. Do I feel the twinges of affection sparking between the two of you?” She could hear the smile in his voice, his attempt at humor. To bad it damn near hit the jackpot.
“There is no affection other than anger and annoyance. For being as old and wiseas he is supposed to be, he really is a hard ass, and easy to trick too. Why don’t you take him out to a strip joint, he needs to get laid. Big time.” This earned her a deep laugh that echoed across the empty lot. To the east the sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains, and she could feel the twinges on her skin, and her eyes started to prickle.
Gabriel got a curious look on his face, far away, and gazed towards the sunrise. Lifting his head slightly it looked like he was listening to something. He stayed like that for several minutes before blinking, looking around slightly bemused like he woke from a dream.
“What the hell was that,” she asked, sliding off the hood of the car and pulling her hat down further over her eyes.
He looked at her, “you don’t hear it?”
“Hear what?”
“Him. He always talks to us at the birth of a new day.” He face suddenly turned stern and he looked at her sharply, “if you wish to be accepted by our kind, to be able to walk amongst them, you need to embrace your angel half, not run from it. You need to open yourself up to His guidance, his words. There is prejudice between angels and vampires, but it can be overcome, if you can prove to them that you are the best of both.”
“I shouldn’t have to,” with practiced movements she lit another cigarette, looking at him from under the brim of her hat.
“No, you shouldn’t, but until a time when envy can be displaced, this is the way it is,” slowly he began to walk backwards away from her, “accept what Balthazar has to offer, stay out of sight of your enemies, trust no one but Balthazar and myself. You are two important to us.” Suddenly he turned, bending slightly at the knees, great wings burst from his back, the same blond tawny color of his hair, reaching a good twenty-foot wingspan. With a gush of he beat downwards, lifting himself up into the air throwing gusts of wind out behind him as he soared straight up, quicker then the eye could see and disappeared into the morning rays and clouds. She yelled after him, “all he’s offered is to lock me up!” but it was to late, he was gone. Damn. “Stinking angels make no sense and speak in tongue and wonder why no one pays attention to them.” She grumbled, kicking at the ground.
Rolling her shoulders, she tensed her muscles, feeling the curious itching at her back as she willed her own wings to appear. Through the slit she had cut in her trench coat they emerged. Sleek black, the same color as her hair, they tinted blue in the light, but were not nearly as large as Gabriel’s, yet they fit her slim figure perfectly.
Bending her knees slightly she thrust downward, catching air and soaring upwards. With another thrust she gained more altitude, slipping through the clouds to come out slightly drenched above them, yet out of sight of humans. She caught a thermal draft and coasted westwards, away from the rising sun. She loved flying; she had no qualms about simply flying back to LA just like this. But it was too risky. The chance of being spotted by a human aircraft was paramount; she didn’t have that nifty little talent of simply disappearing from view, to walk invisible within the human realm. Vampires may be everyone’s business, but angels were top-secret squirrel business. If their existence got out it could be catastrophic, not to mention downright awful for the person responsible. It was a common understanding between angels and fallen, and the non-human races who walked the mortal realm, well, they knew better than to meddle in celestial affairs.
Down below she could feel the early birds moving out to take care of their herds. Angling down she folded her wings close to her back and shot down through the clouds towards the ground.
Turning sharply she spread her wings, landing crouched behind a large black sedan and folded them back, feeling them meld into her back to become tattoo’s on her flesh.
When she was younger she thought it was just a birthmark. Then she did something stupid that got her tossed off a building. Talk about anger management. Halfway down her wings had turned from tattoo’s to the real deal, although it didn’t stop her from landing in the dumpster.
Standing up she brushed herself off and pulled her hat down lower over her eyes. The government provided her with her own personal transportation and armored escort when she finished a job. They liked her to think the protection was for her, but she knew it was another of their attempts to control her. Saps.
Walking around the sedan she let the ‘escorts’ see her before she jerked open the RV door, ignoring them when they tried to say something and slammed it in their faces.
Taking off her hat she tossed it on the table before looking up and letting out a string of curses bad enough to make a sailor blush.
Stretched out on the couch, with his arms behind his head he had his eyes closed, feigning sleep, she knew. His hair was the color of dark coffee and well past his shoulders although he kept it pulled back. It showed off his angled features, high cheekbones and narrow nose, hard angles and very masculine. His skin was a pale sun kissed color, and every muscle in that long body was sculpted to perfection.
He was older than earth itself, but remained untouched by time. Only his eyes showed his age, the way he carried himself, like he bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Her body reacted to his presence, butterflies erupting in her stomach while deeper muscles clenched. Her skin flushed and she turned away from him, peeling off her coat as she did and tossing it aside, taking the time to compose herself before she faced him, “Any particular reason your posing for playboy in my RV?”
That got his attention, his eyes popped open and he turned to glare at her, his bright blue eyes boring into her green ones. Slowly he stood up, his large frame seeming to take up a majority of the RV, and walked forward, pushing her back, his arms came up to either side of her head, trapping her against the wall. She looked up at him, her nose damn near pressed against his chest as he looked down on her. She suddenly felt like a child.
“Any particular reason you blush like a school girl every time you see me? Could it be you hold feelings for me?” He ran his finger down her cheek as her skin flushed red once more. She slapped his hand away.
“The only thing I’m feeling at the moment is disappointment that you didn’t learn your lesson the last time we met.” She swore a hint of laughter flew through his eyes before an annoyed look took over his ageless features.
“Oh yes, about that. Not only did you gun me down, you seem to have single handedly turned me into the laughing stock of the celestial army. A general of generals, the strongest, oldest, and most respected of my brethren, unable to take care of one baby angel.” He sighed. “Such thoughts and rumors cannot be allowed to exist. And retribution is now mine for the taking. I believe bending you over my knee before locking you away in some isolated tower will win back the status I seem to have lost.”
His eyes literally twinkled as he stared her down. Twinkled! With an angry outburst she shoved at his chest, ducking beneath his arm and darted towards the table where she’d left her coat. And her gun.
“What I don’t get is if I’m such a bad omen for your, rep, why do you keep coming back?” she turned around, facing him. “What do you want?”
He leaned his shoulder against the wall, crossing his arms and watched her retreat, wondering how long it would take for her to realize the chemistry between them. How long it would take for her to realize that they were destined to be together. That their souls cried out to one another for completion. Many of his brothers had shunned him for pursuing her. It was one thing to be her guardian, another to claim her as his own. Which he would need to do quickly, for her own protection. “I’m your guardian, my job is to protect you which is difficult when you find it necessary to thwart me at every turn.” He watched her hand slide under her coat, no doubt going for her gun. Why she always turned to violence he would never know. “Shoot me again and I will make good on my threats.”
She glared at him, “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”
“There’s a mark on your head. Somewhere down the road you managed to piss off the wrong person. Now you’ve got all manner of creatures coming after you. And you need me, whether you like it or not.”
“Oh please, I can take care of myself, and I don’t need righteous ass to protect me.” She decided to forgo the gun, and sat down on the couch. The rising sun was beginning to take its toll, and she was beginning to feel weaker. He may be a pain in the ass, but she had to admit, she loved looking at him.
“You’re a formable opponent, and a damn good assassin I’ll give you that. But the Fallen, are a little much for you honey.” He walked towards her and took her hand in his, leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles, satisfaction coursing through him as he felt her body respond to his touch even as she tried to hide it and pull her hand free. Quickly, before she had time to react he snapped a small silver bracelet around her wrist and watched it latch itself, a small spark running along its length. “Which is why you are not leaving my side, until I deem this danger past.”
“What the fuck!” she jerked her hand away and grabbed at the bracelet as its power flew over her skin.
“I had it specially made. There’s no use picking at it, it won’t come off. And the big kicker, as you would put it, is you cannot disobey me.” He grinned outright then.
She stared at him in shock, her fingers still wrapped around the chain as she processed the information. “You’re shitting me.” She jumped at made a grab for her gun, determined to riddle him with more holes than he could heal this time,
“Sit!”
An unseen force shoved her back onto the couch just as her fingers graced the butt of her gun. “Fuck!”
“We could do that if you like,” he said, grinning, “all I have to do is say the word and you and I can have a night of ecstasy like you wouldn’t believe.”
“You wouldn’t dare. Balthazar Kane you take this thing off right now,” she said, anger coursing through her at both him and her for being stupid enough not to shoot him as soon as she saw him.
“It’s for your own protection Ava. Now unless you want me ordering your every move, you’ll play nice and work with me. Or I will order you to tie yourself to my bed and we can work on this fatal attraction between us,” he patted her leg, “now you just stay there and keep quiet, it’s a long drive back to LA.” With a smug look he sat on the couch opposite her, with the table between them, enjoying his bit of revenge.

~

It had been over six months. Six months of practically being attached to his hip. Although she had to admit, it hadn’t been all bad. In the time spent together she’d gotten a chance to see past the Big Bad Angel persona to the man beneath. And she liked him. That’s not to say she hadn’t put up a fight, or made it easy for him to win his title of ‘boyfriend’. That stupid bracelet was still around her wrist, although he hadn’t used it aside from that day back in the RV. And as for the Fallen that were supposedly after her for some undisclosed reason, hadn’t made an appearance either. It made her wonder if it was all a sham so he could spend time with her.
She rolled over, the sheets barely covering her midsection, and looked at Balthazar. He was rolled lying on his side, facing away from her, the sheets wrapped around his waist. He may be good in bed, but he was a blanket hog. Leaning forward she ran her tongue from the base of his spine up to his neck, and smiled when he rolled over letting out a sleepy groan as he reached for her, his fingers curling around the back of her neck as he pulled her down and kissed her, sliding his tongue along her bottom lip until she opened to him. She took the opportunity to jerk the sheets out from around him and broke the kiss, grinning down at him when he let out a growl.
“What do you think your doing woman?” He reached up and pulled her down across his chest when she went to roll back over to sleep. “You woke me up, now you have to pay the price,” he kissed her again, this time thoroughly.
She laid her head down on his chest and it felt right, as if she belonged right here in his arms. “Well you’re a bed hog, so what’s a girl to do?”
He laughed, “Well you still must suffer the consequences,” he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, “Go back to sleep little one, you had a long night.”
A light breeze filtered through the drapes, making them dance. Her bedroom was adorned with a gothic style scheme. Dark wood furniture with ornate designs, a large matching wood four poster bed covered in deep black and red sheets. She had taste. She couldn’t deny it.
She watched him as he closed his eyes, a nagging feeling suddenly tickling the edge of her mind.
“Balthazar?”
“Hmmm,” he opened his to look at her, noting the sudden crease between her eyebrows. Touching her mind he could feel her sudden unease. “What’s wrong baby girl?”
“Who is it, that’s supposed to be after me? It’s been over six months, and not so much as a fly has tried to do away with me,” she sat up, “What had you so spooked?”
He sighed. He was still spooked. He was scared to death. In the past few months he’d grown to love her, to truly love her. And he knew she loved him even if she hadn’t come to terms with it yet. And she was in danger. But how could he tell her, that the danger he was afraid of had come from a vision. Not even a vision, a dream. He ran his hand up her arm, deciding his words carefully. He watched the crease in her forehead deepen as an almost panicked look came over her face. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when an explosion erupted from the window.
The force threw them both from the bed as flames erupted within the room. He grabbed her and pulled her beneath the shelter of his body as another explosion rocked the house, debris flying. He could feel the heat searing his back and glass and wood ripping at his exposed skin. Quickly he fashioned clothes for them, dressing them instantly as another explosion rocked the house somewhere.
Balthazar grabbed her up off the floor, she felt like deadweight as her head still rang from the explosion, and stars danced across her vision. Flames erupted throughout the house and smoke clogged her nostrils. Grabbing his arm she forced her legs to work beneath her and they ran through the house, aiming for an exit but everywhere they turned more flames erupted, blocking their path. They turned and pelted down the hallway towards the window at the end, only to be thrown back by an unseen force. The flames suddenly turned black and sickly, demonic, untouchable by their kind.
They were trapped.
The floor shuddered and male laughter sounded behind them. They whipped around, and Balthazar pushed her behind him, taking on a protective stance.
“Asmodeous, still doing dirty work?” His tone carried authority, held no fear or worry. It was more than she could accomplish.
Asmodeous stood at the end of the hall, his hair hung dark around his face, framing his eyes. Glowing red with a yellow trim around the pupils they stood out against his pale skin. His wings hung from his shoulders, long, dark and dank, they looked sickly and diseased. His voice however was deep, and filled with menace.
“Balthazar. It’s been a long time, I’ve missed you,” his eyes shifted to her, taking in every inch of her body. “And this little beauty must be Ava, the one everyone’s been raving about. The one everyone now wants,” his gaze shifted back to Balthazar. “Thanks to you. You’d be surprised at the talk your little fling has caused. But now, I see why.”
“You would do well to leave this place Asmodeous, before you anger me further,” his voice carried something she couldn’t place; coupled with an anger he had never heard before.
Ava wrapped her hand around Balthazar’s wrist, looking between the two of them. Fear paramount in her mind but she stamped it down. She had heard many things about Asmodeous, none of it good. Neither had she ever found herself face to face with a Fallen. Asmodeous took a step forward, and she felt Balthazar’s power flare, stopping him in his tracks and anger shot through his face. Around them the house continued to smolder, and the blackened flames still left them with nowhere to go.
“Just give me the girl Balthazar, there’s no need for useless violence.”
“And what do you want with me?” it took a lot of self-control to keep her voice from shaking.
Balthazar wrapped his hand around her wrist and squeezed, “Be silent,” the bracelet around her wrist flared and her mouth snapped shut and she glared at him, going from scared to pissed in a millisecond.
“Aww, Balthy dear, you haven’t told her have you? Well that’s a wonderful way to start a relationship isn’t it?” Balthazar growled but Asmodeous kept talking, his gaze latching on with hers. “What we have here, is the only celestial female in existence able to bear a child.”
She couldn’t have said anything even if she wanted to. Her mother and father were the only couple that had bore a child. Her mother had been able to bear a celestial child, something unheard of, and now she was dead.
Asmodeous grinned as he watched the realization emerge in her face. Whoever caught her got first dibs, and he was determined she be his. He filled her mind with images of what he wanted to do with her and watched in satisfaction as fear blossomed. He inhaled it; fed on it, let it wash over him. He forgot about Balthazar.
Balthazar slammed into him, pinning him to the ground even as Asmodeous grasped his knife, sinking it into his side. He ignored it, and grasped Asmodeous’s wing and wrenched, feeling it rip from the Fallen’s back as he let out an unearthly scream. The black flames erupted, spiraling out of control, and he turned to Ava as she tried to shield herself from the onslaught, her skin breaking out in blisters. Throwing his hand out he blew out the window, leaving a gaping hole in its wake, free of the flames. “Run!”
Ava felt the blisters forming on her skin, saw Balthazar struggling with the Fallen, but the bracelet stopped her from going to him, as she intended, instead she found herself fleeing from the house, against her will. As hard as she tried she couldn’t stop, couldn’t turn around. She reached out with her mind, trying to reach Balthazar, but found him still struggling with Asmodeous, blocking her out. Behind her she heard another explosion and knew that her house was nothing but a pile of rubble. It wouldn’t be long before every firefighter and police officer in LA got out here. Miles flew beneath her feet, he seemed like forever before her legs simply gave out from under her and she crashed to the ground.
Above her she felt movement in the air, smelled the stench of the flames and scrambled to her feet, stumbling through the underbrush, looking skyward for her follower. She may not be aimlessly running anymore, but her vocal cords still didn’t work. Stopping, she looked skywards; she threw her senses out but found nothing. The woods around her were eerily quiet; the darkness surrounding her grew thicker.
She got another whiff of the stench just as a large set of hands came down on her shoulders. She whipped around and let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was Balthazar.
“Are you alright?” He ran his hands over her body, looking for injuries, “Ava? Answer me.” She thumped his chest, gesturing at the bracelet on her wrist. “You can talk now.”
“You asshole! Get this thing off!” she went to smack him again but he caught her wrist, his other hand still running over her body. “Would you mind explaining what just happened?!”
“I told you, you were in danger of the Fallen.”
“Well where is he? Did you kill him?” She took a deep breath trying to focus her thoughts and get her under control. His body was covered in blisters like her own only worse, four long jagged cuts reached from his left shoulder to right hip, and he held one of his wings at an odd angle. The crystal white feathers covered in blood and muck, she spotted bone protruding.
“No, he’s not dead. But we have to go. Now.” He tried to pull her along side him but she refused, holding her ground.
“What did he mean I could bear children? I’m half angel. I can’t.” She watched his face, waiting for him to agree with her, to tell her she was right. But he didn’t. Instead he looked tired.
“Balthazar?”
“He’s right, you can bear children. Which is why they want you, which is why we need to go.” He tried to pull her away again, worried that Asmodeous was close, but she still refused to budge. “Do as I say before I order you to do it.” He held her wrist up, the bracelet glinting in the moonlight.
“We’re not going anywhere until you tell me why you think I can do the impossible. Why do you think I can bear children? Why do they?”
“Because your pregnant.”