Messenger

Messenger

Kassandra Kush

Also by Kassandra Kush

The Fallen Chronicles, Book One:

Guardian

The Fallen Chronicles Book Two:

Protector

The Fallen Chronicles Book Three:

Messenger

The Things We Can’t Change Part One:

The Prologue

The Things We Can’t Change Part Two:

The Struggle

The Things We Can’t Change Part Three:

The Healing

The Things We Can’t Change Part Four:

The Love Story

The Things We Can’t Change Part Five:

The Epilogue

The Summer I Gave Up Boys

The Lightwood Legacy

Messenger

Kassandra M. Kush

Copyright © 2014

All rights reserved.

Smashwords edition 2014

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.

The information in this book is distributed on an as is basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For Information:

http://facebook.com/kassandrakushauthor

Cover © Regina Wamba

Mae I Design

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Dedication

For my grandpa,

who passed away while this book

was being written.

He was a lifelong supporter

of the missions,

and it seems only appropriate

that the book about

spreading the message

of faith goes to him.

Oh Holy Angel,

Guardian mine,

my guide, my director,

sweet messenger

of love divine

-‘Oh Holy Angel’ hymn

Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.

Realize how far you have fallen.

Repent, and do the works you did at first.

Revelation 2:4,5

INTRODUCTION

I’ve always been called crazy. And when you’re called something long enough, you start to believe that it’s true. Except I didn’t just believe I was crazy; I knew I was. Didn’t I see irrefutable proof of it every day? I didn’t mind that people thought that about me. I liked that they thought that about me. It was all part of my image. Because I thought, so naively, that by smoking and drinking and drugging myself into oblivion, I could make it all stop. No matter how many times it failed, I still tried, unable to admit defeat. But in the end, it wasn’t any of that which made it stop. It never did, really. But what brought me back to reality, back to God, back to having my feet planted firmly on the ground, wasn’t anything earthly.

It was him.

CHAPTER ONE

He asked him, What is your name?

He replied, "Legion is my name.

There are many of us."

Mark 5:9

I barely got to the toilet in time. I didn’t even think to lock the door before falling to my knees to worship the Porcelain God. A mixture of alcohol, half-digested pills, and very little food—aha, the problem!—spilled from my mouth. The whole time, my lip seemed to be curled up in disgust. Lightweight. No way could I go back out there without being ridiculed by everyone else about how I couldn’t carry my alcohol. It would have to be an early end to the night.

When I felt as though I was done, I sat up straighter, gathering my long, ratty hair in a fist to keep it out of my face. A thin sheen of sweat had gathered across my forehead, and when someone stumbled into the stall next to me and threw up as well, it sent me back to hovering over the toilet.

At last, when only spit came out as I heaved, I used sheer force of will to make myself stop—I’d had enough practice at this—and staggered out of the stall to the sinks. I washed my mouth out as thoroughly as possible, then took long drinks of the lukewarm water. Even through the grey cinderblock walls of the women’s bathroom, the bass playing in the bar was still strong enough to make my chest vibrate, and I watched my reflection bounce in the shaking mirror above the sink.

My pale face stared back at me, the same as ever. The roots of my platinum blonde hair needed retouched again; I had a good half-inch of dark roots showing. The bright, neon streaks of pink, orange, blue, green, purple, and several other colors I’d put in as well winked at me as I puffed up my hair some more. It was greasy and hadn’t been brushed in who knew how long; just the way I liked it. Leaning closer to my reflection, I bared my teeth to examine my souvenir from New York City, my current location. The long, fake incisors gleamed lethally back at me in the light from the naked bulb above my head.

Taking a tube of lipstick out from the back pocket of my tattered jeans, I covered my lips in the bright, blood-red shade. A final touch up to my eyeliner, which was thick and winged dramatically out past the corners of my eyes, and I was ready to go. I smiled once more at myself, liking the way the vampire fangs made me look so dangerous. There were some crazies out in the world that actually believed in that kind of stuff, who thought it was real. Hopefully smiling with these babies would send at least a few of the persistent people who bothered me running in the other direction. Not to mention that they just looked so stinking cool.

I made a quick escape from the club, sneaking out the side door and then inhaling the somewhat cleaner air of the New York City night. I lived for the crowded bars and clubs of big metropolitan areas, for the music that deafened you for two days afterward, for the air full of smoke and smells of sweet alcohol. Still, the cool night air was always a refreshing change.

A small detour around the back of the bar led me to where I’d hidden my bag and then I struck off to the Greyhound station. It was at least a mile away, and I had to pause to swap my stilettos for more comfortable black Puma tennis shoes, and my low cut tank top for a plain black t-shirt. The mini skirt would have to be changed at a later time, but at the beginning of June, the night air was no longer cold enough to be unpleasant.

My stomach was growling at me, and I still felt just a little bit queasy from my bathroom adventure, so I made a short detour through a McDonald’s drive through, laughing when the clerk started in shock to see someone actually walking through the drive-through. I forked over some cash from my precious nest egg. The money, all the cash I’d withdrawn from my account just that afternoon, wouldn’t stretch far by the time I got a ticket at the bus station.

It was one thirty in the morning by the time I reached the station, which was, predictably, closed. I’d have to wait a few hours for it to open. I cussed a little bit and kicked the door, and then detoured into the mini-mart next door for a new pack of cigarettes. Lighting up with a sigh of relief, I parked myself on a bench in front of the bus station and pulled a map out of my green army surplus bag.

It wasn’t a fancy map or anything. It was actually a kids dry erase placemat I’d stolen from a store. It showed all fifty states and their capitols. Each state I’d been to was marked with a dash of black nail polish, which was also currently chipping away on my own fingernails.

In the seven years I’d been traveling around, I had hit quite a few, mainly along the East Coast. New York was my twenty-fourth state, and I needed one more to hit halfway, after which I would head to California, my reward for being halfway done with my goal; visiting each of the fifty states. But before that could happen, I needed to pick my twenty-fifth state, somewhere I could bunk down all summer and save up money to get to California and keep myself alive once I got there.

My eyes automatically traveled to places in the mid-range of the United States, so I wouldn’t be too far from Cali when I was ready to go. I also knew I didn’t want to spend the summer too far south, where the weather would be brutal, or too far north where it would never get warm enough to be comfortable outside. Sometimes my living situation took a while to pan out, and I was no stranger to sleeping on a bench, as I was about to do tonight.

So I relied on my most trusted method when it came to making decisions: I closed my eyes and randomly stabbed my finger down on the map. Opening my eyes once again, I saw that it had landed squarely on the small dot labeled Columbus, Ohio. Examining the small, heart shaped state, I shrugged. Hey, Ohio was the heart of it all. There were worse places to spend a summer. Decision made, I stretched out on the bench with my head on my bag, trying to catch a few hours sleep while I could.

A loud BANG forced me awake, and I sat bolt upright on my bench, blinking rapidly in the bright sunlight that was blinding me. There was another loud clatter from the alleyway beside the bus station, and without hesitation I pulled my bag over my shoulders. Too many people had helped me out of scrapes in the past for me not to investigate. It was the unspoken homeless code that you looked out for each other.

Darting around the corner of the brick wall, I skidded to a halt at the sight before me. A man stood in the alley—only he wasn’t just a man. He stood with his back to me, giant wings unfurled from his back. My jaw dropped.

I had puked up all those pills I’d taken last night, hadn’t I? The dude had wings. Legit, real wings sticking up from his back. They were like a bird’s wings, long and thin, mottled with dark brown and deep auburn-red colored feathers. I couldn’t see past him, to whatever he was looking at, but I didn’t care. All I could think was, how can I get a pair of those? Forget vampire teeth!

Reaching up to the back of my neck, I rubbed my hairline, but no. No prickling of the neck. This wasn’t something supernatural. This was real, right in front of me. And I’d never seen anything like it in my life. I must have gasped or something, because suddenly the man whipped around, the wings furling back down and disappearing so quickly that I almost thought I’d imagined them.

What are you doing here? he demanded harshly. Who are you?

Dude, I said in amazement, ignoring his questions. "Where did you get the wings? How did you even do that?" I should have been shocked. Or scared out of my mind. Or worried my little ‘problem’ had taken a strange new turn. But again, the back of my neck wasn’t tingling, the tell-tale sign...

The man looked at me for a long moment, and then took a step closer. You will tell no one about what you just saw, he whispered to me.

I blinked. For a moment, I got that same airy sensation as when I took a long inhale from a joint. And maybe I was more hung over than I thought, because as I stared into his compelling grey eyes, I could have sworn he was glowing around the edges. Who was this guy?

Sure thing, I said, reaching into my pocket and pulling a cigarette casually from my pack. Just to show he didn’t scare me. Which he didn’t. I think.

Still, I had the oddest feeling as I headed back to the bus station.

Already feeling a little queasy from the bright morning sunlight (fake vampire I might be, I was really more of a night person), I stood in line and purchased my one-way ticket, only grinning savagely at anyone who dared to give me too long of a look. The sight of my teeth made them all nervous, and I laughed and smiled all the more. Boarding the bus, I had to argue a little with the driver in order to keep my ticket, as I always did, but in the end, just like always, I won.

As the first one to board, I had my pick of seats. I chose one smack in the middle of the bus, purposely in the middle of the three seats. Personal experience told me everyone sought a seat by themselves, away from others. By choosing the middle seat and the middle of the bus, I would be bypassed unless we were too full. Luck was on my side, since only a few more people boarded the bus after me.

They gave me some strange looks as they passed my seat, but if there was one thing I was used to, it was funny looks. I paid them no mind, instead discreetly pulled out my emergency quart of Jack Daniels from my bag and, going to extreme measures to make sure no one saw me, took a large gulp. It helped to clear the sour taste at the back of my mouth that no amount of water could banish, and the sharp sting helped me focus as my mind turned back to the winged man in the alley.

I really began to think I had hallucinated the entire event, but just at that moment, heavy steps began to thump down the bus aisle, and I looked up to see the man with the wings coming down the aisle. He gave me a warning look as he passed, and again I felt that light, airy sensation. When his eyes left me, I turned in my seat to watch him walk almost to the back of the bus and slump in a seat until he was invisible to my eyes.

He wasn’t a remarkably tall man, though I wasn’t a remarkably tall girl, either, but what he lacked in height, he instantly made up for in his commanding presence. The only other person I’d ever met who so effectively radiated Don’t touch me! was, well, me. And goodness knew, I had my reasons for it, which made me wonder about his.

Regardless, I had to admit I was impressed. There weren’t many of ‘my kind’ in the world, and I instantly felt a connection with him, though he clearly didn’t feel the same about me. That was all right. It was just nice knowing that he was there.

The bus doors closed on the last two passengers, making about ten of us all together, and the engine had just started up when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to prickle. No, I thought desperately, not now, not here. It was too late.

Ever so slowly I looked to my right, and there she was. Like some sort of creep, staring right at me with an eerie little smile on her pink lips, dressed in a long white robe. I barely managed to keep a yelp of surprise down, and instead jumped up from my seat, backing down the aisle and dragging my bag along with me.

Hey, stay seated at all times! the driver shouted back at me.

S-sorry, I said as I stumbled backward down the aisle, my legs finally hitting against a seat and causing me to sit down, hard.

Occupied, a deep voice said, and I realized I had been sitting on the wing-man. He didn’t touch me, not directly, but I still flew upward with lightning speed, repulsed at the idea of being touched involuntarily.

My bad, I mumbled, darting across the aisle and finally sitting in an empty seat. I breathed a sigh of relief that I wasn’t being followed by her and rummaged in my bag. I desperately wanted a cigarette but I couldn’t light up on the bus.

Instead, I once again turned to Old Man Jack. I took another giant gulp from the quart-sized bottle, feeling the hairs on my neck finally settle once more as the alcohol hit my gut. Two more sips, and all the tension seemed to disappear from my body. The cure-all for everything that ailed me.

After about half an hour, I felt back to my old self and pleasantly careless. With a big sigh of relief, I pulled out my lip gloss, this one a vivid dark plum color, and applied it evenly on my lips, using the window as a mirror. As I once again sneered at myself with my vampire teeth, I caught sight of the man across the aisle staring at me.

I turned my sneer his way. What are you staring at, Pigeon?

He only blinked solemnly at me, without saying a word. He really was quite good looking; his hair was an auburn sort of red, dark and long enough for him to pull back in a careless ponytail at his crown, the short ends curly. His face had that aristocratic sort of proudness and timelessness; heavy, hooded brows, a very strong chin and jaw. His nose was big but snubbed at the end, and he would have looked almost majestic if not for the diamond stud winking in his left ear. I could tell under the black jeans, white t-shirt and scarred leather jacket he wore that while his height might have been average, his muscles were not. Just as I was about to look him in the eye and stare him down, he turned away.

I smarted at being ignored, and rummaged in my pack anew, pulling out a large piece of Bubblicious and chewing on it, cracking it loudly a few times. Barely noticeable, his shoulders cringed every time I did so, and I grinned to myself before asking, So, are you headed to Columbus for good?

He was so studiously ignoring me and everyone else I was surprised when he muttered, Yes.

His voice was deep and rumbly, like when I slept under a bridge and a semi drove over me, loud and thrill-scary, heart-pounding as it sent vibrations through my whole body.

On your own or meeting up with someone? I pushed.

Friends there, he grunted.

I’m Aubri, by the way, I said brightly, leaning slightly over the aisle to extend my hand out to him. Normally, I didn’t like being touched under any circumstances, but it might be worth it to find out something about this stranger.

He looked down at my hand for a long moment and I thought perhaps he would do the unpardonable and ignore it. But he must have been raised with some kind of manners, because he shook my hand (albeit with a careful, two-fingered grip) and then looked me in the eye again at last. I fought back a feeling of disappointment when my usual ability failed on the only person I’d ever wanted to know more about.

Gabriel, he said, still in that deep, penetrating voice. You, his eyes raked over me, the deep voice becoming soft and smooth as silk, persuasive, look very tired, Aubri. So very tired. I think you should take a nap.

I sat back in my chair, surprised when a wave of exhaustion fell over me. I hadn’t felt tired at all, wanted to keep my eyes wide open because I was sure Gabriel had glowed somehow when he’d spoken and yet… My eyes closed of their own volition and I was instantly asleep.

The bus rolled to a stop and I jerked upright, instantly wide awake. I glanced wildly around in the dim light, forgetting for a moment where I was and how I’d even come to be there. A headache pushed at my temples, the only remnant of a slight hangover from the night before. Through the dull ache, I suddenly remembered; wings. Glowing. Gabriel.

Across the aisle, I saw Gabriel was upright in his own seat, already half-risen, though the bus driver was still creeping slightly forward into the exit station. I couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. Someone was anxious to get off the bus. I slung my own bag over my shoulder and then out of both boredom and fascination, I studied Gabriel again, feeling cheated and betrayed by my own body for falling asleep next to the first man I’d ever found truly fascinating.

As I watched him, I realized there was an overly tense set to his shoulders. He was looking out the front window of the bus as though, well, he could actually see something. Aside from the orangey light from the setting sun and smeared bug guts.

I debated for a moment, and then asked loudly, What are you staring at, anyway?

He gave a slight jerk and turned to glare at me, as though he’d forgotten I was even sitting there.

Well? I raised both my eyebrows now. Don’t tell me it’s snowing. I remember this one time, in North Dakota-

"Will you shut up? he growled. It’s nothing."

Whatever you say, I said easily, and slipped into the aisle first, just as the bus doors popped open with a hiss.

Looking disgruntled, Gabriel stood up and waited behind me for the aisle traffic to subside. There seemed to be some trouble near the front with an older lady getting her bag down from the overhead racks. Finally, they solved the issue as a kind soul helped get the bag down and the line once again began to move forward. It was still a slow pace, but I picked at my chipped polish and reapplied my plum lipstick once again as I waited.

Behind me, Gabriel was shifting and sighing and drumming his fingers on the seats every time we got stopped. He was clearly annoyed as all get out and it made me inwardly grin. I wondered if I should ask him to get a beer with me, just to annoy him further.

Before I could decide, the line got itself together and I had no choice but to move forward, hopping down the steps. I looked out just before stepping fully off the bus and immediately jerked backward, falling into Gabriel yet again.

Holy sh-

Hey! His annoyed cry cut off my own exclamation and he pushed me away from him, though with hands more gentle than I’d have expected. Are you getting off or what? he asked grumpily.

I flattened myself against the inner wall of the bus, completely unnerved. You can go right on ahead, I said, my voice trembling. Be my guest. Let him go first and be killed. I’d throw him under the bus—er, from the bus—before I sacrificed myself any day.

Gabriel gave me a strange look which I didn’t take personally and descended to the final step as well. He backtracked just as quickly as I had once he got a good look outside, hopping backward onto the first step up once again.

Lucifer below, he breathed. There must be at least two hundred of them.

Right? I said, still flattened against the wall of the bus and trying to get my panicked breathing under control.

It took a second for us both to get it, but then in a flash of a moment we looked at each other with wide eyes.

"You can see them?" We both exclaimed at the same time.

I stared at this stranger, hardly daring to believe it. I had never, not in seven years of traveling and wandering, met someone who could see the things I did. The strange figures, the visions of destruction, the horrific figures that followed me around and especially the dog-sized demons that were everywhere, including the huge mass of them just outside the bus in the parking lot. Was it actually possible… Was it not as I had always thought, and I wasn’t the only one who had this strange malfunction?

But… Gabriel was staring at me with utter confusion, frowning as he put a hand over his heart and rubbed his chest slightly. But you’re not a Fallen. How can you see them? You’re not one of us.

What do you mean? I asked, offended that he thought I couldn’t be whatever he himself was. Weren’t we both having the same nightmarish vision? Didn’t that automatically make me one of his kind? What’s a Fallen?

Hey, are you two getting off the bus or what? I need to pull into the station and get on my way, the bus driver said from behind us, sounding bad tempered. He was probably just still salty about the whole standing thing.

We’re leaving, Gabriel said, never taking his eyes off me as he spoke. You should probably come with me. He held out his hand, and I, ever ready for the next adventure, put my hand into his, somehow not nervous at all to touch him.

Together, we descended to the bottom step and stood together, staring out over the demons. As I watched, one of them jumped at a man who had been on our bus. Instead of jumping up and clinging to him, however, the demon actually disappeared inside the man, who didn’t even twitch. I’d seen it happen many times, though thankfully never to me.

As a rule, the demons I saw usually left me alone, though one or two had been adventurous. A swift kick from a Puma or stiletto-heeled boot generally dissuaded them. Still, I wasn’t anxious to step out into a crowd of hundreds of them—the most I had ever seen at once—and I was suddenly very glad Gabriel was at my side.

Right, Gabriel said, and his whole demeanor had changed since I first spoke to him. His eyes were alight and gleaming, as though he was enjoying the challenge that had been presented to us: get off the bus. Alive. On the count of three, we’re jumping off the bus and sprinting across the lot. For that Hummer right there. He lifted a hand and pointed. The grey-blue one. Ready?

Run for the Hummer? I repeated sardonically, unable to keep the sarcasm from my voice. That’s your best plan?

I’m sorry, he said in a falsely pleasant voice. Did you have a better idea?

Right. The Hummer it is, I agreed, just as pleasant. Give the word, then.

One, two, three!

We leapt from the step of the bus and began a full-out sprint across the parking lot. Startled by the sudden jump, demons scattered at first and then became aware of us and the fact that we were somehow different. Two of them sprang upward, and I caught one full in the face with my bag while Gabriel kicked the other, sending it flying at least forty feet.

Another demon latched onto my ankle and I stumbled, only going forward because of Gabriel’s iron grip on my arm. As the demon pulled on my leg, I felt my arm almost pull out of its socket as Gabriel yanked on me. I cried out, more in annoyance than pain.

Gabriel looked back and swooped down with unnatural grace of movement, grabbing the demon by it’s softball-sized head and pulling it from my leg and flinging it away.

Up you go, clumsy, he said, and pulled on my hand once again, somehow swinging me around, to the side, and then back all at once, still with that strange dancer-like grace. In a flat two seconds, I found myself swung up onto him, piggy-back style.

Hold on, he warned, and then like a rocket, he shot forward, the world blurring around us.

We were across the parking lot in two seconds flat, demons parting and flying up on either side of us like Moses parting the Red Sea. I was so taken by the exhilaration of moving so fast and feeling the wind flying through my ratty hair that I couldn’t help but whoop in excitement, even as we reached the side of the Hummer and Gabriel pulled on the door. Predictably, it was locked, but even as I watched, he gave a sharp jerk and something inside the door made a cracking noise, allowing the door to open.

In, he commanded.

I crawled from his back into the car, scrambling over the console and into the passenger seat. Gabriel hopped in after me, slamming the door closed on a demon who tried to follow. It screamed, squealing when the door slammed on it and Gabriel opened the door once more to give it a disgusted kick before pulling the door closed once again. Then he leaned down, below the steering wheel and between his legs. I watched incredulously as he contorted a hand behind the plastic paneling and gave another quick jerk, coming out with a handful of wires.

Are you hotwiring this car? I asked, though it was more of a screech. Homeless vagrant I might be, I drew few lines, but one of them was definitely grand theft auto. That only happens in movies! How do you even know how to do that?

When you’ve been around as long as I have, Gabriel said without looking up from his work, you pick up a few things.

The car began rocking back and forth and I looked out my window. I found myself face to face with a demon clinging to the side of the car. Hotwire faster! I ordered. "What are these things?" I looked up and saw more small bodies writhing across the opening of the sunroof, and quickly pulled the cover so I couldn’t see them.

Gabriel finally looked up at me with an incredulous face. "They’re demons, he said. Duh."

I scowled at him, reaching up to grab the overhead handle when the Hummer gave a particularly violent rock and I almost tumbled over the console onto Gabriel. I don’t think I like you very much, I grumbled, though I felt the opposite was true. He could hotwire cars. It was sort of… hot, actually. Although at the moment, I was distracted by the fact that there were enough demons outside to make the two-ton vehicle rock on only two tires.

I’m just trying to save your life, Gabriel said, focused once more on the wires, some of which were sparking as he touched them together. "No big deal, you don’t have to be grateful or anything."

Oh, right, I said sarcastically. "Thank you, Gabriel, so much for leading me off a bus that could drive away and into a parked car that is surrounded by demons and not moving!" My voice had reached a hysterical pitch and I was staring into the beady red eyes of the demon clinging to my window. It was starting to get to me and make me lose my cool.

Just then, Gabriel’s wires sparked and the engine roared to life. He dropped the wires and grabbed the gearshift, yanking it down into Reverse and throwing me a sardonic smile as he did so.

Not moving, huh? he asked, and stomped on the gas.

The car shot backward so sharply my head snapped forward. It was a bumpy path and the air was soon filled with the scream of demons, along with a lot of them flying around as they were tossed from the violently moving car. Gabriel threw the car in Drive and took off through the parking lot, jerking the car back and forth a few times to rid it of any clinging demons. To take care of several of the more persistent ones, he scraped the car against a few buildings, and then broke through an ‘Employees Only’ fence in the Greyhound lot, getting us to the street more quickly than through the regular exit.

I hung on grimly to my handle but I couldn’t keep a small smile off my face. This was by far the best adventure I’d ever had, and I couldn’t help but think that Columbus, Ohio looked like a very promising place to stay for the summer indeed.

CHAPTER TWO

To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,

we are poorly clad and roughly treated,

we wander about homeless.

1 Corinthians 4:11

We sped through the city, an occasional glance in all the mirrors assuring me that ‘speeding’ was necessary, since there was still a pack of demons on our trail. They ran down the road after us on all fours, red eyes glowing and mouths open to reveal their jagged teeth as they panted after us. Despite Gabriel’s leaden foot on the accelerator, they kept in sight of us, right on our tail.

I turned back to the road and glanced up, seeing that Gabriel was merging onto the 670 freeway with apparent knowledge of where we were and where we were headed.

Um, so, is there some kind of plan B in place? I asked, as pleasantly as I could. Do you know where we’re going?

Not exactly, Gabriel said, eyes intent on the road in front of us as he merged onto the freeway and jerked across three lanes. "But I can feel where we need to go and I have a flawless sense of direction."

I snorted, watching in the side mirror as six demons were flattened by a wide-load semi-truck barreling down the slow lane. Following us onto the freeway was proving costly to them, especially the jump across the three lanes. Several were light enough of foot to make it, however, and one leapt onto the car from behind. It disappeared from view and I looked wildly around the car, wondering where it would pop up.

There was a squealing noise and it’s ugly little head appeared by Gabriel’s window. Without hesitation, he jerked the car to the left, ramming us into the concrete barrier with a crash that had me rolling around in my own seat. I bit back a sarcastic comment at this—since the demon was gone, if it left Gabriel’s side of the car a little crumpled—and instead, subtly pulled my seatbelt down as he floored the gas once again, pulling quickly away from the barrier.

You can feel where we need to go? I asked sardonically, trying to distract myself by returning to the conversation. What, are you a psychic or something? The idea sent a small shiver up my spine. That had always been the line thrown at me. Was it possible I really wasn’t the only one? Discreetly, I crossed my fingers and hoped that the result of this madness would be an unlikely connection. Perhaps even an explanation.

No, Gabriel said, his white teeth flashing in a suddenly reckless smile. We’re going to see my friends. Once we’re close enough, the demons will leave us alone. There are too many of us for them to fight and they’ll be able to sense that.

Sense it? I echoed, but I got no further explanation.

Gabriel jerked across three lanes once again, causing me to fall painfully against the door again, and off an exit ramp. I just managed to catch a glimpse of the sign before we passed underneath it; Grandview Avenue. We took a right off the ramp and ascended a large hill into a quaint little area with a small-town feel.

I was looking around, wondering how entering a cookie-cutter suburb was going to aid us in escaping the hounds of hell (if that was truly what the demons were) when Gabriel took a right into a small side drive, directly next to a thoroughly ordinary-looking brick condo building. He squealed around a corner and into the back lot of the building.

Gabriel slammed on the brakes and threw out the mom-arm to keep me in my seat, much to my annoyance. Only after flinging his arm away did I look up and see why he had stopped. A line of people stood in front of us, six of them altogether. There was a moment of complete and utter silence as they stared at us and we stared at them. I looked around wildly, but there was no trace of the demons that had been following us. Completely gone.

"Who are they?" I asked, feeling a trickle of unease go down my spine. They were just normal people, I was sure, and yet somehow not normal. My hair was standing slightly on end, but it was different from my usual warning signal. I knew instantly that anyone else would have been able to see these people as well; they weren’t for my eyes only.

They’re my friends, Gabriel said, and I realized suddenly that he was grinning again, the furious light still in his eyes but an expression of pure joy on his face as he kicked his door open. It sagged on the top hinge, but Gabriel didn’t seem to notice or care. He jumped out, landing solidly on his feet and grinning at the line of people.

I followed a little slower, using a bit more caution and care with the door of the Hummer, though still having to hop down from the height. I hung back as Gabriel stepped forward with arms outstretched. The tallest of the three men, one with gleaming dark gold hair, came to meet him.

They gave a quick, earnest hug that had me wanting to roll my eyes. A bro hug? Really? But there was something strange about it, and unless I missed my guess, they glowed just the slightest bit as they touched. Not that such things were terribly unusual in my experience.

Good to have you here, Gabriel, the blond man said, giving Gabriel a final pat on the back and stepping back.

Good to be here, Michael, Gabriel replied, smiling with undisguised pleasure.

Came with your usual fanfare and loud announcement, I see, said another man as he came to embrace Gabriel. He had tawny hair and matching dark eyes, and he was smiling just as Michael had.

I didn’t want anyone to miss the fact that I had arrived, Gabriel said, laughing. He and the tawny haired man separated and Gabriel stepped forward to the final man, one with dark brown hair and bright green eyes. This man was staring at the wreckage of the Hummer with something akin to mourning on his face. The dark haired woman at his side held onto his arm with a comforting air, though she seemed to be biting back a smile.

Rafael! Gabriel cried, invading the couple’s personal space to throw his arms around the man and then stepping back.

The dark haired man, Rafael, hadn’t taken his eyes off the Hummer. My car, he said lamentingly. "Gabriel, what did you do to it?"

Sorry about that, Gabriel said quickly, but he was grinning without the slightest hint of repentance. I know you didn’t have that in mind when you said I could use it to drive back from the bus stop. I didn’t have time to get the key from the locker in the bus station. Demons tried to mob us straight off the bus and I had to improvise.

There was a loud crash as the driver’s side door fell off the final hinge and clattered to the ground, and most of us winced. Gabriel continued to smile winningly, if at last with a small hint of apology.

The dark haired woman at Rafael’s side patted his arm comfortingly. It’s just a car, she said soothingly, but gave me a small wink. Easily replaced—again. Third car is the charm, I’m sure.

I’ll buy you a new one, just like the old, Gabriel said reassuringly. But I think some introductions are in order.

Right, Rafael said, seeming to pull himself together with some effort and a final, forlorn look at the wreck of the Hummer. My apologies. This is Lyla. Lyla, meet Gabriel.

A pleasure, Lyla said, extending a hand to Gabriel.

And Izzy and Rachel, Rafael continued, gesturing first to the tall ginger girl standing next to Michael, and then to the calm, chocolate-haired woman that stood with the tawny haired man.

And who have you brought with you? Michael asked, peering around Gabriel at me, and I felt myself stiffen as all eyes turned to me. You didn’t tell us that you-

I didn’t, Gabriel said quickly, and he too turned to look at me. I was starting to feel like a monkey in a cage, but I forced myself to step confidently forward, though I kept my arms crossed defensively over my chest. This is Aubri. I brought her with me because… well, because she could see the demons from the bus. Even though she’s not a Fallen.

I didn’t miss the way the ginger girl, Izzy, gave a small gasp when she heard my name, and my gaze instantly zoomed in on her. And then I couldn’t look away. That bright red hair… those blue eyes… even the freckles… my eyes narrowed.

Have we… met before? I asked haltingly.

No. Her answer came too quickly, and my eyes narrowed further. I watched as she darted a glance at the other girl, Lyla, and then looked back at me, clearly stiffening her spine. I don’t see how that’s possible. I’d remember. You… have fangs.

I looked over at Gabriel, who had led me here, after all, and was annoyed to see that he was looking at me with the same contemplative look as the others, except for Lyla and Izzy, who both looked guilty.

She could see the demons? Michael asked, looking confused. But… she couldn’t be. Unless… you don’t think she could be a Nephilim, do you? Another one?

No, Izzy said instantly. Because I- She broke off and cleared her throat, then continued significantly, A Nephilim can only be compelled by a Fallen of the second hierarchy or higher. So she can’t be.

I didn’t like where this conversation was going, not one bit. I could sense a secret in the air, heavy and foreboding, which all these people knew but Gabriel and I did not. It made me instantly distrustful. I took a step back without meaning to and they all took a step forward, making me feel caged.

What’s a Nephilim? I asked, and to my great annoyance, my voice shook a little. "What are all of you, exactly?"

They all exchanged a look and a few shrugs, and I heard someone mutter, A fair question.

Gabriel was the one that finally stepped forward. So there are demons, right? he said, his voice cautious. As you saw.

Ri-ight, I agreed carefully, sensing a sales-pitch type of trap being sprung around me.

So if there are demons, there must be… angels, right? Gabriel continued, and looked at me significantly.

I stared at him. And then at the three couples, all of whom were staring at me with the same loaded expression. And then I let lose a small laugh. Wait. Don’t tell me…

There was silence but no one else was laughing. My amusement died away and I looked at all of them once again.

"That’s actually what I am telling you, Gabriel said awkwardly, scratching behind his ear. Although there’s bit more to it than that. See, in the beginning, there was God, and-"

Stop right there. I held up a hand forcefully, backing up further. We’re done. Thanks for the help getting out of the jam, but I don’t do God. Or angels. In fact, I’d prefer not to do the demons too, but I can’t really help that. But I draw the line right here. Peace out.

I yanked my bag out of the Hummer and turned to go, but all of the sudden Gabriel was in front of me, moving too fast for me to see.

You can’t leave yet, he said quickly. We need to figure out how you could see them. And we-

Newsflash, I interrupted in a hard voice. Nobody tells me what to do. Not now. Not ever. Now get out of my way.

Behind us, the others began to protest as well, but I was distracted as the hairs on the back of my neck prickled warningly, followed by the hairs on my arms. For a moment, I felt separated from reality as the voices around me faded and colors seemed to dim, and then there she was, standing slightly behind Gabriel and staring at me.

"Go away, I breathed, too low for anyone else to hear. Leave me alone!"

Her brown eyes were earnest, and I was distracted by her hair, as always. It was soft and wavy, a brown that matched her eyes but it hung so long, far past her elbows and mingling with her pure white robes.

Aubri. The voice was soft and lilting, unmistakably feminine and calming. It was one of only a handful of times that she had spoken. Aubri, don’t trust him. Please.

Time sped back up and the volume was back on as she disappeared in another instant, but it was enough warning for me. I dodged past Gabriel and through the alley and out onto the crowded sidewalk, running as fast as I could.

I gave up running a block down the street—my lungs weren’t exactly in exercise-worthy condition—and they didn’t seem to have cared enough to follow me. Breathing heavily after the small exertion, I walked another block and detoured into a Caribou Coffee to get a muffin and the most sugar-filled, whipped cream-covered drink on the menu. I took it outside to one of the patio tables and set a new pack of cigarettes carefully on the table next to my drink.

Taking a sip of the coffee, I made a face and looked down at it, seeing that my hand was trembling. Control. Talk about an out of control situation. A sugar overdose definitely wasn’t cutting it, and my headache suddenly came back, worse than ever. Looking discreetly around the sidewalk and mostly-empty patio, I pulled the quart of Jack out of my bag and dumped the remainder into my drink, stirring vigorously with my straw.

I took another, cautious sip. Much better. I pulled out my lighter and began steadily chain smoking, until between the liquor and the cigarettes, my hands were steady once again.

As I delicately licked whipped cream between puffs and sips, I considered the extraordinary events of the day. Really, for someone who saw everything from crazy women to winged babies to surreal destruction, winged men—angels?—and demons were all just a routine occurrence. I mean, really, with all the things I had seen, I totally believed in vampires and werewolves. After my visit to Cali, I was definitely headed up to Forks to check out the situation there.

But the instant they tried to bring some God into it, I shuddered and retreated. No God. If God were real, He wouldn’t have let all the things of my past happen to me. Besides, He had rules, a great many rules. And I lived by no one’s rules but my own.

As I lit my fifth cigarette, the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I stiffened, then relaxed as a moment later, several feet away on the sidewalk, a man appeared out of thin air. He headed my way and gracefully sank into the chair next to mine.

He was tall, at least six one, and dressed all in black. Black jeans, black t-shirt with a slight v-neck, black leather loafers, all clearly expensive and well made. He wasn’t handsome; he was so blindingly beautiful that it hurt to look at him. His hair was silky and a tad long, combed and artfully mussed to one side. It was the color of sunshine—no, it was so purely and brilliantly gold, it was more captivating than sunshine. His hair absorbed any light from the sun, absorbed, reflected, radiated it back with more power.

I’d always been jealous of his eyelashes, deeper gold and long, so long and perfectly curled upward. They framed his eyes, which were the same bright blue as a well chlorinated pool. Many people described blue eyes as oceanic, but these had no hint of green, only purely bright and unbeguiling and innocent enough to belong to a baby.

Sometimes glittering gold stubble coated his firm jaw and sculpted marble cheeks, but today they were shaved clean and smooth. He was young looking, maybe twenty-five or so, body in pristine physical condition, skin kissed to a perfect degree of tan by the sun. I’d always had a hair of a crush on him (who wouldn’t? The man was an Adonis), but we were from different worlds, and if nothing else, he was my best and only friend.

He drummed his fingers against the arm of the wrought iron chair, staring out across the street. Still keeping up with that disgusting habit, Aubri?

I blew a cloud of smoke in his direction. Still not acknowledging the presence of any other color aside from black, Luc?

We both chuckled.

You shun quite a few colors yourself, he retorted. When will I ever see you in pastel?

I snorted. Never. I crushed my cigarette in the ash tray but didn’t light another out of respect for Luc. Haven’t seen you in a few months.

He shrugged, making the movement call attention to his broad shoulders, the light trying to fight to keep its resting place on his head, begging to remain in contact with something so glorious. It’s been a little crazy, my neck of the woods.

I didn’t ask what woods those were. It could be the Deathly Hallows or the 100 Acre for all I cared. Luc knew how I felt about what I saw, which was that I preferred not to even acknowledge it. I never bothered him for information, and he never pushed me to tell more than I personally volunteered.

So why Columbus? Luc asked, still looking away from me, out at the pedestrian-clogged sidewalks—Grandview was a walking suburb, it appeared. Interesting choice. You generally head for flashier places.

I shrugged. On a whim. You know I’m pretty spur of the moment and all.

Hunh. Did this spur of the moment plan include a place to live and a job? he pushed.

Psh. I waved a hand. Like I ever worry about those details.

Aubri, Aubri, Aubri. Luc sighed. Always in a rush. Think before you act sometimes, it might do you some good. But there’s a mall not too far from here, they have a Hot Topic that’s hiring. There’s a bicycle shop a block down and I recommend the purple ten-speed. It has nice baskets in front and back. As for a place to stay, I’ll keep my eyes open but you’re on your own at the moment.

Thanks, Mom, I said casually. Good looking out.

He finally looked over and grinned at me, practically blinding me with all his white-toothed, blue-eyed glory. "I always look out for my favorites. I’ll be back to check on you. Try not to get into too much trouble in the meantime, all right?"

And then he was gone. No flash of light, no sparkle or shimmer in the air, just… gone. I heaved a heavy sigh, licked the last of my whipped cream and caramel out of the cup and stood.

Luc was right about the shop and the bike, but then, he was always right. It got quite annoying at times, actually. I would have to see if the job possibility would pan out or not, but at the moment, I was hyped up on caffeine and had an itch to explore. The job could wait until tomorrow.

I hopped on the bike and struck off blindly, though a new map of Columbus was tucked safely in my bag. Farther down Grandview Avenue (and past the creepy condo building where the Jesus Lovers had almost gotten me) was a huge hill and I descended it in a free fall, legs out and hair blowing back in the wind. I even gave a small shout of exhilaration and then took a sudden left toward the tall buildings of deeper downtown.

Columbus was neither the prettiest nor the ugliest place I’d been, and also neither the cleanest or dirtiest. Not the newest or oldest, but there was something about it that had a certain draw, a strange appeal to me.

Maybe it was because it had good bones, or maybe it reminded me of myself, metaphorically, if I felt inclined to being deep at the moment. Good bones, a pretty history, and yet covered with scars and hidden by graffiti in many parts. Jaded, I decided.

Whatever the reason, my gut said Columbus was a good place to be, and I always went with my gut. It had only failed me a few times. That was why I decided to stay, despite the strange episode with Gabriel and his so-called friends.

Halting on the corner of Broad Street and Hayden Avenue, I straddled my bike standing up and studied my map. The quickest way back to Grandview was via freeway, and it would be getting dark soon. I was considering sparing a good chunk of my savings for the security of a hotel room when the back of my neck tickled and I sighed.

I looked up as a fog seemed to descend around me, along with premature night. The streetlamps came on and the temperature dropped just a little. The few trees in the vicinity faded to a red-orange color.

Past autumn or future autumn? I wondered idly. I set aside my map to watch the scene unfold before me. I’d learned long ago there was no way to stop it. I was simply along for the ride. At least the people in these visions seemed unaware of my presence.

After a moment, a winged man came out of nowhere, dropping from the sky and landing on his feet on the sidewalk just a few feet in front of me. I jumped before I could help it and then sneered at myself.

Baby, I muttered scornfully, but then went silent because I just realized that this vision was different from all the others I’d ever had in one regard—I recognized this man.

Not from past visions, as was often the case. No. I’d actually met him, in real life. It was… I scrambled for the name, getting it just as a dark-skinned, teenaged boy scrambled around the corner and practically ran into the winged man—Rafael.

I was so distracted by the fact that I knew him that I didn’t notice the boy’s wide, drugged-out red eyes at first. Nor his shaky hands or open, horrified mouth. Didn’t notice the gun in his hand until it was up and pointing at Rafael. Two shots. I couldn’t hear them; there was never any sound to these flashbacks/flashforwards.

But I saw the recoil of the gun and Rafael jerk as the bullets hit his chest. It was over in five seconds and my jaw was still hanging open when a new figure