The Angel of Weathered Storms

Chapter One: Jumper

This can’t be good, the archangel, Raphael grumbled, seized by an unfamiliar sense of hopelessness that felt like an ominous portend. He could only imagine what he would discover below him.

Even aloft 1600 feet, in the midst of a thunderhead, Raphael detected sounds of a battle raging on the ground. The closer the archangel got, the clearer the fight between the forces of light and of darkness below him became. At the base of an abandoned grain elevator system located east of a rural community in central Nebraska, nothing short of spiritual warfare raged. On the ground, there were no less than two-hundred angels engaged in hand-to-hand combat with twice as many demons. A call for reinforcements was put out when a guardian angel had come under attack by his charge’s personal hoard of demons and in minutes, what had begun as basically a brawl, had evolved into combat as the severity of the situation developed.

Raphael had been summoned to organize a strategy and direct the angelic forces. With a growing unease, he prepared to descend and raised the arches of his wings while furling the flight feathers inward to create more drag to slow him down enough to land.

Now he recognized some of the voices rising above the thunderstorm’s din and in the strobe-like flashes of lightning, Raphael picked out familiar faces, including some of the demons. Fear, Depression, and Rejection were celebrities among the demon-class these days. Then, on the fringe of the battling forces, two familiar angels of death, one of the light and one of the darkness, were nose to nose in a heated exchange of their own, emphasizing each point they made with sweeping gestures.

Circling the grain elevator’s peak, Raphael looked down. Right away he spied the reason why his angels were fighting these demons in the middle of nowhere in such inclement weather. Looking as out of place as she should, a lone figure stood at the top of the elevator, oblivious of the ensuing melee a hundred feet below her.

Raphael could hear her weeping when he turned his head away from the direction of the gusting wind. The low, sorrowful sound gripped him and pricked at his heart, making it bleed. He felt her despair and lack of hope. Her grief-stricken cries conveyed such anguish Raphael knew without a doubt, this woman’s heart had been broken.

Raphael flew around the top of the elevator once more to get a closer look at the woman. Through the darkness and rain and in spite of the fact her short hair was plastered to her head and her pale face was contorted in grief, she radiated with a natural, youthful beauty. She was tall and slender, like a dancer, but the lines of her body were long and delicate -- lovely in every way as far as he was concerned. But she also looked fragile and about to shatter with the very next gust of wind.

Raphael circled the top of the elevator one last time, searching for anything he could use to turn the tide on this woman’s imminent demise. From what he could tell, her back was pressed against the elevator’s railing, but her arms were outstretched in what looked like an attempt to hold onto it. Her clinging stance told Raphael she was teetering on whether or not to go through with her plans to jump off it. That gave him a little more hope. Being an archangel equipped Raphael with the power of omniscience when it came to situations such as these, but it was clear, even without utilizing that power, ironically, this jumper was afraid of the height of the structure she’d scaled, in spite of her intentions of throwing herself off it to end her life.

Her guardian angel may have had something to do with that. It was obvious his charge was having second thoughts about her suicide and while she may not be rethinking her decision to kill herself, she was most likely reconsidering her chosen method.

Every time she looked down, her angel made her envision an unsuccessful leap which would leave her alive, but paralyzed, disfigured, and possibly committed to a mental institution or nursing facility for the remainder of her days. For every doubt her guardian whispered to her, demons followed with a barrage of mean encouragements.

The most pressing matter of the evening remained to be seen, Raphael concluded as he dropped onto the ground a few feet from the bottom of the grain elevator. Shaking off his wings, he squinted against the rain.

These demons were in control and had the upper hand. The woman paid the most attention to one particular demon named Insecurity. The woman had clearly been fortifying this vulgar creature throughout her life by willingly succumbing to its influence.

Raphael could hear it, too, calling the woman gutless, telling her she was nothing but a loser, and that she was going nowhere she wanted to go in her worthless life. It had convinced her she had wasted her days and that living any longer wasn’t worth the effort. Such lies in this situation were to be expected, but when Insecurity told the woman she should kill herself because no man would ever love such an ugly, uninteresting, and unattractive person, Raphael was genuinely startled.

It’s lying to you, sweetheart, he growled. Don’t listen to it. Don’t give it any more power than it already has.

The woman didn’t hear Raphael’s voice. He hadn’t expected her to, but to him, the lies the demon spouted were obvious and he hoped she would see that.

Raphael was struck with realization then. That was what had triggered this dramatic turn of events in this woman’s life: the rejection of a man. The idea infuriated Raphael to the point he whispered a direct threat at Insecurity and when the demon spied who it was threatening it, it dispersed with a wail of fear.

Hissing with frustration, Raphael turned his attention back on the battle raging around him.

Subdue these demons now! he commanded. Get them under control or we’ll have no hope of saving this woman’s soul!

Even as he said that, he could see his angels were outnumbered and losing ground fast. Raphael snapped open his wings and glided over to where the two angels of death were arguing, hoping to get some answers and insight. The two stopped yelling at each other for the moment and turned their attention on the archangel for the time being.

Sir, the angel of death named Trayger hailed his superior and inclined his head in respect. I can assure you, we’ve been trying. There’s just too many of them and they’re too strong. This woman has been empowering them against us.

Raphael nodded, but it wasn’t because he was encouraged. I’ve just arrived. How did she get so far out of our reach so quickly? he questioned. Why weren’t reinforcements called in sooner?

Trayger spared a glance at the battling forces. Her guardian angel, Ostiel, was already overcome by the time any reinforcements got here. He’s barely hanging on now as it is. It’s only a matter of time, I’m afraid. But there’s still hope for her. He paused and gestured at the woman still clinging to the railing. It’s got to be slippery up there. She may fall accidently. She may lose her footing. That’s why I’m here.

Raphael scowled. Her falling to her death accidently wasn’t the kind of hope he wanted to cling to. Straining to see through the driving rain, Raphael searched for the woman’s guardian, Ostiel. He wasn’t hard to miss, presently under attack by his charge’s personal hoard of hell-born. Bloodied and battered, Ostiel’s influence was waning. It was clear to Raphael this woman had armed her demons while rendering her guardian angel defenseless. If Ostiel was overtaken, the woman would definitely jump and lose her immortal self to this amassed darkness.

Or, as Trayger had suggested, she could just fall. Arguably the best case scenario, but either way, the woman’s death tonight was inevitable.

Focus reinforcement on the guardian! Mount an attack on those demons! Forfeit your ground if you must, but protect Ostiel!

Raphael knew this battle was lost even before it had truly begun, however. Curling his wings around his body in an attempt to shield himself from the rain, Raphael dragged his hand through his wet hair and pushed it off his face. He peered up at the woman with a growing sadness.

Is it truly past the point of no return? he asked no one in particular, his voice quiet. Gazing up, he became transfixed. What’s her name?

Mazriel, the dark angel of death, a rogue angel Raphael knew only by reputation, edged closer and raised his upper lip in a derisive snarl.

Not that it will matter in a few minutes, but her name is Lauren Colleen Sutton, Mazriel began. "And yes, she’s that Lauren Sutton, the debutante who graced the society pages on a daily basis a few years ago, heiress of Sutton Manufacturing, worth a cool billion in assets. The Suttons originally hail from Savannah, Georgia -- which is why I’ve been dragged into this -- but she moved to Nebraska with her fiancé, Rick Lloyd, a consultant, who was transferred here by his firm with a nice incentive bonus that he used to buy Ms. Sutton an impressive engagement ring. He’s the type who will do anything for enough money and marrying someone like Lauren must have seemed like a wise investment at some point. If you squint, you can just make out the two carat rock he gave her as a token of his everlasting affection still on her left hand. She’s devoted to the end, apparently, because while she was happily planning their nuptials, playing the plebian, Rick Lloyd was cheating on her. Lauren caught them in the act, but instead of kicking him out, she got kicked out, and now, having lost her home, her one true love, and all her dreams of white picket fences, our hapless debutante is here, ready to plummet to her death over it all. He gestured upwards and shook his head. Pathetic. I hate to break it to you gentlemen, but regardless of how she comes down, she climbed up with one intent and purpose. When she dies, she’s coming with me."

Raphael glared at him. Nothing is certain, Mazriel. Call off the demons. If she hasn’t jumped by now, she’s not going to. You can’t lay claim to her yet. For all we know, she could simply change her mind and climb down.

Not a chance, Mazriel countered. She’s an emotional train-wreck. Her successful suicide is assured. Look there. Her guardian angel is beaten. Like Trayger said, it’s only a matter of time.

Glancing at Mazriel, Trayger frowned. You miscreants sniff an untimely death and the darkness converges even before the corpse is cold. It doesn’t mean you’ll always succeed.

I’m only being realistic, Mazriel argued with a noncommittal shrug. I couldn’t care less one way or the other. I only want to get out of this rain and into a hot shower.

Raphael rolled his eyes at Mazriel’s selfishness, especially considering the morbid nature of the conversation. Raphael focused his attention back on the weeping woman above.

Don’t, Lauren, Raphael whispered, praying she’d somehow hear his plea. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. His heart twisted with pain inside him. All is not lost. You’re young, you’re beautiful. I guarantee you’ll find someone else to love, someone more worthy of your devotion. Live, Lauren. You have so much joy ahead of you. Don’t throw that gift away.

Mazriel drew up beside him. I’ll admit, he continued, looking up. She is very young. Only twenty-two. It would be a waste if she killed herself. And she is rather pretty if you go for that no-frills type. His deep, accented voice took on a more patronizing tone. I’d do her.

Bristling, Raphael looked over at him. Must you be so vulgar? Personally, Raphael had never been attracted to women who masked their true looks with garish artificial enhancements. He didn’t like a lot of color and flash and unlike a lot of men, he wasn’t drawn to women who felt the need to make caricatures of their femininity, either. He gestured at Lauren. She’s beautiful, but you wouldn’t know real beauty if it bit you in the --

Calm yourself, Mazriel chuckled. You may as well know, I love to instigate. For your information, my days of seducing hapless women are finished. Haven’t you heard? I’ve been domesticated. I’m married and quite happily, I might add. In fact, Monica and I will be celebrating our three year anniversary next week. I’m taking my sweet to a spa resort in Hot Springs. It’s just a little romantic getaway. I hear South Dakota is lovely this time of year.

Both Trayger and Raphael gaped at him, but most likely for different reasons. Raphael knew the area well, especially around the Black Hills. He often went there to get away himself.

Well…congratulations, Raphael replied. I hadn’t heard you married. I’m…happy for you. In truth, the idea left him dazed.

There had been talk you turned rogue, Trayger added. If you’re not all dark, why not cut us some slack, then? Have a little sympathy on the poor girl. She’s not your enemy.

Mazriel’s eyes flashed with the lightning overhead. Look. I said I agree. This is tragic, but bad things happen to nice people sometimes. Unfortunately, I’ve still got a job to do or bad things will happen to me. He gestured at Lauren Sutton. I hate to say it, but what goes up must come down. It’s in the laws of physics.

Raphael’s wings twitched in irritation behind him. He moved away from the dark angel, fixing his gaze on Lauren once more.

Please, sweetheart, I’m begging you, he said, raising his voice even though he knew she couldn’t hear. Don’t jump. Don’t do it.

Almost as if in response, Lauren Sutton straightened and let go of the railing. Raphael’s heart sunk.

I’m such a loser! she suddenly screamed out into the night. Worthless! Weak fool! I am good for nothing! She dissolved into a fit of sobs, shaking her head. He doesn’t want me. No one wants me. Good-bye, Rick. I’ll always love you.

Raphael held his breath. Ready to jump into the fray to assist his angels, he spared a glance in Ostiel’s direction. Mazriel was right. The guardian was wavering, beaten, ready to fall. The reinforcements Raphael had ordered to his aid were collapsing all around him. Ostiel had no hope of maintaining any kind of positive influence over Lauren now. The archangel swung his head around, searching, but the battle was lost.

Moaning, Trayger moved forward, his head bowed. She’s a goner.

Mazriel’s raven-like wings shook off the rain in preparation of flight. He looked from Lauren to the place on the ground where she’d most likely land. We might want to stand back, gentlemen, he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

The knot expanding in Raphael’s throat threatened to strangle him. The thought of this woman dying so needlessly and in such a horrible way was too much for him to bear.

Lauren, no! he yelled up at her. He’s not worth it! He’s not even worth your tears!

Enough! Mazriel sneered. You can’t interfere. What’s done is done. Accept it.

Feeling powerless, Raphael watched as Lauren leaned away from the railing. She was going to kill herself now.

Mazriel is right, Sir, Trayger murmured. We’ve lost this one. We can’t stop her. We can’t help her.

Lauren stretched out her arms and closed her eyes.

No one will even notice, she moaned, still unaware of the gathered forces below her that had grown silent waiting and watching. No one will care.

I care, Raphael whispered, his eyes flooding with excess moisture. Lauren, please. You’ll break my heart if you do this.

If Lauren heard him, she didn’t acknowledge him. She couldn’t, but Raphael was disappointed, nonetheless. He couldn’t help clinging to the hope she’d come to see reason at the last second. Instead, Lauren pushed herself off the railing, falling into a rather graceful execution of a swan dive. A split second later, she screamed as the ground no doubt seemed to rise up to meet her.

Raphael couldn’t stand to watch anymore, but he couldn’t look away, either. And just before Lauren fell to her death, the archangel took flight.

Chapter Two: Into the Storm

Raphael had reacted without thinking, but there hadn’t been time to think. His instincts had kicked in and he’d followed them. That was all there was to it. Beyond that was speculation, but those considerations were flooding his mind now as he ascended up into the storm, far above the astonished angels and outraged demons below them.

Them, as in, him and Lauren Sutton. The fact they were together occurred to Raphael almost as an afterthought. Lauren was in his arms all of a sudden as if she’d appeared there by the sheer force of his will. She clung to his body like a constrictor snake, crushing his ribs and strangling his neck, but he clung to her slender, quivering form just as tight. As he carried them further aloft and into the black clouds, he was thankful Lauren seemed too shocked for the time being to struggle. He took the notion back a heartbeat later when Lauren opened her mouth and released an ear-shattering scream. Raphael couldn’t help but wince and when Lauren shoved at him and kicked out with her legs, Raphael had to reposition his arms around her to keep from dropping her.

He decided he had to get them back on the ground soon, but he knew he wasn’t anywhere remote enough to risk that. His response to her struggling was to fly faster to the destination he had in mind, but the increase in speed only made her struggle more. He was content knowing if he did drop her, he could catch her again. After all, he’d caught her earlier, before her body had hit the hard ground. After all, she would have killed herself in a violent, brutal way if he hadn’t interfered.

Raphael became alarmed as the realization of just what he’d done began to sink in. At the time, all he could think of was that he had to act and act fast. He had to stop her. He had to interfere. Now the severity of his actions hit home with a numbing comprehension.

Lauren released another bloodcurdling scream, pounded his face with her fists, and tried to twist free of his grasp.

Let me go! Let me go! she sobbed, her tears sliding sideways across her reddened cheeks from the way the wind buffeted her face.

She hit him again, but Raphael tried to ignore her abuse, rationalizing her strange demands with the conclusion she couldn’t know they were miles above the ground. He was certain she wasn’t begging him to drop her. She just wanted to be freed.

Or did she? Raphael heard the fear in her voice, but didn’t understand what she would be afraid of if it wasn’t falling from such a height. It became clearer when he peered down into her eyes. She was afraid of him more than anything else at the moment. She not only wanted to get away, she wanted to get away from him. The idea was both startling and unsettling.

You’re all right, Raphael murmured to her in an attempt to soothe her. Stop struggling. I’m not going to hurt you. I won’t let you fall. You’re safe, I promise. I’m taking you somewhere safe.

But Lauren only struggled harder and screamed louder, beating her fists against the side of his face, dazing him, causing him to lose his grip. A second later, she succeeded in pushing away from his torso and slipped from his arms, down the length of his body. Only then did her mistake appear to occur to her as the force of the wind threatened to tear her completely off him. She latched onto his knees with her arms while her legs kicked in the thin air. The scream that tore from her throat this time was full of raw terror.

Raphael was forced to do some aerial acrobatics in order to get his body underneath her so he could grab her around the waist. He tried to pry her off his legs, but she was too scared to let go. Flying like this was awkward and taxing. He was going to have to get them on the ground before they both crashed to their deaths. He was a fool to think this woman would have been content to settle securely in his arms and let him fly without hindrance. He was going to have to get her subdued if he had any hope of completing this journey. He needed a breather, anyway. Unaccustomed to flying so off-balance and with the shifting, added weight, his back and wings ached. His head was splitting and his arms and legs were going numb.

Descending from the midst of the cloud cover he’d been flying in, Raphael was pleased to see the prairie grasslands of the rural Midwest come into view. At least he could take them down to one of these vacant fields and regroup without risking detection.

Lauren must have looked down because she shrieked again and tightened her hold on his knees, further cutting off his circulation. Raphael knew if she snapped his femurs, he’d never feel it. Burdened and sore, Raphael’s landing was anything but graceful and he wound up in a tangled heap on top of Lauren.

As expected, as soon as Lauren touched the ground, she punched him, pushed him off her, and scrambled to her feet. Screaming all the while, she took off running. It was clear the darkness blinded her and she was shaking and crying so hard, she’d only managed a few steps before she stumbled and tripped. To her credit, she forced herself back up and took off again, only to fall again. She repeated this process over and over again, making a slow, painful-looking progress, but progressing nevertheless.

Raphael took a moment to wipe at the blood streaming down his chin, catch his breath, and stretch the kinks out of his legs before he started after her. It saddened him to see her running away from him with such fear as if he were her demon tormentors and not her savior. At least her instincts to survive had kicked in.

Her savior? The notion stopped the archangel in his tracks. Squeezing his eyes shut, Raphael swore under his breath. What had he done? The thought was no less an accusation. He had broken the law. He’d done something utterly forbidden among his kind and the consequences he’d face for such disobedience would be severe.

Raphael fixed his eyes on Lauren’s retreating form. Right now, he had different, more pressing consequences to deal with. Raphael beat his wings and rose into the air in pursuit. When Lauren heard him approaching, she looked back over her shoulder and wailed in obvious distress at the thought of being taken up again. She screamed in earnest when Raphael swooped down and gathered her against him, pinning her arms to her body with his limbs like steel bands.

As if knowing she wasn’t escaping now, Lauren’s screams morphed into gut-wrenching sobs. Her restrained body slumped in a kind of exhausted surrender, allowing Raphael a brief reprieve. He could fly faster now and could get them to where he wanted to be in half the time. The sooner this flight was over, the better it would be for both of them.

Please, don’t be frightened, Raphael told Lauren again in a placating tone, knowing his attempts to soothe her were futile. His voice was carried off in the wind as well and Lauren continued to cry and tremble as if she hadn’t heard him. Raphael longed to comfort her, however. I’m taking you someplace safe, I promise.

Lauren shivered. Raphael thought she may be more cold than afraid. Her hair and clothes were soaked from the rain and the air this high up was damp and frigid. It gave him a little comfort, anyway. He was thankful his destination was minutes away. Once there, Lauren could take a hot shower, change into some clean, dry clothes, eat and drink, and sleep in a warm bed. And he could seek the counsel of a trusted friend. Maybe together they could come up with a reasonable explanation why he had done something as rash as this.

Raphael took further comfort in knowing at least Lauren would be all right. He’d hand her back over to her guardian angel -- who was no doubt eager to have a second chance to make things right for her. Once back in Ostiel’s care, Raphael would have to use his power of influence and perspective on Lauren to ensure she’d forget everything that had happened with him tonight. Once under his influence, Lauren would wake up, sure she’d just had a disturbing, vivid dream and nothing more. She’d feel better about herself and go on to live a happier, fuller life. Raphael would make sure of it. Until then, the things he’d done and was about to do would only make this harried night crazier.

As he descended from the clouds, he circled the old Victorian farmhouse below and tried to come up with a proper introduction of his captive to the household’s occupants. He didn’t want them to know he’d taken Lauren against her will, but he didn’t see any way of keeping that aspect of their acquaintance under wraps. Even if for some reason they failed to come to that conclusion, Raphael was sure Lauren would enlighten them the first opportunity she got. He wanted the chance to explain what happened before they decided to turn him over to the powers-that-be. He also needed to figure out a way to convince them to act not only as Lauren’s hosts, but her jailers. They needed to keep her confined, keep her from making any contact with the outside world, and keep her from trying to hurt herself again. The idea may not sit well with them, especially once they found out what Raphael had done, but he’d have to take his chances. He couldn’t risk the press getting wind of a billion-dollar heiress attempting suicide over a broken engagement. Secrecy was vital. After all, he was bringing Lauren to Safe-House 56, a haven for earthbound angels.

Chapter Three: At the Safe-House

Haley Granderson sat on the reading bench next to the big bedroom window overlooking the backyard, watching the play of lightning in the clouds off in the distance. This spring had been dry up until this point and the approaching storm promised the end of a long cold winter.

Haley was taking a break from her studies, but didn’t want her fiancé, Kinney to find out. When she’d gone downstairs for a snack earlier, he’d gotten after her for her lack of concentration. The angel, Kinnael, could be a little overbearing at times, but then he knew, just as she knew, the test