A thought, a “feeling” tickled the edges of his consciousness. “I’ll be a guardian one day,” Erik said.
Axis nodded. “Yes, I believe you’re right, Erik. You’re definitely displaying the right drive to be one. You will guard over our Levi just as we do.”
Pride swelled Erik’s chest at the thought. He would be one of the Keepers that Scepta talked about. Marius’s hand squeezed his shoulder in support.
“We need to get inside and see what Levi saw exactly,” Marius murmured. “These visions of his tormentors make me nervous.”
Erik nodded. Yeah. They really shouldn’t stand out in the open
gabbing when there was potential danger on the way.
* * * *
The visions made it impossible to think about even the simplest of things, and Levi found himself lying on the couch and watching the
world spin through different scenes and bits of future.
It’s all in the open now. They probably think I’m a colossal freak
. He groaned as an image of Judah ghosted up inside him. He was ordering a coffee from one of the little coffee shops that Levi loved. It was just outside their housing district. His heart started to pound. Was this happening now? Was it going to happen?
Useless. What is the point of “seeing” things when I don’t know how to interpret them
?
Keer’s voice cut into his melancholy. “Levi, angel, you want to come take a bath with me? You look like you’re uncomfortable.”
That’s because I am
. He was sweaty, hot, and miserable. The never-ending rollercoaster needed to derail so he could think about something other than the images in his head. It was only after Keer continued to stare at him did Levi realize he hadn’t spoken aloud.
“Thirsty,” he croaked, struggling to stay in the moment as the claws of his powers sought to drag him back into the realm of possibilities and visions.
Keer nodded, his beautiful face filled with concern.
He worries so
much. I worry them
. Levi wanted to scream his frustrations to the heavens. He didn’t want to be a burden anymore! “Sweet angel, you’re going to stop thinking whatever you’re thinking right now and just accept that we are going to take care of you forever. You have to stop being so critical of yourself. This is a power, like any other. Oracle or not, you’ll learn to cope with it.”
“It’s never going to stop,” Levi said, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m going to be useless forever.”
“No, Levi,” Keer said. There was a finality to his tone that had Levi struggling to open his eyes and pay attention. “We are going to find a way to make everything right.” By the time Levi managed to open his eyes, Keer had disappeared.
Suddenly he wasn’t in the living room anymore. He wasn’t in any room anymore. He was floating, falling through the air until he landed on his ass with a soft thump on a sandy beach.
This is different
. The world wasn’t spinning anymore, but what the hell was going on? Levi
pushed himself to his feet and walked toward the darkening steps that led up to the pier and the boardwalk beyond. He looked up and saw the sun as it dipped below the horizon as the waves crashed against the beach.
Someone can tell me what is going on
. He climbed up the first steps. He made his way onto the empty pier and toward the streetlights that lined the pavement beyond. The air didn’t feel like he was home. He was just in his T-shirt, and it should’ve chilled him, but it didn’t. It was humid and had to be in the midseventies. He looked at
the décor. It looked tropical or something.
Where am I
?
A war cry that shook the windows of the closed shops rent the air and made Levi jump. The world exploded in a fiery display as buildings lit up with angel fire. Screams filled the night, and Levi watched in horror as the green pulse of the city, a barrier of some kind, slowly withered away before disappearing. Dread filled him, and auras filled with menace flickered into existence in the skies
above the streets. They were here.
Levi took off in the direction of more lights. He had to get someone, tell someone what was going on. “Help!” he shouted as he came to a crowded section of street.
The people weren’t paying him any attention. Their eyes were glued to the skies, and a mutual cry of horror circulated among them. They needed to run. The figures were already descending…
“Levi!” a voice shouted, demanding his attention.
No. I have to help them
. Levi pulled against the voice that tugged him backward. He had to tell them. The screams intensified, and black smoke
blocked out the last rays of light and the awakening stars.
“Levi, come back to me!”
Erik
. It was Erik’s voice. He demanded
Levi’s attention, dragging him away from the horror scene in front of him.
He blinked and was back in their living room again. Someone had pressed a wet washcloth to his forehead, and Keer towered above them, the glass of water in his fist shaking. Erik was on his knees
beside the couch, gripping Levi’s arms painfully. He opened his mouth to tell him to ease the grip, but the space was so dry he felt like his tongue had become a raisin.
“He’s back,” Erik said, relief sharp in his tone. Keer immediately handed the other nephilim the water glass, and it was pressed to Levi’s eager lips. He slurped it down as he tried to make sense of what he’d seen. The auras of destruction had definitely been hunters. Another knowing hit him like an unstoppable train.
“Someone is at the door,” Levi whispered. Fear starting rolling in his gut. It didn’t feel good. The doorbell sounded a split second later, confirming what he knew.
“Jesus. That is eerie,” Jade murmured, pacing like he usually did when he was nervous. Levi made a noise of protest as Axis turned and walked to the front door as the doorbell rang again.
“What is it, angel?” Axis asked, fear etched into his face.
I’m scaring them
. He wanted everything to stop for five minutes. He couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t open the door,” Levi begged, his eyes closing of their own accord. Of course, Axis ignored him. Though he did approach the door cautiously. It didn’t matter what Levi said, this part was unavoidable. If it didn’t happen now, it would happen worse later. He struggled to sit up. He wouldn’t face this on his back.
“Easy, lover,” Brax said. He must’ve come when he heard Erik shouting. All his men were here just like he knew they would be.
Axis opened the door with a flaming dagger clenched in his fist. The others formed a barrier between the couch and the door, but Levi
could “see” exactly what was on the front steps.
“Judah,” he whispered. The name of his torturer, his nightmare, played over his lips and burned like acid. Fanatical hate had been twisted into madness so calm and warped at the same time.
“Hello, gents,” the hunter greeted. He was just as handsome as Levi remembered. His wickedness was only further emphasized by the contrast. The hunter peeked his head around Axis’s broad
shoulders. “Ah, there is my sweet treasure.” A demented smile formed on his face. “I missed you.”
Levi was going to vomit.
If he touches me, I’ll rip this whole house down
. He let his aura sink into the foundation of the house and
out into the surrounding city. He could bury all of it if he wanted. The ground bucked under his control, eager to do as he asked.
Unmake the city. I can unmake it
. He could reach back and rip the town from existence.
“No, Levi,” Erik whispered, kissing the shell of his ear. “Don’t. You’re not bad. You don’t make people suffer. You have to be our angel, remember?”
There was just so much to deal with. First his visions getting worse, then finding out he was an Oracle, and now this. He didn’t know how much more he could handle mentally.
I’m going to break
. It would be easy to let himself descend into the world of visions and be nothing but a vision-producing automaton.
“Levi, stay,” Erik said. Was he reading his mind? “You’re talking out loud.”
“Oh.” It should’ve frightened him that he couldn’t tell what was in his head and what was outside of it anymore.
“I have come for my property,” Judah said from the doorway, completely unconcerned about the dagger clenched tightly in Axis’s fist. He pointed to Levi and nearly lost his hand for his trouble.
“Don’t you even look at him. It’s you, isn’t it? The one that scarred him?” Axis asked, his voice a low rumble of menace. Levi
would’ve been afraid if he hadn’t known that Axis would never hurt
him. His guardians, his Elites, would never hurt him.
Judah actually looked flattered. “He’s spoken of me?” It made
Levi sick that he sounded so thrilled about the fact. “Some old friends
told me that the city wouldn’t be here much longer. I came to collect
Levi and take him somewhere safe.”
“No!” Levi yelped, the image burning itself into his mind. He
couldn’t let that happen.
“Azrael will not leave anyone alive, pet. I can’t let you stand here and burn. I was going to be good and let you live with your protectors, but they won’t be able to stop this. Come away with me, now, pet,” Judah said, his voice a low whine.
“He’s not fallen,” Keer said, a confused look on his face. “But
he’s not an angel, either.”
“Damned. I was damned.” Judah giggled. “I’m unforgivable. It’s the madness, you see? There is no rehab for insanity from torturing a little nephilim in the heavenly realm.” He pointed his finger at Levi. “That’s mine. If I protect it, they might forgive me one day.” Their eyes met, and Levi shrank back. He’d seen that adoring look a few times right before the angel burned his skin, slicing away the flesh to create patterns of his own imaginings.
“G–get out!” Levi shouted at him. The hunter took a step forward only to be shoved violently backward and out of sight by Axis. A low growl of warning rumbled out of Axis’s chest. Levi caught an impression of intention. “Don’t,” he whispered. “You can’t. They’ll take you away.” He saw it. If Axis did what he wanted to do, he’d be taken from them.
“
The desire to murder doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to do it, Levi. It’s just a possibility
,” a voice said.
“Who are you?” he asked, looking around the room. He was so confused about what was and wasn’t reality.
“
A friend. You know Azrael has come to deliver an ultimatum
?”
Levi nodded. He saw that. He also saw war coming. It was funny. He shouldn’t have been able to stand the presence of this creature who was speaking to him. It was too pure, too powerful.
“
It is because you are an Oracle and exist in all realms. You can stand the highest and lowest creatures in the universe from heaven to hell and back again
.
You know that the heavens will soon be at war
once more
?”
Again, Levi nodded. He hadn’t seen it, but he felt the truth in the
question.
“
In two days’ time, you will deliver a prophecy that will alter the fate of the war and the tragedy that would ensue if it is allowed to complete its course. For this you will be given the ability to summon the Powers
.”
“Your name, angel?” Levi asked. He felt like he should do what he was asked. It was important, a mission handed down from a higher authority.
There was a brief pause. “
My name is Seraphiel. Don’t tell your lovers my name nor the task you are given. When the time is right, you will know whom to deliver your message to
.” Levi felt warmth as if he was being given an invisible hug. “
And don’t be afraid of the madness of the one who seeks you. Pity him. Unlike others who may be redeemed in this conflict, he will never find redemption. Your Keepers are stronger than his will
.”
“Okay,” Levi said. A calm settled over his nerves. He knew what the being said was absolutely true. Finally he pinpointed the aura of the person he was talking to. He gasped. It was blinding in its intensity and stood just past Axis on the other side of the room. He wondered why none of his lovers could see it.