Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More (183 page)

“Noooo!” Michael cried with rage.

“I’m sorry, Michael. He told me he would hurt you if I didn’t do it,” Alexa Rose cried. “Please don’t be mad at me! Please don’t be mad,” she begged over and over, as tears fell down her face.

“It’s all right, Alexa Rose. I’m not mad at you. It’s okay. Aden, please, don’t do this,” Michael pleaded.

“I’m done asking you to join me, and I’m done playing around. I choose both for myself. David!” Aden shouted to the demon up on the ceiling. “Catch!”

Alexa Rose was lifted up toward the open ceiling. “Michael!” Her painful shrieks echoed through the room.

“Nooo!” Michael yelled, as he attempted to save her one last time.

Alexa Rose ascended through the ceiling, and David grabbed her.

I was terrified for Alexa Rose. She was in the hands of a demon now, and there was nothing we could do. My heart shattered, and I felt like we were defeated. If I was in this much pain, I could only imagine how much it hurt Michael.

“Now what to do with this one? Say bye to your love.”

“Aden, she is not the one. Don’t do this. I’m the one you want. The Holy Spirit’s soul is in me. You’re looking for a son.”

Aden suddenly stopped and listened intently. Michael continued to persuade him. “We’ve been leading you on so that you would think she is the one, but you’ve been fooled. You’ve been chasing the wrong alkin. You are looking for a son.”

“I don’t believe you. I’ve been tracking her for eighteen years. You think I’m a fool?”

“I’m not going to argue with that,” Davin mumbled.

“I have proof. The one bears a birthmark, and I have one to prove it.”

“What birthmark?” Aden asked, with anticipation in his voice.

I remembered Michael talking about a birthmark, but Michael didn’t know what it was. He must have found out somehow. Davin, Caleb, and Vivian looked stunned. They knew he was only saying those words to save me.

“Show me,” Aden demanded.

My eyes were glued to Michael as he flew toward Aden.

“You better be telling me the truth, or your friends below will die. You are outnumbered,” Aden reminded Michael.

“It’s the omega symbol,” Michael said, as he carefully kept his distance.

I remembered seeing the symbol somewhere. It looked like an upside-down horseshoe. The birthmark didn’t even cross my mind when Gamma told me I had the soul of the Holy Spirit. I wondered if she knew. Then I remembered Michael telling me that only the Royal Council, Phillip, Margaret, and Agnes knew. Gamma couldn’t have known. I knew every scar and every freckle on my body, and I had never seen a birthmark like that. Could Gamma be wrong about me?

“Show me, Michael,” Aden demanded.

Aden still held me captive, as Michael and Aden exchanged words in what appeared to be Latin. When Michael reached out his right arm to show the birthmark, Aden extended his arms and slashed Michael’s wing. The sword came from nowhere. Michael yelled in agony, and my heart tore into a million pieces. Although his left wing was still intact, it looked broken. It wasn’t strong and full like his right wing.

Then Michael’s body started curling, and I thought he was going to fall. Just when I thought all hope was lost, Michael suddenly sprung forward into Aden and pushed him across the room. Michael broke Aden’s hold on me and I began to fall. Michael used his powers to levitate my body toward where the alkins stood, and Davin deftly caught me.

Aden was furious as he charged toward Michael. Michael wrapped his hands around Aden’s wrist that held the sword. Both of them struggled to retrieve the sword, twisting and turning in midair. Michael released his left hand and jammed his elbow into Aden’s chest. When Aden lunged backward, he extended his leg and kicked Michael in the stomach. Michael was pushed back several yards, but he quickly charged forward and rotated over Aden’s head. Catching Aden by surprise, Michael snatched the sword out of Aden’s hand. They tumbled multiple times in midair until Aden’s back slammed against the wall. Then Michael drove the sword into Aden’s heart.

“Omega stands for the end for you,” Michael said and drew the sword out.

Aden’s face held a look of shock. Still floating, his wings folded halfway as his body weakened.

“Michael,” Aden said weakly.

“You left me no choice,” Michael said softly and sorrowfully. “May God have mercy on you.”

Then Aden’s eyes closed, his body arched, and his arms and legs grew limp as he started slowly spiraling downward like a lifeless feather. When he collapsed to the floor, his body flared up in flames. Quickly the flames died, and his body was gone. It was as if he had never existed.

Michael did not move as he floated there, but his face expressed a mixture of emotions. He lowered his head for a long second, then flew straight up. With Aden no longer there to lead them, the fallen and demons looked lost and confused. The alkins raised their swords while Davin pushed me behind him.

Suddenly Caleb dashed ahead just as Michael jabbed the sword into David’s chest, causing him to release Alexa Rose. She fell straight down into Caleb’s arms.

During the commotion, Davin grabbed me. Vivian and Caleb, with Alexa Rose still in his arms, rushed out of the room, while Michael flew behind us. The next thing I knew, we were somewhere near the hotel.

I turned to Michael and looked at him with worried eyes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” he said in a weak voice. Unexpectedly, he reached for me and held me in his arms.

“He’s gone now. You’re safe,” Michael whispered in my ear, trying to console me.

I wanted to say something, but I could barely make out a word. I didn’t realize that I was trembling until I heard my teeth chatter. Although I knew we were out of danger, the adrenaline was too much. I couldn’t breathe, and a jumble of thoughts ran wildly through my head. I should be used to it by now. This wasn’t the first time I was chased by fallen and demons. I could see Davin, Vivian, and Caleb watching me with concerned expressions on their faces. They were so calm, as if nothing had happened. Even Alexa Rose, now in the arms of Vivian, was just as composed.

I finally managed to say to them, a bit frantically, “Why…why aren’t you scared out of your minds? Why aren’t you shaking?”

“It’s all right, Claudia,” Michael whispered again, as I continued to tremble. “We’re trained to control our fears. What kind of guardian angel would I be if I trembled like you?” He laughed softly, trying to make me laugh.

It didn’t work. I nodded. I understood and felt bad for losing it like that.

“I can make it better,” he said and held me tighter. Next thing I knew, there was a dim light glowing around us. Instantly I was calmer, and I knew it was from Michael. It was the same warm, secure feeling I had felt when Davin had held me at the Crossroads.

When he released his hold, my body no longer trembled, and I felt safe again. I looked up at Michael. His smile gave me comfort, and I found my words again. “Aden, is he really dead?”

“Yes,” Michael said, lifting the sword to show me. It was absolutely stunning, about the length of my arm. The sword looked similar to the ones they used. “The Sword of the Divine,” Michael said, looking at its tip and turning it left to right. “This sword was designed specifically for the Twelve Angels. Only by piercing this sword through an angel’s heart can one truly kill an angel.” There were no bloodstains. As if he could read my mind, he said, “Angels don’t bleed.”

There was an inscription on it. “What does it say?” I asked.

“Angele Dei…Angel of God,” Michael replied, still captivated by the sword. “I wish I could keep this beauty, but I’ll have to give it to Phillip.”

We were all mesmerized by the sword when, suddenly, Alexa Rose hugged Michael. She patiently waited for Michael to let go of his hold on me. He didn’t pick her up as usual because of his wound. Instead, he knelt down to her level and gave her a long, warm embrace, as if it had been a lifetime since he had last seen her.

“Sorry, Michael,” Alexa Rose said in her sweet angelic voice, as she placed her head on his shoulder. “Please don’t be mad at me,” she pleaded.

He placed his hands on her arms and pulled her back a bit, forcing her to look at him directly in his eyes. “I’m not mad. I was very worried. I almost lost you, you understand? Don’t ever do that again. Don’t ever look for me. You’re not supposed to be here. If Phillip or the others find out, you will be punished.”

“Okay, Michael,” she answered back with tears streaming down her face.

“Promise me,” he said.

“I promise,” she replied, as Michael wiped her tears. “I was really scared. I thought I was never going to see you again.” Her voice was shaky.

He embraced her tightly again. “Me too. I’m sorry too. I know how much you worry about me. I should have checked up on you. But you have to understand, I need to take care of things, and I can’t worry about you too.”

“Okay, Michael. Can we go home now? I want to go home,” she said wearily, making small gasping sounds.

“Soon,” Michael said and pulled her away to look at her. “You’re a gatekeeper?”

“I don’t even remember how I did it.” Alexa Rose shrugged her shoulders.

“We’ll have to discuss this later,” Michael said.

“Michael, I hate to break up our little reunion, but we need to get you to Agnes,” Davin said, with concern in his voice.

“Davin is right,” Vivian interrupted. “We should get going. With Aden out of the picture, Claudia is safe. We need time to heal and rest. Caleb will clean up.”

“Let’s take Claudia home first,” Michael replied. Michael looked at me lovingly, but sadness was written all over his face.

“I’ll be okay. You need to go,” I said, trying to be strong. “I…” Before I had a chance to say anything more, Davin grabbed me, and we were headed for home.

We arrived safely at my house, in my room, and all was quiet. “Here we are,” I said sadly, knowing it may be the last time I saw them. I tried to blink the tears away, but one found its way down my cheek.

“See you soon,” Vivian said, giving me a tight squeeze as her eyes swelled with tears.

As soon as Vivian released me, Caleb unexpectedly hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I had a great time tonight…well…I meant the first half of the night. I almost felt like a human. I won’t ever forget you.” He smiled and backed away.

Caleb’s affection touched me deeply. It was the first time he ever gave me a hug or a friendly kiss. Then Davin turned to me.

“Don’t get into trouble, or we’ll have to come down again. You know how much I dislike being here,” Davin teased, nudging me on my shoulder as he took a few steps back. “See you when I see you.” He winked and gave me a warm smile.

At that moment, I realized how much they cared for me. Maybe it was knowing that we might never see each other again. Whatever the reason, I knew they would miss me too, although maybe not as much as I would miss them.

They turned their backs to Michael and me to give us some privacy. As Michael came toward me, Alexa Rose unexpectedly rushed past him to give me a most heartfelt hug. She smiled warmly with her beautiful blue eyes, then ran toward Vivian. It was the first time she displayed any affection toward me. Surprised by Alexa Rose’s action, Michael let out a huge grin. We locked eyes as he approached me. Then he gently guided both of my hands to his chest. I imagined putting my handprint on his heart and thinking, mine, forever. His look was worth a thousand words, and I knew exactly how he felt. I was afraid to let go for fear that I may never see him again.

“I’ll be back. This isn’t good-bye,” Michael said, trying to sound cheerful.

Desperately holding back the tears, I nodded. I believed him. He then cupped my face and gave me a sweet tender kiss on my forehead. “My heart and soul are where you are. I am here,” he spoke again, gently touching the crystal necklace.

All choked up and unable to say a word, I took a deep breath and nodded. I watched them disappear into the moonlight as I heard, from a distance, Caleb and Davin arguing over who was going to drive the Ferrari back to the dealer.

All the lights were off, and Mom was still at work. It was peaceful and late into the night. As I lay in bed, I tried not to think about the “what ifs” that could have happened at the Grand View Hotel. It was still hard to grasp the fact that Aden was really dead, but knowing that he was, I felt relief beyond words. At the same time, I worried that since I was out of danger, Michael and the alkins would not be coming to see me anymore. I was also worried about Michael. I knew he would be fine, but until I saw him whole again, I would worry. My eyes were getting heavier, and I couldn’t control it any longer. “Good night, my guardian angel,” I whispered as I dozed off to sleep.

I
was
glad it was Veterans’ weekend. Not only did we have a day off from school, but we had also prearranged a day off at Fashion Wear. Patty planned a hiking trip with some of our friends. As much as I disliked hiking, I had to make it up to her. Going hiking again was the only way to do that. She used my guilt as an opportunity to get me to do anything she wanted. I was pleased to do it.

I also promised Mom that I would help her pack Gamma’s belongings this morning. I wasn’t looking forward to it, knowing that it would make me emotional, but I needed to be there for her.

“Are you ready, honey?”

“I’ll be right out, Mom,” I said, mentally preparing myself, knowing how I would react at Gamma’s house. I knew one thing for sure; I had to be strong for Mom.

“My car or yours?” I asked cheerfully, stepping out of my room.

“Why don’t we both take our cars so you can just leave from Gamma’s to meet up with Patty?”

“Okay, that sounds fine. I’ll see you there.”

After starting the engine, I noticed the bracelet Gamma had given me for my birthday. I smiled, recalling that day when she slipped one on my wrist and told me to put the other in the car. The smile quickly disappeared, and was replaced by grief at the thought of never being able to see her again. My body cringed from the heartache, and I forced myself to try to feel nothing. Since it would be my first time at her house since her passing, feeling numbness would be the only way I would make it through packing without falling apart.

It was a short ride, so I just waited in the car for my mom. I must have sped. I thought Mom would give me few words for speeding, but instead, she put her arm around my shoulders and we walked inside Gamma’s house together. All was still. It felt strange to be inside the house without her. We both looked around the living room with aches in our hearts. Nothing was out of place. It was as if she was stilling living here, but the silence was a sure sign of her absence.

“I just need your help packing a few boxes, honey. I don’t intend to pack everything in one day,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

Seeing her eyes water up like that was just enough to make me almost lose it. I turned my head, trying to avoid eye contact. Don’t look at her, and keep your thoughts on happy thoughts, I said to myself. My fist curled into a tight ball as I held my breath, desperately trying to control my emotions, trying to feel as little as possible.

As we both walked into her bedroom, the first thing I noticed was her bed, untouched. Besides the bed, her room was furnished with a mahogany dresser and a nightstand. It wasn’t like I had never seen her bedroom before, but today I noted every little detail of her room. The room that used to make me feel warm and inviting now felt empty and cold.

“Honey, could you pack her stuff from the closet?” Mom asked finally.

“Sure, Mom,” I said and took the box from her hand.

“I’m going to pack up in the other room,” she said quietly, as one teardrop fell.

Hesitantly, I opened the closet door. Her clothes were hung neatly, organized by color. As I scanned through her clothes, a white cashmere sweater caught my eyes. I gently loosened the sweater off the hanger and held it close to my face. I could smell the sweetness of her favorite perfume. I imagined hugging her as if she was right here. Standing here, thoughts of Gamma and the happy times we’d had together danced in my head. She had made me feel like I was the most special person in the world. I could do no wrong in her eyes.

Guilt started to race through my mind as I was thinking that I should have visited her more often. Tears fell to the floor and I reached down to wipe them up as more found their way down my cheek. As I started to stand up, I noticed something behind the jackets. Sliding the hangers slightly to the left, I saw a small shelf. Curious, I picked up a small, wooden treasure box that was on top. A part of me thought I shouldn’t open it because it was her private possession, but curiosity got the best of me. First, I looked behind me to see if Mom was in the room. Then I slowly opened the treasure box, like a little girl sneaking a peek at her hidden Christmas present.

Inside were a few letters, pictures, and a journal. I thumbed through the pictures of Gamma and me, and Gamma with Mom. I gently tucked the pictures back to pick up what looked like a journal, hoping to find some answers to my questions. I glimpsed through the journal and read a few pages about me. I knew that she cared about me and loved me like her own, but reading it was harder to take, and my eyes filled with tears again.

Focusing on why I was here in the first place, I pulled her clothes off the hangers, folded them, and neatly stacked them inside a box. After I finished my task, I sat down and placed my head between my knees trying to get a grip on all this. When I looked up, I noticed an envelope tucked inside her favorite blue jacket. It was addressed to me. Find my letter; Gamma’s words suddenly came back to me. I was so furious at myself. How could I have forgotten? I knew it was from Gamma, so I tore it open, feeling excited and anxious.

Dearest Claudia,

If you are reading this letter, it means that I am too weak to speak or I have already passed on. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t tell you sooner, but it was for your own protection. I wrote this letter just in case I didn’t get a chance to tell you everything that you should know. Many things I’m about to tell you will be very difficult to believe, but I’m telling you the truth, and you must believe me.

God’s first angels make up the Royal Council. They are the ones who make the decisions for humanity. The Royal Council is special because, not only are they powerful, they have the souls of the Holy Spirit. Your father was one of the Royal Council. I know this because your mother told me that she fell in love with an angel, one of God’s first angels. She also told me that she had a visit from another angel. He told her that when the time was right, he would come for you, the child with the soul of the Holy Spirit. And because of this, I told her about me. I knew both of you were in danger because the angel that visited your mother was a fallen angel named Aden.

I had to make a decision, either to report you to the Royal Council or to protect you. Your mother begged me not to tell the Royal Council because you would be taken from her, so I couldn’t refuse. I loved her as if she was my daughter, and I let my human emotions take me over.

Aden was one of the Twelve Angels. These Twelve Angels helped the Earth angels to guide the humans. But he rebelled. He wanted to create an army to fight the Royal Council. His soul was taken away, and his powers were weakened. He knew that the only possible way for him to enter the holy realms was by taking the Holy Spirit’s soul. This would allow him to enter Halo City and regain his powers back to full strength. And because of this, he was after your soul.

Your mom and I hid from Aden as long as we could, but somehow he found us again right before you turned one. I would have been able to save both of you, but he had someone helping him. Her name was Julia. Your mother tricked Aden and Julia. She led them to follow her while I ran away with you. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t save your mother.

Later, Ava Emerson adopted you, and it wasn’t by chance. I purposely made that happen because I knew in my heart that she would make a great mother for you. Unfortunately I had to instill in her mind that her husband had died in a freak car accident. I wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t remarry so that all her energy would be on you. I know it sounds horrible for me to have done this to her, but you have to understand that everything I did was for your protection.

You see, honey, the only way for Aden to get the Holy Spirit’s soul is if one who carries it gives it willingly. You will never be fully in danger from Aden because he can’t kill you to get what he wants, but he can hurt the ones you love.

My powers were strong once, but now that I’m old, they have weakened, and I won’t be able to fight him. Since I wouldn’t help him by convincing you to give up your soul willingly, he has taken my life. Don’t worry. I knew this time would come sooner or later, but it was my honor to watch over you. Because I knew I couldn’t be with you forever, I’ve asked someone else to watch over you. You must be strong. Don’t ever let him have your soul, even it means he will hurt the ones you love. You must not, or humanity will be lost forever.

I know this is a lot to take in, but I believe in you. You are strong, just like your mother. I know you are sad that I have passed on. I know you will miss me, but not as much as I will miss you. Some humans believe a myth that when they pass away, their souls become a star. Though I am not human, look for me up in the sky and know that you are not alone.

As I have mentioned before, you cannot fight destiny; humans search for the meaning of life when it’s right in front of them. Everybody has a purpose, even Earth angels. We all need to live as we do, and our purpose will unfold naturally. Then it will be our time to pass on when it has been fulfilled. Be strong. Move forward and live your human life to the fullest, responsibly. I will miss you. I loved you as my own.

Exhaling and sitting there motionless, I took in Gamma’s words. I was practically holding my breath the whole time. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Had it been the first time learning about the existence of Earth angels, the Twelve, the Royal Council, and the soul of the Holy Spirit, I would have flipped. But the news didn’t strike me hard because Phillip had already explained it all to me.

Regardless, she had just revealed everything I needed to know about my life. Tears rolled down my face. They were tears of frustration, tears of sadness, tears of anger, and tears of hope. I felt completely worn out. I didn’t want to believe it, but the truth was written in her letter. Michael was right. Aden knew about me before I was born. He was waiting for this opportunity for 18 years. He was waiting for a member of the Royal Council to make a mistake. And who did Gamma ask to watch over me? It didn’t matter. Aden was dead. I had my guardian angel, and he was all that mattered to me.

Startled by Mom’s voice, I broke out of my thoughts. “Claudia, are you ready?”

“I’ll be right out, Mom,” I replied.

“Claudia,” she called again.

I quickly placed the rest of Gamma’s belongings in the box and placed the letter in my pocket. “Almost done, Mom.” I was so distracted that I hadn’t noticed leaving some things out. Just in the nick of time, I was done. Mom came through the door. I could tell she had been crying. Avoiding eye contact, she took the box from me. “Thanks, honey. I know this was hard for you too.”

I placed my arms around her, and suddenly she lost control. Although my eyes were glossy, I had no tears to shed. My heart was aching not for Gamma this time, but for my mom. Knowing the life she could have had was taken from her made me feel extremely guilty. The husband and the children she could have had were gone, all because of me. When she finally got control of herself and her tears subsided, she slowly let go. We were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

I quickly wiped away the evidence that my eyes were watery. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Patty. I was sure I had asked her to meet me at church, but maybe I read the text wrong. Nevertheless, I was overjoyed to see her.

“Hello, Mrs. Emerson,” Patty said politely.

Before Mom could say anything, I grabbed Patty and squeezed her so tightly that she lost her breath. It had been a while since I last saw her, and even though we texted every day, it wasn’t the same. I was so happy to see her.

“Hello, Patty. It’s good to see you again,” Mom said, giving her a hug after I let go. “Someone missed you tremendously.”

“Yeah, I have that kind of effect on her. Too bad I don’t have the same effect on the guys,” she said, laughing.

“Well, I’m just glad she has someone else to comfort her, besides me,” Mom said to Patty.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Patty said to Mom. Her tone changed from playful to serious.

“Thank you,” she said.

As Patty and Mom were talking, I quickly walked out the door so Mom would get the hint that I wanted to leave.

“You girls be safe now. Don’t come home too late,” she said, smiling. “Is Davin going?”

“Who?” I asked. I practically choked. She had met Davin on the night of Ryan’s birthday party. I didn’t tell Patty any details about the party, only that I was going with Kristina and Maggie.

“How many Davin do you know?” Mom asked jokingly. “The friend who picked you up for Ryan’s birthday party,” she reminded me.

“Mom, no, no.” I shook my head. “He’s just a friend. He’s not coming.”

“Oh,” she said, looking disappointed. “Too bad. He’s pretty cute.”

“Who’s Davin?” Patty asked, unlocking the door to her car. Patty had gotten a used car like mine, only hers was silver.

“Just a friend,” I said quickly, like it was no big deal. I opened the door and sat inside.

“Another guy? Who else is there?” she asked, raising a brow.

I could tell she was disappointed that I didn’t tell her all about him. Since I didn’t respond to her question, she didn’t pursue the topic any further. Not drilling me with a whole bunch of questions was odd, and I wondered what she was up to.

“You okay?” Patty asked, gluing her eyes to the road.

“Yeah, I had to pack some of Gamma’s things, and it was pretty hard on both of us. And, I…umm…” How could I ever explain to her that Gamma was an Earth angel?

Patty interrupted me as I continued to search for the right words. “I understand. You’ve been through a lot. But I just want you to know that you can tell me anything. I’m here for you.” She placed her hand over mine.

“I know. You’re my best friend,” I said sincerely.

“Good, because, don’t get mad,” Patty said.

“What did you do now?” I asked softly with a frown. Knowing Patty, she had something up her sleeve, which was usually meant to do something nice for me.

“Well, I told you that there was a bunch of us going hiking…” She hesitated to say anything else and started twisting a strand of her hair with her left hand. She looked nervous.