Authors: C. Gockel,S. T. Bende,Christine Pope,T. G. Ayer,Eva Pohler,Ednah Walters,Mary Ting,Melissa Haag,Laura Howard,DelSheree Gladden,Nancy Straight,Karen Lynch,Kim Richardson,Becca Mills
“No, I vant…Clauvia,” Ryan slurred again, rubbing his sore wrist.
“You’re making a fool of yourself. Good thing your parents left early,” Jake said, pulling him further away from us.
Ryan looked at me, with sorrow in his eyes. I knew I had hurt him, but I didn’t realize how much until tonight. Michael continued to glare at him until he was out of sight. We walked toward the rest of our group. Michael held my hand, guiding me behind him in a protective mode, as usual.
M
ichael didn’t say
a word to the alkins. In fact, he seemed to be content. He sat next to me with his arm around my shoulders. I couldn’t believe we were here all together like everything was normal. With Michael here, the night was definitely perfect. Suddenly the ceiling started to open up. Everybody was admiring it, with their eyes glued to the starlight that gradually beamed into the room.
“Now we know why they call this the Grand View Room,” Maggie said, as she continued to stare.
I could only imagine what others were saying as they pointed to the top. As the roof of the hotel completely disappeared, the DJ played the “Happy Birthday” song and we all sang together. Singing and staring out into the open space, I spotted Orion and immediately thought about Austin. I hadn’t spoken to him in days. He was expecting my phone call after the hospital, but I didn’t bother to call.
Suddenly, I became aware that I didn’t know what time it was. “Is it late?” I asked, panicking.
“It’s midnight,” Kristina replied.
“What!” I couldn’t believe it. “I’m supposed to be home.” I sank down further into Michael’s arm.
Vivian looked at Davin with a worried expression.
“I can take you home right now,” Michael said looking at me, waiting for my response.
Then I remembered Mom was working the late shift tonight. Talking myself out of the guilt for missing my curfew, I told myself that it could happen just this once. After all, when would I ever get this chance again? “Actually, my mom is working late. She won’t know. It will be okay,” I said, hoping that it would be.
“Are you sure?” Michael asked, uncertain of my decision.
“Yes,” I answered back confidently.
It was quiet at our table, and I hadn’t realized all eyes were on me until Kristina broke the silence. “Should we dance again?” Kristina asked, swaying to the music.
Everyone stood up except Michael and me. “You all go ahead. Claudia and I need to talk,” Michael said.
They all left for the dance floor and Michael turned to me. “I missed you every second,” he whispered into my ear as he gently caressed my hair. Then he placed his hands on my cheeks. “I’ve tried so hard just being the guardian angel that I’m supposed to be, but I can’t control the human emotions I feel. It drives me absolutely crazy when I’m not with you. Every thought of you awakens me. You’ve changed me in ways I can’t explain. I don’t know if you would call it fate that somehow our worlds have connected, but for whatever reason, our lives will never be the same.”
All I could do was look at my guardian angel who loved me back. Many times I had to pinch myself to realize that this wasn’t a dream. Yes, I did believe that things happened for a reason, but this was too good to be true. He was right. Our lives would never be the same.
“How were you able to come here when I’m not even in danger? Isn’t Phillip expecting all of you back soon?”
“I told Phillip that we needed to be down here more often. He surprisingly agreed.”
“That’s wonderful,” I said happily.
Tenderly he cupped my cheeks with his hands again. “I missed you madly,” he said.
“I missed you too,” I said back. “I know that our relationship isn’t normal, but there’s got to be a way we can be together, isn’t there?” I asked with a hopeful look.
“Let’s talk about it later. Let’s enjoy tonight.”
“About tonight, I just wanted to get away, and I thought coming to this dance would kind of take my mind off things.”
“I’m glad you came. You could have danced with other guys if you wanted. Although if you had, it would have made me feel jealous.”
“Seriously? You would be jealous?”
“As silly as it sounds, yes.”
“Do you know what it means to feel jealous?” I knew this was a silly question to ask, but there were many feelings they were trained to put aside for so many years.
“I think so, like when I overheard Kristina tell Vivian something about Ryan being your boyfriend.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” I said quickly.
“I felt something strange in the pit of my stomach. It was hate and anger at the same time,” he said calmly.
“Yeah, I know the feeling,” I said, remembering the nurse who was flirting with him. Then I laughed softly, thinking how strong this feeling was that could get anyone all worked up.
He leaned closer. “Let’s not talk about other people,” he said, nuzzling my neck and then up to my cheek. Then he softly planted kisses on both my cheeks. “That one was for Monday and the other one was for Tuesday, when I wasn’t with you.” He kissed my forehead. “That one was for Wednesday.” He kissed my nose. “That one was for Thursday. This one is for today.”
He leaned over to kiss me on my lips when we heard Davin clear his throat. We looked up to see Davin and the others giggling and waving.
“Claudia, we have to go,” Kristina said. “Maggie and I came together, and we didn’t ask if we could stay out that late.”
I stood up and gave Maggie and Kristina a hug. “Thanks,” I said to Kristina. “Thanks for talking me into coming. I really had a great time.”
“I’m glad, and I’m really sorry about Gamma,” she said and gave me a tight squeeze. Then she looked at me with a huge grin. “When did you hook up with Michael?”
“Long story. Tell you later,” I said. At that moment I thought about Patty. Somehow I had to tell her about Michael, although I couldn’t tell her the whole truth. One way or another, she would find out that he was at Ryan’s birthday party, and she would be devastated that I hadn’t told her first. I just had to find the right time.
Maggie gave me a tight squeeze too and said her good-byes to my so-called cousins. I watched them walk across the dance floor until they were out of sight.
It was way past midnight, and all the guests had already left. The only ones left were the cleanup crew. Michael used his powers on them and they left. We had the room to ourselves.
“I had so much fun. I’ll never forget tonight. This is one memory they can’t take from me,” Vivian said as she looked around the room. Then she said suddenly, “Michael, Claudia’s necklace is made from the crystal of our home, correct?”
Michael didn’t say a word, instead he just nodded.
I gently placed my hand on the crystal to confirm that it was still there.
“That crystal turns black when danger is nearby,” Vivian stated.
“I’ve never seen one before,” Caleb said.
“That’s because we never needed one before, but this was Michael’s idea. Phillip doesn’t know. Pretty cool if you ask me,” she said.
Caleb looked at Michael with a concerned look on his face. “Michael, where were you all this time? And were you able to find the answers you were searching for?”
Just as Michael was about to speak, he suddenly glued his eyes on me. Everyone was looking at me, and that’s when I realized my crystal had turned black. The ceiling had almost completely closed when Aden and his followers slipped through the small opening.
Vivian and Caleb leaped out of their seats and pulled out their swords. Michael grabbed me so fast that I didn’t realize I was standing next to him.
“We came to join the party.” Aden smiled, pleased with himself for completely blindsiding us. “We can make this easy. Just hand her over to me.”
“Over my dead body,” Michael said angrily. He expanded his wings to protect and cover me entirely. “I will kill you if I have to, and I will do everything in my power to stop you.”
“Michael, just listen to yourself. You would die over this one? How noble you have become. The Michael I knew would have done the killing for me.”
Michael didn’t say anything.
“I can’t believe this. You are in love with this one. How could you allow this? You have broken one of the Divine Commandments. How many others have you broken?”
“You have no right to question me. How many have you broken? And what do you know about love?” Michael replied.
“Love is evil. It makes you weak. See what love made you do. You are lost!”
“You are absolutely wrong. It makes you stronger. Amor tussisque non celantur.”
“Enough!” Aden shouted. “Come and join me, and you can be with her forever.”
“Never! I followed you once before, and I promised myself that I would never do it again,” Michael replied.
“Very well. Let’s do this your way. Die!” he shouted with an evil laugh that sent chills to my bones.
Vivian and Caleb positioned their backs to each other.
“Stay close to me,” Michael commanded.
Michael’s feet were shoulder-width apart. He curled his fingers around the grip of his sword, and his right foot slid back, pulling his entire body into a fighting stance. The fallen and demons were creeping closer, and my heart pounded with anticipation. It seemed as though the number had tripled from the last encounter. My palms became damp, and the adrenaline ran through my veins so fast that I could feel my blood pressure skyrocketing.
“There are too many of them. Where’s Davin?” Vivian asked, thrusting her sword forward and backward, trying to keep them at a distance.
“I saw him walking Claudia’s friends to their car,” Caleb replied, extending his arm, lunging forward as the fallen backed away.
“Right behind you! Always talking about me, how sweet!” Davin shouted, as he entered the room.
Michael swung his sword to his right, piercing a demon right in his ribs. With his free hand, he rammed his fist into a fallen’s face to his left. The fallen flew across, only to tumble on top of more fallen, breaking the tables and chairs as they collided. Michael then dodged a swipe, lost his balance, and fell to his knees. I gasped in horror, but quickly calmed when I saw him back on his feet. As he swung vertically to block an attack, he yelled, “Down, Claudia!” The look of terror in his eyes made me move without hesitation. I ducked down as Michael lashed right above me, slicing through a demon’s neck. Michael swiftly enclosed me behind him.
Across the room, I saw a demon grab Caleb by his neck and slam him against the table. His weapon slipped out of his hand, leaving him defenseless. Out of nowhere I saw a smaller sword dart across the room to pierce precisely into the demon’s back, just as he was about to thrust his sword into Caleb. The demon bellowed out in pain, dropping to the floor. At that moment, I exhaled, not realizing I had held my breath the entire time.
Vivian was standing on top of a table when a fallen grabbed her from behind. Twisting with all her might, she tried to release from the hold. As the demons approached her, she extended her long legs, kicking them away from her. She then slammed her head against the fallen holding her hostage, pivoted, and drove her weapon into him. More demons surrounded her; she lunged lower, severing the heads of the demons around her with her sword.
While evading demons and fallen, Davin leaped from table to table. Finally he planted himself on the bar. He pulled his weapon out, ready for his enemies. As they attacked, Davin managed to avoid blows, but he barely saw the spinning kick coming at him in time to leap back, landing flat on his back. A demon standing close to him lashed out, slightly nicking him across his chest. Davin cursed out loud, and anger raged from his eyes. He managed to grab a bottle of wine, knocking it over the demon’s head. When it shattered into pieces, the liquid poured down, leaving him blind. Davin turned him into ashes. Heaving, he flung out from where he stood, charging swiftly like a wild creature, killing whatever stood in his path until he reached the other side of the room.
Tables, chairs, and shattered glasses were everywhere. All were broken into unrecognizable objects, like a tornado had ripped through the room. I was exhausted from watching and holding my breath, praying that my friends had the strength and endurance to make it out alive. It seemed like an endless fight. Aden must have thought the same thing for he shouted, “Enough!”
All was at a standstill. I wondered what Aden had up his sleeve, because even I knew he wouldn’t just walk away.
“Perhaps this may change your mind,” he shouted.
Out from the ceiling appeared a demon with Alexa Rose. The demon lowered her as she dangled in fright. My heart sank to see her in the middle of all of this. Michael was right. Aden would do anything to get what he wanted.
“Michael!” she called desperately.
“Let her go, Aden, she’s only a child!” Michael demanded.
“You heard Michael. Do it!” he yelled at the demon who was holding her.
“Michael!” Alexa Rose screamed as she was let go.
“No!” I screamed and immediately stopped when I saw Alexa Rose suspended in midair. I immediately turned to Michael and saw his hand raised to where Alexa Rose was floating.
“I learned how to use my hands to control things like you do,” Michael said to Aden.
Aden looked furious. He raised his hand too, and Alexa Rose gravitated toward him. “I would have taught you everything I knew if you had stayed with me. Now give me what is mine!”
Aden was pulling Alexa Rose closer to him. He was stronger than Michael.
“Michael!” she yelled, as her delicate little hands reached out for him.
I couldn’t take it any longer. It was too much to bear. Losing my common sense, I ran out of my protective area and toward Aden.
“Stop, Claudia,” Davin yelled.
It was too late. Aden used his free hand to levitate Davin toward him. Then he pinned him against the wall, and the fallen nearby moved toward them. Vivian and Caleb dashed forward to help Davin defend from the attack. When they reached him, they were surrounded by fallen and demons. The tips of their enemies’ blades were pointed at their chests. Aden released Davin, his eyes focused on me like a hawk preying on its next meal.
“No!” Michael yelled with anguish, knowing what Aden would do next.
Although my whole body felt light, I couldn’t move. I could see myself rising off the ground toward Aden. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t free myself from his control.
“Who to choose? Who to save? Did you know your precious Alexa Rose has a wonderful talent? She is a gatekeeper. She got out herself, looking for you,” Aden said. “Don’t you wonder who opened the gates of Hell for me? For her first time, she did pretty well. She would make a great addition to my collection.”