Milayna's Angel (16 page)

I was dying.

Something hit the side of me hard. Jake
grunted and dropped me. Landing on all fours, I gasped for air. I
crawled to the porch, coughing as I sucked in as much air as my
body would hold. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw Xavier and
Chay. Xavier held Jake from the back while Chay punched him in the
face… once… twice… three times. Blood and spit flew from Jake’s
mouth. Chay’s face was red, the muscles corded in his neck and
arms. His body shook with rage as he hit Jake over and over.

“Chay!” My voice was gravelly. It cracked
when I called out to him. “Chay, stop.”

Sirens sounded in the distance. The Evils
pulled themselves together and took off down the road. Jake, his
face bloodied and already swelling, looked at me and spit a wad of
mucus and blood.

“It’s coming. Your time is coming, Milayna,”
Jake slurred before slinking into the shadows.

Chay rushed to me. Sliding his arm under the
back of my knees and the other around my back, he lifted me off the
ground. “Are you okay?” He carried me in the house and laid me on
the couch in the family room. “Can you talk?”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“Doesn’t sound like it to me.” Drew walked
over and looked down at me. He held a wet washcloth to his eye to
staunch the blood flow from a cut.

“Chay…”

“What, Milayna?” He knelt next to me and put
his ear close to my mouth so he could hear me.

“You’re bleeding all over me.”

He laughed. “I think you’re gonna be
fine.”

I shook my head. I was beginning to think it
would never be over—I wasn’t going to be fine. Azazel should have
been out of my life for good after I turned eighteen. But he was
back and we were fighting senseless fights, beating each other
until none of us could see straight.

What’s the point?

“I’m not fine. This isn’t fine.” I waved my
hand around the room, taking in everyone’s injuries. “This shit
should be over. But I’m starting to think it’ll never be done.”

“We’re gonna finish it this time. Whatever is
going on, whoever he’s sent to hurt you, we’re gonna take them
out.” Chay ran a finger down the side of my face. “We need to get
you cleaned up before your parents get home. You’ll scare your
mother. You’ve already got bruises around your neck.”

“Who is higher than Azazel? Who would
supersede his power?” I asked no one in particular.

“I don’t know,” Xavier answered. “But I’ll do
some research and find out.”

“Shouldn’t you know these things? You’re an
angel; these are your enemies. Shouldn’t you know who they are?”
Chay turned and glared at him. “I find it kinda weird that you know
so little about who we’re fighting.”

Xavier didn’t answer right away. He rocked
back on his heels, clasping his hands behind his back. “Even angels
don’t know everything about Hell.”

12

Monday and Tuesday, I got a free pass to stay
home from school thanks to Jake. The bruising around my neck left
no doubt what had happened and rather than get a call from the
school’s principal about abuse, my parents opted to let me stay
home. I’d missed so much school my senior year that I was worried
they wouldn’t let me graduate.

Monday morning, I went downstairs and poured
a bowl of cereal. After I splashed some milk on it, I plopped down
in front of the television. I was looking forward to watching
cheesy soap operas all day. I liked to make fun of them. Secretly,
I loved watching them.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” my mom said.
She’d taken the days off from work so I wouldn’t be alone. “We are
going to do a little spring cleaning while you’re home.”

I groaned. I would’ve rather been at school.
We moved every piece of furniture and vacuumed underneath, washed
every window and blind, wiped down the baseboards, and the kitchen
cabinets. By the time we were done Tuesday evening, every inch of
the house had been scrubbed, mopped, and polished.

I’d never wanted to go to school so much in
my life.

Wednesday, I was able to cover the bruising
with makeup and a turtleneck sweater.

“Hey.” Chay smiled when I walked into
Chemistry class that morning. “I didn’t expect to see you here
today.”

“Yeah, well, when you don’t call or text for
two days, it’s kinda hard to keep up with schedules,” I said,
irritation rolling off my tongue.

“I texted you last night.”

“Yeah, after I did you!”

“I’m not arguing with you, Milayna. I’m sorry
I didn’t text you every second of my day. Lord knows the sun
revolves around you.”

His words stung. “What’s that supposed to
mean?”

“Forget it. I’ll show you what we’re doing
today.” Pulling out his book and notes, he told me what homework I
missed and what lab we were doing that morning. I tried to listen,
but I was too preoccupied by what he’d said to really pay
attention.

About midway through class, I felt a kick
under my seat. I turned around and saw a white piece of paper
teetering on the edge of the table. Grabbing it, I turned in my
seat before the teacher spotted me, or God forbid, the note.

Everything okay?
Xavier wrote.

Yeah. Just peachy.

I turned, quickly sliding the note across the
table toward Xavier. He lifted his hand and caught it before anyone
saw. Anyone except Chay.

“Stop passing notes to him,” he whispered
between clenched teeth.

“Why? You’re not talking to me.”

“Whatever.”

“Whatever,” I mocked. He was quickly climbing
my bitch-o-meter.

I felt a second kick under my seat. I didn’t
turn; I just reached behind me and slipped the piece of paper off
the table.

Wanna talk about it?

Not really
, I answered.

The note passing went back and forth the
entire class period. Chay grew more and more irritated with me with
each note.

“Are you going to help with this lab or pass
notes?” he snapped.

“Both.”

He rolled his eyes.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” I
yelled after class.

“Just a bad coupla days,” Chay answered.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing.”

“Then stop taking it out on me and try
talking next time.” I turned and walked away.

“Milayna, hold up.”

I stopped in the hallway, my back facing him.
He stopped behind me and kissed the hollow behind my ear, sending
electrified shivers down my body. “I’m sorry. I acted like a
jerk.”

“Yeah, you kinda did.”

“How can I make it up to you?” He walked in
front of me, his blue-green eyes sparkling when his gaze met mine.
My power decided to kick in, and I felt the electrical current run
through my body along my nerve endings. It reached out to Chay and
moved over him, but instead of stopping and creating a bridge to
his feelings, it kept moving, searching.

That’s weird. That’s only happened once
before—when Steven switched sides.

I realized he was waiting for an answer, so I
pulled my thoughts together and tried to ignore the current buzzing
between us. “First, don’t do it again. And second, carry my books.”
I gave him a small smile.

He licked his lips before pulling his bottom
one between his teeth and looking at the ceiling like he was
thinking. “Hmm, that’s a lot to ask.” He slipped the strap of my
messenger bag off my shoulder and hefted it over his. “But for you,
I think I can manage.”

The rest of the school day went by smoothly.
It wasn’t until that evening that things got really
interesting.

Chay had dinner at my house. Then he helped
me catch up with my chemistry homework. I’d only missed two days of
school, but it seemed like I had five days of work to do.

We sat at the kitchen table, hunched over our
books, when I heard scurrying outside. I looked up and saw the nose
of a hobgoblin pressed against the dining room window.

I sighed. “For the love of shitballs.”

“What?” Chay sat up in his chair. “I smell
sulfur.”

“Because we have company.”

We watched the five hobgoblins run through
the backyard like kids who’d forgotten to take their Ritalin. I
recognized two of the five, Friendly and Scarface. The other three
I’d never seen before, although it was hard to tell. They all
looked alike.

“What are you doing here?” I yelled to
Scarface. He stood in the middle of the yard staring at Chay and
me, while the other four goblins ran around him, screeching in
their high-pitched voices.

“We bring good tidings of great joy… oh wait,
that’s a different story,” he said with a scowl. “We have a
message. He said he’ll see you all soon. He’s looking forward to
meeting you.”

Friendly ran over and tried to shimmy up
Chay’s leg. He kicked him across the yard. The goblin squealed in
delight as he sailed through the air, rolling head over heels.

“Who are you talking about? I’ve met Azazel.
You and I keep having this same conversation. Either tell me
something I don’t know or go to Hell.”

“I’m just reminding you. He’s here. You know,
don’t you? You know who’s going to kill you. You just won’t admit
it… it’s true. It’s him.”

“Get outta here.” I walked into the house and
slammed the door behind me. The goblins disappeared one by one.

***

Saturday morning. I drummed my fingers on my
nightstand, waiting for Chay to answer the phone. It was ten in the
morning; I knew he was awake.

“Hi,” he said when he picked up.

“Hey, sleeping in?”

“No, I was just in the living room. Didn’t
know the phone was ringing until my dad told me. What’s up?” Chay
asked.

“Are you coming for breakfast this
morning?”

“I can’t today. I have some chores to do this
morning for my dad.”

“Oh. Okay.” Disappointment flooded me. Chay
never missed a Saturday breakfast. “Um, Drew and Muriel asked us to
go with them to the mall this afternoon. Wanna go?” I thought he’d
say yes. We very rarely gave up a chance to spend time
together.

“I can’t. Too much homework.”

He’s lying.

“I thought you were all set with
homework?”

“I forgot something.” His voice sounded flat,
distant.

I twisted my quilt around my finger. “Okay, I
guess I’ll tell them another time.”

“Yeah. I gotta go. I’ll talk to you later.”
He hung up before I could say anything more. I pulled the phone
from my ear and stared at it.

No goodbye, no I love you, no nothing. What’s
up with him?

I called Muriel to tell her Chay and I
weren’t going to go with her and Drew to the mall. She insisted I
go anyway.

“Who cares if he’s not coming? We still want
you to,” she whined.

“Muriel, I’d feel like a third wheel.”

I don’t want to go and watch you two make
ga-ga eyes at each other all day when I’m alone.

“You’re not. Come on… please.”

I finally gave in and told Muriel I would go.
Sighing, I rolled out of bed to get ready. I wasn’t looking forward
to going without Chay, and I was worried something was wrong with
him. He seemed so distant.

“Where’s Chay?” Drew asked when he and Muriel
picked me up an hour later.

I groaned. I felt so out of place with them
on their date, even though Muriel insisted it wasn’t one. “Too much
homework.”

“Huh,” was all Drew said as he pulled out of
the driveway.

***

The mall was hopping that afternoon. Everyone
had spring fever and wanted to get out of the house, but the
Michigan weather made it nearly impossible to do much outside,
unless you enjoyed shoveling snow.

The three of us shopped and laughed, had
lunch at a real restaurant, not the food court, and ended up having
a great time. But through it all, I waited. I waited for the
inevitable stomach twisting, head-pounding, heart-racing signs that
a vision was coming. I knew I was going to have one even before the
sensation hit. In a crowd that big, there was bound to be something
to set off a vision. I was immediately sorry I’d come with them. My
vision would ruin their day even more than having a third wheel
hanging around.

Drew and Muriel wanted to go into a
bookstore. I sat down on a bench to wait for them.

“Aren’t you coming?” Muriel asked.

“Nah, I’m going to sit this one out.” I tried
to keep my face blank and not let on that anything was wrong. “You
guys go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, yeah. Go on.” I waved her away. Drew
was already waiting at the entrance of the store.

My stomach was tying itself in knots. I
wrapped my arms around my middle, trying not to double over and
draw attention to myself. Closing my eyes, I breathed in deeply
through my nose, exhaling slowly through my mouth to relax against
the pain.

Breathe in… breathe out… breathe in… breathe
out…

It didn’t help. Each breath made my head
pound harder. I gripped my shopping bag so tight that my fingers
ached and my nails dug into my palms.

The glint of metal. I see dirty floor tiles
underneath. Blood. Screaming.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to focus on
the vision. I needed to see a face. A place. Something.

A hand holding a knife. No, not a knife—it’s
pointed, like an ice pick, but bigger. Blood drips from the
tip.

I concentrated harder, looking for signs of
where the person was. What store they were near.

The bookstore. A lady. She’s wearing a
Hawaiian shirt. Black with big blue and yellow flowers. She grabs
her side. When she pulls her hand away—blood. It spreads, across
the flowers on her shirt.

My eyes snapped open. I was sitting in front
of the bookstore in my vision. Looking around for the woman, I
wasn’t sure what was going to happen, exactly. But I knew whatever
it was wouldn’t turn out good for the woman.