Angelic Outcast (Heavenly Chronicles #1) Page 3

  With a lop-sided grin that didn’t fool Artan for a moment, “Yeah, you could say that.” Looking over at a sleeping Elizabeth, “She saw right through me the day we met. I was in a dark place then, and I had never met anyone who had abilities beyond normal humans who could control them like she could. She saved me from myself and I‘ve been with her ever since. Good thing too, you would think the woman had a death wish the way she acts sometimes.”

  Narrowing his gaze thoughtfully, “You care about her?” Artan asked, though he had a feeling that Elizabeth was oblivious to the fact.

  Shrugging his shoulders in an attempt to make light of Artan’s words, “What’s not to care about? She puts her life on the line every day to save those who can’t protect themselves and tries to give them a better life, and all despite the fact that she doesn’t have to do any of it if she doesn’t want to. Some days I wish a woman like her had found a younger me,” Khris stated honestly, he hadn’t decided on the Angel yet, but so far he was a little too insightful for Khris’s liking.

  “I take it she does not know?” Artan guessed.

  Shaking his head, “No, and that’s the way it stays.” He gave Artan a warning glare, “Woman like her could do way better than someone like me. Only reason I’m admitting it to you is so you know how far I’ll go to protect her, even from herself, and so I can warn you,” Khris could feel an old anger begin to flare. “I saw the look in your eye when you laid eyes on her for the first time and the way you’ve been looking ever since. I know that look and I know what Angels do to mortals. So, this is your only warning, leave off her or I will cut your balls off and wear them as a necklace,” Khris avowed, surprisingly calm considering the subject matter, which let Artan know that he was likely only that much more dangerous for it.

  “You think you could, human?” Artan dared, just to see how confident this man truly was and to see if he would reveal more. He wasn’t about to tell him that any interest he had had in Elizabeth had died a quick death with the bullet Khris had put in his leg. Khris’s comment suggested that he knew something of Angels and Artan wondered about that.

  Grinning wickedly, “More of a chance than most,” Khris quipped again, with a knowing smile.

  “So, what power do you possess?” Artan asked, not really expecting an answer.

  “Show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” Khris replied confrontationally, before leaning back against the tree behind him in a deceptively relaxed pose. With a big grin, “Get some sleep, golden boy. I’ll wake you in a few hours. And make sure to ask Liz about her money tomorrow, she doesn’t think about it much but it’s enough that it would make her a target even without her power,” he advised, squirming around to make himself comfortable.

  Understanding that he wasn’t going to get a straight answer tonight, Artan looked around. Not really seeing any other recourse for the moment, he lay in the bedroll that they had pulled out for him earlier and tried to get some sleep, but it was fitful at best without being accustomed to the night sounds of the jungle.

  2 -First Confrontation

  The morning was a flurry of activity as bedrolls were packed, the fire was doused, and all signs of their camp were erased. Artan was impressed with the great care they took in making sure everything was removed from the area, and it was clear they had done this many times before. No one tried to do the same things, or bumped into each other. Within an hour, they were packed and on their way.

  Moving through the thick brush was slow going, even where paths were already established. Before long everyone was soaked in their own sweat, and Elizabeth was constantly checking to make sure everyone was drinking plenty of water.

  The only two it didn’t seem to bother were Artan and Khris. Neither broke a sweat and, working together, Artan with his angelic weapon (which he explained was a willful manifestation of his power) and Khris with a machete, were able to clear the path further and make traveling easier for the rest of them. Throughout the day Artan’s senses were on full alert for any signs of the demon, but by late afternoon he had started to relax a little.

  The path was clearer than it had been, so he fell to the back of the line where Elizabeth was making sure that no one fell behind. She had started out the day in the leathers that he had first seen her in, but with the heat of the day she had stripped the top layer so she was down to a black tank top and leather pants. In place of the machine gun, she had a pistol at her hip and back, and a knife on her thigh. Interested in her work, he wanted to find out more about it, “So what made you start doing this?” gesturing toward the children in front of them.

  She took a moment to consider before answering, “It’s a convoluted story. You see, my grandmother was also a mystic, but my mother was normal. She married my father, who had no clue about the supernatural world, and before she could tell him, she died giving birth to me. When my grandmother sensed that I had inherited the family’s abilities, she couldn’t convince my father, he thought she was crazy. When she finally pushed too hard, he refused to let her see me anymore.”

  “When my powers finally manifested, I had no clue what was going on. My father was fortunate that most of my abilities are either defensive or passive, and couldn’t do him any harm. Things didn’t work out so well for me. By the time he was done sending me to various doctors, we were both convinced that I was just bat nuts crazy. Between the doctors, the pills, and the surgeries, I was little more than a vegetable before I was fourteen, and my father left me in an institution.”

  “That was where my grandmother found me. She pulled me out, and was able to heal what they had done to my brain. After that, she taught me all she knew about how to control my abilities, and I was finally able to put my life back together.”

  “One day, I saw a kid in a department store talking to a ghost that was haunting the place. Next thing I know, his mother is grabbing him, telling him to stop talking to invisible friends. She had no idea that her son was a Ghost Whisper. I saw myself in him, knew where he would likely end up without someone to step in for him. Then I thought of how many kids and adults must be out there that have abilities like mine that are hospitalized or think they’re crazy, and I knew I wanted to do something about it. So, I talked to my grandmother.”

  “She’s almost in her nineties, but her mind is still sharp, and she’s greatly respected in the supernatural community. She helped me connect with the groups I needed and raise the funds to get started.”

  “At first I focused in the States. Started schools for gifted kids, and created a network of foster homes for children that I knew would be rejected by their parents just for being different. Worked on screening systems for children in the foster care system, tried to create safety nets where I could.” more than happy to talk about her work, and what she had accomplished. Since the supernatural community was so closed, it wasn’t as though there was anyone she could really talk to about what she was doing.

  “So, what brought you here?” Artan asked, curious.

  “I was working the foster care system when I started dealing with immigrant children. They would tell me stories of how they were treated here and it was horrifying.”

  “When I talked to my grandmother, we realized we didn’t have any contacts this far south, so I arranged for guides and instructors. It’s taken a long time and I‘ve seen things I hope to never see again, but finding children and getting them somewhere safe is what I do,” she finished explaining.

  Nodding in understanding, “I can see why Michael sent me to look after you. You are a protector.” The missing pieces were starting to fall into place.

  “Michael? As in Archangel Michael?” she questioned excitedly, as questions started circulating in her head.

  “Yes, he is my commander,” Artan admitted, afraid of what he may have started.

  More curious than ever, “So you’ve actually met him, I mean, talked face to face?”

  Artan shook his head, smiling at her exuberance, “No, he is far too important to speak to a
simple Ophanim like me. The Archangels are beings unto themselves. Just like your human Presidents, most people know they exist but rarely see them,” he explained.

  “Oh, I see. Do you spend a lot of time here on Earth?”

  “I would say so. My time on Earth is almost more extensive then my time in Heaven. But when you pass a certain number of years, time becomes… rather relative.” Artan answered, realizing for perhaps the first time, how much time has truly passed since his creation.

  “What kind of people have you protected? Anyone I would know of?” Liz was excited again at the thought that she was talking to someone who possibly knew someone famous.

  Artan shook his head, thinking of his past charges with fondness, “Probably not, but many of them were still interesting.”

  “Will you tell me about them?”

  He thought for a moment before one specifically came to mind, “It was the thirteen hundreds I believe. There was a girl, her name was Janet. I was sent to guard her from the age of eight. Not so young for a girl back then. I watched her grow into a beautiful woman and a gifted healer, but I could never see what it was she needed protection from until the Lord of the land came to the village.”

  “A Night Wish had been whispering in his ear of her beauty, and told him that if he wanted her she would willingly be his. What the demon really wanted was her out of the way so a Malady could sweep through the village. With her gone, there would be no healer to counteract its work.”

  “When the Lord came to the village to take her, he could not seem to understand that she did not want to go with him. But in the end, he was the Lord and got his way, sure that once they got to his manor she would grow to love him. But the more he tried to force it the more distant she became. Over time, as she failed to love him, he became more and more frustrated.”

  “Even though I was her guardian, this was not something I could protect her from. He was mortal, so I could only interfere if he became a threat to her life or soul.”

  “Soon after she was taken, illness came to the village. When word reached her, she begged her husband’s permission to go and heal them. But he was so afraid that she would use the opportunity to run, or worse take ill herself, that he refused. She grew angry, refused to talk to him, locked herself in her room, and would not eat. At first, he was furious, even tried to bring down her door. When he realized it would not open, he marched off in anger and went to his study. It was finally a situation where I could interfere. I turned on my Visage and went to him.”

  “Visage?” she interrupted.

  “It’s an outward reflection of our spirit. Every story you have ever heard about angels that tells of them appearing in a shower of light or as a glowing figure. We have found that it has a certain effect on mortals, especially in those days when the church wielded so much power,” Artan explained.

  “So how you look now isn’t how you really look?”

  “It is and it is not. There are parts of me that are contained within this body, but this body is still me,” he explained.

  “I see, please continue, what happened to them?”

  “I went to him and told him that he was keeping his wife from her purpose. That he would never find happiness by keeping her caged.” He remembered fondly the sweat that had rolled off the lord’s face at his appearance. “Once I was done, he allowed her to go to the village the next day. She was not able to save them all. It was nearly impossible in those days. But she saved more than would have been spared had she not been there.”

  “And what happened after?”

  “While she was healing, I hunted down the two demons involved and killed them. The Night Wishes influence on the lord began to fade. With its possessive poison gone, a true love began to emerge. They were already married and such things could not be undone. By the time she returned to the manor, they had both calmed enough that they were able to talk reasonably. Over time, respect was gained and before I was ordered to leave her, she was in a happy marriage,” Artan finished.

  “So, that was the point in protecting her, so she could save the village?” Elizabeth asked, though she thought there may have been more to it.

  “That was a bonus, you could say. No, I think the point was for her to save her husband. After I left, the land became prosperous under him and his line continued to rule for many generations,” Artan explained.

  “That’s a good story,” Elizabeth mused.

  Artan smiled, “Thank You.” Then he remembered the advice he had received the night before. “I have been informed that you also have access to substantial financial resources. Will you tell me about that?”

  Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, “Not much to tell. After my grandmother rescued me, I took the chance and approached my father, tried to explain to him what I had been through. He thought I'd reverted, tried to get me to go back on pills, but I knew the truth then and knew there was no pill or surgery that could help me.”

  “But he didn’t want to hear it. I was over eighteen so he couldn’t force me anymore, but that didn’t keep him from cutting me off. I had my own finances by that point, but he was convinced I was crazy, so he put my inheritance in a trust and the rest of his assets will go there in the event of his death. He’s made many investments and has done well for himself, his net worth is somewhere in the twenty-five to fifty million range. The trust takes care of my expenses in the States, so at least I don’t have to worry about my apartment when I’m out here, but otherwise I don’t have any access to it,” Liz said matter-of-factly, trying to make light of what was obviously a painful subject.

  “But that is something you could challenge in court, yes?” Artan asked. He was not well-versed in human financial law, but he had protected an investment banker once.

  She nodded her head, “I could, but my father is old and in poor health, I don’t want to put him through that. I have no need for it that can’t wait, and I always figured that if he died before me it would be easier to overturn if he’s not around to challenge me,” she admitted reluctantly, not liking the thought that her relationship with her father had come down to such thinking.

  “You may have that view, but the demon after you will not,” Artan revealed, “It will see the money as nothing more than another incentive to acquire you.”

  “Makes sense, I guess. I still have a hard time believing that some demon is after me.” she admitted with a nod of understanding.

  “I understand. Even for those in the supernatural world it is a hard to accept when you have become a target,” Artan tried to comfort her.

  “I think what worries me most, is that the kids might get hurt in the fighting. It’s so hard convincing them to come with me in the first place, they might run if it looks like there’s danger.”

  “Then you will have to make sure that they are out of the line of fire should we be attacked.” Artan advised, while hoping he’d found a way to keep Elizabeth out of the fight. She was a warrior and sitting on the side lines while others fought her battles wouldn’t sit well with her.

  “That’ll have to be the way of it. I suppose if you can’t defeat it, then my chances would be pretty slim,” Elizabeth mused.

  “In an equal one on one fight, you would likely fail. But as my charge, should you in anyway be confronted, you are expected to do anything you need to do to stay alive, which means all means of self-defense are open to you. If nothing else, should it get past me, it may be weak enough to even the playing field.” He didn’t want to undermine her confidence, but he wanted her to be prepared.

  “Sounds reasonable,” Elizabeth agreed, somewhat encouraged by Artan’s words.

  “And you have Khris as well.” Artan felt obligated to include, and a little curious as to how she regarded him.

  “That’s true. I don’t know how he’ll measure up to a demon, though. Khris is strong and I’ve seen him in a fight, but he is no demon or Angel.” Elizabeth responded candidly.

  Artan remained quiet at her assessment. It was clear
Khris had been hiding his true nature from Elizabeth and Artan didn’t know enough to reveal him. Nor did he know Elizabeth well enough to be sure she’d believe him if he did. Though why Khris had kept it from her was something he wondered about before stiffening and taking hold of her arm as his senses came alive.

  “Artan? What’s wrong?” Elizabeth asked, alarmed.

  “It is here. I can sense it,” Artan whispered, pulling Elizabeth up to the front of the line to Khris, who surprisingly had his gun out already, which moved him up a notch in Artan’s estimation. “It's here,” he told Khris, though it was clear he already knew.

  Khris nodded in understanding. “What do you want to do?”

  “Watch her, I am going to see what I can find.” Artan answered. Looking to Elizabeth, “Stay close, if you find yourself in danger, simply say my name and I will appear,” he informed her, before silently slipping into the brush.

  Hunched in the greenery, Nareste couldn’t believe his rotten luck. An Angel had already been dispatched to protect the woman. He couldn’t figure out what the man was, but his nose told him he was no human. The kids were a non-entity that he wasn’t concerned over. But he would still have to be careful. He knew his limitations, and trying to capture a woman while an Angel was on his heels wasn’t a battle he was willing to take on in his current state.

  Retreating for now, he started to make plans for how he would proceed.

  While waiting for Artan to return, Khris checked on an alarmed Liz, “It’ll be alright,” he reassured her. “I’m sure Heaven wouldn’t send an Angel who couldn’t do the job,” he admitted, grudgingly.

  Liz smiled in appreciation, “Thanks, I’m not really worried about me, though.” Images of what could happen to any of the kids started flashing through her head, and her imagination had plenty of material to draw from.