Part 24 (1/2)
”Why did he only send twenty of them? There were about a hundred out there!”
”He is not stupid. He needed to a.s.sess the situation, find out if there was one here that could challenge him. Seeing that his army hasn't returned yet, he believes an Archangel is in here.”
”That is great news! He'll leave us alone then!” I cry out happily.
”No,” The quiet voice squashes my new found hope. When does it end? ”He will draw us out.”
”How?”
”I am not sure. But if I was him, I'd start by using the rest of the Divine Army to harm the humans. He knows that according to the laws pa.s.sed by the Heavenly a.s.sembly, no divine Angel should stand by and let the humans be harmed by otherworldly beings. Any angel would be drawn out to challenge them. Especially guardians, whose primary role is to protect mankind.”
”Would I also?” I ask, slightly embarra.s.sed because I do not see how I could possibly walk out from a perfectly safe place to go and fight a battle I know I'll lose in the very first second.
Penuel smiles knowingly before answering.
”That is where his brilliant plan falters, Caroline. I've never been gladder for a human than I am for you right this moment. You'll stay right in here, and he could wait out there for all eternity.” I do not miss the but coming my way.
”We however, will be drawn out.” The flash of fear must have been evident in my eyes for they both give me a tight hug that very moment.
”But...” I choke. ”But how will I hold the s.h.i.+eld if your Essence is snuffed like the others'?”
”Caroline, you don't need us to hold the s.h.i.+eld. You just need the Essence of any heavenly being stupid enough to come close. Whatever army they send in will become your army. So their hands are tied.”
Apprehension clutches at my heart. This feels like a lifelong battle. Am I ready to spend eternity imprisoned in here? At least I'll get to see my parents as our new house is within the s.h.i.+eld. But of course I should never be as silly as to make them a target, should I be discovered as the mysterious Archangel.
I look up in time to see the dark shadow that crosses over the beautiful faces of the two watcher brothers.
”Princess, we have to go,” Araqiel says with regret, and Penuel confirms her statement with a nod. I nod back as tears slip down my face.
”Don't cry, dear. Don't cry for us,” she says to me softly, tilting my face upwards. ”Be strong instead. Do not let the fallen get a hold of you at any cost. Do not let them win in changing the course of mankind's fate.”
I squeeze back my tears at her pep talk and steel my face ready for battle. She kisses me lightly on my cheek before flying out of sight.
”You are the best one-day girlfriend I have ever had,” Penuel says quietly, drawing a soft laugh from me despite myself.
He walks over to me and kisses me on my lips. Not the soft sisterly kiss he'd given me this morning, rather a pa.s.sionate kiss that wakes me inside and sends electricity pulsing through me, stroking me alive. He gently prods my mouth open, and I melt against him as our tongues meet. I claw at him to come closer, molding my body against his.
”Archangel?” I think I hear him whisper against my lips.
”Who?” I ask puzzled, my thoughts disheveled by his mind blowing kiss. But I must have been mistaken, for he moves to silence me with yet another heady kiss. He then suddenly pulls back while chuckling.
”You're a little pocket of fire, huh!” He says in his gentle tone that I have come to love. ”Now if you die tonight, you can say you have been pa.s.sionately kissed,” he finishes off with a wink, before materializing into the dark night sky.
I love these random kisses I keep getting from these hot angels.
Anyone else want to teach me something new? Bring it on heavenly creatures! I think this to myself before starting when I realize there is still an army of twenty robot angels staring at me.
Maybe I should ask them to kiss each other, I chuckle to myself bitterly.
”At ease angels!” I say to them, but nothing happens. ”At ease Divine Army?” I say again unsure. Once again, nothing happens.
”Who is your leader?” I attempt again, one of the soldiers in the middle of the front line steps up.
”Our leader is outside the s.h.i.+eld with the others, but in case of such a situation, I am the leader of this group,” he says in his angelic tongue.
”Where do your allegiance lie?”
”With you, Archangel.”
Maybe, I think to myself, this is not a good time to correct them of their misgivings.
”If I were to lead you out of this s.h.i.+eld to fight with me, would you follow me or Abaddon.”
”Archangel Abaddon,” comes the straight to the point answer.
”But why?”
”We sense that you are the weaker Archangel.”
Great! Don't we just love their bland honesty!
”Then... we'll all stay within the s.h.i.+eld,” I say.
”It is the smart thing to do, Archangel.” Is he patronizing me, or am I just overreacting? He talks as though he is not glad to be under my command. They are an army, so I understand they want a strong leader. One that can lead them to battle and not just hide them in some Garden of Eden. Hadn't Penuel said they were some kind of warmongers? A thought crosses my mind.
”Do not harm or kill any sons of man while under my rule.”
”Aye, Archangel,” he confirms.
”Are you tired? You can relax, rest...” I let off for they all stare at me in disgust as though I have just insulted them in the worst possible way.
”Or not.” I manage to say shrugging nervously. I make my way tentatively to the bench on my far right, and sit myself down. The army flies over, following me patiently in my slow human speed. They then stand still as statues before me and keep staring at me.
Unsettling! I pick out my phone tentatively and dial my father.
”Hi princess,” he croaks up, sounding to have been deep asleep. I should have checked the time first.
”Hi dad, sorry for waking you up.”
”It is ok, are you having a good time at the party?”
”I am, dad.” Yeah, a great time! ”I just wanted to let you know that I will stay here all night, and probably tomorrow too, if it is okay with you.”
”It is alright with me, just as long as you are doing okay.”