Devils and Angels

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

My heart pounded in my chest, the pain of it making each breath agony.

She was gone. My girl, my Eve. Gone forever.

I knelt in the sand and curled up, my hands gripping my hair like a lifeline, my wings folded tightly against my back, eyes squeezed shut.

The daughter of Satan, Lucifer, the enemy of my kind. At first I couldn't believe it, but her eyes, the fire that burned in her hands.

"They are my brothers!" She had shouted and I moaned at the painful memory.

This was why we were warned never to fall for our charges. It wasn't that our charges were in more danger. It was that losing them cause this pain.

Death was surely better than this Hell.

Gathering what little will I had left, I stood. If you had looked upon me you would have seen my halo and wings dim, my frame deflated and my head bowed. I stuck my hands in my pockets and walked off the beach stepping through the veil and finding myself in Heaven, but the place held no joy or peace for me.

"Angelo!" A familiar voice called.

I looked up in surprise to see Katelyn and Adam flying toward me, alive, in once piece and happy.

Much different from how I felt.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as the landed. "I was told you had gone to fight in Ether."

"They sent us back." Adam said with a smirk. "Told us we were terrible soldiers and not fit for the field of battle."

Katelyn whacked his arm. "Don't be funny, Adam." She sighed and looked to me. "The veil is ripping and soon daemons will be among the humans, they've sent back all of the guardian angels to protect their charges."

My chest constricted and it became hard to breathe.

"How is Eve?" Adam asked.

"Angelo, are you okay?" Katelyn asked. "You're eyes are grey again."

A soft moan came from me as I sank to my knees, head in my hands. "No." I said, my voice choked with tears. "Nothing is okay, everything is in ruin."

"Angelo, what are you talking about?" Katelyn demanded.

I looked up at my friends. "It's Eve."

"Nothing happened to her, right?" Adam asked.

I shook my head miserably. "I...I found out who she is."

Katelyn smiled. "Well that's great! Who is she?"

I swallowed thickly. "Evelyn Ashburn, the Phoenixborn, Princess of fire, and the Sixth Daughter of Satan."

There was silence for a moment before Katelyn started laughing. "That's a joke right?" Her face fell. "Angelo?"

"It's not a joke," I said, my voice flat. "And that's not even the worst part."

"How could that get worse?" Adam asked.

"I'm in love with her."

"Angelo you know that's forbidden!" Katelyn scolded.

"I know." I said, standing. "But it's okay, I will never see her again."

"Where are you going?" Adam asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know, I just...need time to think for a few days. Maybe hang around in Alaska for a bit."

"Oh Angelo!" Katelyn threw her arms around me. "It's going to be okay, I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"What do you mean 'happened' to him?" Adam demanded. "Angelo made the choice to fall in love with Eve, sure the daughter of satan bit is bad, but he could have delt with that. Just like he could have avoided falling for his charge."

Katelyn whirled on him, her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean he made the choice? You don't choose who you fall in love with, Adam. I should know."

Adam scoffed. "How would you know anything about love?"

"Because I've been in love with you for almost two hundred years!" Katelyn gasped and covered her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.

Adam just stared at her. "What did you say?"

"I-I-I-I..." Katelyn stammered.

Adam walked toward her and took her hands. "I love you too Katelyn." He said softly and kissed her.

Katelyn kissed back and as I watched, a sharp dagger twisted and cut its way through my stomach and caused a kind of pain I just wanted to get away from. I turned away.

"Angelo, wait!" I heard Katelyn cry. "I'm sorry. We didn't-"

"I know." I said. "See you later amigos." And I stepped through the veil.

My glamour was up, I was flying high in the sky above the North American plains. Going as fast as I could in hopes that I could escape the pain that raged through me like the fires of Hell.

But there was no escaping this Hell. Not unless I went to Hell myself.

Irony está una puta.