Immolation Ex: The Knower (COMPLETED)

Chapter XLVI

"Cherubum?" Dustyn inquired with a chuckle. He set the plastic fork and his bowl of cole slaw down on the table to examine the huge biker more thoroughly. "Like the little Valentine's day angel things? Really?"

"I hate that condescending ridiculousness more than you could imagine! But, you go on and laugh, young man. King or not, I will whup your ass all proper-like. You need to show some respect. The Cherubum have watched over this planet long before you and your team showed up...we just got stuck here in Fort Smith because of those damn Myriads and this magic roach motel or we'd be out there fightin' the good fight with you!" the mountainous leather-clad man said angrily, looming over the much smaller Dustyn. The giant's ears were glowing red and his breath was heavy.

Dante quickly stood between the two Original Souls and glared at Dustyn. "Alright, that's enough! You just don't understand the Cherubums' importance to humanity, Dustyn! They are the elite of the Original Souls and the protectors of the Gate."

"Gate?" Dustyn asked.

"A story for another time," Dante replied sternly.

Dustyn blinked and then retrieved the bowl of cole slaw from the table. With a shrug of his shoulders, he took a bite. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry, you guys, I was just pickin'. Didn't mean to offend anyone," he said between chews, eyes still affixed on the threateningly large biker.

"Yeah, sorry, Dante," added the man, glaring down his nose at Dustyn.

Dustyn stood, tossed the empty styrofoam bowl into a garbage can, and reluctantly strode over to the biker. He brushed his hands on his jeans, extended a hand out in front of him, and generated a smile. "Honestly, I didn't mean to be rude. Let's try this again...name's Dustyn."

"Right...well, hello, Dustyn, I'm Shiloh...co-leader of the Cherubum aka the Westtown Watchers."

Dustyn looked out of the restaurant's window, noting the sun was going down. He spotted a lone motorcycle parked outside on the sidewalk and pointed a finger in its direction. "...is that one yours?"

"Yeah, she sure is. You ride?" Shiloh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope."

"Ah. Didn't think so..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dustyn asked with a returned annoyance in his voice.

Dante grumbled a few choice curse words under his breath and prepared himself to intervene once more if things got out of control. He wiped his hands on a kitchen rag, ready to break up any impending skirmish.

Shiloh let out a laugh. "Now, we're even, King David!"

Dustyn paused and then joined in the laughter. "Yeah, alright...we're even, co-leader of the Cherubum."

Dante exhaled. "You all want a beer?" the Watcher asked, relieved the mood in the room had changed.

"Hell yeah!" Dustyn replied.

"Verne, what about you?" Shiloh shouted toward the back of the restaurant. "Wanna beer?"

"Sure, grab me one, sweetie!" Verne replied, emerging from the storage room.

Dustyn's eyebrows narrowed in confusion. "Sweetie? That's an odd nickname for someone as masculine as ol' Shiloh there, ain't it?"

Verne, Shiloh, and Dante all burst out in laughter.

"What?" Dustyn asked in confusion.

"I'm sorry, hon...you didn't know? Doesn't surprise me much, Verne didn't tell you. That man, he's such a dick sometimes. My hubby likes to watch the new demons squirm, don't you asshole?"

Verne produced a lop-sided grin and wiped the tears from his eyes. "What can I say?" the biker replied with a shrug of his large shoulders.

"Verne and I were married several centuries ago...and many times since," Shiloh said, kissing Verne on the cheek.

"According to Dante, we have both been running into each other for centuries," Verne interjected. "It seems no matter what form we took or whatever location my wife and I were reincarnated into, we would eventually find each other. Heh, it seems Shiloh just can't get enough of me."

"Right. Here you go, honey," the huge biker said, forcefully removing the top from a beer bottle and setting it down in from of Verne. "But, I think it's the other way around."

Verne smiled at Shiloh and glanced over at Dustyn. "And then, we were picked up by Gadreel right after that car wreck...when was it? The sixties or the seventies? The sixties, I think."

"Yeah, I think you're right, sweets. Anyways, he offered us a chance to stay together here on Earth once he found out we were Original Souls...and both Cherubum," Shiloh added. "Well, the pickings in the morgue were slim at the time, but we didn't care. All that mattered was me and Verne were together again, two manly bikers in love making the whole world nervous. The seventies and the eighties were one helluva ride."

Verne lifted Shiloh's large hand and kissed it. "Yep, that it definitely was."

Dustyn shook his head. "So, your love managed to cut through even Holok's mind wipes? Damn, that's strong."

Verne shrugged. "...'suppose so."

"Dante! Dante! Come quick!" shouted a young woman in a leather vest marked with the motorcycle club's patch. She stood panting in the restaurant's door with her hand on the doorframe.

Dante shot from behind the bar and jogged over to the woman. "What is it? What's going on, Virginia?"

"The Myriads...they're here!"