The Virtuous

Chapter Seventeen: Pancakes

I grinned and began twisting the straw in my orange juice.

"So, get on with it." Duncan sighed and leaned back in his side of the booth, folding his arms behind his head, and giving me that sarcastic smile that made me want to slap him.

"Get on with what?" I said confused, continuing to twirl the straw.

"Don't play games I know you have a ton of questions, so let's get started. No restrictions."

I blinked. The truth was, I did still have a lot of questions. However they weren't quite about angels. Not generally anyway.

"Anything I want to ask?"

"Yup, shoot."

I leaned back in my own seat and wrinkled my nose, trying to find a good one.

"Have you ever met God?"

Duncan shook his head and shrugged.

"Nope. Only the Arch's have."

"Well can you ever become an Arch?" I questioned.

"Angel's never die so they're assigned for their one occupation for all eternity."

"That must suck." I said genuinely and wondered what that must be like. Never getting to change your career or a job or even getting a promotion or being moved for a change of scenery. What a bland and boring life that must be.

Duncan just smiled.

"Don't worry; I'm compensated greatly for my troubles."

"Oh really? What compensation do you get?"

"Well I got to watch you grow up. I get to watch over you for the rest of eternity. Very few angels have ever actually had mortal contact unless they're assigned to."

I grinned then another question came to mind but I didn't have the guts to ask. Duncan could tell by my expression.

"If you don't ask me, I'll pick through your thoughts for it." Duncan warned with a teasing smile. However, I still felt it might be out of line for me to ask.

"Remember before...when you were telling Levi about your parents?... was that true?"

Duncan blinked, clearly he hadn't gauged this would be the question I chose to ask. He was quite for a moment and chewed on his lips before turning his eyes back to me seriously.

"When guardian angels are created we're sent to live on earth. Other angels stay and flourish in the kingdom but god prefers us to grow while experiencing mortal contact. We grow like normal children except for the obvious and we are treated as adopted children to other angels. I happened to belong with Leila and Gabriel. They were my parents as far as I was concerned. Yes, they did take a trip away from me and yes, my mother was murdered. However, I do know what happened to her." He explained and sipped his coffee before shrugging.

"Well...what happened?" I questioned, confused and entranced.

"Lilith sent her children for her. They usually prefer mortal children but I guess she figured Leila to pose a threat to her." Duncan shook his head in mourning. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see he was in absolute turmoil. He'd clearly loved the angel he thought was his mother. Had he felt that way for his adopted father, Gabriel? Suddenly as I rolled the name over in my mind a thought struck me.

"Wait a minute...Gabriel...you don't mean..."

"Yes, I do mean."

I felt my jaw drop in response. I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't just come out of his mouth.

"The Archangel Gabriel is for all intents and purposes, my adopted father."

I blinked, trying to process this.

"I don't understand...why didn't Lilith go after him? She had to have seen him as a much bigger threat."

"Oh she did, but Gabriel was too wise for her. He outsmarted her plan and tried to save my mother but...by time he escaped his own trap it was too late." Duncan explained and sipped coffee quietly.

I knew now that I was venturing into unknown territory that Duncan probably didn't want me knowing just yet. Instead, I changed topics.

"Okay...so these Lilith's children...what're they?"

Duncan coughed as the waitress set down our plates of pancakes and walked off. He poured a river of syrup onto his short stack of chocolate chip before going on.

"Lilith's children are the sons and daughters of Lilith and Lucifer. The three highest ranking ones are Seth, Samuel and Mackenzie. They hold more power than you can imagine."

"More than me?" I questioned wearily afraid of his answer.

He shook his head though and my pulse slowed.

"No if one of them is fighting alone their power can't match yours. If all three of them fought together, it's a possibility but that would never happen. All three of them hate each other and their mother only ever sends them to hunt alone. Even she knows better than to send them as a group."

"So, you think she'll be sending them for me?"

"I don't think I know, however you're learning fast so when the time comes to be worried about an attack from them, we'll be ready."

I nodded, believing him and calming myself down.

I nibbled at my pancakes wondering about Lilith's children. What did they look like? Why did they hate each other? Did their mother and father even love them?

Who could say, I only knew for now what I needed to be worried about.

I stretched and yawned as Duncan grinned, finishing off his breakfast and paying the bill.

"So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, I need to go Christmas shopping. I figured you could come with me." He explained as I remembered Christmas was a mere week away and I hadn't put a single thought into gifts. I'd gotten one or two things for my mom, dad and Tara throughout the year as well as something small for Levi but now I would need to get something for Duncan. What kind of Christmas gift do you buy an angel?

"Who're you buying gifts for?" I asked curiously and he grinned.

"Hayden, Colby, something small for Tara and London. You, of course. I will see you on Christmas, won't I?"

I suddenly turned beet red and coughed, looking at the wall to avoid looking at Duncan.

"Yes well about that uhm...I actually wanted to know if you wanted to err...come home with me to my mom's for Christmas..."

It was stony silent but I still couldn't meet his stare so instead, I continued to babble.

"I mean, I know we haven't been together long and this is a big leap but I mean...you've kept an eye on me forever so it's nothing you can't handle I'm sure and if I didn't bring someone back, my mother would have a cow-"

Suddenly as we stood in the Ihop parking lot, Duncan ceased my senseless chatter as he kissed me for the very first time.

I fell silent with shock and couldn't believe it at first, as the discharge of complete energy wove throughout my body. However it only took another moment before I fell under the blissful spell of his lips. I didn't even know how to describe the complete emotion radiating from the feeling of this kiss, all I knew was that I was in shock. It was electrifying, calming, rejuvenating, exciting all within a matter of seconds. When he finally pulled away I felt as though I were gasping for breath and stood still as stone, waiting for my dizziness to subside.

Duncan's face though was lit up with joyous delight, as though he'd just won the million dollar lottery.

"Naomi, I would love to go with you to your moms."

I grinned and threw my arms around him in a hug.