Chapter Thirty

Angel sat in her library curled up in an oversized chair holding a very old book close to her chest. When she'd come into the room it was the first thing her eyes landed on, almost as if it was calling to her. She knew that it would have all her answers, and for some reason that scared her. She didn't know if she wanted to know what was on its pages. Her life had always made sense until now. Birth, childhood, adulthood, old age, death were all planned out nicely in a convenient package that matched everyone else around her. She wasn't any different from anyone else in her life. She'd been born of a man and a woman, she'd had to learn how to walk and talk just like everyone else, and if she wanted something she had to work hard to get it. She got sick, she broke bones, and if someone hit her she bruised. Yet suddenly it became aware to her that she wasn't like everyone else.

Birth, life, and death while all would happen would not in the normal course of years like everyone else's. While she may have been born of a man and a woman, she wasn't sure that they had been responsible for her conception. She had a growing feeling that while she did have to learn to walk and talk like everyone else, those were not the only things she was to have learned as a child. And as for working to get something… she was fairly certain that if she wanted something, at least something inanimate all she had to do was think about it in the correct manner and suddenly it would appear. She may get sick, but it would never be anything more than a cold or upset stomach. She had this knowledge that mortal illnesses could not kill her. She might break bones and get bruises, but knew that there were people that could heal her without knowing who they were. She knew that while she may appear to be like the people around her, she in truth had very little in common with them. After all how many people had a man assigned to protect them even before their birth.

Looking down she laid the book flat across her legs running a hand over the worn leather of its cover as she heard a knock on the door. "Come in Dave." She called softly not looking up to see if he entered or not andpatted the cushion next to her. "Sit please."

When Dave sat down next to her, Angel turned her eyes up to him and smiled at the calmness she saw there. Sometimes he reminded her very much of her Devil Man. "What do you know about evil, Dave?" She asked quietly waiting for some indication of shock or surprise, but only got a calm shrug. "Probably more than most people I know, but not as much as O'Haire." Angel nodded then turned her eyes back to the book in her lap. "What would you say if I said that I don't think Sean and I are mortal beings." As she was looking at the book, Angel didn't see the twitch of Dave's lips as he tried not to laugh at her. "I would say… umm… Duh?"

Angel blushed slightly then looked up to see Dave's eyes twinkling at her. "Are you mortal Dave?" Dave's chin lifted slightly and an arrogant smile formed on his lips as he watched her. "You tell me," he challenged and Angel bit her lip uncertainly. Not sure what to do, Angel took a deep breath and tried to clear the chaos of thoughts roaming around in her head. She found herself staring into Dave's eyes and felt as if she were being sucked into some kind of a tunnel. Unsure she almost broke her connection with the man, when she heard Sean whispering to her in her head. "I won't let the devil hurt you."

The words were like a safety blanket she carried around as a child and her apprehension melted away allowing her to proceed. Now calm she realized that the brown eyes she had gazed into had turned yellow, the teeth had become jagged, and the hand holding hers felt… almost animal like in nature with sharp claws. This was no mortal man, and yet she knew he was no threat to her. He like Sean would never do anything but protect her and try and guide her along her true path.

As she was about to break her connection and give the man his answer she felt something cold pass over her and could not contain her shiver. This… whatever this was had no good intentions she knew instinctively. She could hear Sean calling to her, could feel Dave trying to reach her, but found herself curiously drawn to the cold and found herself looking around for it. "You don't stand a chance against me," she heard a voice say and putting her arms around herself shivered again wondering why she could no longer hear Sean. "Who are you?" She called and the evil chuckle that came in response made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. "Don't you know? You ordered me gone. As I recall you claimed that no one wanted my presence."

Turning quickly she finally found a pair of red eyes peering out at her from a darkened corner. "We don't," she said lifting her chin and yet the voice just laughed. "You aren't so brave without your warrior are you? He's foolish. He should have never let you wander so far without him. I could kill you now if I wanted to."

Frowning Angel cocked her head to one side studying the red eyes. "Then why don't you? I mean that is your goal here right? That is what you were put on this earth to do… kill me? Why haven't you done it? You could do it right now. As you pointed out, I am helpless. I don't have Sean or Dave. I don't understand my powers and have no way to protect myself. Kill me."

Suddenly the air around her became thick and hard to breath. She could feel the beings displeasure, but for some reason she remained calm. Something inside of her told her to trust in herself. She didn't know how she knew, but she did… this being did not want to harm her. "You don't have to you know," she said simply and suddenly the cold turned to blazing heat and yet she remained unafraid. "You know nothing! I let you live purely for my own amusement!" It insisted, but Angel shook her head slowly. "No, that may have been it at one time, but it isn't now."

Angel heard a faint noise and listening carefully recognized it as Sean. "He's coming for me." She said looking at the eyes again. "And you're wrong. I know a lot of things. I may not know why I know them but I do. You may have been created to hurt me, to kill me, to destroy all that I care about, but… you don't want to. You have a will of your own you know." The being grunted and hissed as the eyes moved from side to side as if it were shaking its head. "You know nothing," it repeated. Angel smiled softly and took a step forward holding out her hand. Concentrating she made an object appear on her hand. A symbol she'd drawn as a child made of gold hanging on a black chain. "Take it. It is yours." She said simply and felt the being's confusion. "It will protect you when you decide. It will bring you to me no matter where I am."

The being hissed and the air changed again as electricity crackled all around her. "You are a fool to offer me such things. Your precious Devil Man won't like this." Angel nodded slowly knowing very well that he was telling the truth. "I am aware of that, but take it nonetheless. You are my friend, and I will not allow you to be left without protection."

The being gasped and she felt its protective shield keeping her from seeing into its mind slip, but carefully she remained as she was refusing to push her way in. "Take it. I made it for you." A paw reached out carefully as if awaiting some trap. "You don't even know who I am. You're a fool. I will be able to get you at any time."

Angel smiled softly and stepped forward again tying the cloth around the demon's wrist. "You could, but you won't." Lifting the hand to her lips she placed a kiss on its palm then held it between her much smaller hands. "You have a will of your own. Use it. Come to me when you are ready and I will protect you."

Suddenly things changed again and it took her a moment to realize that she was laying on her couch with Dave and Sean screaming at each other as Scott held her head in his lap looking at them as if they had lost their mind. "Would you two please shut the fuck up?" She asked moaning softly as she sat up. "I have a headache." Sean and Dave stopped mid-argument and looked at her as if she had lost her mind. She felt arms wrap around her tightly, not immediately realizing it was Shannon as she was too wrapped up at the moisture on the back of her left hand. It was the hand that had been on top of the demon's in her… vision. It was then that she realized what it had been doing before sending her back. It had been crying.

Read chapter Thirty One of ?? of Monster in the Shadows