______________________________

Elijah dragged me and Jayden down the tunnel.

I blinked a few times and shook my head to wake myself up. I didn't know what time it was or how long I'd been asleep but the next thing I knew, Grigori was pulling Jay and I up and pushing us through the exit. Eli had already warned me if I ran or tried to call anyone, he'd kill him. 

We walked up an amount of stone steps and down another tunnel. Soon enough, a bright light came into my line of vision. I squinted as we stepped outside. It was a huge circular opening that was probably covered by a rock... Or a boulder.

The sun was midway through the sky. Oh god it's halfway through the day. What will Gabriel do when I don't come home tonight? Hell will break loose tomorrow I know it.

Eli took an exaggerated deep breath. "What a beautiful day. And look! The snow is melting." 

"I wonder why." Grigori muttered and nudged me; I growled. I glanced at Jay. His body was slumping, his legs were shaking, his face was pale and his eyes were drooping. He wasn't fit to come outside. He wasn't fit to walk at all. I sighed. This is my fault. 

Eli tutted. "Control your strength, my dear. The only reason I'm letting you have an ounce of your power is because I need you to have it for what we're about to do. Or should I say what you're about to do."

They led us through the trees, Grigori occasionally nudging me or pushing me because I kept clearing the path of any snow. 

I could catch a few stray thoughts from Jay worrying about himself and me and what his parents were thinking. We stopped off at a river and they let us do our business. I had to pee in a friggin' ditch. A ditch! How horrible!

We stopped in a small clearing and I paused. 

A black haired man was slumped on the ground. His black wings were unmoving spread out around him as if they were paralyzed. He didn't look up as we entered and his body didn't react. 

Jayden gasped. 

I glanced at him. His eyes were wide and his mouth was squeezed to a thin line. I'd almost forgotten he'd only just found out what we were. Well, if he didn't believe me yesterday, then I'm sure he believes me now.

I felt sorry for him this morning. I was in absolute pain and he was helpless. He didn't know what to do. This morning, my back was worse than it has ever been. The loud cracks were deafening and were making Jayden cringe. My hearing was even more sensitive than before. Everything sounded sharp. My footsteps were like walking across gravel, the birds sounded like they were next to me... It was new and bizarre.

We started walking cautiously toward the man and the closer we got the less prominent I felt of his energy. Like he was slowly draining... He finally moved. His head slowly lifted. I glanced down at his hands and noticed they were chained in old fashioned looking cuffs. He was in a pair of battered old ripped jeans.

His extremely grey eyes moved over from Eli to Grigori. He looked at Jay for a minute and scoffed but then his eyes landed on me.

They widened and his wings suddenly came alive. 

"Lonsa. The Goddess of Power." He said in a very strong Enochian voice. 

His wings cracked and clicked into his back. He stood up despite the horrible chains on his hands and feet. But then he crouched down on one knee, bowed his head and arched his back foward.

He was bowing to me.

"Oh please don't," I said.

"He doesn't speak a word of English, Alexis." Eli said. "Speak your first language."

I cleared my throat. "Don't bow for me." I said in Enochian.

"What is she saying?" Jay said to someone. I wasn't paying attention though. 

The man in front collapsed back onto his bottom. "Why not? You're a God. You deserved to be worshipped--"

"Please stop." I mumbled.

Eli chuckled and started pushing me closer. He kept his hand on my arm as we towered over him. 

"This angel here used to be a Pure. Until he was strayed away from his path," He began in Enochian. Grigori started translating everything Eli was saying to Jayden. "It happens to the best of you. Angel's becoming Demon's happen often. Demon's can never ever revert back to a Pure it's physically impossible."

"I don't believe that," He said. "I believe there is a way--"

"Don't interrupt, it's rude." Elijah said. "Anyway; this Demon here has broken over 100 laws since the 13th century. He's been wanted all over our world and if he's caught its immediate death." Eli chuckled. "I have a simple task for you, Alexis." 

My jaw clenched.

"Kill him."

"No." I said immediately.

"Or, Jayden dies. It's simple really. You have options of ways to kill him. You use your enormous amount of power," He pulled out a knife. "You use this or, you make his life easier and kill him quick and painlessly. I suggest you don't do the last one. It doesn't help toward my plan."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I don't even know how to do it like that."

Eli clapped his hands together with joy. "Oh that's good then! The knife or fire. Your choice."

The man didn't contribute to this at all. He just stared at the ground. 

"What is your name?" I said to him.

"Charlie." He glanced up at me. 

"How do you feel toward this?"

I chuckled. "I'd rather die by your hand than by those heartless guards or the Elders. It'd be an honor."

"See?" Eli said. "It'd be an honor!" His grey eyes suddenly turned dark and evil. "Now get on with it. Choose a method and do it quickly or slowly. I'm only here to influence your decision. Not what you do."

"Wait." I whispered in English. "I don't know if I can do this."

Eli turned me to face him. "This man is supposed to die. He either dies with us, or he gets caught by the guards and killed. You choose. You're doing him a favor."

"What does this do for me?" I asked.

A sly smile plastered on his face as he rubbed my arm. "You'll see."

I turned my attention to Jayden who was staring wide eyed at us. "Alex, don't do it."

I frowned. "I have to."

"You have a choice, Alex. You don't have to do this."

A cold and horrible feeling of realization passed through me. "Yes. I do. You're not going to die because of me."

"It's my life or his! It makes no difference." He yelled as best as he could.

Eli walked up to Jay and grabbed his face. I stepped forward to stop him but Grigori stopped me. "This man here," He pointed Jay's face in Charlie's direction. "Is no man. He is a selfish Demon. An impure soul. He is going to die no matter what. He is going to be caught either way. So Lonny is doing him a favor by killing him."

He let go and stood next to me again. "Take your time."

I looked down at the helpless demon. There was something about him... Something telling me that this demon was no demon. Like whoever strayed him from his path didn't make him entirely impure. From what I saw of his wings they were grey not black. He could still have a Pure bone in his body.

"I'd like to do something." I said to Eli.

I bent down to my knees and took the man's face in my hands. I lifted his face to look me in the eye. His gry eyes were sad; empty. Like they had no hope left in the world. Something inside of me took over. A sympathetic side. But I could see that, that wasn't the side Eli wanted for me to unlock.

"Charlie, do you mind if I...?"

A soft smile planted on his face. "It'd be an honor if you did."

I smiled and moved my hands further up his head. I shut my eyes but felt restricted so I scowled at turned to Eli. "Let me have my power."

He bowed with a smirk. "As you wish."

I could slowly feel my usual amount of power build up inside me but then a dose of unfamiliar power filled me. I shivered at the feeling and went back to concentrating on Charlie. I opened his mind and went through his memories.

I went through his most recent memories which were kind of blurred but filled with running and flying and hiding. All he did was hide. A woman popped into his mind. Beautiful memories of them both walking through the Angelic world or through earth were happy. But then she was taken. Not killed but taken. If I concentrated enough I could still feel her energy. The distance between us was very, very far and I wasn't sure whether Charlie knew if she was still alive.

I searched deeper and found when he was first corrupted... He was human. Blonde hair, brown eyes the year 1265. A demon tempted him to murder the king, he did, end of story. He ended up hung a couple of days later.

This man was loved. He was a Duke in his time. But he went off the rail during his first thousand years because of eternal damnation and the fact that he was a Demon and not an Angel.

He didn't deserve a brutal death. But I didn't know how to do it. I didn't...

Wait...

The beauty of manipulation is you can manipulate emotions. Manipulate how someone feels. I could make him feel nothing... make him feel no pain at all. Make it peaceful.

I opened my eyes and so did he. I rested my cheek against his and whispered, "You won't feel a thing," In his ear.

He nodded slowly.

I let every ounce of my power wash onto him. His body soon relaxed and a smile was on his face. I ripped off his hand cuffs and threw them to the side.

I took the knife out of Eli's hand and glanced down at it. Sharp. Dangerous. Something my mother would tell me to stay away from.

I wrapped one of my arms around Charlie. My lip quivered as the silent tears rolled down my cheeks. "Charlie? Do you believe your wife is dead?"

He nodded against my cheek. I could feel every part of his emotion because I was so connected to him. I made sure he was numb.

"Well, she's not." I mumbled. "She's alive and well. And I can assure her freedom, I promise you that."

His arms wrapped around me and squeezed. "Thank you Lonny. Thank you so much."

I closed my eyes, gripped the knife, and pressed it lightly to where I could hear his heart beating.
"Your welcome."

I gasped as I pushed the knife through hard flesh.

I could feel the pain he was supposed to feel and it was terrible. His arms immediately went limp at my sides and his last breath was slow and relaxed.

I let his body lie on the ground carefully and removed the knife.

I could feel his soul moving through this world into another. He was at peace. Now that he knew about his wife being safe he felt better. It was clear.

I shivered as my power surged through my veins. There are many ways to contact an Elder and sending thoughts through to them is one way.

They could feel me contacting them.

I had to reassure them I was safe. They've been watching. Elijah isn't as strong as he said he was but he's been able to hide our location.

Contacting the Elder's felt familiar and relaxing. From my past life, they reminded me of a family. We had our arguments and we've has our agreements. I told them that Charlie is gone and his wife can be released. I sent the message in few words. They sent back an encouraging jolt telling me to stay strong and the wife has been released.

I stood up and threw the knife back to Eli with full force. He caught it with ease and chuckled. "Step one almost complete. However it wasn't how I wanted it. But it was a start." He pulled out a cloth and wiped the knife clean. "Grigori burn the body. Unless, Alex, you'd like to do it?"

I growled.

"I guess not."

I suddenly felt my energy draining from my body and I sighed. I was powerless again. I had nothing. The silent tears were still rolling down my cheeks. How could I do it? And so easily as well? I'm a monster, I thought.

A horrible demon.

"Come along Alex, back to the cave." Eli said casually.

Jay was staring at me with an even paler face and a clenched jaw. He hated me. It was to save him. It had to be done.

We all, but Grigori, walked back to the cave. Elijah told me to wait outside while he put Jay down. I stared down at the ground blankly as he walked in. It kept replaying over and over. The knife... the feeling of the knife going inside the flesh. I shuddered.

Eli came back out and smiled at me. "Let's take a walk."

He led me around the wood and we unexpectedly came to a stop o a cliff.

"How do feel?" He asked me.

I stared out over the woods. It wasn't too high but neither was it any closer to the ground. If a human jumped off this cliff they'd die.

"I'm not sure..." I mumbled.

I was confused... I mean, did I do a good thing? Or a bad thing?

"Think about what happened back there. What you did." He brought his hands to my arms and squeezed. "You killed someone, Alexis."

I shook my head. "No..."

"Get angry."

"No." I whispered again.

He shook me a little. "Alexis get angry."

"I don't want to be here." I said.

"Get fucking angry," He stepped forward so there was no space between us. "Unleash that anger you're building up inside you I can feel it."

I clenched my jaw.

He shook me again and this time I tried to hit him but he grabbed my arm and held it behind my back. "Come on, Alex, show me what you got."

"I'm not falling for your tricks." I stared into his piercing grey eyes. "Now get off me."

"I can feel your anger, now I want to see it. I've seen it before back at school when you were human now I want to see it in your true form. Get angry!" He yelled in my face.

Despite my best efforts, I was getting angry. A weird anger I've never felt before. A funny anger.

"No."

His lips suddenly crashed onto mine and I gasped. His mouth forced mine open and his tongue swept in. I tried struggling but his hands were holding mine behind my back and I couldn't do anything.

I was defenceless. And that funny sort of anger was filling to the brim.

The energy he was keeping from me returned all at once. I bit his bottom lip and he stumbled back.

I ignited the flame inside me and screamed out.

"You bit me." He chuckled and touched his lip.

I threw flames at him but he dodged them without even trying. I yelled in frustration. That red haze was filling my vision. The one Joseph told me not to give in to. The one I gave in to once before which ended in disaster. I let it overwhelm me and the flames swirled around me. The laugh that filled my ears was my own but I didn't recognize it. It was like a cackle of power... I was powerful. And that fact made me smile wider.

"Yes! That's what I wanted!" Elijah shouted with happiness.

His voice brought me back to reality.

I shut my eyes and dropped to my knees. I needed to stay strong. Don't turn into the Demon they want me to be.

The red glaze across my eyes disappeared and I opened my eyes. Elijah's black wings were flapping over the cliff quite a distance away. He had a satisfied grin on his face except there was a small cut on his lip. I looked around. Half of the wood around me was now either on fire or burnt. The trees were broken in half and ruined. The floor was covered in ash. 

My clothes were ripped and singed. Gabriel's old blue shirt was burnt and my black tank top was torn at the stomach revealing my skin. My jeans were now cut offs and my black chucks were non existent.

Eli flew back down beside me and grunted as wings cracked and moved into his back. I stared up at him and watched the pleased smile on his face turn into a full out chuckle. "Now, step one is complete." He paced in front of me. "You're Final Stage is nearing meaning you're getting stronger every single day. Today we've accomplished what I was aiming for. I need you to unleash that anger whenever you feel it, Alex. Don't hold it in like you always do, let it out. Otherwise something like this," He pointed around the burnt wood. "Will happen again."

He took away my power again.

I stood up slowly and ran a hand through my hair.

He touched his lip and wiped away the blood. The cut that was there a moment ago had now disappeared. "Apologies for pushing you like that; even though the result was worth it." He winked. and then he walked off.

I collapsed back onto the ground and brought my knees up to my chin. I wrapped my arms around my legs and shook my head.

I've been caging a monster and I didn't even realize it. There's always going to be that part of me that wants to break free and go crazy. That part I unleashed today was probably only a bit of it. I knew I could have given in to that haze even more but I didn't. But why didn't you, a part of me asked. I shook away the question.

I stared out over the cliff and watched as the sky was slowly getting dimmer. The red from the sun had dyed the sky into an orangey blue.

I shut my eyes and let my mind relax. But images of what I did to Charlie kept coming to mind. So I expanded my hearing and listened to the sounds of the animals and the river not far from here. Clear your mind...

I heard a twig snap behind me and opened my eyes. I turned around and didn't even gasp or flinch when a dog like animal started cautiously walking toward me. A wolf maybe?

Its teeth were barred and a growl ripped through its teeth. Its weirdly blue eyes watched me carefully.

It was literally in front of me now. Its fluffy completely white fur moved as the wind did. My hair moved with the wind in front of its face. The growl stopped and its teeth unbarred. It took a whiff of my hair and whimpered. It sat beside me cautiously and touched its paw to my leg.

Did animals know?

Can they sense that sort of thing? Can they tell when something isn't human?

I slowly touched its head with my hand and stroked. It lay beside me and sighed.

My mind wandered to what my life was like back in September. Back when life was normal. Either way, if I didn't push myself to find out about Gabriel, I would have still become what I am today. Maybe just not in this same situation. Maybe I would still be at home lying with Gabriel... or... what if I never fell in love with Gabriel? Scratch that actually because there has always been a part of me that liked Gabriel more than a friend.

I looked back down at the wolf and tried to use what little power I had to sense anything from it... It was a female... It does know I'm not human. So animals know. I wonder how that works.

The wolf lifted its head and turned to the right. It started growling and suddenly a pile of clothes and shoes landed on my lap. I looked up at Eli and he had a smile on his face. "Get changed and we'll go back before it gets dark." He ran off in a flash.

It was basically the same clothes I had now except the jeans were black, the shirt was black but my tank top and Converse were white. I walked further into the woods, the wolf following me and changed quickly. Eli was back within seconds.

He walked up to me and paused when he saw the wolf. "New friend?"

She was growling at Eli so I put my hand on top of her head.

"Did you know most animals can sense good spirits?" Eli tried touching her but she almost bit his hand off. He chuckled. "And bad spirits?"

"I do now."

"She can come, Alexis. Just keep her away from me." He said seriously. "And look into her eyes. I'm sure you'll see more than you bargained for."

"What?" I asked.

He started walking away before I could ask and my legs moved involuntarily. I stopped by the cave and he walked straight in.

The wolf sat in front of me.

I bent down and stared into her eyes. Something sparked in its bright blue eyes and I gasped.

This was a Watcher... But not like the one's I read about. Not a Demon.

They couldn't change forms could they? No wait... I knew about this. Some Watcher's are put into this world as the form of an animal... like they were silent guardian's that were never seen. This wasn't mine, because Gabriel is mine.

No, this was Jayden's.

She stood up and ran off into the wood. I knew I would see her again. She'd be watching Jay.

I walked into the cave and suddenly Grigori was behind me. He walked me back downstairs and into the room I was in before. He connected the chain to my leg and tightened it. "Just for precaution sweetie. I'll be back with some food for you and Jay." He walked out.

I looked around and saw Jayden lying on the bed facing me. His eyes were watching me. His eyebrows were furrowed into a frown and his lips were slightly parted.

"Jay, I can understand if you hate me. But I did it to save you."

He nodded slowly. "I know you did. And I don't hate you."

I walked to him and sat beside him. "I didn't have a choice."

He shook his head. "I understand." He stared at me then chuckled. "Come here,"

I snuggled into his shaking side and squeezed.

"Don't worry, Alex. The angel seemed happy to go..."

"I made it painless for him."

"Good."

"I made sure---"

A shout of pain escaped my mouth as a shudder racked through me.

"Alexis?" Jay said worriedly.

"Oh God!" I gritted out. The pain in my head went quickly but it soon returned.

Eli and Grigori walked in fuming. "Well, someone is angry you haven't gone back by nightfall."

I brought my hands to my head and started taking deep breaths.

I was suddenly lifted up by my arms and held to the wall. "Can Gabriel track you?" Elijah yelled.

"Not with you hiding the location!" I grit my teeth. "He can only Call me because..."

He scoffed. "Because what? You two are so, 'In Love' that your connected even through my shield? Well he won't be able to find you. I'll make sure of it." He dropped me and I fell on the mattress. "Step two will be tomorrow at noon. Step four is the one I'm looking forward to. Your heart will be black by then."

Grigori placed two plates and two bottles of water by the bed and walked out with Eli.

Gabriel was still calling me even fiercer than before. He was scared and mad that I wasn't home yet.

"Angels can be called?" Jay asked as he ate the bread.

I nodded. "Yes. Human's can call angels too. It's like calling on their guardian for help. We can tell when a Call is in anger, fear, help, and worry or if they're just calling to make them come to their location." I flinched when Gabriel tried again.

We ate in silence but on my end it sure as hell wasn't silent.

The Call's became dim and exhausted after a while and soon enough they stopped altogether.

"Hey Jay," I whispered.

He rolled over on the bed and looked up at me.

"I met your guardian."

He sighed and put an arm over his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"We all have guardian angel's Jayden. Human's do that is."  I said as I lay down beside him. "She's beautiful."

He sat up on a shaky arm and looked down at me. "Are you being serious? You've actually met my guardian angel?"

I nodded. "She's in the form of a wolf."

A huge smile planted on his face for the first time in a while. He lay back down beside me slowly. "And she's watching me?"

I touched my head to his as we stared up at the ceiling. "Yes. She's looking out for you as best as she can. I'm guessing she was watching you before Elijah put the shield to cover our location up."

"That makes sense," He said in a hoarse voice. "Will I ever get to see her?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure if you're allowed to. But I'll tell you when she's near."

There was a howl outside. A long howl. "Like now." I said with a chuckle.

"That's so awesome." He mumbled.

Jayden went to sleep before me. His head rested on my chest and his arms rested around my waist. Jay was like a baby brother I just had to look after. I had to look out for him.

The candle flame flickered in the corner and soon enough it went out.

I could feel Gabriel calling me again.

But this time it was pained. It was full of emotion. He was worried now, I could feel it.

He called out to me one last time before it went silent.

My eyes stung a little. I was never going to get out of this place.

What more was Eli going to make me do?

I found a part of me that I didn't even know existed. I was trying to cage that part of me right now. I was trying to bolt it down.

I let out a shaky breath and shut my eyes.

I was worried about the forth step he was so excited about.

The only thing I could do right now is wait and see...

 __________________________________________________

(edited: 2023)