An Angel's Ascent (21 page)

“
It's not your fault, is it?” she asked, with her hands over her face and her head between her legs. She was on the verge of shock.

Aries was back with a small glass, filled halfway with Bleu Vodka. When I got the urge to drink it was for those unique brands, fruity or girly.

Raven took it, put it to her lips, and threw her head back, half of the liquor gone. Not two seconds later the glass was empty.

“
I plan to tell Michael. Would you like to be here? I may need you to help me convince him.”

“
Sure, I need to use your restroom first.” She was kind of pale but taking it pretty good. The fact that we were witches, and she had seen demons helped a lot I think. Breaking it to someone dumb of these facts would be hard. He would probably pass out or need proof then pass out.

Aries and I went back to the living room, closing my door. I called Michael and asked him to come by, use his key and come on up.

Aries went to the window and looked out.

I waited a few minutes before I walked over to him.

“
You’re getting better with the flame thing.” Aries said looking down at me.

“
I’m an original fire starter,” I replied. Hee hees.

“
Yep.”

I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. This felt right.

We stood like that for several minutes. Raven came out and helped herself to some more of my vodka mixing us both drinks.

“
He’s here, love,” Aries said as he kissed my hand. I wanted to giggle, but things were really serious right now.

I went to the door, opened it and waited for him to climb the stairs.

He saw me and followed me back in, closing the door behind him. He saw Raven and Aries right away. He felt concerned for her. I realized he liked her, but not anywhere close to the way he did me. I had a bad feeling that Aries and Michael would eventually come to words or worse. Was it a vision, or just some weird kind of needless worry?

“
What’s up?” he asked confused.

“
I have some bad news.”

“
You could say that again.” Raven said aloud but mainly to herself.

“
You’re going to have some questions when I tell you this Michael, but I want you prepared anyway. I’m going to just spill it, and then you can ask whatever you want.” I went to the couch and sat as I told him this. Raven handed me my glass, and I gulped half of it down before I started.

“
Okay.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I gave him the same version as Raven. He did not seem to digest it well.

“
I can prove it, but I’m still working on my powers. The first time I used them I almost blew up Deaths Door. So take Ravens word for it, please. You’ll in time see me use them. Oh and the Undead ones are, in fact, undead; they are more or less vampires. Good vampires. They are my guardians.”

Michael looked at me like I was insane. At this time, the sun was setting so I expected the guys to show up anytime.

“
I’ve seen you during the day.” Michael said doubtfully to Aries, still looking at me, though.

“
I’m a day walker, maybe the only one of my kind. The band cannot go out in sunlight. We have faked pictures to make people assume. I’m over five hundred years old. I was born in 1477 and died when I was twenty five.” To make sure Michael bought this, Aries let his fangs drop.

“
Touch them is you wish,” when he said this Aries let the years enter his voice, his eyes changed, and the air in the room seemed to disappear. It grew darker and colder. I shivered just realizing how much power my man had. He’d held back when he jumped Nate apparently.

Michael just nodded. That was proof enough for him. He was feeling a little anguished, and I wondered if it was because I had admitted my relationship, or learning about the end of the world, maybe both.

Raven handed Michael her drink.

“
You’re going to need this,” she whispered to him reaching for his hand.

He simply took it and finished it off.

“
That was the short version Raven got the long version,” I told him.

“
Okay, say I believe you, when will all this happen?” He still seemed in surprise.

“
In about a year,” Aries replied gently. He pulled me closer to him.

“
So you two are like together? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Will we, um, all die?” he asked still looking only at me. Betrayal sliced through him hot and suddenly.

“
No, we’re moving to Aries homeland, an island between Ireland and Greece. We’re in the process of rebuilding the island so when Armageddon hits we’ll survive. Some things we’ll have to import but we will adapt and learn to live off the local resources, such as seafood,” Aries informed them.

“
I like seafood. So you’re telling me because you want me to go?” he asked. His eyes were haunted.

“
Yeah, there’s only room for a few hundred. By the time staff, workers and the island occupants are accounted for that leaves roughly fifty spots. The band, you, Raven, her sister and her boyfriend, and I and so on. The band gets to bring someone if they want. Is there someone you wish to bring?”

“
No one would believe me, but how can I let them die? Are you sure one year?”

I nodded.

“
Raven would you let the others know we won’t be patrolling tonight?” I asked her. It had been on my mind, but there were much more important things than hunting strange as that seemed.

“
Patrolling?” Aries asked.

“
We usually walk the streets at night looking for evil things,” Raven replied.

“
Just you two? Alone?” Aries asked, shocked.

“
Raven, I and two others from the coven. We’ve been doing it for over a year now. Of course, we’ve had some close calls, but that’s to be expected,” I told him.

“
I don’t think it’s a good idea for girls to walk alone at night.” Aries anger and protective side was showing.

“
We kicked ass. Someone had to do it; we never saw you out there keeping this town safe. There were ten murders in four months’ time last year. Now it’s about average. We don’t catch everyone, which sucks, but we try!” Raven cried getting defensive.

“
You won't have to go alone anymore,” was all he said to that, looking right at me. I huffed, but the point was moot now anyways. Aries and I would have issues later; he could count on that.

At that moment, there was knocking at my door. Aries was up and to the door and letting the band in before their third knock.

“
Is it cool to update you?” Switch asked looking at Raven and Michael.

“
They know,” Aries shared.

“
Well, we have a crew going to the island with Cross and Arch to make plans. They have to get a cargo ship to bring in machinery and supplies. We’ve set up a date to start on things but since this is Kali's deal we thought that Angel should be the one to draw up blue prints. We also spoke with our account manager. He is putting everything we have into a single account, cutting off bills, selling anything of value and more or less making us gypsies.”

“
I spoke with my family, and the cabin is yours. The keys are with the caretaker who’s expecting you. He’s stocking it as well for two weeks for Angel,” Thorn told Aries and me.

“
Good everything is moving along,” Aries said.

“
I’m still confused,” Michael said.

“
Question is will you come with us when we move there?” I asked him.

“
Well, I guess, but what about my parents? They won't come.”

“
I’ll send them a free vacation right before all this happens. Tell them I married Aries, he owned an island; we are making a resort and need your help. Tell them after you have been gone a month or so that you want them to come see what you've been working on and give them time to think it over. A lot of people are going to get this version of the truth. Ravens sister and fiancée, or whoever will be asked to work at the resort as a nurse and repairman.” Michael seemed to calm down when I told him this. I’d been thinking it might be best. So I needed to make blueprints.

“
So, now what?” Switch asked.

“
We make more plans. I want it to look like a resort, built around the castle monastery that’s already there. It needs to work with the temperatures and climate there so plenty of windows. Find out if there happens to be any natural hot springs and work with them to make showers, hot water. We won't have room for homes, so maybe a hotel. We could make the monastery into a hotel, using the caves underneath for storage and stuff. We have to remember the women and children, though. And make sure there’s a big enough church. I don’t think we want any religious symbols, having multi cultures there possibly. People can be fanatical about those things.”

“
That sounds great Angel. We’ll need a cafeteria and library.”

“
Build that into the hotel. Make the cafeteria like a restaurant, but keep in mind that it should be efficient,” I said. I grabbed pen and paper and jotted the ideas down.

Everyone was waiting on me before they threw out more ideas.

“
No vehicles. We will need the gas for generators. Like we said before we will use solar panels and natural resources. No pools, we can make the ocean work to our advantage there. One way or another if we have to make our own beach, what’s a resort without a beach, right? What else?”

Aries, Switch, Thorn and I had been throwing out those ideas.

“
With that many people we will need field’s, right? And people in charge of those. For all of this, we’ll need someone to hire the right people. People with children, as long as we don’t go over our limit right?” Raven asked.

“
Yep and I know who that should be, you and Michael. He can help in other places as well, but I know you two are smart and can make this work. You’re a natural leader Raven. I think after everyone is hired you and Michael can run the hotel. Your job could be to make sure things get done, and people have beds. We want people comfortable. I also want a room for training self-defense to everyone on the island. Which reminds me, I need to make a call to my sensei, I want him to come with us and train people,” I told the others.

“
Thorn and I’ll stay here with Michael and Raven and come up with floor plans. I can draw so I’ll do this, I want people to go over them and tell me what changes need done,” Switch said.

“
I’m going to call him now,” I said.

It was seven and twilight. I knew he’d just be getting home from his weekend classes.

“
Hello Angel.”

“
Sensei?” I asked, stupefied he’d known it was me.

“
I’ve been expecting this call. I will cut to the chase, as you Americans say. I’m immortal Angel. I’ve known this was coming and sensed your part in this. Did you ever wonder why I pushed you over the all the others. Someone had to train you, yes?”

“
I guess. So you know why I called?” I asked, reeling from this new surprise.

“
You mean the end of the world? That you will save us? That’s about all I know. You’ll have to explain the rest when I get there. I need two days to tie up some things here. Where can I meet you?” he asked. His accent was chilling. He was obvious half Chinese and half something else. Not quite American but something like Indian or Italian.

“
Aries, where will we be in two days?” I asked. He came up beside me and held out his hand.

I handed it over without a question.

“
Hello Angel’s Sensei. This is Aries, lead singer of the Undead Ones.”

“
Hi Aries, call me Sen. Everyone does.”

“
Alright, well Angels um, having technical difficulties. She needs to be somewhere she won't hurt anyone. We have some cabins. If I give you directions can you find it?”

“
Yes.”

I wandered over to Switch.

My Sensei is coming to the cabin with us. I was going to ask if you wanted to come with us.”

“
Sure, I may be in town a lot dealing with the guys, but I can drop in each night. With Aries, your Sensei, and you there. I think all will be good.”

“
He’s an immortal, as well. He didn’t say what kind but that he was.”

“
He's a shape shifter. Not a werewolf, but he can change into one if he chose. I can sense what he is,” Aries told us.

“
Really? How come I never noticed?”

“
He’s old, older than I, so he could’ve blocked you. If there’s a shape shifter who can become a dragon, the first were, he’d be the one. He might be thousands of years old. If I remember correctly, the reason there were rumors of dragons and such was because of the shape shifters. Any mythical creature can be traced back to one I’m sure. The Old Ones went to sleep before the birth of Christ and awakened hundreds of years ago. That’s how they lived so long. Deep in caves I’d imagine. They were awakened by earthquakes, volcanoes, and recent curious humans.”

Aries explained a brief history of shape shifters to us. Raven and Michael sat close together and just listened. They looked kind of scared but seemed to be handling it.

Around ten, I ordered more pizza and fed Raven and Michael. He could eat a whole pizza alone. I sensed a long night so I had my energy drink.