Guardian Angel (27 page)

“
I do have free will…and there's not a chance in
HELL
I would ever join you,” Michael bunched up his fists and stood his ground; He wasn't prepared to give in to anyone.

“
Harsh words, Michael, but very well. In a way, I was hoping you would need some convincing. It’s always fun to watch.” Garamond nodded to Jasmine, who grinned wickedly.

 
She beat her wings once to gain some lift, stepping onto the chapel's altar, and stooped down suggestively to scoop up a long-bladed dagger before standing up to her full height again. The dagger burst into purple flame at her touch, and Jasmine traced her tongue along its edge, the flames having no effect.

 
Jazen raised his flaming sword and stepped in front of Claire. “She’s too far gone. The best you can do for her now is put her out of her misery.”

“
Yes, listen to your little friend, Michael." Garamond's taunting voice grated on Michael's nerves. "Your only chance to be with her now is to join me, however I can't have your minions interfering with our fun, now can I?"

He raised his arm again and uttered a single word “
Requiem”

The word rebounded around the chapel, shaking its foundations, and dust flew from the walls. Jazen looked around urgently, but caught Garamond's attack, a moment too late. A giant hammer slammed into his side, sending him sprawling across the floor to fetch up against the wall.

Jazen lay prone, his wings losing their glow and his armour vanishing as his will and strength waned. Claire ran to kneel by his side, cradling his head in her lap. He didn't move and Claire shot Michael a worried glance. She began to shake, then cry. She stroked Jazen's brow as tears ran down her cheeks.

“
We shouldn’t have come here," she forced out between sobs. "What were we thinking?”

  Jasmine stepped casuall
y off the altar and walked towards Claire. Her dagger of flame distended, extending and twisting into a long coil of razor-sharp barbed wire. Michael watched in horror as she casually approached Claire. If he didn’t do something, Jasmine would kill her.

***

He looked at Jasmine and again thought he saw that little shimmer in her features. He leapt in front of Claire and Jazen to block Jasmine’s path and turned to face her, grim determination fuelling his actions. It was all or nothing now, there was no way he was going to fail. A certainty spread through his soul; he looked into his former Guardians eyes and didn’t flinch.

“
Don’t think I’m going to stop just because you're in my way, Michael," said Jasmine. "You're nothing to me now. Our life together is over, unless you join that braggart over there.” She tilted her head to indicate Garamond.

“
I know you're still in there, Jasmine." Michael said, pleading with Jasmine in desperation to come back to her senses. "Please just remember and try to fight it.”

 
Garamond watched the scene unfolding from behind the altar. He made no move to intervene, deciding to wait and see things play out. He obviously thought he had nothing to worry about; Michael was determined to prove him wrong.

 
Jasmine walked slowly towards Michael, coiling the lash and snapping it across the ground, the same fixed grin on her face. She walked so slowly, that time itself seemed to crawl. He stood his ground in front of Claire and straightened his back. It was going to be all or nothing.

“What are you doing, Michael?" Claire demanded. "We need to get out of here!”

Michael smiled and glanced round. “What I have to, Claire. Trust me.” Michael put all the conviction he could into his voice to reassure Claire. It seemed to work as Claire's face softened. She managed a weak smile back and nodded, turning back to Jazen.

 
Michael took one step towards Jasmine and stopped. She continued to advance on him, coiling and uncoiling her weapon. Her grin was fading, though, turning into a scowl as if she were in pain. The faint shimmer caught Michael’s eye; he could bring her back.

  
“Get out of my way, Michael, or I will damn you just as Garamond wishes.” Jasmine lashed her barbed weapon at Michael’s chest, scoring an angry red groove across his body. The pain was excruciating, and he felt his very soul seared from the weapons touch.

 
Michael said nothing, taking one slow step at a time. He focused on her eyes to keep himself from crying out in pain or falling down from the ravages of her barbs flames. Jasmine’s features twisted into pure rage as again she lashed the flaming whip at Michael, a searing pain burning across his cheek.

“
Back off, human, you're nothing to me!” Jasmine's voice seemed to carry an edge of desperation.

 
Michael kept walking towards her, and Jasmine stopped in her tracks. She hit Michael repeatedly with her weapon, cutting into him again and again as the barbs hit their mark. Michael flinched, but kept on walking despite the agony he was in.

“
Please….just stop…just get out of my way. I don’t want to hurt you.” Jasmine pleaded, letting the whip fall to her side.

 
Tears of blood formed around Jasmine's eyes, running down her pallid cheeks as she stood motionless in front of Michael. He staggered towards her, crossing the final few feet between them. He ignored the pain flowing through him and threw his arms around Jasmine to embrace her, his head falling against her ear.

“
How could I walk away from the person I care about most?" He whispered. "I will never give up on you, Jasmine. I love you.” His soul’s strength finally gave out, and he fell against his former love.

“
I…I love you too,” Jasmine whispered.

 
Michael felt warmth around him. Not the searing heat of Hell, but the comforting warmth of a lovers embrace. Pure white light almost blinded him, making him against its intensity. When he opened his eyes, the sight made his heart race and his soul sing.

Jasmine
’s feathers turned white from centre to tip in a rolling wave. Her black hair returned to blonde, as armour of polished gold, formed around her body. The red glow faded from her eyes, and they returned to normal as the waves of light flowed around her. 

  Jasmine was redeemed. Michael scarcely dared believe it, he had won. All the pain and effort leading up to the moment melted away as he embraced her, nothing else mattered. He laughed, unable to contain his joy and could see from the smile on Jasmine's face she felt the same. He leaned in and kissed her, pouring all his love into the gesture. All his strength spent, Michael collapsed against Jasmine, too weak to even stand.

 
Jasmine after a long moment pulled away, supporting him against her. "Thank you, Michael." She breathed. "Now it's my turn to save you."

 
Her soul restored, Jasmine leapt over to Jazen and Claire, carrying Michael effortlessly in her arms. She focused her will on returning them to Earth and reversing Jazen’s song. Normally, such a feat would have been impossible but, empowered as she was, Jasmine felt she could do anything.

“
Ascension!”
Jasmine yelled as the last of the demonic taint left her.

 
A crack of blue and red lighting intertwined hit Jasmine, Michael, Jazen and Claire in a blinding flash. When the light faded, they were gone.

 
Garamond stood dumbfounded for a moment before pure rage overtook him. He screamed at the roiling, red sky in impotent fury.

***

   Returning to Earth through the elemental planes felt like falling to Michael. His senses were reversed and his soul, battered and bruised as it was, distorted his perceptions. Michael knew that when he returned to Earth, the injuries inflicted upon his spirit would be there waiting for him on his body. His Grigori blood sang in his veins, telling him things he couldn't possibly have known as human.

But he didn't care. He'd brought Jasmine back. Held in her small but strong arms, he felt carefree. The future didn’t matter, and at this moment he was exactly where he wanted to be, by the side of the woman he loved.

“You know that was stupid." Jasmine turned her head to Michael. "I gave it all up to keep you safe, and you go and risk it all.

 
Jasmine was so beautiful. He had even found the demonic version of her attractive; not that he would ever admit that to Jasmine. But as she was now, Jasmine was divine. She was perfect.

“
Yeah, it was stupid," he agreed, "but being human I’m allowed. I couldn’t leave you down there. I wanted you back, and I knew I could do it."

 
Jasmine didn't take her eyes of Michael as they flew towards the mortal plane. She leant down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. “Well…stupid as it was, I’m glad you did it, even though it's supposed to be me protecting you.” Was that guild in her expression?

 
“Why can't I look out for you as well? You're so used to carrying it all on your own shoulders; why not share the burden with me? We are together now, and together we can do anything, Jasmine.” Michael replied. Was that a bit corny? He didn't care.

 
It was funny. For all this talk of his Angelic heritage, special powers and new found abilities. What had saved them both were traits that every single person was capable of: love, hope and determination. He wanted to laugh, not out of irony, but for pure joy. He and every other person had so much potential if they just realised it.

 
Jasmine’s serious expression faded as they neared Earth, and for a moment the air-head he had met back in hospital returned. As Michael returned to his body, Jasmine disrupted her perfectly timed landing in Claire’s living room disrupted by tripping on the edge of the carpet. He laughed inside as he opened his living body's eyes to the sight of her trying to right herself.

Michael still held Claire's hand when she awoke; she released it quickly and looked around for Jazen, who knelt behind them. She stood up and caught him just before he fell.

“
Are you ok, Jazen?”

“
Yes, I don’t know how we did it, but we won. "We got her back.” He gently pushed her away and stood.

“
Welcome back to the light side, Jasmine.”

  
Michael looked at Claire, the stress of events finally breaking as he burst out laughing. She stared at him for a moment, before she cracked a smile, and the laughter swept her away too. Jazen gave them an odd looking as if to ask what was so funny, but it only made them laugh even harder. Michael felt a stab of pain, as the small cuts, large bruises and welts, from Jasmine’s demonic lash made themselves apparent. But he still laughed, relieved beyond belief.

“
What's so funny?” Jazen demanded.

Between deep
breaths and laughing, Claire managed a reply. “Sorry, Jazen, it’s just you sounded like someone out of an old sci-fi movie with that line. It was hilarious,”

“
Well…uh…I didn’t know it was so...” Before Jazen could say any more, Claire put a finger on his lip and kissed him on the cheek. Jazen blushed bright red.

“
It’s finally over.” Michael breathed.

“
Not yet
,” a voice boomed from below.

***

  Garamond shot up through the Planes like a comet. All his carefully laid plans had been undone by the love of two pathetic little beings. He had laid it out all so carefully. He'd pictured how it was all supposed to turn out, Michael, his willing slave, leading him straight into the gates of Heaven with an army of newly corrupted souls at his back.

It was all going to be so glorious.

  And now he had failed, not once but twice, to corrupt the mortal. Michael's Guardian had been redeemed somehow and, to compound matters, they had all actually escaped from Hell right under his nose. Jasmine had even used the powers she'd gained from her demonic transformation to facilitate it. Lucifer must have been watching from his throne of bronze, seeing his failure in its entirety.

 
“
Love!
” Garamond spat the word out.

“Well, we will see how long love lasts when they are corpses and slaves."

  
If he couldn’t corrupt the mortal, he would enslave him, destroy everything Michael held dear and then bring his soul back in chains to be a personal plaything, until he finally broke and agreed to help him. Garamond reached Earth hot on the heels of the escapee’s and heard Michael speak as he burst from the ground.

“
It’s finally over...” Garamond heard with his superior senses.

“
Not yet!
” Garamond bellowed.

***