The Human Side (The Demon Side Series) (2 page)

“Why would you remove her Guardians?”

“You must learn that your choices not only affect you, but others as well. As for the second choice, go to Earth in human form with no wings, no abilities. Show Etta the same cruelty and disdain as when the Demon Rahovart met her. Etta fell in love with a Demon once. It should be quite interesting to see if she can do it again. She must profess her love without coaxing or prompting. There can be no mention of our deal or what lies beyond the veil, including who you truly are, where you come from. Fail to abide by the rules or rekindle her affections, your days shall be spent on Earth with no recollection of life beyond the veil. But, succeed, and you can return home with the added benefit of continuing your relationship with her. Visit her anytime as long as it does not interfere with work.”

I listened intently as Father explained my options. Both carried heavy consequences if I failed to abide by their guidelines. He’d given me a life or death decision to make, but I didn’t need time to think. Without thought or question, I gave Father my answer.

Chapter Two

It hadn’t been long before Gabriel and I were dropped on the streets of Quantico Town in the middle of the night. Against my wishes, Gabriel insisted he accompany me on my quest.

“Are you sure about this?” Gabriel’s worried tone confirmed my doubts in his decision to come with me.

“What choice do I have, Brother? It’s not too late. If you wish to go back, I will understand.”

“And miss all the excitement? No, Rahovart, you’re stuck with me. Besides, look at that. Have you ever seen anything like it?” Gabriel lifted up his toga to reveal his private area.

“Of all the glories in this world a human has, and all you are in awe of is your new penis?”

“You’ve listened to the stories. You cannot tell me you have never been curious if the rumors are true. Go ahead. Look at yours.” I sensed by his child-like wonderment, Gabriel would not be satisfied until I bared all. With a roll of my eyes, I lifted my clothes, revealing the entirety of my “manhood” for him to see.

“Guess you should have asked Father to make you larger than your normal self for your human form instead of a tall, lanky white man.”

“Yours isn’t that much larger,” I debated.

“Oh, please. I’m packing an anaconda compared to your earthworm.”

“It’s not the size that is of any importance. It’s all in how you use it. Besides, I say I have a sufficient size. Now, can we get on with why we’re here?”

“Ah, yes, the wooing of Etta. Tell me, how do you expect to do this, again?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. What I do know is our robes will not fit in here. We need to find something else to wear.”

“And how do you suppose we do that? We have no money and no powers.”

“Gabriel, my brother, we are working on a whole new set of rules. Tell me, what would two sinners do?” I pointed to an all-night Laundromat. A Cheshire smile cracked along his black face.

“Don’t enjoy this too much, Brother. You may lose your wings,” I said, as we made our way to the dryers. I opened the first, pulling out a blue polo shirt, and held it up to Gabriel to assure a proper fit.

“That’ll do. Put these on, too.” I handed him a pair of boxers and jeans.

“What if we get caught?”

“Look around you. There’s an old lady reading a magazine and a scrawny boy passed out from his drink. No one here is going to say a word.”

Gabriel removed his toga and changed into his new clothes. Finding suitable clothing for me proved much more difficult with my new six-foot string bean form. The closest fit of jeans I found were high watered, a good three inches above my ankles, and my thin arms swam in the long sleeves of a Rammstein concert T-shirt.

“That will not do.” Gabriel shook his head at my new fashions.

“It must until I figure out our monetary issues.”

“And what of our feet?”

“What size do you believe you are?” I asked, slowly removing the shoes from the passed out drunken boy.

“Excuse me! Just what do you think you hooligans are doing? You give that young man his shoes back now!” The old lady lifted her cane, giving me quite the swat against my back before tapping the young man in an attempt to wake him.

Not wanting a fight, should she wake him, we darted from the Laundromat and down the street until we came to the dock of the Potomac River. Certain we had lost any possible pursuers, we stopped to catch our breath.

I realized we ran to the spot where I first found when I had been banished from Hell over five hundred years earlier. Though all evidence of my time here had been erased, in my mind’s eye, I still saw the shadow of where my marred body once laid. The moonlight revealed the soft orange trace of blood my helping hand spilled on the grounds. Scorch marks along concrete sidewalks reminded me of my former territory.

“What is it, Brother?” Gabriel stood before me.

“Nothing. Just trying to catch my breath.”

“You’re a horrible liar.”

“A liar I am not, Brother,” I snapped back.

“Then what do you call a person who is being dishonest?”

“I have a dark history here, Gabriel. I do not wish to go into details about it at the present moment.”

“Suit yourself then. Now what do we do?”

“We find a place to rest for the evening. I’ll figure out a plan in the morning.”

It didn’t take long to find a suitable spot to lay our heads. Though I had been given free rein on my actions, I didn’t feel I should add breaking and entering to my already long list of transgressions. For tonight, the overgrown grass of the front lawn of an abandoned house would provide enough cover until the morning.

Lying down, I tossed around ideas on how I would complete my task. Every time a plan started to come together in my head, the discomfort of my recent transformation from Arch to human mixed with the brisk winter’s chill and an overwhelming homesickness would send it fleeing. I sensed I would be in for long night. But soon, the cool damp ground carried more relief to my aching, frail, new form and lulled me into a deep sleep.

“Hey! Hey you!” a voice called out, followed by something poking me in my ribs.

“Should I call my dad?” another voice whispered. It took only a split second to place it. Unfortunate for me I didn’t rise quickly enough before receiving another jab to my ribs.

“Hey, buddy, this isn’t a motel.”

As I sat up, my eyes first met a tallish, curly-haired blonde girl holding a broom by its bristles. At least now, I knew who and what had jabbed me so hard in my side. Behind her, in a stance any professional baseball player would be proud of, stood my Etta, ready to swing her aluminum bat.

I froze, mesmerized. How beautiful she appeared as the morning sun danced on her perfect skin. As if she had been dusted in gold flakes, she shimmered before me. No longer hiding behind clothes too large, her well-fitting threads accentuated the sweeping curves of her hips. The gloss of her lips reminded me of cool, rippling water. What I wouldn’t give to taste her lips once more.

I hadn’t expected to see Etta so soon upon my arrival. I hadn’t quite come up with a plan of action, nor did I know what, if anything, she remembered. I needed to wake Gabriel up before our cover was blown, or I blew my chance.

“You got two seconds to get up before my friend calls her dad, and believe me, you want nothing to do with him.” The blonde slapped the end of her broom against my bare foot.

“Benjamin, wake up.” Thinking of the first name that came to mind, I elbowed Gabriel in his arm.

“What the hell, Ra—” I cupped his mouth before he finished my name.

“Benjamin, it seems we’ve crashed in the wrong yard. Excuse us, ladies. We didn’t know this house had occupants.” I shot Gabriel a censoring look as I stood up, dusting off my damp clothes.

“Well, it is. Next time you guys decide to pull an all-nighter, I suggest you find a designated driver to make sure you get home.”

“Our apologies, ladies. We’ll be out of your hair in a moment.” Gabriel gave a small bow of his head before grabbing his shoes from the ground.

“I got enough chocolate and sugar to get you girls through the next week.” John walked up behind the girls carrying a large pink box. Certain they were safe with John’s arrival, the girls lowered their household weapons. I nudged Gabriel as he hopped around trying to put on his shoes. After brushing his ear length dreadlocks from his face, his stare followed mine. I knew what John became, but did he know what we were?

I learned after my return home, John had in fact died from injuries sustained during the collapse of his house. With an honorable selflessness, he put his life on the line for his daughter’s. In return for his oath to protect all that is righteous, holy, and sacred, John’s life had been somewhat returned to him as a High Knight Templar.

High Knights share some of the same gifts of an Angel, but were forever caught between the two worlds of not being quite Angel, not quite human. The down side was once the oath was taken, only one fate remained—spending what may be centuries—if they’re lucky enough to survive that long—on Earth defending what Father asks you to defend. Should your time come to an end by the blade of an enemy, choose to no longer serve, or commit a sin, the only place to call home is Purgatory.

He came to an abrupt halt, caught off guard by the two of us. We studied each other before John broke eye contact with us and gave Etta an inquisitive glance.

“It’s not what you think, Dad. We just found them here this morning.”

“I see. Rough night out, boys?” John asked as he watched Etta’s face for a reaction.

“Yes, sir. We were just leaving. C’mon, Benjamin, let’s go.”

“Mmm. What is that wonderful smell?” Gabriel asked.

“We don’t have time for that now, Brother.”

“The best doughnuts Quantico has to offer. If you boys are hungry, c’mon inside. I’ve got plenty,” John offered as he herded the girls ahead of him onto the porch.

“What are you doing?” I asked Gabriel as he followed John.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I’m going to eat.”

“We can’t go in. We don’t have a plan yet.”

“Improvise, Brother. The whole point of being here is to get close to Etta, right? Then what better opportunity? Unless you have another idea on how to ease the rumbling in our stomachs?”
Benjamin
winked as he walked inside. I followed reluctantly.

Chapter Three

“So, what are your names?” John asked no sooner than I closed the door behind me. To the left of the entryway was a long dark hallway. To the right, everyone relaxed in the living room. As I stepped further in, I noticed a four-foot tall pony wall dividing the living room from the kitchen space.

A mismatched laminate wood coffee table and book shelf, bare white walls, and stained avocado-green shag carpet were not what I would expect to find in a home shared by two young women. In the center of the living space sat a sky blue, circular, sectional couch that appeared brand new. The rickety entertainment center only held a stereo where a television should be.

“He’s Benjamin. The other one is Ra.” The blonde girl spoke, breaking me from my surveillance of the surroundings.

“Ra?” John asked. I hadn’t come up with a name yet, and Benjamin’s loose lips locked me into a name starting with Ra. I racked my brain trying to think of a quick response when I noticed a Styrofoam cup with red lettering on the kitchen counter.

“Yes. It’s short for Ramen.”

“Ramen? Your mother named you after noodles?” Etta snickered.

“Well Benjamin and Ramen, I’m John. The sarcastic one is my daughter Etta, and this is her friend Amy.”

“It’s nice to meet you, sir, but we should be leaving. Isn’t that right, Benjamin?”

“No, please stay. Have some doughnuts. It appears as though you need a few after what appears to be one hell of an evening.” John glanced down at my mud-covered feet.

“Oh yeah, those. I lost my shoes.”

“And your own clothes it would appear. Who’d you steal those from?”

“We stole them from the Laundromat. Oh man, these are so good. What are they called again?”

I wanted to punch Benjamin in the back of his head as he shoved another piece of doughnut in his mouth.

“You don’t know what a doughnut is?” Amy asked.

“He meant the type of doughnut,” I tried to recover.

“Glazed.” Etta answered as she got up from the couch and disappeared down the hallway. Amy followed shortly after.

“Sit down, Ra,” John ordered. His body language changed from inviting to rigid once the girls were out of the room. He had something important on his mind by the hardened look on face.

“What the hell are you doing here?” My butt hadn’t even touched a cushion when he lunged from his seat and into my face.

“If you know who I am, then you know why I am here.”

“Don’t for one second think because of my position, I won’t kill you if you so much as touch a single hair on her head.”

“You make it sound as if I am here to hurt her. I’m only trying to win her back. As for your threat, remember the pecking order, John. I’m still an Arch and you’re nothing more than a High Knight.”

“Which is one step above you in your current state and no one, and I mean no one, is untouchable.” John drove his finger into my chest.

“What is your problem?” I snatched his finger, pushing him back as I stood up. With a flick of his wrist, he removed his finger from my grasp and twisted my head in a chokehold.

“My problem is my little girl not getting a chance to be just that…a little girl.”

“She’s not a baby anymore.” Sweeping his leg from under him, I slipped out of his hold and slam him onto the carpet. With a hard kick, John’s heel crushed my groin, and I doubled over onto my knees.

“It’s going to take a lot more to win my baby girl. You will once again have to prove you’re worth the space you take up, and you will do it with honor. Do you understand me?” Seeing no end to our little tiff, I conceded with a nod.