Chapter 6
There was a lightness to Nina’s body and spirit the next morning on her way to work in the train. Brett was lounging beside her reading a newspaper he had bought from a train station vendor before they got on the train. She sneaked looks at him when she thought he wasn’t looking, marveling at how gorgeous he was.
‘If all angels looked like him, then it would be a pleasure to die, just to be able to see their beauty.’ Nina thought as she watched him.
“Stop.”
She was startled out of her contemplation, at his sudden low growl.
“What?”
“That. Ogling.” He indicated her face with his index finger moving in a circle.
“I was not.” She defended herself.
“You were” He insisted.
Then his eyes turned dark and smoldered with the fire she recognized from the night before. A reciprocal emotion turned her insides to liquid.
Her center melted.
‘Oh boy, I got it bad.’
She admitted that to herself. She wasn’t going to tell him that. He was arrogant enough without her pandering to his ego.
Laying the paper aside on the empty seat beside him, without taking his eyes off her, he moved closer. Fascinated, she watched him.
Like a moth drawn to light, she moved towards him, instead of away.
Then a sarcastic voice she recognized all too well, cut the heated air between them like a knife.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the lovebirds.”
Shanna’s voice had them turning away from each other. Nina in guilty befuddlement, Brett, with annoyance.
“What is it now, Shanna?”
His eyes which had been smoldering a minute ago with arousal, had now turned angry and cold.
“You have been given your orders. So, tell me, why are you here?”
“Came to check up on you two, before I headed out to the galaxy. Just as well I did, as I interrupted what could become messy later.”
The level of condescension in her voice, grated on Nina’s nerves.
“It is not your call to make.”
Brett didn’t mince words. “Now get back to your post.”
Nina noted with satisfaction the blush of consternation on Shanna’s face that could not be hidden, even with her dark skin.
‘My frenemy has been decimated right in front of my eyes from one of her own.’
She crowed.
Then she froze.
His eyes pinned her in place.
Those all-knowing, all-seeing eyes turned on her, like lasers. She always felt like a specimen under a microscope when his eyes examined her closely, like he was doing now.
She squirmed.
He smiled.
It was like he had resolved something.
His green eyes sparkled with rare humor.
While she stared at him, his face slowly assumed a haughty expression. He turned back to Shanna.
“Why are you still here?”
That growl always gave Nina a delicious tingle way down deep.
Shanna scowled.
Nina felt a fleeting compassion.
“I’m leaving.” She snapped back at him.
A second later she disappeared.
Brett settled back into his seat with a grunt. He picked up his newspaper. Nina looked away. She was in time to see the sign of North Sydney come up.
“We’re here.”
Grabbing her satchel, she hustled to the door.
He followed her out when the train stopped.
She reeled back into his arms.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
An unseen force stood in her path.
The touch of it was icy, clammy at the same time. The oddness about it was, it was hot at its center.
She felt violated.
The clingy iciness settled deep into her core. She shivered.
There was evil at the center of that iciness.
She was yanked off her feet, then pushed behind Brett.
‘God, he was so strong.’
She felt giddy.
She giggled.
Fear was causing her to behave in this irrational way.
She sobered at once.
Brett went into angel mode. His sword appeared in his hand.
He struck out at something.
There was a loud bang from that vicinity which coincided with the loud whoosh of the train doors closing, then the rattle as it pulled out of the station. People walked on past without noticing anything extraordinary happening around them. But, Nina noted, they all avoided the area where she had hit the barrier where the unseen object was. There were uneasy glances at the area. This made her think they must sense something evil there on some subconscious level.
Nina was reassured that everything that was unfolding, was happening on a supernatural plane that only she had the misfortune to see. She watched Brett as he scanned the area, his shoulders tense. There was a sense of intense focus. She almost expected something to explode out at him, but a minute later, she saw his shoulders relax.
He turned back to her.
“It’s gone.”
He turned to look back at the place, where the unseen ‘whatever it was’ had stood.
But Nina wasn’t reassured.
The malevolence coming off that thing was astronomical.
It scared and repulsed her.
Could she run from it?
It had followed her here.
Would it follow her wherever she went?
“You can always stand and fight.”
Brett had read her thoughts.
She shook her head, the trembling starting from deep within her.
“You can.”
He was insistent.
Then he amended that when he got a peek at her expression.
“You will when the time is right.”
Nina wasn’t as sure, but she didn’t want to argue with him right now. She only wanted to get as far away from this place as she could.
“Please, let’s just go.”
She turned around to get off that particular platform. He followed close behind her as she climbed the stairs to the gate, where she tapped out. She turned to give him her Opal card so that he could tap out too. She was in time to see the gate open as he strolled through.
Her eyes widened, then she smiled.
“Oh, I forgot about your angelic powers.”
He grinned. His eyes lost the somberness of the last few minutes. It regained that twinkle she loved so much.
Wait. What?
Loved?
No.
‘Oh…No. No. Not that. That was a slip of the tongue. Or rather, thought.’
She wasn’t going to analyze that one too closely. She had to figure out a lot of things. Falling in love wasn’t going to be one of them. Her priority was her cousin and her aunt. She dismissed that train of thought. When she had herself under control, she walked on.
After that incident, the rest of the week was quiet in comparison. Mundane and boring. She plodded on doing the same thing over and over. She needed the money, so she endured. Her studies took up the rest of her time.
Saturday saw them out Campbelltown way. She was grateful Brett was there. She had to carry three different types of fliers. One of them had a heavy glossy type of paper. Brett carried her knapsack while she dropped the fliers into the mailboxes. They finished three maps that day. To show her gratitude for his help, she invited him out to dinner that night.
“Nope. Thank you.”
She felt like he had slapped her.
With his next words, her hurt was appeased.
“You can take me to a movie though. Would love to enter one of those cinemas to watch a movie, eating popcorn and coke. Been a fantasy of mine.”
He finished sheepishly as she watched him with wide eyes.
“Haven’t you ever been to a cinema?” She asked.
“Nope.” He answered.
“My charges never ever went into one. Always a home or a mortuary, where I escorted them on to their next life.” He explained.
“But I thought you were an archangel!” She exclaimed.
He laughed.
“Yes, I am. But we still escort people on to their next life.”
He glanced away in embarrassment.
“I requested this assignment.” He mumbled quietly. She thought she hadn’t heard him right.
“Wait. You requested to protect me?”
She was surprised.
He nodded, still not looking at her.
“But how?”
She tacked on when another thought occurred. “And why?”
Puzzled, wary, she gazed at him.
She was standing in her kitchenette at this time. He was standing in the lounge, slash dining area while the bizarre conversation was going on. As her floor plan was an open one, they could see each other whilst having it.
He finally turned his gaze to her.
His eyes were unfathomable, his face gave nothing away.
“I had heard of the job. I thought I was the right one for it. Having had dealings with this particular demon before.” He explained quietly.
“He is a high up in hell’s hierarchy.”
“Really?”
Curious, but mollified by his explanation, she changed the subject when she saw she was making him uncomfortable with her line of questioning. She had more questions, but they could wait. She would find a more suitable time to bring it up. ‘Bulldog’ wasn’t her middle name for nothing. This would be put on the back burner for the time being.
“You really want to go to the cinema?”
He nodded.
“Then the cinema it is.” She said, feeling lighthearted.
He smiled, his face back to its normal expression.
‘I guess he’s just happy I’m not harping on the subject.’
Amused she planned on what to make for dinner since he didn’t want to eat out. She would make a Prawn Linguini, invite him.
Then they could go out to the cinema.
When she called him in for dinner when it was ready, he came to the table. Nina had been surprised, but happy he had. They hadn’t eaten together before this. He hadn’t eaten anything in her pantry, although she had invited him to help himself. So, she had gotten the idea into her head that angels didn’t eat ordinary food.
That they just ate manna from heaven.
‘Yeah right.’ Amused at herself, she smiled.
“What’s so funny?”
She jumped, almost knocking her plate to the floor.
He grinned, amused.
“Just a funny thought.” She smiled in sudden shyness.
“Hmm…must have been really hilarious by the look I caught on your face.”
His eyes were sparkling with mirth.
“This is good. I like it.”
He complimented her, as he looked up from spearing a prawn.
“What’s it called?”
“This is one of my fave Italian dishes besides pizza. It’s called Prawn Linguini.”
“Well, it just became my favorite too.”
‘And you have become my favorite thing too.’
Trying hard not to show that thought on her face, Nina scrambled up in haste to clear away their plates.
“No,” He stopped her.
“Let me. You go get dressed while I clean up here.”
He stood without her seeing him move. Taking the dishes from her, he collected the rest, then stepped to the sink.
He didn’t give her a chance to argue.
She watched him for a few seconds, then turned towards her bedroom. He didn’t have to tell her twice. She only did these chores out of necessity. Or when she got some brilliant idea to try out her own cooking to see if she still knew how to.
The movie was a good one.
She enjoyed their popcorn debate. They argued about who was the more qualified to hold it. He proved to be a great companion. But the best part of all, was watching the enjoyment on his face. She could tell he loved the atmosphere. She made a silent vow that if he stuck around long enough, they would do this again.
He wouldn’t stop talking about the movie on their walk home, dissecting the plot, the twists in the story fascinated him.
“Aren’t there movies in heaven?”
She teased him when she could get a word in. He glanced her way looking chagrined. Her face must have given the game away.
He smiled.
“No, your human dramas are movie’s enough for us.”
She laughed out loud at that.
“Touché…” She beamed.
The walk was companionable, enjoyable. She was glad of it as well because she needed the exercise after all that popcorn.
Nina admitted to herself, she enjoyed being with him all the time.
This night was an oasis of calmness, in the midst of all the horrors surrounding her life. It brought some sanity, some normalcy back into the chaotic world her life had been these past years. She had needed this.
Grateful, she turned to Brett to thank him. She found him watching her with a grin on his face.
Puzzled, she stopped.
“What?”
He laughed. “I could see the wheels of your brain literally turning.”
At her scowl, he sobered.
“Just kidding. But you were so deep in thought, that we have gone past the intersection to your street.” His laugh was deep.
She laughed too when she discovered he was right.
She was running. The voice followed behind her.
“You are mine. He will not take you away from me.”
“No…”
She cried, as she kept running. Darkness surrounded her. No light in sight.
“Oh god, where am I?
Where was Brett? Shana?
“Please somebody, help me?”
But her vocal cords were locked.
‘Why am I here?’
Why can’t I scream?
‘Why can’t anyone hear me?’
“Babe. Wake up.”
Someone was shaking her. She couldn’t open her eyes. They felt weighted, heavy.
“It’s only a dream. Wake up.”
‘Who was that idiot yelling?’
Terrified she tried to get free.
“I will set you free when I want to, not before.”
She felt his breath against her lips, as he spoke. She struggled, but he held tight. His aura surrounded her. His darkness poured into her.
Insidious.
Poisonous.
He was going to win. He was weakening her resistance. She felt her immunity to him crumbling.
Scared, she screamed out again.
“Brett…Please save me.”
He laughed, while she screamed.
Then, there was a blinding light.
She breathed. She was awake.
Wait. That was her screaming.
She closed her mouth. It was dry and parched. Her throat felt raw.
Opening her eyes, she blinked up at a frantic Brett.
“He was here.”
Reaching up with both arms, she curled them around his neck, then dragged him down to her. She caught him off guard. He tumbled down on top of her. At the last minute, he braced himself with his arms on both sides of her on the bed, to save her being crushed by his weight.
“Whoa.” He huffed against her ear.
In the next instant, he rolled off her, taking her with him. Her arms were locked tight around his neck. She wasn’t letting him go any time soon. He was her shield against the unseen enemy. As his arms came round her to crush her against him, comfort stole into her, driving out that horrible cold and icy darkness.
Light and warmth seeped back into her.
Her whole body relaxed into him.
Tumbling down into sleep as if drugged, she felt a light kiss against her cheek, then his whisper.
“Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up.”