Chapter 9 - Missteps

Valentina:

I rush to the bedroom and close the door behind me with a large bang before I lean my back against it and slump onto the floor. Placing my palm against my chest, I close my eyes and will my heartbeat to slow down. I can’t believe what I just did. I kissed an angel. Jaw tight, I thump my head against the door and rub my swollen lips.

Though the kiss was earth - shattering, I can’t help feeling my cheeks burn with humiliation. Michael’s dismissive tone cut through my heart like a knife.

Though I’m still feeling conflicted, I still manage to fall asleep. Unfortunately, nightmares of moments I had forgotten follow me.

I gaze around, confused to find myself in a torchlit chamber. The floor is covered in sand, and the walls are made of stone. Blinking my eyes, I gaze around me and see three armored figures standing around me. From the size and fit of their armor, I can tell that they’re females, but I cannot see their faces past their helmets. All I can see are their glowing, demonic eyes and large downy, white wings. My brow furrows as they repeat the same words. I cannot decipher what they are saying because the sound feels muted. However, I soon realize that I’m repeating the same words. Shocked, I glance down and see that I’m also covered in armor the color of blood. Something moves behind me, startling me from my surprise and to my shock, I see that I have wings too.

My heart sputters, and my eyes widen further as I assess myself. Before I can fully take it in, my vision blurs, and I face a large male.

The male's jaw ticks as he runs his gaze across my body. “Je ne t'ai jamais connu. Pardonne - moi.” I never knew of you. Forgive me. He tells me.

Angry at his tone, I hiss back in perfect french, “Je t'ai appelé et tu n'es jamais venu. Mais cela n'a plus d'importance. Tu n'es plus rien pour moi maintenant.” I called for you, and you never came. But that doesn't matter anymore. You are nothing to me now.

I can barely see the male’s expression, but I can tell that what I said cut him deeply.

Before he can retort, I rise up and throw power at him.

The scene changes again. Again, I’m with two females, and we’re in the middle of a fight with one wearing white armor. She keeps screaming something out at us, but I have no control over my actions. Somehow the female manages to rise above us and hold her arms out, and shoots power at us. My body instantly becomes weak. I feel like my life is being drained from my body. I try to fight it, but the darkness overwhelms me, and everything fades away.

I shoot up on my bed; a scream lodged in my throat as I clutch my neck. My chest heaves with terror, and my eyes search the room. As soon as I see that I’m alone in the room, my panic seizes.

I take a couple of deep breaths as I rise from the bed and stand in front of the mirror. My head pounds, but I ignore the pain.

For several minutes, I pace the room, trying to make sense of my nightmare. Could it have been real? Or am I projecting these images based on Michael’s story?

Seeing that I will not find a solution and have far more things to worry about, I take another shower.

My cell phone dings with a message a moment later. I look down with trepidation when I see that Ever is calling.

Fuck!

A wave of unease rushes over me as I hit the connect button, “Hey, girl. How’s Israel?” I answer calmly.

Ever’s voice quickly drifts through the receiver, “Hey, Val. Israel is good. I tried calling you guys last night, but you didn’t answer. Is everything alright?”

I swallow deeply before I answer, “Sure, yeah, we’ve just been busy touring the city. Sami’s passed out in bed right now.”

She groans with envy, “Ugh, I wish I was there with you guys. Dr. Cranston is working us crazy here. I can’t wait for you guys to come here.”

“Yeah, we can’t wait to see you either,” I mutter solemnly.

She puffs out a breath, “Shit, I have to go. The doc wants us to do some digging deep in the chambers, so I might not be able to call you for a while. But text me if you need me.”

“Don’t worry, Ever. Just do your thing and don’t worry about us.”

She snickers, “Okay, gotta go. Tell Sami I called. Love ya guys!”

Once she disconnects, I lean my hands on the counter and take a couple of deep breaths. I hate lying to Ever, but it’s better if she doesn’t know until Sami is safe.

Leaving my soiled clothing in a folded bundle on top of the bathroom counter, I slip back into the t - shirt.

I’m finger combing my hair when there’s a slight knock on my door. Biting my lip, I swallow hard and prepare to face Michael. To my surprise, instead of Michael, I find myself facing a gorgeous brunette with long dark hair, icy eyes and a curvy frame.

Her eyes rake over me with indifference as she moves forward and hands me a bundle, “You must be Valentina. Michael asked me if I could lend you clothes, so here you are,” she mutters crisply. Based on her accent, I know she’s British.

I look at the bundle, relieved to find a pair of black Yoga pants, a black sweater and black combat boots. “Thanks…um…” I wait for her to introduce herself.

The woman arches a brow and grumbles with exasperation, “I’m Lilith.”

I furrow my brow, all sorts of scenarios running through my mind. Is Lilith with Michael? Is that why he turned me down? “Are you Michael’s… girlfriend?”

Lilith rolls her eyes and snickers, “Bloody hell, save me from these humans. No, I am not Michael’s mate. Though he is attractive enough, I’ve had enough of his brother, Lucifer, to know I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. No, I’m just doing a favor for the wanker.”

My eyes widen the size of saucers, “You were Lucifer’s girlfriend?”

Lilith chokes out a laugh and slumps down on the bed carelessly, “Being called Lucifer’s girlfriend would be quite the stretch. It was more like a stupid decision that I made in one of my lowest moments. Of course, our brilliant decision resulted in our son Fallon. However, after several millennia, I can’t say that I do not regret my choices in males. First, it’s that git, Adam, who thought Eve would be a better fit,” she scoffs derisively, “and then there’s that wanker Lucifer. Talk about making bad choices.”

I’m sure that my mouth is gaping open when her carelessly tossed comments begin to make sense. “Wait, you’re Lilith? As in the Lilith from Adam and Eve?”

Lilith’s expression hardens, “Yes, I am her. It must be amusing to meet the first female to be rejected by her mate?”

I shake my head, “Actually, I always thought that you got a bad rap in history. I mean, you’re like the epitome of a strong, independent woman. Here you are, this badass chick, who thought for herself, but your asshole soul mate couldn’t handle it, so he ditched you for some soft - spoken mealymouthed Stepford wife who will do everything he asks without question. What kind of message do you send to girls when you make the strong woman the villain? If anything, Adam was a dipshit who didn’t deserve you.”

I continue my impassioned tirade with outrage. “My sophomore year in school, I took a Women in Religion course and wrote a paper on the duplicity of men and how the bible vilifies strong women. My paper spoke about the misogyny of the bible and how submissive women were glorified, while women who thought for themselves or were unashamed of their bodies were made to sound like whores or evil bitches. You should read it. It was quite interesting.”

Lilith tilts her head and gives me another curious once over. This time she appraises me like an equal. “You do not think that I’m a royal bitch who Adam ditched for a better woman?”

I shake my head, “No, I actually admire you for giving Adam and God the finger when they tried to make you submissive. I mean, what kind of pussy dumps a woman for being strong and having a mind of her own? Girl, you’re all my women’s study class talks about. You’re like a freaking rock star.”

A vulnerable expression appears on her face, and her eyes tear for a moment before she sniffs loudly and gives me a sharp stare. “I like you. You don’t seem like the other females who glare at me when they meet me.”

I shrug at her direct compliment, “Well, I’m sure you can be a raging bitch otherwise, but so can I, and I have friends. I mean, you always need bitchy friends in your life. We tend to make things interesting.”I mutter conspirationally.

Lilith throws her head back and laughs heartily. Something about her seems to lighten compared to how she looked when she walked into the room. I do not know her, but I can tell that she has been judged harshly because of her past.

Though she’s thousands of years old, I can see that she needs a friend, and I have never been the kind to turn one down. I sit next to her and lie back on my elbows. Lilith’s laughter wanes, and her eyes shine with admiration, “Unfortunately, I did not feel that way long ago, and I let my darkness overwhelm me to the point that I treated my son horribly. I was so enraged and full of hate that I let it color everything in my life.”

Her brow furrows, and she gives me a startled look. I can tell that she has never shared that information with anyone and is shaken that she told a total stranger.

“Sometimes, we let those we love most down. My friends are all I have, and now one of them is in grave danger because I couldn’t protect her.” I mutter mournfully.

Lilith gives me a sideways glance and grips my shoulder clumsily, “Michael told me about what happened to your friend. But I wouldn’t despair; Michael could be a tosser, but he’s a brilliant tosser who can fight and kill that bloody Naga queen.”

Without a thought, I wrap my arms around her and embrace her tightly. Lilith seems to be at a loss by my gesture, but she doesn’t push me away. Instead, she pats my back awkwardly.

“Thank you,” I release her carefully.

“There’s no need to thank me, luv. I am only being truthful,” she mumbles matter of factly. But I can tell that reassuring someone is not something she does. I get the feeling that most people who have come into her life have disappointed her greatly.

“You know, it’s never too late to talk to your son.”

She shrugs, her eyes darkening, “I doubt Fallon would want anything to do with me, considering I neglected him most of his life and used him as a tool to hurt others to try to destroy his father. I was beyond nasty, and I did not care. It wasn’t until Lucifer siphoned my darkness that I realized the atrocities that I thrust upon my own child.”

My eyes mist as her sadness strikes something inside of my heart. “Look, Lilith, I might not know what you’re going through, but I do know what it’s like to put yourself out there and be rejected. Though it hurts like hell, it also gives you closure,” I take her hand and pat it gently, “I say, you should tell Fallon what you just told me and let the dice fall where they may. If he rejects you, at least you know you tried to make your peace with him. If he doesn’t, then I say do everything you can to make it up to him. Be the mom he has always wanted. As someone who was orphaned at a young age, I can tell you I would give anything to have another day with my mom, and she was not the best mom in the world. In fact, she loved her drug boss boyfriend and her drugs more than she did me.”

She squeezes my hand back before she rises from the bed, “Thank you, Valentina. I shall think about what you have suggested.”

I nod and hand her my cell phone, “Sure. I mean, I know we just met, but if you ever need a friend or someone to talk to, I’m here.”

Lilith gives me a warm smile and enters her information into my cell, “I may not be as powerful as I used to be, but I still have some of my abilities. If you need any help, just call me.”

Michael walks into the room at that moment and arches a brow with surprise. “I see you have both met, chérie?”

Lilith gives him a sly grin and winks, “We have. Do not worry though, I did not share any of your dirty secrets.”

Michael rolls his eyes, “Oh, I’m not too concerned.”

Lilith wraps her arm around my shoulders and snickers, “I told Valentina here that if she needs any help, she can call me.”

Michael’s astonished gaze bounces between us, “Did you now?”

She nods, “And if something happens to my new bestie, I will come after you and cut off your bollocks, so I suggest you take care of her. Do you hear me, you wanker?”

Michael gives her an admiring smile and gazes back at me with amazement, “Valentina is a strong femme, but I will, as the Americans say, have her back if she needs me.”

Lilith slides her arm from my shoulder and moves toward the door, “Do not forget to call me, luv,” she calls out before she turns to Michael and punches him good - naturedly on the arm, “I will see you around, Michael.”

Michael nods, “Oui, merci for the clothing, Lilith.”

She winks at me from over her shoulder, “Anything for Valentina.”

Once the door closes behind her, Michael turns to me, his lips gaping open with amazement, “What did you do to Lilith?”

I shrug, “We just had some girl talk. Why?”

He snorts, “Lilith has never offered to help anyone?”

I give him a withering glare, “Maybe it’s because everyone she knows is selfish and never gives her the benefit of the doubt. I mean, she’s freaking cool as hell.”

His eyes gleam with admiration, “You’re right, chérie. Lilith has suffered a great deal, and no one ever stopped to care. I am glad you befriended her.”

I nod, and gesture to the bundle of clothing Lilith gave me, “Well, I’m going to change.”

He nods and gestures to the door, “Oui, once you are finished, come down to the drawing-room so we can plan our next move.”

I don’t give him another look as I step into the bathroom. I don’t want him to see how badly I want to kiss him at that moment. He was right to put a stop to our kiss last night. With my friend’s life in danger, it’s best if we keep it professional.

Michael leads me to his kitchen as soon as I come down. The kitchen is lovely with white cabinets, brass handles, marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. The walls are cream-colored, and the tile on the floor is a light blue color.

I adjust my top and sit on one of the stools in front of the kitchen island laden with fruits and baked goods.

Thankfully, all the clothing Lilith lent me fit perfectly. I’ll have to make a note to thank her once everything has been resolved.

While I eat, Michael shares his plan.

“We will have to walk through some of the popular places in the city. Hopefully, I will be able to sense the soldiers, and we can search for the drones from there.”

My mind whirls with questions, “Why can’t you just flash yourself to the queen like you flashed us here?”

His lip quirks with amusement, “I would love to do that, but I need to pinpoint where she is first. And even then, Naga’s have hive mentalities, which means hundreds of soldiers will be protecting the hive. Though I am powerful, I would have to fight my way through them to get to her, and she might leave once she discovers that I am searching for her.”

I nod, understanding his meticulous planning. “When you say hive, do you mean like beehives?”

He nods, “Oui, they are similar to bees where they will fight to protect their queen. We also have to be careful not to draw attention to ourselves until we find the queen. With all of the small pods that live in the city, she can send soldiers after us and further complicate our mission.”

“Okay, so when do we go?” I ask enthusiastically.

“First, I need to show you how to fight a Naga. We have time since the Naga will not go out until late into the evening. I saw that you could fight, but I want to see how well you can use a sword.”

I take a bite out of a tart and rise from my seat, “I promise I won't disappoint you, Michael. I’m a very fast learner.”

Michael respectfully bows his head, “I look forward to the challenge.”

My eyes roam around Michael’s lovely home as we make our way to a room next to his office. To my delight, it’s some sort of gym. However, instead of gym equipment, there are various swords, staffs and knives decorating the walls.

Michael walks up to a wall littered with impressive - looking swords and hands me a sleek, long one. “This is a katana. Handle it with care, chérie. This weapon is quite deadly and sharp.”

He’s careful as he balances the sword and blade with both of his hands.

As cautiously as I can, I wrap my hand around the hilt and lift it in front of me. The blade is polished so fine that I can clearly see my face on its gleaming surface.

Michael steps back and picks his own sword from the wall.

“Move it like this,” he says as he gracefully tilts his wrist and rotates it.

I mirror his moves expertly, so Michael continues until we’re doing a variety of expert moves.

After an hour, Michael stops. “You are a very good swordsman, chérie. I have never seen anyone wield a Katana so expertly. It’s almost as if you were born handling the weapon.”

I give him a cocky smile, “Sami, Ever and I, took self - defense courses at school, and we tried a few other styles of weapons. We were really good. I told you I was a fast learner.”

He smiles and places the swords back on the mantle before he moves to the mats. “Show me how you fight.”

I nod and proceed to show him all of my expert moves. Needless to say, by the end of our practices, Michael is definitely impressed.