Angels and Misfits

Chapter 4

Nora

It was an emotional morning. The weight of her loneliness was settling in. Usually, it tugged at her in the night. She’d wake thinking she heard someone, or saw something—then she realized how alone she truly was.

Her mother was gone, and everyone that she met wanted her dead.

Having a routine helped mostly during the daytime hours. Kept her from falling deeper into her sadness. 

She was running low on things she would need to keep surviving. Granted, whoever lived in the house before she did, they left a journal of every wild edible plant and how to eat or drink it. She used their fishing tools. Used their tools to chop wood for the fireplace in the house.

Still, she had things she needed to acquire in the town down the river.

Everywhere she went, she could feel the eyes on her. The staring. The cold stares. The hate.

The one witch in town was kind enough to sell her things, so long as she kept the secret of her craft, but the woman couldn’t help Nora with her problem.

She could feel her strength coming back.

It started in the river, when she was bathing. 

A simple sneeze and all the fish flopped to the surface of the river, dead.

Books, random objects in the house threw themselves around the room when she was frustrated.

Then, there was the teapot. She watched it heat water for her tea, until it exploded.

It made sense, though. Why not? She was getting sick during the winter. One day, she woke up feeling better than she ever had.

That’s when it started coming back.

Only this time, she felt stronger.

She pulled herself from the water, dried off, and slipped back into her simple dress. Perhaps one day she would have enough to trade to get a cleaner, better one.

Then again, she would need to find someone willing to trade with her in the first place.

She walked past the horses and toward the house when she noticed something was off. There were footprints in the dirt that were much larger than hers, leading inside.

Nora swallowed her fear—well, tried to. Her hands shook. She considered grabbing a horse and taking off, starting over somewhere new. 

“Come in, Nora.” It was a man’s voice. It didn’t sound familiar. That didn’t mean anything. Some of the men from her life never spoke when they “handled” her. Often times, things were done with sinister smiles and grunts. Mostly bitter laughter.

If she tried to run, would she get away faster?

She didn’t have time to consider it. Hands flew from inside the house, grabbing her and pulling her into the house.

He slammed her hard against the wall.

He was strong. Stronger than the rest. He actually shoved her hard enough to remove the air from her body.

His eyes were hard, but he was another beautiful man. He even smelled like he’d never had to work a day in his life.

He held a knife to her throat. It looked just like the one Alex gave her all those months ago.

“Who—who are you?” she tried to swallow, but the pressure from the blade stopped her and she nearly choked.

His eyes were like fire inside. His lips wrinkled together and brows pulled down. “Why hasn’t he killed you yet? What have you promised him?”

Her eyes widened. “Who?”

“Alex!” he roared in her face.

“Alex? I—I don’t know—”

“Do not lie to me serpent spawn!” he hissed. “Daughter of lies. Just like your father.”

Her father?

“You—you know my father?”

“You’re a good liar. A temptress in exoticism. Those eyes, the face,” his fingers ran down her cheek. This was too much like all the other times, except he was bringing a man into this. One she had only met once for a matter of minutes. “The hair…”

“Whatever you came to do, just do it.” She felt weak. Whoever this man was, he may be strong enough to do it. End her life.

His eyes narrowed, and he turned his head and started speaking as though someone were right there. “Why not!?”

She looked over his shoulder as best she could, but there was no one around. Was the man possessed?

Talking to God, perhaps? Sometimes the men who would brand her prayed or recited scripture when they did it…so, that was a possibility.

He sighed, dropping the knife from her throat. She realized it was the same one Alex had given her. Did the man find it under her bed? “Come.” He commanded. He didn’t give her a chance to fight back, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along toward the door. 

When he opened the door, she tried prying his hand off her, but the bright light coming through the other end stopped her. 

She didn’t see the edge of the stable where the horses were, or the river, or the large rocks or trees…

They were somewhere else.

Did he already kill me?

Is this death?

“Not quite,” he growled, pulling her through. When they came out the other side, her other hand shot up to block some of the brightness from her eyes so she could try and see.

It was the brightest she had ever seen the sunlight.

“Where are we?” she barely got the words out, afraid of what he was doing or taking her. Was this the entry to Hell?

“She calls it the garden. Others know it as Eden. Regardless, it’s hers.”

“…who?”

“The goddess.”

She stopped and tried to pry his hand away again. Her fear was taking over again and the shaking began. She could hear thunder in the background, but ignored it, trying to focus on freeing herself from this man.

“Stop!” he yelled at her. “She wants to see you.” His grip on her tightened, and the thundering got louder. He looked up to the skies and frowned. “If you don’t come willingly, I’ll have to put you under until we get there. Either way, you’re coming with me.”

Willingly? Had he noticed he had been dragging her the entire way? That she was trying to get away from him, and go back to the door—

The door was gone. 

She turned her head every which way, and there was nothing but tall trees, plants, flowers she had never seen everywhere. 

But no door.

The man stopped and turned back around. He leaned into her face and she could see the fury in his eyes. “Listen, abomination,” he used the word as a curse. Well, it was, but as though her name was a curse. “You get one chance to follow and listen to whatever she has to say. The second she decides you’re not worthy, you won’t even get a chance to blink before I end you myself. My son couldn’t do it, but I won’t hesitate.”

She stood unable to move, but when he pulled her along, she had no choice but to follow. Who, exactly, was this man’s son? Was it the same Alex that gave her that long knife that night? It was too dark to see all of his features, but they shared the same eyes…

He gave her the knife…he was supposed to kill her?

But he let her go…

She followed the man into the garden toward a tree in the center of this place. Animals were lying about, in peace. Many she had never seen before. Some she had. 

But the animals were the least interesting thing her eyes took in.

No, it was the dark figure lazing about under the tree.

Her skin looked light the night sky. Not a dark color, but darkness itself. Her skin was peppered with small fragments that looked like stars. 

She looked as though she rolled around in the sky and came back, inked with midnight.

It didn’t make any sense. 

Not did her eyes, once she looked up.

Bright white. Brighter than the light in…Eden?!

The woman—the man called her the goddess—the goddess rose from her position on the ground. Nora didn’t even realize she had a lion resting beside her. The goddess woman had a hand resting on it’s  maine  like it was entirely normal to pet a lion.

Maybe it was if one was in Eden…

This had to be a dream.

She smiled at Nora. “This is no dream, child.”

The voice was frightening. Deeply feminine, but with thunder behind it.

She smiled wider at her, like she…was somehow fond of her. “You’ve no reason to fear me, Nora. I’ve watched you your whole life. I know you’re afraid.” She looked to the man holding Nora’s wrist. “Michael, let go. She’s not going to go anywhere.”

Reluctantly, he released his hold and Nora brought her wrist up to her chest and rubbed at the slight ache with her other hand. “She nearly caused another thunder storm when we arrived—”

The woman stopped him with her hand up.  Michael  immediately shut his mouth. “You need not worry about her anymore, Michael. I’ve seen enough to know she wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Hurt you?” Nora’s brows pulled together. “I’ve never hurt anybody.”

Michael scoffed. “That’s to be determined.”

Nora frowned and looked back at the woman. “What?” Her stomach felt like it was sinking down to her toes. “I swear! I’ve never hurt anyone—”

“I know, child.” The woman glared at Michael. “Step away for a few minutes and collect yourself. You’re making her nervous.”

That was only half-true. Both of them were making her afraid. One, he just tried to kill her moments ago. Then, he yanked her through a door into the garden of Eden. Now, she’s face-to-face with a woman petting a lion who has skin that looks nothing like anything she’s ever seen before.

Michael hesitated, but huffed and stormed off. He didn’t go far, but he was far enough Nora figured he couldn’t hear the hard thumping of her heart anymore.

“Come sit with me, Nora,” she waved Nora over.

Nora had no choice. If she tried to run, no doubt Michael would come after her. Or the lion. Neither was going to end with her surviving. But she didn’t know what would happen with this woman, either.

She took a breath and followed the woman. Her legs felt like wooden planks, stiffly moving in the direction of the tree where the woman was sitting.

With a lion.

Just lying there.

On its back.

With her starry hand on its belly.

Nora sat far enough away from the woman that she wasn’t within an arm’s reach of her.

“Do you know how long eternity is, Nora?”

Nora’s eyes stayed fixed on the lion. “H—how do you know me?”

She could hear the smile in the woman’s voice. “I’ve known you far longer than you’ve been alive. I had a purpose for you, but things have changed. I…” she shifted and Nora jumped. “Nora, I’m not going to hurt you. I’ve come to rather enjoy you. I see so much potential, and hope you wouldn’t mind coming to see me on your own. My husband, as well.”

“Your…huh?”

She made a snorting sound in her throat. “Perhaps I should start from the beginning. My husband, you’ve heard of him. You call him God. Your mother prayed to him…”

This woman…was…

“He created the angels and the humans. Some of the angels fell, there are demons as well that fall under his…watch.”

If she didn’t feel the warmth of the light surrounding them, or the grass under them, she would honestly believe this was a dream. Or death.

The only way to accept it was to accept it.

“I created…other species.”

“Like me?”

“Afraid not,” she sighed. It almost sounded like she was disappointed in her. “You’re the first and only of your kind.”

“What are the things you made? The animals?” That would make sense if she was in here with animals…

“No. I created other creatures. You’ve come across some, just without knowing it. They can look like normal people, but change into other things. Some eat blood. You’ve come across witches before. Sorcerers, too.”

“You made the witches?”

“Some. Not the ones that…well, the ones that get their source of power from Lucifer aren’t mine. Those ones are…different.”

This was too much. Confusing. She was lost.

“You’ll understand it all in good time. For now, I wanted to meet you finally. So, I’ll ask this, instead. Where would you like me to start?”

“Start?” Nora looked up from the lion to the woman. 

She smiled, “I guess I’ll just let you follow along. Your father was not a human man, but I’m sure you knew that already.” Of course he wasn’t normal, but she figured he was some sort of witch or maybe he worshipped the devil…or something. “Your father was an angel. It’s…well, angels are forbidden from being with humans, Nora. Your father fell in love with a woman, though—your mother,” she leaned in for that part, “and he truly did love her. He let that love take over all reason, and he broke the rules. Then, you came along and we could all feel it in your mother when you grew inside of her. The power surrounding her—you—taking over.”

Nora swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Her mother couldn’t have known the man was actually an angel. She just called him one all the time.

“Is he…what happened to him?”

The woman shook her head. “Unimportant. He broke the rules and had to pay the price. Meanwhile, Heaven has debated whether or not to kill you since you were born. I saw how your mother was torn, though, after he was gone. So sad and broken inside, until she had you. In the end, we decided to wait until she passed before approaching you.”

She thought back to Alex the night she buried her mother. He intended to kill her. Their first thought was to just kill her.

Why hadn’t Alex done that?

“I wouldn’t have let Alexandriel kill you before I got to speak with you. There would have been intervention, but it turned out that I didn’t need it.”

Nora felt a strange tightness in her chest at the thought of Alex killing her that night after she buried her mother. 

“We call you a Nephilim, Nora. One parent being human, the other an angel. And you’re somehow stronger than either. That’s why they fear you.”

“Is Alex…and Michael…they’re angels?” Why would angels try to kill her? Weren’t angels good? 

“They are,” the woman confirmed. “They carry out Heaven’s work to ensure the end of the world isn’t brought about.”

“The end of the world?”

“Not important.”

She said that twice now. Both Nora’s father and the end of the world sounded pretty important, though.

“I know you have a pure heart, Nora, but you won’t survive the world by fearing everything in it. I know what they did to you. I watched it all happen.”

“But you did nothing.” She had no idea where that came from, but she felt it was acceptable.

“I cannot interfere, especially in human issues.”

“Yet, you are interfering now?”

“I’m offering you a place in the world. Offering you the chance to serve my husband and me. To protect the innocent. I believe we have a chance to do more with you.”

“Do…more? Do what?”

“There is so much evil out there, Nora. Not just demons pulling humans into darkness. Not just sinners. Real evil. Angels can only be on Earth so long before they fall prey to temptation, themselves. You’ve been pure. You have lived your whole life on Earth.”

“I…I don’t understand what you are asking of me.”

Somehow the woman had scooted closer without moving. Or Nora got closer. She honestly couldn’t say what happened.

“Train with Michael. Become one like the angels, but on Earth. Fight against evil. Help cleanse the planet one demon or crazed vampire at a time.”

“Vamp—”

“Michael will teach you everything you need to know.”

Nora glanced over at the brooding  angel  pacing in front of a tree, watching them. “Michael wants to kill me.”

The woman’s shoulders lifted and fell. “He won’t. I’ll tell him not to.”

This woman was controlling a man. An Angel. 

Before she agreed, she wanted to know more. Wanted to know more about herself. “Will he be able to help me control myself?”

“Yes. He won’t be able to control them, but he can help you learn.”

Nora nodded. “Is he…is he my father?”

The woman laughed. “Goodness, no. He has a wife.”

“Oh. Do you know who my father is?”

“I do.”

“Can you tell me where he is—”

“No.”

Nora frowned. “Why not?”

“I will give you anything you want. I will answer any questions you may have. I will do whatever you ask of me, Nora, but I cannot tell you more about your father than I already have. Just know, he was in love with your mother, and he was in love with you from the moment he knew she was with child.”

At least she knew he loved her mother. Really loved her. And maybe he loved Nora, too. But she said “was.” Meaning he was no longer alive.

“I’ll be watching you while Michael teaches you, Nora. You can call on me anytime you wish and you may come to me whenever. I’ve never given that to anyone, but I’m giving it to you, dear.”

“Why?” it was an important question. One she probably wouldn’t understand. Most of what this woman said she didn’t understand anyway. Just like she didn’t understand how her fear had disappeared at some point without her realizing it. 

She was calm, even with the lion there.

“Because I’ve come to love you like one of my own, and I believe everyone deserves a chance at a happy life. You, dear, deserve happiness more than anyone that has lived, lives now, or will ever live.”

**

Goddess POV

Nora agreed to my request with extreme reservation.

I would expect nothing less from someone who has been trampled on by the world.

Michael was even worse when I instructed him on his new orders. He had good intentions when it came to myself or my husband, but he wasn’t willing to bend his strict code of honor for the abomination.

She was, and is, an abomination.

It does not make her evil.

It makes her different. Still worthy of love.

Being an abomination makes her different. 

Michael may not know it now, but I saw her coming ages ago. I intended for her to come to be for a reason.

My son.

“I don’t like this.” Costas appeared from behind me. “I don’t like this at all, Eden. If she’s with the angels, he will find her. He’ll sense her and follow through with his plans. She could die in the process.”

I waited a moment, watching Michael drag Nora out of the garden. He was keeping her a secret. Heaven would believe she was dead—for now. Alex, unfortunately, would have to believe the same for a while. I look up at Costas. His fists were clenched at his sides as he watched Michael’s retreating figure with murder in his eyes.

“Would you prefer she not be able to protect herself? Alexandriel already killed two vampires for her. She is more than capable of learning to do that for herself without even blinking. Besides, Samael is on his way to that area. Had she been there, still, he would have sensed her and found her immediately. This way, she has a fighting chance—no matter what happens.”

I could see the thoughts going through his head. He so badly wanted to help her. Protect her from everything and everyone. Including my son. “I could—”

“You’re barely thirty years into a long sentence. You know the rules, and you broke them when you fell in love with her mother. I made sure this was handled lightly by keeping your crimes private, and by not killing you once it happened. Get through your punishment, and you can show yourself to her.”

“Not if she chooses to accept Samael! Why did you pair them as mates? You’ve made it nearly impossible to fight that damn bond, and apart from the fact he’s a god, he would never let her go!” His face flashed red hot.

I consider his words. It’s true. The bond is nearly impossible to break, but it’s for a reason. I’ve come to love Nora and want to give her a fighting chance. “I’ll make it out of love, then. They won’t feel the bond. If they fall in love, they’ll feel it.” My son, unfortunately, is incapable of such a thing, now. He’s fallen prey to darkness too easily. 

I look up to Costas. His eyes watch Michael and Nora disappear and he looks down toward me. 

“She’ll choose the light, Costas.”

I soak in the warmth of my husband's light, despite Costas' presence. He was silent throughout the exchange. Nora hadn't even realized she was in the presence of two gods. One was more than enough for her, but he loves her just as much. He doesn't want to see her suffer, either.  That's why it's important Nora rejects my son. No, she can't have a child. Can't be with anyone, but at least she has a fighting chance in this world. Purpose.