The Alpha And The Angel

Raquel POV “Come on, pipsqueak,” I laughingly taut Ariella. “You can do better than that.” Ariella’s amber eyes study me intensely as she tries to anticipate my next move, but I do not give her the satisfaction and remain still. She is a blue angel and our youngest warrior recruit. Ariella performs exceptionally well, but she still has a lot to learn. She is too impatient … like now. I can see in her eyes her decision to attack, and I easily sidestep her sword. “You expect to protect the Goddess like that?” I jeer as I kick her in the back, and she stammers forward. “A child with a stick has more grace and technique.” She swings around and glares at me for only a second before she lunges forward, and I sigh inwardly. So predictable. I ready myself to block her attack. I watch her lifting her sword as if she is going to strike down but then she surprises me at the last moment when she pegs her sword into the ground, using it as support as she lifts herself and kicks me in the face. My head jerks back from the impact and I look back just in time to see Ariella pulling her sword out of the ground with ease. “Game over,” she smiles with her blade inches from my neck. “Nicely done,” I nod and lower my sword. “Keep it up and you’ll be wearing white and gold in no time.” “Like it even matters,” she grins and puts her sword away. “Our privileges are all the same. It’s just the colour of the cloth that changes.” “Don’t you want to be chosen as one of the Goddess’s elite protectors?” I ask in surprise. “Not to mention that you’re allowed to enter her chambers at any time without announcement.” “I don’t care for that,” she shrugs. “We’re in the heavenly realm. We’re surrounded by bliss and happiness. I don’t need to ask the Goddess for anything because I have all I will ever need. Besides, blue, white, red, it doesn’t matter. We’ll all fight for her if such a day ever arises.” “True,” I laugh. “But you must admit, it’s much more exciting and entertaining to be a warrior than a watcher like you used to be.” “I liked being a watcher,” she says softly. “I know it’s against the rules, but I always took a sneak peek at my parents at the end of my shift.” “There’s a reason for that rule,” I say sternly. “I know,” she sighs heavily. “To protect and help us transition from the earthly to heavenly realm. I know we don’t feel any pain or suffering here, but we can experience their emotions. Some days my mother was so sad that it felt my heart would break. And as horrible as it felt, it also made me feel loved in a twisted way.” “Did you ever …” “Yes,” Ariella replies before I can finish my sentence. “I asked Georgie to comfort them and lessen their suffering.” “Did he do it?” I ask curiously. “He did,” she smiles. “My mother would stop crying and I could feel her peace and acceptance. So, yes, I know we shouldn’t do it, it’s simply easier for us to move on and let go of our past lives. But I was extremely fond of my parents and I …” A bloodcurdling scream interrupts Ariella and we look at each other in confusion. “That’s not normal,” Ariella frowns. “Is it?” “No, it’s not,” I respond and spread my wings. “Let’s go.” Ariella and I have been practising outside of the city’s gates. It helps sharpen her mind when fighting outside her comfort zone. “Have you ever heard anybody scream or cry here?” Ariella asks as we fly towards the screams. “Never,” I reply grimly. When I received my white cloth, I was fully informed of everything that could go wrong but I never, ever thought it could really happen. But with every scream, our everyday peace and serenity shatters, and my concern grows. “Raquel,” Ariella gasps. “Over there.” We are just outside the city walls, and I look at where she is pointing. Shock jolts through me when I see a vampire feeding on an angel. “Come on,” I say and draw my sword mid-air as we swoop down towards them. The vampire is so intoxicated with his actions that he completely forgets about his surroundings. I grasp my sword with both hands, lift it high above my head and steer it straight through his heart as I descend. The vampire cries out before he turns into ash. “Georgie,” Ariella kneels next to him. “Are you okay?” “Goddess,” he mumbles. “Protect her.” “He needs a healer,” Ariella looks at me with fear. I simply nod as I look into Georgie’s eyes. It is too late for him. The vampire took too much. He knows it and I know, but Ariella has been in the heavenly realm for only ten years, and she is stubborn. She will fight till the very end to keep her friend, Georgie, alive. Georgie groans in pain when Ariella picks him up. “We must hurry,” I say as we take flight. “There could be more of them.” “How did they get in here?” Ariella sounds petrified. “Like us, vampires are immortal,” I explain. “They can cross realms through the portal - which they obviously found.” “But …” More screams of panic and anguish reach our ears. “Leave him here,” I order and draw my sword. “I’m not leaving Georgie,” she argues stubbornly. “Listen,” I shout and look at her. “Do you hear those screams? The vampires are in the city. He’ll be safer here than in there.” “He needs a healer,” she pleads. “Raquel is right,” Georgie whispers. “It’s no longer safe in the city and Goddess needs your protection. Besides, our healers are there for sick wolves, not wounded angels.” Ariella’s face is distorted in pain and anguish as she descends and places Georgie softly down under a tree. “I’ll come back for you,” she vows before she draws her sword and spreads her wings. I smile encouragingly at her before we speed off towards the city. Ariella inhales sharply when we fly over the walls and witness the chaos beneath us. Vampires are everywhere in masses feeding off angels. Warrior angels with flaming swords are killing them off as fast as they can but for every angel, there are five vampires. “Come with me,” I order. “We must help them,” Ariella looks at me confused. “I’m a white angel,” I say with patience that I do not possess. “I must get to the Goddess’s side and I’m going to need your help.” “Why are they doing this?” Ariella asks with disgust as we fly. “We’re light, they’re darkness,” I explain. “Feeding from an angel gives them the ability to walk in daylight. And if they catch and kill Goddess, darkness will consume the world and all the werewolves will lose their humanity and they will turn into wolves permanently. Then it will be only a matter of time before the vampires rule the world. They will enslave the humans and keep them locked up as livestock. It will end humanity and the world as we know it.” “Got it,” Ariella nods. “Keep Goddess alive at all costs.” White angels are surrounding the quarters when we arrive, and Ariella follows me as we walk to Gideon. “We’re outnumbered,” I whisper as I stand next to him. “I know,” he replies. “The vampire king found our portal. I deployed all the red angels to seal it off, but they failed.” “You mean … they’re dead?” I look at him in shock. “All of them?” “Yes,” he croaks. “There were simply too many of them.” “We need to get Goddess out of here,” I say sternly. “Now.” “It’s too dangerous, Raquel,” he grunts. “If we …” “No!” I cut him off. “We cannot win this battle with only the blue and white angels, Gideon. We already lost the red angels. How do you expect us to win? We’re outnumbered, the vampire king is still sending his killers and we’re all going to die. There will be nobody left to protect the Goddess.” “Raquel is right,” Goddess suddenly talks behind us and instantly we lower our heads. “If we want the earthly realm to see a tomorrow, I must leave.” “Goddess,” Gideon steps forward without meeting her gaze. “I’m afraid it’s impossible. We have lost control over the portal. They will kill you even before you set foot there.” “There’s one more way,” Goddess smiles calmly. “My private portal. Only I can enter it. Should a vampire attempt to follow me, they will perish immediately.” “We should leave this instant,” I step forward. “I will go with and protect you until it’s safe to return.” “No, you can’t,” Goddess replies. “You’ll lose your wings and your place here if you try and enter my portal. I shall go alone.” “Very well,” I nod, slightly disappointed that I cannot remain by her side. “This way,” Goddess turns around and we follow her. “Where does the portal take her?” Ariella whispers. “Only she knows,” I reply softly. “How long will she be gone?” Ariella asks. “Vampires and angels are immortals and don’t get tired,” I remind her. “This fight can continue for centuries.” We follow the Goddess through the garden towards the waterfall. She shows us a secret path leading behind the waterfall. “Raquel,” Goddess addresses me, and I turn to her. “Don’t lose faith, we will be victorious.” “Yes, Goddess,” I bow. “I promise.” There is a hissing sound behind us, and I swing around. A sneering vampire glares at us and instantly we draw our swords and form a circle around Goddess. “Ignis,” I command, and flames ignite from the bottom of my sword towards the tip. “Ignis,” Ariella and Gideon follow, and their swords burst into flames. I turn my sword, creating a circle of fire as I walk closer to the vampire, and he retreats. “Raquel, there are more,” Ariella shouts and I look over my shoulder. A swarm of vampires are storming at us. I look back but the single vampire has disappeared, and I run to Ariella and Gideon’s side. A vampire squeals when Ariella pierces his heart, but more and more are coming. “Go, Goddess,” I say hastily. “We got this.” The sounds of vampires perishing are camouflaged by the tumbling waterfall. “There are so many,” Gideon grunts. “She’s almost there,” I reply. “Just a few more seconds.” “No!” Ariella screams and I turn to look. In horror, I watch Ariella storming towards the Goddess and placing herself as a shield between the Goddess and a vampire. Ariella wields her sword and kills the vampire a second before he can get his claws on the Goddess. She smiles weakly at me, and I am about to praise her when a vampire lunges at her. “Ariella! Watch out!” I warn her. She spreads her wings, jumps up and thrusts her sword into the vampire and he bursts into flames. Quickly she retrieves her sword and lands next to the burning pile. “We need to get out of here,” Gideon huffs. “We’re cornered here.” “Agreed,” I nod. “Exit to the right.” “Ariella,” I look at her. “Let’s go.” She nods and steps towards us, but a vampire grabs her by the foot. Helpless I watch as she loses her footing and falls into the portal.