Chapter One
Leaning against the brick wall, Luella sighed. It’d been a tough day and now it was pouring with rain. Her short, choppy black hair stuck to her head and her clothes sticking to her slight figure made her look like a drowned rat. The newspaper she’d used to protect her head was falling to pieces in her hand, frowning at it in annoyance she dropped it and looked around. Not a single car to be seen and she still had to walk an hour before she would arrive home. Luella was really wishing she’d caught the bus or taken up her workmates offer of a ride home, but of course she had to decline because the guy who’d offered the ride was more than a little creepy.
Deciding that she’d be better off staying at a motel for the night, she weighed her options before pushing off the broken wall of an old building she’d paused to lean against, and walked to the nearest motel which was fortunately only ten minutes down the road. She’d rather not stand against a wall all night soaked to the skin. As she approached, she noticed the motel seemed empty and cold despite the lights glowing around her. There were no cars in the car park nor was there anybody visible in reception. Eyes narrowed, she cautiously walked forward, not liking the feel of the place at all. Stepping into reception, a shiver ran down her spine making her feel like she was being watched.
“Hello? Is there anybody here?” She called softly, looking around curiously.
“Run!”
“Leave this place before it’s too late!”
“Hurry, save yourself!”
Voice upon whispered voice assaulted her ears. Scared out of her wits, Luella turned running towards the door as she heard a strange rustle and slithering noise, a cackle echoing through the room making her run faster. She flew outside, dashing across the road, not stopping to look, her senses barely registering the honk of a horn or the screech of tires as a pick-up truck hit her. She flew up and over the bonnet rolling off as the pick-up truck jerked to a stop. Luella let out a soft cry of pain as she landed on the ground.
A car door slammed, footsteps thudded toward her quickly, enticing her into painful consciousness. Moaning pitifully, she opened her eyes, seeing someone’s booted feet she let her gaze travel up their denim clad legs over their plaid covered chest to their face. His jaw was strong, covered in five o’clock shadow. A straight nose with high cheekbones and full lips made him look divine. His short black hair was scruffy and fell over his forehead, adding to his attractiveness.
“Shit. Miss, I apologize.” He spoke gruffly, earning a wheezy chuckle from her.
“It’s alright, sir. Nothing major broken just a couple of ribs, a punctured lung and broken legs. Give me a few moments, I’ll be fine.” Luella replied wincing as she felt her legs and ribs pop back into place, healing them. She took a breath in promptly coughing up the blood stuck in her lung after being healed. She spat it out on the road beside her before pulling herself up and stretching.
“Uh, are you sure you’re meant to be moving Miss? Maybe I should call for an ambulance.” He said uneasily, watching her stand up.
“No, no. It’s fine. I heal remarkably fast. I’m Luella Tayell.” She said brightly, sticking her hand out for him to shake.
“George Bucheron.” He replied warily, as he looked at her with a frown.
“You’re curious as to how I heal so fast.” She stated, studying his darkening emerald eyes. He was suspicious, she noted. It was normal for a human to be suspicious of something that healed very fast.
“What are you? Nobody heals that fast.” George muttered, looking her over.
“If I tell you what I am, will you give me a ride to the next town? It’s raining and I’m cold and soaked to the bone.” Luella replied, giving him a bright smile. Her violet eyes sparkled in the darkening light as she swept her short locks out of her face.
“Sure. You’d better explain well otherwise I’ll be charging for the ride.” He said, snapping slightly as he walked to his side of the car.
“Of course, that’s fine. I’m one of the best of my kind at telling stories.” She chirped, walking to the passenger side and climbing in.
“Look lady, I don’t want a kid’s fairy tale. I want the truth.” He snapped at her harshly.
“I know. However, the best way to explain this is to put it in story form.” She replied, her eyes flashing in annoyance.
“Tell me now, what the fuck are you?” He growled facing her.
“I’m an Angel.” She replied simply.
“You’re crazy. Angel’s don’t exist.” He scoffed, starting up the engine.
“Of course they do, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. Every person you come across that heals fast like me and has indigo or violet eyes is an Angel. No human has eyes like ours.” Luella smirked, sliding him a glance. George continued to focus on the road ahead not saying anything for a few minutes.
“So, why were you running across the road in the first place?” He asked, shooting her a curious look.
“I was going to stay at the motel, but it was too quiet and something was telling me to leave, to run and save myself so I did. It was freaky as hell.” She replied with a shudder.
“You mean that derelict old place close to where I hit you? That place is due to be demolished next week. I have no idea why you thought it was open or alright to enter, it’s been abandoned for years.” He replied frowning.
“Oh, is it? It looked like it was open to me. The only thing that looked strange was the fact that the lights were giving off an eerie glow and there were no cars or people around. I just thought it wasn’t used that often.”
“I’ve heard people with strange coloured eyes have died there. Nobody could tell what killed them though or where the bodies went. People say if you listen closely enough there are whispers telling you to leave before a cackle is heard echoing through the main building. Pretty creepy if you ask me.” George shrugged.
“I see.” Luella murmured, thinking over the small amount of information she’d been given. It seemed like something was luring her people to the motel and then killing them, for what purpose she’d no idea. Frowning she realised that she had a lot of research to do. Nothing killed her people and got away with it, especially not after the hunting that the human governments did when the Angels arrived on Earth back in the nineteen-sixties.
“Are there any other places like that anywhere?” She asked, staring off into the distance through the windshield.
“Hmm, I think there are a few places like it scattered around the country off the motorways. Probably some scattered through America too, along their older interstates. Why?” George replied.
“Just curious, is all.” Luella said tightly, her bubbly attitude fading away, being replaced by a sombre one. George glanced at her briefly noticing the change before frowning and focusing on the road again. Between the two towns it was a two-hour walk, fortunately it was only an hour’s drive and the signs outside the town quickly passed before houses and shops started popping up around them.
“Any particular place you’d like me to drop you off?” George asked, speaking up.
“Yes. There’s a café bookstore five minutes’ walk from the town hall. My sister and I own it.” Luella told him, letting a soft smile grace her face.
“You’re related to Miss Corphae?” He asked in surprise, turning the car and driving towards the town hall. The town wasn’t large however it wasn’t small either. A lot of Angels settled in the smaller towns along the interstates with very few deigning to live in the bigger cities. Most Angels owned stores that sold unusual items or café’s that had menus which humans might’ve thought strange.
“Yes, do you know her?” Luella replied with a fond smile as she looked at him.
“Not personally, however my half-sister enjoys visiting her café. I occasionally get dragged along when I’m in town. I didn’t know a bookstore was part of it though.” He responded chuckling, intrigue lacing his voice.
“Well the bookstore is a new development. My sister and I decided to become business partners and I??
?m going to open a bookstore and combine it with her café.” Luella said throwing him a grin.
“I see. I rather enjoy books, so you can bet I’ll be a frequent customer.” George grinned.
“You live here then? I’ve not seen you around before.” Luella said.
“Yeah, I live here. I’ve been away for work for a while.” He replied with a sigh.
“Oh, right. I was working in the next town over a lot of the time so I don’t know people here as well as I would like.”
“If you’re working in the next town over then why are you opening a bookshop and combining it with your sister’s café?” He asked.
“I handed in my resignation two weeks ago and today was my last day. It was sunny when I’d left but when I got part of the way out of town it started raining. No buses and I turned down my workmates offer of a ride because he was super creepy.” Luella explained with a shudder.
George started chuckling making her frown at him only causing him to laugh harder when he caught sight of her expression. Arriving at the café, Luella jumped out of his pick-up truck before it even stopped moving causing him to swear as she ran into the café while he finished parking his vehicle. As soon as Luella passed through the door she felt a short and soft, warm body collide with hers almost knocking her over. The person wrapped their arms around her waist forcing the air out of her. Luella looked down to see an eager face looking back up at her despite the tears running down their face.
“Sarah. I. Can’t. Breathe.” Luella gasped. Sarah’s grip relaxed and Luella wound her arms around her sisters’ shoulders. “Thank you.”
“I missed you Lu.” Sarah sobbed into her chest.
“I missed you too Sarah. I was only gone for the day.” Luella replied as the bell on the door chimed, signalling a new customer.
“Ahem. As much as I hate to disrupt this touching reunion, could I have a large soy latte with a strawberry Danish to go?” A haughty feminine voice said from behind the pair.
“Rebecca! It’s so lovely to see you again.” Sarah said politely; dislike coating her voice as she stepped back from her sister, walking towards the counter to prepare Rebecca’s order.
“Indeed. Have you heard that George Bucheron is back in town? I heard from Emily yesterday that –”
“Yes, I’m back.” George interrupted, stepping through the door. Rebecca elicited a gasp and turned around to face him a flirty, seductive smile on her face. Her hand fluttered to her large bosom, resting lightly there hoping to draw his attention.
“George, it’s so wonderful to see you again.” She said with a breathy quality to her voice. Just as she went to place her other hand on his upper arm, he shut the door and moved past her, wrapping an arm around Luella’s waist. Luella looked at him with a raised eyebrow and, seeing the subtle look he sent her, smirked. Laying her head on his shoulder, she looked up at him adoringly.
“Indeed? I’ve got to say, I don’t really remember you. What’s your name again?” He asked, his eyes flicking from Luella to Rebecca and back again.
“It’s Rebecca. Rebecca Montrose.” She replied sweetly, sending a glare towards Luella who only grinned in return.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you Rebecca. However, as you may have noticed, I already have a girlfriend and I don’t think I’ll be interested in anything you might have to say or offer me.” He replied, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Your order is ready, Rebecca!” Sarah called, setting the items onto the counter. Rebecca stalked past the duo, paid for her order and flounced out the door with her nose in the air and a “Humph!”
“That was brilliant! I never liked that woman.” Luella laughed as the pair walked to the back of the café, toward the counter.
“Thank you. Women like her are seriously not my type.” George replied, chuckling.
“You know she’s going to spread rumours about you both now, don’t you? The rumour mill here is a fierce thing.” Sarah pointed out. The three of them looked at one another blankly before they all started laughing again.
“I hope your sister won’t mind, George!” Luella said nervously as their laughter stopped.
“Poor Lily!” Sarah added.
“Oh, I know. She’ll just have to get over it though.” George replied still chuckling, he knew his sister would forgive him for not telling her the exact date of his arrival in Syden because, when she’d asked him a few months earlier, he didn’t know.
Now here he was talking and laughing late into the night with Sarah and her sister, Luella, narrowly avoiding a disaster that involved the town slut, Rebecca. She was a nightmare to be sure, wanting to get into every single and married man’s bed usually succeeding however it was different with him. He’d always managed to escape her clutches. To be honest, Luella had something that appealed to him. However, he’d have to get to know her properly before anything could happen with her.
“I’d best be off, ladies. Sarah, it was great to see you. Luella, it was a pleasure to meet you despite the initial circumstances.” He said standing and giving both women a warm smile and a brief hug.
“See you later, George.” Sarah replied, smiling.
“Yes. Goodnight George.” Luella said softly, grinning at him.