Inside the Fire

  “Has it been so long?” My violator spoke moving his focus from me to my father. “You look ravishing as ever Damien.” He teased flashing a big toothy grin.

  “What business do you have here?” My father seethed the flames were slowly rising up his body enveloping his arms and shoulders.

  “Oh hasn’t your daughter told you.” He clasped his hands together and attempted to look innocent. “We are madly in love. We plan on getting married in the spring. Do you object Daddy dearest?” His eyes blackened, and he dropped his hands.

  He glared at me with such hatred in his eyes.

  “It just sucks that she was already impure.” For a dark soul stuck in such a young body the boy was absolutely horrifying. He wore a beautiful young face but had eyes that could rip your soul right from your body with just a blink.

  “That is my daughter you speak of.” My father seethed, the fire was now at his waist.

  “Oh don’t sound so surprised. The child of demon beams with sexual promiscuity. Oh no, I know your secret!” He exclaimed a laugh erupted from his throat. “You see, I know who you are.” He went dead serious. “I didn't quite make it to the Hell that you told me about. I was saved by a glorious angel. She told me things about you. Now look at you, a family man with such a beautiful daughter. Needless to say I do see that my message was well received.”

  “What do you want with my daughter?” My father commanded, the fire had erupted, engulfing his body, and he was suddenly reaching for me. “Dawn, get inside the fire he cannot hurt you there.” I reached out and grabbed my father’s hand instantly erupting into flames. I felt a dark pull inside of me and did my best to hold it at bay. The power was immense and I swear I could hear the cries of all the souls my father had taken.

  How was this supposed to save me from being hurt?

  “What every love struck teenager wants, a life with the woman he loves.” He looked sad for a moment then looked back at my father with a devious grin on his face. “Well in this case loved. You know she never told me what she was, but it was already too late for her. He had already spoken to me through my muse.” I could have sworn I just saw the boy twitch.

  “What are you talking about?” My father demanded. I could feel his power surging through my hand I could hear his thoughts I could hear his heart not beating.

  Wait my father's heart wasn't beating?

  I suddenly became more concerned with my father's lack of a pulse than with the boy standing ten feet in front of me. Unexpectedly behind us the room turned white.

  “The girl was half angel, you beast. A child born of purity, who told you what she was? I demand it!” My mother’s voice rang behind us deep and hollow her blonde hair flowing like a ribbon behind her head, her eyes white as milk, her lips as red as blood.

  John looked horrified as he looked at her. I don’t think he was expecting this.

  "That girl loved you, she trusted you and you turned around and did those awful things to her!" My mother was screaming at him there were tears streaming down her face.

  John seemed to stammer as his eyes took in my mother. “Lucifer himself told me. It was all through the voice of a beautiful demon.” He hissed unable to control his words. “I did as he commanded, ripped her of her purity and took her life. If she loved me she would have told me!" He screamed back at her his voice faltering. For a second I could have sworn I saw a scared boy behind those eyes.

  “Lucifer would never demand the death of a hybrid Angel. He knows that it can lead to war with the kingdom of Heaven.” My mother growled at John.

  “I did to her what I tried to do with your daughter. She told me it would make her go away. That if I killed her she could be mine! Except apparently it doesn’t work the same way as it did before.” He looked confused as he backed away from her. She was pulling the truth from him unwillingly.

  Suddenly his eyes burst back onto me inside my flame armor. There was a second where he looked pleading and finally recognition crossed his face.

  “A child of darkness and light oh how she will love this. I am not prepared for this fight. She did not know what you were oh but I do.” he let out a sinister giggle and pointed at me. “When I am ready though I will return and my hands will spill your precious Halfling blood and in death you will be mine.” And just like that he was gone.

  The only thing that remained was a slight smell of sulfur in the air. My mother’s light went out first, her eyes turning blue and sad. She had pulled a truth from my violator a truth that she did not want to know. And the anger and hate that seared through me kept me ablaze even after my father dropped my hand. I stood there burning, vowing that I would get vengeance. First for Wesley and then for myself and if I had to bring the worlds of Heaven and Hell with me so be it.

  “Dawn?” My mother’s voice penetrated my brain, but it was like I could not hear her. I glanced at her blindly and in a voice that wasn’t exactly my own I spoke.

  “I need to get out of here. I need to think. He knows about me and he will tell her and he will be back. I have no idea what to do I need to find the answers.” I could feel hot tears running down my face.

  They both just watched as I left the room slowly fizzling out leaving smoke rings behind me. I grabbed my keys and walked out the door getting behind the wheel of my car I had no idea where I was going.

  I put the car in reverse and drove off into the night. Wherever I was headed I would know when I got there. Something was pulling me, a force I could not understand. It had a pleasant burn to it which was what was making it so tempting.

  Maybe it was the residual power of my father in my veins or maybe it was the truth of what I had been told. Either way I would figure this entire mess out and prevent any of it from happening. I was not going to be his in life or death and Wesley was not going to fall prey to that half-demon slut.

  ****

  I wound up by the water, my own little island of serenity where I sat and stared at the stars. How could it seem that the world was so peaceful when in fact there was so much in it that wasn't? The Heavens looked so inviting, no wonder my mother loved being up there with the stars. I was sitting there looking up thinking when a heard a twig break behind me, I turned to look. I saw nothing at first then finally a foot stepped out into the clearing of my sanctuary. A tall male with blue eyes and golden hair. I knew I shouldn't fear him as he ascended on me his eyes staring straight into mine.

  "Child of darkness, child of light why is there pain and fear inside your heart?" He looked at me with remorse in his eyes.

  "Who are you?" I asked softly still not past the nights events.

  "I am Ramiel." He took a seat next to me. "Have no worries I come from there." he pointed up at the sky.

  “There are not many things that I fear.” I said quietly as he stretched out his long legs.

  “That is always reassuring. He said you would be a strong one.” Ramiel smiled at me. His voice was very comforting.

  “Who said what about me?” I asked raising an eyebrow.

  If one was to look at him long enough you would assume we were the same age but something in me said that he was far older than I was.

  "God of course! He watches you grow and learn each day. He has not given up hope for your mother either. After all she was tempted and corrupted by a demon. He has forgiven her but it is not her time to come home. She has far too much work here to do."

  Was this some weird twisted way of answering my prayers?

  "We cannot help you, young one, we observe but never interfere. Well I shouldn't say never, there was a time when Angels walked the Earth and took mortal wives and husbands. You know we created our own breed of human." He looked at me and smiled. "God took that right because of wars, corruption, death, disease. I could keep going but I won't. Somehow your mother fell through the cracks. She held on dearly to her love even after the fires of Hell had consumed him."

&n
bsp; "Why are you here Ramiel?" I asked quietly.

  Was this night ever going to end?

  I didn't want to sound snippy, it's just after everything that had happened all I wanted was for someone to be straight with me.

  "I came to show you the truth. I came to show you how a boy so young could kill something so pure. This is quite a twisted web you have woven here. It is going to take a lot to get out of your sticky little predicament. You are going to have to do things that you would never otherwise do. Your mothers mind holds quite a few disturbing images of what was done to that poor girl and it's eating at her. I figured I would assist an old friend, and with permission here I am. She called out to me when you left asking me to watch over you."

  Yeah that sounded like my mother that was for sure.

  "Why are they coming for me?" I whimpered. I could feel the raw emotions surging through my body. My father's strength must have faded. I felt vulnerable, and scared, and lost.

  “Hell has a lot to gain to have you. So does Heaven. You are a half blood angel. On the other hand you are half-blood demon. It is quite uncommon to find someone that carries the blood of both lines. You are a rare being indeed.” He looked at me with a peaceful expression on his face. “Heaven could use your demon blood to their advantages against Hell. While Hell can use your angel blood to their advantages against Heaven. It's a two way street, either way someone is going to win. However when it comes to the two beings that haunt you it would seem they are more in tuned with your demon nature. They are trying to feed off of it to make you vulnerable, a quick target." He said this while putting an arm around me. He was unusually warm. "I'm sure you know the story of Pandora's Box.”

  "What does Greek and Roman mythologies have to do with what's going on now?" I asked resting my head on his shoulder as he slowly rocked me from side to side.

  He laughed softly.

  "There is nothing wrong with sharing a story. Do you remember what was at the bottom of Pandora's Box? After all the bad things came out into the world?" He asked me.

  "Hope." I said into his shoulder.

  "Yes child, hope." He whispered.

  "Are you the hope at the bottom of the box?" I asked him suddenly.

  There had to be a reason he was here. Each time an Angel set foot on Earth some man wrote a long, drawn out story about how he was charged with a quest from the All Mighty himself. It makes you wonder how many Angels enjoyed playing jokes in his name.

  "In a way yes." He just sat there rocking in silence watching the water ripple on the banks of the lake and listening to the animal’s conversations.

  I felt so much better with Ramiel by my side. Like a weight had been lifted from my chest. It felt that maybe for once there was hope on my side. I would finally understand what all this was about.

  "Does God know what I’m supposed to do?" I asked cautiously after about an hour of silence.

  "God does not know what you will become. He has an idea but no solid proof. He may have created you but he made sure to give you free will. What may be your path today could very well change tomorrow." He stopped rocking. "Come, it is time."

  I raised my head from his shoulder as he stood towering over me.

  "Time for what?" I asked as he helped me to my feet.

  "Time for a walk in the past. Maybe if you see what happened before you can prevent it from happening again." He took my hand and led me into the trees.

  When we emerged on the other side there was light all around us. Bright warm sunshine beamed down on my face making my body tingle.

  Oh the sun how I loathe thee.

  I fidgeted a moment noticeably uneasy before darting my eyes around the trees.

  Where was Ramiel?

  "Ramiel!" I called but there was no answer.

  I took a step towards the figure of a brown haired woman who had her back to me. I reached out to touch her, but she turned to face me before I could even put my hand on her arm. I jerked my arm back and looked at her with wide eyes.

  "You're late. Damn Angel doesn't know how to be punctual." The woman said. She was young, maybe early twenties with piercing green eyes and thin lips.

  "I don't understand." I said to her.

  "Of course not child and I don't expect that you will after all of this. For some reason though they think you will. One measly demon escapes Hell..." The woman cut off and looked at me. "Oh you look so much like your father." She smiled this devious grin, and I shifted my stance.

  "What are you talking about one demon escapes Hell?" This woman was already pushing my patience. I swallowed, I had a feeling I was about to be enlightened and she looked like she could be a talker.

  "Yeah, the boy, the demon boy you know who he is. Eyes as black as night, makes your knees knock and your throat lock. He was once challenged with a quest to end the life of a half-angel, by a mysterious suitor." She sighed. “Your father sent him to the ninth level of Hell to be tortured for eternity. Only thing is the little shit didn't make it. Some demon stepped in between the dissention and let the boy go.” She growled. “That boy has more power in his pinky than most of us that have been here for ages.”

  “I’m sorry say what?” I asked shaking my head at her.

  “Then there was the red head girl, a demon hybrid is what she was. Demon goes to Earth has a little fling with a Vampire girl then wham bam four months later a little one comes out. She's up top right now leached on to some boy sucking him dry she is."

  Does this woman not ever breathe?

  "Poor kid gets closer and closer to deaths door each day, of course she's doing it on purpose. The little bitch is going to change him, make him immortal, just like she's tried so many times before. Wants another one of her earthbound lap dogs to add to the small army she’s created over time. I often lay awake at night trying to figure out what she needs with so many but I think she’s young so it has to be natural. Her father is with another woman, a human of all things, and her mother was killed about a century ago." She looked around her.

  "The boy has a name." I said softly. "It’s Wesley."

  "Oh I totally forgot you got yourself all entangled in that mess too. Dearie my suggestion to you is this. Go home take a bottle of sleeping pills and just end the whole thing." This woman was nuts absolutely mad. "Ok so the red head, what was her name all those years ago? Vanessa? No, no that isn't it." She was talking to herself counting on her fingers.

  I just stood there tapping my foot. If I saw Ramiel again I would have to give him a piece of my mind for leaving me with such a crazy woman.

  "LILLIANA!" She squealed. "That was the girl’s name."

  "She goes by Miranda now." I said between clenched teeth.

  "Wonder where she got that name? Sure don't sound all that scary." She said looking at the ground. "They used to call her the Black Lilly. She could invade anyone's dreams and portray herself the victim. She used it to scare off anyone that was trying to come between her and her prey. This was usually some poor lost soul, a heart-struck boy usually suffering from a loss or he had a special something to him. When she invaded the person’s dream she left her calling card. Her signature touch was the black Lilly. Each blood drop that hits the ground causes a black flower to grow." My head started swimming.

  “She was warding me off giving me her warning. All I did was enticed her and she let him go just so she could get to me. She never expected him to love me.” I looked at the woman and a weak smile spread across my lips.

  “Yes, yes child whatever you say. However that is why you are here. The two are connected to your intertwining little world. Jonathan chasing you and this, Miranda you called her, she’s attached to him. The two will end at nothing to tear you apart. He wants you as revenge for your father taking his life before he could be completely turned.” She smiled her devious smile again.

  “Why are you helping me?” I asked her.

  “Everyone
thinks that Lucifer and God are in this constant war, but they are not. Think of it as a silent partnership. They have the ability to end time itself if they were to join together and sooner or later that is where this whole place is headed. Who do you think told Jonathan where you were that night he attacked you? Who do you think told Miranda to attack you in your dreams?” She looked around then at her watch. “It is time for you to go, your quest has not yet ended. Down the road you will find a house, go in have a seat on the couch, I will be along shortly.” The woman touched my shoulders. “Don't take too long, the boss tends to be testy if I'm not home at a reasonable hour."

  “I never caught your name.” I said when she let me go.

  “Mara, now please hurry along, I have an angel to speak to. Remember down the road, house, sit down and I will be there shortly.” She instructed.

  What the Hell was going on here?

  I was never going to get away from this night. Well might as well face the facts, I looked up at the sky and frowned.

  This is going to leave some hellacious scars.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Visions

  When Mara said it would be a house I was expecting just that. Not this huge elaborate black stoned castle situated at the top of a large hill. I felt like I was standing outside of Vlad the Impalers home in Romania. I could just imagine how Jonathan Harker must have felt walking up to the legendary Dracula’s door.

  I shrugged and went through the large iron gates, walking up the long ass driveway. Finally I was at the huge front door. The damn thing must have weighed a hundred pounds as I pushed it noisily open, this would be just wonderful. The place was obviously deserted and could use a good cleaning but it was warm none the less. I found my way to the sitting room and took a seat on a red velvet couch that was probably older than my mother and father put together, but was still amazingly comfortable.

  “What did you do, take the long way here?” Mara came out of an adjoining room her hair was up and she was wearing a long flowing black dress. “I figured five minutes and you would make it. I wasn’t expecting five hours. Goodness child.” The room had darkened. I could have sworn the sun was still up when I came in.