A plot twist…in Paris.
Blanca awoke to a familiar face. It was full of concern and staring at her with pent-up emotions that overflowed the minute he realized she was conscious.
“Blanca! Oh my God, you’re okay.” Berto hugged his sister tightly, desperately trying not to cry.
Beside him, Gabriel and a somber-eyed, platinum-haired man stood, relief evident in their eyes. She looked around the room noting the rock band posters on the walls, confused. It was Antonio’s bedroom. Somehow, she was back at his house. Inside his room. She glanced at the door. An old man stood leaning against the jamb watching the reunion between brother and sister.
“Who are you,” she asked.
Wiping a hand over his eyes, Berto pulled back and followed his sister’s line of sight. “That’s Hector. He’s Eugenio’s friend. You know, Antonio’s father.”
At the mention of his name, her heart broke. Tears flooded her eyes and grief washed over her soul.
“Blanca, what’s wrong?” Berto held her shoulders, staring at his now blubbering sister.
“He’s gone. And it’s all my fault.” She looked at the lavender-eyed angel, trying to focus through the blur of tears. “I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him, but it was too late.”
“Too late for what?”
Blanca whipped around, her jaw dropping. Antonio slipped past the old man in the doorway coming to a standstill inside the room. His eyes immediately found Blanca sitting up on the bed next to her brother. “You’re awake,” he whispered.
Blanca pushed Berto back and flew off the bed running to Antonio, but caught herself, stopping short of reaching him. “You’re alive!”
He stepped closer, a smile tugging at his full lips. “You noticed.”
Backing up a step, she kept an arm’s length between them. “But…how? I don’t understand.” She at the angel and the platinum-haired man. “And who are you?”
Gabe shrugged. “I’m the angel Gabriel,” he said,” But you probably figured at least half of that out, didn’t you?” He lifted one eyebrow and continued. “I think Cassiel had the best explanation,” he said, glancing at his brother.
Cassiel’s somber brown eyes gazed upon her.
“We believe the guardian,” he began, then noting her confusion, restated, “Antonio,” he said, pointedly, “has gained control over the wolf demon inside him. He used it for good, used it to save you. That he risked his own life for yours…well, that is the greatest of sacrifices in the eyes of the Almighty.” Cassiel looked at Antonio. “You put another’s life above your own. You chose love.”
Antonio cleared his throat. “I did what any Marine would do.”
“No, guardian, you did more,” Cassiel said. “You displayed courage beyond your years, and you did not hesitate to enter Hell itself to save her soul. When you did, the demon inside became a part of who you are. In the choice between letting evil win the day, you chose good. And that’s why the key inside you,” he said, addressing Blanca once again, “did not destroy him.”
Blanca digested the angel’s words, for she was sure now after hearing both his name and feeling an odd sense of peace wash over her, that that is what he was, one of Gabriel’s brethren. “So, does that mean I can touch Antonio without worrying I’ll kill him?”
Cassiel smiled. “It does.”
She grinned and launched herself at Antonio who wrapped his arms around her petite frame. She held on for dear life, her face buried in his chest breathing in his familiar scent. Eyes shut tight, she whispered, “Thank you.”
He kissed the top of her head breathing in her jasmine scent. “For what?”
Her smile grew. “Not you. I was thanking God for saving you.” She tilted her face up to his. “But yes, thank you, too, for saving my life.”
Blue-green eyes gazed into her big brown ones. “You’re welcome, Blanca.”
The two inched closer, lost in their own bubble of bliss.
“You realize that she is now the key you must guard with your life,” Gabe interrupted.
“What?” Startled, Antonio looked at Gabriel. “You mean we can’t get it out?”
Hector straightened, moving into the room. “The key, although mostly a mystery, has a long history of taking on the form of whatever is most important to the guardian who must watch over it. There’s no arguing with the evidence, ‘Tonio. She’s what’s important to you.”
Shaking his head, Antonio looked at the woman in his arms. He knew it was true, but he didn’t like that fact coming out in a room full of people. It was private and should be spoken only between the two of them. Plus, it had all happened so fast. He still didn’t know what to make of his feelings for Blanca Ramos. His head was fighting the logic while his heart…well, his heart was happy. His brow furrowed.
“Then why a clock for Pops? I don’t get it?”
Hector nodded. “St. Francis. Remember?” he said. “It had the carving of St. Francis on it, something your Pops loved long before you came into the picture. Also, he loved you with all his heart and given the enormous responsibility of both guarding the key and raising you, time was the only thing he needed. When you think about it, it makes sense.”
“But how did he even know about the key?” Antonio looked at the angels. “Who escorted my Pops when he passed? Can I talk to him?”
Cassiel shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we never reveal such to mortals. Not even half-mortals like yourself, Nephilim. But there is someone who might be able to answer some of your questions. And you need to meet her.”
Gabe threw a look at Cassiel.
“Now wait a minute. No one said anything about him meeting—”
“The order came down from Zaphkiel.”
“Zaph!” Gabe grumbled.
“Gabriel, you know he is the messenger and all orders come from Him.”
“I don’t like it. She’s not ready and I don’t want her exposed to whatever might be coming after him,” he pointed at Antonio, “or even her. Sorry, Blanca, no offense.”
“None taken, I think,” she said, confused.
“What in the world are you two talking about? Meet who?” Antonio glared at the two archangels.
Cassiel stepped forward, placing a hand on Antonio’s shoulder. “The entire reason you must keep the key,” he said, glancing at Blanca, “safe. It’s all part of the prophesy. The second coming is very real, my friend. And her name…is Sophie Magdalena Fairchild.”
Hector gasped. “A female?”
Cassiel nodded. “Yes, watcher. A girl child not yet grown, not yet fully aware of her purpose. She is why Camael and Rafael are not here. They are her protectors, along with Gabe here, but Antonio needs him right now.”
“I need to sit down,” mumbled Hector. He reached out, finding the bed, and plopped down hard next to Blanca’s brother. “A girl,” he whispered. “I didn’t see that coming.”
Berto, who’d remained silent throughout the conversation going on around him, spoke. “So, does that mean end times are coming soon?”
Gabe shook his head. “No, Roberto. It means, if all goes well, an age of peace. That is, if He doesn’t throw another monkey wrench into the works.” Gabe glanced skyward, his tone reflecting his ongoing rebellion with his maker.
“Now, now, Gabe.” Cassiel raised an eyebrow at his brother. “Stow your personal feelings. Now that we’ve dispatched Del Fuego and Antonio has saved the key, it’s time to introduce him to our girl. You’ll need to pack, both of you,” he said to Antonio and Blanca. “And I suppose you’ll want to go too.” Cassiel turned to Berto. “I’ve a feeling you two might have a lot in common.”
“Pack?” Antonio looked from Cassiel to Gabriel to Hector, and back to Cassiel.
“Yes. You’re going to Paris.”
“Paris?” Blanca squeaked. “But I don’t have that kind of money, or the time off. And Berto has classes,” she sputtered. “And passports! We don’t have passports.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. With a wave of his hand, two passports appeared out of thin air in his open palm. “Not my first rodeo. And I think this is far more important than your job,” he said, “and young Roberto can miss a few classes. Your lives have changed as of today. Nothing will ever be the same.”
Cassiel nodded. “Your paths have altered. Trust that His plan for you both is set.”
“The whole free will thing is basically bull—”
“Gabriel!” Cassiel admonished.
“Well, it is. No matter what they choose, it’s His plan. Worse than three-dimensional chess,” he grumbled, looking at Antonio and Blanca. They stared back, clearly thrown off their game by this news. “I know that look. Believe me, I’ve lived it for millennia. You’ll get used to it. Or not.”
Blanca’s mouth opened, then closed. She shook her head and tried again. “You called Antonio Nephilim.” She pinned Cassiel with an inquiring stare. “What did you mean? I thought the Nephilim were half angels. How does his reformed…what did you call it, a wolf demon,” she asked, disbelieving, “figure into the whole Nephilim equation?”
Cassiel’s lips twitched. Patting Gabriel on the shoulder he said, “You might want to field that question, brother. Try to be delicate.”
Gabe threw side-eye at Cassiel. Clearing his throat, he blurted, “Antonio is one quarter angel.”
“What?” Blanca’s eyes bugged.
From the bed, Hector muttered and wiped his brow while Berto looked like a fish out of water, his jaw dropping and then closing.
Antonio leaned in, kissing her temple. “It’s true. At least, I can’t imagine an archangel would lie. He told me the morning after the wolf demon first tried to take possession.”
“But…but who?” Blanca looked at him and then back at Gabriel. Both men wore the same uncomfortable expression. Then she began to notice the similarities. The shape of the brows, the cheekbones, their height, and build. “No! You, Gabriel? You’re Antonio’s father?”
“No,” he shook his head. “That would make him half angel. His mother was my daughter.”
A strange gurgle sounding halfway between disbelief and amusement burst from Blanca’s lips. “I didn’t think angels did that.”
Gabriel shrugged. “We do. When the spirit moves us,” his voice dropped low, “so to speak.”
“Doesn’t seem like a very angel-like thing to do,” Blanca said, eyeing Gabriel, censure in her large brown eyes.
His pride pricked, Gabriel threw back his shoulders, his jaw jutting forward. “We feel love, Blanca, and just like you humans, we act on it. Your species isn’t the first to know love, to experience the desire to express that love, you know.”
She threw up her hands in surrender. “Sorry. My bad.”
“In the kingdom, such fraternizations usually have a higher purpose,” Cassiel interjected. “There’s always a reason, Blanca. For everything,” he added, pointing at her and Antonio. “Even a higher purpose for the two of you. Now that all the secrets are out, you three should pack. We leave in the morning. And you, watcher. I need to speak to you alone.” Cassiel addressed Hector.
“Me? Well, okay. Downstairs in the kitchen alright?” he asked, slowly rising off the bed.
“That will be fine.” Cassiel moved to Hector’s side, taking the older man’s arm. Without wounding the man’s pride, he casually helped him get steady on his feet and led him down the stairs, making sure he reached the bottom without incident.
Berto looked at his sister and, making his way to the bedroom door, turned back. “I’ll get your suitcase down and start my own packing. Can’t believe we’re going to Paris. But who will watch over my pigeons? What about Hercules?”
“We’ll ask Hector to keep an eye on them, feed them while you’re gone,” said Gabriel. “Shouldn’t be a problem. Let’s leave these two to talk and get your situation sorted out, shall we?”
The big angel followed Berto out of the room. Finally, Antonio and Blanca were alone. No noise. No danger. No interruptions.
Antonio took Blanca’s hand and led her to the bed where she sat down. He joined her, placing an arm around her waist and pulling her close to his side. Together, they enjoyed the hard-earned peace and silence.
“You know,” he said, “growing up, my Pops always said every man has to find his purpose. I didn’t really know what he meant. Then, I joined the marines and I thought I’d found it. But now,” he paused, lifting her hand to his lips, and placing a soft kiss upon her fingers, “I think maybe that was just one step in my journey, a step that led me to you, and this…” he looked around the room and out the window, “all this craziness. I don’t even know what to think, Blanca.” He faced her again staring into her big brown eyes.
She smiled, reaching up to touch his face. “I know. I’ve spent my life hustling from moment to moment, just trying to keep my head above water, trying to protect Berto. My Tia Marta was a believer. I remember she used to come in to tuck us into bed at night, but only after we said our prayers. It felt right then, but when she died, it was like God abandoned us. We lost our mom, and then Marta. After that, we bounced from one foster home to the next, and I stopped praying. Didn’t seem to be helping, you know? I figured if anyone was going to save us, it would have to be me. And I managed, always managed, but just barely. We were in a good place with me working and Berto beginning college.” Blanca sniffed, wiping a tear from her eye. “Now, I just don’t know what to make of anything. Was it all part of a plan? Isn’t that what Cassiel said?”
Antonio shrugged. “I don’t know. You heard what Gabriel said about the whole “God’s plan” thing.”
She chuckled. “Yeah. It’s a bunch of bull—”
“Now, now,” Antonio chided, laughter in his voice.
“Yeah. Now, here we are,” she said, looking up into his blue-green eyes. “I’m some crazy supernatural key and you’re my big, strong guardian. What are we supposed to do, because, frankly, I’m scared?”
It was the first time Antonio had seen real fear in her eyes. In the entire time he’d known her, short though it had been, he hadn’t witnessed an ounce of fear in her. She was strong. Determined. Indomitable. Blanca had the spirit of a warrior, one who would always find her way. To hear the tremor in her voice, a wobble he was sure she’d tried to control, pained him. His heart swelled and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.
“I don’t know, but whatever comes, I’m not going to let anything happen to you, I swear. And that goes for Berto too.” He kissed her hair, inhaling the fresh, jasmine scent of her shampoo.
His warmth seeped into her soul as his words sank in. He wouldn’t leave her. Not ever. She wasn’t alone anymore. God had sent her a protector, a friend, a lover. She sighed, snuggling into his muscular chest. What was it that Hector said? The key takes on the form of whatever is most important to the guardian who must protect it. The key had absorbed into her, becoming a calming voice inside her head. That must mean she was what was important to Antonio. The thought made her smile.
“What?” he asked, noting the up tilt of her lips. “What are you thinking about?”
Eyes closed; her smile grew wider. “I’m thinking about you.”
A finger slid beneath her chin. Blanca peeked up at him, about to speak when his lips took hers in a sweet, soft kiss. It melted her heart. This was not the wild passion that caused his wolf demon to rise and lose control. This was something new, something deeper. And she wanted it to go on forever, but he pulled away, leaving her breathless and wanting more.
Antonio gazed into her eyes. Deep down, he knew. She owned his heart. And by the swirl of emotions on her lovely face, he felt reasonably sure that her own heart beat now for him. He smiled. “So, we’re going to Paris.”
“The city of lights,” she sighed.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, Blanca, but no matter what,” he paused, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, “I’m going to take you on a proper date. That is, if you want to…”
She grinned. “I want to see the Eiffel Tower.”
“Is that a yes?”
“If you take me to the Eiffel Tower, at night,” she added, “then yes. It’s a date.”
He kissed her again, this time passion blazed. He trailed hot kisses across her cheek to her ear and whispered, “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. As long as we’re together, I’m a happy man.”
Feeling like the gooey center of a cinnamon roll fresh from the oven, she giggled. “Well, then we need to pack.” Blanca kissed him one last time and then pulled away, much to Antonio’s dismay.
He leaned back on the bed watching as she stood, preparing to leave.
“Just be sure to pack your prettiest dress, ma’am, because I’m going to wine and dine you, Parisian style.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that, soldier boy.” With a skip in her step, she headed downstairs. Thoughts of what to pack and the promise of their upcoming date swirled through her mind. As she passed the kitchen, she heard Cassiel and Hector whispering. She paused, leaning against the wall just out of sight.
“We’ve been through this before,” said Cassiel, “and he always manages to come back. Keep an eye out. If you see anything suspicious, call me.”
Hector mumbled a reply and then left through the backdoor.
Confused by what she heard, Blanca didn’t know whether to go back up the stairs or continue out past the kitchen entry. Hesitating wasn’t her style and with a deep breath, she moved. A quick glance inside the kitchen showed it was empty. She’d only heard one pair of feet leave, but the angel was nowhere in sight. Shaking her head, she made her way out the front door heading for home. The day outside was overcast and humid, but the temperature was colder than usual for San Antonio falling into the fifties. Winter in south Texas was in full effect. Zipping her hoodie, Blanca crossed the street. As she turned the corner, a man moved out from beneath the leafy overhang of tree branches. He took a long drag off a cigarette, and sliding his hand through his hair, straightened the lapels of his midnight-blue suit and followed.
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