The Watcher

The entire room filled with a corrosive black smoke that stung my eyes and tasted of rotten eggs. Beneath it all was a flicker of golden light, a tiny sphere not much bigger than a firefly, but it grew brighter and stronger as it rose to the ceiling and hovered there.

Then a tear opened in the middle of the living room, as though the room itself and all the furniture in it was projected onto a curtain that was being ripped open. Behind that was a mouth to a different reality—a very dark and upsetting one. On the other side, I could hear moans of agony and roars of pain that made the hairs on my neck stand up. The tendrils of black smoke hanging in the air were sucked right into that mouth, slowly at first, and then building in speed as if the mouth were inhaling just the smoke—leaving everything else behind. It took seconds for the room to clear, and once it was done the mouth closed and the tear sealed itself. The room was ordinary again, and someplace far away I heard the clanging of an iron gate.

All that was left was the golden ball of light, which had grown to the size of a giant beach ball. It circled the room and hovered in front of Arielle, who smiled at it as though they were having an exchange I couldn’t hear. A moment later, it floated toward Michael, who bowed his head. Then it came to me. Not sure what to expect, I tensed.

Arielle placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s all right.”

Taking a deep breath, I looked at her and then back at the golden ball of light. It was warm and pure. As it approached, its presence tingled my skin.

Put out your hand.

I didn’t know where the voice came from—so deep and melodic—but I obeyed, and the golden ball landed on me like a rare, exotic bird. With it, a sense of warmth and gratitude ran up my arm.

Thank you, it said.

And in a flash it was gone.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The look on Michael’s face was one of awe and reverence as he encircled me in his arms. “Do you know what you did? You gave a demon a chance at redemption.”

The light that had filled me began to fade. It was replaced by the warmth of Michael and an incredible sense of peace.

“Is that good?”

“Very.” He smiled, his gaze tender as it held mine. “That took real courage. I wish you could hear the celebration on the other side.”

“Can you?”

“Yes.”

I blinked back tears. His shirt was ripped, his hair messy, but he was alive. Even covered in blood and grime, he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“Fatima told me to love, and I just remembered it.” It probably didn’t make any sense, but it was all I could think to say. “What will happen to him now?”

“There wasn’t much of his angelic self left. We had to time it right; if you hadn’t got him to feel any remorse, he would have just been sent back through the gates of Hell.” He pulled me closer to him. “But you did, and he had that slightest bit of remorse that made it all possible.”

I didn’t say anything, waiting for Michael to continue. From his answer, I still didn’t know what would happen to Damiel.

“We cleared the darkness off of what was left of him. That is really big, Mia. We seldom reclaim demons as far gone as he was. Not even I went that far.”

“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, remembering that the reason Michael went to Hell in the first place had to do with my death and the belief that he’d killed his own son. “I should have known that monster was never yours. I don’t know why I didn’t tell you…I couldn’t—”

Michael put a finger to my lips. It was rough from being cut and it tasted of blood and burnt flesh. His. “It’s all right.”

“You’re not mad?”

He let out a soft laugh, his eyes shining brighter than I’d ever seen them before. “Mad? No.”

We were so co

“I’m glad you’re safe,” he said. His expression darkened as he glanced at the bed behind me. “You were lying there, not moving.”

Touching the side of his face, I turned his face back to mine. “I thought that, too, but you were playing dead.”

He gri

“I’ll remember that next time.”

“I hope you never have to.” Carefully, he touched my cheek, avoiding where I’d been struck. Even though the bleeding had stopped, it throbbed bitterly.

A warm, tingling sensation soothed my skin as he extended his halo around me. “Hold still.” He placed his fingers where I’d been hit. A hot brightness shone around that side of my face. It stung at first, but then the throbbing pain slipped away as shadows do in daylight. When he was done, I felt fine, as though I’d never been hurt. I touched my skin; other than the left-over dried blood, it was smooth, without scars.

“You healed my ankle that day in the woods,” I said, putting the pieces together, surprised at myself for not recognizing it before. The pain had been agonizing right after I fell and then got better in his presence—of course he’d healed it.

“I couldn’t bear to see you hurt. Not then. Not ever.”

“How did you find me?” I asked. “I could have been anywhere.”

“It was hard. Damiel knows how we work, so he hid you well. But I found you the same way I always have. I felt you.” Then he laughed to himself and his eyes lit up. “You know, I can’t explain it, really.”

“Then don’t.” I leaned into his chest and inhaled the grassy scent of his skin. He was covered in sweat and blood and God knows what else, but I didn’t care.

Behind me, Arielle placed a hand on my shoulder, and I sighed. Surely she wasn’t going to split us up. Not again.

“Michael’s right,” she said. “You did good work tonight.”

“You must have known…”

“God doesn’t tell me everything. I knew you needed to remember, but I didn’t know you would be able to get Damiel to a place of remorse, and forgiving him…” She smiled and a wave of warmth wafted off of her. “Brilliant!”

Before what she said could sink in, Giulio stirred and sat up. Groaning, he rubbed the back of his head, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He probably hurt everywhere.

Arielle approached him. “Hi,” she said, smiling. “I’ll bet you don’t know how you got here.”

He nodded, and Arielle helped him up, holding his wrists. She didn’t let go of them when she spoke.

“You were possessed by a demon. I know it sounds weird.”

“Uh, okay.” Giulio staggered a little, baffled, as though he’d just woken up. In a way, he had.

“We’ve dispatched the demon that did this, so now I can remove the mark it left behind and you can forget any of this ever happened. I hope you understand.”

She placed her hands on his heart and her halo flared a brilliant white, enveloping both of them. Giulio’s body relaxed and he smiled with relief. He looked young, and in his groggy state, kind of sweet, nothing like the brutal, malicious spirit that had possessed him.

When she was done, he said, “I couldn’t possibly forget all of this.”

“You will,” she said, walking him to the door. “But you’ll know this: that life is a great mystery, one you have yet to really discover.” She stopped at the door. “Oh yeah, and on your way back, turn left on the gravel road, and then left on the main road. Drive downhill all the way back to the freeway. You should know your way home from there.”

“Uh…thanks. I think,” Giulio said. “I’m sure I’ll remember someone as beautiful as you.”

Arielle waved goodbye and closed the door, then said straight-faced, “They all say they’ll remember me. They never do.”

Serious, fierce Arielle had made a joke, and it took me by surprise. I laughed, and she and Michael both joined me, their spirits high from wi