Thirty-Seven

Cole

I tried to give Bobby privacy and not listen to his thoughts, but it was harder when he was so worried and frightened. Anna had accomplished exactly what she wanted it to. She'd put Bobby on alert for anything that could happen to me and taken his focus off her. He kept looking around for her, but she wasn't nearby. She was already at her farm preparing for later.

"Here you go," I said and put his burger and fries in front of him. "She's not here. I'd know if she was. You can relax." His eyes met mine searching for deceit. Since my mind had been expanded, I knew his thoughts, but I forced myself not to act by anything other than his words.

"You really can hear her thoughts," Bobby said as though he only in that moment realized it was true.

"Yes, but I'm making myself not hear yours. I want to hear what you think through your words, not your thoughts."

"Thank you for being honest. I know you said you could do it, and I wanted to believe you. But I also hoped it wasn't true because I didn't want you to know everything about me." Bobby was so honest, and I appreciated that more than I would ever be able to show him. But I was willing to put in the time to try. He took one last look around the street before picking up his burger and taking a bite.

"How was your day?" I asked, and for the next hour the two of us forgot we were in some strange new world and just enjoyed each other's company.

"Did you want to go to my house for a while?" I asked, and hoped he would say yes.

He looked at the time and thought about it for a second before answering. "Sure. I can't stay late though. Dad won't be as nice tomorrow." He chuckled. "Let's go before it gets too late." The two of us stood and once again went to our separate cars and he followed me home.

"I'm glad you decided to stay a while," I said when I walked up to where he was just getting out of his car. Anna is nearby, tonight is when she intends to try to take the power. He stiffened for a split-second as I took his hand but then he squeezed my fingers. He'd heard me. Don't be afraid, she can't hear me, and I can protect you. But you won't need it.

"Me too, I hope we have more orders in this area so I can stop by more often," Bobby said, but I could feel the tension in his thoughts and hear it in his voice.

Once we were inside, I locked the door and put my finger up to my lips. "We'll need to speak quietly. Even though I removed all the symbols we'd drawn and diminished her powers here, she can still hear us if she tries hard enough."

"Cole, are you sure you can do this?"

I took his face in my hands and met his beautiful eyes. "Yes, and after tonight we'll never need to be afraid again." He nodded and glanced around the room.

"Is there something else we should be doing?"

"No, she's nearly here," I said, just as the door blew open sending splinters of wood and debris all over the room.

"I told you this power was meant for me. I won't stand back while you squander it," Anna screamed as she levitated up to the door.

"What is she?" Bobby asked from where he was squatted down with his arms over his head.

"It's not Anna. Not anymore," I said and walked toward her . I know what you are, but you were not chosen for this power, and you have no say in who wields it. Tonight, your story ends.

She sneered at me, and I knew she'd heard me, but she still levitated just inside the door. Her long grey hair swirled around her head in a wind born of magic and whatever darkness she used to show me she did indeed have power. I stood and walked closer to her. "Is Anna still in there?" I asked and again she sneered.

"You have no idea what you speak of," she growled.

"You have no idea what I learned last night. Much has happened since we saw you last, the least of which is I now know exactly what you are. Nox was your nephew, but you lied when you said you didn't know where he was. He inhabited this body for a while after he forced Anna's spirit out."

"Cole?" Bobby asked.

"He sacrificed his aunt's spirit to a demon so he could inhabit her body. You see, Nox wasn't born with magical abilities, but Anna was."

"I took what was mine. She didn't want to use it and didn't deserve to be blessed with so much power," Anna screamed.

"But that wasn't the end of it was it, Urkinoth." Her smile widened unnaturally, and her face seemed to melt and form into a completely different shape. Spiney horns grew from both sides of her head and draped over her back revealing her true form. A demon.

"She fought me. A simple human tried to take my power away. The power I was promised. The boy was easy to manipulate, he wanted power nearly as much as I did. But when his spirit was in her body there was enough of her left to fight him, and me." Her nails extended into knife-like claws that she raked along the wall as she took a moved closer to us.

"Did you really think Haniel would grant you the power you desired? She is, after all, an archangel." I waited for her reaction and put myself between the demon and Bobby. "Why would an archangel give a demon the power of sight, and the ability to hear thoughts?" My voice started to take on the power of the gift and the demon noticed. "You are not worthy." Lightning crackled from my fingertips, and I stepped closer.

"Two sacrifices, that was the cost. The archangel promised me power for two souls," the demon snarled as she grew in size to where she nearly touched the ceiling. "A weak human will not tell me anything," she growled and gnashed her teeth while she floated toward me. "You are nothing but a weak insect who has no power over me." She gripped the front of my shirt and pulled me in close to her as the toes of my shoes barely touched the floor. "Tonight, there will be two more sacrifices to Haniel."

She released me suddenly and I took a step back, and right into Bobby's chest. One look and I knew Haniel was right: he was the guardian, and he was my sword.