51. Olivia

Olivia

T he air leaves my lungs. I don’t know who Asa is or why Ansel is reacting so out of character, but hearing the name Ophyr is enough to know that I’ll protect Spencer with my life. Now that I know that my son, who I was ready to mourn for my entire life, is not only alive but has been raised by two amazing people, I won’t let anyone take him away from me.

Not even Ophyr, the one who leads the Nephilims and wants to destroy God’s creation.

Not wanting to scare Spencer, I say, “We will finish dinner and talk later,” my eyes fixed on my son, who is unaware of the danger he is in. The others seem to agree with me. To Ansel, I say, “We shouldn’t speak like that in front of him.”

Ansel rubs the back of his neck. “If not for the danger looming over us, I wouldn’t swear. No one understands what can happen when Ophyr finds us.”

“Let’s talk after,” I insist.

Ansel clenches his jaw and pushes his food around the plate. It’s not like I don’t understand, it’s just that I’m trying to keep calm. If Ophyr is the being that came out of the Dybbuk Box, we are indeed in deep shit. He had eight wings, displaying them like he was the king of the peacocks, while the Nephilims trapped in the box with him attacked Camila. He didn’t know it was me he wanted. Not once did Ophyr try to come after me. Maybe it's just a coincidence that Asa met Spencer. Maybe we are not in danger. Maybe I can finally have the happy life I once dreamed of…

Maybe…

Not when Earth is in danger.

This will be a war like no one has ever seen before. I’m more determined to fight and protect not only those I love but everyone else.

After dinner, Tyson and I take Spencer to his room. We play with him, help him take a bath before we tuck him into bed, and tell him stories until he falls asleep.

For a moment, I imagine how happy Tyson and I would have been if not for the entire world being against us. I doubt we would have become parents so young, as we wanted to be established in our careers, but we would have lived many wonderful years discovering each other.

For what it’s worth, I love having five men more than I care to admit. I am now used to being with them and doing everything with them. Even tucking in Spencer with only Tyson seems strange. The others insisted the three of us have this moment before Spencer realizes he has five dads.

I kiss Spencer’s forehead. “I can’t believe he’s alive,” I murmur.

Tyson whispers, “It feels so surreal, especially since you said that he died in your arms.”

I try to think of the day Spencer was born. I was in a lot of pain and there was blood everywhere. No matter how much I pushed, Spencer wouldn’t come out and in the end, a cesarean was performed. The blood loss left me so weak and I slipped in and out of consciousness several times while I begged for Spencer’s life. The last thing I remember before passing out is Spencer stopped breathing.

A few days later, while I was mourning for Spencer, I was cut open again and my tubes were removed. After which I was given to Carlos.

“I thought so too, but he’s a fighter,” I say.

“Just like you.”

I lean my head on Tyson’s shoulder. “While I don’t know why Jason gave Spencer a chance at life, I’m grateful for it.”

“I’m sure Jason wanted to torment you even more with Spencer. Jon and Khloe made the right decision to move here. When we return home, I will make sure to let your father know that he failed in killing your son.” I look at Tyson. There’s a strange look on his face, not fear or anger, but determination. It sends a cold chill down my spine. “Let’s see what Ansel has to say.”

I don’t want to leave Spencer, but many urgent matters require my attention.

We go to the living room, where the others are waiting for us. Grandma Khloe made coffee for everyone. While I’m not a huge caffeine fan, I feel this will be a long night. I grab a cup from the coffee table and sit between Mose and Rueben.

Ansel appears lost in thought. His face looks ashen. What does he have to say that evokes such strong emotions in him? He’s always so calm; it’s not only the bond that lets me know of his inner turmoil but also his body language.

I take a sip of my coffee and wait for Ansel to talk.

And we wait. And wait some more.

It takes Ansel about an hour to snap out of his thoughts. “We should return to the States. All of us,” he emphasizes.

My grandparents exchange glances. “Our life is here now.”

“You will have no life if you stay here,” Ansel snarls. “Does Asa know where you live?” he asks my grandfather, who nods. After jumping to his feet, he quickly adds, “I need to check if Asa is surveying the house,” before running out of the living room.

I’ve never seen Ansel so nervous. It’s like he’s about to tell us that a nuclear war is about to start. Rueben and the rest are just as shocked as me.

“I never thought Ansel could be such a coward,” Mose snickers.

Ever since Mose returned, there has been something strange about him. It’s almost like he hates Ansel. So I say, “Ansel’s purpose is to keep me safe. He was ready to give his life for me in the Catacombs. If he’s acting like this now, he must have his reasons. If he says we should leave, we should do just that.”

Mose tilts his head to the side. “You will soon learn that Ansel is not to be trusted.”

Rueben chimes in. “What do you mean by that? I’ve known Ansel for a long time. I trust him with my life!”

“Ansel saved my ass more times than I can remember,” Tyson says.

It doesn’t take long for a back-and-forth to start between Mose, Rueben, and Tyson.

I glare at them, my fists clenched. “There will be no fighting between us. If we are not united, the enemy has won before the real war even starts.” The argument stops. “I don’t care who Ansel is. He can be Azael’s son, and I would still love him.”

“Maybe we should continue this conversation in the morning,” Grandpa Jon finally suggests.

I rub my temples. “That’s a good idea,” I agree.

“I will stay a bit longer to talk with Jon,” Tyson says.

“Let me show you to the guest room,” Grandma Khloe says.

The guest room is next to Spencer’s room, which calms my anxiety. Grandma Khloe brings me a pair of her pajamas to wear for the night. After I change in the bathroom, I sit on the bed next to my grandma, a brush in her lap.

“Do you remember when you were little that I used to braid your hair before you went to bed?”

I nod before a big knot in my throat prevents me from speaking. She starts brushing my hair.

After she braids my hair, I touch my stomach.

“If I have a girl this time, you will have to brush her hair every night.” I face her. “I missed you terribly,” I say and bury my face into her chest, like I did when I was little. Tears run down my cheeks while I tell her everything that has happened to me. She listens to me patiently, her hands gently stroking my head and back.

When I am done, Grandma makes me look at her. Her eyes are red from crying. Wiping my tears away, she says, “If I had suspected what your father did to you, I would have fought tooth and nail to get you out.” She seems to hesitate a bit before asking, “Tyson told me he hurt you. If you want to get away from him, you only need to say the word and Jon will deal with him.”

“If you had asked me in December, I would have begged you and Grandpa to take me far away from Tyson and the others.” The tips of my fingers trace the scars on my right arm. “I was so depressed I tried to take my life several times. First Jasper, then Ansel found me in time. They were the first to love me, to make me want to live. Being with them wasn't a decision I made lightly. They proved to me they wanted a life with me. I let go of the pain, the suffering, the torment they put me through and embraced them completely. I wasn’t lying when I said that I love them. They make me feel alive. Without them, I feel like I can’t breathe.”

Grandma hugs me. “I am so happy you found happiness, Olivia.”

She has no idea how happy I am. It feels surreal. Like a dream.

We spend the next few hours talking until Grandpa Jon comes looking for us. “Ansel is back. He said we have to leave tonight.”

“And go where, Jon?” Grandma Khloe asks.

“Ansel thinks we should leave Malta,” Grandpa Jon answers.

“Our belongings are on the other island. At least we have our passports and wallets with us. But Ansel has yet to explain things,” I say.

The three of us go to Grandpa’s office, where my men are.

Ansel is looking out the window but turns his head around when he hears us entering. Our gazes lock. “Whatever happens, whatever you hear, remember I love you.” He sounds like he has been sentenced to death.

“What did you do?” Rueben asks.

Mose snorts.

Ansel keeps talking to me, “I swore allegiance to you.” He rubs his temples. “Maybe it is time I reveal who I am.”

I blink. “Did you lie about being my guardian?”

I don’t care if he lied as long as he’s on my side. But if Ansel is not my guardian, I wonder where the real one is.

Ansel hesitates before slowly shaking his head. “It’s…complicated. I am your guardian, but…only because I chose to be.”

Tyson and Rueben narrow their eyes. “You said you were born as a guardian and have a spear behind your right ear. Did you lie?” Tyson growls.

“Yes and no.” Ansel runs his fingers through his hair.

The doorbell rings, and we ignore it because who can it be at this hour?

“When I decided to follow you into this world, I had to give up on something.” He laughs bitterly. “Who would have thought that Pandora would have protected this world so well against the Nephilim army?” Ansel’s wings come forth. “While you and the others turned to Abadon, the Archangel who guards the entrance to this world, I used my power to do the same. I didn’t realize how much it would cost me. I was angry for a long time, even blaming you for losing the glory I once had. But at least I had a body, unlike you, who was forced to start life from zero. My body wasn’t perfect, as it was in the beginning, as I became mortal due to the protection Pandora put around this world, but I didn’t mind.

“In my search for you, I often found solace in an abandoned monastery a few states away from here. Sometime later, a woman and an infant came to live there. For the first two years, she spent most of her time cleaning the place, making it ideal for the child to grow. I think she knew I was spying on her, but she let me be since I wasn’t a threat to her and the child.

“After his second birthday, the woman started teaching him about his duty, of why he was born. Imagine my shock when I learned he was the Guardian, the one whose entire life was dedicated to protecting the heir of Pandora. I knew it was you. How could it not have been you when you were…one of God’s most amazing creations?

“I kept watching the child, wanting to know where you were. In my mind, you were still Erelah, the archangel who has been my mortal enemy in another world.”

Erelah.

For some reason, the name evokes strong feelings inside me.

Ansel keeps talking. “Soon after the child turned five, a rattlesnake bit him. There was no time to take him to the hospital. The only way to save him was for him to become me and me to become him. Thus, Ansel came to be.”

Tyson and the others pull me behind them. “What the fuck are you?”

A voice I haven’t heard before comes from behind me. “He is Samael, the general of the Nephilims.”