Demons & Angels

"You!? Move, we have to leave!" I said pushing against his chest, not realizing how much taller then me he was.

Gently he grabbed my arms and moved me to the side,"looks like Dee is in some trouble. I suppose I should go help her," looking back at me he grinned," You just stay right here till I come to get you. It won't take long."

So I did as I told, and waited outside. I watched as he calmly walked into the bookstore. At first there was nothing but an eerie silence, and then screams that belonged to men. It was over just as quickly as it had begun, and I was too stunned to move.

Popping his head out of the store the stranger said," coast is clear sweets come on in!"

I stumbled forward, my main concern being Dee. When I walked in I saw her sweeping up a pile of ash. No wings in sight, just normal old Dee.

"What was that!? You had wings! The man had horns! Where did they go? Who are you!?" My last question was flung towards the stranger who was curiously looking through the closest pile of books.

"I'm sorry, child. I never meant for you too see any of that so soon. I was hoping we still had some time." Dee said placing an arm around my shoulders.

"Dee, what's going on?" I said turning towards her fully.

Before she could say anything the stranger came up behind me and spun me around. Grabbing my chin he forced me to look into his eyes. "Dee, I know you were tasked with watching after her, but I thought you would have toughened her up some. She looks like a porcelain doll. One push," the stranger said moving closer to were our noses could touch, "and she looks like she will shatter."

The arrogance that radiated from him made my blood boil. My whole life I was looked down on cause I always looked fragile and weak. I hated it. I didn't care if he made those men scream, I was seeing red.

Without a second thought I grabbed his wrist from my chin, twisted, and flung him over my shoulder, using his surprise and weight against him. Small I might be, but I'd been training and taking self defense classes since I was eighteen and could afford it myself.

"Though she may look like a porcelain doll, Lucien, Kori can take care of herself even with her powers still locked." Dee said with a small smile. The stranger, known as Lucien, lay on his back looking up a bit stunned. Ignoring him I looked back at Dee.

"I don't have powers Dee, what are you talking about? Did those men do something to you? Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Yes, of course. Let's head up to the cafe and get some coco and then I'll explain everything. Lucien, you come too, I'll be needing your help." Dee said in her no nonsense tone.

A few minutes later we were up stairs seated at the cafe bar with Dee behind the counter. Lucien kept peering at me from the side over his steaming mug of coco.

With a deep sigh Dee began, "There are many creatures in this world. The seen and the unseen. There are humans and animals and insects, those are the seen. Then there are the unseen. Angels, demons, and the fey, they are the unseen. Only those with Sight can see the unseen. Many years ago there was a Demon King that fell in love with a Angel Warrior Queen. They knew it was forbidden for their love to be, but the heart wants the heart wants, and we know how hard it is to go against our hearts."

I watched as Dee spoke, I knew better then to interrupt. So I waited for her to continue, Lucien watching me the whole time.

"There was peace between the three kingdoms for awhile, and during that peace time, the Demon King and Angel Queen met in secret. Only one knew, but he did not interfere for he saw the love the two held in their hearts for one another. So the two kept their romance a secret for nearly two hundred years until one fateful night. You see, it's hard for the unseen to conceive children, so when the Queen found out she was pregnant she was thrilled but the King immediately thought of the danger the baby would be in, being born from two different bloodlines. So the Demon King and the Angel Queen got in contact with the only person who knew of their love affair in hopes he would help. What none of them knew was that the Queens lady in waiting had followed them to their secret meeting, and had overheard everything. She ran back to the Angels Garden and went right to the Queens fiancé, yes child the Queen was promised to another though she tried her hardest to escape from it."

There was another pause this time Dee looked sadly into her cup of coco a single tear slid down her cheek as if she was there, remembering everything. Lucien just kept silent watch, never once taking his eyes off me though he had finally set his cup down.

"The three agreed that once the baby was born, the man would take the baby somewhere safe and hidden and the Demon King and Angel Queen would never speak of their precious baby again. However, babies grow quickly for the unseen, what takes 9 months only takes 3 months for the unseen, and the Queen was starting to show which meant the baby was about due. The Queen told the two men that she would make arrangements to stay at her private home instead of the Angels Castle so they could have the baby in private and say their goodbyes. The Demon King agreed to meet the queen at her private home with the other man and wait while she gave her excuses to the Angels Castle. The two men went straight to the queens home, as it was located on the out-lands of the Angels Garden. The queen went to the castle, though what she found she was not expecting. Twenty guards waited on the stairs of the Castle and at the threshold stood her betrothed, and in that instant she knew she had been found out. She shot into the air like a shooting star and took off to her home where her true love and friend waited. The Demon King saw the queen coming with other angels, swords drawn, chasing in her pursuit. Grabbing his own sword he met the queen outside. As soon as she landed he pushed her behind his back, he told her to go inside and lock the door. That he and Lucien would cut them off."

I froze, blinked. Once. Twice. Then I looked at Lucien, who was looking at me, "Lucien? You?"

"Yes, me. Now hush and let Dee finish." He said with a smirk though I could see a twinge of sadness in his gold eyes.

Dee continued, "Lucien tossed the Queen a vial of liquid saying he had it brewed just in case anything were to happen. It was to help speed up the birthing. She trusted his word and drank the potion in one swallow, within seconds she was in labor, so she went inside and locked the door. The battle outside was short but bloody. All but two guards and the queens betrothed had fallen, the queens betrothed promised to kill the king and the baby they had conceived. Hearing enough, Lucien picked up a spear from a fallen guard and threw it at the betrothed, and it went straight through his shoulder grazing his wing, causing the two guards to carry him back to the Angels Garden. Bloody and bruised the two men went inside to find the queens breathing labored and a small bundle in her arms. She handed the baby to the King with one word and then took her last breath. The King held the queens hand as he bound the babies powers kissing her head, he gave the baby to Lucien."

Lucien picked up the tale, "the King wanted to keep the baby but he knew she would be hunted in his kingdom as well. So he gave me the baby and said to watch out for her, to put her in the human world where no one would think to look, he gave me a name and then told me to leave. So I did. I came to this city cause I had a friend who I knew would watch over the baby, as she had left the Angels Garden long ago. I told her what happened, where I left the child with a note for her name, and for Dee to look out for her. That I'd always be in the shadows to help, when needed. "

They both looked at me then , and I knew but I still had to ask, "what was the child's name?"

"Kori." Lucien replied as if it was nothing.

This whole time I always knew I was different, I didn't look anything like my family. They were blonde where I had dark auburn hair, they were green eyed where I had mist grey, and where they were tanned I was pale like a porcelain doll. My head was spinning, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen the man with horns or Dee with wings. Which reminded me, "Dee, you had wings."

"Yes, child. I am an angel and was part of your mother's inner circle until I decided to leave. Your mother understood and wished me the best and that if I ever needed anything I only needed to ask, I would always have a home with her. She was one of my best friends so when I heard what happened it broke my heart, and why I was so willing to help her daughter." Dee said with a smile.

My head kept spinning, I was dizzy and feeling hot. I looked at Lucien who furrowed his brows in worry. I stood up and that's when everything started to darken. I heard Luciens chair scrape against the floor before complete darkness took me over.