T T: DEMONIC INVESTIGATOR

BOOK FOUR EARTH ANGELS UNLEASHED

By Terry Ulick

Renegade Company Media © Copyright 2021 with Library of Congress by Terry Ulick

ISBN: 978-1-7353192-6-1 Print Edition ISBN: 978-1-7353192-7-8 Electronic Edition

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, drawn entirely from the imagination of the author. Characters, dialogue, events, locations, and situations are all entirely fictional. Characters are not drawn upon or intended to represent any persons living or dead. Any resemblance to actual events or people is unintentional and entirely coincidental.

Proofing and Editing: This book series is exactly as written on an iPhone using the MS Word app, one finger at a time using only the spell checker. That is a critical part of the story. This book has retained the files, as written, and did not go through a separate party to change anything written. Please accept errors in punctuation and style. The book remains the result of pure inspiration, letting the original flow of ideas be seen by the reader. The author beleives the errors are clues to be preserved.

What you see is actual inspiration without conventional authoring. It is as it was at the time of writing and has not been changed from that moment.

First printing: March 2021 by Renegade Company Media

Renegade Company Media is owned by Renegade Company LLC

Type: Text is Garamond Pro, 12 point.

Book designed and presented by: Terry Ulick

Published by:

Renegade Company Media PO Box 271193 Littleton, CO 80127 www.renegadecompany.com 2 T: DEMONIC INVESTIGATOR

BOOK FOUR EARTH ANGELS UNLEASHED

Adult Content Warning: Reader Discretion Strongly Advised.

This book contains explicit language and sexual descriptions. All content is intended only for adult readers. It contains fictional accounts of demonic activity and evil which may be frightening or offend sensitive readers. All references to beliefs and religious practices are fictional and do not accurately portray religions or religious teachings. Although not intended to upset readers, this book contains disturbing portrayals of the impact of evil on people and lives.

Authors Note:

Beauty. Is it on the outside, inside, a combination?

In all my T books, my goal is to combine my history of creating self-improvement books and magazines with my interest in the paranormal. Writing about how evil invades our existence leads to how we deal with it. In this book, I define beauty as the inner self that radiates out. That holds true for most people. Meeting a nice person, there is that instant impression we form based on their appearance. Considering that human response, I pondered if that basic reaction is only to their physical appearance, or is the inner self radiating out, forming the way they look to you.

Thinking it through, meeting an attractive person does spark the human sexual response but whatever that person is inside is also seen. Understandably, I can speak best for myself. A good portion of my life has been spent taking pictures of beautiful woman. Physical appearance is not a constant. If a person is mad or having a rough day, they project that. An angry beautiful model looks angry, not beautiful. A good- looking man who is a total jerk looks creepy and ugly. We see both the interior and the exterior even if we only think we see their appearance. As photographer I learned my job was not to only capture physical beauty, it was to bring out the inner beauty. That makes a great photograph.

Locking on to the outward appearance and ignoring the inner person, we’ve all made the mistake of thinking them attractive, even if they may not be a good person. Reversing that, we may meet the nicest person possible but because they do not arouse that animal sexual response, ignore them. Beauty that lasts and sustains a relationship will always be inner beauty. Looks fade and change over time. A good person will become more attractive to you over the years.

Understanding the power of attraction is the underlying theme in the T series. It is about how our spirit and soul are always more important than how we look.

Understanding that, you may question how a book with a perfect-bodied beautiful woman on the cover supports that. Or why the woman in this book, including demons, are the most beautiful in all creation. The main protagonists are not people. They are angelic. Pure souls. When seen, they look beautiful beyond comprehension because their mantle is shaped by their spirit — not physical bodies. They are divine beauty here on Earth. They defy age and use their physical appearance to attract demonic entities.

There is a famous biblical reference that the devil has the power to assume a pleasing form. To corrupt good people evil uses the laws of attraction to reel in the weak. Seeking easy prey, they pursue those attracted to surface beauty or who will do 5 anything to be beautiful. In the Garden, humans ate from the tree of wisdom which gave them knowledge of good and evil and shame of being naked. We would all be much better off only knowing good and not being ashamed of our bodies. Angels, unlike humans, are in God’s grace and know that angels that defied God lost his love. They lost joy. In our history, angels are not shown inhibited with their form. It doesn’t matter if believe the story or are religious. It’s a foundation for most cultures. When the divine, particularly angels, are depicted in paintings of sculptures they are most always naked. They do not share the shame of the children from the Garden. In this book angels are divinely beautiful, uninhibited, and use that to distract demons.

The fallen angels understand that humans are easily attracted to pleasing forms. They take guise to attract humans and they are rocking hot. They do more than that. They tempt with anything a person may need. Drugs, alcohol, youth, wealth, and above all, beauty. I pose the question of what a weak person will be tempted by. Being beautiful and being immortal comes up number one in my research of literature and dark tales. Humans can’t wait until they die as that is what awaits them after life. There is a need to look beautiful or handsome that is all about covering up the shame of our bodies granted by the Book of Knowledge in the Garden.

Knowing that, I pose the theory that behind the companies that make cosmetics and beauty products are aware of that need. They are run by, owned by, and marketed by demonic entities. The constant reminder that we are not beautiful is more than a way to rob humans of billions of dollars. It is how the dark lord drives us to misery. Each day when the makeup comes off the truth is revealed. We age. Our looks from youth vanish. For men, the gym closes, their guts turn to bellies, and they buy cars they can’t afford to compensate for fading looks. They flirt to see if they are still studs. The path ahead is filled with the loss of physical attraction to others. What better soft spot for a demon to hit?

This book is a fable and like all good fables it has a moral. It will be revealed by the end.

Terry Ulick Somewhere in Colorado

6 Prologue

There is a line in America that one can cross, not knowing its importance. Located in the western part of the country, it is essential to the land mass. Called the Continental Divide, it’s where rivers change direction. On the west side of the divide all waters in rivers and streams flow to the Pacific Ocean. To the east, the Atlantic. It is explained as being the highest elevations in the far west that create a point where water must follow its natural course, which is the path of least resistance as water does not flow up. It flows down as from some giant peak — a point so high on the continent the water has no choice other than flow one way or the other.

As people grow older, they reach their own great divide where their river of lives change direction. Where once life itself lay ahead, it now lays behind. Dreams change to memories and strength turns to fragility. One day the course changes direction, and as is often said, it is all downhill. Waiting ahead is old age, inevitably sickness, then death. Just as early explorers reached the point where rivers changed direction from east to west, the assumption the location of the continental divide was the middle ground of the continent, it was not so. The divide lay far in the west on slopes of the Rockies, much closer to the Pacific than the Atlantic. Once past the divide it’s a relatively short journey to the Pacific.

We reach our great divide, and at that point it’s a short journey to the grave. Things change quickly. Middle age is most of our life. Old age, short by comparison. Our appearance changes fast; suddenly we are old. Physical maladies accelerate and we become weak or frail. As if some cruel joke when we’ve learned to fully live life with the hard work and lessons learned along the way, we are physically too old to enjoy it. Like a race car we’ve worked hard to build and perform, it’s a champion unable to race.

Our river changes direction as we reach our great divide. That point is different in time and years for each person, but it happens.

There are other great divides we encounter not based in years or the physical. When we change from child to adult. When we change from hope to despair. When we change from faith to doubt about our existence and the existence of God. Surely as water changes direction, we change direction many times in many ways. From single to married. From woman to mother; man to father. The biggest change is being strong, then weak. The combination of course changes present a place where we abandon hope and look for a way back to youth and all our days ahead once more. Mid-life crisis. It’s a moment of fear when we understand our best days are behind with only pain and death ahead.

7 We see ads and commercials for our golden years showing models running down a beach with grandchildren, living on IRAs and pensions. But look closely. Those actors, even with stylish gray hair and money to spend are a pure fantasy. Money and stylish gray hair won’t help with one foot in the grave or being put into a hospital bed or nursing home wheelchair. The day comes from being mobile and under your own power to needing a caregiver to simply go to the bathroom or eat. Another river changing direction.

For all, it begs the question of a soul. If there is life after this life. We are biologically changed to accept blackness and the void. Our life force is the ultimate change in direction.

From living to dead.

8 1

Getting dusty from head to toe, that did not stop her from making her way through the crawl space under a house said to have been inhabited by two particularly noisy ghosts. Nobody in the neighboring towns had seen them, but anyone who came near to the abandoned farmhouse, especially at night, heard them continue their moans and wails some hundred years after their deaths.

Avoiding the methods of most paranormal investigators, she operated solo with no team or helpers. She was certain that operating alone offered the greatest chance of an apparition or sighting. Bags of gadgets, night vision goggles, recorders and too many helpers did not seem to match what she sought which was a direct connection between her and the dead. Her goal was to be wide open and accessible. All she brought was her phone with its built-in camera which had enough memory to record hours of video and record even more audio. It was small and unobtrusive to not to scare the dead away. Being small and friendly looking, on her own she felt the dead were most likely to talk to her.

Searching out the dead was her life’s purpose, and she took chances most others would avoid. Her only goal was to prove the existence of life after death by capturing definitive proof that spirits live among us. She had encountered ghosts and spirits but had never been able to get the camera to capture the ravings she saw and heard. Spirits seemed to have an aversion to being captured in any manner, thus her quiet, shy, singular approach.

Reaching the area of crawl space under the bedroom of the old house was taxing causing her to stop to rest. Stories told of its history were consistent. Over a hundred years back, the farmhouse was inhabited by a childless couple. Inherited by the wife from her father, his death happened at the same time women won the right to own property. With the house, she inherited her father’s savings which was considerable. With so much money she abandoned growing crops and sought a husband instead. Located in the hills descending from the Sierra Nevadas to the area outside of Reno in Nevada, the property had little fertile ground but held gold in its earth. The wife was named Lucinda, and the man she eventually married named Atticus. The lone ghost hunter was fascinated by their story.

Lucinda’s fortune came from the gold on her land, and that was well known to prospectors and mining companies alike. Wanting no theft of her gold in the ground by thieving miners, and no desire to be forced off her land by eminent domain or other excuses used by the largest mining companies, she and Atticus would stealthily ride the property at night on unshod horses and shoot anyone they came across. They left the corpses lay as warning to poachers. Agents for mining companies, railroads, or fools coming to offer to money for their farm were treated no better. As they 9 approached the house, the door would open, and Lucinda would use her shotgun as welcome. Those visitors were thrown down a dry well by Atticus, leaving the whereabouts of such visitors a mystery. In time, most all had learned best to stay off the farm and avoid the couple when they roamed neared Reno.

Interesting as the ruthless couple may be, she was much more interested in why the couple had become legendary in other ways. In a God-fearing place and time, Lucinda and Atticus were known to be worshipers of the devil and sexually depraved. It was told that while in Reno the two had lured many young prostitutes to their farm. None returned. The few miners or vagrants who managed to scout the property and make it out before being discovered told of finding female body parts laying in the scrubs and brush. One fearless man brought back the head of a young woman. The head was shaved bald, and her mouth was filled with hair — but not from her head. It was full of pubic hair and not her own color. There was a cry to raid the farm. No men were interested in taking the chance of ever returning, so the head was laid to rest in the local cemetery with the unusual epitaph of, “Here lies the head of Jane Doe.”

One prostitute had made an escape and told the couple were dedicated to praising the devil with sexual acts unheard of even in the lowest of brothels. She claimed to have seen chains, leather clothing with hooks and nails, special machines for torture, objects for insertion into all parts of the body for both man and woman, ropes to hang from, and buckets of blood assumed to have been taken from the whores they recruited. The woman stated she was forced to crawl on all fours and surrender to every manner of penetration in all orifices by the couple and a forced victim to other sundry devices.

More than a hundred years after the couple’s death, both committing suicides together in front of a Satanic altar, the bones and body parts had been found and sold as curiosities and the same with the sex objects and tools of devil worship. No more gold was ever found on the land, but some told it hosted a strange plant that had the power to drive anyone even smelling it insane. Some felt it was the plant that drove Lucinda and Atticus to such acts of depravity, but none were sure of its powers or location. It was assumed that any who ran across it were taken by its evil powers.

What remained, and confirmed by all nearby, were sounds in the night of a couple screaming out in passion of sexual frenzy, describing sadistic acts and joy from dismembering young whores. It was those voices in the night that the young ghost hunter sought to capture. Crawling under the house to its larder, she prayed she may go unnoticed. Before dusk she quietly crawled under the house and waited without making noise under the bedroom which doubled as their torture chamber and pleasure room. There were gaps in the floorboards where she could get some photographic proof if apparitions appeared.

10 From Wales, her need to find the ghosts of the dead had led her to America and this night to the deserted house in western Nevada under its floorboards. She, like the couple, lived off money inherited from her father. She wished to contact him as he had died promising to see her again — here on Earth in the most unlikely of places. She concluded that if she could connect with a spirit, it may help her find her father. After psychics, clairvoyants, ghost hunters and frauds of all sorts, she decided to go on her own to where ghosts had appeared and wait for them. She was sweet and bonnie with no fear of what she may encounter.

Patiently waiting long past midnight, she was snacking on an energy bar when she heard a slap. Then a moan. Then three slaps in succession, with more moaning. She was still and put her hand on the floorboards to see if she could feel the floor moving under some weight. Then the sound of a chain. Not dragging but being wound around and around in the same spot. Then quiet. Her camera’s digital recorder was running, and she prayed it would capture what she heard. There was the sound of a key turning a lock, then scraping cross the floor of a chair and chains. A moment of silence passed. Then slurping, gagging, and gasping. The sound was repetitive and went on for at least 15 minutes. She was right under the noise. After the first minutes, trickles of what she took to be ectoplasm dripped between the floorboards onto her face. Minutes passed, the gagging increased as did the slime covering her face and running down into her hair. The chair and chain noises grew loud in a rhythmic pulsation. She thought that a couple of teenagers must have snuck in and were having sex. Suddenly she felt sickened by the goo on her face and breast. Unsure of what to do she remained still and silent.

There were no footsteps or sounds of doors opening and closing. Considering the situation, she heard the chain noise again, this time with the squeaking and cranking sound of a pulley. With each crank, a woman groaned as if in pain. The slow sound of cranking continued and then finally it stopped and there was a sound of the pulley crank locking. The moaning and sounds of pain continued. The next sound was subtle, but rhythmic as if whatever hung from the pulleys was swinging. With each pass over her, the crack of a cane or stick. There was a scream of pain with each crack. The cracks grew louder. The scream increased in volume and hurt. After each crack, laughter of a man mingled with the gasp before each scream. The noise was directly above her, and like the slime before, she was getting wet again, but this time with blood. Panicking, she silently crawled to the edge of the house frame, gasping herself as she pulled herself along. With great effort, she pulled herself out from under the house. Panting and clutching her phone she managed to sit up, then got to her feet. She kept silent as she walked to a window to look in where the noises had come from.

Looking into room, it was empty. No chair, chains or pulley. The floor was dry and there was not a drop of blood. She backed up and looked around the property and could see no one. The only footprints on the dry grass showing in the moonlight 11 were hers. Looking back into the house, she saw nothing different, but her body felt cold and she felt breath on her neck. Shocked, she turned around and standing close behind her were a naked man and woman. They were stunningly attractive. The man was tall and bearded, fit and had muscles. The woman was full-figured with dark brown hair and a beautiful face. They were translucent and appeared terribly upset.

She realized that her dream of finding a discarnate entity, a ghost, had happened. They weren’t equally pleased to meet her, and she understood she had interrupted their nightly ritual. Reminding herself they were not physical, that they could scare her but do no actual harm, she stood her ground and remained calm.

“I’m be not here for thou or to disrupt ye ritual. I be looking for my father. Like you, he is sprit. Please, help me find him if ya can.”

She surprised herself with herself confidence and dismissing the fact they were trying to scare her. She watched as the two looked at her, then each other. The woman nodded to the man, and they each had disturbing smiles. They turned and started walking as if alive and it was any other day. The ghostly woman turned and looked back at her and waved for her to follow. Clearly, they understood her and wanted to take her someplace. Her mind raced that they were going to show her how to reach her father. With caution she followed them. They walked holding hands, their pace leisurely.

Walking a considerable distance, they stopped in a grove of ponderosa pines. The moon was bright and the sky clear. The two kneeled down in front of a small tree and pointed to a patch of green leaves growing at its base. The ghost hunter stood, confused. This was not a way to her father or anything she had hoped for. The man stared at her and seemed to understand her confusion. He pointed at the plant and made a motion as if plucking a leaf, putting it in his mouth. He remained waiting, apparently for her to do what he was showing.

She nodded. The two backed away from the tree and sat on the ground where they could watch. She felt a compulsion to do what they were showing her. She reached down and took a small leaf from a tiny plant and rubbed it lightly against her cheek then gave it a tiny bite.

She closed her eyes and felt nothing happening. She hoped to see her father but did not. She felt tired and when she looked, the two ghosts were gone.

“Nothing is having an effect one way or another.” Two men stood by a bed the lone woman was strapped to. The one who spoke was reading from a chart to the other man. “It’s been two weeks. If it were drugs, they would have worn off so that’s been ruled out. We’ve been unable to communicate with her, so any psychosis is impossible to diagnose right now, but it does fit a total psychotic break. She doesn’t 12 have anything on her tests or scans to indicate a neurological issue. It’s a mystery. We were going to wait it out but decided to get your opinion after you called. I’m glad you took an interest in this one. She may do better at your institute.”

The other man was standing and nodding. He looked at the other and asked, “Do you have more detail on how she was found? My main question is what happened to her to have caused her trauma.”

The man with the chart reviewed it. “You probably will have a hard time sorting it out until she is coherent. She was found by some ghost hunters touring an old farmhouse that has a history of strange events over the last 100 years. A big draw for tourists. They went to set up cameras and gear and found her. She was hanging from the rafters in the main house. She had been tied in chains… quite expertly. Nothing that caused any permanent harm, but strong enough to hold her until she was found. She was naked, though not raped, she was covered heavily in saliva, not hers. We ran DNA, no match found. She wasn’t asking to be taken down. She was awake and like this. Whatever happened, it flipped all the switches. We ran all possible tests. All she had in her stomach was some sort of granola and little bits of plant leaf. That was it.”

The other man nodded again. “Yes, we’d like to help with. It was the contents of her stomach that caught my attention. The small bits of leaf. The tribes out here used remedial plants that could cause such a catatonic state. The hanging from the ceiling? Sounds like a ritual punishment or offering. You still have the stomach contents.”

The first man nodded.

The other man rubbed her cheek, “Okay, I can’t do much until I run tests on the contents to see if we can identify the plant. We couldn’t do more than you already have. If we find anything that will help, we’ll call you. Speaking of calls, your report said she was found naked, but clutching her cell phone. I’d like the cell phone if that’s alright. There may be toxic traces on it from the plant. I know you said it had no useful data, but you never know.”

13 14 2

Sitting alone, April held back tears on the anniversary of her mother’s death. April was now older than her mother had been when she died. Born with the divinity of an angel, until recently she had led a simple human life. Being an orphan, she was adopted by a caring couple when she was seven. She understood what it was like to be alone twice in her life. Fully recalling being in an orphanage, it was a time when her world was one of waiting. She believed that one day a car would pull up, a lonely couple would get out, meet her and know right then that they wanted her as their own. The second time was after her mother died. Her parents had no living relatives which meant neither did April. Facing a world without them made her an orphan again.

Remembering her mom, she thought of how her first instinct when she met T at the library was to call her mother and tell her she met the man she knew she would marry. She reached for the phone on her desk in the library where she worked, then realized her mother was gone. She had nobody to call. That was the first time she fully understood she was truly alone. It was the day T had come to the library and asked her for help, and like today, it was on the anniversary of her mother’s death.

Starting to shake, it wasn’t sadness or despair. It was guilt and shame. The period between the two events was a time she shut from her memory. It was not a time like any other in her life, and the memories were coming back, haunting her like a demon’s oppression. After her adopted mother died, feeling so alone, she sought solace. As she learned since meeting T, comfort that comes quickly and exactly when needed — when at a low point in life — is most often a time preyed upon by evil. She now understood T’s description of people at their weakest moment, like being a runaway teen with no money and all alone. It is that moment when the gentle man with every answer sits down and says he understands and can help. T called such situations the “bus terminal”. It’s where demons find their prey. Seeking comfort, she had sat on that very bench all alone and hoped someone would love her. Looking back, she understood it didn’t matter who. Sunk deep in despair she momentarily abandoned her belief that like Maria in West Side Story, she would meet her Tony. Someone like that was in movies and singing on records, filling her life with a manufactured fairy tale. There was no Tony. No, the only man who gave her attention was Morton.

Unable to stay in Bartlett where she was born and raised, she decided to sell the modest house she had inherited and leave her job at the Bartlett Library. Facing the loss of her mother and returning to her origins as an orphan was more than sadness, it was a future all alone. It didn’t take long to sell the house and she already applied for a job at a big city library and they hired her even without asking her to come for an interview. She eventually learned that the decision to move, the ease of getting 15 an important job at a major library, and eventually meeting T was all the work of Gloria, her majestic guardian angel. Although Gloria opened doors, it was April who used her free will to walk through them. Suddenly, she had a cozy apartment in the Ukrainian Village, a great job she loved, and for the first time in a long time, hope. Hope she would meet her Tony at long last. She knew she was pretty so the next objective was to meet a very special man.

T always said that for there to be light, there must be dark. April nodded in agreement as she sat letting memories flood over her. She understood that to recognize the light, T, she needed to understand true darkness. That was Morton.

Morton. A name she had never uttered and a story she never told. She knew that Gloria would know, but she also knew Gloria would never tell. That was entirely up to April and her free will. In many ways, that made it worse. Her guardian knew the truth, and she was afraid to talk to her about it. Telling T was the right thing to do, especially before their marriage. Just as much, she needed to confess in Church. Each one compounded her fear. If she told the truth, she risked losing only happiness since being adopted.

She opened her White Surface laptop and did something she had been fearing. She sent a text message to her mother. She simply typed in “Mom?”

She didn’t know what to expect, but just as soon as she typed the question mark, a blurb popped up under hers and said “I’m here. I’ve been waiting for you to text me. I’m surprised you took this long.”

April started sobbing. Her mother wasn’t gone. Only her body was. She was there and April understood her mother knew all she had been through. She was anxious and frightened. Suddenly, text appeared on the screen.

“You never gave up on me, not on the worst of days. Why? Did that help me? Or was that to make you feel good about yourself?”

Sobbing, April managed to type, “Of course I was there. I’m your daughter.”

The screen flashed hundreds of pictures of them throughout the years. Not snapshots or prints. They were images that could only be from the memory of her mother. The last one was of her mom dying. April was shocked and crying at the same time. She thought her mother would be happy to hear from her. She wasn’t. She managed to type, “All this time I thought you couldn’t remember things, but you sure can. How is dad? I think about him every time I look in the mirror…”

An instant pop-up. Her mom had typed “That’s several times a day!”

16 April was unsure of what to say. “Nothing wrong with that. I need to look pretty for my love. I’m sure you know all about him…”

Her mom sent back a skeptical face emoji, then, “I recall you spending a lot of time in front of it before you met him.”

April typed, “Just making sure my clothes look good.”

She waited, then, “Your dad is busy with all types of chores. He knows you think about him. He wanted me to chat with you first. So, April, anything special you need to talk about? You must be troubled with your secret. If you wish, we can talk about it.”

Almost frozen, she stared at the screen. It had been too long in hiding. Her mom didn’t seem to understand. April grew serious and typed “How is my birth mother?”

There was a slight pause. Then her mother typed, “She hopes you can forgive her.”

April stopped and thought for a long time. “I was never angry at her. How could I be? Without her I wouldn’t exist. Was she pretty? I mean, well, like I’m pretty?”

Floating on the screen was her birth mother fully pregnant with April. She had many of the same features but didn’t look much like April. She studied the picture and it all poured out of her.

“Mom, I found out what happened when I was born. A man, an unbelievably bad man, found me soon after you died… He was waiting for that moment. He said he was my real father. That he had sex with my birth mother while my birth father was off in the Middle East. He said he wanted to be a father to me as I was all alone, and he felt responsible for me. I was so down and lost. I was all alone. He acted so sincere that I fell for it. I believed him. I still can’t believe I trusted him. A man who did that to my poor birth parents?”

Her mother went slowly. “I know. And I know you learned that your mother played up to him. She cheated on your real father while he was overseas. I understand you think he raped her. That made you feel better by deluding yourself. The only truth was that he was your actual father.”

April sat and stared at the text balloons. She felt the presence of Gloria behind her. She looked over her shoulder for her. For the first time her guardian was not in a blaze of light, but in a shadow where her face could not be seen. April looked at her. Gloria just nodded. April turned back to the screen.

17 “Yes, I found that out. He started trying to get close to me and acting like my father, pretending to care about me. He was so convincing…”

Her mother cut in. “And so attractive to you. Have you figured out if you wanted him near because he was your father… or because you were sexually attracted to him, like your real mother was?”

April sat frozen. She felt as if the blood had drained from her body. Her mind was in a panic. Her mom had asked the one question she could never ask herself.

Truth washed over her. Now she understood the shame that always shadowed her anger when she thought of Morton. Sitting in disbelief, the answer poured through her fingertips onto the keys.

“I wasn’t okay. I wanted love, but no, not sex. Not from him. Birth parents, adoptive parents, then the man who fathered me. Yes, I wanted him, pathetic as it was, as my father. Even knowing he raped my mother. That made me more confused. To rape her, she had to have been involved with him. She cheated on her husband. He told me she needed someone, just like I did. He acted so caring and understanding. Eventually he revealed himself. Mom, oh, I was so wrong to have had anything to do with him. One night, he made dinner and when it got late, he just came out and said, ‘You have no idea what this will be like for me. To do your mother, and tonight to do you.’ He ripped my dress off and I could see the evil that was always there, lurking. He was hell bent on raping me. He kept saying ‘Nothing better than doing a mother and her daughter.’ I got sick. He was what I now know to be a demon.”

Gloria remained in the shadows. Her presence offered no solace, no support.

“Mom. I’ll chat with you later.” She closed the White Surface. She turned to the shadow behind her. “Gloria? How can I be an angel when my father was a demon? How?”

Gloria spoke lovingly. “April. Who fathered T?”

A shudder went through April. His own grandfather. He raped his daughter. “Oh, oh, I never put those things together. So, his father was a demon too?”

Gloria nodded in the shadows. “A true demon. Bad. His mother couldn’t fight him off. But your demon father, Morton, didn’t get that far with you, did he?”

April gasped and expressed anger and spoke at the same time. “Morton didn’t rape me. He couldn’t. I killed him.”

Gloria remained in the shadows. April sat looking at her. 18 “When he said he was going to have me like he had my mother then ripped my dress off, something overtook me. Not fear. I wasn’t afraid. I just knew he couldn’t be here. That was my only thought. He couldn’t be here anymore. We were in the kitchen with everything from dinner on the table. My pretty dress was ripped and on the floor. I just had on my undies and bra. He stood there looking me up and down. I turned to run. He grabbed my waist to stop me. I grabbed a steak knife off the table at the same moment. As he twirled me around, I don’t know how, exactly, the knife went right into his left eye. It was with such force it went into his brain and he collapsed on the floor. The handle of the knife was about all I could see. Some blood. Not much. He still had that sick grin in his face. I felt nothing but gladness he was gone. I went to the phone, called the police, told them what happened. They didn’t arrest me. They said it was self defense.”

Gloria moved forward and was not glowing but moved to the light where she could be seen.

“I was there. You did what avenging angels do. You slew the serpent. You vanquished the demon. It wasn’t fear of being raped. You said it right. He couldn’t be here. The battle is eternal. You faced evil. You prevailed. Raised a human, you thought you did wrong. I was smiling. One less demon, one new angel.”

19 20 3

Aleks looked at April across from him at The Golden Nugget. She had called him and asked if he would meet her for confession, and then lunch. The restaurant was the first place T had brought food and malts for them to share at her apartment, a memory she would always cherish. Aleks looked at her in wonder and as always was amazed at how small she was, but how large her heart, her mind, and her strength were. In those ways, she was like T. Where T was stoic and overtly masculine, April was emotional, sensitive and delicate. Her diminutive size and utterly feminine appearance called out for protecting her, but she needed no one. She was strong. A warrior now, and as he had learned today, had always been that way. T appeared mighty but was surprisingly shy and sensitive. April had a countenance that could be mistaken. He considered that in the battle against evil they each had a persona that confused demons and gave them a shield that protected them. April was just a wisp, like an exotic insect that could sting with venom but could hardly be seen.

Aleks was pleased that April had freed herself from a horrific burden. He wasn’t worried that T would have any concern. After confession, that was why she wanted to talk to him as a friend.

“Little one, you know all too well that anything you’ve confessed is between you and God. You can walk forward and are forgiven. No one has any right to judge anything you’ve confessed. Ah, but I know that you want no secrets. That you want to share all you are with T. Do you remember when I told you so much T never speaks of? Do you think he keeps secrets, or are there things he learned best to leave behind?”

April thought hard about it. Finally, she smiled a little bit and answered. “Oh, he’s such a big lug. He doesn’t want to think about the past, and he sure doesn’t want me to worry about him. He’s not being a tough guy. No, those are just things he’s left behind. He can’t keep a secret. I’ve been telling him that even an angel could do with less sugar. What did I find in the waste bin in the Navigator? An empty Good & Plenty box! The day after we made our healthy meal plan, he’s eating Choo Choo Charlie candy. After a few hours, he looked at me and said “I had a box of candy. That wasn’t in the meal plan…” I didn’t care that he had candy, but it meant a lot that he told me. No. He doesn’t think about the past. When he does, he tells me.”

Aleks nodded. “Of course, there are things too painful to talk about. I once asked him how he had the courage, at only seven, to try to pull the pimp off his mother when he was beating her. I asked wasn’t he afraid the pimp would hurt him? Have you ever asked him that?”

Shaking her head slowly, she said she hadn’t. Aleks tilted his head and then looked out the window. He thought a bit then turned back to April. 21 “Ask him. Especially as you are dealing with a similar problem. I’ll never forget what T told me. In the calmest manner, he explained he wasn’t trying to protect his mother. He didn’t know how. What he wanted was to kill the pimp. He’s still upset that he didn’t. That’s why I hesitate when I send him to deal with such people. That vengeance is still in there.”

April sat completely still. She looked at Aleks and with the most certain manner said, “Then, he has an itch he can’t scratch.”

The depth of that simple statement shook Aleks. He looked out the window again, then slowly back to April. “Yes. That is exactly right. What should have happened, well, it didn’t. I’ve thought about it many times. The willingness to battle horrors comes from somewhere, and I can only assume that is where. I often think every demon to him is that pimp. So, is it about doing good, or is about that? I’m not sure he would know. I’m just guessing. He confronted a nightmare. And then he finds you. Everything that he wanted to be free from. To see a real smile. To feel real love. To look in your eyes and know trust. And now, you have a need to give him the ultimate trust. Your truth. There are times in life we have no choice. He understands free will doesn’t mean letting anyone hurt you. The free will is making the choice to not be harmed. Was Morton any different than Barb at the law firm when you cut her head off?”

Her face was still certain. “No. Now, I understand it wasn’t. At the time, I couldn’t see it that way. But Aleks, I ate a box of Good & Plenty and didn’t tell him…” she began to sob, quietly as they were sitting next to others. Aleks gave her the time she needed. He understood she was more upset about not yet telling T than about what she had done.

“Little one. Of all people, T will understand. You killed Morton, and here you are, chosen because even at the worst moment of your life, you refused to let a demon harm you or anyone else again. You avenged your birth mother. You didn’t allow him to defile you and ruin your life. What part do you think T won’t understand? You weren’t flirting with him or engaging him. If T were there, he would have done it for you. Of that, I have no doubt. What did Gloria describe herself as? What type of Angel?

She wiped away tears. She smiled softly. “An avenging angel.”

He nodded. “You are an avenging angel. Now… and then. That man was not your father. That was the demon out to make you suffer. The only sin that day was if you had let him.”

22 4

Frank Bevel turned the hurt of losing his wife Janet to the demon Anin to protecting his daughter. He was also using his business power by producing TV shows and movies about demons. He had worked endlessly on how to do both at the same time and could find no good answer. If he watched over his daughter, Alice, he would need to resign his job and ability to make programs about demons invading lives. Alice needed a mother, but his wife Janet had committed suicide, commanded to give her life up for the dark one. Even more of a concern, Alice was a target for demons. Anin had been destroyed in body but as an eternal spirit she was most likely already back at destroying the happiness of as many people as possible. Alice would be a key target for her. Frank knew that.

He turned to T and Bishop Aleks for a way to protect her. Their suggestion was obvious, and time tested: Send Alice to a convent if only for protection. There was no place completely safe from demons such as Anin, but the pure volume of prayer and religious practice would make going after Alice painful for Anin — and she had learned that T was not going to let her take hold of the girl without battle. With so many other girls, she would wait a long time before going after Alice. Part of training in the convent would be to learn to ward off such a predator. It was a sad day when Frank drove Alice to Our Lady of Mercy to stay. He explained the reason why many times, and that just made Alice feel more abandoned. First by her mother, now by her father. Frank had little choice but felt he made the right one.

With Alice under the watch of devoted nuns, he began work on producing a movie about what he and his small family had suffered at the hands of Anin. Equally, he wanted to revolve the story around a character based on T. He was still in awe of the man who fought for Janet in this life… and the one that follows. He didn’t want to overwhelm T with the idea, so he thought he’d invite him to a catered lunch at the Tribunal Tower. When he called, T explained he had recently been in the building, hadn’t the chance for a visit, but was planning on one soon. Frank asked him how his day looked, and as April was off visiting Aleks and there was little furniture shopping left to do, he was free most of the day. Frank was ecstatic and told him to park in his special spot and the guards would welcome him as before, meet him around 11:00, but on the 75th floor, not his grand office on 76. T smiled and said he’d be there. Frank said they could decide on what to order when he arrived.

As T drove to the tower, he thought of the epic battle he and April had waged against demon lawyers on that same floor just weeks ago. The battle also involved Gloria in angelic battle attire, and even Amber, the newest member of their group as bait to get T to the offices after midnight to face demons from the first group of the fallen ones. April fought her first battle, slicing the head off the most dangerous demon and

23 throwing it down a mail chute 75 floors down. It was a true battle of the oldest of demons against the newest of angels: April and T.

Pulling the giant Navigator into the Tribunal executive garage, the guard actually talked to him this time, saying it was nice to see him again and his spot waited ahead. T pulled into the exclusive spot next to the elevator, got out, and the elevator welcomed him and said, ‘75 this time?” T, for the heck of it said “Da,” Ukrainian for yes, and the elevator rose without stopping.

When the door opened, Frank was standing there with a smile next to a cart full of bottles of exotic iced teas, crystal glasses, and buckets of ice. He was wearing tattered jeans and a faded T-shirt. He started by giving T a powerful handshake, which turned into a hug. Both were happy to see each other and both had literally been through hell together.

T looked round, and things looked different. No lawyers to be seen, but most impressive, light. Beautiful natural sunshine. Frank pointed to the massive array of windows where heavy drapes lay on the ground in front of them.

“Excuse the mess. I don’t know why, but the tenants simply left. They haven’t returned or paid their lease, so I reclaimed this floor. I don’t know why but this place was dark as a dungeon— totally blacked out by all those drapes. Normally I’d have maintenance come take them down, but I had this need to come here and pull them down. It feels great!”

T looked. “That’s a lot of drapes. What will you do with them?”

Frank looked at them too. “I’m having my assistant — you remember her — call hospital burn wards and hospices where they may be needed. She’s good with things like that. She’s not just here for her looks, T.”

T nodded. “I know that Frank. It’s good to have her do such things. When I first came here, I saw, well, you know what I mean by that, that she had been abused when quite young. Combined with her looks, she has been treated like an object all her life. Do her a favor. Get her out of the tight suit and have her do work that makes her feel like more than how she looks. Your call. Just my observation.”

Frank laughed. “I think that third eye opened mine a bit. She’s not behind the glass desk where you can see all she has now. She’s way down there folding up drapes with me.” He shouted out with his hands cupped like a bullhorn. “Heather! Take a break. T’s here.” Frank stood looking and around a corner came a vastly different looking Heather. Like Frank, she was dressed for labor and not for attention. T stared at her.

24 “Heather, it’s so nice to see you. And you look like you mean business dealing with these endless drapes.”

She looked at all the piles on the floor. “Hi, T. Yes. I can fold them okay, but we’re going to need help getting them out of here. They’re darned heavy.”

T nodded. “I have a rather large truck and I’m happy to drop some off later. Frank mentioned a hospice?” She nodded. “Yes, they don’t need that many. On last days they keep the lights low. I was told one can see the spirit rise in the right light. Wouldn’t that be a miracle to see? An actual spirit. That means we go on.”

Frank looked at T, while T looked at Heather. “Yes, that would be life changing. It would be incredible to see a spirit. Well, if you’d like, I’d be happy to take you and the drapes there later and who knows, maybe we’ll be blessed with such a vision.” She stared at him, in awe. She nodded. Somehow, she knew that would come true. It had to be. She turned to Frank. “Could I leave and do that?” Frank smiled at her and gently said, “Of course.”

Heather excused herself saying she’d have to get enough drapes ready then and walked away in a sense of wonder. Frank shook his head at T.

“It’s a good thing you have April. I’ve never heard an invitation to see someone die as a pickup line, but you do seem to have some attraction to women no matter what you do.”

T laughed. “Do you mean treating them with respect and honesty?”

Frank looked him in the eye. “T, you’re playing with a stacked deck. Like I said, it’s good you are in love with April…”

Frank pushed the cart into the conference room. T was bursting to tell him over twenty blond demon lawyers planned to disembowel him just a couple of weeks ago in the very same room, but he didn’t share such instances to those not involved. He did ask about the missing tenants. Frank looked pleased.

“Ruthless, highest priced law firm in town. All women, all blond, all came over from Germany. Divorce lawyers. Scared the hell out of me. I’ve been wanting to reclaim this floor for quite a while, but I wasn’t about to go up against them. They would have eaten me for lunch! This is a blessing in disguise, and I’m not going to tempt fate. Glad they disappeared in the night. So, how are April and Aleks?”

T was still amazed at how right Frank summed up the lawyers. He had good instincts. He smiled and said, “April and I are busy furnishing our home. You’ll be invited to a special wedding. Maybe bring Heather. I think it will help her. There is a 25 big change. Aleks is stepping down. He’s not going to be the Pastor any longer. You know Father Kerrigan well enough. He is retiring and going back to Ireland if he can make peace with his sister, Maggie. Aleks is an officially trained exorcist, so that’s his full-time job now.”

Frank stared in awe. “That is something. I’d like to see Father Kerrigan before he goes. For many reasons. And your wedding! April must be walking in the clouds.”

T chuckled. “That would be a fair description. So, tell me about you. You said you had plans once Alice was in convent, so I assume that’s why you’re working here and not upstairs…”

Frank was all smiles. “Let’s order out lunch and get that started. If you care for sushi, there’s a great place. Do Ukrainians eat sushi?”

T smiled. “This one does. Any type. Miso soup, tempura. I love it all.’ Frank picked up his phone and hit a speed dial number. He ordered everything for three but mentioned he’s on 75. He leaned back. “Okay, it’s simple. I want to make a movie about you. Actually, Janet and you.”

26 5

The luxurious silk sheets, from most any angle, were dark green silk rising and falling in supple curves that could be mistaken for a landscape of evergreen covered hills and valleys. This landscape was moving; rising and falling and ever changing. Rhythmically it moved and one could hear sounds of air through trees and the cries of birds. Slowly, the smooth silk began sliding down until it revealed wet, slick, bronzed arms, legs, asses and rivers of hair both blond and brown. Heaving, gasping for air, moaning, the shapes formed a scissor of passion, hands gripping each other tight, pulling hard until an explosion of pleasure left both panting for air.

The room was lit only by candles and filled with incense. The bed was surrounded by mirrors on all walls and above on the tiered ceiling. Music from the darkest corners of mankind played on the speakers and nylons, spiked heels and scant wisps of dresses lined the floor. Two women untangled themselves from each other, wet with sweat, spit and their flow of juices.

They turned to face each other, and with tongues stretched out, began licking the wetness off each other. They took their time and licked every inch of skin no matter where. Laying back with their heads on silk covered pillows, they stared at each other. Eyes locked, breath upon breath, they finally kissed. The kiss went for more than an hour, and when finished, they held each other fondly. Nuzzling and letting their legs intertwine.

Elsa lay staring into Leigh’s brown eyes. “I can command a man here if you’d like. I know you love cock.”

Leigh rubbed noses with her. “Not now. That was before I knew this. Maybe when we come across something exceptional, just to taunt him then send him away when he’s about to cum.” Elsa smiled. She nodded in agreement. Leigh looked at her and could see the hunger in her eyes.

“I know you still crave him. I also know you’ll never give up.”

Elsa nodded with desire radiating from every part of her.

“It’s true. I do. You’re human, and so delicious yet so bad it makes it so exciting. You’re almost as bad as me. But my sweet, I’m not a human. There’s a hunger in me that very few in all eternity can fill. Scorpio could. Oh. I feel so bad you didn’t get to fuck him. Then you’d have a hint at what I’m going through. Fuck the two of us at the same time and you’d go insane for real. No human could survive that. It’s a funny thing. You are every pleasure I want. But, like an animal in heat, every so often the hunger rises. I need sex no human can offer. It’s not like what we just did. It’s not 27 tender and caring. It’s destructive and punishing. It’s not humanly possible. Scorpio’s cock would transform into a snake. He’d put it in my hole, and it would rise inside of me and eventually the head would be in my mouth. I was impaled, full of demon snake. I’d let myself fall back. My arms and legs would hang free. The serpent would start to move and slither inside of me, and my form could only move with it. That was a favorite of mine. There were so many other ways. We’d reach climax by igniting in flames. Cold blue fire. Like the pits of hell. Hey, do you know how girls call their dipshit boyfriends their ‘flames?’ That came from fucking demons. A real demon sets you ablaze.”

Leigh was fascinated by the thought of sex that profound. She wished she could have that but knew while human that could not be. She thought about Elsa’s need and kissed her nipples. She looked up and asked if T could do what a demon could do. He wasn’t a serpent, so how could he turn his cock into one?”

Elsa stroked Leigh’s head with both hands, feeling the silk of her long hair.

“That’s the point. He’s not a serpent. I don’t expect snake dick. I keep thinking about it. Angels are far beyond demons. I have no idea what he can do, but I know this; he doesn’t either. He’s never done a demon. I’m sure his little angel bitch is astounding, but nasty, freak dirty? No way. I’d get off just corrupting an angel. I am sure he can do far more than Scorpio. I need to find out. My hunger is growing. You can tell that by how I do you. No human can do what I do to you.”

Leigh’s face grew sultry. “You are so fuckin’ right about that. I have continuous orgasms. Hour-long cums. What about you?”

Leigh smiled. “Oh, yes. Like I said. You are one viscous murdering bitch. That makes me cum just like you. I get off on your evil. Leigh, the whole nut job act you were in when you killed Hudson. Going to the bullshit pervert farm to get out of it. I joked about doing him off like that, but after you did it. Whoa. That was cold.”

Leigh sat up. She stretched, her small breasts rising with a deep breath. She remained sitting up, her legs crossed, her labia forming a heart shape. “So, I’m free, but you need to feed your hunger. You want T. So, what do we do to get him for you?”

Elsa spit on her finger, then rubbed it on Leigh’s clit and slowly circled it. Watching her clit swell up, she smiled and said, “That’s easy. We just need to be very… very… bad girls.”

Leigh screamed, having a massive orgasm from the rubbing and the very thought of being that bad.

28 6

Amber was going to be the new tenant of a lovely one-bedroom flat near the church. April and T we’re giving her most all the things she would need and the rest was being donated. They had decided to start fresh in their new home with all new furnishings so Amber had everything else she’d need, and T said he’d lug it in for her. Those were his words — not hers. T made it clear that April’s terms of affection, although dubious at times, were for her use only. When he offered to do the heavy lifting, the term “big lug” had entered her mind, but she decided to say a simple thank you instead.

To make it even more interesting, April, obviously knowing that T didn’t want Amber flirting with him, after hearing T’s offer, gave him a sly look and told him, “So, big lug, you’re going to ‘lug’ the things? Wouldn’t it be nicer if you gently moved them instead?” He paused and had to think about what just happened, then said, “I guess a librarian would offer to move, transport, carry, lift, transfer, truck, or even drag the things, but would never lug them, correct?” April swished side to side with her hands held behind her, smiled her big smile from ear to ear with her big eyes staring up into his and said, “That’s correct.”

Those moments were special to Amber. It was the first time in a long time she had friends who were good people. T had never hit on her, although she knew she still was a bit flirtatious at times. April was gentle and kind to her. They found all the good inside of her and appreciated those qualities. She knew from first meeting them she could trust and confide in them. As she measured the rooms in the apartment, she wrote down the sizes and could see not only the apartment taking shape, but her life as well. Her days of promiscuous sex going as far as prostitution were behind her. Her debt to demon lawyers was wiped and the demon law firm had vanished the night that T, April and Gloria battled them back to hell. Even she had played a part in that, and that created a bond between them all. She had a job at the Cathedral, and since Aleks took on a new role as a full-time exorcist, she would remain as the assistant to the new Pastor.

Aleks would still operate from the Cathedral but would no longer live there. Like her, he had been searching for a simple set of rooms. The search was a short one for both. With T and April moving into their grand house, April suggested Amber take her apartment and T offered his to Aleks. There would be truly little moving to do as most of the furniture would stay in place. Still, there were boxes of small items, personal mementos, and clothes. T calculated one trip in the Navigator would be enough for each move. Amber was thinking about how to get a car. Aleks told her that if she waited a bit, he may know of one that would be available at a very fair cost.

29 April’s original large mirror still stood leaning against the wall outside the bedroom near the front door. She sensed that as special as it was, April was leaving it there for her. As she stood in front of it, tears were forming. The mirror was more than special and precious to April. It was blessed and holy. Try as she may, she still couldn’t understand why April would leave it for her. At some point soon, she would ask her if she was sure about it. She did like it. She stood in front of it, she would never violate the magic of April’s swish, but she had her own equivalent. She stood there and gave it a try. She bent one knee slightly inward, which raised one hip ever so slightly. She held both hands together in front of her, arms down, and tilted her head down slightly. The look was sweet and demur. Gloria had wiped away her look of sadness and abuse. She looked at herself, and she saw herself the way she felt inside. Sweet and gentle. The pose played down her many curves and shapely legs. The mirror was large enough where she could see all of herself, and it made her feel good.

There was a knock on the door, and she was excited to open it. There was April with a little bag from a stylish store, and behind her was T with a giant box. T looked over the top of it and said, “I’m transporting things for you today…” April smiled her big smile and moved out of his way. T set the box down and looked at them both. “How can frilly undergarments weigh so much?” April went and took him by the arm and sat him down. “The box isn’t heavy. You’re just looking for attention. Amber appreciates you carrying her frilly things — all three pounds of them.”

April went and got him a glass of water. She was still carrying the pretty bag that said “DeLights” on it. She looked at Amber. “A housewarming present from us.”

Amber looked in awe. “Guys, this apartment is the best present I’ve ever received. I can’t accept more.”

April smiled at T, then back at Amber. “Don’t let the bag fool you. I just needed one to lug the gift in. It’s from where we bought nightlights. Please, it’s not a typical gift.”

Amber held onto the bag, looking curious. She slowly opened it and inside was a small, white box, barely four inches square. She put the bag down, holding the box. Looking at them first, she opened the box. Inside was a Post-it note, yellow, with lovely handwriting which said, “Hold for Amber.”

Shaking her head, she looked at them, confused. April asked to see it.

“When T bought the new mirror, I was trying to figure out what best to do with my one here in the apartment. I moved it to dust behind it, and that note was on the back of it. When I first got it, there was a note just like it that said, “Hold for April,” We wanted to give you the mirror regardless, but that note is the real gift.”

Amber was speechless. She kept looking at the note, them, then the mirror. 30 April understood her reaction. “The notes were written by Gloria, and the mirrors always appeared right when needed. “I keep my two notes in my purse, always. Who knows what you’ll see in the mirror some day? It’s so exciting. Amber, let’s you and I go stand in front of the mirror.”

They both sprang up and went to the mirror. April looked at it and smiled. “I see a very sweet girl, but I also see a man. A real man. Not a lug, different. But a true love. You’ll need to come up with your own name to tease him with.” They both giggled. T came up to see too, and standing behind them, asked April what she saw. She stared, squinting her eyes, then a surprised look. “You know what I see? A Navigator full of boxes that needs to be unloaded!”

31 32 7

Father Preston was a rising star in the church hierarchy. Originally from South Africa, he had gained favor with the Vatican — not because he was progressive, but because he was dogmatic. He towed the company line on women priests, gay marriage, and supported the oppressive side of the Catholic practice. He was considered a hardliner in a time when progressive priests were demanding accountability for pedophile priests and embracing women with more important roles in church matters. His stance won him praise from the relics that dominated church policy, and he had a series of transfers to ever more important roles in key parishes around the world.

He sat holding the letter appointing him successor pro temp to Bishop Aleks by the Pope. He had been hoping for it. News had spread fast that Aleks was replacing the aged Kerrigan, and Aleks had a reputation as a renegade, following his heart rather than church commands. He leaned back in his chair, thinking how he’d have things tidied up in no time. After that? Cardinal? He certainly was being groomed for it.

Ambition and compassion in such a role were seldom compatible. Most all priests knew that although the job was to serve God, in practical matters a pastor either served the parishioners— or Rome. Preston saw the flock as funding the church and felt most churches would be great if not for the parishioners. He never said such things out loud, but they were clearly reflected in his actions. Aleks had hoped to be a participant in identifying a successor, but that was not how church worked. He got a letter the same day as Preston informing him of the decision. Although he remained a Bishop, he would now be known as Father Aleks, Exorcist. He expected no request for help in the transition from Preston. New broom, clean sweep. He shrugged. It was meant to be, and he accepted that Rome had its reasons. He didn’t agree with them, but he accepted they had them.

Preston had grown up in wealth. His father was a rich farmer, with most of the riches coming from using low-cost native workers. He saw life as having a hierarchy of ones who managed and made decisions along with money, and all the others needing the wealthy to tell them how to live and give them barely enough to survive. He was raised to believe that the world needed strong leaders or chaos would result. This was like the way the Church ran affairs, so he felt right at home as a priest. The faithful served the church, it did not serve them. He judged the success of a pastor by what percentage of income parishioners contributed. Sermons were about what the church needed money for. He disliked interaction with sinners; he was much happier with the business of the parish. That made him a perfect manager for a large diocese, but not a compassionate one as Aleks had been. He was still the boy listening to his father preach on how to get the most labor for the lowest cost.

33 Preston reviewed the organization chart for the diocese and saw some priests who were doing well collecting for a variety of funds, others who were limited by the low income of their parish, but none that weren’t performing well. The operation seemed in order with no frivolous positions. Then he got to the more obscure expenses, noting a cost for an investigator. He circled that and hadn’t a clue what that could be for. He saw no need for an exorcist, but that was an appointment directly from the Vatican so not one he would oppose but thought it frivolous and archaic. Everything else seemed in order and his impression that although far too progressive, Aleks ran a tight ship.

After cleaning up a few oddities, the diocese would be a textbook example of what Rome wanted every diocese to be. If he had one wish, it would be to prove all the exorcism nonsense to be pure superstition. He had been thinking of enforcing his direct approval of any exorcism even though Aleks had power, as a Bishop, to proceed on his own. He considered some active involvement may help prove that an old-fashioned explanation of fakery would knock Aleks down a few pegs and he was just the man to do it. He laughed at the thought of some small woman claiming possession to present a challenge to him. He was not afraid of a lot of cursing and spitting. Yes, he’d involve himself and show Aleks how easily fooled even a Bishop can be.

34 8

“I’m through with lawyering. Too small potatoes.”

Elsa was conferring with Leigh on how to wreak the most harm possible — and get T’s attention. They were sitting reading beauty magazines, and Elsa looked up at Leigh. “I evolved my appearance and no longer use that bookworm lawyer guise. If you had to rate me on beauty, from 1 to 10, where would I stand?” Leigh laughed. “Without makeup, you’re way past 10. With what little makeup you use, when you do, you’d be about 100. What about me?”

Elsa laughed, “I’d give you the same score. I can’t think of any women as sizzling hot as the two of us. That April is astounding, but she doesn’t need makeup and she’s too pretty for what I have in mind.”

They both thought a moment, looked at the magazines, and Elsa picked up the one with the hottest cover model.

“What does virtually every woman want and need to use everyday? Cosmetics. What do we want to do to every woman out there? Destroy them. Then that makes life Hell on Earth for men. I think we should come out with a line of cosmetics most every woman will use, price it affordably, and we become the spokeswomen for it in ads, TV and social media.” Leigh was excited at the idea but was confused on one point.

“That would be amazing, but, if we’re out to harm them, how does makeup do that?”

Elsa understood that not being a demon, Leigh hadn’t the experience in the various ways to corrupt people. She smiled. “That’s quite simple, we add a tiny little ingredient no other company includes. An ingredient that will unleash hellfire in all those using it. A bit of a magic potion. The more they use, the more abrasive they’ll become. Suicides, divorces, misery, anger. All from a little ingredient that can’t be detected, and certainly won’t be FDA approved.”

Leigh was fascinated. “Imagine that. So simple, yet so effective. We can get celebrities and influencers, right?”

Elsa laughed. “Dearest, there isn’t one that hasn’t made the deal. They’re all signed up. It won’t take long.”

They both hugged and could feel the joy in each other. Leigh looked at Elsa. “So, what name would you like?”

“I was thinking of ‘Master’ for the master brand. You like?” 35 36 9

T stopped back at Frank’s offices to take drapes, and Heather, to the Ascension Hospice. He had waited until as late as possible as most people die at night and he was going to be there with Heather as a soul passed on in the hopes of seeing their spirit rise from their body. He was glad that she was interested in helping people at hospice and learning about the soul when death occurs.

Heather and Frank had made good progress with pulling down drapes, and there were several boxes with neatly folded drapes near the elevators. T got out of the elevator, and Heather was turning off lights and cleaning up. She looked up and smiled at T. “Think this will be enough?” T nodded.

“Very nice. They will appreciate the work you’ve put into this. Frank left you to do this all by yourself?”

She nodded. “He’s busy and had meetings soon after you left. He’s excited about the movie project based on your experiences. I am too.” She stood shyly with her large eyes looking up at him. “I didn’t think he’d ever do much of anything again after Janet died. He’s still not okay. I heard bits and pieces and was hoping you could tell me a bit more if that’s something you can talk about.”

T looked at her and sensed nothing but sincerity. “I suggest we load these up and then we can talk about it on the ride. I assume from your working with Frank on his movie project you have some idea what I do…”

She stood still; a bit afraid. “He calls you a demonic investigator.”

They each grabbed neatly folded drapes that had been placed in cardboard filing boxes used for moving. Heather managed one, T stacked two and they headed to the lobby elevator. There was no need to press a Call button. A motion sensor activated the elevator and the doors opened. As they got in, they put the boxes on the floor, T gave a serious look to the young woman. “I started out helping investigate if people were possessed for the church, so yes, I call myself a demonic investigator. Mostly it’s about helping people who have made a deal with the devil, or fight the demon directly to send them back to hell for a while…”

The elevator reached the parking garage, and T nodded, pointing his chin to the Navigator. Heather had a confused look and almost stumbled as she stepped out of the elevator. T led the way to the back hatch and put his foot under the rear bumper and the hatch opened. Dropping his two boxes in, he took the single box from Heather and put it in. He left the hatch open and they headed back to the waiting elevator. As the doors closed, Heather stared at T. She stood silent but T sensed what 37 she was thinking. She desperately wanted to ask him if Frank had made a deal with the devil. He smiled gently at her.

“No. Frank hasn’t sold his soul. He’s a good man.”

Her face changed to surprise. “How… I mean… I was about to ask you that. Am I that obvious?”

Folding his hands in front of him, he laughed a bit. “No, not at all. It’s logical question to ask given what I do and my visits to Frank.” He watched her as the wheels turned in her mind. She looked up at him as he was much taller than her.

“I know their daughter was in and out of hospitals, but I was uncomfortable around Janet. Was that wrong of me?”

The elevator door opened, and they went for more boxes. T looked at her. “Heather, what you feel can never be wrong. It’s a gift we’re all given that protects us from evil. What did Janet do that made you uneasy?”

T just stood there before picking up more boxes. She leaned against the large window, backlit by the setting sun. Her hair was a soft brown and was glowing on the edges. She thought a while then looked up at T.

“This is hard to say about her. I always think about her dying and how she’s not here anymore. Well, you know how I dressed and had to act upstairs. You’ve seen me look like that. I know I was initially hired for my looks. When Janet came up, she’d stop and stare at me. At first, I thought she was sizing me up like a jealous wife might. But after a while I felt more like she, well, she wanted me. Or wanted me for something. I don’t know, but it made me feel funny. I didn’t respond. It scared me.”

T was having visions of Nina training Janet to recruit attractive and susceptible young women for her earthly pleasures and to corrupt them. He could see Janet doing it and what Heather said was perceptive and true. He saw no benefit in explaining it, Janet was dead, and the threat was gone.

“Heather, there are woman who love men, married, but are attracted to women too. Maybe she just was that way. I only met her twice and being a man, I can only guess about that.”

They picked up boxes and headed to the elevators again. Heather was thinking. “I don’t know, T. I’ve had women come on to me before. Not my preference, but this was different. More like a talent agent. They come here and give me the same feeling. Like they want me for a TV show or something. It didn’t feel like she wanted me. It was like she wanted me for someone else.” 38 Suddenly they were back putting boxes into the cargo area of the truck. T looked. “One more trip should do it.” As they went back to the elevator, T was sensing that Heather was different than she looked. Her take on Janet was spot-on. He decided to find out a bit more about her.

“Well, we won’t know now, will we?”

Heather stared at him. “T, somehow, I think you know.”

That answered his question. Heather had some level of perception. The elevator reached the offices again and as they entered T pointed to the very conference room the demons had attacked him in a short time ago. He led the way, and Heather lagged behind. He sensed the room made her uncomfortable. “Heather, it’s just a room. Some bad things happened here, and you sense that, but I assure you, it’s just a conference room.”

She looked up and smiled. “Funny. With you here it doesn’t feel the same. It feels okay.” She went and sat in the chair Elsa used to occupy. T sat where Barb sat at the head of the table.

“First, you explain you’d like to see a spirit leave a body at death. Then about Janet. Now, you are wary of this room. Is it my presence, or does this happen to you other times?”

She was surprised by his directness. She leaned forward. “Now I see why you do what you do. You know things. Things that can’t be explained even in words. But, yes, I have them other times. Lots of times. All my life.”

T looked up at the other end of the table. Gloria was sitting there. He didn’t acknowledge her. He knew she was present for only him to see. She had a serious look on her face and nodded at him.

T sat back in the plush chair and looked at Heather. She was calm and confident, and seemed glad she was able to talk to him about the subject. Gloria’s presence meant that Heather had a special meaning. He always felt the direct path was best. He looked around the room and saw that Heather was looking too, most likely to see what he was looking at.

“Heather. Let’s learn about your picking up on things like you just described. What do you feel about this room?”

Heather didn’t look around. She stared into T’s eyes and had a profoundly serious manner. “We’re not alone.”

39 Gloria had gotten up and was standing behind Heather. She leaned over and blew on Heather’s left cheek. Heather rubbed her cheek as Gloria smiled. “There’s someone here with us. I just felt a blow on my cheek.”

T nodded. Gloria winked at him, raised her arms, and dissolved into little sage leaves that floated away. Heather sat and sniffed. “I smell something. Beautiful. Between an herb and a flower. Very pretty.”

T smiled. “I have that sometimes. It’s nice. So, let me ask you about how you’ve sensed things all your life. When you worked upstairs, with the tight outfits and the glass desk, all kinds of people would come in to see Frank. Did you have feelings like those about them?’

Heathers face lit up. “All the time! I always thought I was just sizing them up. A good-looking girl has to be smart about people, you know?”

T laughed. “Not being a good-looking girl, I can’t say I do, but I get the point. Did you tell Frank about your impressions?’

She nodded. “Oh, yes. After someone would leave as he was heading back, I’d ask if they were liars or scammers or sincere — whatever I picked up on. He always told me I was right. He’d shake his head and ask me how I knew. I’d just shrug and say that’s how they looked or acted.”

Sitting and staring at her, T finally said, “Both you and Frank thought you were a receptionist. Actually, you were a sentinel. A guard.”

The look on her face changed dramatically. She was amazed. She could barely speak. She looked at him and managed to talk. “That’s it. You’re right. My God, you’re right. How did you figure that out?”

Standing up, T looked at her. “Friends in high places. Let’s get the rest of the boxes.”

40 10

Dimly lit with only a table lamp, Aleks read about the ambitious priest the Vatican had appointed to take his place. The apartment was familiar but changed. T had lived there for many years and although the furnishings were the same, it now had a more somber tone. T had an inner strength and certainly that gave the apartment life. Aleks was the opposite. He was serious and cautious. In his new role as the full- time exorcist, his life would be a daily routine of facing horrific suffering and pain. The apartment, now dark, felt like a room where he could perform the Rite. It was as somber as he was.

Completing the dossier on the new pastor, he did not feel confident in the choice. The man was the equivalent of a “yes man” at a corporation and was working his way up the clerical ladder by doing and saying all the right things. He read of raising money, increasing attendance, managing operations. He read nothing about faith or devotion in his rise to power. He had been responsible for all the same jobs, but they were to spread the word and give comfort to the faithful. They were vastly different types of priests and he doubted they would get along. He even wondered if the man would ever approve an exorcism, if only to show his power over Aleks.

He put the document down. It didn’t matter. With or without permission he would attend to those needing him. He was still a Bishop and could still approve an exorcism without seeking approval. He had made sure of that with the Vatican and had their blessing and approval. He was on his own, and he was realizing that free from administrative duties, he was now going to be active directly in the Rite. T would continue to be paid by the church but would continue to work directly with Aleks.

He felt bad for Amber. She would continue in her role as assistant to the new pastor. He didn’t feel that would be a good fit. Amber was a lovely and warm person. What had started as a new life, a change of direction, would now be just a clerical job. He couldn’t see that lasting long. Amber had been ordered around by too many men in her life and he doubted she would stay. He wondered where she would go.

April made the decision to leave her job when she learned Aleks was parting as the Pastor. She would work with him and T, and he was glad she was finding her powers and gaining strength. T was not one to to tolerate fools, so Aleks doubted he would have anything to do with the new pastor. T would see him for what he really was, and that would be interesting. T would know the truth.

He got up and had a glass of milk. He chuckled and thought it would sure be good to have some yellow cake raspberry roll to go with it.

41 42 11

Heather was reeling from her time with T. He was so different from other men she had met. There was no pretense. He didn’t leer at her or accidentally brush up against her. When he spoke to her, he looked her in the eye and not at her breasts. He had a quiet confidence and a certainty. He wasn’t young, but she couldn’t think of him as old. She understood he had a special insight into people, but he wasn’t using that to any advantage. She was certain he knew she found him attractive and the type of man she had always hoped to meet. Any other man with that knowledge would have been making moves on her constantly. He wasn’t embarrassed by her attraction to him — it’s as if he understood it, accepted it and let her have her feelings. Somehow, he knew she had a purpose and a gift. She could identify qualities — good and bad — in people from the slightest glance and she learned she was always correct.

Upon meeting T on his first visit to Frank, she knew he was a warrior, but kind. He used his strength to protect people, not harm or persuade them. She also knew he had no interest in her at all, but was concerned for her in an honest way. He knew she had been sexually abused by her brother from her toddler years on. He worried she was still letting herself be abused by objectifying herself in a skintight suit sitting at a glass reception table so every part of her could be seen.

Her looks had always been a problem. As a little girl, people came up to her and rather than say, “And who is this little girl? What is your name?” It was always, “What a pretty girl you are. Do you know how beautiful you are?” To all, including her family, she was an object. A pretty thing and nothing more than her looks mattered or were required. She got anything she wanted. Was always first in line in school parades or pageants. The girl every boy asked to the prom. She had so much going on inside her, but nobody cared. Nobody listened. Tonight, T cared and listened. Frank was decent and respected her beyond her looks, but that took time to develop. With T, it was instantaneous. Her made her feel important for every reason except her looks.

While they were riding to the hospice, she asked him if he was married. He answered that in God’s eyes, absolutely, but legally, not yet. The event was still in the planning stages. She asked about his fiancé, and he described her as incredibly smart, caring and very special. She was curious about who T would show an interest and attraction to. She asked what she looked like. T laughed a little and said, “Just a little thing. Tiny. Librarian. Pixie hair cut.” She envisioned a small bookish type who didn’t want to bother doing her hair each day so took the shortcut of cutting it to a wash and wear state. As she thought, she felt it was alright to ask if he had a picture of her. He looked her way and smiled.

43 “Lots. I love taking pictures of her. I’ll show you some.” At a red light he pulled his cell phone from the breast pocket of his coat, thumbed a bit, and handed the phone to her. She took it and looked at the first picture. She almost gasped. It was a shock to her being. She found herself saying the very words said to her thousands of times in her life.”

“She is the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen…” She scrolled to the next picture. Then the next. Then more. Each different, each like looking at an angel. They had an impact on her she couldn’t understand. She looked at T, then back at the pictures. She finally was able to ask, “What year we’re these taken? I mean, well, how long ago?”

T smiled again and understood. “Those were from a little party at our house. About a month ago.”

Heather was speechless. She just stared at the pictures on the phone. Then, finally, she asked, “How old is she? I’m sorry. That’s rude. I’m sorry…”

T nodded. “I understand. She’s 53. I know she doesn’t look it. I’m still trying to get a good photo of her. Those don’t really capture her well.”

For the first time ever, Heather saw a picture of someone twice her age who was many times more beautiful. It was the moment she would stop thinking of herself as a sex object or hot chick. That was a sense of relief. She was just a person. An attractive person, but nothing like the person in the photos. T was watching her at a stop light. She was clutching the phone tight. As the light turned green, he said, “I think you two will like each other. We’ll invite you over. Would you like that?”

Heather found herself nodding. T smiled and said, “Good. By the way, her name is April. April May, at least for now. I’ll see if I can get another friend to come. If she does, be prepared. She’s beyond beautiful. I can’t really describe her but she’s beyond amazing.”

Heather was in a daze. She just stared at T. “Another woman, and you’re saying she’s way more beautiful than April. You must be teasing me.”

T shook his head. “To me April is the most beautiful woman possible no matter how she looks because I love her completely. The other woman, well, you can’t compare them, but she is quite something. Not like any woman I’ve ever seen. Well, you’ll be the judge of that.’

Heather sat and thought. She handed the phone back. She used her senses and said, “Let’s see. You’re riding in a car with me and everyone I’ve met says I’m incredibly beautiful. Would you agree?” 44 T looked over at her. “Certainly. You’re are beautiful.”

Heather nodded. Then, “And your fiancé is beyond astounding and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

T looked at her and nodded. “Okay, that’s a nice compliment, she’d be flattered, especially once she meets you.”

Heather folded her arms, hugging herself gently. “Then you tell me you’ll introduce me to a woman who is so stunning she defies description...”

T nodded again. “Yes, that would be fair to say. She’s not like any person you’ve ever seen.”

Heather sat shaking her head. She was trying to figure it out. She looked out the window. She decided to just ask the obvious question.

“T. Please help me understand. How does one man manage to be surrounded by and attractive to the hottest women imaginable?”

T didn’t skip a beat. “Heather, you’ll soon understand. First, like you, they are beautiful for a reason. Second, I don’t see them as things. As bodies. I see their souls. That’s what’s beautiful. Their being, their spirit. It radiates out so the outside matches what’s inside. That goes for you too. When I look at you, I see a beautiful soul. It’s radiating out and gives you your outer beauty. Here, think of the biggest jerk that’s come on to you. Tell me how he looked?”

She didn’t have to think hard. “Like a total creep. Icky and disgusting. Repulsive.”

T nodded. “Exactly. At the extremes of good and evil, the inner soul reveals itself with a physical manifestation. Think of it as a kind of calling card. The problem is with really evil ones, like demons, they have the power to take on a pleasing form. A total demon can look like the most handsome man ever. You’ve seen that, right? Isn’t that what you’re good at? Looking at someone and knowing who and what they really are?”

Heather stared, stunned again. “T. You’re right. The ones that look nice but aren’t. I can see what they really are. Oh, God. I’ve seen demons then.”

T smiled. “We all have. You can see truth. That’s a special gift. And it’s why such a beautiful woman is riding in this car with me. All that good in you had to come out somehow. Your being beautiful attracts the evil ones to you, and you can tell who they are. The two things go together. You are demon bait. And you are here to help

45 me find demons and I take care of things from there. I know it’s a lot for one car ride, but you’ll be fine. You’ve got an angel watching over you, I’m sure.”

T smiled as he looked in the rear-view mirror and saw Gloria grinning at how T dealt with introducing Heather to her new life. She made funny faces at him and leaned over with her mouth over his ear and in a whisper only he could hear, said, “Hey, Heather is right on. What’s a geezer like you doing with hot babes like all of us?” T gave her a wink. She looked shocked. “Hey, dude, I give the winks!”

The Navigator turned into the parking lot of the hospice. T looked and Gloria had moved from the back seat to the entranceway to the hospice. She had changed to wearing a gossamer robe and for once actually looked like a painting of an angel. T knew what the meant, and she nodded at him. Heather said that some of the volunteers knew they were coming for the drapes, and just to open the hatch and she’d tell them to come get them. She got out to go get the helpers, and Gloria checked her over as she walked past her. T got out and stood at the doorway. Gloria smiled at him.

“That was a nice talk. You let her know who she is and that changed her. April assures me that you are a blunt instrument so you must be having an off day, geezer.” She laughed, and he smiled with a nod. Heather came out with two men who looked more than capable of bringing the boxes in. Heather looked at him and was sad looking. T understood.

“Heather, I can tell by your expression you sense someone is about to die, very soon. Have you ever seen a person die?”

She shook her head and looked him in the eye. He asked, “Have any of your family or people you knew well died?” Again, she stared up at him and shook her head. T nodded gently.

“Death is something people fear. It’s a fear of the unknown and that life ends. Today, you’ll experience your first passing. You’ll learn that it’s not passing into the dark, but into the light. It’s an incredible moment. The person about to die will leave the suffering and pain behind and will experience a joy beyond anything we have here.”

She was shivering, and still staring into his eyes. Gloria was behind her, now floating, letting her gossamer start to encircle Heather. She looked at T, and T understood. The person who was about to die was Heather.

T looked. Her shiver was changing to shaking. T reached out and took her hands.

46 “Heather, you’re incredibly special, and very lucky. You are a chosen one. You’re going to faint, and then you’ll be in a beautiful dream. Gloria will be there with you. Then, you’ll wake up, and you’ll be happy and beautiful forever. Just hold my hands, and when you feel faint, let yourself fall. You’ll be in the arms of an angel, and I’ll be there with you too.”

Her eyes still on him, her mouth opened as if to gasp for air. Her expression turned to one of surprise, and she went limp, starting to fall. T knew what was coming and had taken one arm and put it around her waist. She leaned back, and he held her as she died in his arms. He called to the two men and shouted out, “A doctor, and gurney. Now!” They ran. Very soon Heather was on a gurney, and the doctor on call for a man who was dying was walking alongside of the gurney with a stethoscope listening for a heartbeat. Gloria was floating alongside, and T saw the spirit of Heather sit up from her dead body, Gloria holding her hand, and they faded from his vision.

Her body was wheeled into an examination room. The doctor was still checking for signs of life, nodding sadly. He looked at T. He was calm and mannered. “She’s gone. I’m so sorry. Are you her father? Related?”

T shook his head. “No. A friend. We were bringing some donations here, and out front she just collapsed. She had been working hard all day. I thought she had passed out. She hadn’t complained about feeling ill…”

The doctor nodded. “So young. It could have been so many things. Heart. Cerebral hemorrhage. I’d guess that would be it. No warning. No pain. It’s a peaceful way to die. They stood there, and the doctor was shining a light pen in her eyes, taking notes on a clipboard. He asked T how long ago it happened. T said it was only about ten minutes ago. The doctor wrote down the time of death. “I’m going to call for paramedics and she’ll be taken for an autopsy. I’ll need to find some next of kin. Do you know of any?”

“I have my mom and dad…” it was Heather speaking from the gurney. The doctor was in a state of shock. He looked at her and grabbed a wrist to feel her pulse. T looked at the end of the gurney, and Gloria was back dressed in her hippie garb. She smiled and waved and gave at a wink. Then she faded.

Heather was looking around. She asked where she was. The doctor told her that she needed to remain calm and still. He said he was going to take her to a hospital. Heather simply sat up.

“Thank you for your concern, but I feel fine. I just passed out. You were worried about that?”

47 The doctor looked over at T, then back to her. “You may feel alright, but I can’t let you go. I’m worried. Something serious happened and we need to find out what. It could happen again.”

She got off the gurney, not wobbly or unsteady. She looked at T with an angelic smile. “Doctor, I appreciate your worry. I mean that. You’re a good person. I just think looking at this handsome man was too much for me. I just passed out; I assure you. Please change your notes to say that. I promise if I feel funny, I’ll call for an ambulance.”

She stepped up to him and gave him a hug. She turned, took T’s hand and led him out the door back to the Navigator.”

She looked at him once they were in the car.

“You were right about Gloria. Wow! And, about dying. So, everyone in this car who hasn’t died and came back an angel, please get out!” She smiled at T. He put it in drive and drove off.

48 12

April had been sitting in the living room waiting for T. It had been a sea change day for her. She had confronted the fact she murdered her real father and hadn’t told anyone since it happened. Most of all, she hadn’t told T. Just as he had walked away from his sad past and had no desire to revisit it, she was the same regarding killing the demon who was her father.

It was a long day. T was helping Frank’s assistant bring drapes to a hospice, and if he sensed anyone would pass on that night, would stay and guide her on how to see the spirit part from their body. It would be a long wait but it gave her time to think about how all roads in her life led here. To T. To her meeting Gloria and Aleks. To finding who she really was. To finally find love. She and T were two of a kind. Both angelic, she understood that a marriage with anyone else would have been impossible. That gave her comfort. She wasn’t worried that T wouldn’t understand. He would. It was simply that she hadn’t told him. She thought of Gloria. When it mattered, rather than glow and be there with answers, she sat in the shadows letting April confront her truth on her own. She was there, serious, but there. She had nodded. It meant she needed to face her truth. That was a good thing.

She knew she could go to the mirror and view the things her real father had done. She decided not to. What he had done to her biological mother, and did to her, more than justified her actions. It dawned on her that like T, being angelic was difficult. It isolated her from many things in her past, and at the time she didn’t understand why. She was lonely and never had a real boyfriend. She was the prettiest girl in town, and the loneliest. She knew it had been that way for T as well. Those days were past, and now they were united.

Earlier than expected, she heard the back door open which meant T had parked the rocket car in the garage and he was home. She was filled with excitement and anxiety at the same time. T came into the living room and she looked up and smiled. “You’re home earlier than I expected. I’m glad. I need you with me.” She got up and wrapped herself around him hugging him with all her might. She looked up at him. “I love you, you big lug.”

He held her tight as well. He could feel the anxiety in her. He refused to use his third eye on her. It was hard, but he knew she needed her private thoughts and feelings and had let her know that from when they first met. He still could sense the things any lover can. Happiness and sorrow. Love and anger. Right now, he sensed she was tense. He led her over to the white couch from heaven and sat her down.

“It’s rare that you are nervous or worried. It isn’t hard to pick up that something is bothering you. Can you talk about it?” 49 She held his large hands with her small ones. “Of course, I can. I’ve been waiting for you. I texted with my adopted mother today…”

He looked at her, but she wasn’t smiling. She looked upset. He nodded. “I take it that it wasn’t the joyous experience you hoped for…”

She looked sad. She seemed to be even smaller. “No. Not joyous at all. She was not happy to hear from me and didn’t say my adopted father or my birth mother wanted to hear from me right now. It was very upsetting. They have their reasons, so I just accepted it.”

T simply sat and looked at her. Her saying they had their reasons could mean anything, but he felt it was something hard to talk about. He asked if it was something she wanted to share with him. She looked up and deep into his eyes. No words were needed.

“I’m going to get us some iced tea first. You’ve had a long day, and this is a long story. I’ll be back in a jiff.” It was quick, and he found comfort in the simplest of things, iced tea being the most comforting. He took a sip and leaned back. She moved to the edge of the couch and turned to face him.

“We share so much. More now when you hear my story. It’s a really hard thing to talk about, and I never have. That’s the anxiety you sense. It’s the fact that I haven’t told you something about myself. Aleks told me you really don’t talk about the bad things from your past. That you move away from them and don’t dwell on them. Is that a fair way to describe you?”

He nodded. “Very much. The thing to do with bad is walk away. I don’t hide it. There’s no place for it in my life, especially ahead. I was having dinner once with Aleks at a Chinese place. I’ve had this fortune in the cookie several times. It said that when you face the sun, shadows fall behind you. I believe that, and from looking at you, it seems today you had to look back at a shadow. Let’s do this. Tell me, if you wish, then let’s face the Sun and let it be a shadow. Nothing more.”

She was crying now as he said that to her. He gave her his handkerchief and sipped some more tea. He wasn’t worried or nervous. He never sensed any bad about her. She was an angel, like him. And a human. Being human was the hard part,

She wiped her tears and told him the story, and how Gloria sat in shadows as she told it. She explained she kept thinking of how he tried to stop the pimp from hurting his mother. How close that felt like what she had been through. She explained that if she hadn’t had the angelic power, the demon would have raped her, and she had no hesitation and above all, no remorse. The only concern she had was not telling him right away. She was sad that she had waited. 50 T listened and could see the events. He saw more than April had at the time. He rubbed her cheek, and she leaned her head into his hand, filling it.

“April, I think your mother wasn’t mad at what happened, she was just letting you know she thought it was time to put it away and see your truth. You were born from fire, and there was a reason. The same with me. It took me a long time to figure out what I was. It took Stan dying for me to find my place. That was yours. You were a pure soul and when it mattered, recognized pure evil that tried to tempt your emotions and you did what an angel does. Stops it. You felt no guilt. He wasn’t a real person. He was here to stop you from being an angel. He’s in the shadows. I’m proud of you. I understand it’s not something you wanted to think about. If I were there, I would have done much worse to him. We avenge. We don’t forgive or convert demons. All that worrying over the thing I understand most. Now I must confess to you. Tell you my secret. I hope you can handle it.”

For a second she had a look of panic, then laughed. “Big hidden love goose. I know the secret is that you love me.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I don’t love you. I’ve always loved you. That is why I could never love someone else.”

She burst out in more sobs and tears and hugged him. “The same here. The prettiest girl and no boyfriend. That’s because it has always been you.”

With her secret revealed, she found that she was new again. As Gloria had often said to her and T, “You’re thinking like a human.” She smiled at how accurate Gloria had always been. She told T, and he smiled too.

“Yes, it took me a while to learn that. Now I have some news. Not a secret, but something I’ve wondered about since Gloria had mentioned she was here to help us understand what we are, but another as well.”

April looked at him intently. “I’ve wondered that too. I assumed it would be Amber. Just because she was going through so many changes. I hoped it would be, but I take it from your look that it’s not. You look mystified. Okay, big secret lug, spill the beans.”

“First, it’s been an amazing day. With your revelation, that would be plenty. But I also witnessed an NDE, and Gloria actually looking and acting like what we think angels are supposed to be like. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I went to visit Frank, and he wasn’t in his big office. He was one floor down. On 75…”

51 April’s eye widened. “The legal demons. He was there? You went there by yourself?”

He held up his hand. “No, with Gloria’s help, the whole lot, except for Elsa, we’re sent back to hell. The floor was still the same, just empty. Not a demon in sight. When I called him, he told me to meet him there and he explained that he had been wanting that whole floor but was afraid of telling them to move out. He’s no fool. I went there, and you know how dark it was with the heavy curtains? He and his receptionist — well, assistant really, were pulling them all down to let light in. The place looked so much nicer and he plans to use it to make movies. It’s his new project.”

April was fascinated. “Wow. After Janet, it sounds like he needs something positive to focus on. So, what type of movies?”

T was suddenly shy. “Well, his first one is inspired by what happened to Janet. And this is a bit awkward, but it’s actually about a demonic investigator…”

April gave him a full push with both arms. “Now it’s movie idol lug. You’re kidding. And I’m in it?”

T nodded.

April jumped up and got her white Surface. T looked at her. “What are you doing?”

She was busy typing. “Finding out who’ll play me, of course!”

T shook head with awe. “Don’t bother with who plays me, or Gloria or anyone else.”

She was absorbed. “Okay.”

She shut the lid, looking disappointed. “Still casting. No parts assigned yet. I can’t believe it. It will have to be X-rated with you and all your naked woman throwing themselves at you. And who can they find as pretty and nice as me or as heavenly as Gloria? You, any big lug guy will do. The guy will only have a few lines and just look tough and do action scenes. I don’t know. He may be taking on more than he can handle.”

T sat looking hurt. She punched his arm. Then she got up and started punching the air and standing with her arms folded looking tough. Then she broke out laughing. “Okay, maybe not a has-been. I think Ahhhnooold would play you well. Right age. Accent. Tough guy. Has a short beard. Or Liam Neeson. Getting up there though. Oh, Daniel Craig. He could do it.”

52 T stood in awe. “April, I mentioned something big happened today and all you can think about are actors and who will play you. Now, would you like to hear the actual important events?”

She sat down and cuddled next to him. “I’m just hoping that it turns out to be a big hit. Okay, it will be. I’m sure Gloria will see to that. So, I’m sorry. If it involves a NDE and Gloria I would surmise that the third angel has arrived. I didn’t think it would be so soon. Maybe something big is coming and we’ll need more help. Okay, like you do so well, just tell me the story.”

T started with helping Heather maybe see a spirit rise from their body, she just hadn’t known it would be her. He relayed all the events and how Gloria was there leading the process. He ended by saying he dropped her off at her apartment and came home.

She sat stunned. “You know, Gloria is right. That Heather sounds really hot. So, what is a geezer like you doing with me, Heather, Amber and the naked hippie chick Angel?”

T had a look of complete innocence on his face. “I think you all just have an extremely high opinion of yourself. Maybe the real question is what are all you single woman hanging around with a big tough beat the devil on the head guy? Accountants or plumbers not good enough for you?”

April was hysterical and grabbed him. “That’s right. I don’t know about them, but there’s only one lug for me. And you’re stuck with me. They can dream about you, but there’s a bed upstairs with my name on it and me in it, so let’s go see if you’re good enough for this little fairy tale nymph!”

53 54 13

Father Preston was on the phone to Rome. He was agitated and wasn’t hiding his frustration.

“Francis, you need to decide. I can take a sabbatical and go to a retreat. Or, if you want me to take over this large diocese, I need to be ordained a Bishop first. If not, I don’t see how I can do this job. I’d look like temporary help, not the Pastor.”

Cardinal Francis was in Rome and the man who was the engine behind making priests into Bishops, Bishops into Cardinals. He was the head of every committee that made such decisions and was the eldest on the College of Cardinals. He listened and understood the zealous nature of a young, ambitious priest. With such understanding, he knew that such a position was earned through devotion, not just administration.

“Dear Preston, if you think a sabbatical is best, you may leave now. Aleks is there and the parish will have its steward. As much as I hear your need for respect, we know too well that respect only exists when earned. A respected priest, as Pastor, is more important than a Bishop without respect. Aleks was a priest many years in his role before being a Bishop. He was loved by the parishioners and the clergy and needed no pointy crown or scepter. You must answer me. Do you sincerely want to press this Bishop matter?”

Preston was red in the face and fuming; glad the conversation was via phone.

“I feel obligated to share how I feel I can best serve the parish. I point out that you can help parishioners who don’t know me understand that the church has faith in me.”

Francis sat quiet and thought about the comment. He was having doubts, and that was rare for him.

“This only works when you have respect for God’s will. Not yours. His will comes through the Vatican. We have presented you with a chance to prove whose will you follow. Our appointments are by nature a test. You are ambitious, we know that. It’s not a virtue, certainly not something praised by our Lord. It’s something to be washed away. Love of God and following in the path of his Son are the qualities that lead the flock, not your opinions or wishes. Right now, I’ve heard no such guidance or humbling of yourself. Aleks gave up the very power you seek to minister to the ones who suffer most. He has his own ways, but his devotion is without question. Would you give up this position to live in a small apartment and face the torment of evil each day?” 55 Preston was aghast. Such questions needed to be asked long ago, and all knew he was given the gift of administration and managing church affairs. He told Francis the same.

“Preston, a lay person can be trained to do any of that. Most local Pastors do that well for the one church they shepherd. They don’t call me demanding a beanie because they can read a spreadsheet. The job is to be the surrogate of the Christ to the clergy, the staff, and the parishioners. And, to welcome those who are lost or don’t believe. You’ve mastered the ministrations; this is the chance to do the Lord’s work. To be the spiritual leader. We have been reviewing your appointment, and with so many like yourself through the years, we have a method that helps you understand your place. It’s as simple as a question of servitude or pride. Do you understand my words?’

After a pause, Preston was still in a rage and felt betrayed.

“I understand. I would not-have taken the vows if I were not devout. I believe I have a strength that is suited to such an important task, and I have asked for the most help in doing that job. I am humbled at the doubts you have expressed on my faith.’

Francis changed his tone and was almost light-hearted.

“Good, good. Our methods reveal the truth and why we use them. A priest will go where told, do what is needed, and accept the wisdom of this college. Understanding that you face a choice of your own ambitions, or the appointment given, no matter what role, I am going to give you the chance to prove to God and yourself what is most important to you. We are going to make you Pastor Pro Temp, the acting’s Pastor until you’re discern the carnal from devotion. Aleks will remain Pastor and will be acting exorcist as he is the the only one qualified. I will defer to him to evaluate your true calling. There will come a time when I ask him if you serve God or your own ambition. He is fair and honest. It will be his decision. The Parish has a Bishop, Aleks. Are you his successor? Seek God’s help and that may be. Now, you started this call with a threat to go on retreat. Do you still wish to make threats to the ones who decide your future?”

56 14

Aleks read the letter from the Vatican and placed it back in its envelope and considered that there was little to do or say regarding the change in Preston’s role. He would do as asked. What would transpire was up to Preston. He would either find himself the spiritual leader and a Bishop someday, or all too soon be transferred to an administration position at the Vatican. He would not interfere or counsel him on the matter, his schedule was full, and Kerrigan was planning his travels. The growing pains of a young priest would have to take second place to casting demons from those possessed.

Regardless, he was too busy to worry about trivial matters. As both the Bishop approving exorcisms and performing them, he was now too busy for much else. He had a dinner invitation from T and April the next evening, and he advised them he may be late. A young man needed the Rite, and he would be at it most of the day but would call when he was headed over. He sat and read the report in preparation. The details were remarkably concise. Father James was used to observing the possessed from his native home in Angola. The boy, Ron, was 17, born and raised in a good home. By his manner and actions until recently had been studious, and free from drugs and gang affiliations. He lived in a ghetto and managed to stay clear of trouble and was far from perfect as a student, very much a loner and didn’t run with troublemakers in his school,

He was nearing graduation and worked hard to be awarded a scholarship to a local college. He had a girlfriend, and Father James hadn’t kind words for her. She was not popular or attractive to anyone except to Ron. She was from an African family that maintained their tribal rituals which the Father felt were based in devil worship and the girl was influencing Ron to follow her family’s ways. He also stated that a loner like Ron, at 17, was most likely going along with her wishes as the ritual religion embraced sexual freedom. He summarized the attraction and participation was sexual — not spiritual. Aleks understood that sex could open a door to possession as easily as the tribal religion. Apparently, soon after getting involved with the girl, Sasha, he started to change. It wasn’t a change in behavior, it was a change in beliefs. He started to think that the good around him was bad, and the bad was good. He turned violent towards family and friends.

This was where T helped. T saw through the influence of if a demon was present, or simply infatuation and desire to please. T had spent a short time with the boy and was certain a clever demon was in possession of the boy. T had no concern about expelling it. He told Aleks it was a recent human who surrendered his soul before dying, and had little power, hence using the girl and a lonely boy. Aleks nodded in agreement.

57 Such matters were the daily routine of an exorcist. Father Kerrigan found the only way he, as the sole exorcist, could keep up with the sheer number of such possessions was to get confirmation from T, approval from the Bishop, then take a minimal involvement in the reasons behind a possession. T ferreted that out. He would show up, start the Rite immediately, and when completed, leave. Support and counseling were left to the local parish priest. He didn’t blame, accuse, lecture, or advise. His business was only with the demon and casting it out. The families of those possessed rarely understood how the priest showed no concern for their loved one. When they asked him about matters, he begrudgingly told them, “When the demon’s gone, things will be back to normal. Your priest will help keep the demon from coming back if that’s what you really want.”

Aleks reflected on what Kerrigan offered as advice. It was astute and true. The need for exorcism was most always people inviting the demon into their life. When people were unhappy, for any reason, they look for comfort and answers. They want to feel good again. Demons offer answers. Easy answers. The answers were mainly sex, drugs, alcohol, power of some sort, and vanity. The lonely look for love and the demon provides it with someone who will erode their values. That was the case with the boy. He was shy, wanted a girlfriend, and one appeared and opened the door for a demon to enter.

The problem remained that once the demon was cast out, the original need remained. The boy would return to his values but would still be lonely. The local priest had the job of helping the boy understand that his need for love had to come to him for real. He needed to find a girlfriend who may have little flash or popularity but was caring of him for real. Real love would close the door to possession. The process was a complicated one, and Aleks already new the new priest intended to be his replacement had no understanding of the need, possession, exorcism and shutting the door to the devil.

Aleks sat and as he thought it through, realized that like the boy, the new priest too had a need. Power. That was an open door. He thought about how the devil would try to enter, and what he would do if that happened. In his heart, he knew that a battle loomed. It was the same battle that snared pedophile priests and the devil understood that when faith was removed, the trust in the church eroded, converting the lost and lonely was much easier.

He got up, took his satchel of items to expel the demon from the boy, and started his job as the exorcist.

58 15

Leigh was learning the art of calling in debts from those who had sold their souls to the devil. Elsa taught her the process and embedded a power within her that only demons had. It was a small ability and that was to recognize the true appearance of the one who had surrendered their soul. Leigh was given the power to see them, and their life, if they hadn’t made the deal. It proved useful in their new pursuit of building a cosmetic empire. The notion of building a company from the ground up was too slow. Instead, they turned to the major cosmetic companies and their CEOs who had all surrendered to get their own success to build their poisoned line for them.

Leigh was learning what Elsa had explained. Once given Earthly success, the power brokers, CEOs and influencers all forget where their success came from. This was a very viscous trick the devil incorporated into the deal. They would all think they themselves created their own success. They forgot that they signed on the dotted line. That way, when the debt was called in, it devastated them much worse than if they remembered. It hurt worse than anything else. They would face they were sniveling, weak trash. Absolute pathetic nothings who were so inadequate they sold their mortal soul for a few years of power or pleasure in exchange for eternal damnation. Elsa summed it all up as the one truly “delicious” part of being a demon. Calling in the debt was like an orgasm. The begging and pleading and despair were akin to having sex. It gave a unique pleasure to the demon that climaxed when the stupid human collapsed or suffered a heart attack. It could also come simply from the the look on their pathetic faces. No matter how they faced their fate, it was pure pleasure and was a spiritual orgasm for a demon; their incentive for collecting souls.

Leigh understood that she couldn’t reach that spiritual climax, but she was enjoying watching the high and mighty crumble before her. She loved pushing them so hard when they defied her, they ended up flat their backs with her towering over them in her stiletto heels. Listening to their begging, smiling with mock empathy, she’d position herself over their face with a foot on each side of them, and smile saying she would give them something to help. They would nod with desperation. She’d tell them to open their big, powerful mouths that proclaimed the latest absurd fashion style or double the price of eyeliner, and she’d piss in it. She’d smile at them, their mouth full of her hot piss, and she’d ask them to explain the latest cosmetic trend. If they were dumb enough to try to talk, she’d kick them with the sharpened metal point of her shoe and tell them to keep their mouth open and she’d fill it up again. She’d ask again. Finally, they’d shut up, and she’d tell them they could swallow. They’d gulp down her piss and just wait. She’d walk behind her desk, and then invite them to sit across from her. They’d slowly find a way up to the chair, in complete terror facing her behind the desk. She’d ask about what they were going to declare the next fashion or cosmetic trend to be. They would sit in a state of panic and not say 59 a thing. She’d smile and say, “That is the first smart thing you’ve said. You don’t say what it will be. I do. You’ll tell the idiots buying your shit and the press and all the people you’ve bullshitted that there is only one thing women should wear. And that is our line of products. Nothing else. Oh, it can have your name on it, but we will give you that extra special additive that we make. And Elsa and I will be your inspiration. You’ll promote that the two most beautiful, glamorous and fuckable women in the world swear by it. Just like you swore your oath to the dark lord.”

It was so easy. In no time, with no help from Elsa, Leigh had the industry under her control. They all agreed they would add the ingredient, and they would all seek their endorsement and put them in their ads and commercials. One by one, she had filled their mouths with the truth. They were all slaves and the only wisdom that had ever come out of their pathetic mouths was no more than lies. They were speaking the lies of the devil, and now they knew it. She’d end the meeting by having them lick her pussy clean of piss.

Elsa would hear the stories at night and rub herself — and Leigh — with pure delight. She had been busy with contracts, formulas, choosing clothes for their appearances. She wanted Leigh to have a taste of the power the devil had over them. She thought Leigh had done a great job, especially as she was new to it all. “Isn’t it wonderful they all have to go back out there and act like the assholes they were before your little talk? They’ll never piss again without remembering what they actually are.”

Leigh nodded with a smile. “Ours.”

Elsa reached over to the bedside table, her ass up in the air for Leigh to lick. She let herself enjoy it for a while, then laid back down. “I’ll do yours in a bit, but first, this…” She held up a small glass jar which was empty. She held it it up toward the ceiling letting it glisten from a recessed light.

“This is next. Are you ready?”

Leigh leaned and put her head on Elsa’s breasts looking up at the jar shining in the light. “You’ve located the plant!”

Elsa rubbed her cheek on the top of Leigh’s head. “Yes. It took some doing. I searched medical journals for any papers about anyone who exhibited the symptoms. They are unique and no doctor can understand them. There was just one paper that fit. The female patient was completely insane but also normal in every way. Angry but happy. Good, but evil. That could be one of many mental illnesses, but they did their job. One day a doctor doing a test pointed out how disfigured and deformed she was. The primary shrink looked at him and said there was a mix up. The patient was beautiful. They both went in the room, and each saw her their own way. They called more people in. No two described the same person. That’s the magic of the plant. It’s been 60 called the Devil’s Leaf by tribes for centuries and that’s where shape shifters came from. They’d take a speck of the leaf, and they’d appear to be different things to each person. It has the power to make people see their worst fears about someone. Talk about fucking everything up in every way. This is it.”

Leigh turned her head to look at Elsa. “Wow, but one thing I don’t get. That primary doctor saw her as beautiful. That doesn’t fit.”

Elsa laughed. “It does. He had a great marriage and the worst thing for him was to see a patient he couldn’t resist fucking, which he did each night. He couldn’t live with that, so took a big dose of opioids. They found him dead in his car. Just a human. Weak. Couldn’t be faithful and too much of a pussy to have been thankful for some great snatch. Each person will react differently. It’s chaos in a bottle. Just imagine. A cunt puts on some lipstick, the bitch kisses her jerkoff man, both will get fucked up for real. It doesn’t wear off for a long time.”

Leigh was smiling with anticipation. “So, how do we fill jars up?”

Else opened the lid. “Well, first off, with us, carefully. It won’t do anything to me, but you are human. It will fuck you up or kill you as a large dose would be fatal. I’ll make sure you’re safe. But we go see the woman, and I’ll find out where she found the leaves.”

Leigh nodded. “Okay, where’s the asylum she’s in?”

Elsa grinned. “Where things like this grow because the Master roams there. The desert. Nevada, right near Reno. She was ghost hunting. I have a notion some whacked out spirits led her to it. We’ll find them too. We just need to ask her where they were. Then I’ll send them to hell where they should be, so they don’t tell anyone else.”

Leigh relaxed knowing the plan. Then she looked at Elsa. “What if they want to stay and won’t go to hell.”

Elsa grabbed Leigh’s pussy and said, “Then I’ll have you piss on them. That seems to work. No, I just say “Go.” Then they’re there. Ghosts are easy, just like this hot bitch in bed with me.”

61 62 16

Amber sat in her office chair and for the first time since T saved her from Elsa, she actually thought it was better to be a hooker than assistant to the new pastor, Preston. If he were just stern or demanding in clerical matters, she could handle that. Aleks was a pussycat and she didn’t expect the new guy to be as sweet and kind. She didn’t expect him to be a complete asshole either. She sat recalling how little respect he had for women in general, but especially her. She was told that he wanted to meet with her weekly to redeem her from her vile life of sin and prostitution. She, who was friends with a real angel who loved and accepted her with God’s grace, was going to be lectured by this creep. She had a premonition that his wanting to spend time with her was more about getting at her pussy than about how she had misused it.

She understood that a priest was just a man. A man who had made a pious vow of chastity. She scoffed. She thought how the vow should be changed to one of chastity for about five minutes. She pondered how many alter boys got it up the ass on the day the man was ordained to celebrate… and as a gift. She worked for the church, but she couldn’t buy into the sanctimonious act. She heard a recording of the comedian from the ‘50s who was always in trouble for telling the truth where he said that if there wasn’t anything else around, a man will fuck mud. She agreed with that. For a family man to go to the sleaziest fleabag motel and hire a corpse of a hooker was the same as fucking mud. Preston reminded her of so many John’s. Arrogant. Desperate. Starts off ordering the girl around and by the time she pops him off he’s crying like a baby or smacking her. There wouldn’t be any need for pimps if the pervs would just come in, lay the money down, and be happy to have a piece of ass for a while. No. They wanted their mommy. Or them to be the whore their wife really was. They wanted to smack that bitch wife around but were too afraid of getting divorced or arrested so they hired a girl and took it out on her. The momma’s boys all curled up and cried and wanted to suck tit and be told they’ve been good, or bad in which case the girl would smack him up.

Guys like Preston, insecure and inadequate, they had to prove themselves. Show what men they were. Great lovers. Wanted compliments and to be adored. Some kinky shit too. Girl in a maid’s outfit, or a nun’s habit. Yeah, Preston, he would want to fuck a nun. That would show he was in command and the nun was just there to kiss his ass.

She’d fuck T in a heartbeat and knew he would fuck her back for real. To give her pleasure and show his affection for her. No games. Just all-out passion. She envied April. She envisioned her with that giant smile staring into T’s eyes and showing him the ultimate experience: Making love. Not sex. Lovemaking. Joining as one. Surrendering to each other. A place with no bounds, no rules, and no wrongs. Just the look in each other’s eyes.

63 She had been assured by everyone, including Gloria, that such a love awaited her. That T was the inspiration of what to look for, and who to choose. A real man who loved her, not just her hot ass. Unlike T and April, she wasn’t an angel here on Earth, so that needed to happen soon. She also had a sense that Gloria enjoyed playing matchmaker. So how Gloria would find that love would not be obvious. This wasn’t a clothes rack at Target and the best fit would be tricky to find.

It was just past five, and she was due for her first meeting about her wicked ways with Preston. She had decided to wait out making any changes in her life until she met her love, then she’d have him pop Preston a good one to the nose and walk out. With that pleasure in mind, she went to the study where he was waiting for her. He just had the desk lamp on, and the room was fairly dark. She closed the door behind her and sat in the chair across from him. She thought of how Aleks would have sat next to her in the other chair in front of the desk, but Preston had to remind her of his power and position. He nodded as she sat down and began by engaging her in a prayer and a blessing. He leaned forward with his arms on the desk, and she leaned back in her chair. He studied her for a moment then spoke.

“Amber, this meeting has nothing to do with your work. You do your job wonderfully and I have nothing to ask of you in that regard. What is of importance is that you work for the church, this Cathedral. Like me, you reflect its values. That has been troubling for me. When I come to a new parish, I inherit its congregation, it’s blessings, trials and I must say it. It’s staff. If I were to have had no assistant, I would probably hired what many people would think of as a “church lady.” Someone who has lived a life of devotion and servitude. It’s a nice reward for such a person. She probably attends church daily and volunteers. The income from the job would be so helpful. Do you understand the type of person to which I infer?”

Amber nodded a simple yes with her hands folded over her lap.

“Good. Good. There are many such parishioners like that. However, the job was filled when I arrived, and I am obligated to maintain the staff and promises made to them. So, there you are, young and capable of so many opportunities, and don’t even attend mass. While I can’t ask you to leave, have you considered offering your post to an elderly woman in need of a job and the generous income?”

Without hesitation Amber smiled gently. “I’ve considered that you’ve thought about that. That you want that. And I was correct. That is your hope, correct?”

Preston smiled kindly and leaned back in his chair. Amber understood he thought this was not her place. It was not a suitable job for one with her past. He continued his smile.

64 “I am so glad to hear that. What a gift you would be giving. I can provide a generous separation package. A few months of benefits, and of course pay until you get back on your feet.”

Amber leaned over onto the desk, her breasts showing as her blouse hung down. “Don’t you mean until I get back on my back, Preston?”

Preston was too righteous to show his true reaction to her statement. He sat a moment and grew serious.

“My child…”

Amber cut him off. “I’m not your child. You’re not Christ and you certainly don’t follow in his footsteps. Would he have replaced the whore wailing at his cross with a church lady?”

She stared him down. He kept his poker face. She knew most of all he was not used to being talked to in such an honest manner. He started over, which she gave him an ounce of credit for.

“Alright, Amber, then. I was not thinking of what you accused me of. I understand that you lived a life of sin…”

Again, she stopped him cold. “A devil. A child of one of the first fallen angels, took possession of me and under her power I did things I would not have done otherwise. Once free from her power, I left that life and came here and ended up being part of casting that demon to hell. Is that the life of sin you mean?”

He was getting revenge, something she knew nothing about. “That’s you’re explanation of events. I really don’t think there was a demon making you do anything. You had a large debt to pay off and were paying it with the best skill you had. You were a whore and a disgrace to this church. You fooled Aleks with all that. That’s what whores do. Act any way the man wants to get what they want.”

Amber started laughing. She stared at him and laughed harder.

“You really are a dumb fucker, you know that? You aren’t the Bishop. You’re an alter boy fuckin’ priest. Aleks runs this show and you have your head up some kid’s ass too far to see that when I tell Aleks what you said you’re more than just out of here. If I want, I can press charges and call the press.”

She sat back and buttoned her blouse up. “So, like I said, you really are dumb. I’m not going to leave and as long as I’m here you’re going to treat me the way Christ treated Magdalene. I’ll be sure to weep at the foot of your cross. I’ll be watching you. 65 I know a pervert when I meet one from that life of sin, and buddy, you’re at the front of the line when it comes to fucked-up dudes. It’s just a matter of who and when. You have a hot piece of ass as your assistant, you have parishioners and students. And you think you’re powerful. So, I’ll be your assistant while you’re here. I’ll assist you out of here, you perv.”

He sat, beet red, not saying a word. Amber crossed herself and stood up. “Any further teaching of morality today?”

She turned and walked out. Preston was enraged and thinking of how to destroy her.

66 17

“Frank, I’ve been thinking. How much do you actually know about T? And April too? I know they helped you with Alice when Janet died. You know he’s involved in possessions. But do you know much more than that?”

Frank Bevel thought about it. “Yes, I have all of that. If you’re talking about the movie, it’s not a biography. It’s a story inspired by those events and more than enough to fill up two hours. But Heather, why ask? Did you learn anything interesting when you guys went to the hospice?”

Both were dressed in casual clothes again for fixing up the new offices. Heather was calm and confident. Frank thought something must have happened on her ride there with T.

“Heather, this is certainly a personal question, but I noticed something about T. Woman are very attracted to him. Is that it? Did he cast his spell on you?”

Heather laughed. “Frank, when you met April, what did you think of her?”

Frank was always honest. He went through a series of expressions. “I met her at the time Janet died. I was distraught and almost out of my mind, but I remember seeing her with T the first time. I thought two things — and remember Janet was gorgeous. I remember looking at April and realizing I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in every way. She’s unreal. I felt guilty thinking that as Janet had just died but I couldn’t deny it. She made me feel good just looking at her. I’ve never experienced anything like that. It’s still like that. She smiles that giant smile and swings her pleated skirts around and everything is alright. The second thought is what the hell is she doing with T? He’s my hero but how does he attract the most beautiful woman possible? And April and T — they are totally in love. That’s the kicker. That’s what love is.”

She sat on a box. “I’ve never met her, but T showed me some pictures on his phone he took of her. I about fainted. She makes me feel like a cleaning lady. Then T says he hasn’t been able to take any good pictures of her. To the point, your reaction to April. I’m pretty sure that’s how women react to T. He’s not real. But he’s for real. He knows it. He’s kind about the effect he has, and then he gets more attractive because he explains that there’s April and nothing else. Do you have any idea how incredibly appealing that is? Every woman wants a man to feel that way about her. So, when I am with him, I want him. He says he knows that. He knows any man would do anything to have me, thanks me, but says he’s April’s and nothing will change that. So, then I want to be April. I’m rockin’ hot, but April is the picture in the dictionary if you look up ‘beautiful.’ It’s changed me. I’m not hot stuff anymore. I’m great looking. But put her and me in a room full of guys and I might as well be invisible. 67 I don’t know why, but it’s released me from this life-long thing about being a sexpot. Now, I’m just me. I don’t need tight dresses. I’m beautiful, and thankful for that. T helped me understand that I was given this beauty for a reason, so just accept it and use it well.”

Standing with a look of confusion, he had never heard her talk about anything so complex, or serious. It was far more than taking her out from behind a reception desk. She was different. She appeared serene and accepting. She had always been beautiful, but her looks had changed too. She was far more beautiful than he had ever seen her. She had a glow. When she moved it was graceful. When she looked at him, he felt almost dizzy. Looking at her, she was just in baggy old jeans wearing a sweatshirt, and just like with April’s pleated skirts and simple white blouses, she looked incredibly comforting and assured. It was not something he was imagining. She had undergone a change.

As she looked at him, he knew for sure that she understood all he was thinking. She smiled.

“Life’s funny, isn’t it? One day you’re a husband, now a widow. Alice was out of control and now she’s very grounded and good. A short time ago this office was full of evil women, now it’s empty. Things change. One day Alice will be a woman. You’ll be married again. So, Frank, let’s assume we go on. Like I talked about with T. And you marry again, then die. You’ll see Janet again, right? Imagine that moment is right now? How would you feel about her, I mean with all you know about her life now?”

Frank stood and had never thought of that. Without any thought at all, he answered, “The same as the day I first saw her. The day when she was with the busload of patients.”

She nodded. “Frank, that was right from the essence of your being. Pure. See, some things will never change. That will always be. That moment will always be a part of you. You still and will always have what T and April have. That pure moment. Pure selfless love. You didn’t mention how beautiful she looked. You mentioned her and the autistic people. Inside, you see what’s real.”

It was the end of the workday. Frank told Heather he was going to stay a while and work on the script treatments. Heather nodded, said she enjoyed their talk, and she was proud to know him. She went and stood by the elevator and it was a short wait and she entered and wasn’t surprised to see Gloria standing in the elevator car. The door closed, and Gloria said “Sweet jeans and sweatshirt. Hiding all the goodies is a hot look. I listened to you and Frank talk. Rockin’ in the free world your first day. Wondering why I’m here?”

68 The elevator reached the garage and the door opened. Heather said, “It just seems to make sense, but of course I’d like to know.” They stood outside the elevator door. Gloria reached out her hand. “I came to use your cell phone.” Heather laughed with disbelief. She pulled it out of the pocket of her jeans and put it in Gloria’s hand. Gloria looked at her seriously.

“Hey, I don’t have one or I wouldn’t ask.” She didn’t bother to dial a number and held the phone to her ear. She obviously somehow dialed the number.

“Dude, it’s hot stuff. I bet you two haven’t made dinner plans, right? Yeah, just a guess. Well, yes, I have an idea. I’m at the demon tower with Heather, and I was planning on us getting in her Beemer and driving to your guy’s mansion… Yeah. And while we’re doing battle with other cars you two order out lots of pizza and things. Yep, that is indeed my plan and now it’s yours. No, keep it pizza. But, no, I’m using her phone. This is strictly business. All angel stuff. Yep, being angels is a full-time job now, tough guy. I’ve let you two slide because you’re all in love. All that “You wanna marry me, you wanna kiss me, you wanna date me” stuff. Yeah, that was me imitating Sandra from Miss Congeney… pretty good, hunh? Hold on. Heather, Dude wants to know what you want on your pie. Okay. She said veggie, thin — but get a giant extra veggie. Deep dish. See you and little buttercup in a bit.’

She handed the phone back to Heather. “That was fun. I could text April with a special device we use. You’ll get one too, but I like making T feel needed. So, let’s rock. I know the way.”

Heather wondered if Gloria would have any headroom as there wasn’t much of it in her car. As she approached it, she saw the passenger seat was already reclined pretty far back. She nodded at Gloria. They got in and there was just enough headroom. Gloria told her the route was already in her navigation system and she said there would be a spot right in front when they arrived. Heather drove, she asked Gloria if she could tell anyone about being an angel. Gloria was grinning. “Say away! Oh, you can tell everyone you want.”

Heather was shocked. Gloria nodded. “Yep, tell anyone you want. They won’t believe you. They’ll probably think you’re crazy. But, you can tell them.”

Heather pouted. “Very funny. What if they need to know?”

Gloria was still grinning. “Well, the rules are not even rules. It’s divine power stuff. You can tell someone who has always trusted you completely. They won’t even hear you say it, most likely. It’s like you’re a secret agent. Secret identity. Nobody can know. Well, the other angels will know, and demons too. A few humans I choose. That’s it. It’s always been that way. There is a big mystery. Sometimes, somebody who’s not an angel or demon will see you and know you’re not just a human. Some 69 people have the ability to see the truth. That’s okay, though. Hey, see up there, that awesome house. That’s it. And look at that, a spot right in front.”

Heather was in awe of the house. It was glowing. Gloria looked at her. “Yeah, it glows because it’s a beacon to other angels. To anyone else, it’s normal. Anything weird from now on, just accept it. Okay? Just angel stuff.”

As they walked up the stairs to the front door, it opened, and there stood April. She held out both arms, big grin on her face.

“Heather, I’m April. I’ve been anxious to meet you. I’ve heard all about you but the lug isn’t one to take pictures of hotties and run home to show me. I didn’t look you up on my Surface, either. That would spoil this moment.”

Heather was frozen on the landing. April looked at Gloria, then back at Heather. “Oh, I see. All this is so new and it’s so unreal. Please. Come in.” She tugged on her hand and Heather seemed to wake up.

“I’m sorry. Really. I just wasn’t expecting how you look.”

April looked at her. “I am pretty little. And people tell me I’m pretty, well, pretty. But you’re gorgeous.”

Heather just kept staring at her. “T showed me some pictures of you. He was right. They don’t show how you really look. Oh! Oh! I just realized who you are exactly like! Tinkerbell! I keep expecting you to fly up and, well… sprinkle me with fairy dust.”

Right then she realized that T was standing behind April. “Fly up and cause all kinds of mischief. See, April, I told you she would know what nobody else can see.”

April smiled her huge smile, “Well, I’ve got the pixie haircut, and I’m about the same size, and I’ve got Captain Lug here. So, I’ll take that as a compliment. I tend to think of myself as a fairytale nymph, so…”

Heather let out a shout. “That’s it! You’re the fairytale nymph from a book I had as a child. I can’t believe it. You look exactly like the drawings in the book. And, well, you make me feel like when I saw those pictures.”

April laughed. “I hope she had some clothes on! Well, come in and grab a lily pad or leaf to sit on. Gloria, I think I’ve seen more of you than the furniture delivery guy. C’mon in!”

T watched as the bevy of heavenly beauties laughed and giggled and complimented each other’s clothing. They finally made it to the couch and were whispering to each 70 other while looking over at him. Finally, April looked at him and said, “Feeling left out? We’re just being silly trying to get you to pay attention to us. You don’t have to be a mister ‘I’m a gargoyle chaser’ all the time. It’s okay to be funny and affectionate — like when we’re alone.”

Gloria and Heather both went, “Ooohh…” Gloria stood up and did a bit of her hot dance, saying, “Let’s see some of that!” And they all started laughing even harder than before. T decided not to play into their silliness, and said, “I’m fine just as I am. I’ve set things up where the pizza will be delivered in about an hour because I know that’s how long it takes to get past the teasing me and admiring each other’s looks.” He sat in a big comfy chair across from the couch looking at all three of them and they all sat with their arms folded looking at him with pouty faces. “Okay, I’ll fix that. There you are, all three, each sillier than the next and giddy as schoolgirls to boot. But, I’ll admit, you are all very attractive.”

April looked at Gloria and Heather. “Wow! Finally. We got him to call us attractive. Maybe, someday, he’ll call us beautiful, or even as beautiful as angels from above. But, that’s progress, big guy. I think I can speak for all of us and say, well, that you’re okay-looking for your age…”

Again, hysterics. Heather was new to such teasing T, and looking at April and Gloria, said, “I was talking to Frank Bevel, and he thinks T casts some sort of spell on women because he attracts hotties. He doesn’t understand it, and I know he’s jealous of that.”

April sat with a surprised expression. “Him? Hotties are attracted to him? Well, we have to, but other women too?”

The hysteria started again, and T thought it a good time to get drinks for everyone. He was about to ask them what they wanted when Gloria put her hands on her temples like a mind reader. “Use the third eye, dude. Or take a wild guess. Should it be iced tea, or bottled water? It’s not like you have anything else.”

“Okay, I’ll bring an assortment. How’s that?”

Gloria smiled. “That sounds nice. And when you get back, news to share. Demon stuff. Hot sex, naked chicks, all the stuff you’re good with.”

All realized that she was serious, and why it was so important to laugh and giggle now… even give T a hard time. Trouble lay ahead and the laughing would give way to worry. T went to the kitchen and was back quickly with bottles of cold tea and water. He set them on the coffee table, and they took their favorites and looked at Gloria.

71 Gloria picked up a bottle of water and let it go. It floated in the air and it started changing shapes. She took a bottle of iced tea from Japan and opened it to drink some while the water bottle kept changing shapes, finally that of a man. Gloria held her hand out towards the man’s form.

“Groovy kind of thing. I mean, he can be here, but I’ve always wanted to the little hologram thing like Leia. Anywho, all of you, this is another angel. Just call him Michael.”

They all had looks of amazement. T looked at Gloria, and the hologram did too. “And what do you call him?’

Gloria looked at him innocently. “Michael.”

That broke the ice, and even Michael was laughing. He looked at them all and with a voice that was rich and filled the room, said, “Isn’t she a hoot? I keep telling her to put on a one-angel show, but she keeps telling me she has nothing to wear!”

That got T and April laughing so hard they were in tears. Gloria looked at the confused Heather and told her T will explain it some day. Michael calmed down enough to talk.

“Now that you know who I am, no need to introduce yourselves. I know and cherish you all. Heather, with only one day on the job, I bet you’re wondering if this is all a dream. And you have a look of confusion right now. What is it?”

Heather was nervous and still not sure of how to act. She looked at him. “Gloria said you were Michael. Well, what I mean is is that just your name, or, well, are you ‘the’ Michael?”

Michael smiled gently, and with warmth said. “You already know. You tell me.”

She smiled. “You’re the archangel. One of the first angels. I was thrown off because all the paintings have you in amour and a sword, slaying demons.”

Gloria sipped some more tea. “If he showed up in battle gear, I think we’d all be running right now. And those are just old paintings. He’s not much of a dresser. Not like Mr. GQ over there with the stubble and all.”

T shook his head and let that pass. He leaned forward as the holograph was fairly small. “Michael, hello. This is both an honor and a surprise.”

Michael could tell that the holograph was fun, but a bit small. “Gloria, catch the water bottle.” It fell into her hand, and standing next to T was Michael, full size and 72 very human in appearance. He was wearing slacks and a polo shirt. April got up and held out her hand to shake hands but hugged him instead. Michael gleamed. When she let him go, he stood back and said, “I’m going to have to show this scene to the cherubs. They still haven’t gotten your look just right.” April blushed. He turned to T. “And you, all I keep hearing about from Gloria is what a hunk you are. She is so enamored of you. But I think the little nymph is right. You’re a just a big, sweet lug, and we’ll need that.” April smiled so large T thought she’d hurt herself.

Michael turned to Heather. “They call you a hottie. Oh, Heather. If you could see what I see… You’re a flame that burns so bright it lights the night sky. Your beauty is entirely from within, but being a hottie has its uses here as you already know. I waited to visit until you were brought home to us. Was dying the most amazing thing ever?”

Heather was crying tears of thanks and joy. “Oh, yes. And we spend all our lives here fearing it…”

He hugged her. He nodded.

“That is so. That is my brother’s doing. When he tempted the first children, the worst part of original sin is that. Fear of the unknown. No certainty that from here we join the Father. That we only then begin. He is a smart one. With that one act, he wiped away all joy. All hope. And we, the divine, we can not interfere. We can’t restore that promise of life to come. We must remain myths and legends and warriors in paintings…” he looked over at Gloria with a glint in his eye. She laughed, “And paintings of beautiful naked women with wings. Who knows where that came from?” Gloria sipped her tea. She looked at Michael.

“Man, your bro’ made these people ashamed of their bods. No rule against inspiration. I mean, like something to look forward to.” Michael laughed. April understood. T smiled with appreciation. Heather was starting to get the gist. T walked over to Michael.

“When I first saw Gloria, I didn’t understand that. But, everyday I’m learning more of what a generous, wonderful soul she is. She is a star in the night. It seems her mission is to being joy to the world.”

Gloria put her hands on her hips. “That’s what I told Hoyt Axton.”

Just then, the bell rang. T paused and all knew pizza had arrived. With an added guest, T understood why he had ordered so many. Carrying a large stack of pies from “The slice of life” pizza parlor, Michael came and helped T with the boxes. T looked at him. “So, when’s the last time you had pizza? Or, have you ever?” Michael was sniffing the air. Gloria was standing behind them. 73 “Oh, he claims he invented them. He just put some tomato soup on some unleavened bread and the only thing around was some cheese and I’m the one who said heat it up in an oven.” Michael shrugged. “She never gives me credit for it, but that’s okay. But, yes, I’ve had pizza. When was that, Gloria?”

She shook her head. “You know when. When John was stuck on that island writing his doom and gloom thing. I tell you, he dragged that on and on so we’d keep making him pizza. He did come up with putting olives and anchovies on it, though.’

April and Heather were putting out beautiful plates and silverware. April said he’d be surprised. Pizza had come a long way. They all filled their plates except for Heather, who took just one slice. Gloria looked, smiled, and went and whispered in her ear. Heather nodded, grinned, then filled her plate with as many slices as she could. Gloria said out loud. “The job has perks.’

They went into the dining room. April looked all around. Michael nodded at her. “Yes, little flower. Everyone here is an angel. Our first supper. And you were right. The pizza is amazing. Ahh, the simple things, always the best. Look at the one I’m eating, Unleavened bread, tomato sauce, some cheese, and some olives. Good never changes. But, my dear ones, neither does bad, and we are gathered here because there is a battle ahead. I want to prepare you for it. You can’t be hurt, but this time, many children could be harmed or killed. I mean millions.”

They all gasped. Heather was in shock. “Children? How young?”

Gloria looked at them all, “There is the Father, the Son, and all here are children. All since the fall in the Garden, they are but children. So, Michael means the humans here.’

Michael nodded. “This is pure evil. A fallen one, well, one of the first cast out from God’s light, wants attention. She plans to put poison in the paint woman put on their faces. It will drive them insane as she will taint it with a demon leaf. A war will rage between woman and man. All that pain, just to get the attention of one.’

They sat stunned. Michael continued. “You all know the demon. Even Heather, though just from seeing her from afar but knew she was vile, I’m not prolonging the story. It’s one I want understood as you are all new to this level of evil. So, T, remember Scorpio?’ T winced without saying anything. April clutched his hand. Michael went on.

“He surrendered to the Father, so he will not be back here. That made another very angry. Do you remember the candle glowing in the yoga studio when you helped the padre one night? That wasn’t a candle burning. It was the fire of two demons having sex. They ignite. It’s their only real pleasure.” 74 Gloria nodded. She looked at Michael and he motioned for her to continue.

“Yeah, ‘hot love baby tonight’, stuff. Now, if you remember you you broke up that dance. Or you helped him renounce evil and yoga too. Now, he goes away with no word of farewell so no dancing going on. And then you rescue the ever so sexy Amber and she’s all gushy about you and you get her away from the lawyer demons, dig?”

T was visibly upset. “And one of them, Elsa, wanted to know if it was even more intense with an angel than with a devil. And since Scorpio had vanished, and I showed up, she vowed to find out. With me.”

Gloria was very serious. “Dude, if a roll with a hot blonde demon lawyer was all it would take to avoid what’s coming, we’d get you a fireproof suit and say go for it…’

April gave Gloria a stern look. “April, don’t send buttercups flying my way. I said ‘if’. I mean JC got on the cross to save us all. And I said if that if it was all that was needed. T told you she put the moves on him. He gave her dance card back unpunched. Well, that made her want him more. She’s willing to destroy everything to get Angel Cake here.”

April folded her arms and was visibly upset. She looked at T. “It’s a good thing you have that big rocket car. Let’s count them. Me, Gloria, Heather, Amber still, I’m sure. Now Elsa who is flaming hot. How many is that? Five? Still room for you, so six crammed in there.”

Gloria looked at April. She had a hard time with the next part, so she just went on. “April, I know this is hard, but you have T and he would never hurt you. Remember I said you’re thinking like a human. You’re not, so keep cool. The problem is the Nav seats seven…’

April looked at her. “You can’t be serious?’

“April, of course I am. These are monsters. Spawn of the devil. The last one is really going to be hard to hear. For T too. Okay? There’s a reason he’s a blunt instrument. A big lug. For times like this. He resisted me, remember? He’s not going to fall for her hot tail, and Elsa knows that and it’s why she’s picked her and going to do such evil to try and force him to do wrong to save people. We’re not going to let that happen. Dig?’

April was angry, grabbing T’s hand with all her might. She had to ask who was in the seventh seat. “You said one more, even harder to face.”

Gloria slowly nodded. “Elsa was representing Leigh, and you guys saw her murder Hudson and be carted off to the looney bin, right?” 75 April somehow squeezed T’s hand harder. “Right? She’s locked away.”

Gloria pointed to a mist she created in the air. The scene of Elsa taking Leigh out of the psychiatric hospital and then teaming up played like a motion picture for them all.

“That’s number seven. She was already evil and crazy, now she’s with Elsa. Elsa wants T. And the strangest part is that Leigh isn’t possessed.”

T looked confused. He simply said, “She’s not?’

Michael looked at him. “In the battle we wage, there are rules of engagement. Elsa will not break them. But Leigh is pure human. Free will. She has no rules. She’s Elsa’s henchman, if you will. There’s no knowing what she’ll do, and she’s insanely angry at you and April. This is a whole new battle, and it’s about lust and revenge. Leigh and Elsa are both out for you. Each for very different reasons. Get ready. It’s about to begin.”

76 18

There were no trespassers at the abandoned house. Elsa had made sure of that before they entered. If anyone were to be there, the sight of two glamorous women in skintight dresses would have been a bigger story than one about ghosts. Leigh stood at the entrance to the house, and watched Elsa walk forward looking at the trees. She entered the house and waved for Leigh to follow.

“Ghosts. They’re up ahead. I can smell their fear. It’s wonderful. They won’t go far. They can’t leave. I think it’s time we find the girl. She won’t be far either. She will want more of the plant. I called the hospital she was at. They called her doctor. He said he was going to bring her back and left. He hasn’t been heard from. I’m sensing that she is repeating her ritual. How she found ghosts — and the plants here. She probably told the quack she’d show him where she found them. I’m seeing her in the house. No, the crawl space and dirt floor basement under it. She’s keeping quiet because we are near. Let’s go see her. This will be entertaining. Stay behind me. She can hurt you.”

They walked leisurely through the house. As they swayed, Elsa nodded. “Yes. She’s here. I can smell her. She’s ready for visitors.”

Their heels clicked on the old wood floor. Elsa opened a door. It led down to what used to be the larder for storing food. The stairs creaked and moaned. Elsa lifted her hand and snapped her fingers, and a flame formed above them, lighting the dark cellar. In the corner was the ghost hunter. She paid them no mind. She was busy sucking the cock of the man in the white lab coat laying next to her. He was dead. She had killed him.

“Tasty, honey? Too bad you can’t get a rise out of him.” The woman sat up. She looked normal enough.

“A pecker be a pecker. If it be sucked enough, the wee thing will get big.”

Elsa smiled at Leigh and waved her hand toward the dead man. His cock grew large and hard. The woman grinned. She nodded. “See, twas right. Hard work be all it takes.” She went down on the stiff pecker and managed to swallow it. Elsa moved closer. She watched. “My, my. What a talented cocksucker you are.” Leigh watched in awe. When she thought about it, she agreed. “A dick’s a dick. As long as it’s at attention, what does it matter what it is attached to?”

Elsa’s got up and left the woman to her work. “That will keep her busy all night. That’s what the plant does. And she only had a speck. Well, let’s go find the owners of this fine estate.” 77 They walked back up the stairs, and Elsa didn’t seem worried the woman would run off. Elsa led the way. Heading to groves of trees, they started to hear moans and grunting. She looked at Leigh. “Fucking ghosts.” Leigh whispered, “You don’t even know them yet.” Elsa laughed. “I mean the ghosts are there. They’re fucking.”

They came to the clearing and the two of them were standing, the woman slightly bent forward and the man doing her from behind. They stood and watched them.

Elsa looked seriously at Leigh. “Take a good look. This isn’t a pair that signed a good deal. Their torment. Vapor. No physical form. They’ve been fucking hard for over a hundred years and haven’t cum once. Can you imagine? Fucking and no climax and being vapor you can’t feel anything and it never happens.”

Leigh smiled. “I’m sure they deserved it. Why do we care?

Elsa smiled back. “Oh, you are such a wonderfully heartless bitch. Normally I’d leave them to it, but they have something we need, so I have to give them something in return. That’s in the deal. It doesn’t mean I have to be nice afterwards though. Well, time to make a little offer.”

Elsa walked and stood next to the tree where they both could see her. She smiled. “Give it a break. You know what I am. I’m the devil’s daughter and you’re such stupid scum you’ve ended up vapor. You can’t even feel each other. You’re mist. You’ll never cum. Well, at least not without my help…”

The woman stood up straight and the man pulled out of her. He was angry. “We fell for demon shit before. Not again.”

Elsa held up her hand. They started to become solid. Their bodies were forming as they stood there. They were crying with thanks. The only parts that remained vapor was their pelvis. Elsa shrugged. “See. I can make you real. Imagine the rest of you solid. You could finally cum. After a hundred years of fucking, you’ll finally reach a climax.” Their bodies started to fade back to mist. They screamed they’d do anything for that. Now, pure mist again, they stood wailing. Elsa interrupted. “I wanted to show you what I can offer you. And all I need is for you to help me find something that you know about. You lead me to it. I’ll give back your solid form, and you can cum.”

They looked at each other, and without hesitation, the man cried “Yea. Yea. We will show if we know. How do we know you’ll give us form if we do?”

Elsa nodded. “It’s in the deal. If you do what a demon asks, they will fulfill the offer. That, or go back to your eternal fucking.”

78 They could only but take the chance. They agreed. Elsa nodded. “Okay. Simple deal. You know where the devil grass grows. We need you to show us where. When you are there, stand in it and tell us where else it grows. Then start fucking, and I’ll give you form. After all this time I bet you’ll cum in a few seconds… deal?”

They both said yes and began walking through their woods. Finally, they went and stood in a large patch of what appeared to be simple grass. The man held out his arms. “This unique tree. Remember it. They grow, here only. Under them, these leaves. They are knives. Loco grass. It’s why we wouldn’t let people on the property when we were alive, still do by scaring them away, except for that girl who would have told she saw us.”

Elsa smiled sweetly, blowing them a kiss and said, “Start fucking your brains out. Get ready to cum.”

Leigh saw too clearly what Elsa was doing. They were both in the loco leaves and as soon as they started their sex, they took solid, human form. They both screamed out in delight, and they finally had their orgasm. Then, they started to shake. They looked at Elsa. The woman looked at Elsa and screamed, “You devil cunt. We’re embodied deep in loco weed!”

As she got out her words, the leaves took effect and the man started to smash his head hard into the tree. The woman did the same. They each ended up cracking their very fragile old heads wide open, laying there dead. Elsa took Leigh by the hand. “Very nice. I told them to fuck their brains out.”

They walked back to the house. They entered the basement, and the woman was still sucking away. Elsa told Leigh on the walk that the bitch knew where the leaves were and almost ruined things by leading the doctor there. She said that would have to be fixed. In the basement, Elsa went to the sad sex scene and touched the doctor. He came back to life and saw the mad woman swallowing his dick. He sat up, grabbed an ax on the wall, and split her skull to kill her. Then, he took the blade and cut into his jugular. Elsa looked, and said to Leigh. “Let’s go. We don’t want blood and brains on our Prada’s.”

79 80 19

After a night of laughs and tales of terror, T and April had said goodbye to their three amazing visitors. They hadn’t much cleaning up. Gloria had grabbed the last boxes and silverware and said she’d put them in the kitchen, when T came in to help, Gloria was admiring herself in a silver serving tray. The sink was empty and polished, and there wasn’t a hint that anything had been used.

“I recycled everything and washed a few things. Those were good pies, dude.” She smiled at him, and he nodded his head with appreciation. “You certainly did it quick. Sit with me a moment.” He sat at the island counter, and she did the same. It was rare, but she had a sympathetic expression for him.

“T, Michael and I know that the devil duo are directing this all at you. And this should be the time you and April are enjoying this house, your engagement, just being together. That’s a heavy load. We both know you’re worried that April is not groovy with those two do-anything chicks wanting you. Hey, she’s still got some human insecurity — especially after her birth mother cheating on her dad. But, here’s the deal. I’ll help her through this. Michael will help you which is going to be amazing for you. So, just be who you are, and what you are. That’s all April needs. When you’re faced with Elsa and Leigh, that’s not a time to worry about April. My guess is she’ll be there too, like before. Okay, dude?

While talking, she had put her hands over his. He knew she cared about them both, and she was showing him pure love. He nodded with a slight smile. “Whatever happened to the long-legged naked hippie chick angel?”

Gloria smiled and stood up. She reached down and started pulling her top off revealing her breasts. “Wanna see? Just kidding, dude. But I’m sure you’ll see me like that a whole lotta times more when needed. Oh, I want you to know my dad really likes you.”

T squinted. He looked at her. “He has been watching? I don’t understand. Have I met him?”

Her head looked to the dining room. “He’s my dad. Michael.”

T tilted his head back and shook it. “Well. That makes it complete. It would be impossible to make any of this up. That would mean Lucifer is your…”

Gloria laughed. “Uncle. Yup. One in every family. It kinda gave me an advantage. They know each other so well, and I grew up hearing all the tales and about the fall. So, your hot angel chick who absolutely loves you is the devil’s niece. Pretty wild, hey dude?” 81 T was lost in images and notions. He looked at her. “So, how long have you been doing all this? I man how old are you?”

With a look of shock, she pointed out a gentleman never asks a lady her age. “But, as you’re just a lug, I’ll tell you. I’m well, we don’t use Earth years. Let’s just say I’m infinite. Time is just an illusion that humans made up. So, I guess a long time. She circled around to show him her butt. “Not bad for my age, ya think? Go on. You can tell me.”

T nodded. “When we met you quoted Blanche from Streetcar. Remember what Stanley said when she asked if he liked her dress? He said he never met a dame who looked good who didn’t know it. As he said, ‘Yous looks alright’.”

Gloria beamed with a smile, and with a southern accent, said, “Why, thank you kind sir,” They both gave each other a look of understanding. She got up and said they’ll need their rest. She would be off to watch the demon girls at work. She couldn’t reveal herself yet but suggested that she go shopping with him and April tomorrow. She tilted her head. “Oh, just some little things. Maybe some Armani suits. Tailored. Things to accessorize. Omega watch maybe. Little baubles. And then the same for April. Something just like she wears, but maybe hand embroidered buttercups, and floor length. Some antique jewelry with the light of stars. You two need to be the cat’s pajamas and shine brighter than the two nasty beauties.”

T was confused. She shrugged. “Well, I won’t be there to steal the show, you two will. You’re going to a fashion and cosmetic award thing where they’ll be making deals. You’ll have to counter their offers. It’s all about how you look. I’ll watch. April will be the belle of the ball. You’ll be the babe magnet, as usual. I’ll let you tell pretty missy we’re going shopping tomorrow.”

T stood up with his hands on his hips. “I’m supposed to buy that with my church pay?”

She looked surprised. “You don’t get paid for being an angel, so I dig it. Hey, take out your iPhone and go to Apple Pay”. He pulled out his phone, looked, and there was a new credit card there. He looked up at Gloria. “An Amex Black card? I thought only a couple of billionaires had those.” She nodded.

“And you. Need I tell you? Buy what you want. The sky is the limit. Private jet. Got you one with a bed and bathroom… just make sure you turn the cockpit camera off. You’ll stay on top of some skyscraper. The whole floor. A Bentley, full time at the front door. Maybe you can order room service and invite me for dinner and show me how Earth Angels live…”

82 T was shaking his head. “Okay, you always win. How can I say no to Michael’s little girl? I know, I know. I can’t. And, Earth Angels? You’re going to call us the name of a ‘50s doo-wop song?”

She smiled and the room filled with little drizzles of sparkle. T looked at her. “Fairy dust?” Gloria nodded. “Follow me…”

Walking behind her swaying hips, her hands up showering everyone in the dining room with the sparkles, she announced. “T took a wild guess and got it right. This is fairy dust.’

April looked at Heather and they both nodded with delight. April looked all around, stood up, and let herself be covered with it, then did a full twirl sending it flying.

T stood there with his arms folded again and a serious look. “Gloria is giving us the news that we once humans, now angels, have been given a formal name. At least by her.”

Michael held up his hand. “That would make sense but isn’t so. Back home, none of us knew exactly what to call you. We had a kind of contest to come up with a name. The choir was doing Earth ‘50s tunes for an upcoming event, well, your wedding actually, and since you were born in the 50s, they were singing Earth Angel. About the tenth time they sang it, they stopped and all at the same time, we realized they were singing your praises. You are, truly, Earth Angels.

April was crying with tears of joy. “Oh, lug. You don’t remember the words?”

Gloria started singing, and her voice was simple and pure as she sang it to April and T.

“Earth angel, earth angel will you be mine My darling dear love you all the time I’m just a fool a fool in love with you

Earth angel earth angel the one I adore Love you forever and ever more I’m just a fool a fool in love with you

83 I fell for you and I knew the vision of your loveliness I hoped and I prayed that someday I’d be the vision of your happiness

Oh oh earth angel earth angel please be mine My darling dear love you all the time I’m just a fool a fool in love with you

I fell for you, and I knew”

April was sobbing all the way through. She looked up at Michael. “Thank you all. What a perfect song for us. I prayed someday to meet T. And he for me. We waited to find our angel here on Earth. T, do you get it now?”

His expression answered.

They walked Heather out to her car. She was in a dream world like they had been not that long ago. She hugged them both. “T, I know what April’s going to say when you finally get to sleep. Earth Angel and Big Earth Lug! You watch.”

April looked at her in dismay. “Heather! I was saving that up! You got it right, though. I’ll call you in the morning.”

Gloria and Michael had said their farewells and ascended into the fairy dust. April took T’s hand and led him to the bedroom. She sat on the bed and patted it for him to do the same. “That was incredible. But, Michael happened to hint that I should ask you what you and long legs were going on about. He said you needed a bit of time to let it sink in, so, are you ready?”

T liked to just tell the story. So, he explained that Michael was Gloria’s dad, that they had to go shopping for stunning clothes, they had to go to New York for some fashion event dinner dance thing, and she was going to be the bell of the ball. She sat frozen listening to it all. She just nodded slightly letting it all sink in.

“And I’m going to upstage the temptress and her sex slave and were going to own New York while we’re there?”

84 T nodded. “Yes, that’s sums it up pretty well. I have unlimited funds. I’m sure you do too on your phone. And Gloria said we’re on our own, basically. I am looking forward to seeing you dazzle the world with what beauty really is.”

She laid her head on his legs, and quietly and with all her heart said, “Thank you.”

85 86 20

Both T and Aleks were early risers. Up at first light. T called him when he got out of bed while he was making coffee. Aleks was making coffee as well. He told T that the changes were hard. He missed their time together, and he had no respect for Preston and wanted him gone.

T echoed missing the times they shared and how there was a balance between them. T said a current project had him working most all the time, but after a few weeks they should just meet for bagels and coffee each morning, April too when she wanted. He could tell that lifted Aleks’ spirits. T told him when he could, he’d find out about Preston. He’d help. Aleks said he wanted resolution soon. It was Amber. He could tell Preston treated her worse than her pimp did. T reminded him of what happened to the pimp.

Aleks said, “Exactly.” T said he’d call her next as they had a long day and April was sleeping a bit late. T had been wanting to ask Aleks a nagging question.

“Aleks, what does the term Earth Angel bring to mind?”

There was a slight pause not typical for Aleks. “Why, the R&B song. It was a hit when you were a boy. Ooh. But you were just learning English. You probably were listening to balalaika Ukrainian songs your mother loved. It would be a wonderful song at your wedding. It’s like it was written for you and the little one.”

T sighed. “I’m the only person who wasn’t familiar with it, and worse, April and I now have an official designation. Earth Angels.”

Aleks smiled but held back a chuckle. “T. No shame in not knowing the song being new to the language. But, Earth Angel is a perfect title for what you are. That’s a marvelous name.”

T went on to tell him of the unexpected revelation of Heather as the other Earth Angel, and how he had been with her through the NDE, return, and gathering the night before. He also told him of Elsa and Leigh. He ended by reveling who Gloria’s father was, and the events he wished he had been there for. Aleks was in shock and awe each step of the story, and T could tell he wished he were part of it all, although he didn’t yet have his wings. T considered that if anyone should have been there, it was Aleks. Angel or no, he was going to mention it to Gloria. She would understand, and with her sweet heart, felt she would make sure he continued to be part of their mission started long ago.

87 Aleks explained he had to get going to an exorcism quite far, and said change was inevitable, so not to worry about him feeling left out. He did reiterate that Amber needed some help. T explained after they hung up he would call on her at her apartment as he was going out for some breakfast treat for the littlest Earth Angel.

Work started at nine for Amber, and it was just nearing seven. T left a note on the bed that he’d be back by nine and would bring bagels, then left. The drive to April’s old apartment was so short he would have done as well to walk, and it brought back happy memories. He had a key but rang the bell. There was a little wait, but then a fully awake Amber asking who it was. He just said “T” and the door buzzed him in immediately. He felt happy as he walked to the apartment door with her head poking out with a soft smile. As he approached, she let him in and immediately gave him a full-on caress. She was wet from her shower and had on an all too see-through robe. She laughed when she saw his expression.

“Lose your way? April doesn’t live her any longer, or just giving in to earthly delights?” He gave her another hug. “You are an earthly delight, and yes, it’s why I’m here.” She had a look of surprise. He held up his hand. “Someone as special as you deserves to be treated with respect. Be appreciated. I had a talk with Aleks, and he told me you had to lay down the law to the new windbag and that he treated you with disdain.” She was drying her hair with a towel, and with her arms up she couldn’t hide her breasts showing their beauty, but T was used to that with her. She was thinking. She had a sad expression as she looked at him.

“At first I thought I’d just quit. That’s what I’ve done too often. He was politely telling me to get out and make way for a church hag. I told him that Aleks was still in charge and that I’d get him in trouble, but not as nicely as that. He was boiling mad, and I’m sure he’s not going to stop. He’ll find some way to get me out… and to hurt me.”

She threw the towel in the bathroom and asked if he wanted some coffee. He said he had enough already and thanked her. She looked at him. “He called me a whore.” She was shaking. T knew no person should endure that. He looked at her. She stood there shaking and crying. He thought about it all. He reached out and took one of her hands and led her to the couch.

“Amber, it’s not worth it. No matter what you do, he will see you that way. I think I have a better place where you’ll be appreciated and work for a very good man. His name is Frank. He wife was possessed by a demon, and she committed suicide. He’s still recovering and had a nice woman who worked for him who had to leave for reasons I’ll share another time. He needs someone kind and having dealt with demons yourself, you two share that. Leave that sick man on his own. Aleks and I will deal with him, and you know how I deal with such things’

88 She looked up into his eyes, and said, “Yes.” She reached up and gave him a truly loving and long kiss.

He got up and pulled out his cell phone.

“Frank, T. I know. Heather won’t be able to work after her NDE. But I have someone that I think you’ll find amazing, and I know you’ll want her there in Heather’s stead. Yes, I know I’m always right, and the woman is a gift from above. Her name is Amber. Is she what? Oh, I get it. I heard a little of that from Heather and the answer is of course. What else could she be? That’s not my fault, and you need to meet her this morning as a favor to me. I know, I know. I understand you can’t refuse me. So, I thought I’d bring her over at 8:30. I’ll just put her in the elevator for 75, so tell the boys what to expect. No, I can’t. You can thank me another day. Still cleaning up? Okay, I’ll let her know.”

Amber looked at him with awe.

“So, neither this Frank nor I have a choice in the matter?”

“This is the same as me rescuing you from the pimp and bringing you to work for Aleks. It’s the best thing, trust me. He’s just moving into a different office and he’s in work clothes. There’s no need to impress him, so, maybe just your black sweatpants and matching top?”

She leaned over and with just her robe and nothing under it, he could fully see her breasts with no trouble. “I thought you didn’t notice things like that…”

He decided to get it over with. “I told you that you were very pretty, and you don’t have to show me your breasts to prove it.”

She took off her robe and sat in his lap with her arms around his neck, leaning back. “Then what do I have to show you?” She got up, laughing, turned around and looking back over her shoulder as she went to get dressed said, “Do you know long it’s been since a man has seen me naked? Or complimented me on my butt? You know I’m playing. You’re the only man I’d feel safe acting this way with. But I do need a compliment now and then…”

T looked at her as she turned around to face him. She was beautiful and most of her life that beauty had worked against her. He nodded.”

“If I had never met April, and if I weren’t engaged, and if I wasn’t some kind of angel, you would just think I’m some old guy perving on you. I look attractive to you because I’m those things. And, you know I won’t hit on you. I told you before. You are beautiful. With clothes on just as beautiful as you are right now. That comes from 89 inside of you. You’re testing that right now. You’re worried because there’s no budge in my pants. Amber, you should only be worried if there was…”

She thought about it. “T. All anyone has ever cared about is this fuckin’ hot bod. All my life. You know that. You, well, you and Aleks see me inside, but you’re the only two. And this guy I’m going to meet and probably work for, he’ll hire me because under those sweats is this body. Don’t you get it?”

T told her to get dressed and as they had a little time, he’d explain that to her. It didn’t take long. She came out with her hair simple and only some minor makeup. She sat across from him and pulled her hair back into a ponytail with a scrunchie.

“Okay, Amber. Frank. His wife was incredibly beautiful. When they met he fell in love with her at first sight. What attracted him was that by herself, she was dealing with six meandering adults with severe autism. He watched her kindness and care. He was asked recently about what he remembered about the first time he saw her. She was what you would refer to as rockin’ hot. He answered remembering the way she treated those six people. He didn’t even think about her looks. That’s a real man. And why I think it will be good to know him. He needs someone good to help him, and you are unusually qualified.”

She feruled her brow. “How so. What does he do?”

T said it was time to leave and he’d let Frank explain all that.

They got in the Navigator. It was rare that T made light of things, but he felt comfortable with her and asked “Any pimps or, oops, I mean is Father Preston waiting to beat me up?” They both smiled at each other. T drove off, and not too long pulled into the private garage of the Tribunal Tower. Amber was aghast as this is where she went to be a sacrifice for the demon law firm. T smiled. “They’re long gone. Just the same building. Frank took over the offices they abandoned. Just a poetic conclusion where good wins over evil. He rolled down the window to talk to the imposing guard, who gave him one of his rare smiles.

“So nice to see you again, T. Frank is looking forward to meeting the young lady. You are Ms. Amber, correct?” He gave her a polite nod. She did the same. T drove to the elevator, told her she knew the way, and call later to let him know how it went. She looked apprehensive but leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the mouth.

“There’s only one of you, and I love you…”

T decided to just let it be. He simply said, “I know.”

90 She got out of the truck and the elevator opened. As he turned to look back to pull out, there was Gloria filing her nails in the passenger seat. “She loves you. She wants to marry you. She wants to date you… You know what? She does. You’re the first guy who ever treated her like a person. So, how can she not be. I was proud that you didn’t push her away when she was naked on your lap. I knew your lap was all wet from her coming out of the shower, not from getting all revved up. You really are a sweetie under that stubble, aren’t you? That’s why you’re the dude. Pretty decent getting those two together. There are some occasions where I help, but not this one. Not needed. So, I’ll hang with you two for breakfast, dig?”

T looked at the clock and said he’d have to call April; he was running late. Gloria examined her nails and nodded. “No need. Can’t you smell the bagels?” Suddenly he did, and there on the back seat were cups of coffee and bags of bagels and cream cheese. He smiled at her.

“Dude, we’re on a tight schedule. You have impossible to get appointments at all the swanky shops and tailors are standing ready to nip and tuck. I had to turn down cover stories from GQ and Elle. I told them you don’t ‘do” covers. No interviews either.”

T shook his head at her. “Who do they think we are?”

She was sitting sideways looking at him. “My dad said make you royalty. That’s what all those years does. He’s out of touch. I told him you are a bigger deal than that. You own the most exclusive cosmetic company in the world and are rarely, if ever, seen and never photographed. Your eyeliner starts at a five grand, and you only sell a hundred or so that are all personally tried by April. Very exclusive stuff. Oh, and little angel. She’s presenting the first look at her new fashion line. You’re branching out into haute couture stuff. She’ll only reveal one dress. And it will be modeled by the hottest model anyone has ever seen.’

T smiled. “I can guess who.”

She laughed. “Me? A runway model? Not my thing. I don’t like clothes. No. I found this girl in Wisconsin wearing Old Navy jeans, tee, and a sweater. That’s what she had on, but I could see her in the dress I’m talking about and yep, take her off the farm and she’s the hottest model anyone will have ever seen. And you guys found her.”

T looked at her. “Neither April or I will lie and say we found her.” Gloria tilted her head back and chuckled.

“I would never ask you to. When you get there, I’m going to point her in the wrong direction, kind of. And you two will see her wondering the halls so you will actually find her. I asked Michael. He said I was technically correct, but it would give the 91 wrong impression. I told him I know that but he’s my pappy and has a hard time saying no. He just said don’t tell you what she looks like and then it’s fair. So, I’ll just show you a picture.”

92 21

Being impossible to have humans harvest the devil’s grass, Elsa had to resort to a special labor team. She had noticed a graveyard on the property, and she and Elsa went there. Elsa smiled at her. “This will be a hoot to watch.” She stood there and said to the graves that she needed some help. Dirt started flying and boards breaking, and skeletons and corpses started climbing out of the graves. Elsa looked them over. She addressed them like a foreman.

“You will be harvesting devil’s grass. It must be pure, and you are all filthy. Go to the old house. There are water pumps and tubs. I want every speck of dirt off you. Don’t let me find any on you or you’ll relive the pain of your death. While you’re doing that, I’ll be bringing in scythes and special barrels. You’ll harvest it all, put it in the barrels and seal them. Not one speck of leaf on the outside. Wash them when you are done.”

Skulls that were just bone and some that still had rotten flesh and maggots looked at each other and back at their graves. Elsa understood they were wondering why they should do anything for her. She held up a hand.

“You will be paid. Quite nicely. If you do a sloppy job, you won’t have to return to your graves and you can run amuck scaring townsfolk. If you do a perfect job, I’ll return your flesh and you’ll be human again. Real, live, regular humans as you were before.”

They all stirred and looked at each other. Finally, one who could manage to speak as he had some tongue left uttered. “Flesh. Human. Revenge. We will do good.”

Elsa pointed to the house. “That starts with getting clean. I don’t want any rotting flesh. Scrape it all off. There’s lye in the basement if needed. When you’re done you can take what you want to smash the skulls of those who put you in those graves. Now, go. I have tools and the barrels coming soon. When you’re clean, I’ll show you the areas to harvest.”

Leigh watched as the parade of the dead stumbled off. She grinned at Elsa. “That’s so sweet. Human again. Alive with flesh. And standing on the roots of the leaves. In minutes they’ll be insane and kill each other.”

Elsa gave her a kiss. “I keep my promises. What happens after that is up to them. But, my darling, I don’t know what I like better. That sweet pussy of yours or your evil mind.”

After more kissing, Leigh looked at her. “Oh, that’s easy. You can get pussy anywhere.” 93 A large semi pulled up with yellow hazmat barrels and hazmat suits in plastic bags. There were special seals to indicate if the barrels had been opened. The driver asked for Elsa, and she explained they were for her. “Just inherited this old place. It’s been used for chemical dumping for years and I’m required to clean it up. I see they are on pallets. If I show you where they need to be located for the crew, could you use your little forklift to put them there for me?”

The man looked her over. In her dark blue velvet dress slit up the middle, his preoccupation with the occasional glimpse of her lasered pussy had him in a state where he would say yes to anything she asked. She led him on foot to the grove of leaves and stood in it. She asked him if the area was large enough. As he walked to be near her, he was in the leaf patch and started to go into convulsions. The forks on the forklift just about a hundred feet away were at chest height. The man ran at full speed into one of the forks and it impaled him. His body shook and was soaking the ground with blood. Leigh walked up. “Couldn’t you have done that after the barrels were loaded? Who’s going to drive it now?”

Leigh watched as Elsa cupped her hand with some blood and drank it. “I never could understand the drinking blood ceremonies. Barbaric practice. I didn’t want him seeing our workers and running off to tell. Our corpses will know how to do all of it.”

As they were talking, the first skeletons came walking precariously down the path. Elsa inspected them. She approved of how clean they were. She told two tall ones to take the forklift and use it to bring all the yellow barrels from the large truck. One skeleton stood on one fork as the other got up and started the engine. The two drove off dragging the truck driver’s body as it shredded to bits over the rocky terrain. More skeletons were coming forward, carrying scythes and shovels. After her inspection, she led them to the first grove and told them to reap, and barrels were on their way and to fill each and seal them. They started swinging the blades and building mounds of the weeds. The forklift arrived with the first pallet of barrels. Two skeletons went and moved them into place and opened the lids. Soon, the barrels were full and closed with Elsa placing the seal on each.

By nightfall, all the groves were done and all the barrels back on the truck. Elsa asked the one skeleton who had taken the most care to go back to the house and wait. She had one more job for him. She looked at the skeletons standing on the bare ground, waiting, but standing on the roots and debris from their harvest. Elsa stood before them and told them they had done well, and now she was returning them to their human forms. She held her palm up and wished them a good night. As the flesh grew back, and they were looking at each other in awe, Elsa turned and took Leigh’s hand to go back to the house. They could hear the first screams and thuds of the workers fully insane and murderous. They both smiled at the sounds.

94 At the house, a middle-aged man sat on the front stairs. He looked up at her and thanked her for his renewal. She smiled at him.

“What put you in the grave?

He looked embarrassed. “Shot by a jealous husband, mam.”

Elsa looked shocked. “He killed you for satisfying a woman he couldn’t? Life really is a bitch, isn’t it? Well, you worked hard, and I noticed that. I have extra work for you, and you will be rewarded. I want you to drive the semi and deliver the barrels. Make sure nobody touches them. They are going in a locked vault. Once they’re all in, and you check the vault is sealed, you will get your bonus. On the seat of the truck with the devil leaves destination address is a special card. It has an address too. It will be your revenge. You go there. The bitch you were fucking will be there and be young. Strapped to a chair will be her husband. Fuck her in her ass long as you want. No, every hole. She’ll do any perverted thing you want, all while he watches. Think you’ll enjoy that?”

The man was very excited. He knew she had such powers. He nodded.

“Yes, what could be better then fucking the wife of the man who killed you, well, for fucking his wife? Well, there is one more thing to make it even better. She had been telling him all the time since he killed you that you were raping her, when it was she who came on to you. You couldn’t know that as you were in the grave with a slug in your head. So, the icing on the cake. In the table next to the bed is a very powerful magnum. After you use and abuse her, take the gun, and put it in the man’s mouth and pull the trigger. Then, turn to the bitch. Ask her why she said you raped her and got you killed. While she’s lying to you, decide what to do. You can shoot her, shoot yourself so you won’t get arrested, or do both. But you don’t have to go there at all. Let her fuck him and laugh about you. Spend the rest of your life thinking about what you could have done. Did you love her?”

He was sweating and shaking. “Yes. Yes, fuckin’ hell, yes!’

She was patient. He was staring at her. She met his stare. “Yes, life’s a bitch. She certainly was. And I certainly am. Even worse, I’m the devil. I’ll up the ante. You must go there. That’s a power I have over you. If I have to watch your stupid reaction another minute, I’ll add another option. You go there, the husband strapped up, the bitch is in bed waiting to be fucked, you show up, freeze, and can’t do anything but watch as I have some huge dick thug come fuck her then kill all three of you. That’s what a pussy like you really deserves. Yes, I like that. That’s what…”

The man jumped up and ran for the truck shouting, “One! One! I’ll do them... The next sound was the truck roaring off. 95 Leigh looked at Elsa. “You’re the expert. Which will happen — Which one?” They headed to their Diablo. She laughed. “A little lesson. None will. The place is empty. Both the husband and wife are dead. The husband shot her next, then himself. All pussies. He’ll get there, go in the room, and I’ll leave a copy of the newspaper, and a gun. He won’t use it. He’ll go on, living in torment over every bit of it. Dear, you’re very wicked, but I’m a demon. I’m here to cause suffering. That’s what demons do.”

96 22

Second sight had always been more of a curse than a blessing for T. Since his childhood accident, it was there, but he shied away from it. It let him see the truth about events, people in the past and even glimpses of the future. They were visions, and often he found himself immersed in a moment as if there when it happened. He could see it, but he couldn’t always discern the meanings of what he saw. In many ways, he was a lie detector based in time. If someone lied about what they did, he could go to that moment and view what really happened.

As he and Gloria brought breakfast favorites for April, she learned about the events to come and the role she was to play. She found the whole plan exciting. There were many ways to battle evil, and this was about beating them at their own game. The dark lord had dominion over the cosmetic moguls, and the plan was to reveal their products were poison, and the most elusive and elite would expose their plan. At the same time, there would be a battle to keep the demon leaves from ever entering the products by destroying the supply. It made sense to both T and April. As they discussed it, April had one question about Leigh. She asked why Leigh was chosen by Elsa when Elsa has other real demons to call upon.

Gloria understood the question. She held up her hand, and like the night before a mist appeared beside her, and it played a scene that made it look like a movie theater. It showed Leigh and Hudson early in their marriage when they first moved into their rural mansion. After a life of sin, Leigh was trying to move to a good life in her own way. She was true to Hudson, out of contact with her family and sick friends. She was making their home beautiful. One day she and Hudson went to a nursery and brought home a beautiful evergreen to plant. Leigh viewed it as a symbol of hope, of their future. Hudson dug a hole where Leigh felt the tree would prosper, and she added nutrients to the soil to help it grow. For a few years, with her constant care, it grew. But as her past ways took hold of her and she started to hurt Hudson, the tree started to rust and look sick. The scene showed a day when Leigh and Hudson went out to care for it. Leigh told him to hold it straight while she patted more nutrients at its base. As Hudson held the tree and moved it slightly straight, it lifted out of the ground. It was just the trunk standing in the dirt. The roots had all withered and died. There was nothing they could do. Leigh cried and shouted the tree was like them, their marriage. She ran in the house and rarely came out again. The tree was her symbol of hope.”

The mist evaporated. Gloria looked at them both. “The tree was actually Leigh. She’s a tree without roots. It was the price for her beauty she had made with the devil when she was ten. She would be beautiful, but the people and things around her were what fed her beauty. There was no grounding herself with love and values from them. She

97 needed to consume them to keep her looks. Elsa knew this. Leigh is amplified by Elsa. A perfect pair.”

April looked at T. He could see the sadness of knowing how horrible that must have been for Hudson. T had encountered many such people. No foundation. Nothing to grab hold of, no way to grow. He could see Elsa viewing the same scene they did. It was Elsa who knew by destroying the roots of love she would gather endless numbers of souls. He saw no point in destroying the leaves. Why not just stop them? Why the theatrics with destroying the leaves?

Gloria was on her fourth bagel. “That’s true. Oh, I’ll stop the shipment. Naked chick hitching on the side of the road? Driver swerves, truck flips? Explodes. Leaves go up in flames. The driver is a corpse brought to life so he’s already in hell. But, if not leaves, Elsa will just find some vials or ingredients that will do the deed. We need her to be humiliated so she gets really angry and her lust for you turns to hate. You know, like slasher movie stuff. She’ll only make mistakes if she’s that upset. She’ll try everything to hurt you dude. Going after April would be a dumb move, so that’s why we have April make her look like the ugly stepsister at the event. No giving her a way to get at you. Demons are vain. It’s her weak spot. April, you’re going to feel the fires of hell. You’re ready. My dad will be there. He says not to freak out.”

Thinking the matter over, T thought of how complex the whole situation was.

“Gloria, not to say that all of the plan won’t work, but it’s full of variables. Us showing up at the event and not being known to anyone there. Waiting on a highway to stop the shipment. Getting Elsa mad, and Leigh is a wild card. Who knows what she’ll do? Look at Hudson. Wouldn’t it make more sense to go to the two of them and contain them? Send Elsa back to hell, and Leigh back to the asylum?”

April was listening carefully and agreed. “I agree. If the sink is overflowing, you turn off the faucet. This feels like standing with mops to clean up the mess and not stop the torrent.”

Gloria took their comments seriously. In many ways, she agreed with them.

“On the human logic scale, you are 100% correct. It makes sense to just find them, do battle, and get Leigh back where the law put her. Now, I don’t want to pull rank on you, and I wish we could do that. If you were just humans, I’d tell you to go for it. But, like me, your bound by angel rules. Just like with the law firm, we can’t go after them just because they’re demons or bad people. If that were so, we’d have locked them all up and never let them out a long time ago. What angels do is stop them when they are harming someone. They are souls. They have free will too. Take that Scorpio dude. What if we swooped down and smote him when he was tempting people? It was Janet who decided to obey him. Her free will did that. And, 98 because of that, he had the chance to renounce Satan and ask forgiveness. They have that chance. We all do. So does Elsa, so does Leigh. We can talk to them. We can try to persuade them. Sorry, dude and nymph, we’ve done that. We’re going to try to outplay them, but we can’t change what their free will decides. Pretty wild, you think?”

Her talk wasn’t as simple as an argument or reasoning. It instilled understanding in both. April shrugged. “Like criminals here, it’s not the intent we arrest them for, it’s the act, right?”

They looked at each other, and all nodded. T went to the big mirror. “April, what would help me is if you can take us into some of the companies that make the cosmetics and see the people we will have to deal with. Oh, and me in different outfits so I can just pick one out now.”

Nodding, April led T and Gloria to her mirror, and they all saw the pathetic players. Then. T trying on a variety of suits. T let April decide. She chose a worsted wool two button suit in a gray that was matte and very dark. She chose a collarless shirt the same color but sateen that glimmered. The buttons were real Tahitian pearls. His wristwatch an Omega custom made from a graphite titanium with black titanium hands and band. His shoes were tooled with stitching that looked remarkably like angel wings. No cuff-links, just the pearls.

Gloria nodded. She looked and said, “Nice, April. He looks like he usually does except for the Nehru collar, but a $50,000 version of his ordinary duds.”

Smiling, T nodded. “I agree. My style. It also says ‘don’t mess with me’ pretty well. So, can we see what the little fairy designer will be wearing?”

Stepping in front of them, Gloria said “I worked on this myself. I had to fight off the cherubs and most of the choir, but when I finished, they were very impressed. She stepped out of their way, and there was April in the mirror. Where T was draped in the darkest of tones, April shone like moonbeams and stars. April wrapped her arms around T while staring at herself in the mirror. As she moved, the image was her reflection with her gown.

She was wearing a second skin, much like Gloria’s holographic attire. She looked at Gloria to ask. Anticipating that question, Gloria shook her head. “No. It’s just cut perfectly to hug your body. No hologram needed. I guess you’d say it’s a form-fitting dress…”

April stared and moved looking at how it did match her body as if naked. She turned her head to Gloria. “It’s amazing. But that fit… how could I sit or bend?”

99 “Not to worry. It’s not cloth. It’s something else. It’s millions of little things like magnets that stick to each other — and to you. It’s kinda like you’re a star, and they’re planets in orbit around you.”

April looked at T, then back to the mirror. The dress was not white, it was pure light. It wasn’t light like from a bulb. It wasn’t reflecting light. T said, “Gloria, she looks like the stars at night. What is that made of?’

Smiling with pride, and giving T a smile of respect, she explained. “For a tailored lug, you actually got it right. It’s not fabric or material. It’s what humans would call stardust. It’s the fragments of thousands of stars, all lit with the light stars have. Each one different, each from a different star. I had a major job getting only the purest white dust together. Pretty cool.’

Both T and April didn’t know how to comprehend it. The top of the dress was simple and had no zipper or seam, with long sleeves. The waist graduated to a line of azure stardust that gave the look of a belt, then blended into the skirt on the bottom, fully pleated and floor length. The pleats were no more than a quarter inch wide, Gloria told her to twirl. April stood perfectly still, staring in the mirror, then gently twirled round. The pleats hugged her legs and her shape as she twirled, and when she stopped, they repeated the motion in the other direction, then gently laid back as I’d she hadn’t moved at all. Watching was too much for April. She fainted and T caught her although he had a hard time not continuing to look in the mirror. Gloria leaned over and touched her cheek. She was back and T lifted her up. Unfazed, she looked back in the mirror. She lifted the skirt slightly to see her shoes. Classic flats but made of azure blue stardust. Looking up, she wore no makeup and her hair was slightly feathered all around to perfection.

Gloria looked at her in the mirror. ”Elsa can show up wearing anything she wants, but all the eyes and cameras will be on you.”

T was still holding April as she appeared ready to pass out again. She was holding his right arm with both hands. She looked over at Gloria and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Gloria shrugged. “You could wear any of your dresses and still have the same impact. I just thought it was time to play with your look.”

T scrunched his brow. “Gloria. What will you wear? And now we have Heather. Will she be going?”

Gloria lifted her hand and April appeared in the mirror in her regular dress, which seemed to relax her. She looked at Gloria, wondering the same thing.

100 “Yeah. I thought of being one of the waitstaff or a reporter. But Elsa knows me too well. And same with hot stuff. Probably saw her a few times at the tower. I decided to lay low. I was thinking of this…”

She raised her hands into the air, and she appeared in a very simple white dress with arms and cut down to the floor. It was cut low to show both her shoulders and although cut low, was in good taste. She had a simple gold chain with a ruby cross not more than a half an inch high. The dress was silk, no seams or zippers, and a modest slit in the back. Like all her attire, it was simply a hologram that conformed to her perfectly. The difference was her hair. It looked as if it had been set with large rollers and cascaded in gentle rings. She was simply beautiful. T asked her where she’d be. In a very matter of fact manner, she said “Across from the two of you, sitting next to Elsa.”

April looked stunned by both Gloria’s dress, and that she was sitting next to Elsa. Gloria smiled. “It will add a little fuel to her fire. And next to Leigh will be Heather. Check it out…” They turned to the mirror.

Wearing pure red sateen Lycra was Heather. The dress was no more than a tube top just barely covering her. Her hair was pulled back in a tail, she wore no jewelry and if she had on any makeup, it was impossible to tell. Like Gloria, she was beautiful but much more was revealed. Gloria stood with her arms folded looking at the mirror.

“The two nasties are going to show up all tawdry, expecting to be the most attractive hot stuff there. Heather and I will be in simple, classic attire that will take all eyes off them. Then when you guys show up their whole plan falls apart. Everyone they’re there to work on will be waiting in line to meet you.”

After thinking it through, April asked, “But, they’ll have to meet with them. They’ve all sold their souls to the devil.”

Gloria had a big smile and nodded. “That’s right. So, they have nothing to lose. They’ve already given it away.”

They all stood and considered that. April looked up high into Gloria’s eyes. “Gloria?”

Gloria leaned over a bit for her. “Yes, sweetie. What?”

April was wide eyed as she answered. “Could you show me my dress again?”

101 102 23

“This is your floor.” The elevator impressed Amber and it was not the one she normally took when she used to visit the demon lawyers. That one had stops at every floor and was always crowded. She was apprehensive about meeting Frank, even though T assured her that it would turn out well.

She was all too familiar with the 75th floor, but it looked completely different. It was bright and quite nice. The windows had lost their heavy drapes and the view was amazing. She could see the beauty of the wood paneling and even that the carpet was a forest green. The lobby was empty, and no one behind the recessed reception desk. She heard a few noises then saw a lone figure heading towards her. It was a man. He called out, “Hi Amber, the guard called and told me you were on your way up…”

As he approached her, they found themselves just standing and staring at each other. They were mesmerized and couldn’t move. Finally, Frank shook his whole body to release himself from the state he was in. He looked Amber in the eye. “I’m Frank. I don’t know what’s going on here, but I can’t take my eyes off of you. I can’t really move.”

Amber nodded. “Same here.”

Frank was able to smile. “Well, it seems we’re stuck with each other here, at least for a bit. Let’s get to know each other. I’m Frank, and T told me I had to hire you. I run this place. Well, I mean the company that owns this building. I decided to do something a bit different. I lost my wife to suicide. She was possessed by a demon and that’s how I met T. How did you two meet?”

Without knowing it, Amber simply told him how. “I was divorcing my husband and got involved with a therapist who sent me here to hire the lawyers who worked here. I ended up owing them $287,000 and they sent me back to the therapist and I don’t know how, exactly, but to pay them off I became a hooker. I was a prostitute. I went to the Cathedral and told the Bishop what happened, and he sent T to pull me out. Then I went to work for the Bishop.”

Frank nodded. “I did some things I wish I hadn’t when I was young and met a lot of prostitutes. But I got away from that too. So, you said T pulled you out of that. How did he convince you to do that?”

Amber kept staring into his eyes. “No convincing. He actually just came to the motel, said we need to go, then I put my things in a garbage bag, and we went down to his big truck and drove off. Oh, yeah, he kicked the shit out of my pimp on the way to the car.” 103 Suddenly, they could both move again, and Frank was laughing. Amber looked at him. “It was pretty viscous and not funny.”

Frank held his hand up but was still chuckling. “Oh, Amber, I’m not laughing at what happened with you. I’m laughing at how T does things. Not exactly subtle. He goes to your room, gets a beautiful girl to take off with him. Pummels a nasty pimp, and he works for the church. You must admit, that’s quite a story. That’s why I’m producing a movie about him. He’s amazing.”

She looked stunned. “A movie? About him? Where are you going to find actresses to play all the women he is with all the time. Have you seen any of them? There aren’t any actresses that hot.”

Frank shrugged. “I’ve met some, and you’re right. I can’t think of any actresses that could come close. And, well, I don’t know how else to say it, but that would include you…”

Amber shook her head. “Well, I’m pretty, but I’m the ugly duckling in that bevy. I guess I can help with that. I know him, well, pretty well. I’ve learned a lot about him, from April too.”

He looked at her with an understanding smile. “So, you love him, right?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes, I do. I always will. I’ve let him know. Flirted with him, sat on his lap naked. Told April. He has this crazy effect on me. He’s just a really good guy. I never met a really good guy, and he saved me and treated me with kindness and respect. He and April said that’s why I feel like I do. They keep saying it’s basically to prepare me because one day I’ll meet a good guy who is available, and now I know that good guys exist…”

Amber stood there and started shaking her head and gently laughing with a beautiful smile. Frank stared at her and waited. Finally, she just said, “Oh, those two. Especially T. Do you know what he said when he forced me to come here?”

Frank was dazzled by her, but just shrugged. Amber looked at him with a gentle, sincere expression. “He said that I need to meet you. Because you’re a good guy. Oh, T. I tell you, I offered to give him anything he wanted. Instead, he brought me here. To meet you because you’re good. Your damn movie better be good. He wouldn’t let me fuck him so you better not either.”

104 24

It was a small hobble, but all that Michael had ever wanted, and Gloria had an even smaller room in it when she was but a wisp of soul growing up over millennium. Michael was the first avenger, and with good reason. His soulmate, soon after they made Gloria, knowingly fell from grace and took the side of his brother, Lucifer. The pain from that time would never leave him, and he vowed to fight the influence on others tempted to fall from grace. Gloria also suffered the loss of her mother and understood the devastation the temptation reared on her and her father. Like him, her existence was not one of joy, but of fighting for souls in a battle that rages on and will never end.

Michael sat with Gloria and together they ate bread he had made and gave praise to their maker for providing nourishment. There they reviewed the events of what humans refer to as their day. He was asking her a question like the one asked by April and T. He questioned if it was necessary to prolong the event. He too felt it may be best to cast Elsa to the darkness, and let Leigh pay the consequences of her actions. Elsa had already interfered with Leigh, causing Hudson’s death, and forcing Amber into slavery. Surely, he asked, no more was needed to vanquish her.

Dressed in a simple gown of gauze, Gloria nodded in agreement. She finished her bread and drank water. “All that you say is true, and she is an easy take. But you have tasked me with much more. The Earth Angels are still just children in such battles. With one nod, you could impart all the knowledge and power they need, but was that done when mother fell? My mission was to give them their own experiences, and it may be glorious and what is needed on Earth. We understand this abode, the heavens, the Father. We know the vile of your brother. These are virtual innocents and must see the damage that can be done. Most of all, they must be able to stop it. This is a classic scenario, and I am sure one that will put them through tests and ultimately victory. We are here. They straddle the angelic while dealing with being human in origin. They battle not just the darkness, but their own kind. I’ve watched T. He finds answers I couldn’t. He treats his kind with love and concern which is often all that is needed. I think this is known to you quite well. I also know it is Elsa that gives you this caution. The hurt she gave you was most unkind.”

Michael reached out and held her hands. “We both know you are right. I admit that it is Elsa that shapes my caution. Gloria, she fooled me. She had me believing that she loved me like she is trying to convince T of. When she had me, she laughed that I was so easily deceived. What a shrewd demon she is. While all others in the dark use deception, she uses love and desire and even surrender. She takes them to ecstasy and surrenders herself to the point of it being true and she offers love. It’s not deception. And she wants to be loved. In that moment, when she takes it away from the other and herself, she recreates the loss of love by the Father. It is true misery and suffering. 105 Pitting the great deceiver against T? It worries me. Why, she drove Scorpio from hell back to the Father. That’s unheard of. And she’s convinced herself that T is a higher love than that. The fall could be his surrender to her.”

Gloria patted his hands in return. “That’s why we have April. Where Elsa is pure darkness, April is pure light. She will show T the way. Have you forgotten that T paid me no heed? I don’t believe Elsa has more power than me. I don’t believe that I could tempt T in any way. And, father, do you think the little one would let her? You know this is not about T. It’s about April. Let her discover her truth and her glory. I’ll never forget the day at the store when I gave her that first mirror. The hope, the joy, the connection to its meaning. That smile. Be the father to her that you’ve been to me. You’ve given her wings. Let her fly.”

106 25

Heather was thinking that she had died, and all that was going on was the rapid firing of synapses and hallucinations that accompany death. Feeling no fear, she accepted the strange events that would soon change and fade to black, and from that black subside to nothingness. Without a choice, she considered that the events, and time, were but an illusion. One minute about to donate curtains, the next dinner with angels and being told she was one as well.

Knowing that it was all a dream, for the first time in her life she felt free. Liberated from any concerns and able to express her feelings. With a knocking on her door, she smiled and knew it would be T. He was the last person she saw when alive, and it made sense to her that he was present as she went through the process of dying. Opening the door, it was both T and April. Her smile grew bigger as April was as unreal as all that had happened. She was impossibly sweet and looked like what she dreamed an angel would be. She smiled and invited her into her apartment, which hadn’t changed at all in her death experience. She asked them what was going on.

Looking up at T, April explained they were taking him shopping for some clothes, and her too. “We don’t have much time, but we do know what to buy you. I’m afraid it’s going to be a rather revealing outfit. You must look hotter than the demons, but that will be no problem for you. Don’t worry about your hair. It’s just going to pulled back so your shoulders can be fully seen…”

Heather nodded. “Okay. It seems like you know exactly what I’ll wear. And what about you?”

Looking a bit sheepish, April said it wasn’t something that could be bought, and it was custom made. “Just a tailored dress. Much like the ones I mostly wear, but as an evening gown.”

Heather nodded. T was sensing her feeling of unreality. Asking her to sit down, Heather pointed to the couch for them, and she sat on a chair facing it. T looked over at April, and she had a look of wonderment as well. T held his hand up to her, then turned to Heather.

“I imagine that all that’s happened to you in the past few days is all very strange. So much that it can’t be real. Dying, coming back, meeting an Archangel, and finding out like us you’re an Angel too. I also bet you think that you are in the stages of death, and this is all part of that. A dream…”

Heather nodded. She tilted her head and sang, “Merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.’

107 Nodding, T understood. “Okay. Then that’s what it is. Go with it. See what happens. Nothing is hurting, and it’s actually a bit fun, right?”

Again, she nodded. T stood up, took April’s hand and she stood as well. Finally, he reached for Heathers hand. “Then, let’s go shopping and get you the most amazing red dress to enter heaven in we can find.”

April was shaking her head, amazed as usual at how T handled impossible moments. She smiled at him and gave him a reassuring nod. Heather was in a state of shock. They had a deadline, and Gloria would be better equipped to handle the problem than they could.

Michael and Gloria were watching the events reflected in a fountain outside of his hovel. He nodded. “Good. T did well. Heather hasn’t had a lifetime of events building to this day like they had. And facing Elsa, better that it be a dream where she has no actual fear.”

Nodding, Gloria smiled. “It’s just as you felt it would be. It’s a nice combination. Each so different and so strong. I was truly amazed that you chose them to battle Elsa. I would have thought it would be us.”

He held her chin with a finger. “What a warrior. You make Father proud. Yes, that would have been our path if it were anyone but her. I’m sure she was counting on it. Another way to hurt me. Besides, it gives these three a true battle. You stepped in when they faced large numbers, but they were doing quite well. I still am inspired by April. Slicing at Barb with her Surface without knowing it would form a sword. And, my goodness, not letting the head lay there. Knowing unstitched she would reassemble. I watched with the warrior league and I tell you, when she took Barb’s head and threw it down the mail chute, they were in awe. Cheers rang out. I heard Father chuckle. So, this is their time. There will be passion at play. Look, T has his clothes and now Heather is in the dress you chose. I’m not saying she could compare to you, but she is in that beautiful daze that comes at first where she looks about to rise up and fly.”

Smiling, Gloria agreed. “Yes, just as planned. She must be close in attraction to me. I’ll be covered, she’ll be mostly skin. She puts Leigh at a disadvantage, that is certain. And do you think I’ll make Elsa jealous?”

“A question isn’t a question if you know the answer. How can she compare to you? Begging for compliments?” He stared at her. He nodded with understanding.

“I see. It’s not Elsa. It’s April, isn’t it?”

108 Gloria looked at him and it touched his soul. He took both her hands and gripped them tight. “April is like you. Unique. Your beauty, like hers, shines from your soul. She is as beautiful as you, you are beautiful as her. You have always known this, and it has given you joy. You finally have a true friend. A sister. She has nothing you don’t have...”

Gloria gave him a look he had never seen on her prior. Then he looked at her staring into the water.

She looked up at him. “She has T.”

Michael understood. “This is the first you have ever reflected on romantic love. You understand that they started as human. Romantic love is especially important for them. So, if you know, is it a real romantic attraction to T, or just realizing that it’s not something you’ve sought?”

Continuing to stare in the water, she thought about how to answer him.

“I love T, and if he were not with April, I would have taken human form, and yes, I would have sought him out as my love if he felt the same. Before anything divine so it would be true attraction. I’ve known from the beginning he was not for me, and my love for him is pure and I am his true friend. He treats me like you. He cares about my feelings and protects me in his way. I am enamored with him and he is in my thoughts and prayers. I am in love with him. In the human way.”

Smiling, Michael found joy in her feelings. “You are both blessed. My sweet, I can share with you that T has the same feelings for you. He loves you and would give his earthly life for you as he would April. I take it, then, as his divine love, that it is watching April that has awoken the notion of a romantic love.”

Nodding, she looked away from the water and back at him. “Yes. April is new, but she and I are the same. She is indeed my sister in all ways. She has shown me that she has the thing I have lacked that makes her stronger than me. A love. Watching her and T has lit a fire in me. I admit I wish that I had T. That’s been hard. He treats me like a woman, not an angel. I need that now. April has shown me that. But, father, worry not. That opened a door in me. It will be for who enters. At some point, there will be another, and I will know him when we meet.”

Michael considered it. “You know all in the heavens, so it will be one yet to be created.”

Smiling, she nodded in agreement. But, father, right now all involved, in many ways, are confused and amazed at T’s attraction to women. I know him to be true and kind. In many ways, the opposite of what should attract women. And as all 109 have pointed out, the most beautiful of women. Is there something I do not know? Something that he’s been granted I’m not aware of?”

Cupping his hand, her father sipped from the fountain. Then he made the symbol of eternity in it. He studied as the ripples radiated. Turning to her, he shook his head. “There are no secrets here. None needed. T is just as many have been who attracted others. They share a hurt. They are pure souls who see existence as black and white with absolutely nothing in between. We see the Father and the fallen. No one stands between the two. This is not unusual, and it most often stems from a hurt that threw them to one side or the other. The attraction to T is the certainty because he is of the divine. There is no questioning or doubt in what he says or does. That has undeniable appeal. Right now, that is needed by warriors such as yourself. The battle against Elsa is a reflection, like this water. She divides man and woman. T was needed because he cannot be corrupted by her. You, April, Heather. You are the same, and Elsa will count on him falling. Giving up his love of you all for her. She can’t be harmed in any manner but her pride. She must be shamed. T has to be one all would fight for. That makes him the flame she wishes to ignite and destroy. She has succeeded endlessly.”

Gloria rubbed his arm with a gentleness unknown to all but angels. “She tried with you but failed.”

Taking another handful of water, he sipped it, and let some fall to the soil. A plant grew and sprouted as they watched the water give it life when combined with soil. He looked at her. “She did not succeed, but she did tempt me. The only time in my existence. I believed she was changing sides for my love. She was and is a temptress and deceiver. I, too hopeful. She didn’t succeed, but she did rob me of the hope all can be redeemed. That was a sad moment.”

The plant grew wings, lifted from the soil, and flew away.

“She will try with T as she has been doing in vain. He has no such belief. She will not sway him. That is why he is attractive to you. He will never fall from his love for you. Or April or Heather. Amber too. Anyone good. That’s what he is. A good soul, immune to temptation. But, child, he will not fell Elsa. That will be April. She is beyond ken. She rightly knows that T is a blunt instrument, and he is. A battering ram of righteousness. She is the opposite. The sharpest sword, the dagger. I know you understand that meaning and my exact words. She is the dagger tattooed on the hand of his mother. She is what he was told by her. That the T was her love for him. The Father shined on these two in a way we could never have conceived. April, the dagger that T had hoped he was, and with April, truly is. Her emotions are the power of the thrust. You are right. You are sisters. She has the powers you posses, but the sadness and hurt of being human. She hasn’t known the victories you have. She has only known hurt and hurt is a power beyond ours. It’s why the Son took human form. Father knew that temptation, betrayal, and the love of the most denied would give 110 him compassion and sadness. The fallen can not prevail because they have none of those. They use those very things to subjugate. They laugh at them.”

Crying, Gloria fell into his arms. He had been waiting for her to reveal herself to him.

“Oh, father, I have sinned. I know you are aware of it. I faced temptation. I succumbed although only in my feelings. I’ve struggled with wanting to tell him I love him and would be his for eternity. Knowing his love for April, knowing he would kindly deny me, but still I wanted to tell him. Just so that he would know. I didn’t, but I wanted to, and I still do. Me, father. The worst sin possible. What am I to do?”

Hugging her as never before, he cried with her, but from pride, not shame. He held her out to look into her eyes.

“My child. Your feelings are not a sin. Love for another can never be wrong. Hurting T or April would be a sin. You came right out and told T you loved him, and he said he knew. At that moment, T used his free will and held fast to April and accepted the truth that the most glorious angel in heaven could be his. He accepted your love and feelings. My sweet, he did not deny you! He loves you and has told you so. Those were not mere words. He loves you. You are a part of him now. I know it’s not the pairing you’d like. That is for April and was always meant to be. So, let me help a bit. You have been a warrior, needing no one. By meeting T, it has opened your soul to why we mate, and that you want a love. T showed you that. He showed you that such love must be mutual. You will never expect less. This is new for you. He is what you hope to find, and that felt like temptation. No sin, an awakening. I’m proud of you. Despite your feelings, you embraced April as your own and your equal. No jealousy. You opened yourself to her. If T had been temptation, that could not have happened.’

Smiling, she transformed into her hippie attire. “Thank you. I feel stronger than ever. That devil hurt you. Will you be okay being there? Like you said, this is April’s battle.”

Smiling, he nodded. “It will be more powerful with me seeing her failing this time. She had a chance to escape the dark. I’ll be there to remind her of that.”

111 112 26

Sleeping, Leigh gave Elsa time to contemplate the next events. Minions had visited her giving reports of angels planning to corrupt her plans. That didn’t matter to her. She enjoyed all done so far, and it had achieved her true goal, which she knew Leigh could not understand. She had been called many names throughout time, but she knew her purpose was to be a temptress. Once under her power, she could cause true suffering. Taking away hope and joy was not easily done. Humans had so little of it, she understood she must first give them such novelties before stealing them away. The devil offers, then takes away what was given. It was the only true path to pain and suffering. The next acts were baits. The angels would have to stop her. They were new. Angels of earthly decent. They were different. She considered the distinction of being powerful, like her, and being empowered like T or April. She desired T because he had never fallen. He had only risen. If she could seduce him, she would be as powerful as Satan.

At that thought, her father appeared, sitting calmly across from her in the living room of her hotel suite.

She wasn’t surprised. Her ambition was known to him, and for a demon, an admirable trait. He was externally handsome and gentile. He wore casual shirt and slacks, and his hair was perfect. He was holding a snifter of brandy out for her, and he held one for himself.

They each sniffed, then tasted. He held it to the light. “One must admit the monks and brothers had a gift with brandy. This is from the 14th century and pure nectar. And such sinners. The things they devised. Tortures of the body and soul. You, my darling, are as fine as this nectar. Evil so tasty. All this time and I’ve never had sex with you. Letting you age like this brandy until you are just the right vintage. Perhaps some time aging in an oak cask?”

She smiled. “Wait if you must. I know you think none can compare to Eve. Vanity will do that. I don’t hold that the first is the best. Conquest, sure, it’s wonderful. But she was nothing but forbidden fruit. And as you’ve forbade her to any others. Talk is she’s nothing but a disappointment.”

He took a sip. “What virgin is ever more than a conquest? Having what no other has had is enough for me. But, my sweet, you can’t get what you want, but I did. Until you lock T up and leave April alone, you will never understand. And such a minor task. But, let me be more precise. If I was locked in a dungeon with T. No weapons, just our beings. Who would prevail in your opinion?”

She sat calmly and said, T.” 113 He respected her opinion. “It may come to that. Once he ascends, not now though. Oh, and it would be quite a battle. April would be the prize. I almost had her when I told her I was her father. Fair is fair. She made me proud. A little warning. She has the power to destroy you. I can’t understand why you are engaging her in battle. You won’t get T no matter the outcome. Do you really think you have any dominion over her?”

She set her brandy down and leaned forward towards him.

“Yes, I do. I just tell her who her father really is. That should throw her off balance.”

He looked at her. “That is a powerful weapon, but it’s not something I can permit. It’s why I’m here. That is my dominion, and I will use it when needed. It’s not for you. Try to do so and all your powers will be gone. Your guise as well. Anyway, I’ve given you my decision.”

She leaned back. “Okay. Thy will be done. It will come to pass. Would you like to join me? Michael and his girl will be there. How come you never took her?”

“The same reason Michael never fell for you. We have an understanding. It would just start another war, anyway. Neither of us would win and the battle is for souls, not the two of you. You don’t battle each other as you’ve noticed. Like us, neither of you would win. You really are but a spoiled child. There is the game, and there is the game well played. It’s never about winning, but you think that’s the goal. It’s about allegiance. The only victory is who has the largest following, and the quality of those souls. If they’re rabble, what value is that? Easy prey. Like a pond stocked with trout. My brother scored a real victory. He dealt both you and me a blow that does count. And there you sit and don’t even know it happened.”

Staring at him, she understood he had news she was unaware of, but wondered why he waited until this moment to reveal it. She continued to stare at him, waiting. He was being particularly vindictive, and it was obvious to her that he was defining boundaries for her that would not be wise to cross. He continued.

“I am astonished you’ve deceived yourself. I guess it’s your obsession with the Earth Angel. Take heed, my little girl. You’re slip is showing. So, where is our Michael? The one you call Scorpio?”

She sat and didn’t flinch. “I’m not his keeper. I’m just his cunt. I have wondered and I miss the rite with him, but I don’t know where he is. Why is that important?”

He shook his head. He picked up his brandy glass, and in it was a vision. It was Scorpio trying on angelic armor. He was in the light. A look of terror fell on her. He took the glass and drank it, the vision still in place as he swallowed. 114 “That, child, is victory. He renounced me, and ascended. He was no skeleton in a grave. No easy prey. He was a prize, but no longer ours. You must not have been a hot enough cunt for him. He didn’t even let you know he was leaving you. And he surrendered to T.”

She was full of rage and deep inside, shame.

“That’s right. You should be ashamed. All the signs were there. He waited and battled T to see if you would too? You’ll meet him again. Some battle for some soul. You can let him feel your wrath at that time. Right now, you’re in the middle of a real fight. The new angels have righteous indignation and emotions as weapons. And you are mighty, so I’ll be watching to see what the new army poses. It’s the first round. No priests. No crosses. No holy water. Passion is the most powerful force you can face. They have that. And, I think after my visit, the passion in you will be formidable. Especially after what I do next.”

He got up, gave her a long, passionate kiss, then went to fuck Leigh.

115 116 27

It was very early. The sun was just lighting the morning sky and Aleks had just gotten up and was shaving. T had called and explained that the battle with Elsa was taking him to New York, and he would miss their morning time together. Aleks said he wanted to see lots of pictures and T assured him he’d remember to do so. There was a knock on the door. Aleks felt the presence of evil, but there was no choice but to answer.

He wiped off his face and was just in pants and an undershirt. He felt the intensity of the power outside his door, crossed himself, and opened it. Standing there was a man, good looking in pressed clothes, carrying Leigh in his arms. Aleks stood back and the man came in and laid Leigh on the couch, turned back to the door, and stopped before he left. “She’s all yours now. I assure you she’ll be tame as a lamb. You being the Shepard, her being one of the flock who was lost, I thought it best to bring her here.”

Looking him in the eyes, he asked what had happened to her. The man had a look of pity for him. “We made a deal a long time ago. She’s paid the due. I took my true form as a serpent and crawled up inside of her and I don’t think that was what she had been praying for or was what she expected it to be. She’s very pretty but looks aren’t everything. I came for her, but, she was a disappointment. As I said, I’ve released her from her agreement. So, a gift from me to you. You’ve given me so many, and I think this is fair. Oh, please let all know there’ll be one less for dinner.” He reached down in the hallway next to the door and handed Aleks a bag and tray, he nodded, turned, and was gone. The bag had hot bagels, the tray cream cheese and coffees. They were from Starbucks.

Aleks put the food on the kitchen table, looked at Leigh who was asleep, and called T. After a detailed retelling, T said he’d be over very soon with April. They had a private jet and some leeway, and April would text Gloria on the way.

Aleks sat down across from Leigh and prayed until they arrived. April came in first and went to the couch to see what condition Leigh was in. T stood in the doorway and touched it, seeing all that had occurred. He went in the kitchen and looked at the food. He called out if April wanted a bagel and coffee. She looked his way and nodded. Aleks was wide-eyed and surprised. T shook his head slightly as he put things on plates. “He is isn’t going to poison us. The Lord works in mysterious ways and so does Lucifer.” T took a bite of his bagel. “Really good. Grab yours.” He took a plate out to April and sat it on the end table next to her. “How is Leigh?”

April spoke while keeping her eyes on Leigh. “I guess as good as she can be after sex with Satan. If he damaged her physically, he fixed her back up. Everything looks 117 normal. Let’s see how she is when she wakes up.” She took her plate but sipped some coffee first. She looked at T. “Hmmm. Good. Why don’t you get things there?” T looked at her with surprise. “Look at who goes there. It’s bad enough I have to fight him, but I’m not going to let him cut in line each morning,” April smiled, Aleks too. Coming out of the kitchen was Gloria. She had a large paper cup of coffee from Roastin’ El’s. That got a laugh out of T, which was not easy to do.

She looked at Aleks. “So, my uncle paid you a visit?”

Aleks nodded. “I guess so. He wasn’t what I expected, but Gloria, neither were you. He laid Leigh down and said she fulfilled her deal, was of no interest to him, and left her for me to minister, I guess.”

Gloria was playing up enjoying her coffee. “Yeah, but you know the deal. How many sermons have you preached the devil is a deceiver and assumes a pleasant form? Well, I’ll tell you since I’ve been counting. 1,232 so far. And you have been right. I don’t think this has anything to do with her deal with him. He took her away from Elsa, so she’d be on her own tonight. That’s all. He wants to see angel versus demon. No humans in the mix. But good deal for Leigh. She’s out of her deal, free from Elsa, in your care, and it’s not a trick. She’s been released. I’m going to finish the job. I’ll tap her head. She’ll wake up and she’ll only see her life as if she hadn’t made the deal. Hudson died in a freak accident, that kind of stuff. She’ll be okay. My dad said after being stuffed with a serpent all night, give her a break.”

Gloria leaned over and gave Leigh a light touch on her temple. Leigh was roused and sat up. She knew all of them and thanked Aleks for letting her use his couch as she had cramps too rough to drive with. They all ate and sipped coffee that never seemed to cool off while Gloria complained hers was getting cold. Finally, she put the cup down, and said they had a plane to catch. They all said their goodbyes. Aleks closed the door and turned to look at Leigh. He showed concern.

“How are those cramps now? Can you drive, or would you like a ride?”

118 28

“Dude, this is a lotta machine. I’ve never seen you in the back seat before…” April was in the passenger seat with massage and vibrator on full power with her big smile. T sat with his arms crossed. “I know the way to the airport.”

Gloria nodded. ”Yep. So does your car. I just felt like driving. You wouldn’t deny your sweet angel cake a spin, would you?” She smiled at him with affection. He closed his eyes.

“Gloria, the thing is that I used to think you used some angelic power on me. But you don’t. So, you are right. I would do anything for you. You’re right about being a sweetie. You are. But I’m afraid you’ll make the car fly or go too fast or soop it up or something.”

April had turned off the seat and had it back up. “You two sweethearts having a spat?” Gloria grinned. “He’s jealous because I’m a better driver than he is.” April turned and looked at T. “Except for some very private things I’m sure Gloria’s better at everything.” T just looked at her and grinned. She grinned back. Gloria said, “Not everything. I have no skill at being a human being. I can’t find my own true love since T’s card is punched so the search continues, and I’ll never be as pretty as you, April. And, well, I think that’s it.” April rubbed her shoulder. “Well, when you find your guy, be sure he doesn’t take a million years to ask you out like I had to go through.” T joined in.

“If she meets a shy one, she can speak up and start things going. You didn’t jump up and ask me out for a date.”

April turned and looked him in the eye. She gave him her biggest smile, then said, pointing to it. “See this smile. This is your smile. For you only. Ever see me smile like this to anyone else?”

T sheepishly said, “No.”

April nodded. “See. That’s non-verbal, or should I say, ‘non-T’ for ‘Ask me out you big lug!”

Gloria looked their way. “She’s right. I watched all that. What was she supposed to do? Jump up and down; use semaphore, wave signs and give you books on how to ask a woman out on a date? I think she was very patient, extremely sweet, and sure let you know she was interested in you.”

119 T waved his hands in front of him. “I can’t win with either of you, let alone being ganged up on. Thank goodness, we’re at the plane. Finally, Gloria.”

As they got out, April said “The guy who smashes demons and beats up armed pimps and fights off advances from hot babes is being ganged up on by the two most loving women in the universe. And two who both love and care about him. Such a delicate flower. Can we help you up the steps into the jet?”

They were giggling. He took a deep breath. He let it out. They both put their arms around him. Gloria smiled her angel smile. “Is this what you mean by us ganging up on you?” They finally got a smile out of him.

Before they climbed the jet’s ladder, T stopped and looked at April. “I tried every day to ask; I was so afraid you’d say no. I’m sorry.” She nodded with a soft smile and squeezed his hand. He turned to Gloria. “I don’t have to tell you anything. You already know. It didn’t matter that you are an angel. What mattered is that you are my friend. You both are.” Gloria actually had a tear roll down her cheek. She wiped it onto her finger, then rubbed the tear onto T’s cheek. It radiated through his whole being. April could feel it through his hand. She leaned over and looked at Gloria.

“He’s a lug. But a really good one.”

A blue BMW pulled up near the jet, and Heather got out. She was wearing a pair of casual jeans and a red tee that had an Aerosmith white winged logo on it. As they had just started climbing the ladder, Gloria was doing her Angel walk and looked at April and said she’d bet Heather would walk this way. April shouted over the engines that had just started. “Cute outfit!” They entered the plane and it had six seats and a large dressing room and bathroom with a shower. T explored the cabin, and then Gloria looked all around and examined everything. April asked if things were okay. Gloria smiled.

“Awesome. I’m just curious. Well, I don’t really fly on planes when I travel, so checking it out. I’m going to be the stewardess.” Heather grinned. “Gloria. I never heard anyone actually use that term. They’re called flight attendants now.” Gloria gave a pout. “I wanted to wear the mod a-go-go pink miniskirt with the little pillbox hat and little pink boots with heels…”

Getting buckled in and Gloria giving instructions on emergency exits and overhead oxygen masks and saying there was no in-flight movie, she managed to get in her seat just as the plane lifted off. After things settled down, T relayed the news there would be one less at dinner and told how Leigh had ended up leaving Elsa on her own. Heather needed a bit of background on Leigh and asked how T knew it wasn’t a deception. He shrugged and said nothing was for certain and put nothing past any demon. 120 The jet had six seats, and the four sat facing each other as the seats rotated. They were snacking and having sparkling water. All, including Gloria, were shocked to hear a man’s voice from the last row of seats behind them.

“I would enjoy joining you, if I may.”

Gloria instantly had a sword in her hands. She held it to the side, fully ready to strike. She was cold as ice. “If I must, I will, uncle. And this is the sword that drove you to the dark.”

The man stood up and was calm and mannered. He stayed back in the last row and put his hands up to show he had no weapon. “Gloria, you are stunning. You had that relic ready, didn’t you? I guess you were right. Fear not, I’m not in pursuit and this is not a trick. I’m not going to crash the plane or ravage the women. I’d like to talk to April, and T. I’m not excluding you Heather, just you are very new to matters. Another day, I am sure. Gloria, I’m going to use your seat.”

He was dressed in a tan sports coat, black slacks, and a simple white tee shirt. He was well groomed and looked to be middle-aged. Not waiting for a reply, he sat in Gloria’s seat facing those of T and April. Gloria hadn’t moved one bit — not even a strand of hair. Her sword was at the ready and it looked as if made of razor thin glass. It was clear she would remain at full guard.

The man took a bottle of water from the table and drank a bit. “I don’t think introductions are needed. Being Gloria’s uncle and the manner of her stance, certainly I am the dark lord. I have many names but in truth, I really have none. Like you, I am an angel. That is my origin, and I can’t deny it. Everything you’ve ever heard about me is undoubtedly true. I make no apologizes. I do honor promises and I promise I am not here to harm you. Just talk a while. No deals to offer, no threats. I am hoping you’ll agree. I’m seldom seen, and I’m fascinated by all of you. If not, I’ll leave if I must.”

April had been staring at him intently, and she leaned forward for a close look. She remained calm but was not hiding her anger.

“You’re Morton, aren’t you?” It was near a whisper with loathing.

He nodded. “As I said, I’m known by many names, but yes, I’m your father, and yes, you killed the body I inhabited when I was about to take you. I needed to know you were of divine power. You were and are. Actually, with me as your father you have a bit more, well, power than most angels. You want to destroy me right now. Ah, but just as Gloria won’t strike, neither will you. I’m not harming anyone so you could only do that if I were doing so.”

121 April sat and was furious as she was unable to strike out at him.

She was able to speak. She bored holes in him with her eyes. “Why is it that demons can attack us at any time, but we can only stop you from harm?”

He nodded. “Well, daughter. That’s not hard to figure out. I didn’t agree to any rules. I have a code, but not yours. You think that angels are good, demons are bad. Humans call us the fallen. Angels too. It was a mistake to have parted. We are fallen, in the dark, know no joy, and we’ve paid the price as we can’t go home. You think of the Father as loving. I know him as vengeful. Just as you wish vengeance for me. If I ask your forgiveness right now, will you offer it?”

She shook her head, no.

“April, the difference is that you can go to confession and be forgiven for killing your father, but I can’t. Until I can, the battle for souls will continue.”

He turned to T. “And you, soon to marry my daughter. So, you’ve got the brass ring. She’s an angel and a devil. The angel half wins. Except in bed, she’s all angel. You are a lucky man on that score. Too lucky. My other daughter is Elsa. And she only wants what she can’t have. You. She’s doing everything she can to get your attention and strike a deal with you. She’ll not hurt the masses if you’ll be her lover. At least once. I know that would allow my daughter here to vanquish her being. Would you agree that is a fair assessment?

T was calm, did not address the question and asked one thing.

“With Gloria there wielding the one weapon that can destroy you, if you did anything at all, for any reason, even defend yourself, she would be free to vanquish you, correct? If you could, please address that first.”

The demon nodded. “That is correct. If you were to slap me, I couldn’t even slap you back.”

T unbuckled his seat belt and casually entered the cockpit. All sat in silence as he was gone. The cockpit door opened, and T walked back and went to the last row, walking carefully around Gloria and her sword. He looked at her uncle, and said, “if you don’t mind, per your questions, can we talk in private? The rear of the plane should prove sufficient.”

The devil stared at him. With a quizzical look on his face, he unbuckled his seatbelt and followed T to the dressing room and shower which was closed off by a door. Gloria moved to position herself but did not follow.

122 What happened next was a blur as it happened so quickly and with such force. There was a sudden jump of the aircraft, a loud thunderous noise, a bang, and oxygen masks fell from the ceiling. Gloria remained standing at the door but her sword had disappeared. She opened the door and held out her hand and helped T by handing him an oxygen mask. After a few deep breaths, and the cabin pressure returning, the pilot said over the speakers the cabin was pressurized and they could replace the masks. T returned to his seat, as Gloria did hers. April and Heather were all eyes, waiting to find out what happened.

T looked at them. “I noticed a door at the rear bottom of the plane. The pilot can open and close it, although not intended in flight. It’s a cargo hold but was empty. When we went back, I lifted the door on the floor, pushed him into the cargo bay, slammed the door shut, grabbed the intercom and told the pilot to empty it. When I heard the thud of it close, I opened the floor door. He was gone.”

Heather was listening and letting it all sink in, said, “Let me see if I’ve got this right. You threw Satan out of the jet going 600 miles per hour at about 25,000 feet…”

T nodded. April looked satisfied. “Well, he didn’t have a ticket, and this is a private flight. If he survived the fall from grace, I’m sure a fall from a plane is not going to do any harm to him.”

Gloria was reading the in-flight magazine. She looked up. “He probably enjoyed the whole deal. Good move, dude. He will have more respect for you. My dad would have the strength to do it, and now you. And all because Elsa’s a spoiled brat.”

123 124 29

Fuming at her father, Elsa was tempted to claw at him. She was already in New York and adjusting her plan.

“Why? I had things worked out and you come and fuck me over. I can’t believe you. I’ve done your bidding. Fucked who you wanted me to. Defiled every form of righteous human. Sung your praises. The few things I wanted, Scorpio, T, and even sad Leigh, you deny me. Why?”

He laughed. “My dear. I’m Lucifer. Bad to the bone. It’s because you wanted those things I took them away. You know how I work. You can do all you had planned by yourself. That’s child’s play. Before you forget, our interests are aligned. I did ask T if he would fuck you to get the hunger out of your system. I did it in front of April. I’m her father, you know. Well, my human host was technically, but it’s really me.”

Elsa stood and almost burst into flames. “So, you give T your other daughter, but not me. If I had the sacred blade I’d slice you down the middle.”

He was laughing. “That is perfect. I faced it today. I got in their jet to have a talk and Gloria was there and ready to put my head in April’s lap. That’s when I asked T to agree to a little of your satanic snatch.”

He got up for a bottle of water. “I genuinely tried. I’m all for it. He did something I didn’t anticipate. He said he wanted to talk in private. We went to the back of the plane. He opened the cargo bay door on the floor and with astounding power shoved me in. Then he had the pilot eject me. He threw me off the jet while it was flying. That’s something my brother would be confident enough to do. I came to tell you that these are not children. They are empowered angels and if they aren’t afraid of me, they won’t be of you. If you use the plant, they will hurt you. T only has one weakness, and that’s April. I would suggest leaving them be. April isn’t evil, but she is far more powerful than you. Don’t give me that smirk! I said she’s more powerful than you. She has the power that I gave, just as you have. Then, she was given angelic power. And you scoff at that? You dumb twat. She may not know how to use it all yet, but that’s embedded and will just come when needed. You heed my words or end up soulless.”

He got up and stood over her. “I don’t want them to have a victory. The way to win is to not start a war.”

He raised his hand above his head and disappeared in a blue flame. Elsa sat with her head down, using her vision to see the scenes he described. She could see the jet landing and a Bentley waiting for the Earth Angels. She could see the truck speeding 125 with the barrels, the ballroom with the table Leigh would not be sitting at. She saw Leigh with the cursed Bishop, and she was free from all spells and deals. With her law partners back in the fires, she was on her own. She still had dominion over the beauty industry, and she still had her power. She had battled legions and tempted the most righteous. The only reason for this battle was to get T’s attention and corrupt him. Satan himself had suggested that giving her the taste she desired was more prudent than battle, and he failed. He was facing Gloria and the Blade of Divinity, so understandable he would not risk his existence over what he viewed as a petty manner, so she had to consider that.

As long as she did no harm, they would not harm her. She considered that she could get them worked up, then do nothing. She liked that as demons are deceivers. She thought of engaging a lessor demon; have them take the action, then only they could be blamed. It wasn’t a bad idea. She considered that T would believe having an underling do her bidding to be her work, so that would be a problem. It was looking more like it was just going to be a dinner more than anything else. No talking to the executives, no bravado about her cosmetic line. She’d have to say she simply called the whole thing off. Or she could not show. She kept feeling that T must have a chink in his amour. Something, someone who she could use at the dinner, even though just hours away. She took off her clothes, sat crossed legged on the bed and used her second sight to look at events in his life. She wasn’t interested in a human, like Amber. She needed a demon he had fought and had returned.

Scorpio was her first vision, but he had defected. Then she saw Anin. She smiled at what a nasty demon she had been. Even better, she hadn’t fully been cast to hell. Her weasel husband blew her host body apart along with his, and she was still here. That had great potential. She kept going, following Anin and saw that she was inhabiting the body of one of her minions. Jen, from the Betterment School. She was not young or attractive in appearance, but that was an easy fix. She could make her look like when T had first met her. Or even younger. She liked the idea. Jen was in her sixties, but she’d make it because their cosmetics made her look in her early thirties. And, she and T had been close friends. If she didn’t reveal she had been possessed by Anin, this could be the answer.

She picked up the phone and had no need to dial, she willed a connection to Anin. The call was answered. Elsa was reclining on the bed now.

“Jen, this is Elsa. Yes, that Elsa. I won’t call you Anin, as you are in that hag Jen you’re occupying. Oh, I understand why. I’d enjoy some teen twat myself right now. But I have a fun task for you tonight. A chance to see T. Oh yes. It’s a bit complex, so close your eyes and I’ll let you see it all in a flash. Oh, good. Yes, a lot has happened. I’m not giving you a choice, but even though a command I know this will be pure pleasure for you. Close you eyes again; this is how you’ll look. Red hair? I don’t see why not. I understand, it’s your signature. I know you are very nasty, but tonight just 126 go with the plan I implanted in you. We’re going to confuse T. You’re my hostage and I’m flaunting you to show him what’s at risk. No. Remember, you’re Jen, and confused and afraid. You’ll be well rewarded. I have the most beautiful woman you’ve seen since Janet, and she’s in need of counseling and therapy. I’ve had her hundreds of times and believe me, she’s worth taking another grenade for.”

There was no need for travel. Elsa held up both of her palms, and before her was Jen. 30, beautiful, with lavish long red hair resting on black sequins of her gown. Elsa nodded. “Perfect. So, you think you’re quite a lay. Take off that gown and show me.”

127 128 30

Popping the cork on a champagne bottle, Gloria was having fun in the lofty Bentley limo. “Dude, why not get one of these to scoot buttercups around when you’re not shaking off hot babes!” T just shook his head. He looked at April, very cozy in her reclining seat.

“Well, it would be nicer than the Civic. It may attract a bit too much attention, though. And how could we ever afford it?”

Gloria looked shocked. “Dude didn’t tell you? You have a little black Amex card in your Apple Wallet. No limit. No payments. You both have one. There will be times you’ll need things like this. Or to buy a tomb to seal a demon in for a while. Heather, you have one too. The job involves travel, clothes, tools, all kinds of things. We figured just give you the cards.”

T put the conversation to rest. “If we need anything, it’s good to have. Thank you. I prefer a low profile.”

The driver announced they had arrived at the Titan Tower. It was a thin, pencil-like building that rose 70 stories high. The doorman came, opened the door, and asked if they had a nice flight. Gloria shrugged. “Just another day. Nothing special.” He smiled as he helped the rest out of the Bentley. Gloria told him to leave it where it was. They had plans for later. The driver said he’d be waiting. Both men watched as T walked with the three beautiful woman and shook their heads. They wondered what he did to be so fortunate. Gloria turned unexpectedly and answered them although she had no way of actually hearing them. She gave an innocent look and said “He has the biggest…” just then a loud truck roared by as she turned to enter the building. T looked with disbelief. “The biggest what, Gloria?”

She smiled with a look of pure mischief. “You couldn’t hear me? The biggest heart.”

Inside the lobby was a stately guard. “Welcome. All your luggage has arrived and been attended to. I have a card for each of you. As you near the elevator, it will sense you and take you to your penthouse home. I am available to attend to anything you may need. I must be honest; I’ve never seen such beauty. I’m in awe. And you sir. You simply must be the next Bond. You could all be in the next Bond movie. Stunning.”

He held his hand out and led them a short distance to the elevators. Gloria turned to him before they got in. “There is always the bad girl in the Bond movies. Which one for that?”

129 Without hesitation, he politely said, “I rather thought that would be the role you would be suited for.”

They got in the elevator. Gloria asked T if he wanted to be shaken or stirred. That led to an active debate if James Bond, as written in the books of Ian Fleming, was morally good or bad. T listened to all the debate and stayed out of it on the elevator ride up. As the elevator stopped, they all looked at him and asked what he thought. “Good or bad?” He didn’t hesitate.

“Neither. Blunt instrument. He just does the job.”

They all nodded at the same time, realizing that T really was very much like Bond. He just did what was needed without letting emotions get in the way.

As they entered the penthouse apartment, April ran from window to window, able to see all of New York. It was only her second visit to a big city. Heather joined her. They pointed out famous buildings and looked at the new World Trade Center. She hoped they’d have time to visit the fountains that were the memorial where the original towers stood. Gloria came and stood behind them. She said she liked it best at night. No crowds and lit up made it more inspirational. April turned to her and asked, “You would know what really happened. Who was behind it?”

Gloria looked at her with surprise. “Like, hello? Who did the lug throw out of the plane? He’s behind it all. And minions carrying out his wishes. The Bond thing about T? He’s right. He doesn’t care who. He would have only cared about stopping it.”

T was watching and listening. “That is correct. Think about what Elsa is planning. It could kill a thousand times more people than the Towers. He was showing off. Showing he can do what he wants. So, we’re all here to stop an even bigger tragedy. But I’m not talking about just the devil grass. That’s just a small part of our job.”

He headed over to the living room and all joined him. Heather was deep in thought. “What more? I have an idea, but I didn’t want to speak for you.”

T gave his sad smile. “I think you’ll explain it better than me. Please, your thoughts…”

Looking at Gloria and April, she shrugged. “We are not even humans. We radiate the glory of the divine. We are beautiful because the divinity inside of us. We don’t need makeup or hair color. I believe every person alive has that same beauty inside. The demon, he’s good at making people ashamed of themselves. Isn’t that what the tree in the garden granted. Shame? Embarrassed of our naked bodies. To rouse a man, a woman learned to paint her face for fear of not being attractive. The devil hit people where it hurt most. Their appearance and fertility. And it’s never stopped. 130 Elsa knows that very well. She’s using the beauty and fashion world not just to create pandemonium, it’s to remind people they need to paint themselves. Now, she will use that to make it warpaint. And she is planning to be the most beautiful and glamorous woman. An ideal no woman could match, that men would compare them to. It’s impact would touch those who never used her devil leaf products. They’ve bought the souls of the leaders of those industries to perpetuate it far behind what was lost in the Garden.”

Standing up, T looked at them each. “And we will stop that. She’s willful. Losing dominion over Leigh will not put a dent in her plan. She may not poison the cosmetics, but she will attempt to control the importance of attraction.”

Gloria stood up, arching her back and swinging both arms behind her thrusting out her breasts to accentuate her shape, glancing to see if it would excite T. “She’s the one who can’t get T, so that’s what’s causing all of this. It’s her own inability to get any man she wants. She just doesn’t get that T’s a lug, not a human. And that makes it worse. Humans are easy prey. Real conquest is T boy here. And she knows she can’t measure up to any of us, let alone all of us, so she’s gone off her rails. She’s a heat seeking missile, and Dude, you’re the target. I don’t think we can change that. Sorry big guy, sorry April. It’s not just that we can’t stop what she’s up to right now, it’s that she’s never going to give up.”

April held T’s hand, lovingly. “Then we never give up, and the lug will never give in. I’m not happy with this as his bride to be. It’s interfering with our wedding plans. Now, T, please don’t take this the wrong way, okay? So, Gloria, I can’t believe that in all the heavens that there’s not someone she’d be just as hot for? I know the angel part is a big win for her, but is there anyone? You’ve been here since almost the beginning. She was hung up on Scorpio. Any other late-night reel-them-in demons to light her fire you can think of?”

Gloria had put her arms back and was sitting on the arm of Heather’s chair.

“In addition to pleats, that’s a good idea. I must admit I hadn’t thought of that. We’d have to do it where she finds him, and not like a blind date or anything. Let’s see if pops is free.” Gloria looked upward, and then smiled at them all. “He’ll join us in a few minutes. Finishing a sword sharpening class. So, woah, we haven’t even had a drink or snack. I know he’ll enjoy some. There was a knock on the elevator foyer. Gloria got up and opened the door. A room service waiter brought in a large cart of New York deli treats including cheesecake and blintzes for the Ukrainian in the room. Potato latkes and salmon were abundant, along with cream soda and assorted drinks. She told the waiter to add $100 for himself compliments of the big dude.

As he left, everyone realized that Michael was there forking some latkes with at least a pound of sour cream. He said hello to everyone with affection. 131 He looked a bit unkempt. Gloria asked him what all that fuzz on his face was. He chuckled. “First it was April causing the use of pleated robes and pixie cuts. Now just about all the guys are touting stubbles. It’s out of control.”

Gloria looked at him with a reprimand. “And there you are with a T-style stubble!”

They all laughed, and Michael laughed the loudest. As they ate away, he explained that he had heard the little one’s idea, and thought it promising. He poured cream soda into an elegant crystal glass and sat back.

“I had a short talk with Michael, who you know as Scorpio, and asked him if he would be interested in a little demon action. He actually is both a demon and an angel now. That would be pretty close to the bragging rights she wants. I didn’t command him as that would be most unfair. He’s worried she might have more power than he can handle right now. I left it at that. I did explain in this case he’d be doing battle, not having demon sex. That put a gleam in his eye.”

April had been on the edge of the couch, obviously anxious to speak. Michael turned to her. “First, I want to tell you how much I admired you meeting your actual father and dealing with the shock and emotions that come with that. By the look in your eyes, I can tell you are just biding your time. Please, tell me what’s on your mind…”

April was normally all smiles. When she was upset or serious, she also revealed that in her appearance. She was matter of fact and still stunning without a smile.

“Michael, I’m used to answers. When I was a research librarian, if presented with a question, no matter how obscure, I found the answer. That part of me has not changed. I am new to the heavens and how things work, but I pay attention. When Lucifer was in the jet, Gloria instantly was at the ready with what she referred to as the sword of divinity. Talking to her later, she explained that it was a holy weapon forged by God for Adam to cut grasses and tree limbs. It was made before the fall. As such, it has the ability to destroy Lucifer just as it would have before he tempted the children. It’s the only weapon that can harm him. Is that all correctly stated?”

Nodding, Michael said it was so, and it was now in the possession of Gloria. He said there were only certain circumstances where it could be drawn, and only used in very limited circumstances. It was the only thing Lucifer feared.

Wheels were turning in April’s head. “Elsa came long after the fall. So, swords made before her would likewise be weapons that could destroy her. Would that be so?”

Michael leaned back. “Yes, there are a number of swords that could cut her down. That is not our way. We fight with right, with example. Our victory is not only stopping evil, but also prevailing and having them turn away.” 132 Sitting still, April nodded. “Okay. You are the warrior who used such weapons to cast out the unholy and send them to their hell. But, faced with the loss of millions of lives, you don’t draw a sword to stop that? I’m sure you have a reason, but Michael, I don’t. Elsa is out to hurt T by making him sin. I am his bride. His bride, Michael. I will not allow that. She is out to harm the children of Earth, for that reason only. That can not be. You are Satan’s brother. I am his daughter. He defiled my mother. Now, he will allow his daughter, my sister, to defile T. I think that as the daughter of a rapist and one he attempted to rape; I have every right to stop Elsa any way I see fit. I will do what you can not. I will strike her down and put an end to her. I ask for a sword that can destroy her. I will use it without provocation. She has already committed the acts. I’m here to avenge. Please give me the sword. I have need of it.”

The room was silent. All were in awe. It was understood that the battle would be between April and Elsa. Nobody expected the certainty of her determination. Michel sat with his head down. All knew he was communing with the Father. Many minutes passed and then he raised his head and looked at April.

‘You have been so hurt. Are you sure of this? My brother will come after both you and T if you destroy Elsa.”

“I have my Guardian. So does T. And she has the sword to strike him down if we are touched. I am certain. I will offer her a chance to leave. If she does not, then I use the sword. It stops. Today.”

Gloria looked at T. “Dude. I thought you were tough. I think she just waved at you passing by in a Carrera. I’ll protect you guys from my uncle, but he will have it out for you. April, from my soul to yours if I could do this for you, I would. I have rules you don’t. But I’ll be there behind you. If she hurts you, then I can act.

April went and hugged her. She turned to Michael. He nodded. “Give her the chance to leave. It must be forever. If she once says no, the sword will be in your hand. It will not miss. It will obey your will. If anyone defends her or comes between you, it will destroy them. You will have the sword of anarchy. It was made to bring order to the world.”

April thanked him, and the smile returned to her face. She looked at at orange sausage-shaped tubes in a clear gravy. She looked at T. “What are those?” He took one and put it on her plate and ladled a lot of the broth on it.

“Well, if you’re Ukrainian, it’s probably the dish you ate the most. Here, they call it Kishke, we Ukes say kuwka, but a little hard to say that in English. It’s just peasant food, a sausage. Some have meat, but this is vegetable with rendered chicken fat. Lots of paprika makes it orange. It’s delicious so dig in.”

133 April scooped filling out of the casing and her eyes widened. “And in America we eat Velveeta, Miracle Whip and Wonder Bread. All this food is incredible. Why isn’t it a big deal here?”

T took one for himself. “Like I said, peasant food, bad memories. Leaving the old life behind. Society here frowned on immigrant anything. Very sad. I used to make them. I know how.”

Michael had two on his plate. “These aren’t exactly the peasant version full of matzah bread. These are gourmet variety. I’m not complaining, though. So, T, why were you a cook?”

T stopped and looked at April, then the rest. “It may sound silly, but it makes sense to me. My mother was a great cook. Always cooking something and taught me how too. She was in the middle of making dinner when her pimp came and dragged her to the basement and started beating her. That’s when I went at him and died when he threw me against the wall. I remember waking up. The first thing I asked was did she finish making the dinner. Cooking meant so much to her. I was told, no, it had all burned and almost set the apartment on fire. I think I became a cook to finish making that meal for her.”

Tears streamed from April’s eyes, and T knew Michael already knew the reason. He just wanted April to understand. T operated from a sense of right, no matter how much it took to get there. T continued.

“When I first saw, uh, well, I mean when I first met Gloria, she was protecting April from the demon Anin who conjured my mother to tempt me. I still don’t know if my mother is in the dark, or the light. I’m not asking. She is where she needs to be. I can’t change that. It’s more if Anin made her up.”

Michael was wiping his little stubble of a beard as he was done with eating. “T, demons are deceivers. She is especially crude and vile. Either way, it was an illusion. Your mother is a good soul. Children talk of a place called purgatory. When children make mistakes, and aren’t serving my brother, they go to a garden and think things through. When they realize a mistake, a bad choice, is all that happened, they leave. It takes a long rime. Reliving every moment, every thought. It’s for them. My father forgives them and let’s them find peace. There are no gates or walls. They leave when they are at peace. Your mother isn’t suffering. She needs to figure out how she let that happen to you. And lying to you about her tattoo. She still has it. When she finds her answer, it will be gone.”

T sat still, then nodded. He looked at April and smiled. “That’s a lot better than what I thought. I’m okay with that. She was troubled, and that will ease her mind.”

134 April managed a smile. She squeezed his hand then held on to it. She looked up at everyone. “A big night. I can’t wait to see all the fancy clothes and big shots. I’m just a Bartlett girl, so this is a big deal for me!”

Gloria was standing with her arms crossed. “Yep. Just a small-town girl. None of you, well, except for pops here, knows I’m just a small-town girl too. April, we’ll always be that.”

Heather was lost. “I don’t get it. You’ve always been an angel. How can you be from a small town?”

Laughing, Gloria explained. “Do you think humans actually figured out houses and carts and towns and cities? Divine inspiration. They were rummaging in the forest eating droppings. We gave them a few visits, made a few suggestions. Drew a circle in the dirt. All of this was based on how Angels live. Michael and I live in a little place, in a very small village. Just us and a few choir members. Later, a couple of saints. Yep, I was raised in a small town. I know how April feels. I remember my first visit to a big den of vice city. Sodom. Pops and I were sent to find decent souls. We really couldn’t find any, not even those trashy daughters. I was kinda new, and somehow knocked over an oil lamp and the place went up in flames. Dad shouted to that Lot idiot and his wife who ran off not to look back. She did. Others fled to Gomorrah and torched it too. I didn’t get to go to a dance or tempt the sinners or anything.”

Heather was in awe. “So how come the Bible makes it sound so noble of Lot and him trying to strike a bargain to save the city?”

Gloria looked at Michael. She let him explain. “Lot had invested in real estate. That’s all. The people had to tell it where they looked good, but they knew every gate to the cities. Pure PR.”

Lights started twinkling from the windows, and the city was beautiful at night. Even Gloria stood and admired the display. They were like children looking in a toy store window. Michael walked up and asked if they were ready to leave. April pointed out they needed to get dressed. Gloria smiled and backed up.

“We are.”

Everyone had on their evening clothes, and their hair was styled, and T was dashing in his Armani suit. Gloria was elegant in her white gown but had obviously surrendered the night to Heather and April, with April in her gown of starlight beyond description. She had never worn anything quite so form fitting, and in a rare moment, Gloria, looking at April, like a little girl stomped one foot and at the same moment called out, “Daddy!” in hurt dismay. It was probably the first time she saw someone look more beautiful than her. It was a shock. 135 Michael stood beside her, holding her. “My sweet. This is how it feels for any who look at you. Wonderful, isn’t it?”

“Dad, it’s, well, she is starlight. I’ve never seen anything like it, but you’re right. It’s wonderful. April, please forgive my reaction. I’m in awe. You’re like looking into the universe. I didn’t know how amazing it would be. It’s nice to know I can still surprise myself.”

T stood, pulling here and there to get his suit comfortable. “You each are beautiful. I will admit I’ve never seen pleats hug, well, so snugly.”

April and Gloria each let out a gasp. Gloria managed to gain her composure. “April. It happened. He called us all beautiful...”

Heather didn’t quite understand, and April told her she’d explain it later. Then Heather went to a mirror. Her dress shone like a ruby. “T, this dress couldn’t be shorter… or lower cut. Aren’t you the one who said I need to get out of the tight dresses and glass desk?” She was admiring herself as she spoke. He nodded.

“Yes, I did, and that hasn’t changed. I didn’t pick out the wardrobe. Tell it to the snow queen over there.”

Gloria nodded her head. “Yep. The goal was to take all eyes off of Elsa and Leigh, and sweet Heather has so much to look at. I think you can lighten up on the ‘I’m the righteous dude’ bit to get at Elsa. You have to admit, like buttercups would say, look up ‘hot’ in the dictionary and it would have a picture of Heather in that dress.”

T knew he couldn’t win, and simply said, “Well, it’s time to go. One good thing, the way you all look, at least I won’t be noticed.” Gloria pretended to whisper to April, quite loudly, ”Didn’t you tell him most all of those fashion and cosmetic guys are gay? He’s going to be Belle of the ball…”

136 31

Smiling with a somewhat sinister grin, Elsa asked Anin, now in the body of T’s old friend Jen, how she liked looking 30 again. Jen was standing in front of the mirror in Elsa’s apartment. She nodded. She was naked and couldn’t find any flaws or blemishes.

“It’s nice, but Jen was never an attractive woman. You’ve made improvements on the body, but this face is not much of an improvement.” Elsa nodded in agreement.

“You sure are right about that. It’s just so plain. The wild red hair helps. We’ll use some war paint to fix you up. Something radical. And lots of it.” Elsa sat her down and started waving her hand and makeup started covering Jen’s homely face. When she was finished, Jen looked more like a cheap hooker than fashion model. They both stared at the mirror. Elsa waved her hand and the makeup vanished. Elsa stood thinking.

“Anin, this isn’t about looking great. It’s about letting T know I’ve brought you with. That you’ve taken Jen’s body. That you’re back. Let’s leave you plain. Still young, but looking like Jen when they first met.” Anin nodded.

“If you want to distract or upset him, this should do the trick. But, if that’s the case, why not leave me old. No need for the young body. I think it will rile him more to know I’m using Jen to recruit the teen twats. We can have me be what I am everyday, anyway. Be your cosmetic formulator. That’s how I get the girls drugged. With lipstick.”

Nodding in agreement, she smiled. “That is good. It explains why you’re there to everyone else. You’ve been using cosmetics to ruin lives and know the language. Okay, back to your 60s.” Anin was back where they started, but her hair was nicely styled, and her dress was at least expensive looking.

“Anin, just upset him. Rile him good. Don’t try to fight him or tempt him. He’s not the same as your last meeting. He’s aware of his powers, and he will never fear you. Just let him know you’re working with me on the cosmetic line. That you’ve enjoyed greeting all the young girls at the Betterment school. While you’re doing that, I’ll be working the press and collecting souls. After the show, have a feast with the models if you want. That will be a nice reward.”

Elsa stood in front of the mirror and got ready. She had decided on being wrapped skintight in aged gauze from her neck to her ankles, as if a mummy being prepared for embalming. The strips of gauze were about four inches wide, and the effect was stunning. She tied her hair back as if she had just come from a village near the Nile. 137 Her lips were ruby red, with extreme makeup overall, looking gaunt with heavy shadows under her high cheekbones, and gray eye shadow. She laughed.

“Within a week every store will be sold out of gauze and ace bandages once this hits Instagram and goes viral. Good. It really hugs my ass perfectly, though. Very monochrome scheme. Ohhh, and this as the finishing touch.” She shook her head, and two rams’ horns topped her head through the gauze tying back her hair. They curved to match the shape of her head.

Anin looked with amazement. “I remember that. That’s how they wrapped up Nefretetti when there buried her alive. I don’t remember what the horns were about…”

Elsa admired them. “Oh, I was there. Amenhotep was such an easy lay. I think he fucked some sheep and proclaimed the animal a better fuck than her, so even though she outlived him and her husband, that jerk, puny Tut, remembered correctly, and ordered her to be buried with horns in prayer she was at least as good a fuck as a goat or ram in the afterlife. I found that touching. She did contribute to the beauty world, though. She had all her hair waxed off and was always utterly naked. Invented new religions every week. Crazy, but good looking. It’s when and where Scorpio and I first ignited. I wore virtually the same outfit for him.”

Anin laughed. “Good times. I miss all that. You seemed to have a good run. You were always with her, if I recall. Was the pharaoh right about her?”

Elsa grinned. “My, no. She was marvelous. She had six daughters and that’s just a sob story he used to get blowjobs from them. With a bit of help from me, she never aged. She used to coat herself in honey for me and she was the original queen bee. She’d fuck attendants daily then delight as they were dismembered afterwards. Anyway, like you said. Good times. Fond memories, but it’s time to go. When we walk out the front door, we’ll be entering the ballroom. No parlor tricks or I’ll deny you any treats later.”

138 32

Amber was on a laptop viewing a live stream of the Beauty Ball from New York. She loved keeping up on trends and seeing how stupid most of the styles were. She let out a shout, and Frank dropped his drill and came running.

“What happened? Are you okay?” He was panting. She just pointed to the screen and the live stream. Frank bent over and looked. He had to sit down. Then he took another look.

“Amber, did you know about this?” She shook her head. “I watch this every year. I had no idea they’d be there. They are the only thing reporters are talking about. That’s April and Gloria, of course T, but I don’t know who the other man is or who the hottie in the red napkin of a dress is…”

Frank used a remote control and switched the video to a 100” monitor across the room. They both rolled up chairs and were mesmerized. Frank looked at Amber and nodded to the screen. “I don’t know the man, but the woman in the red dress is Heather. She worked for me, and you have her job now. I don’t recall ever seeing her dressed that way.”

Leaning in for an even closer look, Amber stared then looked back at Frank. “Well, she’s with angels, so looking like that, I guess she’s an angel too. Frank, look at April! She’s like a disco ball. The whole place has reflections of light off her dress. And look at her. It’s skin-tight and our little April is as hot as Gloria. Everyone is staring at her. They can’t take their eyes off her. Oh, look. There’s a shot of Gloria. She’s so pretty in that simple white dress. She’s letting April get all the attention. Wow, a closeup of Heather. That’s not a dress, that’s a red rubber band. Wow, she is stacked. I’m not going to say anything catty. I know you liked her. And you never had a piece of that?”

Frank shook his head with his eyes glued to the screen. “No. That’s not me. I know she was hot for T, though.”

Amber looked at him. “Who isn’t? I still am. I thought it was some sort of spell, but it’s not. He saved me, treated me like a human being. He’s my friend. I would guess Heather went through that too. With a bod like that you’re just a piece of ass to every guy. Then T comes along and there’s none of that. And look why. Look at April. He can’t see anyone but her. You know T’s the best. Jealous?”

He had a sad smile. “I thought I was for a short time. It turned out I was upset that Janet was not what I thought. She was a minion of a demon. And T, he has April, and she has nothing to do with demons. She’s an angel. I envied that, not T.”

139 Amber felt his honesty, and Frank looked a bit embarrassed. She patted his hand, then squeezed it, and they both looked at the screen and let out a gasp. The show cut to a woman dressed like a mummy from ancient Egypt. She was walking with an elderly woman who looked out of place. Amber just sat with her eyes wide open. She finally was able to speak.

“Oh my God, Frank. This explains everything. Do you know who the mummy babe is?”

He was fixed on her. “She looks familiar, but no, I don’t know who she is.”

Amber stood up and was visibly shaken and upset. “Frank. She was a lawyer right here in this office. That’s Elsa. She was my lawyer, but that was just a cover. She’s a bitch demon from hell. I thought she was cast back to hell by Gloria. She wasn’t. They’re there to deal with her. And look at her. Radiating evil. I must admit, she’s hot. Wow, this is amazing. Ooohh. Turn up the volume. They’ve going to interview her.”

Reaching for the controller, he adjusted the volume. The reporter had just started talking to Elsa.

“What a night for stunning attire. Thank you for talking with us. The stunning beauties from Titan don’t grant interviews…” Elsa was regal in her manner. . “Perhaps they’re shy. One so seldom sees them. But, darling, I’m not shy at all. I’m happy to speak to you.”

Elsa was arching her back and thrusting her breasts upwards. The reporter stared, then regained his composure. “Thank you. First, your wardrobe. Not only is it stunning, but it’s also that you look so at home in it. What is the inspiration behind it?”

“Dear, isn’t it obvious. Makeup, as we know it, has its origins with the goddesses of ancient Egypt. Everything we use today was created there. And it was all natural, from plants. I’m just honoring the woman who inspired beauty as we know it with this outfit, and with my new line of Master cosmetics. I’m going to share a secret with you, but only if it’s between us. I came into possession of scrolls from that time containing all the ingredients and techniques used by Nefertiti’s courtier. I’m bringing the same beauty products used by beauties such as Cleopatra to market for the first time ever. The women of Egyptian royalty had immense power because they used their beauty wisely.”

The reporter was shocked. He stumbled a bit, then asked, “As I said, you look

140 stunning. You’re makeup is so different than what we’ve known. Do you find it attracts men better than other makeup?”

Elsa smiled. “There is no man that can resist me. That’s why I call it Master. All are slaves to this beauty, just as all men in Egypt were slaves to Nefertiti. My message is simple. Women, use Master and you will be one.”

Elsa smiled and walked to talk to other members of the press to have her picture taken by dozens of reporters.

Frank pressed the mute button and stared at Amber. “That was wild. I assume that T and company are there to stop whatever it is she is really up to.”

Amber nodded. “Definitely. She’s talking about makeup that would give women complete power over any man. And I don’t know if you caught the most important thing she said. She said no ‘man’ could resist her. She clearly wants to have T. T is no man.”

141 142 33

After a long walk, being hounded by scores of press and beauty executives, April, Heather and Gloria had made a stunning entrance, and all eyes were glued to them even as they sat at the table. Gloria was used to being looked at when she chose, but it was both nerve wracking and exciting for April and Heather. Gloria had instructed them to not react in the least to all the attention, which was hard to do, but they managed it. T and Michael, both looking aristocratic and superior, followed along as if on a walk to the corner deli, and paid no attention to the gathering throngs of media. After holding the chairs for their companions, they likewise took their seats. The whole ballroom was being lit as with stars from April’s dress. Reporters and video cameras were aimed at them, but the area they sat at was roped off and manned by some burly looking waitstaff.

After a short time, Gloria looked up to where they had entered. “So, it begins. You have to admit it, she’s all-in on this one.” They all acted disinterested, but it was hard not to notice Elsa in her mummy wrap. April took on a serious expression. T showed no reaction after a glance. Heather didn’t know what to make of the look as she couldn’t hear Elsa talking about it. Michael leaned forward and spoke to them where they heard him in their heads, but he made no sound.

“Well, now we know. She’s dressed that way not only to get attention, but to make it known to us she’s found devil’s grass. It’s what gave Egyptian women unusual control and power. It’s a mind-altering plant and she’s planning on getting it into cosmetics. Very devious, but, what else could she be? I’ll have some of my team look for any shipments. I assume they are on the way here for the manufacturers. She’s calling in souls tonight to do her bidding. The leaves will have no effect on any of us, but in an hour this place may turn into a horror movie if she’s gotten any into the food.”

April looked at him. Using her thoughts, she said she doubted Elsa would let the cat out of the bag yet. At that moment, a matronly woman approached the table.

“Hello to you all. I do believe we are joining you.” She sat in the seat originally planned for Leigh. Gloria looked at T, T at Gloria. T spoke first. “So, Anin, should we call you Nina, Jen or Anin?”

Anin smiled. “Jen. After all, I am using her body. Just a little henna to make me feel at home. Gloria, why, how stunning. The last time I saw you, you were, what? Licking my pussy? I miss that. And you!” She stared deep into April’s eyes. “Oh, I get it now. Gloria was shielding you from me by doing such incredible things to me. I missed you completely. T has a bride, and you’re the brass ring. Well, there’s always the future for us to get to know each other. And you, I’d say you’re a devil in a red

143 dress, but I know you’re all angels. And T. You let Dan blow me up. I thought you were a gentleman and would have stopped him.”

She laughed at him. T sat calmly. “He just beat me to it. Do you think I’m going to let you use use Jen’s position to prey on girls after tonight?”

She shook her head. “If not Jen, someone else. It’s no difference to me. The bodies go, I remain. I took this one to upset you. I’ll let you in on a secret. Jen was as bad as me. She preyed on the girls and fed them to me. You know that now. And all because you broke her heart waiting for this little thing. I don’t blame you. She is incredible…”

Ignoring her attempts to incite him, T asked what she was doing at the show with Elsa. She looked at him with a surprised expression.

“Filling in for Leigh. If you recall I am handy formulating mind altering cosmetics. Helping collect the damned. Reminding you of how you lost Janet, Leigh, and even Jen. I guess I’m just having a look at your lovely, thinking about how to get a taste of her…”

She leaned back and looked at Michael. “How is it that through an eternity, we’ve never met?”

Michael smiled at her, and chuckled. “That would still be the case if Elsa weren’t here. I’m not here because of you. You’re a very minor demon, and I have guardians in training to learn from dealing with nuisances like you.”

She looked over at Gloria. “That makes sense, but why send your daughter, the real guardian now, to deal with me? I mean if I’m so unimportant.”

Looking innocently at her, Gloria laughed. “T was in training. He could have been battling a slow-moving turtle and I’d have been there. It had nothing to do with you. I mean, c’mon. Dredging up his mom? Offering him a hot babe? Not exactly things to write a book about.”

Just as she finished speaking, Elsa walked up to the table, and remained standing. She smiled at them all.

“April, that truly is a great dress. Wow! And you don’t even need it to be the main attraction. Genuine beauty really has never been seen here before. And Heather. I’d see you at the office and knew you were hot, but woah! That dress does you proud. And you’re an angel, and I didn’t know it. Rockin’ hot, still human at the time, and I just missed it completely. But that’s your power, I guess...”

144 She sat down. She looked Michael in the eyes. “Oh, sweetheart. Till this day you can still have all of me. I’ve got a thing for men of power. I can sneak in past the pearly gates. Oh, and have Scorpio there too. We’d light up the heavens. But you simply refuse to give yourself pleasure. What’s a poor girl to do?”

She looked at Gloria. “My, my. Shouldn’t you be off posing for statues or cleaning up the hovel? Or is it you just want so badly to be next to T? I’ll trade places with you if not. I want to be next to him. I really do. And T. My heartbreaker. I ask for so little. And, if I get it, I won’t be all upset and so all the nasty things I have planned will just fall by the wayside. Millions of souls saved while we embrace ecstasy. All up to you.”

She sat smugly and lifted a glass of water. “Some things are pure, and simple. I’m not.”

April gave her a full smile. “I beg to differ. Your goal is simple. You’re going to harm millions of people to get what you want. T. And, simple as well, you know angels like Gloria and Michael will not stop you until you do, and then, only cast you back to hell. At some time, you’ll be out to do it all again. Did I get anything wrong?”

Nodding her head slowly, she agreed all was as said. April put one hand on T’s arm. “All for this big lug? Is it really attraction, or just to corrupt him?”

Again, Elsa agreed, saying it was both. April put her head on his shoulder. “How does it feel that a little fairy tale nymph like me has everything you want, but you can’t have?”

Elsa leaned forward over the table and looked April in the eyes. Then she backed up. She just sat looking at April. She turned to Anin. “Well, I’m sure we’ve been upstaged. Not that it matters. My message has gone out to millions, and there’s no stopping the power of the Master.”

April spoke to interrupt her. “Elsa, you know that we are related?’

“Really, dear, you must be dazed and confused by starlight. I was looking at your eyes. They have a familiar look. But related? Only if your mom meant anything to him. She didn’t. Now, it’s been delightful seeing you all, but I have business to tend to.”

April calmly said, “Stay seated. Your father raped my mother, so, what does that make us? And what does that make me?”

Elsa tried to get up but found she couldn’t. She swung her head round and faced April. Her eyes changed from brown to a fire. She was seething.”

145 T stood up, facing Elsa. “You finally are figuring it out. April is the daughter of Satan. She is also an angel. She has full power over you. Tonight, you have a choice. Leave, for all time, or April will strike you down for eternity. You’ll cease to exist.”

Time literally stood still. The only movement was at their table. All others at the Ball were frozen. Elsa was thinking. She decided to talk.

“Not knowing what to expect, I took a few precautions. New York has had a few tragedies of late, but not quite like what I will unleash. So, speaking of unleashing, I’d appreciate April allowing me to get up and leave as I was planning.”

April nodded, and Elsa was able to stand. “Thank you. Good decision. “

April stood at the same time. She looked at Michael, who gave a sad nod. April walked around the table and stood facing Elsa and Anin.

“T gave you two options. Do you see what is in my right hand?”

Elsa laughed at her. “Is that something I’m supposed to fear? Is that a threat?”

April swung the sword and it cut through both Elsa and Anin. In the same instant. All that remained was a pile of gauze, horns, and a rather large dress. April stood looking at the remains. She cut through them with the sword, and they vanished. Likewise, the sword was gone from her hand. Suddenly the room was alive, full of normal hustle and bustle. April went and sat down. She nodded at Michael, then Gloria. T put his arm around her. April was calm and asked when they thought dinner would be served.

After the dinner, they headed back to the Titan penthouse. Finally, Michael spoke about what happened.

“Earlier, I said my brother was not going to be happy about this. That he would take action. I feel him coming.”

There was a knock on the door. It opened gently. There was Lucifer in evening jacket and with a woman, pretty, but not glamorous. As the door opened, Gloria again was in full striking posture with the blade that could smote him, and this time she was in full battle amour and had her enormous wings fully spread. Lucifer nodded at her.

“You are a sight to behold. Luckily for all I am retaining my human guise. No horns or scales. No deals or contracts. You won’t need your sword, but I know you’ll use it if needed. That would change all creation, wouldn’t it? But not tonight. I’m here to speak to April.”

146 Still in her dress of stars, Lucifer looked at her as she approached him. “I must correct what I said. Both you and Gloria are a sight to behold. You are wearing the heavens. Stunning. I realize such sights have distracted me. All of you, this is my flame. Her name is hard to say in human, so just call her El. She knows who all of you are. El, why not join Michael on the couch while I talk to my daughter?”

April was stone cold. “Because you raped a human woman doesn’t make you my father. My father is the one who raised me and loved me. Never call me that again.”

The room was completely silent, and all gazes were fixed on the two.

“Well, April, then. It’s a beautiful name that describes you perfectly. Just as Gloria’s suits her. As I said, I wanted to speak with you. I am not going to retaliate against you or the man you love for vanquishing Elsa. She was truly looking for love, and that was not something I could condone or sway her from. It was her undoing. Perhaps, a choice. I’m not foolish enough to battle you and Gloria, anyway.”

April had not changed her expression. “Some supreme being… I wasn’t worried about that, and never will be. You’re a coward. Even schoolchildren here know that. So, why are you here?”

He smiled, and his smile was engaging. “Well, I thought we could all enjoy the show. This building has a wonderful view, and I’m protecting it. Elsa told you she had made a contingency plan should anything go wrong. She was not one for idle threats. We’re about to see her farewell gift to you, April.”

He walked to the window, and all joined him there except for Gloria who remained at full alert moving alongside him. As they reached the windows, all of New York around them began sinking into the ground. From the smallest deli to the new World Trade Center, all of New York sunk into a fiery pit. It happened so fast all that could be seen were flames and smoke rising into the sky.

Lucifer looked at Gloria. “You’ve seen this back at Sodom. I think this really tops that. A beautiful sight, at least for me.” Turning to April, “Well, you warned her, and she warned you. Such willful souls. When we are all on our way, this building will be consumed. You’re all angels, just will yourself home. El and I wish you a pleasant journey.” He raised his hand, and they were gone.

147 148 34

Gloria’s wings enveloped all of them. When she unfurled them, they were back at T and April’s house and everyone was back in their normal clothes, including Gloria.

Michael knew that except for Gloria the rest were still in shock. What happened was beyond imagination. He asked them all to be seated in the living room, and they slowly walked to the couch. Gloria remained standing by Michael’s side. He waited a bit and then spoke.

“Old adages have truth. Tonight, in a profound way, the adage ‘the lesser of two evils’ is appropriate. In each evil was the will of Elsa. One evil was destroying hundreds of millions with her devil grass in cosmetics. If she couldn’t get her way, she arranged for the destruction of Manhattan and over ten million children. It may be hard to embrace, but April did the right thing. She recognized the lessor of two evils. Above all, she destroyed Elsa, keeping her from doing such evil forevermore. There was no winning. Elsa was bent on showing T her hurt, and spoiled with such great power, she knew no restraint. April, none of this is your fault. You saved souls with your action, and I must admit the way you dealt with my brother was like no one has before. You truly have power to fight the devil.“

April was being held by T. “What happened is as you said. Elsa did that, and it was my job to vanquish her. I should be feeling it’s all my fault, but it wasn’t. It was horrible, though. Beyond comprehension. I am upset at your brother. He knew what was coming, and had the power to stop it, correct?”

Michael looked perturbed. “The power to alter events? Yes. The desire to? Absolutely not. He is a fallen Angel. He saw it all differently. It was a victory to him. Only time will teach this to you all. But, again, April, are you okay?”

She looked at T. “I don’t know if I can comprehend the magnitude of all that were killed right now. I know they have a home that awaits them, and that’s the only thing giving me comfort. To the point, was it my fault? No. It was hers, and your bothers for his need to harm those in the light. I appreciate your concern.” T looked at her and nodded his understanding and then smiled. He gave her a sweet kiss.

T looked at Gloria. “It’s morning already. How would you like to help me get Aleks, and our favorite bagel breakfast? I’m sure he’ll be thinking we went down in the destruction and he enjoys seeing you.”

“A chance to ride with the dude?” Gloria smiled and did her singsong. “He loves me, he wants to hug me, he wants to buy bagels with me…” T asked everyone what they wanted. Being new to the ritual, and remembering Earth Angels could eat all 149 they want, Heather had quite a list. T and Gloria went to the garage and got in the Navigator. He dialed Aleks, who sounded greatly concerned, and T explained he was a guest for breakfast, and they would be getting him soon. As they pulled out, Gloria held out her hand, and T took it in his as they drove along.

“T, if April had never come into being, I would have wanted to be your bride. I watch you with April, and I am always touched by how much you love her. Last night showed it, how much faith you have in her. She faced Satan himself and you didn’t interfere. You do that with me, which I know is easy because I’m the winged wonder, but you do that with her too. I know you’d have jumped him if needed. I want you to know you are loved not just as a fellow angel, but also with my secret love.”

He continued to hold her hand as they neared Aleks’ apartment. “Thank you for everything you said. I can’t lie, ever. My love for you is the same. It’s deeper than admiration. I feel close and welcome with you. So, we have a special love and bond. Is that okay?”

Gloria leaned over when the car stopped. “T, it’s a gift from the Father, and that makes it okay. But I think it best for me not to tell my dad, and for you to not worry April with it. She still has human hurts, and this is something amazing we share. It makes me feel honored to be loved by you that way — and that you are attracted to me as I am to you. My secret love. My first love in all of eternity.”

She leaned over and gave him a kiss that was as intense as an explosion and he didn’t know what to do. She kept her mouth gently over his. “That is a gift from a flower to the garden.”

T felt emotions he never had before. He guessed it was the same for her. “Same here. But it will not go farther. It can’t.”

She nodded with a resignation that clearly said, “I know.” as Aleks was coming down the stairs. He got in the backseat. He asked if they were okay.

Gloria turned and smiled. “Very much. I don’t know about you, but lately I’m always hungry.”

150 Epilogue

Rivers continue to head for the sea. Their course is dictated by nature, as are the desires and failings of people. We embark on a course that we never planned. We flow with the current and run calmly, face rapids, twist and turn, cascade over falls. But we do not dictate the direction.

Some are lucky and find respite in a lake. The waters are still, and for a time, they enjoy stability and peace. Like a soccer mom, a doting grandfather, a newlywed couple in their first house, we believe we have reached our destination and will stay there. In time, all changes. Lakes are fed by streams and rivers, and in turn feed other streams and rivers. There is no stopping the river of life. It simply carries you away, and the sea is death.

We cling to every tributary, every rock, hope a damm will be in the path. We fear the destination. Is it heaven, hell, nothing at all, or something no person has yet to imagine? It matters little, as it will be whatever it is. We have no choice. Well, not much of one.

If there is a heaven and a hell, it is best to live a good life as that would allow us to find peace. Lead a bad life and hell will welcome you. If there is nothing, then what you did doesn’t matter. As we move forward in an ever more Godless world, people don’t care much as they don’t think there is a life after this. With no price to pay, they can do whatever they please. Look around. Each day the morals we worshiped are eroding like rocks on the shore of the rivers.

So, as we intuitively seem to be aware that there is a God and a devil, and they wage a battle for our souls in their sea, what would be the evilest act of the devil? It would be to erode and steal our faith in life beyond this one. And his sea is a vast dessert. When we reach it, we soak into the soil or evaporate. He consumes what we are and hopes the rivers will extinguish the fire of his pain. It never has, and never will.

If we are on the river to heaven or hell, we can’t see the destination. The river is our life. The water our soul. Our beliefs and faith? The great divide.

151 152 The Battle Never Ends

This book completes the saga of T, April and all the angels and demons. This series may be ending, but the struggle to resist the opening of doors to evil remains and will never end.

These books are fables. Like all fables, the story has a moral. This one celebrates that we have a choice in life. Free will. In any situation, we know what is right or wrong. We know good, and we know bad. That is a gift often overlooked. As we encounter hard choices it allows us to make the right decision no matter how difficult.

When things are bad and all has gone wrong, we tend to want to blame something or someone. We look for help. As mentioned so often in these books, the answer and the help you need most always comes from within you. The easy answers are seldom the best. The battle never ends.

When you encounter bad situations or people. T has great advice. Walk away.

Perhaps the greatest wisdom in the books is one that is from an actual fortune cookie, as told here. It was from a meal on the night before I married my wife. I took a video of it and it opened our wedding tape. It changed how I saw challenges ahead. It said:

“Face the Sun and the shadows fall behind you.”

Dear reader. My hope is that each day, you face the Sun and let the moments of hurt and pain in your life fall in that shadow behind you.

T

153 154 About the Author

Spending his childhood living, literally, in a car traveling most of the time, Terry Ulick had extraordinarily little space for personal belongings. He decided there were two books he would always keep with him: A Bible, and the Oxford Dictionary. By the time he was ten he had read the definition of every word, and understood that the Bible was a roadmap on how to live. Those books, with hundreds of others along the way, taught him about the real world — he discovered the potential of a better life through books, magazines, and newspapers.

Running away at 13, his goal was to help others learn about life by writing and publishing. He made money doing artwork and designing logos and ads for small stores. With that money, still only 13, he started an underground newspaper which evolved to reporting on rock and music. Still in his teens, he was a successful publisher and had taught himself photography, taking landmark pictures of rock music royalty.

Playboy Magazine recruited him when he was 18, which he says is why his book covers tend to be the way they do.

He left Playboy after 3 years and started his own magazine company: Renegade. Its success made him famous. By 30, he sold the company to CapCities/ABC, Inc. and began writing self-help and how-to books. He believed that writing empowerment books was his way of thanking God for his success, and his writing could help people feel good about themselves. He knew books gave people tools for a better life.

After a major life change, he sat down one night and started pecked out the T series books one letter at a time on his iPhone. He wrote with no thought of what he was writing. It channeled through him and he was surprised when he read them once finished. Though pure fiction, he understands them to be a guidebook.

“All three books are ripping yarns, shocking yet fun reads. Deep inside, there’s a lesson. A way to live. There is light, and there is dark. The books show how much better it is to stand in the light. What woman wouldn’t want a good man like T? What man wouldn’t want an April May? They lived right and found each other. The books are about taking a stand. About living with a purpose. All good men are T. All good women are April May. I just wrote the books. Can they change your life? No, they’re just books. But anyone reading them can see their own roadsigns and change their own life.”

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