Your Guardian Angel

Natasha stared at her reflection and sighed. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take.

She’d been with Dante for over a month now, and her body was tired. If it wasn’t every night, it was every other night that he would come into her room, do what he needed to do and then leave. During the day, it was the same. He would grill her with questions about the Council, about Gabriel and about Caleb. When she didn’t know anything, he would intensify the torture. When she cried, he moved onto a different kind. Just the day before, he’d found out that Max had been sneaking her whiskey and she’d been getting drunk and beaten her severely. She couldn’t see through one of her eyes, her lip was completely busted and her throat was a weird shade of purple and blue.

Tonight, as he’d come in to wave his hand and make her bruises and cuts disappear, he’d announced that they were holding a ball. She didn’t want to go, but he said if she didn’t show up, she’d be beaten worse. He had a malicious smile on his face as he told her about the ball, and she wasn’t sure what was going to happen. She knew that soon he’d use her to resurrect his long-lost Amelia, but she didn’t know what that entailed.

She stood still as Maya laced up the back of her dress. It was becoming routine for her now, to wear a gown all day, and if she ever got out of here, she didn’t know how she’d get used to wearing regular clothes again. Thinking about getting out brought her mind to Caleb, and she felt tears rise up to her eyes. She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at her reflection again.

Her hair was piled in curls on top of her head and her makeup was barely there. That had been the most difficult part: Maya trying to put on eye shadow while Natasha’s eye was swollen. Next came the extravagant necklace that was full of diamonds and soft amethysts. The dress itself had a white bodice with a silver/grey skirt. It fell way past Natasha’s feet and she wished there was another reason for her to wear a dress as lovely. She had simple silver heels on underneath the skirt and they pinched her toes. The final touch was a pair of gloves that Maya held out for Natasha to slip on. They came up to well past her elbow and were the same color as the skirt of her dress.

A few minutes later, a knock was heard from the other side of the door. Maya immediately opened the door and Max was standing on the other side of it.

“I’m here to escort you, Miss Banks,” Max said professionally.

She thought it was weird since he’d become part of her little group here, but she didn’t say anything about it. As she got closer, she noticed the bruise under his eye and knew he’d been beaten for the alcohol. She instantly felt guilty but she took his arm. They walked down the corridor together at a normal pace. Before they turned the corner, he slowed their pace down and began to speak in soft tones.

“When the clock strikes eleven, go up to Dante and excuse yourself, saying you need to use the restroom. Be on your best behavior tonight and don’t do anything to cause suspicion.”

“What are you talking about?” Natasha asked.

“The less you know, the better. Just excuse yourself at eleven, and meet me outside the at the bottom of these steps.”

“Alright,” Natasha agreed as they descended the main staircase.

He led her to the ballroom door where she stood, waiting to be announced. Once she was, applause came from what seemed like hundreds of people waiting below. Dante came up to meet her and he had a smile on his face, and she matched it, remembering Max’s words.

“You look radiant,” he said and bent to kiss her knuckles.

“Thank you, my Lord,” she said and dipped into a curtsy as she’d seen in the movies.

Dante laughed, delighted, and pulled her back up to stand beside him. They moved around to all sorts of people and creatures. Natasha did her best to smile and act polite at all of them, but inside she was nervous. What if Dante did something before eleven and she never got to figure out what Max was up to? She took a deep breath as Dante led her to the dance floor and she placed her hand on his shoulder. They moved around in circles all over the floor and he didn’t speak. He kept staring at her, yet she focused on his shoulder. She didn’t plan on having another vision in the middle of a ballroom with everyone looking at her.

“You are doing well, my pet,” Dante said. “Tonight will be a night you won’t soon forget, I assure you.”

“I’m sure it won’t, my Lord,” Natasha allowed.

Considering she didn’t know what was going to happen, she knew she wouldn’t forget it.

“I am sorry for what you’ve had to go through, Natasha. It was necessary, I assure you.”

His hand trailed over her back and another tingle went through her. All of the pain from her injuries was gone. She felt as good as new again. She didn’t say anything else to him, just focused on his shoulder.

“Everything will be easier from now on,” he said to her as the music ended. He bowed low and kissed her knuckles again before the next partner stepped forward to claim his dance.

Natasha spent the next three hours in agony, dancing with people who smelled, vampires who wanted to bite her, and nasty demons who ogled her. She was over it, honestly. As the last dance ended, she moved to where Dante was sitting and bowed low to him.

“I must excuse myself, my Lord, with your permission. I find myself needing to use the restroom,” Natasha explained.

He motioned her forward and she pulled herself up the few steps to the dais where he sat. He reached forward and stroked her cheek and nodded his head. “Return shortly, dear. Our time is almost near.”

She nodded, bowed again, and headed out the door. No one was around and as she made her way to the staircase, she didn’t see Max. A noise to her right caught her attention, and whipping her head around, she saw his outline almost behind the steps. She walked quickly toward him.

“Come, Natasha,” he said quietly.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re leaving,” he said and took her hand to pull her through a door she’d never noticed before.

They went down a set of steps, and Natasha looked behind her. Seeing nothing, she turned around and followed Max again. They twisted and turned through hallways, and came out in a hole outside of the palace. Maya was waiting for them there, and she looked nervous.

“We’ve got to hurry,” Max said in a whisper.

“Come, Natasha,” Maya said and they led her through the garden.

Winding their way through the garden and down the steps that led to the lawn, Natasha followed Max and Maya. They were almost at the edge of the woods that lined the lawn when they heard it: dogs.

“He knows,” Max said as they stopped.

Lights were flickering through the palace and dog barking could be heard.

“Run,” Maya cried just as guards were seen at the edge of the garden.

Natasha didn’t waste any time. She picked up her skirts and ran straight for the woods. She felt Maya and Max behind her and pushed herself. The barking was getting closer and louder and she tried to push herself faster. All around them was darkness and forest; trees moved, making Natasha jump at every turn. The sounds got closer until Natasha could almost feel the dogs on her heels. She turned around and saw Max had stopped. She skidded to a halt beside Maya and started back toward Max.

“No!” he cried. “Keep going! I’ll hold them off! You’ve got to keep going!”

Maya grabbed hold of Natasha’s hand and pulled her along. The last sight Natasha had of Max was him facing the guards and then falling as a gunshot rang out. She cried out, but turned around to keep running. Bullets flew into trees all around them, and Natasha tripped over a limb sticking out of the ground.

Maya hurried to pull her up, and Natasha felt Dante’s magic wearing off. Her bruises were becoming more visible and the pain was coming back with full vengeance. She panted heavily and stumbled on her shoes. She fell again, hitting her head against another stick, and felt blood ooze from the cut above her eye. With a sob, she pulled herself up and followed after Maya.

“Caleb!” she cried out into the sky.



Caleb’s wings flew out above him as he swooped down closer to the Earth. He’d been flying nightly for the past few weeks, since he’d first felt the pain in his groin. He had to find a way to get in and get Natasha out of there.

It had been over a month and he hadn’t heard her or felt anything but her pain. He was literally going insane, and he knew it. He didn’t sleep anymore, nor did he eat or drink. Of course, he didn’t need to, but for the simple fact of keeping his strength, he knew he needed to. He made a promise to himself though, that he would sleep once Natasha was found. His fingernails had been demolished as he chewed on them constantly, and neither Isabella nor Adam could stand to be around him anymore. All he did was snap their heads off, or stop talking in the middle of a sentence to go fly around again.

It was becoming unbearable, really, not having her around. He didn’t know what was being done, what she was saying, or what was going on. He hadn’t felt any pain all day, and that’s what worried him the most. Of course, he’d know if Dante had killed her, but no pain meant something was wrong.

He was flying over the area where he’d felt the pain most one day. There was nothing in this area but a forest, save for the main road that cut the forest in half. On one side, the trees went on for over ten miles, and on the other side, they were cut off by a river. Caleb paused in mid-flight and hovered above the lake, sighing. If he’d been flying, he knew he would’ve missed the sound. It was faint, but he was sure he’d heard his name.

His heart sped up double time, and he strained himself to hear it again.

“Caleb!”

He’d heard it this time. It wasn’t loud, but it was his name, and it was Natasha’s voice. He shot off like a rocket in the direction he was sure it had come from.



Branches whipped at her skirt and hair which had fallen out of its curls a long time ago. Natasha looked to her right to make sure Maya was still there and she kept running. Maya had told her about the road that was somewhere ahead, and they were desperate to find it. She had run out of her shoes minutes ago, and rocks and the leaves were digging into her feet, but she didn’t care.

Suddenly, she heard a cry from beside her. She looked to her right to see Maya wasn’t there anymore. Skidding to a halt, she turned back to where Maya was lying in a heap, an arrow protruding from her shoulder. Natasha touched Maya’s arm, and Maya rolled over, careful to avoid her shoulder.

“Keep running, child,” Maya panted out.

“No, not without you,” Natasha cried, tears leaking from her eyes.

“You need to find Caleb. Dante’s powers are diminishing; we must be getting further from his land. I can see all your bruises and cuts now. The farther away you get, the better Caleb can hear you. If Caleb can hear you, he can save you. You’ve got to run now, child.”

Natasha’s head jerked up as she heard shouts getting closer and closer.

“Go,” Maya said, pushing Natasha away.

With one last look at Maya, Natasha pushed on. Tears rolled down her cheeks but she kept running. Her legs were starting to cramp, and her lungs were on fire but she knew she couldn’t stop now. She pushed herself harder, gripping her skirt and forcing herself to take longer strides to eat up more ground.

After a few more minutes, the forest gave away to a paved road. Natasha stopped on the road to catch her breath. She bent over and put her hands on her knees, wheezing out Caleb’s name again, hoping he could hear her. Shouts came from behind her, and she saw two demons about to break through the forest. Gasping, she pushed herself to run again and continued down the middle of the road. If she was lucky, someone would drive by and stop for her.

Still running, she turned her head and saw the two demons catching up to her. With a cry, she faced forward again and tried to push herself harder. She knew she couldn’t and felt herself slowing down. She knew this was it; that she was caught and she stopped running. Tears were steadily flowing down her cheeks and she knew it was no use to keep running.

“Natasha, keep running, baby,” a voice sounded in her head.

“Caleb!?” she whispered, looking around wildly.

“Yes, princess, now keep running,” the voice sounded again.

She didn’t waste any time and pushed herself to run again. She felt the pavement underneath her bare feet and heard the shouts of the demons, but she kept running. They were catching up too quickly, but still she ran.

It was when two arms came around her, that she started screaming and kicking.

“Relax, would ya?” she heard.

She stopped screaming and looked up. Caleb’s ice blue eyes were smiling back at her. She cried out, and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into the crook of his neck.

“I’ve got you,” his whispered and flew faster.

Natasha looked over his shoulder and saw the demons were now flying after them. She cried out, but Caleb just squeezed her lightly, and she saw the flashes of light, knowing more angels had come to help out.

She closed her eyes, confident Caleb would take care of her from there on out, and she let herself fall asleep.

Caleb felt her fall asleep and let out a ragged breath. He was lucky he’d been there in time. When he’d first caught sight of her, he didn’t believe it was really her.

She was running along the road, her bare feet slapping against the pavement. Her dress was torn and tattered and barely hanging on to her upper body which was covered in bruises and cuts. Her dress was dirty and her hair was tangled and full of leaves. Her face was black and blue, red with blood in some places and one of her eyes was almost swollen shut. She looked like hell, and he was suddenly angry all over again. He looked down at her sleeping form in his arms and sighed again. Thankfully, she was safe now, and he was damned if he was going to let anything else happen to her.

"She seems well," he heard from beside him.

He glanced to his left to see Gabriel flying beside him.

“She is now, but she looks like hell.”

“How did you know where to find her?”

“I heard her call my name,” Caleb said, and looked forward again.

“Caleb,” Gabriel said in a warning tone.

“Gabriel, we’re supposed to hear our Charges’ calls, okay? That’s not unnatural.”

“You’ve already broken the first rule by letting her see you. She’s exposed to our world. Now things are getting a bit out of hand. How exactly did you know where she was?”

“I was out flying,” Caleb said.

“You’ve been searching for her?” Gabriel said, almost shocked.

“Why not, Gabriel? She’s my Charge, I’m her Guardian Angel, and she has the fate of the world on her shoulders. We should’ve all been out searching for her.”

“You’re putting too much into this, Caleb. I think she needs to be reassigned to someone else. You’re getting in too deep.”

“You reassign her and see what happens,” Caleb snapped, angry now. “This could’ve easily happened on anyone else’s watch as it did mine. They had perfect timing on taking her. She’s not leaving my sight from now on until this is over.”

“That’s what the Council is afraid of, Caleb. They’re afraid you two are going to be too close.”

“The Council doesn’t know shit,” Caleb said, quietly.

“Are you falling for her, Caleb?” Gabriel inquired.

“No, of course not,” Caleb said immediately. “It’s forbidden.”

“That’s good to hear,” Gabriel said, but he sounded skeptical.

Caleb was thankful Gabriel didn’t say anything else. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he was falling for Natasha or not, and he couldn’t risk anyone else knowing those feelings. Hell, things were more complicated than he though.