Haloed Wings

“You pushed her away, Gabriel. You are the reason that she left the heavens.”

“No,” Gabriel responded. His reply was quick, not thoughtful as it always was. It appeared that Evangelina had more effect on him than he originally thought. “No,” he spoke more slowly, carefully. “I was one of the reasons, a more non-threatening reason. The real reason that she left is because she wishes to find their murderer.”

The archangel cocked a brow, asking for more information without speaking.

“Her parents were murdered. She knows that the one who did it is on earth. Which is why she has gone there. She wishes to find the culprit, to confront him.” Gabriel bowed his head, allowing his emotions to enter. “If she were to murder the man who has murdered her parents, would she be Fallen?”

“I do not know how much Evangelina means to you, Gabriel. However, if you wish for her to stay a heavenly being, stop her. If she kills the man who has killed her parents, she will be sentenced to death.”



Stepping out of the bathroom in only a towel, steam following behind her body, Evangelina screamed. Sitting atop her mattress was a smirking man.

His legs were stretched far in front of his body. Brunette hair with silver highlights fell into his eyes, making the male appear more alluring. He rose unnatural violet eyes to roam across her covered body.

“Who are you?” she snapped, tightening the towel. With one thought, clothes could appear. However, this man could be human. If he were, she did not have the power to erase his mind. He would remember the events that had happened. She would be cast from the heavens and gain black colored wings. Fallen. The worst type of angel. Gritting teeth tightly against each other, she took a step back when he stood.

The smirk never left his face. “My name is Luke.” He bowed mockingly. “I have heard of your misfortune.”

“Misfortune?” she snapped, angrily. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Hell? My, my, aren't you a bad angel. A very bad angel. I did not know that you heavenly beings swore. Oh, and to think, you are the good of this world!” He laughed.

Evangelina gaped. How the heck...? “Why. Are. You. Here?”

The man strode forward, his fingers closing over her towel and ripping it off just as clothes appeared. “You angels are all so predictable. Protecting your bodies that are supposed to be used as items. Sex is one of the greatest things around, you know,” he growled, pulling her forward.

“Shut up!” Evangelina snapped, pulling away from him. “Shut up, shut up, shut up! Answer me!”

“How can I possibly answer you when I have to be quiet?”

A low growl escaped her. The man put up his hands in surrender. “Fine. I'm here because of your misfortune. Have I not said this already?”

“My misfortune?”

“Yes! Your parents were murdered, correct?” Luke responded, watching in satisfaction as her features changed to hatred. “Well, guess what, Evangelina. I am the one who murdered their sorry asses.” He disappeared then, leaving her in an empty room.

Tremors wracked her body, violent ones that made her teeth chatter. Walking shakily toward her bed, she sat on the mattress, tears pouring from her eyes. They acted like rivers, washing away years of torture and pain. She'd been so close to the man. The man who had murdered them. With one strike, she could have killed him. Or could she? The man had seemed powerful. More powerful than she could have imagined. What was the man? A demon? A Fallen?



“Who is the murderer?” Gabriel asked, shocked.

The archangel shook his head. “I apologize for the inconvenience, Gabriel, but that is classified information. It is to never be revealed. The murderer himself can reveal who he is, however, if she attempts to kill him, she will become Fallen. If she succeeds in killing him, she will die. That is all I can ever hope to share with you.”

Gabriel was at a loss for words. There was nothing that could be said to describe how he felt at that moment. Pure hopelessness. Why was it that nothing could go right and everything could go wrong? It honestly was not fair. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to kill the murderer for Evangelina. Maybe then he wouldn't feel like a useless tool. Why was he not able to help her? Protect her? If he were a guardian angel and she were a human, everything would be perfect. She wouldn't be sentenced to death, her parents would be alive and he could protect her from every little thing. It just was not fair. Nothing ever was.



“What a boring day,” Phoenix muttered to himself. Currently he was leaning against his counter, drinking a cup of hot steaming coffee. It consisted of cream and sugar. He refused to drink it black. The taste was bitter. He preferred sweet things over bitter. However, when it came to sweet versus sour... sour won. A slow smile graced his lips, the tip of a fang poking out. The world seemed more boring when he didn't have his precious little angel to spy on.

Angel. The word still left an angry feeling deep inside of him. His eyes narrowed on the coffee cup, his hands clenched tightly around it. Before he broke it, he calmly set it on the counter. Then, he walked into the living room and calmly slammed his fist into the wall.

The calm before the storm, as they say. Eventually, if he didn't do anything about his hatred for the angels, he would explode. It would suck if he exploded on Evangelina. Then, he would hurt her. And if he hurt her, he would have to hurt himself.

Huh... Sitting atop his table was a newspaper. The headline was what caught his attention the most.



“Preposterous,” Phoenix growled, shoving the newspaper away from him. “Demons are no good, evil creatures. The angels have done their fair share of shit over the years, but at least they do what's right. Or what they think is right.” Rage took over his body, transforming it. All he saw was red. Angels. Demons. The war against the two. What am I considered?

* * *

She was seething. Absolutely seething. That guy couldn't have been the murderer. And yet, he seemed to sincere, so deadly. Calculating and promising. The eyes of a killer. Cold, heartless.

Hanging her head, she placed it in the palms of her hands, sighing. “There was an intruder in my house and I froze. Froze. What is wrong with me?” Her eyes stung as large drops of tears filled them. They fell, landing on the Jeans she currently wore, darkening the color. “He knew what I was. He knew my name. He knew my parents, knew everything about me. At least, it felt like he did. But how? Who is feeding him all of this information?”

What if that man was the one who had been watching her all this time, waiting to strike? A shiver rode up her spine, shaking her whole body for an instant. Yet, the eyes who saw her did not feel menacing. They did nothing to terrify her. It was sad, that they comforted her when she felt lonely. Right now, she could have really used the comfort of them.

“Gabriel,” she whispered, “I need you.” Soft sobs left her lips, heart wrenching.

Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her body against his hard one. Hands clutched at his shirt, tears soaking his shoulder. “Gabriel,” she sobbed.

“Shh. I am here for you. Always here for you.” Hands softly rubbed against her back, giving the comfort she needed.

Hands left the shirt, moving to wrap tightly around his body, clinging, refusing to let go. “I know who he is. He came to me, Gabriel. He could have killed me at any moment.”

“I would have never let him touch you. Listen to me, Evangelina. You mustn't kill this man. You must not touch him.” An underlying tone of fear layered the words, forcing her to lift her head and stare deeply into his emotionless eyes.

“I have to.”

“No!” He shook his head quickly, furiously. “You must not! If you do so, you will become a fallen. Or worse, you will be sentenced to death! Do not touch him, Evangelina!”

The fate of the way things worked struck her hard. It would be an impossible task. Now that she knew who the killer was, how could she just stand by and watch, wait for him to kill someone else's family? How could she dare not avenge her parents' death? They would have been disappointed in her for living in the human world, but it had been her decision. It did not matter. If she had originally seen her parents' murderer when it had happened, she would never had held back. How could someone stand by and watch their parents die? How could someone let the killer get away? It was not going to happen. Never.

“I do not care, Gabriel. I would rather die than let my parents' death be in vain. They died fighting for their lives! That I know for sure. If they hadn't, they would not have been the great angels they had been. I will never allow their deaths to go unavenged. Do you hear me, Gabriel? My fate lies in my own hands, no one else's. If they want to sentence me to death, so be it.”

“You are making a grave mistake, Evangelina.”

“No, Gabriel. You are the one making a mistake, not believing in my beliefs. For not standing by my side when you promised me you always would. I cannot believe you would do this to me. I was wrong about falling in love with you, just as you were me. We are not the people, the angels for each other, that is for sure. You were correct when you said that, because love allows people to stand by each other no matter their decision! It is a forever thing that connects two together forever, no matter what. You are not The One. I should have realized that right away. It is time for us to get over one another.” She stared defiantly into his eyes, watching the emotions play across his face. True, she felt bad for what she had said, but it is only the truth. Honesty is always better than nothing, right?

“Goodbye, Gabriel,” she whispered as he disappeared.