Authors: Patricia Puddle
Ramiel stared at him.
“Surely you’ve noticed he’s been acting a bit odd
lately?”
Nathaniel felt suddenly
uneasy. “Why, what’s he done? He’s always been a bit eccentric, but
I can’t say he’s changed.”
“
Well,
Michael thinks he has and he’s worried about him.”
“
Oh, why’s
that?”
“
He thinks
Devlin’s become obsessed with fallen angels because he keeps
talking about them and asking questions.”
“
Oh, that.”
Nathan grinned. “That’s nothing to worry about. He’s always been
curious about fallen angels. Don’t worry. He’s not going to
fall.”
“
I’m afraid
Michael thinks it’s something to worry about. He wants Devlin to go
into rehab for a while. He’s fed up with angels falling and leaving
wards unattended. So are some of the other guardians because they
end up with extra work.”
Nathaniel’s jaw dropped.
“But Devlin wouldn’t do anything like that. Admittedly, he enjoys
looking at human girls sometimes, but no way would he want to be
cast down to Earth.”
“
I’m not so
sure about that,” said Ramiel. “From the day Devlin found out
Madeline was pregnant, he pestered Michael to let him be the baby’s
guardian. He was so relentless, Michael finally gave in, yet he
hasn’t even turned up for the birth.”
“
Look, I know
Devlin really wanted to guide the O’Connor’s baby, but that was
because he wanted to stay in this area. You know how much he loves
soaring over the Pacific Ocean at night when his wards are asleep.
I’ve gone on those flights with him many times. He loves flying so
much, there’s no way he’d risk losing his wings.”
Ramiel raised a brow.
“Hmm, so Devlin hasn’t told you about the baby’s
grandfather?”
“
Told me
what?”
“
That he’s a
fallen angel.”
“
What?”
Nathaniel’s eyes widened. “Are you saying this baby is related to a
fallen angel?”
“
Yes, her
paternal grandfather is one, and from the moment Devlin found out,
he became obsessed about being her guardian.”
Nathaniel waved his hand
in the air. “Maybe he just wanted to study her grandfather. Like I
told you, he’s always been interested in why angels
fall.”
Ramiel lifted his eyes to
the ceiling. “Oh, so you think Devlin just wants to study the
baby’s grandfather? Well, if that’s the case, why hasn’t he turned
up for her birth?”
Holding his head,
Nathaniel tried to think. “I don’t know. I guess it doesn’t make
sense.”
“
Well, I
don’t know either,” said Ramiel. “But I pray he hasn’t done
something stupid.”
“
What are you
talking about? If he’d been banished to Earth, we’d have already
heard about it.”
Ramiel looked Nathaniel
up and down and smiled. “I see you still wear stretch pants instead
of a gown.”
Nathaniel adjusted his
sword. “I like to be prepared for action, but what’s that got to do
with Devlin?”
Before Ramiel could
answer, Madeline’s face twisted with another contraction and she
squeezed hard on the buzzer.
“
I think it’s
time?” said Ramiel.
Resigning himself to be
the child’s guardian, Nathaniel moved closer to the bed, then he
glanced out the window. The sun was dropping behind the hills in
the west, but there was still no sign of his friend. With a pang of
guilt in his soul, he reached for the crucifix on a chain around
his neck and prayed that Michael would let Devlin take over when he
returned. If not, there’d be no chance of Devlin
ever
forgiving him. He looked down at Madeline and sighed. There was no
time to dwell on it. He had a baby to attend to.
Ramiel patted his hand.
“Don’t look so worried, Nathaniel. Everything will work
out.”
Nathaniel closed his eyes
for a moment. It was alright for him to say. He obviously didn’t
know Devlin. The door suddenly opened and he looked up with hope,
but it wasn’t his friend, it was one of the doctors.
Following behind him, a
nurse marched over to the bed. “Doctor Green is here now, Mrs
O’Connor, so don’t worry.”
Madeline stared up at the
physician. “Oh, Doctor, thank goodness you came, I think there’s
something wrong with my baby, and my back is killing
me.”
“
Try to
relax, Mrs O’Connor. I need to examine you.” After he’d finished,
he frowned. “Yes, there is a slight problem, but it can be solved.
I’m afraid your baby has turned. Instead of face down, she’s face
up, and sometimes that can slow the delivery or pushing phase.
That’s why your back is hurting so much.”
Tears filled Madeline’s
eyes. “Can you help her?”
“
Of course,
so there’s no need to panic.” He ripped his rubber gloves off and
threw them in the bin. “I can assist the birth with forceps if
necessary, but you’ll have to push a while longer first. Of course,
there are risks with this procedure, but you’re young and healthy,
so I’m sure they won’t affect you.”
Ramiel whispered in the
doctor’s ear. “Don’t forget to tell her she has a great guardian
angel and it’s not her time to die yet.”
Shivering as if he’d
heard the angel speak, Doctor Green glanced over his
shoulder.
Nathaniel chuckled. “He’d
have a heart attack if he knew two angels were standing behind
him.”
“
Will a
forceps delivery affect my baby?” asked Madeline.
The doctor patted her
hand. “I’ve done many deliveries, Mrs O’Connor, and I haven’t lost
a baby during a forceps delivery yet.”
“
All right. I
guess I have no choice.”
He glanced around. “I see
your husband’s not here yet?”
Madeline looked at the
clock. “He had to go out of town with work, but he’s on his way
back now.”
“
Well,
hopefully he’ll arrive in time. Okay, the nurse will attend to you
while I go scrub up.”
After the doctor left,
Madeline scowled at the nurse. “See, I told you there was a
problem.”
“
Not to
worry, you’ll be pain free shortly,” she said. “Now, I have to get
some supplies. Just use the buzzer if you need help.”
As the nurse disappeared
down the corridor, a middle-aged priest wearing a black robe
wandered into the room. Nathaniel stared at him. There was
something quite odd about him, and as he strolled towards the bed,
a familiar repugnant odour filled the air.
Madeline’s face turned
bright red as she covered herself with a sheet. “Who the hell are
you?” she snapped, pushing her damp, blonde hair from her
face.
The priest held his hand
out and smiled. “Hello, Mrs O’Connor. I’m Father Luke.”
She glared at him. “Well,
you’re not my priest and it’s not an appropriate time for a
hospital visit. Can’t you see I’m about to give birth?”
“
But that’s
why I’m here—to say prayers with you.”
“
GET OUT!”
demanded Ramiel.
Ignoring him, the priest
smirked.
Confused, Nathaniel
looked from the priest to Ramiel. What was going on? Could the
priest see angels?
Ramiel whispered
something into Madeline’s ear. A moment later, she grabbed the
bible from the bedside cupboard and threw it at the priest. “Go
away! I’m not about to die, and neither is my baby, and if you’ve
come to give us our last rights, you can rack off!” Lying back on
her pillow, she seemed to slip into a deep sleep.
The priest grinned at
Ramiel, but when he turned to Nathaniel, his eyes
darkened.
“
What’s
wrong?” said Ramiel, moving towards the priest. “Were you expecting
a different guardian?”
The priest’s eyes
flashed, but before he could answer, Nathaniel whipped his sword
from his sheath and held it against the priest’s neck. “The stench
of a demon is unmistakable.”
“
So, you
think I’m a demon?” he scoffed.
“
Oh, I know
what you are,” said Nathaniel, pushing the blade hard against his
throat.
“
Really?”
Clicking his fingers, the priest vanished, then he materialised at
the other side of the room.
Hoping to catch him off
guard, Nathaniel summersaulted over a chair, then as he landed in
front of him, he pinning him against the wall. “Your magic won’t
help this,” he said, ripping his crucifix from his chain and
pressing it against the priest’s chest.
The demon’s face twisted
with rage as his gown began to smoulder. “You’ll never conquer me,
Nathaniel. I have powers you can only dream of.”
“
So, where
are they? Come on, show me your card, you coward!”
In a puff of red smoke,
the priest disappeared again, but the stench in the room was so
vile, Nathaniel knew he was still nearby. Holding his sword out in
front of him, he scanned the room.
“
He’s over by
the door,” yelled Ramiel, running at him with a dagger.
Spinning through the air,
the demon landed in front of Nathaniel, his cold black eyes
gleaming with menace. “Stay away from this child,” he hissed. “Or
she will pay the price.” Then he smiled sardonically. “Of course if
you were to sell me your soul, you could have the riches and powers
of a king and your choice of the most beautiful women on the
Earth.”
“
Oh, so
that’s why you’re here, to tempt and corrupt me.” Holding his
weapon, Nathaniel pointed it at him. “Your offer is totally wasted
on me, and if you come anywhere near this woman or her baby again,
you’ll feel my wrath.” Gritting his teeth, he yelled, “Believe me,
I’m warning you!”
The demon threw his head
back and laughed. “You don’t scare me, Nathaniel—Angel of Fire. He
glanced at Ramiel. “And neither does your long-haired lover
boy.”
Nathaniel spun his sword,
then in a blaze of white light, he held it upside-down and thrust
the handle at the demon. “Come on, try me!”
Holding his hands up, the
priest stepped backwards as he stared wide-eyed at the
Figure of
Christ
on the crucifix-shaped handle.
“
Well?” said
Nathaniel, shoving it at him. “You’re not laughing now, are
you?”
Emitting the stench of a
sewer, the priest hissed, “You’re messing with the wrong demon, my
boy, and you
will
regret it.” Then in a puff of black smoke,
he vanished.
Nathaniel sniffed the air
to check its purity, then slipped his sword back in its sheath.
“
Jesus Christ
, why on Earth is that demon so interested in
this child?”
Ramiel frowned. “Is that
a prayer or blasphemy, Nathaniel?”
“
Don’t worry,
it was a prayer, but I don’t understand it all.”
“
Like I told
you,” said Ramiel. “The child is a descendant of a fallen angel,
and Lucifer would love nothing better than to have control over
her, but he can’t unless her guardian angel sells him his
soul.”
“
I see,” said
Nathaniel. “But there are plenty of evil humans about, so why go
after this child just because of her ancestors?”
“
Because when
her grandfather fell to earth, he chose to live as a good and
peaceful human instead of becoming one of Lucifer’s demons. Lucifer
tried all sorts of bribery with him, but he wasn’t interested in
money or wealth. He just wanted to have a life on Earth with the
girl he fell in love with.”
“
I see, so
now Lucifer is after the granddaughter for revenge?”
“
Yes, and
it’s my guess, he’ll tempt Devlin because he’s an easy
target.”
Nathaniel bit his lip. He
had the feeling Ramiel was right, especially with Devlin’s
obsession with fallen angels. He shook his head. “Well, it’s a good
job Devlin didn’t turn up then, although I’m pretty sure Devlin
wouldn’t sell his soul.”
“
Yes, but
we’ll never know now because he’s not going to be the child’s
guardian, you are, though I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard Devlin
had fallen to Earth.”
“
Maybe, but
like you said about the grandfather, not all fallen angels are
evil. Some just yearn for physical pleasure and purposely get their
wings burned off so they can live on Earth as humans. Maybe that’s
all Devlin is interested in. I honestly don’t believe he would sell
his soul to The Devil.”
“
Ah, but if
he does decide to fall, Lucifer will never stop trying to corrupt
him. Anyway, I knew you’d stand up to Lucifer. That’s why I wanted
you here.”
Nathaniel’s jaw dropped.
“Are you telling me, you
knew
that demon would turn
up?”
Ramiel stared at him for
a long moment. “Oh, that wasn’t just a demon. It was
Lucifer.”
“
That priest
was
Lucifer
? How come I didn’t recognise him?” Nathaniel
balled his hands into fists and stormed to the window. “How could
Devlin just leave the child to be born without a guardian, and
vulnerable to Lucifer, especially if he knew about the child’s
grandfather?”
Ramiel shrugged. “I guess
he’s just irresponsible, but at least the child has you now,
Nathaniel.”