Pure Soul Book 2

18. Cassiel

Once there are no more tears to cry, I remove myself from my bed and go into the bathroom turning on the shower. As the water heats up, I go back into my bedroom so that I can strip out of the dress and shoes. Unpinning my hair, I shake it out and then pad back across the floor to climb into the water. Secretly I’m hoping to wash the past week away, the memories especially. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen, and images start to flash across my mind. Aza’s smile, his body pressed against my, when we first met, our first kiss on the porch swing, and of course the love making that occurred just last night. And just like that, the flood gates open and the tears that I had thought dried up flow though this time they mingle and merge with the water pouring over my body. I sob heart wrenching, gut shattering sobs as I crumble to the floor of the tub. I’m not sure how long I was in there but eventually the water begins to run cold and I force myself to get out. I Quickly dry off and grab one of my favorite oversized tee shirts slipping it over my head. I pick up a pair of boy shorts and climb into them before going to my bed and crawling in.

Thank the stars we didn’t have to rise before the sun this morning. We are up early but at least this time the sun is in the sky. I meet my team out front of the command center. Walking in together we go to the main room for a briefing where we are told that we will be assisting the extraction team, helping them get their equipment through the portal then we would escort them to the locations of the Astatine. The physical activity of gathering the items that will be needed for our return trip to earth is a much-needed distraction from the emotions and thoughts swirling in my head. I have no time to think about him or what an idiot I was for believing he really was my true mate. “Cass,” Baraqiel says as he bump’s his elbow against my arm to get my attention. “We’re heading back in five minutes, you ready to go?” I nod yes picking up the last box from the lab to carry over to where the portal will be opened in the command center.

The hustle and bustle that occurs after we step through is crazy. As soon as the items are situated, we split up into our respective teams to take the extraction teams to the Astatine sites. Since we were only to stand guard over the area to make sure no one disturbed our angels, I have a chance to stand still and just breathe for a second. I had shut the phone off when in heaven as soon as I realized there was no service, the battery would have died otherwise. Holding the button on the side of the device I turn it on and then stick it in my back pocket. Within 30 seconds of having done so, incessant buzzing and vibrating started causing the phone to jump around in my pocket.

Quickly I remove the phone and unlock the screen. Staring at it stunned for how many missed calls show and the thirty or so unread texts, I’m astounded. I click on the text icon and start to read the messages. Hey, you still coming over? - It’s getting late, where are you? - Are you mad at me? What’s going on? - How come you’re not answering your phone? I’m getting worried. For the most part the texts are all like that except the last one. Whatever you saw when you came over last night isn’t what it looked like. I promise you. Cassiel, since meeting you you’re the only person that’s on my mind. I wasn’t lying when I said I love you! Please meet with me and I will explain everything. I’m so torn between wanting to hate him and wanting him to explain himself.

I jump damn near a foot off the ground when I hear Baraqiel say, “hey Cass. Just checking on our unit. You doing alright?” Spinning on my foot, I whip my hands behind my back so that I can stuff the phone in my pocket, making it look like I just wanted to hook my hands which is something I tend to do when I wear jeans with back pockets.

“Uh what? Oh yeah, I’m fine,” I say with a smile though I’m not fine, not in the slightest. But Baraqiel takes my words at face value and nods. He lets me know that there will be a shift change in two hours and I will be done keeping watch until tonight when I will need to come back for another rotation. I acknowledge this information with a nod and then ‘B’ bids me good day. Scanning the outer perimeter, I see all is quiet and so I turn my attention back to the phone as I contemplate how I want to respond back to Aza. With a heavy sigh I start typing: Okay, I will meet you. You will have one chance to explain yourself, so you had better be prepared to go into detail! I send the message and then turn my focus back to my surroundings once more.

It feels like the two hours are going to drag on forever! I am beyond bored. I keep glancing at my phone telling myself I just want to see the time, but really, it’s to read Aza’s response which I’ve done a dozen times so far. I swear I will tell you everything! I love you! Stars above I desperately want to believe him but the naked chick that pranced around the kitchen makes it really hard to do so, especially since the image of her breasts bouncing around won’t leave my head. Then meet me behind the dunes where we met the other night in one hour. My breath catches in my throat as I hit send. I’ll be there waiting for you, love. A th-da beat of my heart hits my chest at him calling me love, but just because he wrote the word doesn’t necessarily mean he means it.

Relieved of my station I meet up with Turiel and Baraqiel at the rental and we drive back to the base. A half-hour later the van pulls into the driveway. We aren’t settled inside more than ten minutes when Baraqiel receives an urgent phone call from Zadkiel. “Get to the other site immediately! Don’t worry about driving, use a portal or by the time you arrive it will be too late...”

The phone goes dead, and we don’t hesitate to draw a portal. “Armor now!” ‘B’ shouts as we step in and when we come out onto the other site, we are fully adorned in our gear. Shocked doesn’t begin to describe the scene before us. Everything is in disarray, chaos has ensued. The alchemist and the extractors are shouting things about containers and gathering the already collected Astatine. Zad, Ana, and Dan are back-to-back to back of each other swords at the ready. Zad spots us as we emerge from the portal and shouts to the others to surge upon their attackers. We come from behind, descending upon the Fallen angels who had blind-sided our fellow teammates. I recognize the commander because we had been taught about many a battle Asmodeus had led through the centuries. Zadkiel shouts for us to make sure we keep the Fallen ones away from the element and we do just that.

Swinging around my sword clinks with another and I lunge shoving the sword, pushing the Fallen backwards. Normal metal can’t kill angels or fallen but they can cause serious injury putting either of us out of commission for a while if stabbed in a few certain spots upon the body which is exactly what I’m aiming for as I plunge my blade through a Fallen’s rib cage and into their lung. The battle goes on for an hour or so before we hear Asmodeus shout to his unit to fall back and then retreat. As suddenly as the Fallen have appeared they have disappeared leaving us staring after them baffled. We are all breathing hard as we take in the surrounding area to see if any Fallen had decided to stay thinking they’d be able to come in and walk off with the Astatine. “I fear that Ornias was among Asmodeus’ unite. Count the containers to make sure they are all accounted for. Ornias has the ability to shapeshift. He could have very well appeared as one of us and just walk off with the stuff,” Zadkiel proclaims.

I personally have no idea what Ornias looks like so I cannot be of any help. Baraqiel speaks up though, “I thought I may have seen him among the scuffles, but I cannot say for sure. We will have to wait for the alchemists to give their report.”

“I sent for two fresh units to stand watch over both sites. I want you all to get back to base and rest,” Zadkiel speaks as he looks at the rest of us. “I will stay until the new unit shows for this area. If no further incidents occur, we should be packing up and getting back to heaven in two days’ time.” He dismisses us and draws up a portal for us to leave through. Only once I’ve walked into my room do I remember that I was supposed to have met up with Aza. I curse and damn the Fallen. I’m dying for a shower, but I know I need to at the very least send him a message before taking one.

Sitting on the edge of my bed I hold my phone in my hand and stare at it. I’m sort of afraid to see what messages are waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I release the air slowly and open the screen up. I am surprised to see there are only four unread messages from him. Cass, I’m here. Can’t wait to see you! - Hey Cass, you okay? I’ve been sitting here for an hour and a half. Let me know what’s up even if you changed your mind about letting me talk to you. -It’s two hours past the time you said you could meet. You have me worried, write me back. -Okay, well then, I’m going to head back to my place. If you change your mind about chatting with me, you can come over if you want. I hope you have a good night. Tear drops that I didn’t realize had started to fall splash against the screen of the phone and I’m confused as to why I’m crying. I laugh at myself for being so ridiculous.

Deciding not to respond to his text right then, I go and take a shower. Dying to crawl into some sweatpants and one of my favorite oversized hoodies, I dig through my drawers until I find my most comfortable ones. I sigh as the soft cotton brushes against my skin. After I have dressed, I grab my cell and send Aza a text. Strolling into the kitchen I see Baraqiel sitting by the island sipping some hot tea. “Hey ‘B’, I’m going to go take a walk along the beach, okay? I need to clear my head and I want to make a core memory about the way the ocean crashes onto the shore, the breeze kisses my face, even how the moon light shines so differently.” He gives me permission to go and then tells me he knows what I mean about making the memory because he still remembers the first time, he visited the ocean during his teenage years.

Smiling I thank him and then walk through the sliding door, stepping onto the deck. I make my way down the steps and walk towards the beach before turning so that I can walk along the edge of the shoreline. Less than halfway to the dunes a shiver runs through me, causing goosebumps to pop up along my arms. Seconds after this feeling passes, I hear a voice I’d rather not hear because well shit! “Hello Cassiel, what has you out here this evening? I figured you’d be resting after the excitement of the afternoon...” frustration rising within me, with my arms over my chest as I turn to see Ananliel standing just feet behind me I force a smile to my lips.

Rolling my eyes, my response is snarky but a valid question, statement... “I could ask the same of you, Ana. What has you out here, hmm?” My intuition is telling me she has been following me from the moment I stepped out onto the deck. “Better question, why do you feel the need to follow me when Baraqiel gave me permission to take one last stroll along the beach before we pack up and leave.” I eye her to watch for her to spin a lie but to my surprise she tells me the truth.

“I don’t trust you. I think you’ve been meeting up with that human of yours even after you were forbidden from doing so. I’m going to walk with you so that you can prove me wrong, or I can prove me right!” Ana smirks a satisfied smile growing on her lips.

I roll my eyes and mutter, ‘whatever,’ and then sigh as I silently curse her for her figuring out that I am going to meet Aza. There’s no way I can meet him now, stars above I can’t even send him a text to warn him.