Page 44 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)
Samuel
Samuel stood impatiently near the outer edge of the circle of candles.
Inside the circle sat Daemon and Lorelei, both of their eyes closed, like they were sleeping.
When they were beginning the mediation, Samuel thought his heart was going to stop the moment he heard Lorelei screaming out.
Quickly Daemon responded, trying to soothe her, but Samuel couldn’t make out much of what was being said.
The wind started to pick up and the candles flickered wildly, close to going out.
He carefully tip-toed around them, without touching, and kept checking to make sure if he needed to quickly relight one.
It had already been an hour since they started the meditation; and Samuel was getting anxious.
He knew that his father would be sending out another search team once they discovered the bodies of the demons from his group when they were originally following Lorelei and Daemon.
It was only a matter of time until they were found again.
His father wouldn’t let an assault that led to several of his finest warriors’ deaths go unaccounted for.
Samuel knew this incident would only enrage his father.
There would be no one safe from his wrath. Not even him.
Samuel would now not only be known as the disappointment of a son, but as a betrayer and sympathizer with the enemy.
The enemy…
The thought forced Samuel to look at Lorelei.
Although Samuel had only ever seen humans from the books in Hell; which didn’t usually depict them in what he believed to be accurate light; having come across many now in places since his time here, he knew Lorelei was a lovely one.
Her face was a soft pale, with a hint of honey color mixed in, which gave her a look like she’d been out in the sun recently.
Her blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and if it weren’t for her eyebrows seeming strained; like she was struggling with a headache, she would otherwise look quite peaceful right now.
How could she be the enemy?
Lorelei was the first human he ever came in contact with, and he wasn’t sure he would ever forget it.
Despite having been a part of the onslaught of demons against them, the first time Lorelei made eye contact with him in the field when the fight was finished, Samuel felt less afraid.
She looked at him with such sincerity, such compassion.
She didn’t fear him at all. And without knowing him, she offered him sanctuary in the motley crew and he hadn’t felt safer, or more alive in his entire life.
A familiarity grew around her, like she was some old friend or sibling he never had, but always dreamt of.
Samuel often wondered why his father never had any other children, considering he was definitely not the son Lucifer wished for.
But, like almost all conversation topics, this was one his father simply waved off as nothing of consequence and responded with some variation of “Well, if I am stuck with you, best be sure you make it worth it for me.”
Getting to know Lorelei made Samuel start to imagine what having a loving, older sister might look like.
He couldn’t imagine anyone kinder and more warmhearted than her.
All of this business of what they were trying to accomplish, was something he never dared think would be a possibility; let alone him being a part of it.
Yet Lorelei made him feel like he understood humanity and what makes humans so wonderful.
Although, Daemon tended to remind him there were lots of horrible humans and that the good ones were harder to come by these days.
Samuel wasn’t sure if their end goal was even possible; most likely it would end in all their deaths.
But he would follow Lorelei and her kindness anywhere.
If to live a brief life meant he got to meet people like her, and experience the things on Earth he has already; prove to his father that not all humanity was worth damnation; it would be sacrifice enough.
Suddenly Samuel got a strange feeling. Just like angels could smell demons, angels themselves also had a very particular smell.
There wasn’t anything Samuel could say smelled similarly, but if he could describe it, the best thing would be if Light had a smell—or maybe pine?
Even though he’d never been face to face with one before now, the instinct of detecting the smell of an angel was engraved deep into his DNA; he was born and bred to recognize it, even without confronting one before.
He knew the smell wasn’t coming from Daemon; although an angel; since his falling, he no longer had the same smell.
Samuel’s stomach turned inside-out and he swallowed hard, putting on a strong face as he turned slowly to see an angel in an all white suit, standing a few steps away.
The suit gleamed against the clouded darkness that surrounded them.
Behind the angel, the looming stones of Stonehenge seemed to cast menacing shadows against the moonlight; only making the angel look larger than he appeared.
He looked like a model who walked straight off a high-end fashion show.
But unlike Daemon who usually kept his wings hidden, this angel stood boldly with them displayed, the wing tips draping softly to the ground.
The angel’s face was defined and angular, with swooping ash blonde hair that formed waves upon his forehead, whipping around as the wind blew threw it.
The man stood with one arm across his chest, propping the other up, making Samuel feel as though he’d kept him waiting far too long.
His facial expression wasn’t harsh, but it was deliberately stern, although there was no wrinkle that marked his face.
Samuel began to shake, not from the cold, but from the intimidating angel he faced.
Samuel waited anxiously, he was definitely not going to be the one to speak first. As the angel eyed Samuel up and down, the angel gave a pleasant, but intimidating smile.
This was a game of cat and mouse.
“Interesting…a demon, hm? This surely adds intrigue to this developing situation, now doesn’t it?”
Samuel dared not speak. And although all he wanted to do was run and wake Lorelei and Daemon, there was no evidence of threat yet, and he didn’t want to ruin their chances of obtaining all the information they could.
That meant he would have to stall somehow.
The angel continued, never expecting a response from Samuel anyways.
“You’re a young thing though. Curious how you would join this duo on such a perilous journey. Do you not wish for a long life, my friend? As I assure you, you will not find one if you remain with your companions.”
The angel’s voice shifted, not quite a threat, but the undertone of the words indicated the friendly nature would soon pass.
“I see that you are no ordinary demon though...red hair, freckles, severely fearful gaze…you wouldn’t happen to be Lucifer’s boy, would you? You smell exactly like him.”
Samuel shifted uncomfortably in his spot before clearing his throat.
“I am. And who are you?”
The angel nodded, the confirmation of his identity not seeming to change anything for him.
“You can call me, Raph. I’m an old friend of Daemon’s.
I recently came to him and Lorelei to give a gentle warning about the state of the “mission” they endeavored to pursue.
I see now that there was no swaying their minds as to reconsider.
My fellow ArchAngels will be highly disappointed to hear that. ”
ArchAngel Raphael. Oh we are in far deeper trouble than I thought…
Samuel thought his knees would buckle from the weight of the information before him. Daemon and Lorelei both told him that Raphael came a few days ago, but to face the being, was something Samuel didn't expect so soon.
“If you’re a..a friend, does that mean you’re here to help?” He stuttered, unsure if he would be able to get the words out at all.
The angel smirked and raised his eyebrow.
“In a way. I have a proposal. And I think, considering your desperate situation, he will find it a suitable one.”
Samuel attempted to think of a response but before he could, he watched Raph step to the side and reveal something Samuel had not noticed before.
About 50 metres behind Raph, stood a large group of angels.
Their eyes pierced through the fog that began to form around them.
Samuel couldn’t help but hold his breath, the sight catching him completely off guard.
He felt stupid that he hadn’t checked to see if there were more of them around.
So much for being a lookout..
Returning his attention to Raph, who had taken notice of Lorelei and Daemon sitting within the circle of candles, Samuel began to speak when a loud wailing sound ruptured the night sky.
Raph looked up to see where the sound was coming from but a crash into the stone behind him knocked Samuel to the ground hard, skidding across the grass and throwing him far.
Looking up to see where Raph was, Samuel saw him narrowly avoid the collision by swooping quickly into the air, his wings flapping hard, spinning to look around him.
His group of angels in the distance were all on guard, some in the air trying to get a better view as well.
The stone that was hit was now in a million pieces.
A monument that prevailed through so much of Earth’s history, was now partially destroyed in a fraction of a second.