Page 7 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)
Daemon
Daemon stayed out on the rooftop of the hotel all night, keeping a close watch on Lorelei’s room.
It didn’t bother him having to stay awake, he didn’t sleep much anyways.
Angels were always able to conserve energy, and many didn't sleep at all.
Daemon himself enjoyed a good cat nap now and again, human life sort of dictated him to change his routine these days.
Magnus. I’ll take her to see Magnus.
Daemon couldn’t believe that he had forgotten about the old oracle.
He’d known Magnus for a long time and if Daemon remembered correctly, Magnus owed him one.
Last he heard, Magnus was working out of a small shop back in London.
Finishing the cigarette, he dabbed it out on the ground.
The sooner they were on their way, the better.
There were sure to be more demons other than Erigos, once they realized that he would no longer be returning.
Within a few moments, he was rapping his knuckles on the glass door to her room, where a much more awake Lorelei than he thought he’d be seeing was opening the door.
“Good morning.” His tone was a bit awkward, unsure how she might be feeling after last night.
She smiled and turned on her heels heading back inside.
She was already showered and dressed, which made him wonder if she got any sleep at all.
Her sandy blonde hair was pulled into a long braid down her back, a few wispy pieces lay by her cheeks, and she had some light makeup on, which really accentuated her bright, blue eyes.
She was wearing a brown, knitted sweater and a pair of black jeans with some black tennis shoes.
The jeans fit her frame nicely he noted, which he then shook his head, trying to rid the thought from his mind.
Looking over at her suitcase on the bed, she was practically packed.
Did she already know they would have to be leaving here?
“Um…how did you sleep?” he asked nonchalantly, hoping he masked the surprise in his voice at her seemingly casual, and unphased mood; like this was all such a normal thing.
“I knocked out thankfully. Did you do something to make that happen?” She was packing up a small bag of makeup and bathroom supplies when she turned to him, giving him a slight eyebrow raise.
“How did you guess?” He was impressed with how well she'd handled the recent events.
“I don’t know...I felt a light tingling sensation when you touched my shoulder last night, and within 5 minutes of you leaving, I was out like a light. Is that one of your powers?”
She walked her small bag over and placed it in her suitcase, zipping it up before one last look in the mirror.
“Yeah, you could say that. I thought it might help considering the day you had.”
Lorelei smiled at him again as she lifted the suitcase off the bed onto the floor.
“It did help, thank you. So I am absolutely starving...I didn’t realize until this morning that I never ate at the pub last night. I found a small café down the road. I thought we could get some breakfast and talk.”
Daemon couldn’t help smiling in return, it had been a while since he had a good meal, and they did need to discuss what their next steps were.
But they couldn’t dally, he didn’t know how quickly somebody else would be sent after her.
He needed to be on his guard, but he’d forgotten the last real meal he had recently, and the reminder in his belly agreed with a rumble.
She probably has had some time now to think of a million questions too…don’t blame her though.
“Sure, sounds good. We can come back for your stuff after we eat. I could use some coffee.”
“Haha, I could probably drink an entire pot by myself right now!” Lorelei jokes, grabbing her jacket and glancing over at the balcony.
Turning to see where her eyes shifted, he laughed.
“I think we will be normal people today and just go out your room door. Can’t just go off and pull my wings out in broad daylight often, yanno.
” Smirking, he followed her out the door and down the stairs into the main lobby, before stepping out into the sunshine.
They walked in silence a few blocks down the road to the Rendezvous Café.
When they walked inside, the overwhelming smell of bacon and coffee greeted them.
Picking a small two seater table near the front windows away from the other diners, they both ordered coffee and what they wanted to eat.
Daemon decided on an omelet while Lorelei got some French toast covered in strawberries, along with some eggs and bacon.
Daemon couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the girl’s appetite.
They both let their first cups of coffee start working their magic before speaking again.
What an odd thing to be doing, sitting in a café, enjoying a breakfast after last night, and especially knowing that precious time was ticking away for literally everybody in this room.
For having just been told that a demon was trying to kill her before she was meant to save the world, she seemed to be handling it all better than he could’ve thought.
Taking a sip of his coffee, he looked around the tiny café.
Families, couples, groups of friends were all enjoying a carefree breakfast full of sweet and savory goodness.
Picturesque and completely oblivious to the ways of the Universe or that they were in any danger at all.
Which equally awed and infuriated him—it was a burden to be the only blasted person around who knew the gravity of the situation they were in.
He tempered his anxiety and brooding by returning his attention back to Lorelei; he saw she had already finished her coffee and was looking directly at him.
“Looks like you’re ready to ask your questions now.
” Waving a hand flippantly in the air, a shimmery cloak-like bubble enveloped them at the table, making the voices in the restaurant muted.
Lorelei blinked several times and touched the bubble, it reverberated and instantly went back in place.
As if knowing what she was going to ask, Daemon smiled and spoke.
“It only lets those I allow see it. It doesn’t affect anything other than their ability to overhear our conversation, making it so we’re not interesting enough to eavesdrop on.”
He could see she wasn’t at all surprised, merely curious about his magic now more than scared as she was the night before.
Resilient one, isn’t she?
“Alright, what’s your first question?”
Lorelei nodded, gathering her thoughts and then proceeded.
“I guess my first question is, why me? Why am I the one who is supposed to save humanity?”
“Ahh...yeah that one I can’t really tell you…”
He'd forgotten how much he himself didn’t actually know about the situation.
“What do you mean you can’t tell me?” Her eyebrows furrowed on her forehead as she asked.
“I mean I don’t know why you’re the, uh, ‘chosen one,’ for lack of a better name.
Look, it’s just a known thing, between all in Heaven and Hell, that you are the person responsible for saving humans when it all goes down, if you are able.
Well...that's a lie. Only a select few know who you are and your destiny. I am not one of those select few but I know my way around how to find things out. Let’s just leave it at that.
For the reason why you were chosen, I can’t answer.
All I know is that an oracle prophesied a long time ago that a human girl would be capable of stopping Armageddon, or triggering its start. And that girl is you, Lorelei.”
Lorelei silently nodded, looking as if the cogs in her head were working in overdrive trying to grasp what he said.
A flare of panic flickered behind her eyes.
He felt for her, but letting her have a moment to digest what he said, Daemon began looking around for the waitress, irritated that she hadn’t come back around to refill their coffees.
For a split second, he was tempted to use his powers to make her come back, as he saw she was chatting with another table across the café, but decided that keeping the barrier around them was more important than a caffeine fix; although Lorelei also looked like she could use a refill.
Rolling his shoulders back, he tried to unkink the knots building in them.
Keeping his wings bunched up was uncomfortable, despite the necessity to do so.
Most humans; although believing in some higher power or magical entities; would still be incredibly shocked to see an angel walking around.
A Fallen angel actually….
The thought was always in the forefront of his mind. Like it was branded on his forehead permanently. Swirling memories of the day he fell from grace started to overtake him once again.
Frustratingly to himself, he chided, “ Now is NOT the time, Daemon.” As he finished the thought, Lorelei finally spoke again.
“So, Daemon, where do you come into all of this? I’m assuming you’re an...angel? But I thought angels had white wings. Are you like my guardian angel or..?”
Her voice trailed off. He could tell she sort of hoped he might be her guardian angel, considering the danger she has found herself in. He was sure she hoped someone was looking out for her. Daemon was, in a sense, but really his intent was larger than that.
Since Daemon fell, he has lived among humans all around the world.
After defying orders on one mission that changed his life forever, he decided to settle down in the UK, which had always been a favorite place of his since his touring days all those centuries ago.
Until his fall, Daemon was a one of the angels who toured Earth, going between civilizations and keeping tabs on their progress, watching out for demons lurking about, who often interfered in human development.
Sometimes he helped stage coups, battled in wars for one side or another, and took out demons disguised as higher authority when their rule became more of a bloodbath.