“My name is Gemma. I’m a Celestial.”
“What’s a Celestial?” Heven asked, her curiosity showing itself again. Although, in her defense, in the past few months her entire world had exploded with hellhounds, angels, demons, Supernatural Maps and Treasures, and now this.
In a gesture so familiar to me, Gemma’s eyes swept the trees and areas surrounding us. “A Celestial is a class of Outsiders who are wholly good. We represent the forces of armed justice; we are those who seek out to destroy evil and maintain balance in the world.”
“What are Outsiders?” I asked.
Gemma shrugged. “Those of us who are not wholly human. Angels would be one type of a Celestial.”
“Like Airis?”
Gemma didn’t really react to the mention of Airis, but I sensed one. “Yes, Airis is an angel.”
“You don’t like her,” Heven stated, clearly picking up on the same thing I had.
Gemma’s gray eyes widened. “I didn’t say that.”
“You aren’t denying it,” she retorted.
“You’re very perceptive,” Gemma murmured. She looked at Heven with approval. “Can you see my aura?”
“No.”
“Can you see Airis’s?”
“No. Are you an angel too?”
“Sort of.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“I’m a fallen angel.”
Beside me, Heven frowned. “Aren’t fallen angels bad?”
Gemma said that Celestials were wholly good.
“Depends on who you ask.” Gemma’s teeth flashed.
“Wrong answer,” I growled. I didn’t trust her. At. All.
“Relax,” Gemma said with an eye roll. She glanced at Heven. “Hellhounds can never take a joke.”
That caught my attention. Heven gasped. “You know other hellhounds?”
“I’ve known a few.” Something shifted behind her eyes. She covered it by saying, “Fallen angels are angels, who for their reasons, have been cast out of Heaven, usually for a sin of some kind. Some fallen angels are sent here to Earth because we aren’t really bad, but we can no longer reside in Heaven. Most of us spend our time doing what I said, acting as armed justice to seek out and destroy evil.”
I wanted to scoff at the lame description. Heven seemed impressed though.
“So you’re a warrior angel?”
Gemma’s eyes widened again and she looked at me. “We’ve got a smart one here.”
“I know,” I said, wishing Heven would just be quiet. But then I felt myself asking, “So you’re here to help us fight off the demons that keep coming to kill Heven?”
“How did you know they were demons?” Gemma asked.
“I’m a hellhound. I know spawn of Hell when I see it.” I was offended she asked. Heven patted my arm.
“I can see why Airis chose you both. You make a surprisingly strong pair.”
“And you’re here…?” I asked again, annoyed.
“I’m here to make you stronger. I’m going to teach you how to fight.”
I barked a laugh. “Seriously? I think I have that part covered.”
Without any indication or reaction, Gemma struck out. I felt her coming before she even moved and I leapt in front of Heven just as Gemma reached us, and I spun her kick away. Gemma fell back with my hit and then regained her feet to charge again. I was ready time after time, hit after hit. She wasn’t getting the best of me. I wasn’t going to show weakness. I was already pissed off over the demon in the lake, and I was more than happy to take it out on her. Gemma must have sensed the willing fight she was meeting because she stopped suddenly and unsheathed the sword that was strapped to her back. I crouched as my body began to shake. I felt a rush of adrenaline and my skin began to hum. The hound was ready to go and I was going to let it out.
Out of the blue, Gemma dropped her sword and pulled something out of the pouch that hung around her waist. She lifted the lid to the metal box now clutched in her hand and something unseen slammed into me. I felt it wrap around me like Saran Wrap. It molded against my body and tightened. I arched my back in pain—caught between the hound and the human, it was all I could do to stay on my feet. This bitch was crazy and whatever she was doing to me was no joke. I wasn’t going to show the weakness I felt or the sudden panic about not being able to do what my body was built to do.
The pain went on as the invisible force wrapped tighter around me. I felt my knees buckle and I swore. My skin prickled with sweat and it began to run down my back and temples.
Fight. You have to fight.
“Stop! You’re hurting him!” Heven cried and ran at Gemma.
A half-growl, half-shout ripped from my throat as I pushed myself to my feet. I swayed slightly, but found my balance to rush forward and put myself in between Heven and this woman. Gemma struck out with her foot, hitting me firmly in my chest. I fell backwards, slamming into the ground hard, but I barely felt it. I was up and running at her again in seconds, only to be hit again. This was a pattern that I didn’t care to repeat a hundred times. I felt exhausted, weak, and trapped and my panic was rising. Whatever was happening wasn’t natural.
Heven took off again and made it to Gemma’s side, reaching down to pick up her sword.
Gemma arched a single eyebrow at me. I was already calling forth the strength I would need to launch myself in between them again.
Heven, get away from her.
“Lose the box,” Heven threatened Gemma, not even looking at me.
That sword was probably a lot heavier than it looked and I wondered if Heven had the strength to swing it.
I couldn’t take that chance. With a final burst of speed and adrenaline, I rushed Gemma. Take the sword and head toward the truck, Heven! Now!
Gemma held up her hands in surrender. Heven, who once again did not listen to me, reached out and grabbed the box from her hands. Gemma said nothing as Heven slammed the lid closed and tossed the thing into the trees.
Relief surged through me and I was suddenly unbound. My body seemed to swell within seconds and I felt the hound in me roar—a sound that I liked. The next thing I knew, I was completely shifted and completely willing to murder.
Get back. I told Heven. So help me if she didn’t listen this time…
She listened and ran backward, putting some distance between us.
I took Gemma down and we rolled across the grass. She was pinned beneath me when I raised my lethal, sharp claws above her.