Avenging Cupids

Chapter 18: Evil Unfolds

“There will be killing till the score is paid.” 

― Homer, The Odyssey

The days following Easter were eventful to say the least. It had felt like ages since Willow had last sat in a classroom or ate lunch in the bland cafeteria—such mundane things that seemed too normal and tedious for her newly mystical life.

There had been a suffocating tension between Willow and the people she loved. She couldn’t look at Azaria the same way after discovering that she was Cherubim—or more troublesome, that she wasn’t her biological mother. She had managed to find her way home after that momentous day on the rooftop of the Four Seasons Hotel. Azaria was angry but Willow was in no mood to justify her late-night excursion, so she shared with her mother every single artifact of information she unearthed.

Needless to say, Azaria wasn't very happy. It turned out that she wanted to be the bean-spiller. The Halstead residence was an ugly sight that day; both women were crying and attempting to get back into one another's good graces. By dusk, the women were on civil terms somewhat. In spite of their civility, Willow didn't think she could ever forget the lies her parents told her. At the same time, Azaria and Cassius were terrific parents and she couldn't imagine her life without them. The only reasonable thing to do was forgive them.

After her court-like hearing came to a close, Willow sauntered miserably up the stairs. She stopped at every other step to inspect the family pictures that were meticulously hung on the shaft wall. She had lingered a little longer on the picture of the three on their yacht. Mother, father, and daughter were squinting at the self-timed camera, all wearing a toothy smile. Willow was twelve-years-old when her parents took her on that boat ride off the coast of the Venetian Islands. She had sunbathed on the pointy stem of the Nevaeh  until she was one minute away from skin cancer. They all had third degree sunburns the very next day but it was the fondest memory Willow had. The family bonding that had taken place atop Biscayne Bay was as bona fide as the bond of any family with the same blood running through their veins. 

The thoughts of her family faded away and Willow’s mind became filled with thoughts of her best friend. It had been easier to accept her identity than it was to accept her parents’. Maybe that was due to the fact that angel or not, Elle had always been a true friend. Her angelic parents, however, weren’t even her true parents. Over the afternoons, Elle had demonstrated her powers to Willow. She opened doors, rearranged her eye-popping closet, and even French-braided Willow’s hair—all with her mind.

She also claimed that she had the power of ‘aura choking,’ which was the ability to choke an enemy with their aura. But since no volunteers stepped up—not even her dog, Lotus—she couldn’t demonstrate it. Her powers included banishing, cloning, invisibility, conjuring the elements, glamouring, healing, hyper speed, memory manipulation, and much much more. Because she was Nephilim, her powers were watered-down compared to pure angels. There were even powers that were out of her reach, such as divination and enchantment. She assured Willow that the only power she used regularly was enhanced intuition, which was necessary for her to protect Willow; it allowed her to sense danger before it occurred.

And then there was Alden…

Looking back at the kiss they shared on top of Miami, Willow realized that there was nothing—absolutely nothing—that could ever force her to leave him. There had been a feeling of finality and definitiveness to the kiss that ripped her heart out and tore it into bloody shreds. She never wanted to feel like that again. Therefore, she had made Alden promise that they would never give the Dark Cupids what they wanted, that they would fight to the death. As a reply, he had used his power of conjuration that would instantly create matter out of nothing. He conjured a platinum pink diamond ring that materialized right there in his palm. Willow remembered how frightened she was; sure, she loved him—no questions asked—but she was definitely not prepared for marriage just yet.