Phoenix

Chapter Five

Initially, I was going to go home after I got my caramel macchiato...however, the uneasy feeling over these so-called miracles had me passing my road to a house that maybe could give me some answers on this whole thing.

Was this phenomenon natural? Was it not? If so, what was the cause, and how could we stop it before the natural order of things go awry?

Once I got to my last-minute destination, I sat there for a moment, peering at the dark, two-story house before I took a breath and left my car. Crows cawed at me from their perches, their beady black eyes following me as I moved up the stone steps to the front door. After a second, I tapped my knuckles firmly on the door's surface and waited, glancing at the crows that were making me incredibly uneasy.

One breath, then two before the door was opening, revealing a woman who was shorter than me, tattoos marking her body, her head completely shaved. She peered at me with dark eyes, tilting her head for a moment before a smile split across her face.

"Now, what have I done to have been blessed with the presence of an angel? And an old one, at that?"

I stared at the shorter witch, feeling as if she were looking into my very soul. Which, she probably was, thanks to her strange magics. I inhaled and stood straighter, easily towering over her as I gestured towards the interior. "If possible, I would feel more comfortable discussing this inside."

The witch nodded with a sly grin and stepped to the side, eyeing me when I moved inside. Immediately, I was greeted with the scent of patchouli and sandalwood with a hint of chai, and without trying, I could feel the strange power vibrating around me.

"So," the witch spoke, sauntering into my field of vision, "what brings an ancient angel of fire into my home?"

I took a breath. "The...miracles that has been happening to humans ill, and on their death beds. I wish to know if it is a normal occurrence, if my...father is involved...or if something else is at play." I searched her face, eyes skipping over the tattoos and markings, before I met her gaze. "Are you able to find out which party is at play here?"

The smirk that formed on her face was both smug, and eerie, her dark eyes flashing as she placed a tattooed hand on my bicep. "Of course, I can, angel. But information, especially those as sensitive as this, comes at a price."

"Of course." I took a breath and pursed my lips. "What is it you want?"

The witch grinned and pulled out a small, glass vial, and immediately I knew what she wanted. "Your tears are very potent, angel. Just one, and you can bring someone back from the great beyond." She sighed and leaned closer to me, nearly pressing her body against mine as she batted her eyelashes. "Do you understand the value of such a thing? To hold all that power in a single tear."

I hesitated at that. Should I give a tear to her? A woman I didn't even know, and whose morals were probably questionable, at best? What would she even do with my tear? Bring someone back from the dead? Use it in some kind of questionable ritual?

Maybe I shouldn't ask for her help so soon. I mean, what if this wasn't even magical at all? What if the humans finally found the "cure all" of drugs?

Great, of course I would start questioning myself the moment I could actually get some information.

"Well?" The woman in question wondered aloud, her dark gaze burning in mine. "Knowledge for a single tear?"

I internally yelled at myself for even coming here, but eventually, I sighed. Might as well. If she used my tear for any kind of nefarious means, then I would have to take care of it. In the meantime, I had to know what was going on, because if I didn't, it would bug me until I found out for sure. So what's the harm in knowing the full picture?

After hesitating for the briefest of moments, I gingerly took the empty vial, ignoring the way her dark eyes flashed excitedly. I took a breath, lifted the vial to my right tear duct, and willed myself to allow one tear to slip into the glass before I capped it and held it out to the witch.

Her eyes glistened with joy as she snatched the vial from me, the woman holding it to the light to examine its contents. She hummed, then dropped it out of her hand, only to catch it with her other before she put it in her back pocket, grinning towards me.

"Excellent. Follow me."

With a wave of her hand, she began sauntering further into the house, the hallway long before she led me into, what looked like, a living room. The walls were a dark, chocolate brown, the floor a warm cream. Further in, there was a round black table with circles and patterns etched into the wood. She led me straight there and gestured for me to sit down, her excited persona replaced with that of a professional.

Listening to her instructions, I sat down and watched as she gathered a few things before joining me. On the table she placed a bowl, a skull that looked like it belonged to a bird, a black feather, and a black powdery substance that was contained in a jar.

"So, you wish to find the cause of these so-called miracles, yes?" The witch wondered, piercing me with dark eyes. And while my eyes were a dark, chocolate brown, her seemed to absorb the light, making them appear darker than onyx.

It was honestly unsettling.

With that thought brewing at the back of my mind, I nodded my head in response to her question, and leaned forward, clasping my hands over the surface of the table. "Yes. I wish to know if these happenings are the doings of my father, or a second party. I want to know if these recovering individuals are meant to die, or if they were actually meant to recover."

The witch nodded her head and picked up the bird scull, muttering something under her breath as she pierced her thumb with its beak, blood dripping to the bowl below. I arched a brow when I recognized the language as Sumerian, but remained quiet as she grabbed the jar of black powder, the woman sprinkling it into the bowl as she stirred it with the feather.

After a tense moment, she dipped her finger into the concoction and drew under her eyes, the dark liquid seeping into her tanned skin.

I watched, waiting with bated breath as she gasped, eyes rolling in the back of her head, her head snapping back with a force that scared me. Some kind of black liquor began pouring out of her eyes and down her cheeks, and for a brief moment, I began to wonder if I needed to stop her or not.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, her head snapped back into place, her eyes rolling back to their natural state.

I gulped, leaning forward a bit, unsure if I should speak or not. Of course, curiosity won me over, and before I knew it, my lips were parting. "Well? What did you see?"

She tilted her head, almost creepily, before she blinked and pulled back, crossing her arms over her chest. "I saw someone, cloaked in shadows, although I could not make out their features. The happenings are indeed unnatural and are the cause of a creature cloaked in death." She paused, leaning forward. "A reaper."

A/N: Alrighty! And that is the first few chapters for you! I really do hope you are enjoying the story thus far, and I would love to know any opinions you may have about it!