The Battle for Eden (How To Be A Hunter #2)

Chapter 1

Screaming. Pain. Fire. Blood. 

"Help us!"

Dead children. Mother's weeping. Families running for their lives as their guardians tried to fight back the relentless evil.

"Stella!" Someone yelled in the distance.

 I felt the knife sink into my skin, the world going silent as I met Castiel's panicked eyes.

"Stella!" He yelled.

"I love you." I heard him say, but it wasn't his voice. I closed my eyes.

I felt grass on my back, a warm liquid dampening my shirt. I opened my eyes.

"I love you, Stella. I'm so sorry." Dean whispered over my bloodied body. 

I looked up at the blue sky over me as I felt my breath slipping away. 

Red. 

Red everywhere.

"No survivors." The voice growled in my ear. 

"I love you." I heard Dean say again.

"NO SURVIVOR'S!" The voice screamed.

~

"NO!" I screamed, as I opened my eyes to find myself in a room, in my bed. Safe.

For now.

I gasped for air and started crying.

"Stella? Baby are you okay?" I felt arms wrap around me, so familiar and kind as I turned to see Castiel sitting up next to me, concern welling up on his features. 

I nodded. "It was just a nightmare." I whispered.

"What was it this time?" He said carefully, guiding me to lay next to him as he held me. I laid my head down on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat until I was able to summon the words to speak about the dream.

"It was about us losing Eden, everyone was dying and we couldn't stop it. There were so many bodies... children." I winced as I visioned their broken bodies, some dismembered, lying on the stained red grass. "Then there was this voice, it sounded like a bunch of voices from a screamo song... like during the parts where they are like yelling in a deep voice..." I looked up at Castiel who had a confused look on his face as I tried to describe it. "Never mind, just know it wasn't pleasant sounding. Well it kept repeating the same thing over and over: 'No Survivors', I'm scared. What if they're visions?" 

Castiel met my fearful gaze with an equal amount of fear, but then he looked away and shook his head. "It was just a nightmare, Stella. We won't lose Eden... not again. Okay? We're safe. You've been on Gabe's scouting parties, we can't find anyone who has a trace of evil on them. That angel's death was just an accident." 

"You know you don't believe that, Cas. " 

"I believe what I must." He said dismissively. I looked down and frowned and he sighed. "Stella, my love." He tugged my chin up so I could meet his loving gaze. "I will always protect you, nothing will happen to you. I promise. Nothing will happen to Eden. We're safe, just trust me okay?" 

I nodded and grinned. "Oh please, I'm not the one who needs protecting. I'm an angel now remember? I'm on your level." I winked.

He chuckled. "Stella, dear, you can barely fly."