The Guardian

Chapter Six: Demon In A Flower Shop

Ivy's work was in the busy shopping centres of Melbourne. As said before, her mother was a flouriest and Ivy helped assist Mrs Grey with the customers, as well as arrange a few flowers. As Ivy pulled up in the nearby car park, she tuned to Zethos with a stern look on her face.
"Listen. I don't know how you let Amantha see you, and honestly, I don't care."
"You do a little bit." Emmanuel said.
Ivy shot her a look, and Emmanuel closed her mouth.
"Please, whatever you do, DO NOT let yourself appear to my Mum."
Zethos smile faded a little, and he looked genuinely disappointed. Ivy sighed and rubbed her face.
"I'm sorry, but I don't want my family to get involved in all this angel business, OK?"
Zethos nodded, and his smile returned to normal.
"Alright. Whatever you say."
Ivy turned to Emmanuel in the back.
"That goes to you to."
Emmanuel scowled, and they all get out of the car. Ivy locked the doors, and they began walking to the flower shop. As they walked, they weaved through the busy crowds on the street, passing beggars and buskers and hotels and all different types of shops and cafes.
Mrs Greys flower store was out near the water front. When they got to this section of the shopping district, the crowds thinned out and the busyness began to relax. Ivy liked where the shop was located. Rowers and boaters were out on the river, and some people were sitting down near the docks eating food and chatting.
"This is a nice place." Emmanuel noted, looking around.
"I know. That's why I work here."
The flower shop was an friendly store, the door always open until lock up. As Ivy, Zethos and Emmanuel stepped inside, the fragrance of floral and citrus surrounded them. Coffee was also in the mixture.
Ivy smiled at some of the customers that were sitting down at the tables, coffees in their hands. Ivy went around to the back of the store, where her mother was busy arranging a bouquet.
"Ah, there you are Ives." She said, greeting her daughter with a smile. Ivy smiled back and took the bouquet from the women's hands.
"What's the order today?"
"Well, I need you to serve the customers today. I've had some special orders for a wedding and I need to make the bouquets myself."
Ivy's shoulder slumped. The last thing she wanted to do was serve. She enjoyed creating beautiful bouquets, even in the spring time.
"Ok. I'll be out front if you need me."
She turned and went back out the front. The two people sitting at the table talked casually, finishing off their coffees. As they left, Ivy called out "Have a nice day."
No one else was the store. Ivy slumped down on the counter, boredom already beginning to hit her.
"You know, you always have me to talk to me." Zethos said, making Ivy jump.
Both the angels were being so quiet that she had forgotten they were still with her.
Emmanuel took a seat, and Zethos stood beside her.
"I can't really talk to you without making myself look like a crazy person." Ivy grumbled.
"See? That's why I need to become visible! No one will judge you if they can see me."
"I don't want my Mum knowing about you!"
"Ivy?" Mrs Grey called out. "Who are you talking to?"
Ivy straightened and Zethos smirked at her.
"Don't you dare.." Ivy hissed between her teeth as Mrs Grey appeared at the door. "Oh!" She said, looking at Zethos. "I didn't know you had a friend over."
Ivy flare her nostrils, and Zethos offered his hand to Mrs Grey. "Hello. My names Zeth. Nice to meet you...?"
Mrs Grey shook his hand and smiled.
"Mrs Grey. Ivy's mother."
Zethos smiled and nodded. "Of course. I see where Ivy gets her good looks."
Mrs Grey beamed and blushed and little, and Ivy covered her face with her hands. "I like this boy Ivy." Mrs Grey said. "If you're secretly dating than he's a keeper."
She winked and turned back into the flower room to attend it the bouquets. Zethos laughed and Ivy groaned. Emmanuel rolled her eyes and stood up from the chair.
"I'm going outside for a walk." She announced.
"Stretch out your wings while you're out there." Zethos said. "It'll help with the stiffness."
Emmanuel glared at him, her eyes narrow.
"I will NOT be told what to do by a low life." She sneered.
Ivy frowned and looked at Zethos. His expression was unreadable.
When Ivy turned to Emmanuel again, the angel was gone. She sighed, and a customer entered the shop. As Ivy served, Zethos leaned against the wall, watching Ivy as she worked.
She arranged the flowers that the customer wanted into bouquets or a small pot, and Zethos watched her hands as she worked. He noticed that her hands were small and slender, gentle even. Perfect for choosing the right flowers and carefully handling them like she did.
As Ivy tied the bouquet carefully with ribbon, an alarmingly cold feeling shuddered over Zethos. He stiffened, and looked to the doorway. No one was there, but he felt a somewhat different presence. The presence wasn't right in the room, but in the city. Inside him, his feathers shifted.
As the customer left, he went over to Ivy again.
"I'm going outside to look for Emmanuel." He said.
Ivy sighed and rubbed her face.
"And why would you want HER back in HERE with US?"
Zethos gave a small smile, and left for outside. Ivy saw him stop outside, look left and right, then spread his beautiful wings. She watched him in amazement as he ran for the waterfront, jumping off the dock and soaring into the air with a powerful flap of his wings.
'So they really are like birds..' Ivy thought.
Mrs Grey appeared from the back store again, holding a delivery box full of the special order flowers.
"Look after these." She said, placing the box behind the counter.
When Mrs Grey stood back up again, dusting off her apron, she looked around, noticing that the boy was gone.
"Where did Zeth go?" She asked.
"He just went to look for a friend." Ivy said, putting some cash into the registrar. "He'll be back soon."
"You know, he seems like such a nice boy." Mrs Grey began. "I was going to ask him if he'd like to stay for tea tonight. You know, you two could come over and introduce him to your father and-"
Ivy sighed heavily, leaning on the counter. "For the last time he's not my boyfriend."
"Well he doesn't  HAVE to be. It'd be nice if he was though."
"Mum."
Mrs Grey looked at her daughter.
"No."
Mrs Grey sighed, and she studied her daughter. Ivy was short like her, and had her father's black hair and green hazel eyes. She was 18, and yet had never bought a boy home before, even when she began living alone. Well, not that Mr and Mrs Grey knew of. But sometimes Mrs Grey worried about her daughter, and began to think that Ivy really didn't have any friends. It was as if her daughter had locked up her heart completely, so that nobody could ever hurt her again. Really, she didn't blame Ivy for doing so. Mrs Grey remembered grade 9 all too well. It was probably one of Ivy's, and hers, worst year in all of Ivy's life and Mrs Greys parenthood.
"You know Ives," Mrs Grey said softly, "there's nothing wrong with opening up to people."
Ivy blinked, and looked away. Three customers entered the shop, and both women turned to business mode. Mrs Grey went back to the back store, and Ivy served the people.
Five customers and two cups of coffee later, Zethos came back. Without Emmanuel. Ivy went to open her mouth to say something smart, until she saw the look on Zethos' face. It was a mixture of anger and worry.
"What's wrong?" Ivy asked.
Zethos locked eyes with her, then the look melted away.
"Nothing. It's fine. Just couldn't find her."
"What?"
"She'll be fine. I'll look again later."
Ivy nodded slowly, unconvinced. Suddenly, Mrs Grey called "Ivy! I need you to do something!" As Ivy walked to the back, Zethos grabbed her arm. Ivy spun around, and Zethos thrusted something into her hand.
"If you go outside, take this."
Ivy looked down at the dagger in her hand.
"I can't be seen with this!" She hissed, pushing it back to Zethos.
"No, it's fine. Any mortal who sees it will see it as a harmless object."
Ivy raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?"
"I don't know, an icy pole or vegemite sandwich or something."
"Ivy! Here! Now!"
Ivy huffed, slipped the dagger into her back pocket ( handle up ) and went to her mother.
"Is Zeth back?" Mrs Grey asked.
"That's what you want me here for?" Ivy growled.
"No, no no. I need you to collect the new ship of flowers from truck outside. Get the flowers first, THEN pay the driver." Mrs Grey placed the money in Ivy's opens hand and shooed her away.
Ivy used the back door that lead outside to the back alley. The alleyway was darkish, and a little dirty. Up ahead, the back of a truck faced Ivy, as well as a sunglasses wearing driver. The best way to describe the man was the word 'big.'
He was very tall, and very muscular. He was bald, and wore the clothes of a regular truck driver; UV yellow vest over black shirt, with grey shorts and work boots.
"Hi." Ivy said as she approached.
The man nodded. "You Ivy Grey?" He asked, his voice deep. "The Priests daughter?"
Ivy nodded and handed the cash to the man. As the man took it, she cursed at herself.
'Take the flowers first, THEN pay the man.' Mrs Greys voice echoes inside her head.
"Well then," the man said, shuffling the money, "your father hasn't really taught you anything about us, has he?"
Ivy blinked at him, confused.
"Excuse me?"
The man put the money in his pocket, then took off his sunglasses.
Ivy gasped and stepped back, putting her hand on the daggers handle in her back pocket.
The mans eyes flashed red as his pointed toothed smile flashed white. A gluttonous growl ripped up the demons throat, and Ivy yelped when he lunged forwards, claws outstretched.
She grabbed the dagger and plunged it into the creatures stomach as it pinned her to the wall. The demon screeched and stumbled back, clutching the burning hole in its abdomen. Ivy looked down at the dagger. It was iron. Iron hurts demons. But could it kill them?
Clenching her teeth, she stepped forward, dagger posed to stab. As the dagger went down, the demon grabbed her wrist and twisted it, making Ivy cry out and fall down.
The demon snarled and kicked Ivy in the stomach, making her cry out again. She felt her ribs crack and hot tears fall down her cheeks. The tears were from the pain, of course, but they were also out of anger.
She pretended to lie still after she fell to the concrete, and the demon walked over to the truck. It opened the storage doors, revealing a gagged and bound Emmanuel.
As quickly as she could, Ivy grabbed the dagger from the ground and plunged it into the demons back. Snarling, he spun around, smashing her to the cement again. Ivy landed on her back, winding her, as well as cracking her head on the ground when she fell. Feeling dizzy and unable to breath, all she could do was cry and not move as the demon began to bind her hands together.
Suddenly, a roar of a rage cried from above, and in a flash of feathers and glowing yellow eyes, the demon was sent flying against the wall.
Zethos ran to Ivy as the demon scrambled up from the ground, spitting up blood and snarling. Ivy saw Zethos kneel over her, saying her name. She turned her head, and saw the demon close the doors to the truck, Emmanuel trying to scream and get out from inside.
It was too late after Zethos snapped out from his total Ivy-priority-mode. The truck was gone, and so was Emmanuel.