After World Chronicles: Angel Awakens

Dante: 17 Years Later

17 Years Later:

DANTE:

The velvet darkness of the night is slowly dissipating into an opaque greyness as dawn approaches. I spent the night hours hunting, feeding and training - strengthening this physical body as I do every night. As I prowl on the lookout for adequate shelter from the coming day and the profuse heat the sun will bring, I faintly catch the rich perfume of a scent long before I see its source. Fresh soft rain, starlight and erotic midnight blooming flowers. All very delicate but at the same time powerful enough to ensnare a primitive response within me. Something inside me flares to life as I recognize what she is. A new reality bursts into life deep within my instincts as I still every muscle in concentration to pinpoint her location and decipher how long it will take me to reach her. The breeze carries other scents and I growl. There is danger nearby. Soldiers are tracking her. All that is feral and predatory in me gears up for a fight. They cannot have her because she belongs to me. I must protect her. But first, I must find her.

In silence I race across jagged terrain under the waning light of the moon. Ahead is the vestiges of an ancient city, fragmented pieces left behind to testify of the ruined civilization that humanity once dominated and destroyed. The upheaval that ensued tore open a veil that allowed access to the spirit world for a time before it was sealed once more. Angels and demons came to the earth plane, directed by opposing missions. Humans are not the only race now trying to survive a brutal planet that has turned against its inhabitants. There is much disparity among humans in this age. Chemical and biological agents caused diverse mutations over time. Some of these outcomes were intentional on the part scientists and politicians while others were the result of carelessness.

Entering the city limits I can scent both her and them, which means the soldiers are close enough to track her by scent as I do. Like me, their senses are stronger and sharper. While this is a natural ability for me it is a biologically engineered advantage for them. They are farther away from her than I am, but not by much, and they are using military vehicles so they are approaching fast. I can sense her distraction, even from this distance and it will make her easy prey. Without intervention her capture is imminent.

I climb to the rooftops for a better aspect. Moving from shadow to shadow comes without conscious thought. Soon I am over a tangled garden encased by twisted stutters of a rusted chain link fence mostly overgrown with vines. The erotic bouquet that is uniquely hers wafts up to me from amidst the weeds and strangled plants. I move forward out from the protection of the shadows as my eyes search for what my nose tells me is there. The distance and the darkness are no detriment for my preternatural senses and I see her clearly. She stands up and spots me in that moment and I am transfixed as our gazes collide. I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life. She's a petite, fragile thing and I feel a rush of anger that she is left vulnerable in this harsh world.

I step back into the shadows away from her magnetic amethyst gaze to break the spell I have been ensnared in. It is incomprehensible to me that the mighty Watchers have failed to provide her a squad of guardians. Have they never considered how vulnerable they've left her? She is too valuable to fend for herself, and now that I've found her, I won't leave her again. As I ponder this turn of events I hear an ominous sound.

My momentary distraction has cost us. The soldiers are even now inside the city limits, driving up to the gardens. The girl and the woman with her begin to flee but not before the enhanced have spotted them. There are two Humvees fully manned and sporting weapons capable of serious destruction. As durable as I may be, I don't stand a chance against a rocket launcher. I will be unable to take them out in a confrontational attack. I resolve to sneak up on them one by one while they are unaware of my presence. While they may have scented a predator nearby, they will have no idea they are the prey.

Her safety is my redemption.