Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 49

The angels assembled in the living room of the farmhouse. A few sat on the sofa and assorted chairs. Others settled onto the carpet. Gemma leaned against the wall, her sword resting at her side. Few angel warriors could best her in a duel. Zacharias had only seen Zoe defeat her.

He knew Zoe would be back from school soon. Regardless, he suspected they would all be kept waiting. Ophiel insisted on debriefing Leo alone before the meeting. The moment Leo arrived from the Heavenly Spaces, she ushered him into the portals and off to some unknown location.

Ophiel is up to something. He'd seen Cera whispering in the senior angel's ear. He knew it had to do with Crispin, the warrior assigned to Cera's team, who was not there.

"Leave my friends alone! I swear I'm going to kill you!" Zoe's voice boomed into the room, well before the gateway had formed.

"I'm on a mission, Zoe. I'm doing what I'm told, and besides I find your humans amusing."

All the angels turned, curious about the ruckus. Only Cera revealed no surprise.

Zacharias stepped forward. "What's going on? Zoe? Crispin?"

Zoe tossed her backpack on the floor. "He's been following me at school, messing around with my friends...I mean, social group."

Friends? Zacharias had never heard her say that word before.

"I have my orders," Crispin declared. He puffed out his chest, exerting his manhood though the gesture resembled that of an obstinate child.

Zacharias lifted his brow. "Orders? Who gave you these orders? And why was I not informed of this?" In Ophiel's absence, Zacharias held seniority. He planned to assert what authority he had.

His tone silenced everyone in the room.

"Cera?" Zacharias regarded her. "Was this your doing? Did you order him to interfere with Zoe's investigation?"

Cera flinched. "I...uh..."

"She's not the one who gave me the orders," Crispin answered. He straightened his short frame.

Zoe rolled her eyes at him.

Zacharias already knew the answer, especially after last nights meeting. Still, he had to ask, "Then who?"

Ophiel's voice came from the still opened gateway. "I did." She and Leo stepped into the the living. "And after you hear what Leo has to tell you, you'll be grateful that I did, Zacharias."

Ophiel didn't even notice Zoe's scowl. Instead, she ushered Leo into the living room and beckoned him to sit in one of the recliners. She continued, "We had it all wrong. It's not a purge. It's a roundup."

What's she talking about? The angels reclaimed their seats. Zacharias stood behind the sofa and crossed his arms.

He seemed younger now, his long brown hair tied in a ponytail behind him. This body leaner and taller than before. He had manifested nearly the same form as before. Still, the severity of his eyes hinted at his real age.

Leo sighed. "They have Aniela."

Gemma pointed her sword at him. "What?"

"They didn't come to kill us. They came to capture us."

Capture? A demon capture an angel. Unheard of! Zacharias caught Muriel's reaction. She was equally stunned. Zoe, on the other hand, kept that scowl on her face from before. She had hidden herself along the wall. Zoe should be more concerned about angelkind, he thought.

Kevin, the technician for Cera's team who looked like an accountant in his brown suit and with his thinning hair, asked, "Why would they want Aniela. She's a technician, not a warrior. What happened to Jed?"