Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 63

Ophiel paced about the living room, hands clenched into fists. "Whoever this woman is, I don't trust her. She must be working in concert with the demons. Must be."

They had called an emergency meeting Friday morning. Zoe stood apart from the group, arms crossed, counting off the minutes before it was time for her to leave for school. School is so much better than putting put with Ophiel.

Crispin stated, "She had a celestial shield around her entire house. How did she do that? Humans can't do that." The encounter with Maria de los Santos left him confounded, and he wouldn't stop whining about it.

Muriel interjected, "Demons don't usually manifest celestial energy."

Ophiel snorted. "I don't care who she is. She knows about scions. She warns us about some demon horde and that our scion will appear on Saturday night. She's a snake, a deceiver in disguise."

Zoe remembered Maria's words, the vain one. Indeed, the senior angel hated being upstaged, especially by a human with the audacity to send her a message.

"We don't know that," Zacharias stated. "We have been monitoring her activities."

Ophiel pointed at Zacharias. "And you've known about her all this time and didn't think it important to tell us?"

Zacharias's face tightened. "She wasn't a threat."

"She isn't a threat," Muriel corrected.

"Well, we have no other leads now. Do we?" She sneered at Muriel. "That Chicago trip proved fruitless."

"Enough." Leo stopped the conversation. Ever since his return from the Heavenly Spaces, he assumed more authority. "I remind you that Gabriel said the scion is real." His eyes scanned across the angelic faces. "I also remind you that we are all being watched." Then he glanced at Zoe. "Closely."

"What did Gabriel tell you?" Ophiel demanded."I have already told you his message."

"Well, then," she persisted, "What did you see?" They all knew about the gazing fountains, pools of pure, crystalline water that reflected back images of the Earth and its people.

Leo's eyes shot to Jed and then to Ophiel. "I have already revealed all that I am meant to reveal."Outwardly, Zoe did not move, but mentally she retraced the last three days. Monday, sports day. Tuesday, twins day. Wednesday, hippies day. Cookie sales, taking Clarissa to the hospital, letters back and forth with Ren, almost killing Austin because he read one of the letters. Did they see all that? Are they watching now?

Ophiel growled. "I am the senior angel here."

"That may be, but I report to Gabriel."

They stared at each other, tension filling the room.

Finally, Gemma came forward. "I will watch Maria de los Santos." She drew her sword. "I would like to learn more about this medicine woman. If need be, I would like to kill her myself."

Muriel's eyes widened, but Zacharias placed a hand on her shoulder. "That is fine with me," he said. "Let's keep Crispin with Zoe in the school...if that is okay with you?"

Zoe figured that Maria de los Santos would already know how to deal with Gemma. That human has powers.

Ophiel regained her composure. "Yes, yes. Maybe we need to assign another watcher to the school."

"Speaking of school." Zoe motioned to Crispin. "Think we need to be heading off. Spirit day today." She parted her black leather jacket, revealing a black T-shirt with a red falcon on it that Lin let her borrow.

Under a gray hoodie, Crispin wore a shirt that Erica gave him which was white and featured the words Falcon Pride.

Leo caught Zoe's eye and nodded in approval. The gesture gave her a moment of relief. Maybe I haven't done anything too wrong. Maybe.

"Fine," Ophiel relented.

Zoe snatched her backpack, opened up a portal, and darted away.

"Hey, wait up," Crispin called after her, but Zoe sped through the tunnels.

"I thought you didn't like school."

Zoe didn't respond until they reached their destination. They floated in the tunnels, wings flapping, for a moment. "Let's just say that I hate meetings more."

He chuckled. "Yeah. Your human friends are so much more fun."

Zoe opened up the gateway into the girl's bathroom. They both stepped inside."So, this is what a girl's bathroom looks like," he said.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Let's go before one of the humans sees you in here. They are particular about things like that."

The hallway by the band hall buzzed with activity, a cacophony of various sounds came from the doorway. Then a squad of cheerleaders turned the corner on their way to the gym with Riley leading the pack, dressed in black and red cheerleader outfit. Despite the bandage wrapped about her left thigh, she hopped along aided by one crutch. "Zoe and Crispin," she squealed. "Prep rally this morning." She hugged each of them.

Erica came up behind her. "Good morning," she said, her heart rate exploding when she saw Crispin.

Crispin batted his eyes at her. "Hi, there good-looking."

Good looking?

Riley laughed. "Is he always a flirt?" she asked Zoe.

Flirt? Wasn't that Riley called Austin when she first met him. Was being a flirt a bad thing? "Uh..." She shrugged.

Erica gave him a quick hug, her lanky arms enveloping his small frame. "See you at the rally," she said.

"Yup. See you soon."

She planted a kiss on his cheek, before rushing off with Riley to catch the rest of the squad. Crispin smirked. "See what I mean? Your friends are fun."

Zoe shook her head. "That should be a sin."

"Whoa," Crispin replied. "I'm not the only one with a date to the dance. You and Mason. What does Riley call it? Oh, yeah, young love! Zoe's in love! Zoe's in love!"

Zoe punched him in the arm with so much force that Crispin flew across the empty hallway and smashed into one of the lockers.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?"

"That actually felt good." She grinned.

Laughter echoed in the hallway. Hab and Aamon, dressed in their dark trench coats, rounded the corner.

"I would be happy to punch him again for you, Zoe," Hab said.

Crispin seized his dagger, ignited it, and almost threw it had Zoe not stopped him. The doorway from the band hall swung open, and the marching band dressed in full black and red uniforms marched out in front of them in cadence.

Hab laughed again. Aamon, on the other hand, crossed his arms and leaned against the lockers. "I'll kill you," Crispin warned through the noise.

"Tomorrow night. Your protection ends. Then, it's open warfare." Hab turned. "Let's go, brother."Aamon muttered, "I want my sword back."

"Tomorrow night, brother. Tomorrow night."

Zoe waited until they left, before taking her hands off Crispin. She said, "Demon brothers.""What did they mean by protection?"

"Not sure...uh... Maybe it has something to do with Maria de los Santos." The only one with ability to make that arrangement is Ren, but why?

"Hmmmm...." Crispin returned his dagger into its hidden scabbard. "That lady gives me the creeps."