Requiem: Book One in The Apocalypse Trilogy

Chapter 13

The glow of the candle placed on top of the nightstand cast a golden light across Lorelei’s bare skin and her auburn hair, turning the strands to fire. She sat with her legs crossed and all of her hair was pulled to one side of her neck, exposing the other side of her shoulder. Archer had gone to take a shower, leaving Jadis and Lorelei alone in her bedroom. Jadis stood beside her, both of his hands placed onto her injured shoulder.

“Take in a deep breath,” Jadis instructed as a white light gleamed beneath his palms and a ghost light rimmed his iris’.

Lorelei took in a bracing breath and she winced in pain as her shoulder throbbed. She closed her eyes, waiting for Jadis to pop her shoulder back into place. After this enjoyable experience, when Lorelei is able to get her hands on Lucifer, she will make him pay for tearing her shoulder out of place and for tossing her off of a one hundred story building.

“Breathe out,”

As Jadis spoke those words, Lorelei breathed out, only to suck in air as her shoulder slipped back into place. Lorelei swore beneath her breath and leaned forward, resting her forehead against her cotton comforter. She breathed in and out a few times, trying to soothe the raging fire in her muscles. When the pain subsided she straightened herself.

“Has Kent come back yet?” Lorelei asked Jadis as he took a seat on the edge of her bed.

“I’m afraid not,” Jadis said, his dark eyebrows pulling together and he cast his hazel gaze down at the floor. “They are sending out a search party tomorrow if Kent does not show up before then.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Lorelei mumbled beneath her breath. “He was right behind me. The next thing I know, he has completely disappeared.”

“You never finished telling me what happened today,” Jadis recollected, shifting his gaze onto Lorelei.

“That’s right,” Lorelei shifted uncomfortably for a second, wishing she did not have to relive today more than once. “I was going to wait until Archer came back so I won’t have to tell the story more than once.”

“Seems like he still knows more than I do,” Jadis said.

Lorelei met Jadis’ gaze. In the candlelight, the green specks in his eyes stood out from the brown, making them look like jewels. Strands of his dark brown hair fell into his eyes. Staring at him now, Lorelei didn’t understand why she never noticed how attractive Jadis was. He had a strong jawline, a perfectly straight nose, full lips, and high cheekbones. If Lorelei looked close enough, she could see faint freckles dotting his nose and cheeks.
There were many qualities that Jadis possessed that made him attractive, and not just by his appearance.

Jadis was brave; he always stood up for a weaker being and made himself known if he thought something was not fair. Jadis was kind; he helped read to the children at school during story time and he tried to be nice to everyone in Haven. Jadis was loyal; no matter the circumstance, Jadis had always been loyal to not only Lorelei, but the entire town. Jadis was honest; he always told the truth, even if sometimes Lorelei wished he wouldn’t.

Given all the traits that Jadis had, why did Lorelei never see him as a potential soulmate? Lorelei knew the exact answer, although she would never say it allowed. Jadis was her best friend. That was all he would ever be to her, and he knew that, but that didn’t stop Jadis from casually flirting with her or sneaking sideways glances at her. It felt good to be wanted, Lorelei had to admit, but she wished she was wanted by someone she wanted as well. 

Lorelei’s door creaked open, saving her from responding to Jadis’ accusatory statement, and Archer walked into the room. His sandy blonde hair fell into his bright blue eyes as he shook out the water from his hair with a towel. Archer made his way to his bed across the room and sat, pulling his legs into a crossed position.

Even though he sat nearly fifty feet from her, Lorelei could see the faint scars on his arms and his shoulders and the Enochian symbols on his wrists were still there as well, but they had faded substantially since Archer had been in Haven.

“Since Archer has returned,” Jadis noted, and Lorelei caught a tinge of irritability in his voice. “Tell me what happened.”

Lorelei took in a deep breath. “Kent and I went to the roof to get a better vantage point. When we got to the roof, Lucifer was there. He told me that I was a Prophet. Lucifer said that there was a prophecy written in Heaven as well as in Hell. If I chose to fight for Heaven, then I was destined to end the Apocalypse, but if I chose to fight for Hell, I would destroy the Earth, and possibly Heaven as well.”

Lorelei met Archer’s wide gaze and she dropped her eyes to her shaking hands. She curled her fingers into her blanket to hide them from Jadis and Archer. The feeling of being suspended over the side of the building came rushing back to her and she gritted her teeth, pushing the memory back.

“When I refused to fight for him, Lucifer tossed me off of the building. That’s when Archer saved me,” Lorelei said, licking her bottom lip nervously and she lifted her gaze to stare from Jadis, who stared at her in disbelief, to Archer; whose gaze quickly fell to the cement floor.

Jadis slowly turned to glance at Archer over his shoulder. “How did you know Lorel was in trouble?”

“Heaven sent me,” Archer said with a nonchalant shrug, but there was something in the way he avoided meeting anyone’s eyes that caused Lorelei to frown at him. “They told me she was in danger and so I came to her rescue.”

Jadis said nothing to Archer and he turned to look at Lorelei. “So you’re a Prophet now. If you told Lucifer you wouldn’t fight for Hell, then are you fighting for Heaven?”

Lorelei bit her lower lip, shaking her head. “I won’t fight for either side. Just because I want to end the Apocalypse, does not mean I want to do it on Heaven’s terms. They’ve never given me a reason to trust them, so why should I put my entire fate in their hands?”

“Be careful what you say, Lorelei,” Archer warned and he glanced up at her. “The Archangels are always listening.”

“Who in the hell cares about the Archangels?” Jadis snapped, jumping from Lorelei’s bed to whirl around, facing Archer. “They’ve never sent help. They’ve never come to Earth to fight against Lucifer, but they want--no--_expect_ Lorel to just do what they want?” Jadis laughed mockingly. “As long as I am still around, as long as I am still breathing, I won’t allow Lorelei to become Heaven’s weapon. Do you understand that?” Jadis looked upwards, as if he was screaming at Heaven himself, and Lorelei knew that he was. “I won’t let any of you turn her into your Prophet!”

“Jadis, enough,” Archer growled, rising to his feet. “If Heaven commands it, you must let it happen.”

“Look who decided to get off of the pity-me-train,” Jadis snarled, turning on Archer. His wings unfurled from his back and Archer mimicked the threat. “Since when do you have any say in what happens to her?”

“Since I have been promoted to her Guardian Angel,” Archer said, his blue eyes glowing. Lorelei gazed at Archer with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what was fully taking place. “Heaven has instructed me to watch after her. To help her fulfill her destiny.”

“Who is going to teach her? _You?_” Jadis gave a bitter laugh. “You can barely hold yourself together, _Brother_. What makes you think that _you_ of all people can protect her?”

Archer flicked his wrist, knocking Jadis off of his feet and slamming him against the wall, pinning him there. “Because I am an Archangel of Heaven, _Brother_.” Archer snarled, his blue eyes filled with so much rage and insanity, that all Lorelei could do, was remain frozen while she watched the two Angels go at it.