Original Sin

Chapter 14

Altai Mountains near the borders of China and Kazakhstan, 1850

This place was isolated, untouched by humans, demons, and angels. She searched every corner of the world looking for a place like this. There wasn't a soul in sight when she arrived with just the clothes on her back. No one knew she was here, an immortal woman with no name. She existed a shadow passing through time. She didn't have a purpose anymore, not that she had one to begin with. She decided it would be best to avoid contact with anyone. 

50 years later, still not a soul.

She paused her horse, cleverly named Darius, meaning "in possession of goodness". He was her only companion. They stopped at the peak of a large ridge overlooking the valley below. It was autumn. The wind grew colder by the second. Blond hair whipped around her face. While she didn't really care for the cold, once the snow set-in the mountains would be completely impassable. She preferred it this way. 

Whatever she needed, she already had- A few cooking utensils, flint and some bullets, a bow and arrows, equipment for Darius, a few clothes. She managed to avoid steady company with humans for quite some time now. Perhaps this peace, this place, could last forever?

As she settled down to make a fire and spend her evening under the stars, Darius perked up his ears. It was a protective quality in stallions, part of their herd mentality. He must've sensed something unfamiliar. Taking her musket, she peered over the edge of the valley. It was faint, but there were footsteps approaching, a lot of them.

She waited, safely hidden from the spectators' view. Less than an hour passed before she saw them.

Over a hundred men, women, and children walking through the mountains, a caravan of some sort. Where they were heading? This valley had no road. They were the first group of people to cross this land.

She sighed and turned away from the encroaching noise. She lay on the ground looking at the stars in the sky. Her fifty years of solitude now ended. 

Soon there would be no place left to run and hide.

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Alex never let go of Hailey's hand. They sat with Michael and Melanie in a small café not far from the beach. On the outside, it looked like a dilapidated building, rocks falling from the corners of crumbling walls and shutters hanging off the hinges. The inside wasn't much better; a thin layer of dust covered the tables, and the coffee was absolute crap served in plastic cups. Hailey, Alex, and Michael wisely chose not to order anything. Melanie, on the other hand, was taking full advantage of Michael's seemingly endless funds. 

Since when did he care about humanity enough to keep currency on hand? Hailey chose to keep her thoughts to herself, for now. 

"So anyway, I didn't even know angels existed until Michael shows up totally beat to a pulp on my doorstep the other day.....And then he shows me that he can create money out of thin air! That was totally cool...So yeah, I think we really hit it off, you know? And it's great to be talking to another angel/human couple!"

Hailey grit her teeth. Melanie was too talkative. Michael kept his eyes locked with Alex's. Hailey's first impression of the situation seemed to be true- He was using Melanie, and the girl had absolutely no clue. She was too naïve for her own good. Michael's eyes were icy cold. Hailey feared that when Melanie's purpose was complete, Michael wouldn't hesitate to get rid of her.

Alex hadn't said a word since they met on the beach. Something stirred in his mind though. Sometimes his grip on Hailey's hand would tighten protectively, or his eyes would shift from Michael to Hailey and then back to Michael. On occasion, he would let out a low, menacing growl. But it seemed that however dark and piercing Alex's eyes were, they didn't faze Michael, who sat with an arrogant smirk on his face the whole time. Hailey hoped Alex would clue her in later as to what puzzle pieces he may have put together. For now, she would have to endure a chatty Melanie.