Dream Demons

Meeting A Celestial

            Dar had mentioned Michael lived in a penthouse but he didn't mention it was the entire top floor! Marita took a shaky breath trying to summon the courage to continue. Marita's heart thumped in her throat. A trickle of sweat slid down her spine, leaving a chill in its wake. 

        Her life had changed so much over the past twenty-four hours and she had the odd feeling that whatever awaited her on the other side of that door, there would be no turning back. No blissful ignorance to protect her. No more simplicity, no more black and white. What was she getting herself into? 

           Before Dar could knock on the heavy door, it swung inward, silently, of its own volition. The warm assurance of his touch urging her forward kept her grounded. 

        Stumbling into the dimly lit room she blinked rapidly trying to adjust her eyes more quickly. Suddenly afraid. Unsure of she expected to find but the sophisticated living area seemed almost anticlimactic. 

            The rooms highly polished wood flooring matched the doors perfectly. One wall was lined with bookcases while the other housed a large fireplace. A soft looking camel colored leather sofa was located in the center. 

            "Come and sit, honey. I'm sure Michael'll be out in a minute." Dar led her to the couch and she gratefully sank into its softness. "Hey, Michael, get your mysterious ass out here. He's probably wanting to make an entrance."

            A gust of wind blew through the room, ruffling Marita's hair and sending a chill along her neck raising the sensitive hairs there. Startled she turned around on the couch in the direction of the breeze, tucking her leg underneath of her. The drapes fluttering in the breeze, a shadow appearing behind them elicited a startled gasp from her. 

        Her eyes must be playing tricks on her! The man-size shape was flanked by what appeared to be giant wings. Twice as far across as he was tall! Slowly closing her eyes, she reopened them to find a beautiful man walking through the drapes from what must've been the balcony. She'd thought Dar was the most beautiful man she'd ever met before seeing Michael. Where Dar's coloring was light and carefree like the boy next door. Michael's was dark and mysterious like some dark knight. 

        They were definitely a study of opposites. Dar was obviously more broad and muscular like a football player. Michael was close in height but more slender. His long black hair gracefully brushed his shoulders. His face was perfect, reminding her of Renaissance depictions of angels except there was nothing feminine about Michael. His dark eyes framed an aquiline nose over full, sensuous pink lips. He exuded the same type of strength and power she felt from Dar. 

        "Nice entrance. Not dramatic at all." Dar commented sardonically. 

        Michael raised an eyebrow with a slight tilt to his lips. "Jealous?"

        "Hardly. I don't need some guy that's light in the loafers to upstage me."

        "I'm not 'light in the loafers' as you so indelicately put it. I'm light on my feet." Michael walked farther into the room towards Marita, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. 

        "Is this lovely creature the one you have questions about?"

        "Michael, Marita. Marita, Michael."

        "Nice to meet you, my dear. Dar did you try to read her?"

        Nodding, Dar's cheeks flushed slightly. "I couldn't read her. I could only feel the waves coming off her. I've never felt anything so strong."

        "I see."

        Michael was quiet for a moment and Marita feared what his silence might mean. 

        "Well, what does that mean?" She couldn't stay quiet any longer, shifting uneasily, her need to get this over with and where she had to go from here overwhelming her. 

        Michael laughed, a deeply melodic sound. It helped calm her uneasiness. Dar stepped closer to the couch, laying a hand upon her shoulder as Michael sat next to her, casually adjusting his black leather duster. "What has Dar told you about yourself?"

        "Not much. He seems to be concerned about scarring me. He says he isn't familiar with the things that are happening to me and wanted another opinion without giving me any false assurances or added concerns." Breathing deep, she had no idea how much Michael knew. "He thinks I have some psychic ability and there seems to be something invading my dreams."

        "Indeed," Michael paused thoughtfully before diving in."Dar is correct that you have psychic abilities. I could feel your energy from outside. With your permission, I would like to read you."

        "What do you mean? I'm not a book."

        "You'd be surprised how similar it is. I promise it won't hurt. It's simply a way for me to get through the buried layers of your psyche and help you."

        Marita was quiet a long time, looking from Michael's friendly yet closed expression to Dar's warm, gentle one. "Alright. What do I need to do?"

        "Nothing. Just sit there and relax. I'm just going to place my hands on either side of your head to help you stay focused on me."

        Marita nodded as Michael's cool hands cradled her face. Marita took a deep breath, willing herself to relax and closed her eyes, shielding herself from the intensity of Michael's gaze.

        Dar stood behind the sofa watching  Michael stare intently at Marita. His beast reared up at the intimacy and he had to control a growl threatening to escape. He didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. It was killing him to keep his life mate status, and jealousy, to himself.

            He considered himself a patient man but standing on the outside looking in, wondering what Michael was seeing, was driving him crazy. Feeling like a caged tiger, he was torn between his need to pace and his desire to hover over her.

            Pacing won out. He stalked out of the room. As long as he kept moving it felt like he was doing something even if it was only changing positions. Pulling out his cell phone he checked in with his team.

            "Cour, how's it going? Any trouble tonight?" He found it difficult to focus. 

            "Nah, man. It's been quiet so far but it's still early." Cour's stronger psychic ability made him the ideal second in command to monitor tears. Their kind improved with age, powers became stronger, new powers manifested. Cour's additional two centuries over Dar's made for a good team. Cour could have been in charge but he had no interest in leading. 

        He wrapped up the status check with Cour, without incident, no need getting him involved in Dar's little side interests. And Cour's promise to call if anything major happens, he turned his attention back to his Life mate and the Celestial. 

        Walking into the room he sought out Marita's face. His anxiety diminished. She didn't look worse for the encounter, maybe a bit tired around the eyes but otherwise in good spirits, he was drawn to her side and looped his arm around her waist. 

            She took a deep breath, she hadn't realized she'd been holding, when Michael's pull subsided. His hands felt remarkably comfortable holding her face. 

            "Well, that wasn't so bad." She smiled a bit. "So what now?"

            "Now we talk."

            Dar's arm suddenly around her waist reminded her of his presence and it brought comfort, she leaned into his embrace. She didn't want him to hear all her secrets at the same time she did. She needed to process it on her own and to have the choice to share what she discovers. 

            "Dar, will you please excuse us? I'd like a one on one, if that's alright?"

            "Are you sure?" His jaw clenching was the only sign he was upset by her request. She didn't want to upset him, surely he could understand that.

            She nodded, pleading with her eyes. She lightly touched his chest, standing on tiptoe and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He jolted in surprise but quickly relaxed against her. She was surprised herself but it felt natural. She felt more relaxed as well. 

            He touched her cheek, smiling lightly. His thumb stroked her cheek and she turned her face into his palm lightly kissing it. 

            "I'll be fine."

            He nodded and left the two of them alone. She smiled at his retreating form. She hated to part from him but loved watching him leave. His muscles playing under the snug denim of his jeans. She only hoped he would still want to be with her after all this. She wouldn't be the damsel in distress forever. 

        "It's alright, Dar's a big boy. He can take care of himself." Michael interrupted her musings as they turned to less happy thoughts. "Back to you, my dear. Let's start with the basics. How much do you know about your parents?"

        "Not much, really. They died when I was small. I was raised in foster homes until I graduated high school. Then the state paid for me to go to college."

        "I see. From what I've gleaned from your, mind, you must come from a long line of strong psychics. It's impossible to say what type because there aren't any discernible markers. However, you're a strong empath. You have the ability to read residual emotions from inanimate objects, as well as people. After talking with Dar about how he found you, I agree that you were being sucked dry emotionally and mentally. There are a few creatures out there with the ability to feed off psychic energy. Some are more obvious than others."

           "What else? Does any of this have to do with what happened to my family?"

            "One step at a time. First, let's work on teaching you to ward yourself. That will help prevent others from using you as an all you can eat buffet. It'll also help shield you from the extra emotions around you. You don't need them muddling your thoughts. At least until you know how to control it."        

            "You can teach me that?"

            "Indeed. You should learn how to control your powers and access them as needed. You don't want them to control you, you must control them."

            "Thank you, Michael. I appreciate everything you're doing for me."

            "It's what I do."

            Sitting quietly for a moment, worrying her lip between her teeth. "May I ask you some questions?"

            "I'll answer what I can. But you have to be sure you want the answers?"

            "Not really," she laughed, "but I don't think I have a whole lot of choice." She smiled ruefully at Michael. "Over the past twenty-four hours I've seen a lot of strange things and I need to know if I'm losing my mind."

            "Alright."

            Marita adjusted in her seat, excited. Where to start? She really wanted to ask about Dar but she feared she wasn't ready to know why he seemed so different.

            "When I was walking home last night I saw a gang of thugs do some pretty weird things. Dar called them demons. Is that true? Are there real demons?"

            "Yes, they're real. Most don't exist on this plane, they like to come and enjoy the human buffet and then they return to their dimension. Something like that killed your family, truth be told. Not necessarily the type you saw last night. There are infinite varieties and some are more difficult to eradicate than others."

            She tried absorbing this news without being overwhelmed but it was more difficult than she anticipated. 

            "Wow! Uhm, what about Dar and his group? What are they?"

            "They're hunters, protectors, if you will. They patrol and eradicate the demon menace, preferably before, innocents are hurt. 

            "So he thinks he's adopted me? To protect me?"

            "I think that's a conversation for you and him. It's not my place to say."

            "What about you?" The more she learned the more freaked out she was getting. Let's rip off this bandage and get it over with. "I swear I saw something before you came in from the balcony that must've been a trick of the light or something. I thought I saw wings."

            Michael was silent for long enough she thought he might not answer. Quietly, he stood, crossing the room and facing her. He seemed to come to a decision.

            "Well, my dear. Let me show you." Standing in the center of the room, he shrugged his coat from his shoulders letting it pool at his feet. His gaze was steady, watching her. Slowly large dark wings lifted

  from his back, stretching fully behind him. Her eyes slowly widened as she stood from the couch.