A Serpent's Kiss

Chapter Six

“Fifty fifty.” He leant back in his chair. Both were silent. That’s flippin high Alaura thought to herself.

“Brilliant.”

After that they went their separate ways and Alaura once more was unable to concentrate on her lessons. The only chance they had to cure her was for her to kiss Gabriel, but even that wasn’t without its complications. She slammed her chair legs down on the floor from where she had been leaning on it. However, she didn’t count on her own strength and the chair went flipping over, making her bang her head on another desk. The whole class went silent and then broke out in raucous laughter.

“Not funny,” she groaned, her head throbbing. Moaning, she levered herself up and back into her seat, her face warm.

“Excuse me; I’m taking stunned girl here to first aid. Everything’s cool,” Kate, the whirlwind hauled her off her chair and whisked her off.

As the end of day bell rang after history, Alaura kicked back her chair and headed out of the door with a surge of people. She rammed in her iPod earphones and let it play full blast. She weaved and dodged past people until out of the school gates and heading down the road. She didn’t hear the shouts or the feet pounding behind her until she felt a blistering heat flame over her shoulder. Whipping round she saw Gabriel staring.

“Urm, hi?” she said, pulling out her earphones.

“Hi. Look, I was kinda wondering if you wanted to walk home with me. I don’t exactly trust the rest of my angel clan, especially the archangel.”

“Sure,” they began walking. “You know, this guy doesn’t sound that nice. Oh wait; he won’t be listening right now will he?”

“You never know with him. He’s alright, just a bit power mad and wanting to do a sterling job.”

“So you have job roles up there?” The thought made her giggle. Gabriel shot her an amused look.

“If you want to put it that way, yeah. I’m more of a searcher. One of the lower ranks.”

“You planning to work your way up?”

“Well, if I manage to kill you, then yeah. It’s proving a bit difficult.”

“Yeah, compassion blab la bla.”

“Not…just that.” Something in his tone made Alaura stop and turn to look at him. He was staring at her with a really odd look on his face. She couldn’t make out what it was.

Blushing, she stammered, “I’m nearly home. Thanks for walking me.” She quickly shot off.

“See you tomorrow!” he called. Despite herself, she grinned.

Kate finally managed to get some what she called ‘quality time’ with Alaura at lunch the next day. It mainly consisted of Kate trying to tease information about her and Gabriel’s relationship. The more she talked about it, the more Alaura realised she cared a lot more about him than she had realised. After all, he had stood up to the archangel and compassion had stilled his hand. Now, he seemed to be making the effort to help her.

The conversation swiftly moved on to talk of the upcoming prom. Kate babbled on about how her long time crush, Justin had finally asked her to go with him, and their plan was to have a showy arrival in a vintage car his dad owned. Alaura grimaced at this. Before she had rather lain in bed watching a film. Now, she definitely did not want to turn up to a social event.

For a change of scenery, Alaura went and sat in the park after school, whipping out her battered copy of Wuthering Heights and settling herself under a tree. A light breeze danced through the park and Alaura caught the distinctive smell of flowers. She didn’t take much heed, thinking that Gabriel would appear any minute. The intensity grew and she looked up. Her breath snagged in her throat. It was Mrs Forster. Her hand was closed around something that glinted in her palm.

Damn it.

Alaura scrambled to her feet, snatching up her bag and began to sprint. The smell hugged her like skin and she knew it would be an effort to shake off the angel. Her feet pounded through grass and onto tarmac. Her mind told her to head for home but a small part of her told her that it was a bad idea. She ignored it and kept running.

She turned down into a road and then in horror, realised it was deserted. Very few cars lined the pavement. There was little option but to carry on sprinting but a blinding light blinded her. Alaura staggered back in pain as brilliant illumination shattered her eyes. Cowering, she put one hand over them to try and block it out. Whimpering, she tried to turn but a firm hand grabbed her arm and she felt the burning begin. From in front of her eyes, her other arm was ripped out. Intense blue eyes stared into hers.

“If Gabriel won’t do it, I will,” Mrs Forster hissed, flexing her hand. Alaura screamed as the angel’s hand unfurled around a lethal knife that seemed to glitter white. Her head felt too heavy for her neck, a trickle of sweat was running down her spine.

“I’m human!” she yelled, knowing that this was a futile argument.

A short bark of laughter exploded from her attacker’s lips. “Like I said to Gabriel, a demon is a demon and has to be killed.”

She raised the hand with the knife and it caught the sun. A wave of icy light seemed to ripple over it. Alaura closed her eyes and felt the freezing touch of the blade as it bit into her skin.

Blood bubbled from the deep puncture on her neck and the blade kept on going. Bile rose in her throat. Please, please please she murmured. Opening her eyes, she saw the hate – filled face of the angel, a cruel glint in those eyes. In a final attempt to free herself, she gave a feeble push to the angel’s chest. Mrs Forster merely snorted and slapped her hands away.

The knife edge was now lodged deep in her throat and in a moment, Alaura knew her next move. As she opened her mouth to scream, there was a sudden thump and the next thing she knew, the knife had been yanked out of her neck. Gasping, she raised a hand to the wound and her fingers came away sticky. Coughing, blood spattered onto her hand. The road and buildings around her began to sway.

A yowl drew her attention to the ground in front of her. Mrs Forster had her hands around the neck of someone. Peering closer through vision that sparkled with spots of light, she saw the familiar features of Gabriel. He was fighting desperately and now managed to roll on top of his adversary. His hands yanked back the greying hair, exposing the throat. A similar blade to the one that had just been used to try to kill her appeared in his palm.

“Leave her alone Qaphsiel,” he snarled and despite her agony, Alaura smiled at his heroic defence. “You can’t take this into your own hands. We haven’t spoken to the archangel yet.”

Qaphsiel laughed, terrifyingly cold. “I’m pretty sure that I can persuade him to my cause, if he’s not already backing it. Why don’t we ask him now?” One hand wriggled free and began a series of movements. Gabriel looked at Alaura for the first time.

“You need to go. Now.”

“There’s no time. He’s coming,” chuckled Qaphsiel. Gabriel looked panicked and then whipped something out of his pocket, chucking it to her. It was a small pendant made of glass. Inside, some blue mist swirled.

“Put it around your neck and get under a car. It will be agonising to you and it may well knock you out.” Alaura grimaced. “Seriously, the archangel can fry you on the spot. I would do what I tell you.” His voice was serious. She nodded and slipped the chord over her neck. It weighed a tonne but she somehow managed to slide under one of the parked cars.

A light, far brighter than Qaphsiel’s light shot down the road. The necklace became an even darker shade and she began to feel her eyelids closing. Her limbs went soft and useless. A black mantle seemed to be shoved over her and all she could do now was listen.

“You called me Qaphsiel.” The voice was infinitely powerful and the road beneath her seemed to vibrate under his deep tones.

“Yes my lord. We seek your permission to end a semi- demon’s miserable life.”

“But she realises she is human and fights against it. Given the chance, she could be normal again.” Gabriel was shouting in anger and frustration.

There was a pause.

“I understand your thoughts Gabriel but we have a duty. Any demon presence, no matter how small, needs to be annihilated. Otherwise, the infection spreads.”

“But she can be cured, by a kiss!”

“Gabriel. You cannot kiss a demon. Besides, it will not work. Qaphsiel, make sure she is killed.”

“My pleasure, master.”

“No!” Gabriel roared. “I will heal her myself.”

Now the archangel laughed. “Really? And you guarantee it will work?”

Gabriel didn’t reply.

“I thought not. Qaphsiel do whatever you need to do. I entrust this to you now.”

A high – pitched tone shattered the air and then there was silence. The darkness around her seemed to evaporate and she was staring at a tarmacked road once more. Her mind tried to work out what had just happened and whether she had been dreaming or not. As she lay in a stunned paralysis, a hand reached under the car and hauled her out. Then she was staring into the eyes of Qaphsiel once more.

“I am going to rip you apart demon child. And Gabriel is going to watch.” She gave a twisted smile. Alaura wilted like a flower.

“I thought angels were supposed to be good!” Somehow the words slipped out, making her appear braver than she felt. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Gabriel stirring from where he had been thrown to the ground.

“We are. Demons are not. Now,” she waved the knife. “Any last words?”

“Guess I won’t be seeing you in heaven?” She attempted a small smile. Qaphsiel snarled and pulled back her arm.

laura was tumbling through air and then a strong pair of arms was around her and the world was moving in streaks. She could feel jolts of electricity on her arms and waist where Gabriel’s fingers touched her. Looking upm she felt Gabriel’s muscles move to return her gaze. Her heart suddenly jumped as his eyes contacted hers. His hair was lank and unruly, a scratch ran from his nose to the corner of his eye and his eyes burned fiercely. Rivers of fire were running through her now and she willed to be put down.

Then she was gently set down on the ground and she was outside her house. Relief washed over her in undulating waves. Suddenly, she staggered backwards under a fierce wave as her body let go…

“You need to get inside. Your parents home?” She scanned the drive. It was empty.

“Nope.”

“Good. We don’t want them seeing that gaping hole in your neck.” He smiled, his face suddenly becoming warm and alive. Unable to prevent herself, she answered him with her own one.

They trudged up the stairs and Alaura showed Gabriel the medicine cabinet. He seemed to know exactly what to do, and with minimal pain, she was patched up, save for a few blisters.

Alaura stared at the huge wad of bandage on her neck and grimaced. “I’m going to have to wear scarves and polar necks for the next few months. If I survive that long.”

“I’m going to look after you. Qaphsiel is ruthless but she’s an even match for me. Without me, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”