Saints and Sinners

Chapter 11

“Amelia!” Jerry yelled over the sound of the music and the crowds. Amelia had been working for Jerry since she was legal to enter the bar scene. She had started as a waitress and made her way to tending bar. Jerry usually let Amelia do her own thing, so the fact he was calling her meant one of two things usually; A, he wanted to talk, or B, one of the ladies called in or had to leave and needed her to serve drinks. She got closer to him so she didn't have to yell quite as loud. “What’s up Jerry?” He looked at her, putting a drink in her hand, “Man in the corner wanted to chat with you. Told him he couldn't just chat, so he ordered a drink. Seemed to be pretty persistent, do you know him?” Jerry asked. Amelia looked in the vicinity Jerry’s head pointed. Her eyes met with a pair of dark ones and her face turned into a scowl. While that of Damien’s smiled back at her. Jerry placed a hand at her elbow, “If things get out of hand just yell. You know the local boys will be there for you.” Amelia looked at Jerry looked giving a small smile. “Thanks Jerry.”

Jerry was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair once blue eyes turned gray and a soft slightly overweight body. He had a sharp mind and remembered everyone's favorite drink. He had opened the place with his wife Maggie almost 30 years ago, while it was strictly a twenty-one or older place after 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays they made it a family spot during the day. “Don't worry, I won't count this as a break.” Jerry said with a laugh going off to set up some shots at the end of the bar.

Amelia was ready to have the drink herself but refrained and headed towards the table where Damien sat. She put the drink on the table purposefully so it’d splash over the rim and spill onto the table before sliding into the seat across from Damien. “What the hell do you want?” she said rather rudely. “My sweet Angel, I don't want anything. I’m merely here to have a drink, when I saw you, well I wanted your company.” he said and took a slow deliberate drink. “I do, however, find a little bit of humor in the fact you work at an establishment where lust and greed like to spread like a fire to dry brush.” he said, continuing to look at Amelia. She shook her head, “You don’t know anything about this place. Jerry runs a nice bar and bad behavior isn’t tolerated neither are rude customers, drink or no drink.” she said with a finish. “Ah well good thing I’m not rude, only honest.” He said. Amelia narrowed her eyes at him, “I have work to do.” She said starting to get up but his hand around her wrist stopped her, “Wait I did have something to tell you.” All teasing gone from his voice. Amelia sat back down and looked at him. Damien released her wrist, “Ubel is coming, you won’t be able to stop him. He wants his daughter and he will stop at nothing to get her. I shouldn’t even be telling you, but for some odd reason this nagging feeling in my chest won’t let me let you be blindsided.” He said, rubbing a fist over his chest. Amelia narrowed her eyes at him, “Most people would call that having a heart. But you're a demon, so maybe it’s just gas.” Damien gave her exasperated look, “You wound me, my dear.” he said, finally taking a drink. “No it’s not that. I’ve never felt this before, which is what makes it a strange feeling to me.” He glanced at where he had grabbed her earlier, which only made Amelia look as well. Her eyes widened, it wasn’t the blistering she had come to expect whenever he touched her but was merely a sunburnt shade of red. “Everytime you touch me I get burned. Why?” She asked.

Damien looked up at her, “It’s a natural effect us demons have on gentler creatures, like humans and well angels. We came from a place where it’s nothing but smoke, fire, and torture. Humans aren’t affected nearly as badly, they tend to get a shock when a demon touches them but angels are pure light. So they tend to burn. I’m guessing because your basic human genes from your father aren’t very strong, that's why you get burned.” He said. Amelia looked at him, “Okay, that explains it a little bit but not why this time it’s only a mild burn and not the blistering burn like the time before or even the time that I touched Beth’s forehead,” she said. He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know why, it could be related to this feeling in my chest.” The longer Amelia sat there, the more relaxed she felt. “What do you mean?” she asked hesitantly. Damien frowned, “There’s this growing tightness, and it didn’t start until I met you.” he paused and then his eyes grew serious, “You’ve done something to me haven’t you?” he said, his voice full of spite. “I think your boss needs you back at the bar, as much as I love having you around to toy with my Little Angel. I must be going, Ubel will be wanting a report.” Damien said, and just like that Amelia’s anger returned. “You traitorous motherfu. .” she started, which only made him grin as he got up and left, leaving her sitting alone at the table, his drink barely touched.

Amelia sat a few moments more after he left before getting up and taking the drink with her, swallowing the rest down before putting it with the rest of the dirty glasses behind the bar. She was serving a drink when Jerry came up beside her. “Everything okay?” he asked while serving his own patron. She shook her head and gave him a half smile, “Just peachy.” she said. “Hey Jerry?” she started getting his attention. “If you ever see him again, just tell him to piss off. He’s nothing but trouble and I don’t want him causing trouble for you.” Jerry regarded her with a nod. “Right, say no more Amelia. I know how to take care of those kinds of people.” Amelia wanted to tell him that Damien wasn’t a person at all, but kept her mouth shut.