Focus, Milayna.
“I’m telling you now. Things just started heating up yesterday. And besides, you knew the hobgoblins were here.”
“I didn’t know about the visions,” he said quietly.
“So I guess what I want to know is if anyone else has had a visit from the hobgoblins or if you are having visions.” They all said no to both.
I’m the only one having visions. And, so far, the goblins have only visited me. I feel so special… yeah, right.
Dropping his pizza on his plate and pushing it away, Drew said, “Well, we need to decide what we’re going to do.”
My dad was the highest-ranking angel before he left his seat on the Iri Council and came to live on earth, which made me the highest-ranking demi-angel in our group. As the highest-ranked demi, I was the leader of the group—not that I particularly liked the position. I made sure we made decisions together.
“My dad wants us to stay together, for none of us to be alone, just like three months ago. We’d have to alter our schedules, change our routines. Make sure we’re always within reach of another demi in case we needed them.”
“Sounds good,” Jen agreed. The others nodded.
“Then that’s what we do,” Drew said. “Problem solved. Until we know what Azazel is up to, we pair up. No one is alone. We’re either with another group member or with our angel parent. At all times.”
Luckily for us, sticking together wasn’t hard to do. The five of us lived in the same subdivision, within two streets of each other. Demi-angels tended to gravitate to one another. We stayed close because we were stronger as a team. Alone, we were weak and easily susceptible to Azazel and his groupies. We also drew comfort from each other. Comfort we didn’t feel around humans or anyone on Azazel’s team.
Muriel, my cousin and best friend, lived directly across the street from me. Chay lived on the block behind me and two houses to the right. Drew and Jen lived next door to each other on the next street over from Chay.
“Okay, now that we’ve decided what to do, we need to make sure to tell each other if we have any visits from little red goblins or demis of any kind. We need to know what’s going on with each other.” Chay looked at me. “That includes you, Milayna.”
I rolled my eyes. Like I don’t already know that.
“I’ll pick you two up in the morning,” Drew told Muriel and Jen when it was time for them to leave.
“No, I’ll pick you guys up. My car is cleaner. Drew’s is like a petri dish,” Muriel said.
“It’s not that bad.”
“Yes, it is. You have things growing in there! I think I’ve actually seen something moving.”
Jen looked at me and shook her head. “I wish they’d just kiss and get it over with already. So much drama.” She followed Drew and Muriel down the front steps to her car.
Chay looked at me. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
“Good.” I smiled. He didn’t smile back.
“You should have told me.”
“I’m sorry.”
Pulling me into his arms, he hugged me to him. He laid his cheek on the top of my head. “Whatever is going on will work out. He doesn’t have any power over you. Keep reminding yourself of that.”
He hooked his fingers through the belt loops of my jeans and pulled me even closer to him. Lowering his head, he kissed me slowly and I forgot I was standing in my living room with my parents only one room away. I put my palms on his chest, gently pushing him away.
“I think I’d better go before I give your dad a reason to kick me in the ass.”
“Yeah. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I can’t wait.” He smiled at me then. With one last kiss, he turned and walked to his car, swinging his keys around his fingers.
***
Chay jumped the back fence and walked to the patio table where I was sitting, elbow on the table, chin resting in my hand.
“How long have they been here?”
“Oh, about an hour,” I said.
“Have they said anything?” Chay straddled a chair next to me.
“Other than singing in their weird little language, nothing.”
“Well, I guess all we can do is wait until they get tired of playing around and tell us what they’re doing here. Wanna make out while we wait?”
“Sure.” I angled my body toward him.
He framed my face with his hands and leaned in for a kiss.
“Eh, really? You’re gonna do that now?” Scarface said, disgusted.
“Now? They pick now to talk. Classic.” Chay dropped his arms and leaned back.
I smiled at him and shrugged a shoulder. “There’s always when they leave.”
“Not if you leave with us,” Friendly said in his, well, friendly tone.
“Not gonna happen.” I shook my head.
Why do they keep asking? I didn’t side with Azazel three months ago, and I’m not going to now. Geez, do they not know the definition of the word ‘no’?