chapter 13
Uri was pacing his apartment, restlessly waiting, again trying to figure out his mission, when his phone buzzed on the end table. Uri was surprised to receive a text message from Heather so soon. He didn’t think she’d contact him today. When he saw the message, he couldn’t understand the flutter of panic in his gut.
Can you meet me and Taco at the park in an hour? Please? I need to see you.
He wasn’t sure why it caused the flutter, it seemed innocuous enough, but something about the pleading quality of the text didn’t seem like Heather. It didn’t seem right to him. He texted back.
Sure. See you then.
True to his word, an hour later he was sitting in the same place they had met last time. This time he wasn’t meditating. He was waiting, and he was on alert.
He felt her first. The burning sensation in his stomach calmed the fluttering, and when Taco came running around the bushes, he bent to stroke the chihuahua’s belly. He rose when Heather came into view.
“Hello, Heather. What’s wrong?”
She didn’t speak ; , she walked up to him and gave him a fierce hug around his waist, knocking the breath from him. He could hear her sniffing deeply, inhaling his scent. Then he knew. The Deceiver had touched her. And Uri was furious.
“So, the Deceiver has contacted you?” Bile rose in the back of his throat at the possibilities. He had seen the Deceiver's work, and it was disgusting. Uri's head spun , knowing what with what he could ha ve been d done to the woman he Uri was quickly starting to think of associate with as his own.
She nodded, not looking at him.
“Are you okay?” Uriel had seen the others that the Deceiver had touched. Some of them never came back from the experience. He felt a pang in his gut and realized it was worry.
She didn’t respond immediately, just continued holding him. He brought his arms around and held her tightly, trying to impart some comfort, not knowing why, or if it was even working.
Finally, she released him, and took a step back. “I thought he was you.”
The fury that Uri was trying to suppress kept him from responding verbally, so he merely nodded. He had never been so angry. He realized that he was becoming attached to this assignment, and he still didn't understand what it was…
Heather sat on the grass, motioning for Uri to join her. He sat next to her, wondering at the sudden urge to pull her into his arms again. He suddenly felt so empty without her there.
“He’s been at the club, but I didn’t realize who he was. I mean, I knew he was trouble, but I deal with trouble there all the time.” Uri clenched his jaw. “He sent me roses, to my apartment, and I was scared because he knew where I lived. That’s never happened before.”
He had to interrupt her. “You realize who he is, don’t you?”
Her eyes, as they looked at him, tore a hole in his heart. They were so full of fear. “He’s the devil, isn’t he?”
Uri nodded. “Yes, Heather.”
She nodded, “I saw him.”
Disbelief coursed through him. The Deceiver hadn't done that in a long time. “He showed his true form to you?”
“When he changed from you to Damien, yeah. He was this red and black scaly thing, with huge wings.” She started crying, and Uri couldn’t help himself, he pulled her into his lap, and held her head to his chest. “I’ve never been so scared in my whole life, Uri.” Deep, wracking sobs shook her entire body, and Uri had never felt so helpless in his long, weary life.
He didn’t know what to do, and he couldn’t understand that. He always knew what to do, but something about this girl's tears undid his insides, and Uri didn't have a clue what to do to put them back together. So he just held her, and let her cry.
When it seemed that she was calmer, he started explaining. “There used to be eight of us. His job was to go to the humans and see who was not serving the Boss’s will, tempting them and such. But he enjoyed tricking people too much, and he got carried away. The Boss made an example out of him, and he’s been trying to mess up our work ever since.” He stroked her hair, feeling its silkiness. “I’m sorry that he came to you. I'd seen him at the club, but I still don't know what all of this is about. I'm so sorry I didn't say anything. I feel so useless.”
“I thought he was you, Uri…” It was as if she hadn't heard him, she was so lost in her own thoughts. Heather looked extremely uncomfortable, and Uri had an idea of what he’d tried to do. A sudden panicky thought occurred to him.
“Did he try to…have sex with you?” He could hardly utter the words through the rage he felt, gritting his teeth to tamp it down.
“No, but he kissed me. That’s how I realized it wasn’t you. He was so…cold.” She shuddered. “And he stinks.”
Uri managed a relieved chuckle, although the thought of the other one's lips touching hers was surprisingly disappointing. “That he does. Brimstone," he answered her, distracted by the thought that she had kissed the Deceiver, thinking he was Uri. Had she done it willingly?
“Ahh…I thought it was sulfur, but I’ve never smelled brimstone…” He watched her as she lost herself to her thoughts. He noticed her lips for the first time, rosy pink, untouched by lipstick today. They were plump, and supple-looking, especially when she bit them like she was right now…
“Uri?”
His gaze snapped up to her eyes, curious at the turn his thought had been taking.
“What…do you look like?”
“I’m not allowed to show you, Heather. I would if I could…” And he would. He would have last night, just to make her believe, but the Boss had put a stop to that centuries ago.
“Can you heal my mother?” She asked him hopefully.
His heart sank. He had seen this too. Once people believed he was an archangel, they believed he could make the blind see, the crippled walk, the sick well again.
Shaking his head, he clasped her hand in his, rubbing the knuckles gently. “I’m sorry, Heather.”
Looking dejected, her chin sank to her chest.
Lifting it with his fingertip, he looked soulfully into her eyes. “I would if I could, Heather.”
“Can you help me with my sister?” She must have seen the look on his face, because she went on quickly, her eyes pleading. “I don’t want you to do anything superhuman with her. I just need help taking her to rehab. I’ve got a space reserved for her, I just can’t make her go by myself. I need some muscle. And he's been to see her, I need to get her out of there, as soon as possible.”
Relief coursed through his veins. Relief, and joy that he could do something to help her. “Yes. I can do that.”