Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jasmine walked out of the elevator, hearing all kinds of voices in her mind. She was having an incredibly hard time focusing to block everyone out. Even she heard Amelia’s thoughts as she chanted over and over in her mind that she wouldn’t be a coward that she wasn’t afraid. It made Jasmine nervous, but she walked in confidently as she gave small smile to hide her anxiousness.

“Amelia. I’m so glad you are doing better.” Jasmine said, walking over to her bedside. The room was decorated with flowers and looked even more comfortable than her apartment. Amelia’s eyes were puffy from crying and she sat with her knees up. The poor woman was clearly tormented.

“I never got a chance to thank you for saving me…” But I wish you had let me die. Finished in her head. Jasmine sat on the chair next to her. “All I have been able to think about is the darkness…the cold…my life flashing before my eyes and then…” She looked to Jasmine with hope in her eyes. “You were there. You helped me.” She gulped and moved her head, slightly shifting. “You heard me.”

Jasmine looked away uncomfortably. “I’m no savior Amelia.” She replied, not wanting the title of being that for anyone. “Just doing my job.”

“I can see you put on this persona of not caring, but you do, Jasmine. You care about people. It’s that people don’t care about you.” Jasmine didn’t respond, too shocked that Amelia could see right through her. She scoffed as she held her knees some more. “How were you able to speak to me in my mind? Can you hear my thoughts now?”

“If I try really hard I won’t. I don’t want to invade anyone’s privacy, especially the place where no one should be. Some people have sick minds and I wish like hell I didn’t have my ‘gift’ as people call it.”

“What do you call it?”

“A curse.”

“You saved me though. Whatever you call it, you helped me. Now I want to help you.” Amelia leaned in closer to Jasmine. “Your police department wanted to know why I was kidnapped. It’s because of my dad. I think he made a deal with Chase Fallon and he didn’t pay him. I was used as collateral.”

“You know Chase Fallon?” Amelia nodded. “He is working with the mob boss. Do you know him?” She shook her head. “How about the man that kidnapped you? Rolio?” Amelia shook her head again.

“I heard my father talking to Chase…” Amelia gasped as the lights went out. Jasmine held her close to her to protect her from whatever.

“Stay close.” Jasmine whispered to Amelia, but then she read her mind while scanning for others. She was apologizing to her while placing a sheet over her head. Jasmine screamed and pushed Amelia back causing her to hit the wall.

Jasmine released the bag from her head as she saw more men come into the room. She couldn’t read their minds. That fact scared her. It was the demons coming to collect her. Humans she could deal with, but demons she didn’t have a clue about. Her hands reached for the IV pole thrusting forwards to them.

Their eyes were cold as they held up their guns to Jasmine. Her eyes glanced at Amelia who was crying and hiding on the side of the bed. Someone got to her first to request her presence to ambush her. Gabriel was right then. They were out to get her.

“What do you want?” She asked, angrily. “Who are you?” A darkness formed around them that Jasmine couldn’t explain, but the room grew colder and the air went dry.

“You know who we are.” The three men chanted together in unison. They turned slightly, almost robotic as they did so. A voice called her name.

“Jasmine!”

“They are in here don’t come in.” She warned. The men looked back at her, eyes glinted with red as they started to walk to her. Before they could reach her one was mashed against the adjacent wall by a powerful force causing Amelia to scream. Gabriel was there, glancing at the scene.

“Malakith’s carriers. You all have gone too far.” Gabriel said, his fists lightening brightly.

“Gabriel?” One of them recognized him. “You’re a fucking carrier on earth?” They all laughed causing Gabriel to frown, but before he could rush them to attack the middle man put his gun in Gabriel’s face pulling the trigger as he did so.

Jasmine screamed abruptly at the gun firing and the sight of Gabriel getting hit. She covered her mouth, sickness threatening to take over, but she kept her calm composer as she looked out the window for a way out, however they were too far up to climb out. While they were busy looking at Gabriel presumed dead on the floor, Jasmine swiped the IV pole across their heads, hitting and swiping left first than right to hit the other, making her a way out.

They didn’t seem to be affected at all by it. The demon grabbed the pole from her and the other lifted her by wrapping his arms under her shoulder. Jasmine kicked and fought until they threw her against the wall.

“Hey put your hands up!” Xavier screamed from the doorway pointing his gun at the attackers. “Jasmine, are you alright?” The demons looked at Xavier ready to attack him now, but Xavier placed a bullet right in his shoulder. “I said stop.” The demon continued forward as if not harmed which caused Xavier to shoot him again this time in the head. The demon’s head fell back but the bullet wound healed as if it hadn’t been shot at all. “Jesus Christ!” Xavier fired everything he had out the clip of his gun.

The demon continued his walk becoming closer and closer to Xavier right before a force slammed him down by his throat breaking the floor. Xavier looked over to the other demon now attacking Jasmine. He went to help her, but Gabriel stood in front of him, his head turned to him causing him to gasp at the sight of the bullet wound healing in his forehead. If he didn’t believe before he didn’t have a chance of backing out his beliefs now.

“Get Amelia, but stay out of my way.” Gabriel warned as he did a primitive growl. His body glowed a bright light as his eyes fixated on the demons. The one he slammed on the ground he stepped on walking over with a speed Xavier couldn’t keep up with as he grabbed the demon near Jasmine by his neck. Xavier could do nothing other than to go to Amelia helping her trembling body off the floor.

“Let’s go Amelia.”

“I can’t. This is my fault. I’m so stupid. I thought they would leave my dad alone, but…” Xavier grabbed her forcefully pulling her up.

“Don’t you see this mess? We can worry about that later. Let’s go now!” Xavier screamed, pulling her to the door. Jasmine was waiting for them.

“Go now!” Gabriel yelled as he kicked another demon getting up. The demons were relentless and the only thing to send them back to hell was his wings. He stared at his glowing hands though and knew exactly how he would send them back where they belonged. He couldn’t kill them. The humans would die as well. However hurting them wasn’t against the rules or his beliefs.

Once Xavier and Jasmine were out of harm’s way, Gabriel could put his plan into motion. The demons attacked him all at once. Once kicked forward while the other punched to the left, while the third behind him shot his gun again. Gabriel saw all of the movements as if in slow motion. He ducked dodging the bullet first allowing it to hit the other in the chest. That caused the kick going forwards to miss him while he grabbed the arm of the punch attacker, throwing him into the one with the gun. Gabriel jumped up using both his legs to kick the two he mashed together on the bed while the other laid on the floor.

His hands started to glow hotter as it touched the face covering the demon’s face completely causing it to scream and wither under Gabriel. “Go back to hell demon. Where you belong.” The light busted as the screaming stopped and the body empty now lay unconscious. Gabriel’s eyes turned to the other two that looked at each other in fear. “You thought I was weak in this state, but I seem to have acquired a little more power than I’m used to.” He powered down his unbruised hand. “Now which one of you is going to tell me about why you want Jasmine? And please don’t all talk at once.” Gabriel smirked causing the demons to run to him, attacking again.

A twirl kick to his face and another kick to his legs as Gabriel jumped punching one of them in the chests and elbowing the other with momentum sending them flying into the next room opposite. He laid his hand on the first and got rid of him and then walked to the other who started begging.

“No no please. I can’t go back to that hell. It’s so nice up here to get to do what you want and not paying any of the consequences…” He begged.

“Then talk.” Gabriel grabbed his collar pushing him up to his face.

“We were just sent here to collect Jasmine Peters. That’s it.”

“Why?”

The demon shrugged. “Do you ask the Almighty why? We don’t go against Malakith. Whatever he says we do. We’re just errand boys just like you.”

Gabriel yanked his collar up even more to now choking him. “What is he planning then? Is Lucifer on earth? What in the hell do you know?” Gabriel showed him his hand glowing. “Tell me or so help you I will take you to the Almighty myself.”

The demon laughed then. His tongue stuck out from Gabriel choking him. “Aren’t you supposed to be protecting the girl?” On cue there was a scream from downstairs. Gabriel’s eyes twitched from anger and he placed his hand on the demons forehead. He screamed and vanished like the others quickly enough so he could run to Jasmine.

Jasmine tripped over a body as the lights in the hallway flickered on and off. Amelia held onto Xavier as he helped her up. There were bodies in the hallway and from a distance she could see a silhouette, not friendly, walking towards her. Fear caused her to run faster as she heard Xavier call her name, trying to get her to calm down, not seeing what she was seeing. It was as if everyone else faded away and there was only her there as she looked back once for Xavier and Amelia to turn back to a nurse rolling a woman in a bed.

She tripped over the bed, before falling over on the floor the woman grasped her hand as they both hit the ground. Jasmine tried to remove her hand quickly, but the woman had a vice grip. It glowed as it had when she touched Mrs. Jenkins back at her home, unaware and on it’s own without her controlling it. The woman woke before Jasmine knew what she was doing. She jerked away as she hit the wall trying not to hyperventilate.

“What have you done?” A voice yelled out at her. Jasmine screamed as she saw the Angel from earlier, walking dangerously close at her. “Do you know what you have done?”

“Simahel.” Gabriel’s voice rang supreme over the chaos. “Leave her alone.”

The Angel turned to him disappointed. Her head shaking and she disappeared as the lights came back on in the building. Officers rushed to Amelia. Xavier hesitantly let her go to them as she fought hard to stay near him not trusting anyone anymore. Jasmine’s vision began to blur as the lights came back blinding. She lifted her hands up to block out the light, heart racing and her chest heaved. A hand grabbed her softly, but even that caused her to panic more as she looked at the voice who was speaking to her.

“Jasmine. You’re alright. Look at me.” As calming and soothing as the voice was to Jasmine she opened her eyes exerting far too much energy and allowed the darkness to consume her, slowly closing her eyes until she passed out.

A soft flutter of birds woke Jasmine as her head tried to gain some semblance of balance as it spun and rocked. A tug of her arm caused some discomfort as she looked down to the IV in her arm. Panic shot in her body then as she looked up to Gabriel there sitting on the edge of her bed with Xavier in the chair.

“You’re alright Now.” Gabriel said, with a small smile.

“What…What happened?” Jasmine asked as she continued to place pieces together.

“You fainted.” Xavier chimed in. “Something concerning your diet with dehydration including the excitement caused you to faint.”

Jasmine sighed loudly, placing her hand on her forehead and throwing herself on the bed. The adrenaline was still pumping in her veins and her hands were still shaking. Gabriel held her hand then, seeing her distress.

“You should calm down. You’re safe for now.” His voice was soothing and she wished it was as easy as that to just calm down. She couldn’t though. The dark silhouette coming after her in the hallway flashed into her memory then along with the woman she healed.

“Demons are after me. You want me to calm down?

“And now possibly Angels.”

“What?” Xavier and Jasmine shouted together as she rose back up from the bed.

“Simahel would go back to heaven and warn the Guild.” Gabriel replied matter of factly and nonchalant.

“The Guild?” Xavier repeated in question form.

“Yes. When things are out of balance, such as someone healing the dead from the carriers. The Guild is released to correct that. They will eliminate the person responsible.” Gabriel replied, looking at the worried look on Jasmine’s face. “My duty is to protect you from anything and anyone Jasmine. Besides, once I talk to them about what happened you should be fine.”

“Should be?”

Gabriel shrugged. “I mean stranger things have happened. Until then we have to focus on the mob boss. The demons back there were low class. They held no useful information.”

“I shot that man back there right in the fucking skull and he kept walking to me. I didn’t think demons made them fucking zombies.” Xavier said, pointing towards the room that they were in early. “I can’t even imagine an entire army of them roaming around the earth.” He shook his head as chills ran through his spine.

“Yes. Only an Angel or a holy warrior can vanquish the demons, but you, Jasmine, shouldn’t be afraid.” Gabriel tried to encourage.

“What do you mean she doesn’t need to be afraid? A demon just tried to kill her. She has every right to pass out. I want to pass out.” Xavier complained, running a hand on his head while trying to breathe calmly.

Gabriel looked at Jasmine as she looked at him. “No not kill her.” Jasmine looked at him confused then as Xavier turned back to them after turning his back. “If Malakith wanted you dead there had been more opportunities to do so. They could’ve shot you once they entered the room, but they didn’t.”

“Maybe they were just idiots.” Jasmine replied, squeezing the sheet that was over her legs.

Gabriel nodded then. “Perhaps.”

“So what do we do now?” Xavier asked, folding his arms.

“Nothing to be done at the moment, but wait. I will do what I can to get the information I need, but until then…you have to stop healing people.” His eyes looked accusingly at Jasmine.

“I didn’t try to.” She argued, voice raising an octave in annoyance. Both men ignored her outburst.

“You will take her home then?” Xavier asked as if exhausted, hands over his face as he slouched in the seat. Gabriel nodded. “Okay. I have to report an attack to the boss at the station. I will call to check on you later.”

Jasmine nodded and watched Xavier leave the room.

“He has quite the affection for you.” Gabriel teased her.

“No he doesn’t. We’re just friends.”

“Oh? He said the same thing to me earlier. I thought humans showed their affections freely and openly to one another. Why do you both hide it from each other? He was really jealous when he asked if I would stay with you.”

“What, stay with me? You have to stay with me?” Jasmine's eyes bucked and she panicked even more at the thought of Gabriel walking around so carefree and naked in her home, invading her space. She didn’t stay with people. She was always alone. “You can’t stay with me.”

“And why not?”

“Because you are…you’re just not allowed unless I say it’s okay. And it’s definitely not okay?” She said as she folded her arms, placing emphasis on not.

“Hmmm…Is it because I walk around without these clothes on? I could get more, but Xavier was right about one thing. I don’t have any currency to get anymore. Buying food and things of that nature is very unruly.”

“Yes trust me I know it is.” Jasmine folded her arms determined with an attitude, but saw Gabriel’s unmoving stare at her. “Fine I will buy you some clothes, but you can’t stay with me.”

“Jasmine…”

“You just can’t okay. I don’t stay with people. I don’t allow anyone to get that close to me.” She confessed without wanting to. Gabriel looked sad and disappointed.

“Well I’m sorry.” He stood out the bed then. Jasmine thought she had hurt his feelings and opened her mouth to explain, but before she could apologize Gabriel continued. “I’m sorry I have to go against your wishes. I have a mission and you are that mission. Demons could attack you at any given time so it’s not the time to argue with me about my living arrangements.” Gabriel walked off, but Jasmine knew he wouldn’t go far as she screamed into the pillow her frustrations.

Luckily after a meal Jasmine was back at home and feeling much better besides the Angel following her around, walking all through her home, curiously touching her household items and learning about his human skin. Several hours later clothes came in from the online store Jasmine shopped. She bought Gabriel some boxers and socks and several sweat pants and slacks with some tee shirts and a few button down shirts to his liking.

Jasmine watched Gabriel sort through the clothes. “How did you deliver these here so fast?” He asked amazed.

“It’s called online shopping. I never have to leave this place if I don’t want.” Jasmine replied, handing Gabriel a cup of water. He happily accepted. “So since you refuse to leave my side you sleep out here on the couch. It’s comfortable enough. When my door is closed knock before entering. Use the half bath unless you need to shower.”

Gabriel pouted. “You really like it alone?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Jasmine sighed. “It doesn’t matter you wouldn’t understand.” Jasmine walked to her room then and closed the door before Gabriel could ask her anymore questions.