“What do you have in mind?” Jude ran his hand through his thick hair, looking slightly nervous.
Uncle Davin gave us the most mischievous grin and waggled his eyebrows. “Don’t worry so much, Jude. It’ll be fun. Having a different mentality might help ease the situation.” He patted Jude so hard he jerked. “You might just get paint all over you, but it’s all good.”
“Paint?” Isaac frowned, and his blue eyes became darker.
“Paint?” Victoria questioned, her eyebrows pinched at the center. “I don’t like paint.”
Uncle Davin chuckled out loud. “Am I speaking English? Why are you repeating my word?”
I shrugged when Victoria looked at me.
Do you know what he’s talking about? Zach asked me telepathically.
Nope, I lied.
I actually did know what Uncle Davin was talking about. He’d shown me the weapon not too long ago. I couldn’t wait to use it.
“Follow me. To my room we go. I’ll show you what I mean.” Uncle Davin led the way.
Chapter 3
“This is…a gun?” Zach examined it. “We’re not supposed to use one.” His eyes widened in surprise. Picking it up hesitantly, he glided his finger along the smooth, cool surface.
“It’s not real,” I explained. “It shoots paint.”
“Paint!” everyone exclaimed.
“Oh, so that’s what you meant.” Jude’s shoulders relaxed and the tension on his face eased. Then his green eyes lit up. “This should be fun. I’ve always wanted to fire one.”
Uncle Davin stood up. Holding one of the guns, he pointed it at us and released the lock. I jumped back, thinking he was going to shoot it. The sly expression on his face warned me he might, and I wouldn’t put it past him if he had.
“The object of this mission is to get paint on Michael and Claudia, two of the Divine Elders,” Uncle Davin instructed.
“What?” Isaac narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean? We can’t…we’re going to get suspended.” He ran his hand down his face.
“I agree with Isaac,” Jude said sternly, and then shrugged sheepishly when Uncle Davin gave him an “are you kidding me” look.
“We don’t know how to use it,” Zach added.
Uncle Davin’s forehead creased with his scowl. “Think of it as your sword or a bow. Just point and shoot. Nothing to it.”
Victoria picked up a gun and clicked the lock the way Uncle Davin had done it. Her red hair cascaded down her face, covering her beautiful hazel eyes. “Come on, wimps. This should be a piece of cake. They won’t know what’s coming.”
Zach arched his brows, doing the same with his gun. “You don’t know my parents, do you?”
Victoria smirked, her ivory skin glowing. “I know enough to know a novelty such as paint will throw them off. When do we attack?”
“Soon.” Uncle Davin lit up a mischievous grin. “They’ll be out of their meeting shortly. We need to position ourselves.”
Uncle Davin showed us individually how to hold the gun, aim, and fire. We practiced several rounds on a target he’d created with an X on the wall. With our angel coordination, it didn’t take us long to get used to it.
“Now that you’re ready…should you fail this mission, well, then….” Uncle Davin shrugged. “I guess there’ll be an extra tedious exercise added to your training.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Isaac marched away from our group.
Uncle Davin shook his head and pointed at Isaac. “Where does he think he’s going?”
Before I could answer, Uncle Davin triggered his gun. Red paint splattered the wall near Isaac, and he leapt back in shock. Then his lips slowly curled. “Cool!”
“Behind me, soldier,” Uncle Davin commanded.
“Wait.” Zach stopped us in our tracks. “Do my parents have a paint gun? Are they expecting us?”
Uncle Davin slowly curled his lips. “Nope. No more talking. They’re probably out already. Follow me.”
We followed my uncle. Walking on the pristine white floors suddenly became too loud. My heart raced with anticipation at the thought of what my parents might do. They were fun and loving; however, they were Divine Elders. Trusting my uncle to know what he was doing, I relaxed, but I stiffened again when we flattened our backs against the wall near the meeting room.
“Here they come,” Uncle Davin whispered. Then he gestured for Victoria and me to move to the other side. With our guns in front, we did as he told us. It felt odd to hold an unfamiliar weapon, but at the same time, it was exhilarating.
“Fire!” Uncle Davin hollered, his voice echoing through the hall.
My finger delayed on the trigger when I saw my parents’ stunned faces. Countless blotches of paint shot out, each gun holding different colored paint; mine was blue. I had imagined various scenarios with my parents all drenched in paint, but none of them happened.
Father dodged the paint, weaving from side to side, and then he whipped out his wings. Mother extended her arms and with a motion of her hands froze the round balls of paint in midair. They began swirling in slow circles around her, as if they were of her making. Oh my heavens! We’re in trouble. I knew the second Mother gave us the most playful look.
“I knew you were coming.” Mother gaped at Zach and me.
I exchanged glances with my brother. His heart thumped faster than mine. Mother had told me many times before she felt our emotions. She must have sensed the anxiety pumping through our veins.
“We will not be defeated. Team Davin, fire!”
Uncle Davin shook us out of our trance. He climbed the wall and ran across the ceiling using his angel speed, followed by Isaac and Jude, while Zach stayed behind to cover them. When they reached the other side, they started shooting. Now our parents were surrounded. We shot from both sides, but Mother stopped the ones she could while Father blocked the rest with his wings, which were peppered with pretty colors. Then Mother let go the ones she controlled in midair and sent them straight at us.
Using my wings and sword to block the onslaught, I was forced back by the impact of the paint hitting my wings. When I looked up, paint splashed my chin, dripping down my neck and lower. Ugh! Wiping it off my eyes, I saw the mess on the wall, on the floor, and…everyone drenched in rainbow colors—like me—except for my parents, who were laughing. This is so not fair.
“Well,” Father said, shaking his wings. More paint flew out from them to splatter us. “Let’s do this again. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in ages.” He patted Uncle Davin hard on his back. Uncle Davin was unrecognizable with green paint covering his face.
Mother shook her head. “Apparently Davin underestimated us, leading you into an ambush.” She snickered.
Uncle Davin wiped the paint off his face, revealing his green eyes glaring at Father. “The plan was to target my students and leave the teacher out.” He frowned.
“What!” Victoria squealed. Paint dripped down her arm to her fingertips. “You planned this?”
We exchanged dumbfounded glances among our team—and then burst out laughing. Uncle Davin shrugged. He looked so discontented. “It was supposed to be a prank on all of you, but Michael and Claudia apparently changed it. See what happens when a plan gets changed without the other member knowing it? It screws the person who thought of it.” He scowled at my parents. “You just started a war. I’m not on your team anymore.”
Father patted Uncle Davin’s back again. “Don’t be a poor sport. Just giving you a taste of your own medicine.” Looking at all of us, he said, “Your wings are the colors of the rainbow. You look like fairies.” He chuckled. “Now, go wash up, relax, and we’ll meet up for a re-cap. Consider it a lesson on how important teamwork is. And don’t ever underestimate the demons, even when you have the upper hand.”
“You’re dismissed,” Uncle Davin said through gritted teeth.
None of us moved a muscle; we enjoyed watching the highly entertaining interaction. Observing our superiors—my parents and Uncle Dav
in—act like children was too good to be missed.
“This was so much fun. I can’t wait for my revenge, Michael,” Uncle Davin snarled sarcastically.
Father arched his brows. “Why are you mad at me? It was Claudia’s idea.”
Uncle Davin slowly turned his head to Mother. “Claudia, tell me it isn’t so.”
Mother wouldn’t look at him, but the smile on her face answered his question.
“Well then….” Uncle Davin jumped in front of Mother and gave her a tight squeeze before she had time to react.
Mother screamed. “Davin!”
When he backed off, Mother was smeared in paint, looking horrified.
Uncle Davin chuckled and opened his arms to Father. “Give me a hug, Michael.”
Father backed away and turned to us. “Venators, I give you permission to fire away at Davin.”
We looked at each other and smiled in agreement. After all, we’d just found out Uncle Davin’s plan to get us ambushed. Raising our guns, we fired until the guns clicked on empty chambers.
“I’m going to get you back, Michael. Team, stand down!” Uncle Davin hollered.
After we ran out of paint, poor Uncle Davin looked like a masterpiece of art from head to toe.
Chapter 4
After we washed up, we headed to my favorite part of Crossroads: the fountain. Many of us fanned out and smaller groups mingled amongst themselves. The statues of the archangels Michael and Gabriel stood in the middle, and the water sparkled like diamonds. We’d learned the Divine Elders’ swords had been created using the crystals from the fountain, and those swords were the only weapons capable of killing an angel.
It was forbidden to kill an angel, but at times necessary—for the sake of humanity—to kill an evil one. Many battles had occurred between the angels, demons, Fallen, and even among the Divine Elders who had betrayed them before Zach and I were born. Humans were not the only ones created imperfect. Angels had their struggles and challenges as well, especially Venators. We were half-human, after all.
“Let it go, Lucia,” Zach muttered. “I can feel how heavy your heart is.”
His presence had enveloped me before he spoke from behind me. Mesmerized by the shimmering water, I trained my eyes forward as I explained. “I didn’t know them, but it doesn’t seem fair their lives were cut short.”
Zach placed his hand on my shoulder. “I know. But this is who we are…what we do. We all have a purpose in life, and it was their time. That is what we have to tell ourselves, because it’s what we’ve been taught. It’s okay to grieve for them, but we have to move on.”
I met my brother’s gaze when I turned. Sometimes when I looked at Zach, I saw a younger version of my father. With dark hair and brown eyes, and his body almost as muscular as Father’s, it was difficult to tell the difference between them from behind.
“It’s so much easier to say than do. How do you turn it off so easily? It seems so simple for you. Why does it feel like I’m the only one having a difficult time?”
“Maybe when we were in Mother’s womb, you took the bigger heart. How selfish of you.” He smirked.
At first I didn’t realize he was joking. Then I curled my lips into a wicked smile. “Not only did I take the bigger heart, but I took the bigger brain.”
Zach wrapped his arm around my neck, gripping me in a tight hold and tickling me. “Take it back, Lucia.”
I couldn’t help myself; I started to laugh so hard my stomach hurt. I tried to push him off, but he wouldn’t budge. We moved away from the fountain as I struggled to free myself. Getting an idea, I popped my wings open. It happened so fast Zach had no time to stop the fall. The force of my wings tossed him across the space, straight into the fountain.
All the Venators around us laughed. I knew all of them by name, but I didn’t know them well. None of us were “friends” in the proper sense of the word. We only knew how to work as a team, and then we went our separate ways, never getting too close. It was one way to guard our hearts. Like Zach reminded me, it was who we were. In my peripheral vision, the rest of my team appeared—Isaac and Jude to my left and Victoria to my right.
“Taking a dip, Zachary?” My father appeared, helping him out of the water. “I believe Davin fell in once or twice, or several times. Sometimes by my doing.” He chuckled.
“Well, for me, it was Lucia,” he grunted, glaring at me as he shook his wings like a dog when it got out of water.
“You started it, so you got what you deserved.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Lucia, don’t,” Mother said softly.
She’d appeared out of thin air, making me gasp a little. When Mother spoke, I listened. Her voice seemed to hold some kind of obedience power.
I covered my mouth with my hand, showing her I knew she wasn’t happy with me. Releasing it, I said, “Uncle Davin does it all the time.”
“Does what?” Father turned his attention back to us.
“Sticks out his tongue…mostly at you,” Zach answered, still glaring at me.
Father smiled and let out a short snort. “That’s nothing new.” He rolled his eyes. “He’s been doing it since the day he met me in Halo City. I told him many times I would cut it off.”
“Cut what off?” Uncle Davin asked, appearing behind us.
Sometimes, it could get a little bit creepy when the elders materialized without any warning.
“Your tongue,” Father answered matter-of-factly.
Uncle Davin paced along the length of the fountain, keeping his eyes rooted on Father. He was scheming some plan, from the way his expressions changed from thoughtful to playful. Then he slowly willed his sword. “I’m going to pluck your feathers from your wings and make you look like an ugly goose. Or maybe I’ll make a goose-down blanket instead.”
Father shook his head, trying not to laugh, and so was I. Uncle Davin bounced around like a boxer. “Come on…chicken.” The word slithered out of his mouth as if he knew it would get Father all riled up. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Father’s amused expression changed at the word “chicken.” His eyes darkened, muscles grew taut, and jaw clenched, and though I knew he wouldn’t hurt Uncle Davin, he looked like a predator. Turning to us, he said, “Watch and learn.”
Those words meant one thing: Uncle Davin and Father were teaching us. We learned by observing and doing. We were going to have one awesome showdown.
“You asked for it.” Father charged with his sword.
Uncle Davin blocked, ducked, and jumped to the ledge of the fountain. He made us laugh when he mimicked the statue of Archangel Gabriel—sword by his side, leaning to his right with one leg stretched out—just before Father pointed his weapon at him.
Uncle Davin glanced at us for a split second, letting us know he was talking to us. “Make sure to look around for an object, or anything to help you distract your opponent, even something as simple as….” Uncle Davin reached down and splashed water at Father, causing him to jump back.
“Good one,” Father praised. “Just as you must prepare yourself for your opponent to do the same to you.” Father swiped around and flapped his wing. The water rained down on Uncle Davin.
“Clever, but never let it stop you from raising your weapon in defense.” Uncle Davin’s blade contacted Father’s, making a loud, clanking sound.
I loved to watch the way they moved gracefully around the fountain as the metal-upon-metal noise echoed through the air. Sometimes their motions were hard to catch from the speed with which they moved, but regardless, it fascinated me to see skilled angels battle each other. Though we were trained and ready, nothing compared with experience. Father and Uncle Davin had fought in many wars together. There was nothing greater than having someone they trusted whole-heartedly. They may have driven each other nuts, but when it came to sacrifice, devotion, and friendship, they were the epitome of these words.
“Sometimes you have to do something they least expect.” Father ran in circles around us, creating a tunn
el of wind.
My hair tangled around my face, blocking my vision. When he stopped, Father’s sword was pointed at Uncle Davin’s chest. I assumed Father had confused Uncle Davin and knocked him to the ground. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but Father had once again showed his level of power.
Uncle Davin’s eyes widened in defeat, and then his lips twisted into a pout. “I’m your best friend. How could you do this to me? I’m wounded, and I can’t get up.” He pushed the sword away and started to crawl on his hands and knees. Then he winked at us. “Sometimes, you have to do anything to survive. And no matter what…let them think they have the upper hand until you’re ready to strike.” Uncle Davin kicked Father’s sword. Father’s tight grip only allowed it to sway a bit, but it gave enough space for Uncle Davin to escape.
“Running away so soon?” Father challenged.
Uncle Davin stopped and turned. “Nope. Getting my team.” He gazed at us. “Do you know when you are being defeated and need help? Well…don’t just stand there. We’ve got a giant goose to fight. Go!”
We’d participated in sword fighting with our parents before, so this wasn’t something new. In fact, I enjoyed those times. It helped me learn to move quicker on my feet. Willing our swords, Zach and I attacked Father at the same time. His arm moved from left to right, blocking our swings. Usually, in practice he would have had our weapons knocked out of our hands in no time, but now that we were more skillful, it was harder to accomplish.
The clanking of the metal swords vibrated throughout Halo City as Isaac, Jude, and Victoria joined us. Father had no problem taking the five of us. When Father knocked Isaac into the fountain, I lost all my concentration, especially when I heard laughter from other Venators watching us. But I managed to evade a fall when Father struck my sword. He did it on purpose—to get me back on track. Again, I had worried about someone’s safety over my own. I needed to get a grip on it. Then two more were thrown into the water. Only Zach and I remained standing.