word angel laced with disgust. He gazed up at me. “We need to talk,” he called.
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. A chill tracked up both my arms. Does Orthon want to declare his love for me in front of Guy? That thought didn’t linger as a darker, more sinister thought took hold. Satan has sent him to deliver a message? Guy had said Satan would try other ways to get to me. I was certain that’s what it had to be, and equally certain the contents of the message would send my life spiraling in a new direction.
“Fine. I’m hungry. Let’s find a place that serves food. We can talk there,” I called back, doing my best not to let my concern shine through.
“Wait!” Guy called. “He is a demon. I do not trust him.”
“But I do,” I called back. I shot him my sweetest smile. He heaved an exasperated sigh. It wasn’t that I trusted Orthon, but I trusted him enough to believe he didn’t wish me any harm. Don’t shoot the messenger.
There was a food truck not far from the entrance to the parking lot. I ordered a breakfast burrito and a soft drink. Guy and Orthon didn’t order. I was again reminded that neither angels nor demons eat or drink. I again wondered what my life would be like after we were married. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about burning dinner.
Orthon was once again covered up. His hoodie had been torn in the fall, and the right lens of his dark glasses was cracked. We moved to a picnic table where I sat and began unwrapping my burrito.
Orthon sat across from me. His eyes were drinking me in as if I was something precious. I glanced at Guy, who remained standing, his arms folded across his chest, a scowl frozen on his face. He didn’t notice the way Orthon was looking at me. Good. The last thing I needed was for Orthon’s feelings for me to become an issue.
A lie of omission.
“Start talking, demon,” Guy commanded.
Orthon wouldn’t look at him. I saw pain flash onto his face at the mention of the word demon . I recalled how I’d used the word to torture him. I no longer wanted him to feel tortured. I felt ashamed of how I had once behaved toward him.
“It’s okay, Orthon,” I said softly. “What’s up?”
He smiled over at me. I could still see the lingering pain from Guy’s remark peeking through. “The local Satanists have a new leader. Someone from out of town.”
“What does this have to do with us?” Guy demanded.
Orthon got to his feet and glared at Guy. “It has nothing to do with you, angel !”
“Guy, please!” I called, hoping they wouldn’t start fighting again. “You have to let him speak.”
“You cannot trust demons.”
“You told me that already, but I trust him, and I’d like to hear what he has to say. If you can’t listen quietly, maybe you should wait in the car.”
Guy flinched as if he’d been slapped. A surprised expression came over his face. He turned to Orthon. “Speak,” he said in a more civilized tone.
“Sit down,” I said to Orthon, with a gesture toward where he’d been sitting.
“The new leader possesses dark magic,” Orthon said retaking his seat.
Guy clucked his teeth dismissively. I shot him a look, and he heaved a heavy sigh.
I turned back to Orthon. “What does that have to do with me?”
“He’s gathering the Satanists together for a large conclave very soon. They’re planning something big. I don’t know what, but the subject of the gathering is you.”
“Me?” My voice rang out with surprise. “What do you mean me?”
“How do you know this?” asked Guy, still skeptical.
“Guy, please! Let him speak.” I beseeched Guy with my eyes. He stared back at me without responding. I again turned my attention to Orthon. “How do you know this?” My heart was once again thumping.
“Let’s just say, I run in those circles,” replied Orthon. He looked into my eyes. “I’m not sure what the new leader intends. To discover that, one of us will have to attend to conclave.”
“How do we know
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. A chill tracked up both my arms. Does Orthon want to declare his love for me in front of Guy? That thought didn’t linger as a darker, more sinister thought took hold. Satan has sent him to deliver a message? Guy had said Satan would try other ways to get to me. I was certain that’s what it had to be, and equally certain the contents of the message would send my life spiraling in a new direction.
“Fine. I’m hungry. Let’s find a place that serves food. We can talk there,” I called back, doing my best not to let my concern shine through.
“Wait!” Guy called. “He is a demon. I do not trust him.”
“But I do,” I called back. I shot him my sweetest smile. He heaved an exasperated sigh. It wasn’t that I trusted Orthon, but I trusted him enough to believe he didn’t wish me any harm. Don’t shoot the messenger.
There was a food truck not far from the entrance to the parking lot. I ordered a breakfast burrito and a soft drink. Guy and Orthon didn’t order. I was again reminded that neither angels nor demons eat or drink. I again wondered what my life would be like after we were married. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about burning dinner.
Orthon was once again covered up. His hoodie had been torn in the fall, and the right lens of his dark glasses was cracked. We moved to a picnic table where I sat and began unwrapping my burrito.
Orthon sat across from me. His eyes were drinking me in as if I was something precious. I glanced at Guy, who remained standing, his arms folded across his chest, a scowl frozen on his face. He didn’t notice the way Orthon was looking at me. Good. The last thing I needed was for Orthon’s feelings for me to become an issue.
A lie of omission.
“Start talking, demon,” Guy commanded.
Orthon wouldn’t look at him. I saw pain flash onto his face at the mention of the word demon . I recalled how I’d used the word to torture him. I no longer wanted him to feel tortured. I felt ashamed of how I had once behaved toward him.
“It’s okay, Orthon,” I said softly. “What’s up?”
He smiled over at me. I could still see the lingering pain from Guy’s remark peeking through. “The local Satanists have a new leader. Someone from out of town.”
“What does this have to do with us?” Guy demanded.
Orthon got to his feet and glared at Guy. “It has nothing to do with you, angel !”
“Guy, please!” I called, hoping they wouldn’t start fighting again. “You have to let him speak.”
“You cannot trust demons.”
“You told me that already, but I trust him, and I’d like to hear what he has to say. If you can’t listen quietly, maybe you should wait in the car.”
Guy flinched as if he’d been slapped. A surprised expression came over his face. He turned to Orthon. “Speak,” he said in a more civilized tone.
“Sit down,” I said to Orthon, with a gesture toward where he’d been sitting.
“The new leader possesses dark magic,” Orthon said retaking his seat.
Guy clucked his teeth dismissively. I shot him a look, and he heaved a heavy sigh.
I turned back to Orthon. “What does that have to do with me?”
“He’s gathering the Satanists together for a large conclave very soon. They’re planning something big. I don’t know what, but the subject of the gathering is you.”
“Me?” My voice rang out with surprise. “What do you mean me?”
“How do you know this?” asked Guy, still skeptical.
“Guy, please! Let him speak.” I beseeched Guy with my eyes. He stared back at me without responding. I again turned my attention to Orthon. “How do you know this?” My heart was once again thumping.
“Let’s just say, I run in those circles,” replied Orthon. He looked into my eyes. “I’m not sure what the new leader intends. To discover that, one of us will have to attend to conclave.”
“How do we know
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