AUGUST 24TH
---

A BRIGHT LIGHT flashed through my closed eyelids, stirring me from my state of unconsciousness. My body groaned in protest as I started to move, trying to desperately get away from that damn light.

“No,” I grumbled. “Let me sleep.” My mind was still fuzzy and I’m not sure if I even remembered all of what happened. All I knew was that my body and I wanted to sleep. It was a mutual agreement.

“Celeste, wake up.”

“No.”

“Now, Celeste.”

“No.”

My ears picked up an annoyed sigh (tell me about it, buddy, I just want to sleep).

“Celeste, don’t make me use-”

My eyes shot open and I shot up from where I was laying. “I’m up, I’m up, don’t-you-dare-touch-me-with-that-thing, I’m up.”

Michael had a taser.

He chuckled at my frightened glare, shaking his head while steadying me on my feet. Apparently shooting up really fast from a relaxed position was not a wise idea.

My eyes adjusted slightly to the dark area we were in, soon realizing we were in my room. Glancing down I saw I was still in the same clothes from earlier. A groaned spilled from my lips as I ran my hands over my face in annoyance.

“What time is it?” I yawned.

“Almost ten at night.”

“Why on earth would you wake me up?” I grumbled.

Michael arched an eyebrow at me, a look of curiosity and worry crossing through his features.

“Do you remember what had happened?”

“Uhh...”

I remembered the police station, a random dude with grey eyes, training, neighbors, driving home... oh shit.

My eyes widened to the size of saucers as I gaped at Michael.

“Holy mother of-”

“Watch it,” Michael scowled.

I ignored him. “What happened?”

A pair of golden eyes and a strange boy flashed through my memories like a meteor, everything crashing into my mind.

“You hit a deer.”

My jaw crashed to the floor.

“Okay, first off,” I started and Michael rolled his eyes. I gaped at him and place my hand on my hip, waving my finger around. “I’m just gonna pretend you didn’t just roll your eyes at me.”

Another eye roll. Asshole. This time I ignored him and continued, dropping my hand.

“There was no way that was a deer, it huge and black. Secondly, whatever I actually did hit, was strong enough that it threw me back and knocked me out.”

I’m a hybrid, you can’t knock me out that easily.

Oh, shit.

“MY CAR!” I yelped. “MICHAEL WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR?!”

“Relax, Celeste, she’s in the shop now. You’ll have her back for school on Monday.”

“I hope,” I growled. Whoever crashed into me was going to get it once I got ahold of them.

The golden eyes flashed through my memory again, but I shook it off and shoved it to the back of my mind.

“That’s it,” Michael grumbled. “We’re leaving.”

“What?” I screeched. “No! Michael we just got here!”

“I’m calling the station,” he mumbles, grabbing his phone from his back pocket.

“For what?!”

“Because I have to tell them I quit. Pack up your stuff, we’re leaving tonight.” Michael ran a hand through his blonde hair, a sign of distress.

I had literally just started unpacking this morning, and now he wanted me to re-pack?

Oh, hell no.

At this point, my head was pounding. I don’t know what it was about this place, but I suddenly really wanted to stay. Like I was supposed to be here, and I’d be damned if we left without even giving it a shot.

He said things would change, that we were done moving around. Angel’s don’t lie, but I’m only half an angel.

Wink, wink.

“You know what? Maybe you were right, it was probably just a dear and I’m just psychotic.” I laughed hysterically, trying to ease him out of this. By the way he glared at me, I’d say I should use a different tactic.

Fuck. I really hope I don’t regret this.

“Michael, stop,” I ordered.

My skin tingled from the power that radiated from me. I had just started training a year ago but for someone my age, I was still powerful. Perks of being a hybrid I guess. However, the creepy glowy eyes I get whenever my demon starts to dominate annoys me.

The Archangel in front of me freezes, his eyes snapping up to meet mine. I can’t control Michael, not by a long shot and even if I could, I would never. No, all I’m doing is filtering my emotions through my powers and pushing it out toward Michael. As an angel, he can feel all of that. This way he can better understand me, rather than me try and explain it through words.

After another moment or two of doing this, I stop and let Michael make up his mind. I wanted to stay, I feel like I’m supposed to stay, and now Michael better understands this.

“Okay,” he relents. “We’ll stay.”

My shoulders sag as I sigh in relief. Though it was short lived. A hot sensation crawled down the length of my spine and I groaned.

Not now, please.

The heat ignored my pleas, prickling through my legs all the way up to my brain. I hissed as a sharp pain shot through my head. I stumbled backward, grasping my head in my hands.

“Michael,” I whimpered. “It’s happening.”

“What?” His eyes widened.

“The Flare.”

“Crap,” he grumbled.

Michael never swore, even at times like these, but was that really a surprise?

The heat continued to course its way through my body, beads of sweat already starting to dot my forehead. My whole body was starting to shut down, vibrating.

Michael shot out of the dark room, returning a second later after successfully turning on the shower across the hall. A deep frown pulled at his lips, his perfect features darkening with worry. He hated when this happened but there was nothing either of us could about it.

With the speed of lightning, Michael lifted me into his arms and cradled me against his chest. I tried to block out the pounding in my head but it only made it worse.

I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck, squeezing slightly. My nails start to dig into his skin but I tried my hardest to resist and push it away. I didn’t want to hurt Michael but trying to mentally block out the burning was nearly impossible.

I cried out the moment when everything flared within me, from the inside out, top to bottom. I whimpered as the blood within my body starts to boil and bubble. Soon my skin would start to blister and bleed, but that was only the beginning.

Michael gently set me down on the toilet seat across from the tub in my bathroom. My breathing hitched, sweat oozing from every pore in my body imaginable as the heat in my core increased. I groaned, doubling over.

Fuck this hurts.

My body ached and I couldn’t get under that ice cold water fast enough. The colder the water, the fewer burns I would have to deal with later on. I think. Michael and I were still uncertain about a few things when it came to my flares.

Quickly and quietly, I stripped down to my bra and underwear. I wasn’t embarrassed around Michael, he was like a father, and I trusted him. Plus, he’s literally an angel.

“Michael, it burns,” I whimpered, resisting the urge to wrap my arms around myself. If I didn’t get into the cold water soon, we’d have no choice but to go to the hospital. It was safe to say that the hospital was not an option or a very last resort.

Like Michael had died last resort.

I waited for him to give me the okay to hop in. He stayed silent, focusing on keeping the pressure and temperature as low as it could go. I bit my bottom lip hard to stop myself from making any more noises.

The burns spiked in all areas of my body, like little pricks nipping at the skin. But instead of the prick being needle size, they felt like a jagged knife. Black dots spotted my vision and I started to feel a little light headed. The flare was sucking the energy right out of me, and after the car crash, I don’t think I had that much left in me.

I can’t take much more than this.

“Michael,” I wheezed. “It’s getting worse.”

“I know, baby, I’m trying,” he soothed.

Michael being an Archangel was quite beneficial for me, except when it came to these kinds of circumstances. One of the things he specializes in is healing, but, if Michael outrightedly healed me, he could never return home.

If he could, he would heal me to a point where I would never experience a hot flare again, but that meant no going back. It pained him not to do so, I saw it in his eyes whenever my flare sparked to life, but Angels are all about free will and I refuse to let him heal me.

Through my hazy vision, I could already see the welts bubbling up on on the surface of my skin. Blood trickled out of a few that broke the skin, slithering down my leg and onto the white tile.

A few more welts appeared on my arms, the burning sensation never ceasing. I gulped as they continued to appear, tears starting to pool in my eyes. I bit my lip again to keep from crying out, not wanting to scare Michael.

Moments later numbness started to pool over my skin, and it was almost a relief. Almost. My legs nearly gave out from underneath me, no feeling left in them. Burnt flesh filtered through the new house scent, clogging my clear senses.

Michael steadied my burning body as I wobbled again, gently grabbing onto my waist and helping me into the shower.

The tears I’d been holding back poured down my reddened face as the ice cold water kissed my skin. The relief was blissfully horrendous, but so was the water hitting my open wounds. The sizzling hit my ears as the surface of my body starts to cool down.

Michael kept a steady hand at the small of my back, keeping me from toppling over and injuring myself even further. I whimpered as the numbing sensation started to ease away, the ache in my body regrettably replacing it.

I would say It’s a good thing I heal fast, but I’m pretty sure these flares are from my powers itself. With this in mind, I think my body believes the flare is self-inflicted and doesn’t react as it would my blisters.

On a positive note, I never scar from the flare and the welts heal at a moderate pace. Although, Michael fears that if these flares get any worse, it could be life-threatening. I told him not to worry and that I was fine, not that I believed him knew it to be true.

It sucks all the energy from my body to go through a flare, and I rely on my energy to survive. The longer a flare lasts, the more it takes from me, and the more dangerous it can be.

Fun, don’t you think?

Once he felt that I was steady enough to stand on my own, Michael left the bathroom to grab our “special” first aid kit. Once he had gone, I didn’t bother moving and by the time he returned, not a single muscle had budged. I stayed planted under the steady stream of ice cold water, even when the flare had stopped.

Michael guided me out from underneath the water about an hour later. Once my body was no longer engulfed in water, the blood started to trickle out of the burns once again. It only reminded me of the freak that I am.

So much for a new start.

“Does it still hurt?”

Yes. “No.”

Michael nods, he knows I’m lying. He opens up the first aid kit and starts to apply this extensive cream to my wounds. It supposedly helps with the healing process, but I think it just helps Michel sleep better at night.

I closed my eyes and let Michael do what he does best. Help me, protect me, and save me from myself. The guilt washes through me like a wave, my blood running cold. He wouldn’t be put through this if it wasn’t for me.

“Stop it,” Michael grumbles.

My eyes snap open and stare at his furrowed eyebrows as he works at my legs.

“What?”

“You’re blaming yourself, stop it.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mumble, bowing my head.

“Celeste-”

“Michael, please,” I beg. “Not yet.”

After a moment he sighs and relents. “Fine, but we will be discussing this soon.”

I say nothing to this, I won’t make a promise I can’t keep.

AUGUST 26TH
---

“AGAIN!”

Sweat slithered down my forehead, dripping off the side of my jaw as it clenched in frustration. My fists dug into my palms, tearing at the skin and drawing blood. My body pricked with pins and needles and it tensed. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, and focusing my energy on my surroundings in the forest.

I stood barefoot in my sports bra and shorts, my brown hair up in a high pony-tail and my eyes glowing. Generating my power for an attack meant letting my demon take more control.

The light and dark energy that are my powers buzzed within my core, letting me know it was there and that I am in control. Once I felt it, I let it flow through me. It acted as a second skin, coating my body in all that I am. Warmth and light, mixed in with the cold and dark.

My eyes snapped open, the golden yellow irises narrowing on the figure in front of me. My limbs shook with adrenaline as my energy soaked through me. It brought my strength and speed to new elevations - one high enough to challenge an Archangel.

With a strangled cry, I leaped for Michael who stood ten feet from me. He expected this, but I knew he would. Instead of trying to swing-kick his face in, I thought I’d try something new. I spun around while in the air, but instead of reaching out with my heel, my fist flew forward aiming for his jaw.

I expected his eyes to widen; I expected him to be set off-guard. What I did not expect was for him to be totally aware of what I was doing.

Shit.

Right before my fist connected with his face, Michael snatched my wrist and my upper-arm, swinging my body around using my own momentum.

Double shit.

Then, he let go.

Shitshitshitshitshit.

I clenched my eyes shut, bracing for impact and swearing to myself I wouldn’t be a little bitch about it. That was a lie.

My back hit first and I swear I heard my spine snap. I started to roll, my head slamming to the forest floor, smacking against broken branches, bushes, and loose stones. Thorns dug into my arms and legs, the skin splitting open. I rolled for a good minute or so before I finally came to a stop. I was eighty yards away from where I had started.

Damn.

I had managed to land on my back, my head resting not-so-comfortably on a fallen tree trunk. My head was already pounding through my skull, some of my limbs losing their senses. Glancing down without moving my head, I saw a stick about a foot long sticking out of my thigh.

Well, fuck.

Footsteps nearby caught my attention. My eyes found the source, slightly relieved yet pissed at who I found.

“How the hell did you do that?”

Michael frowned at my choice of words but chose to ignore them.

He sighed. “You’re very predictable.”

My eyebrows furrowed, the tone in my voice raising. I took offense. “What? How?”

“You get this look on your face whenever you’re going to try something you think is slick,” Michael replied dryly, bending down to take a look at my thigh.

I wanted to cross my arms over my chest in defiance, buuttt I couldn’t feel them. So that was a definite no-go.

“You were distracted today,” he said.

“No, I wasn’t,” I mumbled.

Michael placed his forefinger and thumb around the stick, applying pressure. I winced, wishing my thigh would go numb so I wouldn’t have to feel this.

“Don’t argue with me,” he growled.

My eyes snapped to his and it was then that I realized that he was livid.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “It won’t happen again.”

“That’s the thing, Celeste, you don’t get an ‘again’ in battle. Once your enemy has you where they want you, you’re dead.” He snapped.

I nodded, unable to reply.

“On the count of three,” he murmured.

“Okay.”

“One...” He yanked it out.

“HOLY CRAP ON-A-STICK MOTHER-OF-GOODNESS GRACIOUS THAT HURT!”

Michael tossed the branch to the side, huffing at my hissy fit.

“You’ll heal. Now come inside and get cleaned up. You have school in the morning, so don’t you dare be on that... device all night.”

Michael hated my Xbox. He strode off and I glared at his back as he went.

“Butthead,” I grumbled.

“Heard that.”

Oopsies.

He really was lucky that I healed abnormally fast, though I still didn’t want to get up. Just because it healed my wounds, that didn’t mean it got rid of the soreness in my muscles right away.

The only motivation I had left was the thought of playing Call of Duty once I got inside. Well, that and the sun was starting to set.

I hated the dark.

---

“ARE YOU STILL playing on the Xbox?” Michael called. It sounded like he was downstairs, I think. My mind was too wrapped around the final round of Team Deathmatch to care, let alone figure out.

Once I had finished washing up from training, I had hoped on the Xbox and have been on it ever since. If it was currently eight-thirty at night then I’ve been on it about... eight and a half hours.

“Celeste?” He called again. I started to space out a little. There were thirty seconds left on the clock, 210 kills to my team’s 212. It was getting intense. My figures had a death-grip on my favorite army green controller. The thumbs and index fingers started to ache but I didn’t really care.

Footsteps sounded in the background and I pleasantly tuned them out. Fifteen seconds left on the clock, my team was still up by two and I was about to make it three. I had pulled out my sniper, aiming for two headshots from the edge of a building. I steadied my aim and...

Michael walked in and unplugged the Xbox.

“HEY, I WAS PLAYING THAT!” I shot up from the edge of my bed, flipping off my headset. I really hoped my demon eyes were on.

“Dinner is ready,” he said. The number of shits he gave about my Xbox was in the negatives. It hurt, really, but I chose to ignore it. Nothing would ever come in between me and my COD.

“Coming,” I grumbled, glaring at the Archangel’s back as I followed him downstairs into the kitchen.

I wasn’t going to lie, I absolutely loved the kitchen and dining room set up. Light gray cupboards planted overhead on the wall, stainless steel appliances placed in between the white and gray marble countertops.

The dining room table was also the kitchen sink. The countertop was the same white and gray marble, while the support system for the counter was wood painted black. Six black high chairs lined in a row in the front, facing the kitchen and away from the living room. Above the table was the brown six-light iron branch chandelier and it was absolutely beautiful.

“Thank you for dinner,” I mumbled, shoving chunks of the seven-ounce sirloin in my mouth. I also had mashed potatoes and green beans but those were easy to shove down my throat. Michael gave my curfew tonight so I only had so much time before I had to shut off the Xbox. Thus why I’m eating like a farm animal.

“Slow down, Celeste, you’re going to choke,” Michael scolded.

I glared at my guardian. “Am not,” I spat. Though it sounded more like, “mam mot.”

Seconds later, I went to swallow and choked. I couldn’t really breath and I swear Michael was laughing at me while he got up and poured me a glass of water.

Holy fuck.

Michael handed me the glass as I went bent over, trying to learn how to breathe again. I chugged down the water, my throat burning.

“You... did that... on purpose,” I breathed.

Michael shrugged, turning away from my glare. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Some angel,” I muttered.

I had managed to finish my dinner with thirty minutes left before I had to turn in for the night. Muttering about how Michael is a mean angel while trying to plug in the Xbox, I heard noises outside.

My head snapped up to my window directly above the nightstand. The energy in my body flowed through me, outwardly searching for the source as senses did. Unfortunately, I felt nothing. Reaching up behind me, I switched off the light to my bedroom and waited, keeping my breathing low and steady.

It was pitch black inside my room and outside.

The demon within me started to scratch within its walls, itching to get out. I held him back. I have to act as human as possible at all times.

That’s when it showed its face.

A pair of golden eyes revealed itself behind my window. My demon wanted to growl and stake claim. This time it was harder to keep him under control.

“What are you?” I questioned. Whoever was behind the window, said nothing to this. Could I be imagining those eyes?

“Get ou-”

Howling echoed through the night, startling me. The hair’s on my arms stood on end. My breath caught in my throat.

I really hoped those howls didn’t belong to what I thought they did. My gaze fluttered back to the window but the eyes were gone.

My brows furrowed, somehow coming to the conclusion that I was starting to hallucinate. I groaned, rubbing my hands over my face. Maybe I should calm down with the Xbox.

Ha!

I shook my head as I stood, walking up to my window. My eyes grazed the area that surrounded the house, finding nothing out of the ordinary.

Sighing, I decided it was best to leave it alone. Besides, the real nightmare started tomorrow morning.