Gabriel (4 page)

Gabriel raised his hand a
little too late to stop her from seeing the grin spreading across his face. “I
will decide if it counts as two or not. Go ahead.”

“
Can you perform miracles, and have you used any of your magic on
me?”

Gabriel’s expression was
blank.

“
Wait! Before you answer, can angels lie? That question doesn’t
count. I don’t know you, so I need to understand if the answers you’re going to
give me are bullshit or not. Can you lie?”

“
No.” Gabriel began pacing back and forth.

“
Are you trying to figure out a way to get out of the first
question? Because you look like you’re trying to come up with something that
won’t be a lie, but will be less than the truth.”

Gabriel stopped and raised a
brow. “I cannot lie, Calla. The English language has changed since we were last
here, and I am trying to make sure I understand what you are asking,” Gabriel
said. “You have used miracles and magic, and I think I understand what you ask
of me. I can do things humans cannot, but it is not a miracle. It is natural
for me. As for your concern with magic, I do not practice.”

“
I will have to word my questions differently because that answer
sucked.” Calla was quiet for a moment, and then asked, “Can you heal people?
And this is not a new question. This is just a simplified version of my first
one.”

“
Yes.”

“
Okay, I’m starting to understand how this works. I keep the
questions simple, and you answer them with a yes or no answer. If I ask a
detailed question, you evade the question, and your answer runs me in circles.
Good to know. Next question, do you have a soul?”

“
Yes.”

“
I like the direct answer, but I don’t want to waste my last
question with a question about my question. Does that make sense?”

“
No,” Gabriel said. “Now, I need to ask you a few questions.”

“
Oh no, that was not my third question. I still have one more,”
Calla said, as she smacked the mattress.

“
That was a question, and we did agree on three. That was the third
question.”

“
Yeah, it was a question, but it wasn’t a question about you.”

“
I did not agree to what the questions would be. That was your
choice. Now it is my turn. I need some answers, and I think you are the only
person who can give them to me.” Gabriel stalked towards her.

“
Stay
right where you are. If you come any closer, I’ll—”

“
You will what? Elbow me in the stomach again?”

She blew out an exasperated
sigh and slumped down in her bed. “I’m sorry about that.”

The emotional dam was at
capacity and ready to break at any moment. The increase in murdered young
people coming into the ER, an angel who was so damned good looking—the piercing
green eyes, the dimple in his chin, the way his hair looked like he spent the
night making love to someone—it made her heart ache, and powers that worked
when they wanted to, not when she needed them. The flood gates opened, and
Calla buried her face in her pillow and sobbed.

“
Calla, what is wrong?” Gabriel took a few more steps, stopped as
he rubbed his hand across his abdomen and started to laugh.

Calla heard lifted her head.
“What is so funny?”

“
I’m not falling for the crying bit this time, but you almost
fooled me.”

“
You think I only cry to get what I want? I’ve had a rough week,
seen a lot of deaths, and now I’m a hostage in my own home! Don’t you think any
or all of those are good enough reasons?”

“
I did not mean to upset you, but I need some answers.”

“
You know what? You’re an asshole.” She threw the pillow at him,
but it landed short.

“
Hmm, I’m not familiar with that expression.”

Calla swung her legs over the
edge of the bed and stood. A slight breeze brushed across her legs. “Where the
hell are my pants?”

“
I took them off so you would be more comfortable.”

“
You took off my pants? Get out of my house.” Calla walked over to
the phone and started dialing.

“
Are you calling work?”

Shit,
I forgot about that.
“I’m calling the police.”

Gabriel took the phone from her hand. “I am
afraid I cannot let you do that.”

“
Good thing I didn’t ask then, isn’t it? I don’t know how you do
things where you’re from, but here in my house I will not be told what to do.
I’m a grown woman with responsibilities. Give me back my phone, now!”

Gabriel shook his head.

She was arguing with an
angel, and she had reached her breaking point. “Get out now.”

“
I cannot do that.” Gabriel turned then stopped. “Do not worry
about your work. I called them while you were sleeping.”

“
You what?”

“
You were concerned earlier, so when we got here I gave them a
call. Do not worry. They understand that you will be taking some time off for
personal reasons.” Gabriel shut the door on his way out.

“
I’m not taking any time off! You’re an asshole, look it up,” Calla
yelled.

She walked into her bathroom
and slammed the door. She reached into the shower and turned the water on. “The
Bible and Koran have angels all wrong, at least this one. He’s not an angel.
He’s clearly the devil’s spawn. How dare he call my work? What gives him the
right? I’m not anybody’s prisoner. He thought a little jab was bad, wait until
I do some Kung Fu on his ass.”

Calla stopped, and it
suddenly hit her.
I have an angel in my
house. I’m not sure I even believe in God, let alone angels. You idiot, of
course there’s a God. I guess I have been a stranger for so long that I had
forgotten about him. It looks like He hasn’t forgotten about me.
She tried
to examine that idea more clearly, but was unable to process the information.
She wasn’t sure what worried her more, God knowing her or an angel standing in
her house. She pushed the thoughts aside. With the emotional exertion taking
its toll on her she decided this would be a musing for another day.

Calla slipped the scrub top
over her head, unfastened her bra, and stepped out of her panties.
 
Oh my
God.
 
Gabriel had seen her in her
panties. Heat flooded her cheeks, picking up the pink lace scrap from the
floor.
I wonder what he thought of these.
Looking in the mirror, a smile painted her face.
You’re an idiot. He’s an angel
.
I’m
sure he didn’t even notice these.
She dropped the panties, stepped under
the warm water, and sighed. She hadn’t realized how much her body ached or how
much she needed this.

****

Gabriel stood outside the
bedroom door. A smile spread when he heard Calla mumbling to herself. Then he
heard the first piece of clothing hit the floor. Molten lava raced through his
veins. The jeans were unbearably snug.
I
need to go downstairs before I go in and—what? What would you do?
Images of
a soapy, naked Calla flooded his thoughts.
I’m
going to need a cold shower.
 
He
pulled himself away from the door, adjusted himself, and went downstairs.

****

Calla stepped out of the
shower. She half expected to see Gabriel waiting outside the door. When she
opened the door in nothing but a towel, relief and disappointment washed over
her. She dressed and headed downstairs.

She smelled bacon and coffee.
Her stomach growled. She walked into the kitchen, and there were two plates
filled with bacon, eggs and toast. A glass full of orange juice and a cup of
coffee sat on the table. Gabriel pulled out a chair for Calla.

“
Did you make this?”

“
Yes.”

Calla’s stomach rumbled.
“This looks really good. I didn’t know angels knew how to cook.” Calla looked
at the other plate. “Or eat.”

Gabriel shrugged. “We can
eat. It is not necessary, but I did not think humans liked to eat alone.”

“
Humans, hmm? We do like to be alone sometimes,” Calla said, taking
a bite of toast.

“
Is that not what you are?” Gabriel watched her as she ate.

“
Yeah, but I’m not used to having someone refer to me as one.”

She took a few more bites,
gathering the courage to find out what Gabriel had planned.
I could be missing for weeks before anyone
will think something is wrong. Thanks, Gabriel.

“
What would you like me to call you then?”

“
Since you’re asking, how about a distant memory?”

“
Why would I call you that?” Gabriel asked, puzzlement spreading
across his face.

Calla squirmed under his
stare. “Never mind, I guess you’re not fluent in sarcasm.”

Gabriel nodded
.

“
Thank you for breakfast. It was really good.” Calla picked up her
empty plate and took it to the sink. She peered out the window. “I need to know
what you’re going to do to me.”

“
What
do you mean do to you?”

Calla turned and Gabriel
stood a foot from her. She took a deep breath. “What do you want from me?”

“
I want to understand how you healed me. I saw Death, and he had
his arms wrapped around me, laughing. I woke up without a mark on me. I have
been having all these ‘feelings’ I have never experienced before. What did you
do to me, Calla?”

Okay.
The jig is up. Maybe if I tell him about my gift he will be on his way. Do I
really want him to leave? He knows what happened to those victims. If I trust
him, maybe he’ll trust me.

“
I healed you.”

“
How?”

“
I was born this way. I don’t have any control over it, and it
doesn’t work very well most of the time.” Calla turned back towards the window.
“Your injury was the worst I ever healed. I tried to heal two other people
earlier that day, and they both died, but you lived.”

“
Why were you trying to heal other people?”

“
The past few weeks there have been a lot of weird injuries coming
in.”

Gabriel placed his hands on
Calla’s shoulders and turned her around. He looked into her eyes. “Are you
going to hit me again?”

Calla eyed him with concern.
“No, I’m not going to hit you.”

“
Good.” Gabriel smiled.

“
Do you know anything about the ‘injuries’ I have seen?” Calla knew
these were not self-inflicted wounds. How does one go about ripping out their
neck?

Gabriel looked down at the
ceramic tile. “I do.”

“
Is that why you’re here?”

“
Yes.”

“
Can you give me more than a one-word answer?”

“
No.”

“
You can’t or you won’t tell me what’s going on?”

“
I cannot.”

“
Why?”

Gabriel remained silent.

So
much for quid pro quo. I trust him, and he doesn’t trust me. Nice.

“
Well then, I think it’s time for you to leave. I’ve answered your
questions. Although it seems you’re not going to answer mine.”

Calla stormed out of the
kitchen, but Gabriel grasped her and brought her to a halt.

“
Get
out of my way, angel boy.”

“
Angel boy?”

“
We could go back to asshole if you’d prefer.”

Gabriel lifted Calla’s chin.
“Listen to me, Calla. I don’t want anything to happen to you. You saved my
life. The least I can do is protect yours.”

“
Are these things coming after you?”

“
Once they find out I’m alive, yes.”

“
Then stay as far away from me as you can. Your duty will be
fulfilled.”

“
I want to stay close to make sure you are safe.”

“
I don’t care what you want. I deserve an answer, but all I get are
robotic yes and no answers. If you feel like you’re my superior then there’s
the door.”

Calla turned out of his hold
and walked up the stairs.

****

Gabriel heard the bedroom
door slam followed by the sound of several objects hitting the floor.