“Are those connections, mayhap, illegal?”
She gasped. “No! Well, okay, I’m not entirely certain. I know a guy who knows a guy.”
Coming from anyone else … “So, he…?”
“Traced your IP address.”
“Wow.” I was a little impressed. “And you built that website with the database about angels and demons?”
She nodded.
“And you heard Charley’s fake name from the angels?” Cookie asked.
“Yes, I hear all kinds of things. You would not believe what is going to happen next week if something isn’t done.” She rolled her eyes. “Which it won’t be. It never is. Nobody ever listens.”
“You’re a prophet,” I said, a little floored.
“Oh, pfft.” She waved away the notion with a hand. “Not really. Not in the traditional sense. I mean, I don’t prophesy. I just listen to those who do. It’s rather naughty, if you think about it.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “I am just so floored.”
“Me, too,” Cookie said. “I mean, you’re just not what we were expecting.”
“Yeah, I get that a lot. But the sisters want to know all about you. Oh, and Reyes, of course.”
Uh-oh. “So, how much do you know about Reyes?”
“Well, let me think. He is the son of Satan who was born on Earth to be with you, the grim reaper, though the sisters don’t really like that label. They feel it limits you. Anyway, his name is really Rey’aziel, which means ‘the beautiful one.’ He is also a portal, like you. Oh!” She bounced back to us. “And he is powerful enough to bring about the apocalypse.”
“You’re very informed.”
“Yeah, like I said, blah, blah, blah.” She opened and closed her hand like someone talking nonstop. It was too funny. “So you know he can end the world?” she asked.
“Yeah, I got the memo.”
“But … I don’t understand.” Her brows cinched together. “You saved his life when the demons were going to kill him, and again when he was going to take his own life. Then you bound him to this plane, locked him on to it.”
“Yeah, I did, huh?” After I’d vanquished the demons torturing Reyes by tapping into my inner floodlight—apparently demons are allergic—Reyes decided to take his own life to make himself less vulnerable. I stopped him, then bound him inside his physical body. But the fact that Sister Mary Elizabeth knew what I’d done, knew anything about me or Reyes, was a tad unsettling.
“I mean, the reasons are all there,” she continued. “I’m just still a little surprised that you’d save his life knowing what you know.”
“What reasons?”
“You two. You and Rey’aziel. You’re magnets. Literally.” She held up two index fingers to demonstrate. “You’re drawn together by sheer force of will.”
“Oh, that.”
“I mean, it was written. It’s not like I didn’t know you would do it. It’s just, if the demons get ahold of you…”
“Yes, I’ve heard. Very bad,” I said, ignoring the tightening in my stomach.
“Very bad indeed, but don’t worry, they’re going to send you a guardian right after a time of great suffering for you.”
“Suffering?”
“Yes,” she said with a nod.
“I’m not really that into suffering. Will it be bad?”
“Suffering usually is. Especially when the angels prophesy about it.”
“That sounds horridly unpleasant. And they’re going to send me a guardian? But, I thought Reyes was my guardian.”
She snorted. “Rey’aziel? Your guardian?”
“Yes,” I said, a little taken aback. “He’s always been there for me. He’s watched over me and saved my life several times.”
“Well, that’s true, but he’s not your guardian. He’s … I don’t think you understand the situation.”
“What situation?” I asked, wary.
“He’s, well, he’s very powerful.”
“Yeah, got that memo as well.”
“And he’s … I’m just not sure how to say this.”
“Sister Mary Elizabeth, there aren’t many things you could say that will offend me, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Oh, good, then I’ll just say it. He’s kind of like your Achilles’ heel.”
“My what?”
“You know, your kryptonite.”
“So, Reyes is my weakness?” I asked, more confused than offended.
“Exactly. You’re in love with him. You can’t make sound decisions when he’s around.”
“She does have a point,” Cookie said, nodding in agreement.
“Pfft. Please. I make sound decisions all day. With my eyes closed. And my hands tied behind my back.”
“Exactly,” she said, her mouth a grim line, “which happens often when he’s around.”
The fact that she knew that was oddly embarrassing.
“So who is it, then? This guardian?” I took a long draw on my java. I’d need all the spunk I could get if I was scheduled for a time of great suffering. Suffering, great or otherwise, tended to leech the spunk right out of me.
“I don’t know his name, but I do know he’ll bring a balance. Oh, and he hasn’t died yet.”
“Okay.” I leaned back in thought. “So he’s going to be a departed?”
“Yes.” She glanced at her watch. “He’s going to die in two days, eleven hours, and twenty-seven minutes.”
“Wow, that’s pretty specific. I don’t actually kill this guy, do I?” I laughed nervously. I would hate to kill my very own guardian angel. He might take it personally.
“Of course not,” she said, chuckling along with me. “Not directly.”
“Well, good.” I took another shot of coffee before her words sank in. “Wait, what does that mean?”
“What?”
“Not directly.”
“Hmmm,” she hummed, glancing at the ceiling in thought, “I’m not really sure. That’s all I got. I hadn’t had my tea yet. Sometimes I miss things before tea.”