Angel

Who was Reuben to Michael, exactly? And why had he kept quiet that he needed to find him and kill him sooner? Why did he not ask me when I had seen him, and only warned me to stay away? I know it may be due to him concealing his true status, but that doesn't mean that he can just take things into his own hands. However, his serious face now made me forget all I had just thought of. Michael teleported us to another place, the town visible yet far.

Still being kept in Reuben's vice-like grip, I could only hallucinate, dream, imagine, but not even a word could escape from my mouth to even call for help...

"Reuben, let her go. She's not worth your time." Michael sheathed one sword, the sheath appearing by itself somewhere along Michael's belt. Michael held the other sword tightly in his right hand, his left hand curling into a tight fist.

"She is worth my time. She's, after all, important to you. If I kill her, what can you do? No one has ever captured me; you haven't been able to bring me back to the Aldevia Prison despite capturing me during the face-offs. You are inferior to me, and so is Lucian. I should have been the Vampire Lord, but he is there instead." Reuben's voice sounded more of growling than talking, as I forced my eyes towards my right. His mask was surfacing, no wonder. It was covering his face bit by bit, distorting his voice in the process.

"Reuben, I swear if you continue to touch her, I will not show any mercy." Reuben just laughed at Michael's comment, to reply, "Have you not shown any mercy in our past battles? When have you ever not shown mercy? You never showed it, but in the end, you let me get away." Michael raised his left hand, opening it up, into a position as if strangling Reuben from afar. Reuben tugged at an imaginary force on his neck with his own left hand, his right trying to keep its grip on me, making sure I never left his body. Therefore, I myself was strangled, and I held my breath.

I thought I had lost consciousness, but I felt a hand warm to the touch, instead of the cold leather glove Reuben was wearing. I opened my eyes, blinked about four times, and saw Michael's chrome skull almost touching my face. Michael went in nearer, but suddenly looked up and his hand that was holding the sword stabbed something in front of him. I immediately turned and laid on my front to see Reuben wounded. Finding his chance, Michael charged at Reuben, leaped and landed a double slash from mid-air. Both his blades were now stained with Reuben's blood. Yet, Reuben stood up and relentlessly retaliated Michael's attacks.

"Angel, leave. You are at risk here. Get away from here as far as possible. I will come back to you later, once I'm done here. Go, now!" That voice, you cannot doubt it. It's a pure warning. I ran out of this secluded place, across fields, roads, towards the residential area, my home.

I kept on falling, but I got up and kept on going. I did not want to leave Michael there, but for a mortal to be in a battle of two of the strongest vampires, seemed out of the question. Then, I see Michael coming into my view from the right.

"Reuben, go back to your rightful place in Aldevia Prison. I got you, and you cannot deny that anymore." Michael dragged Reuben by his neck across my vision, oblivious to me standing there, watching them.

"How many times must you say that, Jackson? You have failed to do that so many times, what makes you think that you can do it now?" Reuben mocked.

"Because I have to protect her. You are a nuisance and a dangerous fugitive. With every second you are out of prison, my girl is in more danger. Now I've got you, I will make sure this time, nothing goes wrong." Did he mean me?

"Hahaha. Michael, you have been deceived. Lucian will train her to be the next Vampire Lord. I can see the eyes of him in her. If you leave her now and kill Lucian, you will still be superior to Angel. If not, she will rule you." I overheard Reuben speaking. Lucian did write a note saying that he had lied for the first time since meeting me, he wanted to see myself turned into a vampire the next time we met.

Now, what was Lucian up to? How did Reuben know of this? How and why? And Michael, has he known any of this either?

"Reuben, shut up. She won't rule me. I will make sure she doesn't. For her to govern me is something I cannot tolerate, but I will care for her. Thank you for the warning, but I will not release you." I snuck up nearer to the two and see Michael using his free hand to draw a circle in the air. A portal appeared, emitting black mist, and Michael threw Reuben inside, to follow. Curious to know where this place is, I jumped in before it closed.

I just did not expect to be spotted.

"Angel, what are you doing here?" Michael turned to me, the smile on the skull suddenly so visible.

"I... I..." Lost for words, I wanted to fabricate a lie, but he caught me.

"You overheard everything. I should have taken the other route. Had I known you were around the area, I should have sensed you, but you concealed yourself... and no mortal has done it. How on Earth..." I moved backwards, but I lost my handgrip on the ground and realised I was at the edge of a cliff. Into the darkness, were many pairs of red eyes that gave off the same vibe as Reuben's.

"Aldevia is just below us. The ravine you're about to fall into is the Well of Lust. You better not fall. C'mon, get up. I'm warning you, don't mention a thing about this to anyone." Michael was still holding Reuben by the neck, but he decided to use less energy and bound his wrists and legs. He speed-walked over and pulled me up while Reuben kept on cursing Michael, trying to bring down his morale.

"I need to take care of this guy. I now have enough strength to kill him... so I want to finish this up fast. You wouldn't want to see this, Angel. It's too gory. Cover your eyes." I covered my eyes and closed them as well. I heard sounds of stabbing, probably by Michael's swords, the cries of Reuben being in pain, and suddenly, all was silent. I heard cars driving across me, the voices of fellow humans talking. I opened my eyes and realised I had been sent back from Aldevia Prison to town.

Confused and worried, I went to his house looking for him. No one came to answer my calls, I guess all his helpers were busy. Where could he go? He will come back... right? I trudged home with a heavy heart, maybe I should not have followed Michael. Maybe if I did not follow, I would not get myself into trouble and Michael too. I sobbed in a corner of my room once I returned, till I felt taps on my shoulder, and faint thoughts resonating from far away, yet near.

"I'm back." Michael? I dried my tears and looked up to see him kneeling down beside me, holding my now tear-filled hand.

"I didn't mean for you to worry about me. Reuben's gone now, everything's alright." I laid my head on his chest for support and cried in his embrace. After a while, I do not know why, but I fell asleep... 

---

"Michael!" I was on my bed, the morning sun on me as I found out the time.

"Angel, I made breakfast, this guy named Michael brought you back yesterday afternoon. I saw you were asleep so I decided to make breakfast today! Come downstairs!" Mom called.

I almost forgot she was still here. Isn't today the start of school?

"OH NO! SCHOOL!" I ran and frantically changed my clothes, wore a simple outfit and Converse sneakers, took my school bag and ran down the steps, snatched my breakfast and a plastic zip-lock bag, and ran out of the house.

Placing my breakfast in the zip-lock bag and starting to eat, I quickened my pace to arrive at school just on time.

Man, this day is gonna be the start of another hectic school year.

At the same time, I swear I might skip school because of the amount of paranormal... or was it a supernatural... activities I'm involved in.