Chapter 8
"I can't believe you'd let her go like that, Gabe," the second in command complained. He paced back and forth, staring at Mr. Starz as if he were some kind of criminal.
"Come on now, Mike, it really wasn't my idea and you always said..."
Michael Starz nodded and kept his eyes on his brother. "I didn't exactly say you should let lesser angels go off by themselves, especially ones that have never been down to earth before. They are supposed to…"
Gabe shrugged. "She wanted to go, Michael. You said to encourage them and I did. She wanted to go to straighten some things out, especially her feelings. You know what happened with her and her grandson. She things she can make things right, make things better. She told you as much."
Michael looked at the older angel. "Just because you're in love with her, Gabriel, doesn't give you the right to send her down there alone."
Gabe's eyes widened. "Love? Look who's talking about love? You've been seeing her more than I have. Every chance you get. I know all about it, I've seen the two of you. I feel like you're taking her away from me."
Michael shook his head. "You're the one that let her go. You know the danger that's there. This isn't the right time…"
Gabe frowned. "Stop trying to protect her, brother. Our place is up here. We have other souls that we need to keep track of. You've always agreed that we can't sacrifice ourselves, especially the two head angels. We have others here to look out for. You know that yourself."
Michael nodded and relaxed. "I guess she'll be all right down there." He walked over to the window and looked down. "I mean what bad can happen."
Gabe hadn't given it much thought. She was going down to rescue her grandson from a den of thieves. He did intend to marry her when she returned; he loved her to distraction. But through all his advances, she always told him no. Told him she wasn't ready to get marry, not just yet. When he asked about Elvira about his brother, she refused to answer; all she did was smile and walk away.
The thing that angered him more was that she'd spend almost every day with Mike, but every time he brought it up, she would shake her head and tell him that nothing was between them. She said they were friends, but it didn't seem that way, not now especially.
Not since Michael had come bursting in here angrier than a bee without a hive for sending Elvira back to earth without protection. Maybe he should have gone himself to watch out for her, but he wasn't sure if she'd want that. Elvira wanted to prove herself; prove that she was capable of doing things herself. It was really her problem; not his or Michael's.
And wasn't the idea that each angel had to clean up their own mess regardless of what it entailed? She wasn't the first woman to return to earth alone, was she? He didn't remember, couldn't remember. He'd been up here for years with Michael and this was the first time in a long time that the brothers fought over a woman. The last time, Michael won, but that was only for a short time. Persephone ended up leaving the two of them in the lurch and marrying the youngest of the brothers, Abbadon or as he is better known on earth, the Devil. Outcast and alone, Abbadon kept Persephone there for only half the year and in the spring, he let her go with the promise that she would return to him.
Gabe didn't want that for Elvira; he just wanted to her to be happy, whether it was with Michael or not.
But he hoped that she would want him.
"Are you listening to me, Gabe?" Michael said, frowning. "Have your heard anything I said?"
Gabe couldn't tell him that he hadn't heard a word. "We're both going down together, Michael. We'll get my assistant in here, Elijah. His just as capable as we are."
Michael looked up at his brother, a smile playing around his lips. "You're trying to drive a wedge between us, brother? Trying to see who is the better man for her? Challenging me to a duel?"
Gabe shook his head. "I've been thinking a lot about you said, Mike. I'm trying to make sure that nothing happens to Elvira. Besides, I'd miss her if anything happened and so would you. I don't want to lose another angel as promising as Elvira Fitzherbert Whittington."
Michael smiled and unfolded his wings. "Meet you down there, brother."
Gabe nodded. He had to find Elijah and then he'd meet Mike down there. This way, if anything happened, neither one would be blamed.
And maybe he get in a little time for himself while he was at it. Gabe had something to give her, something he'd been keeping from everyone, including Michael. Maybe this time, he'd have the guts to come right out and tell her, maybe he'd finally admit it to himself that he need Elvira.
Maybe she was just waiting to hear it straight from him as well.
He shook his head as he watched Michael fly off. He'd better find Elijah and get down there as quickly as possible.
XXXXX
Eugene opened his eyes and looked around. Everything was dark, everything was quiet. He tried to move, but it was impossible. He was tied up from head to foot. He tried to open his mouth, but it was covered with something, probably the bandana he used when he needed a disguise. He tried to break his bonds, but it was tied around so tightly that it was impossible to loosen. He wanted to get to the ball; he needed to get to the ball. He promised Megan he'd see her there. And who the heck would do this to him anyway? He had no enemies, not that he knew of?
Unless….
Eugene shook his head. The Stabbingtons weren't smart enough and what would be their reasoning? They needed him, they couldn't survive without them, could they?
Eugene was panicking now. He couldn't miss this, it was his one chance to meet the princess, something he wanted to do all his life. This was a dream, wasn't it? This wasn't happening; this couldn't be happening.
He could hear Megan's voice in his head. Whenever he'd get scared, nervous or frightened she'd always tell him the same thing: don't freak out.
Eugene tried his best, but there was nothing else he could do at this point.
And so he screamed for help, hoping someone, anyone, would hear him.