Chapter 19

After mom and I talked about my date, she kissed my forehead goodnight and I was dismissed. I went inside my room, changed into grey sweats and a black long sleeve shirt. I couldn't get Fang's comment.

I'm here too…

It echoed in my head, and I smiled. Maybe…he's not bad at all. I can't get him out of my head.

After ten minutes or so of thinking of Fang, I called Nudge.

"How was it?" she squealed before I could open my mouth.

"Gee are okay? Or how about a 'hello'?" I said sarcastically.

"Quit interrupting and talk," she demanded. I could hear her jumping up and down in desperation.

"He took me out and-" she interrupted me.

"Well no duh, Sherlock! Details darling, I need details," she said in a british accent. I laughed.

"He took me out to go play pool," I said.

"I thought you hated it," she said.

"He gave me a few pointers…and it's not so bad," I bit my lip.

"I bet he could give you a few pointers somewhere else, eh? Am I right?" I could hear the slyness in her voice. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. Usually I would give her a comeback…but I'm serious right now.

"I know I've said this before, but Fang doesn't instill a deep sense of comfort in me," Nudge said. "I still have nightmares about the guy in the ski mask. In one of my nightmares, he ripped off his mask, and guess who was hiding under it? Fang. Personally, I think you should treat him like a loaded gun. Honey, he ain't normal."

"I think I know that, Nudge," I sighed.

"Do you how a V shaped scar is, you know, created?" I asked. She screamed.

"You did it?" she choked.

"NO!" I shouted.

"Then how?"

"It was accident. Anyways, he had a huge, upside down scar on his back!" I hissed. I heard her suck in a breath.

"Nudge? You okay?" I asked.

"Uh huh. Just shocked. And the scars were probably from gang fights, prison scars or something else," she said. I sighed. She's probably right. But something wasn't right.

One half of my brain was keeping track of my conversation with Nudge, but the other, more subconscious half had strayed. My memory went back to the night Fang dared me to ride the Archangel. I recaptured the creepy and bizarre paintings on the side of the cars. I remembered the horned beasts ripping the wings off the angel. I remembered the black upside down V where the angel's wings used to be.

I almost dropped the phone. Holy shit.

"MAXIMUM RIDE!" I heard Nudge shout. After I got my voice back, I answered.

"Huh? Sorry I spaced out," I said.

"Yeesh, girl! WHAT HAPPENED NEXT!" she shouted.

"He got in a fight with his friend and his shirt ripped. Happy now?" I asked.

"What type of guy gets in a fight when he's out with a girl?!" shrieked Nudge. I burst out laughing.

"Nudge I get in fights all the time and in front of teachers. I once got in a fight in front of my mother!" I laughed. She laughed. But then we got in a serious my mind I switched back and forth between the painting of the angel's scars and Fang's scars. Both scars had healed to the color of black licorice, both ran from the shoulder blades to the kidneys. I told myself there was a good chance it was merely a very creepy coincidence that the paintings on the Archangel depicted Fang's scars perfectly. I told myself a lot of things could cause scars like Fang's. Gang fight, prison scars, maybe even skid marks. Unfortunately, all the excuses felt like lies. Like the truth was staring me in the face, but I wasn't brave enough to look back.

"Was he an angel?" Nudge asked.

I snapped to myself. "Nudge I gotta go." I hung up. I got my pre owned Dell black laptop and switched it on. I clicked on the Google Icon on the task bar.

I typed "angel wing scars" and pressed enter. I'd have to admit I was actually considering the possibility that Fang was—well, not…human. I clicked on the first link.

FALLEN ANGELS: THE FRIGHTENING TRUTH

At the creation of the garden of Eden, heavenly angels were dispatched to Earth to watch over Adam and Eve. Soon, however, some angels set their sights on the world beyond the garden walls. They saw themselves as future rulers over the Earth's population, lusting after power, money, and even human women.

Together they tempted and convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, opening the gates guarding Eden.

As punishment for this grave sin and for deserting their duties, god stripped the angels' wings and banished them to Earth forever.

I skimmed down paragraphs, holding my breath.

Fallen angels are the same evil spirits (or demons) described in the Bible as taking possession of human bodies. Fallen angels roam the Earth looking for human bodies to harass and control. They tempt humans to do evil by communicating thoughts and images directly to their minds. if a fallen angel succeeds in turning a human toward evil, it can enter the human's body and influence his or her personality and actions.

However, the possession of a human body by a fallen angel can take place only during the Hebrew month of Cheshvan. Cheshvan, known as "the bitter month," is the only month without any Jewish holidays or fasts, making it an unholy month. Between new and full moons during Cheshvan, fallen angels invade human bodies in droves.

My stare lingered on the computer monitor a few minutes after I finished reading. I had no thoughts.

None. Just a complexity of emotions tangling inside me. Cold, panicky amazement and foreboding among them.

An involuntary shudder roused me to my senses. I remembered the few times I was certain Patch had breached normal communication methods and whispered directly to my mind, just like the article claimed fallen angels could. Comparing this information with Patch's scars, was it possible … could Patch be a fallen angel? Did he want to possess my body?

I browsed quickly through the rest of the article, slowing when I read something even more bizarre.

Fallen angels who have a sexual relationship with a human produce superhuman offspring called nephilim. The nephilim race is an evil and unnatural race and was never meant to inhabit Earth.

Although many believe the great Flood at the time of noah was intended to cleanse the Earth of nephilim, we have no way of knowing if this hybrid race died out and whether or not fallen angels have continued to reproduce with humans since that time. it seems logical that they would, which means the nephilim race is likely on the Earth today.

I logged off and shut down the computer. I put my laptop under my bed and slid under the covers. I threw on an extra blanket to ward off the sudden chill. Whether the room was cold, or the icy feeling originated inside me, I wasn't sure.

The hell did I just read? Haunting words like "fallen angel," "human possession," and "Nephilim" danced me off to sleep.