Part three: anger
Survival
'The new book, from the series "hunters" is out. Once again Collins delves in the thoughts of the boring main character Gina, who adds nothing new to the world of Supernatural books. It's amazing how many of these books still sell. "Hunters" could only be good for mindless entertainment,' Aliza mockingly quoted the review in the newspaper.
Harry rubbed his temples. 'Not again. Can't the guy leave you alone?'
Aliza waved the newspaper dramatically in the air, as she paced round the booth in the café.
'I know right! You tell him you don't want an one-night-stand, and suddenly all he does is personally attacking me! He is such an asshole!'
Aliza fell down on the opposite side of the booth from Harry. She thought back on the past events.
As one of the few exceptions in the world, she did become a writer after finishing her degree of creative writing. Those last years were though for Aliza. She had little to none social contact. However, those lonely Friday nights did give her the opportunity to write more. Maybe she should thank the people that let her down, since it brought her where she ended up.
Seven years later, after she started writing her hunter stories down and brought them out in novels, her life had taken a new turn. Many people had asked for her attention, but few of them wanted to really know her. Her only real friend was Harry. Harry had started talking to her on her first fancy party with writers and publishers. She felt terribly awkward back then, knowing no one. Harry had picked up a conversation with her. She liked the guy, since he was a bit of an outsider like herself. They had been good friends since.
The way to where she stood now, wasn't easy though. Back in the beginning nobody knew who she was. She didn't mind the life where her books were famous, but she was out of the picture. Unfortunately, lately she started to get recognized on the streets. And not just by fans, also by producers and other writers. Those were the kind of people that tried to lift on her success.
A good example for that, was Paul.
A first-class dick who only stuck around for her success and her looks. In the beginning he seemed nice and interested, but that was all an illusion.
'Don't take it personally, he can't handle your brilliance. Or your damn hot looks,' Harry told her with that attitude of his. She snorted at his compliments, but deep down she really liked them. He was the only one who told her she was pretty, or smart. Too bad he was gay.
Aliza leaned heavily on her hand. She blew some strings of hair from her face. Her long wavy blonde hair had become one of her style-icons and one of the things she loved most about herself. She still hadn't settled with her eyes, though. They would simply never get along, like her eyes didn't get along with each other.
'I'm not taking anything personally from him. But a bad review is a bad review. What if people take the douchebag seriously?' she complained.
'Then they're idiots who better not read your work. They wouldn't fit in with the fan-base anyway,' Harry said matter-of-factly, waving his hand around in the air.
Aliza pushed herself back in the backseat of the booth. 'They don't know he is a douche.'
Harry pushed the newspaper across the table. 'Sweetie! Just look at the others! Twenty-three positive reviews, against one false one. Believe me, if those people reading this have eyes, they will know your books are awesome.'
Aliza glanced down at the reviews she had already read before Harry arrived in their favorite café. This was the place they would meet every week to tell each other about the new things in their lives. Harry worked at the biggest producing company in the state. He loved to share the new-arrivals with Aliza, who would, on her turn, check out the good stuff. She loved to read from other writers, mostly the new rising talents. She was one of them, and she loved all the feedback she could get. So she decided to do the same for others too.
She sighed. 'You're right.'
Harry pretended to flip his hair. 'And you know it.'
Aliza chuckled at his dramatic behavior. He knew she hated diva behavior, but he liked to test his limits from time to time. Once, she did get really pissed, when he pretended to be drunk to impress some guy at the bar. He wasn't a normal human being anymore, and Aliza had knocked hard on his head, waking him up.
From that moment on, he never pretended to be drunk again.
Harry took a sip from his coffee. Then he said:
'How is the new story coming?'
'I have just finished the last one,' Aliza complained.
'You know how this business works, don't you?' he warned.
Aliza blew out some air. 'Yeah, of course. I wouldn't be standing anymore if I didn't know. I'll continue writing when I get home.'
Harry shoved his empty cup across the table. 'Well, let's get you started then.'
'You better get the hell off that person, or I'll kill you myself!'
'And what is it you are going to do about it, little girl?'
Gina turned back to George, looking for some help. She looked him deep in the eyes an-
'Oh my god I'm writing freaking Twilight!' Aliza screamed out in frustration. She tangled her fingers in her hair, pulling on the ends. Nothing she was writing turned out right. She was still so angry with Paul. She needed some distraction if she wanted to continue.
She took a stroll around her living room. Once again she admired how wonderful her house was. It was placed just outside of town, in a nature-rich area. The house was painted from the in- and outside in light brown, natural colors. One side of the house, facing the forest, was completely made out of glass. Her living room had a high ceiling, which gave an enormous look about the room, with lots of light.
Basically, she found her dream house.
She stood in the kitchen with a glass of water, enjoying the view. Her best way of getting distraction, and inspiration, had always been hunting. She hungered for letting some vamp heads roll. She hungered to release her aggression. But that was the worst moment you could pick to start hunting. She would be so anger-driven that she would lose her head. Literally.
Suddenly, she felt a strange feeling. I was like a chill going down her spine, at the same time you get that nervous feeling you get before you need to speak up for a crowd. And then a wave of nausea.
Aliza smiled. She never stopped looking out the window. There was no need.
'What the-,' a very dark voice spoke from the living room.
'You're trapped darling,' Aliza called out. Then she finally turned her head to look at the intruder. This was a new one. She had seen hundreds, maybe even thousands in her live. But this one had a different feeling about himself. Aliza was cautious. But still, this was exactly the kind of distraction she needed.
'No need for you to check the floor or ceiling for devil traps. I made a new one. No use to fight it,' Aliza told him as she walked up to him. He was, as a matter of fact, checking the ceiling at that moment. He stopped and looked Aliza straight in the eye. Then he gave her a devilish smile.
'Oh well, I guess I should have expected it, darling,' he told her in that same dark voice.
Aliza leaned against the kitchen counter as she studied the demon.
'Never seen you before,' she stated, not looking him in the eye.
He gave a dark chuckle. 'My sources tell me no one comes back from you alive. So you don't really see us twice, do you now?'
Aliza snorted. 'Fair point. Sources? You're some kind of leader?'
The man, who was a little shorter than Aliza, bowed in a fashionable manner.
'Pleasure to meet you. Crowley, king of the crossroads.'
Aliza scrunched her face up. 'Hmm. That supposed to mean something? It doesn't ring any bells.'
In her head, she did actually hear a little alarm bell, telling her this guy was probably stronger than the others. She would test that later, with her demon-torture instruments.
Crowley looked annoyed at her reply. 'I'm here to help you.'
At that, Aliza threw her head back and laughed out loud. 'Yeah right! Just like all your minions did! Trust me, demon, I'm not making any deals with your kind. Not even with the king.'
Crowley didn't seem defeated. Not at all. He had a shimmer in his eye, telling her he had some information she didn't know. Aliza itched to ask him.
'Not even if I can tell you what you really are?' he told her with a suggestive smirk.
At that, Aliza was taken aback. She took a moment to let his words sink in.
'You're bluffing.'
'Are you sure? Any other horse you could bet on?'
Aliza swallowed thickly. She turned around to put the glass back on the counter. She took a moment to compose herself. What if he did know? What if he could tell her? But then, what would change? So she would have a name. Did that matter?
She turned back around, facing the king of the crossroads.
'Not worth my soul, sweetie,' she replied while crossing her arms over her chest.
Crowley circled the space he had. He figured out the space was limited to one step in all directions. He clenched his jaw as he did so, annoyed by the turn of events.
'It wouldn't cost you your soul. What if, we agree on you letting me out of this trap, and leaving me alone. I don't like you 'hunters' and I don't want you on my ass,' he said.
That rang her bells. That easy a deal? There was a catch here. A demon, most of all the king, would never agree on a little privacy.
'What's your deal, Crowley?'
Crowley turned back to her, surprised by her response. 'What?'
Aliza clicked some things together in her head. 'You want to know, don't you.'
Crowley didn't respond, so Aliza continued. 'You want to know what I am. You make it look like it is my end of the deal, but it's yours. You want to know what I am,' she told him.
Crowley stared at her. Then he closed his eyes and sighed. 'For hell's sake. Alright, fine. You're right. I am so curious about what kind of abomination you are. Something so hideous that even demons want to kill you.'
Aliza shuddered at him calling her an abomination. She hadn't even considered something like that. What if she was even worse than a demon? But why didn't she have a desire to kill half of town, if she was some kind of monster?
'We still make a deal,' Aliza replied. 'You get to do whatever you need to do to find out what I am. In exchange, I want you of my ass. No demons, nothing hell related. You know what? Nothing hell related can chase of hurt me. You wanna know why?'
She took some steps closer, until she was inches away from the demon. She stroked one finger over his chest.
'I'm dying to know,' Crowley responded sarcastically.
Aliza smirked. 'You will protect me. My personal guard dog,' she said with a smile.
Crowley looked away. 'You're a hunter. You seek things that try to kill you.'
Aliza took a step back and started circling him. 'I didn't say all monsters. Vamps, ghosts and others I can handle myself. But no demons, no hell hounds. And no you. What do you think? How badly do you want to know what I am?'
Crowley cursed under his breath, hating his position.
'Going once,' Aliza pressed.
Crowley looked at her, searching for some pity.
'Going twice…,'
'Going…,'
'Alright! Fine,' Crowley yelled in frustration.
Aliza gave him an evil smirk. This was even better than cutting him to pieces. She gladly came up to him.
'To seal the deal-,' Crowley started.
'I know,' she said quickly before gripping his lapels and pressing her lips to his. The kiss held nothing romantically, just the eagerness of both to get their share.
They released and Aliza took a step back. Crowley held his hands up, hopelessly.
'Are you letting me out of whatever trap you made?'
'We never discussed that,' she stated.
Before Crowley could come up with a response she continued with: 'But I'll free you, as a sign of good faith. You wouldn't make a good coat rack, anyway. Too short.'
Aliza whispered a spell under her breath, holding her hand for her mouth so Crowley couldn't read her lips. Crowley felt the power reduce, and he took a step to prove his freedom.
'You a witch now?' he asked uninterested as he flexed his muscles.
'Nope. Just picked some things up from one,' she told him honestly. No need to tell him Magnus was actually one of her only friends.
'Well, let's get started then, shall we?' Crowley said, some of his charisma returning.
Aliza held her hands up. 'What is it you need to do? Or I need to do?'
Crowley walked to one of the comfy chairs in the living room, looking out over the forest.
'You just sit there and look pretty. I'll do the dirty work.'
Aliza raised an eyebrow at his strange terms. Nonetheless, she walked over to the chair and sat down. Crowley moved down to meet her at eye-level.
'Now, this might hurt a bit,' he told her with a smile that told her it was going to be more than 'a bit'.
Then, in one swift motion, he pushed his arm into her chest. Her eyes and mouth popped open. For a moment she thought he had reached through her flesh and squeezed her heart. Instead, a strange light erupted from her own chest. She could feel her veins burning all over her body. She screamed out, but even if she would die, no one could hear her. The disadvantage of living remote.
It did hurt like hell. She wanted it to stop. She looked at Crowley, who seemed to concentrate on whatever he was doing. She needed it to stop.
Now!
And then a blinding light erupted from her chest and Crowley was smashed in the far wall. She panted heavily and doubled over out of the chair. She was displayed over the wooden floor. She looked up at the disorientated demon across the room. She looked at him, hoping he would pervade her with the information. For a moment she realized she never included him telling her the outcome in the deal. Stupid her.
'Well, that explains a lot,' Crowley panted. Then he pushed himself to his feet and smoothed his clothing. He walked over to the weak girl on the floor.
Not bothering herself with the pure exhaustion she felt, she pushed herself in a sitting position. She leaned against the chair.
'W-what?' she asked.
Crowley seemed to notice her fear of not being told. For some reason, he decided to tell her anyway.
'Demons aren't your biggest problem,' he started. Then he moved down to face her.
'Angels are the ones you should look out for,' he told her. She could swear she heard some fear in his voice.
It chilled her to the bone. She had discovered more and more about angels in the last year, since they appeared more often. There were some rumors about Lucifer breaking out of hell, and the angels trying to stop him. She hadn't believed it so far – or hadn't wanted to believe it – but now she did.
And now she knew that those beings of pure goodness wanted her dead.
'What…am I?' she asked, afraid of the answer.
Crowley looked at her for a long moment.
'They are called Nephilim. The offspring of an angel and a human.'
Aliza's eyes grew wide as she took the words in, needing to repeat themselves to believe them.
'But my parents…,'
'Seems like daddy wasn't quite himself at the time you were produced. You have one bad mommy,' he said mockingly.
Aliza listened with half an ear. She zoned out, staring in the distance.
A Nephilim.
Her father wasn't her father. An angel had used him as a vessel. Her father possessed by an angel, her mother by a demon.
She really wasn't human.
Angels wanted her dead. She knew why. She was a disgrace.
An abomination.
She wanted to ask more, but as she looked back up, Crowley had disappeared.
Hell was off her ass for now.
Heaven was on it, the moment she would appear on their radar.