Sweet Evil(24)

“I’m sorry I never told you.” Patti choked up now. “It never felt like the right time.”

I tried to make sense of it all in my mind. There had to be some logical explanation. But hadn’t I been trying for years to come up with logical reasons for being able to do the things I did?

“Maybe she was an insane old lady with psychic powers or something,” I reasoned.

“Then how do you explain the supernatural things you can do? She said when you got older you’d be able to see the guardian angels, too.”

I thought about that and was struck with a blinding moment of realization.

“The white clouds!”

“You can see them?”

I sat up straight and watched Patti’s cloud. It appeared to be laying its misty hand on her shoulder. I couldn’t make out any features. It was just a hazy blur. Could it really be an angel? I held out my hand and watched as the cloudy hand flitted down from her shoulder and rested in my palm. I couldn’t feel it, but I was overwhelmed with tremendous peace and understanding before it pulled away.

“You see, Anna?” Patti said, watching me intently. “It’s all true. There’s no one else on earth like you. There are others similar to you, but they’re only half of what you are. This is important, Anna. Focus on me.” I was still staring at her guardian angel, but I forced my eyes to hers.

“The others who are like you are all children of demons, Anna, demons and humans. Raised by those very demons themselves. So that means this boy you met...”

Where is your angel? Kaidan’s words came back to me.

“He’s half demon,” I whispered.

It all came together, hitting me sharply in the chest and slithering through me like a flood of cold water.

“I should have told you sooner.” Patti’s tears came now, but I was too shocked to cry with her. “I’ve been selfish. I knew once I told you, there was no going back. Things would change forever. And there are so few of these half demons on earth. What were the chances you’d meet one?”

“I’m not mad at you,” I said. I couldn’t focus on one particular emotion when so much was firing away inside of me. “I just don’t get it. Demons and angels? Really? I mean, come on! This is... it’s...”

She walked to my dresser and picked up my Bible. I took a tissue from my nightstand and handed it to her. Patti dabbed her eyes and sniffed, then cleared her throat. She sat down and opened the book in her lap. Passing it to me, she pointed to Genesis, chapter six, verse four. I read it out loud.

“‘The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.’”

I looked up at her, hoping she might explain.

“I’ve done a lot of research over the years,” she said. “The sons of God are the angels. The daughters of men are simply human women. A Nephilim is the child of a heavenly angel or a demon. Demons are merely fallen angels. You are a Nephilim.”

The word seemed familiar.

“I thought Nephilim were giants. Like Goliath.”

“It does mean giant, but you know how the Bible is.” She gave a watery smile. “It’s hard to tell what you should take literally and what’s only metaphorical. It’s easier for people to think of them as a race of actual giant people that have come and gone, or as some genetic mutation. Scripture is full of references to angels and demons, but even believers tend to think of them as fable and fantasy. It’s hard to wrap our minds around so many things we can’t see.”

“But I don’t get it. How could angels or demons have children? They’re spirits, right?”

“They have to possess somebody.”

Eek! Demon possessions. This was getting worse and worse.

“I asked Sister Ruth a lot of questions, and she tried to explain the angelic hierarchy. There are messenger angels, like the one who came to me. The guardian angels are the most nurturing of the souls, chosen for their obedience. They can’t interfere in human lives unless they’re sent divine power to do so. If it’s not someone’s time to die, the guardian angels can perform healing miracles or prevent disasters. Otherwise all they can do is try to soothe our pain. It’s actually very beautiful to think about.” Her eyes stared off wistfully, and I realized she’d spent a lot of time thinking about it over the years.

“I had so many more questions for Sister Ruth, but there just wasn’t time. She gave me a message for you.” Patti’s hands shook as she took the Bible from me and closed it. “She said you’d need to go to her as soon as you were mature enough, which you are.”