Chapter 15:

Version 2.0

“No date tonight, Alex?”

“Shana’s busy with a vampire nest over at the east side.”

“You mean you’re not going to get laid tonight?”

“What about you? You’re going out tonight, aren’t you?”

“I’m not like you, Alex. I actually wait for the fifth date before doing that.”

“Yeah, right.”

I guess it’s time to talk about it now, huh?

Well, it’s been a long time since I actually had the time and the inclination to do something like this since…that battle. I don’t really know where to start. I guess it’s better to start this whole thing from the last few moments of that battle with Rei…that battle. The blast didn’t kill her of that much was for damn sure. I had my weapon, my make-shift spear and without a thought, I drove it through her chest. It felt odd to me at that moment, almost ironic really, that even with so much power at her disposal, with her body surviving incredible amounts of damage but it was a stab through the heart that did her in at last.

It’s all too human a death for someone who was beyond human.

Don’t you think so?

I looked into her eyes that moment, as all that power dissipated and, I guess, returned to their rightful owners and I saw it. She looked so malignant on one hand, so malevolent, so condemning of everything that she saw, maybe condemning even herself. Then, in the next few seconds that I looked into her eyes, everything seemed to change. In the blink of an eye, literally, everything about her changed. She looked like she didn’t have enough strength to pull out a smile but her subtle expression. It was so peaceful, so warm, so at peace with the world. As her body fell to my arms, I could almost feel the same thing she did…

It was fleeting but for that single moment I felt…everything.

Enough of that…it’s not exactly something I like to remember. It’s been…what? Five or six months since then and things have finally begun to settle down. As a sort of reward, I guess, from Heaven’s higher ups, they kicked Alex out of his coma and fixed up any damages that myself and everyone else got that time. He’s been steady and kicking around since then, dating and flirting with the girls but around the house, he’s still the same gentle, caring, oddly loveable older brother I had before the coma. And though he hasn’t really told me about it yet, I think he’s been dating Shana for a bit now. I don’t know what to think of that!

Shana…she’s still out there you know, vampire hunting every night. She says she won’t stop until she finds the vampire that raped her mother and have the satisfaction of cutting his damned head off. I guess she won’t stop until she does do that, or until the taste of blood wears thin on her. I should know, the taste of blood has been really bad on my mouth back in my old Hellion days. Yeah, ever since the start, I couldn’t really stand the taste or the smell, or even the feeling of it. Well, she is half-vampire after all, so I guess she won’t find it disgusting, rather, she’ll likely find it intoxicatingly good. Almost reminds me of Celeste…

“Elise, can you stop using the computer for a while? I need to check my e-mail!”

“Shut up Alex! I know you’re just going to surf for porn!”

“That’s none of your business!”

“I’ll tell Shana…”

“Never mind, I need to get some paperwork done anyway.”

Where was I? Oh, on Celeste. Celeste, oh what do I say about Celeste?

Well, she’s not a Demon Guard anymore. Though, I don’t really know what’s up with her condition, she says she’s doing well. She’s The Devil’s personal secretary now, considering he’s still recovering from the battle with Rei. Though, I think we’re all still recovering from that. She hasn’t told me much about what Rei said that day, about how this all ended up happening but…I guess she’ll never tell anyone about the truth. That’s Celeste really, keep things to her own little mind, hide the truth and trust no one. Still, I could see it in her eyes. She may never actually admit it but she cares about me, she has for a while now, I guess.

I guess I have to admit, I care a lot about her too.

Then, there’s Hikari and Kanako.

Hikari, I miss that girl. That smile, that graceful walk.

I guess I still carry a bit of a crush on her.

And Kanako, in the name of all creation, that girl with Hikari is as twisted as couples get.

It would be impossible to think of what was happening to one of them now without thinking of what was happening to the other. They’re both Angels now, I hear, though they still retain their status as Tainted Angels. I get word from Fox that they’re a couple up there though they never openly admit it. I think he said something about Hikari calling their relationship “really, really close friends that just so happen to like to hold hands, embrace and kiss each other, occasionally go down on each other and even get it going once in a while” was how Hikari described it. They’re both freelance operatives, not officially in the Army.

And Fox…well, one can’t really forget about Fox now, can one?

He’s still on the mortal world actually. He’s on official vacation leave from the Angelic Army and of course, he’s going out with girls, girls and more girls. Honestly, I can’t help but wonder why he’s still an Archangel. Aren’t they supposed to be pure, virtuous and holy and all that stuff? Well, I guess he’s the exception that proves the rule. He’s a real nice person, if you can get past the incessant need of his to engage his hormones at almost every minute of every day. If a girl can somehow keep that part of him in line, I assume they’ll enjoy spending time with the guy. But that’s a pretty big “if”.

“Elise, your date is here!”

“Okay! I’m coming!”

“Have a good time now! And have my little sister back by midnight!”

“No surfing porn, Alex. And if Shana comes over, try not to make a mess of the place?”

“That’s very funny, Elise, hilarious.”

“Shall we get going?”

“Of course, Fox.”

END