Some believe angels only exist in heaven.
Some claim to have met one.
Others think they’re nothing more than fictional fodder meant to give humans hope.
Being of the celestial, winged variety myself, I can attest to the fact that we do exist. Granted, we’re not all floating on clouds, listening to the soft strum of a harp while waiting to greet the next to pass on to their life ever after.
Nope. Then again, neither are those who protect the gates of Heaven but leave it to humans to come up with whatever ridiculous faith-filled illusions they need to feel content about what they hope is their final destination.
As for the eternal resting place … well, it’s much like it is here on Earth. Chock-full of well-meaning folk attempting to maintain order with their policies and procedures. Yes, those are the angels you’re familiar with—robes, halos, wings—keeping a watchful eye over your loved ones who’ve moved on to claim their just reward.
For the record, my brothers and I aren’t those types of angels, nor have we set foot in Heaven for some fifteen hundred years or so. Since I spent my first five hundred years there, I learned a thing or two. A few things even that I wasn’t meant to learn, but hey, with that many years under my belt, I got bored and curious. Sue me.
I know what you’re thinking. Oh, pity, he’s a fallen angel.
In a sense, I guess you could describe me that way, but try less fall and more push.
See, we’re part of what Heaven refers to as misplaced halos, a faction of celestial warriors sent here to walk amongst the humans under the cover of darkness following the orders of our leader: the archangel Michael. You might know him as the protector of humanity, the patron saint of warriors, or even the one who sent the big bad to his rightful destination.
Most of the time, he’s a giant pain in my—
I digress.
Yes, Michael is our boss, and he sent us here to watch over you. He refers to us as the Angels of Darkness, his greatest creation. And since we originated from his will, we’re far from perfect. Perhaps we were your next-door neighbors at one time or another. If so, you probably remember us. We were the ones with the fast cars and loud music. Not your typical divine beings, no, but we get the job done.
Never fear; we aren’t in one place for long. We’re drifters, never quite settling in because we’re needed everywhere. Small towns, big cities, bayous, mountains, deserts, we’ve experienced it all. But most importantly, if we stopped in and later disappeared, it was deemed safe for you to keep calm and carry on with your routine nine-to-five, maintaining your cute little house, raising your two-point-five kids, and throwing sticks for Fido.
That’s what we were sent here to do. Protect you.
From what, you ask?
Well, demons, of course. Those who escape Hell, working for Lucifer, carrying out his evil deeds in an effort to prove their worth. Stealing souls, wreaking havoc, and trashing lives with absolutely no remorse. I hate to break it to you, but a few probably settled into your quaint little cookie-cutter neighborhood when you weren’t looking. And no, Shawn, the drunk guy two doors down, is not a demon. He’s just a jackass.
Like I said, that’s why we’re here. Seeking out the evil and sending them back where they belong.
Why do we do it? It’s simple. That’s what we were created for. We gain satisfaction by fulfilling our duties, protecting those who need it.
Oh, and because we were promised one thing: a love that knows no bounds. What we refer to as an amsouelot. A single soul destined for each of us, the two halves forming the whole, completing one another.
Of course, this carefully guarded secret got out eons ago. Humans use the term soul mate, though often the connection for them is little more than hope for everlasting love. In an attempt to force the union, human beliefs are frequently steeped in exploited traditions and trivial efforts. In reality, unless the Fates destined the two souls, those ventures are merely a desperate need to curate a love with little chance of survival. That’s not to say your relationship is doomed to fail. Perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones who’s found your destined love, sealed by the Fates. It does happen.
However, for angels, it’s a bit more complicated. For us, it isn’t a matter of wining, dining, and roses. We can’t use Tinder or eHarmony to track down our one true love. There is no such thing as a chance meeting. And once we come face-to-face with the one destined for us, the interaction’s far more intense, a phenomenon that engulfs bodies and souls, entwining them, making it impossible to keep any sort of distance, physically and emotionally. When we mate, we do so for eternity.
Most importantly, without our amsouelot, we would have no reason to live. In essence, we would be nothing.
Which brings me to the beginning of this story… 
Sunday, June 30, 2019
“Now that was a lucky shot,” Eclipse shouted, chugging back his beer, then following with a satisfied ahhh. “I’ll drop a Benji if you can do that again.”
“You’re on, brother,” Aphotic countered, snatching up his glass and tossing back the last of his favored Fireball.
Relaxing in my chair, a chilled bottle of Corona in my hand, I watched my brothers as they poked at each other in their attempt to enjoy one of our few nights off as of late.
While X Ambassadors crooned about the devil you know, Aphotic repositioned the cue ball and pointed his stick at Eclipse, a shit-eating grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Watch and learn, son.”
It was good to be home, even if it was only a temporary hiatus. Discretely nestled in Darkness, Colorado, this was the one place we could relax and chill, where my brothers could act like idiots, as they were prone to do.
“They just don’t quit,” Stygian rumbled, casually stroking the top of Zeus’s furry black head.
The dog had been glued to Stygian’s side since we returned early that morning, minutes before sunrise. As for Aphrodite … Zeus’s much younger playmate was sprawled out beneath the pool table, sleeping soundly despite the ruckus.
“Eclipse is out what? A grand at this point?” Piceous rumbled, his tone relaxed, hooded eyes following the action. “He does know he’s being hustled, right?”
Oh, he knew. And if I had to guess, Eclipse had a plan to hustle the hustler.
“Can’t blame ’em for wanting to blow off some steam,” Shadow drawled, sipping from his third glass of Glenlivet.
“You’re right about that.” I took a deep breath and watched the males strut and grunt.
It had taken four months, but we’d finally cleared out the demon nest that had taken up residence in New York City. Not an easy feat, mind you. Working under the cover of darkness in the city that never slept required strategy to eradicate more than three hundred demons, but we’d pulled it off, ridding the metropolis of the evil that lurked in the shadows.
To be clear, our responsibility is to the actual demons. As for the malevolent humans that resided there … the human race was in charge of cleaning up that mess, thank God. I was equipped to deal with a wealth of shit, but the humans’ behavioral problems were their own. We had our hands full. As it was, it would only be a matter of time before more demons would return, a new group sauntering in and attempting to take over.
The demons did their thing, which allowed us to do ours.
“So where’re we headed next?” Cimmerian flopped down on the black leather recliner, long legs dangling over the side. He tipped his head back, regarded me. “Tucson? Dallas? Maybe we could head down to Miami. It’s been a while since we’ve had any Cuban action.”
Before I could respond, the lights flickered, dimmed, the surge of energy flowing through the electrical circuits throughout.
In the true manner of warriors, the seven of us were on our feet, armed and ready to take on the threat. Big or small, didn’t matter. We were always ready.
Of course, Zeus and Aphrodite weren’t going to be left out. The German shepherds were positioned within the group, snarling softly as they anticipated the threat to their home.
“Relax, warriors,” the disembodied voice echoed through the mansion.
“Well, fuck me running,” Eclipse muttered, relaxing his stance with a heavy sigh and tucking his deadly half-moon blades away.
“Sounds like a challenge,” Michael said, taking form in the center of the room, the feathers of his wings rustling as they settled at his back. “One for another day, perhaps.”
Still locked in a fighting stance, I kept my eyes on the archangel gracing us with his presence. It was rare for the male to make an appearance, and when he did, it was never good.
In true Michael fashion, he didn’t get right down to business. Instead, he ambled around the space, picking up the eight ball from the table, studying it momentarily. He set it back down, moved on. His steady gaze scanned the entire space, taking it in before returning to us.
“To what do we owe the honor?” Shadow queried, more than a hint of disdain dripping from his words.
“Want to commend us on a job well done?” Cimmerian taunted. “Not necessary. We patted ourselves on the back already.”
Michael picked up Aphotic’s glass of cinnamon whiskey, sniffed, grimaced, clearly ignoring our rumblings.
“I come with a message,” he finally said, setting the glass down before turning his attention to us.
“Sit.”
“Would it hurt you to say please?” Aphotic muttered under his breath.
“We’ll stand,” I told him.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Michael squatted down on his haunches, motioned the dogs to him.
Zeus and Aphrodite went happily, tails wagging as they cuddled up to the archangel.
“At least someone’s happy to see me.” Michael grinned, giving them each a generous rub before standing tall. His smile fell away instantly as he crossed his beefy arms over his armor-clad chest.
Mirroring his position, I honed my patience. The male wasn’t the sort to jump to the point when he could drag shit out.
“I heard about the stint in New York.” Michael’s dark eyebrows rose. “Impressive. Though not exactly timely.”
We’d long ago stopped waiting for Michael to bestow any sort of praise, so the seven of us remained silent, staring intently at our visitor. Though armed to the teeth, we’d all tucked our weapons away, out of sight but never out of reach.
Michael sighed heavily, smirked. “You boys should relax more. The sticks up your asses aren’t becoming.”
Since the archangel didn’t take well to commands, I kept my lips shut, though I was quickly growing tired of the male’s presence.
“And here I thought I’d injected a sense of humor when creating you. My bad.” Michael dropped his arms to his sides, paced in front of the billiard table.
“Just get to the point,” Shadow rumbled, his shoulders squared, eyes narrowed. Clearly, the two were still on the outs.
“Fine. We’ve recently uncovered a leak.” Michael’s eyes briefly shot skyward. “Upstairs.” He leveled his stare on us once again. “I’d go so far as to say there’s a traitor in our midst. Though for the life of me, I can’t figure out who it is.”
Didn’t surprise me. There were tight reins up there, but despite what the gospel wanted everyone to believe, not even Heaven was perfect. It was inevitable that someone would eventually fall through the cracks.
A scroll appeared in Michael’s hand before he motioned me toward him, holding it out.
Stepping forward, I took the papyrus, broke the solid gold seal, unrolled it, and scanned the archaic writing. “It’s a list of names,” I told the others before meeting Michael’s unamused stare. “What is this?”
“It’s a list of amsouelots,” the archangel clarified.
I frowned. “How did you get this?”
Only the Fates—Adorah, Nevaeh, and Karma—knew the alignment of souls. The sisters were the gatekeepers of humans’ destiny, and they took their roles seriously. They kept detailed lists under lock and key somewhere beyond the pearly gates. Not even the highest order of angels had access to them, not even God Himself.
Or so I’d been told.
“Look at it again, warrior,” Michael commanded.
I peered down at the paper once more. It was then that additional names appeared beside those already scrawled.
My eyes narrowed menacingly, shot back to Michael. “What the fuck?”
Stygian stepped forward, glanced down at the page, inhaled sharply. I passed it over so my brothers could see for themselves.
“Who are they?” Aphotic asked.
“Those, warriors, are the names of your amsouelots. The seven humans whose souls are destined for yours.”
“Six females, one male,” Piceous noted.
“That is correct.”
As the implications settled in, so did the silence.
Cimmerian frowned. “These names were leaked?”
“They were,” Michael confirmed. “Yes.”
“To whom?” I inquired, though I seriously doubted I would like the answer.
“Lucifer.” Michael paced away. “And before you ask, yes, it was the only list that made it into my brother’s hands, though we’re still not sure who shared the information. When we find him, the traitor will be persecuted.”
“Damn right he will,” Shadow growled.
Michael sighed, then relaxed, his wings fluttering when he turned back toward us. “I don’t need to tell you those females are in danger. Lucifer’s already sent his demons topside, and they’re searching. I’ve done my best to keep them shielded, albeit temporarily, but you know my father. He gets all up in arms when we attempt to interfere.”
“How long have you known about this?” I snarled, not at all pleased with the situation.
Perhaps for the first time in my two thousand years of existence, Michael appeared almost remorseful when he said, “Too long.”
“Where are they?” Stygian demanded.
“Unfortunately, warrior, that’s not for me to reveal.”
“Bullshit,” Shadow hissed, stepping forward.
I held out my arm in a gesture for the male to settle. Inciting Michael wouldn’t get us what we needed.
“It took some groveling,” Michael explained, his eyes narrowing on Shadow, “which you all know I’m not fond of, but I managed to buy you some time.”
Knowing I wasn’t going to like the answer, I asked anyway. “How long?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have an exact timeline. Let’s just say the situation’s being monitored closely.” He paced across the room, exhaled heavily, then turned to face us once more. “The sooner you find your amsouelots and complete the lintamair, the better.”
The archangel made it sound so simple. Like making the acquaintance of a human would result in an instant love that could be punctuated by an archaic mating ritual. We all knew humans were a bit more complex than that. Even if the warriors did have the Fates on our side, it would require finesse. Tack on the fact we had to find them first…
Michael studied us as though he expected us to spring into action.
“You’re up against both the clock and your enemy, so I suggest you get to work.”
“And if the situation escalates before we locate them?” Cimmerian asked, the dark rumble of his words reflecting his doubt.
“My father has ordered their deaths.”
A round of growls sounded.
Michael held up a hand. “Not my call, warriors. My father has deemed their deaths imperative should you not fulfill your duties.”
“Meaning mate them,” Stygian stated.
“Correct. Should Lucifer take possession of their souls before you’re mated … well, you know what’ll happen.”
“We’ll be up shit creek without a paddle,” Aphotic stated.
Michael frowned. “Is that really a thing? Flowing shit? Sounds disgusting.”
It was often difficult to remember that Michael wasn’t up to speed on human idioms.
Regardless, it was an apt description because an amsouelot’s soul was tied to that of its mate. In our case, should Lucifer get his hands on an amsouelot before mating, he would take possession of both souls, meaning he would own an all-powerful, immortal warrior with capabilities that extended beyond those of an archangel. At least here on Earth. Not to mention, with the soul of the amsouelot, he would be able to persuade the warrior to do whatever he wanted.
The only way to prevent that was to bind the souls for eternity, placing them into the hands of Heaven’s guardians. So, not only did we have to find our amsouelots, we each had to get her (or him, in Cimmerian’s case) to fall in love with us and—yes, as though that wasn’t difficult enough—and perform the lintamair, the official mating ceremony.
“I’d like to put in a formal request for backup,” I told the archangel.
Michael shook his head. “As outlined, you may not seek assistance from the humans, and I cannot grant you reinforcements from Heaven.”
“So we’re on our own?” Stygian groaned.
“Last I checked, you have forty or so angels at your disposal. Plus, the seven of you.” Michael cocked one dark brow. “Seems more than fair to me.”
“We’ve also got the Fae,” I reminded Michael.
He exhaled heavily. “You know how I feel about that.”
I did, but I didn’t give a shit. The Fae were meant to be a food source for us, not partners in this war against evil. However, Michael was the only one who saw them as such.
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” Eclipse quipped. “Seventy or so heads to weed through seven-point-seven billion.”
“A bit overdramatic, warrior,” Michael replied. “It’s safe to say you can narrow your search to North America.”
“Well, in that case…” Eclipse rolled his eyes.
I fought the urge to do the same because Eclipse was right. It was a near-impossible task, and we didn’t have nearly enough manpower to tackle it.
“Awesome,” Aphotic snapped. “Only five hundred seventy-nine million.”
“I didn’t say it would be easy,” Michael noted, then canted his head. “Might I suggest you utilize other factions of misplaced halos? Perhaps they’ll offer you assistance.”
“Vampires and witches?” Piceous asked.
Michael nodded as he paced away once more. “But fair warning. Lucifer’s proving to be a formidable enemy. Not only to me but to humans and vampires alike. It’s come to my attention that the mesonneir have made it topside. And I’m hearing rumors the trielair won’t be far behind.”
The mesonneir were the lieutenants in Lucifer’s demon armies, capable of severe devastation. On the other hand, the trielair were a beast all their own. They hadn’t come up from the bowels of hell for some six hundred years. It was then that they had laid waste to much of Europe and Asia, rolling out the Black Death, which resulted in the demise of roughly fifty million humans.
“Rumors are spreading that he’s looking to acquire your souls in an effort to strengthen that brigade,” Michael continued. “Without you defending them, the humans will be wiped out. So, I suggest you waste no time.”
“Why not eliminate us now?” Piceous prompted. “Without us, there’s no risk.”
Michael smirked. “Don’t think I haven’t considered it. However, the Fates have informed me your souls have already been aligned with your amsouelots. The direct link is made. Should your amsouelots die, your souls would still reside with whoever owns their soul.”
Which explained why God would eliminate them, ensuring He possessed both souls, regardless.
Michael’s eyes slid over each one of us. “Because you’ve proven yourselves worthy, I requested you be given the opportunity to claim your amsouelots. My father’s aware that your existence will prove futile should He eliminate them, but He’s prepared for that outcome. Don’t let me down.”
“You know, this could be made simple if you’d just tell us where they are,” Eclipse grumbled.
“If it were up to me, warrior, I would,” Michael stated, his words ringing with sincerity.
With that, the archangel vanished, the flutter of wings the only sound in his wake.
“Son of a bitch!” Aphotic shouted, grabbing a pool stick and snapping it in two.
Zeus barked once in warning. The canine was not fond of aggressive actions.
However, I understood the male’s frustration. We’d been up against incredible odds before, but nothing of this magnitude.
“So much for a vacation,” Stygian said.
“Needless to say, our priorities have shifted,” I informed my brothers. “We’ll divide and conquer.”
Stygian nodded, taking the scroll when I offered it. “Good news is, none of their names are Mary Smith.”
True. But with a little more than half the population of North America being female … we had our work cut out for us.
“Bring in the lieterras,” I instructed, my mind whirling with things that needed to happen to get our mission underway. “They can start searching.”
“I’m on it,” Eclipse said before disappearing.
“We need to meet with the fiestreigh,” I told Cimmerian. “Let them know we’re refocusing our efforts.”
“Will do,” the male agreed, then vanished.
“And someone have Søren bring back up the Misplaced Halos website. We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”
Six females and one male to locate and an undetermined timeline.
Sounded simple, right?
Too bad nothing ever was.
