Alter-The One
Chapter 7

Anne’s POV

I wake to pain in my shoulder. I look around confused then notice the Devil angel unconsciously rubbing my shoulder. I roll my eyes but don’t move away.

I must have fallen asleep while making my escape plan. Or at least trying to. I have noticed that there are at least four Demons always guarding the entrance and Satan has rarely left his chair. If he wasn’t so evil I would think he was hot.

I turn away from him.

“Don’t be mad at me. I’m treating you better than I did the last one.” he says as if he’s trying to make me feel better.

I ignore him looking at the wall of fire. I hear him get up and watch him crouch beside me. “Would it make you feel better if I let you be in human form until I need you?” He asks.

I nod and immediately feel my bones shift and crack. I get up and stretch. A smile spread across the Devils face.

“You are beautiful for a were cougar. Makes me want to have a little taste.” He says.

He grabs the back of my head, and before I can even react, pulls so our lips meet. Pain. It was so intense it felt like a bomb went off in front of me and I’m being torn to pieces. I push against him, a scream tearing through my throat.

He releases me clearly confused. I fall to the ground, all my energy feeling spent.

“Did I hurt you?” He asks.

I glare at him. “What do you think?” My voice comes out croaky like if you sing too much.

He shakes his head. “No were has ever felt pain when I touch them. The only ones that feel pain like the are those little dogs with wings following the order of the one that took them from me. Turned them against me.”

I get onto my feet. “You can’t take something that was never meant to be yours in the first place. You rebelled against god. You became selfish wanting the praise and were cast out.”

He laughs. “Is that how their telling my story. That is not at all what transpired. I was, how you now put it, drugged. I was supposed to be the one to be worshipped when humans first came to earth. The god as you say drugged me and while I slept he took control of the humans and made them fear me made a word for them to learn to fear. Evil. I am not evil. I create balance. I only enjoy the torture of those who believe in the one that wants to be called almighty. I can tell you’ve read his bible. Does it not say ‘thou shalt not worship any god but me for I am a selfish god’?

“He banished who he said he created out of love punished them for one mistake. Now women must bare the pain of birth and men must work in order to get food. He banished them from a garden of wonder never to step foot in it again because they ate fruit from a tree.” He says this as he circles around me, “I would have been gentler on the punishment for it was but a piece of fruit.”

I glare at him. “What you say is a lie. Every word that comes from your mouth is lies and tretury. You can not simply say these things and expect me to believe them true. You had all you could want up in heaven. God loves all his children. He created life the earth humans and supernatural beings such as I now walk. He gave up his only sun so I can have this life I am living right now. I only have ten rules I must abide by. Yes I break them but he is forgiving. All you have to do his forgiveness.” I feel the urge to show my wings but I fight it.

He stops his circling and stands right in front of me. “How do you have such blind faith? He let this happen to you. He let me take you here in my kingdom. Usually it’s only angels who would be this fearless as to defend the one above while they are here in my realm.”

I smile. “And what if that is what I am? What if I am an Angel?” I ask.

He glares. “That would be impossible for the reason that that is very rare. Many weres don’t survive a birth like that. So what you are saying would make me think you’re insane.”

I laugh. “Your the one to talk about being insane.” I reach for my sword. I strap it around my waist.

“Plus, isn’t insanity just a term that humans use to define someone they don’t understand?” I grab my sword and unsheath it immediately feeling tingling throughout my body.

The devil angel’s eyes widen. I take that moment of shock and run.

I hear him shout for the demons to catch me so I push myself harder. There’s a bunch of tunnels. I catch a faint whiff of the scent that the demons had when the captured me and started following it as it got fainter and fainter. After a few turns hands grab me.

Before I get the chance to scream on hand goes over my mouth. Without thinking I bite the hand. I hear a string of curses then catch the scent of who it is. I tense even further and continue trying to fight off his hold. Derek grunts in effort to keep me still. “ Will you stop that? I’m trying to help you. A thank you would be nice.” He whispers in my ear.

He let’s go and I glare at him. “I don’t need your help. I was doing just fine on my own.” I whisper back harshly.

I turn around and suddenly hear ripping fabric. I curse mainly out of fear knowing it was my wings. I grab my sword protectively. I hear Derek take in a sharp breath. His fingertips lightly touch his wings and in a second my sword is against his throat.

“Hands off.’ My voice is low and dangerous.

He puts his hands up in surrender. Without another word I walk out of the cave and into my freedom.

When I reach the entrance to the cave I am met with a very concerned looking West. I ignore him and keep walking.

“Where are you going?” He asks.

I don’t even look at him. “To get my haircut.”

My hair is long, reaching my lower back. It makes it harder to take care of it. Getting it cut will save me time and effort of keeping it clean. I let my wings absorb into my back as I reach the street and make my way toward Hair Cuttery.

The bell on the door rings as I make my way in the door. I look at my friend as she cuts a customer’s hair. “I’ll be with you in a moment.” She says unaware that it’s me.

I sit down and wait as she sweeps up the hair. The man leaves and she heads to the counter. “Ok. Have you been to h….” She trails off after she sees me. She punches me in the arm.

“Oww!” I rub my arm.

“Do you know how worried I’ve been? How worried you brother’s been? He comes in here everyday waiting for you to come here. He told me what happened and he looks like crap. Are you seriously Derek’s slave?” She asks, her look of scorn reminding me of a parent.

I growl. ’I am not his slave. I had a very wealthy friend who payed that off. I didn’t come here for mother scornery I got that enough with my mother. I came here for a haircut and a friend that I can trust.” She flinches at my words knowing very well how my mother treats me.

“I’m sorry. I’ve just been worried. Come on I’ll get you that haircut.” She points to the chair and I sit down.

“Just a trim or do you want something more specific?” She ask. I place my hand on my sword and watch in the mirror as my hair and face change. Her eyes iden and I can’t help but smile.

“Something that will compliments this look.” She nods and starts assessing me. A smile spreads across her face.

“I’ve got just the style.” She starts cutting my hair and I know not to say anything so her full concentration can stay focused on the scissors. She picks up a razor and starts shaving my left side. When she’s finished I look at the mirror barely recognizing myself.

She crosses her arms. “Now please explain why a tattoo and hilights just came out of nowhere.”

I give her my best ‘I’m sorry’ look. “I can’t tell you yet. I truly don’t understand it much myself.” I start from the begging right before I was taken to be a slave, up until now. She nods listening to my words.

“So let me get this straight. You found out that your father isn’t really dead, your an angel, you are an angel that’s supposed to fight some big war against good and evil, you have a soul mate that’s an angel and is a total douchebag, you were kidnapped by some demons, they took you to Satan himself where you were supposed to work for him until you died, you escaped, and now you came to me for a haircut. Damn. That must be a lot to take in because girl I’m seriously trying to process the fact that my friend wasn’t human in the first place. I should be really freaked right now. Wait so that means your brother…. Man! I had a crush on your brother.” She flops on a seat next to me.

I turn to her with a disgust face. “You had a crush on my brother? You know he’s like too old for you anyway right?”

She rolls her eyes. “I can crush on people I know I can never have. But that’s not what i’m saying. Your not human.”

I nod. “I know. I thought you knew. I mean slavery is illegal in human laws. I thought you would’ve guessed when this news reached you that maybe I wasn’t human. I mean even my growl a couple of minutes ago should have set off warning bells in your head.”

She throws her hands up. “I just thought that was normal for you. You know how things just go right over my head. Come on I’m stupid you know this.”

I glare at her. “You are not stupid.”

I smell Jim and tense. “Crap.”

Paula raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“I need to hide now. Paula my brother can’t know I’m here yet.”

She tosses me a pair of clothes. “Put these on and go in the back. Quickly.” she says.

I run to the back just as the bell rings. I quickly toss on the work outfit.

“Was Anne here?” I hear my brother ask.

“I haven’t seen her.” Paula says.

I hear him growl. “Don’t lie to me Paula. I know she’s been here. Where is she?”

I hear footsteps coming towards my direction. “WHERE IS SHE?!” he grabs my shoulders causing me to gasp. He spins me toward him. I keep my head down.

He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my head up toward him. “Anne?”

I look at him. “Ummmm...”

Tears well up in his eyes. “I missed you so much.” he pulls me in for a hug.

Well crap.