Know Me By Name

The sword tingled, ready to pop into my hand. Ever since I had landed on Earth, my sword wanted to be free. When I flashed here normally, it was to find someone on my list. I never felt all the souls that called for death.

It was insanity to feel them all at once. This is why I had Reapers. So many Humans sought Death. They called my name in a way the angels and the demons never did. I wasn’t entirely sure I enjoyed it.

I tired to find Kaylee through our connection. It had been so long though, I couldn’t sense her. My love had been lost to me for so long, I had no idea how I would find her. Gabriel saw her. Where could she be?

The more I walked through New Orleans, the more the desperate souls called to me. The longer I was on Earth, the more my wings strained to burst out of my back. So much of this city held death. What had happened here?

“You look like you need to see the Roses,” a woman with graying hair said. Her eyes were a dark violet. I had never seen eyes like that, not even in Heaven.

“Who are the Roses?”

Her eyes flashed a bright purple for a minute and then dulled again. “How do you not know who the Roses are?” She took my hand, a feeling of calm entering me for the first time since deciding to Fall. I followed her into a little shop with bones and dark curtains in the window.

“The Roses?” I asked, carefully taking my hand back from her. She gave off a vibe similar to my mother.

“Yes, the Roses. I’m surprised you don’t know,” the gray-haired lady said, “The Roses have kept the city intact for the last few centuries. It’s where all the supernatural go when they first arrive here.”

I stared at her. Confusion was playing a huge part in my life right now. What was this lady talking about?

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, do you?” Her purple eyes focused in on me. “You’re obviously supernatural; I just can’t tell what. The Roses definitely need to meet you.”

All my senses were telling me to run, to get away from her. But I wanted to stay. The lady gave off an oddly comfortable vibe.

“Who exactly are the Roses?”

“They are the supernatural council. The Roses were created to protect the beings put on this Earth from Man.” Her brow furrowed. “Every supernatural person knows who the Roses are. How do you not?”

“What creatures are you speaking of?”

Her eyes flashed again. Shock rushed through her system, and I could sense her going through a range of emotions. She tried to do something to me, something that saw into me. I was able to block it. Why did she have powers like the devil’s?

“What are you?” she asked.

“What are you?”

We stared each other down for a few minutes before the bell over her door rang. A short man with bright green eyes entered. He smelled vaguely of Heaven, and I had to wonder how. Heaven was a smell few took on. How did this Man have it?

His eyes met mine and then he looked at the purple-eyed woman. It was as if they were exchanging a private conversation in their minds. I had no doubt it was about me.

“Who are you?”

I sighed. “Why do you all keep asking that? Who are you?”

“My name is Zachary, and I am a Rose. Now, who the hell are you?” His green eyes darkened like an angel’s would before they went on the offensive.

My defenses went up, and my wings nearly came out. Gritting my teeth, I stared at the man. “What are the Roses?”

“I’ve already answered that question. You need to answer mine. You reek of supernatural. What are you?”

Taking a deep breath, I calmed down so my angel tendencies wouldn’t come out. “No, I will not answer.”

A growl came from the back of the room, and man with a snarl walked out. There was something extremely animalistic about him. He was shaking as if something was trying to escape his body.

“You may not belong here, but New Orleans belongs to the Roses,” the shaking man said, “This city is ours to protect. As such, you will tell us who you are. No one enters our city without us knowing.” The man continued to shake.

I scoffed. “No. You are not my keeper. This city is not mine. No one will tell me anything. Why are you all so cryptic?”

Another person entered the small shop. He was small and pale. A slight smell of brimstone came from him. He couldn’t be a demon; I would have recognized that scent easily. “I think we need to take him back with us. James would know what to do.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I am not going anywhere with you. You are all strangers and smell oddly.”

“Not as oddly as you,” the green-eyed man said, “Now come with us to Rose Mansion.”

Notes

I'm sorry I've been MIA. I've had a crazy week!