Forgotten Souls (The Saving Angels 2)

"If we're so important then why did you wait so long to visit us?" Mark asked in an oddly subdued voice.

I couldn't feel any more anger radiating off of him, but I also couldn't quite make out his mood. It was like looking into a melting pot of different ingredients, every emotion seemed to have merged together. I couldn't help feeling worried. I was so used to seeing his loving and kind emotions, that it was a little disconnecting to not be able to locate them.

"My job is to show the Guides how to use their gifts, and to train the Protectors the proper ways to use their skills," he continued as if Mark had not uttered a word. It was obvious who was boss at the moment. "Guides need to train as well, because they possess gifts that exceed those of the Protectors. Their primary job of course is to try to sway the lost souls with their emotional gifts, but by now I'm sure you have also discovered one of your other gifts?" he asked directing the question at me.

"Um, yeah. I think it’s the above average speed," I said tentatively.

"Correct. Guides are given the gift of speed for one reason. To get them far from a situation that might bring them harm. However, The Dark Angel did mislead you on some aspects. The life bond requirement only holds true for the Protectors. You cannot live without your Guide, but a Guide can survive a separation if properly trained. For example, when Krista was near death she found a way to persevere."

"No, that's not true. Mark healed me in our dream," I stammered, more than a little confused.

"Incorrect. The dream itself gave you the strength you needed to fight back. Guides control the dreams. You mapped your dream the way you wanted it to go. You felt yourself slipping away and used the dream to give you what you thought you needed which, was the healing touch of your Soul Mate."

"But how unfair is that to the Protectors? They have to keep us safe and then oh yeah they die if we die, but if they die, we can still live." The injustice of it made my voice stronger than before.

"My dear child, it is not an 'injustice,'" he said, picking the word from my thoughts. "It is an honor and a privilege to be matched with souls as beautiful as a Guide holds, and to be given the important task of keeping them safe. No Angel in Heaven would feel otherwise," he said, now looking at the guys with intensity. Both Shawn and Robert nodded their heads instantly in agreement. Mark delayed, almost as if an invisible hand was forcing his actions.

I couldn't blame Mark that much. It seemed grossly unfair and made it all so much clearer why his dad had turned dark. What if Mark someday decided it wasn't worth it?

Mark squeezed my hand. I'm not my dad, he said, finally allowing a thought to slip outside the gate he had erected in his mind. I should have felt relieved from his reassurance, but I felt oddly dejected.

"So, what do we need to do?" Shawn asked, breaking the silence that had settled over our group.

"We start training. Usually it would be up to your parents to help you with the technicalities. That job is now mine," he said.

"What kind of training?" Sam asked intrigued.

"The Protectors must prepare in combat training, while the Guides will learn to filter the emotions of those who need your gifts the most."

"Filter?" I asked puzzled.

"Yes. Your 'emotional gauge' as you refer to it, is better described as an emotional filter. Over the years you have learned to shy away from the emotions of others as a defense mechanism. Your gift requires you to embrace the negative emotions of others and to filter them back, void of the negativity."

"Emotional filters?" Lynn mused next to me, not sounding completely excited about the idea.

I couldn't blame her. The idea of sucking the negative emotions inside of me instead of blocking them made my stomach turn uncomfortably.

"What do you mean?" I asked

"For example, when your Protector was feeling animosity toward me a few minutes ago, you tried to soothe him with your own emotions, thus draining your own energy supply. I will teach you how to filter the same negative emotions without depleting your strength. When you are fully trained, you will learn to use those same negative emotions as an energy source," he said. "We start in the morning."

Lynn groaned beside me, she so was not a morning person. I grinned for the first time since he had shown up.

"So, what do we call you?" I asked, not trying to sound rude, but the idea of calling him Archangel or he the whole time seemed ridiculous.

"I'm Haniel, Prince of the Angelic Order," he said with great importance.

"The grace of God," Sam said in awe after a moment.

"Yes," he answered, looking impressed with her knowledge.

I turned to Sam, surprised.

"I've been obsessed with the whole Angel thing since you guys were held hostage," she said shrugging. "I wanted to be prepared if that 'freak' was right even though I had my doubts."

I wasn't all that surprised that Sam and the others questioned our story. I had heard the tale firsthand and even I harbored my own doubts. But here stood our proof in all seven massive feet of muscle. One thing was certain, God wasn’t messing around when he created his Archangels, if Haniel was any indication of that.

"So, why can't we start training now?" Robert asked, standing and pulling Lynn up in one swooping motion. "Let's get this show on the road. I for, one don't want the girls entering into a situation they're not ready for. If that means we train until we drop from exhaustion so be it."