Chapter 23

The four demons sat in a circle in the middle of the living room. "We all felt the presence of a high-ranking angel, right?" Beel asked.

The other demons nodded, "The angel seems to be strong as well," Layla said. "Beating them would be difficult."

Varrine said nothing, this was not her place to speak and she feared they might try to hurt her if she spoke, so she was quiet throughout their discussion.

Hansel stepped out of his room yawning slightly. He went out last night to the underground boxing ring, brought home more money, and began looking for a way to enroll Varrine in a school.

"What are you guys doing?" he asked the demons when he stepped out.

"There's a high-ranking angel in this world," Beel explained.

"Oh," Hansel said nodding, he, too, felt the presence of the high-ranking angel yesterday, but he was a bit worried since the angel could target Jamie, but this is something he could handle.

Seeing him being casual about it. Minos couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you worried?"

"I am," Hansel replied casually, "but as long as they don't bother me, then I am no concerned by their presence," he said coolly.

He goes to the kitchen and looks into the fridge. There's nothing much in there aside from cans of soda. He sighed lightly and took out a can. 'Not a healthy thing to do first thing in the morning but who cares,' he thought.

"That is not healthy," the ghost of his mom said scoldingly and he saw his father chuckling.

"Sorry, Mom," Hansel said apologetically opening the can and chugging it down. His father burst out laughing and his mother looked baffled.

"Unbelievable."

His father laughed out loud and said, "He learned that from me."

Hansel smiled lightly, he almost laughed. He has a feeling that they are trying to make him feel happy. "Mom, Dad can you do me a favor?"

~~~~

Astrea stared at Jamie absentmindedly, thinking about how to fulfill her end of the deal with Felix.

Last Night...

"By the way," Felix said before she left. "I haven't told you what I wanted from you," he said.

"What do you mean?" she responded as Felix was speaking without context

"The blood oath," he said. "I fulfilled your request, and now you must fulfill mine," he said in a low voice.

She growls silently. They did have a blood oath. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Nothing much to be honest," he said. "I just need you to set me and Jamie up for a meeting."

"What do you want from him?" she asked cautiously. 

Felix laughs, looking amused. "I'm not going to do bad anything to him," he said. "I simply want to talk, he seems friendly."

Astrea felt uneasy. "Or are you not willing to fulfill your side of the blood oath?" he asked. "Don't forget how dire the consequences will be."

"Isn't there something else I can do?"

"I've stated what I want," he replied. "Be thankful I'm asking now."

She chewed her pen thinking of how to get Jamie to follow her to meet Felix. After their last encounter, she doubts he will speak to her again.

"Hey," Jamie said in a friendly tone, turning his seat to her during the lunch break, smiling brightly. "I'm glad you're okay now," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Astrea said sounding a bit arrogant. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Well, you didn't come yesterday and I thought--"

Astrea felt her heart fill up with anger. "I'm alright," she huffed. "I'm going to win next time," she said.

He chuckles a bit. "What you don't think I can beat him?" she said annoyed.

'Yes,' Jamie thought. "It's not that," he replied.

She looked down. "I am stronger than I was two days ago," she said in a low voice. "The sacrifices I've made will not go to waste."

Jamie wanted to ask what sacrifices she had made because the way she had said it was concerning when Neil stepped in. "Hey Jamie and beautiful," he said winking at her.

Astrea ignored him and rested her head on her desk. Neil was amused but didn't pester her.

After school...

Neil and Jamie were walking together to their usual hangout spot. "So you and Annabelle are talking a lot," Neil said.

"I suppose so," Jamie replied.

"So..." Neil nudged him playfully, wiggling his eyebrows.

"What?" Jamie said trying not to laugh.

Neil pouted disappointed. "Do you like her?" he asked.

Jamie burst out in laughter. "No," he said. "She's simply a friend."

Neil was stunned. "You don't like her?" he said in surprise. He could have sworn that Jamie was falling in love with Annabelle. 'She even changed her look for you, how dense can you be?' he thought looking at Jamie with his mouth slightly opened agape.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jamie said in amusement.

"You are popular, good looking, everyone wants to be your friend, and you are the perfect man for a lot of people," Neil said counting all of Jamie's characteristics.

"And I still got cheated on," Jamie said, lightheartedly. "What of you? You play around a lot and a lot of people like you."

"I don't want my best buddy to be lonely if I have a girlfriend," Neil said patting his back.

Jamie raised an eyebrow at him. "Whatever you say," he said.

Not too far behind them is Astrea, she's been following them since they left school using an invisibility spell on herself.

She followed them for thirty minutes. They were at a fast-food restaurant. They walked together and went to Jamie's home, which was when she got.

Neil was talking to Jamie about something when he suddenly slurred over his words and fell unconscious.

"Huh?" Jamie was surprised by Neil falling unconscious and was knocked unconscious as well before he could take out his phone to call emergency service.

They both float in the air before vanishing, unbeknownst to Astrea this was all seen by a horrified twelve-year-old boy.