Randy lands over by the slides a few yards away. I dash over to him but a Powerball hits just inches away from me, causing me to lose my balance and fall to the ground. I look up and find two demons careening down from the sky, ready to attack once again.

I hold out my hand to Pull the demon. Right away, a burst of light emerges from my palm. His life force seeps out of his body, forms a stream of black smoke that is drawn into my hand. The demon dies midair.

I go to Pull the other demon, but then something happens: The demon gets a good look at me and sees something that makes him stop dead in his tracks—my purple eyes. 

Damn it!

I didn’t remember to put my contacts in. Having purple eyes is a dead giveaway. Soon a slew of demons will descend upon us, knowing they have stumbled upon a Noru. Not just a Noru, but the daughter of a Council member.

Great, why couldn’t my mom work at Starbucks?

I hold out my hand to Pull the demon, but I can’t get a lock on his position because he’s weaving through the air. I debate going after him but I can’t leave Randy alone. I have no choice but to let the other demon go. I’m guessing he’s racing to tell the others he’s found a Noru out in the open. Soon the place will be overrun with demons.

I run over to Randy and take his head in my lap. He’s bleeding from his nose and mouth. His eyes are closed and he is eerily still.

Please, Omnis, don’t let him die. Please.

“Randy, Randy, can you hear me?” I ask desperately.

He doesn’t answer but I know he’s alive because I can feel a faint pulse when I place my fingers on the side of his neck. I start to pick him up and prepare to fly him to safety. That’s when I see them from the corner of my eye: a cluster of demons flying furiously towards us.

They start attacking us from the air even before they can get a good shot. Seeing a Noru out in the open has excited the horde of demons. They are approaching in a feverish frenzy. There is no way I can Pull them all at once. And even if I could, it would mean letting go of Randy, and I am not about to do that.

Well you better think of something quick! I scold myself.

I hoist Randy effortlessly over my shoulder just as the Powerballs start to rain down on us. I dive behind the plastic staircase that leads to the slides. This is a temporary hiding place, as the Powerballs are melting the plastic structure.

A few demons make their way towards us. I Pull as many of them as I can, but soon there are just too many for me to handle. I take out my cell and make a call I never thought I’d have to make.

“Key, it’s me. Help!” I beg.

No sooner than I hang up the phone, a Powerball sends me flying into the lamppost across the street. I gasp as my whole body throbs in pain. A dozen or so demons follow me. I Pull them fast and without mercy. They fall from the sky like drunken flies. That’s when I spot the other demons descending upon Randy’s body.

“Get off him!” I scream as I run towards them.

I take to the sky and Pull them left and right. They are dying quickly but not quick enough. They are about to reach Randy’s body, and I won’t get to him in time. Randy’s going to die and it’s all my fault.

The first demon to land on the ground picks Randy up by his collar and hurls him across the park. Randy’s body looks like a ragdoll as it goes flying through the air. He’s about to hit the brick building across the street head first.

“Randy!” I shout, not knowing what else to do.

There are just too many demons in my way. I can’t even get airborne. I can’t stop what’s about to happen. Just as he’s about to hit the brick wall, a gorgeous angel with flowing raven hair and almond-shaped gray eyes snatches Randy from certain death.

“Pry, I got him, let’s go!” she shouts.

The demons now turn their attention towards Keyohmi. I signal for her to use her power and “Rip” the demons. She nods and then turns her focus on to the group of demons to her right. Her eyes glow red and soon a beam emerges. It hits the demons head-on, and within seconds they are reduced to drops of blood. The blood sprays into the air and hits the pavement like paint splashing on a canvas. That’s why the other Norus and I lovingly call her The Artist.

Meanwhile, I Pull as many demons as I can as I make my way towards them. Between the two of us we are able to take most of the demons out, but more are coming.

“Get on the Port, hurry!” Keyohmi says as she tightens her hold on Randy.

A Port is a small black Frisbee-like thing that takes you from one place to another. It’s more useful than flying at the moment, as it stops the demons from following us.

“Let’s go!” I yell as I step on the Port.

I turn just in time to see a Powerball head straight for me; a fraction before it makes contact, we disappear.

A Port is programmed to take you where the owner of the Port designated. I have no idea where Keyohmi has programmed it to take us.

“You brought us to the warehouse?” I ask as we appear in a new location.

“I figured you would want to keep this quiet,” Key says.

The warehouse is located just outside the city. There is nothing around for miles, making it a perfect place to train when we are on earth.

There are a few rooms towards the back of the warehouse. We use it to Recharge after all-night training sessions. Recharging is an angel’s version of sleeping.

“Put him down there,” Key says, pointing to the cot in the corner.

I place him and look on anxiously as Key places her hand a few inches above Randy’s body. She hovers over every inch of him.

“Is he okay? Can you fix him? Please heal him,” I beg.

“He’s bleeding internally,” she replies.

“Heal him. Please, Key. Please.”

“Pry, calm down. And let me focus.”

“Okay, okay. Sorry,” I reply.

The only way to make sure I don’t speak is to place my hand over my mouth. Randy is pale and motionless.

Key’s hands start to form a “blanket” of light all around Randy’s body. The light engulfs him. I look on, very close to losing it.

I feel my pocket vibrate. I take out my cell and look at the screen. It’s my mom texting me. She wants to know where I am and why I’m out at all given that I’m grounded. I can’t reply to her right now. The only thing that I care about is getting Randy to wake up.

I put the cell back in my pocket without responding.

It takes two torturous hours but finally Randy’s eyes start to flutter. He tosses and turns slowly; moments later my best friend is awake and healed.

“Oh thank you, Omnis, thank you,” I cry out as I hug him tightly.

He looks up at the ceiling and then at me.

“Pry, where am I? What happened?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” I ask.

“Sand from the playground hitting my face and then darkness.”

“That’s all?” I say to him.

“I think I saw...no, it’s crazy...I don’t know. I opened my eyes and I thought...no, maybe I’m just high.”

“Randy, you don’t get high,” I remind.

“Maybe I walked by the weed spot one time too many times because I could have sworn there were guys with big black wings coming at me,” he says, shaking his head.

“Randy, look at me.”

He looks at me and doesn’t have a reaction. That’s because he doesn’t expect to see wings attached to me, so he won’t see them.

“Randy, you weren’t hallucinating. The guys back there had wings. They aren’t the only ones; I have them too,” I reply carefully.

That’s when he really looks at me, and before his eyes, my wings spread out behind me and flap against the air.

Randy leaps over to the corner of the room and hurriedly wraps the blanket from the bed protectively around him. His body is shaking and his eyes are wide in terror.

“Randy, it’s okay. It’s me. It’s just me with—wings,” I say, getting closer.

“You have...and the guys back there they have...you’re a...” He is too stunned to complete a sentence.

“I’m sorry, Randy, I didn’t mean to break it to you like this but—”

“YES! I KNEW IT! I FREAKING KNEW IT! YOU’RE A SUPERHERO! THIS IS SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!”

“Randy, I’m not a superhero. I’m just an angel. Well, not just an angel but—”

“Okay. Start from the top and tell me everything...”

For a guy who almost had his head smashed in, Randy is having the time of his life. He asks a million questions and before I can answer, he starts listing what he thinks my reply will be.

“So what’s your superpower?” he asks.

“Well, I—”

“I know—you kick ass right? But I bet it’s more than that.”

“Randy, there’s a lot you need to know but right now—” I begin.

“Can you bend metal like Magneto? Wait, I bet you can control the weather? Make it thunder, Pry!”

“Randy!” I shout impatiently.

He isn’t paying attention to me at all. He goes off on a tangent about battles, superpowers, and hero uniforms.

“I think you guys should wear something dark but not too dark. I’m thinking along the lines of red and gold, you know, like Ironman’s uniform?” Randy says, talking a mile a minute.

That’s when Key comes out from the shadow in the corner where she had been standing. Randy is facing away so he doesn’t see her. She taps him on his shoulder. He turns and sees Keyohmi for the first time.

Randy’s jaw drops. He is more stunned by Keyohmi than he was by my wings. He looks like a kid who accidently stumbled into a candy mega store.

“Wow...” Randy whispers in complete awe.

I can see why he’s so taken aback. Keyohmi is breathtaking. She has thick lustrous black hair that runs down her shoulders. Her bangs swoop down to the right side of her face and fall just above her eye.

Key is Japanese, Korean, and black. She has her mother’s exotic shaped eyes and her father, Jay’s, full beautiful lips. It’s not just her face that makes people marvel at her, it’s her forward sense of fashion.

Key is wearing a black leather drop waist baby-doll dress that flares out at the bottom and has see-through paneling on each side. She wears dark violet lipstick to match her perfectly manicured nails. Her Louboutin platform heels add to her allure while giving definition to her already shapely legs. Keyohmi is the very best of Goth glam.

“Hey, I know this is new and everything but you should really try and stay calm. I just healed you; you may want to take it easy,” Key tells him.

He nods. She could have told him to jump through the plate glass window and he would have done it. He is completely under her spell. It happens—a lot.

She takes Randy and guides him back to the cot. She tells him she will get him some water. He nods because he has yet to recall how to speak.

“Thanks, Key,” I say as she walks by me.

She avoids my eyes and doesn’t reply.

She still hates me for what I did to her; to all of them.

When we are alone I head over to Randy, who is finally calm and ready to listen. I pull out the nearest chair and sit across from him.

“She’s so...wow,” he whispers as he watches Key leave the room.

“Yeah, she gets that a lot,” I reply.

“Who is she? I mean what is she? And what are you?” he asks.

“I’m an angel. More specifically, I’m a Noru.”

“A what?”

“Know-Rue.”

“I’m lost,” he admits.

“Yeah, it’s a lot to take in, but before I give a crash course on the Angel world, how are you feeling?”

“Like I’m in the best dream ever,” he says with a broad smile.

“You were hurt pretty badly. If Keyohmi didn’t come to heal you...”

“Key-o-me, even her name is perfect.”

“Okay, lover boy, calm yourself.”

“Sorry, I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful before. I mean how does that happen?” he asks.

“Angels tend to be...well...hot. Most of the time.”

“Okay, Pry, tell me everything, right now. I want to know everything there is to know about you...what was it? Yes, Noru.”

“There’s way too much to cover and we really don’t have time. Let’s just say this for now: There is an ultimate source of good and his name is Omnis. There is also the ultimate evil; currently that position is vacant since the last ultimate evil was destroyed.”

“Who destroyed him?” Randy asks.

“It wasn’t a him, it was a her and The Guardians killed her. The Guardians were a team of six teenagers who were once human but died before their time. My dad was the leader.”

“Nice,” he says, smiling.

“Randy, focus. There are four kinds of angels: Ground Walkers, they are angels who inhabit humans and give them courage to change the world for the better. Then there are Traveler angels, they report the news to the Council. Then there are the two most powerful types of angels: Paras, they are made mostly of soul and the Guardians, as I said before.”

“So what are you?” Randy asks.

“I’m a Noru; we are children of Guardians. There are only five of us in existence. There’s Aaden; he’s the half angel, half demon.”

“You mean that Aaden? The guy you wouldn’t talk about?”

“Yes, him,” I say as I try not to squirm in my chair.

Randy is about to follow up on the “Aaden situation,” but he takes one look at me and wisely decides to let the subject drop.

“Aaden is the second most powerful Noru,” I add.

“Who’s the first?”

“I am.”

“Hell yeah,” he says, thrilled and proud beyond belief.

I can’t help but smile at how much pleasure he’s taking in learning I’m the most powerful. This stuff would freak anyone out for weeks, but not Randy. He’s always daydreamed about having a more exciting life, and I guess for him, this is as close to it as he has ever gotten.

“Go on, go on,” he pushes.

“The Norus are myself, Aaden, and my little brother, Sam. The other two members are Keyohmi and her twin sister.”

“THERE’S TWO OF HER?”

“Pull yourself out of your wet dream and stay with me,” I warn him.

“Sorry.”

“Anyway, we all have powers far beyond most angels. That makes us prime targets for demons and whoever becomes the new ultimate source of evil.”

“When is this new evil coming?”

“There’s no telling. Whoever this new evil is, it will most certainly come after us because we are such a powerful force of good. That’s why we all drank Cole. It’s a bluish mixture that makes it impossible for evil to know where we are. That is unless you use your powers, in which case it nullifies the Cole and makes tracking us very easy. That’s why we are supposed to keep a very low profile and not let anyone know who or what we are.”

“But you said Keyohmi healed me. That means she used her powers, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So, are the bad guys coming for her?”

“If they come it won’t just be for her but for all of us. And we got away quickly so I’m hoping they weren’t able to find us.”

“If that’s true, Pry, won’t you get in trouble for telling me all of this?”

“I don’t really have a choice. You need to know this stuff because—”

“Here you go,” Key says as she enters with a plastic red cup in hand.

She gives it to him and he blushes as he drinks.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

“I’m better—now.”

Dear Omnis, leave it to a guy to start flirting just seconds after he almost died.

“Key, really, thank you,” I tell her.

“I’m really trying not to be upset with you, Pry. Really I am,” she replies.

“I know and I’m sorry I had to call you.”

“What’s going on? How did demons find you? Have you been using your powers?” she asks.

“I don’t think they knew it was me, at first. I think it was just dumb luck.”

“Fine, the human is safe, so let’s just go home.”

“He’s not safe, Key, he’s going to die.”

“I’m what?” Randy says in utter disbelief.

I reach out and put my hand in his. I want to find a way to explain that won’t freak him out, but there simply is no way to do that. I take a deep breath and hope I’m doing the right thing by telling him. I explain to him what my mom’s job is and what she told me a few hours ago.

“My mom saw your name among the beings that have to die,” I announce, not knowing how else to say it.

“You’re joking, right Pry?” he asks in a weak voice.

“No, Randy, I’m not.”

“But...how...is Mrs. Cane sure it was my name and not someone else’s?”

“Yes. And I’m trying to figure out a way to stop it from happening. That’s what I was coming to tell you in the park. You have to be very carful and make sure not to put yourself in harm’s way,” I reply.

“Your mom is Death. She can stop it from happening, right?”

“No, she says it has to happen and there’s no changing it.”

“I’m sorry, Randy,” Key says softly.

“I can’t die...I’m not...you’re lying. You’re all lying!” he shouts hysterically.

“Randy, calm down,” I beg as I go to take his hand.

He pulls his hand away and jumps off the bed.

“I want to get out of here, now!” he roars.

“Randy, please—”

“Leave me alone!” he says, heading for the exit.

He runs out of the room and into the open area of the warehouse. Once there, he’s overwhelmed by the sheer size of the space and the many cave-like openings. He has no idea which way to go.

He runs towards one of the openings, unfortunately it’s the cave where we practice flight patterns of attack. There is no floor in that room. Once Randy enters, he will plummet to his death for sure.

“Randy, no!” Key and I shout almost at the same time.

Key gets to him before I do. In his hysteria, he shoves her, hard. This is definitely not Randy’s day because Key’s boyfriend pops up on a Port just in time to see him shove her.

Aw crap, Bex’s gonna kill Randy.

Even if Bex wasn’t a Para and didn’t have massive wings, he would frighten most guys because of his sheer size. Bex has broad shoulders, ripping muscles, and large hands. Bex’s power is an all-consuming power that ball of light that drains evil. In addition to the expert flying skills.

Bex doesn’t need his powers to hurt Randy. His hands alone are enough. He wraps them around Randy’s throat. Randy can’t breathe much less talk. His feet dangle helplessly in the air. Key and I race up to them.

“Bex, put him down,” Key says sternly.

“He attacked you,” the Para says, holding Randy’s life in his hands.

Bex pays her no attention. Instead he tightens his grip on Randy. Bex has always been protective, even to a fault. He and Key have been going out ever since I can remember. Bex isn’t just brawny and hot; he’s down right impossible to resist.

He’s tall with spiky dark brown hair that somehow always stays in place. He has these dreamy green eyes that pull you in so deep, you may never find your way back. Then there’s his smile—it’s the only thing that’s more powerful than his strength. That smile is most certainly a weapon of its own.

Bex is not a Noru. He’s a Para. His mother is in fact the Queen of Paras. He is next in line to be Kon. That means someday he will be the King of Paras. Many angels are uneasy with the fact that Bex is dating a Noru. They fear what will happen if a Noru and a Para end up together. Angels are always uneasy about too much power placed in one family.

“Bex, put him down. He’s my friend,” I shout.

“I don’t care who he is; he attacked Key.”

“Do you really think I can’t handle one human?” Key asks.

“All I know is you were on the floor,” Bex replies.

“I tripped, he didn’t knock me down. Now let him go,” she insists.

Bex looks up at Randy, who is slowly starting to lose consciousness.

“Bex, put him down!” Key says again.

Bex is thinking it over.

I don’t have time for this; Randy is about to pass out.

“Bex, you drop him. Now,” I say firmly.

Bex looks over at me. I stare right back at him, unflinching.

“Is that an order?” he asks.

“That’s a polite request. If I have to ask again, then we’ll have a situation. Bex, you don’t want to have a situation with me,” I warn him.

“So you have balls now, huh Pryor? Too bad you didn’t have them a year ago,” he scolds.

“Para, I will not tell you again,” I reply in a cold voice.

He drops Randy. Key and I run to make sure he is okay.

Randy coughs repeatedly. Key helps him to take slow, deep breaths. After a few moments she assures me that he’s fine.

“Someone tell me what the hell is going on here,” Bex asks.

“Pry needed some help,” Key says.

“Why would you help her?” he asks.

“Bex, not now,” Key cautions.

“No, now is the perfect time. Pryor doesn’t need us. She loves the humans. She loves them so much she decided to be with them indefinitely. So why would she call us for help?” Bex asks, clearly ticked off.

“Bex, I know you’re mad at me but—”

“Mad? You make it sound like you stole my favorite toy or cut ahead of me in the lunch line. Pryor, you betrayed us. You abandoned us because you were too scared to be a part of this team. Then you interrupt our date night so we can help you? You’re a selfish little brat, and Key was wrong to help you.”

“Are we having a family reunion and no one told me? That sucks, I would’ve brought the potato salad,” someone says.

We all turn and find Easton flying on a Port a few yards away. Easton is six feet tall, lean, with piercing blue eyes and a dangerous smile. He wears dark skinny jeans with a plaid shirt and suede jacket. He has on a knitted hat that matches his jacket perfectly and hides some of his sun-kissed blonde hair. His hipster chic look may appear casual but the truth is it costs thousands of dollars to put together.

Easton has a way of disarming girls with his humor and laid-back demeanor. I don’t think he’s ever been without a joke or a girl in his life. Easton is a Quo. That means he is half angel and half human. Quos don’t have wings. Instead he has a special Port just for him that does not need to be programmed. He gets on it and it goes where he wants it.

“East!” I shout as I run to him.

I embrace him tightly and inhale his scent; it’s always so intoxicating. He smells like a mix of amber, spice, and warm summer nights. I could lay my head on his chest forever. However, I have to say that’s not the most inviting thing about my friend. Easton’s best feature is his laugh. It is virtually impossible not to get sucked into his laughter. It surrounds you and makes you feel...safe.

Easton’s power is “Mind wipe.” He can take away memories from most beings. This comes in handy, as the Council does not want our existence widely known. East can also release a lasso-like energy field that wraps around its victim and drains their powers. We lovingly refer to it as a “Hug.”

“The human world looks good on you,” Easton teases.

“I missed you,” I reply.

“Same here.”

“Really, guys? We are giving her a warm welcome after what she did?” Bex retorts.

“I was just saying ‘hi,’ relax,” East replies.

“Whatever, I’m outta here. Key, let’s go,” he says.

“Am I really dying?” Randy asks Key.

Key looks at him, then over at me. She’s conflicted. I know she’s still upset with me for what I did, but it’s not in her nature to walk away from someone who needs her help.

“Mrs. Cane saw Randy’s name; he’s going to die,” Key explains to East and Bex.

“Humans die all the time,” Bex reminds us.

“Really? That’s all you can say?” Key asks, in disbelief.

“He’s not a human who needs our help. There are no demons chasing him. He’s going to die because that’s the nature of humanity. Live; die. The human doesn’t need us.”

“I can’t just sit by and let him get killed,” I reply.

“Pry, I hate to say it but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to get killed. It sounds like he’s going to die,” East replies reluctantly.

“And there’s a difference?” Randy asks, stunned.

“Well yeah. If you were going to get killed by evil, we would protect you. But if you get a terminal illness or something, we can’t protect you from that,” Key says regretfully.

“I can’t let him die; I’m his best friend,” I shout at them.

“Well, human, if Pryor is your best friend then you have every right to be worried. I’ve seen what she does to her friends and if I were you, I would run right now,” Bex sneers.

I look into Randy’s eyes and see the worry creeping in. He’s not sure what to make of Bex’s comments.

“Pry, what’s he talking about?” Randy asks.

“Yes, Pryor, explain to him what you did to us,” Bex pushes.

Suddenly all eyes are on me. I clear my throat and put my head down as if it will make the memory go away.

“Pryor, tell me,” Randy begs.

“There are usually six beings to a team. But there are only five Noru, as I said before. And Sam is too young to be part of the team. So early on, two beings were added to our group so that it could be the six of us: Bex, who’s next in line to be a Kon, meaning he’s the future King of Paras, and Easton, who is a very skilled Quo—half human and half angel.”