Angel Incarnate: Second Sight by Linda Creel Page B

front door opened.
    Standing before them
was Raphael – the healer. Looking more like a mortal, than an angel, he was
wearing blue jeans and a white cotton polo shirt; his shoulder-length blonde
hair was secured with a leather band.
    He took one look at the
girls, and knew he would be busy since some of the burns were made with
hell-fire. Regarded as one of the kindest and most fun-loving of all the
archangels, he couldn’t help be angered by the treatment of such innocent
children.
    “Thank you for coming,
Brother,” Gabriel whispered.
    “This is Raphael – he
is known as God’s Medicine. He’ll fix you,” Aura said.
    One by one she handed
the girls to the archangel. As soon as they were healed, Eve, and Angie, who
was finally composed enough to help, led the children upstairs where bubble
baths were waiting.
    None of the children
were older than four years, and since Aura kept all of her childhood clothes,
she was sure they could find something to fit each of them.   
    While the children were
being bathed, Paul and Adam left to buy cheeseburgers, French fries, and
assorted flavored milkshakes. Aura put the vegetable soup in plastic
containers. They could heat it up for lunch the next day.
    By the time the
children were bathed and dressed, they were taken to the family room. Since
they would be eating fast food, Aura thought they would be more comfortable
playing video games and watching television as they ate.
    When the last child was
healed, Raphael left, but Gabriel stayed behind with Bren and Tracy.
    It didn’t take long for
the children to be feel safe in their new surroundings, and Aura almost cried
when she heard them laughing.
    Wearing beautiful
dresses, their hair was decorated with satin ribbons.
    If she didn’t know
better, she would have never known they had been prisoners until a few hours
ago. But she did know. She couldn’t imagine the suffering they had endured, and
knew others were still there. Eventually, she would find a way to bring them
home too, if they were still alive.
    Mortriel wouldn’t
hesitate to take out his anger on the children, especially if they were
angel-bloods.
    Bren and Tracy fell
asleep in Gabriel’s arms after dinner. They offered to show him what happened
in Purgatory, but he decided against it. There was no need to remind the little
ones of that hellish place again.
    One of the rooms on the
lower level of Aura’s house had been converted to a dormitory, which could hold
several dozen children.
    Gabriel placed Bren and
Tracy in one of the beds, and then kissed them goodnight before he returned to
Heaven. Nightlights were situated around the room, and would remain lit.
    The other beds were
large enough to sleep three or four comfortably. Paul and Adam pulled them
closer together, while Eve and Angie went home to get their nightgowns. They
decided to spend the night in case some of the children had nightmares.
    Gracie insisted on
sleeping with Bren and Tracy. When she crawled in the bed beside them, all
three went to sleep holding hands.
    Aura showered, and put
on a cotton camisole and short pajama bottoms before returning to the dorm.
    Angie had two girls in
one bed; Eve another pair in bed with her. Aura would sleep with the last two.
As she wrapped her arms around them, she hoped they would have sweet dreams.
    She gazed at her sister
and Tracy. They were so grown up.
    Rescuing the little
girls was something even the most gifted angels wouldn’t have considered. Yet,
these young angel-bloods never gave it a second thought. Aura couldn’t have
been more proud, but knew there would be repercussions from Lucifer and his
son.
    “ Please Father -- give us the strength we need to defeat our enemies. ”  
    She turned out the
light and snuggled next to her tiny friends. As soon as her eyes closed, the
visions started. Everything that happened to those girls in Purgatory played
like a horror movie in her head.
    Aura pulled the girls closer, and
cried herself to