Between by Mary Ting

blood.
    Carefully he lifted the blanket and placed his hands over her feet to heal the wounds. He didn’t mean for her to get hurt this way. If only he had handled the situation better. But he justified it by thinking she had made him emotionally unstable.
    Austin was tormented by mixed emotions. There was no doubt that he cared for Claudia, but he was mostly upset at himself for allowing this to happen. He had known her for such a short time, and the way she had taken him over, consuming his thoughts, was something he could not explain.
    He had never felt this deeply for a girl, nor was he allowed too. It was forbidden to fall in love. He fooled around, but had never fallen in love before. Austin had never known what falling in love or being in love felt like, so he wasn’t exactly sure what he felt with Claudia; only that he had never felt like this with anyone else–the way his heart fluttered, pumping happy chills throughout his body. The way he wanted to be near her, and how he missed her when she wasn’t around. With every look, touch, and hug, he was falling deeper and deeper. And it scared him more than anything he had ever known.
    He didn’t want to admit it, but he would do just about anything for her, even knowing her heart belonged to someone else. In ways, he felt sorry for her. She didn’t ask to have the Holy Spirit soul, and now these demons were after her. She must be constantly scared out of her mind. How he admired her for her brave disposition! He swore that he would protect her to the very end.
    Looking at her with adoration, he was thinking of ways to wake her up. He didn’t want to but he needed Claudia to wake up so he could finish his task. Once this was over, he knew there was a possibility that she would never forgive him; it was likely she would even hate him. He had no choice. He had to follow the orders that were given by the Divine Elders.
    Austin sensed Claudia awakening. He had to prepare himself for all her questions and how to explain who he was, even though she knew his kind existed.
    Claudia’s eyes opened. She blinked them several times, and then sat up in panic, her hair in disarray. She looks sexy , he thought.
    “ Austin,” she called, breaking his thought.
    “ Yes,” he answered softly.
    She turned to look at him. His heart skipped a beat and he became lost in thoughts of what he wanted to do at that very moment; go to her, hold her in his arms, and lose myself in her kiss. His mind and heart raced out of control. He quickly broke free from his thoughts when she spoke again.
    “ Is this a dream?” She looked confused and groggy.
    “ No.”
    “ Did I die?”
    “ No.” His tone was nonchalant.
    She suddenly got out of bed and brushed her hand on the bottoms of her feet. The cuts and the pain she remembered were gone. Looking extremely baffled, she scanned the room and looked at Austin as if he was the last person on Earth she wanted to be with. When she remembered what had happened, she headed toward the double door without a word.
    “ I can’t explain if you don’t give me a chance. You know there is no way out unless you jump. Then I’ll have to save you again. We’ll be back to square one.”
    Claudia seemed to realize that Austin was right. She stopped and stood silent for a second before turning to him with a look of defeat.
    “ Please sit,” he said, pointing to the bed. He waited for Claudia to get comfortable before he continued. “What I’m about to tell you, you may already know. There are several types of angels that exist on Earth. One type is called Earth angels, like Gamma.”
    “ You knew Gamma,” Claudia asked in shock, her eyes suddenly filled with sadness.
    Austin’s eyes grew wide, realizing he had just touched a sore topic. He ignored her question and continued. “These Earth angels guide humans, hoping to keep them on the right track. They live among humans as if they were humans. Second, the Twelve, but they were separated. Phillip,