Emma jumped as the front door slammed, and the shouting that had recently begun inside the house continued out into the front yard. The little closet she called home did not offer any type of insulation against the noises made by others in the house. She could hear everything. Much more than she wanted to hear. Earlier that day, Reginald Jones had informed her that he would be hosting his weekly card game that evening. She had just made them both a sandwich which consisted of stale bread and cheese that she wasn’t sure should have been consumed by anyone, considering its sour smell. But it wasn’t like there were many choices in his bleak kitchen. The sparse pantry held several cans of potted meat, whatever that was, tuna fish that had expired around a year ago, and a bag of pork rinds. The pork rinds were the only thing in the kitchen not past its expiration date.

Emma made it a point to eat quickly and then head back to her closet, lest she be present when Reginald’s guests arrive. But as she was opening the door, he’d yelled at her to keep quiet and stay out of their hair. She didn’t bother telling him not to be concerned. She’d rather eat slugs than become acquainted with any of his friends. Emma simply nodded her head and closed the door behind her. Raphael had stayed close by, quietly observing and mostly frowning. She imagined if Mr. Jones could see the angel standing in his dilapidated house, he wouldn’t be so keen on snapping at her.

“Perhaps you should do your nightly business in the restroom now, while they are distracted by their disagreement,” Raphael suggested from where he sat in the corner.

She grinned at him. “You look like an angry cat that has been stuffed into a box much too small for him.”

Raphael raised a single brow at her. “The man is ridiculous for thinking this is adequate lodging for a child.”

Emma raised her shoulders up to her ears and lifted her hands palms up. “Can’t change it, so there’s no sense in complaining about it.”

“Sometimes your inability to frown upon your circumstances is annoying,” he grumbled.

She laughed. “You’d rather I whine and complain?”

He stared back at her, appearing to think about her question, and then let out a sigh. “I suppose not. At some point, I am sure that would become annoying as well. Now, off with you.” He motioned to the closed door. “I will make sure you are not noticed by the fool who is your temporary guardian or any of his ragamuffin associates.”

Emma grabbed the few personal items the DHS woman had provided for her and opened the door slowly. She peeked out. When she didn’t see any signs of Mr. Jones, she scurried to the bathroom that was diagonally across from her room. She quickly took care of her business and then hurried back to the safety, precarious as it was, of her closet.

Once back behind the closed door, she spread out her blanket and placed her pillow at one end of the space. Emma laid down on her back and looked up at the ceiling. “I sort of feel like Harry Potter,” she said.

“Who is Harry Potter?”

“He’s a fictional character in a book,” Emma explained. “He has to live with his aunt and uncle because his parents are killed by an evil wizard. They make him live in the closet under the stairs. They’re mean to him, but they don’t have dubious acquaintances or put him in dangerous situations.”

“So you have it worse than this Harry Potter?” Raphael asked.

“I guess in some ways. But he does have a very powerful, evil wizard that wants to destroy him and anyone else good in the world.”

“Sounds like one of the demons from the abyss.”

“He’s pretty bad,” Emma agreed.

They were both quiet for several minutes. The front door slammed again, and heavy footsteps stomped as the person walked farther into the house. Laughter ensued and one of the men yelled for another man to hand him a beer. Just what the world needed, Emma thought. More idiots becoming intoxicated and then getting into a car, transforming into instruments of destruction.

“Are you worried about starting school tomorrow?” Raphael asked, breaking the silence.

“Not really,” she admitted. “I suppose it would be normal for me to be nervous, but honestly Rafe, there’s just been too much bad lately for me to really worry about what other kids think about me. I mean, what is that compared to trying to survive in the home of an elderly alcoholic while trying to avoid the detection of demons that apparently want me dead?”

“It is not fair that you should have to endure such things.”

“Maybe not, but my mama used to say, ‘Emma Jean, if you keep waiting for life to be fair, you might as well dig your grave and lie in it because you will be dead before such a thing ever happens.’ If it has to happen to me so that it doesn’t happen to someone else, I can accept it.”

Raphael’s voice rumbled as he responded. “I commend you for your ability to cope under such difficult circumstances. But I fear that you are not dealing with the negative emotions that might be hidden beneath your positive demeanor. Every human has a breaking point, Emma.”

“Well, if that’s true, then I hope that you and the others who care about me will be there when I reach mine. I don’t know when that will be.”

“That is one thing you will not have to worry about, little one. I will be here for as long as you need me. If you should fall, I will not let you hit the bottom. If you should stumble, I will steady you. I will show you the love that the Creator has for you. You are never alone, whether I am with you or not. The Creator is always with you.”

* * *

Raphael stared at his sleeping charge, wondering why something so small and innocent must endure so much hardship, with still more to come. He never questioned the Creator. He had been created to serve, offer aid, and be a messenger when the Creator deemed it necessary. He’d never needed to wonder why his Creator took the actions he did because the angel knew that the Creator only wanted the best for His creation—all of His creation. He offered them a love that no other being—mortal or immortal—would or could. How could anyone love something more than the one who had created it? Raphael had seen it exemplified with parents and their children. No one could love their child more than the ones that had created that life or adopted them into their family, just as the Creator had done for humans.

So, for the first time since his own creation, Raphael wanted to know why the Creator had chosen Emma Jean. Why had He placed such an incredible burden on such small shoulders?

He felt the warmth before he heard the voice. Raphael bowed his head as the very one who’d occupied his thoughts came into the angel’s presence.

“My Lord,” he said.

“Messenger.” The Creator’s voice rumbled and yet soothed him with a peace that only His presence could give. “This child you protect, she is mine. I watched her grow as her body materialized from the cells that I created. I watched them form into a little girl waiting to be born into the world. I know her, down to the very number of hairs on her head. I have a plan for her, and it is so much more than she could accomplish on her own. After all, Goliath was not slain because David willed it. He was slain because I willed it in response to David’s obedience and faith."

“She is no David,” Raphael said as his shoulders tensed. “He was born into a great family. But she has lost everything. She has been placed in situations that are scary and harmful. I fear she will break,” he confessed.

The Creator wrapped little Emma in light as He responded. “I am with her. There is not a bird that falls from the sky that catches me unawares. How much more I care for my children? Do not mistake the things she must endure as punishment or a withholding of my love. The world is a dark place, and humans have free will. They can choose who they serve, whether it be a person, a false creator, one of the many forms of evil, or their own selves. I do not make them do my will, and so even when they face the darkness in the world, I do not take their free will. I give them strength, I give them hope, I give them wisdom, but the rest is up to them. It has to be their choice and their faith. But even with all the evil in the world, I am capable of using it for good. I am not limited to whether or not humans choose to do good works. I can work all things to my glory and to the good of those who love me.”

The light slipped away as His presence slipped away, though the peace He had given was still there. Raphael understood what the Creator had said, and he hoped Emma Jean would make the right choices as her journey continued.

“Peace be with you, little one,” Raphael whispered into the dark room. “Rest well and prepare yourself for what is to come. You won’t be alone.” His voice dropped even more. “You are never alone.”

* * *

Death was all around her. The hands of those who sought to drag Serenity down were grabbing at her legs and arms. Their mouths opened, but no words emerged. Instead, out came terrible wailing that caused terror to rip through her chest. Her heart was beating entirely too fast, and her breathing was erratic as she fought the fallen. Those who filled the abyss with their evil had found her and wanted to take her. She could feel their hatred and loathing. It settled on her skin like a thick, heavy oil she couldn’t remove.

Though their mouths did not speak words, she could hear their thoughts in her head. Scratchy voices that sounded like they hadn’t been used in decades growled and snarled at her.

“You are nothing.”

“There isn’t anything special about you.”

“Brudair will not continue to love you once he sees just how flawed you are.”

“You are a burden to your aunt and uncle. They would be better off without you.”

“That bullet should have killed you.”

The words wove their way into her mind, threatening to unravel the truths she had built her foundations on. The whispered lies clung to her, no matter how hard she tried to remember the demons were spouting lies. She reached out for the truth in the darkness, but it was just out of her grasp.

Serenity tried to be strong. She tried to keep the sense of hopelessness at bay, but the tears came anyway. She wept, her heart breaking and her soul feeling as though it was going to shatter into a thousand pieces.

Through all of the evil whispers in her mind, she began to hear a different voice. It was deep, smooth, and soothing. She felt warmth moving through her body, pushing out the seeped-in cold.

“Serenity,” the voice called sweetly. “Come back to me, Princess. Wake up.”

Wake up? She was awake, wasn’t she? Was the torment she’d been enduring just a nightmare?

“Sarah Serenity, open your eyes. Now.” The deep voice rumbled with authority that made her want to comply.

She was screaming at herself to open her eyes as she fought the sluggishness that clawed at her, dragging her deeper into the darkness. Finally, she felt her eyes become obedient to her command to open, and they began to flutter.

“That’s it, love, open those beautiful eyes so I can see you,” the voice—Dair’s voice—said. His breath brushed across her face, soft as silk, and then his lips lightly touched hers.

Serenity opened her eyes after several attempts and noticed that the room was dark and cold. She shivered and tried to take a deep breath, but the air felt like ice pouring into her lungs. She coughed, and Dair helped her sit up straighter to open her lungs fully.

“Are you alright?” he asked her as he ran his thumb along her jaw. His stare was intense, as though he was looking into her soul for the answer to his question.

“I had a nightmare,” Serenity admitted.

Dair frowned. “What?”

He’d heard her perfectly, but disbelief laced his tone.

“I was being attacked by demons.”

He stepped away from her bed, and she felt the temperature drop even more. “Dair,” Serenity’s voice trembled as she spoke. “Dair, what’s wrong?”

His tall form began to pace her room, his black clothing making him almost one with the darkness. She noticed he was wearing a long coat that made a quiet swishing sound with each turn as he marched back and forth. He looked like an avenging angel with his dark hair, narrowed eyes, and strong jaw. The only thing missing was the wings.

“Please talk to me,” she whispered. The exhaustion she’d felt before sleeping was just as prevalent. Apparently, the nightmare had prevented her from getting any true rest.

Dair finally came to an abrupt halt and turned slowly to face her. His lips were taunt across his face, and a dark emotion that Serenity couldn’t put a name to swirled in his black onyx eyes. “You should not have been able to have a nightmare,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“What do you mean?”

“I have been protecting your dreams. I wasn’t forcing you to have any particular dream, but I was directing them to be peaceful. I should have been alerted to something like a nightmare. Dreams are my specialty, after all,” he said almost bitterly. “Not to mention, I’ve felt your distress in the past, why did I not feel it this time?”

“It’s not your fault, Dair,” Serenity said. She held out her hand to him hoping he would take it and she would be able to help calm the storm that was brewing inside of him. “Everyone has nightmares.”

“Not you!” he snapped. “You are the one person on this planet that should never have bad dreams. You are mated to the Sandman. If I can’t protect your dreams, what good am I?”

Serenity’s heart stuttered at his words. “Mated?”

“Not in the biblical sense, love, but the Creator has given you to me.” He waved her off as though his declaration was of no consequence. “The point is, I should be able to keep your dreams pleasant. Something has changed. Something has shifted.”

“What do you mean, shifted?” she asked.

“The balance in this realm.” He made a sweeping motion with his arm as if to encompass the whole room. “You’ve heard of the heavenly realm in your churches, yes?”

She nodded. Serenity had heard the term used at church, and she was pretty sure she’d also experienced the heavenly realm when she had her one-on-one with the Creator after being shot.

“The earth and human race live in one realm, the worldly one, while the angels and demons live in another. The Creator has allowed the demons and their leader a certain amount of power in the earthly realm so that the enemy cannot claim that the Creator has taken man’s free will. But the Creator has his own power in the earthly realm, the angels, and the believers—the remnant.”

“The remnant?” She drew her brow together as she tilted her head and looked up at him. “What is that?”

“Those who remain loyal to their Creator by their own free will. Despite the many things the enemy does to entice them, they remain true to the covenant they have with the Creator. At one time, there were more who were faithful to the heavenly side, but the balance has shifted. The enemy is gaining a foothold in this realm.”

“What does that have to do with me having a nightmare?” Serenity shivered at the ominous tone in Dair’s voice and pulled the covers up farther, as if they could protect her from the evil he spoke of.

“My influence of your dreams should have been stronger than the evil that prowls around on this earth. For such an evil to be able to reach you in your sleep, a strong demon must have been attacking you.”

Serenity’s mouth dropped open as the air was forced from her lungs by the shock of his words. “A demon caused my bad dream?”

“I battle more than just an individual’s free will when trying to influence them to do the Creators will. I, like humans, battle the dark forces of this world. I battle that which comes to kill, steal, and destroy any goodness that might fill your life, and snuff out any light that would make the darkness flee.”

“And you’ve always fought for supremacy over the demons?” Serenity asked.

Dair nodded. “And will continue to do so until the Creator comes to claim his own and cast the enemy into the pit.”

“Okay, so that’s not depressing at all,” she said dryly.

Dair gave her a pointed look. “It is not to be taken lightly, Serenity. Evil is real. It is not some cute little devil with red horns and a pitchfork competing for your attention with a little angel on your shoulder. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The enemy is always looking for a way in. Any crack, any tiny crevice that would give him insight into your weakness, even in your dreams, he will take and use against you.”

“I don’t mean to be flippant, Dair. But you never really laid any of this out there when you told me about what you do. Why are you just telling me this now?” Serenity leaned back as the weariness in her grew.

“I suppose I didn’t want to scare you away. Humans tend to scoff when the Creator and demons are brought up together in the same sentence. They reject the truth though it is right in front of their faces. I wanted to know where you stood before I unloaded all of this on you.” He walked over to her bed and sat gently beside her. His countenance changed and his eyes grew soft as he looked down at her. “You are precious to me. I fear that I have made you an ever-bigger target for the enemy’s minions. Attacking you in your dreams is a direct challenge to me. Someone has taken notice of you, and that, my love, is not a good thing.”

Serenity shivered and sank down further into the blankets. “Does that mean I’m going to have nightmares every time I sleep?” Because that would suck, she added in her mind.

“I don’t know, Sarah,” he answered.

The way he called her Sarah made Serenity feel as though things were very serious, like a parent saying a child’s full name kind of serious.

“You should be fine the rest of the night. You have a few more hours to sleep.” He smiled down at her, though the worry didn’t leave his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m sorry to be needy,” she said.

He shook his head. “You’re supposed to need me, aren’t you? Aren’t we both supposed to need the one our heart and soul longs for?”

She stared up at Dair and her heart felt as though it was overflowing with the love she felt for him. “Yes,” she agreed. “Yes, we are.”

“Then by all means, need me as often as you want.”

“And you need me?” she asked.

“More than you can possibly imagine. And if you truly understood my need of you, you’d probably run from me,” Dair admitted. The anger from his reaction to her nightmare had lifted from his face and his eyes seemed calmer now as he stared down at her.

She reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. His skin was cool against her much warmer flesh and his grip stronger. He felt like an anchor in the turbulent sea of dreams and nightmares in which she found herself swimming.

“How is Emma? I know you said her situation is bad. But how is she?” Serenity asked, wanting to talk about something other than demons and bad dreams.

The darkness that he carried with him like a well-worn cloak became thick at the mention of the young girl’s name, but then dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. “She’s safe and as positive as she always is. Raphael will see to her continued safety as much as it is in his power to do so. But she is in a difficult situation. I won’t lie. The home she is in might just be worse than the one she left at Mildred’s.”

Serenity felt her heart clench painfully in her chest. She hated the idea of little Emma, no matter how intelligent or mature she might be, having to be placed into a situation that could bring her harm.

“We need to get her back.”

Dair brushed some hair back from her face and lifted her chin. “We will. Whatever it takes, we will get her back.”

He sat quietly beside her as she became lost in her own thoughts. Dair rubbed his thumb gently across her hand as he held it. So much had changed in her life in such a short amount of time. Her whole perspective on where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do had shifted because of Dair and Emma. Serenity was amazed at the effect two lives could have on a person and the profound impact those changes could have on the future.

It was so easy for Serenity to get caught up in her own everyday life and forget that her actions affected others. Humans are all connected in some way, and we all affect one another, whether by giving a smile to someone you didn’t know needed it, or, conversely, ignoring a person who was in desperate need. Actions mattered. It wasn’t just to each their own. That motto was a lie born of someone’s narrowmindedness and selfishness. It isn’t to each their own. Our actions ricochet, reflecting off of others, touching them either positively or negatively.

Humans were not designed to be islands. We thrive in community and relationships. To think that our lives did not impact others in some way was pure ignorance, stupidity, self-centeredness, or, in the worst cases, all three combined. Serenity had known this but not fully understood it until little Emma had come along.

“You are thinking hard.” Dair’s deep voice hummed, creating a warmth inside of her.

“I’ve a lot of hard thinking to do, Sandman,” she said with a small smile.

Dair leaned closer to her until his lips were barely touching hers. “Set those thoughts aside, and let me replace that nightmare with a dream of my own.”

Serenity smiled. “And what sort of dream will it be?”

His eyes smoldered and his lips turned up in a slow, seductive smile. “One that you won’t want to end.”