1 Doomed

My stomach rumbled in hunger.

"I have to go outside." I murmured, a tingling feeling flowing through my spine.

"Please do not let those ugly beasts catch up to me this time." I winked at the roof of the cathedral, sighing.

"Here goes nothing."

I leaped off the stony pew, landing lightly on the ground.

" Must have jumped too high. " I said, chuckling as I basically danced out of the building. The doorkeeper, a bad-tempered old man,glared at me as I passed. He thought I was insane… Maybe I was.

I grinned at the thought.

"Good morning Mr. Tony" I greeted as I pranced by.All I heard was a grunt.

Whatever. No one would ruin this day for me. There was free food!! The mayor had decided to observe this year's National Taco day today, even though 31st March was still a week away.

I hadn't planned to leave the cathedral, but …change of plans.

I inhaled the delicious scent of food in the air, and it was free! Well… at least most of it.

I took another step forward…

"Where do you think you're going?" a gravelly masculine voice asked me. " You think they'd let someone as filthy as you into their stalls? "

I blinked at the sight of three huge thugs standing in my way.

"Wait. Are you for real?" I asked, amused. Didn't they realize who I… "Oh" I groaned. "It's you guys."

I looked up at the sky.

"Didn't I say to not let them catch up to me?" I complained, annoyed.

Murmurs exploded around me.

"Isn't that Ariel… ?"

" Oooh, they're about to get beat up… "

"Hey, hey, let's watch the show… "

"Why did you have to choose taco day? And in the open?" I asked, regarding the monsters whose images flickered with that of their hosts.

They all had blue skin, with horns, red eyes and long claws.

That was new. I must have never met this species before.

"Ok. Let's get this over with."

I wiggled my fingers, balled them into a fist and threw a punch at the jaw of the one right in front of me.

Pain laced through my fingers.

A shocked "Ooooh" went through the small crowd that had gathered.

"Oh My God." I breathed as my arm went numb. I staggered backward."What are you made of? Steel? "

Thug number one laughed.

" Steel? "he turned to his companions." She thinks we're made of steel. "

They burst out in harsh laughter.

I gripped my right arm with my left, hissing in pain and annoyance.

"Look! She's bleeding!" Someone yelled.

"No way!"

What? I was… I looked down at my arm, and sure enough, blood was dripping from my knuckles. I gasped in disbelief.

This was impossible. I couldn't…

A fist connected with my ribs. Air left my lungs in a rush and I staggered backward even further.

For the first time in a very long time, fear filled me. These weren't my regular opponents. These were stronger, and faster and…uglier. Yes, emphasis on the uglier part.

I felt the ground shake as they approached me.

"What are these things?" I wheezed, struggling to remain on my feet.

I should've stayed in the cathedral. They couldn't come in there. None of the others could follow me once I was at the first step.

"You have some nerve. Leaving your only source of safety for some food,and today of all days."

Today? I stared into Thug-number-one's face, trying not to flinch as his eyes flickered to the red of the beast living within him. He grinned.

"You have no idea what today is, do you?" he asked, then laughed again.

He suddenly kicked out, sweeping out my feet from under me. I hit the ground hard, my bones screaming in pain.

Do something Ariel! My brain yelled at me, but my arm was basically useless. I tried to get up, but it felt as if my ribs had been crushed. Pain sliced through me at the slightest movement.

"Seriously?" I groaned. "All I wanted was some tacos."

I rolled over to see the sole of a huge boot coming down at me. This was it. The end. I'd always thought it would be more dramatic. Alas…

"You should learn when to keep your filthy hands off."

My eyes widened when I saw Thug-number-one sprawled on the floor, several feet away from me.

"You're not going to die, are you?"

I turned to face my mystery saviour. My breath caught in my throat.

Electric blue eyes stared back at me, fierce and cold. He looked eighteen, lean and buff with blonde hair that cascaded past his shoulders…

Suddenly, he whirled, smashing the jaw of one of the other two thugs who had been slowly approaching.

My savior turned back to me.

"Snap out of it!" he snapped in urgency, pulling me to my feet. I expected unimaginable pain, but it wasn't that bad. "Run!"

And then we were running. Actually, He was running. I was only being pulled along.

"Are you out of your mind?!" he yelled as we ran. "Those are higher demons. You could've died!"

Ah. So that's what they are. Demons."Wait." my brain suddenly came alive. "You see them?" No answer.

Footsteps thudded behind us.

"Can't you run any faster?" he didn't seem to be out of breath.

" I'm… " I wheezed.

"There!" he suddenly yelled, pointing into an alley.

My eyes widened. An alley? Really? They could kill us both there and no one would ever know.

Before I could protest, he pushed me into the dark alley.

"They'll find us here. We need to… "I started as soon as I got air into my lungs.

"Stay still." he ordered.

I blinked.

"Who the…"I choked on the cuss word I'd planned to use.

" Still haven't learnt your lesson." My savior murmured, peeping out of the alley. The footsteps were drawing closer.

"I don't know who you are, but you just signed up for your own death. I can't protect you from those things."

He snorted incredulously.

"Protect me? I don't need you to protect me Ariel."

I didn't have time to address the suspicion that followed his words. Our pursuers arrived.

Thug-number-one stepped forward, grinning.

"Well, well,well, if it isn't our very own Castiel."

My heart sank. They knew each other. I was doomed.