Chapter 1 – March 2025

One year ago…

Lamia was tormenting a mortal, her favorite game.

But I need to go further back than that. To the dawn of time, even the timeless ages before that, before there were hours or days or years, angels came into being, born but not begat, we just were, because God willed it so.

She was in human form, appearing to her prey as a young woman of high school-age, but Lamia was lit with an unearthly glow that only non-mortals could see.

The coffee shop which she had chosen as her hunting ground was filled with older teenagers sipping their artificial stimulants and eating sugar-soaked pastries. Not quite a den of iniquity, but their choice to pollute their God-given bodies was unfathomable to me.

One of the females was checking the time on her cordless mobile telephone, and it was she whom Lamia chose to sit beside.

“Can I hang here, or are you waiting for someone?”

The girl’s head jerked up as Lamia slid onto the stool next to her.

“Oh, well, yeah, kind of. I’m waiting for my boyfriend.”

The girl’s tone was faintly hostile, not happy to have this stranger sitting next to her. If only I could have intervened and explained that her gut instincts were correct.

Lamia just smiled. It was disturbing to see a smile used as such a weapon and she wielded it surgically.

“Uh huh? You say that like you’re waiting around for him a lot.”

The girl blinked rapidly, giving an awkward laugh.

“Oh well, guys, ya know!”

“No, I don’t know,” Lamia smiled silkily. “I wouldn’t let a guy leave me hanging around like this. If he thinks you’re worth it, he’ll be on time. If he doesn’t…” and she let the words hang in the air, “I say screw him.”

The girl looked askance, and chewed her lip as if searching for a suitable response.

I could have told her that no one except an angel can win a debate with a demon; not even a lawyer.

“It’s not like that!” said the girl lamely.

Lamia laughed, a bright, tinkling sound.

“Seriously? You’re going to let him get away with behaving like a jerk?”

She girl blinked again, her eyes darting from side to side, searching for a retreat. If only she’d walk away. But, of course, the weak-willed human stayed rooted to the spot, supping more spite from Lamia’s lips.

“But I love him…” she began, her mouth quivering.

“Oh, please!” Lamia snorted with obvious disgust. “Do not say the ‘l’ word! You have to man up and grow a pair or he’ll keep treating you like an afterthought. Hell, if my boyfriend was cheating on me…”

The young woman gasped, her eyes wide and fearful.

“You think he’s cheating on me?”

“No, I’m kidding! Oh, wait! No, I’m not. Let me re-cap: he’s late all the time, leaves you hanging, doesn’t reply to your messages…”

“I didn’t say th—”

“…and obviously doesn’t care enough about you to turn up where and when he said he would. Hmm, let me think about that … Hell, yeah! Wake up and smell the double espresso, girl!”

The human looked as though she might cry.

“But…”

“Hey, it’s nothing to do with me,” Lamia said, softening her voice and leaning in more closely. “It’s your decision … nothing at all to do with me.”

That was the first true thing the demon had said, and she glanced upwards, as if she sensed I was watching her.

Free will was a dangerous gift for weakling humankind.

“I’m just saying,” Lamia continued, “that if you want to be treated like a doormat for the rest of your life by a guy who can’t keep it in his pants…”

“I don’t think that…”

“Oh, sure. Well, if you don’t think,no problem then. Sorry I spoke.”

Lamia turned away and appeared to be checking messages on her phone.

The human was torn, uncertain what to do, whether to stay or go. She hooked her school bag over one shoulder and stood slowly. Lamia gave her a wide smile and a double thumbs-up.

I decided to intervene, but Anahita, my friend and confidant, looked up from her book and shook her head at me in warning.

“No, Nuriel. It’s not for celestials to intervene. The human has free will to ignore the demon’s taunts.”

She was right, of course. I had no business getting involved.

Even so, I continued to watch from Heaven, in case … I’m not sure why I continued to watch, but I did.

Then the girl sighed and sat down again.

“Really?” Lamia scowled.

“No, it’s just…” said the girl, “I mean, like, I totally appreciate everything you’ve said. But … me and Max, we’ve been together since we were Freshmen. But what you said, it’s made me think. I’m going to … talk to him. Yeah, we’ll definitely be having a conversation about his tardiness.”

The demon smiled coolly.

“Yay, you! I’m only trying to help, and I’m so glad I could be here for you.”

Lamia’s eyes glittered with malice as she said that, and I wondered what trickery she would try next.

“I know,” the girl said. Thank you. You are right. Why are you being so nice to me? I don’t even know you.”

Was that another glimmer of instinctual understanding from the human? Had she sensed there was something unnatural about this encounter?

“Us girls have to stick together, right?” said Lamia, not giving the girl time to think and clear her mind of the enchantment. “And because I know what it’s like, sweetie. They’re all disgusting cheaters, given the chance. Nothing changes.”

The girl gave a watery smile and stood up again to leave, just as her boyfriend crashed through the door looking hot and flustered.

“Hey, baby. Sorry I’m late.”

The girl started to smile, then glanced at Lamia who raised her eyebrows questioningly.

“Are you?” the girl asked, putting her hands on her hips and scowling.

The boy frowned, confused by the chilly reception he’d received.

“What?”

“Sorry you’re late? You’re always late. I’m fed up waiting around for you while you flirt with other girls.”

The boy appeared dumbfounded.

“What the hell?”

He did not know how closely he stumbled towards the truth.

“You tell him, girlfriend,” Lamia whispered.

The girl glanced towards her and straightened her spine.

“Well, I’m done,” she yelled shakily, her temper well and truly stoked. “We’re through!”

“Bonnie, what? Just … no … wai… I lo…”

But the girl didn’t listen, instead turning on her heel and storming from the coffee shop. She yanked the door open, already in tears, and shouted over her shoulder.

“We’re finished!”

The door slammed behind her as everyone turned to stare at the boy.

Lamia smiled to herself, then glanced up and winked.

“Did you see that?” I said to Anahita, aghast.

“Of course,” she said calmly.

“How is that ‘maintaining the balance’ between good and evil? Lamia manipulated that girl! She lied to her.”

Anahita laid aside her copy of Paradise Regained, her voice as gentle as summer rain.

“No, she didn’t, Nuriel. She teased, she implied, and she insinuated, but she didn’t lie. It’s free will, Nuriel. You know that.”

“But … that demon! She cheated!”

“Of course she did,” Anahita replied reasonably. “She’s a demon. They don’t play fair but she didn’t break any rules either.”

“But that’s not balance!” I said hotly. “That’s not the scales of good and evil.”

“Neither is it our place to interfere. Remember?”

I should have listened to Anahita’s rational reply, but I was too intent on stopping the injustice I had seen.

As the girl stood outside the coffee shop, I clapped my wings together, conjuring a tremendous hailstorm. As small pieces of ice rained down upon the town, turning the streets white in seconds, the girl was driven back inside.

As suddenly as it had arrived, the storm ended and the sky returned to a deep blue.

I had done my part: righted the wrong and corrected the balance. The rest was up to the humans.

The boy did not disappoint me. He rushed up to the girl, taking his hands in hers.

“Bonnie, please talk to me! I’m sorry I was late. My car wouldn’t start – that’s all. I texted you to say I was running late.”

Still wary, the girl checked her phone, and her cheeks turned pink.

She threw her arms around the boy, sobbing into his neck.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry! It’s just … I really love you, Max, so much that it scares me sometimes.”

“I know, baby. I feel the same.”

The humans watching this small drama began to applaud, their cheers filling the coffee shop.

I saw Lamia scowl, glancing upwards and baring her fangs.

“Our Father will have something to say about this,” Anahita warned me.

A frisson of concern pricked my conscience, but I defended my decision nonetheless.

“It was the right thing to do.”

Anahita shook her head.

“Really? A hailstorm … in August. Are you sure?”

No, I wasn’t sure. Her words continued to prick like tiny needles.

“Look how happy they are,” I blustered. “You can’t deny that.”

“I don’t deny it,” Anahita said mildly. “But it’s not our place to change things.”

“Then what’s the point? If we can’t do good, if we can’t make a difference?”

Anahita shook her head again and picked up her book. I was going to say more to her, but I saw the demon leaving.

I should have stayed. I should have listened to Anahita.

But folly and pride were my companions that day.