Page 95 of Destined for Eternity
The reporter moved a little closer to him, and the camera zoomed in on his face.
“While we may have stayed hidden from humans until now, we have always been watching, guiding, and protecting you. This world is not a perfect place, nor was it meant to be, but there are certain circumstances that require our attention and force us to intervene more than others—the supernatural being one of them.”
“What do you mean?” the female reporter asked, thrusting out her microphone.
Remiel stared at her with his golden gaze. “I’m afraid demons have infiltrated this world, and it is no longer possible to keep them out. The recent attacks you’ve seen were not done by the supernaturals of Earth, but rather the denizens of Hell.”
The reporter’s hand trembled. “Why are they here now? Why haven’t you stopped them?”
“Let us say it is a complicated matter and not one easily resolved.” He turned his gaze back to the camera. “Unfortunately, they insist on a presence here, and the best way to contain and control them is to allow them to visit Earth with conditions.”
“Demons are dangerous, though, right?” another reporter shouted from off-screen.
“They are.” He glanced in the direction of the speaker. “But they also know we have warriors in place to punish and execute any who do not obey the rules. They wish to come here and be among humans, whether we like it or not. In order to prevent a war where many innocents would die, we have to compromise.”
“Was that the reason for the attacks across the world we’ve seen in recent months?” the first female reporter asked.
Remiel’s visage turned grim. “I am afraid so, but if you’ve noticed over the past couple of weeks, those calamities have stopped.”
It was true. Bartol had told Cori that part of the agreement to even hold the treaty summit was the demons had to quit attacking humans. Things had even improved enough that Emily and other supernaturals in her high school were able to take their final exams and graduate the day before. For the younger children, they’d completed their final assignments at home with the teachers visiting them to monitor any tests they still needed to take. Cori missed Emily’s graduation since she had the baby to handle, but she and Bartol had sent the teenager a generous gift card she could use to fix up her dorm room that fall. Ginny and her girls stayed a little longer at the cabin to be safe. They were packing up, though, and would be heading home tomorrow.
“So what happens now?” another female reporter asked.
“We will have a representative on Earth who can be contacted by human agencies when there are any concerns or troubles. The demons will have a delegate as well. We shall work together to keep the peace and allow humans to live as normally as possible despite the change of circumstances.”
She stepped into view of the camera, wearing a white blouse and gray pants. “But it won’t really be the same anymore, will it?”
He stared at the woman, gaze revealing untold millennia of experience. “It has never been normal, but now you’ll be aware of what is happening around you instead of being kept ignorant. Until recently, we’ve masked the dangers of supernatural creatures from you because we thought it in your best interest. It is time for that to end.”
The reporter swallowed. “What happens next?”
“We will keep you informed as events progress,” he replied.
Then before anyone else could ask further questions, a burst of light exploded and he flashed away. The other two angels disappeared a moment later. The first female reporter turned back to the camera, clearly shaken. “This is monumental news. We thought it was shocking when vampires, witches, and other mythological races revealed themselves, but this is the most major revelation yet. Angels and demons—the world suddenly seems far too small.”
Ginny turned off the television. “Well, that went better than expected.”
“Yeah, because no one knows how to react yet,” Cori said.
She could only imagine how the coming months might go after humans digested what was happening. At least supernaturals wouldn’t be their biggest worry anymore. Perhaps, they’d even be smart enough to start befriending sups for protection against the demons.
Raguel spoke up, “Angels will keep it under control.”
“How?” Ginny asked.
“The same as when supernaturals came out—through spells that will calm people and allow them time to adjust,” he explained.
Melena sighed. “That wasn’t a perfect plan, either. It had its flaws.”
“It will be enough.”
Bartol took Cori’s hand. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it.”
She smiled at him. “Yeah, we will.”
“Is it too early for a drink?” the sensor asked, glancing toward Cori’s liquor cabinet. “Because right now seems like a good time for one before I get too busy at work to even sleep.”
Melena was certainly going to have her work cut out for her. She was supposed to be meeting with a couple of demon candidates that week to see which one would join her agency as a representative. With their assistance or not, though, her division of DHS would be dealing with a lot of suspected demon problems. It was the same when the supernaturals came out.
