Grounded ~Book Four of Winged~

Mind Reading

I finish eating the food that Beleth brought me and he sits on the foot of the bed the entire time, watching me. I stand up and set the plate back on the black and grey marble tray and pick up the tray. Beleth quickly stands and comes around the corner of the bed to me. He takes the tray from me and disappears in flames. I take a step back and return to the edge of the bed. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end and I turn, jumping when I see Beleth standing right behind me. I set my hand on my heart, trying to get it to calm down. He leans down and presses his lips against mine. His hand soothes down my hair before resting at the side of my neck. I push him away sharply.

"I'm with someone." I blurt out on instinct and he tilts his head. He steps forward and slides his hand onto my cheek. I want to move back, but I am completely frozen.

"Etheriel. Angel. How did you two meet...?" He stares into my eyes, unblinking. I still can't move. I can't even open my mouth to respond. "He saved you from... a fancy carriage...?" He searches my eyes more. "Vehicle... Truck..." He is reading my mind. He is searching for what he wants somehow and taking the information. "You have had other partners before him though..." He continues to pull information without my consent and I am still unable to move. I can't even look away. He is quiet, learning about me.

"Nathaniel. Angel turned Demon. Asmodeus aka Dominic. Angel turned Demons thousands of years ago. Mammon aka Eli. Also Angel turned Demon. Brother of Asmodeus."

"Anglo-Cherokee War, Pontiac's War, American Revolutionary War, Chickamauga Wars, Anglo-Spanish War, Northwest Indian War, French Revolution, Haitian Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, Russo-Persian War, Rum Rebellion, Spanish American Wars of Independence, Mexican War of Independence, War of 1812, Creek War, Seminole Wars, Zulu Wars of Conquest, Greek War of Independence, Java War, Winnebago War, Black Hawk War, Texas Revolution, First Opium War, Navajo Wars, Mexican-American War, Apache Wars, California Indian Wars, Crimean War, American Civil War, Snake War, Red Cloud's War, Comanche Campaign, Great Sioux War, Nez Perce War, Cheyenne War, Sheepeater Indian War, Victorio's War, Boxer Rebellion, Second Boer War, Russian Revolution, Mexican Revolution, World War I, Russian Civil War, Turkish War of Independence, Irish War of Independence, Chinese Civil War, Spanish Civil War, World War II, Greek Civil War, Korean War, Mau Mau Uprising, Cuban Revolution, Algerian War, Vietnam War, Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Soviet War in Afghanistan, Falklands War, Gulf War, Croatian War of Independence, Bosnian War, Kosovo War, War in Afghanistan, Iraq War, War in Somalia, Gaza War..." He starts listing off wars that I have never heard of, but every once in a while, I hear a war that I know from learning in school and I realize that he is going in chronological order. How is he learning things that I do not even know.

"Nuclear power... Computers... Airplanes... Cars... Submarines... Rockets... Antibiotics, medicine... Television... Radio... Internet... Cellular Devices, phones." His eyes are rapidly moving. "There is so many new things." He blinks and lets go. I feel whatever mental hold he had on me release. He licks his lips, fascinated.

"How did you do that?" I question, my mouth dry.

"I just dug into your brain; your memories, knowledge, and just things you have seen or heard that you do not actually remember. There is so much there for me to learn." I get a wave of exhaustion and I catch myself against one of the poles of the canopy bed.

"So why did you pick Etheriel?" He questions and I look at him confused. "Asmodeus was better in bed. Eli cares so much, would do absolutely anything for you, was also good in bed, and he doesn't try to suppress you." He stares at me emotionless.

"Because Etheriel is who I love." I respond and he slowly nods.

"Maybe I just don't get the concept of love." He notes and I tilt my head wondering if he is going to explain any further, but he doesn't. "I want to learn more of what I have missed, may I?" He takes a step closer.

"When did you die?" I question wondering just how much he is behind.

"Around 1700s I suppose." He responds and I nod slowly. He slides his hands onto my cheeks. I become frozen and he searches deep in my memories. He mumbles under his breath. I start to get lightheaded and lean towards him. Something in my memories makes him furrow his eyebrows for a couple long seconds and I tilt forward more. One of his hands slide onto the back of my head while the other one wraps around me and brings me forward until I am leaning against him. I close my eyes and feel myself get weaker and weaker the longer he is in my head. I go completely limp in his arms and my eyes roll back.

I wake up to soft knocking on the door and I roll over, sitting up. I feel like I am in a daze. I shuffle over to the door and open it. A Demon who looks like he is a teenager stands on the other side with a rolling cart with a giant dress bag on it. I look at him confused.

"I am here to help you get ready for today's celebration." I open the door more to let him in. He rolls the cart in and I shut the door behind him. I don't know why I have to get dressed up for this.

I stare at myself in the mirror in the bathroom. I am wearing a black lace dress that is five inches above my knee in the front and very long in the back so that it trails behind me. It is an off the shoulder dress with lace tight half sleeves and a low back. I have two-inch black heels on. I have red lipstick on and smoky eyeshadow with mascara. I have gold dangly earrings. My hair is straight around my shoulders. I can't stop staring. I hear someone knock on the door and the Demon that helped me get ready goes and answers the door.

"Is she ready to go?" I hear another voice question.

"Yes." There is a pause. "Ma'am, we should get going." The Demon calls to me and I turn and walk into the bedroom, heading toward the door. He comes over to me and picks up the train of my dress. He follows behind me holding the train. I follow the other demon as he leads me through the halls. We end up outside in front of the giant palace and a limousine waits. The demon that led me through the house opens the door into the back of the limo and helps me in.

"Hello." I look up at Beleth who I didn't realize was here. He is sitting in the middle of the side seat holding a glass of whiskey. He is wearing a white dress shirt with a satin black suit coat that has matte black lapels and black suit pants. His long black hair is slicked back into a man bun that is slightly messy but also kind of neat.

"Hi." I respond and the demon that held my train, adjusts it in the car before shutting the door.

"You look beautiful." He compliments and his eyes look at my body before looking into his glass.

"Thank you, you look good too." He smiles against his glass.

"Thanks." He finishes off his drinks and pours himself another one. He drive for about ten minutes before we get to our destination. There are a lot of people rushing around and preparing stuff. It's a middle of the street on the outside of the city. There's a big float that is highly decorated and ornate with flowers and golds and silvers. There is a wide throne at about ten feet up off the ground on the float. There is a lane leading up to the throne and on the end of the lane at the bottom is more open space to stand. A demon opens the door to the car and she helps me out of the car. Beleth gets out of the car behind me and leads me to the side of the commotion to a food table.

"I had them set up some snacks for you to eat." I look at the table full of snacks and candies. I eat a couple pretzels while Beleth stands closely behind me, watching. I eat a few potato chips and some skittles.

"Are you guys ready?"