“They adored him or hated him before they ever knew him.”

Allegiance

The Sacred House, Ahe’ey

“No.” Gabriel approached his mother knowing full well that her answer was definitive. Her mind’s eye could see and hear his request and arguments before he uttered a single word. She knew him better than he knew himself.

“Please, Lady. I beg you.” She turned to face him as he approached her. The glow and the beauty of the Lady of Ange’el were unmatched, and so was her power to command the will of any creature in the land—a gift never abused or misused.

“She is not a child like the others. You may not bring a high profile media figure to Ahe’ey.”

“Powerful forces conspire to kill her. She needs a haven until I—“

“She is a human Gabriel. She is not worthy of you. In the end, this infatuation will hurt her.” Viviane’s loving tenderness did not soften the painful truth of her message, a reality he was not prepared to accept.

“This has nothing to do with my feelings Lady.” He faced her. Her eyes were filled with compassion, but, on her lips, a tender, knowing smile dismissed his words. He despaired, knowing she was right. “Lady, humanity is at a cross roads. Zanus is attempting to shut down any voice that stands between him and power. If he becomes President, he will pull the plug on genetic research. This man is a creationist, an evolution denier. We don’t have much time. We can’t afford to lose this battle.”

“The battle can’t be won from Ahe’ey.”

“I need time to protect her.”

“She is safe, is she not? Why do you want to bring this woman to Ahe’ey Gabriel?”

“She is—“

“Remember your duty and your legacy. The treasure you hold in your blood cannot be wasted. Romantic whims for humans are beneath you, my purest love.”

“They are no different from us.” He held her hands, and his clear eyes begged, submitting to the power of her all-knowing, raven black gaze.

“That may be so. And yet, we must preserve our genes. The genes that can help humans survive and thrive. Our blood is the key to their future. Do what you must do, but she is not welcome here.” Viviane touched his hand, which was covered with dry blood from the wound on his arm. “The healing power within you must be protected. Have I ever failed you, Gabriel?” He lowered his head and shook it. “Then, please, obey my wishes so that they do not turn to commands.” Gabriel prepared to reply as Viviane placed her finger on his lips. “Aeslin and Vail reach the peak of their fertility cycle today. Do your duty before you leave us.”

Gabriel was empty and distraught as he emerged from the Bethesda fountain. His physical container did not leave much room for the being within it. They either craved or feared his looks, his genes, his blood. His body was the claustrophobic prison that isolated his soul. An unwanted privilege that took zero effort to attain. The body—objectified, sexualised, feared, hunted, worshiped—always the body, they adored him or hated him before they ever knew him. The body crushed him; he was its slave. He felt empty, reduced to a soulless thing. He took a deep breath, focusing his attention on the pressing task. He took the phone from his pocket and dialed it.

“Matt!”

“Gabriel. Have you found them?”

“No, I haven’t. Matt. Listen, I’m calling to resign. I can no longer act on your behalf.”

“What do you mean you resign? We have a lot to do here, and we certainly need the help of someone with your skills.”

“I will continue to work on this case, but my key priority and focus are on Morgan. I won’t lie to her.”

“Commander, you are certainly aware that that isn’t how things work. You cannot simply resign or decide to act independently.”

“Sir, with all due respect, there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“Calm down Gabriel. You’re an elusive and mysterious chap. I don’t quite know where you come from, who you really are, or how you got your…unique skill set, but one can’t just cut ties with the CIA.”

“I’ll continue to collaborate with you to keep Morgan safe, but I’ll be serving her, not the CIA. This is a courtesy call so that you know where my priorities lie.”

“You seem attached to this woman. I can assure you we’ll protect her.” There was a long silence on the other side of the line. “Gabriel. Wait. We can’t afford to lose you, son. Your skills and your funds have helped us save many lives. Gabriel? Are you there?”

“Yes.”

“Look, I understand and will accept your priorities as long as you continue to collaborate closely with us on this case.”

“Sure.” He ended the call.

Gabriel felt he let everyone down. Morgan, whom he had put in danger by indulging in his emotions while he should have been focused on protecting her; Ahe’ey, by showcasing a glimpse of his superhuman abilities in front of hundreds of people at the Met; and the CIA, because he was not really acting on their behalf. Morgan’s safety and well-being came first. His inability to reveal to her who he was had led to a series of bad judgement calls. He was forced to play by the rules of the Central Intelligence Agency and hide the danger she was facing. The results of this actions were now very obvious. It was almost dawn, and it was time to go back to Morgan. He did not want to lie, and yet, he could not share the whole truth.

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Chapter 1 - Beginnings

1 - Sky Falling: Read or listen.
2 - A Surprising Reception: Read or listen.
3 - I Will Find You: Read or listen.
4 - The Interview: Read or listen.
5 - Royal Orphans: Read or listen.
6 - Breakfast with a View: Read or listen.
7 - Water Angels: Read or listen.
8 - Perfection: Read.
9 - Alone: Read.

Chapter 2 - Gravitational Pull

10 - Womanhood: Read.
11 - Young Warriors: Read.
12 - Manhood: Read.
13 - Illicit Lust: Read.
14 - Children of the Moon: Read.
15 - Used: Read.
16 - Submission: Read.
17 - The Attack: Read.

Chapter 3 - Disillusion

18 - Allegiance

Photo:

Apollo ivory mask - Photo by Carole Raddato (Flickr) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Ahe’ey - Allegiance (An Original Novel - Part 18)