Angel Of Mercy (Cambions #3) (27 page)

She got to her feet. “I should go to bed.”

So that was it. All of this has something to do with my choice. “Mom,” I called out. She turned slowly as if she feared what I was going to say next. “Thanks.”

Being back at home was an odd feeling. My room felt both like familiar and strange. Based on everything Mom said, I didn’t think we were ever going back. And maybe it was for the best. Separation from Flynn could only help him.

It wasn’t long that the doorbell rang.  I opened the door and stopped dead in my tracks. “Paul,” I said.

Shuffling on his feet, he looked down before meeting my eye. Something in his expression said sorry, which only served to piss me off. My calm mood had morph to irrational in sixty seconds. How dare he come here now? Maybe it was insane, but so far today, it hadn’t been a good one. I nearly shut the door in his face. I know that sounds rude, but I couldn’t handle any more finger pointing today. “Mercy,” he called out putting his hand in the doorframe as if I wouldn’t shut it.

He bargained right. I stopped and opened the door again allowing my eyes narrowed. “I’m busy.” I wasn’t busy, but he’d ignored me all this time. Why was he here today?

“Please,” he said earnestly.

Pausing, I studied him. “Why?” It was one word but I was sure he could tell by the tone of my voice there was more meaning. Just in case he wasn’t sure I added, “Why should I?”

“I deserve that,” he responded quickly.

“How did you know I was here?”

He sputtered. “I went over Flynn’s first.”

I nodded and just stared at him. “Can I bother you for a minute?” he asked.

 “Actually no. I’m not in the mood to be told just how all this is my fault right now.”

Determined to leave it at that with the final word, I made a move to close the door again. But his next words stopped me. “None of this is your fault,” he said. That was an attention grabber. “Please, can I come in for a second?”

Opening the door wider, I let him pass into the house and close the door. Leaning with my back on it, I didn’t offer him a seat.

With downcast eyes, he stood for a second before continuing where he left off. “At least nothing with me. I’m sorry how I’ve treated you. You’re a good person. That’s why it hurts that you love him and not me. And why I did something stupid like try to put myself on equal footing with the rest. I should have just been your friend. I knew you cared about me and I took you for granted, thinking you’d always be there. You couldn’t date, I told myself. Then I acted like an ass when Luke stepped in and was with you.” He stopped and looked at his feet again. I was speechless. “Anyway, I see how happy you are with him. How happy he makes you. And he’s a good guy. As your former best friend, I approve. I’m not sure you’ll ever forgive me. And maybe we’ll never be friends like we were before. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am.”

Part of me wanted to hug him. Part of me wanted to slap him. Part of me missed him so darn much. But the rational part of me had checked out somewhere at the threshold of my house. So chin up, I said, “Thanks.” And I opened my door. He stood for a moment before taking the hint. On his way out, he murmured, “I hope one day we can be friends again.”

As I closed the door, I closed my eyes. Somewhere in me, I still hurt over the loss of our friendship. I had loved him once. And maybe somewhere I still did. Not how I loved Luke, but in a brotherly way. And so I muttered back even thought I knew he couldn’t hear, “Maybe.”

I was in kitchen in the middle of chopping veggies when the doorbell rang again. There was food in the house. It was clear that my mother had returning to this house planned. And I heard her in her room sobbing when I’d come downstairs to cook, but I let her be. She had her own pain to deal with as I had mine. Heading to answer the door, I heard sorrowful music coming from her room. She would have never heard the doorbell with the volume it was at.

It wasn’t far to the front of the house. I threw open the door thinking Paul might have come back. Instead a girl stood on my threshold. She was slightly taller than me. Her hair hung loose in brown waves. In fact, she kind of looked like me, which in itself was creepy if she hadn’t also pulled out a knife.

It was the middle of the afternoon. My neighbors were outside. Plus she had me by surprise. Reacting on instinct, I grabbed her knife hand. I yanked her into the house. She fumbled off balance, momentarily giving me the upper hand. Kicking with my foot, I shut the door but kept my focus on her. I lunged for the knife. Recovering quickly, she sprung out of my grasp getting behind me. I found myself trapped with her arm around my neck. Breathing hard, I held her hand to keep her knife from plunging in my eye. Bending forward, I used her momentum to toss her over me. I stepped on her hand that managed to still hold onto the knife. As I bent to get it, her other hand landed a solid blow to my knee sending me careening into the wall that held the staircase. My head hit the spindles and I saw stars for a second. I turned around unwilling to give her my back. She came at me, also quick to get to her feet. As she moved forward to attack, so did I. We crashed in the middle falling to the floor, rolling to gain the upper hand. When I landed on the bottom seemingly done for, I knew this girl outweighed me only where it mattered most. I needed to gain my strength because I wouldn’t have any help. My mom’s music blotted out the noise we had made. And so I opened my mouth a little. Her surprise was my gain as I latched onto her gaze and drew her life out of her.

It filled me with sweetness unlike any other. I wanted to hate that I enjoyed the taste of her essence but now was not the time to dwell on such things. Caught up in the majesty of the act, it wasn’t until I saw her weakening that I was able to stop myself.

Under my compulsion, I first asked her all the questions Flynn asked the girl in the principal’s office like
Who sent you? Who is in charge? Where do you meet?
But I got the same answers. She didn’t know much beyond the website we already knew about. I was still the only suspected demon. “You will leave here and forget this place. You will tell your people that I moved. But that we all appear human, not demon-like at all. You think you have the wrong person.” Flynn tried this with the girl at school and they were still after me, but it was worth another shot.

She nodded and rolled off me. Tucking her knife in an arm sheath, she stood and walked out of the house, leaving me breathless on the floor.

Had that just really happened?

Pushing my hair off my face, I laid there a second longer before finally getting to my feet. I didn’t want to disturb my mother but she needed to know.

“What!” she exclaimed after I told her what happened. She got up and paced the room running a hand through her short blonde hair. “But you compelled the girl to leave and forget us?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Our house is well warded against demons and the like, but humans no. There is no way to do that. Did you think to ask who it was before opening the door?”

Her frustration was at a fever pitch and I didn’t want to add to so I shrugged. She sighed and didn’t blow a fuse, which was so different than it had been at David’s house.

“Mom,” I said, drawing her attention. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” she answered. “In fact I feel much better here like I can think.”

We both looked at each other in a moment of understanding. “You think David’s house is bespelled?”

I nodded slowly. She closed her eyes. “It’s better that we left then.”

Pursing my lips, I wondered if the spell was just for her or for us, but I remembered how Flynn had acted towards me. “Maybe it affected us all differently.” David had lost his cool and I thought he was unflappable.

“I think we should move far from here,” she blurted.

Shocked, I stood slack jawed. “But,” was all I could muster.

“We would be safe. They would be safe. Flynn needs distance from you if you aren’t going to choose him.”

“Luke,” I said.

“Don’t you see? You are toxic to him. I know you don’t want to hear that, but it’s true.”

“I can’t leave him after damning him. Plus, he’ll be going to college soon. He’ll forget me once he sees all his other options.”

Her compassion only served to annoy me. “We aren’t leaving just yet, even though it would be better. I need to search for a job. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Where would we go?” I queried.

“It’s best you don’t know. You might tell someone. And our safety hinges on secrecy.”

“What about Sebastian? He’ll be able to find me,” I retorted, feeling sick at the thought of leaving.

“That can’t be helped,” she admitted.

Then I told her about her father, his password choice and dreamwalking with him. “Mercy you need to stay away from him. Do not take any deal he offers you. Demons are skilled at selling you a fantasy and giving you a nightmare.”

I agreed and she moved to get her computer. I knew the conversation was over. I headed downstairs to finish cooking and find some peace. I thought about calling Luke and telling him. However, I knew he would come over. And my mom had made her feelings about us being together clear. All I needed was for her to lecture us both. If I had to leave him, I wanted to do it on my own terms.

I also didn’t call Maggie. Maggie wouldn’t be able to keep this secret. She’d tell Brent who would tell the guys in whatever order, thus leading Luke to come. If I thought about it too much, I would think on why he hadn’t called me. I knew why I hadn’t. The way things stood, maybe we weren’t even together.

Getting ready for bed was an odd experience. I had grown accustom to an ensuite bathroom. In our tiny house, I had to walk down the hall again. On the way back to my room, my phone chimed. With Luke’s pic on the screen I didn’t even think when I accepted his Facetime call with only a towel and wet hair.

“Hey,” he said looking serious. “I just heard. Tell me you’re okay?”

How had he heard? “Yeah, fine.”

I watched the screen and realized that the top of my chest and the towel were showing in the picture. I adjusted so he could only see my neck up. “You didn’t call and tell me?”

I could see the hurt in his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you rushing over.” When he looked away, I bit back wanting to take my words away. “My mom is being weird and I didn’t want you to get anymore of her wrath.”

“I can handle your mom,” he said facing me again.

The depth of the blue that stared at me made me want to dive deep and- be with him no matter the odds.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” His words although sincere sounded flat. “Goodnight Mercy.”

“Wait,” I begged.

His finger that had filled the screen ready to end the call receded. “I love you,” I said. There were so many things I could say, but I wanted to in person. Still, I needed him to know this.

His lips formed a sad smile. “I love you too.”

The cascading sunlight came like a prism through my window. It should have been reassuring but instead I felt dismayed. My life would be changing and not for the best. I may be moving to someplace totally new to finish my senior year with people I didn’t know. I would miss Maggie and Luke. And even Flynn, Tom and Brent.

So it was no wonder that even with my mom gone to work, I stepped outside forgetting I didn’t have a car or a ride to school. But then I didn’t need one. A Hummer was idling in my driveway. Flynn.

I steeled myself and walked over to the car. I opened the door and stepped in to greet my tormentor. “Thanks,” I said, sitting face forward not really wanting to look into those ice cap eyes.

“Webster,” he quipped. 

I kept my gaze averted, my eyes instead falling to his tee-shirt. It was black, of course, with write writing above and below a white dotted line. Above the line read,
You Must Be This Tall
. Below the line read,
To Ride This Ride
. I rolled my eyes, and finally met his. He grinned. “Are you tall enough?” he quipped.

“I’m too old for kiddie rides,” I answered, suppressing a laugh.

Reality struck killing all giggles from me. Luke hadn’t picked me up. As if on cue, he said, “He would have picked you up.” He held out keys to me. “Dad wanted you to have the car. He said that none of this is your fault. I’ll drive you home afterschool so you can get it.”

David was a saint. I didn’t want his charity, but I’d take his kindness. I’d rather not ride with Flynn to school every day. Plus having a car gave me options, especially when my mother was planning to move us away.

And the guy with a thousand words said no more. Flynn turned up his head-banging music and I was grateful for the solace. I didn’t want to talk about us. I needed to figure out how to explain everything to Luke.

We barely made it to school before the first bell. It wasn’t until lunch that I could finally see Luke. He wasn’t at the elite table and neither was Maggie. I didn’t even see Brent. So I headed over to the other table I used to sit at as it was currently unoccupied.

Tom came over and joined me. “Are you okay?” he asked. I was started to get annoyed at that question. I wasn’t okay and I really didn’t want to talk about it.

“I’m good,” I said. “When do you have to take Brent and Doug to see Chris?” I asked making a conversation change.

“I don’t know. Soon I guess,” he answered. What was it about guys that every answer was ten words or less?

“How about you? How is it being king of the jungle?”

He scowled. “It sucks.”

So much for small talk, but I gave it one more shot. “So are you going to tell me more about that girl?” It had been a while, but I wanted to know about the girl that had come to the pool months ago the day Flynn had thrown me and Luke in.

“Who, Alicia?” His sandwich was halfway to his mouth when I nodded. I hadn’t known her name but I was hoping to get something out of this tight-lipped boy. “She’s just someone everyone thinks is a good choice for me. She’s okay though.”

Luke, Maggie and Brent all sat down at the same time killing our conversation. Tom wasn’t the type to open up in the best of situations and even less to a crowd. And he was a mystery I wanted to solve. It was much better than dwelling on my problems.

As happy as I was that Luke sat with me, there remained a distance between us that was tangible. We didn’t get to talk either. He was listening Brent’s story about some freshman who got locked in a gym locker. It was kind of mean and I couldn’t bring myself to laugh at the poor guy who’d been packed in to one as a senior prank. So I just sat and quietly ate my lunch.

When the bell rang, Luke took my hand and walked me to class. He even kissed me, quick and chaste. I wanted to take it as a good sign but I just didn’t know.

After school, Maggie and I went to softball practice. Coach wasn’t too pleased with us, but we’d been dedicated players for several seasons; she gave us a pass for our past absences. I might not have gone, but Flynn was going to baseball and he was my ride.

And once practice was over, I actually felt good to do something normal like speed drills, hitting the ball and catching it. Most of all, I enjoyed not having anyone trying to kill me. When Luke met me at Flynn’s car, I couldn’t help but hope that things were looking up. “Can we meet up later over at Dewey?”

“Sure,” I answered. It was probably for the best. Although it was spring, the weather was all over the place. Today, it was cold. Dewey would most likely be deserted. We needed to talk alone and I didn’t know for sure if Mom was going to be home or not. And since I didn’t live at David’s anymore, it would seem odd to bring Luke over there. I wasn’t sure why he hadn’t offered his house, but then again his mom and my mom knew each other.

“Hey, I’ve got plans. You two handle that later when I’m not around,” Flynn said striding up.

Luke and I couldn’t help the roll of our eyes. We began to laughing when we saw that we’d had the same reaction. “Later,” Luke said before walking away. My stomach knotted and the optimism drained away as I watched him get in his car without kissing or hugging me. Was I reading too much into everything?

“Are you coming?” Flynn called out the passenger window he rolled down. I hopped in and tried not to over think everything.                    

When we pulled up behind my car, he turned off the radio and said, “I hope Dad and Julie work it out. Dad’s pretty miserable.”

I couldn’t tell him it was doubtful and that my mom seemed pretty steadfast in her decision to stay away from David. Instead, I told him my truth. “I do too.”

When I drove away, I didn’t look back at Flynn. It was too hard to do so and not feel guilty for the growing shadows under his eyes.

Pulling up to the empty park, I thought about how this is where it all began. Kind of, Jay’s house may have been more accurate. But Dewey would always be the place where I realized that I’d started falling in love with Luke, if only a little then. He’d been so nice to me, not knowing his kindness would be his doom and would come back to haunt him.  

Sitting on the bank, I tossed rocks in the water unsuccessfully, watching the gray rocks sink as I tried to skip them. There had to be some kind of skill to do it that I didn’t possess.

“Well, well, well, I didn’t figure you to be dumb. Guess I was wrong.”

Scrambling to my feet, I turned around to stare at the girl who was forming a wedge in my relationship with Luke. I hadn’t totally bought her good girl attitude on the island. This, however, was pretty bold. “This isn’t a good time,” I said with what little strength and fortitude I felt.

“Wow, you’ve got,” she tapped her chin with her index finger. “How do you humans say… balls.” I wanted to inform her that was something you mostly said about boys but didn’t bother to correct her.  “You’ve got him so wrapped up. I have to give it to you succubus; you’ve done an excellent job. And here I thought I had him. Yet, I can’t seem to break him. It’s high time I get a two for one deal. I came to kill you. It's nothing personal, but I need allies against my father. And well, Luke is the chosen one. Can’t believe my stroke of luck there. He’ll lean on me once you’re gone. Since you’ve tainted him already, with a little coaxing, he’ll be on our side.  And maybe dear old dad will forgive me.”

There wasn’t any time. She was just in my face. The air left my lungs and I glanced down to see her hand had penetrated my body without spilling any blood. The only thought that came to my mind was Sebastian as her hand constricted around my heart. 

My mouth opened. The name “Seroff,” escaped my tongue without my conscious thought, and stunned the blonde in front of me. My demon was making an appearance. And for a moment, Sara looked almost afraid.

“Let her go.” Sebastian arrived. His rage filtered through his Scottish brogue. He added, “Sister.”

Her hand retreated from my chest and I fell to my knees. My demon had vanished and maybe because I could no longer breathe. I was quickly losing consciousness. I wanted to tell him that it was too late; she’d succeeded where the rest had failed. The last thing I heard was Sebastian saying, “You won’t kill what’s mine.”

Just when I thought I was done for, my eyes flew open as air filled my lungs. My mouth opened greedily to take in the oxygen I’d been deprived of. Luke’s strained face was above me. His concern and his love were written in every inch of his expression.  “You’re going to be okay,” he panted though shaky breaths.

As tense as my muscles had gotten, when I exhaled all the energy fled my body with it. I went limp in his arms. “You can’t die on me. I won’t live without you.”

Unable to control any of my emotions along with any bodily function, a tear escaped the corner of my eye. “You’ll survive,” I coaxed out on a whisper.

“No, I wouldn’t,” he said, sounding distant. I felt him link his fingers with mine. He also touched the place at my neck where the puffy heart necklace he’d given me rested. “You are my forever girl.” My heart skipped a beat. “And don’t forget prom. You’re my date,” he added.

Heat coursed through me. His healing continued. I could feel air expand my lungs. Better able to speak, I rasp, “You could always go with Nina. I’m sure she’s dying to link arms with you.” My voice was still weak.

My eyes fluttered in my will to keep them open. Smiling at me, he said, “You sure are a funny girl. Because even if you died, there is no way in hell I’d go to the dance with her.”

“Right answer,” I teased. “Because I’d claw my way out of hell and haunt you both if you did.”

Serious, he looked at me. “You aren’t going to hell. You’re my angel.” The depths of his blue eyes seared me.  “My angel of mercy. And you’ll live out eternity in heaven with me.”