Charade (25 page)

I rapped lightly on the kitchen door and heard Gran call out, so I let myself in. She was standing at the small island making what looked like a pie crust.

“Chores all done?” she asked with a smile. She had a smudge of flour on her nose.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Wash up there and get yourself a drink. You must be thirsty.”

I went to the sink and did as she asked, watching the grime on my hands from my training flowing down the drain. When I was done, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Where’s Heven and Logan?”

“Heven went to feed the horses. Logan just went out there a few minutes ago to join her.”

My eyes strayed to the door. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Logan and Heven being alone together. “I’ll go see what they are up to.”

“Sam? Before you go, is everything all right? You seem worried.”

I stopped halfway to the door and turned. “I’m worried about leaving Logan here by himself while I’m in Italy.”

“Ahh,” Gran said. “He’s not going home?”

I felt my shoulders slump. I was so tired of lying and making up stories. “No. My parents… they can be kind of hard to live with. It’s the reason I’m emancipated. When I left home, things got a lot harder for Logan. He doesn’t want to go back there and I can’t make him.”

It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was some of it. Just that little bit of truth actually made me feel better.

Gran picked up a kitchen towel and began wiping flour off her hands. “That must be very hard for you. Caring for a younger brother must be tough, considering how young you are yourself.”

I nodded.

“Sam, I want you to know that you are always welcome in my home. Logan too. I see how you look at Heven…” She turned to grab two pie plates, and with her back turned, she said, “I know how you take care of her.”

It almost seemed for a moment that she understood more than we thought. But then she turned around with a smile and began assembling two pies.

“Why don’t you bring Logan here to stay while you are gone? I’ll watch over him.”

It would be the answer to my worry about Logan. Unfortunately, it would give me new worry. Gran was like the family I never had. She was unbelievably kind and loving. The thought of leaving Logan here and him accidently hurting her in one of his “fits” left me feeling cold inside.

“Thank you for the offer but Logan is… he’s been hard to deal with… I think he’s having a hard time adjusting and he can be a real handful. I don’t want to put that on you.”

She didn’t seem the least bit concerned. “I think I can handle one sullen teenage boy. I used to be married to a police officer, you know. And my son was one too. They taught me a thing or two.” She winked as she poured what looked like a strawberry mixture into the pie shells.

Even so, her strength would be no match for Logan’s. If he went into a rage, there would be no stopping him. “Heven’s grandfather was a police officer too?”

“Oh, yes. Best cop on the force.” She smiled fondly.

“How… how long has he been gone?” My curiosity got the better of my manners as the question tumbled right out of my mouth.

“A long time, almost seventeen years ago. He died when Heven was just a baby.” She looked up from her work and seemed lost in a memory. “He loved that girl more than life itself.”

Then her thoughts seem to clear and she glanced at me then back at her pies.

I shouldn’t have asked. Really it wasn’t my business and I didn’t want to upset her. “I’ll go check on Heven and Logan now.”

I pushed open the door and stepped out onto the porch.

“Sam? Think about it. Logan is welcome here anytime.”

I thanked her and then walked toward the barn. I was tempted to leave Logan here at the farm, but something inside me just couldn’t say yes. I wanted to protect Gran from all of this, and what would happen to Heven if something were to go wrong with Gran? Yes, Heven and her mother’s relationship was a lot better than it used to be. Even I, who thought I would never forgive her mother for telling Heven she was evil, could see the genuine good in her. But even still, I knew that the farm was where Heven belonged. This was her true home.

When I reached the barn door a skittering of fear ran over my body. I wasn’t afraid, so that meant that Heven must be. I resisted the urge to burst through the door to see where the threat was because along with her fear I was also feeling her effort to control it, to make it go away.

A very bad feeling that Logan was behind this sunk into me.

I stepped up to the door and listened, focusing on the voices just inside the barn.

“You never know,” Logan said, his voice sounded different than usual, deeper somehow. “Sam can’t always be where you are.”

What was he saying? Why would he speak to her like that?

“Are you threatening me?” Heven’s voice sounded strong, but I knew that she was frightened.

“Tell me where it is.”

“No.”

“Is it here?” There was a slight pause; then he said, “Up there?”

“It isn’t here,” Heven insisted and I had enough.

I grabbed the barn door and opened it, trying not to just fling it, trying to hide the simmering frustration beneath my skin.
Remember that he’s sick. He doesn’t mean what he’s saying, the way he’s acting,
I told myself.

“Hey guys, what’s going on?” I tried to sound casual.

“Sam! Heven was showing me the horses!” I could sense the change come over him and I suddenly understood why Heven was always so uncomfortable around him. He acted different when I wasn’t around—who knows the things he has said and done to her.

And she never said a word. She never complained.

“Cool, huh?” I answered Logan.

“Yeah. I wish you would have let me train with you.”

“Maybe next time.” Maybe training would teach him control. Maybe it would help.

“Are you guys done already?” Heven asked, moving closer to me.

“Almost. Gemma and Cole are just finishing up.”

Heven nodded. “Let’s go back to the house. I was just offering Logan some water.”

Heven hurried outside to close the door. I looked at her.
Something wrong?

No, everything’s fine.

Once again she covered for my brother. I realized that she was trying not to put me in the middle. She wanted me to have my brother in my life even if it was hard on her.

At the porch Heven stopped and said, “Why don’t you guys go ahead in. I want to walk out and say hi to Gemma before she leaves.”

I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to say. Even if Logan was acting strange, I couldn’t abandon him.

“Sam, are you coming?” Logan asked, going up the steps.

I looked back at Heven, wondering if she just wanted to get away from my brother.

I want to ask Gemma about my dad.

Ahh, so maybe not all of this had been about Logan. She was worried about her dad. Heven started off toward the orchard, and I heard her sigh.

I stuck my head into the kitchen where Gran and Logan were. “I’ll be right back,”

I didn’t wait for Logan to answer because I knew—I knew that he would act like he wanted me to stay. I wanted to be there for him, but I wanted to be there for Heven too, and even though she wasn’t asking for my attention, I wanted to give it to her.

I caught up to her easily and reached out for her arm. “Hey.”

She stopped walking and turned. “Hey.” She looked over my shoulder for Logan.

“I left him in the house with Gran.”

I slid my hand from her wrist to wrap my fingers around hers. “What did I walk in on back there?”

“I was showing him the horses and barn.”

“You’re upset, scared. Tell me what happened.”

She sighed. “It was nothing. Logan and I… It’s just taking longer to bond with him than I hoped.” Before I could say anything she continued. “But I won’t give up. He’s your brother and that makes him family. We’ll get there.”

I lifted her hand to my lips. “If he… treats you bad, scares you… You can come to me, okay? He’s my brother and I won’t abandon him but you… You’re my heart and I won’t let him hurt you.”

Her fingers tightened on mine and seconds later, Gemma and Cole came into sight. Gemma was smiling at something and Cole looked pleased with himself.

I think she likes him.
I said, thinking about the way she put herself between us.
She’s easier on him than me.

Heven poked me in the ribs
. You have an advantage over him in the strength department.

I laughed.
She doesn’t look at me the way she does him.

Thank goodness.

I looked over at her, admiring her shining blond hair and the way it fell over her blue eyes. “I’ve been thinking about the Dream Walker.”

She winced like just the mention of it made her head hurt. It probably did. “What about him?”

I pulled her close, my lips hovering just above hers as the chemistry between us spiked… there… I snapped my eyes up to hers and she gasped, her hand coming up to her throat.

“It’s him,” she said, realizing what I was showing her. “The Dream Walker is what you have been sensing inside me. It’s why you have the urge to shift when you’re with me sometimes.”

I pulled back and nodded. “I think so.”

“It makes sense.” She laughed.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because it means that it wasn’t me!”

“I never thought it was you in the first place,” I answered, shaking my head. I should have realized she would think that it was her.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, bouncing with her happiness. I hugged her back with a chuckle. Gemma was waving at us and Heven pulled back and walked over. She didn’t waste any time on small talk.

“Can you go to the InBetween?”

Gemma didn’t seem to mind the abrupt question. “Sure.”

“Could you take me with you?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I think my dad’s there.”

Gemma shook her head, and beside her, Cole stiffened at the mention of his father. “Can’t be.”

“Why?”

“The InBetween is a temporary place that people who die pass through. No one ever stays there.”

“But I heard him.” Tears swam in her eyes and she blinked them back. Cole crossed his arms over his chest, frowning.

“Did you see him?” Gemma asked.

Heven shook her head and I took her hand, offering quiet support.

“He was probably on the other side. In Heaven. He wouldn’t be able to get to the InBetween unless a Celestial, like Airis, brought him.”

“Could you bring him?”

“I can’t go into Heaven. Fallen angel, remember?”

“Oh.”

“Ask Airis to bring him.”

“She shipped us out of there fast when she realized I heard him yelling. She doesn’t want me to see him.”

“Then she must have a good reason. You can trust Airis.”

It was hard to accept that.

“You saw him?” Cole asked Heven, his voice low. “Why were you there, in the InBetween?” I was a little surprised he didn’t want to know more about their father. Of course, Cole has kind of made it clear that he didn’t consider Heven’s father his true dad.

To spare Heven a drawn-out explanation that would only upset her; I gave Cole a quick, but thorough, overview of everything that happened from the last time we last saw him, even explaining about the Dream Walker. When I explained about their father, he drew Heven in for a hug.

“Sorry you had to go through that,” Cole whispered.

“I would have loved just a few minutes with him.” Heven’s voice was muffled against his shirt.

“At least you know he’s safe and well somewhere,” Cole told her.

She pulled back and studied his face. “You’re not upset?”

He shrugged. “I’m upset you’re upset.”

Heven pulled back and straightened her shirt and hair. “I’ll be all right.” Obviously Heven had been hoping for a little more reaction from Cole.

“I’m sorry,” he said, frowning, realizing that his reaction wasn’t what she was wanting.

Heven shook her head. “It’s okay, I should have realized…”

“So you have a Dream Walker in your head?” Gemma asked, changing the subject. I was glad for it.

I nodded. “I’m going to try and get it out.”

“You should do it soon. The longer it’s there, the stronger the hold.”

I could practically hear a clock ticking in my head with urgency. “Considering we are leaving for Italy tomorrow, I’m going to do it tonight.”

Heven seemed a little green at the idea and I felt a twinge of pain in the back of my skull, so I knew that her head was throbbing.

“Good luck,” Gemma said.

Yes, tonight. I had no choice but to get that thing out tonight. I might not know what to do to help my brother, but this, this I could do.

I would do it. Failure was just not an option.

Heven

Another training session. Two in one day. I guess I should have known there would be another one when this morning’s seemed so short. Both Sam and Cole didn’t seem to mind at all. They even appeared to enjoy it and put all they had into it. They were covered in sweat and dirt by the time Gemma was done with them. I paid attention, trying to learn something, but it seemed like an arduous session and as we were packing up I asked her why.

“It’s because you are leaving for Italy tomorrow,” Gemma explained.

“You think there is going to be trouble?” I whispered, putting my back to the boys and looking squarely at her.

“You don’t?”

My shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I do.”

Gemma nodded. “Just keep your eyes open and your guard up. You’ll be all right.”

“Thank you,” I said, sincerely and laid my hand on her arm. She paused in packing up her bow and arrow. She looked down at my hand on her arm.

“Sorry,” I said and pulled it away.

“I haven’t been close to anyone in a very long time.”

“Then why would you help us?”

“Because you remind me of me a very long time ago,”

“Me?” I choked. I couldn’t imagine Gemma as ever being as weak as I.

She smiled, but then turned serious. “I’d like to see things turn out differently for you than they did for me.”