Death Knows My Name (Memory Keepers) (26 page)

Chapter 22

“Is the first loss the hardest?” Anya asked me as she sat between Devon and me. We decided to go tell her next but we’d give her plenty of time to make her decision by visiting the rest of the keepers before getting hers. If luck was on our side, maybe we could have years before she really had to make her choice. If things got to be too much, we’d hopefully still have enough. In order for her to make the best decision for her, I had to give her my answer to her question.

I thought about my first loss and then of those afterwards. “I guess it depends on the person and the perspective. My first was my parents, then my brother, and then—”

“Then Uncle Dante.”

I nodded. “Yes, then Uncle Dante.” She had never met Dante but she has always called him Uncle because he was Devon’s brother and she has always known Devon. I widened my eyes as I realized something. She has always called Dante uncle, but never has she called Devon that. She always called him D. Just D. I looked at Devon who had an arm around Anya and she snuggled into his armpit just as I used to do with my dad. They knew. Both of them knew all this time and I was the only one who didn’t. I narrowed my eyes in a glare directed at Devon. All this time I thought D was short for Devon, but I really should have known better.

Becca would not be okay with Anya calling an adult something so casual. D didn’t stand for his name at all. That would also explain why Devon went ballistic when he found out that Anya was one of us and when he found out I hadn’t told him she lost her friends in a crash. He really should have told me. He is my niece’s father. I should know that!

If my eyes shot daggers, Devon would be bloody Swiss cheese. I cringed at my gross analogy. But, like Devon has been telling me, everything was not about me, so I had to push my injustice aside and be there for Anya.

“I guess the first loss is the easiest because on one hand you have no idea what is coming next. You think, okay, this is it. Everybody dies and sometimes tragedy happens. You have a healthy amount of grief and you think it’s done. But on the other hand it’s the worst because it’s the first brush with our own immortality.”

“This sucks, you know that, Auntie?”

“Yes, it most definitely sucks big sweaty—”

“Mayne!” Devon barked, cutting me off.

“Balls!” Anya finished for me.

“
Anastasia
!” Devon said in exasperation. He glared at me. “You are a bad influence on people. You should be forced into seclusion.”

“I can actually arrange that and enjoy doing so.” Eric joined the conversation, slipping his arms around my waist, helping me from the bed, and gently tugging me back against him. Oh, I bet he would enjoy secluding me. I grinned wickedly.

“Dude, you aren’t helping.”

“I could have added elephant balls but I just offered you my help,” Eric said with a shrug.

“You have been around Mayne too long.”

Eric smiled and I laughed.

“Is that a bad thing?” I asked, but before he could answer, I added, “We’re going to give you two sometime alone to talk.”

I grabbed Eric’s hand and tugged him out the door, closing it behind me.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I hissed at Eric as soon as I had the door shut.

“Tell you what? What’s going on?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know. You knew. You knew that Devon was Anya’s dad and you didn’t tell me.”

Eric drew his brows together. “I didn’t know I was supposed to.”

“What? Are you serious right now? Sheesh. Next time you are in doubt, just tell me.”

“We really have more important issues. Who do we go to next?” Eric shook his head as he scolded me in exasperation.

I really didn’t know. “Since you know these people better than I do, I’m going to leave that up to your judgment.”

“Do you want the hardest first?”

I sighed. “Let’s rotate, bad first then the next one an easier one. I am sure none of them are going to be easy.”

“You are correct. It’s not going to be like Devon or even Anya. It’s going to be very difficult. Some of these people have been through more than even you have, so there will be anger. Are you sure you want to do this?”

I hugged him. “I think it’s too late now.”

Devon, Eric, and I stood in between the shelves of a crowded books store peering out from the books, spying on a stunningly beautiful blonde with the greenest eyes I had ever seen. Her highlighted hair shimmered indoors and she found a way to touch the strands often. I didn’t blame her. If I had hair that perfect I’d do the same.

Devon was one second from drooling. I rolled my eyes. I admitted to myself that she made me feel insecure, but that admission did not leave my head.

“Hey, Dev, want to close your mouth? I really do not want to bust my ass on the puddle of spit you are making when I walk over there.”

“Are you crazy? I am handling this one.” Devon straightened his shirt in preparation.

“No way. We are trying to woo this girl not dry hump her. You two stay here,” I commanded the guys.

“Why me?” Eric asked, confused.

“Do you see her? No way do I want you near her. She is smokin’ hot and I am not crazy.” So maybe I did let the insecurity leave my head.

“I have seen Lily numerous times. You have nothing to worry about. You naked is like every prayer answered, a miracle. This is saying a lot, me being from Heaven and all.” Eric pulled me close to him by the loop of my pants.

“Aw, really? That’s sweet. You’re still staying over here.”

I made my way over to where Lily sat skimming through the books on horse breeding we had watched her pick up. All the things I could say ran through my head but none of it helped. What do you say in a situation like this?

“Hi, can I sit here?” Okay it was lame, but it’s a start.

“Sure.” She nudged a few books out of the way. “Have at it.” She flipped a lock of golden hair over her shoulder and I think I went lesbian for point five seconds.

I sat down. “I’m Mayne. This is going to sound weird, but have you had a lot of people in your life die?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know, have you had an abnormal amount of people die? Even those you have met for a brief moment but for some reason they had a huge impact on your life, huger than should be normal?”

“Okay, you are insane.” She pushed her chair back from the table to stand.

“Yes, it is insane, only, I’ve lived it, too. That is my experience and up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea why. Now I do. It is not your fault. This is not a curse. This life is something that’s been inflicted on us. It is a horrible fate but it’s for a very important reason, and now we can have a choice in the matter.” I took a deep breath. There, it was out there, no matter how insane it sounded, and I admit, it did sound insane.

The blonde sat back hard in her chair. “If you are about to tell me that there is a battle against good and evil for my soul, like a bad horror movie, I am going to punch you.”

“Well, the Bible tells us that so there really isn’t any need for me to say it.”

She laughed. She had one of those laughs that demanded attention and that you join her. “You really are insane, you know that?”

“I’ve been told that before, so yeah, I do.” I settled back against the chair. “Okay, so stop beating around the bush. Do you want to ask me any questions or do you need me to say more?”

“No, you have said enough.” Her tone was unreadable.

“What do you have to say?”

She shook her head. “Is it really a choice? Unless I can choose not to be what I am and get all the people back that I’ve lost so far, there really is no point, is there?”

“I know what you’re saying, but do you want to lose more?”

Her eyes met mine. “Death is a part of life. If I say
no
, will everyone around me stop dying?”

“You won’t meet people just so they can die!” I looked around making sure I hadn’t drawn too much attention with my raised voice.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked me, sincerity dripping all over the question.

“I can’t answer that. I have my own issues, I don’t even know what I would do if I were you.” I answered with my own sincerity.

“Can I ask you what you are going to do?”

I rested my elbows on the table in front of me. “Wow, I never really thought about it. I don’t think I have a choice. I have my entire life riding on the outcome, it seems. I am invested in enough of us saying
yes
to this life. I’d be a hypocrite if I chose not to live it, wouldn’t I?”

“Then be a hypocrite. Otherwise, this entire choice thing is a damn joke.” She stood up and flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “I’m in.” She walked away.

She stopped and then called back to me. “It’s all I know.”

I had asked Eric for the hardest one first, and it went freaking great.
Hot damn, if that’s hard, bring on the easy.

That was the wrong request. At the next stop, I had random household items thrown at me. So much for easy. I guess some people don’t like random people who introduce themselves as Death and two Memory Keepers. That was just the tip of the iceberg. By the time we got to the end of the list, I was beyond discouraged. My last hope of not hanging my future over Anya’s head was, of all places, lying in the ICU at Vermont General Hospital.

I was not concerned with him dying, but the No Visitor thing was a complication. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was fall into bed with the man I love for what just might be our last night together. Then he would be gone, and worse, I wouldn’t remember why my soul felt so unfinished.

Eric held me close as he traveled us to the ICU floor just as a flat line alarm signal went off. Doctors and nurses rushed past the corner we had appeared in and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach just as Eric’s body went rigid.

“Eric, what’s—”

“Something’s—”

“Wrong,” we both finished.

We looked at each other, our eyes meeting, mine brown and his rich amber. Our heads snapped toward the flat line alarm.

“Stay here.”

“Like hell!”

Eric materialized before my eyes.

“No fair,” I murmured to the empty spot where he stood just seconds before. “Cheater.” I darted from the corner and ran down the hall where the last nurse to arrive to the room stopped me.

“Ma’am, you can’t be in here.”

“You have to save him,” I demanded.

Looking over the nurse’s shoulder, I saw Eric standing by my fellow Memory Keeper’s bed with a look of confusion on his face.

The nurse turned and left, closing the door on me. I peeked through the glass of the door to see a handful of grim faces. A nurse reached over and turned off a switch on a monitor and the high pitch steady beep stopped.

My eyes found Eric again. He shook his head and vanished, appearing beside me. “He’s gone, Mayne.”

“What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know.”

“How the fuck did he die?” My voice was just shy of a shout.

“I don’t know. He was already gone before I got there.”

“Don’t you have to take him somewhere?”

“His soul wasn’t there. He died soulless.” Eric’s voice sounded cold.

“Are you okay?” I put my hand on his shoulder.

His head turned to look at me slowly. “He didn’t have a soul, Mayne, someone took it.”

“Who would . . .? Valience!”

“He must have been shadowing us. Who knows how he has interfered.”

“Damn it. Is that why I am losing? I really want to kick his ass. He just murdered an innocent guy just to stop me, to stop us from being together. This is my fault.”

Eric shook his head. “No. This is his fault. He chose to kill. He is now against God. It will be him to pay, and trust me, he will pay.”

Chapter 23

We met up with Devon outside of the hospital. “Well, what happened?” he asked. “Did we get a
yes
?”

“The guy died,” I whispered.

“What? How? I thought we couldn’t die until our duty was done. Was he done?”

“No, he wasn’t. He was murdered.”

“How do you kill a Memory Keeper?” Devon asked, obviously baffled.

“There is a list of each of your true names. Memory Keepers all get a true name from God and not your parents because your life is a bit more intricate than others are.”

“What now?” I squeaked.

“Who is next on the list?”

“He was it, the last on the list and one shy of my goal. I needed him.”

Eric pulled me close. “We will fight it. We had interference.”

“No we can’t prove it! I don’t want to break my agreement. I agreed to the deal.”

Devon spoke. “We still have Anya.”

I shook my head. “No, I can’t do that to her. I am not hanging this over her head. She’ll think she has to say
yes
to make us happy.”

“She has had time already to think it over. Her decision may already be made. Let’s just go see what it is,” Devon said rationally.

“Devon, no. I am not okay with that.”

“We have to go. Now.” Eric broke in, his voice harder than I ever heard it.

“Where?” I asked in confusion.

“Anya—”

“I said no—”

“Mayne, Valience is out to stop you and most likely has been one step ahead of us sabotaging this entire thing. He now knows Anya is the last Memory Keeper and she alone is capable of saving us. What do you think he is going to do?”

It was Devon’s turn to turn steely. “He is going to remove that last opportunity.”

“But I would never put it all on her,” I reasoned.

“It’s Valience, he won’t understand the compassion of that. He may not even be capable of it. All he truly understands is what he would do for his cause.”

“Let’s go.” I grabbed Devon’s hand as Eric wrapped his arm around my waist. Devon and I closed our eyes without Eric having to tell us.

We rushed into the living room to find the furniture overturned and thrown about haphazardly. Shit. This did not look good. I scrambled up the steps calling my sister’s name. I received no answer.

“Eric, check the kitchen.”

“No. I am not going to leave you alone.”

“Devon—”

“Nope, I am with Eric here. I am not going to let you wander around a vandalized house by yourself.”

“Ok, fine! Come on. Let’s go to the girls’ room.”

They nodded, and Devon added, “Fine, but please stop broadcasting where we are.”

Eric smirked so I knew he agreed with Devon. The smirk fell from his face as soon as we entered the room.

Valience held Anya by her throat. Her feet kicked at the air, struggling to find the ground.

“Holy shit!” I started forward until Eric grabbed me around the waist.

“Let her go now.” Eric’s voice was low but promised danger.

Valience’s ice-blue eyes found mine. “I warned you.”

“What?” I was in shocked panic. My heart raced. It was a struggle to keep my eyes on his and not on my niece.

“I warned you what I was willing to do.”

My body tensed in Eric’s hold. “No, I think you need to think about what you are doing. Please, just let her go. It’s not worth it. You have lost who you are.”

Valience barked a humorless laugh. “I kill. That’s who I am.”

“No, you do God’s will. This is not it. God and I had a deal. You are going against him and all you stand for.”

I saw something flicker in Valience’s eyes. I couldn’t be sure if it was realization or shame. I needed him to let Anya go. I saw his grip loosen by a mere inch. I was almost there. I was making way into his cold, evil, darken heart.

“Fuck this.” Devon started across the room, but Eric beat him to Valience and yanked him from Anya with a snarl.

I hadn’t even felt him release me let alone seen him move away from me and across the room. Anya fell into Devon’s arms and he cradled her, pulling my niece and his daughter into him.

Devon took Anya out into the hallway. In a daze, I watched them leave. It was finally dawning on me. I was in a battle against an Angel, a cold and evil Angel who killed an innocent man and had almost succeeded in killing my niece. The room blurred. It felt as if I was mist in a room of solidness. Eric’s expansion again caused the room to fill smaller.

The sound of a guttural scream brought me back to life. Eric had forced Valience to his knees, and I realized it had been Valience’s scream of pain. I don’t know why it bothered me. Valience was evil and had shown no hint of compassion to anyone. But he also hadn’t been shown any either. Maybe compassion was a human trait. It was for us to receive and to give to one another. Ours alone and we hoarded it.

“Stop!” My voice surprised me and Eric’s face showed shock.

“Mayne? No.”

“I know what he was going to do. I hate him for what he has done and was trying to do. V was right, he did tell me what he was capable of for his people. He knew my limitations and he exploited them. I still cannot let you do this. I have seen Angels expelled from Heaven. It is horrible. I have seen the creatures they become lurking behind the veil—”

“Did he—?” Sorrow clouded his face.

“Outside of Eden. I lied when I said I was okay. The veil did tear. I can see glimpses of what lies there.”

“Damn it. You should have told me.”

“I know, but it was an accident. I was trying to protect Valience.” I turned to Valience. “She is a child, V, what were you thinking?”

“I am a monster! I told you that, only you tried to make me into something I am not, something I could never be. I am not—” He trailed off. “I can’t be anything other than what I am. I kill people. I’ve killed children, too.”

“And now you will pay for your crimes, Valience.” Eric spoke and Valience’s wings shot out in an explosion from his back. My breath caught in my throat.

“Crimes or commands, Ectain Edeck?”

“You have followed many of the hard commands for the 3-in-1, but this was not one of them. It will be punished.”

“I can’t let you take his wings. I just can’t,” I interjected into the conversation, tears stinging my eyes.

“Yes, you can, and you will.” Devon stepped into the room.

“Devon, you have no idea what Eric was about to do. You have no idea what that will mean to Valience.”

“No, but then again I really don’t care because I know what he was planning to do to my daughter!”

I tried to ignore Devon. I had no right to try to save Valience. Devon had every right to want this punishment. Yet, I still tried. As much as Valience and I fought at every meeting, I always thought I saw more. I knew what he was going to say earlier. He was going to say ‘I am not your friend.’ That is exactly what I thought we were. In a weird and damaged way, I thought we had some type of odd friendship. I had to keep offering him my compassion.

“Eric, do you know what expelling Lucifer from Heaven did to Michael? It almost killed him. I don’t want the same for you. I hate what Valience did and tried to do, but it’s all he knows. Besides, if you do this now you are no better than he is. There needs to be an order, right? Right!” My voice was shrill with desperation.

Eric nodded. “I will call Michael.”

I let out a heavy breath of relief. A chill tickled my skin and saw Valience’s icy blue eyes studying me with confusion.

Devon growled. “I don’t know why Mayne saved you or if it was even for you or for Eric. I wish this wasn’t the one moment in her entire life that she’d try to be selfless and mature, but she did and I trust her. But if I see you look at her one more time I will tear you apart myself.”

Valience turned his head away in a shocking act of compliance. He was still on his knees, even though Eric no longer held him. Eric had walked out of the room, or maybe he had left to go get Michael.

“Where is Anya? Did you call Becca?” I asked Devon.

“She was scared and tired so I put her in her parent’s bed,” Devon answered. His voice was cold as he continued. “Rebecca and Luke took Aurora to go skating because she was getting restless from being stuck in the house while she was sick.”

“Devon, I can explain.”

“Don’t. I am pissed right now and I am finding it hard not to hate you, but I am sure you have your reasons for putting this killer before your niece.”

I slapped Devon. I hate girls that slapped men, but I couldn’t help it. He deserved it. “If you ever say that to me again, Devon”—angry tears stung my eyes as I fought to hold them back—“all of this was for her. I did not have to do this. But it was me who watched her grow up. It was also me who she called when she experienced her first death, not you. I could have easily accepted knowing who I was and being with Eric without the risk of losing him and my memories. Do you know why I didn’t? Because of Anya. I took on Heaven and its Beast for her. I risked every bit of happiness I’ve had in life for Anya. So tell me again how I put anyone before her? Valience will get his punishment, but not the vigilante kind.

“He is a soldier of God, Devon. He may be lost now, but he deserves better than what you and Eric wanted to give him.” I stormed to the door and stopped. “You can stay and watch over him even though I don’t think he is going anywhere either way.”

I made my way to Rebecca’s room where Anya napped then crawled into bed with her and curled around her protectively. I’m not sure how long I was asleep, but I woke up to Eric softly shaking me awake.

“Michael is here. They are waiting for you in the living room. Dhylaka is cleaning up the girls’ room.” Eric spoke softly so as not to wake up Anya who still laid against me in the curvature of my body.

“Let’s go out into the hall so we don’t wake her,” I whispered.

“It’s okay, I have been up for a while now,” Anya croaked.

“Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat. No, does your throat hurt too bad? What can I do?” I fussed over her.

Eric chuckled but didn’t say anything. If he did, I most likely would have bitten his head off.

“I’m fine.” She put a hand to her throat and winced.

“I’m going to get you a warm towel and some hot tea with honey. Lay back down. Do you want Eric to sit with you? I could call Devon to wait with you.”

“Aunt Mayne, I’m fine. Stop doting.” She laid back. “You can take Uncle Eric with you, I will be fine alone.”

Eric shook his head. “I will stay.”

When I got back with a tray of snacks and warm tea, Anya’s eyes were closed, but when I walked through the door, she spoke.

“I decided to stay what I am by the way.”

“Anya, no. I mean, you really don’t have to.” I set the tray down and sat next to her.

“That’s just it. It does matter, or it should. This is what God wants me to be and it’s something I believe in. It’s important to me. Everybody should have someone to remember and care that they lived life. They deserve to know they left a mark on this world.” Anya took her tea.

Eric smiled. “That was the plan.”

Devon walked in. “They are waiting for the both of you. I’ll stay with Anya.”

“You guys do realize that you are treating me like a child, don’t you?”

Devon cocked a brow. “Hello, you are my child.”

She huffed.

Eric spoke next. “When you are as old as I am, everyone’s a child.”

“Oh, Anya! You got Eric to tell a joke! You must be something special,” I teased them both.

“Just like her aunt,” Eric purred softly in my ear.

I grinned. “We better go if we’re going to go at all.”

We walked into the living room and Michael stood beside Valience who stood tall staring at the wall.

“Mayne, Heaven apologizes for what has happened.”

I nodded, unsure of how to respond.

“We have decided that the task has been corrupted, so if you have fallen short it will not be held against you. It has come to our attention that we were”—he paused as if what he was about to say next had a sour taste—“wrong and had no right to try and control whom either of you could be involved with.”

“It’s fine, Archangel, I did not fail. So no worries.” Eric nudged me and Valience shook his head in what looked like solemn amusement. “I mean, thank you,” I amended.

“What are we going to do about the lost Memory Keeper? How are we going to make sure that it can never happen again, Michael?” Eric spoke.

“I have rounded up all the lists and destroyed them. All of them but one. At a later time we can decide who will keep the list.”

“Why don’t you keep the list, Archangel? I think we can all say we trust you. When it’s time, you can give the name of the Keeper to Eric to be called. Is that possible?”

Michael looked at Eric. “Ectain Edeck, is that fine with you?”

Eric nodded. “It actually sounds like the best way to handle the situation.”

Michael nodded. “Gabriel will bring it to the 3-in-1 as you have said it and it will be as that.”

He took Valience’s arm as he turned to leave. Dhylaka was at Michael’s side.

I called out. “What is going to happen to him?” I couldn’t not ask.

“He will not hurt anyone again,” Michael said coolly.

Eric grabbed my hand as I went toward them. I stopped but still asked, “Will he be hurt?” I’m sure everyone heard the concern in my voice.

Valience jerked from Michael’s grip and Eric growled at the same time Michael reached for his sword. Dhylaka stopped Michael, though I saw rage tighten her face.

“It’s okay, he will not hurt me,” I assured them, and Valience stood in front of me.