Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1) (15 page)

“Lucas … hey … are you with us?” Nonie asked.

Lucas snapped back into the moment and laughed away his ponderings.

“Sorry … yeah.”

“We were talking about the touch football game this Saturday. I asked if you want to go grab something to eat before we go?”

His thoughts gunned toward Gabby. He’d asked her on a date, and she’d said yes. But that was
before
.

“Can I get back to you on that, Nee?”

She smiled a knowing kind of smile.

“No problem.” She dropped it and changed the subject.

He would talk to Gabby tomorrow whether she liked it or not. Somehow, he was going to remove whatever it was that was in their way. He wanted to be near her again, hold her hand again, hear her voice and the sound of her laugh again—to have a first kiss.

I want that date.

Chapter Nineteen

Gabrielle ~ Hear Hear

Gabrielle and Phalen ended up staying the night at Mareschall Castle. It was fairly quiet. Most of Grayson’s family was at their safe-haven in British Columbia or training young Shifters—which meant they were in the human realm.

There was little rest for Gabrielle, though, even with the marvelously overstuffed feather bed. As the sun teased at night’s shadows, she took a shower and made her way to the kitchen.

She didn’t expect anyone to be up at this hour, so she was surprised when she came through the archway separating the dining room from the kitchen to see Phalen staring out one of the castle’s many oversized windows. Grayson’s ancestors, who built Mareschall, certainly did so with the intention of being able to see the breathtaking scenery of Corstorphine even while indoors.

“Well, good morning,” Gabrielle said. “What has you up so early?”

Phalen turned toward her.

And there it was, the purple bubble.

“Phalen, seriously, I’m going to have to take that stuff away from you. It’s getting both scary and a bit annoying,” she teased, then started to make coffee.

“I’ll give up gum, if you give up sugar.”

Gabrielle shot her a look that said
no way
and continued to make one of her favorite beverages.

“I didn’t think so.” Phalen turned her attention back to the scenery outside. “I had to see if the sunrise was as magnificent as the sunset. Look at it Gabrielle … it’s unreal. Will you bring me back someday?”

“If you’re sent to Earth and granted the time to do it, you can come without me if you’ve been here once.
If
you can manage to remember its name.”

“
Really
? Fantastic.” Phalen was still admiring the mix of purple, magenta, yellow, and pink painted across the sky. Not just the area where the sun was rising. The colors were showing the glory of the coming day over the entire expanse, completely erasing night. Phalen suddenly glanced at Gabrielle. “You keep referring to having to remember the name, Corstorphine. Why? Is there a reason I might not?”

“Yes.” Gabrielle joined her at the window. It certainly was something to behold, Corstorphine invited into another day by the sun—by Yahuwah. She sighed happily. “Corstorphine, and all Shifter realms, are enchanted. When someone other than a Shifter enters, it remembers them. But if you don’t remember
it
—its name and its beauty—it won’t allow you to re-enter.”

“Okay … but, why wouldn’t I remember?”

“Because it makes those who aren’t of Shifter blood work for it. Just as there’s an enchantment that protects their realms from allowing someone unknown from gaining access to their lands, there’s another that causes a non-shifter to forget it as soon as they leave. That includes us and any who have Divine blood. Because as we know … having Divine blood doesn’t always equal good intentions.”

“What do I have to do to remember it?”

“Take a special, vivid memory of the realm with you. Picture that image in your mind as you repeat the name continually when you leave to re-enter the human realm.”

“Sounds easy enough.”

Gabrielle laughed, catching Phalen off-guard.

“It does sound easy, doesn’t it? Yahuwah wouldn’t have created an easy enchantment, though. Especially if it’s to safe-guard the protectors of, and messengers to, humans who have served him so loyally for more years than you have been alive.”

“Gotcha.” Phalen said.

Gabrielle turned and walked back to the coffee that smelled ready for her to make it a drinkable dessert. “As you’re
trying
to remember the name and your picture of the realm, you’ll be bombarded by other images and names. Many of our brethren have not been able to take one or both back with them to the other side. You have to have both to re-enter, repeating the name and seeing the memory in your mind, as you come through the veil. You’ll be tested just as thoroughly, but once you’ve done it a few times, it gets easier. I have a suspicion your mind is searched for your intentions, but I’ve never had that confirmed.” Gabrielle laughed lightly as they sat at the table. “It’s like the realm is a jealous mistress who expects your loyalty and appreciation of her beauty, and once she feels she has it, she eases up on you but is forever suspicious of betrayal.”

“Have you ever forgotten?” Phalen asked as they sat at the table.

“No, but it doesn’t mean it still can’t happen. I take the enchantment very seriously, and so should you. Even if you come for years like me, never take it lightly. You might really need to get here one day, but if you forget, you will never be able to get back unless someone brings you.”

“Is that why I didn’t have to know it coming in, because you knew it?”

“Yes.”

“Tellin’ Lady Phalen of our trickery, I see,” Grayson said as he walked into the kitchen all smiles and full of energy, if his demeanor and gait told a true tale.

“Good morning, Grayson,” Gabrielle said as she stood and greeted him with a hug. “Yes, I was.”

“Good. I’d like the Lady to visit anytime she can. I quite enjoy a good opponent in archery. Ye’ll come and compete with me again sometime, I hope.” Grayson was now hugging Phalen who had also stood to meet their host.

After they’d had their meeting the day before, Phalen and Grayson took turns trying to outshoot the other one on the archery range while Gabrielle watched, keeping score and the peace. Those two needed a referee, for sure. They were closely matched although Phalen’s full Divine abilities outshone Grayson’s slightly less Divine ones. While Shifters had Divine blood, and therefore some Divine abilities and powers, they had human blood, too. Part Divine, part human, and part something Gabrielle wasn’t sure about. From what Grayson had told her, the Shifters weren’t absolutely sure either. Whatever it was made them what they were—shape shifters. Messengers for Yahuwah. Protectors of humans.

“It would be my pleasure, Grayson.” Phalen responded.

Gabrielle brought an additional cup of coffee to the table. “I believe I remember from last night how you like your coffee, but I might be off a little on the sugar.”

Grayson took a sip and smiled. “Perfect, m’lady. Thank ye. I could get accustomed to this kind of treatment.”

“I’m sure you have scores of ladies vying for the opportunity to treat you better than
this
.” Gabrielle teased.

“True, true. But none that will put up with me bein’ away so much.”

“The price of being your people’s leader,” Phalen commented.

“Yes, Lady Phalen, ‘tis.”

Sadness ghosted Grayson’s face but vanished quickly. Gabrielle put her hand on his, silently praying that one day soon he would find a woman deserving of such a fine man, and that their hearts and lives would become so enmeshed they would never want to part.

Grayson looked at her as though he knew and gave a nod and a smile.

“So, m’lady, what will ye be doin’ now? What’s yer next move?” He asked Gabrielle.

“Keep trying to find out more about the Book. And if it
is
real and out there somewhere, get my hands on it before any of the Fallen do … especially Ramai.” Gabrielle took a sip of her coffee. “That, and keep trying to win this war.”

“Ahh, yes, the war. What will ye do when the war is over?”

“Assuming we win, I’ll find a remote beach and take a
really
long vacation. Assuming we don’t … well, that’s something I don’t even want to think about.”

“Gabrielle,” Phalen jumped in, “do you really think it’s possible we’ll lose?”

There was an edge of curiosity and fear in Phalen’s voice that matched her expression. Gabrielle wished she had seen as little of the war as Phalen. Even though angels don’t age, not like humans, what Gabrielle had seen humanity reduced to over the last thousand years, and the rate they’d declined in just the past hundred and fifty, made her feel so old—so tired.

“Yes, I do think it’s possible. Frighteningly so.”

“It seemed we were winning not so long ago. What happened?” Phalen asked.

“The Fallen.”

“But they’ve been around, well, basically forever. Why are they such an issue now compared to, say, fifty years ago?”

“I think I can answer that one, Lady Phalen. Faith. Er, should I say the lack thereof? Humans don’t care anymore. They don’t pay attention to signs; they don’t stop to see the miracles and beauty around them every day; they don’t believe in anything but their computers, their money, and their instant gratification. They don’t know what’s truly important anymore, and they believe things are what brings them happiness. But it doesn’t. It makes them step further away from what really will make them happy, and that kind of happiness can’t be bought.”

“He’s right, Phalen. Add to that the influence the Fallen can have on the minds of those with weakened spirits, which is a rapidly growing number, and demons are having the time of their lives.”

The conversation fell into quiet. There was no sound for a long time except for the birds doing their part to help wake the world, and an occasional sip from a cup and then that cup being placed back on the table.

“Well,” Phalen said as she raised her drink to Gabrielle and Grayson, “here’s to hoping they come to their senses.”

“Hear, hear, Lady Phalen. Hear, hear.”

“I’ll toast to that.” Gabrielle raised her cup to theirs.

“Now, would ye beautiful angels like to chase away these gloomy thoughts with a bit of fruit and cheese, as well as some homemade biscuits and jam? I’ve learned to make some excellent jam o’er the years.”

“Sounds great. But then we’ll have to leave your beautiful Corstorphine, I’m afraid,” Gabrielle said as she freshened up everyone’s coffee.

“Do we really, Gabrielle?”

“Don’t make me feel worse than I already do about it. I don’t want to go any more than you do.”

She didn’t.

She’d like to stay right where she was, with one old friend and one new one, in this beautiful place called Corstorphine, in wonderful Mareschall Castle that was somehow cozier with all its stone than most people’s homes, and forget the realm of humans. She felt safer from stress and bad moods in that moment than she had in more years than she wanted to remember.

She wanted to stay for a while …

… she wanted to rest.

Chapter Twenty

Gabrielle ~ Persistence Pays

Phalen was quite happy when she managed to make it out of Corstorphine with both its name and her memory of what was most special to her, which was the sunrise with its vibrant colors that spanned the entirety of the sky.

Gabrielle had so enjoyed seeing Grayson and hated leaving him and Corstorphine more than any other visit. Every day, things were getting more worrisome and much more dangerous for any on the side of Light. And, even though Shifters are well protected in their own realms, the human realm was becoming more treacherous all the time—and they spent a lot of time in it. She found herself increasingly concerned that she might not ever see him again.

She arrived after the last bell for first period sounded so she wouldn’t run into Lucas. She was glad she did when she saw his Wrangler parked near the spot she usually took. He hadn’t parked in that lot in three weeks. Today, because of being late, she was well away from it.

She spent first period in her own world that mingled Shifters and humans, angels and demons, happy and sad, safe and dangerous, beautiful and ugly, Light and Dark. The life she lived was complicated and full of contrasts—and getting more complex all the time.

When class let out, she was the last to leave, in no hurry for her next class either. At least until she stepped into the hallway and Lucas stepped into her path.

“
Oh
. Excuse me.” Gabrielle tried to side-step him. He mirrored her movement. She tried the other direction, and he moved with her again.

“I guess you’re going to make me go the long way around.” She turned on her heel and tried to walk swiftly away from him. Swiftly ended up being a snail’s pace, though, since she seemed to be going against the direction of every other student in the hall.

Ugh …
seriously
!

“No, Gabby. I wasn’t trying to make you go the long way around. I was
trying
to get you to talk to me,” Lucas said to the back of her head, following her.

“Lucas, I don’t think this is the time or place.”

Lucas grabbed Gabrielle’s arm to stop her, forcing her to look at him.

Gabrielle jerked free, shoving him back with her free hand in the process. Suddenly, the students gave her a wide berth. “Don’t. Ever. Grab me like that again. Understand?” Gabrielle spoke as calmly as possible, trying to contain a very bad mood that was being made much worse at that moment. She glared at Lucas, but he didn’t back down. He walked back toward her, but his expression was soft, apologetic.

“I’m sorry. I just want to talk with you.”

“Trying to force me isn’t something I’d recommend.”

“Then tell me when it will be a good time, and name the place. We need to talk.”

Gabrielle just stared into his unwavering eyes—those damn eyes that still made her want to get lost in them. In spite of her anger, she almost broke. But the memory of him and Mara hanging all over each other came roaring into her mind and brought any chance Lucas had of getting her to talk to him to a crashing end.

“Why don’t you ask Mara what works for her schedule and get back to me? You two seem to have more to chat about than we do.”

She didn’t wait for a response, just turned and found a break in the crowd. As she reached the stairs, she couldn’t help but look back at him. He stood where she’d left him, students flowing around him, with the strangest look on his face. She turned and raced to her next class—raced away from him.

And tried to race away from the tears now stinging the back of her human eyes.

Gabrielle managed to avoid Lucas at lunch, but the class they shared was another story. She’d arrived late, on purpose, hoping to have no communication with him. But Lucas had other plans. The only seat left was right behind him. Throughout class, he kept turning around whenever the teacher turned his back. And unfortunately for Gabrielle, said teacher was called to the office to take an emergency phone call.

Lucas was all over that opportunity. “What did you mean about Mara?”

“Lucas …
really
. I don’t want to talk to you about this.”

“Tough, Gabby. I deserve to know why you’re avoiding me. What did I do?”

Lucas looked genuinely confused, shaking Gabrielle’s resolve. Again … those eyes weren’t helping matters at all.

“Not talking.”

“You will. Eventually, I am going to get you to tell me what happened.”

Gabrielle felt heat begin to flood through her body and her hands clench as anger began to rise to the surface again. Who was he to try to force her into a conversation?

“
Fine
,” Gabrielle said through clenched teeth as she began to gather her things. By this time, even though they were whispering, all eyes and ears were on them. It didn’t help that she wasn’t being quiet while putting her things in her backpack and made sure that the book, notebook, and pen made as much noise as was possible by fiercely stuffing them into place. “Three weeks ago, I saw you more than a little chummy with Mara walking into the gym.
Happy?
”

She couldn’t say more, no matter how mad she was. She couldn’t tell him that what was even worse was that she didn’t know if he was a demon.

Lucas sat back a little, then brought his body forward again as he spoke. “Gabby, you’ve got that all wrong. I know what it must have looked like to you, but you
are
wrong.”

Gabrielle didn’t respond. She didn’t even look to see if there was any sincerity in his eyes to match his tone. She just left. She didn’t care about the class or that she wasn’t supposed to leave.

What could they do, anyway, call my
parents
?

After making it into the hallway, thinking she made it to freedom, she heard the door to the class open again and Lucas calling to her.

“Gabby, wait!”

She didn’t

“Gabby!”

She walked faster.

“
Gabrielle!
”

That got her attention.

His voice—the tone—it was melodic again, much more melodic than she’d ever heard it sound before. His voice was like …

Like an angel’s.

She turned to face him, scrutinizing him, raising the veil in her mind, careful to leave the Aegis in place. She wasn’t willing to test Amaziah’s patience by removing his protection. Lucas’s tone wouldn’t have any effect on her; she was an angel. She simply recognized it. But it could have a profound effect on a human, allowing the one speaking the ability to induce strong persuasion if it was used for that purpose.

“Who are you, Lucas?
What
are you?”

He looked stunned but kept moving toward her—more slowly now.

“What do you mean?”

“
I mean, what are you
? The sound of your voice. Knowing a language you should never have known.” Gabrielle must have looked like she was peeling back his layers to find the answer herself. “
Who
are you?”

He was less than a foot away. Lord help her she wanted to touch him so badly. He just stared at her. She could almost see his mind searching for a response, desperately trying to find the answer. He couldn’t find one, she could see that.

Whatever,
whoever
, he is … he
honestly
doesn’t know what I’m talking about.

Now …
she
was stunned.

“Gabby, I’m clueless. The language thing … I’ve always been a natural at foreign languages. What makes that
one
so special? Why couldn’t I have known it or have heard it somewhere before?”

Realizing she couldn’t tell him the answer unless she told him who and what
she
was, she turned and ran from him. For the second time that day.

As Gabrielle made her way to her car at the end of the school day, she was lost in thought about her exchange with Lucas. She was now sure that there was something very unusual about him. But she was also convinced he was at a loss as to whatever it was.

Looking up from the ground, she stopped. Lucas was leaning against her car. She’d left her last class early specifically so this wouldn’t happen, but there he was anyway. Now that he was there, she realized her resolve had weakened. She started walking again, shaking her head.

“Boy, you don’t give up, do you?”

“Nope.”

She reached him and leaned against his Wrangler, now conveniently parked next to hers.

“What’s left to say, Lucas?”

“For starters, I should have a chance to tell you what really happened that morning you saw me with Mara. And I think there’s a little something to talk about now concerning what you were asking me a couple of hours ago.”

He had her on the last one at least. She’d opened that can of worms right up, and she needed to buy some time to figure out how to put the lid back on. If he really didn’t know what he was, there was no need to freak him out more than he probably already was. Now there was also the little problem of not being able to tell him who and what she was so she could explain further about his voice and language.

“Okay, Lucas. But not here.”

Lucas looked relieved, even smiled a little. “Sure … where do you want to go?”

Good question.

After thinking on it a few seconds, Gabrielle decided it would be safe enough to go to her house. An angel would notice a human’s energy, so there wouldn’t be surprise manifestations.

“How about my house?”

“I’ll follow you.”

As they pulled out of the school lot and made their way toward her house, all she could think about was Lucas and what he might be and how she could explain away her concerns about it without telling him everything.