My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (19 page)

"Morning run?" I ask a stirring Lexi.

"Sure if you make me some coffee first."

"Done."  I set a steaming cup down next to her.

"That's why I love you."

"You're welcome."

Its quiet out for a Saturday morning. I am thrilled that Lexi will occasionally go running with me. As an ex-cheer captain
, she's a highly motivated type of person. She keeps up with me pace for pace.

"So any updates on the whole Sam situation?"

"Not yet, but the whole Elijah dilemma is breaking headlines."

"Well what are you waiting on? Fill me in." We run alongside the serene Charles River as the air around us finally begins to warm. The crew team is practicing out on the water. Lexi and I both lose our gaze over their rhythmic pulls.

"He's back. I don't know for how long, but he's back. He's changed a little, the time he's spent over there has humbled him. He used to be so cocky all the time, in a good way. Well in a way that was absolutely edible. But now he's filled with all of these emotions he doesn't know what to do with."

"Girl, you know you need to go with my way of life. No boyfriends, only dating. Open and honest."

"Have you ever been in love Lexi?"

“Sadly, only lust
,” she giggles out.

“So if you fell in love, then how would your, “dating only” rule play out?
”

“He’d eventually ask me to marry him and then I would stop dating anyone but him.”

“What if both of them wanted to marry you?”

“Maybe I’d give polygamy an effort but seriously Brennen, you already know which one you would choose.”

“I’ve already made my choice. I’m with Sam and that’s the end of it.”

With that
, I pick up the pace and let the northern wind clear my mind of this fiasco.

We slow down when we hit the entrance to the yard
, and walk back to Grays. Waiting for me on the steps is Elijah. I smooth my fly-aways back and suddenly remember I’m not breathing. I take a gasping breath before introducing them. “Lexi, I’d like you to meet Elijah.”

Elijah extends his hand out, but Lexi is frozen in awe. I bump her elbow and she touches back down to earth for a moment, flustered.

“Lexi, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Oh, it’s nice to put a face to a name that’s for sure.” She turns and mouths the words,
oh my God
, to me before entering the building. I forget the effect he has on other people. Who am I kidding? My brain thinks the same thing every single time I see him.

“I was just going to let you know that while you are in Amorous sorting things out, I’m going to go back, so that I don’t raise any suspicions. I don’t want you to worry.” Elijah shoves his hands into the pocket of his pea coat. I imagine it’s to quell the urge to reach out to me, like my body longs to do right now.

“I’ll always worry about you.”

A glimmer of hope sparkles in his eyes. “Be safe,” I add, and my body wins the battle nestling into his chest without a second thought. I give him a quick hug and bound up the stairs before I have the chance to change my mind.

*~*~*

Jesson strolls into the office and we all surround the oracle. "Can you play it in slow motion so we can gather every clue possible?"  I ask. My mother waves her hand over the magic ball of crazy, and a scene plays out on board a plane. Each row has a family. The mother, father and one child. That's unusual.

"Look there, that little boy is bald and so is that girl." Some of the children have hair. "This has to be some kind of deal with sick children."

"Yes that is fairly common. The parents agree to do anything to save their child and they sign on the dotted line. But the children will be innocent victims of this crash. The devil is collecting the parents’ souls, only it’s before their time."

"Why would they do that?"

"The souls of the people who make deals are traded like a delicacy down in Hell. The better the person the higher the price. Why do you think they're trying so hard to get their hooks into you?" My mother explains.

"Because I save so many."

"Indeed."

"Look see that." Jesson points out a magazine in one of the mother's lap. "She's reading the New Yorker."

"Lots of people read the New Yorker."

"They could be from anywhere."

"Yes, but she's calling someone before takeoff, can you zoom in and see the number." She does and I write it down. "Bingo."

"I'll call it when we get back home and find out more information."

"That was easy."

"Finding it was easy. Elijah saving it all on his own, well that one’s going to be a little more difficult
," Elena says, never having the brightest outlook.

I spend my next days on the beautiful planet holed up in my mother’s home studying and catching up on my work. At night
, I get to hang out with my mother which provides ceaseless hours of entertainment all on its own.

As the new orator she doesn’t get much downtime to spend at her home. Everything about this place was dreamed up from her vision of a perfect home. She exudes grace and elegance in every nuance of her being and her home shows nothing less.

I wish I never had to leave this place. Right now as I lie my head on my mother's shoulder like a child, I think, life could be no better than this moment right here.

She's never seen my favorite movie of all time, The Notebook. Elijah had a copy in his massive collection, I don't think he'll mind that I borrowed it. I watch her
reaction instead of the end, and sure enough, tears are free flowing down her cheeks.

"That's how I want to go,
" I say only half-joking.

"Yes, most definitely." The way she says it almost seems like it would fall under her powers to arrange my dream end scene in life.

"So you're leaving in the morning?"

"Yes, but if you'll have me
, I'll be back before finals."

"You never have to ask. My home is your home."

"Thank you. There's something else I've been meaning to ask you."

"Oh?"

"Yes well, Inara really is overkill, and Elena can more than handle anything that was thrown at her. Plus you have Jesson working part time. I mean I know you mean well. I just feel like a fish in the bowl
all
the time," I say.

"Jesson?"

"Yes"

"Jesson's not assigned to you."

"Maybe I misunderstood him. But why else would he be at my school?"

"He's at your school?"

"Yes, do you get any kind of information on this planet about my life or not?"

"We only get what your Keeper reports during check-ins."

"Good to know. So what’s his assignment?"

"He's on a short vacation until he's ready to start training. You see, he was only a Keeper for a short time before the fall. With his grace newly reinstated, I gave him some much needed time off."

“When speaking about a short time frame concerning someone six thousand years old, what is that like, a few hundred years off, a decade?” She laughs at my valid question.

“He has until Christmas.”

“Oh.”

I drift off that night
knowing tomorrow I’ll be at home with my plate full between saving Elijah, school, and figuring out why Jesson led me to believe he was on my duty. At least my mother listened to reason and is letting Inara stay behind, but on call if needed. At least that’s one less pair of eyes stalking my every move.

The next morning,
Elena and I return home. It’s the middle of the afternoon of the same day we left. We walk through the door to our dorm, only to find Lexi with her lips attached to Asher Kennedy’s.

“Hello Lexi. Asher
, I didn’t know mouth to mouth fell under your counseling services. Is the sign up list in the entryway?”

“Why Hale, do you need a refresher?” Asher throws a smoldering gaze my way. Lexi punches him in the arm. “Alexis, I look forward to seeing you tonight.” He flashes his perfect smile at her and she visibly crumbles. My my, could this guy be the one who sends Lexi’s little heart into love territory?
   

She practically assaults me after he leaves. “So, what do you think of him?”

“Not nearly as much as he thinks of himself that’s for sure.”

“He’s confident.”

“Egotistical bordering on narcissistic.”

“Be nice.”

“Sorry Lexi, if he treats you well and you like him I’m sure he’s positively charming.”
As a snake.

*~*~*

Elijah knocks on my door just after Lexi leaves. He stands in the doorway for a moment taking me all in. He never could give up flirting with me even when I was trying to get Sam back. He’s in a red Henley that emboldens his eye color to something exotic and unearthly.

I’m in sweatpants with my hair in a bun and no makeup, yet he looks at me as though I were wearing nothing at all. Elena sits by the window looking utterly bored.

“Glad you came. So here is the phone number that the passenger dials.” I say sitting on one side of my desk. Elijah slides in Lexi's chair across from me. The small fan I keep by my bed for white noise sends his scent over me like a veil. My gaze falls over his soft lips.

"Do you want me to call it?"

"Hm?" I blink slowly, lost in his features.  

"The number?"

I come back to the planet and notice just a hint of satisfaction behind his unwavering composure.

"No, I'll call it."
 I say already dialing it. A woman answers the line.

"Yes, I'm calling on behalf of the Dream Come True foundation. I was told that you have a child in the family with a life threatening condition. It’s a privilege to let you know
that he won our lottery. He and his family will get to have their dream vacation." Elijah smiles at my brilliance.

"Oh it's your sister's child? Perfect, if you'll verify the parent's names and address I will confirm the details with you. We like to let family or friends surprise the child with the news."

The woman spews out the information so eagerly I almost feel like I'm doing something wrong.

"Great, this vacation is good for the parents and siblings of the child to anywhere in the world for four nights at a five star hotel and roundtrip airfare." Elijah and Elena are both shaking their heads at me. "Yes when you have the date and place
, just call me, Elena Kennedy, at this number and I will make all of the arrangements."

I end the call and hand Elijah the address. "Oh and can you leave me your credit card, this redemption is going to cost you."

"I'd buy every kid on that plane a vacation if it would help me get through this faster."

He comes over and hugs me. A wave of heat burns through me and I truly believe parts of my body are on fire. Trying to keep things friendly is only making me want him more. I shove him off of me.

"Ugh, just ugh."

"What, I can't hug you?"

"Maybe you can drive an alcoholic to the bar and buy her a round while you’re at it."

Now he goes and flashes that smile at me. That wickedly sinful adorable smile. I feel like a child being teased with candy she can't have. I love Sam. Sweet sweet Sam. I think I’ll go call him right now before I strip down naked and throw myself onto Elijah's lap.

"Elijah, put that thing away before she has a stroke." I hope she's talking about his smile but I don't turn around to find out. I walk out into the courtyard and sit under the canopy of a sycamore.

"Hey baby,
" Sam answers on the first ring. Thank you, I pray up to the stars.

"Hi.
I wish you were here with me right now."

"You sound upset. Is everything alright?"

"I just miss you. Everything else is good."

"I'm counting down the days until break, literally, I put a widget on my phone." He makes me smile.

"I need to see you. Let me call you on video. Oh but I'm a mess. I don't even have makeup on."

"Baby you are perfect just the way you are."

“Okay give me a minute and I’ll call on Skype.”

I head back up to my second floor dorm to
wish Elijah luck on his trip. Beyond the help I was today, the rest has to be all on his own. I feel like I need to be there with him and it's killing me not to go along. When I open the door, I run straight into Elijah’s wall of a chest by mistake.

“Whoa, sorry. Didn’t know you’d be right there,” I say instantly backing up.

“Don’t apologize I’ll take you in my arms anyway I can.” He gives me an easy smile. I probably still have the wide-eyed look of shock on my face. Elena, who saw the whole thing rolls her eyes.

“Well I guess this is goodbye for now. I’ll be praying every day that you make it through this and save those children,” I say and give him a short hug. His gaze lingers on the rug and I know he wants more. He swallows hard before meeting my eyes. His dimples quiver as he brushes his thumb across my cheek.