The Fallen Ones (The Fallen Angels Series Book 1) (10 page)

Ilyana:

We
reach the cabin at dusk. Ephraim is looking more bewildered than I have ever
seen. The entire run back he kept muttering about the encounter in the cave with
Kailand. I can tell that he is at war with himself, trying to bridge the gap
between the Counsels actions against this group of Nephilim and what we are
planning to do for them. I want to help him, but I have no clue how. I head to
the kitchen to see what food I can make to bring to them all tomorrow.

I am
surprised when I walk in and find Levi pulling out stew meat and vegetables to
prepare. I smile at the sight, we prepared dinner for today before we ever left
for our run, I know that he is preparing it for Kailand and the other captive
Nephilim. I kiss him on the cheek and whisper a small thanks to him as I reach
past him and get the flour to begin making a simple bread. He smiles in
acknowledgement and we work together in an amiable silence. He learned so much
today and I did nothing to warn him. So, I can understand why he would need
silence right now. I just feel so lucky I didn’t lose his friendship. After a
few minutes of digging around in the cabinets, I find all of the ingredients I
need to bake the bread and begin to mix it. He moves his ingredients into the
stew pot and I catch him looking at me, I know he wants to say something but I
find myself interrupting him “Levi, I really am sorry. I just wanted to say
thank you for not being angry with me. You have proven to be the best friend I
could ask for in my short time here and I should’ve given you more credit and
told you about Kailand when I first found out about that cave. I just – I just
didn’t really know what to think of it myself until today.”

He
reaches over with his left hand and tousles my hair like a big brother “It’s
okay, little one. I would’ve had a hard time believing it all if I hadn’t seen
it for myself today. I would’ve done the same thing as you.” I can tell things
are completely okay between us and I let out a contented sigh. Just then,
Ephraim walks in, the tension in the room raises to incredible heights and I
realize his forgiveness won’t be as easily gained as Levi’s. We wait for him to
say something, but instead he walks out on the side porch past us. I wipe my
hands on the towel and follow him out after asking Levi to give us a moment
together he nods and continues cooking.

When I
step out on the porch I find Ephraim heading to the shed where they park the
atv’s to protect them from the rain “Ephraim, we need to talk.” He turns around
and I his expression is angry “Now you want to talk? That’s amazing, because I
wasn’t really sure you were capable of talking.” I draw my lips in a tight line
to keep from arguing with him. I deserve his anger after the way I broke his
trust and withheld the cave from him. He steps forward and grabs my face
roughly and carefully punctuates each word he says to me “Why. Would. You. Not.
Tell. Me?” I realize it isn’t just anger I see in his face, but something far
worse - hurt.

I feel
my eyes begin to water and I grab his hands that are still resting on my face
to keep him from pulling away and leaving so much unsaid between us “Ephraim. I
am so sorry. I never thought I was keeping anything from you or from anyone,
part of me was so shocked that I thought I was dreaming, I kept waiting to wake
up and then realized it wouldn’t happen when I went back to the cave again
today. Before you showed up, I planned to tell you and Levi both, even though I
didn’t know how to. Please, please forgive me! I never wanted to hurt anyone at
all, especially you. Won’t you forgive me? Can’t we all move on from this?” the
tears are falling and I realize I am begging him, pleading for him to
understand me. He pulls back and I let my hands fall, he turns away and begins
pacing, I can see he is running his hands through his hair and though his back
is to me, I feel thankful that he is not just running, he turns once again to
face me and starts taking slow, deliberate strides towards me once again
“Ilyana, don’t you understand anything?” I am not sure how to answer him, he
continues to move closer, like a predator stalking his prey “You don’t need my
forgiveness.” I find my heart rate quickening as he moves closer, fearing what
he will say to me. He picks up his pace and is right against me, he has me
backed up to the side of the house and both of his hands are pressed flat
against the wall on both sides of my head, he is so close I can feel the heat
from his breath “You have me in the palm of your hand, Ilyana. You have
weakened me. Before you ever thought to ask for my forgiveness, I gave it to
you. You could break me Ilyana, and I would still find myself thanking you for
it. Just grateful for any scrap of attention you give me. - No other person
alive can say that.” He reaches his hand into the back of my hair and roughly
pulls my head up to face him “I hate, that you hold that power over me.”

I
don’t know what I was expecting to happen next, but I was not prepared for this,
before I could react he picked me up off the ground by my hips and pressed me
into the wall. His mouth crashes into mine roughly and though my lips sting, I
don’t refuse him. He kisses me desperately and I know that this isn’t a
romantic kiss, or even necessarily an angry kiss. It is him searching for some
confirmation that I feel the same, that I won’t break him. I cannot give him my
heart right now, but I can promise him that I would never seek to hurt him. He
pulls back after a moment and looks at me questioningly.

I put
my hands on his chest to create some distance “Ephraim, nothing in me would
ever want to hurt you, I’m sorry that I hurt you. But please know that me being
quiet, had nothing to do with you. I did not consider how my silence might make
you feel.” He takes a step back and I can tell I did not respond how he hoped.
I grab his face and pull it towards me to make eye contact before I continue “I
am glad to know that you have my back. I think I have known it all along. Me
not telling you, has nothing to do with me questioning your loyalty and
everything to do with me questioning my own sanity. I know better now though
and just like you forgave me the moment I hurt you, I was sorry the moment I
realized I did. I need you to understand that I have your back too. As your
friend, I would never want to stab you in it.”

He
pulls back and laughs “Friend?” he shakes his head and looks at the ground “I
trust your heart, Ilyana. I would absolutely never hurt you under any
circumstances. But I need you to know, that nothing in me wants to be your
friend. But I want you so badly that I will settle for whatever you are willing
to give me.” I can feel my face redden, but for once his words don’t excite me,
they terrify me. Unsure of how to respond I remain silent until he speaks up
again “I need to go back to the enclave. I just need some time to think and I
can’t do that effectively when I am near you.” He walks towards the shed again
to get the ATV and this time I don’t stop him.

Ephraim:

I
drive around for hours before I head back to the enclave, all that makes me go
back when I do, is the knowledge that I would run out of fuel and be forced to
walk back if I didn’t. I have never felt so confused. A part of me feels so
connected to Ilyana, like she is the first person that has actually seen the
man I really am in my life. But, her actions indicate that means nothing to
her. She is not cruel or hard or an egotistical purebred. She is kind and good,
she just doesn’t want me. Even if she won’t say it, I already know it.

I walk
towards the apartment building after fueling up the ATV and parking it in the
garage next to my bike. On my way upstairs I run into Alya “Brother! What on
earth are you doing here? It’s so late!” she leans in and gives me a hug, as
irritating as she can be at times, the sight of her is comforting right now, I
hug her back and dismiss her question “I should ask the same, shouldn’t you be
in bed? Or did I catch you sneaking out to a little rendezvous?” as much as I
hate to admit it, my sister does have a bit of a reputation for being a little
too ummm, affectionate, with men.

She
slaps my shoulder “You know I would never. Something triggered the alarm on
your garage, I wanted to make sure everything was ok since you weren’t planning
on coming back tonight.” I am relieved at her explanation and we both begin to
walk back upstairs. As much as I don’t want to sleep, I can’t just sneak off to
the library right now without her questioning me. By the time we reach the
apartment I begin to take my shirt off and act as though I am going to take a
shower. She sits down on the couch as if she is waiting for me and I realize
she is not going to let me just come home at 2am without any sort of
explanation.

I sit
across from her in the chair and for a moment we silently stare at one another,
I refuse to indulge her curiosity so easily. It would appear she went to bed
early tonight though and is well rested and ready for a challenge, I know I
have already lost to her. So I relent. “What can I help you with, Alya?” she
relaxes on the couch “Good, for a moment I thought you might be too stubborn
for me to deal with tonight. Why are you slinking in at 2am? Did something
happen with her?” it figures that is where my very liberated sisters mind would
immediately wander “No, Alya. Nothing happened with her. Will you go to bed
now?” she feigns offense “You are sending me to bed? Ephraim, I am your big
sister. I know when something is wrong. We can do this the easy way, or we can
do it the hard way – it is your choice. But just rest assured, that we are not
parting ways until you tell me exactly what happened and why you are here now.”

I
groan and begin muttering under my breath “I can’t make that out Ephraim, I’m
going to need you to speak up.” I can feel my eyebrows drawing into a scowl.
But then I realize there is no use being mad, this has been our routine as long
as I was old enough to speak. “Fine. I will talk, but I need you to be discreet
about it. I am not really sure how to handle everything but the last thing I need
right now is more people telling me what I should do. So I am going to need you
to promise not to speak of anything I am about to tell you.” She looks
concerned at my words and prods me to go on. At first I mention only the
original elders, I speak of how there were 9 and not just 3, I tell her of the
betrayal and the imprisonment. Before I know it, I have told her everything I
know. The look of concern is still etched on her face, but I can’t help but
notice the absence of one emotion I would’ve expected – surprise. “Alya, what
do you know about this?” she is not looking me in the eyes when she answers me
“I have heard stories of a different Counsel. I have even heard rumors of
betrayal amongst the elders, but I just don’t see how they could possibly be behind
anything that you are saying. It just doesn’t match their character. We may not
be as old as some, but I am still old, brother. I have lived hundreds of lives
and not once do I recall the elders ever sacrificing any Nephilim – with the
exception of Levi. But I have honestly always thought they were quite gracious
and went easy on him compared to what they could’ve done.” I just nod in
agreement expecting her to say more “I need to go to sleep, this is just too
much to take in right now. I promise I will help you look into this more in the
morning if you promise that you will take some time to rest tonight, you look
exhausted and mother was right when she said nothing good ever happens after
midnight.” I reluctantly agree and tell her goodnight, she leaves the living
room for bed and I make my way to the shower before I crash for a few hours in
hopes of recovering from my day.

Alya:

I head
off to my bedroom and wait until I hear the shower start. I don’t know what to
make of everything my brother just told me. I know he is not crazy, but if he
thinks that they can all handle this alone he is. He has no way of knowing
whether or not the stories this Kailand person told him are true. I hear the
water running and I press “send” on my phone it rings for a moment before I
hear a sleepy answer “Alya is everything ok?” I fidget for a minute, not sure
of what to say it is not every day that I find myself calling on the elders
“Marcus, we need to speak, but I have to be quick, Ephraim is in the next room
and he would kill me if he knew I was calling you. Ilyana found a prison on the
island. Holding a bunch of old Nephilim that claim to be members of an original
group of elders. They are trying to find a way to break them out.” He just
breathes into the phone for a moment “Have you been there?” I tell him no, but
let him know that Ephraim has confirmed it. He mutters something under his
breath I can’t understand “I will take care of this Alya, thank you for
notifying me.” Then I hear the phone disconnect. I breathe a sigh of relief and
pray that I didn’t just make a huge mistake and betray my brother for nothing.

Ilyana:

I woke
up feeling more refreshed this morning than I have for days. I got ready
quickly and raced out of the bedroom hopeful that Levi was awake. I was pleased
to find that not only was he awake, but he was already dressed for training and
had a cooler full of supplies ready to go, outside of the cooler was a baggy
with some razors, scissors, tooth brushes, combs and even a harmonica. I grin at
the thought of how early Levi must’ve woke up to do all this – he is as excited
as I am. He hands me a granola bar and bottle of water “Mind if we take the
atv’s today?” I jump up and down like one of those obnoxious cheerleaders in
highschool – Kailand will be so surprised at how early we will get there today.
We make the drive in no time at all. Levi barely stops the ATV before I jump
off and start running for the cave. The moment I step in, I feel the power
effortlessly creep through me and my hands begin to light up again. The walls
immediately show and I call out for Kailand. His eyes meet mine instantly and I
reach through the barrier for his hand without meeting any resistance. I find
that today I can reach through, almost all the way to my shoulder “Good
Morning” I say to him with a smile as we both sit down on our side of the
barrier, hands still locked “Good Morning” he grins back and my heart speeds up
and my skin begins to warm. He is absolutely breath taking. I can only imagine
what he must’ve looked like before being locked up here. Levi follows me in
with the cooler and sits it down beside me. He tries to see if he can reach his
hand through but hits the wall. He gets a frustrated look on his face “Well, I
guess you really are the chosen one.” I laugh at his petulance knowing that
this is the first time I have been able to do something with my powers that he
can’t. He smiles at me good naturedly and nods to the cooler.

“Oh!
We brought you some things” I about squeal as I reach into the bag and pull out
some spoons and several thermos full of stew I am relieved to find that it
passes through with ease “Levi made this for you last night, he cooks amazing
stew.” I hand him the spoons and a few paper cups that he can use as bowls for
each of the captives with him. He smells it and I think for a moment I see
tears stinging his eyes. He looks at me with pride and then begins pouring the
stew “Thank you, both. I had forgotten what food even smells like.” I nod and
Levi brushes it off as if he does it all the time. I look in the thermos and
smile when I see that Levi even packed bottles of water – it is something so
small, but such a thoughtful detail that I never would’ve thought to do. I pass
the water through to him and he opens the first small bottle and takes a drink.
Color returns to his face in front of me and I know it is already doing him
good. I pull out my loaf of bread wrapped in a towel “Kailand, I made this so
it may not be very good, I don’t really cook all the time and I didn’t have a
lot of ingredients to work with, but I hope it is ok.” He laughs at my apology
as he takes it from me “Do you really think any of us in here would turn away
any food? As far as I am concerned, what you have brought me is fit for a king.
I have not had food in over four thousand years.” He smells the bread and
begins to break of pieces for everyone in his family and he puts it on top of
their cups of stew.

What
happens next amazes me. He stops what he is doing and carefully walks the cups
of food and bottles of water to each person there. They all smell it and become
more responsive than I have ever seen them – they are even able to feed
themselves mostly. At least after the first bite. He patiently makes sure that
everyone there is eating and drinking before he returns to sit down beside me.
All you can hear is chewing and noises of satisfaction. He looks at me and
smiles “You did that for them. You both did. This is the most they have lived
in hundreds of years. They may even be ok once this is all over with.” I feel
tears stinging my eyes and look to Levi and see that he is also wearing a
solemn expression. I gently kick his knee and mutter “Good on you, Levi!” he
smiles and I return my attention to Kailand. I am surprised to see that he is
still just watching everyone, not even eating. I take our joined hands and push
the side of his leg “Eat, you need to be strong because eventually we are going
to get you out of here and that is going to take a lot of work for both of us!”
he looks at me seriously and nods. “I just didn’t want to let go of your hand
until you were ready.”

His
words surprise me and I let go of his hand, I begin to wonder why I always find
myself holding it. I realize that he is the type of man that would give you the
shirt off your back if you asked. He has not had a morsel of food in thousands
of years, but yet he feeds everyone before him and refuses to feed himself
until he believes that I am ready for him to. I desperately wish I could take
him away from the pain and isolation of this place. He is watching my face and
waits for me to smile before he will pick up his food and start eating. He
takes surprisingly proper bites. I guess old habits die hard. He keeps speaking
about how delicious it is and cleaning his face in between bites. He makes sure
to compliment the bread I cooked for him extra, which I appreciate.

When
he is finished with his food I begin to hand him the last few items: a large
pack of granola bars, a few larger bottles of water with cups that they can
pour it into to share, his hygiene items he requested and finally his
harmonica. He looks confused when he sees it. Levi tells him to place it
against his mouth and blow and as soon as he does, all the faces in the cave
turn to look at him and he lets out a small smile “Music, I guess?” I nod “It’s
a harmonica, I never learned to play, but if you are any good with music, it is
supposed to be fairly easy to learn.” He thanks me and then begins to collect
all of the empty cups from everyone. Most of them are sleeping now, some have gone
back to rocking and muttering to themselves.

He
walks back over to me, sits down and reaches towards me to give him my hand. I
hesitate for a moment, wondering if he is only doing this for me. I decide I am
over thinking it and offer it to him. I look over and catch Levi staring at me
confused, but before I get a chance to read into it, Kailand interrupts my
thoughts with a question.

“May I
ask you something, Ilyana?” he looks hesitant for some reason which puts me
slightly on edge, but I am not willing to show it “You can ask me anything,
Kailand.” He smiles and continues “I feel like I have revealed so much of
myself, but I know nothing of you. Thousands of years have passed so I know
much has changed, but do you have any idea which of the original families you
would’ve originated from?” I think about his question before I answer, I
realize it is not anything I ever really considered. I already had a family
that loved me and raised me, I never thought about the fact that somewhere
there was a family that belonged to me but gave me up. The thought is very
bittersweet, it is neither happy or sad, I feel hopeful at the thought of not
being my only family alive, but what would cause a family of Nephilim to
abandon their child is beyond me.

“I
don’t really know. I was adopted by human parents from Russia when I was a
young child, I never knew who my real parents were. Never even thought about
it.” He looks troubled but doesn’t apologize for asking instead he presses on
“You’re parents gave you up to be raised by humans? I have never heard of such
a thing.” I respond easier now than before and see that Levi is also paying
close attention – I realize I never told him my story, I am sure he heard the
basics, but no details about what made me who I am now “I don’t know that they
exactly gave me up. It’s more like they abandoned me. I didn’t know I was
adopted until a few weeks ago when I found out what I am. But I found out I was
abandoned at a gas station in Russia as a young child and adopted at the age of
3 by my American parents. They never told me about it and were both killed by
the demons before I found out any more.” Levi brushes his leg against mine in
an attempt to comfort me, they both look at me as though they expect me to
start crying at any moment, but I know that I have already spilled all the
tears I had in me. Kailand looks at me somberly “I am sorry, love. I know what
it is like to lose your family. I shouldn’t have asked.” I smile and lean back
against the cave behind me “It is a terrible thing, but I am glad you asked. I
never really thought of the possibility that I may have more family somewhere
out there then I initially realized. I lost everything when my parents died,
it’s nice to think that maybe there’s something more. Even if they abandoned
me.”

Just
then my phone rings, it is a number that I don’t recognize. Kailand looks
confused at where the noise is coming from and Levi is surprised – my phone
never rings, all Ephraim and Alya ever do is text and not very often. I answer
the phone hesitantly “This is Ilyana.” I definitely do not recognize the voice
on the other line “Ilyana, this is Marcus.” My heartbeat stops “It is time for
you and Levi to come to the enclave immediately. I have something very
important to discuss with you and time is of the essence.” I hesitantly respond
“I will tell Levi. What is this about? I still am not controlling my powers
very well.” He laughs on the other line “I think your powers will be just fine.
Come. When you get here, head for the apartment buildings that Alya lives in –
Levi will know where that is. I will send someone to meet you and show you to
your apartment, we will speak tonight.” The phone shuts off and I realize he
disconnected the call without ever telling me what we are to discuss. I shove my
phone back in my pocket and look at Levi who is clearly concerned “It’s Marcus.
He says we have to go to Alya’s apartment building immediately and we are
meeting with him tonight.”

Levi
mutters an expletive under his breath that makes me blush and I realize that
this is bad. It is getting harder for me to say goodbye to Kailand and the
power that surges through me in the cave, but we can’t risk anyone coming to
find us here so we leave immediately and I silently pray for the best.