Black

by Angelina J. Steffort

  His voice was low and rough, like he had a dry throat. The sound matched his pale skin.

  “You are home,” Chis put his hand on Adam’s shoulder lightly.

  “This is not my home,” Adam stated. Chris flinched.

  “Where are the others?”

  “Who is he talking about?” I heard Ben whisper at Jenna.

  “My family,” Adam answered Ben’s question. “Volpert, Maureen, Blackbird—”

  The three Gallagers turned almost as pale as Adam at the names he spoke.

  “Adam, we are your family,” Jenna finally spoke. “Chris, your father.” She gestured at him. “Ben, your brother. And myself.”

  Adam took a long look at each of them before he finally turned to Chris.

  “Can I go back to the others?”

  Chris and Jenna exchanged one of their looks again. It was like a secret language only they understood.

  “You look hungry, Adam,” Chris finally said, evading Adam’s request. “Why don’t I get you something to eat?”

  “I actually am hungry,” he realized.

  Jenna nodded.

  “You got this?” Chris asked Jaden.

  Jaden gave a thumbs up and moved closer.

  “I’ll get you something from the kitchen.” Within a heartbeat, Chris was gone.

  I was positive that he needed a moment alone to process things. It must be horrible for him. It certainly was for me, and I was only his—what was I?

  Even though I still carried part of his soul inside of me, his angel-part was dead. He probably didn’t even feel that he had marked me once.

  I still didn’t dare speak to him. I had been craving this moment, that I could finally get answers. But now that it was here, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

  It had been easier when he had been about to kill me. We had been alone. My disappointment had been mine, and mine alone. Whatever Adam triggered now, everybody else in the room felt it as much as I did. Once more, I was transparent.

  It was very quiet in the room. My heartbeat seemed to be the loudest sound. Jaden was sitting calmly, prepared to step in if necessary.

  Adam had closed his eyes again. The way he was laying there stone-like, motionless, made my heart race in panic. It reminded me too much of a dead body.

  Ben noticed my uneasiness and came closer, an arm outstretched to wrap it around me. I didn’t object.

  It was less than five minutes when Chris returned with a small, sandwich-loaded tray in his hands and Antonio at his heels.

  Chris set the tray down on the bedside table while Antonio trotted up to the bed. His snout nudged Adam’s arm lightly and he gave a soft bark. The dog obviously recognized Adam. That was a good thing.

  Adam reached out his bound hands slowly to touch the dog’s head and his fingertips brushed the soft, brown fur.

  Jenna smiled at the gesture. I almost wanted to join her at the sign of recall, but my smile froze before it had a chance to spread on my face.

  Antonio yelped and within seconds sagged to the floor. There was no sign of life left in him.

  We all stared at the dog, horror-struck. What had just happened?

  “Thank you,” Adam broke the silence. “I do feel much better.”

  Jaden was the first to react. He seized Adam’s hands at the wrists and jerked them out of reach of Jenna, who jumped off the bed.

  Chris knelt down to check on Antonio and shook his head. The dog was dead.

  I felt all the pain of the past months and all the bottled-up fear break free from my chest and shower down on Adam as I screamed at him in exasperation.

  “You just killed your dog! Why on earth would you kill your dog?”

  The Gallagers stared at me, alarmed and surprised by my reaction.

  Adam’s eyes locked on mine. They had more life than earlier tonight.

  “He said he would get me something to eat.” His tone was apologetic. “I thought the dog—”

  Adam looked down at the dead body, then his gaze fell on the bedside table and it hit him.

  “The sandwiches—” he muttered, apprehension written in his features, “—not the dog—”

  For a second I felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of what had just happened. The next second I grasped the meaning of it. Adam gained his energy from other creatures. He fed off souls, like demons did.

  Chris disappeared with the dead dog.

  “Time for nice is over,” Jaden announced. “We need to know what you know.”

  Adam eyed my guardian angel innocently.

  “Let’s start easy. What’s your name?” Jaden demanded.

  “Everybody calls me Adam,” Adam replied, confusion surfacing in his features.

  “Who are we?” Jaden pushed.

  “I have never met any of you in my life.” Adam’s eyes wandered back to me. “Except for her.”

  “What do you know about her?” Jaden’s tone was harsh. I was glad he was on my side.

  “She is the target,” Adam admitted. “Volpert said she needs to die.”

  We looked at each other for a moment. There was something about his gaze that told me there was more. It was the same thing he hadn’t told me earlier. What ever reason he had to kill me, it hadn’t been him to put the target on my back.

  As Maureen had mentioned, Adam was a tool.

  “And yet, you didn’t kill her,” Jaden continued his interrogation. “You had the chance twice, and you didn’t follow through.”

  “That’s because I am weak.” Adam lowered his gaze, embarrassed.

  “That’s because deep down you know there is more to this girl than whatever Volpert has told you,” Ben reminded his brother.

  “There is something familiar about her. Like I know her from a different life—”

  It was unbearable to hear him speak about me in third person when I was standing right there. My legs carried me towards the bed before I could stop them.

  I sat down just out of his reach and folded my hands in my lap.

  “But it’s not just him who wants you dead,” Adam finally spoke to me. “Maureen wants it, too.”

  “Why?” Jaden wanted to know.

  “I don’t know exactly.” Adam looked lost. “They all keep talking about revenge—but I can’t remember... anything.”

  Chris returned as Adam was speaking. He gave Jenna another look and came to stand beside me.

  Adam looked up at Chris. “I am sorry about your dog.”

  Chris nodded.

  “What’s the first thing you can remember?” Jaden pushed, ignoring the moment.

  If Adam could feel remorse, there must be a spark of good left in him.

  “It’s not far back. I woke up in the dark and I had to dig myself out of the soil,” Adam diverged into his oldest memory. “I was in a graveyard. It was raining.”

  Adam’s eyes were gazing into the past as he sat up. Jaden moved closer, ready to act, but Adam stayed still.

  “I ran—I ran until I realized I wouldn’t get tired. I hid in the woods. And then they found me.”

  He was speaking of the demons again.

  “I was alone and scared. I couldn’t remember who I was. They took me in. They showed me how to feed, they explained to me how my powers work—they saved me.” His eyes returned to the present. “They are the only family I have.”

  My heart sank with every sentence he spoke. He couldn’t remember who he was; or who he had been. That meant that he really didn’t remember his family or me.

  Chris sighed quietly beside me.

  “If I had known, I would have stayed and waited for you to wake up,” he promised. “I would have protected you. You are my son. I would have done anything to bring you home safely.”

  Adam eyed his father, his face guarded.

  “Did Volpert tell you who you are?” Jaden went back to questioning Adam.

  He shook his head. “I am a demon, that’s all I know. I exist to punish those who hurt our cause.”

  I shuddered. The m
an who was sitting on the bed was nothing like the Adam I had known. He was like a fragment of a broken vase.

  “You are more than that,” Chris informed Adam. “You have angelic heritage. You died to protect Claire—” Chris gestured at me.

  “Why would I protect her?”

  Adam’s words were like a dagger to my heart. His expression was suddenly cautious.

  “Volpert warned me you would try to turn me. You would sweet-talk me, give me a reason to doubt that she deserves to die.” Adam reached out his bound hands toward me.

  “Enough,” Jaden shot at him just before his skin touched my arm. “You won’t touch Claire.” He looked ready to throttle Adam, who pulled back his hands immediately.

  I could only imagine what was going on inside Jaden’s head. He saw the threat right in front of him and yet he couldn’t get rid of Adam like he would have disposed of any other demon.

  “Claire, move away from him,” Jaden instructed.

  “He won’t hurt me,” I insisted, but I slid back until I was next to Adam’s feet, knowing better than to challenge Jaden. Adam’s eyes didn’t blink as he continued to look at me.

  “That’s enough for today,” Chris finally decided.

  Jaden agreed. “It’s late at night. We all need some rest.”

  I watched Chris gently push Adam back into the pillows and Adam’s eyes close at Chris’ touch. He was putting him to sleep the same way as he had earlier.

  Jenna and Ben had watched everything quietly. I had almost forgotten they were there when Ben spoke.

  “What are we going to do?”

  Chris shook his head. “We need to find a way to bring back his memory.”

  “It’s worse than I had expected,” Jenna joined in. “He seems to be loyal to them. As long as he can’t remember who he really is, this is going to be impossible to deal with.”

  “I hate to agree,” Jaden spoke in a heavy voice. “But If we don’t get him to remember, it might be too dangerous to keep him alive—”

  “Don’t even think that,” I fired at him. “Don’t you dare consider that. It is not an option.”

  He couldn’t honestly believe that I would stand by and let him execute Adam.

  “Chris,” I looked to him for help.

  Judging from the look on Chris’ face, I knew I had an ally. Chris wouldn’t let his son die, neither would Jenna or Ben.

  “We need a way to control him, though,” Jenna suggested. “You saw how fast he killed Antonio. We didn’t even realize what he was doing until it was too late.”

  “We can’t let our guard down,” Chris agreed.

  The Gallagers and Jaden watched Adam sleep for a minute or two before they decided who would take the first watch.

  “You go to bed,” Jenna instructed Ben and me and ushered us out the door.

  Jenna, Chris, and Jaden stayed behind, discussing arrangements and potential scenarios.

  “Doesn’t look good,” Ben commented as we were walking down the hall side by side.

  I wasn’t sure what he meant. Not good for Adam, for me, for all of us? But I didn’t bother asking. My head was full with the events of the evening.

  “Good night, Ben.”

  I slouched down to the guest room, not even bothering to look where I was setting my stumbling feet, too tired to pay attention. All I could think of was that HE was alive; in whatever obscure way he existed, all that mattered to me right now was that he existed.

  It was a miracle how I had made it through the night without exploding.

  My hand pulled back the sheets and I climbed in, fully dressed, unable to think straight.

  All the bliss of that unbelievable moment when Adam had recognized that it was me, the moment he had reacted to me, was replaying in my mind, and all I could do was be the quiet observer; I had no chance of turning my brain off, of calming. I was caught in an endless loop. Adam was just a few rooms away. He was really there. It still felt like a dream.

  My body was heavy as it finally hit the pillows. I felt as if I was sinking through the mattress into the ground.

  Get a grip, I told myself and inhaled deeply and exhaled quietly and slowly, trying to calm down and process what had happened.

  I was dead-exhausted, but the scene kept spinning in my mind; and Adam was the center of everything. His eyes, his hands, his face, his vicious glare as he had approached me.

  I was sure he had recognized me. It had been obvious in his face. He had spoken my name.

  Of course he recognized you, the voice in my head mocked. You are his target. He will end you.

  Interconnected

  It was 4:17 in the morning. Despite exhaustion, I hadn’t slept at all. The fact that Adam was only a few rooms away was keeping me up.

  I needed to find a way to confront him alone. At least without the whole family watching. Something told me he would be more receptive to my words than to anyone else.

  If I waited too long, I might not get the chance. And I couldn’t sleep, so why prolong the wait?

  My toes touched the wooden floor noiselessly. A few steps to the door. I would sneak out of the room like I had done the night before.

  When I reached the hallway, there was a crack of light visible from the other end. The door to Adam’s room wasn’t shut completely. There was no sound to be heard except for my accelerated breath.

  I rushed towards the seam of light, always careful to not fall over my own feet and wake up the entire house, and gently pushed the door open.

  Adam was laying in the exact same position as he had, when I left. Jaden was sitting at his side. He looked up when he heard me tiptoe toward the bed.

  “You are not supposed to be here,” he whispered.

  “I can’t sleep,” I justified my presence.

  Jaden’s face showed that he felt how much I needed to be here. He wouldn’t throw me out.

  “Is he still sleeping?” I crawled onto the bed beside Jaden and settled there.

  He bobbed his head.

  “Can I talk to him?”

  “You can tell him anything you want,” Jaden informed me. “But I doubt he will hear it. He is in deep sleep.”

  I wasn’t sure if Jaden was right. He had erred once in assuming I wouldn’t feel anything or hear anything when he had put me to sleep like he had Adam. At the demons’ house I had been aware of everything—it had just felt like a dream.

  “Is it safe to touch his hands?” I asked Jaden’s opinion.

  “As long as he doesn’t wake, he can’t do you any harm.

  I scooted closer and lay my hand on Adam’s. The mere touch comforted me. It made Adam real.

  “You have no idea how much I have missed you these past months,” I whispered.

  I refused to look at him as an evil creature. Even if the glorious angel had died, he was still Adam—to a certain extent.

  My mind replayed his funeral for me in a vicious attempt to pull me back into the darkness and pain.

  I didn’t let it. Adam was alive. I was touching his precious hands in mine right now. I could feel his skin. He was alive.

  My heart felt hot for a second. Just like the broken part was sealing itself back together.

  Jaden was examining me from the side as I slowly bent over and placed a kiss on Adam’s forehead.

  He was taking in every input he could possibly get, reading my emotions, just so he would be prepared to react in case he needed to.

  However prepared he was, he wasn’t ready to handle what happened the moment my lips brushed Adam’s skin.

  Adam freed his arms and legs in a swift movement; he tore the ropes by simply pulling his wrists and ankles apart.

  He must have stayed bound by choice if it was this easy for him to free himself.

  His hands grasped my shoulders within a fraction of a second.

  I jerked back, surprised by his sudden action. He let me pull back half a foot before he locked me in place. Just far enough that I could see his eyes burst open.

  Jaden
moved at my side. I saw him reach for Adam’s arm in an attempt to free me. Adam was faster. His hand released my arm for an indistinct moment and Jaden crashed to the floor on the other side of the bed, out of sight.

  “Is he dead?” my voice found it’s way out my mouth.

  Adam’s eyes were staring at me unblinking. They weren’t staring at me, they were staring right into me.

  “Just knocked out.” His voice was husky.

  I took a deep breath, relieved that the hit hadn’t been fatal. Knowing Jaden, he would be awake in no time.

  Adam’s expression claimed my attention. There was a hunger in his gaze I had seen before. He was craving my soul.

  My heart was flying at an uncontrollable speed. I felt sweat on my neck. And then I felt a hollow echo around my stomach.

  I had never experienced anything like it. It was like hunger, but not for food. I needed pure energy and I could sense it in the air.

  Adam was observing me with his pale-green eyes, his hands still clutching my arms.

  Something inside of me urged me to run. I ignored that more sane part of me easily at the sight of Adam’s face. I wasn’t afraid.

  My hands found their way onto Adam’s chest by themselves. They were searching for something intangible. Something I wanted to rip from him. A new type of excitement surged inside of me.

  Adam let go of me and pushed my hands aside.

  The moment his touch disappeared, I sank back, my sensations back to normal. What had just happened? A wave of shame washed over me.

  “Who are you?” he requested, watching every single one of my emotions cross my face.

  “Claire,” I used the easiest option.

  I waited for him to attack me, but he didn’t. Instead, he watched me with curiosity while I fidgeted nervously.

  “I know that,” Adam informed me. “Everybody keeps telling me, you are Claire—” He lifted a hand and pulled a strand of hair, that had gotten caught on a button of my blouse, back behind my shoulder.

  This simple gesture was like a soothing balm. I wanted to lean into him and put my arms around him, but this time I listened to the voice that was calling for caution.

  “—but who is this Claire?” His eyes searched mine. “Why do they want you dead? What did you do to upset them?”