by Tara Chau
“How?” I ask.
“I knew him when we were young, from birth until I was six,” Gabe says, eyeing Chax.
“Gabe,” Chax nods. “Remember girly, the Jones and the Grey family were allies.”
“That’s not my name,” I spit.
"I know, beautiful,” he smiles wickedly. “That is what you call her, Gabe, is it not?”
“Don’t,” Gabe warns heatedly.
“How do you know that?” I ask suspiciously, my annoyance growing.
“The Grey’s, their blood was tainted with the blood of seers,” Jess explains.
“You can read the future?” I ask, kind of like an accusation.
“Yes,” he answers shortly.
“What are you doing here?” Gabe asks, eyes hard with confusion and anger. “You died.”
“No, I did not, obviously,” Chax replies.
“Wait,” I demand. “Are you still with the Shifters?” I ask.
“You are supposed to be smart,” he says, eyebrows furrowing.
I gasp, standing up. I step forward, planning on striding over when Gabe catches me around the waist, whispering in my ear. "Stop it." Gabe lets go but stands close.
"I am smart. I'm also cautious,” I state, wrangling in my anger. “Answer the question.”
"No, I am not with the Shifters. Why the hell would I risk my neck and Nyx's if I was?" he asks, voice still annoyingly soft and calm as he changes the subject. "Gabe, how did you get The Saviour? You were always the dork."
Jess snorts, and a small smile breaks my lips despite the circumstance. Gabe stiffens, obviously annoyed by the comment.
“It’s been eleven years Chax, a lot has changed,” he says darkly.
“I don’t have to be a seer to know that one, boy,” he says, nodding.
“I’m no longer a boy, X,” Gabe seethes.
“You’ll always be a boy compared to me,” he comments, oblivious to the fact that Gabe’s anger levels are rising exponentially.
"You can stay in one of the Sanctuaries rooms for tonight. We'll get you when we find out Nyx's condition. I'm sure Jess would love to show you to a free one,” I say, pointing to Jess.
At her name, she perks up, looking happy enough. Jess stands, offering a hand to Chax. He ignores it but stands and nods his thanks. Jess passes me, but I grab her hand lightly.
“The same level as us, okay?” I say.
“Obviously,” she says with a smile. “The room next to mine is free,” she says with a wink.
I roll my eyes, letting go of her hand, turning to Gabe, who is still standing, watching them go.
“You, okay?” I ask.
“I-I’m not sure. Eleven years, Di. He let me believe my best friend was dead for eleven years. Dead or Switched,” he corrects, grinding his teeth together and balling his fists.
I step forwards, unclenching his fist for him. "You will have plenty of time to interrogate him about all that later. Right now, we have to focus. Maybe his powers can help us see what Lucien is planning,” I point out.
Gabe sighs, nodding. “You’re right. Focus.”
“I’m always right,” I say, pressing a kiss to his lips.
Gabe leans in, but I pull away before I get carried away. He glares at me as I grin. "Go home, beautiful,” he says.
“Oh, about that. Chax, he's good-looking and all," I let that sink in, waiting for Gabe's expression to shift, it does, "but if he ever calls me beautiful again, you'll no longer have an ex-best-childhood friend."
Gabe laughs, “Okay.”
“Hey, weren’t you and Ty best friends from birth?” I realise.
“A guy can have more than one best friend,” he shrugs.
“Okay.”
“Good,” he nods.
“Good,” I agree.
* * *
Running to the Sanctuary the next morning, I savour the cool air as it whips my face. The cold sting is welcoming. My school bag jostles against my back, the tip of one of my book's edges digging through the thin material and into my hip. As the building approaches, I quicken my pace, running straight into the side of the brick wall, through into the lobby.
“Moring gorgeous,” Comes that smooth annoying voice.
“Dante,” I nod my head but don’t bother to look his way.
Striding into the lift, I hold my bag straps tightly. I'm nervous to see how Nyx is doing and admittedly kind of scared to confront Chax again. Although he seems alright, I'm not sure I can trust him. What does he know about us, about me? Those emotionless grey eyes flash inside my mind, making me hesitate before taking a step out of the lift and walking down the halls to Gabe's room.
It's still early. We still have an hour and a half before we need to get to school. I woke up early so I could find out if Chax knows what I am hiding from the rest of them. First a stop to Gabe's, I'd bet money that he's still asleep. Reaching his room, I knock on his door. A minute passes, and he doesn't answer. I try again, this time continuous, until he finally opens the door, sleep clouding his features.
“Gods,” he complains, walking back into his room and falling back onto the mattress, covering his head with a pillow. Dumping my bag just inside his room, I close the door slowly. Running over, I jump on top of Gabe with a loud squeal. Gabe lets out an oof, looking up at me as I bounce up and down on his back, letting my weight wake him up. Gabe groans, rolling over. He tackles me under him, glaring down at me. I give him an innocent smile, sweet and calm.
“Wake up,” I say smoothly.
Gabe lets his arms go limp, crashing down on top of me. My breath is knocked out of me for a second as I’m caught unprepared. I squirm violently, trying to get out from under him. I feel Gabe’s warm breath against my neck as he laughs softly. Suddenly his arms are around my waist, keeping me still.
“Get… off,” I breathe.
Gabe huffs his defiance, tightening his grip.
“No,” I drawl.
Gabe laughs again, this time louder and somehow freer. He plants a firm kiss on my neck, stilling me for a moment.
“Got you,” he whispers.
I resume my futile attempt to escape. Gabe lowers his head, kissing me on the collar bone.
“Gabe,” I say warningly, attempting to keep the giggles from slipping my lips.
He licks his lips and kisses me just above the V in my shirt.
“Come on,” I whine, but he can see the grin I’m failing to hide.
“Can’t I kiss my beautiful girlfriend good morning?” He asks, the longest sentence he’s said all morning.
“You said kiss, not kisses,” I grin, “And, it’s Friday, we have school,” I say, trying to wriggle free of his grasp.
Gabe groans, remembering that, yes, we are, in fact, still teenagers. "Fine,” he grumbles, rolling off me.
“I’m going to go do my stuff now, be ready to go to school in about thirty, okay?” I say, more like a demand.
“Bossy,” he comments as he sits up.
Turning back to him, I smile my annoying grin. I turn towards him and kiss his cheek, lingering for just a moment.
“See you soon,” I call as I jump up and dash out the door, leaving Gabe to complain to himself.
Striding down the hall, I stop at the spare room next to Jess's, currently being used by Chax. I steel my nerves and raise my hand to knock. My hand misses the door and almost hits Chax’s face when he opens the door. Chaz lets go of my wrist. His skin is cold and callused. It makes my hairs stand on edge. I let my arms swing to my side as I stare up at him. He's about the same height as Gabe, maybe a smidge taller.
“What?” he demands, looking me straight in the eyes.
I can't help but look away. His grey eyes are like pits, so deep that if I stare too long, I feel as if I could fall in. "I-I wanted to talk to you,” I stutter.
Stutter? Why does this guy make me so scared? Chax looks down at me like I'm a small irrelevant piece of nothing. Annoyance spreads across his fe
atures. He looks down the hall, left and right, before glancing back down at me. Anger rises, overtaking the scared little girl standing in front of this man and replacing her with an angry, irrational teenager.
“Hey, we did a lot for you yesterday. The least you can give us is answers and respect,” I fume.
Again, he looks down at me, but this time I can see a very slight glint of amusement from deep within his cloudy, cold eyes. “Fine, you can come in,” he says grudgingly.
“Thank you very much,” I say, unable to hold back the sassy tone.
Chax closes the door behind us, and I suddenly feel trapped, the scared little girl restored. Looking around the room, I see it's as if he hadn't been here at all. With the bed still perfectly made, desk and chair undisturbed, the bathroom door still closed tight, we both stand in the centre of the room. Chax stares at me. I look over everything again, anything to give me an excuse not to meet his gaze.
“What do you want?” he asks flatly.
My eyes flick to his face for a moment before resuming my search of the room. He has to be here all night. Why does it look so undisturbed? Chax clears his voice, prodding me.
“What do you know?” I ask quietly, trying to muster my strength again. “Do you have any idea what Lucien is planning, what it could do?”
Chax looks at me, up and down. From the corner of my eye, I can see his eyes rest on my face. "That's the one thing I can't see,” he says regretfully.
“Have you… seen anything to do with me?” I ask cautiously, unsure if I really want to know.
“I only see what I look for,” he grumbles.
"Okay, well, do me a favour and don't look,” I decide. “You really can’t tell me anything about his plans?” I try again.
Chax looks away from me. He's lying.
“Tell me,” I demand. “Now.”
“You’re involved,” he warns.
I take a second to ready myself, taking a deep breath. “Go on.”
"I'm just telling you, the future isn't final. Decisions change what happens. If one person decides something different than what is told, it usually alters the outcome,” he explains.
“Just… tell me,” I blurt, knowing full well that I am going against what I just said.
"He uses your blood to resurrect a demon, a very powerful demon. Its mere existence is the definition of the seven deadly sins."
“Do I die?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says; no regret is noticeable in his voice.
I sigh heavily, my mind already on overload. “Tell me about the demon.”
“It has seven stages, meaning seven lives,” he says, “The problem is, the transitions of the seven stages only happen when it’s killed, and the stages get stronger and stronger. The already powerful demon becomes unstoppable.”
"So, if we try to kill it, it will only progress to the next stage and become stronger,” I realise. Great.
“You have to get it to its last stage to properly be rid of it. And it will not be easy,” he says, eyebrows furrowing.
“Well, I didn’t join the Protectors because the job was pleasant,” I say, shifting on my feet. “Do we win?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” he admits.
"Okay, so we have to find a way to keep Lucien from resurrecting it. If that fails, then I have to make sure that one of you kills it because it won't be me. I'll be dead,” I realise.
“Yes, another problem is that you’re supposed to be the one. If you die, then no one will be here to save us when the real war comes,” he reminds.
His eyes are cloudy and cold, with no remorse or any hint of obvious emotion. It's like he's gone through something so bad that small things like civil connection and communication are not worth a second thought.
"You'll just have to find a way to save yourselves then. I'm no more special than any of you. If anything, I'm undertrained,” I say.
“For now. But you’re still needed.”
“Okay then, kill the unstoppable demon that has seven lives, which I myself will bring back, as well as not dying. I have one hell of a week ahead of me,” I huff.
“That you do,” he agrees.
“Thank you,” I say, nodding his way and giving him a weary smile.
He simply nods back, opening the door for me. I walk out, my mind reeling with new unprocessed information. By the time I reach Gabe's door, I'm still in a daze. Standing before Gabe moments later, my mind a complete mess of questions unanswered, I'm still unable to respond to his question.
“Di?” he asks worriedly.
“Oh, yes?” I ask, snapping out of my head.
“Are you okay?” Gabe asks.
Do I tell him? Do I explain everything? If I do, that means that I have to share everything that I've kept from him over these past weeks. My mind is about to explode as it all tumbles out of my mouth. Stupid me starts with,
"I'm going to die."
Gabe simply sits here for a few moments. A full surprising four seconds pass before his face explodes into a fiery tempest of pure rage. His fists close over the arms of the desk seat he's sitting in, turning his knuckles ghost white.
“Why would you say that?” He asks, deadly still.
“Because," I say cautiously, "it's inevitable."
“No, you won’t,” he vows.
“Gabe, Chax has seen it,” I say.
“Then Chax is lying, to get under our skin. Maybe he's working with Lucien,” he breathes heavily. I can see his mind wiring, desperate for an explanation.
“No, Gabe,” I say sadly, my tone making him look at me with a slightly softer expression. “All his reasons and visions line up with what I already know,” I say, ready to tell him everything.
“What do you mean?” he demands, “What do you know?”
"I-I haven't been honest with how much I really know. I know a lot, Gabe,” I admit.
“Stop,” he pleads, shovelling his hands through his hair and pulling violently.
"Lucien is going to resurrect a deadly, extremely strong demon. That's why he needed the Book of Beings and why he was willing to align with the Xavia to get it. The spell inside is what he needs,” I start, steeling myself to say the rest.
"This demon Gabe, it's what formed the basis of the Seven deadly sins, it's what created the idea of it. Lucien needs my blood to reawaken it, needs blood from the person with the purest intentions."
“You didn’t tell any of us… You didn’t tell me.” He realises.
"I think Lucien needs me to offer my blood willingly; I think that's why he hasn't taken me yet,” I continue. “He needs to drain half my blood.”
“No, stop it, Dianna. I’ve heard enough,” he says, looking away.
I get up from my spot on the side of the bed, striding over to where Gabe is sitting. Raising my hands, I cup his face, forcing him to look at me - Gabe's eyes gleam with an inner hatred for Lucien and partly for himself. He tries to shake me off like my touch is burning him. I tighten my grip and bring his face close to mine.
“I need you to hear me, Gabe. I need you to look at me and understand,” I beg.
“I’m not talking about this, Di,” he insists.
“No, we have to. You need to listen carefully to this part,” I say urgently, "This demon, it has seven stages, each stage stronger than the last by a mile. It progresses every time it's killed, don't be mistaken. The only time it actually stays dead is when it's killed for the eighth time. I won't be able to help you all, so you have to remember this."
Gabe isn’t looking at me, he’s switching between closed eyes and staring over my shoulder, but I know the Protector inside him is picking it all up, storing it all away until he needs it.
“Promise me that you’ll stop it,” I plead.
Gabe finally looks at me, takes in my whole face, his eyes distant. Gabe leans forward so that our noses touch. I can feel his laboured breathing, warm against my face.
“I promise,”
he chokes.
“Thank you,” I say, tears decorating my cheeks.
Gabe draws in a heavy breath, shaking slightly. Backing away slightly, I can see his eyes are glazed over, gleaming in the light. It brings a small laugh to my lips. He's… on the verge of crying. Gabe turns away, blinking a few times to clear his eyes, cursing quietly. When he turns back to me, a new determination is set on his features.
"We still have time to change the future. We can; we have to,” he says.
"And we will. Who else is going to save your ass if I'm gone?" I ask, trying to shake some looseness back into the conversation.
Gabe doesn't laugh, but his lips crack into an ever-small smile. "Who will save the who bloody worlds ass?" he corrects.
“Yes, that too,” I huff. "Now get up. We have school."
Gabe rises shakily, walking across the room. He picks up his bag, opening the door for me to walk through.
“How do you know that Chax has seen…” he can’t say it.
“Because I spoke to him this morning after waking you up,” I say, for some reason feeling guilty.
“Cold prick,” Gabe grumbles, “I bet he didn’t even care.”
“He didn’t seem to,” I admit, “but we have no idea what he went through. We can’t judge him.”
Gabe mumbles a few other things under his breath that I would usually lecture him about, but in this case, I simply hold back a grin.
We reach school with ten minutes to spare, meeting up with the others by the front.
“Hey, who was that guy? You know, the one who kind of looks like a ghost,” Anne asks as we approach. “Well, except for that hair.”
True, now that I think about it, Chax’s light skin and grey eyes do make him look slightly ghost-like.
“Chax Grey,” Gabe replies grumpily.
“Holy shit,” Anne swears, her voice rising dramatically, “You’re joking, right?”
“No,” I say solemnly. “And you’ll never guess who he was with.”
“Who?” Anne asks, eyes wide.
“Nyx. The girl from our class that Lucien tried to kill,” I say.
“Holy shit,” she repeats.
“Yeah,” I agree.
The bell rings, and we all say our goodbyes, rushing off in all different directions. Anne, Ty, and I off to English, Gabe to math, and Jess and Hayden to chemistry. For once, I'm thankful for the boring, dull lesson that I have coming, something mundane to distract me.