Angelic Nightmare

by H G Lynch

  As usual. Ember just stared at him for a moment, and he stared back evenly. Keeping a cautious eye on him, she exchanged a look with Sherry, who shrugged. She had no idea what to do either.

  “Eh…Would you mind waiting here a second?” she said politely, sliding off her chair. Raphael didn’t answer, so she took that as an okay. Ember grabbed Sherry’s hand and pulled her out of the room, dragged her down the hall.

  “Did you know he was coming back?” Sherry asked in a whisper.

  Ember shook her head. “Nuh-uh. Did you? ‘Cause I could swear he looked surprised that we were surprised…Does that even make sense? Yeah, it does,” she answered her own question, huffed a sigh, and charged into the back room, where Reid and Ricky appeared to be playing a game of chess.

  Ember came to a standstill so quickly that Sherry nearly ran into her. She wasn’t sure what was more bizarre; Raz showing up again, randomly, in the living room. Or Reid playing chess. And apparently winning, judging by the casual way he was examining his nails like he couldn’t care less what move Ricky made next.

  “You gonna move sometime today, man, or are you going to give in gracefully and put down your king?” Reid smirked, then caught sight of the girls and winked. But when they didn’t move, his expression slipped quickly. “What’s wrong?” he asked, instantly alert and on his feet. Ricky stood, turned, and frowned, falling into a protective stance.

  “Um, we have a visitor,” Ember said quietly, brows drawn together.

  Reid’s head jerked up and he appeared to be listening to something she couldn’t hear. Ricky seemed to hear it too. The boys exchanged a look.

  “You know what that is?” Reid asked.

  Ricky shook his head.

  Reid frowned.

  “What? What do you hear?” Ember hissed, impatient and on edge.

  Reid blinked and looked at her. “A high pitched ringing, like a very bad opera singer,” he said, no hint of humour.

  Ember gulped. She didn’t like it when Reid looked like that, so serious and taut. It wasn’t natural. He suited that casual, lounging, leopard-like grace much better.

  “Who’s through there?” Ricky said, as if he’d just thought to ask the most obvious question first.

  Ember leaned back out the doorway to make sure Raz wasn’t standing in the hallway. Nope. She looked back to the boys and shrugged. “Raphael.”

  Both boys visibly tightened up more, and then, suddenly, Reid was gone. Ricky was abruptly behind her and Sherry, staring down the hall, blocking the doorway like a guard.

  A moment later, Reid was back, muttered something to Ricky, and both boys started down the hall. After a brief, consulting glance, Sherry and Ember followed.

  When they got back to the living room, Ember saw that Raz didn’t seem to have moved a muscle. He was still standing behind the armchair, his back to the door. Reid circled round to face him, looked confused. He motioned the rest of them over.

  Once they were able to see Raphael’s face, it looked like he was in a trance. Or asleep on his feet. His eyes were closed, and he was perfectly still, not even breathing. His lips were moving so quickly they blurred, and Ember couldn’t hear the words, just a faint high-pitched noise, like the ringing she got in her ears when she listened to music too loudly. She looked to Reid, hoping he knew what was going on, but he just shrugged. Ember sighed, leaned forward a little.

  “Raphael?” she asked quietly.

  Raphael’s eyes flew open, dark and dilated.

  Ember jerked back with a gasp.

  “You may call me Raz,” Raphael stated emotionlessly. A shiver tap-danced down Ember’s spine.

  Reid snorted. “Yeah, you’ve said that before. At least twice. Sorry if we don’t feel comfortable enough with you to go by nicknames just yet,” he said derisively.

  Raphael seemed to miss Reid’s mocking tone and simply said, “Of course. Understood.”

  Oookay…weird. Ember took a step back, and that was when she noticed someone was missing. “Hey, where’s Hiro? I haven’t seen him all morning.” She looked around stupidly, as if Hiro were merely hiding in a corner and she hadn’t spotted him. Which was doubly stupid because it was Hiro; if he was in the room, they’d know it by now.

  “Worried about me, Sweetcakes?” the now-familiar, smug voice taunted from behind her suddenly.

  She whirled, and saw Hiro comfortably sprawled on the sofa like he’d been there for hours. He was grinning, and today his hair wasn’t spiked. It hung in straight swaths around his face, making his amber cat’s eyes look darker.

  Ember rolled her eyes. “Yeah, just frantic,” she muttered sarcastically.

  Hiro pretended to look hurt, then glanced over her shoulder at Raz, and winked. “Hey, big guy. Remember me? Yeah, I’m the Kitsune you didn’t realise was right under your nose.” He made inelegant smug face. Raz appeared unaffected, apparently ignoring the fox-boy. Hiro narrowed his eyes. It seemed he didn’t like being ignored.

  “Okay, can we focus here, please? Raphael, why are you here? Did something happen?”

  Yeah, like, you discovered you’d made a huge mistake, and you found you were talking to the wrong girl after all, Ember thought self-scathingly. As if. I’m just not that lucky.

  “I promised you my protection and assistance. I am here to assist you in any way I can, if you require it,” Raphael inclined his head politely.

  Ember almost wanted to shake him and command he speak like a real person. His formal language and dead tone made her feel like jumping off a cliff. Hiro made a sound like a chuckle, covered by a cough. Ember glowered at him, Stay out of my head, fox-boy, or I’ll cut off your tail, she threatened mentally, feeling her temples itching.

  Go ahead and try. I’ve got three. Good luck finding the real one, Hiro’s rough voice chuckled in her head.

  Puzzled, she was about to ask what he meant, but then she saw Raz watching her and Hiro with something like disapproval and turned her glare on him. Her temples were throbbing now, and she wanted to scratch at them. “Would everyone stay out of my head!” she spat.

  Raphael dropped his gaze apologetically —or, she thought it was an apologetic gesture. Hard to tell with him — and the prickling at her temples receded.

  “Jeez,” she sighed, dropped onto the sofa, forcing Hiro to move his feet or have her sit on them. “Reid, what were our plans for today? I’ve forgotten,” she said, rubbing her temples, eyes closed. Hoping that when she opened them, Raphael would be gone. His presence gave her headache for some reason. Maybe it was all that damn power at his fingertips, or maybe it was just the stress he brought with him. The reminder that it was very likely she was going to die, possibly today, possibly tomorrow, and then The Society would go mad with her blood and do…something…that endangered humanity. She still wasn’t clear on exactly what that something was.

  “We were going to check out that lead Cris dug up,” Reid said, keeping his narrowed eyes on Raphael. It was obvious he didn’t trust Raz, and certainly didn’t like him. Well, she could hardly blame him. The first time they’d met, Raphael had tried to strangle him. The testosterone in the room was making her dizzy. She was starting to wish for more females around, because two girls in a room of four superhuman guys was beginning to feel like a punishment.

  “Cris dug up a new lead?” Sherry asked, confused.

  Ah, Ember had forgotten to tell her, in the excitement over the green-eyed girl’s new power…Crap. She’d have to finish talking to her about that later.

  “Yeah, I got the email this morning. He said he thought he’d tracked down the real name of one of the members of The Society. Rachel Anna Mooring. She used to be a science teacher at the university, before she retired from it and started teaching at the primary school instead,” Ember explained, trying to ignore the thumping inside her skull. It wasn’t working.

  Reid must’ve sensed her pain —or read it on her face. She was sure she wasn’t concealing it well — because he came and sat down beside her, shoving Hiro’s leg
s out of the way. Hiro made an indignant noise, but Reid ignored him. He leaned forward and put his fingertips lightly to Ember’s temples and the skin there shivered with cool, refreshing little tingles. She closed her eyes, relaxing slightly at his touch. The cool feeling washed into her skull and soothed her headache, and she sighed gratefully. She opened her eyes again and smiled at Reid. He ran his fingers tenderly down the side of her face.

  “Better?” he asked quietly.

  She nodded. “Much. Thanks.”

  He kissed her cheek, moved away, and faced Raphael. “If you’re coming with us, you listen to orders. Got it? We don’t need your help if your idea of helping is telling any of us how to handle this,” he said firmly.

  Raphael merely nodded, expressionless.

  “What about me? Can I come?” Hiro chirped from the end of the sofa.

  Reid looked at Ember questioningly.

  She looked past him at Hiro. “You’re under the same rules as Raz over there,” she warned.

  Hiro nodded solemnly, mimicking Raphael.

  Ember rolled her eyes. “Fine. Let’s make it a party.” She stood and tugged down her t-shirt fastidiously.

  “What is the address? I shall meet you there,” Raphael said.

  Fair enough. She couldn’t exactly see him riding in the car with them.

  “Twenty-four Burnbank Terrace,” she told him.

  Raphael nodded, and then vanished. Between one blink of the eye and the next, he was gone.

  Hiro scoffed. “Ooh, look at him with his amazing transportation powers. Pfft. I think I’ll skip the car ride too. See you guys there.” And then Hiro was gone too. Poof. Only difference was, he left behind a settling cloud of glittery, amber smoke.

  Huh. Nice trick.

  “This is going a really long day,” Ember muttered, heading for the door —on two feet, like a normal person. Walking. Then Sherry caught her eye and Ember sent her an apologetic shrug, and a telepathic message, We can finish talking later. And then we can start teaching you to control your new power.

  Sherry looked faintly surprised for a moment, then thought back, knowing Ember was listening, You’ll help?

  Ember rolled her eyes. Well, duh. That’s what I’m here for.

  Sherry grinned.

  “Okay, let’s go, before anyone else pops in for a visit and decides to join us,” Reid grumbled, looking very much as if he wouldn’t mind taking a bite out of Raphael. Or maybe he was just ticked because Ricky had the car keys today.

  Raphael and Hiro were already there when Ricky pulled the car up to the curb. Hiro was leaning against a low wall on one side of the narrow road. Raz was standing ruler-straight near the gate on the other side. Ember wondered at how Raphael stood out like a sore thumb in the dank area, while Hiro fit in really quite nicely. She had to admit she’d seen stranger people than the Kitsune around Torry before —if you could classify a Kitsune as ‘people’.

  She hopped out of the car and scrunched her nose at the less-than-pleasant smell emanating from the big, black rubbish bins by the side of the road.

  “Took you long enough. I was starting to think you’d tricked us, sent us to the wrong address. I was about to leave, seeing as the scenery and fresh air are…non-existent.” Hiro pushed away from the wall, brushed off the sleeves of his grey fleece jacket.

  Raphael didn’t bother moving or greeting them. You’d think he was a painted statue if it weren’t for the movement of his light clothes in the sharp, salty wind. They were only a fifteen minute walk from the beach.

  “Shut up, fox,” Reid hissed, then turned on Ember, “Why did we let him come again?”

  Ember frowned thoughtfully for a moment, shook her head. “No idea. I must be losing it.” She threw a smirk at Hiro, who pouted unhappily. Hopefully, he’d keep his mouth shut for a while.

  “Can we get on with this please? Maybe someone should wait outside, keep an eye on things.” Ricky said, impatient for once.

  Everyone’s eyes landed on Hiro.

  The Kitsune hung his head. “Of course. That’s why you let me come, isn’t it? To be guard-fox. Great.” He turned and went back to his wall, hopping on top of it and perching there with a sulky expression.

  Ember smiled, and Ricky sent her wink. “One problem out of the way,” he said quietly.

  Sherry giggled next to him, clearly amused. Ember wasn’t sure what Sherry thought of Hiro, and made a mental note to ask her later. She’d been neglecting her duties as a best friend, she hadn’t been consulting with Sherry on things or asking for her opinion. Maybe tomorrow they could have a girls’ day out, see some old friends. After all, the whole point of staying in Scotland for the holidays was to do what she’d come here to do instead of running away. What was the point in staying if she didn’t see her other friends or take a trip to Red’s?

  The thought of Red’s gave her a pang in her heart, and she shook it away. Focused on the matter at hand. She pushed open the rusty metal gate of house number 24, black paint chips flaking off on her hand as the gate hinges creaked. She wiped her hand on her jeans and reached back nervously. Reid took her hand and gave it a soothing squeeze.

  The narrow pathway up to the house was cracked, dead weeds littered the spaces between the concrete slabs. A deflated basketball lay in the corner of the paved garden, a long slash gaping like a black mouth in the orange rubber. The snow had been scraped away into the corners and sprinkled with orange grit like gross, giant ice-cream mounds. Grey lichen crawled up the dull brick wall of the house, following the line of seeping moisture that leaked from the broken drainpipe under the roof. The front door was painted an ugly mustard yellow, darkened to brown in some places by a layer of grime and muck. Cobwebs formed glistening nets in the top corners of the doorway. There was a doorbell, hanging out of the wood frame around the door by its gnarled, tangled wires, and more cobwebs filled the hole.

  Sucking in a breath, Ember lifted her hand and knocked on the door. The heavy wood hurt her knuckles, and the knocking sounded loud and harsh in the dingy quietness of the area. The only other sounds were the whistling wail of the wind rattling empty cans along the road, and the very faint howl of police sirens somewhere in the far distance.

  It felt like a long, tense time before there was any indication of life behind the ominous yellow door. Then, the sound of a chain clinking, keys chiming, and the bolt sliding. The door creaked open a few inches, and wide, brown eyes behind pink-rimmed glasses peered cautiously out at them. The eyes were set in a face of wrinkles, a curl of fluffy, colourless hair falling over the forehead.

  “Ms. Mooring?” Ember asked.

  “Yes?” The old woman spoke in a quiet, frail voice, her knotted fingers clamped on the edge of the door, presumably, ready to slam it shut at a moment’s notice.

  Ember smiled as winsomely as possible, feeling a little sick doing it, and tried to look harmless. Not difficult for her; She’d been fooling people into thinking she was a sweet little girl since…well, since she was a not-so-sweet little girl.

  “Excuse me, Ma’am. We’re from the academy, and we were just wondering if you were available for tutoring sessions. See, we’re looking to do science courses at the university, but our grades are a little lax. We could really use the help of someone who knows the subject well and we heard you used to teach at the university yourself.” She deliberately swayed innocently on her toes, looking hopefully at the old woman. Behind her, she could hear someone trying not to snigger, probably Hiro.

  For a long moment, the woman looked suspicious, but then she swung the door open wider. “Of course, Deary, of course. I’d be glad to help you and your wee pals. Come in, come in, and we’ll have a chat. See if we can arrange something.” The old woman looked to be about sixty, wearing a long, blue dress with yellow floral print that clashed with the pink rims of her glasses. She stepped back from the door to let them in, and indicated with a wave of her arm that they should go right down the hall.

  The house was decorated much as you’d expec
t for an old lady. Floral patterns in gross colours and lots of tiny cushions, and a large, polished grandfather clock in one corner of the living room. There was an overwhelming scent of cheap perfume and spices.

  “Well now, take a seat, Dearies. So, which science department is of most interest to you? My specialty is chemistry, but I also have a fair hand in biology. Physics is a little beyond my realm, mind you.” The old woman sat herself down in a maroon armchair, and adjusted her glasses on her nose.

  Cautiously, Ember took a seat on the brown sofa opposite her, and Sherry sat next to her. Reid and Ricky remained standing. Ms. Mooring beamed at them. “Oh, what gentlemen, allowing the ladies to sit. Such manners. I haven’t seen a young lad act like that since I was a young thing myself,” she chuckled, a dry sound.

  Ember almost wanting to laugh, made herself smile. Reid? A gentleman? Well, she supposed he could be when he really wanted to be. It wasn’t…‘beyond his realm’. She tried not to snicker at the thought. You shouldn’t be mocking her. She’s dangerous, her mind supplied warningly. Looking at the old lady, Ember found it hard to believe. What could she do? Bore them to death with long-winded science lectures? Stab them with her knitting needles?

  “Well, we’re most interested in biology,” Sherry spoke up, realising Ember wasn’t paying as much attention as she should’ve been. She shot Ember a hard glance, silently telling her to focus. “And the boys are more into chemistry,” she added, waving a hand, rather elegantly, at the boys lingering cautiously by the doorway.

  “Yeah. We were also kind of wondering if you know of any out-of-school science groups with open space for a few more students. We’ve tried a few, but none of them are really, eh, up to our standards,” Ricky pitched in smoothly, a charming smile gracing his mouth.

  Ember was momentarily distracted again. She’d never really noticed just how good-looking Ricky was. Since the minute she arrived at Acorn Hills, Reid had been the focus of her instant attention. And you could hardly blame her for that. But now, she could see what Sherry probably saw in Ricky, with his permanently faintly tanned skin, and very sparkly eyes. His particular brand of good looks was way different to Reid’s. He was more beach god than fallen angel.