by L. L. Wright
Emmie pulled her eyes open and shivered against the early fall breeze that blew through the open window. What happened, she thought to herself, rubbing her hands over her eyes. Was I asleep, Emmie wondered as she looked around the room trying to recall what she was doing beforehand. Her math textbook lay open beside her, and her cell phone was unlocked and glowing, sitting on the open page. Emmie glanced at the time, after midnight, she noted, closing the book and placing it on her desk. She opened her closet and shuffled through her sweaters in search of her favorite black cardigan, maybe Lisa borrowed it, she shrugged pulling an oversized blue knit off a hanger. Then she closed the window responsible for the chill before heading towards the kitchen for a bottle of water.
Emmie stopped halfway down the stairs. She raised her hand to her chest as her heart began to pound and her palms started to sweat. A moment later she heard angry, muffled voices in the kitchen, and froze. Breathe Emmie. You can't lose it over every little thing. It's just mom on the phone with work, she told herself as she crept down the stairs slowly.
"We have nothing to worry about," Melody spoke in a hushed tone. "Nothing has changed. She doesn’t remember any of it, and she’s too important to get rid of yet," she hissed angrily.
"We can’t know that for sure. She is a liability, a threat to everything we have been working toward for over a decade. She has already found them once. Do you really expect us to sit by and wait for her to turn on us? We would never survive," a man's voice spoke quietly from inside the kitchen.
"You’re out of line," Melody insisted in a harsh tone. "You were nothing before me, a race of cowards hiding in the sewers like rats, hunted like wild animals to the point of extinction. She is the key to everything, and I’m not starting over. If I were you," Emmie heard her mother’s heels slowly move across the tile floor, “I would follow orders and focus on staying alive. The angels are onto you after the attack on their headquarters. Cover your tracks, and make sure nothing leads back to the firm,” she said. “And another thing. Don’t question me again or it’ll be your blood we’re injecting into the humans next.”
Emmie gripped the banister tightly, and chills ran across her skin. What the hell is going on, she thought to herself, angels, an attack, injecting humans with blood? The questions came faster than she could process them as she stood tired and confused on the steps just outside the kitchen. Emmie took a deep breath and heard steps approaching. She did the only thing she could think of and walked into the kitchen, almost bumping into her mother and the mystery man. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and feigned surprise.
"Oh, sorry mom, I didn't realize you had company," Emmie said timidly, swallowing the lump in her throat that always came when she lied. "I just wanted a bottle of water," she explained, pointing toward the refrigerator.
Her mother stood silently, her wide eyes darting between the man and Emmie for a moment before she composed herself.
“It’s fine Emmie, Malcolm was just leaving,” her mother announced curtly. The man turned to face Emmie, and she noticed that his eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at her. He’s not bad looking, Emmie thought as she stared back. He doesn't look much older than me, maybe 19 or 20, she guessed. Her eyes scanned the man, taking in his features. His black suit was perfectly pressed and fit as if it was tailor made for his body, his dark hair was parted at the side and slicked over, and his brown eyes bore a black outline that was actually quite striking. Malcolm, Malcolm, the name sounds so familiar, Emmie racked her brain trying to remember where she had heard his name before.
“Was I?” he asked, his tone flat and cold.
“Yes, we can discuss this at the office. On Monday,” she clarified, answering Emmie's unspoken question.
Malcolm took a step towards the kitchen door and Emmie stepped aside to let him pass, but he stopped in the doorway, once again turning his attention toward her.
“I believe we met at the firm’s family Christmas party last year,” Malcolm said in a friendly tone.
“Uh, I..I’m not sure,” Emmie said, searching her brain for a memory of the man standing before her. “I’m sorry. I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head.
Malcolm nodded his head thoughtfully and walked towards the front door as Melody followed. He stopped with his hand on the knob.
“I’ll see you on Monday,” he said without turning around.
He walked out the door, pulling it closed behind him and Emmie shivered against a breath of cold air that seemed to follow him out. Mom never has anyone over. Ever. Let alone after midnight, and what the hell was all that weird stuff they were talking about, Emmie thought to herself as she leaned against the kitchen doorway. She stared at her mother, waiting for an explanation.
“It’s late. I'm going to bed, Emmeline,” she announced, walking up the stairs without another word.
“Uh, ok,” Emmie whispered to herself as she walked back into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water and twisted twisting off the cap before closing the door and leaning back against it. What is that, she asked herself, narrowing her eyes at the usually empty kitchen counter. Emmie walked over to inspect the strange item laying on the granite surface.
“It’s a crystal,” she whispered to herself, confusion creasing her brow. She picked it up, turning it over in her hand before lifting it up to her eyes to inspect it closer. The light over the kitchen sink shone through the translucent stone, and Emmie could see something inside, she turned the crystal, angling it so that she could see what appeared to be a single strand of golden thread suspended at its center. What is this thing, and where did it come from, Emmie wondered, lost in the dancing light that bounced off of the stone. As she stared at the thread, a sudden movement caught her eye in the window over the sink, she jumped, quickly glancing over her shoulder. The crystal slipped through her fingers, landing on the small rug in front of the cabinets. The kitchen was empty, Emmie’s attention shot back to the window where seconds ago she thought she saw a man’s face in its reflection. Not just any man. Leo. I could have sworn I saw Leo, and that room. It looked familiar too, she thought. Her mind traveled back to the unanswered question she’d had since waking up in her room thirty minutes ago. What was I doing earlier tonight, before I fell asleep? She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath before retrieving the crystal from the floor and placing it back on the counter. I don't know what this thing is, but if mom wouldn't even explain a coworker being here in the middle of the night I’m sure I won’t be getting an explanation about this either. Emmie rolled her eyes at her mother's secrecy. She grabbed her water bottle and headed for the kitchen door, but she stopped in the middle of the room, turning back to grab the crystal. I’ll put it back before she wakes up. She slid it into the pocket on the side of her legging before walking back up the stairs to her room.
Emmie closed the door behind her, opened her laptop and waited while it started up. She looked at her phone and sighed when she found that her messages and calls had been cleared, did I do that? Why would I do that, is the better question. When she looked up from the screen Emmie noticed a light dancing on her ceiling. It moved slightly toward the door before suddenly jerking toward the window and disappearing altogether. Lisa, Emmie smiled. It has been years since they had used this silent method of communication to sneak out at night. One would signal the other using a flashlight and a mirror, and the other would climb out their window. It was a scheme they had hatched after reading one too many Nancy Drew books in middle school, and when their mothers had caught them they weren’t happy in the least.
Emmie opened her window and poked her head out.
“What are you doing?” Emmie giggled. “You could have just called me.”
“Shh. Emmie, she’ll hear you. Get down here, quickly,” Lisa urged, peeking toward the door as if she expected someone to rush across the lawn.
“Who? What are you talking about?” Emmie asked. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the void in her memory, what she had
been doing before the nap she didn't remember waking up from.
Lisa dropped her face into her hands, and huffed, “Emmie, I need you to trust me right now. Please,” she pled quietly.
“Ok, I’ll be right down,” Emmie said closing the window. Everyone is being so weird tonight, she sighed and shook her head. Then she opened her closet and rustled around. Where is my duffle bag? she wondered, settling for a fabric tote bag. She dumped its contents onto the floor and stuffed a change of clothes, her phone, and the mystery crystal into the bag. She placed her hand on the doorknob, but her heart began to race and an uneasy feeling washed over her so she let go and took a step back. Seriously, what is going on? It’s like my brain is trying to tell me something and I’m completely missing it. She walked back to the window to make sure Lisa was still outside waiting. Then she unlatched the window again, and climbed out onto the roof. This is completely ridiculous, Emmie giggled. She lost her footing as she scooted down the shingles and slid off the edge, catching herself with her magic a foot from the ground. She began laughing again at the absurdity of the situation.
“Emmie, shh! We have to go. Now,” Lisa said quietly, grabbing Emmie’s arm and pulling her toward the sidewalk.
“Where are we going?”
“Someplace we can talk,” Lisa said, looping her arm around Emmie’s and leading them toward the bike path that connected West Creek with its neighboring towns. Emmie closed her eyes and breathed in the chilly air. When she opened them she could see the path up ahead. She recalled dozens of warm memories, days spent laughing, roller skating and riding bikes along the same path with Lisa in the summer, and long walks on Saturdays in the fall to catch up on gossip and girl talk away from their mother's ears.
"Mind if we join you?"
Emmie jumped, suddenly realizing they weren't alone. She turned around quickly to see Leo and Collin standing a few feet away and breathed a sigh of relief at the familiar faces.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked, raising her hand to her head as a sharp pain shot through her skull. She stared at them through narrow eyes, and the trees and blacktop around them blurred, momentarily. For a second she could have sworn she saw a wall of windows behind them, city lights twinkling in the night beyond the glass, but that's impossible, what’s going on with me, she blinked several times and shook her head.
“Is she ok?” Leo asked, his eyes wide with worry as he turned to Collin.
“I won’t know until we get her back to the tower,” Collin said, shrugging.
The tower, the tower, Emmie repeated in her mind, holding her head as another wave of sharp pain seared through it. She had the strangest feeling that something had slipped her mind, and her subconscious was trying to pull it back into view, and failing epically, she narrated, biting down on her molars as her memory fought to tear through.
Emmie felt a shiver run along her skin as Leo rushed to her side, he ran his palms along her arms softly. She could see his lips moving, but she screamed as another wave of pain tore through her mind, drowning out his voice. This time she saw a clear memory flash before her eyes. It was Leo caressing her arm as he stood behind her with one arm looped around her waist, and they looked out over the city, together. When the pain had passed Emmie gasped in a breath, collapsing into him. He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly.
“We’re going to fix this,” he whispered into her hair, pressing his cool hand to her cheek.
“Probably,” Collin mumbled, and Emmie heard Lisa smack him.
“Do they not teach sensitivity to angels?” Lisa asked, frustration clear in her tone.
“Oh. God,” Emmie screamed, as another memory tore through the walls in her mind. The pain dulled and she watched the memory of a conversation with Collin and heard her own words echoing in her mind. “He’s a scientist and he doesn't give a crap about tact,” Emmie blurted out, as a tear ran down her cheek. “What the hell is going on?”
“We need to get her back to my lab, Leo. Whatever they did to her memory could be causing real damage.”
Leo nodded, lifting Emmie into his arms in one swift motion.
26
Leo
Guilt weighed on Leo's chest as he laid Emmie on one of the leather exam chairs in Collin’s lab in the sublevel of Faction towers. He stepped back, giving Collin space to examine and hopefully treat whatever was going on in her mind. He ran his shaking hands through his hair and realized that for the second time in his immortal life he had to sit on the sidelines while a woman he loved hung in the balance.
Leo’s mind flashed back to the drive from West Creek into Hartford, and he swallowed hard as Collin’s words rang in his ears. When they drove into the city Emmie had completely lost it as another memory started to tear through her subconscious. But unlike the other times, Emmie’s naturally emerald eyes began glowing wildly. Her breathing became labored and then her hands lit up with demonic power.
“Emmie, just breathe. We’ve been here before, and we got through it,” Leo reminded her, placing one of his hands over hers.
“This is different,” Emmie whispered. Her body started to shake, and she closed her hands into fists. “I can’t control this.”
“You can, just focus on your breathing.”
“Leo, this isn’t me,” Emmie screamed. Her eyes were glowing more intensely now. “You have to do something.”
Leo looked up at Collin who met his stare in the rearview mirror. Without looking away he opened the center console and pulled out a small back leather bag. He passed it back to Leo and nodded his head.
“I’m sorry,” Leo whispered as he moved her hair aside and stuck one of the syringes into the back of her neck. Within seconds the glow faded from her eyes and hands, and Emmie smiled before her eyes slid shut.
“Is she going to be ok,” Lisa cried from the passenger seat. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. She had been so quiet throughout the whole ordeal that he had forgotten she was in the car.
“She’ll be fine,” Leo lied, holding Emmie's unconscious body in his arms. I don’t know what I’d do if she wasn’t.
“What’s wrong with her,” Lisa asked through panicked sobs.
“Her mother and the demons must have been doing something that damaged or erased her memory,” Collin said calmly. “Did you ever notice anything off about her mother before, anything that could help us figure out her motives?”
Lisa continued to sob. She wiped her eyes with her sleeves again and shook her head.
“No. Nothing. She seemed completely normal. She worked a lot and wanted Emmie to get into a good college. I never even saw her use magic,” Lisa rambled hysterically. “She was like a second mother to me until I showed up to check on Emmie a few days ago. The texts she was sending me just weren't right and I needed to see her for myself but her mother was so cold and she wouldn’t even let me in and I...I, just don’t understand how she could have done this,” Lisa cried, breaking down completely.
He watched as Collin drew several tubes of blood. Some he put into a refrigerator while several others he dispensed into wells, sliding the individual trays into different machines. Then he went back to the refrigerator and removed one of the tubes he had just added, along with another. Leo watched silently from the far wall, as Collin ran dozens of tests on her blood, searching for an answer that would put an end to this nightmare and Emmie’s demon blood. One of the machines beeped and printed out a small sheet of paper. Leo pushed himself off of the wall he had been leaning on and walked over to look at the results. Collin waited by a second machine as it printed another slip of paper and then he laid both out on one of the metal counters, comparing them side by side.
“Well,” Lisa said. She sat beside Emmie on a small stool, holding her hand.
Collin sighed and slammed his fist down on the counter. Then he bit his lip and turned to Leo, “I need some of your blood,” he said.
“What?” Leo and Lisa asked in unison.
“As far as I can tell they’ve been injecting her with a malachite formula,” Collin said, circling one of the lab results. “In the early days of the hunt, we discovered that demons were using malachite to boost their abilities. Once we had some demon blood samples I was able to study it and what I found was unbelievable. Malachite is poisonous to humans, and it weakens angels, but in demons, it actually makes them more demonic.”
“I guess we found the source of the contaminated water samples,” Leo said
“What does this mean?” Lisa asked.
“Think of it like this. When a human drinks alcohol, it lowers their inhibitions, enhancing the qualities that are already there, just hiding under the surface. The malachite is enhancing Emmie’s demonic side and burying everything else.”
“But, it’s just temporary right?” Lisa asked, holding Emmie's hand.
“No, not without intervention. Emmie’s body is almost constantly at war with itself. The angelic blood and demonic blood are always pulling and tugging, trying to get the upper hand, and when something happens to tip the scales one way or the other, the losing side, well loses, for lack of a better word.” Collin ran a hand through his hair as he looked at Leo. “At this point, Emmie’s demon blood is so concentrated, and her demonic traits have such a strong grip that the only solution I can see is to dilute it.”
“With angel blood,” Leo said, nodding his head. “Ok, let's do this.”
“Well, wait a second, aren't there risks?” Lisa asked. “ Like, don’t angels have blood types? What if he’s not compatible with the angel blood she already has?”
“He’s compatible,” Collin said as he pulled a needle and blood bag out of his supply closet. He opened a nearby drawer and took out a green elastic band, tying it above Leo’s elbow.