To Fall (The To Fall Trilogy Book 1)

by Donna AnnMarie Smith

  Alone in a room packed with people, I wanted Xander. I missed him. Needing to hear his voice, I knew he was busy, but I called anyway and it went to voicemail.

  I left a message with the full intent on trying to call him again when someone whispered, “Pink Polka Dots.”

  The hair on the back of my neck prickled. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I turned to Jake—the one I didn’t like.

  “Where’s your guy at? You come to your senses and leave him?” He reeked of alcohol.

  “No.”

  “It’s Friday night. The music’s pumping. We should make the most of our time together, don’t you think? We could go to my bedroom. I never showed it to you the last time you were here.” An icy finger trailed from my shoulder to my collarbone.

  Looking for Mel and Beth, they weren’t where I left them. Greg? I couldn’t miss him—he towered over everyone. Damn, no Greg. The house was full. Blaring music. Drinks. Kegs. Alone.

  “No, Jake.” I turned and five icicles grabbed my arm. Hard. He jerked me against him. “You’re hurting me.”

  He smirked.

  Struggling against his hold was useless. My heart was erratic, breaths fast, and a dull ache stretched across my chest. I needed my pills. Fishing in my purse with my free hand, he wrenched my hand away, pinning both arms to my sides, and I dropped my phone.

  My voice was strained. “Jake, let me go. I need my pills. Please.”

  He stared at my lips and I tried to back away, but he yanked me against him and put his mouth on mine. Jake’s scruff scratched my face, and a cold tongue invaded my mouth. I bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and he smiled. I watched him lick his lips, absent of teeth marks, and he slammed his mouth back on mine.

  Xander’s faint ringtone rose from the floor.

  Wriggling my hand out of his grip, I slapped him hard enough my hand stung. “Jake, stop! I said, no!”

  Jake pulled back. His eye color bordered on black and they were lifeless as though he were looking through me, searching for something. Then, an evil smile stretched across his features and a chill ran up my spine. “Your rat boyfriend have his way with you yet? Or are you still a virgin?” He grabbed my stinging hand, pulled it down to his crotch, and forced me to touch his erection. “We could take care of it, ya know.”

  I couldn’t focus, my chest hurt, lungs ached for air as though I was breathing through a straw. I coughed out, “Get off me!”

  Jake wrapped my arms behind my back with one hand and the other grabbed me between my legs. I cried out and his dark eyes blazed, fingers cinched me harder.

  A room full of people and everyone was in their own dance world; no one noticed what Jake was doing. Tears erupted and I trembled. My chest screamed in pain, lungs burned for breath, and I collapsed into his chest.

  A large, dark hand appeared on Jake’s shoulder. Greg loomed over him, shaking, refusing to take his eyes off Jake. He growled, “You been drinking, man? This is Xander’s girl. What. Are. You. Doing?” Greg shoved Jake off me.

  Beth and Mel picked me up. Mel slipped a pill under my tongue, put my phone in my purse, and slung my bag over her shoulder.

  Jake’s eyes returned to their bottle green shade and he blinked as though he were stuck in a dust devil. He blurted out, “Abby, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. That wasn’t me. I would never do anything to you. You’re my friend.” He looked remorseful and I didn’t care.

  Greg, still scowling, hauled Jake away. With an arm draped over Mel and Beth, they guided me outside. My pill wasn’t working yet, spots entered my vision, and the ground moved beneath me.

  Beth’s voice wobbled. “Abby, let’s lay you down. You don’t look good. Mel, call the paramedics.”

  Next thing I knew, I was looking up at the stars.

  “Good evening, ladies,” Caleb said. Heat bled over my chest, relief came, and I could see the concern etched onto his features. “Hannah, can you get the girls inside? I’ll take care of Abby.”

  My friends went willingly and I wondered if Hannah used mind control; the thought bothered me.

  The next moment, heated arms wrapped around me, and I was closer to Caleb’s face. “Are you okay?” I moved with the tiny jostles of him carrying me.

  The last five minutes, the decision to come here without Xander, and my friends being tricked, all overwhelmed me. I tried to be strong, but my lip trembled and I couldn’t lie. “No.”

  His frown deepened and brow creased.

  “Where’s Hannah?” I choked out.

  His deep voice pulsed against my forehead. “Taking care of our friends. She’s coming.”

  My head shot back to look at him. “I don’t understand.”

  He didn’t explain as he walked us away from the neighborhood. Suddenly, Caleb was glowing and his wings unfurled. “May I?”

  I nodded.

  Before I realized it, we were airborne and flying fast. Caleb would look like a shooting star if anyone saw him tonight. The world swirled around us and my stomach dipped. Tucking my face, I gripped on and understood this was why Xander didn’t fly at these speeds with me. I tried to focus on the cool night air, but my body flushed and wished I wasn’t wearing such warm clothes.

  “I’m sorry, Abby. To put it mildly, Alexander is upset. I thought it would be best if we hurried.”

  Shifting his hand under my shirt, the nausea subsided and I relaxed. Five minutes later, we were at his house. Caleb put me down on the grass and pulled his phone out. My stomach twisted from the sudden change in movement. I stumbled over to the rocks and leaned against the stone wall.

  Caleb’s voice neared and placed his hand on my neck. “Oh, sorry, Abby. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

  I gave him a weak smile as he eased my nausea for the second time.

  “Alexander will be here in a minute. We were split up tonight. Hannah and I happened to be close. It’s a good thing you were able to call him.”

  Another bright comet hurtled toward us. Xander landed and gravel spit up around him as he ran toward me. With wild eyes, he cupped my face and covered my mouth with his. “Are you all right?”

  I shook my head, tears pricked my eyes, and emotion clogged my throat. Xander clenched his fists and looked up at the sky as though Heaven was instructing him to calm down. After slipping his shirt on, he carried me inside the house.

  Xander turned to his brother. “Thank you, Caleb.”

  Caleb nodded. “Anytime.”

  Curled in Xander’s lap, he held me a little too tight, but I didn’t care. I was safe. Caleb handed me a mug of hot tea.

  Xander pushed a few stray hairs from my face. “What happened, Abby?”

  “We went to Jake’s. As soon as I stepped inside, I felt lonely and that’s why I called you. But Jake—”

  Caleb growled, “What did Jake do?”

  “He was drunk. He wanted to take me to his bedroom. He kissed me and I bit him. He kissed me again and I slapped him.”

  Xander’s body tensed up like a piece of warm granite around me, and his jaw clenched down while he waited for me to finish.

  “He wanted to know if we had sex. And if not, he—” My hands shook around the mug.

  Blowing out a deep breath, Xander relaxed and touched my cheek. “It’s okay. What happened?”

  Unable to face them, I looked down at the tawny liquid sloshing in the cup. “He took my hand and forced me to touch him.” Hot tears ran down my face. “He held my hands behind my back and grabbed me. Greg stopped him. And after Greg reminded Jake I was your girlfriend, he was different. He even apologized. Why does he act like that?”

  I couldn’t hold the tea anymore and Caleb took it. I buried my face into Xander’s neck and he rubbed my back. Something on his skin caught the light. “Xander, is that…glitter?”

  He groaned, looking down at himself. “Yeah.”

  I grimaced. “Do I want to know?”

  “No, you don’t.”

  Hannah and Calista came home with my overnight bag
from Mel’s car. They stood in the room for a long moment before Calista touched my neck. “Abby, why don’t you take a bath? I have a magic tub, it’ll melt tonight away.”

  I nodded. A bath. Images of bubbles and warm water enveloping me sounded like heaven. She followed me down the hall when I remembered something. “Xander, I don’t have my purse. It has my phone and pills. Those are the only pills I packed.”

  “Okay, let me know if you need me. We’ll get your things tomorrow.”

  Calista showed me her bathroom and my mouth opened in amazement. Swirling brown granite covered the walk-in snail shower and matching counters. A glass window was the one barrier to the outside. I could make out the mountaintops with stars tracing around them. Against the window was a huge tub someone my size could take a swim in, with a hand shower among the ornate brushed nickel faucets.

  Calista gave me a bottle of vanilla bubbles and told me to use as much as I liked, and lit vanilla scented candles. Once she left, I undressed and dipped into the warm water. It felt wonderful. She had given me her iPod with earbuds and I put them in, trying to forget this night.

  60

  Xander

  The lights downtown whizzed by, and loud pounding music from each doorway blasted out as Calista and I ran down the street. We passed club after club, swerving in and out of drunken patrons smoking cigarettes. “Damn it! Raxat jumped again!” she yelled and we paused trying to sense it.

  Hannah called from down the street, “Over here!”

  I spotted Hannah’s flaming red hair bolt across traffic, followed by Caleb. Calista and I resumed running. “I’m over this demon,” I growled.

  “Do you realize this is the third time we’ve caught him setting up a child sex ring?” Calista said astonished.

  I blinked at her. “Three? Really? When was the second time?”

  “Oh, that was back in sixty-two. You were…” She looked up, trying to remember.

  “Assigned to Khrushchev,” I explained.

  Calista nodded and her cell rang. “Where are you?” she answered. “Again? Yeah, we’ll stay.” She shoved the phone back into her pocket. “Jumped again. Caleb and Hannah went west. They want us to hang here in case Raxat slithers back this way.”

  We watched two girls fling themselves out of the club, tripping over each other in heels. Calista grimaced at the girl now heaving in the parking lot.

  I rolled my eyes. “Why? Why do they do this to themselves?”

  Calista shrugged. “No clue, Brother.”

  We strolled farther down the street and a sharp tingle shot down my back. We stopped and turned, searching.

  Calista grumbled, “Where is it?”

  The pain subsided as the demon drew away. Without needing to communicate, we broke off in opposite directions. Abby’s ringtone played from my pocket, but I couldn’t stop to answer. Out of the corner of my eye, Calista’s light shone from across the street. Sprinting toward her, I swerved between cars. She finished wiping a young woman’s memory in a back alley.

  “Raxat?” I asked.

  Calista lifted the woman, scarcely covered by yellow latex with body glitter covering the rest of her. “No, Slegeth.” The woman shifted and moaned. Calista set her down and frowned at the glitter transfer on her hands and tank top.

  The woman blinked and focused on us. Her eyes raked me over with hooded lids. “Wow. What is your name, sexy lips?” she slurred.

  Calista pinched her golden eyebrows and mouthed, Sexy lips?

  Fighting a smile, I said, “We’re going to get you a cab.”

  The woman nodded. “Oh, good, I have to feed my cat. Would you like to come home and help me?” She staggered over and gripped my arms. Her eyes widened. “Oh!” Her hands roamed over me and the strong smell of liquor oozed from her pores. “Honey, it’s a sin for you to wear clothes.”

  I laughed. “My sister will take you.”

  Her head swung around as if it had become detached from her spine. “My God! Your brother is HOT!”

  Calista shook her head and looped an arm around the woman’s waist. “Yes, he is. I’ll be sure to tell my family you thought so.”

  “It doesn’t count when they’re drunk. House rule,” I complained.

  Calista guided her to the street where cabs were lined up and I listened to my voicemail.

  Abby’s sweet tone came over the earpiece and I smiled. “Hi. I miss you. I wanted to hear your voice. I hope you don’t mind me calling a billion more times, so I can listen to you say your name on the voicemail. I never told you this, ’cause I didn’t want your ego to get any bigger than it already is, but you have the sexiest voice.” Her cute giggle mixed with the loud music.

  The phone moved, the speaker muffled, and I stood in the alley straining to hear her. I heard Jake’s voice and listened until he said, “We could go to my bedroom.”

  Calling Abby back, it went to voicemail. I dialed Caleb.

  The wind snapped around his words. “Hey, Brother, we lost—”

  “Caleb, Abby’s in trouble, Jake’s with her, he’s possessed. I don’t know where she is. She’s supposed to be at the dorm, but it sounds like she’s at a party.”

  He groaned. “Jake mentioned he was having people over tonight. I told him no liquor. Damn him! He was doing so well, too. Okay, we’re a few minutes out.”

  Calista came toward me, shaking her head. I tore my shirt off. The look on my face alerted her something was wrong, and she followed me in flight. Calista looked to me for an explanation.

  “Cresil got to her. Jake’s having a party. Can you…uh…Caleb’s going…” I couldn’t think.

  “Call Greg. I’m sure he’ll be there.”

  I nodded and dialed. “Hey, Xander! We’re missing you here, man!”

  Panic filled my voice. “Greg, do you see Abby?”

  “She’s here somewhere. Mel, where’s Abby? Oh, I see her. Yeah, she’s uh…talking to Jake.” His voice turned to a growl.

  My stomach sank. “Greg, it’s important. Get him the hell away from her.”

  “Yeah, I’m way ahead of you. Mel, get her pills. I’ll call you back, man.” He hung up.

  Pills. As much as I detested those things, they were the only thing that could save her. My hands shook as I pressed Caleb’s speed dial.

  “Almost there, Brother,” he answered.

  Ripping my own heart out would be better than this hell. “She’s in trouble. She needs her pills. Caleb, hurry.”

  “I will. Have faith, Alexander.”

  Faith? Faith in what exactly? I was beginning to fear His plan for Abby…her heart, the failed pacemakers, denying her healing, refusing to destroy Cresil, and my change. It was adding up to something I couldn’t figure out yet, but I didn’t think it would end with a happy ever after for us anymore.

  Calista and I flew in different directions; she went to go help with the party, and I left for home. I prayed to God for Him to protect her, let Caleb get to her in time. The flight was agonizing.

  I was a couple of minutes away when Caleb called me. “I have her at home, she’s safe. Oh, sorry, Abby. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

  A wave of relief washed over me and I continued to race home.

  Dropping into the yard, Abby’s ashen complexion and trembling body was another reminder I didn’t need of how fragile she was, and how easily Cresil could take her from me.

  When the girls arrived, Hannah flashed me a look and Calista met my eyes. I knew what she was going to do and I did nothing to stop her. Calista used mind control so we could talk. If Abby found out, she may never forgive me. After Abby had gone into the bathtub, Hannah and Calista filled us in.

  Hannah swallowed and her chin ducked. “He was there. Jake had been drinking. We erased Mel, Beth, Greg, and Jake.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  Her eyes glistened. “Alexander, Cresil knows. I don’t know how, but he knows.”

  I stood up, meeting her eyes. “What the hell did that monster say?” />
  Hannah put her hands on my chest to calm me down, but it wouldn’t work. “It doesn’t matter, Alexander.”

  “Tell. Me,” I ground out.

  She sighed, closing her eyes. “‘Tell her rat, I can’t wait to be inside—’”

  I held my hand up to stop her. She was right. I couldn’t stomach it. He wouldn’t stop. He’d be back. He was going to kill her. Before, it was a sick game, one more woman to defile, one of thousands. One more sin to blacken his soul. Now he knew who Abby was. She was his ticket to a throne, to become a prince of Hell. He only had to kill her and announce his victory to Lucifer.

  “I don’t think we should keep her in the dark anymore. Maybe it’s time we told her.” I honestly didn’t know the right answer.

  Hannah shook her head. “Brother, I don’t know. She’s having such a hard time with the nightmares as it is. Her life will turn into a nightmare. The same demon coming after her repeatedly?”

  “Do we wipe her memory of tonight?” Calista offered. “She’s gonna ask questions. She knows we’re lying to her already and keeping secrets.”

  Hannah nodded. “Maybe for now it’s best until we have answers.”

  “We’ve never had answers!” I snapped at them. “She won’t have her defenses up. She’s too trusting, too forgiving. This will happen again.”

  “Alexander, I think we should, too.” I opened my mouth to protest and Caleb held up his hands. “She won’t cope with this well, her heart is too weak,” Caleb said resigned.

  “Not against her will. This gift scares her.”

  Calista put her hand on my shoulder. “Alexander, we are her Guardians, too. Let us care for her this time.”

  After a moment of consideration, my shoulders fell. “No, it should be me that does it.”

  Calista’s bathroom flickered with candlelight and the scent of vanilla filled the air. Abby had earbuds in, mouthing lyrics, bobbing her head, her button nose scrunched up with silly faces. If not for the guilt racking me, I would have smiled. Bubbles deflated around her movements in the water. I stared at her a long while, so beautiful, so innocent to her history. I was still unsure of what to do and yet here I was.