The dress was sewn from a fabric that flowed like water through my hands. Red beads and taffeta made up the stiff bodice with a sweetheart neckline. It was a gorgeous dress for a fancy party. I’d never worn anything half that beautiful.
“Trust me. Gabe will love it. Even if you’re not dating.” Raquel winked at me.
An hour later, I was feeling gorgeous in the red dress as we descended the stairs to the main lobby, and walked into the ballroom on the first floor. Raquel had explained to me, too many times to count, that this party was a yearly tradition for the Nephilim. It was to celebrate the manor being built and the families that had arrived here so long ago to serve as gatekeepers.
Until the Black Hills were taken over by homesteaders, this gate had been left largely unguarded. The Native American tribes that lived on the lands had known to stay away from the gate, and the evil that occasionally slipped through. But the homesteaders had been ignorant of the dangers, so the Nephilim built the manor and set up guards in the forest.
Raquel had also explained to me that the demons who slipped through the gate created their bodies out of the soil. But that shell was temporary, and only meant to keep them alive long enough to find a human host. With humans so readily available now, it was up to the Nephilim to prevent that from happening.
And they had – for over two hundred years. The goddess was one of the few exceptions. She’d taken a human host many years ago. It was scary to think that thing was once a human being.
“There’s Patrick.”
Raquel elbowed me and nodded her head at a young man with a buzzed haircut, standing inside the door of the ballroom in a black suit, with a Corona in his hands. He smiled and joked with his buddies, unaware that he was the target of a very determined young woman.
My eyes drifted from Patrick to the rest of the ballroom. In similar fashion to the rest of the manor, the ballroom was covered in wooden panels and intricately carved statues. Elegant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and threw little dots of light over the entire ballroom floor. On the far side of the room, a live band was setting up. They had everything from fiddles and cellos to electric guitars and a drum set.
“Patrick plays the guitar,” Raquel said, following my gaze. “He’s so sexy when he plucks his solo. It’s no wonder human girls dig musicians.”
She led me over to the bar where we ordered Dirty Shirleys and turned to watch the growing crowd. At least fifty people of different ages had arrived, all in their fancy getup. They looked like humans to me, although very fit humans. There were older folk, who had to be at least 400 years old if I was to believe what Gabe had told me. I also saw a bunch of Nephilim that looked like they were in their twenties. But, who knew how old they really were?
“So, this is the human?”
A young woman with long, light brown hair pulled to one side of her face stepped toward me. She was wearing a tight golden gown that left very little room for body flaws. It didn’t matter. She was physically perfect, from the soft wave of her hair to her dainty little French manicured toes.
This was the second time I’d been called human like it was an insult. I ignored her tone and sipped on my Dirty Shirley.
Raquel stepped in between us. “Ashley, this is Lizzy.”
Ashley looked at me like I was a cockroach she wanted to squash. I wasn’t sure who spit in her Wheaties this morning and I didn’t care, so I went back to scanning the crowd. Already, I was wishing I was back in my room, diving into the book I’d been reading. Coming to this party was a mistake.
That feeling intensified when Adam swaggered toward us and stopped next to Ashley, putting his arm around her trim waist.
“Is the human bothering you, babe?” His eyes roamed over my red dress and instantly I felt like I needed to take a shower.
Enough was enough. “This human’s name is Lizzy.”
Adam and Lizzy stared at me as I slammed the drink down on top of the bar and made a beeline for the darkened side of the ballroom. That was enough socializing for one day. Maybe I’d just find a dark corner and hide until it was time to go back to my room.
The band began to play an upbeat song I hadn’t heard before, but that didn’t stop a crowd of young people from swarming the center of the ballroom and dancing. I turned my back to the room and found myself studying the artwork on the walls. It was amusing to see many of the statues were of baby angels – with fat rosy cheeks and tiny little wings.
I wondered what angels really looked like in their true forms. It was doubtful they were as cute and cuddly as those statues. From what I’d seen of the Nephilim, I wouldn’t be surprised if angels were fearsome creatures.
“I was hoping you hadn’t backed out on your promise to come.”
The voice behind me instantly drew a smile to my mouth. I turned to see Gabe standing a step away, his hands undoing the bottom button on his tailored black three piece suit. He looked better than ever, with the white collared shirt underneath and no tie. I had to lean against the wall to keep my legs from turning to jelly at the sight of him.
“Of course not.” I willed my voice to stay steady. “I figured someone would hunt me down if I didn’t show tonight.”
“You bet I would’ve.” The left side of his mouth twitched in a little hint of a grin. “I would’ve dragged you down for our dance, even if you were still in your pajamas.”
I smiled at him. He had no idea how close he came to having to do that. If Raquel hadn’t practically forced the dress over my head and the strappy black heels on my feet, I wouldn’t have come.
“Have you been introduced to anyone yet?” He looked over at the crowd of older Nephilim standing around a couple of poker tables. They all had drinks in their hands, and were beginning to sit down for a round of cards.
“No. I was introduced to Adam’s friend, Ashley, but she didn’t seem too eager to get to know me.”
Gabe’s face paled the slightest bit. “Ashley’s complicated. Don’t bother with her. She’s been in a sour mood lately. And Adam is…well, he’s complicated too.” He held out a hand to me. “Shall we? I know some people who’d love to meet you.”
Despite my wishes to remain hidden in the shadows, I couldn’t say no to him. So I took his hand and he looped my arm through his. Gabe introduced me to dozens of people, whose names I’d probably never remember. We ran into Laramie and spent a good fifteen minutes discussing the horses. Then, he introduced me to some of the trainers and his friends.
After an hour, I started to feel a little better about the party. Everyone had been so nice. They were curious about my life in Hanna, but Gabe kept the questioning to a minimum.
Every once in a while, I’d turn and catch him watching me, as if he thought I might break down at any minute from the pressure. All I could do was smile at him to let him know I was doing fine and that I wasn’t a complete basket case, despite the past few weeks. His face would turn red, and he’d jump immediately back in the conversation.
“I’m glad to see you doing so well.” Luke stepped away from a poker table and approached us, placing a warm hand on my shoulder. “My niece has told me you’re fond of reading. I have a wonderful collection should you ever run out of options.”
I doubted very much that I’d ever run out of options. The manor’s library canvased a room almost as large as this ballroom. But I smiled and thanked him all the same.
“Luke has been mentoring me,” Gabe told me with a proud smile. “He’s preparing me to one day take his place as a member of the board. It’s an honor.”
Luke smiled, the warmth in his eyes evident as he looked at Gabe. “The membership is supposed to pass to our children, but since I have none and Gabe is like a son to me, he will take my place. It is only fitting.”
I marveled at the respect the two men had for each other. Growing up in a town of women, I’d never had a chance to know what a father would be like. While I’d heard horror stories of the abusive men who beat their wives and children until they came
running to Hanna to hide, I’d still held out hope that there could be good fathers in the world. What I was seeing in front of me was exactly that, even if Gabe wasn’t really his son.
“I want you to know that we’re still working very hard on tracking down that demon that almost took you,” Luke said, his warm eyes narrowing in earnest. “We won’t stop until its dead.”
I wasn’t sure what Hanna would do without the goddess to sacrifice to, but I didn’t want anyone else to become a victim to that hideous creature. It would be good if they found it sooner, rather than later. I’d feel safer leaving here knowing that she wasn’t out there somewhere looking for me.
“Please excuse us, Luke,” Gabe said. “I believe this young lady owes me a dance.”
“Of course.” There was a teasing sparkle in Luke’s eyes as he kissed my hand, and left us to go back to his poker game.
Gabe led me out onto the dance floor just as the band began to play a slow tune that featured a beautiful antique cello. He wrapped one of his arms tightly around my waist and took my right hand in his. Before I knew it, we were standing close together, turning to the slow beat of the music.
A swarm of butterflies were fluttering in my stomach as I tried not to concentrate on the blazing hot touch of his hand. With every breath, I inhaled the intoxicating scent of his soap and a hint of vanilla. It was hard not to turn into a pile of jelly in his arms. Even the feel of his hand pressed against my lower back was making me nervous. I had to do something before I made a fool of myself.
“My friend Kate and I used to practice slow dancing when we were kids,” I told him, intending to concentrate on conversation rather than the way his touch sent shivers down my spine. “We thought that involved putting your hands on the other person’s shoulder and standing three feet apart during the whole song.”
Gabe chuckled in my ear, his soft breath tickling my neck. “I’ve never been very good at it myself, but I thought it was time to try.” He turned us around in a tight circle, never letting go of my hand.
“Granny never would’ve let me go to a dance anyway,” I told him. Talking wasn’t completely working, but it was better than losing my mind over his lips being so close to mine. “She thought boys were evil and that a cursed child like me didn’t deserve to go to dances.”
“Cursed?” He pulled away just far enough to make eye contact. “What do you mean?”
Silently, I screamed at myself. I shouldn’t have mentioned being cursed. What if it made him hate me? It was too late to take it back now.
“Well, she always told me that I was cursed because I killed my mother during childbirth. That’s why she was so hard on me.”
The words felt heavy on my lips, but I forced them out. If anyone, Gabe would understand the deranged ideas of my hometown.
His face turned red with anger as his jaw tensed. “That’s awful,” he growled, squeezing my hand just a little too tight. “No one deserves to be treated that way. Least of all, you. I’m so sorry you had to grow up like that.”
I looked up at his eyes blazing with passion. Something inside me took control and before I could stop myself, I leaned on my tiptoes and softly kissed the corner of his mouth. Electricity ran through my veins and pooled in my stomach. He turned his head and kissed me again, the hand on my back pulling me in tight. The warmth of his soft lips would’ve engulfed me if he hadn’t suddenly pulled away and dropped his hands.
“I’m sorry, that was a mistake,” he said, running a thumb over his bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
The nerves that had been bouncing around my stomach all evening froze, leaving me feeling like something had torn out all my organs and replaced them with lead. I’d been stupid to kiss him like that. Humans were just another plague on the planet to someone like him.
“I have to go,” I told him, searching for an exit through the heavy crowd.
He frowned. The regret forming in his eyes doused me like a bucket of cold water.
“Wait, Lizzy. I didn’t mean…”
Just as I stepped out of the ring of dancers, a new crowd pressed in, yelling and singing. They were going on about a game with feats of strength. I looked over my shoulder to see a group of guys corner Gabe and push him back into the center of the ballroom, wanting him to compete.
He scanned the crowd, but didn’t spot me as I ducked behind some people. It wasn’t hard to hide. Most everyone here was way taller than me, a pleasant surprise after coming from the petite women of Hanna.
I paused at the door to the lobby and saw Gabe take off his jacket and roll up the sleeves on his athletic arms. The evening had been going so well, I hated leaving like this. But if anything, tonight gave me another reason to hit the road soon.
I didn’t belong here. The Nephilim weren’t my friends; they were my babysitters. I needed to find my place in the world, wherever that might be.
Chapter Sixteen
It was a muggy day in the Black Hills. The stables were steaming hot, even when I went there to exercise Reba and spent some time with Laramie early in the morning. I wanted nothing more than to take a shower and rest within the cool stone walls of our room, but Raquel had cornered me on my way back to the manor and dragged me back to the expanse of the northern lawn.
“It’ll only take a half hour if the two of us do it together,” she begged. “Come on, Lizzy. Don’t make me do it alone.”
She’d been given the task of creating the fire pits for this weekend’s ceremony. According to her, it was an event that always fell the week after the big anniversary party. The new warriors who officially came of age at twenty, would be christened, and then the partnership rite would occur.
I was a bit fuzzy on how it all worked, but Raquel said that every warrior who hadn’t been paired yet would enter into the rite, and some of them would get a mystical sign indicating the Nephilim they were meant to fight side by side with for the rest of their long life. It sounded like a bunch of funk to me, but what could I say? Just a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t know angels even existed. I couldn’t question those things anymore.
“Just one more year and it’ll be me entering the partnership rite,” Raquel said, a big smile stretching across her freckled face. She wiped a strand of red hair out of her face and began piling some logs in my outstretched arms. “Maybe I’ll be partnered with Patrick. He doesn’t have a partner yet, you know. I can count at least five partners that I know of that have ended up marrying each other. It’s quite common.”
I resisted rolling my eyes. Raquel was beautiful, don’t get me wrong. She was like a newborn colt, just growing into her good looks and long legs. But she seemed determined to chase after Patrick whether he liked it or not. Poor boy didn’t stand a chance.
At that moment, I spotted Gabe heading to the stables with Adam and one of his friends. He was looking at me, so I ducked my head and turned away, grabbing more logs than I could carry. We hadn’t talked since the party. Whenever I saw him, I ran away. Maybe I was a coward, but I couldn’t stand to have him look at me. It just reminded me of my epic embarrassment.
Raquel didn’t notice my discomfort. She charged ahead to the giant fire pit on the lawn, and began prepping for the fire that would burn during the ceremony. We stacked the logs up high in a teepee shape, until they stood taller than Raquel’s red head. It wasn’t long before the heat from the rising sun left us both drenched in sticky sweat which made our clothes cling to our bodies.
“So, how does this mysterious rite work?” I asked, collapsing on a nearby rock for a seat. “Is it some sort of magic?”
Raquel shook her head. “No, not magic. It’s more spiritual. Uncle Luke performs a set of rituals, and then the fire lets us know if someone has been picked for you.”
“The fire?” I squinted at her. “How does the fire let you know?”
Raquel pulled me to my feet. “Here, let me show you.”
She walked us back to the fire pit and had me stand next to it.
“All of t
he Nephilim have to offer up their life to God. It’s a symbol of our dedication to the cause. And in order for that to happen, blood must be spilled.” She pulled a small dagger from her belt and grabbed my hand.
Spilling blood didn’t sound like such a good thing. She must’ve seen the hesitation on my face because she grinned and shook her head.
“Don’t worry, it’s only a pinprick, really. Here, I’ll show you.”
In one swift movement, she pricked the pad of my index finger with the tip of her knife. Her grip was too tight for me to pull away. Before I could stop her, she squeezed my finger and let two drops of blood fall into the fire pit.
“There, that’s it. Now, you’d be a warrior.”
“Raquel!” I pulled my hand away and slipped the wounded finger in my mouth. “Why would you do that? My blood isn’t supposed to be in there.”
She slipped the knife back into its leather holder and shrugged.
“You’re not Nephilim, so it won’t matter. I wish you were, though. We’d have some great times patrolling the woods. I’ve heard demon battles can be fierce.”
I fought off a shudder. She had no idea.
“Come on, let’s go get some lunch,” Raquel said. “I’m starved.”
Even though I wasn’t hungry, I didn’t argue with her. That girl could eat nonstop. It was a miracle she was as thin as she was.
We went back to the manor and entered the dining hall on the first floor. I’d only been in there a few times since Raquel let me out of our room. During the last few days, I’d been eating in my room to avoid Gabe. But since I saw him heading to the stables just a half hour ago, I knew I could relax.
The dining hall was set up in a buffet style with mountains of mouthwatering food offered on a long thin black table. A few of the Nephilim who didn’t work as gatekeepers manned the kitchens. They must’ve trained as professional cooks somewhere, because I’d never tasted such wonderful food before.
“Oh look, they’ve got a roast today,” Raquel squealed.
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