by Cameo Renae
What I felt with Eden was different. There was no zap, and the pull was emotional and physical. Eden was beautiful…inside and out. She didn’t let the world taint her innocence, and I could tell she was pure.
Her scent was alluring. Her smile was blinding.
I’d never understood how an immortal could fall for a mortal, until she came into my life. Right now, Eden was still human, yet, I felt a connection to her.
As for this moment, I had to get away and clear my mind.
I made my way down the stairs and out the front door, right before the bell rang. It buzzed, letting the students out for lunch, so I ran into the woods, far enough so no one could see me. Pressing my back up against a tree, I closed my eyes.
“You like her,” Isaac accused, coming up from behind me.
I turned to him, but as usual, his eyes were scanning the area.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You like the Nephilim,” he replied.
“As a friend, yes, but nothing more than that. The immortal bond will choose my mate. Until then, I’ll continue to do my job.”
“I can sense your inner turmoil.”
“How?”
“Watchers sense emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, joy.” He turned and looked me directly in the eye. “Love.”
“I don’t love her,” I admitted. “She’s my assignment. Nothing more.”
“Are you saying that because you have to?”
“I don’t know her.”
“Would you resist if the bond chose her?”
“You know I couldn’t.”
He nodded, and I glared at him.
“Do you know something I don’t?” I wondered why he was being so discreet.
“No. I just…sense things.”
“Have you sensed danger?”
“Not at the moment. But if the Darkling return, I’ll know.”
“How will you alert me?”
He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “A gift from Ephraim.”
I took his phone and input my number into it. When I handed it back to him, he disappeared.
I waited about ten minutes, and aside from the usual sounds and smells, there were no hints of danger. That made me question if the Darkling had gone to the Fallen. If they hadn’t, the threat level would be minimal. If they had, it was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose.
Most Fallen loved a challenge, especially if they knew angels were involved. They would push harder and wreak havoc until they either accomplished their task or died. That was one trait we had in common.
When I knew lunch was over, I headed back to the school. I had one class to attend before I would head to my room and hang out there until night. At that point, I’d make my way back up to the tower.
On my way, I got a text.
Isaac: The girl is on the run.
Me: What?
Isaac: Left the building with running attire.
Shit. She wasn’t supposed to leave. But then again, her foot had healed, and she probably didn’t want to stay cooped up inside. She had no idea the Darkling were after her.
Me: Thanks. Follow her until I get there.
I quickly made my way to the office and asked for a note to excuse me from class. I told the woman at the front desk that I wasn’t feeling well. Once I had the note in hand, I slipped my backpack over my shoulder and made my way outside, then texted Isaac.
Me: Where are you headed?
Isaac: Park entrance – Cape Disappointment.
Me: Where is that?
Isaac: When you leave the school, take a left on the running trail. It will bend left and take you straight to the entrance.
I tucked the phone back in my pocket and took off down the trail, past the homes of the Brindle Hall employees. As I came around the bend, I saw a sign to the entrance of the park. In the file, Ephraim had given me a season ticket for the park, and I was glad I’d decided to put it in my wallet.
Pulling it out, I handed it to the guy at the fee booth.
On my right, was a trailhead which led up to a grassy knoll. I sniffed the air and caught a faint scent of her.
I continued along a narrow ridge lined with alder and spruce, passing between two towering spruce trees until I came to a junction. The path was graveled which made it hard to follow her tracks.
The wind was blowing from the right, and I caught her scent once again. I headed in that direction, and up a staircase which led to a view of the beach below, continuing past a museum of Lewis and Clark’s expedition and other historical sites of the area.
The path led me to a view of Dead Man’s Cove. There was a warning not to descend to the beach, but following her scent, I knew Eden had headed in that direction.
Not long after, I found her sitting on the beach, arms wrapped tightly around her knees, gazing out at the ocean and the sun. The beach was empty; the only sounds were of the waves lapping on the shore and nearby seagulls.
I didn’t like that she was outside of the protective barrier, but I didn’t want to needlessly startle her or alert her that I was here. If she knew I followed her, she would probably think I was a stalker. So, I stayed behind the trees, watching, making sure she stayed safe.
Thankfully, there were no signs of Darkling or Fallen. Darkling, I could take care of, but if the Fallen got their hands on her, it could turn ugly.
Eden sat still watching the waves roll back and forward over the sand. I wondered what she was thinking. There must have been a million questions running through her mind, and I wished I could read her emotions, like Isaac could.
She sat still for nearly thirty minutes before she started to move. I made my way back up the trail, to a place where I could keep an eye on her, where she wouldn’t be able to see me. This was how I preferred to do my assignments, to take care of important business without them knowing—being invisible.
After a while, she started back up. She stopped at an old lighthouse and stood near the edge, peering over the gate.
The views were breathtaking. Below, the ocean crashed against the rocks.
Although she was enjoying her little stroll in the park, I was more focused on the dark clouds rolling in over the ocean. A storm would be over us in no time.
She walked a bit further, out of my view, and as I came around the building, she was standing there, looking straight at me.
“Alex, what are you doing here?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.
I had to think quick. “I had a talk with my parents, and it looks like they might not be able to make it for graduation. They’re overseas trying to lock in a business deal. I didn’t want to deal with class, so I decided to take a walk.” I furrowed my brow. “What are you doing here?”
Her eyes softened. “I was getting restless being confined in such a small space. I can’t be inside for too long, or I start to feel claustrophobic. This is where I go when I need fresh air. It usually has a lot of hikers, but it seems pretty empty today.”
“It’s probably because there is a storm headed this way.”
“Really?”
I pointed to the massive dark cloud formation over the sea, heading in our direction.
She sighed. “I guess we should be getting back.”
“I think it would be a good idea.”
“I’m sorry your parents can’t make it,” she said.
“I’m already over it. They’ve been pretty invisible for most of my life.”
“That’s sad. I sort of know how you feel. I don’t even know who my birth father is. My mother said he’d left way before I was born. Actually, he was a one-night stand. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a great life. My mom and grandparents raised me the best they could, and I’ve had more than enough love, b
ut still…I would at least like to know his name, and what he looks like. I wouldn’t even ask him questions, and wouldn’t push a relationship if he didn’t want one.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping closer to her.
I could see the strength it took to hold back her tears. I wanted to help her. To tell her the truth. Ephraim said I’d know when the time was right, but everything inside me was screaming no. Right now wasn’t the time.
We walked side by side as we made our way out of the park. As we headed back toward the school, the sky opened, and torrents of rain poured down on our heads.
Eden ran toward the statue of a phoenix and stood under its wing
“What are you doing?” I asked. We were only a few hundred yards from the school, and by the looks of the clouds overhead, the rain wasn’t going to stop.
She came out from under the Phoenix’s wing and stood in the rain. Her face tilted upward, eyes closed, arms spread out wide to her sides.
“I love the rain.” Her eyes opened, capturing mine. “My mother used to scold me for playing in the rain; said I’d catch a cold. But the rain doesn’t make you sick. Rain is wonderful.” Laughing, she twirled twice on her tiptoes. “They’re wet kisses sent from above. I love the calming sound it makes as it showers down from the heavens, watering the earth. Beautiful, don’t you think?”
I couldn’t help but smile, watching her, soaked to the bone, enjoying the cold rain pelting her skin. I could tell she cherished the simple things, things others overlooked and took for granted.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, letting the rain fall on my face. She was right. It was refreshing.
Her laughter caused my heart to swell, something I’d not felt in a long, long time—if ever. Then, a rumble of thunder echoed in the sky above us.
Eden ran over, grabbed my hand, and pulled me down the path toward the school. Never in the long years of my life had I met someone like her. She didn’t care what anyone thought, she did what made her happy.
“Hey, I thought you loved the rain?” I called out to her.
“I do, but I’m not a fan of standing out in lightning.” She directed her finger toward the sky.
The school bell rang right before we reached the front. Students and teachers would be filling up the hallways. She froze, dropping my hand.
“I’m supposed to be in bed with a sprained ankle.” Her eyes widened.
I took her hand again, and ran around to the side of the school. Ephraim had given me a key which could open any door in the school facility.
Pulling it from my pocket, I opened the door to a staircase which led to the tower. At least we were out of the rain for now.
“How did you get a key?” she questioned.
“Would you believe me if I told you my dad knows the principal and asked if I could have access to the towers?”
“No,” she said, her brow furrowing.
“Okay then. What if I told you it was a magic key?”
She paused, a grin rising on her pink lips. “I think I’d believe in magic first. Have you met Principal Haggert? He’s not the type to offer favors.”
I laughed, retaking her hand, leading her up the stairs.
“I love it up here.” We made it to the top, stepping toward the open window in the tower. Eden was quiet, taking in the clear view of the backfield. “It feels safe up here. Closer to heaven.”
She believed in heaven. That would make my job easier when I had to convince her that she was half angel.
The rain fell harder, causing puddles to form across the field. Eden turned back, folding her arms across her chest and smiled. It was a different kind of smile. A smile that made my chest ache.
Dammit, this girl was going to make my job complicated. The longer I spent with her, learning about her, the more I felt myself getting attached. And I couldn’t let that happen. There could be nothing but friendship between us. I had to be careful to keep that line drawn. A line, I was afraid, that would be getting thinner and thinner as the days passed by.
I blinked, turning my attention to the backfield. “Where do you think your P.E. class went?”
“When it rains, they go to the gym.” She shivered, and I noticed bumps rising on her arms. She was cold. The wind was picking up, and I didn’t have anything to wrap around her.
“We need to get you inside. The bell rang at least ten minutes ago. Everyone should be in class by now.”
“Okay,” she said, then paused. “Thank you, Alex. For helping me.”
I wanted to wrap her in my arms and make her warm. She looked so frail, so mortal. Once she transformed though, things would be different. She would be able to heal much faster than she already had, and be resistant to sickness. For now, she was still human and weak, exposed to things that could cause her illness or discomfort.
As Eden started back down the stairs, I caught a passing scent. It was faint, and the rain was making it virtually impossible to confirm anything. I spun my attention to the woods. I’d have to rely on my other senses for now.
My eyes quickly scanned the tree line, catching a glimpse of a shadow in the darkest part of the woods. Then, as if to tease me, a Darkling stepped out into view. Its dark, spiteful eyes locked onto me, teeth bared. If Eden wasn’t here, I’d have jumped from the tower and charged toward it, relieving the stinker of its ugly head.
“Eden, wait!” I hollered.
She stopped, her head twisting back toward me.
“What’s wrong?”
I didn’t want to alarm her, but we couldn’t leave. As I scoured the surrounding area, there was more movement. We were surrounded and I couldn’t tell exactly how many there were.
“Wait here,” I said. “I have to go check something at the other tower.” Without saying another word, I ran across the battlement.
Focusing my eyes on the trees, I saw even more movement. There had to be at least a few dozen, more than I could take care of myself.
Dammit.
I grabbed the phone from my pocket and sent off a text to Isaac.
Me: I’m in the tower with Eden.
Darkling are in the woods.
I need backup.
Chapter 15
Alex
I ran back to Eden, and when I reached her, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her away from the window.
“What’s going on?” She looked scared and confused.
“I saw something out there.”
“You saw the creature in the woods?”
Was this the moment I should tell her? “Yes. I saw something.”
She almost looked relieved. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”
“Yes. They are very dangerous.”
“What are they?”
Her question had me second-guessing myself. Was this the right time? While I considered what I should tell her, she continued to beg for information.
“You have to tell me. I need to know. I saw a creature the other night, and it scared the hell out of me. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and then…it whispered to me.”
“What did it say?”
“It was creepy. It said it smelled me.” A chill ran over her body. “What is that thing?” She looked to me for some kind of explanation. She knew I knew something but was holding it back.
“Alex, please.”
There was nothing I could do but to tell her the truth. I couldn’t lie. I could see the desperation on her face, in her eyes. She knew I was connected somehow to the creature and she wanted answers.
“Alex, please,” she begged one last time.
I wasn’t prepared. I hadn’t planned on telling her until closer to her transformation. We were in the beginning stages of friendship. She was trying to figure me out, decide if I was tru
stworthy. This made it even more imperative to tell her the truth, even if it meant she didn’t believe. At least I would know I didn’t lie.
I sat her down on the top step and stepped down so I could look into her eyes. “Those things out there are called Darkling. Creatures of the night. Small armies used as pawns by Fallen.”
Her eyes went wide. “Fallen angels?”
Her repeated words showed me she was trying to process the information. A better reaction than I could’ve hoped for. I nodded.
“How many are there out there…on Earth?”
“Much more than we could fathom.”
She gasped, her hand covering her mouth. “What do they want?”
“The Fallen use them to do their dirty work, mostly to seek out and kill Nephilim.”
“Nephilim?”
“Those who are half-angel, half human.”
“Then why are they here?” She was doing her best to fathom and accept my explanation.
I leaned forward and took hold of her cold, trembling fingers.
“Eden, you said you never knew your birth father—“
She paused, weighing my words.
“No,” she interjected, shaking her head. “My dad was some jerk who impregnated my mom. I’m not a half-breed. I have no special gift or talent. Hell, I bleed like every other human.”
“You’ve had some unexplained miracles occur recently, haven’t you? Things you can’t explain?”
She pushed away from me, and scrambled to her feet, pressing her back against the wall. Her body was trembling, her eyes wide with fear. “How do you know? Who are you?”
“Eden, you don’t have to be afraid of me.”