by Mary Ting
“Then I would have turned into a zombie too,” Audrey giggled.
We had a good laugh at their comments, but it was no laughing matter. Jack and Goose gave fake smiles, and I could sense their apprehension.
“Anyway,” Audrey continued, taking a sip of her wine, “Jack told me you were interested in seeing the book that belonged to my father-in-law. I’m not sure what information you are looking for, but I don’t think you’ll find much. The written language is not familiar to me. Many pages are blank and some are missing. But I’ll show you after dinner.”
After dinner, we had macadamia nut ice cream for dessert. It was the best I’d had, besides the ice cream from the shop where Abel worked. That made me think of him. Checking my phone, I saw we had one hour left before the meeting. Goose kept a watchful eye on Uncle Davin. He seemed fascinated by him. We sat in the family room while Lana poured him some tea.
Lana sipped her tea and placed it down on the table. She moved her long, silver braid behind her and watched Audrey go into her room. She then shifted her attention to us. “Audrey doesn’t believe in anything. Since my son passed away, she’s drowned herself in her work. My husband and I practically raised the boys after that. They’ve been fascinated by anything supernatural from all the stories my husband shared. Sometimes Goose goes a bit too far and pretends he’s a demon, but a good demon, of course.” She lifted her teacup to her lips.
I wanted to tell Uncle Davin that Jack and Goose could see demons and explain the reasons why, but it was not the time. I made a mental note to do that later.
Goose stood up and placed his fists on his hips. “Sometimes I pretend to be an angel like you and fly to the sky.”
Uncle Davin let out a snort and almost choked on his tea. “Kids. They have such wild imaginations.” He scowled at us accusingly. Then he quickly changed the subject, “You have nice walls. Maybe we should paint ours too.”
Zach raised his brows, surprised by the odd comment. Though Uncle Davin was right, the house could use some color. I tuned out their conversation when it went to politics and Uncle Davin’s travels. The glass case holding two swords looked far more interesting. I was about to get up and take a look when Audrey walked in, holding something in her hand.
“Here’s the book,” She walked over to us.
It was made of the finest quality old leather, with weathered edges and binding. The brown leather had black smudges, mostly on the front, an indication of the hardship the book had been through.
Uncle Davin stood up. “May I see it?” he asked Audrey as though it were something precious.
“Sure.” She handed it over and took a seat across from him.
There appeared to be no title or letters on the front. Placing the book on his lap, he ran his finger along the cross—the Knights Templar emblem—that ran the length of the book. After doing that several times, he opened it. I stared intently at his fingers, following every single word, not wanting to miss anything.
Seven names were listed, with many more on the next page. One of the names was Jacques de Molay. Another page showed the route from France to Jerusalem. Flipping through several more, Uncle Davin stopped at drawings of artifacts—a chalice, Moses’s staff, Jesus’s shawl, and others—until he stopped at a blank page. It perplexed me when his fingers ran from left to right as if he were reading lines that clearly weren’t there. Turning the page, he stopped when he realized the next ones were obviously missing. There were shreds left near the spine as though someone had hurriedly torn them out.
I surmised the missing pages held the key to solving the mystery behind the teens’ disappearance. We had to solve this before Friday the thirteenth.
The sound of the book slamming caused me to jump. Glancing up at everyone, I knew they hadn’t been expecting it either. They were mystified.
Uncle Davin stood up. “Could I please take this home to study it? I promise to take good care of it. And you know where I live.” He gave Audrey a charming smile and a wink. Dang. Uncle Davin could flirt.
Audrey shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. It belonged to my father-in-law. It’s a part of our family history. You’re welcome to come over and take a look at it anytime.”
Uncle Davin’s eyes grew wide with surprise. He stepped in front of Audrey. “Audrey, you will let me take it home, won’t you? I promise to give it back.”
I knew he was using the power of glamourizing.
“Sure,” Audrey stood up and then everyone else followed suit except for Lana. “You don’t live that far, just a hop and a skip away.”
Uncle Davin held the book in both hands when Audrey handed it to him. “Thanks for your wonderful food and hospitality.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “But we must go. I have many exams to correct. And it’s a school night.” He walked over to Lana who sat in a rocking chair. “Again, thank you for dinner. We should do this again soon.”
We said our goodbyes and rushed out the door.
I looked up at the sky, searching for any Possessor demons swarming around our house. Thankfully, there were none. The clouds were thick and heavy, covering most of the blue. I preferred to see the sun. It was less ominous, but the sun had already bowed to the moon.
A big black truck and a black sedan were parked along the curb next to our house. As I wondered who owned them, I saw Brody and Milani standing on our porch. Where were Eli and Abel?
“Hey, Zach, Lucia, Mr. President,” Brody greeted cheerfully. Pushing his shoulders back, he strode in with a cool swagger. He appeared strong as a bear, but had a jovial side that shone when he smiled, reminding me of Uncle Davin. They could pass for brothers.
Milani always greeted us with an evil eye as if she didn’t trust anyone. She didn’t smile much. Perhaps she didn’t have much to smile about.
“Good, you’re early.” Uncle Davin opened the door and waited for everyone to enter. Zach and I waited outside with our uncle. “Where’s Elmo?”
Milani curled her lips, blocking the door from closing. Was that a smile? “He’s not coming.”
Soon after, I noticed a soft breeze brush the side of my cheek and the smell of sweet coconut.
“My name is Eli,” he said in his smooth, velvety tone, stepping onto the porch. His hair was rumpled and his eyes were tired as if he’d had a long day. “I still have five minutes.” He made no eye contact with anyone until he saw me and his expression became angry. I figured it had something to do with my wings. He’d looked at me the same way when he first found out about them.
Sporting a leather jacket and jeans, he was the ultimate hot bad boy. His presence alone made my body tingle. The air suddenly became lighter and different, and so did my heart. Oddly, I wanted to smile.
“Good, you can hear,” Uncle Davin grumbled to Eli and then turned his back to snicker softly. He stepped into the house and then looked out again when he heard a noise. “What’s up, Abel?”
“Mr. P,” he greeted with a tilt of his head. “What’s up?”
Abel was cheerful as always. He raised his hand to give Uncle Davin a high five, but never received one. Uncle Davin gave him a frown instead.
“Don’t call me that. It’s Mr. President to you.”
“Yes, sir.” He saluted. He tried to suppress a laugh, but a short burst of sound escaped his mouth.
Milani, Eli, and Brody must have come in the same car; there were only two parked outside. Abel wouldn’t have come with them. I took a peek outside. A fancy black and silver motorcycle was parked next to the big truck and a gray car I hadn’t seen earlier.
The door slammed shut. “We’ve got work to do. Have a seat,” Uncle Davin commanded. After everyone sat, he opened the book and laid it on the coffee table.
Abel leaned forward, shifting in his seat several times. He parted his lips to speak then stopped. Then he did it again. Finally, he asked as he scratched his head, “What are we looking for? Why are we staring at a blank page?”
I wondered that too, recalling my uncle
tracing line after line with his finger at Jack’s house. I’d thought I was going out of my mind. Apparently, Abel couldn’t see it either. And the others had the same problem or they didn’t want to say anything.
Uncle Davin seemed bewildered. He drew back and narrowed his eyes at Abel. “Are you not a supernatural? You’re viewing the book through human eyes. Embrace your true identity, for the love of God, and look again.” He pointed at the page, sounding agitated.
How could I have missed it? I looked again, this time concentrating. A tiny light sparkled like a firework. The light traveled, revealing word after word and line after line. I was awed to see the book practically light on fire as the words popped out of the page like a hologram. No one spoke as all eyes were wide and staring.
“You’re seeing it, aren’t you?” Uncle Davin was elated. He pointed at the inscription appearing mid-air and read it out loud, “Dark smoke covered the rising sun. And evil spread across the land. Seven knights battled along the run. In the end, it was the duty of one. The one will lead. Going back in time. To find the hidden deed. Before the day is done. Seven knights were chosen. Seven descendants shall be. For the destiny is the reason. This you shall see.”
After Uncle Davin finished the last sentence, the words turned into black ashes, fell into the page, and disappeared. The page was blank again, as if a spell had been created over this book. Jacques had not been a supernatural being, so something had happened to it while in his possession—something to make this book magical for only supernatural beings to decipher.
Milani threw up her hands and pushed back against the sofa. “What does that mean? Riddle much?”
Brody rubbed his chin with his thumb and index finger. His eyes darted back and forth as he thought about something. “I think it means there needs to be seven knights, like before.”
“That’s what I believe too,” Uncle Davin then pointed at each of us. “Lucia, Zach, Abel, Milani, Eli, Brody. That’s six. I guess counting me makes seven. There. Perfect.”
“It’s not.” Eli stood up. “You have to go back in time to find your clue. How do you propose we do that?” He headed for the door.
“We need to figure that out.” Uncle Davin moved with light speed to block Eli. “And where do you think you’re going?”
“Home,” Eli retorted. “I’m never going to be part of your so-called knights. Knights are people who are noble and good. Look around, Mr. P,” he said with a vengeful tone. “Besides your family, there is nothing good here. We’re doomed. We have evil blood.” He pressed closer to Uncle Davin’s face. “We’re going to Hell. Unless you want to come with us, don’t bother. Look elsewhere.”
Uncle Davin’s eyes grew and his brows pinched together. If fire could rise out of them, it would have. “You did not just call me Mr. P.” He rolled his shoulders and his arm muscles tightened. “And by the way, I’ll be going to Hell with you ‘cause I’m going to—”
“Uncle Davin.” I tugged his arm and took him away from Eli. Leading him to the sofa, I made sure he sat down. “Eli probably needs to soak this all in. We’re asking everyone in this room to be part of our fight. We’re trained for this, but they’re not.”
Milani scowled, sitting up straight. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. We might not have been trained like you, but we’ve fought battles you have no idea about. You don’t know our losses, so don’t judge.”
I dipped my head in shame. She was right. I had no right to judge. I knew nothing of their past. In fact, I didn’t know anything about them. Could we even trust them? “You’re right. I’m sorry.” That eased the tension in her face.
Zach raked his hair back and rubbed the back of his neck. “Can’t you go back in time, Uncle Davin?”
“I’m an awesome angel, but I’m not God. I don’t have the gift of quantum physics.”
“Well, whatever you decide, I’m in,” Abel said calmly. “Just make sure we solve this before the homecoming dance. I don’t want to let my date down.” He winked at me.
Intuitively, that made me look at Eli.
“By all means. I’m not going to stop you guys, but I’m out.” Eli pushed out through the door. I flinched when it slammed. The sound of the motorcycle confirmed it was his.
Brody looked out the window. “He’ll be back. He just needs to think about it.” His eyes sparkled with hope. Though they were green, it was odd to see them this way after envisioning them amber and glowing. “I’m tired of these Possessor demons. They think they own our island. It’s time to send them back to where they came from.”
Milani curled a pink strand of hair around her finger. “They took my friend Clarissa. I want revenge. I’m in.”
Uncle Davin took a deep breath and eased his shoulders. “Perfect. Fighting a battle to get revenge is not good, but for now, I’ll agree.” His eyes shifted to the book. “Anyone know how we can go back in time?”
When no one answered, Uncle Davin spoke, “I’m giving you two days to research. We meet back here at nine in the evening. Ask your supernatural friends. Don’t tell them what we are planning, but warn them to get ready for war. I’m not sure what will happen when we go back in time. Meanwhile, I’ll talk to Lana. I think she knows a lot more than she lets on.” Then he looked directly at Abel. “Speaking of which, Audrey, Jack’s mother, has been witnessing strange incidents in the ER—patients with two holes in their neck and red eyes. They suddenly get better after having a fever so high it is normally intolerable to humans. Know anything about that, Aaaabel?” He dragged out his name.
“No, but I can take a guess,” Abel replied. “I think Vince is a mix—part demon and part Lamia. He must be creating vampires, hence the red eyes, and then Possessor demons take over their bodies to build an army of half vampire and half Possessor demons. Stronger weapons to build up his army. Unlike Lamias, vampires have no conscience. They are truly monsters.”
Uncle Davin crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa. “Why don’t you check into it? I’ll see everyone in two days. Oh, Milani and Brody, since you’re closest to Eli, see what you can do to convince him. We need him. In fact, we need everyone.”
After they agreed, everyone left.
Zach closed the shutters and sat back down. “You think they’ll help?”
Uncle Davin came back from placing the book in his room. “They have strong motivation. They will.”
I paced by the front door, wondering if Uncle Davin would be strict tonight. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to check up on Jack. Is that okay?”
“He’s probably asleep, but sure.” Uncle Davin plopped down on the sofa. “Don’t stay out late.”
Zach caught my eye. I raised my hand and mouthed, “I’ve got this.”
Chapter 17
I had lied to my uncle and Zach. My intention wasn’t to check up on Jack, but to spy on Eli. Instinctively, I knew he was hiding something, and I planned to find out what. Unsure which way he’d gone, I flashed my wings and soared up as high as I could, but low enough so I might spot him. I didn’t know where Eli lived, so I’d follow Brody’s black truck.
In Hawaii, most of the streets and highways were only one lane and the lights were dim and yellow. I lessened my speed and altitude, using the low clouds and trees as a shield, which cloaked me so I didn’t have to worry about people spotting me.
When I spotted Brody’s truck, it gave me a bit of assurance I was going the right way, but when he turned right, I decided to go straight. I sped up to catch up to Eli since he’d gotten a head start. Though I hated to admit it, Eli’s scent was embedded in me, and I followed his smell. I had to find that motorcycle. A few miles later, I spotted him. I didn’t know what it was like to ride a bike, but I imagined it to be almost like flying. Flying alone gave me a sense of tranquility. I assumed Eli felt that way as he zigzagged, sometimes passing the slower cars.
Something about watching him ride his bike was alluring and sexy. Was it that bad-boy rebel image he portrayed on his bike? Or simply
the fact I couldn’t figure him out? Either way, I found myself thinking about him, worrying about him, and wanting to know more about him. From my observation of his actions, Eli cared about his friends—and he was loyal to those who meant something to him.
I continued to follow him in darkness. Once in a while he would check over his shoulder and occasionally upwards. Maybe he sensed me following him. It seemed like forever. After many miles, gradually heading to the top of a hill, he finally reached his destination. To my surprise, instead of going home, he ended up at a horseback riding stable. What was he doing there? Was this his home? There were no cars in the parking lot, and no people anywhere. I landed behind the stable and placed my back against the wall, then watched him get off his motorcycle and take off his jacket and helmet.
I gasped when he transformed into a demon. He puffed into a black cloud and then faded. Some parts of him became translucent, coiling mid-air like a beautiful black ribbon. My eyes followed the black mist as he slowly drifted and moved. Suddenly he was out in the open field where the horses roamed freely. I got down low in the grass and observed him.
Eli stroked a black horse and said in a soft voice, “Sorry it took me so long. I’ve been busy.” The horse made a sound as if he could understand him. “Want to go for a ride, Midnight?” The horse made the same sound again.
Without a saddle, Eli got on the horse and took off. Midnight galloped at full speed. Never having been on a horse before, I wondered what it was like. I knew I would enjoy it. Riding that fast, he was one with the horse. The horse must have trusted Eli.
I continued to follow them until I came upon the most magnificent view. I could have never imagined this sight. The blanket of white clouds seemed within reach. Because they were so low, I imagined Eli continuing to ride straight into the clouds. Just beyond, the glorious sun dipped into the clouds and reflected pink and yellow across the sky. It was like viewing a perfect painting and wanting to be in the moment, only I was there. To the world below, the sun had already set. But at this angle, I saw a spectacular view.