Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades)

by CS Yelle

“Gabe? I don’t know.” I shrugged.

  “Wait, you can see spirits?” Elisa leaned forward.

  “Yeah, sort of,” I sighed, resigned to revealing another reminder of my difference.

  “How does that work?” Trish asked.

  “I see a glow around everyone, everyone except an Eternal that is. The dimmer the glow, the closer to death the person is. The brighter, the healthier they are.”

  “So this Gabe must be really healthy.” Cassie concluded with a nod.

  “I’m not so sure,” I frowned.

  “Why?” Elisa asked.

  “His glow is different somehow. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

  “Maybe he’s something different.” Trish pressed her lips together in thought.

  “How do you mean?” I asked.

  “If Eternals have no glow because they don’t have a guardian angel’s spirit in them, then an incredibly bright glow might mean…” Trish paused, eyes going wide as she looked at me.

  “He might be an angel,” I agreed, nodding at the revelation.

  “An angel,” Trish repeated, shaking her head.

  “Come on,” Elisa laughed. “He’s not an angel. That’s ridiculous.”

  “Is it?” Trish raised an eyebrow.

  “We didn’t believe in Eternals until we met some.” Cassie shrugged.

  “Exactly,” Trish exclaimed, causing several people at nearby tables to turn and stare.

  “Until we discover them.” Trish leaned closer to the table, lowering her voice, “We have no idea these things exist.” She sat back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest, and gave a satisfied nod.

  Elisa, Cassie, and I exchanged glances, the feasibility of Trish’s hypothesis sinking in. That there might be other beings we didn’t know about only by lack of exposure was life-changing. One by one we nodded, agreeing to the plausibility of it.

  The bell rang and we stood to go to class. As we dropped our garbage in the trash cans. We stopped, huddling at the end of a hall.

  “I’m going to see Gabe after school,” I told them.

  “We should come with you,” Trish said.

  “None of you have Calc; it would look odd,” I argued.

  “Then what should we do?” Cassie asked.

  “Drop me off and wait for me at the Jeep. It shouldn’t take me too long,” I said.

  The looks on their faces turned disapproving.

  “What would he do to me in the school where anyone could walk in?” I pointed out the obvious, ignoring my mind’s flash to the hospital and Kendal’s brazenness. “I’ll be fine.”

  We turned and headed our separate ways to class. I’ll be fine, I repeated in my head. I hope.

  Chapter 22 My resolve to go see Gabe dwindled throughout the day to near nothing as the final bell rang. The thought of exposing myself to an angel becoming less and less appealing as the day went on. The word abomination came to mind. The words Bastion chose to describe me hung in my ears. If Bastion thought of me in that manner, then what would an angel feel? Allister said angels didn’t care for his kind and wasn’t I, at least partially, his kind?

  I steeled myself, walking down the hallway to the library after the girls drove me to the college. I rounded the corner to the room off the library. I planned on walking by, looking in, and reassessing the glow around him, that was all.

  I felt the plan a sound one, striding confidently along, cruising to the doorway with no intention of slowing down. The plan would have gone off without a hitch, except Gabe stepped out of the room, his attention focused on something behind him, and I ran smack dab into him.

  We both tumbled to the floor, sprawling across the hallway, my backpack falling from my shoulder and sliding across the tile. Gabe tumbled over me, the armful of papers he held scattering everywhere, floating down over us as we lay in a jumble of arms and legs on the ground.

  “Ow,” I moaned. I had to stop running into supernatural boys, I thought cringing and wishing I could disappear.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” He pushed himself off the floor and subsequently, off of me. He looked down and our eyes met, his green irises reflecting my startled face back at me, his pupils dilating in surprise.

  I squinted back at him, my eyes stinging as his glow blazed bright, my concentration gone, not allowing me to dim it sufficiently. I took a deep breath, focusing hard as his glow dimmed to a tolerable level.

  “It’s my fault,” I said, trying to get to my feet only to fall again and trip over his leg.

  “Oh, sorry again,” he mumbled, taking my arm and lifting me to my feet.

  “No, that’s okay,” I said, looking around for my backpack, locating it across the hall. I walked over, picked it up, and swung it onto my shoulder. I flinched as a twinge of pain pierced my back, causing me to stop and grimace.

  “Are you alright?” he asked as he stooped to collect his paperwork.

  “Fine,” I said, the pain causing my voice to waver.

  “No, you’re not.” He frowned. “You better come in here and sit down.”

  He took me by the arm and pulled me into the small classroom. Walking over to the desk chair, he sat me down, pulling the backpack from my shoulder, and placing it on the floor.

  “Rest a minute and see if it gets any better,” he smiled. “Britt, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded.

  “Where does it hurt?” he asked, appearing genuinely concerned.

  “I’m fine.” I started to get up, but pain stabbed in my back again, making me gasp and I dropped back into the seat again.

  “You don’t sound fine,” he said. “Where does it hurt?”

  “My back, just above my tail bone,” I said mortified and blushing. “Between my shoulders too,” I added in a rush.

  “Nothing to be embarrassed about.” He dismissed my pink cheeks. “I stepped in front of you, it’s my fault.”

  I stretched backwards, trying to pull free the knots forming in my muscles. “Ah,” I gasped as it knifed again.

  “You should go to the nurse’s office,” he suggested.

  “No, I’ll be fine,” I said with a painful exhale, feeling my muscles spasm.

  “Stubborn one, aren’t you?” he smirked.

  I nodded, unable to say anything as another rush of pain grabbed my back.

  “Lean forward then,” he instructed.

  I spun my head in surprise and paid the price as my neck kinked painfully. I clenched my eyes against the pain and then looked up at him suspiciously.

  “Trust me, I know what I’m doing,” he assured. “Now lean forward on the desk and relax.”

  I gave him another questioning look and he nodded to me. With a shrug that I regretted, I leaned onto the desk, still sitting in the chair.

  He placed his hands on my neck first, finding the kink straight away and gently rubbed the knot out.

  An unexpected moan escaped my lips. I felt my face get hot and bit my lip to prevent it from happening again.

  He chuckled softly and continued to move his hands in small circles as he rubbed the stiffness out of my muscles. He eased down to right above my tail bone and I gasped when he touched the second knot. It hurt so good as he rubbed and pressed evenly on the injured muscle. I let my eyes close as the pain began to subside.

  Just as my body started relaxing, I heard a gasp at the door.

  Gabe stopped massaging and I looked up to see Trish, Cassie, and Elisa staring at us in disbelief.

  “Oh my God,” Cassie cried out.

  “What are you doing to her?” Trish accused him, glaring.

  “Nothing,” Gabe and I said at once.

  “Looks like more than nothing to me.” Elisa had her hands planted on her hips. “And I should know,” she added with a nod.

  “Uh, we collided in the hall,” I stammered.

  “She hurt her back and I’m trying to massage the knots out,” Gabe said.

  “Looks like inappropriate behavior for a tutor with a student.” Cassie
frowned.

  “Cassie,” I warned. “Don’t start.”

  “She’s right.” Gabe caused me to turn and look up at him as he stood over me.

  “It wasn’t inappropriate,” I pointed out. “I wouldn’t go to the nurse like he suggested so he rubbed my back to stop the pain, which it did,” I said, somewhat surprised realizing it was true. I stood and stretched, amazed at the absence of pain.

  “I told you I knew what I was doing,” he smirked.

  The girls were not amused. They stared, disapproving and waited for me to gather my backpack and walk over to them.

  “Maybe we should report this to the dean,” Cassie suggested. “I’m sure he won’t approve of tutors using their time to hit on high school students.”

  “Report what?” I said. “Nothing happened. I was sitting at the desk while he showed me how to do an assignment I had trouble with.”

  “That’s your story?” Trish huffed.

  “And I’m sticking to it,” I said with a curt nod.

  “Fine,” Trish sighed. “Can we go now?”

  “Yeah, good idea.” I pushed past them as they stood in the doorway.

  I glanced back at Gabe who wore a knowing smile and then strode down the hall. The girls hesitated a moment longer and hurried after. I didn’t have to look back to know Gabe watched us walk down the hall and turn the corner, confident he stared until he couldn’t see us any longer.

  “I knew we should have come with you,” Trish groused as we walked down the hall.

  “And what would you have done differently?” I asked.

  “I, I …I don’t know, but I sure as hell wouldn’t be lying across his desk getting a massage,” she shot back.

  “I’m not making it up. I planned to walk by and look at him as I passed. Just when I got to his door, he stepped in front of me and we ran into each other.” “How convenient,” Elisa snarked.

  “Really?” I glared at her.

  “And you hurt your back,” Cassie kept us on track.

  “Yes, and I hurt my back,” I said, stretching my back at the waist and smiling at the absence of pain.

  “That’s it?” Trish sounding less doubtful.

  “Sorry to disappoint.” I shrugged. “But I did discover one thing.”

  The girls stopped and I took two more steps before stopping and turning back to their questioning stares.

  “What’s that?” Elisa asked. “Is he an angel?”

  I shook my head and shrugged.

  “Is he an Eternal?” Cassie asked.

  I indicated no again.

  “Then what?” Trish said, exacerbated.

  “He has great hands.” I grinned, liking the rise I got out of them.

  “Ah.” Elisa threw up her hands.

  “Oh my God.” Cassie rolled her eyes.

  “You suck.” Trish gave me a shove.

  I stumbled a few steps before catching my balance, laughing at them.

  We walked out of the building to the parking lot and jumped in the Jeep, still laughing. We cruised past Allister’s place the way we did every day, just to be sure. Seeing it, I felt the familiar tug at my heart. As we pulled past the house, I spotted someone moving alongside.

  “Stop,” I shouted and Trish slammed on the brakes.

  “What?” she looked at me, wild-eyed. “Back up, back up,” I hollered.

  She put the Jeep into reverse and squealed backward. A tall shape moved along the house and my blood went cold. I hopped out as the girls stared at me, not moving.

  “Get out of here, now,” I ordered.

  “Who is it?” Elisa asked.

  “Just go, now,” I said.

  “Britt, who is it?” Cassie cried.

  “Kendal.” I watched Trish’s eyes light up with understanding.

  “What about you?” Trish shouted as I ran towards the house.

  “I’ll be fine, get out of here,” I hollered over my shoulder.

  The Jeep’s engine revved and the big tires threw rocks as Trish punched the gas. I watched it disappear around the corner and then crept closer to the house. I slid my back against the front of the house, peeking around the corner as Kendal peered in a window. He turned my way and I pressed myself against the siding, the ridges digging into my tender back. I leaned forward again and saw Kendal moving to the back, obviously not getting in. Not getting in? He’s an Eternal. All he has to do was shimmer into the house. Why was he trying to break in?

  I eased nearer, looking his way as he vanished around the corner. I crept quickly after, keeping low and close to the house for cover. I stepped around the corner, peering ahead to see where he went and his hands grabbed hold of me, throwing me down to the ground. His weight pressing on my lungs as he sat on me, holding my arms up against the grass. My sore back began to spasm.

  “Well, well, lookie what we have here,” he sneered.

  “Kendal, get off,” I gasped.

  “Why you sneaking up on me?”

  “Why are you skulking around the Parks’s?” I countered.

  “Checking to see if they came back.”

  “Why, are they coming back?” My voice brightened with excitement.

  “Easy, easy, I don’t know. They were still in Greece when I left. At least Victor and Jennavia were. Hard to say where your boyfriend and his sister are.”

  “Allister wasn’t in Greece?”

  “Nope, still missing.”

  “Get off, I can hardly breathe.” I struggled to push him off me.

  He rolled to his side leaning on his elbow, resting his head in his hand as he stared down at me.

  “Still as beautiful and feisty as ever,” he grinned.

  I ignored him. “Why are you back?”

  “I missed you and besides, this place has some really juicy angels just ripe for the taking.” His smile gave me goosebumps.

  “Like Mr. Geffre last night?” I shot back angrily.

  “The old guy? Yeah his angel felt so good.” He shrugged and then his pleased expression turned sour. “You watching me again?”

  “Like I have a choice.”

  “Come on, give a guy a break. It’s not like I can just quit.”

  “Why don’t you?”

  “We went over this before. I can’t help myself.” “It’s wrong.”

  He gave me a hard look and then turned away, getting to his feet.

  “Where is Allister if he isn’t in Greece?”

  “Don’t know, don’t care.” He shrugged and shimmered to nothing.

  “Ah!” I slammed my fists against the ground. I didn’t have a chance to ask him how he got away from Bastion or why he didn’t just shimmer into the house. Our encounter had left me with more questions than before.

  Allister said Bastion took Kendal with plans to extract my location from him. I stared at the sky above me, the fluffy white clouds and the clear blue space between, as fear raced through me, like ice taking over my veins.

  What if Bastion ‘let’ Kendal escape with the hopes of following him here to me? I jumped to my feet.

  “Kendal, Kendal,” I shouted, hoping he had shimmered close by and might hear me. I ran to the front of the house. “Kendal, Kendal,” I cried.

  “Why all the noise?” Kendal’s voice spoke from behind me.

  “Holy shit!” I jumped, turning to him, my hand to my chest to keep my racing heart from bursting through.

  “What?” he looked at me, suspicious.

  When I gave him an exacerbated look, he frowned.

  “You called me,” he reminded.

  “How did you get away from Bastion?” I asked.

  “I’m kind of good at getting out of tough situations, if I do say so myself.” He smiled. “I slipped away when they went after Allister in Toronto.”

  “Allister was in Toronto?” I brightened at mention of him.

  “I thought you were asking about me and how I escaped.” He frowned with a hurt expression.

  “No, you’re right. How’d you get away?” I wiped
away all traces of eagerness.

  “I slipped the bracelet off. They didn’t have it on very tight. And I shimmered away down the street. I jumped a train and headed back here.” He puffed up with pride at his accomplishment.

  “The one you put on me was pretty tight, why would they put yours on so loose? Is that normal?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure,” he said slowly, the realization of what I asked making more sense now. “So you think Bastion let me escape on purpose? Why?”

  “To get to me.”

  “Makes sense.” He shrugged. “Except no one can track me,” he boasted. “No really,” he said, seeing the doubt on my face. “How do you think I’ve managed to stay alive and out of prison all these years?”

  “Just lucky?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “After all the angels I’ve taken, I’m the top priority to the Eternals and the Avenging Angels. None can stop me.”

  “About that,” I started and then hesitated.

  “What?”

  “Back at the cabin you said you felt something for me,” I said, treading lightly on this dangerous subject. “Yeah, so?”

  “Were you lying?”

  “No.” His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why?”

  “If you have feelings for me, you need to stop taking angels,” I blurted out.

  He spun away from me though his hand came to his chin in thought. “Are you saying you might have feelings for me…now that Allister is out of the picture?”

  “He isn’t out of the picture,” I argued.

  “Sure, sure, but if he were…”

  “I would be more likely to see you in a positive light if you stopped taking angels,” I spoke honestly.

  He looked over his shoulder at me, doubt heavy in his eyes.

  I tried to put as much sincerity into my eyes as I could as I pleaded for him to believe me.

  “I suppose I could try,” he said with a slight nod.

  “It would also lessen the attention we might draw from the angels and Bastion,” I added.

  “I told you,” he said smugly, “I can’t be tracked.”

  “Let’s hope in Bastion’s case, you’re right,” I said.

  “Let’s.” He nodded and vanished.

  I liked Kendal. The thought surprising as it came to me. Even being so cruel and unfeeling about the people he took angels from, he made no bones about what he was. What you saw was what you got with Kendal. But if I could give him hope he might have a chance with me if he stopped taking angels, I would lead him on to save lives. The only question that lingered was how far would I go to keep up the charade? Would I kiss him? I pushed the thought from my mind with a firm shake of my head as I started walking home. The only feeling I had for Kendal was revulsion. My misdirection had limits.