“Har har,” I said and gave him a fake smile. “I needed some time to think.” I was avoiding Angela because no matter how much I didn’t want to admit it, I had spent a lot of time “thinking” about her.
“Well get as much rest and thinking out the way tonight because we’re getting up bright and early tomorrow for some proper training,” Nikolai darted his eyes toward Jones who glared at him.
“Oh?” I said with a quirked eyebrow.
“Yeah, while the two guardians hide out in the library for some research, we’ll,” he pointed to himself and me, “be out back working on your abilities and trying to wake up whatever dormant powers you may have,” he said as he took another slice of pizza and folded it in half.
Jones looked irritated but tried his best to ignore Greed. I snickered and felt bad for him. I think Nikolai’s life mission from now on is to get under Jones skin—and it’s working.
“We’ll be looking for any leads to Jeremiels disappearance, anything else about the prophecy, and of course about Abbadon,” Jones said and looked at Angela for a moment. She pretended not to pay attention. “I’m almost positive he isn’t acting alone—,”
“Well duh!” Nikolai said and it earned him a glare.
“How mature. As I was saying, I don’t think he’s the one running the show. There’s someone hiding behind Abbadon, I’m almost positive, I just don’t have any hardcore evidence to prove it,” Jones said.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
“I thought maybe he had a partnership with Azrael since they’re two peas in a pod. Abbadon being the Angel of Destruction and her being the Angel of Death. But we haven’t heard from Azrael since you saw her at the Lair. So where is she?” The last time I saw the Angel of Death was when she paid me a visit when I was at the Devils Lair with Aiden and she warned me that someone was going to die. I wish she would have told me who so I would have been more prepared and not thought it would have been me.
“Does it matter that we haven’t seen her?” Angela asked, joining the conversation.
“At first I didn’t think so, but when he found us in Vegas on the helipad, he let something slip that I didn’t pay much attention to until now. He didn’t say she, he said, ‘He is waiting for you’. So my question is, has Abbadon been playing delivery boy for someone else that isn’t Azrael?” Everyone seemed to fall into deep thought.
“I could have sworn he meant it like a ‘meet your maker’ sort of junk. Like death was waiting for me, but it could be that he was talking about an actual person. There’s just not enough to go by to prove it,” I said as I replayed that night in my head.
“This is all speculation,” Nikolai cut in. He’d gone serious and was no longer joking around. “You’re over analyzing everything now. I was there that night and I didn’t hear him hinting toward anything. If someone’s after Max, it’s Abbadon. He’s made it perfectly clear, stop trying to make something out of nothing,” he said and I could detect a trace of anger in his tone. It didn’t sit right with me.
“Why are you bothered?” It was Angela who asked. His glare switched to her, but she didn’t flinch or squirm under it. He didn’t know it yet, but Angela was as dominant as they come.
“I’m not,” he snapped. In a more control voice he said, “I’m just pointing out that it’s a far-fetched scenario. We should be focusing on more tangible theories. Like, oh, I don’t know, finding the bastard!”
After a moment, we were all still stuck in silence after Greed’s minor meltdown. He went to the refrigerator, grabbed a bottle of water and stormed out of the kitchen. I didn’t know what had his undies in a twist, but I was most definitely going to inquire about it tomorrow.
“What’s his deal?” Angela asked, but I didn’t acknowledge her.
“I’m starting to regret bringing him along,” Jones said. “There’s something not right about that guy.”
I snorted. “You just don’t like him. He’s probably just touchy about losing almost all of his hellhounds during the attack.” Which was true, he’d lost a considerable amount of his security guards and his right hand hellhound, Glenn to Abbadon’s attack. It made sense for him to only see Abbadon as the enemy. I know what it’s like to want revenge.
“No, there’s something more to that little tantrum he just had. Be careful, Max,” Jones said before throwing away his paper plate filled with crusts in the garbage. “Are you going to eat?”
“I don’t have much of an appetite. I’ll just wait for morning,” I said and started for the stairs. I made it almost to the top when I heard Jones talking to Angela. I guess it’s time I really test these bad boys out. I opened my hearing and prayed it wouldn’t hurt.
“Have you spoken to him?”
After a beat she said, “I tried, but he truly believes I killed her. I don’t think I can ever convince him otherwise.”
“It’s going to take time, Ang. He’s still grieving and he needs someone to blame. Unfortunately it’s you, but who knows, next week it’ll be me or Xavier. You’ll get through to him.” There was hope in Jones’ voice.
“What if he’s right? What if I really did kill her?” she paused and I could hear her suck in a breath. “I didn’t think he would kill Emily, but he did. And he could have been stopped if I hadn’t thrown the kitchen table on top of Max, pinning him down.”
“Stop second guessing yourself. Max wasn’t the only one there with a parent on the line. That was your father, Ang. No matter what, whether good or bad, we stick up for family. If the tables were reversed do you think Max would have been able to stand by and watch someone else kill his father? No, he wouldn’t. It’s human nature.”
“We aren’t human.”
“We were at some point and those tendencies don’t always go away,” Jones said. “Now that you’ve had time to soak in everything from that night and think things through, you know what team you play for and what kind of person Abbadon is.”
“Yeah, I know,” she whispered.
“Come here,” Jones said and I could only assume they were hugging. I couldn’t see them from the stairs, but I’d heard enough. I put up the wall around my senses and went to my room.
26
By morning the tension from the night before was gone and everyone acted like nothing had happened. Not that I wanted there to be awkwardness, but it was still sort of weird to pretend. It was even harder when I went down to the kitchen for breakfast and ran right into Angela. Just like I had that time in Gym class when she spoke to me for the first time. Only difference is I’m no longer weak and a push from her doesn’t send me flat on my back.
“Are you okay?” she asked. I didn’t answer and just walked right past her, my shoulder pushed her to the side. “That was uncalled for. There’s enough space in the doorway for the both of us.”
I snorted and grinned at myself. Her tone was laced with frustration and I was glad to be getting under her skin so early in the morning. She deserved it for acting like a victim to Jones last night. Now that was uncalled for.
“Whatever, Max. I hope you get your stuff together before you end up alone and without anyone’s help,” she said as she almost ran into Jones on her way out.
“Is everything okay?” He asked as he looked back to watch her go.
“Yeah.” My response: short and to the point.
“Don’t start with that moody crap again, Max, don’t even think about it,” he said as he slammed the refrigerator door with a thud. It rocked back and forth for a while from Jones strength.
“I’m not.” He glared at me until I cracked. “Fine. I’m sorry. But seriously, everything’s okay.”
“It didn’t sound like it, but I won’t push you. Just cut her some slack, I can’t have you going after her every time you run into her.” He shook his head like he was exhausted. “Just let the bad blood dry, man.”
I didn’t say anything regarding that statement, but I really wanted to. He acted like he could even stop me. I made my intentions perfec
tly clear, so if he really wanted me to avoid her, he’d make sure our paths never crossed again. Good luck with that.
“Hurry out back, Nikolai is waiting for you,” he said. And with that, I grabbed a water bottle and jogged to the patio door and slid it open.
When people think of the Bahamas, they think of sandy beaches, blue green oceans, and, possibly, drinks with umbrellas in them. But it was so much more than that. The serenity of the ocean as wave’s crash into one another was a sight to behold in person and Jeremiel had a front row view. I inhaled the warmth and closed my eyes. My pale skin soaked in the year round vitamin D and I tasted the salt of the water. This would be the perfect spot to live out the rest of my days.
“Are you just going to stand there like a loser or are you ready to train with the big boys?” Nikolai said from a distance away. A smirk crept over my face and I was ready for whatever he was going to throw my way.
“The big boys? Oh please, Niko. You’re not on my level,” I joked. He threw his head back and laughed.
“Definitely not on your level. You’re on what, twelve? I’m more around the thousands,” he grinned.
“Yeah, yeah, joke all you want, but when I’m dusting the floor with you, don’t complain that I didn’t warn you.”
“Oh yeah?” he raised an eyebrow. “Let’s make a wager then. If I outrun you, you have to wear one of Angela’s dresses for a day and out in public.” I snorted. Does he not know that Angela doesn’t own anything remotely girly? Well, I’m not telling him.
“Fine, if I outrun you, you have to tell me everything you know about the Wanderer,” I said. His grin darkened and I knew I hit a nerve.
“Deal,” he said with determination. “Thanks for the motivation, Maximillion. There’s no way you’re winning this now.”
Three hours later, my face hit the scorching hot sand as tourists milled around the public beach. We’d run from Jeremiels private beach to the public one and turned around—going back and forth between the two. I lost count on how many laps that was, but my legs gave out and I collapsed in the middle of the run. For all I knew, I fell in front of some guy in a speedo. And at the moment, I don’t care. I can’t feel my legs and I might need to go to the hospital.
“Aw, are you okay, Maximillion?” Nikolai taunted. I barely dug my face out of the sand to stare at him. He was smirking and if I could only lift my arm, I’d punch him in the face. Rat bastard.
“I hate you,” I said with a mouth full of sand. Gross.
“How can you even say that? We’re like brothers!” He said sarcastically. Yeah, I definitely wanted to punch him in the face—maybe even the balls.
“Well brother, I need you to carry me home.”
“Not in this life time,” he said with a snort and got up. “Hey, there beautiful.” I blinked a few times from the sun and saw he had approach some blonde girl. She wore an orange bikini and was giggling at something Nikolai was whispering in her ear. Oh, great, a blonde.
I smashed my face in the sand again. “Fine, just leave me here to die!” my voice was muffled but I’m sure he heard me.
With major reluctance, I pulled myself up and luckily didn’t come face to face with any speedos. Maybe there is a God.
The walk back home was strenuous and I knew I was going to fall into the first soft thing I saw once I walked in the house. Jones and Angela said they’d be in the library doing some research on the prophecy and possibly who the Wanderer was, so hopefully that would give me some time to rest. But I should have known I wouldn’t be that lucky. As soon as I closed the door behind me, Jones yelled out. “Max? Is that you?” Great.
I walked to the library on jello legs and my guardians were neck deep in books. I zoned in on the comfy looking sofas and headed straight for it—planting myself head first.
“Uh…dude, are you okay?” Jones asked and I tried to answer, but my voice was muffled by the pillows I had stuffed my face in.
“Sorry, can’t hear you,” I said with a groan as I lifted my head up and turned to my side. It was seriously painful. “Yeah, I’m hurting, but what have you found?”
“Not much, really. The books mention the Wanderer a lot but none specify who he actually is. It’s like he’s been around since the beginning of time, or something, it’s weird,” Jones said.
“What about Abbadon?”
Angela came out from between a set of bookshelves. “He is the Angel of Destruction who feeds on the chaos he causes on Earth. So I’m thinking he may have partnered up with the Wanderer to get his fill,” she said as she sat down in the arm chair in front of me.
“So is he a demon or angel?” If he’s bad, then why is he called an angel?
“He’s an angel. Remember, there has to be a balance between good and evil, the world can’t be all good, so some corruption has to be in place. Things aren’t as black and white as you may think, Max,” Jones said. He rubbed the sides of his temple with his thumb and forefinger.
“I’m starting to understand that,” I said with a snort.
“Where’s Nikolai?” Angela asked and I rolled my eyes.
“He’s out there somewhere with some blonde.” I waved my hand toward the beach. “We ran nonstop and I think I lost all feeling in my legs. Do you know how hard it is to run on sand? It’s torture!”
Jones chuckled. “Well, go upstairs and rest for a while before we start looking for Jeremiel. Angela has some contacts out here that may be able to help us.”
I nodded and dragged myself to the second floor to my temporary bedroom. I opened the door and sucked in a breath. A strange, erratic energy hit me as soon as I walked in and I felt like I was suffering from low blood sugar. My hands started to shake and I thought I was going to pass out.
“LORAN!” I yelled out before I lost too much of my strength. I heard two pairs of feet thud under me on the floorboards as they made their way up the stairs and down the hall where I was limply leaning against my door frame.
“Max! What happened?” Jones asked as he came to my side and with the help of Angela, they walked me to the bed and set me down.
I still felt the buzz of energy that was in the room and it was everywhere, like it was desperate to get out but couldn’t. If the door was closed, it might have made sense, but the door was wide open. Deep down, I knew what is was—who it was.
“Something’s here…someone is here,” I corrected and looked around the room for a clue as to where it may be.
“I think he’s dehydrated, he’s hallucinating,” Angela said, but I paid her no mind. Where is he? “Max, did you drink enough water on your run?”
I got up and started looking around the room. “I’m not hallucinating. He’s here, Jeremiel is here! I felt him when we first came in, but I thought it was just a lingering feeling from my last visit, but no, this is different. We need to look for him,” I said and went into the closet, but there was nothing.
“Dude, hold up, relax for a minute. You’ve probably been under the sun too long and haven’t had enough water. You need to lie down,” Jones approached me, but I backed away deeper in the closet. I shook my head like a crazed person because I knew, he was near. “Max?”
“No!” I fell backwards as I reached the rack of Jeremiels clothing on the far end and grabbed on to some of his clothing to stay upright. But I ended up bringing the whole rack down with me. The metal bar that held his shirts, fell and banged me on the head. I saw stars for a moment and the pain was a welcomed interference to the erratic feeling I had.
“Angela,” Jones whispered and she came in to the closet but stopped mid-step.
“Oh crap,” she deadpanned. I blinked a few times and moved the clothes that had fallen on me, out of the way, to get a better look at them. “You might want to look behind you, Max.” I crawled out of the bundle of things I’d been buried under and turned to see what they were staring at.
My jaw slacked. “I told you guys!” I said as I stared at the doorknob on the wall that hinted to a passageway that shouldn’t
be there. I stood up and grabbed the brass handle; I turned it and a rectangle door was pushed forward into a pit of darkness. Jones and Angela came up on either side of me and we stared down at the wooden ladder steps that led back down to the first floor. But it wasn’t some part of the main floor we could see from downstairs. It looked like it was a hidden space between the walls.
“Before we even think about going down there, let me find some flashlights. Just in case we can’t find a light switch,” Jones said as he backed out of the closet.
We stood there dumbfounded as we waited for Jones to return. He might have only taken a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. For some reason, I’m almost certain we’ll find Jeremiel down there. He must have been trying to reach out to me and I hadn’t noticed; how could I not have noticed?
“I could only find candles and matches, so be careful not to drip any wax on your hands,” Jones said as he returned and handed us each a candle stick. He lit them and I wasted no time; I started the descent into the blackness and I felt a bit a déjà vu. It’s almost as dark as in my dreams. Angela, then Jones followed as we climbed down and about fifteen steps later, the stairs disappeared and I couldn’t see the ground.
“The stairs end, I can’t see the floor from here,” I said to the others.
“Is there enough light for you to look lower?”
“I can try to reach down a little further, but I’m not sure,” I leaned down, still holding on to the step above me. “I can’t see anything, it’s too dark.”
“It can’t go further than the first floor. The Bahamas can’t support basements without hitting water first. Let’s jump,” Angela said. She held her candle stick in a way to avoid dripping wax on me.
“I’m going to head back up then. If we don’t know what’s down there, then all three of us shouldn’t go. I’ll look for some rope, I don’t want you guys jumping and getting hurt. This could be a glamour of sorts and the landing may be farther then we think,” Jones said and climbed back up the ladder.
Greed (Sins of the Fallen Book 2) Page 16