03 Saints

by Lynnie Purcell

  When I was finished with the story, Daniel looked at Reaper, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Daniel since our entrance. Reaper’s silver eyes were full of questions, and his face was dominated by a frown; his dark features appeared darker with the intensity of his consideration.

  “‘Thanks’ does not even begin to cover what I owe you for bringing her to me,” Daniel said. “I am in your debt.”

  “No…” Reaper said slowly. “I actually think we’re even. Well, perhaps not even, but close.”

  “Excuse me?” Daniel asked.

  Daniel looked at me for an answer to Reaper’s strange words. I shrugged in response. Knowing Reaper longer didn’t mean I understood his cryptic words. He was being strange, yet oddly familiar with Daniel. It was a side of him I had yet to see.

  Reaper’s face had turned increasingly certain, positive of whatever conclusion he had come to. He stood and approached Daniel very slowly, so as not to put him on the defensive. His silver eyes bored into Daniel’s green ones. When he spoke, his voice was laced with meaning.

  “A very long time ago, I lived here in New York. I was an orphan, sent to live in an orphanage run by a sadistic master. It was there I met a boy, who was older than me and full of stubborn determination. He was a bit of trouble maker, a ring leader, but he was loyal to his friends…beyond loyal. He convinced me at the age of six to run away from the orphanage and take to the streets. He convinced me we would be the masters of the streets, no theft too big, no chance too high, and, for a time, this was true. But we were only children. That same boy found me and one of our friends being beaten by a gang one day and, instead of running away, he jumped into the fight without a thought of his own safety. He saved our lives. I had thought…I had thought the gang had killed the boy and taken his body, had punished him for his brazen act; that he had died protecting me. I have very recently come to the conclusion that I was wrong.”

  The story had meant something to Daniel. I felt his shock through our touch.

  “Ashley?” Daniel asked incredulously.

  “It is you!” Reaper replied, starting to laugh. His face reflected his surprise and joy. “I’ll be damned!”

  “Wait, wait, wait,” I said around my confusion. “The ferryman of souls isn’t really named Reaper? He’s named Ashley?”

  “Ash,” Reaper corrected. “It was a popular name in my time.”

  “It still is popular…for girls,” I said.

  Daniel ignored me. He looked as if someone had hit him with a bus.

  “I can’t believe it! I looked for you, but they told me you had died in a fire…some accident in an industrial building,” Daniel said.

  Reaper dissolved into mist then reappeared again, showing off his talent. “Fire isn’t as big an obstacle for me as it is for some,” he said.

  “I had no idea you were a Watcher,” Daniel said, obviously overwhelmed by the day.

  Not only was I alive, but one of his childhood friends he had long thought dead was alive as well. The thoughts I was seeing through our touch told me there was more to Reaper’s story. The fight Daniel had jumped into was a moment Daniel had carried with him his whole life. It was the day Beatrice had found him and taken him in as her own.

  “Is this the friend from the vision we shared?” I asked. “The one you had thought murdered?”

  “Yeah…” Daniel agreed.

  Reaper made a rueful face. “Murdered? Close. In my foolish youth, not long after the change, I befriended Marcus. He wanted Watchers for his new group…the Seekers. He tried to kill me when I wouldn’t join his cause. He trapped me in a building and set it on fire. I hadn’t told him of my talent, though, and I managed to escape. That day I was reborn with the purpose of stopping him.”

  Daniel’s thoughts were a whirlwind of emotion. He was having trouble focusing on one thought for very long. Reaper, Ashley, whatever his name was, was one reason Daniel had spent a good portion of his younger years torturing himself. Daniel had blamed himself for Reaper’s death; he had thought he should have been there for his friend. He had tortured himself in vein. It was a hard idea to come to terms with. Guilt was easier to accept than forgiveness.

  “I think I’d like a drink,” Daniel said to no one in particular.

  “I’ll get it,” Jackson said as he eyed Reaper curiously.

  Jackson was the only in the room, besides me, who really understood what was happening. Daniel had obviously shared the story of Reaper’s ‘death’ with him.

  “Well, does the artist formally known as Reaper have any other startling revelations to share?” I asked.

  “I think that’s all…” He looked between Daniel and me. “You two are a lot alike. I knew there was a reason Clare seemed so familiar to me…”

  “Sort of…” Jackson said handing Daniel a glass. “In the sense that they’re both smart asses, maybe.”

  “And you’re the epitome of straight answers and politeness,” I said dryly.

  Jackson bowed; his face lit up with his smile.

  I led Daniel, who was still fighting a whirlwind of emotions, over to the sofa and sat. Alex moved in close on my other side. I held her hand, so that I was holding both hers and Daniel’s and took a long moment to enjoy the feel of them so near. I wasn’t sure where we would head next or what we would do, but I hadn’t lost everything. There was still hope. Priorities would be sorted out and plans would be made, but those things were for another day. All that mattered was that we were alive and no longer forced to contemplate the idea of the other being dead.

  I listened as the others started talking and the room filled with familiar sound. Daniel talked with Reaper, catching up, trying to come to terms with the years that separated them. Alex talked with Spider, their banter bringing laughter to the kids. I relaxed into the sofa and shut my eyes as I listened to the voices circling around in the room. As both Alex and Daniel treated me to their thoughts of love and happiness, I realized I had solved Naomi’s dilemma. It was possible to think of two things at once, you just needed an Alex and a Daniel thinking them for you.

  Somewhere between feeling deliriously happy and overwhelmingly loved, I passed out. It was the first time in a long time I dreamt of nothing…no nightmares, no dreams of different places, just peace and quiet.

  When I woke, Daniel was lying next to me on the long sofa. He had one arm curled around me protectively, reluctant to let me go, even while I slept.

  I shifted on the sofa to look at him, to see his eyes, assuming he was awake. I was surprised at what I saw. His eyes were shut, his breathing heavy. He didn’t move with my turn, and I wondered if I had actually caught Superman sleeping. I smiled at the thought.

  While I looked at him, he snorted then grunted. His grunt turned into a full-out snore. I put my hand to my mouth to muffle my laugh, but my whole body shook with the force of my laughter. He snored again and his face twitched with whatever dream he was having. That did it. My laughter rattling my whole body, I fell off the sofa and landed hard on the floor.

  Daniel jerked awake as I hit the floor.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, immediately alert.

  It took me a minute to stop laughing. “You were snoring,” I said between laughs.

  “I don’t snore…” he said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  “I thought you don’t need to sleep?” I asked him.

  “Usually we don’t. We sleep when we get tired enough…which takes a lot…or want a break from...things.”

  “It was adorable,” I told him.

  He made a face, obviously not a fan of the word ‘adorable.’ “By ‘adorable,’ you mean ‘gruff’ and ‘manly,’ right?” he asked.

  “Not even close…” I chuckled. I looked around the elegant room and realized it was deserted. “Where is everyone?”

  “The kids are in their room still sleeping. Alex and Margaret went out to pick up clothes for you. I think they’re bonding. Jackson went back to Marcus’ building…there’s still the possibi
lity that Han and Beatrice are there. He took Reaper with him.”

  “I had no idea he knew you,” I said. “It’s so weird your childhood friend would be the one to pull me out of the ocean.”

  “Did he say why he was helping you?” Daniel asked.

  His green eyes reflected his worry. It was obvious he didn’t want to have to suspect Reaper of using me. It was rare for someone to help as Reaper had, without wanting something in return.

  “He said it was because he knew I was different…that I didn’t waste my time with stupid questions and feeling scared. Also, because he had heard about Marcus’s search for me and wanted to be sure Marcus didn’t get me. He hates him as much as you do,” I said.

  “Do you think he was telling the truth?” Daniel asked.

  “I think he has some other reasons he didn’t share,” I said. “But I think those were the more important ones.”

  “I forgot to tell you something last night,” Daniel admitted slowly.

  He traced his thumb along my lips then cupped my cheek in his hand. The electrical feel of his hand on my face was a feeling I had missed more than anything else on the planet. It reminded me how alive a person could feel.

  “What?” I asked, distracted by his touch.

  “I forgot to tell you that I love you,” he said.

  Warm butterflies swirled in my stomach. “Oh! I love you, too,” I said, happy to have those words again.

  He kissed me lightly and helped me stand.

  “Did you go by King’s Cross?” he asked, as he led me over to the kitchen.

  “Yeah…” I agreed.

  “Did you…” He hesitated.

  “I saw your house,” I admitted.

  He maintained the illusion of calm, I thought because he didn’t want to spoil the peacefulness of the morning, though I could sense his anger.

  “Beatrice is going to be upset about her furniture,” he said lightly, as he handed me a glass of orange juice.

  “That was my first thought,” I told him.

  I took a sip of juice then ran my finger over the rim of the glass. While I didn’t want to ruin the peacefulness, either, I knew we couldn’t avoid the questions. We had found each other, but that didn’t mean the world stopped turning. Now, more than ever, I realized the brutality of the world of Watchers; a brutality that was being carried out even as we talked.

  “What happens now?” I asked.

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “I mean…we’ve been searching for a way to bring Marcus down, and now we have Reaper’s group at our fingertips. Not only are they committed to the same thing, but they are also committed to ending the war between the brothers. Beyond that, they have power, they have people, and they have means. They can stop this thing,” I said, my words turning passionate by the end.

  “You were impressed by the Saints, huh?” Daniel asked.

  “I didn’t spend too much time getting attached, but they do good things. Some bad things, but mostly good,” I admitted.

  “Reaper offered us the chance to join them last night,” Daniel admitted. “He said we could help – that he needed smart people willing to fight. He said he needs old friends he can trust…”

  I leaned against the kitchen counter and considered his words. Joining the Saints felt like a commitment we had already made. It wasn’t a hard step to take. But there were other things to consider, like Daniel’s parents. We couldn’t ignore the fact that their lives could be at risk. They needed our help.

  “What about Han and Beatrice?” I asked.

  “Reaper promised his help in finding them,” Daniel said. “And seeing how he found you when I couldn’t…well, I could use the help.”

  “What do you think?” I asked.

  His eyebrows furrowed together as he thought about it.

  “I don’t want my friendship to cloud the issue. I haven’t seen him in a long time. A lot has changed. He’s changed…I’ve changed,” he said.

  “Maybe not as much as you think…or in ways you think. What if we went there and you looked around for yourself? That way, you can make no commitments to him until you’ve seen it for yourself. If you don’t like what you see, we’ll go somewhere else and look for your parents our own way.”

  Daniel nodded in agreement. He took my hand.

  “You’ve changed,” he said delicately.

  I knew we couldn’t avoid this conversation forever, though I had hoped for more time. I had been changed. It was a profound difference I couldn’t articulate. Things felt out of place; I felt out of place. It was difficult to come to terms with those changes, when all I wanted was to be the way I used to be, before the abduction and re-training. There was no going back, however – only forward.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “I saw some of what happened, but not all…” he said.

  “It’s hard to talk about,” I said.

  “Then show me…” he said.

  “Will you show me what you’ve been through while I was gone?” I asked archly.

  He hesitated, obviously not as pleased with the reverse of his request.

  “Yes?” he said.

  I wasn’t sure what he was questioning.

  “Mr. Adams?”

  I jumped at the unexpected voice, and Daniel shut his eyes in irritation. Behind him was a small woman, wearing an expensive suit and thick glasses. Daniel was obviously familiar with the woman in the suit behind him, though he didn’t seem to appreciate her interruption. He fixed his expression, donning a polite smile, and turned around.

  “What can I help you with, Ms. Manning?” Daniel asked.

  “The papers you wanted are here. They just need your signatures,” she said, subtly blushing as he turned his eyes on her.

  “Of course,” Daniel said.

  He took the papers she held in her hand and looked over them carefully. Ms. Manning eyed me curiously as he read, adjusting her glasses in a habitual manner. Her mind was full of gossip and suspicion about the curiosity of my appearance in Daniel’s life. I didn’t know why, until Daniel turned to me and offered me the pen.

  “I need your signature, Clare,” he said.

  “Excuse me?” I asked.

  I eyed the pen in confusion. Why on earth would he need my signature on anything? I had nothing to do with his bank or his business. He saw my expression.

  “It occurred to me last night that if Reaper hadn’t picked you up, you might have been stranded without any money to make your way back to me. I would like the comfort of not having to worry about that again,” he said.

  “And signing my name helps with that how?” I asked.

  “You get access to my account,” he said.

  “You told me your parents were rich, not you,” I said to stall for time.

  “They are rich,” he said.

  “Yeah, but you are rich…independently...outside of them,” I said.

  “Seventh richest man in the United States, fourth richest under twenty,” Ms. Manning provided.

  “See?” I said.

  “What can I tell you?” he asked.

  “That you’re a big fat liar,” I said.

  “True enough. Now, quit stalling and sign the papers,” he said.

  “What if I don’t want to?” I asked.

  “Why would you not?” he asked.

  “I didn’t earn this money. It’s yours,” I pointed out.

  “What’s mine is yours,” he said.

  “I feel the same, only I can offer you exactly what’s on my back,” I said.

  “That’s good enough for me,” Daniel said with a suggestive smirk.

  “Daniel…” I warned.

  “Clare…” he mimicked me.

  “This feels like a big deal,” I said.

  He rolled his eyes at me. “Sign the damn papers, before I tell Alex you were the one who ruined her Sixteen Candles DVD.”

  “Ohhh…Nice threat,” I complimented him.

  “Thanks,” he said.

&
nbsp; I eyed the pen he was offering me. I knew why he was doing it, and why it was so important to him, but it didn’t feel right. Growing up with Ellen, I had always felt the importance of money. Not having it for most of my life meant I appreciated the hard work that went in to earning it. I hadn’t earned it the way he had earned it.

  “It’s just money, Clare,” he said softly.

  “Rich people have the luxury of saying that,” I said.

  “Sign the paper, and you’ll have that luxury, too,” he said.

  “It’s not about being rich. It’s about being equal,” I said.

  “Do it as a favor for me. I’ll never ask anything so big again.”

  His green eyes were full of pleading as he pulled his charm look out and waved it around. Normally, I would have refused to agree to anything that involved the charm look, but it had been too long since I had directed at me. I loved seeing it again. I felt my emotions override my common sense.

  “When you put it that way…” I took the pen from him. “Promise I can make it up to you?”

  “Definitely,” he agreed.

  She must be crazy… If someone as good looking and as rich as him offered me that kind of money, I would snatch it up in a second. Of course, I would be happy with just the good looking part…she’s out of her mind. Bonkers. Crazy.

  Ms. Manning was finding it hard to control her expression around her thoughts, but her professionalism kept her thoughts hidden outwardly. Daniel and I exchanged a look Ms. Manning didn’t see. Daniel shook his head in warning, to keep me from saying anything to the woman.

  I signed the papers, feeling odd I had just gained access to the seventh largest bank account in the United States. Ms. Manning took the papers, gave Daniel the ones underneath, and left. Daniel and I stared at each other when she was gone.

  “Thanks,” Daniel said finally.

  “It was a favor,” I said.

  “I know…but still…” he said, his eyes full of warmth.

  I coughed, a little embarrassed by the electricity he was generating. It had been so long since I had been alone with him; so long since I had felt the feelings pulsing through my body. The spark reached out and dared me to step closer to him, to embrace the feeling. Just as I was about to take the step closer – uncertain of where it would lead me – we were interrupted again. Ethan and Twitch came out of the room, rubbing at their eyes and yawning. Daniel shut his eyes in irritation, and I coughed again to hide my awkwardness.