One side of Ryan’s mouth pulled up. “When I get home, you can come into the apartment, you know. You don’t have to sit outside in the Lotus.”
“No, thank you. I can’t do my job properly and listen to you flap your jaws all night.”
“We don’t have to talk,” Ryan grinned.
Jared stood. “On that note we’ll be leaving,” he looked to me, “preferably before I vomit cheeseburger in Ryan’s lap for insinuating anything remotely intimate about my baby sister.”
Claire was speechless, and I frowned. “Ryan. Really?”
Ryan laughed hysterically.
Jared promptly led me to the elevator by the hand. He couldn’t get away from Ryan fast enough. Kim followed us into the hallway. Jared pushed the button, and then waited for Kim to speak.
She crossed her arms, already saying what she had come to say. She watched Jared expectantly.
He sighed. “I need more time.”
“You promised. What are you waiting for, anyway? Nina is pregnant. The prophecy has begun. It can only go one of two ways now.”
“I want to take it back to Woonsocket and spend a couple of days with Father Francis. We could find a weakness. We could find a way to avoid a confrontation all together.”
“That’s reaching, even for you,” Kim said. Her pale cheeks were turning a soft shade of red. Kim being upset was so foreign to me that I almost couldn’t process it.
“You and Nina just have a few weeks before summer break. Nina can’t miss any more classes, and I can’t go without her.”
Kim narrowed her eyes. “You think I care about classes? This is serious, Jared. You promised that if I helped you get the book back, you would help me return it to Jerusalem. You promised.”
Jared rubbed the back of his neck, clearly frustrated. The elevator door opened, and he pulled both Kim and I inside. An elderly couple walked toward the door. The older gentleman held up his hand, signaling for us to hold the elevator, but Jared quickly pushed the button for the doors to close.
“Jared!” I said, appalled. “Remind me why we can’t just let Shax have the damn thing?”
Kim shot a sharp look in my direction. “Because it gives him tremendous power, power that someone from the days of Jesus was so afraid for him to have, they risked taking it from him. Now that your fathers have pissed him off, if we hand over his bible, the first person he’ll annihilate with that power is you.”
Jared squared his shoulders and lowered his chin. “I understand that you want to return the book and why. Trust me, I do. But when we…once we do this, Kim…it can’t be undone. I will never get this chance again.”
Kim matched his glare. “Then get it done.”
The elevator door slid open, and Kim walked into the main lobby of the hospital. She didn’t say another word, and she didn’t acknowledge me at all.
Jared and I walked to the Escalade in silence. Both of their arguments made sense. Who could disagree with either side when they both wanted to protect someone they love? My first inclination was to insist Jared hold up his end of their bargain, but protecting me meant protecting our child. Bean was my first priority.
Jared seemed even more conflicted than I. He was a good man, and going against his word clearly bothered him. He was right; we needed to search every clue — every figurative and literal meaning of every paragraph of the prophecy. Forcing Heaven and Hell into a war was a last resort, and we couldn’t be sure unless we explored every option.
I slept fitfully that night, dreaming about wars and demons and of Bean. My brain ran incessantly, stuck in a pattern of scaring myself awake, and then falling back asleep, only to imagine a new frightening scenario. In the hospital, in St. Ann’s, in the Loft, we fought the demons over and over, but every dream ended the same: Bean would be in my arms one moment, gone the next. Panic would take over my every thought, but we all knew it was too late, and nothing more could be done. Desperation would plague me as I insisted Jared figure out a way to find and save our baby, and then unbearable sorrow when I realized it was over…and then my eyes would open.
“Nina,” Jared whispered, following my name with smooth, short phrases in French. For whatever reason, French always seemed to comfort me, and Jared could sense that. His fingers combed through my hair, and his lips grazed the edge of my ear.
The sun cast shadows on every wall of my bedroom. I blinked, trying both to clear my vision and remember what day it was, reminding myself that what seemed like a lifetime of heartbreak was only a dream.
Jared kissed my cheek, and I turned to face him. “That was a rough night,” I said. A tear fell from the outside corner of my eye, down my temple.
Jared used his sleeve to wipe the wet line away. “I noticed.”
I looked out the window. “You know what will make me feel better?”
“What’s that, sweetheart?”
“Training.”
Jared nodded. “I thought you might say that. When do you want to start?”
“Tonight, after I put some time in at Titan. Is Bex busy?”
“I don’t think so. I’ll ask him, but he’s always up for some sparring with you.”
I forced a sleepy grin. “You should cut in once in a while. I’m sure I bore him to death.”
Jared smiled. “We’ll see. I’m going to whip up some blueberry pancakes.”
“I’m going to whip up a lather in the shower. Do we have salsa?”
Jared’s head jerked back a bit. “I think we have some left, yeah. Why?”
“I’m going to dip my pancakes in it.”
Jared wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue. “So hold the maple syrup, then?”
“No, I want the syrup, too,” I said, ambling to the bathroom. I didn’t look behind me to see what revolted expression was on Jared’s face, but he didn’t move from the bed until I turned on the shower.
He was probably beyond disgusted, but it did sound good. What wasn’t appetizing about fresh, spicy tomatoes, cilantro, onion, blueberries and pancake batter soaked in maple syrup? My stomach growled. I was suddenly ravenous.
I rushed through my morning routine, and yanked on a Brown University pullover hoody and a pair of jeans. The button was being stubborn, so I sucked in. When I still couldn’t get it buttoned, I lay on the bed. Coupled with sucking in, I finally got it fastened. I made my way down the stairs, uncomfortable and stiff.
“We need to do some shopping tonight instead of sparring,” Jared said, joining me.
“We can do both,” I said. “Just don’t take me to a maternity store. I’m not ready for that yet.”
Jared shrugged. “Fair enough. I just want to make sure you’re both comfortable.”
I made a show of looking around the room. “Did you eat my salsa pancakes?”
Jared laughed once. “Absolutely not. Cynthia beat me to the cupboard.”
“She’s making pancakes?”
“No, and she’s not serving salsa, either.”
I frowned. “I sort of had my heart set.”
Cynthia’s high heels clicked against the tile as she brought in a tray and set it on the table. She placed an empty plate in front of me, and then sat a tall glass of an indiscriminate frozen cocktail on the plate. She added a bowl of fresh fruit, a bran muffin, and a slice of tomato.
“What’s in the glass?” I asked.
“Fresh fruit, yogurt and peanut butter.”
“That sounds awful,” I groaned.
“But salsa pancakes are appetizing?” Jared said. I shot him an annoyed glare.
Cynthia nodded to my breakfast. “It’s quite good, I assure you. I can’t do this every morning. I happened to have a cancellation, but I do expect you to eat well.”
All expression left my face. “You know, don’t you?”
Cynthia offered a small smile. “I know everything, Nina, dear. Now, feed my grandchild. I’ll see you at dinner.”
She untied the strings of her apron and hung it over a chair, clicking her heels to the f
oyer.
I stared at the concoction in the glass. “I officially believe that I will never know what to expect from my mother.”
“That makes two of us.”
I drank the PB and Fruit smoothie — which was actually quite tasty — and gathered my things for class. Jared walked me to the Escalade, but I put my hand on his arm before we left the drive. “I almost forgot. I have to stop by Titan and speak to Sasha.”
“Oh, yes. To banish her to the file room.”
“Her ridiculous crush is costing me money,” I grumbled. “She hired a calligrapher to write names on the new client packets!”
Jared made a strange face, unsure how to react, and then turned the wheel toward Titan. I practiced what I might say to Sasha during the drive. Part of me wanted to smash all of her hopes and dreams like she deserved; the other insisted on breaking it to her gently. By the time Jared pulled up to the curb, I had given up on my dastardly plan of revenge, instead settling on a gentler speech. That decision put me in a less than amiable mood.
“See you soon,” Jared said, kissing my cheek.It took some doing to find Sasha, but after looking everywhere else, I headed to the file room in the basement. The room was missing several lights; the only one fully lit was blinking. I stepped in, the concrete echoing under my feet.
“Sasha?”
I slowly walked down the aisle, looking to each side of me.
A small, muffled noise came from a dark corner of the room. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was alone, but something was inside that room with me.
I took a breath, and then walked as quietly as I could to the end of the aisle, turning toward the noise. A dark, huddled figure was slumped with its back turned to me. In the failing light I could see it shivering.
“H…hello?”
The figure froze. Adrenaline seared through my veins. Immediately every move, every act of defense I had learned replayed in my mind. My hands balled into fists, and I braced myself for a fight.
“Go away,” Sasha hissed. She gasped, and her body shivered again.
Every taut muscle in my body released, and anger served as an outlet for the adrenaline. “What the hell are you doing down here?”
Sasha turned, wiping her eyes. “Peter said Grant was out for the day, and that I needed to straighten up down here until you came in. Does he think I’m stupid?” She stood. “Why would I want to work for someone that doesn’t appreciate me, anyway? I wouldn’t. I am far too talented to be sentenced to the file room.”
“Sasha. You misused company resources.”
“It was approved!”
“You’re an intern. Interns don’t hire calligraphers or order cappuccino machines.”
“Grant loves cappuccinos!”
“Then he can buy one for his office.”
“He’s the CEO!”
“No,” I breathed. “He’s not. Report to Peter when you’re finished with the file room so he can give you a list of new duties. You will work in Peter’s department, now, so he is your immediate supervisor, and he will handle your evaluation. If you need anything, Peter will be happy to address your concerns.”
“Nina!”
I walked out of the basement and took a deep breath. It was the first time my lungs felt like they were getting air. I noticed another, newer, male intern walking down the hall, and called him over.
“Yes, Mrs. Ryel?”
“The lights in the file room need attention. Call maintenance and have the bulbs replaced or repaired immediately, and please help Sasha with whatever she needs. You’ll find her at the end of the third aisle. And do not, under any circumstances, leave her alone.”
The intern frowned with confusion. “Y-yes, ma’am.” He stood there for a moment, every thought scrolling across his face.
“Well? Go.”
He nodded, hastily making his way down the hall to the file room, and I paused, disturbed by the distinct Cynthia-like tone in my voice just then.
I rushed up the stairs, squinting from the bright sunlight bursting through the windows of the lobby. When I made it to the Escalade, Jared watched me warily.
“Was there a problem?” he said.
I took his hand. “They were in there.”
“Who?”
“They, Jared,” I sighed. I put my elbow on the console and covered my eyes with my fingers. “I could feel them.” Jared was quiet, so I peeked up at him. He seemed confused. “You couldn’t feel them?”
“What makes you think they were there?”
“I was creeped out, for one. I’ve been around them enough to know what it feels like when they’re around. Sasha was down there crying; negative energy in the air; it was cold.”
Jared’s mouth pulled to one side. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that—,”
“Just,” I sighed, irritated, “this one time, trust me. I’m not a Hybrid, but they were in there. Not many, but I could feel them.”
“But…I couldn’t feel them. It doesn’t make sense that you could and I couldn’t.”
I shook my head. “I don’t understand it.” I thought for a moment. “Could you sense me?”
“Yes. You were just fine.”
“I was not just fine. I genuinely believed something was about to attack me. You didn’t sense that?”
Jared shifted to face me, his face darkened with concern. “You were afraid.” His tone was more of a statement than a question.
“My adrenaline was about to shoot through my eyes! I thought your senses were heightened?”
Jared eyes bounced around the cab of the Escalade as his mind tried to work out the details of this new development. He was clearly not taking it well. He faced forward, and shoved the gear in drive.
“Jared,” I said, my voice low and soothing. It didn’t work.
He slammed the gear back into park, and his hand flew to his head. He hit the steering wheel. “Just when I think I’m ahead … something else gets thrown at me!”
“Honey, we’ll figure it out.” I reached to touch his arm.
He gripped the steering wheel. “How can I keep you safe from Hell without being your shadow if I can’t trust my senses? If I don’t have any to trust?” His eyes were desperate.
“So be my shadow.”
Jared laughed once, and then shook his head. “I can’t go to class with you. I can’t follow you around Titan, Nina.”
“You can be within earshot. You said it yourself. You can hear me through the crowd at the Superbowl.”
Jared nodded, putting the gear into drive once more, but he was beyond listening to reason. He negotiated the one-way streets of downtown Providence without effort, and then pulled next to the curb behind Andrews Hall. He opened my door, and gestured for me to cross the street.
“What are we doing?”
“I’m walking you to class. You’ve only got a few weeks left. I’ll wait for you in the hallway.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?”
“I’m fast, but so are they. They are capable of a lot of damage in the few seconds it would take me to get to you from here. Without being able to sense when something’s wrong, I would feel better being closer than not.”
I thought a moment, and then nodded. Anything that was safer for Bean had to be the right answer.
The last few weeks of school came and went without incident. Jared stood in the hallway during my classes, and joined me, Beth and Chad for lunch. Without Ryan around, Josh found another table, and Kim was too angry with Jared to tolerate him.
The crisp air was just a memory by the time my junior year at Brown ended. The Main Green bustled with students who made their way to the Van Winkle Gates to see the graduating class make their last march through.
Before the last stragglers made their way through the gate, Beth, Chad, Jared and I walked to College Hill to beat the rush. Beth prattled on about her family begging her and Chad to visit over the summer. She barely noticed the congested traffic. She had become a true East Coast woman
. Even her accent had diminished. She sounded more like Ryan than her family.
“So what’s for lunch?” I asked, tapping Beth’s arm.
Jared squeezed my hand. “I thought we would revisit the place of our first date.”
Beth slipped me a box, a bit larger than her hand, and without warning, I tossed it to Jared. I loved throwing things at him, because he always caught them. It had become our little inside joke.
“What’s this?”
“Your birthday present.”
“It’s my birthday?”
“It’s the ninth, isn’t it?” I said with a mischievous grin. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Then I guess it is,” he said. He kissed my cheek, and then pulled on the ribbon. “A book?” He thumbed through the pages. “A blank book?”
“A journal. You were down to the pages of yours, and I thought it would be a good time to start a new one.”
Jared’s eyes turned soft, and he took me into his arms. “It is the perfect time.”
Chad rolled his eyes, and Beth sighed. “I remember that,” she said, her thoughts lost in the sweet, mysterious first days of my relationship with Jared.
“Come on, Ryel. You’re making me look bad.”
We walked across campus, taking in the atmosphere. Electricity seemed to be in the air, along with the smells of summer. The chatter was louder than was normal; the young faces of students more animated. They would all embark on vacations, travel home, or spend their summer break on the beach or by the pool. I would most likely fill my summer trying to land punches on brother-in-law, or watching Jared read over the Naissance de Demoniac. The beach sounded much better.
Jared stopped in his tracks.
“Oh, no,” Beth breathed, looking up at the building that was once Blaze.
I glanced at her, and then followed her gaze. “Shanghai? I thought you said you wanted to go to Blaze?”
Clearly disturbed, Jared let go of my hand. “Did you know about this?” Jared asked Chad.
“No,” Chad said, shaking his head. “But I’d never eaten at Blaze, either.”
I looked around, and realized we were standing in front of what used to be Blaze. The location of our first date was gone, replaced by sushi takeout. My jaw dropped.
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