Sweet Reckoning

by Higgins, Wendy

  Everyone in the bar shook their heads, muttering, “What is wrong with this world?”

  If they only knew.

  The mood was somber after that.

  At closing time I managed to evade the cute boy who’d been at my side all night. I slipped the bartender a note to call cabs for my drunken buddies, giving my credit card number as payment.

  As I shuffled back to the dorm at two in the morning, a knife in my pocket and the Sword of Righteousness strapped to my ankle under my jeans, I imagined that Kaidan went to school there with me and we were a normal couple. Students. Sometimes it was fun to pretend, but I didn’t let myself long for impossible things, because there were Nephilim who would do anything to have the life I led.

  Calling my life blessed was ironic, considering, but when it came down to it, I was loved, and that made life worth living. Just like my mother, Mariantha, said.

  As I was having that lovely thought, my dorm in sight, a dark shadow flew into my path on the narrow sidewalk, causing a shriek to stick in my throat.

  “Baby . . .”

  I pressed a hand to my chest. “You scared me half to death, Dad!” My telepathic voice screamed at him, and I looked behind me, searching for signs of whisperers but finding none. “Pharzuph is here tonight with a ton of spirits!”

  “I know. Hurry up and get to your room so we can talk in private.” He flew ahead of me, disappearing into the side wall of my dorm.

  I huffed a little, my nerves still on alert, and sped to the entry door. It was strange passing the night-watch girl at the desk. I gave her a small smile and she nodded, oblivious to the gigantic ram-horned demon at her side.

  In my room, Dad practically took up the whole space, and I felt too edgy to sit. I told him about Pharzuph coming and how Kaidan and I should be safe from him for now.

  “But I don’t understand something,” I said. “I didn’t recognize anything about him—he didn’t even talk the same anymore. Has he been an American before, or did he train himself to have a new accent that fast?”

  “No, this is his first time in a U.S. body, but there’s certain knowledge a body retains, even when the souls switch. The brain and body hold on to habits like language and gestures. It’s still going to talk and act the same until you train it otherwise. It’s always strange at first because it’s hard to control, but it ends up being a benefit for us Dukes.”

  Yeah, how convenient for them.

  I told Dad what Pharzuph had said about him being in trouble. Dad laughed. Always a scary sound, deep and guttural, even in spirit form.

  “They would’ve been suspicious of me one way or another, and damned if I was gonna let them capture me. I’ll be hunting for a body next, but I came to tell you that Pharzuph and the others have called for a summit tomorrow night—probably to talk about their findings and figure out what to do next. They’ll be in Switzerland.”

  “Switzerland?”

  “A ski town. They like to make a vacation of these summits, you know. And since they were just in Vegas, they wanted something different.” Dad, being all business, naturally disagreed with the other Dukes’ idea of mixing fun with work.

  My hopes lifted.

  “Wait. Does this mean we Neph have a couple safe days?” I asked.

  He grunted. “Yes, but be careful. I’d say you have forty-eight hours starting tomorrow afternoon when they’re all traveling. Some will stay there longer than two days, but don’t take any chances. If you need to gather your allies or be in contact with them, this is your chance.”

  “And I can see Patti!” I clapped my hands and smiled. This seemed to soften him a little.

  “Yeah, you can see her. Give her my regards.”

  I wished I could hug him, but all I could do was beam up at his frightening face, making him chuckle.

  “And guess what else?” I said. “I got to meet Mariantha.” He became still in front of me. “She came to congratulate me on my marriage. She was beautiful, Daddy.”

  He drifted back a little, weightless, whispering, “Yes . . . beautiful, and full of love. You’re so much like her, baby girl.”

  I held up a hand, splaying my fingers, and he lifted his big, clawed mass of cloudy hand to mine, overlapping it.

  “I love you, kid,” he said.

  We shared a long, quiet pause.

  “Be careful,” I told him. “Wherever you go, I hope I see you again soon.”

  I closed my eyes as he surrounded me with a hug, and when I opened my eyes again he was gone.

  UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

  HarperCollins Publishers

  ..................................................................

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  MAKESHIFT HOLIDAY

  It was three in the morning, Pharzuph was somewhere nearby terrorizing the campus, and I was devising a plan. The Dukes were meeting tomorrow night, so the Neph would have to meet, too.

  The thought of seeing Kaidan again after our night together gave me tingles. We wouldn’t be alone this time, but being near him was all I needed.

  I knew it was safe texting Kaidan since his father was “busy,” but my hands still shook with nerves. I didn’t want to reveal too much. Each message I sent and received, I deleted immediately.

  Book a flight to Va tmrw.

  With pleasure. U ok? It’s been insane here.

  Insane? I wondered if he meant his father’s “death.”

  Here too. Lots to tell.

  Same.

  I texted him Patti’s address and told him I was contacting the others. I knew I’d piqued his interest and concern, but I didn’t feel comfortable sharing anything else until the Dukes were all convened on the other side of the world.

  Next I texted the twins, then Blake and Kope, telling them where and when to meet. Kope would bring Zania. Everyone was a go. I contemplated texting Jay and Patti, too, but that could wait until the morning.

  I was so excited about seeing everyone, and nervous about Pharzuph being so close, that I was restless all night. I finally felt myself pulled under just as the sun was rising. A couple hours of solid sleep would have to hold me over.

  When I emerged, groggy and craving coffee, I wished I was better at using my supernatural sense of hearing. I wanted to know if Pharzuph was gone, but when I attempted to scan the area, everything sounded like a jumble to me—too hard to discern. Other Neph were good at it, having trained for years.

  After showering and dressing, I walked downtown to a busy coffee shop, keeping my eyes peeled. It was a hot morning, but pleasant compared to the oppressive humidity I was accustomed to. I’d just paid for my drink when everyone got quiet and broke into whispers.

  The hair on the nape of my neck went up.

  “Oh, my gawd . . .”

  “Is he on the football team?”

  I turned and bit down to lock my jaw as a tall, sexily disheveled Pharzuph sauntered up to me, flanked by a dark cloud of whisperers, knowing every eye was on him and clearly basking in the attention. His blond hair was damp and he had a light dusting of morning scruff. His critical eyes lessened his attractiveness, though I doubt anyone else picked up on it.

  “And how was your first night of college?” he asked in a low voice, a partial lascivious grin showing.

  “Successful, sir.” I gripped my coffee to keep from shaking. “And you?”

  His grin grew. “One for the memory book. I’d stay another night if I didn’t have business to attend to. I’m almost jealous of you.” He laughed at the ridiculousness of his statement and glanced around at the myriad of eyes locked on him. I swear, the room seemed to sway with all the swooning and red auras popping up. The spirits dipped and glided among the people.

  “It’s a great place,” I said lamely.

  He looked back at me, disappointment flashing across his face as he remembered with whom he’d been conversing. He pushed past me to the counter and I stood aside. But once he had his giant coffee in hand, he left the shop without loo
king my way again. From my view I watched him making eyes at every girl along the way, and even a couple guys. Then they all turned to look at me. I exited quickly through the side door and went around the corner, watching as Pharzuph caught a cab, his procession of dark spirits flanking the vehicle as it drove him away.

  Thank God.

  I made the long walk to my car and sat inside, sipping my coffee and feeling oddly safe and content. In a few hours my six Neph allies would be making their way to town for one night. It could be our last chance to see one another before it was time to fulfill the prophecy. With the Dukes convening that night, our time was short. We’d have to act soon.

  I wanted today to be special.

  I smiled to myself and started the car. I knew what we were doing tonight.

  Patti had no idea I was coming. When I got to her address, I almost rolled my eyes. Of course Dad couldn’t have picked out a low-key home. He’d put her up in a huge house on a golf course. It was seriously the only new neighborhood around, and it was smack in the middle of farm country. As I pulled into her driveway, I sent a text.

  Don’t freak. It’s just me.

  I knocked on the door and she swung it open, pulled me inside inside the house, shut the door, and proceeded to squeeze the air out of me. I hugged her back just as hard.

  “Anna!” I heard Jay say, coming up behind us.

  Patti released me and pulled Jay in until we were having a group hug. She repeatedly kissed my cheek before letting us go.

  “I’m so glad you’re here!” she said. “You’re sure it’s safe, though?”

  “Positive. All the Dukes are flying to Switzerland right now, so the Neph are coming here.”

  “All of them?” Jay’s eyes got big. I guess Marna hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet.

  “Yep,” I said. “All of the allies.”

  He jumped up and punched the air.

  I felt euphoric. “Come on, I have groceries.”

  They followed me out, and the three of us loaded our arms with bags.

  “A turkey?” Patti asked. “Oh, honey, I like the sound of this.”

  I thought she might. I’d gotten all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal.

  We took everything into the kitchen and I looked around at the stainless steel appliances and stone-tiled backsplash.

  “Wow, this house is . . .”

  “Overboard?” Patti asked. “Ridiculously huge and fancy? Yes. Your father is a nutcase.” But she was smiling as she unpacked the pies.

  “Yams,” Jay said. “Nice.” He was a bit more subdued than normal, but it was understandable, given what he was up against.

  “So,” I asked the two of them, “do you want the big news first, or should I tell you everything that’s happened in order?”

  “In order,” Jay said.

  Patti’s eyebrows came together with impatience and she eyed Jay before saying, “Oh, all right then, in order. But make it fast!”

  Marna hadn’t been able to talk to Jay at all yet, so they had no idea about what had happened since Ginger went missing. We made our way into the cushy family room. They were rapt as I talked.

  “And then this huge spirit showed up,” I said, making Patti gasp and her eyes widen as I described its ramlike appearance. “And you’ll never believe who it was.” They stared at me, on edge. “Dad!”

  Patti paled. “Your dad . . . he doesn’t have a . . . he’s . . . ?”

  “He had to shed his body,” I said quietly.

  “Dude,” Jay said. “He’s scary with a body. I can’t imagine him as a spirit.”

  “Yeah. It’s so weird. He’s looking for a new body now,” I said.

  Patti closed her eyes and covered her mouth. When she took a deep breath and nodded, I forged ahead.

  “We knew Pharzuph was searching for me, so Dad came up with the idea that me and Kaidan—”

  Patti squealed, jumping to her feet. “You’re married! Aren’t you?”

  Jay’s shocked face swung back and forth between the two of us. “Nuh-uh! Are you?”

  I felt so emotional about my news that I could only nod.

  Patti screamed, pulling me to my feet for another bear hug. Her excitement should have felt strange, given the reason why Kaidan and I had decided to marry, but I knew Patti wasn’t focused on that. She was focused on the love we shared, and the fact that we were able to share this life experience, despite our circumstances.

  “Oh, sweet girl,” she said into my hair. “I knew they couldn’t keep you apart.”

  When she let me go, Jay hugged me, saying, “That is crazy. But cool. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  We sat down again, still wired from the big reveal.

  “So what happened next?” Jay asked. Then his cheeks got splotchy. “I mean, not, like, next next, but, you know, after?”

  I picked up the story, telling them how Pharzuph had come to my dorm room in his new form. They were shocked and disgusted.

  When I was done, Patti let out a giant sigh.

  “I’m so thankful we’ll have this night. I’m gonna pop that turkey in the oven and start prepping stuff. Why don’t you two go to the pool and try to relax? I think your bathing suits are in one of those boxes upstairs still.”

  “I can help you with the prep,” I said.

  “Nah.” She smiled. “Let me. I’ve got plenty to occupy my mind now. You two go be young or something.”

  She was humming to herself as she went to the kitchen.

  We changed our clothes, grabbed towels, and headed down the street to the neighborhood’s pool. A couple of families were at the shallow end, so we took lounge chairs at the other end of the pool and lay down. The sun felt glorious.

  “I can’t believe you’re married,” Jay said next to me.

  “I can’t believe you’re gonna be a dad,” I countered.

  “Aren’t we too young for all this? Weren’t we just learning to drive or something?”

  “I know, right?”

  We both got quiet. He stared off, and the burdens he carried were apparent in his distant eyes.

  “Jay . . . how are you feeling?”

  “I don’t know. Man. It’s like, I’m not really afraid for myself, but I’m scared for Marna and the baby. I want to keep them safe, but I feel like this little nobody. Powerless or something.”

  “You have more power than you realize. Knowing you love her gives Marna strength. She’s happy, Jay. I know it seems crazy, but I think she feels loved by someone other than Ginger for the first time in her life, and she’s thankful.”

  “But I don’t want her to die.” His voice thickened as he choked up, causing my own throat to swell with emotion. I couldn’t respond. All I could do was reach over and link my fingers with his, connecting us in our fear and sorrow.

  Lying there next to my oldest and dearest friend felt right—the stretch of silence between us was soothing.

  Some kids came over, calling Jay by name. He seemed to cheer a little, getting into the water with them. Of course he’d made buddies in the short time he’d lived here. The kids took turns climbing to his shoulders and jumping off. I lay back on the lounge chair and rolled to my stomach, content as I watched them.

  Sounds of splashing faded as I dozed.

  And then I heard a beautiful voice. . . .

  “Cover your arse, and nobody gets hurt.”

  I lifted my head to see Kaidan crouched next to me. He was here! Just as I was about to get up and throw my arms around him, his gaze slid down my body to my butt and stayed there. Hello, stormy eyes.

  I felt twice as hot under the sun as I had one minute ago.

  I threw the towel over my body, which forced his eyes back to mine.

  “Hey,” I whispered.

  He touched my face, and I leaned into his palm.

  “I feel like it’s been a year since I saw you,” he said softly. “I’ve missed you.”

  I reached up and cupped his hand. “I’ve missed you, t
oo.”

  “But you’re still in trouble.” His voice was low and gravelly. “I need you.”

  “Um . . .” I looked around.

  “Come with me.” He was serious. He took my hand and I sped to keep up, holding the towel around my body. Jay caught sight of us and waved from the middle of the pool, but when he saw Kai’s determined face, he raised his eyebrows. I shrugged a shoulder innocently, and Jay shook his head. My cheeks flushed.

  Kai led us to the women’s dressing room, and when he started to push the door open, I pulled back, looking around.

  “You can’t go in there!” I whispered.

  He pulled me forward. “It’s empty.”

  Next thing I knew, we were in a shower stall, kissing behind the closed curtain.

  “What if someone comes in?” I asked.

  He pressed my back against the smooth tiles. “I’ll be listening.” He pulled off my towel and dropped it to the dry floor with a growl.

  We kissed again and my body reacted. I pulled him closer, loving the feel of his hands across my sun-heated skin. Were we really doing this? In a public place?

  Oh, just shut up, my body told my mind. Just a few minutes together before the seriousness began wouldn’t hurt.

  I heard a sound outside and we both went still.

  “Shite, someone’s coming.”

  Two seconds later a woman’s voice sounded in the bathroom. Kai pressed his forehead to the tile next to me and squeezed his eyes shut.

  “In here, sweetie. Good girl.” Oh, great. A mom was taking her little girl to the potty. I felt like a perv.

  When I heard their stall door close, I peeked out and pulled Kaidan, tiptoeing out.

  I chanced a backward glance at him. His eyes were heated with intensity.

  “Later,” I promised.

  He stopped us under the awning just before the pool area and faced me, lowering his forehead to mine.

  “I can’t go back out there yet. I’m having a bit of a focusing problem.”