Four and a Half Shades of Fantasy

by W.J. May

  Chapter 8

  “What?” My back burned near my left shoulder blade. I reached behind and rubbed the muscles. Could this conversation get any stranger? Was I actually starting to believe him?

  “That’s the worst thing about being one of us, being a slightly Nephilim. You don’t know until you’re dead.”

  “Nympho?” Wait. That didn’t sound right. My cheeks went hot.

  Michael laughed. “I’m not a nymphomaniac – at least, I don’t think so. We’re sort of Nephilim. Fallen angels. Only a small, tiny part, we’re also something else.” He paused. “It’s really complicated.”

  I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. What could I say?

  “You know, I’ve never told anyone.” He swallowed and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. “Caleb’s going to peel a layer of skin off me when he finds out I’ve told you.”

  “That’s horrible!” Caleb was a monster, probably related to the Grollics.

  “Not literally. He’s just going to be pissed.”

  I stood, feeling the need to get my bearings. Everything felt backwards. I rolled my shoulders trying to get the burning muscles on my left side to relax. “This is way too much.” I rubbed my eyes, not caring if my makeup smudged.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. The world’s complicated enough and I just threw more confusion into it.” Michael checked his watch. “It’s getting late. I guess we should probably head back to the house.” He pulled his ear. “Sheesh! Grace won’t let up. She wants to know where we are and if everything’s all right.”

  “Say what?”

  He chuckled, breaking the intensity of the moment. “Might as well spill it all. It’s different between Grace and me. We’re twins, born and killed at the same time. Caleb’s never seen it before. And he’s seen a lot.

  I basically filed most of what he said into my brain to try and think about later. I stuck to the basics. “So, you can read her mind because of it?”

  “Sort of. Grace and I are kind of unique - like talking on the phone without the phone. We can tune each other out whenever we want. I can’t read Grace’s private thoughts anymore than she can read mine.”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, I giggled. “I got a feeling you tune her out a lot more than she does you.”

  “A little.” He smiled, his eyes flashing.

  “Why do you all have the exact same eye color?”

  Michael glanced at the pendant around my neck. “Caleb figures when we die, our blood loses its oxygen. Blood turns blue without oxygen.”

  Like our veins. “You don’t age? If you’ve been around for a hundred and forty years and Caleb’s been around for, like, forever…”

  “You remain the age you were at the time of your death.”

  “But you and Grace are so young.”

  “Long story.” He checked his watch again. “Too long to get into tonight.”

  I planted my legs and crossed my arms. This was way too fascinating to have him just tell me a little and say it’s time to go. “I’m not finished. I have more questions.” I hadn’t even started to scratch the surface. “What’s with Caleb?”

  Michael began pushing the logs around in the fire with a cast iron stick, trying to get it to die down. “He’s an original of the Coven.”

  “Coven?” I sounded like a parrot. It sounded like some vampire story. Next he’d be telling me they existed as well.

  “Kind of like royalty…original bloodlines. That’s another very complicated story. There are not many of his kind. He’s extremely powerful and much respected in our world. No one crosses him. He’s monumental to all of us.” Michael shook his head, his hair falling forward. “We really need to get back to the house. I didn’t take my phone and Caleb’s bugging Grace now.”

  “Fine.” I grabbed my shawl off the couch. “We’ll go, but you’re driving slowly. I have a million questions.”

  Michael smiled. “I’ve a feeling they’re never going to end.” He killed the fire and we left.

  My brain wouldn’t stop humming as we drove. “If you and Grace were together when you… when you…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. “Did Caleb find you after?”

  Michael focused on the road, his tanned knuckles white as he squeezed the wheel. “Sarah found us. We had no idea what was happening, but she knew.” He was silent for a moment, either concentrating on the stop light, or reliving what happened. He cleared his throat. “Caleb met Sarah a bunch of years later, after she’d adopted us. He saw her and immediately gave her his Siorghra. She did the same without question. They were simply drawn to each other. Caleb had been alone before he met her. She was his first.”

  I stared at my Spartacus sitting so close, but seeming from another world. There was so much information to sort through. It didn’t scare me, but rather fascinated me. It was like I’d been waiting all my life for him. I’d never fit in anywhere and this all made sense, like it was a part of me or my ancestry. I don’t know why I felt the ties, but another part of me was horrified at the thought. What I did understand: I wanted to wear Michael’s Siorghra more than anything. It also made me wish I had one to give him.

  We pulled into the driveway and walked silently to the house. Doubt began to fill my head. What if his family was angry I knew their secret? What would Caleb say? Michael took my hand and pulled me closer to him as we reached the front steps.

  Brushing close, his silk skin touched mine and I groaned. “I need to change. I can’t talk to your family wearing this.”

  Inside, Michael led me straight upstairs.

  “I gotta change, too.” He kissed my forehead and turned toward his room. “Take your time. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  I walked into Grace’s empty room. Changing into a pair of jeans and plain long sleeve top, I kept Michael’s Siorghra on and slipped it inside my shirt. Time to head into the lion’s den.

  First, I needed to pee. I slipped into the bathroom.

  “You okay?”

  I nearly jumped ten feet when Grace spoke. I switched light on. She sat on the counter, her bare feet swinging in the air.

  “You scared the heck out of me!” My heart felt ready to explode, and there she sat, all chipper and smiley. “Why’re you sitting in the bathroom, in the dark?” I punched her shoulder.

  “Wasn’t sure if Michael would come in the room too. Didn’t know if you needed some privacy.” Grace tilted her head. “Sooo, you know our dirty little secret.”

  “Kinda.”

  She slid off the counter and staring at me. Then suddenly she lunged at me and swung her arms around me, hugging me tight. It was a moment before she let go and it took me a moment longer to catch my breath. “I knew you were special the moment I saw you. I knew you’d totally get it.”

  “You’re crazy. Even nuttier for putting the Siorghra on me.” I touched the necklace, loving the feel of it but not wanting to admit it.

  “You needed to know. I figured Michael would tell you tonight if I did. I’ve no idea how, but you’re involved in this as well. I feel it.” She stepped back and stared at me intently. “You don’t care about what we are, do you?”

  Me? Involved? How and in what? “Why should I judge you? I liked you before and nothing’s different.”

  She squealed and hugged me again, shorter in length but still enough to knock the wind out of me again. “It’s about time Michael met someone. You are so worth keeping around.”

  I wanted to ask if I might be like them. Maybe I was some sort of fallen whatever they were. It kind of makes sense. I didn’t know my parents and always had the feeling of needing my freedom – that there was something more out there.

  “They’re waiting. You ready?” Grace interrupted my thoughts.

  My throat suddenly dry, I nodded. “Wait. I need to pee.”

  Like a best friend, she waited in the hall and we headed downstairs together. Heavy silence greeted us in the living room. Michael sat on the couch, dressed in jeans and a white shirt. Gr
ace pulled me into the room and set me between her and Michael.

  Caleb sat by the desk. Sarah stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder. They made a stunning couple, and also frightening in a way I couldn’t quite grasp.

  “Rouge knows,” Michael said in a low voice.

  Caleb's eyes narrowed as he stared at me. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Then completely ignoring me, he turned back to Michael. “I never considered you an idiot.”

  My breath caught in my throat. I figured he’d be angry, but I didn’t think he’d act like I was some kind of insignificant fixation. I opened my mouth to say something and then closed it. It’s not my turn to speak. This conversation was between Michael and Caleb.

  “I’m not.” Michael’s jaw twitched. “Rouge’s not what you think. She’s trustworthy.”

  “It goes against the Coven and its plans.” He cleared his throat. “This’ll only bring trouble upon all of us –your family. You need to consider this very carefully. I will ask once, what are your intentions?”

  “I’m not sure. I need time to think things through.”

  “Think things through? Do you think you should have considered that before you went and told her? Decide, Michael. I am not willing to risk our safety for this child. A girl, who you know nothing about. Do you know her past?”

  My past? I had nothing to hide. I literally had nothing.

  “I understand your concern.”

  How did Michael stay so calm sitting on the couch? I couldn’t stop my right knee from bouncing.

  Michael leaned forward. “Rouge’s not the issue. What happened tonight is. While we were at the school, a boy approached her. He saw my Siorghra on her neck. He threatened her, threatened us.”

  “You put your Siorghra on her?” Caleb screamed.

  Grace spoke matter-of-factly, “No, I did…to go with the costume.”

  Caleb threw his hand up to stop her. “I’ll speak with you later.” His eyes whipped over to me. “Who’s the boy?”

  I swallowed, trying to push the butterflies back down my throat. My shoulder blade began burning again. “Damon said… he knew what you are…” I took a deep breath. When Caleb didn’t reply I added, “He plans on destroying you.”

  “He what?” Caleb roared. His nostrils flared, and faster than I’d ever seen anyone move, he flung the desk across the room. Papers flew everywhere, as if trying to get away from him. “A boy? A damn boy tried to intimidate my family? Impossible!” He glared at all three of us on the couch. “Is this the first time?”

  My butt clung to the couch beneath me and I leaned against Michael’s shoulder. How could someone toss a desk like it was a book? Forcing courage, I made myself sit straight.

  Grace didn’t even flinch at Caleb’s outburst. “Damon hit on me a while back and got no where. He’s nothing, just a boy who’s jealous. He doesn’t know anything. It’s a bloody game.” She glanced at me before shifting back to Caleb. “He’s got a bit of a grudge and took it out on Rouge at school when were we hanging out in the courtyard a while back. He’s not worth it.”

  Caleb paced, his hands clenched behind his back. “This boy threatened you?” He turned and glowered at her, his eyes shone a brilliant blue. I pressed myself closer to Michael as he continued, “And you did nothing?”

  Sarah interrupted, “He’s human?”

  Michael nodded. “He’s young. Too young to be—”

  “He’s just an idiot on a steroid rant.” Grace met Caleb’s stare and then purposely turned to the overturned desk.

  Caleb’s angry voice rang across the room. “Is there anything about this person you do know? Who’s his family? His friends? Is he a serious threat? What and why does he know? Something’s being missed. A random nobody does get what the pendant represents. Does he need to be eliminated?”

  Sarah touched his shoulder. “We can’t get rid of him until we understand what he knows. Who he’s with. Kill without questioning him and we accomplish nothing. We must remove the threat–all of it.”

  She sounded military. What kind of lives had each of them led? What had they done in order to survive undetected to the human eye?

  Caleb stood statue still. “Michael, find out about this idiot, and if he and his little posse are any hindrance to us. Get rid of the girl, she’s of no use.” He dismissed us with a wave of his hand and stomped to his office, the slamming blood-red painted door reverberating throughout the house. Some kind of crystal shattered in the kitchen.

  Sarah touched Michael’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to Caleb.” She kissed him on the top of his head, and went into the office.

  “This isn’t good,” Grace whispered, more to herself than us.

  “Michael,” I said, my world crumbling and knowing I had to do what was right. “I don’t want trouble with Caleb. He’s right, your family comes first.” I reached and squeezed his hand before standing. “Take care of what you need to. I’m going to head home.”

  He stayed seated on the couch, looking confused.

  Grace jumped up and ran to the hall. “Take my car.”

  I caught the keys she tossed me automatically, like a robot, and watched her run up the stairs. Michael sat still frozen on the couch. All of a sudden my heart began tearing. He’s not going to fight for me. There’s no such thing as a white knight. After everything I’d learned, he hadn’t told me everything. I wasn’t supposed to be here.

  I walked the few steps back to him and leaned forward to lightly brush my trembling lips against his cheek.

  He whispered in my ear, “It’s not safe for you to be with us. I knew this was too dangerous. I should never have talked to you that night you were running. This is all my fault.” He gently traced my lips with a finger. “I’ll try and come for you, but it’s better if you just forget about us. Act like we never existed.”

  In dead silence, I left the house. First there’s Grollics and now… It was too much for my little head to comprehend. Driving home I realized I still had Michael’s Siorghra. I snorted. Well, at least he’ll have to see me one more time.

  I couldn’t shake the terrible sense of doom. We’d just been on the edge of something that felt so real. For the first time in my entire life, I was crying for someone I loved.