by J. J. Dean
Eli leads all of us to the maître d desk, and it takes only five minutes for us to be seen to. We're taken to a table in the back, a rounded booth for us all to fit comfortably, and our waiter leaves us with menus.
When I open mine, there's a flash of red light. I snap it shut, and my eyes widen. I was knocked unconscious and developed a new ability the last time that shit happened. I'm not falling for that again.
"Open this," I tell Asher, sliding the menu over to the left of me where Ash is sitting.
He picks it up, opens it, and I see the flash shines his face before he too snaps it closed. "What the fuck is that?"
"I don't know, but the last time something funky like that happened, I was out for two days, and now I can read your damn minds," I tell him, shuffling away from where he's sitting until my side is fully pressed up against Noah, forcing him to move closer to Elijah.
Asher eyes the menu carefully, picking it up at the corners and looking it over with a shrewd eye. Slowly, he opens the menu again, the light seeping through the open paper.
"What the hell is that?" Eli asks, looking over at us with a baffled expression that would be funny if I wasn't trying to move away from the menus as much as I am. I mean, I'm almost sitting in Noah's lap, for fuck’s sake.
"I don't know," Asher replies distractedly. He looks up at his brother and slides the menu over to Eli. Eli goes through the same motions, opening it a little and wincing away when the bright light finds his eyes.
"Why does weird shit like this keep happening to us? Seriously? Can't a girl just eat a good meal with her angels without strange glowing lights popping out of menus?" I gripe, none too pleased that I can't have one moment outside a bubble that isn't interrupted by stuff like this.
"Your angels?" Eli asks, his eyes bright as he sharply looks up. His face is lit by the glowing menu, but the spark in his eyes is all him.
I keep my cool, not giving away the sudden urge of panic I feel with the accidental admittance. I wasn't supposed to say that out loud. Crap. "Eli, there is a glowing menu in your hands. Focus."
Real smooth, Luna. Real fucking smooth.
He bites his lip to hide his smile, dimples popping with the effort. It's a lame effort, really, but I ignore it in favor of dealing with the crisis at hand. We'll deal with my confession at a different time.
"Can I see that?" Noah asks, holding his hand out to take the menu from Eli.
I'm still glued to his side, but the moment it's in his hand I dive over to Asher and literally sit in his lap. He looks shocked for a brief moment, but his arms come around my waist, and he hugs me to his hard chest. "I refuse to be sorry. Glowing things suck. I refuse to be near glowing things like that for the rest of my life."
"Don't be so dramatic, Flower. I'm sure it's-" Eli starts, cut off when Noah snaps the menu shut and slides it quickly back over to me.
"What are you doing? I don't want it!" I whisper yell, looking at Noah like he's crazy.
"Luna, think you should check it," he tells me, his voice as soft as melted butter but with an urgency that can’t be denied.
Just as open my mouth to answer, the waiter comes by to take our order. I'm sure it looks weird with me in Asher's lap and all of our menus still closed, but I have bigger concerns.
"May I take your order?" the poor guy asks with his superb English accent, looking no older than twenty.
As a group, we blurt, "No," all of us looking at one another with a mixture of amusement and horror. I hate synchronized speaking. It gives me the heebie-jeebies. Eli must feel the same, based on the expression he's wearing.
The waiter looks taken aback for a moment before nodding quickly and backing away. "I'll come back."
He scurries away, and I'm left with the glowing menu in front of me.
"Open it, Angel," Noah pushes, his hand coming to rest on my knee.
With a deep sigh, I pluck up the courage to open a stupid menu, sliding from Asher's lap and back into my own seat. Holding my breath, my hand goes to the menu and I slide it open, the bright light almost blinding me before I finally see what's hidden beneath it.
Chapter 33
Luna
"An address?" I ask with no short amount of confusion. "That's it? I was scared of an address? Wow. I've really gone off the deep end, huh? Why were you freaking out?"
"Look at the writing under the address, Luna," Noah points out, lifting the bottom of the menu in my hands. I take a look, squinting at the address and following Noah's thumb. The address is in a cursive scrawl, but just under that, there are small printed letters that read: Darling, Ms. Frenchie is safe... but for how long?
My stomach drops, and everything around me freezes. The air gets a whole lot colder, even with Noah and Asher sitting so close. It's as though I'm suddenly in a fog, a chill sinking deep into my bones. I swallow deeply and slide the menu over to Asher without lifting my eyes.
The flash of light has faded enough to see the writing now, and when the words sink in for Asher, he curses under his breath and slumps back into his seat.
"It's not good, is it?" Eli asks, reaching for the menu.
I shake my head, still staring at the table even when tears sting my eyes. I do my damnedest not to let them fall, but it's a losing battle. They escape anyway, trailing down my cheeks as I stare at the table like it holds all the answers to the universe.
The three of them fall into a quick conversation, probably discussing what the address is and if Frenchie could be held there. What do I know? I'm not paying enough attention. I barely hear them, catching a word every now and then. My focus is on the ominous threat beneath the address. Whoever put that message there knew we'd be here. They've known where we've been all along. And they have Francis.
"I need air," I whisper, feeling my body break out in a cold sweat. "I need fresh air."
I don't bother waiting for Asher to hear me or to move out of the booth for me to leave. I opt to climb over him, racing out of the restaurant the moment my feet touch the ground. I vaguely hear the guys calling after me, but it all comes through a fog in my mind. Everything seems so far away as if I'm standing on the top of an unsteady mountain and everything else is safely on the ground.
Breathing quickly, my heart thundering in my chest almost painfully and my pulse pattering quicker than a rabbit's heartbeat, I burst out of the door and try to suck in a much-needed lungful of the cool, crisp air, bending at my waist and propping my hands on my knees.
Sensing them before hearing them, the guys come running after me, and I push myself to stand at my full height, inhaling deep breaths in an effort to ease the panic attack that's overtaken my senses.
"Luna! Are you okay?" Eli yells, running towards me until he's right in front of me, cupping my cheeks in his hand and looking me over with an observant eye. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, and I still can't seem to catch a breath, anxiety crippling me like it never has before. Eli takes note of it all and pulls me into his embrace, hugging me tight and whispering, "It's okay, Flower. Just breathe for me. Slowly, in and out. There you go."
The heat from his body seeps into mine, fighting off the bone-chilling iciness that's taken up residence under my skin. I do as he says, breathing in and out the best I can, taking slower breaths and waiting for my head to clear.
Another body sidles up behind me, hugging me from behind. I'm cocooned in warmth, though I barely feel it. I'm almost convinced I'll never feel warmth again, the cold sending my body into a shaking frenzy.
"We'll get her back, Luna. I promise you," Asher growls behind me, letting me know who the second body is.
Eli and Asher keep me between them for what feels like hours but can only be mere minutes while I calm down enough to breathe without passing the fuck out. It takes me a minute to realize Noah is holding my hand, but the feel of his skin against mine finally filters through my brain at a painfully slow pace. He squeezes my hand, and I squeeze back weakly.
When I can finally talk, I croak, "He's known where we ar
e the whole time. Changing hotels did nothing but waste our time. He knew we'd come here."
They all go quiet so I keep rambling, working everything out in my exhausted mind then speaking my thoughts out loud. "He knew all along where we would be and when. He knew exactly when we'd be in the restaurant, knew we'd get that menu and his little note. He's been playing us all along, dragging it out and waiting for us to catch up. And now he's hanging Francis' life over my head because he's held all the cards all along. We've just been too slow to realize it until now."
"We couldn’t have known, Angel," Noah tells me gently. His words would usually hold some sort of comfort for me, making me feel like it isn't my fault Francis has been captured by the Devil himself, that it could have happened to anyone. I don't feel that now, instead drowning in regret and remorse. My heart feels heavy, the weight of our situation finally crashing down on me in fragments of splintered glass.
"This is all my fault," I admit in a broken whisper. Eli and Asher hug me tighter, Asher growling deep in his chest.
"It's no one's fault but Lucifer's, Flower. Don't blame yourself," Eli tells me, keeping his voice low and steady, sure in his words.
"How can I not?" I question, my voice strained and tear-filled. "From the very day I met her, I knew I'd be no good for her. But she insisted and I caved, allowing her into my life. And now where is she? Being held by Lucifer, with no fucking clue what's happening, and a best friend who was too caught up in herself to figure out we were being played. She's gone almost three weeks without me. Without being rescued by the one person who promised to protect her and keep her safe."
The tears begin to pour again, the true extent of my fuck up pressing hard on my shoulders, almost causing my knees to buckle under the weight of it all.
"You were wounded and on the brink of death, Luna. It wasn't your fault," Noah tries to explain.
Pushing away from the two angels who have snuck into my heart, I yell, "It is my fault! I should have protected her better. I never should have allowed her to push me into a friendship I knew wouldn't fucking last! I knew. I knew I would be the death of her. I was almost the death of my brother, so why not my best friend too?"
I don't look up at them as soon as the words leave me, unable to cope with the sympathy I might find. I'm not that strong. Not right now. And not with the words that I can feel bubbling in my stomach like simmering acid. Wiping my face on the sleeve of my jacket, I clear my throat. Void of all emotion, locking it away in a box in the caverns of my chest, I tell them, "If you knew any better, you'd get as far away from me as you can before you find yourselves facing death too. It's all I'm good for. Not even He wanted to keep me around when I saw the beauty in being human. Being human gets you killed. I get people killed."
I look up, keeping my face blank. All three of them are staring at me with various emotions, mainly anger, frustration, and worry. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters except finding Francis, making sure she's safe, and carving myself out of her life the moment she's home. I will keep my promise. I'll protect her and keep her safe, and I'll do it by tearing myself from her life so she can live on peacefully.
My mind made up, I start backing away from three of the four angels who barged into my life and made it a whole lot brighter for a little while. I should have known it wouldn't last. Nothing good ever lasts.
They must see the seriousness in my eyes, catching on to what's going on here. Asher's eyes widen first, and he starts to move towards me, followed by the other two. I give them all a sad smile, heavy-hearted and broken inside, yet knowing it's the only way I can keep the angels who stole pieces of my heart when I wasn't looking safe. I take in each of their faces, all of their features, committing them to memory and locking them away in a box in my mind.
I draw on one of my abilities, mimicking Noah's power and building a long wall that separates me from them, a sob breaking free from my chest the moment it goes up and I can't see them anymore.
"Luna! Don't you dare! Don't you fucking dare!" Asher yells, sounding as desperate as I feel. It kills something inside me, but I know it's for the best. They'll be safer without me. It was selfish to hold onto them when I knew it couldn't possibly end the way I wanted it to. They've almost been killed several times already, and a feeling in my gut tells me it's only going to get worse. I can't put them through that.
"Flower, don't do this. We can help you. You're safer with us than without," Eli pleads, killing me further.
Noah's gentle voice ruins the last part of my strength, whispering, "We just got you, Angel. Please don't walk away from us now."
Backing away faster, I whisper a goodbye and turn, walking away quickly before I change my mind and let them follow me to their own demise.
"Fuck this," Eli snaps loudly before I hear a crash and the telltale signs of brick crumbling. Dust wafts around me, but I don't stop walking, getting lost in the fog Eli's created by breaking down the wall that kept us apart. "Luna! Get your ass back here right now, or I swear you won't like what I do when I find you!"
Shivering from the threat, I almost want to turn around and risk it all. That's before the words of the menu flash through my mind once more and I find my resolve, forcing me to keep walking without looking back.
The rapid patter of footsteps hit the concrete far behind me, but I don't have to look back to know they're following. Desperation soaks each scream of my name, cursing and yelling, but I block it out. I have to.
Without turning around, I tap into my Reality Warping ability, reaching out and adjusting the view in their minds. Where I'm standing, they'll now see nothing. I know the moment it works because I hear Asher growl, curse, and then yell, "Luna! I know you're still here."
"Damn Him for giving back her powers!" Eli seethes, looking in the direction I am but seeing nothing but empty air. Noah seems completely lost, looking around helplessly.
In a ruined whisper, I say, "I'm sorry," and then leave, heading back to the hotel to gather my things and abandon the only good things to happen to me since Francis niggled her way into my fucked up life.
***
The moment I get to the hotel, I gather my things quickly, avoiding the unmade bed and the lingering scent of the three men that I've left behind. It's killing me inside, but keeping them safe matters more than my crushed heart right now.
Bag packed with everything I need, I quickly scribble a note for them and prop it up it on the dresser, leaving my heart with my angels when I hurry away from the hotel before they find me.
Using my cell, I type in the address from the menu and find a hotel nearby, jumping in a taxi and heading there without a second thought. It takes half an hour to reach the hotel, and I pay the driver in cash, watching him drive away before going inside.
The hotel isn't as fancy as the previous one, but I don't plan on staying long, so it'll do until I think of a plan to get Francis and get the fuck out of dodge. Walking up to the counter, I Reality Warp the front desk clerk, making her see a redheaded forty-year-old woman wearing a cream jumper and black slacks rather than a silver-headed, tattooed mess.
"Hi, there. How can I help you tonight?" the pretty young woman asks, her hair styled to perfection and clothes pressed neatly.
She offers me a polite smile, and I quickly return the gesture, warping her mind to change the timbre of my voice. "I'd like to book a room for two nights, please."
"Of course. What's the name you'll be booking under?" she asks, looking up from her tapping on the keyboard.
Thinking on the spot, I blurt, "Reagan Grayson."
I have no idea why I use my brother's name, but it's the first one my mind conjures. I'm hoping to only stay a night, so it shouldn't be a problem.
"Alright. And is it a single room?" the clerk asks, tapping away merrily.
Nodding, I answer, "Yes, please."
"Okay, not a problem. Will you be paying with cash or card today, miss?" she asks, pausing to look up at me with a sweet smile.
She kind of remind
s me of a younger Francis, and it sucker punches my chest so hard that I stutter over my breathless words when I reply, "C-cash. Uh, please. Cash."
Avoiding her questioning glance, I count out the money and hand it over, telling her to keep the change and accepting my key card the moment she slides it over the counter with my floor and door number. I go to turn and head in the direction of the elevator, muttering my thanks over my shoulder before I press the button.
The elevator arrives a moment later, and I board the thing quickly, pressing the button to my floor repeatedly until the door closes, and I can release the breath of relief I've been holding in. The moment the door shuts, I drop my power and lean against the mirrored wall as I wait to be taken to my floor, resting my head backward and closing my tired eyes as we ascend.
A ping echoes in the elevator, and I look down to the floor before the doors open. I hurry off the elevator, bumping my shoulder into another guest by accident in my hurry to get to my room.
"Sorry," I mutter, hooking my bag back over my shoulder and stepping away from the stranger I've just barged into.
Just before I can move away completely and scurry to my room for the night, an arm darts out and gently grasps my wrist. It's a hold I recognize, and the voice that follows turns my body to stone. "I think that's my word, isn't it?"
My head snaps up, and I find Devon's tired eyes looking down at me with understanding and regret swimming in their depths. My mouth pops open, and I internally curse the rotten luck that seems to be following me around like a bad fucking smell.
Chapter 34
Asher
She ran. She fucking ran away from us. I know why she did it. I understand, and I can't say I probably wouldn't have done the same thing in her shoes, but I'll be damned again if that didn't just piss me off. Not because I think she's being ridiculous, but because I know more than anyone how much she needs us. She just wants to keep us protected. But who the fuck is going to protect her?