My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper)

by Melissa Solis

  “You’re here to save Sam, nothing else. I’m sure I don’t need to explain the gravity of the situation to you. And if Sam’s life is in danger, you can bet your pretty little head that your precious girlfriend’s is too. So quit playing around and be alert.”

  I sigh out, and to Sam, it’s for no reason. He rubs my shoulder, probably unsure of how to help. I long for the days when I didn’t know they existed or at least couldn’t hear them.

  “Way to go Elena, now you’ve freaked her out.” Jesson scolds.

  “Hey Sam, would you mind grabbing some eggnog? I forgot to pick it up when we passed the milk.”

  “You bet.”

  As soon as he’s out of sight and the aisle is empty, I turn around. Do you have any idea what it does to my human mind to have four Keepers following me around a grocery store bickering in my ear? Going a little nuts here people!” I push a gush of air through my nose. “And you.” I stab Elijah’s chest with my finger. “You…” Damn it, he’s done it again I can’t even finish my sentence. What was I going to say? His soft full lips have captured all of my attention. “Stop doing that!”

  He tries not to smile but only winds up making himself look even sexier. I give up. I throw a bag of chocolate chips in the cart because, why they heck not? Even though he’s behind me, I can feel him smiling. I shake my head at his audacity.

  After the grocery store, Sam and I pull into the tree lot. Row after row of evergreens vie for a new home. A strong wind blasts from the north, and chills me right through my jacket. Sam pulls up behind me and wraps the front flaps of his jacket around me, zipping me inside with him.

  “Better?”

  “Are you kidding this is the best place on earth.” The warmth from his chest has heated the inside of the jacket to toasty. “I guess you’ll get to pick out the tree.”

  “Piece of cake.”

  “Hardly, Christmas is in four days. These trees are the kids that didn’t get picked for dodge ball.” He picks one up and examines it, finding a large gaping hole on the flip side.

  “They key to last minute tree shopping is to find the best of the worst.” We continue on, walking in an awkward waddle that only a human burrito can manage.

  We finally settle on a tree that has small holes all over like a giant moth attacked it. Sam has me wait in the warm car while he mounts it to the roof.

  “Have you already picked out a present for Sam?”

  “I never had time to shop. I guess I’ll go into town tomorrow.”

  “Perfect, we’ll let the guys all stay behind,” Elena says before kissing Jesson on the lips.

  Sam slides in, bringing a blast of cold air with him that cuts right through my heated car.

  “Storm must be coming.”

  “Yeah that’s what the attendant said. It’s going to be pretty nasty out tonight and all day tomorrow. It’s too bad, I was thinking about inviting Jesson and his girlfriend over tonight, we could have a tree trimming party. Well if that’s okay with you, I mean it’s your house.”

  “Maybe it won’t be that bad where we are. We’ll see.”

  There’s not a drop of color in the sky. It looks as if someone switched our TV channel to black and white. Clouds darken as we near the house, hanging over Sandbridge beach like a black pillow ready to suffocate the life out of us. I unload the groceries while Sam drags our derranged looking tree into the house.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I fish it out while balancing a load of food in my arms. Emily's pretty face lights up my screen.

  "Hey Em's, hows Denmark?"

  "Oh my gosh it's gorgeous for Christmas, I wish you could see it."

  "So your parents flew down to spend the holiday's with you?"

  "Yes, they haven't had a vacation in years, so I made them come."

  I don't dare mention that Jesson got married, I know she still has a thing for him. I unload the bags while still on the phone with her. He's was on his way to see her when my dilema side tracked him. With his new nuptual status, he's decide to stay here for Christmas.

  "So you have Sam all to yourself for two weeks, how's that going?"

  "It's going."

  "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing really we haven't exactly had much alone time." I stare out at the angels seated around my living room. Elijah is the only one who meet's my eyes, his laced with hurt. His emotion is instantly transfered over to me and I feel tears begining to well in my eyes.

  "Oh, did his family come down too or something?"

  "No not exatly. Hey, I'm sorry to cut you off but Sam's trying to set up the tree and he needs my help." My voice cracks as I speak. Emily hears it and goes quiet for a moment.

  "Okay, well call me later. Take care."

  "Bye Em's"

  Sam stuffs the tree into the base and I hold it while he tightens the screws. Elijah gives me an apologetic glance.

  "Can we talk later?" he asks. I nod my head while Sam is still fiddling with the tree.

  The waves outside have gained a fury with the increase in wind, they pound relentlessly against the shore, never giving an inch, only taking, growing stronger with every punch.

  Sam found the boxes of decorations and lights. Once again, he tunes the stereo to Christmas music and dials Jesson. Who answers his phone while lounging on my sofa. I shake my head.

  "Hey man, Brennen and I are going to have a little get together tonight. Do ya'll want to come over? I know the weather is supposed to get ugly."

  "How about we come early before it hits."

  "Sounds good man."

  "Will decorate for cheesecake!" Elena spouts off, laughing after. Elijah's lids lower at the very mention of baking. Well, if you can't beat them join them I always say.

  *~*~*~*

  Since tonight’s dinner doesn’t involve a grill, I put Sam out of his misery, and let him go watch football upstairs. Elijah’s dicing the celery for stuffing balls, a recipe we found in my grandmother’s box of all things delicious.

  I’m just pulling a cheesecake out of the oven when he turns to me. I avert my eyes and set down the hot pan before those damn blue orbs suck me in and I burn myself –again.

  “What’s this one?” He asks referring to my myriad of cheesecake flavors.

  “Eggnog, topped with Cinnamon streusel.” I say still avoiding his eyes. He licks his lips and my gaze automatically darts to his moistened lips like a lion locked in on its next meal.

  “I can’t wait to try it.” Is what I think I he said, but I’m lost in his features, my lower back is pressed into the back counter and he’s already so close I can feel the heat emanating from his sweater. I swallow hard as if there’s a large marble stuck in my throat. I reach behind me and grab the spoon from the batter, a peace offering.

  He eyes it for a moment and then takes it from me and licks it clean in one taste. He draws his lower lip into his mouth to catch a drop, and my body ticks toward his imperceptibly. But he notices, he always notices. His lips are on mine a second later, his body presses me against the counter firmly, leaving no wiggle room. His tongue, tasting like vanilla and spices, slips in my mouth and caresses mine –delicious.

  Sam is just upstairs, my subconscious blasts me. I pull away, ashamed. He runs a thumb over my chin, his eyes search mine trying to understand. I can’t even comprehend the situation, so I don’t see how he possibly could. He slips me a small smile and somehow it’s reassuring. He goes back to his stuffing balls, and I continue what I was doing, I think I’ll remember just what that was in a moment.

  *~*~*

  The doorbell rings, and Sam goes to answer it while I pull a ham out of the oven. The group shuffles into the kitchen. Bouquets of cinnamon, cloves, and all things Christmas permeate the room. I remember having Elena here last year during this time. It's hard to believe how much we've turned into this weird but stable family unit.

  "I hope you don't mind, we brought a friend with us. The big guy is Will, and this is his girl friend Inara. They were just passing through
town and rather than miss catching up with them, we figured the more the merrier."

  "You figured right, I'm glad to have this old house filled with friends, you all are the only family I have now and I love you all."

  My words move them to hug me, and each comforting embrace puts me in a better mood. Lastly, Elijah pulls me in, and his scent sinks me under like a rip tide. It carries my mind to far away places like a hammock in Amorous, and glorious kisses that lasted for days.

  He releases me all to soon, and I stand there dazed, still wrapped in the memory. "Babe, should we let everyone eat now?"

  I snap out of my day dream and quickly respond, "Yes of course, please dig in." The kitchen island is filled with a miriad of appetizers and desserts. Elijah and I were alone in the kitchen most of the day while Sam watched football upstairs. It was just like old times. He shoots me a wink as everyone fills their plate, everyone but him.

  I loud crack of thunder rattles the windows. The power goes out a second later.

  “No worries, Brennen you have candles here someplace right?” Elijah asks.

  “Yes, nothing more romantic than a candlelight Christmas dinner.” I blush at my choice of words, thankfully its too dark to see.

  “I’ll help you find them.” Elijah follows me into the garage. I grab a flash light and he does the same.

  “Do you think Malphas is going to do something now that he knows you disobeyed?” I ask as we shuffle through the twelve junk drawers that line the back wall of the garage.

  “I think retaliation is high on his to-do list. But don’t worry, you’re safe inside this house, I cast a protection hedge over it.”

  Just as he says those words, a loud shatter of glass rings out from inside the house. Elijah and I run back inside to find the cause.

  There’s glass everywhere, a large palm tree from the yard, is lying in my living room.

  I see Sam on the ground, and then I see the blood. Panic floods my heart, no, no no.

  “Sam?” I rush over to him, my shoes sliding over the shards of glass. Three large windows worth. The puddle of crimson around his limp body is growing larger and larger by the second.

  “Do something, Elijah!”

  Sam has several large shards of glass sticking out of him, and cuts on his beautiful face. Blood trickles down his cheek and into his ear. It looks like he was facing the window when it happened. The wind sails through the house, blowing in rain and rattling the leaves of the palm. It’s as if there’s a hurricane outside. It makes no sense, storms like this don’t hit in December.

  Elijah scoops Sam up from the floor and takes him to the dining room table. Elena pulls me back.

  “It has to be Elijah alone that saves him.”

  This is it, the moment Elijah gets to earn his third redemption. Will has already repaired the windows and the glass is restored without a crack anywhere. I watch in horror as the seconds tick by. Elijah shakes his head, and a disappointed look comes over his face. Is it too late?

  Is Sam gone? My gaze darts to Elena, knowing she may be able to time travel and save his life that way. That is unless Malphas threw the tree through my plate glass.

  “What is it?” My voice is laced with panic.

  “He’s not dying. These wounds are superficial. If I did nothing he would still live.”

  “I’ll patch him up then and take him to Amorous.” Will says. Elijah gives a professional looking nod. I sink to the floor in a heap of angst.

  “Don’t fret, he’ll be fine. I’ll have him back in a few minutes and then we can eat. Wouldn’t want all this to go to waste over a little storm now would we?” Will says chuckling as he and Sam disappear.

  I’m left standing in the dining room, looking like a train just slammed me into next week.

  “She’s shaken up. Let me talk to her,” I hear Elijah say.

  “I saw the hesitation in your eyes Elijah,” Elena follows with.

  “Don’t try and make me out to be the bad guy. You and I both know what kind of danger he puts her in. Besides I would never hurt Brennen like that.” He takes me in his arms and my body shudders with relief. I didn’t even realize I had been trembling. I bury my head into his chest.

  “Shh, shh love, he’s fine. He’ll be back any minute.”

  “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost him Elijah. You swear you would have saved him?” I say through sobs. He holds me at arm’s length so he can look me in the eye.

  “I swear Brennen. I know how much you love him.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. You know how much I love him.”

  “I’m not capable of lying. Okay well at the moment, I am, but still, this is the truth. Seeing you love Sam hurts, I won’t deny it. But I also know that you still love me. If you say the word I’ll quit flirting, I’ll stop the advances altogether. I will let you and Sam live out your days unburdened by my feelings as soon as my redemption is complete, it’s your choice Brennen. He hugs me once more and then leaves me alone in the room. Inara is wiping Sam’s blood from the table. I join her and grab a clean rag. He lost so much blood.

  “He’ll be fine, it looks like more blood than it is.” Inara always worked in the infirmary before she was on my guard. She must be calming me with her gift because the tension and stress begin to ebb from my body. I’ll take her drug, let her dump it over me by the bucketful if she wants to.

  While we clean, I think about Elijah’s words. I should take his offer after he saves Sam for real, and let him go his own way. It’s not like we could have a future together right? Can I have a future with Sam? Can I leave him alone with our children knowing he could be possessed at any time? He has Will now, but how long will they keep giving us these angels to watch over us?

  Inara wrings Sam’s blood soaked rag into the bucket and I suck in a breath. How long before I’m no longer shocked by this sight? I examine my own fingers and see his blood has dried under my fingernails.

  “I’m going to go clean up, I don’t want him to see me like this when he gets back, he’ll know.”

  Inara gives me a pitied look. I dash past Jesson and the rest of them on my way upstairs. It’s pitch black inside, and I fumble around my drawer and find the lighter I keep there for scented candles. I light the two vanilla candles and the small flame only gives off a hint of light. It reminds me of the holding bin Malphas kept me in. My hand shakes as I turn on the faucet. With two fingers I pull open the drawer again and find the nail brush. I scrub my nails vigorously getting every last bit, and then I scrub them again.

  My reflection in the mirror is a lie. I look completely unscathed. My grass-green eyes look freshly minted by the Treasury department. There’s not a hair out of place on my head. On the inside, I’m Sam’s glass-splinter infused body, cut and bleeding– impaled on the very shard that could sever my heart in two.

  There’s a knock on my bathroom door. “Yes?”

  “It’s Jesson can I come in?” I unlock the door and open it a crack. He comes in and sits on the bathroom floor beside me.

  “Soo? How’s the weather up here?”

  “You are so not funny right now.”

  “I’m always funny, and charming, and sweet.” He bumps my shoulder with his.

  “Whatever, shouldn’t you be bedding your wife right now or something?”

  “That’s not a hint of jealousy in your voice I hear is it?”

  “Jealous? Don’t come crawling to me when she leaves you headless and impaled on the end of her sword one day.”

  “That’s the risk you take with love. It’s all or nothing right?”

  “You tell me?”

  “Ah, so that’s what this is about. You’re still torn. You just wait, don’t make any full fledge commitments just yet. The truth will be blaringly obvious in the near future.”

  “You make an excellent cheerleader, maybe you should have married Lexi.”

  “Ew but she’s one of those yucky humans, I could like totally never,” he says over exaggerating his words sounding
as valley as Lexi.

  He gains a laugh out of me at least. Jesson bumps my shoulder again.

  “Hey Sam just got back, and I have heard that your cheesecake is glass free and in the fridge. Shall we?” He rises and offers me his hand. I take it and get pulled to my feet.

  “Thanks you’re a really good friend. I hope you still come to see me when you go all Elite CIA and all.”

  “Thanks Brennen, your still one cool chick. I will always make an effort to pop in on you when I can.”

  “What’s the story on Sam? Does he remember anything?” I whisper to Jesson on the stairs.

  “No, thankfully your mother is getting the hang of the memory reworking.”

  Sam is helping himself to the food, as is everyone else. I bet Elena time traveled just to save every dish. He looks perfect, not a mark anywhere. He turns to me and I caress his soft cheek.

  “What, do I already have food on my face?” He gives a soft chuckle.

  “Nope, you’re perfect in every way.” I steal a kiss in front of everyone, not giving a lick who’s watching. A smile washes up on his face after I leave his lips. I don’t dare look Elijah’s way. I notice soft candles dot the room giving everyone an amber glow.

  From the corner of the living room I hear soft tinkling on the piano. A moment later, a full song begins. Elijah is playing The Christmas song, his voice starts in on the melody sounding smooth and mellow. He doesn’t sound showy at all. He’s just playing for himself. As we eat everyone takes turns singing by Elijah’s side to their favorite song.

  I’m the only one who hasn’t sang yet, even Sam sang, Away in a Manger, after a bit of coaxing from the group.

  “Come on Bren,” Jesson chides, giving me a wink while Elena is nestled in his lap.

  “Oh alright. What should I sing?”

  “How about this one, do you know the words?” Elijah begins playing, Oh Holy Night. I recognize it on the first chord. I nod and he begins again. This was the song my father always requested I sing. He said I sounded like an angel when I sang it. Elijah must have seen me do this song for him so many time over the years. And now, knowing what I know, I the lyrics take on a whole new meaning.