“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 foyer.
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 as 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 who 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, 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’s your immediate supervisor, and he’ll 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 as if 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; there was 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 Super Bowl.”
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 Beth, Chad, and me 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 final 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’s 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 my 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 said, 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.
“Seriously?” I said to no one in particular.
Beth’s mouth pulled to one side. “I was looking forward to their sweet potato fries.”
I felt my eyes bulge. “Jared!”
Chad huffed. “They still have one on the east side . . . on Hope Street, I think.”
“I can’t believe this. I just can’t believe they . . .” My voice trailed off, too upset to finish.
Beth rubbed my shoulder. “That has to be upsetting. I’m sorry, honey.”
Chad grabbed Beth’s hand and stomped up the stairs. “This is not a tragedy. It spoils the sentimentality, yes, but it’s still the same building. Make new memories. I’m hungry.”
Jared pulled me to his side. “It’s bothersome, but Chad’s right. We can’t do anything about it. If we’re in the mood for sweet potato fries, we can go to the east side.”
I nodded. “They have them at Cuban Revolution downtown, too.” Jared nodded and then led me up the stairs. I trudged behind him, unwilling to let go of my disappointment.
We stood in line with Beth and Chad. Jared reminded me that because I was pregnant I should skip the sushi, so I grudgingly looked for something else. Double disappointment for the day. I silently hoped Bex wouldn’t be busy later. I had a sudden urge to take a swing at someone.
We went to Shanghai. It still overlooked Thayer Street just as I remembered, and it still had some leftover lighting from Blaze. Beth giggled at Chad’s overzealous appetite. Jared smiled at them and reached under the table to touch my knee. Life seemed so ridiculously laid back that the only issue I had to complain about was the closing of our favorite restaurant. That thought caused the corners of my mouth to turn up, and I continued shoveling my chicken and shrimp Pad Thai. As much as I wanted to hate their food out of spite, it was good. So good, in fact, that my plate was empty before Chad’s.
Beth stared at me. “You should have mentioned earlier that you were hungry, Nigh. We wouldn’t have waited until you were starving.”
“I didn’t know I was starving,” I said, leaning back in my chair. I looked down, noticing that my belly had already started to pooch out.
Beth rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. If you even think about saying you’re fat . . .” Her words fell away as she noticed my protruding belly as well. “Food baby?”
I looked to Jared and nodded. “Real baby.”
“What?” Beth wailed.
“That was a productive honeymoon,” Chad said.
“When were you going to tell me? I’m your best friend, and I had to find out because you started showing? How long have you known?” Beth was obviously upset, but her high-pitched whine had garnered the attention of everyone in the restaurant.
Jared leaned in and kept his voice low. “Just a few weeks, Beth. You’re one of the first to know, I assure you.”
Beth frowned. “She’s already showing and you’ve only known for a few weeks? I don’t believe it. You’re only going to have a real live baby. Why would I need to know something so trivial? It’s not as if I need to prepare at work or anything.”
I smiled. Beth was grumbling to herself at that point. “I should have told you earlier, Beth. You’re right. I’m sorry.”
A grin exploded across her face, and she rested her chin on her fist. “You’re forgiven. When can we go shopping? Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” I didn’t mirror her fervor, instead sensing the same overwhelming nausea I felt when Lillian bombarded me with wedding magazines two years earlier.
Jared took a breath. “We don’t know. It’s still new and overwhelming to Nina, so perhaps giving her a break from the reality of it would help the most for now.”
“Oh. Right. You’re right. We can talk about all that later,” she said, waving her hand dismissively.
We finished eating and left. A minute later, we waited at the light—the same light Jared had honked at me nearly scaring me to death right after we first met. Beth had resorted to not talking at all, instead of risking saying something she wasn’t supposed to. Chad tried distracting her with other questions, but she only offered nods or head shakes.
Just as the light turned green, an arm reached across me, grabbing Jared’s elbow.
; “Long time no see,” Kim said.
Beth smiled, but Kim was obviously not in an amiable mood.
“I said I would call you,” Jared said.
Kim raised an eyebrow. “I know you did. Three days ago. I’m not waiting any longer, Jared.”
If I didn’t know of her struggle with exhaustion, I would have thought she’d broken her nose. The purplish skin under her eyes looked like twin bruises. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot, and her shoulders sagged. I knew that look all too well, and I understood her desperation.
“I’m sorry. You’re just going to have to.”
Kim took a step toward him. “I don’t think you heard me. I’m. Not. Waiting. Any longer.”
Jared sighed, but he didn’t flinch from her glare. “We’ve discussed this.”
“Yes, we have. A lot.”
A nervous giggle emanated from Beth’s throat, and she shifted uncomfortably. “Waiting for what?”
Jared and Kim looked at Beth, and Kim shot an amused glare back at Jared. “Tell her.”
Jared frowned. “You’re being unreasonable.”
“What are we waiting for? Again?” Beth said, her voice still unsure.
Kim crossed her arms. “My ancestors are Crusade Knights, and I inherited the duty of watching over a book my great-great-times-a-thousand grandfather took from a church in Jerusalem.”
“Is it worth a lot of money?” Chad asked.
Beth jabbed her elbow in his ribs.
“Kim,” I warned.
“So Jerry over here is half-angel, and he’s the only one strong enough to help me get it back without getting myself killed. Only he’s being selfish, and even though I helped him save Nina’s life, he’s not going to help me take it back, now, because he got what he wanted and isn’t going to hold up his end of the deal.”
“Kim!” I yelled.
Beth began laughing hysterically. “Oh, wow! That’s a whopper!” Her Oklahoma accent came back with a vengeance. “Where do you get this stuff, Kim?”
Kim looked to Jared, desperation in her voice and tears in her eyes. “You need me on your side. Don’t forget that.” She walked away, leaving Beth and the rest of us quiet and unnerved.
Jared watched her trudge back to the Sentra. “We’re running out of time.”
The Providence Trilogy Bundle: Providence; Requiem; Eden Page 71