‘That’s why you still donate to kids’ charities.’
‘It’s what Mum would have wanted.’
‘So…you embraced?’
‘Yes, but by that time it was already too late. Her cancer had spread; she was dying. He poisoned her mind and her soul completely. By the time I returned, he’d disappeared, but the damage was done. She died a month later and I…I failed her.’
He stared into his coffee as if it were a mirror of his past. He tipped the rest over the edge and walked back inside to the couch. I sat down opposite.
‘That’s why I’m a Grigori. That’s why I believe in it. No one should have to be controlled by another being. We have free will for a reason.’
Instead of saying how sorry I was, instead of reaching out to him the way he had done for me so many times, I curled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around myself, and said nothing.
After a while, Lincoln turned on the TV, and desperate to distance myself from him I closeted myself in the bathroom. Sitting on the edge of the bath counting minutes, I let the shower run. When I finally emerged, he was gone. There was a note on the table.
I’m sure you’ll be fine until you meet up with Phoenix. See you later.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
‘Then you will know the truth…’
John 8:32
I was putting the finishing touches to my make-up when I heard Steph’s signature knock on the front door.
‘Mother of God! You look hot!’ she said, when she saw me in my new clothes.
I smiled, feeling confident. ‘Are you going to constantly throw around the blasphemy from now on?’
‘Gotta do what works for me.’ She shrugged and waved her hand at me. ‘Explain.’
I glanced back at the mirror. Skinny black jeans, black jersey silk top with a revealing neckline and black patent high heels. It was definitely a more dramatic look-at-me outfit than I usually gravitated towards. I couldn’t deny it – since the trials and the feel of the power coursing through my body, my confidence had grown. It was vain, but becoming a kickass Grigori had given me a glow.
‘It was time for a new look,’ I surmised.
‘Well, no arguments here. You look a-ma-zing.’ She walked over to me, surveying me more closely. ‘There’s only one problem.’
‘What?’ I said. Trust Steph to find a problem.
‘These,’ she said, as she touched the silver bracelets on my wrists. Along with new clothes and hair, I had bought myself an array of bangles to cover my wrist markings. ‘You’re better without them.’ She raised her eyebrows, but her expression had softened. It didn’t take much for her to know how I was really feeling.
‘People will notice,’ I said, looking down, organising the contents of my handbag. ‘I don’t want to spend all night explaining myself.’
‘No one will notice and even if they do you can blow it off as a cool tattoo or something. Trust me!’
I looked at Steph dubiously, then took off the bracelets to please her. But as we were walking out the door I quickly slipped them back on again to cover the markings.
There was a line a mile long when we arrived at Hades. Steph spotted Marcus waiting for us. He was looking good, in that preppy boat-shoes kind of way. Steph might like some things a little crazy, but she definitely wanted her guys clean-cut. I guess it was another reason we were best friends – we never fought over guys. She elbowed me as we got closer to him.
‘He might not be an angel, but that doesn’t mean he can’t give a girl a taste of heaven.’ We both laughed and I linked my arm through hers. It wouldn’t be long before those two got a lot closer – in the biblical sense, that is.
Jase had made good on his promise and our names were on the door. It was incredibly satisfying to skip the queue and walk right on in.
The restaurant section had been closed for the night and all the tables were gone, making more room for people to stand and drink and dance under the dozens of chandeliers. This, however, also meant that it was only open to over-eighteens. It hadn’t been a problem getting in since Jase had left our names on the door, but that didn’t mean it was wise to start ordering up at the bar and risk getting carded.
Marcus dutifully obliged, getting drinks for us all and hauling them back through the crowds. There were people everywhere; the vibe through the whole place was amazing. It felt good to be surrounded by fun for a change. Steph gave me a sip of her mojito. It was lethal and she was sucking it back like a slurpy. I had visions of dragging her home at the end of the night. Much to Steph’s horror, I was just having a Coke. Control was not something I was keen on relinquishing more of right now.
When Steph finished her mojito in record time, she promptly sent Marcus off to get her another concoction from the cocktail list.
‘Has he ever actually said no to you?’ I yelled over the music.
‘He’s gorgeous, isn’t he,’ she yelled back, oblivious that I was teasing her. I couldn’t blame her and smiled back – she was genuinely happy. ‘If your angel doesn’t arrive soon,’ Steph added, ‘he might have more than just Lincoln to worry about.’
I looked at her in confusion.
‘Ah, Vi, you must have noticed that pretty much every guy in here, except for Marcus of course, is drooling over you.’
I looked around the room. She had been exaggerating, but there were a good handful of guys watching me. I blushed red hot, but couldn’t stop the smile.
A breeze drifted in from the open door. Then I felt it. The taste of apple, the humming energy, birds flying manically. All the senses flowed through me, but unlike before I had embraced, now I had control. I could move them around, bring them forward, focus on them – and also push them back and silence them. And most importantly, I knew who it was. I was pretty sure it wasn’t normal for Grigori to be able to sense exactly who the exile was, but I was beginning to accept I wasn’t ordinary.
‘Phoenix is here,’ I said.
‘Where?’ Steph looked around.
‘Close. I can feel him.’
‘You can feel him?’ She was wide-eyed in disbelief.
I turned around and Phoenix was standing there. He looked worried. I smiled and his face relaxed. He raised a hand to the side of my face. As soon as he touched me, my body leaned into his and I folded into him, yielded to him.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he said.
‘Me too,’ was all I could manage.
His eyes drifted down, taking in my new look. He bled his desire for me and I knew he was doing it on purpose. His eyes settled on my wrists where the bracelets glittered. He didn’t say anything. Finally, he looked away from me and over to Steph. It didn’t take long for him to process the look of awe plastered over her face.
‘Ahh,’ he exhaled. ‘I suppose it’s no surprise she told you.’
Steph stood, almost hypnotised, staring at Phoenix.
‘Steph.’ I elbowed her. She jumped to attention.
‘Sorry, it’s just, now that I know, it seems so weird to be standing here in a club with an angel.’
Phoenix gave a slight smile. ‘Trust me, it’s not that interesting.’
Marcus returned with more drinks and that stopped all the angel talk. I could tell Phoenix was relieved.
By about ten o’clock, Steph and Marcus both looked as if they had crossed the line of one drink too many. I cringed for them, as they started embarrassing themselves on the dance floor. Eighties flashback dresses were one thing, flashback dance moves another altogether.
Phoenix and I settled into a couch in the corner and eased back into being around each other. We avoided Grigori and angel talk as much as possible. He told me about the time he had ‘climbed’ Mount Everest in 1901. It would have only taken him a few seconds had he not lingered at the top to enjoy the quiet and the view. I tried to take it all in my stride, but it’s hard to stop your jaw from gaping when someone is telling you he climbed the damn thing over fifty years before the first humans ever did. And, oh yeah…he was clea
rly well over a hundred years old!
Phoenix moved over so he was sitting right beside me. He let his fingers trail up my thigh. ‘I was thinking…’ he said suggestively. My body tingled. With every touch, I felt more and more certain that my future wasn’t with Lincoln and that forgiveness was not a possibility. I was reminded of just how much Phoenix could affect me, take me away. My breath caught and then raced. The thought of escaping into his bliss was definitely exciting. But as I felt myself leaning towards him, I was strangely reminded of being caught up in Onyx’s and Joel’s powers. My senses sharpened.
‘I need to learn how to block you when I want to,’ I said, breaking the mood abruptly.
He stiffened. ‘Why?’
‘I need to learn how to use my powers. Apparently, I have some kind of kink in them.’
I saw him hesitate and wondered why he didn’t seem keen to help. Just as I was about to question him, he smiled dangerously. ‘We might have to leave to fully test out the theory.’
I smiled and laughed. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss,’ I said, sounding more nervous than I would’ve liked. ‘For now,’ I added, so he knew I wasn’t saying an outright no. I was worried I’d hurt him if I told him I wasn’t sure we should rush into the whole sex thing again.
Phoenix moved closer, and looked me over. It was odd – he didn’t seem to be able to hold my eyes.
‘Are you OK? If you don’t want to…’ I left the words hanging, whatever bravado I had mustered quickly fading.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to. I’d do anything to have you as mine.’ Then his eyes managed to fix on mine and he pushed the hair back from one side of my face, cupping his hand along my jawline, his fingers stretching into my hair. I could feel in that moment what I was to him and then he confirmed it in words.
‘You’re a goddess.’
He kissed me. Humming energy coursed through me and he opened the channels to his emotions and released a torrent of lust. I reached within myself to find my power and built a wall around me, pushing back the surging energy that exploded through my whole body. I didn’t know if what I was doing was right, I just followed my instincts.
Gradually, the lust subsided. Phoenix must have felt the resistance from me because he pushed harder. This time I was inundated with desire, total and utter desire. All the right parts…or wrong parts, responded to it, my body ruling my mind.
My hands travelled over him as I got lost in the moment, and he pulled me in. I again retreated into my core strength and began to build walls of protection. As I did, the lust and desire receded and I began to feel myself breaking through.
Along with gaining self-control, I was able to see within my power. Morning and evening flashed before me and in them I saw the fibres of my core, my soul. Something that wasn’t me was wrapped around them, strangling me.
I realised I was searching for a part of myself that had been locked away. I was trying to break free of something. Just as I drew on my power again to help me, Phoenix pulled away from me, breaking my concentration and snapping me back to reality. I stared at him, a little startled. His hand went instantly to my face, as it did so often, and calm floated over me, dulling everything else.
‘You pushed me out. No one has done that before.’ He was searching my face, assessing my reactions. It made me a little uncomfortable.
‘Phoenix…’ But I never got a chance to finish. As I opened my mouth to speak, apple flooded it. Everything in my being screamed danger.
‘Exiles.’
Phoenix froze. ‘There can’t be, I can’t sense…’ Then, reconsidering, he asked, ‘How many?’
I focused, trying to work it out. I hadn’t done this before. ‘I’m not sure.’ But as I drew on my angelic powers I felt a shift – it was something new, as if somehow I was able to push the senses out and search. I managed to do it for just a few seconds, just long enough to get a glimpse. ‘A lot…Eight…Maybe more.’
A series of words that I had not heard come from Phoenix’s mouth before rolled out forcefully and then he gritted his teeth. ‘I still can’t sense them. How close are they?’
That much I could tell. ‘Still outside, but not for long.’
He stood. ‘Wait here. DON’T MOVE!’ he ordered me.
And then he was gone.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
‘There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.’
William Barclay
I reached for my phone. Before I had time to think, my finger had pressed speed dial one.
‘Violet? What’s wrong?’
‘They’re here, Linc. Exiles, lots of them.’
‘Where are you?’ he said quickly. I could hear the sound of his front door slamming and his feet bounding down the steps.
‘Hades.’
‘Don’t move. Don’t do anything. I’m on my way.’ He hung up. He only lived a few blocks away; it wouldn’t take him long at full pelt.
I looked over and saw Steph hanging off Marcus on the dance floor. She saw me and flailed her hands in the air, signalling me to join her. I thought about warning her, but I didn’t want to freak her out. I gave a shake of my head. She tried again, but after a forced smile and a second shake of my head, she gave up on me.
I could feel them getting closer. They were outside the front door. I could see them somehow, could almost pinpoint them exactly, like some kind of infrared vision.
I concentrated, trying to figure out exactly how many there were. I realised that there were ten, and two were very powerful, surrounded by what I could only describe as golden auras. Chills, the stabbing kind, ran through my body when I focused on them.
When I tried to use my power to find Phoenix, all I got was a sinking feeling in my gut. I couldn’t sense him at all. I didn’t know how I could sense the other exiles and not him – it was as if he had the power to block me. But the others… They were inside now – I was sure of it.
I spotted a green exit sign to my right, but I refused to run. For the first time I realised it wasn’t because I wouldn’t allow myself to, but because I didn’t want to. The place was full of humans, unaware and defenceless, just like Claudia had been. I was a Grigori now and that meant I was their only protection. I looked towards the entrance, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.
How in the hell are they inside?
I stood up to get a better view and focused my power on feeling them rather than looking for them. Awareness crept through me. They were moving into the room, steadily and all together.
A purple mist, like millions of tiny amethyst crystals, streamed over the room, searching. It was me, my mist, but not multicoloured like everyone else’s, it was…violet. The mist frosted the room, revealing the truth, stripping away the glamour.
They were there, at least ten of them, moving through the middle of the room. They walked towards me as they had in my dream, and I knew they brought with them the three D’s. Death. Doom. Destruction.
I blinked, again seeing what everyone else did. It was as if they weren’t there. It was like the space they existed within wasn’t real.
My eyes darted to Steph, still dancing, none the wiser. At least it seemed she was safe, though I wasn’t sure for how long. The two exiles at the front were the ones with all the power. The others, though strong, didn’t bother me. Even in their numbers, I had them. Not that it will do you any good, Vi. Because the two at the front had me sweating buckets.
My wrists pulsed with cool heat, reminding me of my purpose. Two things flew through my mind: I wished I hadn’t thrown my dagger into my bedside drawer instead of trying to find a way to squeeze it into my skinny jeans; and maybe I should have gone with more sensible heels.
I cleared my head, giving me back the real view of the room. They were closing the distance, eyes fixed in my direction. I recognised Onyx; he was relaxed in his stride, confidence radiating from him as he swung his sword with every step like a walking stick. T
he other exile walking beside him was more controlled in his movements, calculated, precise. They were like the positive and negative of a battery. They didn’t belong together at all. Although he looked different from in my dream – no wings spreading from his sides, no blue blazing fire – I knew the other was Joel. He also carried a sword, but held it tightly under his arm, like a soldier with a swagger stick.
Onyx stopped a few metres away and the other angels spanned out in a semicircle around us. They created a wall between us and everyone else. Some were dressed in casual jeans and T-shirts, others in sleek suits, some in old-fashioned clothes that looked like tacky costume wear. I presumed a few had stalled in previous eras. Good to know there were all types of fashion victims in the world. Not one of them looked older than mid-twenties and a few were no older than me. The only thing they all had in common – not one was human and they were all in their prime, ready to pounce.
I gave myself an internal pep talk. This is your job now, what you’ve been given the power to deal with. It didn’t work. I tried again. For Christ’s sake, Vi, you’re stuck like this now so you better figure out how to beat these psycho angels or you’re going to die…very, very badly! It was better.
Onyx looked at me and smiled. ‘All alone?’
‘No, there are plenty of us around. We saw no point in leaving the dance floor just for you,’ I said, heavy on the smart-ass to avoid showing fear. Onyx’s smile broadened. I snuck a look over his shoulder. Phoenix had to be back any moment.
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