“We do, but that’s the strange bit. Originally, everyone, including Sabree, thought Duncan tainted us with Fallen DNA to create ghoulish monstrosities. Dr. Duncan Frankenstein himself.”
Ariane glanced around. “Nowhere to sit. Why didn’t you send Sabree outside so we could sit in comfort? My legs are trembling.”
As expected, the news weighed her down, too heavy a burden to bear. The nearest bench was on the porch. When she focused on the silver band under my sleeve, the amulet reminded me of a few details I purposely left out.
Ariane wrapped her arms around her midriff. “Did you find any answers in the portal?” Her eyes darkened at the mention of my exclusive boys-only-club.
“Met Sabree’s old friend, Turian. He’s our real father. He didn’t say much except that we will meet again. I’m pretty sure our mother is human but haven’t met her yet.” Why did I feed her lies? No idea, except to hide the truth of our parentage. Lineage worse than any soap opera.
She poked the amulet that decorated my wrist. “I want to meet her. Take me into the portal.”
“No!” I snatched my hand away and stared at her with unbelieving eyes. “Are you daft? What if your body disintegrates inside the portal?” I squeezed my skull as if the action would push a magical solution to the surface. “Let me experiment on one of the Fallen—Sabree.” I palm-slapped my forehead but left the eyeroll to my imagination. “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?”
“Sabree? You’re kidding, I hope?”
“Why not toss his ass into the portal. Drop him off on one of the trees in the Blood Sea world. We’ll never have to worry about him feeding on us again. Return the lab equipment.” Okay, that was a bit harsh. A pest at times, Sabree was more friend than foe of late. So why take it out on him? My sister deserved to be put in her place. Not the portal place but somewhere safe.
Ariane grabbed my other wrist and squeezed it to the bone. “Promise me you won’t take Sabree into the portal.” She bit her tongue for speaking so boldly. “Eric would make a better guinea pig.”
A mere human, Eric would never survive the portal. “Why add more guilt to my conscience while I could take Abyss instead.” I chuckled the thought aside. “Sorry, just pulling your leg, Sis. You know I live to give Sabree a hard time.” I winked to make sure she caught my jest. “Clone our blood and I will take you only if Abyss survives.”
“Deal.” Her eyes narrowed in on me.
Nails of pessimism hammered into my skull, pulverizing my mind with negativity. Not sure why, but my sister doubted my word. Maybe not so strange, because of the way I kept staring at the distant rock formations on the horizon, refusing to look her in the eye. Perhaps her apprehension blossomed from the way I agreed too easily.
“Deal,” I repeated.
4
ARIANE MEANS HOLY ONE
M y sister and I spent the week figuring out where we could live in peace to avoid our ever-increasing list of enemies. Ariane thought of Phoenix, insisting our sanctuary must be isolated yet inconspicuous within a populated location. I thought of Scotland; however, an anonymous buyer paid top dollar for the mansion. My loss, his gain. Aye, I had my suspicions.
“It has to be near a research facility.” Ariane tapped the screen to point out the specific realty ad. “Our best option.”
Her only option I gathered. “Goes against my better judgment, but if adjacent townhouses in a gated community are what you want, then have at it.” I squinted at the laptop. “Where are they located?”
“On the outskirts of Scottsdale. The two combined will cost us well over a million. Good thing you sold the property in Scotland. I’ll ask Jesse to appoint a realtor in Scottsdale to sell the ranch.”
My sister’s wall of ice had melted since her return, either that, or my skill at reading her mind improved. She regretted how the human part of her life had ended. Like it or not, we had to move on, accept this new life. Our falsified deaths forced us to say good-bye to Colton as our surname. According to the Fallen, the one name was all they required. Maybe they could get away with it in the portal worlds, but here on Earth, a last name was just as important as two arms or two legs. Jesse set us up with fake identities and the names Ariane and Brian Ross. Then I transferred our savings to a Swiss account—Sabree’s bank. How convenient.
My finger outlined one of the townhouses on the screen. “We should’ve kept the mansion. Scotland would be ideal.” My creased forehead forewarned her that she had better elaborate on our future living conditions.
“Arizona is better. Two townhouses will keep the peace between us and Sabree. Let him have one while you and I share the other. Then I need to move the equipment from storage and set up a working lab, one efficient enough to prepare and store samples from local laboratories. By shapeshifting into a mouse or an insect, I can sneak inside and work during off hours.”
Again, my sister had it all figured out. “On one condition,” I said. “As soon as you clone our blood, we move to a secluded place away from the clans and maybe even Sabree.” A negative charge from her mind blasted mine, almost knocking me off the stool. The idea of leaving him behind sent one message: no way. She switched from sitting on both legs to just one. Guess that meant Sabree would be around longer than I originally hoped.
“As long as you don’t forget your promise to let me meet our mother.”
The pressure behind my eyes knotted my stomach. I would forever be in her debt if she cloned our blood, but if I refused to honor our verbal contract because of the risk, my sister would certainly retaliate. She always did. “A promise is a promise. Don’t sweat it, Sis.” I avoided her gaze, unable to look her in the eye when I lied.
“It’s a deal then. I will call first thing tomorrow. Let Sabree know.”
“Oh, joy.” Our next destination—adjoining townhouses. How cozy.
3 3 3
The speed at which the three of them moved into the twin townhouses surprised Ariane. Nothing to pack and both places furnished elaborately enough to appease Sabree’s extravagant tastes expedited the move. She also selected the townhouses for the closed floorplan, which afforded her some privacy. Within the first week, she had unpacked and set up her equipment in the large kitchen. Two weeks later, Ariane gained headway after she found a state-of-the-art research lab in Phoenix.
Hunched over the laptop, working in Sabree’s kitchen, her eyes blurred as she stared at the list of formulas. A deep inhale teased her nostrils with the sweet scent of maple nut. Her gaze focused on the opened container of frosting. Last spoonful, the smooth confection slipped from the spoon into her mouth, so unlike her brother moving from their townhouse into Sabree’s.
The original move-in arrangements had fallen flat. Nothing had gone as planned. However temporary, Brian despised the organic chemicals that wafted from the kitchen-turned-lab into his bedroom. He reluctantly accepted Sabree’s offer to share his townhouse. The commotion her brother had raised made her giggle.
“What’s so funny?” Sabree grabbed the super-sized sugar bowl, spooned in a cup of sugar, and stirred the tea vigorously. His gaze never left her.
“Poor Brian ended up with the guest room this time. I don’t feel sorry for him. He had the master suite in the old house.”
Sabree snickered, his eyes a playful shade of green. “Logic won out.”
Similar to the Land of Oz’s horse of many colors, Sabree’s eyes varied in hue according to his mood. She could gaze into them all day. A twirling kaleidoscope came to mind when she fantasized about annoying him until his eyes darkened to a deep violet and then flirting until they gleamed a soft lavender. Ariane loved that about him and bit her tongue. The secret belonged to her alone.
“I’ve been busy setting up the lab. What have you been up to?” As soon as she asked, she noticed how his eyes darkened as though storm clouds rolled in. Something troubled him. “What’s wrong?”
“Boredom,” Sabree replied. “It may cause us problems.”
Ariane licked a smidgen of fr
osting from her lips, making sure he noticed the sensual tease. She replaced the lid on the can and shoved it inside the refrigerator stocked full of sugary sweets. Trouble shadowed Sabree. She could only imagine what his boredom led to this time. “What did you do now?”
“Spied on the Caderen, a grave mistake on my part. It seems my not-so-covert visits have backfired.” Her soft curse made him cringe. “During my last espionage, they secured a tracking device underneath my car. I found the metallic tag and recognized it as Caderen technology. Brian had cautioned me to trade in the Jag for a minivan. I snubbed his advice as usual.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “After destroying the tracer, I neglected to tell him, worried he might uproot your research.”
“He would do that. But no way. Not now.” Ariane paced the length of the kitchen to the sink. Dishes clattered as she removed them from the cool dishpan water and dumped everything into the dishwasher. The chair scraped the tiled floor behind her.
Sabree sat in her seat and eyed the laptop. “A week has passed since they tagged my car. No one showed. I’m sure all is well. Maybe I found it in time.”
“Or maybe not,” Ariane said. “It’s Independence Day. I’m heading out to take advantage of the holiday weekend and work in my favorite lab. The place should be empty. Don’t tell Brian about the tracer. No sense in bothering him with trivial BS.” Her anger softened. “Just to be safe, take the Jag out for a spin and park it somewhere else for a week or two. Try Walmart.”
“As soon as I return. An important matter warrants my attention. Something long overdue.”
What could be more important than safeguarding the townhouses or keeping her brother away from the portal? Sabree was up to no good. Deceit caramelized his sweet scent until a toasted nuttiness teased her nostrils. She stole a glance at his retreating form and smiled like a Cheshire cat before transforming into a hummingbird. Her clothes dropped to the floor. Light as a feather, or in her case a few feathers, she flew after him, her wings blurred when he began to mist.
Her heartbeat matched the rhythm of her tiny wings, buzzing into his hair before he vanished. Her small form hitched a ride on his current of mist, spinning in the whirlwind. She tried to hold herself together, but her body, mind, and soul drifted apart as though swept away and filtered through a sieve. Ariane-hummingbird reformed minutes later.
The mist around her slowly condensed until it solidified. Sabree stood in its wake. Disorientated from the misty whirlwind, she flitted into the darkest corner. Did her brother’s massive wings award him the same boundless vitality? If her tiny wings endowed her such freedom, she imagined his had performed hundred-fold.
Hidden in the shadows, she inspected their destination. The dank wooden walls reeked of mustiness. Stained glass windows lined the top, the glass dull and lifeless without daylight streaming through. The church-like structure seemed safe, so she transformed into herself. Nakedness raised concern that Brian would find her discarded clothing back home and worry.
Sabree cleared his throat when he faced her corner. “Who’s there? Ariane?”
Each of the Fallen emitted a distinct sugary fragrance. Pink, sticky bubblegum gave her away. With hesitation, she stepped into the dim candlelight. “I hitched a ride. Are we on the other side of the world? It’s dark outside.”
“Forget something?”
He referred to her nudity. Clothing did not partake in the transformation and remained behind. Some outfits she lost forever. Her hands covered her female parts. “I’m working on it.”
Sabree handed her his duster. “To answer your question, we are near the outskirts of Athens.”
“Greece?” She never expected to travel this far. “Why? Are you meeting one of the Fallen?”
“No.” His voice seemed heavy, laden with sadness.
When she inched closer, his somberness became more evident. His eyes, amber in hue, glistened with moisture. Compassion filled her heart, but she ignored it. “Tell me.”
“Until now, I have only loved one other. In 420 B.C., I fell for a Greek goddess, or I envisioned her as such. She was human, a simple girl full of life.”
Until this moment, she wondered if he had ever loved another and, if so, whom? Abyss? Her blood ran cold when the image of the Fallen’s version of a runway model strutted into her imagination. Ariane kicked the tall, exotic, and pierced to the hilt, skinny bitch out-of-sight and out-of-mind. “You’ve only been in love once during your entire existence? You’re far from fickle, Sabree.” Her comment went unheard as he approached a simple marble altar. Unlit votive candles were arranged in a half circle. She recognized it as a remembrance tribute, her intuition dead on. Sabree was a romantic.
“There have been others, but never the kind of love that enlivens and frees wedded souls, allowing them to soar, only to plunge deep into the dark earth when the souls depart and love dies. Such insufferable loss shredded my soul and both my hearts. I dare say it was torture, whether ecstasy or misery.”
“What happened to her?”
“Pregnant,” Sabree said and paused to clear his throat. “With my child, another forbidden taboo I violated. I cannot seem to break my rebellious streak. Mother and child died during labor, for the Fallen are born differently than humans. My love destroyed her.”
He struck a match. His hand shook as he lowered it to the wick.
Ariane reached for his wrist, steadying him to light the candle. A lone flame climbed the wick.
“All lovers young, all lovers must consign to thee and come to dust.”
“How lovely.”
“Shakespeare. Now for my own remembrance.” Sabree paused for a silent moment and spoke, his voice barely a whisper. “Like the flame, you burned bright.” His voice hitched. “Until my curse extinguished your light.”
Delicate, yet sad, Ariane studied his profile in the candlelight, in awe of the sensitive man inches from her touch. She leaned into his shoulder.
“Forgive me, Zoe.” He doused the match.
“Zoe, what a pretty name. What does it mean?”
“Ironically, it means life.”
Ariane found her breaths matched his. She detected the beating of his two hearts and believed hers beat twice as fast to keep in sync. Her arm wrapped through his until they locked elbows. She wished he shared her affections. Brian insisted that any interest Sabree displayed was parasitical in nature, nothing more. She hoped her brother’s intuition missed the mark in this case.
Sabree faced her. “I’m glad you’re here and that you know.”
A hint of lavender blended with the amber hue of his irises. “Me too. However, I must confess, I hitched a ride, because I thought you were up to no good.”
“Ariane Rose, I admit I make poor judgments, but I’m not plotting against you and Brian.”
The way he pronounced her name warmed her core. Her skin tingled from the heat. “If born first, Duncan said he would have named Brian, Arian, and me, Briane.”
A soft chuckle flickered the flame with his breath. “I’m glad you were born first. In French, your name means silver.”
“A precious metal. Whoopee.” How could she compete with a Greek goddess whose name meant life? Ariane bit the inside of her lip. How petty of her to let her mind fill with envy while Sabree forever mourned his loss.
“Silver represents strength. In Greek, Ariane means holy one. You are precious.” His eyes twinkled the smile absent from his lips.
The violet hue shredded her self-discipline into frayed ribbons. She leaned closer to steal a kiss. Her lips landed on his cheek when he glanced away as if he predicted her bold approach. She gazed ahead with down-turned eyes focused on the lone flame.
Ariane braved another glance. Why did he refuse to look her way, his eyes closed as if he could not bear the sight of her? The chills dropped like icicles of bitterness down her spine. Stockpiled fury and humiliation defeated common sense. It demanded release, but not here, not now. She needed a ride home and welcomed the darkness as she stepped back into th
e shadow to hide her disappointment. Perhaps her first assumption was correct; he only had affections for Abyss. “Please, take me home.” Sabree’s duster fell at his feet.
5
PORTAL GAMES
I n my spare time, too much since the move, I skimmed the archives for anything pertaining to the portal. Scant details and unanswered questions plagued my mind. If all else failed, as a last resort, I’d ask Turian. Maybe he would offer some intel; however, trust in our estranged father to throw a tidbit or two concerning our lineage wouldn’t come easy.
Before setting off, I scoured the townhouses for Ariane and Sabree. Both came up empty. Five minutes ago, their pitchy voices had risen above my music and bounced off the walls. The hollow void they left behind sparked my recall. Ariane mentioned she had to work at the lab today and without the watchdog snooping around, a portal trip was long overdue. Impatience won over caution when I opted to visit Turian a month earlier than our scheduled reunion. Let the portal games begin.
The wormhole flight to Julia’s world sailed by without incident. As soon as I materialized and each set of dual wings slid into my back, I leapt to my feet and twirled in place, the final spin slow and purposeful. Keen eyes scanned the yard until my gaze fell on the withered garden. Tumbleweeds had rolled in and choked the resident flora. Neglected laundry was entwined in tattered ribbons along the picket fence. Sand encrusted the front porch. Broken glass in the windows seized my breath. No sign of life, no sign of Julia.
Wind and sand whipped through my hair and stung my eyes as one clue after the other flushed all hope away. Julia’s cozy shack shouted abandonment. A battle gone wrong. Maybe she left in a hurry to escape the Malakhim. Curse selflessness, but how could I seek the answers to my questions now?
Against the Fallen Page 3