by S. J. West
Ever since Jess and the other vessels closed the Tear, no one seemed concerned what else the Watcher Agency was doing. All they cared about was staying safe, and they laid that responsibility solely on the shoulders of the Watchers, trusting them to take care of the known and unknown of the world so regular humans could go about their daily routine and not have to think about such things.
I pull out my sketchpad from my backpack and open it to a blank sheet. I decide to sketch Aiden just like I saw him on my seventeenth birthday, dressed in only a pair of black square cut swim trunks, and peering out into the ocean like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I’m only halfway through with my sketch when I sense someone standing beside me.
I look up and see a man a little bit older than me, possibly in his early twenties. He’s handsome with short blonde hair and a muscular physique. He’s wearing a cream-colored wool turtleneck sweater and tan corduroy slacks, all well-tailored. He smiles at me causing the deep crescent shaped dimples in his cheeks to reveal themselves, making him look like the boy next door, but his eyes, the windows to his soul, tell me a different story.
People may be able to hide their true intentions from their facial expressions, but their eyes never lie. This man is a danger to me, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I need to get as far away from him as I can. I immediately stand up and grab my backpack.
“I’m sorry,” the man says in a deceivingly apologetic tone. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
I stuff my sketchbook in my pack and turn to face him fully, not wanting him at my back.
“Who are you and what do you want?” I ask, not attempting to hide that I know he isn’t sorry he surprised me with his sudden appearance. With this thought, I realize he must be an angel of some sort, but I know for a fact he isn’t a Watcher. I have all of their faces memorized, and his isn't among them.
The man’s smile widens showing pearly white teeth.
“I just wanted to meet you is all,” he says, taking a step towards me which instantly makes me take a step back. “Please, I don’t mean you any harm.”
“You’re lying,” I tell him.
His smile widens even further. His eyes study me for a moment as if he’s reassessing me.
“You’re more intuitive than I thought someone your age would be. But, I guess considering what you are I should have known better.”
“Who are you?” I demand, feeling as though I need to know the answer to this question before I simply phase away from him. If he’s a threat to me, he might be a threat to my family too.
The fake smile vanishes from his face, and his true nature is revealed as he glowers at me.
“I’m your worst nightmare,” he tells me, a tinge of mad glee in his voice.
Before I know it, he phases right on top of me. The weight of him causes me to lose my balance and fall backwards to the ground, stunning me with a forceful blow to my head. His hands burst into blue flames as he wraps them around my throat with a strength that almost snaps my neck in two.
Instantly, the stranger’s weight is lifted off me as I see him being tossed into the air like a rag doll and thrown against the trunk of the oak tree. I look up and wonder if the blow I suffered to my head is causing me to hallucinate because I see Aiden standing over me.
He's dressed all in black from his leather jacket and t-shirt to his tight fitting jeans and boots. His black hair is loose and curly around his handsome face which doesn't look like it's been shaved in a day or so. I feel him lift me off the ground easily with his hands under my arms and stand me upright. I falter slightly but he keeps me from falling back to the ground as he continues to hold me steady.
His blue-green eyes stare into mine, filled with worry and alarm.
His mouth opens and Aiden's first word to me as we face each other for only the second time in our lives is, “Run.”
CHAPTER TWO
“No,” I say without even having to think about it.
For almost three years, I've waited for this moment to happen. And I don't care if the blonde stranger trying to kill me turns out to be the devil himself. I’m not about to leave Aiden's side, not now. Not when he’s standing right in front of me, touching me.
“Please, Caylin,” Aiden pleads, desperation in his voice and expression. “If you care about me at all, leave.”
“Yes,” the blonde stranger says to me, picking himself off the ground, “by all means run along little human so I can kill your Watcher pet.”
Aiden lets go of me and places his body in between me and the stranger.
“Go, Caylin,” Aiden says. “He can't kill me.”
The blonde man laughs like what Aiden just said is the most ridiculous thing he's heard in a long time.
“You might think yourself invincible to my power, Aiden, but I'm still stronger than you.”
Aiden looks at me over his shoulder, and I see his desperation for me to be somewhere else, anywhere else.
“Caylin, go!”
Reluctantly, I phase.
I phase straight to Uncle Malcolm's classroom, not caring if any of my classmates are still present. Thankfully, I find him sitting alone at his desk grading the pop quiz he gave us.
He looks up sharply, knowing I wouldn't have taken the chance of phasing into a public place unless it was an emergency.
He phases over to me.
“What's wrong?”
I don't answer, just grab him by the arm and phase him back to the hill.
Only a few seconds have passed and Aiden is standing in exactly the same spot as he faces off with the blonde stranger.
“Well, well, well,” Uncle Malcolm says, taking a defensive stance beside Aiden and effectively blocking the stranger's view of me. He crosses his arms across his chest and tilts his head as he looks at my accoster. “I wondered when you would show some initiative, Baal. Long time no see by the way. Been licking your wounds from the last ass kicking you got?”
I peek over Uncle Malcolm's shoulder in time to see Baal smirk at him.
“That smart mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, Malcolm,” Baal says, his sneer turning deadly.
Uncle Malcolm glances in Aiden's direction.
“Take her to Jess,” he orders in a low voice.
Aiden turns and holds his hand out to me. I stare at his hand for a second desperately wanting to touch him but knowing if I do he’ll phase me away. I look up into his eyes and see him silently begging me to place my hand into his so he can take me somewhere safe.
Instead, I avert my gaze away from Aiden before I become completely lost and look at Uncle Malcolm.
“I'm not leaving you,” I tell my uncle.
“Go with Aiden, Caylin. I can handle this piece of trash.” Uncle Malcolm glances over his shoulder at me. “I'll be fine. Trust me.”
I look back at Aiden who still has his hand held out to me. I take in a deep breath and place my hand into his, feeling his warm skin against mine for the first time and wondering why I have to be trapped between a nightmare and the best dream of my life.
Aiden wraps his fingers around my hand and phases us.
I find myself somewhere I've never been before.
It's a large semi-dark room with plain walls and a holographic display up in front of a large table where Joshua is sitting, quickly running his fingers over its glass surface. His movements seem to manipulate the images being projected.
Aiden doesn't look at me, but he does change the position of his hand so that our fingers intertwine. He walks toward Joshua gently tugging me along at his side.
“Joshua, where are Jess and Mason?” Aiden asks, as we come to stand behind one of my best friends.
“Finishing up in Moscow,” Joshua says right before turning his chair around to face us. His eyes grow large and his mouth drops open slightly when he sees me. “Holy cow, Caylin. What are you doing here?” Joshua looks at Aiden. “Does this mean Baal made first contact?”
Aiden nods. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Joshua looks from Aiden back to me. I notice his gaze drop down to my throat.
“Did Baal do that to you?” Joshua asks nodding his head towards me.
Aiden turns to me. Our eyes meet briefly before he focuses on my neck. He lifts his free hand and slides the tips of his fingers down the side of it, causing me to wince involuntarily. I hadn't noticed any pain there until now.
“Get in touch with Jess and Mason,” Aiden tells Joshua. “Tell them to meet us at Rafe's clinic.”
“Take care of her,” Joshua tells Aiden. “She's one of my best friends.”
Aiden lifts his eyes to meet mine again, and my heart aches with joy because of the love I see in his soul for me.
“I'll always take care of her,” Aiden tells Joshua, but I know the words are really meant for me to hear.
Aiden squeezes my hand, and he phases us.
I find myself standing in an office in a rather dilapidated building that looks like it’s been around since before even my mother was born. Aiden tugs on my hand as he heads for the door of the room, but I don't move. Aiden notices and turns to face me.
The concern on his face looks so cute I instantly take a mental picture to use as a template for a sketch later.
I stare at him, not sure what to do next until finally I just say, “Hi.”
It takes a second, but a lopsided grin appears on Aiden's face, and his eyes light up with happiness. I assume it’s because he’s reached the same conclusion as me and realizes we’re actually together and alone for the very first time in our lives.
“Hi,” he says back.
An awkward silence ensues as we just stand there and stare at one another. I don't think either of us thought the events of the day would bring us together so unexpectedly. And now that we're finally face to face, neither of us seems to be prepared for the moment, even though we've had three years to get ready for it.
I swallow hard and grimace from the pain such a small, involuntary action causes. Aiden immediately notices.
“Come on,” he says, gently pulling me towards him. “We need to find Rafe so he can heal you.”
I nod in agreement. Through all the excitement, I didn't even notice how badly Baal injured my throat with his strangulation.
I willingly follow Aiden out the door of the office into what looks like a hospital infirmary. You can tell we’re in a third world country because none of the modern trappings of technology are visible. There are beds leaned up against the walls but only a few people occupy them. I see Rafe leaning over one of the beds speaking quietly to a patient.
“Rafe,” Aiden calls out.
Rafe immediately stands to his full height and turns towards us. His eyes narrow on me.
“What happened?” He asks, walking to us.
“Baal attacked Caylin,” Aiden tells him. “Her neck is hurt.”
Rafe focuses his attention on my throat with the assessing gaze of a physician.
“Let’s go to my office so I can see what needs to be done,” he says, and I know he wants to make sure the other people at the clinic don’t see him use his power on me.
Once we reach Rafe’s office, he closes the door behind him and locks it.
“Sit down,” Rafe tells me, nodding towards a small wooden chair in front of his desk.
Aiden continues to hold my hand as I sit. Rafe crouches down in front of me to examine my injury more closely.
“It’s not too bad,” he says, placing both of his hands around my neck, “mostly just bruising.”
I feel warmth emanate from Rafe’s touch and close my eyes at the pleasant sensation of his healing power. It feels like rays of sunlight on a warm spring day encircling my neck like a scarf. Being the vessel for the archangel Raphael, Rafe’s power has come in handy during the past few years, at least that’s what Jess told me. It only takes a minute for Rafe to heal my wound, and I almost hate it when he removes his hands from my throat.
“There,” he says, re-examining my neck to make sure all is healed to his satisfaction, “looks as good as new.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, no longer feeling the soreness that was just there.
Jess and Mason phase into the room. I stand to greet them and am instantly enveloped in Jess’ arms.
“Thank God you’re all right,” she says, sounding relieved.
I hug her back with my free arm but never let go of Aiden’s hand. If I have my way, we’ll never be separated again.
“I’m fine, Jess,” I reassure her. “Aiden was there to protect me.”
Jess leans away from me and cups the sides of my face with her hands, peering into my eyes.
“Are you sure you’re ok?” She asks me, her gaze traveling over every inch of my face.
I glance over at Aiden before I answer her.
“Never better,” I tell her, unable to suppress my smile of joy because I’m finally with him.
Jess’ gaze drops to see Aiden and me holding hands. When her eyes return to mine, I see what she’s going to say even before she has a chance to say it.
“No,” I tell her fiercely. “He saved my life. He isn’t going anywhere.”
“Caylin,” Jess says, and I can hear the voice of reason that's about to end my dream, “you know it’s not time yet. Your parents….”
“Will understand,” I interrupt. I tighten my hold on Aiden’s hand making sure he knows I don’t want him to go anywhere. “He saved my life, Jess. Surely that’s worth a hundred and seventy-six days.”
Jess looks at me as if I’ve just spoken in a code she can't decipher.
“It’s how many days are left until her eighteenth birthday,” Aiden tells Jess, answering the unspoken question on her face.
I can’t help but grin and wonder if Aiden has been counting the days down too.
Jess sighs. “Listen, I know the two of you want to be together. And I’m all for it, but we really need to get the ok from your parents first or all hell is going to break loose.”
I start to protest but Jess holds up a hand to stop me.
“Listen to what I have to say before you start arguing with me,” she says to us. “Let me talk to them and explain what’s happened. You guys have waited this long. Another hour or even one more day isn’t going to kill either of you. I can make a good case for their rule to be amended.”
“No,” I say on the verge of tears. I don’t want to be away from Aiden for another minute much less another hour or, God forbid, more. “It’s been three long years already, Jess. Please, don’t make him leave me.”
I can see the pain in Jess’ eyes from hearing my heartfelt plea, but I know it doesn’t change her mind about what needs to be done.
“Trust me, Caylin,” Jess says. “Let me handle your parents first. I don’t think you want there to be any friction between you guys and them because of this, or you would have found a way to be together a long time ago. Let’s do this the right way.”
I try not to cry. I really do. But, tears born of frustration and overwhelming sorrow course down my cheeks anyway.
Aiden tugs on my hand, and I look over at him through the haze of my tears.
It’s then that I see my physical display of grief is causing him pain too. He brings me up against him and wraps his arms around me. I lay my head on his chest and continue to sob.
He kisses the top of my head and rests his cheek there.
“It’ll be all right,” he tells me, but even I can hear the uncertainty in his voice.
I wrap my arms around his waist and hold him tightly to me, never wanting to let him go.
“I won’t let them keep us apart anymore,” I promise him with grim determination.
“They love you, Caylin. They’ve only done what they thought was best for you.”
“But it’s not right,” I say. “I’m not fourteen-years-old anymore. I should be able to make my own decisions now.”
Aiden sighs. “Don’t make me the reason you have a fight with y
our parents,” he says. “They’re good people, and I want to remain on friendly terms with them. And have a little faith that they know what’s right for you. I do. I always have.”
I turn my head and bury my face in Aiden’s chest, inhaling deeply to memorize how he smells and feels just in case things go south with my parents. With a shuddering breath, I reluctantly let him go and take a step back.
“I won’t let them keep us apart,” I vow, staring into his eyes so he understands just how serious I am.
He nods, lingering a moment longer than he probably should, studying my face as if he's trying to memorize it just before he phases away.
I completely break down then. Jess comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my shoulders.
“Don’t worry, kiddo,” she tells me, holding me tight. “Everything will work out the way it should.”
I pray she’s right because now that I’ve seen and felt Aiden there's no way things can go back to the way they were. And I know for a fact that from this day forward my life will never be the same again.
CHAPTER THREE
Mason phases Jess and me to my family home in Colorado. I was told Uncle Malcolm built it for my mom before I was born. It's where all we kids have had every birthday party of our lives and where we spend every summer and Christmas. My mother loves this house. It's her safe haven, and I can only assume that's why they've chosen it for us all to meet.
As soon as we walk through the door, my mom phases to stand right in front of me. She clasps me to her with a fierce protectiveness only a mother who loves her children more than any other people in the world can possess.
I feel her body start to shake, and I know she's crying. I wrap my arms around her forgetting for the moment that I walked into the house completely determined to fight for Aiden and me to be able to see each other. Now isn't the time for that talk. My mother needs me. She needs my reassurance that I'm alive and unharmed.
My father walks over to us. I almost wince when I see him because he looks like he's aged ten years since this morning at breakfast. His eyes are filled with worry, and I know he realizes it's time I learn what Jess and Mason told them on my fifteenth birthday. In one look from him, I suddenly realize that our family life, as we know it, has come to an end, and a new chapter is about to begin whether we like it or not.