by Lisa M Basso
It always had to be something with her. Something to ruin everything.
But this wasn’t a Crazy Ray thing, that was real blood.
I’d get to the bottom of this. It had to be another one of those things we could fix together. It just had to.
After the sun had set and the sky began to darken, Cam and Kade walked us home. Before they left, Ray had already disappeared upstairs. By the time I went to check on her, her light was already off and her door was locked. I didn’t bother knocking. She’d have time to explain herself tomorrow.
***
It was almost noon the next day before she raced to the kitchen for something quick to eat, then hoofed it back in her room. I stopped her in the upstairs hallway before she disappeared again—that was usually my trick.
“Hey,” she said, standing there with a ridiculously large armful of food.
I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. “Hey.”
She went into her room and unloaded her loot onto her uncharacteristically messy bed. I followed her in. Her eyes darted around the room, desperate for a distraction. She pulled her laundry basket from her bathroom. “Um, I’m going to do a load of whites. Do you have anything to wash?”
I snatched the basket from her hands and dug down to the bottom. She balked and tried to swat my hands away. I kicked her shin. She yelped. I grinned. When I felt the right texture, I pulled the cover-up out and waved it in her face. “Be sure to soak this before you wash it. You know, to get the blood out.”
Ray’s face paled. She rounded on me and slammed the door closed. She leaned the back of her head against it.
No way was I letting her sad face her way out of this one.
I moved her aside so I could open the door. She followed me down the stairs and into the laundry room, balking all the way. I plugged the sink opposite the washer and dryer and filled it with cold water, then I dropped the bloody shirt in.
We both watched the fabric float, the blood darkening the water, but barely lifting from the fabric.
My sister, the only person I could simultaneously love and hate at the same time, finally pulled herself together. She grabbed a pair of bikinis off the small clothesline in the corner. “Beach?” she asked.
“Beach,” I confirmed with a nod.
Once we were on our colorful towels, lying out alone under the sun—the new ritual we’d established since she came back to us from God knows where—she relaxed and started rambling in that way only she could. This time I didn’t block her out, it was more that she was going so fast that I couldn’t keep up until she said, “My ability to see angels, it, well, it kind of made me sick.”
Angels. She’d said it again.
Okay, so … angels.
Fun times.
“Coughing up blood sick?” I knew what I’d seen yesterday, but I needed to hear it from her stupid face.
She took a deep breath. “Yes.”
“Are you going to do something about it?”
“What do you mean, like see a doctor? Because keeping me away from the public is exactly why they marooned us on this island to begin with.”
“Can’t they do something with their great almightiness?” I waved my hands around in the air to simulate clouds and angels and all the things I never wanted to understand.
She shook her head. “I’ve done my part. I’m not of use to them anymore, and I’m not their problem. I’m sick, Laylah. And no one can know.”
“That’s frog shit! You have to tell Dad. He might know what to do—”
“I seriously doubt it’s the kind of sick that antibiotics can cure. For now, I’m just going to hope it goes away and doesn’t get worse.” She pointed her control freak finger at me. “Promise me you won’t say anything.”
I shook my head, stupid, damning tears starting to form in my eyes.
“Laylah, promise me. I swear to you, I’ll say something if it gets worse.”
I blinked the tears back. “Fine, but if it gets worse—”
“I’ll sit Dad down and tell him everything.”
Stupid Ray and her stupid angel crap. “Fine,” I said again, plopping back onto my towel with a huff.
“Not to change the subject or anything,” she said, obviously changing the subject, “but could you do me a favor and be careful with Cam?”
I feigned offense and propped an elbow over my eyes with my left hand so I could still see her on my right. “Shouldn’t you be telling him to be careful with me?”
She eyed me with a knowing look. “You and I both know you are the lion, not the antelope in this scenario.”
A low chuckle started in my throat at the mention of our childhood obsession with Animal Planet. She laughed too, so rare a sound it sent me into further hysterics. When we were both struggling to breathe, we wiped tears from our eyes and relaxed back into our towels.
“Seriously though, Laylah. Cam is a special guy, innocent in ways you can’t even imagine. He needs to be eased into life here.”
I could hear the love in her words. Surprisingly, I respected her for it.
She rolled onto the side of her towel to face me. “All I’m asking is that you be the careful, kind, thoughtful human being I know is in there somewhere.”
I thought about her words before firing back the way I usually did with her.
Taking it slow. Not something I’d done before, but for Cam, the one that got away, something I would be willing to try.
Who knew Ray was able to give sisterly advice without sounding like a complete pill. I could maybe get used to her like this.
I smiled back at my sister, who I guess I didn’t actually hate as much as I thought I did. I smiled at us, alone together without fighting. There was no telling how far we might be able to explore this almost friendship given the right amount of time.
But time wasn’t on our side.
***
The way Ray carried on with Kade over the next few days. Cuddling, kissing, and always, always touching. It was like they’d never heard of too much of a good—gross—thing. And don’t get me started on the noises that crept through the walls all hours of the day and night.
It was enough to make a girl physically ill.
How could she be sick and pretend nothing was wrong? Anger stewed inside me watching her the past few days. And it was seriously distracting me from concentrating on taking things slow with Cam.
The two of them sat on one end of the sectional in the movie theater—yeah, I will say something for those angel jerks, they set us up in a sweet pad. Cam and I were on the other side, taking turns throwing popcorn at the oblivious couple. Ray was cradled in Kade’s lap, facing him instead of the TV. They were talking, whispering, but so softly it was like they’d somehow created their own audio level where even someone next to them wouldn’t be able to hear them.
“Gross! Can we watch the movie, puh-lease?” I shouted, punctuating it with handfuls of popcorn.
Cam smiled and said, “I guess that’s love.”
I felt something snap inside. It was the straw that broke the loyal little sister’s back.
“Love? Love!” I grunted and walked out the door, stomping my way to the laundry room. I grabbed Ray’s shirt out of the soaking sink. She’d been too busy lately with her boyfriend to throw in a load, and Dad didn’t even know how these machines worked, so it was still there. I flicked the lights on in the movie theater and slapped the wet shirt with the giant red stain down on the tile floor.
That got their attention.
Ray’s wide eyes pleaded with me and she shook her head, the movement so small if you weren’t staring right at her, taking a mental recording, you might have missed it.
“If you looooove him so much, why don’t you tell Kade what’s wrong with you?”
And there it was. Her face went from flushed to pale, like someone had pulled a plug and drained all the color out of her newly bronzed face. Now her outsides matched her insides.
My satisfaction faded into a dark l
ittle pit in my stomach.
“What’s she talking about, Ray?” Kade moved her curtain of hair to look into her face.
“I … She’s, uh, not lying.” My wuss of a sister didn’t even look at him when she said it.
“What?” His—okay, fairly hot—face crumbled.
Ray drew her gaze up to me. She wasn’t angry, or sad, nothing like that. It seemed more apologetic. Like she’d asked me to keep her secret and she knew it wasn’t right.
I balled my fists at my side. “It isn’t fair to keep us in the dark.” My voice broke. “It isn’t fair.”
“It’s okay.” Ray abandoned Kade and the couch and wrapped her arms around me. “It’s okay, Laylah.”
The pit in my stomach expanded. I released my anger and hugged her back, fisting the loose fabric of her shirt. Hot tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them leak out.
“It’s okay,” she said again. “You’re my sister and I love you.” Squeezing once more, she released me.
I couldn’t say it back, not here, now, in front of everyone. But Ray would know. Sometimes she just knew things, and this she would definitely know. I followed her lead and released her shirt. It was time to let her go.
She faced Kade now, taking his hand in both of hers. “Can we talk, outside?”
Kade nodded, but he looked crushed. She towed him along after her. He followed in a way I could only call numbly.
I collapsed on the couch where they had been sitting.
Cam crossed the room and flicked the switch beside the light that raised the blackout curtains over the windows. He looked down at Ray’s stained shirt. “Is she really sick?”
I nodded. “She asked me not to tell.” I tucked my legs close to my chest.
Outside the window, Ray paced back and forth, her mouth moving a mile a minute while Kade stood still with his arms crossed. Once she was done they switched places. Kade shouted—shouted!—his hands gesturing all over the place, and Ray was silent.
Cam sat beside me, his voice so much softer than the outside ones. “Can I ask why?”
“Why I ratted her out?”
He nodded.
“Because he deserves to know! We all do. If someone’s sick it isn’t right to keep it from their loved ones!” Oh jeez, now tears cascaded down my face like I was a disgruntled toddler. Now I’d done it. The ultimate repellent.
He wiped the tears from my cheeks. “Is that what happened … with your mother?”
I tucked in closer to Cam. Why did he have to know everything? “I’ve had enough of these lies. First our Mom, then Ray’s sanity crap, Dad’s accident, and now her sickness. We’ve been drowning in lies. I don’t want secrets to tear us apart when we just pulled the family back together.”
Cam pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head. “I think I understand,” he said in that funny way of his.
“I missed you.” My voice was whisper soft. I reached for his free hand again, the touch that might change everything at the back of my mind. But I didn’t want it to be that anymore, not in the instant, lusty way. I didn’t need an inferno, something that would burn out. I wanted it to be the way a candle burned, slow to start and long lasting. I entwined my fingers with his. His soft hands warmed my own, stirring a quickness in my chest. If this was taking it slow, I could get used to the little things.
“Me too.” He kissed the top of my head again.
I nuzzled into his neck, taking in the fresh scent of him.
It would be hell, but Cam was the kind of boy you waited for.
I noticed the noise outside had quieted. I turned my attention from Cam toward the window. They were hugging.
Kade kissed the top of her head and held her like she might drift away. He stroked her hair, the devastation on his face tearing me further apart. Then he leaned down and whispered something to her.
She looked up with a smile. A fricking smile. She nodded like an idiot, tears rolling down her face, and they kissed in a way I had never seen outside of the movies. That was the kind of heart-stopping kiss that you didn’t see in the halls of high school.
I sat up, putting the pieces together. “Uh-oh.”
“What?” Cam asked, always so oblivious to the big things.
“I think our gross-out problems just got worse.”
Kade held Ray at arm’s length, steadied her there without him to hold her up, then he took a step back and sank down to one knee.
“Way, way worse.”
The End
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It takes so much more than one writer tapping away on a keyboard to turn a story into a book. When I think about all the people that helped turn my one small idea of Rayna, a misunderstood girl who could see wings, and the stoic angel and misguided Fallen she met along the way, I begin to tear up. But before I melt into a puddle, I have a few people to thank.
A very special thank you to Georgia McBride. You took a chance on a green, hopeful nobody a few years ago, and I couldn’t be more grateful. The opportunity you granted allowed me to share my characters and follow them on their journey, all the way to The End.
A Matter of Time would have been a sad, awkward shell of a book without my incomparable editor, Ashlynn Yuhas. Thank you for always steering me in the right direction. Your guidance has helped me grow into a smarter, stronger, more confident author. Azriel’s blood is on your hands, my friend, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
For keeping the Angel Sight series current in readers’ minds, Month9Books PR rockstar, Jaime Arnold. One day we’ll meet in person, I can just feel it.
The encouragement and support from the staff and fellow authors of the GMMG. To each and every one of you and your zany emails: thank you.
Randy, my amazing husband (I’ll never get tired of calling you that!). I never could have dreamed I would find a man half as wonderful as you are. You’re the reason I smile and the inspiration for the wonderfully devoted men I write. Thank you for everything you do and everything you are. I count my blessings every day. Not one mention of pineapples or nutmeg would ever change that.
My wonderfully supportive parents, without whom none of these books would have been written (and I probably wouldn’t exist). Mom, who listens to my plot problems and rants about writer’s block and rewrites. Even from across the country, you’re still always there for me. And, Dad, making you proud pushes me to work harder every day. Thank you for the countless Fillmore Street Bakery pastries, various Mission Street lunches, and home cooked dinners. Every time you feed me, an angel gets its wings (not really, but they sure do get full).
Ricardo and Amelia, my new in-laws, for laughs, love, and always feeding me when I’m too tired to feed myself.
Apparently I need to be fed, frequently—just not after midnight.
The encouragement of my family and friends. The way you all believe in me, and the excitement you share about the stories I write, it takes my breath away.
Andrea, you were there for me a big way last year. Can I just say, best MOH ever? We don’t get to see each other as often as we used to, but when we do, it’s like no time has passed at all. That is the test of true friendship.
Lesley, our emails, whether long or short, make my day. How you can always be there when I need a fresh set of eyes or to blow off steam, I don’t know, but that fact is never lost on me. You are magic.
And last, but definitely not least, thank you to the fans. To anyone that has felt connected to Rayna, Cam, Kade, Lee, or Laylah. Having the opportunity to connect with you all, both online and in person, has been the height of awesome. Finishing this series has been such a bittersweet experience. I hope whether you were Team Cam or Team Kade, you found happiness in A Matter of Time.
LISA M. BASSO
Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started w
ith a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Husband that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B.
You can also find her prowling the internet (when not writing)
http://Lisa-Basso.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/LisaMBasso
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-M-Basso/340213186037936
http://instagram.com/lisambasso
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Rayna
Chapter Two: Kade
Chapter Three: Rayna
Chapter Four: Kade
Chapter Five: Rayna
Chapter Six: Rayna
Chapter Seven: Kade
Chapter Eight: Rayna
Chapter Nine: Rayna
Chapter Ten: Rayna
Chapter Eleven: Rayna
Chapter Twelve: Kade
Chapter Thirteen: Rayna
Chapter Fourteen: Kade
Chapter Fifteen: Rayna
Chapter Sixteen: Kade
Chapter Seventeen: Rayna
Chapter Eighteen: Rayna
Chapter Nineteen: Rayna
Chapter Twenty: Rayna
Chapter Twenty-One: Kade
Chapter Twenty-Two: Rayna
Chapter Twenty-Three: Rayna
Chapter Twenty-Four: Rayna
Chapter Twenty-Five: Kade