“So, why didn’t they just go in and relocate the box when the building fell into disuse?” JD asked.
“They didn’t have permission from the owner to enter and retrieve it,” Meagan said simply.
“I don’t understand,” JD responded.
“The Host cannot just tread where they please, when they please. They must be invited or given permission. Just like the Fallens. They abide the same rules and if they don’t, they’re imprisoned.” Meagan looked pointedly at her.
“I get it. I gave Matthew permission to come onto the property and into the schoolhouse by hiring him as a contractor and then I told him he could take the box. That makes sense,” JD said.
“You can’t be blamed, Julia. How could you have known?” Meagan said dismissively.
“Nathan could have told me. He came to the site shortly after Matthew started work. Nathan went right to the box and looked at it,” JD said.
Meagan nodded. “Yes, but he isn’t allowed to share any information with mortals unless it serves to benefit them. He couldn’t tell you anything. And all he was doing at that time was keeping other Fallens away from the site until the Box was moved. He was probably checking the locks on the Box to make sure they were still secure.” Meagan shrugged.
“I wish I had known all this. Matthew led me to believe Butch Cassidy had hidden treasure in there.”
“Butch Cassidy?” Meagan said incredulously, “He told you that?”
JD looked at Meagan askance, “Yes,” she said carefully.
Meagan laughed, “Well, he told you the truth. Butch Cassidy did put the Box there. In fact, it was Butch who captured the False One.”
“I keep hearing this man’s name. First he is an outlaw, but now you’re telling me he was actually an angel?”
“He was an outlaw,” Meagan said. “But he was given a chance to redeem himself. Just like Matthew and Nathan were given a chance to redeem themselves.”
“What?”
“Oh,” Meagan covered her mouth, “I probably shouldn’t have said that. Nevermind. Look, everything is going to be ok.” She said quickly changing the subject.
JD let the comment pass, storing it away for a future conversation with Nathan. She didn’t want to interrogate Meagan and make her feel uncomfortable. “I hope so” JD said. “I’ve got to get this project completed within budget and on time. I can’t afford any more setbacks.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to do that,” Meagan said encouragingly.
“Well, I should go home. Thanks for everything.” JD stood and noticed the time on the microwave. 1:30 am.
“Is that the correct time?” JD asked, stunned.
Meagan nodded. “Yes, but I think you should stay here. Roy doesn’t think it’s safe for you to go back to your apartment, what with Matthew and the False One on the loose. We think you should stay here for a while. You’ll be safer. We can get your things later.”
JD was stricken. “I−I−” she began, but how could she argue Meagan’s point? She certainly didn’t want another run-in with Matthew.
“I guess you’re right,” JD said limply.
“I’ll get you a change of clothes and something to sleep in. There are toiletries in the guest bath. Make yourself at home,” Meagan said, coming around the counter to give JD a hug before going off to get her the items she promised.
Chapter 12
“She’s awake, Mom! Now can we be loud?” Raphael exclaimed when he saw JD emerge from the guest bedroom the next morning.
Meagan gave him an exasperated look and then to JD said, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” JD assured her. “I slept very soundly and it was the delicious smells of breakfast that roused me.”
“Good,” she said as she buttered toast and handed it to RJ. “Please, have a seat. How do you like your eggs?” Meagan asked as she slipped around the counter to scoop scrambled eggs from a pan.
“Scrambled,” JD said and smiled as she took a seat next to Raphael.
“Thanks for fixing my ankle,” she said softly to the boy and tousled his thick mane of curly dark hair. He shrugged as if it was of no consequence and proceeded to cram a jam-covered slice of toast into his mouth, giving her a toast smile in return.
“Raphael,” Meagan scolded. “Small bites!”
“My dad has fought many demons, you know,” RJ said proudly from across the table.
“Mind your manners,” Meagan said as she came back to the table.
JD smiled at the boy. All four of the Parker children regarded her with large, blue eyes like little white-faced cherubs framed with thick, dark hair, except the youngest with his golden curls.
“So,” JD started, grasping at something to converse with them about so they wouldn’t stare at her as if she had two heads. “How is school?” she asked.
RJ snorted. “We don’t go to school. We learn at home.”
“Really? How come? Don’t they have schools here?”
Michael, the third oldest, laughed, but said nothing as RJ responded with a terse, “Yes, but they’re for regular kids, not special kids like us!”
JD smiled at him, and then Raphael piped up. “Are you special?”
“What do you mean by special?” JD said.
“Do you have special powers like us?” RJ asked in a tone that seemed too mature for his age.
“Maybe,” JD said carefully. “Do you have special powers?” She remembered Raphael’s ability to heal, but did not know about the others.
“I said, mind your manners. We don’t brag about ourselves, especially to guests,” Meagan said, scolding the boys lightly.
“But Mom,” RJ complained, “you said she was part of the family now!”
Meagan’s cheeks colored and she looked apologetically at JD. “Sorry. The boys take things so literally.”
“It’s okay,” JD said. She supposed, in a way, she was part of their family, part of their secret.
“My children are Nephilim and are still learning to manage their special abilities,” Meagan said as she poured a glass of juice for JD and sat down next to the baby.
“What is Nephilim?” JD asked.
“A child of human and angel parentage. In our case, our children are only half Nephilim, since Roy is full Nephilim,” Meagan explained.
“So, you keep them at home to school them because you don’t want others to discover their true nature,” JD stated.
“Yes, that’s part of it. Nephilim tend to be long lived. Roy, is already over a hundred years old, but since our children are only half Nephilim, there’s no telling how long they will live, but certainly longer than the average human. So, we don’t stay in one place very long. We’ve been here 10 years now, and we will probably leave soon to avoid the inevitable comments about Roy’s youthful appearance.”
JD absorbed that, realizing that what Meagan was telling her would be that Roy would long outlive his wife. She was about to ask about that, but Meagan continued, distracting JD from the question that burned inside. “Besides, the boys are still learning to control their abilities. Though their abilities can be used for the greater good, they can also be used for…” she left the statement hanging, which JD caught onto immediately. Their abilities could be used for evil as well.
RJ looked from his mother to JD, his dark eyes calculating. That one, JD felt, could be dangerous if he chose unwisely and wondered what the future would hold for him.
“So what are their abilities?” JD wondered.
“I can fight with a sword,” RJ volunteered proudly. Meagan nodded and leaned over to ruffle his hair, but he pulled away, scowling.
“RJ also carries his father’s strength and power of leadership,” she amended.
Meagan turned and glanced at her second born. “Raphael can heal, as you know. Michael can communicate with anyone through his thoughts and doesn’t speak much because of it. RJ’s and Gabriel’s abilities have not manifested yet,” Meagan said carefully as her oldest son glared unhappily at her. “T
hey may be a late-bloomers, or they may not have any special abilities.”
JD reached over and tickled Gabriel’s cheeks. The toddler giggled and beamed at her with the purest smile of joy JD had ever seen. It made her feel very happy inside. It was impossible to feel anything but happy around children she discovered.
“Late bloomers, eh?” JD said, smiling at RJ. “Nothing wrong with that. Just means when you discover your talent, you’ll learn it faster than anyone else.” RJ seemed mildly placated by that.
“Where are the guys?” JD asked as Meagan fed Gabriel.
“Roy spotted Matthew near your apartment last night. He and Nathan have gone after him again and hopefully will be able to find the Box,” she made it sound as if this type of activity happened every day.
“Oh,” JD said, feeling ill at ease thinking Matthew had returned so quickly after his initial attempt at kidnapping her. Why did he want her anyway? She decided to ask Meagan.
Meagan shrugged, “I don’t know. That has us all confused as to why he tried to take you and where.” Something tickled at the back of JD’s mind. She suddenly knew where the box was. “Cassidy’s Arch,” she said.
“What?” Meagan said.
“I think that is where Matthew took the box. Cassidy’s Arch. He kept talking about how it was the perfect place to hide. It was a place he considered to be safe. It’s where he was headed after he kidnapped me,” JD explained.
“I’ll call Roy and let him know.” Meagan stood, and went to the office next to the row of book cases and closed the French doors. JD finished her breakfast and started cleaning up. The older children cleared their own dishes as Gabriel babbled from his highchair.
As the children scampered away to their studies, Meagan returned and picked up Gabriel and took him to the sink to wash him off. JD watched her, sensing something was amiss by Meagan’s quiet behavior.
“Is everything all right?” JD asked.
“Not really,” she said in a low voice. Magen gave her a very serious expression. “Roy wants you to stay here. They haven’t been able to capture Matthew or the False One yet, and it’s likely that Matthew will make another attempt at you.”
“You mean I can’t leave? I’ve got a job to do,” JD protested.
“We know that. Nathan says that he has requested an escort for you,” Meagan put the baby down on the rug in the family room.
“An escort?” JD asked.
“Like security guards,” Meagan explained, “the angelic type.”
“Oh, got it,” JD said. “When will they arrive? I need to be at the site already.”
“They are here with us now,” she said softly. JD stared at her and then glanced around the room. “I don’t see them,” she said.
“No, not yet, but one day you will, when you have the eyes to see them with,” Meagan responded with a friendly smile. JD looked at her uncomfortably, but gave her a quick hug, and then borrowing her minivan, drove to work.
Chapter 13
JD called Rick first thing to apologize about missing the conference call on Sunday, and luckily she got his voice mail. She left a message that she was preoccupied dealing with a difficult contractor, which was the truth.
“But I’ve resolved the situation and am available today if you want to have that conference call.” JD stated and then hung up. In between phone calls, reports and dealing with sub-contractor’s questions and concern, she spent the day trying to catch sight of her angel escorts. She saw nothing and she felt foolish for even trying.
When she returned to the Parker’s home later that evening, after an uneventful day, she was greeted at the door by Meagan who had on an apron and cleaning gloves.
“Still working?” JD asked.
“When is a mother’s work ever finished?” Meagan returned with a smile and waved her inside. “If you help me, I’ll fill in you in with more details of what is going on.”
“Sure,” JD replied. Meagan handed her a pair of pink cleaning gloves and a bright pink floral apron and together they began deep cleaning the kitchen.
“The kids are in bed?” JD wondered.
“Finally,” Meagan sighed. “I feel like a single mom when Roy is on one of his hunts. It could be weeks before I see him again.”
“So, you said Roy is a Nephilim. Is he a Watcher, too?” JD said.
“No. He is independent as most Nephilim are. Sometimes he will train new Hunters assigned to the area, like he did for Nathan and Matthew when they first arrived to help with the Fallen problem. Roy is not obliged to follow the Code as Nathan and Matthew are, but he does work very closely with the Host.” Meagan explained as she sprayed down the oven with a foaming cleaner.
“Can you tell me anything more about Matthew and Nathan?” JD asked, scrubbing the stainless steel sink with a rag.
“Well, they are brothers, as I’m sure you figured that out,” Meagan paused to look at JD for confirmation. JD nodded and said, “You mentioned they are given a second chance to redeem themselves.”
“I don’t really know much about their past,” Megan confided. “All I know is that they are the only ones that can move the Box.”
“Would you know anything about this?” JD ventured, holding her left hand out to her to show her the mark.
Meagan came over to have a look and frowned. “Nathan mentioned you had a mark, but I’ve never seen anything like that before. Sometimes, though, when a Fallen recruits Mortals and they are marked like that, but you’re obviously not allied with the False One and that’s what is so confusing for Nathan and Roy.” Meagan looked JD in the eyes and said, “You’re marked as one of the False One’s own, but your soul is still so pure.”
“How do you know?” JD said. “I mean, about my soul? How do you know I’m not corrupted and a betrayer like Matthew? He obviously fooled you all.”
Meagan shook her head, “I think Nathan knew Matthew was up to something, but it can be confusing in sensing the truth about the activities of a Watcher since they deal a lot with Fallens and their dark energies can contaminate Hunters if they don’t take precautions to protect themselves. But you,” Meagan smiled reassuringly, “Your soul practically shines from your face. You have a sweet scent of purity about you. You don’t mingle with the Dark Ones.”
JD had to laugh. “That’s kind of you to say so, Meagan. Are you sure you’re not an angel?”
Megan grinned, “Thank you for the compliment, but I only share what I’ve learned over the years studying with some amazing spiritual guides from the Host. Trust me, I don’t have any concerns of you becoming an ally of a False One. But that mark needs to come off somehow. It may affect you over time and draw unwanted attention from other Fallens.”
“Mom?” came a voice from the top of the stairs. Meagan smiled apologetically to JD and said, “Excuse me, I need to tend to Michael. He has a hard time sleeping when his dad is gone.”
“Sure,” JD said and watched Meagan make her way to the stairs, ascending them as she spoke soothingly to her child.
JD felt the warmth of Meagan’s love for her children. Even as she felt that, a sudden pang lanced in her own heart, a feeling of loss of never having felt that kind of love from her own mother. JD felt tears sting her eyes and she wiped them away quickly. Odd, she thought. I thought I was over that already.
Chapter 14
A week passed and there had been no word from Nathan or Roy. Meagan wasn’t too concerned, as she explained that sometimes, tracking down and apprehending a Fallen took a while, and a False One much longer. JD didn’t miss the way her face looked while preparing dinner that evening. Her eyes were distant and she didn’t respond to the boys as quickly or as cheerfully. Meagan moved methodically through her nightly routine, head down, and shoulders tight. It must have been contagious, as JD’s own anxieties and unease began to increase as well.
The following evening, after the boys were tucked into bed and lights were shut off, Meagan confided in JD. “I’m worried about Roy and Nathan. It isn’t like Roy t
o not call me at least once a day.”
“Isn’t there an Angel 911 number or something to call?” JD asked.
That made Meagan chuckle. “It’s called prayer, Julia, and yes, I’ve been praying. If he was hurt, or killed I’d know it and I feel something is really wrong. I’m going crazy because I haven’t heard from either of them yet.”
The two of them sat in the living-room, each with a mug of warmed cider. A fire crackled in the fireplace as the weight of their fear and worry subdued any desire for conversation. Meagan fell asleep in her chair next to the fire after a while. JD rose and taking up a throw blanket from the couch, laid it over her sleeping friend, then retreated to her room.
Kneeling at her bedside, JD decided to pray, but she wasn’t sure how. Religion hadn’t been a part of her childhood rearing at all. She clasped her hands together as she had seen it done on TV and looked up at the ceiling. It seemed appropriate.
“God?” she began, her voice wavering. “I’ve never really talked to you before and I’m not sure if I’m doing this right, but my friend, Meagan, is really worried about her husband. Can you make sure he’s okay? Please? He works for you and all and his wife and kids need him.” She paused, unsure if she could expect an answer or not, and if there was going to be one, wasn’t sure what it would look like, so she waited a bit. When there was no immediate reply, JD lowered her head, “And could you take care of Nathan too? Bring him and Roy home safely? Please?” JD wasn’t sure what to expect after that, so she said, “Amen,” remembering belatedly from somewhere that was how to end a prayer. She waited a little while longer, but nothing happened, so she set the necklace on her nightstand, crawled into bed, and tried to sleep.
Two more days passed without a word from either of them and JD wondered if God had even heard her prayer. Early one morning, JD returned to the site to do a quick walk-through before the drywall crew arrived to finish the mudding and taping of the drywall in the great room, the last room to be completed before she could schedule another meeting with the county building inspector, Gerald, for a follow-up inspection.
If I Fall...: Will You Forgive Me? (Angelore Saga Book 2) Page 7