Death Knows My Name (Memory Keepers)

by Narome, Casse

  This time Lucifer let out an animalistic growl that made everyone take a step back, everyone but Eric, Michael, and the Bellua.

  “Call me what you like but you will leave my children out of it, Bellua! You don’t want this truce to crumble around your ears because you can’t watch your filthy mouth. That should be easy for you with all the hideous eyes you have.” Lucifer added the last part with what I was starting to recognize as his usual flare of good humor. I wondered how much of it was a front.

  Dhylaka turned her head away, but I caught the start of laughter on her lips. She buried her face into Dartainian’s chest, and he closed his arm around her body as if it was an act of second nature to him.

  “Can we just stop the name calling already? Seriously, my nieces behave better than this. We have declined the first of the terms, what is the second?”

  Gabriel landed before me. “This condition is non-negotiable I am afraid. You have to have enough Keepers agree to keep their burdens. If you fail, everything goes back to as it was before.” He paused, facing Eric with apology. “Even you, Mayne. You will remember nothing about any of it. Heaven, Memory Keepers, and—”

  “No,” I said before he could finish.

  “You will not remember Ectain Edeck or anything of the past few weeks. We will re-write your memories, removing him.” Archangel Gabriel looked saddened. “I am sorry, but it’s that or nothing.”

  “Gabriel, what if she refuses? Can it stay as it is now?”

  “Yes.” Gabriel swung around back to me. “You can leave it now and lose nothing. You can have a life with Ectain—”

  “Wait. I thought I couldn’t be with Eric because he would, you know, fall.”

  Valience cleared his throat and looked away.

  “Mayne, I cannot fall.”

  Eric spoke from behind me, and I turned from Gabriel to look at him.

  “But I thought, you know, the whole fallen Angel thing happens when you sleep with a Human woman.” I tried to whisper.

  “It does, but not for me because I’m not an Angel.”

  “You are the Angel of Death.”

  He smiled. “No, I am Death. There is no such thing as an Angel of Death. I am a celestial being, not an Angel. I am Death. I am neither good nor bad, so it is impossible for me to fall.”

  I glared at Valience who still wasn’t looking at me. That evil son of a bitch.

  “Why the hell would Valience tell me that if I ever tried to be with you I’d be damning you to fall?”

  “When did he say that?” Realization hit him and his eyes grew softer. “Is that what our break-up was about, you trying to protect me?”

  “Yes.” My voice cracked. “He told me otherwise he’d have to come for you.”

  “Mayne, even if that were true, I’d still choose to be with you. I will always choose you. Besides, I wouldn’t worry about Valience coming for me. He has never been able to take me.” He glared at Valience who finally did look our way at Eric’s challenging words, his ice-blue eyes narrowed in disgust.

  I finally realized Valience’s motive for trying to break us up. He didn’t want to lose Eric to me. He told me he had lost brothers, he didn’t want to lose Eric. He was willing to trick me into agreeing to die to be rid of me.

  Eric broke into my thoughts. “You have to make your choice. The right one.”

  “I can’t. I don’t want to risk losing you. I can’t risk it.” I allowed myself to fall into his arms and he closed them around me. I finally didn’t have to worry about all of Heaven seeing us together or them knowing how much I loved him.

  “You will never be happy, even with me, knowing that people are suffering just so you can be with me. You aren’t selfish and that is almost the top reason why I love you.”

  “The top being?” I asked him with a teasing grin.

  He cocked his eyebrow up. “You really want me to tell you here in Heaven, witnessed by Angels and your great-great-grandparents? It’s completely sinful.”

  I giggled and I heard Dhylaka behind me snickering, too. A disgusted male groan came from Lucifer, not Valience, which made Dhylaka and I laugh even harder.

  Eric broke into the laughter, speaking to Gabriel. “We agree that I can help her, correct?”

  “Yes, you may help her and celestial beings can’t move against her,” Gabriel said. “You will not interfere. Her battle will be hard enough as is. This is the 3-in-1’s wishes. Comply.”

  Awyx Cheyva’ nodded in my direction. “May God be with you, child.” Then the Awyx Cheyva’ was gone.

  Valience said nothing. He only turned his back on us and walked away.

  “I accept the terms, Archangel Gabriel.”

  The Archangel spoke to Eric. “Give her the list, Ectain Edeck.”

  I was about to ask what list when Eric reached out and a list appeared in his hand.

  “Here is my death list. You will find all the names of every Keeper and every Keeper to be. Are you sure you are ready for this?”

  I gulped. I had no idea. Was I ready for this? I stood to lose so much and so many. Most importantly, I stood to lose Eric.

  I reached out my hand. “Hand me that list, Eric.” When it was in my hand, I peeked at it, and as I skimmed the list, right above my name I saw another name I knew. I knew it like my own. The name was Devon DeMonte.

  Chapter 21

  Devon’s life and my own flashed before my eyes until I couldn’t be sure which loss possibly belonged to him and which belonged to me. I should have realized it. Even Devon had reminded me during our fight that he had lost people, too. It all made sense now. Devon and I were the same. Neither of us let anyone get too close.

  “How did this happen? How are Devon and I both Memory Keepers? This is insane.” I was on the border of hysterical.

  “I don’t know.” Eric spoke to me in a low and soothing voice. “It usually doesn’t happen like that.”

  “Obviously, he is the first one I have to tell. I have to go to him and explain why his life has been so screwed up.”

  “Are you sure? If he says no then it might cause you to lose confidence in this.”

  “I know Devon, he won’t say no. He might be a little bit pissed, though.”

  We stood in front of Devon’s door waiting for him to answer. I was trying to come up with the perfect way to tell him all about what was going on. How do you tell them that all the stuff we learned about with the nuns was true? Angels existed, the Devil was my doting great-great-grandfather, Death was my lover, and, oh yeah, we’re Memory Keepers. Yeah, it’s up to us to keep the truce that stops Heaven and Hell from going at it like Crips and Bloods on a late L.A night.

  “Mayne, you have to calm down.”

  “How am I to do that? I am about to blow my best friend’s life out of the water.”

  “We don’t have to start with him. You can warm your way up to him.”

  I shook my head. “No, I owe it to him to tell him first.”

  The door flung open. “This had better be damn good. Who the hell knocks on a man’s door—?” His next words froze in his throat as his eyes took us in.

  “What’s wrong? Is it Rebecca? Anya?”

  “No, Devon. Everything is fine.”

  Devon sighed in relief. “You know what a visit this late means! You could have given me a heart attack and killed me.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” I murmured.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Sorry. Look, can we come in? I have something really important to tell you.”

  “If you are knocked up and the two of you want to elope, it can wait until the morning.” He stepped aside and let us in. “Just be quiet. I don’t want you to wake the Misses.”

  “Holy crap, you have a chippy back there?”

 
He grinned. “Chippy, really? What is this the 1800s? Besides, it’s not like that.” He yawned and plopped down on the couch, snuggling into a pillow and cover.

  “Why are you sleeping on the couch?” I asked as Eric sat on one of Devon’s chairs.

  “I told you, I have a chippy in my room.”

  “Devon, was that the door?” I looked over toward the hallway to see a red-rimmed-eyed Tammy. I narrowed my eyes dangerously at the sight of her. Hadn’t I warned them both?

  Devon yawned again. “Calm it down, Mayne.”

  I whipped my head back to him with what I hoped was murder in my eyes.

  He didn’t seem fazed at all. “Get to your point, please, so I can fall back to sleep.”

  “What is Tammy doing here?”

  “Minding her own business. Now what are you doing here?”

  “Devon, I’m warning you.”

  “And I am warning you.” He was still lying on the couch but his body had tensed.

  “I am going to go back in the room.” Tammy spoke softly. “Good night, Mayne. Nice to see you again, Eric.”

  After she left, I wanted to demand what the hell was going on from Devon, but Eric spoke instead.

  “Maybe we should hurry up and get to the point before it is forgotten.”

  “Yes, what is the point? Why have you come barging into my house? Did you sense that something was going on that didn’t involve you?”

  “Oh, screw you, Devon. Don’t go there because, so help me, I will totally take you down right now.”

  He made a duh face at me. “I am kinda lying down so I am technically already down.”

  “Okay, then I will poke you in the damn eye. Now shut the hell up and let me tell you my news. I’m trying to be a good friend which is why I came here first.”

  “I’m sorry. You do look like crap so I do believe you have something to tell me.” He moved his feet and I sat down on the couch beside him.

  “I really don’t know where to start. I guess you know me better than anyone, so I can start anywhere and you will be able to follow. So, here I go.” I took a deep breath.

  “Angels do exist. The Archangels, the devil, what else, Heaven and hell. Though he prefers to call it Sheol, but either way it exists. And it’s terrifying shit, Devon. It’s like the Bible really did happen. You know that I have always clung to my faith, but to actually know like I know now . . . Devon, you have noticed that strange things have been going on lately involving me. Okay, this is it. I swear I’m not insane. Eric is Death.”

  I stopped when I saw the look on Devon’s face. He must’ve been weighing everything I said and deciding how to feel. I waited. Finally, he looked at Eric who sat there quietly not saying a word, his body tense.

  “Continue.” He spoke to me, but his eyes never left Eric.

  “Okay. Um, I have found out recently why death always comes to those around me. It’s because I am what’s called a Memory Keeper. It’s my duty to keep the memory of those who have no one else and who would otherwise be forgotten.”

  Devon let a breath out and slumped back against the couch. “So he isn’t here to take you?”

  “No,” I answered, surprised that is all he had to say.

  “Mayne, one day I am going to have to teach you how to break information to people. You may have wanted to lead with that right after you said he was Death.”

  I laughed. “Yeah, my bad. But I’m not done. The thing is, you are also a Memory Keeper.”

  Devon stilled, but did not say a word.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Eric, were you the one who took my brother?”

  Eric answered. “No. I was supposed to and I wish I had.”

  Devon sat up straight on the couch. “Say my name.”

  Suddenly a memory came back to me. In the restaurant Eric had said Devon’s complete name. Devon had acted very strange right after.

  “You felt it. I didn’t notice, but at the restaurant you felt it when he called your name.” I was so dumb. Maybe I am self-absorbed.

  “I thought he was trying to brain wash me like he was doing you.”

  I laughed. “You are insane! There is more.”

  He groaned. “More?”

  “I have to tell all the Memory Keepers what they are and hope enough say yes to keeping their duties or everything goes back to normal. We all suffer and not know why.”

  “I’ll help you.” It was as simple as that. I knew I could count on Devon. I flung myself at him and knocked him back against the couch.

  Eric tensed briefly and I knew he was trying not to take my embracing Devon seriously. I planted a kiss on Devon’s cheek.

  “Thank you!”

  “Why are you even so surprised? I will always help you, even when your problem is as insane as this.”

  “I’m not surprised, I’m just happy you didn’t let me down. I didn’t even tell you the main reason we have to do this.”

  He pushed me off him gently. “Which is?”

  “Anya, she is one too. I don’t want her to have to deal with any more pain. I want her not to have the duty. She lost a bus load of friends and I had to watch it almost destroy her.”

  Anger darkened Devon’s eyes. “That’s why you went to visit Becca?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “And you didn’t think to tell me! Why didn’t anyone call me?” Devon stood and put space between us like he was afraid he was going to hurt me if he stayed near me.

  Eric was at my side at once.

  “Eric, it’s okay, He isn’t going to hurt me.”

  I could tell by the way Eric held his body that he wasn’t so sure.

  Devon buried his face in his hands. “Oh God. I don’t want this life for her. I watched what it did to you and I won’t watch what it will do to . . . I can’t watch what it does to Anya.”

  “We won’t have to. If we can get enough to say yes we won’t even have to ask her. We can just say no for her.”

  He shook his head. “As much as I want to, this isn’t our choice to make.”

  “Not even to protect her?”

  “I won’t do it even to protect her. Would you want anyone making that decision for you? If that decision meant you would never have to experience death after death, but you also wouldn’t have loved Dante?”

  I froze. To have never loved or been loved by Dante? Would I trade all the pain but also lose the one bright spot I had growing up? I looked at Eric, feeling guilty at how much I still loved Dante even as I stood there totally in love with Eric.

  “We will let her make the choice.”

  Chapter 22

  “Is the first loss the hardest?” Anya asked me as she sat between Devon and me. We decided to go tell her next but we’d give her plenty of time to make her decision by visiting the rest of the keepers before getting hers. If luck was on our side, maybe we could have years before she really had to make her choice. If things got to be too much, we’d hopefully still have enough. In order for her to make the best decision for her, I had to give her my answer to her question.

  I thought about my first loss and then of those afterwards. “I guess it depends on the person and the perspective. My first was my parents, then my brother, and then—”

  “Then Uncle Dante.”

  I nodded. “Yes, then Uncle Dante.” She had never met Dante but she has always called him Uncle because he was Devon’s brother and she has always known Devon. I widened my eyes as I realized something. She has always called Dante uncle, but never has she called Devon that. She always called him D. Just D. I looked at Devon who had an arm around Anya and she snuggled into his armpit just as I used to do with my dad. They knew. Both of them knew all this time and I was the only one who didn’t. I narrowed my eyes in a glare directed at
Devon. All this time I thought D was short for Devon, but I really should have known better.

  Becca would not be okay with Anya calling an adult something so casual. D didn’t stand for his name at all. That would also explain why Devon went ballistic when he found out that Anya was one of us and when he found out I hadn’t told him she lost her friends in a crash. He really should have told me. He is my niece’s father. I should know that!

  If my eyes shot daggers, Devon would be bloody Swiss cheese. I cringed at my gross analogy. But, like Devon has been telling me, everything was not about me, so I had to push my injustice aside and be there for Anya.

  “I guess the first loss is the easiest because on one hand you have no idea what is coming next. You think, okay, this is it. Everybody dies and sometimes tragedy happens. You have a healthy amount of grief and you think it’s done. But on the other hand it’s the worst because it’s the first brush with our own immortality.”

  “This sucks, you know that, Auntie?”

  “Yes, it most definitely sucks big sweaty—”

  “Mayne!” Devon barked, cutting me off.

  “Balls!” Anya finished for me.

  “Anastasia!” Devon said in exasperation. He glared at me. “You are a bad influence on people. You should be forced into seclusion.”

  “I can actually arrange that and enjoy doing so.” Eric joined the conversation, slipping his arms around my waist, helping me from the bed, and gently tugging me back against him. Oh, I bet he would enjoy secluding me. I grinned wickedly.

  “Dude, you aren’t helping.”

  “I could have added elephant balls but I just offered you my help,” Eric said with a shrug.

  “You have been around Mayne too long.”

  Eric smiled and I laughed.

  “Is that a bad thing?” I asked, but before he could answer, I added, “We’re going to give you two sometime alone to talk.”