Sins of the Immortal

by Jamie McGuire

  “Is there anything you can’t sense?”

  “No,” I said, confused.

  “Then,” she said, lost in thought. “Levi, it’s been with her since you were born. Maybe … maybe you just see it as a part of her.” She looked up at me. “It’s been with her for two decades, Levi. No one has survived separation from a tag, and she’s been attached to one for this long.” She winced.

  “Morgan?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “He’s in so much pain. He’s so scared. He’s crying out to me. I have to see him. I’ll be back, but she … she can’t stay here, I’m sorry.” She took another step.

  “Wait … just … wait a minute!” I said. “Eden,” I began, but she pulled away with a strength that said she would no longer entertain my questions.

  Her face softened. “I have to go. We have time to think about this, but she has to stay in her room for now. No talk of anything sensitive around her.” She took a step, then came to hug me. “I’m so sorry.”

  She took one look at her car and then disappeared, blinked like Eli.

  “Whoa,” I said, looking around.

  Chapter Nine

  Eden

  Phasing to the hospital from my home shook me for a moment. I held my hands in front of me in shock. Only my eyes could move as I looked around the white walls and the bright hallway of the second floor where I’d spent many hours waiting for Uncle Ryan to come out of surgery. I’d never phased before or knew that it was even possible. I’d just focused on Morgan, the hospital, the second floor, and knew that I needed to be here and then I was.

  Maybe just one more thing that’s different about me since my death.

  Tropical Melon Breeze attempted and failed to cover the scents of Lysol and bleach. The misery and exhaustion of the patients in the rooms saturated my skin; the unanswered prayers of their children, their parents, their spouses filled my ears. It was moments like those that I wished I had the healing powers of Christ. I shook my head, taking it back quickly. It was smarter to disobey. Jesus was perfect, and his transition to Heaven was brutal. I’d much prefer God feel I wasn’t worthy of that grand exit, thank you.

  Morgan’s voice led me to his room, mixed with the background noise of the nightmare he was trapped inside. He was sleeping alone in dim light. More than a few strings had been pulled to delay the informing of his family. His memories could get them all killed.

  I stood next to his bedside, the pain-ridden look on his face enough for me to reach for his arm and nudge him gently awake.

  His eyes fluttered, and he looked up at me with confusion, a smile, and then his expression deteriorated, and tears quickly filled his eyes, spilling down his temples. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he said, desperation in his voice.

  “Shhh,” I said. “I’m okay. You’re okay.”

  His bottom lip trembled against the top, and he shook his head, grabbing my arm. “I’m not okay, Eden. I’m not okay. I see things. I did things.” The blood that rimmed both of his irises was more pronounced when he opened his eyes wide. “W-what is happening to me?” He began to cry and shake uncontrollably, squeezing my hand.

  I bent down, touching my cheek to his, trying to absorb the shuddering of his body. I whispered in his ear, “You are okay. I’m going to make it go away, Morg. Take a deep breath. I’m going to make it go away.”

  He shook his head, but I held my temple to his, envisioning his memories, targeting all of them and pulling them toward me and away from my best friend. From the moment we first saw Levi to dying in Morgan’s arms, I wrapped my thoughts around them and pulled them into me. I wasn’t sure how I knew what to do, or even how it was possible, but Morgan relaxed against the bed, and exhaustion replaced his fear.

  I kissed his forehead, and his eyes fluttered open again.

  I waited, hoping what I’d just done would hold.

  He looked around, confused.

  “You’re in the hospital, Morgan,” I said.

  He stared at me but didn’t speak.

  “Morgan, do you know who I am?” I waited nervously—until he smiled.

  He blinked a few times, then seemed to focus. “Did I hit my head or something?”

  I breathed out a laugh. “Yeah, among other things. You were in an accident. It was my fault. I distracted you, so my parents agree it’s fair to replace your car.”

  “My car is totaled?” he said, trying to sit up. He groaned.

  I helped him, stuffing pillows under him for support like I did with Levi. “That’s wild. You really don’t remember?”

  I typed out a text message to Bex, first asking him to contact Morgan’s parents, then for him to find a new, reasonable vehicle for Morgan to drive. Bex wouldn’t be happy about his temporary assistant role, especially with Allison coming back into his life, but Mom and Dad were too busy, and I couldn’t trust Claire. She would get Morgan something stupid like a Rolls Royce Ghost. “Your new one will be in your driveway when you get home.”

  If I couldn’t already feel that his memories and the fear that came with them had disappeared, I could’ve seen in it his eyes.

  “I must have hit my head pretty hard. The last thing I remember is…” He trailed off, trying to think. “School, maybe? Wait. Did I miss graduation? What is today?”

  “July third,” I said, waiting for his reaction. “We graduated, Morgan. We spent most of the summer together. You’re leaving for college next month,” I said, feeling tears burn my eyes. I’d taken more than I’d meant to.

  He frowned, then shook his head. “I don’t… I don’t remember graduation. No way. No, that can’t be right.” He looked up at me. “Was I in a coma or something?”

  “It’s normal for a head injury to affect your short-term memory. I’m just glad it wasn’t worse. Um, your mom’s on her way. I … didn’t tell her until earlier. It’s a long story, but you’ll understand why later. Can you cover for me?”

  “Don’t I always?” he said, passive. “I honestly can’t remember graduation. Dang.” Morgan seemed unsettled, but no longer afraid. It was an acceptable trade. “College, huh? Are you going to miss me?”

  “No.”

  “No?” he said, miffed.

  “We’re going to talk all the time. I need you, Morgan … to remind me of who I was. I feel so far away from her these days,” I said, wiping the unexpected tear from my cheek.

  “Hey,” he said, holding my hand. “You’re here. That makes you closer than you think.”

  “Morgan?” his mother said from the doorway. She wrung her hands, unsure if she should come in. She decided she couldn’t wait, rushing to his side. “What happened? I’ve been so worried! I called the police and reported you missing!”

  “Hi, Michelle,” I said, standing to make room.

  She looked back at me. “I called you,” she said, trying not to show her frustration. “Did you know he was here? Did you know he was hurt?”

  “No, Mom,” Morgan said, shaking his head. “She didn’t,” he lied.

  Michelle turned to him, grabbing his hand and holding it between both of hers. “Your father’s on his way. Are you okay?”

  I pointed behind me with my thumb. “I should probably…”

  Morgan winked at me and nodded, signaling he was okay with me slipping out.

  I turned on my heels and headed down the hallway, pushing out the door. It cracked against the outer brick wall, and the narrow glass window shattered into a million glistening shards. I looked around, feeling embarrassed, but no one saw.

  I continued on my walk, feeling electricity in the air, the smell of lit fuses and gunpowder from early fireworks, fresh-cut grass, and sea salt. My promise to visit my grandma Lillian crossed my mind, her kitchen, the smell of something with nutmeg baking in the oven, and I felt a pull. I froze, wondering if that meant what I thought it did. I closed my eyes and concentrated on her kitchen again, the wood floor, the table, the peach and cream wallpaper, the dishes on the
wall, the way the sunlight...

  “Eden?” Lillian said from the living room.

  I turned to her and smiled. “Hi, Grandma,” I said.

  “I didn’t hear you come in, darling!” She rushed over to hug me, wrapping me in her thin arms. She leaned back, cupping my face.

  “Do I look different?” I asked, realizing I hadn’t looked in a mirror in a while.

  She shook her head, kissing my cheek. “Still beautiful. Come. Sit,” she said, pulling out a chair at the table.

  She opened a cabinet and pulled out a glass, filling it with ice and water before sitting next to me, resting her chin on the heel of her hand and smiling. It was no wonder my grandfather—an Arch angel—had fallen in love with her. She was beautiful, and she radiated beauty. Those two things didn’t always go together. Even now that her skin was beginning to show some wrinkles, and she got around slower than she used to, her smile and the kindness in her eyes were still bright.

  “I hear you’ve had some excitement.”

  I chuckled. My grandmothers were no strangers to the worlds of Heaven and Hell, and they approached it all so nonchalantly at times.

  I took a drink, trying to think of a way to word the last twenty-four hours. “Oh, you know. I was murdered. Death was boring, so I came back. Saved Levi from some family drama. Visited Morgan in the hospital and wiped his memories. Left, and then appeared in your kitchen when I concentrated enough.”

  “Wait,” she said, her smile fading. “You what? Are you saying you transported? That’s new.”

  I nodded. “Lots of new lately.”

  “I guess so. That could get overwhelming.”

  I sighed. For anyone else, yes, but there seemed to be so much more space in my mind, and that meant a better ability to process stress. Nothing seemed that pressing anymore, and at the same time, I was attached just enough to feel motivated to fix everything that had gone wrong.

  “Allison is home.”

  Grandma smiled. “I heard. Bex is all over the emotional map.” She picked at the navy-blue place mat under a small stack of plates and a small bowl with an Americana napkin rolled neatly inside. I kept forgetting about the holiday, and at that moment, fireworks snapped in the distance. “I keep thinking he’ll be here soon, but then I remember he’s with Levi now.”

  “Levi can protect himself, and I want to help. You shouldn’t be here alone.”

  “I’m a Ryel. I have a protection order, remember?” She winked.

  I shifted in my seat. “I’m not sure that’s enough now. Bex has Gehenna. He threatened Cassia with it.”

  She paused and then tried to resume what she was doing like I wouldn’t notice. “Oh, my.”

  “And Lucifer attacked Eli today.”

  Grandma’s eyes widened. “He … what?”

  “Impaled him with a sword. Right through his chest,” I said, pointing to my own. “It would’ve been nasty if he wasn’t … you know. Immortal.”

  “That was … ballsy. Excuse my French.”

  I nearly spit out the water I’d been drinking. “Grandma!”

  “What?” she said with a sweet giggle and an innocent shrug. “Can you think of a better word for it? Here.” She stepped into the kitchen, then returned with her signature sweet smile and a plate with a beautiful golden square of pineapple upside down cake.

  “Oh, no way,” I said, already salivating.

  “My apologies to your mother for serving this to you before breakfast.”

  “This can be breakfast,” I said.

  She handed me a fork, and I dove in, humming in delight. For a moment, I was a kid again; just a granddaughter. I closed my eyes, allowing everything else to fade away as I became more and more lost in my memories. Bex was chasing Claire around the house, Ryan was laughing, and Dad was standing in the corner with Mom, his arms around her middle. Mom was smiling, and Dad watched Ryan with disdain.

  Before I knew it, the cake was gone, and so was the moment.

  “Darling,” Grandma said, wiping a tear from my cheek.

  “I didn’t realize I was crying,” I said, wiping my nose and breathing out an embarrassed laugh. “I just wish sometimes that,” I said, trailing off with a sigh. “It doesn’t matter. You’re all just borrowed. I was someone else before.”

  She held a gentle hand to my jaw. “We belong to you, and you to us. You always have and always will. Nothing has changed.”

  I leaned against her hand. “You think so?”

  She breathed out a laugh. “Eden. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. No matter where in time we connect physically, we’ve always been. And I’ve always loved you. No one could ever convince me otherwise.”

  I threw my arms around her, and she squeezed me back. I could feel her smile even though I couldn’t see it.

  “I hate to eat and run, but…”

  “Of course,” she said, sitting back. “Go save the world, my darling.”

  “I’m trying. Thank you for the snack, Grandma. It was so much more than that. Something I didn’t even know I needed. I love you.”

  She kissed my cheek, and I concentrated on the dining room at home. Even though I’d done it before, for some reason I was nervous that I couldn’t do it again. But still, I focused on the chairs surrounding Grandmother’s wooden oval table and the large chandelier overhead, the prisms spreading the sunlight along the dark walls.

  In a blink, I was standing in the exact place I’d imagined. I laughed out loud, in awe of my new trick.

  “Are you back already, dear?” Grandmother called from the hall.

  “Yes,” I responded, rounding the corner.

  Levi stood in the middle of the hallway, and I wondered if that would be the last time I’d miss being surprised.

  “Hi,” he said with a small smile. His hands were in the pockets of his dark pants, his blue eyes staring at me from under his thick, dark brows. “When did you start phasing?”

  Grandmother was standing next to him, confused. “You’re phasing?”

  I shrugged. “I … today. What you saw was my first time. I tried it again at the hospital and phased to Grandma Lillian’s, and then again to here.”

  Grandmother, forever unimpressed, nodded once and left us alone for the drawing room.

  Levi glanced behind him, then approached me. “You were right.”

  “About?”

  “The tag attached to my mother. I finally singled it out. Whatever it is, it’s old and strong. Really strong. And it’s really pissed that I’m aware of it now. She immediately began coughing and grew weak just by me focusing on it. We … can’t remove it.”

  I looked up at him from under my brow, already hating what I was about to say. “Then… I’m so sorry, Levi, but you know she can’t stay here. This is home base. We can’t effectively plan our defense against your father and brothers in Heaven’s language. It takes a full minute to say a single sentence.”

  His shoulders sagged. “They know she warned me. She’ll have a target on her back the second she steps out the door. Heaven won’t protect her because she helped my father try to conquer Heaven. Where else can she go?”

  I shook my head slowly. I didn’t have an answer this time.

  “No,” he said. He pointed at the floor. “No. We’re not just going to throw her to the wolves. She risked her life to come here.”

  I reached for him, but he pulled away.

  “I love you, Eden. I’ve loved you for most of my existence, over lifetimes, and I’ll love you for eternity. But…”

  “But?” I said, my chest suddenly heavy.

  He swallowed. “She’s my mother.”

  I stared at him for a moment, waiting for the answer to come. My eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t want you to leave, and I shouldn’t ask you to stay … but I will. We have to stay together.”

  “Eden,” he said, his voice breaking. “She can’t defend herself.”

  “And I can,”
I said, trailing off. The sinking feeling I’d had every time we’d been forced apart seeped in, filling me with panic. I touched my stomach with both hands, trying to control my breathing. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

  “Baby, calm down,” he said, reaching out to me. He wrapped his arms around me, the muscles in his arms tightening when he squeezed. My head fit perfectly under his chin, his throat vibrating with the deepness of his voice when he began to speak. “There has to be another way.”

  “Maybe … maybe she can survive the extraction?”

  “I could,” Petra said, stepping into the hallway. “It’s a possibility.” She began to cough.

  Levi released me and shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking. It will be painful.”

  She waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve endured pain. I’ve beat death. You’re not leaving this place, son. You have to stay together. You have to stay here.” When I didn’t respond, she spoke again, “Did you hear me? You’ve been separated so many times, and not once has it ended well. I won’t allow you to leave the safety you’ve found here. Not even for me. I would sacrifice all that I have for you, Levi. Even my life.”

  “Sacrifice,” I whispered.

  “What?” Levi asked.

  “Levi, do you…” I trailed off, her words taking my thoughts down a new path—to an old memory. “I have a plan, but… I can’t explain it here.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Again?”

  Petra kissed her son’s cheek. “I’ll be in my room.”

  I took his hands, and in the next moment we were surrounded by red-toned darkness and mountains of screaming humans on the horizon. Sweat instantly beaded on my forehead, and the air I pulled into my lungs felt like it came straight from a furnace. As uncomfortable and ironic as it was, Hell was the only place to hide.

  “I didn’t remember at first … but … a sacrifice,” I yelled over the hot wind. “It could be our backup plan if … I don’t know. We’d have to find a way to get her in before your father finds out.”

  “You’re not making sense.” He ducked, a small, winged creature flying just overhead. It screeched, shockingly loud for its size, alerting any guards nearby of our presence.