Sins of the Innocent

Eli rolled his eyes. "Like a fourth grade boy bullying his crush on the playground. Remember him, Eden. You might be surprised."

  "Remember him?" I asked.

  But Eli was gone. My arms folded, I stood alone in the empty space, mulling over Eli's words.

  I drove home at thirty miles over the speed limit, my cheeks wet with tears. It was emotionally draining to be around Eli and then for him to leave, similar to the way Eli felt about crossing planes. To also learn that we weren't on the same team was devastating. I wasn't fighting for God after all.

  My breath caught. I'm not even fighting with my family. I belonged to no one.

  The longer I drove, the worse I felt. It was easy not to recognize bad news when Eli had such a flawless delivery, but the awful truth infiltrated me like a sickness. By the time I reached the driveway, bile began to rise in my throat.

  Bex's motorcycle was parked by the front porch where everyone was waiting for me. He'd driven ahead to warn them what I'd done. I wasn't sure what reaction to expect, but it didn't really matter. I had too many human emotions clouding everything else.

  Dad's expression matched Mom's, and even Grandmother looked concerned.

  "Eden," Dad said, holding out his arms.

  "I know that I'm neutral," I said, sucking in a breath. "You can stop pretending. I guess that makes sense. If I'm keeping the Balance, then I would have to be."

  Dad's arms fell, and Mom covered her mouth. "Is that what Eli said?"

  My eyes danced between her and my dad. "She didn't know?"

  Again, Dad gestured for me to come to him. "Come inside, sweetheart. We need to talk."

  I followed him into the foyer and down the back hall into the family room. My entire family took seats on the two large velvet sectionals, surrounded by designer throw pillows and windows covered by thick curtains.

  The dark lighting made the upcoming conversation even more ominous. I settled into a middle cushion. Mom sat on one side of me with Bex on the other.

  Bex took my hand, seeming sad, as if he was in no hurry for the truth to take something away from me forever.

  "Why didn't you stop me?" I asked. "You knew I was at the warehouse. If you didn't want me to know, why did you let me go in?"

  "At first, I didn't think he'd come. But since he did ... he wanted you to know, and I trust Eli."

  "That's it? You trust Eli," I deadpanned.

  Bex seemed wounded. We hadn't been getting along lately, and up until that point, we had been best friends even though I was younger. "Don't you?"

  "Yes, but ..."

  "I trust you, too," Bex said, squeezing my hand.

  Dad paced for a couple of minutes before covering his mouth and nose with both hands. He sucked in a breath through his fingers and then sat on the opposite sectional, facing me, next to his sister and her husband. Grandmother sat alone in a blue print bergere chair in the corner of the room. She perched her arms on the armrests, like the queen of her castle.

  The coffered ceiling was twenty feet high, a large antique chandelier hanging from the center, blasting a thousand colors from the crystal prisms hanging from the gold metal frame.

  Each wall was covered in wall paper at least a century old and perfectly preserved, displaying separate floral murals that bolstered the eighteenth-century French motif. It was the one room Grandmother refused to change and where we seemed to gather for serious family discussions.

  "What did Eli tell you?" Dad asked.

  I shrugged, sitting back against the cushion. "You know what he told me."

  "No," Mom said, "we don't."

  "He told me it was a secret," I said.

  "Arch humor," Bex said. "He knew I was outside, listening. It's okay, Eden. Tell them."

  "But you"--I looked to my dad--"knew the truth already. He just told me the truth--that the punishment for not keeping the Balance is death. I have very few allies. If I fail, there will be a war, which I'm beginning to think both sides want. The Apocalypse, one final bid for souls. Basically, I'm not as strong as I thought, and it doesn't look good."

  Mom's eyes widened, immediately glossing over. She looked up at Dad, her chest caving in, and she tried to keep her devastation inside. "You promised."

  Dad held out his hand. "It's not always what it seems, sweetheart. You know that."

  Still staring at Dad, Mom reached over to me and held me close to her side, using her free hand to hold my head to her cheek. Her entire body was tense, as if she were bracing for the worst pain imaginable. A tear fell down my cheek, but it wasn't mine.

  "Jared," she said, "you will keep your promise. You will protect our baby. She didn't ask for this."

  "Nina," Dad began.

  "She is my daughter. I won't let them take her from me because of some stupid cosmic game. Do you understand me? I won't." Her fingers pressed into my skin, and she sucked in a breath.

  Bex spoke, "None of us will, Nina. We've all promised to keep her safe."

  Dad stood up and knelt in front of my mom and me, placing one hand on her cheek and the other on my knee. "We're going to figure this out. We've beaten fate before."

  "I'm not afraid, Mom."

  Her teeth clenched, as if she were experiencing the worst kind of torture, the kind only a mother could feel, the kind you couldn't see. She held it in, refusing to set it free in front of me.

  Her expression hardened, and she forced a smile. "Good. You don't have to be. I might be just a human, but I won't let anything happen to you."

  I nodded, not wanting to argue with her. She was in enough pain.

  "What else did he say?" Dad asked.

  "That I'm like Mom," I said, wiping her wet cheek. She smiled. "And that it's okay to cry."

  Her bottom lip trembled, but still, she held it in.

  "And?" Dad prompted. "Anything else?"

  "That Levi has decided to be my ally. That Hell's Bible foretelling Levi causing my death doesn't necessarily mean he'll kill me."

  Dad's entire face compressed.

  "Who?" Ryan asked.

  "Levi," Bex said.

  Ryan looked to his wife. "Who's Levi?"

  Claire's mouth fell open and then snapped shut. She wasn't afraid. She was amused. "The Levi?"

  "Leviathan," Dad seethed.

  Claire nodded. "That would explain the drudens. Trying to throw her off the scent maybe."

  Bex nodded to confirm. "I'm still watching him. He has an agenda, but I don't think it's to kill her."

  "When you find out, tell me," I quipped. "I'm curious to know what made him change his allegiance, if it's even true."

  "Eli would know Levi's heart," Bex said. "If he said it, it's true."

  Dad touched his finger to his lips, lost in thought. "Failure means death. Did Eli elaborate on that?"

  "He said I wouldn't fail."

  "Damn straight you won't. You're a Ryel," Claire said with an encouraging smile.

  Mom relaxed.

  Grandmother finally spoke from her corner, "Well, finally, some good news." She pulled back a stray hair and tucked it back into her French bun, patting the rest as she attempted to hide her concern.

  "Tell them about the neutrality," Bex said.

  The air in the room changed, humming and restless. Everyone shifted in their seats as they waited--not because of what I might say, but because everyone but Mom could feel the Others concentrating around the house, even more than usual.

  "That's enough for me for one day," Grandmother said, straightening her blazer as she stood. She touched her chest and then nodded to Mom before leaving the room, her heels clicking down the hall to the other side of the house.

  "I'm not on your side or anyone's side. To keep the Balance, I must be for and against Heaven and Hell."

  Mom looked to Bex. "What does that mean?"

  "It means that she is a killer of the Others, as we thought. She is also a killer of Archs."

  "Well," Mom said, fidgeting with her necklace, "Archs don't break the rules, so this family has nothing
to worry about."

  "Technically," Bex said, "this family was created because of a broken rule. Kind of an important one."

  "So what?" Mom said, breathing out a laugh. "Is she supposed to kill us?"

  Bex frowned. "If it threatened the Balance, yes, or she would be struck down."

  Mom swallowed and glanced at me before looking to Dad for comfort.

  Ryan sat forward, his backside just barely on the edge of the sofa. "Exactly what threatens the Balance?"

  Dad took in a deep breath. "Humans are not to be influenced."

  Ryan shrugged. "So, wouldn't that mean the Bible threatens the Balance?"

  Dad shook his head. "No. Only actions by the Others or Archs. Direct supernatural interference is forbidden. That is why these things aren't rampant."

  "These things?" I asked.

  Dad's expression turned somber. "Why prayers aren't always answered, Eden. Cancer, genocide, war. When help arrives just a few minutes too late. Archs are guardians, not superheroes. They are bound by rules, and this is why people aren't always saved. It's the same reason possession doesn't occur as frequently as a demon would like. It's all the Balance. There are rules in play, and disobeying means death." Dad looked at me. "And Eden is now the watchdog."

  "I wasn't before?" I asked.

  He shook his head. "I don't know. You haven't had to be. Something has changed. Maybe Levi's decision has been a catalyst. I'll keep researching with Bex. You have a specific purpose."

  Mom stood, her body between my father and me. "This is our daughter you're referring to, Jared. She's not a sacrificial lamb. She's our baby."

  "I'm sorry," Dad said. "That's not what I meant."

  "Eli said something else," I said.

  They all turned their heads in my direction.

  "He said now that I'm in human form. He wouldn't clarify, but I don't think this is my first rodeo."

  "So ..." Ryan looked to Dad. "She's lived before?"

  Dad frowned. "Or she's always existed."

  Ryan made a face. "What does that mean?"

  Bex squeezed my hand. "That she knew Dad before we did."

  That thought brought a smile to everyone's face.

  "So ... now what?" Mom asked, twisting her wedding ring around her finger.

  I let go of Bex's hand and stood up next to her. "We'll continue, despite what we know, like we've always done." I covered her arms with mine, hugging her tight.

  Dad walked over to the bar and filled a short tumbler with ice and then turned on the faucet, adding water.

  "You have to find that boy," Mom said.

  "What boy?" Dad asked, turning around. "Leviathan? No." He lowered his chin, meeting my eyes. "Stay away from him."

  "Jared," Mom began. "Eli named him. If he's her ally, she needs him."

  Dad shook his head, took a drink, and then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "We need to think about this first. We need a strategy."

  "Eli told us the strategy. Levi might be able to help. He might be the only one who can keep her safe," Bex said.

  Mom turned to face me. "Find the boy. At least see what he knows."

  Levi wasn't difficult to find. He sat with his feet up, his ankles crossed on a table at the same coffee shop where we'd met. The fact that my parents had also shared one of their first moments there wasn't lost on me.

  Levi smiled when I walked through the door, reaching his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers against his straight dark hair. It was long enough to knot my fingers in, and I might have already once when we were grappling in the alley. When he blinked his long lashes over his ice-blue eyes, punching him was the last thing I wanted to do to him.

  He sat up, his boots making a thud on the floor, and leaned forward on his elbows. "I was wondering how long you were going to make me wait."

  I stood next to the table, pressing my lips together in a hard line, while I decided my next move. Levi was clearly fond of strategy, and whatever game he was playing, he was at least one step ahead.

  Levi held out his hand, tilting his head just a bit to the side. "Sit with me?"

  I didn't take his hand, but I sat on the thinly padded chair across from him. I pulled a knife from its leather holster hidden in the back of my pants. Levi wasn't surprised to see the impressive blade as I gripped the ancient handle in my hands. The knife was a gift from Claire, and if Levi made a move, I would use it to kill him.

  "This is a weird date," Levi said.

  "It's not a date. It's a meeting."

  "Well, that's disappointing."

  "If you're here to kill me, let's get it over with," I said quietly.

  He raised a thick eyebrow, making something twinge deep in my chest.

  "You wanna get coffee first?"

  I closed my eyes, my entire face compressing in frustration. "No, I don't want coffee." I glared at him. "Why are you in Providence?"

  "I live here. Well, I have a place on Rose Island at the moment."

  "How long have you lived here?"

  "Nearly a year."

  "Why?"

  He reached over, slowly covering my hand and the knife with his.

  "Try to take it from me, and I'll run it across your jugular."

  "I don't want to hurt you, Eden. I came here because I needed to see you again."

  "Again?"

  His eyes flickered, and for the first time in my life, I felt intimidated. Levi didn't scare me. The way he made me feel did. I didn't understand it, and the unknown was unsettling for someone who already knew too much.

  I pulled my hand out from under his, crossing my arms and holding the knife close to my side. I sat back in my chair, trying to seem unimpressed. "To size me up? Stake out your nemesis?"

  He chuckled. "So dramatic."

  "Just answer the question."

  "Which one?"

  I slammed my hand on the table. "What do you want?"

  The arrogance vanished, and his eyes softened. "Isn't it obvious?"

  I laughed once in disbelief. "Are you seriously flirting with me?"

  He arched an eyebrow. "Is it working?"

  "Not at all. Is it true? About your allegiance? Did you really turn your back on your father?"

  He sat back, unhappy that I'd learned the truth. "That escalated quickly. I suppose I couldn't hide it from you forever."

  "Why would you want to?"

  For the first time, he seemed annoyed. "I disagreed with my orders. I can't tell you more."

  "They haven't tried to kill you for leaving?"

  He laughed off my question. "They've tried."

  "Does that mean you killed them?"

  "Hundreds of them."

  "You're proud of killing your own kind? You might be worse than I thought."

  He shrugged. "They're a cranky bunch, selfish. Let me buy you a coffee," he said, somehow flirting while he described the traits of evil.

  I leaned forward. "What is your game?"

  "No game," he said in earnest. His expression changed, all the smug confidence melting away. "I was supposed to hate you or fear you or resent you. I feel none of those things--not even now as I sit across from you, knowing you're holding quite possibly the biggest dagger I've ever seen and you mean to kill me with it if I so much as say something to displease you."

  "You know I can't. That would give your father the perfect excuse for a war."

  "So would you dying by my hand."

  "Not that you could kill me anyway," I said.

  "I'm not going to try, so I guess we'll never know."

  "You're the son of the Great Deceiver. Why should I believe you?"

  "I have lied to you."

  "This is my not surprised face."

  "About the way you smell."

  "You mean the dime-store fabric softener and cheap perfume?"

  "That was a lie. The way you smell ... it's my favorite thing actually."

  "That's definitely a lie."

  He sat back, crossing his arms. "Do you believe Eli is in league with
the Devil?"

  "Of course not."

  "There is your proof."

  I stared at him for a full minute. I put the knife back in its holster and clasped my hands on top of the table. "I've been told we could be allies, but that doesn't mean we will."

  Levi's eyes brightened, just a hint of hope scrolling across his face. "I'll take the chance."

  My eyes narrowed. "What do you get out of it?"

  "Eden," he said, relieved, "it's everything to me. I came here a year ago, and it's taken me all this time to introduce myself."

  "Then explain your behavior the night you attacked Craig."

  He snorted. "Attacked him? I just made him quit talking."

  "You were trying to get me to attack him. If you've changed your allegiance, why would you encourage me to fail?"

  "I knew you wouldn't do it."

  "So, you were just ... killing time?"

  "It had nothing to do with you. It was entertaining, watching Craig's reaction. I was messing with his head."

  "That was a terrible plan. Aligned with Hell or not, you're irrational and dangerous."

  "I handled it."

  "Barely."

  I blew my bangs from my eyes. "I should go. You're more questions than answers."

  "I wish I could tell you more, but you'll have to remember the rest for yourself."

  "Remember?" I said.

  Eli had said the same thing.

  "Have dinner with me," Levi said.

  "Dinner ..." I said, mostly to myself.

  Levi waited patiently for me to decide.

  "I don't think ..." I began.

  Levi shrugged. "Bex is welcome to join us if you need a chaperone. He's outside anyway. He might as well eat."

  "I don't need a babysitter or a bodyguard or permission."

  He sat back, satisfied. "Well then ... shall we?"

  I glanced around the room, watching the young men chatting while parents wrangled their children and businesswomen tapped on their smartphones. Life was continuing as normal, no one knowing that two adversaries were at a fork in the road.

  A small group of women in their early twenties were seated at the corner table, speaking softly and taking turns stealing glances at Levi. Of course the son of the most beautiful of all God's creations would be attractive--no, he wasn't attractive. To look upon him was to feel breathless, like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room and he was the only air left.

  "No," I said, standing. "I don't trust you, not yet."

  Levi grabbed my wrist, drawing the attention of all the twenty-somethings and a few others. "Eden," he said, the slightest hint of desperation in his voice, "eating alone gets old."

  I peeked over at the women in the corner, excited whispers filling the space between them. They thought they were witnessing a breakup when the choices that would lead to the end of the world were being made right in front of them.