Catalyst

  I glanced back to see Daniel wrench Ellie from the Lighter's grasp, tossing her behind him as he went for the demon. Ryan blurred and grabbed her up, crushing her to him. She clung to him and cried as they stood and held on to each other for dear life.

  Daniel and the Lighter didn't last long together. Daniel had the Lighter on the ground and was looking for something to stake him with. He yelled for Merrick to throw him his stake as Max looked for one too.

  I screamed as I saw it, but I was too late to help. The Lighter on the ground had reached under him. With the screwdriver in his hand and a whip of his inhuman wrist he sliced it through the air at Ellie. Her eyes bulged, but she didn't make a sound as the screwdriver sunk into her back.

  Stabbed in the back

  Chapter 26 - Merrick

  Ryan's eyes grew with unbelief as Ellie fell on him. He helped her to the ground and held her in his lap, the realization of what happened hit him.

  I watched, anguished for him, as he roared into the air his anger and hatred for the demon, who just smiled in triumph with his bloody lip.

  "If I can't have her, no one can," he said quietly, but once again it reached all ears. As I tossed Daniel my stake he plunged it into the Lighter's chest and leaned back to avoid the lightning that blared through the sky.

  "We need to get these people inside," he barked as he grabbed Lillian's arm and started to tow her. "The Markers will have seen that and they'll come for you all."

  "Wait," Sherry said, "one of them said there was back-up coming. What if there's more on the way?"

  "There is more on the way," he concurred, "but that can't be helped. We'll be waiting for them and take them out. We'll be ready. Inside now."

  Ryan held a broken and bleeding, but still alive Ellie in his arms as I helped him stand. Keepers didn't need help physically. He could have lifted Ellie as if she were nothing, but he was in shock. Sherry put her arm around his lower back and urged him inside with me with human murmurs and words of encouragement and hope. We could take her to the room in the back and see what the damage was.

  I really hoped she was ok, for her sake, but also for Ryan's. He had been on a fine line of depression and melancholy before Ellie came. His mind had been a tangled weave of desperation to be useful, to be needed and his want to go home. He and Simon both had thoughts flitting through their heads about it constantly. Though Simon's were bitter, Ryan's were longing.

  As we all piled inside the bunker door, a snow dusted Miguel took over the Ellie situation and I was grateful to him for it.

  "Bring her in the back. I'll check her out there," he told Ryan, who zombied his way where Miguel led.

  I pulled Sherry along with me, refusing to let her out of my sight for a moment. We'd have to have another talk later. As much as I needed to do these things and be away, I couldn't leave her anymore. This wasn't working. The old 'You're safer with me rule' needed to go back into effect.

  "Where's Lily?"

  "Here." She went to the small closet and right there still sleeping in the floor was Lily, with her doll and hair a cute mess. I sagged in relief. She had slept through the whole thing, thank God. I pulled Sherry down to sit on my lap as I sat on the floor next to the closet. I needed to be near my girls right then.

  "What happened? Why are you back early? Not that I'm complaining," Sherry asked. I glanced over and saw Ryan place Ellie down on her side and sit next to her, stroking her hair.

  "We had an accident," I told her gently and watched her predictable face fall in upset. "It's ok, we're fine, but…anyway, we decided to come home after we found the pastor and his daughter."

  "I thought that was him," she mused and inched forward a little. I bent to accommodate her. "I'm so glad you're ok. Thank you for bringing Danny back safely." I must've made a face because she knew right off that something had happened. "What? Please just tell me and don't make me beg it out of you. Did something happen with Danny?"

  There was no way I was telling her that I not only did I almost lose her brother, but Celeste too. I looked to see Miguel working on Ellie, knowing there was nothing we could do there. So I did what I always did to distract her. I kissed her good and hard. Such a hardship, I know.

  She resisted for a split second with a small push to my shoulder, but easily relented and melted against me. The little noises she made, small grunts and sighs of relief and satisfaction almost did me in, as always. I was a drowning man and Sherry was the shore. She was the moonlight and I, a shadow in her glow. I was a fish that enjoyed the pain of her hook. She was my everything.

  I pulled her closer to me on my lap and enjoyed her intake of breath. She was still stunned that I wanted her, that I needed her always, that she was what I breathed.

  I didn’t know what else it would take to make her see that without her, I was nothing. Of course, true or not, she would say the same about me.

  I ran my fingers through her hair, down her neck to her collar bone. I coasted my thumb over his skin there, getting dizzy with the knowledge that she was still mine. Her skin - soft, supple, and shivering under my touch - was the thing I most wanted to remember if I were to perish. The feel of it was the last thing I wanted to feel if this world kicked me out.

  I pulled back, barely, loving her harsh short breaths of love and longing on my neck. I totally understood the male mind now. It was in our system and brain waves to protect, care for, and…conquer our female. I smiled a secret smile to myself, knowing that I had done just that. But she had conquered me as well.

  But the reason I was suddenly having this revelation came back to mind. We were huddled on the floor because we'd once again been attacked.

  "I'm so glad you're ok," I told her. "I don't know what happened, we'll talk about it later, but I'm so relieved that we came home." That brought a thought I didn't want to think. What if we hadn't come home when we did? "And Calvin, he was outside when I came. It looked like he was defending you."

  "He was. He saved me. I ran outside to draw them off when they got in-"

  "You what?" I asked, my voice betraying me. Just the thought, let alone the actual act, of Sherry sacrificing herself made me hurt all over. "You did what?"

  "I had to," she said and didn't even try to deny it. She couldn’t lie and we both knew it. "I'm useless, Merrick. I'm small and defenseless and the only way I could see to help was to be diversion. They were inside! So I got them to follow me. It worked. If I hadn't, we'd have still all been in the bunker with them and I have no idea what would have happened."

  "That's it," I said. "You can't be apart from me again."

  She laughed softly and shook her head. Her small, cold hand coming to rest on my cheek as she said, "I knew you were gonna say that. I love you."

  "I love you," I said, but it came out a desperate growl. Ah, I didn't know how to just be a human man and I didn't know how to be a Keeper anymore either. One side of me was screaming irrationally and angry and the other side was fighting for logic and a way to make the situation work. The Keeper in me wanted to lock her up in our room and never let her leave. The man in me knew that this war of the worlds was far from over and it was naïve to think that any one person was safe and able to just sit back and watch it all happen around them.

  I had no frigging idea what to do anymore.

  "Merrick, look at me." I did as she commanded without a second's thought. "I know you're freaking out and struggling with everything. I know something happened while you were gone that you don’t want to tell me. I know that you want to lock me and Lily in a safe place and keep us there. But, baby, that's just not possible. I worry about you so much while you're gone and though my first instinct is to say 'No, just stay here with me', I know that's not possible. I was terrified for you, I always am, but I tried to think about the people you were helping. What if you hadn't come for me and Danny?" I shook my head to tell her that was an impossibility. "I know, but what if you weren't his Keeper?" That thought hurt worse than the other. The thought of Sherry and Danny not
being in my life cut me to my core. "If you hadn't saved us then I have no idea where we'd be. And how many people out there feel that way? Just…lost. I'm so proud of you for doing that and the fact that you brought home some new people with you just proves to me that you're amazing. You always do what you set out to," she said, her eyes watering. "You're so good and big hearted."

  I framed her face and looked at her closely as I said, "There's no way I wouldn't have come for you in the beginning and there's no way I won't come back for you now. Honey, why are you crying?" I asked softly.

  "Because I just love you," she muttered and sniffed. When she looked back up to me, her eyes had a glassy film. "One day this will all be over right? And we'll get to go and live in that house that you talked about? You'll be here always, and won't ever leave me."

  "Never, ever," I told her. "And one day this will be over, baby. It has to be." One way or another…

  "Daddy," a voice said full of sleepiness. A voice that held my heart as much as the strangely vulnerable and open wounded girl on my lap did.

  Sherry was worrying me. She always tried to be so strong and optimistic for us all. She'd only ever really broken down once, after Crandle took the kids and she blamed herself. And now that Lily was awake she was pulling herself back together and smiling at our little girl. But I wasn’t buying it. I pulled her face up with a finger under her chin.

  "It'll be ok, baby. We'll be ok."

  "Don't, Merrick. Please let it go," she pleaded, her voice quivering.

  "I want to make sure you understand that no matter what happens, we'll be together. I don't know what's gotten you so shaken up, but I won't let anything happen to you. Or Lily. You're my whole world-"

  That was it. What I had been waiting for and expecting happened. She broke down and closed her eyes as she shook silently, like she had something to be ashamed about. I pulled her to me and she sagged against me in defeat. She reached to grip Lily's hands, pulling her into our embrace as well. As I felt my collar start to soak, she lifted her head and looked me right in the face.

  "I'm sorry." I shook my head, but she kept going. "I haven't felt right ever since I got back from the enforcement facility. I'm so afraid. What if they got you or Lily or Danny? To think about you in there and them doing those things to you just makes me…" I felt my face go hard.

  She still refused to tell me what they had done to her, but if she was this worried about it, and was breaking down over her worry, then it must be worse than I thought. But I let that go and went back to her.

  "I won't let them hurt you or Lily ever again. And I won't be taken by them either. I had no idea you were struggling over this so much."

  Her face was blank and haunted as she said, "I had Lily here and they were beating on the door. I didn't know what to do. The only thing that I could think of was what if they got her and took her? What would they do to her?" She burst wide open again, her tears big and falling. "And then I wondered if you'd ever speak to me again for letting something happen to her. So I hid her in the closet, it's the only thing I could come up with to keep her safe. But oh….if something had happened to her… Merrick, I don't think I can…" She stopped her rant and looked down at Lily. She mouthed 'I don't think I can do this.'

  Lily was gazing at Sherry with concern and I even saw her rubbing Sherry's arm. I was floored. Both of my girls were fretting and crying over each other. I was so in love with them both. I grabbed my chest to stop the ache and pulled them to me. They both clung to me like I was their whole world. That was exactly the way I wanted it. I whispered in Sherry's ear, "You don't have to do anything, Sherry. You're already doing it, baby." She leaned back at looked at me confused. "You don't think every mother out there would freak in that situation? But you handled it. She's alive, she's fine, in fact better than fine because you thought and acted fast, she didn't even have to see a thing."

  "Are you talkin' 'bout me?" Lily spouted but I had to finish with Sherry.

  "I am so proud of you for being level-headed and caring enough about her to do what had to be done. For the love of all, you lured the Lighters to follow you outside away from Lily and everyone else." She sniffed her annoyance at my praise. "Seriously. I know it was scary…at the facility and here tonight. It doesn’t make you weak to be scared. Courage comes from being scared and doing what needs to be done anyway. And you are the most courageous woman I have ever have the pleasure of knowing."

  She scoffed a laugh, "You don't know anybody. That's not a very fair assessment."

  "Still true."

  She put a hand on the back of my neck and pulled me to lean against her forehead. "Oh my….I love you so much, Merrick."

  "I know. And I've never been more grateful of anything in my whole existence. Lily, come here, baby."

  She huddled in with us and we just breathed a sigh together of release and need for a human touch that was filled with love for one another. When we heard a grunt we turned to see that Miguel had just removed the screwdriver from Ellie's back. She was screaming silently, mouth wide. Ryan looked on and caressed her hair to calm her, but it was no use. Miguel cursed and put another needle into her arm. He glanced at Ryan, "Sorry, mate. I thought I gave her enough to knock her out."

  In seconds she was falling back down to the mattress, eyes fluttering. As I looked back to my girls, I felt guilty. All the pain and suffering around us…it seemed almost wrong to be so happy.

  Human and anti-rebeliony

  Chapter 27 - Cain

  I woke to the annoying sun sweeping itself across my face. I peeked up and saw that we were still in the van. It was early still and freezing. I felt a warm body next to me and immediately pulled her closer on instinct. Then I remember that it wasn't Lillian with us, it was Marissa. My eyes opened wide.

  Marissa was curled up next to me, using my arm as a pillow. There was a coat spread out on top of us. Jeff was leaning against the back seat upright, watching us.

  "Dude, did you sleep?" I asked and kind of wanted to pull my arm out from under her, but she was so peaceful and looked so much better than the day before, I just couldn't.

  "Nope. It started snowing so I kept turning on and off the van for the heat. I stayed up all night to keep watch. Simon tried to do shifts but…he passed out."

  I looked over to see Billings and Simon lying back to back on their sides. They were symmetrical, both using their hands as pillows and the legs out to the side as far away from the other guy as possible. I chuckled and then looked back to Jeff. He was watching Marissa's hand. I looked down. It was twisted up in my shirt collar.

  "Why didn't you take Marissa from me?" I asked.

  "She was sleeping, I didn't want to wake her. Plus, if she was with me I'd have fallen asleep too. She has that peaceful effect on me," he said and sneered as he looked at us.

  "I didn't mean for her to sleep on me. Sorry."

  "It's ok. It kind of pissed me off to watch you two snuggle all night and it helped me stay awake."

  "I said, I'm sorry-"

  "And I said, it's fine. I needed to stay awake. I've never watched her sleep for so long like that." He half smiled. "She makes little noises, and she kept saying something about chocolate, and she was wrapping her hands in your shirt. I bet she does that to me when I'm asleep, too."

  "I'm sure she does."

  He shook his head sadly and after a long pause he said, "I'd give anything to be a human right now."

  "What? Why?"

  "Because you can do things for her that I can't. I couldn’t even take her into the doctor last night, because of what I am. I'm a liability to her."

  "She's a Muse. The Lighters detect her just like they can detect you. And they despise her just as much if not more than you."

  "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked in annoyance.

  "I'm saying that you are pretty equal on the spectrum. You're both supernatural beings who love each other. So what…you're not from this planet. Who cares? Marissa doesn't and she's the one tha
t matters right? Besides, you guys have the whole ebony and ivory thing down."

  Ok, I was already over the Dr. Phil session.

  He looked confused at first, but ultimately just shrugged and said, "I guess. But I just hate it that I can't take care of her the way that she deserves."

  "You were doing a pretty good job of that when I tried to take her from you. A human man couldn't do any better, trust me." I pointed to my chest. "I am one."

  "But she told me what you did for her last night after you passed out; how you protected her inside the hospital when they were drawing her blood and then when the Lighter came."

  "I was just doing what I knew you'd do for me if the situation were reversed and it was Lillian."

  Except that kissing part. Grrr. It ticked me off just thinking about her lips on alien boy.

  "I don't understand why I feel this way. I mean it's like my stomach is in knots just watching her lay on you, even though I know nothing is going on. I feel protective, but it's more than that. Like I want to smash something." He snarled - snarled! - and tugged at his hair with his hand. "I feel like a Neanderthal."

  I laughed as I said, "You are a Neanderthal! Guys are that way with their girls. Some call it being high-handed or cave man syndrome. I just call it good manners."

  "So it's normal for humans to be…possessive?" he said as a gruff confession.

  "Yep. I'm possessive as all get out. In fact, let's stop talking about it because it's making me itch to get home."

  "Well, let's go home then," he replied and stretched. "I'm so done with this trip and we’re still alive which means we weren't followed."

  "Sweet." I leaned over to shake Marissa, but he stopped me.

  "Please, just let her sleep if you don’t mind. She'd been so restless and odd since she helped Margo and I'm really worried that maybe she pushed it too far. Maybe rest was what she needed and she'll wake up feeling better."