“Whatchya doin out here, Kiem?”
Keely looks up at Bryon and squints. “You look like you were in a fight with a bunch of Demons.”
Bryon sits down next to her and bumps his arm into her shoulder. “I was in a fight with a bunch of Demons.”
“What was the final score?”
He smiles. “Six—two. I won. Your mom got one too. That was pretty sweet.”
“I don’t feel like talking about my mom right now.”
“O.k.” After a long pause, he says, “They said Dustin’s going to pull through. They had to take his left eye. He may have some damage to the other, but they don’t know yet.”
Keely puts her hand over her mouth. “That’s so sad.”
Bryon nods. “He’s alive though. That’s what really matters.”
“How’s Lila?”
“You know, we could go in there and you could see for yourself.”
Keely shifts uncomfortably. “I feel too trapped in there.”
Bryon nods again. This is what Keely has always loved about him. He doesn’t push her. Ironically, the opposite is what she loves about Nick. But sometimes you need to just not make sense and know someone is all right with it.
“Lila’s a trooper. She’s on cloud nine now that she knows he’s going to be o.k. She was talking about making him an eye patch, but I don’t think he has the face for it.” He bumps her shoulder again and she pushes him back and laughs.
“That’s o.k. I’m sure you’ve already started planning your one eye jokes.”
He grins at her. “I have this one, it involves One Eyed Willy from The Goonies. Classic. But I think I need to wait a while before I can bust that one out. Tact and all.”
“You’ve always been very diplomatic.”
“I think so too. Would you believe there are people out there that would actually disagree?”
Keely shakes her head in mock horror. “I couldn’t imagine.”
“True story.”
They sit in silence as sun light fills the sky. Keely realizes Bryon saved her first sun rise. “All right. I think I’m ready to go back in now.”
He stands up and offers her his hand.
***
Nick and Keely take turns showering before they dress each other’s wounds. Nick’s aren’t that bad, but they are all on his face which makes Keely’s heart hurt every time she looks at him. When they’re done with the minor first-aid and a dose of Ibuprofen, Nick pulls the book out that Asmoday gave him. Apparently he found it in the same area they found Dustin. Keely hadn’t stayed long. Her stomach couldn’t take it.
“That’s the same book from History,” Keely exclaims.
“The Demon Grimoire. There should be a lot of useful information in here.”
“I thought it was a book of spells?”
“It is, but there are also prophecies and legends. Sometimes there are even accounts of how incantations were used in the past and who used them.”
“Well, open it.”
Nick rubs his eyes like he does when he’s irritated about something. “The thing is, I can’t. It’s a Demon Grimoire. A Demon has to open it.”
“What would happen if you did open it? Would you turn into a Demon or something?”
“No. It would probably just kill me.”
Trying really hard to not let her mouth pop open, Keely snatches the book out of Nick’s hand. Demons are absolutely, by far, the most evil, conniving, appalling creatures ever. Who has secrets that important to take someone’s life to protect them? Oh, yeah. Demons. “I can’t believe Asmoday gave us a book we can’t even open.”
Nick grunts. “He probably hoped I would be dumb enough to try.”
Keely puts her hands out, palms up. “So what’s the point?”
Nick rubs his eyes with his first finger and thumb. “As the Demon Princess, you should be able to open it. Asmoday says you can at least. He then offered to come over and open it for us if we didn’t want to take the chance. I don’t know if I should trust him.”
“Asmoday doesn’t want to kill me. Apophis does. It makes sense that I can open it. Besides, do you really want to call Asmoday up and invite him into your home every time you want to read it?”
“No. But we still may need his help with translating though.”
Keely stares at the book. She runs her finger tips over the gray cover. It doesn’t freak her out like it did before. “I’m opening it,” she says as she flips the cover. Nick tries to protest, but it’s done before a single syllable leaves his lips. And she is alive. Asmoday was telling the truth, just as Keely suspected.
“It’s blank,” Nick grumbles as Keely turns page after page.
She laughs. “It’s not blank. What are you talking about?” She looks from the book to Nick. She looks back down to make sure she wasn’t imagining anything. Nope. Still there. “You can’t see this?” She holds the book open in front of him. There is clearly writing on the page, drawings too. In fact, it’s inked in what looks suspiciously like blood.
“There’s nothing there.”
“What do you see?”
“I see an empty page. That’s all. What does it look like to you?”
She stares at the page. “Creepy.”
“I’m serious.”
“O.k. O.k. There’s seriously messed up pictures here.” She runs her finger along the side of one page. “And there is a spell here.” She points to the center. “Here there are what I think are names.” She trails her finger down the other side. “Can I read this aloud to you? I won’t cast some kind of Demonic spell, will I?”
“This is a first for me, believe it or not. Maybe you should read it to yourself then give me the summary.”
The page seems to call to her as she reads it several times, trying to understand it’s meaning. Images flash through her mind vividly like memories. A flash of a shallow silver bowl, old and dented as if it had been dropped many times. Another flash, an elegant gold dagger with ruby incrusted handle. And yet another flash, three teeth dropping into the bowl, followed by a drop of blood.
“It’s a spell for mind control. It’s so weird. It doesn’t say mind control. It doesn’t tell you that you need the person’s teeth you’re trying to control or a drop of your own blood. All it says is the words you chant while casting, but I saw it. As I read it, it gave me the instructions in my thoughts. This thing is like triple protected.” Keely shivers. She isn’t comfortable that a book can enter her head like that. That anything can make her envision things. And she doesn’t like that Demon’s are able to control the minds of humans. She supposes it isn’t much different than possessing a body though. However, this is how Demons gain control over the strong minded. Always the cheaters.
“Is that it?” Nick asks.
“For this one.”
“Read more. I’ll go make us something to eat.”
“I feel like I’m going to pass out. Can I just sleep for a couple of hours first?”
He runs his hand through his hair and looks at the clock. “Sorry. Yeah, I could use some sleep too.”
“Nick?”
“Yeah?”
“Will you lay with me? I just need the closeness.” It sounds so strange coming from her mouth, but it’s true. What she really needs more than anything right now is for Nick to hold her so she can feel safe and secure, even if she isn’t. A girl can dream, right?
Nick lies down beside her and pulls her back against his chest, wrapping his arms snuggly around her. He tucks his nose into her hair. Keely sighs.
“I lost my cell phone,” she says through a yawn.
“I know. We’ll take care of it later. Sleep.” And she does.
Keely nearly starts crying when she rolls over and feels the silky softness of the nightgown against her body. The next thing she feels is the cord. It drums in her chest happily.
“Good morning.” His voice is like velvet and she hates that she doesn’t hate it. “I know you are exhausted and do not want to be here, but h
e wants to speak to you.”
“A really good brother would tell him to leave me alone and let me get some much needed sleep.” She stretches, trying to find the energy to sit up. “Are you my big brother or little brother?”
“Time is different for me, but in human years, I am older.”
“By how much,” she asks propping herself up on an elbow.
Asmoday’s eyes rake over her. He brushes the hair off her shoulder and raises the thin strap that has slipped down on her arm. “Two years and some months.”
Keely nods. “So you’re twenty.” She works herself into a sitting position but doesn’t get out of the bed. “Is your mother human? Or another angel? No, you’re part Demon, right?”
He pulls her up, his hands very gentle on hers. “You shouldn’t keep the old man waiting.”
Keely laughs. “How old is he?”
“Old,” he says as he opens the door.
Her father is sitting in his usual spot, eyes probing as they examine her injuries. “You do well in battle, my child. Please, sit.” He gestures to the chair across from him. Keely knows it’s better not to refuse him. She sits quietly. Asmoday takes a seat beside their father, the picture of ease. However, she has a sixth sense the jittery nervous feeling in her stomach doesn’t belong entirely to her. “Are you healing well?”
“Yes,” she says.
“And your accolades, they are improving?”
The room is warm, making it hard for her to keep her eyes open. The chair is really comfortable too, though you can’t tell by looking at it with its high back and wooden arms that curl like claws. “Improving?”
“You are growing accustomed to them? Learning how to use them?”
She waves her hand sleepily. “I guess so. I glowed last night. That was weird, but we needed the light.” As she says it, in this place, with her father, it all clicks. Suddenly, she is a little more awake. “You glow too,” she realizes aloud.
He bows his head in what she assumes is a nod. “And your heightened senses, those are not bothersome?”
“No, I got used to those pretty quick. It came in handy with Dana too.”
“Dana, she is from Apophis’ Guard?”
“She’s not now. Coach—oh, crap. I forgot about coach.”
“Has she struck her head?” Her father gazes at her, slightly put off.
“I do not believe so. I think it is a lack of sleep,” Asmoday explains. His lips twitch as if he would like to smile, but he doesn’t.
“Perhaps we shall have this conversation after you’ve rested. I have very little tolerance for insolence. One last question before you take your leave. Do you have any idea of Apophis’ whereabouts?”
Keely yawns and slaps her hand over her mouth. He just called her insolent and she’s pretty sure that means rude. “I’m sorry. I’m very tired.” He doesn’t look amused or forgiving. “No, I have no idea where he went. Sorry.”
Keely knows she is back at Nick’s, though she can’t manage to open her eyes. She feels his warm embrace, smells his Nick scent. Content, she falls back into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Twenty-Three:
The car feels congested with Keely’s many emotions. She is excited to go home to be with her dad, but reluctant to deal with her mom.
Nick skims the back of his fingers across her cheek. “It’ll be fine. If you want, I’ll go in with you.”
A piece of shadow lifts itself from Keely’s mood. “I do. Thank you.” She opens her door and drags her book bag out. It’s heavier than it’s ever been before, her shoulders not willing to carry the extra weight. She sighs. Why is she acting like one of those girls? The kind that’s always gotten on her nerves. The kind she can’t stand. Needy and so dependent on a boy. As if she is incapable of anything if she doesn’t have a strong hero of a boy to save her. This isn’t Keely. She doesn’t even like boys. In general, anyway. She does not want to have that weak of a character. She tugs the overflowing duffel bag from Nick’s hand a bit too aggressively. “You know what? I think I need to do this myself.” She tugs again when Nick doesn’t release the bag to her.
Raising his eyebrows, Nick mildly asks, “Can I at least take this to the door for you?”
“No.” She takes a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. “It’s better if I go alone.” She blows the hair out of her face deciding to reword her premise. “If you come to the door, then it will be that much harder for me. I mean, you come to the door, then what’s one more step inside? You come inside, what’s a few more feet to the living room. You come to the living room-”
“What’s a leap into moving in?”
Keely laughs. “Well, I was thinking I would hide you in my closet until my parents fall asleep and then sneak you into my bed.” She pulls the bag from his hand and tries not to tip over. “I just need it this way. So I know I can do it on my own.”
Nick nods his head. He looks past her at Kimberly who is peering out the window. He lifts his hand in a hello, but she has already let the curtain drop back into place. “You’ve never had a problem doing things on your own. You’ll be fine.”
Keely stands on tip toes to give Nick a kiss on the cheek and turns toward the house. “I’ll get a hold of you later,” she calls.
Nick waves to her back. When she’s inside, he walks slowly back to his car, taking his time. He doesn’t do this because he doubts Keely’s ability to handle her home life. He knows she’s strong and can deal with anything. The thing is, Nick doesn’t have a clue as to what to do with himself. No. This isn’t true. He knows exactly what he should be doing. He just really, really doesn’t want to do it. Drumming his hands on the roof of his car, he knows it’s time to man up. It’s time to face Bryon.
***
The light tap on her door means the end of the reprieve she was given to put her things away. Keely would know her mom’s knock anywhere. Swallowing hard and smoothing her shirt, Keely turns the knob.
“We need to have a talk,” Kimberly says. Her hair is down, none of her usual clips holding it off her face. Her eyes are red and puffy, the make-up unable to cover the sure sign of crying.
Keely wrings her hands. She will not accuse. She will not blame. She will not attack her mom. She will remember how worried she was about her less than twenty-four hours ago, and she will quietly listen.
Kimberly sits on the edge of Keely’s bed and pats the space beside her. As she sits, her mom begins. “I’m sorry, Keely. I want to say that first. I’m sorry for all of it. I should have protected you better. I should have been more open with you. I should have—well, I should have done a lot of things differently, let’s just leave it at that. But I am going to try to be better, I promise.” She looks down at her hands and clears her throat. “When I was your age, I made the decision to leave this life. I lost both of my parents because they chose to honor the Angel. They were great Guardians, but it left me alone. And it wasn’t easy. I wanted better for you. I was stupid to think I could just walk away from it.” She shakes her head; her hair falls over one green eye. She tucks the strand behind her ear and continues. “I tried to leave it all behind. I left my boyfriend at the time. I enrolled myself in a normal college and I met your dad.” She smiles with the memory and Keely wishes she could see what her mom sees. Wishes she could see a younger version of her mom and dad as they fell in love all those years ago.
“Your dad was so handsome and so sweet. He was funny and understanding. And completely normal. I needed the normal more than anything. If I had just kept everything normal, I could have saved all of us so much heart ache. Your dad couldn’t give me children and some stupid, selfish part of me wanted my own child. A special child. I wanted to carry on our lineage. Pass down the gift of the Angel. You see, if I had just been happy with the normal life I had made for myself, I would have adopted. I wouldn’t have you though, Keely, so I’m so mixed up how I feel about that. Yes, I could have saved you from this life, but it wouldn’t have been you. It would have been some stranger.
“The point is, I made so many mistakes, but some led to good things. Like you.”
“And like how I met Nick,” Keely helps.
Kimberly shuts her eyes, her face tight. When she opens them again, her lips are a thin line. “Keely, my biggest mistake of all was not sticking to a supernatural free life. I think, well, I just think that you should maybe date human guys.”
Human guys, hmm. Well, so much for quietly listening. Keely squirms under her anger. “I like Nick.” And Bryon.
“I understand you like him, Honey. I’m not saying you shouldn’t. You can be friends until this is all resolved of course. But, Keely, you have to understand, when this is finished, he will be reassigned. And you’re so young. You haven’t had many boyfriends so you don’t understand. The attention he’s paying you, it’s because he is trying to keep you safe.”
Keely stumbles over her words, trying to form a sentence that makes sense. The magical sentence that will make her mom take back what she’s said and give Keely her blessing. “That’s just…no,” is all that comes out.
“There will be other boys. Better, normal boys. Safe boys.”
Better? Safer? Shaking her head, as her face grows warmer and warmer with each passing second, Keely sucks in a breath. “Does it matter to you that I care about him? That he cares about me?”
Kimberly’s eyebrows crinkle in a sympathetic way. “Oh, Keely.”
“No. Don’t ‘Oh, Keely’ me. I’m not some love sick schoolgirl crushing on the quarterback. He has saved my life so many times, Mom.”
“That’s his job,” Kimberly says softly. It’s not sympathy, it’s pity. Her mom thinks she is stupid. That Nick couldn’t possibly return her feelings. That she has completely misread his feelings for her.
“I think I love him,” Keely whispers.
“It’s not even been a week. You can’t love someone that quickly, Keely. You don’t even know him.”