“Hey, if I used it sooner, I would have wasted bullets. Reloading takes time. One shot… one kill. So quit whining you big baby,” Malachi rebutted, tucking the gun back in the holster on his hip.
“Hey Dom. I killed three Darkling, and you killed one Angel. Guess who’s cleaning my blade tonight?” Alex teased holding his bloodied sword in the air.
“B - S! One Angel is easily worth five Darkling. The Darkling are easy kills. Angels take more skill, as you can see,” he said, pointing to his bloody appendage.
“No way! I could have taken out that Angel without getting a single scratch. You’re losing it, bro. Those bulging muscles are slowin’ you down.”
“Yeah, whatever. I can take you out without getting a scratch either,” Dominic snapped back at Alex.
“Okay! If you all don’t want to die tonight, then I suggest we get the hell out of here,” Alaine yelled. She stumbled and grabbed onto my arm, like she was weak.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’ll be fine. I just need a few minutes,” she said with a smile.
She must have used her power to make us invisible to Lucian, and using that power made her weak. At least that seemed like a pretty decent explanation.
“Malachi, you take Samuel. James, I need you to assist Danyel. Dominic, you take Caleb, and Kade – I’ll let you take Emma. Now let’s get out of here.”
“Hop on little man, but watch the injury,” Dominic said to Caleb, bending down so he could climb on his back. Samuel was still unconscious, so Malachi threw him over his shoulder. Danyel was hanging on, but barely. James wrapped his arm around his waist to assist him.
Kade sheathed his sword and walked over to me with a grin. A single bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face. Damn, he was hot!
“You ready?” he asked, turning his back to me.
“Yes,” I whispered, but my heart screamed it. I hopped on his back, wrapped my arms around his neck, and locked my legs around his waist. The surges of warmth were there, but I invited them, hugging him even tighter. He gripped tightly to my arms. I laid my head on his back and breathed in his sweet scent, glad he was alive. Glad we all were alive and leaving together, with the additions of Danyel and Samuel…my father.
Before I could think another thought, we were on the fly, out of the cave and back in the woods, weaving through the darkness. How could they maneuver so fast without seeing a thing? I wondered if I’d be able to see in the dark when I turned, or transformed when I became eighteen.
I wouldn’t worry about that right now. Right now I wanted to snuggle deep into Kade’s neck, and that’s exactly what I did. He rubbed my arms and pulled me tighter to him. I closed my eyes and envisioned us alone, in eternal bliss. But that’s all it ever would be. A vision.
A few minutes later we were back on the road. The fires of the car that exploded had dwindled and almost burned out.
“Everybody in!” James urged.
There was no hesitation. Everyone knew what they had to do. They opened the back and loaded Samuel and Danyel in. Alaine and Malachi climbed in with them. James jumped in the driver’s seat, and Dominic was shotgun. Me, Kade, Alexander, and Caleb squished in the backseat.
James kept the lights off, but as soon as the last door shut, he threw the car in reverse and hit the gas. He suddenly slammed on the brakes; we all flew forward and to the side, as the Hummer did a 180 spin.
“James!” Alaine and a few others scolded.
“Sorry,” James replied, in a not-so-apologetic tone, as he threw the car into drive and sped off.
“Alaine, where are we going?” James asked.
“To the bunker,” she replied.
“Bunker? Why aren’t we going back to the house?” I immediately questioned, twisting back to Alaine.
“Because the house and property are protected by an invisible barrier, a barrier which the Fallen cannot pass. Samuel and Danyel will not be able to enter, unless that barrier is removed, and doing so will put everyone else at great risk, especially now that Lucian is out for revenge. He’ll stop at nothing now, until we are all dead.”
“James and I will be staying at the bunker with them. I want you to return to the house with the others.”
“No way. I’ve already been orphaned once, and I’m not going to let it happen all over again. I’m staying with you.”
Her face was weary, and covered with dirt and sweat. I waited for a rebuttal but none came. “We will discuss it when we arrive, but I will not risk your safety. I suggest you get some sleep. We have a long drive ahead of us.”
I was beyond exhausted. Everyone was. Caleb, on my left, had already passed out and was snoring. We were human after all, or at least I was, for now. Kade turned to face me, but I couldn’t see his expression in the dark. He reached for my hand and laced his fingers through mine. It felt right. Perfect. I laid my head on his shoulder and soon fell fast asleep.
Chapter 17:
“Emma. Emma. We’re here,” Kade gently nudged me awake. I’d totally lost my bearings, but smiled as my eyes focused on his smiling face.
We were parked in some kind of extra-large concrete garage; every wall was sealed and I couldn’t figure out how we’d gotten in. We exited the Hummer and walked toward one of the walls, everyone except Samuel, who was being carried by James. Alaine pressed a spot on the wall, and suddenly a portion of the concrete began to rise.
Whoa! That was some major high tech stuff.
“Let’s go,” she urged.
Everyone followed her through a long narrow hallway that led downward about one-hundred yards, and at the end was a large metal door. She punched in a code on a small black pad on the side, and pushed it open.
We entered a large open room, beautifully furnished. The walls were painted in a light sand color. To the right was a full kitchen made of stainless steel and cherry wood, which was stocked with everything imaginable. To the left was a large seating area with a huge plasma screen TV attached to the wall. At the back were four large rooms, and I could see a bathroom attached to each.
“This is a bunker?” I whispered to Kade in shock. This looked like some kind of model home.
He nodded and whispered back, “Yes, Alaine had it built several years ago, in case anything like this happened.”
“James, could you please take Samuel into the first room and lay him on the bed. Danyel, you can have the next room over. Feel free to use the bathroom to wash up. There are clean clothes and towels in the drawers. Hopefully you can find something that fits.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Alaine. You and your boys,” Danyel replied with a bow of his head.
“You’re very welcome,” she said with a weak smile. Alaine looked drained. “Emma, you can take the last room.” I guess she was letting me stay.
“Thanks,” I said, as she turned and followed Samuel into the room and shut the door behind her.
“I need to get a hold of Thomas,” Malachi said shuffling into the kitchen. Dominic and Alexander had plopped down on the couches in the seating area. Caleb grabbed one of the cushions and hit the floor, snoring as soon as his head went down. Malachi dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.
“Damn. No service!” he huffed.
“Just use the TV. It’s one of those smart ones, and it’s connected to the internet. Alaine spared no expense,” Alexander called from the couch.
Dominic turned on the TV, and within in a few minutes, Thomas popped up on the large screen, looking like he was right in the room with us.
“Hey, where the heck are you guys?” were his first words, and… “Did everyone make it?” were his second.
“We’re in the bunker,” Malachi answered. “And everyone is accounted for.”
“Mission accomplished. Sweet,” Thomas said, holding a thumbs-up.
“Barely dude. We’ve got some stories to tell you! For starters, we picked up two extras. Which is why we’re here,” Dominic said.
“Who?”
&n
bsp; “Danyel and…Samuel,” Malachi answered, stressing Samuel’s name.
“Samuel? Alaine’s Samuel?” Thomas asked completely dumbfounded.
“Yep. Long story… We’ll give you the whole scoop later,” Malachi confirmed.
“So how was babysitting?” Alexander asked Thomas with a laugh.
“Not too bad. I actually got some action. Two Darkling’s were lurking around the grounds along the outer fence. I caught them on the camera, so I snuck up behind them. I got one right in the back. When I was pulling out my sword, the other one got away. They were probably on recon. Checking to see who stayed back. So… is anyone coming back to the house?”
“Alaine is sending Kade, Dom, and Alex back with Caleb,” Malachi answered. “How’s Courtney?”
“Sound asleep.”
“Stay alert, and keep an eye out for more Darkling. We rained on Lucian’s parade tonight, and he’s beyond pissed. Said he’s gonna kill all of us… you included,” Dominic jested.
“Awesome,” Thomas answered, nodding his head with a smile.
I whispered to Kade, “I thought the Darkling can’t get in because of the barrier.”
“The barrier can only keep the Fallen out. That’s why they send the Darkling.”
“Oh.” I breathed. That was scary.
“Well, hurry up. I’m getting bored over here,” Thomas laughed.
“Bored? Well, I’ve got something that’ll keep you busy ALL night,” Dominic said, wiggling his eyebrows.
“I’m afraid to ask,” Thomas chuckled.
“Get your gloves on little lady, our weapons need some major cleaning. We’ll be home soon,” he said twiddling his fingers at the camera.
“Whatever dude,” Thomas sneered, and then disconnected. Everyone laughed.
“Come on little man, we’re taking you home,” Dominic said, nudging Caleb with his foot. Caleb groaned, and slowly peeled himself off the floor. His eyes were a bright shade of red. Dominic and Alexander ambled towards the door.
“Bye, Emma,” each said as they left. I waved them good-bye.
“I’d better go,” Kade said, running his hand through his hair.
“Yeah,” I said, and my heart twisted. He smiled and walked towards the others.
“I’ll walk you guys out,” Malachi said, assisting a wobbly Caleb. I watched them leave, and as soon as the door snapped shut…I was alone.
I stood there, feeling completely lost. Like I’d just woken from a nightmare and everything around me was different. Changed. The only thing that seemed real… was me, and I was even beginning to question that.
I glanced down at myself. My shirt, jeans, shoes… were all covered in mud. A sudden rush of overwhelming emotion flooded over me, taking me over the top. Maybe over-exhaustion, or the fact that I’d survived death several times this night. Hot tears pooled in my eyes, so I turned and headed to my room. I needed to sleep, and this time… I definitely wouldn’t need any help.
“Hey Emma!” I gasped as I heard Kade’s voice and twisted back. He stood at the door, holding it open with one hand. “You did good tonight. You were very brave, and should be proud of yourself,” he said with a nod of appreciation.
A tear escaped my eye and slid down my cheek.
“Thank you,” I breathed. Suddenly, an overwhelming, unexplainable feeling swept over me. I found myself running into Kade’s arms and hugging him tightly, not caring how he’d respond. But in return, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back.
I looked up at his handsome face, and he gently brushed the tears that flowed from my eyes. He pressed his soft, warm lips against my forehead. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. His sweet scent made me dizzy. His fingers traced the lines of my face, and then slowly, carefully, he lifted my chin. I froze. My breath seized as he leaned in closer and closer.
“Kade!” A voice snapped. My emotions whiplashed and I was suddenly yanked from heaven. I turned to find Alaine standing in the doorway, glaring at the both of us.
Oh crap!
As soon as Kade’s arms left me, all the good feelings left too.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m not,” I breathed, smiling back at him. He grinned and turned to Alaine.
“Kade, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Alaine said, in a not so friendly voice.
“Alright,” he said with a sad nod, then whispered, “bye Emma.”
“Bye,” I breathed, watching him leave for the second time.
“Emma, why don’t you go and get cleaned up. I’d like you to come to the room when you’re finished. Samuel is awake and we’d like to speak to you.”
“Okay,” I answered, my thoughts still lingering on Kade.
I slipped into my room and locked the door behind me. I opened the drawers and found some shirts and sweatpants in different sizes, and some underwear that fit. I balled up the clothes and headed for the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror…I didn’t even recognize. It was scary. I quickly peeled out of my mud caked clothes and threw them in the hamper.
I turned on the water, and as soon as I saw steam rising, I stepped in. Chills shot through my body as the hot water collided with my cold limbs.
I was still in shock over what had become of my life. First the death of my parents, and on top of that…the Darkling, Fallen Angels, Nephilim, Alaine, Samuel, Kade…and here I was, stuck somewhere in the middle. I still didn’t understand who or what I really was, and right now, it was way too overwhelming to comprehend. I curled up into a ball on the shower floor and cried. It felt good to cry, especially with no one around. I let the hot water beat down on my head.
I couldn’t explain the feelings I was having, knowing that I’d be in the same room with my birth mother and father, who never existed in my world until a few hours ago. Maybe it was apprehension, maybe it was nerves, but it had my stomach in knots.
I’d also forgotten, for just a moment, that I’d had a cast on this morning. Now it was off, and my arm was fine aside from a minor ache. That was a miracle in itself. I could recall a flash of what it looked like – limp, abnormal, and barely hanging on by its skin. I hoped that the same healing ability could heal the rest of my aching body. It seemed that even my hair and toenails were aching.
I finally got up, grabbed the shampoo, lathered and rinsed twice, just to make sure that the mud caked in my scalp was gone. Conditioner was next, so I glopped a large amount in my palm and rubbed it through my hair. It smelled yummy, like ripe green apples.
I finished my shower and quickly dressed, ready to meet my real parents, together, for the first time. As I opened the door, my stomach filled with slam-dancing butterflies and my pulse took off like a racehorse.
I stood outside their door and knocked.
“Come in, Emma,” Alaine called.
My heart hammered as my fingers touched the cold, brass knob and slowly turned.
The room was dimly lit by a small lamp next to the bedside, and smelled of sweet soap. Samuel wasn’t on the bed, but the bathroom door was shut.
“Come, take a seat,” Alaine motioned for me to sit in one of two chairs positioned next to the bed.
I took a seat; my knee bounced nervously up and down, my hands twisted around each other, and then…the bathroom door opened. My breath hitched as Samuel stepped out. He was almost unrecognizable – clean-shaven and hair neatly pulled back into a tight ponytail. His face was luminous, younger. His large, brown eyes gleamed as he looked up and noticed me.
“Emma,” he spoke with smile.
“Hi,” I replied, nervous as hell.
He took a step and doubled-over, grasping his side. Alaine rushed over and helped him to the bed.
“Lie down,” she said, fluffing pillows.
“You don’t need to tend to me, Alaine. I’m more than capable,” he huffed.
“Still stubborn, after all these years,” Alaine replied, but they both shared a smile. Samuel scooted back up on the bed, while Alaine took a seat next to me. Sh
e grabbed my hand and held it tightly.
“Emma, this is Samuel…your father,” she replied.
I didn’t know what to say. We’d already given our salutations and I’d met him twice before. I looked into his smiling eyes.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. I was afraid you wouldn’t have believed me,” he said in a sorrowful tone.
“Well, you’re right about that. I wouldn’t have. When we first met, I thought you were some crazy bum.”
Samuel rolled with laughter, and then grabbed his chest and started moaning.
“You’d better take it easy, Samuel. They broke just about every one of your ribs,” Alaine noted.
“You should call Malachi. He’s good at fixing broken ribs,” I noted.
“And how would you know that?” Alaine questioned. She and Samuel stared at me.
“Um, because when I met that Darkling at the airport, I broke a rib and he fixed it.”
Alaine sighed. “Well, he and Kade never mentioned that to me. I’ll deal with them later,” she mumbled to herself.
“Please don’t,” I begged. “They saved me. Kade warned me not to go into the bathroom, but I was stubborn. I mean… how could I know there were things that wanted to kill me? But he came in and kicked that Darkling’s ass, while Malachi pulled me out, and healed my ribs. They did their job. They kept me safe. So please don’t be mad at them.”
Alaine and Samuel shared a look and a smile, both shaking their heads.
“She’s a lot like you. Stubborn and strong willed,” Samuel chuckled.
“But she’s also like you…daring and fearless,” she said. “I can’t believe we’re all here, together. It’s like a dream come true.”
“It is,” Samuel agreed. “This is a dream come true.”
I felt a little awkward and uncomfortable. They were staring at each other with goo-goo eyes.
Alaine looked young. Like in her mid-twenties, but I knew she was much older. I guess being half-angel slowed the aging process. Samuel looked a little older than her, maybe early thirties, but they were beautiful together. I didn’t know how I would fit in, but in my heart I knew I did, somehow. Alaine took hold of Samuel’s hand and sobbed.