“I don’t think you’re in a position to pass comment on that, do you?” Xavier flashed him a defiant look.
“We’re trying to help you,” Ivy said wearily. “Before we can, we need to find out what’s going on.” That comment unnerved me more than anything that had happened so far.
“You mean you don’t know?” I was amazed. Gabriel and Ivy were always attuned to the will of Heaven.
“There’s no precedence for this,” explained my sister. “It’s only happened once before and that was a long time ago.” Xavier and I both looked blank. If we were meant to divine her meaning, she’d have to speak more plainly. Gabriel unexpectedly came to our aid.
“Ivy is referring to the Nephilim,” he said bluntly.
“Oh, come on!” I burst out. “This is totally different.”
“Who the heck are the Nephilim?” Xavier interjected.
“They were progeny created a long time ago when ‘sons of God’ descended from Heaven and were captivated by the beauty of the ‘daughters of men,’” I explained. “They mated with them, creating a half-human, half-angel race.”
“Seriously?” Xavier raised his eyebrows. “They must’ve skipped that section in Bible class.”
“It’s not a generally accepted doctrine,” Gabriel said drily.
“And what does all this have to do with us?”
“Nothing,” I said emphatically. “This is not the same thing. Those angels who lay with mortals were fallen from grace. They rebelled against God. Heaven couldn’t possibly consider this as serious a transgression … could they?”
“I don’t know,” said Ivy softly. “You have tied yourself to the mortal world, just as they did.”
I had to admit Ivy was right. It was to the mortal world that I now felt the deepest loyalty. Gabriel saw me finger the precious contours of the ring on my left hand. I stole a glance at it, the soft sheen of the diamonds reflected in the waning light. Already it felt like a part of me, as if I were destined to wear it always. I certainly wasn’t going to part with it, not without a fight.
“You should probably put that in a drawer,” came the blunt suggestion.
“Excuse me?”
“It might be wiser not to flaunt it.” Gabriel remained stone-faced.
“I’m not taking off my ring,” I told him steadily. “I don’t care if it makes the whole Kingdom angry.”
Gabriel began to argue but Ivy swept past and murmured something in his ear too soft for us to hear. We caught only the tail end.
“Leave it, Gabe,” she said. “Taking off the ring won’t change a thing.”
In spite of my bravado, I felt myself begin to tremble. Xavier, who had one hand protectively around my waist, felt it too.
“Are you okay?” he asked with concern. He couldn’t know this, but I’d just remembered that the angels responsible for creating the Nephilim had met with a very bleak fate. Had I just put a death sentence on my own head … on both our heads? My brother and sister guessed precisely the turn my thoughts had taken.
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” said Gabriel more gently this time. “Nothing is certain yet.”
“You need to just wait and be patient,” Ivy said. “We’ll find out what we can and tell you everything just as soon as we get back.”
She reached for the car keys on the hall table but Gabriel closed his hand over hers.
“Leave them the car.” He must have read Xavier’s mind because he looked knowingly at him. “Don’t worry; we’ll know if you run into any trouble. If you do, get out fast. We’ll find you.”
“Got it,” said Xavier, more ready to accept their directives than I was. He strode across the room, pulling the curtains tightly shut.
“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” said Gabriel. “Remember—stay away from the windows and bolt the door behind us.”
“Hey, wait,” Xavier called out as a new thought suddenly occurred to him. “What am I supposed to do about my parents? They must be getting pretty worried by now.”
Gabriel stared at the ground for a moment and I knew he was thinking of the Woods family with regret. Would they ever see their eldest son again?
“I’ve already taken care of it,” he said.
“Whoa, how?” Xavier took a step forward, suddenly riled. Up until now his family had been kept out of our dilemmas and I knew he wanted it to stay that way. “They’re my family. What did you do?”
“As far as they know you were last seen at Bryce Hamilton before graduation,” Gabriel said stiffly. “You disappeared and there is no further record of your whereabouts. In twenty-four hours the sherriff’s department will file a missing person’s report. In two weeks they will assume you don’t want to be found.”
Xavier stopped short. “You better be joking.… You want me to let my parents believe I’ve just skipped town?”
“It’s for the best.”
“No way.”
“Call them if you like,” Ivy cut in, more dismissively than was characteristic of her. “But you will be putting them all at risk. It is not safe for anyone to know your whereabouts.”
“Are they in danger?” Xavier’s eyes widened with rising alarm.
“Not as long as they’re in the dark,” my sister said. “If they find out anything, then they become useful. Do you understand? Right now, they have no information worth extracting.”
The way Ivy and Gabriel were talking, we might have been watching a scene from an espionage movie. None of it made sense. But however confused he was feeling, Xavier swallowed hard and said nothing. He had no choice but to accept their edict. There was no way he would put his family at risk … even if it broke his heart to let them worry and grieve for their imagined loss.
“You’ll see them again,” Gabe told him. “When all this is over.” Then he and Ivy stepped lightly through the door and disappeared.
“I hope so,” Xavier murmured after them. I knew how much Xavier loved me; I just wished it hadn’t come with such a high price tag. His voice sounded so forlorn that I wished I could do something to make his pain go away. I tried to move toward him, but Xavier turned away from me and fixed his attention on the clock on the mantel.
I knew he was lost in his own private grief.
I was curious to see where Ivy and Gabriel were going and whether they planned to fly there in plain sight. I crouched at the door and peered through the keyhole. I watched my siblings disappear hand in hand into the thatch of trees that surrounded the cabin. From between the twisted trunks, I caught a shimmer in the air and suddenly, two glowing beams like spools of yarn shot into the sky and vanished into the dense cloud. Gabriel and Ivy were visible only as periodic pinpricks of light, such as might be emitted by fireflies. A moment later, they disappeared completely from view. I turned and pressed myself against the door, wishing I could disappear. Without my siblings to protect us, I felt exposed, like the cabin itself was a flashing neon sign, advertising our presence.
3
Men in Black
I suddenly felt light-headed and flopped down into an armchair by the fireplace. All my nerves felt frayed and a few times I wondered if I might be on the verge of throwing up. My teeth chattered, and I couldn’t stop myself from shivering uncontrollably. The sound must have snapped Xavier out of his thoughts because he turned and looked at me as if he’d just remembered my presence. Instantly, he was kneeling at my side.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.” Xavier surveyed me carefully.
“Everything will be okay,” I said, and repeated it soundlessly to myself like a mantra.
“You know what Ivy and Gabriel are like,” said Xavier, trying hard to appear optimistic. “They always predict the worst-case scenario.”
I jerked upright when I heard a soft rustling of leaves outside. Even the ticking of the old mantel clock sounded exaggeratedly ominous.
“Beth.” Xavier felt my forehead with the back of his hand. “You nee
d to calm down—you’re going to make yourself sick.”
“I can’t help it,” I said. “Everything’s turning so hideously wrong. We should be on our honeymoon right now. Instead, we’re locked up here in the middle of nowhere with someone—or something—hunting us down.”
“I know. Come here.” Xavier sat on the edge of the chair and pulled me close, resting my head against his chest. “Baby … aren’t you forgetting something? You’ve been to Hell and back. You survived. You’ve seen your friends die and almost died yourself too many times. Nothing should scare you now. Don’t you know how strong you are … how strong we are?”
I swallowed hard and pressed my face into the crisp fabric of his school shirt, letting his heartbeat as well as his familiar woody scent comfort me. It was working; I could feel my resolve coming back. My emotions were reeling like a yo-yo, up one minute, down the next.
“I love you so much, Xavier,” I whispered. “And I don’t care if the whole universe is against us.”
We sat together in the cabin and watched the light begin to fade through the crack under the door. On the outside, we might have looked still and tranquil, but inside we were readying ourselves to face another battle, another struggle to preserve what was ours.
This seemed to be the story of our lives. Would fate ever look on us favorably, even for just one day?
* * *
THOSE first days we spent in Willow Lodge were some of the most nerve-wracking of my life. As the hours trickled past and every new day drew to a close, we remained imprisoned in the tiny cabin. Ordinarily, this would have been the sort of place I dreamed of visiting with Xavier: We would make hot cocoa, snuggle up in front of a log fire, and feel like the rest of the world didn’t exist. But now we longed to return to civilization and escape our surreal lockdown. Too many questions remained unanswered for us to derive any pleasure from our picture-perfect surroundings.
Willow Lodge was nestled behind a blanket of trees, with low eaves and a cozy porch. Chintz curtains with ruffled edges hung in the front windows. The sitting room was filled with plump plaid sofas and firewood stacked neatly in a wicker basket. There was a pine kitchen with copper pots hanging from long hooks attached to a beam above the counter. The bathroom had a cast-iron tub and daisy-embossed wallpaper. Several steps led to a mezzanine level, which contained a vast canopied bed with a quilted bedspread, and a window overlooking the misty treetops.
But all that was lost on us. Under different circumstances, it might have been the ultimate romantic retreat. But right now, it was more like a jail.
Xavier and I sat cuddled together in one of the vast linen armchairs. I could guess what he was thinking: It was his lack of judgment that had landed us in this mess. He met my gaze and gave me a tight grimace of apology. But he needn’t have worried. I didn’t regret a single thing.
“Stop it,” I told him sternly. “Stop blaming yourself.”
“It was my idea,” he replied abjectly.
“It was our idea,” I corrected. “And no amount of guilt-tripping from anyone will make me regret becoming your wife. If we have to fight, we will.”
“Wow, you’re turning into a little solider, aren’t you?” Xavier said.
“You’re the one who used to say go hard or go home.”
“I was talking about football,” Xavier said. “But I guess the same applies here.”
“We can think of it like a game,” I replied. “Winning the right to be together … that’s our goal, and we’re just playing against an especially difficult team.” Xavier was forced to smile at my analogy.
“Reckon we can beat ’em?” he murmured, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ears. His touch warmed me and made me forget my fear.
I closed my eyes, distracted by the feel of his fingertips against my skin. “Of course,” I murmured. “They don’t stand a chance.”
Our bodies pressed closer together and Xavier’s thumb traced the outline of my mouth. I felt my lips part involuntarily. The mood was about to change. The air was seconds away from turning electric. We both sensed it and moved quickly apart. Xavier rocked back on his heels, putting a safer distance between us. Nothing quells desire like fear, I thought to myself. Especially when the fear is that your beloved will come to harm.
“This sucks,” I said. “Gabriel shouldn’t ask this of us now.”
“It’s nothing we can’t handle,” Xavier replied.
“You have so much self-control I think you should be the angel.”
“No, thanks.” He smiled. “I don’t like heights.”
“Really? You’ve never told me that.”
“I was trying to impress you. I had to hold some things back.”
“And now you don’t have to impress me anymore? It’s a bit early for complacency. We’ve only been married a few days.”
“For better or worse, remember?”
“I wasn’t expecting the worse to come quite so soon.” Xavier stroked my head to placate me, but it triggered other feelings.
“I want to kiss you,” I said suddenly. “I want to kiss my husband.”
“I think you need a distraction.” Xavier sighed.
“I completely agree.…”
“Not that kind of distraction.”
Xavier stood up and began to rummage through the cupboards on either side of the fireplace. They were full of dated copies of National Geographic and Reader’s Digest as well as an old wooden train set. I pressed my face into the sofa and groaned. Xavier persevered, determined to find something that would take our minds off the tension hanging in the air.
“There’s gotta be something useful in here,” he mumbled before withdrawing a couple of battered-looking board games and holding them up triumphantly. “Trivial Pursuit or Monopoly?” he said brightly.
“Trivial Pursuit,” I said glumly.
“Oh, not fair,” Xavier objected. “You’re like a walking encyclopedia.”
“Your sisters say you always cheat in Monopoly.”
“Mortgaging properties when your cash flow’s running low is not cheating. My sisters just hate to lose.”
Outside, a spray of rain began, accompanied by the occasional rumble of distant thunder. I couldn’t see the rain but I could hear it pattering on the steps outside. I shifted position on the sofa, playing with the fringed pillows.
“We don’t even know who’s looking for us,” I whispered.
“Doesn’t matter,” Xavier said stoutly. “They won’t find us. And if they do we’ll run.”
“I know,” I replied. “I just wish I knew exactly what was going on. No one ever tells us anything. And I can’t bear the thought of anyone trying to separate us again.…”
“Let’s not think about it now,” Xavier jumped in before the mood turned too gloomy.
“You’re right. Let’s just play.”
Xavier nodded and began to set up the Monopoly board in silence. For a while the game managed to absorb us, but I could tell we were just going through the motions. Both our heads jerked up in unison at the slightest rustling of leaves outside or the snap of a twig. At one point, Xavier turned his phone on to find twelve missed calls and several frantic texts from his parents and sisters. Claire’s message read: “Xav, I don’t know where you are but you really need to call us as soon as you get this.” Nicola’s text message on the other hand reflected her feistier personality perfectly: “WTF? Where are you? Mom’s flipping out. Call her.” Xavier threw his phone at the couch in frustration and it slipped down between the cushions. I knew how hard it must be for him to ignore his family when a few simple words could ease their suffering. I didn’t know what to tell him, so I didn’t say a word. Instead I rolled the dice and silently moved my token to Trafalgar Square.
It was only once we heard the Jeep pull up outside that we realized how cold and hungry we were. Luckily, Ivy and Gabriel had brought supplies with them.
“It’s freezing in here. Why didn’t you get the fire going?” Ivy asked.
I
shrugged. I could hardly tell her all our energies had gone into keeping ourselves distracted so we wouldn’t consummate our marriage, thereby incurring further heavenly wrath.
Gabriel waved his hand over the hearth and a roaring fire sprang up. I drew closer to it and rubbed my arms, which were covered in goose bumps. They’d brought Chinese take-out and we ate it straight out of the cartons on our laps, and washed it down with cider. If it weren’t for the somber faces and heavy silence, someone looking in might have concluded we were a group of friends on a weekend getaway. We all knew there was a conversation hanging in the air, waiting to happen, but no one wanted to broach it.
I could have guessed Ivy would be the first to break the silence.
“The Seventh Order has assumed control,” she announced, spreading her hands flat on her thighs, as if she needed to physically brace herself. “They’re always sticking their noses in where they’re not wanted!”
I vaguely knew what she was referring to. The Seventh Order was a faction of angels created to act as custodians over the nations of the world, but I was still struggling to grasp what they had to do with us.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” My comment was directed at no one in particular.
Gabriel turned his head to look at me. “What did you expect? A honeymoon suite at the Four Seasons?”
“No, but it’s hard to imagine that they’re coming here. Because of us.”
“They’re not coming,” Ivy said gravely. “They’re already here.”
“What do they want?” Xavier cut straight to the more pressing issue. “Whoever they are, I won’t let them anywhere near Beth.”
“Still a hothead,” muttered Gabriel, staring into the fire.
Ivy continued without him. “The two of you have to lie low and stay hidden. Word is they’ve already started hunting.”
“Hunting?” Xavier echoed. “We’re still talking about angels, right?”
“They are soldiers first and foremost,” Ivy said. “With one objective … find the renegade.”