“No. I don’t think so.” I bite down on my lip to stop the river of laughter trying to bubble out of me.
“It’s not funny,” he says quietly. “I don’t like the idea of some guy laying his hands all over you. You could have been killed.”
I set off on a long stretch of titters before holding my stomach and engaging in a full-blown hacking laugh.
“Are you OK?”
I gasp at the one lucid thought that sails through my mind.
“Ellis fed me brownies.”
Gage gives an exasperated blink before leading me towards the house.
“Make that two people I’m going to kill.”
I look over at the pool and see Lexy ruffling up Logan’s hair in the deep end as he attempts to climb out.
I might kill Lexy just for fun. And I laugh.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Fight Night
Gage is in a fury. He subdues my incessant need to giggle by vexing me with the truth of what Ellis has done. His rage builds as he pushes through the crowd looking for the perpetrator of my inadvertent high.
The house is crowded, dark—it sways in rhythm to the boisterous music blaring from the speakers. I see Brielle and Drake, gyrating, letting loose on a table with another girl I don’t recognize.
The fireplace captures me again. Low blue flames sweep through the air, calling out to me lethargically. They spit out an occasional spark that spears across the hearth like an errant shooting star.
“This him?” Gage thrashes some kid in a vampire costume hard against the metal railing. “Skyla?”
My mouth falls open. He’s got the right face paint and the cape…
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Gage pushes him to the ground and walks deeper into the house.
“You can’t go knocking people around.” I try to keep up with him. “You’re gonna to hurt somebody.”
“That’s the plan.”
I’ve never seen him caged in so much fury. We scan the living room, kitchen— pan all of the downstairs vicinity.
“Never mind.” I pull him back by the elbow trying to abort the mission. “I swear it was probably a misunderstanding. I thought it was you, and maybe he thought I was someone else.” I cup his face gently with my hands. Gage is staggeringly attractive with his eyes blazing, his heart thumping wild for revenge. “I want to enjoy the party. Can’t we just have a good time?”
“Are you sure you’re OK?” His hard expression gives a little.
“Yes, I’m fine. I feel weird, but that’s Ellis’ fault.” I can’t believe he lied to me.
Outside the open double doors we hear the faint sound of Ellis’ very distinct laughter. It doesn’t take long for Gage to bolt in that direction.
I try to trail after him at top speed, but end up flailing and turning my ankles every step of the way. It’s strange the way my body feels—relaxed and yet unusually aware of every movement.
I spot Michelle stooped over the porch with her head between her knees. Emily is stroking her back as though she were a cat. I pause to see if she’s about to puke or something. Her back jerks in a series of vibrations until it becomes clear Michelle is crying.
“What’s going on?” I ask Emily rather impulsively. We are all on the squad together. I did visit her in the hospital after she dove off Devil’s Peak, plus evidently I’m stoned, so it reasons with logic that I should inquire about Michelle’s almost humanlike behavior.
“Dudley broke up with her.” Emily divulges without giving it much thought.
“What?” I’m stunned. “Didn’t the Mayans predict this?” A shiver of laughter gets locked in my chest as I try to digest my own absurdity. No sooner do the words fly out of my mouth than Michelle appears in my face. She shoves her fist through my abdomen, knocking the air out of my lungs. I roll into the planter bed—face down. Michelle lands on my back and begins pulling violently at my hair. She maneuvers me around like puppet causing the incision on my neck to stretch every which way, and suddenly I’m acutely aware of the sharp line of pain.
I let out a shrill cry. Before I can turn, or grab her, or close my mouth, she plunges my face into the dirt and grinds it in for good measure.
“Don’t let me catch you near him again.” Her hot breath sears against the back of my neck.
I roll over in time to see Michelle and Emily ditch into the house. I scan the porch and I’m alone save for a scarecrow sitting on a rocking chair. It seems the entire exchange was witnessed by nobody. I get up and spit into the flowerbed over and over— pretend it’s Michelle’s face every single time.
She picked a lousy time to get knocked up. I’d love to grind her into the dirt myself, six feet under to be exact.
I see Gage at the bottom of the driveway and run over to him. My ankle gives and twists as I hit the bottom, landing me hard on Ellis.
“I guess she likes me better,” Ellis says, helping me upright. “You saved me. He was just about to beat the shit out of me.”
“Beat him later,” I say toppling over to Gage. “Will you take me to see Dudley?”
The moon squats down low behind him, kisses his black hair with an unearthly glow. He really does look like an angel.
A clear look of exasperation crosses his face as he reaches over and digs his finger into Ellis’ chest.
“This isn’t over.”
Ellis pins him with an evil look I didn’t know he was capable of—makes me feel as though I don’t know Ellis at all.
***
Gage is nice enough to drive me over to Marshall’s house, in order to help stave off the manslaughter charge I was about to incur.
“Skyla.” Marshall pinches at his eyes as though he just woke up. I brush past him, making my way into the house. “Not you.” He pushes his hand into Gage. “I choose the guests—and you happen to be the wrong gender. Goodnight.” He shoves him outside and begins to shut the door.
“I’m not leaving.” Gage swoops back in and appears by my side.
“I don’t play this game.” Marshall snatches a bowl full of candy from off a small table. “But if you want cavities, I believe you’re to stand outside and speak in verse—cast a spell or something.” A mild look of annoyance whisks across his face.
“If it’s OK, I’d like to talk to Mr. Dudley,” I say to Gage. I let him know in the car ride over that I wanted to grill Marshall on leaving Michelle—to let him know it’s only going to make my life worse as evidenced by the fertilizer still lodged in my nose.
“I’ll wait outside.” Gage glowers as he heads out the door.
“Look at you,” Marshall marvels at me. “You’re filthy and vexingly beautiful.” He concludes with a lascivious smile before bolting the door.
“Take Michelle back.”
“No.” His cheek rises on one side.
“You have to.” I take a bold step forward. “I want to kill her—probably will. And if I don’t, she’s going to put me through a living hell.”
“Not my concern.” He holds out the dish of candy and rattles it in my direction. “No one showed up tonight.”
“It’s because you live in the boonies and your porch light isn’t on.” I push it away indignantly. “Listen, I have enough trouble without adding Michelle to the equation. Just do me a favor, keep doing whatever it is you do with her. It makes her happy.” I swallow hard at the thought of concerning myself with Michelle’s happiness, but, then again, it directly relates to mine.
“I can’t do that. Besides, it’s been brought to my attention that it’s no way to win you over, so I let her know I’ve moved on.” He gives a devilish smile. “That I’m interested in another student body.”
I seize at the thought. “What the hell’d you do that for?”
“Because, Skyla.” He lets the candy dish drop rather violently to his feet. “It’s the direction I choose to venture in.” He gives a hard look. “Now send the twit home, so I can convince you of the same.” His sharp features startle me with their beauty in t
his dim light. Even with all of his fury, there is an amazing attraction he exudes. It feels almost deliberate as though he’s trying to seduce me.
I circle around him and make my way to the door.
“You don’t tell me what to do,” I hiss. “If you’re going to turn my life into bloody hell, I’ll return the favor.”
“There you go, Skyla.” His tone sharpens. “Grab the tiger by the tail. See how fast I turn around to bite you.”
I open the door and step out into the crisp night air.
“And Skyla?” His voice sails past me, gets lost in the thicket just beyond the property. “I’ve been to bloody hell. I used to grease the gates.”
“Gage?” I call out. His mother’s car sits abandoned in the driveway, but he’s nowhere to be found. A wild panic surges through me. “Where’s Gage?” I ask accusingly.
“I’ve sent him.” There’s a challenge in his voice.
“Sent him where?”
“To hell of course.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hot Date
I’m forced to endure an entire session of Marshall’s attempt at romance. He promised to return Gage unharmed if I spent the next twenty minutes with him.
I watch as he meticulously lights up row after row of candles.
“How does that look?” He steps back admiring his efforts.
“Great. When’s the séance?” I try to ignore the fact he looks glorious in this pale flickering light.
“You slay me.” He doesn’t look amused.
At his command, the sound of a symphony starts to play from somewhere overhead. He takes up my hand and we start to sway to the music.
“You know,” I start, “this would totally be illegal if you were human. Attempted kidnapping, forcing yourself upon a minor—impregnating a minor.” Thank God that last one has nothing to do with me. Just as I’m about to continue with his budding list of felonies, he presses his lips against mine and startles me with a kiss filled with ripples of shivering passion.
A vision races through my mind—me with wings, a horse beside me. I’m holding a shield with a marked crack down the center. I see Logan and Gage fighting a war, muddied and tired, as sopping wet clothes cling to their bodies. Logan throws me a long black gun and I dip down to my knees from the heft of it.
Marshall pulls away and leaves me breathless.
“What was that?” I pant.
“Some kiss,” he muses with his eyes half closed.
“I saw something.” I scrutinize him in his lust-filled glory. “What was it?”
“The future.”
“My future?” I’m perplexed. It’s only then I realize we’re no longer in his home—we’re outside somewhere underneath the fat belly of a lavender moon standing on a cobblestone street. “Where are we?”
“Just this side of heaven. Don’t worry, you’re allowed. I thought I’d give you a taste of my world. Do you like it?”
“Is this some kind of alternate plane?” I try to keep up with him as he moves towards a small shop with tables and chairs set out on the sidewalk.
We take a seat, and a young man appears with two steaming cups of coffee.
“What’s going to happen when I drink this?”
“You’re going to shrink, and a giant fluffy bunny will begin to chase you,” he muses before taking a careful sip. There’s a certain charm about Marshall that pulls me in, keeps me interested just enough to keep from strangling him.
“What kind of future was that? I saw Logan and Gage. We were in some kind of war.”
“It was the heat of battle. Did you forget you’re in the midst of faction upheaval?”
“No.” Sort of.
“Are you aware of the fact you’ve procured a spiritual appendage?”
“A what?”
“You have a ghost, Skyla, lingering by your side. He wants revenge.” He motions to my left.
“Crap!” I let out a little scream and bounce my seat closer to Marshall. I see him clear as velum—looks a lot like Pierce, with the exception that his throat is gouged out.
“Relax, he has no dominion here. He’s spatial. It’s an earth thing. You can bet he’s going to manipulate your world, but say the word, and I’ll bind him for you.”
“It’s him.” I don’t dare say Holden’s name. “I’ve killed him, and now he’s going to haunt me.”
“That might be the case, but I don’t want him ruining our date.” Marshall points in his direction and he vanishes. “He says he’ll meet you in your bedroom.”
I straighten in my seat. “He drove Gage’s truck didn’t he? He’s the reason we crashed.”
“You’re a bright girl.”
“How do I get you to bind him? No wait—don’t tell me. If I choose to become a part of your childbearing harem, you call off the haunting?”
“You’re much sharper at logic than you are math.” He gives a crooked grin.
“There’s no logic here.” Chloe’s face blinks through my mind. I’m going to give blood tomorrow. I’m going to bring her back and she’ll fall hard for Marshall. Then he’ll owe me. It feels more like a question than a fact at this point. “So when I kissed you and saw the future, was that a fluke?” I’ve kissed Marshall before and don’t remember having any kind of vision.
“It’s my gift to you. Anytime you wish to sneak a peek, it’s my pleasure.” His eyes widen with delight.
“How do I know it’s not some fake future you’re implanting in my brain to manipulate me?”
“Let’s test this theory, shall we? I’ll give you a glimpse of something guaranteed to happen within the next twenty-four hours, and when it does, you’ll know the power I’ve laid before you.”
How do I know he’s not manipulating reality as well? He’s a Sector. I don’t even get what he’s capable of.
“Maybe.”
“Here.” He helps me to my feet, and we begin to make our way down the street. “I’ll show you something of interest while you weigh your options.”
That tuning fork feeling, that good vibration that sends my toes curling, jettisons through me, only this time it’s not through the hand that Marshall is holding, it feels like it’s coming from…the atmosphere?
“This feels so good. What is it?”
“Fruit of the spirit in concentrate. Amazing isn’t it? I’ve let go of it just once to see what it’s truly like to inhabit the earth, feels like a car wreck every waking minute.”
“I guess it would. Is Gage really in hell?” I squeeze his hand as if to threaten him into telling the truth.
“He’s in a holding tank. I’ll send him home bright and early in the morning. He won’t be happy. I’d stay away.”
“I’m sure you’d like me to stay away in general.” I’m not going to. I’ll never stay away from either Logan or Gage, not for Marshall, Tad or anyone.
He pauses in front of a large cave-like structure. A group of men at least nine feet tall stand outside the mouth looking over me with curious stares. A pale like sheath moves behind them and I notice one of them has wings.
“He—” I pant the word out.
“Yes, Skyla, let’s not cause a scene.”
“That is so weird.” And amazingly hot. “Hey, why aren’t there any women here?” I pull in closer to Marshall. I don’t like to be the center of attention or leered at like a novelty.
“Pure angels are male. We can breed with women, but it’s heavily frowned upon. The practice was nixed just after a few of my brothers took up with the daughters of men. Old news—happened ages past. Still does now and again.” He brushes his hand in the air. “Transport tunnels.” He slaps the outside of the cave. “Made of pure Jasper, carved from one solid block.” The inside looks black from this perspective. “You know what’s marvelous about the dark?” He pauses gazing inside with a lost vegetative stare. “The way it allows the light to magnify itself.”
I peer in closer and see light in the form of translucent people.
“Fascinating.??
? I run my finger over the soft red wall. “So then, who are you supposed to be with?” Obviously Sectors have a sexual nature, unless of course Marshall is some sort of defect.
“The deceased.” He points inside the cave. Two disembodied women appear, both with startled expressions. The man in the cave lets them know they’ll be carried upwards momentarily. “Or the Caelestis,” Marshall says, flicking a finger skyward as though I should know what he’s talking about.
“What’s a Caelestis?”
“Angels are men who serve in the divine armed forces, and Caelestis…” He squints into the moon as though trying to figure out the best way to describe them. “They’re on the decision council. They make suggestions and assist in the mapping out of peoples lives.”
“So the men fight wars and the women decide what to do? How original.”
“They decide what should to be done,” he corrects. “When dealing with humans, always lower expectation, then lower it some more.”
“Gee thanks.” I roll my eyes at the thought. “So are they beautiful?”
“They are, but you my love, are stunning.” Marshall takes me in and swallows hard. “Anyway,” he says tapping the side of the rock wall. “Transport duty is grueling,” he whispers looking back inside the cave.
Another group of disembodied people appear. Two of them go down, the rest go up.
“They’re dying?” I’m fascinated by this.
“Dead.” Marshall turns to face me, brushes my hair back with his fingers. “I’ve made arrangements to be on transport duty the day you arrive in that tunnel. I’m going to be the one to bring you safe to your final destination, Skyla.” His eyes circle around my face, in a soft sad manner.
Something warms inside me. The thought of death scares me, but knowing Marshall will be there somehow makes it feel all right—safe.
“Thank you.”
“Would you like that kiss now?” The words purr out of him. The pale moonlight glides across his face and smoothes away any malfeasance.