Celestials

I woke up early the next morning, cramped, confused, and exhausted. However, the warmth that surrounded me was heavenly. I burrowed into it, until it started moving. My eyes flew open and came in contact with a dark t-shirt.

Jude.

No wonder my body hurt. I was curled into Jude’s lap and we had fallen asleep sitting under my bedroom window. Not the most comfortable way to sleep.

“How do you feel?” a deep voice whispered above my head. The head which was still lying on his extremely masculine chest.

I bolted up, trying to shake those thoughts from my head. In the process, I bashed Jude in the chin with the top of my skull. Good going, Ace.

“Shit! Sorry!” I scrambled, trying to check if his chin was bleeding, while simultaneously checking my head for a bump. I seemed fine. Laying a protective hand on the back of his head, so I wouldn’t accidentally bash it into the wall, I lifted his chin. He looked okay.

Amused dark eyes met mine. Immediately, my self-consciousness caught up with me. I tried to drop my hand to somewhere less….him, but seeing as I was sitting in the circle of his legs and his arms were still around me, there was nowhere to drop it. I settled for his shoulder.

“I’m fine,” he smiled. “But how are you?” His eyes deepened with concern and his smile dropped.

“Oh, fine,” I mumbled, trying to flatten out my hair with hand. The other one was still trapped between Jude’s head and the wall. “A little stiff from the floor sleeping and….drained.”

Jude nodded. “Thought you might be.”

“How did we end up on the floor?” I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know. But then again, after our talk last night, I was overwhelmed and exhausted. God, I hope I didn’t do anything stupid. As inconspicuously as possible, I checked to make sure I was still fully dressed.

“You made me promise not to hurt you,” he told me, brushing a stray hair away from my face. His touch did not feel good, I swear it didn’t. “And then you fell asleep. I was afraid if I moved you, I would wake you.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure how we ended up so…together. I guess, I fell asleep too.”

I nodded and tried to extricate myself from him. “Sorry.” I got up and started gathering clothes for a shower.

“For what?” Jude looked up at me from the floor. His face almost peaceful.

I smirked. “For making you spend a night on my floor with me slobbering all over you. You should have woke me up and left.”

A blush suddenly crept up Jude’s face. “Don’t be too sorry. I was supposed to wake you up every forty-five minutes.” His head cocked in wonder. “I don’t normally sleep that well.”

Lately, I hadn’t been either, but I didn’t want to add that. It was bad enough we spent the night together, no matter how innocently.

Quickly, Jude jumped up. “Guess I’ll be going.” He stuck a long leg out my window. “This way Boreas and your Da won’t know. You sure you’re okay?”

I nodded, completely bewildered by the past twenty-four hours. “Yeah.”

He smiled faintly and was out my window. Strangest morning ever. And I wasn’t even going to think about how nice it was to wake up in Jude’s arms. It wasn’t Jude, I just hadn’t been with anyone in a while and I was lonely. And besides, he told me he heard the rumors about me. Why would he even consider hanging around me? He was only here out of some promise he made to himself. I sighed.

Da needed to get better fast so I could head back to my nice, isolated life in San Francisco. Although, strange, winged creatures were after me, so I didn’t even know if that would happen.

Da was driving me crazy. All morning he kept needling me about finding me in Jude’s lap yesterday. God, you try to help one guy with a lightning bolt attack and suddenly we’re supposed to get married.

“I simply want you to be happy,” Da was saying, yet again. I was trying to fold laundry, but Da kept talking to me about Jude. “And you looked pretty happy with him.”

I sighed. “The man cut his arm Da. I couldn’t leave him. I would have done the same for any of your other employees.”

“I’ve seen the way you look at each other,” Da told me.

Shaking my head, I snapped a t-shirt angrily. “There is no way we look at each other. Besides, there isn’t one person in the area, whether they are new to it or not, who would want to date me.”

I knew it was a low blow, bringing up my mother and the rumors about me. It was the truth though. I didn’t miss the way his eyes clouded over.

“No one thinks you did anything,” Da told me quietly.

My mouth formed a tight, uncomfortable smile. “No one would tell you that. But they do Da. I can see it. You, Boreas, and Margot are the only ones who are a hundred percent sure I didn’t do anything.”

“Aurora-“

“Da, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

He sighed. “Jude seems to like you. Consider going out with him.”

I smiled smugly, thinking I’d won. “He didn’t ask me.”

Da smiled right back. “He will. Especially, if I let it slip you’re interested.” His eyes were twinkling. Damn.

A knock sounded at the back door. I moved to answer it, yelling my response over my shoulder. “I’m not interested in anyone. The last thing I need is Jude or any other guy around here mucking up my life!”

“Good thing, I’m not from around here then,” a deep voice resounded from the door I had flung open.

My eyes immediately collided with mossy green ones, smiling at me in amusement. I couldn’t help but smile back. Standing at six feet, the man in front of me was beautiful. Tanned skin, golden hair that curled over his ears, and long, muscular body gave him the look of a Californian surfer. What the hell was he doing on my porch?

He cleared his throat and I felt a blush creep up my neck. God, I had been staring at his full lips. I shook my head.

“Sorry. You, uh, surprised me,” I mumbled. “Can I help you?”

Mr. Surfer looked down at the scrap of paper in his hand. “I’m looking for Edward Marquadt.” He looked up at me, his green eyes shining in the sunlight. Then he extended his hand. “I’m Gabe Winterbourne.”

I took his hand, the warmth sending chills up my arm. My temples started to prickle, but I ignored them. “Rory Marquadt. I’m Edward’s daughter. Hold on a sec, I’ll get him for you.”

When I turned, Da had already come around the corner and watched our whole exchange. I prayed he didn’t notice the blush on my cheeks. When had Aleut Harbor gotten such hot guys in it?

Da strode forward, looking stronger than I had seen him look since I got back. He extended his hand. “I’m Edward. Can I help you?”

Mr. Surfer took my father’s hand, trapping me in between them. My temples prickled more. He couldn’t be one of them could he? I mean, he looked innocent enough. Mr. Surfer even smelled like sunshine. “Gabe Winterbourne.”

I tried hard to control my laughter. What kind of name was Winterbourne? The man was radiating warmth, sunshine, and summer days surfing at the beach. Fate was probably laughing her ass off right now.

“Ah, Gabe,” Da said as if he knew who this guy was. Da took his hand back and looked to me. “Cannery man. Wants to review our contract with them.”

I nodded. “I’ll just finish folding the laundry and let you get to it.”

Walking back to the living room, I heard Da and Gabe talking quietly. The whole time I folded laundry and prepared lunch for the crew, I felt Gabe’s gaze on me. Every once in a while I would catch his eyes on me. When I did, he just smiled. He would find out soon enough that I wasn’t someone to be interested in.

An hour later, Boreas, Jude, and Benji came back to the house to eat. I was in the kitchen getting napkins and talking to Gabe, while Da was getting paperwork together.

“So where are you from?” I asked. The prickle in my temple was still there but it had receded. My worry was all for naught.

“Would you believe California?” he replied.

I laughed. “Yes. You look like you surfed all the way here.” He smiled at me. “So what made you come up this way?”

He shrugged. “I needed something different and my father had been a fisherman. Heard cannery was the way in, if you have no experience.”

I nodded. “You say you want something different, until winter comes around,” I told him. “One of the reasons, I moved to San Francisco.”

Gabe’s smile lit up the room. “So you live in California?”

I nodded. “Just here until Da recovers.”

“Good to know.” He smiled at me and I couldn’t help but smile back.

Jude picked that precise moment to walk in the door. He looked from me to Gabe, back to me and then stared at Gabe. To give him credit, Gabe stared back unflinchingly, almost smugly. Tension filled the air, but I had no idea why. The prickle in my temple graduated to a full-fledged throb. Does aspirin work on these types of headaches? I’d have to ask Jude later.

“Jude this is Gabe, from the cannery,” I introduced him, standing in between them. “Gabe, Jude.”

The two of them begrudgingly shook hands, anger radiating off of Jude. I took the napkins into the dining room. At this point, I didn’t even want to know what was going on with the two of them.

As luck would have it, when we sat down to eat, Jude sat next to me and Gabe sat across from me. It didn’t escape my notice that Jude would casually put a proprietary arm on the back of my chair. Gabe laughed it off, while Boreas looked murderous again and Da was in seventh heaven. Benji remained blissfully ignorant. The pain shot from my temples down my neck. It took all I had not to wince and remain normal.

“So what brings you here?” Jude asked Gabe, his voice held no friendliness.

Gabe smirked at him. “You know, the usual. Work. My father held a similar job, you know.”

“I think I’d heard something like that,” Jude mumbled. Louder he said, “Interesting timing you have.”

Gabe nodded. “Yeah. Well, the cannery needed someone to help with paperwork and I’m exceptionally good at that type of thing. I’ll work for a while, see if I can get any experience on a boat and then go back to California. Where did you say you lived again, Rory?”

“San Francisco,” I answered. He knew the answer that much I could tell. He was doing it to needle Jude but I couldn’t figure out why. What was going on with the two of them?

Gabe nodded. “I actually live near there. Surfing’s not too bad.”

“Oh, cool,” was all my feeble mind could respond. The pain was heightening. What the hell was going on? I looked at Jude but he didn’t seem concerned that the winged beings were going to come get us. He just looked pissed at Gabe.

“Maybe we can hang out once were both back in that area,” Gabe suggested. Da looked ready to explode. I just wasn’t sure if he was happy that I might have a date or furious because it was someone from San Francisco.

“Yeah, sure,” I agreed. After he heard the rumors about my mother, I was pretty sure he would never want to get together with me. Fervently, I prayed he wouldn’t tell anyone in the area that I knew.

Jude leaned in close, so only I could hear what he said. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Why not?” I hissed at him. Aside from being chased by winged creatures, why was it such a horrible thing?

“It’s not a good idea. You don’t know anything about him,” he whispered back. Despite the fact that I was annoyed with him, his warm breath against my ear made me all tingly.

“Neither do you,” I told him, wincing as my head throbbed. “I’ve known him an hour longer than you have.”

He shook his head. “But you don’t-“

“Everything okay?” Boreas asked. He was watching Jude warily and looking disapprovingly at me.

“Fine,” I answered with a smile. “He was just checking on my dizziness. But I told him there was no need to worry about me.” I stood and looked pointedly down at him. “I’m a big girl who can take care of herself.”

With that I started cleaning up. Gabe grabbed some plates off the table and followed me into the kitchen.

“I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble,” he said, emptying plates into the trash. “I didn’t think from the way you answered the door before that you had a boyfriend.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I huffed, pissed. “At this point, Jude is barely a friend.”

“Good,” Gabe smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. Immediately, I felt calmer, more peaceful. My headache receded a bit. “I’d like to get to know you better.”

I couldn’t help but smile back. “I’d like that.”

When he released me, I felt a little lonelier. Maybe Da was right, maybe I did need to get out and date more.

“Benji said he’d take me to see the boat, but I’ll see you soon,” he promised and went to get his shoes in the mudroom.

Soon the others were shuffling through the kitchen to go back to work. Jude was the last to leave. He lingered at the door staring at me. I refused to look at him. When he spoke, his voice was soft and laced with hurt.

“Rory, look at me.”

I turned slowly, my icy blue eyes meeting his dark ones. “What?” I snapped, wincing from my headache.

He sighed and walked over to me. “Just be careful. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

“At the moment, just the dishes, so there’s no need for your concern,” I retorted sharply, but I couldn’t help a groan of relief. Jude’s cool hands travelled a path from my temples, over my head and down the back of my neck. Slowly, the pain was diminishing.

“I’m always concerned.” His sincerity was broken only by the deep breath he took.

I nodded. “Right. Your mysterious promise to yourself.”

He smiled a faint, sad smile and moved his hands away from me. “Just be careful, I don’t know what his intentions are.”

I shook my head. “Nothing. Besides, I’m not really the dating type.”

“Yes, you are.” Jude almost laughed, but it was like he couldn’t get there. “Besides, he’s hard to resist.”

With that puzzling statement, he was out the door.

Margot met me out at Jake’s Crab Shack, which in San Francisco terms would have been a dive bar. In Aleut Harbor, it was the local spot to drink, play darts or pool, and meet up. Inexplicably, Jake’s didn’t even serve crab.

I searched through the shadowy room, everything done in dark woods and deep greens. The only lights were old metal shades with single bulbs that hung somewhat randomly throughout the room. Only the pool tables and bar were well lit. Margot waved at me from a table in the back.

Patrons’ stares followed me to my seat. Never let them see it hurts you, I told myself like I always did. It was a mantra that repeated itself throughout most of my life here.

Margot rolled her eyes as soon as I sat down. “I wish people would just get over it.” Then stricken, she looked at my face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I meant, they need to get over thinking you did anything.”

I smiled the best I could. Of all the times I’d been back, the topic of my mother had never been brought up so much. “It’s fine. I knew what you meant.” Then I sighed. “They’ll never get over it. It’s the biggest thing that happened here and gossips need to talk.”

Margot’s eyes twinkled. “Speaking of gossip, I hear there is a new hot, blond man in town. Patty Scherer told me, when she was getting her hair cut, that she saw some tall, hot man strolling around town. Thinks he’s gearing up for a season on one of the boats.”

I shook my head. “He works at the cannery, paper pushing apparently, though he doesn’t look it. Got in there to try to get a foot in the door on the boats.”

Margot leaned forward. “How do you know so much about Mr. Tall, Blonde and Beautiful?”

I smiled at her perfect description. “He stopped at the house to do paperwork with Da.”

“God, honey,” she smiled, falling back into her chair, “you have all the luck. First, Jude and now Blondie.”

“Gabe.”

“Hm?” Margot was staring open-mouthed at something behind me.

“His name is Gabe,” I told her.

“I don’t care what his name is, hon,” she told me still staring. “He’s hot.”

I followed the direction of her eyes and found myself meeting a pair of mossy green ones. Gabe was here with Benji. They both gave me a wave and then to my mortification, started making their way over.

Margot’s hand slapped on top of mine. “He’s coming over here!”

“You’re married,” I hissed back at her.

“But you’re not and I want details. Steamy, steamy, blond-man details, honey,” she whispered. A welcoming smile lit up her face as Gabe and Benji arrived. “Hello, Benji and…friend. I’m Margot.”

Gabe extended his hand, while Benji nodded and took a seat. “Gabe. Nice to meet you.” His eyes turned to me. “Great to see you again, Rory.”

I nodded to him and then turned to Benji who was folding his stocky form into a seat. “Hey, Benji. What are you guys doing here?”

Gabe sat down between Margot and myself as Benji shrugged. “Gabe said he hasn’t been in town long, so I figured I’d bring him out.”

Margot leaned over to Gabe, always the flirt, batting her long eyelashes. “So where are you from?”

Gabe chuckled. “California.”

Margot’s eyes lit up and stared at me. I swear she bore a hole right through my head. “Oh, just like Rory.” She tried to be nonchalant, but it didn’t work.

Benji rolled his eyes. “Margot thinks everyone should be married with four kids.”

“Aw, Benji,” Margot pinched his cheek playfully. “Not all of us are babies like you.” She turned her gaze on Gabe, sizing him up. “You look like you’re ready to settle down. How old are you anyway?”

Suddenly, uncomfortable, Gabe looked to me. “What do you look like if you’re ready to settle down?”

I smiled, giving him a comforting pat on the shoulder. “In Margot’s eyes, you just have to look appealing.”

He smiled, his whole face lighting up. “Oh, well, in that case, thanks.”

“Now, let’s talk more about this settling down thing, honey,” Margot instructed. Run, Gabe, run. She will trap you. Margot is sneaky!

Gabe chuckled. “How about a date first?”

Margot beamed. She’d got him. “I’d love to honey, but I’m married. Rory’s available, though. Why don’t you two finish up your drinks and head out to dinner? I know she didn’t eat any.”

“What?” I almost spit my drink out. How did she just manage that?

Gabe finished the rest of his beer in one gulp and then smiled. “Great. Ready, Rory?”

I looked helplessly between the hand Gabe extended toward me and Margot, who winked.

“Now, have fun you two. Benji and I will be just fine,” Margot waved to us. When Gabe took my hand and turned to leave, she mouthed to me, “You’re welcome. Details, Rory, details.”

We walked quietly out of the bar. When we reached the edge of the parking lot, I turned to Gabe.

“I’m sorry about that. We don’t have to go out. Margot’s a bit pushy.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Don’t be. I wanted to ask you out anyway.”

I couldn’t help the blush that crept up my cheek. “Oh.”

Gabe looked around, his blond hair reflecting the moonlight. “So where should we go?”

It was fairly warm out for June. With my light sweater and jacket, I was very comfortable. “Why don’t we walk down to the docks and eat there? It’s nice out.”

Gabe smiled and I wanted to melt. Margot was right. He was hot. “Sounds good.”

We chatted amiably on our way to the docks. Even though it was a nice night, it was quiet and there weren’t too many people out. I felt like Gabe and I were in a warm, isolated bubble. For the first time in days I felt…normal.

Except that I couldn’t get over the feeling we were being watched. The hair on the back of my neck raised and I looked around. My temples had been prickling since we were in the bar, but I figured there were so many people in there, one of them was probably a winged creature. Most likely, they wouldn’t do anything in a public place. But now Gabe and I were isolated. Bad idea, Rory, bad idea.

“Everything okay?” Gabe asked, noticing my glances.

“Fine,” I smiled. He didn’t need to think I was paranoid. Was I paranoid? The feeling just wouldn’t leave. The closer we got to the docks, the greater the feeling became. I wrapped my arms around myself, hoping that would ward off the feeling. The prickles spread themselves back down to my neck. This was bad.

“Cold?” Gabe asked.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. He put his arm around my shoulders, immediately warming me. I could have sworn something behind us growled low.

“Better?” His eyes were lit up and I could tell he liked the contact just as much as I did.

“Yeah.”

Whatever growled, erupted from the bushes. Instinctually, Gabe grabbed me and pushed me to the ground. A fireball flew over our heads and lit the bush behind us on fire. When I sat up, Gabe moved his body in front of mine. Peeking over his shoulder, I made out a solid mass of a man. He looked Latino, but sported a bright green mohawk. He had a tattoo of a serpent over his heart and piercings in his ears, nose, and nipples. The hulking mass of his body was incased in just a pair of black jeans.

Oh, god, we were going to die.

“Move, Gabriel,” the man’s deep voice rumbled. It felt like his voice reverberated off the cliffs. Wait, Gabe and he were acquainted?

“You can’t have her this way, Malthus. She must make her own decision,” Gabe answered.

Malthus’ laugh tumbled from him like an avalanche. “Then no one told Uriel. He started this war.”

Gabe stood up, keeping his body firmly in front of me. “You already have someone here.”

The hulking man shook his head. “You know he cannot be trusted by either of us. Now hand over the girl.”

If I wasn’t so scared, I would be annoyed at the fact that people kept calling me girl and wanted me to be handed over to them. However, I didn’t want to go anywhere with this enormous and scary man. At this point, I just wanted to hide somewhere that no one could ever find me.

“You can’t have her like this,” Gabe declared, his voice rising. “She must choose.”

Monstrous Malthus rolled his shoulders and enormous black and red spiny wings popped out. They were exactly like the Fire Guy had in my dream . He was a fiery, bat person and I was in a crap ton of trouble.

Malthus moved his hands and a fireball appeared between them. “Give me the girl!”

The fireball flew at us. Again, Gabe threw himself over top of me. That didn’t stop the fireball. It hit both Gabe and I in the arm. The pain made me dizzy. With my body pinned under Gabe’s, I felt like the pain was crushing me.

“Satan’s gates,” Gabe said above me. From his inflection, it sounded like a curse but I couldn’t even fathom what the hell he was talking about.

I felt my body lifted up and I was being pulled along. Malthus’ lumbering footsteps could be heard behind us. Another fireball shot past us, hitting a lamppost and smoldering on the ground.

“Run, Rory!” Gabe was shouting at me, pushing me along.

“How do you know this thing?” I asked him.

Through my haze, I could see Gabe was surprised at my question. “Let’s just call him an old enemy.”

“Are you like Jude?” I asked. Gabe’s eyes narrowed angrily. Okay, he didn’t like the comparison. “I mean, involved in their world, but not in it, or something like that.”

If we weren’t running for our lives, I think Gabe would have chuckled at my description. A brief smile passed over his lips. “Is that how he’s describing it now? Let’s just say it’s something like it.”

He pulled me along the side of the cliff. We stayed close to the cliff wall, trying to blend into the darkness. My feet sunk into the muddy ground. “Look,” he told me, “when we get to the point where it turns, I want you to run. Go somewhere safe.”

“What is safe anymore?” I asked. Scary winged creatures were out to get me and I had no idea who they were or why they wanted me. Where in the hell was safe?

“People!” Gabe shouted pushing me along. “No one will come after you when there are people around.”

Good to know. We got to the point where the cliffs curved to the right. I spun to face Gabe, his face set in determination. He touched my cheek softly.

“Go,” he commanded me gently. With a youthful wink, he said, “I got this.”

With that, he started sprinting toward Malthus.

“How?” I shouted. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t a match for that huge winged creature and his flaming fireballs.

“Run!” Gabe shouted back. “Now!”

I was propelled forward by the urgency in his tone. Behind me I heard what sounded like two boulders crashing together. I can only imagine it was Gabe and Malthus. I hoped Gabe was alright. How was he ever going to fight that giant?

Without meaning to, I slowed down trying to absorb all of this. Then I realized I was an idiot. Gabe was most likely getting the crap beat out of him, or worse, to protect me. Nordic gods and fiery bat people were out to get me and I was meandering down the road alone. I ran to the only place I really felt safe – home. Part of me prayed that Boreas and Da were home so no one else would try to kill me. The other part hoped they weren’t because I couldn’t explain what was happening and I didn’t want to endanger them.

My arm shot through with pain at every footfall. The pounding of my heart sounded like waves crashing it was so loud. Every shadow, every movement in the dark and I was sure I would die. A scream was permanently held frozen in my throat.

Finally, I saw the light on the front of my house. It was like a beacon shining in the darkness. I slowed down in case any neighbors were around. I didn’t want to look like a lunatic running through the streets. That didn’t stop me from constantly checking the sky or the shadows around me, waiting to be attacked. When I reached the back door, I hesitated.

My coat and sweater were burnt all the way through and I could see the raw, bloody skin of my forearm. Quickly, I took off my coat, and folded it so the hole was hidden. Gently, I placed it over my damaged forearm and grabbed the first aid kit. I tucked that under my coat so no one would see it.

Lucky for me, Da and Boreas were immersed in a Mariner’s game and barely noticed me. They waved distractedly. I smiled, I think, and tried not to run to my room.

Once there, I threw my coat onto the floor and dove for the back of my closet. The closet was good sized, but was unique in the way the door was not in the center of it. So the left side of the closet was buried in the depths of the wall. After my mother died, I would use that space to escape the gossip in town or pass a bad day or to feel closer to her.

My childhood instincts kicked in. I climbed into the back of my relatively empty closet, knowing my old Barbie flashlight would still be back there. Sitting on the floor, the flashlight propped on a box, and old clothes I would never wear again hanging over me, the tears ran down my cheeks.

My arm was lanced with pain and some strange orange substance mingled with my blood.

What the hell was happening to my life? Scary, winged creatures who threw lightning bolts and fireballs were out to get me. Why did they want me? What were they after? The only person who could explain anything to me was under a gag order.

I barely had time to start feeling sorry for myself when I heard a noise in my room. Shoving my face into the sleeve of my ruined sweater, I tried to muffle my sobbing. It sounded like someone walking around.

Downstairs, Boreas and Da groaned at the Mariners. My heart jumped into my throat. They found me. I should have listened to Gabe and gone back to the bar. I was in the back of my closet though. Maybe they wouldn’t find me.

The footsteps got closer to my closet. I held my breath. My heart pounded so loudly the intruder must hear it.

The door opened slowly and I could see a pair of jeans in the door. The rest of the person was obscured by the garments hanging over my head. Fervently, I prayed they couldn’t see me either. My breath was burning in my lungs but I didn’t dare let it out.

The jean clad legs stepped back and the door started closing. I wanted to collapse in relief but I didn’t feel safe just yet.

Just then the legs stepped back into view and moved closer to me. Dammit! The flashlight! I never turned it off. The clothes above me were pushed aside and face appeared in my view.

My breath whooshed out in a noiseless scream.

Dark eyes scanned my body and rested on my burning, oozing arm.

“What in the hell happened, Rory?” Jude roared.

The pain and the terror of the night caught up to me. Tears threatened to fall again. Never let them see you cry, Rory. Never let them see you cry. I looked away from Jude. The anger, fear, and pity that raged through him was more than I could take. A single tear escaped. I breathed in and out trying to get a handle on my emotions. Never let them see you cry.

Jude looked me in the eye and sighed, sitting on the closet floor. Gently, he took my arm and in a softer voice, like he was speaking to a frightened child asked, “Rory, what happened?”

I shook my head, trying to deny the images that assaulted me. Everything was so unreal. With a deep breath, I tried again to settle my emotions. “Margot and Gabe-“

“Gabe did this?” His voice was incredulous and angry all at the same time.

I shook my head again, his ridiculous anger bolstering me. “N-no.” My body started shivering uncontrollably. “Margot m-made Gabe t-take me out. T-there was a f-fiery b-bat creature and we r-ran. F-fireball.”

“Fireball?” Jude asked. When I nodded, he moved the flashlight closer and examined my wound. “How did you get away?”

“G-Gabe wrestled with the g-guy and I r-ran here.” If I just kept watching his eyes, they would anchor me. Just keep focused on Jude.

He pulled a sweater off of one of the hangers above us and wrapped it around my shivering shoulders. When Jude looked up his eyes were narrowed. “Who was the…fiery bat creature?”

“W-what?”

“Who was the guy who did this to you?” His voice was tight with anger and his eyes flashed with barely concealed rage.

I shook my head and shrugged. He was after me, wasn’t that the important part? Jude gripped my arm painfully and I could see he wouldn’t let this go. “He had a Mohawk , green.”

“Big guy? With piercings?” he demanded.

I nodded. “A snake tattoo on his chest.”

“Malthus,” Jude spit out.

I nodded again. “T-that’s what Gabe called him.” Then I went on to replay the short exchange between Gabe and Malthus.

“This is worse than I thought,” Jude mumbled. Then he mentally shook himself and looked down at my arm. “How does this feel?”

I followed his gaze. Strangely enough, I didn’t feel anything. It was like I was looking at someone else’s arm. My voice was bewildered when I answered him. “Fine?”

“Fine?” I didn’t think Jude’s eyes could pop farther out of his head. “Fine, as in normal or fine, as in numb?”

I nodded. “Numb. I don’t feel anything.”

Suddenly, Jude was in overdrive. “It’s working faster than I thought. If no one was sure before, it’s obvious now.”

“What?” He was being all cryptic again. I did not have the emotional stamina for that right now.

Jude shook his head and then his eyes met mine. “Look. I’m going to have to suck the poison out.”

“P-poison?” This kept getting worse and worse.

“The orange stuff – it’s the way the fireball reacts and it poisons you. First, it numbs you, your entire body will become immobilized. Then it kills you. How much of you is numb?”

I panicked and started poking my body with my good arm. My heart beat erratically and briefly I wondered if I was already dying. Was this what it felt like? Everything felt normal until I hit my left shoulder. “Up to my shoulder. I can’t feel that. Is that bad?”

Jude put a calming hand on my face, forcing my eyes to his. “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to suck the poison out and you’ll be okay.”

“Won’t it poison you?” My breath was shallow and quick, I was panicking. Not only was I going to die but I was dragging Jude down with me.

He shook his head. “No. It only poisons you. But it’s going to hurt, so brace yourself. And take your sweater off.”

Jude helped me struggle out of my sweater because I couldn’t feel my entire left arm or hand. I sat there in my tank top, trying to focus on Jude’s face in the light of the flashlight. It was starting to get blurry. He resettled the sweater from my closet on my shoulders.

“Jude?”

“Yeah?” He was rolling my ruined sweater into a ball. I really liked that sweater, it always made me look skinny.

“You’re blurry.”

His eyes snapped to my face in alarm and fear. I could sense what he was feeling rather than see it. His features looked like they were underwater. “I have to do this now and quickly. It’s going to be very painful. Are you sure you want me to do this?”

I nodded, grabbing on to his bicep trying to brace myself.

Jude grabbed my bleeding, oozing forearm with both hands. His left hand also loosely held my balled up sweater. Tugging gently on my arm so my face was only inches from his, he captured my eyes with his. For a second I could focus on them, then they went all blurry again. “This means I am going to be your protector. Is that okay? Do I have your permission for this?”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I didn’t want to die. The question was weighted with an importance I didn’t understand. He already told me he was my self-appointed protector so what difference did it make? I nodded.

“Rory, I need you to say it.” His face was turning into a fuzzy mess.

“I give you permission, Jude.” Shit, my words were slurring. “Save me.”

He nodded and with a quick kiss to my forehead said, “I’m sorry.” Then he lowered his mouth to my forearm and started sucking.

The pain was mind blowing. It was like strung together pieces of jagged glass were being pulled out of my arm, slicing everything it encountered. Never had I felt anything so painful. I wanted to die, I wanted to pass out – I wanted anything to take me away from the excruciating pain.

The only time I got a brief respite was when Jude would lift his head to spit out my blood and god knew what else, into my crumpled ball of a sweater.

I buried my head in Jude’s shoulder and bit down on his t-shirt to keep from crying out. I wanted to tell him to let me die. The strings of glass felt like they were ripping through all my flesh from shoulder to fingertip. I tried to tell Jude to just let me die, but I knew if I opened my mouth a scream of pain would rip out of me and never stop.

It felt like I was suspended in pain for hours. Finally, the agony lessened to an intense burning and then just a throbbing. After several moments of that, the pain disappeared and I could feel my arm. Slowly, I turned my head so one eye was peeking from Jude’s shoulder. I saw Jude spit blood and orange ooze into the soaked sweater. My stomach turned at the sight of it. I must have made a noise because Jude turned to look at me.

He swallowed reflexively, eyes widening unnaturally and holding mine. His eyes zipped around like he was trying to follow thousands of tiny flies buzzing. After a moment, his dark eyes settled back on mine.

“You feel okay,” he told me. Then he cleared his throat and asked at me. “I mean, you feel okay?”

I nodded the best I could my, head still in his shoulder. Our faces were only inches apart and I could feel his breath on my face. I wanted to run away from Jude. I wanted to stay cuddled against him in the closet forever.

Jude lowered his forehead to mine and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I’m going to go wash my mouth out.”

I nodded and reluctantly let go of him.

My body was drained. Exhaustion rippled through me. The tears and sweat were drying on my body and making me cold. I knew that I should bandage my arm, but I couldn’t muster the energy. I sat there trying to comprehend everything that happened tonight, and lately, but I couldn’t. My brain was exhausted too.

Jude came back, smelling of my minty mouthwash. Silently, he sat in the closet and wrapped my arm in gauze. I watched him with detached interest. When he was done, he patted my hand softly.

“This will heal quickly. They always do.”

I nodded. I didn’t bother to ask how he knew or why fireballs healed quickly.

“Why don’t you get ready for bed?” Jude suggested softly. He moved slowly out of the closet, leading me gently by the hand.

I was too tired to talk. I went to the bathroom and stripped out of my sweaty clothes. Barely able to do that, I figured a shower was out, so I wiped myself dry with a towel. I changed into a tank top and some pajama pants and brushed my teeth. There might have been a flash of white wings in the shower again, but I was too tired to even care.

Walking back to my room, I felt like a zombie. Jude had all the covers pushed back on my bed, inviting me in. He sat innocuously under the window. I grabbed my pillow, my comforter, and a blanket off the bed and laid them down in the closet. Crawling into my cocoon, I laid heavily down. Boreas and Da knew I did this. Even as an adult there were many nights I spent in the closet, so they wouldn’t be worried to see my bed destroyed and me not in it. I’m sure any therapist would have a field day with this, but I never trusted them anyway.

Jude crawled into the closet on all fours. “Rory?” His voice held unanswered questions.

“It’s safer in here,” I told him, pulling the blanket over me. My comforter made a nice mattress on the floor.

Through my half-closed eyes I saw him nod. He sat, leaning against the far wall of my closet, and closed the door. Only a crack of light came in, slicing across his body.

“Are you staying?” I asked, yawning widely.

“I’m not leaving you alone, especially now.” Jude’s voice was strong and ready to fight with me.

I nodded, snuggling on my side deeper into the blankets and moving closer to the wall in front of me. Sleepily I patted the spot I had just made behind me. “Come sleep.”

I didn’t question my command. Exhaustion filtered out any logical decisions. Jude was warm, comforting and made me feel safe. Anything else I was too tired to care about.

Hesitantly, he lay down next to me. I felt a tentative arm move the blanket over him and then dip across me. After a moment, he pulled me closer.

“Night, Jude,” I mumbled. Briefly, I wondered if I would regret this in the morning.

“Good night, Rory.”

The last thing I was conscious of was his forehead touching the back of my head as he sighed.

I was awakened by frantic knocking. My eyes were gritty with exhaustion. I rubbed them and my elbow connected with something hard.

“Ow.”

Jude. Jude was sleeping in the closet with me. I urged myself to feel remorse or shame or anything but I couldn’t.

The knocking persisted. I looked toward Jude, who was leaning up next to me. His face was close…too close.

“It’s Gabe,” he told me grudgingly, sensing my fear. “At the window.”

I nodded and crawled out of the closet, aware that Jude didn’t follow. I didn’t question how Jude knew that. For now, that question was best unasked. Sure enough, Gabe’s body was perched on the tree outside my window. Didn’t these guys ever use the phone?

Weak with the events of the night, it took me a while to push the window up.

“You’re okay,” Gabe breathed, surprise registering in his features. I realized how relieved I was that he was in one piece.

I nodded and smiled tiredly. “And you’re okay. Wait, am I not supposed to be okay?” Quickly, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and tried to smooth down my hair. Why couldn’t hot guys perch at my window when I was looking presentable?

“Rory, those fireballs are poisonous to you. You should be very ill right now.” He held a hand out to my forehead, checking for a fever, I guess.

I let him keep his hand there because it felt nice. “Jude helped me with the poison. I’m okay.”

“Jude?” Gabe’s eyes flashed in momentary anger. Was he jealous? That couldn’t be it. But I’m pretty sure he wasn’t upset that he missed out on the opportunity to suck blood and ooze out of my body.

I couldn’t help my eye roll. “Yes, Jude. If he hadn’t helped me I would have died, I think.” I didn’t really want to think about that right now.

Gabe nodded. “Did he take you to the doctor’s?”

Come to think of it. No. Though that would have been the most likely thing to do. I just figured with the whole “supernatural” element of the wound they wouldn’t be able to help or we wouldn’t be able to explain what happened.

I wrinkled my nose. “Could he have? I thought the rules of this whole thing – not that I really understand this whole thing – but I thought the rules were that we weren’t supposed to talk about it to people who weren’t in it. Like Fight Club. First rule of Fight Club and all that.”

I didn’t think a human…or whatever Gabe was could look more confused. “Fight club?”

“You don’t know Fight Club? Brad Pitt, Edward Norton-“ I cut off at the soft chuckle that was coming from the closet. I wanted to throw Jude a glare, but I was pretty sure Gabe would go ballistic if he knew the guy was sleeping in my closet. Plus, then I would have to explain why he was sleeping in my closet. Oh my god, why couldn’t my life just be normal? Why couldn’t I just be worried my Da would walk in on me having sex with someone like normal adults living back at home?

“Rory are you okay?” Gabe’s voice snapped me out of my inner tirade. “You’re not making sense.”

“Fight Club is a movie,” I huffed at him.

This seemed to bewilder Gabe even more. ”Okay.” He eyed me up and down suspiciously. “So if you didn’t go to the doctor what happened?”

Again I got that feeling that things were more important than I was seeing them. “He sucked the poison out. And I’m fine.”

“That’s it?” Gabe’s skepticism was clearly telecast.

“What are you asking me Gabe?” I was tired and cranky and annoyed. What the hell did he or any of these other strange beings that showed up in my life want? My skin heated up with anger. “What do you want to know? Did we have sex? Did he perform a voodoo ritual? Did we run off and get married in Vegas? Did he sell my soul to Satan? What?”

Gabe instantly paled. “Sell your soul to Satan?”

“Oh my god!” I hissed, careful not to raise my voice too high. I didn’t want Da or Boreas running in. “What is with you? He saved my life and so did you. Great. Thanks to both of you. Now, I’m tired. I was able to get in,” I glanced at the clock, “forty-five minutes of good sleep. I’d like a lot more. I almost died twice today and I don’t know what the hell is going on or who anyone really is. So if there are questions you want answers to, ask them. Otherwise, I’m going back to sleep.” Petulantly, I leaned back on my heels and crossed my arms over my chest.

Gabe sighed, his green eyes worried. “Did you give Jude permission to suck the poison out?”

“No,” I told him sarcastically, “he just jumped on me and started sucking on my arm like a blood-thirsty vampire.”

“Satan’s gates, Rory, answer the damned question!” His voice was quiet, but his tone was a roar.

“Yes.”

Gabe leaned farther in my window, his green eyes pinning me. Whatever was going on was serious. “You spoke the words to give him permission?” I nodded. “And you know this makes him your protector?”

“Yes,” I said meekly. I’m pretty sure at this point, according to Gabe, Jude being my protector was a bad thing. Why, I didn’t know. But he was looking pretty pissed about it.

“You realize what you’ve done?” he hissed.

“Found someone to save my life and also protect me in the future?” I guessed. His eyes flared with anger. Oops, wrong move Rory. I visibly saw Gabe grow angrier.

“Rory, he’s connected to you now. He can sense where you are and when you’re in danger. You’re connected now. Please tell me he didn’t ingest any of your blood,” he pleaded with me.

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t think so.”

Connected to me? Sense me? I thought when he was going to be my protector it meant he was going to watch over me, like an older brother or something. But sensing where I am? This is not okay. Jude and I were supposed to go our separate ways. Hell, half the time I couldn’t even stand the guy. Now he could sense where I was? Now he was connected to me?

My anger started building. Why hadn’t Jude told me about this? He should have at least let me know.

“You don’t know?” Gabe’s question drew me out of my anger induced inner monologue.

“I don’t think so. I mean, I would know if he did, right?” Right? And then another thought struck me. “What happens if he did?”

Please tell me I didn’t turn into a zombie or his sex slave or something. Or would I turn into…whatever Jude was – what was his deal anyway? And Gabe’s? They both knew more than they were letting on and I was entirely sure the two of them were not purely human.

“It connects you in everything. He would be able to sense your feelings, your thoughts – everything,” Gabe informed me gravely.

Everything? Oh no, that was not happening. Jude cannot sense everything about me. It’s invasive. I don’t want anyone to know everything about me.

“I’m pretty sure he didn’t,” I assured Gabe, trying to reassure myself. “I would know. I would feel something. And I don’t. Well, I’m pissed but that’s normal where Jude is concerned.”

Gabe sighed. “I don’t know if you would feel it, it doesn’t happen that often.”

I nodded, anger bobbing my head up and down like a spastic bobblehead. “Right. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a conversation with Jude.”

Gabe smiled for the first time. “Don’t hold back.”

“Oh, I won’t,” I promised him. Gabe was taking way too much delight in my future demise of Jude.

“I’ll come with you, make sure you get there okay,” Gabe told me.

I shook my head quickly. “No – you can’t.” Jude was in my closet and could probably hear how pissed I was. Thinking quickly, I lied, “I’m going to do something you and Jude seem to have an aversion to. I’m going to actually use my phone and call him.”

Gabe seemed satisfied by this. “Give him hell.” This he found immensely amusing. I didn’t get it. Then again, he and Jude both seemed to have an odd sense of humor. “I’ll check on you tomorrow. Close the window.”

He waited until I closed the window and then climbed down the tree. Gabe shot into the woods behind my house and disappeared.

I ran to my closet and ripped open the door. Swiping the flashlight from Jude’s hand, I sat across from him, and shined it in his face. His dark eyes squinted in the light.

“Is it true? Are we connected now?” I angrily asked. “And you better tell me the truth.”

“I’ve never lied to you.”

“Right.” He probably couldn’t see my eye rolling, which was fine since it was a bit immature anyway. “Just answer the question, Jude.”

“Yes. I can sense you now. Just like Gabe said. I told you I would be your protector,” he sighed.

“Yeah, my protector. Like some guy who makes sure my lunch money doesn’t get stolen. Or in this case, make sure winged creatures don’t kick my ass. Not knowing where I am at all times and sensing when I’m in trouble!” I argued.

Jude pushed the flashlight so it illuminated both of us. His eyes were full of concern, but I didn’t want to see it. “How am I supposed to protect you if I don’t know where you are or when you’re in trouble? It would be impossible.”

“I don’t know. Like normal people do,” I threw back at him. Logically, I knew my argument didn’t make much sense, but I didn’t care. I was pissed.

“We’re not dealing with normal people. We’re dealing with – Nordic gods and fiery, bat people,” he choked out. “Beings who could kill you in a second. Calling the police will get you nowhere but dead with them. Besides,” he smiled wryly, but I could see hurt shining in his eyes, “now I won’t have to follow you around.”

“That’s a bonus.” My eyes glared at him.

Jude sighed and leaned his elbows on his knees, a posture of dejection and exhaustion I’d seen on him before. “Look, this situation is not ideal for you. I understand. But the truth is, you need to be protected and I need to protect you. I’m not trying to….I don’t really know what you think I’m trying to do – but whatever it is – I’m not doing it. I’m trying to make sure that you don’t get killed and those beings don’t get what they want.”

“And they want me,” I stated.

He nodded sadly.

My first instinct was to reach out and touch him. Smooth the worry from his face and comfort him. But I knew he wouldn’t accept it and since he came into my life it was a rollercoaster. I couldn’t forget that. Instead, I lifted his chin until his eyes were looking into mine.

“Did you drink any of my blood?” I asked seriously. We couldn’t be that connected. We couldn’t. I didn’t want to be that close to anyone.

He shook his head, a small motion since my hand was firmly clasped at his chin. “It never happened.”

I peered closer into his eyes, waiting to see the lie. It never came. “No more lying or telling half truths,” I told him. “Promise me or this isn’t going to work.”

Jude nodded, warily.

“Say it,” I threw his words back in his face.

“I promise, from now on.” I didn’t understand the sadness in his voice. “As much as I can tell you with the gag order.”

“F-ing gag order,” I muttered. Jude’s soft chuckle warmed me. Turning the flashlight off, I crawled back to my pillow. God, I was exhausted. “That’s good, because I have a lot of questions for you to answer tomorrow.”

I could almost feel his smirk. “I’m sure you do.”

Snuggling under the covers, I yawned.

“Sweet dreams,” Jude said, from his post at the end of the closet.

“Lay down, Jude,” I ordered him.

He crawled slowly towards me, confusion lacing his voice. “But you’re mad at me.”

“Yes.” I closed my eyes tighter. “But if you’re my protector, you need sleep. And you’re warm.” Then I added begrudgingly, “I don’t want to trust you.”

“But you feel safe with me,” Jude told me, carefully putting his arm around me.

My eyes flew open. He lied. He could sense my feelings. “How do you know that?” Suspicion was obvious in my voice.

Jude sighed. “Because people don’t normally fall asleep with someone they’re afraid is going to murder them. It only happens when they feel safe with someone.”

“Oh,” I yawned again. “Right. Don’t think this makes us cool. Think of it as a protector duty.”

“Whatever you say, Rory.” He pulled me close, his warmth seeping into my body.

I was back in the white place. The sky was so blue and everything else was still white and soft. The beacon of light wasn’t so blinding this time, just a calming glow. I walked hesitantly through the columns, hoping no one would find me. I knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. If what Jude said was right, I was projecting myself there.

A warm hand reached out and touched me. I jumped until I realized the familiar feeling of the hand. One that had soothed boo-boos, held my hand tight when I was scared, tested my forehead for a fever. Mom.

Gently, I was pulled behind a column and down to the ground. My mother’s emerald eyes glowed with love and concern.

“What are you doing here, Rory?” she whispered.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I just ended up here.”

“You can’t keep coming here. It’s dangerous.” Though her voice was anxious, her hands gently touched my face. “You’re so grown up.”

I smiled at my mother’s assessment. “I don’t mean to come here. It just happens.” My stomach twitched, a little stab of pain.

Fear crossed my mother’s features. “They’re coming Rory. You need to leave.”

“Who?” I asked, but then continued, “I know. Uriel was already after me.”

“Uriel?” For the first time since I was a little girl, I remembered my mother’s temper. Her eyes blazed with fury. “He came after you?”

I nodded and held her hand, trying to calm her. “Jude said he was trying to kill him and just wanted me. I don’t even know what that means.”

Her soft hands grasped both sides of my face. “Listen to me. Don’t come back here. I know you can’t control it, but try. If they catch you here, they’ll keep you here. As much as I want to see you all the time, you don’t belong here.”

I swallowed. “Do I belong in the fiery place?”

My mother smiled. “No, honey, you don’t belong there either. You belong with your father and Boreas. And right now, I fear Jude is the only one who can help you.”

I pulled away from her. “He lied to me.” The pain in my stomach grew larger. I doubled over with it.

Hugging me to her, my mother continued to whisper to me. “I don’t have time to explain everything. Jude is only trying to protect you.”

“I know,” I groaned, partly in frustration over everyone talking about Jude and his stupid protection and partly because it now hurt to speak. What the hell was happening?

“He is the only one that can. The only one that I trust to do it.”

“What about Gabe?” I squeezed out.

She held me close and kissed more forehead. “He’s proving to be trustworthy, but I don’t know his heart.”

I heard singing and the pain ricocheted around my body. Sucking in a breath, I tried to stabilize myself. “Mom?” I wanted her to help me but I didn’t know how.

“Rory, you have to go. You need to wake up,” she told me. Her voice was gentle but I could see the panic in her eyes.

“Why is this happening to me?” I wanted to know.

“You shouldn’t be up here. The closer they get the more it hurts. The more-“

“No,” I interrupted her. The pain was so intense it was getting hard to talk. “All of it. Why is all of it happening?”

“Rory, you need to wake up!” she shouted at me. Bodies were closing in on us. She was being pulled away. “Wake up!”

The pain was unbearable. I thought my body would shatter into a million pieces.

Before they dragged her away, she leaned into my ear and whispered. “It’s my fault this is happening to you. I’m sorry.”

Her warm breath left my ear and the arms that were keeping my body in one solid piece, left.

Thousands of arms were grabbing at me. They were pulling me into a million tiny fragments and strangling my neck. I was going to die. I didn’t know how or why but I knew I was going to die.

Wake up, I told myself. Wake up!

Wake up….wake…

Things were getting dimmer and the singing of voices was getting more distant. I was dying.