Between (30 page)

“
A Valentine’s dance? And what other guy?”

“
During winter break, I snooped around school to see if there were any signs of Nicholas, which there weren’t. I saw students posting flyers about it. I looked it up. It’s a day where loved ones celebrate each other. The day is named after a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine. Though there are several legends regarding this man, I’ll tell you the one I like. So the story goes …when Emperor Claudius the second decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Hmmm…sounds like us…sort of. Anyway, Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for the young lovers in secret. When he was discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. What a jerk! So, while in prison, he fell in love with the jailor’s daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, he wrote her a letter and signed “From your Valentine,” and apparently, that expression is still in use today. They even have a dance because of him. Way to go Valentine. So, you going to the dance or not?”

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Oh. You know I don’t like to attend those things, but I will for Claudia if she wants to go.”

“
Dude…”

“
Dude? Have you forgotten my name?” Michael gave Davin a confused look.

Davin chuckled. “Dude means like ‘hey’ or something you call another guy.”

“
Oh.” Michael furrowed his brows and opened his mouth to continue.

Davin spoke before Michael had a chance to say anything else. “You need to ask her, but you have to make it special. And the other guy…that would be me. You know how I love to shake it.”

Michael frowned at Devin, even knowing Davin was joking. “Okay. Got it. Thanks for letting me know. It’s difficult to keep everything straight; Claudia’s schedule and trying to catch these demons. More so because humans’ lives are too complicated; there is so much going on.”

“
Lucky you have me,” Davin reassured and smacked Michael hard on the back.

Michael gave Davin an annoyed look. He didn’t appreciate the smack. Then he gazed his eyes on Claudia who was fast asleep, taking one last mental picture of her. His heart felt utterly heavy as he disappeared.

Aliah looked down at his hazy reflection. He saw a face with strong high cheekbones, supple lips and eyes, blue as the perfect cloudless sky.
How beautiful,
he thought, as he saw himself right before he had become a fallen. Then, with a blink of his eyes, he saw his true reflection. His face looked thin and bony, his lips only a thin line and his eyes were cold and dark like the deathly storm. Looking beyond, his eyes focused on his once alabaster, glorious wings, now wilted and pallid with a mixture of gray and black, looking more pathetic then majestic.

Anger pounded through him so fast that without thinking, he slapped the water to see no more. “Ahhh!” he shouted in pain as the acid sizzled on his fingers, and as his body performed its healing magic, he turned as he sensed a presence. “Stupid demons. Why do their tears have to be acidic?”

“
You trapped them in the walls of this cave, you remember?” the visitor said, surprising Aliah.

“
That was many life times ago. They are still trapped. Hopefully soon, they will be released. They would have to possess mortal souls to become strong again. One step at a time, I suppose. First I need to find a way to get them out. It’s too bad you can’t. Your soul is almost as dark as mine. But…what a nice surprise! I thought you would no longer be contacting me. Did you come to give me your healing crystal? You do remember I gave those to all of you.”

“
Yes, I remember. I will keep mine since it was a gift not just from you, but from all the Royal Council members. You should have given us two each, then I would give you my spare one. Now you’ll have to steal one,” the visitor insisted. “I wanted to stop by to make sure the plan is succeeding.”

“
Indeed it is,” Aliah smirked. “Soon, they’ll believe she is a traitor. They will point their blame on her.”

“
And how are you going to do this?” he asked.

“
You shall see.”

The visitor’s wings closed, revealing Kyle, who was in the clutch of the visitor’s hand. Kyle was dreadfully wounded; the wounds that were inflicted by Austin were badly infected. The visitor tossed Kyle in front of Aliah. “This is your plan?” the visitor asked angrily. “If you cannot control your demons to do our task then I will get someone else!”

“
Don’t threaten me–I am your superior! Need I remind you that YOU are part of MY plan? I can get rid of any plan if I so wish, you understand?” Aliah huffed in fury.

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Yes.” The visitor’s head lowered meekly.

“
Now, what shall I do with you?” He looked at Kyle with discontentment. Kyle had shamed him and made him look like a fool. This he could not forgive. “I told you not to disappoint me again. I don’t give second chances. It’s a good thing I have Nicholas, who is reliable.”

“
You may want to get rid of him,” the visitor suggested, indicating Kyle. “He has swallowed a pill. It’s like a tracking device where we can monitor his movement. The venator must have made him swallow it so that they could track him to you.”

“
What?!?! These weaklings have no idea of the power and strength I hold in the Betweens. Let them find me. I’ll kill all of them!”

Then Aliah turned to Kyle, who was slithering away, trembling. “Master, the fallen were too weak. We were ambushed. They knew we were coming. Someone…”

Before Kyle could finish, Aliah hurled him into the pool of water. The visitor turned away, unable to witness Kyle melting and crying out for help. His body sizzled into nothing but bones, and then disappeared.

Feeling disgusted, Aliah turned to the visitor. “I need more death crystals.”

“
I can’t give you any more. Since they know you got a hold of them, they’re heavily guarded.”

“
Find a way,” Aliah heaved. “I need more.”

“
You’ll just have to gather more fallen to help you. Like I said before, it is impossible. If I could, I would. I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.”

Aliah sighed furiously with irritation. “Were you able to find Aden’s sword at least?”

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Yes,” the visitor said proudly.

“
Do they know it’s not in their possession?”

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No, not yet. And I’ll make sure they point the blame on one of the alkins.”

“
Very well. Proceed as planned,” Aliah said. Then he vanished.

Chapter Twenty-Four

It was the first day back to school after winter break. I was distracted by the Valentine’s dance posters; so was everybody else. I wondered if I would be going. The venators decided to keep their eyes on me from a distance since the demons showed no movement and they could not find a way to get close to one. But every once in awhile, Austin would bump into me between classes to make sure I was fine or to say something to make me laugh. It almost felt like everything was back to normal. Vivian was on watch after school and I could not wait to see her.

After I settled my backpack and myself inside my room, I plunked on my bed to do homework and anxiously waited for her. Intensely focused on my work, I hadn’t noticed anyone inside my room until I looked up, wondering where Vivian was. I snapped myself up on my bed when I was startled by the sight of Trinity.

“
I’m sorry. Did I scare you?” she said so tenderly that her tone was believable.

I wondered how long she had been there just staring at me. “I…I…was expecting Vivian or…” I wanted to say someone else besides you.

“
Vivian asked me to keep an eye on you. She had a few things to do.”

Like what? I wanted to say, but didn’t. “Oh,” I said, feeling extremely awkward. “Well, I’d better get to my studies. I have a quiz tomorrow.” I didn’t wait for her response. I focused my eyes on the first available notebook.

“
Actually, I’m supposed to take you to Michael, unless you’d rather study.”

I flashed my eyes to hers. “Where is Michael?” I asked, wondering why he wasn’t here himself. Then I wondered if he had something special planned for us; but why would he ask Trinity? Unless, he wanted to prove to me she didn’t care about him. “Where are we going?”

“
It’s a surprise.” She opened her beautiful pearl white wings and gestured for me to go to her.

I took a couple of steps toward her, and she spoke again. “You know you can’t be with him, don’t you?”

I stopped abruptly, staggered by the sudden difference in her tone, and gazed into her eyes, asking for further explanation.

“
It’s hopeless to think that you have a future together.” She swiftly folded her wings to closed and I stood there listening to what she had to say, even though I didn’t want to. “I mean, he can’t even be here with you. You’ll grow old with wrinkles and he will remain his youthful age forever. Do you think he’ll still want you then? Have you thought of that?”

“
I don’t see how this is any of your concern,” I replied with an even tone, though I was brewing inside with anger.

“
You’re right. It’s none of my concern; however, I just wanted you to remember; just in case Michael forgot to tell you. I don’t know how much he has shared with you. After all, I know him better than anyone,” she smirked.

I didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She was furiously irritating me. How could Michael send her to get me when he knew exactly how I felt about her?

“
I just want to remind you that in the end, you’ll end up hurting him, so you should let him go. I’m not saying this so that he’ll run back to me. I’m worried that he’ll be damned. Don’t you care about his soul?”