Marker of Hope (17 page)

I touched my fifteen-week pregnant belly and
lowered the dagger in my other hand. “What are you doing
here—again?”

“What else? Looking for you,” Eros said, as
if the reason should have been so obvious. “The entire town
disappeared for a good month. I suspect Galilea had something to do
with it.”

I shrugged. “She does what she has to.”

“To keep me away from you.”

“To protect us.” I corrected him. “From
demons.”

“Is that who did this to him?” He studied
David’s face. “Oh, my dear David, it was bound to happen.” Eros
turned to me. “Did I not warn you he wouldn’t be able to protect
you once he transformed?”

“You’re wrong.” I stepped to the bed and took
David’s limp hand. “He did protect me. It’s why I’m standing here
now.”

“Yet he’s lying here unconscious. How does it
make your circumstances any better?” Eros’s voice was tinged with
anger. “You could’ve avoided this if you’d just stayed with me. But
now you’re bound to him by marriage, carrying his child, and here I
am, stupidly in love with you still.” He took in a sharp breath.
“Stupidly,” he repeated and chuckled. “I don’t know what my life’s
become. Can you even grasp how hard this is for me—to be in love
with my best friend’s wife?”

“I wish you’d stop saying you’re in love with
me. And David’s not your best friend anymore. He hates you.”

“Understandable. I hate me even on good
days.” Eros rubbed his chin. “Tell me something… What is it about
him you couldn’t find in me?”

“You know the answer as well as I do,
Cupid.”

“Humor me.”

“Love,” I said. “I’m in love with him.”

“Is that all?” Eros’s nose wrinkled. “Would
you have truly been so miserable with me?”

“Without a doubt,” I said. Eros gave me a
pained look, and I turned away from him to look at David.

“Even so,” he said, “it wouldn’t have stopped
me from trying to make you happy every day you would’ve been
mine.”

“You’ve always been jealous of David. It’s
the only reason you say you’re in love with me. It’s just a game to
you.” I scowled at him. “But I’m not a prize to be won.”

“I’m not going to stand here and lie; I admit
I’m jealous of him.” He moved his view to David. “Even in this
state. He’s got you without doing a damn thing to keep you. Look at
him, just lying here. Being pretty.” He ran the back of his hand
over David’s cheek. “But in spite of this, I want him to be happy.”
He looked up at me. “I want
you
to be happy.”

“Hard for me to believe,” I said, walking
away from the bed. “Listen, for the last time, I don’t want to see
you again, Eros. If you want me to be happy, don’t come back.
Consider this a goodbye.”

“Well, that’s the problem.” He stepped toward
me. “I can’t say goodbye. I won’t make the same mistakes I made in
the past. David might be number one in your heart right now, but I
know for a fact I’m but a step below him. You may not want to admit
it to yourself, but I know what you feel. If it weren’t so, if I
knew I didn’t stand a chance, I wouldn’t be here.” He pulled me
close to him.

“Eros, no.” I pushed him away. “What’s wrong
with you? I’m pregnant with David’s baby.”

“So? I don’t feel any different about
you.”

“Unbelievable.” I huffed. “Why can’t you
leave me alone?”

“Because you love me. Tell me I’m right.”

“I don’t.”

“You’re lying to yourself.” His eyes peered
deep into mine. “You love me just as I love you.”

A strong emotion stirred inside my chest.
No!
I reprimanded myself.
You don’t have feelings for
him. He’s manipulating you
.

“Don’t pretend you don’t feel it,” he said.
“Your pulse tells me your secrets. Just tell me. What do you feel,
Isis?”

“Nothing. I feel nothing for you.”

He hissed. “I can make you tell the truth, if
I have to. I have the power. Don’t make me use it.”

“Go ahead. Do it. I’m tired of playing
cat-and-mouse games. Maybe you’ll finally accept I’m not lying to
you. Then you can go back to your miserable, messed-up life,
because I don’t have the time or patience for your shit.”

His face hardened, but then something caught
his attention, and he glanced at the door. “I have to go. If you
need anything from me, my sweet… I’ll do anything for you. I swear
it.”

“Anything?” I asked. He nodded. “Heal David.
Bring him back, and then I’ll know you meant every word you said to
me.”

He looked at me as if I’d robbed him of his
dignity. For a second, I thought I saw his eyes redden, but he
looked away too quickly for me to be sure. I must’ve imagined it,
because when he turned to look at me again, the white of his eyes
weren’t even pink.

“It’s not within my power to do,” he told
me.

“See?” I seethed. “You’re a liar and a cheat.
I could never love someone like you.”

Eros’s jaw tensed.

“Isis?” Galilea said from the other side of
the bedroom door. “You ready?”

Eros motioned me to go. I turned and walked
to the door, pausing for a moment to look over my shoulder at him.
I watched as Eros kissed David’s forehead, and then he vanished
into thin air.

“Are you okay?” Galilea knocked urgently on
the door. “Isis?”

“Y-yeah,” I said. “I’ll be right out.”

***

Claire and I sat on the couch, a warm cup of
milk in our hands. I reached for the plate of homemade oatmeal
cookies, but not because I was hungry. I felt guilty for arriving
so late. She’d waited up for me. I took a cookie and placed the
plate back on the coffee table.

It was strange how now that I could hold food
down, eat whatever I wanted, I had no desire to eat. It wasn’t to
say the urge to take a mouthful off Claire’s arm wasn’t still
there. I’d learned to ignore it. But lately, as worried as I was
about David’s condition, it wasn’t too hard to do.

“How’s he doing?” Claire asked, referring to
David.

“Same.”

She sipped from her glass of milk. “What
about you? Have you been sleeping, eating?”

“Yes,” I said, and then felt a shove on the
shoulder. I’d forgotten Galilea was on invisi-mode. Claire had
specified she wanted alone time with me, so Galilea wasn’t invited
to our sleepover. “But not as much as I should.” I received an
invisible pat on the head.

“Oh, Isis
…
” Claire gave me a pointed
stare. “I hope you’re at least taking your vitamins. Good nutrition
is important for both the baby and you.”

I nodded. “I know, Mom. I know.”

“You’re not in a talkative mood tonight.”

“Sorry. I’m tired.” I squeezed the ache on
the back of my neck. “Do you mind if I go to bed?”

“Course not.” She rubbed my arm. “But before
you do, tell me what’s on your mind. You look like you want to say
something. Talk to me, Isis. You hardly do.”

There were mountains of words stuck in my
throat, but stringing them together was impossible. I’d set up a
wall so no one would see my emotions—stopped talking to everyone.
Now, however, I was ready to crumble. I couldn’t hold it in
anymore. I was afraid if I didn’t vent, I’d end up in a bed next to
David. So I let out the foremost and worst thought of all.

“Mom, What if… What if he never wakes up?” I
cried into my hands. “I feel like I’m drowning over and over
again.”

Claire put her arms around me. I dug my face
into her shoulder and sobbed.

“What am I going to do? I don’t even feel
alive anymore.” I pulled away from her. “Mom.” I hiccupped. “How do
I make this horrible nightmare stop?” I whimpered. “Help me.
Please! Wake me up.”

“Isis,” she took my face in her hands, “you
listen to me. No matter what happens, you will survive. For the
tiny life living inside you, you will learn to be strong. And
honey, I will be right next to you. I will
always
be
here.”

***

That night, I dreamed of David. In his
sleeping state, black roses surrounded him. Dark petals fell around
me as I watched him. Next to his bed, a little girl beckoned me to
come nearer. I hesitated for a moment before I stepped forward.
Dark thorny vines cut into my feet as I walked, then came to life
under my feet. They slithered up the girl’s legs and around David’s
body. Fighting against the pain of the thorns in my soles, I ran
toward them. But the thorny tendrils wrapped tight around my legs,
restricting me. Screams caught in my throat as I witnessed David
and the girl being consumed.
It’s a dream
, I told myself.
This isn’t real.
I woke up.

“Isis,” Galilea whispered. “Are you
awake?”

“Yes.” I wiped the sweat beads from my
forehead.

“Finally.” She walked to my bedroom window,
stuck two fingers between the panels of the blinds, and peeked out.
“There’s a car parked out front. It’s been there for the past hour
and a half.”

“So?” I kicked the covers off me.

“It’s making me nervous.”

I sat up on the bed. “Maybe the neighbors
have company.” I rubbed my eyes. “The street is public property,
you know? Anyone can park there.”

“Who invites people over so early in the
morning?” She looked at me through the corner of her eye. “Does
Claire have a stalker?”

“Not that I know of. What time is it?”

“Almost seven.” She bit her bottom lip as she
paced the room with her hands on her hips. “You know, I think we
should leave.” She nodded to herself. “Yeah. We’re leaving. And
we’re taking Claire with us.”

“Calm down. It’s too early for this,” I said.
“Why are you always so paranoid? Aren’t we invisible?”

“Yes, but…” She shoved her toiletries into
her backpack. “I-I fell asleep for about two hours. I couldn’t keep
my eyes open.” She slipped a shirt on over her pajama top. “We have
to go.”

“So you fell asleep; nothing happened. We’re
still here.” I waved a hand over the length of my body.
“Intact.”

“Yeah, for now.” She punched her robe into
her backpack. “I’m so stupid.” She fidgeted with the zipper. “My
block went down when I fell asleep. I don’t know who’s in the car.
What if it’s Turpis first order, staking you out?”

“Demons waiting patiently in a car? Right.” I
walked to the bathroom, and Galilea followed.

“You don’t know how they operate. I’m the one
with the experience.” She walked out of the bathroom when she
noticed I was ignoring her attention-demanding stare. I proceeded
to brush my teeth. A moment later, she came back to inform me. “The
car’s still there. Hurry up. We have to get out of here.”

“Galilea, if it were Turpis, don’t you think
they’d be in here by now?” I rinsed my mouth out, and then splashed
water on my face. “And anyone else—not of the demon kind—would’ve
rang the doorbell.”

And as if on cue, the doorbell rang. Galilea
ran to bedroom window, and I walked back into the bedroom, patting
my face dry with a towel.

“There’s no one in the car.” Galilea’s eyes
were wide with panic. “Stay here.” Galilea raised a finger at me.
“I mean it. Stay. Here.”

Before she turned the doorknob, I heard the
sound of footsteps descending on the stairs.
Claire.

“Your mom’s up,” Galilea said in a hushed
voice. “Let her get it.”

I dropped the towel in my hand and tiptoed
into the hallway. Galilea followed my lead. I listened closely to
see if I could identify the person at the door by their voice.
Instead of a voice, however, I heard a loud thump.

I didn’t know if Claire was in danger, but I
wasn’t going to stand there, wondering if she was. I pushed Galilea
aside and raced down the stairs. I felt her hand grab my arm,
trying to hold me back, but I shoved it away. As I reached the last
steps, I saw Claire lying on the floor, a man’s burly silhouette
hunched over her.

CHAPTER 20

I knew I’d grown stronger with the change,
but I didn’t know I was faster. I kicked the man in the head, and
he soared back, landing back first against the front door, and then
dropping face down on the floor. He lifted himself to his knees and
held his hand out, signaling me to stop. That was when I saw his
face.

“I’m sorry—for showing up like
this—unannounced,” Samuel, my biological father, said panting.

“What did you do to her?” I asked
accusingly.

“Nothing. She fainted when she saw me.”

I kneeled beside Claire and lifted her head
onto my lap.

“You shouldn’t have come,” Galilea said.
“You’re putting Claire and Isis in more danger than they already
are.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Samuel said, standing
now. “To protect my family.”

Galilea rolled her eyes at him. “If you think
you can come here and—”

“Wait a minute. I got this one.” I cut into
Galilea’s rant. “First of all, ‘your family’? I don’t recall you
being around for the past eighteen years. Secondly, exactly what do
you think you can you do for us now? Do you know what I’m up
against? I’m half your size, and I just took you out. And I don’t
even know how to fight. How can your presence possibly benefit
us?”

“Yeah.” Galilea crossed her arms. “What she
said.”

“You caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting
my daughter to round kick me in the face.”

“Your
pregnant
daughter, might I add,”
Galilea said. “Whom I don’t think should be putting herself in any
kind of violent predicament in her condition.”

“I know about the pregnancy,” Samuel
said.

“How?” I asked. There was no way he could
know I was pregnant. Unless… Was he was empathic like Nyx? I hadn’t
stuck around long enough when I met him in Greece to find out.

“It’s why I’m here. Among other things.”
Samuel lowered himself to the floor, next to Claire. He touched
Claire’s neck with two fingers. “Do you have a kitchen towel and
ice? A cold compress will help her feel better as she comes
to.”

“Galilea?” I glanced over at her. “Would you…
please?”