My Soul Keeper (15 page)

“Can I use your phone, Simone? I need to call the police. I’m so sorry you had to witness that.”

“What’s happening? Life was normal a couple of months ago, who were you talking to before?” I mumble.

Without answering my question he drives me home.

I’m left standing in her drive, viewing Simone’s retreating form as she hurries into her house.

“It’s time we talked.” Liam’s voice comes from behind me.

“So talk. What are you?” I ask, desperate for answers.

He runs his hand through his hair and lets out a sigh. “I’m a Grigori.”

Grigoris. There are many legends, whispers about them. They are watchers made to watch over humans from heaven. The stories that some speak of and believe say they took a liking to human women, impregnating them and sharing holy secrets.

“Wait - a watcher? What are you doing down here?”

“I know what you’re thinking when I say Grigori, but I am just a watcher. Grigori is just my title. I watch over assigned humans. Well I used to, I’m here for her father. He was a dear friend to my mother.”

Why is everyone being so vague?

“I need more than that.”

“Well, I need something from you. Who are you and what do you want with Simone?”

I exhale my frustration. “I thought a Grigori would have heard my name?”

He sighs. “I’m young. My appearance is my true age more or less, only twenty years in Heaven and eighteen on Earth. I was new to the Grigori when Chamuel came to me with my mother to ask for my assistance.”

“Chamuel? Are you saying he is her father? What of her mother?”

He grimaces. “Her mother was Muriel.”

That’s why her soul is unlike any I’ve seen. Because there
is
no soul like hers; she is the purest soul. No others exist.

It’s strictly forbidden for Angels to fall in love with each other. Half-breeds are common. Angels mating with humans are accepted to a degree and they have human souls, but hers is brighter than even an Angel's.

“She’s pure. How is she here? God...”

He rushes towards me. “God knows nothing of her, Shamar. That’s why she’s here, to protect her from His wrath. Chamuel came to Earth when they found out Muriel was with child. All I know is what I was told. When Chamuel came back to Heaven to speak to his brothers of the love he felt, God kept him there and blinded him from seeing the life she would have to live without him. No one knew of the pregnancy. After almost a year of failed attempts to leave Heaven, Chamuel came to me with my mother, Muriel’s closest friend. I came here straight away and have watched over her ever since.”

“You love her?” I ask but I already see the answer in his aura.

He nods. “I hold great affection for her. I have watched over her all of her years and I will protect her with my life.” His affection for her is that of a father or brother. I feel no attraction from him when he speaks her name. I am grateful she has him.

“So who is your mother?”

His face lights up. “Charmeine, Angel of Harmony,” he answers proudly.

I smile; his mother has always been pleasant to me.

“What of this dark soul?”

He looks at me, confused. “Dark soul?”

“Yes, he goes to school with you both. Can you not sense him?”

His eyes drop to the ground. “I lost all my abilities when I left Heaven. I can see beings when other people can’t, but I don’t know when it’s just me seeing them. Hence the slip in Simone’s room. Why were you there, by the way? You still haven’t told me who you are.”

“I am Shamar, keeper of young souls. I was brought to Simone’s mother by her guardian, Gabrielle, to give her an eight week soul.”

“Wait, you mean Junior?”

“Yes. Simone is a Destined and unfortunately, my souls are often used to sculpt destinies. Grief is a great motivator.”

I sound insensitive and harsh but sometimes it’s just the truth and that can be harsh and painful.

“Motivate her for what?”

“When was the last time you spoke to her father?”

His face falls. “Not since I left Heaven. And my mother can only come every so often; we need to keep Simone under the radar.”

I’m pacing and my mind’s buzzing like crazy. “If she’s a secret, then how can she be a Destined?”

She can’t be. Damn - what is Gabrielle doing?

“I’m a little confused,” Liam confesses. “There’s no way Simone would be in the Book of the Destined. Shamar, if God knew of her, she wouldn’t be here - going to school, living a normal life.”

I run my hands over my face.

“I need to know what’s happening. I can’t be in the dark when everything around me is confusing enough.”

Simone stays standing in her drive, looking between me and Liam.

“Please tell me what’s going on. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

I walk toward her. Her sad eyes glisten with tears brimming her long dark lashes. My heart feels like it’s going to beat from my chest. I catch the stray tear that slips from her eye with my thumb and she presses her cheek into my touch, igniting the desire between us. Her hand takes mine.

“I need to know.”

I nod my agreement.

“Let’s go inside,” Liam says, taking her hand from mine and guiding her into her house. A horn beeping continually halts our steps. We all turn at the same time to see a bright pink Beetle pull up. Leah jumps from the car.

“Oh my, God, guys. Amanda killed herself. There’s police and shit everywhere down at the bridge and everyone’s clogging up my newsfeed on Facebook.”

Simone pulls away from Liam and runs to the side of the house, emptying the contents of her stomach, the reality of what she witnessed being true overwhelming her.

“There must be an explanation for why she would kill herself. Nothing is making sense,” Simone croaks.

“Mia said that she was on drugs or something, and Lucas tried to make her get help because she was losing it, but I guess she lost it, huh?” Leah shrugs.

Simone turns to her. “Leah, how can you be so flippant about this?”

Leah shrugs again. “Look, I’m not heartless, but she was a total bitch who terrorized us for years. I’m not going to pretend we were best friends like everyone else will.”

Simone nods and fresh tears cascade down her cheeks.

“You’re right.” She sniffles. “I need to go.”

Liam and I look at each other; he shakes his head.

“Where do you want to go?” Liam asks, approaching her like she’s an injured animal.

“I just need to be on my own for a little while. I just witnessed a girl who, yes, was a bitch, but was also still a person I’ve known since second grade. I couldn’t stop her, she just jumped right there within a few feet of me and I couldn’t save her. I just need to be alone to try figure things out in my head, and I mean alone!” She glares at me like she knows I would follow her, seen or unseen.

I look to Liam; he nods. “Let her go. She will be fine.”

“Why are you acting like her parents?” Leah breaks the tension. “Did I miss something?”

Simone walks past her. “Keys, please.”

I hand them to her. “Please be careful, Simone.”

She opens the car door and disappears down the street.

“What did you do?”

I look to a confused Leah. “Nothing. I need to leave. Liam, I will find you.”

I leave them both and walk out of sight so I can disappear without Leah seeing me.

I can’t get Amanda’s voice and the image of her jumping from my mind as I drive toward the school. I just need to be under the tree, looking up to the sky. I need to feel some peace without being mollycoddled by Shamar and Liam.

I rush from the car across the dark, deserted field, my heart hammering against my chest. I try to breathe in and out as calmly as possible but I’m struggling. I reach my tree and lie down, looking up to the sky peeking through the branches. It soothes my shaking body. I soak in the peaceful relief and my eyelids grow heavy.

My body feels hot; a pulsing desire tears through me. I hear a sniffle and it takes me a few minutes to realise I’m not dreaming. A dark shadow of a figure in front of me is huddled on the ground. I creep toward it, wary but also concerned by the whimpering sound.

“Shit, Simone, what are you doing here?”

Lucas.

His eyes are damp and his voice cracks when he speaks. “I didn’t know anyone else was about. Are you alone?” He drops his head like he’s embarrassed.

“I’m alone. Can I sit?”

He nods. “I feel like I let her down. I really thought I could help her.”

“Really? Because you were quite mean to her in the cafeteria.” It’s out of my mouth before I can think and I instantly regret it when a sob retches from him. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. That was insensitive.”

I put my arm around him and feel the heat from him spark in my body. I feel guilty since he’s so vulnerable but I can’t control my body’s reaction to him and I hate the betrayal my body is doing to Shamar. I try to pull my arm back but he grabs me, bringing me into his lap and crushing me to his body.

“I was trying tough love because nothing was working. She was on drugs, Simone.”

My mind goes back to the bridge and all the crazy things she was saying. Her being high makes sense.

“She said some things to me about wanting me to be jealous and stuff,” I tell him. His dark eyes look into mine and hold me there. I feel lost, like I’m sinking into a heated darkness.

“She was jealous of you. She wanted Jacob.” I hear him but my mind is picturing him touching me and I can’t control my body reacting. I know I need to get away from him because I’m too close, too confused and too lonely to be here with him.

“Simone, let yourself come with me. You belong with me.” He brings his lips down on mine. I know I should pull away but the heat takes over and I taste him willingly, letting him in. It’s completely different than with anyone else. It’s fire and lust but also darkness fogging my mind, clouding reason.

He pushes me backwards, his body pressing into mine. His hands start to roam and I know it’s wrong, but the darkness becomes thicker, pushing out my rational thoughts. His heavy hands become wild, squeezing at my breasts, his hard-on thrusting against me wildly. He groans deeply. It’s almost animalistic.

“Say you’re mine. Tell me I can have you,” he commands me.

I try to catch my breath and clear my mind. My eyes glance up at the sky and I feel his hand grip my wrists, pinning them above my head. His lips come down on my neck, his tongue lapping, his teeth nipping at me. I keep looking up at the sky and I feel the fog begin to fade a little. Shamar floods my mind and my heart aches. I feel the pull of the sky, but my body feels like it’s in a tug of war.

“No, Lucas, no. I can’t,” I moan, trying to squirm away.

He grips me tighter. “Simone, you’re mine. Say it.”

I keep looking up, trying to take strength from the sky. “My heart belongs to someone else. I’m not yours. I’m sorry.”

A roar rips from his mouth. “No, look at me. Simone, look at me.”

I don’t. I keep my focus on the thing that’s always brought me serenity. The darkness lifts with his weight.

“Don’t touch her,” Shamar bellows, throwing Lucas from me.

“She wanted me to touch her. She belongs to me now. Back off before you regret intervening.”

“Simone, come to me.”

I stand and step toward Shamar, feeling guilt and shame of what he witnessed and how weak my willpower was.

“I wouldn’t, Simone.”

Gabrielle walks out from behind the tree like some pervert. Oh God, a set-up. What is her deal?

“What are you doing here? I don’t understand.”

“Shamar is evil, Simone. Here to take souls. Your brother’s, in fact.”

I flinch away from all of them. “Wait, what? I don’t understand,” I cry out. I feel like my mind’s going to explode.

“Don’t listen to her,” Shamar tells me.

“Why? I’m telling her the truth. That is what you’re here to do. Tell her I’m wrong, Shamar,” Gabrielle goads him.

I look to him for answers and I see it there in his beautiful eyes. “Oh my God, Shamar. Please tell me it’s a lie,” I plead.

“It’s not quite like that. Please take my hand. Let me explain.”

I look to Gabrielle.

“I’m your guardian, Simone. I’m sorry this is confusing for you.”