Reckoning (9 page)

"When I felt your radar, your fear again just a few months ago, I appeared just below that streetlight," he pointed to the yellow globe a few yards away. "And I knew you still needed my protection. But it wasn’t until later, when I realized the Fallen Ones still existed - that they hadn’t been completely decimated – when I knew just how much. At that point, I recognized the reality that we faced, that we were still in danger, and suddenly very little made sense. Everything I was certain of was gone. Your safety, my beliefs. So, you see, I get it. I understand your need to execute them. I face that overwhelming desire every day we are on this earth. The anger that is conjured at knowing my loved ones…that you…are in harm’s way is irrefutable, undeniable to me. It drives me, just as it now drives you. But it’s not as strong as you think, Magdalene. It will not own us. We will own it by choosing when, where, and how to destroy our enemies.”

At the end, his speech conjured in me an awareness that had been hidden. When it surfaced, I couldn’t ignore it. The intensity was too severe.
We are in this together, together we are stronger, and together we will succeed.

“
Together…” I murmured.

“
Yes, together,” he replied emphatic.

“
And all this time…I never knew how it made you feel to guard me. I always thought you saw it as a job, a responsibility. But it
is
more…”

“
So much more,” he whispered, tensely.

“
I understand that now.”

Then, gradually, life began flickering again in his eyes. “Promise me, Magdalene, that you will not under any circumstances leave me and search out to destroy your enemies without my presence?” As if afraid I would decline, he added, “You may continue your hunting and I will stay aside but I reserve the right to intervene if I consider the risks too great.”

“
Well,” I sniffed laughter, “Who could argue with that bargain?”

“
Promise me, Magdalene.”

I stood on my toes then and ran my lips along the curve of his neck, along his jawbone, coming to rest them just over his lips. I could hear his heartbeat, strong and sound, quicken as I intentionally brushed against him. “I promise,” I whispered.

“
Tease,” he murmured deeply. I breathed in his woodsy scent, becoming intoxicated simply by the smell of him.

He slid his arms along my back and then picked me up swiftly, carrying me to the bed.

Laying me on top of the billowing mattress, he pressed his lips resolutely against mine.

“
Get some rest,” he said huskily after pulling away. “Tomorrow we hunt Fallen Ones.”

He left my room then with a more relaxed stroll, one I was thankful to see. Only after he’d turned off my light and the sounds of him preparing to sleep drifted across the hall did I realize he hadn’t heard…

He hadn’t heard Fernando’s warning…that our own kind would come after me if I continued my killings. The sane part of me realized that was a problem. The insane part of me refused to care. That part won.

As I rolled over to stare across my room towards the balcony doors, I was certain of one thing: I would continue killing Fallen Ones regardless of the obstacles, even if they came from the side I was defending.

CHAPTER FIVE
: François Gerard

The following morning was a challenge.

After reviewing the next Fallen One’s summary in the book of dossiers, I realized all I’d done is tease myself. I had to sit through breakfast and then through the ride to school with a nagging irritation. It felt as if very muscle in my body remained taut, impatiently waiting for tonight and the opportunity to hunt the next Fallen One.

After Eran pulled the bike into the parking lot, found a spot, and shut off the engine, I begrudgingly slid to the ground and headed for our first class.

My only consolation was that Eran was beside me and Ms. Beedinwigg taught our first period. Even though Eran noticed my mood, he didn’t say a word about it. He knew me too well to bring up the subject. Although his presence gave me a small amount of solace, the salve to my wound, my mood didn’t go unnoticed by Ms. Beedinwigg. At the end of first period, she called me to her desk as students filtered out into the hallway.

“
I couldn’t help but notice you were preoccupied this morning,” she said quiet, her tone edged with suspicion. “You also missed training last night…And that can only mean one thing. You’re hunting again.”

“
Yes.”

Her eyebrows lifted as she waited for me to elaborate.

“
Last night was spontaneous. Tonight is planned.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Last night was Fernando Vega?” she asked, recalling my mention of where I’d left off in the book of dossiers.

“
That’s right.”

“
The one known for his homemade weaponry…Given you are standing before me without noticeable injuries, I can see who won.”

“
Eran fought him, actually. I didn’t get the chance,” I replied, consciously excluding from my tone the disappointment I felt.

At that declaration, her eyes darted towards the door, inspecting him from top to bottom. I half-smiled then, realizing she cared about him just as much as she did me. It was comforting to know.

Seeing no reason for concern, she redirected her attention back to me. “Well…you attended my class this morning and yet you’ve returned to hunting. That must mean…”

“
Yes, I’m staying here…in New Orleans,” I confirmed.

“
You understand,” she said pointedly, “your life is about to become more demanding?”

If she was hinting at reducing my trainings, I met her head on with that decision. “That’s why I feel my trainings will need to be scaled down.”

“
Maggie, let’s be honest. You’ve cornered me the last several sessions, have given poor Alfred nightmares with your swordsmanship…Don’t you think it’s about time you let us off the hook?”

A smile crept up in both of us then.

The relief was overwhelming. “I didn’t know how to tell you…” I admitted, having been unable to find the words to explain to someone so dedicated to her craft that I no longer felt it was necessary.

She was now shaking her head at me. “Never hold back with me. I have fairly thick skin.”

I rolled my eyes at that understatement.

Then she grew serious. “Maggie, at this point, the most help I can be to you is to assist you in your hunting. If you should need me…ever…I’m here.”

While I knew that would never be the case, I replied, “Thanks for the offer.”

“
Now,” she said, glancing at the clock over the door. “You’re late for your next class.”

I was, so late in fact that I didn’t get a chance to tell Eran of our decision until lunchtime.

When that hour came, I couldn’t have been more eager. He met me outside my last class just before we headed for the cafeteria and we remained agonizingly silent until seated at a table in the far corner.

After I whispered the details of my conversation with Ms. Beedinwigg, leaning in close so no one would hear, he sat back and reflected. As he did, his knee absentmindedly swung out, coming to rest against mine. It was a pleasant diversion. He was warm, as usual, and it took effort not to press back against him.

“
Do you feel any Fallen Ones around?” he asked.

“
No,” I replied, a bit surprised. “I would tell you.”

“
Good,” he stated and then placed his hand on my knee.

My heart leaped in my throat, feeling almost scandalous. He never showed affection in public, but that was likely because a Fallen One always lurked nearby. With all of them having fled the school a few weeks ago, Eran seemed to be starting to relax. I was thrilled by it.

So deep in thought, he didn’t seem to notice my reaction. “With your training out of the way, we’re free to hunt any night you are up to it.”

“
I am always up for it,” I confirmed.

Noting my conviction, he asked with a grin, “How about we take it one night at a time? You might change your mind now that we’ll be facing the more hazardous of our enemies.”

“
I won’t,” I said, and meant it. I leaned forward then and was momentarily distracted by our proximity but recovered quickly. “I know what we’re up against, Eran. I remember it. I remember it all.”

His head rotated towards mine, his eyes wide from my disclosure. “I didn’t realize your memory recovered so fully…Never having come here as a human myself, I…I didn’t know.”

“
It has and I know it wasn’t pleasant before. It wasn’t easy. I know it won’t be now. But it’s worth the risk. This world and the moral ones who’ve come here have a right to live safely. I won’t stop until that goal is reached.”

He stared at me, a glimmer in his eyes the only sign he’d heard what I said. Then he leaned towards me, our lips almost touching. “Do you know…your strength has always been a powerful aphrodisiac for me?”

I drew in a quick breath.

Despite having known this man for centuries, he still had an effect on me. Meeting him with the same vigor, I whispered softly, “Good to know.”

Suddenly, the table shook violently and Eran was on his feet, his body poised for conflict.

Standing over the table with a look of uninhibited disgust was the warden.

“
Mr. Talor…Ms. Tanner. You will keep your hands off each other while on school grounds.” His eyes narrowed even further and for a moment it looked as if he were entirely closing them. “Do you understand me?”

Eran, who by this point knew no possible danger could come from the warden, relaxed his stance. “Not a problem, sir,” he replied, holding in a chuckle.

The warden stepped around the table and came within inches of Eran. Ironically, it was meant to be a movement to impress power over Eran but it failed miserably. At Eran’s height, the warden stood in his shadow making him look like a barking Chihuahua against a Great Dane. He must have realized this because he tilted his head back further so he could look down his nose at Eran. With a great deal of effort, given the cranked position of his neck, he struggled to deliver his threatening message. “You do realize Ms. Beedinwigg’s job is on the line here? And that you and Ms. Tanner have a direct correlation to the amount of time she will be able to remain in her current post?”

“
Yes, we’ve been told,” Eran replied, showing no sign of uneasiness.

“
Don’t forget it,” he stated snidely before spinning on his heel and marching through the cafeteria and out the door.

Just as it slammed shut, snickers could be heard across the cavernous room. Bridgette Madison, my least favorite person on campus, sat a few tables over, her mouth turned down with loathing. We ignored them all in favor of quietly remaining at our table until lunch was over. It really didn’t matter what we did, or if we didn’t do anything at all. Eran and I were the source of countless stories of gossip on campus and retained an infamous reputation because of them. That – I was certain - would never end until we left school permanently.

For the remainder of the day an aggravated impatience dominated me. I couldn’t recount a single word any of the teachers spoke but I could tell you exactly how slow the clock in each classroom ran. It felt as if time was testing my fortitude.

Meeting Eran after each class, and more specifically after last period, immediately improved my day. Still, it was a very good thing Eran drove my Harley back to the house since not a single red stop light registered with me.

Dinner was brief: a few slices of bread, a thick piece of leftover ham, and a handful of potato chips. Felix thoroughly disapproved but was told to pipe down by Rufus, which didn’t cause him to pipe down and instead set off an argument. However, it achieved the desired effect with Felix more focused on Rufus than on the meal Eran and I were practically inhaling.

On his last bite, Eran told them that we would be studying in my room tonight, not wanting to disturb the household by dominating the kitchen with textbooks. They waved him off in favor of continuing their argument, which had evolved to something on whether cheese could be considered a main food group all its own.

The truth was we had no intention of studying. This was Eran’s ploy to keep our other three housemates unaware of our nightly plans. I didn’t fully agree and mentioned it on our way up the stairs.

“
There’s no harm in letting them know the truth,” I whispered, wanting to only raise my voice to normal levels once we were inside my room.

Eran closed the door almost entirely, leaving it open a crack to abide by Ezra’s house rules, and then turned to me. “And there’s no harm in keeping it from them either, is there?”

He was already at my bed, lifting the mattress, and pulling out my leather suit. Holding it up, he paused, his rushed pace halting for just a moment. “I really enjoy watching you move in this…”

I sighed and swiped it out of his hand. “It’s not meant to be seductive.”

“
Intended or not…it is,” he replied with his signature smirk.

I shook my head at him, retrieving and throwing him the book of dossiers, which he opened to review the next Fallen One’s summary. Although, we’d read through it earlier, a brush up couldn’t hurt.