Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades) (14 page)

I opened my eyes, more like pried them open,
since they refused to listen to my commands. I struggled,
forcing them to finally respond.

Allister sat next to me. I lay on a bed, the canopy
partially hanging on the only post left intact of the four.
Angelina’s bed. The thought of Angelina brought her fate
rushing back to me. I sat up so quickly my head wailed in
protest. I put a hand to my spinning head and felt the
pucker of the scar from my brain surgery against my
fingertips. Allister’s warning rang in my memory. I slid a
hand to my side and sure enough, the appendix scar
rubbed against my fingers. Then, I saw Angelina next to
me her face at peace, content. It was all for nothing. I
failed. Damn it, I failed. Tears filled my eyes as I looked
upon Allister’s sister.

Allister reached over, took me by the chin, and
turned my head to face him. His tired smile confused me
and I pulled free of his hand to look back at Angelina. I
focused on her chest and saw the movement. I froze, not
willing to accept until I saw another, and another.

I spun back to Allister, my tears spilling down my
cheeks.
He smiled, his tears wetting his face.
“You did it,” he whispered.
“I did it,” I repeated, monotone.
“You did it,” he said again, pulling me into his
arms, burying his face in my hair.
I sobbed into his shoulder, unable to control the
emotions pouring out of me. I shook in his arms and he
held me close, not moving, but holding me tight until the
spell passed.
When I moved a little he relaxed his hold,
allowing me to lean back, his shirt wet with my tears.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” I
sniffed.
“It doesn’t matter,” he grinned. “You saved my
sister when I couldn’t. I owe you my life. No matter what
happens, you will always have my gratitude for what you
did tonight.”
He put his fingers on my chin and tenderly pulled
my lips to his. I felt my heart race. Losing myself in his
touch again, I didn’t have the strength to fight it, not even
if I wished to, which I didn’t.
“Humph.”
Allister and I jerked apart as Angelina sat staring
with disapproval.
“Sister.” Allister leaned across me to embrace her.
She hugged him back and then pushed him away,
eyeing me curiously.
“You saved me?” she asked.
I nodded, unable to form words, still waiting for
my heartbeat to slow.
“Why didn’t you?” she turned to Allister looking
stern.
“I couldn’t. I tried, but I didn’t have the power to
do so.”
“And
you
did?” she looked back at me.
“I don’t know how, but yes.” I shrugged, “I did.”
“Thank you,” she said with a hint of a smile.
“Sure, no problem.”
“Does this mean I have to like her now?” she
turned to Allister.
“Yes, it does.” He nodded, unable to hold back his
smirk.
“Damn,” she sighed and looked at me, resigned.
I healed Angelina completely, the only remaining
sign of her attack the five minor scars where Kendal
touched her. I pulled my sweatshirt down, exposing my
own scars from his attack to her and she met my eyes,
another thing binding us together.
“He shimmered in out of nowhere,” Angelina
explained. “I didn’t even sense him, and suddenly, he was
in my room.”
Nodding, I held my hand to my new scars. “I saw
me through his eyes in my dream and woke just in time to
slow him down. Allister arrived before he finished me
off,” I told her.
“Good thing, else I wouldn’t be here either,” she
pointed out matter-of-factly.
“I swear he’ll pay,” Allister said through clenched
teeth.
I saw the rage boiling within him. The image sent
chills through me. I hoped his rage never sought me out.
“I better get you back home,” he said, turning to
me.
Fear pulsed through me, the thought of Kendal
hunting me turning my blood cold.
Allister sensed my reticence. “Angelina and I will
keep an eye on your house tonight,” he said, turning to
Angelina.
She nodded her agreement.
“He won’t reach you again, I promise,” Allister
assured me.
“He could harm you too, or did you forget?” I
reminded him.
“I’m a more dangerous adversary than either of
you,” he said.
I looked at him doubtful, but when I turned to
Angelina, she nodded her agreement. The image of his
rage filled eyes flashed through my mind and I believed
them.
“Kendal would be lucky to leave with his life if he
confronted Allister.” She smiled. “And he won’t catch me
off guard again. The next time won’t be so easy.”
“A fighter
and
a healer?” I asked. “How’d that
happen?”
“Just lucky I guess. I believe healing is a
redeeming factor to any violence I need to exact. If I had
a soul, I would say it is my redemption.” He shrugged,
downplaying the importance of his declaration.
I chuckled, shaking my head at his reasoning,
realizing I used the same rationalization to excuse my
connection to Kendal’s killing.
I took his extended hand and still tingled after
reaching my room. Angelina helped me neaten things up
while Allister circled the house to assure Kendal didn’t
lurk in the shadows. He shimmered back in a moment
after we put everything in its place.
“No sign of him,” he said. “Can I borrow your
cell phone?”
“Sure.” I took it off the desk and handed it to him.
“I need to tell Mother and Father what’s
happened,” he said, shimmering out of the room.
“I’ll go see if I can pick up Kendal’s trail. Don’t
worry, he’ll not get by us,” she declared. “See you
tomorrow.” She vanished.
Allister returned, handing my phone back as I
looked at him, expectant.
“They’re on the jet, nearly to Greece,” he said.
“They’ll come straight back once they refuel.”
“What’d they say about Kendal?”
“They’ve been doing some checking and Kendal
is very connected with the council in Greece. They’re
suspicious this is a plot to eliminate our entire family.”
“Why would anyone want to do that?” I asked.
“Victor once led the council and holds sway over
them even now. If we’re eliminated, other factions will
have a greater chance of overthrowing the council, which
Father supports.”
“And then add me to the mix,” I sighed, feeling
even more a burden.
“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in
over a hundred and fifty years. I’ll never regret breaking
the law to keep you in this world.” He leaned down and
kissed me, shimmering the instant he pulled away.
I sat down on my bed, my head still spinning
from his kiss. I didn’t realize I still held my cell phone
until it buzzed in my hand.
I glanced at the screen. Trish. “Hey.”
“Can’t sleep. You know that thing with Mr.
Kinsley?” Trish asked.
The image of Mr. Kinsley’s guardian angel being
pulled from his body flashed across my mind. His dead
eyes, hauntingly staring into nothingness still made me
sick to my stomach.
“Yeah, crazy huh?”
“You know who did that?” Trish asked.
“Yeah.”
“Thought so. Kind of creepy,” she sighed.
“Try being there.”
“I can’t imagine, Britt.”
“Really sucks.”
“What’s up? You don’t sound too good.” Concern
warmed her voice.
“I think I’m really falling for Allister,” I confided,
changing the subject to something more enjoyable.
“Who wouldn’t?” she laughed. “He’s gorgeous.”
“I suppose you’re right,” I giggled.
“Does he feel the same about you?”
“I think so.” I felt my insides warm at the thought.
“Britt, if you’re going to live forever, why not be
happy with someone like Allister?” Trish was surprisingly
reasonable.
“I know, but I’ll outlive everyone I care about,” I
told her the source of my unhappiness. “You, Elise,
Cassie, Mom and Dad.”
“Except Allister,” she reminded. “Don’t over
think this like you always do. Being normal, you might
already be dead. Being an Eternal, you’ll outlive
everyone, except other Eternals, one of which happens to
be in love with you. Don’t make this a bad thing, cause it
isn’t.”
“Thanks Trish,” I smiled.
“For what?”
“For being the friend who can see the good in
everything.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” She laughed. “See you
tomorrow. Night.”
“Night.” I ended the call and set the phone on my
dresser.
I curled up in my blankets, feeling better about
being an Eternal for the first time.

Mom knocked on the door the next morning to
wake me up. I scrambled to unlock the door, realizing I
forgot to plug my alarm clock in after the attack last
night.

I rushed to get ready, pulling a shirt over my head
as a car honked out front. I glanced out my window
overlooking the street. Allister stood beside his Camaro,
arms folded, waiting for me as Angelina leaned against
the black car’s trunk, giving me a nod when I looked out.

I warmed at the simple gesture from Angelina as I
grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs. At least we
might be able to be in the same car without me getting
frostbite from her now.

Mom stood in the entry.
“Where are the girls?” she asked.
“They knew Allister and his sister were picking

me up,” I told her.
“Don’t let having a boyfriend pull you away from
your friends,” she cautioned.
“Don’t worry, they like Allister too.” I grinned,
giving her a kiss on the cheek as I walked past and
headed out the door.
Angelina hopped in back as I slid into the front
and Allister got behind the wheel. The rumble of the
engine still excited me as we pulled away from the curb.
“Did you guys get any sleep?” I asked, first
looking at Allister and then turning to look at Angelina.
“Some,” she replied. “Kendal looks long gone.”
“Good, I think. Shouldn’t we be searching for
him? Doesn’t he have to pay for what he did to those
innocent people, and what he tried to do to us last night?”
I asked.
Allister’s eyes narrowed. “I promise you, he will.”
His words made me shudder. Their intensity left
no doubt; Allister would see that Kendal paid for trying to
kill Angelina and me.
We pulled into the parking lot as the other
students milled around the building entrance. It seemed to
me, nearly everyone stopped and stared as Allister opened
my door and helped first me and then Angelina out. I
wondered when the novelty of us being together would
wear off.
“Don’t they have anything better to do than ogle
us?” Angelina mumbled under her breath as we headed
for class.
“Let them look,” Allister grinned. “They’re
jealous I have the two hottest girls in my car.”
“The car doesn’t hurt either,” I smiled back.
Only a few steps away from our parking spot, the
Wrangler pulled up and the three amigos piled out.
“Morning,” Elisa greeted us warmly.
“Hey.” I nodded back.
Angelina gave a slight smirk and walked ahead.
“Does this mean Angelina is warming up to us?”
Cassie asked, looking at me and then back to Angelina.
“A bit, maybe, as long as you can keep a secret.”
Angelina gave Cassie a cautionary look.
“Sure, sure, no problem,” Cassie said raising her
hands defensively in front of her.
“How’s our girl?” Trish asked, swinging an arm
around my shoulders.
“Good. Thanks again for the talk last night,” I
whispered.
“No problem.” She winked at me.
We split up once we got inside and headed to our
respective classes.
When I walked into my history class before lunch,
I stopped, stunned as Allister sat in the seat next to mine.
With a raised eyebrow I slid in next to him, staring at him
until he turned to me.
“I needed to get this class in before graduation,”
he grinned. “Might as well take it with you.”
I nodded as the teacher started the lecture. I stared
most of the hour at Allister, the teacher so enthralled in
early American politics he never noticed.
After the bell we walked together to lunch. The
girls already sat with Angelina at a table saving our seats.
We got our food and sat down with them.
“Ladies,” Allister greeted.
The girls laughed, saying hello and Cassie
blushed.
“I want you to know, I understand the relationship
you have with Britt and I respect it, but what is said at
this table must remain at this table, understood?”
The girls nodded enthusiastic, thrilled by their
inclusion at last.
Allister turned to Angelina and me. “We speak of
nothing specific in front of them, only vague generalities,
agreed?”
“Agreed,” I said.
“Fine.” Angelina tipped her head.
“I will patrol around Britt’s house tonight,”
Allister said. “Trevor came home from Greece ahead of
Mother and Father to stay with Angelina,” he added,
seeing my concern at her being left alone.
“That guy with the pony tail and all the muscles at
your house?” I questioned.
“He’s one of our private security team,” he
explained.
“Where were they last night?” I asked.
“We believed Kendal was headed to Greece and
thought the security would be better used with Mother
and Father. We won’t underestimate him again.”
“What happened last night?” Elisa asked and then
put a hand to her mouth as our eyes swung to her. “Err,
sorry.”
“You can know Kendal tried to hurt Britt and
Angelina last night. By being around us, you may
endanger yourselves as well. You must decide if it’s
worth the risk.” Allister looked to each of them.
“If being with Britt is dangerous, I’m willing to
risk it. I won’t abandon a friend when times get tough,”
Trish said proudly.
Cassie and Elisa nodded.
“But I thought you couldn’t die?” Cassie spoke
up, confused.
“Only another Eternal can hurt us,” Angelina
explained. “In order to kill us straight away, they need to
tear out our hearts.”
The girls gasped.
“We’ll usually heal from any other wound,”
Angelina added.
I unconsciously raised my hand to my chest and
the the prints Kendal left behind, still burning.
The bell rang and we scattered to our classes
again, meeting up outside by the cars afterwards. The
girls looking questioning to Allister, Angelina, and me as
we reached our car.
“You should spend some time with your friends.”
Allister turned to me. “What would you normally do
now?”
“We need to go shopping,” Elisa said.
“Then go shopping,” he said mildly. “Angelina
and I will go back to the house and see if anything has
developed. I’ll stop by later.”
I nodded and stepped next to him, stretching up
expectantly.
He smirked, glancing at the audience and
shrugged. Leaning down, he kissed me softly.
“Ooh,” Elisa sighed, envious.
He pulled away, leaving me as breathless as
always.
I turned and hopped into the Jeep.
Trish started the Jeep and we sped off, destined for a
girl’s day like we use to have before everything changed.