Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades) (18 page)

A small motel with plenty of vacancies in the next
town filled our current needs. I went in to get some
rooms; my appearance, even after two days in the
wilderness, the least offensive.

We each showered and changed into the clean
clothes bought at a local store. We sat in the room eating
pizza ordered in from the one pizzeria, and talked. I
missed plenty while Kendal’s prisoner and Angelina filled
me in while Allister and Taylor verified Bastion’s retreat.

“Your friends are all fine, as are your parents,”
she informed me.
“My parents,” I cried. “I bet they’re going crazy
with me disappearing like that.”
“They went to Duluth after your friends told them
what Kendal instructed. The police searched the mall and
all the surrounding areas for you for days. They even sent
divers down in the harbor looking for you.” Angelina’s
somber mood reflected the severity of the situation.
“They must be frantic,” I moaned.
“There is speculation that you may have wandered
off, given the changes in your health. Some are thinking
you may be suffering from temporary amnesia.”
“Amnesia? Really? And they bought that?”
Angelina gave me a “get real” look and I nodded.
Things around me were very strange; amnesia was a more
feasible explanation of what occurred in the past few
months than reality. I nodded acceptance.
“How did you escape Kendal?” Angelina broke
into my thoughts.
“He let me go.”
Angelina’s head snapped up from pulling a piece
of pizza from its box. “What? That doesn’t sound like
Kendal, especially with what Bastion had over him. Why
would he let you go?”
“I think he likes me,” I answered quietly, averting
my eyes.
“That’s sick,” she hissed. “He took your angel and
left you for dead. Now he has feelings for you?”
“Guess so, please, don’t tell Allister,” I urged.
She looked at me for a moment, unblinking, then
nodded.
“Thank you,” I whispered as the door to the room
opened admitting Allister and Taylor.
“What’d you find?” Angelina asked.
“They’re gone, for now,” Taylor said.
“I’m sure not for good,” Allister added, glancing
awkwardly at Taylor, avoiding my eyes.
“What?” I asked.
“They took Kendal,” he said.
“So, they got a killer out of Grand Rapids. Good
for them,” I said, maybe a little too enthusiastically.
“But not necessarily good for Grand Rapids, or
us,” Allister added.
“What do you mean?” I failed to understand how
Kendal not killing more people was a bad thing.
“Bastion didn’t know where you lived. He used
Kendal to get you and now he needs to extract the
whereabouts of your home from him so he can come and
get you himself,” Taylor explained.
“What if Kendal won’t tell him?” I asked
hopefully.
“Why would he do that?” Allister asked.
I looked to Angelina as she bit her lip and kept her
mouth closed, the effort it took showed in her eyes. She
flicked her eyes from me to Allister over and over again.
Subtly I shook my head, not wanting to do as she
asked.
“Tell him,” she cried out at last.
“No.” I shook my head.
“I will if you don’t.” She folded her arms across
her chest.
“You promised. Only seconds ago, you
promised,” I argued.
“Tell me what?” Allister interrupted, brow
furrowed.
“Why Kendal won’t tell Bastion where Britt
lives,” Angelina sighed.
I glared hard at her, but she rolled her eyes,
smiled, and turned back to Allister.
“Fine, I’ll tell him,” I blurted. “Kendal thinks he
has feelings for me. He let me go when he heard Bastion
say the council would kill me once I helped the council
prove you guilty.”
Allister’s expression was dazed, then hardened.
“Do you have feelings for him?” His voice wavered with
controlled anger.
“No, how could I, no, never!” I stammered.
“Do you think he cares enough to keep your
secret?” Taylor asked, matter of fact.
Allister gave Taylor a dirty look and Taylor
merely shrugged.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
“That’s not our only problem,” Allister pointed
out. “With Bastion still in the area, he’ll try to stop us
from getting back into the US. He’ll follow us to Grand
Rapids unless we destroy him first.”
Bastion still posed a threat to my family and
friends; the victory in the meadow, short lived.
“What do we do?” I asked.
“I will go to Greece and face the council.” Allister
squared his shoulders.
“What?” Taylor, Angelina and I exclaimed in
unison.
“This is my fault. I need to go to the council and
face them, take what punishment I’m given.”
“That could be death,” Taylor hissed.
“If the council so decides.” Allister nodded.
“No, you can’t. It’s my fault, I should be the one
to go before the council.” I stood up.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The council will kill you on
sight. You’re considered an abomination.” Allister moved
to pull me into his arms. “You didn’t choose to be
touched. I had the choice and made it.” He kissed the top
of my head. “I’ll never regret touching you that day.
Creating you is the most wonderful thing I’ve done in all
my 180 years.”
A cell phone rang and Angelina answered,
walking out of the room to talk. Allister leaned down as I
looked up, giving me a light kiss and then followed her.
“What are his chances?” I asked Taylor.
“Britt, I don’t know if it’s my place to say,” he
frowned.
“Please,” I pressed.
“Creating you is the greatest offense an Eternal
can commit. I don’t know if leniency will be shown.”
I put a shaking hand to my mouth. How could this
be happening?
“If it’s any consolation, I think you are far from an
abomination,” Taylor comforted.
His words did little to assure me though. I’d stood
on the brink of death only a short time ago and now had
so much to live for. All of it hung in the balance now.
Angelina came in followed by Allister, their faces
grim.
“What?” I asked.
They looked at Taylor and then to me, their eyes
filled with sadness.
“They’re holding Mother and Father responsible
for my indiscretions,” Allister began, the words coming
out hard. “Unless I come before them in a week’s time
my judgment will be their judgment.”
“Father said an ally informed him Bastion already
knows this and will try anything to assure Allister doesn’t
make it to Greece in time,” Angelina added.
Taylor drew in a hissing breath and I gasped. This
was what Bastion wanted all along, to discredit and bring
down Victor. Allister was his means of doing it, but now
Victor would stand trial in Allister’s stead. Bastion only
needed to keep Allister away from Greece.
“We have to get to Greece,” I said, bringing all
eyes to me.
“No, Britt, Taylor and I need to get to Greece,”
Allister said. “Angelina and you are going home.”
“I’m going to Greece.” Angelina stole my
response.
“Sister, think about it. You need to stay safe to
carry on the Parks name. You need to stay to protect Britt
and the people we’ve endangered in Grand Rapids.”
Angelina opened her mouth to retort, then
snapped it shut with a click. She nodded.
Allister reached out a hand to me and I looked at it
curiously.
“Come take a walk with me,” he said.
I slid my hand in his and we went out the door
into the parking lot. Together, we walked past the
building and into the forest up along a rise above the
motel a slight distance before he stopped.
He turned to me, still holding my one hand and
then taking my other in his. He looked into my eyes and
held my gaze. I gazed up at him motionless, mesmerized.
“I want you to promise me you won’t follow us to
Greece.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but he squeezed my
hand and shook his head.
“Please Britt, promise me you’ll stay in Grand
Rapids and stay safe.”
“I can’t make that promise; what if you need me?”
“I have all the help I need and Angelina will come
if we need more. Please, no matter what, you must
promise to stay away.”
“You’re asking too much. I’ll come if you need
me.”
“You don’t understand. Going to Greece is a death
sentence for you. You must not risk it. I can’t go on
thinking you may follow me to your death. I need you to
promise me you will stay away, no matter what.”
I stared into his eyes. The pain overwhelmed me,
hurting me just to look at them. Pressing my eyes shut I
leaned into his chest, willing this to all be a bad dream;
for it to end, for it all to be over. I looked back up at him.
“Alright, I promise,” I whispered. The words
taking all the effort I could summon.
He pressed his lips to mine, his desire surging into
me as he swept me up in it. The feeling filled me so
completely, I lost track of everything but his touch, his
lips. His body against mine became everything.
He pulled away abruptly without warning and my
eyes opened wide in surprise. Allister sagged
unconscious, blood dripping down from a wound on his
forehead and supported by two men as Bastion stood by
holding a bloodied club. His broken nose swollen and his
eyes black and blue, he stared at me with an amused look
on his face; the silver tooth glistening under his swiping
tongue.
“Well, well, isn’t this romantic,” he sneered.
“Stop it! Allister,” I shouted lunging towards him.
Bastion stepped between us, halting my advance.
“Come with me and the circle will close, Britt. First
Victor Parks will pay for Allister’s crimes in his absence,
and
then
we will present Allister to pay for his own
crimes. We will bring you along to finish the triad. The
council enjoys neat endings and your destruction will end
the existence of an abomination as well as close the
chapter on the Parks’s history.”
“You forgot about one thing,” a high melodic
voice drifted from a nearby hill. “The Parks women are
just as deadly as the men.”
Angelina and Taylor rushed the group, setting
everyone into motion. The men holding Allister
shimmered out of sight. The four standing behind Bastion
split and two each met Angelina and Taylor.
“No,” I cried.
Bastion charged me, striking down towards my
head with his fist. I dove away from him, rolling, and
coming to my feet.
I didn’t know what to do except evade. I couldn’t
fight, but used my quickness to stay a step ahead of him.
He began another charge, then blinked out of sight
without warning.
I looked around to find myself alone. Allister,
Angelina, and Taylor, were nowhere in sight. I spun in a
full circle, looking for any signs of them. Confused, I
moved up to higher ground, searching for a clue, finding
none. After several attempts to discern their whereabouts,
I gave up and returned to the motel room.
I waited, and waited, and waited, looking out the
window every few minutes at any sound, at any perceived
noise; anything announcing their return or indicating their
whereabouts.
I jumped at the few cars driving into and through
the parking lot as day gave way to the night. I shivered
not at the cold, but the feeling of abandonment and
isolation I felt at losing the only thing I finally accepted
would be forever.
On the evening of the next day, I decided to do
something; anything was better than nothing. I found the
keys to the Camaro along with some money on the
dresser. I checked to see I wasn’t leaving anything behind
and pulled the door closed behind me. I walked to the car
looking expectantly in the direction of the nearby forest
where they disappeared. I unlocked the car and slid
behind the wheel. Allister had the window repaired the
first day in town and looked out the clean window up the
hill where he left me.
Starting the car, I backed out of the parking spot
and slid into first before pulling away, willing them to
come running out of the woods, jumping in before I left.
They never came. I continued slowly out of town,
wondering if I did the right thing, not knowing what else
to do.
I bought a map at a store on the edge of town,
plotted my path back to Duluth, and jumped on the
highway taking me back to the states. The drive, as lonely
as I’ve ever experienced, dragged on forever.
Reaching the boarder, I pulled the passport out of
my back pocket, looking down at it as the realization that
even the Eternal who gave me this, was now gone,
perhaps forever. An uneasy feeling came over me as I
acknowledged the sense of loss even for Kendal’s bizarre
form of companionship.
No, I thought. No way. I pushed the thought of
missing that Eternal from my mind. I pulled up to the
checkpoint, rolled down my window, and gave the guard
a smile.
“Evening Miss,” he said with a nod. “Passport
please.”
“Evening.” I handed him my papers.
“Why did you visit Canada?”
“I was doing a little hiking,” I answered. Not a
complete lie, I couldn’t help but grin.
“Everything appears in order.” He handed the
passport back. “Have a nice night.”
“Thank you.” I rolled up my window and breathed
a sigh of relief as I pulled out of the border station.
A weight lifted from me as I relaxed, thankful to
be in the US again. I set the cruise and settled in for the
couple hour drive to Duluth. I planned to stop, gas up,
and get something to eat there.
The sun slipped behind the trees as I pulled up to
a gas pump in Duluth. My teeth began to chatter as a cool
breeze blew in off the lake. I stood by the pump, looking
over the bay and wondering where my Eternal friends
were. I pumped the gas and paid for it inside.
I didn’t feel too hungry so I grabbed some pop
and licorice for the last ninety miles home. Switching on
the heat as the temperature dropped, I set the cruise and
scanned for deer; a problem in this part of Minnesota.
Anxious to get home, the trip seemed to take
twice as long. I pulled up in front of our house, the
outside garage lights on and a light shining through the
living room window.
I braced myself and set the story straight in my
mind. It took only a moment; I’d been preparing since
leaving the motel in Canada. Allister found me at the
north shore and I couldn’t remember how I got there. He
loaned me his car since he and Angelina needed to fly out
east to meet their parents.
I took a deep, settling breath, opened the car door,
and strode up the walk. Opening the door hesitantly, I
walked into my house.