Your Soul to Take (Rise of the Fallen) (13 page)

Chapter 17

The
door to the school opened and I could smell Monday wash over me like a bad bean
burrito fart. I groaned as I passed through the entrance and into the halls of
monotony. Even the sight of Jessie, waiting for me by her locker, couldn’t
brighten my outlook of another week of school. I didn’t think I could handle
the two weeks we had left until winter break.

“Hey,
handsome.”

“Hi,
beautiful. Happy Monday.”

“It’ll
go quick. Just stay out of trouble,” she said with a wink and a smile.

“Did
you just meet Connor?” My sister’s voice echoed from behind us. I turned
in time to see her roll her eyes as she passed us on her way to class.

“Not
my fault it finds me,” I called after her.

“Come
on. We’re gonna be late,” Jess said and pulled me by my hand toward
homeroom.

All
in all, the morning passed rather quickly with a minimal amount of suckage. If
only the day had stayed that way.

Sure,
I was looking forward to having lunch with my beautiful girlfriend, and lunch
started normally enough with us getting into line, ordering our usual salad and
lunch with meat-like products for me. It was hamburger day, which are slightly
less dangerous than sloppy-joe days.

We
had just sat down and started eating when the unthinkable happened. By
unthinkable, I mean the worst possible thing in the universe that could have
happened, happened. No, the sun didn’t go supernova turning the earth into a
fiery ball of destruction and killing all life on earth. My girlfriend did.

Shannon
had exited the lunch line and deposited her tray and drink at her table a few
rows away. Picking up her banana, she glanced at it, made a face, and decided
it wasn’t worthy of her consumption. She headed toward the garbage can which
was inconveniently located on the opposite side of
our
lunch table.

Jess
tensed as she approached. I gently reached over and placed my hand on her knee
and as she turned to look at me, I gave her a little smile. At the same exact
moment, Shannon walked past, running her fingertips over my shoulders
seductively.

The
color drained from my face as I watched Jess’ anxiety turn to anger and then
morph into fury. I think I whispered, “Oh shit,” as Jess stood
violently. I heard the crunching of plastic and looked down to see the bench
she had been sitting on shatter as her knees drove it backwards when she stood.

I
was going to have to take one for the team.

In
an effort to avoid a full-scale massacre in the James Underwood High School
cafeteria, I stood, wrapped Jess in my arms, and practically dragged her
through the maze of tables and out the door into the courtyard outside.

“Don’t
you dare stop me!” Her voice echoed between the buildings and I’m sure was
cutoff mid-sentence as the doors leading inside closed behind us.

I
pushed Jess back to arm’s length and looked into her beautiful green eyes. I
could see nothing but hatred. Hopefully it wasn’t focused at me. “Do you
really think she’s worth it? Think about it. If you hurt her, you’re going to
get into serious trouble. Do you know what your dad would do to you? Do you
have any idea how long you’d be grounded for?”

“I
don’t care! And I don’t understand why you’re stopping me! What? Did you
like
it?”

Uh-oh.
The conversation turned in a
direction I hadn’t even considered. “Are you crazy? I love
you.
Why
the hell would I want her to touch me?”

“Did
you just call me crazy?”

“No.
I asked if you were. Big difference. But the way you’re acting, I’m starting to…”

Yeah…
Not my crowning academic achievement. I might have mentioned in the past that I
wasn’t the brightest bulb on the strand. I didn’t even get to finish my
sentence when her knee shot out and found a new home, nestled snuggly at the
juncture of my legs, displacing my small family of two. My girlfriend had just
kneed me in the nads. My world collapsed inwardly as did my intestines and
other organs as the wave of pain swept upward.

Apparently,
even the Fallen weren’t immune to a well-placed nut-shot.

I
dropped to my knees as my eyes closed and a song of anguish escaped my lips,
filling the courtyard with its forlorn melody of despair.

“Asshole,”
she said and took off toward the cafeteria.

“Jess.
Wait!” It took everything I had to get the words out. It didn’t help. I
watched her back as she threw the door open and walked inside, leaving a small
trail of white feathers in her wake…

Things
went from worse to abysmally horrid in the blink of an eye. I sucked it up and
stood, a little wobbly I admit, but at least I was on two feet. I hurried after
her, expecting a war of cataclysmic proportions on the other side of the
ancient glass door.

What
I got was Jessie standing in front of Shannon, visibly shaking and shouting the
words, “If you want him, you can have him!” She stormed off and
headed back toward the classrooms.

The
students in the lunchroom, who had completely given up on eating to watch the
drama unfold, visibly shrank as Jess walked by their tables.

I,
on the other hand, could feel my heart breaking as I watched her walk away. I
sank back to my knees, not caring that my jeans were touching the floor of the
lunchroom, the floor that probably carried every bacteria known to man in one
convenient linoleum covered petri dish. I forgot about the pain in my nuts as
the pain in my heart became the new center of my universe.

I
don’t know how long I stayed there either. Eventually, I felt a pair of hands
grip under my arms and lift me to my feet. Feminine arms embraced me as I felt
someone’s breath on the back of my neck. I started to spin furiously, fully
expecting Shannon to have mistakenly claimed her prize, when Clarisse’s voice
whispered softly into my ear.

“If
you don’t want to make the biggest mistake of your life…go after her.”

And
with those subtle words of wisdom, she let me go.

* * *

My
sneakers squeaked through the hallway sounding like a basketball game as I
raced after my girlfriend. At least I hoped she was my girlfriend. I had never
seen her that angry. I hoped to the Creator that I never saw her that angry
again. Ever.

I
saw a flash of red head up the stairwell to the second floor. Since Jess was
the only girl in the school with that exact shade of hair, I gave a full fledge
burst of Fallen speed and made it to the stairs within moments. Footfalls echoed
on the flight above me. For a nanosecond, I debated calling my wings and
jumping. Then common sense took over. Landing next to Jess with glowing eyes
and leathery wings probably wouldn’t be a good idea.

I
did use my speed to take the stairs three at a time, and I caught up to her at
the top. “Jess! Wait! Please…”

She
stopped running, but didn’t turn around, continuing on her way toward American
Government without looking back at me.

I
reached out my hand and put it on her shoulder as I fell into step behind her.
“Please,” I whispered again.

She
stopped. She still didn’t turn around, but stopping was a good sign.
“What?”

I
could hear the anger edging her voice like a sharp knife. I knew it was sharp,
because it had already cut my heart. “I owe you a very large
apology.”

That
got her to turn around. My heart went from cut to shattered with one glance at
her face. Tears streaked her face, smudging her makeup, highlighting the
sadness in the depths of her eyes. She collapsed against me, burying her face
in my chest and sobbing uncontrollably. Wrapping her in my arms, I did the only
thing I could do, I held her tight.

“No…
You don’t. I’m the one who’s sorry,” she managed to blurt out between sobs.

“For
what? I should have just let you kick her ass. God knows she deserves it.”

“Why?”

“Why
what?”

“Why
does she have to want you? We were so happy. Why
you
?”

“Well,
I am awfully sexeh…” I let it hang out there to let her know I was joking.

“Not
funny,” she said and rubbed her face against me some more.

“Gasp!
You don’t think I’m sexy?”

“Connor,
you are like the hottest guy in the school. When I first saw you, my jaw
dropped open. I can’t believe you were single when I met you. I mean, why does
she have to make a play for you
now
?”

I
pulled Jess away from my chest and tilted her head up so I could look into her
eyes. “It’s probably my fault. You have no idea how much shit I took from
her in the past. I think she knew I should hate her for it, but I felt sorry
for her. When she was having a bad moment, instead of taking advantage of it
and making her feel worse, I was actually nice to her. I should have kicked her
when she was down. I think she misinterpreted that as interest.”

“Are
you?”

“Am
I what?”

“Interested?”

“In
spending the rest of my life with you? Yes. In ever spending another moment of
time in her presence? I think I’d rather be dragged by a taxi over a mile of
thumbtacks.”

That
earned me both
an
awww
and a giggle. I kissed her lips gently, ready for her to pull
back if it was too soon. It wasn’t. She wrapped her arms around my head and
mashed her lips against mine. “I don’t know what’s wrong. I haven’t been
myself lately.”

My
mind flashed to the trail of feathers she left in her wake when she ran from me
in the courtyard. I needed to talk to her dad. I didn’t have one doubt in my
mind that she would be sprouting wings at any time.

I
gave her my best reassuring smile. “No jokes. Please… Please believe me
when I tell you I have zero interest in anybody but you. You are my reason for
waking up in the morning. You are my reason for coming to school every day. I
would never do anything to betray you, hurt you, or even make you sad.”

The
tears started flowing freely again, but this time, they were accompanied with
the cutest little lip quiver and the brightest smile I had ever seen.

“I
love you, Connor Sullivan.”

“I
love you, too. Future Mrs. Sullivan,” I said with a wink.

Her
eyes went a little wide. “Um…”

“Jeez,
Jess. I’m not talking next week. You know. In a decade or so. When we’re old
and grey.”

“Okay,”
she said with a relieved smile.

“Sweet.
I’ll post the engagement in the paper next week. Maybe that will give Shannon
the hint.”

“If
that doesn’t work, there’s always the crowbar in my dad’s trunk…”

I
reached out and tilted her chin back up to me. “She is sooo not worth the
effort, sweetie. You stay away from her and hopefully she’ll stay the hell away
from both of us.”

“Fine.
I will.”

I
didn’t like the sound of that. “What?”

“Nothing,”
she said with an impish smile. I rolled my eyes and gave her another hug, just
as the bell behind us rang. The sound caused Jess to jump in my arms, bringing
her knee in contact with my lower extremities, yet once again. It caused me to
hiss and wince in pain. I took an involuntary step backward and bent over, just
a little.

Jess
gave me one look and knew exactly what was troubling me. “Oh, my God. I am
sooo sorry! How the hell were you running after me after what I did to
you?”

“Cuz
the thought of losing you hurt worse. Now it’s catching up to me…”

“Let
me go get you some ice!”

She
turned to run and I reached out and grabbed her hand. “It’s okay. I’ll be
fine in a minute.”

The
fact of the matter was, I should have
already
healed. I thought I had
until the slight brush of Jess’ knee brought a wave of pain rushing back. I
guess it didn’t matter if you were immortal or not, the boys were just gentle
no matter what species you were.

Chapter 18

Raven
attacked before I even swung my leg over my scooter. Albeit, I was moving a little
slowly from my earlier groin injury, but didn’t the rules of battle etiquette
demand waiting until your opponent was ready or something chivalrous like that?

I
only had one option. I rolled off the side of my scooter and kicked her away
from me while pulling my blades from nothing.

“Good!
Although, I will admit, I could have struck you down just then.”

“Yeah.
I had my mind on something else and I wasn’t expecting you to attack me while I
still had the motor running.”

“A
sword waits for no one!” She charged and swung low. I used one blade to
defend and took the initiative to attack with my other hand. This time I didn’t
swing, I pictured my hand moving instantly from where it was to her shoulder.
When the blade sliced into her flesh, I gave a gasp and dispelled my blades.

“Holy
shit, Raven! Are you okay?”

“It
will mend in a moment. Call back your blades!”

She
actually seemed excited. I knew the Fallen were pretty weird, but this took the
cake. If someone had sunk a blade halfway into my arm, I’d be crying like a
little girl. But I did as she asked and called my blades back just in time.

Raven
didn’t hold back, nor did her injury seem to impede her ability in any way,
shape, or form. My eyes could barely see her movements and I concentrated on her
forearms like I had before.

She
was graceful, amazing, and scary. Everything I wasn’t. I felt choppy and
inadequate every time we faced off. I took a deep breath while I blocked three
of her well-placed attacks and pictured my movements flowing like water instead
of just moving parts of my body. Instead of hacking, I started swishing. It
worked.

Raven
increased her speed.

I
flowed to match.

“Incredible!”
The smile that had found its way onto her stony face was almost…attractive.

“What?”

“Do
you realize you are moving double of what you were last week?”

My
eyes went a little wide. To be honest, I couldn’t tell, nor could I possibly
understand how
she
knew. “Are you sure?”

“Youngling,
I have fought aged warriors who couldn’t move this fast. I admit, I am most
impressed with you!”

“Probably
not as much as I am.”

She
gave a short bark of laughter. “I would say our time together from this
moment would be short, but I am rather enjoying myself.”

“It
is kind of fun.”

“Then
I shall teach you to dance!”

“Exqueez
me? I don’t…dance.”

“And
a short time ago, you didn’t swordfight either. Follow, youngling.” And
with that she crossed her one foot over the other and turned, forcing me to do
the opposite or leave my side open to attack.

The
whole time she moved, her blades never stopped their blurring parries and
slashes. Two turns to the left and one to the right and we would begin again. I
could almost hear the symphony in my head as we weaved and bobbed in a deadly
dance. The whole time, the smile never left Raven’s face.

Finally
it drew to a close and her attacks slowed until her hands came to rest at her
sides. She beamed at me in appreciation.

“Thank
you.”

“For?”

“That.
It has been a long time since the teaching of others has brought me even a
modicum of joy. In fact, when I was asked, I almost turned down the role.
Something nagged at my conscious this time and so I agreed. I am not
disappointed.”

I
blushed furiously. “Thank you, Raven.”

“That
is enough for today. Do you still wish for me to be your mentor? I admit, I
have little else to teach you in the way of the blade.”

“Yes.
Definitely.”

“Good.
Practice does make for perfection.”

“Actually,
there is more to it than that.” I had to tell her about being able to
throw fire. It was a power that I shouldn’t have, but that seemed to be the
norm lately. I don’t know what drove me. I had secrets I didn’t want learned,
yet I trusted her implicitly. She just had that effect on people. Or demons.
Whatever. Somehow I knew she wouldn’t give me away.

“What
is it?”

“After
we finished the other day…” I paused. Not knowing where to begin.

“I
know.”

“Huh?”

“I
watched you from the edge of the trees. I wish I could say I was surprised, but
I wasn’t. I was more surprised that you had the foresight to keep your ability
to yourself. I was going to mention it earlier, but I respected your right to
privacy. In fact, I would counsel you to keep doing just that.”

“Really?”

“Yes.
You already remind the others a little too much of another Fallen, to add to
that might not be wise.”

“But
it doesn’t bother you?”

She
laughed again, this time it felt more natural, like she was getting used to it.
“Not in the slightest. I knew the Usurper very well. While you two might
be akin in power, you couldn’t be more apart in disposition.”

I
sat down on the closest rock. “What was he like?”

“Arrogant.
Headstrong. Willful, Prideful, and a host of deadly other things. His
intentions might have been noble, but his reasoning behind it became warped and
twisted, just like we have become. You on the other-hand. You are shy. Inquisitive.
Caring. No, young one. You do not remind me of him in the slightest. I trust
the power that lies within you is much safer for all of the realms than it was
within him.”

“And
you’re not worried that I might become twisted?”

“Not
in the slightest. You have too many people around you who care about you
deeply, who will guide you, nurture you, and scold you when you screw up!”

She
had no idea. Even my enemies seemed to take great pleasure in the scolding.
“Thanks, Raven.”

“You
are more than welcome.”

* * *

I
pulled my scooter into my driveway just as the sun set, plunging my little
world into the soft glow of twilight. I smiled as I slid off the seat, no
longer in pain. My shitty day had turned out okay.

Caelyn
opened the door to the kitchen almost as if she had been waiting for me to get
home. I think that might have been the most uncharacteristic thing she had ever
done. It set a sense of dread shivering down my spine.

“What’s
wrong?”

She
looked at me curiously. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

I
pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and hit the home button. No alerts popped
up on the screen, so I didn’t miss any calls or texts, so maybe there was no
emergency. “You’re waiting for me…”

“No
I wasn’t. Mom told me to take out the trash, but then I saw you were already
out here.”

“Hahaha.
Very funny. Brat.”

She
gave me the usual grin she had when she made a funny. Usually at my expense.
“Just kidding. I saw you pull up while I was raiding the fridge. I heard
about the blow up at school. Just checking to make sure you were alright. Are
you alright?”

“Better
actually. Things turned out okay.”

“Jessie
still hate you?”

“No.
She apologized and we made up right after it happened.”

“Good.
She’s the best thing that has ever happened to you. I’d hate to see you lose
her because you were stupid.”

“Hey,
that’s not very nice. Or true,” I said as I walked up the steps and into
the kitchen, Caelyn closing the door behind me. “It wasn’t even my
fault.”

“Yes
it was. Never call a girl crazy, even when they are. First rule of living a
longer life.”

“When
did you get so smart and how the hell did you know I used the word crazy?”

“I
asked Claire. She could hear your whole conversation.”

“Nice,”
I said and opened the fridge. “What’s for dinner?”

“We
ate meatloaf. Mom left you a plate in the microwave.”

“Meatloaf!”
I punched in two minutes on the keypad and hit start on our ancient microwave
without even looking at the contents.

“Stop!”

I
hit stop and spun on my sister. “What?”

“Mom
covered it in tinfoil. Take it off before you set fire to the house,
dumbass.”

“Oh.
You scared me. I woulda saw the sparks. No need to yell.”

Unfortunately
the damage was already done. Mom came running into the kitchen.
“What?”

“He
hit start on the microwave without taking the tinfoil off.”

“Connor.
Look before you think.”

“Huh?”

Mom
sighed realizing she wasn’t making much sense, at least to me. “Just pay
attention to things around you,” she clarified and went back to wherever
she was before she decided to impart her words of confusing wisdom upon my fragile
head.

I
shrugged and popped the door open, reached in and removed the tinfoil before
hitting start.

I
leaned against the counter as my food spun, merrily zapping my dinner with
flavor-giving heat and radiation. I happened to glance over at my sister who
seemed to be waiting patiently for me at the kitchen table. Something was on
her mind and she wasn’t spilling it. Nervousness replaced hunger.

Instead
of just asking her, I waited patiently for my food, grabbed it and some
silverware, and sat down across from her. I sprinkled a bunch of salt on
without tasting it. Most people would yell at me for this, but I knew my mom’s
cooking. She never used salt. I took a bite and let it melt on my tongue. Very
few things could make me as happy as Mom’s meatloaf.

“What’s
on your mind, Cae?”

“Huh?”

“Come
on. You were by the door when I got home, you waited for me to heat up dinner,
and now you’re sitting with me while I eat. Either you want something or you
want to talk about something. I’m all yours. Which is it?”

She
sighed heavily. I could see her trying to bolster her confidence and just spit
it out. “It’s– Hell, I don’t even know how to start.”

“How
about the beginning?”

“Yeah.
It’s just taking that first plunge. Give me a minute.”

I
nodded and started in on my dinner a little more earnestly. After a few
mouthfuls, the silence started getting to me. I had no idea what could be
bothering her unless it had to do with something vampiric. “Is it fang
related?”

“Kind
of.”

“You
know I’m no expert. Is this something you should be talking to Elizabeth about?
Unless it’s about Jenny?”

She
shook her head. “No.”

“Cae,
you know you can ask me anything.”

“I
need your help.”

“With?”

“I
don’t want to be a vampire anymore.”

It
didn’t surprise me. Truly, I wished I could wave a magic wand and make it all
better, make it the way it used to be, but it wasn’t possible. I thought Cae understood
that. “You know there’s nothing I can do, right? That’s not how it works.
Trust me. I tried. I tried to give Jessie her sight back months ago.”

“I
know. I had a little talk about things other than you with Clarisse.”

My
stomach knotted. “What exactly did you two talk about?” I already
knew what had been said. I could feel hope coming off my sister in waves.

“On
how the Fallen’s magic works. On the price of having your wishes granted…”

“No.
Absolutely not. Trust me. Learn from my mistakes.
Nothing
is worth the
price of your soul. Don’t you think I would go back and undo what I did in
heartbeat if I could?”

“But
you won! You got to keep your soul. I talked to Clarisse about what happens
when you die. What happened to Jenny when
she
died. What exactly is the
difference? I get to be human again and the Fallen get my soul when I
die.”

“No.
Absofrigginlutely not!”

“It’s
a price I’m willing to pay.”

“It’s
not
what I’m willing to pay. Cae, I will fight with
everything
I
have to keep you safe and your soul yours. Don’t argue with me on this, I won’t
give in.”

“It’s
my
decision.”

I
could feel the anger well up inside me. Caelyn slid her chair away from the table.
She looked ready to fight. “No, Cae. It is not,” I said and stood up
from the table, leaving the rest of my meal untouched.

“Don’t
walk away from me!”

She
was around the table and blocking my way in the blink of an eye. Maybe a half a
blink. I tried to ignore and walk around her, but her hands gripped my arms. It
became a problem when I felt her talons start to pierce my flesh.