Black

by Angelina J. Steffort

  “That’s where the story ends. Nobody knows exactly what happened to the bookkeeper’s family. But what is definite is that the bookkeeper was the first to write in the book you’re holding.”

  I looked down and saw that my fingers had curled back around the back of the book.

  “It’s the crest of his ancestors on the first page and if any of his progeny still exists, they could perhaps be identified by the crest.”

  I opened the book and looked at the first page. The ornate crest looked back at me, showing a tree, a sword, and a flame, gracefully surrounded by elaborate scroll work.

  “Why would this book just be standing on a shelf in the public library?” I asked earnestly. “Shouldn’t it be safe in a rare books archive or something?”

  “Usually nobody comes looking for it.” He gave me a significant look. “But that’s mostly because nobody knows about it. If anyone does, though, I want them to find it.”

  “But it doesn’t have a title... How is anyone supposed to go looking for something without a title and how are they supposed to find it here—even if they know it exists?” The questions just bubbled from my mouth with uncontrollable interest.

  They made Mr. Baker chuckle.

  “Of course you are right,” he said. “Still,” he tilted his head toward me and raised his eyebrows to signify the mystery of it, “there are some who found it, despite all the reasons it ought to be hard to find.”

  I remembered the list of names I had read in the system last time I had held the ominous book in my hands. Riley Watson, Maureen McKensy, Adam Gallager. I shuddered involuntarily. How had Adam known about the book and where to look for it? I postponed finding an answer to this question and continued asking Mr. Baker the ones he might be able to answer.

  “Where did you get the book from?” My words had an accusing note. I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t help myself; they came out as they wished—I was beyond self-control. All I wanted was to draw the information from this man. I wanted to understand his part in the story, and I wanted to know how many people actually knew about the mystic world they were living in.

  “A friend of mine handed it to me eight years ago. He was ill and he had only a few months to live. I visited him every day until his very last one. Every time I saw him, he told me another part of the story I just told you, and much, much more. He knew the contents of the book by heart. He wrote some of them himself. And he got it from his aunt.” He frowned at the book in my hands. “Seems like this little thing has gone through many hands before it picked you to read it.”

  “Picked me?” I wasn’t sure I wanted an answer to this but the words were out all the same.

  “I’m so glad I have finally found one,” Mr. Baker said, almost solemn. He gazed at me with awe and flashed me a smile, exposing all of his teeth, that said pride.

  I stared at him, uncomprehending, while he looked back at me with the same gleeful expression.

  “Sorry, found what?” I pressed him.

  He just continued to look at me as if I hadn’t spoken, almost in a trance.

  The old clock ticked gently, slicing the minutes of silence into sixty countable intervals of eternity. It was patiently overseeing this moment as it had overseen many human moments before. I wanted to be the clock, unmoving and discrete, just a witness to history and not a part of it. But I wasn’t just an agreeable bystander. I was involved and now Mr. Baker seemed to be implying something more.

  “I don’t know what you mean, Mr. Baker,” I said, looking the white-haired man in the eye.

  His gaze never changed but he said, almost dreamily, “I’ve been dying to meet one since the day my friend Walter told me about them. And now I find out I’ve had one right under my nose. Thank you, Claire.”

  I felt a stab of panic. I had to stop this train of thought.

  “I’m really sorry, Mr. Baker, but I still don’t get it.” I told him, even though I knew this wasn’t going to be enough. His expression changed to a brilliant smile.

  “You are the first angel I have ever met,” he said, his eyes lit up with joy.

  My heart stopped. NO! He could not possibly have just said that.

  Mr. Baker smiled at me, solemn and respectful. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe.”

  “I’m really sorry to disappoint you—” My head spun for a second before I could think straight again. What on earth made him think I was an angel?

  He began to grin. “You don’t have to deny it to me,” he said. “I already know. Walt told me that there wouldn’t be many people to come looking for the book and those few who did would be angels, or part-angels. He had the book for thirty-seven years and every single person who asked him for it turned out to be angel or part-angel. I know what you are.”

  I stared at him, not knowing how to break the man’s heart.

  “Look, Mr. Baker, I’ve found this book by accident. It was just because it lay on the counter with several others last year when I came to work.”

  He didn’t stop grinning. It made me feel like whatever I was going to say, it wouldn’t change his mind.

  “I browsed through it because there was neither title nor author. I thought it was some fantasy story,” I lied and felt my cheeks grow hot while I spoke.

  “Why did you take it today?” he asked like he was catching a criminal red-handed.

  Damn! I didn’t have a plausible answer to that.

  “Believe it or not, Mr. Baker, I’m no angel. I never have been nor will I ever be.” As I fired these words at him, like the bookkeeper shooting at the wrong celestial creature, I heard the clock chime the three-quarter hour. It was a spur to get me out of there and this terrible misunderstanding and into the embrace of the Gallagers, who alone understood it all.

  “It’s really like I said—I found the book by accident and it’s more or less an accident that I’m browsing through it again today.” I cautioned myself to use a milder tone this time.

  “If you aren’t an angel, are you a believer?” He no longer looked transformed with happiness, but there was hope on his face.

  It really looked like I could trust him. He had been so delighted at the thought of meeting a real angel that I couldn’t bring myself to fear him wanting to harm them. But I also knew that I couldn’t speak entirely open with him.

  “I am,” I said, “and I have my reasons.”

  He looked at me, intrigued.

  “I really would love to go on talking to you. I’d like to know what else you know about angels and demons and I’d love to help fit some parts into the puzzle where I can—if I can.”

  Mr. Baker’s eyes became wider as I spoke.

  “Will you tell me where your knowledge comes from?” he asked.

  I shrugged and got to my feet. “I can’t promise anything. May I borrow this for tonight?” I asked, holding up the book we had been talking about.

  “You know, I always liked you, Claire. You remind me a lot of my daughter.” His face seemed more wrinkled as he looked down, his eyes sad, for a second. “Sure you can have it. Just don’t lose it. It’s valuable.” He winked at me. “Go ahead—good night.”

  “You know, I really am going to talk to you about this some other time. I promise,” I said as I was already setting one foot after the other.

  He lifted a hand to wave goodbye, half-nodding, and I was on my way, leaving the old man to his thoughts.

  I hadn’t lied this time. I was going to talk to him about angels again. I really was. I wanted to know whatever he knew in as much detail as possible. Maybe it could help me keep the Gallagers and myself safe; but first I needed to know what was safe to tell Mr. Baker and I wanted to talk about it with Adam’s family first.

  I searched my pocket for my keys as soon as I was outside the building. The cold evening air made my teeth chatter and I tightened my jacket around my chest to keep it out. I unlocked my car and jumped into the seat quickly, so I could shut the door behind me. I threw my bag into the backseat over my shoulder and star
ted the engine. It took a minute for the heater to kick in as I was driving slowly down the street, heading for the Gallagers. The warmth helped me recover from the rigid wind outside, but I wasn’t remotely past the shock of my conversation with Mr. Baker.

  “Seems like I’ll be needing to keep an even better eye on you,” a voice said from beside me.

  I hit the brake instinctively. A car behind me honked violently as it pulled out from behind my frozen car and the driver showed me rude gestures as he rolled past me.

  “Keep driving,” the voice commanded, “you wouldn’t want to make any more enemies, as you already have a horde of demons after you, would you?”

  I looked over to the passenger seat and found, as I expected, Jaden’s handsome appearance next to me.

  “How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t. Do. That.” I gestured at him with both my open hands. “You are going to give me a heart attack one day.”

  “Sorry,” said Jaden meekly, “It’s so easy to forget to act human with you around. Oh, and keep driving.”

  “Why are you here?” I asked as I steered the car back into traffic, earning myself another set of angry honks.

  “It’s been a long afternoon,” he said, his eyes searching the darkness outside the passenger window.

  My heart was still thrumming inside my chest from the shock. As if the conversation with Mr. Baker hadn’t been enough, now Jaden had to test my nerves, too. I turned down the radiator, feeling the adrenaline doing it’s job faster than any heater in the world could have.

  “Did you know Mr. Baker knows all about angels?” I threw at him before he could start with anything else.

  Jaden remained quiet and continued looking out the window.

  “He saw me reading this book in the library today...” I told him about the old book and how I had found it and I had to laugh as I got to the point where Mr. Baker had thought I was angel.

  “I hope he’s not too disappointed,” Jaden said without any sign of amusement.

  “I told him, I am willing to share with him what I know about angels, though, I can’t think of a logical reason why I should know anything—ordinary human that I am. I’m going to have to make up another story. Great,” I grimaced into the mirror, feeling the discomfort creeping up in my body as I thought of the next time I would have to talk to Mr. Baker.

  Jaden’s head snapped in my direction, his eyes a luminous gold. “How can you say you’re ordinary?” he asked, his voice full of suppressed anger.

  “Because I am.” I stared at the road in front of me in a way that made it clear I wouldn’t discuss this with Jaden. We had reached the Gallagers’ driveway and were rolling up the curved road to the house.

  “I think it’s time for you to leave,” I said to him in the last turn before the house, “I don’t want anybody to notice you vanish... You never know who’s looking out of the windows.” I thought of Ben with a pang of sympathy. He was the one part of the family who still had to learn everything about what his parents were and what he was.

  “Oh, I’m not going to vanish,” he said just a little too loud to not sound aggressive.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, not willing to accept another surprise today.

  “I’m coming with you.”

  Jaden leaned back in the seat and folded his arms across his chest. I watched him from the corner of my eye, dreading that he was being serious.

  “They don’t know what you are, do they?” I asked, trying to get a clear grasp on the situation I was about to find myself in.

  “Nope,” he breathed at me, “but it’s about time we officially met. The tighter the network of good supernaturals around you, the better.” I heard him chuckle in the dark beside me. He seemed so much like a boy when he looked the way he did now—a student, my age. It was hard to bear in mind that he was almost a millennium old.

  “Get ready for a surprise then,” I told him and his chuckle stopped dead in his throat.

  “What?” he asked, somewhat panicked I guessed from the sound of his voice.

  I had to involuntarily laugh at his reaction.

  “Nothing too bad.” I clapped his shoulder with my right hand and stopped the car in front of the Gallagers’ house. We got out of the vehicle together and walked over to the front door, all the time his eyes resting on my face. I faced the massive door, so I wouldn’t have to look back at him.

  Jaden rang the bell as soon as we reached the door. Chris opened it and gave us a half-worried, half-surprised look as he saw the two of us standing there.

  “Good evening, Mr. Gallager,” Jaden said in perfect politeness, “I’m Jaden, I’m Claire’s guardian angel. Claire was so kind as to bring me with her tonight. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while but I figured it was best to wait until a proper occasion—such as tonight.” His words came out in a continuous flow, almost like a speech. It sounded odd coming from such a young mouth, considering his looks.

  Chris stared at Jaden, somewhat perplexed, and then at me, a big question mark in his tired eyes.

  “Sorry, Chris,” I said guiltily and then quickly hugged him for a greeting. “I didn’t invite him. He more or less forced himself on us tonight,” I whispered into Chris’ ear while hugging him, “but he’s okay, though. I’d rather he’s on our side than on theirs.” I was well-aware Jaden would hear all of the things I said and it was good he did. He should know how intimidating he could be for me when he was so unpredictable.

  “Well then, Jaden,” Chris said with a sigh and interest lighting up his sunken eyes, when I let go of him. “Please, come in.”

  Pact

  Jenna was sitting by the hearth fire in the big living room. She was twisting a strand of reddish brown hair in one hand, the other hand resting in her lap, fingers curled around a small black box.

  “I’m so glad to see you here, Claire,” Jenna said when we appeared in the doorway. “We were beginning to think they may have gotten to you.” Her worried face looked old in the fire light.

  “Sorry,” I said quickly and walked across the room to sit down beside her. She released the strand of hair from her fingers and before I could even blink, her hand was holding mine.

  “Don’t be. I’m just glad you’re okay.” She smiled at me with a face that had changed to motherly warm.

  “Our Claire here has gotten herself into an extraordinarily interesting chat with the local librarian,” Jaden said and he walked toward us with slow steps.

  It was a strange start and I wondered why Jaden had chosen to be so bold. A thousand years of guarding humans had certainly given him much confidence, but I didn’t see why boldness was called for now.

  I felt Jenna’s hand tremble around mine for a second, all the warmth wiped from her expression and her eyes cold.

  “Who’s he?” she asked, alarmed. She looked like she was preparing to jump at him if necessary.

  “He claims to be Claire’s guardian angel,” Chris, who was still standing at the door, said cautiously. I wondered if that was because he doubted Jaden’s words or because he wanted to protect Jaden by trying to not set his wife off. I couldn’t tell; but from the way Jenna and Jaden were tensing, I could tell they were preparing to fight rather than to talk.

  Before either of them could act, I interrupted.

  “It’s true,” I said in a voice more stable than I had believed it would be, getting to my feet and taking a step towards Jaden, placing myself between the two of them. “He has saved my life so many times—” It wasn’t a good explanation, but it made Jenna concentrate on me rather than on my guardian angel.

  “You’ve even talked to him on the phone, remember?” I stared into Jenna’s eyes intensely, trying to persuade her to believe me. “The day Adam died and you called me on my cell phone to tell me. It was Jaden who picked up the phone then. He was with me, keeping me from killing myself.”

  Memories of those first hours after Adam’s death flickered through my head and hot pain spread through my body. It was happ
ening again, I realized helplessly. The room began to rock around me and my vision went blurry, everything just smears of orange firelight and brown wood. For a second, I felt unbearable agony and then it seemed like everything was flowing from me; all strength was leaving my limbs and I lost control over my body. I felt lightheaded and then my mind showed me a glimpse of the man I’d been missing for so long, his green eyes gleaming in his pale face, before I swayed and gravity sucked me down, bringing dense blackness with it.

  The room was still orange from the firelight when I reopened my eyes. I tried to lift my head to get a better view. Something restrained me. It was warm and strong. I was too weak to fight it.

  “Adam?” I asked in a voice that didn’t sound like mine. Speaking the one word used up most of the strength I felt I had left. I inhaled slowly, hoping to stop the room from spinning before my eyes.

  “I think she’s coming around,” a female voice said somewhere near my head.

  In a second, a face popped up in my vision. I didn’t recognize it in the blurriness.

  “Claire?” a male voice said my name.

  I tried hard to remember what had happened. The library, I had been at the library; then I had driven to the Gallagers with Jaden. Jaden. I blinked and slowly shook my head at the unwillingness of my system to react normally to its surroundings.

  “Claire, can you hear me?”

  I gave a tiny nod. My body felt like lead, like almost all my energy had been drained from it.

  “Okay, put her down on the sofa,” the male voice commanded.

  “I’m not putting her anywhere until she’s fine again,” another voice resonated close to my ear.

  “Do you think it’s comfortable for her that way?” the first voice snapped. It was Chris.

  Light footsteps moved across the room. Maybe Jenna. Then I felt everything swirl once more, for a second, before I felt something soft under my legs and back. My shoulder rested against a warm, breathing chest.

  “Jaden—” I said, hoping I was guessing right, “don’t be stupid, I’m fine,” but I ended with a little gasp of breath as I began to shiver.