Enlighten Series- The Complete 3 Book Collection

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

  What? I stared at him, shaking my head. “Don’t be silly. Of course they are. Kieran and Sidelle would’ve known if they weren’t. They’ve been in my life since I was born.”

  He tilted his head, thinking. He let out a long breath. “The next time you talk with Kieran, you should ask him.” He stepped toward the window. “Well, I’ll leave you to it, so you can rest and get ready for school tomorrow. I know you didn’t get much sleep over the last four days. But I’ll be back after I check in with Kieran.”

  After he left through the window, I got ready for bed, stunned by his parting words. I did need sleep, but my body wouldn’t rest. Words tumbled around in my mind as I tried to replay conversations I’d had with my parents over these past few weeks. Why weren’t they freaked out more? Did they really know about the Enlightens? And if so, could they be angels like me? Finally, exhaustion overwhelmed me, and I floated off to sleep.

  I hadn’t spoken to Aiden since last week. When I noticed the same flame-red car in the same parking spot on the school grounds, it jogged something in my mind.

  “Come on.” I pulled on Shay’s sleeve, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. I scanned the parking lot to make sure no one was watching us as we headed toward the sports car.

  We peered into the dark tinted windows but couldn’t see the interior. The car shined and was full of so much chrome we could see our reflections almost everywhere. The license plate read: HELBOUND. I had seen this car before. When? Here in the parking lot, some time ago. Who drove it? Think! The driver ... he wore a hat with a red feather. And ... and Morgan. She had been getting into the passenger side. Bingo!

  “This car was here two weeks ago,” I declared. “Now, I remember it. It was on the day Vash came to school. Didn’t Kieran tell you that we had this conversation?”

  “You sure?” Shay asked. “I haven’t had a lot of time to regroup with Kieran.”

  “Yes, positive. It has to be the same vehicle. Cars like that are rare at the school, let alone this town.”

  The first bell rang, so we hurried to our lockers, ending our conversation. Later, when I saw Rena in the hall after first period, I stopped her. I felt bad for the way I’d treated her and Quinn the week before, and I needed to set things right again.

  “Rena!” I called.

  “Hi, Zoe. Hey Shay.” She turned to me. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all weekend. Is your phone on the fritz or something?”

  “No, why? What’s going on?”

  “Quinn went home Wednesday night after cheer practice and felt sick. Must’ve been bad because her parents took her to the hospital later that night.”

  “What?” My stomach ached. The last conversation I’d had with her left a sour taste in my mouth. “Is she all right?”

  She shook her head, looking concerned. “The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with her. They ran the usual battery of tests, but as of last night, they’re thinking of transferring her to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to be seen by a specialist.”

  “That’s horrible! I have to go visit her.”

  “I can take you,” Shay said. Then the tardy bell rang.

  Quinn didn’t return to school, and I never had the chance to visit before the doctors moved her to Rochester.

  By Thursday, my life had returned to a normal routine—or at least what I thought normal should be. No demons attacked, no one died, and I continued to attend school. The teachers still piled on homework, even though this weekend was prom, and no one would be doing anything except eating, partying, and dancing. Every afternoon I went to Kieran’s and practiced the Silico with Cali. Her life became a routine, too. She had informed us that nothing happened while on pack land, and Jackson hadn’t found out who helped the demons. So everyone was still on high alert. And every evening I hung out with Shay, or we sat in Kieran’s backyard or mine, or we’d walk to Coffee Grind.

  Today was no different. Cali and I had advanced to the next level, which was the actual hand-to-hand combat. She partnered with Vash, and I went with Shay since neither would intentionally hurt us. We decided that as soon as we were comfortable with our sparring partners, we’d switch. Vash and Shay each had their own fighting styles, so we would pick up new maneuvers or stances through working with both.

  “Hey, Sidelle, did you hear that Quinn still isn’t better?” I asked during a break.

  “Yes, I heard. I wonder what she has.”

  “You don’t know?”

  She scowled. “I don’t go poking around people’s brains, so no, I don’t know what ailment she has. Sorry, Zoe.”

  The last two days of school passed quickly, even though Quinn was MIA. Aiden seemed upset about something. Maybe he missed her. The gossip of the week was about Aiden and Morgan. One of the seniors had thrown a party on Friday night during the long weekend, and they’d both shown up. Shortly after, they’d left ... together. Rena told me that on Saturday, he’d had a lunch date with Quinn, then a dinner date with Morgan. For me, that was the last straw. I decided that whatever ailed Quinn was Aiden’s fault—or at least I’d blame him for it. Rena, after I badgered her for a full day, finally said that Quinn and Aiden had hung out together a couple of nights last week, too. Aiden had even gone to her house to check on her. How could he flirt with her and still date Morgan? Because on Monday, he and Morgan were inseparable, either joined at the hands or by the lips.

  By Friday afternoon, I had managed not to say a single word to Aiden at school or at home. Hopefully, he got the message loud and clear. After Shay dropped me off at my house, I ran to my room, wanting to grab a change of clothes so I could get in one more practice before prom weekend officially started. I noticed the blue light on my cell phone flashing, so I checked to see who it was. I hoped it was Shay letting me know to come over ... but it wasn’t.

  Aiden: Are you mad at me

  I punched at the phone’s keyboard.

  Me: What do you think?

  Aiden: Where are you

  Me: What do you want?

  Aiden: I want to explain

  Me: Why? Seems obvious

  Aiden: Please

  Me: Fine. My backyard.

  I stepped outside and waited. It wasn’t long before heavy footsteps approached through the grass. Not bothering to look up at his face when his black combat boots came into my peripheral view, my head eyes focused on the ground. Aiden didn’t say anything as he sat on the swing beside me, and that bugged me. I wanted him to hurry and spit out whatever he wanted to tell me. By sitting here, I was losing precious time with Shay. We stayed silent for a long time, and I still didn’t say anything. He’d called the meeting, and I wasn’t about to break first. I watched him fiddle with his hands, like he was nervous or trying to figure out what to say.

  “Zoe, I’m sorry,” he eventually said, looking at me with pleading eyes. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Whatever,” I snapped.

  “I didn’t—”

  “I said whatever. Say what you came to say. Then go away.”

  He blew out a sigh. “I ran into your friend, Kieran, earlier today. He asked me a lot of questions about my tattoo, so I showed it to him. It’s no big deal. Then he drilled me about ...” He swallowed, taking a deep breath. “About the Enlightens, asking what I knew about the Orders. I didn’t know you knew, and I couldn’t figure out how to tell you about me. Now, I don’t have to.”

  I glanced at him, surprised, but he was looking at the ground. This was totally not what I’d been expecting to hear about.

  “You don’t know what it was like for me,” he said. “I hated the thought of moving to Minnesota. Then on the night before the move, I had a dream about a girl with brown hair and green eyes. There wasn’t any storyline to the dream, but I kept seeing a face, like flashing images. Imagine my surprise when I saw you on your front step, next to the house we’d just bought, and you looked so much like my dream, except you were too far away for me to see clearly. Sarah wanted me to hurry up and pick out
the bedroom I wanted. I literally ran into the house, so I could come back outside and meet you. I checked each room’s view before I picked my room, and I hoped the purple one was yours.”

  He grinned, but he kept looking down. “Imagine my joy when I walked up and you smiled at me. I didn’t want to scare you, but the truth is I had to make a conscious effort to slow my breathing. Because the fact is, it was your face I had dreamed. Then add to my surprise when you came to my room. You were so cute, especially when you got all huffy. I’m sorry, I didn’t handle that moment well. I was ... I was shocked.”

  He finally looked at me, and I was struck again by so many things, like how incredibly hot he was, and how the color of his eyes was so like Shay’s.

  “I still can’t believe I found you,” he said. “Then that night we sat on our windowsills and talked? Man, I loved that and every night since. I wanted to get to know you. You, Zoe, all of you. I had to. I—”

  I didn’t like where this was going. It made my stomach churn. I changed subject. “Why are you dating Morgan and not Quinn?”

  He shook his head. “Quinn’s with Caden.” He got off his swing and surprised me by kneeling in front of me. When I didn’t move, he leaned back to sit on his feet. “Sure, we spent time together last week, but we’re just friends.”

  His hand hovered above my knee, but he pulled back when he saw the look of warning in my eyes.

  “Does she know that?” I asked.

  “She knows now.” He sighed. “Zoe, I didn’t know you knew about Enlightens. How was I supposed to tell you that she’s a Nephilim?”

  “What? Quinn?” What on earth? “How do you know that?”

  “I can tell.” He tapped the side of his head. “She doesn’t have a tattoo yet, so she hasn’t made the full transition. She doesn’t know about us, Zoe. About Enlightens, I mean. I had to tell her to help her prepare for it. She told me she was adopted, so I knew she wouldn’t know about all this. I mean, who would teach or train her? So I took it upon myself to help her through the transition until she gets her tattoo. That’s why she’s been out sick. The transition is happening now.”

  I thought about what Aiden had said. Of course he wouldn’t have known I knew about the Enlightens, and that meant all this had been a massive misunderstanding. He had checked on Quinn, testing the waters with her to find out what she knew. When he realized she didn’t know anything, he’d helped her since there was no one else.

  “Wouldn’t Kieran know this?”

  “Maybe. Have you asked him?”

  “No, I’ve been busy this week and didn’t have a chance. Sidelle didn’t know, so I left it alone, chalked it up to some mystery disease.”

  That’s when I noticed Aiden’s expression was one of fear. He didn’t know what I was thinking, and he seemed genuinely concerned. Realizing I’d been wrong about him felt like a huge weight lifted. My anger vanished. He grabbed the metal chains of my swings, forcing me to face him, and pulled me over until our heads were only inches apart. His beautiful eyes were wide. When they dropped to my lips, I smiled, and he closed the distance between us.

  At the last second, he stopped, and my brain caught up with my body. I scrambled away, my fingers pressed to my lips. My stomach heaved with the knowledge that I’d almost kissed him. No, wait. He’d almost kissed me. What had come over me? Even though I hadn’t done anything, I felt sick with guilt. Shay was the love of my life and my soul mate. We were meant to be together.

  “I can’t. Shay’s my boyfriend. I won’t betray him.”

  He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

  “Look, I gotta get going,” I said, waiting for him to release the chains of my swing. “I’m meeting him for a date.”

  Aiden completely ignored what I’d said. “Where did you and he meet?”

  I guessed I could spare a few more minutes. I loved to talk about anything to do with Shay. “In a warehouse in the Void. It sort of blossomed from there.” I sighed. “When we touch, we ... um, how can I say it? Um, well ... it’s like an electrical current goes through us. As our relationship got more intense, so would the shock. Kieran said it was because we were soul mates.”

  “Wow, soul mates. Guess it’s true then. It does happen.” He sat back on the other swing. “So is that what this is?” He pointed to the inside of my wrist. “I’ve never seen one like that on another Enlighten.”

  I shrugged, words wanting to come out of my mouth. “I don’t know what it means, but I guess I should tell you something else ... about me.” I looked him in his eyes, hoping I was doing the right thing. “Do you know about the Prophesy?”

  “Yes. Everyone knows it.”

  “Well, here’s the thing—” A tingle shattered my mind, like a gateway being pushed open. “I’m the Redeemer.” I couldn’t stop the words even if I wanted to. And did I want to?

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Zoe

  The next day was prom. I still had a few things to do before I could go to Cali’s house and meet up with the rest of the girls, so I woke extra early and did laundry and then picked out clothes to pack for the weekend. The cover story I’d told my parents was that I planned to stay the night at Cali’s, since we were all going there to get ready. But the real plan was to stay at Kieran’s in Shay’s bedroom. I really didn’t think my parents would’ve minded if I’d told them a partial truth because they knew his parents—or at least they knew the two angels who portrayed themselves as his parents.

  Finding a large duffle bag, I tossed in all my toiletries, a few items of clothing to change into over the weekend, and extra shoes. With great care, I laid out the white dress from Macy’s. I cringed, remembering that was also the night of the demon attack at my house and when Cali died. Shaking those thoughts, I dug around in my dresser for jewelry.

  I made it over to Cali’s by eleven. Giggles greeted me. Squeals floated down the staircase. When I entered Cali’s bedroom, clothes and make-up were spread out everywhere, and Rena walked out of the bathroom with her hair already styled. It looked like a tornado had landed.

  Relief washed over me when I saw Quinn sitting on the ottoman, applying her eyeliner. She had been discharged from the hospital yesterday morning when more tests had come back negative. She’d insisted that she was not missing prom, and there was nothing the hospital could do to prevent her leaving since they couldn’t diagnose her.

  “Zoe, you made it,” Cali said, jumping up to grab my bag. “Here, let me help you.”

  “Thanks. You guys. I can’t believe prom is here already.”

  “I know!” everyone squealed.

  “We’re going to make this a night to remember, aren’t we girls?” Rena said. “Hurry up, Zoe, get going on your hair and make-up.”

  “Where’s Sidelle?” I asked, frowning. “It’s not like her to be late.”

  “What are you talking about?” Sidelle asked, gliding into the room in a gorgeous olive-green dress peaking above her signature black stilettos. “I’m right on time.”

  “Wow, Sidelle, you look awesome!” Cali exclaimed. “Where did you find that dress?”

  “In an old trunk I had shipped here from one of our properties overseas.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” Quinn said as she emerged from the bathroom. “Zoe, you’re up.”

  “Okay, I’m on it.” I draped my garment bag carefully over my arm. “Sidelle? Do you want to help me with my hair?”

  “Lead the way.”

  I closed the bathroom door behind me then stripped out of my yoga pants and T-shirt. “It’s been quiet for some time now, right?” I whispered. “Nothing has happened since we got back from Fairyland. Isn’t that weird?” Taking out my dress, I unzipped the side and stepped into it. “Can you help me zip?”

  My dress was made with chiffon and considered to be tea-length, cut in an A-line style with delicate capped sleeves. A three-inch white satin ribbon circled the waist, and it was tied into a bow in the back, its tails hanging as long as the hem. The back was cut into a heart
shape with the point plunging to the waist, and the front had a large scooped neckline that showed off my silver wings necklace. The dress fit as if it had been made specifically for me.

  “I agree it’s been quiet,” Sidelle said, zipping me up. “Maybe too quiet. We all have to be on guard tonight.” She waved her hand across my hair, and it formed into a gorgeous up-do.

  “Can you do my makeup, too, but maybe do it the traditional way?” I opened the bathroom door. “Hey, ETA on when we’re ready?”

  “About five minutes for me,” Quinn said.

  “Same here,” Rena replied.

  “I’ll be ready when everyone else is,” Cali said.

  I sat on the small vanity chair while Sidelle applied my foundation, lip liner, and eye shadow.

  “Pucker ...” she said, demonstrating. “Close your eyes ... and you’re ready.”

  At noon the house bell rang, and we peeked out the window. A row of sparkling vehicles lined the curb. Doors slammed and the boys filtered out of the cars, all dressed in black and gray suits.

  “They’re here!” Cali shouted. “Come on. Is everyone ready for pictures?”

  As the suavely dressed guys entered the foyer, we descended the staircase one at a time. Cali went first, and the look on Vash’s face was priceless. Then it was Quinn, Rena, and Sidelle’s turn, resulting in plenty of “oohs” and “aahs.” I waited until the end, and then I wrapped my hand around the banister and headed down to the first floor. At first I could only see Shay’s black shoes and pants; then a white shirt came into view. A silver tie peeked out from his buttoned sports coat.

  “You look amazing!” Shay said, beaming at me. “Absolutely breathtaking.” He extended his hand and presented me with a white orchid. “Here. This is for you.”

  “Thank you.” I held out my arm while he stretched the band and placed the corsage on my wrist. “You’re quite dashing in your suit, too.”

  We stepped outside into the bright sun. Quinn, Caden, Rena, and Noah said their goodbyes; they were off to meet up with the basketball team. The rest of us climbed into the caravan of vehicles and headed for my cul-de-sac. Shay pulled into the driveway, stopped the car, then helped me out. The others stayed on the porch while he and I walked hand in hand to the front door. My family waited for us in the living room.