Death and the Girl Next Door

by Darynda Jones

  I siphoned a sip of cool air, my heart aching for Arabeth. For her parents and daughters.

  “What happened to the girls?” Brooklyn asked.

  “The couple was elderly and they knew they couldn’t care for them much longer, so they gathered every cent they could and sent the daughters of Arabeth to three separate corners of the world. The eldest daughter was adopted by a wealthy couple and later had a daughter of her own. Her lineage continued for six centuries and ended with the last prophet in her line. Though her gift went unrecognized, her talent did not. She was the celebrated poet Sappho.”

  “Sappho.” Brooklyn looked back at me in awe. Sappho was a Greek poet, her work greatly admired and sought after. And she was one of Brooke’s heroes.

  “The youngest daughter,” Jared continued, “was taken in by poor farmers, but she grew up happy and healthy. Her lineage continued much longer and ended with the anointed one, the woman you know as saint Joan of Arc.”

  This time, even Glitch and Cameron turned to look at me, the shock on their faces apparent.

  Brooklyn turned back to him, her eyes wide with wonder. “So, in a roundabout way, Lorelei is related to both Sappho and Joan of Arc?”

  Jared studied me as though I were a new life-form before answering, as though trying to judge my reaction to the current events. “She is.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I had never been so humbled in my life. To know that I shared a common ancestor with such heroines, such absolute champions.

  “That’s … amazing,” Glitch said. For once, he seemed to struggle with what to say.

  I knew how he felt. When I finally found my voice, I asked, “What about the middle daughter? What happened to her?”

  Jared’s features softened, his eyes glittering in the faint light. He seemed glad for my interest. Even relieved, perhaps. “Her name was Lara Beth,” he said, the soft consonants falling easily off his tongue. “She grew up a slave yet was revered and cherished by those around her. When she was sixteen, she had a vision that saved the life of a local landowner’s son. Indebted, he freed her and offered her a place in his household. Soon, she and the boy fell in love and were married. They had three sons, one of whom is your ancestor as well. Lara Beth became a respected healer and advocate for the slaves. She also thwarted a civil war, but that’s another story,” he added.

  “Sons?” I asked, enchanted. “Did they have visions too?”

  Jared shook his head. “It seems the gift is inherent only in the female descendants. It should be noted, Lorelei, that this lineage is on your father’s side, not your mother’s.”

  For some reason, that surprised me. I wasn’t sure why.

  “You are the first female to be born in the lineage of Lara Beth in over thirty-two centuries. And yet you are just as gifted as both she and her mother were.”

  I focused on the ground, unable to fully comprehend, or accept, what he was saying. But he was an angel. Maybe he couldn’t lie. Even so, I just couldn’t manage to swallow everything he suggested. “I just think you have the wrong person,” I said, begging him to reconsider. “There has to be another female descendent from another branch of the family tree. You know, like a long-lost cousin or something.”

  “All other lines have been severed. You are the last, Lorelei. Heaven has been waiting a long time for you. And you’ve caused quite a stir.” He took in a deep breath. “They were expecting you a couple of days ago, in fact. I’ve probably caused quite a stir myself.”

  “And now you’re stuck because of me. Because you broke a law for me.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes glistening in amusement. “They’re pretty touchy about their laws.”

  “Yeah, but you only have three,” Glitch said, deciding to chime in with his usual genius for timing. “How hard can it be?”

  Brooklyn backhanded him on the leg, then raised a hand, gesturing for his help to stand. He pulled her up. “So what now?” she asked, dusting off her backside.

  The question stunned me. What now, indeed. I couldn’t imagine how he must feel. Jared was stuck on earth with no family, no money, and no home. If I were in his shoes, I’d be terrified. But I wasn’t a supreme being with the power of the sun in my left pinkie.

  Still, the mere thought of him scared and alone broke my heart. I had to help. Surely the four of us—I glanced at Cameron—the three of us could come up with a solution. But first, the boys’ tortured-in-prison-camp getups had to go. Time to get them cleaned, clothed, and fed.

  “Okay,” I said, forcing the whole prophet thing to the back of my mind and authority into my voice, “first we get you two cleaned up. Then we figure out what to do next. We can go to my house.”

  “You can’t just invite it into your home, Lorelei,” Cameron said, suddenly back on full alert.

  I didn’t need his paranoia or his temper just then. “Yes, Cameron, I can.”

  “Listen to me.” He stood and pointed toward Jared. “He’s stuck here because he saved your life. What do you think he’ll do to get back? Maybe it’s as simple as rectifying his mistake.”

  “Are you saying he would kill me to get back?”

  “I could just kill you instead.” Jared stepped toward Cameron. “Do you think that would get me back?”

  Cameron strolled forward until he was inches from him. They stood on the verge of another battle, each more than willing to begin the game again.

  In a moment of sheer frustration, I hauled my right foot back and kicked Cameron’s shin. As he cursed and limped backwards, I turned to Jared, with his smug expression, and did the same to him.

  He grabbed his leg and let loose a string of what was surely curses in another language, his teeth clenched in agony.

  “Stop it!” I said, anger and a throbbing toe bringing tears to my eyes. “Both of you, stop it! No more fighting.” I looked at Cameron. “You. Did I ask for your protection? Your help? No! And for your information, I don’t care if Jared was sent here to cut me to pieces with a rusty machete. He saved my grandparents’ lives. Even if I had died, he saved my grandparents’ lives.”

  I fought back the emotion that tried to take hold of me. My grandparents were all I had in the world. And Jared had saved them. The fact that he’d been sent to take me instead of save me didn’t matter in the least. Cameron needed to understand that.

  “That’s all that matters, Cameron,” I said. “He could be a serial killer from Pluto, I don’t care. But what I do care about is this ridiculous death wish you each seem to have. Why do you guys hate each other so much?”

  My question seemed to surprise Jared. He stepped back as though coming to his senses. But Cameron shut down. I could see a curtain being drawn around him, and I knew he wouldn’t explain. “Fine. Don’t answer me. But you will stop fighting, both of you, or neither one of you will be able to walk when I’m done.” I headed for the door. “Now, get to the car.”

  GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES

  Because I had ordered Glitch to drive Cameron’s pickup to my house, I ended up driving the Subaru home. Glitch didn’t want to leave us alone with either one of them, but I threatened to grill him about what had happened that spring break in the second grade. He stopped arguing instantly.

  Brooklyn sat in the passenger’s seat, which put Cameron and Jared in the back. If I’d been smart, I’d have separated them. But I wanted to be able to watch them both at the same time.

  Brooklyn turned to me as I adjusted the rearview mirror, bringing both the boys into focus. “I am so stoked you’re a prophet.”

  “Yeah,” I said with a stifled laugh, “I’m getting that.”

  “So, we’re going to call him Jared, right? I mean, changing his name to Azrael might be awkward right now. You said it yourself, Principal Davis suspects something.”

  “I know. He’s stuck with Jared.”

  “What do you mean Principal Davis suspects something?” Jared asked, straightening. “Suspects what?”

  “I had to go to his of
fice,” I explained. “He had every yearbook from the seventies in there. He found a picture from the day his brother died. You were in it.”

  “He’d circled your image,” Brooklyn said, “like he knows something.”

  “That could be problematic.” He wrinkled his brows in thought. “I don’t know why I’ve locked on to this plane, but while I’m here, I shouldn’t disturb the natural order of things any more than I already have.”

  “You mean to tell me, someone took your picture?” Cameron asked, taken a back.

  “Not really his,” Brooklyn said. “It was a picture of Elliot Davis, Mr. Davis’s brother, taken on the day he died.”

  “And, what,” Cameron asked Jared, “you struck a pose?”

  He turned toward the window. “I was waiting.”

  “I’m kind of surprised your picture can be taken,” Brooklyn said, “you know, that you even show up on film.”

  “When I shift onto this plane, I take a physical form. I’m solid, like you.”

  Brooklyn snorted. “I don’t think you’re anything like me.”

  Cameron scoffed and leaned his head back against the seat. “So you slither onto this plane to rip some poor schmuck right out of his skin, and you get caught on Candid Camera. You aren’t the brightest reaper in the universe, are you?”

  “He’s not the grim reaper,” I said, suddenly defensive. And very thankful that we’d been wrong. “He’s an angel.”

  “For Pete’s sake, Lorelei.” Cameron shook his head as though floored at my naïveté. “He’s an angel, all right. The freaking angel of de—”

  “Perhaps you should stop talking now,” Jared said.

  “Or what?”

  “I’ll make you stop.”

  “If you didn’t hit like a girl in a pink party dress, I might be inclined to worry. Wait a minute.” He sat up again, his expression amused. “You don’t want her to know.”

  Jared sat up as well. They’d been shoulder to shoulder in the small space as it was, but now they were facing each other, a murderous scowl on Jared’s face, an almost comical one on Cameron’s.

  Though neither actually made a move to initiate another fight, the last thing I needed was a rumble in the Subaru. I turned to them angrily. “Am I going to have to pull over?” I asked, pointing a finger at each of them in turn.

  They both frowned and backed down, turning to look out their windows and pout. Satisfied, I refocused on the road. Which was a good thing, since I was driving.

  “Can I ask why you came for Mr. Davis’s brother?”

  I watched in the mirror as Jared thought back. “Elliot Davis knew he was dying. He felt it and he prayed for just a moment more. He had a message for his brother Alan. Because the message was one of absolute unselfishness and he had such faith, I was sent.”

  “To tweak the timing,” Brooke said, amazed.

  “Yes. I waited for him to deliver the message, then I took him.”

  “What was the message?” she asked.

  He grinned. “I cannot say.”

  “Man.” She frowned in disappointment, but my thoughts had veered in another direction.

  I slowed the car to a stop. Fortunately, the road was deserted. I turned back to him and asked, “Did Mr. Davis see you?”

  He blew out a slow sigh then admitted, “Yes, he did. For a split second in time, he saw me materialize and take his brother.”

  “Nice,” Cameron said.

  “We’ll definitely have to steer clear of the Bear.”

  By the time we arrived at my house, it was a little past nine. Glitch and Brooklyn had called their parents to see if they could stay at my house to work on our science fair projects. Since they were both grounded, I was floored when they both got permission. Lesson learned. Throw in the word science, and we can get away with anything.

  We entered through the back door. My grandparents had already locked up the store. Thank heavens for bingo night.

  While Glitch made his specialty, grilled cheese sandwiches, Cameron went upstairs to take a shower.

  “Would you like some water?” I asked Jared after gathering some toiletries from the store for him. I made a list of everything I took on a pad by the register so it would come out of my paycheck.

  He thought a moment. “I’m not sure. Perhaps.”

  I smiled and handed him a tall glass of water. He already seemed to be looking better. The swelling had gone down, and the bleeding above his eye had stopped. I wondered if the ability to heal quickly was part of his celestial uniqueness. “You’re not sure if you’re thirsty?”

  “Not really.” He took a cautious sip, paused a half beat, then gulped it down and asked for more.

  Five glasses of water and three sandwiches later, I gaped worriedly at him. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

  “Since forever,” he said, unconcerned.

  I was stunned by his answer. “Didn’t you say that you changed after you brought me back?”

  “Yes.”

  “That was two days ago. You haven’t had anything to eat or drink in two days?”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t realize I was thirsty.”

  “Jared,” I scolded, “that is very dangerous.”

  His eyes glittered as he studied me, appreciation for my concern apparent.

  Overcome by a shy kind of awkwardness, I pulled away from him. Blindingly gorgeous boys weren’t interested in me. He would figure that out sooner or later. I took his glass and plate to the sink. “We have a few touristy items for sale in the store. I’ll try to find you something to wear as soon as I check on the shower situation.”

  Humiliated by my own behavior, I left him with Glitch and rushed upstairs to check on Cameron and Brooke. Fatigue had leached into my muscles, and my bruised ribs ached. But the thrill of finding Jared, of having him in my house, kept my adrenaline pumping strong. And he was an angel. A celestial being. Who would’ve thought?

  I walked into my room as a freshly showered Cameron sat shirtless on my bed, suffering through Brooklyn’s ministrations. She was applying antibiotic ointment and butterfly stitches to a nasty cut on his back.

  “You’re a mess,” Brooklyn said.

  “So they say.”

  Her mouth thinned as it did when she wanted to say something but didn’t quite know how to put it. Gathering her courage, she took a deep swallow of air and asked, “Why do you hate Jared so bad?”

  He stilled but didn’t answer.

  After a moment, she continued. “Is it because he was sent to take Lorelei? Sent to take the person you’re here to protect?”

  Keeping his eyes averted, he said softly, “He can’t be trusted.”

  “How do you know?”

  He looked at her from over his shoulder. “We have a history.”

  She smoothed a bandage over the cut. “Can you tell me about it?”

  “No.”

  “Figures. Want a sandwich?” she asked, taking care not to touch the wound when she helped him with the T-shirt he’d confiscated from his truck. “Glitch makes awesome grilled cheeses.”

  “I guess,” he said as his head popped through the opening at the neck.

  “Fine. I’ll go place the order, but don’t think for a minute I’m not furious with you.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  I winked at her as she left the room, then folded my arms over my chest. In obvious pain, he struggled to his feet and turned to me.

  “She doesn’t like me much, does she?”

  “Brooklyn? Brooke’s pretty direct,” I said, trying to come up with the right words to describe my best friend. “If she didn’t like you, you’d know it.”

  He shrugged. “Guess that’s something.”

  “Am I interrupting?”

  I turned to see Jared standing in my doorway.

  Cameron answered before I had a chance. “Isn’t that, like, your job? Interrupting the lives of others? Creating havoc and despair wherever you roam?”

  “Cameron,” I
said in that warning tone my grandparents used every so often.

  “I’m going downstairs.” He strolled out, giving a light shove as he brushed past Jared.

  Jared ignored him, his gaze unwavering as he watched me watch him. Even beaten and bruised he was stunning. A cut on the side of his mouth did nothing to lessen its beauty, its fullness emphasized by the dark shadows of his unshaven jaw. His eyes—sable shimmering pools framed in thick, impossibly long lashes—sparkled even in the dim light of my room. He was the most sensual being I’d ever laid eyes upon. Yet he was like those guys who didn’t know how beautiful they were. It made me like him all the more, and I wondered how his mouth would feel pressed against mine.

  With a mental shake, I dragged my thoughts out of the gutter and headed for the bathroom. Just because a god stood in my doorway didn’t give me permission to objectify him. Really, it was like I hardly knew myself anymore.

  “I’ll start the shower for you,” I said, suddenly self-conscious. “Glitch has guy shampoo and conditioner in here. You probably don’t want to use mine, unless you want to smell like a field of lavender or an apricot tree.”

  I moved the shower curtain aside and turned on the water. After testing the temperature, I turned back. Jared had followed me and now stood in the bathroom doorway. There was something about him and doorways. He filled them up so completely.

  His line of sight meandered to my mouth and lingered there a short while before traveling back up. “Your eyes get darker when you’re emotional.” He took a step toward me. “They’re darker now, like smoke from a forest fire drifting toward Heaven.”

  “Really?” I asked, my lungs burning inside my chest. “I didn’t know that.”

  His expression, curious and intense, sent sharp tingles arcing through my body. My insides went all mushy and my knees weakened. I couldn’t believe how wildly beautiful he was, how powerful and seductive.

  He stretched out his hand. “I believe this is yours.”

  I looked down. My necklace sat resting in his palm, the delicate chain laced over his long fingers. With a squeal of delight, I took it from him. “Where did you get this?”