Blind Sight

by Nicole Storey

  “I sure hope not,” she replied, letting a few tears escape herself. “I love you all.”

  With that, her world went dark.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Wendy’s house was surrounded by police cars. The red and blue lights made macabre patterns on the flower beds in the surrounding dusk. An ambulance idled nearby. Jordan’s pulse pounded in her veins. Aamon had been against letting her say goodbye, but ever since Quinn told her the Kongamato had fell over dead for no apparent reason, she felt – no, she knew – Wendy had something to do with it. If she’d been hurt…

  They had teleported to a secluded area halfway down the driveway and walked the rest of the way in. The method of traveling left Jordan feeling dizzy. It was the wildest thing she’d ever done, and that was saying a lot. Teleporting was a lot like flying through time, but everything (for them) was in normal speed. She could see the landscape as they soared above it – every tree, building, house…but the actual trip only took seconds.

  “Jordan, we don’t have long. As you’ve had relations with this girl before, the angels will come here to look for you, and soon.”

  Ignoring his warning, she ran up to the door -- where she was promptly stopped by a fellow straight out of Hee-Haw. He was dressed in overalls and a stained white tee. A badge reading “Temporary Deputy” was pinned to one of his straps. It went so well with his straw hat.

  “Hold it right there, Missy. No one gets inside unless you’re a deputy, the sheriff, or one of them state boys in the fancy outfits.”

  She didn’t have time for this. “Look,” she began, pushing past Roy Clark, “I have to get in there.”

  He put his arm out, effectively blocking her. “No, Ma’am. I got my orders from Sheriff Tillson. Unless you’re wearin’ a big sidearm, a pair of trousers, and a badge, you ain’t getting’ in.”

  Dammit! Jordan scanned the yard for Aamon, expecting him to snatch her up and take her away before she had the chance to see her friend. She didn’t see him or Ivy, but knew they were there. Demons had a knack for blending in. They could camouflage themselves better than a chameleon.

  She focused on the newly deputized man blocking her way. “If you don’t move out of my way, I’m going to make that shiny badge a permanent accessory by attaching it to your forehead!”

  Attracted by the commotion, Buck stomped up the stairs to the porch. Jordan hadn’t noticed him, but then again, the yard was full of people. Some were talking on radios or cell phones or involved in other tasks. Most, however, were clustered in small groups, whispering to each other and stealing glances at the house. The chattering of the radios paired with the apprehension of onlookers made her nervous.

  “Jordan? That you?” Buck squinted in the glare of the police lights. For some reason, the front porch light wasn’t on.

  She raced over to the campground owner, happy to see a familiar face. “Buck! Is Wendy okay? Is it Fee? What happened?”

  He placed a protective arm around her shoulders and headed for the door. “Let’s go inside. There are too many busy bodies out here to speak freely.”

  Once again, they were stopped by Tillson’s lackey. “Sorry, Buck. No entrance allowed unless you’re an official.” The man pulled on his extremely long nose, feet planted firmly on the floorboards as if he’d grown there like a tree. Buck wasn’t impressed.

  “Jonesy, if you don’t move out of the way, I’m gonna throw you off this porch and into the nearest rosebush. You can spend the rest of the night picking thorns outta your ass instead of walking around and showing off that fancy five-point decoration on your bib-alls.” With that, Buck opened the screened door and ushered Jordan inside.

  If there were a lot of cops outside, it was nothing compared to the inside. They swarmed from room to room like bees in a hive. Most were dressed in official-looking suits. They looked more professional than Tillson’s small police force of three. She could hear more of them moving around upstairs.

  Buck noticed her giving them the eye (police of any type made her nervous, for obvious reasons) and he mumbled, “State guys. They arrived a little while ago. They still ain’t moved the body.”

  “Body?” Jordan squeaked. “Buck, what happened?” She realized she was on the verge of losing control but she couldn’t help it. She’d come to care for Wendy and her mother in the short time she’d known them. Her mind raced with different scenarios, all of them involving Corbett.

  Before he could answer (or slip her a Vicodin), Fee rounded the corner juggling a tray of mugs and a steaming pot. Buck reached out and took it from her. When she saw Jordan standing there, she grabbed her in a hug.

  “Oh, Jordan!” she cried. “Thank you for coming. I swear, this is the craziest thing…I still can’t believe it!”

  Jordan pulled away to study the woman’s face. She looked upset, sure. However, she wasn’t displaying the hysterical behavior of someone who’d lost a child. Wendy must be okay. She almost collapsed with relief.

  “Come on,” she took Jordan’s hand and pulled her towards the living room. Buck followed, burdened with the heavy tray.

  The special room Jordan fell in love with when she’d visited before looked different. There was nothing specific. The furniture looked the same; nothing seemed out of place – unless you counted the strangers dressed in suits from Sears milling about. Jordan came to the conclusion that the serenity of the room was gone – the peace it had radiated before had been shattered. For now, the magic that made this room so special was overshadowed by anxiety, sadness, and fear.

  Wendy was huddled with yet another stranger on the tiny love seat. Buck walked over and placed the tray on the coffee table in front of them. At his arrival, the woman Wendy was seated with looked up and gave him a warm, strained smile. Jordan remembered seeing a picture of her lovely, careworn face at the campground office. This must be Buck’s wife, Janus.

  Fee threaded her arm through Jordan’s and spoke softly. “Wendy’s very upset. The police keep hounding her for details but she says she’s told them everything.” There was a hard edge to her voice. “I wish they’d get the body out of here and leave, for Christ’s sake! After what she’s been through, you’d think they’d give her some space.”

  “What happened?” Jordan looked across the room at her friend. She had her head down, hair falling in her face. She looked beyond broken.

  Fee let out a shuddering breath. “Wendy was attacked. A boy she’s known most of her life broke into the house and came after her with a gun!” She ran a trembling hand over her face and then tucked her hair behind her ear. “He beat her senseless and then pulled the gun on her. Somehow, Wendy managed to get it when Corbett dropped it and…and she shot him.

  “I have no idea what prompted him to do it. As far as I know, he and Wendy have always gotten along okay, but everyone who knows him has seen the changes he’s undergone. Corbett became distant, even towards his parents.” Fee put her hand over her mouth to stifle a sob.

  Jordan pulled her close. She knew this was mostly her fault. Corbett was a bad seed before she and her family arrived, but she was the one who got Wendy involved and tore her and Fee’s world apart.

  When Fee was more in control, she said, “I feel so sorry for William and Kay, for the loss of their son, but I can’t help but be thankful my baby is okay. God help me if that’s wrong.”

  “It isn’t wrong,” Jordan assured her. “It’s only natural to feel that way.” She looked at Buck and Janus, who were hovering over Wendy, coaxing her to drink from one of the cups. “I’m sure others feel the same way you do.”

  Jordan approached the love seat and Wendy looked up. Her face was a mess of bruises and cuts, but the smile on her swollen lips was genuine. She opened her mouth to speak and then caught herself. She regarded the others and asked, “Can Jordan and I have a moment, please?”

  Fee nodded. “Of course, honey. We’ll be in the kitchen.” She reached over and gave her daughter a kiss on one of the few unmarked places on her face. “When
you two are finished talking, come get us. We have to keep those state police from getting too big for their britches.” She, Buck, and Janus filed out of the room and Jordan took a spot on the couch.

  Immediately, Wendy smothered her in a hug. Jordan could see nothing but chestnut curls. She hugged her back, being careful not to squeeze too hard. When Wendy reluctantly pulled away, her eyes were shining with tears.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay.” She wept. “I was so worried!”

  Jordan shook her head. “Me? What about you? My God, Wendy! If I had any idea this would happen…” she trailed off, her eyes pouring over the sunrise of colors that painted her friend’s face. “What exactly did happen?”

  Wendy glanced around to make sure there were no officers hiding in the corners. She told Jordan about her encounter with Corbett in gruesome detail. When she finished, it was Jordan’s turn to cry.

  “I’m so sorry for getting you involved, Wendy. It’s my fault you were beaten to a pulp. It’s my fault you almost lost your mother to that psycho in Carhartt boots.” She took her friend’s hand in her own. “But if you hadn’t killed him, I’d be dead right now. The thing he summoned to kill had me in its clutches and was drooling on my neck. One more second and I would have been a main course. You saved my life and the lives of my family. I can never repay you for that. Ever.” She wiped her eyes, knowing she needed to leave but unable to just walk away. “Are you going to be okay?” she asked Wendy. “I mean, I know you aren’t right now, but do you think you will be again someday?” She knew what the girl was feeling. The first time she had to kill a human to send a demon back to Hell, she cried for two weeks. She still saw that tow-headed girl in her dreams on occasion. And here I am, about to take off with one on an extended vacation. Jesus, I am such a dumbass.

  Wendy shrugged. “For the most part, I think I am okay. I mean, I hated it – hated it! But Corbett was evil. He would have hurt others. I don’t like playing God, deciding who lives or dies, but in this case…I think what I did was justified.”

  “Yes, it was.” She picked up a random mug that Fee left on the table and took a sip of coffee. She had no idea whose it was and didn’t care. Her only regret was that it wasn’t spiked. “You know,” she began, “I think angels watch over us, Wendy.”

  She nodded. “Is that who healed you?” She touched Jordan’s face.

  Well crap. Jordan had totally forgotten that the last time Wendy saw her, her face looked a lot like Wendy’s did now.

  She decided a semblance of the truth was needed. “Something like that.”

  Wendy toyed with a small vase of flowers on the coffee table. “You know, I think I saw one – an angel, I mean.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “After it was all over with, I looked in the mirror while waiting for the police and Mom to get here. I wanted to see how bad the damage was, you know? My face felt like someone dropped a safe on it.”

  Jordan waited patiently for her to continue. This was obviously a subject that was uncomfortable for Wendy -- or maybe she just didn’t have the words.

  She swallowed hard. “Anyway, while I was studying the roadmap of bruises and cuts Corbett left me, someone appeared behind me in the mirror. He was only there for a few seconds, but I remember his face.” She actually sighed like a girl with her first crush. “His hair was dark and his eyes were a golden-hazel color. He smiled at me before he disappeared…” Jordan thought she finished but then she added, “And his wings were the most beautiful black I’ve ever seen.”

  Jordan’s heart stopped for just a moment. She remembered the black feather in her dream.

  “Do you believe me?” Wendy asked. “Do you think maybe he was watching over me?” She was almost desperate. Even though she was pissed at him, Jordan sent up a silent “thank you” to Gabe. “Yes,” she answered, pulling her friend close. “I think he was.”

  Nathan looked around the bedroom that Jordan occupied in the cabin, making sure he didn’t leave anything of hers behind. Even though it was late, they had decided to leave for home. None of them had any idea what to do now. Jordan was kidnapped by demons and it was going to take many hours (days, weeks, months?) of studying and planning to get her back. They could do that better in the comfort of their own home. Jordan obviously knew more about Aamon than they did, but then again, she was more familiar with all of the lore these days. She was the one who spent the past few years recopying their books.

  Nathan picked up the last t-shirt and held it to his chest before placing it carefully in Jordan’s duffle bag. What were they going to do? What if they never got her back? He was an emotional mess, but, for the first time in a long time, Nathan had to take point and be the strong one. As hard as this was for him, it was ten times worse for Quinn, who kept blaming himself, and Case, who was a blubbering spot on the couch.

  The sound of wings was followed by a shotgun being pumped in the other room. Nathan grabbed Jordan’s bag and rushed to get to Quinn before he peppered Gabe’s face with silver shot and pissed the angel off.

  “Where were you? Where were you when our sister was being carted off by a demon? Where were you when Aamon possessed our father and knocked up our mother? What damn good does it do us to have a Guardian if he can’t guard us?”

  Quinn had the gun pointed at Gabe’s nose. Case was yelling at him to shut up, but it did no good. Quinn’s anger had reached the magnitude of a nuclear bomb and the fireworks hadn’t even started yet.

  Gabe stood there, unflinching, no expression on his face other than the one he usually wore. Nathan had to hand it to the angel; he had the patience of Job. He’d never seen Gabriel get upset or lose his cool. Just dealing with Quinn and Jordan should have given him ulcers the size of softballs years ago.

  With a slight turn of Gabe’s hand, Quinn’s shotgun flew across the room and smashed against the wall where it snapped in half on impact. Huh, Nathan thought. Maybe those ulcers are acting up right now. This could get ugly real quick.

  Quinn started to go off again, but Case jumped in front of him. “This solves nothing!” He pointed to the door. “If you can’t keep your temper on a leash, then step outside and let the adults handle this.”

  Their uncle rarely raised his voice to them and he surely never treated them like children now that they were grown. His outburst shocked them all – even Gabe was staring at the man like he’d never seen him before. Quinn flopped down on the couch. His look promised murder, but he managed to keep his mouth shut for the time being.

  Uncle Case took a more subtle approach. “Gabe, can you please explain to us how this happened? We don’t know much, but we have to get Jordan back and help her.”

  Gabe looked sad, but Nathan detected something else. He couldn’t look them in the eye. He was being evasive, secretive. Quinn sat up straight on the couch and looked at his twin. He knew something was wrong, too.

  Gabe began to pace. Another bad sign. “I’ll tell you what I know.” He faced them from across the small room. “Aamon’s job is to keep the demon species from becoming extinct. A few times a year, he possesses someone in order to impregnate a woman with his seed. Most of the time, the host does not even realized he has been possessed. It was different for your father. We believe he knew. I am sure that was not part of Aamon’s plan.

  “After the child is born, they do not come into their powers until they are visited by Aamon. He has a way of activating them, but in order to do this, he must touch his child. We think your father tried to keep this from happening. He stood in the way and that is why Aamon killed him.” He sighed and looked defeated.

  Quinn jumped to his feet. “And what? This just slipped your mind for the past seventeen years?”

  Nathan groaned. Well, his brother’s silence lasted longer than he thought it would.

  “How could you let this happen, Gabe? You’re our Guardian! Isn’t it your job to keep us safe?” Quinn scratched his head and made a face like he was deep in thought. “Now, I’m not the smartest person in the world, but I do th
ink preventing possession falls underneath the definition of keeping us safe!”

  “I was not your parents’ Guardian. That responsibility fell to a different angel,” Gabe said matter-of-factly.

  This was news. Nathan, Quinn, and Jordan always assumed Gabe had been the only one.

  “Who?” Nathan put Jordan’s bag down and lowered himself into a threadbare chair in the corner, stretching out his long legs.

  “Her name was Sariel.”

  “Was?” Case asked.

  It was the first time since Gabe arrived that he showed true emotion. He looked devastated to have to talk about this. “Yes, she disappeared a number of years ago.”

  As usual, it was Quinn who voiced their shared feelings. “And how does that happen exactly? How does an angel just disappear?”

  Gabe stared out the window. Nathan knew he wasn’t looking at anything outside. He couldn’t be – the window was covered in layers of filth.

  “We don’t know,” he answered.

  “You don’t know?” Quinn’s anger was contagious. Nathan was hanging on by spider’s silk.

  “No, we don’t. It does happen. Sometimes, angels decide they don’t like the strict rules we live by. They decide to live as normal souls do in Heaven and turn in their wings. Sariel did not do that, but she still may have decided not to serve anymore. When we couldn’t locate her or sense her presence, I was appointed as your family’s Guardian.”

  “Bullshit.” Case walked over to the angel and looked him in the eye, forcing his gaze. “If you don’t want to be honest with us, that’s fine, but this is my family and it is my job to protect them. Have enough respect to not blow smoke up our asses, Gabe.”

  Gabe inclined his head. “I apologize if you think I’m being dishonest. It is not my intention.”

  Nathan rolled his eyes. “That’s been your only intention since you showed up, Gabe. Just to let you know, Jordan told us about your conversation in the bathroom. We know you’ve quit the team. Frankly, I’m not that upset about it.”