“In the meantime,” she added, “I would try to find the Augur you seem to have befriended. He may have some more information for you.”
“What if I can’t find Ronald?”
“Something tells me he is just as interested in finding you as you are him.”
“Even if that were the case, he’s not exactly what I’d call forthcoming about things.”
“Perhaps this time your efforts will be rewarded.” Tara sounded optimistic, but her frown gave away her concern.
“Eve, I urge you to be extremely careful. Do not let your guard down for any reason while on Earth. And please feel free to reach out to me. Due to the grave nature of this assignment, I’m making myself personally available to you. You may consult with me whenever you wish.”
“Oh, thanks,” I replied, pleasantly surprised. I hadn’t exactly been a model Shepherd, and Tara had never shied away from lecturing me on my shortcomings. That said, she’d also shown me glimpses of compassion, although nowhere near the level of compassion she was showing me now. And seeing that Peter was no longer someone I could count on, it was comforting to think she might actually be in my corner. It made me feel like I wasn’t totally alone in all of this.
“Well, you’d best go and find Quinn,” Tara suggested.
I nodded, and butterflies immediately began to stir in my stomach.
“Don’t worry, my dear. I have a feeling he will be very glad to see you.” She smiled as she took my left hand in hers, stroking my ring finger and flashing me a knowing look.
Crap, so she’d known all along. I turned away, feeling the heat race up my neck and into my cheeks as her words echoed in my mind. “Wait,” I looked back at her. “He’ll be glad to see me? So you’re saying Quinn can know I’ve returned? We can talk? We can … be together?”
“Based on the gravity of recent events and those to come, the Augur recommended it would be most prudent for Quinn and you to work side by side. It’s the quickest way for your souls to bond completely and for you two to realize your greatest potential. Hopefully, you can use any newfound strength and abilities you develop to find a way to stop the Servants before they find a way to get to either of you.
“Besides,” Tara added with a smirk, “it seems quite apparent to me Quinn would discover your return sooner rather than later anyway.”
A smile escaped my lips. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear Quinn and I can work together because I’m seriously going to need him on this one.” Quinn and I were going to have to be on the same page of the game plan—for both our sakes.
“One warning,” Tara began, “there are those among us who neither understand nor agree with my decision to let you pursue your relationship with Quinn, but I have to believe their lack of enthusiasm is due only to their ignorance of what is at stake. Nevertheless, you will still be held to the highest standards in terms of obeying all other Rules within the confines of this ‘relationship’ caveat, so I recommend you use the utmost discretion when it comes to some of the more friendly aspects of your involvement.” Tara winked, and I immediately felt my cheeks flush.
“And you will be expected to protect our anonymity from the rest of the mortal world as well. That also means you must refrain from allowing people you once knew, even casually, to see you.”
“I understand,” I said with a nod. Before I could say anything else, she took me by the hand and teleported us back to the Archives.
I turned towards Tara. “Thank you—for everything.”
“Good luck, Eve.” She nodded her head and then disappeared.
“Interesting conversation?” Peter asked, examining my flushed cheeks.
“You could say that,” I replied vaguely.
“Yes, well.” Peter cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you how you are feeling—in terms of your healing, that is.”
“My back feels great—one hundred percent. But the scars are still there, and they haven’t changed in appearance since the salve was applied … Thank you by the way,” I added awkwardly, “for going out and finding the ingredients needed to heal me.”
“It was the least I could do. I’m just sorry you had to experience that torment at all.” I saw a pained expression flash across Peter’s face before the well-practiced mask of composure reappeared.
“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s not like what happened to me was your fault,” I replied, doing my best to hide any signs of suspicion.
“Yes, well,” he said, clearing his throat again. “As your mentor and friend, it’s my job to worry about you—to protect you. And I cannot help but feel as though I failed you on both fronts the day of the attack.”
“At the end of the day, what matters is that Dylan and you stopped the Third Incident and saved Quinn and me from the Servants.”
Peter nodded, casting his glance to the side, which I took to be a sign that he was hiding something from me.
“Speaking of which, do you know what they plan to do to Quinn?”
Peter nodded.
“Do you think they have a chance of succeeding?”
“I suppose that all depends on how determined they are to convert him.”
“Just how determined are they?”
“Some would say very.”
“And what do you say?”
“It’s difficult to ignore the mounting evidence gathered by our sources.” His calm voice and demeanor gave nothing away.
“Did you also hear the rumor that the Order plans to take matters into their own hands if I can’t stop the Servants from converting Quinn?”
“Yes, I have heard something along those lines.” Peter’s unwaveringly calm disposition led me to throw out another question, one that hit a little closer to home, and gauge his reaction.
“What do you think that means? Do you think the Order intends to intervene at the last minute? You know, maybe end Quinn’s life and make him one of us rather than risk him being converted into a Servant?”
“No.” Peter’s eyes flickered momentarily, but his expression was otherwise unruffled. “I’m afraid it’s not possible for Mr. Harrison to become one of us under the scenario you just described.”
“And why is that?” I demanded.
“Do you remember the eligibility requirements for becoming a Shepherd?”
“Yes, you mentioned them during my transition to immortality.”
“Under the circumstances you just described, Mr. Harrison misses one of them.”
“Which one?”
“Being targeted by the Servants—”
“Which he is,” I interrupted.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Peter admonished. “Being targeted by the Servants is not enough—a human must be killed by one.”
How many times could I feel like the breath had been knocked from my body today?
“So if Quinn is killed by the Order, then that particular requirement isn’t met.” I heard the words leave my mouth, but I still couldn’t believe I was saying them.
“Correct,” Peter said dispassionately, revealing he’d never want Quinn to become one of us.
“Well, the clock is ticking,” I noted, trying my best not to sound affected by his callous attitude towards Quinn. “I’d better go.”
“You may have trouble finding him. Mr. Harrison has had a habit of falling off the grid lately.”
Concerned, I turned to give Peter my full attention. “What do you mean?”
“There are times when he simply vanishes and falls off our radar. One minute, he is there, and the next, gone. He can disappear for days at a time, only to mysteriously reappear out of the blue. His Watcher has had quite an ordeal trying to keep track of him.” Peter paused and looked at me intently with one raised brow. “You wouldn’t happen to have any idea as to why or how this was happening, would you?” His tone sounded more accusatory than inquisitive.
“How would I?” I replied defensively. “Up until a few minutes ago I was grounded, remember? No contact with anyon
e on Earth. I haven’t seen or heard from him for two Mora months.” My mind raced to come up with some explanation of Quinn’s strange disappearances. “Maybe it’s the Servants. If they took Quinn down into their realm, then we wouldn’t be able to track him, right?”
“True.” Peter considered my response for a moment. “But it’s highly unlikely they’re involved. Why would Servants kidnap Mr. Harrison and return him days later, only to repeat the process all over again? Besides, his Watcher would have detected the presence of any Servants in his vicinity, and she has yet to report any demon activity.”
She? A pang of jealously streaked through me as I began imagining what Quinn’s Watcher might look like. With my luck, she’d be the female equivalent of Dylan.
“Jealousy does not become you, Eve,” Peter noted telepathically. “She may be beautiful, but I promise she does not hold a candle to you.”
Crap. I cringed, realizing Peter, along with everyone else up here, had probably been able to hear my every passing thought for the last few minutes. I refocused and blocked out any further unwelcome eavesdropping.
“Then,” I began, “I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe the Servants found a way to mess with how we track him.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, an annoying little itch began to scratch at the back of my mind. Or maybe Dylan was taking Quinn to portals, I thought to myself. Maybe that’s why Quinn kept disappearing. I pushed the notion to the back of my mind. There was no way Dylan would be so stupid as to risk blowing the existence of portals wide open just to take Quinn on a few joyrides. Then again, this was the dynamic duo—the same pair that jumped at the chance to teleport to a crowded Manhattan nightclub and then to a penthouse in the sky without thinking twice about the potential repercussions. It’d be just like them to throw all caution to the wind to have a little fun.
Boys! I huffed in annoyance in my head as I frantically reinforced the mental blockade around my mind. Peter was eyeing me too suspiciously to have figured out my secret—but he was trying to, no doubt about it.
“Well,” I said, trying to hide my frustration. “I should go find Quinn.”
“Maybe I should go with you,” Peter quickly offered. “I could help you locate him.”
“Thanks for the offer,” I replied calmly, forcing a smile. “But I’m sure his heartbeat will lead me right to him.”
“Yes, I’m sure it will.” Peter looked at the painted ceiling and began to say something, but then he stopped. He sighed and looked at me with deep concern in his eyes. “Eve, please be careful down there. Which, for you, means try to keep out of trouble for at least a few days, all right?” He flashed me a crooked grin. “I’ll be here if you need me, watching and waiting for you to see your assignment through safely once and for all.”
I nodded as he phased out of view.
*
Unsure if anyone, or anything, was following me, I strategically planned my search route, beginning in the town where I last saw Quinn—Bloomington, Indiana. I stopped at his apartment, but I didn’t recognize the posters now tacked to Quinn’s bedroom walls or any of the clothes hanging in his closet. It appeared Adam had a new roommate.
Most likely, Quinn had been accepted into the overseas program next fall and moved back to his parents’ house for the summer. I listened for his pulse and tried to feel it beating away in my chest, but there was only emptiness. I looked at my watch. Nothing was registering on the Incident Timer. I sighed heavily. It was eleven forty-two on the morning of June sixteenth. I’d been gone for sixty-three days on Earth.
His parents’ house in the suburbs of Chicago was next on my go-to list. I saw half-unpacked boxes in Quinn’s bedroom, but there were no other signs of him recently having been there either. His truck wasn’t in the driveway. Nor was the duffel bag he always took with him when he traveled. His laptop was missing too. And I still couldn’t feel his heartbeat.
Assuming my theory about Dylan was correct, my next stop would be to the one place I knew would erase all trace of Quinn. The Falls.
Dylan, what kind of trouble have you and Quinn been causing lately?
2. polo
Still worried about being trailed, I bounced around several different locations on Earth before teleporting myself to “our” portal. Sure enough, Quinn was there, sitting with his back towards me at the water’s edge, gazing at the cascading waterfall. He was only wearing board shorts, and his sun-kissed skin looked so tempting that I wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him.
I quickly scanned the portal and smiled to myself as my mind flooded with memories. Without ever realizing it, I’d mentally catalogued each and every moment Quinn and I had been here together. We’d made love here. We’d fought here. We’d pledged our souls to each other here. And it was here that we’d prepared to battle the Servants and save Quinn’s life—those were the last moments Quinn and I had shared in the Falls together, and it was the last time I’d set foot in this portal. Clearly, the same could not be said of Quinn.
I phased into view several yards behind him, and my soul practically leapt out of my body the instant I felt his heart beating in my chest. It was like finally coming home after being gone for far too long. And if I felt this way after being away from Quinn for only a couple of days in my realm, I couldn’t even imagine how my absence had made Quinn feel. For him, it’d been two months since we’d last seen each other. Guilt surged through me even though we both knew I had no choice in leaving him. But I was here now. Against all odds, we’d found our way back to each other—just like Quinn had said we would. He’d been right all along. Then again, he was the one who always had more faith in our future together.
I stood there and took Quinn in, feeling completely captivated by him—but it wasn’t enough. I needed to be closer to him. He sat as still as a statue, making me wonder if my mind was playing tricks on me. I took a step forward but suddenly stopped myself out of some irrational fear he might not actually be here with me. What if this was all just a fantasy—a beautiful mirage that was really nothing more than desert sand? I inhaled and held my breath as I studied him for a moment longer, waiting for him to move, for any sign of life to prove he was real.
As if on cue, Quinn turned around and grinned at me. The look in his eyes said it all—he’d been expecting me. He looked different, older somehow. Maybe it was because he hadn’t shaved for days. Or maybe he’d suffered his own war wounds, wounds that cut deeper than the ones that now would forever mar my skin, that somehow made him seem more mature.
“Hey, stranger.” His calm, deep voice was like music to my ears. His sapphire blue eyes bore into mine with such intensity that a restless, exhilarating feeling washed over me, leaving goose bumps on my skin.
I exhaled slowly. “Hey there,” I said with a quick little smile.
Quinn flashed his radiant smile, the one that always took my breath away. He was the picture of tranquility, and I—well, let’s just say that I wasn’t.
Get a grip, Evie. I took another deep breath and tried to relax.
“So I’m gone for a couple of months and you decide to let yourself go,” I teased, trying to mask my nerves.
Quinn chuckled and stroked his stubble. “Yeah, well, there hasn’t been any reason to look my best lately.” He stood up and slowly walked towards me, closing the distance between us.
“So, no one worth impressing, huh?” I heard my voice catch as I felt his heart pound louder in my chest.
“Not until now.” I could feel him undressing me with his eyes.
“So,” I swallowed hard. “Dylan’s been bringing you up here,” I half-asked, half-stated.
Quinn just smiled again, never breaking his stride.
“I should’ve known he’d do something like this without telling me.”
Quinn shrugged. “I wanted to come,” he offered nonchalantly, as if traveling to a time portal was the most natural, normal thing to do.
“Where is he now?” I asked, not seeing Dylan anywhere
.
“Looking for you. Word is that you got a new assignment—some jackass that managed to piss off a few demons.” Quinn winked.
I grinned, feeling more relaxed with each passing second. “Yeah, well, according to his file, he can be a real pain in the ass too.”
“Oh, really. So what else does his file say?” His eyes were twinkling mischievously.
“That he’s stubborn as all hell and takes way too many unnecessary risks.” Wanting to be closer to Quinn, I made my way towards him. “And what’s worse, rumor has it that he got involved with his last Shepherd.” Fighting the urge to smile, I forced myself to frown and slowly shook my head to mimic disapproval, never once taking my eyes off his. “Not good.”
“No, not good at all,” he replied playfully. Now inches from his body, I could feel the energy vibrating uncontrollably between us. His familiar scent, a mix of citrus and mint, wrapped itself around me like a blanket, making my fingers and toes feel warm and tingly.
“So, when is Dylan supposed to come back?” I asked, unaware that I was licking my lips until he was staring hungrily at my mouth, copying me.
“Not for a while if he knows what’s good for him.” Quinn reached out and slowly pulled me into him. I could feel his warm breath on my face, making my skin feel like it was on fire. My entire body began to stir. I couldn’t remember ever feeling more alive. I’d never felt this way with anyone before, and I knew I’d never feel this way with anyone else. His eyes were as dark as night, and if the desire in my light green eyes didn’t rival his own, then my reaction to his touch let him know how much I wanted him.
His eyes seemed to tell me something else, too, more than the desire he felt for me. I saw within them just how much he loved me and how much he’d missed me.
“Something amusing you?” he asked, flashing me a curious look as I bit my bottom lip, trying not to grin.
“It’s just—” I began. “It’s nothing.”
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