Charade (Heven and Hell #2)

by Hebert, Cambria

  “What about Cole?” She forgot the key and looked at my face.

  “Remember how I told you that something was going on with him and I couldn’t tell you?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded.

  “He said I could.”

  “He did?” I hated to see the hope come into her eyes. Kimber still loved Cole, but his heart wasn’t hers anymore.

  I nodded. “It’s confidential, but you’re my friend and I want you to know.”

  Her eyes softened and her aura smoothed out into the vibrant hues that were normal for her.

  I opened my mouth just as there was a loud knock on the door. “Girls,” Ms. Merriweather called on the other side. “We’re going downstairs for dinner.”

  Kimber stiffened and took a step back. Her face hardened and became a mask. I sighed.

  “We’ll be right there!” I called. “So about what I wanted to tell you,”

  “Kimber, you don’t want to be late,” Ms. Merriweather said.

  Something passed behind Kimber’s eyes and her aura bloomed a shade of gray. I suppressed a shudder at the unsightly color. She didn’t seem to notice my obvious distress as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, walking to the door.

  “Kimber.”

  She stopped and turned.

  “About Cole—”

  “Forget it. There isn’t anything you could say that would take back what you’ve done.”

  “This isn’t about me. It’s about Cole.”

  She paused with her hand on the knob before whispering so low I had to strain to hear, “Then tell him to come to me.”

  She rushed out the door before anything else could be said. My stomach turned. Why did it suddenly seem that whatever was going on with Kimber might have something to do with Tabitha Merriweather?

  Just who the hell was she?

  Kimber never came back to the room after dinner. I waited and paced, looked at the clock, and waited some more. When midnight rolled around, it became clear she wasn’t coming. I glanced at her empty bed and wondered what to do.

  The first thing that popped into my head wasn’t the most honorable thing, but it was a good idea. I rushed across the room and began pawing through her stuff. I was looking for anything that might give me a clue as to where she could be or what had been going on with her lately.

  I was also looking for that box.

  I found nothing.

  I sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed. How could eagle-eye Mrs. Britt not have noticed that she wasn’t on the bus? Because she had been on the bus. Could someone have grabbed her when she was getting off the bus? What if she was hurt or lost?

  I got up and ran out into the hall, down the corridor, stopping in front of our chaperones’ room. Just as I raised my fist in the air to knock, the door swung open and Ms. Merriweather stepped out.

  She didn’t seem very surprised to see me.

  I took a step back and cleared my throat. “I came to see Mrs. Britt.”

  “She’s with a student. Is there something I can help you with, Heven?”

  “Ummmm…”

  She crossed her arms over her chest and waited patiently. Her aura was strong and clear, shades of soothing blue and green. “Kimber hasn’t been in our room since before dinner,” I blurted.

  Ms. Merriweather’s face softened. “Oh! I’m sorry. I thought Mrs. Britt told you. I guess she hasn’t had time yet. Kimber isn’t feeling well, so we thought it best if she was in her own room tonight, so you don’t get sick too.”

  “She’s sick?”

  The teacher’s aide nodded emphatically. “Poor thing can’t hold anything down.”

  Is that why she seemed out of it earlier, because she was sick? It would explain her lack of color. But still… could I trust this woman?

  “She’s sleeping now. Mrs. Britt gave her some anti-nausea medicine so she should be able to join the group tomorrow.” Her words were sincere and her aura didn’t waver at all when she spoke. It was already after midnight and morning wasn’t far off, so waiting until then didn’t seem so terrible.

  “Okay,” I said. “I’ll see her then.”

  “Good night, Heven.”

  “Night.” I went back to the room and let myself in and leaned against the back of the door.

  Kimber is sick, so she’s staying in another room. I told Sam.

  You’re alone?

  Yes. I knew he would come to me. Be careful, Ms. Merriweather is trolling the halls.

  Thanks.

  I didn’t waste time or linger by the door. Instead, I went to bed, climbing between the sheets and switching off the bedside lamp. The room plunged into darkness, but I wasn’t scared. I faced down demons almost daily and had been sucked into Hell through my dreams. No, the dark didn’t scare me.

  The door opened quietly, slowly and I smiled. He moved through the room lithely and confidently, without so much as a misstep. I heard the rustle of fabric and felt his T-shirt land at the foot of the bed.

  His skin was warm, as it always was, and it felt like silk against mine. I snuggled up against him, pressing close and rested my cheek on his chest. His arms encircled me, and while I hadn’t been scared before, I hadn’t felt safe until now.

  I missed this, he said as I felt a long sigh exit his lungs.

  Me too. I haven’t slept well at all.

  Rest now. His voice was like a lullaby through my mind.

  Before I could drift into a thoughtless slumber, my mind returned to Kimber. Was she really sick or was Tabitha Merriweather lying?

  There’s something off about Mrs. Britt’s TA.

  Shhh. Whatever it is will be there in the morning.

  Sam was exactly right, and it scared me more than anything. No, I wasn’t afraid of the dark. But I was afraid that when day arrived and the sun came out, it would shine light into all the shadows from the night before, revealing all that the darkness had hidden.

  I woke to the sound of my cell phone ringing inside of my bag and struggled to untangle myself from Sam and the sheets to reach over and haul the bag on top of the bed. The contents spilled everywhere and I sifted through them to grab up my phone and silence the annoying ring.

  “Hello?” I mumbled glancing down at the scroll in my lap.

  “Heven! I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  “Mom?” I glanced at the screen on the phone at the clock. It was barely seven a.m. “Isn’t it like one a.m. there?” I guessed, struggling to remember the time difference between Maine and Rome.

  “Yes, but I wanted to speak with you and I figured before you left for the day was the best time.”

  “I tried to call a few times, but you were never home,” I said as the early morning cobwebs evaporated from my head. “Is something wrong? How is Logan?”

  Behind me, Sam sat up and I felt his arms wrap around my waist. I knew he was listening for my mother’s answer.

  “Everything is fine. We’re really enjoying our time with Logan. He’s a wonderful boy.” I couldn’t help but focus in on the “we” and the “our” in her words. She didn’t notice my silence and said, “I just wanted to see how you are enjoying your trip so far. I miss you.”

  “I’m sure Sam will be glad to hear that Logan is doing well. He’s been worried about him,” I said as I leaned back into Sam. “And so far the trip is great. Rome is beautiful and the people here are so nice.”

  “What’s your favorite place you’ve visited so far?”

  I spent a few minutes going into detail about the museums and the Leaning Tower of Pisa telling her all about the art and history. It was so easy to describe everything thanks to my new photographic memory. She seemed interested asking about places and people. I found myself relaxing into Sam and enjoying the conversation. We hadn’t been able to talk like this in so long… I realized how much I missed it.

  “It sounds like you’re having such an experience! The memories you will have will last a lifetime!” she said.

  “Th
anks for allowing me to come, Mom.” I shuddered at how close I came to not being here.

  “Of course. Henry was right in suggesting that you go.”

  I paused. “Yes, I remember you saying Henry suggested that I come.” It still seemed odd to me, but I didn’t say that.

  I could almost see Mom frowning on the end of the line. “Did I say that?”

  I sat up, out of the circle of Sam’s embrace. “Mom? Are you all right?” I turned and looked at Sam, who was frowning. I knew he could hear our conversation.

  “Yes. I guess I’m just tired—it’s so late here.” Her voice was back to normal and it was like the last few words never happened.

  “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

  She gasped and I heard a clatter, which I assumed was the phone falling to the floor.

  “Mom!”

  I heard the phone being picked up and expected to hear my mother on the line. But it wasn’t my mother. It was Henry.

  “Sorry about that, Heven. Your mother tripped and dropped the phone.” For some reason I shivered.

  “Is she hurt?”

  “Oh, no. She’s fine. Just stubbed her toe on the coffee table.”

  I relaxed a little, but still wanted to hear her voice. “Can I speak with her please?”

  “Sure! Oh, hey,” he said, sounding like he was talking to an old friend. “Glad to hear you’re having a great time in Rome.”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled, wondering what Henry was doing at my mother’s house at one o’clock in the morning. The thought was so disturbing, but it kind of described her “we” comments.

  “What great place are you visiting today?” he asked.

  I didn’t want to talk to him. I wanted to talk to my mother, so I told him quickly about the planned visit to Via Appia Antica.

  “Can’t wait to hear all about it when you get home!”

  “Sure,” I said impatiently.

  “Oh, and, Heven?” Henry said, annoying me yet even more. “Be careful today, those catacombs are dark and very old. Your mother and I would be very upset if you were hurt.”

  He said the words good-naturedly, if even fatherly, but something inside me tightened. Before I could respond, my mother came back on the line laughing. “Sorry, about that, honey. I’m just so clumsy anymore!”

  “Did you fall?”

  “Oh, no. I just stubbed my toe on the coffee table. It wasn’t even my big toe, just the little one.” She laughed.

  I smiled. And because I knew Sam really wanted to talk to his brother, I asked Mom, “I know it’s late there, but is Logan awake? Could I speak with him?”

  “Oh, honey, he fell asleep hours ago. He spent the day with Henry and he was exhausted.” Sam was thinking so loud that I blurted out what he was thinking. “He is there, right?”

  Why Sam would think Logan wouldn’t be there, I wasn’t sure, but he was clearly worried about it, so I wanted to be sure he got an answer.

  “Of course, Heven.”

  Sam relaxed and I turned to face him to be sure that’s all he wanted to know. He nodded. “Okay, well you should probably get to bed. It’s late there.”

  “I plan to. I’m so glad we got to talk!”

  “Me too. When I get back, maybe we can have dinner? I got you a present I want to give you.”

  “Sounds wonderful. I’ll talk to you soon. I love you, Heven.”

  “I love you too.” I disconnected the phone and dropped in on the bed next to me.

  “I wish I could have at least said hi to Logan,” Sam said, looking down at the phone. Worry etched across his face.

  “Do you want me to call her back and have her wake him up?”

  He shook his head. “If he’s sleeping, then its best to let him rest.” Then almost to himself, he said, “I should have gotten that cell phone.”

  “Even if you had, the international rates would be outrageous. I can only imagine what my mother is paying for that international plan. He was okay when you talked to him the other day, right?”

  “Yeah. He did seem good.”

  “See? Everything is fine. We haven’t really had much time to talk about things. How is everything with Logan? You seemed to not want to leave him alone much.”

  He sighed. “He loses time, Hev. He goes to bed some nights and wakes up in a different place—not even in the apartment and he can’t remember anything.”

  “Wow. That must be really scary.” I didn’t know what to say. I felt sorry for Logan, so young and to have all this happening to him. He must be so confused. It’s no wonder Sam is so worried about him. “You think it’s because his body is rejecting the hellhound gene?”

  “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  He seemed weary, with worry lines crinkling his forehead. I reached out and fisted a handful of his hair, right in the front and lifted his head a little. “What can I do to help?”

  The side of his lips raised in a lopsided smile. “You’re already doing it.”

  “Pulling your hair?” I grinned and tugged his sun-kissed locks a little harder.

  He laughed and grabbed my hand and held it against his chest. I liked the feeling of his heartbeat against my palm. “Being with you like this, it makes the hard times easier, you know?”

  “Yeah,” I whispered. “I know.”

  He tipped my chin up with his knuckles. “Hopefully, after today we will be able to concentrate on just having a good time here and when we get home, I’ll concentrate on Logan.”

  I looked down at the scroll and nodded. Today we would go into the catacombs and return the scroll to where it belonged. Our promise to Airis will be filled and Sam and I could get on with our lives. So why did I feel a little sad to see it go?

  “It’s been a stressful couple months. It’s normal to feel nervous,” Sam murmured, brushing the hair back from my face.

  I did feel nervous.

  Sam pulled me against him and kissed me thoroughly, completely and thrillingly. When he pulled back, I could barely think at all. “I have to go,” he whispered.

  I nodded.

  “I’ll see you…” He glanced at the clock. “In thirty minutes.”

  I nodded, staring at his mouth.

  He laughed. “Did you hear anything I just said?”

  I blinked. “Uh, yeah. Breakfast.”

  He shook his head, got up, and threw on his T-shirt. Before slipping out the door, he kissed my forehead.

  When he was gone, I looked over at the empty bed where Kimber should have been. I hoped she was feeling better and I would see her at breakfast. If I didn’t, I was going to have to find a way to sneak into her room so I could see her for myself.

  I grabbed my shower bag, the scroll and some clean clothes and took advantage of the fact I actually got to use the bathroom. Halfway there, a thought speared me and I stumbled. I told Henry about our visit to Via Appia Antica today and the planned bike ride. I hadn’t told him about the catacombs. How did he know we were going there… and why did he tell me to be careful?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Heven

  Kimber wasn’t at breakfast. I watched the door the entire time we were eating, pushing the oatmeal around in my bowl, my heart leaping every time someone walked in the room, only to be let down when I realized that it was not her. Mrs. Britt sat a few tables away with Ms. Merriweather, and neither teacher acted as if anything was wrong. All the students chatted and laughed, no one seeming to notice Kimber’s absence.

  Because of this, I noticed it more.

  That and the fact that everyone’s auras were all very good-natured and peaceful this morning. It wasn’t a bad thing, but it wasn’t right either. An entire room full of people, rarely—if ever—has the same general feelings. It hadn’t been this way at all during the trip till now. Usually, there were lots of different feelings flooding the room: homesickness, jealousy, curiosity, even nervousness at being somewhere so foreign without a parent. Of course, good-natured and happy auras were always present also.

>   But today, it was almost as if they felt fake.

  It wasn’t something I had really thought about before.

  “How are you feeling today, Cole?” I asked, leaning toward him.

  He shrugged and sat down his glass of orange juice. “Fine.”

  His aura looked like it always looked, which was usually filled with blues and greens. Of course, the magenta was there, a burst of vibrant color around his head. “Never mind.” I sighed. Even if everyone’s mood was being influenced, who’s to say it would work on Cole? He is a Supernal Being, after all. Plus, if everyone else’s auras were being manipulated, wouldn’t that mean mine would be too? Wouldn’t I be feeling calm and happy like everyone else?

  I didn’t feel like I was being influenced, so maybe I was just being paranoid.

  “What is it, Heven?” Sam murmured.

  I pushed my oatmeal away, done with even pretending to eat. “Everyone’s aura looks a lot alike this morning.”

  Sam frowned. “You think it’s a charade?”

  An interesting way to phrase it. Could an entire room full of people’s aura’s be disguised and replaced by something more favorable? I shook my head slowly. “I don’t know.”

  Without thinking about it, my eyes went back to the teachers’ table and I remembered what I saw when Ms. Merriweather thought no one was looking. Her aura blanked out to be replaced with a cloud of black for a few moments…

  “I’ll be right back.” I pushed away from the table and walked across the room.

  Mrs. Britt looked up from her plate. “Heven? Is something wrong?”

  “No, Mrs. Britt. I was wondering about Kimber. Is she all right?”

  “She’s still under the weather, I’m afraid. Ms. Merriweather checked her this morning.”

  I turned to the teacher’s aide. She smiled up at me and I couldn’t help but notice that the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Kimber vomited until the early hours of this morning. She is just too weak to join the class today.”

  Her aura remained exactly like everyone else’s.

  “I want to see her.”

  Tabitha Merriweather narrowed her eyes just a fraction at my words, but otherwise remained still. Mrs. Britt drew my attention away. “We have to be on the bus in just a few minutes, Heven. Kimber’s probably sleeping. I will take you to her room this afternoon when we get back from the Via Appia Antica and you may see her then.”