“Yes.”
“And they’ve known for a million years?”
He nods.
“It seems to me that Olympus has benefitted immensely from our influence…from the influence of angels. But Earth has kind of been left to fend for itself. It seems logical to assume that if humans knew we existed, that if we interacted with them, the quality of life on Earth might be a whole lot better.”
“Your powers of perception are strong, Ari. And you are right. When we were initially sent to Earth, it was decided that we should not become as deeply involved in the affairs of man as the Zon were involved in the affairs of Olympians. Paradise wished to prevent a repeat of the Zon rebellion. In that sense, the strategy was successful. But the downside is that human progress has been stunted.”
“The strategy is flawed, Davin. As long as the Zon exist, humans will be at risk.”
“This is why many of us believe we should take a more proactive role in human society. Unfortunately, it is not our decision to make. Paradise must approve it, and to date, they have not.”
“Do you think they ever will?”
He scratches his chin and appears to be pondering my question. “I hope so. I really do.”
We sit quietly for a few moments—mainly because my incessant talking probably makes him very tired. Actually, it takes a lot out of me, too.
I think of all the questions I still have. It could take months to get answers. “Thalia is not your aunt, is she?”
“No.”
“And since you rented the house in Edgewood to observe me, where do you and Thalia really live?”
“We live in Portal City—not far from here.”
“Do you and Thalia live together?”
“Of course not. She is like a sister to me.”
“Oh.” I feel relieved. “And you are not from Santa Barbara?”
“Actually, I was posted there for nearly a year.”
“I see. But your last name is not really Andersen, is it?”
“No. We really don’t have last names on Olympus. In official records, I am identified by a code, which is indexed to an honorific—Davin of Genobli, Warrior Master, son of Lecco and Annia.”
“Now, that’s a mouthful.” I chuckle. “So I would be Ariel of Edgewood, Warrior Newbie, daughter of Damian and Andrea.”
“Damian?” He says the name slowly.
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“The name has ancient Greek roots. It’s a fine name. Are your father’s parents still alive?”
“Dad’s parents and grandparents died before I was born.”
“I see.”
“Do you think my dad could be an angel?”
“The thought did cross my mind.”
“Wow. That would explain a lot of things,” I say.
“It would. Perhaps Thalia can come up with something. Don’t worry about it just yet. Okay?”
I nod, and then my mind drifts to Davin’s youth. “Did you have a happy childhood? Did you get along with your parents?”
“We were very close.”
“I’m glad,” I say.
I look up. The moons are rising in the evening sky. The moons? “I see two moons, Davin.”
“Beautiful, aren’t they?”
I nod and gaze at Davin, mesmerized by his beauty. “You seem more at ease. More comfortable.”
“You are safe here, and that puts me at ease.”
“I always feel safe when I’m near you.” I squeeze closer, laying my head on his shoulder. “You know what I like about you, Davin?”
He shakes his head slowly and arches his brow, as I ramble on. “You speak really well. When we first met, you made some awkward attempts to sound like a teenager. It wasn’t you. I love listening to you now. You’re…” I pause as I search for the right word. “You’re a classic.”
“That’s about the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” he replies, with what has become my most favorite of his smiles. “And do you know what I like about you?”
“No. Tell me.”
“I like the sound of your voice. It exudes intelligence, conveys an almost-perpetual sense of wonderment, and sings to me with the barest hint of southern accent. I can listen to you speak for hours on end, which is something you seem to enjoy doing…immensely. You are a classic in your own right.”
I crinkle my nose. “You make me think, which makes me talk. In fact, whenever I’m with you all I want to do is think and talk. Like, right now I want to talk about us.”
“I thought we were doing that already.”
“I want to talk about why you feel drawn to me like…”
“A moth to moonlight?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never met a woman quite like you.”
“I’m not sure how to take that. Care to elaborate?”
“It’s as if we were meant to meet. As if fate has brought us together. And now we get to see what fate has in store for us.”
“It’s kind of like an adventure, huh?”
He smiles and tilts his head. “Adventure, journey, escapade. It can be anything we want it to be. Anything at all. We get to define it.”
The way he says it causes my heart to leap. I turn and gaze into his eyes. “You know, for some strange and amazing reason, it feels as though I’ve known you for a very long time. I sense a connection between us. It’s so hard to explain, but so wonderful to feel.”
“I feel it, too,” he says.
“Thank you for sharing. I was beginning to think you were one of those angels who keeps his feelings inside.”
“You should never stereotype a person. Especially not an angel.”
Cute.
Chapter 12
I awake on Monday feeling refreshed and a little giddy from my otherworldly adventure. I’m an angel. A living, breathing, celestial being. But it doesn’t frighten me. It’s beginning to feel natural—as if this is what I’m meant to be. I feel elated, which surprises me.
Without thinking, I reach for my phone and call Davin. He answers on the second ring. “Good morning, Ari. Is everything okay?”
“Yes!” I answer. “I just need to verify that what happened last night was real. We actually had dinner on Olympus, right?”
“Affirmative,” Davin says with a smile in his voice.
“Um, the government can’t listen in to our calls. Can they?”
Davin chuckles. “No one can monitor this call.”
“I thought the NSA monitored all cell phone calls?”
“Our phones are secure. Your phone is routed through our system. We can talk about anything.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Actually, your mom’s phone is also secure.”
“Cool! So, I’m really an angel?”
“You most certainly are.”
“And you kissed me last night?”
“I did.”
“I thought I imagined it, Davin. I thought it had to be a dream.”
“Which part?”
“Everything!” I exclaim.
“You sound happy.”
“I am. Taking me to dinner on Olympus was a stroke of genius.”
“I’ve been known to have an occasional outburst of brilliance.”
“And a few spells of angel attitude,” I add with a playful tone. “Um, I forgot to tell you that I need to be at school today. I volunteered to help set up for the annual library book sale.”
“What is your schedule?”
“I need to be there at nine. We should be finished by three in the afternoon.”
“I’ll alert my team. They will follow you and set up positions around the school. You won’t even know they are there.”
“Okay. Sorry about the short notice.”
“It’s not a problem. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Training is still on for tomorrow?”
“Yes. I will pick you up between seven-thirty and eight.”
“Will I see you later?” I ask.
“If you’d like. Was there something you wanted to do?”
“I’m probably going to be tired and we do need to get up early. Would you like to come over to my house and talk? I still have a ton of questions.”
“Sure. What time?”
“Seven-thirty?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you later, then. Enjoy your day.”
“You, too, Davin,” I say, ending the call.
I hop up off the bed and glide to the bathroom, still in a dreamlike state, as I wonder—how in the name of all that’s holy can Davin make me tingle through my phone?
As I back out of my driveway, I cast a glance at Davin’s house to see if I can spot my entourage of guards. I half-expect to see a black Chevy Tahoe, but there’s nothing in sight. Either they are really good at this or someone dropped the ball.
As I turn onto Valley Road, I check my rear-view mirror and see the imposing grill of a black Range Rover. Just past Miller Road, the Range Rover slows down, allowing a silver Audi sedan to pull in behind me. The two men in the Audi are young and attractive—and they sport very dark glasses. Okay, they are really good at this.
I turn into the school parking lot and, glancing back, notice the Audi has stopped and is backing into a parking space on the street. The Range Rover is no longer behind me. It must have turned onto Emory Lane, which runs along the east side of the school. These guys are pros.
Since school is not in session, I park in front of the main door, next to Ella’s Jeep. As I scan the row of cars, I glimpse Galen’s Camaro, parked at the end. My mood darkens and I slap the steering wheel. I told him about the book sale weeks ago and he offered to help. How could I have forgotten?
I enter the school and make my way toward the library. Maybe Galen being here is for the best. I can’t put off the inevitable. He’s human, I’m not, and our relationship has to end before things get really, really complicated. I may as well get it over with today.
Taking a deep breath, I open the library door.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Ella calls, much too cheerfully. She walks closer and whispers, “So how was dinner?”
“Wonderful,” I reply, smiling. “Um, have you seen Galen?”
“Yeah. He’s in the back, packing boxes and fighting off Becky Whittaker.”
“Becky?”
“Yeah. Apparently she has this thing about hot college guys. Go figure,” she says with a giggle. “Do you need to talk to him privately?”
Oh God, I am so dreading this. “Yes.”
“Are you going to tell him you don’t want to see him anymore?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod, feeling a little sad.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong? Did your date with Davin go okay?”
“It was amazing.”
“Then what is it? You look so sad.”
“I–I’m not sure.” I can’t tell Ella everything, and that frustrates me. I can’t tell her that being with Galen is simply not possible because he’s human.
“Come with me,” she says, taking my hand and leading me out of the library. “We need to talk.”
“Where are we going?”
“The gym.”
The only light in the gym comes from the skylights and the glass doors along the back wall. It feels a little eerie. We sit on the bottom row of the bleachers and Ella turns to face me, straddling the seat. “Ok, tell me what’s wrong, sweetie.”
“I’m not sure.”
“How do you feel about Galen?”
“I like him, Ella. He’s a really good guy.”
“And Davin?”
“Well, I’ve only know him a short time, but…” I can’t put into words what I feel.
She narrows her eyes and stares. “Spill it, Ari.”
“I’m really not sure. He makes me feel so alive. More alive than I’ve ever felt before. And whenever I’m near him I just want to—”
“Jump on him?”
“Yeah, something like that. It’s like animal magnetism. I can’t explain it. He makes me want to do things that make me want to blush.”
“And the fact that he makes Brad Pitt look like a nerd has nothing to do with it?”
“I guess it doesn’t hurt,” I say with a smile. “Galen is pretty handsome, too. But he flaunts it. And sometimes I think he’s obsessed with me. Davin is different. He’s handsome, but he’s almost a little defensive about it. It’s as if he doesn’t want his looks to define him. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yeah. I do. He doesn’t seem to have an arrogant bone in his adorable body.”
I laugh. “Leave his adorable body out of this before you make me hyperventilate. I’m pretty sure I would still want him, even if he looked ordinary, like Brad Pitt.”
Ella laughs out loud. “It sounds like you’re falling for him, sweetie.”
“Ya think?”
“Yeah. And does Galen make you feel anything special?”
“Not really. He makes me feel comfortable. But there’s no spark. Even when we kiss, it’s more peaceful than sensual. Davin makes me feel like…like the Fourth of July.”
“Ari, you have a kind heart. I think the problem is that you don’t want to hurt Galen. If what you’re saying is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, breaking things off with Galen is the kindhearted thing to do. Agreed?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
Ella looks into my eyes and smiles. “I’ve heard it’s not about finding someone you can live with; it’s about finding someone you can’t live without. I have a feeling your ‘someone’ is Davin. Follow your heart, sweetie.”
“You are wise beyond your years,” I say, smiling, because she makes me feel so much better.
“Not really. Well, maybe a little. But the fact is, I’ve never seen you so smitten before. When you talk about Davin, when I even mention his name, you light all up. It’s a sight to behold. I’m not saying you should start shopping for a wedding dress, but you have to give this a chance. You have to see where it leads you. Fourth of July kisses are nothing to sneeze at. Ya know?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good. You should talk to Galen during our lunch break. Okay?”
I nod.
“Okay. Let’s go before they call out a search party,” Ella says.
The Ladies Club arranged for pizza delivery, which is set up in the main lunch area—a large, open atrium in the middle of the first floor.
“Just one slice, Ari?” Galen asks, as he comes up behind me.
“I’m not very hungry today,” I reply, as I watch him pile four slices onto his plate.
“Wanna grab a corner table?” he asks. His deep blue eyes are dancing.
Perfect. “Sure.”
The seating area wraps around one side of the lunch counter, creating a relatively private niche. Galen chooses the very last table, sitting down next to me. A glass wall behind us overlooks a nicely-landscaped courtyard. On school days, it’s not unusual to see several teachers out there reading, or talking, or perhaps escaping from the chaos of the student lunch room.
“How was the rest of your weekend?” I ask
“Depressing. I missed you,” he says with puppy-dog eyes.
He looks vulnerable. Does he sense I am about to drop the hammer on our relationship?
“I’m sorry, Galen.”
“Ari, we’ve known each other for months and…” He pauses, looking a little anxious. “You’re the only girl I want to be with.”
I don’t answer. Instead, I play with my pizza, avoiding eye contact. This is not going to be easy at all. Nope.
He turns his chair to face me. “Ari, please look at me.”
I turn my chair, and Galen leans toward me, placing his hands on my knees. “I’d like you to spend spring break with me, in Bermuda. We can drive to DC and catch a flight in the morning.”
My brow shoots up and I chuckle. “Bermuda? Seriously?�
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“Yes. My family has a villa there. What do you say?”
I’m stunned. What do I say to that? Before I can answer, he pulls me close and kisses me.
“Galen…”
“I can’t resist you,” he replies, with a cute smile, as he cups my face in his hands. Then he kisses me again.
I know it’s wrong. I know I should resist. But I can’t. And for some insane and inexplicable reason, I decide to see if Galen can rock me the way Davin does. I throw caution to the wind, and focus on all that’s good in Galen. Our kiss is sweet, but there are no fireworks. I pull back, tears welling up in my eyes, and I know. He can never be the one. He’s a good person, a thoughtful person, but I need to set him free.
“Ari, what’s wrong?”
“This is wrong,” I whisper.
He gently turns my chin so that I have no choice but to look at him. “What?”
“Us,” I say. “We’re wrong, Galen. I’m so sorry, but we shouldn’t be together.”
“I love you, Ari, and nothing feels wrong about it.”
“What? No. You don’t understand. I don’t love you the way you want me to.”
“But you just kissed me.”
“I shouldn’t have. It was a goodbye kiss—”
He looks crushed. “Are you saying you don’t want to see me anymore?”
I nod. “You’re everything most girls could ever hope for. But I’m just not ready to fall in love. I’m so…”
Before I can say more, the door between the lunchroom and the courtyard opens, and two of my Warrior guards walk through, followed by Davin. Did they see us kiss?
“What’s going on?” I ask.
He stares at me for a second, then whispers to one of the other Warriors, who promptly grasps Galen’s right arm, forcing him to stand. “You will come with us,” the Warrior says softly, but sternly. “If you attempt to escape, it will not end well for you.”
Galen groans, but does not protest, which I find awfully strange. He simply casts me a sad glance, as he slowly walks away with the two Warriors, leaving me alone with Davin.
I’m dumbstruck. Where are they taking him? And why?
“Davin?”
“Let’s walk outside, Ari.”
I nod absently and follow him. Davin points to a bench in front of the main entrance and we sit.
Ariel Rising Page 10
