Inception

by Teal Haviland

  Phalen.

  Phalen would be more than happy to help her, and Gabrielle would love to have her company. Phalen would be able to see how many demons were in and near the school since her Divine discernment wouldn’t be hindered the way hers was. Her presence wasn’t nearly as attractive to the Fallen; they weren’t gunning for Phalen’s death like they were Gabrielle’s.

  I’ll request Phalen’s assistance when I see Amaziah today.

  Gabrielle picked pretty much the same spot as the day before, put the car in park, lowered the windows, and turned the engine off. The morning wasn’t as warm as yesterday. Swollen clouds, full of rain, hung low and ominous in the sky. She heard a rumble of thunder in the distance and felt something that made her heart jump. The same fluttery feeling in her stomach she’d had the day before returned.

  Gabrielle closed her eyes and concentrated, releasing the Veil just a little, worried if she let it drop completely the Fallen would recognize her. She was beginning to feel like they would be around every corner she turned, behind every face she looked into.

  Just as I thought … Lucas.

  She smiled, knowing he was approaching her car and she would soon see him. Gabrielle replaced the Veil and opened her eyes.

  He was there.

  “Good morning, sunshine!” Gabrielle said to Lucas as he took the last couple of steps to her passenger door.

  “Good morning back.” Lucas leaned down, resting his forearms on the door and smiling that amazing smile. “I thought it would be safer to approach your car from the passenger side from now on. Less opportunity for you to execute my demise.”

  “If I wanted to put you on a path for certain death, Lucas, I would find a much more creative way of doing it, I assure you.” Gabrielle smiled and hoped she didn’t sound too convincing. Just as she was about to try to say something witty, the clouds gave up their attempt to harness the rain, unleashing them in a sudden torrent.

  “Whoa!” Lucas yelled and laughed.

  “Get in, Lucas!”

  Gabrielle turned the engine on and raised her windows as Lucas scrambled to get in the car.

  Once his door was closed and he was settled, he cut his eyes at her playfully. “So, did you decide drowning me would be more fun today?” Lucas shot her a huge smile, running his hand through his now dampened hair. His eyes glistened from his burst of laughter, and Gabrielle thought it made them look even more brilliantly blue.

  “Oh, just thinking back to how you told me you don’t take a shower before you come to school because of first period gym class.”

  He smiled at her shyly.

  There was a moment of quiet between them.

  “Gabby,” Lucas began, “I don’t really know how to say this to you, I mean … without you thinking I’m strange, but I feel like I know you somehow. Like I need to be around you for some reason. Crap! I even sound strange to myself.” Lucas paused. “Look. I know you don’t know me, and I don’t know you, and I promise I’m not some nut job. All I know is what I felt the moment I met you yesterday. And I know that pretty much every second of the day, and night, you were all I thought about. So, if that totally freaks you out, I get it. To be honest with you, it freaks me out. And now I’m rambling because I feel like a complete idiot spilling my guts to the most beautiful and intriguing girl I’ve ever met. So, I think I’ll shut up, get out of the car, and go home and play sick. Just so I don’t have to face you the rest of the day.”

  Instead, Lucas closed his eyes and let his head drop back onto the headrest.

  Gabrielle’s heart was beating so fast as she repeated his words to herself that she thought it was going to punch through her chest.

  Gabrielle, what are you doing? You could be cast out if this goes too far.

  Lucas opened his eyes when he felt Gabrielle put her hand on his. His gaze fell on their entwined fingers resting on his leg. His lips curved slightly with a smile.

  “I’d like you to stay right where you are.” Gabrielle said as he searched her eyes. In an attempt to reassure him further, she squeezed his hand even as she continued a mental war with herself about her decision. “I don’t know why you feel what you do. I do know I feel … something. So, if you’re a nut, maybe I am, too.”

  I’ve entered a human body and almost instantly lost my mind. That must be why people don’t make any sense to us … they’re all crazy.

  Gabrielle watched Lucas relax and his smile fully return, but he lowered his eyes, clearly still embarrassed.

  “Look,” Gabrielle said, “this isn’t something we are going to figure out right now. I’m just glad to know I’m not alone. Let’s forget the whys and concentrate on the whos. I’d like to know more about you.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Lucas responded, “I know I have at least a thousand questions for you.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  LUCAS ~ MISSTEP

  Lucas did have at least a thousand questions for Gabby that had been wreaking havoc in his mind since he had first seen her.

  He had spent so much time thinking about her, he was surprised he managed to get anything done at all. Sitting in her car with her, he had the same feeling he had before—that he was connected to her somehow. He’d asked Gran about her, specifically if she knew any Trayners, thinking maybe they had met when he was very young. If they had, maybe that would help to explain why he felt so drawn to her, but at the same time, he knew just meeting when they were children wouldn’t justify the connection he felt.

  For now, it didn’t matter. Her hand was in his—her very warm, soft hand—and she told him she felt the same connection.

  This is really nuts.

  No way had he ever felt anything close to this; no way did he even think it was possible this quickly. He wanted to pull back, be more cautious, but the thought of not pursuing her wouldn’t take hold in his mind. He decided last night, after lying in bed for hours as the Sandman abandoned him with nothing but whys running through his mind, that he was going to throw caution out concerning Gabby and dive right on into the deep end.

  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

  As soon as he’d made the decision, he fell asleep, but she came to him in his dreams.

  And, damn, they were good dreams.

  He was able to touch her face, her hair, lean in as she was looking into his eyes, softly press his lips to hers, and wrap her safely in his arms.

  He didn’t know why he felt so protective of her, why he felt she was in danger. But he couldn’t deny the threat he felt to her when Mara appeared. It was strange. Mara had proven she wasn’t to be trusted and could be violent, and she had certainly creeped him out the last time he saw her prior to yesterday’s encounter. But would she come after Gabby? It was a possibility after what she’d done to Gran. He didn’t want Gabby to have anything to do with the girl.

  Ever.

  “So, how was the rest of your day yesterday?” Lucas asked. It was a lame question, especially with all the others rattling around in his head. But it wasn’t the right time to ask those.

  Gabrielle smiled as though she knew it wasn’t what he really wanted to know, but she answered anyway.

  “It was good.”

  She didn’t say anything else for a few seconds, just let her eyes fall to their hands, still clasped together. She seemed to frown a little, but it was so slight and fleeting that he wasn’t sure. It didn’t make him feel very confident though when, as soon as the expression passed, she let go of his hand, acting like she needed to search something out in her purse, mumbling things to herself. He couldn’t quite understand what she was saying.

  She’s speaking in a different language.

  Languages had always come easily to him. He even spoke a few fluently, and whenever he tried to learn one, it came easy—too easy—just like so many other things in his life had. But this language, even though it tickled his ears with familiarity, was one he was sure he’d never heard before.

  Then, she said a couple of words he thought he recognized.r />
  “What’s reckless and dangerous?” he asked.

  Gabrielle stopped searching her purse abruptly and looked up at him, brows raised. Those amazing green eyes of hers were ablaze with curiosity. Lucas felt like she could look into his mind and find out everything she wanted to know, all of his secrets, if she desired to.

  “What did you ask me?” Gabrielle’s eyes questioned him as much as her words.

  Man they’re intense—intense and mesmerizing.

  “I asked, what’s reckless and dangerous? I thought I recognized some of what you were saying, but I’m not sure. I’m pretty good at languages … that’s all.” Lucas stopped talking. Now, those green eyes were framed by a scowl. He didn’t like what he was seeing in them—distrust. He could see it in her expression, but he felt it, too. He could feel her.

  But … how? And what did I say to make her look at me like that?

  Everything outside of her car seemed to slow as she stared harder, deeper.

  Students running to get out of the rain were now in some kind of a cross between barely moving and a walk. The rain that was coming down so hard that he could barely see more than the blur it caused was now almost frozen—he could clearly see each drop falling. Even the small splash each drop made when it hit something could easily be seen as it came up, then slowly descended to rest again. The tiniest ripples he’d ever seen were everywhere.

  Everything is almost suspended.

  Then Gabby looked away. Just like that, the spell was broken. Everything moved in real-time again. Things had gotten very strange, very fast.

  Damn. I’m afraid to say anything after that. Did I imagine everything slowing down? If the world really did almost completely halt, how?

  He ran through the conversation prior to her letting go of his hand in an attempt to figure out where his foot plowed into his mouth. But there was …

  Nothing.

  Nothing that he could put his finger on, anyway.

  Gabby was looking out the window, still silent, and he couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “Gabby, what’s wrong? What did I say? Whatever it was, I didn’t mean to offend you. If you were trying to keep your thoughts to yourself by speaking a different language, I didn’t mean to intrude, and I promise I didn’t understand anything else you said.”

  Gabby finally looked back at him; the same expression was on her face, but the intensity in her eyes had ratcheted back considerably.

  Smiling slightly, still seeming confused about something, she finally answered.

  “It’s okay … I’m sorry. It’s just that, well, I had said those two words. I never expected you to understand them. I was speaking a very old form of Hebrew. You might be good at languages, Lucas, but very few hu—people would understand any of what I just spoke.”

  Lucas could tell she wasn’t finished speaking. She looked at him closely for several seconds, and he worried she was about to do that intense thing again. Instead, she asked him a question.

  “Where did you learn the words I spoke?”

  Lucas scowled as he tried to think. He focused back on her face and gave her the only answer he had to give.

  “I don’t know, Gabby.”

  She stared at him a little longer, then seemed to let it go when the first bell for school sounded. He didn’t know why she did, but he was glad. He was feeling a bit odd about it himself, now.

  How did I know?

  “Well,” she said with a more familiar smile, “I guess we can talk more later. Looks like we’re going to get a break in the rain.”

  Lucas looked out the window. The rain had all but stopped just as the world outside the car had minutes before, but now, the students continued to move as they normally would; rain fell as rain should fall; he was still sitting with the most beautiful, intriguing girl he’d ever met. Only he felt like maybe he should have just put a toe in first and tested the waters before diving into the deep end; he felt he may be in over his head.

  Way over.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  GABRIELLE ~ DEMONS AMONG US

  “So,” Phalen began, “you want me to scope out the demon scene, huh?”

  Phalen took a seat at the kitchen counter’s island. She’d arrived right after Gabrielle and Sheridan finished their work for the day, and her second in command left with Amaziah. Gabrielle was happy to see her friend and found herself, once again, entertained by how different she looked with each incarnation.

  This time, Phalen chose long, straight, blue-black hair with the face of a young Asian woman. The one thing that was always constant, regardless of what appearance she took on, was the playful look in her eyes. That look was goading Gabrielle as Phalen waited for a response. Phalen blew a bubble from the gum she was chewing.

  A purple one.

  It made Gabrielle smile. The bubble fit Phalen’s personality.

  “Yeah,” Gabrielle responded. “I’m having a really hard time seeing them. I feel like there is a strong presence at the school, but I can’t raise the Aegis Veil or my own to discern whatever or whomever I’m sensing. Amaziah would make me leave for sure if I did. I know there’s at least one there, but she wouldn’t account for the intensity I’m feeling. Either there’s a lot of the Fallen posing as students, possibly teachers, or there’s one around that’s exceedingly powerful.”

  Gabrielle was really hoping that the latter wasn’t the case. She’d prefer that it would be numbers instead of power. Numbers would be easier for her to deal with.

  “Who’s the ol’ she-demon?”

  Gabrielle’s mood shifted in the wrong direction as soon as she thought about Mara. Actually, it was more Mara with Lucas that made her blood feel like it was on fire in her veins. Apparently, Phalen caught the change in her demeanor, or maybe the Divine light her human body tried to conceal wasn’t doing a very good job of containing her fiery color when she became angry. Whatever the reason, Phalen’s brows were raised.

  She’s very perceptive, Gabrielle thought.

  I can be, Phalen communicated back to her.

  “Sorry, Phalen. I forget sometimes that an angel can still hear my thoughts when I’m in human form. Somehow, it seems like you shouldn’t be able to.”

  “Coming through loud and clear, sister.” Phalen smiled and relaxed as Gabrielle’s intensity smoothed out a little. “So, back to the she-demon … what’s what?”

  “I ran into her yesterday, that’s all. She doesn’t seem to be all that powerful, though.”

  Phalen stared at Gabrielle for a minute, not backing down from Gabrielle’s gaze, with clearly readable disbelief that she was getting the entire story. “Uh huh …”

  Gabrielle liked Phalen. She had guts. She was one of the only angels Gabrielle had ever met that wasn’t intimidated by her position. Phalen respected and admired her powers and abilities—that much she made clear—but she showed nothing of being timorous in her eyes or demeanor.

  Phalen prodded further. “Are you going to tell me what’s really up? Or am I going to have to figure it out on my own?” She waited for several seconds to tick off the clock, then continued. “Because as we just confirmed, I’m a very perceptive type of gal, and I will figure it out.”

  Gabrielle sighed, wondering how much to tell Phalen. How much can I trust her?

  “You can trust me, Gabrielle.”

  Gabrielle looked at her and smiled.

  “Stop doing that, Phalen.”

  “Can’t. It’s in my nature. Stop thinking without blocking what’s going on in your noggin.” Phalen replied with a smirk.

  “Fine. I will.” Gabrielle smirked back. After a long pause, and another long stare-off between the two friends, Gabrielle told Phalen what was going on. She started at the beginning and left nothing out, divulging her little secret that had turned into a huge dilemma.

  She wanted to be with a human. At least, that was what her human body and emotions were making her believe she wanted. Which one it really was, her true desire or one created because of her hum
an body, she didn’t know for sure. She did know that if she made the choice to be with Lucas, if that was ever even something that would present itself as an option, it would mean joining the ranks of the Fallen. It was completely forbidden by the laws Yahuwah set in place for all angels. She would not be forgiven. He destroyed life on Earth once already because of the many angels who had disobeyed that law.

  When Gabrielle finished, Phalen stared off into the distance as she let the implications sink in. When she spoke, she still focused on the same unseen thing she’d been looking at through the silence.

  “Wow, Gabrielle … I mean … just … wow.”

  “Yeah. Wow.”

  “You say something’s different … or, off, about Lucas. Like what?” Phalen finally focused her eyes back on Gabrielle.

  Now Gabrielle fixated on something in the distance only she could see as she thought back to the conversation she and Lucas had as the rain pummeled her car. She’d seen him later at lunch and in the class they shared. He walked her as far as he could to her next class and later, after school, they’d chatted for a few minutes, but there seemed to be something between them now. Something unseen but definitely interfering with the ease they’d had together the day before and for the first part of the conversation that morning. There was a wall building, but was it hers or his?

  Or are both of us piling on the stones?

  She was sure at least part of it was her. She’d had a moment in the car, knowing that being with him was absolutely not the right thing to do, that it would have only one end—a heartbreaking one.