Inception

by Teal Haviland

  Gabrielle realized Phalen was still waiting for an answer. She took a breath, then began to explain.

  “I was speaking Enochian to myself this morning when he was in the car with me, scolding myself in a come to my senses moment.” She glanced at Phalen and saw a little relief in her eyes. “Don’t get your hopes up. It didn’t last … at least not completely. I am thinking more rationally about it now, though. Anyway, Lucas repeated a couple of the words.”

  “He understood the Divine language of angels? How can that be?”

  “Exactly. How can that be? He shouldn’t have been able to. And I don’t believe for a second that he just got lucky. The words don’t sound anything like the languages spoken on Earth—not even close.”

  “Yeah …” the word trailed as Phalen stared off into the distance again. She came back quickly this time, though. “Gabrielle, you asked me to come to help you because you are having a difficult time sensing demons with all the protection you’re under.” Phalen stopped as if she expected Gabrielle to know where she was going. “Is there any chance he could be one of the Fallen? That, for a moment, he let his guard down and slipped up?”

  “It would explain some things … but I don’t think that’s what it is.”

  “You don’t think … or don’t want to? Because I wouldn’t be so sure. I’m looking forward to getting a gander at this guy. Not only because he’s somehow made one of the most powerful angels ever created desire him, but also to see if he has black goo for blood. What color are his eyes?”

  Gabrielle smiled. “The bluest blue you’ve ever seen.”

  “No chartreuse around the edges anywhere?”

  “Not a speck.”

  “Hmm … maybe contacts … but they’ve never been able to wear them. Their tears are too caustic.”

  Gabrielle didn’t want to admit it, but Phalen raised a good possibility that she hadn’t wanted to ponder or voice—good and terrible. It would clarify more than why he understood Enochian; it would also explain why she could sense him so strongly and why he was involved with Mara. Not that he’d have to be a demon to be involved with one, but it made the idea more reasonable in her mind.

  But, if he is a demon, why would he make me feel so at peace … less broken?

  None of it made any sense.

  “Gabrielle, are you sure he’s not a demon?”

  Gabrielle thought through everything she knew about him so far, which wasn’t much really. But she knew how he made her feel. She couldn’t believe a demon could give her the sense of peace he did.

  “I don’t think we have to worry about that.”

  “If you say so.”

  Gabrielle laughed. Phalen always said the same thing when she was going to take a leap of faith with her—Phalen’s way of letting her know she had Gabrielle’s back and was on her side.

  “I say so.”

  Both Gabrielle and Phalen knew they would find out soon enough, anyway. When Phalen saw him, she should be able to tell if something wasn’t right unless he had a very powerful veil in place, making him a very powerful demon if he did.

  “Tomorrow,” Gabrielle said in almost a whisper, “we should know.”

  Gabrielle didn’t realize her brows were drawn until she felt them relax as Phalen lured her attention to her outstretched hand, holding something in purple wrapping.

  “Gum?”

  Gabrielle and Phalen rode to school the next morning with the intention of not only finding out what was making her feel so uncomfortable, but also if Lucas was one of the Fallen.

  She still didn’t feel like she was going to be disappointed with what Phalen told her about Lucas, but her confidence had waned a little after the dreams she’d had last night. Maybe it was the mere idea that he could be one of the Fallen in disguise, but her dreams about him weren’t of the happy variety. As usual, she couldn’t remember details, but the feelings she woke with several times during the night were ones she couldn’t mistake—absolute trepidation and sadness.

  “Hey, sister,” Phalen said as she looked at Gabrielle from the seat next to her.

  Phalen had changed her appearance, once again. She was back in the same one she had used the day they went to the beach to test out Amaziah’s theory that Gabrielle would be spotted quickly—fair coloring, blue eyes.

  “That’s what I’m calling you from now on by the way,” Phalen continued. “At least when we’re not going through life-and-death stuff.” She waited, as if to see if Gabrielle was going to protest. When Phalen got a smile and an amused shaking head back, she continued. “Anyway, sister, have you decided what my role is going to be in your life? I mean, you’re suddenly showing up with a tall blond with legs for miles and an ‘I dare you to mess with me’ attitude and you’re going to say what, exactly, when people ask you who I am?”

  Gabrielle laughed. “I hadn’t thought about it, really. I guess we can just make you my sister. My adopted sister. We certainly don’t look like we came from the same gene pool.”

  “K … that way it will make more sense when I call you sistah.”

  Gabrielle found herself laughing again. Phalen had a way of making her want to smile even when she didn’t know if there was much reason to.

  Phalen reached into her pocket and brought out a pack of grape bubble gum.

  “Phalen, you may be addicted.”

  “Hey, I can’t help it if this stuff is yum. I could be wanting worse things on Earth.” Phalen moved forward in her seat so she was looking Gabrielle right in her eyes. “Like a romantic relationship with a human,” she said with a wink, then sat back.

  “We all have our vices, I guess. Even angels.”

  “Agreed, but mine won’t get me booted from Heaven.”

  “I know … but … it feels right.”

  “How can a relationship between you and a human be right?” Phalen waited but got no answer. She tried again with a different question. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to use him to forget about Javan?”

  ‘Ouch.’ Gabrielle thought, but this time, she expected Phalen’s reply.

  ‘Yeah,’ Phalen responded, ‘I thought that might sting a bit, but maybe you need to consider the possibility.’

  “You have a point. I will.”

  “Hmm … “

  Gabrielle looked at Phalen quizzically. “What?”

  Phalen watched Gabrielle while blowing one of her purple bubbles. This one ended up so big that Gabrielle worried she’d be helping Phalen get the grape stuff out of her hair. Instead, Phalen sucked it back in her mouth.

  “I just expected more of a retort from you on that one. You getting soft?”

  Gabrielle laughed. “Not hardly, Phalen. Since I try not to think about Javan, I just hadn’t thought about that angle. I need to, though, before Lucas or I get in any deeper. Besides, you’re always looking for a fight, so you’re always waiting for a retort.”

  “Not with you, sister, not with you. I’d be a fool to ever want to go up against The Angel of Karma. And I’m no fool.”

  “No, Phalen, you’re not,” Gabrielle said with a wink. “We’re here.”

  They arrived before most of the students so Phalen would have a chance to get accustomed to the surroundings. She would be able to discern the Fallen better if she already had a handle on the different energies in the area.

  While Phalen studied the first prospects unloading from their cars and getting off busses, Gabrielle searched for Lucas. As the clock ticked off the minutes before the first bell, he was nowhere to be seen.

  “Still no Romeo?” Phalen asked without looking at Gabrielle.

  “No.”

  And that seemed strange.

  She’d expected the morning to be like the last two had—with him arriving early like her and having a few moments together before school started.

  “And we have our first sighting.” Phalen pointed.

  Gabrielle followed the direction of her finger and eyes toward the gym. She thought she’d stopped breathing, knowing
that was where Lucas would be. With a relieved exhale, she began to breathe again.

  “That’s Mara.”

  “Pretty little demon, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she is,” Gabrielle agreed with a biting tone.

  “Don’t worry, you’re much prettier. Lucas would be a fool if he ever got the choice and didn’t pick you. And that’s, of course, based on looks alone. Sometimes, your mood is worse than a demon’s. If that info is thrown in, it might be more of a toss-up.” Phalen laughed at herself, slapping her leg as she enjoyed the moment.

  “You’re really feeling full of yourself today, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, well, someone has to lighten things up around here.”

  Gabrielle looked back at Mara. She was standing near the back of the building where a walkway led to the rest of the school, talking to someone who was shielded by the corner of the main building. More like flirting heavily. Mara tossed her head back in laughter, her long dark hair easing further down her back when she did. She brought her head forward again and stood on her tip-toes, moving forward slightly so that her head was mostly out of view. Whomever she was talking to remained completely out of sight, but Gabrielle saw two masculine hands settle on her shoulders.

  Definitely flirting.

  “She’s not very powerful, Gabrielle. Not really. And I’m not seeing a lot of other activity. I’m not sure what’s making you feel so out of whack here.”

  Gabrielle started scanning for Lucas again. She saw Nonie pull into the lot, and Nate came rolling in right after his sister. She watched as Nonie got out of her car and walked toward where Nate was still inside his.

  Maybe Lucas rode with him.

  Gabrielle waited, but the only person who exited was Nate. Gabrielle let out a frustrated sigh.

  “What is it?” Phalen asked.

  “Nothing. I was hoping Lucas rode with Nonie or Nate since I hadn’t seen him yet, but he’s not with them.”

  “Who are Nonie and Nate?”

  “Close friends that live across the street from Lucas. They’re right there.”

  Gabrielle pointed to the twins as they walked through the parking lot. Phalen followed her gaze and began to scowl.

  “Hmm … that one’s interesting.”

  “Who?”

  “I guess it’s Nate if he’s the one with the pretty blond who’s not so unpretty himself.” Phalen pointed to make sure she was looking at the right teens.

  “Yeah, that’s Nate. What’s so interesting about him?”

  “Something’s not right about his energy. It’s … fuzzy. Wavy.”

  “Wavy? What does that mean?”

  “I don’t know how to explain it better than that. I’ve never seen energy like it. Very weird. It’s like looking at something with the heat waves from Hell between you and whatever it is you’re looking at.” Phalen continued to scrutinize Nate as he began to take the steps two at a time to get to the front doors of the school. “Oh, wait a minute … no, he’s looking fine, now. Maybe my discernment was just protesting all this activity before I’ve had a proper breakfast.”

  “You could have eaten at my house if you wanted to.”

  “I did want to. No offense, sister, but you need a little variety and more abundance in your cart next time you go to the grocery.”

  “Whatever,” Gabrielle said through laughter as the first bell rang.

  “Wait a second,” Phalen said, “what’s with the heaviness? It’s like the heavens just settled a little lower, right on top of me.”

  “That’s exactly what I’ve been talking about. Do you see anything different?”

  Phalen scanned the area again slowly. When her attention was back on the gym, she stopped.

  “Nothing but another weird fuzziness over the gym and that flock of crows staring at us. I don’t care for crows … creepy little black-feathered things bringing dark omens and superstitions.”

  “Where?” Gabrielle asked as she looked. Phalen was right. The crows perched on the roof of the gym seemed to be looking right at them.

  Like the ones I saw the first day of school … maybe the same ones. Gabrielle thought. “Yeah … but there’s one superstition about them that’s correct.”

  A chill shot through Gabrielle.

  As she was about to say something to Phalen, movement caught her eye. Mara had thrown her arms around whomever she was talking to. This time, Gabrielle could see the face that belonged to the mystery guy along with the rest of him as he moved toward the gym doors. His arm was around Mara’s waist, her arms draped around him, and her head rested on his shoulder.

  Lucas.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  LUCAS ~ LOVER

  Lucas didn’t have time to deal with Mara. But she had cornered him on his way to gym first thing in the morning, on a day when he didn’t have enough fight in him to be the jerk he needed to be to get rid of her.

  He hadn’t slept at all the night before. All he could do was think about how, prior to yesterday morning in the car, everything he was experiencing with Gabby had felt so right, and now he felt like she’d drawn a line a mile wide between them that he had no hope of crossing. The most frustrating part of it was that he didn’t know what he’d done to spook her. He’d run the conversation over in his head so many times it made his brain hurt. Her entire mood changed when he understood some of the words she was saying.

  It just doesn’t make sense.

  Now he was tired, late, felt like a jerk because he’d parked on the other side of school so he could avoid Gabby, and he couldn’t get away from Mara. He wanted to yell in her face and shove past her. But then he’d look like a real charmer to the students around him. They would have his brute theatrics spread through the entire school by second period.

  He closed his eyes and took a breath for what must have been the tenth time since she stepped in front of him, trying to keep calm. He put his hands on her shoulders, hoping to make her listen to him more clearly.

  “Look, Mara, I have to go. Sorry you don’t like how things have turned out, but it is what it is.”

  No sooner had the words passed his lips when she threw her arms around him and seemed to almost melt into him, like she’d just been through something so incredibly emotional and physical that she had no energy left to support her own weight—and maybe not the will to, either.

  “Lucas … help me,” Mara said in a frail whisper.

  Mara sounding so fragile and feeling so limp in his arms worried Lucas, regardless of what he felt about how she’d acted lately. There was a time he had thought she was fun to be around, when she was kind and happy. That girl didn’t stay around long, though. Mara turned into someone who was manipulative and dark. Now he felt that the girl he once enjoyed spending time with had just crashed back into his arms.

  “Hey, let’s get inside and sit down.” Lucas said, walking her toward the gym doors. Mara placed her head on his shoulder. When her arms draped around his waist, he felt her body shudder. She was cold to the touch even after being in the warm morning sun.

  He opened the door to the gym with his free hand and continued to escort Mara to the bleachers at the far end, away from as many eyes as possible, and they sat down. Luckily, most everyone was still in the locker rooms changing. He turned her toward him and raised her face so he could look at her.

  His breath left him.

  Mara looked as though she hadn’t slept in weeks. Dark circles and blood-shot eyes told the tale, and her skin wasn’t only cold, it was sallow. It was like he was looking at a completely different person than the one who flirted with him moments before.

  A shiver rocked his own body.

  “Mara …” Lucas looked into the hazel eyes he’d not seen since she began to act so strange, so aggressive. He could swear they had been that weird yellow-green shade when they were outside. “Mara, what’s going on?”

  She looked into his eyes, worry etched in her face.

  “I … I don’t know,” she said, her brows furrowed.
“I don’t remember how I even got here!”

  Panic slipped into her tone, and she looked around the gym frantically, then back at Lucas. Tears filled her eyes.

  “Lucas … what’s going on? What’s happening to me?”

  She flung her arms around him again and held him tightly like she thought if she didn’t, she would slip away somewhere—like he was her only lifeline.

  Lucas slowly stroked the back of her hair while he tried to speak words that might help, though he wasn’t sure exactly what would. What do you say when someone seemed to be two different people and one side, the softer one, was desperately trying to break free of the other?

  “Shh … take a breath.”

  Lucas said those words over and over to Mara as he stroked her hair. Slowly, she seemed to relax in his arms, and her breathing calmed. He didn’t think she was crying anymore, either.

  “Okay,” he began, once he thought she could talk to him again. “What’s the last thing you do remember?”

  He felt her slowly drop one arm, bringing it up to wipe her face. She seemed to snuggle into him a little more, and he thought he saw the side of her face push into a smile.

  Good, she’s feeling better.

  “Well, the last thing I remember that I actually enjoyed was the way it felt to have your tongue in my mouth and your hands searching my body in all the right … spots. How ‘bout you give me an even better memory to hold onto … lover?”

  Lucas’s body went rigid, and he forced her face up so he could look at her. He shot to his feet and reeled back from her so fast that he stumbled and ended up on the gym’s shiny wood floor.

  Mara’s complexion was back to normal, and her expression showed nothing of her worried, frantic state from moments before. But her eyes—they weren’t hazel; they weren’t even that crazy cat-yellow anymore. They were black—solid, shiny black.

  “What the hell?”

  Lucas blinked hard.

  When he focused, Mara’s eyes were back to the shade they’d been the last several weeks. The hazel and black ones were gone, and the eerie yellow ones had returned. Lucas stared, wondering if it had been his imagination. What he wasn’t imagining was that the old, sweet Mara was gone again. The bitch was back. And he wanted nothing to do with her.