Inception

by Teal Haviland

  “I’m sorry, Gabrielle. Where was I? Oh, yes.” She cleared her throat in preparation to continue. “We were married just after he turned twenty. Almost a year later, Lucas’s mom, Hannah, was born. She was the most beautiful baby; her eyes were so blue. The color of Lucas’s, actually. We loved having a child and would have had many more, but it wasn’t in Yahuwah’s plan. We watched Hannah grow into a beautiful young woman and had many happy years, but I was always watching for something else—the danger I knew we were all still in. The problem was that I didn’t ever know what I was protecting Mason, and Hannah, from to begin with. Was it another human or group of humans? Was it demons? Or was it the Dark Lord, himself? It was very tiring, always being suspicious of the people who came into our lives, constantly looking over my shoulder, reading too much into coincidences. But having Mason and Hannah made it all worth it.” She smiled at Gabrielle. “I wouldn’t change a second of it. At least until …” Darkness washed over her expression. “Until they were taken from me.”

  Gabrielle waited for her to continue. She was paying close attention to what Emma was telling her, sensing it would all tie together, somehow, with what was currently happening—and what she’d seen fragments of in her dreams.

  “Lucas,” Emma continued, “was only three months old when it happened. My Hannah and her husband, Stephen—Lucas’s father—were only twenty. The same age I was when I had her. It was in this very room that I found them. There was no blood … only death. I don’t know how he took their lives. He could have done it in many ways because, although he was in human form, he was certainly not one. His speed and strength would have given him away even if I hadn’t sensed he was once brethren. He must have sensed the Divine blood in me and thought we would be many against him at any time if he didn’t leave, so he did. He thought he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do when he came here—destroy Mason Hunt and any of his descendants. But he didn’t leave before I was able to strike him, and I left him with an ugly reminder of his supposed victory.

  “What he didn’t know was that the child he killed, also three months of age, wasn’t Hannah and Stephen’s baby. He was a neighbor’s child, left with us for a few hours while they went out. Lucas had been safe, all along, with me. An hour earlier, I left with Lucas to have his pediatrician look at a nasty rash that covered his back. A rash that had disappeared completely by the time he was examined. I’ve often wondered if it was a Divine way of getting him to safety.”

  Gabrielle felt tears beginning to burn her eyes. The sadness was for Emma but also from the realization of the danger Lucas was in.

  And he doesn’t even know.

  “I fell on my knees that night and prayed harder than I’d ever prayed. Pleading with Yahuwah to guide me in how to keep Lucas safe, to prevent that … thing from finding out that, ultimately, he’d failed. I didn’t know if I should stay here and believe Lucas would be safe or if I should flee with him. My answer came the next day. A new family moved in across the street, and a man came over, concerned by all the police cars and news vans that had converged on our street. All of them were coming and going from our house or yard. He was let through the police line after explaining he was a pastor and offered his assistance to anyone who may need it. The policeman informed him of what had happened and told him about me and the state I was in—which, as you can imagine, wasn’t very good.

  “When he walked in and looked at me with little Lucas in my arms, I saw what I thought was recognition in his expression. But I knew I’d never seen him before. He came to me and held out his hand, which I felt compelled to take. He walked me into my bedroom and closed the door behind him so no one would be able to hear. He told me that he had a dream the night before, but it was unlike any dream he’d ever had. It seemed very much real. In this dream, an angel told him he would need to help Lucas and me. He was shown our images and charged with being there for us in any way he could—to guide Lucas as he grew.”

  Emma stood and began pacing the room.

  “So, I got my answer. Obviously, if I was meant to leave, this man, who had just moved in across the street, wouldn’t have been told to take care of us. I told him all I knew. He knows my origins and has kept it a secret all these years. Lizzie is the only other person who knows. Even Lucas has no idea.”

  Gabrielle tensed with a sudden, horrible realization.

  “Wait a second, Emma. Lucas has your blood in him, too. He’s also your blood descendent.” Gabrielle was standing now, walking cautiously over to Lucas.

  “Of course.” Emma responded, confusion in her tone.

  Oh … all of this makes so much sense, now.

  “Emma … don’t you see? When I pause time … it doesn’t affect angels.”

  “But Lucas isn’t an angel, Gabrielle. He’s—”

  “A human, with Divine blood,” Gabrielle interrupted. “He’s a quarter angel …essentially … he’s Nephilim.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  MARA ~ TEMPER, TEMPER

  Javan and Mara left Gabrielle standing on the street and went back to his loft. He was visibly agitated, so Mara waited to say what was on her mind as long as she could. When the door to the loft closed behind them, she turned to Javan.

  “What did you mean back there when you told Gabrielle you wanted her? If you think I’m going to play second to her, if you manage to get her to join you, you’re wrong. I’ll—”

  It was startling how fast he moved even for a demon. Before Mara could react, Javan pushed her up against the wall, his hands clasped dangerously tight around her neck. She could barely breathe, but she knew better than to fight back—he was far stronger than she was.

  “You’ll what?” he asked through his teeth. “What, exactly, is it that you think you can do to me? You have no power, or authority, over me. It’s the other way around. Do you need a reminder of that?”

  Mara felt Javan’s grip tightening; her vision was disappearing. She was about to pass out when he released her. She sucked in several sharp breaths, struggling to get air into her aching lungs. Javan walked to the kitchen and poured himself some whiskey. Mara weighed her options for her next move, knowing she was in dangerous territory. If he kept drinking tonight, she would need to find somewhere else to be. He was testy and mean enough without liquor coursing through his veins. Alcohol only made him all that much more intense.

  Intensity isn’t something Javan needs more of.

  She decided to play it safe and walked over to one of the large chairs flanking the couch in the sitting area. She fell into it sideways and threw one of her legs over the armrest. Javan was still glaring at her as he poured his second drink.

  I’m going to have to get out of his way and go somewhere else, for sure.

  Mara broke the chilly silence. “You can’t blame me for not wanting to share you, you know. It’s your own fault for being such an amazing lover.” She stood and walked seductively over to him, slowly pulling her arms out of her sweatshirt, then over her head. Her hair cascaded out of it, brushing the skin on her bare arms and back as it fell.

  Javan put his glass down and met her the rest of the way, grabbing her and pressing his lips hard against hers. She relinquished herself to him completely as he picked her up and placed her on the counter. Javan closed his eyes and smiled. Mara was sure he was imagining Gabrielle was in his arms.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  JAVAN ~ THE DESTROYER

  When Javan woke from a deep sleep several hours later, he found himself alone in his bed. Mara had left while he slept, and he hoped she wouldn’t return anytime soon.

  It was hard for him to act as if he wanted her company. All he actually wanted was her loyalty and assistance for a while—then, of course, her blood. At least she satisfied some of his other desires.

  Not as well as Gabrielle, but she will do until I have my Reyah at my side again.

  Javan willed himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweat pants that hung low on his waist, and went to the kitchen. After po
uring himself another glass of whiskey and taking a long drink, he sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. The news was a poor replacement for the steady stream of information he had access to when he was an angel, but its coverage of human war and scandals provided some insight into how the Fallen were faring. He hoped for some sign of the prophecy or a clue to where the Book was hidden. Anything. But he was never appeased. His followers, although growing in numbers, were proving to only be moderately helpful in keeping him informed of the things he needed to know. If there were any signs of the Destroyer’s arrival, he wasn’t hearing about it.

  Javan knew he was the one the prophecy spoke of—the Destroyer. He felt it. Even if he wasn’t the intended, he would kill the one who was and use the Book to achieve his goals. However, his patience was waning. He needed the Book, and he would do what he had to in order to speed up the inevitable.

  He closed his eyes again, and an image of Gabrielle filled his mind—only she wasn’t alone. The human, Lucas, was there, too. And Lucas was the one embracing his love.

  My Reyah.

  Javan seethed and sat up suddenly, hurling the glass of whiskey across the room, shattering it against the brick wall that got in its way. Shards of glass flew in every direction as if protesting its demise.

  “I’ll take care of him,” he said out loud to the empty room. “Soon.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  GABRIELLE ~ FAMILY SECRETS

  “Oh, no!” Emma whispered through the fingers of her hand that now covered her mouth, understanding the problem that Lucas being Nephilim could pose.

  Gabrielle stared at Lucas, taking in every angle and curve of his face while he stood—motionless. She couldn’t see any signs that he was aware of his surroundings in any way. He wasn’t blinking. He wasn’t twitching. There was nothing she could see that indicated he wasn’t fully frozen in time as any other human would be. But she couldn’t be sure if he could hear what was being said.

  Gabrielle turned to Emma. “I can still take care of this if he can hear us, Emma.” Gabrielle approached Emma. “Emma! I can fix this,” she said as convincingly as she could.

  Emma finally looked up and met her eyes. “But … should you, Gabrielle? Maybe it’s time for him to know everything. It is his life at stake. I think he’s old enough now to know.”

  Gabrielle could tell she was trying to figure out the right thing to do and was looking for her to help in the decision. Gabrielle walked back over to Lucas. Emma continued to talk from behind her.

  “He looks so much like Mason did at his age. A little taller than his grandfather, but his features are so similar. I’ve even called him Mason before.” Emma walked over to the window where she’d been sitting when Gabrielle first came in. “What should I do, Gabrielle?” She lowered her head, and Gabrielle knew she’d started crying even though she made no sound.

  She let Emma’s tears flow for a few uninterrupted moments, using the time to do some thinking herself. It was a dilemma. If Lucas was kept in the dark about his past, and his present, his future could be at even more risk than it already was. He wouldn’t know to be cautious. On the other hand, if he did find out, would he even believe them? If he hadn’t been able to hear her and Emma, and they told him later, he’d probably think they were crazy, talking about being angels and some dark being who wanted to end his life that it thought it had already taken. She knew she could make him believe, though—if she had to. She could show him. There could be no doubt in his mind if she let him see her true form. Gabrielle wasn’t sure what to do. She would call Amaziah. Maybe even seek counsel with Yahuwah.

  “Emma, will you be okay like this for a little longer? I don’t want to begin time again until we have an idea how we’re going to move forward with Lucas. I’m going to go outside and get guidance from Amaziah.”

  “Yes,” Emma replied through sniffles. “Yes, I’ll be fine. Do anything you can. Please.”

  As Gabrielle started to walk past Lucas, she wished he’d put his arms around her and kiss her gently as he’d done earlier when she said goodbye. She paused, put her hand around his, and squeezed lightly. As she was about to let go, he squeezed back.

  Gabrielle froze. Had it only been a reflex? She squeezed his hand again, twice, slowly, and waited for Lucas to respond.

  He squeezed.

  Twice.

  Slowly.

  “Emma.” Gabrielle spoke in a tone that demanded more attention than it normally would. Emma looked up at her, fast and quizzically. “Emma, he definitely heard us.” Lucas squeezed long and hard this time. “I think he’s trying to tell me that he wants to know.” Another squeeze came.

  “How do you know?”

  “He’s telling me.” Gabrielle gestured to their hands with her head and eyes. “I don’t think we need to wonder or ask anyone else what should be done. It’s his will, his desire.”

  Taking her hand out of his, she motioned for Emma to come to her. She placed Emma’s hand in Lucas’s, and before she could even ask her if he squeezed it, she gasped.

  “You’re right, Gabrielle.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll get him out of this state I put him in.”

  Gabrielle closed her eyes and raised her hand. She said nothing, but immediately, everything came back to life including Lucas, who proceeded to finish what he was doing when she’d frozen everything—closing the door behind him.

  When he pushed the door shut, he didn’t make any attempt to turn around. Instead, he put his forearm up on the door and placed his head on it—like he was about to count to twenty for a game of hide-and-seek.

  Emma walked to him and put her hands on his shoulders. “Lucas, dear … please look at me.” Her voice was shaky.

  Lucas turned slowly to face Emma, then pulled her firmly against him as he squeezed his eyelids together tightly, trying to force his tears to stand their ground. They did not obey.

  Gabrielle couldn’t imagine how difficult it must have been, listening to everything the two angels talked about, not able to let them know he was there, too—hearing every word. A flood of guilt consumed her, and she ran into the kitchen and began to weep.

  What would he think of her now? The thought was selfish, but she couldn’t help but think it anyway. They’d been in each other’s lives for a little less than a month; nevertheless, their bond was already strong. She understood why she’d initially been so drawn to him, and him to her. Angels always tuned into each other. They would’ve been pulled together even if she hadn’t almost knocked him down with her door that first day. Somehow, some way, it would have happened. Now, he might tell her to stay away from him.

  She supposed she could just pick a different city, a different school. But she knew that wouldn’t make it easier—just further away. Distance might even make it worse. Of course, she could just ascend back to her home and let her human identity fade away until Gabrielle the human became less than a memory for the people she’d met.

  Humans forget.

  But if he let her, she could help him with his new knowledge. She knew she’d do whatever she could even if he told her to go away. She would still work for his happiness and safety as much as was in her power to do.

  Gabrielle stopped crying. She could hear the muffled conversation between Lucas and Emma in the next room. She didn’t want to listen. It was private. She really shouldn’t be there at all, but she wanted to stay, to answer any questions Lucas had.

  She felt like an intruder. And that’s exactly what she was. Angels weren’t intended to have such close and constant interaction with humans, especially for such a sustained period of time. It opened the door up to too many problems. This situation was a prime example. Gabrielle was falling for a human, and he was falling for her. Because of that connection and her status, he was in a great deal of danger from the Fallen—and from Javan especially, simply because of jealousy.

  Maybe Amaziah was right. Maybe she shouldn’t stay. Maybe the result of this research would be that she’d somehow make thi
ngs worse. She certainly wasn’t making a positive impact on Lucas’s and Emma’s life. Gabrielle sighed, laid her head on the table, and tried to shut out the conversation in the next room. She closed her eyes, and without intending to, she drifted into a dreamless, visionless sleep.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  GABRIELLE ~ MOVING FORWARD

  Something stirred Gabrielle from her sleep. She raised her head and saw a familiar face sitting across from her. She wondered how long Lucas had been there. They looked at each other for several seconds, neither seeming to want to be the one to speak first. Lucas broke the silence.

  “So … an angel.” Lucas still had no expression.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t let you know before, Lucas. But there was no way. Would you have believed me?”

  Lucas took some time to answer.

  “No. I wouldn’t have. The only reason I do now is because I was held hostage for who knows how long, listening not only to you, but to my grandmother, talk about being angels and having powers and living with God before here. I know Gran’s sane. But if it had been you, alone, just coming out with, Hey, by the way, Lucas, I have wings and can fly. Is there a message you want me to give God for you tonight when I check in with Him?’ No. No way.” He paused again and studied her more.

  I really wish he would smile. Or scowl. Or yell. Something. Almost anything would be better than this.

  “So, I have an angel for a girlfriend. A really powerful angel for a girlfriend.”

  “If you still want me to be.” Gabrielle let her eyes fall away from his.

  Lucas put his open hand on the table in front of her, and she placed her hand in his. Was he reaching out to let her know he did want her, or was it a kind gesture before breaking her heart?