“We should probably work on those stats for next time.”
“Absolutely.”
Not all loose ends had been tied up yet, though. “Keni, Alec is outside. He’s hurt bad. The bottom of his face is…well, it’s pretty much gone. Could you go heal him? Then we’ll take him to the hospital to have him checked out.”
“I’ll heal him, but no way am I looking at his missing face. Ick.” She crinkled her nose as she turned to jog outside.
Gabe still eyed the space Barnabus occupied only moments ago. “Good to see you up and around. How’d that barb to the chest feel?”
He snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Seriously, that was scary stuff. You okay?”
His furry brow creased as he contemplated the dust pile. Had Kendall not regained consciousness when she did, he would be dead and he knew it. This was exactly the kind of deep emotional stuff my brother didn’t handle well. I decided to be nice and spare him.
“You know, it’s actually a really good thing you were in lion form when all this went down. Regular Gabe would’ve screamed like a little girl at the first sight of the dragon.”
The lion’s face pulled back in a grin as he swiped at me with his gigantic paw. It glanced off my shoulder and sent me stumbling forward. “Ow.”
His smile widened.
“You should head back to the truck and change just in case Alec wakes up after she heals him,” I suggested.
Gabe snorted his agreement then trotted off, his paws padding against the wood floor.
Left alone, I peered around the sprawling theater. The pile of dust, assorted scorch marks, broken flag pole, and rows of demolished chairs were the only remaining signs of what transpired here. To the outside world, it would look like nothing more than vandalism. No one would know it was where we had fought and prevailed over the forces of evil.
For now.
Somewhere out there, the Dark Army still longed for my head on a stick. A chill ran down my spine. I made a none-too-hasty retreat from the empty theater.
EPILOGUE
After spending a ridiculous amount of time primping and preening, I bounded down the stairs in Kendall’s daisy-covered sundress. Even this early in the day, the house buzzed with activity. That was commonplace as of late. And with the bubbly, excited mood I was in, I welcomed it.
In the newly renovated living room, Kendall and Keith snuggled on the brand new glass-free leather sectional. Kendall had gone against our better judgment and told Keith everything. I mean everything. For the most part, he took it well. He was understanding and compassionate toward Keni, respectful and inquisitive around Gabe, and downright weirded out by me. Knowing I was some special “chosen one” freaked him out. I didn’t think it was possible, but he got even more nervous and fidgety whenever I was around. The way he broke out in a visible sweat at the sight of me made me wonder if he thought I was going to flip out and rip his head right off his shoulders.
Silly boy, I would never do that. If for no other reason than it would tick Kendall off royally.
But the two of them were inseparable now, so I came to terms with the spastic, jittery kid. The sickeningly-sweet twosome were cuddled up watching Grams’ new flat screen when I walked in. Kendall looked up and flashed me her winning smile. Keith immediately shifted his gaze to stare intently at a spot on the floor.
“Wow! Look at you! So today’s the big day, huh?” Keni said.
“Yep.” I nodded and spun so she could check out my entire ensemble.
“What … what big day?” Keith asked daring to glance up at me briefly with nervous eyes.
“Celeste is going to go get herself a boyfriend today.” Kendall’s smile held the teasing tone reserved for sisters and best friends.
“Where?” Noticeable sweat soaked through his shirt.
“The grocery store,” I deadpanned. “They keep them in the meat department right next to the tenderloin.”
“Wait … what?”
Kendall glared at me before turning to the aid of her anxious, sweaty sweetie. “She’s making fun of you, babe. She’s going to go see Alec.”
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll freak out at the sight of you?” Keith blurted. His eyes popped open as big as saucers when he realized he may have just angered me. I stifled a laugh.
“Not a problem! She sent Gabe to scope things out for her,” Kendall answered, oblivious to her boyfriend’s agitation. “Alec couldn’t remember a thing. So Gabe told him that he had been mugged and we, like, found him and rescued him while we were touring the campus with Cee.”
“Now I have the all clear to ask him out without him screaming and running away,” I quipped.
Kendall laughed. Keith winced.
“Even with Alec around, my boyfriend will still be the best, most perfect wubikins there is!” Kendall gushed, then pounced on a clearly uncomfortable Keith for a rather one-sided, incredibly awkward PDA.
Okay, I slay hell beasts, but that gave me the shivers. I bolted for the kitchen before I tossed my cookies on Grams’ newly purchased zebra print rug.
In the dining room, Gabe searched for room on the table for his breakfast around the mess of books Grams had strewn everywhere. After she was released from the hospital, Grams demanded to know the entire story. Once we filled her in, she insisted we introduce her to our guide to all things supernatural. Upon their first meeting, I expected some sort of blow up. I was just waiting for Grams to spout off about Alaina filling our heads with nonsense. Her encounter with Barnabus must’ve impacted her enough that she listened to the whole tale intently. She absorbed everything enthusiastically. She even let Kendall heal her broken bones. After that, Grams became so passionate about our calling, she was ready to march in a superhero pride parade. Come to think of it, that would be a lonely parade. It would just be one crazy old lady in a leopard print bikini waving a banner.
“Ooh! Look at this one! It says there is a place on a person’s hand that if you squeeze just right, you can render them immobile! That’s a good one! She could use that!”
“Does it only work on humans?” Gabe asked between heaping mouthfuls of cereal. “’Cause it’s not likely we’ll be fighting people.”
“I don’t know. These books are really lacking in demonic stuff.” Grams perked up when she noticed I entered the room. “Good, you’re here! Which sounds more interesting, Judo or Jiu Jitsu?” In each hand she held up a dummies guide to both of the fighting methods.
“Nope. Not today, Grams. Today I’m just a normal girl.”
“Normal is boring.” She brushed off my statement and began flipping through the pages of one of the books. “This one has pictures. I could practice with you. It’d be fun.”
Well, that idea is beyond terrifying. “Seriously, Grams. I’m not talking about anything superhero-ish today,” I said, carefully dancing around the landmine she just laid out before me. “Today I am just Celeste.”
“You’re no fun, Celeste. How about you, Gabe? You want to learn martial arts with your grandma?” She turned her attention to my brother who was devouring his breakfast.
“Sure, why not? What guy doesn’t want to watch his grandma break a hip?”
“I’m not going to break anything! And even if I did, it’d give me an excuse to go see Dr. Allyn again. Yummy!” She smacked her lips at that idea then buried her nose back in the book.
Gabe and I exchanged disgusted looks. That’s when I noticed his breakfast. Before him was Grams’ punch bowl filled with cereal.
“Geez, Gabe! Is there any cereal left?”
“Nope.”
“I bought that box yesterday!” Grams stated.
“What? It takes a lot of energy to morph into a lion. Don’t judge me.”
“Not judging.” I opened the cereal box and gazed in. Not a flake or a raisin left. “Just hungry!”
“Oh. Can’t help you there. And PS—I ate all the bacon, too.”
“Are you sure you don’t turn into a pig instead of a lion?” I sna
pped.
“If he turned into a pig that would make him eating the bacon cannibalistic and gross,” jabbed Grams.
My mouth fell open, stumped once again by her quick wit.
“All right, Grams! You rendered her speechless! I didn’t think that was possible!” Gabe cheered and high-fived her over the table.
“Whatever. I’ll grab something while I’m out.” I grabbed my keys off the counter and shouldered my bag.
“Hey, wait. Can I come? I need to swing by the community college to get registered.” Recent events had finally helped Gabe find a direction in life. He enjoyed coaching so much he decided to go back to school to become a teacher. While I was insanely proud of him, I really didn’t want company today.
“How about tomorrow? I’m going up to the hospital to see Alec.”
Gabe adopted an over exaggerated pout, lower lip out and the whole bit. “That’s okay if you want to impede upon my academic achievement.”
Unlike me, Grams fell for his act. She gave him a sympathetic look then shot me the stink eye.
“Oh, for crying out loud! Fine!” I relented. “But you’re waiting in the car at the hospital!”
“Will you at least crack a window?” He smirked.
“Only if you promise not to eat my upholstery,” I shot back.
“Then we should probably stop for snacks on the way.”
There should be a support group for girls with obnoxious brothers.
Demons are predictable. You know they’re going to try to kill you, and they don’t disappoint. In the heat of battle, they aren’t going to stop and say, “You know, this just isn’t working out. It’s not you…it’s me. I just think I’d like to try to kill other people. Maybe we can just be friends?”
I wiped my sweaty palms on the sides of my dress and tried to calm my queasy stomach with a few deep breaths as I trudged down the hospital corridor to Alec’s room. For a minute, I actually wished for a surprise demon attack because it seemed easier than telling a boy I liked him. How twisted is that logic?
Way too quickly I reached his door. Room 1192. I desperately hoped it would not be known henceforth as the final resting place of my last shred of dignity. Realizing there was no way to brace myself for what was to come, I swallowed my trepidation and pushed open the door.
As soon as I saw him, peacefully snoring away, my apprehension eased. I took a step forward. My head cocked to the side to admire him. Against the stark white sheets his strawberry-blonde hair looked almost auburn. His skin seemed paler than before, but not in a sickly way. It reminded me of the petals of a white rose—soft, silky, and inviting to the touch. Unable to curb the urge, I approached his bed and softly brushed the back of my hand against his cheek. He responded with a low moan. His head turned in my direction as his eyes fluttered open. Under the fluorescent lights in the room, they looked darker—a deep sapphire blue.
“Celeste?” Once his sleepy gaze focused, he grinned up at me.
I returned his smile, thrilled to see him awake and alive. “Hey. How ya feeling?”
He extended his hand, and I took it without hesitation. His skin was so warm, I wondered if he had a fever. “Better. My head’s still a little fuzzy. But I’m getting stronger every day.”
“Great. That’s really just … great.” My cheeks ached from the broad grin I was sporting.
Quicker than I could really comprehend, his grogginess vanished. He peered up at me with a focused intensity that made the butterflies in my stomach Riverdance. “I’m really glad you stopped by. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”
“Really?” I tried my best to sound nonchalant, but the rapid successions of my heartbeat left me breathless. I hoped I sounded Marilyn Monroe-esque and not like he should hit the call button and get me medical attention. “I had something I wanted to talk to you about, too.”
“Mind if I go first?” he asked with a lazy smirk.
“Shoot.”
He released my hand to use the push button to raise the head of his bed. Once he was re-adjusted, he leaned in and beckoned me closer with the curl of his index finger. My heart pounded in my chest as I happily obliged. The warmth of his breath on my face caused a heat to rise within me. I wanted more than anything to eliminate those last few inches between us and taste his sweet lips, but I restrained myself. Instead I focused on the sensual curve of his mouth as it parted to begin what I hoped would be the proclamation of his feelings for me.
“Celeste?” My name came out a throaty moan. Chills danced across my skin.
“Yes?”
“Who was the man that turned into the dragon?”
I snapped back as if he’d slapped me. “What?”
My shocked reaction seemed to amuse him. “Now, now. Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
My mouth fell open. As someone that knows firsthand what a punch to the gut feels like, I can say that this took my breath away in the same fashion. Words failed me. I opened and closed my mouth hoping some brilliant explanation would tumble out, but all I could muster was, “I … I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Alec lowered his chin. Condescension dripped from his expression. “Really? That’s how you’re going to play this? You’re gonna feign ignorance? How original.”
“I’m not feigning anything.” My voice lacked any conviction.
He casually raked a hand through his hair, causing the locks to stick up off his head in messy spikes. My brows drew in. I thought it was the lighting, but now I wasn’t so sure. Had his hair actually changed color?
“I guess I must have imagined the red-haired guy that shifted into a dragon and meat-hooked my face with his talon …. while you just stood there and watched … not lifting a finger to help me.”
“Maybe it was a dream,” I muttered, grasping for anything to get me out of this.
He licked his lips and looked me up and down hungrily. “If it was a dream, you would’ve been wearing a lot less, and calling me Master.”
“Alec!” I snapped, appalled he would say such a thing.
Like someone talking in their sleep, my harsh tone seemed to wake him. He jerked and blinked rapidly. When he looked my way again the darkness had vanished from his eyes, in its place was fear and confusion. “Celeste? What … what happened? When did you get here?”
“Just now.” My eyes narrowed. “You don’t remember?”
He bit his lip and shook his head. Frustration creased his brow.
“No. I’m sorry. Ever since I hit my head, I keep having these—episodes. I just kind of blackout. The doctor says it has to do with my concussion. It should correct itself with time. Whatever the reason, I hope they go away quick. They’re scary as all hell.” He paused as he took in my tense body language, then his shoulders sagged. “You look freaked. Did I say something bad?”
I forced on my most reassuring smile, despite my utter confusion. For a brief moment Alec had seemed—demonic. Was that really remnants of a concussion or something much, much worse?
“No,” I lied. “It wasn’t bad.”
He expelled a sigh of relief as his head fell back against his pillow. “Good. I’d hate it if I said or did anything that hurt you.” His hand found mind and he gave it a squeeze.
“I know that.” Without the bother of a segue I asked, “So, what happened to you? Do you remember?” I traced my thumb over the tops of his fingers, all the way internally praying his answer wouldn’t involve anything scaly.
“Nope, not a thing. Just remember waking up here getting a sponge bath from a very man-ish female nurse.”
That transitioned my smile from fake to genuine. Whatever had happened a moment ago had passed. He was my Alec again.
“I’m glad you came,” he murmured. “I’ve missed you.” Gently he gave my hand a tug and pulled me to him. I didn’t hesitate. I perched on the edge of his bed and twined my arms around his neck. My head nestled on his shoulder. A snap from his hospital gown pressed into my cheek, but I didn’t
care. I just wanted him to hold me.
Alec nuzzled into my hair and inhaled deeply. He groaned as if I smelled intoxicating. “Your smell isn’t even human.” His voice came out a low rumble. “What are you?”
I ripped myself away from him and stared into glowering eyes the color of midnight. One dramatic leap and my back was up against the door, the knob digging into my spine. “Alec?” I reached behind me and fumbled for the door knob.
Again his face cleared. He shook his head and rubbed his temples as if these flashes were causing him pain. “It happened again, didn’t it? I’m so sorry. They don’t usually happen that close together. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Neither did I. More than I had ever wanted anything in my whole life, I wanted this to be a medical condition easily remedied. But if it wasn’t, if what I feared was true … No. I couldn’t even think it. This was Alec. I could never hurt him. And yet, I already had. The only reason he was lying in that bed in the first place was because of me. Whatever was happening to him, it was my fault.
My hand secured around the knob, and I yanked the door open. “I’m sorry Alec. About everything. But, I have to go.” Because if I stay, I may have to kill you.
“Celeste, please wait.” The desperation in his voice was enough to make me glance back. Pain gripped my heart at the tears that had welled in his—once again—crystal blue eyes. Anguish etched his face. He looked so lost. So confused. “Please don’t go. I’m scared. I…I don’t understand what’s happening to me.”
I paused. Indecision tugged me relentlessly in both directions. I closed my eyes and took a step. The door banged shut behind me.
Presenting:
The Gryphon Series
Art Gallery
Carved from one solid piece of wood was a creature I had never seen before. Its head and wings were that of a bird, but it had the body of a predatory cat. It stood assertive and proud—chest out, feet planted wide. Its head was thrown back as if in a roar.
-excerpt from The Conduit
Illustrated by Crystal Ord
The Conduit (The Gryphon Series Book 1) Page 19
