Phoenix: The Rising

by Bette Maybee

  As soon as they cleared the bleachers and were out of earshot of other people, Liana spoke. “Simon hates having to leave the game, but he knows it’s a necessity. We have to keep up appearances.”

  Simon’s long strides brought him alongside Julie and Liana, and then he passed them by and headed out the gate. As the distance between them widened, Julie couldn’t help but think of Laylah seeing the giant off in the distance. Was Simon a Nephilim? No. Impossible. Eli loved him.

  Just as Julie and Liana made it out to the parking lot, Simon pulled up in a beat up, yellow, Toyota pick-up. Before Liana could make a move, Julie opened the door for her. Liana smiled knowingly and slid in beside her husband, with Julie following her in. Simon’s massive frame took up half of the bench seat. It was a good thing Liana was so petite or the three of them wouldn’t have fit. Thankfully, they rode in silence to the hospital.

  Eli had been taken to the emergency room and was undergoing testing by the time Julie, Liana, and Simon made it there. A doctor came out and greeted them in the waiting area.

  “Well, it looks like Eli may have escaped serious injury, which is really miraculous according to what the paramedics and coaches said. Their first observation was that Eli had suffered paralysis of his arms and legs, but we’re only detecting some weakness in his legs now. The x-rays are, well, inconclusive at best. He may just have had some type of temporary compression of the cervical vertebrae, so I think it’s best if we keep him overnight for observation. We’ll take another look in the morning.”

  When the doctor left, Liana turned to Julie. “See? I told you he’d be okay.” She smiled. “Would you like to go see him?” Julie nodded. Liana was so calm. She hadn’t shown any fear throughout this whole ordeal, except when Eli first got hurt and she squeezed Julie’s hand. Simon, on the other hand, looked totally unaffected by it. Already, he had settled himself into a chair and was staring at a football game on the TV in the waiting room. Eli’s ordeal seemed like nothing more than an inconvenience to him.

  “He really does worry about him, you know?” Julie turned to find Liana watching her. “He can’t stand to see him in pain.”

  Julie crinkled her brow in confusion. “But I thought Eli couldn’t be hurt?”

  Liana shook her head. “Oh, he can be hurt, all right. He feels the same pain you or I would feel, and then he feels the pain of the accelerated healing. If it were one of us, we wouldn’t be able to stand it.” Julie’s heart seemed to twist in her chest. Eli was in pain! That was one thing she knew a lot about. Liana hooked her arm through Julie’s and led her down the hall to Eli’s room. She stopped just outside the door.

  “Take your time, dear. I know he wants to see you.”

  Julie pushed the door open and walked inside. Eli lay silently on the hospital bed, staring at the same game on TV that Simon was watching in the waiting room. He still sported a neck brace, and he looked incredibly uncomfortable. Julie walked by his bed and sat on an orange, vinyl-upholstered chair in the corner of the room. Eli looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. Her heart flipped in her chest. Even in a hospital gown and a neck brace, he was still the most handsome guy Julie had ever seen.

  “That was probably the worst three dollars I ever spent. I hardly got to see any of the game at all.”

  “You mean you didn’t buy an activity pass?”

  Julie shook her head and leaned back in her seat, trying to appear relaxed. “I hadn’t planned on attending any games. I’m not normally a sports fan.”

  “Wow, then I feel pretty honored that you came to see me.”

  Julie smiled. “You should be.”

  Eli started to smile, and then winced, obviously in pain.

  Julie hopped off the chair and ran to his side, clutching his hand in hers. A jolt of electricity raced up her arm. She was so glad to feel it, but it immediately began to wreak its normal havoc on her.

  “Are you okay?” She was now breathing too hard, and those familiar spots of color were beginning to cloud her vision.

  “I’m gonna be okay, Julie, but you look like you’re about to pass out. You better sit.”

  Julie nodded. She did feel like she was going to pass out. She took a step away from the bed, intent on heading back to the ugly orange chair in the corner, but Eli still had hold of her hand, and pulled her back.

  “Sit here, on my bed.”

  Julie had no time to protest. She knew if she didn’t sit, she’d end up on the floor. She sat, pulled her hands out of Eli’s, closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, trying to gain control of herself. By the second breath, she was feeling a bit better. She opened her eyes to a smirking Eli Sullivan.

  “What?” she snapped. His smirk immediately softened into a concerned smile.

  “I’m sorry my touch has this ... effect on you. It doesn’t seem to affect anybody else quite like this.”

  “Besa Soobedda.”

  Liana stood in the doorway. She whispered the words again and nodded towards Julie. The foreign words meant nothing to Julie, but she could see Eli understood them. His brow furrowed.

  “No, Liana. It’s too late.”

  Liana backed out of the doorway and disappeared down the hall. Julie looked at Eli suspiciously.

  “What did she say?”

  Eli crossed his arms across his chest and stared at the ceiling. “Nothing you need to be concerned with.”

  “It must be something important if you said it was too late. Too late for what?”

  Eli started to shake his head, but stopped with a groan and a gasp of pain. “Ah, cripes, Julie. It’s nothing. She’s just a meddling old woman who needs to mind her own business.” Julie was about to push for an answer again when Eli closed his eyes and grimaced. Droplets of sweat spotted his forehead and upper lip.

  Julie slid off the bed and grabbed a washcloth. She held it under a stream of cold water, rung it out, and laid it across Eli’s forehead.

  “Is it bad?” she whispered.

  Eli bit his lower lip. “It’ll pass. It always does.”

  Julie sat helplessly by Eli’s side and watched as Eli fought silently against the pain that wracked his body ... the healing pain of immortality. It was mind-boggling. Eli should be dead, or at the very least, paralyzed from his injury, and here he was, on his way to being completely healed. Julie wondered how many times he’d already gone through this. Had he ever actually experienced death?

  The grimace on Eli’s face relaxed bit by bit as his breathing slowed. He was asleep. The worst of it must be over. Julie slid softly off the bed, careful not to disturb him, and curled up in the orange chair. She stared at Eli ... at the steady rising and falling of his chest. He just cheated death. Death. It was something she’d spent most of the last five years thinking about. But it was her own death she contemplated. The thought of someone else dying, someone she ... cared about, frightened her, more than the reality of her own death ever could. Her death was inevitable. It was just a matter of time.

  ****

  “Wake up, sleepy-head!”

  Julie cracked her eyes open a slit, expecting to see her father hovering over her. Instead, Eli’s smiling face greeted her.

  “Better get up, I’m going home.”

  Julie sat up and rubbed her neck. She’d slept curled up in a ball in the chair all night. All night!

  “Crap!” She hopped out of the chair. “My dad’s going to kill me!”

  “Don’t worry, Julie, I texted him last night at about 11:30 from your cell. He thinks you stayed at Charsey’s.”

  Julie sat back down. “Thanks.”

  “By the way,” Eli smiled and raised an eyebrow, “you snore.”

  Julie snapped her head up at Eli.

  “I DO NOT!”

  Eli nodded and then shook his head from side to side. “I know. I lied. Sorry.”

  Julie stood and swept by Eli, careful not to touch him.

  “Jerk.”

  “Yeah, I know. I think we established my jerkhood earlier.”

&n
bsp; She stopped at the door and turned towards him. He looked so pitiful standing there wearing his neck brace, but she was overwhelmingly relieved that he was able to stand.

  “Feeling better?”

  “Feeling perfect.” He planted his hands on his hips. “Ready to dance next week. With you.”

  Julie squeezed her eyes shut. “Right.” She’d totally forgotten about the dance.

  When Julie opened her eyes, Liana was standing at the doorway with a wheelchair and a knowing smile. It was obvious she heard their little exchange. Julie looked at the chair and her heart lurched. She almost made a move to sit in it, then caught herself as Eli stepped in front of her. For once, she wouldn’t be the chair’s occupant. Eli sat and looked up at Julie as Liana wheeled him down the hall.

  “You still need to get a dress.”

  Julie sighed.

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  They stopped in front of the elevator, and Julie punched the button to the lobby.

  “Better get a pair of rubber gloves while you’re at it,” Liana added quietly.

  Julie and Eli looked at Liana at the same time. She smiled and shrugged. “Electricity doesn’t pass through rubber ... just sayin’.”

  Julie looked on as Liana pushed a smirking Eli into the elevator. Crap. She’s probably right.

  Chapter Nine

  Homecoming week passed without too much excitement. Things seemed to be back to normal. Nobody died or went missing, which made for a pretty docile week of American Lit with Grace and Tina, AKA: Thumper and Tiny. They had nothing to talk about, which pleased Julie immensely. She needed a little normalcy, considering that the local Fire-Child was escorting her to the homecoming dance. Kas and Charsey were inseparable, and Charsey seemed to be back to her normal self-imposed ditziness, except for the locker fiasco. She actually kept opening it on her own.

  Friday was an early out so the school could prepare for the evening’s festivities, which included a parade, the crowning of the homecoming king and queen, and the game. Julie had no plans to attend any part of it. Besides, Eli was sidelined because of his “injury”, and wouldn’t be playing ... not that it mattered. It was also the day Charsey asked the question that sent Julie into a panic.

  “What color is your dress?”

  The dress! Oh my God, the dress! Julie had totally forgotten. She spun the dial to her locker as she thought of an answer.

  “I bought a blue one, but I’m thinking about getting a different color.” She pulled up on the latch. The door didn’t budge.

  “Blue?” Charsey stepped in front of Julie and began to work the combination. “My dress is blue.” She stepped away from the locker as the door swung open. “I hope we don’t clash.”

  Julie knew exactly what Charsey was fishing for. She grabbed a book she needed for homework and shoved it into her backpack.

  “Like I said, I’m thinking about getting a different one.” She closed the locker. “Besides, blue will go perfectly with your eyes.”

  Charsey smiled smugly. “You would look great in white. You know ... something elegant and sophisticated.”

  And a color that won’t call attention away from you, Julie thought knowingly. Maybe white was the way to go.

  That afternoon, Julie sank to an all-time low. She asked Renatta to take her dress shopping. She had no other choice. Her stepmother sat up on the lounger and pulled her sunglasses down.

  “You want me to WHAT?” She blinked twice. Julie thought she was going to have a stroke. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “Take me dress shopping. I have a date for Homecoming tomorrow. I need a dress.”

  Renatta hopped off the lounger and practically ran by Julie. “Yes! Of course! We’re going to the city. Give me a half hour.”

  The city was Fresno and they’d reach it by helicopter, flying straight across the Sierra Nevadas. Julie walked into the house as Renatta yelled at the poor soul on the other end of her cell.

  “We need two seats on the two o’clock flight, not one ... I don’t care who’s birthday it is, bump them!” She glanced over to Julie and held up her finger. “I’ll throw in an extra hundred.” A few seconds later, she smiled in victory. “Great. See you in an hour.” She clicked her phone shut. “When all else fails, Julie, talk money. Always remember that.”

  Julie felt the bile rise in her throat. “Oh, I will.” She turned in disgust. Julie felt guilty for spending her father’s money in such a frivolous way, but there were no decent dress shops in Bishop or any of the towns surrounding it. Julie’s father walked in the room and glanced from Julie to Renatta.

  “So ... what’s up?”

  Renatta beamed. “Julie and I are flying to Fresno to shop.”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Julie’s going shopping? With you?” He shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

  “She needs a dress for Homecoming, and she asked me to take her.” Renatta walked up to her husband and ran her hand down his arm. “That’s okay, isn’t it?”

  “Okay?” Julie’s father looked astounded. “That’s more than okay! It’s about time you two had a little mother-daughter outing.” He put his arms around both of them and squeezed. Julie remained silent. She didn’t dare burst his bubble. Renatta peeled his arm off her.

  “We need to get moving. Our flight’s in less than an hour.”

  Julie gave her dad a squeeze back.

  “Thanks, Dad. I’ll try not to spend too much. It’s only one dress.”

  “And shoes, and jewelry, and some new lingerie,” Renatta yelled from the foyer.

  Julie and her father sighed simultaneously.

  “Spend as much as you need, sweetie. Just have fun!”

  He gave her a hug and followed Renatta.

  This was going to be a long day.

  ****

  By the time Julie and Renatta got back home that evening, they were once again not talking, which was perfectly fine with Julie. Renatta took her in two stores, and then left in a huff when Julie shot down all of Renatta’s gaudy choices. She spent the rest of the afternoon fending for herself, but she was victorious. She and Renatta met up at the airport, with Renatta toting two armloads of bags and reeking of gin. She slept for the half-hour flight back to Bishop, and Julie ended up driving them home. She was more than happy to go back to their original arrangements.

  Saturday evening, Julie pulled on the white satin strapless dress she had found on sale. A diamond-shaped cluster of rhinestones sat on the apex of the sweetheart bodice. Her only jewelry would be the diamond stud earrings her dad had bought her for her sixteenth birthday. She slipped on a pair of silver heels and stepped in front of the mirror ... and her eyes went straight to the faint pink line running parallel with her collarbone. She grabbed a compact and dabbed on some concealer, smoothing out the edges to blend in with her skin. Just as she finished, the doorbell rang.

  Julie stood at the top of the stairs clutching the railing, white crescents stretching the skin tight over her knuckles. How was she going to get through this? Touching. Dancing. Feeling his heart next to hers. His lips. His breath. His eyes. Oh, his eyes! How could she look into those sapphire depths without losing it? Julie slunk to the floor and sat on the top step. She just wouldn’t go. She’d pretend she was sick; after all, her stomach had been bothering her lately....

  “Julie.”

  Eli suddenly appeared in front of her, and Julie’s heart flipped. She didn’t think it was possible for him to be any more handsome than he was in jeans and a tee, but the black suit, shirt, and tie made him look beyond human—-every bit the immortal he was. Eli held out his hand, and she placed hers in it without thinking. The electric shock immediately ran up her arm, and her breath hitched in her throat. She couldn’t do this. Julie tried to tug her hand out of his.

  “Don’t let go, Julie. Just breathe and give it time. You’ll get used to it.” Eli pulled her to her feet.

  The problem was, she loved the feeling. She craved it. It made her feel
more alive than anything had in her whole life. And it felt RIGHT ... like it was supposed to be. But she couldn’t let it happen. It would end badly. Hearts would be broken. Hers, most certainly by his rebirth as a child, or his by her inevitable, mortal death. She couldn’t chance that.

  She pulled her hand out of his. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  Eli pushed his hair back and smiled. “Please, Julie. It’s just one night.” Julie’s heart began to thrum. She could feel her resolve begin to crumble. It was just one night ... not a lifetime.

  She cleared her throat. “Okay. But for now, no touching. We touch only when we have to.”

  Eli smiled and swept his hand down the steps. “Anything you say, milady!”

  ****

  Charsey and Kas were slow dancing in the middle of the crowd when Julie and Eli walked through the doors of the gymnasium. It was impossible not to notice them. Kas towered over the rest of the crowd, and Charsey’s royal-blue frocked body was plastered against his, her arms wrapped around his neck. Kas turned, looked directly at Julie, and smiled. Julie felt a chill run down her back as Kas whispered something to Charsey. He still gave her the creeps. Charsey looked in Julie’s direction, grabbed Kas by the hand, and pulled him through the crowd, brushing couples out of her way.

  “You’re finally here!” Charsey squealed breathlessly. She gave Julie a quick kiss on the cheek, then looked her up and down. Her gazed seemed to hesitate on Julie’s shoulder for just a moment. The smile left her face. Did she see the scar?

  “You look ... great!” Somehow Charsey’s words didn’t match the look on her face.

  Julie reached up and adjusted a lock of hair, pulling it forward so the curls would hide any evidence of the scar she hadn’t covered with makeup.

  “Frickin’ hot is more like it,” Kas mumbled. Charsey bit her lip and elbowed him. He rubbed his side. “You look hot, too, Charse.” He moved his lips to Charsey’s ear and whispered, “Good enough to eat.” His eyes, however, hadn’t left Julie’s.