by Elle Scott
He hoped against all hope that Leila knew what he was thinking. Feeling Leila squeeze his hand, he took a deep breath and tried to focus. Doing the surge in suburbia was risky, but what other choice did he have?
“Sadie? Girls?” Tessa called. “I think it’s best if you come with me now.”
Her statement threw Riley off. He slammed his hand back to the door frame. “That’s not gonna happen.”
Tessa looked genuinely upset. She muttered to herself, “I can’t believe I’m trying to negotiate with a Fallen.”
Riley guffawed. She was really messing with him now. “That’s a joke. You’re the Fallen, Tessa. You’re the one they need protecting from.”
Brows furrowing, Tessa shook her head. She gave a sympathetic glance between Leila and Riley. “You really believe you’re a True, don’t you? Tell me, have you been to the Veil? Have you been given any assignments?”
“We’ve been to the Veil…” Riley hesitated, not knowing what she meant about assignments. Was it a trick to catch him off guard? He snarled, letting his claws dig into the wood his hands rested on.
Tessa covered her mouth with both hands. The tears fell in quick succession. “Oh Will, you’ve been lied to. You’re not a True Guardian.”
The accusation sent him over the edge. He wasn’t the Fallen here. Swinging around, Riley faced Leila. She nodded and grabbed both his hands. If they were going to save Tessa, it was now or never.
“I’m out,” Tessa said, backing down the front steps.
“No, wait!” Leila urged, squeezing Riley’s hands.
“I’m not staying here to see how this plays out,” Tessa called, dabbing her wet face.
Halfway down the path, Tessa stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes finding Sadie. She pulled a card out of her back pocket and wiggled it between her fingers, before placing it on the concrete. “I’m sorry I failed you. Call if you need me.”
Heart sinking, Riley pulled Leila across her porch. “Tessa! Wait!”
Tessa stared at the path in between them, brow deepening over her eyes. Her breath quivered as she spun around and ran for the car.
Riley let Leila go and watched the car drive off. He stared at his sister’s red wavy hair through the window, watching her until the car turned the corner.
Sadie slipped past him and stopped at the small card Tessa left. She picked it up and tucked it into her pocket. Looking back to Riley, she asked, “Are you sure she’s Fallen?”
Riley thought back to the last time he’d seen Tessa. Her wild eyes as she stood above his mother, their whole house turned upside down. She had blood on her knuckles and a heaving chest. He watched her run away with shame that day, just as she did then.
“I’m sure,” he replied.
Sadie
“Can you tell us what happened?” Riley asked.
He sat on the edge of Leila’s coffee table, looking between Imogen and Summer. He clutched his hands together, kneading his knuckles, pressing hard as if digging into clay. Sadie had never seen him so anxious before, seeing his sister must have truly rattled him.
The two girls shuffled closer to each other on the sofa, elbows knocking as Summer played with the cuffs of her sleeves. Imogen asked, “Which part? The part where we were locked up for a day, or the part where Tessa saved us?”
Riley frowned and shared a glance with Leila. He returned his attention to the girls and shook his head. As he opened his mouth, Leila rushed to his side and said, “We want to hear your perspective. Tell it all.”
Sadie knew what they were thinking. Telling the girls that it was their perspective insinuated that they could be wrong… That there was another side to the story. Maybe the girls had been tricked by Tessa and Jamal. Maybe they’d staged the kidnapping and saved them to make them look like the good guys.
But Sadie wasn’t quite sure.
She took a seat next to Summer and placed her hand over Summer’s fidgety fingers. “Start from the beginning. What happened after you took my jacket and left home?”
Summer sniffed, and without making eye contact, she jerked her head toward Sadie. After a few seconds, she sighed and said, “We were going to visit some friends.”
“What—” Sadie pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to ask what friends. Boys? Drug dealers? The house ten minutes out of town with five pit bulls? She swallowed her questions and nodded for Summer to continue.
“We were meant to meet them at the lookout—”
A rumble vibrated in the back of Sadie’s throat. The lookout? At night? How stupid were these kids? Forget Guardians, what about real cougars and bears?
Summer gave Sadie a glare. “Do you want me to talk or not?”
“Yes,” Riley urged. “So, you went to the lookout?”
Imogen shook her head. “We never got there. As we walked around the lake, we sensed someone following us. We kinda freaked out.”
Summer lifted her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Then, we ran.”
“Toward the falls, right?” Sadie mused, remembering where her and Sebastian had found the denim jacket.
“How did you know?”
Sadie smiled and shrugged. “I found my jacket on the way there. We found it… Sebastian and I,” Sadie glanced at Imogen. “He thought you might go there, if you were scared.”
Imogen’s eyes glazed over. “I should call him.”
“I already have, he’s on his way,” Leila said.
A moan spilled from Riley’s mouth. It was swiftly followed by a nudge from Leila. She said, “So, then what?”
“We didn’t get far,” Summer sighed. “Someone grabbed us.”
“Who?” Riley leaned forward. “Did they have pink eyes?”
Imogen furrowed her brow. “Pink eyes? You mean like the crazy blue yours just were?”
Riley sat back. “I… uhh…”
“Yes,” Leila replied softly. “Like that.”
Summer shook her head. “We didn’t see anything. They put bags over our heads and next thing, we’re sitting on cold cement, locked in a dark room. No one came in or out for a day.”
“And then, Tessa and Jamal came.” Imogen took a long breath. “Thankfully.”
“Ergh,” Riley grumbled. “Sounds suspicious.”
“You think we’re lying?” Summer scowled.
“No!” Riley held his hands up in surrender. “No, not at all. I think someone else is lying.”
Summer semi-relaxed. “Oh.”
Riley rubbed at his eyes with his palms. He stood and turned around, raking his tense hands through his hair. Leila quickly rushed to him, she tugged at his elbows, bringing his arms back down, and whispered something to him.
Sadie could just hear Riley mutter, “This is so messed up, for her to target innocent people just to get to me.”
Leila whispered something else.
Sadie shuffled to the edge of the sofa, ears turning toward the couple. It wasn’t that she was a snoop. No, not at all. She just needed to know her sister was safe. Yes, that was it, she was being a caring big sister.
Riley nodded. “I should go home. Make sure Tessa hasn’t gone to mom.”
Sadie reached forward, lifting her butt off the seat so she could peer around Riley to catch a glimpse of Leila’s response.
“Want me to come?” Leila asked.
“No,” Riley said. And, as if sensing Sadie’s eyes, he glanced over his shoulder.
Sadie snapped her spine straight, sliding her bottom along the sofa.
Riley continued, “Stay here with them, if Tessa comes back they’ll need protecting.”
As Riley headed for the door, Imogen leaned in and whispered, “My brother will protect me.”
When Riley was gone, Leila wandered back and took his place on the coffee table in front of the two girls. She leaned back on her hands and carved her face to the ceiling. Sighing, she said, “What a messed up day.”
Sadie noticed Summer staring at Leila with wide eyes. She knew what that
look meant, she’d seen it many a time when Summer was lying about something or other to their parents. There was something she was holding in.
“Go on,” Sadie said, flinging her hand up. “Spill.”
Imogen turned to Sadie, mouth agape. Her eyes flickered to Summer and back, nothing but a squeak coming from her voice box.
Summer leaned forward. “Okay, so. What the hell is happening? What is a Guardian? What is a Fallen? Why did Riley’s eye glow blue before? Like, what the actual?”
Sadie pressed her lips together in a tight smile. She scratched her head and looked at Leila. “This one’s all you.”
Sadie remembered the time when Leila told her about Guardians. She was shocked but couldn’t process the information until much later. She’d jumped right in to help Leila without so much of a second thought. It was her fight or flight response—she still didn’t know which one she’d used.
Summer and Imogen showed their emotions a lot quicker than Sadie had. They were gobsmacked. After Leila had finished explaining everything, leaving the part about Cap out, they never looked more innocent. Eyes wide, like children waking from a nightmare, Summer and Imogen sat silently, staring into space.
As Sadie wondered what she could say to convince them everything would be okay, a succession of knocks rattled the front door. Summer’s whole body jolted at the noise, and she reached across to clutch Imogen’s hand. Leila half-shifted, eyes on the door. She stood slowly, her arms splayed out.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Sebastian!” A voice boomed in reply.
Imogen leapt to her feet and ran for the door. She flung the door open and before Sebastian had even registered who was standing in front of him, she fell into his arms. His shock soon turned to relief as he wrapped her in his embrace.
Sadie stood, nervously playing with the hem of her shirt. Still holding his sister, Sebastian’s eyes lifted. He stared at Sadie, and as his hands smoothed the back of Imogen’s hair, he gave her a small smile.
Sadie wanted to do what Imogen did—run to him and fall in his arms. She’d never been so scared as when she was running through the forest, not knowing who was chasing her. She’d wanted him to save her, protect her, keep her safe.
And even though he wasn’t able to, she knew he’d wished the same.
He mouthed “Hi” to her and let Imogen go. Sadie lifted her hand in a shy wave. “Hi,” she mouthed back.
Sebastian took a quick breath and rolled his shoulders back. The softness that had graced his face, suddenly gone. “You, ah, need a lift home?”
“Oh, umm, I think we’re gonna stay here,” Sadie said. She smiled at Summer. “We’re probably going to need some time to think of a great excuse to get back into Dad’s good books anyway.”
Summer chuckled and retorted, “Yeah. Something that doesn’t involve telling our parents of the existence of werewolves.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened. He whipped his head to Imogen, shaking it ever so slightly.
She took his hand. “It’s okay. I know what you are.”
Creases deepened between his brow and he turned his face away. He tugged Imogen’s arm and led her to the door. Without looking back, he said, “See ya round, Shorty.”
As the door shut, Summer said, “Shorty? Is he calling you that?”
Sadie winced. She wasn’t used to talking boys with her sister. She mumbled, “I guess.”
“Huh!” Summer shrugged. “I mean he’s hot and all, but man, he’s so hard to read.”
Sadie swallowed. Not so much, she thought. Not when we’re alone.
“You okay?” Leila asked.
Sadie blinked out of her daze. “Yeah. Fine. It’s been a big day.”
“I’ll set you up in the guest room,” Leila said, waving her hand to the hallway beside the stairs. “You don’t mind sharing a bed?”
“That’s fine,” Summer said quickly.
Sadie smiled. It’d been a while since Summer could bear to even be in the same room as her, let alone in close sleeping vicinity.
“She’s not at home!” Gabby’s voice called from outside. The door burst open, almost breaking off its hinges, and she stormed in. Her eyes landed on Sadie, and she instantly screamed, “Ah! You’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Sadie replied, running to Gabby and giving her a hug.
Gabby pulled away, holding Sadie at arm’s length. “You’re really okay?” She turned her attention to Leila, “You could have told me!”
“Sorry,” Leila grimaced. “It’s been hectic.”
Gabby slid one arm around Sadie’s shoulders, holding her close. She huffed, “Well, it better be a good story for not letting me know that our human bestie was safe.”
“Hectic,” Leila repeated, bowing her head.
“Riley’s sister is here,” Sadie offered.
Gabby balked, darting her eyes between Leila and Sadie. “For real? The Fallen sister?”
Peering up, Leila nodded. “For real.”
Nodding in approval, Gabby held her arm out for Leila. “You’re forgiven. Come here.”
Leila sighed and shimmied herself under Gabby’s shoulder. “You wanna stay for dinner? I’m thinking pizza. We’ll order in. Watch a movie…”
“Sounds good to me,” Summer peeped, squeezed herself into the huddle.
Leila
A rush of air tickled Leila’s cheek and she woke with a startle. A lone figure stood in her doorway, silhouetted by the hallway light. She assumed it was a man, going by the height and round shoulders. It wasn’t Riley’s shape — he wasn’t that tall. And her dad, well he was more rounded. Heart thumping, instinct took over. She threw her quilt off and leapt to her feet, calling her lion forward. As she half-shifted, the sight before her changed. The man in the doorway wasn’t alone, he had a Guardian with him. A bronze bear, looming as an aura beside him.
“Kale!” Leila exclaimed, running.
As she reached him, Kale let his arms envelop her. He held her tight and replied, “Hey sis. It’s good to see you.”
Leila pulled away and thwacked him with the back of her hand. “What took you so long? We had a crisis!”
“Sorry.” Kale grimaced, raising his hands in surrender. “We had some things to take care of. But we’re here now. Is Sadie okay?”
Leila raised her brows, unimpressed by the vague reason. She scoffed, “No thanks to you.”
With a crooked smile Kale rubbed her head. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
Tired and even more cranky, Leila ducked her head away from his touch. “Seriously Kale, she was kidnapped, you had things to take care of?”
Kale’s smile faded, lips turning inside his mouth. He sighed and nodded. “I know. We weren’t just in Seattle though… we had to catch a plane.”
“From where?”
“We were in Vegas,” he mused, leaning casually onto her chest of drawers. He lifted his hands, twisting a ring around a finger.
Leila’s eyes drifted to the ring. Solid gold. Around his fourth finger. Her mouth fell open.
Kale grinned.
“You got married?” Leila whispered, unable to keep her eyes off his wedding ring.
Shrugging, Kale replied, “We’re already Imprints, so I figured why not make it official.”
“Ha!” Leila tore her eyes from Kale’s hand and found his face beaming with pride. Her heart burst. She threw her arms around his neck. “Congratulations.”
After a moment, she released him and pushed him back. “I can’t believe you got married without me there.”
Kale rolled his eyes and smiled. “Don’t worry. We’re having a celebration here in Cedar Falls. We’ve booked out a lodge and will make a whole day of it.”
Leila’s annoyance disappeared. She grabbed his wrists. “Do we get to dress up?”
“Yes,” Kale said in a teasing tone. “We’ll all dress up.” He slipped his hands from hers and squeezed her shoulder. “Anyway, get some rest. Kiko thinks there are Fallen lurking around the town again, so
we’ll need to make a plan on how to deal with them. We don’t want it to get as bad as last time.”
“Oh, I don’t know—” Leila half-shifted for a split second, flashing her eyes golden. ”Last time wasn’t so bad.”
“Don’t get cocky. Last time we got lucky.” Kale rubbed her head with his knuckles and backed out of her room. “Text all your friends who were involved. Kiko wants to talk with everyone at 8am.”
Leila skipped back to her bed, already reaching for her phone on the bedside table. “Okay.”
Leila
Leila gave her mirror a glance as she left her room, half-caring about her appearance yet not quite invested to fully take her reflection in. There may have been a few strands of hair out of place. She nonchalantly pushed them off her face as she checked her phone for the time. It was seven fifty-two.
An unread message from Riley lit up on her screen.
On my way!
Even just imagining the sound of his voice made her heart skip a beat. Man, she loved that boy.
As Leila bounced down the stairs, she heard chatter rising from the kitchen. Sadie’s voice trilled sweetly about how stunning the back garden looked.
“Thank you, lovely one,” Leila’s mom, Aileen, replied with all the gooey warmth she possessed.
Leila smiled and rolled her eyes in amusement. With her mom, it was either an aloof “Mm? What was that?” or an all encompassing smother of maternal care.
“What’s with all the vervain anyway?” Gabby’s voice was quieter than the other two, Leila assumed it was muffled by food.
Leila knew what was with all the vervain. Her mom had found out it had more qualities than just a cure ingredient. It had protective qualities, too, like a deterrent of sorts. Whenever the woody, grassy smell hit her nostrils, Leila felt like she was coming down with a cold. Aileen, of course, was sympathetic, but mostly excited about the discovery.
Leila leapt over the bottom step and landed gracefully into the space between the living and dining areas. She threw her body through the open doorway, peering into the kitchen.
Sadie, Gabby, and Aileen were hovering around the island bench staring at clippings of lavender, roses, and other flowery stems. Aileen had lined up three vases and Sadie was helping her fill them with off cuts from the garden, while Gabby munched on a pop tart.
