Xander looks down at his feet and shakes his head. When he looks back up at me, his eyes are glassy. “I want to hate him so much right now, but after experiencing what we just did I can’t.” Xander yells, “Why the hell can’t I hate him right now, Jes?”
I know what he means. I can’t quite wrap my head around it either; the compassion I have for this man that has done so many terrible things. Without debating the repercussions, I run my hand along Xander’s cheek. His hand slips around my waist and pulls me flush against his chest, sending a rush of desire straight through me. I lean into him waiting for his lips to graze mine when I feel his lips rest on my forehead. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.
Xander pulls back, quickly releases me and steps away from me. He puts his hands in his pockets and starts walking backwards down the hall while looking at me. “C’mon. We need to tell Sebastian, Balthazar and the rest that Corinna is awake.”
I want to ask him what just happened, why he did not kiss me. Did he not feel what I felt just then? I didn’t though. Maybe the whole dream state experience between Sam and Corinna did get under his skin after all; it definitely got under mine. It made me curious about the similarities between Sam and Corinna’s link and Nate’s and mine.
Having caught up to Xander now, I look over at him for any hints that he is listening in on my thoughts. Nothing; good. Experiencing Sam and Corinna’s link, the raw connection I felt, I wonder now if the intensity between Nate and I was really just the link or something more organic and raw; real. Could something have been happening between Nate and I before the intersection and we just denied it? When Nate and Ezra were pulled into that wormhole, I felt something within me being stripped from me. Then, when Nate came to me in my dream this morning, the emptiness within me instantly filled; He filled it.
The thought of Nate not coming back runs through my mind and I feel hot, panic surface within me. I look sideways at Xander, his jaw is working back and forth like he is deep in thought. Would Xander be the one to fill the emptiness if Nate were to never return? Could he fill it? Would I let him?
Xander and I round another corner and make eye contact with Sebastian and Balthazar exiting the doors of the cafeteria with the other guardians. Sebastian, “We were coming to find you. What happened? ”
We both rush to them and Xander is the first to speak. “She’s awake.”
Jake, “Is it her, or the…”
Nick elbows him and scoffs. “Dude, if it wasn’t her do you think Jes and Xander would be standing here right now? They would be shredded.”
Balthazar shakes his head slowly, “It will be a long road to get her back to herself.”
Sebastian puts his hand on his son’s arm. “We did it once, Balthazar. We will do it again with her.”
The exchange between the two of them was an obvious reflection on Balthazar being stripped of his Sondian Copula and re-implanted with a Dobrian Copula. Balthazar went through what Corinna will. She will need all the help she can get, just as Balthazar did.
Sebastian looks at me. “She is physically stable. That is a step in the right direction.”
He walks passed Xander and I, leaving us all standing, following him only with our eyes. He angles his head to get a look at all of us ogling him and motions for us to follow. Sebastian’s eyes linger on me a moment longer, “Come. I know you have a lot to tell us.”
What the hell? Sebastian has obviously mastered getting into my head as easily as Ezra.
Balthazar, Xander, and the rest of the team follow Sebastian back into the cafeteria. Distracted, I slowly trail behind not able to shake a thickening tickle festering in my throat.
We settle into a conference room off of the main hall of the facility. I give them the step by step of Xander and I getting Isabel to agree to let us try to bring Corinna back. I told them everything about Corinna and my shared memories and feelings. Rehashing the experience in front of them had me blushing a little. Nick, in Nick-form made the most of it. “Jes. Wow, that was hot.”
On cue, Elisha elbows him in the gut and hisses, “Nick.”
Nick rubs his side and laughs a little. He looks at me and sees my stoic expression as I glare at him. Immediately, he shifts in his seat and raises his hands in surrender, “My bad.”
Xander tells the team what he experienced. Sebastian is particularly intrigued with how he was able to bring me out of Corinna’s mind. “Xander, it takes an immense amount of mental control and focus to bring someone out of a telepathic experience like the one Corinna and Jesca shared.”
Sebastian folds his hands together and leans them on the table. He looks at Xander. “It is more than just an act of control and focus though. This connection that you and Jesca share is a very strong bond, Xander. ”
Sebastian looks at me for a moment, and then Sebastian looks at Balthazar. “Sometimes a bond surpasses the power of a link, right son?”
Balthazar is holding Marcus in him arms. He looks up at Sebastian and smiles softly. I look down at my folded hands, knowing that the comment was not only for Balthazar, but for me to think on.
Suddenly very thirsty, I reach for the pitcher of water and plastic cup in the center of the table and pour myself a glass. I drink down two cupfuls in record time and just as I pour my third glass, Siobhan comments, “Hey, thirsty much.”
The third cup quenches my thirst for a moment, but the dryness in my throat returns, not having been sated. I feel my esophagus spasm a little. I try clearing my throat and swallowing to relieve the spasm. Sitting next to me now, Xander leans over and asks, “You okay?”
Trying to not make a big deal of it, I nod and speak to Sebastian. “Corinna, she showed me conversations she had with Sam. The thing is I could feel everything Corinna felt in the memories. Xander could feel everything as well. ”
With no response from Sebastian, I shift forward and look at Balthazar. “Sam said he had no intention of following Michael Sanderson’s orders once he got beyond the black hole into this other place. He said he had to make things right. I think Corinna was trying to tell me something about Sam. Like a hint as to why he turned against Michael.”
Balthazar shifts in his seat and raises his voice an octave, “Michael screwed him and he realized it, just like I did. Plain and simple. Sam committed horrific crimes against humanity and now he is seeking redemption, like I am.”
Balthazar closes his eyes and takes in a long deep breath. When he reopens them and speaks, his voice is calmer. “I know I don’t have to remind you that he has done terrible things in his life, Jesca.”
There is no denying that he has. He killed Xander’s parents, my mother, and many others. But Michael, he had something on them to do that. Then it clicks. “He agreed to go along with Michael’s order to make right what he has done wrong! He is searching for them, those that he wronged. He is seeking redemption for Xander’s parents and my mother’s death!”
A familiar voice comes from the door way behind me. “Ah, but the question is where does Sam Crest think he has gone with Ezra and Nate in search of his redemption? He is looking for souls that have passed on, no? Where have they passed, Jesca? ”
I whip my head around and see a man that I never thought I would see again. Someone from my old life, my childhood back in Georgia. Someone I never thought would be a part of what my life’s purpose is now as a guardian. Pastor Daniel. He clears his throat. “Beyond the veil of our universe and into another, where the physical isn’t necessary and the metaphysical dominates. What do you think, Jesca? Is it possible that this place they have gone could be Heaven or Hell?”
Partially ignoring his questioning, I scoot the chair back and look at Sebastian, then Pastor Daniel again. “What are you doing here Pas…”
He raises one hand to stop myself mid-sentence, bows his head and smiles. “Just Daniel Reneux, dear. I never could get used to the Pastor part. Guardian Daniel Reneux suits me much better and is much truer to form.”
Nearly knocking him over, I wrap my arms aroun
d his waist. His embrace is awkward and I hear him laugh a little under his breath. “I’m here for the same reasons you are, Jesca. My purpose in the grand scheme of things.”
I don’t know what triggers it, but waves of memories, my childhood in Georgia, come crashing in all at once. Meeting Daniel for the first time. Watching him on the pulpit at church, seeing him in the bookstore where I worked.
Daniel pulls me from him gently and hands me a handkerchief from his pocket. He leads me back to the table and pats my shoulder. “Sit. You all seemed to be knee deep in a conversation involving Samson Crest. Please continue.”
Daniel pulls a chair up to the table. I look at him, taking in his features. It’s surreal to see him standing right here next to me. He crosses his leg over the other and leans back, waiting for our conversation to continue.
Angela rests her elbows on the table and leans in toward Daniel. “A possible Heaven and Hell, really? Adam Claiborne told us that the beings invading our world were soulless, that they were drawn to our world, us, because of our souls. If this world beyond the veil is where Xander’s parents, Jesca’s mother, and every other dead person has gone, then why did Claiborne tell us they were soulless. Heaven and Hell contains the souled. ”
Daniel nods. “Adam has the science part down. He is not as schooled in the spiritual side of this equation. One that I am very familiar with.”
Daniel looks at each of us. “Let me try and explain. I think each of you has experienced divine interventions recently. Interventions that are not completely explainable through science alone. Well, that is because science is only half of the equation. ”
We each glance at each other. We have experienced some crazy shi….stuff within the past few months, let alone the battle we were thrown into in the Aoikigahara forest two days ago. Now, we have lost two of our own to another universe.
Possessing supernatural abilities, encountering paranormal events, and experiencing celestial entities; all of these things have become transparent to us. To the rest of mankind, these phenomenon are still opaque and taboo. Anyone experiencing what we have would need to admit at some point that we are not just dealing with scientifically provable events here. I agree with all of that. Still, how can Daniel be so sure that we are dealing with a realm that could be a true Heaven or Hell?
All eyes are on Daniel, waiting for him to justify his speculation . “In the forest, you encountered beings that passed through the wormhole, yes? Giants beings and other things, am I right?”
We all nod.
The giant, it attacked Nate, and then came after me. Ezra brought it down trying to save me. I look at Daniel, “One attacked Nate, and then came after me in the forest.”
Daniel’s face quirks. “Are you sure it attacked you?”
I think back on the events in the forest when I saw the giant. I recall it charging Nate, and then coming for me again before I respond. “It charged Nate, and the force threw him across the meadow we were in. Then, it came after me. Ezra killed it.”
Daniel lowered his face into his hands and shook his head from side to side. I don’t understand his response. I feel like I should defend Ezra’s actions. “He was protecting me from it.”
Daniel pulls his hands away and looks at me. “Did you consider that it might have been trying to protect you?”
I respond to him angrily, “Protect us! The thing charged Nate. It could have killed him and me.”
Daniel sighs loudly. “Yes, it could have killed Nate easily. A giant of its size and stature could have obliterated him. Instead, it charged him with only enough force to clear him from the meadow, the battle. Why do you think that is?”
No matter how much I wanted to fight him on this, he had a valid point. Nate could have easily been killed if it had malevolent intentions.
Daniel says, “They aren’t the enemy. I believe what you encountered was Nephilim.”
I had heard that word before. “Nephilim. That is biblical.”
Daniel, “Nephilim, Hebrew for ‘the fallen’, fallen from where though? Beyond the veil of our universe? Within Andromeda or another realm we haven’t unveiled yet?”
It isn’t the first time, or first person to provoke my thoughts about what exists out there that is not of this world. Places that have been prophesied but never revealed to us as existing without a shadow of a doubt.
Xander throws his hands up in the air. “How are we supposed to know who is here to help us if we don’t know if they are attacking or protecting us?”
Daniel, “Faith, and I’m not talking about just the religious kind. The kind of faith that comes from a reliance on your spirit, your soul. You have to trust it. The other beings you experienced in the forest, some of them appeared to be human, but they were not.”
Jake interrupts, “Shape shifters.”
Daniel looks at Jake. “In order to not appear as a threat and adapt to those around them. That is there defense to be able to walk among us. There are other beings though that are not shifters. They are more like occupiers.”
Siobhan, “Occupiers. Like take over a human vessel type thing?”
Her comment makes me think of the files Ezra was sifting through one night in the back in Florida. The files detailed the victims of recent abductions centered around what we later realized was Sam Crest. When the abducted resurfaced days later, they began to show signs of what one might think to be demonic possession. The files detailed psychological evaluations turning up nothing and families turning to their faith to try and help the victims. The files described the victims speaking in tongues and contorting their bodies into unnatural, inhuman positions. Ezra said that all of the victims said one particular phrase in all of the accounts in an ancient language; “We are coming.”
My voice sounds dry and crackly when I formulate one word from my thoughts. “Possession.”
Everyone looks at me, shocked from my word choice. Everyone except Sebastian, Balthazar, and Daniel who look at me with an understanding that I have seen things that the others on our team have not yet.
“I saw some of the abduction files Ezra was reading over one night. These ‘occupiers’ said they were going to come for us through the abducted vessels.”
Daniel nods. “The Copulas have been the conduit, the beacon leading them to us.”
“I think the beings after Nate and Ezra are the same ones that ‘occupied’ those victims in the files.”
Daniel continues, “I think you are right. These beings beyond our universe exist as souls, ghosts, apparitions; physical bodies aren’t necessary. But here, in our world, bodies are necessary for them to adapt and hide among us. They need to possess our bodies to dwell in our world.”
“They are evil then, using us as hosts. Like a demon would use a body to possess.”
Daniel closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yes, they are.”
Jake interjects, “But, you aren’t talking horns and tails.”
Daniel, “No, not horns and tails. However, that was a very inventive depiction of them by artists over the centuries. Same for angels I might add; the halo and wings. Demons were depicted with horns and tails to reflect their savage and animal-like nature. Angels were depicted with halos and wings, showing their guardian-like qualities toward humanity and the unworldly abilities they possessed, like the ability to fly. They did not have wings, but this appearance of them in images depicted their ability to levitate very well.”
Guardians. Humanity. Abilities. Celestial beings.
“Are we the angels?” I say it before I think.
Again, everyone’s gaze moves from Daniel to me. I wait for one of them to call me out on it and say that I am full of it for thinking that. At least that would make me second guess what my intuition is saying. None of them do though. Crap!
Daniel clears his throat. “We are guardians, soldiers, just as they were. Could they have been the guardians to place the veil, the sheath, between our universe and others? Now the veil has been breached by us, a
seal broken, there is no barrier. Now, Michael Sanderson’s obsession to learn more about what is out there beyond us by orchestrating the events leading up to the intersection, has given what is beyond our universe an open invitation to enter it.”
Xander asks, “You mean Sam opening the wormhole for the Sondians in that forest?”
Daniel nods. “And Ezra and Nate.”
Balthazar adds, “Now that the veil has been parted, our world risks invasion.”
Daniel looks at me now. “We are the guardians, the angels, that have been purposed to maintain that seal. It is our destiny.”
The truth he speaks is hard to swallow and the gulp I take leaves a hint of something metallic on my tongue; strange.
I try and make the connection, that all beings beyond the veil are not evil.
“My mother, she came to me at the cabin. It was her soul. She came from beyond the veil I know it.”
I look at Sebastian. “Your wife, Dobria, her soul came to you.” Then at Monica. “Did your mother come to you?” Finally, I look at Xander. “Your parents and grandmother. Their souls are all there, somewhere beyond this veil.”
Monica nods and looks down at her hands intertwined in her lap as she confesses. “My mother has come to me in dreams more often since the intersection.”
I look at Sebastian and he nods. “Dobria has been coming to me as well.”
“I think they can help us. They can be our support from the other side.”
Daniel asks, “Yes, they are the good beyond the veil, but which one?”
“Which one?”
Daniel looks at Sebastian, then Balthazar. “Andromeda is only one opening beyond our universe, beyond the veil. One opening that bears unthinkable, parasitic beings eager to devour us and take our world for their own.”
Daniel looks at each of the guardians. “How could our loved ones souls dwell in a realm like that?” Daniel shakes his head. “I think there is another universe and its veil has thinned to our universe as well. Another universe that holds the souls of those that have passed and were good, righteous. Heaven or not, what if that realm holds the answers for our world’s salvation? For mankind’s salvation?”
Ascending the Veil Page 7
