Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1)

by Haviland, Teal

  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 pouring 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 se
lfish, 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 things 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?

  “Gabby … Gabrielle. Look at me.”

  Reluctantly, she met his gaze.

  “I’m not going to lie and say this is easy for me. Especially to the angel that’s in charge of handing out karma. I just found out two people I know are angels, for crying out loud! One is someone I’ve loved all my life. The other is someone I care about a lot even though I’ve only known you for a short amount of time. There’s a demon who will be after my blood if he finds out he didn’t finish the job seventeen years ago. And let’s not forget, I’m not altogether human myself. I feel like I’m getting punked, and at any time, someone is going to jump out and show me the hidden cameras. So please, have a little patience with me. I have to let this sink in.”

  Gabrielle relaxed just a little, feeling she wasn’t going to be shut out. “You’ll have all the time you need from me, Lucas. If, after all this sinks in, you still want me in your life on any level, I’ll be here for you. If you decide you can’t handle who, or what, I am, I’ll understand. Even though I won’t be happy about it.”

  “Gabby, I don’t think I can make it through all this without you. I want you in my life more than ever. But what happens when it’s time for you to go? Where will that leave us? Do you know?”

  “To be honest, I don’t. I didn’t expect to fall for a human. I’m sorry it happened, only because the last thing I want is to hurt you. But the fact is, I couldn’t seem to help myself. It felt like it was supposed to happen, that you and I were meant to be … maybe we are. Even if it doesn’t make sense.

  “I don’t know everything, but I know who does, and He doesn’t do anything without a purpose. That’s part of what my job is about, after all. I do want you to think about the possible outcomes for us. The good and the bad. In a way, I’m glad this happened tonight. I know it’s rocked your world, but it’s better for the truth to come out sooner than later. I don’t know how I would’ve brought it up and convinced you without freaking you out more by showing you my true form. Now you can really think about this before you get in any deeper.”

  “Did you completely miss what I just said to you, Gabby? I know I want you in my life, and I know I don’t want it to be in a way that’s less than you already are. I’m moving forward with you—with us. I’m concerned with the outcome, and I know we could come to an end, but it’s worth the risk. At least it is for me. Is it for you?”

  Gabrielle felt relief creep through her. She’d been prepared for him to take quite a bit of time to think about this, but she wouldn’t have to wait. She smiled and finally saw his smile return.

  “Yes, if you’re absolutely sure.” She searched his face for any trace of uncertainty.

  Lucas stood and walked over to her. He pulled her up to him, put his arms around her, and whispered in her ear.

  “Without a doubt.”

  Gabrielle let herself ease into the warmth of his body as he held her, enjoying the heat it awakened within her. She loved how happy he made her and wondered if she made him feel as happy. They held each other, silently, for a long time—just listening to each other breathe, feeling the pulse in the body they pressed themselves against. For a while, she wasn’t sure if she would ever know that warmth from him again—not after what he’d just found out about himself. About her. Gabrielle didn’t want it to end … not yet. She would enjoy every moment with him for as long as Yahuwah would allow.

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Lucas ~ New Secrets

  Lucas kissed Gabby on the forehead as he released her. All he had just learned about himself, his family, and her swam around in his head. He had a lot to think about and was already reflecting on things that had happened in his life. Now, he understood why Gran couldn’t give him the answers he’d wanted when he was younger. At the time, he wouldn’t have been able to deal with it as well as he could now. Everything made more sense—his strength, his speed, and why languages and learning came easy. There was a reason for all of it. For the first time in his life, he had some answers to why he seemed so different from everyone.

  I am different.

  Gran came into the kitchen to say she was going to bed. All three showed their exhaustion with heavy eyes and a contagious round of yawns that began with Lucas.

  “I should be going, too.” Gabby said, then said bye to Emma, who gave her a hug.r />
  Lucas walked her outside. With every step he took, he made sure he wasn’t dreaming by biting his lip.

  “Will I see you tomorrow—I mean, later today?” He asked Gabby as they made their way down the steps of the front porch.

  “That may not be the best idea.”

  “Why not? I thought I made it clear to you that I don’t need time to think about whether or not I want to be with you.” He paused, concerned she was having second thoughts. “Or are you the one who needs time?”

  Gabby laughed and stretched to kiss his nose. With that smile and kiss, he felt confident that things were okay.

  “No, it’s nothing like that. There’s a lot you still don’t know about me and my job. More so, what effect my job has on me.”

  Lucas must have looked as confused as he felt at that moment because Gabby explained further.

  “The thing is, my mood is directly affected by how much good karma I enforce, compared to bad. If I’m able to give out more good karma, my mood reflects that. And the reverse is true as well. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll just add it to your quirks.” He smiled. “But what does that have to do with seeing you or not?”