Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1)

by Haviland, Teal

  Something is bothering her … a lot.

  He’d noticed her pensiveness as soon as they started their day. All morning, she seemed to carry a sadness she tried to camouflage with her smiles. He wondered what happened since they went to sleep to cause her the unease she was trying to conceal and if she would talk to him about it when he asked her.

  A flurry of activity broke out next to Gabby. As usual, Nonie and Nate were clowning around. They were wielding butter knives and had assumed fencing stances. He couldn’t help but smile at his friends who were so much more than that to him. His smile was quickly erased as he thought of the danger they were in.

  Because of me.

  Gabby was smiling at them, too. But when she glanced at Lucas, her smile faded as she read the worry on his face. Seemingly able to understand his thoughts, she mouthed, “They’ll be okay.” Then she smiled and winked.

  “Touché!” Nate called to his sister, landing a winning strike. Then he proceeded to take a victory lap around the kitchen, prompting high-fives from Lucas and Gabby in the process.

  Nate’s use of the word touché brought the memory of the conversation Lucas and Gabby had in London on the way to the hotel. He had been so sure, at the time, that he wasn’t making a mistake by going to see the Elders. But that mistake had put not only him but everyone he cared about in mortal danger.

  So much has changed so quickly.

  “Aww … You totally cheated, you twit!” Nonie spouted in playful protest. “I want a rematch tomorrow. Same time, same place.”

  “I’m in. But you might want to prepare your ego for defeat again, sister. I am, always have been, and always will be, a better butter knivesman than you.”

  Nonie rolled her eyes dramatically and huffed. “Whatever. You only win when you come out of your stance. Why don’t you try staying in it and winning tomorrow? I bet the outcome will be different. The only thing you have on your side is brute strength. I’m the one with the finesse. And by the way, brother, knivesman isn’t even a word.”

  “Right, but I can’t call myself a swordsman if I’m using Mom and Dad’s wedding flatware as a weapon, either. So knivesman it is, twit.” He shot Nonie a playful smile.

  For several minutes, they all sat at the kitchen table and had casual conversation. Lucas couldn’t help but notice Nate staring at Gabby. He’d already realized earlier in the day at school that Nate’s attention was almost constantly on her. Not that he blamed him. He couldn’t fault any guy for having eyes for her. It was impossible not to notice how stunning she was. It would take a male without a heartbeat not to. And now that he knew there were men running around who actually didn’t have heartbeats, he would venture to guess even they would have difficulty not being drawn to her beauty.

  But there was something other than admiration in Nate’s eyes. It was as if he was trying to figure something out—suspicion. What would make him feel that way was beyond Lucas. She didn’t ever do anything to call attention to herself, and Nate hadn’t been around her enough to see anything that revealed how different she was. Nate must have felt his friend’s eyes on him because he glanced over at Lucas, then quickly looked away and took a bite of his sandwich. Everyone at the table fell quiet for several moments until Nate spoke.

  “Hey, Gabrielle, Nonie and I wanted to talk to you, if you don’t mi—OUCH!” Nate gave Nonie an irate look, and she gave him one back.

  “Not now, Nate!” Nonie sort of whispered but not in the way you don’t want someone to hear.

  “Why not, Nee? He is our friend—hell—more than that. He might as well be our brother. I’m going to look out for him just like you or Chloe!”

  “Hey … whatever it is you want to talk to me about, I’m all ears. I don’t mind.” Gabrielle looked at both Nate and Nonie and waited for one of them to speak.

  Nate and Nonie looked at each other for half a minute. Nonie broke the silence.

  “You started this, brother, so don’t look at me to get the conversation going now. I told you I didn’t think it was something we should bring up until we find out more info. So, Mr. Jump the Gun—enjoy.”

  Nate looked from Nonie to Gabby and then to Lucas. He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, crossing and resting his arms on his chest. It still took several more seconds to compose his thoughts, and then his inquisition began.

  “Look, Lucas. I’m not trying to be nosy or anything, but when you were away with Gabrielle, Emma was over here quite a bit. On Monday night, she came over for dinner, and when they all thought Chloe, Nonie, and I were out of earshot, they started talking. It was kind of hard to hear, so I didn’t catch everything, but I heard—” Nate squinted a little. “Were you really in London? I heard enough to know something is going on—something that has Emma concerned. And then, early this morning, she was here having coffee with my dad, and she seemed scared—really scared.”

  Lucas reached to take Gabby’s hand. They didn’t look at each other, though.

  Nate sighed again. “So, I said I didn’t hear much, but here’s what I did hear. For one thing, I know you guys didn’t go to Florida unless you had a stop in London to get there, which I doubt. And then this morning, I kept hearing Gabrielle’s name. Something about some Elders, and that, well—that Emma was concerned for your safety. No, more than that. Your life.”

  Lucas squeezed Gabby’s hand, and this time, they did look at each other, searching the other’s eyes for how they were going to respond.

  “Don’t tell me there’s nothing to this, Lucas. I’ve been around Emma since I was a baby, and I’ve never seen her like this. She’s terrified. And I know she’s not one for dramatics; she’s always steady and grounded. So what’s going on, and what does Gabrielle have to do with it?”

  The silence seemed to stretch endlessly. Lucas understood now why Nate had been boring holes into Gabby all day, but he didn’t know how to approach his questions and concerns.

  Finally, Lucas spoke quietly and carefully to Gabby.

  “Gabby, do you trust me?” He looked pleadingly into her eyes, begging her to let him tell them. “I really need someone to talk to about this, other than you and Gran, and I know we can trust them. They need to know for their own safety because of what you saw, because of why we went to London—please.”

  Lucas could tell by the look on Gabby’s face that she wasn’t sure how to proceed with this. Nonie and Nate knew just enough information to make it impossible to lie their way out of this, though.

  “Here’s the thing,” Gabby said, “I can see you know more than we intended, but I can’t just blurt out to you what’s happening. Especially without Ben and Lizzie’s okay. That would be wrong.” She glanced at Nate who had an accusatory look in his eyes as if she was the danger herself. “I’m sorry, I can’t tell you anything until I talk with them.” She looked at Lucas. “And I hope you won’t either. We have time to talk. Later. After their mom and dad agree.”

  Nonie was looking quizzically at everyone at the table, and Nate now looked more disgusted than accusatory, shaking his head.

  Lucas wondered if he looked as tired as he felt. “You’re right,” Lucas said to Gabby and then looked at his friends. “There is something going on, and I’ll tell you what I can—later.”

  He stood up from the table and pulled on Gabrielle’s hand. They needed to get out of there. They needed to talk.

  “We’ll go, but I promise we’ll talk soon.”

  He looked at his friends, who sat speechless, and turned himself and Gabby toward the door. He was almost out of the room when he turned around to speak to Nate.

  “Hey man … thanks for what you said. I consider you guys to be my brother and sister, too. All of you are my family, and I don’t think I’ve ever actually told you that before.”

  Nate smiled and nodded, but Nonie bolted out of her seat and into Lu
cas’s arms.

  “We love you, Lucas.”

  Lucas squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears beginning to fill them, but one escaped quietly out of the corner of his eye and slipped down his cheek into Nonie’s hair.

  “Yeah … me, too.”

  Chapter Sixty-two

  Javan ~ Epiphanies

  Surprisingly, Javan was able to sleep well after he and Cecily finished their discussion and she left. He’d expected his thoughts on getting Lucas away from Gabrielle to keep him awake and was caught off guard when his eyes opened and saw how brightly the sun lit his room. He’d slept though most of the day; it was well into the afternoon.

  He showered immediately and dressed. There was a lot to do. He and Cecily had come up with a preliminary plan just before she left, and she was sure using Lucas would work out nicely.

  Now the real fun began.

  Javan enjoyed putting the wheels in motion for his games. It was more fun than the outcome because once the game was over and his goal accomplished, so was the challenge. This would be different, though. This time, he would be obtaining the one item that would make everything perfect. This time, the outcome would bring him more enjoyment than the game.

  He would have to construct the plan he and Cecily devised carefully. It would be easy to fool Lucas, but not Gabrielle. Javan would have to be shiftier than ever to get this past her.

  He’d already called Mara’s cell and left a message that he needed to see her. He would have to involve her in his planning heavily, so it was good she didn’t seem to be bothered by his relations with Cecily. It still surprised him, though, that Mara didn’t seem to be affected by what she saw. She was more adaptable than he’d given her credit for and not as attached to him as he’d guessed she was.

  What’s she up to?

  He normally wasn’t so off-base about his conclusions and had been blind-sided by her reaction. His grumbling stomach interrupted his thoughts. As he made his way to the kitchen, he heard a knock at the door.

  “It’s open,” he yelled.

  He heard the door open and close and looked up to see whom he’d suspected it was.

  Mara.

  She looked lovely, as usual, but intoxicated by Cecily, he didn’t find Mara as desirable as he once had. She still didn’t seem to be phased by the prior evening’s revelation.

  “Hey! I thought you were leaving it locked,” she chirped.

  I hope she won’t be this animated all day.

  “Old habits,” he said, then managed what he thought was a somewhat believable smile.

  “Are we alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “So … Cecily seems all right—for a Qalal, anyway.” She spoke with little inflection for Javan to read. Her expression held nothing in it to help, either.

  “She’s proving to be helpful,” he responded, matching her tone and expression.

  “Is that what you call it?” she asked with the same indifference she had the night before.

  “She doesn’t bother you,” Javan said as a statement.

  “Why should she?”

  “After the way you reacted to my conversation with Gabrielle last Saturday night—you know, getting all jealous and possessive—I thought you’d have a problem with Cecily, too.”

  “Oh …” Mara smiled. “Don’t you see? That’s why I don’t care about Cecily. She’s no threat to me. There isn’t ever going to be anyone for you other than Gabrielle. Not in that way. You made that obvious Saturday night. Why should I be bothered by anyone, or anything in Cecily’s case, who will never be able to have more of you than I’ve already had?”

  Javan was annoyed she knew how much Gabrielle still meant to him and how much he still wanted her in his life. He wasn’t upset at Mara. He was mad at himself for his continuing weakness for Gabrielle and, more so, for the truth in his next thought.

  I always will.

  “I see,” was all he said in response. It was a waste of time to argue, and now he knew Mara would see through it, anyway.

  Mara took her typical position on her favorite chair, sitting sideways with one leg thrown over its arm. “Whatcha’ need me for today?”

  “I need you to keep tabs on Lucas and Gabrielle. Discretely. I want to know what their patterns are. Particularly if there’s a certain time Gabrielle leaves Lucas by himself regularly. Just remember that Gabrielle will know you’re around; she’ll sense you.”

  “I can handle that. Anything else?”

  “No, that’s enough for you to take care of right now.”

  “No more digging in Emma and Lucas’s past or hunting for leads on the Book?”

  He could see Mara was puzzled by the shift in importance from finding the Book to keeping tabs on Lucas and Gabrielle. Javan’s mouth took on one of his crooked, mischievous grins as he plopped down on the couch.

  “No. No more digging into their past. I know everything I need to know about that. And … I know where the Book is.”

  Mara swung herself around to face Javan so fast that he thought she was going to fall off the chair.

  “WHAT? Since when?” Mara’s eyes were wide with excitement.

  “Since right after you left last night.”

  Mara threw her hands up in the air. “And you couldn’t call me? Is that what Cecily had to tell you?”

  “I didn’t think about calling; there’s more to it. I needed to think about some things. And yes, it’s what Cecily had to tell me.”

  Mara settled back into the chair, scrunching her face and nose. “Yeah. I’m sure you did a lot of thinking after I left you and Cecily alone.”

  Javan laughed slightly and shook his head.

  “So, what’s with saying there’s more to it?” Mara asked, relaxing her face.

  Javan gave her the full story. Then he let Mara in on his solution, making it clear to her now why her new directive was so important.

  “When are you going to try to do this?”

  “I don’t have a firm plan because a lot will be determined by the information I need and how fast I get it. Then I have to make sure I’m careful not to tip off Gabrielle. But if all goes well, I’ll have it in my hands within the month.” Javan’s devilish grin spread across his face. “And Lucas’s heart silenced. I’m only going to get one chance at this if I get that. If I screw it up the first time, she won’t let her guard down with Lucas ever again.”

  “You’re right about that,” Mara said in a matter of fact tone. “Well, I’ll get back to school. I skipped out for lunch to come here. I wasn’t planning on going back to that wretched place, but I guess I will so I can get going on my new job. I’ll call you later if I find out anything useful.” Mara got up to walk toward the door.

  Javan jumped in front of her—smiling a flirty, toothy smile.

  “Why don’t you stay a little while longer?” He asked in an alluring voice, trying to be enticing.

  Mara returned a smile as if contemplating his offer but then moved past him. She looked back over her shoulder, responding to his attempt at seduction, laughing through her words. “Honestly, Javan, when did you turn into such a slut? Maybe another time.” She opened the door and walked out, turning to wink at him before disappearing.

  Javan stood where he’d stopped Mara, somewhat stunned and expressionless. He wasn’t accustomed to being turned down.

  Ever.

  His crooked smile slowly returned, realizing Mara just changed things up between them.

  “I’m going to enjoy this new Mara.”

  At least, this side of her was new to him. She might be more his equal than he’d originally thought. Her shrewdness was making an appearance, and he was looking forward to causing her to want him again—as he found himself beginning to want her more than he ever had.

&
nbsp; “Good,” he said with a smile, “another game.”

  After Mara had left, Javan busied himself with laying the groundwork for his scheme. He called on some old friends he’d used in trying to locate the Book to ask for their services again. Having their assistance in New Orleans before he arrived, and especially while he was there, would help things run smoother.

  He hoped Mara would be able to get him the information quickly. He was so close to getting what he wanted and was already feeling more impatient. His pacing and drinking had doubled since Cecily told him that she knew where the Book was.

  As Javan did what he could to get his plans going, he thought back to when he realized he was destined to become the Destroyer. The seed imbedded itself the day he and Gabrielle spent alone on the beach. But his discontent had started long before.

  Javan had spent so many years having to live by Yahuwah’s commands, always doing everything to help His preferred creation—humans. Javan had never understood why He loved them so much more than His angels who served so obediently. Humans tossed their faith aside in order to be able to do as they wanted all the time.

  If they ever have faith at all.

  Each time Javan had to help a human in some manner, his resentment grew. Everywhere he looked when he descended, Yahuwah’s beloved creation would be turning their backs on Him—lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, raping, and anything else they could do against Him. And the worst of it all was that he had to do everything right or risk being cast out of Heaven. Yahuwah gave people chance after chance to be forgiven, to have the opportunity to enter into the Gates of Heaven and be in His kingdom forever.

  Welcomed with open arms.