Death in Her Eyes

by ERIN BEDFORD

  "It's kind of a show," Zephyr answered his eyes focusing out on the pond. "All of the elementals come together and let our powers intertwine becoming one together in a dance of sorts, but it looks like Ayden here isn't going to get to do it this year." She bumped her on the shoulder as she snorted and snored, leaning her head against his leg.

  "So, kind of like how you used your wind and fire powers on that first day?" I leaned forward so I could see all of them.

  "Kind of but to a larger extent and we have a lot more space to work with." Joash spread his arms out to measure the pond length.

  Coral grinned happily and bobbed her head in agreement. "It'll be pretty cool looking. Especially to someone who hasn't seen that kind of stuff, like you."

  I rocked in my seat a bit. While my nerves were buzzing to get on the road, I was a bit hyped up to see what they were all going on about. After all, it was a once in a lifetime show. I couldn't miss it, could I?

  Chapter 13

  As if an unspoken command everyone at the party quieted. Those who were around the bonfire doused the flames and made their way over to the pond. A hush came over the water as everyone gathered around.

  Something in the air a sort of pressure danced across my skin setting my hairs on end. The twins lifted their hands before them while Joash held a single hand out. Coral clasped her hands before her as if praying.

  "Watch." Ayden sobered up enough to grab my ankle.

  I jerked my eyes back to water waiting for whatever was going to happen next.

  Suddenly the sky went dark. The moon and stars which had shone down on us before were blocked out by the clouds. Clouds that hadn't even existed until just now.

  The entire clearing was pitch black. I couldn't even see my fingers in front of my face. Then a single glow. A drop of light barely a blip burned in the middle of the pond. The single drop of fire turned into two then three, multiplying until there were so many, I couldn't count them. They grew and morphed until a faceless featureless form developed each one of them not more than a foot tall.

  As if to some unheard music they began to dance and spin, twirling around in skirts of flames across the water. Sharp and fast movements their arms and legs punching out and kicking to the sides.

  Each fiery figure darted about the water causing ripples to spread out, small at first and then larger until the entire surface undulated with micro waves. The waves shifted and curled, folding in on themselves as they gathered together into their own glowing faceless and featureless figures. They pranced around the water in fluid happy movements much different than that of their fiery counter parts.

  The fiery figures seemed annoyed by the water figures dance. They stopped in place shaking as they watched the water figures skip and hop across the pond surface their ripples causing the ones created by the fiery figures to mesh and collide. The fiery figures heads turned to each other nodding in agreement before at once in a flash they darted across the pond. The water figures didn't see them coming as they shoved past them. Their fire hissed at the contact with the water filling the scene with steam.

  The water figures paused in their dance watching cautiously as the fiery figures spun and spun until I felt as if the world itself was moving. I clutched the wood beneath me letting the pain of the bark bite into my hands to ground me. I'd never seen anything like the sight before me. When Ayden had told me it was once in a lifetime I'd thought she was exaggerating. My guilt of leaving had been pushed to the side from the vision of the dance before me. I thanked whoever might be listening that I'd decided to stay for this.

  "Keep watching." Ayden was sitting up now, her eyes on the dance before us. "The best part is coming."

  I turned my gaze back to the pond, searching for what might happen next.

  The fire and water figures were in a standoff of sorts. Each one of them doing their own form of dance trying to outdo the other. A rumble beneath our feet startled me but one look around the pond and I relaxed. No one else seemed bothered by it.

  The fire and water figures battled it out on the open surface unaware of the growing ripples bubbling up from the center of the pond. A darkness pushed against the surface, pulsating and fighting to the top. When it broke the top, a large glowing green figure with wings made of leaves and branches spread out the length of the pond. The mother nature type figure loomed over the fire and water figures. They stopped their fighting gaping up at the giant before them.

  The water figures scrambled over themselves pushing past the fire figures to get closer to the green giant. They cuddled up to it, letting themselves be absorbed into its form, allowing the green giant to grow bigger and stronger by their sacrifices.

  The fire figures though were different.

  They stared up at the giant with awe and fear but not many went closer. Those who did venture toward the giant burned it wherever it touched. The giant swatted at them knocking them off their feet and into the watery depths below.

  When the other fire figures saw this, they grew in form and anger, charging at the giant as one. The green giant batted at them like buzzing gnats but there were too many of them. The fire overcame the giant burning it down until there was nothing left but burnt earth left in the middle of the watery grave of their friends.

  Then one by one the fire figures sagged and slowly walked into the water, letting it envelope them as they hissed and bubbled out of existence, leaving us in complete darkness.

  Silence filled the clearing and then a sudden thunderous applause erupted. People hooted and hollered. Someone lit the bonfire back up and the clouds covering the sky were blown away.

  I shifted to the others a mixture of emotions in my chest. It wasn't hard to figure out what the whole performance depicted. The battle of the angels versus the fallen. The green giant was meant to be God. However, the ending was what stumped me. If the fallen found God to be the evil, then why did they seem so sad at the end of it all?

  "So, what did you think?" Zephyr turned to me with a curious smile.

  Shaking away my philosophical thoughts, I smiled back at him. "It was great. Really. You guys were right it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. I'm glad I came."

  "Good." Bayu beamed at me from the other side of his brother. "We're too. We don't get many mentals who are as easy going at you."

  I burst out laughing.

  "What?" Bayu asked, glancing to his brother and back to me. "What did I say?"

  Shaking my head, I waved him off as I stood. "Nothing. Don't worry about it."

  "Where are you going?" Ayden shifted against Zephyr's leg, her glassy eyes now clearer than before. "The night's still young."

  I chuckled down at her enthusiasm. "Yeah but I'm tired. I think I've had enough excitement for the night."

  "So, have you for that matter." Bayu placed his hand on Ayden's head, making her swat at him for messing up her hair.

  "Oh, okay. Dad thanks for the advice." Ayden giggled but Bayu frowned at her.

  Huh. Did Bayu like Ayden? Not surprising the twins stayed attached to her side every time I'd seen them. Sadly, though Ayden only seemed to have eyes for Bishop. She was searching for him as we spoke.

  "Well, I'm going to find another drink." Ayden wobbled to her feet, winking at me. "Do you need me to walk you back?"

  Smirking at her inability to walk straight, I shook my head. "No but it looks like you might need some assistance. Are you sure you should drink anymore?"

  She blew a raspberry and waved a hand at me. "I'm fine. It's more these shoes than my alcohol level. Besides, the performance always sobers me up." She played it off, but I wasn't so sure.

  I shifted to the twins. "Can you keep an eye on her? Not that I don't think you would anyway, but I don't want to find out she fell in the pond in the morning."

  Zephyr laughed and looped his arm around Bayu's shoulders. "Don't worry we got this. This isn't our first Ayden rodeo."

  I laughed with them, shaking my head but my guilty conscious was eased knowing I wasn't lea
ving Ayden on her own.

  I didn't bother telling Coral and Joash good night they were too wrapped up in each other. Well, if their mouths molding together were anything to go by. Good for her.

  Happy that my weird wacky trip into the Nephilim world would end on a good note, I dug my phone out of my purse and started toward the dirt path. I shot a text off to Nikki letting her know I was leaving the party then pulled up the map app on my phone.

  Lifting it up so I could see it better, I stared at the little numbers telling me how long it would take me on foot to get to the nearest town.

  "Three hours?" I gaped at it in horror. My dad had to pick somewhere that was out in the middle of nowhere. Why couldn't he have picked somewhere that was conveniently next to a bus stop or even a taxi service. On that thought, I tried to use ride pick up app, but I was too far out for anyone to come get me.

  "Just my fucking luck."

  I scowled and threw my purse over my head, looping it across my chest as I got ready for the long trek to town. It was a good thing I'd worn my boots. There was no way I'd have made this walk in heels.

  When I got out of the woods and back onto the cobblestone path, I took one more glance at the school. I hadn't been here long enough to get attached, not that getting attached had ever been a problem for me. Still, there was something bittersweet about leaving.

  I sighed and changed directions. Instead of going into the school gates, taking the path leading to the driveway and then that to the road. No one stopped me. No one was even out to care. It was all a bit anticlimactic if I was being honest.

  A part of me wanted someone to come after me. To tell me to stop and stay. That I belonged here. Not the sane part but that small part that still thought that there was a place for me in the world. If today had shown me anything, that wasn't or would never be true. I was a freak amongst the freaks and that was just the way it would always be.

  I got about a mile or two down the road and I was already fed up with the walking. My mouth had long gone dry and I wished I'd at least packed some provisions for the walk. I'd have tried my hand at hitchhiking, but no cars came down the road. It was as if the world didn't even know the school existed. Though, there was a street leading to it as well as a sign I passed on the way out.

  Fallon Academy for the Gifted.

  I scoffed when I'd seen it. Really? They couldn’t have been more creative? And academy for the gifted? Yeah, right. Cursed more like.

  If I was really gifted, I could make someone stop and give me a ride. Someone right now. I paused on the street and closed my eyes tightly, focusing with all my might. Come on. Come on. Come on. Some nice old couple come down and see this poor defenseless girl walking on the side of the street. And they just have to give her a ride. It's dangerous to be walking alone at night.

  I peeked an eye open. Nothing. Nada. I sagged with a heavy breath. Fuck.

  I didn't exactly expect it to work but one could dream.

  Kicking the ground as I walked, I grumbled to myself about everything that had gone since Officer Rhoades had shown up on my doorstep. I almost went blind when a set of high beams blasted me in the face.

  I threw my arm up to cover my eyes and stepped back as the car blew by. I spun around and flipped it off. "Fuck you too buddy!"

  To my shock and horror, the car stopped. It slowly backed up and with each foot, I started walking again. Crap. The one time I prayed for someone to pick me up and someone almost runs me over. Now they were coming back because they missed.

  Unfortunately, the car was faster than I was, and I found myself staring into the tinted passenger window a black sedan. I frowned and watched the window buzzed as it slid down revealing my dad's disappointed face.

  Shit.

  “Eleanor.” My dad’s voice came out neutral, but I could sense the anger he was holding back as he stared at me. “I have to say I am surprised to see you, out here, past the barrier, in the middle of the night, alone.”

  “I say it is quite a surprise to me as well.”

  Of course, fucking Azazel leaned over the center console and peered at me through my dad’s window. Double shit.

  “Well, you know. It’s a nice night and I thought a long walk would do me good. You know clear my head after everything.” I tried to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal as I began to walk again.

  Sadly, they didn’t take that answer well. The car stopped completely, and the passenger door opened. I didn’t quit walking even when my dad’s presence was right behind me.

  “Eleanor.”

  “Elle.” I corrected him again, not even bothering to look back at him as I glanced down at my phone. Not even halfway there before I got caught. Damn.

  “Elle, I don’t know how I can make you understand the danger of you being out here on your own. I’m not even thinking about how you even got out.” He muttered something under his breath that sounded like a curse but didn’t elaborate further.

  “I’m going home.” I shot over my shoulder. “You have no right to keep me here.”

  “I have every right. I’m your father.” He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around.

  I jerked back from him. “No. You might have donated your…seed.” I threw a disgusted hand at him. “But you didn’t raise me. Mom did. You only came around when we were convenient.” I tried to stalk away but his latched onto my elbow keeping me in place no matter how much I pulled. He was stronger than he looked.

  “I know I wasn’t there for you but there were extenuating circumstances. Ones that I will not go into here,” his eyes grew worried as he scanned the area around us. “We are not safe, Elle. The block I put on you and your powers is almost faded. I can’t put a new one on until its completely gone. I’d prefer it to be behind the school’s barrier.”

  I stared down at the mark on my hand and then glowered at my dad. “I don’t know exactly what this does, but I know I’m not letting you do anything to me here or back at your mutant school.”

  “Nephilims. Not mutants.” My dad rolled his gaze to the heavens before placing his face in his hands. With an exhausted breath, he lifted his head but the expression on his face wasn’t that of an annoyed parent but of alarm even fear. “Elle, get in the car.”

  “What?” I griped my purse to me tightly. “No. I’m not going -”

  “Get in the car now.” He grabbed me shoving me behind him as Azazel opened her side of the car.

  The sound of wings beating against the ground drew my attention and I struggled to see around my dad. Of all the things I’d seen and experienced in my life nothing prepared me for what stood before us looking menacing. The handsome man with wings expanding six feet on either side with a glowing sword in hand and golden armor coating his body wasn’t anything like anyone I’d ever seen before.

  It was then I realized that for the first time in my life I saw an honest to God angel.

  “Batariel, I should have known it would be you who protecting the abomination.” The man sneered at my dad, who to his credit didn’t flinch.

  “Michael.” My dad snorted, his hand going to the side. A curved blade appeared in his hand out of thin air. “You’ve fallen so far out of His grace he’s having you run errands?”

  “Dad…” I went to put my hand on his shoulder, but large black wings popped out of his back blocking me from touching him as well as seeing the angel.

  “Azazel,” my dad ordered from the other side of the wings. “Get her out of here.”

  Sharp nails bit into my arm and I was being shoved into the passenger side car before I knew what was happening.

  “Wait.” I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Glaring at Azazel, I growled, “Let me out. We can’t leave him there.”

  Azazel didn’t even spare me a glance putting the car into gear and speeding off as something crashed and shook the ground. “Your father can handle it. My job is to keep you safe.”

  Twisting in my seat, I tried to see what was happening behind us, but we had gotten too far
away already to make anything out. Flashings of light in the distance were the only sign that anything was going on.

  “Do you have a death wish girl?” Azazel switched gears violently as we pulled into the gates of the academy. “You’d think that someone with your abilities wouldn’t put themselves in unnecessary danger.”

  One would think.

  Chapter 14

  A knock on my bedroom door woke me up from my usual dream. This time the shadows were closing in on me, whispering, “We’ve found you, at last.”

  I didn’t want to think too much into what it meant. It was too conveniently associated with my recent angel encounter to be a coincidence.

  The persistent knocking continued as I rolled over and shoved my pillow over my head, trying to block it out. My dad still hasn’t come back from fighting with Michael. Normally, I would attest his missing person to Bart being Bart but under the circumstances it could be bad. Very bad.

  The knocking turned into a pounding.

  “Mother fucker.” I grunted, turning over and climbing, well falling out of the bed. I tripped over my shoes and barely caught myself on the doorknob. “Who put those there?” I shot daggers at my favorite boots, shoving my hair out of my face and unlocking the door. Pulling it open with a scowl, I prepared to give whoever interrupted my sleep a piece of my mind.

  “What do you…want?” My mouth fell open at Dex standing on the other side of my door.

  His masculine arms crossed over his chest, his dark gaze skimming over my pajamas which consisted of a tank top and short shorts.

  “Uh…what are you doing here?” I shifted slightly behind the door, hoping to hide the fact that I wasn’t wearing a bra right now.

  Dex stared hard at me lingering on my bare legs.

  “Hey!” I snapped, clicking my fingers in his face. “Eyes up here buddy.”

  Blinking rapidly, Dex cleared his throat and turned his face to the side. “Get dressed. You’re late for breakfast.”