The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3

by Valerie Roeseler

  Jack swears, “Shit,” then calls to Alice wading in the water with her shoes in hand, “You forgot the suits, Alice!”

  She rolls her eyes, throwing her hands in the air, “I’m sorry! I was more worried about not getting caught!”

  “I hate to break it to you guys, but it’s almost impossible to surf without boards,” I tell Jack and Solas.

  Solas smiles wide, pointing to a black Hummer parked at the edge of the beach, “We have boards.”

  I shade my eyes from the sun to see better. Everyone starts trudging through the sand towards it. It has loads of boards strapped to the rack on the top. “Who is that?”

  Beck hops out of the driver side, arms wide, “The party has arrived!”

  Excitement jolts me into motion, running to him. Another person veers around the front of the Hummer, her yellow bikini blinding me against her tan skin. Her Aviators glisten in the sun, her long brown hair flowing in the heavy breeze. I stop short, asking Solas through his telepathy, Is it safe for her to be here?

  Solas warns, “There’s probably something Beck—”

  Beck interrupts, “I hope you don’t mind. I brought a friend.”

  I shake my head, approaching them with a warm smile and hug our guest, “How’ve you been, Becky?”

  She squeezes me tight, smelling of lime and coconut, “I’m good.” She pulls back, “Really good, now that you’re here.”

  “How long have you guys been here?” I ask.

  She shrugs, “A few days. Oh! I brought a few suits for you and Alice to choose from!”

  I chide, “Ok. Who are you and what have you done with my Becky?”

  She mocks, leading Alice and me to the back of the Hummer, “Don’t have a fucking coronary, Ivy.” I snicker. Becky calls over to Beckett, “Hey, babe! Pop the hatch!”

  Beck pulls out a set of keys from his gray board shorts, then clicks the key fob, opening the back hatch of the Hummer. He stays with Cass, Jack, and Solas while we dig through the bikinis Becky brought. Alice picks out the black one I had an eye on, so I find it fitting to piece together a neon green top and blue, boy cut bottoms. Alice gets the pun, “Still a little indecisive, are we?”

  I snort, “I have no idea what you mean.”

  The guys take their turns changing into their trunks while we walk out into the ocean. The waves are choppy, but the surf will be great later in the evening. Beck charges into the water, chasing Becky. He snatches her up, throwing her further out in the water. Solas, Jack, and Cass grab surfboards from the Hummer, then sit in the sand to wax them up. Alice and Eric find a spot to relax on the beach, and I watch everyone as I float in the water. You would think each of them would be out of their element, but they lounge and play around as if they belong here. I’m grateful for the reprieve, missing my friends. In another time, in another world, I could see us here on spring break; just another group of friends enjoying life, embracing each day as it comes.

  Solas takes the reigns teaching Jack and Cass how to surf. They’re naturals. I hop on a board with Solas to show off our trick rides from back in the day, and everyone whoops and hollers for more. Beck and Becky are infatuated with each other, always holding hands, kissing, hugging, flirting. I’m glad he’s found someone. He deserves to be happy. I only wonder how long it will last. They’re from different worlds. It’s only a matter of time before their worlds collide.

  Becky takes a break, joining Alice and Eric on the beach while Solas tries to show Jack more moves on his surfboard. Beck dives into the water, meeting me in the calmer waves rocking me on my board gently. He greets, “Hey,”

  “Hey.”

  “So… I wanted to talk to you since no one’s around.”

  I run my hands through the water at my sides, “Shoot.”

  His eyes travel everywhere but at my face as he speaks, “Ok. Here it goes… I want to bring Becky back to The Keep with us.”

  I lament, “What! Are you crazy?”

  His head drops, “Well, no. There’s mo—”

  “You are certifiably insane! She can’t come to The Keep, Beck. I know you really like her, but—”

  “I love her. And there’s more to her than you’ve been led to believe.”

  I rub my face vigorously, halting with my hands covering every inch. “I swear on everything that is holy, Beck. If you tell me she’s an angel or a demon, I’m going to go ape-shit.” I’m met with silence, causing me to drop my hands as I glare at him.

  His expression is downcast, “She’s mortal.” There’s a pause. “But she’s very important to the Light.”

  Confusion reflects in my features, “In what way?”

  He takes a deep breath. “Becky is Grigori.”

  I stare at him blankly. “What is that?”

  He explains, “The Grigori are humans with special abilities. They descend from Gadreel Grigori, who was the first angel to fall from Paradise before the uprising of the Morning Star. The Creator cursed Gadreel to walk the surface for eternity, never to see the Light of Paradise again.”

  “So, she’s not an angel, but a descendant of one?”

  Beck nods, “Yes, but her entire family line are a secret covenant. The Grigori are Watchers.”

  “What do they watch?”

  “Depends on what they’re good at. Some watch angels like us. Some watch demons, witches, werewolves, vampires—”

  I hold a hand up, “Stop. You’re going to make my head explode. How is Becky important to the Light?”

  His lips pull up to one side, creating a dimple in his cheek. “She’s your Watcher.”

  The world pauses on its axis. “Does everyone else know?”

  “Only because she wanted to tell you herself. As you can tell, she chickened out and sent in the Calvary. I told her I had a way of smoothing things over with you.”

  “This is going to cost you, Beck.”

  He chuckles, “Whatever it is…” he regards Becky on the beach, “it’s worth it.”

  I give him a playful shove, “You’re such a sap!”

  Turning back to me, he mocks, “Oh, yeah?”

  Standing resolutely as he readies himself to pounce, I caution, “Bring it.”

  I’m plowed into the water. I release my wings, bursting through the surface and into the sky, commencing a chase I’ve never won before.

  Chapter 10

  At dusk, Cass and Eric have a bonfire raging on the beach. It’s a little excessive in its height and diameter, but Eric thought it would be best to ‘go big or go home.’ We lounge around the fire, passing around bottles of Jack Daniels and Jägermeister. I nudge Becky with a knee, “Are you coming back to The Keep with us then?”

  Her eyes are wide as she astounds, “You really want me to come?”

  I snort. “Number one, it would help if Beck would stick around more. I worry about him when he’s gone. Number two, The Keep could really use the estrogen to help battle the copious amounts of testosterone. And Number three, Beck said you could help. As long as you understand the dangers involved and you still want to come, I think it would be great. I’ll have to try and smooth things over with the Originals when we get there as well. Just know, if shit hits the fan, I don’t want you anywhere in sight.”

  “I understand. I’ve done my best to help you from Red Meadow, but news travels slowly,” she notes.

  Alice passes the bottle of Jäger to me. I take a sip, then pass it to Becky, my face scrunching as I inquire, “How’ve you been helping from Red Meadow?”

  Beckett fields the question from her other side, “All those anonymous tips and phone calls I’ve been getting? That was B.”

  Raising my brows high and leaning away from Becky with over exaggeration, I mock Beckett’s nickname for her, “B, huh?”

  She shoves me with her elbow playfully, “Shut your face, punk.”

  Jack and Cass get up, dusting the sand off their board shorts. Jack says, “We’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Where are you going?” I ask.

 
He grins, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

  I roll my eyes, fighting back a smile. The rest of us finish off the liquor while they’re gone, laughing, and dreading what will happen when we get back to The Keep. Flashes of Merrick’s throat being slit fill my thoughts, followed by the memory of breaching Uriel’s chest cavity with my fist to pull out his heart.

  Alice and Eric go for a walk down the shore, and Becky jumps into Beckett’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as he whispers in her ear, making her blush. My focus bores through the smaller flames of the fire, finding Solas watching me intently. I open my mind to him, You ok?

  “Just thinking.”

  Must be some pretty heavy thinking.

  His shoulders shudder with his silent chuckle, “Look who’s talking.”

  He moves to my side, his body warming mine with its closeness. “I have something for you.”

  I sit up straighter, sarcasm clear in my tone, “I don’t know if I can handle any more surprises. I may explode.”

  “You won’t,” Solas promises. He reaches into the front pocket of his shorts, then pulls out a fist clenched tight around something small. He waves his fist around as he explains, “I had to go through great lengths to get this. I could have been tortured or worse for going to get it. It’s extremely valuable.” He smiles, opening his hand. A worn hemp string loops around his middle finger, a glass charm dangling at its end in rigid twists, emulating a leafless tree. He requests, “Try not to lose it again.”

  My fingers follow the abstract lines of the fulgurite, remembering the day we found it on the beach. “Where did you find it?”

  “After being placed in Beleth’s legion, the first chance I had, I went back to Los Angeles to track you down. Instead of finding you, I found it. It was in the grass of the crash site where you wrecked that night.”

  “You’ve had it all this time?” I wonder as he lets it drop into my palm.”

  “It’s what kept me from giving in to the Darkness. I’m hoping you’ll keep it as a reminder.” He gestures around us, “This is who you are. You’re bold, fun, adventurous… You drink and curse and make mistakes… And we love you for who you are, not what you’re expected to be. I want this to remind you of that. Stop trying to please everyone by doing what they want. Fuck ‘em. Be you. That’s who’s going to save us, not Teloch. You, Ivy. I also hope it reminds you that you’re stronger than the Darkness because you are.”

  I nod, quietly blinking back tears. “Thank you. I can’t believe you found it.”

  Alice and Eric come back to the fire, fully dressed in what they arrived on the island in. Alice orders, “Everybody, get changed and ready to go.”

  I whine teasingly, “Where are we going now? I was having fun.”

  She smiles, offering a hand and helping me up from the sand, “We’re meeting Jack and Cass. They’re waiting for us.”

  We fly through the dark night over the sea, Beckett carrying Becky in his arms as he leads the way. The temperature drops, a storm brewing in the distance. I see the lights, hear the music, and smell the enchanting scent of burned rubber as we approach an industrial district of Oahu. I smile wide, my cheeks burning. I yell ahead of me, “Hey, Alice! Are you sure they’re not a bunch of rednecks in pickups?”

  She giggles, “I’m sure they’re just a bunch of beach bums this time.”

  I scream with excitement, diving for a spot to land where we won’t be seen by the crowd. Cassius meets us as we join the underground racing scene of Oahu in the dead industrial district marked with years of neglect. The roads are marred with spray-paint, noting the starting lanes and directions for obstacles for the racers. I haven’t witnessed an obstacle street race since the L.A. scene. It makes for some pretty hefty bank, and I wonder if this is a regular occurrence for Oahu’s underground.

  Cassius leads us to where Jack is waiting with a familiar blonde. They turn around to greet us, only to be met with low growls from Solas and myself. Their happy smiles fade quickly. My Darkness threatens to show itself as Jack intervenes between Tallulah and me. “Whoa! Ivy wait! This is the real Telly, not the imposter!”

  “How do you know?” I challenge, attempting to proceed towards her. Tallulah moves further behind Jack, shying away from my anger.

  “It’s a long story, but I swear she’s the real deal.” Jack offers to Solas, “You can check if you want. Try and read her thoughts.”

  I glance to Solas as his anger falls away. I ask, “Well?”

  Solas nods, a mischievous twitch of his lips accompanying his thoughts to me, “He’s telling the truth. I can read her like a book.”

  Though it makes me uncomfortable, I relent. “What is she doing here?”

  Jack throws an arm around Tallulah’s shoulders, “Telly here has helped me pull this off tonight. When she found out what had been done in her name, she felt it only right to make it up to us. And that, she has.”

  Tallulah looks to me with hesitation and fear, “I hope you can understand. I loved Trey. This is what he would have wanted if he was here.”

  Jack steps aside with her, presenting a hand to the passing crowd behind them. Through the mass of bodies, I spot a white Mitsubishi Evo Ten. Looks just like mine… Wait… The next car parked by it is an admiral blue Skyline. It’s our cars!

  My heart jumps in my chest as I exclaim, “How did you get them here?”

  Jack gives his million dollar smile to Tallulah before beaming at me, “Telly had them transported.” He tosses my keys to me, “Tank is full. Not a scratch on it.” He tosses another set of keys to Solas and even another set to Eric, “The Camaro and Charger are here too.”

  Eric hollers, “Hell yeah!”

  I run to my Evo, hopping in the driver’s seat and bringing her to life. Eric and Solas follow suit. Jack comes to my window, “We’ll have the track to ourselves for the last race, which is after the next two. You ready to lose?”

  I rev my engine. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  Jack skirts his Skyline, then slides behind the wheel. Tallulah accompanies him in the passenger seat, and an ache forms in my chest as I watch them laugh with excitement. I look to Solas through my open passenger window. He’s got one hand on the steering wheel of his silver Camaro, grinning at me playfully as he revs his engine. He sends his thoughts to me, “This could get interesting. I haven’t raced since you were in High School.”

  I tease, You don’t got shit on me now.

  Eric and Alice sit in Eric’s red Charger, the only American muscle on the scene. Beck, Cassius, and Becky wait with the crowd, placing bets with each other.

  I holler over the noise, “Hey, Jack! What’s on the table?”

  He shrugs, “Whatever you want, Sunshine.”

  I grin wide, transferring my attention between Jack and Solas on each side of me. “Alright. If I win, you three have to face the wrath of the Originals when we return and smooth things over.”

  Solas and Jack echo, “Done.”

  I ask, “What about you?”

  Jack drums his fingers on the steering wheel, staring ahead in deep thought. He turns to me seriously, “I want a date.” Tallulah’s head snaps to him, then to me.

  My heart hammers in my chest. “Deal.”

  I look to Solas, “And you?”

  Solas winks. “That sounds to be a fine prospect. I’ll do the same.”

  I roll my eyes, then holler to Eric, “What about you, boss man? What do you want if you win?”

  Eric decides, shifting into first to pull up to the starting line, “I want a set of twisted tri-daggers.”

  Pulling up to the starting line with him, I tell him, “If you win, Eric, I’ll buy a set for you and a set for A.”

  Solas and Jack roll to the starting line on each side of my Evo. Beck runs out into the street, tapping the flagman on the shoulder and dismissing him of his duties. He claps his hands once, bellowing, “Are we ready?”

  The four of us rev our engines, gripping our
steering wheels. The adrenaline of anticipation runs through my veins. Beck’s hands go up. The crowd whistles and claps for the race to come. My left foot keeps the clutch in as I shift into first. Beck’s hands come down, and we rocket from the line. Eric’s Charger bucks, bringing the front wheels of his car off the ground. The tires bounce off the asphalt ahead of the rest of us, and I shift into second.

  Blue barrels ahead of us create a turn in the course. I gun it and watch Jack, Solas, and Eric’s cars leave my peripheral. I drift around the corner, quickly finding I have to counter drift in the opposite direction. Jack takes the lead through the second corner. I downshift for more power, but Solas begins to gain on me with Eric close to his side. A broken billboard is angled across the street. Eric drives straight over it, taking the lead while the rest of us part around it. A soft screech hits my ears. I think nothing more of it than a tire slipping.

  Along another straight away, I take the lead with Solas. He laughs from my right, the hood of the Camaro passing the front of my Evo. Another screech comes louder to my ears like fingernails on a chalkboard. I cover my left ear until it passes, and it comes away with blood. I send my thoughts to Solas, She’s trying to get in my head again!

  The turnaround for the straightaway leading back to the starting line comes into view. The Camaro slows to my side, Eric and Jack passing us. Solas uses his telepathy to talk to me, “Can you finish the race?”

  I nod. Ye—

  A shriek of earsplitting force accompanies my own screams as my vision wavers. Meaning to slam on the brakes, my foot slips to the gas pedal. I miss the turnaround, fainting at the wheel.

  I cough blood into my hands, buckling to my knees. Gashes mar my body sporadically, amid broken bones. I cry out, attempting to focus on healing myself. The Fallen warrior with a vengeance out for me giggles before my eyes. She puts her hands on her knees, leaning towards my face with a mocking pout, “Poor Ivy. Such a shame.”