by Bria Lexor
saw but I can assure you there was no creature—”
“The supposed eyewitness has proof from that night,” Detective Parcell said with an attitude in her voice that challenged Abel.
This is not good... someone saw Abel taking me from the scene of the crime?... What am I gonna do?...
Abel scoffed. “Yeah, and this credible witness could be anybody,” Abel said, shaking his head. “For all we know it could be someone—”
“Someone like me...” My heart nearly stopped beating in my chest as I recognized the voice. A girl with beautiful long blond hair stopped beside the two detectives and smiled sweetly at me. It was Kaitlin Franchot, and she was about to destroy my life as I knew it...
Chapter Three
Detective Bradshaw pulled out a picture and it was clearly dark and showed me being carried off into the night’s sky by Abel after he had transformed in his gargoyle form. My eyes widened and I looked at Kaitlin who smiled triumphantly at me. Before I could speak, Abel shook his head while laughing at himself.
“Do you find something funny, Mr. Lapis?” Detective Bradshaw asked as Abel gathered his composure and looked at the picture.
“Now that I recall, I do recognize that creature.”
“Oh... really?” Detective Bradshaw asked curiously, arching an eyebrow.
“Yeah,” Abel said poking the picture with his forefinger. “That’s my science project,” he said smiling at me. “I took first place when I made that gargoyle robot.”
“You made that?” An astonished Detective Parcell asked Abel. “I sure did!” Abel said proudly. “It’s real lifelike, too, isn’t it?” “I’ll say it is...” she said.
“That still doesn’t explain how Miss. Fox ended up in your practice demonstration?” Detective Bradshaw said, looking at me.
Abel scoffed. “Shinka happened to be getting assaulted when my gargoyle project was activated.” Abel said coolly. “I’m just glad I was able to save her life.” Abel said, smiling at me. I gave him my small smile and prayed the detectives believed his lie. Detective Bradshaw still did not look convinced, but his partner sure did.
“We’re sorry for wasting your time, Miss Fox,” Detective Parcell said to me. “And as for you Miss. Franchot, you’re being placed under arrest for filing a false police report.”
Kaitlin’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “W-what?” Detective Parcell placed a pair of silver handcuffs around Kaitlin’s wrists and ushered her toward the elevators. “My father’s going to sue you and your entire police department!” Kaitlin hissed through her teeth.
Detective Bradshaw was about to leave when he shot Abel and me a warning glance. “For now, the two of you are off the hook,” he said, narrowing his eyes at us. “But I’m still gonna keep an eye on you... just in case.” With that, Detective Bradshaw left and neither Abel nor I moved until we heard the elevator ding.
Abel quickly grabbed my hand and led me to a door that was an emergency exit. “Oops...” Abel said as he pushed the handle and alarms instantly blared overhead. He pulled me aside as security raced toward the door to see what had set it off. Abel shoved open a window, picked me up, and leapt to the ground below. Abel landed on his feet and gently placed me down beside him.
“We could have just used the stairs you know...” I said and Abel shrugged.
“Yeah,” he said, looking up at the three-story window he just jumped from. “But jumping out of a window is way more fun though.” I laughed and playfully punched him in the arm as we walked toward his mustang. Abel opened my door for me and, out of nowhere, a large group of paparazzi rushed us and started snapping pictures. Abel flew into the driver’s seat, slammed the door, and the engine roared to life. Without a word, Abel pulled out of the
parking lot nearly taking out a photographer in the process.
“Seriously, Abel?” I said, giving him a warning look. Abel just stared out the windshield as he dodged cars to get as far away as he could from the hospital as he possibly could. Abel wore a scowl on his face as he finally stopped in front of a local pizza joint called: Pizza Crave. He pulled into an empty parking space then cut the engine and I wondered what was going through his mind.
“Shinka, in all of my thousand years of living,” Abel said, finally dragging his eyes away from the outside world and over to me. “I have never once been hunted down by a group of-of-”
“Paparazzi...” I whispered and he nodded slowly at me.
“Yeah, paparazzi...” Abel sighed. He angrily hit his fist against the steering wheel and the sound made me jump in my seat. Of course, I knew Abel was angry. I mean, I would be too if my identity were about to be blown after centuries of hiding out from humans. I bit my lower lip trying to keep my fear from creeping to the surface. Abel was part gargoyle; he could probably smell that emotion coming off me, so I had to do my best to keep it under wraps. “I mean, I don’t mind being with you Shinka, I really don’t.”
“But...” I said, feeling sadness overtake me. I looked down and waited to hear what else Abel had to say.
“But you have to be careful about keeping our identities a secret...”
“Do you want me to stay away from you from now on?” I asked, wiping the tears away with my fingers. “You guys don’t deserve to be hunted and killed because of me...”
Abel scoffed. “Shinka, don't be an idiot,” he said wiping my cheek with his thumb. “You know even if you left me, I’d find you anyway...” He smiled and I felt a little bit better about the situation. “We just have to find a way to keep the press out of our personal lives and—”
“Err... our personal lives?” I asked arching an eyebrow at him. “Since when did my career become our career?”
“Since I became your bodyguard, babe.” I smiled as Abel gently kissed me. His lips were soft and warm, and I kissed him back even harder. Ever since meeting him, I could not keep Abel off my mind. I mean, sure, we were together practically the whole day, but we did not have any time to be together and enjoy each other’s company the way normal couples do, and I really longed for that part of our relationship. Abel pulled away breathlessly and grinned at me. “You know I would do stuff to you if we weren’t in a parking lot and pizza was your reward for being healthy.”
I laughed as we got out of the car and headed inside the restaurant hand in hand. People were surprised when they saw me. A waitress ushered us to an empty table in the back where it was more private, and I ordered a cola and Abel ordered one as well to drink. The girl practically rushed off to get our drinks and I just blinked, still getting used to being treated differently. I did not get why people became so fascinated with the lives of celebrities. As far as I was concerned, I was just as normal as any other girl I saw. The waitress came back with our drinks and I realized I had not even looked at the menu.
“Err... I’ll just have a regular pepperoni pizza.” I said and Abel ordered Spinach Artichoke Dip for an appetizer, and a pizza called The Works. I guess it had a little bit of everything on it and being a typical guy; Abel just followed his guy instincts.
“Your order will be up soon!” The waitress said with a smile. “Thanks guys!” With that, she
hurried away from the table and disappeared into the kitchen. I frowned as I looked down at my pop. I really preferred Pepsi over Coke, but I sucked up my pride and took a sip from my glass. Abel snickered at me from across the table and I looked at him.
“What?” I asked and Abel looked down at the table.
“Has anyone ever told you that you drink like a bird?” Abel said with as straight a face as he could muster.
I rolled my eyes at him. “My mother tells me that all the time.” I said and Abel just laughed at me. I could not help but smile. “And besides,” I pointed out nudging my head towards the watered-down Coke. “It’s crappy Coke, so of course I’m gonna bird sip from it!" Abel was about to say a snarky remark when he suddenly growled and glanced behind him. “What’s wrong?” I asked feeling the fear rising in my chest. I seriously hoped a
Hunter had not tracked us down to cause a scene in public. That would not be cool, at all.
Just then Detective Bradshaw came around the corner and walked over to our table. “Mind if I join you?” He asked. But before I could object, he pulled up a chair and sat in between me and Abel.
“Actually, we do mind.” Abel said in a cold voice. "I figured you would’ve gotten desk duty after arresting Zander Franchot’s daughter?”
“Humph!” Detective Bradshaw grunted as he settled into his seat. “You would’ve liked that, wouldn’t you?” He said with pure hatred in his voice as he looked at Abel. Before things got heated between the two guys, I jumped into the conversation.
“Detective Bradshaw,” I said, giving him my rock star smile. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m keeping tabs on where you go, what you do.” He said calmly. “You know, making sure that group doesn’t come after you again.”
That group?... No one ever told him it was a group?...
Abel and I exchanged glances and he just nodded at me letting me know he had the situation under control. “Well, Detective Bradshaw,” Abel hissed under his breath. “Whatever your real reason is for stalking us... you’d best stay away for your own good.”
Detective Bradshaw just smiled at him. “Is that a threat Mr. Lapis?” He asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Because if it is, I can—”
“Oh no,” Abel said coolly. “Because if it was, rest assured you wouldn’t live to see another day... alive.” With that, Abel stood, and I followed suit gathering my purse just as the waitress was bringing our food to us.
“Err... got to finish recording my album!” I said, quickly spitting out the first thing that came to mind. The waitress looked confused as we pushed past her and exited the restaurant. I was not gonna pay for something I did not eat; besides Detective Bradshaw should cover the tab. I mean, he was the last person sitting at the table, so it only seemed fitting he pay for it.
What? I could be a witch when I wanted to be. I ran to catch up to Abel as he unlocked the car. We both hopped in and closed the doors in unison and looked at each other.
“Something’s not right with that guy,” Abel said more to himself than to me.
“Who?” I asked, giving him a confused look. “Detective Bradshaw?” Abel nodded as he started the car, the engine roaring to life. He pulled out of the parking space and headed up the highway and toward his house.
“Yeah,” Abel said, never taking his eyes off the rear-view mirror. “He’s up to something and I’m gonna find out what it is...” Abel tossed a tracking device in my lap and I just looked at it.
So that explains why Detective Bradshaw knew how to find us...
“What should we do with it?” I asked and Abel picked it up and crushed it in the palm of his hand. He rolled down his window and threw it into the frigid waters below us.
My phone rang and I looked, noticing the number was unavailable. I put it on speaker and for a moment only silence met our ears before a familiar voice spoke through the other end. “I see you found my tracking device, Miss. Fox,” Detective Bradshaw’s cool voice said. “But I have other ways of keeping tabs on you... see you soon... you, too Mr. Lapis.”
The line went dead, and I was in shock as I hung up. I looked at Abel and he glared angrily at the phone. “That guy is gonna wish he never messed with us, Shinka.” Abel said, as we headed toward his house. “I'm going to make sure of it...”
Chapter Four
Once we were safely inside Abel’s house, we called an emergency meeting with Brooke, Cadman, and Drake. “What's going on?” Cadman asked us as I sat on the couch.
“We’re being stalked by a detective.”
“What detective?” Brooke asked, suddenly looking extremely interested in the meeting’s agenda. Abel shrugged. “He’s putting his nose where it doesn’t belong, if you get my drift.” Abel said.
and Brooke looked lost in her thoughts although I did not know why.
“Brooke,” I asked, standing up, genuinely concerned for my friend. “Are you alright?” For a moment, Brooke was silent.
“Huh?” She blinked and looked at me like I was an alien or something. “Err... I am fine. Really,” she said with uncertainty in her voice. I wanted to ask her why this bothered her so much, but Abel did not seem to care what Brooke was feeling as he continued talking.
“Tomorrow I’m pulling us from school.”
“You mean we’re dropping out?” I asked and Abel nodded curtly at me.
“It’s the only way I can ensure Shinka’s safety.” Abel said and the others agreed. “I’m pulling the two of you out as well.” Abel said to Brooke and Cadman. “Only because you said you were both her cousins.” Abel pointed out.
“What about Kaitlin?” Brooke asked suddenly. “Someone needs to stay undercover and keep an eye on her.”
Drake piped in for the first time in the conversation. “I’ll stay,” he said casually. “No one will get suspicious if only one of us is there.”
Abel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Alright, Drake will stay and keep an eye on Kaitlin while the rest of us do our job and—”
Three hard raps on the door caused all of us to freeze. Abel went to answer the door.
Oh God!... What if that’s Detective Bradshaw?...
“You have got to be shitting me!” Abel said and all of us were confused until he came back with our mystery guest.
“Hi everyone, did you miss me?” It was Wren, mine, and Abel’s daughter from the future. The first time she came to us she was in her gargoyle form. Today, she looked like any other ordinary human teenager.
Wren ran over to me and gave me a hug.
“Wren,” I said, giving her a huge smile. “What are you doing here?”
She pulled out a royal purple compact and examined her make-up. “Well, Daddy told me I needed to learn self-restraint because I punched a girl in the face at school and I got suspended.” She said, fixing her hair.
“Err... and he sent you to the past to learn self-restraint?” Abel asked with pure annoyance in his voice.
Wren turned and smiled sweetly at him. “Well, Daddy said we both needed to learn self-restraint, and the only way I could learn it was to stay with you and Mom for a while.” She just dropped her blue backpack on the floor, and it landed with a small thud.
Abel frowned at Wren’s response. “He would say something like that, wouldn’t he?...” “Excuse me,” Brooke said, clearly lost at the scene unraveling in front of her. “Who is this girl and how do you know her?” I had forgotten Brooke and Cadman came to us after Wren had gone back to the future.
“I’m Wren,” Wren said very animatedly shaking Brooke’s hand. “And I’m Abel and Shinka’s daughter from the future!”
Brooke was stunned as she looked at Abel and me in total surprise. “I... had no idea you two had a daughter?”
Wren giggled like a Japanese schoolgirl. “Neither did they, until five months ago!” Brooke just looked at us as if we were playing a prank on her. When nobody laughed, she understood it was not a joke after all.
“Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Wren,” Abel started. “But you might not even be born.” Wren grew serious as she looked at us. “What? Why not?” She asked.
I bit my lower lip and could not meet her gaze. "Because I’m dying, Wren...” I whispered and Wren shook her head in denial.
“You can’t be?” She said, looking at Abel.
“Well, she is!” Abel snapped at her. “And there’s nothing we can do to stop it!” Wren looked like he had slapped her in the face and started crying. Without another word, she tore off upstairs and slammed the spare bedroom door. Everyone stood in stunned silence and looked at Abel. Abel was breathing heavily, and he was pretty upset by my situation.
“I’ll go talk to her,” I said but Abel stopped me.
“No, I hurt her feelings so I should be the one to talk to her.” I nodded and followed Abel upstairs and he knocked on the closed door. “
Wren...” Abel called but there was no answer. “Look, I’m sorry I snapped at you.” Still no answer. He frowned and turned the doorknob. He pushed open the door and found the room to be totally empty. The window was wide open, and Wren was gone. She was now a target for the Hunters, and she was all alone...
Chapter Five
“How could you be so cruel!” I yelled over the roar of the wind as Abel hauled ass down the highway in his 221 Mustang GT. We had been searching for Wren for over an hour and still had not found her. I was worried she had returned to the future and I did not want her to think we did not love her. God, how terrible would that be? To have a daughter and have her feel unloved and unwanted... that would suck for any kid in our time or not. Abel growled under his breath at me, and I sighed as I saw flashing lights behind us. I turned around and saw an unmarked police car instructing us to pull over.
What the hell?... This is not the time to be getting pulled over!...
Abel cursed under his breath as he pulled to the side of the highway and we sat in silence and waited for the unmarked police officer. “This is freaking great!” Abel said and I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I saw Detective Bradshaw heading towards our car. Abel glared at him as he smirked at us.
“Where’s the fire, Mr. Lapis?” Detective Bradshaw asked him and out of nowhere, Wren teleported into the backseat and all of us just looked at her.
This is not happening!... Wren is going to get us caught!...
Detective Bradshaw looked confused as he looked at us then at Wren. “Where did she—” Wren smiled and waved at him from the backseat. “Hi! I’m Wren,” She said as happy as can be. “I’m Abel’s little sister, I was sleeping when the car suddenly stopped, and I thought we were finally at the park.” She said all this super-fast and Detective Bradshaw did not know what to say. “Abel was speeding because he didn’t want me to be late for soccer practice... right, Abel?” Wren challenged him and all eyes fell on him.
