“Imorean!”
He calmed. It was just Roxy. Then he grinned. Roxy! She had been released from hospital yesterday. She must know he was back! Imorean pulled his door open and was knocked backward as Roxy launched at him. Her arms were tight around his neck and Imorean hugged her back. Then he realized. Her hands were too tight. Much too tight. His vision blurred and his knee went weak beneath him.
“Easy, Roxy!” shouted Ryan.
Imorean gasped for breath as Roxy’s hands were torn away. He coughed and looked at her in horror. “Did you … did you just try to strangle me?”
Roxy’s jaw jutted out in fury. “I should have done worse.”
Imorean scrambled out of her way as she tried to wrench away from Ryan. “What have I done?”
“You go on a mission and nearly get killed! Again!”
Ryan lost his grip on Roxy and she dashed forward, swiping at him. Imorean ran to the opposite side of the couch in the living room.
“Then you have the nerve to come back and slink into your bedroom!” she shouted, grabbing an orange from the fruit bowl on the kitchen table and hurling it at him.
Imorean lunged sideways, hearing the fruit smash into the wall behind him. He’d forgotten that Roxy could pitch better than he ever could.
Another orange blur flashed past his face.
“And you –” Orange. “– don’t say a word –” Banana. “– to any of us that you’re even back!”
Imorean ducked as something lurid green smashed into the brickwork above the fireplace, bursting into pieces. “Christ, Roxy! That was an apple!”
He stood still, ready to scramble out of the way again as Roxy grabbed another orange and tossed it back and forth between her hands. The last one. Imorean swallowed. Roxy was breathing hard, and he had a feeling she wouldn’t hesitate to throw the entire ceramic fruit bowl at him if she ran out of ammunition. Ryan was gaping at her. Baxter and Colton had taken refuge on the stairs. The room was still and quiet. Tense.
Hands open and wings slightly flared, Imorean grimaced. “Sorry?”
Roxy hurled the orange at him and it thudded into his chest.
“Ow! Those actually hurt, you know,” said Imorean, rubbing where she’d hit him. Roxy folded her arms and glared at him. Hard.
“Feel better now, Roxy?” asked Ryan, approaching her hesitantly and putting a hand on her shoulder.
“I will once he’s given a good reason why he couldn’t come and at least say ‘hello, I’m not dead. I’ve made it back in one piece’.”
Imorean took a deep breath and thought of his meeting with Michael. He only had a few hours to give an answer, but Roxy would never forgive him if he left now.
“Okay, guys, sit down. Come on, Colton, Baxter, I think it’s safe. You’re not thinking of throwing anything else, are you, Roxy?”
“Don’t push it,” she snarled.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
White wings shuffled as Imorean leaned back on the couch. “So, yeah. That’s why I didn’t come and wake everyone up last night.”
“Is Raphael going to be okay?” asked Colton.
“I’m sure he’s going to be fine,” replied Imorean.
Baxter shook his head. “Dude, you literally met a god.”
“Demon, technically,” replied Imorean, looking away.
“That doesn’t make it any less cool,” grinned Baxter.
“Still mad at me?” asked Imorean, turning sheepishly to Roxy.
She still looked angry. Then she sighed. “Not really. I just wish you’d be more careful. Imorean, that wolf could have killed you. Michael could have killed you.”
“Honestly, we could all die at any time,” replied Imorean. “You’ve got to stop worrying that I’m going to get killed.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I know,” replied Imorean. He looked down, letting the room fall to silence. He glanced at the door. He still had to give Michael an answer. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Michael gave me an ultimatum.”
Colton inclined his head. “What was it?”
“He said I had a choice of where I wanted to spend the summer. I could go back to Felsenmeer or I could …” Imorean squeezed his eyes shut. “I could go home. Back to North Carolina. Just for a little while. I don’t know what to do.”
Roxy reached out and put a hand on his arm. Imorean looked up, locking his jaw to stop his lips from twitching downward.
“I think you should go home. It would do you good.”
Imorean shook his head. “What good can come of it?”
“Catharsis,” said Colton.
“You really think going back to where my family was murdered would be cathartic?” snapped Imorean.
Colton rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses. “You don’t have to bite my head off, Imorean. I was just saying you would probably find some benefit in being in a familiar environment.”
Imorean looked at the floor, then jumped in surprise as Ryan ruffled his hair. “At the very least, it would be better than hanging out one-on-one with Michael, right?”
“Or being alone at Felsenmeer,” shrugged Baxter. “Ryan, you still on to spend a couple of weeks at my place?”
“Absolutely,” nodded Ryan.
Imorean blinked heavily and swallowed. He missed North Carolina. For all that had happened there, it was home. The Blue Ridge Mountains, Blowing Rock, it was home. There was a tug on his heartstrings. It was time to go home. He needed to face it. Brown eyes swept up to meet Roxy’s and Imorean nodded.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rain drizzled down outside the windows. Imorean’s brown eyes stayed riveted to them. His bed was made. The Upper Morvine sheets and blankets were the only things he hadn’t had to strip away. His suitcase was packed. His nonessential items had already been shipped to Felsenmeer. All he had now were a few personal things, changes of clothes, his AL Pack and his sword. His fingers traced the metal rim of his watch. In addition to the small tear in the leather, he had found a dent in the metal. The old timepiece was starting to fall apart. Maybe it would be better to replace it before it disintegrated completely. Distracted, he tapped a fingernail against the glass face. The second hand ticked away faithfully behind it. In all his years having this watch, it had only ever needed new batteries. He turned and looked at his sword lying next to him on the bed. His fingers danced across its hilt. Another faithful companion. He tried to smile, but knew that the shape of his mouth was closer to a frown. His sword was a mark of his new life as an Archangel-human hybrid, but his watch was a remnant of his old life as a human. It wasn’t a remnant he wanted to just give up and replace.
A gentle knock at the door jerked him out of his reverie. Roxy.
“Hey,” she said, pushing the door open. There was a new gentleness to her voice. Their argument from earlier in the week had been long forgotten. “You ready?”
Imorean swallowed. “As I’ll ever be.”
Movements almost automatic, he slid his sword into his AL Pack and his Pack into his carry-on bag. He took a deep breath. This was it. He was going home. There was no doubling back on his decision.
“Come on,” said Roxy. “Leave your suitcase in the living room. Staff are taking them to the airport separately. Ryan’s already waiting for us at The Main.”
Imorean nodded and grabbed hold of his carry-on bag. He could fly the short distance to The Main with it. For a moment, he paused. Toddy should have been coming with them. And Mandy. And Dustin. This was the last place they had all been together.
“I know,” said Roxy, putting a hand on his forearm. “I miss them, too.”
“Toddy’s alive, Roxy,” said Imorean. “I can feel it.”
“What can we do to help him?”
Imorean shook his head. “More than this. There has to be something more that we can do.”
“Maybe that’ll be something Michael can talk about with you when we’re back in the States.”
A frown creased Imorean’s forehead
. Taking this long to search for Toddy didn’t feel right. It just didn’t sit well on his conscience.
“We’ve got to get going or we’ll be late,” said Roxy.
Straightening, Imorean nodded and pulled his suitcase into the living room. There should have been eight cases here. Instead, there were five. Three of them were gone. Just gone. He locked his jaw. He would never allow Vortigern to strike them again. Not like this. He tightened his wings. To get at his friends again, Vortigern would have to go through him.
Chapter 16
In all his time at the angel schools, Imorean had never known Michael to drive a vehicle. He knew Michael was decidedly more fond of angel transport methods and he couldn’t say he wondered why anymore. Gabriel was a fantastic driver, but Michael was awful. Stopping distances, speed limits and road signs seemed to have no significance to him. North Carolina roads weren’t hard to navigate, but Michael was somehow able to make them into deathtraps. Imorean swallowed and checked his watch. They only had an hour or so left before they arrived at Roxy’s house. It would be a welcome relief.
“Brake,” muttered Imorean, seeing brake lights ahead. “Brake. I said brake.”
“What? Why?” asked Michael.
“Michael, you’re going to rear end that person. Brake. Brake now!”
“Stop back seat driving. I know what I am doing,” snapped Michael, stamping on the brakes. A horn screamed from the car behind them.
“Oh my God, Michael. I don’t know what’s more incredible, that you haven’t killed us yet or that Roxy’s slept through all this. You’re worse than a student driver.”
“Be careful talking about my father. I do not drive these things often. It is more Gabriel’s area,” said Michael, checking his phone.
“No! No, no, no, no.” Imorean snatched Michael’s phone. “You can barely drive. You are not getting on your phone. Do that and you will kill us.”
“I was checking the map,” huffed Michael.
“Yeah, and trying to reply to a text. I’m not an idiot. I know how to work a phone. I’ll handle the map. You keep your eyes on the road. Unless you want me to drive.”
“You are too young to drive a rental,” said Michael. “You are eighteen, unless I am much mistaken.”
“You know, you don’t have to sound so smug about it,” sighed Imorean. He checked the screen of Michael’s phone. He had been right. One hour left to go until they reached Blowing Rock. He wondered vaguely if Roxy would have another escort.
Michael spoke up. “Roxy will be meeting her escort at her house.”
“If I wanted my question answered, I would have asked it out loud,” muttered Imorean. Even so, he was glad of the answer. “Who is it this time?”
“Diniel. She volunteered for the job. I think she and Roxy struck up something of a friendship when Roxy was in the hospital. Which, in fairness, is not surprising.”
“Why’s that?”
Michael made a low sound in the back of his throat and gave a small smile. “It is possible that she felt some degree of responsibility. It would not shock me.”
Imorean furrowed his brow. Information withheld. He changed the subject. The trip had been relaxed aside from Michael’s abysmal driving. He didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere now. “I thought Diniel didn’t go in the field much.”
“Normally, she does not, but I like to think she is getting more adventurous. I hope for Raphael’s sake that she is. He needs all the help he can get in the field.”
“What’s the deal with them?” asked Imorean, thinking back to the way Diniel had reacted when she had been told about Raphael’s injury.
“They are bonded partners.”
Imorean turned. “They’re what?”
“Bonded partners. It is a highly unusual occurrence, but Raphael and Diniel’s souls bonded the moment they met.”
“I didn’t know angels could get married.”
“Marriage is not a custom of ours. Normally when angels’ souls bond, they simply behave like monogamous animals. Think of swans. There is no title or ceremony, but there is a sense of extreme loyalty between the two. Raphael and Diniel, however, are a bit different. Diniel insisted on embracing the marriage aspect of human culture. There is no title on their relationship, but there is a symbol of their bond.”
“What do you mean?”
“Have you not noticed they are the only two angels who wear glasses? They both have perfect vision.”
“So Diniel and Raphael are effectively married and the glasses are their rings?”
“Precisely. Which is why they do not typically go into the field together. In the field and separate they are fine, but together they have the potential to be a liability.”
“I didn’t know angels could, I guess, marry human beings.”
“The relationship itself is not frowned upon, but were there to be a product of such a union, it would be cause for a charge of high treason.”
“So, their connection is purely emotional?”
“Most angel relationships are.”
“Why don’t you tell us any of this stuff in classes?”
“Knowing the ins and outs of angel relations will not help you stay alive when a demon has a sword to your throat.”
“No, but it’s still cool stuff to know. So, Raphael is your brother. Diniel is his wife, right?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Jeez. You must be a nightmare of a brother-in-law.”
Michael snorted and the car swerved slightly. Imorean could have sworn he heard Michael stifle a laugh.
“I swear, you’re going to kill us all,” said Imorean, burying his face in his hands.
“We only have a few miles left to go,” said Michael.
“And a few miles is enough to kill us.” Imorean took a deep breath and looked up. The night was black as pitch, but in his mind’s eye, he knew what he would see if had it been daylight. Rolling mountains covered by trees. Flickers of light marking houses and communities built right onto the mountainsides. The sights, he knew, should have heralded home. The anxiety brewing under his skin, though, reminded him that it was anything but.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Gravel crunched beneath the wheels of Michael’s rental car as they stopped in Roxy’s driveway. Imorean turned to wake up his best friend, but saw that she was already awake. Rather than seeing happiness in her eyes, Imorean saw worry. She was anxious. He glanced back at her house, glad to see that there were lights on inside. The relief he felt was quelled when he remembered what had happened the last time Roxy’s family had encountered angels.
“You’re home,” said Imorean, turning back to Roxy and giving her an encouraging grin.
“Wait,” said Michael, turning off the engine. “Diniel is nearly here. Roxy, it would not do well if you went in without an escort.”
“We aren’t taking her inside?” asked Imorean.
“No. It would not be a good thing if Vortigern found out we were both here.”
Imorean turned back to Roxy. “I guess it’s goodbye here then …”
“I guess,” she murmured, her eyes still on her house.
Headlights in the wing mirror made Imorean turn. Diniel was here. She must have been nearly behind them. Imorean opened the car door and moved to the trunk to help Roxy with her bags.
“You don’t have to do that, Imorean,” said Roxy, standing anxiously beside him.
“Are you feeling okay about this?” asked Imorean, passing her suitcase to her.
“I think so,” she shrugged. Imorean felt sure she was remembering the last time she had been home.
“Hey,” he said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. “Diniel won’t let anything bad happen and if it does, get up with me before you go running into the woods, yeah?”
Roxy grinned and put her bags on the ground. She swept him up into a hug. Imorean’s face broke into a smile again. A car door slammed.
“Roxy, it’s going to be fine. You know that, right?” he said.
/> “I know. It’s just …”
“They know the score now. I’m sure that now they know what’s going on, they’ll be happy to see you the way you are.”
Diniel’s voice came from the dark. “He’s right. This time, you’ve got a doctor angel with you, too. I can help them handle their emotions.”
“Are you sure?” asked Roxy, turning Diniel as appeared, illuminated only by the dim lights from inside the house.
“Positive,” nodded Diniel. “Shall we? Standing out here will do us no good.”
“Good luck, Roxy,” said Imorean, stepping away. “Everything will be fine.”
Roxy took a deep breath. “I hope you’re right, Imorean. I really do.”
“It will be.”
“Tell Michael to get out of here,” said Diniel, good humor touching her voice. “You boys be safe, okay?”
Imorean smiled at her. “We will be.”
“Bye, Imorean,” said Roxy, her voice small.
Imorean gave her another grin as he got back to the passenger door, hoping she took it to mean that everything would be fine. “See you soon, Roxy.”
Imorean shut the door, sealing himself and Michael back in the car. There was something about the silence that was now unbearable between them. Michael put the vehicle into reverse and turned around. Still in silence, they drove down Roxy’s gravel driveway and arrived back at the main road. Imorean instinctively looked left. That way would take him… it would take him to where home should have been. His eyes flicked to Michael, to find him staring, brow creased.
“Do you want to –” began Michael.
Imorean cut him off. “No. Let’s go to the hotel.”
Michael nodded silently. Imorean turned to look back out the window. He knew where they were going. Blowing Rock wasn’t big and they were staying in one of the only hotels. The entire town was committed to his memory. For the very first time in his life, Imorean wished it wasn’t. He wished he couldn’t mentally follow the paths to his house. That he couldn’t find it even in darkness. He wished he could be as removed from this place as Michael or Diniel. But, no. He was attached to Blowing Rock. The place he had always found to be home felt as though it was turning on him.
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