I never thought riding on a motorcycle could be so much fun.
I relaxed as I sat on the back of that bike, taking in the wind that was blowing through my hair from under my helmet. We'd been on the road for five hours now, and I didn't have the first clue of where we were. My best guess was that we may have been close to the Virginia state line, considering the change in scenery and temperature. I could feel the warmth even through the blowing wind.
Our morning had been fairly busy. Within an hour of us getting up and me changing Chris's bandages, we'd been ready to go. Chris had made sure to pack up everything we'd need in a backpack, then locked up the house and walked out with me to his motorcycle. I'd asked him what he was going to do about his home there, but he didn't say much aside from stating that it was the least of his worries. Fallsburg wasn't a safe place for us anymore, and there wasn't a whole lot of time to think about the little things.
My mind had been pulled away from all of that when I got a good look at what we'd be riding on to Baton Rouge. I'd never ridden on a motorcycle before and was nervous at first. While it was true that this one seemed really nice, I did wonder how I'd do on it. But once we'd made that U turn and gotten onto the highway, that nervousness had faded away.
As I sat there holding onto Chris, I was thinking back to the phone call he'd made. He'd been speaking to a guy named Zane Hedel, who was supposed to be one of us. I felt like it was good for me to hear that conversation they had because now I understood some of what had happened with Saffron years ago. I had no doubt that he'd been in my life before, especially once Chris had confirmed that he believed Saffron had sealed my memories of him. But it bothered me too. As crazy as it sounds, I wanted to see Saffron again. I wanted to feel that love that I'd felt in that memory.
Well, if the ones like him were even capable of love.
The only thing I really knew at this point was that I felt safe with him then. Even though it was extremely hard for me to admit it, I really wanted to see Saffron again. It didn't matter to me now about what he was or what he'd done. In remembering that one moment in time, I felt like I missed him so much. I needed him back in my life. I needed his answers, and more importantly, I needed his strange comfort.
But another thing was nagging at my mind from that morning too, and continuing to do so as I held onto Chris. It was something that overrode all the mixed feelings I had about Saffron.
It was the knowledge of what I was to become.
The whole thing with the wings in Chris's back had both frightened and fascinated me. Even leaned against him, I couldn't feel them at all. They were hidden flawlessly. My mind drifted to the night before. I had leaned against his almost bare back all night long and still hadn't felt them. How was that possible? How could we be so human, yet not be human?
While I understood that we were mixed with creatures that had never been human in their entire existence, the whole thing still intrigued me on a very deep, personal level. After all, everything that's taught to us in the modern age disputed everything we apparently were.
Chris turned off of the highway to another two-lane road, and I tried to push all of those thoughts aside. Now that we'd been able to get off of the highway again, I felt like I could do so. Chris had mentioned to me before that he liked avoiding busy highways when at all possible, and I was just fine with that. Apparently, he wasn't too fond of a lot of traffic and figured ways around it. I couldn't complain too much about that. I didn't like the idea of being around so many cars either on just this bike, with no protection other than a helmet.
I heard Chris holler to me over the noisy bike, "Hey, I think we should stop and get some lunch. It looks like there's a restaurant a few miles up the road."
"Sounds good to me!" I hollered back.
We ended up pulling into the parking lot of a small diner. It looked like one of those little Mom and Pop places and seemed very quiet and out of the way. Chris parked the bike near the building, turning it off and pulling off his helmet.
"May as well get something to eat now. We've got a long way to go." he admitted.
"You still owe me some clothes too." I reminded him as I got off the bike.
"I know, I know. We'll take care of it before we stop somewhere for the night." Chris promised. He got off the bike and slipped the key into his pocket, taking a quick look around us. He was probably making sure that we hadn't been followed. By now I was getting the picture that he was always on guard. But he seemed to relax after a moment, patting my back, "Come on. Let's get inside."
The diner was pretty nice as we walked in. It was small and cozy, with a few tables and booths that reminded me of what they had in the 1950s. Everything was very clean and well kept. I noted that it wasn't busy either. There were only three other people in there, and they were spread out in the room. They didn't even bother looking at us as we walked in.
We took a seat at one of the booths, and a waitress brought us menus. There was a lot on it as I skimmed through it, which surprised me a little.
"They've got plenty to chose from for such a small place." I commented.
"A lot of places like this do. You can order whatever you like. It doesn't matter to me." Chris responded.
"Now is that any way to speak to a young lady, Christoff?"
The two of us looked up upon hearing the sudden voice. A man came over to our booth, smiling at us. He didn't look like he was much older than us, with black hair and vivid eyes that almost looked like they could've been a dark shade of violet. Dressed in black jeans and a black leather jacket, I thought he was pretty stunning. He was almost as good looking as Chris, though I felt like he was pretty hard to top.
Chris looked at him with a neutral expression, "You know I hate it when you guys call me that. What are you doing here?" he asked him. He didn't seem happy to see him.
I was curious as to who this was. It was obvious that they knew each other well. I studied the guy's eyes as I he stood there. Could those have been human eyes? I wasn't that sure.
The guy wasn't put off by Chris's attitude and didn't seem to notice how I was staring, "You know that I go wherever the wind takes me. But this one surprises me. I've never seen you traveling with anyone before, let alone a beautiful woman." he commented. He turned his attention to me, "And who might you be?"
He had a very friendly smile, and was acting nice enough, though it felt like he spoke a bit strangely. But as I continued looking at him, a strange feeling began to come over me. It felt like I should've known him.
"It's a long story that you should be able to figure out if you take a good look at her." Chris informed him.
The man placed his hands on the table, leaning down to look me in the eyes. As strange as it sounds, for a moment I could've sworn that I saw tiny flecks of red flash in his irises. But just as quickly they were gone.
"Ah, I see now. You're Saffron's daughter, aren't you?" he said as he backed away.
"Apparently I am. I'm guessing you know about us too." I answered. I hoped he didn't notice that hesitation in my voice.
The guy flashed me a smile as he sat down beside me, "I should. I am just like you."
That was why he seemed familiar to me. It also explained those beautiful looks and powerful eyes. He was the same as me and Chris.
Chris glared at him, "You're just inviting yourself to sit with us?"
"Don't be like that. I'm not going to bother her. Besides, you've never protested my presence before. I was starting to think that we were friends." the guy responded.
"Stop that. You're being annoying again." Chris complained.
The man wasn't worried about his attitude. He simply turned his attention back to me.
"I do feel that I've been a bit rude too. My name is Wilhelm Marcos, but everyone just calls me Will." he introduced himself as he held out a hand to me.
I smiled as I shook his hand, "Ariana Benson. Nice to meet you Will."
He did seem nice, and it was kind of funny to watch him ruffle Chris's feathers. I was getting the distinct feeling that he probably did it a lot.
"I have to say that you certainly do favor your father, Ariana. I was surprised when I looked at those eyes of yours. I didn't think anyone else could have such powerful eyes." Will went on.
He's one to talk, I thought. He has much more powerful eyes than me.
But I didn't voice it. I just smiled back at him, "Trust me, I've gotten that a lot."
"So, what are you two doing all the way out here anyway? I wasn't expecting to see you of all people around here." Will continued as he looked at Chris.
"We're heading to Baton Rouge to stay with Zane. I figured it might be better to take her there for now." Chris explained.
"Really? I take it she hasn't gotten them yet. Probably would be the safest bet in that case." Will nodded. He glanced around us, then quietly continued, "You know about what happened in these last few years with those two, right?"
"Zane mentioned it, although I still can't believe that he was dumb enough to let it go on long enough to piss off the big one. I would've thought that Saffron was a lot smarter than that, at least from everything I've ever known about him." Chris answered.
"It's how they are. We both know that. Your own father pushes whatever he can with the more powerful ones. He sees himself as at least equal with the rest of them. He even likes to test the limits with the Darkest One at times." Will went on.
"And we're not speaking of my father, remember?"
I was getting that there was some sort of rift between Chris and his father. I had been tempted to ask him about it when it was just the two of us again, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to know all of his secrets yet. I was just starting to feel comfortable with Chris. I didn't want to destroy everything that I'd built up in this strange relationship we'd been developing.
Will wasn't put off, "If you insist. It's not for me to question you with all of that. However, I will say that I think you're taking quite a risk here in running with her like this. From what I've heard in the last day or so, they're mobilizing again, and this time, it's going to be big."
"They're starting again?" Chris said in disbelief, "But it's only been fifty years! Why the hell are they after us full force this soon?!"
"Don't know. The numbers have remained the same since then as far as I can tell. Most of the Grigori have had their breeding abilities stripped, and the Fallen that are roaming in the mortal world are taking more precautions with things because of the past troubles. After all, they didn't really like the outcomes from the previous hunts. In fact, as far as it's known, Ariana here is the last of the new. I can't imagine that they'd do it only because of her or Saffron. They can't stand him, but he's definitely not worth such effort to them." Will explained.
"What about those clans? Do you think they have anything to do with it?" Chris pressed.
"Clans?" I repeated.
Will gave me an understanding smile, "Right, you're still very new to all of this. From what we've heard recently, there are apparently three clans of Nephilim now. Basically, they're like us, but the big difference is that they were authorized by the Higher Ones and they're headed by three Seraphs that didn't fall from grace. I forget exactly what the purpose of creating them was. Something about them being the protectors between the seen and unseen world. Anyway, they exist now, and they're the reason that us original Nephilim got our new names. We're now called Shadow Wings." he explained.
"Shadow Wings." I repeated quietly to myself.
It did fit when I thought about the black wings Chris had and how we needed to hide like we apparently did. But to think that there were clans similar to us. That was incredible. Yet from what Will was saying, they never had anything to worry about. I couldn't help feeling a slight twinge of jealousy over that.
Chris looked over at Will, "Good enough explanation, but back to what we were talking about. Do you think that they're back to this vendetta because of something with them?" he asked him.
"I couldn't say. They do tend to be odd at times; but I can tell you that I know what I'm hearing, and it isn't good. He's leading it this time." Will responded, looking Chris dead in the eyes. His tone had turned serious.
Chris rested cheek against his hand, looking annoyed, "You've got to be kidding. He needs to give it up. There's no way he'll ever be able to eliminate us all over a grudge with our parents."
"Well spoke from one who could be considered our leader." Will commented.
Chris scowled at him, "Leave it." he ordered.
"What do you mean?" I asked Will.
"It's nothing to worry about. You'll find out soon enough. But for now, I think it might be better if I stuck around for a while. As much as I hate saying it, I think you're going to run into trouble if I don't." Will responded, smiling at me. I likened it to telling me to be patient.
Chris seemed to catch onto what he was saying, "How many have you seen?" he asked him.
Will thought about it, "I've fought with two in the last three hours, and believe me, they were aiming to permanently clip my wings. I'm beginning to think that they see an elder like myself as a prize for their leader." he answered.
The waitress was coming back as he finished speaking. She looked surprised to see Will at first, then asked him if he needed to order as well.
"I'll just take a coffee. Thanks." he told her, giving her that same charming smile.
I saw the woman blush as she turned her head from him and took our orders. Once she was done, she quickly hurried away. I turned my attention back to the two of them, curious about what they were referring to.
"What exactly are these things you were fighting?" I asked Will.
I was expecting to hear about something like what Chris had fought, or maybe that woman I'd seen. I had the feeling that our kind probably fought with a lot of things like that, and Chris had said that they were attracted to our power. That was probably why Chris tended to watch around us like he did. He didn't want anything like that surprising us.
"Well, my dear, you may not like the answer." Will admitted.
"Trust me, I've heard enough now that it would just be another thing to add to the list." I assured him.
"Very well." Will relented, "Angels."
"Are you kidding me?!" I fumed, though I managed to keep my voice down, "Why in the world would angels be hunting us?"
"You expected any less? You know where we come from. We're not exactly considered holy." Chris spoke up.
"I know that! But we didn't ask to be born this way!" I argued.
"Try explaining that to them. They don't give you much of a chance to." Chris responded.
Will shook his head, "Honestly Chris, you have no way at all with women, do you? I know you were taught more manners than what you're showing her." he chided him.
"And what do manners have to do with any of this?" Chris argued, "None of it means anything when you're being hunted, and especially when the girl sitting next to you is the daughter of one of those on the top of their most despised list. You and I both know that all too well. We've lived with the same shit for years."
Will wasn't put off, "That's no reason to act like an ass to her or me. It's not her fault that it's all starting again, and there's nothing more we can do about it. For now, what you should be thinking about is offering at least a little bit of comfort to a world in turmoil. I'll assume I'm correct in saying such."
"No kidding. I always knew I was different, but I wasn't expecting all of this." I confessed.
"Well, Saffron did go to great lengths to keep you safe and sound all of these years. I was rather surprised when none of us could figure out where he'd hidden you. It's not something typical for us. But then again, it was also a good thing because they couldn't locate you either, or even confirm that you existed." Will explained.
"He did plan me, so maybe he was planning ahead on this stuff too." I reasoned.
I thought about the pictures that were still in my pocket. Yes, him planning ahead on everything was the only thing that made sense to me. Saffron had to have known all along that the ones like us were hunted. Maybe that was why he'd steered me towards Chris with that dream. He wanted me here with him and others like us.
As I looked back at Chris, I saw that something outside had caught his attention. He slowly stood up.
"Stay here with Will for a minute. I need to check something out." he instructed me.
"Are you sure about doing that alone?" Will asked him, keeping his voice low.
"I can handle it. Just stay put and make sure she's safe. I'll be back." Chris responded, leaving the booth to go outside.
"Is he going to be okay by himself?" I asked Will. I hadn't forgotten what I'd seen earlier. Even though they were healing, those had been some nasty wounds on his shoulder and chest.
"I wouldn't worry too much about him. Chris knows how to handle himself very well. He's been doing it on his own for quite a while now, and I assure you, he's very strong when it comes to fighting." Will explained.
"I guess you've known him for a long time, huh?"
Will smiled, "You could say that. We've been what I like to call friends for quite a while, although I'm not too sure it would be something I could say in front of a lot of others. They might think it's a form of blasphemy or something."
There it was again. It sounded like the others bowed to Chris, "Why would they think that? You said something about Chris being a leader before. What did you mean?"
"Just what I said. I suppose I can say it while he's not around, considering he apparently doesn't want it said out loud around you for whatever reason. Christoff is one of the most powerful of our kind now, as well as one of the oldest. He's considered like a prince because of it."
You're kidding me, I thought. Now I was majorly out of my league if I decided that I really did like him. He was considered royalty in our world.
But at the same time, I was thinking about what had happened to him the night before, "You guys really have some way of protecting what you call your royalty. He's already bandaged up from fighting some monster last time." I told him.
Will's face faltered as he heard that, "Again? How many times do I have to tell him not to go after those things alone? One of these days he's not going to come back." he fussed. He got up and offered me a hand, "Come on. I think it would be better if we stepped out there and checked."
I nodded as I took it, following him outside. Everything was quiet, and I didn't see a sign of Chris anywhere. Where in the world could he have gone?
Will looked around, his gaze settling towards some woods near us. I suddenly heard a strange sound, almost like a screeching bird. It was very brief and cut off quickly.
Chris came out from that spot moments later. He didn't look happy to see us out there.
"Didn't I tell you to wait in there?" he asked, glaring at Will.
"I would have, but considering I've heard that you're apparently still recovering, I thought that this was a bit reckless." Will responded. He definitely wasn't backing down, and looked angry at him.
Chris just shrugged it off, "It was nothing that bad out there. Only a spy, and that was easily taken care of. Besides, they came here following your trail."
Will backed down a little, "Guess I can't say much to that one, but you are still recovering, so take it easy." he reminded him as we went back inside to our booth. He gave him a stern look as we sat down, "How bad was it this time?"
Chris let out a long breath, "I didn't think you'd give this one up, but you know it takes a lot more than some cuts to slow me down. It was only some scratches from a Shade. I'm healing fine now. They'll probably be gone by tonight." he told him.
"Honestly Chris, why do you insist on doing these things? One of these days you're going to end up losing for good." Will went on.
"We'll just have to see about that, won't we?" Chris shrugged.
By then our food was finally coming. I'd never been so grateful to have something to eat. I hadn't gotten any breakfast and I was starving. It really didn't feel that odd either that I was sitting there with two guys I barely knew, eating and talking like old friends. Somehow the whole thing felt natural.
As we walked out of the diner afterwards, the subject went back to our current situation, "You know Chris, it might be better if you kept a lower profile for now. That's the third spy I've seen in the last two hours." Will told him.
"You don't think they know that I have her yet, do you?" Chris asked.
"I can't imagine how they'd get that information so quickly. It's not like they've been monitoring things with Saffron recently. They know he's trapped again, so he's been the least of their concerns." Will answered.
"I guess you have a point." Chris lamented.
"Either way," Will continued, "I think that your best bet now would be to go the roundabout way to Baton Rouge. Stay on the back roads whenever you can. They'll be watching the major highways, and I don't doubt that it would give them easy access to make something look like a tragic accident."
"Yeah, I got it. You know I hate a lot of traffic anyway. But I've got to make sure to get some stuff for her too. I've already taken her away from that town as fast as I could, and she doesn't have anything else with her besides the clothes on her back." Chris admitted.
Will gave him a sour look, "Honestly now, how do you expect our young lady to be any kind of comfortable like that?" he fussed at him.
"I've been thinking about it, and that's where I could use your help. You can pick up the things she needs and bring them to us." Chris responded.
"You can't be serious..." Will started.
"Of course I am." Chris interrupted, looking matter of fact, "You can get past them a lot easier than I can. They know me too well and I don't need to put her in anymore danger than what she already is. So, you'll go out and buy the things she should need until we get to Baton Rouge. Then I can take care of the rest there. I'll send you the information on where we're staying, and we'll meet up there."
Will crossed his arms, "And what makes you think I'm willing to go out and buy women's personal things?" he challenged.
"Don't you remember? You've always claimed to be better with them than me. Besides, it would go against everything you claim you are to leave a girl stranded." Chris countered, looking equally as stubborn.
I was starting to wonder what in the world I was getting myself into as I watched those two staring each other down. I knew I'd better say something now. This was getting us nowhere.
"I'm sorry Will, but can you please do this for me? It would really help." I requested, giving him the most pleading look I could muster.
"I don't think you need any more persuasion." Chris stated, looking triumphant.
Will sighed in defeat, "Alright, I'll do it. How can I say no to a face like that?" he conceded.
Chris got onto the bike, "Thanks Wilhelm," he smirked, "I know we can trust you to get the right things. I'll send you a message in a few hours."
"Cut that out! You know I hate it when you do that!" Will snapped. He looked away from him and helped me get onto the back of the bike, "But fine. I'll make sure to get everything she'll need for the rest of the trip. Just keep her safe."
"What about my sizes?" I asked him. It had suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't told him any of that. I hadn't even said what kind of clothes I liked.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure I get the right things for you. Just leave it to me." Will assured me.
I didn't feel that confident as we said our goodbyes and rode off. I made sure to tell Chris so.
"Are you sure he'll get it right? Will didn't even get my sizes or anything."
"Trust me, he'll know what to get just by being around you for the short time he was. Will has a keen sixth sense for that kind of stuff. He's worked in the fashion business for years now and has been pretty successful because of it." Chris responded.
That was interesting. Apparently Will had a career. I wondered how he kept it without anyone noticing that he didn't age.
I pushed the thought to the back of my mind as we rode out to another highway. There was no choice but to do it for now. I just hoped that we'd get to Baton Rouge soon. I wasn't that comfortable about this now that I knew something could come after us and cause a massive accident just to be rid of us.
Thankfully, our ride remained quiet for the most part. As the sun began setting, Chris finally decided that it was time for us to stop for the night. He'd admitted to me that morning before we left that he wasn't too keen on driving at night. That could get dangerous on a motorcycle, especially if something came after us.
We pulled into a motel on the outskirts of a small city. I admit that it felt good to get off that bike. I wasn't sure of how I was going to survive this ride down to Baton Rouge now. I was already feeling drained.
Chris looked around the parking lot. It was mostly empty.
"Good. It doesn't look like they've followed us at all today." he said quietly.
"You really think they're going to be following us now?" I asked.
"It's just their spies, and yes, I don't doubt it. But it's easier for the spies to blend in too. The last one I saw was back at the diner though, so they must not have realized that I offed him yet." Chris surmised.
I looked towards the road, thinking of my mother. Was she looking for me now? I would've imagined that she was. But also, I knew that she must have come across the box and the pictures by now. They were sitting out on my bed. Was she angry when she discovered them, or was she afraid?
A part of me wished that I could call her and tell her that I was okay, but at the same time, I was afraid of what could happen. I didn't want to put her in anymore danger because of what I was. I'd already caused her enough problems growing up with this heritage. I was sure of that now. All of the moving and hiding had a purpose. It was all because of them gearing up to kill the ones like me.
The motel looked to be an older one with maybe four or five floors. The outside was painted in an off white, gray sort of color. Hopefully it would be nice enough to stay in. You never knew what you were getting with places like this. But Chris didn't seem too worried as we made our way inside.
The lobby of the motel was very quiet and nicely decorated in blues and whites. I felt a bit surprised by that. Maybe outside appearances aren't always everything. Looking straight ahead I could see the solid oak reception desk. Behind it, an older man looked up. He had round glasses and receding white hair.
"Hello there. How can I help you?" he asked us.
"We need a room for the night. Have anything available?" Chris responded, leaning slightly on the counter.
"Yes, I have a few." the man answered. "It's seventy-five for a single and ninety-five for a double. Which would you like?"
"Doesn't matter. A single's fine." Chris started.
"Double." I interrupted.
No, he was not putting me in that position again tonight. No matter how cute he was or how comfortable I'd felt sleeping beside him the night before, sleeping in the same bed was where I was drawing the line.
"I guess it's a double then." Chris sighed, sounding a little put out.
The man laughed, taking out one of the keys, "Double it is then. That will be ninety-five for the night."
"This should cover it." Chris said, pulling out a hundred from his wallet.
"That's fine. Have a good night. Check out's at noon." the man said as he gave him his change.
"A single? Seriously?" I asked as we walked down the long back hall and got into the elevator. The door closed and Chris punched in the number for the third floor.
"I don't see where it matters that much. A bed's a bed. Besides, you did sleep in the same bed with me last night." Chris pointed out, not seeming the least bit concerned over any kind of implications. Either he was the Joe Cool type or Will was right and he wasn't good with women at all.
"You've known me for three days. You don't sleep in the same bed with someone you've known for just three days unless you really have to. Last night was an exception." I countered.
"If you say so, but I still say it doesn't hurt anything; and you know as well as I do that plenty of people do that for a night without sleeping."
"Very funny smart ass." I muttered, feeling my cheeks get hot.
"What can I say? I try." Chris responded, although he seemed uneasy now. Maybe he'd thought about his own words.
The elevator dinged as the door opened to the third floor. Walking down the dimly lit hallway, we found our room near the very end. The room wasn't that bad. It was nice and clean, with two twin beds, a television and two dressers.
"Well, this is better than I thought." I admitted as I sat on the bed on the far side of the room.
"Outside appearances aren't everything you know, and as long as it's comfortable and there's no spiders or roaches, I don't mind putting out the extra money for a double, even if we don't need it." Chris responded, lying down on the other bed. He pulled out the cell phone from his pocket and typed a quick message. I assumed that it was to Will. He had said that he'd let him know where we were staying when we got there.
I laid down on my own bed, looking at the ceiling. It was my habit when I was thinking things over.
"Hey Chris, can I ask you something?"
"What is he?" I heard him reply.
"Why didn't you tell me that they call you their prince?"
The room became quiet. Then he finally decided to answer me, "I've never really given it that much thought. It's just a title he gave me a long time ago, and it doesn't mean anything to the rest of the world."
"You don't seem to have a problem using it with Will." I noted.
"It does come in handy at times, but other than that, it really doesn't mean anything. I'm still one of the Shadow Wings, whether I'm considered their prince or not. I'll always be one of those that doesn't belong according to the Higher Powers." Chris went on.
"The Shadow Wings, huh?"
Yes, that was what Will had called us. That and the name Nephilim.
"Like Will said, that's what we're commonly referred to. They used to just call us Nephilim, but they stopped because of those clans. Guess they figured there would be too much confusion between the two. After all, they'd never want to consider us in with them." Chris continued.
"Nephilim? That's a weird name. It's in the bible, right?"
"So that woman actually let you learn about the bible? That's surprising. I wonder if Saffron knew about it."
"Why? Would he really have been that upset over it?"
I would've imagined so. After all, a Fallen Angel would probably hate anything that was considered holy.
Chris shook his head, "It's not only him that makes it surprising to me. It's also because that woman's a witch."
I looked over at him as he said that, "A witch? What in the world are you talking about?" I asked.
"Just what I said," Chris replied. He rested his hands behind his head, "She's been practicing black magic for most of her life. That's why Saffron chose her to keep you. He knew that she was strong enough to protect you when he wasn't around."
"So that's why you didn't want her to know about me meeting you." I surmised.
Chris shrugged slightly, not bothering to look at me, "I'm sure she probably has it out for whoever took you and told you the entire truth, but I'm not worried about that old witch either. I can handle her. I'm more concerned about those so-called White Wings that have been trailing us. They're gearing up again for a reason."
I sat up, looking down at the bed as I considered how it may have been me. He had mentioned something about that before. After all, I was Saffron's daughter, and apparently, he was on their most despised list.
Chris seemed to catch onto my train of thought as he sat up, "You know, you don't need to blame yourself. They would've done this eventually anyway. They do it whenever they feel like it." he assured me.
I smiled as I heard that. He was actually trying to comfort me.
"Thanks Chris. I guess you'd know more about it then I would. I didn't even know who I really was until you came along. But I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing." I admitted.
Before he could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Chris looked over as we heard it.
"It's about time he got here." he complained as he slid off the bed.
He went over and opened the door. Will was standing there waiting with a large NY&C bag by his side.
"I was wondering if you'd answer the door without me sending you a message." he commented.
"You know I can sense you. Did you get everything?" Chris asked him.
"I did," Will picked up the bag and let himself in, coming over to me and handing it to me with a smile, "I'm hoping I was right about the styles you might like. I wasn't too worried about the size. That was pretty easy to figure out."
"Thanks. I owe you one." I responded, smiling back at him then looking into the bag. I couldn't complain about what he'd gotten. The clothes were all name brand and really nice looking. They were all my size too. He really must have had a talent for that. He'd even gotten the personal stuff I'd need.
"Don't worry about it. It isn't right for you to not have anything." Will replied. He looked back over at Chris, "By the way, there was something I wanted to propose to you as well, considering I've had the luck to run into you with all of this."
"Really?" Chris sounded suspicious.
"You know as well as I do that they're tracking all of our moves as best as they can now, and it seems that they're well aware of you traveling with this girl. So, I think it's about time to switch up a little on them." Will suggested, holding up a car key.
Chris frowned at him, "I suppose you're thinking of taking my motorcycle."
"Exactly, and you're taking the Dart."
"And why should I take that thing?"
"Oh, come on. It's brand new and has a powerful engine. Just because you think it's small isn't an excuse." Will argued.
"I don't think that. I prefer my motorcycle." Chris defended.
Will wasn't put off, "I promise I won't hurt your precious motorcycle, and if something does happen to it, I'll either fix it or replace it. So just take the damn key and give me yours. You know that if anything happens, she'll be much safer in a car than on the back of that bike."
The two stared each other down. Then Chris finally conceded, taking the key to the motorcycle out of his pocket and trading him.
"Fine. I'll do it if it keeps her safe, but that's the only reason I'm agreeing to this."
"I knew you'd see it my way." Will smiled at him. No doubt he was happy over winning this battle, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back before they notice the switch. I noticed that they've been sending more spies down, and it took me quite a bit to shake them while I was getting here. I'm sure that if I leave on that bike, they'll follow thinking that I'm you."
"Please be careful." I requested.
Will smiled at me, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing and I'm good at avoiding trouble. I'll see you in Baton Rouge." he promised.
Chris didn't seem as concerned, "Come on. I want to see this car before you go." he told him. He looked over at me, "Stay in here until I get back."
He didn't have to tell me twice. After all the things I was hearing and I'd already seen, I felt a little bit paranoid when he wasn't around.
I let out the breath I'd been holding once they were gone. What a mess this was turning out to be. While I was glad that I was being protected while I was trying to figure out more about myself, I also felt more than uncomfortable about my current situation. There was a lot that I didn't understand about this situation and about Chris. While he tried to be nice, there was still that little part of him that tended to be stand offish towards me. On top of all of that, I also now knew that I was being hunted while he was trying to get me to Baton Rouge.
Standing up, I took out one of the new pink tops and underwear that Will had gotten for me and went into the bathroom to get in a shower. I was kind of hoping that it might calm my nerves. Not to mention I felt dirty from being out on a motorcycle all day.
As I undressed, I stopped and stared into the large mirror. I leaned forward a little, touching my face. I was again thinking of the picture of Saffron that was in my coat pocket, along with the visions I'd been able to have of him. Chris and Will were right. I did look a lot like him, and I definitely had his eyes.
But as I thought about this, my eyes fell to the pendant that I was wearing. I held it up in front of me, studying it. It didn't look any different from any other time that I'd really looked at it. The deep black stone seemed darker than an abyss. I knew that I'd seen it glow several times now, and Chris had mentioned that he believed this was how Saffron was able to keep tabs on me. I wondered if maybe I could use it to communicate with him.
As crazy as it was, I really did want to see my father now. It didn't matter what he was. I'd had time to let it sink in, and even though the thought of him being a Fallen Angel still scared me, I also felt like I wanted to know him. I still needed some answers and it felt like the most important ones were lying with him and only him.
A knock at the bathroom door brought me back to reality. I jumped, dropping my pendant back to my chest.
"Hey, are you okay in there?"
I sighed in relief. It was only Chris.
"I'm fine. Just getting in a shower." I called back.
"Okay. I went ahead and ordered us a pizza while I was out there. It should be here soon." Chris told me.
That sounded great. I was starving again, "Okay. I'll be out in a little bit."
After getting in a quick shower, which I'll admit felt wonderful, I dried off and dressed. I looked at myself in the mirror once I'd pulled the tank top over my head and adjusted it. It really fit well. I was glad of that.
Chris was flipping through the channels on the TV as I came out. He was laid back on his bed and looked like he was trying to relax. I stopped for a moment and took the time to look at him. Chris wasn't really that big of a man, but he was definitely tall and well defined. He'd changed into a pair of jeans and another black tank top.
But looking at that, I realized something. He didn't have the bandages on now.
I walked over and sat beside him, "Hey, you don't need the bandages anymore?" I asked.
Chris shook his head, "No. It's healed now, so I don't need them."
"Seriously?"
I took a closer look. Yep, the wounds were completely gone. There weren't even any scars.
"I told you not to worry so much about them." Chris reminded me as he sat up.
"I know, but I didn't think they'd go away so fast." I responded.
I was starting to feel a little defeated with all of this. Maybe I wasn't ready to learn so much about what I'd come from and where I was going in my life.
Chris touched my chin, making me look at him, "Stop worrying so much about all of this. You'll get used to it eventually. Let's just try to relax."
I reluctantly agreed. He was right. I needed to make myself relax for at least a little bit while I had the chance. There was a lot more coming soon enough.
Our evening passed quietly. While I couldn't say that I completely understood Chris, he did make for good company. We had our pizza, then ended up lying back together and watching TV for a while. We watched whatever looked interesting, and I ended up falling asleep around eleven, feeling quite peaceful.
But again, my dreams were invaded.
I opened my eyes in the dream, realizing that I now stood in an unfamiliar room with dark floors and shadows dancing on the walls from the dim light that was coming in through the windows. I looked around, not sure of whether I should move or not. The room was pretty big, and I couldn't see any doors. There was no furniture in there either. I was confused. I'd never had a dream like this before.
I suddenly realized that I wasn't alone. The feeling of being watched was strong, and incredibly uncomfortable. I spun around to my left and saw that a man was standing there. He had very dark hair and was dressed in black.
But the thing that caught me the most about him were his green eyes. They were cat-like, standing out even in the dim light.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Has it really been so long?" he said, his voice as smooth as ice.
I couldn't move from where I stood. The cold fear was welling up deep inside of me, holding me tightly to that spot.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice tense with that fear.
The man stepped over to me so that he now stood in front of me, "I could see where you wouldn't recognize me. After all, we've never met in your conscious lifetime, have we?"
I stared up at him as he stood there. He was very intimidating as he towered over me. But standing there, looking into those eyes, I suddenly realized that I had seen them before. A vision flashed through my mind; being in that room, standing over Faith Kent's body and looking at Saffron holding me as a baby; and beside me was the other one, the Fallen that had once worked very closely with Saffron and had been pursuing him at that time.
"Jade." I whispered.
Jade smiled at me, though it wasn't friendly at all.
"That's right. It seems you've gotten a few small glances of the past. Tapping into the past through your dreams must be one of your abilities, although you see it as more of a curse. But I'm sure he's used it to his advantage as well in all of this. If you've gotten to see me, then I'm certain that is the case." he went on.
I wasn't sure of what to do. I was praying that I'd wake up. This dream felt far too real, too dangerous; like he could harm me in this dream and it could happen in the real world. I had the distinct feeling that Jade didn't like me being alive. It very well could've stemmed from my father. But I would've imagined that Fallen Angels were probably just that malicious too. They were basically demons, no matter what anyone said.
"Let me out of here. Let me wake up." I begged as I took a step back.
"Not so fast my little girl. You and I have a bone to pick here."
Jade grabbed the top of my left arm. His grip was right and hurt.
"What do you want from me? I just want to wake up!" I cried.
I turned my head towards one of the nearby large windows. All I could see was the illumination of the dark curtains fluttering around it, as though there was a breeze trying to come in.
I got the distinct feeling that Jade was smiling again as I looked away from him, "So, you fear me. That's just as well. Being feared is always better. But I have no intentions of harming you just yet. I simply longed to see what his offspring turned out like, and what has so attracted the attention of my own."
His words got my attention, "Your own?" I repeated softly.
"Indeed, but what could I really expect in the end? Great powers always seem to attract one another, and this one was destined to be written long ago. So, for now I'll leave it all to be whatever it will be. But I warn you child, if you cause him any harm, I will cause it for you. Mark my words on that one."
I felt him lean down to whisper in my ear; "If you think your dreams are frightening, you haven't seen anything yet."
The grip on my arm tightened, and with it came intense pain. I pushed against him as hard as I could to get away.
And all at once, I was waking up.
Chris was leaned over me, apparently trying to wake me, "Hey, are you alright? What happened?" he asked, looking very concerned.
I worked hard to catch my breath. A dream. It had just been a nightmare. But at the same time, I knew it was also much, much more. I'd just seen the other Fallen that had a whole lot of involvement with Saffron, and he was threatening me in a roundabout way. He was threatening me about his own. Thinking of that, a startling realization began to hit me. His own...
"You're his son."