Page 51 of A Spark in the Ash

I wait, watching Jaxon for the next few moments.

He kneels there with his eyes closed. He holds his hands in front of him, with his fists curled tightly. The flames engulf his body, and he is so brilliant, that even the desert looks a different shade right now. He's glorious, and terrifying.

This is our gatekeeper. The one we have been searching for for a century and a half. He's beautiful. He is the man that I love.

The sound of a ringing phone cuts through the silent desert. It isn't my phone.

Jaxon freezes for just a moment, and then reaches into his pocket. It's crazy how the literal and physical side of bursting into flames or shifting into a giant shadow monster works. How he doesn't burn his clothes off now, and how he isn't melting his phone, just further goes to show how being a Guardian defies all reality.

The only danger he poses is to darklings or someone possessed by the dusk.

Jaxon closes his eyes for just a moment and takes a deep breath. And in two seconds, he extinguishes the light and the flames.

"Yes, Mother?" he answers.

"I just wanted to give you two the time for tonight," she says. Even though it's not my ear the phone is pressed too, I hear Vivian without any difficulty.

"What are you talking about?" Jaxon asks, clearly distracted by his passed-out brother on the ground.

"Your wedding party?" Vivian asks with annoyed impatience.

"You never said it was tonight," Jaxon says. He crouches down next to Aaron and starts searching through his pockets. Just a moment later, he pulls out a small baggie filled with white powder.

"Well, it is," Vivian continues, oblivious to the investigation Jaxon is currently conducting. "There will be a formal dinner at six o'clock. The reception following will go until ten. Should be an enjoyable time. Dancing, music, gifts. So, take that bride of yours shopping. I want the two of you to find something impressive to wear."

I look down at what I'm wearing currently. It's my standard attire, but I have been wearing it since yesterday morning. I'm certainly not going to complain about a shopping trip.

"Fine," Jaxon says. He’s still distracted. "We will be there."

Vivian hangs up, and even through the phone, I can feel her annoyance.

Jaxon shoves his cell phone into his pocket once more. He finishes checking all of Aaron's other pockets. "How is this going to go?" he asks as he looks up at me from the ground. "Is he going to remember any of this when he wakes up?"

I shake my head. "I mean, I never really stuck around much after the exorcism was finished. But no, from my experience, he won’t remember this. He probably won't remember anything since last night."

Jaxon nods, looking back down at Aaron. "The withdrawal is going to be fun."

I shake my head. "He's going to have a rough couple of days."

I'm surprised when Aaron begins to stir on the ground. He groans, and his hands go to his chest as if it hurts. It isn't as if Jaxon cut a hole in his chest and put his hands inside of it. But there is something that was inside of him that is now missing.

He brings his hands to his head and slowly sits up. "Jaxon? What's going on? Where are we?"

Quickly, Jaxon tucks the drugs into his own pocket. He extends a hand to his brother and helps him to his feet. "What's the last thing you remember?" Jaxon asks, smartly feeling this out before he answers any questions.

Aaron blinks hard and rubs his hands over his eyes. "Uh… I'm not sure. I remember going to some girl’s house. But after that…" he shakes his head.

"You went a little too hard last night," Jaxon says. And he's back again. Lies start coming as easy as he breathes. "Me and Serena went looking for you. It's been my full-time job far for too long now, don't you think, brother?"

Aaron squints as he looks over at his brother. His expression is different now. He looks…guilty. Sorry, even. "I…I'm sorry. I don't know why…don't know why I'm like this."

"How do you feel right now?" I ask as I take a step forward.

Aaron looks me up and down, and he has this look on his face like he isn't quite sure who I am. How much of his memory is altered now that the dusk has been exorcised from him? "I…I don't know. I feel… I have a feeling I've been doing some really bad stuff lately. Jaxon," he says as he looks up at his brother. "I can't stay in this place. I've got to get out of here."

The look of shock on Jaxon's face as he looks over at me says everything. This is not the brother that Jaxon has known for a very long time.

"What do you mean?" Jaxon presses.

---