Page 23 of Hunted by the Fallen
Without thinking, I place my palm against his hand on my arm, aiming for a softer tone. “Nothing bad happened to me. Ipromise.”
The lie tastes like ash in my mouth. I will tell the Fallen about Lukas’ visit eventually. But right now, I need to be alone. I need to process what’s happened, and I can’t do that with Adrian and Zeke hovering over me like a pair of protectivewatchdogs.
Adrian stares at me for a moment longer, then drops his hand. “Alright. Have a goodnap.”
I glance at Zeke. He looks like he wants to say something, but he only nods and seconds his brother’s words, “Enjoy yourrest.”
So, without waiting for one of them to change their mind and resume the interrogation, I go to my bedroom and close the door behindme.
I flop onto my bed just as my phone starts to ring. I don’t even need to guess who it is. Annie’s name flashes on the screen, but I don’t answer. She wants to discuss my date with Preston, but that, too, will need to wait until I can disassociate the date from Lukas’attack.
I place the phone on my nightstand and stare up at the ceiling. Inhaling a fortifying breath, I permit my mind to revisit what happened less than one hour ago, though it seems like aneternity.
Did I really manage to heal Charles? His wings had been broken—unusable. Their sickly angles and rumbled feathers looked agonizing and damaged beyond repair. Not to mention his ghostly pale skin and lackluster eyes. I don’t doubt the angel was knocking on death’s door. Yet, I managed to pull him back from the brink. All it took was Lukas searing me with unfathomable pain and maintaining the assault until I bowed to his demands and healed hisfriend.
I wince as my skin tingles with recollection of the pain. I tell myself to relax. It’s over. I’m safe in my warded house, and I have two Fallen keeping watch downstairs. Nothing will happen to me. Fornow.
I sit up and lean against my headboard, looking at the deceptively bright sun through the window. I wrap my arms around my torso. Lukas said he would come back. Now that I’ve managed to successfully use my healing powers, he will call on me to use them again. And unless I am able to manipulate my powers without his type of motivation, I know exactly what to expect the next time he needs myhelp.
I shudder and hold myself tighter. I can’t let that happen. I can’t endure that kind of pain a second time. I really should tell the Fallen about what’shappened…
Immediately, I see the negative to that plan. The only way Adrian and the others will be able to keep Lukas from getting to me is to be at my side even more than they already are. I won’t have a moment of rest without one of them being there. Part of me thinks that avoiding another painful encounter with Lukas will be worth it, but the other part of me—the part which knows how claustrophobic and singular I can be—knows I will quickly tire of their diligent hovering. The solution would be short-lived before it causes an equally suffocating problem. At least, that’s myopinion.
I’m caught between two unsavory choices. Unless I manage to use my power without Lukas’ tactics, I’m going to lose no matter what choice Imake.
I sit upstraight.
That’sit!
I need to master my Resurrection power. Now that I have proof the skill wasn’t a one-time thing, I can redouble my training efforts. That doesn’t mean I won’t tell my protectors the truth of today’s events, but it gives me more time. More time to practice my powers. And, hopefully, more time until Lukas’ next visit. I will wait for that experience before confessing what’s transpired. With any luck, I’ll have something more to report other than news of his torturoustactics.
Otherwise, I worry my protectors may do something in the name of keeping me safe—something we may allregret.
Ten
“Areyou sure you don’t want a break?” Mr. Cohen—Joseph asks me for the third time since we started training. It’s the day after my date with Preston. The day after I successfully used the Resurrection powers again. And I woke up this morning determined to work on calling forth said powers at will. The one moment of success, no matter how it had been achieved, has encouraged me. It drives me to keep practicing. A fact which has surprised my former teacher, as well as the other three Fallen. In all other training sessions, I wasn’t shy about quitting the moment I felt the tiniest bitfrustrated.
All five of us are in my backyard. Zeke and Adrian watch from the patio. They lounge in the cushioned wicker chairs, staying silent. Gabe sits under the shade of the oak near the back fence, playing fetch with Periwinkle. Unlike the silent twins, he offers suggestions to his brother from time to time and encourages me not to give up. Not that I plan on it. My stubbornness, no doubt, will come in handytoday.
“No,” I pant, gesturing for him to continue firing assaults at me. “Keep going.” After an hour of failing to heal the dead beetle in the familiar cardboard box, we moved onto defensive shields. I hadn’t protested the switch. Using my Angel Fire in any way would lead to eventual success with Resurrection powers. Or so Ihoped.
Joseph frowns. “You’reexhausted.”
“I’mfine.”
“You’resweating.”
On cue, a bead of sweat runs along my left temple. Joseph trails its progress with concern. “It’s hot out here,” I point out the obvious. “I promise, I’mfine.”
“Let’s break for five minutes. At least drink some water.” Joseph walks to the patio before I can respond. I have no choice but tofollow.
The second I step into the shade, Zeke holds out a waterbottle.
“Thanks.” I take the bottle. The ice-cold water soothes my throat, but I won’t admit that toJoseph.
I lower the water bottle, popping its cap on, then say, “Alright. Let’sgo.”
Joseph and Adrian wear matching frowns. Zeke shakes his head, “He said five minutes,Ron.”
