Page 63 of Claimed by the Fallen
I walk down the stairs, searching for said bodyguards. My still-developing plan is off to a good start when I only see two angels in the living room. Zeke and Mr. Cohen are my chaperones this evening. I count my blessings, knowing they are the more level-headed brothers. Hopefully, they will be less suspicious ofme.
Neither of the angels react to my appearance. I enter, sit down on the L section of the couch, and join them as they watch the last twenty minutes of a courtroom drama. Peri is snuggled against Mr. Cohen, but she stretches and prowls over to my side, resting her chin on my thigh. I scratch her head, ignoring the curious glances I feel on me from time totime.
The show ends, and Zeke mutes the television. “Are you hungry?” he asksme.
Just thinking about food makes my stomach twists uncomfortably. I’m too anxious to eat, but I need the angels to not be suspicious if I have any chance of sneaking out of the house. “I can eat,” Ilie.
Zeke nods and stands from the couch. He goes into the kitchen, and I hear him speaking on thephone.
“Are you alright?” Mr. Cohen asks. Immediately, I see him grimace. He knows it’s a silly question. My parents are missing, of course I’m notalright.
“I’m fine,” I say anyway. “Where are theothers?”
Mr. Cohen shifts. “Gabe and Adrian are searching town for any sign of yourparents.”
I nod, pretending like the news gives me hope. That’s hard to do when I know the truth about where my parents are. I imagine Gabe and Adrian pointlessly scouring the town, and I feel a twinge of guilt for not confiding in them. I shove the emotion away. I can’t risk my parents by involving the angels. I justcan’t.
“Why aren’t you and Zeke helping them search?” I bite the inside of my cheek, hoping I can subtly plant the idea the angels in my house should assist their brothers with their task. After all, they’re the ones who assured me of my safety while I’m inside my house. If I can get Mr. Cohen and Zeke to leave me alone, I won’t have to worry about sneaking out to meet the mysteriouskidnapper.
Mr. Cohen meets my gaze. If he senses my emotions, he doesn’t say a word. “None of us wanted to leave you alone, but Zeke and I thought it would be best if the other two made themselves scarce. They aren’t exactly the most… calmingpresences.”
Zeke returns. “That might be the understatement of thedecade.”
Mr. Cohen chuckles softly. I nod, half-heartedly acknowledging his remark. I assume Gabe is banished from the house because he can’t keep hold of his temper, especially with regards to the soulmate argument. And chances are Adrian is still irritated with me for what I said at the restaurant about dark Fallen and their impulses. I owe him an apology, but I can’t bring myself to worry about that rightnow.
Zeke settles himself on the spot he’d just left. I continue to pet Periwinkle, staring at the floor, while I try to come up with another way to get the angels to leave mealone.
“Would inviting your friend overhelp?”
I blink and look up. “What?”
Zeke repeats, “Your friend. Annie. Would you feel better if she was here? Maybe she can help distractyou?”
I doubt it, but I’m oddly touched by the thought. During the short weeks of our friendship, I’d shared little details about my life. I’d told Zeke where I went to school, my dog’s name, and, obviously, I mentioned my best friend. But I’m surprised he remembers her name after all this time, especially considering I don’t think I talked about Annie more than once while we waited for my dad to pick meup.
“No, thanks.” Bringing Annie into this mess is the last thing Iwant.
A phone rings, interrupting the conversation. Mr. Cohen reaches into his pocket. “Excuse me.” He steps out the front door. Through the screen, I see him answer thecall.
I watch Mr. Cohen, noting the tension in his shoulders. He tucks his chin down, speaking low. I can’t hear aword.
“It’s Gabe,” Zeke tellsme.
My neck rotates, and I raise aneyebrow.
Zeke jerks his head towards the front porch. “Joseph is speaking with Gabe. I figured you werecurious.”
“What is hesaying?”
Zeke’s eyes dim. He looks like he’d rather not tell me, but he says, “That there is still no sign of your parents. They’ve searched all over Valley Lake, including the unpaved roads throughout surroundingvalleys.”
“Oh.” Silence settles between us. I’m wracking my brain for a way to get Zeke out of the house. An idea hitsme.
“Zeke,” I clear my throat, “why did you leave all those yearsago?”
His back straightens, instantly on the defensive. “I’ve told you. I didn’t want to bring anyone to town who might findyou.”
“But you knew I’m Nephilim,” I point out. “Didn’t you expect me to eventually manifest powers? Someone was bound to find me once thathappened.”
