Fall From Grace (14 page)

She needed to find out more about what was
going on, train to fight, not hide and wait for another episode.
But with Boon and Alexander gone, who would train her?

“Why don’t we walk to school together?”

Grace might have only been an earthbound
mother but it was the only connection she had on earth besides
Boon.

“Gaby, what is it?” Sammy reached out but
pulled her hand away.

Gaby kept her eyes on Patronus, scratching
his head. “How can you stand to look at me? I murdered your mother
and forced your soul mate to leave.”

“Gaby, no.” Sammy clutched her hand and pale
pink pulsed around her grasp.

Then Gaby saw it in Sammy’s eyes. It was
subtle, but there was a blend of sadness and…anger.

She hated her but stayed out of obligation.
Gaby shoved her away, and Patronus jumped to the floor. “I’ve got
to get to school. I’ll see you there.”

“Gaby, wait.”

“No. Not now.” Gaby ran down the stairs and
darted through the woods. A part of her hoped a demon would appear.
Maybe if she was gone no one else would get hurt. Heaven had chosen
wrong; there was no way she could stop a war.

The school parking lot was empty, and Gaby
knew it would be another half hour until anyone showed up. In hopes
of finding a quiet corner to be alone, she went in the side door
that was usually unlocked early, and made her way to the stairs
where she’d meet Alexander everyday for a quick kiss. Her heart
twisted, she couldn’t face him, not now. Still, she was worried;
where did he go? Probably anywhere he didn’t have to see her.

“Ms. Moore? Can I help you?” The distinctive
raspy voice of The Prim startled her from behind.

“No…I-I’m fine.” Gaby hid her swollen eyes
and dug in her backpack trying to appear busy. “Thought I’d do some
studying for my Florida History class.”

“Come to my office, please, dear.”

“Principal Mas—”

“It’s Judy, remember?” Her voice was soft,
motherly. She didn’t look stern or judgmental, but concerned.

Judy’s heels clicked against the linoleum
hall floors. The steady noise in the quiet was almost soothing.

Looking through the half wall of windows to
the front office revealed none of the staff had come in yet. Judy
held the door open for her, and they made their way around the
secretarial desks to her private office in the back. “Sit.” Judy
gestured to a chair in front of her desk. But instead of plopping
down behind her desk, she pulled a chair over next to Gaby.

“Tell me what is troubling you.”

Gaby quickly responded. “Nothing.” Then
realized it came out way too sharp and defensive. Her mind reeled
with what to tell her. Boy trouble? Well, that was true on an epic
level, but would it raise suspicion if Alexander didn’t appear at
school today? Family problems? She couldn’t tell her hunters
threatened their lives, besides she’d be in foster care by the end
of the day if they thought her father was drinking again.

“I told you, I’m not here to judge. I’ll
help anyway I can. You are special, Gaby.”

Special? What did that mean?

“You are a gifted student, cheerleader, and
nice girl. A rare breed here in Kemp. Seems like this town is full
of…evil.”

Gaby shot a look at her before she could
stifle it. Evil?

“You know, some of these teenagers can be
cruel, or evil.”

Geez, Gaby needed to chill. If she continued
jumping to conclusions, she’d provoke suspicion. That was it.
“Avery has been giving me trouble. She’s out to get me.”

Judy’s brow furrowed for a moment then she
replaced it with a warm smile. “What happened yesterday?”

Gaby struggled to find her meaning. Did she
know about the house? It would only be a matter of time before
someone figured out it was demolished and started asking questions.
Even with its remote location and the fact they used a PO box to
avoid mail to the house, eventually, someone would stumble upon it.
Hopefully, they could rebuild before anyone did.

“Between Avery and you in the locker room
before cheerleading practice?”

With everything that happened, she’d
forgotten about Sammy’s situation. I guess it was a good idea to
avert suspicion.

“She didn’t really attack me. It was about
my dad.” Gaby treaded lightly, not sure what Grace had told her.
Even the thought of Grace’s name caused her stomach to churn. If
she could just talk or have a vision, some sort of connection to
Heaven, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad. Eventually, Alexander would
make it back, and they’d be together again.

“I’m fine, really.”

Judy leaned close again. A hint of calm
blanketed her, not like when Sammy or Alexander soothed her but an
all over peace until sparks of orange ignited in her eyes. Gaby
gasped and pulled away.

“What is it, dear?” Judy sat back.

“Nothing.” Gaby couldn’t help but stare at
her eyes. Did she really just see that? The room started to
vibrate. No. She couldn’t have a vision right now, not in front of
the principal of her high school. She shot up from her chair and
headed for the door. “I really need to go study.”

“Gaby, things are seldom what they seem. If
you find yourself in a situation you can’t handle, come talk to me.
I’m here for you in any way I can help.”

There seemed to be a deeper meaning to her
words, but there was no time to think, she needed to get out of
there before she fell to the floor crying out from some monstrous
vision. In a strange way, for once, Gaby wanted to see a vision. No
matter how painful the image could be, at least she’d have a
direction, a purpose to something. This time she’d pay
attention.

A quick jaunt down the main hall and she
rounded the corner to the back bathrooms. Hopefully she’d given
Judy the slip.

She stumbled through the door and landed
against the wall. The smooth tile was slick with humidity. She
pushed off and grasped one of the sinks to stay upright. The white
world shimmied and blurred.

Grey dots popped into her vision before they
blended together to form a dark sheet of nothing. In the distance,
she saw a spec. She willed herself to move forward until she could
make out the object. It was a book. A small journal with a worn
brown binding.

Answers
. One word drifted through her
head in a scratchy, distant voice. The grey faded, and colors
emerged, becoming crisper until a room came into view. Grace’s
room.

A wall panel popped open, and the book flew
inside then shut.

Answers
. The room swirled and
vanished, and she was left clutching the sink, fighting the burn
rising in her throat. At least she was in the bathroom, away from
the rest of the students. She blinked several times and steadied
herself before she looked up into the old smeared mirror.

Her heart thrashed against her ribs at the
sight of her own eyes.

They were blood orange.

****

Alexander’s muscles protested with each
step. How did Boon keep going? Storm clouds bloomed, and the wind
picked up, sending an eerie breeze through the woods.

Boon lifted his hand. He halted and knelt
behind a bush. They both listened, but only the sound of bee’s
buzzing and wind blowing filled his ears, which of course, meant
there wasn’t a demon around. Maybe they should head back to the
house and give up on the demon hunt.

“How are you doing?” Boon leaned back
against a tree and gave him a weary smile.

“Okay. I know it sounds silly since it was
one of many bodies Grace inhabited, but I wish we could’ve had a
big ceremony and buried her properly. Not in an unmarked grave in
the cemetery.”

“It makes perfect sense.” Boon picked up a
twig and broke it in half. “Funny how life is so fragile here on
Earth. Even for an angel at times.”

“Can’t help but keep looking up at the
darkening sky hoping for some sign, but it appears as if only
darkness is approaching.”

“Yeah, I feel it too. That war is coming. We
need to train Gaby.”

“But her powers are too crazy. Look at…”
Alexander stopped, unable to complete his thought out loud, but it
echoed in his head.
She’ll kill someone else.

“With no word from Heaven, I’m thinking the
demons are getting closer to unleashing their plan. We don’t have a
choice. I’ll return when Gaby is done with school today and start
working with her. I think its best we work alone. At first at
least.” Boon urged.

“You scared I’m going to set her off?”
Alexander pulled a leaf from the bush and dug his nail into it,
splitting it down the middle to match his heart.

“Gaby is facing a lot of guilt right now.
Alex, she killed your mother. Imagine how you’d feel if you
murdered her father.”

“But it wasn’t her fault. I should’ve been
there to calm her down.”

Boon shook his head. “If Grace didn’t
succeed, none of us would’ve. That’s why I need to train her,
alone.”

“Why haven’t we heard anything? Some sort of
plan or mission to stop the war. Certainly Heaven wants us to
succeed.”

Boon pressed his lips tight then tossed the
stick to the side. “Yes, of course. Something has to be going on
for us not to hear anything, especially from Grace. I thought she’d
be able to communicate once in Heaven. Like Gaby’s mother had.
Although I know we all miss Grace, she must’ve been needed in
Heaven.”

Boon jumped to his feet and studied the
woods toward the demonic site.

Alexander put his hand on his knee and
pushed up, his muscles fighting his every move. Too long without
sleep or water, his human body was protesting.

“Something is moving.”

Alexander listened to the sounds of nature.
“It’s not a demon.”

“Don’t be so sure.” Boon shot him a quick
glance over his shoulder. “That land is possessed.”

“How can land be possessed?” Alexander moved
to his side, ready to take action.

“I’m not sure, but we can’t fight on their
ground on our own. We can’t take angel form, either.”

Alexander stepped forward and followed
Boon’s gaze. Something up ahead shined in the muted light. “That’s
not a demon; demons don’t need weapons. It’s that hunter.”

Alexander maneuvered around the tree, but
Boon grabbed his shirt and yanked him back. “Wait, he’s got the
strategic advantage. We can’t fight him there.”

“Yeah, but if we don’t get him out of here,
he’s a demon treat.” Alexander shrugged him off, his wings
pestering his muscles to let them free.

The over six foot five broad shouldered man
had a bag of tricks slung over his back. All weapons for torture
and slaughter, little did he know they were only going to be used
to gut him and sacrifice him to Satan.

Alexander’s wings jolted at the image. “Then
we’ll get him off that land.” Alexander freed his wings in a
brilliant explosion of blue, releasing all his frustration and
aching muscles into his solid angel form.

“Great, why not make a public service
announcement to all of Kemp.” Boon glared at him but ducked and
raced for a more strategic position. It would take them both to
subdue the hunter, especially with that new fangled collar.

If they captured him, they could find out
what he knew about the demon’s harvesting souls and how to keep the
hunters from finding Gaby.

The man pulled a sword from the armory on
his back and readied for a fight. Alexander took a few retreating
steps in hopes the man would follow.

A rumble echoed underground, and a fissure
jutted from the man to a few feet away from Alexander. At least
they knew where the land ended.

The man jumped away from the growing
crevice. It expanded to a foot. Steam rose from below, and
Alexander couldn’t see a hundred yards ahead. “Run!”

A horrific sound stabbed his eardrum with a
high-pitched dagger of rage. Smoke faded, and an outline of a huge
shadow appeared.

Piercing silence chilled his core. He froze,
listening for anything.

Gurgles…moans.

Alexander bolted into the air and searched
for the man’s location. He listened. Trees remained still. Only
deafening silence for a moment.

Groans sounded ahead, and he flew to save
the man but slammed into an invisible barrier. Electric current
shot into his hands and feet, surging up into his stomach, chest,
and face. The smell of burnt hair choked him. His wings withered
and died, shrinking to stumps. Sorrow…loss…loneliness collided,
sucking his soul from his body. He struggled for release but the
field of dark energy wouldn’t release him.

A black shadow flew at him, ripping him from
the sheet of darkness. He heaved and coughed blood into his hand.
He curled into a fetal position, stabbing pain thrust through his
abdomen. He screamed with agony and clawed at the ground trying to
force himself upright. Was this some sort of trap to turn him into
a minion for hell? He shook with fear that his next breath could be
his last as an angel. Separated from all he loved for eternity.

Chapter Thirteen

The bell shrilled, and Gaby shoved through
the chaotic sea of freshman hanging in the two hundred hall.
Overpowering floral scent of perfume made her sneeze. What did they
do, pour the entire bottle over themselves, or were all freshman
girls demons?

She reached the end of the lockers and flung
the outside door open. It smacked against the stone wall, but it
didn’t distract her from sprinting to the line of trees. No sign of
The Prim, but Gaby still kept glancing back over her shoulder while
she ran around trees and jumped over roots like it was nature’s
obstacle course.

That journal from her vision had to be
somewhere in the house debris. What if there was something about
her demonic side? She tried to remember the sound of the voice in
her head, but it was too distorted to know for sure if it was Grace
or her mother. All she did know was that the book contained
answers, and right now, they all needed some direction.