Heavenly (31 page)

same primitive hunger I had, their intentions clear by the way their eyes swept over me.

A lot of prospects.
Nice.

I cruised through bodies creating a gyrating wave that pushed people together. I kept an eye open for Britt but didn't

see her. I found Brady in the hall, laughing with a bunch of his and Weston's jock pals over a six pack.

When he saw me, he stopped talking and came over. "Hey. You came."

"Yeah. Where's Britt?"

He jerked out a nod toward the ceiling. "Upstairs with Wes. Want a drink?"

I looked around. "You got any soda?"

He laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"Actually, I'm not. Pepsi. Thanks."

His smile tweaked in that junior high mentality meant to humiliate. "Okaaay. Pepsi. I'll see what I can find."

"You do that."
What a retard.
I passed his buddies who gave me jock nods and I headed through the house in search of my first hottie for the night.

The halls were so dark I could barely see where to go, much less faces to choose from. In every corner, couples

wrapped around each other, bumped, grinded or locked lips.

I had the fleeting thought of Matthias. To kiss him here in this dark, raw place.
Hot.
The sexy image didn't stay in my mind, for I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.

In the living room packed with laughing, talking, dancing kids there hovered countless black figures. My first thought

was that I was hallucinating. But I was sober. The transparent black images moved like vapors of smoke, slithering in and

out, around and on top, underneath and between the oblivious teenagers.

My heart jumped. Black spirits. Matthias had called evil black spirits and he was right. There was no light in them at

all.

Their features were human, only their transparency lacked the substance of flesh and bone, or soul. Each was intent,

focused—grinning as they swooped, slid and hovered. A cold sweat broke out on my skin. I'd never seen anything so

disturbing, yet I was unable to stop watching as they wove around those gathered in the room.

Suddenly, two of them broke away and followed a couple coming toward me. My heart leapt to my throat. I stepped

back and pressed myself against the wall of the entry hall.

The couple was twined together, their lips devouring each other, hands exploring. Shadowing them were the black

spirits, snarling out silent laughs, their onyx eyes gleaming as they circled, like sharks.

I prayed they wouldn't see me. I didn't know what would happen. Would they come after me because I knew

Matthias? Fear—fiery and scalding—raced through my trembling system. I closed my eyes when they passed, afraid if they

looked at me, I'd dissolve. Or die. My heart pounded in my chest. Twenty beats. Then I opened my eyes.

I caught the backs of their sinewy blackness just before they vanished up the stairs, behind the couple, and followed

them into a room. The door shut.

No.
The image of those evil creatures watching the couple sent a cold, icy disgust through my body.

I had to get out of there.

Terrified, I now saw that what I'd thought were shadows when I'd first come into the house, were really dozens of

these dark spirits, luring, enticing, beguiling each person in the place.

"There you are." Brady came out of nowhere. I jumped. "Didn't mean to scare ya." On a laugh, he handed me an open can of Pepsi.

My hand shook when I took it. "Th-anks."

"You okay?"

I couldn't stop shaking. Sweating. Fear ran loose like a thousand rats in my body. "F-fine." I tilted back my head and took a long drink. Closed my eyes. Leave now, Zoe, I thought.
This isn't a place for you... Matthias
words echoed faintly in my head.

"Britt's upstairs. She wants to see you." Brady's eyes... had they always been that dark?

"Oh?" My hand trembled so badly, I could barely bring the can to my lips for another drink.

Brady eyed my fingers as I took a swig from the cold can. "I'm supposed to take you up there. Wanna go?"

Panic collided with fear inside of me, the frantic rats crashing into each other as the image of a gaping trap came into

my mind. "Tell her to come down," I said.

Brady studied me for a second, then looked around. "You sure? Cause she's up there with Weston."

That didn't make sense. Last I'd heard, the two of them still weren't talking. "If she wants to talk to me, I'll be down here."

A flash of anger sparked Brady's eyes. He turned and that's when I saw the menacing black spirit hanging on his

back. The translucent creature was a male, and straddled him as if Brady was a horse or some beast he was riding. His long

arms stroked Brady's head, neck, chest, all the way down his body in an invisible seduction meant to excite.

Shocked, I stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs, watching. Couldn't Brady feel that? Was the invisible stimulation

what enticed him into a state of hunger?

Suddenly, Weston appeared. He stood with Brady at the top of the stairs, both of them looking down at me. Black

spirits whirled around them. Weston had two. One riding his back—a woman—her hands in a constant caress of Weston's

body. The male danced and hovered around the female with his mouth twisted in a gaping laugh.

Brady and Weston started down the stairs.
Move. Run. Get out of here.
My feet started to tingle. Numbness followed.

The deadening sensation inched up my legs like snakes, wrapping around and around. My pounding heart slowed.
Move, Zoe.

Run!

"Hey Zoe." Weston smiled when he reached me.

"I need to go." My voice—the snakes slithering around my limbs were closing in on my throat. "I..."

"You can't go yet." Weston stepped close. The musky scent of his body assaulted my weakened senses. He wrapped

an arm around me, smiled. Dangling over his shoulder was the female, laughing—silently. Her hands never stopped caressing

him. Everywhere. In the air the hideous male slithered up and around in a sickening display of pleasure that rolled panic into a fear so terrifying, I was sure I would die.

"Zoe, you don't look so good," Brady's amused voice came at me in muted bubbles.

My head swam. My legs—noodles—my heart hammered. Blood rushed through my veins in a paralyzing scream.

Snakes covered my body now, I couldn't move. Their tingling squeeze immobilized me and I collapsed into Weston's

arms. "What... did you... put... in my drink?"

Weston's lip lifted. "Something to loosen you up, baby."

Overhead, the black spirits' gazes latched on mine. Their onyx eyes glittered with victory.


NINETEEN


I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark room. In a strange bed. My head throbbed. I tried to lift my arms, to rub

my face but my limbs were so heavy, I could barely move them. A sour residue thickened the inside of my mouth. Where

was I? What had happened? Images pulsed through my mind:

Faces. Laughter. Shadows.

How did I get here?

It took all my strength to lift my head so I could look around. Black corners. A shadowy door. A draped window.

I still wore jeans and long sleeved red tee shirt, but the cool air on my shoulder drew my fuzzy gaze to a jagged tear

in the fabric, leaving me exposed.

On a groan, my head fell back against the pillow. Something was wrong. I was smashed, yet I hadn't had any alcohol.

What happened? Where am I?
Panic rolled through my system. I drew in a deep breath, determined to rise up to my elbows so I could make out this place, but the act was like lifting a cement slab.

That's when I saw him.

Felt him.

Like the sun raging behind a storm.

He sat in the chair like a warrior after battle, his long legs extended, arms out to his sides, palms up—as if battle had

drained him. But that was impossible. The source from which his energy flowed was Eternal. The comfort I was accustomed

to when he was in my presence was out of my reach, dancing around him in a soft glow. The only light in the room emanated

from his being, beneath the soft ivory of his clothes. He didn't say anything. His clear blue eyes were fierce, locked with

mine. A shiver trickled through my limbs.

His gaze held mine in piercing intensity, cutting my soul open as if he would dissect right then and there if I was

innocent or guilty of the night's activities. I opened my mouth to defend myself, not sure what retribution I would face but my throat locked. Had I put us in danger? Would the heavens thrash and roar? Would he leave me? The thought filled me with a

dread so black, my arms trembled. I nearly crumpled into the mattress.

"What happened?" I rasped.

His lock on my gaze held me captive, a blinkless stare I couldn't escape. Memories of the night dripped with a slow

leak into my conscience and shame forced me to close my eyes.

Why did you go inside, Zoe?

I heard his question as clearly as if he'd spoken to me. But he hadn't. We could read each others' thoughts, that was

the beauty, the miracle of our relationship.

I was angry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It was wrong. I'm sorry.

Silence. Thick. Hot. Sticky.

Look at me.

I can’t.
Tears rushed behind my eyes and burst through my closed lashes. He'd saved me tonight. Whatever had

happened had been treacherous, the magnitude something I could only measure by the intensity in his countenance—like the

sun tearing through black clouds, claiming possession of the sky.

I managed to roll onto my side, desirous of nothing more than to avoid him. But he was next to the bed, looking down

at me. I buried my face in the pillow.

Please. Don't stay. I don't deserve you.

Silence.

Tears burned behind my eyes. Then I felt Matthias' warm hands on my head. The wretched dark images trapped in

my system drew out of me, up through the top of my crown. My eyes opened. He stood over me, hands on my head, posture

sure, illuminated in white, his face turned heavenward. In a brilliant flash of blinding white, the sheer blackness being drawn from inside of me whirled upward, around his body, like a furious twister snaking through the ceiling until it vanished.

My body, lightened now by the elimination of darkness, sighed. Awed, I lay looking at him—how beautiful he was.

His brilliant countenance spread into the room and reached out to me, filling me with admiration. And love.

Thank you.

His hands gradually lifted from my head and went to his sides. His eyes met mine.
You're welcome.

He'd come to my aid, ridded me of the lingering pollutants, the shame without reprimanding me.

Complete forgiveness.

"How?" My voice scraped out of my throat. Something in his gaze sent a thread of concern through my blood.
I

thought you couldn't be where evil was.

A moment passed. Two. Three. His unwavering gaze never strayed from mine. A heavy silence blanketed the room.

Another taut moment passed. Three. Four.
Did you do something... wrong?
But how could he? In his refined state, was he still capable of doing anything wrong?

He closed his eyes in a ponderous tight expression and shook his head. "Don't worry yourself about this, Zoe."

"I should have listened to you. I shouldn't have gone in at all. That was..." I looked away. Closed my eyes.
Stupid.

You're learning, like everyone must learn, how to choose.

If I'd only stayed outside. With you.
I turned, met his caring gaze. "Those other guardians I saw. What about them?"

"There were two others who are safe now. Don't worry about them."

"I should have gone in and found them, told them—"

"You can't force anyone to choose something. Each must decide for himself." Matthias sat down on the edge of the

bed.

His closeness sent a warm wave
of him
through me, deep and penetrating. He studied me for a long moment, his gaze

so comforting, I became relaxed. Sleepy.

Rest.

- - -

When I opened my eyes again, I was clear in body and soul. Matthias stood looking out opened curtains to a sunny,

blue-sky Sunday. Where was my bedroom?

I sat up.

Matthias turned, smiled. "Feel better?"

"I'm in a motel room." He nodded.

"How did I get here?" The night's events moved through my mind in gray clouds. "Brady?"

"And the other double-crosser."

Weston.

He crossed to the bed. The fierceness coloring his eyes sent me back. "What happened?"

Matthias tensed. "They brought you here to commit the most offensive of sins." His body bulged with contained rage.

Then, he closed his eyes, let out a long breath and his body relaxed.

"What did you do? Matthias, tell me what you did to them."

After a long silence, his eyes opened. "Justice was satisfied." The feral look in his eyes thrust a shudder through my system.

"One of them spiked my drink. What if they try to do that to some other girl? I can't let that happen."

"I believe they learned their lesson, Zoe." The silent assurance is his words put to rest the injustice bubbling inside of me and I let out a breath.

"You should be getting home. Your parents are frantic." He held out my cell phone. I looked into his eyes, still

curious about what he'd done to Weston and Brady but the look of the-subject-is-closed kept me from asking for more. The

phone sat like a baby bird in his palm, the sight of it yet another reminder of what he'd done for me.

I took it and called home.

"Zoe?" Dad's tone was frantic.

"Dad, I'm okay. I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier, but I wasn't able to. I'll explain when I get home."