The Girl and The Raven (32 page)

“You’re awake.”

Marcus. My smile falls away when I see the dark circles under his eyes. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.”

He chuckles as he scoots his chair closer to the bed. “Well, thank you very much.” His voice is light, but his face is lined with worry. “How are you feeling?”

I study him for a moment, afraid to admit how amazing I feel, not when he looks so awful. “I’m thirsty,” I tell him. “Other than that, I’m okay. Euphoric…if that makes any sense.”

Relief washes over his face. He takes my hand and kisses it—twice—and sets it back on the comforter.

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.” His voice is thick. “I promised Persephone and Henry I’d let them know when you woke up.”

I watch him walk out the door. What happened while I was asleep? A glass of water sits on the bedside table next to the orchid. I sit up and drink the whole thing.

“It’s good to see you up,” Persephone says as she enters the room. Her expression holds the same frown as always, so I can’t read anything from her.

“What happened to me? And where am I?”

“In my guest bedroom.” She grabs the chair next to my bed, drags it further back and sits down. “How much do you remember?”

I scrunch up my face and stare at the pale blue wall behind her. “I remember trying on my new Homecoming dress, a gift from Jude. I remember a fight…no, not a fight, a disagreement…with my uncles, but I don’t remember why.” I try to focus, but nothing comes. “What happened to my memory?”

“A little alternative medicine, that’s all. How do you feel?” She studies me like she doesn’t trust me to tell the truth.

“I feel good. Fantastic, actually. But…why am I in your apartment? And why do I feel this
good
? I never feel this way.”

Henry walks in holding a shoebox. The sunlight makes his feline eyes glow. “You were poisoned.”

Poisoned?

“I didn’t get that far yet.” Persephone grimaces.

“Oh.” He waits for Persephone to say more. When she doesn’t, he turns to me. “We found you on the floor of Marcus’ apartment near a puddle of orange juice you vomited.”

“Seriously? That’s gross.” I hope Marcus didn’t see that.

“It helped us save you. Henry tested it on that little fella.” Persephone points to the shoebox. “Belladonna.”

Henry walks around the bed, removes the lid on the box and presents me with a dead mouse.

“Yuck.” I push it away. “Seamus again?”

“Yes.” Henry nods grimly. “Traces of his aura were left behind.”

Persephone rests her elbows on her thighs and leans toward me. “Why did you meet with Seamus without telling us.”

I think back. A jumble of images fill my head: the iridescent purple dress, Sheldon holding a menu, his disappointment. Then…nothing. “I don’t know.”

Henry looks at Persephone. “What I want to know is how he got in without the alarms going off.”

“Get rid of that thing, Henry. Please.” Persephone nods at the box. Henry slips the cover back on and leaves.

“Where’s Marcus? And what do you mean by alternative medicine?”

“I sent him home to get some sleep. If it wasn’t for Marcus, you’d be dead, Lucy. He used everything he had to heal you after we discovered that my magic had no effect.” She fusses with the comforter. “I gave you that amulet to keep you safe, but Seamus outsmarted us again. What I don’t understand is why he turned the thermostat in Aiden and Marcus’ apartment as high as it would go.”

The amazing feeling is gone. I guess I had hoped that Seamus would go away, that I’d only have to deal with Jude. I’m so naïve. 

Persephone fixes me with a stern expression. “I couldn’t get Marcus to leave your side for two days. If he doesn’t get proper rest…his own kind of rest…then he gets sick. We can’t risk that.”

“His own kind of rest? What does that mean?”

Persephone pats my arm gently, then rises from her chair and heads to the door. “Don’t worry about Marcus. He will be fine.”

Is that a subtle way of telling me I won’t be?

* * * *

I sense him beside me. Opening my eyes, I can make out his dark shape sitting in the chair.

“Hey. I’m glad you’re back.”

He snorts. “You wouldn’t be if your memory was intact.”

“Why not?” I frown. “And what did Persephone do to my memory?”

“She put a spell on you to erase a few minutes of your memory, so you wouldn’t remember the pain you were in.” His voice catches. “You should thank her. Trust me.”

“Persephone said you saved me,” I point out.

“The whole mess is my fault.” There’s pain and anger in his voice.

“What are you talking about?”

He explains that while he was cooking dinner, he sensed Jude nearby, so he went outside to check the yard and the street. “I kept circling the house. It’s like…he was toying with me. Hiding.” Marcus sighs. “And then nothing. He was gone.”

“I went back to my apartment. And that’s when I found you.”

“In a pool of vomit.” I make a face. “Nice.”

Marcus leans forward, taking my hand.

“Jude knows the effect he has on me.” His grip tightens and I try not to flinch. “I think he and Seamus are working together.”

I try to pull away. “Jude wouldn’t hurt me.”

Even as I say it, I recall Jude’s relentless instruction. Would Gram have worked me until my fingers bled? Maybe a demon parent has different standards than a human parent. What if this was another test? What if Jude helped Seamus poison me because he wanted to see if I’d use my powers to defend myself? I tried to see it from Marcus’ point of view, but it just didn’t make sense.

A silence falls between us, and Marcus releases my hand. “Did you know your mother flat-lined after giving birth to you?”

“What?”

“That was your grandmother’s second clue of the identity of your father.”

“Wait, what was the first?”

“Her insatiable craving for rare steak.”

My stomach swirls with nausea.

“The doctors were able to save her, but it was clear within forty-eight hours that something was drastically wrong.”

I stare at him, my insides turning cold with fear. “Why? What happened?”

“Your mother attempted suicide.”

I shudder. “Her wrists.” I had seen the scars.

He rises from the chair and retrieves something from the dresser, which he hands to me. He turns on the table lamp. It’s a photo of me and Gram, when I was a baby.

“The night she gave this photo to me…she said that here, in this house, we don’t abandon our family. We do whatever it takes to protect them.”

I trace Gram’s image with my finger.

He sits down with a heavy sigh. “It was inevitable—”

“What was?”

“That I’d fall in love with you.” His voice is barely a whisper. “She told me stories about you, from your summers here with her to details she would learn from your mother. I sat with her when she read your letters. Sometimes they made her cry.”

My throat burns, but I fight the urge to cry. It didn’t have to be that way. Gram could’ve moved me up here—I would’ve come in a heartbeat. I don’t want to fight about the past though. I can’t change Gram’s decision so I focus on the present.

I think back to what he said a few minutes ago. “I don’t believe Seamus teamed up with Jude. We both read the letter he wrote to my mom. Seamus hated Jude.”

“That letter’s pretty old, Lucy. Who knows what’s happened since then. And if Jude isn’t working with Seamus, then why did I feel his presence right before Seamus showed up?”

Good question. A coincidence? What if Jude ignored my request and is still spying on me?

“Maybe it’s the crows.”

“Yeah…on the subject of birds.” Marcus looks at me uneasily. “You should know. Serenity took off two days ago. She hasn’t come back.”

“Jude has Lola
and
Serenity?”

“Persephone’s been able to get a read on Serenity, but it’s faint. He’s killing the ravens.”

-Jude Morgan-

“Where is she?” I glance at Aiden. “It’s the third quarter. You assured me she would be here.”

The stands are packed for the St. Aquinas Homecoming game and we’re sitting dead center. I don't like it here. It’s noisy and crowded. The seats are uncomfortable and if the man behind me doesn’t quit digging his knee into my back, he’s going to wind up losing it. I comb through the crowd, searching for Lucy.

Her uncles are sitting several rows to my right, but there’s no sign of her or the winged one.

“She's supposed to be here,” Aiden says. “She wanted to show support for the Douglas boy.”

Sometimes I question Aiden’s usefulness.

I turn my attention to the field and zero in on Dylan Douglas in time to see him throw his third touchdown pass of the game. Soon he will belong to me.

“Why don't you tell Lucy the truth?” Aiden keeps his voice low “It would improve your relationship with her considerably.”

I spot Pierce and Alana Douglas in the first row, their useless brats jumping up, fists pumping the air as they cheer on their older brother.

“Let her think the worst of me. A little fear is motivating,” I tell him, as my gaze returns to Dylan. It’s a shame I had to give him up. No matter. Lucy will deliver him to me tomorrow night.

“Lucy,” Sheldon calls out. “A handsome fella in a fancy suit is here to see you.”

I run my hands down the front of my dress and take one last look in the mirror. I’m totally excited about going to Homecoming with Marcus and my friends, but I can feel something bad is coming my way. Maybe it’s the unseasonable chill in the air that has my spider senses on high alert. 

When I enter the living room, I hear Marcus’ sharp intake of breath. His eyes travel over every inch of me, making me shiver.

“Lucy.” He breathes. I feel the familiar pull. “You look beautiful.”

Beautiful
.

“Thank you.” I beam and stand taller in the light of his admiring gaze. “So do you. I mean…you look very handsome.”

I didn’t think it was possible for him to look better than he does every other day, but I was wrong. He’s stunning in his navy suit, deep blue dress shirt and diamond patterned tie, richly colored with maroon, yellow, dark blue and emerald green.

He opens a florist container and removes a corsage, which he slides onto my wrist. Lifting it to my nose, I inhale deeply, admiring the lavender roses arranged with smaller pink ones. Sheldon retrieves the boutonniere from the fridge and I attempt to pin it on Marcus’ left lapel, but my trembling hands make it impossible. Sheldon takes over and I watch as he pins it expertly.

“Thank you.” Marcus grins at me over Sheldon’s shoulder. “I’d be hemorrhaging by now if she kept at it.”

“Do you mind if we take some photos up on the roof?” Bernard asks casually.

“Uh, sure.” I make a face at Marcus, not sure what my uncles are up to. “But Katie, Trevor, Ms. Stevens and Jerry will be here in twenty minutes to take pictures.”

“We’ll make it quick,” Sheldon assures us.

“Where’s your new necklace?” Marcus asks nonchalantly.

“It doesn’t go with my dress.” 

“It would mean a lot to Persephone if you wear it tonight.” The weight of his stare speaks volumes. He’s not going to let this go.

“Okay.” I smile, not wanting to make a big deal about it in front of my uncles. I return to my bedroom and pull the necklace from my dresser drawer. I put it on and decide it doesn’t look so bad after all.

Marcus and I follow my uncles out the back door. I slip off my shoes, finding it too difficult to climb the stairs with them on. We reach the roof and I gasp at the strings of twinkling white lights strewn across the space. It looks magical.

“I can’t believe you did this!” I gush. “It’s amazing!”

“Since this seems to be a special place for the two of you, we thought we’d make it extra special for you tonight,” Bernard says proudly.

“Let’s move this along,” Sheldon urges, waving at us anxiously.

Marcus and I pose for several photos, some together and some individually, as Bernard and Sheldon fawn over us. Then Marcus takes a few shots of me with my uncles.

“We’re going to give you kids some private time.” Sheldon gives us a wink. “Just don’t take too long.”

“They’re the greatest.” I stare after them.

Marcus nods, fingering my long curls. “You’re very lucky.”

I look around, taking it all in. I feel like a princess.

“You’re glowing.” Marcus pulls me into his arms and I feel like I can finally relax. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

I shake my head, dazed. “Less than a week ago, I nearly died.” I look up at him. “You saved my life.”