Beyond (21 page)

Davin stepped onto
Crossroads, parted the tall grass and dashed though. Soaring across the thick , puffy clouds, he could not wait to see his friends. As he entered the colossal doors, it reminded him of the f irst time Claudia visited . She had looked like a little girl in a can dy store , h er eyes dazzled , not believing where she was.

He hadn
’
t been gone that long; he wasn ’
t sure si nce they had no sense of time.
As he gazed at everything around him, he saw the beauty of Halo City for the first time and wondered why he hadn ’
t noticed it before. Capturing t he eternal light , the crystal ceiling radiated throughout, sparkling like diamonds , illuminating the entire room.
Davin was so busy inspecting that he hadn ’
t notice d his f riends standing by the entrance, watching him, wondering what he was doing.

“
Davin!
”
Alexa Rose shouted, running toward him.

Davin turned and placed a huge grin on his face. With open arms, he welcomed her .

Alexa Rose wrapped her arms around his waist tightly.
“
I missed you so much.
”

Davin leaned down, cupped her face and kissed her forehead. He looked up and stood in front of Caleb and Vivian.
“
I told you I ’d come back to visit.
”
He pulled Vivian into his hold and swung her around , and gave Caleb a manly hug with a slap on his back.

“
Where ’
s Michael ?”
Alexa asked, waiting patiently for the greeting to end.

“
He couldn ’
t come, but maybe next time.
”

“
Did you see him?
”
A lexa Rose asked , trying not to sound worried or eager.

“
I sure did.
”

“
Does he know you ’
re here?
”
Vivian asked.

“
No. We ’
re kind of doing our own thing .
”
His eyes filled with sadness.

“
How is he doing?
”
Caleb asked, referring to Michael’s pain of losing Claudia they way he had .

“
He ’
s okay. Just okay. It ’
s rea lly difficult for him, but he ’
s managing it.
I came back because I was given permission to let you know you ’
ll be joining us very soon . Katherine needs more help. The venators are good, but they are in t rain ing .
I ’
m so excited you ’
ll be with me !”

“
Really?
”
Vivan asked enthusiastically.

“
Nah . I was just joking.
”

Vivian
’
s eyes fell from disappointment.

“
Nah. I ’
m just joking again . Of course I ’
m serious. Whoo hoo!
”
Davin twirl ed Viv i an ag a in .
“
Like the good old days.
”

“
Why y ou…you…
.
”
She wr u ng her fist tightly on his T-shirt , not knowing whether to be mad at him for playing her or hug him from happiness.
“
Y
ou ’
ve become such a human , teasing me like that.
”
She let go.

“
What do you mean…I ’
ve always been more human .”
Davin laughed out loud.
“
And of course you too, ”
he said , looking at Caleb.
“
Katherine will be speaking to Phillip soon.

Caleb grin
n ed and said, “
C
ool !
”

“
Give me five, ”
Davin said to C
a leb , holding out his hand with his palm showing. Caleb didn ’
t know what to do.
Davin took Caleb ’
s hand and showed him how to slap it.

“
Strange, ”
Caleb said.

“
I know, but that ’
s what the humans do…sometimes.
”
Davin shrugged his shoulders.
“
So , now that I ’
ve shared my exciting news, what ’
s up?
”

“
Nothing much. We like it this way , of course. Peace and quiet.
But the plan is still on…right?
”

“
Yup, the plan is still on .
I know Michael is working on it when he gets a chance. I don ’
t know how he does it.
”

Alexa Rose
tug ged on Davin ’
s shirt.
“
What plan?
”

“
Grown up plan and you ’
re too little to know .
”
Davin lightly tap ped her nose.
“
How about you, my little one. How have you been?
”

“
Well…
I spent my days worried about Michael and you. I prayed Michael would n ’
t turn into a demon .
”
She sway ed back and forth, holding out her pretty pink dress.

“
Yeah…me too, but he told me they ’
r e pretty cool.
So don ’
t worry t o o much , okay?
”
D
avin brus hed Alexa Rose ’
s cheek.
“
What does Michael always say to you?
”

“
That I ’
m too little to worry about grown up things.
”

“
That ’
s right. Michael isn ’
t here, but that ’
s what he would say.
Why don ’
t you go on ahead and I ’
ll catch you later.
Meet me at the fountain.
”

“
I see…you ’
re having a grown up talk , aren ’
t you?
”
She giggled .

“
You are just too smart for me.
”
Davin smiled.

“
Sometimes …see you when I see you, ”
she replied , beaming her a dorable smile. As she skipped away, her golden locks bounced with her steps , and Phillip, Margaret and Agnes enter ed .

“
Whaaa…
.
”
he started to say and stopped. He was about to say , “
W
hat ’
s up ?
”
then realized they wouldn ’
t un derstand , and it was not how one should speak to elders.

“
Davin, ”
Margaret announced happily.
“
It ’
s good to see you.
”
She rested her hands on his shoulder s and pulled him in for a light hug. Agnes did the same, and Phillip no d ded his head and smiled.

Warmth spread through Davin
’
s soul. He hadn ’
t realized h ow much he ’d missed his family , and as he caught their eyes , h e could sense they missed him too.

“
How ’
s Michael ?”
Margaret asked.

“
He ’
s alright. He ’
s doing his best.
”

“
Good. I ’
m glad .
”

“
We were told the dark shadows have escaped. This isn ’
t something to be taken lightly.
A soul h as been taken, someone like Claudia. There are more like her out there , and they are in grave danger, ”
Philip informed.
“
I know Katherine is doing her best.
”

“
Yes, she is, ”
Davin agreed .

“
So, h ow do you feel working with venators ?
”
Agnes inquired.

Davin raised his brows and thought about
the question.
“
They ’
re…different . I miss the good old day s , chasing after Michael and Caleb.
”

As Davin
lighten ed the mood and ma de everyone laugh, they move d toward the fountain.

Chapter
10

I woke up to a beautiful morning, feeling fully rested.
My room had no windows, only the double doors that led to a long walkway to the cliff, but I could already feel the warm th from the sun that it provided every single day.
I didn ’
t realize I was wrapped like a burrito in my blanket until I tried to move. It suddenly reminded me of th e angel , and when I was safely tucked in his embrace.

A smile spread across my face and my heart started to thump faster just by the mere thought of him. How could this stranger have this effect on me? I didn ’
t know his name, let alone kn o w what he looked like , b ut something about him made me feel th at way.
I needed to stop thi nking about it . I t was a waste of energy thinking about someone who wasn ’
t thinking about you.

A
soft knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.
“
Come in.
”

The door cracked open
, and Holly peered in.
She was dressed in j eans with a gray ruffled short sleeve d shirt. The ruffles ran down the middle where the buttons were stitched.
“
Hey. You ready to have some fun?
”

“
Come in, ”
I said cheerfully.
I had forgotten about the girl s ’
day out.
“
I sure am. Is it just you and me?
”
I asked, trying not to sound disappointed or ungr ateful.

“
Of course not, ”
Michelle said, pushing Holly in and opening the door wider.

“
Don ’
t forget your favorite person .”
Gracie stepped forward.

Michelle and Gracie were slightly over dressed for a day gathering.
They both wore tight black sk irt s with different colored tops. Michelle ’
s w as red and Gracie wore a hot pink shirt.
Their hair was perfectly made, and they did, indeed, look perfect…
down to their high heels, coordinat ed to the color s of their shirt s .
It s eem ed like every time I s aw them —be sides when they were in training or fighting demons —they were dressed like they were going on a hot date.

“
Me too, ”
Elissa said as she stepped in to reveal her ca s ual outfit, jeans and a T-shirt.
It was nice to see her wearing a bit of makeup and her red hair in soft curls .

“
Great, ”
I smiled, still lying in bed, wondering what I ’d got ten myself into.
“
Let me tell Austin I ’
m leaving.
”

“
He ’
s not here, ”
Holly said.

“
What?
”
I said softly, trying not to sound disappointed, and not know ing why. I guess ed I had got ten too used to having him cater to my needs all the time.

“
He ’
s in Nubilus City, ”
Michelle informed.

“
Oh…
.
”
I figure d he went to see Katherine.

“
He ’
s with Delilah , ”
Gracie added.