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“You think I would let that happen?”
“I don’t know what to think.” I was still frustrated from letting myself lose control, but I didn’t intend to take it out on Jackson.
He moved away from me and whispered in a hurt voice, “At the very least I didn’t think I needed to prove my loyalty to the Guard to you.”
“I didn’t—”
He cut me off. “Don’t worry about it.”
Great. I’d managed to annoy the only person who volunteered to spend any time with me.
“I’m sorry.”
His stoic expression revealed nothing. “I said don’t worry about it.”
Chapter Five (#ulink_a9e08c24-63bb-5228-825e-40ea83602ead)
After the closing speeches, the student band started up again and the graduates filed out just as they had entered. If it were even possible, the Guard walked closer to Ally then they had on the way in. Jackson and I waited until the humans filtered out of the stadium and toward the school.
We walked in silence for a few minutes lingering at the back of the group. The humans were headed for the gym where a reception would take place. I kept replaying our conversation over in my head, wishing I could have kept my mouth shut. I hadn’t meant to accuse him of anything, but I was angrier at myself for letting David’s name get to me.
I needed to fix it. “Jackson, I—”
“No.” He grabbed my arm, steering me away from the gym down a long, empty hallway. He stopped in front of a row of lockers and let me go. Then proceeded to stare at me, a silent war waging across his face.
“Again, I’m sorry. I don’t know—”
“I know I don’t deserve anything from you after—” He dropped his head to his chest.
Without thinking I clasped his hand in mine. “It doesn’t matter what happened before.”
He moved closer, slowly shaking his head. “This would be so much easier if you remembered.”
“Easier for who?” I asked.
“Me. Is that what you wanted to hear?” His mouth lifted into a lopsided grin. “But not in the way you might think.” The grin morphed into a grimace and I yearned to bring his playful smile out again. “I will prove my trustworthiness to you once again. If it’s the last thing I do.”
“You don’t—”
Jackson’s fingertips touched my lips, silencing my next words. “I do.” His fingers brushed against my cheek before he dropped his hand to his side.
A fire had erupted inside of me from his one touch and I was thankful when Jackson took a step back.
A group of young children came screaming down the hallway playing a game of Tag.
“We should—” I started, breathless.
“Yeah.”
The moment, whatever it meant for us, had ended. And not soon enough. For as much as Jackson was a great trainer, there hadn’t been a day that he didn’t challenge me physically and emotionally, making me question my decision about keeping my memories locked away. I had to keep that promise to myself. For his sake and mine.
***
Inside the gym, tables and chairs were set up in the center of the room along with several stations of food. I’d experienced the memory of my death-day through Jackson in that room and unconsciously I conjured the memory of Gemma and Tristan’s forms twisted around each other on her bed, their lifeless eyes staring back at me. Just like the David visions, I attempted to block them. As Jackson had told me many times during my weak moments, it was over and I had to move on. The edges of my vision turned fuzzy and I willed the images to stay away. It took some effort but eventually I won that battle.
Jackson strolled a few steps ahead of me, unaware of the struggle going on behind him. Quickening my pace I moved through the crowd with ease. Since I’d traded out my Collector abilities for Guard ones, the feeling of humans passing through me wasn’t as disgusting as it had been. I wished I could be corporeal and experience this day with Ally, but without changing clothes first, my sword would scare the majority of humans.
The Guard gave us a wide berth as we reached Ally and Cooper and I kept my eyes on Ally as she chatted with Marie and Henry, very aware that the couple held hands.
Heather’s loud voice spoke animatedly to what must have been her family, her back to Ally. A younger boy who favored Heather’s almond-shaped eyes and button nose stood next to her, looking bored and somewhat disgruntled.
When Ally’s eyes met mine, they narrowed in a silent question, asking if I was okay. I nodded. She was very astute, just as the other Guard were. In the short time I’d known her, Ally hadn’t really spoken much, appearing to be deep in thought more often than not. The inherent abilities of observation would help her as a Guard.
She smiled at Cooper. He shrugged in return as if they shared a silent conversation.
It shouldn’t have bothered me that they were closer now. I’d thought he had feelings for her the way that Jackson did for me in my past, but he had denied it, comparing Ally to a sister more than a potential girlfriend.
Hurried footfalls broke into my thoughts. I turned in time to see Jamie bounding up to our little group frisky as a puppy. “Finally!” she whooped. “We did it!”
“Hey girl!” Heather said hugging Jamie to her side.
Since when had Jamie become friends with Heather?
The girls talked in hushed tones, Heather leaning down to probably say something snarky which elicited a fit of laughter from Jamie.
Jackson grunted at me and I turned to see Robert approaching the group as Ally let out a small hiss. Jamie hadn’t heard it, I assumed if they were friends it wouldn’t be okay for Ally to have such disdain for the man in front of his daughter.
“Not true—” Jamie responded to Heather, but stopped when Robert arrived.
Ally’s lip curled ever so slightly but I caught it before it went back down. We shared the same feeling. Robert had creeped me out from the day at the hospital after I’d inhabited her body. And the fact that he studied the paranormal, such as Ally and myself, made him even more of a threat. He always seemed to be looking for something to study.
Robert placed a hand on Jamie’s good arm and looked around. “Are they here?”
Ally grabbed Heather and escorted her to the tables, calling over her shoulder, “See you later, Jamie.”
Cooper and the rest of the Guard followed Ally, but I stayed where I was. My protective side flared up and I wanted to hear what he had to say to his daughter.
Jamie’s dejected expression turned to mortification as she whirled on her father. “What the heck, Dad? I’m never going to have friends if you insist on scaring them all away.”
I hesitated a short distance away from them and felt Jackson stop by my side.
“What—?”
I held up a hand. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Robert as he spoke.
His gaze bored into the back of Ally’s head. “I told you I don’t want you hanging around that girl. Because of her you’re in a cast.”
“Dad,” Jamie pleaded. “I told you I fell. She was the one who took me to the hospital.”
“You are my daughter and also a terrible liar. I don’t want you to go near her again.”
“If you don’t let me go tonight I will leave for Yera’s sooner rather than later,” she said flippantly.
“Come on,” Jackson touched my shoulder.
I shook my head impatiently. “Who’s Yera?”
He ignored my question. “We have a job to do. Jamie’s with her dad, she’ll be fine.”
I slowly turned around, knowing he was right. I hadn’t realized how much I missed Jamie. I’d have to make a trip to the Living Realm to visit her. And if she was going somewhere I’d have to make it sooner rather than later.
***
We stayed close to Ally for the remainder of the reception and I noticed a gaping shift in her treatment of others since meeting her. I think almost dying would give anyone a different perspective on life, especially a life that would last quite a long time.
Even though Jackson clung to my side, Cooper managed to squeeze his way past him. “Ally has something for you. It’s in her locker.”
I looked up at Jackson, but immediately Cooper’s words from earlier came to the forefront of my mind. I didn’t need permission to do anything. I was on the same level as they were. Almost.
“Sounds good.”
“Are we taking the army as well?” Jackson mused.
Cooper’s gaze flicked up at Jackson. “No. We are heading back to the After immediately following. The other Guard are for crowd control only.”
Jackson’s eyes scanned the room. “Fine. But let’s be quick about it. I’d like to get in another training session today.”
Ally was in a conversation with Heather and Brody, but she leaned her head toward us, listening and touched Heather’s arm. “I have to go. Marie and Henry want to do this dinner thing.”
She’d told Marie the same thing about Heather, sealing an alibi, so I knew it was time to go. Ally hugged her friends.
“We need to have a sleepover soon!” Heather exclaimed. “I feel like I haven’t seen you outside of school in forever!”
Ally smiled tightly and gave Heather another hug. “I’ll call you.” But Heather’s attention was already on Brody as they left the gym hand in hand.
Ally watched them leave with an almost wistful expression.
“We should go,” Cooper hinted.
Ally sighed and took off toward the gym entrance, stripping her cap and gown on the way. She wore a flowing dress underneath and tossed the strewn outfit to a group of underclassmen at a small table. The table was piled high with discarded caps and gowns and a few of the girls looked mortified at their task. I didn’t have time to linger though as Jackson, Cooper, and Ally left the gym.
The empty hallway reminded me of the night that the Shadowed had come after us during the dance. I quickly looked out of the double doors to check the field. No scythes were present, just the maintenance group stacking folding chairs onto carts. Ally’s flip flops thwacked with each step she took toward our destination, the sound bouncing off the walls of the narrow hall.
We rounded the corner and went up a flight of stairs down another hallway, the same one that led to Ally’s chemistry class. The room where I’d first laid eyes on her. I often wondered if I should have refused her mission. Maybe things would have turned out differently, but I doubt Felix would have allowed that and I had certainly never been one to turn down a challenge.
Ally stopped at a locker near the end of the hall and scrolled her combination. “Cooper told me what lengths you took to find this. And since you are the oldest relative that I’ve met, I thought you should have it.” She opened her locker and pulled out the Book of Records, the old tome that outlined the lineage of our family from the first Caeleste that mated with a human creating our Prognatum line.
“I can’t—” Even though I’d pushed my way through David’s wards to get the book, I didn’t feel right taking it from her. That was the day my entire after-life changed, when I knew I was something more and when I realized I was living a lie. I was the black sheep, I didn’t deserve anything good. Even though, I would have loved to explore it more.
Ally pushed it toward me. “Cooper said that the book can go to the After with you. It’s magical or whatever.” Her phone blasted a pop song, grabbing her attention.
I took the book and she reached into her pocket to pull the phone out. “Hello? Jamie? Wait. Slow down.” Her head snapped up and she gave Cooper and me a worried look. “That’s impossible. Where are you?”
Jamie’s inaudible voice spoke frantically over the receiver. Ally took the book back and shoved it into her locker, then she lifted her baldric from the space and closed the door.
Jamie’s tiny frame rounded the corner, her bad arm flailing like a chicken wing as she struggled for balance.
Ally hung up her phone. “What do you mean Aaron is here?”
“What?” Cooper, Jackson, and I spoke in unison.
“Aaron is gone,” I said with finality, just as Cooper and Jackson pulled out their swords.
Jamie rushed to our side, panting for breath. “I. Saw. Him. In. The. Parking. Lot.” Then the chattering began. It had been warm enough in the gym that she didn’t get the chills as she did around any After being, but with three of them around her, I knew she wouldn’t be able to subdue her ‘tell’.
Ally barely hid her eye roll. “It must have been someone else.”
“I know what I saw,” Jamie retorted fiercely.
“You also saw me slam him against a rock wall,” I said.
“Merely a bump,” a familiar voice called from behind us.
My soul stiffened. I lifted my sword from behind me as I turned around. “Aaron.”
“Did you miss me?”
I wanted to slap that stupid grin from his face. He looked the same as I remembered. Not that I expected any different. Although I hadn’t anticipated he’d still be wearing the Guard uniform, even though it looked tattered around the edges.
“I got rid of you,” I spat, reaching for Jamie. She skittered behind me, and I blocked her from his slimy gaze.
Aaron reached up and touched the back of his head. “You should know the only way to properly dispose of a soul is with your sword. Or—”His grin widened, showing all of his teeth. “Or you can suck the life out of them.”
My soul prickled at the thought of Aaron’s soul anywhere near me, just as two Shadowed appeared at his side towering over him with matching scythes strapped to their backs.
One stepped forward, his silvery blond hair cascaded the length of his back. His eyes fell on mine. “We’ve come to collect you. We wish your friends no harm.”
Ally snorted, “Yeah right.” She readied her sword in front of her.
Cooper and Jackson moved in front of Ally and me. The one time they agreed on anything. If we weren’t in imminent danger I might have taken a picture.
“You aren’t collecting anything,” Jackson growled.
Aaron stepped back, allowing the leader to take his place. Typical. Aaron could talk but he never delivered. Why hadn’t Felix listened to me from the start and Recycled Aaron instead of making him a Guard?
The blond tilted his head to the side as if Jackson was an insect. “Our mission is clear. We collect and leave. No harm done.”
No harm except them taking me to who knows where. No way.
