Revelations (The Revelations Series Book 1) (9 page)

Jenna watched as Alex rushed out of the kitchen. She didn’t understand why he was making such a big deal out of her taking a few days off. It would do them both good to relax.
I’ll talk to him later
, she thought as he slammed his door shut.
After he calms down
.

“So, what do you want to do tomorrow?’ she asked turning toward her mom who was deep in thought.

“What?” her mom responded after a moment.”

“What do you want to do tomorrow?” Jenna repeated.

“I’m sorry. I was thinking about something your father once told me. But, that’s not important right now. I have tomorrow off from the diner. I think we should go into town and look around. There are a few stores I’ve been meaning to check out but haven’t had the time. Why don’t you go through your clothes and see what you need. We’ll get it tomorrow.

“Sounds good,” Jenna said standing up. “I already know I need a few shirts. I’ll see what else.”

“Thanks,” her mom said. “And, Jenna, good job today. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Jenna replied. As she left the kitchen, she thought about going to talk to Alex, but changed her mind as she passed his door. She was sure he was still mad about being overruled by her and her mother.

Still excited about her victory over him, she quickly made her way up the stairs and into her room.

“She whirled around her room as she sorted through the clothes trying to decide what she should get rid of. She didn’t have much. Everything had been lost in the car fire so when they got to town they had picked up just the necessities. Most of those clothes were already worn out or stained thanks to the training.

After finishing she plopped down on her bed and grabbed the mystery book her mom had bought for her last week on her way home from work. She loved to read mysteries. They were her favorites. She’d had a whole shelf filled with her favorite ones at her old house. She couldn’t bring herself to give any of them away, figuring that someday she would read them again.

Maybe it’s time to start a new collection
, she thought as she settled back on her pillow and opened the book. She soon found herself deeply immersed and unable to put it down.

JENNA
woke the next morning smiling with her victory over Alex still fresh in her mind. She never thought she would be able to master the elements; her first try had been a disaster. She shuddered as she thought about how she had tried to get the water to form a whirlpool in the kitchen sink, but instead it had burst through the pipes with so much force it had snapped the faucet off sending water spraying all over the place. Alex managed to shut off the valve under the sink quickly, but not before the floor was flooded.

When she had tried to summon the wind, a lawn chair had propelled through the living room window; and she had created such a dust storm by trying to control the earth it had taken days to air the house out. There was one element she had yet to learn how to master though, and that was fire. Maybe it was because she was too scared to even attempt it due to her previous failures with the other elements, or maybe because it was the most powerful element of them all.

Jenna glanced at her clock on the bedside table and couldn’t believe it was ten A.M. already. Remembering her mom was taking her shopping today, she threw her comforter off and hurried out of bed, grabbing some clothes from her dresser and quickly getting dressed.

She grabbed the brush off her dresser and ran it through her hair, then pulled it up into a ponytail so it wouldn’t be in her face all day. She put on her shoes and hurried out of her room into the bathroom to brush her teeth; then raced down the stairs and into the kitchen to see her mom sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” she said as Jenna walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

“Good morning. I was worried you left without me.” Jenna grabbed an apple out of the bowl in the middle of the table and took a bite.

“I wouldn’t do that. I know how much you’re looking forward to going.” Erin folded the paper and set it on the table. “Do you want some breakfast before we leave?”

“No, I’m good,” Jenna said taking another bite of her apple.

“Good, then let’s head out. We can get lunch after we do some shopping.” Erin picked up her purse, fished the keys out and headed for the front door.

Jenna finally noticed that Alex wasn’t with them. “Wait, where’s Alex?” she asked, looking around for him.

“He said he didn’t want to go. He took off into the woods a little while ago.” Erin opened the front door and waited for Jenna to follow before closing it behind them.

Jenna wondered if Alex was still upset about her taking the day off. The last thing she wanted was for him to hold a grudge against her and work her even harder. But, that wasn’t something she was going to worry about.

Town was about fifteen minutes from their house. It was the perfect distance, close enough that if they needed anything they could get it quickly and far enough away to provide them with the privacy they needed for Jenna to train undetected.

“Do you think we could drive by the school?” Jenna asked, excited about the thought of becoming a normal teenager again. She missed her friends back home and although she could talk to her mom about anything there were some things a best friend was needed for. She had contemplated calling Carly a few times to tell her she was safe but she knew it would put Carly in danger. She was sure the Densen Institute was watching all her former friends to see if she would contact them. So, she didn’t call. She thought about texting or emailing her, but those could be traced. So she had come to the realization that she would never be able to see or talk to her best friend again, and that alone was breaking her heart.

“If you’d like to, we can,” her mom replied making a left onto West Avenue. The school was halfway down the road on the right hand side. “There it is,” her mom said pointing to a big brick building. “I’ll go next week and sign you up. I have to forge your old school records so the Densen Institute doesn’t trace us here. Remind me to stop and pick up a printer and paper so I can get to work on it when we get back.”

Erin turned the Jeep around and pulled back out onto the main road. It only took a few more minutes before they arrived at the outlet center in the middle of town. They pulled into a space in front of
Bob’s Electronics
and climbed out of the car.

Jenna followed her inside and browsed the aisles while her mom picked out a printer.

“Jenna, come here,” her mom called from two aisles over.

Jenna made her way over to her mom to see her looking at the pre-paid cell phones.

“Which one would you like?” Erin asked. “I think it’s important we always have a way to contact each other, especially when you start school. I checked into it and these phones can’t be traced, and are cheap enough to throw out once a month and get a new one just to be safe.”

“You’ve thought of everything haven’t you?” Jenna scanned the cell phones then settled on a simple red flip phone.

“I’ll get the blue one and get Alex a black one that way we won’t get them mixed up.” Her mom put the phones in the cart along with three calling cards then headed for the checkout.

After putting the bags in the back of the Jeep, they headed for
Lilies Town
. “Come on, I think you could use some new clothes to replace your old ones.” Her mom opened the door for her to enter the store that centered on teen apparel and accessories.

“Mom, are you sure we can afford this? I know you can’t be making that much at the diner,” Jenna whispered as they walked into the store.

“You don’t need to worry about money, Jenna. The job at the diner is just for show. We have plenty of money hidden away. You didn’t think your father would leave us struggling did you?”

“Mom,” Jenna stopped and hesitated for a moment before she continued. “Can I ask you a question, about dad?”

“Sure, honey, you can ask me anything.” Her mom guided her over to a clothing rack filled with shirts.

Jenna glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation. “I understand that being a girl Nephilim is rare, but how come he had to leave us because of it. Alex told me his father raised him until he was called back to heaven.”

“Your dad wanted you to have a normal life. He was afraid that when the angels found out you were a girl they would insist on raising you to ensure you’re loyalty to heaven.”

Jenna pulled a blue shirt with a pink peace sign on it off the rack and looped it over her arm. “What do you mean loyalty to heaven? Why wouldn’t I choose to be good?”

“He was worried that once the angels knew about you that Lucifer would find out and he would be sure to send his demons to try and turn you to the dark side. Remember Jenna, no one knows what you’ll be capable of. Each side would want to ensure that if you’re as powerful as the last female that you’re fighting on their side if a war ever erupts between good and evil. So he left to ensure you had a normal life.”

Her mom took a shirt off the rack and showed it to her. When she scrunched her nose she put it back. “He was going to try to get the high council to let him stay and raise you. When he didn’t return, I knew the answer had been no. Your father and I discussed that if he didn’t come back I was to stay in hiding. The only thing he left behind was the journal so you would always have a piece of him with you.”

Jenna waited for the sales girl who was returning a shirt to the rack to leave before she asked another question. “I understand, but now that the Densen Institute knows about me doesn’t that mean the angels and demons will know too?”

“Unfortunately, they probably do. That’s why Alex is here to train you. I’m taking all the precautions I can to ensure the Angels and Demons can’t locate us.”

Jenna forced herself to smile; but she couldn’t help but wonder how her life had come to this. As much as she loved her mom, she harbored a little bit of anger toward her for allowing herself to get pregnant and ensuring her child a life on the run. This was not how she wanted to live, but it was her life now and she had no choice but to accept it.

After they left
Lilies Town,
they checked out three other stores in the same shopping plaza where she bought some more pants and shirts.

“Do you want to grab some pizza or sandwiches?” Erin asked as they put their bags in the back of the Jeep.

Jenna shrugged. “I guess sandwiches,” she replied. She was sick of pizza. Whenever her mom worked the late shift at the diner, Alex and she would order pizza just to avoid cooking and having to clean up the mess that came with it.

Melissa’s Deli
was in the same plaza so they only had to walk three stores down to get to it. She followed her mom into the nearly empty deli and they slid into a booth in the back. They both grabbed menus and waited for the waitress who was taking another order.

“What can I get you?” the perky young waitress asked when she finally arrived.

“I’ll just have a turkey sandwich, a Coke and some chips,” Erin said.

“That sounds good. I’ll have the same,” Jenna said as she put the menu back.

“I’ll be back in a few with your drinks.” The waitress pivoted on her heals and headed toward the kitchen to submit their order.

“So, how’s the training going? Has Alex eased up on you any lately?” her mom asked.

Jenna’s gaze lowered, as did her voice. “No, it’s like I can’t do anything right. And when I finally do, he tells me I can do it better.” Jenna’s face split into a wide grin. “I wish you could have seen his face yesterday when that tree root had him struggling to free himself.”

Erin laughed. “I’m sure he wasn’t happy about it.”

“Not really and he got even more annoyed when I told him I wouldn’t let him go until he admitted I had beat him. But, I couldn’t resist.”

Jenna paused as the waitress came back with their drinks and sandwiches.

“Wow, that was fast,” Erin pointed out.

“It’s slow today, and it was an easy order,” the waitress replied as she set their drinks in front of them, smiled and walked away.

Jenna’s mom waited until the waitress was out of earshot, and then turned her attention back to Jenna. “I’m curious; I know you can control the elements, but what kind of abilities does Alex have?”