The Soul Healer (17 page)

Which is why she didn’t want to betray him by trying to contact Rafe. Made sense, although it was creepy that she thought of Charles as a father figure, especially when I saw the way he had looked at her. Yuck, yuck, yuck!

“Where’s your brother? Is he here, too?”

“No, he lives in California,” she said. “Goes to college there. He didn’t bother coming home for winter break because he’s taking some extra classes.”

“Aren’t you…lonely?” I couldn’t imagine being all alone like that. And were there any other female hunters living in HQ? Actually, the whole place seemed deserted. Were they gone for the holidays or something? Hmm, that made sense. If I was a Soul Healer, and if they were as powerful as Charles claimed, then he’d probably want to bring me here when HQ was empty. That way, he could keep me all to himself…

“It’s not too bad,” Nina said, answering my question. “I talk to my brother on the phone, and there are the other hunters… And I go out—Manhattan is super fun, you know? I wish I could take you places!”

And I wish you could bring me home.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Who knows? Maybe after you heal Alexandra and help Charles get his wife back, he’ll let me take you out!” Nina clapped her hands in delight. “We could go shopping and see a play and oh, I know this great restaurant…”

I tuned out her endless rambles. I wished I could be as optimistic as her. But what little Kain had found today in the books had applied to actual sorcerers who could wield actual magic. People who studied the craft and used crystals and other magical paraphernalia to cast the spells. In other words, not me. Tomorrow we were going to try to find any mentions of Soul Healers, but again, was that me? It was weird, but despite knowing next to nothing about any of this stuff, my gut told me no. I wasn’t a Soul Healer. And I wasn’t a sorcerer.

So then, what was I?

***

“Do I look that bad that you ha
d to shut your eyes so you won’t have to look at me?” Rafe said teasingly.

“Gabi, what are you doing? You’re missing out on the feast in front of you!” Penny shrieked, grabbing my elbow and shaking it. “Look at this sexy beast—whoops, sorry Mr. Harkins!”

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the red stain that was rapidly spreading across Rafe’s cheeks—no doubt from being referred to as a sexy beast. Then I let my eyes take in the whole yummy picture of Rafe in a suit, and suddenly I was the one blushing.

We had gone to the Halloween dance as a couple from the 1920s, so I had already seen Rafe in a suit, but seeing him in a modern one, cut perfectly to fit his tall form, was enough to throw me off balance. The suit was black, and his tie was
navy to match my dress. His hair had been slicked back with gel, and his green eyes were practically glowing as he stared at me. A smile tugged at his lips, and I couldn’t help but beam back.

What I really wanted to do was grab him by that tie and yank him
toward me, but I think it would have been kind of awkward, what with Dad standing there, frowning over Penny’s choice of words.

“Okay, we’re going to go now, bye!” I said, fully intent on dragging him out of the house before the trouble could start.

“Hold it right there,” Dad said. I groaned, halting. He held up his camera. “Not before pictures!”

I groaned again. “
Dad!
”

“No pictures, no dance.”

Ten minutes later, Dad filled up his memory card and allowed us to leave only after Rafe promised to have me home by twelve. Whoa, Dad was being super lenient lately, how weird. Especially after the incident in my bedroom… I decided to be smart and keep my mouth shut, or else Dad might change his mind and ban us from attending the dance. Which I was actually excited about, now that Rafe was here.

Normally, I thought school dances were lame and stupid, but we were going to his school, which meant I’d be free of my nasty classmates for once. I briefly wondered if Rafe’s classmates were just as bad, but
I decided I didn’t care. We’d dance and kiss and drink punch and kiss some more and it would be fun! Even if we just stood in the corner (kissing), I wouldn’t mind.

“You’re in a good mood,” Rafe said, laughing as I practically skipped to his car, humming under my breath.

“Yes, I am. You know why?” I threw my arms around his neck, and his hands automatically circled my waist, pulling me closer.

“Why?” he asked, his voice turning husky.

“Because I’m with my sexy beast of a boyfriend!” I howled with laughter as he rolled his eyes.

“L
et’s get into the car before you turn into a Popsicle,” he said, opening the car door for me. I slid inside, adjusting my dress to make sure I wasn’t wrinkling it.

Rafe came around the other side, started up the car, and turned on the heat for me. But he didn’t start driving, and I watched him, confused. Were we going to spend the night in front my house?

Hmm, if we were going to spend the night in front of my house doing some kissing, then I wouldn’t mind
too
much, although I
had
wanted to show off my new dress…

“What’s up?” I asked him when the silence went on for too long.

Rafe turned to face me. “Are you okay? You looked a little upset back in the house, when I first got there.”

For a moment I didn’t know what he was talking about, but then I remembered. I had been wondering if I was a bad girlfriend or not. I squirmed in my seat, playing with the zipper on my bag. “It’s stupid…”

“Gabi.” He put a hand over mine, stilling my nervous fidgeting. “I don’t care if you think it’s stupid it. Tell me.”

One of the (many) things I loved about our relationship was the fact that we were so damn honest with one another. I mean, you kind of had to be when your first encounter involved a demon. He had shared almost all of his secrets with me right away, and in return, I had been able to tell him about Mom. Most relationships weren’t like that, and I realized for the umpteenth time how very lucky I was.

“Do not laugh,” I said sternly. “You were running late and Penny told me to call you, but my cell phone had died so I borrowed Chloe’s, but then I forgot your number and Penny made me feel bad for not knowing it by heart and I couldn’t help but wonder if I suck as your girlfriend since I’m
sure
you know mine by heart.” I said all of that in a rush, the words blurring together, and would be amazed if he understood any of it.

“That—” Rafe’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “Wow. Is that really what you think?”

“Do you or do you not know my cell phone number?”

“Um.” He went to run a hand through his hair, then stopped, as if he just remembered he had gelled it back for the dance. “Maybe?”

“RAFE FITZGERALD—”

“Yes, yes!” Rafe held his hands up in surrender. “I do! But that’s what I do. And you not knowing mine is what you do and totally not a big deal. Why would you think that makes you a bad girlfriend?” He put a warm hand on my cold cheek, tilting my face
toward his so I was forced to look at him. “Is there something else going on? Because this cannot just be about a phone number.”

Of course it wasn’t. And of course Rafe could see right through me and call me out on it. But since we were always honest, I made myself answer truthfully. “You know I haven’t done this girlfriend thing before, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing it wrong.”

His brow furrowed. “Doing what wrong?”

I spread my hands helplessly. “All of it?”

“What, is there a manual out there that we’re supposed to be following?” Rafe asked. “Because if there is, I wasn’t aware of it, which means I must be doing the boyfriend thing wrong, too.”

“Now you’re making fun of me.” Irritation coated my words heavily.

“No, I’m not.” He tapped a finger against my nose. “In case you’ve forgotten, you’re my first girlfriend, just like I’m your first boyfriend. So just like you, I’m making this up as I go along. And,” he leaned closer, brushing his lips against my forehead, “I have to admit, I think we’re doing a pretty good job so far.”

I close
d my eyes, wanting to savor the moment forever. “I suppose you’re right. Although you
could
be doing a better job. You could be kissing me right now…”

“Actually,” he said, reaching into the backseat, “I have something for you…”

Chapter Twenty-seven

The incessant sound of an alarm buzzing broke into my dreams, and I groaned, rolling over and covering my face with my pillow. “Make it stop!” I wanted to go back to dreaming about Rafe. Why did the world keep getting in the way of that? It was bad enough I couldn’t see him while I was awake; did my dreams have to keep getting interrupted, too?

“No, no, no Gabi, no more sleepy
time for you!” Nina chirped as she yanked the pillow away from my face. I snarled, trying to grab it back, but she held it high over her head. Somehow, she was already dressed
and
her hair and makeup were done, too. What time had she woken up? Three a.m.?

“Give me back my pillow before I kill you!” I couldn’t even make an effort to try and grab it from her; it required too much energy. I slumped over, using my hands to pr
op up my head. “What time is it anyway?”

“Seven
a.m.!” She did a little dance as she ran to her window and pulled back the curtains to reveal a still-dark Manhattan.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Who got up that early? We weren’t going to school, we didn’t have jobs
—what did she need to do at seven a.m.?

“No, I’m not,” Nina said. She came back to the bed and surprised the crap out of me by whacking me with the pillow. “Now get up. You’re going back to your room, where you are getting dressed, and then we are heading downstairs and having breakfast. No more eating in your room like a prisoner, okay?”

“How about I eat outside in an actual restaurant? Then I really wouldn’t be a prisoner!” Of course, the moment they opened the doors and set me free I’d run the hell out of here (and proceed to get myself lost, but at least I’d be out of HQ!).

Nina shook her head, smiling at me. “Silly Gabi, yo
u know that isn’t possible. Go get dressed and I’ll meet you in front of the elevator in thirty minutes!”

Twenty-five minutes later, I pounded my fist against Philip’s door. If I had to be up thi
s early, then so did he. Except, he wasn’t answering my knocks. I tried again and again until I heard the door unlock.

“
What?
” The door opened slightly and brown eyes glared at me through the crack. “Gabi? Holy shit, do you even know what time it is? Something bad had better have happened or else I am going to be very pissed off.”

“Something bad did happen,” I told him. “Nina mad
e me get up. At seven a.m. To eat breakfast. So now you have to come with me.”

He made to shut the door in my face, but I shoved my toe in the crack. We wrestled for a moment, but then Philip gave up with a loud sigh and opened his door. I walked in, threw myself on his bed, and snoozed while he showered and got dressed. Sadly, I didn’t dream about Rafe this time.

“I’m going to kill Nina,” he grumbled as we walked to the elevator.

“No, I am,” I argued.

“I don’t even know why I’m going with you—I don’t even eat breakfast!”

I gave Philip a funny look. He thought
chocolate cake was disgusting
and
he skipped breakfast? Was he a robot or something? “What do you eat, air?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets and scowled at the wall. “I don’t like a lot of food, okay?”

“Weirdo.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

“You
guyyyys,” Nina said, jumping between us. “No growly faces so early in the morning!” We aimed our growly faces at her. “Ack, you guys are so scary! And Gabiii, I told you meet me here in a half hour, and it’s been almost an hour already! It’s not nice to make me wait like that!”

I ignored her.

The elevator arrived and we piled in, me and Philip glaring at opposite walls while Nina bounced up and down. “Breakfast with Gabi! Breakfast with Philip!”

“
Stop. Singing,” Philip barked.

Nina deflated like a balloon and I felt a tiny bit bad for her, but then I remembered what time it was and decided it wasn’t worth my energy. I rested my head against the wall and closed my eyes. So sleepy.

The kitchen was on the second floor, which made my stomach turn nervously. Would we have to pass Charles’s office? I really didn’t want to see him again (or ever) because I knew he’d either scream at me or drag me upstairs to try and heal Alexandra again. Or both. Probably both. Great, on top of being exhausted, I now felt like I was going throw up.

Luckily, Nina led us in the opposite direction of his office, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw the kitchen was empty. The rectangular room contained a few stoves and a giant fridge, along with a long island in the middle for food preparation. There were bar stools all around the island; Philip and I made a beeline for those while Nina opened the fridge and scrounged around for food. “Wake me in four hours,” Philip said, resting his head on the black countertop and closing his eyes.