The Taking (20 page)

The glass goes to her lips again, and she finishes the contents, welcoming the numbing effect of the alcohol. Inwardly, I can hear her cursing herself for the emotions she cannot seem to control for someone who positively doesn’t feel the same way for her. My heart goes out to her. She is in a room full of people, not far from her age, yet she is so alone.
 

She plonks the glass down harder than anticipated and stands. Her skirt rides up her thighs further, but she doesn’t care, she just wants another drink. Her legs are numb but not numb enough for the way she is feeling. She reaches up and adjusts her only strap on the dress over her shoulder and heads for the crowded bar. After a few steps, a male stands in front of her. She gazes up and sees a familiar face.
 

“Oh, hey, Kevin,” she yells over the music.
 

“Hey babe,” he says, I hear a strong American accent. He reaches down and grabs her around the back at the waist, dragging her toward him. Surprised by the action, she gazes up and sees him slanting in like he was going to kiss her.
 

Placing two hands on his chest she pushes him back. “Whoa. What are you doing?” I am surprised to hear a light American accent in Cindy’s voice too. It doesn’t come through in her angel form.

He smirks. “What do you think I’m doing? I thought it would be pretty obvious.”

A playful banter crosses my feelings as she looks into his dark eyes. I instantly get a strange sense, but I am not sure if it is because her vision is a little blurred from the alcohol. “You know I’m taken.”

His eyes lift to behind her, and she turns to look with him. The visions fall on the tall blond male clearly delighted being surrounded by flirting women.

His full lips drop down next to her ear, and he says, “I’ve already checked. He said I could have you.”

She spins around to face him narrowly avoiding his lips. “What?” I am washed with strong emotions of anger and hurt. “How could he just toss me away like that? We have been together since college.” A tear wants to appear in the corner of her eye, but she forces it down. “I thought we had something.”
 

He grabs her chin between his thumb and pointer finger. “Hey, now, darling. Don’t you worry your pretty face about that. I am sure happy to take his place, as he said I could.”

She steps back. “I am not something to just give away.” Her chin rises.

He raises both his hands in resignation. “Of course you ain’t, darlin’.” He points to her empty glass on the bench. “How about I get you another of those drinks?”
 

She peers at her empty glass and nods. “Sure. Thanks.”

“Well then, you just sit your pretty butt over there and I’ll be back. No benefits expected.” He smirks, and I see a twinkle in the darkness of his eye.
 

I want to scream at her to say no and go catch a taxi home, but I can’t — it’s a memory.
 

She sits back down at the bench and glares at the man who betrayed her, her body dying for that next drink. I sense that she has always hated these places anyway. Nightclubs were never her scene; she only came to keep Brett company. Her eyes tightened as she gazes across the room. A tear is about to escape when a hand strokes her bare arm. She turns to find Kevin grinning broadly, holding an extra large margarita. She smiles without enthusiasm and takes the glass from him. “Thanks,” she yells then swallows several large mouthfuls.
 

He sits down on the tall stool next to her, and they watch in silence, beside the loud thumping music. Cindy’s eyes are concentrating on the dance floor, and her glass is emptying quickly. As I watch her memory, I can feel Kevin’s eyes hardly leaving her. I have strong suspicions about what is happening, and I want to scream to save her, and it is so frustrating having to watch. After a short time and a nearly empty glass, I feel her heart slowing, and she has trouble holding the glass as her muscles start to relax rapidly.
 

She reaches behind her attempting to place the glass on the bench and misses with it falling to the floor. “Wow!” she slurs turning to Kevin. “I must have downed that way too fast.” She attempts to slip off her chair, and her skirt rides up higher on her thighs. “Whoops.” She giggles, pulling it down a little before she bends over to pick up the fallen glass, only just managing to place a hand out to stop her falling head first to the floor. Grabbing the stool she stands and uses it to help her up, landing the glass clumsily on the bench. Attempting to sit on the stool again, she fails and decides to stand next to Kevin. A sudden tiredness overwhelms her, and she presses against him. He places an arm around her shoulder.

Gazing up at him, she says with a light-hearted, slurred voice, “I don’t think I need another one of those again. Jeez, I didn’t know I was such a lightweight.”

He smiles at her. I can just see that glint in his eye through her blurred vision. “Come on, darlin’. I’ll take you home.”

Her vision bobs up and down as her head nods, sending it into a spiralling mess. Placing a palm on her forehead, she tries to calm it. Glancing at Kevin from the corner of her eye, she holds up a finger, attempting to push his nose playfully. “But no funny business.”

His reaction was not seen. Kevin aided her so much that he almost carried her out the door. With barely open eyes, she saw the back seat of a car and lay down with Kevin’s help. Her head was spinning, and her heart pumped slowly. The vision began to darken when Kevin lay down on top of her. Lying helpless; her vision died followed by the beat of her heart.
 

A tear trickles down my cheek as I pull my hand away from Cindy’s forehead. I can see why she would be embarrassed, but she shouldn’t be. Her eyes are boring into mine trying to read my emotions. It is such a personal thing to observe. I reach forward and embrace her holding her head close to my chest.
 

“Thank you for letting me see that,” I say. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You were just too trusting and naïve.”

I feel hot breath against my skin as her lungs deflate. I turn my head and see the two males staring at me with questioning looks. I find that I actually don’t want to tell them. To quench their curiosity, I say, “Let’s just say that an infamous drug was placed in her drink in a nightclub."

I pull away and look at her. “I didn’t know you were American.”

She huffed, and a sad smile crosses her face, “Yeah, born and bred in L.A. I didn’t know you were Australian until the other day either.”

“Ben is too,” I say.

“Really?” We chuckle. It felt good, we haven’t laughed for so long.

I look down at her golden yellow bodysuit. “Tell me, is yellow your favourite colour?”

She shrugs and looks sheepish. “It’s up there.”

I hear Zacharias muttering, “Humans.” I look up, and he is shaking his head.

A strange banging sound comes from the stone door. We all look at Zacharias. He rolls his eyes and says, “It is just the monks. They seem to think that banging on a rock door with knuckles will be heard by angels.” I have the impression that it was an attempt at a joke, but no one laughed. He shakes his head and approaches the door placing his hand against it and opening it.
 

When it slides across, we are faced with Joseph and Peter, both as pale as ghosts.
 

- Chapter Eighteen -

“Peter. Joseph. What’s wrong?” I stand as they enter the room. They are carrying a couple of bowls of food in their hands and some water. “Are you okay?”

Joseph looks at me. “We’re fine. We have just brought some more food for Ethan. We can’t get in to give it to him, so we will leave it here with you.” He hands his to me.
 

“Thank you,” I say taking it. “But you look worried.”
 

Peter nods. “Like Joseph said, we are fine. We can’t stay and help with Ethan though, but we will try to get food to him when we can. The monastery has just been inundated with people from the village. It is a horrid sight. They are so desperate and confused. We are continually hearing stories of friends and loved ones who they trusted, suddenly turning against them and trying to harm them.”

I look at Zacharias then without asking, I say, “Do you need our help?”

Peter glances quickly at Zacharias, the underlying fear of the earthbound angel still prominent. “No, thank you. Your role here, to train, is much more important,” he gazes at Ben and Cindy still sitting on the floor, “and heal.”

“We’re fine,” Ben waves a dismissive hand at them and slowly stands. “See, we are getting better by the minute.”
 

His small attempt to lighten the mood didn’t work as Peter lifts one side of his mouth in an unpassionate attempt to smile.

“That’s good,” Peter says. “But you need to finish your training hopefully to stop this demonic reign that is rapidly spreading across the lands.” He hands the food he is holding to Ben. “We must go. We have many mouths to feed and wounds to attend.”

They exit hastily leaving us standing in the room. I feel so utterly helpless.
 

“Can’t we go and help for a while?” Ben asks Zacharias.
 

His green eyes cloud over and he lifts his finger to his mouth. His face twisted in thought. After a moment he exhales. “No.”

I glance at him in disbelief. “What?”

He paces the small space of floor again, the flickers of the flames from the nearby wall cast eerie shadows across his face. “The monk is right.”

“But we can’t just not help,” I snap as I feel the tension build in my neck.

He glares at me. “We are helping.” He steps close to me and speaks in my face. I want to back away, but I hold my ground. He seems to like using this intimidating stance. “Understand this, you are no longer one of the fledglings. Their work is important, but you are in training for the next level up, if not higher. You are no longer a quick fix for a cosmetic solution.” He crowds in closer again accentuating the large pores on his nose. “You have attracted the attention of a highly placed demon for a reason. It is most likely because he can see your worth and he wants to either recruit you or destroy you.”

A shiver runs down my spine. “He wants to recruit us?”

Zacharias nods. “Possibly all of you.” He gazes at Ben and Cindy. “But definitely you.”
 

Yergh! I want to be sick.
I back away from Zacharias’ close proximity. “Okay, I see your point. But can we at least help when we have a break from training or take turns in helping while you are tutoring the others?”

He nods once. “I can see your concern. I will do my best to let you help at times, but remember, your training comes first.” He points to the bowls of food and water that Ben and I are holding. “Go feed the captive. He is probably hungry. Then return for more coaching.”
 

I cringe internally. The last person I want with me right now to go and see Ethan is Ben. Trying not to show my feelings, I glance at Ben and grin. “Come on then, fireman, you heard him.”
 

Without waiting for a response, I walk out into the corridor listening for his shoes shuffling behind me. When we are out of sight, I slow down and let him catch up. I am not sure how strong he is yet, and I don’t want him to overdo it. An awkward silence fills the corridor mixed with the sound of our shoes and breathing echoing in the space.
 

Unable to stand the silence anymore, I ask, “How are you feeling?” I gaze at him from the side, assessing his expressions. His face remains directed down the corridor in front. He looks weary, but I am not sure if it is physical or emotional.
 

“I’m fine,” he says.
 

Placing the bowl in my distant hand and with the free one I touch his arm. “Are you sure?”
 

He nods. We round the corner of one of the corridors and keep moving forward.
 

Stopping, I place my bowl on the long bench that can also work as a seat. Taking his from his hand and the water bottle I do the same as he watches my actions but doesn’t look me in the eye. “Can I give you some more healing light?”

“I’m alright, really.” He bends as if to pick up the food again.
 

“Wait.” Standing in front of him, I reach up and place a hand over his heart and direct the healing power into him. Touching his skin, I realise just how much I have missed being close to him — his kindness, strength and his smell. Instinctively I take a deep breath, then realise what I have done and my cheeks warm. Searching for a distraction besides his robust chest; my eyes turn down and land on the charm hanging from the metal loop. With my spare hand, I fiddle with it, turning it over and study the three of us. It still astounds me how we were meant to be together for higher purposes other than fledgling training and friendship.
 

With another completed round of a healing pulse, I pull my hand on his chest away. “There, hopefully you will be back to full strength soon.”
 

I release the charm and look up. He is standing over me gazing down into my eyes, and I am engulfed by his kindness. It is the Ben that I am beginning to fall in love with, even with the love of my human lives locked in a room not far away. The blueness of his ocean eyes have turned to the darkest shade as I have witnessed each time he feels deeply about something.