To Kill An Angel (33 page)

The four of us had seen quite a bit of barbarity and bloodshed in recent months.  Our lives, while forever changed by what we’d seen, were also forever linked.  I could feel it in the air between us like a kinship that was so strong it was nearly tangible.  I would sooner take my own life than harm them in any way.

“I know it’s terrible timing, but you need to feed,” Bo said hesitantly.

I wasn’t going to mention Cade.  He was a sensitive subject that I didn’t feel like Bo or I either one needed at that moment.

“Why don’t you go check on Lucius and see if he can spare a bag until we can regroup.  I’ll head back to the house with Savannah and Devon.”

Bo grinned.

“You’re so awesome.  Have I ever told you that?”

I smiled in return.

“Not that I recall, but feel free to repeat yourself as often as you like.”

With a quick kiss, he was gone, leaving Devon, Savannah and me to make our way back to Sebastian’s.

About halfway there, Devon scooped Savannah up and carried her the rest of the way.  It was bizarre to behold.  It appeared that Savannah was floating in midair, her arms wrapped around nothing, her head leaning against nothing.

“Shut up,” she teased when she caught me studying them.

“I didn’t say a word.”

“No, but you were thinking it.”

I chuckled.  There was no arguing that.

“So,” I said, still uncertain whether I should broach the subject of the future or not.  “What are you two going to do?  I mean, Devon, are you going to stay invisible forever?”

I could almost hear his shrug.

“If we’re ever going to have a life together, I can’t.  I just- I’m afraid that—”  He trailed off because there was no reason to explain.  I knew exactly what he was going through, what his fears entailed, what his doubts were.  But I also knew what the prize was—Savannah.  And that was worth any sacrifice, any compromise.

“Bo and I can help you.  Well, mainly Bo.  He’s really—”

I stopped myself.  If Bo was mortal, would he really be much help to Devon?  The implications of his mortality fell down over me like a blinding haze of dread. 

Ruthlessly, I pushed through it, reminding myself that Bo had lived a long, long time as a vampire.  He’d wanted nothing more than to be normal, to be mortal.  The least I could do was be happy for him, to put my own selfish thoughts and desires aside for his benefit.  It would only make him feel guilty to know how much it bothered me.

“What are you gonna do, Ridley?” Savannah asked quietly.

I shrugged.  I didn’t want to think about it.  I was still too emotionally raw to consider it.

“I’ll figure something out.”

After a short, thoughtful pause, Savannah spoke again.

“Ridley, there’s something you should know.” 

Her tone made me instantly wary.

“What is it?”

“Um, since Devon fed me his blood, I can sort of see shapes.”

I came to a dead stop and my mouth dropped open.

“No, you cannot!”

She grinned.

“Yes, I can.”

“Ohmigod, Savannah, that’s amazing!” I squealed, rushing to hug her even though she was in Devon’s arms.  “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks.  I don’t know how long it will last or whatever, but I wanted you to know.”

Her expression held more guilt than pleasure and I knew why.

“I’m glad that you told me.  We could all use some good news,” I said, trying to assuage her guilt over having something positive to share.

“Seriously?  You’re not…”

“I’m thrilled!  I couldn’t be happier for you.  Really.”

Savannah nodded, but I didn’t think she was completely convinced. 

I kissed her on the cheek and we resumed our walk home.  We fell into a pensive silence after that, each of us lost in thought.  When we arrived at Sebastian’s, I opened the door and held it for Devon and Savannah.  Without another word, Devon carried her to the room that Savannah had claimed.

I listened until I heard the door shut and then I turned my attention to the house.  It was eerily quiet and completely devoid of the smells that I associated with Cade. 

Softly, I padded around, going from room to room and finding no one.  I went to Cade’s bedroom.  The door was open, but the room was empty.  And not just of Cade.  His bag was gone and there was no evidence that he’d ever been there.

I was turning to leave when I saw the note.  It was a single piece of white paper lying on the corner of the dresser.  I reached for it and read the five short sentences.

It’s over.  I don’t need to be here anymore.  The vision you saw of your future will come to pass.  Also, there will be a child, a boy.  Cade is a good, strong name.

I had to laugh at the last sentence, but then the implications hit me and I reread the note.  Twice. 

My cheeks burned with embarrassment over the intimate moment Cade must’ve seen.  Once I felt my cheeks cool, my mind wandered over the part about a child.  Bo and I would have a child?  A boy?

I perched on the edge of the bed for several minutes, letting that knowledge settle in.  It brought to sparkling life a future that had seemed dead, one that had been filled with nothing more than thoughts of an eternity without Bo.  But if there was a child, what would it be?  Would it have eternal life, like me?  Or would it be mortal, like Bo?

In a daze, I shuffled down the steps to the bedroom that I had claimed and I stretched out across the velvet duvet.  I closed my eyes and let visions of a bright future fill my mind.  I pictured a small replica of Bo laughing in delight at his father’s antics on the playground.  I pictured myself wrapped in Bo’s arms as we sat in front of a Christmas tree while our child opened presents.  I pictured bits and pieces of a happy and fulfilling life that I suddenly looked forward to.

I was in the company of those thoughts when Bo returned.  I was so distracted, I didn’t hear him come in until he closed the bedroom door behind him.

I pushed myself up on my elbows and watched him approach the bed.  As he walked, he kicked off his shoes.  He was already shirtless. 

As my eyes hungrily roved his muscular body, I couldn’t help but notice that his gleaming, golden skin was now the pale not-quite-human skin that I was so accustomed to.

When he climbed onto the bed and crawled toward me, my eyes were drawn to his face.  He was smiling, a devilish and wicked smile that made me immediately suspicious.

“What?” I asked.

“Are you thirsty?”

I shrugged, not looking forward to feeding from a bag when I had been quite content to eat from Bo, had looked forward to it even.  In my mind and to my body, the act of feeding and sexual intimacy were inextricably entwined.

“I guess.”

“Before you feed, I have something to ask you,” Bo said, stretching out beside me and pushing me flat onto my back.  “Will you go to college with me?”

“What?”  Of all the things I might’ve thought he’d ask, that was nowhere on my list
at all.

“Will you go to college with me?”

For some reason, his question irritated me.  It seemed so trite and silly in the face of everything else.  It was such a normal thing to do, I was almost insulted, as if he was ready to go on with a human existence regardless of my far-from-human life.

“Um, college isn’t really a priority for me anymore, ya know?”

“So you won’t go to college with me?”

He looked wounded, even though he was trying to hide it, and I felt instantly guilty.

I smiled to soften my previous aggravation.

“If that’s what you want to do, of course I’ll go to college with you, but what about—”

“Lucius knows a guy that can get me some papers and I can have a legitimate identity, one that’s not associated with a disappearance.”

“That’s great news,” I said, striving for enthusiasm.

“I know how much you wanted to go to Stanford.”

I wanted to point out all the obstacles and pitfalls to his plan, but I resisted.  I wouldn’t take this moment from him.

“So you’ll go to college with me?”

“Yes.”

“After that, will you help me pick out a house somewhere along the coast, near the water?”

“Sure,” I said, deciding it was just better to go along with his fantasy and not shoot holes in it.

“And after that, will you help me decorate it?”

“Yep.”

“And after that will you marry me?”

My mouth went bone dry at his question.  I could think of nothing I’d like more than to marry Bo.  Images of making love with him flitted through my mind and desire flooded my body like molten lava.

“Yes, I’ll marry you,” I answered breathlessly.

“And after that, will you have a baby with me?”

Thoughts of the dark-haired boy I’d imagined rolled through my mind in a wave that eclipsed the other thoughts.

“Yes.”

“And after that, will you spend eternity with me?”

And, just like that, the wind was officially gone from my sails.

“I’ll spend eternity loving you,” I said, casting my eyes down to his chin, “and mourning you.”

“Why?” he asked coyly.

“That’s what you do when the person you love most in the world dies.”

“Well, do you plan on killing me off?”

“What?  Of course not.”

“Then you won’t be getting rid of me for many, many lives.”

At that, I pushed myself into a sitting position. 

“What?  I mean, how?  You’re mortal, aren’t you?”

Bo smiled, the kind of smug smile that reminded me of the cat who ate the canary.

“Nope.”

Despite the knowledge that he’d wanted to be mortal, wanted to be human more than anything, I thrilled at the idea that he wouldn’t leave me, that I wouldn’t have to watch him die.

“How?  What happened?  I thought…”

“I made a deal.”

“With whom?”

“God, of course,” Bo snorted.

“What kind of deal?”  I asked suspiciously.

Bo shrugged.

“My mortality for your life.”

“
What?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal?  You wanted to be mortal more than anything!”

“I wanted to be mortal until I met you.  Now, nothing matters except being with you and, as far as that goes, the longer the better.”

“But Bo—”