To Kill An Angel (7 page)

Lucius led us back to his deceptively small home in the woods.  He moved quickly and gracefully, his dark red ponytail barely even bobbing as he ran.

Once there, he led us through the small interior to a door I’d been through on several occasions.  Descending the long, narrow staircase on the other side of the door was like going down the rabbit hole and emerging in another world, in another time. 

Beneath the unassuming surface floor of the cabin was an opulent hideaway that looked more like an English drawing room than a basement, which is technically what it was.  I suppose people in need of a luxurious fall-out shelter would be jealous.

Bo and I took a seat on one of the couches that faced the fireplace as Lucius puttered around behind us, appearing a few seconds later with two glasses filled with thick red liquid.  He went back for his own then returned to join us, sliding into an armchair across from us.  When he was settled, Lucius held up his glass in a silent
Cheers!
gesture and he and Bo both took a sip of their blood.

Although the thoughts of blood made me thirsty to the point of discomfort, the smell of the animal fluid turned my stomach for some reason.  I recognized the scent, knew that it came from a deer, and that was all it took to ruin my “appetite.”

I held my glass, turning the tumbler nervously against my palm.

“Is something wrong, lass?”

Whether or not my cheeks actually got red, I still didn’t know, but they burned as if I was blushing.

“Uh, I, uh…”

I looked helplessly to Bo, who jumped in to save me.

“She hasn’t yet become accustomed to drinking animal blood.  She’s not even been turned a full day yet, so we’re just taking it slow.”

Lucius’s brow wrinkled in a frown and he looked meaningfully at Bo.  They seemed to share a moment of understanding, understanding that eluded me, but it passed quickly.  Bo’s eyes returned to me and he smiled a mischievous grin that made my stomach feel twitchy.

“She drinks it from me just fine, though.”

Lucius threw back his head and roared, evidently finding Bo’s admission extremely amusing.

“And I’m sure you hate every minute of that.”

Bo’s smile widened, revealing his row of perfect white teeth.  Even as I watched, his canines dropped a few millimeters before receding once more.  A little zing of electricity arced between us, making me feel uncomfortably warm in places I’d rather not feel warm in the presence of company.

Quickly, I turned my attention back to Lucius.

“We’re going to stay at Sebastian’s house for a few days until I can get…
this,
” I said, indicating my body, “under control.”

“Ah,” Lucius said, winking at Bo.  “That sounds cozy.”

“I dropped by to pick up a few things.”

“Right, right.  Everything you left is still upstairs in that closet.”

“Thanks,” Bo said.

“So, tell me how it all worked out that our fair Ridley here is now one of us,” Lucius asked casually, conversationally.

“Well, there’s not much to tell.  You were right.  I’m the boy who can’t be killed.  Turns out Constantine is my father and he’s very much alive.  Heather is the mother of a friend of ours, Savannah.  The two of them pretty much stole Ridley’s niece from the womb when her sister died and there’s some kind of plot to kill me.”

Lucius quietly digested what Bo had said for a long minute before he responded in typical Lucius style.

“Well, now you know.  What do you plan to do about it?”

“Actually, I could probably use your help with that.  Sebast- uh, I mean Constantine mentioned that Iofiel had found out some very valuable information.  I think it might have something to do with her finding a loophole, with her discovering a way to kill me.”

“Ah,” Lucius exclaimed.  “So the letter does exist.”

“The letter?”

“Supposedly, Iofiel wrote a letter to her love, a letter that detailed a method she’d learned of or overheard in heaven.  No one seems to know for sure, but legend says that she wrote her findings in a love letter and went to great lengths to have it delivered to her mate.”

“And what, exactly, did the letter say?”

Lucius shrugged. 

“I don’t know.  I’m not sure anyone does.  To be honest, I’d never really put much stock in all this, thinking it was nothing more than legend and myth.  But now…”

“So if we could find this letter, or find out what’s in it, we might be able to put a kink in his plans.”

“I would imagine that’s entirely possible.  The question is: how do you get your hands on that letter?”

Bo’s brow puckered as he considered his dilemma.  He said nothing for several long seconds.

“That, my friend, is the million dollar question.”

After another thoughtful silence, Bo and Lucius chatted a bit more, Bo drank my deer blood down and then made our excuses to leave.

“We’re on our way to Ridley’s house.  I’m just going to pick up a few things if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, lad.  They’re your things, after all.”

We all ascended the steps that brought us back up to ground level.  Bo took a left and walked into the tiny bedroom area that sat off the back of the modest living room.  When he returned, he carried a small duffel bag.

“Thanks for everything, Lucius,” Bo said, extending his hand to his friend.

“Think nothing of it.  A little excitement keeps a vampire young,” Lucius said, sending a wink of his jewel green eye in my direction.  “Let me know if I can help.”

“Will do, man.”

“And sweet Ridley,” Lucius cooed, taking my hand and pressing his lips to the backs of my fingers.  “Now you’ll be beautiful for all eternity.  I look forward to a long, long friendship.” 

I said nothing, just simply smiled.  There was such blatant appreciation in his eyes, I felt my cheeks warm again.  I was really going to have to look into the blushing ability of vampires.

“Hands off, old man.  She’s taken,” Bo said playfully as he slung a possessive arm over my shoulders.

Lucius grinned widely, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Be happy you got to her first, young Bo.  I might’ve had to turn on the charm for this one.”

I had to grin.  I couldn’t imagine how Lucius could be any more charming.  I’m sure if it was possible, though, he’d be absolutely devastating.

Bo just smiled at Lucius, but I thought it seemed a bit of a forced gesture.  I couldn’t help but wonder if he was no longer enjoying Lucius’s ribbing.  The thought of Bo feeling jealous over me warmed me through and through.

“See you around, Lucius,” Bo said casually, if a bit sharply, as we left.

Lucius, ever the devilish one, must’ve felt the need to get one more rub in.

“Who knows?  Maybe I’ll come to town for a visit, check in on our newest member.”  Bo said nothing as we walked away, so Lucius shouted out, “Bye, Ridley.”

I couldn’t help but smile at his brashness.  I turned back to Lucius, threw my arm up in farewell and then let Bo lead me deep into the woods.

We walked back toward the road in silence.  I was pretty sure Bo was pouting and I had to smother my grin.  It didn’t take me long, however, to forget about his pique and become quickly absorbed in my surroundings. 

The forest was awakening.  Branches creaked in their early morning yawns.  Narrow pink and orange rays of sun cut through the canopy and shed their colorful light on the forest floor.  Tiny winged insects danced in the bright shafts, anxious to be a part of the beauty.   Small creatures scurried about on the ground, rustling in the scattered debris.  Dew drops glistened like diamonds on fallen leaves and the heat of the dawning sun warmed the soil, releasing its earthy aroma into the air.  I was certain I’d never seen anything more lovely.

Unwittingly, I had stopped to look around.  I raised my face to the fiery sunrise, closing my sensitive eyes and letting the warmth bathe my skin.  After a full, wonderful minute had passed, I lowered my head and opened my eyes.  Bo was watching me.

I smiled.

“I’ve never seen anything more beautiful,” I declared.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Again, it felt as though blood flooded my cheeks, spreading across my face and down my neck and chest.  An uncomfortable laugh swelled in my throat, but it died when I fell into Bo’s velvety eyes.

“You’re like a fire in my soul,” Bo said softly, his voice as quiet and reverent as the forest to the sun.  “I love you so much it almost hurts.”

“It’s no more than my love for you,” I replied in a whisper, barely able to find my voice.

Bo reached toward my face, trailing the backs of his fingers from my cheekbone to my chin.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Ridley.  Absolutely nothing,” he vowed, the sincerity in his eyes driving the truth of his words into my heart like a hammer.

“I know.”

Bo bent his head and pressed the sweetest of kisses to my lips before he took my hand and urged me forward.

“Come on.  We need to get going.”

It seemed as though my feet didn’t touch the ground for the rest of our walk through the woods.  I glided on the cloud of Bo’s confession, his heartfelt admission enough to nearly give me wings.

We darted and flitted our way through town to my house, making sure to stay in the lingering shadows as much as possible to avoid detection.  I doubted human eyes could’ve tracked us, but I knew we were better safe than sorry.

I unlocked my car and shifted into neutral so that Bo and I could push it down the road a bit before I started the engine.  Bo drove us back to Sebastian’s and I waited for another hour before I called Mom’s cell phone.

“Hey, I forgot to tell you last night that I had to leave early this morning.  We’re working on some stuff for the fall formal.”

I felt bad lying to her, but I knew it was better than hanging around and putting her life in danger every night.

“Oh, are you already gone?”

I couldn’t help but sigh.  I knew I could always count on me to be virtually clueless about anything pertaining to me.

“Yeah, I’m gone, Mom.  Another thing.  Sebastian had to go out of town for a few days, maybe a week.  He wants me to housesit, starting tonight.  That’s alright, isn’t it?  I mean, it is Sebastian.”

I added that last, knowing it would be the nail in the coffin.

“I don’t know, Ridley.  I’m not sure that would be safe.  Maybe we should talk to your Dad.”

Of all the times for her to start taking parenting seriously, she couldn’t have picked a worse one.

“Mom, I’ll be fine.  Sebastian’s house has great security.  He just wants me to water the plants and stuff, keep an eye on things.  It’s not a big deal.”

“Ridley, maybe you should—”

“Mom, I
am
almost eighteen.  I’ll be going away to college in a few months.  Might as well let me start getting used to this kind of thing now, right?”

“Well, we’ll have to see what—”

“Look, Mom, I gotta go.  I’ll call you tonight.  Love you.”

I didn’t wait for a response.  I just hung up, frustrated.