Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(53)
Author: Cambria Hebert

And she never said a word. She never complained.

“Cool, huh?” I answered Logan.

“Yeah. I wish you would have let me train with you.”

“Maybe next time.” Maybe training would teach him control. Maybe it would help.

“Are you guys done already?” Heven asked, moving closer to me.

“Almost. Gemma and Cole are just finishing up.”

Heven nodded. “Let’s go back to the house. I was just offering Logan some water.”

Heven hurried outside to close the door. I looked at her. Something wrong?

No, everything’s fine.

Once again she covered for my brother. I realized that she was trying not to put me in the middle. She wanted me to have my brother in my life even if it was hard on her.

At the porch Heven stopped and said, “Why don’t you guys go ahead in. I want to walk out and say hi to Gemma before she leaves.”

I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t. I didn’t know what to say. Even if Logan was acting strange, I couldn’t abandon him.

“Sam, are you coming?” Logan asked, going up the steps.

I looked back at Heven, wondering if she just wanted to get away from my brother.

I want to ask Gemma about my dad.

Ahh, so maybe not all of this had been about Logan. She was worried about her dad. Heven started off toward the orchard, and I heard her sigh.

I stuck my head into the kitchen where Gran and Logan were. “I’ll be right back,”

I didn’t wait for Logan to answer because I knew—I knew that he would act like he wanted me to stay. I wanted to be there for him, but I wanted to be there for Heven too, and even though she wasn’t asking for my attention, I wanted to give it to her.

I caught up to her easily and reached out for her arm. “Hey.”

She stopped walking and turned. “Hey.” She looked over my shoulder for Logan.

“I left him in the house with Gran.”

I slid my hand from her wrist to wrap my fingers around hers. “What did I walk in on back there?”

“I was showing him the horses and barn.”

“You’re upset, scared. Tell me what happened.”

She sighed. “It was nothing. Logan and I… It’s just taking longer to bond with him than I hoped.” Before I could say anything she continued. “But I won’t give up. He’s your brother and that makes him family. We’ll get there.”

I lifted her hand to my lips. “If he… treats you bad, scares you… You can come to me, okay? He’s my brother and I won’t abandon him but you… You’re my heart and I won’t let him hurt you.”

Her fingers tightened on mine and seconds later, Gemma and Cole came into sight. Gemma was smiling at something and Cole looked pleased with himself.

I think she likes him. I said, thinking about the way she put herself between us. She’s easier on him than me.

Heven poked me in the ribs. You have an advantage over him in the strength department.

I laughed. She doesn’t look at me the way she does him.

Thank goodness.

I looked over at her, admiring her shining blond hair and the way it fell over her blue eyes. “I’ve been thinking about the Dream Walker.”

She winced like just the mention of it made her head hurt. It probably did. “What about him?”

I pulled her close, my lips hovering just above hers as the chemistry between us spiked… there… I snapped my eyes up to hers and she gasped, her hand coming up to her throat.

“It’s him,” she said, realizing what I was showing her. “The Dream Walker is what you have been sensing inside me. It’s why you have the urge to shift when you’re with me sometimes.”

I pulled back and nodded. “I think so.”

“It makes sense.” She laughed.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because it means that it wasn’t me!”

“I never thought it was you in the first place,” I answered, shaking my head. I should have realized she would think that it was her.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, bouncing with her happiness. I hugged her back with a chuckle. Gemma was waving at us and Heven pulled back and walked over. She didn’t waste any time on small talk.

“Can you go to the InBetween?”

Gemma didn’t seem to mind the abrupt question. “Sure.”

“Could you take me with you?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I think my dad’s there.”

Gemma shook her head, and beside her, Cole stiffened at the mention of his father. “Can’t be.”

“Why?”

“The InBetween is a temporary place that people who die pass through. No one ever stays there.”

“But I heard him.” Tears swam in her eyes and she blinked them back. Cole crossed his arms over his chest, frowning.

“Did you see him?” Gemma asked.

Heven shook her head and I took her hand, offering quiet support.

“He was probably on the other side. In Heaven. He wouldn’t be able to get to the InBetween unless a Celestial, like Airis, brought him.”

“Could you bring him?”

“I can’t go into Heaven. Fallen angel, remember?”

“Oh.”

“Ask Airis to bring him.”

“She shipped us out of there fast when she realized I heard him yelling. She doesn’t want me to see him.”

“Then she must have a good reason. You can trust Airis.”

It was hard to accept that.

“You saw him?” Cole asked Heven, his voice low. “Why were you there, in the InBetween?” I was a little surprised he didn’t want to know more about their father. Of course, Cole has kind of made it clear that he didn’t consider Heven’s father his true dad.

To spare Heven a drawn-out explanation that would only upset her; I gave Cole a quick, but thorough, overview of everything that happened from the last time we last saw him, even explaining about the Dream Walker. When I explained about their father, he drew Heven in for a hug.

“Sorry you had to go through that,” Cole whispered.

“I would have loved just a few minutes with him.” Heven’s voice was muffled against his shirt.

“At least you know he’s safe and well somewhere,” Cole told her.

She pulled back and studied his face. “You’re not upset?”

He shrugged. “I’m upset you’re upset.”

Heven pulled back and straightened her shirt and hair. “I’ll be all right.” Obviously Heven had been hoping for a little more reaction from Cole.