Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(76)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“Heven?” I looked up at Sam. “You okay?”

I shook my head.

“Could you explain to us exactly what a Supernatural Treasure is and what that means for Heven?” Sam asked Airis.

“A Supernatural Treasure is a person who has been gifted supernatural powers. The ones that discover their powers are generally guided by us to accomplish good things in the world. We use them as tools. The noble, extraordinary deeds you witness are usually the work of Supernatural Treasures.”

“I don’t have any powers.” I said, confused. There was no reason that I should be considered a Supernatural Treasure. “And I haven’t done any noble deeds unless you count not kicking the crap outta Jenna a noble deed.”

Airis smiled at me like I was a two-year-old, then she turned to Sam. “So you agree to be the guardian, the protector of Heven, a Supernatural Treasure? You choose to denounce sin and accept virtue?”

“Yes.”

“Why me? What makes me a Supernatural Treasure?” I asked, suddenly.

Airis regarded me with patience. “Because of who you are, for reasons you have yet to understand.”

“Explain them to me.”

“You will learn in your own time. For now, I would like to awaken the gifts that slumber within you.”

“Slumber within me?” I murmured.

“Many Supernatural Treasures live their entire lives without realizing what and who they are. Many of them never know of their abilities. That knowledge isn’t always necessary, but sometimes it is. You, Heven, have a path to walk. I pray that you will be strong enough to take what I awaken within you and use it for Glory.”

“I don’t under–” I began but Airis turned to Sam.

“Step aside please, Sam.” As we watched a giant ball of light swelled in her palm. It grew until I thought the weight of it must be unbearable, but she never seemed to struggle. It shimmered and glittered turning so bright that I had to squint, yet I couldn’t look away.

“What are doing?” Sam asked, his muscles tensing.

“Step aside,” she repeated.

“I can’t. You have asked me to protect Heven, and I agreed. While you have given me no reason to think you mean us harm I cannot just let you do whatever it is you are about to do to her, I have to know that she will not be hurt.” Even as he said the words he angled his body in front of mine.

Airis, still holding the swirling ball of light, inclined her head. “Your loyalty is commendable. I give you my word that I will not harm her. I am only doing what I said, awakening her abilities.”

Sam turned to me, his body completely blocking Airis from my view. He cupped the side of my face in his palm, his eyes lingering on me. “Your face,” he murmured.

I knew I probably looked horrible from the accident and I laid my hand over his. “I know, I…”

“It’s beautiful.” He said, smiling. “She will not hurt you.” He told me, he said the words like he knew them to be true. “Trust me?”

I nodded. “Always.”

He backed away from me, never once looking away. I got lost in those honey-colored eyes, and I barely noticed when Airis sent the ball of light at me. Only when Sam looked away did I look up. I braced myself for the impact, for the searing heat, but there was none. The ball of light hit me and spread out, enclosing me in a bubble. The bubble floated up off the ground and hovered high above Sam and Airis. Sam stood below watching. I didn’t want him to worry, because I didn’t feel afraid at all.

“I’m okay,” I called down to him. I wasn’t in pain and for several moments I floated in the bubble of light, and it was almost peaceful. But then something changed. The air around me became electric and charged. I could feel it vibrating, making my skin tingle. “Sam,” I croaked, but my voice caught in my throat. The pain was sharp and quick, and if I hadn’t been floating, I would have fallen to my knees. My whole body jolted as if I was being electrocuted, and I couldn’t breathe. Over and over again I felt the jolts until I was so exhausted I yearned for sleep. A loud ‘pop’ sounded, and it jerked me back to reality. The electric jolts stopped, and my body was left shaking. I crumpled forward only realize there was no floor to catch me; my heart seized, panic assailing me once more as I barreled from the sky toward the ground.

The feeling that I was free falling lasted only a second before my body was lowered to the ground with ease with deliberate care, and Sam reached out to catch me, holding me close to his chest.

I let my head rest against his shoulder, my body feeling drained.

Sam stiffened and looked at Airis. “That didn’t look pain-free.”

“She is just fine. She only needs rest.”

Sam relaxed as he shifted my weight higher into his arms.

“I will transport you home now.”

“You haven’t told us anything about her abilities, or what she needs protection from.”

“She will soon learn of her gift, and she needs protecting from anything that may cause her harm.”

“But,” Sam began, only to have Airis cut him off. “You have been through enough today. Everything else you will figure out. I will be there if you truly need me.”

Just like that she dismissed us. Seconds later, we were standing in the rain on the side of the road where my wrecked car lay smoking. I was still in Sam’s arms, and I looked up at him through the falling rain. “What in the world do we do now?”

The Hate

The bitch was alive. I stalked her all day for nothing. Finding her alone was more than I could have hoped for – the perfect opportunity. I was sure that my final attack would have finished her off. But then he showed up and ruined it. How did he know where to find her? I had escaped, fleeing the scene, but I couldn’t help but come back to watch Sam grieve. The draw of that kind of hell was just too great. But when I got close I saw that they weren’t there. Where had he taken her?

My body was damaged, and I was in immense pain; I sat down to rest. As I lay there, licking my considerable wounds they reappeared. Now she stands in the rain looking whole and healthy. By the stark relief written all over lover boy’s face and the way he is hunched over her in the rain, protecting her still, I would say that she was nowhere near dying.

How did she manage to defy death? He couldn’t possibly have saved her from what I did to her? But seeing her now, it looks like I never even touched her. I felt satisfaction knowing that her scars from this encounter might be invisible, but the ones I inflicted before were permanent.