Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1)(98)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“No, really.” I looked up toward the apartment wondering what this thing would do if I screamed. I pushed my hand through my hair and looked back at the man. “I don’t have whatever it is you want.”

I backed up a step, and he hopped down from his seat. Without a word he opened his mouth and this weird sort of yellowish-brown mist rolled out. It swirled around me making it hard to breathe. I coughed and tried to run but my movements were slow and sloppy. “Sam,” I called, but it echoed around me, the weird mist was trapping in my sounds, not letting them out. Sam.

The mist grew thicker and thicker, making it hard to see. My vision started clouding, and I knew I had only seconds before I passed out. But then there was a hand reaching through the mist and wrapping around my arm and pulling me free. I gagged and coughed as fresh air filled my lungs. Through watering eyes I looked for the bird-man, wondering what he would do next.

Sam appeared through the mist, grabbed my face and forced me to look up at him. “What happened?”

“There’s someone there,” I said, pointing in the direction where the naked bird-man had sat, my voice hoarse from the weird mist.

Sam shoved me behind him and turned. The bird-man stepped through the mist he had just released – seemingly unaffected by its power – and grinned. “Give it to me,” he hissed. As he spoke more mist floated out of his lips and reached for us. Sam was about to jump forward, but Logan shot out from the side and slammed his fist into the man’s chest and the bird-man disintegrated before our eyes.

“What the hell was that thing?” Sam asked as we all stared at the spot he had been standing in.

I shook my head and looked at Logan. He was watching me. “How did you know how to kill that thing?”

“Yeah, bro. That was awesome.” Sam said proudly and Logan beamed.

“There’s this game that I play on the internet… there’s a guy on there like him. It’s how you destroy him. Figured it was worth a shot.”

“A video game?” I echoed.

Sam laughed. “The World Wide Web saves the day.”

Logan shrugged again and went to pick up the paint cans lying in the street. He took them without another word up to the apartment.

Sam waited until he had disappeared inside the apartment then looked down at me. “What the hell was that thing?”

Whatever that thing was…it’s only the beginning.

Sam gave me a little shake. “What did it want, Heven?”

I went to the truck and pulled out the bronze cylinder. Sam’s jaw tightened and with a curse he hauled me into his side. So are those the kinds of things that are going to be coming after you now? I got rid of one stalker for her to be replaced with God knows what.

My eyes fastened to the spot where that bird-man had been. How many more were out there like him? How many more were worse? I shuddered and forced my gaze away, looking up toward the apartment. Logan was watching us through the window.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Sam and I understood exactly what we had promised to do.

The Hope

“She wasn’t supposed to be involved,” he said wearily.

“She has a greater destiny than what you wanted for her.”

“Airis,” he warned.

“She has shown great strength and courage.”

“She’s a child. You gave her something that both worlds are fighting for. How do you expect her to survive?”

“She has protection.”

He let out a hard laugh. “Are you kidding? He’s a child too. And he was created by the enemy.”

“He might be twisted by sin, but he was created by God, and he loves her. Even you can see that. We both know that a love that powerful can slay evil.”

He sighed, knowing that he’d lost his fight. “I hope you’re right, because more evil is coming.”

“Negativity does not belong here; all will be well. You’ll see.”

He didn’t look convinced.

I smiled. “After all, she has the best protector she could have, someone with a heart from God, but abilities the enemies from Hell have. Who better to get the job done?”

Heven

The night had long since turned dark. Outside my window, night life sang a mellow song and helped to soothe some of my nerves. I stared a long time at the reflection in the mirror. Who was this girl? Long ago I thought I knew. How naïve I had been. My attack changed the way I looked and the way I felt. I realized that everything I thought I understood about myself wasn’t really who I was. I made peace with that with the girl in the mirror.

But I wasn’t her anymore.

I wasn’t either of those girls anymore. I guess you could say that I was a hybrid of them, certain parts all smooshed together. And there were new parts, too.

I gathered my heavy mass of hair up and secured it high on my head. “Who am I?” I wondered out loud. The next few months would test me; there would be others who would try to break me – to kill me. My hand went to my wrist to check the clasp on my bracelet, even though I knew that it was fine. I didn’t know why I was chosen, but it felt right.

Silently, Sam appeared behind me. We stared at each other through the mirror without speaking. I was reminded of the last time we did this when I’d kept half my face from the reflection. I remembered thinking how utterly gorgeous he was and how we just didn’t fit. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

He was still beyond gorgeous, far more beautiful than I thought myself to be. But this time as we stared in the mirror…we fit. I was becoming the girl that deserved him. That knowledge gave me strength and courage to face the danger I knew was coming.

“You need to stop leaving your window open at night. It isn’t safe.” Sam’s voice was deep and low. His eyes were the color of dark honey.

“I didn’t think you’d come tonight.”

His eyes darkened. “All the more reason to lock the window.”

“But you did come.” I turned away from our reflections and lifted my face.

“I may have a new apartment, but my home is with you.” He didn’t touch me. He didn’t have to. His words were the softest caress he could give.

“Come to bed,” I beckoned, walking toward it.

I felt his strong hands on my shoulders as he turned me. “Everything’s going to be fine,” he murmured, his face drawing close to mine.

I nodded, eyes drifting closed. I wasn’t worried about what was to come because it didn’t matter. Deep down inside me I felt that I could handle it. I could handle anything. I no longer had to hide behind Sam but I could stand beside him. He had unique abilities that made him who he was…but so did I. I was just beginning to realize just how much of myself I had overlooked, how much of myself I hid from. Well, no more. From now on I was going to be the girl that everyone else seemed to see. I was going to be strong and capable. I would be courageous.