Between (33 page)

“
I’m sorry, Patrick. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I didn’t have your back this time. It’s my fault,” Holly mumbled, as she placed her hands over her face and started to cry.

Suddenly, a small beam of light radiated around him and then it got brighter, and so intense that they had to look away. As the light dimmed, Patrick’s spirit, which had disconnected from his body, appeared in front of them. “Holly, don’t burden your heart. It’s not your fault. It’s my time to leave this world. I will carry the memories of the good times we shared. Weep for me no more, my brothers and sisters, for I am going home!” With a peaceful smile, he vanished.

“
Patrick!!!” Holly cried, still unable to believe he was gone. “No…no…no,” Holly muffled her words in her hands, as tears escaped through her fingers. Her cry was soft, but utterly painful.

The alkins didn’t know what to do. They too were in shock and couldn’t believe what they had witnessed. It happened so fast that it took a while for it to register that Patrick was dead.

Still feeling flabbergasted, Austin felt something in his heart he hadn’t felt before. Anger and pain shot through his body. He felt the emptiness as if someone had ripped his heart out. The emptiness spread through his body and made him feel weak; so weak, he thought he would collapse. And for the first time, he understood Claudia’s pain from losing Gamma. After he gathered himself, he enclosed Patrick’s body in his arms. “I’m taking him to Katherine. Why don’t you guys watch over Claudia for a while? Holly, let’s go,” he commanded.

Holly numbly gazed at him. Then the three of them were gone.

Austin gingerly placed Patrick down on his bed at Island of Eden. He stood there as his eyes glazed upon his friend, who was now gone forever. Holly rested her hand on Austin’s shoulder. “Austin…we need your mom.”

“
She’s already on her way,” he muttered weakly. Then he sat on the bed, wondering how this could have happened. He gripped the comforter tightly with both of his hands, releasing his anger and pain as his body trembled in agony. He’d never trusted Trinity and he blamed himself for not acting upon his instincts. Holly and Austin waited for Katherine as they sat silently, only hearing the sound of the waves crashing in. Daily, it was a peaceful sound, but today it wasn’t.

Without warning, the double doors flung open and Katherine appeared. Startled, Holly and Austin stood up. “What happened?” Katherine asked, looking at Patrick. Her eyes swelled up with tears, and they started to fall. She approached closer with her eyes set on him, drawing out the memories they shared. “Oh, Patrick. I’m so sorry.” She placed her hands on his cheeks and poured out her heart and pain. Holly turned away as streams of tears uncontrollably fell. Austin fanned his wings and flew away, unable to handle the unwanted emotions of pain and loss.

After Holly filled her in with the details, Katherine called a meeting with the Divine Elders. She also sent a few watchers to go after Trinity and sent Holly to find her son.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Michael sat on the edge of Claudia’s bed as he curled her hand into his. His eyes glued onto the movement of her chest rising and falling. He wanted to make sure she was breathing and the healing process was steady. Every time he looked at her, his guilt would over power him, so he focused his eyes on her hand in his. It had been a couple of days since the incident and though she was showing signs she was completely healed, she hadn’t woken up yet. Davin had forged a note to allow Claudia to be excused from school, stating that she was out ill for the rest of the week.

Claudia peeled her eye lids open one at a time to see an unclear vision of Michael holding her hand affectionately, and wondered if it was just a dream. Finally, when her eye sight came to, she let out a warm smile and didn’t say a word. She lay there gazing at Michael as she started to recall how she got there.

“
Michael,” she finally called in a hoarse whisper.

Michael gave her a relieved smile, caressing her silky hair and soft cheek. His heart pattered when she lit up all too familiar smile, the purity and innocence of it reminding him of the day when she captured his heart and soul at Crossroads. Completely spellbound by her, his human emotions washed through him and caused heat to infuse throughout his body. “How are you feeling?”

She turned to place the other hand on Michael when he immediately gripped her wrist to stop her. Claudia then realized she had a needle inserted into her arm. As her eyes traveled upward, she saw a clear plastic bag: an IV bag.

“
I had to,” he said. “I didn’t know how long it would take you to recover. Since you’re not in Halo City, you needed things to help you replenish your body. You’ve been out for two days.”

Then Claudia felt something else, something she had never felt before. “Michael, what the heck is coming out of my…down there? What is that?” she asked, wiggling, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

“
It’s a catheter. Don’t worry. Vivian placed it there for you. We didn’t want you to urinate on your bed.”

She immediately stopped squirming. “Oh. When can I take it out?”

“
You can take it out now. I can help you.”

She reached down and pulled the tube out slowly while Michael held the bag of urine.
Beautiful
, she thought sarcastically. He was holding a bag of her urine. Michael was so sweet. He didn’t grimace nor did he show any sign of discomfort.

Michael seemed a little withdrawn as he asked her questions. “Do you remember what happened?”

Then it suddenly hit her. “I was stabbed through the heart with a dagger by Trinity. Where is she?” she asked nervously.

“
I let her go,” he said, reaching out his hands to hers.

Claudia snatched her hands back. “You let her go?!” she repeated his words, wondering why he would do such thing when she’d tried to kill her. For a moment, she felt betrayed.

Michael looked distraught at her sudden distance. “Claudia. Please understand, as crazy as it may seem, she isn’t evil. I know she didn’t mean to. Though she acted selfishly, at the end, she was trying to make it seem like she killed you so that Nicholas wouldn’t go after you anymore. And as much as others may think, she didn’t make a deal with Nicholas.”

“
You believe her?” she asked, finding herself astonished by his words.

“
Yes,” he said, so certain that she almost believed him. “Someone is trying to throw us off, to make it seem like she is the traitor, but I have my eyes on Michelle and Gracie.”

“
But they are the ones who gave the venators the information,” she said, confused.

“
Maybe they were told to. To make it seem like they are working with us.”

“
Where is Trinity?”

Michael leaned in, stroking her hair. “I told her to never come back. She won’t bother you again.”

Though Michael sounded convincing, something didn’t feel right to Claudia. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “Something else happened.”

Michael looked at Claudia, but he seemed to look past her. “Patrick,” he said, unable to finish the rest of his sentence.

She knew from the look in his eyes that something went horribly wrong. “Michael, what happened to Patrick?” she asked with urgency, as her heart pounded with anticipation.

“
He’s gone.”

She knew what he meant, but she couldn’t comprehend the truth of what he’d said. “Gone?” She gulped. “Gone where? He isn’t dead…is he?”

Michael didn’t answer. And she knew at that moment what his answer was. He didn’t need to say a word; he answered her with his eyes. Then she thought about Holly and Austin. They’d lost a friend and it was all because of her. Her heart became heavy, consumed with guilt.

“
Claudia,” Michael called, breaking her out of her thoughts. “This isn’t your fault. Patrick took Trinity by surprise. She was afraid and confused.”

“
Patrick is dead because Trinity was confused?!?!” Her tone had turned harsh and Michael looked surprised. She was angry because all he ever did was make excuses for Trinity. Maybe it was because of his guilt about leaving her, but whatever the reason, she didn’t like it.

“
Why is that every time I bring up Trinity, you get mad?”

Claudia opened her mouth to speak her mind, but stopped. Once her hurtful words were spoken, she knew she could never take them back, so she held in her anger.
What’s the point
? she thought. He didn’t seem to understand her point–the point where Trinity killed someone innocent, her own kind, all because she was confused. Claudia knew she was up to no good, but he just didn’t seem to see it. And the fact that she tried to kill her was the last straw. She didn’t want to discuss Trinity anymore. Her mind was occupied by thoughts of Holly and Austin. “Can you take me to see Austin and Holly?” She pleaded and stood up, assuming he would do as she asked.

Since Michael didn’t respond, she sat down and met his eyes, wondering why he didn’t open up his wings.

“
I’m sorry, but I can’t take you.”

“
What do you mean you can’t take me?”

“
We need to give them time. I don’t think we are wanted right now.”

She let out a long heavy sigh and understood. “Okay,” she said calmly, knowing getting all worked up wouldn’t help the situation. “Sorry. I’m just…ahhhh!” She covered her face with both of her hands, drowning in her pain and guilt.

Surprised by her action, Michael embraced her with his arms. He hated seeing her like this. Obviously, he couldn’t find the right words to comfort her so he did what he knew usually worked; he wrapped his wings around her and took her away.