“Look, demon,” I snap. “I’m having to take your word that the bottle contains what
you say it does. If you want my help, hand it over.”
Benjamin reluctantly hands over the bottle.
“Don’t you dare not do your part,” he warns me.
“I’ll do my part, but not for you. Kayla likes Stephaine. I know she won’t want
any harm done to her.”
“Good.”
Benjamin goes back in the house and I stay at the front porch.
I stare at the bottle, knowing that the solution to mine and Kayla’s future is in
my hands. I could take this and be mortal or I could give it to her and make her
human so that she can go back to having a normal life.
KAYLA
“Hunter?” I say looking over your shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He nods.
“What is that you are holding?”
He sighs. “Why don’t you come sit down with me?”
I follow him to the bench out on the side of the door and sit next to him.
“About us…” he says, and my heart drops.
“Kayla, I’ll protect you forever and I’ll be with you for as long as you’ll have me.”
“Which won’t be forever,” I let the words out without meaning to remind us of that
yet again.
He opens his hand for a split second and I can see that he is holding a small bottle.
Then he closes his fingers around it again.
I think of the forsaken. I think about the one who told the love of his life that
one day she would be an angel and he taught her how to become one of the fallen. I
wonder if Hunter would still want me if I did something like that. The thought quickly
leaves my mind. Growing old and wishing to die just so that I can sin and become
a fallen seems all too much.
“Are you okay?” he interrupts.
I face him and just looking into his eyes, I go back to wondering if maybe that plan
is not as absurd as I think. For him, I would fall over and over again.
Before I can even answer it, he opens my hand, places the bottle on my palm and closes
my fingers around it. “This is what would make me mortal.”
My mouth hangs open. “Why are you giving it to me?”
He looks away. “Because this will also make Trent mortal. And Kayla, his powers…
he is already healing the fallen at this age, which let’s face it, no one can benefit
from that. The angels in charge are not going to like it and the demons are definitely
not going to like it either. They are never going to leave him alone. No one will.
Trent didn’t ask for any of this and he definitely doesn’t deserve this life. Me?
I’m used to this world. I’m used to fighting demons and everything else, but it’s
too much for him.”
I can’t stop the tears running down my face.
“You would do this, for him?”
“And for you, Kayla. I know you don’t want this life for him.”
I nod and cry.
“We’ll find another way to be together,” he says. “Xavier is still willing to help
me find a way to make me mortal.”
“Where did you get this?” I ask, looking at the bottle.
“Benjamin gave it to me.”
“Christ! And you took it? What did you trade for it?”
“Nothing!” he quickly says. He gave it to me in exchange for protection… for Stephaine.”
I look from him to the bottle. “What if this hurts Trent?”
“As much as I hate to admit this, at this point, I trust him. He wouldn’t play around
with Stephaine’s safety.”
“I don’t know about this, Hunter.”
“Worst case scenario and this is not what he said it is, we could have Ethan heal
Trent.”
I nod and look down at the bottle. “Is there more? For you?”
He shakes his head. “There is only one. I’m sure there are other ways… at a cost,
but we still have time. Xavier and I will find a solution.”
“Do you ever think that maybe it’s just not meant to be?”
His eyes widen. “Are you kidding me? I found you in the Otherworld… I found you
in Hell… this is fate. We are meant to be together.”
I smile at him. “I’m sorry. You’re right. This all just gets overwhelming.”
He pulls me into his arms, “I know.”
Before we go back inside, Hunter and I figure out how to keep Trent protected if all
of this actually works. I hate having to do this, but it’s for the best. Once I
calm down enough to where I managed to stop sobbing, Hunter grabs my hand and leads
me back inside the house.
Once inside, we check on Trent who is still sleeping. Benjamin and Stephaine leave
Hunter and I alone with Ethan and Jennifer because as much as Benjamin may have changed,
I still don’t trust him to hear what I’m about to say to them.
Ethan and Jennifer sit in front of us. Hunter grabs my hand for reassurance.
“I have something to ask of you.”
“Anything,” says Ethan.
“You may want to hear this before you agree to anything.”
“Go on,” he says.
I look over at Hunter and I can’t do this. I start to choke on my words because for
one thing, I hate to ask for favors, especially one this big, but mostly because for
the first time in my life, I understand why my parents gave me up and I hate it.
Hunter looks over at me, “Do you want me to?”
I nod.
He looks over at Ethan, “We have something that could make Trent human.” He pauses
to wait for questions but there are none. They both just listen attentively. “We
thought about having Kayla’s parents watch over him, but they are already a target
as it is. It’s too dangerous for them and for Trent. Kayla and I are obviously the
poster couple for demon targets. And it would be good for Trent to have protection,
even being human. So we were wondering if you and Jennifer could take care of him.
We’ll help get anything you need.”
We are both surprised when Jennifer speaks up for the both of them. “We’ll be honored
to.” She looks over at Ethan, who smiles at her and looks back at us. “We really
will.”
“Thank you,” I say. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“To us,” says Hunter.
“It’s our pleasure,” says Ethan.
“When?” asks Jennifer.
“The sooner the better,” I say. “For as long as he is around Stephaine and Benjamin,
he is in even more danger, and Steph needs our protection. Once Trent wakes up, we’ll
give him the antidote and see how he responds. If something goes wrong, he may have
to be healed.”
“We’ll do it,” says Jennifer and Ethan at the same time and at that moment, I know
Trent couldn’t have anyone better than them to watch over him.
After we talk to them, they step outside and Benjamin and Stephaine walk back in.
“So, did they agree?” asks Benjamin.
“We didn’t ask,” says Hunter, “but before you say anything, let me finish what I have
to say.”
Benjamin doesn’t look happy, but he allows Hunter to continue.
“Kayla and I decided that we’re going to be the ones protecting Stephaine. I know
there is only so much that I can do, but Kayla has enough powers for the both of us,
and Stephaine has abilities of her own. That should be enough. Any questions?”
“You do know that I’ll be here as well, right?” asks Benjamin. “I just want to make
sure you know that protecting her, includes you spending every waking moment with
me.”
“Yes, we’re well aware of that,” I say.
***
Hunter and I slept on the floor, in the room where Trent was sleeping.
“It’s weird, you know,” I whisper. “I know he’s not mine, but in a weird way, it
feels like he is.”
Hunter brushes his fingers against my back, which is relaxing. “I know, but he is
your blood.”
I sigh. “We named him. That probably didn’t help with us getting attached.”
He tenses when I say the ‘we’ part of it, but he doesn’t say anything about that.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asks.
“Yes. It needs to be done.”
“There is still time to change your mind, Kayla.”
“I know, but I won’t. It’s weird, but I finally understand Daniels and his decision
to give me up. I still don’t like it, but I understand it better now.”
Hunter leans over, kisses my forehead and puts his arm over me, and after just staying
in silence for a while, that is how we end up falling asleep.
***
“Kayla,” I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder. I turn around to find Trent sitting
next to me.
“Oh, hey Trent. Are you okay? Do you need anything?”
He shakes his head. I look over. “Where is Hunter?”
“He said he was going to get food.”
“Sam says it’s time for me to go.”
I quickly sit up. “Go where?”
“With the angels. Ethan and Jennifer.”
“How does he— never mind.” I try to wake up. “When was he here?”
“He just left.”
Not being able to see him was getting annoying.
“He said that I’m going to be okay. He said you are doing a good job.”
I sigh.
“Are you scared?” I ask him.
He shakes his head. “I like Jen and Ethan.”
That makes me smile. I take a deep breath and tell him about the antidote, wondering
if he even understands any of it.
“Tent, I have to give you something that will make you different.”
He gives me a confused look.
“It’s something that will make you safe, but you won’t be able to play with those
puzzles anymore and you won’t be able to read what other people are thinking or see
their memories.”
He moves toward me and gives me a hug.
“I know that can be scary.”
“It’s okay. Puzzles and the other magic make my head hurt.”
I have to fight back the tears. When I look up, I see Hunter standing at the door,
watching us. He walks over and hands me the bottle.
“It’s the right thing to do,” he says.
“I know.” And now, I feel better about it all.
When I give Trent the bottle, he leans over and whispers in my ear, “Sam is here.
He says don’t worry. That he will be with me too.”
Again, fighting back the tears, I smile and give him the bottle. My heart skips a
beat as he drinks it. Hunter and I sit on the floor with him and watch him carefully
for a few minutes. When nothing happens, I say, “Trent, can you take down the puzzle
that I just made?” I ask.
He looks around the room. “I don’t see a puzzle.”
I let out a heavy sigh and smile. “Good.”
We spend a little while longer with him before we go find Ethan and Jennifer. When
we do find them, they’re ready, but Benjamin is blocking the door.
“Where exactly do you think they are going?” he directs his question at me.
“That is none of your business.”
“You’re wrong there, little sis. You know Hunter and I have a deal,” he looks over
at Trent, “and apparently, my part of the deal is already completed.”
Hunter walks toward Benjamin and stands in front of him. “We just had this discussion!
Kayla and I will be protecting Stephaine.”
“Yes, but you didn’t tell me they were leaving! I assumed that they weren’t going
to directly protect her, but that they would be around just in case.”
“You should know better than to make assumptions,” says Hunter. “Stephaine will be
protected. Our part of the deal is being met just as yours was.”
“Ben, let them go,” begs Stephaine. “Kayla is strong enough to protect us. We’ll
be okay.”
He grins and moves out of the way and then, in a way, I wish he took a little longer
to give in, because this means it’s time to say goodbye.
I kneel down and look at Trent. I want to apologize. I want to tell him that I’m
sorry for all the messed up things he lived so far, but I know he is too little to
understand. All I can do is hope that he will eventually forget most of it and live
a happy and normal life with Ethan and Jennifer.
My mind takes me back to memories that I didn’t even know I had, of my dad saying
goodbye to me.