Second Nature (13 page)

“So how do you two know each other?” I
asked.

“Aunt May found me shortly after the
convenience store. She worked as a social worker back then,
focusing on getting Otherworlders into homes who are prepared for
them. One of the unique things about angels is no one can tell what
we are until we inherit our powers, and once we are detected, the
social workers generally leave us there since we tend to improve
the human’s lives.” He shrugged, though I can only imagine what
kind of horrible things he went through to assist others. “May’s
the one who explained to me what I was. She taught me how to focus
my abilities, and how to reel them in. She explained to me I had a
purpose.”

“It’s kind of unfair angels get the short
end of the stick.” I said, looking at Dylan in a new light.

“I knew I liked you!” May said, smiling and
patting my knee. She set her knitting in her basket and pushed
herself to her feet, slowly walking into the house. I watched her
go, perplexed, but Dylan gave the hand he still held a gentle
squeeze.

“I have accepted my road in life as a peace
keeper, Lia. It doesn’t bother me.”

“But you shouldn’t have to suffer just so
someone else doesn’t have to. It’s not fair.”

Dylan raised a brow at me, humor tilting one
corner of his mouth. “Since when is life fair? Was it fair that
your father was murdered in front of you? Was it fair that Nate
can’t be a man and own up to his responsibilities? Is it fair that
I find myself falling for a girl genetically predispositioned to
love someone else?”

My heart sped up, and I forgot to breathe
for a second. I was excited and terrified all at once. On one hand,
I had feelings for Dylan. On the other hand, no matter what my
genetics were, I was sixteen years old. I had been bound in a very
permanent way to a man I didn’t really know, which caused nothing
but heart break. I only just started to realize what it was like to
be free of the bond. I didn’t wanted to leap into another man’s
arms until I came to grips with the way things were. Until then, I
didn’t know if I could give Dylan, or anyone, a part of myself.

He must have felt me mentally withdraw
because he raised my hand and pressed his lips to the back of it,
sending a delicious tingle through me. “I know you aren’t ready,
Amelia. I know you’re not emotionally available right now. But I’ll
wait. And no matter who you choose, I’ll be there for you until the
day I die. Nothing will ever change that.”

I smiled and pulled my hand from his, but
only so I could cup his face. He leaned his stubbly cheek into it
as we gazed into each other’s eyes. I so wanted to let myself feel,
but fear and doubt clawed at my mind making me hold back. I felt
something
for him, I just didn’t know if I could put a name
to it.

Withdrawing my hand, I changed the subject.
“Wait, aren’t angels immortal.”

Dylan scoffed at me, shaking his head. “I
thought we covered this already. No, I’m not immortal. I will live
a really long time, but not forever. Aunt May is over 700 years
old, but she seems to be fading now.”

My jaw dropped. Gaia were long lived, but
this was ridiculous. Apparently, Dylan had twice my life
expectancy, if not more. It occurred to me I had never asked about
my siblings, how long they would be around? Maybe thinking about
this kind of thing would make most sixteen-year-olds a little
squeamish, but I had faced my own mortality and come out the other
side. An experience like that leaves you a little different.

Sitting back in my rocker again, I reached
out and locked my pinky with Dylan’s. He glanced at our hands, then
at me with a grin. I wondered what was going through his mind, but
I was content to sit with him in silence. May returned with
lemonade, and the three of us sat there together as the morning
slowly passed. I don’t remember what we chatted about, but I don’t
think it was important. I was content and surrounded by good people
in a place I believed I could spend the rest of my life.

It was time to go home all too soon. I
mentally vowed that when all this was over, when it was safe for me
to be on my own, I would find a place like this to live. I could
picture Xander and Sariah going bonkers, but to me it was Heaven. I
took a moment to wonder who I would be settling with, or if I could
be content living here on my own. A tiny voice in my mind doubted
it would ever be over.

Aunt May gave us both big hugs and told me
to come back, with or without Dylan. I smiled and promised to. She
handed me a basket covered with a red and white checkered cloth and
followed us onto the porch. Dylan leapt off—ignoring the stairs
entirely. May grabbed my arm gently. As I turned, she shooed Dylan
away. He eyed us for a moment before shrugging and wandering off a
ways with a spring in his step. I figured we had come to the “If
you hurt him, I’ll hurt you” portion of the day, but I was
wrong.

“Your destiny is a heavy one, little Gaia,
but surround yourself with strength. Remember, it’s not weakness to
admit you need help. I only wish I could help you, but time has
worn me away like the river wears away the bank.” She sighed and
looked over the meadow, then back at me with a smile. “You will
always have a port in the storm here. No matter how dark the night
gets, there’s always light. Sometimes you just have to look a
little harder for it.”

I cocked my head and studied her unsure what
to say. “You’re not like Dylan are you? I mean, you’re an angel,
but you’re a different kind, aren’t you?”

“I knew you were a smart one. Yes. I am an
Oracle.”

“So you can see the future?” My eyes had to
be about the size of saucers.

“That is one of my gifts. But yours isn’t
clear. I see violence and struggle. I see seven pillars around you.
And I see two men, each holding a piece of your heart. If you
remain steadfast, you will change the world, my dear. And always
trust your heart, it will tell you the right thing to do.”

I didn’t know what to say. I stood staring
at her, my mouth hanging open. So many questions ran through my
mind too fast to give them voice. Before I could compress them into
coherent words, Aunt May patted my cheek with a smile and went back
into the house.

Dylan and I walked back to the meadow where
he transported us to my house. He brushed a gentle kiss on my lips
before backing away, disappearing in a beam of light.

WHEN I WALKED in, my sister was still
fussing, and I was having none of it. After about ten minutes of
her following me around offering me things to eat and stuff to
drink, I lost my patience. I whipped around to find her less than a
two steps behind. “If you don't back off, I will seriously run
away.”

She shrugged. “You can't run away. Your car
is still across town.”

I wanted to wipe the smug grin off her face,
but I settled for stalking out to the garden. Xander stroked across
the pool in a fluid motion. I never could understand how a demon
whose race was all about fire could love water so much, but Xander
did. It had to be warm water, so the ocean and most public pools
were out, but if there was a hot tub, he would find it. I sat on my
rock, and he pulled his upper body over the edge of the pool
nearby, leaning forward on his arms.

“So what did you do today, Lia?” He waggled
his eyebrows at me, making me roll my eyes.

“I had breakfast at a quaint little place in
the mountains of Vermont.” Xander looked confused, and I laughed.
“Private jets have nothing on Angel Airlines.”

As Xander nodded, Sariah slid the door open.
I prepared to stalk off, but she held up her hands. “I come in
peace. You guys probably want to hear this.”

Xander and I exchanged a look, and I stood
as he boosted himself the rest of the way out of the pool. We filed
into the living room where Sariah settled back on the couch,
pointing at the television. I couldn’t figure out what she wanted
to show us until I started listening to the news anchor. Her hair
was too perfect, and she wore too much makeup, but it was what she
said that caught my attention.

“... local teens were arrested last night
after police busted a rave. Many of the party-goers had drugs in
their systems. Three are in the hospital after an overdose on a new
drug called Diesel. The drug raises the body temperature, causing
euphoria and hallucinations, according to officials. One of the
most addictive drugs to have come out of the party scene, Diesel
appears to be based on Meth, though chemists have not yet isolated
what has been changed...”

I stopped listening as my brain struggled to
make sense of what the reporter said. I had no doubt the little
blue pill I had found was this new drug, but I didn't know how this
would affect the Otherworld. Most of the Otherworld viewed humans
as insignificant, but the Enforcers wouldn't let humans discover
the truth about us. Would the chemists be able to figure out the
difference between this drug and meth? The difference had to be
demon blood, or else why would I have found the drug where garage
chemists were draining demons? I felt cold as the possible
repercussions flashed through my mind. Would they kill everyone
involved, or would the drug simply vanish? “We need to find out
everything we can about this drug.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” I glared at
Xander to let him know his sarcasm was not appreciated.

''We need to find out what it's doing to the
humans, as in long term effects. And why someone would be adding
demon blood to a drug in the first place? And what does the
Librarian have to do with any of this?” I chewed a fingernail, not
liking all the questions with no clear answers.

“I'll take the Librarian angle.” Sariah
volunteered a little too quickly, but I was going to let it slide.
Xander wasn’t feeling as charitable.

“I bet you will.” Xander gave her a snide
grin. Sariah blushed, but denied nothing. “I'll take the demon
blood angle.”

“Preferably without becoming a donor this
time.” Sariah stuck her tongue out at him.

I rolled my eyes. “That leaves me to find
out what it's doing to the humans. I know Sariah will be at the
library, where will you start, Xander?”

My brother's face scrunched up, the way it
always did when he was thinking. “I think I'll start at Hell
Cats.”

Fear clawed at me. My whole family had gone
to great lengths to instill that fear in me. Hell Cats was a
notorious demon bar. Despite the fact Xander was half demon, he
would be in danger the entire time. My thoughts must have been
blatant on my face, because Xander put his arm around me and pulled
me close.

''I promise I'll be careful, Lia. But
someone has to do it.''

“Are they going to be angry because you
aren't like them? Or will you have to pretend to be like them?”

“If they know who I am, I could be in
trouble. But I'm pretty good at repressing myself while I'm there
so they don't figure it out.”

I pulled away and stared at him. “You've
been there before?”

Xander winced, and I realized he had. “More
secrets?” I scoffed at him, my mouth twisting. “It's starting to
seem like the only things this family has in abundance is trouble
and secrets.”

“Lia, I'm sorry I didn't tell you—”

I cut him off. “Honesty is a two-way street,
Xander. How can you expect me to be completely honest with you,
when you aren't completely honest with me?” I crossed my arms under
my chest and tapped my foot.

Xander looked chagrined, scuffing his toe on
the floor. Finally, he looked up at me. “I know I should have said
something, Lia, but I swear I was trying to protect you.”

“I'm so sick of hearing people tell me they
are trying to protect me. Newsflash! I'm kind of beyond protection
at this point. And how exactly does not telling me stuff protect
me? What purpose does me not knowing you hang out in demon bars
serve? It keeps me from worrying, I'll give you that. But what
happens if I need to find you and you're somewhere I don't know
about?” I held my hand as far above my head as I could. “I've had
it up to here with secrets!”

I stalked out of the house and slammed the
door, but I closed my eyes in defeat when I saw the empty spot
where my car should be. Refusing to give in and ask one of my
siblings for a ride, I started walking. If it took me days, I would
walk to my friggen car. As I walked, my anger faded to more
manageable levels, and I wondered if I should just go back. My
pride was saved the decision when Sariah's silver Mercedes pulled
to the curb. She rolled the window down and smiled in what I
assumed was supposed to be apology.

“Can I please give you a ride to your car,
Lia?”

I sighed and nodded, climbing in. We drove
in silence for a couple blocks before Sariah began to speak.

“Our parents didn't exactly teach us the
value of sharing, you know that. And sometimes we all keep things a
little too much to ourselves. But I think we
all
need to
learn to share. If we fall apart, we're as good as dead. Together
we’re strong. I won't let Mom's legacy come to ruin.”