The Garden of Eden (4 page)

Chapter Eight

Eden

I expected the world to slow down or stop when our skin collided as he held my hand. I waited for his heart to stop like the old nun’s did, and the people before her, but it didn’t. Nothing happened. I mean
absolutely nothing
. No heart stoppages and no earth-tilting-off-its-axis moment. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. I must admit, I was a little disappointed.

“Asher? Are you alright?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“But I thought…”

“You thought what?”

“Don’t worry. Nothing.” As he led me to the kitchen, I was a little confused. Wasn’t this how the previous deaths had happened? With a single touch? Was it possible Asher was somehow immune?

“Let me get the hot chocolate, and I’ll meet you in the garden.” He said.

“Oh, okay.” I shrugged and made my way out the back door and into the paradise of the garden.

I expected the garden to be dark, but it wasn’t. As soon as I stepped over the threshold, it was illuminated by a million twinkling fairy lights and spotlights. I mean, there were lights
everywhere
. Nothing was unlit. Nothing was missed. It was utterly breathtaking. Even the angel fountain was illuminated. I walked over towards it, dipped my fingertips in the cool, clear water, and smiled. I think I could get used to this place. I bent down and then ran my fingers over the grass and gasped. It was the softest grass I had ever felt and I had the sudden urge to lay down in it. So I did. I lay back against the cushion of green heaven and admired the lights draped across the roof. They looked like millions of stars. And then something caught my eye. I turned my head to the left and that was when I saw it. It was a massive weeping willow. It was the biggest tree I had ever seen. It had to be hundreds of years old. As I propped myself up onto my elbow, I heard a voice which made me jump.

“That’s the Sacred Tree. It’s very old, and rumoured to hold a lot of power.” Asher told me, making himself comfortable beside me.

I met his eyes. “What kind of power?”

“Well, I don’t really believe in this stuff much, but the Michaelites do so I go along with it. It’s meant to show you a glimpse into your future.”

“Like a psychic?”

“Yeah. I guess you could say it’s like a psychic tree.”

“Can I try?” Before he could protest, I jumped up and ran over to the tree. It was even more magnificent up close and I really could feel some sort of immense power emanating from within like a hum. It buzzed beneath my fingertips.

“Eden, wait. Why don’t you drink your hot chocolate first?”

“No, it’s okay. It might not even work, right?”

“Yeah, but it could, for you.”

I looked back at him. “What do you mean? How am I any different from you?”

“Well, for starters, you’re Nephilim, and I’m only a mere human.”

“That shouldn’t make a difference.” I was ready to try it. I wanted to try it so badly. I held my hand up in front of the trunk, about to touch it.

“It does. Trust me.” Asher’s eyes grew wide. “No, Eden! Wait!”

But it was too late.

My hand touched the trunk of the Sacred Tree.

Chapter Nine

Eden

My whole world became dark. I couldn’t see a thing. Great, another completely pitch black nightmare. Why were my dreams always so dark? Like the earlier dream, a single light appeared out of nowhere and began to creep closer. As I watched the light, it became bigger, and not only because it was coming closer. It was increasing in size.

“He… hello?” my voice echoed. Which meant I was in a large space. Great, nothing scared me more than space that I couldn’t see. It was like floating in the ocean without knowing what lie beneath you. Darkness or light. A shark or tropical fish.

Nothing answered my call. What was going on? Where was I? I decided to try again.

“Hello? Who’s there?” This time someone answered my call. And it was familiar.

“Eden?”

I heard footsteps. And then a face appeared in the light. It was a spotlight. No, a halo of light casting a shadow over his face, illuminating him from behind. I was afraid to ask, but I had to.

“Who… who are you?”

“Eden, it’s okay. We’re going to be together now.”

I gasped and put my hand to my mouth, stepping away from him.

Then all the darkness fell away and I was standing back in the garden at the Michaelite Sanctuary.

“Eden?”

I spun around at the sound of my voice and screamed.

“No!”

“Eden? Are you okay? What did you see?”

“It was you.”

“What was me?”

“When I touched the tree… it was you.”

He smirked, awkwardly playing with his hair. “Well, that’s great. It means I’ll be in your future.”

“No, I… I have to go.”

I hurried back towards the door, trying to hold back my tears. But they were already falling as I ran. What could I tell him? That I saw him coming out of a tunnel? Did it mean he was going to die? That I was going to kill him? I had to get out of there. It was still early morning and everyone in the convent was sleeping, so no one would notice my escape—no one but him. I regretted running away from him, but I had to do it. I couldn’t face the fact that my future might possibly include killing Asher. I had to change my fate and his as well. I had to leave, and find the only person who could help me understand my dreams.

Asher

“Eden, no!”

When her hand touched the trunk of the Sacred Tree, I was blinded by the most intense white light. I covered my face and turned away. What was happening?

And then as soon as it happened, it was over just as fast.

“Eden?”

She saw me and screamed. Did something happen to my face?

When I asked her what happened she said she saw me in her vision, which made me smile. At least I was going to be in her future. She then began backing away from me.

Why wasn’t she glad that I would be in her future? I was tempted to touch the Sacred Tree to try to see what she had seen but I knew it was impossible. The tree showed you
your
fate, not someone else’s.

Chapter Ten

Eden

I didn’t have time to pack a bag. He would try to stop me, otherwise. I dressed in jeans, chucks, and a black hoodie and slipped silently out the front door, hood over my head. As soon as I was as far away from the sanctuary as I could possibly get that I considered safe, I pulled out my iPhone. I was glad the butler had been so heavily dozing in his chair by the front desk that I could safely grab the keys to the desk drawer where they kept all the phones. It was sacrilege keeping everyone’s phones away from them. That place really was like rehab. I scrolled through my contacts and dialled my emergency contact. For this was an emergency.

He answered on the first ring.

“So, you finally need my help.”

“You have to tell me what these visions mean.”

“Whoa, slow down. I’m coming.”

“Hurry. I’m freaking out, Uncle Adam.”

“I’m coming,” was all he said before he ended the call. Great. How long would I have to wait before he came? What if some serial killer found me? Oh yeah, I forgot, she was standing right here, inside the body of this girl.

After a few minutes, I looked up and realised I was standing under the spotlight of a street lamp. I stepped back into the darkness. Bad move. A hand moved over my mouth to stifle my scream. With one touch of my hand, I could end my attacker’s life. I tried to let him know, but his hand cut off my words.

Thankfully, he soon let go and loosened his grip. I could breathe again. I felt his hot breath against my neck—a breath that reeked of cigarette smoke.

“I… I can kill you, you know.” I stuttered.

But my attacker only laughed. A laugh that sounded like it was sliding over gravel. “You can’t kill me sweetheart, I
am
death.”

Death? Was this guy serious? That was
my
trait.

“What do you mean?” I guess he hadn’t expected me to question him. He let me go and I spun around to face him. He was standing in the darkness, so I couldn’t see him well. I could only see his eyes glowing out from under his black hooded trench coat— eyes that glowed red.

“I mean, Princess, that I am the epitome of death.”

“Like the Grim Reaper?”

“In some tales, yes, I am called The Grim Reaper, but my proper title is The Gatekeeper to the Realm of Death.”

“And why have you come for me? It’s not my time to die. Sure, I have killed, but it wasn’t my fault.” I realised I was rambling. I decided to shut up.

He laughed again, and I almost spewed at smelling his awful breath for the second time. “Silly girl, I am not here to take you over, as they say.”

“Oh, then why are you here? I don’t understand.”

“I am here to offer you a job.”

A job? I was confused.

“I know what you may be thinking, ‘why is the Gatekeeper to the Realm of Death offering me a job?’ Well, the thing is, I need someone to take over the business when I retire.”

“Wait, let me get this straight,” my head was still reeling. Who was this man? And why did he want me? How did he find me? “You want
me
to take over your business of reaping?”

“It is a
very
important job.”

“I… I don’t understand why you want
me
. I mean I barely even understand the full extent of my trait. I’m trying to hold it back, not exploit it.”

He stepped forward into the light and I saw his face. He looked like a lieutenant of the military. He was handsome, but not so much that I wanted to date him. That would be gross.

“Look, I have to go. Places to go, people to reap. You’re a smart girl, think about it.”

Before I could say or ask him anything else, he was gone, vanished. I blinked and put my hand to my forehead. I suddenly wasn’t feeling very well. Luckily, a black town car pulled up less than a minute later.

“Eden, there you are. Jump in.”

I was glad for the familiar face. I smiled at my uncle and slid through the door, which he held open for me.

“Thanks. You have no idea the night I have had.”

“You can tell me all about it once you have had some sleep.”

Sleep, yeah. That was the last thing I wanted, but the first thing I needed. I don’t remember how we got there, because as soon as my butt touched the seat and my head touched the headrest, I was asleep.

The next sounds I heard were not the sounds of morning. Of birds singing, and lawnmowers. They were of whispering voices, close but distant.

“She said she’s been having visions, or dreams?”

“It’s starting.”

“But it’s too early, she’s only sixteen.”

“What if she doesn’t want it?”

“It’s the only way. She’s not safe there. She’s endangering the lives of everyone around her.”

Who were the people who were talking about me? One sounded familiar. Uncle Adam? But the other voice, I couldn’t recognise. Or could I?

“She’s waking up.”

My eyes fluttered open and I saw two faces looking down at me. As soon as I saw the other in the room, I quickly squeezed my eyelids closed again.

“Eden, you shouldn’t have run.”

“No. You can’t be here.”

Hopefully, it was a dream and as soon as I opened my eyes again, he would be gone. I tried again. I opened one eye, but he was still there. I decided to face the inevitable. I crossed my arms and sat up, giving both the men whom I shared blood with, an intense glare.

“Eden, sooner or later, you knew this was going to happen.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You can’t deny this any longer.”

“Yes, I can. And I will.”

I looked away. But they weren’t giving up.

I groaned. “What am I doing here then? With you?”

“I am your father. I am here to help you.”

“By kidnapping me? You betrayed me, Uncle Adam.”

“I’m only trying to help you, Eden. You need our help,” my uncle replied.

“I was fine on my own.”

“No, you weren’t. You have killed far too many people by accident. We’re going to teach you how to control your trait.”

“That’s ironic, coming from the leader of the most infamous demon cult of our time,” I directed this comment at my father.

“It’s the truth, Eden. Now you can either accept our help, or decline it. But the longer you put it off, the more innocent people you will kill.”

I said the next few words as a joke, “So, I can make a business out of this, right?”

My uncle’s eyes grew wide, and my father chuckled. “Sounds like you got your sense of humour from me.”

I sighed. “Unfortunately.” Thankfully, they hadn’t cottoned on to my hint that the Grim Reaper himself had offered me a job. Or had they? My uncle was studying me intently to see if I might decide to run.

“One question before we start my so called training,”

“Sure,” answered my father.

“Shoot,” my uncle replied.

“Does my mother know where I am?”

A huge grin appeared on my father’s face, I guess that answered my question.

“I told you this was a bad idea, Lakyn.”

“Relax, if she stays with Rachael, who knows how many more people she would have killed, or how bad the visions would have gotten. She is much better off with us.”

“Fine, you’re right. I just hate defying my sister.”

“Everyone hates defying Rachael.” My father chuckled.

And so, that was the beginning of my training. My goal was to learn how to control my trait so I could return to the Michaelite Sanctuary, to my mother, and to Asher.

My stomach flipped over, causing a sharp pain to pulsate through my body.

Asher.

I clenched my fists. I hoped Jaz wasn’t going to make the most of my absence and stake her claim on Asher. I suddenly realised that I missed him. I wanted to call him to tell him I was okay. But I couldn’t. I had to control myself before I could go near him again. I couldn’t let the fate the Sacred Tree churned out for me come true.

“Get some sleep, Eden. We will start in the morning.”

“Great.” I gave them a fake smile and they took that as permission to leave me alone. As soon as I was, I had to restrain every urge not to dial or text Asher. Maybe I should make my Dad take my phone away just as the butler had at the Michaelite Sanctuary. I was beginning to understand their logic. I stuffed my phone under my pillow. But it was no use. It began vibrating, telling me of an incoming text message.

“Gah!” I pulled it out and unlocked the screen. My heart fluttered in my rib cage. It was from Asher.

“Eden, where are you? Are you OK? Please call or text me!” His message sounded desperate.
Of course he was desperate, Eden! You just ran out on the boy without as much as a backwards glance.
The other half of my brain screamed at the less rational side.

“It’s for his own good!”

“Argh!” Was I going crazy talking to myself? I knew I needed to do something, and fast, to distract myself from contacting Asher. I ripped the covers off, and jumped out of bed. Here, wherever I was, there was no pretty garden in which to dream away my thoughts. So I had to make do with what I had in front of me. And that was a strange and unfamiliar apartment. I crept over to the door and cracked it open to listen for any movement or noise outside. I could hear the distant sounds of sleep. Soft snores filled the hallways. That was my cue. I grabbed my black hoodie, slipped it back over my head, and stuffed my phone into my pocket. I tied my shoe-laces and tried to sneak out of the house as softly as I could. I flinched when my sneaker squeaked and squelched. I cursed myself silently for my love of puddle jumping. I listened and waited for sounds of stirring, but there were none. I breathed a sigh of relief and made my escape. When I opened the front door and stepped outside, I realised I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know the town, or if I was even in England anymore. I decided to go for a walk to clear my head.

The midnight air was cool and fresh on my skin. It cooled conflicting thoughts about my situation, my possible fate, and about Asher. It wasn’t long after I had begun walking down the unfamiliar street that I came to the end of it, and at the beginning of a pier. The pier seemed familiar as I stepped out onto it. The wooden planks creaked beneath my sneakers and water washed against the pylons not far beneath. When I reached the end of the pier, it struck me why it was so familiar. It was the same pier from my dream, where the hooded figure had visited me in a ferry. As I stared out into the abyss, a light appeared in the darkness, just like in the dream, travelling closer. Was I dreaming again? I tried to pinch myself, but it wasn’t working. I wasn’t waking up. It only meant one thing—I wasn’t dreaming. I began looking around to see if anyone else was here, but I was the only one on the pier, or even near the pier. So if I screamed, I realised that no one would hear me. My heart rate increased as the ferry drew closer. After a few minutes, the boat docked and I realised that in it, sat the same hooded figure I had seen in my dream, and somewhere else. He seemed much more familiar, as if I had met him in my waking hours. When the hooded man stepped out of the small wooden boat onto the pier, causing the boat to rock from side to side and the lantern to swing, bouncing its light over both our faces. That was when I recognised him. I
had
met him before.

“No!”

The reaper grinned and dropped his hood. It was him—the reaper who had offered me his job under the streetlight.

“Hello Eden. Long time no see. I’m guessing the reason I find you standing here again is because you have considered my offer?”

“No. I just want answers.”

The Reaper cocked his head to the side and then sighed as if he was growing impatient with me. “Sweetheart, in order for me to give you answers, you need to accept my offer.”

“Nope.” Defiantly, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t do deals with the devil.”

The Reaper snickered. “Darlin’, I am not the devil, as that title belongs to Lucifer. Who mind you, thought he could control me and bend my will to his, but I work on my own.”

“You know Lucifer?” I gasped.

“But of course, and so does your father.”

My eyes must have bugged out of my head. I couldn’t begin to wrap my head around this revelation.

“Wait, you said my father knows Lucifer.
You
know my father?”

“But of course, he hired me.”

“But you just said you work alone.”

“What I meant by that was, I don’t let people boss me around. I am my own boss. But I am doing a favour for your father.”

Could it be true? I was afraid to admit it, but I knew the rumours enough to know the truth. What if my father had hired The Grim Reaper to kidnap me?