Sins of the Innocent: A Novella Read online

  I leaned back. “You didn’t know either.”

  “Know what?” she asked.

  “About Grandmother.”

  Mom shook her head, frustrated. “What are you saying, honey?”

  I looked to Levi and then felt Bex’s presence in the room. I turned to the doorway, and he shook his head.

  Oh God. It must be something really bad. They all know about it and have kept it from Mom all this time.

  Mom noticed Bex, too, and then glared at Levi. “Spit it out, Junior.”

  “She’s, um …” Levi looked at me, hesitant.

  “Levi, don’t,” Bex said.

  “Tell her,” I said.

  “She’s like me,” Levi said. “Except she’s a true Cambion.”

  Mom laughed once without humor. “Cynthia is a hybrid.”

  Levi sighed, unhappy. “Yes. Her father is a demon.”

  Mom and I had matching expressions.

  Bex shook his head and covered his eyes. “You’re lucky you’re my Taleh. Jared will want to kill you after this.”

  Mom spun around. “Jared knew?”

  “Oh, crap,” Bex said, backing away from the door.

  Mom walked slowly toward her brother-in-law. “Bex Emmanuel Ryel, this … is unforgivable.”

  Bex fidgeted for a moment. “Well … you did walk out of the Sepulcher and nearly got us all killed. We forgave you for that.”

  Mom froze for a moment. Her bottom lip trembled, and then she shouldered past Bex. He allowed her to nearly knock him over as she passed.

  “Eden, she can’t know that I told you,” Levi said. “She’s older than me, and she’s strong. I’ve never seen a Cambion with abilities like hers. And I get the feeling she wouldn’t care that Bex will die if she kills me.”

  I clenched my teeth and then craned my neck toward Bex. “Kim was one of Mom’s closest friends. Most women are granted a pregnancy freak out or two. Mom’s happened to get Kim killed. You think she doesn’t know leaving the Sepulcher led to Kim’s death?”

  “You’re right,” Bex said, ashamed.

  “Every year on my birthday she comes home from the cemetery in tears, Bex. Every year. How could you rub that in her face? I can’t believe you just said that.”

  Bex let his forehead fall against the doorjamb, holding on to it with both hands. “I can’t believe I said it either.”

  “Still sick?” I asked, staring at Morgan’s plate of food.

  He’d barely touched it.

  “It comes and goes. Your grandmother’s cooking is amazing, but I’ll never eat it again.”

  Beads of sweat had begun to form along his hairline. It had been a week since he visited, and even though Grandmother had assured me he was fine, I could see in her eyes she was hiding something.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Almost like new.”

  “That was a speedy recovery.”

  “Not as quick as I hoped. I missed two days of training.”

  “I can’t believe you’re back at it at all.” He nodded to the long bandage on my arm. There was nothing but unmarked smooth skin beneath, but I had to keep up pretenses with Morgan.

  “I’m taking it really easy,” I lied.

  “What did you say you were training for again?”

  “I’m not. I help Bex, remember?”

  He winced as if he were in pain. “And what does he train for?”

  “Um … he likes CrossFit.” It wasn’t a complete lie. He didn’t hate CrossFit.

  I sighed. Morgan had only taken one bite of his soup, and it had cooled. He showed no signs of picking up his spoon again.

  “What about the crackers? Can you eat the crackers?”

  He swallowed. “Not until it passes.”

  “That’s so weird. You were fine when I first got here.”

  He rested his jaw on his fist, suddenly looking exhausted. “I know. And I’ve felt pretty good the last few days.”

  “When is the last time you felt bad?”

  “The other day—when we had coffee.”

  I chuckled. “Maybe you’re just allergic to me.”

  “Maybe,” he said, managing a small smile.

  A small group of men entered the café, and my stomach sank. A few of them were with the group that had tried to stir up trouble with Morgan and me before.

  Knowing Morgan was ill, that we were in public, and I was supposed to still be somewhat nursing serious wounds, I had few options if they chose to pick another fight. But I had already decided I would defend Morgan, no matter what.

  The group ordered without noticing us, and I’d hoped they wouldn’t. But when it was time for them to find a table, they chose the two pushed together behind Morgan.

  “Damn it,” I hissed.

  “What?” Morgan asked, beginning to turn around.

  I grabbed his sleeve and shook my head. “It’s nothing. Don’t make a scene. You can look on our way out.”

  “Must be interesting,” Morgan grumbled, stirring his soup.

  The group sat, being loud and obnoxious. One of them kept looking at the back of Morgan’s head, and then our eyes met. He smiled at me, but I looked down.

  “Hey,” he said. “Aren’t you the girl from downtown? The one who was with the guy who nailed Craig to the lamppost?”

  I kept my head down, ignoring him.

  “Yeah, that’s her,” one of them said.

  “Morgan,” I whispered, “we might have to make a quick exit. Are you up to it?”

  He nodded.

  The first guy stood and walked over to our table. “Hi.”

  I looked up at him. He didn’t seem like he was looking for a confrontation.

  “I’m Jordan.”

  “I don’t care,” I said, looking across the table to Morgan.

  “Hey,” Jordan said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry about what happened with Craig. He was drunk, and he’s already a jerk when he’s sober.”

  “You should pick better friends,” I said, still keeping eye contact with Morgan.

  He seemed worse.

  “And you should go back to your table,” I said.

  “He’s not my friend,” Jordan said. “Not anymore. Most of us stopped hanging out with him after that. I just wanted to apologize … to both of you. I felt bad for not stepping in, and I was hoping we’d run into each other again. I was being a pussy, but I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never stand by and watch anyone, much less one of my friends, pick on someone again.”

  I looked up at Jordan. “Thank you.”

  Jordan’s shoulders relaxed, and a wide grin swept across his face. He grabbed a chair from behind him and pulled it to our table backward. “You were at that graduation party. I guess you go to school with Lacie?”

  “We did.”

  “Where are you guys going to coll—hey, man. Are you all right?”

  Sweat was rolling down Morgan’s temple from his hairline.

  “Geez, Morg, we should go. We should get you home.”

  “I’m okay,” Morgan said, trembling.

  “No, you’re not.”

  “I’ll get him an ice water,” Jordan said.

  The bottom of a full glass hit the table with a thud, and I looked up to see Levi standing next to Morgan. “Hey, Morg.”

  “Hey,” Morgan said, hunched over.

  “Drink this,” Levi said.

  Morgan picked up the glass with both hands and took a sip.

  “I just need to get him home,” I said.

  “He’ll start feeling better any minute. He just needs to drink something,” Levi said, laying a tender hand on Morgan’s shoulder.

  Morgan took another drink, and within half a minute, his color was already beginning to improve.

  “Whoa,” I said. “What’s in that water?”

  “Ice,” Levi said.

  “So, um … are you staying around here for college?” Jordan asked, unsettled by Levi’s sudden presence.

  Levi glared at him.
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  “Yes. Brown.”

  Jordan beamed. “That’s where I’m going.”

  “Maybe I’ll see you around,” I said, mentally putting emphasis on the maybe. Before, college had seemed like a mundane thing to do. Now, it was like a milestone that I had survived the summer.

  “So,” Jordan began, “what are you, um … what are you doing this weekend?”

  “I have family obligations,” I said.

  Levi made a show of staring at Jordan, and Jordan tried not to notice.

  “What about July fourth? A big group of us are barbequing. Guaranteed good time.”

  “Um … still family obligations,” I said.

  “Or maybe she’s just not interested in you,” Levi said.

  “Pardon?” Jordan said, blinking. “Oh. You’re the lamppost guy.”

  “The lamppost guy?” Levi said, disgusted.

  “Are you her boyfriend?”

  Levi began to answer but then thought better of it, waiting for me.

  “No. He’s not, but—”

  “Awesome.” Jordan pulled out his phone. “Maybe I could get your number?”

  “Get the hell out of here,” Levi said through his teeth.

  I looked to Morgan. He had stopped sweating, and his color was almost back to normal.

  “Feeling better?” I asked.

  “Yes. Much,” Morgan said.

  “Great. Let’s go.” I turned to Levi. “Ready?”

  Levi didn’t take his eyes off Jordan. “I don’t see why we should rush. Jordan was just leaving.”

  “I’ll go when I’m good and ready, if you don’t mind,” Jordan said.

  “I think I saw a lamppost outside. Would you like to meet it?” Levi said.

  I stood up. “Okay! We’re leaving. Get up, Morgan.”

  Morgan stood, and I grabbed Levi’s shirt in my fist and pulled him with me. Once I got them both down the street and to the car, I let Levi go.

  “Is it weird that I like it when you manhandle me?” he asked.

  I made a face. “Grow up.”

  “I don’t like him.”

  “Neither do I,” I said. “I told him no. Twice.”

  “Actually, you gave him two excuses. That’s not a no.”

  I rolled my eyes and unlocked the car. Morgan ducked into the passenger seat.

  “What was in the water?” I asked.

  “I told you. Ice.”

  “Then why did he start to feel better once he started drinking it?”

  Levi sighed, irritated. “He didn’t. He started to feel better when I forced away whatever was trying to shell him.”

  “Shell him?” I said, alarmed.

  “Didn’t you feel the concentration?”

  “Yes. I assumed it was you.”

  “It wasn’t. It was coming from Morgan.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “He’s being weakened.”

  “A demon is making him sick?”

  “More than one—unless it’s extremely powerful.” Levi glanced down at the car, shifting his weight. “It only happens to him when he’s around you, Eden. They’re going to use him to get to you.”

  I shook my head. “How do you know?”

  “Because it’s a loophole to the rules. And it’s what I was going to do before I knew you were you.” Shame darkened his eyes.

  I closed my eyes. I knew I was a target. I was so worried about Morgan staying away from Levi. I should have kept him away from me. “How do we make it stop?”

  “When you see him, it has to be at the house with your grandmother, or I have to be present to keep them away.”

  I thought about his words and then nodded. “He’s moving away soon. Then he’ll be okay, right?”

  “I think so.”

  I sighed and looked up at the sky. “I put everyone close to me in danger.”

  “No,” Levi said. “They do. This is Hell’s doing, make no mistake.”

  “This has to stop,” I said.

  “Agreed.”

  “And you have to tone down the jealousy. I wasn’t going to go out with him.”

  Levi exhaled, his eyes narrowing as he decided how to respond. “You don’t remember us like I do.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “No, you don’t. If you did, things would be different.”

  “Different how?”

  He shifted his weight, cupped my jaw, and then leaned down. His mouth pressed against mine, and my backside leaned against the door as my head fell back. Levi left a trail of tiny kisses from the corner of my lips to the skin just behind my ear and back again.

  My fingers dug into his back, pulling him closer. When his tongue entered my mouth, I let out a quiet hum, making his hands more eager.

  I pulled away, trying to catch my breath. Levi was breathing hard, too.

  “Different like that.”

  “We can do more of that,” I said, feeling a bit dazed.

  A slow smile crept across his face, and then he pecked my cheek before walking a few steps backward. “Get Morgan home soon,” he said. Then he disappeared around a corner.

  I sat in the Audi, tucking my hair behind my ears and then touching my lips, trying to hold back a ridiculous grin from erupting.

  “Are you in love with him yet?”

  “I’m not sure. How do you know?” I asked, hoping for something insightful.

  Morgan frowned. “Why would you ask me?”

  I chuckled and started the car, hurrying to get Morgan home, safely away from me.

  Sweat poured down my face as the summer sun penetrated my ball cap. I walked across the courtyard to Claire, who was standing in the shade with the garden hose.

  I pulled my tank top over my head, let the cap fall to the cement, and bent at the waist, letting Claire douse me with ice-cold water. Grandmother and Mom were walking in and out of the house, decorating tables and getting ready for a small family party.

  “Where’s Grandma Lillian?” I asked Claire.

  She held her thumb in the spout to get some of the thicker mud off my skin. “Should be here any second.” She turned her wrist and looked at her watch. “She should be here by now actually. Probably stuck in holiday traffic.”

  Ryan and Claire were planning on traveling with Lillian when the fall semester began, so Mom was eager to have one final family get-together—even if her relationships with Grandmother and Bex were strained.

  “Honestly, Eden. Must you traipse around in your bra?” Grandmother scolded.

  I stood up, raking my wet hair away from my eyes. The cold water raced from the crown of my head down my neck and back, mixing with the salty sweat my skin had been marinating in all morning. “It’s a sports bra, Grandmother. Kind of like … a very small shirt.”

  “It’s a bra,” she snapped. “Cover yourself. It’s lewd.”

  “It’s not that bad,” Levi said. “Look at me. I’m not wearing a shirt.”

  I smiled at him.

  “Eden!” Grandmother snapped.

  “Yes, ma’am.” I stiffened and then retreated into the house. Although I was sprinting up the stairs, my steps were silent. I slipped into the bathroom and took a quick shower. Then I got dressed while the water was still beaded on my skin.

  Just as I combed out my wet hair, Levi knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” I said.

  I smiled as he entered.

  Dirt was mixed with his sweat, creating smears of mud in different places on his chest, arms, neck, and face. His skin had tanned over the summer from spending hours training with me outside without a shirt on.

  My smile vanished. “So serious,” I said. When he didn’t respond, I stood up tall. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No,” he said, keeping his soiled self a respectable distance from my freshly scrubbed skin and white dress. “No. Lillian was in an accident. Bex is staying here, but everyone else is going to the hospital.”

  My mouth fell open. “Then we should go.”

  Levi stoo
d in front of me, shaking his head. “It’s covered. The hospital is covered inside and out with every creature imaginable. They think it’s a trap.”

  Dad burst through the door. “I’m sorry, but I need you to stay.”

  I nodded quickly. “Okay. Of course. Whatever you need me to do.”

  Dad kissed my cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart. We’ll be back soon. Levi,” he said, “keep in communication. Watch your six.”

  Levi nodded. “Between the three of us and Cynthia, we can handle it.”

  “Jared!” Claire yelled from downstairs.

  “Love you, baby girl. Stay alert.”

  The moment he turned, he was gone, and the door closed. I rushed over to the window, looking down at my mother in the passenger seat of Dad’s SUV. She waved to me, looking afraid, and she pressed her palm to the glass.

  “It must be bad,” I said, watching the vehicles tear out of the driveway.

  Levi wrapped his arms around me. “They’re up to something, but she’s not what they want. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

  “Dad looked worried.”

  “He always does, doesn’t he?” Levi said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

  I nodded, turning to hug him.

  Grandmother called from downstairs, so Levi held out his hand, and we joined her in the sitting room. She held out her arms, hugging me with an unusual affection.

  “She’ll be all right, darling. Don’t worry.” She pulled me to sit next to her.

  She held out her hand to Bex, beckoning him to come into the room. He did, and she put her arm around him when he joined us.

  “It won’t happen again,” she said. “He won’t do this to us twice.”

  “Yes, he would,” Levi grumbled.

  Grandmother shot a stern look in his direction.

  The clock in the corner ticked out each second, making the time drag by. My phone chimed, and I held it up, tapping quickly on the screen.

  “It’s Mom,” I said, clicking out a reply. “She’s still in surgery.”

  “For what?” Bex asked.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, putting my phone on the coffee table in front of us. “She didn’t say.”

  Bex nodded. “She will later. Nina is good in hospital settings. She had a lot of practice with Ryan.”

  I offered him a half-smile and then reached for his hand. He took it and squeezed it tight. Grandmother hugged us both to her sides.