Gabriel (33 page)

Maree peeked her head around
the corner. “Is everything all right?”

“
No! Everything is not all right. Look at us. We can’t have a
conversation because the glue that held us together is now dead. We are acting
like strangers.” Robert yanked his arm from Michael. “We’ll be out here if you
need us. And Gabriel, you’re not the only one who’s hurting.”

Gabriel turned, but Robert
had already left the room.

“
I am sorry, my friend,” he whispered and went back to staring off
into the night.

****

Calla landed on the wood with
a thud. She tried to sit up, but her legs and arms were like rubber. She
glanced down and wiggled her fingers.
I
feel human.
She moved her toes.
Everything
seems to be working.

The porch light flipped on.
Calla tried to stand, but her wobbly legs wouldn’t hold her. She tried to
crawl, but collapsed onto her stomach. The door opened, and Robert stepped out,
Maree right behind. She caught a glimpse of Calla and screamed. Robert remained
motionless.

Calla wrapped an arm across
her breasts and smiled. “This is awkward.”

“
Calla, is that you?”

“
I think so. Can you get me a blanket? And my legs aren’t working
very well, so I’ll need some help getting up.”

Robert turned to Gabriel, who
approached Calla and knelt. His fingers stroked her cheek. She turned her face
into his palm and sighed. “How can this be?”

“
I had to make a choice, and I chose you, but I don’t understand
why you can see me,” Calla tried to curl into a smaller ball to cover her
exposed skin.

Gabriel removed his shirt and
slipped it over her head.

Calla attempted to raise her
arms, but they were heavy and awkward. She laughed. “I feel like I’m made of
rubber.”

Gabriel reached down and
picked her up. She felt light as air in his strong arms. Robert met him at the
door with a blanket. He placed it over her and tucked it around her neck. Tears
glistened, but a smile crossed his face.

They went into the living
room, and he set her down on the couch.

“
How can this be?” Michael asked, moving closer.

“
I’m not sure, but I thought I’d be a ghost. I didn’t care. I just
didn’t want to be away from you.”

“
What do you mean a ghost?” Gabriel lifted her upper body, sat
down, and rested her on him. He leaned in and breathed her familiar scent.

Robert sat on the floor in
front of her and held her hand. Tears fell, and he covered his face.

“
Before you say anything else, I want you to know I love you,”
Robert sobbed, rubbing her hand with his.

“
Your mother said if I came back, I couldn’t return to my body, but
I have one, so I’m not sure what she meant. Do you guys know?”

Michael and Gabriel shook
their heads.

“
Whose body do I have then?”

“
This is your body, just as the one you were born with.” A woman’s
voice echoed through the room.

“
Can you hear that?” Robert asked as he looked around the room.

Calla laughed. “Yeah, she’s
here, but she’s not.”

“
You made it safely, my daughter. That makes my heart happy.”

“
Thank you, but I don’t understand what happened.”

“
I never said you wouldn’t have a body, just you would not be able
to inhabit your old form. And you still came here, even on the assumption that
you would inhabit this plane as spirit. That was very brave.”

Maree stood in the doorway
and moved closer to Michael. He extended his arm and placed it on her shoulder.
She lifted her head and smiled.

Robert continued to scour the
room.

Gabriel smiled. “You will not
find her. She speaks to our hearts.”

“
All of us at the same time?” Robert asked his eyebrow arched.

“
Yes, my son.” Musical laughter filled the room. “Calla made the
ultimate sacrifice and was a given a reward. She was offered the chance to be
reunited with her family above or return here. She chose to return. There are
consequences for every action. This is no different.”

“
I knew it was too good to be true,” Robert said.

“
Son, I can see your grief has blinded your faith. We would not be
so cruel to return her to her loved ones and then take her away again.”

Robert lowered his head. “I
appreciate you returning Lily to us, but I don’t understand everything that has
happened. She was gone and now back … forgive me.”

“
There is nothing to forgive. I want to discuss the consequences.
Calla and Gabriel are linked. If one dies the other, too, shall perish. Calla
is to be given wings, but they are unlike Gabriel’s. But she will be able to
travel with him.”

Calla tried to sit, Gabriel
lifted her up. “What do you see?”

Gabriel’s expression was
grave. “Will these extend?”

“
No, son. Your essence will allow her to fly.”

His expression relaxed. He
traced the tattoos on Calla’s back. “You have two wings tattooed on your back.
They are outlined in black and filled in with white feathers that have been
dipped in gold. They are magnificent.”

Calla lay back down and
smiled. “I have wings like you now. I mean mine are tattoos, and yours are …
well, real and gorgeous, but I have wings!”

“
Yes.”

“
So if Gabriel is killed by a Kematian, then Calla will be, too?”
Robert asked.

“
Yes, that is true, but I would imagine there are many ways Gabriel
and Calla can assist his brothers along with the work you and Maree have done.”

“
I am a warrior,” Gabriel said as he kissed Calla’s forehead.

“
Of course you are, my son. There are always sacrifices to have the
things we want most in life. Are you prepared to sacrifice as Calla has done?”

“
Yes.”

Michael shifted, but remained
silent.

“
Michael, your brother will be there when you need him. Never doubt
that, but every time he goes into battle he will be risking not only his life,
but her life as well.”

“
Gabriel will not risk his Calla’s life, nor will I allow him to do
so.”

“
I didn’t come back to sit on the sidelines. If anything happened
to any of his brothers, Gabriel would be devastated. This new connection will
allow me to assist him.” Calla glanced at Michael who was now grimacing. “Do
you have something you’d like to say, Michael?”

“
No.”

“
Good. When will I be able to walk?”

“
Your body is that of a newborn babe. Give it some time. I love
each and every one of you.”

With that the room went
silent.

“
Calla, I need to talk to you. I know this isn’t the best time, but
it tore me up inside when I thought you had died without telling you,” Robert said.

Gabriel started to stand.

“
Its okay, Gabriel, you can stay,” Robert said.

“
I think you and Calla should be alone. We’ll wait in the other
room,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel helped Calla sit,
making sure she was covered before he exited.

“
I’ll go find some clothes for you to wear,” Maree said as she left
the room.

“
I will go do something … I will leave, too,” Michael mumbled,
running a hand through his hair and turning away.

“
I’m not sure how to explain this, so I’ll just tell you.” Robert
rubbed his neck and continued. “I’m your grandfather.”

Calla smiled. “I already
know.”

“
How?”

“
Grandma Ella told me when she was in the hospital. She didn’t want
me to think I was alone without any family alive.”

“
Why didn’t you tell me?”

“
You have always been a second grandfather to me. I didn’t want to
ruin our relationship. It was actually your picture that helped me get back
here. I love you, Robert.”

Robert reached up and wrapped
his arms around Calla. “I love you, too, Lily.”

****

Gabriel entered the room
holding a knife.

“
Umm, Gabriel what are you going to do with that?”

Gabriel knelt on the floor in
front of Calla. “In keeping with human traditions, I wanted to ask you to be my
wife.”

Calla glanced at the shiny,
steel tip of the knife that rested in Gabriel’s palm. “I hate to be the one
tell you, but here on this plane, the man goes out and buys a ring.” She
pointed to the steel. “Not a knife.”

Gabriel smiled. “I am
familiar with the marriage customs that humans have, but you are no longer
human. You and I are bonded.”

“
Doesn’t bonding override a piece of paper that says ‘married’?”

“
Yes.”

“
So what’s up with the knife? And before you answer, remember our
fates are intertwined. If I die then so do you.”

Gabriel laughed and reached
over and kissed her forehead. “I would move heaven and earth for you. I love
you, Calla. You mean more to me than one person should. I can’t explain it with
words, but I was hoping this bonding ritual would show you a fraction of how I
feel about you.”

He returned to his kneeling
position, and Calla reached down and hugged him. “Gabriel, I’m not complete
without you. When I was up there, it was beautiful, and then when I saw my
parents, it was a dream come true.
 
I’ve
really missed them, but it didn’t feel right. As happy as I was to see my family,
I felt empty. Something was missing—no, that’s not right. It wasn’t something,
it was someone, and it was you, Gabriel.”

Gabriel reached up and pulled
her close. He placed kisses across her face. He wanted to be closer to her. He
wasn’t sure if that was even possible, but the ritual he had started when she
was infected, needed to be completed. He didn’t know how, but he could feel it
in his soul. Yes, their lives were intertwined, but he felt like the spiritual
part was missing, the ceremonial part.

He let go of her, placed his
finger gently under chin. “Calla Lily Stevens, will you be my wife?”

Tears welled up in her eyes,
and she nodded. “Yes.”

He leaned in and placed a
gentle kiss on her lips. The tears started falling.

“
What I have in mind isn’t a human custom, but it would be the
equivalent of a human marriage. When you’re feeling better if you would like to
have a human ceremony performed, tell me when and where, and I will be there.”
Gabriel wiped the tears away and held out his palm. He sliced through the
flesh. Blood rushed to the surfaced and began to fill his palm.

He reached for her hand. She
gave it to him slowly. He placed the knife across her palm. Calla closed her
eyes, and with a quick motion he sliced it.

“
Hurry up and do it,” Calla said.

She opened her eyes and
looked down. “I didn’t feel it, and it doesn’t hurt now.”

“
I would never hurt you.”

“
I know that, but it’s a knife with a really sharp blade.”

Gabriel shook his head and
laughed. He would never get used to Calla’s reasoning and humor. Life would
definitely not be boring with her around.

“
What do I do now?” She asked.

He placed a finger across her
lip. “Listen.”

“
I take you, Calla, as my mate.” He joined their hands together. “I
will treasure and protect you for all eternity.”

A warm glow started where the
blood met, and it traveled up both their arms, and spreading throughout their
bodies. The bright light retreated as quickly as it filled, until it returned
to their palms. Gabriel released Calla’s hand and opened his palm.

Calla looked at her palm and
inspected it. “Where’s the cut?”

“
It is healed.”

“
I don’t feel any different.”

“
It’s because we were already bonded.”

“
We’re married now?”

Gabriel smiled. “Yes.”

Calla leaned forward and
placed her arms around his neck. “Mrs. Calla Archangel.”

She laughed and then yawned.

“
I think I better get you into bed. You need to rest, my love. We
have our entire lives ahead of us now.”