Second Sight (25 page)

“
What’s
happening?”

“
Lev has Jayzee. He’s taken
her to the community center in Knoxville.”

Suddenly I understand his expression. “Why?
Why would he do that?” I set my hands on the floor and start to
rise. Kane quickly grabs my arm to help me up.

“
Because he’s going to
finish what he started, Lizzie. I’ll admit, there’s no love lost
between the two. They’ve never really gotten along.”

“
Jayzee’s an angel?”
Somehow I knew that. I just didn’t put it together.

He nods. “Yeah, Lev was her mentor for the
first hundred or so years, and he failed her miserably, just like
Sarah.”

“
She’s an angel,
too?”

“
Yeah.” He looks toward the
door. “I’m going to the center now, but I’m not sure what I can do
to stop him. I mean, we have a weapon, but I don’t think it’s going
to do us much good.” He shoves the phone in his pocket and looks
down at the ground.

“
A weapon?” I feel panic
rising inside, not at all sure of what to make of all
this.

“
Yeah,” he says, pulling
out his keys. “It’s a dagger made to deal with rogue angels.
Trouble is, in order for it to work, the person using it has to
have an emotional connection to the angel. I don’t have
that.”

I brush the hair from my face. “That’s not
really bright. I mean, who could use it?”

“
A righteous angel,
Lizzie.” He looks at me, and I half-expect to get that stuffed-head
feeling, but it doesn’t come. My thoughts are clear. “It’s not that
I’m not righteous. It’s just that I’ve never really liked Lev. He
failed both Jayzee and Sarah when they were learning to be
sojourners. Because he was unaffected by mortals, he believed all
angels were. He didn’t teach either of them to shield their
innermost center from the onslaught of human emotions that assail
when the human death comes. Both of them almost went mad as a
result. And Lev didn’t care.”

I shake my head. “So there’s no one else who
could use it to stop him?”

He nods and toys with his keys. “Yes, there
is.”

“
Who?”

“
You.” He levels his gaze
at me, and I stagger backwards.

“
I…I…can’t.” Even thought
his words send a shudder through me, my thoughts are already
envisioning me trying, and my heart starts beating so fast I feel I
can’t breathe. He’s staring at me, his eyes probing expectantly,
and I start to feel that light-headed sensation again, complete
with headache. What is going on?

“
Lizzie, I don’t think you
understand what this means. Lev and the angels who follow him
aren’t just going to quit what they are doing. If you want to
protect those you love, you need to act.”

I turn away, trying to organize my cart
wheeling thoughts, and I can’t do that when he keeps looking at me
with eyes that burn through me. “I don’t understand. I’m not an
angel. How would I even have the power to use it?” I rub my temple,
as if that will take care of the throbbing. Yeah, right. I start to
wobble and have to brace myself. This is unthinkable, a choice I
shouldn’t have to make.

“
No, you aren’t an angel,
but you do have a gift that other humans don’t—you can see at least
some angels. You recognize us for what we are—or aren’t in this
case. That makes you different. But even that won’t be what makes
you the only person who can do this. It’s the fact that you have
loved Lev, and some part of you loves him still. The question is,
who do you love more, an angel who has betrayed you or Jimmie and
those around you?”

“
I need time.” The moment
he says Jimmie’s name, I see his body lying motionless on the
floor, and it cuts through me.

Kane grabs my arm and gently turns me.
“Lizzie, there is no time. You’ve gotten yourself into a war among
angels, and as with any war, there are casualties. You have to
figure out what you want to do because Lev isn’t going to wait. I
have to go to the center. Are you coming with me where I can help
you fight him off, or are you going to stay here and try to stave
him off without a weapon or any other angels around to help? It’s
your choice. Just know that if you stay, I will do what I can to
free Jayzee, and then we will be gone to find a different way to
battle the others. You and your family will become the casualties,
Lizzie—not because I want that but because I don’t have a
choice.”

A shuddering breath escapes from my lips, and
I try to speak, but no words will come. He’s telling me that even
though I have a choice, I don’t. Either I battle Lev on his terms,
or I find a way to deal with Lev on my own; without his help, Kane
knows I won’t stand a chance.

Finally, I nod. “All right.” My lip quivers,
and I feel like I’m going to be sick. I never expected to have to
raise a weapon against any living thing in my life. This isn’t
real. It can’t be. I feel numb and hollow as Kane gently latches
onto my hand and leads me out to his SUV. I look dully at the world
around me, realizing everything is changing again, and when I come
back, if I succeed in saving Jimmie, Griffin, and myself, Lev will
truly be dead—and I will have killed him.

How can I live with this? But can I let him
go on hurting those I love?

Kane opens the passenger door. I get in and
stare out the windshield, numb. Somehow I’m aware most of the day
has fled and dusk is approaching. Maybe it’s fitting, considering
how things have been going. I’m shivering, my arms folded across my
chest, trying to garner warmth by rubbing my hands up and down my
arms. I feel the goose bumps stippling my flesh even though it’s
still so hot out here and summer shows no sign of leaving this
sleepy little town behind.

I close my eyes and lean against the seat,
trying to relax, but my heart won’t slow down long enough. Part of
me just wants to fling the door open and throw my body outside,
hoping the fact we’re going sixty-five won’t hurt too much. But
then Lev would still win, wouldn’t he?

“
You okay over there? You
look really pale.” I feel his gaze, but I don’t want to talk.
“Lizzie?”

Silence isn’t really an option, so I mutter,
“I’m fine.”

“
It won’t be much longer.
Just hang in there, and I promise you Lev won’t bother you
anymore.”

Once again I hear that little voice inside
warning me something feels so wrong with this. My stomach feels
like it’s tied in knots, and heartburn claws at my belly.

“
What if I can’t go through
with this? I don’t know if I’m strong enough, Kane.”

He glances over at me. “Then I can promise
you’ll see someone you love die. He’s that dangerous, Lizzie, and
you are the only one who can stop him.”

And then I realize his words are true. No
matter what I do, I will be watching someone I love die. It will
either be a friend or family member or Lev. I know that right now
there’s so much I don’t understand, and I’m angry and hurt by all
he has done. I fear him. But the heart doesn’t just stop loving
someone overnight. He has been such a big part of my life, and to
know that this will really be the end scares me. What if there is
something happening I don’t see or understand? What if I am making
a mistake? I couldn’t live with that. I’d rather destroy
myself.

Desperately trying to calm myself, I close my
eyes and try some stupid meditation tricks I once heard about, but
no matter what I do, the panic won’t subside. My shoulders ache,
and saliva pools in my mouth, all signs my body is hitting that
fight-or-flight mode which would normally result in me running
away. But there is nowhere to run to where this nightmare won’t
find me.

Despite not wanting to, I keep thinking back
to those nights when Lev would drape his wings around me and make
the world disappear until I felt strong enough to handle it. I
can’t begin to tell you how much I’d wish for that these days, just
a chance to forget everything for a little while.

“
It’s going to be okay,
Lizzie. You just have to do this one thing, and after that, your
life will get back to the way it was.”

I look out the windows at the darkening world
blurring surreally past. “Before when? Before Lev? Before he died?
Before what, Kane? It’s not like things have been so great, you
know?”

He reaches over, settles his hand atop mine,
and squeezes. “It’ll be better. I promise.”

“
If you say so.” Yesterday,
I felt comforted by his touch, but today, I just feel smothered and
frightened, which makes no sense. Something I cannot name is going
on. It’s like being in a horror movie and knowing the creature is
somewhere around the corner and everywhere I turn, there is a
shadow or blur. Where is the real danger? Is it Lev?

“
You don’t believe me?” His
voice is incredulous. Next thing I know, I hear the turn signal,
and we’re pulling to the side of the road. Once we’ve stopped, he
slips his hand beneath my chin and turns me to face the darkness in
his eyes.

“
Shouldn’t we hurry?” Why
has he even stopped, I wonder. I mean, if Jayzee is in so much
danger, this isn’t the time to chat.

He frowns, but this time it seems different
as his teeth clench. It’s almost like he’s frustrated. “I just want
you to know I’m trying to help you. Suddenly it seems you have so
many doubts.” The finger beneath my chin is pressing until it
hurts, but his expression seems so sympathetic and earnest. Part of
me is frightened, like I don’t even know this guy. What in the hell
is going on?

“
I do believe you,” I
finally manage. A lie. There’s something I’m missing. But the only
way to find out what that is to just keep going and hope it finally
manifests itself. This is kind of like looking at a severely tilted
abstract art work; once I straighten it, the picture will likely be
different. I’ll see things I didn’t before. Somehow Kane has been
the one always there to help, yet he doesn’t act
like a teenage guy, and I know he’s an angel. It
seems his ultimate goal is not about me, but Lev. And where have I
learned so much about Lev’s motives? Kane.

I swallow hard, suddenly realizing that even
though this SUV is large, it feels way too confining; I’m too
damned close to Kane. The best I can do is pretend all this is
normal, even though it isn’t.

He shakes his head. “I hope so. For both our
sakes.” He takes one last look at me before glancing over his
shoulder and pulling out into traffic.

The rest of the drive, I make a concerted
effort to seem calmer. It’s not that I feel it, but something tells
me revealing my true inner turmoil isn’t the best idea, especially
not with Kane watching me so closely. Still, my lips feel dried
out, so I lick them and take a deep breath.

About thirty minutes later, we pull into the
community center’s deserted parking lot. The building seems dark,
and there is no sign of Lev’s truck, which only makes me that much
more nervous about this plan. For just a second, I think about
pointing this out to Kane but quickly decide against it. There’s
something so not right about this. But Kane is reaching into the
glove box, his demeanor as unchanged by the parking lot as can
be—as though he’s anticipated it.

“
Wasn’t Jayzee in the
hospital?” None of this makes sense.

He nods. “Yeah, but Lev grabbed her from
there.”

“
How did you know Lev was
holding Jayzee?” I finally ask, watching his every move. He pulls
out a dagger, and even though it’s dark, it seems ordinary. The
blade seems dull, incapable of cutting anything.

“
Colin called. He was still
freaking out.” He looks at the blade one last time before giving it
to me. “Keep this ready. I’m not sure what’s going on inside, so we
need to be prepared.” He nods to the building. “You ready?” His
hand rests on the door handle, so I’m sure telling him I’m not
really isn’t going to be a good thing.

“
Okay.” I’m trying to get
used to the smooth, pearly hilt of the dagger, so fluid beneath my
skin imbued with a heat which seems to emanate from within. It
takes everything I have to keep from dropping it. My heart speeds
up even as I look at the blade, ethereal and surreal as it seems,
something I quickly realize that I shouldn’t possess. There is no
time. Kane pulls open the door handle and is at once outside, his
hair blending with the darkness gathering around us, and as I edge
in to meet him, he slips his arm around me, his hand resting at the
middle of my back. I flinch at the feel of it. He cocks an
eyebrow.

“
You all right? You’ve
never jumped at me touching you before.”

I shrug. “I’m fine. I just felt a little
chill go down my spine, that’s all.” We keep walking, and even
though he’s is stepping pretty quickly, I move more slowly, which
forces him to sort of drag me along at his pace. As he goes, the
arm wrapping around me seems stronger than I remember, adding
another layer to the discomfort I’m feeling.

The last rays of the sun have vanished as we
walk around the building, and the street lamps outside flicker to
life. For a moment, we pause; I look at Kane. “How are we gonna get
in?”

He shrugs and grabs the door handle, and the
door tugs open easily. “I guess we walk in.” Then he gestures for
me to go in first before closely following. His hand finds my back
yet again, even though I’ve tried to put some space between us.

It’s so dark in the lobby I can barely see
anything around us. The silence breathes around us.

“
Maybe Colin was wrong.
Maybe there’s nobody here,” I say, breathless. I wonder if Kane can
hear my heart. Does he know that suddenly I’m questioning
everything he’s doing?