The Girl and The Raven (38 page)

My happiness vanishes. “Escaped? But…he’ll be back. He won’t stop until I’m dead!” My entire body spasms with fear.

Jude sits on the edge of the bed, reaches for my hand. I hold my breath, anticipating the electrical shock. It’s surprisingly mild. “I’ll find him, Lucy. He won’t hurt you again. I promise.”

“Where are Marcus and Dylan? Are they okay?”

“Dylan’s fine,” Persephone says with uncharacteristic cheerfulness. “He’ll come by later to take you home.”

I exhale long and slow. Dylan’s fine. That’s good.

The three of them look at each other. The silence in the room is deafening. “And Marcus?”

Henry clears his throat. “Marcus is resting, which is exactly what you need to do.”

“I want to see him.”

Persephone glances at Henry, her lips twitchy. “When Jude turned him back to his human form, Marcus used everything he had to heal you. It worked, but…”

Marcus sacrificed himself for me. I remember tearing the amulet from Dylan’s throat and laying it on Marcus’s stone form. It didn’t do any good after all. He saved me three times and I couldn’t even help save him once. “But what?”

“He’s back in his stone form,“ Henry says.

“What? Why?” I bolt upright.

“You need to calm down,” Jude orders, his hand on my arm. The shock is stronger this time. It courses through me like adrenaline.

“Marcus is in bad shape, Lucy. He needs to stay in his stone form to heal.” Henry is the voice of reason.

He isn’t dead. And he isn’t permanently stuck in stone form. I sink back against my pillows, my body fluttering with energy. “For how long?”

“We don’t know. We can’t rush it, though.” Henry meets my gaze. “He gave you everything he had.”

My stomach drops and I have to force myself to breathe.

“He’s not going to die is he?” I need to hear them say it.

“No.” Persephone fixes my covers. “But you’re going to need to be patient.”

I turn to Jude, every muscle in my body quivering. “This is your fault.”

Jude holds my gaze for a moment and then looks away.

“Go back to sleep.” Persephone’s voice is gentle.

“Wake me when Dylan gets here,” I tell her.

* * * *

I’m sitting at a glass-topped white table in the corner of the bedroom. I keep waiting for the pain, but there is none. I feel weak, but that’s nothing compared to what could have been. Jude delivers a steaming bowl of soup in front of me, along with a basket of rolls. He fusses over me, making sure I’m comfortable. Steam rises from the large bowl. I inhale the amazing smell as I stir the vegetables and lentils in a dark brown broth. I grab a warm roll and nibble on it, waiting for my soup to cool a little.

The bedroom would be perfect for anyone else. White walls. Layers of expensive, filmy fabric hang from ornate rods over the windows. The massive bed is covered with a fluffy white comforter and looks as big and pillowy as a snow-topped mountain. The white carpet is so thick my toes sink in and disappear. I make messes. Someone forgot to tell Jude that. And all this white hurts my eyes.

“Where are Persephone and Henry?”

“They’ll be back soon.” He takes a seat across from me and nods at my soup. “You need to eat. Get your strength back. Dylan’s going to pick you up in an hour and take you home.”

My stomach seizes at the thought of facing Sheldon and Bernard. I left for the dance with Marcus last night, but return home with Dylan today. What do I tell them? I look down at my new blue jeans and emerald-colored top. Gifts from Jude. The top makes me think of Darcy. I recall the way she looked at Dylan while in her feline form and I shiver. She’s not so great after all.

“We need to talk,” Jude says.

I nod slightly and feel a tightness at the back of my head. I walk my fingers along the back of my skull gingerly. The oblong gash—hidden beneath my hair—is jagged and bumpy against my fingertips. I can’t stop touching it, not since I discovered it this morning. I keep expecting it to hurt, but it doesn’t.

Memories come flooding back to me. The crushing sensation in my chest. The inability to breathe. The crunching sound as my head smashed into the tree.

I can still hear Daphne’s screams as Jude turned her into a human fireball. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that sound…or the smell of her burning flesh. I push my soup away.

Jude frowns at my lack of appetite, then leans back in his chair, smoothing the fabric of his dark gray slacks.

“How do you like the room?” He sweeps his hand around the space. “I had it decorated specially for you.”

I make an effort not to grimace. He doesn’t know me at all. Besides, I’m never coming back here.

“White doesn’t stay white for long,” I tell him. “Where’s Marcus?”

He hesitates before answering. “On the roof.”

The anger and desperation hit me so hard and fast, I’m breathless. “Why?”

Jude holds his hands up defensively. “On your roof. Persephone and Aiden are watching over him. Henry, too. I’m not involved.”

“Promise me that you’ll leave him alone. Forever.”

He arches an eyebrow. “Forever is a long time.”

It’s Jude’s first attempt at teasing me. I don’t like it.

“Promise me.”

“I promise.” His black eyes burn into mine. Neither of us looks away. “And in return…”

I swallow my sigh. I knew this was coming. “I will become your dutiful daughter.”

“You called your uncles?” Dylan asks as he carefully ushers me into his car, treating me like an invalid. I tell him I’m fine, but he doesn’t listen. We pull away from the mansion. Jude stands on the porch until we’re out of sight. If he had it his way, I’d never leave. The trees are strangely silent. I have a feeling Jude did some exterminating.

“Yes.” I grimace recalling the stern conversation. They’re mad, just not at me. Poor Marcus. “What did you tell them anyway?”

“I told Bernard that you and Marcus had a huge fight at the dance, that you were super upset and curled up with a box of tissues and a container of Ben and Jerry’s on my couch.”

The ice cream was a good touch. “I can’t believe they were okay with me spending the night at your house.”

“They like and trust
me
.”

That’s the problem. My uncles like Dylan too much. My face flushes as I recall my feelings for him last night. Was it because we were fighting side by side in a life-threatening situation? Our demon bond? Or maybe it was his lack of judgment. He never once treated me like a freak last night.

I gasp and jump at the sound of Dylan’s cell phone vibrating on the dashboard. He shoots me a look of concern. I smile reassuringly. Is this how it’s going to be from now on? I jump over every little noise? He reads the screen, then tosses it back on the dash. “Unbelievable.”

“What?”

He stares out the windshield, his expression stony. “The rumor mill’s at it again. You and I are the hot topic of conversation. I’ve gotten around a hundred texts today, all eager to know the scoop about you and me.”

“A hundred?” I ask weakly. For the first time, I’m extremely grateful that Marcus and I don’t to go the same school.

I imagine the wrath I’m going to face with Ella in first period tomorrow. The silent treatment I’ll get from Caroline during lunch. I lean my head back against the seat. Images of my too-still body on Jude’s dining room table flash through my thoughts, Jude’s blood-soaked shirt beneath my head. The excruciating pain as he healed my cracked skull. I purse my lips, a tremor passing over my skin. I imagine Uncle Zack’s face. His voice rings out as if he’s sitting right next to me. “With all that you lived through, don’t you
dare
tell me you’re afraid of a couple of bullish school girls. Besides, you have superpowers now, sis.”

I smile.

“So…you wanted to talk about it, what happened after…” Dylan says.

So much for happy thoughts. “I know that Seamus got away.” I wrap my arms around my stomach, the fear curling painfully inside of me. The gray-haired demon tried to kill me three times. I’m still alive, but how much longer can my luck last? And what about Marcus? There’s no way he could survive healing me again.

“Yeah.” Dylan poofs out a sigh of disappointment. “Jude and I were freaking out over you…your injury.” Dylan grips the steering wheel. “I turned away for less than a minute. When I turned back, he was gone.”

“That’s a good thing, Dylan.” I can’t hide my panic. My biggest fear was that Seamus would hurt him and Marcus. “And don’t even think about blaming yourself.”

Based on his tortured expression, he’s not taking my advice. “Everyone worked hard to save you, well, except for me. I did absolutely nothing—“

I grab his arm. “Stop it!”

“Why? It’s true. Everyone contributed something. Even the big bad demon—that’s Dad to you. I thought he was going to have an aneurysm with how hard he fought. Then there’s Marcus who, according to Aiden, was in a weakened state, having just been changed back. That didn’t stop him. He immediately went to work on you. Hell, half-dead birds helped save you.”

“Dylan, don’t do this to yourself,” I plead. “You were surrounded by powerful people. You may be half-demon, but you don’t know how to use your powers yet,”

Dylan looks at me, his expression desperate. “I’m used to carrying the day, getting the big win. You know?”

“I know.”

We hold hands as he tells me about his big talk with Jude, who explained Seamus and Uncle Zack, then dictated how things will work going forward.

“He expects me to train with him on weekends. Demon training.” His nods at me. “Don’t think you’re in the clear just because you nearly died. He’s expecting us to train together.”

How am I going to explain Jude to my uncles? And with school, my job and demon training, when will I see Marcus? My friends? “This sucks.” I sink low in my seat. “All I want is a normal life and what do I get?”

“Jude,” Dylan says as he turns away from me and clears his throat. A moment later his body shakes.

I gasp. “Are you laughing at me?”

He turns back to me, his eyes brimming with tears as he tries to fight it.

I can’t blame him. After everything he witnessed last night
and
learning that he’s half-demon, it’s a better alternative to crying.

Dylan’s laughter is contagious and before long, we’re both gasping for air.

“You have to admit, that really does suck,” he says. “I thought my dad and stepmonster were bad, but…man oh man…you have me beat!”

“I know, right?” I wipe my eyes and my mood suddenly grows serious. “Although, not for long…”

“Yeah. It’ll be like I have two dads.” Dylan peeks at me from the corner of his eye. “So…this whole shared blood thing. Jude’s your biological father, but to me, he’s basically just a blood donor. We’re clear on that, right?”

“Yes, dear brother,” I tease.

Dylan narrows his eyes at me. “Not funny.”

We fall silent for a few minutes. Dylan squeezes my hand. “You know, for an evil guy, Jude fought like hell for you.”

Harder than Momma ever did. I reach for the scar on my head. Jude just wants to protect me, to love me. My skin tingles and my breath stalls. The very thing I’ve been looking for my whole life turns up in the form of Jude.

“What’s the story with those damn ravens?” Dylan asks suddenly.

“I don’t understand it myself. Not yet, anyway. To me, Lola was always a pet.” What I do know is that something shifted from Lola to me last night. I remember the bright light, the vibration in my body. But I’ve felt nothing since then. Well, nothing witchy. Persephone has promised to fill me in soon and to mentor me.

Dylan glances at me, his expression serious. “You scared the hell out of me,” he whispers. “I need you. The pipsqueaks need you. You can’t leave us.”

I can’t get words past the lump in my throat. Dylan, Ethan and Brandi are part of my life now—part of my family. I was terrified I’d lose them. Yet, it never occurred to me how they would feel about losing me. Jude has promised to leave Ethan and Brandi alone. I don’t know what caused the change of heart, but I’m relieved.

Dylan continues. “I know what Marcus means to you. It makes me jealous as hell, but I get it.” He tugs gently on my arm, making sure I’m paying attention. “But don’t stop being my friend just because you’re dating him.”

I nod and smile. “I won’t. I promise.” Especially now that he’s been promoted to the rank of best friend, along with Katie.

Dylan pulls up to the curb in front of the three-flat. He grips my shoulders, staring into my eyes. “I need you to promise me something.” He doesn’t wait for me to respond. “I’ll keep an eye on you and…you’ll let me know if anything weird comes up. Anything at all, you contact me right away. Do we have a deal?”

He watched me hurl fireballs and blow up doors. He witnessed the transfer of Gram’s powers from Lola to me. Dylan’s afraid for me. Or is he afraid of me? “We have a deal, but only if it’s mutual.”