United Eden (18 page)

Its already happening, Patrick said. Wil iams banding the Guardian Al iances together. Theyre working together in the best interest of the whole instead of the best interest of each individual Al iance. Almost every last one is wil ing to join the fight, or at the very least, support the fight. Patrick drove his fist into one of the wal s; even against his strength, the material it was made of didnt give any. In short, that equals out to John Townsend and his whole power hungry, tastelessly dressed, wil ing to hurt girls in his quest for world domination, operations going down.

Theyre coming here? I asked, not wanting to think the next thought, let alone give it air. Wil iams coming here? Our last day at Townsend Manor, before Id been as close to death as I had been just once before, John had warned Wil iam to never return, promising death the next time he made an appearance.

I mean, what kind of sick SOB hurts a girl? Patrick continued on to himself, unaware of the panic I was experiencing thinking about Wil iam coming through those front doors again. Il tel you who. Someone who wants to get their face smashed in by my boot, thats who.

He didnt sound like hed be letting up on his latest soap box in the next few minutes, so I interrupted. Wil iams trying to fulfil the prophecy, I said, less of a question than a statement. Hes been able to unite the Al iances because they al think by taking down John and this Al iance, everything wil be al copacetic again? Their precious balance wil be restored? I said, knowing Immortal lives would be the cost.

They dont
think
this wil restore their ˜precious balance, he quoted back to me. They
know
it wil . Patrick waited a few seconds for that to settle in, knowing Id need it. Vanquishing John is what the prophecies point to, whether you like it or not, sister. In thousands of years, Immortals have never experienced such chaos in both ours and the Mortals worlds. Whether or not this is the exact instant in time the dead prophets refer to doesnt matter because the living Guardians believe it is.

Believe it is? Dont you mean, ˜they know it is? I said, throwing it back in his face.

Dont mix up my words in your unfailing quest to be the worlds greatest cynic. You know what I mean, he replied, unaffected. This is it. The age we al hoped wed never see come, but al hoped we would in an egotistical kind of way so wed go down as heroes in Immortal history until the end of time.

Heroes? Seriously? I said, disgusted. We werent talking about a backyard game of save the princess from the plastic three foot tal castle, we were talking about the lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands.

This is the stuff heroes are made of, Patrick said, his tone so eager I knew no amount of convincing otherwise from me would work. Capitol H to the fin “ero.

So this is it, I whispered. Wil iam certainly didnt have to wait long for the pinnacle of his chosen one duties to come to a head. I bet hes regretting he agreed to it now. Especial y since the reason he did was probably going to die in the concrete depths of Townsend Manor.

Are you kidding me? Hes the reason every ones coming together. Its creepy how one word from him has the ability to stop the squabbling and bring everyone together. He real y is the chosen one, they were right al along, Patrick said, sounding proud instead of patronizing as he normal y did when he spoke of Wil iams duty.

Im sure it was a proud thing to have your brother be the one to, for dramatic flare, save the world, but for me, I wanted nothing to do with the man I loved leading the charge through Townsend Manors wal s.

Hed attained hero status to me months ago and there was nothing more he needed to do to keep it.

So the prophecies are coming true, I said to myself. The Council must be jumping for as much joy as they are capable.

Its freaky. I felt Patrick nod. Its like watching a history book play out, page for page, and Im right in the middle of it. Its pretty freakin awesome, actual y.

I sighed. When wil men learn that war is not ˜pretty freakin awesome, I repeated. The day you morons figure that out is the day we might see an end to it. Did you and your gangbuster Immortals ever think about that as youre trying to restore peace? When did Wil iam become a believer that death is the only way to bring about peace? I was getting flustered and the enclosed space only aggravated it.

Whoa, slow down, John Lennon, Patrick said, rubbing my arms with his hands. Were not saying wars the ideal avenue for anything, but do you see any other solution when it comes to getting John and his goons to back down?

He let the question hang in the air, taking my silence as my answer.

Precisely, there is no other option and you know as wel as I do that countless lives”Mortal and Immortal”wil be lost the longer he goes unchal enged. And Wil iam”just between you and me”could give a crap about fulfil ing his chosen one detail. Hes only orchestrating this epic battle for the most important thing in the world.

Whats that? I asked.

To save his girl, he answered, his hands ceasing their rubbing.

Patrick, I said, my voice grave, between you and me, I dont think Ive got much longer. Johns grown desperate, wel ,
more
desperate, and I think he expects something big is coming his way. If he does what I think he wil . . . I swal owed, closing my eyes. Please dont let Wil iam be the one to find me. Okay?

Youre not going to die, Patrick vowed. This thing is going to happen soon. Like days soon, okay? So do me a favor and put on that antagonistic, nothing can knock me down attitude that John finds incredibly sexy, not to mention me,”I elbowed him”and hang in there a few more days. Think you can do that?

I chose not to respond to his questions since that would only result in an argument. How are Abigail and Cora? I asked, sure Id never be able to rid my mind of their faces when Troys men had tried to kil them.

Theyre fine, although I wouldnt want to be Troy or any of those maggots he brought along with him that night, he said, shivering with Patrick-flair.

Let me guess, Nathanial and Joseph are going to annihilate whoever had the smal est hand in organizing that night, right? I said, knowing Wil iams brothers were just as protective of their women as he was of his.

Wel , yeah, to put it gently, but the only one Id be more terrified of than them is a tempestuous bal of fury with a current vendetta to rid the world of foul-mouthed, kil ing happy, ghastly dressed Inheritors . . . he said, building the drama like only Patrick could, a tiny, five foot nothing woman named Cora Hayward.

Shes mad? I said, and while I was sure she would be, I didnt assume this would be the one that would overshadow the other emotions shed surely feel after being held captive by Johns men.

Shes madder than Ive ever seen a person. Josephs going to have to tape her down with Immortal strength duct tape to make sure she doesnt fol ow us into battle. Hel hath no fury for a woman threatened with death, he said, lowering his voice.

Before he ran away with himself, I sent him on a detour. Did you tel him yet?

When Patricks head thumped against the wal behind us, I knew hed understood exactly what Id asked in my vague question. Yes, he said, offering nothing more.

And? I pressed.

First off, I dont think there is anything worse than having to look your brother in the eye and tel him you fel in love with his girl, and second, if you do have to tel him that, make sure hes preoccupied with saving the world and saving said girl from the monsters of it.

So he wasnt upset? I asked, finding it equal y hard to believe and not believe.

No. He was furious, but it was quick-lived. I think he knows I dont stand a chance in hel that youd choose me over him, not that Id ever want you to make that choice . . . because I dont think my ego could take that kind of a blow.

So everythings good between you guys? No hard feelings, we can al get back to the same as it was before? Providing I survive this whole thing, which was highly doubtful at the moment.

If you qualify me never getting to look at you again, Wil iam putting me in a ful body cast for the rest of eternity and shipping me to the middle of nowhere, then yeah, everything wil be back to normal, he said, chuckling at the end.

Im glad you got that off your back and he accepted your apology. You feel better having it off your shoulders? I asked, resituating my back against his chest. The close quarters that forced our bodies so tightly together probably wasnt the ideal way to help a man get over the woman he was in love with, but until there was another option, wed have to make it work.

I guess so, but Ive got something to apologize to you for, too, he said, managing to twist his face towards me where I knew our eyes would be locking if it wasnt black as black could be. Im sorry I kissed you back in Pacific City.

Its not like you real y had a choice. Avoiding death is a justifiable reason for kissing me, I said. Youre forgiven.

Yeah, but Im sorry for the
way
I kissed you. I wasnt exactly in a hurry to end that kiss, or holding back.

I laughed nervously. I was there. I remember. The memory of it brought heat to my cheeks. The embarrassed, awkward kind of heat. And for the record, I can see why youre such a hit with the ladies. Youre a very good kisser, I said, trying to sound as conventional as I could.

You think Im a good kisser? he asked, fishing for details most likely. Details he would not be getting.

In that practiced, technical kind of way, I explained. Not in that ˜I felt sparks and the world moved kind of way.

I never thought Id see the day where a girl would describe my kissing as technical, Patrick said, shaking his head. The end times real y are upon us.

It was so comforting being with Patrick, having a piece of home and a piece of Wil iam with me in this personal hel . It was like hed surrounded me in a bubble of light and the last thing I wanted to do was pop it, but too much time had passed already and John could be returning to retrieve me from my cel any time. You better get going. I dont want anyone to find you here, even if its just a second before you teleport out of here.

Yeah, I know, he said, fol owed by a sigh. But the thought of leaving you alone in here is tearing me up inside. I dont know if I can do it.

Il be fine, I lied, squeezing one of his arms with my bound wrists. But maybe you could stop by and say hi every now and then?

Every hour until we bust through the front door and burn this place to the ground, he said with conviction. Sound good?

I knew Patrick had better things to do than check in on me every hour and Wil iam might not have liked the idea, but it would keep my mind from having an irreversible break with my soul . . . or at least delay it.

Sounds great, I answered. And thank you. Thank you for finding me and tel ing Wil iam and making me feel better.

Oh wait, he said, slapping his forehead. I almost forgot. Wil iam wanted me to give you something. Readjusting us, Patrick fought to get his arm in his pants pocket. Fishing free whatever he was searching for, he flattened my palm wide. He explicitly said I was not to put it on you, but to put it in your palm for you to put on.

My brows went together. Why cant you put it on me? I asked.

A cool metal band, propped up by the impressive size of the stone centered on it, dropped into my palm. Thats why.

A tear slid down my face, fol owed by another, no warning theyd be surfacing. A myriad of emotions too strong to control released them.

You know what it is? he asked.

Yes, I choked out, sniffling.

Are you alright?

Of course I am, I said, laughing through the tears. The man I love just had his brother who feels the same way drop a wedding ring in my hand . . .

or a Union ring, whatever it is, I said, closing my fingers over it. Almost instantly, it warmed at my touch.

Its a promise of forever, no matter what you want to cal it.

It gave me strength just having it in my hands, knowing this promise was waiting for me if I made it out of this box, this room, and this mansion, alive. Take it with you, Patrick, I said, trying to push it back in his hands. I dont want John seeing it and taking it away. I couldnt stand it. My desire to wear the ring was al -encompassing, but the thought of John ripping it off my finger and tossing it out with the garbage overcame my want to wear it.

No way, he said, keeping his hands bal ed into fists. Wil iam wants that on your hand and if I go back there with it in mine, he wil be crushed.

Dont do that to him, dont do that to
me
. His arm moved against me in a close confines, shoulder nudging equivalent way. You know I cant stand to be around him when hes al mopey.

But if John sees it, hel take it, I said, knowing my objections were useless.

Who cares? Theres more than one diamond ring out there, but theres only one man you love, Patrick sighed with drama, as youve made so
obviously
clear. If John takes the ring, big deal, Wil iam wil get you another, but John can never take away the promise behind that ring.

I know that, I said, wanting to add the term sil y at the end.

Then dont let him. Wear the ring from the man that loves you, focus on what would make him happy, not on what would make John unhappy.

Again, I said, shaking my head. Your depth of emotional understanding amazes me. Youre like the Buddha of love.

That may be the worst attempt at a compliment Ive ever been given, he said, giving me a quick squeeze before unwinding his arms from me. So youl wear it?

Il wear it, I said, the dark confines not able to put a damper on the excitement I felt.

Phew, he said, blowing out a string of air. I dont know why you have to make everything so difficult.

We dont have time to get into that, I replied, pinching the ring between my fingers on my right hand, positioning it over my ring finger of my left.

Put the mask back on, I remembered, eliciting a heavy sigh from him, but he did as I asked. Patrick was like me in that, even though we might not have wanted to, we did what we had to.

Il see you in an hour, he said, dropping a quick kiss on my temple before the mask slid over it.