Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

COLLINS

I marched out the back door of Peggy’s house and toward the guesthouse. The events of the past few days exhausted me just thinking about them. Bash silently moved by my side. He gave me a side-eye.

“Are we not speaking now?”

I wanted to remind him that he was an expert at that, but I was too exhausted to start the fight my emotions wanted me to start. “I can’t with any of this right now.”

We walked quietly up the stairs to the guesthouse and opened the door. When I heard voices coming from the kitchen, I looked at Bash and he hurried to it. No one was supposed to be in the house yet. The boys were supposed to be asleep. When I ran through the door after Bash, I froze with my magic in my hands ready to attack. But I couldn’t. Ellie and Stellan crashed into our backs. Jada cursed right behind them.

Araqiel sat at the table in his perfect white three-piece suit. His wings hung over the back of the small chair. The light reflected off his bald head as he leaned over the table. My three little brothers all sat across from him, each one with a plate in front of them. The breath caught in my throat and I wanted to yell for my mother, but my words stuck there. Bash was right beside me, and his eyes widened.

Zuriel stood on the other side of the room with his arms crossed over his chest, almost like he dared us to move. A moment later, my mother, Phil, and Vic shoved in and froze there like statues. The color leached from her face, yet she said nothing. Phil too was speechless. Vic braced herself on the wall. They’d kept my brothers a secret up until now. And now in this moment, the shit was about to hit the fan. Children of Nephilim were forbidden . . . and my mother had three.

Araqiel didn’t look up at any of us. “Okay, boys, now you have to remember that the best food in the universe, and I mean the entire universe, is . . .”

“TACOS!” the boys all yelled in unison as they raised their little arms up in the air with excitement.

“That’s right.” Araqiel put an empty shell on each of their plates. “Now, anything belongs in a taco so long as it’s a taco.”

He waved his hand and a buffet of taco options filled the table. There were tomatoes, onions, three different kinds of olives, four different kinds of meat, and bowls of shredded lettuce. Sides of sour cream and guacamole appeared in front of each of the boys. They started to reach for them when Araqiel held his hand up.

“Ah, ah, ah. We don’t go all willy nilly with the taco creation. We are looking to make each bite perfection. How can it be perfect if it’s all slapped together? Each bite is a taste of Heaven. Literally. I’ve been there. I’m telling you the truth.”

The boys were completely enthralled by Araqiel as were we all.

Zuriel sighed and rolled his eyes. “Tacos are a mess. There is no rhyme or reason to them.”

Araqiel pointed toward him. “I give you the doubter of magical things.”

“Doubting tacos is not doubting magic.” Zuriel sighed. “We work in magic.”

“Then you would know that tacos are magic.” His eyes widened as though he were making a real point.

My mother took a step toward the boys. “Araqiel I?—”

“—We’re in the middle of something, Sandra. You’ll have to give us a moment.” His tone was calm and even, not a hint of malice.

But I knew my family was in the shit and I couldn’t stop my heart from hammering in my chest. This was one situation I couldn’t help even if I wanted to. I was a Stone Keeper, not a goddess. No matter how much I wished to be right in this moment.

“Yeah, Mommmm! We’re going to build AMAZING TACOSSS!” Brantley said the word tacos with a little growl.

“Yeaaaaa,” the other two yelled at the same time.

My mother pressed her lips together, taking whatever would happen next.

Araqiel turned back to the boys. “Now, boys, we take our build very seriously.”

“Tacos . . . you’re taking—” but then Zuriel just sighed and shook his head in defeat. “Araqiel.”

“I’m teaching art here,” Araqiel snapped back.

“Tacos equal art?”

“Would I waste my time on anything less?” He reached across the table and started building his own taco. “Now, boys, I have given you all the knowledge I can impart. It is up to you to complete your projects to the best of your abilities.”

They all rubbed their hands together and had big smiles on their faces. They wiggled back and forth in their chairs like they were about to be off to the races.

Araqiel smirked at them. “And go!”

Tacos ingredients flew all over the room as they grabbed things with their hands and shoved them into their shells. Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and ground beef flew in all different directions and their laughter filled the room. Araqiel turned toward my mother while the boys went crazy on their food.

“You already know.”

My mother’s lip quivered as she sucked in a sharp breath. She only nodded as Phillip wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her to his side. Vic had tears running down her face.

“Araqiel, please,” Mom whispered with her voice cracking.

Zuriel walked around the table to move in closer to my mother and Phil. “Were the rules not clear?”

Phil hung his head. “They were.”

Zuriel turned back to Araqiel. “Are we done with lessons here?”

“Never. There are an infinite number of lessons to be taught to these boys.” He rose to his feet and his wings took up half the room.

“What if I promise to keep an eye on them,” I blurted out before I even thought about what I was saying.

Zuriel chuckled.

I knew it sounded ridiculous the moment the words came out of my mouth.

Araqiel shook his head. “A Stone Keeper has their own job within this world, as do the Nephilim who guard them.”

“I know we messed up, but I . . . I couldn’t give them up.” My mother’s words were halted as she struggled to keep calm.

Araqiel sighed and shook his head. He turned back to the boys. “Okay, kids, tell your parents goodbye. You’re going on an adventure.”

“Yasssss adventureeee.” Bradyn pumped his fist up in the air, then ran at my mom and Phil. He threw his arms around their legs. “Bye, momma! Bye, Daddy-e-oh.”

Brandon slid from the chair, and he too ran at my parents. His face was covered in salsa and something else. He buried it in their legs. “Be right back, Momma.”

Brantley was the last to join them, and I felt a lump form in my throat as I watched all of them cling to each other.

She waved her arm toward me, calling me over. “Collins.”

I bent down low and wrapped my arms around the boys, letting their crazy curly red hair tickle over my face. “I’ll see you soon, boys. Behave yourselves.”

All three of them dove for Vic, their grandmother, who was struggling with her tears. She wiped her face and ruffled their hair, then she bent down and hugged them all at once. “Be good for Araqiel and Zuriel. Do as they say and mind your manners.”

“Time to go.” Araqiel gave us one last look. He waved his hand and a bright white light filled the room. I blinked my eyes, and when the room came back into focus, they were gone, leaving not even the taco mess behind. As if my brothers and the angels hadn’t been here at all.

Vic hurried over to hold on to her son and my mother.

We all stared at Zuriel who just stood before us with his arms crossed. “We’re not monsters. We wanted you to know who took them and why.”

My mother clung to Phil and Vic like they were a lifeline right now. “When will we see them again?”

Zuriel shrugged. “Why don’t you just ask MoVaun? That’s been your strategy for years now, unless you thought we didn’t know from the start?”

My mother’s jaw dropped, and Zuriel just walked out the door while eyeing my mother and Phil. We stood there in silence for a few more moments. Tears fell from my mother’s eyes and ran down her cheeks. She turned and pressed her face to Phil’s chest. I placed my hand on her shoulder.

“Mom, we’ll figure this out. We’ll get the boys back. I promise.” I didn’t know how or when, but we had to get them back. “Won’t we, Bash?”

“I swear it, Sandra. Your family will not suffer for this.”

She nodded. “I appreciate you both, but you cannot make promises you have no ability to control. We’ll do what we can for them. For now, you have your own things to take care of. We all do. Get some rest and . . . and we’ll try to do better tomorrow.”

I knew from the sound of her voice she was about to lose it and didn’t want us here to witness it. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

“Love you too, Phil and Vic.”

Phil reached over and squeezed my hand, just nodding. Vic kissed my cheek, then walked to the couch the boys had been sitting on, her shoulders already bouncing as she began to sob.

“I’m going to talk to Peggy real quick,” Jada whispered. “Go ahead to sleep.”

Ellie turned to me with wide eyes and her jaw dropped. She shook her head, then hugged me. Stellan looked stricken behind her as he stared at the spot they’d vanished through. When Ellie backed away, she took Stellan’s arm and led him up the stairs.

I was about to scream or sob, but I needed to not do it here, so I grabbed Bash’s hand and headed toward the stairs to give them the space I knew they needed. And with each step I took, a ball of sadness and anger formed in my throat. My brothers were gone.

I marched up the stairs with Bash hot on my heels. I didn’t know what happened down there or how to even begin processing it. All I knew was in this world anything could happen to anyone. My feelings were a complete mess and I didn’t know what to do. But I did know sleep was not happening right this moment.

I hurried down the hall and shoved the door open to our room. Bash quietly closed the door behind us. That soft click just set something off in me. I turned on him. “You see what happens?”

“What are you talking about?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“You, you’re completely reckless. Nothing you do is careful and now my brothers are gone.” I knew I wasn’t making perfect sense but in my head I did.

He held his hand up. “Hold on are you blaming me for your brothers missing?”

“NO! I’m blaming you for being reckless. You couldn’t pay attention for one minute back at MoVaun’s and anything can happen now. And you’re an idiot.”

“Me? I’m the idiot?”

“Yes you!” I jabbed my finger in his chest.

He wrapped his hands in my shirt and jerked me too him. He slammed his lips over mine so hard I nearly forgot what I was mad about or even upset about. But having him this close made me feel alive.

I shoved away from him. “You’re still an idiot.”

He opened his hands and surrounded the room in black smoke. He walked toward me like a predator until my back hit the wall and he towered over me. He didn’t say anything just fisted my shirt. I thought he was going to pulled me in for a punishing kiss instead he tightened his grip and ripped my shirt open. He lowered his head and spread kisses over my breasts. His tongue left a warm trail over my skin.

“Am I an idiot now?”

“Yes.” I hissed.

He pressed me up against the wall and his hands were everywhere all at once. What was left of my clothing was gone in an instant yet he was still completely dressed. He hooked his hand under my knee and lifted my leg and hooked it around his hip. With his other hand he undid his pants and was pressed against me in a moment.

“And now?”

I couldn’t think. All I wanted was him, this close . . . now. I met his eyes. “More, now.”

He pressed forward and with one quick surge forward. He caught my gasp with his lips. His mouth was on mine so hot our tongues twisted together as he slammed into my body. There was a desperation to the way he held me so tight, the way he pressed me against the wall, the way his mouth possessed mine. It was all too much. This wasn’t a gentle taking, this was him owning my body, mind, and soul.

My back banged into the wall and he hooked his hand under my other leg and lifted it and wrapped it around his hip. I hooked my legs around his hips and wrapped my arms around his neck holding on to him as she pushed me higher. His wings popped from his back and began to flutter. I shoved his shirt over his head and to the ground. I needed my skin against his, to feel his warmth, his body on mine. I was surrounded by his vanilla scent and the strength behind his every thrust.

He wrapped his hand in my hair and pulled my head to the side. His lips found my skin and he feathered kisses all over it. He let go of my hair and ran his hands down my body and holding my ass. His fingers dug into me while his moans filled my ears. I couldn’t get close enough to him though he moved within me. It was hard and fast and aggressive and exactly what I needed.

Pleasure rocked my body I felt myself climbing toward ecstasy. I clung onto him my fingers dug into his skin, my legs tightened around him and I tried to pulled him closer. He was everywhere all at the same time and all I could think about was him. Pleasure shot through my body and exploded behind my eyes. I threw my head back crying out. He pressed me into the wall driving into me harder until he too tumbled over the edge of pleasure. His body swelled with in mine and he pressed his forehead against mine. Our breath mingled together and his eyes pierced into mine. In that moment we were nothing more than need for each other and a way to forget ourselves for just one stollen moment.