“But that won’t stop Hell from trying,” the priest said, his voice grave.
“I can’t stay here. I have to go,” I said, jumping to my feet. I ran out the front door, stopping when I felt the carcasses of birds under my feet. My hands flew to my eyes, overwhelmed.
“It’s okay,” Jared whispered in my ear, sweeping me into his arms. He carried me across the street, and then carefully set me in the passenger seat of the Beemer. His warm hand brushed the bangs from my face. “Get her home, Bex.”
Bex nodded, turned the ignition, and slammed the shifter into gear. It took us half the drive time to reach Cynthia’s that it took to get to St. Anne’s.
Bex parked in the garage, and helped me up the stairs to my room. His normally playful, innocent eyes offered sympathy and concern well beyond his years.
“We'll figure this out, Nina. We're not going to let anything happen to you. You know that.”
“I don't want anything to happen to you,” I said softly. I patted his shoulder, and then walked into the bathroom, removing my clothes slowly, feeling numb.
The steam floated up from behind the shower curtain and spilled over, filling the room with a thick, hazy warmth in minutes. I stood under the water, as hot as I could stand it, and tried to remember what Eli had said about being strong. I couldn't cry. Frivolous emotion would help nothing. Still, a heavy, portentous feeling settled over my entire body, weighing me down so much that the tile below my feet seemed to dig into my skin.
The more we learned, the worse it was. Preventing the prophecy was useless, because even if we succeeded, Hell wouldn’t allow the possibility.
The shower knobs complained when I turned them off, strangling the pipes. I towel-dried my hair, and then wrapped my robe around me. When I pushed the door open, a ghostly cloud of steam followed me as I walked across my bedroom floor.
I sat at my vanity, raking a comb through my damp, messy hair. The sea of black birds at the church haunted my thoughts, and the crunching sound their bodies made as Jared carried me across the street replayed over and over in my mind.
“Don’t forget about dinner with Ryan tonight,” Bex said.
“He won’t be here until seven,” I said, glancing at the clock. I still had an hour left.
The main entrance door slammed in the lower level, and I heard not one, but two pairs of light footsteps ascending the stairs.
Jared stopped in the doorway of my bedroom. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I said. I kept my back to him, but met his eyes in the mirror.
Claire appeared beside him. “I heard.”
The overly ceremonious door bell chimed throughout the house. Moments later, Agatha joined Jared and Claire in the doorway of my room. “It’s a gentleman, Love. A Mr. Scott to see you.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s early.” I stood, tightening the belt of my robe, and then stormed through the path Claire and Jared made for me as they pressed their backs to the wall.
My bare feet tapped against the stairs as I quickly made my way to the spot where Ryan stood.
“You’re early,” I said, crossing my arms.
Ryan smiled, his eyes scanning every corner of the room. “I’m sorry. I’ll wait.”
“Agatha?” I called. When she didn’t answer, I gestured for Ryan to follow me. “I’ll show you to the Great Room,” I said. Too late I remembered we had rearranged the furniture for our sparring matches.
“Redecorating?” Ryan asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Something like that,” I said. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Ryan nodded, and I jogged up the stairs. Jared and his siblings stood in the center of my room when I returned, seeming nervous and out of place.
“It’s just Ryan,” I said. Once the words came out of my mouth, Claire’s eyes widened, and she shoved me aside, pushing my bedroom door shut.
Her finger touched her lips, and she waited, keeping her hand against the door.
“Nina?” Ryan called, knocking twice.
“Yes?” I said, shrugging to Claire.
“I couldn’t help but notice the Lotus Exige you have parked out front. New car?”
Claire’s eyes squeezed shut, and then she looked at me again, shaking her head.
“Er…no…? I believe my mother has company this evening. I’ll meet you downstairs, okay?”
It was silent for a few moments, but then Ryan knocked on the door again.
“Yes?” I said, unable to hide the irritation in my voice. I glanced back at Jared, hoping he would give a sign as to what I should do.
“Isn’t that the same car Claire drove the night we first saw her at the pub?”
When Jared held out his arms and shrugged, I sighed. “I…can’t remember, Ryan. Do you want me to get ready or not?”
“The thing is,” he said, his voice just on the other side of the door, “I ran the plates, and it’s registered to Claire Ryel.”