until I couldn’t stand it anymore. Recalling what had happened, I asked, “Milani is an Elementum, isn’t she? I mean, it’s obvious—she can manipulate fire and the rocks.”
“I’m not going to answer that. As far as we’re concerned, nothing happened tonight.” His tone sounded final.
I could understand his need to protect her, seeing how they were so close. In fact, the three of them seemed like they’d been friends for a long time. In a way, I envied that. I had my brother, of course, but I really didn’t have friends.
Since I also wanted to forget the night, I agreed. “Okay. Do you know why the high school kids are missing?”
Eli took a few long seconds to answer my question, as if he were debating possibilities in his head. “I have a theory, but not in front of—” He pointed to the back.
I nodded, realizing it had been irresponsible of me to ask in front of Jack. He already knew too much.
From the speed at which I drove, we were back home in good time. During the whole ride I’d hoped to reach the house before my uncle and Zach. But the stars were not aligned in my favor. When I pulled into the driveway, they were standing by the front door as if they expected me. Seeing Zach standing tall and guarded, I became aware of how much he resembled our father. For a split second, I thought he was Father.
I got out of the car and slammed the door. Uncle Davin stood right in front of me with a frown. Yup, he was mad. A volcano could have erupted out of him.
“Hi. I can explain,” I said. Everyone gathered behind me. They were afraid of him too, and I didn’t blame them. Uncle Davin’s murderous expression alone was the look of the devil.
Uncle Davin glared at me. “What’s to explain? Brody and Milani were riding on top of my car because that’s normal. And what was Elmo doing in the front seat and Jerk in the back? You weren’t going hunting for demons, that’s for sure, ‘cause we’re not supposed to pretend we’re super beings in front of humans. I’m sure Jerk saw everything. We will have to kill him.”
Everyone’s eyes grew wide, even mine. I knew Uncle Davin was joking, but everyone else didn’t.
Eli stepped forward. He was the brave one. “My name is Eli, not Elmo.”
“Whatever.” Uncle Davin threw his hands in the air. “I’ll call you whatever I want to call you.” He jabbed his finger in Eli’s chest, but he didn’t budge. Obviously baffled by Eli’s strength, Uncle Davin shook his head and continued, “So—” He stopped speaking when he saw movement behind me.
Jack stepped out of my shadow and slowly started to take steps toward his house. “You’re not seriously going to kill me, right? ‘Cause I didn’t see anything. In fact, I’m not here at all. I’ll just start walking to my house. I don’t even live next door. I don’t even know who you are.”
“JACK,” Uncle Davin roared.
Jack froze in place.
Closing the gap between them, Uncle Davin pierced his eyes into Jack’s. “You will forget what happened today. The last thing you remember about tonight is having a nice dinner with Lucia. Lucia went home. You will go home and go straight to bed.”
Uncle Davin used his angelic powers to make Jack forget, what we called glamourizing. Only angels of the higher orders had this ability, as it needed to be practiced and nurtured. Someday Zach and I would have that skill.
When Jack headed home and I knew he was safe, I turned to the others, wondering what Uncle Davin was going to do to them.
“You three.” Uncle Davin pointed to each of them. “Inside my house, now.”
Zach opened the door and went in first and then I trailed in behind my uncle. When I stopped hearing the sounds of footsteps, I checked behind me.
“What happened?” Uncle Davin asked, whipping around. He frowned when he saw they were gone. “I guess I scared them.” He scoffed, back to the uncle I loved, but his stone-faced stare said he was still upset. “I guess I’m
“I’m not going to answer that. As far as we’re concerned, nothing happened tonight.” His tone sounded final.
I could understand his need to protect her, seeing how they were so close. In fact, the three of them seemed like they’d been friends for a long time. In a way, I envied that. I had my brother, of course, but I really didn’t have friends.
Since I also wanted to forget the night, I agreed. “Okay. Do you know why the high school kids are missing?”
Eli took a few long seconds to answer my question, as if he were debating possibilities in his head. “I have a theory, but not in front of—” He pointed to the back.
I nodded, realizing it had been irresponsible of me to ask in front of Jack. He already knew too much.
From the speed at which I drove, we were back home in good time. During the whole ride I’d hoped to reach the house before my uncle and Zach. But the stars were not aligned in my favor. When I pulled into the driveway, they were standing by the front door as if they expected me. Seeing Zach standing tall and guarded, I became aware of how much he resembled our father. For a split second, I thought he was Father.
I got out of the car and slammed the door. Uncle Davin stood right in front of me with a frown. Yup, he was mad. A volcano could have erupted out of him.
“Hi. I can explain,” I said. Everyone gathered behind me. They were afraid of him too, and I didn’t blame them. Uncle Davin’s murderous expression alone was the look of the devil.
Uncle Davin glared at me. “What’s to explain? Brody and Milani were riding on top of my car because that’s normal. And what was Elmo doing in the front seat and Jerk in the back? You weren’t going hunting for demons, that’s for sure, ‘cause we’re not supposed to pretend we’re super beings in front of humans. I’m sure Jerk saw everything. We will have to kill him.”
Everyone’s eyes grew wide, even mine. I knew Uncle Davin was joking, but everyone else didn’t.
Eli stepped forward. He was the brave one. “My name is Eli, not Elmo.”
“Whatever.” Uncle Davin threw his hands in the air. “I’ll call you whatever I want to call you.” He jabbed his finger in Eli’s chest, but he didn’t budge. Obviously baffled by Eli’s strength, Uncle Davin shook his head and continued, “So—” He stopped speaking when he saw movement behind me.
Jack stepped out of my shadow and slowly started to take steps toward his house. “You’re not seriously going to kill me, right? ‘Cause I didn’t see anything. In fact, I’m not here at all. I’ll just start walking to my house. I don’t even live next door. I don’t even know who you are.”
“JACK,” Uncle Davin roared.
Jack froze in place.
Closing the gap between them, Uncle Davin pierced his eyes into Jack’s. “You will forget what happened today. The last thing you remember about tonight is having a nice dinner with Lucia. Lucia went home. You will go home and go straight to bed.”
Uncle Davin used his angelic powers to make Jack forget, what we called glamourizing. Only angels of the higher orders had this ability, as it needed to be practiced and nurtured. Someday Zach and I would have that skill.
When Jack headed home and I knew he was safe, I turned to the others, wondering what Uncle Davin was going to do to them.
“You three.” Uncle Davin pointed to each of them. “Inside my house, now.”
Zach opened the door and went in first and then I trailed in behind my uncle. When I stopped hearing the sounds of footsteps, I checked behind me.
“What happened?” Uncle Davin asked, whipping around. He frowned when he saw they were gone. “I guess I scared them.” He scoffed, back to the uncle I loved, but his stone-faced stare said he was still upset. “I guess I’m
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