Unedited.
Jon made me sit down on one of the benches in the hall until my eyes went back to normal. This was not what I had in mind when I reopened the bond. How I ever dealt with this, I didn’t know but it felt more intense now than it ever had before.
“Are you sure you don’t want someone to take a look at you? You might’ve popped a stitch,” Olivia said.
She was trying to check my side wound but I kept batting her hand away.
“I’ll be fine.” I looked at the clock on my phone. “We were supposed to report in fifteen minutes ago. Someone is…”
“Vertigo?”
“…going to come looking for us.” I turned to the left and saw Jesse jogging down the hall. “Hey. Have you met Olivia?”
He looked at her briefly and then back to me. “You ok?”
“Oh, you know, got to bleed a little to get anywhere.”
Jon moved back so Jesse could kneel down in front of me. I lifted my hand and he rolled up my shirt. The gauze was now a nice shade of red and when Jesse peeled it off…the scratches looked angry and swollen. “That should be healed by now.” Jesse smoothed the gauze back down. “We should probably take you to the Infirmary.”
“I’m fine, really. I just need a fresh dressing and I’ll be as good as new. The last thing I need is Brad harassing me right now.”
“There’s a first aid kit in the office. Can you walk?”
He got up and offered me his hand. It was a nice gesture, something I would expect from him but right then, I didn’t want help. I just wanted everything to go back the way it was pre-injury.
“I’m not a baby, Jess.” I batted his hand away and stood up. “I’ll be fine.” Jon snorted and I glared at him. “No comments from you.”
Jesse looked at him. “Maybe you should go upstairs for this. She’ll go get you when she’s done.”
Jon’s eyes flashed at him, not liking what Jesse was implying. To keep him from doing something rash, I grabbed Jon’s arm before he could even move towards Jesse.
“He’d never do that.”
“You sure about that? He is a Vampire.”
“You’re going to have to trust me, ok? I’m perfectly safe around him, whether I’m bleeding or not.”
“She speaks the truth. Ana is spoken for and I’m not about to go against it. I do not wish to offend my friend by taking what’s his.”
“What sort of crap is that?” Jesse spit out.
“It’s their blood laws, Jesse. Leave it, ok?”
He glanced down at me finally and nodded. “After you, then.”
He already knew I was bonded. Like Olivia said, rumors swarmed through the Guild about it after I’d been here a few weeks. Someone had seen the bite marks on my neck and assumptions flew from there.
Most of the already established personnel brushed it off since they were around when Jason kidnapped me. Jesse, along with most of the Security office, never said anything about it and I had to think Gregori had a hand in that.
I released Jon’s arm and took a step forward which turned out not to be the brightest idea.
“You might want to…there she goes.”
Jon barely got his warning out before my head began to swim and the floor rose up to my knee caps. Both Jesse and Jon caught an arm and kept me on my feet.
“How did you know?” Jesse directed at Jon.
“I’m psychic.”
I snorted and tried not to laugh. Psychic wasn’t the word I would use. Jesse kept a hold of me as he led me back to the security office but I made him let go when we opened the door. I didn’t needed people thinking I was weak.
“Hey, Princess!” David called. “We were wondering when you’d show up.”
I smiled. “You know how it is. Everyone,” I waved Olivia forward, “this is my new partner. Olivia.”
“Another girl?” someone said.
“Hey, don’t be gender biased,” I said. “Be nice to her or I’ll kick your ass.”
“Not in your condition you won’t.” David motioned towards my ankle and side. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to back down when you’re bleeding?”
Even though my shirt was black, there for everyone to see was a growing blood spot. James got up and rolled his chair in my direction.
Jesse came over with the first aid kit. “Everyone go back to what you were doing.”
Olivia took the kit and knelt down next to me. “Roll up your shirt.” I did as she asked and she took off the old gauze. “Looks like it’s infected.”
Jon knelt down next to her and took a look. “It’s worse than I thought. Did your annoying medical friend clean it before he stitched it?”
“Um…” I thought about it, “don’t really know.”
“Olivia, be a dear and hand me the scissors. Then we’ll need a wash cloth and cold water.”
“Got it.” Olivia handed him the scissors out of the first aid kit and asked one of the men where the bathroom was.
Jon cut the stitches and then pressed on one side. The delicate seal on one of the cuts split open and white puss oozed out.
“That is so gross,” I said.
“If you think is gross then you’re going to love the next part. All of it needs to come out which means flushing the wound with cold water.”
“Why does this sound like I’m going to end up changing clothes?”
“I’m very good at this. You shouldn’t have to change.”
Olivia came back with a washcloth and a basin full of water.
“Maybe we should do this somewhere more private?” Jesse suggested. “My office perhaps.”
“I doubt that would be a good idea,” Jon said, pushing more puss out. “Your men do not trust me and therefore would go running to your boss the second you closed the door. This will have to be done where they can keep an eye on me.”
“Great,” I said. “Just what I needed, more men oogling at me.”
“That was already happening, Little Ana Angel. I believe wherever you go, men will always…” he looked up at me and smiled, “desire you.”
“That sounds so wrong coming from you.”
He soaked the cloth first and cleaned the skin around the wound. It wasn’t so bad. The bad part came when he flushed the wound. The pain was so intense I didn’t even feel the stitches afterwards.
That’s when Gregori walked in.
“What the hell is going on?” he said in a low, dangerous voice.
“It was infected,” Olivia said, instantly trying to explain. “It needed to be cleaned.”
“Who the hell are you?”
Olivia stood up and held out a hand, something that was ignored while she introduced herself. I refused to look at him, afraid that the green daggers he was shooting me would actually materialize and pierce my skin.
“Why didn’t you take her to the infirmary?”
“We didn’t know it was infected,” Jesse said. “The plan was just to change the bandage.”
Gregori came over and appraised the job Jon was doing on me. He didn’t appear all that impressed as he knelt down and rolled up my left pant leg where the four scratches over lapped a much older scar from a compound fracture. The scratches were scabbed over but not healed like they should be. They looked much better than the set on my side though.
“How’s the ankle?” he asked.
“Fine,” I mumbled.
Ignoring that, he slipped off my boot and unwrapped it. The joint was swollen and my skin was a nice shade of purple, only the edges turning green.
“Call down to the infirmary,” Gregori said to Jesse. “Tell them to take another look at her ankle x-ray.”
Jesse nodded and took off for his office. Jon finished putting a square of gauze on the gash then took a look at the ankle and scratches.
“I don’t have x-ray vision but I think there’s something else going on besides a sprain.”
“Jon…”
“After you receive your marks, you’re done for the day,” Gregori said. “If you stay off it, it will heal.”
“I sat around all day yesterday. Please don’t make me do it again. At least let me do office paperwork or something.”
He regarded my ankle instead of looking at my face.
“I made my decision. You can come back tomorrow when all of this is cleared up.”
“How do you know it will be cleared up by then?” Jon asked.
They shared a chilly stare before Jesse came back.
“The med unit stands by their diagnosis. If there’s something wrong with it, it happened after the x-ray was taken. They said if the condition has worsened that she needs to go back down and have another x-ray done.”
“I’m. Fine.”
Gregori started rewrapping my ankle. “How’s the wrist?”
“Perfect.”
It was the truth. Out of all my injuries, my wrist felt fine. He took it, however, and just like all my other injuries, inspected it. When I didn’t wince and nothing stood out to him, he put my hand down.
“Told you.”
He ignored my comment completely and looked at his watch.
“I have a conference call. Try not to break or bleed while I’m busy.”
He got up and marched to his office, slamming the door closed behind him.
“He’s…scary,” Olivia said.
“He’s definitely not a warm, cuddly, teddy bear,” I said. At least not in the office. After hours…whole different ball of wax.
“Is he always like that?”
“Just with her,” Jesse said. “He’s overprotective.”
“Why?”
“He was my mentor,” I said before Jon could say anything. He sent me a look that was mischievous.
“Oh,” Olivia said. “That must’ve been horrible.”
“First girl ever,” Jesse said patting me on the shoulder. “She took more crap last year than any other recruit.”
“Is it lunch time yet?” I asked.
“No. You still have three hours,” Jesse said. He turned to Olivia. “Since beautiful here is out of commission, you can partner with me for today. I’ll get you up to speed on how the office runs that way when you two go out on assignment tomorrow, you won’t be like Cody.”
She winced. “Did he really just leave you in the sewer?”
“Yes he did and I should go ahead and warn you now that if you do the same, the guys aren’t going to go easy on you.”
Olivia didn’t look fazed, probably because she wasn’t expecting anything less. If Gregori was overprotective, she could only assume what they would be.
I rolled my eyes at the serious expression on Jesse’s face. “Don’t threaten my new partner and let’s not point fingers. We all knew Cody was…not exactly up to snuff but I can assure you that Olivia is different.” I stood up and grabbed my boot, not even bothering to put it back on. “Tell grouchy pants when he’s done throwing his temper tantrum to come and get me. I’m going to my room.”
“Really?” Jesse said. “You’re going to listen?”
“Of course.”
“Since when?”
“Since now.” I made to leave but paused when Jon didn’t follow. “Are you coming or staying? Because I’m sure they would love your company.”
Without a word he followed me out and we went down to my room.
“You’re going to have a voicemail on your phone. I need you to delete it without listening to it.”
“No.”
“It’s not a request.”
My phone beeped with a voicemail and I pulled it out of my pocket. I looked at the number. “I don’t know who this is.”
“Precisely.”
“What if it’s important?”
“It’s not.”
“Then why should I delete it?”
“Because I asked you to.”
I closed my phone without deleting or listening to the message. The rest of the walk was quiet, neither of us needing to say much of anything. It was like that for the next three hours. We sat on opposite ends of the couch and watched throwback reruns on SyFy.
“You know ghosts are real,” he finally said.
“Really.”
“I see them all the time.” He turned to look at me. “You have a few.”
“I’m sure I do.”
“So does the piece. His ghost knows him very well.”
“And you don’t think my ghosts know me?”
Jon shook his head. “Your ghosts won’t remain longer than a few days. His, however, have been with him a long time.”
“Why are you telling me this? I thought you said you can shut your little gift off.”
“I never said that. I said I choose whether I want to see. Like with you, I’ve chosen to peer into your past and your future, the possible ones. I know the bond is strong now but it won’t last long. The darkness around you is too thick.
“The piece…”
“Can you stop calling him that?”
“No. As I was saying, the piece has darkness as well. I do not wish to see his future but his past is easy to read. Would you like me to tell you what your lover has done?”
“No. I like the element of surprise.”
“You won’t like this one, especially when you finally find out.”
“We’ve all done things in the past that we regret, demons we wish not to face. Besides, I’m sure he won’t like what I’m hiding.”
“You mean the Angels? You don’t think he’ll like that you are…pure?”
I snorted, trying really hard not to laugh at that. “I am far from pure. I’ve killed, had premarital sex, and disobeyed my parents. I think I’m far from pure.”
He smiled. “God cannot begrudge you what his own son did.”
“How would you know?”
“I was there. I knew him. Spoiled brat that one. How anyone could believe he was a good toddler, I’ll never know.”
“You are strange.”
“Everyone rebels against their destinies, their purpose. Do you really think he took it well when he found out he was going to die for all man kind? He had doubts too, as do all beings made of flesh and blood. In the end, however, he followed his father’s plan, as you will.”
“Don’t tell me you’re righteous now?”
“I’ve seen a lot of things in my life time, Ana. I have faith but it wavers on occasion and that’s when he gives me tests.”
“What sort of tests?”
“You. You are one of my tests. I’ve met every child like you. They’ve all been brought into my life at some point or another. Just like you were.”
“I don’t believe that. How can a man sit up there and…” I broke off because my voice was too heavy with emotion. “How could he do this to me?” I whispered. “How could he take them away?”
Jon moved so he was sitting next to me and stared me in the eyes. “How could he not? He asked his own son to give up his life for beings that weren’t even worthy of that kind of sacrifice. Of course what he asks of you would be just as difficult.”
“But he never asked it of me. He just did it, demanded it.”
“That’s how he works, Little Ana Angel. The hurdles will keep getting bigger and bigger and guess what? He’ll still expect you to jump them.”
“How does he know I can?”
“You’ve brought the grandson of the devil back from the brink. Did you forget? You’ve seen the evil Michelangelo committed, he was the thing nightmares were afraid of but you—you managed to change all of that.”
“Michael would be fine without me…”
“No, he wouldn’t. His father was the one good thing in his life and once he was gone, Michelangelo let the dark take over. He was trained to do terrible things. We all were back then. And we did them without question and most of the time we enjoyed it.”
“Then the prophecy came and changed it all, I know. He told me all about it.”
“What he didn’t tell you was he didn’t have to listen to the prophecy. What people don’t realize is prophecies only have power if you give them power, if you truly believe in them. Something inside of him wanted redemption, the light. He didn’t have to listen but he chose to. He chose you and the future you represented.”
I shook my head. “If he never met me he would never feel the pain he feels now. I did that to him. No one else.”
“No. The boy, the Angel, they are the ones who did this. Not you.”
“And God himself holds the pact in his hands. If he wanted to, he could make it null and void. He could make this all end but he doesn’t. He just likes seeing people suffer.”
“Have you thought that maybe it’s just another hurdle? His own son had one just like it. He had to choose between what he was meant for and what he wanted most.”
“I think you’ve been reading too much Dan Brown.”
“Things happen, my dear. I’m not saying Mr. Brown is right but Jesus was a man after all. Who’s to say there wasn’t a woman for him too?”
“Max told me I was supposed to walk my path alone.”
“As you probably are. The thing is no one is meant to be truly alone. Ana, you have Michelangelo with you always.” He placed a hand over my heart. “Right here. All you have to do is let it be. So does he.”
“What about after? When it’s over? What happens then?”
The corners of his eyes and mouth turned down. “I don’t know. I didn’t know with Joseph either. He left a wife behind, an unborn child too. She died, however, in childbirth as did her child. We’ll never know what could’ve happened if his child lived.”
“Is that why…I can’t have children?”
“No, yours is completely genetic. There is always the chance, as there always will be, but it’s highly unlikely. The fact that you’re part Slayer is the problem. If you were a Hybrid of another kind, then the possibility would be like everyone else’s. But you are unique, The Angel made sure of that. If there was another Slayer Hybrid, maybe, but as you know they are rare.”
There was a knock on my door and Jon pulled his hand away before it opened. I never locked my door unless it was night time or I wasn’t here. Gregori came in, looked from me to Jon and then back.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
“I think that’s my cue to take a walk,” Jon said.
I nodded, not even worrying about where he was going. He probably knew what Gregori was going to say and how far to wander. When Jon was gone and the door was closed, Gregori let out a breath.
“Geo…I don’t like…”
“Doesn’t matter,” I whispered. “He’ll be gone in a few days. It’s nothing to worry about. He won’t cause any trouble.”
“He’s a Vampire. There are a lot of things to worry about besides him causing trouble.”
“Jon would never hurt me, not intentionally, if that’s what you’re implying.”
He came over and sat next to me. I reached out and took his hand, needing that little bit of reassurance. I had a feeling he was going to be asking much of the same things Jesse had and I would have to tell him the same answers.
“How can you be so sure? He’s not exactly a harmless puppy, Geo.”
“Gregori, trust me. Please. Jon Winter is only here to do what was asked of him. He’s a little weird and I’ll apologize for that now but in the state he’s in, he’s harmless.”
“What is up with that? The way he phrases things, it makes me think there’s more going on than what he’s saying. Like he knows more than he lets on.”
“That’s just the way he is. He’s old, ancient for Vampire standards. He has gifts. He can see the past, the present, the future. He knows everyone’s secrets and intentions. He’s technically the perfect bodyguard.”
Gregori’s eyes narrowed. “How is that possible?”
I reached out and put my hand flat on his face, feeling the shock quicken his breath and mine. It sent tingles up my arm and to the rest of my body, making me want to get closer, curl up against him and forget everything else.
“How is this possible? How is anything possible?”
He squeezed my hand and looked me in the eyes. “I don’t like him.”
“Of course you don’t. There’s another rooster in your hen house.” I smiled.
“More like a rabid fox.” He reached up and brushed hair off my face. “I just…I’m afraid he’s going to hurt you.”
“There are things you don’t know, reasons why he won’t and can’t. Not that he would. He has a strange attachment to me.” I smiled again. “He would never hurt me.”
“Is this because of Michael?”
“You sound like Olivia. But yes, it is. It’s all blood laws and bonds. You don’t want the details, trust me.”
“Maybe I do.”
I sighed and tipped my head to the side. “You won’t like it.”
“Tell me.”
So for the next thirty minutes I told him some of the things that weren’t in my file, things I knew were left out on purpose, things my parents tried to hide. I skirted the Angel details, feeling a burning sensation whenever I got too close. For some reason, Raphael didn’t want me to tell him so I didn’t. Gregori listened and asked questions when I was done explaining. He knew about the bond to begin with, that detail was on my record but he hadn’t known about it until The Artist brought it up when I was a recruit. Like everyone else, he’d guessed as to who it was I was boned to but had never asked.
Not even now.
“I can’t help but feel you’re leaving something out.”
“I am. Something I can’t tell you, like I said before.” I looked at him. “I come with…a lot of baggage. I’ll understand if—”
He kissed me, reiterating the fact that he wasn’t going to go anywhere just because of the past. It was the past after all and just like Jon said, we all had ghosts hiding somewhere.
Then it suddenly hit me that he knew more about me than I did about him. For some reason I didn’t mind. I was never big on details when it came to the guys in my life. Maybe I should considering what happened with Aidan but Gregori wasn’t like him, not in the tiniest measurement.
That made me happy.