April 2, 1980
2:45 AM
Clayton sat in silence, in the den of his home staring at a photo of Jonathan hanging over the mantle of his fireplace.
"Are you going to come to bed?"
Clayton startled at the sound of Emily's voice as she broke the thick silence.
"I fell asleep about midnight... I dreamed of Jonathan, and Nadjia. They were together."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Nadjia... her eyes, you know? They weren't..." Clayton trailed off, still staring at Jonathan's portrait over the fireplace.
"It's been hard, Clay. Come on up to bed, let me help you feel a little better."
"We had a council meeting today. Coven are running scared."
"That's not a bad thing, Clay."
"They say there's a monster out there, a monster wearing the face of a man."
"Jonathan..."
"That's what they say."
"...so he is alive, then." Emily sounded relieved. She walked into the den, and sat across Clayton's lap.
"I don't know." Clayton stroked his fingers through Emily's hair.
"It was just a dream, Clay."
"The rains started March twenty-fifth, and haven't let up. Dry Creek is flowing - flooding - and Prism Falls is coming down hard."
"It rains. Creeks fill. It's nothing."
"It's probably nothing, you're right... but Em, when was the last time we had downpour like this? The storm clouds just hang there in the sky, and the rain just keeps falling."
"Maybe it's a little unusual, but this is a good thing, Clay. We need the rain, God only knows."
"Coven are running scared from our son, the monster." Clayton's voice cracked. He coughed, and cleared his throat. "They're threatening retaliation."
"...well, if Jonathan has them running, there's not a lot of time to regroup."
"Yes, but why hasn't he come home? He's out there in that storm, and where has he gone for refuge?"
"Have you checked the ruins?"
Clayton fell silent, struggling to swallow. His eyes shimmered in the low lot den, and Emily nuzzled the side of his neck. Clayton lay his head on hers. "No. I'm afraid what I may find. I'm afraid of what's out there in the storm."
"You're not afraid of anything."
"In afraid of him."
"He's our son, Clay. He's angry... but he wouldn't hurt you."
"He cut down nineteen people in his place at the ruins. Without me. He's killed Nida, and Amir."
"They were consorting with the enemy. I loved them, too... but thy broke the accord."
"He burned down their home."
"Was...? What about..?"
"Suheila is in Irvine with her aunt. She's safe."
"Well then, good news, right?"
"I want you to take David, and go with him to Salem. Stay with Bartholomew a while until this whole retaliation thing blows over."
"I'm not going to leave you here alone, Clay."
"Then take David to Bartholomew. I'm sure he'd like to see Karen. They get along well enough. Take him there, and leave him there for - a visit - and come home after a day or two."
"Do I need to be afraid?"
"I don't think so, no. I'll burn this entire city to the ground before I let anything happen to you and our boy."
"Will you try and find Jonathan?"
"I'm going to enlist help from Detective Polovatski."
"The citywalker?"
"He's a decent man."
"He is false life, Clay."
"Why? Is who he is - what he is - to be defined by an Angel?"
Emily pulled away from Clayton, and turned his face to meet hers. "Am I going to take the description from a creature older than time?"
"She - it - is a fallen angel. It speaks nothing but lies."
"Clayton Walker, please don't make me go away. You're scaring me."
"Take David to Bartholomew, and come home. He'll be safe out there, and he'll get to visit with Karen. It'll be good for him."
"What about us? Is that good for us?"
"Let's call it a second honeymoon. We'll take a lot of downtime. Just please do as I ask."
Emily nodded. "When do you want me to go?"
"Tomorrow, sun up."
"You're scaring me, Clay."
"You have nothing to fear. After all, it's our son out there. He's wrecking their numbers, destroying their circles. Soon enough, they'll be too afraid to gather at all."
"Unless they retaliate."
"Empty threats from scared heathens. Go to bed... get some sleep. You'll fly out in the morning."