empty parking lot. I know that I should
at least try to maintain a semblance of self-control. My feelings for Rain are
too obvious, and they only prove that Tarren is right to be disappointed in me.
Disappointment is one of his strongest, sharpest weapons. He can cut me to
ribbons with the softest words of reproach.
“What if the angel is still alive
and uses him as bait, knowing that we’ll come looking for him?” Gabe’s question
is a good one, and I don’t have an answer.
“We have to find him.” My words are
a pathetic whimper.
The annoyed shades of bronze in Gabe’s
aura begin to cave. That’s the thing about Gabe, he’s all heart and loyalty
underneath that Batman costume. All it takes is a few tears from someone he
loves, and he’ll jump off the cliff right behind them. To hell with whatever’s
waiting at the bottom.
“We’ll each be careful, stay in
contact the whole time. If we come across a set of wings, we won’t engage,” I
blabber on. “This is just rescue.”
Gabe and I both turn to Tarren.
“Fine by me,” Rattlesnake pipes up.
She doesn’t realize that she and Chain are just along for the ride now. It’s
all about Tarren. If he’s on board, Gabe will fall into line.
Too bad I already know how Tarren
will answer. He follows Diana’s rules like they were chiseled in stone right
alongside the Ten Commandments. He’ll never let us split up, never let us go
careening off like…well, like cowboys.
“We’ll go in pairs,” Tarren decides.
An obvious and intelligent compromise that somehow still manages to surprise me.
“Keep in contact the whole time.”
Chain immediately glances at
Tarren, and I can just imagine how every single fiber of his angry soul is
begging to be partnered with my tall, handsome, and heroic brother. His aura is
filled with fireworks, and I turn away from him, distracted by the colors…the
music of his need.
“Rattlesnake and Gabe,” Tarren
says.
He looks at me. “Maya and Chain.”
Beside me, my new safety buddy
deflates like someone stuck a pin in him. I don’t bother to hide my
disappointment either. Why do I get stuck with anger management poster boy?
“What about you?” Gabe asks.
“Odd numbers,” Tarren responds,
like of course if one of us should go heroically gallivanting off on their own
it would be him. This is Tarren, always looking out for everyone’s safety…except
his own. “I’ll take the jeep,” he adds.
“You could…” I start, meaning to graciously
offer him my partner as a trade, but Gabe interrupts.
“No, I don’t like this. Tarren, you
can come with us.”
“I can take care of myself,” Tarren
replies with utter cool confidence.
“Doesn’t matter,” Gabe shoots right
back, both hands on his hips. “You’ve gotta’ have someone watching your back.”
“You can go with us.” Chain’s voice
is flat, emotionless, but his aura vibrates.
“We don’t have time for this,” I
say. Tarren can take care of himself, probably better than any of us
here. He can also cover a lot of extra ground if he’s on his own with the jeep rather
than stuck in one of our groups.
“Don’t like it,” Gabe says again,
but the tone of his voice lets me know that he’s losing steam.
“Let’s go,” I say to Chain and give
Tarren a look. “Be safe.”
Tarren nods. I almost expect him to
jump onto the back of a gallant steed before galloping away into the night.
***
Chain and I start our search for
Rain just outside the Mayflower Senior Care Village. The “village” consists of
a single large building dotted by darkened windows. I close my eyes, take a
deep breath, and let the angel part of me explore.
I feel Chain next to me, his aura
in flames of impatience and anger. Beyond him, I catch faint pulses of other
lives inside the building. Some are so weak they feel like echoes. I know the
feel of Rain’s busy aura, and I search, search, search, pushing my mind to go
farther. Be here, I wish as if he were just
at least try to maintain a semblance of self-control. My feelings for Rain are
too obvious, and they only prove that Tarren is right to be disappointed in me.
Disappointment is one of his strongest, sharpest weapons. He can cut me to
ribbons with the softest words of reproach.
“What if the angel is still alive
and uses him as bait, knowing that we’ll come looking for him?” Gabe’s question
is a good one, and I don’t have an answer.
“We have to find him.” My words are
a pathetic whimper.
The annoyed shades of bronze in Gabe’s
aura begin to cave. That’s the thing about Gabe, he’s all heart and loyalty
underneath that Batman costume. All it takes is a few tears from someone he
loves, and he’ll jump off the cliff right behind them. To hell with whatever’s
waiting at the bottom.
“We’ll each be careful, stay in
contact the whole time. If we come across a set of wings, we won’t engage,” I
blabber on. “This is just rescue.”
Gabe and I both turn to Tarren.
“Fine by me,” Rattlesnake pipes up.
She doesn’t realize that she and Chain are just along for the ride now. It’s
all about Tarren. If he’s on board, Gabe will fall into line.
Too bad I already know how Tarren
will answer. He follows Diana’s rules like they were chiseled in stone right
alongside the Ten Commandments. He’ll never let us split up, never let us go
careening off like…well, like cowboys.
“We’ll go in pairs,” Tarren decides.
An obvious and intelligent compromise that somehow still manages to surprise me.
“Keep in contact the whole time.”
Chain immediately glances at
Tarren, and I can just imagine how every single fiber of his angry soul is
begging to be partnered with my tall, handsome, and heroic brother. His aura is
filled with fireworks, and I turn away from him, distracted by the colors…the
music of his need.
“Rattlesnake and Gabe,” Tarren
says.
He looks at me. “Maya and Chain.”
Beside me, my new safety buddy
deflates like someone stuck a pin in him. I don’t bother to hide my
disappointment either. Why do I get stuck with anger management poster boy?
“What about you?” Gabe asks.
“Odd numbers,” Tarren responds,
like of course if one of us should go heroically gallivanting off on their own
it would be him. This is Tarren, always looking out for everyone’s safety…except
his own. “I’ll take the jeep,” he adds.
“You could…” I start, meaning to graciously
offer him my partner as a trade, but Gabe interrupts.
“No, I don’t like this. Tarren, you
can come with us.”
“I can take care of myself,” Tarren
replies with utter cool confidence.
“Doesn’t matter,” Gabe shoots right
back, both hands on his hips. “You’ve gotta’ have someone watching your back.”
“You can go with us.” Chain’s voice
is flat, emotionless, but his aura vibrates.
“We don’t have time for this,” I
say. Tarren can take care of himself, probably better than any of us
here. He can also cover a lot of extra ground if he’s on his own with the jeep rather
than stuck in one of our groups.
“Don’t like it,” Gabe says again,
but the tone of his voice lets me know that he’s losing steam.
“Let’s go,” I say to Chain and give
Tarren a look. “Be safe.”
Tarren nods. I almost expect him to
jump onto the back of a gallant steed before galloping away into the night.
***
Chain and I start our search for
Rain just outside the Mayflower Senior Care Village. The “village” consists of
a single large building dotted by darkened windows. I close my eyes, take a
deep breath, and let the angel part of me explore.
I feel Chain next to me, his aura
in flames of impatience and anger. Beyond him, I catch faint pulses of other
lives inside the building. Some are so weak they feel like echoes. I know the
feel of Rain’s busy aura, and I search, search, search, pushing my mind to go
farther. Be here, I wish as if he were just
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