“That would be asking for a fight. Even I know you can’t just throw an angel and a demon together like that. I think I should go,” Xavier said.
“It’s too dangerous,” I argued.
“Beth, I’m not scared of them.”
“You’re not scared of anything,” I shot back. “But maybe you should be.”
“This is the only way,” he insisted.
I looked up at my brother and sister.
“Fine but if he’s going, I’m going with him.”
“Neither of you are going anywhere,” Gabriel cut in. “If Jake were to turn on you with a group of others to support him . . .”
“I’ll look after her,” Xavier said. He seemed offended by Gabe’s insinuation that he wouldn’t be able to protect me. “You know I wouldn’t let anything happen.”
Gabriel looked skeptical. “I don’t doubt your physical strength,” he said. “But . . .”
“But what?” Xavier asked in a low voice. “I would lay down my life for her.”
“I know you would, but you have no idea what you’re facing here.”
“I have to protect Beth—”
“Xavier.” Ivy put a hand on his arm, and I knew she was sending a soothing energy through his body. “Please listen to us. We don’t know what these people are . . . we don’t know how strong they are or what they’re capable of. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s likely they have no reservations about killing. Brave as you are, you are still only one human facing . . . only Our Father knows what.”
“So what do you propose we do?”
“I think we should do nothing until we’ve consulted a higher authority.” Gabriel’s face was expressionless. “I’ll make contact with the Covenant right away.”
“There isn’t time for that!” I cried. “Molly could be in serious trouble.”
“Our first concern is protecting the two of you!” The anger in Gabriel’s voice caused a hush to fall over the room. Nobody spoke until Ivy looked at us with sudden decisiveness.
“Xavier, whatever we decide to do, you cannot go home this weekend,” she said. “It’s not safe. You must stay with us.”
The scene at Xavier’s house wasn’t pretty. Gabriel and Ivy waited in the car while Xavier and I went inside to tell his parents he was staying with me for the weekend.
Bernie glared at him when he broke the news. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.” She followed Xavier into his bedroom and stood in the doorway, hands on hips as he packed a bag.
“You can’t go—we have plans for this weekend.”
She seemed to have missed the part where he’d told her he was going rather than asked.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” he said, striding around the room and throwing clothes and underwear into his sports bag, “but I have to go.”
Bernie’s eyes widened. She threw me an accusatory look, evidently holding me responsible for her model son’s transformation. It was a shame because we’d been getting along so well. I wished there was a way we could tell her the truth, but there was no chance she would have understood that it was too dangerous to leave Xavier unprotected.
“Xavier,” Bernie snapped, “I said no.”
But Xavier wasn’t listening.
“I’ll be back on Sunday night,” he said, zipping up the sports bag and slinging it across his shoulder.
“That’s it; I’m getting your father.” Bernie whirled around and stormed down the hall.
“Peter!” we heard her calling. “Peter, come and talk to your son—he’s out of control!”
Xavier looked at me apologetically. “Sorry about this,” he said.
“They’re just worried,” I replied. “It’s natural.”
A few moments later Xavier’s father appeared in the doorway, his forehead creased with concern and his hands buried in his trouser pockets.
“You’ve got your mother in a bit of a state,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Xavier put a hand on his father’s shoulder. “I can’t explain it all right now, but I have to go. Just trust me on this one.”
Peter looked over at me. “Are you both all right?” he asked.
“We will be,” I said. “After this weekend everything will be fine.”
Peter seemed to sense the urgency in our voices, and he put his hand over Xavier’s.
“I’ll take care of your mother,” he said. “You two worry about taking care of yourselves.”
He gestured to the bedroom window. “Go that way.” We stared at him, wondering if it was some sort of joke. “Hurry up!”
Xavier smiled grimly, pushed open the window, and tossed his bag out before helping me through.
“Thanks, Dad,” he said and hoisted himself up after me.
From outside, pressed against the cool bricks, we heard Bernie come back into the room.
“Where did they go?” she demanded.
“I’m not sure,” replied Peter innocently. “They must have slipped past me.”
“Are you okay?” I asked Xavier once we were safely in the car. I knew how terrible I’d felt lying to Ivy and Gabriel, and I knew that Xavier had a lot of respect for his parents.
“Yeah, Mom will recover,” he said, and smiled at me. “You’re my top priority and don’t you forget it.” We drove home in pensive silence.
Raising Hell
Hard as I tried, I couldn’t accept Gabriel’s proposal of waiting for divine guidance. It seemed unlike him to respond in such a way, uncharacteristically cautious, which told me everything I needed to know; Jake Thorn was a serious threat, and that meant I couldn’t sit at home while Molly was in his clutches.