~ CATHERINE ~
Christopher carried me across the gravel road, not even struggling with my weight, even though I felt like lead, my body exhausted. I closed my eyes, needing sleep, needing it so bad.
Christopher said something, but I missed what it was, other than he sounded anxious. He gave me a shake and raised his voice. “Catherine, are you all right? Your breathing is laboured.”
A croak escaped my lips, my throat so dry. Trying again, I found my voice. “Just so tired.” I opened my eyes. “Where are you taking me?”
“Stephen’s house, where you should’ve gone last night.”
“Thank you,” I said simply, what he’d done for me more than I could vocalise.
He gave me a small smile, though it was tempered by his glistening, bloodshot eyes, grief infusing every part of him. It was almost like a separate aura, enveloping and weighing him down.
“What happened to your grandfather?” I asked, wondering whether that was why he was so upset. Was Reprebus dead? I’d heard a man yell something about allowing someone to die, but hadn’t been able to concentrate at the time. My mind had been groggy, still was groggy, everything a blur. Though, I did remember Reprebus getting thrown backwards just before I got slammed into a tree. But that was it. Nothing more. Everything going dead after that.
The last thought jolted me, making me realise that I had been dead. And I’d felt nothing. No spiriting away, no Heaven or Hell, no burning of my soul in Reprebus’ purgatory bead. Maybe I hadn’t been dead for long enough, giving Christopher a chance to save me. Regardless, it was scary, because there’d been absolutely nothing. No afterlife. Nothing.
Christopher didn’t reply to my question about his grandfather, just continued walking, holding me close to his chest. I placed my ear against it, hearing his elevated heart rate, his heart breaking inside.
A group of cyclists appeared in the distance, nothing but country surrounding us. I murmured the shielding spell, but was too weak for it to take effect. Christopher started saying it, the cyclists disappearing from sight, the smoke from the burning trees too far away to affect his spell.
He turned towards a barn, which was in one of the many paddocks framing the road. He walked past some tyre tracks that had ripped up the grass, and headed around the barn, the car he’d stolen from last night hidden behind it. He gently slid me into the backseat. I went to take off the Halo rosary on the remote chance that it could still save his grandfather. I didn’t want the man to survive, but this wasn’t about what I wanted, it was about Christopher. He’d saved me and I needed to do something for him.
“Don’t take it off,” he berated me softly. “You need to heal completely.”
“I am completely healed,” I replied, removing the beads. “I’m just weak from exhaustion, not injury. So, take the rosary to your grandfather.”
He blinked at me, surprise crossing his face. “But he tried to kill you. No, he did kill you. You were dead.”
“I don’t want you hurting.”
His brown eyes shimmered. “It’s too late.”
“There could still be a remote chance.”
He shook his head. “I used all the Halo beads’ energy on you. They’re practically dormant. They won’t work for months, possibly longer.”
I went silent, the fact he’d sacrificed his grandfather for me only just starting to sink in.
He closed my door and went around to the driver’s side, climbing behind the wheel. Not saying a word, he started the engine and headed out of the countryside, driving back to the burbs. I didn’t talk either, overwhelmed by what had happened.
We eventually arrived at Stephen’s place. It was a two-storey, Spanish-styled house with a terracotta roof and a smooth cream exterior, reminding me of my old primary school Star of the Sea.
Christopher hopped out of the car and went to my side. Using the blanket on the backseat, he wrapped it around me and pulled me out of the car. He carried me to Stephen’s front door, leaning over so I could press the doorbell. When no one answered, he started kicking the door.
“Stop banging!” Stephen yelled from within.
Running footsteps came from other side, the door opening a second later. Stephen stood before us, dressed in black pyjama pants and a white T-shirt, his long blond hair hanging loosely around his shoulders.
“What the hell are you doing here?” His sleepy gaze moved to me. “And...” He looked closer. “Holy shit, are you naked under that?”
“Her clothes are burnt,” Christopher replied. “Can we—”
Stephen cut him off, “Why are her clothes burnt?”
“She got attacked.”
Stephen’s face fell. “Shit, come in.” He moved aside.
Christopher stepped through the doorway. “Are zia or zio home?”
“No, they’re staying the night at a hotel for my mum’s birthday. Who attacked Cathy?”
“You won’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
“How about you tell me where I can lay her down first.”
“Put her in my parents’ room. You know where it is.”
Christopher carried me up the staircase, Stephen following close behind. We entered a bedroom that was covered with floral wallpaper and filled with intricate furniture that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Louvre.
“So, who attacked her?” Stephen asked.
Christopher laid me down on the king-sized bed, making sure the blanket still covered me. “Nonno Reb.”
Stephen blinked, then let out a burst of laughter. “This is a joke, right? You guys are getting one over me.”
Not answering him, Christopher dug into his pocket and pulled out a...
Terra rosary.
“Where did you get that from?” I asked, fascinated by it. Unlike the other legendary rosaries, it was quite colourful, with mostly purple and emerald jewels, as well as a few earthy ones.
Ignoring me, Christopher held the rosary out to Stephen. “Put this on.”
Stephen frowned. “Why?”
“Just put it on if you want me to explain.”
Stephen took the rosary and slipped it over his head, his eyes widening as it lit up. “What the hell?” he said, staring down at it.
“You’re a Merge, Stephen.”
Stephen looked back up, confusion playing across his dumb face. “What?”
“You’re a Merge. I don’t care if your parents don’t want you to know, you need to learn how to protect yourself from other Merges.”
“I have no idea what you’re on about.”
“A Merge is a type of angel.”
Stephen snorted out a laugh. “You’re definitely tripping.”
Christopher held out his hands, fire sparking from his fingertips. Stephen yelled out and stumbled back, his face shocked.
“I’m a Seraph,” Christopher said. “Which is one of the Seraphim—the fire angels. While Catherine’s a Stella, which is a pure angel. And you... You’re a Terra, which is an angel who can control earthly elements.”
Stephen’s shocked gaze moved from Christopher to me, then back to Christopher. “I’m dreaming, I’m not awake.” He rubbed at his face. “Or maybe it’s the pot that Greg got from that new guy Tate.”
“It’s not drugs or a dream,” Christopher replied. “I know this is a shock, but you need to understand this is very real. Your parents are Deniers, which are Merges who don’t want to admit what they are. They think they’re protecting you by keeping you away from the Merge world, but you can’t live in ignorance. It’ll get you killed like it almost got Catherine killed.”
Stephen shook his head. “I don’t understand a word you’re saying, because this,” he indicated to Christopher’s flaming fingertips, “can’t be real.”
Fireballs formed in Christopher’s hands.
“Whoa!” Stephen yelled. “Stop doing that!”
“Not until you understand this isn’t a hallucination. It’s real.”
Stephen brought his hands to his head, gripping onto his blond hair. “You’re seriously freaking me out, man.”
“I know, and I’m sorry, but you need to make your parents teach you how to use the rosary, because there are demons out there who want to kill us just because we’re angels.”
“Is that how Catherine got hurt? A demon attacked her?”
“Yes,” I answered, the dumbass probably having forgotten what Christopher had said about their grandfather, and... he proved me right.
“The demon didn’t infect you, did it?” he asked. “Because I ain’t having no Exorcist shit in my house.”
I rolled my eyes. “Demons don’t infect, they possess. They aren’t bloody zombies, you moron.”
His face went hard. “I’m not a moron!”
Christopher jumped in before I could reply, “She didn’t mean that.”
“Oh, yes I did.”
Christopher threw a glare at me. “Christ, he’s helping us, will you at least be nice?”
“Yeah, sure, I’m sorry.”
Christopher shook his head at me, probably knowing I wasn’t being sincere, then returned his attention to his cousin. “Can I live with you for a while? I can’t go back home, not after what happened.”
Stephen nodded. “Stay as long as you need, my mum wants you here anyway.”
Christopher smiled sadly at Stephen. “Grazie. I appreciate it.”
“No worries, cuz. I know your old man did that shit to you,” he said, pointing at Christopher’s bruised and swollen face. “Do you think he’ll try to get you back?”
“Doubt it, he hates me.”
“What about Grandpa Reb? He loves you.”
Christopher tensed.
Stephen frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Christopher shook his head, then turned away from his cousin, looking like he was trying to get his emotions under control.
Stephen’s gaze flicked to me. “Why’s he upset?”
“Your granddad’s dead,” I answered.
Stephen’s eyes widened. “What?”
“He died this morning.”
Stephen brought his hands to his head, his expression filling with shock and grief. “No,” he said, shaking his head.
“I’m really sorry,” I said, this time meaning it.
“Did the demon kill him?”
“Your grandfather was the demon. He’s the one who attacked me.”
Letting go of his head, Stephen took a step towards me, his expression now angry. “Grandpa Reb isn’t a demon! He’s my grandfather!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Bullshit!” he yelled. “You hate me, you fucking hate me! That’s why you’re saying this!”
Christopher turned back to him. “No, she’s telling the truth.”
Stephen’s violet eyes snapped to him. “But he can’t be a demon!”
“I wish that were true,” Christopher said, walking up to him.
He wrapped his arms around his cousin. Stephen pushed him away, but Christopher went for him again, pulling him into a hug. Stephen stopped fighting and lowered his face to Christopher’s shoulder. I glanced away, knowing I was responsible for both of their pain.
“Don’t go anywhere near my father,” Christopher said, still holding his cousin. “Don’t let your famiglia go near him either. You saw what he did to me. He’s demonic too, and now Nonno’s gone, he could lose his mind.”
Stephen pulled away from Christopher, his violet eyes bright with tears. “If you’re calling them demons, wouldn’t that make you one as well? What about me? Grandpa Reb might not be blood, but your dad is.”
“It’s not hereditary,” I cut in, wondering why Stephen called Reprebus his grandpa if he wasn’t related. “Merges who have corrupt souls are demons. Christopher’s soul is pure. He’s an angel.”
Stephen ignored me, his sole focus on his cousin. “I should call my mum and dad.”
Christopher nodded. “Sì, you should.”
Stephen took off out of the room. I genuinely felt sorry for him, the protective wall his parents had built around him already crumbling.
Christopher flopped down on the bed next to me, looking both physically and emotionally drained.
“What’s going to happen now?” I asked, wrapping an arm around him.
“I don’t know,” he said, leaning his head against mine, “other than we need Stephen’s parents to stop denying who they are and help us. Maybe Stephen’s mother can get my father to stay away.”
“Do you think she can?”
“Possibly. My zia’s the only one who can talk sense into him. She’s soft with everyone else, but turns into a dragon with him, which she can do literally. She’s a shapeshifter.”
“Seriously?”
He nodded. “And a lot more. She may be a Denier, but she still has lapses where she uses her powers. When I was ten, she saw my father hit me. She ripped a door off its hinges and threw it at him—without even touching it. She’s dangerous when she gets overprotective.”
I tightened my grip around him. “So am I, because you’re worth protecting.”
He arched a brow. “Am I?”
“You bet you are.” I pressed my lips against his, knowing I’d kill to protect him.