Chapter 09
“Do you know what I have to go thorough every time that she calls me? Do you? And for what?”
Tina’s eyelids fluttered open. In the darkness her gaze slid over the back of the car seat and part of the back door before she closed them again.
“Stop whining, please.”
Tina could feel the strong arm loosely holding her around her middle, the soft leather under her cheeks and warm breath on the top of her head. And she recognized Uriel's strict, even voice coming from somewhere in front of her. She nuzzled closer to the warmth of the body that held her and gentle fingers brushed down her back in soothing circles.
“She doesn’t just stick needles in me! She steps inside my body! She takes things out. And she looks at them, poking, cutting before she puts them back in. Do you know how much that hurts? Do you?”
The sound of impact and of breaking bones echoed in the car.
“You are just like her,” the voice mumbled, muffled by something.
“I asked you to shut up nicely. But you refused.”
“Listen, you babbling idiot,” the voice above Tina said. “My brother spent his early childhood with that thing and went through much worse things than just poking and cutting. Much, much worse. You can't even imagine how much worse. So when he tells you to shut up. You shut up.”
Tina yawned, opened her eyes and craned her neck to look at Haniel, her senses still a little disoriented. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Haniel patted her back.
Tina blinked and straightened, her gaze fell on Muriel, who sat curled beside Haniel. She gave him a small smile, but the green eyes peeking at her from under black bangs turned away. What’s his problem? She frowned and leaned on the back of the seat beside Haniel. “What...”
She ignored Haniel, who waited with raised eyebrows for her to finish the sentence, and rubbed her forehead. There was something nagging at the back of her mind. Something that...There was something not right with finding herself in the car with Muriel, Haniel, Uriel and the strange blonde that sat in the passenger seat. What was it? What gave her that feeling? The silver rope that held the blonde in the seat? No. Then what? “What happened?”
“Quite a lot. You zapped Uriel and Damon,” Haniel said in a low voice, the corners of his mouth curved in a smirk. “I didn’t know you had that in you.”
“They were trying to kill each other,” Tina whispered to Haniel.
“I’m glad you did that,” Haniel whispered back. “You know, that you didn’t allow Uriel to strike the fatal blow.” A short pause before he continued. “Because he would have done it -- he hates Damon -- And then he would have carried the guilt of what he had done for the rest of his life. You know, wonder what if...” Haniel's voice broke. He coughed and continued. “What if Damon would someday accept us and he ruined the chance for us.”
“Damon is such a jerk. I’m sorry.” Tina hadn't exactly known what she should say, but she could relate to problems with parents, even though their relationship or lack of it with Damon seemed to be more complicated than her relationship with her dad. Life was so unfair. She wrapped her arm around Haniel’s shoulders, determined not to allow Haniel to dwell on such sad matters. “How angry is Uriel? Is he going to beat me?” she asked, even though she knew that Uriel wouldn’t harm her or at least she assumed he wouldn’t.
“He’s not angry, not really. I think he’s actually proud of you for not being passive, but he won't tell you that. When we get home, he'll probably lecture you, not praise you.”
“Yeah?” She leaned her head on Haniel's shoulder.
“Would you two stop mumbling?” Uriel said, his green eyes flashed in the rear-view mirror.
“Hey, who's the blond?” Tina in low voice asked.
“Petsha. Prva asked for him,” Haniel whispered so quietly that Tina could hardly hear him.
“When did Uriel manage to pick him up? Wasn't he busy with getting Damon away from me? How did --” she froze, the nagging feeling of wrongness flashed before her eyes in the image of claws holding her by her shoulders and the city's lights in the distance.
She thought that Uriel had saved her from Damon, but no... she saved herself, didn't she? And then that monster got her. She straightened, her fingers automatically going to her mouth. She nibbled on them. What was that?
“What's wrong?” Haniel put a hand on her shoulder.
“There was this monster. How did I get away?”
“Oh, that.” Haniel waved his hand. “That was --”
Muriel kicked Haniel.
Haniel furrowing his brows glared at him, then his forehead smoothed and he nodded before he turned back to Tina.
“That was what?” Tina raised her brows, and even though she asked Haniel, she gazed at Muriel, who refused to look her in the eyes.
“Muriel saved you.”
“You did?” Tina reached past Haniel, her fingers touched Muriel's arm. She frowned at the way Muriel flinched and stiffened, wondering why, and the questions of how he had managed to do that and what had happened stuck in her throat. “Thank you.”
#
Tina stood in the big, L-shaped kitchen with black and light-brown cabinets and steel appliances. She leaned on a large island with a sink, a grey marble worktop and five barstools framing it. The island separated the kitchen from the dining area, with a oak table and six black, padded chairs.
“Why is he being like that?” She glared at Haniel, knowing perfectly well that Haniel knew the reason why Muriel had been avoiding her since they returned to Prva’s house yesterday.
“Just give him time, okay?”
No, it wasn’t okay. She wanted to know what she had done and she wanted to fix things now. She opened her mouth to say that, but Uriel, who sat behind the table facing them reading a book, raised his head and demanded that she stop pestering Haniel. Tina looked daggers at Uriel. “I’m not pestering him.”
“Yes, you are.” Uriel inserted a bookmark between the pages and set the book down on the table, aligning it with its edge. He straightened and stood up. “You are fully aware that Haniel has trouble rejecting your requests and you are exploiting that.”
“I’m not.” Tina crossed her arms. She wouldn’t do something like that, she wasn’t that kind of a person and besides there was no way Haniel would submit to her like that. “Tell him...” She looked in Haniel’s direction; her eyes widened at the how the little pipsqueak sneaked out of the room.
“You are the closest thing to Trinity; you carry her inside you and he’d do anything to please you. Muriel too -- that’s the reason why he’s so hurt.” Uriel stalked toward Tina. “But I’m the one with the memories, I remember mom, her voice, her touch, and even if you have her inside you, you are nothing like her.”
“I never said that I was,” Tina stepped backwards. She had no intention of arguing with Uriel. The man was too moody lately. She could feel her heartbeat speed up and she counted on her newfound ability to get out of Uriel’s reach.
Uriel grabbed her hand as if he knew what she intended to do and pulled her closer. Too close. He leaned over her, so painfully slow.
Tina stared at stormy eyes;, she should have wiggled her hand out of Uriel's hold, but she stayed there rooted to the spot. Normally she wouldn’t have noticed it, but now as Uriel’s emerald eyes slowly drew near her it was painfully obvious. The sadness, frustration and pain. Somehow she knew that she wasn't the reason for those feelings. And that he wouldn’t hurt her. The fear dissolved under the need to know what was causing that.
Time sped up and Uriel’s sharp eyes softened. He released her with a sigh. He ran his fingers through his bangs. “I’m sorry, I frightened you. I didn’t mean to... just don’t push Muriel, he’ll tell you when he’s ready.”
She grabbed his hand. “What happened?”
“He'll tell you when --”
“No, to all of you. What... ” She bit her lip and gazed at the wooden floor, but refused to let him go. “What happened to you to make you act this way?”
Hard lines transformed Uriel's face into a cold mask, but he didn’t jerk his hand out of Tina's. “What are you talking about?”
Tina's forehead wrinkled. She doubted that Deadeaters had the ability to influence Uriel's emotional state, but... he had fought with Damon and... it had to be... “It's Damon, isn't it? What did he do?”
“You like to stick your nose in matters that don't concern you.”
“Is it because he said that you are not his son?”
“No.” Uriel's jaw tensed. “It's because he's a selfish prick.” He pulled his hand from Tina's, a soft snort escaped him. “But I can't really blame him since that's a characteristic all the Bloodeater share.”
“Do you hate him?” Tina couldn't help but to push for more, even though of the three, Uriel was the one she connected with the least and he was also the scary one, the one to be obeyed without question, because just his ugly looks inspired imaginings of all kinds of painful and horrid punishments. She could still feel the unpleasantness of Uriel's reprimand for using a stun gun on him.
“Of course I hate him.” Uriel turned away from Tina.
“Uriel?” Tina's fingers brushed against Uriel's stiff back.
“He turned us away when I asked for his help.”
She didn’t say anything, just stood there, with her palm against the warmth of Uriel’s back, feeling that she just had to wait and it would be okay. That this was exactly what he needed. She bit her lip. But she could also be wrong. She didn’t really know Uriel.
“He said ‘no’ to a small child and a toddler -- his flesh and blood. How could he?” The words spilled out and Uriel’s shoulders tensed, the spine looking as if it were going to curl forward. “If he had at least taken in Haniel and Muriel, it would have been fine. I was old enough to take care of myself, and I was used to Angelica's treatment, but they...”
Tina wrapped her arms around Uriel's middle and pressed her cheek against Uriel's back.
“They were so small and fragile and they didn’t have the memories of mom like I did; the memories that kept me sane.” Inhale and exhale. “I didn't know what to do and that...” Uriel's hands curled, the knuckles turned white. “He looked down on us with such contempt in his eyes. He called us Angelica's freaks.”
“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” Tina’s lips narrowed into a thin line as she pressed herself closer. She couldn't believe that Damon would do that. The insensitive ass.
“I wouldn't have cared if he had said it only to me, but he said that to them, he rejected them.” Uriel swallowed. “Haniel was too little to remember that, but Muriel wasn't. He still thinks that he really is a monster.”
“Of course, he isn't. He's just a boy. One who drinks blood and has supernatural abilities, but he's still just a young boy.”
“He's 437 years old, he's not exactly young.” Uriel covered her hands with his.
“Oh.” Tina shifted; she rested her forehead against Uriel's spine. They stayed like that for a spell, her breath dampening the cotton of Uriel's blue T-shirt before Tina spoke again. “How old are you?”
“451.”
“Ah. That’s a lot.”
“Yeah,” Uriel said and comfortable silence again settled over them like a thick blanket before a phone ringing sharply cut into it.
“Your phone is ringing.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Aren't you going to pick it up?”
“Yeah,” Uriel answered, but he didn't pull his phone out of his jean's pocket. His hands still lay over Tina's, the warmth of them seeping into Tina's skin. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
“What?”
“For saying you are nothing like her. It’s true, but I didn’t mean it as an insult.” He patted her hand. “You may not act and talk like she did, and your voice is different, but you have a kind heart like her and you care for people like she does. You care. And that what’s important.”
The ringing stopped, but then a few seconds later the door burst open and Haniel almost fell through it. His eyes slid over Uriel, the hands on his middle, and he froze. “What are you two doing?”
“I told her a story and she felt the need to console me.” Uriel allowed Tina to pull her hands from under his.
“You did?” Haniel asked before he frowned. “What kind of story?”
Uriel’s phone started to ring again.
Tina pushed herself away from Uriel and moved to his side.
“Oh.” Haniel stepped closer, his fingers shifted a long braid forward and he scratched his neck. “I almost forgot: Nathanael called. Prva wants to see Tina again.”
“I see.” Uriel pulled the phone out of his pocket and pressed it against his ear as he walked toward the door. “Yes.” He opened the door, gesturing for them to follow him.
“Come on.” Haniel grabbed Tina's hand and pulled her past Uriel through the door, across the anteroom and out into the open.
“What are you doing?” Tina stumbled after Haniel, the coldness of the night seeping through the thin fabric of her violet sweater.
“We are going to see Prva. I don’t like it, but we’d better get it over with.” Haniel stopped at the golf-cart parked at the side of the house, pushed Tina into it and after he sat in the driver’s seat turned the key in ignition and drove off.
“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to stall?”
Uriel's silhouette flashed beside the cart before he appeared on the bench beside Tina.
“And taste Prva’s displeasure? I don’t think so. She’s in charge of the Damned and this estate, you know, and as long as we live under her roof, we have to follow her ‘requests’.” Haniel lifting his brows glanced at Tina before he directed his gaze to the road that twisted between trees and buildings.
“Aren’t you worried?” Tina knew she was.
“Just stay off to the side and no matter what keep out of the way,” Uriel said.
“Don't worry, I'll take care of her.” Haniel turned the cart toward the wide, tall building that dominated the estate, and which also hosted Angelica's lab.
Uriel leaned over Tina and flicked Haniel's forehead. “I meant both of you, not just her. Let me do the talking.”
“Yes, sir.” Haniel rolled his eyes. He turned a wheel so that they were parallel with the entrance.
They stopped with a screech of the breaks. Uriel jumped off the cart and Haniel followed him. Haniel’s hand found Tina’s and he dragged her behind him up the stairs and through the doors, which had opened as soon Uriel stepped on the first stair, then closed behind them.
Tina vaguely remembered the big hall from the time when Uriel had taken her to their house though its grey walls, spacious and empty hallways reminded her more of the hospital than the home of the most powerful Damned. Even the Dumes’ small house looked more magnificent than this large storehouse.
Three white-haired children that stood by door, who looked no older than seven years old, were apparently waiting for them.
With a nod of their heads they greeted Uriel as he passed them by, not stopping as he strode toward the staircase, and then down the stairs.
Haniel followed him with Tina, the three children joining them.
“So that’s your Aradma?” the child with pigtails asked, the serious expression she wore and her sharp tone a contradiction to her small, thin frame and a childlike voice.
“Yes.” Haniel descended down the stairs, his fingers firmly holding Tina’s hand. “Now, what’s going on? Do you know why Prva wants to see her?”
“Yeah.” The boy’s big sky-blue eyes measured Tina as he ran alongside her.
“Angelica wants to claim your Aradma,” the girl with pigtails said.
“Not that she can since she’s already yours,” the girl with hair slicked into a high ponytail added. “But Angelica incest.”
“You mean insists,” the one with pigtails corrected her.
“That’s what I said.”
“Who are they?” Tina asked Haniel in low voice. “And could Angelica get her way?” She really didn’t like that possibility. It sent shivers up her spine.
“She can’t and even if she could, Uriel would never allow it. And they are Numuns, the fourth batch, I think.” Haniel turned around the corner. “The boy’s name is Gabriel. Right?”
The boy nodded.
“And the girls are... What's your name, darlings?”
“I’m Remiell,” the girl with pigtails announced.
“And I’m Sariel.” The girl with the ponytail took hold of Tina’s free hand.
“Nice to meet you.” Tina squeezed the small hand, glanced down giving the child what she hoped was an encouraging smile, and bumped against Haniel who stopped at the end of the stairs.
Haniel pulled her toward the heavy steel door that was at the end of the hallway. They stepped through it into a gallery where the smooth grey wall gave way to an arched ceiling of stone bricks. Sariel’s hand released hers as she dashed after Uriel.
Tina could see Uriel at the end of the gallery before he started to descend down the stairs. She wanted to rush after him, but Haniel’s hand stopped her. He shook his head and pointed down. “He said to stay out of the way, remember? Let’s take it slow.”
“Okay.” Tina looked over the iron fence. A large hall, half of the size of the whole building, opened before her.
Her gaze found Uriel, who had reached the bottom of the stairs and strode forward.
They retraced Uriel’s path, at much slower pace. They passed simple wooden benches that stood in a half circle on the stone ground and arrived at a massive built-in armchair. Prva sat on it, her small fragile body cradled by pillows scattered on the cold stone.
The three children sat down on the white sheep skins that lay at the foot of the chair.
Tina saw Angelica floating on Prva’s right, the light of her body almost blinding. And there on the left arm of Prva’s chair sat Anael, her fingers playing with a large pocketknife, opening and closing it with a flick of her wrist.
The sound of Uriel’s calm and even voice drew her gaze from Anael to Uriel, who with arms crossed, refused Angelica’s demand with the explanation that, even though Tina belonged to Haniel, she was still at Angelica’s call and he didn’t see any reason Angelica should have locked her in her lab.
“But you haven’t sent her to me even once when I asked you to,” Angelica argued.
“Tina,” Prva said. “Step closer.” After Tina obeyed, she wrapped her bird-like fingers around Tina’s wrist, her thumb over the pulse “Angelica said that she found a hint of Father’s blood in you? Have you ever met Abbas? And don’t lie, I would know.”
“Who’s Abbas, ma’am?” Tina frowned, trying to breathe over the anxiety that started to bubble up as soon as she heard that Angelica had tried to get her under her ‘wing’. She swallowed over the lump in her throat, determined not to show any weaknesses.
“The greatest mind in the universe.” Prva pressed her talon into Tina’s skin, but the sharp edge of its claw didn’t cut, only bruised.
“But it’s only a head now.” Anael closed the knife and put it in the pocket of her blue jacket. “I haven’t seen it, but it must be gruesome.”
“You don’t call our Father gruesome. Watch your mouth, Anael,” Prva commanded.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Prva focused back on Tina. “Have you seen it, child?”
“I don’t know.” Tina wanted to pull her hand from Prva’s hold, to get away from the familiar and hated pressure that she could sense at the edge of her mind. It seemed that Prva and Abbas had similar powers.
“How can you not know?” A first, stronger wisp pushed against Tina’s mind.
“She’s lying.” Angelica drew closer, her energy touched Tina’s body.
Fear slammed Tina’s heart almost violently against her ribcage, but she focused on breathing and withdrew inside herself, seeing and feeling her surroundings as if she were gazing through a window. What should she do? Should she call Trinity? But if she did, that might destroy everything. Her eyes found Uriel’s. They were so beautifully green. So calm and soothing. It was like they were trying to embrace her, saying just trust in us. Just trust in yourself. As long as you do there’s nothing to be afraid of.
The mental shield behind which she hid shattered and she again stared into Prva’s ice-blue eyes.