Thirty-five

Grace heard someone leave and then someone else fumbling in the dark. After a few moments Genevieve stood up and the lights came on. A strange sound had started against the wall.

The woman swayed and lifted her hands as Cam stormed toward her. It sounded like the wall cracked and he stopped in his tracks. He bolted for the stairs as it felt like the wall near her caved in. Grace covered her head.

See me beautiful

Look for the best in me

It's what I really am

And all I wanna be

It may take some time

It may be hard to find

But see me beautiful

See me beautiful...

(Grammer, Red. “See Me Beautiful”.  Teaching Peace. Red and Kathy Grammer. 1986, Smilin' Atcha Music, Inc., Track 10.)

A grinding noise was followed by voices, “The Sibyl protects.” 

“I trust our Sibyl’s judgement.”

“I didn’t know they could move like that in the daylight.” A familiar voice came over the others and Genevieve pushed past the barstools she’d blocked them in with.

“My Angel! I am their purpose. Their Sibyl was in danger. It gave them strength.”

Grace peeked over the bar at the terrifying creatures and the dirty naked man she was embracing.

“Time is short, I need to lend strength to Mercy.” The dark-haired woman turned to face the creatures. “Will you-”

“I am their purpose.” One of them spoke in Genevieve’s voice and she stepped away from her husband to embrace it.

“I need you to gather around me. I need to feel you.” 

Instantly, the others crowded around. It looked like an insane, terrifying group hug with stone demons. She met the man’s eye and shivered, realizing he only had one.

“Grace, it’s going to be ok.” He smiled and lifted his hand stepping toward her slowly. “Do you remember me? I’m Remiel, everyone calls me-”

“Remi!” She exhaled and came out of her hiding place. “This is all insane. Witches and magic and-and they said wolves and oh god, Coby, they were going to kill him!”

The large man wrapped her in a comforting embrace. “It’s all going to be ok, Grace. You trusted her to keep you safe this far, keep trusting just a little longer.”

Her head was swimming with questions and concerns but suddenly the air was pulsating like too much bass even though she didn’t hear a thing and Genevieve’s voice rang out. Seven Nation Army spilled out of the woman’s mouth but it made her ears ring and the air seemed to ripple as if it were water. Remi scooped her up and carried her out through the hole. Outside she couldn’t clearly hear it anymore but the feeling of the music that she was certain hadn’t been playing resonated. As it ended it slid into the song Genevieve had sung in the hotel, God’s Gonna Cut You Down. She wasn’t sure how she knew it was that song but it felt like it, as if it were playing loudly but at the edge of her perception.

Then it fell quiet.

“I think we can go back in.”

“I’d rather stay out here.” The thought of going back in where those stone creatures were and the weirdly singing woman was a bit too much.

“Grace!” Eli’s voice rang out and in a moment he was there. Solid, real.

She lurched toward him and let him sweep her up in a bear hug. “Oh thank god!” Not bursting into tears was almost more than she could do.

“You’re safe, I’ve got you.” His voice sounded raw and she broke into laughter as she lifted her head and looked up at his face, reaching up to wipe away a few of his tears.

“I was trying not to cry, and there you go.”

“I’ve been worried sick about you and the first thing you do is tease me?” He grinned at her.

She laughed as his eyes flashed gold and he heaved her onto his shoulder. 

“I don’t think they’ll make you wait long but you might try to wait until the witches are dealt with.” Bas strolled past them giving her a smirk.

“You dealt with one.” Eli sounded pleased.

“We’ll see what happens to the other.”

“I don’t want to go back in.” Grace shivered again.

“We’ll go around, Remi, can you-”

“I’ve got him.” Remi laughed. “She was worried about Coby…” 

“Yes! Is he-”

“Up the hill.” Someone who was walking with Bas gestured.

“I’ll carry you.” Eli started straight up the steep embankment. 

At the top, the level of the house door and shed she saw people swarming all over. Large men in what looked like serious hunting gear and practically Amazonian women dressed not much differently.

“Can she see Coby?” Eli marched up to a vaguely familiar looking man and set her on her feet. 

“Layla and our healer are tending to him. That was a nasty wound that witch gave him. He was lucky it wasn’t worse.” An older man frowned at her.

“They were going to kill him, she said the bracelet would help him-”

“It did.” Someone came up to them with a pleased look. “At med school I heard stories of people who’d been assessed with serious injuries but by the time they got to the urgent care facility those injuries had miraculously become less severe. They would blame it on sloppy assessments but-”

“But you’re saying they might have been miracles?” The old man gave him an indulgent smile.

“He was bleeding out with rusty shears in his guts, and now, even with what we can do to help, you’d think he’d only gotten a bad scratch. I want to ask her for a few bracelets like that.”

“Vivi is always happy to help where she can.” The familiar man smiled and shook his head. “Can she see Coby, Will?”

“I think she can, Alpha Germain. He was worried about the poor sweet girls.” The man he’d called Will smiled and beckoned for her to come along.

“Thank you, Alpha Germain. And thank you, Alpha Benson for helping-” Eli started speaking as she was turning away.

“We owed Vivi for her kindness. How is she coming on that window?”

Grace turned back feeling suddenly like she was being rude and attempting to join the conversation, “Was she making the one with the peacock feathers and the woman with a dagger for you or the one with the tree and crown?”

The man’s wide grin made her blink. “Peacock feathers?” He waved them toward where Will was waiting, walking with them.

“And a king with a lute. You can talk symbolism with her on the drive back.” 

“You’re not going to fly her home?”

“She doesn’t like to fly. She and Bas badgered the Latro pack into letting them drive back. Something about being trapped in something you can’t get off of and people you can’t get away from. Bas said she was so nervous when he flew with her people thought he was sex trafficking her.”