Page 12 of Deliver us from Evil

Wary.

I’m always thinking of traps. Still not entirely convinced he doesn’t know exactly who we are. That’s my paranoia of course. Not as easily turned off as old memories.

You feel that, Mason? It feels nice, doesn’t it? Oh, you’resucha good boy.

* * *

Gabriel goesto the bell tower. And that makes no sense, but I follow him anyway. I follow him all the way up the stairs and then hang around out of sight behind the first twist in the stairwell.

What’s up there? A big fucking bell. Is this part of his provostial duties or something? Does he have to ring the bell to signal the end of term or some shit?

I still feel sick. My skin feels oily. I could use a shower to wash that debilitating memory off me. But I’ll watch Gabriel first.

My phone’s still on silent, so it vibrates furiously when someone calls.

Cass.

But I can’t take it now. I need to listen. I need to be a few steps ahead when Gabriel comes down again.

And then he does. But something’s different. His footsteps sound heavier than before. Little details like that don’t get past me. I was on full alert back in that basement…I don’t think I’ve ever gone back to normal.

I sneak down the steps as fast as I can, and it’s too easy to stay ahead of him, silent like this. Because he’s moving slower. Carrying something, maybe. Something heavy enough to slow him down. It’s driving me mad trying to figure it out, so I just fucking stop with the mental gymnastics. I concentrate on staying ahead, keeping the sound of his heavy footsteps within earshot.

I slip into a nearby alcove when the stairs exit on the top floor landing. I’m sure the shadows are hiding me, but I’m quivering with adrenaline when Gabriel finally shows.

What?

No.

I blink, hard. Then again.

Is that…?

I watch Gabriel walk past with Trinity in his arms. If I ever had any doubt they were father and daughter, seeing them together eradicates it.

Same dark hair. Same nose, even. His is slightly larger, of course, and there’s a fan of blood leaking from it that makes me think Trinity must have put up quite a fucking fight.

I follow as soon as he has a big enough lead on me. I expect him to go to his room seeing as it’s only one hallway to the left, but instead he takes the stairs.

My phone vibrates again, but I don’t bother checking. I know I should be calling my brothers and updating them on the situation, but there’s a question that plays on repeat in my mind, crowding out all other thought.

Why is she still here?

Why is she still here?

Whythe fuckis Trinity Malonestillhere?

Chapter Seven

Rube

When I squeeze into our lair the first thing I see is Apollo on his armchair with a washcloth pressed to the back of his head, wincing as he stares at nothing. Cass comes out of the bedroom like he heard me struggling to get in but for once he isn’t wearing a look like he’s about to tell you the punch line of a joke. He looks grim and serious and it scares the living shit out of me.

“Tell me everything.”

But it doesn’t help when they do, because they don’t know all that much. Apollo got knocked out before Trinity said anything useful.

“And Zach?” I ask, still standing near the exit, barely moving.

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