Page 56 of Rekindled Prophecy

Chapter 23

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Soft strands of piano music threaded in from the courtyard as the door to her suite shut behind her. The rain had slacked off during the ceremony, and a few rays of sunshine peeked out from the clouds to brighten the newlyweds’ day. Drawing the curtains to block out the sights and sounds from outside, she picked up her phone to check for messages.

Please let there be good news.

Two messages. One from Thomas saying he had not heard back from Jasper or his other contacts since he briefed the other guardian on his way to the psychic’s apartment building.

The other was a terse and to-the-point message from Jasper, “Call me back now!” Chills streaked down her spine. Her guardian angel mentor had never sounded frazzled. Never. Not even in the midst of battle. She clicked the call return icon. It took two rings and then she heard his familiar husky voice, breathless and agitated.

“It’s about time! Enjoying yourself, I hope. All Hell is about to break loose here, darling. Get your sweet ass to DC now!” He quipped without his usual humor.

He quickly filled her in on what had transpired while she had been officiating the wedding. The building was on a complete supernatural lockdown. No one and nothing could get in or out. There was no power to the building; all communications were dead.

“Everything looks normal around the buildingbut is far from it.”

He explained that everyday life was going on in the streets. The humans outside could not ascertain anything out of the ordinary. However, with his angelic visionary powers, he could see the pulsing glow of a demonic force field enclosing a score or more of monsters. They appeared to be waiting. What they were waiting for was anyone’s guess. After her last trip to DC, Greylyn figured they were waiting for her again.

“There’s been exactly one time that I’m aware of that anything like this has ever been seen. It was horrific!” his voice quaked. “A couple of Thomas’s pals approached the building unawares before I arrived. Apparently, they had yet to use their high-tech goggles that would have allowed them to see the supernatural activity. One poor bastard was electrocuted.It must’ve looked like a heart attack because someone called 911, but it was too late.”

Taking a ragged breath, he explained, “Now that they are aware of the dangers of approaching the building, none are eager to do so. I told them to hang back and simply watch.” He sighed deeply. “I don’t think they are going to be able to help much.”

“Anything to indicate why they are besieging the building?” Greylyn guessed the why did not really matter at this point. Demons did not ever really need logic.

“Darling, I have no idea what they want. So far, they’ve done nothing except keep those inside Sofia’s building in and all others out.”

A knock at the door to her suite startled her – so much so that she almost dropped the phone. After asking Jasper to hold that thought for just a moment, much to his chagrin, she opened the door to find the bride’s father, Mr. John Calendar.

Rather surprised, she greeted the gentleman with a friendly smile and a “Hello.” In a quaint southern drawl easily indicative of Georgia roots, he informed her that her presence was requested for a few last pictures before everyone reconvened in the main house for dinner. “Miss, we are just so grateful to you today. You single-handedly saved the wedding! We insist you join us. The party cannot go on without you.” His blue-gray eyes beseeched her.

“Really, it was the least I could do.”

“Well then, it’s the least we can do to offer you a good meal and maybe some dancing later.”

As much as she argued that it was nothing and they should continue with the celebrations without her, he would not take “no” for an answer. The sweet, mannered Southern gentleman also had a stubborn streak.

Although she appreciated the gesture, she was needed in DC. Politely begging for their forgiveness, she heard Jasper’s voice over the phone calling her name. She quickly put the phone back up to her ear and walked further into the room so Mr. Calendar could not overhear their conversation.

“Listen, Grey. I have no clue what is going on here. But what if this is all a ploy to divert your attention.” He advised. “You know I’d rather have you here beside me, darling …”

“But you just ordered me to … how did you put it? Get my sweet ass to DC now!” He must really be flustered if he was already contradicting himself.

A loud, annoyed sigh came over the phone. “My genius brain is a screaming roller coaster, babe! Try to keep up.”

“Genius?” For being around half a millennium or more, he was brilliant, but genius?

“Well, if it isa ploy to get your attention, then you would be walking into a trap if you showed up. We’ll wait and if nothing happens because you don’t show up … score one for the good guys!”

“And what if my missed appearance just pisses them off and they destroy everything in a two-mile radius?” Innocent people could die. She was not willing to take that chance.

“If it looks like the situation is heating up, we’ll make a move here and I’ll call you in. But I really don’t see how handing you over to a demon army would be a wise choice.” There it was … the truth. Jasper was more worried about her than anyone else at risk, including everyone in the besieged building. “My gut says for you to stay put, for now at least. And my gut is never wrong.”

Normally, she would argue the point, especially since she knew of more than one occasion when “his gut” had not only been wrong but had gotten them in far more trouble.

“Well, there was that time in Belgrade,” she began before he rudely shut down the conversation.

“Stay there, for now anyway. If things get dicey here, I’ll call.” Reluctantly, she agreed. Putting him on hold once more, she thanked Mr. Calendar for the invitation and promised to be right back out once she finished her phone call.

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