Providence

“Okay, he was creepy,” I whispered, half-expecting Jared to offer comfort.

Without a word, he walked ahead, pul ing the key from his pocket. I scanned the boxes on the wal and noticed that the numbers were out of order.

“This is going to take forever!” I complained. Jared stil didn’t respond, so I rol ed my eyes and looked for box eight twenty-five.

Ten minutes later, Jared cal ed to me. “Nina?”

I rushed toward his voice and found him in the back corner, looking at a bronze square the size of a shoebox. “Wel , we should have looked back here, first. This is just like Jack, isn’t it?”

Jared stil didn’t speak; he simply shoved the key in the lock and opened it, exposing a tan safe with a large black combination lock and handle on the front. He placed the safe on the floor at my feet as if it were a shoe box. I was sure it must have been at least fifty pounds, if not more, but Jared didn’t brace himself against the weight. The muscles of his arms didn’t even strain.

“The code is a combination,” I said.

Jared nodded, pul ing out the wrinkled piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket. He read the code aloud and then looked up at me.

“Does that make sense to you?” he asked, holding out the paper for me to take.

825 2R2TL223TR05 “The eight twenty-five is the box number, and the rest is the key to the combination. But, combinations are just three numbers, one or two digits, right?” I didn’t look up, and Jared didn’t speak, so I wasn’t sure if he was in agreement with me or not. “So we need to figure out which of these numbers are the numbers of the combination. And the others are…what? Red herrings?” I shook my head. “No. Jack didn’t play games, these are al important.”

I concentrated on the dial of the combination lock, looking at the numbers and thinking about turning the dial to each number in the different ways they appeared in the code. I burst into laughter and looked at Jared with excitement.

“I’ve got it!” I smiled.

Jared masked an emotion, which in turn curbed my enthusiasm. It seemed we were back to square one of our relationship.

“You’ve got what?” he asked, his voice flat.

“The letters, the R T L letters, they mean right turn and left turn. Turn it twice to the right, stopping on two. Turn left twice, stopping on twenty-two.

Three turns right, stopping on five.”

Jared shrugged. “Try it.”

My first inclination was to wad up the paper, throw it at him, and tel him to try it. My temper cooled as reason crept into my mind. I wanted to see what was in the safe, and he would catch the paper, anyway, even if I did manage to aim wel enough to hit him.

I kneeled down and twisted the combination. I fol owed the directions, but when I stopped on the last number, it didn’t catch the way combination locks should.

My anger at Jared coupled with my frustration with the lock made my eyes water. When I tried to inconspicuously wipe my cheek with my shoulder, he sighed.

“Are you crying?” Jared asked.

I sniffed. “No. Leave me alone.”

“Try it again,” he said, indifferent.

I cleared the dial and paid close attention to each turn and stop, but when I reached the five, I passed by it once more. I had only passed it twice instead of three times. The lock caught and I gasped.

“It worked,” I whispered, staring in shock at the safe.

Jared pul ed me off the floor and kneeled down to open the safe. He slumped over and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Jack. What have you done?”

Chapter Thirteen

Guilty

“What is it?” I asked, leaning over his shoulder.

He turned to face me holding a brown, leather-bound book. It surpassed antique in appearance; wel -worn on the edges, with a strange branded seal on the front cover.

“It’s the Naissance de Demoniac. The Bible of Hel ,” he said in a whisper.

“Why is the Bible of Hel in Jack’s safe?” I said, stunned.

“Each of the patricians of the hierarchy of Hel has one. This one belongs to Shax,” he said, eyeing the black brand in the center. “I don’t want to know how Jack got his hands on it, but the fact that both of our names are on the account here tel s me that he knew I would go against his wishes, and once I did, we would need this.”

“Need it for what?”

“To barter for the only thing Jack would be wil ing to hand this over for: Your life.” His expression was tortured, as if the guilt was crushing him.

“Jared….” I said, reaching out to him.

He pul ed away and emotion disappeared from his face.

His rejection fueled my irritation. “Are we going to leave it here or take it with us?” I asked.

“It’s staying here. I don’t want this anywhere near you. Let’s hope Shax is the one demon in Hel that won’t hold a grudge.”

I reached my hand out to the book. “What’s in it?”

Jared jerked it away and kneeled down to thrust it back into the safe. He slammed the door shut, locked it and pushed the safe into the safety deposit box with a loud bang. He threw the paper bearing the code in with it and locked the door, shoving the key into his pocket.

Grabbing my arm, he rushed down the aisle toward the door. A short, low buzzer sounded when Jared pressed the button, and he fidgeted until Mr.

Stephens answered.

“We’re ready,” Jared growled.

As soon as the vault opened, I was pul ed forward again. His long strides had me trotting alongside him to keep up. The elevator doors slid open, revealing Mr. Stephens’ lanky frame. Jared stood rigid as the elevator climbed, and when the doors opened again he burst out, keeping a firm grip on my arm.

At his motorcycle, Jared wasted no time handing me his helmet. I fumbled with the chin strap, and with one movement he snapped his firmly across my neck and swung his leg over the seat, simultaneously pul ing me on the seat behind him with one arm.

He wrapped my arms tightly against his chest. “Hang on,” he demanded.

We raced down the road, weaving through traffic, blowing through red lights and stops signs until we reached his building.

My feet barely touched the steps, and once we were inside the loft, he released me. Without a word he climbed the stairs and disappeared beyond the railing. I stood at the bottom of the steps and listened as his footsteps stopped in the center of his bedroom. I waited, listening for a clue as to what he was up to, and then he walked into the bathroom. Seconds later I heard the shower turn on, so I waited.

Ten minutes passed. I sat on the couch, staring at the dark television screen. Nothing about Jared’s behavior made sense, and I assumed he would explain it in his own time, as he always did.

After half an hour, I began to doubt my own reasoning. I climbed the stairs and made my way to the bathroom door, pressing my ear against the wood. The shower was stil running so I tried to be patient, but after the fourth time of glancing at the clock I couldn’t let him avoid me anymore.

I lifted my fist to knock on the door but held back, turning the knob instead. The steam bel owed out around me and dissipated, revealing Jared slumped on the floor. His knees up, his back against the tile wal , his head down; he looked hopeless.

I sat on my knees in front of him. “Jared?”

He looked up at me, his eyes a midnight blue. “The night I sat on that bench, Nina, I signed your death warrant.”

“What are you talking about?” The sight of him frightened me. “Please tel me what’s going on!”

“We had more company last night,” Jared said, with the same tortured look from before.

“Who was it this time?” I asked.

“Gabriel,” he choked out.

“You’re not talking about your father, are you? You mean The Gabriel?”

“Yes…The Gabriel.” Jared said, rol ing his eyes at his own words. “He’s one of the most vocal advocates for eliminating fal en Archs before they have a chance to procreate. My existence insults him,” he said, an indignant look flitting across his face. “Gabriel’s a messenger…he also serves as the angel of death.”

I swal owed. “What did he say to you?”

Jared leaned his head back against the wal . “He said that he’l see me soon.”

My mouth opened as I gasped. “What did you say to that?”

“That he always says that,” he said with a contrived smile.

I thought for a moment. “Eli doesn’t mind Hybrids. Maybe he can talk to Gabriel?”

Jared breathed out through his nose, trying to be patient with my suggestion. “Nina, no one but the Almighty tel s Gabriel anything.”

My shoulders sunk. “So now we’re fighting demons and angels? How did we sink into this mess?”

“I shouldn’t have sat on that bench.”

I touched his face. “You sitting on that bench is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Jared recoiled from my touch. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You have no idea what I’ve caused. Shax won’t stop until he has the book, and even then there’s a good chance he’l retaliate. Hel wants us dead and Heaven won’t help us, Nina. I don’t know what to do.”

“This isn’t your fault. If Jack hadn’t taken the book, none of this would have happened.”

Jared laughed once. “Including us.”

I frowned. “Didn’t we agree we had to get through the nightmare to get our miracle?”

Jared smiled infinitesimal y. “Yeah.” He parted his knees and pul ed me to him, hugging me to his chest.

“What are we going to do about what we saw today?” I whispered into his neck.

“Right now we’re just dealing with humans. We have to make sure it stays that way.”Jared shifted and stood up, bringing me along with him. He brought me to the middle of his room and took in a deep cleansing breath, pressing his forehead against mine.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so….” he shook his head, clearly in ful self-loathing mode.

I inched up on the bal s of my feet and touched my lips to his. He cautiously kissed me back, and then sighed again.

“You’re under a lot of pressure right now,” I said, running my fingers through the sides of his hair.

“The last person I should be taking that out on is you. The way I treated you this morning is unforgiveable,” he frowned.

“It was unforgiveable,” I said. “But I forgive you.”

“We know what they want; we’re just not sure how far they’l go to get it. Claire and I can handle the humans. The hardest part wil be waiting for their next move.”

I nodded and wrapped my arms around him. “Can we start this day over?”

Jared kissed the top of my head. “Why don’t we start with getting you to class? You have a test today, don’t you?”

I shook my head. “I have a paper to turn in at ten thirty.”

Jared released me, disappearing to the bathroom. He emerged in a light grey t-shirt and black soccer shorts, with his ratty running shoes. He looked dramatical y different than the more professional attire he wore to the bank.

I stood by the door and waited while he pul ed a hooded sweatshirt over his head.

“Get your stuff together and I’l take you to school. I need to finish setting up for next week, so I’l meet you later, okay? Claire wil be close,” he said, almost in passing.

“Jared?” My fists gripped the fabric of his shirt, holding him tightly to me just as he began to walk away. He looked down at me and tucked my hair behind my ear.

“Yes?” he smiled, the softness final y returning to his eyes.

“Can we just pretend it’s a normal vacation and forget about everything here?”

“Absolutely,” he said, hugging me to him.

At Brown, Jared seemed to be back to his old self, which helped the unease surrounding me. Bibles from Hel , demons with criminals-for-hire, antagonistic angels—trying to make sense of it al only created more questions.

I snapped out of my daze when I saw Jared’s expression. “See you at one thirty?” I asked.

Ryan passed us as he walked into the classroom, nodding to Jared. I noticed Jared watch him for a long moment, and then he looked into my eyes.

“Nina,” he said, a bit nervous. “I’m sorry about earlier. It won’t happen again.”

“You’ve already said that,” I said, pul ing up one corner of my mouth.

Guilt displayed across Jared’s face. “I know. I just don’t think that I was clear.”

“You were clear. Consider it forgotten.”

His face seemed to relax, then, and he kissed me once more. “I’l have your things back in your room. I’l meet you there when you get back.”

I nodded and watched him walk down the hal . Before he turned the corner, he looked back at me and smiled. I waved and extended the handle of my bag, continuing to my seat.

“I came by your room about nine last night. You weren’t there,” Ryan said in a hushed voice, tapping his pen on my desk.

“I was sick last night. I stayed with Jared.”

Ryan’s face turned concerned. “You could have stayed here. I could have kept an eye on you.”

I smiled, knowing he was sincere. I appreciated his attempt to repair our friendship. The bitterness from before was absent from his face, and sitting beside him felt right again.

“I’m fine, now. It was just a bad hangover. I didn’t feel wel al day.”

“Yeah, I didn’t feel the greatest, either,” he said, shaking his head.

“And yet you offer to take care of me? That would be a sad sight, both of us lying around, puking our guts out,” I laughed, shaking my head.

Ryan chuckled, taking my paper when the professor instructed the class to pass them to the end of the row. During lecture, a smal square of paper landed on my desk. I smiled and pul ed open the folds.