FORBIDDEN (7 page)

I flew with blinding speed back to Hannah’s. Not in flight, but running. Much less painful, plus I’d become very attached to this hoodie. The nice thing about being dead is you don’t get B.O. I could wear the same clothes all the time if I wanted and never worry about it. Not that it had deterred me while alive, but still. It was a little more sanitary now.

Owen announced his presence by tackling me to the ground. My face slid across the cement, cutting my cheek and irritating me. I stood up to see him grinning. “Good news, Levi. We’re promoting you.”

“I’m done? I’m a Guardian?” My heart soared, but then plummeted in the same motion. Hannah. What would happen to her? Would they give her someone reliable? Could I still watch her as well?

“Are you kidding? You’re kidding, right?” Owen laughed. The smile never reached his eyes. “No, you dolt. We’re just reassigning you somewhere with more than two stoplights. Hannah’s time has come. Tomorrow she’ll pass on.”

Ice filled my body. “Tomorrow?” I croaked. “She’s only sixteen.”

“Yeah, well, those are the breaks,” Owen said as he shrugged indifferently. “I’d be glad if I were you. From what I’ve heard going around the rumor mill, you were getting awfully attached. You know the rules, Levi. That kind of stuff will get your wings pulled and your chances gone. I’m just trying to look out for you. It’s a good thing this human is done. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened?”

“Who knows…” I said, trailing off. I was numb.

“Hey man, look, we’ve already got another Call lined up for you. His thirteenth birthday is tomorrow. He’s a kind soul.”

I looked at Owen, surprised. “Why do I get to know his soul category, and not Hannah’s?”

Owen looked uncomfortable. “I don’t call the shots. I just send the information I’m given.”

That was a lie, and we both knew it. My blood was starting to boil from the injustice of Hannah having to die. “Tell me Hannah’s soul category. It shouldn’t matter if her time is tomorrow, anyway.”

Owen’s eyes flashed dangerously. We had never been on good terms, and honestly Owen was being really cool right now. I was pushing him, and it wasn’t going to end well if I continued. “You’re demanding things I can’t give you.”

“Why are you lying? Just say you won’t tell me. Don’t say you can’t, you know what she is. Why is she dying so young? How will she die?”

“What does it matter to you?” Owen jeered. “She’s a human. They live, they die, we continue on. They don’t deserve any special treatment. Of course, we both know you deserved to stay where we found you, too. Not just anyone can do the things you did while living. How you got a second chance, I’ll never know. Hannah probably does deserve more than you got.”

I shoved him hard. “Shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The fire behind his eyes flared. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were true flames. He wasn’t going anywhere, and it suited him in a freaky, evil way. “You know that I’ve seen your past. There’s nothing good about you. I don’t know why you’re even trying.”

His words raked my body, but I stood still, ignoring his comments. No way was he going to know how many times I’d told myself the same things. “It was an accident.”

“It was calculated. You know it.”

I yelled in rage, barreling into him and pinning him against a tree in a nearby yard. “You’re full of crap. You’ll never be any more than what you are, and you don’t want anyone passing over. Things can be changed.”

“Not for you. Not for your Call.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.”

He grabbed me by the neck and threw me across the yard. A huge divot ran the length of where he’d tossed me. I only stopped when my back hit the SUV sitting in the driveway. There was a resounding crunch as my body crumpled the side of the car. The alarm went off, and lights came on in the house.

Owen was over me in a second. “Just take care of your Call for the last 24 hours. If you say a word about her upcoming accident to her, she’ll die faster. You know the rules. I’m trying to do you a favor here, buddy. Just let her go and things will be fine. We’ll figure things out.”

I couldn’t decide if he was actually being nice or not. His eyes had cooled and he even extended a hand to pull me up. He started again. “I’m sorry I lost my cool. You just pushed me, man.”

It was true. I nodded. “It’s all good.”

He shoved me against the car once more, buckling it in even further. He barked out a laugh. “You’re sturdy. I like it. Just get through these 24 hours and we’ll talk. No need for you to lose your wings.”

He began to walk away, but I called out to him. “And why do you think that’d be necessary?”

“Because I have a feeling you’re going to do something incredibly dumb. I’m warning you ahead of time, don’t do it.”

NINE

Owen disappeared before the man came barreling out of the house, shotgun in tow. I managed to disappear before he got close enough to see anything. He whirled around in a circle, then caught sight of his car. A strangled cry came out as he ran toward what was obviously his baby.

I ducked out just in time before he got there and ran the rest of the way to Hannah’s. It wasn’t time to meet her, but there wasn’t any time to wait. Literally, our time was running out. What was I going to do?

The sane, rational part of me said it was better this way. She’d be gone and I’d have a chance to move on to bigger and better things. The overwhelming, emotionally charged majority of me said there was no way I should let her go. It didn’t feel right for her to die on any level.

They were in the kitchen playing Monopoly, just like she said they would. I could see and hear their happy banter. Family. Something I’d never really known. No time to sit and think about the past. I ran up the stairs and hit the doorbell.

A tall man came to the door. His dirty blonde hair was cut in the military “high and tight”. His eyes were weathered, but kind. I could tell he had a good soul. Good. Hannah was taken care of. He smiled and nodded. “What can I do for you, Son?”

I bowed a little, giving the sign of respect that had been customary in my time, then extended my hand. “I’m Levi, Sir. A friend of Hannah’s. I apologize for coming over unannounced, but I was wondering if Hannah was around?”

The man’s handshake was firm and long. He eyed me with a father’s protective gaze. “We were just finishing up our game night. Come on in. Have you eaten?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.”

He grinned at my attempts to impress him. It seemed to be working. He led me into the kitchen and I tried not to look like a deer in headlights.

Hannah’s surprised smile gave me a second of relief. Then I remembered that tomorrow she’d be unable to smile. Her heart that fluttered right now would be silenced forever.

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat. “Uh, hi, Hannah.”

She grinned and waved me over with a look that was much more loaded than her greeting. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

Translation:
what in the heck are you doing and why are you letting my family see you?

“Just in the neighborhood. Thought I’d swing by.”

Translation:
you’re going to die and I’ve come to stop fate from doing its job, possibly to my own detriment.

We smiled at each other and Hannah’s mom introduced everyone to me. “Well, Hannah’s friend, do you have a name?”

“My name’s Levi.”

It was awkward. I didn’t know how to deal with humans. They all looked at me like I was a science experiment for a minute, then went back to the game. I kept thinking, where would I take her? How was I supposed to stop fate when I didn’t know what was going to happen?

“So, uh, Hannah. I was wondering what your plans were tomorrow?”

She looked at me confused. “Just school. Why?”

I nodded. “Huh. Okay. Who’s gonna drive you home?”

“Probably Angie…”

Hannah’s dad glanced my way. “Do you drive, Levi?”

His question caught me off guard. “Huh? Oh, no, I don’t, Sir. Not that I don’t have my license, it’s just I haven’t saved up for a car yet. I was just wondering what Hannah’s plans were tomorrow, that’s all.”

He nodded and smiled. “Well let me know when you get that car. I’ll test you before I let Hannah get in there with you.”

Hannah punched him and laughed. The family was so happy.

They wouldn’t be tomorrow.

So tomorrow she’d go to school, then ride home with Angie. What was the harm in that? How could she die?

Ethan.

Ethan would know what was going on if it involved Angie.

I stood up immediately, which brought the attention back to me once more. “I just realized I have to, uh, be home for something. Hannah, can I talk to you later?”

She looked confused, but nodded. “Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow, yeah,” I said distractedly. I nodded at her mom and shook her dad’s hand again. “Thank you for inviting me into your home.”

I didn’t wait for a response. I bolted out the door with enough restraint to make it look somewhat human. Hard to tell what kind of an impression I’d made. This was why Guards didn’t interact with humans. We weren’t the same, and the human façade could only be held for so long. I was going to get myself in all kinds of trouble if I saved her.

Where would Ethan be? Most likely at Angie’s. I sprinted across the lawn and into the woods that lined the street on the other side of their house. The acres that separated the two houses were completely obscured by the large trees. No need to hold back. I ran as fast as possible.

“Levi! Hey, Levi!”

I stopped. Ethan had just passed me, going in the opposite direction. He looked shaken. “Did Owen talk to you?”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, did he catch up with you?”

“You could say that.” He looked down and kicked a rock under his feet. It flew off into the darkness. “He said Angie’s time had come. She’s gonna die tomorrow. I’m getting a Call in London starting tomorrow evening. He actually gave me my pick of where I wanted to go. Owen isn’t half bad, you know? Where are you going?”

The nonchalance in his voice irritated me. “You don’t care that Angie is dying tomorrow? Not at all?”

“Well, that’s what humans do, remember?”

I punched a nearby tree in frustration. A sizzled hole where my fist went through remained when I pulled away. “Yeah, I know. But they’re too young. Did he tell you how it was gonna happen? Is it quick?”

Ethan eyed me speculatively. “Oh, no. I’m not telling you anything. You’re gonna interfere, aren’t you?”

I stared him down. “You’re the one who told me I was in over my head, remember?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you would screw things up so badly that you would consider playing with fate. You know you’re going to be screwed forever if you go down this road, right? No more second chances, Levi. This would end it all.”