The Flames that Engulfed Us

Chapter 20: Breakfast or Brunch or Whatever the Meal is With the Food

Kassidy seemed like she was willing to ask me anything. She would say whatever she wanted, unconcerned about how it affected me. She didn't seem to care if I was mad, tired, or anything else. Lincoln was different for her. She seemed to have fear-based respect for him. All he had to do was look at her and she cooled down, walking in silence. If she asked me something, Lincoln would look at me, constantly gauging how I handled it and scolding her accordingly.

Like I was fragile. And not fragile like the flower about to break. Fragile like the bomb that was about to explode into a million pieces. I appreciated Lincoln's vote of confidence in my overall mental state.

She must've thought my behavior was different than usual, but when Lincoln was abrupt or when his eyes flashed dangerously, she didn't comment. She didn't think it was out of the ordinary. He had been gentle with her once, but she must have thought that behavior the anomaly, and this the usual.

"Sky," she tried again after a while, "did he hurt you?"

"Stop," Lincoln hissed, "just stop asking."

Kassidy gave me a look. A look that I had distributed and received before. A look that accepted what Lincoln said, but still said that I was going to dish it all out for her later. She fell silent for a moment. Then she set about filling the hall with her melodic voice saying nothing worth hearing at all, just making a sound.

"Hey," I mumbled softly, "I'm just getting a feeling that you're still planning on murdering him."

"You don't want me too," he reminded me, with a trace of sulkiness, "so I won't."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

He looked at me. I could see he had so many promises he wanted to make, so many promises he knew he couldn't keep.

"You don't need to say anything," I told him.

"Sky," he muttered, stopping without any warning, catching me before I fell over in the motion of jerking myself to a stop next to him, "I do need to say something. I need you. I love you."

His lips brushed against mine, and I pulled him into me. Everything was right with the world until Kassidy cleared her throat. She was motionless in front of a door. She made a gesture for us to entire whatever room it was, and Lincoln walked a leisurely pace towards it. I clasped his hand in mine and hoped for the best as we walked in.

I wasn't sure what I expected it to be, but I certainly wasn't expecting food. The room was full of big metal tubs of steaming pancakes, French toast, bacon, sausage, and eggs. Fruit was piled high in baskets. Lincoln stopped short.

He looked at Kassidy. "Can we eat it?"

"Yeah. What's the point of food you can't eat it?"

He clutched a plate in his hands, piling on so much food that I wondered if he was suddenly becoming attracted to the idea of hibernation. I put my hand on his shoulder after he started trying to balance more food on top of what was already there.

"You can get more if you want after you're done," I chided him.

He nodded reluctantly, walking to a table with two chairs. Perfect for us. I grabbed myself a cup of juice, just to make watching him eat less awkward, and joined him.

He was shoveling food into his mouth so quickly I ran over the Heimlich maneuver in my head. He didn't need it though, and he only slowed down for the last few bites.

"I'm going to get more."

He hadn't eaten much. This made sense, but it was still weird for me to watch. Had I really been starving him that much? In five nights, had I really forgotten that level of humanity?

"Sky," he said through a mouthful of food, "whatcha thinking?"

"Just that I don't really miss eating, which is weird. I loved it, but I don't miss it."

He looked at me oddly, watching me sip my juice. Kassidy had disappeared. I was just noticing that.

"Your loss. This food is really delicious."

It must have been if it made him forget his rage like that for a moment. I chuckled, agreeing with him. It would take some getting used to that we weren't the same anymore. But sitting there, I didn't regret that I was just watching him enjoy food. I even let a smile play across my lips, but something still bothered me.

Why feed us? It was all so nerve-wracking to figure out. I puzzled over it as Lincoln finished his meal. When he cleaned off his plate and sat down again, I wanted to ask what he thought, but the room fell silent. The other people I'd barely even noticed stopped talking. Their eyes were all on the door. Or rather, the figure standing inside of it. Gary.

Kassidy was there again.

"Come on. It's time to go."

I made eye contact with Lincoln. He didn't want to go, and neither did I. But if we were going to have to go anyway, there was something reassuring about it being under my own power. I looked at Gary again. I sank into my seat. I didn't want to move. I wanted him to glance right through me as though I didn't exist. I wanted him to leave me and my boyfriend alone.

But he didn't. Kassidy looked at us, raising her eyebrows as we both remained rigidly in place. Gary strode forward. I couldn't find it in myself to move, and Lincoln seemed to be using all of his effort in keeping himself rooted to the spot. His eyes smoldered with a rage that would have scared me if it was had been directed at me. But it wasn't. So, I was only scared of Gary.

"Guys. Move it."

Kassidy was probably just trying to help, but Gary was getting closer and closer. I reached across the table, and Lincoln gripped it in his. Gary stopped in the same position a waiter would.

I don't think you'd need a further demonstration of why to do as I instruct you, so I'll say one thing. Stand and follow me willingly.

Lincoln looked Gary right in his faceless face and opened his mouth. Profanities spilled out of his mouth, the only clean word he said was "yourself," which, in context, was still used in a profane way.

Soul, as I told the Angel yesterday, your actions could only be described as a side effect from your stupidity. This is your last chance. Get up.

I didn't move. Lincoln drew all the attention away from me, though.

"No."

Gary didn't attempt to reason with Lincoln's stubbornness. He grabbed me and forced me out of my chair. He kept his hands away from my bare skin, and it didn't hurt at all. But there was still the threat that he might. That's what kept me stiff in his grasp, and what made Lincoln's eyes widen. He stood, scowling at Gary.

Gary steered me back out the door, pushing me on when I stumbled, not stopping until we were in the hall. Then he let me go, as though releasing something dirty. I turned to face him, waiting to see what he would do. I held my breath and tried to focus on keeping my knees from buckling.

He turned on Lincoln, seeming to say something I couldn't hear. Stupid telepathic communication.

"Do whatever you want to me, but don't touch her."

Do you hear that? Whatever I want. Soul, whatever I want is a big thing to offer, but you feel that deal would be worth it, don't you? Fine, I'll take you up on that.

"No," I heard myself utter, "that's not an option. He can't get hurt."

Gary looked pleased with himself, or maybe that was just my perception. He didn't have a face, after all.

Come. Soul, if you disobey me, the Angel will get hurt. Angel, you can't keep him safe. Come with me.

And what could we do, but follow him? What could we do but follow him, together, our bodies as close to each other as they could be and still walk?