Chapter 9: Secrets

After throwing on a pair of skinny jeans and my favorite gray sweater, I brush my teeth and apply a few swipes of mascara and lip gloss. I run a quick brush through my wavy hair because I let it dry against a pillow. I'm about as presentable as I'm going be today. Unfortunately, even after several hours of sleep I'm still mentally exhausted. I should probably talk my stomach into eating. I know that's part of my problem.

I grab my phone, shoving it in my back pocket as three quick knocks come from the other side of Aunt Kelly's door.

"Kate? I have your food," she says in a loud whisper.

I unlock the deadbolt and pull open the door. The smile on her face is the first thing I see, but I can tell there's worry behind her eyes. Uncle John, the house burning down, and what the hell to do next-it's got to be weighing on her. Hell, if she knew that I have an otherworldly bodyguard watching my every move, it might actually help her stress level. Wherever he is right now. The thought of him excites me but scares the crap out of me, too. Hell, I sound like some kind of psycho, even to myself.

I take the bag and drink from her hands, trying to do my best to shake off thinking about him for at least the next few minutes. "It smells great. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she says, walking through the door. "Um, weren't you supposed to be at school today?"

Shit.

"Oh, yeah. But it was a half day before Thanksgiving break, so I figured I'd sleep in."

She sighs and looks up at me. "Okay, but next time you decide not to go to school, let me know." Her tone quickly changes. "They called, asking where you were. It scared the shit out of me, Kate. And when I couldn't reach you on your phone..."

Hell, that didn't even cross my mind. I was too busy thinking about being trapped under an enormous dude in a black cloak, hovering over me while some kind of flying monster was apparently trying to kill him or me. I'm not even freaking sure anymore.

"Yeah, it kind of slipped my mind," I admit, placing the food on the tiny table and taking a seat. "I was charging my phone and forgot to turn the sound on."

"Everything okay?" she asks, pulling out a chair next to me.

Crap. She wants to talk.

"Yeah. I mean, the fire pretty much sucked." I look down because I hate lying to her. "I think I'm still kind of freaked out, that's all," I say, hoping she'll buy it. I can't exactly tell her what's really going on.

"I'm sure you are." Her expression changes as she cocks her head. "Dear God, is-is that Zack's necklace?"

Oh, fuck. I put it on so I wouldn't lose it.

Her eyes go wide. "Kate, what the hell is going on? How in the name of all that is holy do you have his necklace?"

I'm at a loss for words. Aunt Kelly is glaring at me like I'm insane and I'm starting to believe I am. Maybe everything that happened with the Watchman and Zack and the flying monsters is really all in my head? Could I have blacked out somehow? I've been heartbroken for so long, could I have lost my shit and actually dug up my dead brother? Am I that far gone?

Just the thought of it frightens me and I immediately feel like throwing up. I don't have an explanation. I wasn't prepared for this.

"Kate! Answer me!" she screams, startling me out of my thoughts.

A tear drops down my cheek. I don't have a choice, I have to tell her.

"Zack's not dead." I whisper the truth and watch her brows pinch together.

She reaches for my arm. "What are you talking about?"

"He's not dead, Aunt Kelly. I've seen him." I pause and watch her face change from confusion to shock. "I've talked to him, too."

She scoots back in her chair and walks over to the window, crossing her arms as she looks out at the courtyard. "Oh, yeah? Where?" she asks, humoring me.

"What do you mean?"

She turns to look me in the eyes. "Where did you see him?" she asks again, only this time, she's eerily calm

"I don't know, I-I've seen him a few times," I admit, waiting for another question but she stays quiet, so I keep going. "The first time I was taken to him," I say, watching her head tilt to the side like she's gauging my sanity.

"Who took you?"

Is she really curious or is she just gathering mental notes for a new shrink?

"Um, I'm not sure how to describe him other than saying he was a large man and he was wearing a black cloak."

She shakes her head slightly and smiles. "So you're telling me that some dude in a black coat took you to your dead brother?"

Her sarcasm would have pissed me off under any other circumstance, but when I hear how crazy it sounds out loud, I can't really blame her.

"I'm telling you the truth, Aunt Kelly!" I blurt out. She's the last person I want to upset. I won't lie to her anymore.

"Dammit, Kate, you've been going to that fucking cemetery for months." She pauses and walks toward me. "Even when I tried like hell to stop you, I knew you still went. There's no telling how many lies you've told me! And quite honestly, I think you've finally lost it."

Okay, now I'm pissed.

"You have no idea what I've been going through! None!" I shove my chair back and stand. "You're right, I have been going there. Even when I told you I wasn't-because grief and hopelessness were beginning to unravel everything I knew about myself!" I shout. "But no matter how many times I went or how long I forced myself to wait between visits, the same man in the same black cloak was always there. And three days ago, when it was cloudy and I thought I'd reached my limit on simply being alive at all, he looked at me. He'd never done that before. So when he walked away, I followed him. He wanted me to. I could feel it!" I stop and wipe the stupid tears now drenching my cheeks with the back of my hand.

Aunt Kelly just stares at me, flabbergasted, like if she could dial the number to the nuthouse this very minute, she would. But then she says something I don't expect.

"Holy shit." Her voice is almost trance-like. "It's happening. It's really happening."

My eyes dart to hers and it's as if I'm meeting my Aunt Kelly for the first time. Is it possible she knew something about Zack's death? Our parents? And if so, how could she even fathom keeping it a secret? She knew I was desperately trying to dig my way out of a deep, horrific abyss. Simply labeling it depression doesn't cover it-not even close. If she had any information that might have helped me, even a little, why the hell wouldn't she have told me? Thoughts of how my life could have been better for months-hell, even years-flood my mind and I'm so angry I barely hear the words I scream at her.

"You knew?!" I practically charge at her, stopping only inches away. "You knew?!" I yell again, because they're the only words I can think to get out.

She flinches and closes her eyes and that's when I know for sure. She knew all along.

"Wait." She puts her hand up, as if doing so will calm me down. "I didn't know, Kate!" she shouts as tears well up in her eyes. "Not for sure, anyway."

For a second, I want to hug her, because that's what I always do. I don't want to see her upset and I always do everything I can to keep her from worrying about me. But now I'm starting to doubt everything I know about her. Clearly, I've been the fool all along about Zack, my parents-even her and Uncle John. It's no secret they've had money problems for years and they were all too happy to take me in when Zack died. I had a huge inheritance. And that's when it hits me-my reality is starting to become crystal clear and the anger is back with a vengeance.

"Not for sure?!" I shout sarcastically. I watch tears stream down her cheeks but I don't give a shit-I'm beyond pissed.

"Calm down, Kate! It's not that simple!"

She touches my arm but I yank it back and walk away. I barely want to be in the same room with her.

"Will you please sit down?" she asks, her voice draped in worry. The same worry I've been trying so hard to prevent before today. It pulls at my heartstrings; I'm pretty sure she knew it would.

"Come on, Kate," her brows push together, "you can at least give me that much."

Cheap shot, but I decide to do what she asks-for now. Nodding my head, I follow her to the table and take a seat. I'm fully aware that my body is trembling, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm still furious with her or frightened that my world is falling apart. Lacing my fingers together to stop the shaking, I wait for her to start. But first, she pulls a couple of tissues out of the complementary box sitting in the middle of the table and takes a deep breath. I don't say a word. I need the truth. I need her to tell me everything.

She shifts in her chair before locking eyes with me. "Do you remember your grandfather, William?"

I'm a little confused by her question. She knows how close we were, he was her and my mother's father. But why is she bringing him up?

"Of course I remember him." I pause because it almost feels like she's changing the subject. "What does Papa have to do with all of this?"

Aunt Kelly takes another deep breath and closes her eyes as she exhales. "He didn't...he didn't die of a heart attack like everyone thinks." She stops and puts her hand to her chest with a sigh, like admitting it was a huge relief, but I can hear the struggle in her voice.

I wait a few more seconds in the silence as she wipes at the corner of her left eye. "Okay, so, he didn't die of a heart attack." I repeat her words, still totally confused why we're even discussing this right now.

I was ten when Papa died; he was the first person I lost who meant everything to me. He taught me how to fence because it was his passion. We would spend hours discussing strategies and practicing how to take control in impossible situations. I came to love the sport and even went on to compete, but it wasn't the same without him. Until the fire, I still had my sabre and protective gear. I couldn't part with any of it because they were all gifts from him. Now they're gone forever. All those memories.

None of it explains why she brought him up, though. "What does any of this have to do with Papa? He's been gone for years."

Aunt Kelly locks eyes with me and says, "It has everything to do with him because he died saving your life."

Wait, what?

I'm not sure how to respond or even what to say. I'm completely taken off guard and it feels like I've been gut punched. Hard. There's no way he died saving me. I wasn't even there.

"Huh? How is that possible? I wasn't with him when he died," I say as tiny pieces of that day begin jarring something vaguely familiar in the back of my mind. I shift in my chair to keep fresh needles from poking at my gut.

"Oh, you were there, you just don't remember." She takes my hand and this time, I don't stop her. I'm pretty sure she knows I'm starting to lose it. "The blow to your head was pretty severe, honey. It was even touch and go with you for a while there. And, according to the doctors, you'll probably never regain full memory of that day." She stops and squeezes a little harder. "But it's also possible it could all come flooding back. The brain is tricky like that."

"What happened?" I ask, even more confused than before.

"I don't know, Kate, no one does. You were the only one with him when he died."

Oh.

My.

God.

I'm trying to process this new information when Aunt Kelly says, "You were unconscious when they found you." She scoots her chair closer to me.

"When who found me?" I ask, trying to will away the nausea creeping its way into my stomach.

"Zack," she admits, "and your dad."

"If Papa and I were alone, how did Dad and Zack know where we were?"

"Oh, he always made sure your parents knew where you two practiced," she explains. "Especially Zack."

"Why?" I ask. This is getting more confusing by the second.

Aunt Kelly looks away and exhales before her eyes return to mine. "It's time you knew the truth," she begins, her voice getting more intense. "Our lineage goes back nearly a thousand years. Your mom and me, Zack, and now you."

What the hell is she bringing this up for? I already know our family goes back to some dude named William the Conqueror.

"Yeah, Mom showed me the family tree years ago. But what does this have to do with-"

"It has everything to do with what's going on now."

Holy shit, she's serious.

"Okay, but I still don't get why."

"Kate, you've been given hints about this your entire life, and, to be fair, we-I mean, your parents and I-didn't think it would even affect you. Hell, it's been dormant for decades." She looks away as if she's replaying something in her mind. "Well, until Meredith and Adam were killed." Her voice cracks a little when she says my mom and dad's names.

I choke back a sob. "Zack told me that they were targeted."

"He's right," she responds, taking another tissue. "They were killed by..." She stops again, like it's hard to get the words out.

"Tell me!" I demand, swallowing back the new lump in my throat.

She shakes her head, "You're going think it's crazy. Jesus, even I think it's crazy."

"Just say it!" I shout a little louder than intended.

Aunt Kelly closes her eyes for a moment, like she's debating whether to go further. My body is starting to tremble again and I know she can feel it. Out of the blue, she blurts out, "They were killed by Earth Demons."

What the hell did she just say?

"Come again?" I say, not even trying to mask my disbelief.

"It's true, Kate, and just because you don't believe it right now doesn't mean it isn't real." She clears her throat. "You and I, and Zack, are..." She stops again and takes another deep breath. "You and Zack and I are all part of the Order of the Celestial Hierarchy."

"Huh?" is all I get out because I have no words. She's clearly lost her freaking mind. I mean, what the hell does Celestial Hierarchy even mean? I'm literally trying to Google my brain for more information when she takes both of my hands, squeezing them as if bracing me for the worst.

"You, my dear, are half Seraph."