Hedgesville, West Virginia
Caspian Residence
Saturday, August 24, 1996
7:56 PM

"Did you enjoy your time with Rem?" Rachael asked with concern on her voice as Jennie sat in the kitchen.
"Yeah, it was fun," Jennie said back as she stared at the melting ice cream that sat in her bowl. Her face reddened at the thought of the kiss Rem had given her. She drowned the warm feeling that was pooling in her stomach with a spoonful of ice cream.
"Ashlee called me earlier and said she saw you and Rem kissing," Rachael remarked abruptly as Jennie suddenly choked on the ice cream. "Oh! Are you okay?"
"Fine," Jennie stifled as she breathed heavily over the shock of choking and what Rachael said. "It was an accident really. I fell on Rem and our lips kind of connected."
"That's not what I heard from Ashlee," Rachael said with a smirk.
"Okay, I fell on him and he took advantage of me," Jennie stated flatly. "He kissed me." Her face got hotter while Rachael giggled.
"Looks like you liked it though," Rachael teased.
"It felt good," Jennie said quietly.
"That's good," Rachael said, sitting down on the opposite side of the kitchen table. "Are you falling for my little brother?"
"Falling for him?" Jennie asked, looking up at Rachael who was smiling sweetly. "I don't know. I enjoyed my time with him, but that doesn't mean I'm in love. Besides I've only known him a few weeks. How can anyone be in love so soon?"
"It happens," Rachael said calmly. "I don't believe in love at first sight, one can fall in love within weeks of meeting."
"I suppose, but I don't want to think that I'm falling in love with anyone," Jennie remarked as she ate the last of her ice cream. "And there's...so many..."
Rachael's eyes softened as she nodded. "It doesn't help that you're going to be surrounded by the Scions constantly. You're going to fall in love with them all, one by one. And in the end you're not going to know who you're truly in love with. I know. My mom was the same way."
"Really? But I thought Nick won her over instantly?"
"No," Rachael laughed. "Mom was in love at first with someone else. Then dad stole her away from that person."
"What person?" Jennie asked. "Was it Morey? That would be funny." She laughed to herself, but her laughter died when she noticed the forlorn expression on Rachael's face.
"It wasn't Morey, but someone close," Rachael whispered as a distressed look passed over her eyes. "Dad doesn't speak much about it. And when he does, he gets this look. Like he made a mistake. Or that he regrets something. But that‘s all the past, right? We shouldn‘t dwell on it."
"Yeah," Jennie whispered as she placed her head down on the table and sighed. Covering her head with her hands, she groaned to herself. "I'm getting a bit of a headache. Maybe I'll go to bed early tonight."
"It's only eight," Rachael said, looking to the clock on the wall.
"I know, but I just don't feel good," Jennie said, getting up from the table.
"You're human, so take things slow," Rachael said with a smile. "We don't need you exhausting yourself."
Stepping out of the kitchen, Jennie paused in front of the staircase. The sensation of hot electricity burst through her body as she gripped the railing of the stairs then lurched forward. A sick feeling was forming in her stomach while a soft, almost pleasant voice called out her name.
"What?" she asked, peering up the stairs again.
Closing her eyes slightly, Jennie concentrated on a faintly glowing object at the top of the stairs. It resembled the shape of a feather and seemed to hover in midair. Heading up the stairs, she reached out her for the floating, lustrous feather.
As her fingers touched the quill, it shattered into a small orbs of light that disappeared gradually. Again she heard her name being called in the back of her mind.
The pounding headache she was getting seemed to throb more as she continued to her bedroom. As she opened the door and stepped inside, the door closed swiftly behind while her eyes settled to the open window. Whipping her head quickly to the side, she found the intruder.
The angel she had met earlier was sitting on her bed without his wings. He sat with his right leg crossed over his left while he held Jennie's journal in one hand, reading it.
"Quite touching," he said with a smirk as he closed the book and tossed it at her. "Going to avenge your parents' deaths."
"Get out my room!" she shouted as she found herself not trying to look at him. Her eyes peered at the floor as she could hear him stand from where he sat.
A hand touched the top of her head as she looked up swiftly to find dark, insensitive gaze staring down at her. Her whole body became numb as she realized how tall he was. She barely reached his chest. And it hurt to look up at him.
"Are all angels this tall?" she asked without much thought.
"Males are," Nilm whispered with a smug grin. "Little one, have you thought about my proposal?"
"I..." Her voice seemed dead in her throat while her eyelids blink rapidly as if something were in her eyes. She could feel the delicate touch of his fingers on her cheeks as she slowly took in the fact he was framing her face with both his hands. Her heart quickened while her breath slowed. It felt like he was stealing her life.
"I can get rid of Rowen" Nilm whispered, leaning down to where his lips touched the top of her head. His warm breath soothed the aching in her head. "Kill him...end your suffering at having to see him every day."
"But I want to do it," Jennie finally said in a soft voice.
His mouth moved down to her ear as his lips curled. "We could do it together. I can weaken him and let you have the final blow."
"No, I want it all," she said.
Nilm moved away from her so his eyes were staring directly into hers. "I'll give you something," he whispered. "Something that can murder him. And all I ask is for you to trust me." He smiled.
"Trust you? But you're an angel," she said breathlessly.
"Angels only kill demons, child. You have nothing to worry about," Nilm coarsely stated. "I will never have ill regards to you."
With no thought to it, he pressed his mouth against hers as Jennie went limp from his touch. His hands slipped around her back, holding her upright.
"The goddess is trying to protect you. Stupid woman. It won't work for long. She knows she can't push me too far without having to pay the consequences."