Autumn Calling (4 page)

At some point, exhausted from her tears and
the onslaught of emotions, she fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

When Summer woke to a dark bedroom, she
thought she heard whispering. She also noted the pup was no longer
on the bed. A prickle of fright crept up her spine, until she heard
a voice she hadn’t heard for a quite a while.

“Don’t be frightened, Summer. It’s me.
Daniel. I hope I didn’t frighten you. I was just getting
reacquainted with Sully,” he said.

Summer turned on the bedside lamp to
illuminate the beautiful wingless fallen angel sitting in the chair
across the room, petting Sully. Something about seeing him
triggered her tears and the sadness again. It was a relief to have
him there to ease her sorrow. At the sight of her eyes welling, he
darted to her side and wrapped his arms around her. She melted
within them, letting their strength carry her burden for a moment,
and she wept long and hard while he stroked her hair and kept her
safe.

Summer felt she could have died right then
and there and been happy. She had almost forgotten about Daniel,
her very own guardian angel. She’d had a crush on him last time he
visited her, and maybe he sensed it and kept his distance, though
she wasn’t sure that was the case. She had felt at his last
departure that he had been struggling with something of his own.
Either way, she didn’t care why he came. She was just extremely
glad he was there.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Summer,” he
whispered in her ear.

“You know about the sister?” she said
weakly.

“I do. I know she meant a lot to you and you
to her. Father will watch over her now. She will be safe in his
arms as she makes her transition.”

“She will?” she cried.

“She will, I promise.”

Summer finally pulled away from Daniel’s
grasp, and he seemed a little disappointed that the moment had
passed.

“I can’t tell you how much it means to me
that you came.”

“You need only call for me. I told you
this.”

“You did, but I thought if you wanted to see
me you would just show up, and well, you didn’t, so I didn’t.”

“I don’t understand the logic of that
statement, but I sensed your need and decided I should come. I’ve
missed not conversing with you.”

“You have?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“Then why didn’t you come on your own
accord?”

“It’s not really my place. The less I visit
you, the less likely I interfere with the path your life
leads.”

“What if I’d rather you be in my life
more?”

He smiled as if this made him happy. “Then
that is your choice and I would be happy to honor it.”

“Then please do,” she said wiping her nose
with a tissue.

He smiled again, and the room seemed a
little brighter when he did so. “I will.”

“I’ve been so lonely lately, and scared
about this inevitable battle I’m supposed to fight.”

“Yours is a difficult path, but you are
strong and brave. I have no doubt you will be successful.”

“I wish I was as confident as you.”

“Why aren’t you?”

“Humans have doubts and fears of
inadequacies. Don’t angels have these?”

“I suppose we do to some extent, but as you
might put it, we aren’t hard-wired the same.”

She couldn’t help laughing. He’d actually
made a joke? Had he been studying up on humans and how they
interacted? And if so why? He’d been so unemotional in the past,
but now he seemed different. More at ease or more practiced. She
wasn’t sure what, but it warmed her heart to see him smile at
her.

“I guess we’re not. So what have you been
doing all this time?” she asked.

“Watching you. That’s what I do.”

“I know, but you must do other things.
Hobbies? Interests?”

“Mmmm, not really. It’s my job. I take great
pride in watching over you.”

“It’s a little creepy when you say that’s
all you do,” she said. She saw his expression change to
despair.

“I’m sorry. That didn’t sound right,” she
said, thinking how to explain. “See humans don’t live and breathe
for their job. They have all kinds of interests outside their
trade. Interests and hobbies help to accommodate the complexity of
the human need for more than just one purpose for existence.” This
seemed to appease the angel’s anguish and he appeared very
interested in what she had to say.

“In that case, what do you consider
amusing?” he asked.

“Well, I think you already know of my love
for animals, but I like gardening, music, art, reading, and though
I’m being shoved into magic I do find some of it fun.”

“I suppose over the ages I have enjoyed some
of the music. It seems to evoke things within me I can’t quite
comprehend.”

“You mean feelings?”

“Yes. I imagine that’s what they are. Some
music is very uplifting and almost makes me want to march or stomp
my foot.”

She smiled at his enthusiasm.

“Others are more slow and somber, but eerily
beautiful.”

“Do you ever close your eyes and picture a
scene when you listen to music?”

“No. Do you? That sounds fascinating.”

“It is. You relax your mind and just follow
the music to where it takes you.”

“I’ll have to try that.”

“I imagine that’s how ballets and plays are
written; seeing it played out in one’s mind and then making it a
reality on the stage. I expect it’s very gratifying.”

“Fascinating. I must admit I have hummed a
catchy tune to myself once or twice to pass the time, and sometimes
without even realizing I’m doing it.”

“Me, too. Sometimes I wake up with a song in
my mind and it haunts me all day long.”

They sat smiling, thinking of the ways music
weaved into so many elements of the day and lives of those
privileged to hear it.

After a moment, he asked, “How is your
vampire friend?”

Summer knew Daniel was attempting to be
polite, since the last time she brought up Jackson he was appalled
she would associate with such a dangerous creature.

“You have been practicing your etiquette in
the ways of conversation, haven’t you?”

“I’ve been trying to emulate the art of
dialogue, though I hope you will forgive me if I falter a bit.”

“Of course. I’m very impressed and touched
that you’ve made such an effort for me. To answer the question,
which I know you already know the answer to, he’s okay, though very
far away.”

“Has he indicated when he might be coming
back?”

She looked at him sideways, knowing he knew
this answer too, and said, “No.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“Now you sound like a psychologist,” she
said.

“Is that not appropriate?”

“No, it’s absolutely appropriate and fine.
It’s just strange having a conversation with you when you already
know what my answer will be.”

“I don’t know everything, just the likely
course of your path and encounters, but you surprise me sometimes
with the choices your make and I find that most intriguing.
Besides, when you tell me how you feel, it gives me more of a sense
about these emotions that bombard every aspect of a human’s life. I
don’t know how you weed through that chaos, but I’d like to
understand it more, hence the question.”

“Well, when you put it that way, it makes me
sad and kind of mad, and then top that off with a little
embarrassment for being selfish.”

“I’m not sure I follow. I think I understand
the sadness in that you miss him. I know I miss talking with you,
and now I define that ache as sadness. I’m guessing you are mad
because he is not here to help you with your daunting plight, but I
don’t follow when you express embarrassment.”

“It’s true I am angry that he’s not here,
but I shouldn’t be. It’s not his fault. My embarrassment comes from
the fact that I should be stronger, not depending on him for his
strength. It’s selfish of me to feel cross with him.”

“I see. Feelings are very complicated,
aren’t they?”

“They certainly are. And now that Sister
Mary Louise is dead,” she started only to end in another bit of
tears. He pulled her close once more. It felt so perfect and right
to be in his arms, but was it just her emotions in overdrive? His
chin was rough on her forehead as his stubble grazed across it, and
his warmth and strength were intoxicating. Her tears faded with
each stroke of his hand on her head, but she did not pull away and
he did not disengage from his embrace.

“You must be exhausted. Maybe I should let
you sleep.”

“Please, don’t go. I don’t want to be
alone.” She knew he might retort with
she’s never alone, he’s
always there watching
, but he didn’t this time. He did what she
wanted him to do; he scooted back on the bed, making room for her
to lie beside him, and pulled a blanket over her as he lay back on
the pillow with his right arm around her. She laid her head on his
chest and listened to his heart and the rhythm of his
breathing.

His chest was firm under her cheek as the
palm of his hand cupped her elbow. His very presence soothed away
her anxious, sad thoughts. She’d been alone all her life, save for
Tori. She finally felt her future might not be as lonely as her
past. She’d found her lost family and gained cherished friends
through the turmoil in getting here, but this was something
else.

This filled a hole in her heart she’d felt
in the past might never be filled. Could she have a life with a
fallen angel? He’d made more of an effort to appease and
accommodate her than any human man, or vampire, ever had. Most
importantly, he was here.

She closed her eyes in the splendor of his
comforting angelic arms and slept like she’d never slept in her
life.

When the first rays of sunshine peeked
through the window, kissing Summer’s face with its warmth, she woke
to find she was not alone. Daniel had stayed as he promised, not
ducking out in the morning without a word like so often men do. No,
he watched over her, soothing her fears and sadness.

She sat up and stretched with a smile on her
lips. “Good morning,” he replied.

“Morning.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I ever have in my life. Thank
you for staying. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

“I enjoyed it myself. It was very relaxing.
I believe Sully even enjoyed it.”

“He’ll take any lovin’ he can. How did you
sleep?”

“I don’t sleep.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I’m a watcher, remember. I wouldn’t be
a very good watcher if I slept.”

“No. I guess not. But now I feel bad you had
to lay there all night on my account.”

He reached up and stroked her cheek,
brushing a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. “Please don’t
feel bad. It is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in all my
many years.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No. I’ve just started using jocular antics,
so I’m not very good at it yet.”

“You’re telling me that lying there awake
all night next to me was a highlight in your life? I find that hard
to believe.”

“Believe as you wish. I’ve had many
adventures in my life, and seen and done many things, but unlike my
brothers I never interacted with humans aside from watching. I now
understand why they did what they did.”

“Do you wish now that you had connected with
us sooner?”

“No,” he said matter-of-factly. “Unless it
had been with you, it would not have been the same.”

She blushed at the sweetness of his comment
and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. His hand replaced where her
lips had just been as if she had placed something physical. He
looked shocked at first, but that look melted into an ear-to-ear
smile. His reaction kind of freaked her out at first. No one had
ever been so happy to receive a dainty peck on the cheek. It made
her want to giggle a little, but she kept it inside. He leaned
toward her, coming about half the distance, and said, “May I?”

Was he asking to kiss her? No one had ever
done that.

“Um, sure,” she said, turning her cheek to
him.

His hand came up under her hair at the nape
of her neck, nudging her lips toward him. Warm tingles shot up her
spine at his touch. Just inches from his lips touching hers, he
stopped once more as if to take in one last glance of her eyes. She
could feel his breath on her face and the heat from his body, and
it filled her with such anticipation. She felt her toes curl in her
socks. His lips met hers and she felt great bliss in the release of
her greatest expectations being exceeded. His kiss was soft, not
sloppy, and couldn’t have been more perfect if he had
practiced.

When he pulled away, her eyes remained
closed, savoring the loveliness that had ended too soon. Upon
opening them she found his contented, smiling face beaming back at
her. She could only hope it was as good for him.

“That,” he started. “This…is now my new
‘best experience’ ever.”

She laughed at his enthusiasm and the
sweetness of his inexperience and said, “I’ve got to admit, it’s
looking like number one for me too.” Most men she had dated would
never admit such a thing. It was refreshing not having to worry if
you said too much or not enough as you were getting to know one
another. Dating often felt like a game she didn’t have directions
to. This was raw and simple and most undoubtedly wonderful.

* * *

A knock at the door interrupted the two and
Sully was the first to jump off the bed. Summer opened the door to
find her concerned looking aunt.

“Aunt Myrtle.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I just spoke with Sister
Margaret,” she said as she came in the door and pet Sully without
taking her eyes off Summer. “She told me about Sister Mary
Louise.”

She flung her arms around Summer’s neck and
hugged her tightly before noticing behind Summer, Daniel was
standing near the couch.