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“Come on, it’s not that bad.” Gabe pulled my hands from my face. “We’re the good guys, I promise. The Manor was built to defend one of the six hell gates. We kill any demons that happen to come through, and keep them from infecting the human population. That’s why I’m a gatekeeper. I was hoping Raquel would explain all of this to you before you had a chance to freak out.”
“I sort of told her that I needed to sleep before she could explain anything,” I said sheepishly. “Then I bolted after she gave me some space.”
Gabe shook his head and pursed his lips at me. “I knew you were going to cause me trouble, Lizzy. But I guess I underestimated you.”
A fresh wave of blood pooled into my cheeks. After this infraction, he’d probably lock me in my room so that he wouldn’t have to be bothered by the baby human anymore. It was nothing less than what I deserved.
“So there are six hell gates?” I asked. “Where are the others?”
“There’s one on every continent,” Gabe replied. “Except Antarctica. There aren’t enough humans to prey upon there. Every gate is closed, but sometimes demons escape through the cracks. We’ve been experiencing a lot more demon activity at this hell gate over the past two decades, so the board had to beef up security.”
“What happens if the gate opens?”
I don’t know why I asked the question. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence would know that when a gate to hell opened, it would be awful. But Gabe didn’t act like I was asking a stupid question.
“If the gates open, creatures far worse than your little demons will come through,” he said with a stony expression. “Creatures that desire to tear mankind apart and destroy everything that’s good. It would be the end of the world, essentially.”
I let out a tense sigh. “Can the gates ever be opened?”
Gabe got to his feet and offered me a hand. “No, that’ll never happen. According to the prophets, the only thing that could ever open the gates is a demonic angel and that’s not possible. Demons can’t possess angels.”
That was a relief.
We gathered the fallen snacks and he led me back to the barracks. People were starting to get up by now and we passed some of them in the halls. They gaped at Gabe and welcomed him home, staring questioningly at me. But no one said anything or tried to corner me. It was a lot less scary running into them, now that I knew they weren’t demons.
“I’m going to get Raquel excused from training today,” Gabe said as we stood in front of my door. “She can keep you company as you get used to your new surroundings.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” I quipped back. It was already mortifying enough that Gabe had to save me from Adam once. I wasn’t going to repeat that mistake anytime soon. “I’m not a child.”
He sighed in defeat and shook his head. “No, you’re not.”
His eyes bored into mine as if he wanted to say something else. I tried to use that moment to thank him for saving my life twice already, but couldn’t find my voice. Instead, he blinked and opened the door for me, standing back.
“All the same, I think it’s best if Raquel stayed near you today. Things are different here than in Hanna.”
“I won’t argue about that,” I muttered as he left me in the empty room.
Demons, angels, and hell gates. It was like I’d stepped out of my plain old life and into a horror movie. Not only had my own grandmother tried to serve me up to a demon, but now, I was living with angel half-breeds. This was nothing like home. My whole life was about to become something entirely different.
Chapter Fourteen
Raquel wouldn’t let me leave our room for almost a week. After the slip I’d given her, she was sure I’d try to escape again the first moment I left her sight. No matter how many times I tried to explain to her that I had been under the false impression that she was a demon, Raquel wouldn’t budge. It took me forever to convince her to show me the stables.
But finally, I’d won that argument this morning. Maybe it was the call of the outdoors or the fact that we’d watched every movie she owned at least once, but my new roommate relented and led me out of the manor and to the stables on the northern lawn. She chattered away a hundred miles a minute, as she had done all week, explaining the Nephilim way of life.
“I’m not really sure why mom insists I keep taking these awful riding lessons,” she complained. “In my opinion, the Nephilim weren’t meant to ride a wild beast six feet off the ground. My feet are better on the ground, thank you very much.”
“Do you use them to fight demons?” I asked. The idea of an angel army on horseback was a frightening thing to think about.
“Yes. And mom thinks it’ll turn me into a proper lady when I learn how to ride horseback. I told her that it’s been over a hundred years since she lived in England, when proper ladies rode horses. Things are different now. I’d rather learn to drive a car.”
I smiled at the ground. Raquel had been talking nonstop about the new bright yellow Mustang GT she wanted. From what I understood, hell would have to freeze over before Esther would agree to buy that car for her daughter.
Raquel had been good company. Her constant need to talk hadn’t allowed me to dwell on the horror that left me homeless and the target of some creepy demon goddess. Still, her presence made me miss my old best friend with an ache I couldn’t describe. Kate and I had been friends since we were babies. While I still hated the fact that she betrayed me and ruined my life, I couldn’t erase the years of memories we had together. It would take me a long time to forget her.
“And that giant building is the training complex.” Raquel pointed to a huge metal building on the northwest side of the lawn. “That’s where I get my butt kicked every day by Eric Lutz. He’s training me and a handful of other people. He says I’ve got the best aim with a pistol he’s seen anywhere.”
I stopped walking, making Raquel pause a few steps in front of me.
