Dancing With Raven (The Young Shakespeareans Series) (13 page)

It simply couldn’t be a coincidence.

Raven waited until after dinner with his father to detail his disastrous encounter with Tori.

“I’ve messed up the whole mission,” he concluded. “I saw my chance to kill that stupid imp and took it. I didn’t realize Tori would be around to witness the whole thing.”

“You’ve always had a problem with impulse control. In London, it almost got you killed.” Ian shook his head, clearly exasperated. “I don’t see where we’ve got much choice now. All things considered, we’re going to have to tell her everything.”

“I don’t see how. Tori warned me to steer clear. If I try to talk to her again, she might have me arrested as a stalker.”

A text message arrived on Raven’s cell phone with an audible ping. Ian’s brows drew together. “Shut that off. We’ve got to put together a strategy.”

As Raven pulled the phone from his pocket to turn it off, he glanced at the message. His eyes widened. “I can’t believe it. Tori wants to meet me, right now.”

“Go. Bring her to Blackfriars. It’s time the three of us began working together as a team.”

“How am I supposed to get her to come with me?”

“Gerald and I used to have a password phrase, and I know he taught it to her. It’s ‘cabbages and kings.’”

“I’m to use a phrase from
Alice in Wonderland
to get Tori to trust me?”

“It’ll work.”

“Curiouser and curiouser.” Raven’s thumbs sped as he returned Tori’s text. “I’m telling her I’ll be right over.”

“I’ll get you the address.”

Minutes later, Raven was speeding through the night toward Sherman Oaks, wondering what had changed Tori’s mind about speaking to him. Maybe the shock of watching him slay a demon had worn off and she’d realized he was sincere.
When Dad finally tells her the entire story of her birth, how will she react?
Raven didn’t want to lose her friendship.
How can I convince her she isn’t just an assignment?
He sighed.
To be honest, if I were in her shoes, it would be a pretty tough sell.

When he rolled up to the driveway of Tori’s house, he was impressed with the immense size of the property.
Misty Savannah must have sold a great many records to afford this place.
He parked in the paved motor court in front of the entrance. Tori must have heard him drive up because she appeared in the doorway, looking grim. She said not a word, but allowed him to step inside the house. After the door closed, Raven was shocked to find himself shoved against it with surprising strength.
She’s Nephilim—what did I expect?

“Who the hell
are
you and what do you have to do with my parents?” she demanded.

“Whoa! I thought I was here to talk, not get attacked.”

Her face was a mask as she backed off. “Who is Ian Cassidy?”

“He’s my father.” Confused, he peered at her. “Hang on…how did you know his name?”

“I’m asking the questions, and if I don’t like what I hear, I’m calling the police. I might just call them anyway. I haven’t made up my mind yet. You’ve been lying to me.”

Steam was practically shooting out of her ears.
What can I say to make her calm down?

“Look, I don’t blame you for being angry. There’s far more to your story you haven’t yet heard, but my father should be the one to tell you. He’d like you to come with me to our house to explain everything.”

“I’m not going anywhere!”

“My father said to say, ‘cabbages and kings.’”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

“Cabbages and kings,” he repeated. “Does that mean anything to you?”

“My dad taught me those words a long time ago, as our secret password phrase.” She peered at him. “He said I should trust anyone who knew it…but in your case maybe I should make an exception.”

Despite her icy demeanor, Raven thought he detected a slight thaw.

“You’ve nothing to fear, I swear it.” He slid off his leather jacket. “Put this on for the ride. You’ll find weapons in the lining. If I give you any trouble, you can slice me open.”

She snatched the jacket away from him and slipped it on. “Don’t think I won’t.”

Chapter Nine

Moves and Countermoves

T
HIS
I
S
S
URREAL
.
Tori sat behind Raven on his motorcycle, wearing his jacket and helmet. The position—with her arms encircling his waist—felt uncomfortably intimate, given the unusual circumstances. In short order, he’d managed to slip past her defenses and talk her into going with him to meet a complete stranger.
Have I totally lost my mind?
On the other hand, he’d known her father’s password phrase…which she’d nearly forgotten until he said it. But the secret phrase was not the only reason she decided to climb onto Raven’s motorcycle and let him drive her away from home. It was
him
. Since her parents died, she hadn’t completely trusted anyone until Raven came into her life. Whether or not her trust was misplaced remained to be seen, but he’d certainly piqued her curiosity.
What did he mean there was far more to my story I haven’t heard yet? Will Ian Cassidy tell me about my parents’ mysterious past?

Raven angled his cycle off Ventura Boulevard and headed into the Santa Monica mountains. The silky darkness formed a private cocoon as they left the city lights behind. She felt a shiver of apprehension when he turned off the main road and rolled up a long private driveway. A craggy castle-like edifice became visible, so very different from the Spanish architecture ubiquitous to Southern California. After Raven stopped the cycle, she dismounted and removed the helmet and jacket.

“You live in this place?” she asked, incredulous.

“It’s a former monastery, I’m told. We call it Blackfriars West.” He shrugged. “A bit out of the way, but there’s a lot of room.”

“It’s just you and your dad?”

“For now. We have staff coming over from England, but they have some immigration issues to work out first.”

“You couldn’t hire local employees?”

“Mrs. Turnbull and Quigley have worked for the Cassidys for generations. They’re part of the family, really.”

He beckoned her into the house, where she received another shock. Her social worker was waiting for her in the living room.

“Mr. Peabody? What on Earth are you doing here?”

“Actually, my name isn’t really Peabody. It’s Ian Cassidy.”

Gasp. “You have an English accent!”

“Yes. I apologize, but the American social worker guise was necessary to keep you safe.”

The room began to swirl. A pair of strong arms supported her, and led her to the sofa.

“I’ll get you a cup of tea.” Raven’s voice was soothing. “That always makes me feel a little steadier.”

“I put the kettle on just before you arrived,” Ian said. “Stay with Tori, and I’ll fetch the tray. Excuse me.”

While Ian was in the kitchen, Tori tried to regain her composure.

“Are you all right?” Raven asked.

She shook her head. “Everything is inside out and upside down. I always knew seeing demons was crazy, and now I find out it’s not. I thought I knew my parents, but I don’t. I’m not sure I even know who I am anymore.”

Raven knelt next to her. “I know this seems strange, but it’ll be better knowing the truth. For what it’s worth, you’re not alone.”

When he took her hand, it was as if his strength flowed through his touch.
I wish I could trust him, but I don’t know what or whom to believe.

After Ian returned with a tea tray, Raven retreated to a wing chair next to the fireplace. His father poured Tori’s tea, took a seat opposite her, and cleared his throat.

“The first thing you should understand is that despite their best efforts, your parents violated one of the Shakespeare Institute’s most critical prohibitions. I helped them escape the consequences, which is why we find ourselves in our current predicament.”

He started at the beginning, detailing the nature of his childhood friendship with Tori’s father. To help him with the story, Ian produced his photo album and let her take the theater program featuring her mother. Raven was impressed with his father’s gentleness. He spoke to Tori like she was his daughter. After she heard about her Leap Day birth and her parents’ subsequent flight from England with fake passports, she gave a choked laugh.

“Everything about me is fiction! What’s my real name?”

“Elizabeth Hannah Austin.”

Her eyes filled with tears. Raven hastened to put a box of tissues within reach on the coffee table. While Ian continued to speak, she listened quietly, dabbing at the moisture which occasionally slipped from the corners of her eyes. When he finished, she took a deep breath.

“Why eighteen? Why not sacrifice me at sixteen or twenty-one?”

“It has to do with the Number of the Beast from the Book of Revelation. The sum of six plus six plus six is eighteen.”

“Does Misty know any of this?”

“She believes your parents were in a witness relocation program.”

“Does Birmingham have any idea who I am?”

“No. He’s coming to Los Angeles because he believes Raven and I can lead him to you. I told him Raven intends to pursue an acting career in Hollywood, but Birmingham most certainly knows that’s a smokescreen.”

Her lips tightened. “Mr. Peabody—I mean Mr. Cassidy—I thank you for helping me and my parents. I know your heart is in the right place. But had you and your son remained in London, I wouldn’t have to be afraid for my life right now. If you really want to protect me, the smartest thing for you to do is to leave me alone.” Her eyes slid to Raven. “
Both
of you.” She stood. “I’d like to go now.”

Raven lurched to his feet, but she shook her head. “Could you drive me home, Mr. Cassidy?”

“Of course.”

Ian escorted Tori from the room, and a few moments later Raven heard the faint sounds of his father’s car leaving the garage. With wooden movements, he cleaned up the tea cups in the living room and carried the tea tray into the kitchen. Afterward, he changed his clothes and headed into the gym to work his emotions out on the heavy bag. Everything he’d feared about losing Tori had just come true, but the worst part was in knowing she was right about the danger he and his father had inadvertently brought into her life. He wanted desperately to believe he could repair their relationship after her birthday passed, but in his heart, he feared she would never view him the same way again.