Forbidden. Part 33

Just then, Claire heard her mother's frantic voice calling out from her front door. "Claire? Claire! Where are you?"

"We're out here, Mom!" she yelled. "We're okay! I'll be right there." To her friends, she said wearily, "She's got to be so freaked by what just happened."

Brian and Erica looked at the both of them. "What did just happen?"

Claire and Alec exchanged a glance. Then she sighed and turned back to their friends with a bittersweet smile. "It's a long story. You'd better come inside."

epilogue.

At Alec's insistence, Claire and her mom spent the night at a hotel in West Hollywood, while he kept watch over them. It took a double dose of painkillers to stop the throbbing in Claire's head, which Alec guessed was due to the strain of putting her new powers to such a ma.s.sive test. n.o.body slept much. Claire and her mom were still stunned and afraid Vincent might come back any second, and they had a lot to talk about.

By early next morning, Alec's wounds were healed. Claire's mom called the real Mr. Patterson, and to their relief, he was fine. He hadn't even been on the faculty committee to chaperone the dance. He said he'd fallen asleep in front of the TV the evening before, which made them wonder if Vincent had drugged him to ensure that he didn't leave his house.

"He'll be very confused, come Monday, if anyone mentions seeing him at the dance," Alec commented with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about us, Claire," her mom said, red-faced, after she hung up the phone. "I really like him, and I was afraid you wouldn't approve."

"That's okay, Mom." Claire hugged her. "There's a lot of stuff I didn't tell you, so I guess we're even. It's fine as long as you're happy."

After a quick breakfast, all three made their way to Twin Palms Hospital to visit Helena.

As they surrounded Helena's bed, Claire's mom stared down at her with compa.s.sion. "You're actually able to talk with her, even though she's in a coma?"

Claire nodded. "And today, I want to try something new. I'm hoping you'll both be able to see and hear what I do when I touch her."

She instructed Alec and her mom to hold hands in a circle with her and Helena around the bed. "On the count of three, I'll take Helena's other hand and complete the circle. If this works, it's going to feel really weird. Just relax and go with the flow. Remember, she can be kind of persnickety. Oh-and I hope you like English gardens."

Her mom looked puzzled and wary.

Claire took a breath. "One. Two. Three."

She took Helena's hand and closed her eyes. Instantly, Claire felt a jolt of energy pa.s.s through her. The sounds of the hospital disappeared, there was a flash of blank whiteness, and then the three of them were standing hand in hand on a great green lawn. It was the same English garden as before, with twittering birds, sunlit paths, and borders of colorful, fragrant flowers waving in the breeze. Claire spotted Helena nearby, sitting quietly on a bench in the shade of an enormous tree. She was no longer wearing her dark blue dress, but instead looked ready for a garden party in a stunning floral print dress and large, stylish hat.

"This is beautiful," Claire's mom said, staring around them in wonder.

They dropped hands as Helena walked over to them with a welcoming smile. "I see you've brought guests. How nice." She fixed her gaze on Claire's mother, who she seemed to find particularly fascinating. "So you are Lynn. The cause of all this trouble."

Claire's mom seemed taken aback by this unexpected remark but returned Helena's gaze with proud determination. "Yes. I am."

"Well, well. You're pretty enough," Helena mused, "but I hope there's more to you than that, considering a highly regarded Grigori left the fold on your behalf."

Claire's mom blushed in embarra.s.sment. Claire felt her own temper rising. "Helena, can you try to be pleasant for five minutes, please? We're here because we need your help."

Helena shrugged. "Forgive me. It is our way to be blunt. Alec understands what I mean." Turning to Alec, she observed, "You are even more handsome in person, young man."

Alec's eyebrow raised. "In person?"

"A figure of speech. I am pleased that you heard my call and returned when Claire needed you. And you, young lady, your performance last night was impressive."

"Alec's the one who saved my life." Claire reached out a hand to him, and he took it affectionately.

"Yes," Helena agreed, "but he's had training, and has done such things for over a century. You, on the other hand, were operating on instinct alone. You opened your mind to the possibilities before you. You saw through Vincent's illusions, and-in spite of the pain it caused you-you managed to convey that truth to Alec. Quite a masterful feat."

"Aye, it was," Alec acknowledged, putting his arm around Claire and drawing her close. "But Vincent's still out there," he added grimly. "He could come back anytime. I've been thinking it over all night long. He's too powerful to take down on our own. I ought to report in and let the Elders know he's gone rogue."

"You can't do that!" Claire cried, her heart hammering in fear as she pulled away to stare at him. "They'll find you and make you go back!"

"It's worth it, if it means you'll be safe," Alec insisted.

"Such heroic sacrifices are currently unnecessary," Helena interrupted with an authoritative wave of her hand. "I wish I had foreseen Vincent's true nature sooner-but I summoned my strength and managed to report his actions last night."

"You did?" Claire asked in surprise.

"Thank G.o.d," her mom said quietly.

"I left out Alec's involvement, of course, just as I deliberately neglected to mention his ill-advised ... liaison ... with you, which we will have to hope they do not discover."

The color rose to Claire's cheeks.

"But wait," Alec added suspiciously, "there's no way you could have reported Vincent without telling them about Claire."

"Quite right, young man," Helena replied. "But that was inevitable. A Halfblood is a serious potential threat. There is no way the Council would rest until they found out who it was."

"What?" Claire cried, upset. "So how are you any different from Vincent?"

"Vincent's opinions are too black-and-white, and his behavior reprehensible. He rushed things just for closure on his old case. Whereas I-as the Council has decreed-am going to give you what no Nephila has ever had before. A mentor. Someone to teach and guide you."

Claire's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait a minute." Claire's mom bristled. "I'm grateful that you intervened on my daughter's behalf. And I appreciate your offer. But it's my job to take care of her, not yours."

"I beg to differ," Helena returned with a tight-lipped smile. "You have done just fine nurturing Claire through the formative years of her human existence. But you do not possess the necessary life experience to train a Halfblood Nephila. Beyond her visions, she may have inherited the other half of her father's abilities, and will face difficulties you cannot begin to imagine. It remains to be seen what the Council will do about Vincent-if and when they find him. But as he so astutely noted, there are others who will either want her dead or on their side. And the Fallen's means of influence are so cunning, she may be unaware of what is happening."

"Even so, she needs me. I'm her mother. What gives you the right to step in all of a sudden, out of nowhere? Who the h.e.l.l are you?"

Helena didn't respond. Instead she closed her eyes, as if summoning a deep, inner strength. To Claire's dismay, the connection between them suddenly ended. The garden vanished. The three of them were all standing once more around Helena's bedside in the hospital, staring down at the comatose woman's pale, motionless face.

They dropped hands as Helena's eyes suddenly snapped open. Fully cognizant, she smiled at Claire's mom and said emphatically, "I'm Claire's grandmother."

Claire gasped in astonishment and wonder. "My grandmother?"

Lynn's hand flew to her mouth. Alec nodded, and Claire sensed he was thinking the same thing she was-that finally, Helena's part in all this made sense. "Why didn't you tell me before?" Claire asked.

Helena shrugged. "It wasn't important. And I knew if I told you, we'd never get down to business." To Claire's amazement, Helena immediately sat up and ran her fingers through her pale hair. "Now, will someone please find my clothes and get me to a hairdresser?"

"You just woke up! Shouldn't you be resting?" Claire asked.

"I've been resting for weeks," Helena answered.

"She's probably fully healed by now," Alec chimed in. "Remember? We Grigori-"

"I'll go find a nurse," Claire's mom interrupted. She left the room.

Helena grabbed the call b.u.t.ton and pressed it repeatedly, muttering, "What does it take to get a cup of tea around here?"

Claire laughed. As she stared at this beautiful, feisty woman, this angel-her very own flesh and blood-she felt a rush of emotion so strong that her eyes welled up. Alec reached out and took Claire's hand in his, squeezing it with rea.s.surance as his eyes met hers with a loving smile.

Claire returned his heartfelt smile as she wiped tears away. Admittedly, she still had a lot of problems. Her father and Vincent were MIA, she might be in danger, and her life might never be normal. But no matter what the future brought, she decided, she could handle it. She had her friends, her mother, and two angels to help her. She wouldn't have to face it alone.

acknowledgments.

First and foremost, we'd like to thank Brentwood School, the inspiration for Emerson Academy, which has had a very lasting, positive influence on both our lives. (If we're ever lucky enough to make a movie of this, we hope you'll let us film it on campus!) Also, a special thank-you to the dedicated and nurturing faculty from the years Ryan attended, who provided such wonderful specifics for this novel-including Lynette Creasy, Robert Ingram, David Foote, Sarah Wallace, Paula Radomile, Mike Gra.s.so, and in particular Dennis Castanares, Brian Vaughn, and Judith Lyons. We love and miss you!

Thanks and love to Bill, Jeff, Yakun, and especially Evey, for reading the first draft and giving us such valuable feedback.

Todah rabah to agent extraordinaire Tamar Rydzinski, for suggesting that Syrie write a young adult novel, and not balking when she decided to let Ryan in on the fun.

We owe a huge debt of grat.i.tude to our brilliant editor, Kari Sutherland, for having such faith in this book at the outset, and then combing through our ma.n.u.script with such enthusiasm and attention to detail. It's not easy to engineer a brand-new, mythical reality and combine it with our own, but Kari made sure that the merger was seamless and consistent. And a big gracias! to the entire team at HarperTeen for all their hard work en route to publication.

Ryan would also like to thank Michael Scarpelli for introducing him to the concept of the Grigori all those years ago ... and Vicious Brutal Overlord Roy Mumaw for helping forge an early rendition of Alec, and teaching him the arcane art of world-smithing.

Oh, and Ryan guesses he should say xie xie n to Syrie, not just for being a great partner and mentor in the world of writing, but for the whole birthing him and raising him thing.

Lastly, Syrie would like to express her thanks to Ryan for sharing the fruits of his creative young mind, and making this one of her most enjoyable writing experiences ever.

about the author.

SYRIE JAMES loves paranormal romance and all things nineteenth century. She is also the bestselling author of four critically acclaimed novels: NOCTURNE; DRACULA, MY LOVE; THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN (Best First Novel 2008, Library Journal); and THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTe (2011 Audie Romance Award; Great Group Read, Women's National Book a.s.sociation). The translation rights for Syrie's books have been sold in sixteen languages. Syrie is also a screenwriter and a member of the Writers Guild of America and the RWA, and a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America.

Aside from being Syrie's firstborn, RYAN M. JAMES has cowritten two screenplays, directed an independent feature, and created the machinima webseries A Clone Apart. By day he works as an editor for the video game industry in Santa Monica, most recently on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Game of the Year 2009) and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. Under cover of night, he conjures stories for print, screen, and web as a member of the Writers Guild of America. He and his wife live in Los Angeles about a stone's throw away from Syrie.

Syrie and Ryan both welcome visitors to their websites, www.syriejames.com and www.ryanmjames.com, and invite you to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

end.