Marker of Hope Read Free

promises.”
    “Baby steps, huh?”
    Her words made me freeze in the middle of the
room, a mix of paranoia and guilt drilling deep into me.
    “You okay?” she asked.
    “Y-Yes. Fine.”
    I set the plates on the table and sat down.
Claire told me about her day at the office while I picked at my
food, her words muted by the voice of my own thoughts urging me to
get it over with and tell her.
    “Mom,” I said, when she finally paused to
take a drink of her diet soda, “I’m…I’m p—”
    “Did you hear that?” Claire looked over her
shoulder in the direction of the living room. “I think someone’s at
the door.”
    I sighed, frustrated as well as relieved.
“It’s probably Galilea. I’ll get it.”
    Galilea’s arms were folded over her chest
when I opened the door, her brows creased tight. I could hear her
pulse drumming at a higher rate than was normal for her.
    “Something wrong?” I asked.
    Galilea lowered one hand to her hip and used
the other to motion to the left. I stepped onto the porch and
turned to see what the cause of her aggravation was; only, it
wasn’t a what , but a who , and he was sitting as
collected as ever in perfectly pressed khakis on one of our rocking
chairs.
    “ Bonsoir .” Eros smirked. “Are you as
happy to see me as I am to see you, my sweet?”
    I turned to Galilea. “ Why would you
bring him to my house?”
    “I didn’t bring him. You think I’m stupid? He
followed me here.”
    “Followed you?” I frowned. “But you said you
were always invisible out there.”
    “Well excuse me for not having enough
energy to keep my block up when I’m using it all on my house, the
lab, the doctors, you, your mother, and your house.”
    “Get him out of here.” I glanced at Eros, and
his pearl-white teeth beamed as he smiled at me. “Galilea, do
something!”
    “Have you not been listening to a word I’ve
been saying? I don’t have the energy to do anything right
now. ”
    “Well, find a way,” I said through gritted
teeth.
    “Um… I hate to interrupt this farm-chicken
squabble, but it’s getting uncomfortably hot out here,” Eros said,
rising from the chair. He stepped toward me. “Aren’t you going to
invite me in to meet your mother?”
    “Are you cra—”
    “Her mother is right here,” Claire’s voice
came from behind me. “And who might you be?”

 
     
    CHAPTER 3
     
    Galilea and I exchanged a worried glance. I
didn’t know how to explain to Claire who Eros was or how I knew
him, much less what he was doing on our doorstep.
    “Mom, he’s…a….uh…”
    “A friend of mine,” Galilea said. “Old, old
friend.”
    “I’m Eros Lamoureux.” He took Claire’s hand
and shook it. “It’s a pleasure, madam.”
    “Claire Martin.” Two lines formed between
Claire’s brows. “You look familiar. Where have I seen you
before?”
    “Eros isn’t from around here,” I said. “You
don’t know him.” You don’t want to know him.
    “I said I’ve seen him before, not that I know
him. I think…” She held a finger up. “Wait a minute. What did you
say your name was, again?”
    “Eros Lam—”
    “Yes, I know where I’ve seen you. Isis,
invite your friends in.” Claire pivoted and walked into the house.
Galilea followed her in, but I remained on the porch.
    “What are you doing here, Eros?” I took a
step closer to him, my hands folded into fists at my sides.
    “Chasing my runaway bride. I see you’re still
human. And I know for a fact David is his old self, as well. Or at
least it’s what I’ve been told. So…” He winked at me. “I’ve come to
collect.”
    I’d made a deal with Eros in Greece, agreeing
to marry him if he helped me stop my transformation and find my
father. He did help me find Samuel, and neither David nor I had
transformed into any type of monster—physically. However, inside, I
didn’t feel like myself anymore. Somehow, I doubted it would matter
to Eros.
    “If you think I’m marrying you,” I shook my
head,