CHAPTER 1

Tess paced the floor of the beach house, waiting impatiently for Andrew to get back. She had been able to get some information from the Father while Andrew had been gone, but very little. What she did know was that Monica was in trouble and that Andrew had been sent to get her just in time. The Father had told her to meet Andrew here and that they would have a long road ahead of them. Tess had no idea what the latter of those statements meant, but she was nearly frantic with worry.

Monica and Andrew had always been her “babies” and even though last night, she had been furious with both of them, that was now all in the past. All that mattered to her now was their safety. When Monica had seemingly vanished from that college campus last night, Tess had nearly worried herself sick over what could have happened to her. She felt calmer now, knowing Andrew, though unbeknownst to him at the time, had gone to bring her back. The one thing Tess didn’t know was what her little angel baby had been through.

She gazed out the window of the sliding glass doors and watched as the angry waves crashed upon the rocks. This storm had seemingly brewed up out of nowhere and it showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Tess glanced up towards the heavens and suddenly had a very bad feeling about all of this.

“Tess!”

She whirled around having heard Andrew’s cry. The anguish in his voice should have prepared her for what she was about to see, but it did not. Andrew’s eyes were red from tears that he struggled to hold back even now, and lying limply in his arms was Monica. There was no sign of life about her, but Tess knew instantly that she was still alive, though barely. Her hands flew to her mouth for a moment, stifling a scream, before she regained control again. She approached them quickly, her heart nearly breaking at the sight of the Irish tongued angel
“Andrew, what happened to her?” She managed to say, her voice scarcely a whisper.

“I don’t know, Tess…I don’t know. This is how I found her…” Tears formed in his eyes as he looked at Tess with a look of absolute terror in his green eyes.

Tess laid a hand on Monica’s cheek, which appeared to be nearly black with what looked like smoke,
“Baby, she’s burning up with fever. Let’s get her back to her bedroom and warmed up.”

Tess led the way back the hall and indicated for Andrew to lay Monica down on the bed,
“Angel Boy, do me a favor and go get the basin from the kitchen. Fill it with ice-cold water and grab a cloth. I’m going to get her out of these wet clothes.”

Silently, Andrew left the room and hurried to the kitchen. He found the basin Tess was referring to and put it in the sink, turning on the tap. He opened the freezer while the water was filling and grabbed two handfuls of ice and threw them into the basin. He then began opening drawers, searching for a cloth. He opened drawer after drawer to no avail and when he reached the last one, he slammed it closed. He then clutched the edge of the counter as sobs began to rack through his body; huge anguished sobs that shook through him. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything having happened or happening to Monica. The shock of finding her like he had was still so fresh in his mind and the not knowing what she had been through to be able to help her was tearing him up inside.

Tess came up behind him softly and laid a hand on his shoulder,
“Baby, I need that water,” She watched as he nodded his head, trying to get control over his emotions once more. She opened the cupboard and removed a washcloth before picking up the basin and setting it on the counter for a moment. She then turned her attention back to Andrew,
“Angel Boy, I know this is hard, but I need for you to be strong for little while yet. That angel baby in there needs that too. Now, I don’t what happened to her, or what is going to happen, but I do know she needs you by her side to get through it.” She smiled gently at him as he raised his tear-filled eyes to meet hers and nodded his head.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” He whispered, before running his hand over his face to wipe away the tears.

Tess reached up and stroked his cheek before taking the basin and heading back to Monica. She had gotten her out of her soaking clothes and put a warm nightgown on her. She now took the cloth in a dual effort to clean her face and hopefully lower the fever that was raging through her body. Tess’ gentle hand wiped the dirt from her face to reveal how deathly pale Monica’s face really was,
“Oh baby, what happened out there?” Tess whispered, watching as her charge shivered in her sleep. Tess grabbed another blanket from the foot of the bed to cover her with, but the shivering didn’t stop.

Andrew walked into the room quietly, his eyes pained as he watched his friend trembling uncontrollably. He grabbed another quilt from the back of a chair and without a word, he wrapped his arm around Monica’s shoulders to lift her so he could sit behind her. Wrapping the quilt around her tightly, he then drew her close to him, hoping the warmth of his body as well would warm her. A few minutes later, she stopped shivering quite so much, though Andrew stayed where he was, his cheek resting against her tangled hair.

Tess watched them together and felt helpless tears fill her eyes. She desperately needed answers to what had happened to Monica so she could begin to piece this thing together. Somehow she knew deep in her heart that Kathleen had been involved, and if that was the case it was going to take all Tess had to stay away from that dark angel. She had gone too far this time, of that Tess was certain. She heard Monica murmur something in her sleep and listened as Andrew soothed her, her heart breaking for both of them. She knew of their closeness and she knew that Andrew would probably blame himself before this was all over, but she would do everything she could to keep that from happening. What she had to know though was what had happened.

“Tess,” Sam’s voice behind her startled both she and Andrew as they looked at him, surprised to find him here.

“Sam,” Tess’ face showed her confusion,
“What are you doing here?”

“There are some things the two of you need to know,” Sam began softly, looking at each of them in turn,
“About what happened to Monica.”