Stella Maris (The Legendary Rosaries) Read online

  “The countryside. Just stayed in my car.”

  “You should have gone to Stephen’s house. He said his mum wants to get custody of you.”

  He shook his head. “I’m old enough to leave home, so she doesn’t need to do that, but I guess my auntie wouldn’t understand that. She’s lovely, but not too bright.” He gave me a sad smile. “Still, I appreciate the thought.”

  “Stephen told me she went berko at your dad, yelling at him over the phone. She sounds like she really cares for you.”

  “Sì,” he said, letting go of me. “Zia Autumn is the total opposite of my father, but then again, she’s not his full sibling.”

  “Does that mean Stephen’s a Merge?”

  He nodded. “A Terra, but his famiglia are Deniers.”

  “Oh,” I said, remembering reading about that. “They pretend to be human?”

  “That’s right. Stephen doesn’t even know he’s a Merge. It’s because of his mother. She’s overprotective of him, thinks it’ll keep him safe.”

  “You don’t agree?” I asked, getting that from his tone.

  “Sì, knowledge is power, ignorance is dangerous. She and my uncle should be teaching Stephen to protect himself. What if a demon goes after him like one went after me? He won’t be able to protect himself at all.” He shook his head. “But what do I know, like my father said, I’m just a stupid kid.”

  “You’re not stupid.”

  “He treats me that way. Apparently, I’m just an idiot who only thinks with my cock, not my head. That’s what he said after I told him he had no right to treat you so horribly. Then he had the fucking gall to laugh at me when I said I loved you. I just lost it. Totally went at him like a...” He let the words trail off.

  “Like a what?”

  “Nothing.” He pushed to his feet. “We should go.”

  He approached the car, nodding a hello at Nicky. I slipped past him and pushed the passenger seat forward, climbing into the back. Christopher followed me, looking uncomfortable as he jammed his long legs into the confined space.

  “You could’ve gotten a smaller car, Nicky,” he said sarcastically, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  “Not my choice, I’m afraid. I wanted a Beetle not a Mini.”

  She cranked the gears and set off for the reserve. The little car bounced along the gravelly road, slowing down as we entered the parking area. As expected, it was empty.

  She stopped by a row of trees. “Are you sure that you want me to leave you here?” she asked, glancing back at us. “It’s so dark.”

  “I’ve got a torch, so we’ll be fine,” Christopher replied, pushing the seat forward. He climbed out and extended a hand, pulling me free from the cramped space. “See you in an hour, Nicky,” he said, giving the Mini’s roof a slap, indicating for her to leave.

  After she’d left, he removed the Halo rosary from his pocket and slipped it over his head. “Perfect way to see in the dark,” he said, lighting up like an angel. I reminded myself that he was one.

  “I thought you would use a flame.”

  “My father yanked my rosary off me, wouldn’t give it back.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault.” He grabbed my hand and led me through the trees. After walking a short distance, he laid his jacket out behind a bush. He pulled me down to sit next to him. I shivered a little, feeling like someone was walking over my grave. He wrapped his arms around me, bathing me in the Halo’s light, which felt soothing as well as warm. Snuggling in close, I rested my head against his chest, wishing I could stay cocooned in his arms forever. We sat like that for ages, not needing to talk, just enjoying being together.

  He eventually broke the silence. “God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, running the backs of his fingers down my cheek.

  He hooked a finger under my chin and lifted it. Smiling sadly at me, he leaned in, brushing his lips over mine. I opened my mouth for him, our tongues tangling, our desires the same. I lost myself in the kiss, forgetting about everything other than what we were doing right now, in this moment, just the two of us. I almost cried out when he broke the kiss, but definitely didn’t complain when his lips glided down my neck, so sensual, so soft, the warmth emanating from the Halo rosary doubling my pleasure. It was all-encompassing, such sheer delight, the energy between us making me breathless.

  He pushed me onto my back and pressed his lips against mine. I slid my hands under his top, caressing the scars on his back without thought, too overcome by the moment to realise that I shouldn’t be touching them. But he didn’t pull away this time. Instead, his hand slipped between my thighs, his fingers sparking against my flesh. I let out a startled squeal. He instantly broke the kiss, leaving me lying on my back, staring up at him with wide eyes, the Halo beads glowing even stronger.

  “Did I hurt you?” he asked, sounding worried.

  “No, the sparks just gave me a surprise.”

  “What sparks?”

  “From your fingers.”

  “It was probably from the Halo rosary.”

  I smiled at him. “Or we just have mad chemistry.”

  He smiled back. “Then, let’s see.” He pulled the Halo rosary off, sending us plummeting into darkness, only the light from the moon stopping it from becoming pitch black. He lay down on top of me.

  I pushed at him, shouting, “You’re squashing me!”

  He laughed and rolled off me, lying down on his side. Turning to face him, I leaned forward and kissed his lips. He returned the kiss, then rested his forehead against mine, his tone turning serious.

  “You’re not really going to meet my grandfather here, are you?” he asked.

  I jerked back, his words an instant mood killer. “I said Boyd’s Beach, not here.”

  “He won’t go near water, so wants it changed.”

  A chill ran up my arms. Was I going to die the same way as my sister, in the same reserve? I glanced at my surroundings. We weren’t in the same part as where my sister had died, the place massive, but the chill still continued down my back, making me think of what Christopher had said about wandering spirits. Was Vesna’s soul here, trying to warn me away, telling me not to fight Christopher’s grandfather? Or maybe it was my fear, which had been steadily growing each day.

  “Either way, you’re not going,” he added.

  “I think it’s going to happen no matter what,” I replied. “Last Saturday, I had a dream about all of the legendary rosaries. Near the end, it showed me a little of your grandfather’s past. How much are you aware of your family’s history?”

  He didn’t reply.

  “Chris?”

  “Put it this way, we have a lot of skeletons in the attic.”

  “You mean closet? Anyway, I saw him burn a priest alive. It was so far from angelic it wasn’t funny.” I paused, hoping he wasn’t going to get offended. “Is there demon blood in your family?”

  His jaw clenched.

  My heart plummeted, his reaction answering my question. “How much?”

  “My father’s supposedly half demon. I don’t know about my grandfather, but my parents act like he’s a full angel. But I’m not so sure he is, especially if his claims about being able to possess innocents is true, because only demons are supposed to be able to do that.”

  I nodded. “I agree. I think he does have demon in him.”

  “Which means I’m more than a quarter demon.”

  “Which also means you’re more angel than demon.”

  “Does it bother you I’m part demon?”

  I shook my head. “No, because you’re not like your dad and granddad. You’re good.”

  He grimaced. “I’m not good. When I punched my father, I got joy from it. I didn’t even care when he punched me back, or when my mother cried. I just lost it.” He let out a raspy breath. “Ever since my grandfather told me he would possess my body to get at you, something changed inside of me. Do you know how I felt when he said that?”

  “Horribl
e.”

  “More than that. He broke my heart. Here is this man I’ve idolised all my life and he said he was just going to use my body against my will. How could he do that to me?”

  I didn’t reply, Christopher not needing an answer, just an ear to listen to.

  He continued, “I don’t want to be near him anymore. I’ve loved him all my life, yet these last few days it’s like...” He let out another shaky breath. “I hate him. My father too. And my mother. I know she’s stuck up for me, but it’s not enough. Papà has hit me so many times, really hit me, and she refuses to leave him. She loves him more than me, which is so wrong. A mother should love their child more than anything in the world, but she doesn’t, because if she did, she wouldn’t stay with someone who knocks their own child around. She even loves my grandfather more than me, because wouldn’t you leave if you heard someone say they wanted to possess your child’s body?”

  I nodded, knowing it wasn’t just his dad and granddad who’d hurt him. His mum was as much to blame, someone who was meant to nurture and protect him, but just stood by while he got abused.

  He barrelled on, “I felt like nothing when my grandfather said that, and even worse when my mother didn’t care enough to protect me. I felt like a slab of meat, just there to be used. It hurt, hurt so bad that I think I finally snapped. Snapped so hard that I’m afraid I’ve let the demon side take over my angel side.” He looked down at his hands, picking at a nail. “For a second I wanted to kill Papà, my nonno too.” He looked back up at me. “Even my mother. How could I want that? It has to be the demon in me. Am I turning evil like them?”

  “No.” I placed a hand on his cheek. “Your family has pushed you too far.”

  He leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I was wrong when I said it would be over between us if you hurt my grandfather. It’s not your fault, it’s his. So, no matter what happens between you and him, it won’t change the way I feel about you. We’re in this together. It’s you and me, cara, just you and me.”

  I bit my lip, knowing he’d change his mind pretty quick if I did end up killing his grandfather. But instead of verbalising my thoughts, I kissed him, preferring not to think about our uncertain future. We continued to kiss, Christopher’s body growing warmer, shielding me from the cold night. It surprised me, since he wasn’t wearing his Seraphim rosary, or the Halo one, which still lay on the ground.

  A loud honking startled us apart, obviously Nicky having returned early. I looked down at my watch, turning on the little light to check the time, surprised to see a whole hour had passed. I looked back at Chris, who was slipping the Halo rosary over his head. His lips were swollen, making me wonder just how long we’d been kissing the time away.

  “Time’s up,” I said. “That’ll be Nicky.”

  Surprise crossed his features. “Where’d the time go?”

  “Kissing your lips,” I replied, pushing to my feet.

  He rose too, still looking surprised. I took hold of his hand and pulled him across the field. As we neared Nicky’s car, he removed the Halo rosary, only the Mini’s headlights and the moon lighting the way.

  He murmured something as he opened the passenger door.

  I looked up at him. “What?”

  “I love you.” He let go of my hand and climbed into the backseat of the Mini, not hearing my whispered, “I think I might love you, too.”

  Chapter 42

  ~ CHRISTOPHER ~

  Wednesday the 28th of June, 1989

  Loud cheers echoed around the swimming pool as the Form Six boys powered towards the finish line in a tightly fought race. The names for first, second, and third came over the loudspeaker, causing the winner to pump his fist in the air and whoop in victory. All the boys pulled themselves out of the pool, the Form Seven girls taking their places on the starting platform.

  My gaze locked hungrily onto Catherine, the girl looking so goddamned fine in her blue swimsuit, all white hair and light olive skin. Unlike the other girls, she wasn’t wearing goggles or a swimming cap, her hair plaited instead. But she was wearing her rosary, which was hidden under a piece of duck-tape that was wrapped around her wrist.

  She stretched, then leaned down to grip onto the platform, her muscles tightening in anticipation for the starting horn. As it ripped through the air, she dived into the water, resurfacing a little way down the pool. I stood up, watching as she started to power through the water. Gasps of admiration went up around the natatorium, causing other students to stand up so they could get a better view of her incredible freestyle. Flipping at the end of the pool, she glided past the other competitors, finishing in an incredible time, the second-placed girl not even having crossed the three-quarter mark.

  Along with the other students, I whooped at her amazing victory. Then everyone went wild when the principal announced over the loudspeaker that she’d broken not only the school record, but the regional one.

  She waited for all the other girls to finish before climbing out of the pool. Grabbing her towel, she wiped her face and hair, then wrapped it around her body and headed for me and Nicky. She sat down next to her best friend, who was grinning from ear to ear at her.

  “That was amazing!” Nicky shrilled, almost piercing my eardrums.

  “Not really, I could’ve gone a lot faster,” Catherine replied, her eyes flicking to me.

  I smiled back, believing her. She’d probably gone slower so she didn’t bring unwanted attention to herself.

  “Yeah, right!” Nicky said. “Pull the other one.”

  Catherine laughed. “I’m being serious. When I touched the first end, I noticed how far back everyone was, so I slowed down to give them a chance. Not my fault they’re slow arses.”

  Laughing, Nicky smacked her arm, clearly taking what she’d said as a joke, but I knew it wasn’t. Marises were known to power through water—and obviously Stellas too. I had to keep reminding myself that Catherine wasn’t a Maris, especially with the way she was with water.

  Mr. Harley, the swim coach, appeared in front of Catherine. “Catherine. Why haven’t you joined our swimming team?”

  “Ah...” she said, throwing a worried glance at me, like I could get him off her back. But all I did was grin at her, thinking she’d landed herself in it. Mr. Harley was probably already imagining winning all the school meets with her, the trophies piling up in his mind.

  “There’s an Auckland swimming meet coming up next month,” he said. “I want you to participate in the freestyle. I’d also like to see you do other styles. We train...” he droned on and on about where they trained, at what times, which was really early in the morning, and how she could be a real contender in the swimming world.

  “Um,” she said, cutting off his spiel, “I only swim for fun.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Fun? You smashed the regional record! You could have a spectacular career in swimming. You haven’t even trained and you’re good enough for the Commonwealth Games and possibly the Olympics. I’ll be speaking to your mother, Catherine, because you will be in the school team.”

  Catherine’s shoulders slumped. “No to the training, I’m not getting up at that time, but if you want me to show up to the meets, I’ll do it.”

  “If you trained you could go so far.”

  “Look, I love swimming and all, just not the training side of things.”

  “But you could go so far.”

  “You already said that, Mr. Harley.”

  “It’s true—”

  “As I said, I’ll turn up to the meets, nothing more. And seriously, you just told me I broke the regional record and I wasn’t even trying.”

  His eyes went wide. “What?”

  She shrugged. “I’ll beat whoever you put up against me, take it or leave it.”

  “I’ll most certainly take it. I’ll send your mother all the information about the meets this year. If you refuse training, at least turn up to all of those, not one less. Do it for your school.”

  She sighed. “Su
re.”

  His face lit up. “Well, I’ll talk to you later.” He walked off, grinning like a loon, probably ecstatic that the school was finally producing some real swimming talent for him to live vicariously off. I could almost see a skip in his walk.

  Catherine groaned and covered her face. “What have I done?”

  I didn’t reply, knowing there was a real chance she wouldn’t make any of those meets because of my grandfather.

  Chapter 43

  ~ CATHERINE ~

  I met up with Nicky outside the changing rooms. As we walked side by side through the school, I half listened to her chatting nonstop about how everything was working out with Stephen, and that he was now being real attentive to her.

  “We’re going out to the movies tonight,” she said, happily.

  “Your mother is letting you see a movie on a school night? How did you get away with that? Or are you sneaking out as usual?”

  She grinned mischievously. “Nah, my family are away at a soccer tournament in Hamilton, and won’t be back ’til tomorrow. And you’re one to talk about being sneaky.” She poked me in the side.

  I smacked her hand away. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just be careful. Okay?”

  “Stephen’s a perfect gentleman, so I’ll be fine,” Nicky replied, glowering at me as I burst out laughing.

  “Gentleman?”

  “Shut up, you!”

  “Girls, wait up!” Stephen hollered from behind us. He pulled up alongside Nicky and slung an arm over her shoulder. His long blond hair was damp, the strands wetting his rugby jersey.

  “Hey, gorgeous,” he said to Nicky, well, I hope it was to her, because the prick gave me a sly wink.

  “Hi, Stephen!” she chirped, clearly oblivious. “Too bad you missed out on a placing for the breaststroke.”

  “Maybe I just need more practice.” He grabbed one of her boobs, getting a squeal from Nicky.

  She smacked his hand off. “Stephen! We’re at school,” she said, her face going bright red. A couple of boys close by sniggered. “Shut up, yous!” she shouted at them.

  Stephen sniggered too, looking well pleased with himself, the guy definitely not a gentleman, Nicky crazy for calling him one.