Fallen

Chapter Forty Eight

"Right, I'll go with Jason. Since it's Kieran's first time, he'll pair up with Blaine."

"Why Blaine?" Jason queried.

"Because he's the oldest."

"That doesn't mean shit," Jason sniggered, flashing me his model type smile and laughing. I punched his shoulder, but eventually started laughing with him. He always knew how to make me smile even at the most anxious of times. The usual tingles of nervous excitement caused us to act this stupid.

"Shut up!" Carter hissed. The dim light from our torches lit up his deep frown.

"Yeah, Blaine." Jason smirked, flinging an arm around Kieran's shoulders. He bent his elbow to hold Kieran in a tight head lock. "We need to set an example to little Kieran here." He rubbed his knuckles roughly against the top of Kieran's head.

"Get off," he half laughed, half winced.

Jason's laughter was cut short by a sharp smack to the back of the head from Carter. He let go of Kieran and glared over to Carter.

"We're going to miss it if we're not careful," Carter said sternly, watching as Kieran rubbed at his neck. His nerves were betrayed by his shaking hands and his face drawn with fear. I tugged him closer to me in an attempt to calm his nerves, remembering my first time I slayed a Demon. I still had the same tingles in my fingertips and the wild beating of my heart. The feeling of holding the weapon once owned by my dad was addictive.

"Maybe I shouldn't be doing this," he muttered.

"You've been waiting for so long to kill. Now that you're eighteen, you can," Carter spoke in a whisper.

"Yeah, mate," I murmured. "We'll be here to keep you safe."

"Right, come on," Carter ordered, wandering his torch around us. A beam of light lit up the trees, all our eyes intently watching the revealed parts of the forest for any sign of what we were looking for. Carter glanced back to us.

"Have you all got your earpieces in?" he asked, raising his eyebrows specifically at me.

I sighed heavily and searched my pockets for the small device he was referring to. I pressed it into my ear.

"Right Blaine, Kieran, you guys go towards the east. Jason and I will take the path leading south."

We watched as he shone the torch down two different paths, glancing at each of us for a confirmation. Jason and I nodded sternly before all our eyes landed on Kieran. He shuffled to my side. I smiled at his clinginess towards me.

"You guys go on. I'll guide Kieran from here."

They exchanged wary glances.

"We were going to go a bit further with you guys, you know...just in case," Jason spoke. Carter was quiet and his face tight with thought. I rolled my eyes at them.

"Trust me, guys."

"We just don't want Kieran getting hurt," he said. "We know what you get like when you're excited, Blaine. You act like an idiot."

"I do not!" I protested, looking at each boy's face. They all told me they agreed with Jason. "Look, I'll protect Kieran, I promise."

Carter and Jason exchanged a glance. Carter's chest stuck out as he held his breath. I raised my eyebrows at them.

"Okay," Carter finally sighed. "But stay safe, yeah?"

"Yes, go," I said sternly, shooing them down the path and ignoring the rules being called out to me. They finally disappeared through the trees and into the shadows.