After I was sure we were about to crash, the pilot managed to put us on the ground and come to a grinding crawl down the runway. I had opted to have Savannah sit this one out. She needed to be with Lance. The end was creeping up on us and being with him was what she needed now.
“You okay?” Payne asked.
I swallowed, forcing myself to reply. “I am now. I really hate these small planes Fuzz puts us on. The landing makes me want to barf.”
“Well hopefully this is the last trip we have to make.” His voice became taut toward the end of his statement. I narrowed my eyes. He turned away and focused on the flight attendant now walking down the aisle. “I think we can get our stuff ready to get off this thing.”
I didn’t move. There was something he wasn’t telling me. “Payne.”
He moved toward the front of his seat and stopped. “Yeah?”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
An expression of revulsion passed over his face, and he was careful not to look me in the eye. “I wanted to tell you before we left, but you just seemed like you had enough on your plate. I didn’t want to add to it. Still, it seems like a really shitty thing for me to do now that we’re here, and I’ve got to spring this on you at the last moment.”
Before I could ask what he was talking about, a voice boomed through the now open door to the jet. The blood left my face. Without seeing it, I knew my skin had paled. I would recognize that voice anywhere. The old feelings related to him were dredged up from deep within me. I really didn’t think I would ever see him again. But now here he was, about to enter this jet and face me after he had practically forced himself on me at my parents’ house all those years ago.
“It would’ve been fucking nice to know he would be here,” I seethed through clenched teeth. I straightened my pack as he rounded the corner with a smug smile plastered across his features. Ben. I could still feel the way his grimy paws felt over my skin and the vulgar, bitter taste of his kiss as he shoved his tongue down my throat.
“Sorry,” Payne whispered, leaning down to pick up the duffle bag underneath his seat. He tossed it aimlessly over his shoulder and hooked it under his arm. “I should’ve told you. I didn’t know he would meet us here. I thought I could tell you once we got off the plane, and you’d have time to process it before you actually came face to face with him.”
I didn’t answer. I only held up my hand to silence him without taking my eyes off Ben. With a few strides, he stood in front of me and cocked his head slightly. My jaw clenched; I hated the fact that I had to stare up at him. The height difference gave him the undeniable sense of superiority. I could read it in his eyes as they twinkled in amusement.
“Reese.” My name sounded dirty coming from his mouth. “I see you’re still quite the spitfire I remember.” He brought a hand to the side of my face. Instinctively I recoiled. My action amused him even more. “You know I always get my way, or have you forgotten that? Maybe you need a refresher on who’s the most dominant between us? Steele isn’t here to save you now.”
The fire took over my blood. He could say what he wanted. He had no idea who I was now. I wasn’t that same scared little girl who he’d taken advantage of all those years ago. Now I was strong and, at this point, had nothing else to lose. That made me the most dangerous thing he had ever faced.
Smiling a little, I looked down at the ground before returning my attention to him. “I haven’t forgotten.” His shoulders squared as he rocked back on his heels. Something primal took over; the monster I had caged in that cave begged to be released. The unrelenting power pulsed tendrils of an electric current to each cell within my body. Instead of ripping his head off the thick stump that held it upright, I decided on a low blow. In a swift movement, I had a handful of his balls. My biceps muscle hardened as my digits curled inward and my wrist turned.
I took a step forward putting us only an inch apart. “That should scare you that I haven’t. Now here’s something you don’t know.” I increased my grip relishing in the fact that tears were streaming down the sides of his crimson face. “I don’t need Steele to protect me anymore. Matter of fact, it would be in your best interest if he was still here, so he could protect you from me. What you did all those years ago was unforgivable, and you deserve for me to rip your nuts off and make you eat them. But I’m not. Because I’m better than that and as much as I hate to admit this, we need you. Now take yourself down a few pegs, learn your place and how to treat people so we can get this job done, and I can put fucking distance back between us.” I released him and shoved his body away.
His blue eyes blazed with anger, but he remained silent.
“Damn. Yo, that looked painful,” Payne said.
Ben snorted. “Whatever. Follow me. Like she said, the sooner we can get this done the sooner y’all can get back.” He darted around the stewardess and disappeared through the door.
I grabbed my bag, catching the young girl’s snicker before I disembarked. The air was cool and crisp. I stopped at the top of the stairs and took in the orange glow of the sun peeking through the darkened horizon in the distance.
“You coming or not?” Ben said, shifting his weight from foot to foot at the bottom of the steps. “I’m going to brief you on the way to the office, so on arrival we can determine the course of action.”
Taking two steps at a time, I joined him and Payne on the cement. “Perfect.”
He flicked a wrist over his shoulder. “The Jeep’s over here.”
The three of us walked across the open runway toward a Jeep parked on the grass. I climbed in the back, not wanting to be close proximity to Ben. I would give Payne that honor. He deserved it for not telling me this dick was going to be the one that met us. I set my bag on my lap and unzipped it. Shifting clothes around, I searched for the ear buds I had thrown in during the unruly attempt of packing. I was just about ready to give up on them when my fingers brushed across a small folded piece of paper. I pulled it out, glancing up front to make sure neither of the guys was paying any attention. They weren’t. They were too busy discussing some video game. Red Dead something or other. When they had time to sit down a turn a T.V. on was beside me. I hardly had time to take a decent shit most days. I quickly unfolded the paper and immediately recognized Harley’s long slanted handwriting.
Reese,
I know you need time away and most of that has to do with me. The fact that you wouldn’t let me come with you is hard. So damn hard. If something happens to you there… Well, I’m not sure how I’d manage that. I know you don’t want to talk about us, but I can’t let you be this far away from me and not tell you exactly how I feel about you.
My entire life I’ve felt like I’ve walked a wire. I’ve been so careful and straightforward, only noticing what was directly in front of me and never what was below. But the thing is, the below is beautiful and wild. It’s the thing I’ve been missing. You’re my below.
I’m ready to take the leap. I’m ready to fall completely into the love I want to give you. I’m not going to lie. It scares the shit of me. I’ve never had to care for another person before, only myself. Now that I’ve found you, I know what an empty life I had. Sure we may have fights, there may be days that you absolutely hate my guts and I yours, but I still wouldn’t want anything different. You’re the beauty in this painful world, no matter what you think.
Please just be careful there. Come home to me, even if you don’t feel the same. I only want you safe and to see a smile on your face. You deserve it more than anyone.
Love Always,
Harley.
I read the letter two more times before I refolded it and tucked it away in my bag. I wasn’t sure how the words made me feel. Regret. Happiness. Guilt. Could I find it in myself to return the same feeling to him? At one time, I’d thought I could. If only we could have stayed in those mountains forever and my memory had never come back. We would be happy right now. But that wasn’t the way things progressed. It wasn’t the way our future pa
nned out. I had remembered, and it had changed everything.
“We’re here,” Ben said. He pulled the Jeep into a parking spot among a few others like it and slid it into park. “Did we need to go over anything else from what I told you?” He put one elbow across the top of the seat and shifted around to look at me.
I blinked. “Huh?” Shit. I had completely blocked out his voice the entire way here because I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts. “Sorry. I wasn’t listening.”
Payne stifled a chuckle. “We had a long flight. I was barely able to keep up with all the crap you were rambling about too.”
I sighed, grateful for his sad attempt of covering for me. The fact that I had missed vital information infuriated me. It was all because I couldn’t get a grip on my feelings. Inwardly, I growled.
“We can go over it again and strategize during,” I said. I opened the door and jumped out. The sun was now up, and the humidity was growing.
Ben rolled his eyes. “I really hate repeating myself.” He stopped only long enough to cut me a sideways glance over his shoulder. “But I guess I owe you, considering.”
29
Reese
“It’s no secret that Black Magic is practiced in these villages,” Ben said, striding in front of us. He craned his neck back. “Funny it’s only the two you here to do this. Thought for sure more would come in case something goes down.”
Payne and I exchanged glances. Nothing was going to happen. Now we knew the reason the first one had been so easy and hadn’t required a fight. The creatures on Dermetheus’s side wanted me to absorb the energy. They were keeping any others that might have tried to stop me back. I shuddered, glancing around. No doubt there was that would be waiting on me to get to this portal, waiting and watching in case there was a problem.
“You’re our backup,” I finally said, fighting to keep a straight face in the process.
Ben rolled his eyes. “Sure thing,” he barked out sarcastically. He opened the door to a small hut. Inside, a few guys sitting at computers turned around to face us. Payne nodded to them and they waved, but then refocused on me. Geez. They acted like they had never seen a girl before. Keep it in your pants, boys.
“With Fuzz’s research, we think this portal is going to be in Gnani. There’s a witch camp there. Lots of activity surrounds the place.” He walked over to a table and pointed at a map. “So either that’s where this portal is or those ladies are summoning some bad things that have kept us on our toes for years.”
“My guess is the first option,” I said, rolling my eyes. I tossed my bag on top of his map and unzipped it. I removed some blades and strapped them to my body. “When can we get there?”
A few of the guys jumped up. “I can take you!” the shouted at me in unison.
Ben did a hand motion. “Trust me guys, this one isn’t worth the effort.”
“Oh I’m worth all the effort if I think you’re man enough to handle me, which you clearly were not.” That statement earned an uproar of laughter from everyone except him.
He spun on his heels and burst through the door. “In the Jeep now if you want to go Gnani, otherwise get your ass back on that jet and back to the states.”
I shook my head and tucked my bag underneath my arm. Payne followed me out, still relishing in how mad Ben had gotten.
The Jeep ride was the most uncomfortable trip I had ever taken. Ben was clearly not getting over his butt-hurt anytime soon. I couldn’t care less. He deserved every low blow he received. We stopped in front of a collection of round huts with grass tops.
“I’ll wait here. Payne, I suggest you do the same. These women aren’t too keen on men walking into their village unannounced.” Ben turned to look back at me. “You’re on your own from here.”
I twisted myself in the seat and pulled the handle. “Be back shortly.” I hopped out and was greeted with curious stares from dark-skinned women doing their daily work. Some carried baskets, others worked in gardens, and a few hung clothes to dry. An elder woman with a bright green scarf wrapped over her head approached me.
“Come. She’s been waiting for you.” She turned and limped between two houses so close we had to turn sideways to squeeze through.
“Who?” I called out.
She didn’t answer, merely continued to walk in the direction of a large tree. As we neared, we caught the attention of those taking comfort in the shade the large branches provided. A group of women surrounded one sitting in a chair made of sticks. She wore a headpiece with feathers sticking out. She raised one hand and without a word, all the other ladies stood and in a single file line headed in the direction of the camp.
“Sit,” she said.
I glanced around, trying to decide where the best place to park it would be. I opted for a large rock to her right. “Thank you for seeing me. The other lady said you had been waiting on me, so I assume you have an idea about why I’m here.”
“I do. We’ve lived around that cursed area for years. Nothing comes out of it, but for some reason it draws the ones already here to it. Our beliefs and practices are the only thing that have kept us safe from the evil those things possess.”
“How did you know I was coming to find it?”
Her fingers twirled as she thoughtfully regarded the question. “I saw your face in a vision. The energy from it has become so tangible it has bared a great deal on my soul.” Her gaze swept to me. “If you don’t rid us of that thing, I fear it will end up killing me.”
Her words rendered me speechless for a moment before I was able to respond. “Tell me where to go.”
“Just beyond this hill behind me is a barricade of dead trees. We piled them there to help keep people from going near it. Years ago, they once believed if they buried their dead there, the energy radiating from that spot would bring them back. Of course, that was only a mere dream. Most people who came that close to it were killed by the creatures and then needed to be buried themselves. Cross the barricade. You will see the graves. There, you will find what you seek.”
I stood and straightened. “Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.”
I focused beyond the top of her chair. Pressing my lips together, I left her and started the climb up the hill. When I reached the top, a massive pile of forest debris held me in my spot. This was going to be fun. Dragging in a fortifying breath, I studied my route. Then, with careful control of my breathing, I maneuvered over the pieces of broken bark.
The process seemed to take forever. Each move I made had to be tested before I carried it out; otherwise, I could topple down and get hurt, stuck, or even killed. I latched my fingers over a hefty log and tensed, pulling my body upward. Sweat trickled down my back, making the fabric of my shirt cling to me. I looked up, so close now. With one final move, I crawled on all fours to the peak. I sat back, focused on my breathing, and stared out over hundreds of graves. The mounds of dirt were decorated with colored stones and designs made from things like sticks, vines, and beads.
I swiped my forehead with the back of my sleeve and started my descent. She was right. The energy coming off this portal was insane. I hit the ground and darted between the graves, careful not to step on one. A black hole came into view, materializing from out of nowhere. Without taking my eyes from it, I pulled the relic out of the pocket on my pants. Heat lapped at my skin as the blue flames covered it. I held it out, away from me like I had before, and the portal zipped into the relic. I slipped it back into my pocket and turned around to stare at the climb I had to make once again.
Two down. One to go.
30
Reese
Shayla moaned. “I’m so tired of eating this shit here.” She threw her body across my bed and curled her fingers around the comforter. “All we have are beans, noodles, oatmeal, and more beans!” She stared up at the ceiling. “I need normal food. Anything. Pizza. A hamburger. Fucking French fries!” She bolted upright and sprang to her feet. Her fingers wrapped around my shoulders, jarring me back a step.
“Let’s go get something.”
She and Savannah had bum rushed me the moment I woke after getting back from Africa. There was only one portal left. The one at Devil’s Den. I was on pins and needles at the thought of finishing this. Surely, Dermetheus would find me to collect what he thought was rightfully his.
I opened my mouth, but she hastily continued.
“Please, Reese. I’m desperate. Just one meal. That’s all I’m asking for.” Her eyes wandered over to Savannah.
“You know we’ve got work to do. There’s no time to go out and grab a bite to eat when the world it on the verge of ending.” I backed away, stretching my arms over my head. “It’s getting late anyways. Everything is probably already closed.”
“The Corner Shop should be still open,” Savannah piped up.
I turned toward her. Really? Her too? “What? Did the two of you come up with this to corner me? Besides, I’ve got stuff to do.” I waved my hand. “The two of you can go. No one is stopping you.”
Harsh whispers started between the two of them. I rolled my eyes. Seriously? Did they think I was deaf? I spun on my heels. The two them jumped back with their eyes wide. “I don’t need to clear my head. I’m fine!” Anger pulsed over me.
Shayla crinkled her nose in disappointment. “Reese,” she said quietly. “You’re anything but fine. You’ve been going nonstop. This shit with the relic and Harley…” She looked at Savannah. “We don’t like seeing you like this. It isn’t you.” She searched my face carefully, and then forged on. “Steele wouldn’t want you to be consumed by this life. After this fight is over you’ll have nothing left. I can see that little flame of the normal Reese doing everything in its power to not fade completely out. Please, don’t exhaust my best friend.”
War Page 19