Nightfall

by Douglas, Penelope

  I swatted at him, my palm landing against his neck, and I spotted all the hickeys I left last night. Or maybe one of them was still from the theater. I couldn’t remember.

  My blood raced, seeing the evidence of how different I was in the dark.

  God, what did he do to me?

  He searched my eyes, whispering, “Do you like me, Em?”

  Needles instantly pricked my throat. I gazed at him, not wanting to answer the question but not wanting to lie, either. I just wanted to kiss him.

  I inched in, his eyes dropping to my mouth as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

  “Mr. Townsend?” Kincaid called over the intercom.

  I sucked in a breath, stopping and turning my head to the teacher.

  “Yes?” he answered.

  I jumped out of Will’s lap and slid into my own seat.

  “Would you be so kind as to send the following students to my office when they arrive, please?” Kincaid asked. “Michael Crist, Damon Torrance, Kai Mori, and William Grayson. Thank you.”

  “Ohhhhh,” everyone in the class roared.

  My pulse jumped, and I looked over at Will as Damon sighed and the other two rose from their seats.

  He shook his head, trying to calm me. The crypt. I didn’t even think about that. Everyone would assume it was the Horsemen. Was that why Kincaid was calling them up?

  “Take your bags and books with you, just in case,” Townsend told them.

  Just in case of what? Expulsion? Arrest?

  They trailed in a line across the front of the classroom, toward the door, every single one turning their heads and eyeing me.

  A smile curled Damon’s lips as he lifted his finger and wagged it at me.

  Kai saw him, breaking out in a laugh as they disappeared through the door, and I didn’t think I blinked for a solid minute.

  Shit!

  • • •

  As soon as class ended, I didn’t turn right like I was supposed to, I didn’t go to my locker to pick up my chem book, and I did not pass Go. I charged into the front office, tempted to go for the front doors instead to check for a police car, but I was already here.

  “I need to speak with Mr. Kincaid,” I told the secretary as I placed my hands on the long counter.

  She glanced up from the stack of packets she was counting out. “About?”

  I opened my mouth, but someone spoke up first.

  “She’s not getting in until after me.”

  I spun around, seeing Trevor Crist’s hair dripping wet as he held tissues to his nose.

  “I’ll wait,” I told the secretary.

  I looked over at Kincaid’s door, seeing shadows move behind the frosted glass as my stomach rolled at all the possibilities happening inside. I sat a couple of chairs down from Crist, trying to eavesdrop, but all I could hear was mumbling.

  I was tempted to let them take the fall if they offered, because they’d get out of it, and I wouldn’t, but I wasn’t that person.

  “Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?” Trevor asked.

  I looked over at him, a molecule of sympathy coursing through my body.

  But it was just another day in Thunder Bay.

  “I don’t really care,” I said. “Sorry.”

  I heard him scoff as I watched the shadows move, barely listening as he went on and on.

  “Someday, all of this is going to catch up with them,” he spat out.

  He was talking about the Horsemen. I guessed it was them—or one of them—whom he got into it with.

  “Everyone says that,” I sighed.

  Even me at one point.

  “It’ll happen,” he argued. “And I won’t be the only one laughing when it does.”

  I turned my gaze on him, seeing his jaw flex, big anger on him for a freshman.

  Part of me admired the kid. He hated his brother and made no show of anything else. I understood it when maybe not everyone would.

  The door to Kincaid’s office opened, and I stood up, a slew of people walking out, including my brother.

  He saw me, and I straightened, racking my brain for any excuse.

  “You boys get back to class,” Kincaid told them. “I’m letting you practice during seventh period, so you can cut out early for festivities tonight. Don’t make me regret it, and I mean it, Torrance.”

  Damon chuckled as Martin stood off to the side, eyeing me with fire in his eyes.

  “What are you doing up here?” he asked.

  “Picking up college fair information,” I said, shifting on my feet before finding the brochures on the wall.

  I grabbed one.

  What happened in there? What were they talking about? Did Martin know?

  “Trevor,” Kincaid said. “Come on in.”

  Trevor stepped toward the dean’s office, coming up chest to chest with Damon and looking really brave like he wasn’t a foot shorter than the senior.

  “You know, someday I won’t be a kid,” he gritted out, “and you’ll be fighting someone your own size.”

  “It still won’t be a fair fight, princess,” Damon told him, getting in his face, “but you’re welcome to try. Just bring yourself some lube.”

  Will laughed a little, and Michael pushed Damon away from his brother. “Enough. Let’s get to class.”

  The two just stood there, neither one wanting to give in first.

  “Everyone to class…now!” Kincaid barked.

  The boys moved away from each other, maintained eye contact for a few extra seconds for good measure before they started to filter out of the front office. I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened.

  They weren’t in trouble. Okay, that was good.

  Should I still fess up? I paused, waiting to see if my brother would leave, but Will just nudged me out the door.

  “Don’t say anything,” he whispered so Martin wouldn’t hear.

  My words, apology, and explanation lodged in my throat, and I gave my brother a tight smile as I left to get back to class. But the look in his eyes told me he knew I was up to something.

  We left, Damon hitting lockers and making a ruckus as we all trailed down the hall.

  “I’ll see you in economics,” Will told Michael as he held me back and everyone else went ahead of us.

  We stopped in the empty hall, second period already begun and the others disappearing around the corner or up the stairs.

  “Does he know?” I asked quietly. “Kincaid?”

  “Yeah,” he told me, nodding. “I mean, he thinks it was the guys and me. He can’t prove it, but he has no intention of trying to, either.”

  So they all just let him believe it was them? Why would they do that?

  “I guess it’s good to be you,” I said, pretty grateful.

  Will came in close, looking down at me. “They’ve filled McClanahan’s grave back in. The family has had a change of heart.” He cleared his throat, reciting the news. “‘It’s become a landmark.’ Which basically translates to they don’t want to deal with constant vandalism, so they’ll leave him where he’s always rested.”

  So, it worked.

  It actually worked.

  “Everything is real,” he stated.

  Huh?

  “That’s what you said last night as you were climbing into your bed,” he pointed out. “Everything is real today. Am I less real at night? Is that why you’re pulling away this morning?”

  Yes. I swallowed over the pain in my throat.

  I mean, it was fun. I would love for it to happen again, but…

  “Who’s doing that to your body?” he demanded.

  I tensed, taking a step back.

  “You have bruises everywhere.” His eyes trailed up to my brow and the small cut I’d covered with makeup. “Is it your brother?”

  My hands trembled.

  He was figuring it out.

  I knew he would. I blinked away the sting in my eyes.

  “Emmy, stop lying to me,” he said softly. “I kn
ow something’s wrong. I know it. Tell me.”

  The lump in my throat stretched. God, I wanted to tell him.

  I didn’t want to lose this. I wanted to let him hold me and protect me. He cared.

  As much as I wanted to pretend that he didn’t, I knew he cared.

  And my heart that ached to keep him hurt worse than anything Martin had ever done to me.

  But I couldn’t tell him. If I let this go on, he’d interfere. He’d make trouble, stand up for me, and I could be separated from her.

  I could be sent away. I didn’t want my grandmother alone.

  My chin shook, the words on the tip of my tongue. It would feel so good to dive into his arms and look forward to more with him. I wanted to tell him everything.

  But I just clenched my teeth so hard my jaw ached and backed away some more, forcing a scoff. I shook my head, my bitter smile fixed on him.

  I looked at his mouth and then his hands, remembering how all of him was mine last night.

  We couldn’t be together.

  Maybe someday. Not today.

  He grabbed my elbow and pulled us close again. “Don’t you know you can have anything you want?” he repeated his words from a couple of weeks ago. “I’d hurt anyone for you. Who the hell is it?”

  But I just laughed, feeling the tears well. God, go away.

  I balled my fist and ripped my arm away from him. “Let go of me.” I glared at him. “Go have fun with your friends. They’re all you really have, so hang on to them. I don’t love you, and I don’t want you.”

  The words were like razors in my throat, and I wanted to throw up.

  But I stayed steel as fire hit his eyes, and his heavy breath poured in and out of his chest.

  “Emmy…”

  Jesus, just go! Stop torturing me with everything I wanted and nothing I could have. I’d make his life horrible.

  “Leave me alone,” I gritted out.

  “You’re pushing me away. Just—”

  “We’re just too different.” I backed away some more. “You thought this was serious? You’ve been on half the girls in the graduating class! If I knew that you thought last night was something more, I never would’ve come to Homecoming.”

  He bared his teeth. “Stop it,” he bit out. “You hear me? Stop it. Last night was it for me. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

  Tears sprang to my eyes, and I forced back the sob in my throat.

  God, I loved him. This hurt. I had to get out of here.

  I couldn’t be someone he had to take care of. Someone pathetic who would just bring a shit ton of baggage on him that he’d get sick of dealing with.

  Drawing in a deep breath, I forced the words out, my stomach wracking with pain.

  “I wanted you, too,” I said, my voice hard. “And I had you. It was fun. Even better than the gossip says it is. Now I’m done.”

  “Goddammit.”

  “I’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone better in bed,” I told him. “That’s for sure.”

  Whipping around, he slammed his fist into the lockers, and I stared wide-eyed and hot in my gut as he looked ready to kill.

  Yes. Hate me.

  Please hate me.

  “Such a fucking…” He trailed off, too coward to say ‘bitch.’

  My chin trembled.

  He turned and looked at me. “You know how easy you are to replace? Is that what you want then?” And he snapped his fingers in my face. “Because it would be that easy.”

  My body wracked with jealousy, because I knew it was just a threat, but I still wanted to slice him all the way to hell if he put his hands on any other girl.

  But I felt myself getting stronger, feeding off the hate and the pain and the anger.

  “Get on with it, then!” I snarled. “And rot in hell, for all I care.”

  I stalked off, back to my locker, and left him in my dust, waiting until I’d rounded the corner before I let the tears fall.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, sobbing quietly as I started running.

  Will.

  Emory

  Present

  Aydin left my room, telling me dinner was in an hour, courtesy of Taylor. I was pretty sure I didn’t want to eat or drink anything from that guy, but he said I would be served first. I guess that meant if I wanted the guys to eat at all, I needed to show up.

  I nodded, kept my mouth shut, and closed my door without the chair securing it this time. If anyone came into my room, they’d just figure I’d left and they’d missed me.

  Slipping into the secret passageway again, I carefully pulled the picture closed and squatted down, digging inside the duffle bag Alex had left and fishing around for another flashlight. I found a mess of clothes, granola bars, a water bottle, a blanket, a knife, and some rope.

  No extra flashlights.

  Were the granola bars all she had been eating? Aydin hadn’t mentioned anything was missing from the kitchen, but Alex was slick. I hoped she was swiping better food while everyone was asleep.

  She had to have been coming out of her hiding places to go to the bathroom, at least.

  I slid my hand around the inside of the bag, feeling for the satellite phone, but no such luck. Had she hid it somewhere?

  Zipping up the duffle, I started down the tunnel without a flashlight and no idea where she’d gone. The tunnels probably covered every floor, and she’d had days to explore. I didn’t even know where Will’s room was.

  I jogged down the hidden hallway, the scent of earth and sea surrounding me like I was deep in a cave, and the echo of the waterfall outside beating around me.

  Thin beams of light streamed into the dark corridor from the rooms I passed, and I quickly peered through each one to make sure Alex and Will weren’t in there.

  Coming to the end of the hall, I saw the tunnel continue on my left, and then looked ahead, seeing the ladder leading down.

  Will showered in the natatorium. After the greenhouse, he might’ve gone there.

  I descended the ladder, feeling it whine under my weight and instantly recognizing the same sound from the other day. In the walls in the hall leading to the pool.

  Alex had been right there next to me, and I hadn’t seen her. She should’ve made herself known. What the hell was she thinking?

  I shook my head, pushing the anger back again as slivers of wood poked my palms. I stepped down, immediately jogging through the passageway.

  Panels and doorways appeared here and there, outlining entrances into various rooms, and I really hoped no one else knew about this because there was so much space to hide and watch, and if I needed a shortcut to get somewhere fast, this was perfect.

  I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though. Aydin was smart, and he’d been here over two years. If he hadn’t found this yet, I’d be surprised.

  I passed the gym, wondering how much longer the boys would be hunting and where Aydin was. I had yet to see him at all.

  A thud hit somewhere close, like a piece of furniture jostling, and I paused for a moment before running down the corridor toward it.

  “Ah!” someone shouted, and I stopped, leaning my ear into the wall.

  “Come on, you can do better than that,” Taylor said.

  Taylor? I thought he went hunting with Micah and Rory.

  There was mumbling, and I knew they were on the other side of this wall. I scanned for the peephole, finding it a foot away and peering through it.

  Taylor crouched on the other side of the pool table, only his head visible as he popped up every once in a while, someone else’s hands squeezing his neck.

  “What the hell?” I mouthed.

  And then I spotted something to the right and squinted.

  Alex crept up behind Taylor, already in the room with a thick, wooden candlestick in her hand, and I widened my eyes, sucking in a breath.

  Shit. What was she doing?

  But before I could locate the opening she’d slipped through, she’d raised her arm and brought down the candlestick in a hard blow ac
ross the back of Taylor’s head.

  He jerked, froze, and fell over, collapsing onto the floor, and she stood there, breathing hard and staring down at him.

  In a moment, Will had shot to his feet, wiping the blood from under his nose. “Alex?” He gaped at her.

  She didn’t look happy, though. “What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, whispering over Taylor’s unconscious body on the floor. “You could’ve handled that guy. I’ve been watching you get your ass kicked for days! What are you doing?”

  He just stared at her, stunned. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  She paused and then said, “That’s it? That’s all you’ve gotta say?” She waved her hand at her head. “Not a word about my hair?”

  I almost snorted, despite my pulse racing. I’d never actually seen them interact together. I met Alex long after Will was sent here.

  She was so comfortable with him.

  He blinked at her, wiping his nose as more blood dripped out, and then he grabbed her hand. “Fuck,” he cursed, swinging open the door and yanking her out of the room. “Goddamn, son of a bitch…”

  He bolted with her, and I stilled, wondering if I should jump out and run with them, but I stayed in the walls, racing down the corridor instead.

  I peered into every room I passed, afraid he was taking her upstairs to his room, but he wouldn’t risk keeping her out in the open that long.

  I passed the drawing room, peeked in quickly and was about to fly off to the next room, but then I saw him slip inside, pulling her behind him, and close the door, securing it with a chair.

  I looked through the thin slit in the bookshelf I knew was on the other side of this wall, watching as she threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him over.

  I pressed on the wall, about to open it, but…I stayed, watching.

  His arms hung limply at his sides for a minute, but then he snapped out of it and wrapped them around her, squeezing her tight. She sobbed quietly, pressing her lips to his cheek as he closed his eyes, smiling—really smiling—for the first time since I’d been here.

  My heart ached.

  “I missed you, kid,” he said.

  She nodded, still hugging him. “We’re going home.”

  They held each other for another few moments and then pulled away, staring into each other’s eyes.