We marched in a single line through the deep white powder, passing cabin after cabin. We stopped at what appeared to be a parking area, where a lone silver SUV sat covered in snow.
Jahlem pointed a remote at the SUV, and the whine of the engine soon replaced the quiet. We had a ride, and I wasn’t going to ask how we got it. I followed behind Nakari as Darrien popped open the back hatch and threw the trash bag in.
We all helped clear the snow. Nakari and I jumped in the back seat while Jahlem took the driver’s seat and Darrien sat shotgun. I glanced back as we drove down the dark, snowy, desolate road. It wouldn’t take long before our passing was completely wiped clean by the new snow.
Maybe luck was finally on our side.
I stared out the window, watching the sleepy town pass by. I’d made it through the night without Marcus controlling me, and a small amount of hope rose. Darrien and Jahlem said that controlling my powers weakened Marcus, and I’d seen how he fell to his knees after our battle in the meadow. We had a few days, but when would he strike again? Would he wait and have me kill Callon when I saw him again? A shiver ran down my neck, and I looked at my hands. I didn’t even want to think about it, but my mind wouldn’t let go.
My hands were weapons, weapons that had destroyed too many lives already. Weapons that had so far been useless against who they should’ve destroyed.
“Are you okay?” Nakari asked, touching my arm.
“Yeah,” I replied, but it was a lie. I’d never be okay until this battle was over, but the likelihood of having lasting scars was growing by the moment.
The thought of closing my eyes and resting was appealing, even though I’d just woken up. I shifted in the leather seat, trying to get comfortable. My body ached slightly.
Eventually the dark skies began to lighten, and the snow began to slow its descent. But the roads were treacherous. I wasn’t sure how much farther we’d be able to travel before we were forced to stop.
“Pull over here,” Nakari said and pointed to a diner in the distance. “I need to make a phone call.”
Jahlem pulled off the road and parked in the diner lot. I was sure to keep my eyes averted, just in case, because the diner’s name was on a large billboard atop the building.
“Wait here,” Nakari said and crawled out the SUV door.
“Are you feeling alright, Cheyenne?” Jahlem asked.
He was staring at me through the rearview mirror. Darrien turned to face me too.
“You look tired. There are dark circles under your eyes that I didn’t see this morning,” Jahlem added.
“Did you eat enough last night?” Darrien asked.
I leaned forward and looked at myself in the small mirror, my fingers tracing the dark circles under my eyes. My skin looked pale too. I sat back, confused.
“Do you feel different?” Darrien asked.
“Tired and achy,” I replied.
“I’ll be back,” Darrien said and then exited the SUV.
I stared after him, confused. What was he going to do? I was tired and achy, probably because of the trauma I’d just been through. He entered a drug store next to the diner and returned quickly, carrying a package. He then disappeared into the diner, talking with a waitress.
Darrien and Nakari returned to the SUV, Nakari’s gaze studying me.
“I thought it was just me,” she said, “but you’re right, she’s not looking well.”
“Here,” Darrien said handing me a Styrofoam container. “You may not be hungry, but you need to eat.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I don’t know what’s going on right now, but I know you only picked at your dinner last night. You need some protein, to keep your strength up.”
I opened the container and the scent of a grilled burger swirled around me. I wasn’t hungry, but they were right, something was going on. I hadn’t looked this pale last night when I showered.
I focused on eating the burger while Nakari discussed which direction we needed to head. I tried to block out their words, but when she mentioned Edmonton, and that he’d been seen there, my heart sank.
“Do you realize how big Edmonton is?” I asked between bites of my burger. “There are close to a million people living there! How are we supposed to find him?”
Nakari touched my arm. “I’ve got good resources, Cheyenne. They’ve narrowed it down a bit.”
“But we don’t have a lot of time before Marcus tries to control me again. We’re at the northern tip of Alberta. It’s going to take at least ten hours, possibly longer if the road conditions don’t improve.”
“We’re going to make it, Cheyenne,” Jahlem said. “I promise.”
I sighed. He was making a promise that he couldn’t guarantee. And besides that, I’d just officially confirmed where we were heading. I could only hope Marcus wasn’t strong enough yet to pick my brain.
I finished what I could of the burger and set the container on the SUV’s floor. I slouched in the seat, trying to get comfortable again to no avail. Darrien leaned over the seat and handed me a blanket.
I lifted a brow. I had my own built-in heater.
“Don’t use your powers, any of them,” he said. “Not until you look and feel better.”
I nodded, taking the blanket and setting it on my lap. It was easier said than done to not use this new element. It was if my body just took over and heated me when I was cold. Maybe if I used the blanket then I wouldn’t need my fire element.
“Here,” Nakari said and pointed to her lap. “Lay your head here and rest. I’ll wake you if anything changes.”
I stared at her for a moment. This was completely new for her to offer kindness, but we were both starting over. I lay my head down, and she brushed my hair away, her hand coming to rest on my arm. I closed my eyes as the rhythm of the vehicle took over, and soon found myself drifting off.
“Cheyenne,” Nakari said rubbing my arm. “Cheyenne, you need to wake up.”
My heavy lids opened. I was still in the car, but it was dark now. How long had I been out?
“Come with me,” she said helping me sit up. “We’re stopping for gas. You need to get up and move your legs.”
I nodded and unbuckled my seatbelt. I opened the door, and the frigid wind hit me. I pulled my jacket close around my neck and felt the automatic warming tingling my veins. I frowned and tried to push it back down as I followed Nakari inside the small convenience store. But it was as if it was set on automatic, and it wouldn’t allow me to regulate it when I was chilled.
I tripped, catching myself on a nearby shelf. I looked down. I’d managed to step on the hem of my jeans. I pulled them up higher and continued down the aisle. We entered the bathroom together, and I waited as Nakari used a stall. I glanced at myself in the mirror. A small gasp escaped me.
“What?” Nakari was beside me a second later. Her green eyes widened as she stared.
The circles under my eyes had turned purple, and my cheeks were now sunken. I lifted my hands. They looked frail and boney.
“Good Go—” she cut her words short as she turned me to face her.
She pinched her brows together, and her posture stiffened.
“This isn’t good, Cheyenne,” she whispered. “This isn’t good.”
She grabbed me, linking her arm with mine, and we left the bathroom, heading straight for the silver SUV. We climbed inside and turned the dome light on while Darrien and Jahlem studied me.
All three exchanged wary glances, but said nothing. Jahlem started the engine, and we drove off into the night. Nakari arranged the blanket around me, and I settled in as best I could.
Why had I suddenly grown worse? It wasn’t like I’d done anything. I’d been sleeping until Nakari woke me…and then I was chilled as I got out of the SUV, and my fire element kicked in without warning. Had that done it? It was as if the use of my powers were draining me, but why?
I couldn’t sleep anymore; too worried that the next time I woke I’d be a walking skeleton.
> Nakari squeezed my hand.
“We’re almost there, and we’ll find him. Callon will know what to do,” she said.
I glanced over at her. Even through the darkness, I could see for the first time genuine concern. She really cared, and she was willing to bring me back to the one man she loved, the one man I’d betrayed, all in hopes of making amends, not for herself, but for me.
“Thank you,” I whispered and held tight to her hand.
It was a small amount of hope Nakari offered, a small amount that I would hold close.
I stared out the window, watching the trees fly by, counting down the hours till we arrived. It was silent again, but it wasn’t an awkward silence as it had been before. Instead it was a comfortable quiet, calming after all we’d been through.
It wouldn’t be long, as Nakari said, till we made it to Edmonton. But would Callon be willing to see me, or would his heart still be burdened with the betrayal he thought he’d seen with his own eyes?
My stomach began to churn, nervous about what his reaction would be, but we didn’t have any other options. We needed his help. He was my last lifeline.
The lights of Edmonton came into view as we neared. Tall office buildings lit up with soft yellow lights crept into the low clouds, illuminating the city. Cars dotted the roadway despite the late hour. We passed over a large river, the snow glistening off the frozen surface. Street by street passed till Jahlem slowed, and we stopped in front of a red brick building.
Plywood covered half the windows on the three-story building, and plastic flapped in the wind on others.
“Let’s go,” Nakari said, opening her door.
I hesitated, not knowing if I should come or not.
Jahlem opened my door, taking my hand and helping me to the icy surface. Apparently I was supposed to come. Goosebumps ran down my neck, excitement and fear tracing through me. What if Callon didn’t want to see me? What if he ran?
I stumbled, and Jahlem’s arm came around my waist to help support me. Nakari stopped at a door with a construction sign that read “keep out.”
“We have to go up to the third floor,” she said. “We’ll go together.” She looked at me.
I nodded my understanding, and Darrien pried the door open. We stepped inside, away from the cold wind’s chill, and climbed the old wooden stairs. Step-by-step, I crawled my way up, and step-by-step my legs became weaker and weaker. What was going on with me? By the time I’d made it to the third floor, I was panting.
I leaned against the wooden rail, Jahlem holding on to my arm and looking more and more worried. Nakari glanced back as she stopped in front of a black door, and then jumped inside.
My heart began to race. Was he in there? A moment later, my question was answered, as Nakari appeared and shook her head.
Nakari and Darrien strode back to us, her eyes evaluating my condition. I didn’t need any of them to tell me. I knew I’d somehow gotten worse.
“I’ll jump her down,” Nakari said. “This is taking too much out of her.”
Nakari touched my hand, and we jumped the two flights of stairs. I leaned against the wall as we waited for Darrien and Jahlem.
“I knew there was a chance he wouldn’t be here,” Nakari said, staring out the open construction door. “There’s one more place here and then another in Calgary. We’re not giving up.”
I stared at her back, her long auburn hair moving in the breeze. She wasn’t giving up, but I didn’t know how much longer it would take. We were running out of time.
“Here,” Jahlem said as he took my arm again and helped me out and into the car.
I buckled in, hoping the next stop would provide more hope.
Jahlem drove down city streets, taking turns when his GPS told him to. Half an hour later, we stopped outside of a tan brick building that was also under construction. Plastic and plywood covered the upper four story windows, while the street level seemed to already be completed. No lights shone in the darkness, and I was starting to lose hope.
Nakari opened her door and glanced back.
“I’ll stay here,” I said, knowing I’d just hold them back. “You go, and you can come for me if you find him.”
She nodded, and Darrien followed. Jahlem sat in the car with me, his eyes constantly glancing at me in the rearview mirror. He didn’t need to say a word. His actions expressed everything. His constant fidgeting in his seat, his hand brushing back his auburn hair—he was growing anxious.
The SUV doors opened. Nakari and Darrien sat down without speaking. Callon wasn’t there either. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the door. We were running out of options.
Jahlem drove on, but I didn’t bother to watch. What good would it do me? It’d only make me anxious, nervous about what was to come. It would only make that clock tick faster, knowing that at any moment Marcus might decide to wreak havoc with my powers again. And the fact that I was growing weaker likely meant I wouldn’t be able to fight back like I had in the meadow.
Skylar’s face once again flashed before my eyes. He’d died because I wasn’t strong enough, and knowing the risk just being around Darrien, Jahlem, and Nakari made it all the more frightening.
The SUV rolled to a stop, and I looked up. We’d stopped beside a large park, and across the street sat what looked like city lofts. Nakari sat quietly studying the brick complex. We’d made it to Calgary sooner than I’d anticipated.
“I think we should all go,” she said nervously. “He’s got to be here.”
“Why?” I asked. “What makes you so sure?”
“I had some friends do some research for me.”
“Research?” I questioned.
“Everyone’s been searching for him, both in person and through trails like bank accounts and credit card usage. But he’s too smart for that. Callon’s always been careful, using cash only to avoid being tracked. He has many alias, most of which aren’t known…” she hesitated. “But when we were engaged, he told me things that even his brothers didn’t know. He has several bank accounts under company names, which then divert to other companies and so forth. It’s taken them a while, but they tracked him down to these three places.”
She reached for my hand.
“I know it’s risky, but I’ll jump you up the stairs. He’s going to be here. I can feel it.”
I glanced at the clock. It was five a.m., exactly fourteen hours since we’d left the cabins. Jahlem and Darrien thought we had a few days’ reprieve from Marcus, but that had been well over thirty-six hours ago. I could feel the noose tightening around my neck.
Jahlem exited the SUV and came to my door, opening it.
“He’s going to be here, Cheyenne,” Nakari repeated and then got out of the SUV.
Jahlem helped me stand, and I closed my eyes as a sudden bout of dizziness swept over me. I held his hand tight, waiting for it to pass. Without warning, I felt my fire element rise, as the cold crisp air wrapped itself around us. My legs gave way, but Jahlem caught me, and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. Darrien came alongside too, both helping me walk across the street to where Nakari stood holding a door open.
We entered the gray brick condo and stopped at the elevator doors. Nakari didn’t have to jump me after all. The elevator opened, and Nakari pushed the number four. It would’ve been wise for him to stay on the fourth floor; he’d be able to see someone coming before they knew it—someone like us.
We exited the elevator and walked down the hall, stopping at door number 410. Nakari glanced back before jumping into the condo. A few moments passed before she opened the door.
My heart began to race. Had we found him? Had he let us in so willingly? We passed over the threshold, and my eyes searched the dark space. Where was he? A light suddenly illuminated the loft, and Nakari stood near a large arched window, her head hanging low.
I glanced around. Large arched windows filled two exposed brick walls, and black exposed steel beams ran the length of the room. A spacious white modern sectional and
two upholstered box chairs sat to the left. A gray and white striped rug with a glass coffee table sat before them, covering the exposed concrete floors. Just behind the living area were sleek black cabinets and granite countertops, and a glass dining table separated a dining area. I turned to my left; a partition wall made of steel beams and frosted glass hid what I knew to be a bedroom.
This was his home, his style and taste. He’d been living here. I could smell his musky scent lingering in the air. He’d been hiding from me here, but he’d gone.
Tears began to well up in my eyes, tears I couldn’t hold back, but I didn’t want to. My time had run out. Callon wanted nothing to do with me. I pushed away from Darrien and Jahlem and collapsed onto the couch.
You’ll never find what you’re looking for, Marcus whispered in my ear. He doesn’t want you, my angel.
“No!” I hissed.
A dark veil began to slip over me, creeping up my legs and into my chest. My breath caught as it rolled up my neck and face. My head began to ache as what felt like a clamp tightened over my skull. I pressed my eyes closed and curled into a ball.
“Cheyenne?” Darrien said trying to sooth me. “Cheyenne, what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t even speak to let them know, to tell them to run. Marcus had returned and soon, very soon, he’d have me do something I’d regret for the rest of my life.
Chapter 21
“Cheyenne,” Darrien said, his voice shaking. “You have to tell us what’s wrong.”
He was trying to roll me over. I pushed him away. Marcus had returned, and if Darrien or any of them got too close, I could accidently kill them. I struggled to form the words.
“G—go,” I murmured. “M—Marcus.”
Darrien stilled and stepped back. He understood. I had to get away from them. I needed to keep them out of my line of sight. The bedroom. I forced myself to roll to my side, and dropped to the striped rug, my fingers digging into the soft material.
Pain rippled across my skull. It was as if Marcus was tightening his hold on my mind. I pressed my eyes closed, trying to force his hold down. A breeze swept over my neck, and when I looked up, I was in Callon’s bedroom. Nakari had jumped me.
Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four Page 27