by Deanna Chase
“Is he going to be all right?” Janet swallowed hard. “What’s happening to him?”
Deep grooves marred Cain’s forehead as he peered at his brother. He was holding on to Abel’s wrist and standing completely still as he seemed to listen to something Flint couldn’t hear.
“He’s going to be okay.” He sighed with relief.
A sob broke from Janet’s chest and she covered her mouth with her hands.
Cain turned and nodded. “He’ll be fine, Ja. It’s part of the process.”
Flint studied the pale face of her good friend. He didn’t look good. His skin was more than just pale… it had bluish tint to it. His mouth was lax and hanging partly open. The dimple that she loved so much was nowhere in sight. He barely looked like the same guy.
She sat on a corner of the bed, crossing her legs and holding one of his hands.
Janet bit her lip. “The Russian twins came down with a bad cold and Adam told Rhi and me we gotta cover that show. I stopped by just to say hi. Are you sure he’s going to be okay?”
“Yeah.” Cain nodded with a slight smile for her benefit. “He’s a rager. Takes a lot more than this to kill us. Go do your show—I’ll stay with him until you get back.”
“Me too.” Flint nodded.
Scrubbing a hand down her face, Janet walked over to Abel’s side, planted a quick kiss on his forehead, then turned and left with a hiccupped sob.
The second Flint knew she was out of earshot, she held Abel’s hand and said, “So this is how you guys transition?”
Cain’s look was hard. “No.”
“But, I thought you said…”
“She’s a kanlungan—when they bond it’s for life. Janet’s already showing the signs. I wasn’t going to tell her the truth. She’d have lost it.”
Fear slithered like a cold snake down her spine. “Is he dying?”
He shook his head, but worry marred the lines around his mouth. “I don’t know what this is.”
“Should I go get Adam? Or your mom?”
He grabbed her hand, running his thumb along the webbing of her fingers. “Adam’s working the ring. Better to just leave him alone. Mom’s in costume setting up the next act. I’ll get her soon as he wakes up.”
Flint looked back at Abel. His skin didn’t look so wet anymore, or so blue. “How long will that take?”
“I can already hear his pulse beating stronger.”
“You can hear that?”
His answer was a clipped nod.
Flint brushed her fingers across Abel’s face, gently repeating his name, hoping her voice might help him wake up.
“It was them,” Cain said after a while.
“Hive?” She whispered, glancing quickly at Abel. “How do you know?”
“I just do. We don’t get sick.”
“Ever?”
“Never.”
“You think he saw one of them?”
Cain shrugged a shoulder, a helpless look on his face as he gazed at his brother, who appeared to be sleeping.
“How much longer until he learns the truth?”
He touched her cheek, and for the first time Flint sensed vulnerability in him. It even felt to her as if his hand shook a little.
“We all transition differently. Mine took years. His seems to be progressing faster.”
Brushing an errant lock of hair out of Abel’s eyes, Flint pressed her lips tight.
“Something is wrong,” Cain said.
“What? Here? Now?” She looked around tensed and ready for anything. An attack maybe? She didn’t know.
“No.” He shook his head. “But this whole situation is strange. That day she attacked.”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t give it much thought.” He rubbed his jaw. “But she went at Abel first.”
There’d been a scream, an ungodly, unholy sound full of pain. She’d not had much time to think about that because then the drone had been on her.
“At first I thought Abel had just gotten in the way and her objective was to reach you, for God only knows what.”
“So you think they’re not really after me then?”
“Oh no.” His blue eyes burned. “They’re definitely after you. I still haven’t forgotten what that bug did at school today. They want you. But…”
“What if they’re after Abel? Why? It doesn’t make sense. He’s not one of you guys yet, and me… I’m nothing.”
He rubbed his thumb along the inside of her wrist, as if to say she was definitely not nothing.
Abel took that moment to moan. Loudly. His fingers clenched in hers.
“Feel like crap.” He groaned and grabbed his head with his free hand. Working his mouth from side to side, he made as if to sit up. “Dizzy.”
Flint gently pushed back on his shoulder. “Think you should lie down for a while. Let the vertigo pass.”
Narrowing an eye, he glanced at Cain. “What happened, dude?”
He shrugged. “You tell me. Janet walked in on you passed out on the floor.”
“Really?” He rubbed his head. “What time is it?”
Flint smoothed his hair back. “Little past eight.”
Swallowing hard, he nodded. “Last thing I remember is lying down and then I started to daydream…” Here he paused and looked at Flint significantly.
Cain cleared his throat.
Shrugging, Abel finished. “Got a bad headache and then I don’t remember anything after that.”
“What was your body doing?”
“Huh?” Abel looked confused at Cain’s question.
“Rapid heartbeat? Sweating? Chills?”
Again he acted like he was going to sit up, and Flint pressed her palm on his chest. “Stay still, Abel. You didn’t look good.”
“Well, I must not have looked that bad or you would have called an ambulance. I’m fine. Just have a bad headache. Need an aspirin.”
Cain stood and zipped up his black hoodie. “I’ll get Mom—she’s the one with all the meds.” Lifting a brow, he looked toward Flint.
“I’ll stay with Abel.” She rubbed the back of his hand.
Nodding, he left.
“Abel, you scared me.”
Holding her hand tighter, he pressed it hard to the spot above his heart. “Scared myself. Kind of freaky to wake up and not remember anything.” Warm brown eyes searched hers. “But I do remember one thing. I didn’t want to say it in front of Cain.”
She could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet.
“Yeah?”
“I was dreaming about you.”
She swallowed hard.
“And then I dreamt about her.”
Ice spread through her veins. “Who?”
Oh man, had he somehow heard her and Cain? She mentally scrolled through what they’d said, trying to remember if they’d said too much.
“Flint, that woman called me a name before she attacked me.”
“What did she say?”
“Rager.”
Chapter Thirty
“I think he knows.” Flint grabbed Cain’s hand after they dropped Abel off at Layla’s.
Layla had crooned over her son, smothering him in kisses, and then walked over to her massive medicine cabinet. Cain hadn’t been joking when he’d said she had all the meds. A large gray metal cabinet standing in the corner of her bedroom was full to bursting with labeled glass jars. Some of them were obvious. Like pills. But a lot of it was looked herbal.
Leaves, twigs, some yellowish-looking pustule thingies that burped a kind of dingy-brown fog when the canister was disturbed.
Abel had seemed resigned to his fate, staring hard at Flint as she turned to leave. As if he’d wanted to say more but didn’t dare do it in front of anyone.
But why did he want to talk with her about it? Why not Adam, Layla? Or heck, even Janet?
They got back to Abel’s trailer, and Janet and Rhi were back. They all hugged each other, Janet sniffling the whole time.
“He’s fine, Ja
.” Cain patted her back.
“I know. It’s just… it scared me. You know how it is for us?”
Flint glanced at Cain, who only frowned and dipped his head.
She was tired. Bone tired. Like there was no more energy left in her body, her legs were like rubber, and her knees wobbly. Dropping onto the edge of the bed, she hugged her knees to her chest. Cain sat next to her.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. He’s fine. It’s not like anything happened. I’m just really tired.”
Squinting his eyes, he studied her. “When was the last time you ate?”
Now that he’d mentioned it, at the mall. Close to two hours ago. She never went that long without eating anymore.
“Okay, you like hamburgers?”
She nodded.
And jeez that took so much energy just to bob her head. Grabbing her forehead, she leaned against the head of the bed as Cain walked out.
She began kneading her stomach as a low ache started to crawl through her gut.
Rhiannon crawled toward her. “Hey, girl, you don’t look so hot. You’re looking pale and…” She touched the back of her hand to Flint’s forehead. “Yeah, pale. No fever. But dude, you look like you’re gonna hurl or something.”
Closing her eyes for just a second, she tried to ignore the need for a bucket and worked at swallowing and not overthinking the strange onset of chills and aches inching through her bones. A cold hand touched her neck.
“Flint,” Janet whispered, “were you bitten by a bug?”
The moment she said it, Flint became suddenly aware of the hard knots under her skin. The same spot the guard had attacked her. They’d gone away before, but now they were back and throbbing worse than ever. She hissed when a hot flare of pain washed down her body like a lightning arc.
“How long have you been feeling like this?” Rhi asked.
She shook her head. “Just now.”
“Humans take Tylenol, right?” Flint heard Rhiannon rummaging around. “Abel’s got to have some around here somewhere.”
Teeth clacking, Flint shook her head. “His mom has all the medicine.”
“No.” Rhi shoved a drawer shut. “She’s only got the hard stuff. Monster consumption only. That crap would kill you.”
“This is not good,” Janet muttered under her breath and Flint couldn’t help but agree.
Something had happened to Abel and now it seemed to be happening to her. Was he contagious? Had she caught something?
But the thoughts were fuzzy around all the pain, and all she could do was close her eyes and pray to pass out the way Abel had.
Rhiannon’s footsteps came back from the hallway. “Nothing in the bathroom.”
Janet looked up. “Have you looked under the bed?”
“The bed?” Rhi asked Janet as if the question were dumb. “Why would he keep Tylenol under the bed?”
“Because he’s a boy and they always throw crap under the bed.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Moving the sheets, she peered. Every jostle of the mattress hurt like she was an exposed nerve, and the tiniest breath of air brushing against her made her want to scream.
“What’s this?” Rhiannon’s voice sounded strained.
“What?” Janet asked and Flint cracked an eye open.
It was a doll-shaped thing. Actually, it sort of reminded her of a voodoo doll. Made of burlap and stitched haphazardly along the sides. No larger than the size of Rhiannon’s palm.
“What is this?” Rhi prodded it with her finger.
Just then the door opened. It was Adam.
His large frame filled the door, unholy fury burning in his swirling blue eyes. Still dressed in his ringmaster clothes, the bright red and gold jacket flared behind his booted legs. He should have looked ridiculous, but he didn’t.
“Where’d you get that?” he snapped.
Rhiannon shook her head. “I found it. Under Abel’s bed. Flint’s getting sick too.”
Adam’s hard glare rolled across Flint’s face.
She pinched her nose and blew through her teeth, beginning to feel marginally better. The terrible ache in her skull at least was now little more than a tender throbbing, and she noticed something she hadn’t before.
The room smelled like sour milk.
Curling her nose, she wiggled up on her elbows. “It reeks in here. I’m pretty sure they’ve been in his room.”
Adam stepped inside and snatched the doll from Rhi’s hand, shaking it at Flint. “Of course they have. Filthy, murdering bastards.”
Cain walked in next. Without stopping to glance at anyone, he walked to Flint’s side and sat beside her, wrapping her in his arms. His eyes were hard when he looked at Adam.
“What is that, Adam?”
Layla walked in a moment later, her eyes wide and staring at the group.
The trailer suddenly made Flint feel claustrophobic. She clung to Cain’s shirt while he ran his hand up and down her back.
“Abel’s resting in my trailer. Please, Adam.” Layla grabbed his arm. “What’s going on?”
His jaw was a hard line when he said, “I know what’s happening to Abel.”
“What?” Janet and Cain asked at the same time.
Looking at the doll, Adam scrubbed his face. “This is a venin pouch. Just another one of the weapons in their nasty arsenal.”
Layla’s eyes were huge as she asked, “What does it do? Is he going to die?”
Janet bit her bottom lip.
“I don’t think so.” Adam’s nostrils flared. “It’s got all sorts of nasty in it, but it’s mostly designed to interfere with his pain receptors.”
“So it keeps him in a state of constant pain?” Cain asked.
“Among other things.”
“My poor baby.” Layla covered her mouth. “Is it permanent?”
“No. Now that the pouch is away from him, it’s harmless.”
Flint rubbed her head, understanding why the second Rhiannon had pulled it out from under the bed she’d felt better.
Grabbing Adam’s arm, Layla gave it a quick squeeze.
He patted her hand. “He’ll be fine. But I think I finally know where they’re planning to attack.”
Cain narrowed his eyes. “Where?”
“The dance.” Flint nodded with a twist of her lips.
Adam looked at her. “Yes. You’ve both been targeted. Cain told me about the one who’s contacted you.”
Layla whipped her head around. “You’ve been contacted?” She looked at Cain. “Did you kill it?”
His jaw worked from side to side. “I was too late; she disappeared.”
Closing her eyes, Layla squeezed her hands to her chest as if in prayer. “I’m going to go to Abel, give him some medicine to help him sleep. Adam, swear to me you’ll find these things and kill them.”
He touched her cheek. “My word.”
Swallowing hard, she turned and walked out.
Adam looked at Janet. “If you have dates, cancel them.”
Janet and Rhiannon nodded.
“They’re planning something. I don’t know what, but the fewer humans you have to worry about, the better. Abel and Flint will be the bait. We’re going to draw those effers out and finish this.”
“Wait,” Cain growled, “we can’t let them go. They’ll be in too much danger.”
“No, not with all of you there to guard them. Rhi and Ja will take Eli and Seth as their dates. Between the five of you, you should be able to keep Flint and Abel safe and find the hive.”
“No. I don’t like—”
It was so tempting to cower in a corner and pretend that none of this was happening. But that guard had nearly killed her. Might have if Cain hadn’t stopped it. They’d been spying on her, on Abel, making their lives a living nightmare. She needed to help.
“Cain, stop. I’ll do it. I’ll be fine. I trust you guys.” Her words were strong, but her body trembled.
Adam dipped his head.
Ca
in’s look was incredulous. “What if you’re not? What if—”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to have a babysitter for the rest of my life. Just don’t leave me alone. They won’t try anything with you guys right there.”
“No, they won’t.” Rhiannon twisted her lips. “Trust me, they can’t handle this.”
“I won’t let them hurt you, Flint.” Janet inclined her head.
“Good, then it’s settled. I want everything to appear normal.”
Cain clenched his jaw; his body went stiff behind her. She patted his knee, but he didn’t look at her.
“Flint, Abel will pick you up. I’ll let him think he stole my ATV again.”
“You knew about that?”
Adam’s face was droll.
“Ah.” Heat crept up her neck at all the times she’d thought they’d gotten away with it.
“Ja, you and Rhi will tail them to the dance. Once there, you’ll meet up with the guys.” Adam looked at Cain. “You three will get to the school early. Stay out of the way, watch, and learn. Make sure nothing is happening. Once the dance starts, rendezvous, and if nothing happens, nothing happens. But keep your guard up. Small footprint, guys. Remember. Don’t make a scene and don’t let them make a scene. Last thing we need is the Order breathing down our necks. They get involved”—he shook his head—“trust me, you don’t want that. Let’s just finish the mission we were tasked. Got it?”
Finally Cain looked back at her. She could see that he didn’t like any of it. His eyes pleaded with her to reconsider. She glanced at her lap.
“Got it.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“Wow,” Abel breathed when she walked out of her bedroom.
It’d taken her hours to get ready. Her hands had been so shaky she’d had to reapply her eyeliner seven times before getting it to go in a straight line. Two days ago the plan had seemed like a good one.
The right one.
But now… now she was just nervous.
Cain had hardly spoken to her and when he did, it was to beg her to reconsider. But her mind was made up. And it seemed like the perfect idea—use the bait the hive was after. Draw them out so that Cain could kill them, kill the queen, and all would be well.
At this point though, nothing was making much sense anymore. Cain had driven her to the school this morning, watching her as she’d hung the decorations up in the gymnasium. But his silence had been deafening.