“I’m going to get a shower,” I say, standing as I slowly run my hand along her arm.
“Okay,” she replies. “I’ll be here.”
“Have you had a chance to talk to your mom?” Kateri asks as the elevator doors close.
“About what?”
“About your dad. What the hell else do you think I’m talking about?”
“Well…not really…I’ve been—”
“You’ve been what?” she asks, interrupting me, clearly annoyed.
Now I start to get annoyed.
“Why are you on me about this? We’re in the middle of something here.”
“Mainly because it’s important, secondly because you were supposed to do it weeks ago, and don’t use this as an excuse to avoid it again,” she replies, a hand on her hip as she glares at me.
“Why is it so important? He’s dead, what does it matter?”
She just watches me for a moment, before reaching back and slapping the emergency stop button. The lift lurches for a second before halting. A bell rings immediately and Evan’s voice comes over the speaker.
“Are you okay? Do you need help?”
“We’re fine, Evan. Just give us a minute,” Kateri replies, “and can you shut that bell off?”
The clanging ceases and Kateri looks at me again.
“It’s important because he helped make you who you are. He’s your dad.”
“But I didn’t even know him.”
“Yeah, no kidding. That’s all the more reason to find out everything you can about him. You have an opportunity to find out where you came from.”
“But I don’t—” I start to say but trail off.
Kateri stares at me for a few seconds, before she tilts her head to the side and her expression softens.
“You don’t know how to ask your mom, do you?”
I let out a deep sigh.
“I don’t want to make her remember something so painful.”
Kateri looks at me, taking my hand and squeezing gently.
“Let me ask you something. If I died, would you never talk about me?”
“Don’t even say that!”
“It’s just a question. Would you talk about me?”
“Of course.”
“Even though it would be painful?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asks quietly.
“So I could remember you…” I lift her hand and kiss the back of her fingers. She smiles at me and I shake my head. “Okay, I got it now. I promise I’ll talk to her when this is all settled.”
“Good,” she replies before hitting the emergency button again, restarting the elevator.
“How did I get so lucky?” I ask.
“I’m the lucky one,” she replies as she leans over and kisses me.
The doors slip open and we step into the foyer. Dozens of people are busy with their daily tasks; heading this way or that, concentrating on the jobs at hand, each of them with a thousand things on their minds. I can hear most of them, and for a second, it’s nearly overwhelming. I flinch and utter a quiet groan.
“You okay?” Kateri asks, taking my hand.
I nod slowly as I wade through the miasma of thoughts, concerns, and worries.
“I’m good,” I reply, taking a deep breath and looking at her. “Just a lot all at once.”
“You’re still new at this. It’ll get better,” she says.
It’s already gotten better. I haven’t had a panic attack since we returned from the Abyss and Father’s “creek” technique is helping me wade through all the thoughts I’m constantly picking up on, but if I’m not concentrating when they crash into me, it sort of gives me brain freeze for a few seconds.
Also, after our visit to the Abyss, attitudes toward us have shifted dramatically. There are no more, or rather, there are far fewer whispers and dirty thoughts about us in the halls, or maybe, as Kateri says, they’re just getting better at hiding it. I hope it’s the former, but I know it’s probably the latter. That’s not to say that everything is peaches and cream. There are still some people who don’t approve of us, and aren’t afraid to voice it, but we deal. There’ll always be haters in the world.
We wave a few friendly greetings as we move through the library on our way to the cafeteria. I spot my mother standing just outside the entrance to the mess hall. She waves and we both respond, but the closer we get, the more I begin to sense that something’s going on. She smiles as we walk up and extends her arms.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, Baby,” she says, pulling me into a hug, rubbing her hands up and down my back.
A moment later, she releases me and immediately looks at Kateri.
“Well? Do I have to ask?”
Kateri smiles back and takes a timid step forward, but my mother pulls her into a powerful embrace. They hold it for much longer than she did with me, but I don’t care. Kateri needs it more than I do. After a few seconds, she lays her head on my mother’s shoulder and she responds by gently stroking her hair. When she finally releases her, Kateri takes a step back and slips her hand into mine, squeezing my fingers.
I still have a feeling that something’s up. I try to listen for my mother’s thoughts, but she’s either remarkably good at hiding them, or I simply can’t hear hers.
“So…um…we’re having lunch, right?” I ask.
“Yes,” she answers without elaboration.
“Okay…”
“But we’re not all here yet,” she says.
“Oh? Who else is coming?”
“Reeva and Jax.”
Shit.
“Don’t give me trouble about this. She’s your friend, and they’ve been holed up in their room since we got back.”
“Yeah, but—”
“But nothing. You know how everyone’s treated them. You two, of all people, should know better,” she says, and I realize that she’s right, and she’s not going to back down anyway.
I sigh quietly.
“Okay. I’ll go get them,” I say.
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “I want you to do it.”
She looks straight at Kateri.
“Why me?” she asks, sounding more childlike than I’ve ever heard her.
“Because I’m asking you.”
She looks at me and I just shake my head.
K ~ What am I supposed to do here?
E ~ You better do what she says.
“Fine,” she replies, her tone none too happy. “Can she at least come with me?”
“Sure, but you do the asking.”
Kateri rolls her eyes and whines before we turn and head back to the elevator.
Chapter Two
“You know she’s right, don’t you?” I ask as we’re riding the lift back up to the dorms.
“Yes,” Kateri replies, sighing and grumbling.
I look at her and smile. She’s tough as nails, but she’s also the kindest person I’ve ever known. She may be a Shayd, but she’s human to the core. The doors slide open and we step out into the hall. Reeva’s room is at the end of the corridor. Kateri marches down the narrow passageway like a prisoner walking to their execution. When we reach the door, she lifts her hand to knock, but suddenly pauses.
“Can you ask them?”
I shake my head.
“My mom will ask them if you were the one who asked.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
I swear she growls and then knocks on the door; pounds might be a better word.
“You ever hear of knocking?” I ask.
“That was knocking.”
“What, on a castle door?”
A few seconds later, the door slides open and Reeva is standing there, weapon in hand. When she sees us, she immediately lowers her sword.
“Sorry,” she says.
“Is it that bad?” I ask, feeling terrible that I didn’t know.
“It has been. Come in.”
She steps aside, and we slip inside. I notice that
Reeva looks both directions in the hall before closing the door. She looks haggard, with dark circles under her eyes and a worried expression on her face. I glance at Kateri and she can barely keep eye contact with her.
“Where’s Jax?” I ask.
“Here,” he says, walking out of the bathroom, a small dagger in his right hand.
It makes my stomach sick to think they’re this scared, and we ignored them.
“What are you guys doing here?” Reeva asks.
“My—”
“Eve’s mom wants you to come to lunch with us,” Kateri says.
Reeva looks over at Jax and shakes her head.
“I don’t want to leave him here alone,” she says.
“You’re not. You’re both coming.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Staying locked up in here is not a good idea,” Kateri says, firmly. “You’re both coming.”
“But—”
“There are no buts. You’re both coming. Now get cleaned up, you look like shit,” she says, and for a moment an awkward silence falls over us all before she grins, and a wave of laughter breaks out.
“Thanks for that,” Reeva says, chuckling. “Give us a minute.”
Kateri and I step outside into the hall. As soon as the door closes, she looks at me and then punches the wall opposite their room.
“What the hell is wrong with us?” she asks.
I don’t want to smile but a little one sneaks out, and Kateri frowns at me.
“What are you smiling about?”
“You.”
“Why?” she asks, her head tilted to the side.
“Because you’re the best person I’ve ever known,” I reply, reaching out and gently stroking her cheek.
“I’m not that good. I didn’t even want to come up here.”
“But you did.”
“Yeah, and we’ve been letting our friends live in fear, after all the crap that we’ve taken from people.”
“Sometimes you just get wrapped up in your own thing, you know?”
She nods slowly and then pulls me to her and we kiss, pressing her lips against mine and sending little electric shocks rocketing down my spine. Just then, the door opens, and Reeva and Clay step out. Honestly, except for the bright red skin and yellow eyes, he could pass for anyone. The baseball cap hides the horns, which definitely helps. Reeva looks amazing as usual; a stunning combination of power and beauty.
“You clean up nice,” I say.
“Thanks,” she says.
“I meant Jax.”
She just shakes her head and Jax chuckles.
“Thanks,” he says. “You both look nice too.”
We start toward the elevator, with Reeva and Jax between Kateri and me. Just before we step onto the lift, Reeva touches my arm.
“What if someone says something?” she asks.
“Then someone’s going to get their ass kicked,” Kateri answers, before I even have a chance to respond.
“Reeva!” my mom exclaims, pulling her into a warm, motherly embrace.
I watch Jax as he stands a few feet back, staring at the floor and nervously shifting back and forth.
“You look wonderful,” my mom says, holding her at arm’s length and smiling at her.
“Thank you, Ms. Torino,” comes the polite response.
“There’ll be none of that. We’ve been through too much together. You can call me Janet, or Mom. It’s your choice.”
Reeva nods timidly at her, and I can see that her eyes are watery, but she brushes her hand across her face and the stoic Reeva is back. Meanwhile, Mom looks over at Jax, studying him for a few seconds before stepping up in front of him.
“How are you, Jax?”
“I’m okay…Janet.”
“I never got a chance to thank you for what you did; saving my daughter and the others.”
“It’s okay. I just did what I needed to do.”
She shakes her head.
“It was more than that, even if you won’t admit it. So, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he replies, timidly.
“Now come here,” she says, extending her arms and hugging him tightly.
For the first few seconds, Jax just stands there letting her embrace him, but then he eventually wraps his arms around her. While they’re still hugging, Father walks out of the mess hall and stops in front of our little group.
“It’s good to see you two out and about,” he says warmly.
“Thank you, Father.”
When Jax steps back, he looks at Father and bows at the waist.
“We don’t bow here,” he says, smiling and looking over at Kateri for a moment. “How are you, Jax?”
“I’m well, thank you.”
Kateri shakes her head and frowns.
“He’s not well, Father,” she says, “and either is Reeva. Things are bad, and you need to do something about it. They’re answering the door, armed.”
Father frowns and looks at Reeva and Jax.
“Is this true?”
Reeva sighs and Jax takes her hand.
“Yes,” he says, quietly.
“You’ve been attacked in the facility?”
“Not directly,” Reeva replies, “but there have been threats.”
“What kind of threats?”
“Does it matter?” Kateri asks, the anger and frustration in her voice palpable.
E ~ Kateri.
I reach out and touch her hand. She glares at me for a moment before her expression softens.
“There have been notes left behind. There was a dead rat in my workout locker,” Reeva says, and my mother shakes her head.
I can see Jax clenching and unclenching his fists.
“I’m sorry,” Father says. “I’ll have security look into it. Do you want a guard posted outside your room?”
Reeva looks at Jax.
“Not for now.”
“As you wish,” he says, before sighing. “I’m sorry I wasn’t aware of the issue.”
“It’s all right. We were trying to keep it quiet,” Reeva replies.
For the next few seconds, no one says a word and an uncomfortable silence falls over us all.
“Well…um…would you like to join us for lunch, Craig?”
Kateri shoots me a little smile and a wink at the mention of Father’s given name.
“What is it, girls?” my mother asks, staring right at us.
“Oh…um…nothing,” I reply.
“I’m not going to call him Father, okay?”
“Sorry,” I say.
“Yeah, sorry,” Kateri responds along with me.
Father just grins and then gazes for a moment at mom.
“I could, if I’m not intruding,” he says.
“Don’t be silly,” she replies with a soft touch to his arm.
This doesn’t go unnoticed by Kateri either.
E ~ Stop it.
K ~ What?
E ~ Just stop it.
She grins at me and I just shake my head.
As lunch is ending, Father looks at all of us and stands up from his seat.
“Since you’re all here, there are—”
Suddenly, the entire building shudders. Bits of dust sprinkle down from the ceiling as an explosion rocks the facility. Glasses tip over, and people scream as the sound echoes through the halls.
“What the hell?” I ask as sirens go off and the lights flicker.
Dozens of voices instantly begin shouting through our earpieces. All of them sounding scared and confused.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Father yells. “One at a time. Does anyone know what happened?”
“I think—”
“No. No, I think. I need someone who knows what happened.”
“There’s been an explosion in the infirmary!” the response confirms.
“Damn. I need damage reports. Is there a fire?”
“Checking…”
Father looks at me and nods toward
the door.
“Go! You and Kateri get to the hospital! Reeva, you and Jax head up to the dorms, make sure no one’s injured!”
“Come on, Kateri!”
“Be careful!” my mother yells as we’re dashing out of the room.
Everything is in complete chaos with people running everywhere, some of them yelling orders, others following them and a few standing paralyzed with fear. We head to the elevator as the lights continue to flicker and the alarms continue to blare.
“Can we shut that alarm off?” I yell into my earpiece.
“Hold on,” someone replies.
A few seconds later the blaring of the siren stops and the doors to the elevator slide shut. I hit the button for the 3rd level where the infirmary is located. Kateri reaches out and takes my hand.
K ~ It’ll be okay.
E ~ I hope so.
Even before we reach the 3rd floor, I can already smell smoke and as soon as the doors open, the car fills with a thick acrid smog.
“Oh God,” Kateri utters as we step into a scene of utter devastation.
The entire wall that faces the parking lot is now a bus-sized hole. Electrical wires hang from the ceiling, popping and cracking with untamed current. Kateri coughs, trying to block the smoke with a hand to her mouth. When I look down over the ledge, I can see bodies in the wreckage a few floors below us. My head is spinning and then I spot a Shayd I recognize stumbling through the carnage.
“Sora!” I yell.
She turns and looks at us, an expression of relief and shock on her face. I know she works as a nurse, but I can’t see any of the other staff. When we reach each other, I see blood covering her shirt and a gash on her forehead.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She just stares at me for a moment.
“I don’t know,” she mumbles.
Kateri rips a piece of her shirt and presses it against the cut on Sora’s head. Pain from the touch seems to bring her back to the here and now. She looks at both of us and tears start flowing.
“Kateri? Is that you?”
“It’s me. Where’s the rest of the staff?”
She raises her arm and points with a trembling hand to the hole in the wall.
All Things in the Shadows II Page 2