Obscured (The Obscured Series Book 1)

by C. M. Boers

  My eyes kept darting to the bed and it made my stomach feel fluttery. After that, I couldn’t stop. Finally, I walked over and nervously plopped down it. At least that way I wouldn’t have to look at it anymore. I had sat on that very bed countless times before perfectly fine; what was the problem now? I folded my hands in my lap and watched Eli pack. He caught my eye and smirked at me.

  “What?” I asked blushing.

  “Nothing,” he laughed, breaking eye contact as he reached into another drawer.

  I threw a pillow at him, knowing exactly what he was smirking at. He caught the pillow and threw it back as he launched himself at me. I fell back against his bed and he landed on top of me with a thud. He kissed me playfully, but his kiss slowly changed to more sensual, more heated, more needy. The heat was returned like a fire smoldering deep inside of me. I had to extinguish it before it took over. I pushed him away and then sat up myself, feeling childish.

  I wouldn’t look at him.

  “Abby, as much as I want you—and believe me it’s hard for me to stop, too—I would never do anything that made you uncomfortable.” He sat next to me on the bed and put his arm around me. “The best thing about our bond is that I can always tell exactly how you’re feeling. If you start to feel like we’re going too far, I can feel that. You get anxious and nervous inside. It definitely puts me at an advantage,” he winked. “You can trust me. I promise.”

  I hadn’t thought about it like that before then and I knew he was right the minute he said it. I would trust him with anything and everything. Why hadn’t I trusted him with this? I kissed him softly and rested my head on his shoulder.

  “Thanks,” I whispered.

  “All packed,” he said softly.

  “Already?”

  “Chin up, I’ll be back before you know it.” He held me close for a minute before he took a deep breath and stood up. “Ren is picking me up at your house in 10 minutes.”

  We sauntered out of his house and to Eli’s car hand-in-hand. My feet felt heavy and didn’t seem to want to move. I shuffled them on the ground all the way to the car.

  Ren was waiting for us when we got to my house. I could see Pete in the back seat. He didn’t even look at me. Maybe he was ashamed, but I was glad. I didn’t want my eyes to meet his today or any other day for that matter. I’d be thrilled if I never had to see him again for the rest of my life.

  They left as quickly as they had come and I was alone once again. Unfortunately, I didn’t have to work, but Bailey did. When I talked to her at school earlier she was very apologetic that she wouldn’t be able to come over later. In fact, she was scheduled to work every day for the next five, so our plans for lots of girl time were stomped out. Fortunately, I was scheduled to work two of the next four days that Eli would be gone. Eli was supposed to be home late Sunday night, possibly sooner depending on what the elders had to say. I was keeping my heart set on sooner and I hoped it wouldn’t be broken.

  I went inside and started a dinner of cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce and broccoli, and threw together a salad too. It felt like it had been a long time since my mom and I had dinner together, so at least that was something to look forward to.

  Mom walked in the door just as I finished setting the table. We sat down at the very same time and immediately started dishing up. We ate quietly, savoring the food in front of us. The food was delicious and we finished quickly.

  I had to admit; it was hard not to think about Eli, but it was easier with my mom there. She helped distract me as she talked animatedly about work and her friends after dinner. She had finally found a place where she thoroughly enjoyed working.

  I decided I would tell her that Eli and I had officially become a couple. I knew she would be thrilled. I hadn’t really had a chance to tell her yet, and I realized that I was suddenly excited to tell her.

  “Eli and I are together…” I blurted out, but mid-sentence got nervous and trailed off. I let it sink in and waited for her excitement.

  She squealed. “I knew it!”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Mom!” I exclaimed sarcastically.

  “So when did you two make it official?” she asked.

  “Monday.”

  I felt like my mom was just as excited as I was about Eli being my boyfriend.

  We plopped ourselves in front of the TV to relax together for a while until I decided I should get my homework done. Before I headed upstairs, I checked my phone. There were two new messages, both from Eli.

  I miss you already.

  I love you. I’ll text you when we get there.

  I texted him back. I miss and I love you too, I’ll be waiting for your text. Xoxo

  As I thought about him, I felt a pull at my heart. It amazed me how much he had become a piece in the puzzle of my life. I actually felt incomplete without him, and I wasn’t sure if it was normal for it to be so serious so soon. I’d never been in a serious relationship before, but then again there was nothing about us that was normal anyway.

  I went to bed feeling exhausted. I hadn’t heard from Eli yet, but I knew that I would have a text waiting from him in the morning. I was looking forward to it.

  It worried me when there wasn't a text waiting for me when I awoke. I sent Eli a quick one to make sure he was okay.

  Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you, I’m worried…Text me.

  I showered and was downstairs eating when I finally got his response.

  Sorry sweetie, I was so tired when we got here I forgot. We made it and we’re doing fine. Have a good day at school, be careful. I love you.

  Thank goodness! I felt so much better. I could breathe again.

  That day was only the second time that I walked by myself to school. The other days Eli had driven me or followed behind me in his car. I wished I had a car already, and decided on that lonely walk to school that it was time to start looking. I had almost $2,000, and with my parents’ contribution, I would have a total of $4,000 towards a new car. My parents had made me a deal quite some time ago that they would match whatever money I had for a car. I figured that was a good amount to buy a first car and it seemed like more than some had. I would to talk to my mom and my dad about it, and once Eli was home I’d get his advice. It certainly gave me something else to look forward to and bide my time with until then.

  Walking into first hour I was engulfed in a whirlwind of Bailey excitement. It seemed like she was trying to compensate for not being available the night before. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was apparent that she wasn’t going to let me feel down today. My friends were the best.

  Before first hour began I told her that about my annoyingly boring walk to school and how I had decided it was time I bought a car. She was so happy for me, and we began gushing about what kind of cars we wanted and colors we liked.

  Then Bailey surprised me when she had her own exciting news. It turned out when her dad was out of town, he didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t get a hold of her. We all knew the real reason why, but her dad thought it was because she wasn’t home and had been working or sleeping each and every time he called her. So he bought her a cell phone! The rest of the day we were texting almost non-stop. It was a good thing be both had unlimited text messaging, otherwise we would be in big trouble when the bill came.

  As I walked home from school, I was lost in thought until I heard someone walking behind me. Suddenly alert, I turned around only to be face-to-face with Randy. I was stunned speechless.

  “Well hello there.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, trying not to show that I was scared.

  I tried to take deep breaths to calm myself. I needed to keep a level head to try to out-smart, or possibly out-run this thug.

  My phone started ringing almost instantly, and I knew it had to be Eli. My fear must have been pouring into him right at that very moment. But I couldn’t think about that right now; I pushed it from my head so I could focus.

  “I ha
ve some unfinished business,” he answered.

  I took a step back to get even the slightest gap between us, but he grabbed my wrists before I could get any further and shoved me into the nearest car. So much for out-running him. My phone was ringing again, and I fought through my backpack to find it. Before I could grasp it, Randy was in the car next to me pulling it out of my hand. He threw my bag into the backseat. He clamped a pair of handcuffs down on my wrists, binding them together. I stifled a sob as the metal bit into the tender skin on my wrists. I wasn’t sure how this was supposed to stop me from getting away, but I guess it made him feel more secure. I felt claustrophobic in his car, the roof seemed to close in on me. I took deep breaths to steady my mind, hoping to prevent myself from hyperventilating. He screeched away from the curb.

  “This isn’t your battle,” I whispered as I stared down at my shackled hands.

  “Not my battle? You made it my battle when you and your little boyfriend made me go in front of the elders!” he shouted. “You can’t just split up friends and walk away like nothing happened! When you crossed Pete, you crossed me!”

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “We are going to Colorado. When Pete is done with his meeting with the elders that’s when the real fun begins.”

  I tried to calm myself so I didn’t upset Eli even more, but it was no use. It was happening all over again. I had been kidnapped for the second time. I braced myself on the dashboard and stuck my head between my knees in an attempt to keep my lunch down. I didn’t know what to do. If Eli were here nothing like this would have happened, and I felt guilty for even letting that thought go through my head. I should be able to take care of myself. I always have, but there was something different now. I was suddenly a walking target.

  “You are going to drive me, by yourself, to Colorado?”

  “That’s the plan,” he said snidely.

  I sat back against the seat. I had to think quickly. Colorado was more than 15 hours away. This plan was obviously not very well thought out. How was he going to drive 15 hours without a second person to help take the load off? I wouldn’t be surprised if he fell asleep at the wheel.

  Eventually I would have the opportunity to get away; at least I hoped I would. When he turned his back or stopped for gas, his guard would be down eventually, wouldn’t it? It calmed me that he was alone. It would be me against him this time, and I knew I was smarter.

  I remembered Eli saying that he got my pictures so clear last time so I decided I would send him a few now to give him a clue as to what was happening. I didn’t know if it would make him feel better or worse, but I had to do something. I obviously wasn’t going to be able to call him. I focused my thoughts and looked at Randy, pushing the image out with everything I had. Then I repeated the same with the dashboard. I figured that would be enough to give him the message that I was with Randy. A minute or so passed and my phone was ringing again. I guessed it was Eli again. It was killing me that I couldn’t ease his worry. I knew he had to be going crazy, maybe even as crazy as I was feeling. At least he had Ren there to help him calm down.

  The next thing I knew there was a different ringtone filling the car. It was coming from Randy this time. He pulled it from his pocket and answered it right away.

  “Pete?” he said into the phone.

  I couldn’t hear who was on the other end. It was quiet for a moment as Randy listened to whoever it was.

  “How’d you…” he stopped midsentence and looked at me. I knew then it had to be Eli. He must have taken Pete’s phone and called Randy’s number, and I couldn’t help but smile. My message had gotten to him loud and clear. I felt proud. It was truly amazing, the bond we shared. I was so grateful for it. I didn’t know what I would have done without it.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I heard Randy laughing into the phone just before he hung up.

  “Eli, huh? Guessing he’s not too happy with you,” I said accusingly.

  “I don’t know how he knew I had you, but you better quit it!” he said angrily.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ve haven’t done anything,” I lifted my confined hands to emphasize my point.

  He planned on surprising Eli with my disappearance, but apparently he was never informed of our bond. When it came to me, there was no way to surprise Eli.

  “What did he have to say?” I wanted any connection with him that I could get.

  “He wants me to release you, obviously, but he’s not getting his way,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  “Can I at least call my mom so she doesn’t worry?” I asked reasonably. “I will lie and ask to spend the night somewhere. I just don’t need to bring her into this too. There are already too many people involved already.”

  He thought for a moment before he sighed and reached for my bag. He handed it to me. “One call.”

  It was all I needed. Holding the phone to my ear was a lot more cumbersome that I would have imagined with my hands held tightly together.

  “Hey mom!”

  “Hi honey, everything okay?”

  “Oh yeah, fine, can I spend the night at Bailey’s tonight? We have a project we’re working on for school that's due tomorrow and we want to get it just right.” I waited.

  “Uh, I guess so honey, but call me before you go to bed, and in the morning before school, okay?”

  That would be more difficult than she knew. “Okay mom! I’ll talk to you later! Bye!” I hit end and looked at Randy. “She’s expecting a call before I go to bed and before I go to school tomorrow,” I said. “If you want me to play nice, I will be making those phone calls.”

  I quickly sent a text to Bailey so she knew to play along.

  Bump in the road, can’t explain now, my mom thinks I’m spending the night, play along, please??

  I didn’t wait for a response and Randy had been so preoccupied driving that he hadn’t even realized what I had done. I checked to see if I had any messages from Eli, but sadly there were none.

  “Fine,” he said.

  I handed my phone back to him to show I was playing along and he put it right back into my bag. I was glad he didn’t try to keep a hold of it. That might make any getaway attempt impossible.

  We were at the edge of town. We had been driving for over an hour already. “Are you planning on stopping anywhere to rest?” I asked.

  “Nope.”

  Dang! We were starting to get out into the middle of nowhere. It was getting dark. I wasn’t sure where we were, but there was desert on all sides of us. It scared me that I was alone with a guy that I didn’t know. He didn’t seem all that bad the last time, but boy had I been wrong. I tried to be nice by making sure Eli knew that it wasn’t him that had cut my arm, but now I regretted it. He proved to me that he was a bad seed and never deserved my protection in the first place.

  “I don’t know why you are doing this. I don’t know what you are planning, but I was wrong about you,” I said to make him feel guilty. I had to try something.

  He huffed and gripped the steering wheel tighter. I’d obviously hit a nerve, might as well keep poking at it.

  “Would you mind telling me what you plan to do with me?” I asked.

  He still didn’t answer.

  “You don’t know do you?” I asked.

  No answer.

  “Wow.” I hoped I was getting through to him. He had to know how stupid he was being.

  I proceeded to sit sulking instead of talking after that. I didn’t feel like I was making any headway anymore. I glanced over at the gas gauge hoping that we would have to stop soon, but was disappointed again, half full. He noticed me looking and I saw his jaw clench. Maybe he knew what I was planning. I guess it would be anyone’s plan of escape.

  A car went speeding by us at an unmentionable speed. I looked at our speedometer, 80 mph. The other car must have been going at least 100. Wow, must have somewhere to be, I thought. I looked at Randy and figured he was thinking the same thing because he k
ept looking in his rearview mirror, watching around us like he was worried. I didn’t know what there was to be worried about other than the obvious.

  I rested my head on the window and watched the shrubs go by. It was lulling me to sleep. I found myself fighting hard not to fall asleep. I didn’t think it was a good idea. There was no telling what I would miss. It wasn’t long until I couldn’t fight it anymore and my body succumbed to sleep.

  The next thing I knew, there was a loud bang and the car swerved. My head jerked sideways then back again, slamming it into the window. Ow! I was instantly wide awake. I had no idea how much time had passed or where we were. It was so stupid to have fallen asleep—we could be anywhere by now. As I looked around all I could see what darkness. There wasn’t a car in sight.

  “What happened?” I stammered, completely freaked out. My pulse pumped through my body at an alarming rate.

  “We hit something in the road. It’s fine.”

  The flapping sound of a flat tire and bumps made him realize that we, in fact, had pierced the tire, in the middle of nowhere, at night. It couldn’t get much worse than that. I only hoped that he was smart enough to have a spare.

  He pulled to the side of the road. In the distance ahead of us I could barely make out another car that was pulled off the road. I briefly wondered if they too hit whatever it was in the road. We came to a stop and he shut the car off. I could tell he was unsure of what to do with me. He acted as though he feared I would run.

  “Where am I going to go?” I asked him sarcastically.

  I saw his eyes look around. That seemed to satisfy him enough and he slowly got out of the car. I don’t know why I was reassuring him that I wouldn’t escape, but the truth was I didn’t want to escape there. Who knew what was lurking out there, and it scared me. He opened the trunk and got to work.