“Hmm . . . I’m not sure if that’s a benefit or not. Maybe I shouldn’t—” I squealed as Aiden squeezed that ticklish part of my knee. He squeezed it again. “Yes, yes, more Aiden time. I can’t wait.”
Mercifully the pressure stopped.
A satisfied smirk appeared on his face. “That’s more like it. You’ll be getting lots and lots of Aiden time.” His voice dipped. “I’ll need to make sure you’re properly taken care of.”
The blinker sounded and we turned into a gas station. “I may start requiring a lot of attention.”
Aiden parked next to a gas pump. Facing me, confidence exuded from him. “I’m up for the challenge.”
I leaned over the console and nipped his lip. “We’ll see.”
“We will.” His tongue grazed my lip and I leaned in for more. Just as the kiss was about to deepen, Aiden pulled back.
I jutted my lip out as he spoke, “I’m going to pump gas while you think about what I’m going to do to take care of you when we get home tonight.”
I tried to entice him for another kiss, but he was quick as he exited the vehicle. “You’re impossible,” I called after him.
He gave me a wink. “You won’t be saying that tonight.”
Rolling my eyes playfully, I responded, “I’ll go get us some water and snacks.”
“Sounds good, sweetheart.” The thud of the door closing sounded from Aiden’s side as I got out of the car.
We were about fifty miles from The Society, in a small town. The gas station was busy. Going in, I grabbed two bottles of water, then found the chip section. The door chimed and I glanced back. Then, blinked and looked again, not believing what I was seeing.
Matthew.
My eyes searched for anyone else associated with The Society as my heartbeat pulsed through my ears. They couldn’t know I was alive. No one else followed Matthew in as I made sure he was alone.
Through the grimy window, Aiden pumped gas. There was only one other car in the parking lot that had a young girl, about my age, chatting on the phone as she filled her car.
This was my chance. My chance to try and get something on The Society. Talking to Matthew was a huge risk, but for the lives of all the innocent, a risk worth taking for the payoff.
Apprehensively, I watched Matthew as he made his way toward the back. I followed. Right before Matthew opened the water cooler door, I got his attention.
“Matthew.”
He spun around and a million emotions flitted across his face, confusion being the most dominant. “Sarah?”
Seeing him brought back so many memories of us spending time together. He’d been my intended. Matthew looked exactly the same as I remembered him while wearing the traditional clothes of The Society; black pants with a white shirt. I missed my friend. Friend . . . that was all I felt for him and I felt like I had betrayed him because of those feelings.
Nervously, I glanced around. “Yes, it’s me. Can we talk?”
He was speechless as he stared at me. “Sarah? Is that really you?”
The crystal blue eyes stared at me unbelieving as if I would disappear on him again. The tenderness told me he had feelings for me after all this time and I felt terrible that I’d moved on.
I had to think on my feet. Matthew thought I was dead. “Yes, Matthew, it’s me. I’ll explain, I promise.” I’m sure we didn’t have much time as I glanced around again with sweaty palms. “Please can we go somewhere I can’t be seen?”
He walked behind a wall that lead to the bathrooms. I leaned against the nook where I was hidden.
Still looking like he’d seen a ghost, Matthew said, “I thought you were dead.”
There was no time. I had to cut right to the chase in case the Keeper or another Watcher came in. “I had to leave. Are you here alone?”
Nodding, he watched me perceptively. “The Keeper dropped me off while he ran an errand. He’ll be back in about fifteen minutes. Why did you leave The Society and let us think you were dead?”
“It’s a long story, but The Society isn’t what they say they are.”
Eyes narrowed, I knew Matthew wasn’t believing me. “What are you talking about?”
“Matthew, I think they killed my mom. I think all those mysterious deaths are from poisoning.” Stay with the facts, Kenzie. “If you saw the pictures for arsenic poisoning, I think you’d agree.”
He shook his head. “The Light would not allow such a thing.”
We were speaking rapidly back and forth to each other.
“Matthew, I believe they are evil and lying to us. I don’t know why, but things aren’t what they seem.” I racked my brain on how to convince him. A fact popped in my head. “Oh, right before I left I overheard the Keeper talking to John. I was to be married to John even though The Light hadn’t blessed the marriage. They wanted to use me to get an heir.”
The blood drained from Matthew’s face. “They told me that you wanted the marriage. That you went with John to ask The Light.”
“No, I didn’t. I promise.” Disgust rolled throughout me while relief washed over Matthew’s.
I kept pressing forward. “The policed were told what was suspected. They said they came and couldn’t find anything. Not even the graves.”
A light clicked behind Matthew’s eyes. “There was a private meeting with the Watchers. The Keeper said The Light had warned him about someone visiting from the doomed world and trying to upset our way of life.” He paused. “He also said those who had died of the illness needed to be disposed of. They were tampering with our purity. After the police left we slowly burned the bodies to cleanse our unity.”
My heart sunk. Somehow The Society had been tipped off. “Matthew, I think they got rid of the evidence. We have to stop them.”
Matthew closed his eyes as he tried to process everything. “Sarah, if what you’re saying is true . . .”
The implication lingered out there. “I promise it is. Trust me, Matthew. Please.”
“What are you wanting me to do?” That wasn’t a commitment, but it was a start.
I took out a pen and paper from my purse to scribble my information on as well as seventy-five dollars. “Here’s my phone number and some money.”
Taking everything, Matthew asked, “What do you want me to do with this?”
“If you can find anything that links The Society to something illegal, call me. I go to the school in Fayetteville, Arkansas. You can take the bus from Nevada to me. It’s how I left.”
For the first time ever, I saw tension in Matthew’s crystal blue eyes. It broke my heart what I was doing to him, but I knew Matthew would never want anyone to suffer.
Matthew studied the piece of paper. “I need some time to think about this.”
“They can’t know I’m alive.” Fear rushed through as I thought about them finding out. I’d become the hunted if they knew.
“I would never betray you, but you’re asking me to go against my beliefs.”
“I know.”
Matthew reached out and touched my hand. The familiarity came rushing back. Through my entire life, I’d trust Matthew. It was hard seeing the doubt in his eyes. Many times, I’d wondered what would happened if we ever saw each other again. This wasn’t how I’d imagined it—at all.
The door chime sounded and Matthew glanced around and lowly said, “I need to go. The Keeper is here.”
“They can’t know I’m alive.” I had to put that out there one more time to imprint the imperativeness of the situation.
The solemn look in Matthew’s eyes told me he was making a vow to me. Vows were something Matthew never broke. “I promise. Not a word.”
Matthew stepped out into the main part of the gas station as I heard the icy voice that had me flattening myself against the wall, wishing I could be invisible. “Matthew?”
That voice meant death. That voice had robbed me of so much. That voice needed to pay for all the wrongs. It took everything within me not to run out there and demand answers. I wante
d retribution for my mom’s death.
“Yes, Sir.”
Why hadn’t he called him Keeper? We were never to address the Keeper so informally.
“We’re ready to depart, Matthew.” The sound of the Keeper’s voice was still like nails on a chalkboard.
“Yes, Sir.”
Matthew walked away. Resting my head in my hands, I tried to keep my heart intact. I hoped I made the right decision to tell Matthew, to make him part of this mission.
I stayed hidden in the nook for a few minutes until I heard my beloved’s familiar voice. “Kenzie, sweetheart, why are you back here?” The touch on my arm had me nearly jumping out of my skin. “Kenzie, are you okay? What’s wrong?”
Shaken, I looked at Aiden. “I saw Matthew. He was here.”
“What? Matthew from The Society?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Aiden went to speak, but I cut him off. “I’ll tell you in the car. Can you check to make sure that any people dressed in black slacks, white shirts are gone?”
“Yeah, I’ll be right back.”
I took a few steadying breaths and tried to calm myself from the adrenaline rush. Aiden was gone a few minutes before he returned. “No one’s here, but I brought this hooded jacket to cover your head.”
“Good thinking.”
Taking it, I put it on and covered as much of my face as possible. Tucking me into his side, Aiden escorted me to the car. As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, I told Aiden everything that had happened.
Matthew was the missing link we needed. At least now there was a fighting chance to bring them down.
THREE WEEKS HAD passed. There had been nothing from Matthew which frayed my nerves. There was a chance I’d never speak to him again, but I hoped he was able to find something that allowed us to save the innocent victims. We still continued to search for information on The Society to no avail. Whoever this network of people were . . . they had covered their trails impeccably.
Finals were done and Christmas break was here. In five days we were going to Aiden’s parents’ house to see them for Christmas. I loved this holiday with all the trees and cheer that emanated from the people. It was the exact opposite of Black Friday. I looked forward to going back to Kansas.
Even though Matthew had promised, my nerves were shot like they used to be when I’d first arrived in Fayetteville. What if they tortured him? What if he slipped about me being alive? There were a million different scenarios where The Society could find out I was here, and worse yet, I was trying to expose them.
Around every corner, I checked for someone from The Society. No one came. I was tired of being on guard and kept wishing over and over again, a solution would present itself.
At one point, I’d suggested me going to the cops, but Aiden had shot that down quickly. The cops already knew everything I would tell them. Nothing had happened before and from what Matthew had said, our earlier visit seemed to spur The Keeper into destroying any evidence. I hated feeling helpless and like I was failing everyone within the walls of The Society
Today, I’d been at the newspaper office by myself. Aiden had been in a meeting with Tasha and the other journalists as they wrapped things up before the paper closed for the year. Having finished up all the research needed, I headed home. My hours were going to increase at the coffee shop through the break to make up for the lost income, but I’d still get to have some much needed time off. Finals were hard.
Walking into my apartment, I heaved a sigh of relief. The week was over. My phone vibrated.
Aiden: I’m out of the meeting.
Me: Can’t wait to see you!
Aiden: Me either. I’ll be there as soon as the house meeting ends. Trent’s making his announcement.
Stacy’s parents had threatened to cut her off financially if anyone found out at the U of A she was pregnant. Her parents served on a couple of boards. For the duration on her pregnancy, before she started showing, she was going to a community college in New Mexico where the adoption agency was located. Trent was going with her. They’d be back in the fall. Tonight Trent was announcing he’d be gone for the spring semester.
Me: Sounds good. I’m going to find my green . . .
I laughed as I left that dangling out there, knowing Aiden would be thinking about our first night together.
Aiden: I’m coming right over.
Me: You have a meeting!
Aiden: I don’t give a shit.
Me: Go to your meeting. I’ll be waiting. People want to go home for Christmas. Don’t make them wait.
Aiden: I’ll be there as soon as it’s over.
Me: I’ll be waiting . . .
Bouncing up the stairs, I met Brooklyn as she came down with a suitcase.
“Hey, Aiden is heading over to the Sigma Chi house now. The meeting should be over soon.”
Leaning over the rail, she dropped her bag and dashed back up to her room. “Yeah, Mike texted me. Mike’s roommate is on his way over to pick me up.” Brooklyn disappeared into her room, but kept speaking. “We’re going to swing by the Sigma Chi’s to get Mike, then go to the airport.”
Brooklyn was heading out of town to meet Mike’s family. She was flying back into Kansas two days before Christmas, then Mike was joining her there a couple of days after to meet each other’s parents. Brooklyn was nervous to say the least. Coming back out, Brooklyn had two more bags.
“Do you need some help?”’
She heaved the next two bags over the rail, then came to me. “No, this is it. I left two bags on my bed, if you could bring them to Kansas when you come.”
“Of course.”
Throwing her arms around me, Brooklyn hugged the life from me. “I’ll miss you guys! Have fun! Say a little prayer that they’ll like me.”
I lovingly patted her back. “That isn’t even a worry, but I’ll say one anyway.”
A horn sounded outside. “He’s here. I’ve got to go.”
Taking two steps at a time, Brooklyn made it to her bags. Handles came out of two of the smaller suitcases and she shouldered the third one. As Brooklyn walked to the front door, I called after her, “Have fun!”
The door opened. Brooklyn gave me a devious grin. “You too. Don’t do too many naughty things while I’m gone.”
Heat raced across my cheeks as the door closed. We were both sexually active, but it was still uncomfortable to talk about it with anyone but Aiden. I was now alone. Overall, I felt like I was fairly immersed in this culture. The headaches had all but disappeared. I still relished my quiet time when my brain could truly take a break.
My stomach growled. Pizza was our normal Friday night tradition. If I ordered it now, the pizza would probably arrive before Aiden made it over. Then, I’d change into my green lingerie. Yeah, I’d learned the term lingerie from Brooklyn when I’d thanked her for the dress. The word was an interesting term to lookup. Some outfits left nothing to the imagination.
Twenty minutes later, I was curled up on the couch, reading a book, when the doorbell rang. Pizza was here. Opening the door, Aiden stood outside with a rose.
“You’re here early.”
He didn’t answer, but wrapped his arms around me and moved us backward as his mouth sought mine. We tumbled over the couch and my shirt was lifted over my head, then his. Things heated between us. Aiden was at the front clasp of my bra when the doorbell rang. He looked at me disbelieving.
I giggled. “I ordered pizza for us.”
“Wait here just like this. I’ll be right back.” He kissed me hard before jumping over the back of the couch and made his way to the door.
The door opened. “Yes.”
That didn’t sound like the normal greeting Aiden gave the pizza delivery guy he knew.
“Is Sarah here? I thought I saw her go into this door.” That voice. That voice. Oh my, that voice.
I shot up. “Matthew?”
Matthew’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Aiden looked back. “Kenzie, your top!”
/> In shock, I tumbled off the couch. I fumbled getting my shirt back on. Aiden was by my side, his strong arms bringing me to a standing position as he helped me get resituated. “Kenzie, are you all right?”
“Yes.” My eyes met Matthew’s as I kept speaking to Aiden. “That’s Matthew from The Society.”
“Oh . . .” Aiden’s words trailed off as I walked over to Matthew. Aiden was close behind.
Matthew stood at the door watching everything with a blank face, his posture rigid.
Stopping a few feet away, I had the urge to hug him, but knew that might be too much. I was still getting used to the gesture with other people. “You came. Come on in.”
Walking inside, Matthew sat a bag on the floor. “Sarah, are you okay? Was he hurting you?”
It was weird hearing someone call me Sarah, but that was what Matthew knew me as.
I felt Aiden’s grip on my hip, but he remained silent. “This is Aiden, my boyfriend.” Wrinkles formed around Matthew’s face. The term was new to him. “He’s like my intended, in a sense, but without the marriage.”
“You’re getting married?”
“No. No, marriage. Here people see each other and later, if things work out, they get married.” Hopefully, my definitions were helping. Understanding the interactions between people here had been one of the hardest things to wrap my head around.
Matthew keenly watched us while I gestured toward the living room. “Come in and sit. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Water, if you don’t mind.”
“No, not at all.”
I made my way to the kitchen to fill a glass with water. Aiden only took a few steps toward the living room until he realized Matthew wasn’t following him, then stopped.
Coming back, I handed Matthew the glass, then lead the men back to the couch. There was an unknown heavy cloud that settled over the room. I sat in the corner of the couch. Matthew took the chair and Aiden was about a foot away from me. Aiden’s hand reached to grab mine, but stopped. This felt awkward as Matthew watched everything.
Matthew took a sip, then placed the glass on the table. Clearing his throat, he spoke, “I’m still trying to process that you really are alive. I mourned you and believed you’d gone to The Light.”
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