Crimson Groves

by Ashley Robertson

  “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he mumbled.

  “I hope so too.” In a swish of movement, I was standing over Tyler. His body was still, quiet, lifeless. His suit was ragged and torn, and there were dark stains on his shirt. The light silver comforter was covered in his blood. His blood. The sight of it alone made my mouth water like crazy. But I had got to fight it. Had to be strong. I couldn’t afford to have him passed out for hours. I needed his help. And he needed mine. I hoped he wouldn’t prove me to be a stupid fool (again) once I gave it to him.

  My nerves hustled around like traffic at rush hour. I closed my eyes tightly and bit down into my wrist.

  26

  Twist of Fate

  TYLER’S BEAUTIFUL GREEN EYES stared back at me. Relieved, I pulled my wrist away. “What did you do to me?” he asked, sitting up. “I feel different.”

  “You should. I gave you some of my blood.” My voice was a little cocky, arrogant.

  “You what?” In a flash he was standing a few feet away from me. He gasped. “Holy crap! How did I do that?”

  “I hope you don’t prove to me I made the wrong choice in helping you.” I stood up and took a careful step toward him. My head tilted to the right.

  “I can move as fast as you! Your blood is doing that to me?”

  “Yes. By drinking my blood your body was able to heal quickly, but it also gave you my advanced senses for a few days.”

  He took a deep, long breath, then released it very slowly. I could tell he was adjusting to the new senses as they bombarded him. Senses so strong, no human could ever understand. “This is crazy!” He flapped his hands up and down. “I feel weightless!”

  I put my hands on my hips and smirked. “Well you kinda are weightless.”

  A smile stretched across his face like he’d just won a million dollars. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was across the room near the closet. He dropped to the ground and started doing pushups. “I can’t believe you never gave me your blood before. This is so awesome!” After several long moments he stopped, stood back up, and looked at me.

  Lily shifted around on the bed. I needed to press Tyler for information and get him to take Lily out of here. Fast. “Tyler, there’s no time for fun and games.” My voice was firm, urgent. “We don’t have a lot of time. Bronx will be back soon.”

  He chuckled. “So? What can he do to me? I can take him now.”

  I took a few human steps toward him. “Not if he gains control of your mind!”

  He stared at me, eyes wide, almost hypnotizing. “His mind control won’t work on me.”

  “His…what? What did you say?” I knew exactly what he’d said, but I couldn’t believe my ears. The weight of it smacked me across the face so hard, leaving me speechless. Emotional walls shot up around me, hoping to conceal my torn feelings.

  “I’m really, really sorry. For everything.” He shrugged, looked down at the floor. “I wanted to tell you everything from the beginning, but I couldn’t. Bronx would’ve killed me; hell, I bet he already wants to considering how many times I kissed you and how close we got. That was never part of the plan—HIS PLAN. Abby, I had to help him. I didn’t have a choice. I never meant to fall in love with you. I never wanted to lie to you. I swear it. You’ve got to know in your heart that I’m telling you the truth.”

  Anger pushed to the surface of my body—fuming, hot, intense. It was followed closely by nausea. My knees buckled, and I hit the floor with a loud thump. In a flash, Tyler was there, pulling me into his lap. “Are you okay?”

  I couldn’t answer right away. Dizziness flooded my head as if I were a surfer trapped under a wave. The room around me started warping like it had a pulse of its own. I remembered this had happened to me back at the pub, when Stone tried using his gift on me. “The necklace,” I said, voice strained. “Get it off!” I grabbed it, yanking as hard as I could. It didn’t budge.

  Tyler helped me pull at it, but he got as far as I did: nowhere. “Abby, I want to get it off, but only he can. I’m so sorry.” He scooped me up in his arms and carried me over to the bed, sliding me down next to Lily.

  Then, I started thinking about my father. I needed to know if Tyler knew anything about him, or that fight I’d heard when I spoke to him. “What do you know about my father?”

  His face started to crumble. He looked away.

  “Tyler, answer me!” I said, teeth clenched.

  Keeping his eyes on the floor, he walked over to the closet and started rummaging through it. He wasn’t going to answer me. It didn’t matter now anyways. Time was running short; he needed to get Lily out of here.

  Feeling defeated, I said, “If there’s no other way to remove this necklace, then I’m as good as dead.” I fidgeted with the clasp. “Please go. And get Lily out of here.”

  Tossing a pair of faded jeans and a black tee shirt at me, he replied, “I’m not leaving you. Put these on.”

  “You have to leave! Bronx will be back soon.”

  “You’re right. He will. So hurry up!”

  Tyler turned around, giving me some privacy. I changed as fast as I could without the use of my speed. “What are we going to do?” I asked while slipping on my boots.

  “There’s only one other way to get that necklace off of you. It’s risky, but we have to go to the Head Council.”

  “But I thought they were working with Bronx?”

  “They are, kind of. But they don’t know he has you. He never told them that part.” Tyler flashed to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the bed.

  “Did my father work for Bronx?”

  “You’re persistent and stubborn! We don’t have time to talk about that right now! Come on, let’s go!” In the blink of an eye we were at the door, and Tyler dislodged it from the doorframe, hinges hanging, splintered pieces of wood falling about. He was getting pretty good with my abilities.

  “I’m not leaving Lily,” I argued, “and what about Brian? We can’t just leave him either!”

  “We don’t have a choice!” Tyler picked me up and slung me over his shoulders.

  The intense pressure, waves of heat, prickly sensations, and nausea returned. Why did I feel so horrible? I wasn’t using my powers! “Tyler, something’s wrong!” I shouted.

  He pushed forward through the door. But suddenly something hard smashed into me, knocking me out of Tyler’s arms. I flew several feet back, landing hard on the floor. I looked up. Tyler was standing in the hallway, gaping at me, eyes wide.

  I shook my head rapidly and slowly stood up. “What the hell was that?” I felt okay, a little beat up, but the nausea and pressure were gone.

  “Well, I guess that plan is out,” Tyler mumbled under his breath. He walked back into the bedroom and placed his hand on my back. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I think so. What happened?” I eyed the doorway as if I expected it to answer me.

  “Bronx must’ve added an entrapment clause to the necklace. He can confine you to any location he wants and the necklace will hold you there.” Tyler started pacing the area between the doorway and me.

  “But I didn’t see that in your vision.”

  Tyler stopped pacing, smelling the air, eyes wandering back and forth. “Did you hear that?” His head tilted to the side. “He’s out there. He’s back!”

  I grabbed Tyler’s hand, squeezing it tightly, then I whispered, “You. Need. To. Run!”

  “I can’t leave you here! Not after everything I’ve done to you!” A trace of sorrow flashed in his eyes, his voice a little louder than mine. “I can take on Bronx! I’m strong enough now!”

  A desperate part of me agreed with him. But that wasn’t an option. Trying to keep my voice low I said, “You have to leave! Please take Lily and get her out of here!” I grabbed his shoulders and shook him frantically. “You owe me! This is what I want! Please!”

  He knew I was right. It was pointless for him to stay and fight. I still needed Bronx to get that stupid necklace off.

  Tyler�
�s face softened. “Fine. I’ll go. But I’m going to them for help.” He turned to leave.

  I reached out and grabbed his arm. “The Head Council is too far away—”

  “No they’re not. They’re here, in town. All five of them.”

  “What? What about Lily?”

  “There’s no time,” he breathed. In a swish of cloth, Tyler was gone.

  I heard a door slamming somewhere in the house. Bronx was definitely back. After checking on Lily, I headed toward the bathroom. Brian still lay sideways in the tub with his back facing me. I sat back down on the bench. “Bronx is back,” I said.

  Brian slowly turned his head, then looked straight into my eyes. “And the human? Is he going to help us?”

  “Yes,” I said, somewhat hopeful. “He’s going to the Head Council. They’re here, in town.”

  Brian sighed. “Conrad. Thanks to Conrad.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Conrad would’ve gone to them for help the minute I went missing. They must have information leading them here in Florida. They do not enjoy visiting this place. There would be no other business for them here.”

  “They—”

  Bronx flashed in and grabbed me by the throat. He jerked me off the bench and tossed me across the room like a rag doll. I smacked the wall and dropped to the floor. Shaking it off, I pushed myself up but he was on me again, wrestling me back down to the ground. “You little bitch,” he roared, “I should kill you now!” He pinned my arms above my head with one hand and gripped my neck with the other. He lifted up with a force that pulled my whole head upward, then slammed it back down hard. Pain shot everywhere through my head—like turning on a light in a pitch-black room. “Where. Is. Tyler?” Bronx shouted, saliva dripping from his exposed fangs.

  “He got out,” I wailed, “he took off! I don’t know where he went!” My head was throbbing, but at least he didn’t slam it again. My healing ability fired up. The weakened state I was in was discouraging. I needed more blood but there was nowhere to get it. Not without killing Lily.

  Glaring down at me, eyes sharp with fury, Bronx said, “Are you going to work with me, Abigail, or will everyone in this room have to die because of you?” He stood up and flashed over to Lily. He snatched her ankles and pulled her down flat on the bed. Then he grabbed a pillow and put it over her face. Slowly, he pushed harder and harder, lips smirked, evil eyes locked on me.

  “No!” I screamed. I flashed up so fast the nausea instantly returned. But thankfully, my adrenaline was pumping so hard I was able to ignore it. “Leave her alone! Stop it!” I charged after Bronx and collided straight into him. He fell back, away from Lily, but he caught himself fast and flashed back to her. He started pushing the pillow down again. I grabbed his arm, yanking with all my strength. “Please! Please don’t do this! I’ll do what you want! I promise! I’ll do whatever you want!”

  “If you try anything, anything at all, Lily is dead!” Bronx tossed the pillow across the room and grabbed my arm. He pulled me to the big plush chair in the corner of the room and pushed me down into it. The cushions threatened to swallow me with the force. He bent down, his face right there in front of mine, big red eyes glaring. “I mean it, Abigail! You better not pull anything!” He reached behind me, eyes threatening, challenging, and gave the necklace a few tugs. It constricted around my neck, tighter and tighter. I swallowed hard. And then finally he stood up, holding that awful silver chain in his hand. I was free. Holy crap! I’m free!

  My powers soared through me like a ravenous eagle plunging to the earth to capture its prey. It was intoxicating and wonderful and exuberating all at once. Sure, I was still weak, but at least I was weak with full access to all my awesome powers. I shrugged to loosen my shoulders, rotated my neck until it popped. I looked up; Bronx was right there. He bent down, eye level with me, and said in a near whisper, “Now, you are mine.”

  The warm tingly sensations of Bronx’s mind control clawed at the edges of my mind, trying to pry inside my head like a dog trying to escape a locked door. I froze, eyes wide, in a full panic. No time to react. What could I do? Close my eyes. I closed them, squeezing them shut as hard as I could. It was too late. He was still there, in the corners of my brain, pounding, digging, and scraping. Closer and closer, penetrating the barrier. I couldn’t fight it anymore. He was too strong. His mind control filled me up like a slime-filled sponge. Slinking around, pushing, and probing, he was almost all the way inside.

  A loud bang jolted through my mind like two cars colliding. The force was so intense, it rocked me back in the chair. My head throbbed, disorienting me. Bright white spots scattered around before me. I opened my eyes. Everything around me was fuzzy, like cotton balls pulled apart. I shook my head slowly to the right, then the left. I did it again, a little faster. I could see Bronx, the room beyond him. My vision was crystal clear, perfect. As a matter of fact, all my senses felt that way. I gasped. I was still me! Bronx’s mind control didn’t get me! I did have the ability of blocking powers! It’s showtime now, Bronxy boy! I guess I wouldn’t be doing what you want after all, sucker!

  Bronx’s fist struck the side of my face so hard, it knocked me out of the chair and across the room. But it didn’t faze me. I didn’t feel weak. No threats of nausea either. Well, wasn’t that convenient? I got up, licking the blood off my lips, and stared at him. He didn’t come toward me. He knew I was in control. “You little bitch!” he roared.

  “I don’t think you’re in a position to call me names,” I replied, the muscles pulling my cheeks into a smile.

  “I may not be able to control you, but I can still defeat you!” He sounded like he meant it.

  “By all means, come and get me!”

  He charged at me fast, fist flying through the air. I dodged it, stepped sideways, and hurled my hand out, landing my open palm on his nose. Blood splattered everywhere—on the floor, on me, and all over Bronx. He jumped to the side, screaming something, but the blood bubbling in his throat made him impossible to understand. Let’s just agree that he was talking about how he was going to kill me. Okay? Good. He flashed back to me, both arms swinging, but in a whir of movement I was behind him. I grabbed his shoulders hard, fingers digging into skin and muscle, and launched him across the room. He slammed into the wall, dropped to the ground in slow motion. He’d be out for a few seconds. But then I knew he’d be back for more. He wouldn’t stop until one of us was dead. Better him than me.

  This was my moment. The one I’d waited for since the day he turned me into what I am. I closed my eyes, concentrating hard, and waited. I sucked at the air, finding nothing at first, but then trickles of warm breath slithered through my nose and down my throat, raising my chest. Thump, thump. My heart started beating. Slowly at first, but it quickly picked up speed and danced along with my breathing pattern. My blood got hot, almost boiling. It raced all over inside my veins. The fire was there: obedient, waiting, and ready.

  Bronx rolled to the side and jumped up. He rushed toward me. I held out my hands, inhaling a deep breath, and as I released it, the fire pushed up to the surface. My hands glowed bright orange, brilliant blue, and shining white ice all at once. Bronx froze, took a careful step backwards. The heat was hotter, more intense, than I’d ever felt it before. My vision blurred—I couldn’t see. The heat swarmed my eyes like bees on honey. Bronx was screaming. It didn’t matter what he was saying. But he sure sounded scared for once. And I didn’t blame him. Footsteps ran for the door, but I screamed out, “You’re not going anywhere!” and in that moment, all the fire inside me surged out of my body.

  Icy hot flames of intense red and orange morphed into deep blue and white scorching infernos. They covered his whole body like a wet suit. The fire so hot, so bright, you could barely look at it. Now I knew why my vision went blurry—my body was protecting itself from the fire. Bronx dropped to the ground, shrieking in agony. He rolled over and over again, but the flames burned hotter, bigger, more radiant. I focused hard on controll
ing my pyrokinesis. I could feel the energy was eager to obey me. I’d had no idea how powerful I was until that very moment.

  My breathing sped up, and my heartbeat thumped harder, faster. The fire penetrated my pores, oozing out like colored sweat—blue, white, orange, and red. The flames over Bronx started swelling up, consuming part of the room. The heat drifted up like balloons filled with helium. Everything around me was starting to burn. Gray and white ashes fell down like a snowstorm. The smell of burning wood, cloth, hair, and skin was pungent. I gagged, swallowing the bile back down. Bronx had to be dead. I could stop the fire now. Lily started coughing violently, gasping for air. She was too close to the heat. I had to stop the fire whether Bronx was dead or not!

  I squeezed my eyes shut, straining to control the pyrokinesis. I took several breaths, deep and slow. I concentrated so hard my brain hurt, but I didn’t give in—I forced myself to keep pushing. The heat raged inside me, but it was starting to ease just a little. It was working. I kept thinking and fighting for control. Control over me and my power. It’s me! Bronx isn’t me! I opened my eyes steadily, cautiously. My vision was crystal clear. Relief washed over me like a cold front after rain. My body tingled as the flames went out. Smoke drifted around the room like heavy white curtains. All the fire was gone. Where was Bronx? Got to find him and be sure he was dead! I searched the room in a panic. Bronx was gone. I grew frantic. I rushed to Lily, checked her pulse. She was fine, heart beating. She started coughing again. I had to get her out of here. But where was Bronx?

  I lifted her up, threw her over my shoulder. She was sweating so bad her chiffon dress clung to her body like a snake’s second skin. Her cough was deep in her throat, desperate for air. I flashed for the door but then remembered Brian. In one swift movement, he was on my other shoulder, and I was carrying them both out of the room. How could I possibly have the strength for this? The use of my ability should’ve left me weak, needing blood. Yum! That did sound good! Okay, now wasn’t the time!