Legacy: Bloodline Book 1

by Michelle Bredeson

  “Popcorn would be great,” Carly said, her stomach growling.

  “It sounds like you need more than popcorn. Let me take you out to lunch before we watch the movie.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine with popcorn.”

  “Well, I’m starving, so it’s not a negotiation,” Gabe informed her. “You can drive.”

  “That I can’t argue with,” Carly conceded, and pulled the Jeep key from her pocket.

  six

  Carly let out a laugh as she watched Gabe polish off his second chocolate malt. “That was more calories than I can even imagine.” She looked down at his lean stomach, taking care not to stare for too long. “I don’t know how you stay so thin. Do you have magic powers or something?”

  Gabe shrugged. “Like I said, I’m a teenage boy. Do you want the rest of your fries?”

  She shoved her plate across the table. “If you’ve got any room left, they’re all yours.”

  Gabe proceeded to finish off her plate. “Should we head back to my place for that movie?”

  “Yes, please,” Carly agreed. “It’s still early. Maybe we could do a double feature.”

  “A double feature sounds spectacular. The only question is, what should be our follow-up film?”

  “I didn’t expect to find you here, Gabriel,” a beautiful redhead sang as she slid into the booth beside him. She was tall and slender, subtle makeup perfectly highlighting distinguished features. Carly didn’t know what was more intimidating—the girl’s flawless face or her impeccable fashion sense. “What are you up to this fine afternoon?”

  “Just grabbing some lunch,” Gabe answered. “Crys, this is Carly. Carly, Crystal.”

  Crystal flashed a brilliant smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Carly. I’ve heard all kinds of great things about you from Gabe and Abel, but it’s not the same as a formal introduction.”

  It made sense that this was the type of girl Gabe was into. Crystal was the kind of gorgeous anyone would be into. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “I just came in to grab a milkshake, but I’m meeting Abel, Esther, and Jeremy out at the caves,” Crystal said. “You two should join us.”

  “I don’t know,” Gabe replied, glancing at Carly. “We kind of have plans.”

  “Have you been out to the caves yet?” Crystal questioned, leaning over the table to look Carly in the eye. “They’re wicked cool. I have a feeling you’ll be impressed.”

  “No, I haven’t been out there yet,” Carly said.

  “Then you should totally come. I mean, you have to come.”

  Gabe shot Crystal a strange look, almost like he was talking to her without saying a word. “I said, we have plans.”

  “Look, Carly, if you want to ditch Gabe to see the caves, I could give you a ride,” Crystal offered. “I’ll make it my personal mission to see to it that you have a good time.”

  Carly bit at her lip as she thought that over. She wasn’t supposed to go out to the caves, but she didn’t want Gabe’s girlfriend to think she was a total loser. Besides, how dangerous could it be? “Yeah, okay, let’s go.”

  “Are you sure?” Gabe asked. “But what about—?”

  “I don’t care. I want to go.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure. But we’ll take our own car, Crys.”

  “Suit yourselves,” Crystal said, sliding out of the booth. “It was nice meeting you, Carly. I’ll see you in a few.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see you out there,” Gabe told her, pulling out his wallet before he stood. “Shall we?”

  “You don’t have to pay,” Carly replied.

  He threw a few bills on the table before tucking his wallet away. “Maybe I want to. Are you sure we should head out to the caves? I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

  “I’ll be fine, really. Let’s go.” Carly led the way outside, eager to get behind the wheel once more. She followed Gabe’s directions out of town, keeping a careful eye on the road as she drove. “This should be a good chance for me to get to know the rest of your friends. And it will be cool to hang out with Crystal, too, since she’s your girlfriend.”

  “Girlfriend?” Gabe laughed. “Carly, Crystal is not my girlfriend. Not even close.”

  “But you’re taking her to the dance.”

  “Yeah, as a friend. People can do that, you know. Go to dances as friends.”

  Carly felt the blush take over her face. “Oh.”

  “I only asked her because…” Gabe started. “Look, there’s a group of us at school, and we’ve all been close since we were kids. Really close. Esther and Abel are a part of that, and so is Crystal. We all stick together, just the seven of us, no matter what.”

  “Wow, that’s… nice. That you have each other, I mean.”

  “Yeah, it is kind of nice.”

  If the group was that close, they probably didn’t want an outsider like Carly trying to worm her way in. What if the rest of them weren’t as welcoming as Gabe? “I, um, I don’t know which way to go.”

  “Drive toward your house. I’ll show you where to turn.”

  Carly nodded. “Now I guess I know what Abel meant when he said we could go to the dance as a group.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure that’s what he meant,” Gabe mumbled.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It’s just pretty damned obvious he’s interested in you.”

  “He can be interested all he wants, but that doesn’t mean I like him,” Carly said. “Besides, I don’t know why he’d like me anyway. I mean, I’m not a part of your group.”

  “What makes you think you’re not a part of our group?”

  “You’re the one who said it was just the seven of you, no matter what. Seven plus one just doesn’t seem to add up.”

  Gabe rested his hand on her arm, sending sparks shimmering over her skin. “Carly, maybe it’s been just the seven of us, but you’re here now, and that changes everything.”

  Carly flinched as sparks flared between them, and she snatched her hand away.

  “Look, if I say you’re in, you’re in,” he informed her. “And I say you’re in.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that. Trust me, Carly, my opinion is the one that matters. And in my opinion, you’re what all of us have been waiting for.”

  Carly shivered, not sure what to make of Gabe’s intense confidence. Then again, she wasn’t sure what to make of a lot of things since moving to Sterling.

  “Keep driving past your place up here,” he advised, “and take a left at the fork in the road.”

  As instructed, Carly navigated a narrow path into the woods. She made her way to an isolated clearing, where she parked and hopped out of the Jeep. Trees surrounded them on all sides, the ground sloping uphill where a small stream broke through the forest.

  “This is the caves?” Carly asked as they climbed out of the Jeep.

  Gabe winked. “Almost. We have to walk the rest of the way.”

  “How far is it?”

  “Not far. Come on.”

  Carly followed after him, but stopped when she reached the edge of the stream.

  “We don’t have to cross,” Gabe said.

  “No, it’s not that, it’s… This was in my dream, too—the water. Only there was snow on the ground.”

  “This stream? Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, it even smells the same.”

  He rested his hand on her shoulder, his expression sobering. “Carly, what else was in your dream?”

  She was startled both by his abrupt manner and the sparks igniting between them. “Why?”

  “Because it… could be important.”

  “Nothing, I… Okay, this might sound completely crazy, but I was a white fox in the dream. Yeah, that does sound crazy, but I saw my reflection in the water. At least, I think the white fox was me. I don’t know, it was confusing.”

  A visible chill raced through him.

  “What?” she insisted. “Gabe, are you o
kay?”

  “You were a white fox, and what else?”

  “Nothing, really. I ran up to this stream, saw my reflection, and then the wolf came out of the trees.”

  “Is there anything else? Any other details you remember?”

  “Yeah, in my dream last night, it ended with a rustling in the trees, but when I turned to see what it was, I woke up. The end.” Carly peered down into the water. It was plain old Carly Morneau staring back her, but wouldn’t it be something if it were a white fox?

  “Let me know if you have another dream like that, okay? You’re right, it sounds a little crazy.” Gabe started walking again, headed around the hill, curved right, and stepped into the forest. Carly followed after him until they reached a small mouth in the side of the hill. Gabe stopped to face her, and announced, “This is it.”

  She couldn’t help her laugh. “This is it?”

  “Yeah, what were you expecting?”

  “I don’t know, something… scarier?”

  Gabe shook his head. “You are too cute.”

  A rustling in the woods stole her attention, and alarm rose in her chest—but only for a moment. Esther emerged through the trees, resting her hands in her shorts pockets. “I was wondering if you two would make it. Are you ready to have some fun, Carly?”

  “I guess?” Carly answered. “I mean, this cave doesn’t look all that intimidating.”

  “This cave is actually a maze of caves that heads more than a mile underground. It’s pitch-black down there, and easy to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going. So yeah, definitely not intimidating. Are you ready to head on in?”

  “Hey, guys,” Crystal greeted them, stepping up with Abel and Jeremy. “We thought we’d play hide and seek. How’s that sound?”

  Hide and seek in a maze of pitch-black underground caves? Carly wasn’t so sure anymore.

  “In teams,” Gabe told the group. “Carly, you can come with me.”

  “O-okay,” she relented. It’s not like Gabe would let anything happen to her—would he? “You guys brought flashlights, right?”

  “Abel?” Gabe asked, nodding back toward where Carly had parked the Jeep.

  “Yeah, flashlights,” Abel said, heading that way. “I’ll go grab a couple from my car.”

  Now that she was here, now that she understood the depth of what she was getting herself into, Carly was starting to chicken out. “These caves aren’t really haunted, are they? Not that I believe in that kind of thing.”

  “Sure you don’t,” Crystal mused. “Who told you they were haunted?”

  “Abel, and my dad said some weird stuff happened here, too.”

  “Haunted isn’t exactly accurate. They’re more like… invaded.”

  “Flashlights,” Abel said as he returned, not the least bit out of breath from his jog through the trees.

  Carly noted there were only two flashlights, and Gabe snatched up one of them.

  “You’ve got to give us a head start,” Gabe said. “Since Carly’s never been inside before.”

  “Two minutes,” Abel conceded, catching Carly on the shoulder. “But then we’re coming in after you.”

  Gabe clutched onto Carly’s hand, and she jumped as he pulled her into the dark mouth of the cave. Her fingers tingled in Gabe’s strong grasp, but soon that wasn’t the only distraction. It was dark—not just the lights are off dark, but more like the sun and the moon and the stars are off dark. It was darkness that Carly had never before experienced, and so freezing cold.

  “The cold takes some getting used to,” Gabe spoke up.

  “The cold takes some getting used to?” Carly quipped through chattering teeth. “What about the dark? Aren’t you going to turn on that flashlight? I don’t know how you can see anything in here.”

  Gabe clicked on the light, although the small beam wasn’t much help. He placed the flashlight in Carly’s free hand, keeping her other hand occupied with his own. “I know my way around here pretty well, so why don’t you hold onto that for a while?”

  “S-sure, thanks.”

  “If we’re going to hide from those guys, we’re going to have to go pretty fast. You think you can keep up with me?”

  “I think I can manage. Just don’t let go of my hand, okay?”

  “I wasn’t planning on it.” With that, Gabe took off running through the dark.

  Carly had thought she could keep up, but she’d misjudged Gabe’s talent as a sprinter. He was more dragging her than leading her, and seemed satisfied with that. Carly did her best to stay on her feet, hoping he wouldn’t get annoyed with her and let go of her hand. Even with the flashlight, she couldn’t tell where they were headed. It was much too dark, and much too cold.

  “Okay, I think we’re safe,” Gabe whispered as they came to an abrupt stop.

  Carly huffed to catch her breath, the strong smell of sulfur saturating her nostrils. “Where… are… we?”

  “Pretty deep in. A half mile underground maybe? I know at least Abel won’t come this way—he doesn’t like being this far down in the maze.”

  Carly sucked in a deep breath, followed by another. She then noticed that Gabe wasn’t panting at all. “Aren’t you… tired… after that?”

  “After what?” he asked.

  “After what? After that sprint.”

  “I run a lot, Carly. I guess I don’t notice anymore.”

  “Are you on the cross country team at school?”

  Gabe let out a long laugh. “Wouldn’t that be something?”

  “I can’t see anything,” Carly complained, moving the flashlight beam in a circle around them. She noticed stalactites and stalagmites along the worn path, but it looked the same in either direction. “How could you tell where you were going?”

  “I told you, I’ve been down here a lot. I could make my way around here with my eyes closed if I had to.”

  Carly took in one last deep breath. Now, if only she could calm her pounding heart. “I was wrong—it’s really scary down here.”

  Gabe chuckled again, squeezing onto her fingers. “You don’t have anything to be afraid of, Carly. Nothing’s going to happen to you as long as you’re with me.”

  There was something about the way he’d said it that made her absolutely believe him. Carly lifted the flashlight to his face and saw his were eyes closed. “Gabe?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Aren’t you going open your eyes?”

  He moved his free hand to shoo the flashlight away. “Not in my face, okay?”

  “Oh, sorry,” Carly apologized.

  “It’s just, it’s so dark down here that it’s hard to come back from light right in my eyes.”

  “I really am sorry.”

  “I know, but you don’t need to be.”

  “How long do you think it will take them to find us?” Carly asked.

  “I don’t know,” Gabe answered. “I’m really good at this.”

  She managed a smile. “Won’t they hear us talking? Maybe we should stop talking.”

  “We’re fine to talk. Are you warm enough?”

  “I’m okay,” she said, although she couldn’t seem to stop shaking. “But some warning about how cold it is down here sure would have been nice.”

  “Here,” Gabe said as he let go of her hand.

  Carly panicked for a moment, until she felt Gabe wrap his flannel shirt around her shoulders. She slid her arms into warm sleeves, groping for his hand again. Sparks shimmered on the air as they touched. She thought it strange, certainly, but so was everything about this place. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. And you’re right, I should have warned you about the cold.”

  Carly could smell him on the shirt—the deliciously spicy smell of boy. “Is it true?”

  “Is what true?” Gabe asked.

  “Are these caves really haunted?”

  “What exactly did your dad tell you, Carly?”

  “That they used to do tours down here, but they stopped after someone disappear
ed—your mother.”

  “Yes, I’m more than familiar with that story. There are other stories about these caves, too, you know.”

  Carly inched toward him, not satisfied being so far away in the blackness. She wouldn’t dare admit it, but she really was freaked out. And even though Gabe could run like hell, she wasn’t sure he could protect her if something did come along—especially if that something were hungry.

  Carly leaned up against Gabe’s side, soaking in his surprising heat. He didn’t seem to notice, or at least didn’t say anything. “What other stories?”

  “I don’t know if I should tell you,” Gabe teased. “I don’t want you to get any more scared than you already are.”

  “Who says I’m scared?”

  “I can feel the hairs raised on the back of your arm. And your heart’s pounding a mile a minute.”

  It was, but… how did he know that?

  “Maybe the stories can wait until we’re out of here?” he suggested.

  “Yeah, maybe,” Carly agreed.

  “Getting any warmer?”

  “Yeah, I am, thanks. How long’s it going to take for them to find us?”

  “Why, aren’t you having any fun?”

  “I’m having fun,” she lied.

  Gabe laughed.

  “Is this really what you guys do for fun?” Carly wondered. “Hang out in a bunch of dark, murky caves, chasing each other around?”

  “Yes, actually. Although, it’s generally a little bit more exciting than this.”

  Carly lifted the flashlight, waving the thin beam around again. “I had my doubts, but this place is pretty creepy.”

  “It should be,” Gabe told her. “You have no idea how many people have supposedly died down here.”

  A shudder surged through Carly. “Okay, I’m officially freaked out. Gabe?” It took a minute for the scratching noise to reach her ears, but once it did, it was unmistakable. “What is that?”

  “Shhh,” he warned.

  Carly’s heart thudded as the scratching grew closer. It didn’t sound like someone walking on the ground, no, their footsteps had been very different. It sounded more like… someone crawling on the walls?

  Carly tried to find her voice, but wasn’t sure if she did as she squeaked, “Gabe?”