by Cate Dean
I knew what he was doing.
Twisting around, I grabbed the door handle. If he made it, Sam was going to ram the perimeter fence.
The SUV jumped as it hit the rough field. My head smacked into the dashboard, and I bit down on the scream in my throat.
Jake held on to the top of the passenger seat, his eyes a little wild. “Faster, Sam. You want to break through, you have to go faster.”
“Put your seatbelt on, Jake.” Sam didn’t even look at him. He just focused on our goal, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard they shook. “And don’t try what I think you’re going to try.”
I glanced from Sam to Jake—and my heart stopped. Jake was starting to change.
“Oh, God,” I whispered.
Sam’s head snapped around. “I said stop it. The last thing we want is—”
Sam never got to tell him. Our world flipped sideways as the van ploughed into the SUV.
15
“Alex.” The voice kept repeating my name, piercing through the throbbing, jaw clenching pain in my head. “Open your eyes. I know you can hear me.”
Slowly, sure my head would explode if I moved even my eyelids too fast, I obeyed. And looked into Mrs. Hyatt’s angry and not-quite-sane gaze.
She stood over me, dressed in clothes that looked like she picked them off the dollar sale rack at the local thrift store. I’d never seen her so sloppy—she always looked like an untouchable Barbie doll, perfect and pulled together.
Behind her I saw the crumpled SUV, on its side and still groaning from the crash. I was thrown out or she pulled me out. Either way, my body felt pummeled, and I couldn’t defend myself against her if my life depended on it.
“Sam—”
“Oh, he is quite alive, along with that freak of a cousin.” She crouched down, brushing hair off my cheek. “They should have died, with the others. I want them both to die, slow and hideous, like my Sarah.” I blinked up at her. Who was Sarah? Did I miss something? “But I am going to give you something Sarah never had. A chance.”
I wanted to scream when she lifted me, settled me against the back bumper of the SUV. It took all the strength I had left to focus on her voice.
“You have a chance to save one of them. Which one will you choose?” She tilted her head to one side, staring at me like an insane bag lady. “I look forward to finding out.” Leaning in, she whispered against my ear. “You can only have one of them back, and here is your clue: follow the path that led you to the haven.” She stood, pushed tangled hair off her forehead. I saw the smear of blood then, and the thin cut on her temple. “I can’t guarantee you’ll get there in time, but at least you have a sporting chance. Sarah did not.”
“Who—” I swallowed, my throat so dry it felt like I’d been drinking sand. “Who is Sarah?”
Mrs. Hyatt moved so fast I didn’t even have time to blink.
She grabbed the front of my shirt and hauled me up, so angry her face flushed red. “Sarah was my daughter. She believed the haven was a good cause—and she died for that belief. For those freaks who don’t deserve anything but a slow death.”
The Hyatts had another daughter? I understood now why Katie felt like she was put at arm’s length. Mrs. Hyatt was too busy mourning, and apparently plotting an insane revenge.
“Please,” I whispered. “They didn’t have anything to do with—”
“They had everything to do with her death!” For a terrifying few seconds I thought she was going to hit me. Repeatedly. Instead she pushed me against the SUV and started pacing. “I thought the fire would be enough to stop them. But they are returning, infesting my town with their evil, walking among us like they have every right—”
She cut herself off and stopped, trying to straighten her shabby jacket, brushing her fingers through her hair. It would have been sad to watch, if I wasn’t so damn scared.
“Now, Alex.” She turned to me, neater, if not any less crazy. “You will have to find your own way. Just remember the clue, and with luck, you may be able to reach one of them in time.” She grabbed my chin, her fingers digging in so hard I was pretty sure she’d leave bruises. “And one last thing—if you remember nothing else, remember this: if anyone comes for one of them besides you, I will kill them. Are we clear? Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I whispered. Horror lodged in my throat, and I was surprised I got that word out. I would have to find them on my own.
“Good girl.” She slapped my aching cheek, then slapped me again, harder. “That is for turning my Katie against me.”
My heart skipped at the mention of Katie. Please keep her out of this! I wanted to scream it at Mrs. Hyatt, but my throat wouldn’t cooperate. She raised her hand again and I braced myself. Instead of slapping me, she waved, and turned her back on me.
I watched her walk over to the white van and slide open the side panel door. Sam and Jake were both inside, tied up and unconscious. God—I hoped they were only unconscious.
Before I could get a word out Mrs. Hyatt climbed in, slid the door closed, and took off a few seconds later. Leaving me here, battered and alone.
After a few deep, painful breaths, I grabbed the bumper of the SUV, tried to pull myself up. My ankle caved the second I started putting any weight on it. With a hoarse cry, I went down. Hard.
Pain washed through me, constant waves that were starting to make me nauseous. I knew I’d hit my head in the collision, so I forced myself to stay awake. I had to get out of here, get help, before she did something that couldn’t be undone.
I searched my pockets for my phone, and saw it, on the other side of the SUV. In pieces.
“No—” Talking made the pain in my head worse, so I decided to stop doing it. Especially since I had only me listening.
I fought the pain, the lightheaded, nauseous throbbing, and wracked my brain for a way out. If I could get up, I might be able to make it out to the main road. Right—if I could get up.
Sam’s pale, blood spattered face had me trying. I refused to give up—not when I still had a chance of saving him. Of saving them both. Because I was going to spit in her eye and do just that.
Taking in another painful breath, I grabbed the bumper again, hauled myself up. Archery practice gave me arm strength I didn’t have before. I thanked Jake for all the pushing, and all the pushups I’d been doing.
Once I was steady, I tested my right leg. So far so good. Now for the biggie.
I was so confident I could do it that when my ankle gave out I didn’t have time to put my arms out to help break my fall. I did manage to twist enough at the last second, so I hit shoulder first instead if faceplanting the hard dirt. Did I mention it was hard?
After a few agonizing minutes of fighting to breathe, I rolled on my back, defeated. Tears burned my eyes, slid free when I blinked, and slipped back into my hair.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Oh, Sam, I’m so . . .”
My raw voice faded as an idea smacked me. A stupid, most likely wouldn’t work idea, but hey—I was beyond desperate at this point.
Closing my eyes, I pictured the male model gorgeous face of the ghost I’d just met, and focused.
Simon—I need your help. Please, Simon, if you can hear me—
I cut myself off. Who was I kidding? Zach had the connection with him, not me. He wouldn’t be able to hear—
“Ye of so little faith.”
I held my breath, sure I was hallucinating. “Isn’t that a misquote?” I whispered.
The warm laugh shot through me, and I opened my eyes.
Simon knelt next to me. “Yes, but appropriate. What happened?”
I swallowed, my throat on fire from talking. “Can you find Zach? I need help.” In as few words as possible, I told Simon what happened.
His face went from concerned, to angry, to a raw fury I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of. Ever.
“I’ll get Zach here, I promise you.” He touched my face. I must have hurt too much, because it just felt warm. Human. “W
e’ll get them back. Just have faith.”
He stood, and disappeared.
If it weren’t for the lingering warmth on my cheek, I would have put it down as a pain induced hallucination.
Now all I had to do was wait, and hope Simon got through to Zach.
I hate waiting.
16
I made it to the edge of the field by the time Zach found me.
“Alex!” He burst out of a familiar car, Misty and Candace right behind him. Before I could pull myself up he dropped to the ground and gathered me in his arms. I was so relieved I wanted to cry. “Hold still. Simon told me you’d been hurt.”
“No—we have to—” I let out a low groan as heat burst through me. Zach lifted me, heading back to the car. Misty paced us, waving at Candace to get back in. “Sam—”
“We know. Simon told me.”
He settled me in the back seat and climbed in next to me, sandwiching my right hand. I figured he needed to keep contact. More heat shot up my right arm, straight to every ache—including the giant one in my head.
Misty watched us from the front seat, clutching the headrest when Candace took off. “A ghost told him where you were. That is so cool.”
“Good to see you, too, Misty.” She flinched at my raw whisper.
“I need you to relax,” Zach said. He spread one hand on the left side of my head. I held still, even though the contact made it throb more. Heat filtered in past the throbbing, and dialed it down to an ache I could tolerate. “Better?”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He sat back, the blue glow surrounding him not fading like it did before. Instead it got deeper, like it mirrored his emotions. And the emotion on his face right now was barely controlled rage. “Simon told me everything, including the clue that—woman gave you. Any idea what it meant?”
“Absolutely.” I’d had time to think—and a desperate need to distract myself as I crawled across the field. I looked at Misty, sure she wasn’t going to like what I said next. “We have to go to Hyattown.”
~ ~ ~
When I told them we had to get there by way of the McGinty house. Misty paled.
“Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t go anywhere near there unless I was.” I discovered that pain was like a laser focus—it made every thought crystal, and my decisions obvious. “You don’t have to come with, Misty. I know how you feel about that place.”
She glanced at Zach, and blushed. Again. Wow—twice in the same day. She had it bad. Not that I blamed her. “I’m not leaving you alone, Alex. Not now. Mrs. Hyatt has gone off the tracks, which means none of us are safe until she’s caught. Were Sam and Jake,” she leaned over the seat, lowering her voice. “Were they still—”
“Alive,” Candace said. I swear Misty jumped a foot. “She wants to know if they’re still alive.”
“Yes.” I grabbed Misty’s hand, met Candace’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “They’re alive. And I am damn well going to keep them that way.”
“You go, girl.” Zach’s comment had Misty giggling like an idiot.
Candace flashed a smile over her shoulder, right before she swerved around the corner, on to the street with the McGinty house. She stopped right in front. “Okay, kids. Time to go play.”
“Right.” I turned to Zach, my heart pounding. “Can you get Simon here?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I think you’ll need him.”
Swallowing, he closed his eyes. The blue glow had finally faded, leaving the pale gold I was used to seeing around him. It started pulsing. I opened my mouth to ask if he was okay—and Simon appeared behind him, right outside the car.
Relief lightened the worry on his face when he saw me. Zach pushed the door open, and I followed him out, standing on the cracked sidewalk. Too many memories were attached to this deserted house. I was about to add a few more.
“Zach—how close do you have to get?”
He raised his eyebrows, but answered my question. “Close enough to know. I don’t have to be on top of them, if that’s what you’re asking. I just have to know.”
“Okay.” That would solve the whole me going in alone dilemma. I took his hand, and he stilled. He didn’t stop me, just nodded, once. I swallowed. “I am so sorry, Zach. I need you to find Sam.”
With a gasp he doubled over. I held on to him, helped him kneel on the sidewalk. Simon followed us down.
“Breathe, Zach. Let it happen.” He met my eyes. “Sam is close by. The pain jolts him harder, the closer the object.”
“Stand,” Zach whispered. He sounded terrible. And I felt guilty as hell for doing it to him. “Help me—stand.”
Misty jerked away from Candace, stepped right through Simon and grabbed Zach’s arm. He moaned when she touched him, and she let go, throwing me the cheerleader death glare she usually reserved for rival teams. So—she obviously couldn’t see Simon. She didn’t even feel him. I was still trying to figure out why I could.
“Zach—what’s wrong? What did she do to you?”
“He’s a seeker, Misty. He finds things—”
“You knew.” She stalked around him. I dropped Zach’s hand, backing away from the fury in her eyes. She pushed me, so hard I lost my balance and landed butt first on the sidewalk. “You knew what would happen and you did it anyway.”
For a second I thought she was going to punch me. Instead she spun, crouched next to Zach.
“Okay,” he whispered, sounding anything but. “Help me up.”
She wrapped one arm around his waist, pulled him to his feet. He couldn’t straighten, and the agony that clenched every muscle left me feeling even guiltier.
Candace pulled me up and yanked me back toward the car. “Tell me this is temporary.”
“It’s temporary.” I watched Misty help Zach through the open gate, Simon hovering behind them. “She really likes him, doesn’t she?”
“He is some spectacular eye candy.” I stared up at her. She met my shocked gaze with a half-smile. “No point in not stating the obvious. The not so obvious—he’s a good kid, with a big heart. He asked us on the way to get you if we’d be careful using the word find—he wrote it down—and he’d tell us why when he could. That’s the why, I take it.”
“There’s a giant, unbelievable explanation behind it, but yeah. He knew I’d ask,” I whispered, hugging my waist. “He didn’t even look surprised.”
“Did he see you with Sam?” I nodded. “Then it was a no brainer.” She let out a sigh. “Come on. I want Jake out of this mess as much as you want Sam out. Fool that I am, I’m crazy about the lug.”
“Candace.” She turned to me. “Once we get down there, I have to go in alone. I’ll need you to keep them away, yourself included.”
Nodding, she took my left arm, steadied me when my ankle protested more walking. “I’m not going to ask why, since you wouldn’t be doing this without a good reason.”
“Thank you.”
Now I just had to stop a crazy woman bent on killing them both. No—I didn’t believe she’d let either one of them go, no matter what she told me.
I planned to snatch them out of her crazy, bloodstained hands.
17
Misty insisted on leading Zach herself, practically snarling at me if I got too close.
Getting him down the ladder was a challenge—one that took pretty much the last of my strength. We headed for the crooked main street of Hyattown, and I halted when Simon let out a sharp breath.
Turning, I saw him standing next to the town sign. Right where the odd protection shield started. The shield I could see now.
He met my eyes. “I can’t pass through it.”
I limped back to him, reached through the shimmering barrier. It undulated around my arm, not touching me. “It’s just for protection. Take my hand—”
“That won’t work. It doesn’t want me inside.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I can’t explain it any other way. What you call a shield is a living, breathing enti
ty. A sentient guard, with its own power. You didn’t walk through the shield, Alex. It moved aside and let you in.”
Just like it did with my arm. What I didn’t understand was why it kept him out—
“It doesn’t know what I am.” Simon raised an eyebrow when I stared at him. “The question is all over your face, sweetheart.”
“Oh—right.”
Zach’s raw gasp had me limp running back over to them. Misty had both arms around him, tears staining her face. “You did this to him. Make it stop! Damn you, Alex, make it—”
“He’s in that building,” Zach whispered. One badly shaking finger pointed at the building with the Devil’s nest. The one building I didn’t want to go near. Fantastic.
“Thank you.” I ignored Misty’s death glare and brushed sweat soaked hair off his cheek. “Need a punch?”
A smile tugged at his mouth. “Duh.” Before Misty could stop me I punched his arm. Not as hard as before, but hard enough, since he collapsed in a heap and let out his breath. “Thanks—I’m okay, Misty. The pain helps break the connection—ouch!” He rubbed his other arm, where she hauled off and punched him. “What was that for?”
“Not telling me, you stupid idiot.”
“I thought you’d—”
“What?” She stared him down, hands on her hips. “Think you were a freak?”
“Well, yeah.”
“You don’t even come close—not after what I’ve run into these last couple of months. Can you walk?” She wrapped one arm around Zach’s waist, helped him stand.
I took advantage of the distraction and moved closer to Candace. “Get them out of here.”
She nodded at me, and herded Misty and Zach back toward the town sign. “Let’s take a look at you, Zach. No arguments—I’m the almost doctor here.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Misty snapped. “You’re not playing the big sister card. I’m going to go help—”