“He’s right, there have been reports, but we need to head back and report in. If anyone was here, then they’re gone by now,” a third voice sounds, this one sounding different from the other two, but I’m not sure how. Like the words roll off his tongue in an almost lyrical way. Relief floods through me at their decision to not check the place out but is short-lived when something cold and wet brushes against my hand.
I barely stifle a scream when I look over to see a creature I’ve never seen before, staring at me with dark eyes. It’s small, covered in black and white fur, and has a long tongue hanging out of a mouth filled with sharp teeth. It’s a physical effort to keep myself from jumping from my hiding place and running when that long tongue brushes against my hand again.
A few grumbling replies later, and I hear someone call out, “Luna,” and the strange creature turns and walks away, giving my hand one last lick before it does.
As their steps begin to fade away, being unable to stop myself as I’ve never seen anyone but my family before, I peek my head around the corner of the table just in time to watch three large shapes and the “Luna” turn the corner. I can’t make out much, but they all wear black and have hair of varying colors, from the blonde of Sector A, to a brunette, and an even darker color, closer to black than brown. I don’t know who they are, but I know that I must be more careful than ever.
Chapter 5
“Why do we have to move again, Sam? We could have stayed hidden at the other place until it was time to go home,” Cole tells me as we walk, and I swallow the pain that his mention of home causes. He’s still young enough to have the naive belief that we’ll have a home waiting for us when we return, but I don’t hold onto such notions. The nest stopped being our home the minute those monsters mentioned having our parents. And though guilt for not trying to rescue them starts to rise, I squash the thought. It would have been suicide for both Cole and me had we tried, and I know that my parents wouldn’t have wanted that.
“Because it’s an adventure. We’re going to find an even better place to stay. One that is bigger, and we don’t have to fight with any rats for space,” I respond in an excited tone, hoping to hide how miserable I really feel. When his face lights up at my words, I decide to hold off on the talk about never returning home. This way, one of us can be happy. At least for a little while longer.
“Do you think we can find a place like the nest? That way, I’ll have my own room,” Cole adds after we walk a bit further, and I look down into his earnest face, eager at the prospect, and I feel myself smile at his enthusiasm.
“Of course, we can. I’ll bet we can find you one even better!” I say back, and rub his head, sending his blond locks in every direction. His grin lasts for only a moment though, before a frown tugs at the sides, and he looks at up me with eyes that defy his young age.
“They’re really gone, aren’t they?” he asks, and my own smile slips away. Staring into his sober face, I discover I can’t lie to him. Not about this.
“I think so, Cole. I think they are,” I respond, and he nods his head before looking away, but not before I notice the tears that cut tracks down his dirty cheek.
“What do we do now, Sam?” he questions after a short hesitation, and I muster up all my courage to face the unwavering faith he has in my ability to take care of him.
“Now, we find our wings,” I answer, remembering my dad’s note, and start to walk forward once more, purpose making my strides longer. Cole speeds up as well, reassured by my confidence, if not understanding my words, and we walk toward what I hope will be a safer place.
Walking through the darkened streets is eerie, but not because of the lack of light. I’d grown up in The Between, where only the stars and the meager candles made of tree sap lit our nights. No, this is caused by the goosebumps that have broken across my skin, and the hair that’s raised on the back of my neck. The feeling you get when you’re being watched.
Quickening my steps, I grab Cole by the hand and begin to scan the area for any place that looks secure enough to wait out the encroaching night, but the whisper of boots across the solid concrete tells me it’s too late to hide. Someone has found us.
“Sam—” Cole starts, but rather than let him finish his sentence, I begin to run, pulling him behind me as fast as his shorter legs will carry him. The steps behind us also speed up, and now that they’re no longer trying to remain hidden, they echo loudly across the empty streets.
“Here,” I whisper fiercely as we start to pass a small alley, and we duck into the darkness, searching for anything to hide behind.
We rush down the narrow walkway, trying to be as quiet as we can, but come up short as the alleyway ends at a brick wall.
“No!” I say quietly through my harsh breaths and try to make out anything in the dying light that could save us. It’s not until I lean my head back and look up, that an idea hits. About four feet above us is a small window, and it’s just low enough that I could maybe lift Cole inside. “Step into my hands and pull yourself into that opening. Stay quiet when you get up there, and if something happens, you run. You run and hide. Then go as quickly as you can to Sector A,” I tell him quickly, and already start to lift him before he has a chance to argue.
“But, Sam, I can’t. I can’t—” he says, but I shush him. I pull him in quick for a hug but have no time to say anything else. The pounding of footsteps is heading toward us, getting louder, and will be here any minute. If he’s going to have a chance, it must be now.
Fear and the look on my face must convince him not to argue, so he steps into my cupped hands, and I strain under the weight of him. Sweat is beading on my forehead by the time I finally get him close enough to pull up on the ledge, but once he does, his weight lightens, and he disappears through the dark hole.
With Cole tucked away safely above, I draw my knife and turn to meet whomever is following us. Their steps are so close now that I realize it’s two people, instead of one, and I rub my hand across the wooden bird in my pocket. The action helps to settle my nerves, and I bend my legs in the fighting stance my dad taught me and wait.
Chapter 6
“Well, lookie what we got here. Caught us a little lamb,” a man says, stepping close to where I can see him in the fading light. His hair and beard are long, looking as if they’ve never seen a comb, and he wears a simple sweater and jeans. Beside him, looking just as bedraggled, is another man, though this one is shorter, and dressed similarly.
“I told you we’d find one. Looks like you should have stayed home in your little treehouse, Little Lamb. At least then, you wouldn’t have wasted your time trying to run,” the second man says, inching closer and flashing his own knife.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t want any trouble, so just leave me alone,” I say, and cringe as my voice comes out shaky, showing them the fear I’m trying to pretend is not there.
“Now, now. No need for games. Your parents didn’t want to talk, but they didn’t need to. All we had to do was go back to where we saw them heading last, and guess what we found? A pretty house up in the trees. And you know what else? Rooms with clothes of different sizes. It wasn’t hard to figure out there were more of you around, and following your trail was easy,” the first says, and I realize I’ve heard his voice before. It’s the same one from the night before, the one that we’d heard beneath the nest. Knowing it may be the only chance I ever get to find out, I can’t stop myself from blurting out my own questions.
“Where are my parents? What did you do with them?” I shout, and the two begin to laugh as if I’ve said the funniest thing in the world. The laughter only fuels my anger, though, and the fear that’s been causing a fine tremor to run through my body evaporates, as hot rage takes over. I may be outnumbered, but I’ll make them regret what they did.
“Your parents are gone, Little Lamb. Though it’s a shame they didn’t last longer. I suggested just removing a limb at a time, but the boss didn’t want the meat to go bad, so
we went ahead and did away with them both.” It’s the first man that replies again, and a half sob escapes from me before I can stop it. I’d known that this was most likely their fate but hearing this vile stranger talk about it so unapologetically makes me take a step toward them without even realizing it.
“Oh look, I think the little lamb wants to play. What do you say, brother? Should we play with our dinner for a minute?” the other man asks, and without replying, they both start to stalk towards me with cruel smiles tugging their bearded faces. I only have enough time to throw myself back against the wall, when the first man aims a right hook at my face.
The two move together like oil, and I only miss the second hit because I trip to the side. They’re quick with their strikes, and before I can even get to my feet, a hard kick catches me in the hip and forces me back to the ground, the knife falling from my hand from the hit. Remembering my Dad’s teachings to never let myself get pinned beneath someone, I roll to the side and kick out, landing a solid hit to the smaller man’s knee. He falls to the ground, holding it between his hands, but this only seems to anger his brother.
“Game over, Little Lamb. This ends now,” he says, stomping toward me with my death promised in his eyes. I stagger to my feet, holding my hip where it screams in protest to the movement. I have no weapon, and he easily outweighs me, but I steady myself into a fighting stance once more, prepared to fight to my last breath to keep Cole safe.
It’s as his fist is flying at my head in a hit that I know will be lights out for me when his eyes go wide and his hand freezes. Everything feels as if it’s going in slow motion as he stumbles forward, something hot and wet splattering across my face, and I can’t move fast enough to keep him from crashing into me.
We go down in a tangle of arms and legs, with my head smacking into the hard ground, as the heavy weight of him threatens to suffocate me. More hot liquid seeps into my sweater, but my head feels funny and pain throbs through it in time with the beating of my racing heart. When my brain finally catches up with what’s just happened, I begin to struggle and push with all my might to move him away, but I can’t. He feels like he weighs more than what should be possible because it’s all dead weight. Between my blurring vision and panic, I’m trapped beneath him.
I begin to cry as I lie beneath a dead man. The sound of his friend yelling out obscenities reaches my ears, seeming distant, before that too cuts off. I only have a second to wonder what’s going on before the suffocating weight is finally lifted from me, and the most handsome face I’ve ever seen comes into view.
It’s dark out, but what I can see are dark eyes like the deepest caverns, hair that looks like it is made of the night, and a face that only statues could have, it’s so perfect. I must be dead. But if he’s here, then death can’t be too bad.
Those are the last thoughts that I have before darkness claims me, and my pain and worries melt away.
Chapter 7
“Are you sure she didn’t say anything before she passed out, Nico?” I hear a male voice ask, drawing me from dreams of furry creatures with long tongues, and men with long beards chasing me.
I force myself to keep my breathing even, but it’s hard to keep from panicking as I don’t know where I am, or who I’m with. With my eyes still closed, I begin to mentally take stock of my body, searching for any injuries or memories to explain how I came to be here. Wherever here is.
“Yes, I’m positive. When I reached her, she was barely conscious, and passed out before I could ask her any questions. I don’t think she has a concussion, but I haven’t looked for any other injuries,” a second voice responds. Nico, if I’m to believe he’s the one the other voice was addressing.
“Why not? She could be seriously injured! We need to look her over,” a third voice says, and it seems familiar. Familiar enough that memories start to play out through my head, starting with hiding behind a table as a black and white creature licked me, and ending with boosting my brother up into a window to hide. It’s the last thought that sends me sitting straight up and looking around.
“Because, Jace, she doesn’t know us. If she wakes up and three guys she doesn’t know are undressing her, then she’ll be afrai—Whoa! Calm down, you’re alright!” the last voice starts, but my sitting up distracts him.
Looking around, I make eye contact with the speaker. He’s holding up his hands as if to soothe me, and my breath catches in my throat when I see his face. If there were ever a poster child for what a citizen of Sector A would look like, it would be him. His eyes are as blue as the midday sky, and his hair is like strands of gold. Added to that, his skin looks as if the very sun came down and kissed him, and my heart is racing for an entirely different reason. I only look away from his handsome face when a throat clears nearby.
“We’re sorry we frightened you, Miss, but you were unconscious, and we didn't want to leave you alone. Not after what has already happened,” he says, and like with the first guy, my heart gives a little skip at the sight of him.
Unlike the first male, this guy has dark brown hair, and a face that is all sharp angles. He’s no less attractive than the first, but there’s a slight tugging at his mouth that tells me he may be amused by my reaction to them. A reaction I realize is me sitting with my mouth hanging open as I gape at these strangers before me. My eyes start to stray down his body, taking in his black on black clothing, but I snap them back up when a snicker reaches my ears. Blushing red at the thought of getting caught checking him out, my blush deepens when I look into eyes that remind me of the sap from trees.
“Can she speak? I think we may have broken her,” the dark-haired guy to his right says, and I reluctantly turn my attention to whoever else is witnessing my inability to talk.
It’s the last face that reminds me of why I was so panicked before, and I hop from the odd chair they’d placed me on and start to look for my things, trying to ignore the dizzy feeling, but having to throw my hand out for support. Yet, what I connect with is not the chair I had aimed for. No, my hand is pressed into at least six feet of muscle, olive skin, and eyes like the deepest caves. Eyes that I had seen after a dead man was pulled from me.
Snatching back my hand as if burned, I finally spy my pack and pick it up, spinning to face the three strangers. It hadn’t occurred to me until this moment that they might not allow me to leave, but they’ll have to fight to keep me here. Cole is still out there, and I have no idea how long I’ve been asleep.
“Listen, I appreciate your help. Really, I do, but I must go. Can you please tell me how to get back to where you found me?” I ask, speaking for the first time since waking, and I watch as they exchange looks. “Please? I need to go now,” I add in a pleading voice, and they all turn back to me. It’s the blond who answers, his kind eyes helping to push back some of the panic clawing its way up my throat.
“Hey, it’s okay. Of course, we can help you, but wouldn’t you rather wait for the sunrise? That way it will be easier to walk,” he offers, but I can’t accept his logic. My baby brother is out there alone.
“No! I need to go now. Please, just take me?” I beg, unable to keep my lip from trembling as I think about how afraid he must be. Or worse, what will happen if people like those men find him.
“We don’t make it a habit to travel around after dark. You got lucky we were out when you were attacked, but it’s better to travel in the daylight. Just get some rest, and we’ll lead you there tomorrow,” the dark-haired guy says, and again, I have to force myself from falling into those depthless eyes. My rising temper at this refusal helps.
“Listen, I appreciate your help, but I’m leaving now. Either help me, or move out of the way,” I tell him with false bravado, and he steps to the side, as if to let me pass. Resigning myself to searching with no clue where to go, I go to walk by them.
“What the hell, Nico? We can’t just let her go out there by herself,” the other dark-haired guy says, but I don’t wait to listen to Nico’s response. I just keep walking, loo
king for the door that will lead me out into the night. That will lead me to my brother.
A sigh reaches my ears before the heavy footsteps approaching behind me alert me to their presence. Looking over, I find Nico striding beside me with his jaw clenched, while the other two trail closely behind with Luna at their sides. I don’t tell them so, but having them with me helps to lessen some of my anxiety. I don’t know them, but they saved my life and are now risking themselves again to lead me back to Cole. I may not trust them, but I’ll take all the help I can get right now.
Chapter 8
“Are you sure this is the right place?” I ask, looking around as Luna sniffs the ground, but I know they’re right. My assailant’s body is missing, but even in the dark, I recognize the dead end and open window.
“Yes, we’re sure. If you’d tell us what you’re looking for, then maybe we could do something other than just stand around in the dark. We need to get back,” Nico says, his voice sounding agitated, but I ignore it. They are welcome to leave, but I need to find Cole.
“Samara, let us help you. I’m sure with all of us searching, we’ll be able to find whatever it is you’re missing,” Dex says, and smiles kindly to show that they wouldn't mind. We had exchanged names quietly on the walk over, so I learned that the handsome blond is called Dex.
I hesitate for a moment, conflicted about telling them about Cole, but my worry for him wins out. They’d done nothing but help me so far, and even if Nico seemed irritated by my presence, if they could help then I’d let them.
“I’m not looking for a ‘thing’,” I say to Nico’s beautifully stubborn face, and turn back to where Dex stands patiently beside me. “My little brother, Cole, was hiding up there in that opening before I was attacked. I told him to run if something happened to me, but I don’t know if he did, or if he is just hiding up there scared. If one of you could boost me up, I could climb in there and look around,” I say, but before any of them can offer, Jace runs toward the wall, plants one foot up against it, and kicks off. He’s airborne for only a moment before his hands catch the edge, and he smoothly pulls himself into the dark space.
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