by D. C. Gambel
“Where are you going?” I demanded. I still had more questions.
“You’re precious horsemen are on their way. I prefer to be gone before they arrive. I wasn’t lying when I said the deaths will stop when you agree. At this point, I need more power to do what I plan, but with your help, I’ll be fine with what I’ve collected so far.”
“Collected?”
“I’ll explain more when we see each other again. You have three days to make up your mind before the next being dies. If you desire to prove your innocence you could always allow them to lock you up until after.” He smirked when I paled. How he even knew that had been suggested was beyond me.
Shane was barely gone two minutes before there was an aggressive rapt at the door. Charlie glanced at me as I grimaced. I didn’t know why they were here, but I doubted it was to apologize.
“Charlie,” Ty began as the door cracked open. “Is Evie…” he didn’t finish as Cam burst through the door. His sea blue eyes scanned the room landing on me almost as if they’d been drawn to me. He rushed to my side. I hissed when his arms wrapped around me still very much injured even with my enhanced healing. The poison seemed to be slowing it down. Hearing me, he immediately drew back. His eyes bore into mine before titling me forward examining the prominent marks down my back. His gaze was like a cool caress against the inflamed wounds.
He returned his gaze to mine briefly before closing his eyes, bowing his head, looking defeated.
“Dragon?” Ty asked, his voice stern. Cam hesitantly nodded. Ty exhaled heavily but his resolve seemed unwavering.
“It wasn’t her!” Exclaimed Charlie, but I shot her a glare before she elaborated. Sure I was being stubborn. I could tell them about Shane but I wanted them to believe me because they trusted me. If I told them about Shane and they still didn’t believe me—which was what I feared—I didn’t know if we’d ever get past that. I felt like an outsider to the guys group to begin with. Now with the lack of trust…
I furrowed my brow realizing the thoughts didn’t sound like me. I wanted to prove I was trustworthy. I should be jumping at the bit to tell them about Shane, but something held me back. I just didn’t know what.
“It doesn’t matter,” Derek stated calmly. “The evidence is too much to ignore. If we don’t do something we could lose the trust of the supernatural community.”
“They attacked us,” Charlie stated.
“Charlie,” I hissed for her to be quiet. I had already discussed this with her before the guys arrived. I didn’t want them to know about Shane. He was a wild card that could pay off or could destroy me.
“Is that true, Evie?” Ty asked.
My gaze bore into the Horsemen of Pestilence. “Does it matter? You do what you need to Ty. If you believe I’m guilty, then so be it. I’m done trying to convince you all otherwise.”
“Evie,” he began but I shot him a glare that cut him off.
Cam was oddly silent during the ride back to the manor. He’d reached out for me and as much as I craved his touch, I was feeling too hostile and I wanted to wallow in it for the moment.
I broke the silence when we enter the house. Pivoting my head to Cam. “Can you go grab me a change of clothes? I smell like a brewery.”
He hesitated for just a moment. Cam wasn’t stupid and knew me well enough that he could almost see the mischievous glint in my eyes, but he didn’t argue.
I waited until I saw him turn at the top of the stairs before facing the other horsemen.
“Let’s go down stairs before he gets back.” This had been where they wanted me. They’d said as much earlier. Now, after the attack, I could see the guilt-ridden gazes all the guys gave me, including my boyfriend. We had reached a crossroads and something had to be done to prove my innocence.
“Evie,” Derek whispered. “You don’t have to.”
I gave him a curt nod. “Yes, I do. You all don’t trust me. I’ve given no reason to. This is the only way.” I eyed both horsemen. “Just one thing.” They both glanced up expectantly. “I don’t want him to see me down there.”
“Evie,” Ty tried to reason, but I refused to hear it.
“Promise me you won’t let him see me in there.” When Ty refused to respond more than bowing his head guiltily, I turned to Derek. “Please, Derek.” He owed me after everything he’d done to sabotage my relationship with Cam and he knew it.
He nodded. “Alright, Evie.” When Ty shot him a look Derek explained. “We owe her this.” Before turning back to me. “Let’s get you down there before he comes back.”
As Derek locked me in the cell, I could hear Ty arguing with Cam at the top of the stairs that led to the basement where we stood.
“Then let her say that to me herself,” Cam yelled.
“Give me your phone, Derek,” I demanded with my palm outstretched. When he hesitated, I sighed. “Do you really think that I’m going to call demon back up or something? I need to placate Cam. Give me your phone.”
With that he handed it to me.
It rang before going to voicemail. Derek huffed up the stairs demanding that Cam answer the call.
“Evie?” Cam’s voice questioned.
“I don’t want to see you.”
“Evie, baby,” I heard his feet shuffle away from the other two guys looking for privacy. “Let me come down there. We can talk…”
“No, Cam. The others have agreed. These are my terms. I don’t…” I exhaled heavily,” I don’t want to see you.” I hung up just as Derek padded back down the stairs holding a change of clothes.
“He’s not going to take this well, you know that,” he stated taking the phone from my extended hand, exchanging it for the clothes he offered.
I sighed. “I know and I’m okay with that. It won’t be long until my innocence is proven. Until then…”
Derek’s gaze narrowed on me. “What do you mean?”
I realized my mouth had gotten away with me. I shrugged it off nonchalantly. “It’s not me so it makes sense.”
Sitting there on the cot after I was left alone, I began wondering why I seemed okay with the death that would soon occur. I could tell the guys in hope to stop Shane, but something stopped me. The more I considered it a heavy fog seemed to cover my brain making it difficult to think. The harder I pressed the hazier my focus. The fog grew so thick that my eyes became heavy to the point that I needed to lay down.
I dreamt of a warm body molded to me, cocooning me in comfort. I found solace there. Rolling over, I inhaled the cool masculine scent that was Cam.
“You don’t get to push me away, Evie.”
I nuzzled into his chest letting the timbre of his voice calm me. “I know,” I whispered back. “But I don’t want you seeing me here. I love you too much for that.”
“I know, baby. But I can’t sleep without you in my arms.” He kissed my forehead. “I’ll be gone before you wake. You’ll think this is just a dream.”
“Mmm…” I moaned curling tighter into him. “Best dream ever.”
His chuckle chased me into the sweet, dark abyss.
Chapter 7
My eyes fluttered open when the tiny window across the way streamed the morning sunlight blaring into my eyes. I glanced around unsure why I was pressed as far against the wall as I could on the tiny cot leaving most of the mattress vacant. I shrugged it off as I saw Ty standing at the door to my cell holding a platter full of breakfast foods.
“Not hungry,” I stated even as my stomach growled protesting the lie. I felt at war with myself. I wanted to tell the horsemen everything I knew and yet I didn’t and I couldn’t explain why.
“Don’t be that way, Evie. I know how you eat.”
When I didn’t move, he sighed sliding it onto the slot where it remained until Derek came down with lunch trading them out. He repeated the process at dinner. I refused to budge from the cot.
That night I dreamt of Cam coming to me again. He didn’t try to seduce me even though I craved the idea of getting lost in him.
He held me as I slept keeping me safe for those few brief hours I was able to close my eyes.
The second day went the same. On the third day, I woke feeling heavyhearted. I missed Cam. I feared for the person that Shane would kill if I didn’t agree to his terms. I was locked in a cell at my own request and even if I decided to accept his offer there was no way to tell him until after he killed his intended victim.
“Evie?” Ty called out, but I didn’t acknowledge him. It had been like that since they locked me in here. The only time I spoke was to tell them I wasn’t hungry. I was so famished that last night when I dreamt of Cam, I let him feed me a protein bar before drifting off again. He sighed. “You have a visitor.”
“I told you, I don’t want to see him,” I stated not looking up from the spot on the floor that I had been glaring at for days.
“It’s Charlie.”
I whipped my head towards him giving my attention for the first time in days.
“Do you want to see her?”
I pondered it for a moment before nodding. A few minutes passed and I thought perhaps it had been a lie to get me to acknowledge him, but then there was some shuffle at the top of the stairs. Cam’s voice drifted down finding me yearning for his presence.
“Tell her I love her,” he asked Charlie breaking my heart with how I’d refused to see him. This was one burden I didn’t want to share with him.
Seconds later, Charlie came into view. She glanced up at the top of the stairs, which was just out of my view and stood her ground until the sound of the door closing reached my ears.
“I didn’t believe it when Cam told me,” she muttered taking in my appearance inside my cell. “You have to tell them, Evie.”
“No,” I stated firmly.
“He’s going to kill someone today! Is a life really worth your pride that you were right while they doubted you?”
“You don’t understand,” I muttered.
“Then tell me! Make me understand or I’ll tell them, Evie. I swear I will.”
Fury overwhelming me, I slammed into the bars of the cage startling my friend. “He wants me for something, Charlie!” I yelled. “I have no idea for what, but it involves going back to hell. Even if I were to agree, I’m stuck here until after he kills. If I tell the guys and he doesn’t follow through then it’s more likely they won’t trust me. I’m at a standstill.”
“Tell them about Shane.”
“I can’t. I can’t explain why, but I just can’t.” I bowed my head wishing there was a way for me to tell my best friend, but like with the guys the words refused to come. “I can’t go back to Hell, Charlie. Cam died there. I almost did too.”
“Lie,” she stated not wavering under my blatant hostility taking me by surprise. For a moment I thought she was accusing me then she elaborated. “Go to him and you fucking lie. You do whatever you need to to save a life. You’re a horseman. It’s your duty.”
“Are you not seeing the cell same as me,” I gestured to the bars around me.
She smirked. “I’ve got a plan.”
Minutes later I was sneaking into Charlie’s old pinto alone. Her plan wasn’t hers. Shane had been to see Charlie the night before. She’d left that little tidbit out until after it was too late to turn around. Somehow he’d gotten the codes to the cells in the horsemen’s basement. I didn’t know how, but the thought gave me a sinking feeling. The plan had been to meet him at the location Charlie provided me. It wasn’t far. I left my belongings refusing Charlie’s phone incase the guys tried to track me. She and I swapped places making it appear that I had somehow over powered her. She’d wait for them to find her. It didn’t bode well for the whole not trusting me thing, but Charlie was right. I couldn’t let Shane kill someone just to prove my innocence. My pride wasn’t worth that.
I pulled up behind a tiny shopping center where I was set to meet Shane. Guilt over the secrets I kept were weighing heavily on me, but I shoved it down to handle the task at hand. There was nothing to be done about it now. I was miles away from the manor with no phone or any other means of contact. I had a job to do. Afterwards I’d deal with the guilt. Exiting the car, I headed to where I’d been instructed. I didn’t know if there was a certain time he planned on arriving. Charlie hadn’t mentioned anything.
I barely walked ten feet before the sound of rocks skidding across the pavement alerted me I wasn’t alone. My first thought was Shane, but my instinct said otherwise. I spun ready to lay a blow to the intruder’s midsection, which should most likely be clothed. Killing someone without knowing if they were a true danger to me was something I wanted to avoid.
Bolts of electricity coursed through me causing my muscles to go rigid. It was only a few seconds but felt much longer before I landed on the ground in heap convulsing as the residual currents passed through me.
“Damn it, Chad!” Shane shouted crouching down beside me. “That’s Evie.”
“I know who it is,” Chad muttered nonchalantly. “I wasn’t about to let her put her hands on me. She lets her gift control her.”
“Evie?” Shane whispered in a calming voice. “You alright?”
Groaning, I rolled onto my back catching the sight of Chad just out of the corner of my eye. “I’m going to kill him,” I stated trying to right myself.
“Try it, Death. I’ll give you another taste.” He wiggled his fingers sending tiny sparks from their tips.
“Evie,” Shane tired drawing my attention. “It was a safety precaution. Chad’s right. You don’t control your gift and you might have killed him.”
“Please. Unless he was running around in public shirtless, or in a tube top, he’d have been fine. I know how to defend myself while keeping people safe from my gift.”
“But you still don’t have control over it.”
I narrowed my gaze at him feeling the heat and anger begin to boil. “And you do?” I spat not expecting the answer I received.
“Yes. I don’t let it rule me. I don’t fear my power which I think is your problem.”
“You relish it,” I stated.
He shrugged. “Perhaps. But enough about that. Why are you here? Have you made your choice?”
I swallowed hard. Lying was never something I had been good at. Living as a recluse most of my life there hadn’t been any reason to. “It’s the only way to stop the killings?”
He nodded.
“I need to know what it is that you need from me. Why you want to go to hell. I can’t blindly agree.”
“Of course,” he glanced at Chad who held up his hand in surrender before walking back out from behind the buildings. Shane rubbed the back of his head nervously. “I don’t even know where to begin, Evie.” He glanced up at me from under his lashes. “Have you ever killed someone you cared about?”
I wrapped my arms around my midsection hugging myself. No one but Cam knew about my dad and I didn’t feel right sharing that with Shane. My lack of response was all the confirmation he needed.
Shane reached out placing his hand on my arm. “Me too, Evie.” He sighed withdrawing his hand. “I was eighteen and finally began to get a handle on my powers. I was cocky and confident. I was also a bundle of hormones.” He exhaled heavily. “I met a girl.” He smirked but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You can guess how that went.”
“You touched her,” I whispered.
He shook his head. “I slept with her.”
“What?” I gasped.
“I told you, I was confident. I had control,” he sighed. “At least I thought I did.”
I watched him silently for a moment allowing the weight of his announcement sink in. I was struggling with mixed emotions. First off, I felt mournful for Shane’s loss but I also felt giddy over the fact that he was able to touch someone. Sex didn’t just occur instantly. There had to be a lot of touching to get to that point.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Shane, but I don’t understand how I can help you.” And that was no lie. I couldn’t bring back his lost love. If Shane really ha
d more control over the power we shared then surely he had developed the gift to bring people back, but that notion had my mind running off into all different areas, so I let it go.
Part of me wondered if he was looking for what I had with Cam, someone who could survive his touch. I hoped that wasn’t what he was seeking from me. But if it was, I didn’t understand how Hell came into play.
“She was a demon, Evie. When I killed her, her soul was banished to Hell. I need the help of someone who’s been there before.”
I took several steps back and began shaking my head. Hell held no good memories. Death was all I found there.
“Evie, demons banished are thrown into the third circle. I can’t go in there without risking getting stuck.”
“But you’re okay with me getting stuck?” If my statement surprised him he didn’t show it, which just made me worry that I was correct.
“We’re death, Evie. Two sides of one coin.” Seeing my confusion as to why it mattered, Shane elaborated. “We can draw her out.”
I narrowed my eyes. “To what end, Shane—to let her possess someone? That’s the only option right?”
He looked up at me from under hooded lids. “Not if I stay with her in hell.”
“Then why do you need me? Just go into the third circle.”
Leaning away from me, Shane studied me. “How far into hell did you get? The first circle, maybe the second? Why do you think the third locks you in? Think about all those images of Hell you had before you visited. I don’t mean the fire and brimstone, but everything else—the pain, the torture, the suffering—that’s the third circle. But if we both work together, two deaths created to keep the balance…Think of it as a potent ingredient.” He gripped my hand in his. His nose twitched just a fraction, but I wasn’t sure why. “I can’t do this without you. I just want my love back.”
“I don’t think I can do that Shane.” He released my hand like I burned him. His pleading turned into a heated glare that had me bristling.
“Then I hope you’re okay with all these deaths on you conscious. And let’s not forget how your horsemen will believe it’s you.”