The Hollowing (COYWOLF Series Book 2)

by Abby Tyson

  He held on. "Your heart is pounding erratically, the smell of sour peaches is pouring off of you." His voice was almost as frantic as hers. "But anyone could see... you're terrified."

  The brief whoop of a siren startled them both. Marley released her and took a few steps away as a police car pulled into the driveway. Glenn and Baxter came out to stand on the front steps, as did a few of her neighbors.

  "Is there a problem here?" a woman's voice asked. An officer was getting out of the car, muttering Savi's address into the com on her shoulder. Without lifting her stern frown from Marley, she asked, "Miss? Are you okay? We got some calls last night about this house, but by the time the car drove past, all was quiet. I thought I'd swing by this morning."

  "Yes, I'm fine," said Savi, giving her a weak smile. "Thank you."

  The woman nodded for Savi to follow, and led her back toward the police car before speaking.

  "I've been there," she said in a low voice, giving a purposeful nod to Marley. "No matter what he does to you, no matter how weak he makes you feel, you can't picture your life without him. He's your whole world." The officer stared intently at Savi. "But it's not true. There's a big, wide world out there waiting for you to make it better. Find your own path; don't follow him down his."

  Although Marley wasn't the abusive boyfriend this woman thought he was, her words struck Savi to the core. Discovering her place in the world was something she'd been struggling with for a long time, and the last thing she wanted was to abandon the search and travel in Marley's wake.

  "Do you need me to step in?" asked the officer. "Say the word and he's out of here."

  This was it. This was Savi's chance to walk away. She could stay quiet and go inside, finding her own path while Marley followed his to Florida. Maybe, with the distance between them, they'd simply drift apart, and she'd never be forced to have the awkward conversation about his notebook.

  The thought of never seeing him again sent a surprisingly powerful shock of sorrow through her. But what if she confronted him and he became violent? Not even this intimidating police officer would stand a chance against him, let alone Savi.

  She gently rubbed the arm he had accidentally gripped too tightly. Did he have it in him? Would Marley ever hurt her?

  When she'd been brought to Marcia's barn, Gabe shoved her into an old horse stall with a bag over her head. The only reason she hadn't fallen on her face was a pair of strong, caring hands that had caught her. Marley's hands. He hadn't known who she was, and yet he protected her, even then.

  She turned around to look at Marley. Even from across the lawn, she could see the pain on his face. She couldn't send him away without giving him a chance -- she owed him that much.

  Keeping her eyes on him but addressing the officer, she said, "It's okay. We both just got carried away."

  "If you say so," said the officer, "but don't forget what I said."

  Savi smiled at her. "I won't. It means a lot. Thank you."

  The officer glared at Marley one last time, then went back in her car and drove away. Savi started walking towards him, calling to Baxter and Glenn. "Everything's alright. Go back inside." Both gave Marley a long look before complying.

  "Why are you afraid of me?" The pain in Marley's voice made Savi's heart ache. "Is it because of what I am?"

  "No," she said firmly.

  "Don't pretend you're not, because --"

  "I found the notebook in your trunk." Marley's face drained of all color, and the fact that he clearly knew exactly what she was talking about made her apprehension give way to anger. "I couldn't wait to read your poetry, but instead I find this notebook full of drawings of me, and a photograph of me as a kid."

  She jabbed a finger towards the house. "You know Glenn? The wolf? He'd been my manager and friend for over a year, when he tells me that he was my dad's best friend, and he's been clandestinely watching me since I was thirteen. He got the job at the Beanie Beanie just to get close to me and act like he was the dad I never knew. Can you even imagine how invaded I felt? How betrayed I felt? When I saw that notebook, it was like that all over again, but exponentially worse. I started thinking all these dreadful things about you and --"

  "It's not like that, I swear," Marley said desperately.

  "What is it then? Because it looks like you secretly took a picture of me when I was six and have been obsessing about me ever since."

  "No, I --" He rubbed his face with both hands, then scratched at his throat before finishing his thought. "I used that notebook to practice drawing women's faces."

  "But they're all me! All of the drawings in that book are girls with wavy or curly hair. A couple of them look almost exactly like me."

  "I didn't realize I was doing it! I wasn't thinking about you specifically when I was drawing them."

  "How could you not think about me when you're looking at a picture of me?"

  Marley was about to shout back when he glanced at the surrounding houses. Her neighbors had mostly all gone inside, but the old man who lived across the street was still watching from his stoop. Marley reached for her arm but she snatched it away before he could take it.

  "I told you to stop leading me around like a cow," she snapped.

  "Can we go somewhere more private?" he asked.

  Savi led him through the tall privacy fence into the back yard. Ignoring Baxter and Glenn, who were visible at the table through the slider door, she continued until they were on the other side of the house.

  "I started off using that picture as a guide," he said, his voice low. "And yes, the first few drawings are of you. But after that I didn't look at you, or even think of you. I was trying to find the woman from my dream, the one on my wall."

  Savi stared into his pale green eyes, trying to gauge if he was telling the truth. She wished she had the same abilities as he did, to tell if he was lying from the sound of his heartbeat and his scent.

  "Why did you take a picture of me at all?" she asked.

  "How much of that day do you remember?" asked Marley, searching her face. "The day we met on the playground."

  Taken aback by his question, it took a moment for Savi to recall the memory.

  "Winnie and Claude drew on my dog, I ran out to the playground, you talked to me, and then we played until my mom found me."

  "Do you remember what you said about us? That we couldn't be friends?"

  Savi shook her head, unable to dredge up the memory.

  "You said that if we became friends you would have to leave. I said I'd find you because I have..." His mouth twitched in a soft smile. "...I have a good sense of smell." Something about that felt familiar, but Savi couldn't see it like he could.

  They couldn't be friends because she would have to leave? That did sound like something she would have said. By six years old she'd already gone to three different schools. She'd left so many friends behind her, that for a long time she thought making friends was the signal that they would be moving again.

  Marley's kind voice brought her back to the present. "I don't remember exactly how we got there, but we decided that I should take your picture so I would be sure it was you when I found you. I don't think we ever played together again, but I happened to see your mom packing the car, and I ran to get my dad's camera."

  He chuckled. "Your mom was shouting at someone and looked pretty intimidating, so I took it from across the lot."

  That would be her deadbeat boyfriend.

  Savi thought it, but she didn't say it. Maybe if she didn't speak, Marley would forget she was there, that she had ever existed, and especially that she had ever been so self-absorbed as to think he had been stalking her since they were kids. But he was silent for too long.

  "I don't remember that," she said.

  "I'm not making it up," he said defensively.

  "I didn't say that." She looked away to hide the tears that were brimming. "I'm so sorry. After everything that happened, it's hard to know who to trust and what to believe." She laughed at herself.
"Wow, I sound lame."

  "It couldn't be only the notebook though," Marley said, his face still serious. "Even before that, when I touch you, you.. but then..." He flushed as he stumbled, and Savi almost smiled when he bit his lip. "I can tell, you know, when..."

  "I smell weird when I'm scared," she said, trying to make light of it. "We get it."

  "No -- I mean, yeah, but --" He was looking everywhere but at her. Speaking barely loud enough for her to hear, he said, "I can also tell when you're enjoying what I'm doing."

  A flame of embarrassment engulfed her.

  "But then you get nervous," he continued, "and it's not a good nervous."

  Savi didn't want to tell him about what Eric did to her. Not now. Maybe not ever. She stepped closer to him and slid her hand down his smooth cheek, settling it on his chest.

  "I don't know if you've noticed," she said, "but you're kind of an intense guy."

  He huffed.

  "I just need to --"

  "Get used to me?"

  Savi didn't miss his mockery. She'd told him that more than once after she'd found out how different he was.

  "No," she said with a soft reprimand. "I need to take it slow." Heat crept up her neck. "I've never had a real boyfriend before."

  "What? So you've never...?"

  "No." The heat was burning her cheeks, but she didn't look away. "And even though I really like you, I'm not planning on jumping in the deep end with you any time soon. If you can't handle that, then --"

  His lips closed on hers. Low in her stomach, a pool of molten lava bubbled up, swirling and churning, threatening the stone barricade she hid behind. But before it could do more than warm the foundation, Marley pulled away, and the burning liquid receded, a cool, black skin of rock reforming to contain the red wave.

  His eyes were filled with such desire that Savi couldn't believe he was looking at her. "I find it impossible to believe that no other guy has noticed how gorgeous you are."

  Trying to shut out the image of Eric's face looming over her, she said, "Believe it."

  "Come with me."

  His whispered invitation threatened to melt Savi's insides again, but she forced herself to hold firm.

  "I already told you, Berto's assistant said for me to stay put. I can't endanger my mom or Dave. Besides, being trapped in a car indefinitely with Ren and Nissa would drive me crazy. Definitely."

  Marley's face lit up at her play on words, and that alone nearly made Savi throw caution to the wind and pledge to follow him anywhere.

  "You saw Ren when he was in mission-comes-first mode," he said. "He's really a good guy -- I think you'll like him. And about your mom, as long as you're available by phone, and Berto doesn't know where you're going, there shouldn't be a problem."

  "I can't risk it."

  "But you can risk staying here? Risk more ona coming for you? Risk that those two frauds in there show their true colors and put you in danger? You can't seriously trust them."

  "Everyone at work's been speculating where Glenn is," she said, keeping her voice calm, "so I couldn't help but think about him a lot this week. Even after everything he kept from me, I trust that he wants me safe."

  Marley's arms remained crossed. "And Baxter?"

  "Do I think he's fully abandoned the Alters? No. Do I think he's telling the truth when he says he doesn't want me dead? Yes, and I can believe that he parted ways with Marcia over it. At the barn, he did seem unnerved by --" She stopped herself before she said too much. "-- by how Marcia treated me. And he tried to warn us last night about Berto."

  She could tell that her censorship hadn't gone unnoticed, but all Marley said was, "It could have been for show."

  "Even if it was, he's definitely not in cahoots with Ebony's werewolves."

  "We might not be back before the full moon. What if they come for you then? You guys won't stand a chance."

  Savi stared at the grass. "I can't put my mom in danger."

  "There's no way your mom would want you to stay here if she knew what was going on. We might not even go to Florida, depending on what Nissa's friends say."

  "What about my job?" she asked.

  "Are you serious? What's more important? A minimum wage, unskilled coffee shop job, or your life?"

  Savi couldn't disagree with that, although she did take nominal offense at the term unskilled.

  "You'll probably get sick of me," she said, grasping at straws. "You'll wish you never brought me along."

  He gently cupped her face with his warm hands and said, "Not possible."

  Gazing into those hypnotic eyes, Savi felt his unwavering faith flow over her, a shield against the world. They could make this work. She would stay with him, and he would keep her safe. This would work.

  "Okay," she whispered.

  Chapter Eight

  Ordering Baxter and Glenn out was easy, but actually getting them to leave was not.

  "You sure about this, kid?" asked Baxter, watching her pack.

  "I'm staying with Marley," said Savi, "end of story."

  "Eh-heh," he said, eyeing Marley up and down with obvious disapproval. "Listen, kid, I think getting outta here is a good idea, but Steroids here," he pointed at Marley, "he's got a temper, and my Ma always told my baby sister, 'A guy who can't temper his temper is untempting and contiguous.'"

  "Contiguous?" Savi asked. Baxter nodded sagely.

  Marley snorted, and she shot him a warning look. He didn't have to trust Baxter -- she didn't even really trust him -- but there was no reason to make fun of him.

  "I don't think that's what she said," she explained. "Contiguous means touching, like the contiguous 48 states."

  Baxter shrugged. "Well it made sense to her. The point is, stay away from hot-headed little boys who punch first and say sorry second."

  "She'll be safer with me than with you," Marley growled, crossing his bulging arms. Baxter cracked his knuckles. Glenn growled.

  "Listen," Savi said, trying to ease the testosterone levels in the room, "Baxter, Glenn, thanks for last night, but you guys have to leave now." She glanced at Marley, and was annoyed to see a flare of victory in his eyes.

  With a whine, Glenn looked up at Baxter, then at her.

  "Give it up, Glenny," Baxter said. "We're not welcome here anymore."

  "You never were," Marley muttered.

  Glenn barked and stayed where he was.

  Baxter chuckled, starting toward the kitchen alone. "Good luck," he called.

  The front door closed, and Savi and Marley stared at the wolf who refused to leave.

  "Maybe it's not a bad idea, actually," she said.

  "No. We can't trust him."

  "Yes we can. He'll be able to watch over me and Nissa at night."

  Marley scowled. "It'll be too crowded. We're taking Dad's car, and it's going to be packed as it is with all four of us plus luggage."

  "We'll take my mom's van. There'll be plenty of room."

  "I don't like it. Ren won't either."

  But eventually Marley agreed, and went in the kitchen to fill the cooler with as much food and beverages as he could find while Savi finished packing her clothes.

  As she lugged her full suitcase towards the front door, Marley moved beside her.

  "I'll take that," he said, reaching for it.

  "I can do it," she protested.

  He pried the suitcase from her hands and made a show of dropping it to the floor as if it were too heavy even for him. "I don't think we'll be gone long enough for you to wear all these clothes."

  "Oh, did I forget to mention my baby rhinoceros?" asked Savi. "She's sleeping in there, so be gentle."

  Marley laughed. "The more the merrier. How about we invite that nosey old guy from across the street too?"

  Heading back towards her room, she said, "Go ahead and put that in the van. I'll be right out." She looked down at Glenn, who was still in her doorway. "Can you wait outside?" The wolf nodded and followed Marley out the front door.

  Going down the ha
ll into her mom's room, she sat on the bed, picturing the hundreds of times she'd sat there watching her mom get ready for work or a date. Drawers hung open from when her mom had hastily packed Friday night, and Savi walked around the room, closing each one. Homesickness already heavy in her heart, she gave one last look around, then went down the hall and out the door.

  Savi followed Marley's truck all the way to Pittsfield, peppering Glenn with yes or no questions about her dad.

  Did he like poetry?

  Yes.

  A lot?

  No.

  Was he smart?

  Yes.

  A good student?

  No.

  It was frustrating not being able to delve deeper, with Glenn sometimes whining and bobbing his head to show that there wasn't an easy answer. Yet she repeated each new bit of information silently to herself, memorizing it, and the twisting pain that lived deep inside her heart dulled incrementally with every detail. Savi purposely avoided questions about Marcia's barn. Glenn was the only one -- other than Marcia -- who knew she'd altered Tara. He didn't know about Eric, but knowing about Tara was bad enough, and the fact that she may have condemned them to a short, painful life was something she was determined to keep secret.

  She pulled into a parking spot beside Marley. He was at her door opening it from the outside before she'd even turned the van off.

  "Thank you," she said as she climbed out. "I can open my own door, though."

  "It's called chivalry," he said, leaning in to kiss her.

  Savi smiled, the taste of him on her lips. "Never heard of it."

  She held the door open for Glenn to jump out. "I talked to my mom on the way up," she said, locking the van. "She's okay. I didn't tell her about the trip, though."

  Scowling at Glenn on the sidewalk, Marley said, "Large dogs aren't allowed in the building."

  "I thought we were going in the woods. Isn't that where Ren lives?"

  "He's supposed to meet me and Nissa in front of the building soon anyway. We'll talk to him then. Right now we have to get Nissa and my stuff.”

  "Well we can't leave Glenn in the van. It's too hot."

  "Leave the windows open."

  "With all my clothes in there? This isn't that safe of a neighborhood."