Under the Burning Stars

by Carrigan Richards

  But there was still a block of time missing after she had the vision. Then, it hit her. Trudy McVaine. The same one who put a vision in Ava’s mind months ago in order to escape. Had she twisted the vision so that Trudy convinced Ava to kill the humans? Was she nearby? Ava doubted it since Ephemerals had come upon the scene.

  The piercing sound of sirens wailed in the night. Gillian was on her way, thankfully despite their recent drama. Ava hoped she would arrive before the police. She needed Gillian to compel the minds of the police and the couple who found her. How else could she explain to them that the two dead bodies next to her actually died of asphyxiation by drowning?

  Warm tears fell down her cheeks. She was a murderer. She had just killed two Ephemerals. What would Peter or her father say if they knew what she had done? What was going to happen to her? Would Aaron diminish her powers? Would she be banished from the coven?

  Why couldn’t she stop? Peter was right in that she couldn’t control her powers. Did this mean she had Cimmerian blood?

  The sirens came close and then she saw the flashing blue and red lights in the sky. Ava was tired and wanted to sleep. She could barely hear her own heartbeat.

  She heard several voices nearing and then faces crowded her.

  A woman with a sleeked back ponytail leaned over her, and flashed a light in her eyes, blinding her. “Can you hear me?” she asked.

  Ava nodded.

  “What is your name?”

  “Ava.”

  “Omigod, Ava!” Gillian pushed past police officers. “What happened? Holy crap, you’re bleeding badly.”

  “Step back, ma’am,” the other paramedic said.

  “Like hell I will. She’s my friend.”

  “Of course,” the paramedic said. “I’ll get the stretcher.” No one argued with Gillian.

  The woman was still assessing Ava, and Ava turned and met Gillian’s big blue eyes that watered. She wished Gillian could read her mind.

  She got down on her knees next to Ava. “Are you okay?” Her black curly hair looked like it had been teased, but it was probably from the humidity.

  “He shot me.” Ava met Gillian’s eyes, hoping she conveyed the message that Ava killed them. “They tried to attack me.” Fresh tears fell down her face. Her breath was labored and it took every ounce of energy just to speak.

  “Why did you call me?”

  Ava swept her eyes over the entourage, and realization clicked in Gillian’s eyes.

  “I’ll take care of it,” she mouthed, and then leaned down to Ava’s ear. “I’ll call Savina.”

  Ava shook her head. “No, please don’t.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Just don’t.” She didn’t want Savina knowing what she had done. She needed time to think about how to explain it to her. And everyone else.

  Gillian rolled her eyes, then took out her phone and dialed a number. “I found her. She’s been shot and they’re going to take her to the hospital.”

  Who was she talking to? Had she really called Savina?

  “I don’t know. Okay, see you soon.” She ended the call and grabbed Ava’s hand. “Why didn’t you call her first?”

  Ava was upset that Gillian called Savina. Why would she do that? Was she still out to get her?

  The male paramedic came back with the stretcher. “Okay, Ava, we’re going to lift you. This may hurt.”

  “I don’t want to go to the hospital,” she tried saying.

  “Honey, you have to or you’ll bleed to death.”

  Ava clutched onto Gillian’s hand. “Don’t let them take me.”

  “Are you freaking kidding me? They’ll save you. I’ll be there soon.”

  Gillian pursed her lips, and then Ava let go of her hand as the paramedics wheeled her away.

  The female paramedic placed an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth and she breathed it in. She finally gave in to the pain and closed her eyes.

  Ava’s eyes flickered open. She looked around but it was dark. She was warm, and the bed was comfortable. Familiar. Someone held her hand and she touched them. The person jerked awake with an intake of breath.

  “Ava,” Melissa said.

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “Mel.” Ava tried sitting up, but then she cried out from the stabbing pain in her stomach.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Lay back down.”

  Ava did. What had happened? Hadn’t Savina come yet? Why was she still in pain? “What’s going on?”

  Melissa clicked on a lamp and Ava saw that she was in Melissa’s room. She hadn’t been there in a long time. Her poster of Bradley Cooper was still plastered to her ceiling. She always said if things didn’t work out with her and Lance, she’d call Bradley. Ava wondered how awkward it was for Lance to see the poster above them. No wonder they always went into the woods.

  “You’re at my house.”

  “Why am I here?”

  “I brought you here. You don’t remember?”

  “I remember getting shot and falling asleep after the paramedics put me on a stretcher.”

  “Well, they took you to the hospital and you were in surgery. They got the bullet out, and when you woke up I took you here because you didn’t want Savina knowing what happened.”

  “I thought Gillian told her though.”

  “She hasn’t told anyone what happened as far as I know. She called and told me you had gotten shot and that I needed to go to the hospital. I had been trying to call you once I felt your fear. You never answered and I tried to find you but then G called.”

  Fresh tears fell down her face as the images of Drew and Jonah flashed in her mind. She had killed them. While they deserved a sort of punishment, they certainly didn’t deserve to die.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing.”

  The door to Melissa’s bedroom opened and Gillian stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

  “Oh good, you’re awake. Everything’s taken care of. The hospital just thinks you got shot and the shooter ran off. The police have no recollection of even seeing you. Nor does the couple who found you.” She sped through her words and hugged herself. She fidgeted and bit her lip.

  Ava could feel her anxiety. “Thank you, Gillian.”

  She shrugged. “Don’t thank me. Why don’t you want Savina to know? I mean, this is pretty deep, Ava. I really don’t want to get in trouble for something you did. And I had to clean it up. I can’t get in trouble.”

  “G, seriously, chill out, okay? She was just shot by two Ephemerals. Ever thought of self-defense?”

  “Yeah, but she didn’t have to kill them. She had a choice.”

  “You weren’t there. You don’t know.”

  Ava silently thanked Melissa for standing up for her, but she hated that they argued over what she had done.

  “Everyone was so worried about you,” Melissa said. “We have to tell them you’re okay.”

  “Don’t tell anyone I was shot.”

  “What? Are you crazy? Why won’t you let Savina heal you?”

  “I killed them, Mel. I didn’t mean to. But it just happened. I didn’t realize I had until the couple found us. I can’t tell everyone what I did. They’ll banish me.”

  “We’ll figure something out. In the meantime, I’m just going to tell them you’re okay. We only felt your anxiety, which was pretty intense.”

  “Just tell them a random guy tried to attack me. Don’t mention Drew or Jonah.”

  “Okay, so why don’t you tell Savina that while she heals you? You have a black eye, Ava and a bandage on your eyebrow. People are going to ask.”

  “They’re also going to ask about the guy.”

  “Then just tell Savina and ask her not to say anything to anyone.”

  “Okay.”

  Gillian shook her head. “Great. So now, we’re going to lie for you and be kicked out. I can’t believe this.”

  “Get out, G,” Melissa demanded. “You’re not helping right now.”

  Gillian’s jaw dropp
ed and she made a disgusted noise, but she eventually left the room.

  “If she hates me so much why did she help?”

  “Because she doesn’t hate you. She just likes being angry with you. She doesn’t want to admit that you made the right choice.”

  “I don’t know what they were going to do to me, Mel. I didn’t know what to do when they drew the gun.”

  “Did they force you into the woods? You’re a lot stronger than they are.”

  “I blacked out. Sort of. I saw a vision of my mother again. It had to have been Trudy who placed it there.”

  “Trudy was nowhere to be found.”

  Ava shook her head. “It had to be her. That’s how Drew and Jonah were able to get me in the woods.”

  “I don’t know. Look, Peter’s on his way. What do you want me to tell him?”

  “Nothing.”

  Melissa gave her a pitying look. “Ava—.”

  “No. I can’t tell him what I did.” Especially after he said she sounded like a Cimmerian.

  Melissa sighed. “Okay. Get some rest. I’ll be right out here if you need anything.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ava slowly peeled open her eyes and squinted from the bright sunlight then met the eyes of Bradley Cooper. She rolled her eyes and felt a warm body beside her. She looked down and saw Peter’s arm around her waist. Her stomach ached from the wound. She didn’t know how she was going to hide it from Savina or her father.

  “Good morning,” Peter whispered. Heat filled within her as she felt his breath in her ear. Then she felt no pain compliments of Peter’s amazing gift.

  Ava slowly turned her head and almost lost the battle with the tears, but was able to hold them back. “Morning.”

  “I should say afternoon. You’re a sleepy one.”

  Ava tried to smile, but she wasn’t sure what it looked like.

  “I’m the biggest fool, Ava, and I don’t deserve you. I’m such a dick for what I said to you and I should’ve made you stay.”

  “I wouldn’t have.”

  “I know. You’re stubborn. But if I hadn’t made such a big deal out of Valerie and Amanda, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  “You don’t know that.” Ava was sure it would have happened no matter what.

  “No, but it doesn’t make me feel any less guilty.”

  “Can we just forget it ever happened? And never fight again?”

  “Forget last night? Some guy attacked you. Did you know who it was? Did the police catch him?”

  She couldn’t tell him the truth. “I don’t want to think about it right now.” He gazed deep into her eyes, and then he kissed her softly.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was so scared last night.”

  She nodded, but the guilt didn’t subside. It stayed with her like it was a disease. Eating away at every nerve and gnawing at her insides.

  They slept for a little longer, and later Peter took her back to the Manor. She still walked slowly, but the wound started feeling somewhat better. She appreciated her Enchanter genes helping her heal faster than an Ephemeral. But it was nothing like what Savina could do, which was heal instantly without even touching the victim.

  They walked inside the Manor and heard voices coming from the library. Ava wanted to go inside, but more than anything, she wanted to wash off and just be with Peter.

  They slowed as they neared the stairs. She was glad that Peter was there so she didn’t have any trouble climbing the stairs. He didn’t know she had been shot.

  When she reached her room, Peter started the shower for her as she leaned against the counter.

  “I’ll be outside,” he said.

  Ava peeled off the borrowed clothes from Melissa and slipped into the shower. The warm water traveled over her washing the dried blood off. She was sore and sharp pains stabbed at her each time she moved. She leaned against the tiled wall for support.

  Images from that night, whenever it was, flashed in her mind. Jonah smashing the gun in her face. His dead eyes staring back at her. She couldn’t believe she had killed them. What was wrong with her? Why had this happened? Had they deserved death? She didn’t know anyone who had killed Ephemerals. Except Cimmerians. Had Marcel actually shown a future vision? Was it really her that stood next to Corbin, a symbol of being Cimmerian?

  Ava wept, ignoring the pain in her side as her body heaved. She had to stop crying. She didn’t want anyone knowing what had happened or why she felt so guilty. She turned off the faucet and then heard a knock at the door.

  “Are you okay?” Peter asked through the door.

  She wiped her tears from her face. “I’m fine.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  EXPOSED

  To keep up appearances, Ava forced herself to eat dinner at the table, even though it was always optional. But since she’d spent most nights eating with her dad, Mrs. Arrington, and a few others, tonight was not going to be any different. So far, she had managed to keep her attack a secret. No one had asked why she was so afraid the other night. Melissa must have been convincing when she told some that she had just had a bad dream and stayed at Melissa’s.

  She reached the stairs and halted. They intimidated her and she knew it would be painful. At times like these it would be nice to have Gabriel’s teleporting ability. Or Peter so he could prevent her from feeling the pain. She wished he hadn’t gone home.

  Ava clenched her teeth and curled her fingers around the railing as she descended the stairs one-step at a time, fighting through the sharp, stabbing pain. She steadied herself at the bottom, took a few breaths, and then proceeded into the dining room.

  “Well, hello there sleepy head.” Mr. Hannigan smiled and pulled the chair next to him out for her.

  She faked a smile and almost collapsed in the chair. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep much last night.”

  “I’m teasing.”

  Aaron and Savina came into the dining room with casserole dishes. Ava wondered how much it took to feed this many people every night. Soon, a few others joined them at the table. Gabriel, Joss, and Eric sat next to Ava and her father.

  Mr. Hannigan dished out food for everyone around them, which was followed by a chorus of thank you’s. Ava stared at the creamy noodle and beef casserole in front of her. It smelled savory and her stomach growled.

  “How was school?” Joss asked. “I bet since the two boys died, people were even more depressed.”

  Ava’s heart lurched forward. What was she talking about? How did she know? She had to remain calm. “What?”

  Her father held up a newspaper. The words, “Two Teens Dead in Scuffle” glared at her. “Didn’t you hear?”

  The food was suddenly repugnant. The guilt returned and she could feel her stomach churning. She pushed her plate away, scraping it across the table. Her breathing picked up and she gripped the edge of the chair.

  Her dad lowered the paper and cocked an eyebrow. “Something wrong with the casserole?”

  “No.”

  “Are you okay? You’re looking quite pale.”

  “Yeah. I think I’m coming down with something.”

  “Tis the season.”

  “I guess you didn’t know the two guys,” Joss said. “I wonder what they were fighting about.”

  “Wait,” Gabriel said. “Let me see their faces.”

  Ava shifted uncomfortably. She knew he would recognize them as the ones he and Joss spied on. Her father handed him the paper and Ava bit her lip.

  “Weren’t these the guys that were at Thomas’s house fire?” he asked.

  Ava nodded, but refused to meet Gabriel or Joss’s eyes.

  “Those poor parents,” her father said. “Did you know one of the boys lost a sister in the bombing?”

  Ava nodded. The guilt twisted inside her as if the bullet was still lodged in her stomach.

  “Are the kids at school still giving you all a hard time?” Eric asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Mr. Hannigan p
laced a hand on hers, but she quickly withdrew it. She didn’t know why she did that. Maybe she was afraid of him realizing that her hand was sweaty or that she had an erratic pulse.

  “I’m fine,” she said too sharply. She needed to get out of there. Gabriel and Joss knew what she had done.

  Ava got to her feet abruptly and winced from the stabbing pain in her side. “I’m going to lie down.”

  “Do you need anything?” her father asked.

  “No.” She looked away so they couldn’t see her oncoming tears and hurried out of the dining room and to the stairs. She drew a shaky breath, and clutching her side, she felt something warm and wet. She looked down and saw that blood had seeped through her shirt. The stitches must have come loose. She stepped on the first stair but then she felt a hand on her arm.

  Ava turned around, looked up, and stopped breathing.

  “Come with me,” Gabriel said and started pulling her away from the stairs.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You’re bleeding.”

  “I’m fine.” Ava wasn’t going back to the hospital, nor was she going to Savina with this. She would have to tell her everything, and there was no way Ava was going to do that. She tried releasing her arm from Gabriel’s grip but it was no use. A second later, they were in Savina’s parlor.

  “No, no, no. I can’t be in here.” She stepped back toward the entrance, but Gabriel blocked her.

  “Ava, you obviously need healing. Come on.” He reached for her hand but she quickly sidestepped him.

  “No. I don’t want her to know.”

  “Ava—.”

  “Let me leave,” she yelled as she pushed against his hard chest.

  “She’s not in here.”

  Ava looked up. His eyebrows lifted in sympathy and worry flashed in his eyes. The pain had become so intense she felt as if she would pass out. “So, what are we doing in here?”

  “Healing you.” He moved a black curtain aside and reached for a small vial from a shelf. “You need to drink this.” He removed the top, and handed it to her.