Once finished, I opened the door and turned on the faucet. The warm water that came out was unexpected and I relished it. I closed my eyes and suds up my hands while counting to thirty for the soap to be effective.
I dried my hands and whirled around only to come face to face with Boone. He was so close I could feel the heat emanating from him.
When I looked up, it was as if his blue eyes were piercing my green ones. I felt like he was reading my soul and I was suddenly very exposed. I had this sudden overwhelming urge to taste him on my lips.
Trying to get a hold of myself, I swiftly broke away and sat on the edge of the bed. I was not sure what to think of Boone. He was so mysterious and I found myself drawn to him in a way that was different from Jared, but equally intriguing. With Jared it was all fire and pure heat. Boone was so dangerous and unknown. I felt curious and vulnerable around him.
I didn’t have too much time to ruminate in my own thoughts, because things quickly got fuzzy. My vision tunneled and I slid against the base of the bed before everything dissolved completely.
Instead of blacking out, my vision snapped into another time and place. I was in a tiny room with beige carpet and white walls. The ceiling fan was grimy and a figure was huddled on a stained, sheet-less mattress in the corner.
I promptly realized it was a woman and she was crying. I tried to walk over and comfort her, but was unable to do anything. It was as if I was from the outside looking in on this depressing scene.
Just when I thought the sad woman was bad enough, things got worse. She looked up and a spark of recognition ignited inside me. I couldn’t place the woman, but was sure I recognized her from somewhere.
Her golden brown hair was stringy and tucked behind her ears. Tears were streaming down her cheeks from glossy hazel eyes. I felt like she was looking straight at me and I mentally shrunk. I began to wish I was the size of an ant.
That was when another figure entered the room, seemingly right through me. It was another woman. She was dressed in all leather from head to toe that clung to her slim body. Her blond hair was tied back in a slick bun and she was carrying a .40 calibers Smith and Wesson pistol.
As she moved toward the crying woman, she cocked the safety off her gun. The woman on the bed begged her not to do it, pleading with her. The blond crouched down in front of the woman and ran her pistol along the side her face. The brunette visibly cringed at the feel of cold unyielding metal against her cheek.
Just then the blond spoke. “Where is the other girl? You know you can’t keep her hidden forever. We will find her, we always find our candidates. Hiding her only impinges upon your safety. Especially since you, sadly, didn’t make the cut alone.”
The woman merely spat at the blond. Her whole demeanor changed and she shouted, “I will never tell you, you ruthless cow! Kill me if you must, but I will never tell you what you want to know.”
Determination was thick in her voice and anger flashed in the blond woman’s eyes. She took the butt of her gun and thrust it against the woman’s temple. Blood trickled from the wound and she crumpled down on the bed unconscious.
Then, just like the dream before, the vision turned into several thousand pixels and swirled into dust. It took a few seconds before I was able to regain my sight and come back to reality. When I finally did, I found myself wrapped in Boone’s arms on the floor.
Startled, I jumped back and scooted myself along the floor away from him. Everything was compounding and it was too much to absorb. I shook my head in a gesture of no and pressed my hands to my temples, my eyes squeezed shut.
I sat like that for several minutes trying to digest what I just saw. I shook my head in disbelief and opened my haunted green eyes. Boone was right there offering to help me up with concern written all over his face. He hadn’t dared to breathe a word, but it was clear he had questions.
I was not sure if I should risk confiding in him though. The further I got involved in this mystery, the stranger things appeared to be developing. It was getting hard to trust anyone with anything.
For a fleeting moment I thought about going back to my apartment to sleep it off. Then, I remembered that Autumn had a key. I couldn’t really explain why, I just couldn’t see her right now. I couldn’t lie to her, and I certainly couldn’t tell her the truth right now. Right, so my apartment was definitely out.
Realizing I was out of options, I sighed in resignation. I guess I had to break down and trust Boone. Once I settled on this, my body seemed to physically un-tense. Apparently my gut instinctually said to trust him. I tried to mentally instill confidence in myself and traded my spot on the floor for a more comfortable one on the bed.
The entire time, Boone just sat there on the floor, unwavering. His blue eyes pinned on me. He was clearly waiting for me to gather my composure and I appreciated the fact that he wasn’t already probing me for an explanation.
Finally ready, I broke the silence. “I am very sorry, but I haven’t really been myself lately. Strange things are happening and I can’t really seem to control them.”
He simply nodded in understanding so I continued. “I have been having really vivid dreams and now whatever this was today. It was the first time it ever happened to me. It scared the hell out of me that’s for sure.”
Boone gave me a wry smile and then finally interjected. “It seems your abilities are developing. It scared the shit out of me when I got mine. I ended up in the foster system. Turns out emotional teenagers are something to be very afraid of and my parents couldn’t handle me” he finished with a melancholy look in his eyes.
This only brought more questions to the forefront of my already boggled brain and the only thing I could squeeze out was, “Abilities?”
Boone came up and sat next to me on the bed. He took my hands in his and looked at me with a pitying look in his eyes.
“No one ever told you about them, did they? I can’t believe I am the one who has to do this. I am truly sorry.”
He genuinely looked pained and he kept a firm grip on my hands before continuing. “You have a very special ability. You are what we call…”
Boone was abruptly cut off by a snick and the door opened faster than he could thrust himself in front of me as a shield. Damn. A girl just couldn’t catch a break.
Chapter 8: Topsy Turvy
The blood in my veins turned to ice at the unmistakable sight of the blond I just saw in my dream/vision or whatever. I gripped onto Boone and pulled myself closer as if I could shrink into him. The only consolation was how solid he felt against me. The woman looked amused and entered the room, letting the door shut behind her.
“It must be my lucky day. I get two for the price of one. Boone old boy, how are you?”
At the mention of his name, Boone stiffened. “Wren, what the hell do you think you are doing? Do you really think I will let you anywhere near her? Over my dead body, and we both know you wouldn’t.”
The look of fire in her eyes told me all I needed to know. She was out for blood and wouldn’t settle for anything less.
“That is where you are wrong. I am still angry about Italy and my career hinges upon this job. It is finally my time Boone. I will take down anyone in my way, so don’t think you won’t be one of them.”
“Do you actually think they will make you one of them? You are nothing but a servant, and you will always be a servant. Your powers are nothing but parlor tricks and you know it. You should have come with me when you had the chance.”
Wren pulled the safety on her gun with an audible click and aimed it directly at Boone. “Hand me the girl, and maybe I will forgive you for turning traitor,” she said bluntly.
Just then, I saw something moving in the bathroom. I peered around to see what it was and my skin crawled. It was a small army of spiders. Not just any spiders, large black glossy spiders. They were headed towards us and I shrank back clutching to Boone. He didn’t even flinch at the sight of them.
“You’re going to have to do better than
that Wren. Parlor tricks can only get you so far. They aren’t real and as soon as she realizes it, you will be out of tricks.”
Before I had a chance to scream, he had whirled me around smack in front of Wren. I was at first angry for the betrayal until I realized what really happened. By placing me so quickly in front of Wren, he was able to distract her long enough to pull his 9mm and aim it at her.
“Checkmate, bitch,” he replied, pulling me back behind him, his 9mm trained on Wren.
Angry that he had the upper hand, her face contorted into a pout. The spiders swarmed her and seemingly dissolved into her. She gave us a last smirk before we were able to stop her. She ran at top speed out the hotel window, the glass clattering all around her.
Running over to the window, we were barely able to make out her form, wrapping an anchor around an open window three floors down. She hit the wall with a thud and slid down and into the window below in what seemed like a blink of an eye.
“Holy Shit, Holy Shit,” was all my stunned brain was able to muster.
Boone on the other hand was prepared and was grabbing Jared’s mysterious bag, while pulling out an item that looked like an anchor.
“We have to get the hell out of here and fast. We were set up. I need you to trust me and only me.”
I dutifully nodded in compliance, too freaked out by the encounter with Wren.
“Ok, we will have to find another way out, the front will be watched. Are you afraid of heights?”
“No, not too bad,” I answered honestly.
“Good, we are going to climb down the side of the building. Then we need to run like hell. We don’t have much time, especially since Wren escaped.”
Looking at the shards of glass remaining in the window, fear rippled through me. I just nodded, still stunned and on auto pilot. Boone hooked the anchor and reached for my hand. Instead, I wrapped my arms tight around him, too afraid to let go. He just sighed and pulled me in front of him, making eye contact.
I could see the concern in his eyes when they met mine. “Please Noel, hold it together just for a little while longer. I need to keep you safe and we have to hurry. I will go first and then you climb down just above me, that way you won’t fall; I promise I will catch you.”
I nodded and grudgingly obliged once he started out climbing down the anchored rope with ease. I was skittish upon leaving the jagged window, the rough concrete of the building scraped against my bare, raw hands.
I quickly found my strength and was surprised at the speed we were able to repel the thirteen flights down to the ground. The only hiccup was when we reached the broken window and I held my breath hoping that the room was empty. To our luck, it was and we quickly continued on to the bottom.
Boone was right though, and they were waiting for us around the base of the hotel. Wren wasted no time putting her talents to use. A swarm of wasps quickly engulfed us and Boone reassured me they weren’t real and to ignore them. I did my best to ignore them, but it didn’t make the buzzing in my ears any less deafening.
Just when I thought we were gaining some distance, a shot was fired. The bullet whizzed by me, just barely missing. Instead it ended up grazing Boone’s shoulder. I wanted to stop and make sure he was ok but he clearly wasn’t going to rest until we had made it out of this mess.
He grasped my hand tightly and we jumped on his motorcycle with a frantic pace. Before I knew it my hands were wrapped around Boone with a death grip and the bike sped to life under us much faster than the previous ride.
There was no time to be afraid and pure adrenaline coursed through me. I had no idea where we were going and was just happy to have it be anywhere but the hotel. Wren was not the kind of girl you messed with. She looked like she could eat me for breakfast. Just the thought of Wren sent chills up my spine and I nestled closer to Boone, not even caring where we ended up.
The motorcycle zipped and turned through many streets and alley ways before the road spit us out on I-70. Before I knew it, we were heading west towards Wentzville. The highway was so fast and the wind was whipping my hair around in long lashing tendrils assaulting me from all directions. Outside noise of the surrounding cars and semis was loud and nearly ear piercing at close range.
Settling in, my figure pressed tightly up against Boone, I eventually had time to appreciate his rugged figure. My arms were wrapped around the broad planes of his chest and my legs pressed up against his firm backside. Just that small thought sent wisps of excitement through me.
We whizzed by so many other vehicles, that I was surprised when we finally slowed and exited off the highway. We leisurely came to a crawling speed and I was finally able to lift my head and push my hair back to view our new surroundings. We had exited in O’Fallon and were drifting down Main Street at the crawling pace of 30 mph.
Our bike crossed the railroad tracks with a series of bumps, jostling me around Boone. Then we swiftly approached the large Catholic Church and School on the left. Just as quickly, City Hall and the convent appeared on the right.
I always liked the Catholic’s attention to detail. It was intense and their churches were immaculate and awe inspiring. Even the convent was beautiful. Large stained glass windows and turn of the century stone work made out the character of the buildings.
Boone turned us onto a country road and I watched as the never ending sea of houses finally dwindled to a sporadic few along the way. There were a lot of curves on this windy road and I leaned into Boone as naturally as I ever thought was possible.
When we finally did stop, I was full of a million thoughts. I refrained the rapid firing of questions though once I saw someone else coming to greet us. The figure moved closer though, and the questions doubled, even tripled. I was flooded with those questions swimming around, waiting to be resolved.
Autumn, hair falling in her face, a brown sweater and jeans, was headed straight for us. I wasted no time wrapping my arms around her and clinging for dear life. She was the last person I ever expected to see while on the run from people I didn’t even know existed.
“Nells, are you ok? I was so worried about you! You left the store so fast; I wasn’t able to keep tabs on you. Luckily, Boone found you before Wren did. God, she is such a bitch! I am just glad you are ok. Come on, let’s get you warmed up, you must be freezing!”
“Wait, Boone is hurt. Wren got him with a bullet. He is bleeding and needs first aid,” I said adamantly.
His eyes met mine and something passed there, desire or compassion maybe. I took a deep breath to shake it off and returned my focus on Autumn.
“Inside, we will get him all the help he needs. Let’s just get out of this cold,” she pleaded.
Still a little shocked, I took her hand and followed her inside the country house. I didn’t bother to tell her that Boone kept me plenty warm on the way here.
The rustic cottage style house seemed warm and inviting. A fire was burning in the fireplace and smoke was gently billowing from it outside. I felt as if I had stepped inside a Thomas Kinkade painting when I made my way inside.
The entry way of oak floors were lined with boots and shoes. There were far more than I expected. Unease was still creeping through me, even with the relief of seeing Autumn.
We took off our shoes; mine were a pair of rough looking flats, his motorcycle boots. Passing through a large country style kitchen with a granite island and tall oak cabinets, we wound up in a large hearth room.
The Faberge carpet was brown with flecks of gold and green and my feet sank into it. There were several people sitting around the fire, some with beer in hand. I was unsure of who they were and where to sit, so I waited for Boone and Autumn to guide me.
It was ironic that all three of us ended up on a small loveseat with me in the middle. Being with Boone was becoming increasingly comfortable and I was not sure I liked that. Jared and I had such an intimate connection; it tore me in two just thinking of it.
I mentally brushed off the confusing thoughts once Autumn turned her at
tention to me.
“O.M.G. Nells, I am sure you have about ten million questions right now! Please just have a little patience and I will try to explain, k?”
I just shrugged, unsure of how to respond to the overwhelming situation. Luckily, someone brought the first aid kid and I insisted on fixing Boone myself.
Everyone seemingly halted while I worked on Boone. He slid off his shirt and I nearly lost my breath. His muscles were very well defined and only gave me something else to fantasize about. I cleared my throat and gently inspected the wound.
“The good news is that it was just a graze. There isn’t a bullet to deal with. The bad news is that it might sting a little and I am so sorry.”
I took out the antiseptic and gently used a piece of gauze to dab the wound on his right shoulder. He winced, but showed no other signs of vulnerability. I couldn’t help but think thoughts I shouldn’t.
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