by E. S. Moore
That second was all I needed.
With a scream that was part pain and part determination, I hit Sienna hard in the side with my shoulder, knocking her away from the road. We both went down together and rolled a few feet away. Sienna screamed at me and hit me so hard in the gut, I swear she’d used a sledgehammer. I grunted in pain, but refused to relinquish my hold.
“No,” I gasped, barely able to breathe, let alone speak.
Sienna fought beneath me. I could hear the rumble of an engine approaching and was positive Levi was a few yards away from us. I would have drawn my gun if I could, but if I were to take a hand from the girl, she’d be gone.
Sienna went limp as a door thumped shut.
“Is everything all right here?” A light shone over us.
I turned my head to find not Levi, but an older man wearing a ball cap and overalls. He held a shotgun and it was aimed in my general direction without appearing threatening. The light was coming from the passenger side of the truck where an elderly woman held a flashlight. The truck wasn’t in Delai, but rather parked behind Jeremy’s car.
“We’re fine,” Jeremy said, standing. He winced and was still holding his side, but otherwise looked okay. “Our daughter . . .” He faltered and shrugged. “She’s trying to meet her were boyfriend.”
“I see,” the older man said. He eyed each of us in turn. “You okay, miss?” He aimed the last at Sienna.
She nodded and somehow managed a smile. “I’m okay.”
I stood and helped Sienna to her feet. The road was gone. We’d missed our chance.
“Okay, then,” the man said, backing slowly toward his vehicle. “You all be careful now, you hear?” He got back into the truck and a moment later, he was gone.
“You okay?” I asked Jeremy as we made our way back to his car. Sienna got into the backseat, head down, looking miserable. He closed the door for her and then prodded his side.
“I think she broke a rib,” he said. “It’ll be better in a day or so, but man, that girl packs a punch.” He looked toward the field and I wondered if he’d seen the road appear or not. “What are we going to do now?”
“I don’t know.” I glanced in through the broken window. Sienna had moved fast, almost too fast. I thought about what Beligral had said about her being special, but shook it off. She was just a girl. This had to be Levi’s doing. “I think it’s time we come up with a different plan.”
Jeremy nodded and then went around to the driver’s side. We got into the car and he put it in gear. He looked back once, directly where the sign had been, and with a shake of his head, started for home.
14
Ethan was locked away in his lab when we returned home. I was kind of glad he wasn’t there to see the disappointment on all of our faces. He’d hated this plan from the start and to tell him we very nearly lost Sienna would only have made it worse.
“I think I’m going to go lie down,” Sienna said. She kept her head down as she walked up the stairs to my room.
Jeremy and I both collapsed onto the couch the moment she was gone. My feet felt like they were on fire and my stomach was a hard knot where Sienna had punched me. Jeremy grimaced as he prodded his ribs again. That girl could seriously pack a punch when she wanted to.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” he asked, leaning back with a groan.
“I hope so.”
He glanced toward the stairs as if unsure we should leave her alone. If she had another attack, she might not head for the door this time. She very well might choose to leap out a window instead.
“What in the hell happened back there?” he asked, turning away. “I didn’t even know she’d gotten to my gun.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I think Levi’s influence can somehow make her faster. Stronger.” Once again, I thought of what Beligral had said about Sienna not being a normal girl, but dismissed it. I’d lived with her long enough to know he was lying.
“Are you sure about that?” Jeremy asked.
“I’m sure,” I said with far more certainty than I felt.
Jeremy nodded and leaned back. He looked like hell. I felt bad for getting him hurt again, but at least this time, he would heal. My gaze shifted to his missing arm and then I looked quickly away. Now wasn’t the time to start feeling guilty.
“What are we going to do?” he asked, never lifting his head. His eyes were closed and he was taking shallow, careful breaths.
I thought about it. There was always Beligral, but that would only be a last resort. I hadn’t liked what he’d told me the last time and I doubted he would change his tune now. Mikael wasn’t much help right now either. And you could forget about me going to Adrian or Baset for help.
That left only one person I could turn to.
“I want to call Jonathan.”
Jeremy’s head lifted. His expression was guarded as he said, “Why?”
“He might know what to do.”
Jeremy raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure he knows nothing about angels or demons or magical towns. You haven’t told him anything, have you?”
“I haven’t,” I said. “But if we had his help, we could protect Sienna that much more. I don’t think the three of us here can hold her.”
Jeremy winced and touched his injured side. “No kidding.”
“Call him. Please.”
“I don’t know if I should. He told me not to unless it is an emergency.”
“Don’t you think this qualifies?”
Jeremy opened his mouth as if to argue more, but snapped it closed instead. He removed his phone and stared at it for a long time.
“Did you talk to him yet?” he asked.
“No. I went over, but . . .” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I’d chickened out.
Jeremy nodded slowly as if he understood. With a sigh, he held the phone out to me. “You should do it.”
“Jeremy . . .”
“No,” he said, depositing the phone in my lap when I didn’t take it right away. “You should be the one to ask for his help. He’ll be more likely to listen.”
There was a twinge of something in his voice. Jealousy? Bitterness? I couldn’t tell.
I picked up the phone. Jonathan’s number was already up and ready. When had Jeremy brought it up? I sure as hell didn’t see him do it.
He was leaning back again, eyes closed, with a faint grin on his face. He’d known all this time that I would want to call Jonathan.
“Fine,” I grumbled as I pressed “call.” Movement by the stairs brought my head around, but it was only Ethan heading up, more than likely to check on Sienna. His back was drenched in sweat, telling me he’d been talking to his demon.
At least now someone will be watching Sienna, I thought as the phone rang in my ear.
“What?” The voice on the other end of the line was gruff and irritated.
“It’s nice to talk to you too, Nathan,” I said. A faint smile managed to find its way onto my face despite the strain of the situation.
His sigh was audible. “What do you want?”
“We have a problem,” I said. “And I’d like to get Jonathan’s input.”
“He’s busy.”
“Couldn’t you at least ask him if he would like to talk to me? Please?” I’d been saying that a lot lately, which was starting to get irritating in its own way. I wasn’t used to asking so nicely for anything.
Nothing but silence met my plea.
“Come on, Nathan.” I tried hard not to sound like I was begging. “Just a few minutes. I’ll tell him what’s happening and he can decide whether or not he wants to do anything about it. That’s all I’m asking.”
The sigh came again before a terse “Fine.” There was a clatter and then silence.
I waited, heart hammering. I could scarcely bring myself to breathe. Why in the hell was I so nervous about this?
A scrape of plastic on wood told me someone was picking up the phone. I sat up straighter, my entire body tense as I
waited to hear Jonathan’s voice.
“Kat?”
The voice was definitely not Jonathan’s.
“Keira?” I asked to be sure.
“Yeah. It’s me.”
My heart sank. Jonathan wasn’t going to answer.
“He’s coming,” she said as if catching something in my silence.
“I just wanted to let you know that he knows you had shown up here the other night. Here he is.”
Another faint sound as the phone was passed from Keira to another hand and then Jonathan said, “I’m here.”
His voice was like cold water splashed on my face. I gasped and was surprised to find tears in my eyes. I’d actually been punched in the stomach today and yet, the pain at hearing his voice hit me harder. I very nearly was sick without saying a word.
“Kat?” he asked as the silence stretched on.
“Yeah, sorry,” I said, wiping my eyes. Thank God Jeremy’s eyes were closed. “Jeremy was talking.”
There was a snort from where Jeremy lay back, but I ignored him.
“It’s good to hear your voice,” Jonathan said. He sounded weary.
“Yours, too.”
“Look, I’m sorry about not calling. Keira told me you stopped by. If I’d known you were here, I would have come out. Things have been . . . hard lately.”
“Are you doing okay? I mean . . .” I paused. “I don’t know what I mean.”
He gave me something akin to a lifeless chuckle. “I’m managing. I just needed some time away.”
“I think everyone deserves some time now and again.” It sounded corny the moment it was out of my mouth.
This time at least, his laugh was more genuine. “Coming from you, that’s pretty funny.” The laugh died away quickly. “Nathan told me something was going on and that you needed to talk to me about it. Is everything okay there?”
I opened my mouth to tell him about Sienna and Levi and Delai. I could tell him everything, including things I’d been hiding from him, such as Beligral and how Baset and Adrian were trying to control me. A few words and he’d know everything about Mephisto and how every time I left the house, I felt eyes watching me.
But I didn’t. He was already going through enough as it was. I could tell by the sound of his voice that he couldn’t take the stress of dealing with an angel right now. Hell, I wasn’t even sure there was anything he could do but sit around and wait for the shit to hit the fan like everyone else.
I refused to do that to him. Not now, maybe not ever again.
“Not really,” I said. “I just wanted to talk to you, so I made up a stupid-ass story so he’d let me.”
Jeremy’s head rose and he gave me a confused look. I waved him away.
“I see.” A slight pause and then, “Are you sure everything is okay?”
“Positive.” I took a trembling breath, hating myself. “I’m sorry if I bothered you. I was going crazy wondering if you were okay and well . . .”
“I’ll be as good as new soon enough,” he said. I wasn’t so sure I believed him.
I scrambled to come up with something else to say. I’d wanted to talk to him so badly, but now that I was, I was drawing a blank. What I really needed was to see him. His voice was nice and all, but it wasn’t going to make everything suddenly better. In fact, it only made the hole in my gut seem that much larger.
“It won’t take long,” he said, breaking the silence before I could. “I need to find a place to go. I can’t keep taking advantage of my friends like this.”
Panic shot through me. “You’re not leaving town, are you?”
He laughed. “No, Kat. I’m not.”
The panic was flooded away by a relief I could almost taste. “Good.”
“I’ll call you soon, okay?”
“Sure.”
“It really is good to hear from you. I won’t make everyone wait on me much longer.”
“Okay.”
“Stay safe.”
He hung up.
I handed the phone back to Jeremy.
“You didn’t tell him.”
“No shit.”
“Why not?”
Oh, how to answer that one?
“Because it wasn’t time,” I said, knowing it sounded lame, but not caring.
“But . . .” He trailed off and frowned, eyes looking past me.
I turned to follow his gaze. Both Sienna and Ethan were standing there, hand in hand. They looked as if they’d been crying together, though Ethan looked far worse, as if someone had beaten him upside the head with a baseball bat for a few hours. Large circles surrounded his eyes and his hair was mussed so much, it would probably need to be shaved just to get the knots out.
“Ethan?” I asked, looking from one to the other. There was a determination in both their gazes I really didn’t like.
“I had to,” Ethan said. “I tried to say no, but he made me do it.”
I rose slowly to my feet. I didn’t even feel the pain any longer. Fear flooded me, blocking everything else out.
“What did he make you do?” I didn’t have to ask to know who he was talking about.
Ethan’s lower lip trembled. I could just make out a smudge beneath his nose. It looked like dried blood.
“Ethan,” I said, fear rising. “What did you do?”
Sienna took a deep breath and forced a smile. She was still dirty from our scuffle earlier. Her hair was tangled and the left knee of her pants was stained green, but she looked far surer of herself than she’d had since she’d arrived.
“It’s okay,” she said. “Don’t be mad at him. It’s what I want.”
Of course, her telling me not to be mad instantly brought my anger raging to the fore. I swallowed it back with some difficulty. My fangs pushed through my gums, causing blood to drip into my mouth.
“What is going on?” I asked, trying hard to keep my voice calm. Jeremy stood next to me, as if he was ready to grab me if I made an aggressive move.
Sienna took a deep breath. She was still smiling, as if everything had suddenly become clear and she had found a way out of her troubles.
“I want you to do it,” she said, eyes never leaving mine. The determination there was so strong, I could feel it all the way across the room. “I want you to take my body.”
15
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Jeremy asked at my side.
I was frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening. Ethan had told her. He’d gone to Sienna and told her what Beligral could do.
It was like another punch to my gut. Out of everything that could have happened, this was probably one of the worst. There was no way I could do this to her.
I spun and staggered my way into the kitchen. I needed to get away. If I wasn’t there, they couldn’t make me do it.
But I stopped before ever reaching the door. If I left now, I’d be running away again. Sienna might view it as if I was turning my back on her. Ethan might feel the same. Hell, I’d probably hate myself forever if I walked away now. Just because I didn’t like what was happening, didn’t mean I needed to ignore it.
“Kat,” Ethan said, coming into the room behind me. “You know I had no choice.”
“I know,” I said, closing my eyes tight. I was furious, but knew I shouldn’t target my rage on anyone but the one person—no, not person—the one demon who deserved it.
“He made me do it. I tried to resist, but . . .”
“I know,” I said again, this time more forcibly.
“Don’t do it,” he whispered. “Leave. Go somewhere for a little while. If you aren’t here, he can’t make the swap. I can talk her out of it.”
“Don’t you dare.”
Both Ethan and I turned to find Sienna standing just inside the kitchen, Jeremy at her side. He looked stunned. She must have told him what was going on while Ethan and I had been talking.
“I want to do this,” she said. “I can’t last. I don’t want to last if this keeps happening. If I don’t go soon, I
’m afraid it’s going to kill me.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I said, though I knew it would do no good.
“It doesn’t matter,” Sienna said. “I need to do this. I don’t want to die.”
“That’s just it. If you become me, you’ll become a vampire. You don’t understand the rage and hunger you’ll have to deal with. It’s as good as dying sometimes.”
“I’ve seen it,” Sienna said with a sad smile. “Every day of my life has been spent around that very thing.”
It was like a knife to my heart. “I can’t,” I whispered. “Don’t ask me to do this.”
“Either you do it, or I’ll leave. I’ll go back to Delai right now, just so I don’t have to suffer anymore.”
I lowered my head and my shoulders slumped. This was what she wanted. I couldn’t hold her here against my will. I wouldn’t let her go back either.
“Okay,” I said, my heart breaking on the word.
“Kat, no.” Ethan looked stricken.
“You were the one who told her.” I said it not so much as an accusation, but rather, as a reminder.
“I had no choice!” His frustration came through as tears coursed down his cheeks.
“I know,” I said with a sad smile. “Neither do I.”
All the fight went out of him then. He turned and walked away, heading for the stairs as if preparing for the inevitable. No better time than the present, I suppose.
“Are you sure about this?” Jeremy asked as Sienna hurried to follow Ethan. He still looked confused.
“No,” I said. “But I think I have to.”
He nodded and then turned to head down.
They were all gathered outside the door when I finally headed downstairs a few minutes later. No one was talking, though Sienna’s hand rested on Ethan’s wrist, as if her touch could make everything better. He looked calmer than he had before, but when he glanced up at me as I entered, I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before.