by E. S. Moore
Chris didn’t argue. He stood without having to be told. Levi grabbed him by the arm and all but dragged him out of the room and downstairs. He didn’t reprimand the wolf as they went, but really, he didn’t need to. His actions were warning enough.
Levi returned a moment later, chest heaving. He looked like he wanted to break something. He scanned the table, his jaw working overtime as he ground his teeth. It was clear he wanted to explain his harsh reaction to what really wasn’t all that bad of a gesture, but was having a hard time coming up with something to say that wouldn’t make him sound like an overprotective asshat.
“I don’t feel so good,” Eilene said, suddenly. She grabbed her stomach and squeezed her eyes closed as if in immense pain.
Levi frowned, looking mildly irritated at having his tirade interrupted, but seemed to realize that wasn’t the sort of image he wanted to project. A look of concern passed over his face as he rushed over to Eilene’s side and knelt beside her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, gently touching her back as if afraid he might make her pain worse.
“I don’t know. I think I need to lie down for a little while. Could you . . . could you help me upstairs?”
Levi frowned again, eyes going toward the stairs where he’d just taken Chris. “Sure,” he said, helping her to her feet, though it was clear he wanted to be elsewhere.
He led Eilene past me. Just before they passed, Eilene gave me the faintest of nods before wincing as if in more pain. As soon as they were up the stairs, I rose.
It was game time.
I rushed downstairs to the door in the laundry room. Levi had locked it from the outside, but thankfully, kept the keys on the wall next to the door. I grabbed the keys, unlocked the door, and threw it open.
Chris sat on the bed, head in his hands. There was a sprout of fur around his ears and on the backs of his hands, warning me he wasn’t in full control of his beast. I wasn’t sure if that would hinder or help me in the plan I’d concocted during the night.
“Chris,” I said, causing him to raise his head. He looked surprised to see me instead of Levi. “You have to get out of here.”
“What?” His voice was husky with his struggle with his monster. “Why?”
“Levi plans on killing you.”
Chris stood, face going pale. His eyes flashed a brief yellow before bleeding back to their normal color. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“I have proof.” I motioned for him to come to the doorway. The closer I could get him to the exit, the more likely it would be that he would go.
Chris approached warily. “Why should I believe you?” he asked. “I haven’t seen anything that would indicate Levi has any plans on hurting me. In fact, he wants to help.”
“There’s a place,” I said, not having to work hard to show him my fear. “It’s a building west of here. Levi has surrounded it with . . . fear.” I didn’t know how else to put it. “Inside are bodies. After he kills someone, he drains their blood and keeps them there.”
Chris took a step back and frowned at me. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious.”
“Why would he do that?”
I glanced toward the stairs. I had no idea how long Eilene could keep Levi distracted. If Levi came downstairs now, we were sunk.
“He hates your kind,” I said. “He always has. Haven’t you noticed how strange the people of Delai are? He strips them of everything that makes them, well, them. And those he can’t control, he murders.”
“I just thought . . .” Chris trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t know what I thought. The people here do seem a little off, but I just thought they were eccentric.”
“Please.” I reached out and touched his hand. “Go to the building. You’ll know it when you see it. In fact, you’ll feel the fear he put around it. Don’t let it stop you. Force your way inside and look.”
Chris licked his lips, his frown deepening. I could almost see Levi’s hold slipping from him bit by bit. He still looked indecisive. I’d have to push him just a little bit harder to send him over the edge.
I leaned forward and kissed him on the corner of the mouth before moving my lips to his ear.
“I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Chris leaned back and looked into my eyes. I let him see all my fear, all of my worry, and let him believe it was for him.
His frown turned into an angry glower. “I’ll kill him,” he said. He started to push past me, but I grabbed him by his arm to stop him.
“You can’t,” I said. “Levi isn’t what he seems. Just go to the building and see what he’s done. Destroy the place if you have to.”
Chris looked uncertain before grabbing me by both arms. “Come with me, then,” he said. “I’ll protect you. If he’s as bad as you say, then you need to get away from him.”
“I will,” I said. “But I’m taking Eilene with me. You go ahead and go now. We’ll find you. Maybe we can get that bite to eat afterward.”
Chris bit his lip and then nodded. “I’ll wait for you.”
I felt sick. The guy really thought I was interested in him. I hated the fact I was using him, but really, it was for the greater good. If I kept telling myself that, then perhaps one day I would believe it.
If we somehow survived this, I promised myself I would find Chris, wherever he might be, and explain everything to him. He deserved that at least.
“Go quietly,” I said. “And quickly. Levi will be down soon.”
Chris hurried out of the room and up the stairs. I closed the door to the now-empty room and locked it. I replaced the keys where I’d found them. Let’s see Levi figure that one out.
Chris was waiting by the front door as I came back upstairs. He looked as if he was going to ask me to come with him again, but instead, he only nodded once before he slipped outside. He closed the door quietly behind him.
I hurried over to my place at the table and sat down just as Levi started down the stairs. I took a few hurried bites of egg in an attempt to make it look as if I’d been sitting there and eating this entire time, not plotting against him.
“She okay?” I asked through a mouthful of food as he entered the dining room.
“She just needed to rest.” He looked troubled. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.”
Levi sat heavily down and looked at his food. He pushed it away with a grimace.
“I think I might go down and work with our guest,” he said. “I was a bit abrupt with him.” He stood and started to walk away. He paused at the top of the stairs and looked back at me. “Don’t let him fool you,” he said. “That boy is dangerous.”
I nodded as Levi turned and walked away.
And then I waited.
I don’t know what I expected to happen. I thought maybe Levi would scream in rage and tear the place apart. I could see him losing control and his true nature pushing through the glamour when he realized his latest victim had escaped.
Instead, Levi walked slowly back up the stairs a few minutes later, keys in hand. He had a thoughtful expression on his face.
“Did Chris come through here?” he asked.
“No,” I lied. “Isn’t he still downstairs?”
Levi frowned at the keys. “No,” he said. “Are you sure he didn’t slip by?”
“I’ve been sitting here this entire time. I would have seen him go if he did.”
“Huh,” Levi said, glancing toward the stairs, then at the keys, and then finally at me. He studied me as if he was trying to figure out if I was lying to him. I refused to meet his eyes, knowing if I did, he’d see the truth in them.
“Well, goddamn,” he cursed. He seemed calm until he suddenly threw the keys across the room and screamed, “Motherfucking goddamn son of a bitch!”
He took a deep breath and then forced a smile. “Sorry,” he said. “I . . .” He shrugged and turned toward the door. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Take care of your mom for me, okay?”
“Sure.” I sat ther
e, completely still. There was a look to Levi’s eyes that told me he was very near breaking.
He walked toward the front door and opened it. He paused there, as if considering the lock, before shaking his head and walking out. He slammed the door closed behind him, causing the entire house to shake. Through the window, I watched him get into his truck, start it up, and pull away.
I stood, heart pounding, and turned around to find Eilene standing on the stairs, a lightweight backpack thrown over her shoulder. She looked rejuvenated, as if the thought of escape was enough to bring some life back into her eyes. She was holding the knife she’d given me the night before. She must have fished in out from beneath my mattress while Levi was downstairs.
“Ready?” she asked, coming to stand at my side. She held the knife out to me.
“Ready,” I said, taking the knife from her hand.
It was time to go.
31
“I need a moment.”
I stopped, anxious to keep going. Eilene had already sagged down onto a flat rock. Her head was down and she was gasping for breath. Whatever energy she’d gained earlier had evaporated quickly.
“We’re almost there,” I said. “You can do this.”
Eilene waved me off when I took a step her way. “I just need to catch my breath. I’ll be fine in a moment.”
We’d been making pretty good time all things considered, but it just wasn’t fast enough for my tastes. If Chris found Levi’s lab, it wouldn’t take long for the angel to find him. I just had to hope he took his time in getting back home, and when he did, he would take the werewolf straight down into the lightless room to deal with him without looking for me or Eilene.
I felt guilty for using Chris, but it seemed like the best way to keep Levi occupied. Hopefully he didn’t fight too much. I didn’t want the guy to die just so I could get away. I’m not sure I’d be able to live that down.
I walked a little ahead while Eilene caught her breath. We were on a small rise, so I could look down on the road through the trees we’d been using as cover. No cars drove down the street, though a couple of women were walking mindlessly down the sidewalk. They didn’t touch or appear to be talking to one another. I wondered if they’d been sent out on patrol or if they simply were going about their automatic lives, walking just because Levi wanted them to.
I turned away, disgusted. There was no sense worrying about the people of Delai, and that included Chris. He was part of this now. Levi had his mental hooks in him and I seriously doubted he would let go, even as his world crumbled around him.
Eilene was struggling to her feet as I returned to her. I gave her my arm and she almost didn’t take it, choosing to do it on her own instead. But she just wasn’t strong enough. With a grunt, she clasped a clawlike hand on to my wrist and hauled herself up.
“Thanks,” she said grudgingly.
“We have to keep moving.”
Eilene gave me a short nod, hoisting her pack with some difficulty.
We continued on.
We couldn’t run, not with her being as frail as she was. The mental clock in my head was back and it told me Levi surely had Chris in custody by now. He would have either subdued the wolf or killed him. If he’d done the former, he would be driving back home now. If it was the latter, chances were good he would take the time to drain the body of blood before returning home.
That gave us a little more time, but would it be enough? If Chris told him what had happened, there was a good chance Levi would put enough of the story together that he’d come for us. As far as I knew, he might be trailing us even now, waiting for his moment to stop us. I could see him making it dramatic just so he could prove a point.
I pushed us a little faster, hoping Eilene would be able to keep up. We’d have to veer toward the road soon. Something in my gut told me that any other route would be impossible. I was not sure if it would be blocked off with another bubble of fear or if the logistics of the pocket realm allowed for only one path to enter or leave Delai. Either way, the road felt like the only way out.
Eilene did well in keeping up with me. She paused a few times when a coughing fit overwhelmed her, but as soon as it passed, she was moving again. The strain might have killed her if we’d been anywhere but Delai. The longer she went, the more certain I became that Levi’s touch was the only thing keeping her alive. She was practically a walking corpse.
“We’re almost there,” I said again, reassuring not just her, but myself. My palms were damp and I wanted to scream with each and every breath. What would I do if this didn’t work? I’d managed to get this far without having to kill anyone, yet when it came right down to it, I might have to kill the one person who didn’t deserve it.
A feeling of dread began to press on me and I slowed. This wasn’t the natural fear I’d been feeling since we’d left the house. This was something different, something more sinister. It was much like what I’d felt when I’d tried to reach Levi’s lab. I gritted my teeth and continued to push forward, not willing to let it stop me.
“I can’t.” Eilene sounded small and scared. I turned to find her kneeling with tears coursing down her cheeks. “I’m not strong enough.”
The fear practically propelled me forward as I walked back toward her. Apparently we’d gone as far as we could go without taking the road. I’d been right in assuming the outer edges were protected. I guess that was how Levi kept people from wandering off into whatever lay beyond the border of the town. It might be just as well, considering there might not be anything out there but an empty void. I really wished I knew more of the logistics of the place.
“The road is just down that way,” I said, nodding toward a break in the trees. “We can try it there.”
Eilene nodded and worked her way to her feet. She was trembling now, so much so that I feared she might collapse before we made it out of Delai.
But there was nothing to do but press on.
We picked our way down to the road, keeping as much brush between us and the clearing as possible. I moved as silently as I could, but if anyone was out there, they’d surely have heard us long ago. Thankfully, there still were no cars in sight, nor were there pedestrians this far out.
I stopped just before the edge of the tree line. Something felt off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I scanned the area, half expecting to see Levi standing against a nearby tree, yet there was nothing.
“Ready for this?” I asked, pushing the feeling away. I kept my voice low, just in case someone or something really was waiting out there. In this place, the trees really might have ears.
Eilene nodded. She looked incapable of speech.
We stepped out onto the road together. Sunlight that had been filtered by the branches and leaves since we’d started out washed over us, seemingly to put us in the spotlight. If anyone had been watching for us, they sure as hell knew where we were now.
I grabbed Eilene’s hand and started walking briskly toward the last stretch of road. She struggled to keep up, practically dragging me down with her faltering step. I had a feeling Levi knew where we were and was on his way to stop us. He had to have felt us press against the fear bubble surrounding the town.
Rows of houses materialized at the far end of the road. I recognized Doctor Lei’s among them. “Almost there,” I muttered, picking up the pace. We still had a good hundred yards to go, but we were almost there, almost safe. I could almost feel Jonathan’s welcoming arms around me.
A shape emerged from the trees between us and the end of the road. For a heart-stopping moment, I was certain it was Levi come to stop us just before reaching our goal. It felt like something he would do—wait until the last second and then leap out and prove that he was truly in charge.
But this man, while bulky, was too short, too bald to be Levi. He didn’t carry a weapon as far as I could tell, but looked more than capable of stopping us with physical force if it came to that.
“You are not to leave,” he said in a monotone voice.
>
“Yeah?” I asked. “And why not?”
“Levi does not wish it.”
“I don’t give a fuck what he wants.”
My hand tightened on Eilene’s own. I gave her a look to warn her to be ready. I was going to make a run for it, hoping the sudden burst of speed would surprise the man. All we had to do was get past him and we were free.
He must have realized what we were planning because before I could initiate, he rushed toward us, catching me by surprise. He might no longer be whatever supe he’d once been, but he sure as hell moved like one. He was on us before I knew what was happening.
He missed with his first swing, giving me time to draw the knife Eilene had given me. I raised it to strike, but he was too fast. He swung again and this time, hit me square on the jaw.
The shock of impact caused me to not only drop the knife, but to fall hard on my ass. I was stunned and woozy from the blow. It had felt like he’d hit me with a sledgehammer. I sat dumbly there, blinking at him as he strode toward me.
There was nothing I could do. The knife lay a good couple of feet away. If I made a move for it, he’d probably kick me in the head, putting me out for good. You can’t fight someone while unconscious.
“Please,” I begged. “Let us go.”
“Levi does not wish it.”
“He doesn’t have to know. You could tell him we slipped past.” I scooted back on my butt, trying to put distance between us. The man kept walking, intent on laying his hands on me. I feared what he might do if he reached me.
“He already knows you are here.” For a moment, a hint of compassion passed over his eyes, telling me that whoever he once had been was still in there somewhere. “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Eilene said. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”
The man didn’t even cry out as the knife plunged into his back. He staggered toward me, eyes wide, mouth open, but no sound came from his throat. He reached out as if he planned on catching himself on me, but I scurried back out of his reach as he fell. He didn’t even try to break his fall. The crunch of his nose on pavement sounded loud in the eerie silence that had fallen.