I stand up straight and run in the direction of the house I know she’s in, hoping like hell she doesn’t take off again. I come to a stop when I see a small brick house with a light blue door, and I know Nat’s inside because I can feel her. I walk closer to the house and see that the front door isn’t completely closed. I walk inside quietly and follow the sound of muffled voices. In a bedroom at the back of the house I find Nat. She’s on her knees talking to a little girl who can’t be older than five or six. As I get closer, I realize she’s speaking fluent Spanish.
“Nat, what can I do to help?” I ask, gently placing my hand on her shoulder. She leans closer to the girl and whispers something before standing and motioning for me to follow her out of the room.
“Her mom is the one I saw. She’s been beaten up pretty bad by her boyfriend. He took her before I could get here. I found the little girl hiding under her bed. She has no idea where he might’ve taken her mom,” she explains, her voice shaking with emotion.
“I’ll find her mom, Nat. Can you take her to the police station?” She nods and I kiss her lips quickly before running back out of the house.
I call Bennett and ask for his help. He picks me up and we drive around trying to feel anything that will lead us to the injured mother.
“How do you know she’s even hurt?” Bennett asks as he drives toward the north side of Seattle.
“I felt it but couldn’t get there in time,” I lie.
He looks at me out of the corner of his eye before shaking his head and focusing back on the road. He knows I’m lying, but he also knows better than to press me for more information.
It takes more than half an hour for us to find the woman. She’s lying on the ground in an alley, barely conscious. She only speaks Spanish, so we do our best to convince her we’re trying to help her. Bennett drives us to the closest hospital while I sit in the back with her, taking as much of her pain as my body can handle.
Nat meets us at the hospital with the little girl and two police officers. After finding out the mother is stable, I tell Nat it’s time to go back to the hotel. I can tell she doesn’t want to leave the girl but knows she can’t stay with her. Bennett offers to drive us, but I know Nat won’t be comfortable riding with him, so we walk instead. She’s quiet the whole way to the hotel room and only mumbles something about taking a shower before locking herself in the bathroom.
“When did you start speaking Spanish?” I ask her when she comes out with a towel on her head.
“I have no idea; I’ve never done it before,” she says quietly. I stare at her with a blank expression.
“Shi, why am I so different than you?” she whispers.
I walk over to her, take the towel off her head, and gently run my fingers through her hair. “You’re better, Nat,” I tell her, and I mean it. I walk her to the bed and pull the comforter down for her. “I’ve got to go meet Bennett; will you be all right here?” I ask as she crawls into the bed.
She nods and pulls the blankets up over her shoulders.
“I’ll be back before morning. Sweet dreams.”
She gives me a small smile and watches me walk out of the room.
I stop and get myself a coffee before meeting Bennett at the abandoned building where we always meet the other Protectors. I’m surprised to see another truck parked next to Bennett’s; I’m even more surprised when I see who’s stepping out of it: Kevin Fitzgerald, the man in charge of all Protectors—all of them, except me.
“It’s been a while,” Kevin says as I walk over to meet the two of them. I don’t say anything. Instead, I meet Bennett with a hard stare, daring him to tell me why Kevin is here tonight.
“Kevin wanted to give you the run down on Penelope Adams,” Bennett says in a rush while giving a miniscule shake of his head. I assume this means he hasn’t told Kevin about Nat and start to relax a little.
“What do I need to know?” I ask, irritated by his presence.
“Well, I know Penelope is your girlfriend’s mother, but we have to kill her. This is not up for negotiation, Shiloh,” he says in a stern voice.
“I understand she’s a problem, but why do we have to kill her?”
“She’s a threat to all of us. She knows most of our whereabouts and intentionally injures herself in order to harm our people. When she is no longer satisfied with this sick game, she’ll very likely start killing us off. I’m certain she doesn’t have anybody on her side at the moment. That is why we must act now, before she has a chance to gain any followers,” he explains. I raise an eyebrow at him, letting him know I don’t agree with his theory. I hold back a chuckle as his face turns red with rage.
“You see, Shiloh, we’re not here to ask for your permission, nor are we here to ask for your assistance. We are here to advise you to stay out of our way. You of all people should know better than to mess with my plan of action. Especially, after what happened to your father,” he says with a smirk on his face. I flinch at the mention of my dad. I’d always assumed Kevin had played a part in that plane crash, but hearing the truth out loud reopens the old wound. I glare at him, a fresh hatred boiling inside me, as he turns on his heel and goes back to his truck.
“I don’t know what the fuck that was about, man. We were definitely planning on asking for your help tonight before you pissed him off,” Bennett says, finally speaking now that Kevin’s truck is out of sight.
“What can I say? I have that effect on people.” I shrug.
“You think he really killed your dad?” he asks quietly.
“I know he did. He wanted to lead the Protectors and my dad was the only one standing in his way,” I say angrily.
“Well, you should know that this is all happening tonight. Come daylight, there will be no more Penelope Adams,” he says, changing the subject.
“You think killing her is the answer? You think there will never be another person that finds out the truth about us?”
“If that ever happens, we will take care of them, too,” he says with a shrug.
“Listen to yourself Bennett; you’re a Protector. You’re supposed to save lives, not take them away,” I say loudly.
He looks taken aback for a second. He pauses a moment, letting what I said resonate then his eyes grow wide and he starts to slowly shake his head.
“You’re right. You’re so fucking right, Shi. What am I doing? Taking a life just because Kevin wants me to?”
“Kevin has been poisoning this group since my dad died. Forget him; you work for yourself. Do what you know is right.”
Bennett doesn’t say anything for a moment. I know he’s contemplating the consequences of acting against Kevin. I’m confident he’s on my side, though, when he asks, “So, how will we stop her?”
“I think I’ve got a plan, but we’re going to need Nat’s help,” I tell him.
“Whatever it is, we’ve got to make it quick, before Kevin catches on.” I can see the determined look in his eyes.
“Pick me up in half an hour. Be ready,” I tell him as I slide into my truck.
He nods before I drive away, hauling ass to the hotel.
Nat
I feel like I’ve only been sleeping for five minutes when I feel someone shaking me awake.
“Nat, wake up. I need your help,” Shiloh whispers.
I roll over onto my back and stretch my arms above my head. I open my eyes just as Shiloh climbs on top of me, kissing me like it’s been weeks since I’ve seen him. I kiss him back eagerly, welcoming the feeling of normalcy that’s coming over me. I want to forget about all the strange things that are happening to me and just live in this moment. I run my hands down his back, pressing him closer to me. When I start tugging his shirt up, he groans against my mouth before pulling away.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” he says, breathing heavily.
I’m breathing just as heavily as he is as I prop myself up onto my elbows.
“We don’t have enough time for all the things I want to do to you, Nat,” he tells me. I can
see the desire burning in his eyes.
“Why not? Where are you going?” I ask, trying to hide my disappointment.
“I need your help,” he says seriously.
“With?”
“We need to scare your mom, enough to get her to leave Washington. If not, the other Protectors are planning on killing her.”
I feel the color draining from my face as he speaks. “K-kill her? But they’re Protectors, are they even allowed to kill people?”
“They do what their leader says, Nat. Why do you think I’ve never joined them?”
“I don’t know anything about my mother, how the hell am I supposed to scare her?” I ask, panicking.
“I have an idea,” he says with a grin.
I sit up and listen to him lay out his supposedly foolproof plan to run my mom out of town. By the end of his rambling, we are both laughing. “Are you sure she will fall for that?” I ask.
“Definitely. Your grandpa has been telling her terrifying stories about us her whole life. I doubt she will even question it,” he assures me.
I hesitate when he tells me Bennett will be helping us, but I eventually agree. I get dressed in the bathroom while Shiloh calls Bennett and asks him to pick up a few things before meeting us at the hotel.
“So, are you really serious about this plan?” I ask Shiloh, still not convinced it’s a good idea.
“Yes, I’m sure. Besides, it’ll be fun,” he says with a wink and a grin.
We’re waiting outside the hotel when Bennett pulls up to the curb. He’s blaring some sort of rock music I can’t understand at all. I climb into the back seat while Shiloh takes the passenger’s side.
“What’s the plan, my man?” Bennett asks, barely turning the music down.
Shiloh excitedly tells him every detail of his plan. When he mentions the part about pretending to have turned into bloodthirsty vampires that are after my mother, I have to bite the insides of my cheeks to hold in my laughter. Bennett’s face is completely serious as he blurts out, “What the fuck, man? That’s not a plan. That shit won’t work.”
“What do you mean it won’t work?” Shiloh asks, offended.
A giggle escapes me and I clap my hand over my mouth before I break out into a fit of laughter.
“See? Even your girlfriend thinks it’s a stupid idea,” Bennett tells him.
“Fine. What did you come up with, asswipe?” Shi asks, crossing his arms over his chest to pout.
“Me? I didn’t come up with anything! You’re the one with the brains, dickhead.”
“Look, all I know is we’ve got less than an hour before Kevin carries out his plan,” Shiloh snaps.
“I think I have an idea,” I say quietly. Bennett turns down the music and they both turn to stare at me.
“What if we paid her? Well, I mean, what if we offered to pay her? Like, if she gets on a plane to anywhere but here, we will wire the money to her account. Of course we won’t actually do it, but it will take her a while to save up the funds to come back. Who knows? Maybe she’ll decide it’s not worth it.”
“What makes you so sure she won’t have the money to turn right back around?” Bennett asks.
“She’s been trying to find Nat’s real dad so she can sue him for child support; trust us, she’s broke,” Shiloh explains.
“How do we find her?” Bennett asks.
“Nat?” Shiloh asks with an odd look on his face.
“I don’t know where she is,” I say with a shrug.
“Sure you do, babe. Just close your eyes and focus.”
I ignore the look of confusion on Bennett’s face and do as I’m told. Everything is fuzzy at first, but eventually things come into focus. I gasp when I realize I am seeing her. She’s at the cemetery where Gramps is buried. She’s got her head in her hands and I can see her shoulders shaking. She’s crying. I open my eyes and shake my head until the images vanish. I won’t allow myself to feel sorry for her.
My heart is racing with adrenaline; I’m still not used to my new talents.
“She’s at the cemetery, about twenty miles west of here,” I tell them. Bennett looks from me to Shiloh a few times before shrugging his shoulders and cranking the music back up. It’s obvious he’s curious about what I can do, but he doesn’t ask about it, and I’m thankful for that. I can feel Shiloh staring at me as I look out the window, not wanting to deal with the feelings I’m having right now.
Bennett gets us to the cemetery in ten minutes. Only a second goes by before I see my mom, still hovering over my grandpa’s grave, and my stomach twists into knots.
“Guys, I really don’t want to get out,” I whisper.
Shiloh gives Bennett a look, causing him to jump out of the truck quickly, giving us some privacy.
“You don’t have come with us, Nat. You’ve done enough. We can take it from here,” he says while grabbing my hand.
I feel my eyes stinging as the tears start to form. “How can I feel sorry for her? All I’ve gone through, it’s because of her. I should have just let them kill her,” I say angrily.
“No, Nat, you’re better than her. That’s why you’re capable of wanting to help her. You’re a good person, and even though I hate that you haven’t had the best life, I’m thankful that your mother didn’t interfere. I’m thankful that you ended up right here, with me.”
I swipe the tears from my cheeks before giving him a small smile. He winks at me and presses his lips to the back of my hand before getting out of the truck. I don’t want to, but I force myself to look out my window and watch their interaction. My mother’s first response is to take several steps back. I see Shiloh raise his hands up slowly, letting her know he doesn’t want to hurt her. Bennett remains a step behind and raises his hands as well. I can see their mouths moving and when she starts shaking her head furiously, I have no doubt they’ve told her Kevin’s plan to kill her.
I see her stick a hand into her purse; the guys are still trying to convince her to run away, and I’m certain they don’t see the shiny object she pulls out until it’s too late. My mother points the knife at them for a moment before laughing and impaling herself in the stomach. I watch in shock as the three of them fall to the ground less than thirty feet from me.
I’m out of the truck and running toward them before I realize something: I don’t feel it. Nothing hurts, not even a little bit. I run past Shiloh and Bennett and fall to the ground next to my mom. She’s got tears running down her face, but she’s smiling that same disgusting smile she always wears. I grip the handle of the knife sticking out of her torso. My hand is shaking and I’m terrified of what will happen if I pull it out. Knowing I have no choice, I do just that. I hear several grunts coming from the three of them as the knife leaves her body. I carry it with me as I run back to where Shiloh and Bennett are still on the ground. I toss the knife aside and grab each of their hands. Within seconds I feel the excruciating pain tear through my stomach. Bennett stands up first, looking at me with eyes full of question.
“Later, Bennett. Get her,” Shiloh says as he gets to his feet.
Bennett nods before grabbing my mother and tying her hands in front of her with zip-ties. I don’t notice Shiloh has disappeared until he comes back with a first aid kit. He rummages through the contents, taking out a pill bottle and tossing the rest over to Bennett.
“This is going to hurt,” I hear Bennett say before my mother’s moans fill the air.
“Nat? Can you stand up?” Shiloh asks me.
I attempt it but fail. The pain coming from my midsection is too intense to move.
“You’re going to be okay, babe. Take this.” He hands me a red and black pill. I force it down without a drink and relish the feeling of being able to breathe normally again.
“How does it work so fast?” I ask as I get to my feet.
“I don’t know,” he says as he wraps his arms around me, lifting me slightly off the ground.
“Are you okay?” he asks, examining me at arm’s length.
&
nbsp; “I’m fine, Shi,” I promise him.
“Uh, Shiloh, we have a situation,” Bennett says from a few feet away.
Shiloh turns to look at him and after staring for a moment, turns back to me. “Go wait in the truck, Nat. I’ll be right there,” he says, sounding stern.
I cock my eyebrow at him, letting him know I don’t like his tone. “Go,” he orders.
I turn and walk away from him with my arms crossed over my chest and a glare on my face. He’s still watching me when I get to the truck. He waits until I close the door to walk over to Bennett and talk about the situation.
I try to guess what Bennett is saying by reading Shiloh’s body language. He starts shaking his head then places both hands on top of his head and lets out a long sigh. When he starts pacing back and forth while simultaneously jerking his hands through his hair, I start feeling nervous. Something is going on, and I’m certain it’s not something good.
Shiloh
“Fuck,” I groan as I pace back and forth. “How did I not see it?” I snap, not expecting an answer to my question.
“Chill out, man. Nat is looking over here and she is going to be able to tell you’re pissed off about something,” Bennett says quietly. He’s finally finished bandaging Penelope’s stomach and starts helping her to her feet.
“How long have you known Kevin was her father?” I ask through clenched teeth, stepping closer to her. Tears are running down her cheeks and she won’t make eye contact with me.
“Tell me the truth,” I demand, coming nose to nose with her, forcing her to look at me.
“I’ve always known it was him. I’ve just never been able to prove it. And he sure as hell isn’t owning up to it,” she snaps.
I stand up straighter, narrowing my eyes at her.
“I don’t understand. How can you hate all of us as much as you do and still crawl into bed with him?” Bennett asks her, shaking his head in confusion.
“I loved him,” she says simply. She brings her zip-tied hands up to her face and wipes her cheeks as best she can. “I don’t owe either of you an explanation,” she says bitterly.
Protect Me (The Protector Series Book 1) Page 11