Eternal Bond and Brimstone

by J. N. Colon

  “Chill, dude.” Kale laid his hand on Jayson’s arm. “She’s trying.”

  Brenna was unfazed by Jayson’s harsh tone. “It’s all blurry. Someone is interfering.”

  An icy hand slipped down my back. I’d thought Jayson’s odd questions yesterday in the hall were strange. Evil, seer—what the hell was going on here?

  “Who do you think is interfering?” Kale asked.

  Brenna shot him a knowing look, her green eyes sharp. “After that warning last month, I’ve got only one guess.”

  Jayson cursed and dragged his fingers through his hair, mussing up the already wayward strands. “It would explain all the dwellers snooping around town. He must have sent them for a reason.”

  “I’ve noticed them too.” Brenna wrapped her arms around her tiny waist. “Filthy hellspawn.”

  My brows shot up. My neighbor wasn’t the only certifiable one. His friends were hailing a cab to crazy town too.

  Jayson cracked his neck and leaned against the cinderblock wall, his expression taut. When his gaze shifted toward the light, his irises flickered gold.

  Goose bumps popped along my skin. They had looked like that last night from his window, but less prominent. Another trick of the light?

  Jayson sighed, releasing some of the tension in his body. “I’m going to check the gate.”

  “You shouldn’t go alone,” Brenna said, lines deepening across her delicate face.

  Jayson rested his hand on her arm—I was stupidly jealous of that freaking arm. “It’ll be fine. I’ll call if there’s any activity.” His hulking frame headed this way.

  My eyes widened, and I spun around, speeding away as if I hadn’t just been eavesdropping. My foot found the single scrap of paper littering the floor, and I slipped.

  Seriously! Who leaves paper on the floor all willy-nilly?

  Before I smacked into the ground, iron bands wrapped around my waist, pulling me into a hard body.

  Heat engulfed every inch of my back, quickly spreading to the front. I didn’t need to turn around to know who I was pinned against.

  “Are you capable of walking at all?” Jayson growled into my ear, his warm breath fanning my neck.

  I shivered. I couldn’t help it.

  “Yes,” I hissed. “Anyone could have slipped on a piece of paper.”

  “Most people would have noticed a bright yellow beacon on the floor.”

  I fought the urge to elbow him. I’d only hurt myself. “Didn’t we already have a conversation about you invading my personal bubble?” My body didn’t mind the invasion one bit.

  “What are you doing here?” His firm grip still hadn’t relented. “You weren’t listening in on a private conversation, were you, Lena?” My name dripped with derision.

  Heat flooded my cheeks, which seemed impossible because they were already on fire. “Not at all.”

  I was a terrible liar.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked again, his low voice vibrating across my back.

  “I was headed to the nurse’s office.” I wiggled in his grasp.

  He spun me around so fast the hall slanted. Those mysterious hazel eyes scrutinized me, landing on my mouth. “You’re bleeding. What happened?” His tone softened.

  I shook the dizziness off and stepped back. “I caught an elbow to the face playing flag football.” It could have been worse. At least I didn’t trip over my own feet. Well, I had, but he didn’t need to know that.

  Jayson’s hand shot forward, gently capturing my chin as he tilted my head to get a better look. His bare touch made my stomach do summersaults. “Why were you playing football?”

  “It wasn’t by choice.” I took a deep breath to calm the quaking in my knees. Unfortunately, I sucked in a whiff of his salty scent, doing nothing but making my body want to fall forward. “I told Coach Morris it was a terrible idea, but he didn’t believe me. Chaos broke out only a few minutes into the game, and I took a couple people down with me.”

  One corner of his lips twitched. “You talk a lot. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Can someone please turn down the damn thermostat? My body couldn’t handle his threat of a smile. “And you don’t talk a lot. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  “None that I can think of.” He stepped closer, his presence swallowing mine. “None were ever brave enough.” A half-smile melted over those lush lips, sending my heart into overdrive. The hint of a dimple winked hello.

  That had to be one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen.

  “But you are capable of having an actual conversation,” I said. “I’ve heard you with your friends.”

  As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Jayson’s face hardened. “Is that so?” His hand fell from my chin, and he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The nurse’s office is that way, but you were headed in the opposite direction. Want to tell me why?”

  I shrugged. “I’m new here. I got lost.”

  A growl rumbled through his chest—an actual growl.

  My head snapped back, and I ignored the flare of pain through my lip. “Did you just growl?” He bared his teeth in a snarl. Holy woolly mammoth. “Do you still use your appendix to break down raw meat, caveman?”

  This time Jayson’s smile wasn’t humorous, pleasant, or sexy. It was downright terrifying. “You better get to the nurse’s office, Lena. You know what they say about curiosity and the cat.”

  I gave him my best glare. “A cat has nine lives so…” I let my sentence fall off.

  The tiniest twinkle lit his eyes before he slipped past me, stalking toward the door.

  Chapter 6

  The bell jingled over my dad’s store as I slipped out, nearly getting knocked over by a woman with a full face of makeup. Raven Hardware was already opened for business. And I’d never seen a hardware store with so many dressy women browsing the aisles.

  Talk had gotten around town, and the ladies—married or not—had arrived to check out my dad. He was having a hard time wiping the grin off his face.

  He loved the attention and was a charming flirt, but he didn’t date much. I was surprised he hadn’t moved on and remarried. My mom had been gone for sixteen years.

  I was surprised and secretly thankful. I wasn’t sure how I’d handle a stepmother. Images of Cinderella came to mind. You wouldn’t find me cleaning a fireplace though. I’d probably inhale the ash by accident and get the black lung.

  The sun had already set, and darkness slowly spread over Main Street. This had to be the smallest main drag I’d ever been to. And I was living in it. The scenery was pretty though. Trees lined the street, the leaves changing colors with the autumn season. Every storefront was clean and bright. Sitting areas with benches or chairs and tables were placed every so often. Cinnamon and apple pie perfumed the air.

  I licked my lips as I searched for the bakery responsible for the heavenly scent. I wouldn’t mind a slice of pie. I loved pie.

  A flower shop and a pharmacy were on my left, and a bookstore was on my right. Jimmie’s Diner & Pizzeria was up ahead. But where was the bakery?

  A cold tingle trickled down my back. I pulled my jacket tighter and swallowed hard. It was just a chilly breeze. That was all.

  My gaze shifted across the street. Two women in their early thirties were sitting on a bench. One with soft brown curls was chatting away, clutching a steaming cup of coffee. The other was motionless, her coffee left untouched on the sidewalk. She was staring at me.

  Her lips began to tilt into a smile, one that was anything but friendly. Her eyes seemed to darken, turning from light-brown orbs to holes of impenetrable blackness.

  A gasp slipped out, and I halted. Ice crystalized in my veins. What the frack?

  She blinked, and the brown irises returned. Her gaze flicked away.

  My chest was rapidly rising and falling. Had her eyes really turned black?

  I shook myself. No way. That was plain crazy.

  “There you are.” Jessica appeared beside me. “You okay?
You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  A dry laugh slipped out. “Nope. No ghost.”

  Sebastian stepped beside me, a leather messenger bag hanging off his shoulder. “Did someone say something about a ghost?” His light-green eyes peered through the dimming town.

  “No ghost.” I shook the images of that woman out of my mind. Maybe I needed to get some sleep. Eating so much candy sometimes kept me up late. So did thinking about the hot guy across the street and imagining him in the shower.

  Ugh. My mind was a filthy place.

  “What are we doing?” I asked, crossing my arms against my chest to shield my body from the cold. My two friends looked cozy in their thin sweaters.

  Sebastian gently patted the bag against his hip. “I need a replacement lens for this camera. We’re headed to TVs & More Electronics.”

  I pulled up short. “You want me to walk into an electronics shop?” There were a few stores I usually avoided. One of them was glassware. Could you guess the other?

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Jessica said.

  “Last time I was in a RadioShack, I knocked over a display of tablets and broke four of them.” I was banned from the place. My picture was probably hanging in the back next to the security monitors.

  Sebastian winced. “Just keep your hands in your pockets. And try not to trip.”

  I shook my head and followed them. “Don’t get mad when you’re kicked out because of me. Guilty by association and all.”

  Once inside TVs & More, I shoved my hands in my jacket pockets and kept my elbows tucked into my body. I was worse than a bull in a china shop. Sebastian headed toward the customer service counter in the front, while Jessica and I meandered toward the back. My gaze lingered over a big screen television that was longer than my entire body.

  “I really don’t understand why people want monster televisions that take up an entire room.” The screens were reflected in Jessica’s glasses.

  I snorted, ignoring the pain slicing across my lip. It still stung like a mother. “It’s mostly a boy thing. Sports, video games, and they just want to be the guy with the biggest one.” I shot her a meaningful glance.

  She giggled, her cheeks gaining a touch of pink. “I see what you mean. But they’re not all like that.” She twisted the end of her ponytail around her finger, her eyes pensive.

  I had a feeling she was referring to Sebastian.

  “Are you ladies finding everything okay?” A guy popped out of nowhere, making me jump.

  I grabbed my chest, my heart racing against my palm. Holy Snickers. Where the hell had he come from?

  The store logo was printed on his navy shirt, and he wore a little plastic nametag that read Tyler.

  “We’re just looking,” Jessica said, absentmindedly watching a television playing a marine wildlife show.

  He brushed locks of greasy black hair off his pale forehead, flashing a crooked smile. “Let me know if I can help you at all.” He winked.

  Unlike Mr. Jensen, Tyler did not possess the ability to make that cool. In fact, it was downright creepy coming from the twenty-something employee.

  With one more skeevy look, Tyler disappeared down another aisle, the short conversation leaving me with lingering goose bumps.

  “Are all the workers here that lurky?” I asked Jessica, my gaze dancing around to make sure he wasn’t hiding in a darkened corner.

  She glanced over her shoulder where Tyler had vanished. “He just wants to make a commission or something.”

  “I guess.” But the unsettling feeling still squirmed in my belly.

  Jessica’s phone started ringing, and she grabbed it from her pocket, grimacing. “It’s my stepmom. She probably wants to know if I’ll eat the carcass she’s making for dinner tonight. I’ll take this outside. Sometimes I have to raise my voice to get her to understand I don’t eat any meat—even if it’s straight from the butcher.” She made a gagging face before slipping away.

  With nothing to do, I took my own phone out and checked to see if I had any new notifications or messages from my friends in Charleston. Nope. Not a single one.

  My shoulders drooped. I hadn’t expected them to forget about me that fast. Did they miss me at all?

  Something flickered in front of me. I glanced up and cursed. My phone tumbled from my fingers. Tyler was standing barely more than six inches away. “You scared me,” I squeaked.

  A smile curled his dry lips. “I’m sorry. I thought you heard me.” He bent and retrieved my phone, placing it on the shelf next to me, his arm brushing my shoulder.

  That sick feeling returned, and I didn’t like the way he was eyeing me.

  “I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything you needed.” He motioned behind him. “We’ve got a lot of things a girl like you could take advantage of.” His words unsettled me even more than the smarmy smile splitting his lips.

  “I’m fine. Really.” I tried to keep the nerves from shaking my voice. “I’m waiting on a friend. He’s getting something repaired.”

  Tyler tilted his head and just stared. Alarms were ringing in my head. I needed to get away from this creep. Where were my friends? Hell, I’d take anyone at this point interrupting this uncomfortable situation.

  A flash of light pulsed outside the large store window. People across the street stopped, their heads angled up. Mrs. Gracin from the Mystic Hollow High main office stepped out of a bookstore. Her eyes widened as she pointed.

  My brows furrowed, and I inched closer to the window, Tyler sifting to the back of my mind. What was going on out there?

  Thunder rumbled.

  I pressed my forehead against the clear surface to get a better look. Veins of deep scarlet slashed the night sky.

  A gasp slipped out. What in the frack is that? Why was the lightning red? I’d never heard of such a thing.

  My breath came in quick pants, fogging the glass. How was this possible? Was it even natural?

  My blood iced over as the crimson streaks continued to whip across the heavens. Nothing about it was natural.

  Brenna’s words floated back to me. It feels downright evil.

  I shivered.

  And then a deep, chilling voice whispered into my ear. “A storm is coming.”

  I spun around, smacking into Tyler. His hand snapped out, catching my arm to steady me. He drew me closer.

  My heart slammed against my ribs. Tyler’s face was paler and eyes darker, almost as black as midnight. And they were cold. He smiled, but there was nothing humorous about it.

  I tried to yank free. “If you don’t mind, I’d like my arm back now.” This was not the kind of personal bubble invasion I liked.

  “I do mind.” His fingers tightened to a bruising strength.

  A pit of dread sank to the bottom of my stomach. Something wasn’t right.

  Tyler’s chilling laughter stole every ounce of warmth from my body. And then slick blackness eclipsed the entirety of his eyes, turning them into impenetrable black holes.

  “What the—” A fine trembling suddenly began at my feet. Just perfect. I was having a catastrophic panic attack.

  But when everything in the store began to sway, I knew what was happening—as impossible as it was.

  An earthquake.

  Chapter 7

  My pulse shot through the roof as the ground rumbled beneath me. Tyler still had an iron grip on my arm, keeping me in place. “What are you doing?” I squealed over the ruckus of breaking glass and splintering wood.

  Heat spilled down my side, and my head swiveled toward the window. Jayson stood on the sidewalk, his tense body outlined in flashes of crimson. His eyes locked with Tyler’s, melting from hazel to pure gold.

  My heart stuttered. That wasn’t a trick of the light or a side effect from one of my many head injuries.

  Jayson Casteel’s eyes were a luminescent gold.

  The lights in the store flickered, and the grip on my arm disappeared. I stumbled, smacking into something solid and warm.

&
nbsp; Jayson yanked me out of the way just as a television fell to the ground. I clung to his black t-shirt. His eyes were still lit up like twin suns.

  How the hell had he gotten in here that fast? He was just on the street.

  Groaning and popping thundered through the room. Jayson cursed as the largest television snapped free of the wall, heading directly toward me.

  Holy Snickers. I was about to meet my maker.

  A gasp was barely out of my mouth as Jayson planted himself in harm’s way, and we both crashed to the ground. Glass rained down, but not one single shard touched me. His entire body covered mine.

  My insides tightened. Oh, God. He had to be hurt. More debris kept falling around us. Even the ceiling tiles were dropping.

  “Jayson!” I couldn’t get any other words past the choking panic. A rancid, foul odor spilled through the air. Vicious growls echoed.

  What the hell was that? Did an earthquake normally sound like a hoard of monsters being born right out of a gnarly pit?

  A high-pitched keening tore through the shop. Goose bumps popped along my skin, and a whimper slipped out.

  “It’s okay,” Jayson whispered, his lips brushing my ear. “You’re safe, Lena. You’re safe.” His voice was calm, soothing even, like a safe haven within a maelstrom. His hand rested over my face, adding another layer of protection. “Just close your eyes, and it’ll be over soon.”

  The tightness in my chest lessened. I didn’t know if it was his words, his voice, or just his presence, but my fear dissipated. I curled into a ball beneath him, tuning out everything but his steady breathing.

  Like he’d said, the shaking eventually stopped. Everything was silent, eerily so.

  Jayson grunted as he shifted and tossed the debris off him. From the loud clatter, it had to have been over a hundred pounds. He pulled us into a sitting position, my legs slipping over his. Warmth bled into my cheeks. I was practically in his lap.

  His breaths were coming fast now, blowing over my face. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

  Only a few emergency lights remained on, bathing the wrecked store in an ominous glow. Messy dirty blond strands framed Jayson’s eyes—those eyes that still held an otherworldly sheen. They were too bright. Too glossy.