Autumn Storm (16 page)

Beck gazed into the canyon. Knowing Decker’s
pain and seeing it were two different things. As concerned as he
was about his brother, he focused on Autumn finding her way to the
cliff again, even after warning her off this morning. She shouldn’t
be alone with Decker. He was too unstable, and she hadn’t yet gone
through her second trial. Beck wasn’t allowing anyone or anything
to interfere with it, no matter how much pain Decker was in.

Another emotion spiked when Decker said he’d
kissed her. Jealousy. Beck wasn’t sure what to do about it. He was
attracted to her, but he was attracted to most pretty blonds. This,
however, seemed to be more than her adorable features. The
combination of sweet and tough made him as interested in
interacting in her as he was her slim body.

Was everything he felt towards her natural,
given his duty? He hadn’t thought twice about it, before the pang
of jealousy.

His instincts were quiet. They didn’t know,
either, and he wanted to throw something. Decker was being absorbed
by the Dark, and Beck didn’t know how to help anyone he was
obligated to protect.

If he failed to keep Autumn and Decker apart
until Autumn completed her trial, it’d cost much more than her
life. He’d lose everyone. He’d respect Decker’s wishes tonight. In
the morning, they’d have a talk, one where he told his brother he
couldn’t tolerate the slaughtering of Light witchlings or go near
Autumn. He didn’t expect it to go over well.

Tonight was probably the last night they’d
ever sit as brothers.

“This is so hard,” Beck whispered. “Did you
know being … us would be like this?”

“No. It’s a curse.”

“Yeah.” He was touched by the hollowness in
Decker’s eyes.

Beck couldn’t think of anything worse than
witnessing Decker’s descent into madness, except Decker taking
everyone else with him. Beck hoped Autumn would prevent it. He’d
hoped he could prevent it. The idea he might not be able to protect
Autumn and the witchlings while saving Decker from himself never
crossed his mind before this night.

“I’m gonna go,” Beck said. “I’ll come see
you in the morning?”

Decker nodded once. Beck stood. He wished
there was something else to say. Something that helped one of them.
If he hadn’t made a promise to Sam, he’d reveal to Decker what
happened to Summer. It’d give Decker some hope to keep him from
sinking into the Darkness. It’d probably jeopardize her second
chance, which meant he’d destroy Decker forever.

Hang in there, Decker,
Beck begged
his twin silently. His throat tightened, and he had the urge to run
until the wired energy of his worried mind was gone. Instead, he
turned away and walked to the corridor leading back to the school.
A look over his shoulder revealed Decker kneeling at the cliff, his
head bowed. Were there tears on his face?

Guilty with the secrets he kept, Beck
couldn’t stand to stay longer. He trudged through the forest,
breathing in the cold air. There was no way he’d sleep tonight. He
reached the Square and paused outside his dorm room. Instead of
reaching for the handle, he continued to the main house through the
kitchen and grabbed a few cookies. He heard the sound of the
television in the living area before he emerged from the hallway
and paused, not feeling up to entertaining people like he usually
did. He rarely wanted to be alone. If ever there was a time, it was
tonight.

No one’s head was visible over the couch. He
ventured closer to see if the TV was left on by accident and saw
Autumn’s small frame curled up on one end of the couch, her bad leg
kicked out on the ottoman. A faint flush was on her face. It
stirred the part of him that was attracted to her while leaving him
dismayed as well. He’d hoped Decker was messing with him about the
kiss.

It was going to be harder than he expected
to drive a wedge between his twin and Autumn. Decker and Summer had
been compelled to one another by more than attraction. If the
fateful connection between them remained, Beck faced a decision he
wasn’t ready to make.

Autumn glanced at him then back, studying
him.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

She shook her head and sat up. He unzipped
his jacket and tossed it across one chair. He sat on the opposite
end of the couch from her, staring blankly at the television for a
minute.

“I know that look,” Autumn said.

He met her gaze. She frowned.

“Rough night,” he said and held out a
cookie. “Nothing a few cookies can’t fix.”

She gave it a doubtful look. She seemed
uncertain for a moment then rose and sat beside him. She wrapped
her arms around him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

He sighed at her calming touch. “Correction.
Nothing a few cookies and a pretty girl can’t fix.”

“Don’t ruin this,” she warned him. “You need
a hug.”

He slid his arms around her, touched she
thought to comfort him when his earth magick told him how much pain
she was in. Right now, he hurt, too. He rested his cheek against
her soft hair as he thought of what was to come. Her body tugged at
his magick, and he let it flow into her. She relaxed against him.
Holding her warm body, he was forced to acknowledge how much was on
the line for the first time. The urge to protect her rose
stronger.

“About visiting the forest after dark …” he
started.

“I know.”

“Decker is dangerous, Autumn.”

She said nothing, but he sensed her
thoughts. Fear and desire, a potent combination. Troubled for more
than one reason, Beck wondered what it’d take to protect her, when
what remained of Summer was drawn to Decker. Decker had hesitated
too long when Beck tried to warn him away from Autumn. All it took
was Decker losing control around her once, and the body pressed
against Beck ended up like Summer or the witchlings Decker
slaughtered.

Beck wasn’t going to let that happen. There
was no one else to defend Autumn and the Light witchlings. It meant
taking a stand against his brother, no matter what the
consequences.

“Are you okay?” she asked, lifting her head
to look at him.

“Not really.”

“I don’t like seeing you like this.” Her
large blue eyes were too wise and understanding for her youthful
face. “You’re too good for such pain.”

He gave a faint, sad smile and rested his
forehead against hers. Normally, he had little restraint when he
was attracted to someone. Autumn’s nearness and distinctly female
scent made him want more than a hug. One Turner twin already put
her through hell, and neither deserved her. He wasn’t sure how to
protect her from himself.

Autumn slid down into his arms again, her
head against his chest. She was too innocent to know the effect she
had on him.

“And you? What could someone so sweet have
done to deserve your pain?” he whispered.

“I don’t know. It must’ve been bad. Maybe I
really screwed up in a past life.”

“I doubt it.”

“Everyone makes mistakes.”

“I think they’re called choices. Everyone
makes choices, and some are terrible,” he said.

Autumn pulled away from him to meet his
gaze. “A bad one shouldn’t condemn you,” she said with anger in her
voice.

“You’re cute when you’re mad,” he said,
smiling at the spark in her blue eyes.

“I’m serious.”

“I know. I like provoking you.”

“
That
runs in the family, too,” she
snapped. “I bet you don’t treat non-invalids like this.”

“Nope. Just you,” he said, grinning. “Decker
and I both have an eye for beautiful girls.”

“Beautiful for a cripple.”

“Beautiful period.”

Her flush spread, and she ducked her gaze.
“Whatever.”

Beck pulled her against him again, comforted
by her nearness. He had no idea what to do about his attraction or
how far to go with her. If she was anyone else …if he was anyone
else …if so much wasn’t on the line. She trusted him. He ached at
the idea of what she’d think when she discovered how many lies he’d
had to tell to keep the secret of who she was.

Autumn sighed and wrapped her arms around
him. For now, he was content with her in his arms.

They fell silent. He heard her breathing
deepen, and her body went limp. Beck shifted them when she’d fallen
asleep until he was stretched out on the couch, her body resting on
top of his and her legs extended between his. He propped his head
up on the couch arm. With one arm draped around her, he grabbed the
remote from the stand beside the couch and flipped channels.

He’d be gone before Amber or anyone else
stumbled upon them. In the meantime, he liked the feel of her body
and knowing this was the first night she’d slept without pain since
she went over the cliff. It was the least he could do. It seemed
like the
only
thing he was able to do.

Without her conscious effort to control her
thoughts, they slipped free of her sleeping mind. She dreamt of
falling off the cliff into Miner’s Drop. His grip around her
tightened as he realized the memories were there. She couldn’t
reach them, but he saw them. Over and over, she fell, reminding him
how badly he’d failed her.

“I’ll fix this, Summer,” he whispered
without knowing how.

Unaccustomed to feeling helpless, Beck
flipped channels until he found something to distract him. He
didn’t see much of what he watched but remained, wanting to give
the vulnerable girl in his arms some peace.

He sensed Decker’s presence before his twin
spoke.

“Not interested in this Autumn?” Decker’s
voice was cool.

Beck did his best not to tense up and
disturb Autumn. He kept his gaze on the television for a long
moment.

“You were right about her being in pain,” he
said at last. “This is the first night she’s slept without it.”

“You’re not the only one who can help
her.”

“No, but I’m not going to hurt her,” he
said, looking at Decker. “You can’t say the same.”

Decker was pissed. He looked calm, but Beck
saw the tension in his jaw. Decker sat in one of the armchairs.

“I thought you were going to stay away,
Decker,” he pointed out.

Decker rubbed his face. “I didn’t think she
was your type.”

Beck heard it then, the competitive edge.
They’d been opponents in sports and academics. The idea of putting
Autumn between them – knowing what Decker was capable of and how
little control he had – scared him for the first time.

“Are you?” he ventured. “Interested in
Autumn?”

Decker eyed him. “Are you?”

“Yeah, I think I am,” Beck said.

“I didn’t think I was until I showed up a
few minutes ago.”

At least Decker was honest. Beck thought
hard about what to do. When they competed in sports, it was war.
They were already facing down the Light-Dark divide, especially
after they had their upcoming talk about the Light witchlings.

“What if we both walk away?” Decker’s voice
was quiet. “Chances are, I’ll be eaten up by the madness soon. And
you’ve got a baby on the way. You don’t need another issue like
that popping up.”

Beck snorted. Decker almost sounded like his
overprotective brother for the first time in weeks. He studied his
twin. Decker was dead serious. His gaze was still, and Beck
assessed the only reason they weren’t at each other’s throats
physically was because they were brothers. Decker looked ready to
kill.

“Okay,” he agreed. “We both walk away from
her in the morning. Right now, I want her to enjoy her only night
of pain-free sleep.”

The skin around Decker’s eyes softened as he
looked at Autumn. There was guilt and indecision in his gaze. Beck
saw it, trying to understand exactly what his brother was thinking.
Decker wanted her … but didn’t
want
to want her. He didn’t
understand that the attraction between him and Autumn was because
of Summer.

“You can stay to make sure I don’t take
advantage,” Beck said, smiling.

Decker shook his head and rose. “I’ve gotta
go. Don’t break our deal, Beck, because I’ll be watching.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Decker rolled his eyes. A moment later, he
was gone.

Beck’s smile faded. He hadn’t liked the way
Decker considered Autumn, almost like she was his already. It made
Beck feel sick knowing she was stuck in the middle. They’d both be
waiting for the other to mess up. This kind of competition wasn’t
anything he foresaw, but if they both did as they said they would,
she’d be safe.

Unless Decker loses control.

One thing was certain: Beck had to find a
way to distance himself while not letting Autumn out of his
sight.

Restless, Beck forced himself to stay put.
When dawn crept through the windows, he gently moved her and stood.
The fire had died down, and the room was chilly. Her body curled
without his warmth.

Beck draped his jacket over her, gaze
lingering on her features. He wiped his mouth, not sure what to do.
Finally, he left through the front door. The morning was cold
enough that tiny clouds formed every time he expelled a breath. He
shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way through the new
snow to the forest.

“Sam?” he called quietly from the edge of
the forest.

The yeti rarely responded when Beck sought
him. He waited for a moment, knowing Sam would signal him if he
wanted to be found. The trees on either side of him shook
themselves free of snow. Beck stepped back, smiling. They were the
only ones that shed their white coats. It was as much of a sign as
anything.

He waited for them to stop then stepped into
the forest. The earth cleared a path for him, and he shivered as he
walked along it. He walked for a full ten minutes before the yeti
finally appeared, a splash of red against the white backdrop.

“You came!” Beck said.

Our roles changed when you became the Master
of Light.