Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four (14 page)

Maes shifted, his chest heaving, but it wasn’t from fighting
. There was something more going on here. Something that I needed to understand.

“Why are you here?” Maes growled.

“To find you,” the other replied.

Maes moved closer
, yanking him to his feet and pinning him against a tree.

“Why are you here, Shad?” he asked again, but this time his accent thickened and his tone became more lethal.

I crawled to my feet and moved closer. Maes knew who this was and his name, Shad. Maes also didn’t like him.

“Who is this, Maes?” I asked.

Maes ignored my question and remained focused on Shad.

“Answer me, Shad, or this will be the last breath you take.”

Shad’s eyes drifted towards me.

“Why do you think I’m here, Maes?” Shad replied.

Maes dropped him to the ground, and Shad rubbed his chest.

“Because of her?” Maes snarled.

Shad slowly looked up at Maes through the white streak of hair falling over his eye.

“Because.” He paused for a moment
with a sly smile. “I had so many unanswered questions, brother.”

I stood stunned. Maes had a brother?
In all this time I’d known him, he’d never once mentioned it, but then again he’d never really talked about his past with me. I hadn’t asked.

“Go, while I still allow you to leave,” Maes said and turned his back on
his brother. Jade-rimmed eyes avoided mine as he latched his fingers on my arm, taking me with him. I stumbled as he dragged me down the ravine and pushed me towards the forest.

Go now
. Leave him to me,
Maes said.

“No,” I said crossing my arms. “You’d better start explaining.”

I have a brother, a thorn in my side. He’s only here for one reason…

“Me.”

“Yes,” Shad answered, and I glanced back. He’d followed us and apparently had the same gift as Maes. He could read thoughts, at least one of ours—Maes’s.

Maes grabbed him by the throat and shoved him back. Shad’s same cunning smile remained.

“Marcus sent him, Cheyenne. There’s only one way to end this,” Maes said low and dangerously. The muscles on his bare back flexed as he pushed Shad back further.

“But he’s your brother, Maes…” I was so confused. “You’d go so far, even though he’s your family?”

Maes turned on me in an instant. His eyes darkened as he stalked towards me. I stood my ground.

“You don’t know Shad,” he said through his teeth. “He’s as much
family
to me as Marcus, and he just tried to hurt you…”

“She started it,” Shad whined. “Getting her horse all flustered so she’d kick me aside. I was only defending myself.”

“You attacked me!” I snapped, unable to stop myself.

“Then why didn’t I tear your throat out when you were having your little daydream?” Shad answered. “I was waiting to have a perfectly decent conversation, but all you saw was Tresez and went into panic mode. Not my fault women are so hysterical.”

Maes’s eyes narrowed.

“Daydream?” Maes grunted. “What’s he talking about, Cheyenne?”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know,
Maes
,” Shad sneered, stressing his brother’s name. “That’s a private conversation between me and Cheyenne.”

“Speak!” Maes roared, his hand at Shad’s throat. “Or I silence you forever.”

“Maes, stop!” I held his arm. Maes hesitated, but didn’t relax his grip. I frowned at Shad. “What do you know about my dreams?”

“Everything you’ve been dying to find out since they started,” Shad answered. “But it seems my information isn’t wanted.” He kicked Maes, breaking free, and dropped to the ground. “So I’ll just be on my way…”

“Wait!” I tried to reach out, but Maes clamped my wrist and held me back. “You have to tell me!” He knew something about my dreams, these visions. He could be lying, of course, but I had to take a chance. It could be my only hope to learn more about my powers.

“Oh?” Shad raised an eyebrow. “And what’s in it for me?”

“Enough!” Maes rumbled. He pushed me aside and drove his shoulder into Shad’s chest. “I’ll give you one chance, brother. Leave us and crawl back to your master, or you won’t be leaving here at all.”

“You were always such a bully,” Shad said, brushing back his white strand of hair. “I’ll see you soon, Cheyenne.”

He shifted back into Tresez form and bolted into the forest. Maes clenched his fist, before he shifted too and took chase. Probably to make sure Shad kept his word.

“Stupid dogs,” I muttered and followed after them.

It didn’t take long for Maes and Shad to disappear as night fell in the forest. I’d started out running after them, but quickly realized I was too dizzy to do so in a straight line. My head was throbbing where I’d hit my temple, but at least the bleeding had stopped. Mandi hadn’t returned either. She’d probably run back to the compound and that’s how Maes had known to come after me.

The snapping of branches caught my ear, but I knew it wasn’t
a Tresez. A lone tall figure emerged from behind some brush; Colt had come to help bring me back.

“Cheyenne!” Colt called out
, and his pace quickened.

I didn’t bother to answer
. Who else would be stupid enough to wander the wilderness alone at night besides me?

“Hey.” He stopped in front of me and grabbed my arm
gently. He tilted my head and sighed. “I had a feeling you’d been left alone, bleeding.”

“Nothing new, Colt.”

“Here,” he said and turned his back towards me. “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride.”

I hesitated for a moment and realized it would
probably be faster this way anyhow. He bent down, and I crawled onto his back, my legs hooked over his hips and my arms around his neck. I laid my head on his back as he began our walk back.

“So you met Shad?” I mumbled against his jacket.

“Yeah, Maes isn’t very happy.”

“Didn’t get the feeling he likes his brother.”

“I think there’s a lot of bad blood between the two,” Colt replied.

“Who doesn’t have bad blood with a Tresez?”

It was obvious Maes didn’t want Shad around. But what had transpired in the past that would make it so easy for him to kill his own brother? That, I was sure, would be answered sooner than later.

Chapter 9

Colt and I didn’t have to be near the old mining facility to hear Brogan’s voice echo across the meadow. He was angry, most likely because Maes told him I’d wanted Shad to stay around.

Colt stopped on the stone steps and helped me off his back. He looked down on me and sighed. We both knew the moment I passed over the threshold I’d be bombarded with words, angry words. Again, there would be lack of understanding, but that was nothing new. Shad was our enemy, at least that’s what Maes had conveyed, but he knew something valuable to me. He’d also, like Maes, had been with Marcus for years. Even if he was lying about my dreams, there was a distant chance I might be able to dig out information on his master that could help me beat him. He’d have no regard for my safety like the others, and any information I could gather would be worth it.

I had to do something
. I didn’t have Callon to run to for help anymore.

Colt stayed behind me, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder as I stepped into the great room. The fire roared behind Brogan, sending flickers of flames around his body
and making him appear as red hot as his anger.

Maes and Daniel stood before Brogan. Koda, Dex, Clayton
, and Skylar surrounded Shad while Lilly, Bree, Nakari, and Andre remained close to Brogan’s side.

Clayton and Skylar
had returned now. Their search for Callon had failed.

Brogan’s brown eyes landed upon me with loathing
, the muscles in his neck tensed, and a growl erupted. His upper lip curled.

“What the hell did you do this time, princess?!” Brogan snarled and stepped forward. Maes grasped his arm
, holding him back.

I continued into the room
, stopping a few feet away. I refused to cower before him.

“Callon’s not here to protect you anymore,” Brogan went on. “Now we see you for what you really are.
Conspiring with the enemy…as if you haven’t given enough to Marcus!”

I blinked. Callon had been defending me all along?

“Don’t look so shocked,” Nakari growled. “Callon defended everything you did, even when he himself thought it wasn’t right. He believed in you…”

Her words just added to the burden on my shoulders. Even when Callon didn’t agree with me, even when the other clan leaders were against me, his loyalty never waned. I’d never gained any trust or acceptance on my own; it was all because of
him.

Layla’s fingers landed on Brogan’s arm and our gaze met. She couldn’t hide it as her eyes show
ed the truth; she sided with Brogan…like the rest.

“Well?” Brogan said
. “Cat got your tongue, or should I say Marcus?”

Colt’s fingers tightened on my shoulder, but he didn’t speak.

“You’ve got it wrong, as usual,” I said. “There could be valuable information we can gain from Shad. And if we keep him close, we’ll know what he’s doing.”

“But at what cost, Cheyenne?” Dex
asked, his eyes hesitant. “You already opened a bridge with Marcus. Having Shad here means he can get reports on his handiwork.”

“What do you mean she already opened a bridge with Marcus?” Koda asked. “How?”

I stared down at the grey stone floor. Dex and Maes hadn’t told them of my vision, of what happened in the meadow and their theory that Marcus was able to control me. Maes had only spoken of this to me in my thoughts…even Colt didn’t know.

“They have a theory,” I said and met their stares again. “A few weeks ago I had
a vision—no, more like memories—but they weren’t mine. Chances are they were Marcus’s memories. They think that opened a connection, a bridge for Marcus to gain access to me, to my mind.”

Daniel
’s gaze saddened, and his shoulders sagged.

“Why did you do that?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I didn’t do it. It just happened.”

“I told you death and destruction follow her!” Brogan roared, his hands rising in the air. “I told you we should have abandoned her
. She’s just like her mother, worthless!” He stepped forward before Maes could grab his arm and poked his finger in my face. “Marcus won’t destroy the Timeless race. It’s
you
!”

Colt shoved me to the side as he pressed himself into Brogan
’s face.

“It’s your single
-mindedness that will destroy us, Brogan!” Colt snapped. “You only see one path, and any other is wrong. You have no vision, because you’ve never had faith in anyone long enough to see a different outcome.”

“And you only have faith in her because you want to gain something in the end! It’s always been that way for you, Colt. You’ve only ever been self-serving!”

“My love isn’t self-serving!”

“You don’t know how to love anyone beside yourself!”

Colt’s fist made contact with Brogan’s cheek before Brogan had time to step back. Seconds later, Brogan tackled Colt and they were rolling across the cold bricks. Maes, Koda, and Skylar latched themselves onto Brogan, trying to break his hold, while Dex, Daniel, and Clayton pried Colt away.

“
Enough!” Lilly screamed, and the fighting stopped. “We are a family. We don’t fight like this. We do everything together. We support one another, have faith in each other, even when all hope seems lost.”

Her dark blue eyes landed on me
.

“We are a family through thick and thin,” she
reminded me. “Always and forever.”

I looked away. We were a family at one time, but I’d been the one to tear it all apart. But in the end, I’d repair it. I’d restore their faith in me
. I had to.

I headed for the stairs, heavy footsteps following behind.

“Cheyenne, wait!”

I paused in the upstairs hall.
“I’m sorry, Colt.”

I knew I’d just made our living situation worse. I’d only wanted to find out what Shad knew, not hand everyone
over to Marcus so he could destroy everything. Even Colt didn’t understand, but he didn’t need to. He’d defend me no matter what, because he loved me, and nobody could show him otherwise.

Colt caught up to me and gently turned me around. A stream of blood trailed down his chin from his lip, a result of Brogan’s fist.

“You don’t need to be sorry, just don’t ever shut me out again. I’ll always be here to help you, to defend when necessary, and be your light. I can’t stay away from you—ever.”

H
is love would always be a wonder to me, but he gave it freely. He was my only light, and I was going to need it to survive.

“Come on.” I tugged on his arm. “We’re both bloody and need to get cleaned up.”

Colt showered in the main bathroom, while I chose to bathe in my bathroom since he informed me he’d fixed the pipe issue to busy himself while I was gone. The old cast iron tub water had a brownish tinge to it, but I slid in regardless. The pipes were old, but at least I had a tub to soak in.

My muscles still ached from the tumble with Shad. I slipped under the water, rinsing the crusted blood from my forehead and hair, grateful it no longer hurt.

As I lay resting my head on the tub’s edge, the warmth from the water seeped into my pores. I closed my eyes and replayed the day’s events.

Colt had called me out on hiding, on allowing others to control me by their actions…and he was right. I had. He also challenged me to fight, which I thought I had been, but
I realized I really hadn’t.

I’d been whining about my circumstances, about what I’d been put through, about all the los
ses I’d seen…yet I truly hadn’t done anything to stand up and fight—until now. Shad was a key to this somehow. Whether Marcus sent him or he just showed up, there were things I could learn from him. He might know things about my dreams, Marcus’s secrets, how to defeat him once and for all.

“Cheyenne?” Colt’s muffled voice sounded outside the bathroom door.

“Be out soon,” I replied. I knew he was waiting patiently for me. I had locked him out for over a week. He’d have questions.

Stepping out of the tub, I grabbed a towel and dried off. Gathering what little clothing I had, I pull
ed on a t-shirt and jeans. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I didn’t like our cold living conditions, but there wasn’t a whole lot we could do about it yet. At least I knew Colt would have a fire roaring, and I could warm myself there. I grabbed a sweater from the hook and shook out my wet locks. What I wouldn’t have given for a blow dryer.

I
took a brush from the counter and then left the bathroom to find Colt and Daniel waiting. Daniel immediately headed toward me.

“I—I’m sorry, Cheyenne. I didn’t mean to accuse you earlier.” He reached for my hand. “I didn’t mean to assume you deliberately made a connection with Marcus.”

“I know.” I squeezed his fingers, and headed towards the fire.

He
had just shown a normal reaction to why this happened. I’d have done the same myself. Daniel was just as faithful as Colt. Both would defend me to the end.

I sat on the rug before the fire, rubbing my hands near the flames. Colt and Daniel sat on either side
of me. Colt took the brush from my hands.

“Here, let me help,” he said
, and I didn’t argue as he began brushing through my tangles. He wanted a distraction, and this was the only thing around.

“So why Shad?” Daniel
asked, not holding back his questioning.

“He says he knows things about my dreams, and he could help me figure out a way to defeat Marcus,” I answered.

“How?” Colt asked. “Maes would surely have more information than Shad. Why not ask Maes?”

I sighed. “Maes won’t tell me things because he thinks I’
ll try something stupid. Shad and I have no connection whatsoever. He won’t think twice. He won’t care if I get hurt.”

Daniel didn’t need to reply for me to know what he was thinking. I saw it flash through his eyes. He’d rather I didn’t try and dig up information,
because he didn’t want to see me get hurt either. However, I was way beyond being hurt. Since the age of eighteen I’d lived it every day.

I touched his hand.

“It’ll be fine, Daniel. I have to search for a way to destroy Marcus before he destroys us.”

“She’s right, Daniel,” Colt said.

I turned to look into icy blue eyes, which were filled with worry, but he was committed to support me no matter the cost.

“We’re beyond having choices anymore. Cheyenne’s strong enough
. She’ll figure out a way, and it’s our job to back her up no matter what.”

A faint smile rose before it quickly faded, and he returned to brushing my hair.

Daniel looked over at me.

“Where do we start?” he asked.

I sighed. “I have no idea, but I’m sure we could come up with something.”

He nodded and Colt moved beside me
, setting the brush on the small table.

“Let’s get started then,” Colt said.

*****

A week had passed and my head was still spinning with questions, ideas
, and wrong directions. They’d banned Shad from being around us, but I knew he hadn’t left. We’d also decided it was best to allow Brogan and everyone else’s anger to diminish before I began looking for Shad, but a chance had come up, and I didn’t want to waste it. Colt had spotted him roaming just outside the walls, waiting and observing. If I could get to him via the secret passage, I could try and get him to spill his secrets, and nobody else would have to know. If he was anything like his brother, this would take time, too, so I needed him to feel safe.

I stopped at the bottom of the stairs. The great room was empty
, and the house appeared quiet. My stomach growled, and I put my hand on it. Maybe a quick bite to eat first before I headed out. I made for the kitchen, stopping before the old metal fridge, and opened it.

I rummaged through
the shelves. Surely there had to be something to snack on in here. I knew it’d still be a few days till Lilly and the others prepared a meal. What I wouldn’t have given for a frappe drizzled with caramel right now, regardless of the cold temperatures. I closed the fridge and turned around.

“Looking for this?” a voice asked.

A small screech escaped me as I spotted Shad leaning against the wooden island. He was holding some bread slices and a jar of peanut butter. And someone had finally given him a shirt.

I studied him for a moment,
as his amber-rimmed eyes searched mine.

“Why are you in here?” I asked.

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to ask questions, right? Thought I’d make it easier for you.”

I felt my brow twitch.

“Don’t you realize the others will tear you to pieces if they find you here?”