Authors: Jaime Reed
Burning Emerald (22 page)
Tobias wrenching out the dagger was the last thing I saw before my hand slipped. Gravity pulled me downward, my arms flung over my head as the second floor drew farther away from me. I landed on my back against broken wood planks, albums, and soft couch cushions. It wasn't a hard fall. Plus, the stabbing pain below my right rib kinda blotted out all other injury. But the drop itself left me stunned with tiny starbursts and dust coating my vision. Beyond the light show stood two men looking down at me from a hole in the floor. Behind them lay a ruptured roof, exposing the burnt night with moving clouds.
“Samara!” Tobias's frantic screams accompanied footsteps and low grunts of pain that seemed to shake the remaining walls. If the deep, guttural roar was any sign that I had outstayed my welcome, the growing cracks snaking the ceiling made it clear.
“Samara, run! Get out of the house and take Haden with you!” Capone shouted down to me as the second floor began to crumble under heavy pressure.
I rolled on my side, stumbled to my feet, and raced toward the front door, which now stood in triplicate. More rumbles and yells aimed at my back, but I trained my focus on the exit, and chose the door in the middle. Neighbors in bathrobes held cell phones, gawking at the sleigh bed and dresser scattered across the lawn. Yells and accusations rent the air as people huddled around the demolished yard.
I took off in the opposite direction, cutting through the row of bushes that divided the next cluster of houses. My feet ate up the dirt and grass, my thighs burned, my throat felt like sandpaper, sweat and drywall prickled my face, and yet I kept running. My hand pressed into my side, staving off the gush of blood that wasn't there. I had to remind myself that it was mind over matter, and my feelings couldn't be trusted. Not anymore.
I must have reached four blocks when I realized I'd left my car. And Haden. I wasn't about to go back for either of them, even if Haden still had my keys. I decided if I got far enough, I would call Mom. Haden was larger than I was and well able to handle himself.
But I couldn't stop, not now, not while the fear of pursuit remained fresh. Whoever it was, he gained on me fast, shrinking the distance between us with each second, until I could almost feel his breath on the back of my neck. I pushed my legs out, pumping faster, running harder, but my limbs wouldn't cooperate.
Something heavy knocked me to the ground. I rolled on my back, fists swinging. My screams were no more than whispers, but I fought without sight.
“Sam, it's me.” I heard his voice, but I didn't want to believe it. My body was shutting down, its adrenaline wearing thin. I was too far gone to weed out the Caleb imposter, but I had to try. To my knowledge, Tobias never fed from Caleb. Our link may allow Tobias to feel Caleb's emotions, but he didn't have his memories.
Between breaths, I asked, “You told me you loved me once. Where were we?”
“In your bedroom,” he answered without pause. A lavender glow filled his eyes, silhouetting his face and body. “But Caleb gives you quarters every day in case you forget.”
And that's when I broke down. I laid my head back against the chilly grass, trembling with each sob. My breath fogged the air, making little smoke signals in the night.
Capone took my hand and pulled me up. I lay limp against his body, which seemed to hum with vitality. I would've killed for just a drop of that energy now, because I'd been torn into three pieces: Tobias, Caleb, and whatever was left of myself.
Capone wrapped his arms around me and stroked my back. “It's all right, Samara. It's me. Caleb is safe. But we have to get you out of here.” Capone winced at the pain in his side, as our twin wounds throbbed in the same rhythm.
“I feel it, too,” I said. “I'm not bonded to either of you, but I feel pain.”
“We feel his response to the pain, nothing more. If you were bonded, you'd be bleeding all over the place, so be thankful.” He paused for a moment as if in thought, then said, “I think it's starting to go away. That means he's healing, and he'll be coming after us soon.”
“Come with me,” I begged. “I don't know how long that energy I gave you will last.” I wiped my tears on his shirt, then looked around. “Where's Haden?”
“He took your car and is looking for you. We need to get on the main road.”
I patted my jean pockets for my phone. “I'll just call him.”
I was relieved that it hadn't been damaged in the fight and that I had two good bars left on my battery, but I paused at the time on the display. 11:46? Only ten minutes had passed since I entered Caleb's house? Ten minutes, two lifetimes, and a leap year was more accurate. I called Haden, who sounded as weary and terrified as I felt.
“Where are you?” he barked.
I searched the area until I spotted a street sign.
“We're just five blocks away. Head toward the highway. We'll meet you there in a minute.” I shoved the phone in my pocket as a hand yanked me forward, almost giving me whiplash.
“Run!” Capone yelled.
Running was the last thing I wanted to do right now. That was, until I sensed the danger storming behind us. At first, we only heard it coming, the bending and cracking of branches, the swooshing of leaves.
“Come on!” Capone held firmly to my arm, dragging me along like a child with a kite. He moved more quickly than I could; my feet barely touched the ground. Capone's movements appeared locked in counterpoise as the surroundings blurred around us. The wind stung my face, my legs ached, but I kept moving.
We cut through a small wooded area, the trees spaced far enough to see the road and houses on the other side. Just like those chicks in the movies, I made the foolish mistake of turning around. Tobias had warned me of what he could do, but I hadn't been prepared to see it. Not then, not ever.
A storm burrowed behind us, eating all in its path like a dead star. Lawn furniture, shrapnel, and particles swirled in the eye of this cyclone. Streetlights, even the glow of the moon absorbed into its vacuum, but the beast craved the taste of flesh. Unsatisfied, it spat out debris around our heads. Splinters and glass scraped our skin. It plowed forward, moving as we did, echoing its rage with inhuman howls and cries.
We made a sharp left in an attempt to confuse it. I lost my footing, stumbled, and righted myself again without missing a beat. Making up for whatever adrenaline I'd lost, fear tapped into hidden reserves, and rebooted my system once again.
I didn't know how fast we were going, but I could never have achieved this mileage by my own strength. The green glow tinting my vision answered that riddle, but why was Lilith helping? Wasn't it her plan to be with Tobias? Or maybe survival trumped romance at the moment? Either way, now was not the time to refuse aid.
Trees and brush zoomed past me as the world was set on fast forward, and I no longer needed Capone's hand. We raced side by side, hurling over brush and logs to get to the finish line.
Leaves and wet earth gave way to paved road. I stopped to catch my breath, watching the houses and more forest sitting across the empty street. Capone rested his hands on his knees, his breath coming out in puffs of steam.
“Where is Haden?” he asked.
Before I could answer, a pair of high beams blinded us. The driver leaned on the horn, trying to get our attention. Shielding my eyes, I ran toward the car. Whether it was Haden or an angry commuter, it was worth the risk to get him to stop. The car slammed on brakes and spun in the middle of the road as the driver's window rolled down.
“Get in! It's coming!” Haden yelled.
The warning was unnecessary. We could feel Tobias snapping at our heels, his heat at our backs. We didn't need to see what lurked behind us; the wide-eyed terror on Haden's face told it all.
He opened the back door. “Come on!”
Capone kicked from the ground and leapt inside headfirst. He misjudged the landing, slid across the seat, and struck the opposite door.
I hopped inside with better care, while Haden floored it before I could close the door. The cloud enclosed the car, bouncing off its veneer, causing as much harm as vapor. Again and again, it rammed against the open door only to fan out behind an invisible screen. Nothing but two inches of empty space separated us from harm, yet that was enough to deny him entry.
Not pressing my luck, I slammed the door shut and rolled up the windows. Relieved to be out of harm's wayâif only for two secondsâI regarded the narrow road stretched before us.
It was a miracle we didn't crash on the way back to the interstate. Haden veered from lane to lane, dodging the shadow that chased us down. It was hard to tell what caused the motion sickness, Tobias playing bumper cars with the fellow commuters, or Haden's daredevil driving. Each turn flung me from one side of the car to another, and I scrambled around for my seat belt.
“You mind telling me what the hell just happened back there?” Haden yelled from the front seat.
“I'll explain when we get someplace safe,” I promised.
“And where would that be?”
The answer at once solved the riddle of the strange shield. I didn't know why I hadn't realized it before. “My house. It's protected and he can't get in,” I said. “He can't hurt us there or while we're in this car.”
Haden turned his profile to me. “Protected?”
“Olive oil protects the house,” I explained.
“Olive oil? Are you telling me that thing back there was a ...” The statement went unfinished when my cell phone rang.
I reached in my pocket and answered the call. “Mom?”
“Samara, where are you? You said you were coming back home; you should have been here by now. I was about to call the police. Where are you?”
“I'm fine, but Caleb is hurt. We're on our way home now. Is Michael there?”
There was a pause before she answered, “He just pulled up in a cab. Samara, what's going on?”
I ignored her question and asked, “Is there anyone else there?”
“No ... why?”
“We'll be there in a few minutes. When we pull up, I want you to open the door.”
Mom stammered, “O-okay? Why do you sound frantic? What's going onâ”
I hung up. Too many questions; not enough time.
The car traced the warped curve toward the shadow of trees up ahead. As luck would have it, I only saw one cop car in the area, empty and parked in front of a minimart, but not even the threat of arrest could lift Haden's foot off the gas. My free hands clamped down on the back of the driver's seat as I held my breath. All we had to do was get there.
While Haden auditioned for NASCAR, I tended to Caleb, who remained unconscious next to me. I held his head on my chest and tried to wake him. Blood leaked from the growing knot on his head.
“Capone? Caleb? Either of you, come on, wake up. Please, wake up.” I ignored the pain in my own head and rocked him in my arms, hoping my nearness alone could revive him.
Apparently, Haden felt that the use of the driveway was merely a suggestion. The car hopped onto the curb, barely missing the mailbox, and charged over the grass toward the walkway. Dirt and grass kicked from under the tires, and tracks of bare earth marred the landscape. He would've driven through my living room if I hadn't yelled for him to stop. He honked the horn and the front door swung open. Mom stepped out of the house, rubbing the chill from her arms.
“Get back inside!” I yelled as I opened the door.
Haden went around the car and helped me pull Caleb from the backseat. Michael rushed from the front door to help. The olive oil I'd used protected the house and the inside of my car, but not the few yards in between. Caleb's dead weight was slowing us down and Tobias was getting closer.
The brothers hefted Caleb across the lawn.
“What is that?” Michael pointed to something just beyond the trees. I didn't look and neither did Haden. We moved faster as the wind picked up and the leaves swiveled around our feet.
“Come on, hurry,” Mom coached from the doorway as the darkness surrounded the lawn and blackened the security lights. Slowly, she retreated into the house, cowering from the image that had produced that horrified look on her face. Unable to look away, she nearly tripped while holding the door open for us.
Twelve feet had never been such a far distance. While moving backward, Michael stumbled on the second step, causing a chain reaction of clumsy maneuvering. My hand held firm to Caleb's leg, using his jeans as a handle to pull him along.
The shade followed us across the grass, up the stairs of the porch, and stopped short at the threshold just as I slammed the door behind me. Leaves and papers fluttered in the foyer and settled to the floor. I leaned against the door, absorbing the central heating and the promise of safety.
Mom hurried to my side and touched my cheek and dust-covered hair, flinching at every new injury she came across. Her bun had fallen loose and brown tendrils cascaded down her round, angelic face, but her greeting was anything but heavenly. I heard her speak in that high-pitched screech of alarm, but I couldn't register her words.
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