Callum: Trillionaire Shifter Club Book Four (5 page)

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

Callum grabbed hold of Ava’s hand,
and they were running off once again. Ava turned and saw Ruby trailing, having
trouble with catching up to them.

“Stop,” Ava
urged.

“What?”
Callum replied.

“We have to
wait for Ruby.”

They slowed
down as she caught up and Callum led them into one of the tent stalls which
wasn’t being operated at this time. They moved through to the back of it and
hid underneath a large work bench cluttered with beakers and other science
junk.

There was a
moment of silence.

“I think they
saw us,” Ruby whispered.

“Shut up,”
Ava hissed back.

“I think we
should keep running,” she said.

Ava turned
slightly and looked into Callum’s eyes. He didn’t seem certain either way.

Suddenly
light from the park spilled onto the surface in front of them. People were
entering the tent.

“Check those
cupboards,” Chase instructed. “And underneath the tables.”

Footsteps
shifted along the ground.

“I saw them!”
a woman’s voice called breathlessly. “Chase, I –”

“Where are
they?” Chase demanded.

“They went
through the side entrance to the tower. I think they’re going to the
underground parking.”

“Shit!” Chase
shouted. “Everyone, after them! They must be found at all costs!”

Noise shifted
through the tent.

The
footsteps, away from them.

And then
silence.

Callum, Ava
and Ruby held onto one another, too afraid to speak.

“Okay, you
can come out from there.”

They froze.

Lindsay’s
face peered down at them. “Yes, I know you’re there. Everyone out.”

They climbed
out from underneath the table. Ava searched round and realized the guards were
all gone.

“You sent
them in the wrong direction?” she asked.

“Yes, I’m
helping you,” Lindsay said.

“Why – I
thought you –”

“Come on,”
Callum said pushing past her. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Just a
minute,” Lindsay said. “I know a better way.”

She exited
the tent.

Ava turned to
Callum. “We should follow her.”

“She can’t be
trusted,” Callum said. “She’s involved with –”

“You heard
her!” Ruby protested. “She led the others away!”

Callum sighed
and then proceeded to follow Lindsay’s lead. They rushed back out to the ground
and moved round until they were at the front of a section of attractions that
were also closed. Lindsay led them up the ramp of the ghost train, and through
the curtain into the ride. She switched on the dim lights within and made some
alterations to the controls mounted to the wall.

“What the
hell are you doing?” Callum demanded.

Lindsay
looked back at him slyly. “This train here is a secret way out of the park. If
you make the right adjustments it will take you to a tunnel that leads out to
the main road. Chase and I have used it numerous times.”

“I want to
know why you’re helping us,” Callum said.

“I couldn’t
even begin to…” Lindsay said, trailing off.

“Begin to
what?”

Lindsay bowed
her head. “I heard the Dark Prince is coming here tonight. You need to get that
message out.”

She pulled
back a leaver and sparkling green lights lit up along the track.

“On you go,”
Lindsay instructed.

Ava and Ruby
climbed aboard the train.

Callum
lingered behind. “Did he send you as well then?”

“If he did,”
Lindsay replied, “then would he allow me to tell you?”

Callum took a
deep breath, moved by her words. He climbed into the train cart next to Ava,
his face staring down the tunnel ahead.

“What was she
talking about?” Ava asked.

“It’s a long
story,” Callum said.

Lindsay then
pulled the final lever, and the train’s engine revved into motion.

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

Ten. Nine. Eight, seven.
Six…

Ruby stood up
as distant fireworks from the theme park lit up the sky. “I should really get
going. I can see the two of you want to be alone together.”

Ava and
Callum were sitting together, on the other side of the fire, keeping themselves
warm.

“Don’t be
stupid,” Ava said. “There’s nowhere for you to go.”

“I could call
my Mom. Have her come get me.”

“How’s she
going to find you? There’s nothing out here.”

“I know where
the road is,” Ruby stammered. “I can walk along it, find a gas station –”

“What if
they’re still looking for us? What if they find you?”

“Well, it’s
gotta be better than waiting for his friend to show up. We’ve been here for a
bloody hour already.”

“I’m really
sorry,” Callum said. “He’s the only person I trust. We have to wait.”

“For how much
longer?”

“I have no
idea.”

Ava stood up
and approached Ruby. “Sit back down. Please.”

Ruby
shrugged. She complied, shaking her head.

“This is so
crazy,” she said. “We should just call the cops.”

“Contacting
the police would close the gap between us and them,” Callum said. “They’d be
easily able to get to you.”

“Why – why
would they even want to?” Ruby argued. “We didn’t even see anything freaky.”

“I left my
mark on Madame Patricia. She will desire revenge. She won’t stop till she gets
it.”

“That shit’s
between you and her.”

“It’s between
all of us.”

“Guys,” Ava
said. “Can we not fight?”

“I’m just
airing my concerns,” Ruby said. “I think I have a right.”

“This is just
the beginning,” Callum said rising to his feet. “A war between shifters and
vampires. For too long, the vampires have been made to feel oppressed. Second
class citizens in the supernatural world. This … is their first move in taking
over. I have to report back to the Guardian … and his son…”

“Who are
they?” Ava asked.

“The shifter
council who protect the city, they’re inherently corrupt. Now that Bane and the
Trillionaire Club have fallen, there’s only one source of power in this world.
And that lies in the Lion Guardian and his isolated kingdom. It was his son
Rory, who told me about this.”

“Is he a lion
shifter too?” Ava asked.

Callum
nodded. “He used to run the shifter club before Bane took over. There was a
falling out between him and … his half brother, Slash. From what I’ve overheard
during my ‘stay’ with the vampires, Slash appears to have betrayed the rest of
us.”

“You see, I
don’t get that,” Ruby said. “If this is a shifter vs vamps war, why are there
shifters helping the vampires?”

“War brings
traitors from either camps. I can’t speak about Slash, but as far as Chase goes
… he has been acting on his own accord.”

“So is this
‘Rory’ guy coming for us then?” Ruby asked.

“I don’t
know,” Callum said. “I just left a message with his people. Someone will come
for us.”

Ruby shook
her head. She stood up.

“You guys
don’t mind if I call my Mom just to let her know where I am, do you?”

Ava turned to
Callum.

“I wouldn’t
recommend it,” he said.

Ruby turned
her nose up at him and walked off in the snow.

“Stay close
by,” Ava called after her.

“I’m trying
to get reception,” Ruby hollered back.

She
disappeared into the dark around them.

Callum stood
beside Ava. “She’ll be alright,” he said. “They won’t find us out here.”

“Are you sure
they won’t be drawn to the fire?” Ava questioned.

Callum
inhaled calmly. “I’ll know if they are.”

He put his
arm around her and Ava sighed with relief, still not believing much of what
happened or where they were. They looked up to the colorful sky together and
held each other tightly.

So that they
would never let go.

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

Ruby took one last look at the pair,
and then slowly descended the hill before her. She moved further into the
trees, quiet and darkness all around her. She took out her phone and made the
call.

“Chase?” she
whispered.

“Hello,
beautiful. Are you still with them?”

“I just took
a breather. Said I was calling home. They’re just standing around looking at
the sky together.”

“And what’s
the plan from here?”

“Someone is
supposedly coming to get us. But I don’t know when.”

“Did he say
who?”

“Someone
named Rory. And he mentioned a Guardian. Does that mean anything to you?”

“Yes, it
does,” Chase replied. “He’s that old friend of mine I wanted to get
reacquainted with.”

“Okay.”

“Did he say
anything else about him?”

“Only that he
told him this stuff was going to happen. And Lindsay mentioned some stuff to
him before we left –”

“Yes, I know
all about that. I told her to say it.”

“You did?”

“Yes.”

“Are you …
are you guys still…?”

“Listen to my
voice, Ruby. Picture … me staring into your eyes. Can you do that for me?”

“I can see
it.”

“You love me.
You only love me. Lindsay doesn’t matter. Only you and I. Just keep repeating
it over and over and over. Think it in your mind.”

“I’m trying
to.”

“I know you
are. You have proven yourself quite loyal.”

“So what am I
supposed to do now? Do I keep going with them when Callum’s friend shows up?”

“Yes, and
keep your phone switched on as we’re tracking you. For safety.”

“Okay…”

“Good.”

“And … when
will it be over?”

“I’ll let you
know.”

A dial tone.
He’d hung up.

“Chase…?”
Ruby murmured. “Are you still there?”

She looked at
her phone, her heart sinking.

Just picture
me,
his
voice sang to her inside.

I’m holding
you. I’m loving you.

The others do
not matter.

There is only
us.

Forever. And
ever.

And ever.

Until the end
of time.

 
CHAPTER
TWENTY

A gust of harsh wind blew Ruby
Wittrock off her knees and face-first into the snow. As she looked up, the
creature saw her glimpse his presence and he took off flying higher and higher.

From this
height, he could see the dark van making its approach. As to who was inside of
it, the creature could only guess. But an accurate guess it would be.

He passed
over Callum Ren and Ava Armadale, who were now on the ground together, making
out passionately.

The
creature’s wings extended and he glided towards the direction of the lights…

Beyond the
forest, and the road nearby…

Over the
towering resort and the hills behind it…

Towards the
Shifter World he flew, out onto the open roof of the tower.

There he
landed, a haze of black and purple smog rising from his feet.

His arching
frame materialized and rose above it, looking downward to his brothers and
their Queen.

“We didn’t
think you were coming,” Curtis mumbled.  “You missed quite the party.”

“On the
contrary,” Casper Stalker replied. “I’m just in time.”

He snapped
his fingers and Patricia ran to his side.

He put his
hands through her hair.

“Have
security shut down all the exits.”

“It’s too
late,” Leon said. “We already let them go. They’re going to lead us to the
Guardian.”

“I know,”
Casper said stiffly. “I just don’t want anyone else to escape.”

“You mean …
anyone…?” Curtis questioned.

“I mean
anyone.”

Patricia
kissed his cheek. “Consider it done.”

She moved
away quickly towards the roof’s exit.

Casper raised
his hand so that his brothers would join him on their feet.

“What aren’t
you telling us?” Leon asked.

Casper turned
and walked out to the edge.

His brothers
looked over.

“What?” Leon
demanded. “What are we not seeing?”

Curtis
touched Leon’s shoulder.

And then
their eyes began to melt into the distant horizon, where a swarm of bats was
making their way towards them.

“What is – ?”
Leon stammered.

“Who are –?”
Curtis began.

“Yes,” Casper
replied. “We have some friends joining us tonight. And they are … ever so …
hungry…”