Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (10 page)

“We’ll help you,” Koda said
, as if he was reading my mind. “But you’re going to have to do your part as well. It can’t be one-sided.”

“I love you, Chey,” Daniel whispered. “I’d never let anyone take you away from us.
You’re the reason our family came together again after so many years apart. You’re one of us, now, my sister.”

He drew back, smiled down on me, and eventually moved over. Koda sat on my opposite side
, and we stared at the fire. It was the calmest I’d felt in a long time. Maybe it was because Koda reminded me so much of Colt, or maybe it was because I felt I had a piece of Colt still with me. Or maybe it was because I was finally realizing what I’d been doing.

Koda began fiddling with his stick. “
What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?”

I raised a brow. Where had this come from?

“A stick!” He began chuckling.

I stared, dumbfounded.

“What do you get from a pampered cow?” he asked.

I shrugged.

“Spoiled milk!”

Daniel began laughing, and I couldn’t stop my lips
from twitching into a smile.

“What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?”

“Uh, I don’t know,” I replied.

“A nervous wreck!”

I couldn’t help myself. A snort came forth, which caused Daniel to laugh harder and drove Koda on.

“
One day a blond was driving on the highway and got pulled over by a cop. The cop said, ‘Why do you keep swerving?’ The blond replied, ‘I turn one way and there's a tree, I turn again there's a tree, and then there's a whole bunch more trees popping out of nowhere.’ The cop replied, ‘You dork, that’s your air freshener!’” Koda began chortling loudly, and I started to giggle.

“Those are the stupidest jokes I’ve ever heard!” I exclaimed.

“I know!” Koda bellowed.

We continued laughing for some time before I rolled to my back and stared up at the stars.

“You’re gonna be just fine,” Koda said quietly.

I didn’t reply, but held on
to his hope that I would be.

Eventually we made our way back to the estate. I saw the crowd in the sitting room as we stepped onto the terrace. I stopped in my tracks. I’d been
acting like a spoiled child since these clan members had arrived. I’d snapped at them and acted rudely. Yet another mistake to add to the growing list.

Daniel leaned in closer. “It’s going to be okay, Chey
. They’re more understanding than you think.”

Maybe I didn’t want understanding, maybe…

I took a step back. Then there was Callon and what I’d done to him this morning.

“Colt would have wanted you to move forward, Cheyenne,” Koda said as I bumped into his chest.

I was completely surrounded; they weren’t going to let me turn back.

Daniel opened the terrace door
, and Koda gently nudged me in. Silence fell over the room. Lilly rose and hesitated. Dex moved beside her, his hand on her shoulder.

“Cheyenne,” Lilly called out softly. “Are you—
”

“It’s about damn time!” Maes snarled as he barreled into the dimly lit room. “Have fun with your little fire show did you? Feeling better now?”

He, no wait,
they
were watching what happened? The beast clawed at my chest, wanting its release again, and I clenched my fists. I couldn’t allow this dog’s cruel, cutting words to affect me. Daniel grasped my hand, and Koda blocked the green-eyed monster from my view.

“What’s this? You now have your own bodyguards? I’ve never met anyone more—”

“Enough!” Callon growled. He stormed forward from the corner of the hall. Nakari followed behind him, her emerald eyes avoiding mine. She stopped just to the right of Callon, her shoulder touching his.

My chest tightened.
Was she afraid of me? Did she still think I was going to hurt her, or was it something else?

“She nearly got Andre killed and you’re not going to say anything?!” Maes demanded. His footsteps grew closer.

“She didn’t do anything, Maes,” Callon snapped. “You heard what Skylar said. There’s something in the water. Cheyenne had nothing to do with it.”

I inhaled a shaky breath, pushed Koda aside, and pulled away from Daniel. Lilly and Dex rushed forward, but I sidestepped them.

“I’m a total and complete failure, Maes.” My throat tightened as I was fighting to hold back my rage. “Is this what you wanted to hear? I’m sorry I’m not following your rules and that I’m mourning Colt’s death longer than you deem appropriate. I’m sorry that you think I didn’t do enough to help Andre. I’m sorry for being such a horrid person since everyone arrived here.” I met his green eyes. “I’m sorry I can’t be what you want me to be.”

“Stop apologizing, Cheyenne. We’re not forcing all this pressure on you,” Callon said. “Stop doing this to yourself.” He reached for me, and the creature inside
rose its head.

“How dare you, you hypocrite!” My hand rose and came down hard against his cheek. “The only way to defeat Marcus, the sole living Kvech heir…that’s all you’ve said from the start! Don’t even
think
about turning the blame onto me! You did this, you, you, you!”

I stared, shocked
, afraid, and humiliated at what I’d just done. So much for wanting to start over. My hand began throbbing, and I ran from the room. I raced up the stairs, knowing Callon wasn’t far behind me. I couldn’t breathe by the time I’d reached my bedroom door and slammed it shut behind me.

What was I becoming? Daniel had just told me I was the one driving this family apart
, and it was as if his words didn’t matter. I sat on my bed facing the terrace, my breath still ragged. This anger coursing through me…it was too much. I couldn’t control it.

The landing outside my door creaked. Callon was there, but he hadn’t entered yet. Would he? Or would he walk away again when I needed him most? Why did my mind and heart feel like a jumbled mess?

The cool night air drifted through the opened terrace doors, and my bedroom door creaked open. He’d come inside, but did I truly want him here? I lowered my head, my shoulders slumped forward and I clasped my fingers together tightly. I’d made a mess of things again. I sensed his eyes on my back, waiting, unsure.

“Why can’t you understand?” I whispered.

He moved closer, and I held up my hand.

“Don’t come near me.” I knew what I was doing, hiding, running to the only safe spot I knew.

“Cheyenne, why?” Callon pleaded. His hands ran through his hair. “All I want to do is help you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

The beast surged again.

“Liar!” I clenched my fingers into fists as the whirlwind of the last few days came to life again. “You don’t help me. You hurt me. You’ve never told me the truth. You’ve manhandled me like a piece of meat. You’ve never asked about my feelings or thoughts, and just treat me like a puppet to bow to your whims.” The incident at the lake flew into my mind and tears began to pour without my consent. I couldn’t stop my voice from quivering. “You were going to take Colt away from me, just so I could be yours. You’ve never tried to win my heart, only seize it. You’re no better than Marcus…”

“Enough!” Callon roared and I flinched, curling myself away from him.

What was I doing?

He exhaled heavily and moved towards the terrace, stopping so he could see me through the glass.

“Forgive me,” he sighed, but then hesitated. “Is this really what you think of me?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Once again I’d just blurted out what was in my heart without thought to what the consequences would be. My anger, rage,
the beast
had gotten the better of me again. I’d let it loose. And now I couldn’t tell the difference. I was utterly lost.

I drew my knees to my chest.

“I don’t know anymore,” I whispered. “I’m drowning, Callon, and I don’t know what to do.” The cool air wrapped itself around me, and I shivered. I didn’t want to be this cold-hearted shell. “I know…you want to help. You all do. But I don’t know how you can.” I swallowed and lowered my head further. “Or if I even want it.”

Callon turned to face me.
“What do you mean?”

I released a shaky breath, not wanting to meet his hazel eyes, ashamed at what I was about to admit again.

“When…When I saw Colt die, all I could feel was pure, hot anger.” I held myself closer as I relived the memory. “I couldn’t see, couldn’t think. There was just this…rage. This all-consuming, blazing inferno that rampaged through every inch of my flesh. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to make someone suffer.”

He walked to the bed and sat beside me, but
he didn’t try to touch me. Instead he rubbed his cheek where I’d slapped him.

“I wanted to make Marcus feel every bit of hurt he’d ever done to me.” I closed my eyes as I began to shake. “I wanted to burn that pain deep into his heart, engrave it there so he’d never forget.” I paused. “And I almost killed everyone because of it.”

Callon drew his arm around me, and I didn’t fight it.

“What am I becoming, Callon?” I whispered as I looked up into his weary eyes. “These feelings inside of me
—they’re out of control, and it scares me.” I wiped the tears from my cheeks, remembering all too well the hurt and pain I’d caused him this morning. “I don’t want to hurt the ones I love, I don’t! But this darkness, this
beast
that’s raging in my soul, it’s eating at me day by day. One day there’ll be nothing left but the hate, and then…” My breath caught, and I couldn’t speak as the tears burst forth.

“Hush,” he said, pulling me into a tight embrace.

I wrapped my arms around him as I began sobbing. I hated what I was becoming. He stroked my hair and gently began rocking me.

“Cheyenne, it’s normal to feel like this…”

“How?” I sniffled. “How can it be normal to want to destroy everything!”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Callon rubbed my shoulder. “When I saw Colt fall…it was like watching a dream. I couldn’t believe it. My
brother, my comrade-in-arms, my best friend, gone, just like that. And then Marcus started laughing.”

His jaw tightened against my cheek.

“In that moment, I would’ve ripped him from limb to limb. I would’ve faced his entire army, fought against every Tresez and Tracker he had, if only to let him feel half the pain I felt.”

Callon paused, as he seemed to relive the memory himself.

“I know what that kind of venomous hate feels like, because it’s not the first time Marcus has hurt my family.”

I stiffened and withdrew slightly
so I could see his face. “What? He’s done this before?”

He cupped my cheek. It was
as if he was deciding to tell me the truth, the whole truth about him and his family. It was as if he was now ready to tell me his secrets. I held onto his arm, waiting.

“My sisters,” he finally said. “They were living far from the front lines.” He glanced away from me, staring at the bed sheets. “I never thought Marcus would find them, but he did.” He swallowed. “He didn’t spare my brother
s-in-law, not my nephews and nieces. He slaughtered them all, and leveled their homes to the ground. And he did it for the sole reason of getting to me.”

Callon’s eyes narrowed before he closed them. He knew what I was feeling, the pain, and the agony. My fingers brushed his cheek
, and he raised his hand and held it there.

“If they hadn’t been related to me, Marcus wouldn’t have cared,” he said, still unable to hold my gaze. “He
would’ve left them alone. But he tracked them down, hunted them, knowing he’d do so much more damage than if he’d attacked me directly.” He tapped his chest. “He hit me here, and it was the worst pain I could ever imagine.”

“Callon…” I leaned in and kissed his cheek. How could I have been so blind and selfish? “I—I had no idea.”

His head rose as his hands came to rest on my shoulders. The intensity in his eyes…I couldn’t look away.

“He’s doing the same to you,” he said. “He took Colt away to drown you in the darkness, suffocate you in your own hate.
Because he’s afraid of you, Cheyenne. He knows your power, and he’s trying to screen your eyes from it, to limit your potential.”

He leaned in closer as the reality of everything hit me hard. I’d known it, but I was refusing to see it till now. Our brows touched.

“I don’t want you to go to that place I did,” he murmured. “The darkness so deep you can’t see where you’ve been or where you’re going. Where your heart is so blackened you can’t feel pain or joy. Where you want nothing more than to fade away because you think there’s no reason for you to live anymore.”

He knew…

“When you’re drowning…” I whispered, “…and you’re scared everyone’s going to go down with you, so you try and make them stay away.”

I ran my hands up his arms, resting them at the back of his neck. This was the Callon I needed, the man who knew my pain and could help me, but would he?