Find Me If You Dare (Dreamcatcher Book 2) (29 page)

She smiled.
Maybe we can come back later, just the two of us?
Her voice was so seductive; I could feel her curves in the palms of my hands.

My pants tightened.
Know a spell to make everyone pass out?

She chuckled. The sound fluttered in my chest.
I’m sure I can come up with something
, she said.

As we neared our destination, I let Lian take the lead. Samantha and I hadn’t strayed from the path before; only Lian knew where we were going. She picked up the pace as the sound of running water grew louder. Soon, my nerves were bouncing at a speed to match. This was going to feel incredible. The damp smell hit me shortly thereafter, and the trees began to thin.

Like a piece of fantasy art, a cliff maybe two-stories high stood in front of us. Sunlight bounced off a little waterfall running into a small, deep lake the color of sapphire. Kayla squeezed my hand. Shale, river rocks, and large boulders covered in moss lined the shore. Bright green trees surrounded us in a near-perfect circle, providing patches of shade in an otherwise sunny slice of Heaven.

My jaw dropped. This place couldn’t belong to Earth.

Seth slugged my shoulder before peeling off his shirt and shoes. “I’m jumpin’ in.”

Lian smiled. “It’s fun. Just be careful. The rock up there is slippery.”

He grinned and hiked up the small cliff, raising his hands when he reached the top. “I’m king of the world!” As everyone chuckled, he leaped off and splashed into the water below.

“Shit, man, it’s freezin’!” he said as soon as his head popped through the surface of the water.

“Yeah, I don’t care how cold it is. I’m totally doing that, too.” Nolan stripped down to his trunks and began climbing the side of the rocky wall.

When the others followed, I turned to Kayla. She stared at the cliff, biting her lip. “Want to give it a go?” I asked.

A squeal followed Ashleigh all the way to the surface of the water.

Kayla slipped her hand out of mine and crossed her arms over her stomach. “No, you go ahead. I’m just going to get in.”

I tipped my head. She flinched when another person plopped into the lake. I forced myself not to smile and put a hand on each of her arms. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re afraid of heights?”

She snapped her gaze to mine, her cheeks blushing. “I’m not afraid of heights. I didn’t freak out on that rooftop in Paris, did I? I just don’t see the point of climbing a tall rock when you could easily fall to your death.”

I couldn’t keep the corner of my mouth from raising this time. “It’s really not as high as you think it is.” I tucked hair behind her ear. “We can jump at the same time, if you want.”

She pressed her lips together. “You promise you won’t let go?”

I nodded. “And I’ll even climb up behind you in case you do slip.”

Sighing, she stepped out of her shoes and began to unbutton her shorts.

I slid my shirt over my head and unlaced my sneakers. “Besides, it’ll be a nice view.”

She smirked and smacked my arm. “Boy, you’re cheeky today.”

Laughing, I grabbed her hand, leading her to the cliff. “We’re all entitled to a good mood once in a while, yeah?”

At the rock’s base, Kayla turned me around. Her smile met her ears. “It does look really attractive on you.”

A pang shocked my heart. It probably had been a long time since she’d seen me truly happy.

My hands on her lower back, I drew her close, pressing my lips to hers. Kayla’s palms rested on my bare chest as she deepened the kiss, and the warmth shot tingles into my toes.

“Come on, you two!” Nolan shouted. “We don’t want to smell your stinky asses all night.”

I sighed against her mouth and reluctantly pulled away. The absence of her lips on mine stung. Kayla’s hands lingered a moment longer on my chest, and then she stepped back and started to climb.

At the top of the cliff, I took her hand. It shook. “Hey, just hold tight to me and jump out from the rock when I say ‘three.’ Okay?”

She nodded.

I started the countdown, and when I hit “three,” we leaped into the air. For only seconds, we were suspended in time, and for each moment, Kayla’s fingers were like nails in my hand. My stomach flew out the top of my skull, and then we hit the water, and it took everything I had not to gasp at the chill. Kayla’s hand freed itself from mine, and I kicked until my head broke the surface.

Cheers filled the air as Kayla tipped back, floating, and let out a giddy laugh. I smiled till my face hurt and reveled in the chill of the water, letting it soak my hair and deep into my bones, cooling my sore muscles. What a holiday it would be if we could stay here forever.

I caught the shampoo and soap Seth tossed my way and scrubbed every inch of my body until it hurt. After Margaret’s brutal death, sweating in the August heat, and sleeping on a barn floor for two days, cleanliness was intoxicating, as was my friends’ happiness. I joined in as they swam and splashed one another, laughter filling the air around us. For God knows how long, we dunked one another, leaped off the cliff, and watched Samantha beat the crap out of Nolan when he untied her top.

When the sun reached the top of the trees, I reminded everyone that it was only late afternoon and there were still hours of sunlight. Moping, the eleven of us climbed out of the swimming hole and shivered as we wrapped ourselves with towels.

“We have got to do that again,” Ivan said, running a comb through his dark hair.

“Maybe tomorrow after Daniel puts us through tournament hell,” Samantha joked.

“Can I just back out now and pretend I got my ass kicked?” Ashleigh asked.

“If you don’t want to participate, that’s fine,” I answered. “I do ask you at least practice while I beat everyone else senseless.”

“Oh, look, he’s still cocky, even after I won today’s race,” Lian replied.

I gently punched her arm.

After tossing what was left of our toiletries into bags and throwing on our dry clothes over our swimsuits, we stepped into the trees, heading for the field to prepare for tomorrow’s battle.

ven as we crossed the field, our laughter was so loud; I was sure the Angels could hear us thousands of miles above. For how shitty our lives had become, today was going to go down as one of the best I’d had in a long time.

“So, what’s the plan, boss?” Nolan joked.

I half-smirked. “I’m going to pair everyone into twos, except for Lian, of course.”

“That’s right,” she said. “While you break noses, I’m going to work on my tan.”

“Wait a minute,” Ivan said, holding up a hand. “Do you hear that?”

We all froze, silencing.

In the distance, a siren screeched. I’d heard several like them, years ago. Not quite a fire alarm; not quite a tornado warning. I closed my eyes and listened harder, trying to place the noise.

World War II. Right before bombs dropped from the sky.

My eyes snapped open as my pulse raced.

The ground began to shake. From above, a loud roar split the silence as a plane fell from the clouds, its tail on fire.

“Oh my God,” Samantha whispered.

We watched it fall toward the east of Yangzhou—and explode before it even touched the tops of the trees. My knees wavered. What the hell was happening?

“Daniel, we need to get back to the barn,” Vinny said.

I nodded and reached out my hand for Kayla.

A loud
crack
split the air. I spun on my heels as the trees to our west fell in rapid succession, like a giant bulldozer snapped them from their roots. Every hair on my body stood on end, and a nauseatingly strong scent of sulfur slapped me across the face.

Nightmares. War had come to China.

And we weren’t ready.

“Magus, take hold of a Protector. Now!” I shouted.

A loud
boom
from the city of Yangzhou vibrated my bones as a mushroom cloud lifted into the sky. My knees weakened. Not possible. A second
boom
followed as the roar of the airplane was cut short.

“Oh my God,” Lian said as a second bomb vibrated the earth.

It didn’t take long for the realization to sink in—that cloud of radiation would spread for miles. I’d seen it happen before. There’s no way we could go back to the barn.

Wide eyes stared at me. I blinked rapidly and forced down the rock in my stomach. “Change of plans. Sam, you’re in charge. Get everyone out of here. I’ll grab Trishna and the others and come to you.”

“I’m coming with you,” Kayla said as everyone else locked hands on Samantha.

I swiped the back of my hand across my forehead and clenched my jaw against the scream that wanted to explode. After everything, I couldn’t argue with her anymore. I grabbed Kayla and evaporated to a spot outside the barn. Trishna stood yards away from us and the shelter, staring at the sky as the orange glow of the bomb’s radius neared us.

Trishna, get inside, now!
Sweat rolled down my back. I needed her as close to the others as possible if I wanted to try to grab them all in one, quick sweep.

As Trishna turned her head, a swarm of Nightmares broke through the trees behind her, galloping toward us like wild horses.

My stomach dropped to my feet. They weren’t just coming from the west—they were everywhere.

Trishna glanced behind her as I played the scenarios in my head, my breaths coming in frantic waves: Let go of Kayla’s hand and evaporate to Trishna, hoping I got back to Kayla in time; evaporate to Trishna with Kayla and risk dropping Kayla right in front of a Nightmare; or leave Trishna behind.

It took a mere second to make my decision. I grasped Kayla’s hand, ready to evaporate to Trishna—

No, Daniel.
Trishna lifted her hands in front of her face.
Grab as many of the others as you can, then get out of here! It’s too late.
You’ll never reach me in time.

Trishna, don’t—

A strong burst of wind flew from her palms, flinging Kayla and me in reverse.

We sprawled in the grass on our backs, our hands no longer touching. Groaning, I shot to my feet, determined not to leave Trishna behind, and reached for Kayla.

No matter what happens, keep her safe
, Trishna said, glancing over her shoulder. The Nightmares were closing in too fast.

I locked gazes with the powerful witch I’d known for centuries. The witch who’d healed me and so many of my comrades, who’d saved Kayla’s life, who’d given Protectors a home when ours was destroyed—who could’ve gone underground when Tamesis returned but chose to stand and fight by our side.

Angels be with you both,
she said.

My throat tightened.
I’ll see you on the other side.

With a smile, she closed her eyes and lifted her head toward the sky.

Two Nightmares dug their claws into her and ripped her in half.

“No!” Kayla screamed next to me, her cry shattering every bit of happiness I’d gained in the last two days.

Nausea flooding my stomach, I grabbed Kayla’s hand and burst through the door of the barn, slamming it shut as the monsters closed in on us. We didn’t have long until the radiation reached us, but at least Trishna’s spell would keep us safe from the Nightmares.

Kayla’s hand slipped from mine as she fell off her knees into the dirt. Kneeling next to her, I pulled her into my arms.
I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.