Gateway (The Gateway Trilogy, Book 1) (20 page)

The music started and when the applause died down, I was impressed with the hypnotic sound. Kat was entranced, too, but by Magda, not the chords emanating from her guitar. I closed my eyes, swaying to the music.

Be careful.

Shut it.

I opened my eyes and gazed at the soft glow of a blue stage light. I slowly sank in. Though I hadn't mastered meditating on a point of light in my mind's eye, I had learned to be selective about what I shut out. I opened more fully to the music, letting it wash over me, while silencing the Voice.

The first set was over too quickly. Kat took me by the hand and led me backstage where Magda was having a smoke.

“I'm glad you could make it,” she said.

“Wouldn't have missed it,” Kat said.

Magda turned to me. “How about you? Are you enjoying the show?”

“Definitely,” I said. “I love your sound.”

We made small talk for a few minutes, Magda inviting us to a party when their set was over. We agreed, wanting to put some distance between us, and the cleaning frenzy going on at my apartment. The lights dimmed, indicating it was time for the band to go back on. The audience had grown; people crowded the stage.

“Why don't you watch from here?” Magda said. “Best seats in the house.”

We agreed and Kat went to stand at the edge of the stage, while I took a seat on an amplifier not in use.

Once again I concentrated solely on the music. I wondered what it would be like to kiss someone while I was this focused. I closed my eyes and imagined Taren's lips touching mine and having that be all I could feel, every part of me surrendering to him. The image was so real it was like he was there, touching my shoulder, his warm breath on my neck. His hand slid from my shoulder and clamped against my mouth.

My eyes flew open, darting wildly. Out of the corner of my eye I saw who had a hold of me. A man, wearing dark sunglasses. I clawed at him, kicking furiously, but to no avail. I was no match for the strength of a Red. He pulled me backward, the last thing I saw before darkness engulfed me, was Kat staring transfixed at the stage.

My eyes adjusted quickly. We were in a storage room. Extra chairs stacked atop each other, a large broom and a mop bucket in the corner. My eyes dimmed again, but this time it was because I was losing consciousness. One of my attacker's hands was still clamped firmly on my mouth while the other encircled my throat, thumb pressed deep into my carotid artery. My feet drummed weakly against the floor.

From far away I heard the door bang open and I was dropped to the floor. Air rushed into my lungs and I welcomed the pain of it, taking huge gulps. My vision cleared and I looked up to see Taren fighting the Red with a short blade. The Red's eyes glowed like fire, his sunglasses now on the floor. He was also armed with a blade, and the two sparred. For all of the Red's strength, his skill was outmatched. Within a minute, Taren knocked the knife from his hand and pinned him to the cold cement. Without hesitation he plunged his blade into the Red's chest sending a spurt of blood into the air. The Red gurgled and blood streamed from his mouth before its head lolled to the side, the unnatural light in his eyes winking out.

I shook uncontrollably. I'd never seen anyone die before. I knew he…
it
had been about to kill me, but it was still too much.

Kat hurdled into the room, coming to a halt and taking in the scene.

“What happened? Are you OK?' She rushed to kneel by my side.

I was still too stunned to respond. Kat probed tenderly at my neck.

“Guess we'll be heading back to the thrift store,” she said, forcing a smile. “We're going to need to get you some scarves to cover the bruising.”

“Scarves?” Taren said, wiping his blade on the dead man's pants. “You almost get her killed and you're worried about her wardrobe?”

He rose, and he'd never looked so dangerous, not even while killing the Red. Kat stared at the floor.

“Well, Katrina, what have you got to say for yourself?”

“Nothing,” Kat said. “There's no excuse. I'm so sorry, Ember.”

I opened my mouth but didn't get the chance to speak.

“Sorry doesn't keep her alive,” Taren said, his anger showing no signs of abating.

I wanted desperately to diffuse this powder keg. “It happened so fast. One second—”

“Which is why she shouldn't have taken her eyes off of you,” he said. “Because a lot can happen in a second. Annys will not be pleased.”

“Annys?” Kat said, rising to her feet. “You're going to report me?”

“You haven't left me much choice. Ember needs a Guardian who is more committed to taking care of her than lusting after some—”

“Hey! Lay off, Taren.” No longer abashed, Kat now crossed her arms across her chest. “Don't forget, I've saved your ass a time or two. You're not always so perfect.”

“This is different,” he said. “She's different.”

Because I was a Daemon.

For a moment, while he’d been battling the Red, I’d let myself believe differently—that he was fighting for my life because he cared about me. But he was just worried what it would mean to his cause if I died.

“Do you have any idea what would happen if—”

I didn't let him finish.

“What are you even doing here, anyway?” I asked, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. “Shouldn't you be sucking up to Annys so you get your job back?”

My words hung in the air.

“Kat, guard the door.” Taren's voice was all the more commanding for its quietness.

Kat looked to me, and didn't move until I gave a slight nod. She shut the door behind her.

When she had, Taren paced a moment before speaking. “You have no idea—”

“I have every idea,” I said, standing. “I know what I am, and I know what I'm expected to do. You've made it very clear that your concern for me is strictly professional. I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?”

He stood in front of me, a pained expression on his face. “Ember, if anything happened to you…”

“I mean it, Taren. I'm over it. Don't pretend—”

And then he was kissing me. One hand gripping the back of my neck, the other at my waist, pulling me closer. I melted into him, leaving no space between us. Every atom of my being came alive and mingled with his. My hands, firm against his back, then gripping the muscles of his arms. Our mouths pressed together urgently, then slowed and became soft, fluttering against each other, until we were still, lips barely touching, breathing each other’s breath.

“Not
completely
over it, I guess.” I was delightfully dizzy, torn between wanting to kiss him further and wanting to bask in the moment just as it was.

“Good,” he said, his fingertips tracing my jaw.

“I thought…” but I couldn’t say it.

“I know what you thought,” he said, “because it's what I wanted you to think. I thought it would be easier.”

“Easier than what?” I asked, searching his eyes.

“Everything OK in there?” came Kat's voice from the other side of the door.

Taren released me and went to open it. “Yeah, Kat, we're fine. I'm sorry I was a jerk.”

She took in the scene—Taren now calm, me flushed—and smiled. “No, problem. Glad it all worked out. Except for him, of course.”

Taren and I followed her gaze to the body lying on the floor. The most romantic kiss of my life had just taken place next to a corpse.

“We should go,” Taren said. “There's no way for me to get him out of here without being seen, and I want us long gone by the time he's discovered.”

We exited the storeroom and walked back toward the stage. Taren's hand was on the small of my back, sending shivers of the nicest kind up my spine.

What was easier about pushing me away? I had a feeling it wasn't just some guy thing. I was torn between wanting to know, and not wanting to spoil the feeling that hung between us. I scanned the crowd. I felt safe with both Kat and Taren protecting me, but I couldn't help wondering if more than one Red had been sent after me. They were rumored to work alone, but they were also rumored to avoid crowds, so it seemed all bets were off.

Instead of stopping in the wings, Kat continued down the steps into the audience.

“Hey, don't you want to wait for Magda?” I had to shout over the din.

“Ember, I almost got you killed tonight because I was distracted. I'll just text her that something came up.” She turned and continued toward the door.

Once out front of the club Taren said, “We need someplace with a lot of people. Well-lit, even at this time of night. Cameras would be good.”

“City Walk?” I hated to be the one to suggest it, but it did fit the bill.

Kat groaned. Universal City Walk, perched atop a hill overlooking Universal Studios, was filled with theme restaurants, souvenir shops, a mega-plex theatre and a bowling alley. From open to close it was crammed with tourists snapping photos, and locals who like all of their chain restaurants in one location. It was a place I wouldn't normally be caught dead in, but since it seemed the most likely place to keep me alive, I was willing.

“Perfect,” Taren said. “I'm parked just down the street.”

We left Kat's car where it was and piled into Taren's. Kat made a point to take the backseat, leaving me to sit up front.

“So, why do you think the Red came after me in such a crowded place like that?” I asked once we were underway.

“I don't know,” Taren said, “and until I do we're going to have to be on high alert.”

I wanted to ask if it was because the Demon had finally realized I couldn't be won over to Its side and with me being able to influence the Gateway I was too much of a liability, but Kat didn't know those details, so I held my tongue. Besides, there was something that tugged at me about what Taren had just said. We had to be careful…

“That's what I heard the Voice say, just before the attack—that I had to be careful. Why would It warn me like that?

“You heard it say be careful?” Taren said. “And you're sure it was the voice you always hear?”

“Positive. It's very distinctive.”

“Maybe there's some kind of discord among the demon races,” Kat said, “or some wires got crossed.”

“Maybe,” Taren said, but I could tell he was as troubled as I.

We drove up a steep hill and entered the Curious George lot. The parking garages at City Walk were named after cartoon characters and actors.

When we stepped out of the elevator our ears were assaulted. I could listen to loud music with no problem, but the sound of 90's pop hits from one establishment mixing with a mariachi band from Camacho’s, interwoven with the screams of excited children up way past their bedtimes was collectively too much. The three of us recoiled.

“Come on,” Taren said, “it's exactly what we need.”

He was right, and it had been my idea. Kat and I followed without protest.

Over a side of fries, Taren asked when my curfew was. Kat and I shared a look.

“It's kind of fluid tonight,” I said. “My mom stopped taking her medicine so it's crazy central right now. We're kind of hoping to wait it out. I'm thinking three-ish?”

“Perfect,” Taren said. “We've got plenty of time for a game.”

I followed his gaze upstairs to Lucky Strike.

“Bowling?” I hadn't been bowling since I was seven.

“What else are we going to do?” he asked.

He had a point—we still had a few hours to kill.

***

The lanes were brightly lit and Taren chose one smack in the middle. He stood confidently at the line, poised to release the ball. And then he did—right into the gutter.

“Wow,” Kat said when his second ball did the same, “that's going to be hard to top.”

I stood up to take my turn, which also resulted in a gutter ball. On my follow-up I managed to take down two pins, but only after adopting the stand-with-wide-legs-and-roll-it-with-two-hands stance all the kids were doing. I took a bow all the same.

Kat jumped up and grabbed a hot pink ball, which she then held overhead while she twirled around, releasing it almost directly into the gutter.

“Maybe we should ask for bumper rails,” I said.

“Or… we could score on style points,” Kat said. “I think that last effort was worth at least six.”

She plucked her ball as it emerged from the machine and strutted like a supermodel down a catwalk. She turned, struck a fierce pose, and released the ball through her legs backward. From then on, bowling got way more fun. Taren was fond of air-guitaring, while I was more comfortable with interpretive performances. At the end of our first game we realized we'd been too busy laughing to keep score, but that didn't keep us from starting a second one. Kat went up to the snack bar to grab us some soda leaving Taren and me alone for the first time since we'd kissed.

“How are you doing?” he asked. “That was a pretty close call you had earlier.”

I nodded. “I was freaked at first, but… I kind of need to get used to it, right? Until the Gateway is locked it probably isn't safe for me to leave the Institute again.”