The Locket (35 page)

What was he saying? Panic set in. His jaw clenched firmer. I didn’t know what he meant or how to do what he said. I inhaled sharply trying to focus.

“Do it now,” he roared, causing me to flinch.

I centered my thoughts, calling to Brent in my mind, focusing on my need for him, silently pleading for his rescue. I begged him to somehow hear me. My mind felt light and clear. I heard him, frantic and terrified.

“Claire, oh God baby.”

I opened my eyes wide, searching the room for him, but he wasn’t there. I was still firmly in Kace’s grasp.

“Good girl, you did it,” Kace said in a pleasant encouraging voice. “Tell him where to find you and don’t tell him I’m here.”

“Claire, Claire,” I heard Brent’s panicky voice in my head again. I don’t know why this surprised me with everything that had happened, but it did. It felt so good to hear his voice. Firmly I set my legs under me, causing Kace to release me.

“Brent,” I said breathlessly.

“Claire, God baby. Where are you? Are you okay?” he asked, his voice tainted with worry.

I responded keeping my eyes on Kace, judging his reaction trying to determine if he could hear our conversation in my head.

“I’m at Logan’s loft. Can you come get me, please?” I asked, attempting to keep my voice from breaking.

I heard a muffled growl. “God Claire, you sound terrified. Did he hurt you?

I watched Kace react and had a sinking feeling he could understand what was being said. Kace wouldn’t allow me to tell Brent the truth. I hated the thought of trashing Logan, but it was a lie Brent would believe.

“Logan got really drunk and went crazy. He’s passed out now, but I’m not sure when he’ll wake up. I’m afraid Kace will find me if I leave alone. Please hurry.”

I heard a sharp exhale. “I’m sorry, baby,” he soothed. “I know how much helping him meant to you. I’ll be right there. Don’t go anywhere, please, Claire.” My mind went silent. He was gone.

My heart sank with his plea. The word please meant he didn’t trust I would stay put. I couldn’t blame him for that. I had bailed on him too many times before, a life pattern, always running. In my current situation, I wished I could run.

Logan stirred on the other side of the room and I scrambled to get to him. He was gripping the side of his face and wincing.

“Logan, thank God.”

“Crap…my head hurts,” he groaned, and then his eyes bugged out when he saw me. “Kace, where is he?” he asked.

“Still here,” Kace sang out, waving from a few feet away.

“Claire, you’re bleeding.” He twisted his head and regarded Kace cold and hard. “What did you do to her, you fucking psycho?”

“That’s right Logan, get angry, and show us all who you really are,” Kace snarled.

Logan started to launch toward Kace and I slid in front of him.

“Logan, no. Don’t do it. He’s trying to bait you by playing on your emotions. You can’t let him do that,” I pleaded.

He balled his hands into fists. “But look what he did to you?”

“I know, Logan, but you’re not strong enough to stop him, so please don’t try. Please, for me.” I begged him with my eyes to hear me. Kace would surely bring out the ugly demon inside of Logan. The one I had buried deep. Kace would use Logan and dispose of him. I wouldn’t be able to cope if that happened.

“Fine,” Logan muttered, pacing silently behind me, not making a move towards Kace.

“Very impressive,” Kace said, flashing a smooth smile. “Claire, you might be stronger than I thought, if you’ve tamed this one.”

I glared at him, disgusted by his words. “I didn’t train him. He’s not a dog.”

Kace shrugged, his expression amused. “Not far from one.”

“Fuck off,” Logan spit.

Kace frowned. “See?”

“You have done enough to Logan. Just leave him alone, Kace,” I said, feeling the overwhelming need to defend my friend.

He shook his head and took a step towards me, my discomfort exciting him.

“Logan makes his own choices,” Kace offered.

“Yes, he does, but he doesn’t need you twisting his emotions to do that. He’s a good person. I didn’t train him. I merely helped him see who he really is.”

“Much stronger than I thought, indeed,” he repeated. “You don’t have an inkling of the power in your abilities, which is going to make ending you so much fun.”

Kace was going to enjoy my demise way too much. I played right into his hands. He was ready to make his final move and claim his success. He was right. I didn’t begin to comprehend the abilities I obtained, let alone when or how to use them. Brent and Reese would be here soon and he would finish off everyone, including Logan, capping his victory.

I couldn’t let him do that. With all of the energy I had left in me, I pushed a giant bubble around Kace and locked us in, keeping my friends out. I learned from Omni the bubble was an energy source. It looked so much like a giant version of one that I would have blown as a kid after it landed on the wood floor without popping – rounded on top – yet flat against the floor. I discovered my ability to create the bubble when the Couriers came to get me as a way to keep them out and protect myself. Now, I would use it to keep my friends out, protecting them from Kace. If he wanted me then he could take me. However, he could not have those I loved. I would not give him the satisfaction.

I saw Logan’s horrified face as he ran towards the glass. “Claire, what are you doing? No! Goddammit, no!”

I looked at Logan and watched as fear and panic replaced the warm amber tone in his eyes.

“It’s okay, Logan. I have to do this,” I reassured him. He pounded the glass trying to penetrate it, recoiling backward with each attempt. “Go, Logan! Run!” I yelled to him.

“No, Claire. I can’t leave you,” Logan said, continuing to pound the glass.

”Logan, please, you have to get out of here now. Go!”

Kace closed in on me, stalking me like prey, surprise evident on his smug face.

“A final move of my own,” I told him as he stopped just short of touching me, anger radiating from his body. Kace wanted to finish this game by ending my life and the lives of my friends. I was determined he would not get a victory on his terms.

“It doesn’t end like this. Remove the glass,” Kace demanded.

He was fuming mad because it was impossible for him to escape the dome around us. His fury grew, filling the bubble with hostile energy. I had grown stronger. I held the glass bubble firm with very little effort and was able to move about inside. I stretched it six feet around us.

“The bubble stays, Kace. This is our fight, no one else’s,” I answered, backing away from him fearfully.

He paced the enclosure, cursing under his breath. I played the one hand he didn’t expect, sacrificing myself to save my friends.

“Do it,” I shouted. My voice was feeble as I willed him to kill me, to get it over with. I heard a knocking sound and it took me a moment to realize the sound was coming from my knees as my legs shook wildly.

Kace ambled toward me, sneering as he got close, backhanding me across my cheek. The force of the surprise blow caused my knees to buckle. I swiftly made contact with the cold floor. I heard Logan screech and saw him trying to reach me. The horror on his face was too much to take. I turned away from him just as Kace landed a kick to my ribs. The snap was loud, echoing off the sphered chamber. I was positive I had broken at least one rib. Sharp pain penetrated my side as he kicked me again. Every ounce of air left my lungs, leaving them shriveled and dry. I struggled to fill them. Managing a few small breaths, the searing pain repeated with each inhale. I met Logan’s stare once again. He had his palms placed on the glass, ignoring the energy trying to force his hands away. It had to hurt.

“Please, Claire. Please,” Logan pleaded.

Brent’s expression grew terrified, his eyes stormy blue. I knew he read my thoughts.

“Claire, no,” he begged sliding down the bubble, joining me on his knees. “None of us are leaving you here. Kace won’t let them live, even if you sacrifice yourself. Think about this please. The only way is together…God, please trust me, Claire,” Brent begged.

With those words I released the bubble and my heart, falling into Brent’s arms, crushing myself into him. Everyone was shouting around us. It was chaotic and I struggled to concentrate, unable to focus on anything but Brent’s safe embrace around me. My body instantly reacted to his touch as energy shot through me, healing me. I felt the gash in my head close and a wave of power engulfed me. I was fortunate he was able to heal me so quickly, as I would need all of my strength.

Mandy swiftly turned her head when I caught her eye. “Why did you bring them here?” I asked Brent, staring at Mandy.

“Reese and I pieced together that Mandy was an Anchor. In order to retract the Adherent from her we had to share some things with the others. All of us left the house together to look for you and Logan. They refused to stay behind. When you spoke to me I had to find you. Taking the girls home was too far in the other direction. As we got closer to the loft, both Reese and I figured out what was happening,” Brent explained.

My eyes left Mandy, returning to Brent. “You should have told them to stay outside, or let them take the car to go back home,” I said worriedly, knowing Kace would harm them.

“Believe me…Reese and I tried but they kept arguing with us which I didn’t have time for. Brooke refused to leave Reese and Layken was freaking out about you and Logan,” Brent argued.

I looked for Layken, smiling when I saw her wrapped in Logan’s arms. The back of her long blonde hair flowing just above her waist was familiar to me now. Layken was the woman I saw in my vision as the mother of Logan’s future children. My heart sang joyfully.

Suddenly, the room began to shake thunderously, casting a dark cloud on my moment of sunshine. We all stood at attention, staring at the man causing it. Kace brought the room back to a standstill. Instinctively, the group of us huddled together.

“Fool,” Kace said to Brent. “You brought humans with you.”

“Let them go, Kace,” I said fearfully, chewing on my bottom lip.

“Quiet, Claire,” Kace scolded, looking over at the group in a way that had me wishing they had never come.

“No,” I shouted stepping forward. I had to be brave. “They have nothing to do with this and you know it.”

“They do now. Thanks to your boyfriend. He brought them here. You know I can’t let them leave now. They know too much, Claire,” Kace threatened.

“Kace, please, can’t you see how scared they are?” I pleaded.

“Yes, it’s the same look your parents had. They couldn’t stop me either,” Kace said triumphantly.

A dull ache wrapped around my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs, slowly ripping my heart in two as I registered his words. Kace killed my parents. He took the two people who meant the most to me. I shivered, watching him stand before me with his superior grin. I began to cry again, differently though, because they were angry tears.

Kace’s words rang in my ears that humans were weak. I refused to believe that so I held off the tears, using my anger to stand tall rather than cry. He was not going to use my pain against me.

“My parents died in a car accident.” I spat back at him. I was told my parents were killed when a semi-truck lost control slamming into the back of them.

“They did, but only after I paid them a little visit. They refused to tell me where you were. Your father cut a truck driver off and the driver was filled with road rage. You combine his wrath with his lack of sleep and the Adherent I sent anchored to him within minutes,” Kace confessed proudly, using his fingers to stroke his chin.

“You bastard,” I shouted, begging my body not to lunge at him. I was shaking, adrenaline surging through me and I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of my own blood boiling in my ears.

He laughed. “I’ve been called worse,” he said, his black ink-stained eyes lacking remorse.

I steadied my resolve and held in my fury. I approached him confidently grasping for strength. “My parents had completed their purpose, hiding me away from you. They have moved on, to a higher purpose. The way I see it, refusing your higher purpose makes you the one who is weak. Or are you afraid?”

Challenging him felt good.

I felt Brent to my right and Reese to my left. This was it. If we were to stop him it would be right now. I stepped forward and as I did a vision slapped me hard.

The vision was from the past showing me a much younger Kace. Judging from his appearance it was from the nineteenth century. Kace was holding a baby in his arms. Tears ran down Kace’s cheeks. He was clutching the child and rocking, shouting to someone in the room that stood off to the side of my vision. The next thing I saw was Kace and a woman wrapped in a loving embrace. The woman was beautiful. Long flowing brown hair framed her delicate face. She had creamy skin, almost doll like. The softest of pink blushed her cheeks. I saw her again wrapped in the arms of another man, who looked similar to Kace. Next, Kace and the man who looked like him were arguing and the woman lay on a bed holding a newborn. She was shouting to Kace and the other man that the baby belonged to Kace. The other man stormed out.

Pausing the vision in my mind, I took a deep breath wanting it to end but it continued.

Kace clutched the now lifeless child. “Why? Why?” he wailed. I saw the woman on the floor at his feet, blood puddled around her head. The other man from earlier stood over her, laughing sinisterly. Kace was still clutching his dead child while tears stained his cheeks. Kace shouted at the man, continuing to ask him why. “You betrayed me,” the man said as he squeezed the trigger again, landing a single bullet between Kace’s eyes.

Three apparitions left the bodies, Kace, the woman, and the baby. A face I recognized stood in front of them, Omni. Kace begged Omni to spare his family, to save their lives. Kace told Omni he had been the one to sin. The vision stopped and I felt wetness on my cheeks from spilt tears.

Kace spoke softly.

“The woman and the man from your vision were married and the man was my brother,” Kace said, hanging his head regretfully. “Her name was Cecilia and my brother treated her horribly. I fell in love with her. I knew it was wrong but I bedded her anyway. Cecilia was with child. When the child was born, my brother knew it wasn’t his. He threw her out in the cold. I took her in and cared for her the way she deserved and I loved my son more than I ever loved anything in my life,” Kace explained.