by K. K. Allen
Arabella? Isaac? Rose? I guess it could have been any one of them. It angered me that Zeke already knew so much while I was still figuring it all out. But I managed to contain my anger for my entire visit to the plant. Instead, I focused on my mission.
“Can you tell me what sort of”—speaking in magical terms felt strange—“powers my father had?”
Zeke’s eyes widened as he leaned back in his chair. “Your father was a man of many powers. His gifts for speaking to sea creatures played a big role in the progress we’ve made toward protecting sea life and beyond.”
“What’s beyond the sea?”
“The air we breathe, the shore we stand on. Your father had many dreams, and his determination for seeking answers led to more knowledge than we could have possibly hoped for. His ability to test and heal the waters has led to great discoveries. Your father, along with our crazy chemist, invented seapol juice, but so much more than that too. You name it—sensory tonics, memory brews, hygienic remedies, protection serums—your father had a hand in most of them.” Zeke held up the vial as if in celebration.
A pang of pride hit me at the thought of the legacy my father had left behind. I was sure many people expected me to follow in his footsteps, but I didn’t know where to start.
I cleared my throat, focused on the mission at hand. “The recipe calls for one drop of Solstice energy and one drop of Poseidon blood. I assume if I want to make this again, I can use my blood. I’m here because I have a feeling you’ll know how to get me the Solstice energy.”
Zeke smiled. “Yes. I can get you as much as you need. Is that all you would like to know?”
He was testing me. He wanted me to ask the right questions so that he could provide me with information, but he wasn’t about to offer it up willingly. I finally understood Kat’s frustrations when speaking with Rose.
“Who are you a descendant of?” Maybe it was a presumptuous question, but for a man who knew so much about other descendants, I had to assume he was one too.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Not at all.
“I’m a descendant of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who was once considered equal in godlike charm to Zeus. However, times have changed. Feel free to refer to me now as the King of the Pensacola Power Plant.” He winks.
I liked Zeke. He didn’t take himself too seriously, and my father obviously trusted him. I decided to trust him too.
From that day forward, my life became a journey led by Erebus, who seemed to be all too familiar with the life of a traveler. Nothing extraordinary ever happened, though I did start to notice patterns. I would follow him from town to town, always on the coast, and he would stay for up to two months before choosing his next location. He visited an energy plant in every town we stopped at, but he never stepped foot inside the perimeter gates. I, however, did.
I began building relationships with the plant workers. Just like I’d suspected, all communication led back to Zeke, and everyone already knew who I was. They knew of my father, the Summers, and my time in Apollo Beach.
It wasn’t until we arrived in Hollywood, Florida, that I began to watch Erebus a bit more closely. He was occupying yet another body he’d taken since leaving Apollo Beach, and I wanted nothing more than to strip him of it and dispose him of his serpent form once and for all. But this time, I witnessed Erebus discarding a body. Just like that, it crumpled at his feet. Another life gone. That wasn’t even the most disturbing part. It was the way Erebus simply strolled away in his new body that fired me up.
If I’d had the time, I would have stayed and learned more about the man who’d died for Erebus. But Erebus was already on the move again, ready to visit his next town.
Savannah was quite possibly the most beautiful place I visited my entire time away from Apollo Beach. The dripping Spanish moss, the whimsically shaped trees, and the cobblestone pathways separating colorful rows of homes and historical mansions were only the beginning. When I witnessed my first horse-drawn carriage, I thought of Kat and how I would never have the chance to show her how incredibly lucky I felt to be with her. The exterior I’d worked so hard at building after losing my parents was completely demolished the moment my eyes connected with hers.
I started to visualize us touring Savannah together, wrapped up in each other, led by an enormous trotting white horse. Her timeless beauty would fit well against the backdrop of the city. In fact, so much of Savannah reminded me of Kat.
At this point, I was missing her terribly after the eight months we’d been apart. Every part of me ached for her. The light blush in her cheeks when her eyes accidentally met mine. The fierceness of those same eyes when I infuriated her to the brink of madness. The way her touch sent my heart into a race to a never-ending finish line. And those lips… The moment she’d let me kiss her was the moment I’d known I was ruined for anyone else. She infiltrated my mind every night and every day, and my feelings were only becoming more intense after losing her. She was all I thought about, and I pulled from whatever memories I could to keep her with me.
Somehow, I stuck with my mission. I tracked Erebus to a residential area on the outskirts of town. My guess about what he was doing there was accurate. He was taking another body. This time, I got a good view of the entire exchange.
He walked through the front door of the house as if he lived there—as if he had a life there. A striking brunette woman in her mid thirties was in the kitchen when he greeted her. Her response to him was most disturbing because it lacked any emotion whatsoever, as if she were staring into a void and not the body snatcher in front of her. Something told me she was used to this, to him, and I just knew she was a victim Erebus had used more than once—a slave to his darkness.
For the first time since following him, I felt a pang of sympathy for his victims. Although this woman was an Equinox, I wanted to believe she was only evil when controlled by him, an otherwise-innocent bystander to his wicked games, like Kat.
Watching their exchange was torture, and I fought an internal battle not to interfere. But as noble as it would have been to stand between Erebus and his next victim, I knew Erebus would have won. I wasn’t too proud to admit Kat was right about that. I’d made the decision a long time ago that my mission was no longer to kill Erebus. Not yet, anyway. My goal was to study him, to learn his habits, and to be prepared for the day he decided to return to Apollo Beach. My only selfish hope was that he would return to Apollo Beach much sooner than he actually did.
Kat
“Wait. Let me get this straight,” I say, trying to get my bearings. I just listened to Johnny’s complete rundown of events for the months while he was away, but I want to know more. “You followed Erebus close enough to actually watch him possess a body, and he never suspected a thing? He possessed the same body multiple times and sometimes spent months in it? And every energy plant you visited contained some sort of experimental science lab that developed magical recipes… concocted by some crazy chemist from Apollo Beach?”
He nods, planting a kiss on my head. “You summed it up pretty well. But you’re missing all the parts of my story that included you.” He kisses my lips. “Missing you.” He kisses my neck. “Craving you.”
While I know I could forget the world and climb on top of Johnny right now, the ticking clock on the wall across the room catches my eyes. I pout, knowing it’s almost time for us to leave.
As if reading my mind, he breaks the gap between us, placing a finger on my lower lip. “When you pout, I just want to kiss you. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of kissing you.”
My pout becomes more dramatic at the thought of him pressing his lips to mine again. I’ll never tire of him either. Nor will I tire of the warm buzz that invades my entire body when he’s near. Being with Johnny just feels right. As much as I don’t want to compare my feelings for him to those for Alec, I can’t help it. Johnny fills all the spaces within, between, and around me. He tugs my heart in a way I once wished Alec could.
I can’t
stand Johnny’s teasing. He’s stroking my lip gently with his finger, a smirk placed happily on his gorgeous face. He knows what he’s doing. His face is so close to mine, I can feel his warm breath tickling my skin.
When his lips touch my neck, I let out a groan and immediately flush with embarrassment. My eyes slam shut, and I can feel Johnny enjoying the way he affects me. When he presses his mouth to the other side of my neck, I’m a bit more prepared, but that doesn’t stop the heat waves pulsing through my veins at his touch.
“Telling you that story made me remember how much I missed you. I’m not sure if I’ve told you just how much.”
I love the words that just came out of his mouth. “How much?” I’m surprised the words come out of my mouth.
His lips are still touching my skin when they part. “This much.” But instead of kissing me like I thought he would, he reaches for my hand and slowly slides it up his stomach until it reaches his chest. I can feel his pounding heart. I can hear it too. It’s loud and fast. My eyes open so I’m staring into his crystal blues.
“You must have missed me a lot.” I’m half teasing, half serious. The entire time he was away, I dreamed he thought of me every day and every night, just the way I thought of him. “Johnny…”
“Kat.”
I take a shaky breath. “My heart can’t handle losing you again.”
He breaks his hold on my hand and scoots in even closer than before, his mouth landing on my ear. “Wherever you are is where I’ll be. Forever.”
Then he kisses me. It’s a kiss that will be impossible to forget. I feel it from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. One that tells me he loves me without saying the words because showing me means so much more.
After he’s convinced me he missed me—a lot—I pull back and smile at him. “Tell me more about these magic concoctions. How can any of this help us stop Erebus?”
“Actually, I was thinking about that.” He has my complete attention. “This might sound crazy, but do you remember what happened when you all tried to stop the fight between Alec and me?”
I roll my eyes. “How can I forget? You two—”
“Kat, stop. I’m not talking about how stupid the fight was. I’m talking about the light we created. It was like…”
Johnny can’t finish his thought, but I can. “Like an explosion of energy.”
“Right.” He nods. “Like actual particles of energy that could no longer be contained.”
My eyes grow wide. “Johnny!” My heart is beating from my back to my chest in quick, rapid movements. I can hardly swallow. “Dr. Floros said Brett was trapped by Erebus’s darkness. What do you know about our energy? Did they talk about it at the labs?”
His forehead wrinkles, telling me he has no clue what I’m getting at. “Just what I’ve shared with you already. Solstice energy is made up of tiny particles that are basically recycled with the elements, which is how we have a natural connection to all things earth, wind, fire, and water.”
My thoughts are racing so fast, I can barely keep up with them. “Rose once told me that Solstice energy was the purest of all energy sources. What if all the coastal energy plants contain Solstice energy? Oh my—Johnny, do you think the plant is the energy source Erebus is looking for?”
Johnny frowns and shakes his head. “Can’t be. If it’s Solstice energy he’s searching for, then he already knows where to find it.”
A serious look flashes across his face as he walks toward the window. I’m right behind him, knowing he must have made a connection. I follow his gaze toward the smokestacks, where puffs of white clouds rise before eventually fading from view.
“Erebus just stood outside those energy plants, Kat. It was like he wanted to get in so badly but couldn’t. So he just waited.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know.” Johnny shakes his head. “But it would make sense if the reason he can’t get close is because the plants are filled with Solstice energy. Think about it. Erebus can’t be near an Enchanter for long without escaping his host body or unless the Enchanter is weakened and vulnerable to him.”
The gears in my brain grind. “True.” My thoughts immediately go to Brett being imprisoned in his own body because of Erebus’s dark energy stamp. If this is all true, and dark energy can be repelled by light energy, there has to be a way to help Brett. But Solstices have already tried healing him in large groups, and nothing has worked.
“Wait…” My mind flips to Alec and Johnny’s epic fight. “The other day… our energy combined—descendants of Poseidon, Triton, Apollo, Astina—was so powerful, even more than just a Solstice’s light.”
Johnny’s brows knit together like he’s in deep concentration. “What are you getting at?”
I look at him, my eyes wide. I can’t believe I didn’t think about this before. “If we could do that, then why couldn’t we use that same energy to blast the darkness from Brett?”
“Kat,” Johnny says with warning in his tone.
“What? It worked to protect the island didn’t it?” I feel as if we’ve connected the dots to unlock a massive power source. Think about it. Maybe Solstice powers alone can’t help Brett… but what about the four of us? What if that blast of light were enough to knock the dark energy right out of him?”
Worry no longer marks Johnny’s brows. Instead, he starts to nod like he’s completely in agreement. “Okay.”
“Really?” My heart beats faster.
He nods. “Yeah. I think you’re onto something. I say it’s worth a shot.”
It’s late, but Johnny drives us straight to the hospital while I send my dad a text to tell him where I’m going, but I don’t tell him the plan. I can’t take the risk of involving any more people than needed to test my theory.
There has to be a cure for Brett that doesn’t involve giving Erebus what he wants and putting my family and friends in danger. I pull my phone out during the drive and send a group text to Alec, Arabella, and Trisha. I’m not sure where they are or how long it will take them to get here, but I don’t care. I’ll wait all night if I have to.
Me: Come to the hospital. It’s about Brett. Come quick.
I only feel slightly guilty for making it sound like something is wrong with Brett… besides the obvious, of course. Time is precious, and we shouldn’t waste a second of it, especially when my instinct is stronger than ever. I’ll do anything to make sure they have every reason to come as soon as possible.
Johnny must sense my impatience because he pulls up to the curb of the main entrance to the hospital and lets me out. “I’ll park and meet you up there.”
For a second, I debate on waiting for him anyway, but just as quickly, I decide against it. I need a moment alone with Brett to get my thoughts together. My heart is hammering through my ribs as if it’s trying to escape. This is probably the craziest idea I’ve ever had, but it’s worth a shot. If it doesn’t work, Erebus will still come after me. If it does, at least I’ll have peace of mind knowing Brett will be out of harm’s way.
My cell phone buzzes while I wait for the elevator, the most excruciating wait of all time.
Alec: On my way.
Arabella: What’s wrong? Coming now.
Trisha still hasn’t responded. I suddenly feel worse for sending that message to her, of all people. Trisha will be devastated, and we could probably do this without her since our energy is of a similar breed. As I’m stepping into the elevator, I quickly send her another message, telling her everything is okay and that I just need her to come to the hospital as soon as possible.
When I reach the third floor, I’m greeted by the harsh white lights and wide hallways. It’s late, so I’m not surprised the ICU is quiet besides the sounds of heart and blood pressure monitors and the shuffling of feet as disposable shoe covers brush the floor. Landscape photography hangs on each wall, and the mint-green tile floors shine as if freshly waxed. I have no time to admire the photography now. I’m half-walking, half-running to Brett’s room, so
mehow remaining undetected.
My back flat against the wall near Brett’s room, I look left and right before slipping through the doorway. Once I’m inside safely, I lean back against the frigid door and let out a deep sigh of relief. It’s dark, but I don’t want to draw attention to myself by turning on the bright lights. If anyone saw me, it would have been impossible to get into this room tonight. Visiting hours are over, and the hospital’s rules are unbreakable.
I press my ear to the door, listening for any trace of Johnny’s footsteps. He shouldn’t be far behind. After a few seconds of tuning in for sounds of Johnny, I pull away from the door, turn, and begin to approach Brett’s bedside. He looks so peaceful, as if he’s completely unaware of the evil circulating his body at this very moment. I shiver. I can only hope my plan works.
As my eyes sweep Brett’s form, a chill runs up my spine, but I don’t know why. He’s breathing—not on his own, but he’s breathing. I lift his hospital gown so only his stomach is showing, the lower half of his body covered securely with the sheet. I freeze. The Equinox symbol isn’t just a marking anymore. It’s come to life beneath his skin, glowing gold and moving like the symbol is a track.
My senses heighten, and I become aware of a presence other than my own, other than Brett’s. He’s here. Suddenly, it’s like someone has turned on a faucet within me, filling me with dread, heartache, and sadness. And although I don’t want to feel fearful of my fate or wonder if tonight is the night he’ll try to possess me, I am, and I do. The bracelet wrapping my wrist and keeping me safe doesn’t matter. He was right when he said he’d gotten it removed before. I don’t know what he could do or say to get me to remove it now, but I’m not willing to put anything past the God of Darkness.
As much as I don’t want to look up to see the body he’s possessed this time, it takes no more than a slight move of my head to see the figure cloaked in darkness that’s propped in the windowsill, watching me, waiting for me to notice.
