Soul Slam

by Allie Burton

  My heart did a little flip, and not from exertion. Xander didn’t leave. He didn’t steal the oils. He thought I was real. The flipping multiplied in my chest. He didn’t think I was easy or stupid.

  “I’m sorry we argued, too.” He bit his lower lip but kept his gaze trained on my eyes. “I don’t trust Fitch, but I trust you, Olivia. So, we’ll contact him after we have all the oils. Is that fair?”

  Xander’s peace offering was more than the donut. He was willing to compromise, to trust my opinion—my very wrong opinion. His actions and words meant so much. I felt like true, equal partners now. True, equal friends and possibly more. Hopefully, he felt the same.

  He stepped closer and I smelled the cake batter on his breath. “What’s the point in alerting him now?”

  Too late. I bit my lip. If I told Xander that I’d already called Fitch and about his threat, Xander would never understand.

  Best to keep silent. No need to say anything yet. I’ll tell him when the time was right. After all, Fitch had agreed to wait until I had all the oils. Well, I hadn’t given him a choice. Then, I’d warn Xander. It was just like his plan.

  Deception is fraught with liabilities.

  “You should talk.”

  “What?” Xander’s calm face morphed into concern.

  “Nothing.” I took the offered donut. The smell of chocolate made my stomach growl. “I mean…I’m glad we talked. And I’m sorry we argued, too.”

  And sorry I called Fitch.

  * * *

  As we waited for Coit Tower to open to the public, we talked about nothing and everything. I discovered not only did neither of us know our biological parents, but we both stated we didn’t want to know. Although I sort of did and I felt he kind of did, too.

  I respected how once he learned of the Society’s plot he was willing to work against them. I loved how he treated me like an equal and was willing to compromise.

  Soulmates should not deceive.

  Tut and Ankhesenamen were soulmates. The hieroglyphics on the very first oil vessel stated that. They were separated because of Tut’s greed for power.

  Did Tut think Xander and I were soulmates?

  I shifted on the brick wall. Our futures were iffy. Mine because of the burn out and Xander’s because both the Society and Fitch wanted to kill him. What was the point of declaring us soulmates if we didn’t live much longer?

  A niggle of guilt and worry broke into our discussion, taking away the happy glow I’d had since eating my donut. I’d tell Xander about my call to Fitch…eventually.

  I studied Xander as he talked about the last baseball game he’d seen on TV. I’d been attracted to him since first seeing him in the museum, since first getting a glimpse of his eyes.

  Some poet, probably dead, had said “the eyes are the windows to the soul.” Had I seen Xander’s soul in that first glimpse? Did Xander see mine?

  Or, maybe he’d seen Tut’s soul.

  Tut was inside of me. Although the skirmishes between us had become less frequent. Hosting Tut’s soul didn’t seem as foreign. I wasn’t burping or spitting. And my attraction to Xander had multiplied. Maybe a bit too much.

  When the tower opened, we headed inside. Velvet lined ropes guided the tourists through the attraction. A souvenir shop was located to the right. Vibrant murals were on the walls.

  “Look at this.” Xander side-stepped around tourists and pointed at a painting of angry-looking men in a library.

  The mural was painted directly on the wall. The images popped like 3-D.

  “What about it?”

  “The book on the shelf in the painting. It’s Egyptian.” Xander’s excitement leaked out in his voice.

  My own excitement peaked. “You think the oil is behind the book?”

  “I have a feeling it is.”

  I glanced at the guard sitting by the doorway of the souvenir shop. “How do we get at it without anyone noticing?”

  “Distraction.” Xander headed over to the guard. His scruffy jeans and T-shirt gave him a bad-boy look which sent a thrill sprinting across my skin. His confident walk caught the attention of other females in the area. The guard with a large paunch straightened as Xander walked over and started asking questions.

  Xander had left finding the oil to me. His trust and confidence warmed my heart. His understanding of the value of my skills raised my shoulders.

  I inched up to the mural on the wall and ran my fingers along the painted edge of the book. A definite groove formed on the sides—like the 3-D part wasn’t just a visual trick. This really could be it. My tummy twisted in anticipation.

  Using the sensitive tips of my fingers, I poked and prodded along the edge of the book hoping I’d find a catch or release button. I felt nothing besides the groove. Xander had been so sure this was it. I was, too. The placement made perfect sense. The painted book’s title indicated a conflict between ancient Egyptian religions.

  Biting my lip, I ran through all the varying ways we’d found the oils. Besides the first two we’d found on accident, there’d been a pattern to finding them. I poked the letters on the spine spelling out Fo-ti-tieng.

  A click sounded.

  I sucked in a small gasp. Using my back to cover my actions from the guard, I pried open the painted spine of the book. Like a little door, the spine opened to a small cubby.

  Blood pounded through my veins, throbbing against my pulse points. We were so close. The second to last oil would be in my sticky fingers in just seconds.

  Keeping my gaze on the tourists, I reached my hand inside. I sought a small vial similar in size to the others. My hand encountered nothing.

  When not in use did the vessel shrink like…stop thinking like that.

  Still without looking, I waved my hand inside the cubby. Then ran my fingers across the smooth bottom, sides, and top.

  Panic flew through my throbbing veins in one gigantic push. Like a dam had burst, the blood rushed to my head making me dizzy. Uncaring if people noticed the small door and hidden compartment in the wall, I examined the cubby, my gaze covering every inch.

  The cubby was empty.

  The vessel gone.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Someone had been here before us.

  Someone had stolen the vessel.

  Someone had ripped hope from my lungs.

  My knees wobbled and I nearly fell. It was as if my bones had twisted and disintegrated, no longer able to support my body. I gaped at the empty hole. Empty. Just like my life now that one of the vessels I might need to end the curse was gone.

  I shut the small door to make it appear like a normal mural. Gazing around, I scrutinized the people in the vicinity. No one watched, but my skin crawled. Was the person who’d taken the vessel still here? Like the normal-looking man pushing a stroller or the guy with tattoos lining his arm.

  I turned and signaled to Xander it was time to leave.

  His expression lit with the belief of our success, before his lips dropped into a frown. He knew something was wrong, probably saw it on my face. He moved beside me.

  My step was slow and steady, just trying to keep up the appearance of being normal.

  Xander would be disappointed. He’d given me the task of retrieving the vessel and I’d come back empty-handed.

  “It wasn’t there.” The words felt like sludge on my tongue.

  “That was the correct spot, right?” He stiffened beside me but kept walking out the door. “The book opened?”

  “Yes.” My thoughts dove with the doom that spread through me like a virus. “I spelled out Fo-ti-tieng on the spine for it to open. That had to be the right spot.”

  “Let’s think this through.” He jogged down the rest of the steps to the short wall we’d sat on earlier, turned, and then paced. “Who would have taken it and why?”

  “The Society.” Even though my world had come crashing down, my brain still functioned.

  “Possible. What about X?”

  “Or any man that couldn’
t get his groove on.” Maybe not so normal brain function.

  Xander’s eyes practically fell out of their sockets. His face flamed red.

  “You did say it was a sexual stimulant.” A hysterical laugh escaped and I plunked onto the wall. My body shivered with horrified merriment. I couldn’t control myself. Maybe it was the exhaustion or the constant sense of fear or the fact my last hope had disappeared like an oasis in the Sahara Desert.

  He rubbed his temples. “Let’s think. Because we have the oil from the Nilometer, we know the oil at Coit Tower would’ve sent us there. And we know the last vial is located on the Golden Gate Bridge.” He snapped his head up. “We have to go to the bridge. Before anyone else does.”

  “We’ll still be an oil vessel short.” Without all seven oils we had no bargaining power with the Society. No way to learn if there was a way to stop the burn out.

  Short on oil, short on time, meant short on life.

  For me.

  * * *

  Xander and I jogged to the bottom of Coit Tower hill and headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Urgency was in every step. We had to get to the bridge and find the last oil. What happened after that we still needed to figure out.

  I hoped that the last oil told us how to stop the burn out. That was my only hope. Returning to Fitch with this curse, unable to touch Tina and Doug, and knowing I was going to die would be terrible. Leaving Xander would be even worse, but I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t expose Xander to Fitch and his world. Not with Fitch wanting him dead.

  Returning to Fitch as soon as possible might help Xander. Maybe Fitch would forget his anger and his threats.

  “Check out the car following us.” Xander pointed with his chin.

  A black, four-door car crept along the street. “Are you sure?” I’d been so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn’t noticed.

  “It came out of the parking lot and turned both times we did. Plus, it’s going too slow just to be looking for parking.”

  The hairs on my arm tingled. I stopped and stared at the car, stared at the driver with long, grey hair. “Jeb.”

  “What?” Xander twisted around. “How did he find us?”

  “I don’t know.” I picked up my pace.

  “Run.” He ran beside me.

  The black car sped up.

  So, did my heart. “We can’t out run a car.”

  The streets around us were congested. If we could duck down an alley or hide in a doorway, we might escape.

  “Look.” Xander pointed. “Cable car’s coming.”

  The clang clang of the bell woke up my optimism. “Jump on.”

  “It’s going the wrong way. Away from the Golden Gate Bridge.”

  “We’ll be going the wrong way, the dead way, if we don’t get away.” I jogged alongside the crowded cable car.

  Tourists hung out the side with their cameras. Business people held onto straps wearing suits and ties and heels. The conductor’s muscles strained operating the large levers.

  I grabbed a pole pulling myself up. Xander jumped in beside me. Taking my first easy breath in a while, I took note of the how the car following us was blocked further down the street. We could blend into the crowd on the trolley and lose Jeb.

  We rode the train to the end of the line planning to turn around and ride back toward Battery Park and then walk to the Golden Gate Bridge from there. Except at the terminus, a line of tourists waited for the next cable car. Typical. No turning around immediately and we couldn’t wait in line because we’d be found.

  “Now what?” Xander’s exasperation came out in his tone. “We’re even further from the bridge now.”

  “Let’s get away from here.” This would be the first place Jeb would look for us. “We have to make ourselves scarce.”

  We headed down Market Street and then crossed over into the Yerba Buena Gardens. Carousel music filled the air and the manicured park bustled with people. “If we go to the bridge, will Jeb look for us there?”

  “I don’t know if he knows that’s where we’re headed. Especially now that we went in the opposite direction.”

  “True. Maybe we threw him off our trail.” I slouched onto a bench needing to rest.

  “Olivia!”

  I froze at the sound of my name. Guess, there’s no rest for the wicked. Or the soulful or would that be full as in more than one.

  Xander jumped off the bench and stood in the direction of the call. Alarm rang on his features. His taut muscles and bunched fists signified he planned to protect me. Again.

  “Olivia!” Two kids ran toward us.

  The boy had an awkward shuffling gate and red, frizzy hair that looked like a clown’s wig. The girl’s tied back strawberry blonde hair appeared oily like she hadn’t washed it in days. Tina and Doug.

  Instinct had me standing and reaching out to them. The urge to hug and comfort overwhelmed. “It’s okay. I know them.”

  “From where?” Xander kept his stance wide guarding me like a treasure.

  Now, I wanted to hug him, but not in a comforting way. “Fitch’s family.”

  Approaching, the kids slowed. They observed me with a wary look in their eyes. Too wary for two ten-year-olds.

  “Will they tell Fitch where you are?” Xander stayed put as the kids dragged their feet to a stop.

  “Olivia?” Tina peered around Xander.

  “Hi! What’re you guys doing alone in the city? You are alone, right?” Standing, I ran my gaze over them looking for any signs of neglect. I’d only been gone a few days and they were roaming the streets without one of the older kids.

  “We’re alone.” They didn’t attempt to hug me, either.

  Which was weird. We always hugged in greeting. But it was better this way. I didn’t have to tell them not to touch me. Wouldn’t have to explain.

  Doug leaned heavily on his good leg. “Fitch gave us these.” They each held up a pre-paid cell phone.

  Tina bounced from one foot to the next. “In case we found you.”

  What was Fitch thinking? He obviously didn’t trust me to call. And he was right. I’d been debating the next step. Waiting to see what we found at the Golden Gate Bridge. I couldn’t call him while I was with Xander if Fitch planned to harm him. I refused to let that happen.

  If Fitch had found us on Lombard Street, he could find us anywhere. Making the phone call should’ve bought me time. Instead, the call had rung Xander’s death sentence.

  “Who’s he?” Doug’s upper lip curled in distrust.

  “This is my friend, Xander.”

  “Oh.” Doug backed up and his expression went from curiously distrustful to pale. “Fitch said he gonna kill you.”

  I let out a slow breath. My hope that Fitch had calmed down about Xander was crushed. Fitch was like a tracker missile, once he got an idea in his head it was impossible to dissuade him. This proved my point that Xander not only couldn’t come home with me, but would need to hide. Trembles sprinted down my spine.

  “Let’s go.” Xander grabbed hold of the backpack, ready to run. “They probably already called Fitch.”

  I knelt down to look Tina and Doug in the eye. “Did you guys call Fitch?”

  That would give Xander less time to get away. He’d argue, want to stay and protect me. The best way to protect him was to push him away. Get him away from me and the danger that’s attached to me. And I wasn’t talking about the curse.

  Tina shook her head and her curls bounced with the movement. “We were too excited to see you.” A tear ran down her cheek. “We thought you were gone forever.”

  “I’m not gone, sweetie.” My heart wept with each tear that fell on her dirty cheek. I wanted to wipe the tears off, tell her everything would be fine, but I couldn’t. “I have to take care of something first.”

  Tina hiccupped. “Fitch said you’d be gone forever and we’d better get used to it.”

  “I’ve always been there for you, right?” I nodded trying to persuade them to my way of thinking.

 
Tina nodded along with me. Doug tilted his head and angled his chin.

  “Fitch can’t know that you saw me. And I promise, I will call him.” If only to yell about his idiotic scheme. I pointed to the cell phones. “Why don’t you lend me one of those so I can call him easier.”

  Finding another pay phone might prove difficult. I swallowed my guilt. It landed in my stomach like a rock.

  One issue at a time. “When I get home we’ll make the biggest batch of brownies ever. Do you promise?”

  The two kids looked at each other, then nodded. “Yeah.” Tina held out her phone with her little fingers.

  “All right then.” I rubbed my hands on my jeans before using my fingertips to clasp the phone, careful not to touch her. “On top of the brownies, there’ll be hugs for everyone.”

  I hoped. I really, truly hoped.

  The two kids scattered.

  I sank back onto the bench. Seeing Tina and Doug had hit me hard. I’d only been gone a few days and they were roaming the streets. What would happen to them if I couldn’t come back?

  Xander still stood like a warrior like he was letting the situation sink in.

  “What happens if the last oil doesn’t give us any more information? What if it’s gone?” Panic struck like lightning sending a shock wave through me.

  “We bargain with the Society for the solution.”

  “I thought they didn’t know how to end the burn out.” Confusion swirled like the nightly fog hanging off the coast.

  “They said they didn’t.” Xander looked past my shoulder. “But I bet they have a hint or an idea in all those ancient scrolls and documents.”

  “Why would they help? They didn’t seem to care about stopping the burn out.” About saving me.

  “When we make a deal with the Society it will include them telling us as much as they know and free access to Jeb’s office.”

  “We need information on how to end the burn out.” No brainer there. And protection for Xander. I didn’t want to burn out and die and I didn’t want Xander killed.

  And here comes the drama queen. I cringed at my thoughts except they weren’t that dramatic. They were all fact.

  “Except the Society only cares about using you for your power.” Xander stood and paced in front of the park bench.