Not wanting another confrontation with him about my feelings, I quickly lifted my mouth in a smile and said, “Thanks.”
He sat next to me. He clapped his hands together and rubbed them against one another. “So, what do we do? Say some magic non-English words, dance around a fire... sacrifice a duck?”
“All of the above.” I laughed in our dire situation. My men were at risk, I’d put Cole, my brother, in jeopardy, and most of all, the Irizat Luna was in danger. And, here I was laughing about sacrificing a duck when I should have been concentrating on a way to undo the curse on the crystals.
When our laughing died down, Cole put his hand on my knee. “You want a drink?” It was only ten-thirty in the morning, but yeah, I wanted a drink.
“That’d be great.” Maybe if I took the edge off, the pressure of everything would also ebb away, and I’d be able to concentrate on the now.
He went to a small cabinet in the bookshelf near the fireplace. He looked over his shoulder and put his finger to his lips in a secretive gesture. Pulling out two glasses and a mason jar of clear liquid, he nudged the door closed with his elbow.
“Don’t tell me that’s homemade.”
He shrugged. “Okay, I won’t.” The truth was all over the grin on his face. After he set the glasses on the table, he unscrewed the lid of the mason jar. The scent of alcohol was so strong I thought it’d singe my eyebrows.
“Are you kidding? You want me to ingest that? The scent alone could kill small, innocent creatures.”
He chuckled as he poured a small portion into each of the glasses and handed me one. Our glasses clinked together. “To the Irizat Luna,” he said.
“To the Irizat Luna,” I repeated and took a sip. Cole watched me over the rim of his glass. Liquid fire streamed down my throat. I breathed out a gasp of air. “My God, you’re trying to kill me.”
“Most definitely not. Only do my best to help.”
After another sip, my body began to relax. After another, my thoughts loosened around the pent-up threats that had plagued us for days, like the tentacles of an octopus. A blip of Kem in the forest, like earlier, slipped between the waves of insensible thoughts. I tried to grasp onto it to find out what it meant, but it cowered back into whatever crevice it had come out of. Time was passing, fast or slow, I didn’t know how much, or care. A new idea formed in the shape of something that might be more useful than merely destroying the beautiful stones. But, like everything else my brain tried to form into an idea, it faded and disappeared until there was nothing but an onslaught of dissolving thoughts. I was slipping into unconsciousness. The need for sleep became overwhelming. I set the glass on the table and picked up the crystals. I leaned against Cole. My head lolled onto his shoulder. Unable to hold onto thoughts, I turned to Cole and asked him to remind me to ask Inerique about them when I wasn’t intoxicated. I tried to hold up the crystals, but the last I remember is them falling to the floor.
I woke in a twin bed before the sun. I didn’t remember putting myself in bed, or anything else. Glancing around the room, I saw thick layers of trees outside the window. Cole’s. My head blazed with searing pain when I sat up. Getting up and going to the kitchen to make coffee, I saw the two empty glasses on the counter. The microwave glowed that it was four in the morning. Damn, I had slept all day and night.
Setting the coffee maker to brew, I went to sit on the porch. Our home had been remote, but this place was on a whole new level of seclusion. There were nothing but trees and more trees for miles in every direction. Even though I missed the cemetery, we were safe, and that’s what mattered right now. And, with that safety, my confidence as a leader returned. It was my decisions my men relied on, and I wouldn’t let that waver again.
An overgrown drive led to what I assumed was a dirt road, or a path, to get out of the woods and to some sort of civilization. I hadn’t given Cole much warning we were coming, so our food supply would need to be replenished at some point. I ventured to think that path would be traveled by us soon.
The scent of fresh coffee drifted through the screen door. Before I lowered one foot to the ground, a mug was being handed to me. I looked up to see Cole. His smile was kind, and as warm as the coffee I held in my hands.
“Thanks,” I said, returning a smile that could never mimic his. “Wait!—there’s none of your secret potion in this—is there?”
“No, I promise.” He chuckled into his mug as he took a sip. “Sleep well?”
“Better than I had in days.”
He sat next to me. “Glad to hear it.” He brought his knee onto the swing and turned to face me. “Listen, last night—”
I held up my hand. “Don’t tell me what I said or did was stupid or uncalled for. Just tell me, did you put me to bed?”
A wave of dark brown fell over his eye. “No, Plamen did.” I’d have to remember to thank him. “And, you didn’t do or say anything stupid. You didn’t reveal any secrets, or do anything even remotely halfway-entertaining.”
I let out the breath I was saving for any regretful or embarrassing behavior. “Well, then I’d say, I’m a boring drunk.”
“And I, would agree with you.” He took another sip. “You only asked me to tell you to ask Inerique about these.” He handed me the three crystals.
“Thanks.”
The porch swing swayed and jerked as he stood. “Listen, there’s a pretty harsh storm coming this way, so I want to get a few things tied down.”
“When will it be here?” I asked.
“Early hours of the morning. But the bands prior to the storm won’t be pleasant. And, they’ll start around six tonight.”
I nodded. “Have you seen Plamen?”
Cole opened the cabin’s door. “He woke last night to eat, then went back to sleep.”
“Kem?”
“His door is open and his bed is empty, so I’m not sure.”
“Thanks. We’ll help with whatever you need to prepare for the storm.”
“Thanks.” Cole went into the house. The screen door clicked behind him.
The day went by without worries except for the storm approaching. Cole gave directions to Plamen and me and we did as we were told. Just before dusk, thunder rumbled in the distance. The storm was coming and Kem wasn’t back yet. Something wasn’t right. He should have been back by now. The image flashed again, searing into my core.
I found Plamen in the back of the house. “Plamen, something isn’t right. We need to go look for Kem.”
“How do you know?”
I wasn’t in the mood to be questioned. “I just do!” After I found Cole, I told him Plamen and I were going to look for Kem. He agreed to stay to finish putting the tools away. I went inside and grabbed a flashlight off the counter.
Plamen was on my heels and we started into the woods. “Jeta, you want to tell me what’s going on?”
It was the same question Cole had asked me yesterday when the image flashed. Now with Kem gone, the flashing image haunted me. “I don’t know how to explain it.” The flashlight was pointed toward the ground, not only to know where our next step would be, but to find familiar paw prints.
“Try!” Plamen pressed. “There isn’t anything I can do to help, if you don’t tell me.”
There wasn’t anything he could do if he knew, either. “There was a flash, like a vision, I had yesterday after I put the relic in the safe. I was on my way back up the stairs and I was reeled into it.” Lightning streaked down the darkened sky in the distance.
“What kind of vision? Past or present?”
It was a good question. “I think the future.” I heard the crunch of leaves behind me falter. When I looked over my shoulder, Plamen’s steady pace had slowed. I kept moving. The only thing that mattered was finding Kem. I jumped over a broken log. The beam of light strayed and danced with my movements. Plamen was at my side. We ran without speaking. This conversation would be better to have on another occasion.
The stream of light fell on a paw print pitted in the dirt. It looked as
if the creature was running so fast it ran out of control, and slid on the damp leaves. I slowed, as did Plamen. Taking each step with more care, I scanned the forest floor with the flashlight. There, just a few feet ahead were more prints. Next to these, there were dark speckles on the leaves and the base of a large oak. I touched the truck of the tree. Red smeared the tips of my fingers.
Plamen took off in the direction the prints continued to go. I ran through the darkness. The storm was closing in on us. We had to find Kem soon and get back to the cabin. I came up on Plamen. He stood with his back to me. I peered around him to see Kem’s bloodied, naked body on the forest floor.
Pray
Fat raindrops plopped on the leaves and branches around us. We had only minutes before the storm would be upon us. The vision of Kem I had in Cole’s safe room slammed into me. The feelings of dread and helplessness surrounded me. Too late, I realized what my secret was. I didn’t know how to control it. Why hadn’t Inerique spared me all of the hardship and told me? Why, through risking Kem’s life, set an example? Did she even know? Was I placing blame where it didn’t belong? So many fucking questions. And worse, no fucking answers.
Plamen’s glance was more than a look of concern. We had become like one during all the years we’d been together, so I knew what that sideways look was asking. “No, all I saw was—” my voice cracked and broke when I knelt beside Kem’s broken body, “—I... just him... lying here. There was this... thing—I couldn’t—didn’t understand what...” The guilt was more than unbearable, it was the weight of a thousand ships lost at sea. And, I was drowning amongst all of them. The tears came and I couldn’t stop them. I was supposed to be stronger than this and have all the answers. But, I had become the opposite. “There was nothing I could do—I didn’t know—”
“Jeta! Get your shit together!” Plamen’s voice was painfully loud and harsh in the quiet darkness. In a more gentle tone, he said, “We’ll deal with whatever you’re experiencing later. For now, find the strength for Kem.” He was right, of course. I pushed aside every emotion flooding through me and concentrated on Kem. Plamen went around to the other side of Kem. “He was shot.” I leaned over his chest. A hole, the size of a coin was in his side. Plamen took off his shirt and wrapped it around Kem’s body.
With a shaky hand, I reached to touch Kem’s neck to see if there was a pulse. His body was cold and damp. When I felt the faint tapping against the tips of my fingers, my head dropped in relief.
“Let’s get him back to Cole’s.”
We eased Kem up and Plamen hoisted him over his shoulder. The storm had changed the density of the air. It was thick and heavy. I wasn’t sure how long Plamen could carry Kem. Plamen was taller and more built than Kem. But, Kem was still six foot two with plenty of lean muscle. And, the uneven terrain wouldn’t make it any easier.
“I can help carry him,” I offered.
“I’ve got him,” he grunted. “Just keep the light far enough in front of us so we don’t trip over anything.”
It took twenty minutes to get back. Which was far less time than it took to find our friend. The storm was right on our heels as the rain began to fall harder. Cole must have been on the porch. When we got close enough to see our light, he rushed toward us. Plamen lowered Kem to the ground. Without asking any questions, Cole helped him take Kem the rest of the way to the cabin.
I went in front of them and opened the door. Their footsteps were loud as they made their way into Kem’s room. They laid him on the bed. Cole was out of the room before I could say anything.
When he returned, his arms were full of medical supplies. Most I recognized, but a few looked as homemade as his moonshine. Thinking of the brew, I needed a shot of the poison to calm my frenzied nerves.
Cole removed the blood-soaked shirt from Kem’s body. “Jeta, get me a bowl of warm water and a cloth.”
Without question, I got what he asked for. Cole dampened the cloth and washed away the blood. In the light, Kem was pale and unresponsive. I glanced at Plamen. His face was contorted with fury and fear. I felt the exact same, along with the immense feeling of guilt.
With large tweezers, Cole reached into the seeping hole. As he pulled them out, I saw the flash of golden metal. He released the bullet from the tweezers’ grip and set down the tool. “Now we can treat the wound,” Cole said. “I’m not worried so much about an infection as I am with the amount of blood he lost.”
I put my hand over Kem’s and silently prayed. Cole poured alcohol into and around the bullet hole. Kem’s body arched and he wailed in pain. The horrific sound brought me the greatest joy. He was responsive. My grip tightened around Kem’s hand. I bent and stroked his hair and face. “Shhh,” I whispered near his ear. “You’ll need all your strength to heal.
Cole continued to clean, treat, and bandage the wound while Plamen and I watched. I could only hope Cole’s concoction of homemade remedies, over-the-counter medicines and ointments, and care, were enough to heal my injured Protector.
I stayed with him through the night. A few times, Kem’s body jerked. His body would go from hot and feverish to cold and sweating. Through the long hours, the storm grew until it was fierce and unrelenting. My entire being was exhausted, and I could hardly keep my eyes open, but I refused all of Plamen’s and Cole’s suggestions for me to rest. It was my fault he had been shot. I replayed the vision over and over, but it was always the same. To all of the questions I silently asked, I got the same answer, I don’t know. I didn’t know who shot Kem, or why. The only reasonable explanation was a hunter. We must have not heard the gunshot because of the thunder.
In the dark morning hours, the thunder and lightning had finally given up. The rain continued to fall in sheets. A loud knock at the front door drew my sleepiness to full attention. Across the hall, Plamen’s door jerked open. Another set of footfalls came from down the hall.
“Are you expecting someone?” Plamen asked Cole.
“No.”
I heard the deadbolt slide back and the doorknob turning. My heart was thumping like a mad woman’s. Unable to rein in my curiosity, I eased my hand away from Kem’s and stood. Wavering from my initial lightheadedness, I shook my head. As I came around the corner of my room and out into the hall, I could see the front door. Cole pulled it open. My heart stopped the frantic beating when I saw who stood on the other side. He didn’t look quite the same as when I saw him last. Now, he looked more like a drowned rat than a guy who looked like he had his shit together. “I got caught in the storm and lost all sense of direction. You can’t imagine my relief when I came upon this place.”
Cole stepped aside. “Come in. But leave your shotgun on the porch.”
Stranger
My mind replayed the scene of the man standing just inside the door, dripping droplets of water onto the floor, flicking the quarter in the air, and me catching it.
“I’m Traer Sharp.” He held out hand and Cole shook it.
“Cole.” Seeing Plamen wasn’t going to shake the stranger’s hand, Cole said, “This is Plamen.”
Plamen nodded as he stood in his protective, bouncer stance with his arms crossed over his thick chest.
“We don’t have much room, but you’re welcome to stay until the storm passes,” Cole said. “I’ll go get you a towel.”
Traer slid off his wet jacket. “Thanks.”
I stood at the end of the hall and wondered what the chances were Traer ended up at the same hide-away cabin in the woods as us. Now I wished I had told Plamen and Kem about my confrontation with this guy at the vending machine. Oh well. I pulled the band off from around my dreads. The beads clinked together as the mass fell over my shoulder. Three sets of eyes looked in my direction. My eyes rested on only one pair, which were the color of winter ice. Why did the bad boys always have to look like him?
Before the stark look of surprise came over his face, I swear there was a flash of relief he would find me here. I could have imagined it but my gut told me I was dead on. He tilted h
is head and stared at my chest. I almost charged him before I remembered I hadn’t changed out of my clothes when we found Kem. Blood stained my shirt and jeans. If he had ulterior motives, other than needing a place to dry off and rest, I hoped my new serial killer look would convince him to think better of them.
I walked toward them, never taking my eyes from his. He looked at the other two men briefly. Cole and Plamen were glancing at one another and then to Traer and me. It seemed as though he was debating whether to act like he’d never laid eyes on me or fain familiarity, or possibly couldn’t quite place where he recognized me from. Either way, he would be foolish.
Traer placed his hand over his forehead. “What are the chances?”
I took the same stance as Plamen. My face turned as serious as the blood covering my shirt. “You tell me.”
I wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed the thin sparks of fire in Plamen’s eye. But I didn’t want to take the chance while he tried to guess how Traer and I knew each other, so I told him about my encounter with him at the motel. Plamen’s back straightened. The muscle in his jaw ticked. The fire in his eyes rose.
“Isn’t that a coincidence?” Plamen wasn’t asking the question, merely stating how unlikely it was for Traer ending up here.
Cole, seeing what was developing, rubbed his hands together, and said, “I’ll show you where the mudroom is. There’re dry clothes in there you can borrow.”
Once they were gone, Plamen glared at me.
“What?”
His voice was low and deep. “I don’t trust him.”
I shook my head. “Me, neither.” I still wasn’t sure if I should have told Plamen earlier about my run-in with Traer. “Plamen, maybe I should have told you—”
“Told me what? Some guy tried to return a quarter you left in a soda machine.” He shrugged. “I wouldn’t have thought about it for more than a micro-minute after you told me.”
Glad he wasn’t mad, I nodded. A thought lingered too long for it not to be mentioned. I closed the distance between us. “Do you think he’s the one leaving trinkets?”
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