As they walked to the room on the twenty-first floor, she said, "Don’t get any ideas."
"Obviously. I just saw both your parents today. Your father would kill me."
"No, I'd kill you."
"I'm sleeping on the floor, just give me a blanket and a pillow and I'm good. Why didn't you want to go to that Nina lady's house?"
She didn't tell him everything, just parts of what she went through over the last two days. "I'm not sure I can trust her. I don't know who I can trust but I feel I can trust you. Thanks, Alejandro."
She eyed him as they walked to the door. He had changed from the goofy neighbor who always cheated at games and ran from stray dogs as though they were full of rattlesnake venom. He was actually handsome. She scrunched her face and asked, "Did you get a haircut?"
"Yeah, like six months ago."
They walked into the room.
Jade grabbed the remote. "Ah, I just want to watch television and forget everything that's been going on."
"I'm with you. Let's find some old movies."
"Great."
* * *
Jade slept soundly as Alejandro lay awake. Jade's phone lit up. He grabbed it to turn it off and saw that it was a text from Seven. It read:
Good idea to change hotels. See you tomorrow.
The text history showed that Jade had texted the room number to Seven after he begged her. He was an ass, Alejandro thought. He wouldn't let Seven get in the way of taking Jade to the Faction. This was his time to shine.
He wanted to text Seven back to tell him to leave Atlanta and go back to New York City or wherever that piece of crap show was filmed, but he didn't. Instead, he turned off her phone. That's when he heard shuffling at the door.
Alejandro stood up and pressed his ear against the door.
"Dude, it's me, Mom wanted me to let you know dad's sick."
Alejandro looked through the peephole. It was his brother. How did he know Alejandro was there? Was his father sick? He did have heart problems. He unlocked the door.
His brother stood in front of him and was silent.
"Jason?" he whispered, not wanting to wake Jade.
"Not quite." Seven shook and his features morphed and shifted back into his regular appearance. He jumped and swerved to the left, avoiding Alejandro's right hook.
"What are you—"
Seven punched him and grabbed him before he hit the ground. He nodded as two guys picked Alejandro up and put him in a large suitcase.
He pushed open the door and walked into the room. She slept. She was undoubtedly tired.
Her face was nestled in the cloud of her dark curly hair. He wanted to touch her face. When he was with her he didn't feel so lost. She understood him. He was torn between saving Jade and saving his close friend. He exhaled. He touched the bed. He wanted to curl beside her and sleep. He wanted to forget his pain.
He was glad Alejandro was out of the way.
He walked to the door and closed it gently.
Several hours later, Jade awoke to an empty room. She thought Alejandro was in the bathroom until she walked in and saw it was empty. She opened the door and looked left and right down the long hotel hallway. Nothing.
"Alejandro?" She said only once. She saw Seven approach her with a bag of bagels and two cups of coffee.
"We have to get you to safety like Wyle said." He walked into the room and set the bag down and grabbed a bagel.
"Where's Alejandro? Did you see him leave?"
"No. I haven't seen him since yesterday." He took a bite of his bagel.
* * *
Alejandro woke up inside of the luggage. Instead of boiling with rage, he was almost grateful for the mini sweat lodge experience. The hours spent in the semi-unconscious state allowed him to reach a clarity that he couldn't see before. He was committed to the Faction and would do everything to avenge his mother's death.
He managed to shove a finger in the little hole of light and unzip the suitcase. He was relieved for the cooler air, but the office lighting was blinding at first.
"Holy crap! Are you okay?" A hotel employee said, rushing to him. She was near tears seeing him escape from the suitcase. "Do you want me to call the police?"
"No, I'm okay. Just a prank." He crawled out and leaned on the nearby table. He felt his muscles scream.
"Here's some water. You've got a mean friend if you don't mind me saying. That's just not right."
"Yeah, he's mean, alright."
Alejandro walked out into the bright afternoon. He covered his eyes. "Seven, I'm going to kill you when I find you." He marched down the hot pavement and dialed Jade.
* * *
Jade packed her few belongings in her bag. She hadn't known she'd be stuck wearing the same things for so long. She held up her t-shirt from yesterday. She did not want to wear that again.
"We've got to take you shopping soon."
"That's a great idea. Let me change quick. I'll be right out."
"Okay, I'm here."
Jade jumped when she heard a crash from the other side of the door. She heard voices and another crash.
"Jade! Run!" Seven yelled.
Alejandro held a metal pipe and swung it, hitting Seven in the chest. He fell on the bed in pain.
Jade opened the door and jumped back when a second person ran towards her with a knife.
"I'm coming for you," the woman screamed.
Jade held up her hand and sent the knife flying into the hallway. She swung her fist, knocking the woman into Alejandro.
"How could you?" Jade asked Alejandro. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"My mom was killed by a supernatural. I hate your kind, Jade. I want to find a way to make you normal again."
Seven kicked Alejandro's legs from under him. He fell and landed on a small table, shattering it to pieces.
"Jade, fly." Seven said.
"What?" she asked.
"You have to escape by flying out of here." Seven pointed to the window. "I'll be right behind you."
She didn't know if she could do it again. She looked at Alejandro and saw him scramble to his feet.
"Be careful, Seven." She had to focus to shapeshift. She ran into the bathroom and shut her eyes, but her nerves were getting in the way. She heard a crash and closed her eyes again focusing on a bird. Her body convulsed and she turned into a white dove and flew out of the window.
* * *
Jade tried circling the area, hoping to find Seven, but began to grow tired. What if he didn't make it out alive? She flew to the only place she knew she could find shelter. She landed on Nina's balcony. The sliding glass door was shut. She had left her key that Nina gave her in her clothes.
Jade convulsed and shapeshifted back to her regular form. She crouched down, hoping no one could see her. She was naked and needed clothes. "Please be unlocked, please be unlocked." She tried to open the sliding glass door, but it was locked She saw the key that Nina kept on a hook near the refrigerator. Jade held up her hand and motioned the key into the lock. The key fell.
"Hey miss." The neighbor from a few apartments away saw Jade on Nina's balcony. She held her phone in her hand.
Jade ignored the woman.
"Hey, what are you doing over there? I'm calling the cops on you."
Jade tried to focus on the key, but it dropped again. She had to block everything out. Her pulse raced. She focused on the key and used her hand as a guide to control the key.
"I'm watching you. They're going to get you. And where are your clothes?"
"Come on, come on," Jade whispered to herself. She had to get in and out before the police came. The key finally went into the lock and she moved it. She heard the click and she flung the door open.
Jade ran inside. She heard the police car and grabbed the bag by Nina's door. She sped to the stairwell and walked out slowly with her sunglasses on. She kept walking until she felt far enough to relax.
She looked inside the bag Nina gave her and found a few items like a flashlight, b
eef jerky, a flip phone, a map and chewing gum. She also saw a one hundred dollar bill. She couldn't get very far with a hundred bucks. At the very bottom, she found a folded up white dress and the leather bound book she'd been curious about.She needed more money so she called her dad.
Jade barely knew how to use the flip phone, but figured it out quickly. "Mom?"
"Hey, Jade. Are you somewhere safe?"
"Uh, no. Can you please send me money? Wire it to the Trinker Grocery Store near the museum."
"Don't be silly, it won't take me long to find you. I'll be there soon. We miss you, honey. Isn't it time you came home?"
"No. I can't have them hurt you or anyone else I care about."
"You can't do this alone, Jade."
"I'm not alone. I have help. Mom, don't tell Alejandro anything about me. He's part of the Faction."
"Our Alejandro?"
"Yes. Nothing, please. Not a word."
"Okay, honey."
"Thanks."
"You're going to need identification to get the money we're sending you."
"I don't have any." Jade's mind scrambled for solutions. "I'll call you with someone's name in about forty minutes. Stay by the phone."
"That's dangerous, Jade. I don’t like where all this is going. Your father and I raised you to be a good person. Don't break any laws just because you've awakened."
"I have no choice for now. I won't hurt anyone. I'm being careful."
"Stay in touch. Hey, just buy a phone, one of those flamers they use on television shows."
"They're called burners, Mom. And I'm using one now." She couldn't help but smile.
"Oh, okay. Take care, Jade. I love you. Be safe. You're our only daughter."
"I know. I love you, too. I'll be safe." She wondered at that very moment how her biological parents would feel about her. Did they know she was alive?
She hung up the phone and pulled down her floral hat. She needed to find a way to get identification from someone and get the money her parents were sending her. She had to leave Atlanta tonight.
She walked through the street and kept going until she felt safe. To get to Trinker Grocery, she'd need to walk for another thirty minutes. It allowed her time to think.
Alejandro was changed by his mother's death. She wondered how far she would go if one of her parents was killed. She winced at the thought. But she kept going with it. Would she turn into a person who would do anything to soothe her aching? Would she switch sides? Would she kill?
She shook her head as she passed by a storefront window and looked at her reflection. She didn't even recognize herself. "Maybe I'd be worse," she said out loud.
She hoped Seven would reach out to her soon. Crap. Her life was more complicated than ever. She walked into Trinker Grocery store and walked by all the employees. She just needed one to go to the bathroom. She waited and followed the short woman in.
Jade walked out as Sally Mckinnon. She felt weird shifting into another person's form. She realized the world looked different from a few inches closer to the ground.
"Hey Carla, my uncle's sending money," Jade said. She leaned on the customer service counter.
"Lucky you, Sally. Wow, he likes you." Carla said, looking at the amount of the transfer.
"I'm going to buy a new car. Mine's on the fritz," she said, trying to sound old.
"Well, good luck to you. I think they're making cars so they quit on us faster and faster."
"Preaching to the choir."
Carla looked over her shoulder and saw the other Sally Mckinnon stagger out of the bathroom. Sally pointed her bound hands towards Jade.
Jade shoved the cash down her bra and ran. She felt like she ran for an hour, but really it was more like five minutes. She bought a new smart phone and called Seven again.
Jade left Seven a few messages and half a dozen text messages before she gave up. She walked down the sidewalk feeling alone and lost. She hoped he was okay. She had no one to turn to. It was now almost forty-eight hours since she'd awakened --but she didn't feel more awake or more complete.
She wanted to let Seven know she had feelings for him, but she was scared. What if he didn't feel the same?
She finally realized what she needed to feel whole. She vowed--not a Voltic vow, but a vow from her heart—that if she ever had a chance again with Seven, she wouldn't blow it with stupid jokes or snarky comments. She'd dare.
Eight
The breeze blew Jade's black curls into her eyes. She walked to the park where she said she'd wait for Seven. This area of the park was secluded and surrounded by trees. She sat on the park bench and waited. She tapped her fingers along the wooden seat and watched ants devour a piece of bread.
The sunset shifted to night within minutes, it seemed. She sighed.
She heard footsteps.
She clasped her hands and looked up. Seven walked towards her. Her heart felt full, but then she felt ashamed for wanting him so much, for needing him so much. She wrapped her heart back up in its shell, waiting for a sign from him that he felt the same for her.
His face was tense. He seemed all business. Then, under the wings of the dark night, he smiled.
Jade knew that this was her time. She stood up and walked toward him, then hesitated. She bit her lip and ran into his arms, not caring if she was making a fool of herself. Hell, she'd done worse in the last two days. She held his face and touched her lips to his. She felt him pull her close. Her heart felt alive. "I thought they killed you."
He pulled back to look at her then met her lips with a softer kiss. "No chance. I've wanted to kiss you like that for so long."
"Me, too." She brushed her fingers through his brown hair and frowned when she saw the cut at his hairline. "What happened to you?"
"Alejandro and the Faction happened to me. Let's not let him steal this moment from us."
"Okay." She smiled and touched his face, tracing his cheek and his jawline. She'd wanted to do that for so long. To just touch him.
He looked deep into her eyes and pulled her into his arms.
She ignored the fear and gave in to the pull of longing and love. She felt a sweet sadness mix with the swirling elation that invaded her senses, and whispered, "I‘m so glad you're here." She wanted to say more but she didn't dare. Not yet.
"Me too," Seven said. His breath hitched.
They rested their foreheads together and basked in the moment.
Jade heard fast footsteps approaching. She stepped back when she saw Alejandro approach.
"I brought a friend," Alejandro said, pointing to a tall woman by his side.
"Hello, Jade. I'm Bex, and I'm getting tired of you," she said. The eyes of the small animals that were used to make her dress glinted under the park's lamp posts.
"She's not responsible for any of this." Seven said.
"Shut up, supernatural. My mom died because of one of you. They killed her for sport. The doctor said it was a wolf attack, but I know better." Alejandro said with his teeth clenched. He held a metal pipe in his hand and swung it around. "Back up, Jade."
Jade could feel her body react before she could control it. Her hand shot up and she ripped a branch off the tree near her and flung it at Alejandro's legs.
Bex threw a knife at Jade and it hit her in the shoulder.
"Aaah!" Jade screamed as the blade pierced her skin. Jade lifted her hand and removed the knife from her shoulder, "You shouldn't have done that, Bex. How about you just turn around and leave?"
Seven lunged at Alejandro and hit him with a right hook.
Alejandro fell back, wiping the blood from his mouth. He picked up the metal pipe on the floor and swung it.
"You shouldn't exist. Supernaturals have no place on earth."
Seven jumped out of the way of the pipe and knocked Alejandro down with a kick.
"I'm not letting either of you hurt Jade. You killed my brother." Seven said, pointing at Bex.
“He was a fairy and you’re a shapeshifter. You were never broth
ers, really.” Bex laughed.
Bex approached a few steps closer. She changed her hair a brilliant red and her eyes matched. "And you.” She motioned towards Jade, “How dare you think, with your half shapeshifter blood, that you can take my place?"
"I won’t let you get away with killing David, but I’m not after your throne. I just want to be normal," Jade said.
"Really? That's not what the legend says. It says you want my throne as Fairy Enthrall." She leaned closer, "Why don't you stay and let me strip the skin from you both, piece by piece, like I did to Wyle this morning?"
Jade stepped closer. “You didn’t.”
“Oh, yes I did. Right after Alejandro told me the poisoning I suffered was the Disorder’s doing.”She touched her chin and said, “I’ve got a great idea; I’ll kill you both and end this tonight.”
Jade ignored the pain in her shoulder. She gripped the knife in the air and said, “I have a better idea." Jade flung the knife and it landed in Bex's leg.
"Aaaiee! You’ll pay for this. Do you know how many animals I had to kill to make this dress?" She pulled the knife out of her thigh and barely flinched. She tossed the knife and it stopped in midair. It swung like a pendulum between Jade and Seven. Bex’s eyes darted between them. “Who will it be? You or him?”
"No!" Jade screamed. Seven was fighting with Alejandro and had his back towards Bex. They wrestled on the floor, exchanging punches.
Seven jumped to his feet and convulsed. He began to shift. Alejandro pushed Seven towards Bex.
Bex looked at Jade and nodded, "Oh, yes. I killed David, why shouldn’t I kill Seven, too?" she said with relish. Bex catapulted the knife into Seven's back.
He fell and returned to his natural form. The knife protruded from his back. He lay on his side.
Jade lifted her hand, throwing Bex into the bushes. She ran to Seven's side.
Bex jumped to her feet and stood near Alejandro. "No need to bring her in yet. I feel like a cat that has a new toy. Let her squirm just a bit longer before I go for the kill."
"The Faction wants her today," Alejandro said.
"To hell with the faction. I'll contact Mikas. He's a hunter, he'll understand. This is too good to end quickly; I like to savor my kills. Seven’s not going to die. He’s just in pain. You'll learn one day, human."
Jade's Awakening (Delacourt Saga Book 1) Page 7
