A Touch Menacing

by Leah Clifford

  “Jesus,” he managed. “Yeah, I guess she won’t be running out any time soon.”

  The Touch thrummed into him, his mouth going numb, his throat tickling with vibration. The dose was bigger than anything he’d ever gotten from Eden. On her lips, he could taste salt. “Rachel?” Eden said suddenly.

  Jarrod found the girl staring at him. Not blankly, but actually making contact as he pulled away from her.

  “It hurts,” Rachel moaned, and he thought she was done until she swallowed and added another word. “Less.”

  Eden smiled at her. “We’re gonna have you give us more, okay? We’ll keep going until it stops hurting at all.”

  Rachel stiffened, backing herself against the rusted stove. “I don’t know you. What’s going on?”

  Eden didn’t have a chance to answer before Kristen’s voice grew louder in the living room. Footsteps crossed to them, and she poked her head around the corner.

  “We need to go,” she said. Eden started to argue, but Kristen shook her head. “We need to go now, Eden. Do you know where we are?” Her voice pitched up. “This was where Gabriel stayed when he was Fallen. It’s not safe here.”

  Eden swore, stumbling to her feet. “We can’t keep running like this!” She glanced down at the girl. “We can’t get caught. She’s everyone’s chance to survive.”

  “But what happens when there’re no Siders left? Who changes her?” Az asked.

  Eden helped Rachel to her feet. “That’s a bridge we’ll cross when we come to it.”

  Jarrod slammed his fist into the wall before he spun on Kristen. “If you screw us over . . . if us having to leave again is some plan to turn her over to Luke, I swear to God . . .”

  He didn’t bother finishing the threat, instead wrapping Rachel’s arm around his neck. Her legs wobbled and gave out. “Son of a bitch,” he muttered, and dropped to a knee, throwing her over his shoulder.

  She gave a surprised “oomph.”

  “If we’re going, let’s go,” Jarrod snarled.

  Az backed out of the way and headed into the living room. Jackson already had the door open.

  “Stairwell,” Jarrod said. “We’d be sitting ducks in the elevator.”

  “Good call.” Eden passed him at a jog, opening the door to listen down the stairs. After a second she gave them a thumbs-up, and the rest of the group charged down the hallway. “There’s no need to panic,” she said as they clomped down, her words almost lost in the pounding echo of their feet. “We don’t even know that they’re coming. This is just a precaution.”

  “Right,” he heard Az mumble from behind him. Jarrod could feel him wanting to get by, to get closer to Eden, but with Rachel over his shoulder and the stairs steep, Jarrod didn’t dare stop to let him pass.

  When they reached the bottom, Eden slammed into the push bar and swung the door open wide, spilling them onto the street. She turned back to Jarrod as soon as they were out. “I want Rachel to dose us again,” she said. “We might not get another chance, and we need her functioning. And me functioning.”

  He could hear how short of breath Eden had gotten just from the few flights. She was better, but not nearly as strong as she needed to be. He slipped Rachel off his shoulder and leaned her against a brick wall.

  “Thank you,” Rachel said.

  Jarrod bent over, resting his elbows on his knees. The Touch she’d passed him was still settling. He could feel it, slithering through him. Already he was itching to pass it off to any mortal they found, but he had to hold on, save it in case one of the girls needed it. Which meant he had to keep his head clear. No dark thoughts.

  When he stood up again, Sullivan was next to him. “What’s wrong?” she asked, worried.

  “Too much Touch makes any of us sick, crazy. You and Eden can hold much more than I can.” Even as he said it, a wave of pain washed through his abdomen. He clenched his teeth until it passed. “When Eden used to dose me, I’d pass it off to the mortals pretty quick so it didn’t affect me.”

  “But now you’re keeping it for us, in case we get hurt?” she asked quietly.

  He gave her a quick nod. “Can Rachel dose Sullivan again?” he called out to Eden.

  Rachel seemed more animated, coming around with each dose she gave. If it was true—if she could make Siders mortal again—Eden and Sullivan would have to stay with her, drain her of the Touch she accumulated with every Sider she took out. And if they were getting massive doses of Touch from Rachel, they wouldn’t need to take out Siders.

  Kristen sidled up to her. “I’m first.” She glared back at the look of uncertainty Eden gave her. “Do you have any idea how much time I’ve put into training myself to store? After you two, I’m the most capable person in this group to help her.”

  “We need to find out how to get the Siders to come to her,” Eden said as Rachel dosed Kristen. She turned to Jackson. “Or better yet, we can have her go to them. Stay on the move.”

  Suddenly, Kristen’s whole face shifted, going pale. Jarrod turned just in time to see someone with an odd, loping gait walk the last few feet of the cross street they stood on and disappear behind the edge of the apartment building.

  “He was in my yard.” Venom filled Kristen’s voice. “I saw him last night,” she said, stepping forward. “I’ll kill him for what he’s done.”

  Az grabbed for her arm. “Are you crazy? We go. Now,” he said as he snagged her. “Do not run unless they see us.”

  “Shit,” Jarrod whispered, knowing it was probably too late already to make an escape. The Bound were like roaches; spotting one meant they’d already infested a place. His eyes skipped around, taking in roofs and fire escapes and cars parked on the side of the street. They could be anywhere. Beside him, he heard Sullivan’s frightened breaths.

  Eden wasn’t bothering being inconspicuous. She slowly walked backward. “Az, stick close to Rachel. They can’t get to her.”

  “Understood,” he said as he moved to the girl’s side. “If we get split up—”

  A foot slammed into Jarrod’s chest. He flew back as the angel finished materializing, and landed hard. He rolled out of the way just as a fist plunged into the gravelly snow.

  Even before he finished the roll and was back on his feet, he focused on the blur of Eden’s black coat. Still alive. Another Bound popped into existence beside him. He threw a punch and heard the thing’s nose crunch under his knuckles.

  “Az, get Rachel!” he called, praying. Jarrod took the split second to glance around. Their group had scattered. Four Bound—including the one he’d punched—had Az and Kristen flanked, backing them slowly toward a chain-link fence.

  Rachel ran for him instead of Az. “Who are they?” she gasped beside him.

  “Angels,” he answered distractedly. Where was Sullivan? He swept across the scene again. Panic surged into him. Where the hell was Eden?

  At the fence, Kristen drew something out of her boot. She dropped a sheath and brandished a curved blade. It glinted evilly in the winter sun. “No closer,” she commanded.

  A gasp rippled through the Bound. A knife? Jarrod wondered. He’d let her get close to Eden and never thought she’d been armed. He expected the Bound to laugh. One eased closer. Jarrod watched, torn between getting Rachel out of there and staying to help. Would the Bound hurt Az? he wondered, knowing even as he thought it that they would. He was half Fallen. To them he was nothing. And he was with the Siders.

  For the moment, it looked like the angels were trained on Kristen, or, more accurately, the knife. She held it in front of her with both hands on the hilt.

  One of the Bound made a horrible metallic sound. “You struggle valiantly but in vain. Weapons mean nothing in weak hands.”

  She carved the blade through the air, stopping it near the angel’s neck. “Don’t,” she warned, “call me weak.”

  The angels stumbled back a step.

  “Who would give such a weapon to you?” Another step back. Whatever the knife was, it had them ready to run.
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  “Lucifer,” Kristen snarled. “You will leave me and my friends. If any of you harm us, it’s his wrath you’ll have to fear!”

  A murmur of dissent went through them. Even Jarrod couldn’t look away. A blade forged in Hell. The only thing that could kill one of the Bound. Kristen’s hair swirled around her in the breeze, wild, her eyes flashing. She looked badass. She looked terrifying.

  One of the angels winked out of existence.

  Then two more.

  “We are many,” the last growled. He backed slowly away. “Your kind dims.”

  And then he, too, was gone.

  “Kristen!” Az shouted. “Do you even know what the fuck you’re holding?”

  “Angel antidote.” Kristen waved the blade from side to side like it was a toy. “Handy!”

  Az stared at it like it was a snake. “Luke wouldn’t trust you with it. Did you steal it from him?”

  She stilled. “Why wouldn’t he trust me?”

  Az didn’t answer. “Jarrod, where’s Eden?” he asked carefully.

  No. Jarrod whipped around, scanning the alley, praying Eden and Sullivan would be climbing out from behind a Dumpster or in an alcove.

  “Jackson’s gone, too. And your girl,” Kristen said.

  A whoosh of air swirled beside Jarrod. He heard the pop of one of the Bound coming back and ducked instinctively. Arms appeared around Rachel’s middle. She looked down in surprise.

  The angel zoomed backward down the street before Rachel could even scream, her shoes skipping across the pavement. One came off, tumbled to the side as she whipped around a corner out of sight. Jarrod took off after, though it was hopeless. There was no way he was going to be able to keep pace, let alone catch up. He got to the first street but hesitated in the crosswalk. Az and Kristen dashed up behind him. Don’t panic, think, he commanded himself.

  A scream drifted through the air. Everyone froze. Distorted, carried by the wind, it was still full of agony.

  “No,” Az whispered. He took off after the source, not waiting, not looking back. Like Jarrod, the second he’d heard it, he knew who it belonged to.

  Eden.

  CHAPTER 25

  Jarrod closed the door to the room and turned into Sullivan’s arms. They’d stolen away for just a few moments across the hall. He could still hear Kristen on the phone. She’d used his phone to call Jackson, knowing he probably wouldn’t answer a call from Eden. Now she was trying to get him to explain what was going on. He cracked the door back open, but he couldn’t hear any words, just the sound of her voice.

  Even with Kristen’s dose, if either Eden or Sullivan were hurt, they were all in trouble. And he’d never trust that Kristen wouldn’t turn them over to Luke in a second if it was to her benefit. The sooner he convinced Eden and Az to split from her, the better.

  “How do you feel?” he asked Sullivan.

  She shrugged a shoulder. “Not bad.”

  “Want to try the truth?” he said, and then softened his tone. “Look, Eden and Az lied to each other so many times. They think they’re helping each other or protecting each other, but it’s stupid. It screws them over.” He lifted her head with a finger. “We’re not doing that.”

  She tucked herself under his chin and let out a heavy sigh. “I can feel it in my bones,” she said. “Like it’s breaking them apart from the inside.”

  “Can you hold up?” he forced himself to ask. Already he heard Kristen promising Jackson they’d come to wherever he was. As long as Sullivan could make it there, someone could dose her and things would be okay. If she couldn’t, he’d have to come up with a plan.

  “I can make it,” she said, determination in her voice.

  “Hold your breath,” he said as he leaned in slowly. Their lips met. He felt the minuscule amount of Touch that had built in him pass to her. Sullivan ripped away.

  “Take it back!” she demanded. “What if the Bound get you?”

  Every part of him wanted to lie, but instead he looked her right in the eye. “If the Bound get me, there won’t be anything left to heal.”

  Someone called his name from the hall, and he opened the door. Eden looked relieved when she saw him. And more than that, there was a glow of intense excitement about her. “Apparently, Madeline and Jackson were doing some sort of experimenting. All the Siders staying here passed to the same few mortals. One girl bore the brunt of it.”

  “Oh God,” Sullivan whispered.

  “She lost her path.” She paused to let it sink in. “But with one key difference. Madeline killed her, Jarrod.”

  His jaw dropped. “What?”

  She glanced at Sullivan. “Sullivan and I, we’re both tied to angels, Fallen and Bound. But this girl, she’s tied to a Sider. Madeline . . .” Eden trailed off, shaking her head in disbelief. “I don’t know how she figured it out, but she did. Jackson said they tried it on a volunteer first. They had the death breather Rachel do her thing, expecting ashes. The Sider didn’t crumble like normal. There was a body. And a few hours later, he woke up.”

  “Eden!” Kristen called sharply from downstairs. “Come on!”

  She glanced back. “When Gabe found Madeline at Kristen’s ball, she was dead. She didn’t turn to ash because she was already mortal, Jarrod. Mortal!” Eden backed toward the stairs, gesturing for them to follow.

  It took a second before Jarrod found his voice. “You mean . . . we can all be mortal again?”

  “Where are they?” Sullivan burst into motion, running down the stairs after Eden. “Did they tell you?”

  Az and Kristen were already waiting by the front door. “Yeah, we got an address,” Eden said. “It’s not far, but we’ve got to hurry. The Siders Jackson had with him made Rachel turn them all. That’s what was going on when he called before. She’s carrying way too much Touch. Jackson took some from her, but it wasn’t enough. Sullivan and I can help.”

  Sullivan grabbed Jarrod’s hand, practically skipping down the stairs. “I knew it would be okay,” she said.

  Jarrod didn’t answer. At the door, Kristen looked nervous. Az wasn’t smiling, either, something haunted and lost in his eyes as he watched Eden come down the stairs.

  Before Jackson even answered the door to the apartment, a scream rang out through the hall.

  “Jesus,” Eden whispered.

  Jarrod started to wonder why no one had called the cops when the cry was smothered into a barely audible moan. He glanced around, his hand on Sullivan’s back. Eden pounded on the door again. The place was a shithole. Riding up the elevator, he’d been sure the cables were going to snap and plunge them to the basement. It didn’t even have real doors, just retracting gates that made it feel like a cage. Down the heavily stained hallway, he spotted a staircase. Thank God, he thought. There was no way in hell he was getting back in that elevator.

  A hollow clink sounded against the door as a chain was released. The dead bolt clunked. Finally, Jackson opened the door.

  “Where is she?” Eden demanded.

  Frantic, he pointed behind him. “Kitchen.”

  “Jackson,” Kristen said. She took him by the elbow and moved him out of the way enough to let Eden storm by. “You tried to help her, didn’t you?”

  He nodded, running a hand back and forth over his shaved head. The skin was raw and red. He was wired, carrying far too much Touch. “I couldn’t pass. I couldn’t leave her alone.” He shuddered and lowered his pinkie to gnaw on the nail. “She just keeps screaming.”

  Az closed the door and redid the chain and dead bolt. “There’s no one here but you and her, right?” he asked.

  Jackson nodded. A sliver of blood showed on his fingernail where he’d bitten the cuticle too deep. He grabbed suddenly for Kristen. “Mad’s dead!” he cried. “She’s dead!”

  “I’m so sorry, Jackson. Sebastian, too.” As Jarrod watched, she seemed to shake it off. “You did so well,” she said as Jarrod led Sullivan past. “Madeline would be proud.”

  They entered the kitchen just as Eden
tipped up and away from the girl. “Okay, you can breathe, Rachel,” she said.

  Though Jarrod didn’t see a bedroom, a mattress had been dragged from somewhere and was wedged between the wall and the front of the stove. The girl on it trembled, her arms twitching and jerking. With a shaking hand, she wiped her mouth.

  Eden squeezed her shoulder. “Any better?” she asked.

  The girl nodded absently, but it was the change in Eden that stopped him dead. She looked healthy, the gray color gone from her skin. Her cheeks glowed rosy. With her free hand she waved over Sullivan.

  “This will be just like you did with Jarrod, only you’re going to be getting a lot more Touch,” she coached. “Be sure to hold your breath.” She kept her hand on Sullivan’s back as Sullivan leaned forward and took the dose.

  Az pressed in behind Jarrod. “How are you?” he asked Eden.

  She winked at him, and he seemed to relax a bit. “Ready, Jarrod?”

  Jarrod moved forward. “Should she be losing Touch that fast?”

  “Can you imagine what would happen to me if I took out twenty Siders? Especially twenty paranoid Siders, who’ve been storing instead of passing? She’s way overloaded. And I don’t think anyone even told her anything.” Eden rubbed the girl’s back. “Jarrod, take a dose,” she said. He hesitated. The girl, Rachel, already looked glazed, like she was well on her way to being out of her mind. “She needs to get rid of it,” Eden insisted when Jarrod didn’t move. “What happens if later Sullivan and I need to be dosed and you didn’t take it?”

  “That’s not playing fair,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why don’t you just have her turn us mortal now?”

  “No!” Az blurted. “Eden and Sullivan can help her regulate if she’s turning Siders mortal. We can save them from the Bound. If she does it to Eden now, though, she’ll just take back all the Touch she got rid of.”

  Eden stared down at the girl. “You’re right,” she said. “Jarrod, take the dose from her. We need to keep her levels as low as possible so she can help Siders as we find them.” Eden motioned for Sullivan to switch with him.