He held out some clothes. “I’ll stay with her. Go change and I’ll put your clothes in the dryer,” Rory ordered. I hesitated. “She’ll be okay, Isaac. I promise.”
I nodded before forcing myself to take the clothes and go back into the bathroom. I wasn’t going far from her side, not until she was awake. I changed quickly. Fear clenched my chest. I can’t lose her. I can’t. She’s… I can’t lose her. Eyes burning, I picked up my clothes and hers, then headed back into Rory’s room.
She was still breathing. I handed Rory our clothes before moving to the other side of the bed and climbing on. I sat at the end of the bed and watched her chest rise and fall. She was breathing. She was alive.
Rory’s hand came down on my shoulder and squeezed. “You saved her Isaac, she’s going to be okay.” I nodded absently but I refused to budge. He squeezed my shoulder again. “I’ll call the guys,” Rory said before heading out the door.
I moved closer and took her hand in mine, needing to feel her. Her hand was smooth, with calloused fingers from drawing so much. I memorized every detail of her hand as I thought about what happened.
I can’t lose her. She’s… she’s Lexie. Losing her would be it. I couldn’t take it. I decided to stop thinking and just watch her breathe.
Miles
My cell rang. I looked away from my computer screen and checked the caller. It was Rory.
“Hi, Rory.”
“Miles, it’s about Lexie,” he said, his voice troubled. My shoulders instantly grew tense at the sound of his voice.
“Is she alright?” I asked immediately. Please, let her be alright, please.
“She’s okay,” he assured me. I let out a deep breath, the tension in my shoulders easing as I relaxed. But Rory wasn’t done. “I’m calling to tell you she was pulled into the lake and jumped about an hour ago. We were lucky Isaac was here at the time. He got her out of the water and in the shower. She’s already woken up and passed back out.” I took a deep breath and let it out. I had to be calm. I was the calm one.
“I’ll head over. Is there anything she needs?” I asked as I braced my elbow on my desk and rested my forehead on my hand.
“No, she’s out. Isaac won’t leave her side,” he said. I closed my eyes. That sounded like Isaac. He’d be sitting there watching her, looking for every twitch or eye flicker. Just like I was going to. I put that thought away and focused.
“Have you told the others?” I asked.
“I’m about to call them,” he said. I nodded absently.
“I’ll call them.” I decided. “But Rory, could you watch Isaac? Make sure he doesn’t leave?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen, but yeah. I’ll watch him.” he agreed.
“Thanks. I’ll be over after I tell the others.”
“See ya then.” Rory hung up. I set my phone down and leaned both elbows onto my desk.
This needed to end. She couldn’t keep getting jumped. It had to be doing damage, right? I closed my eyes and struggled for control. Her face flashed in my mind, how she looked the last time she was jumped. My poor Angel. We had to find a way to make it stop and not just when she’s wearing her bracelets.
I took several deep calming breaths as I got to my feet. I picked up my phone and called Zeke. It went to voicemail. My blood boiled.
“Zeke. Lexie’s been jumped. Rory says she’s fine and that she already woke up. I know you’re at your appointment but damn it, Zeke. Leave your phone on,” I said in a cold voice. I hung up then swept my keyboard and books off my desk in a fit of anger.
Zeke was having a bad time, I understood how he felt. But he had the worst time when something happened to Lexie, and leaving a message wasn’t going to help that. I took several more calming breaths. I needed to finish calling the others, then get over there and see her for myself. I picked up my phone.
Ethan
I was sitting on the back porch of Ryan’s house staring out at the lawn when my phone rang. It was Miles. I closed my eyes and took a breath. He probably wanted to talk about Sophie and I wasn’t ready to. But… I never ignored Miles.
“What?” I answered.
“It’s Lexie,” Miles said instantly. I sat up straight as my pulse picked up. “She was jumped an hour ago.” I grew still inside. She was jumped…
My lungs grew tight as I asked, “Is she okay?”
“She’s alright, thanks to Isaac.” His voice worried. “She was pulled into the lake when it happened. He got her out and took care of her.” Isaac was there? He saved her? It took me a few heartbeats to take that in. Ever since Sophie died… “Ethan?”
“I’m here,” I said, my voice tight.
“Are you going over?” he asked simply. I scoffed. It was Lexie. How could I not?
“Yeah, I’m headed over now,” I told him, before hanging up. I rested my elbows on my knees and hid my face in my hands. She was okay. She was fine. It didn’t help the tightness in my chest. I closed my eyes and fought back tears. We almost lost her. I hadn’t talked to her in days and I almost lost her.
She had been right not to tell us about Sophie. It would only have made things worse. And Isaac didn’t need worse. I dropped my hands and got to my feet. I needed to see her, see her awake and talking. Tell her that I’m an asshole.
I headed inside for my keys. I walked through Ryan’s house, not really seeing it. I grabbed my keys off the table next to the front door.
“What’s going on?” Ryan asked, coming from the kitchen with an orange in his hands.
I hesitated before telling him. “Lexie had a seizure, I’m headed over there to see how she’s doing.” Ryan’s eyes snapped to me, his face stunned.
“Shit. I’ll go with you,” he said as he put the orange down.
“No, you’re not.” I decided.
He met my eyes. “I’m worried about her too, man.”
“You need to back off from Lexie,” I said before I could think.
He eyed me, then smirked. “You like her too.” I shot him a look. Did it really take him this long to figure that out?
“No shit,” I growled. Ryan’s brows went up. I headed for the door. “I’ll be back later.”
Asher
I was laying in my room watching baseball when my phone rang.
“Hey, Miles.”
“Lexie was jumped about an hour ago. A ghost pulled her into the lake,” Miles stated, his voice weary. My world froze.
“Is she okay?” I asked instantly, sitting up with my heart in my throat.
“She’s alright, Isaac was there. She’s already woken up and she’s passed out again.” he said. I was already moving from my bed to my desk chair and began to pull on my shoes.
“You’re sure?” I asked again.
“I haven’t seen her yet, but Rory assured me,” he admitted. That wasn’t good enough. I needed to see her.
“I’m headed over now,” I told him before hanging up. I grabbed my keys and hurried downstairs. I was in my truck a moment later. Ally… I fought for control as I drove. Miles said she was pulled into the lake. Did that mean she had water in her lungs when Isaac got her out?
When I get there I’ll ask Miles to get the doctor to check her lungs. I’d heard about dry drowning before. I couldn’t take that risk with her. I rubbed the back of my neck hard as I stopped at a stop light.
How bad was it this time? Would she have more nightmares? Was it the same ghost as the bowling alley? I needed answers, answers only she could give. It can’t be that bad again. I don't think she could take it. Let Ally be okay.
“Please. God, I haven’t asked for anything. Not since Mom. Please. Don’t take her too.” I whispered to no one.
I hadn’t believed in God since Mom passed. But if it would help her, I’d believe, I’d beg.
Zeke
I slammed the office door behind me and strode down the hall. The fucking doc was being a huge pain in the ass. ‘Talk to her about it.’ Yeah, like it’s that fucking easy. Like anything with Le
xie was easy anymore. I stepped outside and headed for my Jeep. Nothing was easy with that girl except…
I growled at myself as I climbed in. That fucking kiss was still in my dreams, every fucking night. I slammed my door and took a deep calming breath. Now she couldn’t even hug me. I would give anything to get my hands on Ordin, alone.
I took another deep breath. I remind her of him. That’s the reality of it. I got it. I just hated it. I hated reminding her of him, I hated the sad look in her eyes when she looked at me.
My eyes burned and my throat tightened. I took another breath. I had planned to talk to the guys the next morning. Tell them I cared about her. Then… I got the call that she was in the hospital, and my world crashed around me.
For four hours, I thought we might have a chance. That we might work. Then life kicked me in the teeth. No, that would have been easier. Life kicked Lexie in the teeth, and then… I growled again in anger, then slammed my hand into the steering wheel over and over until my eyes stopped burning. I took several more deep breaths.
I wasn’t there. I should have fucking been there! I fought for control while I sat there, not even starting the car. I ran through the exercises the doc told me to do. It is the past, I can’t fix it. All I can do is work to make it better now. It’s not my fault. It was Clay Ordin’s. The last felt like a lie. It wasn’t. I didn’t do that to her. He did. I am not responsible for keeping everyone safe. That felt like a lie too. It wasn’t, I know that.
Trying to distract myself, I picked up my cell from the console. I had a message.
“Zeke. Lexie’s been jumped. Rory says she’s fine and that she already woke up. I know you’re at your appointment but damn it, Zeke. Leave your phone on.” Miles’ voice was cold before he hung up.
I barely noticed. She had been jumped again. I dropped the phone and gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. How much damage this time? Would she even fucking tell us if there was damage?
I took deep breaths as I fought for control. My Lexie was okay. She already woke up and was passed out again. She’s alright. No one touched her, no one physically hurt her…
“God, Lexie…” I muttered as I fought the tightness in my chest to breathe. I needed to get over there. She was probably in bed, curled up with Hades. But I still needed to see her. Feel her pulse, see her breathe. I started the Jeep and focused on not running stop lights. I’m coming, Baby.
Lexie
I woke up hurting. My head was pounding and everything ached deeply. Even the bottom of my feet, again. Seriously, why did getting jumped do that? I ran through my memories.
For once in my life after getting jumped, I didn’t have a ghost’s memories. I had managed to protect myself that much at least. The fucker still surprised me.
I groaned as I opened my eyes slowly. Sunlight was barely coming through the closed curtains. It made the room bearable. I shifted, then gasped. Pain shot through me as my muscles protested.
“Lexie, I’ve got Rory’s pain killers for you,” Miles whispered gently. I smiled. Oh, I liked that voice. It soothed something in my brain.
I nodded, braced myself, then sat up quick and whimpered as I rested my back against the headboard. Miles pulled my blankets up to my chest. I held them as I started to be able to focus.
All the guys were sitting in Rory’s room on dining chairs. I looked down and blinked. I was only wearing my bra on top. Miles handed me a couple pills, I took them and drank from the glass that he handed me.
“Well, it’s official. The dead are getting pushy.” I tried a joke. No one laughed.
Something moved against me. Hades peeked his head out from under the covers and climbed out to lay with his head in my lap. I looked over to Isaac. His face was pale. “Did I get dragged into the water?”
“Yeah,” Isaac said quietly.
“We were real lucky you held your breath,” Asher announced. I winced. I had hoped that I had remembered that wrong. I looked around.
“You guys didn’t have to stay-”
“Shut up.” Zeke snapped. I winced at the sound. His eyes were burning as they met mine. “While you were out Isaac filled us in on what’s been going on with the dead. Why the hell didn’t you tell us?” I whimpered and covered my ears as my head throbbed from the sound.
“Zeke, not now,” Miles warned quietly.
“Just… give me a few minutes for the sensitivity to go.” I mumbled.
Asher went to Rory’s dresser and brought me a shirt. It was Zeke’s huge blue thermal. I gave him a grateful smile before I pulled it on while keeping the blankets in place. The sleeves covered my hands and the neck hung off my shoulder, but it was exactly what I wanted right now. And pants, but pants could come when I could get out of bed.
“I’ll go get your food,” Asher said, his voice strained. He headed for the door.
“Thanks, Ash,” I called.
He gave me a smile. “No problem, Ally girl.” He headed out the door.
I looked at the others, they all looked tired.
“Guys, go, I’m fine now.” I tried.
“Shut up,” Zeke growled quietly. “We’re not going anywhere. As soon as you’re feeling better, you’re answering some questions.”
“I need some air…” Ethan got to his feet and headed out the door. Zeke growled and went after him.
Miles sighed. “Lexie-”
“Go, stop them from killing each other,” I told him. Miles hurried around the bed and out the door, closing it behind him. Leaving me alone with Isaac.
He looked bad, and his eyes… he was barely holding it together. He was still, his gaze on the floor.
Needing to touch him I pushed the covers away and put my feet on the floor, repressing a groan at the pain.
“Isaac,” I called softly. I needed to hug him, make him feel better but I couldn’t reach him yet. Isaac raised his head and met my gaze. His eyes were scared as they filled with tears. He got to his feet then came to me. He dropped to his knees in front of me and wrapped his arms around me, his face pressing against my belly. I held his head and stroked his hair, ran my hands over his shoulders and arms, whispering that I was alright. That I was here. His breathing grew ragged as I held him.
At one point the door opened. I glanced over my shoulder to see Miles. He saw Isaac, then met my eyes and nodded. He closed the door quietly behind him.
“I can’t lose you,” he told me.
“You saved my ass today. I’m not going anywhere.” I whispered back. At least, I hoped I wasn’t. This one had shaken me. I hadn’t even seen the asshole coming. I kept reminding him that I was alright until he could take a breath normally again. When he eventually let go, he sat back on his knees and wiped his face.
“Let’s…let’s get you dressed so you can eat,” he said uncertainly. My stomach chose that moment to growl, loudly. His lips barely moved into a grin as he got to his feet.
He brought me Asher’s Sylvester the Cat pajama bottoms. Asher must have brought my clothes down from my room. Who else would know to bring Zeke’s shirt and his bottoms?
Isaac knelt and helped me get my feet into the bottoms. Then he steadied me as I stood. When I went to pull them up I groaned in pain.
He didn’t hesitate, he helped pull the bottoms up. I tied the tie myself, awkwardly. I’d never had a guy help me get dressed like this before. Asher did my zipper on my dress for Winter Formal but this was different. It was... more.
He took my arm, we were about to head for the door when it opened and the guys filed through. Shouting came from the main room. Asher had a bowl of food in his hands and came straight to me.
“Change of plans, you’re eating in here,” Asher told me. I sat down carefully while Miles closed the door behind them.
“What’s going on?” I asked as Asher handed me a bowl half full of pasta and the other half chicken. It was in some kind of pinkish sauce. It could have been poison and I still would have eaten it.
“Tara was here when you got j
umped,” Miles answered. I went still. “She saw everything.”
“Shit.” I speared some chicken and noodles then took a bite. It tasted familiar and great but I couldn’t place it. After I swallowed I looked up at Asher. “This is great but what is it?”
“Cajun chicken fettuccine in a Louisiana sauce. It’s what we had the ingredients for in the house.” Asher explained. I nodded and kept eating.
I was almost done when I finally had the brainpower to ask. “What was she yelling about out there?” The guys exchanged looks. Oh, this wasn’t good.
Miles turned to me. “Rory had managed to put off explaining for a while. They’ve been talking for half an hour now.”
My heart dropped. “Did he tell her that she’s not his?”
Asher shook his head while Miles answered. “He told her it skipped a generation once in a while.”
I looked down at the comforter and muttered Rory’s words. “Sometimes not telling someone something important is for that person's own good.”
“Until it almost gets you killed,” Zeke growled. I lifted my head and met his eyes. “You’ve been hiding a lot. It’s time to start talking.” I didn’t even know what to say.
Miles leaned forward in his chair, bringing him to the side of the bed. “Lexie, we’ve noticed you’ve been keeping some things to yourself,” he said gently. “For example, the dead becoming more aggressive. Or that you were having trouble walking into the house at night.”
“Like, what the hell happened the other day at school?” Zeke snapped.
“Zeke,” Miles warned. Zeke clenched his jaw. Miles turned back to me. “Is there anything else you haven’t told us?”
Exhausted and tired of lying, I nodded. It took me a few heartbeats before I could answer. “I don’t want you guys to have to deal with that stuff.”
“Ally, we’re going to have to deal with that stuff as long we’re with you.” Asher pointed out gently.
“And we’re not going anywhere. So, start talking.” Ethan stated.
Whispers From the Dead Page 22
