My insides chilled. Was I just set up? Did Raven only pretend to want to know about his siblings?
“Oh.” Heath shuffled his feet. “Are you done? I’m supposed to take her to the bathroom.”
“I can do it.”
Heath’s eager expression disappeared. “But Marcus told me to do it.”
A sick feeling ran through me. I wondered if by taking me to the bathroom, Heath would be joining me in there too.
Raven walked to the door. “I said, I’ll do it.”
Heath backed away, but I still caught the angry look he gave Raven before he turned and stalked down the hall.
Distrust oozed through me. “So all of this was a setup? Your dad sent you to talk to me?”
Raven’s eyes widened. “What? No!” He shook his head. “Oh, I see, you think I set you up. No, my dad has no idea I’m here. I didn’t lie to you, Lena. I had to tell Heath something to make him leave. If my dad knows I’m here, I could get in trouble.”
I cursed inwardly that I couldn’t see his cloud. I was so used to being able to gauge people’s intentions and sincerity with my ability. Without it, I felt lost.
“Trust me, Lena. Please.” His eyes swirled bright orange again. His pleading look seemed sincere.
But is it?
“Who the hell are those two?” I nodded in the direction Heath had gone.
Raven shrugged. “Just two guys my dad has on his security team. They normally guard our house, but when my dad goes off on work excursions, they go with him.”
“Where are the rest of them?” I’d distinctly felt ten clouds yesterday at the Headlands.
“They’re looking for, um, you know, Flint and Di and everyone else.”
My stomach clenched.
“Don’t worry. They haven’t found them.”
I met his gaze. “If you’re lying to me…”
“I’m not.” His tone softened, and he looked down, shuffling his feet. “I’m nothing like who you claim my dad is. I would never hurt anybody intentionally.”
His words and look were like something Flint would say. Honor ran so deeply through Flint. It was embedded in his core. Perhaps Raven was the same.
Raven’s look turned apologetic. “I need to handcuff you. If Heath or Trevor see me walking you around here without cuffs, they’ll tell my dad.”
I turned and let him cuff me. I briefly wondered how anyone could believe their dad wasn’t evil when he operated a building to hold kidnapped people and required handcuffing those people when moving them. The power of denial was apparently quite…well, powerful.
Once I was restrained, Raven prodded me gently ahead of him. My stomach tightened when I saw Trevor and Heath standing at the end of the hall, beside the bathroom.
“Hi, Red.” Trevor leered.
When they blocked the door to the bathroom, Raven stepped in front of me. “Do you two need something?”
“Marcus said she needs to bathe after the bathroom and we’re supposed to give her some clean clothes. Heath and I were talking about how hard it would be to shower with her hands tied behind her back, so we were thinking we’d help her.” Trevor waggled his eyebrows.
The sick feeling inside me grew.
“You two aren’t needed.” Raven put his hands on his hips. “If I stay with her, she won’t need to be handcuffed, and she can shower on her own.”
Trevor’s mouth dropped, his blue eyes narrowing. “What the hell, man? It’s our job to watch her.”
A small fire erupted at Trevor’s feet. He yelped and jumped back. The fire went out.
“Pretty sure I can handle her just fine on my own.”
“I told you,” Heath muttered under his breath to Trevor.
Trevor gave Raven a murderous look. “Let’s go.” The two of them stalked away. When they disappeared, I slumped in relief.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Once my dad finds out I’ve been giving you special treatment, he’s going to have a lot of questions.”
I thought about Marcus’ reaction to what I was saying this morning about Di and Flint being related to Raven. Once he found out I’d been talking to Raven in private, I’d be surprised if I ever saw the fire-starter again.
LUCKILY, RAVEN WAS able to help me use everything in private. After I finished in the bathroom, he led me to a locker room. It was entirely concrete as was everything in the hanger. There were no private shower stalls. Instead, there was a wall of shower heads in a large open space. Raven, however, kept his back turned the entire time and took the restraints off my wrists which allowed me to move freely.
With frenzied movements, I searched the shower stalls as discreetly as possible for something, anything, that I could use as a weapon. Similar to every other room in this hanger, there was nothing. Slumping in defeat, I finished and grabbed the clothes he’d brought in.
The new clothes fit surprisingly well. They were simple jeans and a sweater. Both had generic labels and felt a bit scratchy. I’d bet money they were picked up at the closest Walmart or Kmart. In a way, I would have preferred to put my own clothes back on, even though I’d been wearing them for two days, but at least they were mine and were comfortable. There was something sinister about having been here long enough that Marcus felt I warranted bathing and clean clothes.
As I pushed the sleeves of the sweater up my forearms, my tattoo flashed in the light. A sudden feeling of despair hit me. It had been almost sixteen hours since I’d left Flint and there was no sign of me getting out of here. If my family had been able to track me, wouldn’t they have rescued me by now?
I thought about how long it took me to wake up this morning after Marcus drugged me. Four hours. If that was the same drug I’d been given last night, that meant I’d spent almost four hours traveling in that van. My heart sank even further. I was most likely hundreds of miles from San Francisco.
Under the clothes was a pair of soft canvas slip-ons. I pulled on a pair of cotton socks and frowned at the canvas shoes. “Where’d my boots go?” When Raven didn’t respond, I added. “I’m dressed. You can turn around now.”
He turned slowly, his look apologetic. “Trevor was pretty pissed off when you kicked him. He told my dad about it, so my dad said we were to remove your boots.”
“What’d you do with them?”
“I threw them away.”
It was silly, but I wanted to cry. Without being able to form energy balls, the only defense I had was those boots. If Trevor or Heath came for me, I didn’t stand a chance defending myself now.
“I’m sorry, but you won’t need to worry about Trevor or Heath.”
It was like he read my mind. “Why not?”
He held up his phone. “Because I got a message from my dad when you were showering. We’re leaving tonight.”
“You’re moving me?” My despair grew. If I moved to another location, the chances of Luke or Amber tracking me all but disappeared. Any chance or hope I had of being rescued would be gone. “Where are you taking me?”
“Back to Chicago. We’ll leave after supper. The jet should be here by then.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The rest of the afternoon I lay in my cell, waiting for the inevitable. Once I was back in Chicago, who knew what fortress Marcus would lock me in. Any chance I had of seeing my family would disappear like snow on a hot July day.
Raven had been nice enough to leave a fire burning in my cell. It provided light and warmth. Once again I marveled at his ability. His fires literally burned. I’d learned that by getting a little too close when I’d been curious. My fingertip was still red. As for how long his fire would burn, I had no idea. Perhaps inevitably unless he stopped it.
A part of me wondered if Raven started an entire city on fire and didn’t put it out, would that mean that area of land would burn eternally? Or perhaps his fires could be extinguished with water. I wasn’t sure about that either since they weren’t normal fires. After all, they didn’t burn anything. He started them fro
m thin air. If Raven was back with us in Arizona or at the cabin in the Rockies, we could test all sorts of things with his ability.
That thought made my heart clench. I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned against the cold wall drawing my knees to my chest. The cabin. My family. Home.
Flint.
I missed him so much it actually hurt. It was hard to believe not even forty-eight hours ago, we’d been dining and shopping, strolling hand in hand along the streets of San Francisco. Now, that felt like years ago.
I’d tried not to think about him. Every time I did, an aching pain formed in my chest. I could only imagine how he felt right now. If roles were reversed, and he was taken by Marcus and I had no idea where he was or what was being done to him, I’d probably die from worry. Given Flint’s obsessive worry over me, I hoped Di had something on hand to keep him subdued.
I took a deep breath and tried to push everything from my mind. I’d make myself sick if I kept thinking about it.
Getting up, I paced a few widths of the small area. I had no idea when they’d come for me. Since I didn’t have a watch or any windows to gauge the sun, I’d completely lost track of time. Raven had put me back in here after my shower and lunch. He said he’d come back tonight. As for how long it had been since then, I had no idea. It felt like days. With nothing but the fire to stare at, and my thoughts for company, time became an undefinable dimension.
I closed my eyes and sank against the wall again.
HOURS LATER, A key slid into the lock. I tensed. The fire died as soon as the door opened. Raven stood alone in the hall.
I shakily pushed to standing. “I wondered when that fire would go out.”
“That’s why I’m here. If Trevor or Heath saw that, it would be one more thing they’d tell my dad.”
“So he doesn’t know that you and I were talking this morning?”
Raven shook his head. “Not yet.”
“Oh…well, thanks for leaving the fire.”
He shuffled his feet. “Sure. No problem.”
In the hall lights, with that solemn look and his hair curling at the ends, he looked so much like Flint, an ache once again pained my chest. Will I ever see Flint again?
“Are you ready?” Raven asked.
I cleared my throat, thick with emotion, and tried to smile. “Is that a rhetorical question?”
With a shrug, he held up the handcuffs. His fire-lit eyes spoke volumes. They almost pleaded with me to not be mad at him.
“Is that really necessary?”
“I have to. Sorry.”
I debated trying to push past him. He seemed to sense my intentions, though. A small fire erupted behind him.
Sighing, I turned.
Raven cuffed my wrists and led me down the hall. He stopped at the bathroom. “We won’t get to Chicago till after midnight. This is probably your only chance to go between now and then.” He took off the handcuffs.
I stared blankly at him and rubbed my wrists. This is really happening. I’m really going to Chicago, and I don’t know if I’ll ever see my family again.
“What’s your dad going to do with me?”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure it won’t be bad. You really don’t need to worry.”
Won’t be bad. Raven still didn’t believe me about Marcus. But I knew better. I knew whatever Marcus wanted me for – it wasn’t good. I had to escape. It was now or never.
“What if you let me go?” I took a step closer to him. Desperation made me want to grasp his shirt and shake sense into him. “You could tell your dad that I broke free somehow. Say that I got my powers back and that I knocked you out!”
Unease settled on his face. “I really don’t think he’ll hurt you… Whatever his plan is, he really does want the best for you and your family.”
I groaned in frustration. “Didn’t you listen to anything I told you?”
His expression didn’t falter. Not even a flash of doubt.
“Please, Raven. Please! If you don’t help me, no one will.”
“I…uh…” He took a step back.
My eyes darted to the end of the hall.
Before he said another word, I took off at a sprint. His shout followed. I didn’t stop. My canvas shoes slapped against the pavement as the end of the hallway neared. My world became that door.
I need to get through it! Get outside. Flag someone down. Draw attention to yourself.
The door neared.
Four yards.
I grinned.
Three yards!
My smile grew.
A wall of fire erupted inches from my escape route.
I skidded to a stop as heat licked my face. Footsteps pounded behind me. Other voices reached my ears. Snickers and a chuckle.
“Where ya going, Red?”
The voice was closing in. I frantically assessed the fire. I could run through it. I might get seriously burned, but I may survive. This may be my only chance!
I bent my knees, ready to jump when a hand clamped around my bicep. Fingers dug into me. “Need a hand with her, Raven? Looks like she almost got away.” Trevor’s taunt filled the hall.
I screamed and pulled my hand back to rake my fingernails across his face. Heath grabbed my other arm as I flailed and kicked.
“Where are those handcuffs, Raven?” Heath’s thick hot fingers clamped tightly around my wrist.
Raven stood a yard away. His jaw clenched. “Let her go.”
“And what? Let her escape? Give her a chance to use those little cat claws on me?” Trevor chuckled. “No thanks. Give me the cuffs.”
Raven reluctantly handed them over. His eyes pleaded with me. “My dad’s not going to hurt you, Lena. You’ll see.”
I blinked back tears. Heath and Trevor both had laughter in their eyes.
Raven gritted his teeth. “Go easy on her.”
Trevor and Heath chuckled as they tightened the cuffs painfully around my wrists. When finished, Raven shoved them aside and gently pulled me forward.
“You should use the bathroom,” he said quietly. “It’s a long plane ride.”
When I finished in the restroom, I followed Raven through the carpeted oasis. Trevor and Heath trailed us. It didn’t stop me from assessing everything as I desperately sought another way out.
There was nothing.
We exited through the door by the bookshelf again, and on the way to the end of the next concrete hallway, we passed the room where Marcus had drugged me this morning. If only I could form energy balls!
I tried for the hundredth time to switch my vision.
Nothing happened.
I counted the hours since my last dose. It was right after breakfast this morning, so around twelve hours. Twelve more hours before it left my system. As another door loomed at the end of the hall, I knew the only chance I had was getting my ability back.
Without it, I didn’t stand a chance.
As Raven led me through the last door, I was so caught up in brainstorming ways to prevent my next dose, that it wasn’t until a blast of cold air hit me that I realized we’d gone outside. Startled, I looked up. It was nighttime. A dark limousine waited. I quickly scanned my surroundings and tried to figure out where we were.
The rear exit of the hanger opened to a dark alleyway. A large fence lined the back of it. The alleyway seemed to travel forever. Rows and rows of industrial buildings stretched down the narrow street. On the other side of the fence, towering trees swayed menacingly above. There were no street signs or landmarks. It could be any alleyway in the United States.
Wherever it was, it was deserted. Not a soul to be seen.
I stiffened when the limousine door opened. Marcus peered up at me from within. “Good evening, Galena. Please, get in.”
Raven’s hands tightened on my biceps.
Trevor and Heath brushed up against me. Heath’s hand drifted to my hip. Raven pulled me away from them. His swirling eyes gave Heath and Trevor hard looks.
I stiffened, my eyes darting around,
desperately seeking some way to escape.
“Don’t,” Raven whispered. “You know you can’t get away. You’re just making it worse. Please, it’ll be all right.”
Hearing those words made the fight go out of me. My shoulders sank so low, it felt like I’d fall through the pavement. Despite what I’d told Raven, he was still loyal to Marcus. Did you really think it would be any other way? He met me twenty-four hours ago. It was foolish to think he’d let me escape.
Raven ducked my head as I sank into the limo before he, Trevor and Heath climbed in after me.
THE RIDE TO the airport was long. Marcus kept me blindfolded. I didn’t know why. It’s not like I was in communication with anyone and could tell them where I was. The only reason I could fathom for why he’d blindfolded me was so I couldn’t identify where the hanger was located. If I’d been able to watch through the window as we left, I might have caught a glimpse of a street sign or a memorable building. Perhaps he was worried that I’d eventually get away and relay that information to Father or the police. Knowing that was probably his concern helped me feel a little better. If he thought I could escape then maybe I could.
Marcus removed the blindfold when we turned onto a smooth road. I anxiously looked around. We were at a large airport but away from the commercial section.
“You’re certainly quiet tonight,” Marcus said when the limo pulled up to a jet waiting at the landing strip. He opened the door, stepped out and actually held his hand out to me.
I ignored it and stepped onto the tarmac. Cold wind blew around us. I shivered and wished I could wrap my arms around myself. I figured we’d gone inland from San Francisco. Without the ocean to moderate the temperature, it was colder here. The sweater they’d given me did little to stop the biting wind.
My heart lodged in my throat. The last time I’d been cold from not having a jacket, Flint and I had strolled hand in hand down a San Francisco street – talking, laughing, holding hands as love strummed between us.
Marcus still looked at me as if waiting for a reply.
I cleared my throat. “And what would you be like in my situation?” Curls blew around my face.
Reborn: A Contemporary Fantasy Romance (The Lost Children Trilogy Book 3) Page 17
