Shed some Light

by Amber Naralim

  He could barely breathe past the fear that tore through him. Edward swore time was moving at incalculable speeds. But he was going nowhere. This made it a little better so he grabbed on with both hands so tight his knuckles went white. He closed his arms around her and luxuriated in the feel of her body against his. He listened to the sound of her breathing. Laying his cheek against the side of her head, Edward let himself relax. Let himself just be.

  Chapter 15

  “Well, Besty.” Ellie laughed at the word, shattering the silence. It had been swirling around them since she made her admission, and Reese his offer. “Don't suppose you would be willing to work with me some more on my hand-to-hand and my aim?” she asked with batting eyes and a dazzling smile.

  Ellie was still flying high. For the first time since they had walked through the front door of the safe house, she began to relax. The feeling of dread slid back just a little bit. The knowledge that she had them, both of them at her side calmed her. Ellie felt that she could breathe a little. The past year of her life felt more like twenty to her. It changed her in ways she could not come back from. Ellie didn't even want to.

  Living at the house made her feel like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Funny thing was it made her realize that she had always felt that way. Ellie felt that way until she reached down and took Vincent's hand on a stormy night at the beginning of all this. Through the Hale boys, Ellie learned to swim that shimmering black ocean. Yes, the past year had been dark, full of blood and violence. But she thrived on it. Ellie learned to breathe at those depths.

  She didn't belong here. Anna, Edward, Vetler, and even Charlie wanted to go back to the lives they had before. They had been forced off the jagged edge into a darkness they did not understand, surrounded by skittering shadows that frightened them. Ellie was different. Yes, she had been pushed back toward that same edge of darkness. The difference was when Ellie found the brink she jumped in with both feet, screaming Geronimo the whole way down.

  Ellie learned fast that you cannot live with a foot in two worlds. That was exactly what the others were trying to do. They held onto the idea of that glittering world of normal with a white-knuckled fist. It was going to get them killed. So Ellie stood guard, ever vigilant. It was her responsibility to keep them safe from the bleed over from her world. Standing sentinel at the borders guarding a tear in the fabric that they made and it was smothering her.

  “Are ya sure?” Reese asked. “I don't think the G-man has forgiven me since the last time.” G-man, FBI agent. Ellie's eyebrows dragged inward. Her forehead wrinkled with the work of deciphering Reese’s 40s slang. He was talking about Vetler. It took her a moment to get the reference.

  “I want to learn, not just play. I need to be able to take a hit. I need to really learn. Reese-” She stopped rolling her eyes at her mistake. “The personality,” Ellie corrected. “Taught me a little, but he was almost as bad as the others. He wanted me to rely on him to protect me. No matter how super you guys are, you can't always be there for me.”

  Reese narrowed his eyes at her and a small smile crossed his lips. He nodded. “All right, Blondie, ya got it. Next chance we get.”

  “Thank you.”

  Ellie tore her eyes off the road to look at him, into those hauntingly blue eyes. Her heart danced. Knowing that she could have Vincent and Reese, she could do anything. Reese gave her one of those sexy grins that turned her knees to jelly. She laughed at him. Today was turning out to be a great day.

  They turned up the dirt road a few minutes later. She caught sight of Vincent sitting on the porch waiting for them impatiently. Ellie could read the annoyance on his face from here. She sighed. Giving him a wave of dancing fingers, Ellie shot a glance at the clock on the dashboard. It was pushing eight in the evening when they finally pulled into the driveway.

  Vincent opened her door as the beast of a truck rumbled to its stop. Ellie gave him her best smile. “Well, hello there, lover.” Ellie leaned in to give him a kiss. He didn't stop her. But he still had a look of worried annoyance on his face.

  “Where have you been?” Vincent asked.

  “Shopping. We got you a present,” Ellie told him excitedly.

  Vincent tore his eyes away from her and looked at his brother. Reese put his arms up in defense, swiveling his eyes to Ellie. “She kidnapped me,” he said. Vincent narrowed his eyes.

  “I called you twenty times,” Vincent grumbled, as she slid out of the seat.

  “Stalker much,” she joked. Ellie gave a playful roll of her eyes. She slid her arms around Vincent’s waist, cuddling into him. “I missed you too,” she said. “Now come on. I can't wait to show you what I got.” Ellie grabbed his hand, leading him toward the porch. Vincent shut her door, letting her drag him along. Reese sighed. Hopping out of the truck, he walked around the bed and grabbed the box. Tucking the canvases under his arm, Reese hesitated a moment to be sure he had a handle on the expression on his face. Ellie led them into the house.

  Edward sat on the couch with Anna next to him. She looked up at the general direction of the door. Edward had the same worried and annoyed look on his face. “Don't you check your phone?” he asked, standing up. He actually bothered to get dressed today. Well, sort of, sweat pants and a loose white t-shirt. His long wheat colored hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck.

  Ellie's happiness was taking a pounding from all the suspicion. She took in a deep breath and simply looked at him, blinking green eyes. Just walking back into this house had been enough to dull her shine a touch. Now she had her brother giving her a look he had only given her once in the entire time they had been a family. Edward was trying hard to be authoritative. Ellie really hated that. She had a problem with authority, to begin with, that had only gotten worse over time.

  “Really, you too?” she asked, rolling her eyes. Ellie worked hard to keep the aggravation out of her tone. She pulled at her jacket, sliding it over her left shoulder with extra care. It was killing her after all that driving. Tiny zaps of electricity shot down into her fingertips on that hand. She tossed it onto the couch.

  “You're a wanted fugitive in a stolen truck! You could have gotten arrested. A security team could have found you. He could have eaten you!” Edward said, gesturing toward Reese.

  Ellie looked at her brother and heaved a sigh. Man, he was making this difficult. “I'm not even going to dignify the last one with a comment,” she said, her anger starting to rise. “I'm sorry. We were pretty far out. They probably didn't have cell service. Or my battery died. Whatever. We went shopping and we went to check out a building.” Reese walked past her and sat the box on top of the stack of canvases on the table.

  Charlie looked at him and smiled. “Somebodies in trouble,” she sang, as she bent down to check on what she had cooking in the oven.

  “Damn it, Ellie, you never think!” Edward cried, his hand gesturing wildly with his irritation. “We were worried sick. This isn't hanging out with your friends after school!”

  That was the last damn straw. Ellie’s outrage flared to life in an instant. She may not be like her boys, but Ellie had one hell of a temper. She turned on him, her eyes on fire. Her lips tensed into a sneer. Ellie began to reach for her gun. Vincent didn't think she even noticed she’d done it.

  “You think I don't know that?” Ellie growled. Her eyes hardened to glittering green stones. “I was out finding the shit you need for a cure! So back the fuck off me. I am not some little kid anymore!” she snapped, taking another step forward.

  Shane came up to the threshold of the hallway. The yelling had drawn him out to see what was going on. He leaned against the doorjamb in his comfortable jeans, and a long-sleeved t-shirt to watch the argument from the nose bleeds. He shot a glance at Charlie. She gave him a wide-eyed face. Reese took in a breath, trying to control his anger. He did not like the way Edward yelled at her. A tide of bloody thoughts about Edward rolled off of Vince. Reese sat down on the bench one leg over either side.
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  “What if something happened to you?” Edward cried. His face set into angry lines.

  “Then somebody would probably be dead!” she exclaimed letting her head fall to one side. Ellie took in a deep breath and let it out slow. “You have got to learn to trust me,” she said, her voice grave. Ellie looked up into his stark tri-color eyes. “I think I've earned it.”

  Edward stood there, a mountain of barely controlled rage. But it was Ellie that bore down on him. Her cold anger rolled out into the room. Ellie took two steps toward her brother, staring up at him. She pointed to her chest. “Do you really think anyone else in this room knows more about this life being dangerous than me?” Do you think anyone else in this room knows the consequences of her every action could bring death at any moment,” Ellie cried, her voice rising with the passion of her speech. “I have lived with this shit longer than any of you! I have waded through the blood and the guts, and darkness longer than anyone else here. I know the stakes!”

  Ellie felt the cold brush of the grip of her Heckler and immediately dropped her arm. It was enough of a shock to take the edge off that frigid anger. She took in a deep breath and looked at the floor for a moment. Ellie shook her head. “My every thought, my every move, has been about you since that night, Edward. Everything I do, I do for you.” Her voice melted to something softer, the anger leaking out, being replaced by exasperation.

  “Ellie,” Edward said. His shoulders hunched.

  “I love you, Edward. More than anything else in this world. What I have done. The ugly things I have done to other people for you.” Ellie shook her head and closed her eyes. “I deserve your trust.”

  Edward stepped forward and grabbed her. He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. He laid his face against her head. “I'm so afraid something is going to happen to you, little Lottey. I'm so afraid I'm going to lose you again!” Edward whispered to her. Ellie laid her hands against his feverishly warm arms. She smiled softly, but he didn't see it.

  “You can't get rid of me that easy.”

  Edward let her go and stared down into her face. He heaved a heavy sigh. Edward touched his finger to her chin. “I trust you,” he told her. “But I feel this need to protect you. It's my job. It's been my job since the car hit that tree. I can't give it up that easy,” he explained. “I need to take care of you.”

  That was the problem for both of them. It was why that rose tinted relationship was beginning to crumble under the strain of this life. Ellie not only didn't need him. She didn't want him to take of her. The truth was she never had. She just couldn't hide it the way she used to. Ellie needed him in her life. She loved him. She would do anything for him. Anything, but let him take care of her. And that was the harsh wind that pushed him away from her. Edward tried hard to blame Vincent for it. He couldn't bring himself to see the truth of things. He was trying to love a fierce woman like she was still a little girl.

  Ellie smiled. It was full of so many different emotions. She took his hand. “You're my big brother. I love you, Edward. That will never change,” she told him. “No matter what else happens.”

  She wrapped her arms around him. Ellie hugged him tight. Pressed her face against his chest and did her best to ignore the sound of cracking echoing out inside her head. She swiveled her head up and gave him a smile. “Come on,” Ellie said. “Come see what I got for Vincent.” Ellie grabbed his hand with her right and led him a step across the floor. Where she stopped, smiling up at Vincent. She reached out with her other hand and took Vincent’s, towing them both toward the box on the table.

  She pulled Vincent forward toward the box. “Well, go ahead, look,” she said, with a shaky smile. Ellie let go of his hand and he reached into the box. Vincent pushed a few things around, his hand falling upon the brushes. He pulled them out with a quivery breath and looked at them. The expression that spread across his face was wondrous. Vincent beamed down at Ellie, his eyes shining. They were the palest gray she had ever seen them.

  “Thank you, El!” he breathed. Vincent’s hands shot out so fast that her stomach lurched as he pulled her off her feet and into his arms, giving her a spin in the air. It brought a laugh to her lips.

  Ellie smiled proudly. She looked at Reese, jerking her head in his direction. “He helped me pick it all out,” she said, sharing the credit. Vincent gave his brother a look that nearly brought tears to Reese's eyes. He felt that fist around Vincent's heart loosen just a little. Reese would be forever grateful to Ellie for that look.

  Vincent pulled Ellie into a wet and passionate kiss that took her breath away. When he finally pulled back, she stared down into his pretty eyes for a moment. He was happy. As much as we take that for granted, it blew her away. Ellie was sure she had never seen that expression on his face before. Ellie had seen something close to it. But never that look. A smile so wonderful spread across his mouth. She leaned back in for another one of those kisses.

  Edward looked at Vincent. “You paint?” he asked. Then he remembered Vincent saying something about art school. It seemed like a long time ago.

  Ellie nodded her head, refusing to look away from Vincent's beatific face. She worked hard at remembering every line. “He is amazing,” she said. Vincent gave a sheepish grin. “You are,” Ellie told him.

  “Yes, he is,” Charlie said, grinning. Glad that the drama had ebbed. “This place could use some sprucing up. Paint us something bright and beautiful for the kitchen,” she begged.

  Vincent laughed. He pulled Ellie close to him again, laying a kiss on her mouth. It was sweet and gentle. “Thank you so much, El,” he said again. “I could never tell you what this means to me.”

  Ellie couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. “You're welcome, lover.” She giggled, a touch of that happiness coming back to her. “Does this mean I'm forgiven?”

  Vincent gave her that sexy devilish grin of his. He leaned in half of the distance between them, his lips pursed, eyes closed. Ellie closed the distance between them and laid her lips against his. “Yeah, you're forgiven.” He smoothed a swath of her blond hair back behind her ear. Reese was surprised he lived through seeing that. But the look on his brother's face helped to sooth that ache a little. Reese told himself that now she was his too.

  With the tension gone Shane walked into the room. He looked down at Charlie. “Need some help?” She looked up, blowing a stray hair out her eyes.

  “You know what,” she said, standing up straight. Charlie leaned in and kissed him. With a smile she said, “I would love some help.” Handing him a potholder she asked, “Could you take the chickens out of the oven and set them over there.”

  He did as she asked. Charlie stood there watching Ellie and Edward. Her smile faded just a little at the edges. “Are we good?” Ellie asked. Vincent sat her on her feet, one arm wrapped around her waist as he gleefully went through his box of treasures.

  “I can't stay mad at you, though, you make it real difficult,” Edward said with a chuckle.

  “I promise I will check in next time,” she told him.

  “Next time?” Edward asked, trying to keep his voice neutral. “You're going out again?”

  “Me and the boys have got some exciting crime lined up,” she said with a nod of her head.

  Vincent looked up at her. “We do?” he asked looking at Reese.

  “Yup.” Ellie looked over her shoulder. “I'm even thinking the G-man could help out on this one.” She looked at Shane. Ellie decided she liked that term.

  Shane stood up and set the pan down. “What are you planning?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “Me, Vincent, and Reese will take the Dodge. I'm thinking, you and Edward should bring the Liberty. We are going to need cargo space and fast hands,” Ellie explained.

  Edward looked at her. “Now you're dragging me in on your crime sprees?” he asked smiling. Edward felt a flutter that she wanted to include him on something.

  Ellie grabbed her phone, pulling up the pictures of the building she had R
eese take. Ellie handed it to Edward. “It's an urgent care center that has a lab. We should be able to clean out their medicine closet, maybe a few computers, the lab equipment. I don't think we'll be able to cart the x-ray machine away, but it's worth a shot,” she said with big eyes and an even bigger smile.

  Edward flipped through the pictures. Shane wandered over. When he was done, Edward handed him the phone. “They will have some of the equipment you need to get started,” Ellie said to Charlie. Charlie gave her wide eyes. “We could use the meds, the computers, and anything else is gravy.”

  Ellie touched her hand to Vincent's arm. Looking back and up at an awkward angle to gaze at him. “You pulled the power cable from the convenience store when you robbed the pharmacy. You remember that? I'm thinking, same thing,” Ellie said, looking around at the assembled faces.

  Vincent was only half listening. He pulled out the few canvases and laid them on the table. He had a smile on his face that Reese had not seen in years. Vincent stacked the sketchpads on the table and pulled a handful of acrylic colors out. He chuckled to see them. How many years had it been since he painted Vincent wondered? He grabbed Ellie's hand and brought it to his lips. Vincent laid a happy kiss against the back of her palm, all his other grievances forgotten. The only problem he had was that he wouldn't get to play with his new toys until later.

  Charlie sighed, a thoughtful expression gracing her features. Ellie looked at her. “They're insured and it's the only way we can get you what you need,” Ellie explained.

  “You're right. I just think, maybe I should go with you,” Charlie said.

  Ellie gave a shrug of why not. Shane’s face set into worried lines as he looked down at Charlie. “Are you sure?” he asked, suddenly overly protective guy when it came to Charlie.

  “I'm the only one that knows exactly what we need. And it would be nice to get out of the house,” Charlie said. Ellie laughed at her. She smiled when Shane reached out and took Charlie's hand.