“Good a reason as any,” Ellie agreed. She looked at Vetler. “This is a milk run.”
“What about me?” Anna asked from her place on the couch in the living room. Ellie and Edward turned to look at her. Edward frowned. He felt so bad for Anna, lost and forgotten, tapping around the house aimlessly. She had fallen into a deep depression. This afternoon had helped some at least.
“You'll come with,” he said. “If you want to?”
“Yeah,” keeping her voice happy, Ellie said looking up at her brother. “She and Birdie can be our lookout.” Even with the happy tone, her voice dripped with sarcasm. Ellie and Edward had a silent battle of looks that made Reese chuckle.
“I just don't want to be alone,” Anna said. She got up off the couch and started walking toward the table. Edward met her halfway taking her hand. Ellie made note of the fact that he was being all boyfriendy again. No wonder he wanted to bring her along.
“You won't be,” Edward told her. “You'll come with.”
He brought her around to the front of him and wrapped his arms around her clasping them beneath her breasts. He rested his chin on the top of her head. Anna smiled to be held. Ellie rolled her eyes and shook her head. Signaling what a bad idea she thought it was. Finally, Ellie gave in, realizing she was not going to win this argument. “We're going to need the tarp from the shed,” she told them. “They close at ten. So I figure we hit the place at midnight.”
“Great,” Charlie said. “Dinner and then a robbery. What a fun Wednesday night.” She smiled awkwardly. “We should plan more family outings.” Shane laughed at her.
Chapter 16
Edward turned in his seat, looking over the top at Anna. She had a smile on her face. It was a nervous smile. Her heart beat like a hummingbird’s wing. It was something at least. The more they talked about the plan over dinner. The more excited she became, even throwing out ideas here and there. It was the most talking she had done since they had come to the safe house. Even to Edward.
He could see the back of Ellie's head bobbing up and down in the back window of the truck. Edward didn't exactly like the fact that she was sandwiched between two monsters that could rip her face off at any moment. But that was where she wanted to be and it was getting a lot harder to win an argument with her these days.
He could see the building in the distance. Two lights set at the bottom of the sign lit the name. Hodgkin Urgent care. They had the same name in French as well. The parking lot was completely empty. They followed the Dodge around the back. Charlie kept pressing the button on her flashlight, nervously turning it on and off again. Shane smiled at her in the rearview.
They pulled up as the other three were getting out of the truck. Shane watched from the Liberty as Ellie pulled a gun out of the small of her back. She popped the clip out. Looked at it, then pushed it back in, giving the bottom a hard slap. It made Edward’s heart flutter in his chest. The last time he’d seen her with a gun in her hand she shot a man in the head. This was supposed to be an in and out kinda thing. No dead bodies. Edward frowned as he watched her take up a teacup grip and disappear behind a corner. Edward looked over and noticed the expression on Vetler's face.
They were supposed to stay in the car until Ellie shined her flashlight in the front window twice. Edward exhaled a breath that fogged the glass. He was full of nervous energy. This was the second time he saw his little sister in action. The last time she had taken a bullet to the shoulder. Again, the thought hit him. Edward watched her blow some guards head off. He was hoping things went a touch easier this time.
“This isn't a bad plan,” Shane admitted grudgingly. “Your sister has a good head on her shoulders.” Shane chuckled. “Especially when it comes to crime.” The last statement had a tone you might expect a cop to have when it came to this sort of thing.
Edward gave him a proud nod. “If only she were so prudent about other things,” he said. Shane knew exactly what he meant. He still didn't trust the two monsters she kept as pets. Shane was afraid they would turn and bite the hands that fed them the moment something went wrong. Though, Shane did not deny her magic when it came to them, especially Vincent.
“You all right, Charlie?” Shane asked looking at her through the rearview mirror.
She flashed him a nervous grin. “It's my first robbery. I'm all tingly.”
They saw the light flash twice. Shane popped his door and got out. When Anna's door opened, Edward took her hand. Ellie was not exactly happy about her coming along, which is exactly why Edward fought so hard to make sure she came. Edward admitted he could be childish too. He led her through the parking lot. By the time they were slipping inside the door, Reese and Vincent were carrying an ultrasound machine out the back door, toward the truck.
Ellie followed behind them. She had a stack of laptops in her hands. She gave Shane a happy grin as she walked them out to the truck. Shane followed Charlie into the lab. The first thing she pointed out was the centrifuge. Shane went over and began unhooking it from the wall. Charlie made herself busy dumping needles, rubber tubes, and other various as-sundries into a plastic garbage bag. She emptied the cupboards and a plastic set of drawers on castors. Shane headed to the back of the Liberty with his treasure.
Not knowing what doors held what. Ellie gave a whistle signaling Edward to come here. She looked down at Anna. Her cheeks were flushed. Anna kept turning her head at every sound. “You all right?” Ellie asked her.
“I don't know,” Anna said. “I'll tell you when we’re out of here.”
Ellie chuckled at her. “Good answer,” she said to Anna. “All right, work your magic,” Ellie directed Edward. He simply stared at her, confused. “The door.” She jerked her head toward it.
Feeling a tad foolish, Edward grabbed the knob and pulled. The door came loose from the wall. Edward looked at it surprised. “All right, He-Man,” Ellie said, patting him on the shoulder. She shined her flashlight in on the contents of the closet, brooms, and cleaning equipment. “Damn,” Ellie grumbled. “Next door.” She pointed.
Edward had to pull Anna toward the side of the hallway when Reese and Vincent came walking through, carrying another big piece of machinery. They waited for them to pass and headed further down the hall. Edward tried a door on the other side of the hall this time. He pulled it loose. Again, Ellie shined her flashlight in.
“Jackpot!” Ellie said with a nod. “Charlie,” she called. Not wanting to wait Ellie pulled out a garbage bag from her pocket and started emptying the shelves near the floor. She figured instead of shopping, it was better to take it all and figure out what they didn't need later.
“The lockbox,” Charlie said, trotting up. “That is where they will keep the narcotics. But make sure to get antibiotics too.”
Ellie grabbed it. She set it inside of the bag carefully so as to not crush the other things. Most of it was just samples, but a lot of samples mean a decent amount of medications. While Ellie and Charlie made themselves busy unloading the closet. Reese and Vincent came across an opening in the center. There were desks on either wall and a refrigerator on each side. One had a lock of some sort on it. Reese pulled the plug from the wall. He hefted it and walked it out toward the truck. The other refrigerator was open. Vincent grabbed the few vials that were on the shelf and slid them into his pockets. They didn't have the room for both of them, so he left it where it was.
“Hey, Van,” Vincent heard Vetler call. “Little help?” he asked poking his head out of the doorway and motioning Vincent to come his way. Vincent frowned at the nickname but walked into the examination room. There was a box shaped contraption that had lights on it. Shane was having trouble lifting it. Vincent picked it up one-handed. Shane frowned at him. Vincent shrugged and walked the contraption out to the Liberty. Reese stood in the bed of the truck moving the pieces of machinery around, so they could fit more in.
Vincent set the thing -whatever it was- into the back of the Liberty. He looked up when Reese jumped down. “Not much room left, hope th
ey got all the big stuff.” Reese looked over Vincent's shoulder to make sure there were no more cars coming. They walked back into the building together. Ellie was trying to drag a full garbage bag down the hall.
“What's the matter, half-pint, need a hand,” Reese mocked. Ellie stuck her tongue out at Reese.
“Blow me,” she told him, as he picked up the bag with ease. She motioned her hands at him. “Shoo,” Ellie said.
“Think this place is about cleaned out. You ready to run?” she asked Vincent. He ran a lazy hand through his hair and shrugged. He looked over his shoulder at Charlie. She flashed him a happy grin.
“This is so exciting!” Charlie exclaimed in quiet tones. That made both of them laugh. Charlie carried a bag over her shoulder. Ellie shined her flashlight down at her watch. They were pushing the ten-minute mark. She nodded.
“Let's wrap it up,” Ellie called.
Edward helped Anna into the car. He watched as Vincent and Reese covered the machinery with the tarp. Shane closed the hatchback and came around to get into the driver’s seat. He started the car up. Shane could barely see out the back window. They took off first. Edward made sure to keep an eye on the three stragglers as they drove down the road.
Ellie hopped into the truck, setting the stack of laptops onto her lap. Once Reese got in, they took off behind the Liberty. They saw one police car sprinting toward the scene. It was easy enough to avoid him. Ellie leaned over and laid a kiss on Vincent's mouth. Passionate and loving, her hands touched both sides of his face. When he pulled back for a breath, she gave him a smile. Then she leaned over to Reese who was driving. Ellie laid a kiss on Reese’s cheek that brought a smile to his face. He raised his eyebrows up and down. Vincent scowled, but he was sure to drop the look the moment Ellie turned to look at him, forcing a smile to his lips instead.
“Thank you guys,” she said. Vincent stared at his brother. His lips tensing, he ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his teeth. Vincent kept reminding himself of the promise that Reese made him. She leaned into Vincent and he hooked his arm around her neck. His jealousy melted away some. The drive back was rather uneventful. When they got home, Charlie got out and did a little happy dance in the driveway.
Edward took Anna into the house. Charlie had them unload everything into the basement. It was a walkout level with two French doors. Charlie decided she was going to set up shop down there during dinner. There was a small kitchen type area with a working sink and a small countertop along one wall. The rest of it was pretty much empty, at least it had been. With the dog running in and out, happy they were home, they unloaded everything. Charlie gleefully decided where the things should be put.
She turned to Ellie. “This is more equipment than I was ever able to get with my practice,” Charlie said with a smile the size of Montana. “That was fun!”
“Yeah, mostly because nobody got shot,” Ellie reminded her. But she couldn't contain her happiness either. Two and a half hours later, the infirmary, as Reese and Vincent dubbed it was up and running. Charlie made herself busy putting all the supplies and medications away with Vetler to keep her company.
Ellie came tromping up the stairs. Edward and Anna were having a conversation on the couch. She flashed them a smile and a yawn. Ellie was exhausted. Lots of personal growth today, heavy emotions tended to make her need sleep. Between getting her feelings for Reese off her chest. She had the fight with Edward, too much for her.
“All tuckered out, Squirt?” Edward asked watching her wander through the kitchen.
Ellie smiled at him. “I have had a busy day full of crime and shopping. I'm ready to hit the hay,” she said. “Don't you kids stay up too late now,” Ellie mumbled, as she headed up the stairs. She was stripping out of her shoulder holster when there was a single knock on her door and Vincent peeked his head in. “Hey, beautiful.” Ellie smiled. “I'm sorry you didn't get to play with your paints today.”
He gave her that devilish grin of his. “The night’s still young,” Vincent told her. She eyed the clock. It read five-forty-eight AM.
Ellie smirked, running her hands through her hair. “Don't you mean the day is just beginning?” she said pulling at the buttons on her Levis. “Are you going to come to bed with me?” she asked to his smile. Vincent simply shook his head.
“I'm going to play,” he said. “Is it okay if I paint in here?” Vincent asked pulling things out of his box of new toys.
“So long as my snoring won't bug you,” Ellie said sliding the Glock into the drawer of her tiny bedside table.
“Nothing you do bugs me,” Vincent said, then he re-thought. “Well, maybe a few things.”
She watched Reese walk past her doorway, stripping out of his shirt. It looked as though he was heading for the shower. He gave her a smile and a small salute. Ellie stuck her tongue out at him as he passed. Ellie kicked off her shoes and pulled her jeans off. She checked the safety setting the Heckler inside the drawer of the nightstand. “Comments like that will get you no kisses,” she said jokingly. In just her underwear and a tight gray tank top, she slipped under the covers.
Ellie watched him set up in the corner of the room. Vincent pulled the cellophane off a brand new canvas as she began to nod off. Vincent looked at her over his shoulder and smirked. He took brush in hand, breathing in deep. It had been years since he painted. Vincent dipped the bristles into a charcoal gray, drawing a line over the canvas. A breathtaking smile spread across his face.
The world around her skittered with unseen shapes. The darkness swallowed her whole. Loud sounds rushed past her. The sound of a car horn blared. She ran from pool of golden light to pool of golden light. They were her salvation. Her footie pajamas stuck to her skin wet and cold. Footie pajamas? Ellie looked down at herself. They were green, soft, with little cartoon rainbows printed across them. They were also stained dark with blood. Ellie was five, her blond hair falling out of her pigtails.
Something chased her. Ellie heard a scream as she fell into a puddle of light. Rolling onto her back, she looked toward the sound. Her little chest heaved. Sounds she recognized exploded in her ears.
“You’re alright?” A voice that sounded so familiar asked.
Ellie watched him step past the barrier into her golden world. Blood seeped into his shirt low on his stomach. A cut on his arm dripped blood. He stepped closer to her. Ellie looked up over his chest, his neck and shoulders, the line of his jaw came into view. She woke with a start. Ellie gasped, fear tearing the breath from her throat. She pushed up off the bed, blinking the sleep from her wide eyes. Her chest heaved wildly.
Her muscles relaxed one by one, her breathing slowed by inches. She was covered in a fine film of cold sweat. Ellie rolled over onto her back, flopping against the pillows. Vincent stood before his easel. There was paint in his hair. If he noticed her wake up, he didn't make a motion. His brush moved gracefully across the canvas.
Ellie looked around the room and smiled in awe. There were pictures of her everywhere. Her smiling, her crying, one of her naked sitting in the bed, sheets tangled in her lap. They were beautiful. Some were painted. Others just scratches of ink on paper. Ellie threw the blankets off her climbing out of the bed. She walked over to the wall and pulled one of the charcoal drawings free.
Ellie stared at the lines of her. She couldn’t possibly be this beautiful. The shadow and the light, the details were amazing. Ellie sat it on the bed and walked up behind him. She reached around him from behind. Vincent gave a start. Ellie stared at him like she had never seen him before. Her hands slid over his chest. His white t-shirt was covered in smudges of colors and splotches of paint. He looked down at her hands first, then over his shoulder at her. Vincent’s smile was wonderful.
“You're awake,” he said.
She smiled. A surprised laugh bubbled out of her. “Yeah, I'm awake.” Ellie looked around the room. “These are stunning, Vincent.”
He dropped his brush into the coffee cup full of dirty water and turned in her arms. Ellie laugh
ed at him. There was dried paint on his nose. A splotch of red on his forehead that stained his hair, made it stand straight up. His shirt and pants were covered in splotches of color, even his bare feet.
“Look at you, you're a mess,” Ellie said with a happy smile.
He slid his hands around her face. Vincent laid a kiss on her forehead. “Did I tell you thank you?” he breathed. Vincent looked so peaceful. He laid a kiss on her mouth that made her forget all about her dream.
“You know, you might have mentioned it. But I can think of a better way to say thank you,” she said with sage-like wisdom and a nod of her head. Ellie pulled at the hem of his t-shirt. She lifted it to his elbows. Vincent raised his arms, so she could pull it the rest of the way over his head. Vincent traced his hand over the side of her cheek leaving a stain of red spilling across her flesh. It was a familiar sensation, but instead of the heat of blood. It was a cool impression against her skin making it wholly different. Vincent leaned in and laid another kiss on her mouth. Ellie pulled at the buttons on his Levis. She gave them a push down his thighs and they fell the rest of the way down to the floor. He stepped out of them completely naked. They walked a few steps pressed together toward the end of the bed, the kiss growing between them.
They fell back onto it. Vincent laid a line of kisses over her jaw, over her chest. She pulled her tank top up over her head and flung it away. Ellie loved the way his skin felt against hers. She ran her fingers over the plain of his broad back. He laid kisses over her stomach. Vincent traced the tip his tongue over the ridge of her belly button, making her sigh.
He kissed the bone of her hip, sinking down between her open thighs. More kisses on the inside of her thigh. Vincent laid a kiss on the very top of her. It was such an odd sensation through the cotton of her panties. Slipping his fingertips under the top of them, Vincent slid them down a few inches, until the soft, downy blond hair showed. He ran his fingertips through it.
Ellie lifted her hips, raising her legs up together in the air. He pulled her panties over her thighs, standing with his elegant nonchalance. Pulling them from her feet, Vincent flung them toward the far wall. Vincent smiled. Staring down at her lying naked beneath him, he bit his bottom lip. His dark eyes glinted with the light flooding in through the windows.
Shed some Light Page 15
