“Nothing?”
Vincent hooked his arm around her neck, gliding in to stand behind her. He plastered his body against hers. Ellie reached across her chest to lay her hand on his arm. The three of them stood there staring out through the picture window at the frozen pine trees that went on for miles past the steep ridge.
“Sorry, El. There’s nothing here,” Vincent said. He ran his other hand lazily through his hair. Vetler stood. He crossed the floor, stopping at the archway. There was a large splotch of blood. He hesitated a moment, screaming at himself evidence collection was done. Years of habit died hard, though. He pulled a clump of hair with a small patch of scalp free. Vetler looked at Ellie. “I think he’s conflicted.”
Ellie looked at him, then at the blood painted walls. She cocked an eyebrow. “Conflicted?”
“This is overkill. The other room tells a better story of what happened.” Vetler pointed at a few drops of blood on the wood floor in the other room. “The attack starts slow. The offender pushes her around. Maybe slaps her around a little.” Ellie blinked at the coffee table pushed askew, the toppled chair. “She tried to run. Didn’t get far.” Vetler pointed at a muddy footprint with drops of blood. “Photos would help, but I’m willing to bet there are hesitation marks. I’ll wager he choked her once or twice, just to revive her.”
“Why do ya think that?” Reese asked fascinated.
“Different dry times.” Vetler walked across the floor pointing at a splotch of blood on the wall. “There are two different patterns here. Probably cracked her skull. Scalp wounds bleed like a bitch. I think he held her against the wall choking her. She passed out. It took some time to revive her. Then he did it again. This bit is already flaking, where this is just dry.”
Ellie smirked. “You’re good at this.”
Vetler chuckled. “James and I had the highest arrest record in our division.”
“Your partner?” Ellie asked. James Carter was another victim of the mercs. Shane managed to get away. Vetler nodded. He pressed his hand to his chest where they shot him.
“He was a damned good man. A damned good cop.” Normally Ellie would have a pithy comment for the boys in blue. She decided to keep her mouth shut in respect for Vetler. Whatever James Carter was, he was Vetler’s friend. “I’d lay money this one is just starting out. He’s getting a taste for it.”
Vincent looked around the room once more. “She didn’t have a scent. I found her by Anna’s screams. She definitely wouldn’t have hesitated.”
“The first year is the hardest to control. I don’t know much about Bennet’s freaks. But if this one’s new, the body count should be a hell of a lot higher and the kills a lot bloodier. The guy ain’t eating ‘em. That ain’t right,” Reese said looking around the room.
Ellie blinked wide eyes as the information clicked into place for her. She looked over at Reese. He leaned his hips against the edge of the console table. Reese fought the urge to take Ellie’s hand in his. He heaved a heavy sigh. “So, Blondie, what do we tell Anna?”
“The truth,” Ellie said simply.
“She’s scared enough as it is,” Reese argued. “Ya don't want her looking over her shoulder every minute, jumping at every shadow.”
“So what, we lie to her?” The tone of Ellie’s voice told him just how repugnant she thought that idea was.
“No, we just don't tell her the whole truth,” Reese scoffed.
“How is that not the same thing?”
“El, he's right. She can barely relax as it is. If she thinks one of us is hunting her down. Think about how you felt when he was after you,” Vincent said, jerking his head toward Reese, who had the grace to look slightly embarrassed.
“Just never going to let me live that down, are ya?” Reese said, shaking his head.
“Well, you did threaten my girl,” Vincent told his older brother.
“I was never really going to hurt her,” Reese argued.
Vincent turned his head, giving Reese a look that said he in no way believed that. Ellie ignored them both. Her eyes roved over the living room. She hated to admit it, but they were right. Anna was a wreck as it was.
“Maybe torture her a little,” Reese said nodding. “Nothing permanent.”
Ellie turned to him with a frown. “Really?” she asked.
Reese looked down at her the playful smirk melting away. His face went serious, apologetic. Reese brushed a swath of bangs away from her forehead. “Ya know I’d never hurt ya, right, Ellie?”
Vetler watched Reese carefully. A few of the scenes he and Carter investigated began to make more sense with that tiny bit of knowledge. The one at the farmhouse in North Carolina especially came to mind.
Ellie gave him a look. “What?” It was obvious she had not been paying attention to the last half of the conversation.
He blinked at her. “I won’t hurt ya, Ellie.” Reese’s tone sounded slightly worried. Never once had she shown him even the slightest bit of fear. Even when he planned on ripping her to small, blood-soaked pieces. His heart all but stopped when the notion came down on him. His face broke.
“Of course you aren’t going to hurt me,” Ellie said giving him a face. “I'm talking about Anna.”
“Oh, well, I ain’t going to hurt her either,” he said.
“You guys are killing me here,” Ellie said turning to look at the both of them. “That chick was hell bent on killing my brother's girl. If it isn’t her, then whoever it is sure killed this woman bloody and painful and all you can do is make jokes?”
Vincent gave her a contrite roll of his eyes. Reese just stared at her. “We can't track ‘em. That means we’ll never find her or whoever it is. Our best bet is to use Anna as bait.”
Ellie glared at him. “No way,” Ellie said, gesturing angrily. “Are you even listening to yourself?”
“We ain’t going to find her, Sunshine. All we can do is go back to the house and protect Anna there,” Reese told her. “Or abandon the safe house.”
Vetler didn’t like the few weeks they stayed on the road. He was comfortable where they were. But the idea that another monster was bearing down on them made his stomach churn.
“She isn’t the only one,” Ellie reminded them. “None of you are safe until I hunt all the crazies down and kill them,” she said with wide eyes looking directly at Vetler.
“What are ya saying?” Reese asked, his blue eyes shining.
“I'm saying none of this will ever be over. I set out to save Edward. Destroy that goddamned hospital. Now it's protecting Anna, Charlie, and you, Vetler,” she cried.
Shane softened. He hated seeing that haunted look in her eyes. “It’s not your job, Ellie.”
“Ya have protected them, Sunshine. Ya have done everything ya can. Maybe you're right. Maybe we should hunt down these crazies.”
Vincent blinked at him. Vetler wanted to argue but kept his mouth shut. Ellie swallowed, giving him a pained expression. “There ain’t been any indication that a merc team has even a clue where we are. The only thing to worry about are these crazies.”
Vincent was quiet for a long time. Ellie stared at the dried blood. She couldn't find a flaw in Reese’s logic. She missed the road. For all its problems, it was so much easier. Ellie heaved a heavy sigh. She nodded at him. Ellie took Reese's hand lacing her fingers between his.
“You're right,” Ellie said.
“What about Edward?” Vincent asked, pressing his cheek against the top of her head. Edward asked him to keep her here. But every part of Vincent wanted to tell her to get into the truck. That they could leave right now. His fingertips played with the tail of her braid.
“You guys have Edward to protect you,” Ellie said, looking at Vetler. Shane continued to keep his mouth shut. He did not trust Edward. But at the same time, the idea of the monsters leaving made him happy. He was torn, though. Shane was worried Ellie couldn’t handle it.
A smile spread across Reese's face. He took a step to stand in front of them, nodding in agreeme
nt. “That they do,” he said. “We can come back anytime,” Reese offered.
“We have to be sure this one is gone before we go anywhere,” Ellie told him.
“We can do that.” Reese smiled.
She looked at him for a long moment. Her eyes followed the lines of his handsome face. Ellie stared into his glittering summer-sky blue eyes. “Did you just talk me into something?” she asked with a smirk.
“I sure hope so,” Reese told her.
“Why are you so keen on leaving?” Vincent asked.
“Face it, Vetler; ya ain't wanted us here since we set foot through the door. We came here to make sure Edward was safe. You’ve done all ya can for him, Sunshine. The three of us on the road is just more of what I signed on for is all,” Reese told them.
Ellie ran her thumb over the skin of Vincent's arm nodding along with everything that Reese said. “We can always come back,” she said.
Ellie felt a little like a coward. She couldn't truly protect them and she knew it. The responsibility of their lives was suffocating her. Ellie wanted more than anything to believe their best bet was to have them skate. Separate, let them go on the hunt for these things and have the others move somewhere else. The idea of just the three of them on the road was what Ellie wanted. She hated it here.
Chapter 23
The door opened and they came walking in. Ellie turned around, her cereal bowl raised up, her mouth full of Fruit Loops. Vincent laughed at the shirt she wore. Ellie was dressed in a pair of sweatpants that fit her tight, the legs pulled up almost to her knees. His white t-shirt covered in spots of colors and splotches of paint hung from her shoulders several sizes too big for her tiny frame. Her long blond hair pulled into low pigtails.
Ellie took one look at them and opened her mouth letting the cereal in it drop splashing into the bowl. She made a disgusted face and shook herself. Ellie gave them the closest thing to a smile she could manage. Both the brothers Hale were covered in blood. Reese was completely naked, his body painted red, studded with bits of viscera. Vincent at least wore a loose pair of jeans that hung off his narrow hips. Large rips in the knees, the thigh. His chest was splashed red. His hair stuck up wild from the drying gore. It covered his lovely face.
“Dibs on the shower,” Vincent mumbled. Reese walked past him to the refrigerator. Ellie followed him with her eyes. She dropped her spoon into the bowl of cereal and put them both in the sink with another shudder. Reese gave her a smile that she swore would haunt her next nightmare. His lips looked black, drips of blood sliding down his chin. His teeth stained red.
“I veto,” Ellie said. She jerked her thumb at Reese. “He soooo needs it more.”
Reese gave her a look and spread his arms out wide. He had the carton of orange juice in his left hand. Reese looked down at his body. At the gore and dirt that covered him head to foot. With a shrug, he brought the carton to his lips.
“Stop!” Ellie cried, wide-eyed. “I swear if you drink from the carton with your mouth like that. I will go upstairs, get my other gun, and shoot you.”
He raised his eyebrows. A patented Reese grin spread across his face. He took two steps and opened the cupboard, pulling a glass out. He filled it, screwing the cap back onto the orange juice container. She watched him in a mix between annoyance and horror. Finally, Ellie shook her head and looked to Vincent.
“I take it you had a good hunt?” she asked.
“Would have, if Reese didn't try to steal my bear,” Vincent grumbled, giving her a flash of his amazing eyes.
“Hey, it was standing right there, fair game. It ain’t my fault ya ain’t quicker,” Reese pointed out. He lifted the glass to his lips and drained the orange juice.
“I'm faster than you!” Vincent said tilting his chin.
“Not today, little brother,” Reese retorted. Walking past Ellie, they were so close he had to put his arms up to get around her. She would have argued if the blood had been wet. Instead, she stood her ground.
“Girls, girls, you’re both pretty,” Ellie said with a chuckle. “Did you get your own bear?”
Reese snickered, hopping up to sit on the counter top. “He had to settle for a deer,” he said with a satisfied grin. Vincent shot him a dirty look.
Ellie turned to him, an eyebrow raised. “You couldn't share a bear?”
“I don't like sharing.” Reese pouted. Ellie shook her head, rolling her eyes.
“Where is Edward?” Ellie asked.
“Still out there,” Reese answered.
Vincent crossed the floor. He looked down at her with a smile. “I'd love to kiss you.” He slid his hands around her, cupping her ass. Vincent pulled her in a little tighter.
“Not like that you won't,” Ellie told him.
Reese snickered again. Vincent shot him another withering look. “You wanna share a shower?” Vincent asked, wiggling his eyebrows. It was Reese's turn to roll his eyes. He hopped down off the counter.
“Jesus, are ya part rabbit?” Reese asked pushing past them.
Ellie sighed. “Go take a shower. The sooner he’s clean, the better my apatite will be,” she said shooting a glance at Reese. “Besides, I'm halfway through cleaning the Heckler. I can't just leave it.”
Vincent let her go. Pulling away from her, he blew her a kiss over his shoulder and headed toward the hallway. Ellie crossed the floor back to the dining room. She had her little set up laid out on the dining table. Cleaning agents, oils, her tools laid out in perfect rows. Her Heckler was in pieces laid out carefully in order. Ellie sat down and set to finishing the cleaning. Ellie heard the water turn on. A minute or two later Reese sat down across from her. She rolled her eyes up to look at him.
Reese’s face was clean. Water dripped from his hair. “Thank you,” she said. “Now all we have to do is teach you how to wear clothes and you'll be halfway back to being civilized,” Ellie teased, laughing at him. Reese took a note out of her book and stuck his tongue out at her. She smirked, dropping her eyes back down to the pieces of her gun. Reese watched her for a while in silence. He wondered just how to broach the subject.
It was closing in on the second week of May and the snow was barely beginning to melt up here. Nearly five months of living here and Ellie didn't seem to notice the changes in Edward. Reese couldn't help but see them, especially after what happened today. Reese took in a deep breath his eyes roving her pretty face.
“Have ya noticed a change in Edward lately?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Ellie paid particular attention to the barrel of her gun. She had, in fact. But Ellie did her best to bury it.
“Does he seem,” Reese paused looking for the right word. Ellie revered her brother. In her eyes, Edward could do no wrong. That's why Reese waited so long to bring it up. “Angry. Does he seem angrier to ya?”
Ellie frowned. Eventually, she shrugged. “That's just the infection,” Ellie said blowing it off. He watched her reach across and pluck a wired brush out of her kit. “You guys can be kinda cranky.”
Reese didn’t argue that. This was different. Over the past month or so he could feel it coming off Edward. Edward’s rage was getting worse. Reese knew that feeling well. Still, this morning worried him. Running after Vince across the top of the ridge, he spotted Edward. He had a stag, his arm wrapped around its neck. Reese heard the snap echo out over the trees. He expected Edward to rip into it. Eat it. He didn't. Edward snapped the things neck and got up. He stared down at it for a long while, then, simply walked away.
That ain’t what they did. The hunger demanded blood. It demanded meat. There wasn’t any use killing it if you weren't going to eat it. Reese felt the joy that washed over Edward as he watched the last twitches of that deer. Edward watched the light go out in its eyes. It was the kill he enjoyed. It wasn’t the chase or the meat he wanted.
Ellie lifted her clip. She looked at it and then at Reese. “I think the spring is going wonky in this,” she complained.
Reese stared at her face lost in thought. Her
voice brought him back to himself. “Ya carry ‘em full all the time, Goldie. It puts wear on the spring. Ya could try leaving two or three bullets out of your extra clips, it'll help with it.”
She frowned at him. “All that gets me is three less shots.”
Reese shrugged. “Just be careful, sweetheart. A bad spring could cause a jam. Ya should get a new clip.”
Ellie nodded her head. Reese swallowed. He didn't know how to explain his worry to her. He didn't want her angry with him either. Reese felt uneasy about the whole thing. Ellie fell back into silence again. Reese stared at her as she concentrated on her cleaning. He opened his mouth to say something when the front door opened. Ellie turned in her chair and gave her brother a happy smile.
“Didn't you eat?” Edward was pristine. No blood, no guts on his sweatpants and tank top.
Edward gave her a sheepish grin. “Couldn't find anything,” he said. “I'll go out again later,” he assured her.
Reese eyed him carefully from his spot at the table. Ellie shrugged. “Charlie was looking for you. Time for your infusion,” she said, turning back to her work. The dog came skittering into the room a few steps ahead of the tap of Anna's cane. She stepped clumsily past Edward. Reese felt Edward’s desire slam into him like a fist. Reese's eyes slid back to Ellie, his mouth falling open. He had such a strong urge to lay his mouth on hers.
Edward grabbed Anna by the arm. He pulled her into his embrace. Kissed her, none too gently. Anna fought at first but melted into it after those first few beats. Ellie turned to see them and rolled her eyes. A sneer on her pretty mouth, Ellie shook her head and turned back to look at Reese. He stared at her with hungry eyes.
“You wanna talk about half rabbit,” Ellie said, full of snark.
Reese's eyes flicked to them. It was harder to look away from Ellie than he ever would have expected. He watched Edward lift Anna off the floor. Edward walked her past them toward the back hallway. Reese heard the door to one of the bedrooms slam. He tried hard to concentrate on what Ellie was doing. Reese had to think past the heat of lust that filled him up to his very brim. It made his heart beat fast. His breath come heavy. Without thinking, Reese laid his hand on Ellie's shoulder with the intent of pulling her to him. He needed to feel the silken brush of her lips. Ellie looked up at him. It was a bloody battle with his will to drop his arm back to his side. Reese gave her wide eyes. He fought hard to clamp those shields into place against it. To sense the emotions was to feel it himself. With the shields in place, Reese could think past the half-scared little noises Anna made.
Shed some Light Page 20
