Charlie felt more guilt fall upon her shoulders with that question. “I can't. I can't just leave them, Shane.”
Shane dropped his head and gave it a shake. This place was getting dangerous, even more, dangerous than what he thought it was. That was saying something. He thought about talking to Vincent, crazy as that sounded. Vincent loved Charlie. Vincent would be able to talk her into leaving here. Shane was quiet as he watched Charlie pull yet another bullet from the ruin of Edward's chest.
Vincent followed Ellie into her bedroom. Reese went to walk past and she reached out to him. “You too,” she said. Ellie needed them both now more than ever. He shrugged, following them inside. Reese looked at the walls covered in drawings and paintings and smirked despite the anger still burning inside him. Vince captured her from nearly every angle, her smile, the flash of her pretty green eyes, the soft, rounded curve of her breast.
Ellie flopped down on the bed. Vincent sat down a tad more gingerly laying his head against the wall gently. Reese came in, sitting down on the bed. There was nowhere else to sit. Ellie looked at him. “You're still so angry.”
Reese looked at her, his eyes flashing. “He attacked my brother,” Reese cried.
Ellie scowled. “Well, your brother killed him for it,” she snapped and immediately regretted saying it. Ellie let her head fall back. She stared up at the ceiling until she had control back. “I'm sorry,” Ellie said looking from one to the other of them.
The three of them were quiet for a long time. Ellie pulled a pillow out from behind her setting it in her lap. She picked at the loose string on its edge. Ellie still had the Heckler in her hand. Reese stared at her. He understood the loss. He did. And he had to admit for the first time he understood what Vince had done when it came to him so many years before. Reese’s face softened as his eyes danced over her face. He shook his head. Vincent stared at him. Reese finally opened his mouth.
“I watched him kill a deer,” he said.
Both Ellie and Vincent looked at him. Ellie blinked. Vincent winced in pain as he shifted his weight slightly.
“He snapped its neck,” Reese told them. “He snapped its neck and he didn't eat it.”
“What?” Vincent asked, his forehead wrinkling in confusion.
“He just watched it die,” Reese told them.
“And?” Ellie asked, not impressed.
Reese licked his lips and rolled his eyes. “The Monster don't kill to just kill. It's hunger that drives us to kill. It eats what it kills,” he explained.
“So what are you saying?” Ellie asked defensively. For the first time the changes that stole over Edward as he began to shift flashed in her mind. Vincent had leapt on him so fast that it hadn't really registered at first. The nightmarish shape of the monsters was tall. Their spines broke and forged giving them at least a foot of height. Broad shoulders, their arms grew by inches. Five-inch long, thin black razors split their fingertips. Their stomachs were emaciatingly thin. Their skin was rough, translucent and smoky gray. Vincent had bony ridges that grew down the line of his spine. Reese didn’t. His eyes were different too. An abyss of darkness swallowed Vincent’s eyes whole. Reese’s eyes were black, but a ring of red flame ringed where his pupils should be. It pulsed in time with his beating heart.
Ellie’s mind wandered over Edward as he began to change form. His skin took on a pearly blue cast. His shape was the same, but he didn’t have the bony ridges either. His eyes were black with shards of blue ringing his pupils. He had the same mouth full of rows of broken, sharp teeth. Still, Ellie couldn’t help tallying the differences. Denial crashed down on Ellie like falling rocks.
“He’s killing for sport, Ellie! I'm saying that Bennet shouldn't a’ fucked with this thing. I'm saying that what she did to Edward is different,” Reese told her.
Her frown deepened into a scowl. Ellie didn't know what to say. “So what do you want me to do about it? Huh? It's not like either of you haven't ever lost control!” Ellie cried. Her mind fought against what she was afraid he was trying to tell her.
Vincent gave him a look that said drop it. Reese tilted his head to the side angrily. “I'm worried about ya,” Reese told her.
“I survived the two of you,” Ellie growled. Vincent sighed. He knew his Ellie. When she couldn't handle the truth, she picked a fight. And that was precisely what she was doing now. He looked at Reese. Reese was falling right into it, letting her bait him.
“That's different!” Reese retorted, his head shaking angrily.
“How is it different? You told him,” Ellie said jerking her thumb at Vincent. “That you wanted to rip my fucking heart out!” she yelled at him.
“It's different because we both love ya!” Reese cried, springing to his feet. His angry face inches from hers. Vincent stared at his brother. Plastering his lips together, the muscles in Vincent’s jaw bunched. That didn't take long. Reese’s ghost loved Ellie so Reese loved her. And it was so easy. Vincent swallowed hard, fighting against the depression dragging at him.
“You think my brother doesn't love me?” Ellie exclaimed, refusing to back down.
“I think your brother don't know ya no more!” Reese yelled back at her.
“How dare you. You have no idea what my brother and I have been through. You have no idea how much he loves me. You definitely haven’t any comprehension of how much I love him!”
“So you're okay with him tearing ya to pieces?” Reese couldn't believe what she was saying.
“I would do anything for him. The least of all is die for him!” Ellie cried, tears spilling down her face.
Reese shook his head at her. His blue eyes flashing, lips tensed in anger. Reese had never been so fucking frustrated with anyone in his entire life. She made it so damn hard to protect her. She was so unbelievably stubborn. His anger had nothing to do with the fact that Edward attacked her. Reese had come to the conclusion that it was only a matter of time over the past month. His anger was a shield for his fear. He couldn't lose her. Reese loved her too damn much. He knew for a fact it would destroy Vince.
“He's dangerous, Ellie. He would a’ killed ya tonight.”
She glared at him. Ellie knew damn well he was right. She saw it when Edward looked at her. Her first thought when she saw it was that Edward was gone. But that wasn't true. Edward was there. Ellie could see him in there. Her brother stared her down, jaws slathering. And he went at her. Ellie had a dream once months before they rescued him. Hell, months before she knew that her Reese was a figment in Vincent's head.
Images from that dream flashed in her mind now. Edward was bent over Ellie’s broken and bloody dead body. He ripped chunks of flesh away from her stomach. Ellie swore she could hear him chewing. Hear him swallowing them down. Edward looked up at her. The look in his eyes was cold. It was full of rage, full of bloodlust. It was full of pleasure. That was the look she saw tonight.
Again, denial closed like a heavy gate over her. Ellie shook her head. “I didn't give up on you,” Ellie said. “Either of you. I won't give up on him.”
Chapter 26
Her blond hair had that silken shine. It was a shade or two darker than Ellie’s. Her curves were a little more defined, breasts a little bigger. Still, as Reese let his eyes dance over her soft skin all he saw was Vince’s little ray of sunshine. The guilt of that fought a bloody battle with his need for the fantasy. Reese’s fingertips traced her shoulder looking for the splotch of shiny scar tissue that wasn’t there. Every kiss he laid on her mouth, her thighs, he did with his eyes closed.
The light of day brought reality with it. It crumbled the edges of his pleasant fiction. Her body moving with his felt good, but it was the imaginings of Ellie that gave it the honeyed satisfaction he was looking for. Reese took in a deep breath just to blow it out slow. He gently pulled away from her, climbing out of the bed. She rolled over onto her side, cuddling under the blankets. Reese was dressed and out the door in minutes.
Days later, he was still pissed at Charlie for keeping th
e truth about Edward from them. He was pissed at Ellie for being that stupid. She had a blind spot for Edward that was going to get her killed. Still, her words kept ringing in his ears. I didn’t give up on you. Reese was sinking beneath dark waves and she pulled him up onto the shore. Her faith in him was the only reason he was here. It was the only reason he hadn’t lost himself a second time.
This wasn’t like her. Ellie was methodical, ruthless. She did what needed to be done. A survivor’s instinct like he’d never seen the likes of. Reese was proud of her when she emptied her clip into Edward’s chest. It was a shame it didn’t put him down. It earned Reese’s respect. He loved her wit, loved her strength. Ellie had an inescapable gravity. Her undeniable presence held you spellbound. It made her beautiful and dangerous. Untouchable. He didn’t want to love her. But boy did he. The touch of her hand made him a believer.
Reese made a promise to his little brother. One he was walking on broken glass to keep. But want occupies your thoughts. Want is an ocean you swim with pockets full of stones. It drags you down. It wages a bloody battle between right and wrong. Want gives you the illusion that you can win with will alone. There is want. Then there is need.
Need suffers no delusions. Need is a sucker-punch that knocks you flat on your ass before you know the fight has even begun. You cannot win against need, because whether you’re willing to admit it or not, you want to lose. Reese needed Ellie. The closer she came, the weaker he got.
The look in Vince’s eyes ripped at him. Reese figured the best way to keep his promises was to go his own way. Then he got that space. It opened his eyes. After two whole days and three dead bodies, it was the beauty in the house behind him who proved that he couldn’t stay away. Every moment he spent away from Ellie, he could feel that pull, that gravity dragging at him. Worse, he could feel that anger burning a hole right through him. He didn’t want to fall again. Watching Edward drown made Reese realize he didn’t want to be that anymore. And damn it, he didn’t want to lose Vince, not again.
Vince was cursed with hefting the world lately, the poor kid. Reese wondered if he was right. Would Edward come back? If he did, Reese would lay money that he’d be just as damned dangerous, probably more. Death has a way of spinning you about. Charlie never should have let him keep that secret. She shouldn’t have tried to play with it. He was with Ellie on this one. That bitch Bennet deserved a hell of a lot more than she ended up getting. Reese stopped at the proverbial fork in the road. Not strong enough to stay away, Reese finally gave up. With a shake of his head, he turned north heading back toward the safe house.
This time away from her brought home the understanding that it was Ellie’s belief in him that gave him the strength to be the man he used to be. Not just simply pretend. So, Reese returned to her. He would have to find a way to keep his distance. Now he knew that couldn’t be more than arm’s reach.
A feeling tore him out of his swirling thoughts. Familiar. His fear was a cold, crashing wave that dragged him under. Reese slowed his jog and looked around at the snow-covered trees. Acres of wilderness covered in a blanket of white. There were miles of nothing in front of him and behind. Reese’s fingers danced. The prick of his claws wanting to come free only fed the dread that choked him.
His heartbeat slammed jarringly against his ribcage. Reese turned round and round looking for Vince. Where the hell was he? He couldn’t think. Memories exploded in colored strobes around him. They tore him from the here and now, hurtling him backward decades, back to that night. Bodies. Broken and torn, their skin cold. He could hear Vince screaming. A high, piteous keen echoed his pain over the forest that surrounded them. Why couldn’t Reese find him? Blood dripped in fat drops onto Reese’s face. It wept from his eyelashes. He remembered crawling out from beneath their corpses. Remembered seeing that Beast with gleaming silvery blue skin crouched on top of his little brother’s chest.
Reese turned with blinking eyes. He stopped cold. There was a man standing about twenty yards away. Reese recognized him, recognized his closely cropped yellow hair and green eyes. His long coat moved with the breeze. The diner. The way he looked at Ellie made Reese bristle through the choking fear that rode him. Reese remembered him crouched before Ellie. He handed Ellie the bag. His fingertips brushed her hand.
“I know what ya are. Ya come near her, I’ll gut ya!” Reese took in a deep breath to steady his shipwrecked thoughts. “You’ll only get one warning. Get the hell away from here.”
Joshua rolled his shoulders. His stance changed. “Or you’ll what?” His accent had just a hint of a British lilt. Those green eyes were challenging. Reese saw the spiky ring of gold around his pupil. Reese could not banish the feeling of familiar. He couldn’t place it.
“Ya want to do it the hard way, fine by me.”
Reese’s body changed as he rushed toward this man. Razored claws tore through his fingertips. Sharp teeth ripped through his gums. Darkness spilled into his skin. Joshua held his ground until the last moment. He dodged right wrapping his arm around Reese’s torso. Joshua lifted him high, flipping him over. The ground detonated beneath him. Earth and snow flew up around them. Reese recovered quickly pulling to his feet. Reese hurled a right hook that sent Joshua staggering back two steps.
Joshua grabbed Reese’s chest. His hands crossed over one another, he threw Reese into the trunk of a tree. He was fast. Maybe a hair slower than Vince, this guy moved with a supple grace Reese recognized. It sent his mind reeling. Joshua opened up on him. Three jabs to his ribs, followed by a hook to his gut that had Reese curling in on himself. He spat blood to the ground at their feet.
Reese grabbed his head, pushing the both of them back a few sliding steps. Reese’s hand slid down to grab hold of Joshua’s right shoulder. He heaved a powerful left to Joshua’s gut. It bought Reese a second to get his bearings. Black razored claws oozed from Joshua’s fingertips. Vince was the only monster Reese had ever seen that could bring the claws free without shifting.
A low right jab, Reese blocked with his forearm. Joshua went left. Reese blocked it. Joshua’s speed was slowly winning by attrition. For every two hits, Reese managed to shield, Joshua landed one. The power behind his blows was a punishment. The pain had Reese’s monster reeling. Reese kept his elbow high, bent to block the onslaught Joshua leveled at him.
Reese went low to the right, catching Joshua’s backhand at the wrist and elbow. Gritting his teeth Reese snapped Joshua’s forearm. A sharp shard of bone tore through the flesh of his arm. Reese let him go, gliding low and around behind Joshua back to back. Reese reached back grabbing Joshua’s head once more. He pulled him up and over, flipping Joshua onto his back. Joshua got his feet under him just in time to be shoved into the trunk of a tree. Reese threw two rabbit punches to Joshua’s kidneys. Using the trunk to push off, Joshua turned around, his back to the tree. Reese didn’t let up. He hurled a hook that Joshua blocked. Reese came flying at him with a knee to Joshua’s chest.
“He’ll not have her!” Joshua cried.
Reese only had a split second to be confused. Joshua raised one claw on an arced collision course. Reese blocked it with his wrist. It left him completely open when Joshua thrust his left hand deep as those claws could go into his stomach. Reese gulped, gasping for air. Blood spilled out of Reese’s mouth. Joshua ripped those blade-like claws up and through Reese’s stomach, his chest, slicing through his ribs. The razors shredded his lungs. They finally ripped through his neck, spraying blood over Joshua’s face. It dropped Reese to his knees.
Joshua grabbed him by the throat. The wounds in Reese’s chest were healing over. He pulled Reese up off his feet. Joshua stared into his face with murderous intent. “Where is he? Where is Elijah?”
“Who the fuck… are ya talking about?” Reese croaked. He pulled at the vice-like grip Joshua had on his throat.
Joshua searched for the pull, the brush of his mind. Bubbling up through the pain and fear, he could feel her. Little Lottie was dancing all over this man’s thoughts. Reese
wanted to protect her. Protect her? The expression on Joshua’s face melted under those intentions. The grip on Reese’s throat loosened. Had he made a mistake? Joshua let him go. Reese fell to his knees coughing and sputtering. Joshua gave him one last look of confusion and wonder and then he was gone.
Reese took one gasping breath after another. He used the tree to help him to his feet. He pulled the shreds of his button-down shirt from his shoulders and used it to wipe at the blood on his chest. Who the hell was Elijah? Reese was sure he didn’t know anyone by that name. He needed to get back. Warn Vince.
Chapter 27
Vincent walked through the silent house trying to ignore the pain. His shoulder ached and throbbed. His leg twinged with every step he took. Reese, still angry with Ellie took off into the woods two nights ago. He still hadn’t come back. Vincent wondered if he would. Vincent took two steps into the infirmary and saw her slumped in the chair next to the examination table they laid Edward’s body on. He sighed, cursing Edward.
Vincent had no other choice. He was going to kill Ellie and Vincent would never let that happen. He warned Edward of that the night they rescued him from St. Verens. Vincent hated what it had done to her, though. He would do anything. Give anything to wipe the pain from her eyes. Vincent stood there watching her chest rise and fall. All he could see was that look of hatred. It haunted him.
Vincent shuffled over to her. Edward was still a pile of so much raw, red meat. Broken bones stuck out of his torn flesh. Ellie was a mess. Her yellow hair tangled and pulled back into a messy bun, still stained red with Edward’s blood. Vincent brushed gently at the bangs that had fallen into her face.
Ellie stirred. Her eyes opening, she took in a quick, sharp breath. She swallowed, looking up at him with a tight-lipped smile. “Hey, how you doing?” she asked.
“Come upstairs,” Vincent pleaded. “Please.” His eyebrows moved with the word.
Shed some Light Page 23
