Pure Redemption (Tainted Legacy)

by Amity Hope

  “But you don’t think she went home?” Ava prompted when Molly hesitated. She glanced at Gabe who was darting worried looks her way as he listened in on the call.

  “Audrey said she left with someone. A guy. That’s why she was so pissed. She also said he was tall and that he was wearing a baseball cap so she didn’t get a good look at him. She couldn’t even tell me what color hair he had. All she could tell me was that compared to Julia he was crazy-tall. I’ve tried calling her but she isn’t answering,” Molly wailed. “I drove by her house but her car isn’t there. I should’ve gotten there sooner. No, I should’ve started looking for her sooner! I should’ve found out if she was really on her lunch break and not just assumed. Ava, what are we going to do?”

  Ava thrummed her fingers across her knees as she thought. “Maybe she just snuck off with Cam for a date. Maybe there’s nothing to worry about just yet.”

  “Do you really think that?” Molly asked. “Because you don’t sound like you really think that. Julia skipping work is not normal. It’s hard not to be worried. She’s not like the good girl gone wild. She’s like the good girl gone stark-raving, freaking-mad,” she muttered.

  “Molly, where are you right now?” Ava asked.

  “I was just driving through the country club parking lot again. I thought maybe she’d come to her senses and go back to work. Not likely, I know, but I didn’t know what else to do. When you called I pulled over so now I’m just sitting here.”

  “I think you should go home. Keep trying to get a hold of her,” Ava said. She honestly didn’t think Julia was going to answer. But she wanted Molly to feel like she had a job to do so that she’d be more likely to listen to her request. Ava wanted her at home, safely out of harm’s way.

  “Okay,” Molly agreed. “I’ll let you know the second I hear anything. What are you going to do?”

  “I’m not sure,” Ava admitted. “I’m with Gabe so I need to talk to him. I’ll let you know though, okay? I just need you to be somewhere safe so we don’t have to worry about you, too.”

  They disconnected just as Gabe pulled up at the jobsite he’d been working at earlier in the day. The crew had cleared out but Gabe needed to pick up his motorcycle.

  “Julia’s missing?” he asked and Ava nodded. “Damn it!” he growled as he slammed his hands against the steering wheel. “Rafe said I had a week! That was just yesterday!”

  Ava’s voice was wobbly. “Do you think there’s any chance she’s just with Cam? I mean, that Rafe doesn’t have something to do with this?”

  Gabe’s chest was heaving with fury. The look he gave Ava told her that no, he really did not think it was a possibility. “Okay,” he finally said, “this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to go home, just like you told Molly to do. You’re going to take this with you,” he said as he shifted in his seat so he could pull the switchblade from his pocket. “It might not be much, but you need to have something.”

  Ava glanced at the weapon he’d dropped in her hand before turning back to him. “What about you?”

  “I have an errand to run,” he ground out.

  “Gabe.”

  “I won’t be long.”

  Ava slumped against her seat. Despite the warm day, she felt a chill that she knew wasn’t going to go away until she found her friend. “Maybe you should take this with you.”

  Gabe pushed her hand away. “You need it more than I do. And ironically, Rafe needs me. Or at least, he thinks he does. So I don’t think he’d do anything to me. And if he did, I heal. You might not.”

  “You might not either!” she reminded him. She turned away from him and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stave off the prickle of tears. When she opened them, she was looking out the side window. A woman was walking with a young child who was riding a bike with training wheels. Further down was a man with a dog, walking along at a leisurely pace. On the other side of the street, an elderly couple was walking hand in hand. Her breath caught in her throat. She choked down an unexpected sob as she wondered if she and Gabe would ever make it that far.

  “Ava,” Gabe said softly. He leaned over, sliding his hand around the back of her neck, turning her so she was facing him. The expression on his face, the look in his eyes when he leaned in to kiss her said more than words could convey. She slid her arms around him as she melted into his kiss, taking it and returning it with as much emotion as he had shown her.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he told her when he finally pulled away so he could look at her again. She nodded and he pulled her into his chest again, holding her tightly. “I better go,” he finally sighed as he released her. He bounced a kiss off of her forehead, whispered, “I love you,” in her ear and slid out of the car.

  Ava watched him climb on his motorcycle and drive away. She crawled into the driver’s seat and sat there for a while, debating whether to go home, drive to Molly’s to check on her, or search for Julia. She decided to go home because that was where Gabe was expecting her to be. She tried to ignore the feeling of fear that was trying to choke her into a frenzy.

  ***

  A long string of expletives exploded from her mouth as she tossed her phone onto the couch. She’d been trying to get a hold of Molly ever since she’d walked in the door but Molly wasn’t answering her calls or texts. Julia, of course, hadn’t answered hers either. Out of desperation, she’d called Gabe. He also didn’t answer but Ava was working on convincing herself that he was driving and that was his reason for not answering.

  “Awww.”

  The unfamiliar voice came from behind her, causing her to shriek and spin around. Cam stood before her, a sickening grin on his face. The front door stood open and Ava mentally berated herself for not locking it. She’d left it unlocked out of habit because who locks their door in the middle of the day?

  People trying to stay out of the hands of crazy Nephilim bastards, that’s who! she angrily told herself.

  “Trouble keeping track of your friends?” he asked.

  Ava took a step back. Her cabin had an open floor plan. The living room was open to the small dining area, where Cam stood at the side of the small table. Ava edged her way along the back of the couch, which divided the two rooms. She was hoping to make it to her bedroom, where at least there was a lock on the door. She recalled the violent strength shown when Gabe and Rafe had fought. She knew a locked door was a pitiful defense against a Nephilim but it was all she had.

  “Where’s Julia?” She was proud of herself for keeping her voice steady.

  His eyes widened in mockery and he shrugged. “With Molly.”

  Was he lying? That was her initial assumption but Molly hadn’t answered her phone. She said she was going straight home. But had she? Had she tried and not made it? Ava thought that was likely the case. Under the circumstances, Molly would’ve most definitely answered her phone if she were able.

  “And where would that be?” Ava asked. Common sense was screaming at her to make a run for the bedroom but worry for her friends won out. She stood at the end of the couch while Cam slowly edged closer. Now that she was facing him, staring him down even, she realized that he didn’t look so good. He seemed to be shaking slightly and even from where she was standing a good dozen feet away, she could see the glimmer of a sheen of sweat lining his face.

  The sigils. She was sure of it. The fear that was nearly choking her let up just a bit.

  “Come with me and find out. It’s as simple as that,” Cam replied.

  Ava shot out a hysterical laugh. “Right. Just go with you and all will be right with the world. You’ll bring me to my friends and everything will be just fine.”

  Cam shrugged. He made a face, as if he was trying to appear amused but it came out as a grimace.

  “Aren’t you finding my home very pleasant?” Ava asked with innocent mockery of her own.

  His eyes darted to the walls and Ava knew she’d been right.

  “Why are you here?” she demanded. “Rafe told Gabe he had a wee
k.”

  Cam tried to smile but failed. “He does have a week. However, Rafe likes to have a contingency plan. I’ve heard there was a time when he underestimated Gabriel and he’s not going to make that mistake again.”

  “Meaning?” She took another step back as Cam took a faltering step forward. She couldn’t miss how his eyes darted around the room. Ava remembered when she and Gabe had been trapped in the cabin at the start of it all. He’d admitted to her that when he moved, the sigils connected as if making a web. A net. The more Cam moved, the more his steps seemed to falter. Maybe she just needed to get closer to the outer edge of the cabin, next to the walls where she knew the sigils were inscribed.

  “Meaning he’s giving Gabe a week but he’s going to use you and your friends as insurance that Gabriel does as requested.” The closer he edged toward Ava, the heavier the trickle of sweat down his face became, proving to her that her theory was correct. The closer she placed herself to the sigils, the less powerful Cam would become. “See, Rafe isn’t stupid enough to believe that your boyfriend is going to do as he said, just because he agreed. But we’re certain he’ll do as requested if it means getting you back safe and sound.” Cam shrugged again, trying to look nonchalant.

  “Why involve my friends?” Ava shot out. “I would’ve been enough.”

  Cam smiled and while it looked pained, it looked genuine. “I’m sure you would’ve been enough to encourage Gabe to do as asked. But we needed them to make sure you do what is asked.”

  “And what is that?” she ground out.

  “I need you to come with me. For now. Rafe will fill you in on the rest later.”

  “Tell me where my friends are and I’ll think about it.”

  Cam sneered. “Molly was right. She didn’t think you’d come for them. You have Gabe back in your life and he’s more important to you than either she or Julia.”

  She knew he was using her friends against her. She knew that she shouldn’t let him but she couldn’t help herself from saying, “Molly would never tell you that.”

  Cam tapped his temple. “She didn’t have to tell me.”

  “Ah,” Ava said in understanding, “that’s what your secret little talent is then? Mind reading? Reading minds is a bit boring when you compare it to Rafe’s ability to actually control them. Wouldn’t you say?” Her voice was steady but inside she was quaking as her heart rattled around painfully. Her knees were weak from the terror she felt and she was afraid they would simply give out on her. If he could read minds, did he know how truly terrified she was? Did he know that she was planning to bolt for the bedroom? Did he know what she was truly trying to do by getting him to talk?

  He tilted his head to the side, his gaze bore into her. She realized for the first time that he looked frustrated. His gaze flitted to the walls and back again and the smallest of smirks found its way onto her face.

  “What’s the matter? The sigils scrambling your brain?” she asked.

  “How does he stand being in here?” Cam demanded as he used the back of his hand to wipe away a particularly bothersome stream of sweat.

  “He’s stronger than you. That’s how,” Ava said confidently. She was sure now that Cam couldn’t hear her thoughts. He couldn’t know that Gabe wasn’t affected by the sigils at all and that neither of them knew why.

  He let out a hiss of air. “Why not make this easy on both of us? You will be coming with me, one way or another. If you don’t fight me, I’ll bring you straight to your friends.”

  She let out a bitter laugh. “You know what? That would only work if I trusted you. But I don’t believe that you’ll bring me to my friends even if I do go with you. So I guess Rafe isn’t so smart after all.” She turned then, ready to lunge toward the bedroom but Cam’s reflexes were fast. He lunged a fraction of a second after she did. The impact of his body on hers toppled Ava to the ground, knocking the breath out of her.

  He let out a guttural growl as his body splayed out on top of hers. The surprise of Ava’s skin burning him was intense enough for him to immediately roll away. His eyes fell on the cross around her neck and the understanding was evident on his face. Ava tried to scoot backward as she pulled in a deep breath but Cam followed. His eyes were on the necklace as he reached up to tear it off.

  Her heart was pounding wildly, shooting an adrenaline rush through her body. She’d backed up as far as she could. The wall was at her back. Her hand shot out at him, the blade she’d managed to pull from her pocket springing to life as it sliced across his wrist, hitting bone. Blood sprayed as he howled. Her action didn’t seem to slow him. It only infuriated him and this time when he lunged at her, he knocked the knife away, knocking her flat on her back as he reached for the chain around her neck.

  Ava tried to kick at him but she was buried under his weight. And then, his body went flying upward colliding with the wall as Gabe flung him away. Cam grunted as he slid back down, landing on the floor in a heap. Gabe lunged at him again, picked him up and slammed his body into the wall.

  Cam wailed out in torment as the sigil at his back seared into him. Ava couldn’t see the sigils but she could hear the sizzle of them and she could smell the burning of Cam’s flesh.

  “I went to Hell and back for her! Did you honestly think I would just let you come in here and take her from me?” Gabe roared. He let go and Cam toppled to the floor once more.

  “Are you okay?” he demanded as he rushed to Ava’s side. She had already scrambled to her feet and retrieved her weapon.

  She nodded as she kept her eyes on Cam. “I’m fine. Rafe has Julia. And Molly.”

  Cam had stumbled to his feet as well. He staggered as he tried to take a step toward the door. Gabe released Ava and he was on him again.

  “Where are they you son of a bitch?” he asked as he tossed him into the wall again.

  Cam’s scream permeated the cabin as the sigils burned him once more. “I don’t know,” he grated out. He tried to struggle against Gabe’s grasp but the sigils had weakened him. “I don’t. I swear,” he panted.

  “You told me you’d take me to them,” Ava grated out.

  “I lied!” he shot out as if it should be obvious, and perhaps it should be. He writhed against the wall and let out a curdling howl but Gabe held him steady, grinding him into the wall and into his torment. Cam gasped for air, fighting through his pain as the sigils burned.

  “I should kill you just for touching her,” Gabe growled, inches from Cam’s face.

  “Go ahead,” Cam said through a groan. “If you don’t, Rafe will. I failed him. He is not going to be happy.”

  Gabe loosened his grip minutely, allowing Cam’s body to fall slightly from the wall, away from the sigil.

  “What is wrong with you?” Cam ground out. “Why don’t these bother you? How can you touch her? Her body is like hot coals but you act like it’s nothing.”

  Gabe released Cam completely, letting him stumble until he collided with a chair. He held onto it for support.

  “You tell my brother that I’m different now that I’m back. He shouldn’t underestimate me. If he hurts Ava’s friends, I will make him pay in ways he can’t even imagine,” Gabe threatened as he slid an arm around Ava’s waist again.

  Cam eyed the spectacle with utter bewilderment, assuming that Gabe was affected by the sigils and the cross but, as Gabe implied, strong enough not to let it bother him. He shook his head and bolted for the door.

  When he was gone Gabe moved Ava away from him so he could look her over. “Did he hurt you?”

  She shook her head. “No. I think he was too weak in here. The sigils were wearing on him and when he knocked into me, he wasn’t prepared for what this would do,” she said as her finger ran across the pendant.

  “The blood on the floor?” he demanded as his eyes scoured over her.

  “It’s his.”

  Of course, it would have started to heal immediately so Gabe’s only reply was a terse nod.

  “Gabe,” Ava said softly, “I’m f
ine. I knew you would be coming so I tried to keep him talking. I wanted to stall him.”

  “Did you find out anything useful?”

  She shook her head. “He can read minds.” She hung her head and looked away.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” he demanded as he forced her to look at him.

  “Molly doesn’t think we’re coming for her,” she told him. “She thinks that now that you’re back, I wouldn’t risk it. How could she think that?”

  “He was lying, Ava. Molly knows you better than that. We’ll get her back. We’ll get both of them back, I promise.”

  Chapter 23

  “That’s taken care of,” Gabe said as he came out of the bedroom. He’d called Mike to let him know he’d be out of work for a few days. He led him to believe it was due to his fall off of the ladder. Mike hadn’t been the least bit surprised due to Daniel’s frantic explanation before whisking Gabe away.

  “Good,” Ava said as she tossed the last of the bloody rags in the trash, followed by the dishwashing gloves she’d used. Luckily the cabin had hardwood floors. After washing her hands she came out to find Gabe staring at the sigils. “Where did you go?”

  “Back to my old house,” he admitted, confirming her suspicions. “I was going to talk to Rafe but he wasn’t there. I decided to check out my old place.”

  “The guest house?”

  He nodded. “I was hoping there would be something useful in there. I don’t know what I was hoping to find. Maybe something I could use against Rafe. A file on him or something. Some hint about how to stop him. Maybe something I could blackmail him with,” he let out a grunt of contempt. “It was a stupid idea. If I had anything, I probably hid it which means now I have no idea where to look. Nothing about that place felt familiar at all.”