Hold on a minute. I turn back, my eyes widening in recognition.
“Oh my god—Jayden?” He’s breathing heavily, and he looks unconscious. I nudge him again, blushing at the contact with his bare back. He coughs heavily and rolls over, opening his eyes—they flash gold before darkening again.
“Ashlee?” he whispers, his voice scratchy and rough. “Are you okay?”
“Jayden, what’s going on?” I shuffle back as he moves to sit up, leaning forward and staring at the dark ground in front of him. “What are you?” I ask softly.
He glances at me and then grabs something off the floor beside him. I frown until I realize they’re pants. I blush again and turn away.
After a moment, warm, shaky hands touch mine and break the ties around my wrists.
“Thank you.” I rub my raw skin and watch as Jayden surveys the dead before shaking his head and walking out the shattered glass door.
“Wait!” I call after him, stumbling to my feet.
He stops. “You should find somewhere safe to stay. They’ll be back,” he says quietly over his shoulder from the door. I move too quickly and have to catch myself against the wall. I’m still a little dizzy. Taking a deep breath, I push myself off the wall and follow him down the street.
The moon casts a dim light over the road and Jayden, who is up ahead. I jog to catch up. He stops suddenly in the middle of the street and swings around to face me. I stop before I smack into his bare chest.
“What are you doing?” He frowns. “You need to leave, find somewhere safe, as far away from me as possible.”
In the moonlight, I can see the dark patches on his skin that must be blood. The long cut down the side of his face stands out, blood dribbling down his chin.
“I want to help,” I say quietly.
“You can’t help me—they’ll kill you.”
I shake my head. “Do you honestly think I can just forget about everything I’ve just seen?” I hold my arms out. Like I can just go back to the way things were before.
“I was selfish for staying so long. I should have kept going. I’ve put you in danger, and for that, I’m sorry, but Ashlee, you can’t be anywhere near me. You saw what I am even if you don’t understand it. I’ve done so many bad things. I’m a monster, and I can’t control myself.” His eyes flash, and I flinch away.
“So?” I whisper.
A look of disbelief crosses his face. “Are you crazy?”
I shrug stubbornly.
He turns away from me and tilts his head up to sigh at the moon. I reach out hesitantly and touch his bare shoulder. “I want to help.” He closes his eyes with another sigh.
“I need to leave.” He steps away from me and heads down the street again.
I watch him carefully as I follow—he stumbles slightly as he walks. I may not be a doctor yet, but I’m pretty sure he needs medical attention. We are nearly at the forest when I decide to jog after him. I reach out to grab his arm so I can take him back to the house—I’m sure I have a first aid kit under the kitchen sink—but just as I’m about to pull him back, he stiffens and spins to face the road behind us.
“They’re back. Quick.” He grabs my arm and drags me into the trees. I trip over sticks and rocks, trying to keep up as he tugs me along behind him. We’re going too fast.
Suddenly, we stop, and Jayden pulls me down to the ground to crouch behind a large fallen tree. I look up at his face; I can barely see him in the dark. His eyes glitter as he watches the trees.
“Jay—”
“Shhh.” He puts his finger to my mouth without looking and cuts me off. I nod and sink down lower behind the tree. I can hear the sound of cars coming closer, turning onto the street and rolling to a stop somewhere close. I really hope we’re far enough into the forest that they won’t find us. I glance at Jayden—he turns his head to meet my gaze. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t smile or reassure me. He just looks at me and then looks away.
Voices echo through the trees—they’re searching for us. I clench my hands in my lap to stop the trembling. What if they find us? I gulp air, trying to calm my breathing. What if I give away our hiding spot? Oh god. I clamp my hand over my mouth—my breaths are too loud. They’ll find us, and it will all be because of my stupid breathing.
The voices are getting closer. I can hear their boots crunch over the leaf litter. Oh god. Jayden’s hand covers mine on my leg, and he squeezes softly. I look up at him and take a deep breath.
“Find anything?” I nearly scream—the male voice is so close. I hold my breath and inch closer to Jayden.
“Nah, they must have run,” another voice answers. “Let’s head back.” Crunching boots walk past the other side of the log and continue away from us. That was way too close. They could have tripped over us.
Jayden tightens his hold on my hand and slowly tugs me in the opposite direction of the retreating soldiers. I crouch low over the leaf litter and try to tiptoe over the crackling dead leaves, stopping every few steps to listen and make sure no one has followed us.
As soon as we’re far enough away, Jayden lets go of my hand and turns to face me. “I need to leave Black Pike. You can stay and find somewhere safe to hide, or you can come with me, but we can never come back.”
I don’t even pause before I answer. “I’m coming with you.”
“You have to do everything I say. If you don’t listen, you might put us both in danger. Do you understand?” I nod. “Good, let’s go.”
He turns and starts walking again. I struggle to keep up with his brisk pace, not to mention I can’t fully see him in the dark. Before long, I’m lagging behind, and Jayden has to stop so I can catch up.
“Where are we going?” I ask, out of breath.
“There’s a hunting cabin up here somewhere. They stock it full of supplies,” he answers over his shoulder. I stumble over a tree root and fall forward, landing on my hands and knees.
“Are you okay?” Jayden’s hand appears in front of my face, offering to help me up. I grasp it, and he pulls me to my feet with little effort. “It’s not far.”
I nod and follow as he starts walking again.
We emerge into a small clearing on the next hill. The cabin sits eerily quiet and dark in the center. To be completely honest—it looks abandoned. Jayden walks up to the door and shoves it open, turning back and waiting for me to enter first.
It smells musty and unused. I can’t see a thing; the darkness is so thick and suffocating. Something brushes against my arm, and I let out a loud yelp.
“Shhh, it’s just me,” Jayden’s voice mumbles close to my ear. I can feel his breath on my neck. For a split second, I’m convinced this is a terrible idea and I should just run home to my mom.
Oh god, Mom.
How could I forget my own family? They’ll be crushed when they realize I’m missing. How could I do that to them? What kind of a heartless, selfish person am I?
Light illuminates the corner of the cabin. Jayden holds a gas lantern out in front of him. “Are you okay?” He raises an eyebrow at me in question.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” He doesn’t need to know the direction of my thoughts.
“I heard your heart speed up. Usually that means you’re upset or afraid,” he explains softly.
I frown. “You can hear my heart beating?” He looks away, shutting his mouth.
I shake my head and look around the small cabin—a sink, small table and a chair, cupboard, and bed. Jayden heads over to the cupboard and looks inside. I walk up behind him and grab the cans and bottles as he passes them to me. He then drags a bag out from under the bed and loads up the supplies.
“We will rest here for a bit and leave before sunrise.”
“Okay.” I walk over and sit on the hard bed. Jayden sits on the floor across from me, leaning his head back against the wall and letting out a loud breath. I watch him curiously. “So, super hearing then?” He closes his eyes and smirks without answering. “What else do I need to know about? Can
you read my mind too?” I joke, leaning back on the bed.
He opens his eyes and stares at me, his mouth hanging open slightly.
“What?” I jolt back up. “Can you?”
He looks away uneasily. “Maybe.”
“Maybe? What’s that supposed to mean?” He shrugs, pulling his knees up to his chest. “Jayden, if you can, don’t. I’m serious. That’s a huge breach of privacy that I am not okay with.”
“Don’t worry about it—it’s more like emotions rather than thoughts anyway,” he tries to reassure me. I narrow my eyes and lie back on the bed. “Besides, it’s not like I can just turn it off.”
“Maybe you should try,” I mumble, annoyed.
Silence descends on us. I stare up at the wood ceiling, thinking. I have to let Mom know I’m okay; she will be so worried when she returns from her vacation. Maybe I should leave her a message. I tug my cell phone out of my jeans pocket and flip the screen open.
“No.” Jayden jumps up and snatches the phone out of my hand, dropping it to the floor and stomping it under his foot.
I’m shocked for a split second before anger overtakes me. “Hey! What did you do that for?”
He looks at me as if I’m stupid. “They’ll be tracking your phone. This isn’t a joke, Ashlee. If they catch us, they will kill you.”
I shut my mouth and turn back to the ceiling.
Jayden lifts himself off the floor, and I make room for him on the bed beside me.
He drops his head to stare at his shoes. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. I’ve been on the run for so long now that sometimes I forget how to speak to someone else. It’s been just the road and me. I’ve always been alone. I can’t even remember what home looked like.”
I sit up with a frown and lean over the edge of the bed towards him. His dark gaze studies me as I reach out and touch his cheek. “I promise you’ll never be alone again. Not while I’m still breathing.”
He lets out a heavy sigh, and we lay back on the bed, side by side. His eyes glitter in the dull lamplight, making them look like fire and the sharp planes of his face stand out. Our hands find each other on the mattress between us.
After a while, Jayden turns off the lamp and curls his body around mine on the small bed. I sigh in contentment at the warmth coming from his skin against mine.
I’m drifting off, the day’s events fading into nothing.
Suddenly his breath is close to my ear. “Ashlee?” I mumble something unintelligible under my breath, already slipping from reality and into a deep, exhausted sleep. I barely hear his next words. “Please, don’t leave me. I need you…” I suck in a sharp breath but pretend I’m still asleep as he settles in behind me.
I’m wide-awake now. Wide-awake and about to cry.
***
I’m shaken awake. I must have drifted off on the hard, uncomfortable bed. Sitting up, I groan at my sore back. Jayden throws the bag over his shoulder with a grunt and slowly strolls over to the cabin door, pausing to wait for me. I drag myself off the bed, my legs protesting at having to move again. The sun is just below the horizon, casting a pink glow across the sky.
I stand beside Jayden and glance up at the dried blood on the side of his neck and across his shoulder. Frowning, I reach out to touch the deep wound on his cheek. It’s still bleeding. “We need to get you a first aid kit or a doctor.” I look up at his impassive expression. He stares at me, his eyes roaming my face. For a brief, silly moment, I think he’s about to kiss me, and then he turns and marches through the door.
We walk for what seems like days. My feet are sore, my back aches, and my throat is dry.
The sun is slowly sinking behind the horizon, casting us in shadow, when Jayden decides to stop.
Pushing our way through the dense growth, we suddenly emerge into a small, dark grove, complete with babbling brook and mossy rocks. I spin in a circle, looking up at the thick canopy of leaves.
“It’s beautiful.”
By the time we’ve eaten our share of canned peaches, the sun has completely set and the stars are out.
Jayden shifts his backpack and lies back on the grass with a soft groan. I lie down on the undergrowth beside him. Light plays over his face where the starlight leaks through the canopy, creating a soft glow around us. I watch him as he stares up.
Suddenly, he turns his head, and we’re staring into each other’s eyes. I don’t want to look away—if I do, I might break whatever small connection we’ve made and tumble back into our scary reality.
I move closer and wrap my hand around his between us. He stills as our skin makes contact. I try to pretend I don’t notice and turn my attention to the glittering lights above. It feels as if we are the only two people left on earth. It’s so quiet.
“Do you think they’ll find us all the way out here? We must be halfway across the freaking state by now.”
He drops his gaze to mine. “They’ll find me. They always do. They’ll never stop searching. Ever.”
“Why are they chasing you? Is it because…” I don’t know how to finish. It’s not as easy as asking someone their age. I’m trying to ask what he is. As in, what species. I’ve never asked anyone before, but it sounds rude to ask someone’s species.
He flinches. Maybe he just heard what I was thinking? “That’s half the reason.”
“And the other half?”
He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
I frown but leave it be. He’s told me so much already, and I don’t want to push it.
“Do you think they’re looking for you?”
“Who?”
He shrugs. “Your friends? Your parents? You just left without a word or note. Won’t they be worried?”
I glance at him and look away. “I guess? I mean, Mom won’t notice I’m gone until she gets back from her holiday next month. And I was serious about my dad. He has a new family now. He doesn’t care about me.”
“Your friends?”
I open my mouth to answer, but no words come. They will be worried. I can just imagine Sammy freaking out when she finds me missing. I should have left a note. But then, wouldn’t the people chasing us use it against me?
Maybe they won’t notice? I purse my lips and shake my head. No, they’ll definitely notice. I just hope they don’t blame themselves for my own selfish choices.
Jayden shifts beside me, bringing my mind back to the present. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” He looks uncomfortable. Then I remember his whispered words the previous night. Please, don’t leave me. I need you…I roll over on the crunchy, damp leaves and wrap my arm over his stomach. He freezes, sucking in a sharp breath.
After a minute, he lets out a long sigh and pulls me closer.
He needs me.
Chapter Seven
Loud voices and footsteps wake me from where I’ve curled up at the base of a tree. I stay completely still, hoping whoever it is doesn’t notice me. Why are there people out here? It must be the middle of the night.
Someone comes up behind me. One hand clamps over my mouth, and the other grabs a handful of my hair, yanking me to my feet and pushing me into a group of foul-smelling men. No. Soldiers.
I twist in the soldier’s tight grip, searching for Jayden among the dirty faces.
“Look what I found.” The stinky male standing behind me pushes me to my knees and lets go of my mouth. I’m getting really sick of being pushed around. My hands are pulled behind my back and tied with plastic ties.
“Isn’t she the one the boy’s been hiding with? She’ll make pretty bait. Let’s take her back to camp and set a trap tomorrow.” The soldiers standing around all agree with various nods or grunts before pulling me to my feet and pushing me through the trees ahead of them.
They push me too quickly, not allowing me enough time to walk without tripping over the undergrowth. When the trees thin and eventually clear, I finally see their campsite.
I jerk my arms and struggle against my captors’ hold.
&n
bsp; I’m pushed to the ground again beside one of the tattered tents, and my hands are tied to a post sticking out of the hard earth. They all touch me as they walk past, running their grimy fingers over my shoulders and hair. I squirm and flinch away from them.
They leave me alone to gather around the roaring fire in the middle of the camp, drinking and eating like the monsters they are.
Where is Jayden?
I can’t believe he just deserted me in the middle of nowhere while I was sleeping.
Well after midnight, I watch the last of them slink into his tent with a bottle of rum. I sit still and watch until I’m sure they’ve all retired to their tents before turning my attention to the plastic ties around my wrists. I need to get free.
I’m so close.
I can feel it.
The plastic is starting to weaken, I’m sure of it.
Okay, maybe not. I slump down in defeat and close my eyes. If what Jayden has told me about these people is true—then I’m as good as dead already.
The bushes at the tree line rustle, and I jerk upright, holding completely still, listening.
Jayden suddenly appears out of the shadows beside me, making me squeak in surprise. He grins and holds a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. He reaches over me and starts cutting the ties with a pocketknife.
Once I’m free, I rub my sore wrists and frown at Jayden. “I weakened them for you.”
He pauses with his eyebrows raised and smirks, holding out his hand to help me up.
I scramble to my feet just as a drunken soldier walks out from behind one of the closer tents. He spots us and lunges at Jayden with a big hunting knife he pulls from his belt.
I watch on in horror as they both tumble to the ground, wrestling with the knife. I glance around quickly, looking for something to use as a weapon. Spotting a branch hanging dead from a nearby tree, I run over to it and pull it down with a grunt.
The soldier has Jayden pinned to the ground with his legs.
Running at them with a battle cry, I swing the branch at the soldier’s head. It cracks against his skull, and he collapses on top of Jayden.
Twisted Stars (Hardest Mistakes #3) Page 5
