This was so stupid! Damn it.
Clinging to a root for dear life, I try to call out, but I don’t think my voice gets very loud. Then, I have a sudden urge to look down. It’s like something’s calling me to do so, but that’s really stupid, it freaks you out even more. Why would I want to do that to myself?
I try again, only getting out hoarse whimpers. That is, until the root starts ripping. Then a scream is ripped out of me. Just as I’m about to fall to my possible death, there’s a whoosh, and I’m being held.
Peeking up, I see Devin, and I cling to him. With the edge so close, I start to hyperventilate, and he moves us farther away from it.
“It’s okay,” he whispers. “You’re okay.”
“This is what I get for wanting something so badly.” I gesture wildly to the cliff. He doesn’t say anything, just tightens his hold on me. Which actually starts to calm me down, and that worries me because I don’t think he’s manipulating my emotions. I don’t let go.
It feels nice being held, or maybe it’s nice being held by him. Or maybe he is messing with my emotions again. Either is possible.
Does he really like me?
This thought process is cut off when the guys run out of the woods. “What in the hell happened?” Nicks yells, fangs extended.
“I’m just getting more powers,” is my weak response.
“It was an accident,” Devin adds, earning a glare from Nicks. Soon enough he looks from me to the cliff and puts things together.
“You shouldn’t have been following us in the first place,” he snarls, eyes practically shooting sparks. “You’re not one of us, no matter how much you think you are. This is dangerous and tonight proves it.”
There are so many things I want to scream at him, after punching him in the throat, but I know he’s only mad because he lost the trail, and he’s taking it out on me. I could be immature and call him all kinds of sons of bitches. Instead, I stare right through him. “Good night, Nicks.” Then I turn to Devin. “Please, get me out of here.”
Without a word he takes off running, stopping at his truck. On the way back to his place a few tears escape, but I hold the rest in until I’m in my temporary bed. Knowing the vamps in the house can hear me, I let it out anyway. These are the times when a girl needs her mom.
<<<->>>
The next day, on the way to school, he doesn’t say anything to me about the other night. I know he heard me crying. I wasn’t exactly trying to be quiet. When I came in the living room, my eyes were all red and puffy. The only thing he said was that Toby found his own way to school.
So, when he parks in the lot, I raise his arm, throw it over my shoulder, and wrap him in a hug, silently thanking him. He replies by kissing my forehead. A silent “you’re welcome.”
Throughout the day, I ignore Nicks, not being in the mood to deal with him. I nearly died last night, and the only thing he did was yell at me. Yell at me and tell me how worthless I am to the group and remind me I’m not one of them. Not even taking into consideration the fact I almost died because of my newly awakened powers. Powers I’ve been waiting for since my mom showed me hers.
At one point, I run into him at the water fountain. He opens his mouth to say something, the puppy dog eyes full force, but I turn on my heel. Leaving him standing in the hall by himself.
At lunch, instead of encouraging my friends to get along, I go outside and sit with Devin.
“Are you okay?” he rumbles. I lay my head against his arm. “I’m sorry.” He wraps it around me and I snuggle in, trying not to cry.
“Why’re all men asses?” I hide my face from the window.
“I’m not taking offense at that one.” He replies, “He was upset. I’m sure he’s sorry about the way he acted.”
“That’s not all.” I snuggle in closer, wanting to disappear altogether. If I’m not careful, it might actually happen.
“What else?” He rubs my arm.
I move away. “Don’t worry about it.”
<<<->>>
“Nessa!” someone calls through the fog. “Nessa, find me, please.”
I carefully make my way through the creepiness of the unknown, recognizing Dead Man’s Forest right away, even through the fog. This place has haunted my dreams ever since the guys dared me to set foot in here.
“Pipe it down, I’m coming!” I yell back.
“Nessa, please find me before it’s too late!” I hear a scream, a horrified scream. Something that brings fear through your bones and makes you want to drop to your knees at the mere thought of what they’re going through.
“Antonio?” I whisper, knowing that voice anywhere.
The voice that used to make me laugh so hard I cried. One time he made orange juice come out of my nose. I’ve never heard him like this before.
“Nessy!” he gurgles. Then I’m right back at the horrible cliff. Only this time I see Antonio down there, staring up at me…with blank eyes. I’m suddenly down there, in his body. Feeling the stake in my heart…and then I hear screaming.
“Ness, wake up,” Devin yells, trying to stop me from beating the shit out of him with my flailing arms. “You’re okay,” he soothes in my ear until I calm down and stop screaming. “You’re okay.”
Gazing up at him, my lip trembles. It wasn’t a normal dream. It was a vision, another foreboding. Opening my mouth to say something, nothing comes out except a gasp of air.
“What is it? Talk to me.” He moves the hair off of my sweaty forehead.
“I think—” I cut myself off with a whimper. “I think Antonio’s dead.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
~ Being Right? Yeah, it sometimes Sucks. ~
Devin peeks over the edge of the cliff, “Right here?” This is the twentieth time he’s asked and, for the twentieth time, I nod. I tug my sweater closer around me when a gust of icy wind smacks me in the face. Clouds expose the moon once again, lighting the guys gathered around.
He felt the need to call the guys to join us as we see if I am just bat shit crazy. They thought it was ridiculous to even think something could be wrong with Antonio. Maybe I was just seeking attention. Of course, they didn’t voice these things. I just feel and hear them pulsing through my supposed friends’ minds.
I wonder what else they’ve thought about me in the past….
Wrapping my arms around myself, I bite my lip as Devin jumps down there to investigate. Tears blur my vision, knowing what he’s probably finding but I blink them away.
Kyle tries for a smile at me but I look away. He couldn’t even stand up against Nicks to defend me. I’m not smiling at him or anyone.
For once in my life, I’m taking something seriously. Mainly because one of my friends could be dead. I should’ve known something was up earlier when Antonio didn’t show at Devin’s with everyone else. Claiming he needed to spend some time with his grandma because she fell and broke her hip. Sure they’re close, but now? With everything going on?
“Finding anything?” Nicks calls mockingly. I don’t have to shine the flashlight over to him to see his smug expression.
“Do you need help?” Kyle actually sounds sincere.
We don’t hear anything for a while then comes Devin’s shaking voice. “Don’t come down here.” Then he’s back up here with the rest of us. “We need to call the police.” Nicks starts to go down the rocky cliff, but Devin blocks him. “Don’t.”
I don’t know who’s more shocked to find Antonio right where I saw him, me or everyone else. Needing to see it for myself, I carefully make my way over to the edge and mentally jump over. What I see makes ice flow through my veins. I was right…the only difference is he wasn’t staked, just decapitated.
I gasp, which draws the vampires’ attention. “Nessa, get away—” Before Devin can finish his warning, I flash to the woods and disappear into the darkness.
<<<->>>
I watch the sun rise over the horizon, realizing how truly magnificent the sight really is. I can see why Devin gets up so
early.
I wasn’t there when the news got to Antonio’s parents, nevertheless, I felt it. My numb heart was ripped open and all I could find was tears. Now I’m back to my numb state, and I can’t shake the feeling he was hiding something. Something dark, something so bad he couldn’t tell us or his family. It’s worse than Devin’s secret.
The funeral’s later today, I know this because I can mentally hear his mom on the phone making the arrangements. I find this little tidbit peculiar, not to mention the fact that they’re not even fully questioning why their son’s life ended the way it did.
Even though he’s a vamp—was a vamp—some might think they’re harder to kill. But that’s really not the case. Just one good stab in the right place, and you’re gone. Or, you could just take the easier route and chop a head off. The myths about them living longer than normal people are true though. His dad appears to be in his late forties but I think Antonio once said he was closer to eighty. I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t.
“Hey.” Devin sits down beside me. “You found my hiding place.”
“It’s peachy,” I thinly reply, feeling like I’m going to explode.
He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer. “You okay?”
“Nope,” I grind out, wiping a tear away but, in the end, I give up. I can’t fight it anymore. “Just make it stop.”
“Make what stop?”
I tightly grip his shirt instead of my hair, which I want to rip out. “The pain, everything. I feel everything, and I just want it to stop.” Our eyes lock, and what I really want to say escapes. “What’s happening to me?”
He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. Being in his arms blocks the rest of the world out. And for the first time in a very long time, I feel safe.
At school, everyone’s mourning Antonio’s loss like they actually knew him, like they actually really cared about him. When, in reality, he was just some hot guy who’d flirt and be nice to them, the girls. To the guys, he was just some football player that was good and a nice guy. They didn’t really know him, they never wanted to either.
In other words, school is even more fake and hypocritical than normal. I want to punch everyone in the freakin’ face. Which is why I’m not standing in the hall right now. I’m too damn upset to go back there right now. This is my excuse. No one’s questioning it. Because, hell, I’m the one that dated the guy they found dead. I’m the one who lost my V-card to him. I’m the one who really knew him, who really cared.
Whenever someone mentions his name, I mentally jump there. The first time it happened, I couldn’t figure out how to get back so I was stuck roaming the halls with the idiotic girls for thirty minutes. And then I got out of bed in search of a distraction.
So, I’m still at Devin’s, stress cleaning. Not that it really needs it. I think he has some kinda cleaning crew come in when we’re all asleep. But I’m still here, scrubbing dishes, ignoring the glare from the other dishwasher. I’m the dishwasher here.
I made it very clear that if word got back to my mom about this and she left safety? Someone would be missing their balls. Devin’s the one who compelled the police department not to tell Billy about this little incident. He said it was simple. He just walked in and planted something in Lieutenant Marks’s mind. When Marks told someone else, it’d move to their mind. Yeah, completely simple. I didn’t question it.
“They’re investigating,” Devin announces from behind me.
“They” meaning the police. Westera’s finest. Ha, we’re all safe now. “They won’t find anything besides maybe a necklace. Something from Karrie Kimber, the girl he was last seen with. But they’ll clear her because of her airtight alibi.” I grind out as I scrub.
“Are you okay?” Stepping closer to me, he gently takes the dish out of my hand. Apparently the dirt that wouldn’t come off was really the delicate, hand-painted swirls. Oops.
“Sure, sure, I’m fine.” I sling bubbles everywhere with my exasperated gestures.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks in a soft tone. It seems like he’s trying so very hard to get me to drop what I’m doing and let him hold me. I don’t even think he’s pulling any Jedi mind tricks.
“I don’t want to talk,” I snarl, throwing another plate into the other sink so I can rinse it later. “I just want to find whoever the hell killed him, tear them limb from limb, and then beat them to death with their bloody limbs!” The plate in my hands falls, floating to the bottom. Little teardrops fall into the water.
Without saying anything, he tugs me against him, and I can’t even get enough energy to fight back. Not caring that I’m doing something I’ve never done in front of the other guys, I let myself cry into his welcoming chest.
He holds me once again, not judging, not pushing to know what’s going on in my head. And I allow myself to grieve for a little bit.
<<<->>>
Walking into the funeral home has never been a fun thing. I remember, when I was just a kid, going to my uncle’s funeral. I didn’t really know what was going on and I didn’t really know him. I only cried because I saw my mom sobbing.
This time is going to be very different.
Devin tightens his hand around mine, probably telling me I should breathe. I squeeze his back and try for a small smile. Seeing the guys standing there, I give a nod of acknowledgement before we go see Antonio’s mom, who’s standing up at the front, shaking people’s hands and having to smile and say thank you to whatever bullshit they’re throwing at her. Whether it’s I’m sorry for your loss, he was a dear friend, or whatever else my freakin’ fellow schoolmates are saying to them.
I want to strangle all of them.
When she sees me, she doesn’t try to put on some façade—she knows I don’t believe in fake shit. Apparently that’s how I was even from the beginning—a sob escapes and she falls into my arms. Just like Devin did with me, I don’t say anything. I just hold her.
Soon she takes a step back and gives me a watery smile. “How’re you doing?” she croaks.
“Feels like someone punched a hole through my chest,” is my honest reply.
“Will you sit with us?” How can we say no?
After she gets done thanking people for their bullshit, we take a seat at the front, and the preacher guy starts talking. And I start ignoring. I’m surprised I haven’t burst into flames, considering I’d be the spawn of Satan if they ever actually knew what I believe in or what I can do.
Devin starts to take my hand again, but I wrap his arm around me instead and lay my head against him. Wishing I could be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Soon enough, after everything’s over with, people start leaving. Something makes me glance up in time to see a vamp appear in the very front of the room. I can tell he’s a vamp from the pulsing aura that rolls off him. I don’t know him, either. I know all of the vamps around here.
It doesn’t take long before Devin follows my gaze and freezes, his expression more than a little shocked.
The vamps eyes flash. Then he’s standing in front of us, ripping Devin away from me then throwing him around like he weighs nothing. Thankfully all of the humans had already left. More or less. Someone slammed the door closed before any of them can turn around and see what’s going on.
“What the hell?” I gasp, glaring at the unknown vamp. Then I see it, the freshly healing scars on his neck where his throat was ripped out.
New Born.
“What’d you do, Gray, create another one?” I hear Nicks behind me, but I don’t look, because the New Born’s attention falls on me. His pupils dilate before he stalks toward me. His deadly intentions are clear. I blink, and he’s in front of me, grabbing me by my throat.
He was sent by his so-called master to “Find her, kill her.” This rushes through my head as he holds me up by my throat.
So, now he sends his measly little minions to deal with me? To do his dirty work? Hell, no. Anger boils through me, and that mixed with my pain and sadness over the
loss of my friend? Apparently, it’s not a healthy combo for whoever I release this on.
Grabbing this little turd’s attention, I expand my mind. Something Mom never taught me how to do. Wrapping it around him, I squeeze. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I snarl, feeling the energy crackling around me.
His eyes widen and he lets go of me with a gasp. Even as he drops to his knees, I keep the glare on him. Soon blood comes from his eyes, which I think is what makes me pull back, especially after he faints. When I turn around to face everyone, all of their mouths are hanging open and I know why, scarily enough.
I shakily make my way out the door. I didn’t realize it when I was talking but now that I think back. There was power in my voice.
Power. Some might think that’s cool. It just scares me.
<<<->>>
“Nessa?” I hear his voice through the foggy woods, and a tear slides down my cheek. Opening my mouth to say something, only a gasp comes out. What could I say? I’m sorry I couldn’t save you? You were one of my best friends. I’m sorry I broke your heart?
Another tear escapes.
“Nessa, come here. I need to talk to you.” He goes on, like he knows what’s going on inside my crazy head.
He used to. Before I became completely insane.
Forcing myself to move forward, I plunge into fog so thick I can’t see my hand in front of my face. “Where are you?” I stumble on, my heart pounds when shadows come out of nowhere. Is this a trap? Am I going to be killed now? Is this because I couldn’t save him?
I turn to run in the other direction in a panic but a warm hand meeting mine stops me. Then I’m yanked into someone’s arms, and our scenery changes. Instead of the creepy, haunted woods we’re now on a beach. There’s a table right there on the sand, with lit candles, wine glasses, and two covered plates. Roses are scattered around the table and on the sand.
Freaksville Page 10
