He didn’t say anything, but she knew he didn’t believe her, any more than she had believed him before. The storm of events swirling around her life thickened to a dark cloud. It wrapped around her, strangling her with its force.
She buried her face in the heat of his neck and placed one hand over his heart, making a silent vow. She didn’t understand what or how, or anything else, but when the time came, he would be safe, too.
As she stood nestled against him, her eyelids grew heavy. At some point he carried her back to the couch and wrapped her in his arms. She drifted off to sleep realizing that Jared was right about something. The length of time passing didn’t necessarily equal the strength and the depth of a connection forged between two people.
A jarring sound brought Jared to full alert, letting him know that danger didn’t lurk, but something extremely annoying intruded on their quiet rest. Erin slept in his arms, as golden and promising as a gentle sunrise. He didn’t want to let her go, but the irritating sound would not cease.
Easing from beneath her, he followed the short, blaring notes, gritting his teeth against the unharmonious clatter. He found the offending object in the kitchen. Since glaring at it produced no results, he pushed it with his hand. It slid, hit the wall, and fell apart. The noise ceased. He thought he’d harmed the thing until he heard the woman Emerald. “Hello . . . are you there?”
“Yes,” Jared said, scowling at the thing.
“Is everything all right, luv? You sound a bit distant. Are you holding the phone?”
Jared picked up the phone and held it dangling in front of his face. “Yes.”
“Erin and I spoke of the Sno-Med Fair. We’re going, and—”
“Include me,” Jared said, his irritation switching from the phone to the conversation. Had Erin planned to go fight this enemy alone?
“Well, I hadn’t thought … are you sure you’re up to the trip?”
“Yes.”
“In a jiffy, then.”
“What is a jiffy?” Jared asked, but all he got for his trouble was a loud continuous blare that stopped after a few moments. “If you wish to dial a number, please hang up and try again.”
“Jared?” Erin came stumbling into the room. “Who called?
“What’s a jiffy?” he asked.
“Depends on what kind of jiffy.”
“Emerald said in a jiffy. Why didn’t you tell me about the Sno-Med Fair? Were you going to fight this predator alone? If you go, then I go, Erin.”
“Whoa. Wait a minute. Emerald was on the phone?” Erin picked up the now silent offender and put it to her ear. “Hello?” She put the thing back together. “What did she say?”
“I just told you. We’re all going to the fair, and she said in a jiffy.” Curious, he picked up the phone and examined it, hearing the noise again. “Show me,” he told Erin.
Erin blinked at Jared, realizing what his problem had been. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about you needing to learn a few things about the world you’re in.” She didn’t exactly know how it had worked out that she and Jared were going to the Sno-Med event, but she wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip from her hand. Even if Dr. Cinatas had people looking for her, they wouldn’t necessarily be able to recognize Jared. They couldn’t have gotten more than a glimpse of him. It was herself she’d have to disguise, but she’d worry about that shortly.
She showed Jared how to use the phone by calling Emerald back on the number posted by the phone. “She’ll be here in a jiffy. That means fast. We have to put on clothes quick, and we don’t even know if they fit.” She grabbed his arm and dragged him back toward the bedroom. They’d barely managed to slide into slacks, shirts, and tennis shoes before Emerald arrived. The only thing that didn’t fit of the very generous and tasteful clothes Emerald had supplied were the bras. Erin opted to go without.
“Mum, he’s a real giant,” whispered a girl of about ten—who had to be Emerald’s daughter—as Jared ducked through the doorway to join them on the porch. There was no mistaking their kinship. Megan was Emerald in miniature, silver-blonde and petite, only Megan had an endearing exuberance and wonder shining in her misty green eyes.
“Not a real giant, poppet. They’re much bigger. But he’s a real guest at Silver Moon.”
Megan’s eyes grew impossibly wider, making Erin wonder what that meant. Then she introduced herself, holding out her hand. “I’m Megan, and I’m so glad you’re finally here. Mum can stop grumbling, and I won’t have to go to Bethy’s so early every day now.”
Smiling, Erin clasped the girl’s hand, and Jared did the same, seemingly bemused by the child’s charm.
Emerald rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushing. “It wasn’t that terrible.”
“True,” Megan said. “An ogre would be worse.” Then she ducked off the porch laughing, a sound akin to tiny silver bells. Though she spoke everyday words, there was a melodic quality to the child’s voice that seemed almost magical. “Let’s hurry. Bethy will be there before us. I don’t know why we had to do a second reading today before going.”
“Had to be sure, poppet. You’re too precious. Climb into the back seat and buckle up.” Emerald directed her gaze to Erin and then to Jared. “The two of you are looking better, but still tired. Going to this fair must be important, then? Part of the reason why you have come to me, perhaps?”
Erin lowered her gaze, not wanting to reveal what she wasn’t ready to tell. “Let’s just say I want to look around at what Sno-Med is doing in the community.”
Emerald sighed. “We’ll chat later, then.”
“We’ll see.” In the face of Emerald s open generosity, Erin knew her caution must feel like a slap, but at this point Erin didn’t have a choice. They piled into the pickup, but before they could leave, a light tinkling of silver bells sounded.
“Hold a sec, luvs,” Emerald said as she fished a cell phone from her purse. She frowned at it a few moments, then typed in a quick message. “There,” she said. “Page forty-two should help them for now. And I’ll have to speak with them in the morning.” She put the truck into gear.
Before Erin could ask what Emerald meant by her comments, Megan began talking excitedly about her day at school and the moment passed. The conversation flowed amid the twists and turns of the day as they wound along the mountain road.
With each mile closer to the fairgrounds, Erin was vividly aware of Jared’s nearness in the seat next to her and his growing tension. She knew he didn’t like tight spaces, and the long drive had to be getting to him. Not having looked at a map, she hadn’t realized how far Jared had run across the mountains between yesterday and this morning.
But there was something more she sensed under the surface. Something she couldn’t put her finger on, and she wasn’t even sure if it was her own anxiety about venturing out into public with Cinatas close by, or if her sixth sense was telling her there was more going on with Jared than she knew.
Once they reached the fair and Emerald parked amid the hundreds of others out for a free Sunday afternoon on Sno-Med’s dime, Erin’s worry eased some. The concealing crowds and normalcy of the activities made it seem as if everything was right with the world—at least, on the surface. A banjo-driven band played lively bluegrass music that danced in the mountain air and sent even the stiffest of feet to tapping. People milled about the open-air big-top tent centered in the middle of a wide, grassy glen. Printed on a huge banner across the top of the tent was Sno-Med’s emblem and motto, “Enrich your life with Sno-Med. Let us care for you.” Hobo-like clowns mingled, some on stilts, others sporting dozens of colorful balloons with Sno-Med’s big emblem blazoned on them. Children ran about, laughing and playing little ring-toss games, and across the field small amusement rides whirled with fun.
Everything looked so normal it made Erin cringe inside. Was she the only one who knew that something wicked lay beneath the surface of their lives? At least no Hummers or limos were in sight.
“Do we do this together or separately?
” Emerald asked.
Erin met the woman’s gaze with honesty. “If I am seen by certain people, it would be better if you weren’t seen with me.”
“Mum! I see Bethy! Come on.” Megan ran up and tugged on Emeralds hand. “I’m coming,” she said. Glancing at Jared and then back at Erin, she said, “You’re not alone in this, but no one can help unless you let them.” She turned and left with Megan, and Erin began to doubt her own caution.
“Erin, why have you come here amid so many whom you cannot trust?” Jared asked, sliding his hand to her back and edging her closer to his side as they walked into the crowd.
“I want to see what Sno-Med is up to.” A clown handed her a balloon, and Erin slipped the bright blue ribbon between her fingers, feeling the balloon dance as she walked.
“They are either deliberately for Heldon’s cause or ignorantly so,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
He pointed to the emblem on the balloon, a pin-wheel of four blue triangles with their points toward the center but not touching in any way. “The equilateral triangles here are pulled apart, separated, representing disharmony and chaos in each of the four corners of the universe.”
Erin narrowed her eyes and shook her head a little. “All I see is an abstract snowflake for Sno-Med. Cinatas is big on white. The clinic looks like a winter wonderland, his limo is white, and everyone who works for him has to wear white.”
Jared shrugged. “All is not seen at first, Erin. You’ll learn.”
They wandered into the tent. Spread out between free ice cream booths, free cotton candy, free cider, and free food were stations for blood pressure readings, glaucoma testing, bone density, diabetes screening—the usual tests for a health expo. But there were more tests for blood than anything else, from blood analysis to blood donations to stations encouraging everyone to know their blood type.
Was it a free med screening like this that led those four people in the Manhattan clinic to their death? Seeing the lines of people waiting enthusiastically made Erin’s stomach twist, and she had the strongest urge to gather all of the children in her arms and run like hell. Jared must have picked up on her anxiety, for his hand tightened against her back.
A grandmotherly lady with elegant silver hair and warm hazel eyes handed Erin two forms to fill out. Jared must not have seemed very approachable, because she took one upward glance at him and backed away. Looking over the form, Erin realized there was very little Sno-Med would not know about every single person lined up before the day was through. Just as she was about to turn away, feeling as hemmed in by the large tent as Jared did by a car, she saw Dr. Batista manning the blood analysis booth. The doctor smiled at the woman from whom she was drawing a tube of blood.
Erin’s first instinct was to hurry away before Dr. Batista saw her, but on second thought Erin decided to speak to the doctor and went to the booth.
Finishing with her patient, Dr. Batista looked up at their approach, and her eyes widened with surprise, then grew suspicious. “You’re both looking better, but I’m surprised to see you here.” Her statement was more of a question.
Erin shrugged. “I’ve heard of Sno-Med. I didn’t realize you worked for them.”
“I don’t. But I do volunteer work for the community. I like to stay busy.” She shrugged. “The stalwart woman in charge of organizing this huge event called for trained personnel to help. It’s such a great thing to do for a community.”
Erin bit back her reply. “You’ve done this often, then?”
Dr. Batista’s eyes suddenly darkened, and her hand on the counter fisted. “No. This is the first I’ve been here to help. But my sister worked for Sno-med and used to tell me about the expos. Sno-Med has one every six months.” She glanced at Jared. “Sam’s right. You don’t say much at all.” She didn’t give Jared a chance to respond before directing a question at Erin. “Is Em here?”
“Yes. She and Megan are with Bethy and her mother.” Erin wanted to ask more about Dr. Batista’s sister, but the time and the place were wrong. Learning that the doctor’s sister had worked for Sno-Med and was missing made Erin want to ask more than just a few questions.
The doctor nodded and leaned closer. “Why are you here? At Em’s? Where are you from?”
“I told you this morning,” Erin said. “And don’t worry about your friend. She’ll be repaid.”
Dr. Batista shook her head. “I’m not worried about money. By accepting her help, you’re letting her believe you are someone you are not.”
“I understand,” Erin said.
“No, I don’t think you do, or you wouldn’t be so cruel. I’ll see you tonight. Em’s invited everyone to eat at her house.” Looking very unhappy at the prospect, Dr. Batista turned away and welcomed the person handing her their information form.
“Let’s go have an ice cream.” Erin directed Jared to the line where several girls were playing Jacob’s ladder with yarn. Two wore blue rubber sports bands with the Sno-Med emblem on it that read, “I’m a Sno-Med pro.” One wore a white band. She’d seen white sports bands like it before, on the wrists of the two young dead women in the lab at the Sno-Med Clinic Friday morning. Her stomach churned as she wondered if those bracelets had read, “I’m a Sno-Med pro.”
“Nice bracelets,” Erin said. “What do I have to do to get one?”
The girls, not more than six years old, looked up, all bright smiles. “You have to be brave and have your blood tested,” said the curly redhead with bright blue eyes. She held up the blue band proudly, then whispered, “Tierney is special. That’s why she got a white one.
“You weren’t supposed to tell anybody!” the little girl with the white bracelet cried, her soft brown eyes filling with tears. “I’ll get in trouble.”
“Don’t worry,” said Erin. “I didn’t hear anything. Did you, Jared?” Erin glanced at Jared. His gaze was transfixed on the girl with the white bracelet. Erin had to tug on his arm to get his attention.
Meanwhile the little girl with the white bracelet backed away from them. “Bad man,” she whispered. “Bad man.” Then she turned and ran, crying for her mother. Several people looked up in concern but went back to their fun when a woman ran up and wrapped the little girl in her arms. After a moment the woman set her gaze on Erin and Jared and came marching their way.
“What happened? What did you do to scare Tierney?” the mother demanded, a high, angry note ringing in her voice. The little girl had her face buried against her mother’s neck.
“I’m sorry,” Erin said. “I just asked the girls how to get a bracelet like theirs.”
“I upset Tierney,” said the curly redhead. “I tolded something that was a secret.”
The mother’s tense expression relaxed. “That’s all right, Junie.” She glanced at Jared, her expression guarded, then smiled at the other girls. “Why don’t you two come with me and we’ll get ice cream, okay?”
The girls nodded, following the woman.
“She has Chosen blood, Erin,” Jared whispered.
“What?”
“The child with the white bracelet has Chosen blood. We must go outside. I need to leave here,” he said, taking her hand and urging her from the tent.
Erin followed Jared out of the tent, feeling extremely queasy inside. Tierney had Chosen blood and had been given a white bracelet, the murdered women in the lab had worn something similar, and Erin had this Chosen blood and had been singled out by Dr. Cinatas for special patients … all of these pieces had millions of questions raging through Erin’s mind. She was afraid she’d have to tell more than she wanted known to get the answers she wanted to those questions.
She also wondered if Jared was telling her everything. She now had no doubt that his appearance in her life was in some way connected to Dr. Cinatas and Sno-Med. It could be just as simple as he said it was. She had Chosen blood, and he protected the Chosen.
As she passed the happy, excited people who didn’t have a clue that they might be selling their lives
for a free lunch, she kept looking at their wrists. Many people wore blue bracelets, some wore none, but she didn’t see another white one.
Jared led Erin from the tent, desperate to break free of the deafening noise inside. There were so many people, so many voices, so much sound hounding him. His head pounded from the punishing wave of noise. When he’d caught the scent of Chosen blood other than Erin’s while they were speaking to Dr. Batista, his hunger for its taste had cut like a knife through his heart. An innocent child with sunny hair and tearful blue eyes had looked at him as if he were the worst of the damned. Her fear ate at him. He was a protector, a warrior who fought to preserve all that was good and true. That was being stripped away from him one excruciating piece at a time, leaving him raw, bleeding, and consumed with a dark hunger.
He clenched his fists, bit down on his tongue hard enough to taste his own blood, and strangled whatever it was inside him that fought to break loose. He felt his body grow extremely hot, and he trembled as he moved forward, weakened by the battle. Reaching the outside mountain air, he breathed deeply and pulled Erin into his arms, drawing from her the ease only she brought, ease that tamed the beast inside of him. The deafening noise piercing his mind ebbed away.
“Jared, what is it? Let me help.”
He pulled her closer with a shaky arm. “There is no help, Erin.” Self-disgust ate at him. Children often knew what adults had become too inured to sense. The child knew that the Tsara’s evil lurked inside him, and it was only a matter of time before that evil consumed him.
Chapter Fourteen
Jared sat in the great room of the cabin, watching the evening shadows creep across the soft blue of the mountain-sloped horizon. Ever since leaving the fair, he’d felt a growing tension within him, as if some force greater than his will was seething to be free from his iron control, and he didn’t want Erin to know. The darkness in him needed to stay hidden. So he didn’t reach for her, didn’t try to kiss her, and a distance that was more than space sprang up between them. He knew it was his fault. He couldn’t explain what was happening inside him; he felt it was wrong, but he couldn’t stop it.
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