by S. E. Akers
As I headed out the backdoor, I thought, I hope that worked…If not, she’s going to be the one needing all the “luck”. Please Katie…Just get them out of there quickly!
My head started to throb as I headed down the alley. I pressed my hands into my temples to force the pressure to subside. The next thing I knew, the sound of Tanner Grey’s voice calling out my name, over and over, flooded my head. I whipped around in all directions to look for him, but he wasn’t there. Immediately, I realized he was “returning my call”.
His message was short & sweet. “Little girl…Get your ass to Beatrix’s house…NOW!”
The angry grit in his tone jolted me straight into a cringe.
I knew it…Definitely “livid”. Once all my muscles had relaxed, I was off and on my way — apprehensively headed for Bea’s.
Chapter 25 — Uninvited
As fate would have it, Tanner and I both arrived in front of Beatrix’s house at precisely the same time. My prediction was correct. No “warm welcome” awaited me at the foot of her walk. All of those blissful effects were being blocked — on purpose. Straightaway, he snatched my arm and jerked me along the winding path that led to Bea’s front door.
Tanner stopped abruptly halfway up the walk. “Well, that message you sent was the perfect ending to my day!” he barked.
I could tell Tanner had only released me from his grasp so he could make full use of his arms throughout his theatrical hissy-fit.
“I’ve spent the entire day attempting to locate the whereabouts of the hilt, while trying to find Lazarus and Ferrol, just so I could keep an eye on them — to protect you — who by the way, was supposed to be safe and sound BACK IN THE CAVE! Instead, I spent the day being ATTACKED! Every time I turned around, there was another one of Lazarus’ guys bombarding me with carnelians or trying to mow me down with iron bullets. I went by the guesthouse about an hour ago. I thought I might catch them there. Do you know what I found instead?”
I pursed my lips and gazed at the cobblestone path under my feet. I knew full well what he’d asked wasn’t a question.
Tanner let out a laugh. “Of course you do…It was Karl. DEAD ON THE LAWN and traces of YOUR BLOOD, which by the way, leaves a diamond residue when it dries out.”
Wide-eyed, I stared at Tanner. “That” I didn’t know.
Obviously frustrated, Tanner raked his fingers through his brown mane aggressively. “Then,” he continued, “I get this vague image of you SHOT, bleeding, and extremely weak. You didn’t tell me WHERE YOU WERE. I didn’t know what the Hell to think or do, BECAUSE YOU NEVER RETURNED MY MESSAGES!” Tanner let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, ‘I promise’…‘I won’t leave the cave’…‘Only if it’s an EMERGENCY’!” he mocked and then jerked me towards the front door.
I knew I would be treading on thin ice, but I had to defend my actions. I didn’t want him thinking I was some irresponsible, untrustworthy brat who couldn’t care less about following his orders. My own father had never chewed me out like this before. Nobody had!
I planted my feet firmly on Bea’s front stoop. “It was an EMERGENCY, Tanner! I wouldn’t have left if it weren’t!” I could tell by the dubious expression on his face that my “simple answer” wasn’t going to scratch my name off his shit-list anytime soon.
I grunted back at him. “You aren’t the only one who’s had a CRAPPY DAY! After you left the cave, a blast rocked the whole mountain, and I found out there had been several explosions at the mine. I had to check on Samuel. He was trapped in one of the tunnels. That’s the only reason why I left the daggone cave in the first place!”
Tanner’s purple eyes darkened as a scowl set onto his face like stone. He threw open the front door and pushed me inside.
“I went to the hospital, to make sure he was okay, where — just so you know — I was arrested by a steroid-pumping cop! Apparently he was pissed because I took out our team’s star quarterback right after he’d placed a huge bet on Welch to win next week’s game. Then, after I waylaid him — again — I headed over to the Riversides’ guesthouse to find the hilt. All I found was its empty chest. Well that, and a pistol packing Son-of-Bitch who — ‘SHOT ME’ — with a freaking diamond-dusted iron bullet! He had Daddy’s diamond pendant around his neck protecting him from my compulsion. Finally, I managed to escape, after I realized the daggone copper roof wouldn’t let any of my lightning bolts pass through the house. I was too weak to make it back to the cave, but luckily I ran into Katie. She removed the bullet from my shoulder and patched me up. I passed out right after I sent you that first message. I’m sorry I couldn’t answer you. I was unconscious…MY BAD!”
“Wait a second,” Tanner replied with a suspicious glare, “You mean your friend, Katie, knows what you are?”
My mouth dropped open, but I didn’t say a word.
Tanner smacked his hands together. “I take it back. THAT’S the perfect ending to my day!” He grabbed my arms and insisted, “I told you how dangerous it is to reveal your identity to anyone…Especially to people you care about!”
I jerked out of his grasp and turned away from his glare. I looked around at the now practically empty house. The room felt just as cold as the emotionally charged words flying between us. I couldn’t stand him looking at me like I was a child in need of reprimanding. I turned my gaze to a spot on the wall where a small nail hole remained and attempted to tune him out, even if only temporarily.
Beatrix entered the room. “You two need to keep it down and control yourselves,” she scolded.
“Oh, I’m going to take control all right,” he declared to Beatrix.
Well that’s awfully presumptuous, I thought as I threw him a blistering scowl.
I couldn’t help but notice that Tanner, whose attitude now seemed arrogantly calm, started unfastening his woven silvery belt. Stunned by his strange behavior, my brow furrowed with apprehension. Why is he doing THAT?
“I should’ve done this before I left her this morning,” Tanner announced as he used one of his hands to whip off his belt. A harsh “crack” jarred my senses as it rang throughout the room.
Beatrix shushed him. “Tanner, put that thing away,” she ordered in a whisper.
Now, I was alarmed. OH NO HE’S NOT, I thought as my eyes lit up with disbelief.
Tanner directed his gaze to Beatrix while his finger pointed dead at me. “This little girl is going to have to realize that disobeying orders could get herself killed, not to mention, endanger others. She’ll control those impulses one way or another.”
I flinched as soon as Tanner hurled his woven metal belt my way. I threw my hands up to block it when suddenly, I felt the belt magically wrap around my left arm, locking itself securely in place.
“What is THIS?” I demanded as I tried my best to loosen the silvery strap that wouldn’t budge.
Tanner appeared more relaxed. “It’s a belt…A tin belt,” he stated casually.
My eyes narrowed as I looked suspiciously at the pliable, woven metal belt. “And what exactly does tin do?” I probed angrily.
Tanner grinned. “It’s a physical restraint really. It doesn’t work on your mind, but let’s just say that it will make you more…compliant. You’ll have to do everything I say, or it’ll immobilize you.”
I’m eighteen, not a damn three-year-old, I raged to myself.
“Get it off me… NOW!” I protested.
Tanner approached with a bold swagger and looked at my tin-clad arm. He raised his hand, only to give the woven band of metal a brash “flick” with his fingers. With a brazen smile, he leaned into my face. “Not even if you said, ‘pretty please’.”
I glared back at him. “Tell him to take it off me, Bea!” I could feel my emotions seething and sensed the white-hot streaks swirling in my eyes as my temper flared.
“I think both of you need to stop,” Beatrix advised curtly.
Tanner leaned closer. “I can make her stop,” he assured Beatrix with a smug twinkle in his eye directed at me.
My glare intensified. “Do it,” I taunted.
“For the last time, you two need to SHUT UP!” Beatrix yelled.
The tension between us must have been more than what Beatrix could stand. Though both our eyes were fiercely locked onto each others, we couldn’t help but be a little stunned by the obviously aggressive and rattled tone coming from the little old lady who never lost her cool.
Simultaneously, we shifted our stares and both asked, “Why’s that?”
Beatrix looked antsy and perturbed. She uncrossed her arms and pointed to the front door as she let out a disgusted sigh. “Because we’ve had company for the past minute,” she revealed.
Tanner and I whipped our heads around to see Ty standing in the doorway of the living room, wide-eyed and motionless, holding my purse that I’d left at the football field last night.
“FANTASTIC!” Tanner scoffed. “You know we still have time to gather up all of your friends so you can reveal yourself to them at the same time.” He looked back and forth at us. I could tell he was reading our emotions. He shook his head peevishly. “I would make you compel him,” Tanner whispered as he glanced down at the tin belt still locked around my arm, “but something tells me it wouldn’t work, even if you tried.”
Beatrix took Tanner by his arm. “Let’s step outside, Tanner. I think they need a moment and the fresh air will do you some good.”
They both walked past Ty, but the handsome high school jock’s stare never broke. His eyes remained solely focused on me.
The silence was nerve-racking, and the tension I sensed between us was only making it worse. I didn’t know exactly how long he’d been standing there, but I felt pretty confident I was about to find out.
“I, um…I’ve been trying to find you, all day. Someone locked me inside the locker room last night…and when I finally broke out, the stadium was wrecked, someone had beaten up Coach Hayes, and you were gone. I found your purse under the bleachers, so I went by your house last night to give it to you and to see if you were okay…but you never showed up. I waited outside your house all night. I didn’t even go to school today. I’ve been too worried, but I see you’re fine…Apparently…Well, with the exception of your eyes lighting up like you were trying to signal a lost ship when you were arguing with that guy from Ms. Fitz’s class.”
This was the most inhibited I’d ever seen the confident Tyler Smith in my entire life. Ty stepped close enough to place the purse in my hands. Before he could walk away, I grabbed his arm and held onto it tightly. Supernatural force wasn’t needed. Ty didn’t seem to want to move.
Tanner and Bea reappeared.
“You need to wrap this up,” Tanner ordered bluntly. “We have to get you out of here. You’re leaving with Bea…Remember?”
Ty looked even more confused.
I turned to Tanner. “Can we go back to the cave? Let me try one more time, before I have to go. Please?” I begged.
Tanner shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous. You couldn’t pull it out this morning. What makes you think you’ll be able to do it now?”
“When I was unconscious, Adamas appeared to me in a dream,” I insisted. Tanner and Beatrix looked at each other curiously. “He spoke to me…about my bond with the wand. It couldn’t have been just a memory. Adamas actually spoke to me and called me by name.”
Tanner shook his head and started to speak, but Beatrix cut him off. “If she says Adamas spoke to her, then he did,” she affirmed with a stern nod.
Tanner looked mindful at Beatrix. “All right. We’ll stop by the cave, but if it doesn’t work, you’re out of here, TONIGHT! Do you understand me?”
My head started nodding uncontrollably before I could even get a chance to verbally agree. I felt like a possessed bobble-head doll, courtesy of one tin belt that was still locked around my arm.
Tanner lowered his head to conceal his amusement. I extended my arm towards him and purposely cleared my throat.
He got the message. Willingly, Tanner removed the tin belt and wove it back through his weathered jeans. “Let’s go,” he ordered.
I couldn’t just run off from Ty — not again. He’d already stumbled into the middle of something utterly bizarre, and I owed him some kind of explanation. Tanner wasn’t going to like it, but I had to give Ty one — regardless of whatever objections he may have (especially now, since he’d removed that hunk of tin from my arm).
“One hour,” I requested. “Just give me one hour, and I’ll meet you there. Please, Tanner? I need to talk to Ty.” I could see Tanner’s nostrils starting to flare. “And I have to stop by my house anyway, to get a few things I’ll need if I have to leave.”
“NO! We’ll buy you whatever you’ll need. Absolutely not!” Tanner refused sharply.
“You can’t buy what I have to get, Tanner,” I replied with a somber tone in my voice. “It’s something of my father’s.”
Tanner looked over at Beatrix, who seemed to be on my side. He tilted his head back at the ceiling and sighed.
“Be at the cave in one hour. I’ll do a quick sweep of the area and see if I can locate Lazarus. I don’t like the idea of him running around out there not knowing where he is or what he’s planning.” Tanner reached inside his pocket and pulled out two small carnelians, which he handed straight to me. “I think you know how these work. You can use them if you run into Lazarus before I do, but they won’t work on Ferrol…so be careful.” Tanner pointed to Beatrix as he walked out of the room. “Keep your eye on her,” he ordered and then slammed the front door.
“I’ll give you two some privacy,” Bea insisted softly.
Ty jumped unexpectedly. He was thrown for a loop when she blatantly revealed her “third eye” and winked it at him as she headed off to the kitchen. He was still in shock as I led him over to the only chair left in the room and sat him down.
I knelt beside him. “I think I need to fill in some things I may have left blank last night,” I confessed without a single reservation.
Ty, who was still focused on the doorway that Bea had left through, redirected his stare back to me. “You think?” he replied candidly.
Since I only had a limited amount of time, I pretty much hit the highlights of the past week. But unlike Katie and Samuel, he had a ton of questions. Each one I answered honestly and as quickly as I could.
“And that’s why I have to go away for a while. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” I replied in a tone that reeked of uncertainty.
“Shiloh, isn’t there anything I can do?” Ty asked anxiously. “I could go with you and help protect you,” Ty insisted.
How sweet…It’s a naïve and unrealistic thought, but still sweet.
“Ty,” I began, “if I hadn’t had that blue chalcedony to use on the Onyx last night, I’m afraid you would have been the next victim to be possessed. I know it. I can’t let that happen. You can’t protect me.”
Beatrix came in with two cups of cider and placed them on a folding tray beside us. I started thinking about what Adamas had revealed in my vision, regarding my heart. That was weighing heavily upon me. I couldn’t have anyone I cared about around me. They would only sway the hard decisions I knew I would be forced to make.
I gave Ty’s hands a lingering squeeze as I rose to my feet. “I can’t afford to have you around. You mean too much to me. You can’t go with me.”
I looked over at Beatrix. “I’ll see you in a bit, Bea.”
She quietly nodded back. I looked down at Ty, who remained seated uncomfortably in his chair.
“Bye, Ty,” I said as I headed for the front door.
Before I could get the door halfway open, a hand pushed the hardwood slab to a steady close. Ty turned me around to face him and stared deeply into my eyes in a way that was only reserved for star-crossed lovers who may never see each other again. He leaned closer and caressed the side of my face, guiding his fingertips gently along my cheek and then brushed them over my lips. I knew what was coming, and as much as I wanted it — I couldn’t
let it happen — Not like this. I had to stay focused. Once our lips touched, I would be driven crazy by the fact that we were separated, and thoughts of Ty would haunt me every hour of every day I was away from him. I’d never felt like this about anyone before — but I knew myself — and that’s assuredly how I knew it would be.
As he pressed me against the door and began his approach, I lifted my hand up to halt his eager mouth. He ended up kissing the tips of my fingers instead. The warm touch of his soft lips made every nerve in my body tingle all at once. Confused by my gesture, he gazed back at me curiously. I could see an uncertainty dancing around his heavenly blue eyes. I leaned closer to whisper in his ear, gently rubbing my cheek against his, purposely.
“No, Ty…Not like this. Not now,” I murmured.
Ty stared back at me for a moment. He looked controlled, but I could sense his fear. If his body language didn’t give him away, his mind sure did. At that moment, his only want in the world was to kiss me, and that made my heart feel like it was about to soar right out of my chest. But, he wasn’t sure I’d ever return, which sent it into a tailspin. So, I, along with my heart, came crashing back down to reality. To ease his restless emotions (and mine), I raised his hands to my lips and gently kissed them.
As I stepped outside, I turned to him and swore, “I want something to look forward to.” With that said, I shut the door, took a deep breath, and was off like the wind.
Since my countdown clock was ticking, I blazed a straight and guided path through the woods, headed for my house. I didn’t know which was racing faster — “me” or “my heart”. I had about ten minutes left to pick up a few things (namely Daddy’s shirt) and get to the cave. I was bound and determined to do at least one of two things tonight, pull the diamond wand from its rocky cradle or not be late for Tanner Grey.
I slowed to a jog when I reached the start of our gravel drive. Ace Barlow’s Lincoln was parked right out front. Oh, great! I didn’t want any drama, especially now, so I decided to climb up the side of the house and sneak into my bedroom. There wasn’t any need for a formal good-bye, not when it came to Charlotte. A simple note would do. That way, when she found it on my bed once she realized I’d been gone for a month (or two), she could start throwing my things out of the house “guilt-free”.
