Trent’s movements are lagging, and I notice the side of his gray T-shirt is dark with blood. He’s hurt.
“Hide, Adalyn,” he snaps out, and I jump at his abrupt voice.
I turn toward the door, but Colton and his opponent block it. I’m stuck in the room with them. My eyes involuntarily go back to Holsen who has a big grin on his face. I shudder at his look, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He thinks he’s won.
And maybe he has.
Eli grunts, holding his chest, his breathing harsh, face paling. The guard he’s fighting looks to be in the same state.
Not wanting to be in the way, I press against the wall, the brick biting into my back as I skirt the outside, inching toward my father. No matter what’s going on, I need to be over there with him. Being in the same room isn’t enough. He needs to wear his ring again. With that in mind, I swallow my fear and keep my mission in the forefront.
I inch closer as Holsen ducks from some debris that got caught up in the wind Colton’s opponent tossed around. I use that distraction to move closer.
They’re so close, and I’m still unsure how to help. I don’t understand completely what Ijnan can do, but him touching me has to be a bad idea. If he can touch a dead soul, what can he do with one still living?
Trent is at my side, his hand tightly around my biceps. When I glance behind me, DJ is now with Colton against the first guard, trying to distract him while Colton moves in for an attack. DJ is fast and deadly. His gifts may not be physical based, but it doesn’t mean he’s weak. He’s steadfast as he does a whirlwind of moves, forcing the guard back.
“I’ll take care of Ijnan and Holsen. Get to your father.”
“Where is Noah?” My head whips around, searching for him, but he’s gone. How?
“His transporter friend came in and took him. Coward,” Trent muttered. “Now focus. Get to your father. I’ll take care of the rest.” He steps forward and winces, holding his side, blood seeping between his fingers.
“You’re hurt,” I cry out reaching for him, but he dismisses me, turning his body so I can’t check on him.
“Not now,” he snaps out. He’s not looking at me, and I follow his gaze to Ijnan. The man holds his hands out toward us, his lips moving. Trent charges after him and tackles the old man to the ground.
Holsen lifts a knife and I watch as it arc toward Trent’s back.
“Trent!”
Trent rolls over and the knife embeds itself into the old man’s shoulder instead. Taking the chance, I sprint to my father and slide on my knees, ignoring the pain flaring over them. Once I’m at my dad’s side I reach for him, unsure of touching him.
“Dad?” I whisper.
He stills and his head turns. I take in a sharp breath, seeing the cuts along his rotted face. His body could no longer hold a soul and it was breaking down with the strain.
“Dad,” I cry out.
“Hurrrtsss,” he hisses out through bloody lips. His eyes are still their familiar light brown color, but that’s where the similarity between this man and my father ends now. His bluish-gray, shriveled skin is paper thin, blue veins stretching out just underneath the surface.
“I know,” I cry out. “I know.” I reach for the ring around my neck and yank it off the chain, not caring that my neck is going to bruise from the move. “I’m going to help you, okay?” My words are heavy as I sob them out; the tears I’ve been holding back fall now. “I’m going to help you.”
I reach for his hand and wince at the feel. They’re cold and mushy. Like there are no bones in his hands anymore. I loop our fingers together, my hand trembling. The sounds of the fight behind me continue, but I focus on Dad and on the peace he needs and deserves.
“Be happy, okay?” I sob out, barely able to see past the tears. “I’ll be okay. So find Mom and take care of her.” I take the ring and lift it to his finger. “She misses you. She needs you.” I slip it on. “You can rest now. You’re free.”
I lift the boneless hand to my chest, allowing some of the grief to come through. I don’t even care that people are fighting all around me. I’m with my dad, and he has to die again. I just can’t care right now.
“I love you, Dad.” I lean forward and kiss his cheek, not caring about the state he’s in. He’s still my dad and he deserves a proper goodbye.
His eyes clear of the pain for just a moment and his dry lips part. “Ada…” As he says my name, his eyes go blank and his body slumps forward.
“Dad,” I cry out, holding him to me.
He’s gone. He’s really gone this time.
He’s free.
I move away from his body and what used to be muted sounds are now loud as the chaos reminds me that the fight is still ongoing.
“Fuck!” someone yells out and my head whips up to see Eli staggering back, holding onto something sticking out of his shoulder. The guard follows through, not allowing him space, but then Jackson is behind him. He wraps his arm around his neck and chokes him out. Eli uses that distraction to pull out the knife in his shoulder, using it on the guard.
I look away, not able to watch someone die, even if they’re the enemy.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t help. I stagger to my feet as it all clicks into place.
Trent is being held down by Holsen while Ijnan hovers over them.
“Trent!” I scream and run to them.
Why hasn’t he disconnected them? is the errant thought I have as Ijnan touches Trent. Trent screams and screams, the sound haunting as his head tilts back and his body strains against the inner fight.
“No!” I reach Holsen first and grab him. An energy thrums through my body before I’m blasted back.
Men are shouting, but I can’t understand what they’re saying. Jackson is straddling Holsen when I look up, and Eli has Ijnan restrained. Eli does something to Ijnan and I can practically feel his death, as if all the souls around can feel the release of his, as if they were strained with him alive and now they’re free. Jackson winces before reaching down and yanking something off Holsen. He flings it away before ending Holsen. I turn my head away, not wanting to see more death, the loud crack is enough to feed my nightmares.
But that’s never going to happen as my eyes land on Trent. He lays there, unmoving. My heart shatters at his still body.
There’s a small yelp breaking my focus. The final guard goes down, leaving Colton and DJ panting over his body.
Once my mind catches on that all the enemies are dead, or in Noah’s case, gone, then it begins to process what happened. My mind can’t make sense of it all. Ijnan did something to Trent and now he’s not moving. He’s still.
Dead. He’s dead.
“Adalyn.” Colton is at my side, crouching in front of me so I can’t see Trent. “Are you hurt?”
I blink a couple of times before shaking my head.
“Why?” I ask. “Why?”
Colton frowns and my eyes flicker to where Trent’s body is, despite Colton’s shoulder blocking my view.
“We need to leave,” Eli says.
Colton stands and pulls me up with him, hands on my shoulders. My legs don’t want to work as he turns me away from Trent. We take a couple of steps and something feels wrong. So wrong. My stomach twists and turns, like we’re making a mistake.
I force Colton to let me go and stare at Trent. His face is ashen, eyes still open. In death, he’s still as stern as when he was alive.
“We need to take him with us.” Before anyone can stop me, I’m at his side, trying to lift him. “He needs to come. Hannah needs—” My voice breaks off thinking about her and the two sweet boys. I just took their father away from them. “She deserves—” I can’t finish my sentence and taste salt on my lips, realizing I’m crying.
“Okay,” Colton says softly. “Okay, we’ll take him with us.” He nods at Eli, and despite looking like he’s about to fall over, he lifts him up.
“What about your dad?” Jackson asks.
I look back at the body and bi
te back a sob. I can’t leave him like this.
“Colton,” I whisper. “Do you still have that guard’s gift?”
He nods.
“Light him on fire,” I choke out. “I don’t want anyone using his body against him again and he’ll like that his body is used to at least destroy this place.”
“Are you sure?” he asks, watching me carefully.
I don’t look away as I reply, “I am. He’s with my mom now, and I refuse to let him be torn away again.”
Colton exchanges an expression with Jackson, who moves to my side and escorts me out of the room with DJ’s help. Eli follows, holding Trent like he’s precious cargo. I can’t look at him for long without wanting to break down. This shouldn’t have happened. He shouldn’t have been here. I never Saw him. Ever.
“How?” I whisper.
“Holsen was gifted,” Jackson speaks up.
“No, he wasn’t,” I answer.
After digging through his pocket, he pulls out a chain. “He was wearing this. It’s an expensive piece but effective. There’s a man in Canada who sells them. He has the rare ability to hide the presence of a gift. It’s still there, but he can mask it. Holsen probably had something like this his whole life so people thought he was human.”
“He’s from a wealthy family,” Eli says. “They could have easily covered it up.”
“What was his gift?” I ask.
“Electrocution.” Jackson tucks the chain back into his pocket, his expression blank. My eyes widen, remembering that when I touched him, something had run through my body before blasting me back.
“You held him down,” I point out.
“Not the first time I’ve been electrocuted,” he snarls. “His power was nothing.”
Before I can say anything else, Colton comes out. “We need to move.”
Jackson and DJ stay at my side while Colton leads the way back out. We pass by the guards, still disconnected. It feels like hours—no days—should have passed by with everything that went down. But I know better. It only takes a moment for the world to end. Seconds, minutes, not hours, not days. People should have time to prepare for a tragedy, but all too often, it’s instantaneous.
And that only made it all the more tragic.
33
The evening sun makes the house even more breathtaking as we pull up to it. We’re now in Virginia, in front of a massive two-story log house, surrounded by horses and grasslands, mountains in the distance
“Are you sure this is the place?” Colton asks as he turns off the rental car.
“I am,” I whisper and turn to look in the front seat, where Trent’s body lies. Deep breaths do nothing to hide the fear and sorrow swelling up inside of me. Not wanting to delay this for much longer, I crawl out of the car and walk toward the log cabin.
As soon as I reach the steps leading to the wrap-around porch, the massive door flings open and Hannah steps out. I take in a sharp breath when I see her.
Her expression is bleak when her brown eyes meet with mine. I don’t need to say anything. She can see it all in my expression. Her eyes well up, and she shakes her head. “Don’t,” she whispers. “Don’t.”
“I’m sorry.” I can barely finish when my voice breaks. “I never Saw him. He was never in my visions.”
Her eyes close, and she slumps. I rush to her, wrapping my arms around her to hold her up. The least I can do is give her all the support I can after what happened.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t.” She shakes her head. “Just don’t.”
She straightens from me and wipes at the bottom of her eyes, ignoring the smudging of her mascara.
“I’m guessing that man in the car is your mate?” she asks.
“How do you know?” I ask.
“You feel more whole now. Last time I met you, pieces of you were missing, but you have them now.” She licks her lips. “Can you have him bring my husband inside? I need to get him set up.”
I nod and wave at Colton. He climbs out and grabs Trent.
“Thank you for bringing him back. Otherwise, this would have been a disaster.” Her watery smile sends confusion through me.
“I don’t understand.”
“No. I imagine he didn’t explain anything to you.” Her shoulders slump. “Come inside. You can help me while I explain.”
Colton joins us with Trent, and she leads us into the house. It’s breathtaking with high ceilings, massive windows, and warm colors to make it homey.
“Where are Matteo and Henlie?” I ask nervously, not wanting them to see their dad like this.
“They’re out on the ranch with Greyson and Landon. Since coming here, they’ve been spending all their time outside.” Her eyes meet mine. “You were right, we could trust them.”
“I’m glad.”
Hannah brings us up a stairwell and to a room right across from the stairs. She motions to it. “You can put him there, thank you.”
Colton carefully places Trent onto the massive bed and steps away. Hannah busies herself making him comfortable, taking his shoes and socks off, tucking the blanket around him, moving his limbs so he’s not in an awkward position.
“What am I missing?” I ask.
“Trent doesn’t die.”
I try to understand what she says, but I can’t. “Huh?”
She sighs. “Trent doesn’t die. His gift makes it impossible. He explained what his gift is right?” At my nod, she continues. “Well, because of that, his gift won’t let him die. It resets if need be, or if the damage is bad enough, then rebuilds.”
“But… Ijnan.”
She winces at his name.
“Has that old badger come out to play?” she asks.
I nod. “He’s dead.”
Hannah’s lips press together for a moment. “I see.” She rubs at the back of her neck, her eyes filling with tears again. I’m beginning to think she’s only making up the fact that Trent can’t die so she has hope to hold onto. What she’s saying is impossible. No one can cheat death, no matter their gift.
Wanting to leave her to grieve in privacy, I say, “I am sorry. Trent was… unexpected when he showed up. If I knew this was going to happen, I would have sent him away. I just never Saw him.”
“You wouldn’t have.” She lifts up his hand, showing her wedding band. “I infused it with my gift. No one would have been able to find him if he didn’t want to be found. I imagine that’s why you didn’t See him. My gift blocked yours.” She sniffs and drags a chair over to the bed and motions for me to sit while she sits at the end of the bed, by his feet. “My gift is veiling. I can hide people’s presence, houses, anything I want. When I married Trent, I infused his ring with that gift. That’s why you never saw him coming.” She glances at her husband with a soft expression. “And get it out of your head that this is your fault. I sent him because I knew he could help. And he did, right?”
I nod.
She grins. “He’s good like that.”
“Is it true?” Colton asks by the door. “That he’ll live.”
Hannah nods. “He was shot last year and should have died, but then after weeks of ‘sleeping’ he came back. There have been other similar situations.”
“Ijnan ripped his soul out,” Colton says, and I glare at him, annoyed with his insensitivity.
“Trent Paige will never die of unnatural causes,” Hannah says in a firm voice. “He will die an old man of natural causes.”
“How long?” I ask. “Until he wakes up?”
“You said Ijnan was there?”
I nod.
Her lips purse. “I really hope no longer than a couple of months.” She blinks furiously before shaking her head. “I need him back with me.” She gets up and leans over Trent’s body, pushing his hair out of his face before kissing his forehead. She straightens and turns back to us. “Again, thank you for not leaving him there.”
“It didn’t seem right,” I reply.
“No, I guess maybe it didn’t. I’m
sorry. I do appreciate that you’re here, but do you mind leaving? The others should be back, and I don’t want them seeing you. Greyson and Landon have become extremely protective and paranoid now that we’re here, and I’ll have to explain everything to them.”
Before I can respond, she pulls me into a hug, and I return it.
“You’re whole again, Ada. Go learn what that really means for you and your men.”
My eyes widen, and she smirks.
“I said pieces of you were missing. I figure each piece was one of your guys. That means you have four, right?” When I nod with a heated face, she laughs. “Good. You deserve it. Now out. I need to take care of my husband.”
“If you need anything, contact me, okay?” I say, slipping my number into her hand. The number belongs to a burner phone I bought on the way over, now that I don’t need to run anymore
“I will.” She kisses my cheek and ushers me out the door. While I want to stay and support her, I also respect that she needs privacy.
Colton escorts me back out to the car and we sit there for a few quiet minutes, lost in our own thoughts.
“Adalyn,” Colton says softly.
“Hmm?”
He lips quirk up into a smile. “Holsen is dead.”
It takes me a moment to fully understand what that means. I slowly break out into a massive smile, my heart feeling lighter than ever, especially knowing that Trent will eventually be okay.
“He is, isn’t he?” I laugh again and even tears fall from the happiness and relief.
Colton holds his hand out playfully as if holding a microphone. “Ms. Kabos, now that you’re free, what do you plan to do?”
I push his hand away, laughing.
“I think I’ll spend some time exploring this connection I have with four amazing men. It’s only fair after they faced the odds against them and survived.”
Colton’s smile is massive, his grey eyes light with pure happiness. “That sounds perfect.”
As he drives us to meet with the rest, I can’t stop smiling, and when Colton grabs my hand to hold it, I can’t help but geek out a little.
As a Seer, I know our future is going to be hard, maybe even impossible sometimes, but I know we’ll face anything thrown our way together. Instead of focusing on all the ways this can be a bad idea, for once, I will focus on the one path where this all works out.
Fate Foretold Page 22
