When Ethan didn’t hesitate to shake, I had hope that things might be okay between us.
“Enjoy the rest of your vacation. We’ll see you when you get back,” Vincent said.
Wordlessly, I handed him the bottle I had been holding.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Sure, see you around,” I said.
Ethan and I walked back to his car. There was a quick conversation taking place behind us, and I turned to look at my two partners.
“Everything okay?” I asked them.
“Yes,” Vincent said. “Drive safe.”
When Ethan and I left, Vincent and Rider were getting ready to go as well. After leaving them behind, Ethan drove in silence while I watched the trees as we zipped by. We were hours away from the cabin we rented, but I think that was the direction we were heading.
“There’s a town up ahead,” Ethan said, breaking the long silence.
Glancing around, I saw the town nestled in a valley between two mountains. Lights were coming on as the shadow of the mountain stretched over.
“It’ll be good to get back to some sort of civilization,” I said.
“You were injured pretty badly out there. Do you want to see a doctor?” Ethan asked.
“No, Harry did an excellent job on my arm. I might ask Taylor to take a look at it when I get back home, but I don’t need to see anyone now.”
Ethan nodded and didn’t argue. “Do you want to stop here tonight?”
What I really wanted was to get back to our cabin oasis, away from everyone.
The fact that we smelled wasn’t lost on me. “It would be nice to get clean and eat real food.”
“Real food?” Ethan asked.
“Yes, nothing that is freeze-dried, dehydrated, or in bar form.”
“I think we can manage that.”
Ethan stopped for gas and came back out with a bag of stuff and directions to a hotel that ended up being not too bad. He ordered food while I locked myself in the bathroom and took stock of my cuts and bruises. I was prepared for the one on my chest, although it looked harsh. The cuts and scrapes over my arms and legs, ones that I hadn’t noticed while trekking through the woods, started to burn after I washed.
It probably didn’t help that I took the equivalent of two showers, making sure to scrub from head to toe and repeating it in case I missed anything. Getting into clean clothes was divine.
Ethan followed suit, but didn’t take nearly as long. The food arrived right before he finished. We talked that evening avoiding all topics of a serious nature and curled up together that night.
The next day was a little easier. We made it back to the cabin and spent the next few days together. By the second day, we had settled back in and were once again comfortable with each other. We even managed to get out to the ridge one morning to see the stars.
We did exactly what we had planned. We enjoyed the rest of our vacation. I’m not sure how Ethan felt, but on the drive home, it seemed like he was starting to distance himself.
On the other hand, maybe I was.
We agreed to take a few days to catch up on things before we’d call each other.
For me, it was time to face pending psych reviews and trying to get my agent status back to active. The time to run away was over.
***
Continue to Fractured Worlds (AIR Series Book 4)
Back to Main Table of Contents
***
Acknowledgements
In the past few years I’ve soaked up a lot of knowledge about writing and publishing from countless different places. I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge all the writers who share their knowledge. I’ve read hundreds of blogs, and probably that amount again in books and articles. Social media conversations have been fun and informative on many levels as well. Thank you all for engaging in the writing community.
A special thank you to JD Book Services and Frankie Sutton, my editors, for all of their assistance and to Deranged Doctor Design who has once again provided me with a wonderful cover and formatting.
Thanks to everyone who made this possible.
Fractured Worlds License Notes
Copyright © 2017 Amanda Booloodian
Cover Art by Deranged Doctor Design
Formatting by Deranged Doctor Design
Published by: Walton INK
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN-10: 1-947382-99-3
ISBN-13:978-1-947382-99-2
All rights reserved
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions, please contact Walton INK.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Walton INK
booloodian.com
Dedicated to silver. You forever help me. I’ll forever help you.
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Fractured Worlds Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Chapter 1
My breath rushed in and out of my lungs at a frantic pace. One foot in front of the other, moving forward, not looking back.
Running.
Not being allowed to do my job unnerved me. My partners didn't need me at the time, but they would. The thing was, when they needed me, they weren’t going to be able to call me up and say, 'Hey, come help us out.' It didn't work like that. Being an agent at the Agency for Interdimensional Regulation means that when you need help, it's generally right now or not at all.
A heavy, pounding cadence punched into the ground with each footfall.
When I went back to work, I wanted to be at my best. Mentally, physically, and with my powers reined in.
I wasn't sure all that was possible, but I was damned well going to try. The sun glittered through the canopy of leaves, hinting at a happy day. The truth was I was lonely.
Well, as alone as you can get at the Sanctuary. Travis was around the entrance somewhere. He had waved me through with little in the way of small talk. The fairies lived on the other side of the park. I knew someone was living in the lake, but I had no idea who it might be. My first guess would be mermaids, but they tended to prefer warmer waters. It was nice and warm, but if you give it a few months, the lake will drop along with the rest of the temperatures in the Midwest.
What was missing out here were my friends, mainly Rider. He and I used to go hiking, but he hadn't had much to do with me in a while.
As for my other partners, I don't think Logan runs unless it's toward something. Elves rarely work out as a sport or even as a way to keep in shape. It's not a rule, but in general, if they are rushing around, there's a reason for it. I'm fairly certain Vincent runs, but I doubt he would let me join him now. He'd been keeping his distance, trying to avoid upsetting Ethan.
Not that it mattered much, because they were all at work.
Picking up the pace, I felt t
he sweat trickle down the small of my back. Ethan would run with me. Being ex-military and as the current Lieutenant Detective of the local police force, it's possible that my boyfriend did exercise to keep in shape. Although, he'd also been avoiding me lately for all the same reasons that concerned Vincent.
Not telling him Vincent had a part of my soul might have been a mistake, but how did one normally broach that kind of thing with a man you were seeing. 'By the way, my partner stole my soul, and even though I got it back, he ended up keeping a piece.' It's not something that rolls off the tongue, and it's certainly not a topic for date night.
It's possible that I was making another mistake by not telling him I had a small part of Vincent's soul as well, but I had an excuse ready there. It's never been proven.
No one's seen it, and if they could, they'd have seen the host of other soul fragments running through my system and they wouldn't know if it belonged to Vincent or not.
I know it's there.
It's an excuse, not a good one, but I could use it if needed. Not that it's something that would slip out. He'd need regular contact with me in order for something like that to come up.
It didn't help that he was at work as well.
With no one with me, it was tempting to stay at home. I had plans with Ethan tonight though, which meant no Krav class. That was the only thing that forced me out the door.
My breath turned ragged, so I slowed my pace, first to a jog, then to a walk. I had abused my body enough for the afternoon. The parking lot came into view as I rounded the bend.
Between all the self-defense and running, physically, I was ready to return to work. My body was in better shape than it had ever been in my life.
Mentally, I was fine. The agency had their rules, though. Rider and Vincent had been cleared to return, and Logan had never been stood down. As the last straggler, it was my turn to get approval. Hopefully, tomorrow I'd be cleared. Rider had almost died, which seemed way more traumatizing than being kidnapped, right?
Blowing out a huff of air, I took a few moments to stretch. The crunch of tires on gravel announced someone driving down the winding entrance road to the Sanctuary. It must be agents or someone with high clearance.
Or the Lost. Most mythological creatures had permission to use the Sanctuary.
Unfortunately, I was sweating profusely and wearing clothes for running, not for work.
Seeing the large SWAT-style vehicle made my stomach twist. Speak of the devils and they shall arrive.
Vincent parked the truck. When he got out, I saw his face, which to most would look expressionless. It showed me hints of anxiety, but a smile hid in there somewhere.
Waving, I forced a cheerful attitude. Rider hung back, which was sad, but it was not completely unexpected, while Vincent closed the gap between us.
"Hey," I said, trying to hide any apprehension that might slip out.
"It's good to see you." A hint of sincerity in Vincent's voice helped me relax.
It also managed to draw out a real smile. "It's good to see you, too. Both of you." I raised my voice slightly for the second statement, but with werewolf hearing, Rider would have been able to hear anyway. "Coming out to check on Essy?"
"Yes, but I wasn't expecting to see you out here," Vincent said.
I shrugged. "It was a nice day to spend in the woods."
"How is everything?" Vincent asked.
"It hasn't been that long since we've seen each other." It had been over a week. It was hard to believe it had been that long. "I’m the same. How about you all, and work? I noticed Logan wasn't with you." I tried not to ask too much at once, but the truth was I wanted to know everything that had been going on.
"Logan had a meeting at the office. Kyrian called him in."
"Sounds like fun." My stomach squeezed tightly wondering if they were discussing my return. Logan would stand up for me, right? "Anything else going on?"
"Nothing," Vincent said. "You could join us, though, to visit Essy."
Glancing over, I saw Rider pointedly look away. "Yeah, I don't think I should." How was it that Rider, who was supposed to be my best friend, could make me feel so unwelcomed?
Vincent noticed the look. "It would give us a chance to talk."
My heart beat faster at that thought, but Rider wanting nothing to do with me, dampened the effect. "Maybe next time. I'm not exactly dressed for work or anything."
Vincent grinned. "I don't think Essy will mind."
Once again, I was struck with Vincent's brighter attitude. From the day I met him, he always seemed closed off. He had kept himself at arm’s length. For the past few weeks, he had been more open. Lighter somehow.
"Rain check," I said, "I've got a few things to take care of."
"If you're sure." Vincent looked back at his partner. "You know, at some point, you two are going to have to get over whatever this is."
"I'd have to know what it is before I can get over it." I really didn't want to be bitter about the situation, but there was no use hiding it. "I should go."
Vincent looked torn, but I didn't give him a chance to say anything else.
"I'll see you... sometime, I guess." I started backing away. "Good to see you, too, Rider," I added loudly, but with no real conviction.
"Yeah, sometime." Vincent spoke so softly I almost missed the words.
Keeping a normal pace back to my car wasn't easy. All in all, the encounter was mixed. Rider still wanted nothing to do with me, but bumping into Vincent was nice.
Seeing him was enough to make my heart beat faster, which naturally led to guilt. When I drove off, I didn't look back. Nothing I could see would make me happy.
My phone started to ring. It was tempting to pull over and dig the phone out of my bag. It could be the office. Instead, I dismissed the idea, knowing I could check it soon. The drive home wasn't long, but when I arrived, I felt grungy enough to want to jump into the shower right away.
"Gran, I'm home," I said, entering the house.
"In the kitchen, darlin'," Gran called out.
The warm air of the kitchen washed over me causing me to sweat again, despite the AC running.
"You've been busy, I see." The counters were filled with cupcakes, mini cakes, and cookies. "Is all this for Logan and the kids? I'm pretty sure this much would even give elves some sort of insulin shock."
"These are goin' all over." Gran slid over a small plate. "Help yourself to a cupcake."
"I should snag another for Ethan. He's supposed to stop by tonight."
Gran looked at me uncomfortably.
"He's not coming over, is he?" I felt deflated.
Gran shook her head. "Not tonight, sorry."
“Did he leave a message, or..." I let the question drop.
"He hasn't called the house."
"You're sure?" I shook my head. "Sorry, that was a silly question." Gran was a psychic, and when she saw the future, that future happened.
"I haven't seen your partners in ages. Maybe you could invite them over for the evenin'," Gran suggested.
"It feels awkward since I'm not working with them. I ran into Vincent and Rider earlier, though. And Logan's here almost every morning." I threw the last part in to deflect any questions about Rider and Vincent.
"Things will get better for you," Gran promised.
"Got a timeline on that?"
"If I get one, you'll be the first to hear. On that note, however, you are going to want to be at work no later than 7 am tomorrow morning."
"Sure, I can do that. Maybe it's a good thing Ethan had to cancel. I can get to sleep early."
Gran went back to packaging up her baked goods. "Make sure you give Frank some attention. I worry about him being cooped up in a cage all the time."
"I opened the cage once and he wasn't really interested in jumping out. I'll make sure he gets around more, though, once I know for sure he won't turn everyone into a zombie or give them some awful disease."
"Poor little thing."
"
I could bring him down here where he'll have company more often." I had made the suggestion earlier this week as well.
"We'll see what Dr. Taylor says." Gran didn't meet my eye.
I nodded and picked out a cupcake, purposely choosing one with lots of icing. "I've got to check my messages and take a shower."
"I'll be gone when you get out and I'll miss you in the mornin'," Gran said. "Chin up tomorrow, and make sure you're early."
"Thanks."
On the way upstairs, I listened to my voicemail. Both were from Ethan saying he would be working late tonight. Again. Somehow shoving the cupcake into my mouth didn't make the evening any better. It had been worth a try, though.
***
Have you ever walked into a room and felt everyone's eyes turn to you? The moment I stepped into the control room, I could feel the other agents looking up. Luckily, at seven am the office wasn’t exactly bustling. The nightshift was leaving or had already left and the dayshift was barely pulling themselves out of bed.
There were enough eyes to make a girl uncomfortable, though. For a moment, I thought it might be useful to hide out in my office. Logan and I shared an office in the building, but he always preferred sitting in the control room. There were always empty desks and other people to chat with.
Logan wasn't here, but since we hadn't used the office in ages—not since Vincent had stolen my soul—I stuck it out in the large central room.
Hank, our handler, wasn't in yet, which seemed odd to me. He always got to the office before everyone, except maybe Kyrian.
Instead of settling into a desk and trying to look busy, I went down the hall to find Kyrian, the Director of the Midwest offices. The light was on in her office, so I steeled myself and knocked.
"Come in," Kyrian said.
I took a deep breath, told myself to be confident and pleasant, and opened the door.
AIR Series Box Set Page 96
