Suddenly, I was in the cramped airplane bathroom, my hands pressed against the cool, wet sink. Vladimir groped my body from behind me, as he huffed and puffed. His calloused hands scratched against my arms as he checked out our reflection in the mirror. I twisted, squirming to get away from him.
“Leave her alone!” I heard Chase bellow, and then I was back in my seat.
I blinked my eyes, confused, holding tightly to the arm handles of my seat, shocked.
Vladimir looked down at me, his eyes returned to their natural shade of blue, his round face turning into a giant smirk. He reached out to touch my hair and I jerked away, shaking like a wet dog. It felt like a gazillion bugs had just crawled all over my skin.
I realized I hadn’t left my seat at all. He obviously had some unusual endowment to be able to place those gross images so vividly in my mind. Serious slime. “In your dreams,” I spat and scrunched up my nose.
“Was it good for you, as me?” he asked me with a wink.
“You’re sick,” I said leaning away.
Chase yanked so hard on the ropes holding him that I thought the whole arm of the seat would pop off. Sergei gripped both of Chase’s arms.
My heart pounding, I squinted at Vladimir. “You should stick that needle into your own neck,” I hissed.
Vladimir pursed his lips, tilted his head to one side, and looked at me as if pondering my words.
“Stop it,” Sergei yelled over his shoulder, still struggling with Chase. Chase headbutted Sergei, making Sergei’s head snap back and his nose bleed.
I returned my gaze to Vladimir. “Like now!”
The next thing I knew, he plunged the needle deeply into his own neck. The empty syringe dropped to the floor, and Vladimir’s head drooped to his chest.
“What have you done?” Sergei’s face contorted into angry angles as he glared at me.
I bounced in my seat as the plane hit the runway a little harder than it should. We’d obviously landed. Somehow I needed to escape with Chase, and I only had moments to come up with a plan. “I think you need a nap, too,” I said, staring at Sergei. “Come and get some medicine. It’ll make you feel better.”
Chase stopped struggling and stared at me. “What’re you doing?”
Great. He thinks I’m a freak now, too. Perfect.
Sergei released Chase’s arms. He unbuckled his seatbelt, rubbed his head, and then stood. “I do feel sleepy, actually, Princess.”
“That’s right,” I nodded enthusiastically. “But first untie my hands,” I said slowly.
Sergei paused, massaging his temples, absorbing what I’d said. “No, I don’t think—”
“You will untie me now! You want to do it,” I said firmly. “Hurry up!” My hands trembled as I tried to see over the seat in front of me and up to the cockpit, terrified the pilot would walk out any moment.
Sergei shook his head as if struggling to fight against the idea of what I suggested, but leaned across Vladimir and methodically untied my hands.
I rubbed my wrists, relieved at my new freedom, and then glanced at a stunned Chase. I motioned for him to be quiet. Not that he was talking or even moving at that point, but I didn’t want to risk breaking Sergei’s trance. My heart raced uncontrollably, pounding against my ribs.
I jerked my head toward the syringes in the briefcase. “Take one and stick it in your neck. Now.”
Sergei picked up the syringe just as I heard a loud click from the front of the plane. A tall figure walked out, partly obscured by the wall up front.
Crap, crap, crap, I’m too late.
“Sergei, put the needle in your neck! It will feel good,” I pressed.
His eyelashes fluttered but he held it to his neck, the needle touching his skin, even as his hand shook, seemingly trying to fight against my persuasion.
Somebody struck his hand, knocking the syringe away.
“No!” I yelled, looking up at the man who came from the cockpit and to Sergei’s rescue.
The man staring down at me with bright green eyes was my father. At least the only father I’d ever known. Shocked, I widened my eyes. “Dad?”
Sergei, regaining his composure, began yelling at him. “I thought you said she had no powers yet?” He slammed his fist against the seat. “Idiot,” he said in a strong Russian accent.
Blood trickled from his nose and Dad passed him a tissue.
My dad passed Sergei a tissue.
The realization of that stung sharper than the needle they had pricked me with at Taylor’s house. He was actually helping the man who had kidnapped me. But what did I expect? My father was probably in on the kidnapping from the beginning. But maybe I hoped that after all these years of raising me, I’d come to mean something to him.
“Mr. Remington, what’s going on?” Chase asked. “Tell this loser to let us go.”
Mr. Remington. Right. Chase was so out of the loop calling Dad by his fake name. He was in way over his head. But I couldn’t take my gaze away from my father’s. “Dad?” I said again, my voice breaking this time. “What’s going on?”
I wanted him to tell me everything was going to be okay—that really he came to save me and to make things right. I clung to that last thread of hope. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t true. He didn’t answer me. Instead, he bent to pick up the needle that had dropped to the floor and replaced it in its slot in the briefcase.
Straightening back up, he faced me. His right eye twitched nervously and both his eyes glossed over. It was the same look he wore when I had appendicitis when I was thirteen and had to have surgery to have my appendix removed. He’d looked so worried about me at the time. I remembered feeling so guilty for making him upset. After, he’d brought me a double scoop strawberry ice-cream cone every day for a week.
Do you feel bad, Dad? I wondered.
We watched each other closely, both of us speechless. Did he only worry about me back then because I was a commodity too valuable to lose? How would he have explained that to the Russian witch queen? Would he have been punished if something had happened to their precious cargo he was responsible for protecting all those years? The cargo that would bring their coven so much power? Tears stung my eyes when I realized that was all I was to him—a valuable piece of cargo, like a prized racehorse. I forced myself to stand. I would push past them both and leave.
“I always knew you were too weak for this, Viktor,” Sergei said to my dad who still stood frozen, looking stunned.
“Get out of my way,” I shouted, glaring at Sergei. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I blinked them back. I focused on the anger pulsing through my veins instead. He nodded slowly, and then began robotically walking to the back of the plane.
My father stood motionless, mouth gaping at me. He was definitely shocked over the power bit.
I moved across the aisle and shifted in beside Chase. “C’mon, Chase. We’ve got another plane to catch home.” I bent over, and with shaky hands, began untying him.
He leaned forward and pressed his forehead gently against mine. His skin felt warm and he still smelled of sweet cologne. “Thanks, True.”
I sighed. “My name’s Jewel.” Since I had gotten him into the crazy mess, I figured he at least deserved to know my real name. Chase lifted his head, a shocked expression crossing his face. Before I had a chance to say anything else, he looked over my shoulder.
“Look out!” he yelled.
I bolted straight up intent on fighting anyone who dared touch us by using my power or my fists. Whatever worked. The familiar sting of a needle pierced the skin of my neck before I could do anything. Yelping, I twisted around to see the troubled green eyes of my father as he drew the needle back out.
“I’m sorry, Jewels,” he said. The edges of his face became hazy and I collapsed into his arms.
Chapter Twenty-One
When I woke again it was to Chase’s blurry face looming over me. His gaze met mine, eyebrows pinching with concern as he held a cool cloth to my forehead.
&
nbsp; I sat up. Shivers wracked my body as memories of the airplane came quickly flooding back. “Where are we?” I groaned, looking around the mostly vacant room.
The stark white walls were empty and the only piece of furniture was the bed we sat on, pushed against the wall in one corner. There were no windows, but an open door inside the room revealed a shower and toilet. The only way out seemed to be through a door at the opposite end of the room. But from where I sat it looked like it was made of steel. I released a frustrated sigh.
“You should lie back down,” Chase said, pressing back on my shoulders. “I’ve already checked for a way out. There is none.”
At first I resisted, but the room began to spin and my stomach felt queasy. I was exhausted, sick, and completely drained from trying to put together the mess otherwise known as my life. Roman had made it pretty clear that he’d led me on and didn’t really want me. I bit my lip. I had to get over him. I’d only known him a couple of weeks, it couldn’t be that tough. I swallowed hard. I had bigger things to worry about anyway. Like the only family I’d ever known betraying me, escaping from whatever hell-hole I was in, and—well, making it to my seventeenth birthday alive. I sank into the pillow beneath me, my stomach still churning.
Chase brushed stray stands of hair away from my face and replaced the cloth to my forehead. “You want to tell me what’s going on?” He lay on his stomach beside me, and propped his head up onto his fists. “Cause I know you’re holding out on me, and I don’t know how long we have ‘til the thugs show back up.” He jerked his head in the direction of the steel door.
I glanced up at him. He raised his brows causing a worried expression to crease his face. I honestly didn’t know what to say. He deserved to know the truth but it terrified me to tell him. I hated to admit the drama I’d involved him in.
“I’m sorry,” I started as I brushed the cloth back through my hair. “This is my fault, Chase. But I swear it’s all pretty new to me, too—and I never meant for you to get tangled up in it.”
Chase squinted. “Why would your dad do that to you?”
I shook my head. “He’s not my dad.” I took in a huge breath and exhaled. Then I explained to Chase most of what I knew. I told him about the Augusti Forza, what I’d heard and seen Massimo and Paulo do, and all about what I’d learned about me being the Spectral and where I really belonged. I left out the part about being considered an abomination by the Augusti. I mean, the boy had probably already figured out I was a freak. I didn’t need to totally confirm it. It took me awhile to get everything out, and I let the words tumble, closing my eyes as I went, afraid his facial expressions would halt me mid-sentence. When I finished, I took in a deep breath. Peering through my fingers covering my face, I waited for his response.
Chase sat up, crossed his legs pretzel style, and placed his head in his hands. He rubbed his eyes and then his forehead, and sighed. Yep. I’m a freak. You guessed it right.
When he lifted his head back up and looked at me, I wrapped my arms across my chest bracing for the worst.
“We need to find a way out of here then, don’t we?” He reached over and squeezed my hand.
I smiled so big its glow reached inside me. “You believe me?”
“Of course.” He nodded and smiled back. “I saw what happened on the plane, and I’ve got no reason to doubt you.” He pressed his lips together in a straight line. “I’m not saying that I’m not freaking out on the inside here, but I knew you were special.” He winked.
I couldn’t believe he found me special. I didn’t feel special. I only felt weird. But it was awesome to hear, even if Chase had only said the words to make me feel better.
“What other powers do you have?” he asked. “Maybe you can do something to get us out of here. Like maybe when they come back I can distract them and you can do some hocus pocus on—”
“It doesn’t work like that, Chase. I don’t really have much power until my seventeenth birthday. That’s when it’s supposed to all happen.” My voice grew weak. What could I tell him? I mean yeah, I was technically going to be the Spectral…but I wasn’t yet.
“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit,” he said. “You got that dude on the plane to stick himself with that huge needle. You definitely have power. And what about that bubble thing you mentioned? You know—the power you picked up from that Roman guy?” Chase grunted and rolled his eyes.
It was obvious I’d given him even more ammo not to like Roman. Maybe he could rub off on me—make me hate Roman, too—instead of just wanting to hate him.
“Mine was totally lame,” I said. “I couldn’t keep them out for long and they could see me the whole time, unlike Roman’s shell that was a total barrier that like stopped time and everything.” My stomach twisted. Even saying Roman’s name made me feel fluttery. Like a million shooting stars being released inside of me all at once. I shook my head, frustrated with myself and cursing Roman at the same time.
Chase tip-toed his fingers up my arm, his eyebrows furrowed. He must have noticed my unease. “Hey. You okay?” He shifted, kneeling beside me on the bed. He brushed his fingers against my cheek. “I know everything’s weird right now, True…I mean Jewel. But we can figure this out together.” He moved forward and kissed the side of my face.
I pressed my cheek into his kiss, wanting to believe him. My mind reeled with all the betrayal I’d learned about and experienced in such a short time. The sting of Roman taking the dagger and not coming back for me burned deep. I’m not going to lie, being around Chase felt good. He was just a normal guy. He wasn’t a witch or an Augusti, and he didn’t want me because of any power I could give him. He liked me for me, even despite the mess I’d gotten him into.
I closed my eyes and edged my cheek along his jawline. He tenderly pressed his lips to mine, slowly at first as if asking for permission this time. Maybe he thought I’d push him away like I did in the pool at Taylor’s house. But I didn’t. I melted into him as he laced his fingers through my hair, more assuredly, deepening his kiss in passionate waves until they grew like soaring whitecaps on the ocean. Explosive and hungry. A part of me felt guilty, like I was cheating on Roman. But I knew I was just fooling myself by hanging onto any thought that what Roman and I had was real. I urged myself to give into Chase, into his kiss.
A door slammed shut from the far side of the room, followed by a muffled cough. Chase jumped off the bed and stood beside it. I bolted straight up. Dad and Vladimir walked toward us.
When they were close, Dad stopped and watched the interaction in silence. Vladimir’s face tinged red and his fisted hands hung by his sides as he walked closer, his anger palpable. I guess he wasn’t too happy about the fact that I’d made him stick himself with the blue goo.
I stood beside Chase, but he held a protective arm in front of me. “You bastards. Let us go!”
Vladimir stared at Chase a moment, and then turned his glare on me. “Where’s the dagger, Jewel-ka?” He arched a brow.
“Hell if I know,” I hissed.
“Cut the bullshit.”
Dad still didn’t move. I don’t know what I expected him to do, but for some reason, I kept waiting for it.
Vladimir took another step toward me. His blue eyes began twinkling again like a million shooting stars were twirling around inside of them. “I will torture you with visions that will feel so real you will want to hang yourself.” He smirked and looked over his shoulder at my dad. “What are her darkest fears, Viktor? Or should I probe her mind myself?”
I thought of the fear I’d had standing on the train track that day with Dad when I was little. The bright lights racing toward me and the whistle screaming in my ears had haunted me ever since. I prayed he wouldn’t tell Vladimir. I glanced around Chase at Dad.
“There is no need for that, Vladimir.” Dad looked at him and then returned my gaze. “Tell us where the dagger is, Jewel. This will all be over soon. We won’t hurt you.”
“Won’t hurt me?” I snorted an
d stepped away from Chase. “You’ve lied to me my entire life. You’ve kidnapped me—again! Brought me to God knows where, to do God knows what to me. How can I trust you, Dad? Or should I say, Viktor?” I spat each word at him with all the emotion I had left in my trembling, achy body.
“Enough!” Vladimir stepped toward me and waved his pointer finger in my face. “Tell us where you’ve hidden the dagger or I’ll make you suffer. This I can promise you.”
Chase growled. He spun around and performed some sort of Jet Li round-house kick, knocking Vladimir in the stomach. Vladimir stumbled backward gasping for air. Chase dashed behind Vladimir and gripped him in a headlock. He jerked Vladimir’s neck hard until the man couldn’t move.
My jaw dropped. “What the—”
“Karate. Second degree Black Belt,” Chase said, and then looked away from me and down at Vladimir, whose neck was in Chase’s vice grip. “Tell Viktor to open the door and let us go!”
“You think it’s that simple, boy? Let me go, and I might let you live.”
Dad flattened his palms in the air and walked toward them. “Relax. We don’t want to hurt anyone.”
With a grunt, Chase yanked harder on Vladimir’s neck. “Stay back, or I’ll snap his neck like a chicken wing, I mean it.”
Vladimir grasped Chase’s arm with his fingers and released an exasperated groan. He peered up at Chase from the corner of his eyes and gave him a devilish grin. “Really, like a chicken wing? Ha!”
Fear gripped me the next second as Chase’s face suddenly blanched. He dropped to his knees, yelling and brushing his hands frantically all over himself as though he was on fire. “Get them off!” he yelled. “Get them off!”
I bolted toward Chase and stood in front of him, facing Vladimir. Vladimir’s eyes were as black as a starless night sky, and focused on Chase. “Stop it!” I screamed.
Vladimir’s eyes shifted color for a quick second, turning to brown. But he shook his head as if erasing my words and his eyes went back to black. Chase rolled around on the ground, ruffling his hands through his hair, yelling, “They’re everywhere!”
Spectral Page 17
