by Last, K. A.
“Archer, I’m fine,” Charlotte said. “But I have some bad news. Matthew and Cain drained more of my blood, about another four vials.”
“That is bad news,” Archer said. “I thought one drop was enough.”
Charlotte nodded. “One drop is plenty, but it doesn’t last long because their blood cleans it out of their system. But, the more they drink, the longer the effect. In theory if they drink enough the change could be permanent.”
We stared at each another in silence as the horror of what was possible hit home.
“You’re saying if they drink enough they’ll become like you, and be able to walk around during daylight hours, forever?” Archer asked.
“To this day it’s never happened, the Blaze have always defeated those who have threatened us. There’s a reason I’m so quiet, Arch; I don’t like to draw attention to myself.”
“You do that just by existing,” he said, smiling.
“I think we’re ok for now, though. They haven’t had any yet. Matthew mumbled something about having enough…”
“To create his army,” I finished.
Charlotte nodded.
“That’s good to know, but tell me one more thing.” Archer sat down on the chair and rubbed his face with both hands. “Are you going to run again?”
Charlotte pursed her lips then wiped her face, smearing blood across her cheek. One shake of her head was all it took, and Archer sighed with relief.
Something didn’t quite add up, though. For a split second I wondered if Charlotte was telling the truth. Of course she was. What reason would she have not to? Still, I peeked inside her head and found the closed box that was there before. Our eyes met and I forced myself to smile.
“Is there something you’re not telling me, Charlotte?” I asked. I know you’re hiding something, I thought.
She hesitated as if she’d heard me, and then simply shook her head. “I’m just tired.”
“Leave her alone, Grace. She’s been through a lot,” Archer said.
Against my better judgement, I decided to let it go.
We all held hands and I misted us back to the clearing. My stomach did flip flops on the walk to the shed, and the reception I received from Josh was less than welcoming. He gave Charlotte a relieved hug; I got a very cold shoulder.
I let out a deep breath and sat at the kitchen table, motioning for Archer and Charlotte to follow. Archer got excited when I gave them the rundown on what Seth told me about my ring. He saw it as the definitive way to keep us all safe.
“I think we should be more concerned about Matthew and Cain, than Angelica,” Charlotte said, quietly. “When they show up I’m pretty sure they’ll have taken my blood, which means they’ll be faster, and stronger, and harder to fight.”
Ryan and Josh were listening to our conversation but hadn’t offered their opinion. I knew they were scared, they’d just never admit it. Josh was also angry which was overriding his fear. It could work in his favour, but when someone is scared they tend to make mistakes.
We dressed in jeans and lose fitting T-shirts then went to the cottage to raid the arsenal. Charlotte was in her element, running her fingers lightly over the weapons as she walked the length of the wall. Archer gave Ryan the bare minimum, one stake for each back pocket, and showed him a few quick moves. I threw a stake belt and a dagger with an ankle strap to Charlotte. She put them on quickly and went back to looking at the rest of the gear.
My stake belt fitted into the small of my back, concealed by my T-shirt. I strapped a knife to my upper left arm and another to my ankle. Josh let me fit a stake belt to him but he didn’t speak. I could feel his eyes burning into me, and my fingers tingled when they brushed the warm skin on his stomach. When I was done, I met his gaze and fought the tears stinging my eyes. I’d shed too many tears lately. Josh leant down and kissed my forehead, then turned and walked out of the cottage.
“He’ll come around,” Ryan said. “He’s just mad.”
“I know,” I sighed.
Back in the shed we sat in silence and ate a quick throw together meal. As I watched Ryan eat his instant pasta, I thought back over the last day or so. We were all having a hard time dealing with everything, especially what happened to Emma, but that was only the beginning. We had no idea it would turn out to be one of the worst nights of our lives.
TWENTY-NINE
JOSH
Late Saturday Afternoon
Archer and I had spent the morning with Ryan, wandering around the forest, bringing him up to speed with Grace’s world and trying to teach him a few moves. He wasn’t very good but he could at least throw a punch.
Now, we were standing at the edge of the clearing watching Grace and Seth, and she seemed a little caught up in what he was saying. He reached out and stroked her wings and my blood ran cold. I remembered the first time I’d touched her wings, how soft they were. She shied away from him and I had an overwhelming urge to punch his lights out. Then he stroked her cheek as well, which made me even more furious. This time she didn’t pull away.
“Those wings are pretty amazing,” Ryan said.
I glared at him.
“What is she doing with him?” I didn’t really expect an answer, and Seth was already gone. I headed across the clearing, calling her name.
“What did he want?” I asked, making no attempt to hide my anger.
Grace tried to tell me something about Charlotte but I wasn’t listening. I wasn’t even aware of the words flying between us; I was too busy seeing red. Grace tried to talk in my head, which added more fuel to the already raging fire. I needed to walk away.
I stormed off to the shed with Ryan in my wake. Who did she think she was after all we’d been through this week; to let Seth, of all people, touch her like that. I threw open the door and yelled in frustration, kicking the coffee table before sitting on the couch.
“You don’t think maybe you’re overreacting?” Ryan asked cautiously, coming to sit beside me.
“She let him touch her wings. That’s way too intimate for my liking. I thought it was something we shared. Now she’s shared it with him.”
“You don’t know their history, Josh. They’ve probably spent many lifetimes together.”
“Since when did you become a wise old man? You’re taking all this supernatural crap pretty easily.”
Ryan shrugged. “Emma died yesterday. I never for a second believed something like that could happen. It makes me think that anything is possible.”
It dawned on me how much of an idiot I was being and I put my face in my hands. Grace was still here, but Ryan had lost his girlfriend.
“Listen, I’m sorry mate. I didn’t mean to be so crappy and insensitive.”
“Don’t worry about it. Grace said Emma’s ok, and I believe her.”
We sat and waited for Archer and Grace to come back with Charlotte. There wasn’t much else we could do. I thought about having a few drinks that night and letting my hair down. A lot of us were underage, but not by much, and it was easier to get away with when you lived in the country. I wondered who would actually turn up. My guess was not as many as we initially thought after what happened with Emma.
The others came back and Charlotte was a sight for sore eyes, I didn’t think I’d be so happy to see her. She seemed unharmed and after giving her a welcoming hug I resumed my position on the couch. I tried my best to ignore Grace; I wanted her to know I was mad. From the corner of my eye I watched as the three of them sat at the kitchen table.
Grace was raving about some ring and how it could be our answer to everything. Archer was getting excited at the prospect of defeating Angelica and keeping Charlotte safe. I was all for the latter, but I was still mad and not in the mood for thinking. All I could see was the way Seth had touched Grace. It wasn’t an innocent touch; there was something behind it that I didn’t like.
“We should get ready for tonight, before everyone starts to show up,” Grace said, sliding her chair back from the table. “Jeans
and loose fitting T-shirts, we’ll need a bit of concealment.”
We changed in silence, the girls in Grace’s room, and the boys in Archer’s. Grace and I came out of the bedrooms at the same time and I stopped to look at her—my beautiful Grace. All I wanted was to hold her, pull her into my arms and say sorry for being a total dick. But my pride stood between us, and instead I looked away. She knew what I was thinking anyway, I could feel her.
“Josh,” she whispered.
“Don’t, Grace.” Just let me be mad at you, please.
I heard her release a long deep breath as I walked down the stairs.
In the cottage we armed up, stake belts and daggers all round. I let Grace help me and our eyes connected again. Hers were glistening with tears but she managed to keep them at bay. I gently kissed her forehead before walking out of the cottage.
After a quiet dinner, we all went outside. The sun was slipping below the horizon and the sky was a deep crimson red. Shadows danced into the clearing and the crickets started their song.
“Should we light the bonfire?” Archer said.
Grace held out her hand and a ball of fire appeared in her palm. Ryan drew in a sharp breath, his eyes widening, and a smile touched Grace’s lips. She’d told me about the change in her fighting technique, but I was yet to see it. It felt surreal, standing there watching her twirl the ball of fire with her fingers. She drew her arm back and tossed it onto the pile of wood, and it lit up the clearing. The flames flickered back and forth, mesmerising and beautiful.
Archer went to the edge of the clearing and dragged some fallen logs around the fire for seats. It amazed me how strong he was. We scrounged a few more chairs and put the eskys out along the shed wall, ready for everyone’s drinks. Archer and Charlotte sat on a log while Ryan picked out a plastic garden chair we’d found under the car port. Grace stared into the fire, and I stood staring through the flames at her, waiting for everyone to arrive.
THIRTY
JOSH
Saturday Night
The fire threw its light around the dim clearing. Kids from school began to show up and choose their seats around the bonfire. I’d tied a balloon to Grace’s rickety old letter box to help everyone find the place. Grace was still staring into the flames, every now and then acknowledging if someone spoke to her. I didn’t think any of them were close friends with Grace or Archer, they just wanted to party.
Charlotte and Archer moved over near the shed with Ryan, pulling up prime position next to one of the eskys. Charlotte wouldn’t want to get too close to the fire.
A familiar voice shouted my name. Abby’s older brother, Jesse, was walking down the driveway. He threw me a can; then shook my hand secret handshake style. Despite the age difference between us, we were good friends, and I hadn’t seen him since before Christmas so it was a nice surprise.
“What’s this I hear about you and Abbs breaking up,” he chuckled.
“You know mate, it just wasn’t working.”
“She can be a bit much I’ll admit, but she’s still not very impressed with you.”
Tell me something I don’t know, I thought, taking a swig of my drink. I stole a glance at Grace who was still looking into the fire.
“Well, Josh, fancy seeing you here.” Abby walked over to us with Claudia at her side.
Claudia offered me a sympathetic look and said hi before wandering off to see who else was around. Abby folded her arms across her chest, and switched her dagger eyed stare between me and her brother. Dressed in a low cut ice blue singlet top and skinny jeans, she drew my attention for a moment before I glanced at Grace again. She was looking this time, and I quickly took another sip from my can.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to fraternise with the enemy, Jesse,” Abby said, scowling.
“Josh didn’t break up with me, Abbs. We’re as good as gold.”
“Argh … you suck, Jesse West.” And she stomped off after Claudia.
“Suck it up, princess,” he called. She turned to glare at him and poked her tongue out. Very mature. I shook my head and had another drink.
The clearing was starting to fill up. When I looked again for Grace she wasn’t there. Jesse saw my eyes flitting around and asked what was up. When I told him I had a new girlfriend and was trying to find her, he punched me on the arm.
“You don’t waste any time, stud.”
“It’s not like that. I hadn’t been happy with Abby for a while. Grace is … perfect.”
“But?” Jesse prompted me.
“There’s this other guy. I’m probably overreacting, but it’s complicated.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Jesse threw back his beer and finished the can before wandering off to get another. He kept them coming, placing a new one in my hand each time he had one. Before long I began to loosen up and feel warmer, until I spotted Grace near the car port talking to Seth.
The way they were standing so close together made me stiffen with anger. I couldn’t hear what they were saying over the hum in the clearing and the crackling fire, but actions speak louder than words. Even though Grace didn’t back away from Seth, she didn’t look too impressed—or maybe that’s what I wanted to believe.
Jesse followed my line of sight. “That’s her I take it.”
I took a few steps towards them and froze. What I saw next was enough to shatter my heart into a thousand tiny pieces. I was afraid the pieces would be so small I would never be able to find them to put it back together. Seth slipped one hand behind Grace’s back and pulled her close. With his other he stroked her cheek and she pushed into it, closing her eyes. Leaning down he pressed his forehead against hers. They were close enough to kiss, and I willed her to push him away, to smack him in the face, but she didn’t.
Finally, she stepped back and Seth walked into the forest. How could you? I screamed in my mind. Grace was still for moment. I knew she could hear me and I waited for her to lift her head. When her eyes met mine they glistened with tears, but I didn’t care. I felt numb.
Josh, I… she pushed into my head, but I’d already turned away.
“Somehow I don’t think you’re overreacting. Some chicks just aren’t worth it,” Jesse said.
That was the problem, though—Grace was worth it. There had to be a reason why she was getting so close to him, but I was too mad and too drunk to think. The image of her in his arms was burned into my brain.
“I’ll be back, just going to clear my head.”
“Want some company?” Jesse asked.
“No, just … I’ll be fine.”
I headed down the long driveway with no particular destination in mind. I was angry, and I wanted to get away from the noise, or maybe I needed to distance myself from anything to do with Grace. I kept trying to tell myself there was a reasonable explanation, but I was at a complete loss.
I’d made it about three-quarters of the way down the drive when an ear splitting scream sliced into the night, followed by another. I froze, listening. The scream had come from the road, and I wondered if anyone else had heard it. Very unlikely, as the road was a fair way from the clearing. Cautiously, I kept walking.
Jesse’s beat up, blue ute was parked at the top of the driveway, half in shadow. I briefly wondered, even though he only lived in town, how on earth he would drive home after so many drinks. The driver’s side door was open but the interior light was off, so I couldn’t see inside. I didn’t have to. I knew something was wrong. With each step forward my heart beat faster, and I broke out in a sweat. When I reached the open door I was completely unprepared for what I saw. I staggered backwards, stifling my own scream, and fell onto the rough bitumen. No, this isn’t happening, I thought, as panic rose inside me.
Claudia was slumped in the driver’s seat with her legs hanging out the car door. The thick metallic aroma of blood assaulted my nose. It looked like Claudia hadn’t had time to put up a fight. She was so still.
The strong urge to be sick rose in my throat, but I suppressed it. All I could
do was sit. I didn’t want to get up, or look at Abby. I knew she was in the car, too. I pushed myself off the road onto my knees and stood up, staring at Claudia. My courage had run for the hills, but I still managed to walk, one step at a time, around the ute. I couldn’t see Abby’s face through the front windscreen, only her outline in the shadows.
When I opened her door, Abby tumbled out into my arms. I fell back again and gravel dug into me as I hit the ground. We sat there for what seemed like forever. I cradled Abby in my arms, not wanting to look at her face. When I finally did she looked peaceful. Her eyes were closed, but she’d put up a decent fight. Her nails were ragged and her clothes were torn. The moonlight shone on her face turning it deathly pale, and that’s when I noticed she was still breathing. I held as still as I could and watched her chest to make sure. There was definitely movement.
“Abby!” I shook her, trying to get a response. “Abby?” She made a funny gurgling sound in her throat. I gently put her back into the passenger seat. Blood from a jagged wound under her chin covered her neck and chest, and I had to resist the urge to be sick again. She was taking short, shallow breaths but wasn’t conscious. I knew Matthew had done this to them. I may not have loved Abby any more, but she didn’t deserve this, and neither did Claudia. I ran back to Claudia’s side and moved her more into the car. Her neck was also covered in blood, and she was starting to come around.
“No, don’t move,” I said, as she raised a hand to her head. “I’m going to get help.”
I stepped back and stared at them both, tears sliding down my face; first Emma, and now this. I didn’t want to leave Abby and Claudia, they were barely clinging to life, but I needed to go and get Grace, she would know what to do. She needed to know Matthew and Cain were near, and Charlotte wasn’t safe. No one was safe. My body turned back towards the shed, set to auto pilot. I called to her in my head, Grace! I thought as hard as I could. I took one step, then another, and then everything went black.
