by Jamie Magee
Chapter Eighteen
Somewhere in my sleep, the sound of my guitar began to fade, and I heard a much sweeter voice. I heard Draven scream my name. I tried to answer him, but I couldn’t. I was too weak. I felt his lips on mine. I felt warmth, life, and love flowing through me. It was as if I could breathe for the first time ever. I kissed him back. I felt his arms tighten around me and pull me up. I opened my eyes, gasping for breath. Draven was holding me, and Madison and Aden were at his side. It was silent.
“Come on,” Draven said, leaning down to pick me up. “Ride with her,” he yelled at Aden as he ran to his Hummer.
He opened the passenger door of his Hummer and slid me in. I looked out the window to see Madison and Aden climbing in her car. I looked back at the collapsed bridge. I had no idea how I had survived the moment it fell. All you could see was the roof lying across the water. Draven climbed in and pulled me closer to him as he sped through the streets toward his house.
“Where’s my mom? Kara?” I asked as my focus came back to me.
“My house. Your mom wanted to see Nana.”
“Did you tell them I was in danger?” I asked, fearing my mother was near insane at this point.
“No, we didn’t say anything. We just ran. Aden called Madison. We knew she was closer.”
“She should have waited for you. I thought she was gone at first.”
He tightened his arm around me as he drove faster. Once we reached his house, he sped around to the back of the house. I tried to sit up as he got out, but I felt the pain in every single one of my muscles. Draven gently pulled me to him and carried me across the garage.
“She’s bleeding, Draven we should go to the hospital,” Aden demanded.
“It’s nothing. I don’t wanna go anywhere,” I pleaded as I tried to sit up in his arms. Draven held me closer and nodded for Aden to open the door for him. Madison rushed in behind him. As Draven carried me in, I saw Nana, my mom, and Kara around the island in the kitchen. I could see the terror in their eyes and heard the overlapping questions as Draven carried me through the kitchen.
“Find the first aid kit,” he yelled as he carried me up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he turned to the right, then into the first doorway. He laid me across his bed, which centered the room. My mother was right behind us.
“Look at me, Draven. Tell me what happened!”
He looked over his shoulder at my mother as I felt Kara crawl across the bed and start to look over me.
“Stop,” I said, pulling myself up. “I’m fine, just a little weak.”
“Look at me,” my mom said, reaching for my shoulders. “Show me what happened. I think you need to go to the hospital.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m safe here.”
“Look at me!” my mother commanded.
At that instant, I looked into her eyes and let my shield fall. I showed not only her but also each of them every single second that I’d endured, the mock fight with Draven, myself fleeing from the house, the bridge collapsing, my fight for breath under the water, and the words I said to that image.
I looked past my mom at Draven. I could see rage in his eyes as he relived it with me. Aden pushed him out of the room. I’m sure to calm him down. Madison followed them. I knew she was prepared to follow them wherever they chose to go. I pulled myself up. I needed to talk to Draven to calm him down.
“I’ll find the first aid kit,” Kara said, rushing out of the room.
Nana turned and started to go through Draven’s dresser at the end of the bed. I was sure she was looking for something for me to change into.
My mother looked to her side at the thin air. “Do I need to take her to the doctor? How bad is it?” she demanded.
At that moment, the image of my father appeared. He reached his hand for my shoulder, then looked over me carefully and shook his head no. I swear I could see pride beaming from him. My mother tried to smile, but she was too worried for me. She pulled me to the other side of the room where Draven’s bathroom was.
“Take these off so I can see the scrapes,” she said as she closed the door.
I slowly began to take my clothes off, feeling the soreness all over me. Once I pulled my shirt off, I could see the scrapes on my side. They were covered in mud from the creek. I slid my boots off, then my jeans.
“Rinse off so I can treat these,” she said as she turned the water on in the shower.
I didn’t argue. The smell of the creek in my hair was near nauseating. I let the warm water run over me and take away the evidence of the murky water. As I let my hands rush across my side, I could feel small pieces of glass. I pulled them from my skin, squinting in pain as I watched the water wash away the blood.
I heard the door open and shut a few times. I was sure it was Kara and Nana bringing in the first aid kit and clothes for me. I lingered under the warm water, blocking out their voices as they whispered about me. My mind replayed all that I’d faced. I didn’t find relief in my emotions like I should, all I found was dread. I knew that this wasn’t over. We didn’t just fight Britain. That was Bianca. That was the devil.
My mother reached in the shower, turned off the water, and handed me a towel. I didn’t look at her. I kept my eyes down as I took the towel and dried off behind the curtain then wrapped it around me.
I pushed the curtain back to find concerned stares coming from Nana, Kara, and my mom.
Nana reached for a pair of shorts on the counter and held them open for me to slide into. I pulled them up and folded them down to make them small enough for me. Kara handed me a white T-shirt of Draven’s. As I pulled it over my head, I took in the addicting aroma he always seemed to have. I held it above my ribs so my bleeding side wouldn’t stain it. My mom gently gripped my arm and urged me to sit on the side of the tub.
Both she and Nana started to treat the scrapes on my side as Kara brushed my hair out. I just stared forward, lost in a vacant thought.
“Stand up for me,” my mother said quietly.
I did as she requested, and she kneeled at my side so she could see my wounds. She then reached for the first aid kit and pulled out a pair of tweezers.
“I can do this, just leave us alone,” my mom said, looking at Kara and Nana.
Nana put her hand on my mother’s shoulder, then smiled faintly at me as she turned to leave.
“Let me help, Mom,” Kara pleaded.
“We’re fine,” my mother said as she removed another piece of glass from my side.
Kara leaned into me and kissed the side of my brow before she followed Nana. I looked in Draven’s room as she left, wanting to see him, but he wasn’t there.
Once my mother was sure all of the glass was gone, she rubbed medicine across the scrapes then closed the wounds with bandages.
“Good as new,” I mumbled as she stood and started to clean up the mess we’d made.
“No, almost, though,” she said, looking over her shoulder at me.
I thought maybe she was mad at me for not telling Draven, for facing this on my own. I stepped forward and leaned against the counter.
“I didn’t have a chance, Mom. Not after we talked it just happened so fast.”
She stepped closer to me, and her eyes danced all over my face. “You have to promise me that you’ll never make a deal with the darkness.”
“I didn’t,” I said in a confused tone.
“Charlie, I can see clearly. You told them you would not make a deal for silence. You told them you have a price.”
I tried to remember what she was talking about; she heard what I meant the wrong way. I moved my head from side to side. “I told him I wouldn’t come to him for silence and that saving them would be my only reason.”
“Right,” my mother said firmly. “You should have never told them your price.”
“It’s not a price, it’s my way of knowing that no matter what, we can stop this.”
“You’re not a sacrifice. You’re my daughter, and I taught you to be
strong. We don’t give up in this family.”
I looked down and regretted the words I’d said and wondered how I’d pay for them in the distant future.
“I want you to run. Run like hell.”
I looked up at her like she was insane. “You taught me to be strong. Not to run.”
“Don’t use my words against me,” she said as her eyes filled with sympathy. “I want you to run like hell toward your fate. You were born for more than I could ever explain.”
“I’m not leaving you. Your heart has been broken too many times.”
“I’m not alone, Charlie. I never have been, your father has always been at my side. I refuse to lose you. I refuse to watch this destroy you when you’re meant to rule it.”
“Mom, one of the best lessons you’ve taught me is not to be selfish. I watched you give your life to Kara and me. It would be selfish for me to carry this demon to another’s doorstep—we’re not running.”
I watched as she fought back tears and let out a jagged breath. “Embrace your gifts, Charlie. Fight here for now if you want, but you have to fight.”
“I will,” I whispered.
She reached her arms around me and pulled me to her. We swayed back and forth in the silence for a moment or two then she slowly let me go.
She let out a deep breath then opened the door. Draven was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. Madison was on one side of him, and Aden was on the other. He looked up as my mom walked past him. My eyes stared into his as I walked closer.
Draven stood and reached his arms out for me. Madison and Aden stood as well. I could feel the nervous anticipation in the air as I walked closer to Draven. Once in his arms, he pulled me to him, carefully avoiding my side.
“I think we should go,” Aden said, looking at Madison.
“You don’t have to go…” I said, leaning back and looking at them both. “I’m sorry you had to go through that with me. I tried to do it on my own,” I said quietly.
They both shook their heads at once. “I told you we’re stronger together,” Aden said, leaning to kiss my forehead before he turned to leave the room.
Madison’s eyes searched all over me. “I wish I could have gotten there faster, been strong enough to fight through the shadows.”
I let go of Draven and reached my arms out for her. She fought back tears and tried to smile as she stepped closer to me. “Your timing is always perfect, and you were so strong. I saw you help them. I could see the light.”
“You’re the light,” she whispered, hugging me back. She looked down, then reached to grip Draven’s arm as she passed him to leave. Once she closed the bedroom door, I glanced up at Draven to find him staring at me.
I reached up and pulled his lips to mine. As I felt the warmth of his kiss, I felt a passion in my soul.
I felt the aches in my body begin to fade as an urgency to hold him tighter came over me. He was careful not to touch my side as his hands gripped my waist and pulled me against him. As I raised my arms, I felt my bandage come loose, and I feared I was bleeding. I pulled away slowly and reached for my side.
“Let me see,” he said as he raised my shirt. “Lay down. I’ll get another one,” he said, gently encouraging me to lie across the bed. I didn’t argue. I was still weak. I laid on my side and waited for him.
My bag was across his dresser, and everything inside of it was lying out so it could dry. I glanced at the phone and tried to remember if that was mine or Britain’s. Then I remembered throwing Britain’s at the image of Draven.
I felt Draven’s warm hand pull the side of my shirt up. “The moment that image told you I was leaving you, should’ve been the moment you realized it was the darkness toying with you,” he said quietly as he replaced the bandage on my side.
I looked down at him and reached my hand to cradle his face. “Are you seeing me now?”
He leaned in and gently kissed my side, sending a warm sensation through every part of me before he answered. “I see tonight…I’m still blind to the void.”
I reached for his arm and pulled him to me. He crawled to my side and leaned over me. I found myself captivated by the beauty in his green eyes. “I’ll show you everything,” I whispered as I let my fingers run through the dark locks of his hair. I took in a deep breath and remembered it all.
“Show me,” he demanded quietly.
I held his stare and let it all flow every single second of that night, everything that led to it. I watched as rage filled his eyes and he slowly sat up. I braced my hand on his arm. “Please don’t be mad at me. I thought they were going to hurt you,” I whispered.
We rode waves and waves of emotion as he went over all that I’d been through, all the impossible things I’d seen.
“No more secrets…promise me,” he said when the same state of shock I was riding took residence inside of him.
“I promise,” I said as tears hazed over my eyes.
He leaned forward and gently kissed my lips. I felt my heart race and my skin blush with anticipation as his arms gently wrapped around me. As he laid me down, I squinted in pain. I was prepared to ignore it just so I could feel his touch, but he wasn’t prepared to watch me try. He slowly pulled away and stared into my eyes.
“I guess the best thing about all of this…was falling deeper in love with you. I feel like it taught me to never take you for granted. It showed me that what we have between us is divine, sacred, and it can never be divided…at least not for long.”
“I love you,” I whispered.
A blushing smile beamed across his face.
“What?”
“You haven’t told me that since you lost your memory…I missed hearing it.”
My eyes searched across his captivating image. He was right.
“Tell me you at least felt it,” I asked as sorrow filled my eyes.
He gently reached his hand to caress my face. “I felt it the moment you saw me in that restaurant. I felt you wanting me to come over to the table and say something to you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Not driving to that ER, not watching you walk the line at your graduation was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to let you come back. I was terrified that if I showed up and demanded that you remember me, our life together would stay lost in your memories. I had to wait for you to find your way, but I was always there, right there, listening for you to ask me to be with you, for you to let me in.”
“You’re stronger than me, if this was reversed, I wouldn’t have been able to wait.”
“You never know how strong you are until you have no other choice,” he said just before he stole a kiss. “I want to run away with you…I think we need to go with Austin.”
My eyes raced across his face. “Before we go…we’re gonna have to figure out how to control the darkness.”
“We’re running from it. Why would we need to control it?” he asked, sitting up, prepared to argue with me.
I pulled myself up and caught his intense stare. “We gotta build the ladder, Draven. Jacob’s Ladder. Write a song to help thousands, millions at once. They are our power. We have to learn to command and respect the honor of this.”
“A concert for the dead?” he said as he raised his brow. I could tell he was deeply considering my words by the excitement I saw in his calm eyes.
I nodded. “I commanded them to save you tonight, before that, I promised countless others that I’d help them if they cleared a path for me. This blends our gifts.” I reached for him. “This is the beginning of our freedom.”
He smiled a little as he pulled me closer; I flinched as I felt the pain in my side. He pulled away. “I’m gonna get you some medicine. I can’t stand knowing you’re in pain.”
I nodded, then laid down and watched him leave. I let out a deep breath as I felt relief come over me. Charlie was back.
The sound of a vibration pulled me from my thoughts. I sat up slowly and looked to the dresser to see the li
ght of my phone illuminated. How it could have possibly survived the creek? I edged to the side of the bed and walked slowly to the dresser.
I could see Britain’s name before I ever reached the phone. My trembling hands picked it up and slid the bar so I could read the text that just arrived.
Bianca wasn’t destroyed. She was cut loose. Duck.
At that moment, Draven came in the room with a bottle of water and two pills. He sat them on the dresser and questioned me with his eyes. I looked at him and let him see what had terrified me so badly. Rage filled his eyes as he rushed to my side, leaned down, then grabbed the phone and read it with his own eyes. He threw it across the room and pulled me to him.
“She can’t hurt me. Not with you at my side. I’m not running,” I said in the most confident tone I could manage.
I reached for his lips pulling him to me, at first his kiss was subtle, but I deepened it. I overpowered him. His hands glided down my sides, easing around my bandages. I broke from his lips and pulled his neck to me, “You’re mine. Only mine.”
I felt his embrace tighten around me; his lips find my forehead, my nose, then my lips.
“I love you Draven Michaels.”
“Love you.” he said as his lips brushed against mine.
“Come…” I said, pulling away. “Let’s go play…we have a song to write.”
“You need to rest,” he said, letting his lips rest on my forehead.
“I’ve been asleep too long. I want to fight, and this is the only way I know how.”
I reached for the pills and water then opened the door. I looked over my shoulder to make sure he was following me.
As I walked down the hallway, I knocked on the door I was sure was Aden’s. I’d already passed it when he opened it.
“Where’s Madison?” I heard Draven ask.
“Downstairs,” Aden said.
“Go get her, we’re writing,” Draven said he as caught up to me.
He put his arm around me and led me to the stone steps that went to the studio.
“Stay right here,” he said before I reached the top.
I looked at him curiously as he passed me. Aden came to the steps and asked, “Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I just need to hear music, make something strong.”
Draven came to the top steps and held out his hand for me to come. When I stepped into the room, I realized he’d simply closed the window off. He’d put us in our own world. A smile came across my face as he helped me to the couch.
Aden went to his drums, and Draven selected a guitar from the stand beneath the window. Madison came in at that moment, looking around the room curiously.
“Have a seat,” I said, nodding to the chair.
“Shouldn’t you be resting?” she asked as she crossed the room.
“Who has time to sleep? You can help put lyrics to what we write. I don’t want you to go far.”
A grin spread across her face as she relaxed into the chair. Draven came to my side and held his arm out so I could move closer to him. He placed the guitar across us. I let my fingers grasp the neck.
“What sound are we looking for?” Aden asked as he twirled his sticks.
I leaned up and stole a kiss from Draven then looked down at the guitar across us and played the most powerful note I could create. As the sound faded, I looked across the room at each of them.
“Something completely wicked, a song that holds every emotion, but its foundation is the most powerful one. We’re building a ladder.”
A grin spread across Aden’s face, highlighting his dimples. He began to hash out a rhythm, and Madison rocked to the sound.
Draven leaned into me and whispered, “I love you.”
I stared back at him with weary eyes and mouthed the words I love you.
Madison and Aden just grinned at us.
Draven took control of the guitar and began to play a tune so powerful, I could feel it in my core. I knew I was safe right now…I just didn’t know for how long.
Special Note:
Whispers of the Damned is part of the “Web of Hearts and Souls,” a massive story where more than one series connect. Each series can be read separately or together.
SEE READING ORDER:
Whispers of the Damned
Witness of a Broken Heart
Synergy of Souls
Redefined Love Affair
Derive (Aden's Beginning)
A Lovers Revolt
Scorched Souls
COMBINED WEB OF HEARTS AND SOULS READING ORDER:
Insight
Embody
Image
Whispers of the Damned
Witness
Vital
Vindicate
Synergy
Enflame
Redefined
Rivulet
Imperial
Blakeshire
Derive
Emanate
Exaltation*
Disavow
The Witches
Revolt
Scorched Souls
