“Go on. What else?” she asked, her eyes boring into me.
“They’re like werewolves or vampires. To kill them, you have to cut off their heads.” I put my hand over my mouth, hoping to stave off the threatening hysteria.
She looked at me blankly.
“Do you feel Zoe? Here? Now? Don’t you feel her presence?” My hands clung to hers, the cool night air brushing against the wet on my cheek. “Don’t you get it? It’s the only way to kill them. To kill us.”
“Which means…” Grandma glanced at the gravestone. “We’re wasting time.” Throwing herself on the plot of earth, she cupped her hands and dug at superhuman speed, dirt spraying and quickly forming a mound beside her. I joined her. The earth over Zoe’s coffin disappeared rapidly. Finally, we reached the top of the casket. Grandma attempted to unclasp the large metal clamps. “The latches are stuck.”
Or the lid was nailed shut. I focused on the wood, imagining where the nails would be. I saw them in my mind, and melted them. The hot metal seeped through the cracks in the wood and relinquished their hold. I wrenched open the lid.
Zoe lay frozen and untouched by time, her skin grey and her arms crossed over her chest. How long had she been like that?
“Zoe,” I shouted, but she didn’t respond. I lowered my ear to her chest. No heart beat, no intake or release of air. But I could feel her. “She’s alive.”
Except for her coloring, she looked exactly the same. Perhaps her comatose-like state was the reason she hadn’t aged.
“Let’s get her out of here,” Grandma said. Through my watery vision, I saw her motion to her men. “Tal,” she said as he approached, “Joshua and I are taking the body. I’m trusting you to make sure no one follows me but you. Once you’re sure we’re safe, we’ll split up. You’ll return to the base and report to the others. Tell them I went on sabbatical. You’re not to say anything about the body. Not a soul. Understand?”
Tal nodded. “I understand.”
“Have the others fill the grave. In a moment, you and I will leave.”
“Yes, Your Maj—” His eyes touched mine briefly. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Had he been about to say Your Majesty? What the hell? Today was the day for revelations. “You’re Jane Doe?” I accused my grandmother.
She stood straighter and gave me her mom glare, the face that said I’d be grounded if I dared talk back to her. “We can’t go into this right now. We’ll talk when it’s safe.”
“Fine. Let’s go.” I glanced over my shoulder at Hayden’s car, uncomfortable leaving it behind.
“You can’t come with me.” Her tone brooked no argument.
No. I couldn’t bear to be without Zoe or my grandmother so soon. “Take me with you.” I pleaded, tagging along with her to the driver’s side.
Grandma laid her palm on my cheek, gazing into my eyes. “I would love nothing more. But I have to heal her and it needs to be someplace safe.”
“Why can’t I come?” I pouted.
“Because if you disappear, Boris’s people will think you’ve made your choice… me. Then, when you returned, you wouldn’t live five minutes. And then what will happen to Hayden? You’re safer here. Goodbye, sweetheart. I love you.” She effortlessly scooped up Zoe and hefted her into the backseat of the waiting gray Escalade.
As they drove off, I watched her guards follow in separate cars. I wished for them to see her safely away from danger, that Grandma could heal Zoe and that they’d both survive for me to see again.
It seemed like I’d been gone forever. If I didn’t reappear soon, Boris would have people scouring the city for me. If they caught me here, in front of a recently disturbed grave, things could get unpleasant.
I had to get the hell out of there.
Jumping into Hayden’s car, I cringed at my dirty hands and hoped I could get to a bathroom to wash before being spotted. If Hayden noticed me missing, he’d be worried sick. At the stop sign, I called him.
“Tessa, where the hell did you go?” Hayden almost barked the words, sounding royally pissed off. “Are you alright?”
“For now. Can you and Chait meet me at your house?” If anyone figured out what had happened, at least I’d have the protection of the gates and security system, as well as Chait and Hayden.
“Yes. What’s going on?” he asked.
Oh, my God. I’d left the book open to the page I’d been reading. “I can’t talk now. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up and dialed Chait.
“Tessa, what the f—”
“Chait, go into the library and put the book away. I left it open on the table and it belongs on the top of that tall shelf. Do it quickly, then go with Hayden to his house as fast as you can.”
They would beat me to Hayden’s. I prayed danger wouldn’t follow me there. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a choice. I drove under the speed limit, taking care not to attract attention with my movements.
My sister, my grandmother and I were divine sorcerers. If that were widely known, we’d be hunted. Did Boris know? Maybe not everything, but I sensed he knew something. I couldn’t fathom Boris permitting people like us to live — people that might threaten his empire — unless we were on his side. Then he’d capitalize on every last one of my abilities.
Which were what? I should’ve asked Chait to steal the book instead of putting it away.
I’d watched Boris in action, aware he would make a formidable enemy. Any revenge or punishment would come fast and furious. Grandma was right — I had to do better than Zoe. But how?
As I neared Hayden’s place, my body slipped out of flight mode and dragged, the adrenal rush waning. My limbs turned to jelly and my mental defenses sagged. The gate to Hayden’s house loomed ahead.
After I’d gotten a nod from Hayden’s security guy and was past the gate, I sent Hayden an image of me pulling up. He rushed out and met me at the car. I killed the engine, jumped over the door and flung myself at him. “We need to get inside,” I whispered at his ear. I couldn’t take a chance on being overheard. Who knew where Boris’s people might be?
Hayden encircled me with his arms and I felt safe again. His warm and calming energy held off the panic that had hovered at the edges of my mind.
Once inside, we locked the doors and checked all the windows, closing the curtains as we went. I disappeared into the bathroom to wash off the graveyard dirt.
“What the hell is going on?” Hayden asked from the doorway. “Where did you go?”
“I—” I didn’t even know where to begin. I nudged Hayden out of the way and headed for the living room, almost barreling into Chait. “Hey, did you find the book?”
“Yeah, no one was around. I put it away,” Chait answered.
“What happened?” I couldn’t blame Hayden’s impatience, since I’d vanished with his car. He must’ve been worried.
I released the breath I’d been holding and collapsed onto the couch, covering my face with my hands.
Poor Zoe, trapped for a decade in a sealed coffin, probably maimed and unable to move, much less escape. Had my sister slept the whole time or had she been aware of everything? I closed my eyes and imagined the terror that would’ve engulfed her if she realized she’d been buried alive and destined to be a prisoner for eternity.
Imagining it was almost too much to bear. I felt claustrophobic and my lungs struggled for air. With effort, I mentally pulled myself out of Zoe’s prison and concentrated on pushing the picture out of my head. But the horror of it lingered. She hadn’t deserved that.
“I know why Boris is so interested in me and why my family is different,” I said. Then I told Hayden and Chait everything I knew.
Chapter Thirty-four
Hayden
I snuck out of my room and quietly closed the door, so I wouldn’t wake Tessa. In the hallway, I stopped just before the living room.
Chait looked wide awake, standing near the window with a cup of coffee in his hand. “I went outside to scope the place out, see if anyone was a
round. Your mom came out and offered me coffee. After last night, I needed it. Tessa still sleeping?”
“Yeah.” I ran a hand through my hair, exhausted from so little sleep. The three of us had stayed up late while Tessa filled us in. Apparently, she hadn’t been able to shake off the ordeal — she’d tossed and turned all night. But even a bad night snuggling with Tessa was still a pretty good night, sleep deprived or not. “My mom must have been really confused when she saw you.” I’d give her an edited version of the truth later. “We have to go to school. If we do anything unusual, Boris might think something’s up.”
“Looks like I’ll be your bodyguard for a while.” Chait grinned. “Your worst nightmare, huh?”
“Nah. Actually, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have on my side.” I shoved my hands in my pockets and looked down at my bare feet, only sneaking a peek at him to see the surprise on his face. “Honestly, it isn’t about competing for Tessa. None of that matters now. All I care about is keeping her alive.”
Chait didn’t miss a beat. “Okay. If we’re going to be working together, let’s get started.”
“Do you have a plan?” I hoped.
“Not really.” Chait shook his head. “But if only one of you misses school at a time, it’s unlikely anyone will suspect anything. But both of you… I don’t know. Frank will notice and maybe see it as a red flag. Take Tessa to school, if she’s up for it, and you and I can train all day. Tomorrow, I work with her and you go to school.”
I scratched my chin. “Yeah. Our time is better spent learning how to stay alive than studying calculus, for now.”
“It might be a good idea for me to go home later and grab some of my clothes,” Chait added.
The old me would’ve gone mad from the thought of him staying overnight anywhere near Tessa. But we needed Chait’s help every hour of the day. Even then, we might not be safe. “You think we should snag that book? There might be something else in there that could help us.”
“Hey, guys.” Tessa came up behind me and slid her hands around my waist to interlock under my ribs.
I turned around and brushed my hands down her arm. “How are you feeling? Better?”
“Much. Still a little freaked though.”
She wasn’t the only one.
* * * *
A stream of profanity spewed from my mouth as I ate my pride for the zillionth time. I rubbed my hip that had taken the brunt of my falls.
Chait mashed his lips together and looked away. As if I couldn’t figure out he was trying not to laugh.
Maybe I’d perform better if I wasn’t so distracted. I didn’t like Tessa being away from me where I couldn’t protect her. “You think she’s safe at school, right?” I asked.
His mouth dropped open, then closed. He shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. But Boris has no reason to act. I think we’re okay.”
“Yeah.” Just a few more hours and we’d pick her up. She’d be fine.
“We should stop and eat. I’m starving,” Chait informed me. “Plus, you need to recharge.”
“I hurt all over. How fast do we heal?”
“Food. It does a body good. I think you’ll be almost like new by the time we finish lunch.” He slapped a hand on my shoulder. “Hey. It won’t always be like this. I’ve trained a lot of new guys and I’ve never had anyone keep up with me the way you have today.”
My brows scrunched together while I tried to make sense of his words. “I don’t get why I haven’t done better. I’ve been training for years.”
“We all start off weak. Mostly because we don’t know our powers or how to use them yet. Right now, you’re more skilled as a warrior, but I’m stronger and faster. In a few weeks, you’ll have caught up and, I’m sorry to say, you’ll be giving me a stomping.”
“I still have a few weeks before I’m worth anything?” I scowled.
Chait chuckled. “You’re hardly worthless now.”
But if Tessa were in danger, I wouldn’t be much help; not against more experienced witches. Even if I became much stronger in a few weeks, the strength would come after her eighteenth birthday and after she announced her choice. Until then, any sorcerer could pluck me off like a piece of lint. I knew Tessa too well by now — if we ran into trouble and something happened to me, she was the kind of person who wouldn’t run for safety. She wouldn’t leave a man behind. Tessa would stay and end up putting herself in danger — because of me.
Not only was I useless, but having me around was a huge liability to her.
“Suddenly, I’m not that hungry.” Thinking about what I had to do made me want to pound on something. “Let’s spar a little longer.”
* * * *
Since my car couldn’t accommodate Chait and Tessa, I parked it at home and settled on my mom’s SUV. The Mercedes had cost over a hundred grand and wasn’t exactly inconspicuous, but stood out less than mine. And since I’d never be caught dead in my mom’s car at school, no one would know I was behind the tinted glass. It wouldn’t look good to be seen at school when I hadn’t attended my classes.
“We should consider renting a car, something more generic.” I spotted Tessa exiting the double doors of the school and sent her a visual of the Mercedes. When she looked my way, I hit the horn for a split second. “Whatever we can do to throw off any followers might be nice.”
“You have to be twenty-five to rent a car,” Chait said. “They’ll figure out it’s us, no matter what we drive. Your mom still has like four other cars in the garage, right? So we’ll switch when we need to.”
Tessa jumped in the front seat and held her hand out for me. I took it, wanting to kiss her palm. But I couldn’t. Not when these were our last few moments together as a couple. I had to end it quick and clean.
I released her slowly and gripped the steering wheel. “We’ll stop by Chait’s so he can pick up a few things,” I said.
Tessa pivoted in her seat to see Chait. “You think you can sneak that book out?”
“I’ll try.”
“How did you guys do today?” she asked.
“I got my ass handed to me over and over,” I mumbled.
“Great,” Tessa said, making sure we knew by her tone that she didn’t think so at all. “Gives me something to look forward to tomorrow when he beats the crap out of me.”
“How did it go with Frank and Lila? Did you see either of them?” I asked.
“Yes. Both. They asked where you were and I told them that you were spending time with your mom while she and the pervert go through the divorce stuff. Then Frank kind of hovered like he wanted to ask me something. I figured it was because he knew we were hanging out with Chait a lot. I told them how disillusioned and betrayed Chait felt over the whole Rena thing. Now they think he’s considering switching sides.” She grinned. “Chait, if David talks to you, say that after the Rena fiasco, you’re worried we’ll choose wrong, so you’re investing a little extra time in us.”
“Tessa, you astound me.” Chait held up a palm for a high-five.
I was too caught up in my own inner turmoil to really appreciate her slyness.
A few minutes later, we parked about a block from the huge house where Chait and the rest of them lived. He jumped out of the SUV, leaving Tessa and I alone.
This was my moment.
“Tessa, I’ve never been this involved with a girl before.” I stared straight ahead, unable to face her. “I mean, I really care about you but—”
“Are you dumping me?” she asked sharply.
“It’s not like that.” I jiggled the keys hanging in the ignition.
“Then what is it like?” Her eyes narrowed in my peripheral. “Because what you said usually precedes a breakup. So you’re not breaking up with me?”
I sighed. She wasn’t going to make this easy, not that I thought she would. “It’s just that… we’re so different.”
“Oh my God, Hayden, you are dumping me. I can’t believe you. It was only Saturday night that you asked me to be your girlfrie
nd — less than forty-eight hours ago.” She turned away and leaned her head against the seat. “What did I expect?”
“I’m not right for you. You need a guy who wants what you want.” I hesitated, hating myself, but knowing I had to go on. “I’ll never be the doting boyfriend who watches chick flicks and does baby talk and crap like that. A girl’s lucky if I call, much less text. I thought I could do that with you, but I can’t. Not without feeling suffocated.”
She made an odd little noise and I paused. I’d hurt her, but couldn’t stop now. I had to finish it.
“I don’t want to be told what to wear or who to hang out with. I’ll never ask before doing something — I’ll just do it. That’s me, Tessa, like it or not. You need a guy a little more accommodating, someone who sucks up to you and doesn’t mind getting his nose dirty. Someone who’ll play Daddy to Bree. That’ll never be me. Besides, I need someone a little more… relaxed.
“These last two days have been awesome but,” I paused then forced myself to continue, “no way can I keep that promise to not sleep with you for the next few weeks. It’s time to move on.” I glanced over at her, my voice lightening up. “Might not be such a bad thing. It frees you up for Chait. He’s probably more your type anyway.”
“Wow, Hayden, you have that little speech down perfectly. Wrote it a while ago, did ya? Probably before you ever met me.”
I ran my hand through my hair, knowing I deserved everything she threw at me.
“It’s impressive that you lasted almost two full days in a committed relationship. So the real reason you’re moving on is because you need sex? Did I get that right?” The bitterness in her words sliced through me.