The Awakening (Daray Hall #1)

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Ten minutes after my confrontation with Andrea, I’m pacing back and forth in my room, thinking about what to do. Andrea’s more involved in this than we thought. She’s the one calling the shots! Travis might not even have anything to do with this. I’ve made a terrible mistake…

  I can’t go to Jillian or Carlos, or something bad will happen to Tara. I can confront Andrea again, but that might just provoke her into doing something rash that will get Tara hurt, or even worse. No, I have to be patient for now, and hope that a solution will present itself. Unfortunately, patience is not something I’ve ever been particularly great at, especially when Tara is involved. The thought of standing around, waiting for something to happen, causes my blood to boil and my heart to race.

  Oh, and Kylie? Don’t do anything stupid…

  Thinking of her final words to me just pisses me off even more, and I feel like returning to her room, kicking down the door, and hauling her through the halls right to Jillian’s room. But I can’t do that, because where does that leave Tara? Screwed, that’s where.

  I whirl, and slam my hands down on my dresser. I groan, and sit down on the edge of my bed. There’s nothing I can really do, except pretend that everything is alright. How do I pretend that my best friend isn’t possibly tied up somewhere so that she can be the final sacrifice?

  I still don’t know where Andrea’s final sacrifice is going to take place, and it’s not like I can just go up to her and ask. I can’t ask Jillian or Carlos either. But who else would know where Andrea likes to spend her alone time?

  Austin is my first thought, but right now I can’t tell whether or not to trust him. If he knows what his sister is doing and doesn’t care, that makes him just as guilty. If he knows what his sister is doing and is helping, I’m screwed if I go to him.

  Maybe Chloe or Morgan could get him to reveal something about Andrea without it sounding really suspicious.

  The door opens, and Chloe sticks her head in. She looks tired and upset, and she’s holding a bag of ice up to the back of her head. “Kylie, I am so sorry. Tara and I got separated, someone hit me with something, and then everything went dark. When I woke up, I was alone, and I figured Tara was gone. She is, isn’t she?”

  I nod. “I confronted Andrea in her room, and she told me that if I didn’t get out of her room I’d never see Tara again. What do I do, Chloe? I can’t go to Jillian, I can’t go to Carlos, I can’t go to anyone or she could die!”

  “You can come to me. What do you know for sure?”

  “Andrea’s keeping Tara somewhere, and I have no idea where that place might be. I know it can’t be on Daray grounds, but that doesn’t really help much. There a million other places she could be. And it’s not like I can ask her, right? I thought Austin might know where Andrea likes to go, but I can’t think of a way to ask him without sounding suspicious of something.”

  “I have an idea. What if we head down to lunch early, like nothing’s wrong, and just ask Austin? We’ll tell him that we’re planning a surprise party for her. Their birthday is in like a week, right? We’ll ask if there’s any place in particular she’s fond of. It could work.”

  I shake my head. “How do we explain to him that we’re planning a surprise party for her and not him? He’d think that was strange, and he might mention it to her. I can’t risk it.”

  “Alright, how about we corner Travis and try to force it out of him.”

  “I’m not even sure if he has anything to do with this anymore. From what I gathered during my talk with Andrea, she’s the one calling the shots. I think Travis might have just been a diversion. Or maybe hired muscle. He won’t know anything.”

  “Alright, we’ll just have to watch Andrea and hope she leads us right to Tara.”

  I have an idea, but it might be stupid. “What about Kaven? He’s been here for a few years. He’ll know if there are any places nearby that she could take Tara. It has to be close.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, I felt when Tara got taken. My gift from Pandia warned me, and I ran up here as fast as I could. She was already in her room, looking dirty and disheveled.”

  “Alright, so we’re looking for a place really close and really dirty.”

  “I just don’t see how it’s possible she could get Tara there and back before I got to their room. Travis might be involved after all. He could have taken her somewhere while Andrea got up here. He was gone from the second part of our lesson.”

  “Do you think Kaven can be trusted? I mean, he did try to use you before. He might not be as innocent as you think,” Chloe warns.

  I nod. “I trust him. He and I just had a heart-to-heart in the middle of the gym. If he can help, I have to try it. Besides, I can make it look like I’m just visiting for a quickie or something. Nobody will find that odd, considering what they already say about me.” Chloe gives me a look, and I shrug. “I can’t help what people of me, and right now I really don’t care. So I might as well use their thoughts to my advantage. Help me look like I’m getting ready for a quickie.”

  She sighs, but helps me dig through her things for something to wear. Chloe hands me a really short jean skirt, and a thin, white camisole. Then she hands me a black sheer shirt to wear over it, and tells me to leave the top three buttons undone. When I’m done dressing, I take one look at myself in the mirror, and I want to hide under my covers.

  But I can’t. As strange as it sounds, dressing and acting like a whore in the next few minutes is going to help Tara. This might be my only chance to get someone else on my side. Someone that might know where Tara’s being held.

  Chloe whishes me luck, and I step out into the hallway, trying to ignore the stares from the girls around me. Some of them step aside with disgusted looks on their faces, and I listen to the whispers around me.

  “I’ll bet she’s going to Kaven’s room.”

  “I heard they made-up in the gym, right there in front of everyone.”

  “I thought she was better than that.”

  For added measure, I make sure to have a sly and hopefully seductive smirk on my face. I try to remember how Chloe used to walk, and add a little extra swing to my hips as I make my way down to the main floor and out to the Protector’s barracks. Guys turn and whistle as I walk past, and I try not to feel self-conscious standing in front of Kaven’s door.

  When he finally answers the door, he takes one look at me, and frowns. “I thought you said you needed time to figure things out.”

  “I do. I just want you to help me figure them out.”

  Someone whistles, and I shove Kaven inside his room, and kick the door closed behind me. Kaven frowns again, and puts up his hands. “Kylie, I’m flattered, really, but–”

  “Kaven, I desperately need your help.”

  That stops him, and he stares at me, surprised. “What’s going on?”

  “Travis disappeared during the training lesson, and I think he helped Andrea McLean abduct my friend Tara.”

  “Kylie–”

  “Kaven, Andrea’s the killer! I just confronted her about it in her room. She admitted to it, and she told me that if I do anything stupid she’ll make sure I never see Tara again. She told me not to go to Jillian or Carlos, so I didn’t. I’m making an unscheduled booty call.”

  “Genius.”

  I shrug. “I thought so. Now, I have a few questions, and I need you to answer them as well as you can. Alright?”

  He nods. “I’ll do anything I can to help.”

  “Is there any place near Daray that Andrea might have taken Tara? It would have to be secluded, and not very well-traveled. Someplace nobody is likely to stumble upon.”

  He thinks to himself for a minute, and I feel like grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. But I clench my hands and force myself to remain still and silent.

  “Well, there’s an old home about a block from here. It was seized by the city years ago for being unsafe to live in. They’ve been trying to tear it do
wn for years, but they never have the spare time or funds. It’s pretty secluded.”

  “Anyplace else?”

  “Um, there’s an empty lot on the other side of the park, a graveyard, an abandoned warehouse, a–”

  “Wait, did you say a graveyard?” I ask excitedly. “A graveyard would be perfect for a sacrificial murder. Dark, private, secluded, and perfect for…disposing a body.”

  He runs his hand nervously through his hair. “That seems like a logical choice, but what are you going to do? Wait until dark and sneak out, hoping to catch Andrea in the act? Kylie, I’m sorry, but none of this makes sense to me.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to tell you everything.”

  He smirks. “Actually, I’m very good at what we’re supposed to be doing right now. You’ve got time.”

  I smack his chest, and step away from him. “Kaven, this is too serious to joke around! Andrea is going to sacrifice Tara tonight and unleash a shit storm. I have to stop her.”

  “Alright, sorry. Maybe you should start at the very beginning, and fill me in on everything.”

  I don’t want to take the time, but I have to. The more he knows the better. He might be able to help me come up with a plan of attack.

  Thirty minutes later, I’m leaving Kaven’s room amidst catcalls and whistles. I give them a seductive look, and try not to feel creepy about doing it. Kaven was actually a huge help, and I now have a plan and a place to start looking. Now I just need to sit around, watching Andrea, waiting for her to make the first move. After that, I can finally act.

  I just hope it isn’t too late…

  I make my way back up to my room, and find Chloe waiting impatiently on her bed. She jumps up when she sees me. “What the hell took you so long? I was worried sick about you!”

  “Calm down, would you? I have to fill Kaven in on everything. I’m glad I went to him, Chloe. He helped me come up with a plan and a place. All that’s left to do now is wait until nightfall, when Andrea sneaks out to complete the ritual.”

  “Alright, so what is the plan?”

  “Andrea is going to sneak off Daray grounds sometime in the next few hours to finish off her ritual. You and I are going to be in the chapel, waiting for her to leave. When she does, you’re going to run and find Jillian and Carlos, and lead them to the graveyard. I’m going ahead to try and stop Andrea from completing the ritual.”

  “Why do you have to go alone?”

  “Because there’s nobody else that we can trust with Tara’s life. You’ll bring help; it’ll be alright, Chloe. Everything will work out for the best, I promise.”

  She frowns. “I don’t know if I like this, Kylie. What if something happens? What if you get seriously hurt? What if Jillian and Carlos arrive too late and the ritual gets completed?”

  I put a hand up to silence her complaints. “Chloe, I know that this plan is far from perfect. There are quite a few things that can go wrong, but it’s the best plan we have. Promise me you’ll help me.”

  She nods. “I promise.”

  The chapel is deserted, like I hoped it would be, and Chloe and I are sitting in one of the pews. We’ve been watching for Andrea for the past hour, and there still isn’t any sign of her. I’m starting to think we might have missed our chance, and Tara’s already dead.

  I would know. If something happened to her, I’d feel it…

  Chloe sighs, and shifts uncomfortably. “How much longer do you think it’ll be? It’s almost eleven thirty. Is she waiting for midnight, ya think?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know, but it has to be soon. The full moon won’t last forever.”

  “I can’t believe this is really happening. When I first arrived at Daray, I never once thought I’d be sitting around with a nerd like you waiting for a killer to pass by,” she looks at me. “I never thought my best friend would be such an honorable, caring person that she would be willing to risk her life for someone she loves.”

  I smile at her. “I’m not surprised, considering who your friends consisted of until recently.”

  “Kylie?”

  I look at her again. “Yeah?”

  “Whatever happens after tonight, I want you to know that I’m really glad I met you.”

  “What?” I ask, staring. “Chloe–”

  “I mean that. You’re the bravest, nicest, most wonderful person I’ve ever met. I just hope that someday I can be more like you. Unashamed of who I really am, able to stand up for myself and make friends like you, and be as important to the goddess as you are.”

  “Chloe, I’m really glad I met you, too,” I say, taking her hand. “You’re by far one of my favorite people in the world. And just so we’re not confused, I like the real you, not the fake one. Never be ashamed of who you are.”

  She nods, and drops my hand to wipe her eyes. She clears her throat, and goes back to looking out the window. Neither of us speaks for a few minutes, until, “There!” Chloe whispers. “Andrea’s sneaking out the gate.”

  I jump off the pew and race to the chapel doors. “Go find Jillian and Carlos. Remember, if it’s not the graveyard, it’s the empty house or lot. Just keep trying!”

  I offer up a quick prayer to Selene. Please, goddess, keep us safe tonight…

  I cling to the shadows of the trees as I follow Andrea, careful to avoid being seen. She stops to look around a few times, and I shrink farther back into the darkness. I think I’ve avoided detection, but I can’t be sure.

  I follow her for almost fifteen minutes, until she finally stops.

  At the graveyard.