Inspiring You

“About the first time we had sex?” I squeak, sounding pathetic.

  “Don’t freak out.” She bites back a smile. “I won’t use your name.”

  “It’s not my name I’m worried about. I just want to be the only one who gets to see you like that.”

  “No one will see anything just from a song,” she says, highly amused.

  “That all depends on how descriptive you are.”

  “I won’t be descriptive. I’ll just write about how I feel.”

  “Which . . . Which is good, right?” I need to know—need to make sure she’s okay with that just happened between us.

  “Of course. What happened between us . . . It was really, really good.” Even though she confidently maintains my gaze, a blush creeps across her cheeks. “We do get to do it again, right?”

  My own cheeks heat as I nod.

  We stare at each other for a heartbeat or two then I lift my head while pulling her against me, so our lips meet halfway. She groans from the connection as I grip her hip and roll her over, covering my body over hers. Right as things start to heat up again, though, my phone rings. I try to ignore it and continue exploring Lyric’s mouth and body, but the damn thing won’t shut up.

  I grunt in frustration as I push back from Lyric.

  She giggles as I climb off the bed to dig my phone out of the pocket of my jeans that are balled up on the floor.

  “I love when you get frustrated like that,” she says. “It’s so adorable.”

  I smile at her as I swipe my finger across the screen. But when I see I’ve missed over ten calls from Lila, I frown.

  “Shit, it’s Lila . . . She’s called a lot.” I dial her number as I put my boxers on. “She’s probably freaking out that I didn’t answer.”

  “Ayden!” Lila cries before I can even get out a hello. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”

  “Sorry, Lyric and I were practicing some of our songs, and I didn’t hear it ring,” I lie as I pick up my jeans and slip them on.

  “I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried sick. I even called the police and told them to check on you, so don’t be surprised when the doorbell rings.”

  Right on cue, the doorbell echoes through the house.

  “Who is that?” Lyric wonders as she gets out of bed and starts getting dressed.

  I hold up my finger, indicating I’ll be right back then I step out into the hallway heading for the stairway. “They just rang the doorbell,” I tell Lila. “I’m headed down to tell them I’m okay. I’m really sorry I didn’t answer.”

  “It’s okay. It’s okay.” Her tone carries an edge.

  I pause. “Is everything okay?”

  She hesitates before she utters, “Ayden, the police found your sister.”

  A wave of fear and relief rushes through me. “They found her? Where was she? Is she okay?” I struggle to get air into my lungs.

  They found her.

  But where?

  Is she hurt?

  Is she . . .

  “She’s alive,” Lila says. “I don’t know the exact condition she’s in, but you can meet me down at the hospital and we’ll find out what’s going on.”

  “Did they arrest anyone?” I can barely hear over my deafening heartbeat. “Did they catch my father?”

  “They said they made some arrests, but I don’t know all the details. When the detective called, he didn’t say much, but I’ll get more information from him when we get to the hospital.”

  “I’ll head there right now.” I hang up and my legs buckle out from under me.

  “Ayden.” Lyric appears beside me. Her eyes sweep across me, as if she’s checking for visible wounds. “What happened?”

  “They found Sadie,” I manage to get out.

  She kneels down on the floor in front of me, moving slowly, as if she’s approaching a skittish cat. “Is she . . . Alive?”

  I nod and that’s when I lose it.

  Sadie is alive.

  Sadie is alive.

  She made it.

  She survived.

  I start to cry and Lyric wraps her arms around me and rubs my back.

  I cry even harder. For Sadie. For Felix. And for myself. Because for the first time in my life I don’t feel so weighed down.

  I don’t want to think it, because it feels wrong to after spending so much time being chased by the Soulless Mileas, but maybe, just maybe this will finally all be over soon.

  “LYRIC, WHY DON’T YOU HELP your dad in the kitchen while I finish saying goodbye to everyone,” my mom says to me as I pace the foyer in my house, biting my fingernails.

  I distractedly look up at her. “Huh?”

  She heaves a sigh as she approaches me. “Honey, I know you’re worried about Ayden, but wearing a hole through the floor isn’t going to help.”

  “He said he’d text me and give me an update when he made it to the hospital.” I check my phone again and frown when I see I have zero new messages. I wish I could’ve gone with him, but my mom and Lila didn’t think that was a good idea since Ayden’s going to be talking with the police. “He left over an hour ago.” I tuck my phone away. “He has to be there by now.”

  “Honey, I’m sure he’ll call you as soon as he can.” She puts her hands on my shoulders and steers me toward the kitchen. “Now go get your mind off of stuff and help your dad clean up.”

  I begrudgingly go into the kitchen where my dad, Fiona, Everson, and Kale are cleaning up dirty dishes, food trays, and wine glasses left over from my mom’s guests. Uncle Ethan dropped the three of them off about twenty minutes ago and then headed straight for the hospital. He didn’t say much, but I could see the concern on his face when he mentioned needing to get an update on Sadie’s condition. I worry how hurt she is. How much they broke her. She’s been with them so long . . . God, it’s hard to think about the stuff she must have been through.

  I begin wandering around the house, picking up stray cups and plates while my mom urges guests toward the front door, trying to get them to leave as quickly as possible without seeming like a total douchebag about it.

  “How are you holding up after what happened?” my dad asks as I return to the kitchen with a stack of plates.

  “Fine.” I set the plates down in the sink. “I’m just worried about Ayden and how he’s handling this.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine.” He gives my shoulder a squeeze. “He’s a strong person.”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” I think about all the obstacles Ayden has overcome in his life, including the one I just helped him with only hours ago when we were in his room.

  “Why do you look flushed?” My dad questions, studying me closely.

  I lean back, hoping to God he can’t see the answer on my face. He can barely handle the idea of me having a boyfriend. I can only imagine what he’d do if he found out I just had sex.

  “I’m just a little hot. I think I’m going to go turn the air conditioning up.” I round the kitchen island, heading for the thermostat in the hallway. When I reach it, I don’t turn the air up, since I’m not really that hot.

  I slump against the wall and take a minute to collect myself. I’m just about to go back into the kitchen when my phone vibrates. I dig it out of the pocket, so eager to read the message that I drop the phone on the floor.

  “Shit.” I pick it up and swipe my finger across the screen.

  Ayden: Hey, sorry I didn’t text u sooner. Things have been crazy.

  Me: But she’s ok, right? I mean, your sister?

  Ayden: I haven’t seen her yet . . . I guess she had a broken arm that needed an operation. But the doctors said she should be fine. At least physically.

  I squeeze my eyes shut as tears sting my eyes. Poor Sadie. I can’t believe people can be so cruel, so brutal, so ugly. The only thing that gets the tears to stop is that I remind myself there’s also wonderful, amazing, beautiful stuff in the world. That not everything is bad.

  Me: Where did they find her?

  Ayden
: That’s the strange part. She actually showed up at the police station.

  Me: What???

  Ayden: Yeah, she walked in and said who she was and that they let her go. Then she passed out. I guess the police had just raided the house she was being kept at and someone took off with her before she was found, but then they just dropped her off at the police station . . . It’s so weird.

  Me: That is really weird. Maybe the person who left her at the police station just panicked or something.

  Ayden: Maybe. I don’t have all the details yet, but I should be talking to the detective soon. Hopefully, he won’t try to pull that secretive shit and keep me in the dark about stuff.

  Me: Let me know how it goes. And come see me as soon as you get home. I know it’s only been a few hours since you left, but I miss you. I’m seriously going to turn into one of those needy girlfriends.

  Ayden: I miss you too. I wish you were here with me. I’d probably be a lot more relaxed.

  Me: I can try to relax you when you when you get back.

  Ayden: That sounds nice.

  Me: Good. It’s a date then.

  For a split second, everything feels like it’s going to be all right. Then another message pings through.

  Ayden: I have some bad news, though. The police made a lot of arrests, but as of now, they haven’t found my dad.

  My fingers constrict around the phone. “Dammit.”

  Me: What are they going to do?

  Ayden: Keep looking for him. And I have to be watched by an officer at all times until they find him.

  My head slumps forward. I was so hopeful this was coming to an end, that Ayden was finally safe. But he’ll never be until his dad’s behind bars.

  Me: I’m sorry, Ay. I really am.

  Ayden: I hate this.

  Me: So do I. But they have to be closer to finding him, right? If they’ve found all those other people.

  Ayden: I hope so . . . I just really want this to all be over.

  Me: Me too.

  Ayden: I have to go. The detective just showed up. Call u when I’m headed home. I love u.

  Me: I love u too.

  With a heavy heart, I tuck the phone away and walk into the kitchen. Most of the plates and cups have been picked up and the air smells of lemon cleaner. Kale, Everson, and my dad have wandered off somewhere, but Fiona is at the table, munching on a cupcake.

  “He’s still sad,” she remarks as I join her at the table.

  I grab a cupcake off a platter and lick off a bite of frosting. “Who’s still sad?”

  She plucks a candy off the top of the cupcake and pops it into her mouth. “Ayden.”

  I peel the wrapper down and take a bite of the cake. “I don’t think he’s sad. Just stressed out.”

  “No, he’s sad.” She sets the cupcake on the table. “He’s sad over his sister. And over you.”

  I freeze, mid bite. “Over me?”

  She nods. “He’s sad because he thinks he’s going to lose you because he can’t do stuff with you.”

  “Did you hear him say that?” I ask, trying not to get wigged out by her matter-of-fact attitude.

  She simply shakes her head. “Nope, I felt it.”

  “You say that a lot. But I’m still not sure what you mean.”

  “It’s hard to explain. And you probably wouldn’t believe me if I tried.” She sits back in her chair and picks up the cupcake again. “My mom knew about me, though. It’s why she gave me up. Because I was a weirdo.”

  Her words make me pause. I know Fiona’s story. Know her mother was a drug addict and Fiona was taken away from her, so I have no idea why she just said what she did.

  “Do you want to watch a movie or something?” I ask, hoping to get her mind off stuff.

  “Nah, movies are lame.” Her mood abruptly lifts. “You want to help me with this art project I’m working on? Maybe we could even get your mom to help with it.”

  “Sure.” I scoot back from the table and stand up. “Just let me go change into my pajamas and then I’ll meet you in the living room, okay?’

  “Thanks, Lyric. You’re the best.” She heads for the living room, but stops in the doorway. “You’re kind of like the sister I never had. And just think, when you and Ayden get married, you’ll be my sister-in-law.”

  She skips out of the room, leaving me shaking my head.

  Marriage. I’m so not ready for that yet. Maybe a ways down the road, in like five or six years. Still, just thinking about the future, the possibilities, gets me excited. I just need Ayden here with me.

  When I reach my bedroom. I’m extremely distracted as I slip off my sandals and turn on the light, and it takes me a second to notice something’s different about my room. At first, I can’t place a finger on what it is, only that I have an uneasy feeling. I glance at the floor, at the window, then the walls. That’s when I spot the circular symbol painted just above my bed. The same symbol that the Soulless Mileas tattooed on Ayden’s side.

  I spin for the door to run downstairs, but crash into a hard, solid object. I trip backwards and open my mouth to scream, but the man I ran into quickly bends down and slaps a hand over my mouth.

  “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Lyric.” A grin spreads across his face.

  Terror whips through me as I note the knife in his other hand, and I mentally calculate what I should do. There’s no way I’m just going to give in to whatever he’s planning on doing to me; no way I’m going down without a fight. So, I lift my leg to kick him right in the stomach, putting every ounce of strength I have in it.

  He curses, falling down on me, and crushing me with his weight. But he recovers quickly and wrestles me to the floor. His hand slips from my mouth as he works to pin me down. I start to scream again, but he moves the knife to my throat.

  “Don’t give me a reason to kill you,” he warns, his eyes darkening. “It would really make me angry, especially since I’m not the one who’s supposed to kill you.”

  I swallow hard and the movement causes the blade to graze my skin.

  He assesses me, then stands up, yanking me to my feet with him. Gripping me by the arm, he drags me to the dresser and cranks up the stereo so loudly I can’t hear myself think—so loud no one can hear me scream.

  “M-my parents are going to hear the music and come up here,” I stammer as he grabs me by the hair.

  He shakes his head. “You do this enough that they won’t even give it a second thought.”

  Vomit burns at my throat. He’s right. I’ve blasted my music for as long as I can remember, and my parents are so used to it by now that it hardly bothers them. What I don’t get, though, is how he knows this.

  “We need to get Ayden here,” he says loudly over the music. “He’s the one who’s supposed to be doing this. He’s the one who needs his soul cleansed.”

  I’m not quite sure what he’s talking about, but I’m guessing it has to do with the Soulless Mileas and their ritual. My adrenaline skyrockets as panic sets in. I need to get out of here. Now! Figure out a way, Lyric!

  “I have an idea,” the man says thoughtfully as he backs me into the wall and lines the knife with my throat again. “Do you have your phone on you?”

  Every instinct I have tells me to lie, so I shake my head.

  His eyes darken and he roughly sticks his hand into my pocket and grabs my phone. A smile curls at his lips as he scrolls through my contacts and presses a few buttons.

  While he’s not paying attention, I seize the opportunity, bring my leg up, and knee him in the balls. He hunches over, gasping for air.

  I bolt for the door, opening my mouth, “Help—”

  I’m slammed from behind and shoved to the floor. I land hard on my face, but promptly flip over onto my back. The man jumps on me, his knee connecting with my stomach.

  I gasp as the wind is knocked out of me.

  “I guess it’s going to be me, then.” He pins my arms to the floor then raises his knife above his head.

  I kick
him again, refusing to give in, as I open my mouth to scream, praying someone will hear me.

  I’M STANDING IN THE BUSY waiting room of the hospital, waiting for my sister to get out of surgery while listening to Detective Rannali give me an update on what they’re doing to find my father, when I get a text.

  Lyric: I have her. It’s time to cleanse your soul, Ayden. And u better be a good son and come alone.

  It feels like a knife has been gashed into my heart, and I’m bleeding out from the inside. I can’t breathe. Can’t get oxygen into my lungs as I painfully realize what the note left in Lyric’s locker meant.

  “Ayden, what’s wrong?” Lila jumps up from the chair she’s sitting in and rushes to me.

  “My dad . . . He has Lyric,” I croak as I hand her my phone.

  She reads the message and her skin drains of color. “Oh God. This can’t be happening. No . . . no . . . no . . .”

  Detective Rannali grabs the phone from Lila. “What’s going . . .” He trails off as he reads the message. “Shit.”

  I spin around, pushing people out of my way as I run for the exit doors.

  “Ayden! Wait!” Lila chases after me with Ethan tailing at her heels. “You can’t go anywhere by yourself!”

  I whirl around. “They have Lyric, Lila. I have to find her.” I start to turn around, heading for the parking lot.

  Her fingers fold around my arm and she forces me to stop. “We don’t even know where she is.”

  “Then we have to find out—we have to find her.” Reality crashes over me and I almost collapse to the ground.

  God, please don’t let him hurt her.

  I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her.

  I’d crumple into dirt.

  Disappear into an eternity of darkness.

  Fade away into nothing.

  I don’t care if it makes me seem weak.

  Just thinking about living without her.

  It’s killing me.

  “We’ll find her.” Lila guides me back toward the doors. “But we need to be safe about it.”

  Ethan walks on the other side, staying close, like he’s afraid I’m going to try to run off again. I want to. Want to get the hell out of here and find Lyric. No, not want. Need.