Catalyst

  "You're going have a baby?" he whispered and smiled. Then he absolutely beamed. "You're going to have a baby? That's why you've been so sick?"

  "Yes, we're going to have a baby."

  He kissed her and then smiled the smile of a man who was more happy than he knew what to do with.

  Then he promptly fainted.

  Merrick and Max got Jeff on the couch and awake. Marissa knelt at his side, a ball of worry and amusement. He sat up and took her face in his hands.

  "Was I dreaming? Please say no."

  "No," she answered and laughed softly. She let him kiss and cradle her to him. I couldn't remember ever seeing him as happy and satisfied and…human before.

  Danny went and turned on the console record player. I thought about telling him that we weren't in the mood. That even with Jeff's happy news, it had still been a sucky day.

  But then I realized it was exactly what we needed.

  I looked up at Merrick and he smiled that slow grin that said he knew me and knew what I wanted. Or needed. Per Trudy's tradition, Celeste and Danny, and Paul and Kate twirled and laughed. Merrick pulled me to him and held me close as we stood still, but enjoyed the music next to the stairs. I closed my eyes as I let his calming warmth seep into me. Etta James crooned 'At Last' and I opened my eyes to look around. Jeff and Marissa were happy, Cain and Lillian were sweet, Calvin and Lana were talking. She saw me looking and signed 'Are you alright?' I nodded, but she gave me a look to show she didn't believe me. I smiled and got Calvin's attention. I mouthed, 'You wanna dance?' The look of disgust and quick shake of his head was pretty adorable.

  I laughed and looked at Merrick, who was watching me closely. How ridiculous were our lives now? Fighting Lighters in an ambush, realizing we could possibly starve now at the fault of one of the people who came to save us, a Keeper and a Special were going to have a baby…and now we were dancing and swaying…

  Ridiculous, but wondrous.

  "Are you alright?" Merrick asked softly. "You look very calm. Too calm for someone who's been through what you have today."

  "I wasn't the only one." I bit my lip. "What are we going to do?" I whispered. He pulled me tighter and spoke into my hair.

  "I don't know," he answered roughly.

  "We have to figure out a way to get more food…something… we just have to-"

  "We will," he said, his voice a hard command as if speaking to the situation itself. He pulled his lips through my hair and pressed them to my mouth. It was the softest of kisses in comparison to his rough words. With a hand playing in the ends of my hair, he said, "I promise you I'll do everything I can."

  "I know."

  Then our moment was interrupted by the ringing of a bell. Daniel was by the stairs and he jerked, crouching into a defensive position, not knowing what it was.

  "No one's in the store," Jeff announced and we all stilled. That was right.

  Then we heard a Lighter, loud and clear as a bell through the door as he said, "Knock, knock. Anybody home?"

  Pompous Jackhole

  Chapter 30- Cain

  When they busted in the door, I thought that was it for us. Then after the hit, they ran, which was intriguing because we knew it was a trap. We knew they wanted us to follow them. So naturally, that's what we did. After stuffing everyone else in the back room, of course.

  Lillian wasn't happy. We'd just gotten back together and all, but it had to be done.

  So we'd walked out to meet the Lighters. All the Keepers, Miguel, Josh, Danny and I looked across the expanse of snow and wondered what they had up their sleeves.

  A car's tires crunched in the driveway, passed the van and it came to a stop in the middle of the back yard. I whistled out of sheer appreciation. The windows to the sleek, black Mercedes CLS were tinted dark. As the back door opened, I started to gnaw on my lip ring.

  I didn't even have to know what the guy looked like to know that this pompous jackhole was the Taker. All the Keepers tensed and the air around us seemed to cut even more with a chill. The snow swirled around him like it could feel his power.

  "So…this is the infamous rebel base I've been searching for? You know, I've got to give you props. Crandle's notes on you did not do you justice. Bring them," he barked to someone.

  I felt a chill down my spine at what he meant by that. I'd been watching the door. I hadn't seen anyone go in… They marched our loved ones out single file. They didn't hold them, they let them run to us. They wanted us to be with the woman, I realized. To see the terror in their eyes and feel helpless as they slaughtered us. I pulled Lillian behind me as she reached me in a sprint, and saw Merrick do the same to Sherry and Lily.

  "What a sweet sight," the Taker sang.

  "Can it, Taker," Merrick barked. "Get on with it."

  "But I like games," Malachi crooned and smiled. "In fact, I'd like to play one now." He pointed around sporadically and said, taunting, "Eenie…meenie…miney…." he pointed last to Racine, "mo."

  Two Lighters blurred to her side, jerked her arm, careful not to touch her skin, and threw her through the air to land in front of Malachi. He shook with excitement as he took her fragile body in his hands. She looked so pale and weak still. We had to do something.

  "It's been too long since a Keeper has run through my veins," Malachi said to her sweetly. "I'm sorry that it's over for you now."

  "This ain't over," Josh yelled and tossed two balloons towards the Taker. "Not by a long shot."

  The Lighters, the mindless idiots that they were, didn't react, they just watched with a horrified expression. Racine pulled from Malachi and the balloons hit the Taker's chest.

  He gasped and grasped at his chest only to start laughing. He looked up at the sky and shook his head, as if he were thoroughly enjoying himself. I started to move forward. I knew the end game for Racine was coming, but I saw Josh bounding forward. He ran like he had a football tucked under his arm but boy, he was booking it. When the Taker's eyes made their way back down to Racine and he reached for her, Josh was on him. He tackled him to the ground and Racine watched for a split second before she scrambled to them, but she was too late.

  I saw Merrick and Jeff start to lurch forward, but…

  Malachi thrust his arm into Josh's chest as he sprawled on top of him. I heard Josh's gurgle and it reminded me of the soldiers I'd seen die more times that I wanted to admit. Malachi removed his hand and pushed Josh off, a gaping, red, messy hole in his stomach was all that was left.

  Racine had crumpled and was screaming, but the Taker made no move for her. She rocked on her knees as she mourned her charge. Sherry screamed too and Merrick turned to her. I heard Lillian's whimper and sob from behind me and reached back to soothe her. But there really wasn't much comfort to give as Malachi straightened to a stand.

  One of the Lighters brought him a washcloth and helped him take off his shirt. Malachi shook himself as if disgusted, but looked at us with a satisfied expression.

  "Not by a long shot, indeed," he mocked. "They go down so good, but can be so messy." Then he smiled and opened his arms. "Now, who's next?"

  A Girl in sheep's clothing

  Chapter 31 - Merrick

  As Sherry fell apart in my arms, I watched as Racine collapsed. All my brother's and sister's hearts ached for her. To lose a charge was the epitome of agony and disgrace. She'd been sick, her body weak, she couldn't have helped the situation, but there would be no way to console her.

  I glanced around and saw Lillian creeping away from Cain. I gave her a funny look and she waved me off as she made her way behind all the people watching the horror unfold. Then she grabbed Daniel's hand and dragged him inside. What in the worlds?

  "Do I have to come and take you like prisoners or will you go out like heroes and volunteer?" Malachi asked with a satisfied sneer.

  I urged Sherry to take Lily, putting them behind me again and ran through scenarios in my head of how this could go down. The image of me smashing his face kept coming front and center. I shook my h
ead and scolded myself. I needed to get in the game. I went forward for Racine. The Taker didn't stop me. He smiled at my boldness and nodded, allowing me to take her.

  I picked her up in my arms, her sobs an uncontrollable array of cries and groans. She lay limp as I took her back to our people. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cain reach back for Lillian, but when he found nothing he turned. He cursed and turned in circles, his gaze flicking over our group. As I stood back up, leaving Racine huddled on the cold ground, I saw Cain's face harden into a menacing scowl of anger.

  I turned and saw why. Lillian and Daniel made a hasty move to Malachi. Cain started to head for her, but stopped. I heard the conversation in his head and balked at Max's explanation. He'd tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen to him.

  Calvin was fighting Ryan, trying to come forward. He yelled, "I’ll burn him up. Let me through!"

  "No, Cal. You couldn’t get close enough."

  Cain went white as the snow we were standing on and then yelled, "No, Lillian. No."

  "Don’t growl at me," she yelled back. "This is why I’m leaving. I'm tired of you all treating me like I'm some…" she stopped and looked at us. Her voice was hard but her face was pleading with her back to the Taker. "Child," she eventually said and mouthed 'I love you' to Cain and bit her lip before turning and letting Daniel lead her with a hand on her arm.

  Malachi looked her over and it was obvious he was pleased with what he saw. "And what is this?"

  "I'm sorry I betrayed you by living with these…rebels." She knelt on her knees and bowed her head. "I was scared and had nowhere else to go. I wanted to turn them in, but they don't have a phone and they watched me every second. Forgive me, my lord."

  "I usually hate to be called that, but from your lips it sounds fitting. And what shall I do with you, you intriguing human?" he said low and suggestive.

  Lillian looked up at him and though I couldn't see her face, I heard her purr, "Whatever you'd like, my lord."

  I blurred to Cain as I heard his guttural grunt, to keep him from screwing it all up. Yes, Lillian's plan was a leap, a big leap, and I wanted to kill Max and Daniel for helping her orchestrate it, but if Cain flew off the handle and went after Malachi, he'd be dead before he got the chance to scold her for it.

  He was strong as he yanked and pulled against me.

  "Let me go, Keeper," he growled.

  "Just wait," I whispered harshly, knowing I was such a hypocrite because if Sherry had pulled this crap, there was no one on this earth who could stop me. "If you do this, her sacrifice was for nothing. Let's just see what she has planned."

  He grabbed my collar and he whispered back, "Sacrifice? That's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not letting her go with him, not for a second. I don't care if that tame Lighter is with her or not!"

  "Cain. Wait."

  I turned slightly to see what was up. Malachi was helping Lillian off the ground.

  "I had planned to kill them all myself, but I think I'd rather play with this one," he told one of his minions. "We'll be back at the house. You take care of this…situation." When the Lighter obeyed and started to make his way to us, Malachi grabbed his arm. "Do not fail me again in this matter."

  The Lighter nodded and then looked at us. He snapped his fingers and his brothers came forward to the line with him. Some more that we hadn't even known were there leapt from the roof and came around the side of the store. Lillian let Malachi lead her to the car and that was it. I let Cain go, throwing my hands into my hair, because there was no way I wanted to let Lillian get in that car with Malachi anymore than he did. I blurred faster than Cain, but the Taker was strong. He placed Lillian in the backseat and grabbed my neck.

  "Get the other one," he barked at Daniel who grabbed Cain's arm and twisted it behind him. Malachi threw me back to land in the snow, then he got in the car, shutting the door, and turned his back on us to focus on Lillian.

  "I will kill you if you let her leave in that car. Do you understand me?" Cain yelled at Daniel. Daniel put his face close to Cain's.

  "By letting her help to save her family and friends, I am giving her something you never have; pride and glory."

  "You are such a frigging idiot if you think that's why she's doing this. She doesn't care about glory or pride! Those are Lighter wants, not women who are just being stubborn to try to save their family. She thinks she'll lure him away and we'll be safe after he's gone, but she's wrong. He knows where we are now. Daniel, I will kill you, I swear it, if anything happens to her because of this stunt."

  "If she perishes because of my actions, I'll let you kill me."

  "Why?"

  "Because she asked me to help her and I feel that I can not say no. She is…everything to me." Cain inhaled angrily. "If I knew what love was, I would imagine it was this."

  "Ok, fine. You love her? Don't let her go in that car."

  "I promised." Then he pushed Cain back with enough force that he skidded in the snow and climbed into the other side of the car. Before Cain could reach the car again, they were driving away. He yelled and fell to his knees when he knew there was no hope.

  "Oh, no…she's not coming back. Why would she do that?"

  "Because she loves you and she knew we'd all die if Malachi fought us like that," I told him, and then tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "Incoming."

  The Lighters Malachi had left behind were all too eager to finish the job. They were nine of them left and I guess they thought it would be easy.

  We organized in our minds and told everyone else to go at them all together. We circled them and at the mark of Jeff, we ran with weapons raised and gifts blazing. With about fifteen of us rushing them at once, they were surprised and started to backpedal. To regroup maybe. We weren't having it. Especially Cain. He was ruthless and using his anger and betrayal to fuel his fists and stakes. The battle was surprisingly short. The last Lighter went down as Cain straddled him and he kept staking the ground even after the lightning blast signaled that the Lighter was dust.

  He sagged more on the ground and beat his fist in the snow several times. Calvin yelled to him, "I’m sorry. I tried! I wanted to smoke that Taker, Cain. I wanted to kill him for you."

  "It's ok, Calvin. Because I'm going after her." He stood. "And after I kill that Taker, I'm gonna kill a Lighter named Daniel, then I'm gonna bring Lillian home and lock her butt up for the rest of her life."

  Calvin gulped at Cain's growled words. Ryan pulled him under his arm and took him back inside. No one else knew what to do either so they started making their way inside. Except the usual stragglers and tag-alongs. Miguel, Sherry, Danny, Celeste, Jeff and Marissa came to stand behind us. I reached back, knowing that Sherry was right behind me, and gripped her fingers in mine. She knew she wouldn't be going with us. And even after the speech I made earlier out of anger and fright, I always relented later and went back to forbidding her to come with us.

  Human hypocrisy and a flip-flop attitude was definitely something I'd adhered to, haphazardly or not.

  I held my hand out to Cain and he looked up at me, his eyes a mess of emotion and anger.

  "I can go alone," he said, knowing it was more than a hand-up that I was offering.

  "Not a chance."

  "You have a family to think about. You shouldn't go out unless you have to."

  "You and Lillian are my family too. Besides, Sherry would never let me let you leave alone. Let's go."

  His look was one of annoyance and as much affection as a human male could muster for another. He took my hand, palm to palm in a grip, and let me haul him up.

  "Let's get going. I'm pretty sure he'd take her back to the Mayor's Manor, but I don't want them to get too far ahead."

  Sherry turned me to her and pulled me down to hug me around my neck. "Be careful, Keeper," she whispered and pulled back to see my face to make sure I agreed. I smiled gratefully at her.

  "Thank you for not fighting me on this."

  "You have to go. I love y
ou," she said, her voice strong, but shaky. We had to go. The further Lillian got away, the slimmer the chances were to getting her back.

  "Are you going to be ok? I know….Josh…"

  "I'm fine. What else can I be? I can't bring Josh back and I can't stop you from doing what you have to do."

  "I'm sorry, baby," I soothed and kissed her neck as I hugged her hard. "I'll be back soon and we'll…deal with all this."

  She nodded and then walked to Cain. He hugged her just as hard as I had. As she said something to him that I couldn't hear, he closed his eyes and then pulled back to look at her. She nodded and then he nodded. I looked around, but someone must have taken Lily inside already. So after one more peck from Sherry, who walked slowly to Racine and helped her inside, Cain, Jeff and I went after the Taker and Cain's girl as everyone else inched inside to await our return.

  Down, Down, Down

  Chapter 32- Lillian

  "Come with me, now," I had told him. I pulled Daniel into the store back door and prayed that Cain hadn't seen me leave. Daniel's skin was cold, but somehow still warm. That doesn't make any sense, but I felt his warmth for me as he gripped my hand and let me tow him.

  "I have a plan," I told him as I pushed him into the corner. And as I laid my plan on him, his mouth opened in surprise. His eyes went black and when he started to protest and give me safety talks I punched the guilt card. I hated to do that, but it wasn't as if we had all the time in the world.

  "If you care about me as much as you say, then please do as I ask. I can't let them be hurt and you told me so yourself that Malachi was a sucker for the girls."

  "He is, but-"

  "No buts. Do this for me."

  I knew I had him when he exhaled and his sickly sweet breath brushed across my face. Then he got a look on his face, like he had an idea. "I will do this with you," he said, "but this is dangerous. I will not let anything happen to you, but I may have to sacrifice myself so that you may get away. So I require one thing before I do this task." I nodded my agreement. "Your lips," he whispered and moved too quick for me to do anything before he was pressing his cold lips to mine.