Vindicate

The images behind Drake were all new to me, at least most of th em. A few I’d seen in the dream we shared a few days ago , he ’d showed me what our passion was capable of. Yet, that hum didn’t come when I gazed at them. I almost felt like it was not my past with him that was on display.

  In the heat of this moment , I found myself embarrassed. Embarrassed that all of my moments of passion were on display for anyone who wished to gawk at them.

  “Co uld she be any more revealing? I nvading?” I bit out through gritted teeth.

  “I don’t see anything,” Draven said. He glanced at Brady. “Do you?”

  From his tone, I knew he saw what I saw and that he was conveying the gentleman I knew he was by ignoring the images .

  Brady crossed his arms. “Not a thing besides two idiots.”

  “Let’s have a talk, shall we?” I said, appreciating their discreteness.

  Draven reached for my arm, then leaned into me; against my ear, I felt his warm breath. “Remember what we talked about. The word you need.” I felt a warm chill move down my spine as his hypnotic voice eased into my thoughts.

  “I remember,” I whispered as I looked into his green eyes, laced in black.

  I felt the stares of others and looked past him to see the images of Drake and Landen gla ring in our direction. I let out a sigh , and with a thought I was standing between them.

  “Now what are we fighting about?” I asked as I crossed my arms and looked between the images of the men I was searching for.

  Their stares moved to my side. The others had followed me, and Draven had stolen their attention.

  “Apparentl y, it’s a fight with no merit. You have replace d us,” Drake’s image seethed .

  Then he and the image of Landen charged toward Draven. Brady pulled Draven behind him as I stood between them a ll. I reached for Drake’s face. He refused to look at me. A nger was engulfing his dark eyes.

  “Call me by my name,” I whispered to him.

  His stare with Draven broke, and he looked down at me.

  “Willow,” he said in a familiar, addicting tone.

  I ti lted my head and smiled sardonically . “Wrong,” and with that, he was gone.

  I looked to the image of Landen. He’d stopped his advance on Draven and was gazing at me. He reached his arm around my waist and pulled me to his strong body. With his touch, the world around me changed.

  I was standing on my front porch in Chara. The sun was shining , bir ds were flying through the air, but the world was silent. We were in the dream where he first kissed me.

  “Is this what you want?” he asked. “Did you need me to stand here with you ? Why would you want to remember something that will never happen agai n? Go back to where I found you. Looks like you have a few new friends from there,” he seethed as he looked past me.

  Draven and Brady were walking up the steps; Olivia had appeared at our side.

  I reached my hand for his chest and slowly moved it up to his beautiful face. “Tell me. What is the foundation of this place? What words are sacred here?”

  With those words, he vanished.

  Draven leaned against the railing and looked around at my home. “Nice.”

  My eyes moved out to the field . To the peace Chara had. I wanted to go home. I was sick of playing games.

  “Is it just me, or is she doing everything in her power to keep us away from the Estate?” I asked.

  “I was starting to think I was the only one picking up on that,” Brady said as he looked in the direction of where his home would be if this place were real.

  “Let’s end this,” I said, reaching for his arm .

  Instantly, my porch vanished and we were in the lobby of the Estate. I was almost certain I could feel the real Landen. That I could reme mber what floor Drake’s chamber was on.

  I started to walk up the elegant , wide stairs. An image of Drake leaning against Bianca, kissing her neck passionately, appeared a few steps up. I walked past it without any emotion. Once I was a step above them, I hesitated and looked back at Bianca. “No wonder you have to steal men. You’re really bad at this passion thing,” I said smugly.

  Laughter erupted from Draven as the image of Drake vanished and Bianca glared at me. I winked at her and continued my climb. The stairs broke into a large landing where two more staircas es appeared, one to the left and one to the right. I felt Landen to the left and went that way. At the top of those stairs, I was sure I was on the right floor.

  Bianca appeared again, this time with an image of Landen. Apparently, she was trying to prove me wrong. This time her display – the image’s display, were ones that should never be viewed through an open door. I shook my head in disgust, trying to hold my anger in . I was over her. Beyond over her. Thunder rattled the Estate in reflection of that emotion, which made Bianca giggle seductively.

  I gritted my teeth and passed her by, knowing that I could feel the real Landen just ahead. A few doors down, I thought I felt Charlie. Aden. I knew they were close. I opened the next door, feeling Landen there.

  What I saw was horrific. The walls of the room were ripped away, and the floor was covered with broken glass and furniture . Landen’s body was lying across the floor, and Drake’s was leaning against the wall. Charlie and Madison were there, screaming his name.

  Charlie looked up at me. “I can’t wake him ! Do something ! Give him everything ! Quick!” she yelled.

  I hesitated. I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand why I co uld feel Aden but not see him. Why Charlie would want me to give everything to Drake first, knowing he would drain me without even trying. Something was off. I looked to my side at Draven; his eyes were furrowed as he stared at Charlie.

  “Draven, help me!” she screamed. “Tell her to help!”

  I glanced at her wrist. It was bare. No tattoo. With one thought, I flung Charlie’s image against the wall. Draven rushed to her side and pushed the sleeves of her hoodie up further ensuring himself that she was an image. When he saw her bare wrist, she vanished; so did the image of Madison.

  “They’re here,” I heard Aden say and turned to see him, Charlie and Madison at Landen’s side.

  Instinctively, I took at step toward them, but Brady held me back. “Take of f your ho o ddies,” he demanded .

  Charlie looked at him like he was insane but then followed Madison’s lead. Chills spread across their shoulders. Their tank tops were not near ly enough to protect them from the harsh wind that was blowing through the open walls.

  Brady glanced to his side at Olivia. Without an argument, she let her hoo d ie fall to th e ground. I did the same. I didn’t want them charging me t hinking I was someone else.

  I wanted a marker. Something to write with, and instantly it appeared in my hand. Across my wrist, I wrote the word ‘love,’ then handed it to Olivia for her to do the sa me. The y understood what I was doing. That for all I knew, Bianca would mock that tattoo in their images and I would make an irreversible mistake. I dared her to write this word on her skin. Britain had proven how deadly one four letter word could be just moments ago.

  Olivia threw the marker at Madison, and once that sacred word was on their skin, Brady let me go. I dove onto the floor next to Landen. As I took his face in my hands, I nodded at Madison. “Go help Drake.”

  Something was wrong. Landen had next to no aura at all. Even though t his was his image, more real than the illusions we’d seen, this wasn’t all of him. A sinking feeling gripped my soul. He was gone. I knew he was gone. This Realm had claimed him. Tears of livid grief glassed over my eyes.

  Brady and Draven were already bringing Drake’s body to us. “Landen! Open your eyes! Open your eyes!” I yelled in my thoughts, getting no response. I let my lips rest against his, finding him cold. Unresponsive. My soul ached.

  “Why can’t I wake him?!” I yelled in frustration. I didn’t want anyone to tell me what I already knew. I wanted a solution. I wanted to turn back the clock. Save him.

  “Britain said they were he
re, but your victory was where yo ur existence began,” Draven offered in a humble tone . I felt his grief and knew that our victory had already been stolen.

  “Britain?” Madison said as her eyes locked with mine .

  “I didn’t hurt him. I keep my promises.” I seethed . It was a cold response, but it wasn’t directed at her. It was directed at the universe. Karma had no right to punish me this way. No right at all.

  “So do I,” Madison said as her eyes fell back to Drake. With a glance I knew he was gone, too. Where Landen held a faint hint of energy, Drake had none at all.

  My thoughts w ere racing in every direction. I knew that Perodine had told me I was born in the study she now spent all of her days in, but I didn’t understand wh y I needed to be in that room. Or i f it would even help us recover this epic tragedy. I was afraid it was a trap. That Bianc a wa nted me there. But then again I was ready for a fight. One way or another I was leaving this Realm with Landen.

  “The observatory,” Olivia said, gripping my shoulder, trying to fight the intense cold that was making her shiver. “That’s where my dream was.”

  I looked at each of them, finding a common agreement. I reached for Landen and Drake’s arm s , hoping against all hope that if I focused on that room that we would all be there.

  “Create it,” Aden said, staring at me.

  Instantly, the stone floor of the observatory appeared beneath us. I looked up to find the open ceiling, then to my side to see the pool of water. My power.

  I scurried to my feet and scooped up handfuls of water and took it to Landen, letting it wash over his face. I nstan tly, he took a gasping breath. Charlie and Madison started to take water to Drake, getting the same response. The breath didn’t bring their energy back, though. Their souls were gone. I just knew they were. My rage was making the room rumble fiercely. It was my call to battle. Where was that evil wench ?!

  As Olivia reached in the pool to help me , her hand froze. The entire pool froze. She screamed out in agony. I focused on a ray of sun, and through the open window t he ice around her hand melted. She pulled her purple, frozen hand out, taking deep, controlling breaths.

  All at once, her image – my image – Charlie’s – Madison’s – they were multiplied across the room. Brady, Aden, and Draven had vanished, along with the bodies of Landen and Drake. The only sound was the echo of Bianca’s laugh.

  I took in a deep breath as my eyes glared across the ro om. I focused on the emotions. To where the real Olivia, and Charlie were. Odd ly, I could not only feel them but I could still feel Aden, Brady and Draven. I was terrified that one of these images was them. That they were masked. I reg retted instantly not having the boys mark t hemselves with the world ‘love.’

  “I f any of you are real – say the word. Whisper it ! Yell it, but you bet ter say something – otherwise I can’t promise that you will not be hurt!” I yelled into the room.

  In the center of the frozen pool of water, an image of me began to mock Bianca’s laugh. “Now,” the image said, putting her hand on her hip, “you wouldn’t hurt little ol’ me, now would you?”

  I raised my hand, and a bolt of lightning came from the ceiling, targeting the spot she was standing – she vanished before the strike could have any effect. My anger erupted around us. The wind blew fiercely, thunder crashed and lightning struck.

  My eyes moved from image to image, watching them vanish, but with e ach one that I struck anothe r appeared then began to charge me. That’s when my anger reached a new height. When the wind became so strong that I could barely stand.

  I focused on the pool that had over a hundred image s on it and thought of the sun. A blazing light came throu gh the ceiling. The ice began to weaken immediately.

  Something was wrong. I felt ice pouring through me. Frantically I looked to my side and saw Bianca. Her arm was literally inside of me. An evil smirk was plastered on her face. “Gotcha.” She whispered as my knees gave way. She held on to me, ensuring that the agony of her arm inside of me would continue its torment.

  This was it. I’d failed. I knew what death felt like. And I knew this time there was no one to bring me back.

  I saw a mix of dark and light energy snaking out of me and absorbing into Bianca . She was taking my soul. I had an awful fear that if she did – t hat if she took enough of my energy that my family would never know that I was gone. She would take my place. They would not die as quickly as I did, but suffer forever more. My actions before this moment would have given them every reason to believ e that I could become malevolent .

  I struggled to fight back. At best I was only proving to be difficult, not deadly , to her.

  All at once the earth rumbled and a hum th at was so high pitch that it painfully stabbed my eardrums filled the room . I squinted my eyes unable to handle the agon y. I felt Bianca release me. I fell to my knees.

  I’m not sure when silence came s imply because my ears were ringing. Moment s later the heavy sent of peppermint made me question my surroundings. I breathed in deeply feeling an awesome cleansing sensation rush over me.

  When I opened my eyes I saw an empty white marble room, elegant marble stairs leading to higher levels in this enormous room . Shimmering white doves circled the floor I was on, staring into me. The bodies of Landen and Drake were gone. The images of me were gone. The pool of water was gone.

  What the hell just happened?

  Slowly I let my eyes rise. A few feet before me was a boy my age. His hair was dark, to o long to be considered short, and to o short to be cons idered long. His eyes were gray, yet they looked like diamonds. Shards of light rippled through his stare. His skin was tan, shoulders broad. Tall. Lean. The heavy aroma of peppermint belonged to him. The scent complemented the essence of his energy. Powerful. Pure. Cleansing. Everlasting.

  An insane amount of power was pouring o ff of him. The room was literally vibrating because of it. Or maybe I was vibrating. I didn’t know anymore.

  Bianca was suspended in thin air, turning slowly. Her eyes were vacant. I wasn’t sure she if she was even alive.

  “Who are you?” I said in the most powerful voice I could manage.

  A ghostly smile echoed on the edges of his divine lips . This guy was near angelic. Was he even real?

  Carefully he reached his long arm down to help me up. I hesitated, but took his hand anyway. I was in pain. Wiped out.

  The second his flesh touched mine I felt a jolt of energy. An electric shock that returned everything Bianca had taken from me, and then some. I felt like I had just awakened from a night of being surrounded by Landen’s energy.

  I held in the sigh that wanted to escape as I stood. He was taller than I thought. Maybe even taller than Landen. Now that I felt whole I tried to use my insights to judg e him, but I could n’t feel anything. He was vacant, yet consuming at the same time.

  “Vade.”

  “Excuse me?” I muttered . His voice. Oh my , that voice. It was deep, powerful, entrancing .

  “Vade. That is my name, ” he stated as his eyes ventured over every part of me.

  I could not stop staring at him. It was like his essence demanded attention. “What team are you playing for, Vade?” I asked with all the courage I c ould muster. If it wasn’t mine I was already a gon er. I’d never felt this much energy coming from one source before. I was sure of it. This guy not only had power, but he had control of it. Deadly.

  A small voice in my head told me not to care if he was deadly. That more than likely I’d already passed death ’s threshold.

  “Survival. Equality.” He said as hi s ghostly smile turned sardonic, and his diamond eyes drank every part of me in.

  “Kinda on the same team.” I glanced at the floating body of Bianca. “Or I was until she killed me.”

  His diamond eyes sparkled. “You’re not dead.”

  “Right.” I said glancing around the room. There was no way out. And it didn’t matter what thought to manifest I could not move from this marble room. “Well, I
was in the middle of saving a few people. I kinda need to get back to that.”

  He crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I’m afraid you are to o late.” He glanced at Bianca. “It appears she had allies. Inside secrets. She’s taken too much from the souls you are seeking. You would have to find and restore over a million images to come close to finding the adored you seek.”

  I felt my insides collapse. I didn’t want to hear that truth.

  Vade began to move closer to me, still taking in ever y inch of me. I felt like a foreign species or something . I had no gauge on him. No idea if I saw lust, hunger, mercy, or compassion in that diamond stare of his. “Can I assume that does not bode well for you?” he mused.

  “Don’t play with me.” I glanced at the doves. The broken promise they now represented. I would not be there to vow for Draven or anyone else for that matter. “If that is true you should not have stopped her from killing me. I need to move on so I can come back again .” My tone was so reasonable that you would have thought that I was changing dinner plans. Not planning my funeral.

  Vade glanced at the doves as well. “Another ride on the merry go -round eh, that is what you seek.” He said as his stare returned to me. It was like he wanted me to say why the loss of my life would damage so many.

  That voice, it was so spellbi nding that it took me a second or two to understand what he said to me. “I seek equality.” I uttered as studied every immaculate feature of his strong profile.

  He stopped before me and gazed down into my eyes. After a long moment he said. “I believe you.”

  A wave of numbing energy soared through me for no reason at all. I held in the gasp that was nearly choking me and managed to say. “Well, damn, you just made my day.”

  He laughed, and when he did the energy in t he room became electric. “Did I.” He said as he managed to suppress his laugh.

  “What can I do for you , Vade?” I could not feel anything at that moment. I wasn’t mad, sad, or lonely. I was just numb. It was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. For the past two days I had to keep a constant check on what I was feeling, but right now I didn’t have to feel anything, and that was pure rapture .