Vindicate

  I didn’t answer at first. I was feeling the emotions on the other side of th e passage. I felt disdain, I felt d etermination, I felt protection. I felt peace . A ll coming from different sources. Their intent was simple and shared among each of them : to redeem the damned.

  “It is , ” I mumbled as I tried to understand the range of emotions before me.

  “It’s gray , Willow. Man made. Not natural. We have no idea where this will lead, how dangerous it is.”

  “Man made. Austin made , ” I mumbled as echoes of Marc and Landen’s laughter echoed in my memory. I remembered Landen saying that Austin fell into a p assage that led to these people. This had to be them. The same ones. “You don’t have to come.”

  “Yeah , right. I’m already an accomplice to your escape . I’m not missing the action.”

  I looked down at the i Pod in m y hand to that image – to the broken heart on that demons neck . Anger engulfed me. I had to find her. I boldly stepped forward into the gray unknown passage.

  Chapter Five

  I heard the guitar just before the gray haze passed. We were standing in what looked like a studio. A large bay window was to the left. There were drums – guitars – amps everywhere. There w as a brown couch and chair in the center of the room. That girl , t he one I saw Preston with in that vision, Charlie, was sitting in the center of the couch. Her dark eyes peered up at me with nothing less than astonishment. Beside her was a girl that was much younger. Her eyes were just a s dark as her long black hair. With the exception of bright purple lipstick , everything she was wearing was black , which made her skin seem pale as snow.

  In the chair , there was a guy. Young. A ddictively attractive. His hair was dark, slightly long , and it highlighted his green eyes. I t was him. The boy I saw in that image, bu t something was off about him. He looked the same but felt different to me. The shock I felt from him was reflected in his instant tense composure. I glanced in the direction of the guitar that was playing and saw the identical twin of the guy in the chair . He was the one. The one I saw holding Charlie. I ’d found my male twins. I’d found Charlie, my solution.

  The guy was staring out the window as he played . Feeling my gaze , he turned . A t first , he didn’t seem surprised to see me there , but then his emerald green eyes laced in black focused on me , and his emotion of shock instantly mirrored his brother ’s. His hand froze in place over the strings of the guitar as he stared at me , ignoring Olivia at my side.

  I let go of Olivia’s hand and held out the i Pod , showing the cover art that belonged to that song to the room. “Which one of you made this?” I asked firmly. I guess my anguish had erased the manners my mother had so diligently taught me as a child.

  “Um,” Olivia said , stepping in front of me and pushing my arm down. “Listen. I know. I know you’re asking yourself how we –” she glanced around the room , “h ow we appeared here , but listen , there ’s a very believable explanation , ” s he said , trying not to sound as nervous as she was.

  The girl who I knew was Charlie stood slowly and tilted her head around Olivia. “Willow?” she asked as if she couldn ’t believe her eyes.

  “You know me?” I asked , fighting to balance the rush of anger and adrenaline that had left me even more weak and dizzy. I dug my nail under my ring. Screaming in my thoughts at the caged fury. I would not hurt these people. I said it over and over again until I felt the storm deep inside me settle.

  “Not yet,” she muttered quietly.

  “Did you make this?” I asked breathlessly , wanting her to be my solution.

  She didn’t answer me ; she just stared into my soul . The guy in the chair had stood and was walking slowly to me with the same stare. The one in the window took the strap of the guitar off his tall , lean body and set it in a stand by his feet – staring at me the entire time.

  I wanted to run. But I held my ground. I wasn’t leaving t here without answers. With their stares , I felt waves of emotions. Ones that were all familiar. Love. Passion. Anger. A nd most dominantly grief.

  “She’s seducing them , ” Charlie said as if the words made her sick.

  “She better not be,” I said through gritted teeth as rage exploded inside of me. It was reflected in what sounded like an explosion of thunder. Everyone in the room , with the exception of Olivia and the pale girl, who hadn ’t moved, ducked with the fierce sound.

  I recoiled . Crap. Now they were afraid of me , too.

  Olivia gripped my wrist , telling me to calm down. “You know of us? You know why we ’re here?” she asked them as they slowly re gained their composure.

  “We see it, Olivia , ” t he boy who was sitting in the chair said to her.

  “How do you know my name?” Olivia asked defensively.

  He cautiously stepped forward. “I told you . I see it.”

  “What ? What do you see?” I asked again , doing everything in my power to remain calm.

  “The past , ” t he boy said. “Everything that brought you here.”

  “What ’s your name?” Olivia asked him .

  “Aden,” he said , relaxing a little. He smiled slightly , revealing dimples that reminded me of Landen . He tilted his head to his twin and said, “Draven.” He t hen looked at the girl on the couch and said, “Monroe.” Before he could introduce Charlie , I spoke.

  “Charlie, the girl who has already been to Chara, met Preston.”

  When I said Preston’s name , Monroe looked up at me , almost as if she wanted to smile , but she didn’t ; instead , she maintained her calm and gazed at me.

  They just kept staring ; their emotions were on a roller coaster ride, which was making me even weaker.

  “What?!” I asked as my eyes moved from one to the other. “Why are you staring at me?” Change your tone, Willow, I thought to myself. These people are innocent. And right now you look like a mad woman.

  I stared at Draven , who was walking slowly toward me. The magnetism in his eyes made me think of Drake. I t felt like he was walking to me. That he was about to bluntly put me in my place. “There ’s a lot to see. Your existence is vast , ” Draven said with a voice that was smooth as velvet . His tone was hypnotic , almost as hypnotic as his eyes , which I could swear had turned dark.

  “Well,” I said , holding in rampant emotions , “i t’s about to end if you don’t help me.”

  At that moment , I felt anger, determination, and betrayal , but it wasn’t coming from them ; it was coming from a much more familiar source. A second later , I felt Brady’s strong hands on my arms just before he turned me to face him.

  Brady and the two travelers we ’d passed had stepped through the gray passage into this studio.

  “We had a deal,” Brady said through his teeth as he leaned inches from my face.

  “Hey – HEY!” Aden yelled as he tried to push his way between me Brady . He had the immediate intent to protect me , and his brother Draven was inches behind him. I was terrified that either Brady or I would hurt them without even trying. I had to stop that.

  “Brady,” I said , losing my battle with the tears I was holding back. “He sent me here.” I’d stopped the tears, but my eyes were glassed over.

  The anger in Brady’s eyes faded instantly as they tried to peer into me , t o understand me.

  “Brady ? Like Landen’s brother Brady?” Aden asked.

  Brady broke his glare with me and looked around the room . He nodded once at Aden , and the tension in the room faded. Brady pulled me to his chest when he heard the rain begin to fall against the window. At least it was soft rain. I took it as good sign that I was still in control. “How did you find me ? Did you dream of him , too?” I asked in a frail whisper. I felt his hand cradle the back of my head as sympathy and grief engulfed him. “Preston. I dreamed of Preston , ” Brady said quietly.

  “Sorry, man , ” Aden said , stepping back as he glanced at Charlie. “I know how it is.”

  I couldn’t comprehend what he meant by that , but the disdain I felt in
Charlie led me to believe that Aden had either played the role Brady was playing in my life before or soon would.

  Brady looked over his shoulder to the travelers that had come with him. “Go tell them I have her . Make sure Marc stays there.” He then looked down at me and cupped his hands around my face. “What did he say?” he asked , trying to hide his grief and bury his frustration with me.

  “He told me to find them, that they see everything - and they do ; they said they do , ” I said , looking from him to Olivia.

  Olivia regarded the others. “You see where they are? Can you take us there?” she asked.

  All of them seem ed to look at Draven , who glanced down , then looked up at me. “This isn ’t a place. There isn ’t a passage. You ’re going to have to see your way there.”

  “What if I can’t?” I asked . Please tell me you can go there I thought to myself. I knew I felt his intent to go, but I wanted to hear him say it.

  His eyes drifted behind me , and I felt the nervousness in the room build . I nstantly , almost defensively , I shielded my energy around myself , t hen I heard , “We’ll go. We’ll kill Bianca.” I turned to see a girl in the doorway.

  No. Freaking . Way. No way. Now? She shows up now. Well, isn’t that poetic. I glanced up at Brady just to make sure my mind was not playing tricks on me.

  Her hair was long, dark. Her skin was olive like mine. Her eyes were emerald green. Same height. Same weight. We may not of looked exactly alike, but we were close enough.

  I knew her. This was not the first time our paths had crossed. I was sure of it. I struggled to throw every insight I had at her, but she was a void. Her energy was familiar to me, near soothing , but she was a void. Figures.

  “You called that one,” Brady murmured so only I could hear him.

  Yup. I was right. The re she stood. The counterpart to a boy I cared very deeply about. Did she know? Was she aware that she was royalty? That an entire dimension was waiting for her to take Drake’s hand and rule their golden age. My gut told me she did. It also told me she was just as stubborn as I was. She didn’t care for her fate to be outlined for her.

  “Why can’t I feel you?” I asked , stepping back from Brady Absentmindedly I stretched out my insights wanting to know if I had any more surprises coming at me. I needed to know if anyone else would walk through that door. There were others here, at least four others , maybe more. They weren ’t dangerous. I felt their concern, protective mindset , and determination. They were somewhere in this building we were in.

  The girl nervously moved her hand across her wrist, and that wa s when I saw it : an Ankh tattoo with a star in the loop. “I could ask you the same thing , ” s he said , focusing her eyes on me. “I can’t see you either.” She looked past me to Charlie , hesitating in what looked like frustration , then she looked at Aden and Draven. “Why are you not showing me?”

  “To o much,” Charlie said nervously.

  Olivia couldn ’t help herself ; she walked to this girl ’s side and circled her as if she w ere trying to convince herself that she was real. “What ’s your name?” Olivia asked as she reached for her wrist and looked closely at the star.

  Was this really happening? Was she real? She had my tattoo? Seriously? “What do you mean you can’t feel me?” I asked . “You feel emotions ?” Oh please tell me you can.

  “You could say that , ” s he said as her eyes slowly moved over me , then settled on my wrist. I pulled up my sleeve to reveal my tattoo.

  “Nice tattoo,” she said with a hint of sarcasm.

  I glanced at Olivia. “It’s growing less original by the minute.” I couldn ’t help but think of her dream, the one where her mother told her to get this tattoo so I wouldn’t kill her, so I would know she was real.

  “You could say that , ” I heard Charlie say and turned to see her pulling up the sleeves on the hoodie she was wearing. There , she had the same Ankh , the same star in its loop. This could not be real. I was asleep. Asleep in Chara with Landen at my side. This was some wicked dream. My mind was toying with me again.

  I stabbed my fingernail into the tender skin under my ring. Nope. I was awake. Staring at my twin. Knowing there had been more than one soul that had dr eamed of me hurting her along with Olivia. I tensed my body demanding that storm inside stayed dormant. I loved Olivia too much; I searched for this girl for too long. I would hurt myself before I let one single hair on their heads be harmed.

  Brady pulled me again st him protectively as he spoke to Olivia. “This is Felicity’s dream . She saw these girls. Is this your dream , to o, Olivia?”

  Before Olivia could answer , Charlie said , “You dreamed of it , t o o?”

  “Did you?” Olivia asked as shock poured through her.

  “No, Madison did , ” s he answered , looking at the girl in the doorway.

  “How did the dream end?” I asked , looking at Madison , trying to understand her , only to find the same quest ion s in her eyes that seemed to mirror mine.

  Madison glanced at Charlie , then back to me. “We share a common enemy. This mark w ill help us fight her illusions, but it’s going to take more than that to end this.”

  “Like what ?” Brady asked.

  Madison gazed across the room at Draven. I couldn’t help but see how they all carefully looked at him before they answered. They didn’t fear him ; that wasn’t it. It was like this realm, this place was a sensitive topic , and it was like that because of him.

  Draven let out a slow breath , glancing at Charlie before he answered Brady. “This place, this place is the echo of what you are, what you were. I t’s created by l ost souls. Their energy creates this place. There , anything is po ssible. I t ’s add ictive, seductive, mind numbing. I t’s the hardest test any soul could be asked to pass.”

  “Have you passed it?” I asked , not fearing any such place.

  Draven smiled faintly , and I noticed that the only difference between him and his twin was the lack of dimples that Draven had and the black that seemed to outline his green eyes. “Not yet , ” h e said solemnly.

  “Listen,” Charlie said , looking from me to Brady. “You ne ed to know that death haunts us. Damned souls are called to us. That it is a fate we didn ’t ask for but must endure. We thought --” she looked at Draven , then to me , “we thought coming to y our world would bring us peace, but we don ’t want to bring our darkness to your doorstep. That’s what we told Austin.”

  “Austin? You’ve seen him recently?” Brady asked .

  “He’s here,” Aden said , walking past us with the intent to go and get him.

  I stared at Charlie , t aking in everything about her. I knew how she felt. I knew we were walking a path that mirrored the same misery. I could only hope she was faring better than me. I focused so intently on her that I felt myself sway with the lighthead ed ness I felt. “You’re not bringing anything to my doorstep.”

  I felt tension rise in the room and an instant fading hope of Charlie. “It’s already there. Help me , and I’ll help you , ” I said weakly.

  With my words, her hope came back , and what was tension f ell into shared determination. I glanced over my shoulder at Madison in the doorway. Behind her , there were stone steps leading down to somewhere else in this place. She wasn’t looking at me ; she was staring into thin air as if she w ere replaying a distant thought. I didn’t need to feel her to see the heartache she felt. “Who ’s Bianca ?” I asked hoarsely .

  She nodded toward Brady. “The one he saw in that room. The girl who pushed the boy in the shadow of the room to the floor and blew a kiss to the one standing next to you.” Her eyes moved to Charlie. “Oddly , I can’t see anything else.”

  Charlie looked away as if she w ere purposely trying to hide something from her.

  “How does this seeing thing work?” Brady asked . “Can you see everything?”

  “Only what you cho o se to show us , ” Draven answered as he stared at me.

  “You said you could see everything ,
” I said as I gripped Brady’s arm – not only to remain calm , but also to hold my balance.

  Draven walked the few steps between me and him and peered down at me. “When you appeared in this room , you had no defense up. Your thoughts were wide open. As long as I asked the right questions , I saw y our past. Your perception of it, but now you have your defenses up.” He looked at Brady , then to Olivia. “All of you do. Madison saw that moment because Brady was thinking about it. Madison saw his perception.”

  “And apparently you saw more , ” Madison said sharply .

  Draven ignored her. “With all that you know, with all that you can do with your mind , I don ’t think that grasping this would be to o hard for you, and if it is , ” he glanced back at Charlie , “w e’ll go for you.” His voice was nothing less than mesmerizing ; it was deep , and the words he spoke were so smooth and numbing that they brought an undeserved calm to me. I found myself craving to hear more words from him, anything. It was like he was subduing my caged curse of emotions. Like he was born to do that.

  Charlie’s eyes lit up with hope. “Are we leaving?”

  Draven looked down at me. “Are we?”

  Before I could answer him , I felt others behind me. I turned protectively to see Austin with two people walking up the steps. A young guy, tall but lanky with long jet-black hair , was with him. There was an older woman with her silver hair pulled back. When she reached the top step , she pulled a white robe she had on closed tighter.

  “Austin,” Brady said , sighing with relief.

  “Where’s Landen?” Austin asked , looking at me , then Brady.

  Brady nodded his head , then walked to Austin , urging him to go down the steps again. The lanky boy walked over to Monroe , who was still sitting quietly on the couch , holding her stare. It was as if she w ere showing him everything that had happened over the last few moments. I felt the boy’s hope, anger -- the urge to leave with us. Odd. Very odd people.

  The older woman captured my wondering gaze , and I felt a peace wash over me. She reached her arm around Madison. “You and Charlie go say your goodbyes.” She looked at Draven. “Wake your dad.”