Brush of Shade (26 page)

“Don’t you dare be
dead,” a desperate voice said in my dream.

Something warm
grazed my neck. The slight pressure perforated the paper-thin layer of numbness
that sealed me from my reality.
Trapped.
Cold, terribly cold.
Wet.
Blood or
Gasoline?

“Olivia, open
your eyes. This is no time for a drama moment,” the voice ordered.

“Shade?”
I whispered airily, wondering why he was annoyed
this time.

“Banged up, but
he’ll be fine. Dr. Long’s checking him out.”

Freezing water
seeped into my boots, triggering violent shivers. I writhed and cried out,
“Where’s my buckle. Noise, I have to make noise.”

Soothing murmurs
melded into my strange dream as did the sound of my jacket zipper being yanked
down. I was too tired and the dream way more interesting to give my zipper more
than a passing thought. Cold rushed in, hunting down pockets of warmth. My
teeth chattered so hard that it felt like someone had taken a jack hammer to my
skull. I moaned and tried to grab the metal pull with numb fingertips. My hands
were easily brushed to the side and replaced by a warm weight across my chest.
A blast furnace scorched away cold’s frigid grip that constricted my lungs. I
gasped and inhaled warmed air. More heat chased down icy fingers burrowing
through my body. I sighed in relief then greedily inhaled more heated air.

“Blood is
smeared all over. Where are you hurt? Olivia, did you break anything?”

“Shade?”
I replied with little strength, confused that he
was speaking in the middle of my dream about diamonds and furnaces. Fingers
probed my calf. Leaden arms flopped heavily in the snow. So much for his
promises, my Shade was hurting me. I wanted to yell at him. Then I remembered.

Stupid, insane
race, I sniffed, reliving his tumbling body rocketing towards the ground. My
eyes refused to open to shed the buildup of tears. Stiff fingers scratched
crusted eyelashes. I had to see him just in case I . . . “Shade, I’m broken
again,” I said piteously.

“It’s Shadow.
You’re safe now. Try to stay awake. You’re in shock.”

More delicious
heat radiated outward into my limbs from my warming core, easing aching joints.
Hot fingers intertwined with mine. Exhaustion tugged me down, smothering me in
the heavy world of sleep. Sun warmed I baked on the beach as sweat glistened on
my fair skin.

“Olivia, open
your eyes. Do it. I told my brother you were fine. It was the only way to keep
him down. Don’t make my promise into a lie. Shade hardly speaks to me as it
is.”

“Shadow?”
I asked
,
still half
convinced that I was buried all alone in the snow.

“Help will be
here any minute. You’re not broken. Do you understand?”

Something about
the urgency of his words and the way his worry softened the usual acidic edge
of his voice made me finally, truly hear his words. Expecting to find a gentler
Shadow, my surprising rescuer, I dredged up the last flicker of strength and
tried again to crack one crusty eyelid.

A hot hand
covered my face, pressing fingertips to my cracked and bleeding lips. I
flinched. The pressure spiraled across my forehead. Fingers rubbed across my
eyes. Instinctively I braced for the burning, my thoughts coiling inward,
trying to hide. My mouth dropped open and I screamed.

“Until we find
evidence to the contrary, officially, the snow twisters will be logged as a
prank gone horribly wrong. Citizens are urged to come forward. You know the
drill.”

I froze as my
aunt’s authoritative voice drifted to the top of the landing. I risked shifting
my weight, trying to avoid the board that squeaked as I leaned out over the
rail. Clattering silverware followed by a pan clunking onto the counter masked
my movements.

“A prank?
Is that what they’re going to say about the attack
on Shade?” Shadow demanded, his voice rising to a level I easily caught over
the slamming of a cabinet door.

 “Keep it
down, Olivia is resting,” Shade reminded. “Just hear Claire out.”

“The timing of
Shade’s accident—while unfortunate—bears no relevance to the investigation of
the twisters. Even though he was recovering from a bout of the flu, as team captain,
he felt obligated to compete when Troy had to pull out of the match, leaving
the team to face a forfeit. During Shade’s run, he became violently
disorientated and inadvertently released a wide pulse triggering a massive wind
shear. Thankfully, Dr.
Long
reported only minor cuts
and contusions amongst the judges and audience members,” Aunt Claire explained.

“Hold on,”
Shadow retorted. “Shade is taking the blame for the cowards behind this? Nobody
is going to buy that. He’s a diamond and the best vibe skier on the slopes.”

“Keep it down,”
Shade hissed.

Water ran at the
sink almost drowning out my aunt’s reply. “People will buy it if you sell it.
The council is doing what it believes is in the best interest of valley
harmony.”

 “My
brother could’ve been killed. Your own niece was buried. But let’s not upset
anyone,” Shadow criticized. His booming voice bounced off the walls in the
mudroom and up into the stairwell. “I had to rev up the vibes to get Olivia’s
core temperature up. She was completely out of her head. No way was it a
coincidence that the warden’s heir and the man assigned to protect her were
simultaneously injured. Tell me you’ve leads. Tell me you’re not fine with
this, Claire?
Shade?”

 “Let me
remind you, Olivia went up that slope into the storm,” my aunt replied,
sounding exhausted.

“To save
Rylan
and Meadow,” Shade answered this time.

“Precisely; it
was her choice.”

“Just because
Olivia wasn’t watching from the rock outcropping, that doesn’t make it an
accident or a prank,” Shadow countered.

I missed the
rest of his reply amid a clatter of dishes. I abandoned my post, taking no
measures to hide my tired clumping. When I entered the kitchen, everyone
appeared engrossed in an activity. Aunt Claire vigorously scrubbed the dishes,
Shadow studiously dried the pan in his hand, and Shade turned the page of the
newspaper. Selective, excellent hearing seemed to be the rule this morning. I
coughed, bad idea with bruised ribs. With one arm pressed to my chest and my
lips clamped tight together, I settled for scraping a chair across the linoleum
floor to get their attention. Shadow stuffed the pan in the closest cabinet,
clunking it against the mixing bowls. Shade neatly folded the rustling paper,
and then pulled it closer to his face; like the sale flyers were riveting.

“In case anyone
wants my opinion, I’m with Shadow on this. One twister angled right past me,” I
said, speaking slowly, seeing its progression up the slope in my head.
“Everyone saw me go off with the kids, heading up to the same location they
used to watch the competition last year. Excellent hearing aside,” I said,
looking pointedly at Shade who was staring at me over the top of the page, “the
kids were excited. I’m sure they were overheard. If it wasn’t for the steep
climb bothering my leg, I would’ve been on those rocks when the twister hit.
With my leg and back, it’s a sure bet that I would’ve fallen like Meadow.”

A pot slipped
out of my aunt’s hand, falling back into the sink, slopping soapy water all
over the counter and her shirt. It took her a moment to notice. Even then, she
only haphazardly wiped up the mess, her gaze fixated out the window. For his
part, Shadow leaned against the counter his expression unreadable, an
improvement over his usual sullen glares.

“It was a good
plan. Everyone was distracted helping the injured officials or taming the winds
attacking the course. The twisters bypassed the crowds and converged on the one
place I was supposed to be.” I swallowed hard and forced myself to say the
words. “I
was
the target.”

Aunt Claire set
a pill bottle on the counter next to a glass of water then picked up the
sponge. Shade shifted forward in his chair as though he had something to say.

With my eyes on
the bottle, I stepped closer to the counter, not noticing at first the squeaking
chair dragging along behind. The overpowering aroma of lavender dish soap and
lemon scented cleaner had invaded the air, a testament to how long my aunt had
been in her cleaning/avoidance mode. “Don’t hide things from me again when
these people aren’t content to come at me directly. They don’t care about the
casualty count.
Rylan
and Meadow could’ve been killed
just for being nice to me.” I visualized the gazebo tucked between rustling
aspen trees, spilling their golden leaves into the corners of the stairs.

Shade dropped
the newspaper onto the table and gave me his full attention. “The kids are
fine.”

 “Meadow
has a broken arm, a concussion, and a host of bruises. That’s not fine,” I
argued. “The council is willing to turn a blind eye because it doesn’t want to
admit that friends or even possibly family members have crossed the line. I’m
supposed to act like there is nothing wrong, like Spring Valley is one big
happy family?”

Aunt Claire
finally turned around. Her shirt, the same one she’d worn yesterday, was
rumpled and damp. She dabbed at puffy eyes with a wadded up dish towel. “It’s
just a few disgruntled individuals.”

“Is it, or is
that what you want me to believe? After spending time with Shade’s family, I
thought, maybe I’d found a home. But the price they paid out in fear wasn’t
worth it.”

I stepped around
the table, ignoring the glint of warning in Shade’s eyes. Personal feelings
aside, a debt needed to be acknowledged. I stopped in front of Shadow. Despite
his impassive expression, I said sincerely, “I haven’t had the chance to thank
you for finding me. You should never have had to choose me over your brother.”
I paused and thought I saw a flicker of appreciation in his hard stare.

I turned back to
my aunt. “People avoid me. It happened at the bonfire. If folks are so friendly
here, why hasn’t my mother’s family come to see me? They didn’t even come to
the wake. She was half Whisperer, so there must be some relations of hers left
in the valley. They’re purist aren’t they? I’m not even wanted by my mother’s
people.” I sucked in my lower lip and concentrated on the stack of dishes
Shadow had dried and left on the counter.

“I’ll explain.
But it won’t make you feel any better,” Aunt Claire answered. “Your
grandmother,
Kait
, fell hopelessly in love with an
outsider, a researcher employed by the state’s Fish and Game Department. Her
father convinced the council that it was in the best interest of the valley to
not grant his daughter the dispensation to tell the young man of her heritage.
He went so far as to forbid the marriage. In the end, she chose to leave the
valley with the clothes on her back. A few months later, word arrived that she
was married. A year past with no mention of her name, then unexpectedly, she
showed up in the valley an emotional wreck with a babe in her arms. Shunned by
her family, she beseeched the warden to intercede. Clan Pepperdine rallied to
her aid. The act, while compassionate, drove a deep wedge between the
Pepperdine clan and the
Fairdales
.”

I filled my
hands with items off the counter and moved about the kitchen, putting things
away as I spoke. “I get that my dad loved this place and our family has a proud
history to live up to, but the best solution to all this tension could be as
simple as taking me and the warden position out of the mix. Then maybe the
council can get the situation settled.”

I couldn’t
understand the astonished expression on Shadow’s face. I thought he was all for
me going
back
east.

Aunt Claire
pointed at my chair, trying to get me to sit. “Your father wouldn’t want you to
abandon the valley.”

“I think you’ve
got that backwards. Not that it matters what my father wanted or thought. This
place killed him. Now I’m the target. Dad would never have wanted me in this
position. That is the real reason he never brought me here. Given what is
happening, he would expect you to keep me out of it and safe.”

Shadow jerked
away from the counter, his body instantly vibrating. “What does she mean, the
valley killed her father?”

“Privileged
information,” Aunt Claire answered, shutting him down. “Olivia, I won’t allow
you to give up so easily on your birthright.”

“Why, for some
outdated tradition? You’ve been skating around key facts and dangling a
welcoming home in front of my face like a carrot.
Enough
already.
Just tell me.”

I waited while
she washed up two coffee mugs. Then it hit me; that was her response. I shoved
the chair under the table. “Obviously we’re still just strangers. This place
might as well be a bed and breakfast selling hype to the gullible tourist.
Thanks for your vote of confidence.”

She recoiled as
though I’d slapped her. Instantly, I regretted my show of temper.

 “You’re
acting like a spoiled child. Apologize,” Shade scolded.

I glared at him.
If he couldn’t take my side, he could at least be quiet. “Shadow, your brother
is looking a bit green. He should’ve stayed in bed. Please drive him home.
Shade, don’t make me order you.”

The air rumbled.
Shade shoved back from the table. “Is running your strategy for life when
things get too hard?” Aunt Claire gave him a stern look. His clenched jaw
stretched skin, opening up a cut on his chin. He swiped off the blood with a
napkin that he balled up in his fist.

 “Don’t
talk to me about hard. Hard is struggling to convince your legs to walk
properly or living another day when all you can feel is guilt and loss. This .
. .” I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Leave me alone.
Go home
.”

We locked eyes.
Chair legs tapped against the floor as Shade fought the impulse to obey. He
shot to his feet. The sweeping motion of his hands flung his folded newspaper
across the kitchen, smacking it into the start button on the microwave. The
appliance beeped and began to whir. He staggered and knocked his chair over.

“Ease off, can’t
you see he’s hurting,” Shadow yelled, grabbing his twin’s
arm.                                

I couldn’t bear
Shade’s suffering. I turned and fled to the back door, yanked on the first pair
of shoes I saw, and then grabbed my coat off the hook as I went by.

In retrospect,
the whole get out of the house idea had not been well thought out. For
starters, my crutch was buried somewhere on the side of a mountain. My bad knee
was swollen. And now, thanks to the battering I’d taken, my good leg had gotten
a three-inch gash that had required stitches. To top it off, during the night a
cold wave had settled in the valley, plummeting the temperatures into the low
teens. I turned up my collar and pulled my hands inside my sleeves. Regardless,
the house and all it represented was still too close. I limped three steps out
onto the patio, sinking past my calves in the snow. I sucked in the frigid air,
feeling its paralyzing progression all the way down my windpipe. Heavy, wet
snow soaked my jeans, encasing them against my legs. My knees locked. Even with
my eyes scrunched tight I could still see white.

“I would’ve
thought you had your fill of snow yesterday.”

I jerked,
released from my private terror by the magnetism of Shade’s earthy drawl. He
was standing so close that his warm breath ruffled the hair on the back of my
head. I wondered, momentarily befuddled by his proximity, whether he knew the
power his voice had on me?

“Whatever you
do, don’t fall. I doubt I could pick you up,” he admitted.

The subtle
reminder of his repeated assistance blasted through my ego, clearing the
foolishness out of my head. Still, I couldn’t ignore the strain he tried hard
to mask. “You’re a stubborn one, Shade
Grisland
. Do I
have to order you again?”

“If it’ll make
you feel better, go for it. I told you in the end it comes down to my will.
Order me to leave. Do it until your mouth is too dry to speak. One time or a
thousand, the end result will be the same. I place your best interest over mine
every time. You need me as your guide and protector.”

Warm hands
squeezed my shoulders. I clutched my arms across my chest and stared down at
the ring he’d worked so hard to earn. Danny should never have put his friend in
this position. Those terrible moments kept replaying in my head, churning up
feelings that thickened my voice and made the words harder to get out. “Last
night in my nightmares, I was attending your funeral. Please, Shade, sever the
oaths,” I begged, trying but failing to pull his hands down. Through the layers
of down, his grip dug into my shoulders, drawing me snug against his side. I
wanted to believe his strength and determination would be enough to keep us
both safe. “One twist the wrong way and you could’ve snapped your back.”

“Oh please, I’m
a diamond level
viber
. They’ll need to do better than
a wind shear. Before I was midway down the tube, I felt their pattern rubbing
out ahead of mine. I allowed the situation to play out to see how far they were
willing to go.”