Masquerade (39 page)

I looked up in time to see
a large truck driving straight at me. I screamed and swerved back
into my lane. The loud, angry honking of the truck filled my ears.
I wanted to pull over. I wanted to catch my breath. I couldn’t.
From out of nowhere, China landed on the hood of the car. I was
paralyzed by the pure hatred in her blazing red eyes.
This
was
evil
.

The speeding of the car didn’t seem to
affect China’s balance. She stalked forward, her claws digging into
the metal of the hood as if it were butter. On impulse I slammed on
the brakes, and she went sailing through the air. I didn’t look to
see where she landed, but I hit the gas and sped forward, praying
she was hurt. I prayed her legs were broken, and she couldn’t catch
me. I prayed to be back in my room, safe in Sam’s arms.

It was too late when I saw her. She
was low in the grass and charged, throwing her surprisingly lithe
and strong body under the car and flipping it into the air. As the
car careened off the road and rolled again and again, I had only
one thought: I never got to tell Sam I loved him.

Pain is a funny thing. You
know that you hurt. You know that your body isn’t working the way
it should, but you can’t really feel it, you know? The pain is
sometimes so intense that you’re numb. Maybe it’s your body and
mind’s way of protecting itself. Maybe it’s your body’s way of
dying
.

“
Hev, I’m here,” a faraway
voice reached me. “I’m going to get you out of there.” I knew it
was Sam. It was always Sam. My fierce protector. I tried to call
out, to warn him about China, but no sound left my lips. I felt
warmth and silk brush by me, and I longed to move closer to the
sensation. But I was pinned, held prisoner, by what I didn’t know.
Then, I was falling forward against the heat I so badly
needed
.

“
I’m so sorry,” Sam
whispered.

I reveled in the sound and
smell of him. I was safe…there was something I needed to tell
him.
Something he needed to be warned
about…“Sam.”
We have to get away! She’s
going to come back!
Why
wouldn’t the words come out?

“
I’m here. You were in an
accident. I’m going to get help.”

An accident? Panic stole through me. I
concentrated hard for the feeling of metal along my wrist.
“B-bracelet” I wanted it. I needed it to feel better.

“
I’ll get you
another.”

“
N-no.” Pain filled me, and
a cough burned my throat.

“
Shhh. I’ll get it. Then
we’re getting you to a hospital.”

I was so cold. Wasn’t it
spring? Where was the sunshine
–
the warmth? I was so tired. Maybe I could just go
to sleep. I tried to open my eyes, but they were just so
heavy.

Then I heard his voice. He wanted me
to look at him; his voice was filled with panic and pain. I wanted
to take away his pain. It took me a few tries, but I finally opened
my eyes. I wanted to see his beautiful whiskey-colored stare one
last time.

“
Heven, thank
God.”

“
Sam.” My mouth and throat
felt weird.

“
Hang on, baby. We’re going
to the hospital right now.”

“
Too late.”

“
No,” he cried, but his
voice was hoarse.

“
I love you, Sam.” Peace
filled me. I could let go with no regrets now.

“
I love you,” he
groaned.

A last moment of clarity jerked me.
Fight! Stay with Sam! But it was no use. I was too weak, and I felt
the last bit of my energy drain away.

I died the only way I would ever want
to die: in the arms of my beloved.

Chapter
Twenty-One

Sam

I glanced at the clock for the tenth
time in the past ten minutes. My shift tonight felt endless. The
gym was practically empty with only two people still here,
finishing their workouts. All the cardio classes were over, and
there were only a few people left in the pool. Usually, I liked
this place. Usually, the sound of weights hitting together and the
constant hum of the treadmills was a sound I didn’t mind. Not
tonight. Tonight the sounds and people seemed to overwhelm me. My
senses, already acute, hummed with every single sound in the place.
It was maddening. My skin tingled and itched, and there was a fire
in my veins.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that
something wasn’t right.

Heven promised to stay in
the house tonight. She promised to be careful. I shouldn’t
be
worrying about her. But I did. It
wasn’t something that I could ever shut off. There was a constant
voice in the back of my mind whispering, reminding me to stay
alert. I already messed up once when I dropped my guard with Heven
when her mother caught us kissing. Heven paid the price for that.
Her mother said things to her that cut deep, things that would
probably haunt her forever. I didn’t want that for her. I wanted
better for her, so I would be better, which meant that I couldn’t
drop my guard
.
I
refused to let her pay for my mistakes.

I wished I didn’t have to work.
Sometimes I felt like I was trapped here, and that I was going to
miss the moment that Heven needed me most. A nagging thought
accosted me like it always does when I get like this.

You don’t have to work.
You can get the money you need to live without a job.

I shook the thoughts away, just like I
always do. Sure, I had the strength, speed and even the perfect
disguise to steal. I could probably be in and out of a place with a
bag full of cash in mere minutes. But it was wrong. I walked a thin
line everyday between sin and faith. The things I’ve done aren’t
all good. But they were things that I had to do. And they were
things that I felt sorry for. But stealing wasn’t something that I
could justify to myself. What was the point of being with Heven if
I couldn’t be the man she deserved?

I was behind the front desk when the
door off to my right opened, and someone came in. I turned, annoyed
because it was so close to closing. I did not expect to see whom I
did.

“
Riley. What are you doing
here?” I said, not being able to keep the shock out of my voice. It
was my roommate. The one who held me down while China beat me then
stayed behind from a day of searching to make sure I would
live.

He looked around the place for a
moment before speaking. When he looked back at me he smirked at the
Planet Fitness shirt I was wearing.

“
I don’t have the patience
for you tonight,” I snapped, keeping my voice low. “What the hell
are you doing here?”

Riley sauntered over, his dark eyes
narrowing on my face. “Watch it pup, I might change my mind and
walk out before I say what I came to say.”

“
Just tell me.” Even though
I kept my face as controlled as I could, my insides were going
crazy. Something had to be very wrong for Riley to be in here.
Riley didn’t even like me. I don’t think he liked
anyone.

“
China is going after your
girl tonight.”

My hands flexed on top the counter,
gripping the edges until my knuckles turned white. “How do you
know?”

“
She was ranting and raving
earlier. She said she doesn’t have any reason to keep you around
anymore. She said she was going to start with the girl then come
for you.”

I launched across the counter and
grabbed him up by the front of his shirt. “If you’re lying to me
right now I will kill you.”

Riley’s eyes narrowed on my
face, and I felt the muscles beneath his skin shift
–
I didn’t care. One on
one, I would tear him to shreds. I was so sick to death of everyone
underestimating me, treating me like a kid because I was the
youngest.

He reached between us, shoved my hand
away and then reached up to smooth his shirt. “Believe what you
want. I came to tell you and I did. Whatever you do with the
information is up to you.”

With that he walked out the
door.

Steve, one of the personal trainers
came around the corner. “Hey, man.”

The door was swinging shut as I
turned. “I have to go.” I said, trying to sound normal.

“
Is everything okay?” he
asked, concerned. His eyes drifted to the door that Riley just went
through.

“
That was a friend of mine.
My girlfriend has been in an accident.” My heart was pumping, and
my hands were beginning to shake. I had to get out of
here.

“
Oh, shit, man. I’m sorry.
Go, I’ll cover for you…”

I didn’t even wait to hear the rest of
what he said. I shot out of the door and was in my truck and
speeding away towards the farm before I even took a breath. I
grabbed my cell and noticed a missed call. I pulled up the voice
mail and listened to her soft voice fill my ears.

“
Shit!” I yelled and
slammed on the brakes. She wasn’t at the farm. She was out
driving…alone!

I made a sharp turn in the middle of
the road and pressed the gas, thankful that she told me what road
she was on. I broke every law possible on my way to find her. I
pushed the truck way past its comfort zone, and I swerved around
and passed people who were in my way.

I glanced down at the clock
and wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my
hand.
Seven minutes.
It had been seven minutes since I left work. I prayed that in
those seven minutes Heven was not being killed. I prayed that China
couldn’t find her. Maybe it would work in Heven’s favor that she
wasn’t in her usual place.

When I barreled onto the road that
Heven said she was on, I pulled to the side of the road. If China
was here, it would be faster to catch her on foot. I would be able
to use my senses and hopefully catch her scent to know where she
was

I got out of the truck and ran across
the street. There were trees along this side of the road, and I
went into them, hoping the darkness and the trees would be enough
concealment for me. I started running and my body shifted, changing
into my other half. Tonight, I was grateful for this form. The
speed and agility might come in handy.

I took in a deep breath and caught the
scent that was distinctly China. I willed myself to move faster. I
could hear the sounds of a speeding car, and I prayed that it was
Heven. That she was getting herself to safety.

But then another sound filled my
ears.

The hideous sound of grinding metal
and crushing glass.

My steps faltered. NO! With a burst of
speed I rounded a small turn in the road and looked through the
trees. The sight ahead was my worst nightmare. I was too
late.

Heven’s car was overturned
and the sharp smell of gasoline filled the air. Glass littered the
ground and the guard rail was ruined. China saw me racing their
way, and she leaped at me, baring her teeth. I didn’t think
–
only reacted by
leaping on her back and sinking my teeth into the soft, vulnerable
flesh at the back of her neck.

Then I ripped it right out.

She made a blood-curdling howl and
tried to buck me off, but I dug my claws in and held on. I managed
to rip out two more chunks of her flesh before she managed to shake
me off. I landed on my back and rolled, my jaws snapping out to
grab her front leg. I chomped down hard and twisted, sick
satisfaction flowing through me when I heard the bones snap and the
tendons tear. China fell down, and I used that moment to rip at her
ear. It came off, and I spit it right beside her where her head now
lolled.

How do you feel now,
seeing severed body parts that belong to you.

I was about to lunge again when the
heavy smell of gasoline made it past my rage. Heven was inside that
car, probably injured, and it could blow up at any
moment.

I looked down at China, who was almost
unconscious and then turned my back. I would finish her off once
Heven was out of the car. When I knew she was safe.

I transformed back into my
human form and ran up to the car, lying on my stomach to peer in
the window. The car was lying upside down, but she was still
inside, unmoving in the driver’s seat. From what I could see, the
only reason she was still inside was because the seatbelt did its
job and clasped her tightly against the seat. Blood covered the
side of her face and her breathing was shallow. The scent of
fear filled
my nostrils.
Anxiety filled my chest. I was scared. More scared than I had ever
been before. But I had to keep it together. She needed
me.

“
Hev, I’m here,” I told
her, praying she could hear me. “I’m going to get you out of
there.”

The seatbelt made it impossible for me
to just pull her out the smashed window, and I couldn’t reach the
clasp. It was all too easy to rip the fabric free, and Heven’s body
fell forward. I caught her, pulling her awkwardly through the
window. I sat amidst the broken glass and gasoline cradling her
limp body in my arms.