Two Halves Series (22 page)

As I prepared to launch forward, a vision appeared of another world—a world I had not seen before. A long corridor stretched before me, its walls painted with landscapes more beautiful than any art I’d seen on earth. Candles in wall sconces burned smokeless and illuminated the hall. Silky plush carpeting covered the floor, patterned along the edges with gold stars. It smelled like home; it felt safe and peaceful.

It was unlike any dream I’d had and it lasted less than a second before I was back in the dark alley.

Eric’s wicked smile hadn’t faded, but now it didn’t seem to be meant for me as his gaze skidded to the side.
Is it for William?
I wondered, holding his still body. When I stood, my rage was ready to explode from inside me. Stepping in front of William, my knees flexed, and I was ready to strike, ready to protect William.

I no longer wanted to know who this man was and I imagined ripping his throat like a savage beast in revenge for what he’d done to William. Any demon whose calling began with “evil” couldn’t be good. I narrowed my eyes, knowing I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The evil-bender stood still, looking at me as if I were I child who needed to be taught too much in a short time. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and shook his head. Tension fuelled his purple gaze, which was no longer directed at me. An orange glow of another demon’s eyes rushed at me from the corner of the building.
Those
eyes definitely belonged to a seeker.

He’s a spy! Eric is a spy for the seekers!
My insides twisted, but I didn’t show it. I held my stare on the traitor, hating him for hurting William. Any hope I had vanished. Eric was here to find us and make sure we couldn’t get away before others arrived.

Talons outstretched, the seeker flew straight at me. Eric, still facing me, seemed unfazed. I wanted to move, but my feet had been glued to the ground by a blue glow under my soles. Either my instincts had been asleep for too long, or Eric had more tricks up those long sleeves than I thought.

The seeker sprang toward me, but in the tenth of a second it took him to pass the evil-bender, Eric stuck his arm out and grabbed the seeker by his throat. The demon squeaked and released a high-pitched yelp. I slapped my hands over my ears. The demon squirmed, but Eric didn’t let go. He winked at me, and I heard,
Don’t worry, I’ll find you again. We’ll get through this.
Except Eric didn’t move his lips.

He stepped back and disappeared with the seeker into a blue mist.

“William. William!” I hurried to his side, breathless.

William remained unconscious. I shook him by his shoulders, then pressed my ear against his chest, listening for air entering his lungs. His torso rose with a drawn breath, then fell on an exhale, and I took his face into my hands. “William, come back to me, please.” My eyes blurred.

“It’s okay, Sarah. I’m okay,” he whispered, opening his eyes.

“Are you hurt?” I pulled him into an embrace.

“Nothing time can’t heal. Where is he?” William sat up abruptly, and his heartbeat skipped. “Did he hurt you?” Grimacing, he lifted his hand to the side of his head and I assumed he was probing a bruise.

“No, he’s gone. Don’t move. Let me help you back inside.”

He shivered but didn’t pull away as I helped him to his feet. We staggered back into the room. I left him on the bed to get ice and rushed back with a bucket. William moaned when I pressed a handful of ice against his head, but he didn’t argue.

“Who was he?” he asked, seated on the edge of the bed. “Where did he go?”

When I pulled the ice away, he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. William reached in his backpack for a silver flask. Thunder sounded in the distance.

“He was a demon. An evil-bender.” I told William of the meeting in the alley, including my vision and Eric’s hold on the seeker. William tipped the container of blood to his mouth and after a few sips, the glow of his skin returned as if he’d had a magic potion. I placed my hand to the back of his head. I knew the bruise would soon be healed and the lump would shrink.

“Here.” He took my hand and placed it on his third rib. “Push down and up by a fraction until you feel it locked. It will heal quicker.”

I leaned into the bone and pressed my palms hard. The bone cracked.

William shut his eyes and tensed his jaw.

“I’m sorry.” I pulled my hands away.

“No. That’s good.” He exhaled. “I don’t know who this evil-bender is, but your vision . . . How did you do it? I thought you could only get premonitions in your dreams. The relaxation theory was just a theory—you weren’t relaxed in the alley, were you?”

“No. I don’t know why I got the vision. What was that place?”

“The high underworld.”

“As opposed to the low one?”

William rolled his eyes, chuckling. “That’s exactly what I would have said.” He laughed again.

“You’re making fun of me!” I accused.

“Never!” He smirked. “The high underworld is where the keepers maintain the balance between good and evil. Not many have seen it.”

“You’ve been there,” I guessed.

“Yes. The entrance is in Spain, behind the Caballo Falls in Monasterio de Piedra. I was eight. My parents took me.”

Outside, a strong gust of wind whirled leaves into the air. When the rustle of settling leaves faded, another rumble of thunder roared, this time closer.

“Sarah, you shouldn’t have gone out. When I saw you weren’t here . . .” William tucked my hair behind my ear.

I read the fear he’d felt when he found himself alone. “I’m sorry. I just needed some fresh air and food. It won’t happen again.”

“We have to be more careful now. This is the second demon who found you; others can, too. A seeker has been here; others will follow his lead.”

“Shouldn’t we leave?” I looked toward the door.

“No, it’s still safer here than the airport.”

“I don’t think Eric meant to hurt me. He took care of the seeker.”

“I hope you’re right.” William sighed. He moved to double-check the window and found it locked. Droplets of rain began splattering against the glass. “But if he didn’t want to hurt you, what did he want?”

“He said he’s bound to me forever.” I paused. “And that he’d find me again.”

William frowned. “We have four hours of sleep left.”

“You need to lie down. You hit your head pretty hard.” I pushed lightly against his chest, urging him to sit down in the chair. There was no point in asking him to lie down on the bed. He was just as stubborn as I was.

“But—”

“I won’t go anywhere, I promise.” I bounced onto the bed.

He didn’t argue. His face was lined with exhaustion, his eyelids drooping. Although his body did not need a break, his head did. The hum of rain soothed, and unlike earlier, William’s eyes finally closed.

Chapter 10

William woke at six in the morning. The sun’s rays had crept above the horizon. His eyes moved back and forth below his half-shut eyelids: then he patted the sheets on either side of him with his hands. Our arms touched. I heard his heartbeat speed up, but he calmed it almost immediately.

“Hi.” He rolled over to hover above me.

“Hello.” I controlled each breath as it left my lungs. William’s lips had swollen during the night. Mine quivered when I thought of the certain pleasure I would feel if they touched his. “How’s your head?”

“Okay now.” His gaze found the chair, then came back to the bed. “I don’t suppose I sleepwalked to the bed.” The eyes holding mine twinkled.

“You didn’t,” I answered, striving to sound casual. “I figured there’s enough space for both of us.” I tried to forget I wore skimpy underwear and a T-shirt underneath the covers. My breathing quickened.

“Hmm. And how exactly did you manage to get me in bed with you?” he teased.

“Oh, stop it. You know I carried you.” My stern tone melted as the heat from his body radiated to warm mine.

“You did?” William widened his eyes. “How could such a fragile little thing like you carry someone like me? I’ll have to find a way to thank you. Perhaps—” He lowered his face closer to mine.

“William!” I feared what would happen if he came any closer. It took all the strength of will I had to keep my arms at my sides, hands gripping the sheets. The urge to throw them around his neck and crush his lips against mine made my mouth water. I wanted to feel their tenderness and taste their sweetness. To have them caress my face, my neck…

My right leg slid between his, and his right leg slipped between mine. The heat sizzled from our bodies, as fierce as our desire, our hunger undeniable. The music was faster, but we moved at our own pace, hearts beating in time. Our kisses deepened. He explored my mouth with passion. My lips fit against his naturally.

I pulled away for a moment to breathe, and his eyes pleaded for me to come back—an invitation I couldn’t resist. This time, I pressed my body harder against his. He responded. I knew this night would end in ecstasy.

“I’m sorry,” he said, interrupting my daydream. “Thank you. That was very thoughtful.” He narrowed his eyes, curious, since my breathing was too heavy for William not to notice.

“What are the plans for today?” I said quickly, crawling from under him. I straightened my shirt and fixed my hair.

“We’re going to the airport.” William rose and stood by the bed.

Knowing I could soon lose control, my gaze darted away from his boxers as I recalled taking his pants off at night when he snored. I sagged with relief when he pulled up his jeans and began packing the few things we had.

He handed me a new syringe filled with pink liquid.

“We’re going on a plane?” I asked, inserting the needle.

“No, we’re going for a swim.” He laughed.

“Ha-ha. You’re so funny.”

He grinned. “Yes, on a plane. I don’t suppose you’ve been on a plane before. Are you scared?”

“Are you going with me?”

“Yes.”

“Then no, I’m not scared.”

“Here.” He handed me a small book.

I opened one of the two passports. “We’re crossing the border?”

This would be the first time I’d been so far away from Pinedale, my store and everything I ever knew about my life. I wondered where my friends and watchers were. Would they feel like they failed protecting me? It wasn’t their fault and I hoped they’d forgive my sudden departure.

“Yes, but please don’t think about it. Make your thoughts as blank as possible. Think of snow, white bunnies, igloos, and the ocean with many icebergs. The seekers shouldn’t sense you, but just in case . . .”

“Okay.” I found the page with my photo. “Willemina Jones,” I read aloud. “Nice one. How long did it take you to come up with that one?” I wasn’t trying to be rude, it was the kind of smart-ass remark we made in my dreams.

“I’m Sarphen Jones,” he said.

Laughing, I threw my head back. “
Sarphen?
”

“I like to be unique.”

“That you certainly are.” I chuckled.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

I brushed my teeth and hopped into my jeans while William waited with our luggage.

We walked toward the end of the motel, hand in hand, despite the sharp pains in our hearts. Most guests slept, but not all. Someone moaned as we passed the third door. My cheeks felt hot. William disregarded the whimpers and deep exhalations. He didn’t let me carry anything, either. The backpack rested comfortably on his right shoulder.

When we passed the entrance, the red-haired receptionist looked up, waved, and dropped her head back on the front desk to sleep. William dropped a post card into a mailbox and I wondered who he sent it to. Then he tugged on my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction from the jeep.

“Wrong way,” I whispered.

“We’re switching cars.”

“Are you stealing one?”

“No, just taking a more comfortable one. I borrowed the jeep.” He grinned. I pictured William sneaking into a neighbour’s garage in the middle of the night, to “borrow” the yellow Hummer that shone in the parking lot of the motel. Vanilla air freshener waffled in the air before we reached it.

“Well, that won’t get any attention,” I said, blocking the sunlight with my hand as it reflected off the bright yellow paint.

He smiled. “You get your sarcasm from your father. We’re not driving far, and I really like this one. Looks almost like mine.”

“You have another one?”

“Yes. We can’t take this one on a plane. It’s a rental—harder to trace.”

“Now that one makes sense,” I teased.

“It’s important that you stay quiet for the rest of the way. They have spies everywhere.” He widened his eyes.

“But we’d see them. Or you could sense them, couldn’t you?” I asked as he opened the door on my side.

“Not all of them.” He dashed around the car to get in. “There are several kinds of demons. The seeker demons can smell what they are focused on. They’re fast and their only mission is to find what or who they’re looking for. There are also fire demons, water demons, air demons, etcetera—they control the natural elements. And passers—they can pass through hundreds of miles in seconds through a time vortex. Movers use force to move objects—their power depends on how strong they are. Freezers stop you in your tracks. The different talents can be combined by more powerful demons.”

I remembered the blue glow under my feet when I met Eric.

William continued, “Shapeshifters can look like anyone or anything they want—”

“Like Mira and Xander.”

“Yes.”

“And they can sense me?” I asked nervously as faces of my classmates and neighbours flashed through my mind. Could anyone else I’d known be a seeker or a freezer?

“Not all demons are bad. Most were good.” William turned the key in the ignition. The car purred to life.

I wondered if this world would ever make sense to me. “If the demons were good, what happened?”

“They were stronger types of warlocks who used to balance the world. Warlocks stole demon qualities. The balance has shifted too much to call them warlocks anymore. It’s easier to use a power than a precise spell. If there was drought, they’d make it rain. If there was enough pressure for an earthquake, they’d readjust the tectonic plates to ease the tension and minimize its intensity. Think of them as invisible fairies that made the world work. These are just the small examples.”