Thinking about my biological parents made Zachs words steal through my mind, though Id done my best to forget them. Your real mother didnt leave you because she was running from the police...she did it to save you, just as your dreams revealed...
Good, youre up.
Adrians curt voice made me jump. I snapped the locket shut, glad my back was to him so he couldnt see what I tucked under my sweater. He was not smashing the last gift my sister gave to me, mirror phobia or not. With the locket safely hidden, I turned around.
Thanks for...breakfast.
I couldnt help my pause. Some things should come with a warning label, and seeing Adrian stalk through the room wearing only a towel was definitely one of them. I hadnt known ab definition like that existed without airbrushing, and the network of muscles on his arms, back and chest rippled as though dancing to a song that reverberated beneath his flesh.
Michelangelo had it wrong, I thought, tearing my gaze away. With that body, Adrian was the one who needed a marble statue made in his image. Good thing he was so fixated on shoving his things into his duffel bag, he didnt notice my admiration.
Were leaving in ten minutes, he stated, still in that brusque tone.
After hed stormed out last night, I told myself it didnt matter if Adrian was still attracted to me. I needed to rescue my sister, not start something with a guy whod warned me he wasnt trustworthy, let alone all the other reasons why Adrian was off-limits. No matter the dazzling packaging, he was six feet six inches of undetermined supernatural bad news, so his coldness now suited my purposes.
His barked orders, however, didnt. We needed to get a few things straight before we went any further.
Just because youre pissed about our little road trip doesnt mean you get to keep taking it out on me, I said. For whatever reason, you chose to come, and we dont need to be friends, but you do need to quit acting like my boss. So were not leaving in ten minutes, Adrian. Were leaving in twenty because Im taking a shower, too.
He swung around, arms crossing over that muscled chest in obvious annoyance. I continued on as if I didnt notice.
Its not my fault if youve never had a serious girlfriend, but believe me when I tell you that its impossible for a girl to get ready in less than twenty minutes.
Its not my fault if youve never had a serious girlfriend, but believe me when I tell you that its impossible for a girl to get ready in less than twenty minutes.
Fine, he said, his tone only slightly less rude.
You may want to wait until Im in the bathroom to get dressed, too, I said airily. If you drop that towel now, Ill think its your way of telling me you still want that date.
I didnt wait for his response before disappearing into the bathroom. All jokes aside, if he did drop that towel, I might forget all the many reasons why I should stay away from him.
chapter seven
Twenty minutes laterokay, twenty-five, but close enoughwe climbed into his car. I wasnt much for old muscle cars, but I had to admit that his Challenger was in great shape. Still, Id kill for a satellite radio. This only had AM and FM.
You dont need to drive the whole way. We can take turns, I offered.
No, he replied at once.
So youre one of those, I muttered.
His brow went up. One of what?
Guys who think a girl cant handle their precious metal babies, I said, rolling my eyes.
At that, he laughed. I rebuilt this car from the axle up, so yeah, you can call it my baby. But no one, male or female, drives it except me.
So youre an equal-opportunity control freak? I replied without missing a beat.
You have no idea, he said, voice lowering while his blue eyes slid over me in a phantom caress.
My breath caught. Until that moment, I hadnt realized hed avoided looking at me since he stormed out last night. Now, his gaze moved over me as if he already knew which parts to touch first and which parts to leave until I was breathless and begging. My heart began to beat faster. How could he affect me so much when we barely knew each other?
Then, like a switch had been flipped, he looked away as though the sight of me had burned his eyes. His whole demeanor changed, too, as if he were angry for revealing something that was supposed to remain hidden.
When should we arrive in Oregon? I asked, needing something, anything, to break up the tense moment.
He revved up the car and glanced at the clock. Three a.m., if we dont get caught in traffic.
Nineteen hours until I crossed into one of the places that countless doctors had sworn were merely figments of my imbalanced mind. Once again, I had so many questions, I hardly knew where to begin.
Have you been to this particular realm door before?
Yes.
One tightly spoken word that warned me to drop the subject, if I didnt want another round of the silent treatment. I stifled a frustrated sigh. I needed more information, and he was moodier than a tween girl with her first PMS attack.
How did you know minions were trying to kidnap me the other night? There. Total change of subject, and something Id been wondering about, anyway.
Adrian didnt look at me as he pulled out onto the road. Zach told me. Hes the one who sent me to retrieve you.
Id have to drag everything out of him, wouldnt I? Okay, how did Zach know?
He grunted. Archons get information about future events. Every so often, they interfere to change the outcome.
Every so often? I repeated with angry disbelief, thinking of Jasmines kidnapping and my parents deaths. Why not every time? Or do Archons have days where theyre just not in the mood to save people from harm and death?
Nothing changed in his expression, but his tone hardened with what I thought might be remembered pain. Thats the million-dollar question, isnt it? I dont have an answer, and when I asked Zach the same thing, all he said was something about orders.
Thats such bullshit, I muttered.
I couldnt agree more, Adrian said dryly.
Neither of us spoke for a few minutes. Not strained silence like before, but silent, shared reflection while both of us thought of things that we wished had turned out different.
So thats what you do? I finally said. Rescue people for Zach after he tells you that minions are after them?
He shrugged. Gives me a chance to piss off demons.
Most people would avoid doing that, I pointed out, suppressing a shudder. If not for Jasmine, you wouldnt catch me near a demon, minion, realm or anything freakily supernatural. Why did Adrian run toward the danger instead?
You and I arent most people, Ivy, he said softly. Because of what we see, we dont get to pretend the world is a beautiful place where monsters dont exist.
I was the one who looked away that time, unable to handle the truth of his statement or the intensity in his stare. Until a few days ago, I had been doing that. Even as a child, as soon as Id realized no one else saw the things I did, Id wanted it to stop. I hated feeling like something was wrong with me, so after Id jumped through almost a decade of medical hoops looking for a cure, I started pretending that Id found one.
I told my parents, the doctors and even eventually Jasmine that I no longer saw the strange, dark worlds hanging like nightmares over regular places. I certainly never told Delia or my other friends about them. I said the pills I took were for a hormonal imbalance, and all my doctor appointments were for that, too.
Lies, lies, lies, all because I wanted to pretend I was normal. According to the gorgeous stranger across from me, I wasnt then and never would be.
What happened with you? I asked, my voice low as if we were sharing secrets. I hid from what I saw, but you started hunting down the things everyone told me couldnt exist. You mustve had proof that they were real, so what was it?
He closed off so fast I was surprised I didnt hear a sonic boom. I shut my eyes, letting out a sigh as I tried to settle myself more comfortably into my seat. Looked like the question-and-answer segment of our time was over.
Eventually, as afternoon slid into evening during the long drive, the late hour and boredom lulled me into drifting off.
A thunderous boom woke the black-haired woman. Her baby began to wail at the multiple crashing noises. She left the baby in the backseat, walking through the brush that hid her car.
On the nearby highway, a tractor-trailer was on its side, multiple cars piled up around it. Each passing second brought a new screech of tires and, more faintly, screams. Then the back of the trailer opened, and people stumbled out, some disappearing into the tall grass that lined the road, others limping a few feet before collapsing onto the road.
The black-haired woman hurried back to her car, but as she began to strap her baby in the car seat, she paused. Then she turned around and stared. Sunlight broke through the clouds, streaming down to the side of the road about fifty yards from the accident. The woman began to shake.
No. No, I cant leave her, she whispered.
The light grew brighter, and another sunbeam appeared, illuminating the same spot. Tears streamed down her face, but after a minute, she picked up her child and walked toward it.
Promise me shell be safe, she choked out, setting the baby in the grass. Then she kissed the child, whispering, Mommy loves you. Always, before running to her car and driving away
Promise me shell be safe, she choked out, setting the baby in the grass. Then she kissed the child, whispering, Mommy loves you. Always, before running to her car and driving away
What is that?
Adrians voice startled me. For a second, I was disoriented, the dream clinging to me as it always did. Yes, I was in a car, but I wasnt the unknown woman driving away from her baby. That wasnt real. The glare Adrian leveled at my chest was, though.
Is that a mirror? He sounded horrified.
I looked down. My locket was open, the mirrored side facing me. At some point while I was sleeping, I mustve opened it. Adrians hand shot out, but this time, I was too fast for him.
Dont you dare, I snapped, holding it out of his reach. Its the only picture I have of my sister after you left everything I own back at that hotel in Bennington!