A Touch Mortal (9 page)

“E
den,” Az sighed. He tried to hide what was left of the limp as he stepped forward. Another week and the leg would be healed, but for now it still twinged when he put his full weight on it. Kristen mumbled something to Gabriel about trying to stop him, but Az wasn’t listening.

Eden’s eyes flicked to Gabe, Kristen, back to him. She looked different. Fragile and hopeless and pale. Her eyes were swollen, tears staining her blotchy cheeks. He took another step forward, but she didn’t jump into his arms the way he’d pictured, looked more shell-shocked than happy. “You’re…How are you here?”

He turned to Kristen. She’d thrown an indignant hand on her hip, buried her fingers in the nasty fabric of her dress. “I told you this was not a good time.
You
chose to ignore me.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Kristen,” he mumbled, turning back to Eden.

“I saw you fall.” She started to shake, the quiver spreading through her as he watched.

“I know. But look!” He held out a hand, flipped it over. “See, good as new!”

Her head fell to her hands, palms pressing against her temples. A sob exploded from her as she leaped off the bed, into his arms. Az caught her, pulling her against his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “If there was another way, I would have taken it.”

Her arms loosened, her voice muffled by his shoulder. “What do you mean ‘another way’?”

“For you to turn into a Sider.” Her hands slipped from his shoulders. He reached for them on their way down, but she pulled away.

“Wait.” She raised her hand, her gaze fierce as it searched his. “You know what I am?”

He nodded. “Once I knew you had no path….”

“You knew I was going to kill myself?” She stepped back. “Why didn’t you stop me?” This was not going how he pictured. Not by a long shot. Her face paled as she connected the thoughts. “You tricked me into thinking you were dead? What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought you loved me!”

“I
do
love you! I was trying to keep you safe!” he said as she backed away from him.

“Safe?” she spat. “I
killed
myself!”

“I have enemies, Eden! Enemies who would have come for you, done horrible things. Things you can’t even imagine. They knew about you! At least as a Sider they can’t kill you. Can’t take you away.”
Selfish.

His vision blurred, the skin on his back tightening as his wings curled in on themselves.
I destroyed her life.

“If I would have done it anyway, why did you make me think you were dead?” She spun on Gabriel. “And you. Did you know?” Her face fell when he hesitated.

“No,” Az whispered, Eden’s hatred ringing in his ears. “Not now.” But already it was starting, the swirl of black behind his eyes, the words like ribbons trailing through his head.
All I do is hurt others. She doesn’t love me. Never will. She’ll leave me. Never look back. I will always be alone.

Fall.

“Az?” It was Gabe. “Kristen, get him.” A hand grasped his shoulder, another around his waist.

He stumbled, Kristen holding him up. It would be so easy to give in, to Fall. To let go.

“What in God’s name is wrong with him?” Kristen gasped.

“He’s only half Fallen. Part of him wants nothing more than to finish what he’s started.” Gabe’s voice lowered to a whisper, though Az still caught it. “I’ve gotta get him out of here before he gets worse.”

“Az!” Eden shouted. He fought his eyes open, found her. She’d backed against the wall, her hand held out in front of her, palm up. For just a second, he thought it was there for him to reach for, a lifeline, as Kristen and Gabe dragged him into the hall.

And then he saw her eyes, heard the broken moan in her voice. “How could you do this?”

The door slammed shut, cutting her off, a key twisting in the lock. He collapsed, her frantic pleas to open the door shattering him.

“Take him, Gabriel. I’ll take care of her.”

“Kristen…” Az gritted his teeth, felt her hand on his back as she crouched next to him. “Don’t hurt her. Please.”

“I won’t hurt her,” Kristen said. “As long as you don’t Fall.”

A
z
is alive.
Every time Eden thought it, her heart jump-started.
Liar.
Over and over and over the word ticked through her mind.
He lied. He did this to me. But he’s alive.
She sunk to the floor. Maybe someone would come. Gabe. Gabe wouldn’t just leave her there. Not again.

Eden slid closer to the door, eyeing the keyhole, pushing Az out of her head. The sun set.

The first time she heard the sound, it was close to noon. She barely registered it, the sound or the time, until it came again, the soft pat of an open palm.

“Who’s there?” Her voice cracked, sore and unsteady. She swallowed hard, pressing her ear against the wood, straining.

From the other side came three whispered words. “You killed Marcus.”

Eden jerked away, slamming her hand against the
door. “I didn’t mean to! That wasn’t my fault!”

A hiss silenced her. “They’re going to hear you!” Eden waited through a long pause before the voice came again. “I don’t care if it was.” On the other side of the door, fingernails clawed a trail upward, Eden’s wide eyes following the tiny scritches from floorboards to knob. “I have a key,” the voice said.

“Then open the door.” Eden’s calm command surprised her.

“Only if you agree.” Desperation twisted the last word into a question.

Eden stepped back from the door. “Agree to what?”

“Marcus was an accident. Do it on purpose.”

She rocked back from the wood, shocked into silence.

“I heard Sebastian talking to Kristen. He said you’re dangerous, that she needs to get rid of you.” The tone shifted to panic. “There’s not much time….”

Another voice cut in. “Give me the key.” Someone slammed against the door, a shoulder hitting the wood. “I said, give me the key, Jacinda.” A second later the knob twisted. Eden backpedaled, sliding away across the floor as the door opened.

Adam smiled. “Hey there, stranger. I’ve come to spring you. You game for a daring escape?”

Eden jumped to her feet as Adam tossed her the empty backpack he’d been holding.

“Pack.”

She didn’t hesitate, scooping what she could from the drawers, cramming tank tops and a pair of jeans into the bag. Underwear and a sweatshirt filled the rest of the space. A bit of yellow peaked out from under the abandoned clothing. The envelope, the picture of Az. She shoved it in, knowing it would be wrinkled by the time they got out of there, not sure why it bothered her or why she was bringing it at all.

“Done.” She turned to face Adam. Behind him stood a girl, dark circles under haunted eyes, her shoulder drooping against the doorframe. Her skin was pale enough to show every thin vein lining her arms. Eden had never seen anyone look so worn through, so completely exhausted.

“Help me.” The plea seemed to emanate from her every pore.

“Go back to your room, Jacinda.” Adam snagged the bag from Eden, throwing it over his shoulder. “You ready?” he asked. Eden didn’t answer. She’d locked eyes with the girl.

“Adam, wait.” Hope flared in her eyes when Eden spoke, her fingers tightening against the doorframe. “I can’t leave her.”

“Fine, she can follow out the front. But we’ve gotta move. Kristen’s been gone all morning. And there’s nothing she loves more than the dramatic entrance.”

Eden stared at the girl. “That’s not what she wants. Leaving here won’t change anything for her.”
You can’t do this
, her mind screamed.
You can’t just kill her.
But it wasn’t like that at all. “You really want me to do this?” she asked.

Jacinda’s nod was immediate. “I wasn’t some messed-up kid having a bad day. I made my choice. I didn’t hurt anyone, because no one remembers me. And instead of death, I got this. It’s worse.”

Eden reached for her hand.

“What are you doing?” Adam asked, but he seemed so far away.

“I’ve only done this once. It might not work.”

Jacinda nodded, her eyes brimming with determination. “There are others. Screamers. They’re still in their rooms.”

“I’ll find them,” Eden promised. “You have my word.”

Eden shut her eyes, forcing herself to remember the night before. She’d been nervous last night. She’d leaned forward. Sighed.

“Hands,” she whispered. Jacinda’s fingers found hers.

“Ready?” Jacinda squeezed. Eden took a deep breath, let it out. She couldn’t open her eyes, didn’t want to see what was happening, if it worked.

A burning current tingled up her arms. Her bones felt electrified.

“Jesus Christ!” Adam whispered.

Eden opened her eyes. In front of her, ashes lined the floor in the shape of the girl. All that was left.

She snatched the key out from Adam’s hand, heading down the hall, into the left wing. The doors there were closed, everything silent and still. She was pretty sure the key was a skeleton by the shape of it. Sure enough, when she tried it in the first door, it clicked open.

The boy on the bed jumped, his eyes wild when he caught sight of her.

“Jacinda found you!”

“We don’t have much time.” A sudden bolt of pain shot up her arm. “What the fuck,” she hissed through clenched teeth, shaking it out. It disappeared as suddenly as it had come. She turned her attention back to the boy. “You know what I can do?” He hopped off the bed, nodding. “Still in?”

“If I wanted torture, I would’ve stayed alive. High school was better than this shit.” She couldn’t help but return his smile.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, stopped. For a panicked moment she thought she was caught, but it was only Adam.

“Eden, we gotta
go
.” He glanced over his shoulder. “We do not want to be here when she gets back.” She ignored him.

“Sit.” The boy did as he was told. Eden followed him
down. “Hands,” she commanded, not hesitating. She counted backward from three, closing her eyes at one and sucking in a deep breath. When she let it out, opened her eyes, he was still there, staring at her.

“When’s it gonna happen? Do I have to wait?”

Unease crept into her stomach. What if that was it? What if she’d only been able to do it a few times and whatever was different about her had burned out? She pushed the questions away.
No, think. You can do this.

“Adam, you were watching when it happened.” She pointed to the boy. “What did he do different?”

“Um.” Adam’s eyes jumped between the two of them. “He…she breathed in. She was taking a breath and his mouth was closed?” He looked at her like he expected her to give him a cookie and a pat on the head for a right answer. Like she had any idea what it was.

“Okay, we’ll give that a try,” she whispered, her voice giving away the trembling inside of her. “Take two. When I breathe out, you breathe it in, got it?” He nodded.

She grabbed his hands, inhaled. “Now,” she said as she breathed out. This time she kept her eyes open.

He leaned forward, his lips pursed, pulling in air hard enough to whistle. It took. Her fingers tingled, the sensation spreading up her arms slowly but growing stronger. A muscle wrenched in her neck, quivering spasms through her back.

“It didn’t work. He’s still here.”

“No,” she said. “It worked.” His body lay on its side, eyes rolled up just enough to be unnerving.

She scooted back across the floor. One of her shoes grazed the body.

The effect was instant. A dozen comparisons crackled in her brain, none of them quite right. Sand castle hit by a wave. Needle piercing a balloon.

“Holy fuck,” Adam whispered.

Yeah
, Eden thought.
That about covers it.
She winced as her hand cramped into a claw.

“You all right?” he asked. She looked up, ready to tell him sure, everything was fine, but his head cocked before she could get the words out. “You look…”

“What?”

She winced as another pang shot up her arm. He held his hand up close to her cheek, but stopped before touching her. “Are you hurt? Is it because of what just happened? What you did?”

“I’m not exactly an expert, Adam.” She got to her feet, made her way to the next room. Before she could get the key in the lock, he dropped his hand to the knob.

“You don’t look so hot. Maybe we should call it good.” He shot a glance toward the stairs. Kristen could come home any second. Leaving was one thing. Taking out Kristen’s Siders would have consequences. What they
were, Eden couldn’t imagine, but the bridge was already lit. Might as well burn it down.

“Few more.” Eden fought the urge to brush his hand away. When he pulled back, she opened the door to an empty room. She didn’t bother shutting it, went on to the next. Empty.

“Where are they all? Shouldn’t there be more?”

“Kristen took the strongest ones with her this morning. She left me to watch the rest.”

Eden stopped, the key stuck in the next lock. Behind it, she heard whispers but ignored them. She kept her eyes on Adam. “Why you?”

He shrugged. “Because I was the only one in the kitchen when she walked in? Kristen doesn’t really plan things out, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Adam’s watched your every move,
she thought.
Trap?
Maybe that was why he was so eager to get her to the door. To stop her. He only needed one, maybe two deaths to figure out her technique, how she’d dispatched of Marcus. She considered him. The idea of Adam doing Kristen’s bidding didn’t sit right with her. “Why not Sebastian, though? Wouldn’t she have left him in charge?”

He shrugged. “Those two were all hush-hush before they took off which usually means something’s up. And when something’s up, Sebastian’s on that chick like
glue.” Eden had seen him that way at the ball the first night. She turned the key, opened the door to three sets of eager eyes.

She leaned against the wall on her way back to her room.
Something’s wrong
, she thought.
You’re fine
, her brain commanded.
Just keep walking. Get the backpack and get out.
She pushed off the wallpaper, forced herself to keep going though the hallway shimmered in front of her.

Adam called her name from somewhere behind, but she didn’t dare turn. If she did, she was pretty sure she’d go down. She grabbed the threshold for balance as she passed through.

“Just gonna grab the bag and…”

Burning laced across her clavicles, corseted the bones of her ribs. She gasped. The feeling wrapped around her hips, sliding into her gut. Her whole body clenched, her legs giving out.

“Whoa, you all right?” Adam’s hand was on her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me,” she hissed, though the words came out pain-slurred. She slammed her hand against the floor. Everything inside her felt like it was ripping apart, rearranging.

“Eden, look at me.” Adam moved in front of her and
crouched down to her level. She forced her eyes up, blinking hard. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know. Hurts.”

“You look like the Screamers when she’s left them too long. Like you have way too much Touch. Haven’t you been passing?”

She nodded, her jaw clenched. The pain was diminishing, her vision clearing. She got her hands under her, staggered to her feet. “Kristen took me yesterday.”

“Jesus, did you get it
from
them? Is that even possible?” His voice changed, filling with wonder. “You took in their Touch.”

“Adam, please!” She took a tentative deep breath, expecting another wave of hell from her entrails. When none came, she straightened. “Can we not do this now? I’ve got to get out of here before…”

The front door closed. Eden and Adam snapped toward the sound. She heard Sebastian, the sound of footsteps on the stairs. In seconds, Kristen would be aware something was off, if she wasn’t already. No time to make a run for it.

“Fuck.” Eden wiped any trace of fear from her face. “She’s coming. You want out? There’s still time for me to…”

“I want out, but not like that.” Adam moved a step closer, still keeping his distance. “I want to come with you.”

Her eyelashes fluttered, sharp needles of pain digging a trail across her shoulders. The rush of the last bits of Touch left her shaking. She felt it inside her, each particle wrestling for space. Adam watched her, waiting. “No. You can’t come with me, but I can take one more.” She wasn’t sure how much more she could handle, if she’d offered Adam an empty promise.

“Hear me out.” His eyes darted toward the door. Confident footsteps that could only have belonged to Kristen glided up the stairway. “I have a few hundred bucks….”

“Then go. You can handle yourself. Besides,” Eden added, “I’ll be lucky to make it out of here.”

From beside her, Adam started to say her name, cut off as Kristen rounded the doorframe. He slid back further into the room. Eden flexed her fingers at her sides, squaring off.

Kristen stopped in the doorframe, her face the perfect blank canvas Eden strived for herself. One look at Kristen and she knew she’d never master it. Not like that.

“You look quite…guilty,” Kristen said. She made no move to come closer. It wasn’t exactly a hesitation, but the best Eden could hope for.

“Guilty? Depends on the point of view, I guess.”

Sebastian slid in next to Kristen. His hand on her shoulder, he moved to get around, in front of her, breathless
from his rush down the hallway. “They’re gone.”

“Who’s gone?”

“The doors are unlocked.” He didn’t take his eyes off Eden, though he spoke to Kristen. “All of them.”

Kristen’s jaw dropped, uncertainty creeping into her eyes. “That is unacceptable,” she said, turning to Eden, noticing Adam behind her for the first time. She snapped her fingers at him. “You. Where are they?”

Sebastian answered. “Ashes,” he said quietly. “On the floor.”

Eden dropped her hands as he spoke, her fingers uncurling.

“What have you done?” Kristen pushed around Sebastian.

“I’m leaving,” Eden said quickly, trying to keep her voice even. “If you try to stop me, I’ll do what I have to.” She’d lost some of the hard edge, had to press her hands against her sides to stop them from shaking. The backpack sat in the corner, near the door. She wondered if she’d make it that far if she took off running. If Sebastian would take her down. Kristen would lock her up, make her a Screamer. Or worse, turn her over to the Fallen.