Charade (28 page)

“Come with me,” he said and held out his hand.

“No.” I took a step backward. The back of my head squeezed and the muscles knotted until I thought I might cry out, but I stood tall. The front of my skull began aching and my eyes filled with tears.

He laughed and nudged the evil beast closer. I screamed as it reached out its strong arms and grabbed me. It held me out in front of it while it looked me up and down, making my skin crawl, while it licked its lips. Hadn’t I read somewhere that centaurs liked to rape women?

I kicked out a shoeless foot, not even connecting with the monster, but the act still enraged it. It yelled a deep roar and squeezed my arms until I thought they might break.

“Enough!” he roared, power emanating from his voice. The squeezing stopped as the centaur pitched me over its shoulder. The Dream Walker caught me and planted me in front of him between his thighs. I wanted to retch.

“You’re disgust makes this better,” he whispered in my ear as he urged the centaur forward. The creature took delight in giving us a terrifying, bumpy-as-hell ride. At the castle he let me go and I fell to the ground, hitting hard. Both he and the centaur enjoyed laughing at me as I got up and dusted myself off.
Wake up. Please wake up. Sam, where are you?

“Come,” he snapped and walked over the drawbridge to the castle door. Behind me, the Centaur leered and I decided to take my chances with the Dream Walker rather than him. I didn’t hurry to catch up. The idea of making him wait on me was somehow satisfying. When I at last sauntered to his side, he lifted a brow at my little act, then swiftly threw open the castle door and shoved me inside ahead of him. I landed against something, but couldn’t tell what it was because it was so dark. Whatever it was made a noise, a cross between a growl and a screech, and I jumped back in surprise.

The Dream Walker walked through the room and disappeared from sight. I hurried to catch up to him. “Who are you?” I called.

Of course he didn’t reply. I found him in a room, standing with his back to me in front of a large, curtained wall. The curtains were blood red and I prayed that it was their original color and not the leftovers of people who had done this man wrong.

I stood there, unsure what to do, and considered my options. The idea of running crossed my mind, but I wasn’t feeling very well, kind of fuzzy-headed and heavy. My limbs were shaking from what I assumed was fear, yet I didn’t feel afraid. I felt detached, like this was happening to someone else and not me. All of a sudden, the Dream Walker flinched and then went rigid, spinning to look at me. He scrutinized my face as if looking for some sort of answer to an unasked question. Seconds ticked by and nothing happened. I shifted my weight from foot to foot and waited.
Where are you, Sam?

I’m here.
His voice slid through my brain like thick, warm honey. It coated all the edges of worry and gave me sweet hope.
I’ve found the thread.

“What are you doing?” the Dream Walker demanded. He stalked over beside me.

“I’m not doing anything.”

He didn’t believe me, yet he couldn’t prove otherwise. “Look,” he demanded, then pressed a button on a small remote and the curtains began to slide open. The darkened room lightened some and I was able to see more of my surroundings. The room was large with black walls and a massive black desk in the center. There was a chair behind the desk that was made of black leather. The only color in the room came from the red curtains and a red rug beneath the desk. There were chains hanging from one wall that made me wonder what a person had to do to get chained there.

“I said look,” he yelled right in my ear. With my eardrum ringing, I walked over to the windows and looked out. It was a panoramic view of depressing proportions. I could see for miles and miles until the dark rock earth blended with the gray smoky sky. The terrain was completely flat with nothing but broken, dead vegetation for life. I could see demons milling about fighting, screaming, and torturing one another. There were buildings, some large and some small. They all looked on the verge of caving in or falling down. A long and winding black river flowed, snaking through the terrain and looking like a stream of tar.

“This could all be yours.”

“This is nothing.”

I thought he might yell, but for once, he didn’t. Instead he said, “This is power. I know you can feel it. I know it calls to you.”

I thought the power I felt came from him, and before I could stop the words, they tumbled from my mouth. He laughed a loud, unfriendly laugh. “I command this place. The power here
is
mine because I
take
it.”

Was he Satan then? Somehow, this wasn’t how I pictured the devil, and this wasn’t how I pictured Hell, but there was no denying this place. My gaze went back out the window. I guess evil came in many forms.

“Why are you offering me this?” It didn’t make any sense.

“I want the scroll.”

“If you’re so powerful, how come you haven’t taken it from me?” I didn’t say the words to taunt him. I wasn’t trying to anger him. But I did.

The slap hit me fast and hard, ricocheting my head back off my shoulders, causing pain to explode behind my eyes. I fell backward, falling on the cold, unforgiving floor, heat searing through my face. He stood over me, panting, eyes blazing like he wanted to kill me. Somewhere inside my head, Sam roared. An angry, powerful roar. And I knew that he was so deep in my head now that he knew what just happened.

“You can’t get it open, can you?” I said, lifting my chin with a challenge. I was done being afraid of him. He might be scary, but I would only be scared if I allowed myself to be.

He snarled and lifted his fist.

“You know I can get it open. Something no one else has been able to do. It’s why you haven’t killed me. You
need
me.”

“You little bitch,” he growled. The strong features of his face twisted into something ugly and sinister. He grabbed me by the arms and hauled me up, making my teeth slam together. My head began hammering and I felt dizzy. Still, I looked straight into his frigid stare.

“None of your minions have managed to find the scroll,” I taunted. “I still have it hidden and soon it’s going back to where it belongs and you will never have it!”

His face came close, so close that I could smell his rancid breath and see the white spittle forming in the corners of his mouth from rage and desire to cause me harm. “When everyone around you is dead, we’ll see how brave you are,
little one
.” He tossed me backward and I hit the desk before sliding to the floor.

I pushed him too far. Now everyone I loved was in danger.

“It’s true. I may need you alive,” he said, stalking forward, pushing up the sleeves of his dark sweater, “but I can still find ways to cause you agony.”

Another wave of pain and dizziness came over me as he raised his fist to the sky, preparing to strike. I brought my arm across my face for protection, but then thought better of the action and lowered my arm, lifted my face up and waited for the blow.

It never came.

“No!” he screamed, reaching out to grab me.

But he couldn’t. His hands went right through me. Sam must have found the thread and destroyed it. I looked up at him and grinned, lifting my hand in a wave.

Right before I disappeared, I heard him say, “This isn’t over.”

When I opened my eyes, Sam was leaning over me. His usually sun-kissed face looked drawn and pale. “Hi,” I whispered.

Tension drained right out of him, leaving him looking exhausted. I pushed myself up, tossing away the covers to wrap my arms around his neck. He was warm and solid, so I pressed myself closer and willed away the words that still bounced around in my head.
This isn’t over.

“Are you all right?” Sam asked, pulling me back to look me over.

“I’m fine. You broke the thread?” I reached for the glass of water on the bedside table.

He sat down beside me on the bed; our legs pressed together all the way down until our feet touched the floor. “Yes. I’m so sorry you had to go back there. I was hoping you wouldn’t have to.” I heard the regret in his voice and the restraint from finishing his thoughts.

“I thought he couldn’t get inside my dreams when you were with me.”

He looked pained and guilty when he said, “I left you alone for a few minutes.”

This surprised me and I lifted my brows.

“I had to. I couldn’t find the thread; it was well hidden. I figured the only way I would find it was if he used it to get to you.”

“It’s all right.” I took his hand and pressed my lips to his knuckles. I pretended not to notice the slight tremble in his fingers.

“He hit you.” Sam’s eyes glittered with gold.

“Could you hear all of it?”
Even the part where he threatened you and my entire family?

He nodded, his eyes turning to liquid honey. “Don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not,” I lied.

“Tomorrow, we’re going to Italy and the Treasure Map will no longer be ours to worry about.”

I nodded. It was a relief to know that I was taking it far away, away from the people I love who are innocent in all of this. But I couldn’t help but worry about the trip. Something told me that getting that scroll where it needed to be was not going to be as easy as we might have believed.

“Hey,” Sam murmured, touching my cheek. “Does your head still hurt?”

I shook my head. “He’s gone.” What a relief it was to know. We lay back down in bed and I settled in Sam’s embrace, ready for a few hours of peaceful sleep and painless rest.

Just before I drifted to sleep, a tremor ripped through my body. Beneath my cheek Sam stiffened and his voice was heavy when he whispered, “Was that what I thought it was?”

“Yeah,” I said miserably as my temples started squeezing my brain.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” His lips brushed my forehead.

Was one night of peace so much to ask for? Another tremor began at my toes and traveled all the way up to my head. I pressed myself closer to Sam. The Dream Walker was gone and now my new ‘supernatural’ power was going to assert itself.

I couldn’t help but wonder what this one was going to be like.

Chapter Fourteen

Heven

It wasn’t even light out when Sam slid from the bed. I groaned and reached for him.

“I have to go,” he whispered, leaning down, his breath feathering against my skin. “I have to run home and get my suitcases and the truck. I’ll be back so Gran can drive us to the airport.”

Why did the plane have to leave so early? I pushed myself up too fast and the room tilted.

“Hey? You okay?” Sam slipped his arm around my waist for support. I let my head fall onto his shoulder.

“I’m all right,” I groaned.

“How’s the head?”

“Okay.” It wasn’t anything a few pain relievers wouldn’t take care of.

“I’ll be back soon.” He pressed a too-quick kiss to my lips and then disappeared out my window.

Rather than burrow back into the covers like I really wanted, I got up and headed for the shower, hoping it would wash away my grouchy mood. I slept without invasion from the Dream Walker and his sick games. I didn’t dream at all, but truly restful sleep still seemed just out of reach. Tremors kept me from completely relaxing and the worry of a new power crowded my head. What if it was something that would be hard to hide? What if it was something that was hard to use?

What if it was something stupid?

Having the ability to see people’s auras isn’t exactly what I would call a cool ‘supernatural’ power, so maybe this new one would be something silly too.

I took time to blow my hair out smooth and flat ironed it until it was straight and shiny. I didn’t bother with make-up, except for a little pink blush and some cherry lip gloss. I dressed comfortably for the long plane ride in wide-legged, black knit yoga pants, a white tank top and a blue cardigan. I added a few last-minute items to my suitcase and grabbed my bag from my desk. The scroll was sticking out of the top and I pulled it out and held it in my hand. As attached to it as I felt, I was somewhat relieved that it was time to take it home. This thing had brought a lot of trouble into my life. Gran called to me from downstairs, and I shoved the scroll back into my purse and took care to zip it closed. Before leaving my room, I stuck my hand beneath my mattress and pulled out the chain that I put the key on. I pulled it over my head and tucked the key under my tank and hurried from the room.

Sam wasn’t here yet and Gran was brewing a pot of coffee. The rich aroma filled the dim kitchen. “Are you ready for your trip?”

“Yes, although I’m not sure about the plane ride.” I’d never been on a plane before.

“You’ll do just fine,” Gran assured me. “Make sure you take lots of pictures.”

“I will.”

When she went out of the room for extra batteries, I hurried to the cabinet and got some pain reliever for my head and swallowed them down with a glass of orange juice. Gran came bustling back into the room and handed me a pack of batteries, which I shoved into the front pocket of my suitcase.

“I have something else for you as well,” Gran said, holding out a white envelope.

I took the envelope and turned it over in my hands. My name was scrawled across the front in beautiful script. My eyes seemed to focus in on the letters and take in every detail and curve. I blinked at the sudden focus I seemed to have.

“I thought you could use it on your trip,” Gran was saying.

I glanced inside and saw a neat row of twenty dollar bills. “Oh, Gran, you didn’t have to do this.”

“I know that. I wanted to. You and Sam help out around here so much and you work so hard in school and work. Get something nice to remember this trip, Sam too.”

As if the monetary gift wasn’t enough, she slid something else across the table as well, a small package wrapped in brown paper with a beautiful yellow ribbon tied around it. “What’s this?”

Gran motioned toward it, so I carefully ripped the paper and took the gift in my hands. It was a journal, brown and leather bound. It was soft against my fingers and I flipped through the blank, white pages.