Darkness Follows (23 page)
Authors: J.L. Drake
Seth dropped his bag near my feet, and I noticed the bandage above his eye. I jumped to my feet, but he stepped back when I reached out to touch him. I saw he had a small limp too.
“What happened?” I pulled up his shorts and discovered a large white bandage wrapped around his knee. “What happened?” I asked again, but directed at Avery, since Seth was not speaking.
“Flakka battle.” Avery shrugged at Seth. “You know she won’t stop until you tell her.”
My hand flew to my stomach. “Flakka, as in the drug that makes you invincible?”
Avery nodded. “That be it.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Seth asked, not listening to us.
I shook my head and tried to catch up with the two of them. Flakka? Holy shit! “I had to go deal with something.”
“Which was?”
“Are you hurt anywhere else? What happened to your knee?”
Avery gave a heavy sigh. “As much as I do enjoy watching the two most stubborn people butt heads, I can’t do it tonight. Seth got lured into an attack.” He pointed to Seth’s knee. “Bullet grazed his muscle, and he’s off for a week, but he’ll be fine.” Seth hissed something, but it didn’t stop him. “She was at Travis’s, don’t know why. I found her on her way back home and helped her through the woods.”
“Avery!” I yelped, wanting to kick his ass for mentioning I was in the woods. The one place Seth couldn’t handle, since that’s where I was taken from him. “Really?”
He stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m just speeding things up.”
“Avery, could you give us a moment?” Seth flicked his head toward the door where my keys were dangling from the lock.
“I think I’m going to go.” Avery turned toward his car. “I know how your bickering ends.”
Seth started up the stairs slowly. I wanted to help, but also wanted to play catch-up with what I just heard. Gunshot to the leg? Really? I sank back down and let my bottom hit the wooden step hard.
Acknowledgments
A huge thank you to:
Sergeant Che Chonnolly Heron
XL and Lauren Schöenherr
Adam Treat
About the Author
J. L. Drake was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada, later moving to Southern California where she now lives with her husband and two children.
When she is not writing she loves to spend time with her family, travelling or just enjoying a night at home. One thing you might notice in her books is her love of the four seasons. Growing up on the east coast of Canada the change in the seasons is in her blood and is often mentioned in her writing.
An avid reader of James Patterson, J.L. Drake has often found herself inspired by his many stories of mystery and intrigue. She hopes you will enjoy her books as much as she has enjoyed writing them.