Light Shadows (19 page)

“No.” The finality in his voice stops me up short, and I turn back to him.

“No?”

“No.” He scrubs a hand over his face, the static of aggravation rolling off him in waves. “It’s impossible.”

“Impossible?” I touch my palms to his chest, fully aware of my current state of undress. If he won’t listen to reason, maybe a little distraction will do the trick. “Nothing is impossible, Dorian. You of all people should know that.”

He leans into my touch, eyes closed, and inhales the small space between us. “He…he no longer knows you. You can’t say goodbye, because Jared has no recollection of you ever being a part of his life.”

I hear his words, but I can’t digest them. I refuse to let them be real.

Dorian has reversed Jared’s memories of me.

Every sweet smile, every tender brush of his hand, every warm hug that somehow engulfed my entire frame into the hardness of his body. Gone. Wiped away clean at the hands of the man I chose over the guy I once thought I loved. The guy I thought I would spend the rest of my life with.

“How could you?” My lower lip trembles, but I capture it with my teeth, refusing to show weakness. “Fuck this. I’m going to the airport. Jared is my friend. If he doesn’t remember me, I’ll make him.” I grab some mouthwash and swish it around in my mouth for a few seconds to dispel the taste of vomit, then throw my hair into a sloppy bun.

“Gabriella, I can’t let you do that.” Dorian is behind me, watching me as I whip out an old pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt that says Spring Break 2009.

“Oh yeah? Try to stop me.”

I finish dressing, refusing to acknowledge his penetrating stare. Dorian knew what he was doing by not at least informing me of his intentions. I appreciate him for saving Jared’s life, but his plans to reverse Jared’s memory was premeditated. That’s why he left me. It wasn’t to make sure my friend was safe; he knew he was stealing him away from me when he tore himself from my bed. He loved me so thoroughly and so tenderly just so he could rip another piece of my heart out.

I whip through the house like a tornado, calling out for Morgan, who I find sitting on the couch with Alexander. They’re being…normal. Watching TV and sipping from mugs of hot coffee. She looks better—rested—save for the tiny worried lines in her forehead.

“What’s wrong, Gabs?” She pushes Dolce off her lap, who quickly scampers out of sight. A smaller, weaker beast can always sense when a more vicious predator is near.

“Come on, we gotta go get Jared from the airport.”

“Airport? What are you talking about, Gabs?” She narrows her eyes, trying to figure out if I’m serious or delusional. “When did you speak to him? I thought you two weren’t—”

“I’ll explain on the way.” I toss her the keys to her car and her purse. Still, she doesn’t move. “Morgan. We have to go now!”

She casts a glance at Alexander then Dorian before giving me a nervous smile, confusion tightening her lips. Her reluctance infuriates me.
I’m
her friend. She should trust
me
. Two days ago, she was scared shitless of these men, and now she’s looking to them for guidance? Have I become that much of a liability? Or do they all pity me—the poor, little, almost-orphaned girl who doesn’t even know what the fuck she is?

“Fuck it,” I spit out, snatching her keys from the where they landed on the couch. If she won’t come, I’ll save Jared my damned self.

I’m outside, at the candy-red Mustang when I hear her approach. Morgan gingerly plucks the keys from my fingers and gives my shoulder a bump with hers. “You talk, I’ll drive.”

“SO DORIAN REALLY thinks all your loved ones are being targeted?” Morgan speeds down Powers Blvd. towards the Colorado Springs airport, like the car is on fire. Luckily, we don’t hit a single red light. I don’t question the hows and whys. I just fixate on the road, praying that Morgan doesn’t get us killed. Well…get herself killed. I’d probably walk away without a scratch.

“Apparently so. But he obviously can’t save them all, you know. What about James and Tammy? Or Carmen and Miguel?”

At the mention of her Latin beau’s name, she swerves, narrowly missing a passerby. “Oh my God.”

“When was the last time you spoke to him?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice is far away, as if thinking about him propels her into another place and time. Where shit wasn’t so complicated, and there were no Warlocks or magic or Haitian Vodou priestesses haunting her dreams. Where we had loving parents and amazing friends, and our biggest worry was what outfit we’d wear to the club on Saturday night.

I wish I could take her back there. Hell, I wish I could go back there. But everything’s different now. We can’t feign ignorance or chalk it all up to immaturity. This is it for us. There’s no going back to the life we once had.

We pull up to the airport in record time, and Morgan slows to let me out in front of the departure gates. “You go. I’ll park and find you!” she yells as I jump out. I nod, grateful that the entire airport is only slightly larger than a shoebox. Finding Jared should be a piece of cake. Right?

Wrong.

I zip through hordes of travelers before I find a cluster of screens displaying the endless lists of outbound and inbound flights.

Ok…Departures. Got it.

Destination: Notre Dame? That’s not right.

I look up flights to Indianapolis, thinking that would be my safest bet.

“South Bend,” a voice whispers, slipping into my ears and echoing inside my head. I whip around, looking for the source, but no one is there. It’s as if I didn’t even hear it all, that I just imagined the familiar voice. At least, that’s what I want to believe.

“Get out of my fucking head,” I mumble, turning my attention back to the screens. I find a flight to South Bend, IN scheduled to leave in the next thirty minutes. Shit! How am I supposed to catch him before then? I look towards the line of disgruntled people waiting to go through security and shake my head. There’s no way I’ll make it in time, but I’ll hate myself if I don’t at least try.

Luckily, the ticketing counter is shorter than I expected, and I reach an attendant within minutes.

“Ma’am, I need the cheapest flight you have. And I don’t care where it’s going.”

The blonde behind the counter tips her head to one side, as if she didn’t hear me correctly. “You don’t care where it’s going?”

I shake my head. “Just whatever you have. And hurry please.”

She smiles, looking down at her screen as she taps on the keys. “Going to stop the one that got away from getting away, I presume.”

“Something like that.”

She hits a key, causing a printer to spit out a strip of paper. Then she hands me a boarding pass. “In that case, it’s on me,” she grins, her eyes warming until they look almost…golden. It’s only for a second, but I swear I see the bright flash of light in her those shimmering irises.
She’s Light.
Oh my God. There’s so much I want to know, so much I want to ask her. But if I don’t run now, I won’t catch Jared.

“This should get you through security faster as well,” she says pointing at an emblem on the boarding pass. “Life is too hard to spend it without the people you love. Don’t let him get away.”

I swallow the sudden burst of emotion in my throat and nod. “Thank you,” I reply in a raspy whisper.

The attendant smiles and nods once. Her nametag says “Analiese.” I commit it to memory, mentally promising that I’ll come back and find her. Maybe that’s insane of me considering that a Light Enchanter was responsible for capturing and nearly killing me, but I don’t feel anything but goodness in Analiese’s eyes. That has to count for something.

I whiz through security just like she said, not even having to stop to take off my shoes. Then I book it to Jared’s gate, hoping, praying that he hasn’t already boarded.

When I see a flash of chestnut hair and a set of broad shoulders stretched under a fitted polo shirt, I slow to a crawl.
Jared.
The beautiful boy I watched grow into a gorgeous man. The guy that was good for me—
right
for me. I always imagined that if Chris had had his way, he would’ve chosen Jared for me. A part of me thinks my parents always encouraged a potential relationship. They never bickered about me staying out late with him. They constantly asked about him. And whenever there were family functions, Chris and Donna always made sure that Jared was in attendance.

In a different place and time, Jared would have been my soul mate. Maybe he is even now. But looking at him—so carefree and excited to embark on his new journey—I see why Dorian did what he did. How could I ever think Jared would be happy with me, complacent in a life that wasn’t designed for him? Cursed to live among monsters and murderers? He’s too good for me—he always has been. And as much as I want to be selfish and keep him for the rest of his days, I can’t. I can’t take away his life like that. I love him too much.

“Jared?”

He turns around, light russet hair falling into his eyes. He brushes it away and gives me a friendly smile. “Yes?”

“It’s me. Gabs.”

A small frown pinches his forehead and he rubs the back of his neck. It’s a nervous gesture. Of course, I know his body language like my own. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?”

That bloody knot hits my throat with a vengeance, generating a gasp to slip between trembling lips. I can’t help the tears that automatically rim my eyes. Shit. I cannot cry right now. Why does it feel like I’m always fucking crying lately?

“You do. You did.” I swallow, praying for strength to make it through my next words. “You’re my best friend. And you used to be…”

God.
I can’t do this. I’m just torturing myself. Jared doesn’t know me anymore. I’m just some crazy, braless girl in ripped jeans accosting him in the airport. And even with every reason to walk away and escape the awkwardness, he’s still smiling down at me, giving me his attention. Because he is just that damn good.

“Yes?” I can see the confusion on his face as he tries to look for signs of recognition.

“You used to be more. We used to be…together.”

He laughs, not to be condescending, but more to break the ice. “I don’t think so. I’d definitely remember a pretty girl like you.”

“Final boarding for all passengers on flight 2306 to South Bend, Indianapolis. Please make your way to gate B3 immediately,” says a crackly voice over the airport’s intercom. Jared looks toward his gate before shrugging.

“Well, I better get going before the plane takes off without me. It was good meeting you…Gabs, right?” He extends his hand, and it takes everything within me not to grab it and drag him out of this airport, kicking and screaming.

“Yeah. Gabs. Good luck, Jared. You’ll do great at Notre Dame. I know you will.” The second I put my hand in his, a surge of energy passes through my body and transfers to his. Like a little jolt of electricity. He pulls back with a wince and stuffs his hand in his pocket.

“How did you know…? Sorry, never mind,” he mumbles, a soft blush warming his face. “See ya around, Gabs.”

I watch my best friend—my rock—turn around and walk into his future. One that is painted with hopes and dreams. With love and happiness. A future without me. When he reaches the flight attendant and hands her his boarding pass, I force myself to walk away, tears streaming down my cheeks. I’m letting him go for good. I’m setting him free.

I make it a few yards before I see Dorian, standing against a wall, so still and expressionless that human eyes would have mistaken him for a marble statue. When my gaze meets his, he grimaces, feeling the full-brunt of my pain. He holds his hand out, offering me solace and comfort, and as much as I want to take it—as much as I want to fall into his arms and cry—I shake my head and keep walking.

He can’t fix this. He
caused
this. We all did. Maybe me more than anyone else.

“ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS have been made for our trip down south. We leave tonight, so tie up any loose ends you may have. However, it’s best that you tell no one of our departure, friends and family included.”

A weary Niko looks at all of us stationed around the living room, pinning us with a dusky blue gaze. His eyes aren’t as bright, and dark circles surround them. He’s trying hard to maintain the façade of immaculate beauty and control, but the mask keeps slipping. He’s used a lot within the past few days, and he needs to rest and replenish. The question is when…and with whom.