Midnight Runes (The Bestowed Ones) (14 page)

Elyse snickered. “Geez, nothing like creepy guys to dampen the fun.”

We shook it off as the opening band took the stage. They had a different sound than the main act, but it was easy to get into the spirit. They played a short set list, and the overhead music started again when they left the stage.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being stared at. It distracted me from enjoying the moment, but I didn’t want to look around and make eye contact with those guys again. The last thing I wanted was to encourage them. And I certainly didn’t want him near me again. If Spencer noticed, he’d throw them out…but they could linger outside the doors or wait in the dimly lit parking lot for us to leave. I could feel them gawking at us but keeping their distance, wherever they were.

The Imagine Dragons took the stage. I recognized the songs and sang along to many of the refrains. Borrowing Elyse’s CDs paid off. They were incredible live.

After playing an encore, the band left the stage. Elyse and I shuffled with the crowd to the exit. I heard shouting before someone shoved someone else between Elyse and me. Spectators quickly formed a circle around the instigators to watch the fight. I scanned the crowd, looking for Elyse. Panic rose as I lingered on each face, searching for her in the sea of onlookers. Voices roared around me; arms and shoulders pushed me toward the fight. I turned around to resist getting thrust into the temporary ring and shoved my way between the rowdy bystanders.

I could see the exit doors down the hall and headed in that direction, passing doors I didn’t notice on the way in. Someone stepped beside me, leaned close and said, “Hey again, gorgeous.” The smell of alcohol poured off him. He grabbed my arm and pushed me sideways into a room. He slammed the door, flipped the light switch, and turned around.

I gasped, recognizing his face and instantly knowing I was in trouble.

M
y heart broke into a sprint. No one would hear me scream with all the chaos going on just outside the door. I quickly took in the room—my instincts told me I couldn’t turn my back on him. It looked like an office. There would be a phone in here. I also had my cell in my purse. But even if I could make a call before he snatched it out of my hand, no one would get here fast enough.

Elyse! I hope the other guys didn’t catch up with her.

“It’s an honor I picked you. But you refused me. No one refuses me.” His words slurred into each other.

He tried to focus his eyes. He advanced, and with each step he took forward, I took one backward. My mind raced for a solution. I sized him up. He was no doubt stronger than me, and I wouldn’t be able to fight him off for long, but there was no way I would give up without a fight.

“Perfect place to get acquainted, don’t you think?” he asked, advancing a step. I retreated another one, bumping into a desk. I circled around it and stood behind the chair, thankful I had two objects between us.

He gave a creepy smile. “You think I liked watching you dance? Especially since you rejected me?”

He started to round the corner of the desk, so I went the opposite direction, keeping distance between us. He darted in the other direction, and I did the same. I did this with Roxie at home, although it was a fun game in the safety of my house around the coffee table. The stakes were on a completely different level here. Was I fast enough to avoid him catching me if he rushed at me? How long could I do this? Someone had to come in here at some point.

I had to make a break for it before he touched me again. I formed a simple plan. The next time I was the closest to the door, I’d run for it and hopefully open it faster than he could get to me.

It took a few more times around the table to get up the courage. When he stumbled, I took the opportunity and bolted for the door.

My fingertips nearly reached the handle when he grabbed my shoulder. Something feral inside me awoke in that moment. I tried to shake him off, but his grip tightened. I winced from his force. He spun me around to face him, and I used the momentum to punch him. My fist landed somewhere between his cheek, lip, and nose. I didn’t do as much damage as I’d hoped, and he still had his hand on me. I went to knee him, but he used his leg to deflect it.

I screamed in frustration and jabbed him in the throat. It was the quick, reflexive action that gave me the advantage. His grip loosened fractionally. I wrenched my shoulder out of his hand and rushed for the door.

It opened unexpectedly, and I ran into someone. I fell backward. Before I could regain my balance, the newcomer grabbed my arm in a vice-like grip.

I twisted and pulled, ready for a fight, figuring it was one of his loser friends. I didn’t care that I’d have bruises there to match the ones on my shoulder.

“Brynn, it’s me.”

I froze. I knew that voice. I looked up at him, confused. It took a second to register that it was really Landon.

“You’re safe. It’s okay,” he said, gently pulling me toward him.

I took an unsteady step and clung to him, shaking. He wrapped one arm around me and rubbed my arm with his other hand. He stretched his leg to shut the door, putting us all in the room together. “It’ll be alright. Have a seat here.” I fell into a nearby chair.

He turned to the guy who had trapped me. “Apologize to my friend,” he demanded. I’d never heard his voice as cold and harsh.

“Or what, you gonna make me?”

Landon didn’t answer, but I imagined he raised an eyebrow in a challenge.

“Bring it, little boy,” my would-be attacker said. His eyes sliced to me, raking me with a cold, hungry expression.

Landon stood eerily calm and collected, waiting for him to make a move. Tough Guy shifted his weight from foot to foot and pushed up his sleeves, measuring Landon.

He charged and swung his fist at Landon’s head, but Landon dipped to the left. In a flash, Landon adjusted and gave the man two quick left jabs, followed by a solid right cross, connecting with his nose, which gave an awful crunch. Tough Guy stumbled back two steps, grunted in pain, and steadied himself for another go.

Landon readied himself, waiting for the attack. Tough Guy sprinted toward him, telegraphing his desire to tackle him, but Landon kicked his foot, and connected with Tough Guy’s leg, just above the knee. It gave a sickening snap. The man groaned and collapsed to the floor. He clutched his leg and swore in agony.

The fight was over in less than a minute.

Landon towered over him. “Don’t even
think
of getting up. I’ll make sure
both
legs are broken. Or worse,” he threatened. He composed himself, the anger in his face faded away, and his eyes flashed to me.

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and felt my shoulders relax. Landon wasn’t hurt.

He crossed the room in a few quick strides. Suddenly he was in front of me, pulling me out of the chair. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my face against his neck, trying to return my breathing to normal.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I managed, jerkily nodding. “I didn’t know you could fight like that. Thank you. I’m glad you can.” What I was saying?

He gave a soft chuckle, squeezing me tight and swaying side to side. “Me too. You’re not frightened of me now, are you?” he asked cautiously.

“No. You wouldn’t hurt me,” I said, placing my palm over his heart. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Well,” he turned and swept his hand toward the guy on the floor and swiveled back to face me. He stared at me, quickly scanning my face and shrugging. “Just checking. Can you try calling Elyse? I don’t want her wandering off and running into his friends.”

“Sure.” I extracted my phone and dialed her number. “Hey. Yeah, I’m okay. Long story. Where are you? Be right there.”

I slid my phone in my pocket. “You came just in time. How did you…I thought you couldn’t come?”

“Almost didn’t. It was a very last-minute decision to show up here.” He sounded apologetic and held the door open for me.

I walked out of the office, and he closed the door behind him. The venue was nearly empty. Only the bouncers and staff remained, cleaning up. The stage crew busied themselves dismantling the band’s set while the bouncer swept the floor. The same background music played. They must only have one CD on file.

Elyse’s expression went from worried to smug in seconds. She looked me over, clearly thinking of what she could say to embarrass me now that she could see I was all right. Her expression changed again. She looked accusingly at Landon, but instantly dismissed him as the cause. I wondered what she had seen on his face to make her change her mind so quickly.

“Oh my God! What
happened
to you?” she shouted while we were still twenty feet away.

I glanced at my arm. It had a large red handprint on it.

Landon and I walked the short distance before I responded. “When the fight broke out, the obnoxious guy from earlier forced me into an office. Landon burst in the room and neutralized him before anything happened.” I almost laughed. Neutralized was a very weak description of what he had done. I shrugged my arm. “My only injury.” Then I remembered my shoulder and hand. “My hand kinda throbs from punching him.”

She looked at Landon with approval and admiration. “Well done, hero.”

“A hero walks away without unnecessary violence,” Landon countered.

“He deserved whatever you did to him. You didn’t see how horrendous he was earlier.”

He looked patronizing for a second, but his expression changed to worry. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

It took a few seconds for me to register that he was asking me. “Yeah.”

“You’re going to have to convince me better than that if I’m going to let you drive home.”

“Really. I am. I’ve stopped shaking, and my breathing is back to normal. See?” I held out my hand steady to show him.

“I’ll escort you two to your car. I can’t have anything else happen to you tonight.”

He walked us to my car and waited for us to get in, buckle up, and drive off.

“He seems more shaken up about what happened than you. How are you not freaking out?” Elyse asked.

I shrugged. “I was nearly out of the room and away from him when I ran into Landon. And as soon as I realized he was there, I knew it was going to be alright.”

“I would be a mess right now.”

“It didn’t take long to calm down after it was over. I shook for a bit, but he…” I stopped myself short of saying the words out loud as I thought of our embrace.

“What?”

I searched for different words. “Was really comforting.”

“Why was he even there? He said he couldn’t come. At least, that’s what he told me.”

“He said something about last minute…I guess his plans changed.”

“I didn’t see him there, though. Did you?”

“No, it
was
super crowded and we
were
focused on the band. I didn’t look around because I didn’t want to see those jerks again. I felt like we were being ogled enough as it was.”

“How did he know you were in trouble? I’m your best friend and I was worried I didn’t see you, but I didn’t think some guy was trying to put his hands on you.”

“I’m not sure. We didn’t exactly have a long conversation going over all the details. He made sure I was okay, handled that guy, and asked me to call you.” My mind jumped back to the fight. “I’m still processing it. Seeing Landon take care of that guy like that…he can definitely handle himself. That guy is
messed up
now. He didn’t have a chance. And it didn’t even take long.”

“I wonder why he didn’t mention his skills during my interview with him. Obviously he’s had some training. Ask him about that.”

“I’m not going to grill him about anything. He’s my rescuer,” I added dreamily, then I laughed. I couldn’t believe I had only escaped with bruises.

“I liked him before this. Now he’s totally won me over! Thank God he spotted you in all that chaos.”

The way she said it like that made me wonder how he was able to find me. He could have been behind me and I would have never known. Although if he was that close, he would have come into the room sooner, wouldn’t he have? “I’d prefer that no one knows about tonight. Our parents are wary enough about something happening to us when we go out. It’s best if it stays between the three of us.”

“You know how hard it’s going to be for me
not
to talk about it! Not even Jared?”

She was right. She wouldn’t be able to keep it quiet. Jared was probably the safest to tell. “I guess it would be okay if Jared knew,” I said reluctantly. “Wouldn’t that worry him?”

“It might. But that guy was after you, not me.”

“It could’ve easily been you.”

“I suppose. At least that guy’s not going to be looking for you anytime soon.”

I shuttered. “Tough Guy would have to be a masochist.”

“Maybe we should hire Landon as a bodyguard.”

I laughed. “Do you plan on getting into trouble a lot?”

“Oh, you know me,” she said lightly. We laughed.

I finally processed what that tiny, nagging voice whispered. Landon was a skilled fighter. If Landon and Trevor fought, Trevor would wear all the damage, not Landon. My assumption that Trevor was unharmed since Landon looked alright was no longer a valid one.

I called Trevor when I got home, and it went straight to voice mail. I didn’t leave a message. He was either ignoring my call or his phone was off, which rarely happened.

T
ime for school came fast after an eventful weekend. And it was Spirit Week! It was perfect to kick it off with Pajama Day. It felt weird changing out of my PJs, showering, and putting on a new pair of PJs, but it was a great way to start a Monday morning.

Elyse and I had easily found designs that fit our personalities. Hers were chocolate brown with brightly colored coffee cups scattered over them. Mine were light blue with fluffy white clouds.

The other nice thing about PJ day was that the long sleeves covered my bruised shoulder and arm. I had worn long sleeves all weekend and resisted pushing them up like I normally did so my parents wouldn’t notice. There wasn’t much evidence left, but if anyone looked hard enough, the bruise would be noticeable. I hoped it would be gone by the time tropic day arrived…if it would be warm enough to wear short sleeves for any length of time.