My Heart be Damned (13 page)

She flopped back in the hard, plastic chair and yanked the harness down over her head. “You’re avoiding Sam, aren’t you?”

“No,” I lied.

“Yes you are. You know he likes you, and now you’re running away like you always do. You’ve got such commitment issues, I swear.”

I shook my head, laughing incredulously. “Commitment issues? And me and Sam are just friends.”

The ride started forward amidst a harmony of screams and squeals.

“Stop kidding yourself,” Mercy said.

Before I could ask her to elaborate, the rollercoaster spun down, and I could force no more words out, not that she’d hear me anyway. The cart twisted and turned, hanging us upside down and slamming us against the harnesses. Mercy screamed wildly beside me, and I had to admit, the freedom of the ride was nice − the air on my face, the feeling of falling and being uninhibited in any way. It was strange, but I was perfectly relaxed.

When the ride pulled to a stop, and the harnesses lifted, I wanted to beg the ride attendants to let us go around again. I’d barely climbed out of my seat when two other people were rushing to take our place.

“Oh my God,” Mercy breathed as we walked away from the ride. “That was amazing! I have to see our picture.”

“I know, right!”

We met Chuck and Sam at the photo counter. They were laughing and pointing to the screen showing our pictures. I skipped between them and stared up. Mercy was mid-scream, her eyes were wide with excitement and fright. But my face...I looked content. My smile was tranquil, and my eyes were bright.

“You look beautiful.”

I spun around, my heart sinking and then speeding up double time. Marshall stood behind me. It had been him earlier. He was with the two beautiful girls that Chuck had been ogling. They were laughing and pointing at everyone’s pictures with the other people in their group.

I grabbed Marshall’s arm and dragged him to the side, trying not to pay attention to the different looks on my friends’ faces. Mercy’s mouth was open in shock. Chuck was
mesmerized
by the blonde, and Sam, well Sam looked completely pissed.

“Watch the jacket,” Marshall said. “It’s real leather.”

I ignored him. “What’re you doing here?”

“Out with friends.” He gestured to his group, as if I needed physical proof.

“And you happen to be here at the same time as me? After I punched you earlier?” I shook my head. “No, you’re following me, Marshall. Stop it.”

“I told you, I’m making sure you’re safe.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard; especially not one as ignorant and arrogant as you. Leave me alone.”

“I’ll tell you what,” he said, leaning in closer to me. “Hear me out and if you don’t like what I’ve got to say, then I’ll leave you alone.”

“Can’t you leave me alone anyway?”

“Nope. Not part of the deal.”

“I really don’t have time to listen to anything you have to say anymore, Marshall. All you’ve done since I first met you is play games with me. No more games. I’m not interested.”

Something caught Marshall’s eye over my shoulder, and his whole body tensed. Though his eyes slid back to me, I wasn’t his focus. “Your boyfriend’s getting angry at me. I didn’t know you were seeing someone.”

I was a breath away from correcting him, but I stopped myself. “Are you going to leave me alone?”

“Will your boyfriend hit me if I don’t?” Marshall smirked. It was challenging and not at all friendly. “Maybe he can give me another bruise to match the one you gave me.”

“Please stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Right, I’m gone.”

I started to turn when his arm whipped out so fast that I couldn’t stop him from grabbing hold of my hand. “Don’t go. I know this is getting old for you, but I’m willing to explain.”

I snatched my hand away from him. “Too little too late.”

“
Amerie
?” Sam appeared beside me, putting a possessive hand on my elbow. “Everything okay here?”

“Go away, little boy,” Marshall said. “We’re talking here.”

“I don’t think so,” Sam said. “If you’re bothering her then I’m telling you to back off.”

“Sam, it’s okay. He was just leaving, and so are we. Goodbye, Marshall.”

I let Sam lead me back to Mercy and Chuck, all the while wondering if I’d just made a colossal mistake. He was obviously willing to explain now, having followed me here to do it, and I was desperate to hear what he had to say.

“Who was that?” Sam asked as we walked out of the photo hut.

“I work with him. It’s cool,” I said, rubbing my arm absentmindedly.

“He seems like an ass.”

Mercy laughed. “But a cute one. And he has a cute one too. You’re lucky he’s all into you,
Amerie
. I say go for it.”

I shot her a look. “You’d tell me to go for a psycho murderer, if he was cute.”

“Meh. Life’s short.”

Chapter Twelve

Revelations

The sun had set hours ago, leaving a chilly wind in its place. We took refuge in the arcade dome, where we stayed until we didn’t have any cash left to waste. Armed with a huge teddy that Sam had won for me, and a few picture key rings, we bid the theme park farewell and headed to the car park. It was as if we were all infected with theme park fever. We laughed uncontrollably, and at things that weren’t even funny. We were carefree – a feeling I could undoubtedly get used to having again.

“I don’t think your teddy is gonna fit in the car!” Mercy announced, dodging a parked vehicle.

“
Er
, yeah it will! I’ll make it.” I hoisted up the teddy and squeezed it against my chest. “This is so gonna be my new boyfriend.”

“That’s not right,” Chuck pointed out.

“Oh, I see how it is,” Sam said, trying to wrestle the teddy from me. “The teddy gets the love. What about the person who got you the teddy?”

I shoved him playfully. “Get off of my man, you! Teddy gets all the love.”

Mercy giggled. “At least we know she doesn’t have commitment issues after all.”

As we approached the car, everything changed. A bitter cold trickled down from my head to my toes. My pulse sped up, adrenaline pumping through my veins. All around, the streetlights flickered off one by one until darkness consumed us. I froze, my bag of memorabilia and the teddy dropping to the floor. There was no time to try to diffuse the situation. I slid my rucksack off my back and pulled the Blessed dagger out.

Mercy’s eyes widened. “
Amerie
– what the...?”

“Get in the car now,” I ordered. “I’m serious, guys. Get in the car. It’s not safe out here.”

Something dark leapt out of the shadows and flew at Sam. They fell back, struggling against the tarmac. I raced towards them, ignoring Mercy’s screaming and Chuck’s cursing. Just as I reached them, someone grabbed me from behind and threw me at one of the cars. I hit the windshield, groaning as the breath was forced out of my lungs.

“Get off of him!” Mercy shrieked, jumping on the back of Sam’s assailant.

“Mercy, no,” I choked out and untangled myself from the dented glass. I rolled down the hood of the car to Mercy’s aid. Right now, there were only two Damned for me to fight, but who knew if more would come?

I dodged the Damned who’d grabbed me, and yanked the other one off Sam. He swung at me, his long dark hair whipping around an irate face, and I ducked, sweeping
his legs out from underneath him. As he fell, he lashed out, and his fist connected with Sam’s head.

“Sam!” He swayed and then dropped to the ground. Hard.

“Oh my God,” Mercy whimpered, kneeling down beside him. “Why are they doing this? What the hell are they?”

“Mercy, get in the car. Chuck...”

I spun around, searching through the darkness for Chuck. He was doubled over as the other Damned
pummelled
him. Punch after punch after punch. Someone cried out Chuck’s name, and it was only when my throat began to burn that I
realized
I was doing the screaming. Snapping out of my shock, I ran forward and leapt between Chuck and the blonde Damned, blocking a punch and sending one right back.

“What’re you doing?” Chuck groaned, stumbling back to lean against a car. “You’re gonna get yourself hurt!”

I blocked another punch and kicked Blondie in the chest. He flew back, smashing into one of the broken street lamps.

“I can take care of myself.” I turned to Chuck, helping him stand upright. “Please get in the car and lock the doors.”

“I...how did you do that?” Chuck’s eyes were wide, and his nose, bloody and swollen.

“Now’s not the time to explain,” I snapped frantically. “Just get Mercy and Sam and keep them safe in the car. Okay? I know how to stop these guys.”

“What the hell is going on? What’s wrong with them?” Mercy shrieked.

I ignored her. The dark-haired Damned was nowhere to be seen. I spun around, searching through the car park. I had to move the fight away from my friends. Keeping my secret was the least of my worries.

The Blondie was getting to his feet, groaning slightly. His eyes swept over Mercy, crouched by an unconscious Sam. Then he looked over at Chuck who was doubled over and panting loudly. Lastly, he glared at me.

“Seal will reward me greatly for killing you.”

I saw my chance. “Yeah? You’re gonna have to catch me first.” I took off into a run, chasing down Dark-Hair while ensuring Blondie followed me.

He was.

Dagger still clutched tightly in my hand, I ran faster than I ever had before. I dodged parked cars as I went, making sure I was still being pursued. A row of bushes was fast approaching, leading into an empty field that backed up against the theme park. The Dark-Haired Damned that I was chasing leapt over the thorn bushes and I mimicked him, pushing myself so that I landed on his back. We tumbled onto the grass, a mess of limbs and curses.

I twisted away from him, sending a kick to his face before flipping to a stand. The blonde one rushed at me, and I sidestepped the attack, kicking him in the rear, so he buckled and fell to the ground. I dropped to one knee beside him, plunging the dagger through his back, and yanking it out almost instantly. As the black mist seeped into the
air, something grabbed onto my hair and pulled me backwards. The dagger dropped from my hand. I rolled to a kneeling position, blocking a blow coming straight for my face.

“
Amerie
!” Marshall yelled, rushing over.

“I can handle this,” I shouted, blocking yet another attack. The Damned was throwing so many punches at me that I could barely get my footing. Finally, I ducked out of the way and jumped to my feet, falling back into Marshall as I tried to avoid another hit.

Just as I was about to launch a counterattack, Marshall’s hand grabbed mine and squeezed tightly. We all froze at the sound of grass crunching and bushes rustling. I focused on the sound. Footsteps, lots of footsteps. Like an army was coming.

“We should get out of here,” Marshall whispered.

“No,” Dark-hair hissed. He backhanded me. Pain burst behind my eyes as I fell back to the ground. “Stick around.”

I lay on the slightly damp grass, trying to clear through the fog in my mind. Someone was shouting for me to get up, but I couldn’t seem to get my body to cooperate. Why was I on the ground anyway? Dark figures circled me, blocking out what little light the moon emitted.

“Get away from her!” Marshall demanded.

Then the fog cleared, and the impossibility of the situation shone through like the rising sun. We were vastly outnumbered. I hesitantly stood, looking for a gap through which I could escape.

Marshall caught my eye and with a slight nod of his head, gestured for us to make a run for it. Some of the Damned were distracted, talking amongst themselves, mocking Marshall and me. Using this as my chance, I grabbed one of them by the shoulders and threw him into the others, knocking them down like bowling pins. Then we ran for our lives.

The Damned were hot on our tails. I kicked it up a notch and powered forward, feeling the burn in my legs as I ran at impossible speeds. Marshall kept up with me, though, eventually passing me. When I noticed my dagger in his hand, I was momentarily gra
teful to him for him saving it.

I followed Marshall as we doubled back on ourselves, slipping into the darkness and heading back to the cars. I assumed his plan was to head back into the amusement park, where there were too many people, too many witnesses, for the Damned to find us. Once we hit the car park, we ducked and crept between vehicles, keeping our heads down, our movements quiet. Stopping to catch my breath, I listened out for them, fear pumping in my stomach.

“I think we’re okay,” Marshall whispered.

“I need to make sure my friends left.” I tried to peer around the car we were hiding behind with little success. “Can we check and then go? You drove here, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah. My car’s a little way over there.” He gestured to my right with his head. “Where did your boyfriend park?”

I ignored the boyfriend jibe. “Not that far down. Come on.”

We quickly crept towards where Sam had parked. There were fewer cars around than before; making it harder to hide in such an open space, but we made it without being spotted. Sam’s car was gone and so were my rucksack and teddy bear. The car, whose windshield the Damned had thrown me through, was the only sign of a struggle.

“They’re gone,” I said, letting out a breath of relief.

“Nice friends,” Marshall scoffed. “Drive off and leave a girl to face their attackers.”

He started moving again, his footsteps fast but quiet, and I followed behind, trying to figure out what he was talking about now. “Huh?”

“Your friends,
Amerie
. If you can call them friends. They drove off and left you. You could be lying in a ditch right now, needing help, and where are they? Probably half way down the motorway.”

I watched his back, his words sinking into my head. “I told them to go. It was safer for them to get away, than hang around here. . And anyway, Sam needed his head checked.”

“Do they know about you?”

“Do you?” I countered.

I saw him nod. “Yes, and that wasn’t my question.”

“No, no they don’t know about me,” I reluctantly answered. “But I’m guessing they probably suspect something now.” My tone was bitter. “They saw me fight.”

Marshall stopped suddenly, and I slammed into his back. He rifled in his coat pocket for something, and I heard the jangle of keys. The lights of the Porsche in front of us flashed, and Marshall rushed forward, yanked open the door and jumped inside. As soon as I climbed into the passenger seat, he had the engine started and was skidding against the tarmac as we tore off, away from the theme park and away from the Damned wanting to kill us both.

We didn’t speak for a while. I checked the time on his dashboard constantly, trying to distract myself from the anxious feeling in my gut. I had no phone – it was in my rucksack – so I couldn’t call Mercy and make sure things were okay and I didn’t want to put her number into Marshall’s phone when I still didn’t fully trust him. I also had some explaining to do once I did get in touch with them, which would be better face to face. I knew Mercy too well. She wouldn’t stop until I told her everything. Something I’d been longing to do since we first became friends.

“You mustn’t tell anyone about what we are.” My mother’s voice rang in my mind. “If you do, you won’t have to worry about the Damned coming for you. Something worse will be lurking in the shadows.” What the hell was I going to do?

“You okay?” Marshall finally spoke.

I nodded. “Yeah, fine. Just...a bit anxious I guess.”

“Yeah, understandable.”

I checked the time again. We’d been driving for ten minutes. Surely, we were far enough to slow down now? Marshall was going well over one hundred and twenty
miles an hour. Usually, I wasn’t afraid of fast cars. Fast rides. Fast horses. However, today I felt vulnerable.

“So,” I choked out, my hands gripping the seat. “Where’d you get the car from?”

“The land of cars,” he answered. Then seeing my unimpressed face added, “A car show room.”

“Whatever. Tell me the truth.”

“I won it.”

“How?”

“In a fight.”

He drove down a slip road leading onto a long country lane. I stared through the tinted window at the dark woods surrounding us. In a way, they were terrifying, but it was a terrifying beauty.

“In a fight?” I repeated. “Seriously?”

“Or maybe it was a card game. Either way, you decide.”

I looked up into his face at the fading bruises. This morning they had been ugly and harsh. Now they were faint blotches on tanned skin. “How did you get those bruises?”

A bright pair of headlights shone through Marshall’s window, blinding me. It was as if we were in slow motion. I squinted, trying to shield the light away with my hand when the car smashed into ours. The Porsche flipped off the road, bouncing, rolling, and twisting through the wooded area beyond the road. I screamed, throwing both hands up to protect my face from the shattering glass coming at all angles.