My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (13 page)

"I could have some fun with this."

"Let's!" We both belt out a
maniacal laugh ending in giggles.

During lunch, I head into the break room and find Ava there alone. She asks how my day is going. There’s an obvious edge to her voice. Her shifty eyes glance back and forth between mine and the floor.  I’m sure she’s wondering if she lost the stolen flash drive or if I somehow managed to steal it back. I know I would be if I'd done something so downright dirty.

Time for the show. I grip the back of the chair turn my brows up. I sink down in it like I'd just lost the will to live.

"Oh I'm pretty sure I'm going to be fired. I just lost the only copy of Bill four
oh five and it’s supposed to back to be voted on tomorrow. I worked for two days and nights on it. And now it's gone."

"W
ell that can't be the only copy," she says quickly. Looking nervous and guilty as all get out.

"It’s the only revised copy. I'm dead, I'm so dead."

"Where did you see it last?"

"It was... It was in my purse this morning." My voice trembles; I sound on the verge of tears. My thoughts move to Elijah, for an unexplainable reason, and real tears form in my eyes.

"Someone had to have taken it. Someone must want me to fail." I say sobbing while sinking into the shabby outdated chair.  "How could anyone be so cruel?"

Ava can't even meet my eyes, she turns around and bursts out of the room and I'm almost rolling with laughter inside. I take my sandwich out of the refrigerator and sit back down.

Aiden comes in and puts something in the microwave. "Hey are you all right?" he asks. I'm sure it’s obvious I've been crying.

"Oh you know my allergies are fierce this time of year."

"Yeah, I've got four sisters, so I'm not buying that. Seriously what's wrong?" He smiles warmly at me looking genuinely concerned. He reaches behind him and pulls out a left over's container from the microwave.

I tell him all a
bout Ava and my revenge prank, and he laughs. "Ok so how did you actually get the drive back?"

"I'll never tell."

"Fine but you have to let me in on it."

"Alright, tonight at our Fellows meeting, help me look like I'm in hot water. I want to see if she'll actually fess up or maybe even quit." He smiles out in agreement before shoving a forkful of spaghetti into his mouth.

“I’ll go one better, by the time I’m through, Ava won’t even be at the meeting.”

“Survivor –
Interns edition, I love it.” He gives me a wink.

When I return to my desk
, there’s a large bouquet of flowers waiting for me. Large sunflowers and brightly colored roses instantly cheer me up. I pull out the card. It reads:
Brennen, I hope you’re loving your new job. Can't wait to see you in four short months. Love, Sam.
Oh Sam that doesn't cheer me up at all. It makes me think how dead these flowers will be by the end of next week and how desiccated they'll be in four months, kinda like how I'll be.

Linda is still out for lunch so I dial Sam's number. He answers on the first ring.

"Hi. Thank you for the gorgeous flowers."

"Hey it's so good to hear your voice. You’re welcome. So tell me all about it. Unless you're busy." It’s even better to hear his voice. Sam has the power to melt the loneliness away with just the sound of his short chuckle. I can picture his smile, every nuance of each one he has. 

"I always have time for you." I stay on the phone with Sam until Linda returns and then I get back to work. I miss him so much. His goodbye was inflected with sadness leaving me with an achy feeling inside. November can’t come fast enough.

"What a lovely bouquet
. Is that from your boyfriend?" she asks coming closer to sniff the arrangement.

"Yes, Sam and I have been together almost a year." I take my phone out and show her our last picture together. Sam sitting on the beach at sunset and I am nestled against his chest. I can almost smell the scent of his body wash mingling with the cool ocean breeze.

"Young love is so refreshing to have around here. This business squashes love like warm gum under a shoe.” Her eyes drift off to another place for a moment. “Well, he's a good looking young man. Hang on to that one. And he has good taste in flowers to boot. Yes I’d say he's a keeper."

"Thanks Linda
,"
but I just set the hottest cowboy in the lone star state, free.
If this was really the right thing to do then why is the choice haunting me like the flipping ghost of wrong decisions
.

Sam
said he had no plans to date anyone else, but he could always change his mind. People change their minds all the time. The pain in my stomach turns into agony. A simple text could undo it all. I could take it all back and be Sam's devoted girlfriend again. He wouldn't cheat on me. I wouldn’t cheat on him. My fingers type out the words on my screen. My thumb hovers over the send button.
Why can't I push it?

I delete it
, and shove my phone deep in my bag. I try to do the same with my erratic thoughts that keep harboring on the issue.

With my edit done on the bill, I turn my attention to the student spending project Burkes requested. I research the day away
, fully engrossed by all of the statistics and numbers my brain can swirl around. This is how my odd brain works: I drown myself in research, and once I have every morsel of information, then the answer to the problem somehow works itself out in minutes.
Wish it would work like that in my love life.

“Brennen, we’re starting the meeting,” Aiden calls out. I blink and take in the empty office. Everyone has already gone for the day and I didn’t even notice. I swear
, I put myself in a bubble when I work or study.

I slide into a chair in the board room and Veronica comes to lead the meeting. “As you may have heard Ava Porter has resigned her position. I need to know if any of you feel up to taking on some of her work load as it is too late in the game to find a replacement.”

Aiden winks at me as if he had everything to do with Ava’s abrupt departure. Well played Sir Aiden, knight of vindication.  I raise my hand when no one else does. Aiden shoots his hand up as well. I inhale a deep breath hoping I haven’t given him the wrong idea.

“Perfect Brennen and Aiden will split the work load.” She moves on to the next topic but I don’t listen too closely. My thoughts are scattered with my project, and Sam, and now with a potential problematic co-worker who may be crushing on me. After the meeting I go back to work for a little bit longer. Elena orders us some Chinese food from down the road and they both help me research until the food gets there.

“Um, hey Brennen I didn’t think anyone was still here,” Aiden says popping his head into the office.

“Yep, still here. I am working on a special project for Burkes and trying to get it ready for tomorrow.”

“I could give you a hand if you like.”

“Thanks Aiden
, but I’m good.” He sweeps his hair back and looks disappointed.

“Well how about if I order us take-out and I, workaholic right beside you.”

“Um I just ordered food. But thanks.” I think, geeze guy take a hint.

“Sorry I’m not usually this stalker-ish I just think you are pretty and talented
,” he says shaking his head down at the floor and doing the hair sweeping motion again, still not completely in or out of the office.

“Aiden, I’m just going to be blunt. I have a boyfriend and I’m only here to work, not to flirt or party or even make friends.”

“Wow that was concise. And I get it, but don’t rule out the friendship thing. In this line of work it’s never good to burn bridges.” With that, he walks off and I turn back to my laptop. 

“He’s right you know. You need to make friends with these people because years from now they are going to be the ones pushing for your election and backing your bills.”

“What, your money can’t buy that too?” I say just to be a shit. I’m tired, cranky and hungry, not a good combination for me. Elena holds her tongue or Inara may be sitting on her, I don’t which or care at this point. My head remains buried in my laptop until the food delivery guy comes baring delicious MSG laden goodness. I tip him and find my carton of sesame chicken.

After eating, I feel much better and I get the first installment of the project finished and place it on Burkes’ desk for him to find in the morning. I shut his door and make my way to the empty parking lot. The summer air sits heavy on our shoulders as we walk.

“Now I get the silent treatment? Look, I’m sorry about my mood…”
“Shh,” Elena whispers suddenly on alert. I scan the baron lot. Only my shiny obscene car is present, sitting under the light of a street lamp as if it deserved the spotlight. They move to flank me, each facing a different direction. It’s so quiet I can hear the loose gravel shifting under our shoes.

“Get her under cover.” Elena orders to Inara. She locks her hands around my waist and a second later, I’m in my hotel room.

“What happened? What was out there?”

“I don’t know, from the alarm in Elena’s voice I’d say it was bad whatever it was.”

“Shouldn’t you go back and help her? What if she’s in danger?” Inara shakes her head.

“I can’t leave you here, Elena would rather get hurt than leave you unprotected.”

“That’s absurd, I’m fine here. I promise I won’t call any demons over for room service. Please go check on her. She should have been back by now.”

I can tell I’m getting to Inara, she’s pacing now.

“Inara, go. I’ll be fine.”

“Let me try and call her first.” Inara is still for a moment. Her head looks to the ceiling as if she were lost in prayer. Her face is serene for a moment then a small V forms between her brows.
“What? What is it?”

“She’s not answering. I’ll send a message that she needs back-up, but I’m not leaving you.” Inara goes all serene again, placing an intergalactic phone call I guess. Suddenly panic floods her face. She looks as if she’s about to have a grenade go off in her hands. 

“It's a hell hound. We have to get you out of here.” Just from the grave look on her face I can amass that it’s not a cuddly puppy.

"What's a hell hound?"

"I'll explain while we’re on the move."

She grabs my hand up and whisks me off, never stopping in one place for more than a minute before taking off to the next destination. We’re flitting around the entire globe and it’s kind of nauseating.

"Inara we're in like Mexico. I think we're safe."

"They can follow the trail. We have to keep moving, but I'm getting weaker."

"What? What happens when you run out of juice," I ask franticly. She sways on her heals and I move to steady her. Her color looks pale as if she's almost transparent. She swallows and goes to move us again.

"Maybe we should wait a minute.
I mean I don't want to end up scattered into particles by the wind or anything." She gives me a weary smile and rolls her eyes.

"We have to buy more time for back up." She grabs my arm, much weaker than the first time, and takes us to a densely wooded forest. We could be anywhere.

The sky is dimly lit by a setting sun and it won't be long before we're in the dark. “Run," she whispers, then Inara collapses at my feet. She's out cold. This is not good. I try and rouse her by gently nudging her and finally shaking her by the shoulders like a ragdoll. An icy chill slices through the air out of nowhere. It's a good ninety degrees here so I know without a doubt, something's wrong.

I kick off my high heels and run, leaving Inara all by herself and unconscious. What if they take her? Who else knows I'm out here? My heartbeat is out of control and my breaths are coming too heavy and fast. I'm going to wear out quickly if I don't relax.

What the heck is a hell hound? In my mind I'm picturing Brutus on steroids with a bone to pick. Although something tells me I'm in far greater danger.

I try and watch the ground so I don't end up impaled on a sharp stick
, but the sun has sunk below the horizon and the dense woods shadow what’s left of the daylight. I need to get up higher. Maybe I can climb one of these trees. For my sake, I hope these mutts can't climb. What if they're huge, monstrosities?  They could reach right up and snatch me from the branch like a ripe grape.

I spot a cottonwood tree that has a split trunk I can get into. I hike my pencil skirt up
, and get my footing. I hear the snap of a branch nearby. The sound echoes in the woods like a gun shot. I move one hand up at a time inching further and further from the ground. I blink into the other realm when I get about twelve feet up.

My nails sink into the bark at the sight of two beasts snarling and growling at the base of the tree. Two rows of teeth gnash together, snapping at the air
, sounding as if they'd have all the power needed to rip through wood like a band-saw. They're larger than Sam's jacked up truck, and thick with muscle and bone. There’s not a single stitch of hair anywhere on their canine shaped bodies. Glowing orange eyes are zoned in and locked on my throat.