Redemption (31 page)

She kissed his cheek. “I know. This is why I must save you,
mijo
.”

“I would never hurt you, Antonia.”

“I know this,
mijo
. You are a good, sweet boy.”

He wrapped his arms around her neck. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

She wiped the tears from his cheek and gave him a warm smile. “When we know that we are safe, we will find your mother.”

He squeezed her neck tight again, choking on his tears. “Thank you, Antonia. Thank you.”

She pulled him back and smoothed his hair. “A boy belongs with his mother.”

A voice crackled on the intercom overhead. “Now boarding for American Flight 7027 to Houston.”

Antonia smiled. “That is us.” She rose and Jake followed her to another line. A woman next to a door took the tickets and let the people into the tube.

There were only four people in front of them when two men in a police uniforms hurried down the hall in their direction. Jake tried not to watch, instead facing forward.

Two more people left in line, handing over their papers. Jake’s heart raced making his breath come in short bursts. He glanced down the hall.

The guards cut through the chairs, determination on their faces.

Antonia handed their tickets to the woman and the machine beeped twice.

Almost there. Almost there.

One of the men wrapped his hand around Antonia’s arm. “Excuse me, ma’am. We’re going to need you and the little boy to come with us.”

The other guard stood to the side, his eyes on Jake.

She tried to break free from his hold. “No! We are on this flight. We need to get on this plane.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we need to question you in a suspected kidnapping.”

“What? There is a mistake.”

“Jake, you’ll need to come with us too.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jake’s voice rose in panic. “My name is Tony. This is my aunt.”

People gathered closer, watching with curiosity.

The guard to the side stepped forward and gripped Jake’s arm as the first man pulled Antonia from the line.

Terrified, Jake unleashed his power. He had to save Antonia. “No!” Jake screamed. A strong wind whipped through the long hallway. The man holding Antonia’s arm dropped his grasp and reached for his throat, his face turning a purplish-blue. The other guard’s eyes bulged and the veins on his neck popped out. People in the crowd gasped for air, some falling to their knees and to the ground.

Antonia squatted in front of Jake. “Stop! You’re hurting these people, Jake. You must stop!”

Jake held his tight fists at his side. “They’re going to hurt you. I won’t let them hurt you.”

“You cannot hurt these innocent people for me.”

He stopped the wind and listened to the sounds of choking and gasping.

Antonia took his hand. “Run!”

They ran through the terminal as fast as Jake’s legs would stretch, but as the people began to recover, they pointed and shouted. Antonia pulled Jake into a restroom.

Shaking, she covered her mouth with her free hand. Her rosary beads dangled from her fingers. “We must think. We need a plan.”

Jake looked up at her, clenching his fists. “I can use my power.”

She shook her head. “No! You must not. Your power makes you more like Aiden than like your mother.”

Tears filled Jake’s eyes as fear replaced his anger. “But he’ll catch us.”

She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes. “
Sí
.”

“No.” His anger billowed inside him, making him glow.

Instead of her usual fear, Antonia’s eyes filled with love. “Do not give him this. He wants you to use your power for bad things.”

He swallowed the lump of fear in his throat. “Saving you isn’t bad, Antonia. Saving you is good. I love you.”

She squatted in front of him, clasping his hands in hers. “You are right, Jake, saving me is not bad. Wanting to save me is done with love. Love is the most pure gift of all. But you are clouding it with anger and hate, and it will destroy you.”

“I don’t know what else to do if I can’t use my power,” he sobbed. “I can’t let them hurt you.”

She dug into her purse, pulled out a handful of money, and reached for his shorts pocket.

He tried to back up, shaking his head. “No! No!”

Tugging gently on his arm, she brought him closer and stuffed the bills into his pocket. “Hush,
mijo
. Hush. Listen to me.” She grasped his shoulders, tears streaming down her cheeks. “When they find us, you must run. Do not wait for me. Do not look back. Run. Do you understand?”

He shook his head, trying to catch his breath through his tears. “No. I can’t.”

Her grip tightened. “Do you love me, Jake?”

“Yes! You know I love you!”

“Have I ever asked for anything from you?”

“No,” he whispered. The mark on his chest was icy cold and it seeped into his insides.

“Then do this for me. It is the only thing I will ask of you. If you love me, you will give it to me.”

“Please, Antonia. Don’t make me do this.
Please
.” He clung to her, knowing that if he ran, Aiden would kill her.

“It is the only way.” She stroked his cheek. “Do you know why I tried to take you away?”

“Because you love me?”

“Yes, very much so. You are the little boy I never had. But I tried to take you away for another reason. I wanted to save your soul. You are a good boy. A sweet boy. Do not let your
abuelo
turn you into the
demonio
that he is.”

Jake sobbed, knowing she was right. But Aiden would kill her. Because of him.

“Remember when I met your mother? In Albuquerque?”

He nodded, trying to catch his breath.

“I promised her I would watch over you for her. Promise me…” Her voice cracked. “Promise me that you will tell her that I did the best I could.”

He nodded. “I promise.”

Her hands tightened on his face. “Love is the most powerful thing in the world, Jake. More powerful than any evil. Remember this.”

He nodded barely seeing her face through his tears. “I’ll remember, Antonia.”

Sirens blared overhead and shouts echoed in the hall outside the restroom.

“Be brave for me.” She stood and looped his backpack over his shoulders, buckling the clasp over his chest, her fingers lingering on the strap. Then she stood and led him to the restroom exit. They made it ten feet before the guards spotted them. Antonia dropped his hand and shouted. “
Run
!”

He could kill them. There were only five guards. He could easily do it and not hurt anyone else. He’d just panicked before. But Antonia shook her head, her eyes filled with love. He searched her mind.

Do this for me. It is the only thing I will ask of you. If you love me, you will give it to me
.

The only person he loved more than Antonia was his mommy. Even though every part of him protested, he would give her anything. Even this.

Stumbling as he spun around, he found his footing and ran. He ran faster than he’d ever run, trying to outrun the nightmares that lived in the real world and not just his dreams. He ran past families and workers and old men and women. Small children watching from their mother’s arms. He ran out through the exit next to the security gate and made it out the doors into the oppressive heat, the sun blinding him.

He jerked to a halt when he noticed a shiny black car stopped at the curb. The back door opened and Aiden climbed out, wearing grin. “Hello, Jacob. Looks like you’ve had a busy morning.”

For a split second, Jake was sure he could defeat Aiden, but Antonia’s face rose up in his thoughts and her words washed over him.
Love is more powerful than evil.
He had to believe her.

The guards brought Antonia through the doors behind him. Jake turned his head. Seeing the men hold her arms so tight hurt Jake too much.

“What was the meaning of this, Antonia?” Aiden asked in a bored tone.

“This is all my fault.
Señor
Jake had no knowledge of what I intended to do.”

Jake’s mouth dropped open.

“Is this true, Jake?”

Antonia’s eyes pleaded with Jake.

I can’t do this, Antonia
.

Her beaming face, full of love, told him that he could.

Jake looked at concrete sidewalk. “Yes, it’s true.”

“I’m very disappointed, Antonia. You were such a model employee until this incident. You provide such excellent care for Jake. Perhaps I should give you another chance.”

Jake looked up hopeful, but Antonia’s face remained stoic.

“However.” Aiden paused with a tight smile. “What kind of example would I give if I let you get away with this blatant infraction? You must be a example for others.” Aiden’s gaze turned to Jake.

Jake knew Aiden meant him.

Antonia lifted her chin, looking braver than Jake had ever seen her. She fixed her gaze on Aiden. “
Pudrete en el infierno, demonio por lo que le haces al niño!”

Aiden looked amused. “Interesting choice of words, Antonia.”

Her skin turned red and she moaned.

“Do you have anything to say now?”

“
Que Dios maldiga tu alma para siempre!"
she cried out, her eyes rolling back into her head.

Fear crawled across Jake’s skin and he looked away.

“No, Jacob.” Aiden’s voice was harsh. “You will watch this.”

Lifting his chin, her face was blurry through his tears.

“Disobedience will not be tolerated. Remember.”

Antonia’s mouth moved but nothing came out until she screamed.

Please, Antonia. Please let me save you
.

She shook her head. “Only God can deliver me.”

Aiden snarled, his lips curling back to reveal his shiny white teeth. “
Yo te libraré.”

Her clothes burst into flames and her hair caught fire. Screams pierced the air as she fell to the ground, screaming and screaming until she finally stopped and then…nothingness.

Jake loved Antonia but she had been very, very wrong.

Evil was stronger than love.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Marcus leaned against the desk in his room. “There’s a problem with Emma.”

Will sat down in a chair in the corner, his mouth suddenly dry. Had Marcus figured out that Emma was pregnant? “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Emma’s power is weak and unreliable.”

Relief washed through him as he shook his head. “Alex told Emma that she was stronger than Emmanuella.”

Marcus pushed away from the desk and sat in the chair next to Will. “Knowing the previous incarnation personally, that’s not saying much.”

“I’ve seen her do some powerful things.”

“Yes, I agree that she’s capable of a great deal, but unfortunately, she’s not able to manage it every time she needs to. Her power is sporadic at best. Why didn’t she use her power in the elevator? She should have been able to put up more of a fight.”

Will released a heavy exhale. Marcus was asking the very questions Will had been asking himself. “She was probably afraid. She gets her power from anger. Fear tends to put a damper on it.”

“That’s a huge problem, Will.”

His statement was so obvious, Will saw no point in answering.

“She needed to ground her source in something free of emotion when it was developing. I’m not sure there’s time for her to relearn it.”

“From what I’ve heard, her predecessor instinctively knew how to ground her power in previous lives and her protector helped her.” Will didn’t try to hide his defensive tone. “Emma had neither. She did the best she could, and I didn’t know any better.”

Marcus held up a hand in defense. “No one is chastising her. Or you. I’m merely pointing out the facts.”

Still guarded, Will rested his hand on the armchair. “Alex told her that the emotional source was what made her stronger than Emmanuella.”

“True, but you’ve also seen that it makes her much weaker when it doesn’t work. This is good to know, though.” He paused for a moment. “We just need to rile her anger in a battle. You know as well as I do that we can’t rely on her in a fight, which will work out today but not at the end.”

Will had worried about that as well. “Emma and I can share power. We already have. I can share mine with her.”

“You’re going to need every bit of your own. You can’t share it with Emma or you’ll get both of you killed.”

“So what are you proposing?”

“I’m not proposing anything at the moment. I’m merely assessing the situation and suggesting we come up with a solution before the end.”

Will agreed with everything Marcus said, but the fact remained that only two of them would survive. Marcus had to be trying to swing this to his own advantage. “I take it you have a plan for today?”

“Given the information you’ve untangled, I suggest we scout out the area starting at five, a full two hours before we expect them to strike.”

“And what do you propose for our plan of attack?”

“We need Emma close, but I don’t think she should participate in any fighting today.”