The Awakening (Entangled Series Book 1) (21 page)
Read The Awakening (Entangled Series Book 1) Online
Authors: Jill Sanders
The rest of the day was filled with everyone coming and going. Several times his parents and Jessie left to grab food or run errands, but Xtina stayed by his side, only leaving to use the restroom or to get him some more water.
That evening, after saying goodnight to his parents, Xtina crawled into bed beside him and flipped through the channels on the TV. She quickly rushed by the news station, but he stopped her and took the remote.
After watching the reports on the local news, he realized why she’d been trying to keep the news from him. Once again, they were painting her as some sort of crazy involved in a cult instead of a victim who had been snatched from her own bedroom.
“It’s okay, really.” She leaned back against his shoulder. “Jacob has assured me that when they make their official statement in the morning, everything will be cleared up.”
“Why the hell is he waiting?”
“They’re too close to getting a confession. He thinks by morning they will have at least one, if not all four.”
All the fight left him as his arms wrapped around her. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait then.”
Once again, he drifted off to sleep, holding Xtina in his arms.
When he woke this time, his bed was empty and the room was still dark. He sat up, rubbed his hands across his face, and pushed his good leg over the edge of the bed with the idea of making it to the restroom on his own.
But instead of the cold hospital floor, he met only open air as he was tossed up in the air violently. Loud sounds crashed around him. Dust, rocks, dirt, and debris flew around him as bombs exploded a few yards away. His entire body shook violently as a searing pain shot from his arm and shoulder. When he looked down, he saw bone sticking out of his own flesh and felt blood trickling down his side. He must have screamed, because suddenly, Xtina’s voice was calling out his name.
He woke with a start, the cold hospital floor underneath him, while Xtina stood over him.
“Ethan!” he cried out, trying to get to his feet.
“Easy!” She rushed to him. “I saw it too.” She wrapped her arms around him. “He’s okay.” She told him over and over. “He’s out.”
He closed his eyes and prayed it was true.
“My folks,” he said after a moment. She’d helped him back up onto the bed and had checked that the fall from the bed hadn’t done any damage.
“I’ll call them.” She reached for his phone, just as it rang.
“It’s Jacob,” she said and then handed him the phone.
“Want to tell me what the hell just happened?” Jacob sounded angry. “What the hell did I just see?”
“What?” His eyes moved to Xtina’s.
“Did you just get blown up or what?” Jacob finally asked.
“No, but I think our brother, Ethan, my twin, is in serious trouble.” He closed his eyes as the images flashed once more in his mind.
X
tina sat across the room from Jessie and Jacob. Mike’s parents had left moments ago, after relaying the call they had gotten less than two hours earlier. They had all crowded into her living room, while a fire heated up the entire house.
She was still a little shocked to learn that her parents had been murdered by William Ray, her ex-boyfriend. He had always claimed to be her husband, even though he’d drugged her and wed her himself, shortly before she’d escaped his clutches the first time.
Her eyes moved over to where Mike was propped up on the sofa. Rose snuggled by one of his feet as his bad leg was piled high on top of pillows.
Life had defiantly taken a turn for the better since she’d returned home.
After seeing Ethan being hurt, so much more had become clear to her. She was anxious to tell everyone, but the news about Mike’s brother had outweighed her other news. She had sat back silently as his family worried, even though she now knew everything would turn out.
Mike’s father had explained that they had received a call from Ethan’s commanding officer.
If everything went smoothly, they’d be shipping him back from the temporary hospital later tomorrow.
His mother had broken in, still crying, “He could be home as early as next week.”
Xtina had soothed her as much as she could.
Xtina glanced over at Jacob, who sat in the corner, his face a little pale. She knew it was probably because his family was there. She knew he wanted answers, but he also knew they wouldn’t all come that night.
After his parents had gone back to Mike’s house for the night, Jacob stood up and walked over to the fireplace, holding out his hands for warmth.
“Okay,” he said, turning back to the room. Xtina sat next to Mike while Jessie was in her mother’s old rocking chair, looking a little lost. “Tell me what the hell is happening to me? Why I’m seeing…” He motioned, taking a deep breath. “Things.”
“I wish I knew,” Mike said, turning slightly to her. “Any ideas?”
She nodded, then stood up slowly. “Yes, but we’re not all here, yet…” Just then her doorbell chimed and she took a deep breath. “That will be her.”
“Her?” Jessie asked. “Who, her?”
Xtina turned to the room and smiled. “A piece to our puzzle.”
She held her breath as she walked towards the door. She wasn’t too sure what she’d find on the other side. All she knew was that more power was coming soon. As soon as Ethan made it home.
When she opened the door, she looked into the most beautiful crystal blue eyes she’d ever seen. Peace settled in her mind and heart, then power filled the entire room.
Other books by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
The Secret Series
The West Series
The Grayton Series
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Silver Cove Series
Coming this fall…
Entangled –
A Paranormal Romance Series
The Awakening
The Beckoning… Spring 2017
The Ascension… Summer/Fall 2017
For a complete list of books, visit
JillSanders.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
THE AWAKENING
PRINT ISBN:
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-942896-73-9
Copyright © 2016 Jill Sanders
Copyeditor: Erica Ellis – inkdeepediting.com
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
Jill Sanders is
The New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of the Pride Series, Secret Series, West Series, Grayton Series, Lucky Series, and Silver Cove romance novels. She continues to lure new readers with her sweet and sexy stories. Her books are available in every English-speaking country and in audiobooks as well as being translated into different languages.
Born as an identical twin to a large family, she was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. She now makes her home along the Emerald Coast in Florida where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and of course writing.
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