Twisted Stars (Hardest Mistakes #3) (6 page)

Ripping another strip of fabric off the bottom of my shirt, I dip it in the water and take a deep steadying breath. Jayden sits down beside me. Can he sense my fear? Is he still human inside? He told me to run…

What about the other times a gold-eyed predator has saved my life or come close to me? The bear? The wolf? Was it always Jayden?

I hesitate with the damp cloth held tightly in my fist and look up, meeting his gaze. The sun reflects off the water, glittering in his eyes.

I can do this. He’s not going to hurt me. He’s proved it many times already. I lick my lips, nod to myself, and press the cloth up against the deep wounds on his chest, cleaning away the excess blood.

How long until he’s human again?

I peek up at his gold eyes again. He’s watching me carefully.

Suddenly, he stands and starts walking. He looks over his shoulder as he enters the trees as if asking me to follow.

The trees beside the waterfall are thin, but soon we are squeezing through shrubs and trees pressed so tightly together I have to walk behind him.

I watch his stripes as we walk. This is so weird, and yet, it’s not?

When we reach a spot of wider space between the trees, I hasten my steps and lift my hand, running my fingers along Jayden’s back. His soft white fur ripples under my fingertips as his muscles move beneath his skin.

We stop just after dark under a small overhang. The rock provides only a small amount of warmth and shelter, but it’s better than a clearing with an open sky above.

I sit with a heavy sigh and lean back against the rock. Jayden stops in front of me and dips his huge head. His gold eyes search my face before he moves closer and sits beside me.

I try to conceal my small gulp of fear as he leans in, touching his nose to my shoulder. I keep my gaze straight ahead. He finally gives up and curls up on the stone beside me.

After I’m sure he’s asleep, I curl up on my side with my back pressed against his side. I need his warmth, but I’m too afraid to face him.

***

I did not sleep well last night. My dreams were more like nightmares, twisting and turning like a sea filled with painful voices and lingering hurt. I left them all without a word. Mom, Sammy, Kai, Brooke…even Dylan.

Once I pry my eyes open to the early light of dawn, I roll over and shove my wet face into the leaf litter.

I can’t do this.

I’m starting to get used to being alone out here. But it’s getting hard trying to figure out which way to go. Does Jayden even know where he’s leading us, or is he just hoping to stay out here forever? I can’t live like this, not for the rest of my life. I hope he has a plan. I make a mental note to ask him if I ever see him human again.

I stand and look around. Jayden isn’t here.

There’s no point in staying. Someone might find me. Taking a wild stab at it, I start walking in what I hope is the right direction.

I don’t stop for anything, not even food. I just keep walking. The monotony of the task helps me think and clear my head.

I’m still walking at a steady pace after the sun sets below the horizon. I push through the dense trees, emerging into a dark grove, and freeze.

Jayden watches me from the other side, waiting.

We sit a few feet apart, our bags between us. Jayden must have retrieved them during the day. I look up and meet Jayden’s heavy gaze. I don’t know what to say or do.

I mean, I know what he is, sort of. But witnessing it properly is totally different.

“You’re afraid of me,” Jayden whispers, breaking the tense silence that has descended over us.

“Yes,” I answer softly without a pause.

He shifts closer. “I would never hurt you, Ashlee, no matter what form I take…never. I know that now.”

“I know.” And I believe it. I really do. But he told me to run from him. You would think that as someone with previous paranormal experience, I should be able to handle someone as different as Jayden.

Although Kai was cursed and freed. Jayden will be like this for the rest of his life—however long that may be.

Am I okay with that?

“Do you believe me?” The pain in his voice is clear. He doesn’t want to be alone anymore, and neither do I.

“Yes, I believe you.”

He closes the remaining distance and wraps his arms around me, his warmth enveloping me in a safe cacoon. I breathe in his pine scent and relax against him. I want this. I want this more than anything I’ve ever wanted before.

Being here in his arms…it just feels right.

We lay back on the soft grass facing each other, starlight glittering in Jayden’s eyes.

Chapter Eight

A noise in the trees catches my attention as we pack up our supplies.

Jayden’s head snaps up, and he searches the tree line before looking back at me. His mouth twitches then he slides the bag off his shoulder and drops to his knees, placing his hands up in surrender.

“What are you doing?”

“We’re surrounded.”

“You’re giving up? Just like that? After how hard we’ve fought to be free…”

He looks at the ground in front of him, defeated. They start to converge on us through the trees. I step closer to him and watch, terrified as the soldiers trap us.

Three of them grab Jayden and throw him to the ground with unnecessary force. Another grabs my arm and ties my hands in front of me.

One of the soldiers standing over Jayden pulls out a thick needle full of clear liquid and plunges it into his neck. I flinch as Jayden’s body jolts in shock. They hoist him up by his hands and drag us both out of the grove, walking us through the trees to a black four-wheel-drive van. The side door slides open loudly, and they push me in. I land face first on the hard metal floor. Jayden is thrown in next to me. He lands awkwardly on his front but doesn’t move.

The van’s heavy door slams shut behind me, and the ignition starts. I slide over to Jayden and use my tied hands to push him onto his back so he can breathe.

My eyes adjust quickly to the sudden dark. I search for a handle on the door, but there are none. Not that I was going to jump out of the side of a moving van.

Jayden moans. I lean over and find his eyes half open and unfocused—they must have sedated him. “Jayden, can you hear me?” His head tilts toward me limply.

The van drives over a rough patch in the road, and I squeal in surprise as it throws me sideways, landing heavily on Jayden. He groans quietly. “Sorry, sorry.” I push myself up.

His eyes are closed tightly now. He looks as if he’s in a lot of pain. I lean back against the van’s wall and watch him, scared. His face suddenly goes lax as if he’s passed out. I’m so stupid. Why did I have to get myself involved?

Watching Jayden’s face—I have my answer. I couldn’t possibly leave him now. I’ve fallen too far and too hard to turn back.

The van slows to a stop after what feels like hours. A soldier heaves the door open with a grunt; another reaches in and drags Jayden’s unconscious body out. He hits the dirt with a thump. I frown at their rough treatment and shake off the soldier’s hands so I can step out of the van of my own accord.

A soldier stands on either side of me as I’m escorted into a huge grey building. I take in as much of the surroundings as I can before I’m pushed inside. We are still in the forest but inside a compound surrounded by high electric fencing.

I’m led down a narrow hallway and into a huge dark room full of cages. There is a lone window high up in the bricks of the back wall. I twist to see Jayden thrown into one of the cages, the door padlocked behind him. The man beside me pushes me into the cage next to him and unties my hands, locking the door as he leaves. The soldiers filter out of the room until we are left alone.

The cage isn’t high enough to stand, so I shuffle on my hands and knees over to the side of my cage closest to Jayden, who is slumped up against the back. He groans softly, his head tipping toward me. His eyes open halfway, glowing gold. They stand out eerily on his pale face.

I wrap my hands around the cage bars and rest my head against the cool metal.

Tears dribble down my face and off my chin. Is this how I’m going to die? No one will ever know what happened to me—I’ll just be another one of those teenage runaways on the back of a milk carton that nobody cares about.

“Please don’t cry,” Jayden’s voice comes out soft and slightly slurred. I lift my gaze to look at him, lying on his side facing me. His eyes are still a dull gold.

“How can you say that? Look at where we are.” I slide to the ground, leaning against the bars. He grunts, slowly lifting himself into a sitting position and dragging himself across the cage floor to me. He leans against the bars, our foreheads touching between the metal. I wipe at my tears and search his unusual eyes and dirty, bloody face.

“I’m so sorry. About everything,” he whispers. I turn my head away. I don’t want to hear this. Not now. “Hey.” His hand reaches between the bars and touches my arm. “Look at me.” I lift my chin up and meet his gold eyes. “I promise you I will get you out of here.”

“You’ve obviously been here before. How did you escape last time?” He flinches at my question and turns away, taking his hand back.

“Not really something I want to relive.”

Okay, I’ll leave it alone, but I’m still curious. “Why are your eyes still yellow?”

He shifts self-consciously before answering me. “Must be the sedative they gave me.” He closes his eyes and rests his head on the bars.

“Jayden?”

“Mmm.”

It’s a question that’s been bugging me for a while now. Why not ask it now? Who knows how much longer I have to live? “Why did you stay?”

His eyes snap open and he watches me for a moment, contemplating. “I—” A door slams, and footsteps tap across the cement toward us. Jayden pushes himself away from the cage bars to see our visitors. A familiar red-haired lady—Cait—and another tall, well-dressed woman stop in front of us.

The unknown woman’s sharp eyes stare through the cage at Jayden. I glance at him to see he’s gone white in fear.

“Darling, how are you? I missed you so much,” she says delicately, kneeling down in front of Jayden’s cage. He pushes himself back until he’s as far away from her as he can possibly get. She smiles and turns to me. “And who have we got here?”

“Ashlee Reynolds,” Cait answers for me. Not that I was going to open my mouth to these horrible people anyway, but still. How rude.

“Ah yes, Miss Reynolds. How very nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.” I narrow my eyes on her. “Welcome to Paradox Genetic Institute. I am co-founder and owner, Dr. Gina Ross.” Ross? Why does that name sound familiar? I glance at Jayden again. He has turned away from everyone, his head on his knees in the corner. Gina smiles at Jayden and stands up, straightening her dark skirts. “Thank you for helping me locate my son, Miss Reynolds. I’ve missed him so much. It’s well past time he came home.”

What?

She spins on her heel and leaves the room without another word, leaving Cait to follow.

I stare after them, my mouth hanging open in shock.

Did she say ‘son’?

Once they leave, Jayden uncurls from the corner and looks over at me. I can still see the fear in his eyes.

“She’s your…?”

“The woman gave birth to me. Yes,” he spits, turning away from me again.

“You told me your parents were dead,” I say, feeling confused and a little betrayed.

“My father is, and if I had the choice, she would be too.” I flinch at the venom in his voice. I seriously can’t wrap my head around the fact that he hates his own mother even if she is a monster.

The room goes quiet. I don’t know what to say that won’t make this worse, so I lie down on my side and curl up. The chilly air makes me shiver. I want my own mother; I want one of her too tight hugs or her burnt toast. The tears start all over again; I let them slide over my face and onto the cold hard floor.

***

Light blinds me, flashing across my vision, creating black dots. I gasp and sit up, trying to shield my face.

“Wake up,” a voice orders. Someone grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet roughly. I’m dragged out of my cage and pushed down a hallway.

“Ashlee,” Jayden calls after me, panicked. I try to shake the grip off my arm, but it holds fast.

“Where are you taking me?” I can’t see a thing. The hallways are dark and full of shadows. I turn my head to look behind me at my captor, but the torchlight blinds me again.

“Shut up, and keep moving.” The voice is male—one of the soldiers? I trip over invisible shapes in the dark as I stumble forward. A door opens in front of me, and I’m shoved inside, tripping on the doorjamb and landing on my hands and knees in a dark room.

My eyes are definitely open—it’s just too dark to make anything out. “Hello?” I whisper into the darkness, running my hands along the floor around me. All I find are more cold tiles. It smells like a sterile doctor’s office. Where am I?

The room bursts into bright white light. I’m blinded until my eyes adjust to the sudden illumination. Slowly, everything comes into focus, revealing a stark white room, tiled floor to ceiling, with a full-length mirror covering one wall. Sort of reminds me of all the cop shows I’ve watched—an interrogation room with a two-way mirror.

A microphone blares to life, screeching into the room. I wince at the sudden noise.

“Ashlee Reynolds.” A female voice, it sounds familiar. I turn and stare at the mirror. “We have brought you here to ask you a few important questions. If you answer truthfully, we may let you live.”

“What?” I sputter out surprised. Live? They’re going to kill me already?

“First off, you live in the town of Blake Pike and attend the local university?”

What did she just say? “Umm, yes?”

The microphone buzzes loudly with static. “How long have you known the other prisoner?”

Jayden? “A few months?”

“Have you been informed as to why he was seeking refuge in your home town?”

“No?” I answer, confused.

“Do you know what he is?”

Well, that was blunt. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Answer the question, Miss Reynolds.”

“Then, no, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

“Your parents are Jocelyn and Mark Reynolds, currently divorced. Jocelyn is on a cruise overseas, and your father resides in Boulder City?”

I stomp toward the mirror, ready to hit something. “You leave my family out of this, you monsters!”

“Very well. That is all…for now.” The microphone buzzes again, and the lights shut off, plunging me back into darkness. I sink to the floor and wrap my arms around my knees. Are they going to kill me now? Are they going to hurt my family? My mom? My dad?

Light in the shape of a door appears on one side of the room. I stay where I am, not game enough to move, especially if they’re here to kill me. A shadow covers the doorway as someone enters. I shake my head and push myself back until I hit the wall.

“No, please,” I plead as the shadow grabs my arm in a tight hold and drags me from the room. I let my weight fall, so they have to lift me up again. As I’m dragged into the hallway, I look up at the person holding my arm. He’s dressed in a white lab coat and gloves. I try to tug my arm out of his grip, but he just squeezes tighter. “Let me go, please,” I plead again, trying not to break into hysterics.

The man looks down at me in disdain. “Stop. I’m not here to kill you.” I don’t believe him, but I let him lead me along the bright corridor. We enter another room—this one looks more like a laboratory.

“Sit.” The man points to a white plastic chair beside a chrome bench full of instruments. I sit hesitantly and look around at the white room. What is it with scientists and white?

The man in the lab coat digs around in a drawer under the silver bench until he brings out a syringe and a couple of sample jars. He turns to me and pulls my arm open, jabbing the needle into my elbow before I have a chance to flinch. He draws blood and labels the sample jars. When he’s finished, he stands and leaves the room, locking the door behind him. At least he didn’t turn the lights off. I’m so sick of being left alone in the dark.

Voices chatter outside the room, and then Cait strolls in, holding a clipboard.

“How are you this morning, Miss Reynolds? Sleep well?”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “Apart from the fact that I’ve been kidnapped and forced into a small, dark cage, oh, and then you threatened my family and told me you were going to murder me…yeah, I’m great. Thanks for asking.”

“Unfortunately, sarcasm won’t get you very far, my dear.” She scribbles something down on her clipboard and turns back to the door. “Shall we go?” Go where? Not game to ask, I stand and follow her from the room. Two soldiers flank us as we walk down the corridor.

Cait opens the door to the room with the cages. I glance at Jayden as I’m pushed into my cage. The way he’s lying along the tiles makes me think he’s asleep.

The guards leave with Cait, and the room goes quiet. I can just hear Jayden breathe softly. Leaning up against the cold bars, I fiddle with the hem of my shirt.

I wonder if Mom is okay. I wonder if she’s found out I’m missing yet. Surely Dylan has raised the alarm?

Jayden groans under his breath and turns onto his back, laying his hands on his chest.

“Are you okay?” I flinch at the way my voice echoes through the room too loudly.

He tips his head toward me. “You’re back,” he says softly, pulling himself up into a sitting position. “Did they hurt you?” Concern creases his brow as he studies me.