Vindicate (28 page)

“Why did it hurt?” I asked breathlessly.

“Because she wanted it to hurt . B
ecause right now you are letting her control you . Take control. You’re not in pain. You’re angry. You’re determined. Y
ou’re a fearless, calm warrior.”

“Damn right.” I said as my breath became even. That made him smile. I knew one thing. Charlie was one lucky girl. Draven was a gift. A weapon. And I was grateful to call him my friend.

His rhythmic voice echoed in my mind, and I held on to each wor d as if they were my thoughts. M
y decla ration. The pain was a distant memory now.
I pushed away from him, looking for Brady and Olivia, wanting to lead them t hrough what I just conquered.

They were right at my side. P
ainless and calm.

“You alright?” I asked reaching for Brady .

He nodded. “I guess she didn’t see us coming,” he said with a smirk.

I looked all a round me.
Everything was so real. I felt a warm breeze with a hint of chill that the distant storm was promising to bring. I could see black birds flying in perfect formation in the distance.

“What now? Where are the others?” I asked, not seeing any direction in front of me.

I felt rage. A deep jealousy ris e in Draven and looked up to find him staring in the distance. I followed his sta re, and in the field I saw a boy. He was tall, stro ng. His eyes glowed like honey, and they were staring coldly at Draven, shimmering in the ominous dusk that was emerging.

“Charlie is that way,” Draven mumbled.

“How do you know?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off this stranger. It was so – odd. I felt a deep peace inside of him . A determination. O
ne that mirrored Landen, but at the same time I felt the jealousy and rage that Draven was feeling. It didn’t make sense. T
his guy seemed too angelic to have those emotions.

“That’s Silas. H
e’s telling me to keep my distance, or he will do that for me,” Draven said as the painful agony of love rose in him. I knew Draven didn’t understand. H
e didn’t understand wh y his nature was turning him in to someone that could hurt the girl he was madly in love with. He didn’t want to be dark. H
e was fighting to be pure, and this guy was a reminder - an insult that was telling him he was not good enough for Charlie.

“Is he?” I said as an instant defensive emotion came to me. I was determi ned to defend my friend, guard , my guide.
Draven.

I was not going to let any jealous boy distract us, and I was prepared to tell him just that. With that thought, I was across the field, standing inches from this Silas boy.

I guess I expected him to be surprised like I would be if someone appeared in fro nt of me, but he didn’t budge.
I knew then that t here were no surprises in The R
ealm.

“You have a problem you want to talk about?” I asked sternly as I peered up at him. I’m sure my display looked foolish; he was at least a foot and a half taller than me, but I didn’t care.

“Not with you,” he sa id as his eyes fell into mine.
I felt a peace come over me.

I stepped back, fearing he had some kind of power, some kind of hypnotic energy he was using on me.

I felt Olivia, along with Brady and Drave n’s intent to come to my side.
I moved my hand behind me, creating a wall of energy. A barrier between this boy and Dr aven. I could feel Silas’s intent. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, but I didn’t trust him not to hurt Draven.
I’d made a silent promise to Charlie that Draven would be saf e at my side and I was determined to keep that promise.

Silas nodded his head once as his eyes that blazed like gold sparkled. “Impressive.”

“I’m not even trying,” I said slyly. “Listen.
I do n’t know what your problem is.
I don’t really care. I’m telling you right now, if you lay one hand on Draven there will be hell to pay.”

“Am I meant to fear those words?”

Lighting struck the ground on each side of him, the smoke from the singe grass snaked through the air. I guided the wind with my thoughts, circling him with burning air.

“You would be wise to,” I said, glaring at him.

He didn’t seem too impressed with my display, which told me I might very well be in over my head when it came to this Realm.

“Let me see if I understand. You, in another life, loved Charlie and in this life she loves Draven. And that, well, that makes you mad.”

He grinned as he crossed his arms. “You’re on the right track. L
acking a few details, no doubt.”

“Get over yourself,” I said coldly.

“When you figure out how to do that please share,” he said as he smiled boyishly.
I could swear I knew him, somewhere in time I knew this boy. It wasn’t a bad memory, but he didn’t overly impress me in my past either. It was like I knew this was not the first time he was way off course. I had no time to muse over a forgotten past. I was living in my now. And he was a problem in my now.

“Excuse me?”
I fumed.

He was staring at me with the same familiarity I had.
“Y
ou’re telling me to back away yet, you’re here to save not one man, but two. One that loved you before. O
ne that you love now.”

I smirked. “You think you are the first person to point out my flaw s? Or that you will be the last?
What was it you said?
Oh, yeah, you’re l acking a few details.
I loved them both before, and I love them both now. Here’s a news flash: they are n’t killing each other over me. T
hey are more mature than that.”

Silas moved his head from side to side as his smile grew. “Are you sure about that? “ His discerning eyes glanced around the field we were in. “You see, this place it brings out y our deepest, darkest emotions. I’
ve witnessed battles between them as recently as this hour.”

“And whose side did you take? Where are they? H
ave you partnered with Bianca?
W
hat do you want besides some macho manly claim on a young soul that has no idea who she is or what she wants?”

“I don’t take sides. A nd for the record Charlie is far from a young soul.”

“I ha ve a few million years on her. S
he’s young, and if I had to guess I would say that you are only showing her one side of whatever past you had with her. If you really believ ed she loves you more than him then you would show her every side. Y
ou would not let her live in fear t hat you will end Draven’s life. T
hat has to be the lowest act I have ever witnessed. In Drake’s dar kest hour, he never lied to me. N
ever tried to kill Landen.”

“If he were given a reason, he would. I f Landen threatened your life he would have st opped him. If it were reversed Landen would have done the same. I do show Char lie every side of her existence. B
efore you argue on anyone’s behalf you may want to get the entire story . Y
our rock star friend over there was not always so seemingly innocent.”

“Neither was I. N
o soul is.”

“You sound like Charlie.”
He bit out glancing away from me.

I knew I liked that girl.
“I take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” he said, locking glares with me.

I glanced over my shoulder at Draven, whose energy was full of rage. H
e didn’t trust Silas. I ignored Olivia’s pleas for me to lower my wall of energy and locked eyes with Brady. He was standin g calmly with his arms crossed. H
e had proven more than once that he could walk through my energy, but now he was choosing not to. It was odd; it was like I could feel a truce, a calm understanding between him and Silas. Like he knew Silas wouldn’t hurt me. T
hat I wouldn’t hurt him.
Brady’s trust built my confidence.

I looked back at Silas. “
I don’t know your whole story. I don’t even know mine, but I feel you.
I f eel purity in your soul. I t’s beautiful. Why woul d someone who feels like that torment anyone. He’s trying. H
e’s fighting what he thinks he is because he loves he r, and you’re making it worse. Y
ou’
re bringing out his dark side. W
hy ? W
hy would someone so pure do something so sinister?
W
hat satisfaction can you get from that?”

My words stunned him. His eyes moved slowly across my face before he spoke. “I admire the fight he has in him. I admire that he , at one time , turned from his nature . H
is breed of darkness, b ut I will not let him hurt her. All I did was tell her that. H
im that.
Drave n and I have an understanding. W
e both know what he is capable of.”

“Do you both understand that who Charlie chooses to give he r energy to is her own choice? T
hat she will despise the both of you if you hurt each other?”

“Despise. T
hat is a strong word. One you may want t o rethink before you face this R
ealm.”

“Where are they?” I said coldly, knowing that he may very well be right . T
hat I would forgive both Drake and Landen for any harm they did to the other . It would take time. M
aybe thousands of years, but I would forgive them because I loved them.

Silas leaned down. “I can’t tell you that. Y
ou have to feel your way to them.”

“Where did you see them fight?”

“E
verywhere is here. S
o right here.”

Oh, that helped. Thanks buddy.
“Why are you here?”

“I’m assuri ng Draven that Charlie is safe from him. F
rom everyone.”

“Why would she not be?”
I was daring him to tell me about this energy that was made out of light thing. Because as soon as he did , I was going to argue that Draven was at my side, and he was not pulling anything from me. Meaning, Silas was holding on to a thin excuse to defend Charlie.

He slanted his head faintly . “You really don’t know your entire story, do you?”

I r aised my eyebrows, implying that he needed to enlighten me.

“You are empowered with light . Landen’s beaming light. I t is so bright, so entrancing that al l darkness is attracted to it. T
hey want the pow er that is in your possession. They’re addicted to it. T
he essence of it. They need it to maintain their existence. T
hey strive to con trol it all. Charlie is a light, so is Madison. You may be here for revenge on Bianca, but every Escort – every aware dark ness senses that you are here. T
hey have a thirst for all that you are. O
ne they cannot control.”

“Is that why she took them?
S
he wants their power?”

He nodded once. “I can only assume she too k Drake for status in reality. F
or the fact that bil lions would bow at his command and give their energy to him. She to ok Landen because he is light. O
ne of the strongest, bri ghtest lights I have ever seen…
” he said as his eyes looked all around me.

“Drake is not dark. H
e will not command his kingdom into submission.”

“You,” he said as his hand reached to c up my face, “are his strength. Y
ou are the one causing him to fight his nature. W
ithout you his core nature will rise.”

“He has me,” I said, pulling away from the hold he had on my face.

“Not completely.”

“Are you calling him an Escort? Are you placing him at Draven’s side in your mind?”

“Perhaps. I n this life, he is on the edge. T
he moment he concedes that you will never give yourself to him completely is the moment he falls into his nature.”

“It’s not me he is meant to love. H
e will never fall into any nature you assume he has.”

He smirked.
“I fear for you. F
or your people.
Donalt is seeking a new host. W
ithout light , the only way Drake can fight him is by becoming an Escort himself.”

“How is it t hat you know so much about me? M
y battles?”

He glanced away as he carefully chose his words.
“I’ve been around a long time.”

I may not have remembered him in a past life, but he clearly remembered me. Something told me that he blamed me for a hardship in his past or current life. I fought the urge to ask wh at I could have done to him, and I let it be.
“I’ll worry about what Drake may o r may not become another time. R
ight now I need him to wake up.
I need Landen to wake up.
”

He nodded once as if to agree. “Be cautious . Y
ou may walk with darkness at your side,” he said as he glanced over my shoulder, then back at me, “but you are still very attr active in the eyes of Escorts. Tread carefully. Q
uickly.”