| |
I limped through the halls at school the next day, my ankle wrapped and hurting, the rest of me seriously sore. My hoodie hid most of the bruises, and borrowing some of Mom’s mineral powder helped blur the marks on my face from tripping over the tree root. I didn’t notice that damage until I looked in the bathroom mirror this morning. Trying to cover it up made me late to school.
And I also got a reprieve; Sam was out for the day. What I didn’t brace myself for was Misty’s exuberant greeting. In the cafeteria, in the middle of lunch. I thought her fellow cheerleaders were going to faint from embarrassment.
“Alex! Over here!” She waved madly from her table, like I couldn’t see her from three feet away. “Come and sit with us!”
She didn’t give me much choice, inviting me in front of half the school. I carried my tray over, setting it down in front of the only empty chair. The girls on either side scooted their chairs away. Nice welcome.
“Thanks for the invite, Misty, but I’m not really up for conversation.”
I picked up my tray and turned around, no longer caring that everyone stared at me as I limped past. Yes, I wanted to shout, the techno geek stood up the cheerleader, ruined her chance at the populars table. Get over it.
I heard Misty whisper loudly to her friends, and then the scrape of a chair. Fabulous—she was following me.
“Alex!” I kept going, dumping my untouched lunch in the trash can at the door and dropping my tray on the table next to it before I hobbled out of the cafeteria. Stepping into the intersecting hallway, I waited. “Alex, I wanted to... Alex?” Her bouncing steps echoed in the empty hallway. “Where did you—”
“Here.” I stepped out behind her, and watched her jump at my voice. She spun, her long blonde hair whipping around her. “What do you want, Misty?”
“To make sure you were okay, after—you know.”
“And you were going to ask me that, in front of your friends.”
“No—I was going to have a polite conversation, and observe. You screwed up that idea, with a flourish.” Her sarcasm startled a laugh out of me. Misty smiled; it faded as she took my arm, and pushed me into the nearest classroom, closing the door to give us privacy. “Look—I know you don’t think I’m the brightest bulb, but I’m not stupid.”
“I realized that some time ago.”
Surprise flared in her sky-blue eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. I guessed it was probably the first time in her school career that someone told her to her face she was smart. Stereotypes can really suck. “I, um,” she cleared her throat, still obviously overwhelmed by my comment. “I also wanted to let you know why Sam isn’t here today.”
Dread shot through me. “Why?”
“Nothing bad—I didn’t mean to scare you. His mom had to go in for some x-rays, so he took her to the medical center in Irvine. He left a text on my phone.”
And not on mine. That hurt, squeezing my already vulnerable heart.
“Thanks for letting me know. I have to get to class, so I’ll—”
“You really do like him, don’t you?”
I froze at the door. How I wished it was only like. “It doesn’t matter. If you talk to him, tell him I...” Swallowing, I forced the next words out. “Tell him I don’t want to see him anymore.”
I yanked the door open and limp-ran down the hall, heading for the front door. I had to get out of here, before I started crying in front of everyone.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Misty grabbed my arm. I fought her, but I didn’t have the strength, not after last night. She took me where I wanted to go anyway—out the door and to the parking lot. “You may be fabulous at everything else you try, but you are a lousy liar.”
I stared at her. Until we were forced to work together, she barely knew I existed. Didn’t she?
Before my common sense could stop me, I blurted out what happened last night. Misty listened, holding my hand tight when the tears started.
Now that I had distance, the absolute terror of the chase shook me to the core. At the time, all I could think about was getting away. That single focus probably—no, it saved my life. Period.
Once I finished, Misty led me over to her car and tucked me in the passenger seat. She joined me, sliding behind the wheel, and starting the car. “Wait,” I cleared my throat, wiping at the tears blurring my eyes. “Where are you—”
“Sam.”
“No—” Panic flared through the emotional tangle. “I can’t—”
“He needs to know, Alex.” Misty’s firm voice dropped my jaw. She sounded like someone in charge. Maybe this was the kicking butt and taking names tone she used with the cheerleading squad. It certainly got my attention. “If Jake isn’t the only monster out there, Sam needs to be warned, since his family is neck deep in this mess. And I can’t believe I just uttered a sentence with the word monster in it.” She flashed me one of her brilliant smiles. “Being friends with you is never boring.”
“Friends?” I think my voice may have squeaked.
“You think I’m spending time with you, trying to have lunch with you, and introducing you to my friends because we’re working on a stupid project together?” That was exactly what I thought. “You’re the coolest girl I’ve ever hung out with. You’re wicked smart, funny, and though you seriously lack in the style department,” I tugged self-consciously on my hoodie, “you don’t follow just to belong. I really admire that.”
“I—wow.” I didn’t know what to say.
“I never told you this,” she turned on to the road that would take us out of town, and straight to Sam’s house. “But you were so focused when we were attacked in the McGinty house. I seriously expected to be torn into messy little bits, but you just kept moving, kept fighting back. I think you startled it—Jake, just as much.”
“I just...” My voice faded as Sam’s voice echoed in my head. You have good instincts, you can think under pressure, and you have the fastest reflexes I’ve seen in a long time. “I just wanted to get us out of there—preferably with all our body parts intact.”
She pulled over, and turned to me. “Don’t you ever watch horror movies? The gorgeous blonde always screams like a complete bubble head and gets eaten. The smart girl figures out how to make a weapon from string and a toothpick. You’re the smart girl in this movie, Alex.”
I rubbed my face. This conversation felt like something out of, well, a movie. Absolutely surreal. “We got ourselves out, Misty. You found the weapon—”
“And you hauled off and beat on that hairy nightmare. I almost had heart failure when I saw you running at that thing. What I’m trying to tell you is you and Sam are that whole yin-yang thing—”
“If you say he completes me I’m going to punch you.”
Misty laughed, clapping her hands. “That’s what I like about you—funny and smart.” She pulled back on to the road, and turned in at Sam’s driveway, stopping near the front door. “You are going to go in there, tell him what happened.”
“But—” I scrambled for a way out of this. “You said he was in Irvine—”
“This morning.” She pointed to the SUV in front of their garage. Sam’s SUV.
“My dad told me I can’t play monster anymore—”
“Did he say never speak to Sam again, as long as you live?”
“No, but—”
“Did he say you could tell Sam about what happened last night, so he knows what steps to take?”
“Yes.”
“Any more excuses?”
I let out a sigh. “Not at the moment.”
She pointed at the door. “Go. Sam can drive you home.” When I hesitated, she moved her hand to my shoulder. “I’ve known Sam all my life, and you’re the first girl he ever looked at, or talked about, as more than just a friend.”
“He—what? Really?” If my mind wasn’t already in panic mode, that did it.
She smiled at me. “Go.”
I got out of the car, so nervous I had to remind myself to breathe. And forgot to do even that when I saw Sam standing at the open front door.
“Hi, Alex.”
Speaking forced me to breathe again. I sucked one in, felt like a complete idiot when I started choking. Instead of pounding on my back, Sam helped me sit on the front step, and waited for me to catch my breath.
“Hey, Sam,” Misty leaned across the passenger seat. “Can you take Alex home? I have to get back to school.”
“Sure.”
Of course, she asked him while I was incapacitated, so I couldn’t argue. With a wave she took off, leaving me alone with him.
“Sam, you don’t have to—”
“It’s not a problem. Come on in, and I’ll get you some water.”
He pulled me to my feet, letting me go after he led me inside, and left me in the living room. It gave me time to compose myself, as much as I possibly could around Sam. It seemed the only time I didn’t feel clumsy and stupid around him was when we were in danger. Or talking about Jake. Terrific basis for a relationship.
He came back with a glass of water. “Sit down, Alex. You look exhausted.” Waiting until I sank to the sofa, he handed me the glass, and sat in the chair across from me. “What are you doing here?”
“I—something happened last night.” I told him, staring at my clenched hands. I kept talking, even when he sucked in his breath at my description of what stalked me. I just wanted to get it out and never have to say anything about it ever again. “I wanted you to know, so you won’t be blindsided if it decides to show...”
My voice faded to nothing as Sam jumped over the coffee table and hauled me to my feet. “It didn’t hurt you, did it? Don’t lie to me, Alex. This is my fault—”
“I’m bruised, from rolling around on the sidewalk, and I twisted my ankle. I’m okay—my dad got to me in time.” I still shuddered at how close it had been. “And why is it your fault? We were looking for Jake.”
“I should have been looking. On my own.” He obviously just realized he was all but embracing me, because he let go so fast I fell against the sofa. “I’m taking you home, and you are out of it. I couldn’t stand it if you were hurt—”
He cut himself off and stalked out of the living room. I should have been relieved; he just made all of it easy for me. Instead, it felt like an invisible fist was squeezing my heart.
Before I had time to recover he reappeared, car keys in hand. I pushed off the sofa and followed him, trying not to limp. He already beat himself up enough because of me. I obviously didn’t hide it well enough; once we reached his SUV, he turned around and lifted me up into the passenger seat.
I stared out my window as he got in, started up the engine, and backed in a half circle, facing us toward the long driveway. “I’m sorry, Alex.” The despair in his quiet voice tightened my throat. “For everything.”
He punched the gas, and we flew down the driveway, slowing just enough for him to check for cross traffic before he swerved out on to the main road. I clutched the door handle, watched him speed up, like every thought pushed his foot harder on the gas pedal.
“Sam.” I kept my voice as level as possible. “Sam, you need to—”
“I’m not going to let you talk me out of this. You’ve already been hurt enough—”
“You’re doing ninety.”
He glanced down at the speedometer, and let out a muttered curse, slowing so abruptly the uber sensitive seatbelt snapped me back against the seat. I waited, trying not to breathe, until our speed stabilized and I could loosen it.
“I’m sorry—are you okay?”
“I’m fine—” I let out a gasp when the seatbelt rubbed against a bruise on my ribs. Sam cursed again and jerked the wheel, bouncing us on to the ridged dirt alongside the road. I held on, jaw clenched as every ache protested. Loudly. “Ouch—”
“Sorry—God, I’m such an idiot.” He eased the SUV to a halt, turned to face me. “You didn’t tell me how badly you got banged up.”
“I didn’t want you blaming yourself for that as well.” I freed myself from the seatbelt and turned toward Sam. “Whatever came after me last night had nothing to do with you. It just showed up, or was already here, and followed me from the sewers, or the deserted town. We never explored Misty’s question about who that safe haven was for. Maybe last night was the answer—shoved violently in our faces, but the answer.”
All the color drained out of his face. “You think my ancestors left that place intact as a monster haven?”
“Not that exactly—but a place for people who didn’t fit anywhere else, or didn’t belong anywhere else. Somewhere they knew they could go, where they wouldn’t be molested for who they were.”
He crossed his arms. “Like monsters.”
“Fine, Mr. One Track Mind. Did you stop to think that maybe all the creatures finding safety there weren’t evil, or carnivorous?”
He studied me, his anger evaporating. “Go on.”
“I’m still working this out. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Staring at my hands, because I really didn’t want to see his ridicule, I threw out the theory that had kept me buried in research half the night. “What if it weren’t all just stories? What if mythological creatures, and some of the urban legends, and folklore, all had a basis in fact?”
Sam snorted, and my defenses snapped up. “You really didn’t get much sleep.”
I looked at him, anger overriding any potential embarrassment. “Hear me out. Research is something I am damn good at.” I don’t swear often, which tends to make it more effective when I do. It certainly got Sam’s attention. “I did a boatload of cross checking, and some in depth reading, and I came to the same conclusion every time. The same stories, the same myths, are imbedded in every culture.”
“That doesn’t make them true.”
“What if it does? Open your mind. Your own cousin is a walking, talking myth, but you can just refuse out of hand to believe that there may be more truth than fantasy behind them?” Frustrated, I let out my breath and pushed hair off my face. “We found an entire town underground. A town, Sam, that someone deliberately spent a lot of time and money to preserve.”
“How do you—”
“My dad’s an architect. I know support work when I see it.” I was so frustrated I wanted to smack him. Instead I used a verbal slap, knowing it would hit its mark with stinging accuracy. “How long ago was Jake attacked?”
Sam flinched, and guilt wrapped around my frustration. “Ten years.”
“And in all that time, you never stopped to think there may be more than one?”
“You think I’m stupid?” He got angry, and I welcomed it. So much easier to argue than to watch him tear himself apart over something that was not his fault. “Of course I thought of it! My parents never stopped looking for—”
We both jumped when his cell rang. Sam picked it up, and froze, staring at the screen. All the color drained out of his face.
“What?” I whispered. “Sam?”
“It’s Jake.” Swallowing, he swiped the screen, glanced at me, and put the call on speaker. “Where are you?” All we heard was a low moan, and crying in the background. “Jake?”
“Sam—hold on...” His voice faded, like he’d pulled the phone away from his mouth. We found out why a second later. Harsh coughs burst out of the phone, followed by a series of groans. He came back, sounding weaker than before. “God—that hurt. Sam?”
“I’m here.” He clutched the phone. “Are you—what happened?”
“I need you to...get here. I can’t protect—damn...”
“Jake—talk to me, Jake.” A loud crash startled us. I let out a gasp and grabbed Sam’s wrist. He looked at me, dread on his face. “Damn it, Jake—”
“Jake can’t talk right now.” We both stared at the phone, the young, female voice completely unexpected. And it sounded familiar. “The monster hurt him, so bad.” We could hear tears in the girl’s voice. She cleared her throat and kept talking. “He saved me, and that green-eyed devil hurt him.” I clapped one hand over my mouth as an image of green eyes and darkness flashed through my mind. “Please, you have to help him.”
~ ~ ~
Sam clutched the phone, and he looked panicked. “I—”
“Katie?” I leaned closer to the phone, so I wouldn’t have to shout. I was pretty sure I remembered that voice from one of the tiny dancers classes I taught.
“Yes.”
“It’s Alex, from the dance studio. Do you remember me?”
“Alex—yes, I remember. You’re the really pretty dancer.”
I blushed, glancing over at Sam, who studied me, eyebrows raised, like he was seeing a new side of me. Well, he was—no one at school knew about my dancing. Until now.
“Katie, are you safe right now? Can you stay where you are long enough for us to find you?”
“Yes.” She sniffed. “The devil’s gone. But Jake tried to stop it—he tried!” Panic had her voice escalating.
“I know he did, Katie. Is Jake still unconscious?”
There was silence after my question. I hoped it meant she was checking him, and not gone. “I can’t wake him up.”
“It’s okay—”
“Is he still breathing?” Sam practically shouted over me. I shook my head at him, frowning.
Katie answered before I told her she didn’t have to. “Yeah. But he’s bleeding a lot.”
I pulled the phone out of Sam’s hand, to keep him from interrupting again. “Can you tell where you are?”
“No. It’s dark—I don’t know, I can’t—” I heard her panicking, sobs choking her.
“Katie, it’s okay—”
“You have to get us out of here!”
Katie was losing it, fast. I drew on my experience of dealing with traumatized girls in dance class. “Focus on my voice, Katie. Just on my voice.” Her ragged breathing started to slow down. “Tell me everything you can see.”
“The devil came up from underground—” Katie started crying again.
“It's okay, sweetheart.” I motioned for Sam to start driving. “We're on our way. What can you see?”
“An open hole above me, like—in the street, what's it called—a manhole cover.”
I looked at Sam. “What else?”
“I can—I can hear water running!” She got excited. “It's right above us.”
“Keep talking to me, Katie, describe your surroundings.” I pulled out my phone and brought up the GPS tracking app. Lowering Sam's phone I whispered to him. “What's Jake's number?”
He told me and I punched it into the tracker.
“Alex?”
I brought Sam's phone closer. “Right here, Katie.”
“I think Jake's battery is dying. The phone keeps beeping...”
“It's okay, sweetheart. We're on our way to you right now.” I took in a shaky breath. “I need you to do something really hard and scary, but it will help me find you. I need you to hang up—”
“No!”
“Listen to me, Katie.” I talked over her hysterical crying, fear squeezing my heart. “We have to keep the battery running as long as possible. I'm tracking you right now.” I looked at the screen on my phone, watched the app I designed pick up Jake’s signal. “I just need a little more time, but the phone has to be active for me to find you.”
“Okay.” She sniffed. “I'm hanging up now. Please hurry, Alex.”
That plea rang through my head as I punched commands in, trying to get the app to work faster. “Come on...”
The countdown popped up on the screen. Just a few more seconds—
The counter stopped, then started blinking. I’d lost the signal.
“No—” I tapped furiously, trying to save what had already been captured. “His phone died.”
Sam glanced over at me. “Did you find him?”
“Not quite. Where are we?”
“Headed for town hall.”
“Got it.” I watched the dots appear on my map, showing where Jake went the last hour, and where his phone was when it died. “He's somewhere behind...”
“Alex.”
“It’s loading—I really need to upgrade this,” I muttered. Finally, the thumbs up appeared in the corner. I looked over at Sam. “He's behind the courthouse.”
With a curse, Sam pounded the steering wheel. We were stuck in the typical afternoon traffic snarl—and with all the decorative brick planters used to separate traffic, turning left here was not an option. Not for another couple miles.
He looked at me—and my heart jumped at the gleam in his eyes.
“Hang on, Alex.”
“What are you...” I saw what he was going to do. I dropped both phones and braced myself. Right before we jumped the brick planter divider.
The four wheel drive ground at the brick, carried us up and over. I cringed as the undercarriage scraped on the way down.
And Sam kept going. I held on, swallowing a scream as cars swerved to keep from hitting us. He punched the gas, taking us across traffic and jumping the sidewalk.
“Sam!”
“Almost there.” We bounced off the sidewalk, into the parking lot behind town hall. He shot across the nearly empty lot. “Hang on.”
He twisted the wheel and skidded to a halt next to the sidewalk. Grabbing my wrist, he hauled me across the seat. I snatched up my phone, tumbling out of the driver’s side.
Sam caught me, set me on my feet, and pulled me after him, ignoring the people who stared at us. He dragged me around the side of the courthouse, my ankle giving me fits at the abuse. I clenched my jaw and focused on staying upright. Running with someone almost a foot taller was not easy.
He stopped so abruptly I slammed into his back. Clutching his arm, I peered around him.
There was no one here.
“You told me he was behind the courthouse.”
“I lost the signal before the app could finish...” My voice faded as I spotted the phone, half hidden under a wood bench. Dread shot through me, and I picked it up. Sam snatched it out of my hand, cursing. “Jake must have dumped it, so no one could track him.” I rubbed my eyes. “We’ve been tracking the phone he doesn’t have anymore.”
“How do we find him now?”
“We follow the clues. Katie told us what was around her. We have to keep looking.”
Sam grabbed my free hand and headed west. “Katie said there was water nearby. Do you think she meant the beach?”
“No, she said there was water running—” The obvious location nearly slapped me for not seeing it before. “I know where.” I slid the phone in my back pocket. “Come on!”
I switched direction, heading for the old public garden. Once the new botanical/Japanese/Chinese garden opened, it was pretty much deserted. And it had a river running through it, along with several stylized brass manhole covers. Yes, I’ve spent some time there; Mom and Dad love it for garden and outdoor space ideas.
Once we got past the art deco main gates, I had to slow down. My ankle started twisting on me, and I knew it wouldn’t take much more abuse.
“Alex?”
“I’m okay, just my ankle. Head for the river—”
“Why didn’t I think of that?” He leaned in and kissed my cheek before he sprinted through the trees.
I stood there, dazed, one hand on my cheek. I could still feel the warmth, the pressure of his lips against my skin. “Snap out of it. Alex,” I whispered. “He’s just grateful.”
My heart so wanted it to be more, but my mind knew better.
Limping after him, I made my way down the slope to the edge of the river, and spotted him at the first bend. The main path angled up along this part of the river, blocking the average stroller’s view of the base of the hill.
I watched Sam drop into the open manhole, and picked up my pace, afraid of what he might find. I didn’t want him to face it alone.
My ankle finally rebelled, and I clutched the nearest tree, cursing the pain. I took in a deep breath, shoved off, and forced myself to move through it. I’d done it enough times in dance class and onstage. I could do it here, when it was so much more important.
I reached the open hole, and glanced in. Sam leaned over a sprawled figure, both of his hands bloody. Katie stood next to him, one hand on his shoulder. To my relief, there was a metal ladder attached to the wall. I climbed down as quickly as my ankle would let me.
Sam looked up, grey-blue eyes focused, and angry. “Jake’s alive.”
“Oh, thank God.” I wasn’t sure Sam felt the same way, not after what happened to his mom. I lowered myself to the damp ground, and saw the decorative cover. Or at least what was left of it. The solid, heavy bronze had been twisted almost in half.
I remembered the huge claws of whatever stalked me, and shuddered.
“You came.” I looked at the girl next to Sam. She studied me, wide brown eyes filled with the horror she must have seen.
“Hi, Katie.” With a sob, she launched herself at me. “Hey—it’s okay.” I rubbed her back. “You were so brave. Now I need you to be brave a little longer so I can help Jake.”
“Okay.” She let me go, and I knelt beside Sam.
“How is he?”
“Bad.” I looked at all the blood and pulled off my hoodie, handing it to him. “Thanks. Blood doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“What do you need?”
He looked at me, gratitude on his face. “Check the bandage on his leg. That was the worst injury, but I tied it so fast, I’m not sure it’s tight enough.”
I crawled around to Jake’s right leg. Sam had used his sweatshirt as a makeshift bandage, and the thick fabric was already soaked through.
“Sam, we have to get him out of here. He needs a doctor.”
“No—doctor.” Jake’s raw whisper froze my breath. The same dark eyes I remembered looked up at me, clouded with pain. “Hey, Alex.”
“Hey.”
“Don’t panic.” A smile tugged at his mouth. “Not going to—eat you.”
He moaned, clawing at Sam’s hand.
“Stop fighting me, Jake. You need medical help.” He grabbed Jake’s hand and held on. “I can’t take you home. Dad’ll kill you on sight.”
Jake closed his eyes, swallowed. “I know.”
“We need to get you out of here.” Sam slid his right arm under Jake’s back. “And you’re going to have to help, as much as you can.”
Jake nodded—and let out a harsh cry when Sam pulled him up.
“Some warning next time?” he whispered. His face was dead white.
“Okay—we’re standing up now.”
“Why don’t you—just leave me?”
Katie gasped behind me.
Sam draped Jake’s arm over his shoulders. “Because I owe you.”
They studied each other, until Jake finally nodded.
“Alex.” Sam gripped Jake’s wrist. “Help me stand him up.” Crouching next to Jake, I wrapped one arm around his waist. “We go on three. One, two, three.”
We all groaned at the effort, but we got Jake to his feet. Now all we had to do was get him up the ladder.
Jake leaned into Sam, his gravel rough voice hardly more than a whisper. “Access tunnel. For maintenance.” He jerked his head at the tunnel on his right. It did look bigger than the others. It also meant we would be underground. With the devil.
Nodding, Sam tightened his grip, glanced over at me. “Just keep moving. And if I say run, you run. No questions, no arguing. And take Katie with you.”
I swallowed. “Okay.”
Katie huddled next to me, one hand on Jake’s limp right arm. “We’ll be all right, Jake. You scared the devil away.”
He managed a smile. “Just for you, kid.”
“Let’s go,” Sam said.
We pulled Jake into the tunnel, and Sam, bless him, produced a key ring flashlight. Before he could turn it on, I heard a tapping ahead of us. I reached over and grabbed Sam’s hand. “Wait,” I whispered.
He looked at me, clearly annoyed. “What...” His voice died, and I knew he heard it now. A soft tap tap, like a cat’s claws on cement. Only much bigger.
Sam pulled us over until we hit the curving tunnel wall. Katie huddled against me, and I wrapped my free arm around her, tucking her into my side. I hardly dared to breathe. I was afraid my pounding heart could be heard down the tunnel. It slammed into my ribs so hard it hurt.
I’d heard that same tapping behind me last night. From whatever stalked me.
I got a glimpse of it then, but having Jake right next to me as I heard that same tapping again proved beyond doubt that it wasn’t him.
Jake’s whisper had me practically jumping out of my skin. “We have to move. It has my scent.”
“Mine, too,” I whispered back. Sam’s head whipped around. I nodded, answering the question in his narrowed eyes. Katie whimpered. I leaned down, took her hand. “Hold on tight,” I whispered. “We might have to run.”
She nodded, her brown eyes almost black in her too pale face. I looked back at Sam, and he gestured to the tunnel, made a sign for moving. I nodded to let him know I understood, and tightened my grip on both Jake and Katie.
We slid along the wall, every tiny noise making my heart pound harder, faster. The tapping seemed to pace us, not getting closer, but unfortunately, not fading either. I didn’t know how much more my heart could take—it was still recovering from last night. At least I wasn’t alone this time.
Light appeared ahead of us, and now I understood the true meaning of the light at the end of the tunnel.
Sam leaned Jake against the wall, moved to me and whispered against my ear. “I’m going to get the car, bring it in as far as I can. If you have to run, leave Jake.”
I jerked back, stared at him. He was serious. When I opened my mouth to protest, Jake shook his head. I shook mine right back at him. With a faint smile, he leaned in. “Keep Katie safe for me.”
That was a request I couldn’t refuse. I chose to be part of this insanity; Katie was here by accident. Swallowing, I nodded. Jake relaxed, and closed his eyes.
I watched Sam as he pressed against the tunnel wall, headed for the entrance. Katie started shivering; I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her in. She hugged me, hard, and I ignored the flare of still new bruises.
Each second felt like an eternity. My nerves jumped at every sound, including my own breath. I still didn’t know if I could leave Jake, if it came to that. But choosing between him and Katie—that took no brain power to decide. I just kept praying I wouldn’t have to make the choice.
I heard the growl of Sam’s SUV before I saw it. And flattened Katie against the wall when it came roaring into the tunnel, headlights on high beams. The inhuman scream just behind us froze my blood.
I whirled, stepped in front of Katie—and got a full view of my stalker.
It looked like a punked out seven foot black teddy bear. A deadly, clawed, green-eyed teddy bear.
Katie’s scream got me moving.
I shoved her toward the SUV. “Run!” Ignoring Jake’s protests, I hauled him with me to Sam, who met us, taking Jake from me.
“Drive,” he said, his low voice absolutely calm.
I sprinted to the driver’s side, my ankle complaining with every step, and swung into the seat. Taking only long enough to shove the seat forward, I slammed the car into reverse and turned in a half circle, braking when the driver’s side faced Sam.
I twisted around and grabbed the latch for the back door, popping it open just as Sam and Jake reached the SUV. Katie scrambled in first, and I pulled her up front, shoving the gear back into drive. Sam practically threw Jake in the back and climbed in after him. “GO!”
I jammed my foot on the gas, my heart jumping when I heard claws scraping across the back of the car. I kept pushing until my foot hit the floor.
We shot out of the tunnel, and I had enough time to see that we were on an access road that followed the river. Gravel spewed up behind us, and I risked a glance in the rearview mirror. My breath clogged in my throat at the mirror image of the teddy bear monster crouched in the shadow of the tunnel entrance, green eyes furious.
I responded by going faster, not slowing until the tunnel was finally out of sight. We hit the end of the access road and I jerked to a stop, inches from a storage shed. I let out the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, and lowered my head to the steering wheel, still gripping it so hard my hands shook.
“Alex.” Sam’s voice penetrated the panic still swirling through me. He closed one hand over my shoulder. “You can let go now. We’re safe, for the moment.”
I raised my head, saw that all three of them were staring at me, everything from surprise to admiration on their faces. Jake smiled. “Some impressive driving there, Finch.” With a groan, he laid his head back against the seat.
Sam leaned over him. “We need to get you some help.”
“No doctor, Sam.” Jake met his eyes. “I can’t risk—”
“What about Misty’s sister, Candace?” I interrupted before Jake could finish his sentence. Katie had been traumatized enough. “She’s doing a surgical rotation for school.” Sam stared at me like I was speaking another language. “What? She told me.”
After an endless second, he nodded. “Call her.”
He checked Jake’s bandages, tightening the one that had come loose during our escape. Katie watched him, her small hands twisting around each other. I understood why she was protective of Jake. He saved her life. Hero worship ran fast and deep in young kids. I had been on the receiving end more than once with my young dance students.
“Katie.” She looked at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Buckle up, sweetheart. We’re going to get Jake to someone who can help him.”
Nodding, she fastened her seat belt, turning to keep one hand on Jake’s arm. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and tapped in Misty’s number. I really didn’t want her involved, but we had no choice.
“Alex! Where are you?”
“Misty—we found Jake.” I heard her gasp. “He needs medical—”
“I’ll call Candace,” she said. “Where do we meet you?”
I looked up, met Sam’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “My house,” I said. “We’ll meet you at my house.” I turned to the window, lowered my voice to keep Katie from hearing. “Have Candace bring everything. He’s bleeding, a lot.”
“Okay. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
I ended the call, and buckled my own seat belt, maneuvering around the storage shed. A narrow dirt road led up to the main path. I turned on to it, driving at a much slower pace, and took the path out to the parking lot.
Traffic was light, so I could snake around the slower cars without much effort. Which was a good thing; I’d most likely used up all my daredevil driving mojo in the access tunnel.
I glanced in the rearview mirror. Jake had his eyes closed, and his slack face told me he was unconscious, or close to it. Letting out my breath, I turned into my neighborhood. I didn’t want Jake anywhere near my family. But I was the idiot who wanted to be part of this.
I just hoped my parents didn’t pay the price for it.