Page 82
Story: Montana Sanctuary
“Noah too,” Harlan said. “Get them into the car. I’ll take them to the hospital while you guys go to the cemetery.”
We were getting too split up. Five to three to two. If this was a trap, we were walking right into it. And still I was going. So was Jude. Because it didn’t matter if they pretended there was nothing between them, there was no way in hell that Jude would go in the opposite direction of Lena.
Harlan and I lifted Noah into the front seat of the car. I pulled out my phone and called Daniel.
“What’s up?”
“We found Liam and Noah. Unconscious. Near Lena’s car. Evelyn and Lena are nowhere. Harlan is taking the guys to the hospital, but we’re going to need backup.”
“I’m on my way,” he said. “Grant can handle things here.”
I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “We’re going to the cemetery.”
“Okay.”
Jude and I slid into the truck, but we said nothing. I felt sick. Like my soul was shredding itself with adrenaline and panic and dread. At least the cemetery was close.
Harlan’s words echoed in my mind. We want to know how much of this is because you’re terrified you’ll fail to save another person and how much is because you’re in love with Evelyn.
It had never been both more than in this moment. I couldn’t lose Evelyn. The truth slammed into me like boulders coming down a mountain. I loved her.
I wasn’t falling, I wasn’t only in love with her. I loved her. And if she was gone before I had the chance to actually tell her, I wouldn’t survive it.
The trees blocking the view of the actual cemetery taunted me. We should have cut them down that first day and installed cameras. The only sound I heard was the rushing in my ears. Nothing else.
Jude was out of the truck as fast as I was. There was a part of me that knew I should slow down. Nathan wanted me dead too, and I should make sure I wasn’t walking into danger. The sky was starting to lighten over the mountains, so everything was in shadow.
I didn’t slow down.
Jude had his gun out, and I didn’t stop. I ran straight for the fence and yanked the gate open. “Evelyn.” Her name tore from my lips the second I saw the lump of a body on the ground—right next to the open graves.
I’d never been a religious person, but I prayed to every God there was as I hit my knees next to her.
Except it wasn’t her.
All the breath went out of my lungs. Lena’s unconscious face looked up at me, and like Liam, she was alive. But her heartbeat was sluggish. “Jude,” I called.
He held out the flashlight on his phone, and I saw how pale he was. Stricken.
“She’s alive.”
“Look.” He pointed to her arm.
There were marks. Little bits of dried blood. Clear signs of injections on both arms at the crease of her elbow. “We need to get her to the hospital.”
I didn’t know what was in her system, but it wasn’t good.
Jude lifted Lena out of my arms, carrying her toward the car. He held her tight, and I was glad he was here for her.
But this cemetery was empty. Where the fuck was Evelyn?
The sun peeked over the horizon and my phone rang. Unknown number. “Hello?”
“Hello, Lucas.”
I went completely still. As long as I lived, I would never forget his voice. “Nathan.”
Jude whipped his head toward me.
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