Page 97 of Grave Beginnings

“What the fuck is that?” the first cop asked, his voice tight with unease.

“He’s variant,” Cassidy said, his tone suddenly wary.

The first cop cursed. Had he missed the blazing glow of my armband? Even with my vision swimming, the mark lingered on the edge of my sight, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.

I tried to focus on the presence awakening in my mind like a whisper. The ground beneath me felt alive, restless, as if it were waiting for my command. A slew of sluggish heartbeats rippled through the distance as if waiting for my call. What the fuck?

My mind raced with anxiety over the rising cold wind even as my body screamed in pain. I didn’t know how to control it, didn’t even know what it was doing, but it was there, growing like a tide, cold and relentless.

“Fuckin’ creeper,” Cassidy cursed. The toe of his boot slammed into my gut, and the world vanished as I blacked out, pain overtaking me. But even as consciousness slipped away, I felt the magic, the chill, the whisper all coil around me like a shield.

All I could do was pray Ivan was safe, and I didn’t die on the side of the road, lying in some vacant lot. But as the darkness took me, I wondered if death was something I needed to fear anymore.

33

I cameto as someone tried to lift me, and I flailed.

“Stop, Jude. It’s me, Ivan. Not them. Let me get you in the car,” Ivan said.

I shuddered. The hot, sticky warmth of blood was on my face, and my hands were still cuffed. I couldn’t do much to help him. He took the brunt of my weight, my ribs and shoulder pulsing with sharp waves of pain. Not the first beating I’d taken from cops, though the first time I’d had one threaten rape. That’s what I got for hooking up with a guy like Cassidy.

Ivan paused, breathing heavily as he clung to me, and I wobbled. “Breathe, Jude. You’re safe. We’re both safe.” It sounded like he was trying to convince us both, but I nodded and relaxed into him. Finally, he moved again, got me to the car, and tugged me into the back seat. There, I collapsed, gasping for air and fighting to keep conscious, as everything hurt. My shoulder pulsed with a white-hot sharpness that worsened with every breath. Ivan closed the door and rounded the car to the driver’s side.

“You’re not supposed to drive,” I gasped.

“Doesn’t mean I don’t know how,” Ivan said as the keys jingled and he turned on the car. “Should I take you to the hospital?”

“No,” I said. “Please.” Would they let me go if they got ahold of me again? I must have blacked out for another few minutes, as when I roused again, we were in the parking garage of my building. The car stopped. I closed my eyes and might have passed out again, except that the slamming of the door woke me as he jumped out. I couldn’t move. Just breathing took effort.

The back door opened, and I flinched to see Xavier standing there, Ivan behind him.

“I should take him to the hospital,” Ivan said, sniffling.

“How far out is Angel?” Xavier asked as he reached for me. He had his energy locked down hard, but I couldn’t help but shudder when he touched me and my magic snapped at him. “Peace, Jude. I need to get you out of the car and those cuffs off. What hurts the most?”

“Shoulder dislocated,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Angel just turned in to the garage,” someone said from behind Ivan. One of the twins, I was sure, but since I was focusing on not passing out, I couldn’t look.

“If he sees you doing anything to cause Jude pain, he’ll attack,” another voice said.

I guess both the twins were there.

“Protect Ivan,” Xavier said. “I can handle Angel.” He leaned over me. “Which shoulder, Jude?”

“Left.” The one I was trying to keep my weight off of. But my wrist ached too. Was that broken from the fall? I could barely think past the excruciating pain in my shoulder.

“Sorry about this,” Xavier said as he put one hand on my shoulder and the other on my arm. Pain flared red hot, and I passed out as he popped my shoulder back into place.

I roused again to shouting, and Ivan wrapped around me, the two of us sitting on the ground of the parking garage beside mycar, my arms free of the cuffs. My shoulder still hurt, but it was more of a dull ache than the blinding pain it had been.

“It’s okay,” Ivan whispered. “It’ll be okay.”

Was he trying to comfort me, or himself?

There were people arguing. Was that— “Angel?”

The voices stopped.