“
Do you mind if I look through the bag?” I asked gesturing at the zipped duffle.
“
Actually I would rather you didn’t. There are some work supplies in there, and it is a breach of security to let you look. I’m sorry, but the rest of the room is fair game,” he replied before continuing.
“
I will check the door for sigils though and see which one you saw. I have a black light in the super-secret bag of his. It should show us blood residue.”
“
Blood residue? He made the symbol in blood? What the heck is a sigil? That is way crazier than I thought,” I replied.
“
I will try to explain some of this after I check out the sigil.”
I watched him as he pulled out the black light and turned it on. He made his way over to the entry door and scanned over it.
“
There isn’t anything over this door. Let me try the bathroom door.”
Boone scanned above the bathroom door and I gasped. The same symbol I saw in my dream appeared. He saw it as well and studied it for a minute.
Then he turned off the black light and turned to me. “I need a few seconds to look for the circle to make sure what I see is correct.”
“
Oh, ok. I do need to use the restroom if you don’t mind,” I said.
He didn’t respond, just gazed thoughtfully out the window into the night. Taking that as a go ahead, I made my way into the tiny attached bathroom. The sink sat just outside, the small hairdryer attached to the wall. The thin door shut with a little force and a click.
Inside, it was equally as clean. The only thing I could see was an opened soap next to the miniature shampoo and conditioner. I let out a harrumph and hurried to use the facilities.
Once finished, I opened the door and turned on the faucet. The warm water that came out was unexpected and I relished it. I closed my eyes and suds up my hands while counting to thirty for the soap to be effective.
I dried my hands and whirled around only to come face to face with Boone. He was so close I could feel the heat emanating from him.
When I looked up, it was as if his blue eyes were piercing my green ones. I felt like he was reading my soul and I was suddenly very exposed. I had this sudden overwhelming urge to taste him on my lips.
Trying to get a hold of myself, I swiftly broke away and sat on the edge of the bed. I was not sure what to think of Boone. He was so mysterious and I found myself drawn to him in a way that was different from Jared, but equally intriguing. With Jared it was all fire and pure heat. Boone was so dangerous and unknown. I felt curious and vulnerable around him.
I didn’t have too much time to ruminate in my own thoughts, because things quickly got fuzzy. My vision tunneled and I slid against the base of the bed before everything dissolved completely.
Instead of blacking out, my vision snapped into another time and place. I was in a tiny room with beige carpet and white walls. The ceiling fan was grimy and a figure was huddled on a stained, sheet-less mattress in the corner.
I promptly realized it was a woman and she was crying. I tried to walk over and comfort her, but was unable to do anything. It was as if I was from the outside looking in on this depressing scene.
Just when I thought the sad woman was bad enough, things got worse. She looked up and a spark of recognition ignited inside me. I couldn’t place the woman, but was sure I recognized her from somewhere.
Her golden brown hair was stringy and tucked behind her ears. Tears were streaming down her cheeks from glossy hazel eyes. I felt like she was looking straight at me and I mentally shrunk. I began to wish I was the size of an ant.
That was when another figure entered the room, seemingly right through me. It was another woman. She was dressed in all leather from head to toe that clung to her slim body. Her blond hair was tied back in a slick bun and she was carrying a .40 calibers Smith and Wesson pistol.
As she moved toward the crying woman, she cocked the safety off her gun. The woman on the bed begged her not to do it, pleading with her. The blond crouched down in front of the woman and ran her pistol along the side her face. The brunette visibly cringed at the feel of cold unyielding metal against her cheek.
Just then the blond spoke. “Where is the other girl? You know you can’t keep her hidden forever. We will find her, we always find our candidates. Hiding her only impinges upon your safety. Especially since you, sadly, didn’t make the cut alone.”
The woman merely spat at the blond. Her whole demeanor changed and she shouted, “I will never tell you, you ruthless cow! Kill me if you must, but I will never tell you what you want to know.”
Determination was thick in her voice and anger flashed in the blond woman’s eyes. She took the butt of her gun and thrust it against the woman’s temple. Blood trickled from the wound and she crumpled down on the bed unconscious.
Then, just like the dream before, the vision turned into several thousand pixels and swirled into dust. It took a few seconds before I was able to regain my sight and come back to reality. When I finally did, I found myself wrapped in Boone’s arms on the floor.
Startled, I jumped back and scooted myself along the floor away from him. Everything was compounding and it was too much to absorb. I shook my head in a gesture of no and pressed my hands to my temples, my eyes squeezed shut.
I sat like that for several minutes trying to digest what I just saw. I shook my head in disbelief and opened my haunted green eyes. Boone was right there offering to help me up with concern written all over his face. He hadn’t dared to breathe a word, but it was clear he had questions.
I was not sure if I should risk confiding in him though. The further I got involved in this mystery, the stranger things appeared to be developing. It was getting hard to trust anyone with anything.
For a fleeting moment I thought about going back to my apartment to sleep it off. Then, I remembered that Autumn had a key. I couldn’t really explain why, I just couldn’t see her right now. I couldn’t lie to her, and I certainly couldn’t tell her the truth right now. Right, so my apartment was definitely out.
Realizing I was out of options, I sighed in resignation. I guess I had to break down and trust Boone. Once I settled on this, my body seemed to physically un-tense. Apparently my gut instinctually said to trust him. I tried to mentally instill confidence in myself and traded my spot on the floor for a more comfortable one on the bed.
The entire time, Boone just sat there on the floor, unwavering. His blue eyes pinned on me. He was clearly waiting for me to gather my composure and I appreciated the fact that he wasn’t already probing me for an explanation.
Finally ready, I broke the silence. “I am very sorry, but I haven’t really been myself lately. Strange things are happening and I can’t really seem to control them.”
He simply nodded in understanding so I continued. “I have been having really vivid dreams and now whatever this was today. It was the first time it ever happened to me. It scared the hell out of me that’s for sure.”
Boone gave me a wry smile and then finally interjected. “It seems your abilities are developing. It scared the shit out of me when I got mine. I ended up in the foster system. Turns out emotional teenagers are something to be very afraid of and my parents couldn’t handle me” he finished with a melancholy look in his eyes.
This only brought more questions to the forefront of my already boggled brain and the only thing I could squeeze out was, “Abilities?”
Boone came up and sat next to me on the bed. He took my hands in his and looked at me with a pitying look in his eyes.
“
No one ever told you about them, did they? I can’t believe I am the one who has to do this. I am truly sorry.”
He genuinely looked pained and he kept a firm grip on my hands before continuing. “You have a very special ability. You are what we call…”
Boone was abruptly cut off by a snick and the door opened faster than he could thrust himself in front of me as a shield. Damn. A girl just couldn’t catch a break.
The blood in my veins turned to ice at the unmistakable sight of the blond I just saw in my dream/vision or whatever. I gripped onto Boone and pulled myself closer as if I could shrink into him. The only consolation was how solid he felt against me. The woman looked amused and entered the room, letting the door shut behind her.
“
It must be my lucky day. I get two for the price of one. Boone old boy, how are you?”
At the mention of his name, Boone stiffened. “Wren, what the hell do you think you are doing? Do you really think I will let you anywhere near her? Over my dead body, and we both know you wouldn’t.”
The look of fire in her eyes told me all I needed to know. She was out for blood and wouldn’t settle for anything less.
“
That is where you are wrong. I am still angry about Italy and my career hinges upon this job. It is finally my time Boone. I will take down anyone in my way, so don’t think you won’t be one of them.”
“
Do you actually think they will make you one of them? You are nothing but a servant, and you will always be a servant. Your powers are nothing but parlor tricks and you know it. You should have come with me when you had the chance.”
Wren pulled the safety on her gun with an audible click and aimed it directly at Boone. “Hand me the girl, and maybe I will forgive you for turning traitor,” she said bluntly.
Just then, I saw something moving in the bathroom. I peered around to see what it was and my skin crawled. It was a small army of spiders. Not just any spiders, large black glossy spiders. They were headed towards us and I shrank back clutching to Boone. He didn’t even flinch at the sight of them.
“
You’re going to have to do better than that Wren. Parlor tricks can only get you so far. They aren’t real and as soon as she realizes it, you will be out of tricks.”
Before I had a chance to scream, he had whirled me around smack in front of Wren. I was at first angry for the betrayal until I realized what really happened. By placing me so quickly in front of Wren, he was able to distract her long enough to pull his 9mm and aim it at her.
“
Checkmate, bitch,” he replied, pulling me back behind him, his 9mm trained on Wren.
Angry that he had the upper hand, her face contorted into a pout. The spiders swarmed her and seemingly dissolved into her. She gave us a last smirk before we were able to stop her. She ran at top speed out the hotel window, the glass clattering all around her.
Running over to the window, we were barely able to make out her form, wrapping an anchor around an open window three floors down. She hit the wall with a thud and slid down and into the window below in what seemed like a blink of an eye.
“
Holy Shit, Holy Shit,” was all my stunned brain was able to muster.
Boone on the other hand was prepared and was grabbing Jared’s mysterious bag, while pulling out an item that looked like an anchor.
“
We have to get the hell out of here and fast. We were set up. I need you to trust me and only me.”
I dutifully nodded in compliance, too freaked out by the encounter with Wren.
“
Ok, we will have to find another way out, the front will be watched. Are you afraid of heights?”
“
No, not too bad,” I answered honestly.
“
Good, we are going to climb down the side of the building. Then we need to run like hell. We don’t have much time, especially since Wren escaped.”
Looking at the shards of glass remaining in the window, fear rippled through me. I just nodded, still stunned and on auto pilot. Boone hooked the anchor and reached for my hand. Instead, I wrapped my arms tight around him, too afraid to let go. He just sighed and pulled me in front of him, making eye contact.
I could see the concern in his eyes when they met mine. “Please Noel, hold it together just for a little while longer. I need to keep you safe and we have to hurry. I will go first and then you climb down just above me, that way you won’t fall; I promise I will catch you.”
I nodded and grudgingly obliged once he started out climbing down the anchored rope with ease. I was skittish upon leaving the jagged window, the rough concrete of the building scraped against my bare, raw hands.
I quickly found my strength and was surprised at the speed we were able to repel the thirteen flights down to the ground. The only hiccup was when we reached the broken window and I held my breath hoping that the room was empty. To our luck, it was and we quickly continued on to the bottom.
Boone was right though, and they were waiting for us around the base of the hotel. Wren wasted no time putting her talents to use. A swarm of wasps quickly engulfed us and Boone reassured me they weren’t real and to ignore them. I did my best to ignore them, but it didn’t make the buzzing in my ears any less deafening.
Just when I thought we were gaining some distance, a shot was fired. The bullet whizzed by me, just barely missing. Instead it ended up grazing Boone’s shoulder. I wanted to stop and make sure he was ok but he clearly wasn’t going to rest until we had made it out of this mess.