Before I Wake
Page 90
Ha, ha. We stepped off the dock and onto the sand, and Tod let go of my hand to slide his into his pocket. Please excuse the lack of wrapping and girlie ribbons . He handed me a folded scrap of paper, and the nervous twists of bright blue in his eyes said this giftwhatever it waswas worth as much to him as he obviously hoped it would be to me. In spite of its modest appearance.
My hands shook as I unfolded the paper. It held an address, written in pencil, in Tods handwriting. What is this?
This is my place. This is the local reaper headquarters. No one other than my coworkers is supposed to have this address, and I could get into a lot of trouble for giving it to you. But my room is in this building, and I want it to be your room, too, for whenever you need it, whether Im there or not. If you need to rest, or hide, or cry, or scream, or just want to be by yourself for a little while, you can go there, day or night. No one else can get there. Not even Levihe doesnt know which room is mine.
I felt dizzy, for the first time since Id died. My stomach was twisting in knots, but they were good knots. This is like the key to your apartment . Only there was no key, because there was no door.
Yeah. Only more secure. This is a safe place. This is a place no one else can find us. Later tonight, Ill show you how to find my room inside the building, but for now Just know its your room, too. Our room.
You gave me privacy. For my birthday.
Um, yeah. Did I mess this up? Youre not really the flowers and jewelry type.
Its perfect. Its so far beyond perfect it gives all other presents a bad name. I stood on my toes to kiss himin public, for the first time since the kiss that had started all the troublebut my birthday kiss was cut short when someone cursed on my left.
Well, shit, that cant be good, Sabine said.
I dropped onto the balls of my feet, ready to snap at her to leave me and Tod alone. But neither she nor Nash was even looking at us. I turned to see what they were staring at and found an unfamiliar car parked next to Emmas at the end of the row, a too-thin woman in jeans and a faded T-shirt stepping out of the drivers seat.
Who is that? I asked, and Sabine scowled.
Tina. My foster mother, she said through gritted teeth, already stomping toward the woman, leaving me, Tod, and Nash to catch up.
We jogged after her, and were still shouting-distance away when the woman propped skinny hands on bony hips and tossed short brown hair over one shoulder. Sabine, I specifically forbade you from coming here today, she said, and Sabine stopped walking so suddenly I almost plowed into her.
Kaylee, please tell me you brought that magic knife, she whispered, throwing one armaround my waist like we were good friends.
Its a hellion-forged steel dagger, I said, squinting at the woman now glaring across the grass at us. Beneath the pavilion, my dad handed his spatula to Harmony, took off his apron, and started across the grass toward the new arrival, obviously ready to make introductions.
Whatever its called, go get it. Now, Sabine whispered fiercely.
I couldnt remember when Id last eaten, but my stomach seemed intent on tossing the food back up. Why? I asked, sliding Tods address into my pocket, but I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.
Thats not Tina.
Not again I groaned. Wed had too much death already. Too much vicious, personal, life-wrecking death. Not on my birthday.
Are you sure? Nash asked.
Sabine nodded. Beyond sure. Get the damn knife.
I let go of Tods hand and shrugged out from under Sabines arm, then headed for my car. When my father reached Tina and offered her a hand to shake, she turned to look at him and I blinked across the grass and into the drivers seat of my car, where I pulled the dagger from its sheath on the passengers side floorboard. I hadnt touched it since Alecs apartment. I didnt want to touch it now. But I wanted to lose another friend even less, so I blinked back into step between Tod and Sabine, the dagger at my side, hidden from sight by my leg.
We were feet from my dad and Tina when Sabine tried to take the knife from me. No, I said, so that only she and Tod could hear me. We have to be sure. What happened to Alec couldnt happen to anyone else. I couldnt let it.
I am sure, the mara hissed as we stopped feet from my dad and her foster mother.
Sure about what? My dad frowned with one look at our faces.
Before any of us could come up with an answer, Tina pulled something from her pocket and swung low at my dad. He backpedaled, but her fist connected with his thigh, and he screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Nash tried to tackle Tina, but she dodged him, then laughed when he hit the ground rolling. I raced for my father, still clutching the dagger, and dropped to my knees at his side, staring in shock at the pocket knife sticking out of his thigh.
Harmony screamed and her footsteps pounded toward us. My dad grabbed my hand. Run, he said as Sabine pulled the dagger from my other hand. When I only shook my head, he looked past me to Tod. Get her out of here.
But when Tod reached for me, I shot him a warning look. Help me with him. I wasnt leaving my father, or the rest of our group. So we each took one of my dads arms and pulled him away from the demon in the foster-mom suit.
My hands shook as I unfolded the paper. It held an address, written in pencil, in Tods handwriting. What is this?
This is my place. This is the local reaper headquarters. No one other than my coworkers is supposed to have this address, and I could get into a lot of trouble for giving it to you. But my room is in this building, and I want it to be your room, too, for whenever you need it, whether Im there or not. If you need to rest, or hide, or cry, or scream, or just want to be by yourself for a little while, you can go there, day or night. No one else can get there. Not even Levihe doesnt know which room is mine.
I felt dizzy, for the first time since Id died. My stomach was twisting in knots, but they were good knots. This is like the key to your apartment . Only there was no key, because there was no door.
Yeah. Only more secure. This is a safe place. This is a place no one else can find us. Later tonight, Ill show you how to find my room inside the building, but for now Just know its your room, too. Our room.
You gave me privacy. For my birthday.
Um, yeah. Did I mess this up? Youre not really the flowers and jewelry type.
Its perfect. Its so far beyond perfect it gives all other presents a bad name. I stood on my toes to kiss himin public, for the first time since the kiss that had started all the troublebut my birthday kiss was cut short when someone cursed on my left.
Well, shit, that cant be good, Sabine said.
I dropped onto the balls of my feet, ready to snap at her to leave me and Tod alone. But neither she nor Nash was even looking at us. I turned to see what they were staring at and found an unfamiliar car parked next to Emmas at the end of the row, a too-thin woman in jeans and a faded T-shirt stepping out of the drivers seat.
Who is that? I asked, and Sabine scowled.
Tina. My foster mother, she said through gritted teeth, already stomping toward the woman, leaving me, Tod, and Nash to catch up.
We jogged after her, and were still shouting-distance away when the woman propped skinny hands on bony hips and tossed short brown hair over one shoulder. Sabine, I specifically forbade you from coming here today, she said, and Sabine stopped walking so suddenly I almost plowed into her.
Kaylee, please tell me you brought that magic knife, she whispered, throwing one armaround my waist like we were good friends.
Its a hellion-forged steel dagger, I said, squinting at the woman now glaring across the grass at us. Beneath the pavilion, my dad handed his spatula to Harmony, took off his apron, and started across the grass toward the new arrival, obviously ready to make introductions.
Whatever its called, go get it. Now, Sabine whispered fiercely.
I couldnt remember when Id last eaten, but my stomach seemed intent on tossing the food back up. Why? I asked, sliding Tods address into my pocket, but I was pretty sure I already knew the answer.
Thats not Tina.
Not again I groaned. Wed had too much death already. Too much vicious, personal, life-wrecking death. Not on my birthday.
Are you sure? Nash asked.
Sabine nodded. Beyond sure. Get the damn knife.
I let go of Tods hand and shrugged out from under Sabines arm, then headed for my car. When my father reached Tina and offered her a hand to shake, she turned to look at him and I blinked across the grass and into the drivers seat of my car, where I pulled the dagger from its sheath on the passengers side floorboard. I hadnt touched it since Alecs apartment. I didnt want to touch it now. But I wanted to lose another friend even less, so I blinked back into step between Tod and Sabine, the dagger at my side, hidden from sight by my leg.
We were feet from my dad and Tina when Sabine tried to take the knife from me. No, I said, so that only she and Tod could hear me. We have to be sure. What happened to Alec couldnt happen to anyone else. I couldnt let it.
I am sure, the mara hissed as we stopped feet from my dad and her foster mother.
Sure about what? My dad frowned with one look at our faces.
Before any of us could come up with an answer, Tina pulled something from her pocket and swung low at my dad. He backpedaled, but her fist connected with his thigh, and he screamed and collapsed to the ground.
Nash tried to tackle Tina, but she dodged him, then laughed when he hit the ground rolling. I raced for my father, still clutching the dagger, and dropped to my knees at his side, staring in shock at the pocket knife sticking out of his thigh.
Harmony screamed and her footsteps pounded toward us. My dad grabbed my hand. Run, he said as Sabine pulled the dagger from my other hand. When I only shook my head, he looked past me to Tod. Get her out of here.
But when Tod reached for me, I shot him a warning look. Help me with him. I wasnt leaving my father, or the rest of our group. So we each took one of my dads arms and pulled him away from the demon in the foster-mom suit.
