The sound of footsteps on the stairs barely penetrated my worry.
“When I came to, she had my head in her lap,” Isabelle said softly as she crossed the room. “She was stroking my hair like my mom used to do before I broke her. It was dark in the van. I could feel we were moving, driving further away from help. I felt Gabby’s fear and her barely contained panic. Not far away, I felt the pitiless lust and eager aggression of the men who drove.”
I’d known she’d saved Gabby. But hearing what she’d saved her from made swallowing difficult.
I glanced up at Isabelle, ready to thank her.
“I’m so sorry for what I did to her. But what they would have done...”
“I know,” I said.
“If there would have been another way, I would have taken it.”
I nodded and looked back down at Gabby. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. If keeping her safe meant hours of worry, I would deal with it.
“Give her a few more hours. She’s sleeping off the best high of her life. And when she comes to, keep her away from me. I’m crack. Highly addictive.”
I nodded. I’d keep her far away. When Gabby woke, I’d convince her we needed to go somewhere else. Not home. At least not yet. But when the Urbat stopped looking for her, we’d go back. I knew how much finishing school meant to her. Until it was safe, maybe I would be able to convince her living in the woods wasn’t so bad.
Isabelle left me and joined the others in the kitchen. Her voice carried when she started asking questions.
“How long are we staying here?”
“It’s not safe to move until Gabby’s awake,” Bethi said. “But, for all we know, the Urbat could be closing in around us now.”
Smoothing a hand over Gabby’s hair, I hoped she would wake before that happened.
“We should be fine,” Winifred said.
“If you need her awake, wake her up,” Isabelle said. “A good slap will do the trick. However, she’ll still be loopy.”
Jerking my head up, I glared at the stairs.
No one slaps, Gabby, I sent to Sam.
“Clay can hear you and doesn’t appreciate your advice,” Sam said. “Neither do I.”
“I’ll be outside,” Isabelle said after a few moments of silence.
The tension that had gathered at her words didn’t leave with her presence because I knew the group was concerned about the location of the Urbat. It was only a matter of time before the idea of how to wake Gabby was mentioned again.
Each time someone walked passed the stairs my worry escalated. Sam was on my side, I reminded myself. He loved Gabby too, though they didn’t see eye to eye lately. Yet, I could feel the high emotions of everyone downstairs. Their worry was climbing. They needed Gabby awake. So did I, but when she was ready.
When I heard Isabelle come back in, I pulled back my lips.
“Who the hell is worrying so much?” she said.
I took a deep breath and pushed my worry down.
“Gabby still hasn’t woken up. We’re trying to decide if we should move on without the guidance or continue to wait.”
“I’ve seen people sleep twelve hours after that kind of hit,” she said.
I glanced at the clock beside the bed. It was almost ten hours now.
“My dad slept, what? Eighteen?” Ethan said.
Sheeeet.
I dropped a kiss on Gabby’s forehead and pulled her closer to my chest. The group wouldn’t want to wait eighteen hours. I could already feel the tension in the air after that comment.
“Okay, just hold tight for a minute,” Isabelle said.
I listened to her approach the stairs. As much as I wanted to stand up and fight her, I knew it wouldn’t end well for me. Or Gabby. I wasn’t about to leave her side, and fighting with Isabelle while close to Gabby would mean that whatever Isabelle did to me would also affect Gabby. Isabelle had said she was addictive. I didn’t want Gabby craving what Isabelle could do.
I angrily watched Isabelle clear the stairs.
“What do you think’s safer?” she said. “Sitting here and waiting, or finding out if the bad guys are getting closer? I already told you what they mean to do to us.”
“You’re not touching Gabby,” I said.
She smiled. I didn’t like it.
“You’re right. I won’t need to because you’ll do it.”
What? I glanced down at Gabby unable to imagine slapping her.
“You’ll be gentler,” Isabelle reasoned.
She was right. I would be gentle. Because I wouldn’t do it.
“Here’s the thing. When she wakes up, she’ll still be high and loopy. She won’t act like herself. But don’t let her go back to sleep. The effect will wear off faster once she’s awake and moving around.”
Not happening.
“You have ten seconds before I start pulling from you. I can’t aim, so it’ll just hurt her more.”
I looked up at her. She knew she had me.
“Ten.”
Glancing down at Gabby, I fought against my anger and revulsion.
“Nine.”
With a gentle touch, I stroked her cheek. Hopefully, she would forgive me.
“Eight...seven.”
Inwardly cringing, I tapped Gabby’s cheek.