A Touch Mortal

Chapter 25





Libby was first out the door. Over her shoulder, Eden watched the hopeful look in the two sets of eyes glaze over before she stepped out from behind her.

“It’s her!” the guy on the stairs yelped.

“Don’t be stupid.” The girl sitting beside him tossed a small rock down to the sidewalk. “That’s not even close to what she’s supposed to look like.” Her head rose as she spoke, catching sight of Eden. “It’s true,” she whispered in reverence.

“Take me around the corner,” Eden told Libby, a new wave of dizziness rolling over her. “They’ll follow.” The moment Libby moved, the other two were on their feet, poised to run if need be. Not likely, Eden thought.

In the alley, Libby leaned her against the wall and took an unsure step back.

“Stand there,” she told Libby, pointing to the bricks opposite. The girl did what she was told. “Don’t come any closer.” Eden paused before adding, “No matter what happens.”

She took the boy first.

At the exhale, her eyes caught Libby’s. They blazed, taking notes on every detail, memorizing the way her hands gripped his, the way she kept her lips an inch away. As her breath did its work, his Touch passed into her, an electric current running up through her hands. Around her, the world steadied.

The other one barely waited for her partner to fall before she stepped in to take his place. When it was over, the leftovers lay, still, on the cold asphalt.

“They’re really dead now, aren’t they? You killed them.” Libby said slowly.

“I freed them.” Eden hesitated. “It’s not fair that we’re stuck like this. We should be able to choose.”

A long moment passed before Libby spoke. “What are we gonna do with the bodies? Do you need me to…?” She trailed off as Eden turned to the boy’s shell and blew. The remains scattered into a million pieces, dust glistening in the sunlight before it settled.

A startled “Oh” drifted from Libby’s lips. Eden waved a hand over the girl’s body. In its wake was only stained asphalt.

Eden pulled away from the wall and turned to walk from the alley. Libby was instantly at her side, but Eden traipsed around the corner, no longer needing help. She vaulted up the stairs two at a time and slipped the key into the dead bolt, not even out of breath.

“You took their Touch, didn’t you?” Libby said as Eden opened the door and walked across the room, dropping onto the couch. “But it doesn’t affect you the way it does the rest of us.”

Eden grabbed for the cup on the coffee table. She grimaced at the tepid swallow and then set it back down. Damn, the girl was clever. She knew just about as much as any of them did, now. So let her stay, Eden thought. Jarrod had been right. Something had to give if she wanted to keep doing her thing. And after last night, letting Libby move in might even be enough of a peace offering.

“So, I mean, if you still need a place to crash, I owe you for yesterday.”

“Really?” Libby looked shaken by the offer, but held herself in check.

“Well, there’s a catch. We’re kind of low on space, so you’d be on the couch. At least until we figure something else out.”

“No, that’d be fine.” Libby hesitated. “Why the sudden change of heart?”

“Because we could use another Sider in our crew. And yesterday you proved to be an asset. Consider it a trial period.”

“Oh, totally. And I’ll do whatever you need. Really.” Libby blushed, though her smile stayed. “Sorry, it’s just…I haven’t had a good day in a long time.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured, you being a Sider and all. Why’d you do it?” Eden asked.

Libby sucked in a hiss of air, her smile vanishing as she dropped her eyes.

Finally she whispered, “Love.”

Eden rolled her eyes. “What, the quarterback didn’t ask you to prom even though you got hot and heavy under the bleachers?”

“You don’t have to be so bitchy about it. It wasn’t like that.” But Libby’s glare faltered, faded. “We did it so we could be together forever.”

“Suicide pact?” Eden sat up a little, taking stock of the girl in front of her. “How’d that work out for you?”

Libby turned away, hiding her face. “He’s not a Sider.”

“Jesus.” Eden shook her head.

Suddenly the room seemed too small. She could almost smell Az, crisp, like new snow. Her neck tingled, remembering the feel of his lips, the way his breath hit her skin. She closed her eyes and she was back there—the hotel, the sheets pulled loose and tossed aside, her heart pounding, hands pulling him closer, needing him closer. She forced her eyes open, shattering the memory.

Yesterday, she realized, for the first day in weeks, he hadn’t called. He’d probably given up. What was there to say, anyway?

“Oh, that’s interesting,” Libby said, studying Eden’s face.

“What?” Eden asked.

“Who was he?”

She felt her face flush. “No one. He doesn’t matter.” Her phone hadn’t rung. Part of her wondered if he’d Fallen, if she’d never get the chance to answer. She swallowed hard, willing up the familiar feeling of betrayal. Rage slid scabs over the wounds.

“He really never mattered that much at all,” she found herself whispering.

Both girls jumped at the sound of the slamming door.

Jarrod stopped when he saw Eden sitting up straight, all traces of last night’s escapade reversed.

“You let her downstairs?” He glared at Libby.

Eden waved away his words. “Don’t be too hard on her. You know she didn’t stand a chance.”

“Told you she wasn’t strong enough to prevail against the will of our mighty Eden.” Adam sighed as he and James pushed around Jarrod. He set a tray on the coffee table before he graced Libby with a smile to show her everything was forgiven. “Java Boy asked about you,” he added, turning to Eden.

Jarrod tossed a newspaper at her, the pages rustling through the air before it landed with a heavy slap next to the cups.

“Ecstasy-fueled Rave Leaves Twenty Dead After ‘Bad Trip’” screamed the headline. Eden’s breath caught.

“Twenty?” she whispered. I should have listened to Jarrod, she thought. I shouldn’t have let it build.

“I’m really sorry.” James’s hand squeezed her shoulder, an offer of comfort she couldn’t bring herself to take.

“Eden, we need to talk,” Jarrod said.

Adam fished two twenties out of his pocket and handed them to Libby. “You mind going down to Milton’s? Through the alley, right, and a block down on the left. One caramel latte, two black, all tall? Grab something for yourself.” Libby reached out to take the money, looking down at the tray of steaming cups on the table, then back to the bills in her hand. Adam blushed. “Yeah, I’m not so good with the whole ‘subtle’ thing. But can you just…?”

“Yeah, sure,” Libby said.

Adam snapped his fingers at James. “You’re going with her,” he said. The boy turned to Eden, who nodded. Pulling her coat around her, Libby went for the door, James at her heels. It barely shut behind them before Jarrod started in on Eden.

“Can you please just admit that it needs to end? We’ve tried talking to you, yelling. Nothing gets through to you, Eden! You were out of control last night!”

“Hey,” Adam cautioned, taking a step closer to Jarrod. “She didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Yeah, well, she doesn’t seem to be too eager to cast aside all that power, either, now does she?” Jarrod pointed out. “And it’s pretty f*cking obvious from last night that she can’t handle it after all. Not as much as she takes.”

“Any power I take is for our benefit. You do know that’s why no one bothers us. Why Madeline doesn’t come after us? They’re afraid. They haven’t even thought of challenging.” Challenging me, she wanted to say.

“Look at you,” Jarrod spat. “This isn’t about you ‘saving’ the Siders anymore. You can’t stop. You’re addicted.” He looked her dead in the eyes. “You’re a junkie, Eden.”

Eden felt her face grow hot.

“Jarrod, you’re blowing this out of proportion,” Adam said.

“You agreed with me.” Jarrod’s eyes flashed bitter sparks as he took a step closer. Mere inches separated the two. “She’s losing control.”

“Maybe you’re just jealous you can’t do what she can,” Adam growled back. It was almost as if they’d forgotten Eden was there at all.

“Don’t go getting all weak in the knees now that your little girlfriend is here,” Jarrod pushed.

Adam’s punch cracked against Jarrod’s eye.

“Stop it!” Eden screamed, throwing herself between them, pressing her hand against Adam’s heaving chest. “You have no idea what it’s like! They look at me like I’m the answer to their prayers.”

“You’re obsessed with them, Eden!” Jarrod said, his hand cupped over his eye. He didn’t even pause, the built-up anger coming out in a rush. “What about us! What if Madeline had picked last night to kick you out of Manhattan and take over? You think you could have stopped her? You couldn’t even stand.”

With each word from him she flinched, her hands clenched across her chest. “What happens when they wear you down to nothing?” he whispered, his forehead knocking against hers. “And what happens to us when they do? Don’t you care?”

She moved her head until his fell onto her shoulder. “I’m supposed to turn them away because I’m having a hard time? I can’t just stop, Jarrod.” Why can’t he see this is important, she thought. “They need me.”

His sharp, sudden push sent her sprawling, sliding across the wood floor. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she came to a stop against the wall.

Adam was on him before she could react, fisting the neck of Jarrod’s sweatshirt into a knot and lifting him off the floor.

“Don’t you ever lay a hand on her!” he yelled.

Neither of them even noticed when Eden slunk to her bedroom, quietly locking herself in. She didn’t bother to climb into the bed, just curled into a ball on the floor next to the door. So she could hear what Adam said after, even though he’d lowered his voice to a whisper.

“She knows how f*cked up she was last night. If that doesn’t get through to her, nothing will.”

It wasn’t until then that the tears came.