“You can’t deny me.”
And then she realized. The thing that had terrorized her, that had killed Brite and tried to kill Zach. The thing Eli and the others had whispered about, that they had been so afraid of.
Fear exploded inside her, with it the instinct for self-preservation. What had she been thinking? She wasn’t strong enough to do this. Not near strong enough.
It laughed. “It’s right for you to be afraid, dearest Angel.”
Closer, stronger. Enveloping her.
“You wondered why you never fit in? I’m why.”
“No.”
“You’re a part of me.”
She reared back and kicked the door with all her might; searing pain shot up her leg like a bolt of electricity. She kicked it again and again until it collapsed inward.
“Breathe me in, my sweet child. I’m all around you.”
It was. Swirling energy. Limitless. Dark. Roiling with power.
“Do you not feel a part of yourself awakening? Coming to vibrant life? That’s me. In you, Angel.”
“What do you want from me?”
“So easy. Just turn and go. Leave this place.”
“I don’t understand!” she cried.
“Save yourself. Walk away.”
Angel understood. She looked at the two sobbing women. Leave them to die and she lived. “Why?” she whispered.
“You can’t help them anyway. I’m too strong. You know that.”
She did know it. She didn’t know either of these women. She couldn’t fight this thing; it was too strong.
She began to tremble, so forcefully her teeth chattered. Tremors from the inside, as if her very marrow was at war with itself.
Resistance rose up in her. “No.”
Pain ripped through her. She doubled over, fell to her knees. “No,” she said again. “I won’t—”
Her gut twisted. With a soul-shaking cry, she threw up. Once, then again. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her skin crawled, like millions of spiders were attacking, attempting to pick the flesh from her bones.
“Please,” she begged. “Stop . . . Please. . .”
“Just say the word.”
No more pain. He would release her and she could run. Leave him and this place far behind.
Yes.
The word whispered across her brain. Sweet, refreshing. Like a summer rain. Say it. Take the offer, walk away.
No. . . more . . . pain.
She opened her mouth to say it aloud. Instead, a name tumbled out. “Eli,” she whispered. Then again, stronger this time, “Eli . . . Zach . . . help me.”
The building groaned, the floor shook. The monster took her then. Gathered her into its darkness. Snakelike, surrounding her, squeezing. Tighter and tighter. Her chest hurt. She fought for breath.
“Stupid girl. Do you really think they can beat me?”
Her chest hurt. She fought for breath. And against hopelessness.
“They’re coming for you. They will die with the other two.”
The image of Eli filled her head. Bathed in light as he emerged from his car. The image warmed and she held tightly to it. Her thoughts turned to Zach. His smile, his kindness. Micki’s, too. Jacqui and little Zander. They didn’t know her, yet they had taken her in. Cared for her.
Anger burst from her very core. If he hurt them, she would find a way, somehow, to make him pay.
The monster laughed at her unspoken threat. “You thought you would stay with her. That she would care for you. She will be dead. And it will be your choice.”
The anger turned white hot. Spiked into hatred.
“That art museum he promised? How? He will be dead as well.”
With the hatred came strength. A strength she had never known before. Like a lion coming to life inside her.
The monster’s grip on her loosened.
“Did you endure all the taunts, the teasing and rejection for this? To die here, give yourself for these women you don’t even know? Is that your destiny?”
Her friends were coming for her. Micki. Her brothers, Eli and Zach.
“Choose to save yourself and your friends. Walk away, let these girls die.”
It was manipulating her, she realized. Using her emotions to control her. To get what it wanted.
Why? What did it want from her?
“Do it, Angel. Walk away.”
“Never,” she managed, her voice a defiant croak.
“We wait then. Seeing their pain may change your mind.”
Chapter Fifty-eight
Saturday, July 20
3:55 A.M.
Zach and Jacqui scoured the neighborhood without a sign of Alexander. Jacqui seemed about one shallow breath away from totally losing it.
“Let’s go back to your place,” Zach said, keeping his tone as reassuring as he could. “He might have gone home. He might be waiting there for you.”
“Do you think so?” she asked, voice quivering. Hopeful.
“I think it’s a strong possibility.”
So they did, Jacqui at a pace just shy of an all-out run. As her unit came into view, she cried out in relief. Alexander was there on the porch, sitting next to a tall man with blond hair.
Eli.
“Alexander!”