Burning in a Memory (19 page)

             
Adelaide watched him go and found herself alone on the bottom floor. In the basement was a shade. On the third floor was a madman. She shook her head when thinking about Tony’s last line of advice. It was always easier said than done.

Sixteen

              The floor had obviously been replaced many times as the planks differed in color and design from spot to spot. The edge of the walkway carried singe marks of ancient burns and the smell hinted of water damage. A rectangular rug hid most of it, but it peeked out from beneath the grandfather clock that ticked away. She stared at the floor while her mind raced through the same few thoughts. Tony knew where her family was and could potentially hurt them.

             
She barely heard the catcall of her name. It sounded like a whisper in comparison to her thoughts. She thought of her family and her home. She thought of how quickly Tony could find them if he needed to and how they would have no way of defending themselves. Tony never struck her as evil, but he might well be vengeful.

             
Adelaide curled her nails into her palms until the stinging took some of the mental pain away. She heard her name again. This time, she shook her mind clear and looked up. The grandfather clock in the corner showed how many hours had passed since the incident this morning. All of that time and she only made it out of the kitchen and into the living room. A couch next to the corner put her back to the wall and her line of sight at the stairs. A cold cup of coffee waited on the table beside the couch.

             
No one had bothered her in all of that time. She suspected most of the coven was too busy saving up their energy.

             
“Hey,” Adam called out.

             
Adelaide glanced up to find him crossing the room. She blinked her burning eyes and forced her body to animate.

             
“S-sorry, I didn’t hear you calling.”

             
She didn’t know how long she had ignored him either. Focusing on the here and now proved difficult, but the sight of Adam helped that. He had washed the dirt off his face since earlier but still wore the muddy clothing. His wet hair was almost spiky, but fell flat when he pushed a hand through it.

             
“I wasn’t calling,” he said. He watched her in return.

             
Feeling immediately self-conscious, she wiped down her own hair and her face. The last time she’d seen a mirror had to be yesterday night so she feared her appearance now.

             
“Are you okay?” Adam asked.

             
“I’m fine. I was just thinking,” she answered too quietly.

             
“About what?”

             
Her family, she wanted to answer. She quickly averted her face before more tears welled up in her eyes.

             
“Just stress. Tony doesn’t want me upstairs anymore because he wants me to stay away from Leon. Is there a different room I can have?” If she was going to continue melting down, she wanted to do it privately. Adam offered her his hand.

             
“Take my room, please,” he said. She glanced at his hand but avoided taking it. Instead, she stood on her own and walked over to his room. The door was open and the room inside just like they had left it this morning.

             
It was smaller than the one she’d been staying in, but much nicer. On the right was the door to the bathroom and over his bed was a massive window with a view. His blue sheets looked more inviting by the second. And, just like she remembered, it smelled like him.

             
“I’ll change the sheets and all that. You can feel free to stay here,” he said as she looked around.

             
“Thank you,” she said shortly.

             
He did not leave. Standing there, he hovered between her and the door.

             
“I wish I could think of something better to say with everything going on...” he said slowly. “I really didn’t expect you to get stuck here, but we will figure something out. This won’t last long.”

             
He was wrong, she thought immediately. With Leon upstairs, they would never be quite out of danger.

             
“So I guess you were wrong about me being able to stick around for a little while,” she said, feeling numb.

             
She’d used Adam, met Leon, but felt immobilized. She couldn’t complete her mission now and she couldn’t touch Leon. But that also meant the Hawthorn shades would be coming for her life instead. It didn’t take a careful look in the bedroom mirror to realize how white her face had gone. She was a dead mage and she knew it.

             
“I guess,” he scoffed lightly. “I’m sorry, Adelaide.”

             
“Stop apologizing. It’s not your fault. You’ve been nothing but helpful,” she muttered. Finally she looked up at him and acted on impulse. Crossing the room, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed close to his chest. He held her back without hesitation.

Closing her eyes, she saw her family beneath her lids. “Adam, are we safe here? Will the shades ever get the better of us if we’re all here?”

              She could feel the pace of his heart speed up.

             
“Yes. It’s rough now but we’re going to be okay, so long as we’re together. And I know it sounds insane, but I will make sure nothing happens to you. I’ll protect you, Adelaide. You have to believe me,” he said.

             
“I do,” she replied honestly, but there was more to it than that. “I’m just exhausted. Will you lay down with me?”

             
She could feel his reluctance as his muscled tightened. Adelaide broke free from him and sat down at the edge of the mattress.

             
“Just lay with me, Adam,” she said slowly. Adelaide needed his warmth and comfort now. As if he finally understood, he lay on the bed and beckoned her closer. She slid into the crook of his arm and placed her cheek back on his chest. After a minute, his heart slowed and his muscles relaxed. She tried to follow suit. The position was comfortable so it wasn’t very difficult. Breathing him in, she commented idly.

             
“You smell nice,” she whispered.

             
His chest rumbled and he wrapped an arm around her.

             
“I always dreamed of a girl as beautiful as you saying that.”

             
Breaking the spell, she laughed. Propping herself up, she looked down at him now.

             
“Well, I’m stuck here now. And your brother’s back. So I think you don’t need to dodge me about this.”

             
All of the relaxation that she’d earned from him disappeared in seconds. He nearly bolted up with both of them. She rolled on her belly next to him and watched him.

             
“Hey, I’m not dodging you. And you’re being pushy about this,” he groaned. When she met his eyes, he appeared to fight off a smile. Adelaide dared to push a bit harder.

             
“So just tell me, you don’t mind that I’m human?” she asked.

             
“No,” he said quickly.

His smile disappeared but he touched her shoulder. With a gentle tug, he tried to drag her back
to their original position but Adelaide refused to let him.

             
“So just tell me, do you think I’m cute?”

             
He pressed his lips together. His gentle tugging became a bit stronger.

             
“Yes, and I’m sure I just said that,” he said.

             
“And tell me, you like me?”

             
Adam gave up and hit the bed with his arm thrown over his face instead.

             
“Yes. But that’s exactly why I don’t want to hurt you. Look at what’s happened already. Could you imagine getting used to this stuff? Could you actually be okay with it? Don’t answer that, because no sane girl would.”

             
Adelaide suddenly wondered just how many people had run away from Adam and his mage lifestyle. Everyone liked the idea of vampires but no one liked nasty shades hunting them. Adelaide finally scooted back into his arms. She felt him stiffen below her but he never moved away.

             
“You don’t need to protect me,” she pointed out then.

             
“But I promised I would protect you, so I will protect you. Apparently whether you like it or not.”

             
She maneuvered her elbow and propped up an inch. His face was within centimeters of hers and his breath tickled her cheeks. His eyes dropped to her lips but he stayed stiff for a stubborn moment longer.

             
“But how am I supposed to stay away from you when you’re my hero?”

             
Then she kissed him. If she was prodding him for a reaction, she got one. Adam moved quicker than she thought possible. He flipped them until he was on top, hovering inches above her. His proximity sent a wave of exhilaration through her body.

             
His hand moved and he caught her chin between his fingers. Forcing her eyes to his, he held them. Where at first she saw a game, now she saw absolute sincerity. She let out a breath. Adam kissed her next, but his lips settled on her neck instead of her lips. The sensation of conflicting temperatures came as shock. His kisses moved achingly slowly while his hands settled on the exposed skin between her shirt and jeans. He trailed up to the line of her jaw, to her chin, and stopped just before her mouth.

             
“What’s wrong?” she asked when he suddenly sat up.

             
“I see what you’re doing, you know. This shouldn’t be happening,” Adam said.

             
She groaned overdramatically.

             
“That was all you, Adam,” she pointed out. His hands suddenly disappeared, but he simply rocked back with a smile on his face.

             
Shaking her head, she patted the bed next to her until he lay back down. Snuggling up for a third time, she closed her eyes and listened to his heart.

             
“Thank you for trying to protect me. There’s something to being a nice guy,” she said.

             
His chest vibrated with a micro-growl, apparently unhappy with that label, but she continued anyway. “I was just shaken up from earlier. It’s nice to have a distraction.”

             
His hand circled around her waist and pulled her closer. The gesture was comforting.

             
“Go to sleep. I’ll take care of you.”

             
She doubted that he even listened to himself as he drifted off. They cuddled in silence until Adam eventually gave in and fell asleep. Adelaide couldn’t do the same. The bed was comfortable, his arm around her secure, but she only thought of other things. She thought of her options. She thought of how long it would take the Hawthorns to come kill her when they learned that she failed her mission.

She
snuggled into Adam more.

             
“Maybe I can stay here with you,” she whispered. Adam slept and never answered, but something about saying it was liberating. The Colton coven still thought she was human. They would protect her and she’d never have to complete her mission. She’d never have to be alone again.

             
It sounded more and more appealing as time passed. Adam might not have been the type she chased, but he was certainly good for her. Plus, Leon would be able to get better and the coven would be together. This was the exact kind of coven she pictured ideally, despite their minor squabbles. Adelaide had nothing left to compare it to besides Mistel, the woman who was always burning in her memory.

             
Eventually she did drift off. When she dreamt though, she dreamt of home. The grass, the pavement, the voice of her family on the other side of the house walls came and went, short lived. She never recalled the moment she woke up from her twilight sleep, but she recognized the sound of his voice. Her gut twisted immediately. She battled with the urge to shoot up from the sheets, and gently slipped away from Adam’s sleeping grasp. Her feet met the plush carpet and she crept to the door.

             
The sound of her name came again, she was certain of it this time. He’d been calling her all along but she never recognized it. Opening the door, squealing on hinges proved to be more difficult, but she worked enough charm to escape into the living room. Dark out, the hallway was difficult to navigate. She moved methodically along the wall until she heard him call again.