Counterpart (Succubi & Incubi Assn.) (33 page)

Believe that it's not real, Maya. It’s not real. This is all in our
heads.

Yellow and orange lines streaked over my closed lids and suddenly a
wave of heat flowed through my veins making me hiss and gasp as I hunched over.
“Oh my God.” It was like I was back outside after Ethan had left, where the
pain started to get the best of me. I tried to regain myself by doing some
breathing exercises but nothing this time was removing the pain. It was like it
was unstoppable.

“Maya,” Melinda's voice was gentle and I felt her hand hover over my
back. “We're here.”

I hadn't noticed that the car stopped moving and when I finally
straightened up and opened my eyes, I was confused at why Melinda's voice was
so calm.

I felt my chest rise and lower down raggedly and my body stilled as
the sight before me sent horror straight through me. The streaks of light I saw
weren't something to worry about when I first noticed them, but now that my
eyes were open and I could get the full gist of it, I was scared. I finally
registered why I was feeling so much pain and heat. I finally realized why the
injury on my hand was so gruesome and gory.

It was because of fire. Everywhere I looked there were flames
licking across the building, making sure that at least majority of the large
structure was covered.

I didn't speak as I got out of the car and ran to the side of the
road. I ignored Melinda and Daniel's attempt at stopping me. All I could see
and feel was what was in front of me. Smoke lingered into the sky, obscuring
the view of the stars that were above. Heat radiated everywhere I walked.

But I still couldn't figure out why Melinda was so calm before.

“What is it, Maya?” Melinda almost sounded breathless when she
joined my side, and soon enough I felt Daniel walk to my other side.

“Fire,” I muttered, trying to make sense of it all. “There’s fire
everywhere.” The orange tone of the flames grew and grew, almost to the point
that I was feeling the heat in my eyeballs. “I need to get Tristan.”

I was walking towards the entrance, secretly hoping that I could get
through when I heard Daniel. “Maya, there’s no fire.”

How could they not see it! It's right there, engulfed by flames.

They can't see it, Maya.

I remembered that this was all in Tristan's head and the reason I'm
even seeing it is because we're connected. I couldn't even bear to think what
would've happened if we weren’t. No one would've known he was in this building.
On second thought, he probably wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for
me.

I kind of hate
Bethany
for putting this on him—us.

“Tristan!” I called into the flames. I don't know what I was
expecting to hear, maybe a solid reply from him, saying he was fine and that
this was all going to be okay. I wasn't sure though. What I got was something I
didn't expect.

“Maya,” the quick whisper whooshed past me and I found myself
turning, trying to find the owner. Inside my head it laughed. “Come inside
Maya. Tristan’s waiting for you.”

Penelope.

“Get out of my head,” I mumbled, bringing my hands to my head. “Get
out.”

“Maya, we’re really worried right now,” I heard Melinda say behind
me, and I could hear the worry in her voice, but I was too busy trying to
ignore the voice laughing in my head.

“Get out. Get out,” I continued mumbling.

Be strong, Maya. You can’t let this take hold of you. Just find
Tristan
. It was Bethany's voice playing in my head,
but whether it was me making that up or Penelope was playing her games, was the
problem.

Either way, it was right. Tristan needs me.

“Okay, okay.” I pushed as much things out of my head and focused on
one. Door. I needed to find a way in.

The entrance was a no-go as soon as I saw the flames covering every
single inch. My feet walked around the building until I found the side door.

“Where are you going?” Daniel asked.

“I need to find a way…” My words faded off and I resisted the urge
to cuss really loudly when the side-door—like the entrance—was barricaded by
fire.

“Please don’t tell me she’s breaking into the gym,” Melinda asked.

My mind quickly formatted a plan, and I pictured myself shoulder
barging the door, but even I knew that wouldn't work. I wasn't that strong. And
I couldn't risk hurting myself before I even found Tristan.

So this really only left one door, the entrance. It was my easiest
way. The double automated glass doors should be easy to break, and the fire
problem would just have to be navigated around.

I didn't have a choice.

“I actually think she is,” Daniel answered as I dragged a street bin
towards the main doors. The smell of the rubbish inside mixed with the heat
wasn't pleasant, and I was sure Melinda and Daniel could smell this but I
wasn't looking at them. I actually didn't know what they were doing other than
following me around. “Maya, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Nope, not really.

“Just don’t try to stop me.” I lifted the trashcan over my head and
threw it at the glass with as much strength as I could. My arm came over my
face when the flames burst out of the newly made hole. When I pulled my arm
down, something strange happened within the flame. As soon as they came out,
they went back in and then they started to part, like they were forming a
pathway.

“Oh my God, we’re so going to get arrested,” Melinda mumbled.

I didn’t care about getting arrested and I highly doubted that she
should since she isn't doing anything.

I stared down in the middle of the fire. It was like the flames
wanted me to get through. Or maybe Penelope wanted me to find her. Like
Rosa
said, maybe she wanted me to get
inside.

The best thing I could do was cover my nose and mouth with my hand.
Due to my poor dressing skills, I obviously should've changed out of this
stupid dress. I already felt dirty in it and now I was just going to make that
worse. I was even wearing my new lingerie set. Perfect.

I took the first step and then remembered I wasn't alone.

“Don't follow me.” My voice was muffled, and I didn't turn to see if
they heard me.

“Maya,” Melinda's voice stopped me, but this time there wasn't any
worry in her voice, or anything that lead to calm. It sounded panicked.

I turned around, noticing both her and Daniel were wide-eyed and
staring at each other then back at me. I was confused. Could they finally see
what I could see?

“What?” I noticed my voice had grown impatient.

Melinda and Daniel looked at each other again, before looking down
at their bodies then back up to mine. I saw Daniel swallow. “We can't move,” he
said.

“What the hell is going on?” Melinda asked immediately after he
finished.

My eyes wandered down their bodies and I now noticed that Melinda's
hand was stuck semi-outstretched, like she was going to reach out for me.
Daniel was different though, you couldn't even tell that he was frozen. He just
stood there normally.

“You can't move anything?” I asked.

Melinda shook her head. “Everything past my neck is stuck.” Not even
their chests were moving.

“They stay outside, Maya,” Penelope's voice played through my head
again. “And don't even think that Rosa and her little minions can get inside
too.”

My gaze lingered on Melinda and Daniel again and I almost felt sorry
for them. But if they weren't like this, I could see them not allowing me to go
in here alone. And as much as I trusted them enough to survive, I wasn't going
to put them through this.

This was my fault—technically
Bethany
's, but the responsibility was mine.

And frankly, they can't see what I can so them being outside is
ideal.

“Just stay there,” I finally said.

“It's not like I have a choice,” Melinda snapped back.

Duh, Maya.

Turning back to face the burning building, I took in a deep breath
only regretting it when the fumes caught in my throat.

Should've thought twice on that.

“Be careful, Maya,” I heard Daniel say, and honestly, I couldn't
find myself to answer or even look at him. Not even I knew what was waiting for
me or how it was all going to turn out.

The desk where Sophia would always stand behind was the first thing
I saw. What once was a very stable counter was now disintegrated and turned to
ash. The familiar gym equipment—running from treadmills and leg weights—was the
next thing I saw, both sitting in the same state as the counter.

What once was one of the most favorable gyms was now nothing but a
memory. And I was only viewing the floor. Everything from corner to corner was
filled with flames, obscuring your view of the street through the large
windows.

I could've used those windows...

I ignored my failed attempt at trying to make a secure plan and
walked along the hard-wooded floor. Luckily, I had managed to put on ballet
flats—that I always kept in the car—before this, or else my feet would be
getting quite an assault right now.

As much as Rosa and Bethany warned me that this was all my head, it
was hard to even think that. Everything from the smell of burning plastic to
the heat making my body feel weak just made it seem so real. The only thing
that made this easy was the fact that I wasn't choking to death on the ground.
Maybe Penelope doesn't want me dead.

My thoughts only caused me to snort—or maybe it was Penelope.

God I hope she isn't in my head right now.

Chills ran up my spine and settled at the base of my neck when a
breath of air ran over my ear. My first instinct was to turn as if I could find
the culprit, again. The same breath went along my other shoulder and I did the
same reaction, checking my surroundings, but all I came up with was nothing.

The next thing that happened sent not only chills through me, but it
also sent a static shock through my body, freezing it to a still state. They
were coming from the flames that covered almost everything. The dark chuckles
sounded from behind me, maneuvering around until they were right by my ear, and
I knew—I hated that I knew—but whatever was creating the cynical sound, it was
meant to test me. There weren't just a few chuckles either. There were more. It
was like I was in the middle of a crowd.

Judging by the way they kept their distance after a few seconds, I
knew they were trying to scare me and hell, it was kind of working.

It slowly started to fade away until the only thing left was a
singular laugh. I was watching a small flame that was growing unnaturally. It
was like how you play with the flame size on one of those cheap lighters,
switching it from small to large. Then the fire started to darken. Starting
from the center a black splotch grew and eventually formed the shape of a
human. With the head tilted to the side, the shadow then started to move
towards me at a slow pace.

I wanted to step back, but there wasn't anywhere I could go. Well
there was, but that exit was behind this shadow, who seemed to be gaining a lot
of ground in its dark long strides.

More laughter came around me but my eyes were stuck on this object.
I could feel my heart starting to have a spasm inside my chest and the smoke
wasn't exactly helping the way my breathing was.

A whisk of air lingered over my elbow and I stiffened when the
shadow stopped mere inches away from me. The flames around it threatened to
singe the strands of my hair that had annoyingly stuck to my face.

I took a step back when a hand came up, attempting to reach for my
face, and it only caused me to step closer to a small fire that almost caught
my dress. Chuckles were the reply to my sudden movement. Now that I looked
around, more dark shadows sat around me and this main shadow—watching, waiting.

But for what?

“
Bethany
.” The low
raspy whisper sounded, and it turned my skin into goose bump central.

If there was anything that would make this whole scene horrifying,
it would be this. I can't believe this shadow just spoke, and it called me
Bethany.

“Once Penelope is done with you, we will get our revenge.” The main
shadow then quickly came so close to me that I was sure I was getting burnt. “I
promise you that.”

Great, not only do they think I'm
Bethany
, but they also have a revenge plan against me. What the hell did
Bethany
do to them?

“Stand down, Demetrius,” Penelope's voice sounded, “you're having
all the fun.”

Now this is a game? What kind of sick game do they think this is?
'Who can kill Maya the fastest?'

Nonetheless, the shadow—Demetrius—backed away, stepping to the side
where a set of stairs sat. These were familiar stairs as well. They led up to
an empty hall which would usually be occupied by a dancing class or Tristan
when he was with a large class.