Divine Mortals (18 page)

Who in hell had done this?

I was angry and terrified and I had no way to escape. The flames were climbing the walls now, licking slowly up the sides of the stable at the other end of the building, curling and crackling in a brilliant dance of yellow and red, strangely beautiful and deadly. The whiney of a horse broke over the noise of the fire, they could smell the smoke, no doubt they were beginning to panic, being in such close vicinity to what was shortly to be an inferno.

“Robert!” I screamed, hoping he would hear, he said he would, he had promised me that night on the porch he would hear his name. But the ranch was huge, I had no idea if he was even in range to hear my calls, was he more than three miles away?

A crash from the other end of the building cut me off before I could scream his name again, the walls of the stalls were beginning to fall in as the fire grew. The roof creaked and groaned and the entrance I had used just minutes ago collapsed in a ball of flames, bringing the fire closer to me with a whoosh of scorching air that left my throat dry and my skin burning.

I pushed myself deep into the far corner of the stall, huddling as hard as I could into the back. The air had filled quickly with smoke and I was finding it harder and harder to draw breath, I lay flat, noticing remotely that the hay I lay on was scratching my legs, my senses sharpened by the impending disaster. I focused on a small black knot in the wood in front of me, a small imperfection in the timber that had built this place, bringing my fingers up I slowly traced its outline. The air near the ground still moved a little and I gulped in lungful’s knowing well enough that soon this would be smoke too and all oxygen would be sucked from the building.

“Robert.” I croaked, my voice breaking and sore, he wasn’t here yet and he was fast, I had seen him move, he would here by now if he had heard me, I know he would.

He was too far away.

The roar of the fire was deafening now, the snaps and crackles loud in my ears, blocking out any sound except that of the flames, I could no longer hear the horses cry outside, I clenched my eyes shut.

Waiting.

I couldn’t believe this was going to happen so soon, I was going to see my parents sooner than I had imagined, I prayed it wouldn’t hurt, I prayed the oxygen would run out and I would faint before the flames reached me. A loud creak sounded above the flames, followed by a terrifying silence, and then agony as a beam fell flat across my left leg pinning me to the ground. A high pitched scream broke through the silence and it took me a moment to realize that it came from me. I lifted my hand to shield my eyes and face from the heat. The beam was huge and lay across my leg on an angle just above my knee, I gripped it with both hands and pulled, the muscles in my shoulders and arms popping with effort as I tried to move it but it wouldn’t budge. My leg had gone numb, I couldn’t feel my foot, I pulled again, grunting with effort, sweat sprung up along my forehead and still it didn’t move. Covering my face with my hands once more I lay back and waited, sobbing softly.

I wondered if my life would flash before me, isn’t that what normally happened? I guess I was about to find out.

I wasn’t ready to die.

“Ava,” The voice was soft, I strained my ears.

“Mom?” I croaked, my own voice broken and ragged from the smoke as I coughed huge racking sobs.

Then I saw her, my mother, walking out of the darkness towards me her hands outstretched as I reached for her.

“Mom,” I whispered, ignoring the searing in my throat and the tears that ran down my face, she dropped her hands, her blonde hair bobbing around her ears as she shook her head, her face still lit with a smile.

“Not yet darling.” she said brightly and then, backing away from me slowly, she began to fade away, moving out of my reach.

“Please Mom,” I cried, reaching for her.

“Not yet Ava.” her voice stern but soft, and then she turned her back on me and vanished. I wasn’t sure if I cried out, I couldn’t hear anything above the roar of the flames but I knew that it was close, it was nearly time, I could feel the air shiver as the flames reached for me.

I dared not open my eyes again, I couldn’t.

I was shaking uncontrollably, my breath loud and ragged in my ears. This was it and I was terrified. I took one last breath and gave up, there was no way I could get out of this. I couldn’t believe after all that I had seen these last weeks, it would end now.

Everything was silent, the crackle of flames had faded to nothing, my leg no longer throbbed where the beam lay across it, the air seemed cool again. Perhaps dying wasn’t so scary, and strangely I began to relax, my body molding into the hay I lay upon.

I’m ready,
my mind called and I gave myself over, moving towards the darkness that showed in front of me.

“Ava,” I heard my name again and swung my head from side to side, my eyes still closed, looking for my mother.

“Ava!” The voice was more urgent this time and I felt myself being pulled back towards consciousness, away from the comfort and relaxation of death.

“Oh god, Ava!” his voice was loud, panicked and the single most beautiful thing I had ever heard. I felt my body come back to itself, the heat, the pain of the fallen beam, my throat searing with every breath.

I opened my eyes a crack, just this small movement causing pain as the bright light from the flames shot between my lids and stung right to the back of my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the flames, licking slowly and enticingly at the bottom of my boots, leaping all around me, within inches of touching me, of having me join the dance of the fire.

Then I saw him, bent towards me, his eyes terrified, no longer the deep amber I loved, but black, dark and scared. He saw my eyes open and his hand came instantly to my face, his fingers, it seemed, even hotter than the flames, left a burning trail along my jaw where they traced the line of my bones.

Then he moved and instantly time began again, the noise was deafening as I tried to following the flashing speed of his movements, suddenly the beam was gone, pushed back into the hungry waiting furnace.

His arms came under me, pulling me from the ground, I clung to him, anchoring my body to his. He stood quickly and I felt him leap the flames near us, I noticed as we moved that the huge double doors at this end of the building were gone, they lay on the ground outside, ripped from their hinges. We started to move away from the fire, at that speed that only Robert could achieve, the unworldly momentum that made him what he was. Pushing my face into his hard chest I closed my eyes, relaxing once more I let myself go limp as I passed out in his arms.

My eyelids fluttered as I came round, it was cool here, the grass under me damp with the night dew, a welcome chill against my scorched skin. My throat still rasped and every breath felt like I was swallowing broken glass. I opened my eyes to Robert, staring down at me in the dark, the full moon outlining his features, making him glow. I realized then that he was touching me, his hand slowly stroking my arm where it lay in the cool grass next to me. I concentrated on the sensation; it was exquisite, as usual his own internal fire made his touch hot, leaving a trail of heat down my arm where his fingers lightly grazed my skin.

I tried to smile but my lips cracked, making me flinch. He flinched as well, his eyes darkening to an even blacker ebony as he saw my pain.

“Ava,” his voice was velvet smooth and husky with fear, his hand moved from my arm to my face and I closed my eyes as his fingers traced the line of my jaw. I smiled again, this time ignoring the hundreds of small splits that opened along my lips.

“Robert,” I tried to speak but it came out as a croak, my voice breaking on his name. I cleared my throat, a sound like ripping cloth, and tried again.

“Thank you.” I whispered, letting my eyes flicker shut to block off the tears that threatened. Brushing a single tear gently from my eye he let himself go, his muscles relaxing as he hung his head.

“
Thank you?”
he echoed, shaking his head in disbelief,

“For what? God, you nearly died!” He shook his head again and looked away from me, back towards the stable that still burnt in the distance, lighting the night sky.

“But I didn’t.” I croaked, sounding like a toad, “If you weren’t here…” my voice broke and I had to clear it again,

“If you weren’t here I would be toast by now.”

He cringed at my choice of words, although he did smile slightly.

“Trust you to joke about it now,” his voice was soft and gentle again as he gazed at me, his huge brown eyes appearing to take in every inch of me in a split second, causing what little breath I did have to catch, making me cough, the effort racking my ribs.

I groaned a little and tried to push myself up, he was there instantly, moving faster than I did, his arms propping me up. Helping me to sit he sat behind me so I could lean against him.

His arms looped around me from behind, holding me close so that I could hear the beat of his heart beneath my ear.

We sat like this for a while, together and aware of each other, lost in our own thoughts.

“How did it happen?” his voice was barely a whisper.

I thought back to the stable, and the doors locking behind me, I shuddered and he pulled me closer.

“I don’t… I don’t know?” I searched my memory for any clue as to who might have been there, who could have done this.

“I tripped, then someone locked me in the stall. There was the smell of oil and then the fire.” I shivered again, closing my eyes.

His body froze and I was sure I heard his heart stop, just for a moment.

“Someone, did this to you?” A low growl hid behind the calm of his voice.

“Yes, ah, yes I guess…” I whispered back, the shock of it enough to make my tears start again. Someone had tried to kill me tonight, someone wanted me
dead
. I turned my face back towards his, he wore a mask, completely expressionless in the dark, hiding all of his thoughts.

Had this happened because of him, because I knew?

I couldn’t think anymore, I couldn’t concentrate, my throat felt like sandpaper, I could barely swallow, tears ran constantly over my cheeks in both relief of escape and at the shock of what had almost happened.

“Can I ask you a favor?” I spoke quietly trying not to move my throat, my ribs throbbed and I felt like my head was full of cotton wool. I needed a drink, I craved a cold glass of water, in fact I would readily sell my soul to the devil at this moment for something cool to drink.

“Anything,” Robert answered urgently.

“Can you please take me home, I
will
die if I don’t get a drink of water.” I smiled meekly up at him. Without saying a word Robert picked me up as gently as he would a soap bubble.

The ground began to disappear beneath us again, clenching my eyes shut, we covered the distance so quickly that before I knew it we were on the porch. Robert somehow managed to open the back door and flick on the hallway light without having to put me down, carrying me with ease through the kitchen and into the lounge where he lay me down on the old brown settee.

“I’ll get it,” he said quickly before flashing into the kitchen, within three seconds he was kneeling next to me again, glass of water in hand.

I shook my head in wonder before taking it, drinking slowly, the water was liquid heaven, soothing the dry singed sides of my throat. I finished, grinning at his concerned expression.

“What?” he asked, looking a little dumbfounded.

“Stop looking so worried.” I chided him, “It’s okay, it’s done, I’m safe, you’re here, the horses are okay, the only person that should be worried is me, when I tell Pop his stables have burnt to the ground.”

He did grin at that.

“I’ll tell him,” he said, “I’m in charge tonight so it’s my problem,” he contemplated this for a minute before looking serious once more,

“Although after tonight I don’t know how quickly he’ll leave me in charge again?”

“Well we can’t do much about it right now can we,” I spoke quickly, trying to distract him, as he moved towards the phone,

“Just stay here and talk to me.” I asked, trying not to sound as desperate for his company as I felt.

“Is your leg okay?” he asked, sitting once more, suitably side tracked from the phone.

“I think so,” I poked at my thigh gingerly, “I think it’s just bruised, I don’t think I’ve broken any
more
bones.” I announced, as if this was some major achievement. I could almost hear Joel berating me already.

“You’re incredibly upbeat for someone who was just pulled from a fire,” Robert ventured cautiously, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” I answered, trying not to sound frustrated by his constant asking. I looked down at myself properly, I really was okay.

Wow!

I didn’t think this was going to be the outcome, I had expected to be little more than coals by now. I was filthy though, my clothes were greasy and sticking to me everywhere with sweat and soot.

“Ah, do you mind if I take a shower?” I murmured,

“No problem,” he smiled, “I’ll head home for a bit and clean up too.”

“No,” I almost shouted, instantly embarrassed at my outburst, it took Robert by surprise as well but he started to chuckle, looking pleased.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you’re even out the shower, I’ll just go and clean up and come straight back.”

“Okay.” I hated sounding so needy, could I really demand his presence, I was the one that owed him.

Robert gathered both my hands in his, I looked down at the way they disappeared in his warm grasp, I liked it.

“I promise.” he said gravely followed by a quick wink, and before I could blink he was gone.

I looked slowly around my grandparents small lounge room, I was truly alone for a moment and I put my head back against the arm rest and let out a long loud groan, I felt as if I had been run over by a steam roller, no make that a tank!

“Ava?”

My head flew up in fright as I opened my eyes, Robert was leaning over me,

“Are you okay, Should I go and get Claire?” The fear in his eyes had returned.