Eternal Starling (Emblem of Eternity Trilogy) (16 page)

Alex ran his hand through his hair and surveyed the carpet. “I would have been happy about it a week ago, but now the two of you being separated is a problem.”

“Are you going to explain that, or tell me it’s better that I don’t know?” I asked.

He looked at me reproachfully. “You kissed him and let him into your life without even knowing his name. Now, he has the advantage of knowing you, your friends, and anything else you’ve told him about during the past week. I already explained that he’s dangerous. While you were together, there was a chance he wouldn’t do anything stupid because so many people knew you were dating. By breaking up, you aren’t connected anymore. Now he has no reason
not
to hurt you.”

I gave him a doubtful look, but remembered the man who had been watching me in the store, and the guy who got information about me from my mom in Montana. “I didn’t tell you this before, but people have been watching me.” I don’t scare easily, but the realization that Alex might not be completely crazy and I could really be in danger made a shiver run up my back and down my arms.

Alex’s eyes flashed to me. “What? How do you know?”

“There was a guy in a store at the end of August. I was waiting for Jasmine to try on clothes and he was watching me. He had a red web mark on his arm like the man in the park.”

Alex’s eyes became dark and hard, he was angry. “This is important, Evie. Was there anyone else?”

My voice shook slightly as I answered, “A guy named Caleb stopped at my mom and dad’s gas station in Montana and told them he met me at college. My mom thought he was a friend and told him all about me, but I’d never heard of him.”

Alex got up and slammed his fist against the wall, shaking the photos. “Dammit! I should have known they would go to any extent to find you.”

“My parents said they’ll notify the police if he comes back, so at least they’ll be safe.”

Alex kept his back to me. “It’s not your parents I’m worried about, though I’m glad you told me in case they try to use your family to get to you.”

“Who
are
these people?” I asked. “What do they want from me? What does Emil want?”

Alex walked back to the couch and sat across from me. He put his elbows on his knees, leaning his body closer to mine. “They want to use you, Evie, but I won’t let that happen.”

I measured him and had the overwhelming feeling that he really would protect me. “How much danger are we talking about?” I asked carefully. “What could they—Emil—do to me?”

Alex locked eyes with me. “They—he—could kill you. But that’s not what they want you for. They think you can help them and they’d do anything to use your talents.”

“What talents?” I asked.

Alex responded with a frown and shake of his head. “I can’t tell you that either.”

I sat motionless while Alex stared blankly into the kitchen. Fear was competing fiercely with my anger. I took several deep breaths as I tried to gather all the facts in my mind, becoming more alarmed as they came together. “Let me make sure I understand,” I said. “You’re telling me Emil, the guy I’ve been dating, is dangerous?”

Alex nodded, still looking in the direction of the kitchen table.

“That there’s a group of people Emil is involved with who are following me, searching for me, putting people I love in jeopardy as well as myself?”

Alex nodded again.

“And you’re saying that now, since I’m already dating Emil, or was until a few hours ago, I need to get back together with him?”

Alex’s worry was evident by the deepening creases in his forehead.

“Are you insane?” I yelled.

Alex was resigned. “It’s our best chance. He knows where you are. If you cut Emil out of your life now, it’s more incentive for him to put his plan into motion immediately.”

I stood in a huff and started pacing around the living and dining room. “If I get back together with him, then what?” I asked, frustrated. “Am I supposed to pretend nothing happened, and not worry about all the stuff you just told me?”

A groove formed between Alex’s eyebrows as he thought. “I don’t see any other way . . . unless you want to leave the country. But even that probably isn’t safe enough at this point. There are groups like Emil’s all over the world.”

I considered that with a combination of confusion and worry. “I’ll never be able to act like myself around Emil. He’ll know something is going on.”

Alex shrugged. “You’re going to have to become a good actress.”

I rubbed my arms like a sudden chill had descended on the room. I thought about the situation for several minutes. “If I do this,” I said. “If I get back together with him, do you
promise
me that I won’t get hurt?”

“Absolutely,” Alex answered immediately, his voice confident. “Like I said, Emil isn’t the only one I have to be aware of right now, but as long as I know when you’re spending time with him, you will
never
have to worry.”

“How can you guarantee that?” I asked.

“There are ways I can make sure you’re safe, Evie.” I opened my mouth to ask what he was talking about but he held up his hand. “I can’t tell you how—at least, not yet. I hate to ask you to do this again, but please, please trust me. You’ll have nothing to fear.”

I sunk back into the chair. My face fell at the thought of going back to my relationship with Emil when I had Alex, sitting in front of me. If Alex said I was safer with Emil than without him though, I would listen to what he told me. I hadn’t forgotten the last time I didn’t, or the dark figure outside the kitchen window that haunted my dreams.

“So I’m just supposed to stay with Emil forever?” I asked.

A muscle worked in Alex’s jaw. “No. But it will help if you’re with him for the immediate future—until I can figure out what to do.”

I frowned and quietly asked, “What if Emil isn’t the person I want to be with?”

Alex looked at me steadily, a glimmer and question in his eyes. “Who else is there?”

I glanced down, not wanting to delve into the details of my one-sided infatuation for him. Instead of answering I said, “I don’t know how I feel about this soul mate stuff, or what you’ve said about Emil, but I can’t deny that there are things you’ve been right about. Because of that, I’m going to err on the side of caution and do what you say, but just so you know, I still think there’s a fifty-fifty chance you’re certifiable.”

He flashed a smug smile. “Only fifty percent now? Well then, my odds are improving.”

I glared at Alex. “In exchange for my cooperation, you have to do some things for me.” I hadn’t forgotten the compromise I wanted Alex to agree to.

He regarded me with puzzled amusement. “And what would those things be?”

“I want some honest answers,” I said, crossing my legs and sitting up straight. “What is it that you’ve seen? Why
exactly
did you leave me? How do you know Emil is dangerous?” I paused. When I continued, my voice was softer, almost a whisper, “Was this whole thing worth losing me?” I searched his face as I asked, hoping for an indication he still felt something for me.

He looked deep into my eyes. “I promise you, I will answer those questions, but not today. Those explanations will take some time and . . . understanding. We need to wait until we can talk it all through.”

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t talk thoroughly now.”

Alex sighed. “I think you’ve had enough to deal with for one night.”

I wasn’t happy about the response, but at least I knew answers were coming. I could live with that. “As long as you agree to answer my questions sooner rather than later.”

“It will be sooner, I hope,” he said, but his smile was unconvincing.

Alex left, giving me the assignment to get back together with Emil as soon as possible. I had no idea how I was going to accomplish that. I was still furious with him for the way he treated me and now I was scared of him too. I didn’t claim to be a good actress and knew this wouldn’t be easy. I flicked my fingernails against each other as I thought about what to do.

Even once we were back together, how was I supposed to pretend I had feelings for Emil when I was thinking about someone else? At least I hadn’t told Emil about my feelings for Alex. I imagined that knowledge would be like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

I chewed on my lip as I thought about it, pacing the room. Emil, my sexy, potentially dangerous boyfriend. It seemed like the best course of action was to concentrate on the sexy bit, and pretend I didn’t know about the dangerous part. At the same time though, I’d never had a bad feeling about Emil. He was attentive, caring, and seemed like he really wanted to make me happy. Alex’s revelations had made me question that. I wondered if I was making a snap judgment based on fear—and that wasn’t like me. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to talk to Emil and give him a chance to explain his actions. Now that I knew Alex’s reasons for distrusting Emil, I’d be more aware around him, but I wasn’t going to follow Alex blindly and do what he said. Alex thought I’d be safer if Emil and I were in a relationship again, but I was going to make that decision on my own, not because Alex told me to. I would wait to decide until I’d talked to Emil. As I was going over the options in my head, I heard my cell phone chime notifying me I had a voicemail. The message was from Emil.

“Evie, I want to talk to you . . . about yesterday, about today, about everything. Call me.”

At least he sounded like himself again, and he still wanted to see me, which was a good sign. Maybe getting back together with Emil wouldn’t be as difficult as I thought.

I woke up tired. Erratic dreams about a gang of men and dark floating figures had caused me to toss and turn again all night. After getting Emil’s voicemail, I decided I needed to give myself a night to think about things before calling him.

Once I showered and got dressed, I went downstairs and picked up my phone. Emil answered on the first ring.

“Evie?” His voice seemed anxious, scattered.

“Hi.”

“Evie, I’m sorry for everything that happened yesterday.”

“Yeah, it was a rough afternoon.”

“I want to talk to you,” his voice took on a worried tone. “What are you doing today? Can I come over?”

I hesitated, thinking of Alex’s warnings, but shook it off. “Yeah, you can come over. I want to talk to you too.”

Emil seemed relieved. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” I ended the call and put my face in my hands wondering what I was getting myself into. I texted Alex to let him know Emil was on his way.

I opened one of my psych books and started reading, but I couldn’t comprehend anything that was written. I was re-reading one paragraph for the tenth time when I heard a knock on the door and got up to answer it.

Emil stood on the other side, bags under his eyes, his hair disheveled. I’d never seen him look so unkempt. He actually seemed depressed. I motioned for him to come in. When he did, I shut the door and he followed me to the couches. He sat down and I sat across from him on the overstuffed chair.

His expression seemed unsure. “Thanks for seeing me,” he said. “I know my behavior yesterday was inexcusable and I want to apologize for it.”

I crossed my legs in the chair. “What was going on?” I asked, pretending like Alex hadn’t been sitting in the same living room last night telling me Emil was a bad guy.