Heroes of Falledge Book One: Black Hellebore (33 page)

"What of the skel--"

"Dealt with."

"Just like that? Promise and you'll give me back my son?"

Julianna nodded. "But you have to swear on your own life." She knew a swear by his son's life would have meant more -- but only initially. Karl still intended on getting out of the mob business, but first would ensure his father left Falledge alone. As he had told her earlier, it was the least he could do after she'd saved him.

"I swear on my life that I and my men will not so much as enter or even think of Falledge."

"Good." Julianna stepped aside.

Big Don ran to his son but pulled up short before hugging him. "What happened? Your arm?"

Karl met Julianna's gaze. "It's a long story. Can I eat first? I'm hungry."

She, Steve, and Ron left, and Julianna felt ready to take on the world. If she couldn't save Nick from wherever he was now, she never could.

Chapter Fifty

Nick lay as if sleeping, his eyes closed. He didn't want to move. There was no reason to. He felt soft and safe, and somehow knew nothing would harm him here.

"You're here. You're finally here."

The soft, familiar voice was the only thing that got him to look and get up. "Justina."

She looked radiant. She wore a white tee shirt and jeans, but she might as well have worn a prom dress. She held out her hand to him. "What do you want to do today?"

Without hesitation, he grabbed her hand. She felt real. Solid. Something nagged at him in the back of his mind, like he was forgetting something, or someone. But staring into her beautiful blue eyes made it hard to concentrate. "What do you want to do?"

She giggled. "We can climb a mountain."

One appeared in front of them. With a start, Nick realized they were in a world of whiteness, except for the mountain.

"Or go swimming."

A river appeared at the base of the mountain.

"Or--"

"Let's dance," Nick suggested.

Sweet music began to play, and she stepped into his arms. They danced and danced and everything felt perfect. Everything felt right. He was home.

*****

Outside of the mansion, Julianna wasn't surprised to see Gavina leaning against Steve's car. "Go on without me," she told the guys.

Gavina winked at them and waved as they drove off.

"I'm all better," Julianna said. It wasn't the complete truth. Her back still hurt a little, but she had a feeling it wasn't her body she would need to save Nick.

"Close enough." Gavina covered Julianna's eyes with her hands. When she removed them, they were in Gavina's house. Nick lay on the same bed as before. "And I just moved him here, in case you were wondering."

Julianna hesitated merely a second before running to his side. She grabbed his hand and cradled it against her cheek.

*****

Justina's hand was against his cheek, and he turned into it and kissed it. She giggled again. "I'm so glad you're here. I was so lonely without you."

Nick frowned. "I didn't leave you for long," he protested.

"Well, not too, too long." She flashed him a smile. "But that doesn't matter now. I'm tired of dancing."

"Oh. Okay. What do you want to do now?"

"We could--"

"Watch a movie?" he suggested.

She wrinkled her nose. "Too boring. Next you'll suggest we read a book."

*****

Julianna brushed his hair from his forehead and kissed the spot where his hair had just rested. He felt warm and yet cold. She placed her hand on his chest. It moved, but barely. "What's wrong with him?" she asked in a whisper.

"I don't know. His body is here, but it's as if his soul isn't."

He looked so restful, as if he was just sleeping, and she wanted to shake him senseless to wake him. "Nick. Nicholas. I know you can hear me. Wake up. Right now! Nicholas!"

She pleaded, begged, raged, and shouted until her voice grew hoarse, forcing her to whisper.

"I love you, Nick. Come back to me. Please..." Her head lay on his chest now, and her tears fell onto his shirt. "Don't leave me. Parting..." She choked back a sob. "Parting is such sweet sorrow..."

*****

Nick frowned. "Romeo and Juliet," he said.

Justina raised her eyebrows. "What about them?" she asked. "Never mind. Let's go for a ride."

A motorcycle appeared, the exact model they had only dreamed of getting.

Justina squealed and ran over to it. "Come on!"

Nick wanted to go to her, but instead, he walked over to the river. His reflection made him gasp.

His hair was an unruly mess, his face sported a few pimples, and he wasn't broad enough in the shoulders.

He was fifteen.

Why did he feel like this wasn't quite right?

Justina came over and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Nick. Let's ride."

He untangled himself from her. "To where?"

She held out her arms wide. "Wherever you want, silly."

*****

"We were supposed to get married. Oh, I know you never asked, and I never answered, but that's where we were heading. You know it. I know it. It was only a matter of time. And now you're leaving me?"

Julianna's grief and sadness had transformed into frustration and anger. With a start, she realized one of her arms was raised, her fingers in a tight fist. She lowered her arm and sighed.

"Nick, listen to me. Come back to me. Come here." She pressed her fingers to his temples. "Come home."

*****

"Home," Nick said. "I want to go home."

Justina frowned. "Which home?"

He shrugged, not knowing why he had said that. He looked back in the pond. "I want to be older," he said, and watched as his reflection changed. "Stronger." His muscles filled out. There, that felt better.

Justina crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "I don't like this," she said, shaking her head. "I love it." She ran her hands over his shoulders.

"Grow older," he told her.

She dropped her hands away from him as if she had been burned. "I don't want to, Nick," she said, staring at her white sneakers.

He scratched his head. Her sneakers were never white. Within minutes of leaving the store, they were already scuffed up.

"Don't call me Nick," he said.

"But that's your name."

"Call me Nicholas."

"No."

"Call me Nicholas!"

"Nicholas."

He whirled around. That voice hadn't been Justina's.

*****

Julianna could feel a pull, a tug, deep within her gut. She closed her eyes and at first resisted, but then she gave in, and she could feel herself flying forward, as if flung from a slingshot. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was white. Then two figures came into view.

"Nicholas," she said. She ran toward them, only slowing when she recognized the other. "Justina."

Her twin squealed and gave her a big hug. "You're here, too! Finally! We're all together again. You and me and Nick."

"Nicholas," he grumbled.

"What do you want to do, Julianna?" Justina asked, hopping on her right leg, then her left.

"Justina?" Julianna blinked several times, but her sister remained there, looking exactly the same as the day before she had died. "What's going on?"

Her twin spun into a circle. "We can do anything we want here." She giggled and clasped Julianna's hands. "I know. Let's have a picnic."

A red and black blanket appeared out of nowhere, grass beneath it, a wicker basket on top. Justina pounced on it and began to lay out food.

Julianna stepped toward Nick. In appearance, he looked like her Nick -- ruggedly handsome, with a five o'clock shadow, strong build, powerful arms that she wanted to feel around her...

But his eyes, his piercing hazel eyes... they were his eyes for
her
. He was staring at Justina as he had when they had dated so many years ago.

What is this place? Some kind of limbo? Am I seeing their souls?
She glanced at her hands.
Am I a soul here, too?

By now, the blanket was covered with plates and food and napkins. Justina grabbed them both and forced them to it. "Go on, enjoy."

Nick lowered to his knees. After a moment, Julianna did the same. She picked up a sandwich and sniffed. Strange. She couldn't smell anything. She put the sandwich back on the plate.

"Aren't you hungry?" Justina reached for the sandwich. "It's ham and cheese. Isn't that your favorite?"

Julianna had to smile. She knocked her shoulder into her twin's. "No, goof, that's your favorite. I prefer turkey."

Justina laughed and turned to Nick. "You're not hungry either?"

He was staring back and forth between them. "Why won't you turn older, Justina?"

"I already told you, I don't want to." She jumped to her feet and waved her arm. The picnic and everything associated with it, including the unbitten potato chip Nick held, disappeared.

"Why not? Julianna's older."

Justina's blue eyes filled with tears, as did Julianna's. It seemed that here, neither Nick nor Justina knew the truth. Justina might be able to make lots of things appear -- if Julianna had to guess, Nick and Justina had once shared a picnic just like this one
in a previous life
-- but she wouldn't be able to make herself look older because she had never gotten any older.

Julianna stood and hooked her arm through Justina's, something they had done often as little girls. "Let's just walk."

"All three of us?" Justina asked with a sniffle.

"If Nicholas wants to."

They looked at him. He shook his head.

Justina bit her lip. Before she could start crying again, Julianna tugged her along. "Come on, it'll be just like old times."

As they walked, Julianna couldn't figure out which was more surreal, walking with her dead twin as if her dead twin was still alive, or this strange pseudo-world they appeared to exist in.
Maybe we're just in Nick's mind, and we're not really here at all.

"Oh!" She touched her back. A sudden shot of pain coursed through her, and she bent over.

"Are you okay?" Justina asked.

"I'm fine." Julianna winced through the lie. After several deep breaths, she was able to stand, and they resumed their trek. Gradually, Julianna recognized their surroundings. They were walking through the zoo they had often visited as girls.

When they reached the lion, Justina stopped, her head low, her blond hair hiding her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nick doesn't seem right. Do you notice that? He's...different." Her voice was muffled.

"That's because I
am
different."

Chapter Fifty-One

Nicholas stared at the two blond ladies -- one young, one older. He felt drawn to them both. He had always loved them both -- Justina as a girlfriend, Julianna as a friend. Yet, right now, he knew something was off about his relationship with Justina. Something had come between them, but he couldn't remember what it was.

Julianna's blue eyes had wisdom in them. She knew all the answers, he was sure of it. Instead of focusing on her, he nodded to Justina.

"I am different," he repeated.

"I won't grow old, Nick. Go back to being yourself again, please," Justina begged.

His gaze flickered to Julianna. She hung her head but said nothing.

"Won't? Or can't?" he challenged, stepping toward her.

She backed up into the bars. A lion lazily lifted his head and lowered it, ignoring them.

"You never turn down a dare. I dare you to."

"No!"

"Why not? You're always willing to do anything, try anything." A memory stirred and made him grow hot. "Including drugs."

Justina shook her head. "I--"

"Don't lie to me!"

"I did do drugs, but it wasn't as often as you thought, I swear!"

"You broke your promise."

"Nick, please, stop this." Tears streamed down Justina's face, the perfect picture of a broken mess.

"Did you ever love me? Or was everything a lie? A game? A dare?" He was still forgetting something, bubbling just beneath the surface. If only he could remember... then he could go back home. Wherever home was.

Julianna stepped forward. "Of course she loved you," she whispered.

"Then why did she leave me? Why did she have to--"

"Don't say it!" Justina shrieked. "Don't say it!"

"Why did she have to kill herself?"

Immediately, all of Nicholas' memories returned.

Simultaneously, all of Justina's distress and anger dissipated. "No, Nick, I never left you. Not by choice." He opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. "Stop, please listen."

Her voice had aged to sound almost like Julianna's. Curious to hear what she had to say, he nodded.

"I did die. But I didn't kill myself. Bobby came over that night. Julianna was at the library, and Mom and Dad were out on a date. I was home alone. Bobby kept telling me he loved me, and I kept telling him I loved you, and that I wanted nothing more to do with him or his drugs. Of course, he brought some with him, and he was already high by the time he came over. He tried to get me to take some. I refused."

Nicholas had been holding his breath as she talked. Now he released it. "What happened?" he asked, his voice low.

"Bobby refused to take no for an answer. Normally we snorted. Once only before had we injected stuff. He came at me with a syringe, and that was that." She lowered her head and brought up her left arm. A small dark spot marred her porcelain skin.

"What about your note?" Julianna asked in a whisper, her lips hardly moving.

"What note?"

"'I'm sorry I failed you. I failed you all,'" Nicholas said.

Justina lifted her head. A light was shining from within her body. It looked ready to burst out of her. "I was starting to write a speech. For you two. And Mom and Dad. They never knew about the drugs. I was going to tell them. I was trying to figure out how to say it. And I wanted to get away from Bobby and his influence, and I thought the best way to do that and become someone worthy of you was to go into rehab. We had so many fun times, Nick, but I always wanted more. More crazy and wild stuff. More thrills. More everything. Nothing ever would have been enough. I thought, maybe in rehab, I could learn to be happy just being me."