Kimber (28 page)

He’s
already thought of a comeback but before he speaks in his defense, my phone
rings in my hand. It’s the same out of state number as before.

“Yellow.”
My lame attempt at mocking the way Wyler answers his phone.

“Kimber.”
Lena’s voice comes across urgent and distraught.

 I
shift to the edge of the couch. “Lena. What’s the matter?”

“He’s
missing.” Lena whispers in an apprehensive rush.

I
jump to my feet. Beside me Wyler stands, concern growing on his face. I’m highly
aware of how he’s studying my reaction. I’ve kept him in the dark and away from
the reach of my past. Other than happy child memories I’ve said nothing of the
days that existed before we met. Now it all threatened to fall apart. I need
this small remnant of normality.

“I
need a second.” I say sliding the phone down to my shoulder.

“Yeah,
absolutely.”

I
close the front door behind me and place the phone back up to my ear. My
shoulders rise and fall as I try to compose myself for the unknown.

“What
happened?”

 “I
honestly don’t know. I didn’t see anything.” I hear the tears in Lena’s voice.

“Well,
where are you? I mean, there could be a power outage or just a language barrier
or his cell is probably dead.”

“No.
It’s not possible.” She says eager to dismiss my theories.

“Then
tell me what is possible. This doesn’t just happen. He’s a grown man.” I try to
control the anger seeping through my voice.

“Leo’s
family council warned against dealings with Alexandria and her family. They
said if he decided to see Alexandria in Egypt he would do it without their
support. Obviously he didn’t listen.”

I
close my eyes, clench my teeth together and swallow down the urge to be sick.
“When’d you last see him?” She’s silent. So silent that I look at my phone to
see if the call was dropped. “Lena?”

“Eight
days. It’s been eight days.” Her voice trembles. 

            A frigid
grip tightens around my throat muffling my shock. It was not a couple
unanswered phone calls or a handful of hours gone by. It’s been over a week.
Instantly my mind goes to a dark place, speculating the possibilities and
volatile things that could have occurred in a week’s time.

            My eyes
sting with hot tears. The horrible image of Leo, lifeless as he lay on my
living room floor, Luke kicking his body, replays in my mind. A guttural sob
escapes through my lips.
This can’t be happening
.

“I’ll
be there as soon as I can.” I whisper.

I
wipe the tears from my eyes and reject this daunting reality.
You can do
this, you don’t have a choice
.

Dread
crawls over my skin. In my best attempt to look unfazed and normal, I run my
fingers roughly through my hair. I can’t waste borrowed time. I jump up from
the stoop and run back inside.

“Hey,
I’ve gotta go. I’m real sorry. Can I get a rain check?” I keep my eyes down
avoiding his glare.

“Sure.
Is everything ok? Anything I can do?” He shadows my movement.

I
reach for my keys inside my purse. I want to tell him there is a way he could
help. He could transform into a Nephilim. Even better, he could be as pure as
Leo and all my problems would be solved but that isn’t going to happen. Wyler
being a Nephilim would be the worst.

 Then
I have a wild idea. There’s too much to lose involving Wyler and the chance of
outing my secret. But there is someone Leo might have told.

“My
friend got into a jam. I can handle it.” I wish I felt as sure as I sounded.
“I’ll be gone for a few days. I’ll call you when I’m back in town.” I force a
reassuring smile across my face and b-line it to my car. 

I doubt I’m thinking
clearly by the time I reach Tommy’s shop. It’s one in a row of rented out and
glorified space units where he tricks out and rebuilds motorcycles.

            I park off
to the side and walk to where I hear metal grinding metal. If I have any hope
in finding Leo, it rides on the premise of Tommy knowing or being a Nephilim.
Preferably one of the good guys.

I
find Tommy in his shop grinding down something I’ll never know the name of
while some other guy sands the paint off a gas tank. I’m just about to call
Tommy’s name when I’m yanked by the back of my arm.

“Hey!”
I protest.

“What
are you doing here?” Mike asks.

I’d
ask him the same but from his monkey suit it’s obvious he’s working with Tommy.

“Leo’s
missing in Egypt. It’s been eight days.”

He
doesn’t react at first but when he realizes it’s no joke, his brow creases with
concern that soon washes away.

He
lifts his hat, wiping the sweat from his eyes. “And you came here to do what,  rat
us all out to Tommy? Go home.”

I
stand back, baffled by his callous regard for his friend. What is it Amber sees
in him?

“Go?
It’s Leo!”

“Exactly.
If he can’t save himself what are you going to do?”

If
I look hard enough I can see the infliction deep in his eyes.

“Mike,
help me help him.” I counter his step back with a step forward.

He
fixes his hat back on his head. “What part where you confused about when I said
I’m Switzerland? My hands are tied.”

I
close my eyes and clench my fists. I can’t accept what he says.

“You
have to help me, Mike. I know, it’s risky, but he needs you. We can get in and out
without anyone knowing you left Switzerland.” I plead.

“This
recon suicide mission you’re planning,” he pauses, “our world doesn’t work like
a fantasy. There’s a hierarchy for a reason and Half bloods don’t get in the
way of that. Besides, if they’ve had him for eight days, you’re eight days too
late.”

 
I refuse to hear him, blocking out words that cause my stomach to ache. “I
don’t care, with or without you, I will save him.”

He
shakes his head and turns to walk away but stops unexpectedly. “His blood, it
ties you together. Force him to hear you and he won’t have a choice.” I nod.
“And Kimber, his family keeps a private jet at  Clearwater Airport. I’ll call
ahead to let the pilot know you’re coming. When you get there tell the desk
clerk you’d like the Sunday special.”

“Sunday
special?”

“They
call the plane Sunday and special refers to you being part of the family. It’s
been set up that way for years. Trust me, it’ll get you on the plane no
questions asked.”

It
isn’t the help I thought he’d give me but for someone in his tight predicament,
it’s every ounce he has. I rush up to him, tossing my arms around his neck.

“See
Switzerland, you could be one of the good guys.”

MIKE
WAS RIGHT. When I request the Sunday special, I’m ushered to a really nice
Learjet already gassed and ready to circle the tarmac.

After
a fourteen hour flight and a seven hour time difference, I land at Cairo
Airport. I hail a taxi and after fifteen minutes and a language barrier, I arrive
at Lena’s Hilton hotel room in Giza. I find it odd that there is something so
American as a Hilton in Egypt. Then again, I didn’t expect the city to be
modern either.

             I’m
relieved to see Lena. Despite sleep deprivation and frazzled nerves, she hasn’t
a scratch on her. She gathers me in her arms.

            “He’s going
to hate me when he knows I’ve dragged you into this.”

“If
it means finding him, let him.” I assure her. “When you last saw Leo, where
were you?”

“The
compound. It’s on secluded ground outside city limits. Akil, Alexandria’s
father, uses it to train Half bloods.”

“Only
Half bloods?” I ask finding it suspicious.

“This
time around, yes.”

“What
happened the day you left?”

“I
had a bad allergic reaction to something I ate. Akil had his driver bring Leo
and I to the hospital in the city. Alexandria wasn’t producing what she
promised so I told Leo we should use the opportunity to leave. He agreed. He
rented this hotel room after I was discharged. He went back to the compound to
get our bags. I haven’t seen him since. Kimber, I’ve run through a hundred
different scenarios. I’ve meditated for hours trying to get a vision. There’s
only one conclusion I’ve come up with. Ambush.”

I
don’t want to believe it. I’d  put my money on Alexandria. She is as dangerous
as she is gorgeous. For weeks, she had Leo where she wanted him. I wouldn’t
expect her to give him up so easily. But it doesn’t make sense. If she could
get what she wanted with Leo’s help, she stood to gain nothing without him.
Unlike Mike D., Leo’s insurmountable pride and need to stay true to his word
surpassed what his family wanted. Losing Leo meant losing what her family was
fighting to gain.

            “It makes
sense,” Lena pause as the picture in her head takes shape, “a whole camp of
fledgling half blooded Nephs in training. Nephs not under the protection of the
Grigori. Why not take them and turn them?” 

“But
you said it was secluded.”

“It
is. But it doesn’t strike you as odd that it would get raided when one of the
most powerful pure blooded Nephs is there?”

“Wait
a minute.” I hold my hands out, gesturing for her to calm down. “You don’t
sound like you’re speculating anymore.”

Her
face falls into her hands as she slumps down in the chair next to her. “I don’t
know what to think. I failed him. I couldn’t see the danger, and now…”

I
kneel down in front of her, caressing her hand. “It doesn’t end like this.
He’ll fight and so will we.” I don’t know how I pull the words out of me
because right now, I’ve never been more scared. Suddenly it hits me.
“I
can find him! My—his blood.” I say looking down at my wrist. I jump up on the
bed and position myself in the middle.

“How?”

“I
can contact him through his blood. Since the transfusion he’s heard my
thoughts. Mike said if I forced him to hear me, he’d have no choice.”

“Your
heart.” Lena says jumping on the proverbial bandwagon of hope. “It’s something
Leo first mentioned when he left. It’s happens when Nephilims find their
consort. Their hearts synchronize so no matter where they are they can follow
the beat back to one another.” 

The
only thing following my heart is loss.

“No.
We’re not synchronized or consorts.”

Lena
searches my eyes, bewilderment on her face. “Kimber, of course it’s you. Have
you ever wondered why your heart flutters? Why you suddenly feel an unwarranted
emotion?” She grips my knee with her hand. “Love does not exist in a perfect
world. It’s not easy and half the time it feels impossible. I don’t need to be
a visionary to see your life play out with him at your side. Besides, Cybil
wouldn’t have consented to your relationship if you weren’t tied together.”

Was
it really that straightforward? And if Leo and I are actually consorts wouldn’t
we still be together? I know there will never come a day I won’t love him but
in time we’ve fallen apart. But if Cybil, Mike and Lena all seem to think I can
do it, then I will. I can find him. I will save him.

I
pull my hair back into a ponytail, close my eyes and focus on my breathing. I
clear my mind of negative energy and like Leo said, I lead myself into a
tranquil trance. I broaden my mind and reach out to him.

Leo?
Hear me.

I
wish I had time to fine tune the ability. Forcing all my energy out weakens my
body. Something moist tickles me under my nose. I run my finger across my lip.

“Kimber,
your nose, it’s bleeding!”

I
hear what she says but if I break the trance now, I’ll be too weak to try
again. I wipe my lip again, this time smelling the scent of blood as it smears
across my lip. I reach out again to Leo, this time concentrating on the rhythm
of my heart. If we’re linked he’ll use it.

 
Don’t
be stubborn.
I taunt thinking I can get a rise out of him.
I’m in Giza
and no, I’m not leaving so help me. Help me find you. Are you in Giza?

I
wait and wait and just when I feel I can’t hold on, it happens. My heart starts
hammering against my chest like a cheetah on the chase. I grab my chest.

“What?
What is it?” Lena rushes over to the bed.

“I
can feel him!”

 “Ask
him if he’s underground?” Lena exclaims. 

I
ask and he answers. Suddenly I’m panting, trying to gain equanimity. “Yes.”

“That’s
how. They’re blocking me. Shit! They could be anywhere!” Lena screams out in
anger.

Before
I can reassure him, before I can beg him to hold on, the connection snaps back
on me like an elastic band. I open my eyes as Lena hands me a damp wad of
toilet paper. I can taste the blood on my lips.