Precipice (Tribe 2)

Precipice

Tribe 2

Audrina Cole

About
Precipice
:

Ember Perry had no idea when she healed Alex that he would change the shape of her life.  He makes her feel beautiful and desired, instead of feeling like a freak.  She’ll do whatever it takes to be with him—even if it means hiding the relationship from her parents.  But Alex knows Ember is hiding something else, and asks the kind of questions she can’t answer.  How can she divulge the grotesque side of her nature without losing him?  

Alex isn’t the only one asking questions.  Ember has put her family in jeopardy, and the one person she thinks she can trust the most is getting closer to the real truth.  The revelation of Ember’s biggest secret is the one thing that could make her lose everything.  Because in nature, there is give and take.  Darkness and light.  Life and death.  And when Ember gives someone the gift of health, she has to take something from someone else.

Blood.

Also by Audrina Cole

Tribe
(available now)

Tribe 3: Patriarch (coming late August 2014)

www.AudrinaCole.com

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2014 by Audrina Cole

Chapter 1

Pacing back and forth, I wrapp
ed my arms around myself, to send healing energy through my system.  But the fear and the anxiety had my energy channels clamped down, and I didn’t make much progress. 

Alex had called me to meet him at the park near his house, and had revealed to me that my worst fear had come true—Alex’s “miraculous” recovery from stage four pancreatic cancer had garnered the attention of a visiting surgeon at Sacred Heart Hospital.

He knew the danger that represented to my family.  What he didn’t know was that regardless of the outcome, it meant that he might never see me again.

“Ember, talk to me.”

I turned away, shaking my head, and put a hand over my mouth to hold back the sobs.

I felt Alex coming up behind me.  “I’m so sorry.”

“Why should you be sorry?”  I swiped at a tear, still unable to face him.  “It was
my
decision to heal you.  I knew the risks.  I did it anyway.”

“But now you’ve traded my life for your own, and for your family’s lives.  It’s my fault.  If I could have been more convincing
when that doctor called—”

I turned to him, sad to see the guilt and misery work its way through him.  “No.  Don’t even go there.  You couldn’t have known.  And I’m not sorry.  I’d do it again, if I had to.”  The guilt of that statement overwhelmed me, but I knew it was true.  No matter what, I’d do it all over again. 

I’d do anything for Alex.

“Maybe we should talk to your parents.  They’ll know what to do—”

“Are you crazy?  I already
know
what they’ll do.”  I took a deep breath, and averted my gaze. I couldn’t bear to look him in the eye.  “They already have a plan in place.  Every Healer family does.  If we are discovered in any way, we leave.”

“What?”

“If we have time, we pack a bag, if not, we leave with the clothes on our backs.  We meet at a predetermined location.  If we suspect one of us has been caught, the rest of us go on and meet again somewhere else, somewhere the captured person wouldn’t think of.  If we get separated, we just go wherever it’s safe, and hope we can meet up at the next tribal reunion.”

“Tribal reunion?  What’s that?”

“All the Healers in North America meet up periodically—usually ever year, if possible—so we can be around others like us.  There aren’t that many of us, and it’s dangerous to keep in contact regularly.  If someone should be discovered and taken, we don’t want to lead the government to the rest of the tribe.”

“
So it’s like a big family reunion?”

“Sort of.”

He frowned.  “So…back to the plan; if you’re found out, or if someone in your family is taken in…?”

“Everyone
who isn’t in custody disappears.”

“And
if you’re the one in custody, you lose contact with your entire family?”

I nodded.  “And if the other family members get separated, they either have to hope they find a way back to each other somehow, or else they have to wait until the reunion
to meet up.  If the situation is so dangerous that the reunion has to be canceled, then we have to figure out how to meet up with each other, in such a way that the captured member wouldn’t be able to figure it out.”

“What?  That’s terrible!”

“It’s necessary.  It’s possible that the captured person could be threatened, or even tortured, in order to locate the family or other Healers.”

Alex turned and paced away from me, then stalked back.  “I can’t believe I’ve put you in this kind of jeopardy.”  His chest heaved from anxiety as he paced back and forth.

“I told you, it’s
not
your fault.  I was the one who made the choice.”

“So we just…what?  Wait
and hope it blows over, and no one comes for you?”

“I…I don’t know if Mom would risk waiting.  The longer we wait, the higher the risk that one or all of us could be taken in.”

He stopped pacing and faced me.  “So…you’re saying that if your parents find out that someone is asking questions…you’ll all disappear?”

“To save ourselves, and our people.  Yes.” I folded my arms over my chest, trying to hold
back the tears.

“And I…?”

“Would never see me again.”  My voice broke as I said the words.

“Ember, no!”  Horror marred his handsome face.  “You can’t leave!”

“I’m not going to.  Not if I don’t have to.  I might have to warn the family eventually, but I can’t, yet.  I can’t risk…leaving my life behind.”  I was too afraid to admit to him that he
was
my life.  “But I can’t risk my family’s lives, either.  When I have to tell them,
if
I have to tell them…I will.”

“You won’t really just disappear, will you?”  His anxiety swelled.  “I’m not going to just wake up one day and find out you’re gone?”  He put his hands on my shoulders.  “Please tell me that won’t happen.”

I stared at him, my mouth open, but unable to speak.  I couldn’t tell him that if my mother had anything to say about it, that was
exactly
what would happen.  The Perry family would cease to exist.  We’d have new names, new identities, and a new home…possibly even in another country.  The Healer network would hide us, and there would be no finding me.

“Ember!” he snapped, shaking me.  “Tell me you’d never do that to me!”

Tears pricked my eyes, and I shifted my gaze.  “I might not have a choice.  Not if I’m going to keep my family safe.  But I promise that if it comes to that, I’ll do everything I can to see you first, or get a message to you, so that you know I’ve left.”

He let go of me, dropping his arms and stalking away, hiding his expression.  Then he stopped, looking up at the sky, his back rigid.  He stood like that for a moment, and I was afraid to speak—afraid he’d bolt, if I did.

He turned abruptly and strode back to me, stopping just inches away, glaring down at me.  “We’re not telling anyone, then.  Do you hear?  Not unless we know.  Not unless there’s real danger.  I’m not going to risk losing you over the chance that this guy
might
be bad news.  He’s a doctor—not some government agent.  He’s just intrigued, that’s all.  I’ll find a way to disinterest him.  I’ll find a way, Ember.  You just keep your mouth shut.  I’ll keep you all safe.  I promise.”

He yanked me to him, kissing me with every bit of passion that he had the first time
we’d kissed.  He stole my breath, my thoughts, my everything—there was nothing but him, and he was all that I wanted.  When he pulled away, it was like my very skin was being torn from me.  I didn’t want to let him go.

“You’re supposed to be keeping me in line, remember?”  His voice was raspy, and his breathing heavy.

I was gasping for air myself.  “Uh…why was that, exactly?”

“Because I can’t be trusted,” he chuckled…but the laughter didn’t reach his eyes.

“I trust you.” 

“You’re killing me,” he groaned, pulling away.

It was then that I felt the stares, and turned to see mothers at the playground looking in our direction.  I couldn’t tell if they were glaring in irritation at our display, or staring at Alex and envying my luck.  Either way, I could feel some kind of negative vibe being thrown in our direction.  “I think we should go.  Those women are giving us the evil eye.”

He glanced over his shoulder and laughed.  “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”  He threw an arm around my shoulder and escorted me to the curb.  “Be careful.  Don’t call me until I figure this out, and don’t come to my house.  We need to stay on the down low, until we know you’re in the clear.”

My heart sank.  “How will we communicate?” 

He thought a minute, frowning.  Then he smiled.  “I can call Jenna!  My parents know her parents.  It wouldn’t be weird for a call to go from my house to hers.  And she calls your cell phone all the time.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea!  But…”

“What?”

“Well…she’s going to see it as a chance to grill you about…you know…”

“Us?”

I smiled, and my heart skipped.  “Yeah.” 
There’s an “us”! 
I knew he had feelings for me, but he hadn’t yet brought up the subject of us actually being a couple, or being serious.  And I still had a hard time completely believing that he would
keep on
feeling what he was feeling for me.

“I can handle Jenna.  And her questions.”

“You say that,” I said with a grimace, “but you underestimate the powers of her nagging.”

Chapter 2

True to form, Jenna grilled Alex mercilessly.  It was embarrassing.  Jenna wouldn’t even tell me everything she’d asked him on the phone, and she was suspiciously vague when I asked her what his answers were.  I gave her as little information as possible, but sometimes she held his messages ransom from me unless I fed her a little bit of gossip.  It was an excruciating two days.  I couldn’t text him or speak to him, and it was driving me insane.

Even Mom noticed.  By Wednesday evening I was cranky and restless, stalking around the house like a caged lion.  “Will you sit down?  You’re making me nervous,” she complained.  She and Dad were playing Monopoly with River at the kitchen table.  “What has you all worked up?” 

“It’s nothing.  I just…I’m expecting a call from Jenna.”

“But Jenna just called you two hours ago,” Dad said.  He didn’t like distractions during a game—he was a board game shark, and he hated to lose.  “Why are you so anxious to hear from her again?”

“It’s…girl stuff, Dad.  You wouldn’t understand.”

That was enough to make Dad clam up and redouble his focus on the game.  Mom eyed me with suspicion, but said nothing.  She wasn’t one to stick her nose in, unless she was asked. 

I wasn’t asking.

A noise outside startled me.  Meadow clomped in a few moments later, wearing her traditional uniform of hiking boots, jeans, and an open flannel shirt over a lace-trimmed tank top—her one concession to her feminine side.  She kicked the door shut behind her and dropped her worn navy-blue backpack beside the door.

I was relieved for the distraction.  “Hey, who are you, and why are you just walking into our house?”

“Ha, ha, little sister.  I see you still don’t have a life.  When are you going to get a boyfriend?” 

I blushed and turned away, done with the sisterly sparring.  For a change of pace, I decided to sit on the couch and stare out the window at the twilight…and work myself up some more over why I had no new messages from Alex.  Could Jenna be interrogating him right now? 
Well, at least this will be good practice for him, in case anyone ever does corner him and ask him questions about his recovery.

I could feel my family’s curiosity pushing in on my aura, so I strengthened my energy shield to prevent them from sensing any more than they might already have. 
Geez, it must be nice for normal girls, to not have your family sensing every darn thing you’re feeling.

Meadow observed the game for a minute, teasing River about how he was always “letting” Dad win.  River could be as competitive as Dad, so the barb was a well-placed one.  I watched her leaning over the table, her long, dark blonde hair falling over her shoulder.  Hers was soft and straight—she got her hair texture from my Dad. 
Her hair, plus her willowy, athletic figure made her popular with the boys everywhere she went.  I’d probably hate her, if she wasn’t such an awesome sister.   Most of the time.

She caught me watching her, and that was enough invitation for her.  She waltzed over, planting herself next to me on the couch.  “So…boyfriend?”

That was all it took to make me blush.  She always knew how to get to me.  Meadow didn’t need to break through my shield to learn the truth.  All she had to do was embarrass it out of me.

“Mind your own business, Meadow.”

“I knew it!” she shouted gleefully, with a fist pump.  “About time, Ember.  I was beginning to think you’d become a nun.”

I caught my mom’s gaze flicker upward, then back down at the board.  She didn’t miss a trick.  But she did respect my privacy.

“That’s enough, Meadow,” she scolded.

Meadow watched me, and I suspected she was surveying my body language.

The cell phone ringing on the heavy wooden mantle was my saving grace.  I jumped up, snatching it before Meadow got any ideas.

“Ember,” Mom chastened, “
you know I don’t like you keeping the cell phone on in the house.  We have a land line for a reason.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
cell phone signals are evil, etcetera.
  “I know Mom.  Sorry.”  I glanced at the caller ID displayed.  It was Alex. 
Why is he calling me directly?
I answered on the third ring.  “Hello?”

“Ember, thank God!”  Alex’s voice on the other end
was tense.  Panicked.

“Hold on.”  My senses were instantly on alert.  I walked quickly toward the stairs, heading for the semi-privacy of my room.  I used my thumb to turn down the volume on the phone as I hurried up the stairs and slipped into my room, shutting the door behind me. 

“What’s wrong?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice even.  I hoped everyone downstairs had gone on with their game, instead of listening in.

“It’s my mom.  She was in a
car accident. They wouldn’t tell Dad much over the phone, but he said he could tell by the cop’s voice that it wasn’t good.”

My stomach twisted—both for Alex’s pain, and for what I knew was coming next.

“Please…can you help her?  I know I have no right to ask,” he rushed to add.  “And if it was for me, you know I wouldn’t.  But it’s
my mom
.  For the last two years, she gave her whole life up for me, taking me to doctors, looking after me, praying for a cure.  I listened to her cry for me every night.  Finally, I’m healed, and she can be happy—and now
this
happens!  Please, Ember, I know it’s not fair to ask, but…I can’t help it.  I’m asking, anyway.”

My heart thudded in my chest.  Mrs. Baxter was a very sweet woman, and a good mom.  She was the polar opposite of my mom
—she watched over Alex’s every move, whenever possible.  But she loved him every bit as much as my mom loved me.  How would I feel if it was my mom lying on a stretcher, dying?

Despite the distance, Alex’s fear closed in on me, an oppressive blanket.  It was hard to breathe.  I felt the anxiety as if it was my own mother in jeopardy, and I knew I wouldn’t say no. 

“Which hospital are they taking her to?”

“
It happened on the highway, so they’re taking her to Sacred Heart—it’s closest.  Dad is on his way to pick me up here at my job, then take me to see her.”

“
Did they say what happened?  What caused the accident?”

“
The cop said it was a semi truck that caused the wreck.  That’s all I know.  Dad was in too much shock to remember exactly what the cop told him.  I just know Mom’s car spun out, and it flipped, and…” 

I could hear his breathing
, fast and shallow.

“Alex, take a deep breath.  It’s going to be alright.”  I mentally calculated the injuries she could have.  Lacerations, broken bones, internal hemorrhaging, skull fractures…
all injuries that would be well-documented before I got there. 
What have I gotten myself into?

“What if she doesn’t make it?  What if she dies before you can get there
…?” his voice broke.

“You listen to me,” I said,
in a stern voice, “she’s going to make it.  Okay?  You just keep thinking that.  You don’t let yourself believe anything else, not for one moment.  But you need to be prepared—I won’t know how much healing I can give her until I get there.  I can’t attract too much attention.”

He heaved a trembling sigh.  “I understand.  If you can just stop her from dying, that’s good enough for me.  I know you can always give her more healing later.”

“And keep your spirits up, as much as possible.  She needs all the positive energy sent her way that you can muster.  Don’t let your worry or fear taint her aura.  She’s going to make it.  Got it?”

I could hear him
swallow.  “Yeah.  Yeah, I got it.  But you’re coming, right?”

“I’m on my way.
You’ll get there before I do, but I’ll get there as fast as I can.”

I hung up and grabbed my purse, checking to make sure that my hospital volunteer badge was still inside.  I knew it might come in handy. 

My bedroom door opened, and my sister stood there, arms folded over her chest.  “Where do you think you’re going?”

“None of your business, Meadow.”  I tried to move around her, but she barred my way.

“Uh-uh.  I heard that call.  Was that your boyfriend?”

“Geez, give it up already!  I don’t have time for gossip.”

“I heard what you said.  Someone’s hurt.  And you’re going to heal whoever it is.”

“You don’t understand—”

“Oh, I understand.  You think the rest of us don’t get it?  You think we haven’t had friends whose sisters or brothers or parents got sick?  You think I’ve never had a friend have an accident?  You think I’ve never wanted to heal someone so bad that my heart hurt?  But sometimes you just
can’t
.”

“That’s bull!  I’m seventeen. I’m practically an adult now, and I should be able to decide for myself!”

“That just proves that you’re
not
an adult!  You think you can go around healing people willy-nilly!  Mom told me all about the sick kid you healed.  How you put the whole family at risk, for one kid.  I get it, Ember, I do, but you can’t be selfish.  You can’t let your own guilt rule you, and put us all at risk.  You know the consequences.  And not just for us.  For the entire Healer tribe.  Stop being so selfish and grow up!”

She was right. I knew she was right.  But Alex’s fear and anxiety was still with me, and all I could think of was that his mom needed me…
he
needed me.  And I couldn’t turn my back on him.

“I never said I was going to magically make her all better.  I don’t need to heal her completely.  I can just heal her enough that she doesn’t die.”

“Yeah, right. I heard part of what your boyfriend said on the phone.  Something about a semi truck?  You’re talking serious injuries, for sure.  Internal bleeding.  Probably broken bones too.  By the time you get there, they’ll have done x-rays on her.  And you’ll come along and heal her enough that the bones will show remodeling already.  And that’s
if
you can stop yourself from being the hero.”

“It’s not like that!” I
hissed.  She could be so infuriating sometimes.  “I care about these people!  They’ve suffered so much—you have
no
idea!  She’s been through enough. 
He’s
been through enough!  And I’ve had enough of you.  Get out of my way.” I pushed past her, catching her off guard, and running down the stairs, past my parents, who were obviously on their way up.  There was no doubt they’d heard the entire argument. 

“Ember, stop.”  Mom reached out to take my arm, but I yanked away before she could. 

“Ember!” The boom of my father’s voice startled me, but I didn’t stop.  I ran out the door and down the steps, my entire family rushing to catch up with me. 

Mom
was the fastest, darting around me to put her hand on my car’s driver door to prevent me from opening it. 

“Ember Sage Perry, you stop this instant
!  I can’t let you do this.  You know better.  We’re already at risk because of you healing that boy.  You can’t go rushing off to do the same thing, only a few weeks later.  You might as well hold up a neon sign saying ‘come get your guinea pigs here!’  I’m sorry, but you can’t go.”

I could feel Meadow, River, and Dad coming up behind me.  I felt trapped, their collective disapproval weighing heavy on my aura.

“You don’t understand!”  I snapped.  “That family doesn’t deserve to suffer.  I’m
tired
of watching people suffer.  He’s…they’re waiting for me.  I may be their only hope.”

Mom must have caught my slip, or something in my voice told her this was more than my usual
complaint about not having the freedom to heal. 

“Ember…the person you were on the phone with…that was the same boy you healed, wasn’t it?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but I knew it was useless to deny it.  Meadow had eavesdropped on the whole thing. It wouldn’t be hard to put together.  “Yes.”

“You’ve been seeing him?” 
Mom gasped.

My eyes flicked to River.  He gave me a warning look, which told me he hadn’t spilled the beans.  My mom was just really
intuitive.  It was so annoying.

“Maybe.”  I crossed my arms, begrudging the intrusion.  I felt jittery and nervous, eager to get to the hospital before it was too late.

“Ember!” Dad snapped.  “How could you put us in this kind of jeopardy, over a boy?  There are thousands of boys you could choose from, and you choose the one that poses the most danger to us?  What if he figures things out?”

I said nothing.

“Oh my God!”  Mom was aghast.  “He already knows, doesn’t he? “Oh, Ember, how could you?”

“He already
knew
,” River piped up.  “Ember didn’t have to tell him.”

“River, don’t—”  I didn’t want him falling on his sword for me.

“I think they need to know, and it’s only a matter of time before they grill me about it and figure out that I knew.”

“You knew?” Dad was shocked.  “And you didn’t tell us?”