Set the Sky on Fire (Fire Trilogy Book 1) (23 page)

Ari woke in the morning naked and entwined with Nate. He was awake already, and when he saw her eyes flicker open, he kissed her on the forehead.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He looked as happy as she felt.

“Sorry to leave you, but I’m going to run myself through the shower.”

He kissed her again before untangling himself and pulling on a pair of shorts. Ari, deprived of his warm body, rolled out of bed and dressed. Nevaeh was in the kitchen with a bowl of muesli and a glass of water.

“Well, I must say you don't look very well rested, which is strange seeing you have such a big grin on your face.” Nevaeh taunted her.

Ari’s grin widened further.

Before long, Nate joined them at the dining room table with his own bowl of muesli.

“So what's the plan then?” Nevaeh asked casually, but they all knew play-time was over.

“I say we draw the seether out. We just edge into his periphery, and let him know we're here. At least, then he’ll know he doesn't have a free run,” Ari replied, pitching her idea.

Not an elaborate plan but, in Ari’s mind, it seemed like the most imperative move.

“And what would stop him from taking you again?” Nevaeh asked.

“One, I will have Nate with me, and two, the element of surprise will hopefully mean he hasn't got anything planned that could work in his favour. If he does start coming after us, we just run.”

“Well, I need to go home and say hi to my parents. So I assume, if you’re tracking him, it will be safe for me to do that?” Nevaeh asked.

They discussed the possible problems with the plan and decided it would hold the least risk. They would drop Nevaeh off on the way to find the seether and pick her up again on their way back. They set down guidelines.

“I’m not a child,” Nevaeh said.

“I don’t care,” Ari replied. “Don't open the door to strangers. If you’re worried at all, just pick up the phone and call. Don't do anything stupid.” Nevaeh nodded along, looking more and more impatient as the list grew.

To draw the seether's attention, they needed to get Nate close enough for the seether to sense his presence, but no closer. They wanted to send a message—we can find you wherever you are. It was as much as a threat as anything, and hopefully, it would buy them some time while they came up with a way to stop him.

The day was grey and dreary, a slight drizzle misting the air. It wet the windscreen but too lightly for the wipers to clear properly, and they screeched on the glass, leaving streaks.

“Be vigilant,” Nate told Nevaeh as she stepped out of the car heading for home.

“This ain’t World War II, pretty boy,” Nevaeh laughed.

“Please be serious,” Ari implored. “Be extra careful.”

“I will. Stop worrying. I’ll lock the door and not open it for anyone.” Nevaeh waved and walked away.

Ari sat in the passenger seat while Nate drove through the city, her mind wandering. An image of the seether standing over her holding a jug of boiling water intruded into her mind. She shook her head slightly, imperceptibly, but enough to bring her back to the present. They found the seether in less than an hour. Ari picked up on his location and guided them towards him. Once Nate could feel his presence strongly, they knew it would be reciprocated. The seether would know they were there. After sticking around only for a minute or two, they turned and disappeared back in the direction of home. That was all they needed to do for now.

“Hopefully, that will give us some time,” Ari said.

They’d need to come up with a tactic for getting rid of him for good but, so far, neither had been able to formulate anything that came close to a feasible plan. That wasn't entirely accurate. Ari had a 'worst case scenario' strategy, but she hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

As if he'd sensed her internal conflict, Nate’s hand slid from the gear stick and onto her knee. Ari looked across at him. Without taking his eyes off the road, he gave her a heart-warming smile. She rested her hands on Nate’s and squeezed it gently. Her mood lifted. Considering her world seemed to be dismantling itself around her, right at that moment, she felt like she had some control. As if they had just redefined the boundaries.

They pulled up outside Nevaeh’s house to pick her up. The high fence and thick trees provided privacy for the house, and conversely, from where they were in the car, screened them from prying eyes inside. Nate had his hand on the door handle, ready to get out. Ari grabbed his arm to stop him, pulling him back towards her.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, his eyes fixed on hers, concern flicking in their depths. She moved close to him, leaned forward and crushing her mouth on his, a sweet release for all the tension. Memories of last night flitted through Ari’s imagination, spurring her on. His hand trailed along her back, just like it had last night. But then there hadn’t been a lick of fabric on her to dull the sensation. She wanted those hands all over her. If the gear stick hadn’t been prodding into her ribs, she may have stayed where she was. The groan that left Nate’s lips when she pulled back from him mirrored her own feelings.

“I'll get her,” Ari gasped. “And then we can go home.”

She almost skipped as she made her way to the gate. Reaching through to unlatch it, she inhaled the strong fragrance of jasmine from the small white flowers creeping up the fence. The spring on the self-closing gate, in desperate need of oil, squealed as she pushed it opened. Ari looked at Nevaeh’s house. The blue front door with its red glass panels was wide open. From her position at the gate, Ari could see inside to the coat rack and the rug that covered the entrance way. Nevaeh wouldn’t have left the door open like that, especially after all their nagging. But that, wasn't what frightened her. A hand lay on the rug, not moving. And, from where she stood, she couldn’t see who it belonged to. All the skin on her body went tight, nausea flushing through her.

Ari had been standing there too long, scared to see who the hand belonged to but unable to find her voice to call to Nate. The car door could be heard opening and slamming behind her, loud enough to startle her tenuous nerves. Nate appeared by her side. He took her hand and slowly drew her in to reposition her behind him, protecting her from any danger and obscuring her view. They moved towards the doorway.

Ari swallowed her fears and stepped up next to Nate, so she could see inside. There on the floor lay Nevaeh’s mum, blood matting her hair. She was surrounded by the remains of a shattered vase. Ari ran to her and crouched by her side, conscious not to kneel on the fragments. She checked for a pulse, watching the rise and fall of her chest. She was still alive, still breathing, but out cold. Nate ventured further into the house, leaving Ari to try and rouse her.

Mrs van Houten stirred and her eyes fluttered open and snapped closed again. Sporadically, she moaned. Her eyes opened again, unfocussed.

Nate reappeared. “Mr van Houten is awake, but I can't get much sense out of him. He seems to be drugged.”

Ari nodded. Nevaeh’s mother pushed at the floor, unsuccessfully attempting to stand up, even with Ari’s help. Nate scooped her up and carried her to the lounge, placing her on the chair next to her husband.

“Ari, I can't find Nevaeh,” Nate said.

This time, Ari didn’t freeze. She was in control. Without hesitating, she picked up the phone and called the police and reported a break-in, and that two people were injured, possibly drugged. She detailed the state of Nevaeh’s parents and provided their address. Then, against the request of the emergency operator, she ended the phone call.

“We need to get out of here before anyone shows up. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck here answering questions all night. And if we’re here, we can’t help Nevaeh.”

They raced out and jumped in the car. The gears graunched as Nate slammed the car into first gear. The car left the curb like a race horse. Then, a couple of blocks later, Nate pulled over. Ari stared at him. “What…” But he’d stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut.

“Where are you going?” Ari yelled after him. His face wore a scowl, his eyes were dark and his lips thin. Ari followed him out, anxious at what he might do.

“What is it?” she tried again.

Nate locked his jaw, seemingly coming back to reality. But the sadness in his eyes made Ari’s heart break. She tried to hug him, hoping it would help, but he only pushed her away.

“It's time I tried to take him down. This has gone on for too long. Too many people are in danger. I should have done it a long time ago.” His face softened, and his hand rested on the side of Ari's face. “I’ve been selfish. For the first time, since this whole nightmare started, since the seethers came through, I’ve known what it is to be happy, as if I belong, as if I am meant to be here—with you. I didn’t want to let that go. I'm sorry.”

Ari wanted to tell him to shut up, she hated hearing him talk of fighting the seether, but he held up a hand, asking for her silence.

“There is a chance I can stop him from hurting you, your family, your friends. I have been self-indulgent for far too long. Now look what’s happening. The people you love are getting hurt. It’s time I faced him head on. It’s the only way to stop him.”

“No,” Ari yelled. His words felt like a betrayal. “You don’t get to risk it all. They’re not your family and friends. There has to be another way. What about the other sentinels?”

“We've run out of time. I’m on my own. Up until now, the seether has been limited in what he can do but, with his little lackey running around doing the dirty work for him, now I don't know what they can accomplish. I need to do this. You have to take me to him. For Nevaeh’s sake.”

Ari fell silent. He was right, they were out of choices. She checked off the options in her head. But this, Nate facing the seether alone, had never been one of them.

“Okay,” she agreed. Her head dropped in submission.

“Thank you for not fighting me on this.” He sounded a little relieved. “We need to get moving. Who knows what they have planned for Nevaeh.

“You wouldn’t do this unless you thought you could win, right?” Ari asked.

“I’ve got you to fight for. What better motivation is there?”

Nate stole a kiss, his lips lingering, making it feel final. As they returned to the car, an air of inevitability drenched her. There was no chance Ari would let him go head to head with the seether.

They pulled up to a mall, one that Ari had often frequented in the past. The car park was three-quarters full, which meant the shops would be too.

“We’re here—and so is the seether,” Ari said, not looking at Nate.

“Why would he have chosen a mall? It’s is not his usual method.”

“Perhaps there’s an empty storeroom inside somewhere.”

“It doesn't make sense. Why would he choose such a densely populated place? Anybody could stumble upon them or hear them.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Ari said.

They headed into the mall where they were soon surrounded by a throng of people. Ari tried to move quickly through the crowds, but it was near impossible. Nate eventually took the lead. His height and solid physique meant more people would at least attempt to get out of his way, although there were a few young girls who blatantly stayed in his path in the hope of getting his attention. Ari scowled at them as she trailed along behind.

They arrived at a cross juncture in the mall. Nate stopped and looked back at Ari.

“Which way?”

Nate had put all his faith in her. Blind faith. Apparently, he hadn't twigged that if he wasn’t able to feel the seether, he musn’t be there. Guilt charged through Ari, her stomach stirred with anxiety, she looked up at him and let go of his hand.

“That way,” she said, pointing into an offshoot of the mall.

Placing a hand on the small of his back, she urged him forward, taking a step herself to suggest she would be right behind him. Nate took off in the direction she’d indicated. Ari stayed where she was, watching as people flooded the gap between them. She waited a moment longer to make sure he kept on walking, wishing she could say goodbye, wishing she could tell him how she had fallen in love with him in the few weeks they had known each other.

With a sinking heart, she turned and walked into a small alley between two shops, heading towards the after-hours’ exit for the mall staff. A friend who worked at the movie theatre had shown it to Ari a few years back. It cut a line in behind the shops and exited back out into the car park, right next to where Ari had asked Nate to park the car. There were only a few people in the corridor, and they moved to the side when they saw her sprinting towards them.

Ari jumped into the car and drove out of the car park as fast as she could. The speed bumps threatened to defeat the aging car's suspension. She drove on, checking her rear-view mirror repeatedly. There was no sign of Nate. It wasn’t until she rounded the corner that she relaxed her foot off the accelerator a little, the mall and its car park now safely out of sight.

Ari gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. When the seether had told her of Nevaeh’s death in Melbourne, she’d been devastated. Now, the pain she’d experienced echoed like a ghost in the back of her mind. No way was she willing to feel that way again. The drive seemed to take an eternity. An endless line of lamp posts whizzed past on the two-lane road. Ari ducked in and out of traffic, trying to touch the brakes as little as possible. The car ahead was dawdling. When a spot opened up in traffic next to her, she jerked the wheel and the car lurched into the left lane, nearly winging someone's front bumper. The startled driver leaned on his horn.

Finally, she looped back around to where they had started that morning, and parked the car next to the curb outside her house. Hesitantly, she climbed out, looking around, hoping she wouldn’t be ambushed by the seether. Although it didn't matter either way, she was walking into this willingly. The seether was inside, she could sense his presence, it hit her like a waft of rotting meat. The wealth of anger with him had to be coming from Nevaeh, and she was pissed off. At least, she was alive and alert.

As there was no point concealing her approach, Ari marched up to the house. There was no escape plan this time. She would meet the seether face to face.

She twisted the door knob and walked into the entranceway, with a clear view of the dining room. The seether turned to look at her when he heard the click of the catch as she closed the door.

“Ah, Miss Arianna, how wonderful of you to join us and how very predictable.”

She stepped forward, in full view of the dining table. Three chairs were neatly pushed under the table. The other three were occupied.

Michelle’s arms were tightly folded, her eyes sunken and she looked close to breaking down. Ari looked at Nevaeh, seated side on to the front door, as she struggled to turn in her chair. It appeared they’d used half a roll of duct tape to keep her immobile. It was wound around her waist, attaching her to the chair, and behind her back it had been used to bind her hands, like a ragged silver bracelet. Her feet were restrained in the same manner and so was her mouth. A trail of incoherent mumbling came from her. Nevaeh’s eyes told the story her mouth couldn’t, and they were practically frothing. Her nose flared with every breath she took. She was furious and, as the mumbling increased, she tried to jerk her hands free, rocking the chair from side to side. A trickle of blood marked the side of her face from a wound on her forehead, just above her left temple. The seether, leaning against the table, laughed at her efforts.

Ari was still. The last time she’d stood in that exact spot, Nate had kissed her for the first time. Just for a moment, she found herself dissolve into the memory, recalling how wonderful it had felt. Then, she pulled herself up and stepped forward.

As she moved closer, the seether rose, pulled out an empty chair and placed it on the far side of the room, next to the kitchen door. It was facing directly at Neveah, but far enough away that Ari couldn’t reach her.

“I would take the tape off her mouth, but your friend has a very limited vocabulary and, to be honest, I’m getting rather tired of the same expletives.”

Ari ignored him. “Are you okay?”

“Mmmmm hmmm.” Nevaeh nodded.

“Your father has a wonderful garage, full of tools. I would have settled for a bit of rope, but I think duct tape is the much classier option. I will have to thank him when he gets out of hospital. How is he by the way? Resting, I hope. Such a terrible tragedy. Must have scared your mother senseless.”

Ari fought hard to keep her emotions in check. She would gain nothing by giving in to them, well, not yet anyway.

“I’m surprised you showed up alone. I’m assuming the sentinel wouldn't have let you come to visit all by yourself. So you must have done a good job of ditching him. Tell me—how did you manage it?”

“I took him to the mall.”

The seether laughed enthusiastically. “Right—the classic way girls lose their boyfriends. I expected a bit more originality, but I guess the old tricks are the best.” The laugh died into a simper. “Take a seat.” His open hand signalled to the empty chair.

Ari did as he asked. On the table, next to Michelle, lay what Ari could only assume was the contents from her pockets. There was a small, nondescript bottle of pills and a taser. Michelle saw her looking at them.

“I had no choice. Please believe me. He’s making me do these horrendous things. I didn’t know what he’d done to your father until afterwards.”

“You seemed up for it in Melbourne.” Ari had no sympathy.

“I never thought it would go this far. I thought he liked me.” She gave the seether a venomous look as she screwed her nose in disgust.

“So what, kidnapping and torture are okay as long as the person asking is putting out?”

“It’s just …” But Michelle didn't finish the sentence.

“No possible excuse could make this anywhere near okay,” Ari said.

The seether’s smile grew as Ari became more irritated as if she was playing right into his hands.

“Please carry on, this is getting entertaining,” he said.

“It was fun at first. Exciting.” Michelle tried to explain.

“There’s something wrong with you if you think this has been fun.”

“When we got back home though, doing that to your Dad, I couldn’t… it wasn’t right.”

“But you did it anyway. He’s lying in a hospital bed. In pain. Because of you. You did it to him. The scars you inflicted will be on him for the rest of his life.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You were there. The neighbours saw you.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Or what—did he threaten to ditch you?” Ari scoffed.

“No. He said he would hurt me.”

“What makes you think I won’t, after what you did to Dad.”

“Please Ari. If I didn’t, he said he was going to mess up my face.”

“Why didn’t you just run? Christ, you could have been long gone by now.”

“Where would I go?” she yelled back. “Where would I hide, Ari? There’s nowhere to go.”

Ari’s anger dissipated, and in pity took its place. How sad and pathetic Michelle had become.

The seether saw the change on Ari’s face. He walked over to the table and picked up the roll of duct tape casually twirling it around on his finger. Ari didn’t want to be restrained, that would be a
bad
idea. She scanned the room for an alternative.

Too late, he was already standing behind her. She waited to feel his hands grab her. To Ari's surprise, the seether walked by and kept strolling until he was standing behind Michelle. Using his free hand, the seether guided her hair back over one shoulder, exposing the nape of her neck. Leaning over, he laid his lips on her skin. Michelle closed her eyes.

“You loved every moment. We had so much fun together.” His teeth tugged gently on her ear lobe.

That same moment, the seether roughly gathered up both her arms. Michelle's eyes shot open as if doused in freezing water. Before she understood what was happening, he’d wound duct tape around both her wrists, binding them together. She screamed and thrashed against the restraints. She tried to throw herself off the chair but the seether yanked her back down and wrapped the tape around her waist.

“What the hell are you doing, you prick? I’ve done everything you asked.” Her screams were fraught with panic.

Only her legs were free, and she used them to her best advantage. She kicked furiously at the only thing she could reach, the dining table. The first decent kick sent everything on it flying in all directions, hammering down onto the floor like a lolly scramble. The second kick connected better and sent her chair crashing back into the seether. The impact hardly even swayed him from his position but was enough to aggravate him. He took a step to the side, and shoved the chair back against the wall as if it was a toy.

Standing in front of Michelle, he grabbed her by the chin, pulling her in close to him, so she was forced to half stand, half stoop, with the chair still attached to her abdomen. He crouched, so when he spoke they were eye to eye.

“If you behave yourself, I won't kill you now.” He planted one hand on Michelle’s forehead and pushed, shunting her back into the chair, which tipped and smashed against the wall.

“Now sit down and shut up,” he yelled at her.

Just to accentuate the last command, he tore off a small bit of duct tape and slapped it over her mouth, trapping a clump of hair. Michelle looked dishevelled and, for the first time since Ari had known her, she looked utterly defeated. She put up no resistance as the seether repositioned her chair and finished binding her feet.

“That's better.” The seether sat down and turned his attention back to Ari. “Now, we can talk. You and I need to find an understanding before more people get hurt, or worse.”

Ari flinched.

“You should be thankful. We could have easily killed your parents. A bit of gratitude would be nice.”

“I assume I have Michelle to thank for that. I imagine as manipulative as you've been, she still wasn't ready to kill anyone for you.”

Ari scrutinised Michelle, whose face, which since being bound had a look of torment, now softened. Ari could feel her guilt subside slightly.

“You weren't sure if we’d arrived back yet, were you?” Ari asked. “I know you can't afford to kill any of us yourself, not when there’s a chance we’ll be close enough to get to you.”

The seether's confidence slid for a moment, but then his arrogance returned.

“Well that's not quite true is it? I assume your little sentinel friend told you I can't take a life while there’s anyone around who might want to finish me off.” He paused slightly for effect. “But we may have found a way around that.”

The sentence sent Ari reeling. If he could kill without being compromised, then he was unstoppable.

“You're bluffing.”

“Is that right?”

She couldn't tell if he was lying.

“You have to be bluffing. Otherwise, you would have done it already.” God, she hoped she was right. She thought of Nate. The seether was at his leisure here, hardly exerting any energy. Nate would be using all of his energy trying to track them down. If they fought now, Ari was under no illusion as to who would tire first. She couldn’t let it happen.

“I thought I would give you a choice, before I start slaughtering innocents. If you help me, I won’t kill anyone. In terms of leverage, it ain't bad?” His eyes were intense. “Now, how about we come to some sort of arrangement? And Ari—this will be the last time I’ll offer it.”

“What do you suggest?” Ari asked.

“You help me give people an attitude adjustment, and I promise not to take a life. If you need more incentive, I’ll even throw in leaving your family and your precious little friends completely alone. Hell, if you want, we can leave New Zealand and go somewhere else. See the world. Preferably, somewhere with a much bigger population.”

“Wouldn't I just be delaying the inevitable? If you get your way, my family and friends have no hope anyway. You want to destroy us all.”

“That sentinel of yours needs to learn to keep his trap shut,” he snapped. “How about, if you do what I say, then they get to live their mundane lives for who knows how long. If you don't, I go on a killing rampage, and none of them will survive the week.”

Ari pictured her parents’ faces. They would never want her to choose them, not if it meant damning the world. But what about Nevaeh? She couldn't bear to look at her friend. She’d be the first to suffer, and he’d make Ari watch.