Page 125 of Haunted Prey

CHAPTER THIRTY

EMERY

I adjusted the battery in place, screwing in the strap inside the vehicle before attaching the positive and negative terminals on each end. Making sure it was secure, I slipped into the driver seat and turned on the car. It hummed to life, the dashboard lighting up. I let it run for a few seconds before turning it off.

I sat there for a moment, taking in the silence. The garage was empty, save for the 4runner. It was cold but that didn’t bother me much, even without my jacket.

Putting in the battery felt like setting down the final puzzle piece, a satisfying and easy end, even if I still needed to fix the back brake light, change out the windshield wipers, and patch up a few small holes on the exhaust. The 4runner was now at least drivable.

I had Dom to thank for the car. An apology, Micheal had said, for what Lez had done.

It wasn’t enough to warrant forgiveness. But it was something.

My eyes drifted over to the center mirror, and I caught my gaze in the reflection. Behind me in the back seat, I saw Nina’s fuzzy shadow watching me.

I hadn’t heard her voice as much since Severfalls. That night had been the last time I let her words penetrate me, take over me like they had when I left St. Agnes, because, for once in what felt like a long time, we were on the same side.

Find her, Emery,she said that night.

Bring her back.

Don’t let her die like I did.

Don’t fail her like you did me.

Don’t let her go.

I had promised not to let myself lose control, but that night I had broken that promise. I don’t remember the faces but I remember the red. I remembered the fire. I remembered Eve.

I knew I had lost all sense. I knew I wouldn’t let anyone stand in my way.

But even when I did find her, it still felt like I had lost. I had been too late.

I feared a part of her was gone that I would never get back.

She’s all broken up, Nina whispered.And you’re to blame.She’s like you. Now you really are perfect for each other. Hope you’re happy.

I turned my eyes from the mirror. I had no more energy for rage. But I still hated myself.

I got out of the car and closed down the lid. Funny, how odd it was to be disturbed by the quiet, expecting to hear the voices of the others somewhere inside. Now…only silence.

I returned inside finding the kitchen and community room empty. Dom’s station was gone, his and Lez’s rooms mostly empty. On one of the tables was a map and some of the supplies Eve had started to gather.

I slipped down the hallway then slowed when I came to the room Lena had been sleeping in. I cracked open the door and saw Eve sleeping on the mattress, her back to me as she curled into herself.

I watched her for a long moment, seeing her chest rise and fall softly. She had been sleeping a lot. And when she wasn’t sleeping, she was sitting or standing, staring at nothing.

She didn’t eat much, and when she did, she usually threw it up. She gave no indication for how she felt, if she was in pain, nothing. But I knew she was suffering in some way. I had seen the blood between her legs that night, had felt it soaking my thighs as I held her in the car while Micheal drove us away. I’d felt the heartbreak too, the utter devastation that was like a knife to the gut. The rage that still burned, wishing I had gotten my hands on Kennedy and broken every bone in his body. I wanted to collapse and bring her into my arms and scream for her. Even then I knew I felt nothing compared to what she must be feeling.

I had been sick with fear trying to consider whether to take her to the ER and risk us being seen. When I had suggested it to Micheal, however, Eve had simply said, “No”.

Micheal only looked sympathetic as he sped down the highway back toward the church. “We can figure something out.”

“No.”

I shut the door to where Eve slept and looked around back toward the community room. I could see the empty couch with a single pillow and blanket crumpled to one side.

When we had returned from Severfalls, we found Andrea gone, her blood staining the floor where she had fallen. There, we had also found Lena alone, sobbing on the couch.

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