Page 38 of The Black Lotus
Her knuckles go white as she looks out the window, a grim look darkening her features. Aster and I look where she is and see nothing. We turn back to look at one another, my brow dipping in concern as Aster shrugs just as confused. She looks at me, pursing her lips and mouths a word I can’t make out. “I’ll be right back.” She bolts from the table, leaving me and Aster sitting there alone and confused.
I shrug, answering Aster’s silent question. Lena has never acted like that before, but she looked like she saw a ghost with how her face paled and her energy alone made the feeling in the room chill. I rub my arms slowly, the feeling of dread washing over me like a phantom wrapping its hand around my throat and slowly taking away my oxygen. Aster tenses as he sits up straighter and pins me with a concerned look. His body twists to the side as if he is about to get up and come to my side, but I look at him and shake my head, mouthing the words, ‘I’m okay,’ which has him relaxing a little.
Lena runs back into the room, out of breath with a manic spark in her eyes, and places something into my hand. “Keep this with you. I don’t know why, but I have this overwhelming feeling you are going to need it.” Her eyes plead with mine to listen.
Confused, I look down, opening my hand to see a small box cutter that has a wrist attachment to it. She slides the cord around my arm, slipping the blade up my sleeve. “Keep it hidden.”
Her words cause a dread of wary to skitter across my skin.Does she know something I don’t?The only logical answer, I refuse to believe, is she knows about the hit list and what iscoming. I look at her, trying to find any crack in her features, but she is truly scared for me.
Nodding my head, I whisper, “I promise.” She smiles, relieved, squeezing my fingers briefly before walking away, and I look at a not too happy Aster. He is on edge, his knuckles white around his nearly empty coffee. Before I can assure him everything is okay, my phone goes off.Only two people call me regularly, and one of them is sitting across from me.I answer without looking, hearing a crying Sharon on the other end.
“Serena.” Every cell in my body freezes, the feeling I had multiplying tenfold as my breathing stutters in my lungs. I feel Aster’s hand grip my arm as my vision blurs.
“Sharon, what’s wrong?”
“It’s your dad, he… he was in an accident.”
A sob escapes my lips, my eyes meeting Aster’s in fear. “Is he okay?” I ask, my lips trembling.
“No, he’s in the hospital. I’m outside the coffee shop. Hurry.”
Not thinking, I jump to my feet, toppling my chair in the process. My brain is thinking of all the horrible possibilities.Does Dad’s accident have to do with me? Did someone hurt him to get to me? Is he okay? Fuck. Please be okay.I hear Aster screaming my name as I run out the door and jump into Sharon's car.
Clicking the seatbelt, I turn to Sharon, tears streaming down my face. “What happened to my dad?”
She’s eerily calm for someone whose fiancée is in the hospital. Before I can process why her mascara isn’t running down her face, I hear Aster banging on the back door trying to get into the car. I go to unlock it for him, but feel a cloth cover my face. I don’t register what is happening as my vision darkens and my head hits the window. The last thing I see is an evil smile crossing Sharon's features as Aster screams my name, the tires screeching away.
EIGHTEEN
ASTER
Unable to do anything, I stand breathless watching as some woman drives away with Serena. The feeling of defeat knowing I’m unable to chase after them crashes through me. The thoughts of what she has planned for Serena lock me in place.I need to save Serena. I saw her put something over her mouth and then she slumped over, so I can only assume it’s chloroform and that the woman is the next assassin. I didn’t get a good look at her face, all I saw was blonde hair and an evil smile before she sped away with my vixen.I can’t let her succeed.
I turn around, rage colors my vision red like an inferno, and I see Lena with her hands over her mouth in shock.Bullshit.I storm towards her and grip her wrist without remorse, pulling her to the alley and trapping her against the wall. “Where is she?” I growl, my voice menacingly low.
“I don’t know.”
“Where is she!” I roar. She has to know something. Right before Serena got a call I could barely make out through the tiny whimpers she was making, Lena gave her a box cutter. It’s too much of a coincidence for it to be anything else. “You told her she would need the box cutter, then she gets taken. Who. Took. Her.”
Lena sobs. “I don’t know! Sometimes I get an overwhelming feeling, almost like a vision, and they’re never wrong.”
I scoff. “Like a fucking witch,” I say, more as a statement then a question.
She nods, trembling, her eyes wide as she stares up at me in fear.
“What did you see?” I demand, punching the brick wall above her head, my knuckles tint red as I make her flinch.If I had my tools, I could carve her skin until I bleed out the answers I desperately need.
“Serena. Tied up.” My body tenses, but she continues as if she doesn’t notice. “Then the words ‘box cutter’ and ‘save her’ kept repeating.” I step back, finally allowing her room to breathe as I search her face for any lie, but find none. Raking my hands through my hair, I drop to my knees as I rock on my heels, fisting my hands to keep them from pounding into the ground. “I don’t know why or how, but I hope by giving her what I was compelled to do will keep her safe. Is…” she gulps, her cheeks flushed. “Is she safe?”
I stay silent, not trusting this woman enough to say anything more.
She steps off the wall, her lower lip trembling. “We need to call the police.”
I grab her arm, slamming her back against the wall and shake my head. “No.”
“No? Your girlfriend was just kidnapped!”
“You don’t understand. No cops.”
