Page 81 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
Somehowthrough the hollow feeling of her soul, she found the words to speak. "Itwasn't your fault."
"Yes,it was," he snapped in a surprising low snarl. "I was supposed toprotect you and keep an eye on you, and because of me, you got taken."
Tearswelled in her eyes as she watched the anger in his dark gilded eyes collidewith shame. Sana shook her head and began to reach for his face but stopped asshe caught sight of the dried blood tinting her hand. "No, it wasn't. Itold you to leave."
"Itold you, son. There wasn't anything you could do," Adam agreed as hedrove the truck through the rough path in the forest. "They would haveshot you, and that wouldn't have done anybody any good. You did the right thingcoming to get us."
Sananodded, too exhausted to say anything else. Leaning her head towards Elijah,she sighed as the taller boy wrapped an arm around her shoulder, drawing her into lean on his strength. Closing her eyes, she tried not to imagine the carnagethat was taking place back at the cabin.
~*~
~*~
"Isshe ok?" a male voice asked.
"Yes,yes, she's fine," the woman said, her voice much closer. "She mumbledsomething about being drugged by Todd Wilson when we brought herupstairs."
Therewas a muffled curse from the man.
"AndZach?" The familiar woman's voice questioned.
"He'soutside…prowling around the house. He…he hasn’t changed back," the mansaid in hesitation. "Adam's out there trying to talk to him, but the bigbastard just slips back into the forest whenever we come near."
"He'sangry. He'll be fine,” the woman said knowingly.
"Hewants us to leave," he paused again, "he wants her," he said aftera minute.
"Iknow. Thank you, Darrius, I'll be down shortly."
Sanawaited until she felt the presence of the man leave and opened her eyes. Sherecognized the ceiling fan hanging overhead with its Tiffany-stylestained-glass dome covering the light, she was in her bedroom. Turning herhead, she looked past Sandra, who sat in a chair at the side of her bed to thewindow. It was dark outside. When Adam and Elijah brought her home, Sandra hadbeen waiting at her door, her usually serene face twisted in worry. With eachstep, it had felt like her energy was being seeped from her body as Sana triedto make her way up the stairs. She didn't even make it halfway up when she feltElijah's sure grip around her, and her feet leave the ground. Sandra had explainedthat it was Noah and Wyatt who crashed through the cabin door while Darrius andAdam tried to keep Zach from coming into the cabin. They knew that in hiscurrent form that he would have collapsed the building on top of her in hisfight with Becker. Sana just sat and listened as she let the woman help herclean and change for bed, occasionally nodding at various details. She had beentoo tired to think beyond that moment, too tired to say much of anything beyondconfirming the details of Becker and Samons intentions. But now she was awake,and her mind was racing with all the thoughts she had pushed aside earlier.
Witha groan, she sat up in the bed and looked at Sandra's tired smile. "Whathappened to Todd?"
Sandrasmiled. "They were able to drag the young man away before Zach could turnhis attention to him. Wyatt took him to the hospital in Antor Falls. Fromthere, he will be given to the correct authorities for his crimes."
"Correctauthorities?" Sana repeated with a confused look.
Sandralooked down at her hands as Sana's mind raced to fill in what was not beingsaid. Leaning back, Sana's eyes widened in sudden realization. "You meanthe witch that is supposed to live there, don't you?"
Sandranodded gravely. "Everything involving our clan or anything," shepaused, waving her hand in a rolling gesture, "preternatural, so to speak,is dealt with by the witch. It doesn't happen often since she prefers for us tohandle our own affairs, but…we knew you did not want harm to come to the youngman."
"Itwasn't his fault, not really. It was my fault he got caught up in all thatyears ago. If I hadn't have misunderstood things with Zach, I would have-"
"Iknow, I know," Sandra said, trying to ease her rising tension. "Butmy son does not and will not see it that way. At best, he allows him to live,but…he cannot live in Tarki anymore."
"Whatwill she do to him?" Her mind raced with images of haggard women inpointed hats casting cruel spells on innocent people.
"I'mnot sure," she said honestly. "I don't know her very well at all,Adam does, and he seems to think she may just take his memories of that timeand what happened today. Let him live a normal life."
Itseemed too fantastic to believe. If this witch or whatever she was could trulydo that, then that would be perfect. Memories of dark blood pouring from Todd'schest flashed behind Sana's eyelids.
"Isthe hospital good? Will they be able to save him?" Sana asked.
Sandranodded. "He will be fine."
Exhaling,Sana looked out the window and let her thoughts drift away from Todd to the onething she had been trying to avoid. There was no need to ask what happened toBecker. Sana knew the man's fate without the need for confirmation. Sheremembered the glimpse of the creature's broad back as it stalked towards thecabin and shuddered. Becker no doubt met the same fate his awful sons did, andshe couldn't say she felt any pity for him.
Lookingat Sandra, she gave the older woman a soft smile. "You should go home.Thank you for everything."
