Page 93 of Shadow

Looking at my brother, I didn’t think.

I grabbed the gun at his side and pointed it at my head.

“ZEKE! NO!” he shouted.

Shaking my head, I cried, “I can’t do this without her.”

“And you won’t,” my brother said, begging me. “Please don’t do this, Zeke. I can’t lose you too!”

A calm I never knew existed washed over me as I muttered, “I’m sorry, Balthazar.”

“Ezekiel, no!” my brother gasped, as my finger tightened on the trigger and someone ripped me from my angel. Fighting for death, I gave no quarter as I punched, kicked and fought to free myself from the powerful arms wrapped around me.

“Breathe brother.”

“Let me go!” I roared.

“She’s not dead,” his voice whispered through the voices. “I know you think she is, but your mind is playing tricks on you. Trust me Shadow. She is alive. Let me help you push back the voices.”

“She’s not dead?”

“No, brother,” his voice penetrated further into my head. “Look.”

Doing as he said, I saw the paramedics working on my angel. Her heart beating on the small monitor as they hurriedly got her ready for transport.

“See,” Sandman said, holding me tight. “I wouldn’t lie to you, brother. She’s alive.”

“She’s alive,” I muttered, my eyes glued to her.

“That’s right, brother.”

“Shadow,” Kansas appeared in front of me. “I know what you are feeling right now, brother, but she needs you to be strong for her. You good, now?”

“I’m good,” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Good,” Kansas carefully said. “Then how about you give me the gun?”

Looking down at my hand, I saw the gun in my hand.

When Kansas opened his hand for it, I placed it in his hand.

“Kansas, they’re taking her to Comanche Memorial. Police escort,” Detective Harris stated. “I know you boys want to follow, but I’m going to need you all to stay and tell me what happened.”

Kansas never took his eyes off mine when he clearly said, “We’re going to the hospital, Harris. We don’t leave our own behind. You want to know, follow. We’ll tell you there, but we are following Joan to the hospital.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Shadow

“Zeke?”

I looked over, seeing Kali sitting next to me, handing me a cup of coffee. “Thank you,Jinx.”

Kali smiled. “My brother called me that all the time. I like that you do too. It tells me you’ll never forget him.”

She wasn’t wrong about that. I would never forget Kole ‘Jinx’ Vanderveer or the man he was. As far as I was concerned, he was the better man. Always would be. I knew I would always have moments of regret. Like now. Instead of sitting next to Kali, it should have been her brother. Part of me believed I had no right to her kindness, that I deserved worse. Jinx would have lived that night if I wasn’t drunk or in the right frame of mind. It wasn’t an excuse, but it was all I had.

I didn’t know how to respond to her. I didn’t want to say something stupid and upset her when something over her shoulder caught my attention. Staring in disbelief, I didn’t move when I saw Kole appear near the corner wall. He stared at Kali, smiling lovingly, before looking at me and saying, “Take care of them, brother.” Giving me a two-finger salute, he disappeared as if he’d never been there.

---