Withoutfurtherwarning,thefourofthemflewoutofthecarat inhumanspeed,slammingthedoorsbehindthemtopunctuatetheir attack.Ipunchedthedoorlockandhoppedovertheconsoletothe driver'sseat,doingmybesttofollowCooper'sinstructions.Whatever happened,hewantedmesafe.
ButIcouldn'tjustthrowtheNavigatorinreverseandleave.
Ilookedouttoseeamelee.Wolves,men, blood―somuchblood.
TheymovedsoquicklythatIcouldhardlykeeptabsonwhatwas happeningandtowhom.Cooperandamonsterofamanwereinadead-evenmatch.Jannerseemedtobewinninghisbattle,butitwashardto tell;thereddishwolfhefoughtjustkeptcomingbackformore.Icouldn't seeBeckettatall―Alistaireither.
Whirlingaroundintheseat,Itriedtofindthemouttherear window,butahowlrippedmyattentionbacktotheeventsunfoldingin frontofme.Cooperhadagrayish-bluemammothwolfattachedtohis back,hisfangsburieddeep.Infrontofhimstoodthesamemanhe'dbeen fightingwithearlier,onlythistime,heheldagun.Mymindracedwith unwantedmemories,andbeforeIknewit,Iwasnolongerthinking,only reacting.
“NO!”Iscreamed,flyingoutofthecar.“Cooper!”
Isprintedtowardshimasthedevilishmanlookedoveratmeand smiled,aimingtheweaponatCooper'shead.Hewasatpoint-blankrange.
Cooperstruggledagainsttheholdofthegraywolf,butitwastoomuch.I hadtogetthere.
“Aneyeforaneye,”themansaidwithagrowlasIrantoward them.“Andanalphaforanalpha.”
Thentheshotrangout.
Igroundtoahalt,feelingthebloodasitspatteredmyface.I flinchedawayfromit―Icouldbarelybreathe.Myeyeseventually openedanddriftedupfrommybloodstainedclothingtothegrislyscene beforeme.
Bodieswereeverywhere,andIfoughtdesperatelyagainstmy wellingtearstoseeexactly whosetheywere.Thegraywolflaydead, neckbrokenandseveredbehindCooper,whowasslouchedover,looking downatsomethinginfrontofhim.Cooperhadn'tbeenshot,whichwas causeforacombinationofelationandfear,butifhehadn'tbeen,who was?
“Ruby,”Alistairwhisperedfromrightbesideme.I'dnevereven heardhimapproach.“Love,we'vegottogetthemoutofhere. Now.”
Hewasusheringmeawayfromthecarnage,butIshruggedhimoff, headedforwhateverCooper'sbodyshrouded.Jannerhadjoinedhim, stoopingdownlowtoreachtheonlypersonwhowasyetunaccountedfor.
Beckett.
“No,”Imumbled,stumblingtowardthem.“No,no,no!”
CooperandJannerhadbeentalkingthewholetime.Inmyshock,I hadn'theardthem.
“AllIcansmellisburntflesh.Ifit'snotsilver,he'llhaveachance, butwe'vegottogethimoutofhere,”Coopertoldhim,scoopingBeckett upinhisarmsgingerly.“Let'sgo.”Hestormedpastme,shootingmea venomouslook.Myinsubordinationhadnotbeenappreciated.
Iscamperedalongbehindhim,mylimbsnotfullyobeyingmy commands.CooperquicklyloadedBeckettintothebackoftheSUV
whileJannerandAliclimbedinthebackseat.Ihadn'tnoticedthat Alistairwasnakeduntilthatmoment.Ihadn'tbeenabletofindhim duringthefightbecausehehadturnedfurry.Cooperhadoncesaidthat theyoungerwolveshadtroublemaintaininghumanformwhentheir emotionsrantoohot.Alistairwasrawemotionincarnate.
“Ruby!”Cooperyelled,snappingmyattentiontohim.“CallSean now.Tellhimtogetsomeonedownheretodealwiththis.”
“Okay,butwhereishere?”
Cooperlookedirritated,butrealizedIhadapoint.Thensuddenly, inalightbulbmoment,hesnatchedJanner'sphoneoutofthecarand tosseditontheground.“TellhimtotrackJan'scell.Seemslikeitworked greatfortheseassclowns.”Hemarchedmetothepassengerseatofthe carandstuffedmein,wincingslightlywiththemotion.
“Coop,yourback―”
“I'm fine, ”hesnapped,slammingthedoorbehindhim.Iwatchedas heraninfrontofthevehicletothedriver'sside.Whateverwoundhehad wasclosingupatashockingpace.Iknewthatthewolfhaddonesome seriousdamagetohavecausedhimtocryoutatthetime.He'dnever healedlikethatbefore,evenwhenIwashelping.Somethingwasfueling itandIknewIhadnothingtodowithit.
ThatthoughtbroughtmyattentiontotheBritintheback.
“Icanhelphim!”Ishouted,crawlingtowardstherear.
“Youcansitthefuckdownanddoasyou'retoldforonce,”Cooper snarled.“Youhavenoself-preservationinstinctswhatsoever,youknow that?Youcouldhavebeenkilled.AtleastScarlet―”Heclippedoffhis sentenceabruptly,rememberingthecompanywewerein.
“Hesavedyou,Coop.Letmehelphim,please.Bemadatmeall youwant,butdon'ttakeitoutonhim.”
“I'mnotmadatyou,”hereplied,tryingtocalmdownashetoreout oftheparkinglot.
“Who'sScarlet?”AlistairaskedfrombehindCooper.“Andwhy didn'tyou―”
“Notnow,Ali!”Iscolded,scrollingthroughCooper'sphonefor Sean'snumber.OnceIfoundit,Ihitdialandwaitedforhisruggedvoice ontheotherend.
“Cooper,”hedrawledasifalreadyputoutbythecall.
“It'sme.There'saproblem,”Iblurtedout,mybreathingstill ragged.
“Whereareyou?”
“Boston.”
“Iknowthat.Whereexactly?”
“Ihavenoidea.Someübersketchypartoftown.It'sallabandoned factories.Butlisten!Youhavetogettheboysdownhere.HaveTreytrace Janner'sphone.Therearebodies...”
“Whose?”
“Longstory,butnoneofours,”Isaid,castingawaryeyetowardthe rearofthecar.“Notyet,atleast.”
“Areyouhurt?”heasked,concernleakingintohisvoice.
“I'mfine.Coopwastornup,butseemstobefine.JannerandAli seemtoberelativelyintacttoo.”
“AndBeckett?”
“He'sshotup,”Isaid,chokingonthewordsslightly.“Hetooka bulletforCooper.”
“Silver?”
“Idon'tknow.”
“Canyougettohimnow?”
“Yeah,”Isaid,lookingupatCooper.Henoddedonce.“Givemea sec,”ItoldhimasIscurriedintothebackseatandovertothetrunkarea.
Ididn'tknowwhattoexpect,butwhatIsawwasgrimtosaytheleast.
Beckettlayflatonhisback,barelyconsciousandpantingheavily.
Hishandsweredrapedelegantlyacrosshischest,buteventhecombined breadthofthemcouldn'tcamouflagethegapingholethatlaybeneath.My heartsankinstantly.Iknewthatwolvescouldhealthemselvesintheir coma-esquestates,butBeckettdidn'tappeartobeinone.
Healsodidn'tappeartobedoinganythingotherthanbleeding.
“Ruby!”Seansnappedintothereceiver.“Canyouseethewound?”
“Yes,”Isaidsoftly.“Sean,it'shuge.Hewasshotatpointblank range.”
“That'sinconsequential.Youneedtofigureoutifthere'ssilverinit ifyouwanthimtolive.”
“How?”
“Whatdoesthewoundlooklike?Isthereashimmertotheblood?”
“Itlookswet,Sean.Likenormalblood.”
Heexhaledheavily.
“You'regoingtohavetotasteit.”
“WHAT?Areyouserious?”
“Yes.Doitnow.Itwilltastelikemetal.”
“Butblood doestastelikemetal―”
“No,bloodhasametallicundertonetoit.Thiswilltastelikelicking yourjewelry.”
Oddlyenough,I'dbasicallydonejustthatbeforewhileworkingon certainpieces.Ineverknewitwouldcomeinhandy.
Gentlypushinghishandsaside,Ilookedatthepulsatinggristlethat wasoncehisbeautifullytattooedchest.Embeddedinthewoundwasa pairofdogtagsattachedtoachainaroundhisneck.Ihadtofishthemout forfearthattheywouldbeburiedinsidehimwhenhehealed―ifhe healedatall.W
itheverythingoutoftheway,Itookadeepbreathbefore stickingmyfingerinthewound.BeforeIhadachancetochickenout,I shoveditinmymouthandsucked.
Tastedlikebloodtome.
“Ittastesnormal,”Isaid,gaggingslightly.
“ThentellCoopertogostraighttomyplace.Wehavesomethings tosortout.”Hepausedforamomentbeforecontinuing.“Ruby.Trynot togetyourselfkilledbeforeIcanseeyou.”
Thelinewentdead.
IthrewthephoneuptoJannerbeforelyingdownbesideBeckett.
“Whatdidhesay?”Coopercalledfromthefrontseat.Iproppedup tofindmyselfbeingstareddownintherearviewmirror.
“Hesaidthewoundshouldbeokayandtomeethimathisplace.
He'sgottheboysoncleanup.”
“Good.”
Mymindwasstillreelingfromallthathadhappened.Thingswent frommundanetoexplosiveinthebatofaneye,andwe'dnearlylost peopleintheprocess.IlookeddownatBeckett,hiseyesstillclosed,his breathingstillshallow,andwonderedhowthingsgottobesobadwithhis ownpackthattheywouldhunthimandtheothersdownlikerabiddogs.
Whyhadtheybothered?Cooperseemedtobeponderingthesamething becausehestartedinonthetwowhowereconsciousatthatmoment.
Insteadoflistening,IchanneledmyenergytoBeckett,notknowing ifitwouldmakeadifferenceornot.Hedidn'thaveabondwithmelike Cooperdid,andIstilldidn'tknowifmyoutwardinfluencingabilities reliedonanyofScarlet'spower,butIdecidedtotryanyway.Ihopedthat itdidn'tmatterhowemotionallycloseIwastothevictim;Ijustwantedit towork.He’dsavedCooper'slifeandheldminetogetherbecauseofthat.
Iowedhim,bigtime.
Wealldid.
25
Idon'tknowhowfastCooperwasdriving,butitseemedlikewewere backinPortsmouthintheblinkofaneye.Allofmyenergyhadbeen trainedonBeckett,hopingtocoaxhimoutofhisnear-deathstatesooner ratherthanlater.Iknewthattherewasn'tanyrealdangeroflosinghim, butitwasstillsohardtowrapmyheadaroundhisabilitytowalkaway fromawoundlikethatunharmed.Itdidn'tseemtomatterhowmany timesI'dseenitdone;itwasalwayssurreal.Evenwhenitwasme.
Aswerolledintotown,Beckettstartedtostirslightly.Ilaidmy headonhisnewlyhealedchestandtriedtokeephimstill.Hemayhave beendoingbetter,buthewasn'tuptosnuffjustyet.Ididn'twanthim expendinganyenergythathedidn'tneedto.
“Welcomeback,”Iwhispered,myheadtuckedintightbelowhis chin.Itfeltsomewhatintimatewhenhewovehisarmsaroundme, huggingmetohim,butitmademethinkofhowquicklyCooperandI hadbondedduringourescapeinUtah.Life-threateningsituations changedpeople,bringingthemclosetogetherinawaythattimealone couldnot.Itwasjustafactoflife―afactof mylife,atleast.
“Youtrulyarespecial,”hesaidsoftly,smoothingmymessofcurls awayfromhisface.“Wehadn'theardaboutthis abilityofyours.Justhow manytricksdoyouhaveupyoursleeves,Ruby?”
Ilaughed,pullingawayfromhimtositup.
“Morethanyou'lleverknowabout.”
Beckett,likeAlistair,wasnaked,andIsuddenlybecamefartoo awareofthatfact.Needingtomaintainsomelevelofmodesty,Isearched forsomethingtocoverhimupwith.Ispottedaduffelbagalongthefar wheelwellandgrabbedit,hopingtofindwhatIthoughtImight. Bingo!
Insidewerespareclothes,andIquicklystarteddolingthemouttoallin need.
“Here,”Isaid,chuckingat-shirtandjeansatthebackofAlistair's head.
“What?Youdon'tliketheshow?”heasked,hisexpressionandtone cheekyasever,asthoughwehadn'talljustaboutdiedonlyanhour earlier.
“If that'stheshow,”Coopermockedfromthefrontseat,“thenwe shouldgetourmoneyback.”
Jannerlaughed.Like reallylaughed.I'dneverheardhimsojovialor animated.Itstartledmeatfirst.
“Putyouinyourplace,didn'the,Ali?”
“Rubbish,”Alistairgrunted,wigglingintothetoo-bigpantsI'd givenhim.“Likeyoursisanybigger,mate.”
Beckett,whohadbeentryingtositup,crashedbackdowntothe floorinacombinationoflaughterandwincingwhileclutchinghischest.
Ireachedovertohelphimupsohecouldgetdressedtoo.Wewere almostdowntown,andIcouldn'taffordtohaveanakedforeignerriding illegallyinthebackofanSUV,evenifthewindowsweretinted.
Portsmouthwassmallenoughthatnotmucheverwentonthere.If someonespottedus,we'dbethetalkofthetownforsure,nottomention theprecinct.
“YoubothknowthatIputyoutoshame,soIwouldn’tstartwith me,ifyouknowwhat'sgoodforyou.”
“I'mquitesureIhaveyouallbeat,”Cooperwarnedfromthefront seat.
“CouldwepleasejustgetinsideSean'splace?”Iwhined,wantingto besomewherethathadafeelingofsafetyattachedtoit―preferablyone thatmightnotbeattackedbymisguidedwerewolves.Theydidn'treply, butallofthemdepartedthecartoheadintohisbuildingwithoutfurther shenanigans.Aswecautiouslymadeourwayaroundthecorner,Seanwas standingtherewaiting.
“Gladtoseeyou'reinonepiece,”hesaidflatly,eyeingthegroup tightlyasheslowlyapproachedus.Whenhestoppedbeforeme,hishand caughtmyface,andhepinnedscrutinizingbutconcernedeyesonmine.
Histhumbstrokedmycheekgently,andIpressedintohistouchslightly beforerealizingtheotherswereallwatching.Maybetheyneededagood reminderofwhomymatewas.
Asifthatwaswrittenonmyface,heleanedinandkissedme.Then hestareddownattheothersbeforeorderingtheminside.Shitreallywas abouttogetreal.
Whenwearrivedathisapartment,amanwaswaitinginside.
Standingmilitarystraightwithhandspulledbehindhisback,hewatched usallfileinwithcuriosity.I'dneverseenhimbefore,butIknewhewasa PCbrother―hisenergycarriedthesameconfidencethatalltheothers’
did.
“Trey,gettheirphonesandtakethemdownstairs.Workyour magic,”Seanordered.“Ineedtogetsomeanswersoutofthesethreein themeantime.”
“Waitasecond,”Iblurtedout,staringatTreyindisbelief.“How didhegetherebeforeusifhewasjustdowninBostonawaitingour panickedarrival?”
TreyandSeanexchangedblanklooksbeforeturningtheireyesto me.TreysaidnothinginresponseandSeangavemelittlemorethanhis trademarkambivalentshrug.WhatevermeansTreyusedtoarriveat Sean'sbeforeuswasclearlygoingtoremainasecret.
Stillperplexed,Iwatchedasthetallandalmostlankyman approachedtheboys.Thetwowhostillhadtheirphonesheldthemoutas wasexpected.WhenTreywasfinishedcollectingthem,hepausedin frontofme,lookingatmecuriouslyasifIwereapuzzlethatneeded solving.Apparentlythephonesweren'tenoughforhimtoworkon.
“She'sprettierthantheysaid,”hedeclaredwithasoft,wistful voice.Thenhedisappearedthroughthemaindoor.
IlookedtoSeanforexplanation.
“Treylacksafilter,”hesaidwithashrug.“I’dthinkthatyouofall peoplecouldunderstandthat.”SuddenlyTrey'sITjobmadefarmore sense.“Now,whathappenedoutthere,anddon'tskimponthedetails.
Thisisimportant.Iftheyfoundyou,thenthey'vefiguredouthowtotrace thephonesandareworkingwithtechnologythatfewareprivytooutside oflargegovernmentagencies.”
“Andyou,”Iinterjectedwithasmallsmile.
“Yes,”hereplied,thesmallesttwinkleinhiseyes.“Andme.”
“Well,Iwastryingtoreadyourdirectionsonmyphone,butIjust couldn'tseethem
clearly,soIgavethephonetoJanner.Hemadea miscalculationalongtheway,andweendedupinthatneighborhoodI toldyouaboutwiththeabandonedfactories.”
“Yes,”hesaid,hisvoicedrippingwithdisdain.“Ifindthatvery convenientforthosetryingtohuntyoualldown.Whatbetterplacefora massacre?”
“Itwasn'tanambush,”Coopersaid,readingbetweenthelines.
“Theyfollowedusthere.”
SeaneyedCooperinawaythatI'dneverseenbefore.Hewas assessingsomethingabouthim― searching.Withoutawordofobjection, Seanlethimcontinuetoexplainhowthewholescenarioplayedouttothe verylastdetail.WhenCooperfinished,Seanpaused,eyeinghimtightly beforepressinghislipstightlytogetherandnodding.
Inearlyfellover.IthinkIwouldhaveifSeanhadn'tturnedtometo fillintheblanksofthefight.Thebattlehadseemedtowageonfarlonger thanCooperhadsaiditdid.Apparentlyitwasminutesatbest.
Itfeltlikealifetime.
“Ruby?”Seancalled,pullingmefrommythoughts.He'dlikely repeatedhimselfmorethanonce,givenhistone.“Whatdidyousee?”
“Itallhappenedreallyfast,”Istarted,closingmyeyestotryand replaythegruesomescene.“Thereweremoreofthemthanus―fiveto four.TwoofthemwentafterCooper,theotherswentaftertheboys.”
“InterestingthattheydoubleduponCooperrightaway,”hesaid withgrowinginterestinJanner.“Youseemtolookunharmed.”
“Sean,”Isaid,leaningforwardtograbhisarm.Hiseyeswereonme inaninstant.Theydidn'tlookasfriendlyasIwouldhaveliked.“Isaw himfighting.Hewasintroubleforawhile.Ididn'tknowitatthetime, buttheothersweretoo.AliandBeckettChanged.Ididn'tknowwhowas whothen,butnobodywalkedawayfromthatfightunharmed.Iknow that.Andthesecondthattheotherswerefree,theywenttoCoop'said.
Becketteventookapoint-blankbulletforhim.”
“Yes,andIfindithighlyconvenientthatitwasn'tsilver.”Hisvoice heldadangerouslackofemotion.Thingsweren'tlookinggoodforthe boys.