Ch. 21
The winter holidays were over, meaning that Spenser Academy was to start its new semester. Most students were dreading the long classes and boring lectures from their professors who would drown on and on about a subject no one really cared about. But to the senior class, the new semester meant that graduation was right around the corner.
"Only a few more months left until we graduate!" Rylee bounced out of her last class of the day, hand in hand with Tyler. Pogue and Reid watched their friend's girlfriend with amused expressions.
"How the hell do you have so much energy all the time?" Reid asked, leaning over to ruffle her short brown hair with his fingerless gloved hand. Rylee smacked it away playfully and stuck out her tongue as the four continued walking.
Halfway down the hallway they ran into Blake and Caleb who had just stepped out of their English class. Both took notice of the hyper young girl. Caleb looked at Tyler who was now trying to keep Rylee in one spot. "What did you give her?"
Tyler shrugged as he wrapped his arms around Rylee's small waist, finally managing to hold her still long enough to kiss her lips. As soon as their lips met she froze, seeming caught off guard from the random kiss.
Caleb averted his eyes from the couple while Reid and Blake grinned madly. "Damn, baby boy. Chill." Pogue clapped Tyler on the shoulder causing the kiss to end.
Rylee blushed as she looked into the blue eyes of her boyfriend, who now had a sly smile on his lips. "Relax." He told her with a soft laugh. "You ready to go?"
"Wait, where you two headed?" Blake asked curiously as Pogue wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Out to eat, nosey." Tyler teased. "We'll see you guys later."
Three hours later, Rylee curled onto Tyler's bed and rubbed her stomach feeling as if she could burst. "That was yummy." She giggled as Tyler laid down next to her, pulling her into his embrace.
"It was pretty delicious if I say so myself," He said, patting his stomach and gave a sigh of content as he buried his face in the crook of Rylee's neck. His hand ran down her arm with a light touch but stopped at her wrist. His fingers played with the bracelet he had given her for the 18th birthday. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you wear this everyday."
Rylee smiled widely as she turned her hand and laced her fingers with his. "I have to wear it every day…I love it," she spoke softly, glancing down at his lips and placed a chaste kiss upon them.
Tyler stared at her, his expression unreadable. Rylee stared right back though a smile was set on her lips. "What?" she asked after a few seconds of silence.
"Ryl's." He glanced down at their linked hands then looked back into her blue eyes. A grin now adorned his handsome face. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
Rylee's breath caught in her chest, it felt like a thousand butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. She stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. She had to admit, he had caught her off guard.
Thankfully Tyler wasn't offended, he just smiled and brought his free hand to cup her face. "You don't need to say anything right now. I'm just saying how I feel. I'm happy just being with you." He kissed her forehead and laid down on his back, pulling Rylee down with him.
Rylee took a deep breath. "You caught me off guard," she spoke with a strong and confident voice. "I do love you, Tyler and.. I think…no, I know that I am falling in love with you, too."
Tyler's eyes lit up as their gazes met and he kissed her lips. "We're always the last for everything, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we were technically the last to start dating, the last to get… 'together'," He used his finger to do air quotation marks, "and the last to say I love you." Tyler chuckled a throaty laugh.
"Ha. Well like River once said to me 'someone has to be the last one of the group'." Rylee rolled her eyes as she mocked her friend's voice.
Tyler jumped a little just then and reached for his pocket. "Text from Caleb," he informed. "He said he and River are going to Nicky's."
Rylee rolled overtop of Tyler and fell to the ground where she sprang up to her feet. "What are we still doing here then? Let's go to Nicky's!"
Blake walked into Paige's room to find the blonde in sweatpants and a black tank top. Her hair was up in a perfect ponytail but her make-up was only half done. Blake frowned. "You're not ready."
"Hi to you, too," Paige said with a laugh as she walked into the attached bathroom. Leaning forward closer to the mirror, she started to finish putting on her eye make-up. "No, I'm not but it'll just take a few minutes." She glanced back into her room to where her clock to see that she only had a few minutes until they had to leave to make it to Nicky's by 8 o'clock. At that moment, Blake leaned against the doorway and started to tap her foot impatiently on the carpeted floor.
Paige raised an eyebrow at her dark haired friend. "Chill, I'm almost done. Since when did you become so impatient?"
"Since my stomach started eating self. I'm staving," Blake snapped. As if on cue Blake's stomach growled loudly. "See!"
Paige laughed but passed it off as a cough. Finished with her make-up she tossed the tube of mascara onto the counter. "Go grab something to snack on real quick. I just have to change so I'll meet you down there."
Blake pushed herself off the door frame. "Okay fine, but hurry up!" she yelled as she shut the bedroom door behind her.
"Alright, alright." Paige spoke to herself as she quickly pulled off her sweats and slipped into her jeans. She had just put on her orange top when she heard the door handle of her bedroom jiggle.
"Blake, I'm coming, geez. You don't have to-" Paige walked out of her bathroom in a hurry but stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart leapt into race as the green-eyed, red head closed and locked the door behind her.
Instantly, Paige found the connection she shared with Blake. Get out of the house, she ordered.
"This will be so much easier for you if you just cooperate," Carmen sneered as she stepped closer to the blonde, a small dagger resting against her palm.
Blake's voice popped into Paige's head. Why?
It's Carmen, she's here. Paige glanced down at the dagger. And she's here to kill me.
Get the hell out of there! Blake shouted in her head, urgency and worry laced thickly in her voice.
No. This may be the only chance to stop her! She argued her point strongly. Get the other's here now and fast! I'll try to hold her off as long as I can.
Carmen smiled wickedly thinking that Paige's cooperation was due to anything but stalling. "There's a good girl."
On the dresser, Paige's cell phone went unnoticed as it vibrated quietly on the wood surface.
"I'm gonna call her again," Reid said, reaching for his phone that sat out on the table in front of him.
"You just called her!" River laughed and grabbed his phone, holding it away from him. "That's just gonna annoy her, trust me."
Reid scowled and glanced at the door. "But she didn't answer! And she should have been here by now."
"Dude. Is Paige ever on time? Nope," Pogue said, answering his own question. "I'm sure Blake is dragging her out the door as we speak."
Just as River opened her mouth to agree, a panicked voice shouted in her head, nearly causing her to choke on her drink.
Carmen's here! Blake was saying. She has Paige! Get here now!
With terror tearing through her body, River met Rylee's gaze from across the bar at the pool tables. She could see the horror she felt on her friend's face.
Noticing the sudden change of the girls, Caleb sat up quickly. "River, what's wrong?" he asked, though in a whisper. Within a second, Rylee was at the table. She grabbed her car keys as River sprung to her feet. The two darted out the of the bar without even a second glance at the guys, though they were quickly followed.
"Hey!" Pogue shouted, running to keep up. Rylee stopped short, pulling River to a stop with her. "What's going on?"
"Paige," Rylee answered, her voice was shaky with anger. "Carmen has Paige at the house. Blake's there, too."
Instantly, Reid's eyes flashed black as he grabbed Rylee's wrist and the two materialized from the quiet parking lot of Nicky's. Looking up at the large two story house with the dark clouds of the night looming above, Reid's heart hammered in his chest. Not a moment later Caleb, Pogue, River and Tyler were by their side though hidden in the shadows of the moonless night.
Footsteps sounded to their left and the spun around, ready for a fight. To their relief it was Blake running at them. "Thank God," she said as she rolled up the sleeves of shirt. Though it was in the middle of Winter, she didn't feel the cold. The adrenaline that pumped through her veins felt as hot as if a fire danced upon her body. Her gaze went to a single window on the second floor, the only where light shown from.
"A fight hasn't broken out," she continued. "At least, not yet. But I used the Connection and Paige won't answer me."
"Why God's name are we still standing here?" Tyler said, eyes intense as he looked around the group. "There's one of her and eight of us."
River turned to Tyler, her gaze just as intense but something else was behind them. "We can't just burst in there Tyler, we need a plan. The last time we went without some sort of a plan I got stabbed."
A loud crash echoed into the dark silence that now swallowed the seven teens. A blood curdling scream quickly followed. Reid bolted forward but was caught by the back of his shirt by a pair of strong hands. "Wait!" Caleb hissed in his ear quietly, trying to restrain his friend.
Struggling frantically to get free, Reid wheeled around and shoved Caleb away. "Fuck that! Did you hear her scream? She could be hurt!"
Reid spun back around but found his path blocked by Blake. Before he could tell her to move she raised her hand and brought it across Reid's left cheek. "If you just settle down for a minute you can think clearly! Paige wouldn't want us to just barge in and lose the element of surprise, she'd want us to use it!"
Reid stared at her, caught of guard with her sudden hostility. He fought the urge to rub his now red cheek. He would never admit it out loud, but it hurt like hell. With extreme restraint Reid took a deep breath and asked, "What's the plan?"
"The plan is we go in there and give that stupid bitch everything we have, no holding back." River voice was close to a growl and her once brown eyes glowed a fierce lime green. Without another word she made for the door with Blake, Rylee and Reid beside her.
The doorknob was stingingly cold under her hand, and as the door clicked open, River held up a hand to silence the others. Not that they needed telling because as they entered the house no sound was made. Reid went to push passed her but Blake's firm grip stopped him.
"We are doing this by ourselves," she said. Her voice was unyielding and her eyes held determination that he was sure the other girls felt as well.
"No, no way," Caleb spoke sternly, feeling his anger rising.
"We know what to expect now," Rylee said as she placed a hand on the eldest Sons arm. "The longer we stand here and argue the longer Paige is up there defending herself."
Tyler's jaw set in defiance. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides as Caleb shook his head. "We are going with you."
"No, you're not," River said firmly. Her eyes flashed dangerously in her boyfriend's direction. "If I have to stand here and make sure you don't follow us, I will. Caleb, I love you but I will kick your ass if I have to."
Before Caleb could respond another loud scream flooded down the stairs making the hair on their necks stand on end.
"Jesus, let them go!" Reid practically cried. He gripped a handful of blonde hair and tugged, as if the sound of his girlfriend's screams caused him physical pain. "Go!" he nearly shouted at the girls. "We will be right here if they need any help."
Rylee gave him a small smile then raced up the stairs with stealthy feet after River and Blake who were already at the top. As the girls disappeared down the hall, the four Sons watched in silence.
Blood streamed down her jaw line and dripped down to her neck as she slowly pushed herself up from the ground. "I underestimated you, Blondie." Carmen said, holding her ribcage tenderly with the hand that still grasped the dagger. The tip of it was covered in blood.
Paige winced as a sharp pain shot through her body. She bit her lip to stop from screaming as she reached down to her side and felt something warm and sticky. Looking down she saw red on her fingertips and a large deep gash under her ripped shirt. Blood seemed to pour from the wound as she tried to lift herself off the floor.
"Did I get you?" Carmen taunted menacingly as she stepped closer to the fallen girl. "This could have been over with if only you were a good little girl."
Hang on, Paige, Blake's voice reassured her. A small smile came across her lips as she fought the pain to stand up and face her enemy. She gestured to a deep cut on the arm of the red head. "Look's like I got you, too."
"Only a scratch compared to yours," Carmen answered, stepping over broken glass from the dresser mirror. She stopped right in front of the locked door. The knife glittered in the light as Carmen raised and prepared to throw it. But before she could an explosion sent her flying across the room, landing on her side heavily. Carmen jumped to her feet and wheeled around to the broken doorway. A look of complete fury flickered across her face.
"No. No, I killed you!" she shouted furiously, her green eyes on River. "Why won't you die?"
River stood in the door frame with Rylee and Blake on either side of her. She glared daggers as she spoke to Carmen, her voice deadly. "You will never get rid of me," she said, her eyes glowing a brighter green as she crouched to the ground. Almost as if on fast forward, River sprung towards her enemy and in midair, she shifted. Her clothes tore from her body and as she came down upon the redhead she had fully shifted. The knife flew from her hands and landed on the floor, spinning.
Her gray fur rippled as a snarl ripped from her throat. Fear filled Carmen's eyes as River barred her teeth dangerously close to her neck. Her eyes fell on Paige who had fallen to her knees, looking pale and weak.
Carmen took one last breath knowing it was her last, knowing she could not escape this. Death was inevitable. With one last ferocious growl as the wolf's jaws locked around her neck, silencing her forever.
No longer able to hold herself up, Paige fell to the floor. Rylee and Blake raced to their pale friend as four sets of footsteps were heard racing down the hallway. They stared around at the sight before them: the destroyed room, looking as if a thousand tornados had passed through it; broken furniture and shattered glass lay scattered on the carpet; River, with a bloody muzzle standing overtop of a lifeless body. And lastly, Blake and Rylee hovering over a bleeding and weak Paige.
"Shit," Pogue breathed, running a hand through his long hair. Reid shoved him roughly aside and pulled Paige gently into his arms.
"Baby?" he spoke softly. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm wounded, not dead," she said, though with a weak voice. She took a breath but pain flashed across her face and a cry escaped her lips. Blood seeped between her fingers of the hand that held the gash in her side.
"She needs to get to the hospital," Caleb said, worry etched deeply in his features. "She looks like she's lost a lot of blood."
Paige made a face and wrinkled her nose in protest. "Will you stop babying me? I'll survive." She tried to force herself up but the attempt caused a severe pain in her side and her head spun. She fell back into Reid's arms her face even more pale than before. "Ow, okay, I need a hospital."
Pogue looked down at the body of the dead girl, not feeling one ounce of pity or sorrow. He glanced up at met Caleb's gaze from across the room. "We'll stay behind and clean this mess up," he said motioning to the room around him. "Get her to the hospital."
The next few days would have passed just like any other day but instead of returning to school, Paige and the others had lounged Paige's house, mostly in her room. The events of the past month had finally caught up with them and a couple days of relaxing seemed to be just what they needed. Tyler's parents had even gone to the length's of calling the Provost of Spenser Academy the morning after the attack, claiming that a family emergency would cause all of them to miss a few days.
Now, at the Simms' Manor, Paige curled up onto couch next to Reid who pulled her close. Madison Simms had invited all the parents over for dinner that evening, and while Pogue and his father, Penn manned the grill, the others took to the living room.
Madison, who was setting the table in the next room paused what she was doing to ask Paige how she was feeling.
Paige's hand went to her side out of habit. There were moments that it felt as if she were being stabbed all over again but she never mentioned it to anyone. She had been surprised when woke of the morning after the attack to find that her wound had completely healed. But now that a few days had passed, her extra healing had kicked in, though she still had to keep a bandage over it incase the stitches accidently tore. "I feel much better, thank you," she replied. "I think I'll be okay to go to class tomorrow."
Reid's blonde hair fell into his eyes as dropped his head onto Paige's shoulder and groaned in protest. "Tomorrow's Friday, babe! Why don't we just wait till Monday to go back?"
Reid's mom, Demi shook her head in disapproval but it was hard to hide the amusement on her face. "You're so much like your father was," she said with a little laugh.
"I don't know," Terrance said, grinning. "His father was so much more rebellious."
Rylee, who had been talking quietly with Tyler, let out a loud bark of laughter at that. "That's very hard to believe."
Reid smirked proudly just as Evelyn Danvers walked into the room.
"Lunch is ready!" she announced cheerily. To Caleb's relief, ever since Kassandra and Paige had come back to Ipswich with Blake, Rylee and River, his mother almost seemed like a new person. She had quit drinking and smoking, and having River and the other girls around all the time helped. Evelyn absolutely adored River and was happy to see that she made her son happy.
Reid helped Paige stand then walked with her hand in hand to one of the two tables that was set up. He pulled out the chair for her then took a seat next to her. Tyler sat down across from Paige and next to Rylee who was talking with Blake about how much they missed California weather. At the head of the table, Pogue placed his hand on top of Blake's and gave it a squeeze as he talked to Paige. Caleb held out the chair across from Reid for River and took his spot at the other side of the head of the table.
The four women took their seats at the second table, allowing the two men to take to head of the table. The tables were full of the most delicious smelling foods. It had to be amazing, after all Kassandra and Madison had cooked it. Though the other girls helped here and there.
"This smells so good," Tyler smiled at this mom from the other table. She winked at her son then started passing around the dishes.
An hour later the plates and dishes had practically been licked clean. Terrance placed a hand on his wife's and looked her in the eye. "That was one of the best meals I have ever had."
A few mumbles of agreement raced around the room as Terrance stood. "Alright boys, the women cooked and now we clean."
A groan came from Pogue and Reid but they obeyed none the less and started clearing the table while the men Madison, Demi, Evelyn, Kassandra and the girls went to the living room to relax.
"So girls have you thought of where you'd like to go to college?" Evelyn asked, looking around at each girl as they took a seat.
River looked to her three friends. "Well I was set on UCLA but I really like it on the East Coast. I've heard Boston University is a great school."
"I was thinking about going to an art school." Rylee said with pink cheeks.
Madison clapped her hands together in approval. "You would do fantastic at an art school! See that?" She pointed to a drawing that hung on her wall. It was a very beautifully drawn, detailed picture of a lake and sunset. "Rylee gave me that picture for Christmas."
Evelyn looked surprised. "You drew that?" Rylee nodded.
"I'm impressed," Demi said thoughtfully then turned to Paige and Blake. "What about you two? Any idea where you would like to go?"
Blake grinned. "Actually my sights have always been set on Harvard. Caleb told me that his dad was class of '81."
"He was." Evelyn smiled, her eyes staring off in the distance for a second. Once back in focus, she looked to Paige. "And you?"
Paige glanced at her mother then shrugged her shoulders. "Actually I have no idea what I'd like to do or where I'd like to go."
"Well don't fret over it. You still have some time," Demi said, her blue eyes warm. "Reid still has no idea where he wants to go either. You two are a match made in Heaven."
"They love you girls," Kassandra said, seeming to be on the same thought path as her best friend. "I've never seemed them behave so well."
"If you ask me, I'd say you guys will get married," Madison added with a sly smile. "Just don't give us any grandchildren too soon."
The four girls laughed with them but couldn't help but think about the prophecy they longed to forget.