Chapter 21

When I woke up, I was confused. It took me longer than it should have to remember where I was.

The room was too bland to belong anywhere but a hotel. The bedside lamps were bolted to the tables, and the drapes were made from the same fabric as the bedspread.

I tried to remember how I'd gotten to this room, but nothing came at first.

I remembered the black car, the glass in the windows darker than that on a limousine. The engine was almost silent, though we'd raced across the black freeways at more than twice the legal limit.

And I remembered Archie on the seat next to me, rather than up front with Jessamine. I remembered realizing suddenly that he was there as my bodyguard, that the front seat was apparently not close enough. It should have made the danger seem more real, but it all felt a million kilometers away. The danger I was in personally wasn't the danger I was worried about.

I remembered driving to Sky Harbor International and asking Archie if we were flying anywhere, but I had no memory of entering the hotel, let alone this room.

I looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. The red numbers claimed it was three o'clock, but there was no way to tell if that meant a.m. or p.m. No lights showed around the edges of the thick curtains, but the room was bright with the light from the lamps. Still, I guessed it was probably nighttime, but I decided to check just to be sure.

I rose stiffly and staggered to the window, pulling back the drapes.

It was dark outside. Three in the morning, as I suspected. The room looked out on a deserted section of the freeway and the new long-term parking garage for the airport. It made me feel infinitesimally better to be able to pinpoint time and place.

I looked down. I was still wearing Earnest's shirt and undersized pants. I looked around the room and was glad when I saw my duffel bag on top of the low dresser.

A light tap on the door made me jump.

"Can I come in?" Archie asked.

I took a deep breath. "Sure."

He walked in and looked me over. "You look like you could sleep longer."

I smiled but didn't say anything. He darted silently to the window and pulled the curtains shut.

"We'll need to stay inside," he told me.

"Okay." I was surprised by how hoarse my voice sounded.

"Thirsty?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I'm okay. How about you?"

He smiled. "Nothing unmanageable. I ordered some food for you – it's in the front room. Edythe reminded me that you have to eat a lot more frequently than we do."

I was instantly more alert. "She called?"

"No." He watched my face fall. "It was before we left. She gave me lots of instructions. Come eat something."

He was out of the room before I could respond. I followed slowly behind him and reached the living room, where Jessamine was watching TV, though she did not seem interested in whatever was on.

"What's the latest?" I asked.

I listened intently as Archie explained the latest developments. Earnest and Royal were looking after Charlie, while the redhead was busy searching for me in Forks. Edythe, Carine, and Eleanor were chasing Joss, who was headed north."

I pondered all of this in silence, until Archie interrupted my thoughts.

"Eat something, Beau. Edythe gets really difficult when she thinks her instructions aren't being followed through."

"Alright," I said. "Is it Indian food, though? I won't eat if it isn't."

Archie rolled his eyes. "It's Chinese. I'll bring you some chopsticks if you like."

I chuckled. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew I had to eat.

After I was done, I watched the TV. The meteorologist was droning on about sandstorms, but I couldn't keep myself focused. All I could see was Edythe in the forest, faster than any living creature. It was obvious she'd catch up with the tracker first.

Suddenly Jessamine was standing over me, closer than usual.

"Beau," she said in a soothing voice. "You have nothing to worry about. You are completely safe here."

"I'm not worried about myself."

She looked confused. "You believe they're in danger? Trust me on this – none of us are in jeopardy. You are under enough strain as it is; don't add to it with imaginary worries. Listen to me!" she ordered – I'd looked away. "Our family is strong. Our only fear is losing you."

Archie was there, his arm around Jessamine. "It's been almost a century since Edythe's been alone. Now she's found you. You can't see the changes that we see, we who have been with her for so long. Do you think any of us want to look into her eyes for the next hundred years if she loses you?"

My guilt began to ease, though I knew it was Jessamine's doing.

"You know I'd do this anyway," Archie added. "Even if Edythe hadn't asked me to."

And then he explained. Time for him was nonlinear; from the first moment we met he'd already known we would become friends. From the moment I became part of Edythe's life, it was as if we'd known each other for months. That was also how he met Jessamine.

"You had to wait twenty-eight years?" I exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Archie nodded. "I could have found her earlier. I knew where she was. But she wasn't ready for me yet. If I'd come too early, she would have killed me."

I stared at Jessamine. She raised an eyebrow at me, and I looked back at Archie. He laughed.

What more was there for me to say? I lived in a world where vampires could read minds and see the future, even find their soulmates from twenty-eight years hence. I was contemplating what he said when suddenly he sprang to his feet.

I looked up at him, startled by the sudden movement. Jessamine was there, gently pushing him back into the chair.

"What do you see?" she asked in a low, soothing voice.

"Something's changed," Archie said, even more quietly.

I leaned closer.

"What is it?"

Archie described in detail what he saw. A long room full of mirrors with a wooden floor. Joss was there, apparently waiting. He didn't know where the room was, or when she would be there, only that she would be there soon. He also saw another room, though it was too dark for him to make out.

"What does it mean?" I asked.

Neither of them answered for a moment, then Jessamine looked at me.

"It means the tracker's plans have changed. She's made a decision that will lead her to the mirror room and the dark room."

He then picked up his phone just as it vibrated. After briefly conversing with Carine, he handed me the phone. "Beau?"

I yanked it out of his hand. "Hello?"

"Beau," Edythe breathed.

"Edythe," I said, my heart racing. "Where are you?"

"Outside of Vancouver. I'm sorry, Beau – we lost her. She seems suspicious of us – she stays just far enough away that I can't hear her. She's gone now – looks like she stole a small plane. We think she's heading back to Forks to start over."

"I know. Archie saw her getting away."

"You don't have to worry, though. You've left no trail for her to follow. You just have to stay with Archie and wait till we find her again. Archie will get a lead on her soon enough."

"I'll be fine. Is Earnest with Charlie?"

"Yes – the male's been in town. He went to the house, but while Charlie was at work. He hasn't gone near your father. Don't worry – Charlie's safe with Earnest and Royal watching."

At least Royal is doing something useful with his life, I thought.

"And how are you?" I asked.

"I'm fine, Beau. You know you don't have to worry about me. Focus on staying safe. I will make this right, I promise."

"I love you."

"Could you believe that, despite everything I've put you through, I love you too?"

"As a matter of fact, I can."

"I'll come for you soon."

"I'll be waiting."

The phone went dead, and a sudden wave of depression crashed over me. Jessamine looked up sharply, and the feeling dissipated.

She went back to watching Archie. He was on the couch, leaning over the table with the free hotel pen in his hand. I walked over to see what he was doing. He was sketching on a piece of hotel stationery. I leaned on the back of the couch, looking over his shoulder.

When he finished, I was surprised to find that he'd drawn a ballet studio. Evidently, so were they.

"Do you know this room?" Jessamine asked.

I explained. My mother had briefly given dance lessons in a studio just like the one he'd drawn.

Archie and Jessamine stared at me.

"Are you sure it's the same room?" Jessamine asked calmly.

"Highly unlikely. Most dance studios have a similar layout. It just looked familiar, that's all."

"Would you have any reason to go there now?" Archie asked.

"No," I replied flatly.

"So there's no way it could be connected with you?" Archie asked intently.

I shook my head impatiently. "It's probably owned by someone else at this point. The one you saw could be one of hundreds across the country."

"Where was the studio your mother went to?" Jessamine asked, her voice much more casual than Archie's.

"Just around the corner from our house. It's why she took the job – so I could meet her there when I walked home from school." And then it hit me. What if this was the same studio Archie saw in his vision?

"She's coming back home," I said blankly. "From Florida."

I suddenly turned to Archie. "Is that phone safe?"

"It should be," he replied, the phone in his hand. "What's her number?"

"They only have a permanent number at the house. She's supposed to check her messages regularly, but knowing her, she probably won't." Still, it wouldn't hurt to try.

"Jess?" Archie asked.

She thought about it. "I don't think it could hurt – but don't say where you are, obviously."

I nodded and took the phone. I waited, knowing it would go to voicemail before delivering my message. I made it brief, but I hoped that she would listen for once.

"Mom, it's me. Listen, I need you to do something. It's important. As soon as you get this message, call me at this number." Archie pointed to the number already written on the bottom of his picture. "Please don't go anywhere until you talk to me. I'm okay, but I have to talk to you ASAP. I love you, Mom. Bye."

Then we were back to waiting.

I suddenly felt exhausted, and collapsed onto the couch. I fell asleep, waiting for the phone to ring.

When I woke up, I knew it was too early. I was getting my days and nights reversed. The TV was on, and apparently there was some emergency news report. I squinted, trying to make out the details. The chyron said 'Air travel over Phoenix temporarily suspended.'

I panicked and immediately stood up. Archie was looking at me, Jessamine next to him with her hand on his back.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"It's been one heck of a morning," Archie said.

"Why are they suspending air travel?"

"We don't know," Jessamine replied. "They mentioned something about a possible terrorist attack from a flight heading out of Phoenix, but they then said it was a false alarm. Still, all flights to and from Phoenix have been canceled, and the city is under curfew." She looked at me intently. "Don't worry, you're safe. If we truly thought you were in danger, we would've already taken you elsewhere."

I immediately began to feel calmer, though I knew it was her doing. Part of me resented her constant emotional manipulation, but I knew it was for the best.

"There's something else," Archie said. "The dark room I'd mentioned earlier." I watched as he produced a nearly flawless sketch of a very familiar place.

"That's my mom's house."

Archie was across the room, phone in hand, dialing. I stared at the faithful rendering of my family room. Uncharacteristically, Jessamine slid closer to me. She lightly touched her hand to my shoulder, and the physical contact seemed to make her calming influence stronger. The panic stayed dull, unfocused.

Archie's lips blurred, he was talking so fast – his voice was just a low buzzing impossible to understand.

"Beau," he said. I looked at him numbly.

He explained what happened. Edythe, Eleanor, and Carine would take me somewhere to hide. They'd take a flight from Seattle to LA, and from there they'd travel here. Archie and Jessamine would stay behind to watch over my mom if and when she returned.

I went back to the bedroom, trying to gather my thoughts. So much was happening, it was difficult to process.

I don't know how long I sat on the floor and stared at the wall, but it must have been hours. I knew, rationally, that it was unlikely things could spiral out of control, but it still felt like I was trapped in a living nightmare.

The only hope I had left was knowing that I would see Edythe soon. Maybe if I could see her face again, I'd finally come to terms with everything that was happening. Things were always better when we were together.

When the phone rang, I went back to the front room. Archie was talking at high speed into the phone again. I looked around, but Jessamine was gone. The clock said it was five-thirty in the morning.

"They're just boarding their plane," Archie said. "They'll land at nine-thirty. From there it shouldn't take more than a few hours for them to get here."

I exhaled. Before the end of the day, I would finally be reunited with her.

"Where's Jessamine?"

"She went to check out."

"You aren't staying here?"

"No, we're relocating closer to your mother's house."

I suddenly felt nauseous, but then the phone rang again. Archie looked at the number, then held it out to me. I yanked it from his hand.

"Mom?"

The voice I heard sounded distant, and utterly terrified. "Beau, please don't listen to anything she says! She wants to kill you!"

My blood froze. But before I could respond I heard another voice. "Be very careful not to say anything until I tell you to." The voice I heard now was unfamiliar, but not unexpected. I knew immediately it was Joss.

"Now I don't need to hurt your mother, so please do exactly as I say, and she'll be fine." She paused for a minute while I listened in mute horror. "That's very good," she congratulated. "Now, do you think your friends can give us some privacy?"

I turned to Archie. I'd never been more terrified in my life, but I somehow gathered the nerve to speak. "Could you let me talk to her alone, please?"

Archie looked worried. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'll be fine," I said, trying my best to sound nonchalant.

He finally relented. "Alright. I'll be in the hall if you need me." He closed the door behind him.

"Are you alone?" Joss asked.

"Yes." My voice was barely more than a whisper. I knew if I spoke any louder Archie would be able to hear me even from outside the room.

"Alright," Joss said. I could practically hear her grin. "Good boy. I have to say this worked out rather better than I expected. I was prepared to wait, but your father was kind enough to mention that your mother was in Florida. And to think, she was ready to leave! How unfortunate for you that Victor found her first. She was even kind enough to leave a message for you."

I clenched my fist. "What do you want?"

"Oh my. Temper, temper. You know, at first I wasn't sure whether kidnapping your mother was the best course of action. Perhaps a simple bluff would suffice, like a video recording." Joss laughed. "But the more I learned about you, the more I began to realize that you'd see right through any deception. In order to get to you, I would have to make this very real."

I could only continue to listen helplessly as she continued.

"My instructions are quite simple. Do you think you can get away from your friends?"

I thought about that for a moment. Joss had to know such a feat would be next to impossible. "Yes," I replied through gritted teeth.

"Wonderful. Now, you may have heard there's a curfew going on, but not to worry, I have a contingency plan. You're going to love this." Her excitement was palpable.

"I know you're in Phoenix. I know you're staying at a hotel near the airport. And because of the curfew, only law enforcement and emergency service vehicles are allowed on the road. So I took the liberty of making a police car available near your hotel. I even threw in the uniform for good measure." She laughed again. "I'm sure the previous occupant won't mind."

"Why?" I asked blankly. "Of all the people you could've chosen to hunt down. Why me?"

"Because you're so much more fun. Now I'm sure you're aware of what would happen if you tell anyone else what I've told you. Or what would happen if you fail to follow my instructions."

"You won't win," I said, in cold fury. I knew I wasn't helping things, but I couldn't contain myself. "Even if your plan succeeds, they will find you, and they will kill you."

I heard a chuckle. "Defiant little one, aren't you? I have been pursued by more powerful beings than your friends, and yet here I am. You just need to do as I say, and your mother will be fine. Go to the ballet studio just around the corner from your house. I've instructed Victor to let her go as soon as you arrive. And please hurry, if you don't mind. I haven't got all day."

I swallowed. "How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"Well, I suppose you'll just have to trust me." I heard the smile in her voice. "You can't have a relationship without trust, now can you?"

I didn't respond, but she continued anyway. "I know what I'm asking won't be easy, but I'm sure you can use that brain of yours to figure out a way."

"You'll pay for this," I said. My voice sounded hollow, and I honestly didn't know if I believed my own words.

"Hmm." For a moment Joss sounded thoughtful. Then: "I'll see you soon." She hung up.

I held the phone in my ear. My joints were frozen with horror – I couldn't unbend my fingers to drop it.

I knew I had to think, but my head was filled with the sound of my mother's panic. Seconds ticked by while I fought for control.

Slowly, my thoughts began to break past the brick wall of fear. And I began to plan.

I had several options. I could do what my mother told me to do and stay in the hotel. Victor would almost certainly kill her, but I would live. I could tell Archie or Jessamine what happened and hope they could figure out a way to save her. Or I could try to follow Joss's instructions. I figured my odds of succeeding were less than twenty-five percent, but assuming I pulled it off, then the best-case scenario would be Victor letting my mother go, and Joss having her way with me. The worst-case scenario would be Joss deciding to kill us both.

Telling Archie and Jessamine felt like the safest option, but it was unlikely that Joss would remain unaware, especially given that she'd already figured out I was in Phoenix (how she managed that was beyond me). Still, Joss would gain nothing from killing my mother, and in fact it made her own death much more likely.

I realized that I was weighing my own life against my mother's. I felt nauseous. What was I doing? I thought I could outsmart Joss, but I was wrong. She'd been one step ahead this entire time.

I heard a knock. "Beau, are you ok?" It was Archie.

"I'm fine," I managed to choke out. "Just give me a second." I had to make a decision now. But I had no idea what to do. I prayed for an answer.

Suddenly I felt a tiny pinprick on the side of my neck. I reached for it and felt a dart, no larger than a grain of rice. To my surprise, it dissolved as soon as my fingers made contact. What the hell was going on? Everything began to grow dark. I tried calling out Archie, but nothing came out. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was a shadow near the window, one I hadn't seen before. I finally gave in and blacked out.