Chapter Two- Every Action
Eduardo
looked as though he was considering it. Sarah stood there, eyes sick and soul
in obvious despair.
Erak could have kicked himself, where he in his
normal Companion form.
"You're life? That isn't what I want," Eduardo said.
"My life for his," Sarah repeated.
"Sarah, don't," he pleaded.
"I won't have your blood on my soul, Jason." She leaned over and
kissed his cheek. "I see no other way, ashke," she whispered in his
ear.
"I accept," Richard finally announced. "Now,
your punishment for having the balls to kiss another in my presence."
He lifted her by her throat and slapped her numerous times. To her credit, she
didn't even cry out or shed a tear. Finally, he tossed her aside to the
opposite end of the courtyard. She landed against the brick wall with a soft,
weak moan of pain.
Erak was filled with rage, an emotion that seized him
instantly because he was unfamiliar with it.
:Erak, calm down!: Charlise
commanded.
:She's my Choice!: he replied,
Sending a blast of the anger.
:Oh,: Charlise gasped.
Erak managed to walk over to Sarah.
Her pulse was weak and her breathing shallow. From hitting her head, there was
a contusion and bleeding.
"Joseph, shoot to disable," he murmured.
There was a gunshot and a cry of pain.
Erak spun to see Tracey fall to her knees in pain,
clutching her left shoulder which was bleeding profusely.
Eduardo had shot her.
Suddenly, Sarah was in the evil Brazilian's arms as the boy dashed off.
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Sarah was filled with fear, but she daren't let it show.
"Eduardo, I'm telling you, if you do this, you will die. Probably not this
night, or the next, but you will die and painfully."
He approached her and her gold eyes filled with ice. Then, her world became a
whirlwind of pain.
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That brute! Erak
thought, sitting straight up in his bed. Selenay will have his head!
:Erak, are you
all right?: asked a hesitant voice in his mind.
:Yes, Carmanda,
I'm fine,: he replied, deciding against mentioning Sarah's predicament.
:I Chose today,:
murmured the young Companion sleepily.
:What?! Who?:
:The girl, Tracey. He shot her.:
:Selenay will handle him when we finally return to Valdemar. Don't worry. Assault on two
Heraldic Trainees, one in critical condition in the first place. To
quote the hertasi, he's fertilizer.:
He reached for the telephone and dialed Joseph's number from Sarah's
memory.
"Hello?"
"It's Jason. Joseph, can you pick me up at the Winn-Dixie at the corner of
Miller and Grove Streets?"
"Sure. Be there in five."
"See you then."
He stood to dress and Carmanda followed suit.
"No, Carmanda. You can't."
"I will, though," she replied, sounding fierce.
"Fine," he said, deciding that this was one of those fights were
retreat wasn't a bad option. "Dress appropriately. We're going
racing."
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She limped to her bike and winced as she mounted it. Then, she raced off,
praying Eduardo would sleep just a bit longer. Long enough
for her to escape.
Twice.
He had shamed her twice.
She had known instinctively that this would happen. However, for some odd
reason, she couldn't allow Jason to be hurt.
If he'd died, I would have, she
thought. She knew that instinctively as well.
She got on I-20 and removed her helmet, hoping that the clean wind would erase
some of the filth from her.
Time passed until she passed the exit to Turner Field and was forced to smile.
Joseph, Tracey, Porsha, Ty,
Jason, Adelia, and an unknown woman were waiting for
her.
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Erak was furious as he read his Chosen's mind.
"Hello, everyone," came her voice in his ear, via a helmet mic.
He didn't reply, but didn't look at her. He couldn't stand himself now that he
knew exactly what had happened.
What did I do? What have I done? he
thought in despair.