Crimson (The Silver Series Book 3) (26 page)

A fist tightened around my heart, but I went
back to Colleen and carried her to Meg and Roger’s SUV. Roger
patted me on the back. “You did good here,” he said, a fatherly
shine in his eyes. “You’ve saved a lot of people.”

“
I hurt a lot, too,” I
replied quietly.

He looked at me, his eyes calculating.
“You’re a good kid, Kaynan. Don’t let the guilt of the past ruin
your future. You’ve been given a fresh start, something most people
can only dream of.” He ruffled my hair in a gesture that reminded
me of my father and brought a smile to my face. He pulled his hand
back and glanced at the blood on it. “You should get that looked
at.”

I touched the spot gingerly. “It’s alright.
Feels like it’s already healing.”

He nodded. “Good to hear. We’ll leave soon.
Why don’t you rest a bit; you look terrible.”

“
Thank you,” I said with a
tired laugh. I climbed into the SUV where I promptly fell asleep in
the front seat. I jerked awake when a loud explosion followed by
several rumbles shook the vehicle. I opened my eyes to see the
windows burst from the Development Center and flames engulf the
interior.

Jaze, Jet, Mouse, and Brock watched the
detonation a few feet away. Another explosion sounded and Jet and
Mouse exchanged pleased glances. I fought back a smile and closed
my eyes again. The hum of tires on the road chased away the
nightmares. I eventually fell into a dreamless sleep brought on by
sheer exhaustion.

“
We’re here,” Roger said
quietly.

I awoke to see an unassuming gray brick
building with small windows perched on the outskirts of a small
town. Seven other vehicles from the Development Center sat outside
and I could hear the snarl of wild werewolves from the
blanket-wrapped cages that were carried inside. I climbed gingerly
out of the SUV and gathered Colleen gently back in my arms. The
quiet sound of her breathing reassured me as I followed Meg down a
long tiled hallway lined with rooms.

A dull scent of depression tainted the walls
beneath the smell of new paint and furniture. “What was this place
before you took it over?” I asked.

“
A psychiatric center,”
Roger answered from behind me. I glanced at him and he gave a wry
grin. “I know, but the set up works well and we can keep the
occupants in their rooms if necessary.” He gestured to a door on
the left hand side. Meg opened it and I carried Colleen
in.

The room had been transformed into a normal
bedroom. The concrete walls and floor had been covered in wallpaper
and soft carpet that sunk under my feet. A four-poster bed sat in
one corner with thick yellow blankets on top and a multitude of
colored pillows crowding the headboard. A reading desk, complete
with a lamp and a collection of books, stood across from the bed
and a small television on a wooden stand occupied a third corner.
The air smelled of lavender and lemon, clean and crisp without the
underlying scents of the hallway.

“
This isn’t bad,” I
admitted. Meg smiled at Roger as I settled Colleen gently on the
bed. She looked out of place in the cozy façade, a cream and black
wolf sleeping on a bed that looked restful enough for a dozen tired
girls.

“
We’ll leave you to say
goodbye,” Roger said. The emotions his words stirred must have
shown on my face because he gave an understanding smile. “Goodbye
just for a short while. You need to rest, and we’ll take good care
of her here. You can come back whenever you’d like.”

Meg nodded. “We chose the closest
rehabilitation center to Jaze’s house with that in mind.”

“
I appreciate it,” I
replied quietly, touched.

They continued down the hall, leaving the
door open a slight crack so I could go when I was ready. I studied
the room and tried to tell myself it wasn’t good enough for my
sister, but after everything we had been through, I would live in a
box with her on the streets if it meant she was alive and safe.

My heart slowed and I rested my head next to
hers, watching her breathe and trying to convince myself that the
wolf beside me was my sister, that she was truly alive. I put a
hand on her soft fur and said a quiet prayer of gratitude that we
had been given a second chance. She was safe, we were together
again, and things could start over the way they should be. “I’ll
watch over you now. No one will hurt you, I promise.” I swallowed
the lump in my throat and put my forehead against hers. “You’re
safe, Cole. Sleep. Everything will be alright.”

***

“
Kaynan?”

I couldn’t remember where I was and opened
my eyes to find that I was still inside Jaze’s SUV, but everyone
else was gone. A tap sounded on the window again and I looked over
into Grace’s beautiful, moon-washed face. She smiled as though she
knew I was awake.

I opened the door and she stepped around it
into my arms. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she said.

“
Me, too.” A knot tightened
in my throat and I didn’t know how to tell her what we had found at
the labs, or that I had killed people, or about Colleen. I thought
of the bodies in rows in the clone room, dozens of faces identical
to mine.

“
It’s okay,” Grace
whispered. “Jet told me. I’m proud of you.”

“
You are?”

She nodded against my chest. “You did what
you had to, and you came back to me like you promised.”

I swallowed and tried to put my thoughts
into words. “Grace, you make me a better person. I’m someone else
when I’m around you, someone completely different than I was before
the accident.”

“
Is that a good thing?” she
asked, her voice soft.

I nodded and my chin rubbed against the top
of her head. My eyes burned and I closed them. “You’ve made me a
better person just from being near you. You give me purpose and
direction that I’ve never had before.” I sighed, knowing I was
messing it up completely. “You’ve changed me.”

Her hand rested softly against my chest.
“You’ve changed me, too,” she said quietly.

Surprised, I barely dared to breathe.
“How?”

I could hear the smile in her voice when she
answered, “You gave me someone to love, someone I trust with all of
my heart, someone I want to spend every moment with. I would gladly
trade my sight for you.”

I couldn’t hold back anymore. I bent down
and kissed her, closing my eyes as I tasted her lips and felt her
breath against mine. One of her hands reached up to tangle in my
hair and the other traced softly down my neck. My skin trembled
under her touch and I felt complete and happy, content and finally
whole for the first time in my life.

“
You don’t have to be blind
anymore,” I whispered against her lips. I let her go and phased
into my wolf form. There was no other way to say it; it felt good
to be a wolf. Grace set a gentle hand on my back and I showed her
the world. A smile spread across her face and filled me with
warmth. We set out into the moonlit night.

About the Author

Cheree Alsop is the mother of a beautiful,
talented daughter and two amazing twin sons who fill every day with
light and laughter. She married her best friend, Michael, who
changes lives each day in his Chiropractic clinic. Cheree is
currently working as a free-lance writer and mother. She enjoys
reading, riding her Ninja motorcycle on warm nights, and rocking
her twins while planning her next book. She is also an aspiring
drummer and bass player for her husband’s garage band.

Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they
rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great adventures, and never stop
dreaming.

Please check out Cheree’s
other books at
www.chereealsop.com