The Honor Trilogy: Books One, Two, and Three of the Honor Trilogy (14 page)

“Honor,” Storm says softly, standing still and not taking any steps to come closer to me. “I am not going to hurt you, so please don’t be scared.”

I just look at him in disbelief.

“I had to pretend to be on their side to find out information. I was going to make all the arrangements last night to go to Nevada…like we’d planned.” Storm pauses a second to close his eyes and run a hand through his hair. “They came to me first. Honor, they suspect that I’m trying to gather information from them…they’re making me prove that…I’m not.”

Still standing there dumbfounded, I feel a couple tears run down my cheek.

Now Storm approaches me. “Oh sweetheart, please don’t cry.” He takes me in his arms and holds me tight.

As much as I want to pull away, there is some force keeping me there.

“I swear to you, Honor, I do
not
want to hurt you. Feel me. I know you can. You’re like the only one who has ever been able to feel what I’m feeling. I know you can. Just do it. Concentrate…and you’ll see…I am not lying to you.”

Since I have no other choice, I do as he says.

He’s right.

All I feel from him is…hurt and pain and love…I feel no evil coming from Storm. But I do feel drained all of a sudden…and find it hard to breathe.

But I sigh into his neck.

“See. I would never harm you. But I do need to explain what’s going on…I don’t have much time; I’m not sure when someone will be visiting with us.”

More than curious to hear what Storm has to say, I pull away from him and look him in the eyes. “Okay. Explain.”

His hand feels warm on my shoulder as he drapes his arm around me and leads me to the wall where we were sitting before.

“I still don’t know who Gaffer is, but he’s definitely the one instructing us.” Storm shuts his eyes when he takes a deep breath. Letting it back out slowly, he continues. “Obviously…they want
you
,” he says as a matter of fact, but I sense his compassion behind the statement.

I remain quiet, encouraging him to continue – begging him to explain this horror to me.

“They realize you don’t have the elixir. However…they also realize that Ethan will go to any length to find it…in order to find you. They’ve made him aware that if he doesn’t find the elixir…he doesn’t get you.”

“Oh my god, Storm…why can’t you just tell Ethan where I am and what’s going on?” I plead.

“It’s not as simple as that, princess. They want that elixir. They know that Ethan is more likely to find it based on any clues he may have found…plus his anxiety in finding you. This way…Gaffer gets to sit back, stay anonymous, and still get what he’s after…They were watching you, y’know. They followed Ethan too…yesterday morning, when he went to that stone house or something.”

“Yesterday? How long have I been here?”

“About a day and a half.”

“Oh my god…my parents.”

“Ethan asked them not to go to the cops. He said that if they found out about us, well then, we’d be at risk of becoming…well…government property.”

“This is ludicrous.” My forehead starts sweating, and my stomach feels warm. I’m getting that nauseous-going-to-pass-out feeling. I rest my head against the wall to keep from swaying. “Does Ethan know you’re involved?” My insides are screaming to get out of my skin. I get up and pace around the room, staying next to the walls because I’m dizzy. But staying still is out of the question.
I. Want. To. Scream.

Storm stands up and walks next to me without touching me. “I’m
not
involved, Honor,” he insists. “I’m just trying to get as close as I can to them so I can stop them from hurting you.”

A guttural sound rises from my belly and escapes my lips. “Yeah. You really did a
good
job at that,” I mock, taking a look around the dank icehouse.

“Are you hurt?” he says sarcastically.

“Not physically, no…but my parents are probably going crazy with worry right now.”

“Yeah. Ethan says they’re a mess…but he’s assuring them that
he will find the elixir and get you back.
”

“This is nuts, Storm. Why can’t you just get me outta here, and we can all help Ethan find it.”

“We’re all taking instructions from a very dangerous man…a man, I might add, who finds pleasure in killing people for his own benefit.”

“What does he need the elixir for if he’s killing empaths and getting the same results?”

“Because he was wronged…by
your
grandfather. He wants revenge as well.” Storm pauses and drops his head, the look of guilt painted across his face. “Your birth parents were smart to give you away. You were safe for so long.” A sideways smirk stains his face now. “Until Ethan came looking for you, that is.” Storm shakes his head. “Such a loser, that boy.”

“Stop. He had no way of knowing he’d put me in danger by finding me.” I walk back to the wall and sit down…further away from Storm than I was before.

The sadness in Storm’s eyes betrays his cool exterior. He tears his gaze from me, choosing the floor as his focal point instead. Since he has his head down, I’m unable to read his expression, but the energy I’m getting from him is filled with sorrow and guilt. I have that
tears-stuck-in-my-throat
feeling, but I know it’s not coming from me. Inching closer to Storm, I lay a trepid hand on his leg. He doesn’t turn to look at me, but I see the corner of his mouth quirk, and I feel comforted. So I know that he does too.

Finally, Storm looks at me. His violet eyes are now an intense plum color, and he stares right into
my
violet eyes…which I assume appear just as intense. My face warms, and the heat ignites throughout me. Suddenly I’m on fire with desire. Storm leans in just a hair…it’s almost imperceptible, but I know his intention. Leaning in towards him myself, I lick my lips and slightly part them. I close my eyes. His soft lips feel hot on my mouth, and my breathing picks up. Moving in closer, he reaches his hand behind my neck, and pulls me closer. Storm’s tongue feels moist as he runs it between my lips.

Just then he pulls away and jumps to his feet. “Well, princess, it’s been a hoot.” Storm says, all sincerity gone. I try to catch the soul behind his eyes, but he won’t have it. He will not look me in the eye. “
Gotta go, sweetheart. Be good. I’ll be back.”

He two-steps the stairs and he’s gone, leaving me breathless…and alone…in the dank, dark, old icehouse.

The chill in the air becomes more prevalent now that Storm is gone. The warm tingle my body had enjoyed just moments ago has been replaced with a cold shiver. I’m alone and I’m afraid. Can I really trust Storm? He runs so hot and cold; maybe he isn’t really trying to help us. What if he’s just leading me on to
believe
he’s trying to help so that I don’t cause a ruckus while I’m down here?

Wringing my hands together because I’m so nervous, I realize I can’t sit still. I get up and start screaming. Someone
has
to be out there who will hear me. My scream echoes, but I alone here it. Not knowing much about icehouses, I’m sure if they were built solid enough to keep ice cold…they’d effectively keep sounds from escaping. That means no matter how loud I strain my voice, it’ll be in vain.

Resigned to save my voice since it won’t do any good to scream, I sit back against the wall, close my eyes, and pray for sleep. But it’s impossible, I’m too wound up. Repositioning myself to somehow get comfortable, my hand lands upon something small and cool. A black iPod Shuffle…one of those small square things. White ear buds are attached to it. After inspecting them for cleanliness, I put them in my ears and press play.

The first two songs are two of my favorites from Ed Sheeran. I let out a sigh and silently thank Storm for at least leaving me with some music to keep me calm.

**

When the playlist starts all over, I figure several hours have passed. I don’t know if that means it’s another day or if it is still the same day, but I’m really worried about my parents. How are they handling this? They are not going to understand all this empath danger stuff. God…I don’t even understand it, and I’ve had a little more time to adjust to the idea. I feel my eyes begin to water, but I hold back the tears. Now they just feel as if they’re stuck in my throat.

Footsteps creak above me, getting louder as they approach the door at the top of the steps. Storm is coming back. Though I’m not sure what to believe, I can’t wait to see him. The footfall on the steps is much heavier than Storm’s. Crawling up the wall with my back, I sidestep the wall to get further away. Those feet do not belong to Storm.

“Looking for your boyfriend?” the masked man asks. “Or should I say…your boyfriend’s brother?”

I can see his smirk through the mouth hole on his mask.

“Your little friend got caught.”

Oh my goodness. Storm.

“Yup. Shame on him trying to pull one over on the old Gaffer.” The man laughs. “Yup.” He nods his head. “Let me tell ya’…your other little boy toy better come up with that elixir…otherwise the old man is going to be concocting a new one with you alls blood.” He guffaws again.

Those tears that were caught in my throat are forcing themselves out from my eyes. My bottom lip hurts from the intensity at which I’m biting it. Storm is dead.
Ethan’ll be next. Oh my god. I drop down to the floor against the far wall. Sinking my head in my hands I cry and cry and cry. My parents will never see me again.

“I got instructions to leave you some water and a roll. Make it last. It’ll be a while before I come back.” The big bad wolf turns and walks up the stairs, laughing all the way up…before the door locks shut.

So many thoughts are running through my mind right now. Aside from my poor mom and dad, I can’t help but feel bad that I doubted Storm. I know he’s gruff on the outside, but his insides are all mush. I should have known he was only helping us. Clutching my heart, I sob all over again. The cement wall is unforgiving when I drop my head back in a crying fit. Stars circle my head in a cartoonish manner before I fall to the floor…not unconscious but dizzy. My tears continue to drop to the floor, and curling up into the fetal position, I pray for someone to save me…from my pain.

I don’t want to be an empath anymore – it hurts too much. Whether I’m hurting for someone else or hurting because these stupid empaths are in danger…I just don’t want to
hurt
anymore. Besides…what good comes out of it? I can heal people, but then I’m out of commission for like days. Ethan says I’m going to die anyway. So really…what good does being an empath do me? I’m not a selfish, narcissistic human being, but how much torture and pain can one person endure? Praying that God takes my abilities away is the last thing I remember before falling into a deep, pitying sleep.

**

An unfamiliar anxiety jolts me awake. Like a snake coiling its limbless length around and around my gut, this strong sense of imminent danger is new to me. This is not my anxiety. Someone is near. Closing my eyes to concentrate, I take a deep breath in and hold it – allowing the outsider’s emotions to take residence inside me. Not so I can take their impending doom away but to try to gather whose emotions they are. He’s afraid – more so than I am. If my feelings are correct, Ethan is nearby.

Running for the stairs, I fall up the first step…my body is tight from lack of movement. I pick myself up and take one step at a time. I bang on the door at the top. Banging. Banging. Banging. “
Ethan,
” I yell as loud as I can. “
Ethan...Ethan…Help…Help.
” I take a deep breath and bang harder – so hard I know there will be a bruise on the outside of my hands later. “
Ethan….Help me…Ethan…It’s me…It’s Honor
.”

I yell and bang like that for I don’t know how long, but suddenly I hear muffled voices. “
Ethan…I’m down here…Ethan…Help…I’m here.
” I keep banging until I hear the clang of a latch being open. I push hard on the door. “Oh, Ethan.” I fall into his arms and cry.

“Oh my god, Honor. Are you hurt? Oh my god, oh my god, baby…I was so,” he’s breathing heavy and can’t finish.

“I’m all right, Ethan…I’m just…so…scared. They killed Storm…”

He holds me at arm’s length. “What?”

“They killed Storm. Someone with a mask…he said they caught him…they knew he was helping us.”

Ethan closes his eyes and sighs, pulling me back to his chest. “I’m just so glad they didn’t hurt you.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see a figure, so I turn. “Oh, Hunter…”

“Hey. You good?” Ethan’s younger brother asks.

“Yeah.” Turning my attention back to Ethan, Hunter walks away. “How’d you find me?” I cry, looking into Ethan’s violet eyes.

“I was actually looking for the elixir. I had no idea you’d be anywhere near here.”

“Where’s here?”

“The school. The one in the picture.”

Standing back from Ethan, I look around. I’m inside some small building. I walk to the door that leads outside and there it is. To my right stands an old stone building – the old Monroe school. “I had no idea,” I muse.

“Give me a hug, babe. Don’t let me let you go ever again.” Ethan pulls me so tight, he feels like that snake that held my gut. It’s not a good feeling…and I don’t understand why.

“Babe,” I mumble into his neck.

“Yeah,” he says above my head.

“You’re scared.”

He chuckles. “Uh, yeah.”

“Fill me in.” I pull away again. “Tell me what’s happening.”

“Not here, Honor. Let me get you home. I’ll come back later to look for the stuff. Your parents are so worried.”

“No,” I demand. “I mean, yes, I wanna go home, but we need to end this thing. We need to go to the police…something. I can’t live afraid the rest of my life.”

“Honor. We’re
not
going to the police. I’ve explained why. Either they’ll think we’re crazy or they’ll keep us, report us, and do whatever testing they want on us. No. We can’t trust the cops. Your parents know what’s going on. Let me bring you to them. They’ll take you to some hotel somewhere and hide you while we find this stuff…and hand it over.”

“What?” I’m stunned. “You want to hand the elixir to that Gaffer? He’ll use it for evil.”

“Better that than him killing you. No, I can’t take the chance, Honor.”

“But how do you know he won’t want to kill us anyway. We can dump the elixir…if it even exists…and be gone with it forever.”

“Oh, Honor. I just don’t know. But we gotta get you outta here. If they hid you here, they’ll be back. Please let’s get the heck home. I’ll come back on my own.” He wraps his one arm around my waist and bends to put his other arm behind my knees. Ethan carries me away.

“Oh geez,
Eeth. Please. Put me down.”

“Nope. I want a guarantee I’m getting you outta here.”

“Ethan. Put her down.” Hunter comes back from around the corner in a frenzy. “Send her back down.”

“No…” I beg.

“Yes, hurry.
Now.
One of his men is coming. Now, Honor. Go back,” Hunter demands.

Ethan, still carrying me, walks me back down the dank and dreary icehouse.

“No, Ethan. Please. You don’t know what it’s like down there.”

Ethan takes off his coat. “Here. Take this. I’ll be back when they’re gone. Don’t let them know we were here.”

He gives me a quick kiss on the lips, and just like that…he’s gone. The lock latches, and I’m alone again.

Disappointment spurts through my body like venom…destroying all hope. They’ll hurt Ethan…like they did Storm. There is no way they didn’t see Ethan leaving the icehouse. Impending doom slithers across the floor and up the walls, and it’s getting stronger with every stubborn breath I take. Closing my eyes, I think…
for the first time in my life, I wish I were already dead. What’s to come seems far worse.