They searched the closet near the back entrance for supplies. There was nothing but some of Stefan’s clothing and shoes. They did a quick sweep of the kitchen, hoping to find something to work with under the sink, but to no avail. Next stop was downstairs. There was the laundry room that she hadn’t really explored. She stepped onto the cool cement and in the corner, she found a much larger medical kit that was three times the size of the one they were working with back at the duplex. It had everything they needed.
Then it came again. They both fell to their knees in agony as the island grabbed hold. Erin gritted her teeth and rose to her feet, pulling Trevor up. His hands were over his ears, his eyes squeezed shut. She hoisted him up and the high-pitched wailing continued in their minds. They staggered up the stairs and moved slowly through the living room. Her shoulder was throbbing from his weight as she shuffled them through the living room. She turned to the window and the Royal Family was there, staring at them.
“Trevor,” she hollered. “We need to make a run for the trees. We go north and loop around to Skye and Ashton.”
He shook his head. “We should split up. Better chances.”
Erin grabbed him by the collar, irate with his suggestion. “We go together.”
Whatever she had done, it wore off again and they took over, sending wavelengths of needles through her skull. She let go of Trevor and asked if he could walk on his own and he staggered to the side, yelled monstrously, and took the lead without her help.
They looped around, the pain easing, their footsteps increasing in speed as they came back through the trees, seeing their duplex up ahead. They charged out from the trees and straight for the front door, and then they appeared from thin air, blocking them from the door. Trevor stepped back with his knife cocked.
Erin could taste ammonia in the air. Their eyes were all bloodshot, faces tense. Then their eyes cleared and smiles formed. The weight lifted off of her and she gasped as they let go of her mind. She and Trevor collapsed to the ground.
“There’s no sense helping your friend. Everything has been written now.”
“Where is Stefan?”
“Waiting for you.”
“Which is where?”
Sebastian didn’t take kindly to her insulting tone. “Choose your next words carefully, Erin. Remember you’ve been blessed with purity.”
“That’s strange, because I’ve done some pretty impure things on this trip.”
“You mock us?” Cassidy glared at Erin. “I don’t know what you see in this shrewd little thing.” She turned to Trevor. “You could be with me.”
“Think of the ghost babies you two could have. Melts my heart.”
“That’s enough!” Sebastian’s voice boomed. His big hand was wrapped tightly around his rustic trident, ready to be thrown as a spear at the next provocation. “You will not ruin this. Tonight we will have rebirth and we will have death.” His eyes flicked over to Trevor. “The pure one will join us. The beginning to a new army. To take back what was ours.”
“What are you taking back?” asked Trevor.
Bruce walked up with a rifle in his hands. He lumbered with each step, his shoulders hunched. “Mainland? They’re talking about Belize.”
“You’re going to take Belize? There are over 300,000 people living there.”
“And those who are worthy will join us. Those who are not—won’t.”
“You’re crazy,” said Erin.
She was no longer thinking about getting herself off the island; she was thinking about all of the people who were in danger.
“That’s why we’ve chosen you, Erin. Your selfless nature. Your passion. Your will to make right. To make good. You will help lead our legion. You will help so many find their redemption. They will have purpose again. Fewer will be lost than you’d imagine. That’s the kind of power you have. You, Erin.”
“No.”
“You’ll see in due time that—”
“No!”
Sebastian snapped his head to the side in disgust. “To our site,” he said to Bruce.
Bruce started walking and Trevor was ready to jump him from behind.
“What site?” asked Erin.
“Where you and I met,” the soft voice of Teresa spoke. “Erin, my girl, please calm. See the good here. The peace that will come.”
“No.”
Sebastian leered at Trevor and he crumpled into a ball in the dirt, howling from the pain scorching through his head. Then like a robot under its master’s command, Trevor rose and began walking stiffly behind Bruce, following him to the outdoor church. She ran toward him, drawing her knife from her waistband, but he saw her coming. Her stride hit an imaginary wall and her foot was forced back to the ground, her hand back down to her side. She used all her strength to keep the handle of the knife in her hand. Sebastian smiled at her, drunk with power, his intoxicating smile infuriating her. He stepped toward her.
She could feel his mind crawling around inside hers.
Sebastian kept on tinkering in her mind, but she simply removed it. She thought of her old garden and her favorite place to study on campus. She thought of Trevor, his hands on her face. Her eyes opened.
Sebastian squinted in confusion. They disappeared.
Erin turned back and saw Trevor regain control, Bruce beside him in awe. He punched Bruce in the jaw, and then tackled him to the ground, knocking the rifle loose. They exchanged blows on the ground and rolled around, jockeying for position on top. They were grunting, throwing elbows and fists. Bruce kicked Trevor square in the chin and sent him back and got to his feet quickly. Erin dove for the rifle, rolled to her back, and fired. Rubber bullets left no welt; only the smell of hot led and blood followed as he dropped to his knee, but kept himself perched up. “Shit,” he said.
Erin loaded it. “How about that?” She put another in his chest.
Chapter Thirty-six - Erin
“How did you do that?” Trevor pressed his fingers against his temple.
“Come on!”
They sprinted back into the dreaded duplex. Skye was still unconscious, her complexion a new shade of white.
“Where the hell were you? She’s burning up.” Ashton’s hand was on her chest. “Her heartbeat is really slow.”
Erin put the big medical kit on the bed and got organized, tubing and IV bags placed on the windowsill above the bed. “How’s the wound?”
“Nothing more has seeped through the bandaging. I think it’s okay.”
“What’s her blood type?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’m O negative,” Trevor said.
“Okay. Sit.” It didn’t take long. She found her openings with ease and they laid Skye down on the floor, Trevor up on the bed, blood flowing down.
“Now what?” Trevor asked.
It was a good question. They had to get to the fishing boat. Then she remembered Bruce’s keys. She pulled them from her pocket.
“What kind of boat was it?”
“Lund!”
A Lund key jingled amongst the others from her fingertip. “Got it. My God, I’m stupid.”
Trevor looked at poor Skye. “How long do we need to do this for?”
“Until she gets enough.”
“Which is how much?”
“You’re only supposed to donate 350 ml in one sitting, but she’s lost two or three pints. We could do 700 ml but no more. You’ll feel weak and tired.”
Would they be waiting for us at the boat? Or was I able to send them someplace else? How do I do what I just did again?
“I think we reached weak and tired a while back, E.”