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Kace ambled toward me, sneering as he got close, backhanding me across my cheek. The force of the surprise blow caused my knees to buckle. I swiftly made contact with the cold floor. I heard Logan screech and saw him trying to reach me. The horror on his face was too much to take. I turned away from him just as Kace landed a kick to my ribs. The snap was loud, echoing off the sphered chamber. I was positive I had broken at least one rib. Sharp pain penetrated my side as he kicked me again. Every ounce of air left my lungs, leaving them shriveled and dry. I struggled to fill them. Managing a few small breaths, the searing pain repeated with each inhale. I met Logan’s stare once again. He had his pa
lms placed on the glass, ignoring the energy trying to force his hands away. It had to hurt.
“Please, Claire. Please,” Logan pleaded.
CHAPTER 22
“Most people have more than one soul mate. You may already be in several soul mate relationships with friends and loved ones. A soul mate can come in the form of a life partner, treasured friend, child, or lover. A soul mate can be someone with whom you share a spiritual path, a joint work in the world, or a commitment to be parents to certain souls. It can be someone whose growth you are sponsoring, such as a child.” – Sanaya Roman
I thought for a minute I should release the bubble, not wanting Logan to live with this memory. Then I heard what sounded like an animal herd pounding through open plains. The stampede grew louder as the door swung open. Brent and Reese entered but it was not only the two of them. The girls had come as well. Layken, Brooke and Mandy watched in disbelief. Why the hell was Mandy here? The color left their faces as they took in the scene before them but it was Brent who called the loudest.
He sprinted to the glass placing his hand on it, screaming my name, slamming his palm into the side of the encasement. Still on my knees I reached up, putting my hand on his through the wall as he begged me to release the cast. I wanted to but what would Kace do to all of them? Brent and Reese had been born into this fight as I had, but the girls would be innocent victims. Kace would surely hurt them if I let the bubble fall. If I just kept them out then Kace could rid his world of me and any danger he thought I posed to him. My friends could escape and go far away from Kace.
Brent’s expression grew terrified, his eyes stormy blue. I knew he read my thoughts.
“Claire, no,” he begged sliding down the bubble, joining me on his knees. “None of us are leaving you here. Kace won’t let them live, even if you sacrifice yourself. Think about this please. The only way is together…God, please trust me, Claire,” Brent begged.
With those words I released the bubble and my heart, falling into Brent’s arms, crushing myself into him. Everyone was shouting around us. It was chaotic and I struggled to concentrate, unable to focus on anything but Brent’s safe embrace around me. My body instantly reacted to his touch as energy shot through me, healing me. I felt the gash in my head close and a wave of power engulfed me. I was fortunate he was able to heal me so quickly, as I would need all of my strength.
Mandy swiftly turned her head when I caught her eye. “Why did you bring them here?” I asked Brent, staring at Mandy.
“Reese and I pieced together that Mandy was an Anchor. In order to retract the Adherent from her we had to share some things with the others. All of us left the house together to look for you and Logan. They refused to stay behind. When you spoke to me I had to find you. Taking the girls home was too far in the other direction. As we got closer to the loft, both Reese and I figured out what was happening,” Brent explained.
My eyes left Mandy, returning to Brent. “You should have told them to stay outside, or let them take the car to go back home,” I said worriedly, knowing Kace would harm them.
“Believe me…Reese and I tried but they kept arguing with us which I didn’t have time for. Brooke refused to leave Reese and Layken was freaking out about you and Logan,” Brent argued.
I looked for Layken, smiling when I saw her wrapped in Logan’s arms. The back of her long blonde hair flowing just above her waist was familiar to me now. Layken was the woman I saw in my vision as the mother of Logan’s future children. My heart sang joyfully.
Suddenly, the room began to shake thunderously, casting a dark cloud on my moment of sunshine. We all stood at attention, staring at the man causing it. Kace brought the room back to a standstill. Instinctively, the group of us huddled together.
“Fool,” Kace said to Brent. “You brought humans with you.”
“Let them go, Kace,” I said fearfully, chewing on my bottom lip.
“Quiet, Claire,” Kace scolded, looking over at the group in a way that had me wishing they had never come.
“No,” I shouted stepping forward. I had to be brave. “They have nothing to do with this and you know it.”
“They do now. Thanks to your boyfriend. He brought them here. You know I can’t let them leave now. They know too much, Claire,” Kace threatened.
“Kace, please, can’t you see how scared they are?” I pleaded.
“Yes, it’s the same look your parents had. They couldn’t stop me either,” Kace said triumphantly.
A dull ache wrapped around my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs, slowly ripping my heart in two as I registered his words. Kace killed my parents. He took the two people who meant the most to me. I shivered, watching him stand before me with his superior grin. I began to cry again, differently though, because they were angry tears.
Kace’s words rang in my ears that humans were weak. I refused to believe that so I held off the tears, using my anger to stand tall rather than cry. He was not going to use my pain against me.
“My parents died in a car accident.” I spat back at him. I was told my parents were killed when a semi-truck lost control slamming into the back of them.
“They did, but only after I paid them a little visit. They refused to tell me where you were. Your father cut a truck driver off and the driver was filled with road rage. You combine his wrath with his lack of sleep and the Adherent I sent anchored to him within minutes,” Kace confessed proudly, using his fingers to stroke his chin.
“You bastard,” I shouted, begging my body not to lunge at him. I was shaking, adrenaline surging through me and I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of my own blood boiling in my ears.
He laughed. “I’ve been called worse,” he said, his black ink-stained eyes lacking remorse.
I steadied my resolve and held in my fury. I approached him confidently grasping for strength. “My parents had completed their purpose, hiding me away from you. They have moved on, to a higher purpose. The way I see it, refusing your higher purpose makes you the one who is weak. Or are you afraid?”
