AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We remain seated as the jet gets lower in altitude, my ears popping every few minutes as we approach another executive airport, and soon gracefully land on the tarmac.
A large SUV waits for us a few feet away from the stairs of the jet, and Darian places our carry-ons in the back.
“Hope your flight was satisfactory. Have a wonderful day, Mr.Cathorn.” Heather turns to me and smiles, “You have a wonderful day as well, Ms. Ray.” She gives me a warm look before climbing the steps onto the jet as we continue to the SUV with Val in tow.
It’s not long before we’re cruising through the crowded city, only stopping to grab some takeout, and soon I find that the street names look familiar. My heart skips a beat when I realize we’re near Tammy’s apartment complex.
“What are we doing here?” My nerves are on full display in my voice as it cracks awkwardly.
“We’re staying across from your friend’s apartment. According to my brother, one of the amulets is supposedly there.”
My eyes widen, and I look up at the high rise building with shock.
“How did she have one and I wasn’t aware of it?”
Darian shrugs, “Not sure, maybe she acquired it after you had been around and she just never brought it near you.” he offers, the uncertainty of his explanation genuine.
Having parked in the enormous underground garage, I mindlessly follow him and Val to the elevators. The apartment has so many floors that my ears pop again as we ascend and my chest tightens. As the doors open I can feel the same sensation that I had felt at the airport. It seems with each amulet I acquire, the more intense the pull and pain is when we come across another.
The feeling is so overwhelming that as we exit the elevator, I can’t move any further. My body is visibly trembling with effort to stay upright as I brace my weight against the wall.
“Fuck.” Darian’s brows furrow with concern, and he twists to Val, “I’m going to bring the carry-ons inside, stay here with her and we’ll go straight to the other apartment to look for it.”
Val huffs and props himself against my leg for added support as we wait for Darian to return. He is gone for a few minutes that passes as an eternity, but once he comes back into view, his face is serious with thought.
“Put your arms around my neck,” he instructs.
I blink at him, “Excuse me?”
“I’m going to carry you. It’s a long walk and you can hardly stand.”
I shoot him a glare and as I shift my weight on my legs, they buckle, and I nearly collapse.
Darian catches my arm and scoffs, “Gods, you are stubborn, aren’t you?”
I snort, “You have no idea.”
Darian scoops my legs up, cradling me in his arms and carries me down the hallway to Tammy’s apartment.
The pull is strong and my lips thin as he sets me on my feet to unlock the door using a pin pad with one arm still hooked around me.
“How did you get into her apartment?” I ask as Darian laughs with a certain slyness that makes my eyes narrow.
“How do you think I got into your house?” he retorts with pure amusement and I roll my eyes.
“Howdidyou get into my house?” I ask, levelling him with a look.
“Lets just say, I am well versed in electronics” He says with a grin.
I shake my head as he opens the door and Tammy’s familiar scents drift from the apartment. My humor quickly turns as I fight the tears threatening to fall, and I inhale a ragged breath as I give in to them, collapsing into Darian’s arms.
He says nothing, but holds me tight to his chest as the tears fall, driven by the overwhelming scents of her expensive perfumes and incenses used that still linger in the air.
After a few minutes, I manage to extract myself from his arms before taking a single step deeper into the apartment, but his hand abruptly stops my movements, “I can look around for it again, if you’ll wait here?”
I nod, “It’ll be faster if I can at least pinpoint the direction of the room it’s in.”
He assesses me for a moment and reluctantly gives me a quick nod. I shift to the hallway on the right and pain shoots from my abdomen to my toes, so I turn to the left hallway and the tug intensifies.
