CHAPTER 17
Astrid
“So do me a favor and leave me alone.” Sparks saunters away with some random blond.
Typical. Avoid your problems. Drown them out with liquor, and apparently, random sex toys.
Was that all last night was to her? Am I just another person who would sleep with her?
I know we’re not together, but I was hoping…
Well, I wasn’t hoping that she would sleep with someone else when I’m right here.
I still think she’s hiding something. Back to her same tricks. Doesn’t she know that we only want to help her? All of her secrets and lies only lead to trouble.
And that blond guy? Yuck. She could do better. He’s obviously looking for a quick lay. She deserves someone who will woo her, make her come first, who cherishes how soft her skin is. He won’t even notice.
“Stare any harder and he’ll explode.” Derek stands next to me. I didn’t notice him walk up.
“Don’t tempt me,” I gripe bitterly.
He leans against the bar, and we stare at Mr. No Good for a few minutes, until he breaks the silence.
“It has been pointed out to me that I can be a tad overprotective of Sparks.” Derek doesn’t look at me, instead examines his fingernails. “I think it’s possible that our last conversation got out of hand.”
“Is that your version of an apology?” I look at him sassily. “It’s a pretty bad one.”
“It’s the one you’re getting. Take it or leave it, I don’t care.” He crosses his arms. “I still don’t like you.”
“Glad to know where we stand.” I still don’t like him either.
“I really do see her as my sister,” Derek sighs. “I had a biological sister once. She was everything to me. She died too young. I just want better for Sparks.”
“I do too,” I promise. “We’re on the same team.”
“Is she in trouble?” Derek asks bluntly. “I know you two are up to something, I’m not stupid. I just thought she’d tell me eventually.”
“I’m not sure I’m the one to share the story.” I roll my shoulders back, relishing in the leverage I have over Derek.
“Are you seriously going to make me beg?” Derek’s voice wavers slightly, twinged with worry. I almost start to pity him, but then I remember that he’s a jerk.
“You could beg.” I shrug. “Or add my fingerprint to the elevator and I’ll tell you.”
“Deal.” He drags me from the bar. “Let’s go.”
Derek escorts me up the stairs to a lofted area. It’s crazy how I didn’t notice it sooner. It blends in with the ceiling unless you know what you’re looking for. He points to a booth, and I sit down, waiting as he gives orders to the armed men standing guard. Dang, this place is serious.
“What do you want to drink?” Derek asks.
“I’m fine.” I brush him off.
“Honey, this is organized crime.” He rolls his eyes. “It’s tradition to do business over drinks. It means that you trust each other or something. Whatever, just let me get you a cocktail.”
“Fine.” How am I already this annoyed? “A paloma good enough for you?”
Derek points at me, then at a guard. The man walks away quickly and comes back with two drinks.
Derek picks up his whiskey and we clink glasses.
My fingerprint is added to the security system, and I tell Derek everything.
Breaking into Synergy Labs, the ambush at the gala, the cryptic questions about her bike.
I do leave out the details of her almost leaving at the train station.
It felt too mean to share. Derek listens intently, growing more concerned at each twist of the story.
He finishes his drink with a pensive grimace.
“Damn.” He scowls. “How did I miss all that?”
“Unfortunately, Sparks’s biggest talent is keeping secrets.” I grip my glass tightly, remembering all of the lies she’s told me.
“Is that why you broke up?” I can almost hear the gears clicking into place inside his brain.
“More or less,” I sigh. “I stand by the decision. We didn’t trust each other, and a relationship can’t survive that. I just thought that this time, she would be more open with me. Not that there really is a ‘this time.’ She’s making that clear with Blondie over there.”
We glance over the railing as Sparks leaves the club, her lover for the night in tow. I look away as tears prick my eyes, Derek doesn’t need to see me like this. I take a cue from Sparks and shoot back the rest of my drink.
“Against my better judgment, I’m going to give you some advice.” Derek leans back in the booth. “I know Sparks better than anyone, and I assume you knew Janice really well.”
“Sorry, Janice?” I’m lost. “Did I miss something? Who’s Janice?”
“Sparks.” Derek gestures, as if that was obvious. “She used to go by Janice, didn’t she?”
“Do you mean ‘Anise?’” I ask. “I used to call her Anise.”
“What kind of name is Anise?” Now Derek is confused. “Never mind, it doesn't matter. The point is, I know Sparks and you know Anise or Janice or whoever, but does anyone actually know who she is behind all that?”
“You mean Charlotte?”
“Who the fuck is Charlotte?” Derek sighs exasperatedly.
“Her birth name is Charlotte.” Duh.
“There’s too many fucking names.” Derek lays his head on the table. He breathes a moment before looking back at me. “Get to know Charlotte, not Sparks, not Janice, but Charlotte. Then maybe you’ll have a chance. Now get out of my booth.”
I head down to the dance floor. It crosses my mind that maybe I should get my own date, but my heart’s not in it. I’ve never been one for casual sex. It’s best I get home and try to sleep. Last night in Sparks’s arms was the best sleep I’ve gotten all year. I’m not as optimistic about tonight.
The cold air bristles my skin. Though it’s April, it can get quite chilly as the sun goes down. A splash of red catches my eye a few blocks down. Sparks is clinging to the wall, the liquor is hitting her hard it seems. Now I have to help her back to the club. Great.
I start to walk toward her. Quickly though, I realize something is wrong. Her eyes are unfocused, her knees are trembling. Jogging, I’m jogging toward her.
“Sparks? Can you hear me?” She doesn’t respond. Running, I’m running toward her. “Sparks!”
A thin red line of blood dribbles from her shoulder. I start to make out her mumbling.
“Help me, please help me.”
Her eyes roll back in her head, and she falls into my arms.
“No, no, no.” I shake her shoulders. “Sparks, stay with me. Help! Help us!”
There’s no one around. I need to get her to the club.
Derek would know what to do. I grab Sparks’s wrists and pull them over my shoulders, orienting her in a piggy-back style.
I’ve never been a strong person, focusing on cardio instead of weightlifting, but I manage to drag her back to the club doors.
“Derek!” I scream as we step inside. The music is loud, the lights are dim. Somehow the club patrons are oblivious, maybe it’s due to the strobing lights and pulsating bass. There’s no way I can find him. The bouncer steps in front of me.
“What’s going on here?” He asks aggressively.
“Help us, please.” Sparks slides off my back, and the guard steps back alarmed. “We need Derek, he’s the owner. Please.”
“Code lightning!” He radios. “Code lightning, front door!”
I kneel by Sparks. Her breathing is shallow, but consistent. Please be okay.
“Step away, ma’am.” The bouncer pulls a weapon, aiming it at me.
“You need to help her!” I plead, cradling her head in my lap. “Why aren’t you doing anything?”
Armed men converge around the entrance, guns drawn and at the ready. I cover Sparks with my body protectively.
“Don’t hurt her!” Tears stream down my face. “Stay with me, Anise. Please.”
“Stand down!” Derek pushes through the guards and lifts Sparks into his arms. Her head flops back, almost lifelessly. Oh god, no. “Clear a path! Elevator!”
The guards get to work doing something actually productive now, and the three of us are on the elevator in seconds.
“What happened!” Derek roars, cradling Sparks against his shoulder.
“I don’t know!” I am near hysterics, petting Sparks’s hair. “Come on, baby.”
I try to hum a lullaby, but I’m crying too hard to make any consistent sounds.
A medic is waiting when the elevator doors open, and Derek places Sparks on the gurney.
The medic jumps on to begin his examination while a team runs the gurney into another room.
The door closes behind Derek, and I am left in the hallway, trying to hum through strangled sobs.
Minutes pass, then an hour. I don’t leave my post, right outside that door.
My shoes are abandoned, long since kicked off.
There are sofas down the hallway, but I don’t dare walk away.
I hold my vigil on the floor, praying to every god I can think of.
I draw runes in the air, ones for protection and health.
Please be okay. Please, Sparks, be okay.
Eventually, Derek comes through the door. His eyes are puffy and rimmed with red. He sits on the floor next to me.
“She’s okay,” he whispers, as if he doesn’t believe the words himself.
“She’s okay?” I can’t breathe.
He nods, and something cracks inside me.
I break down sobbing in the middle of the common area, clutching my chest. Derek cries too, more dignified than me.
He leans his head against the wall, silent tears dampening his face.
He extends an arm and folds me into a hug.
I cry until his shirt is soaked and he hums, mimicking the lullaby I croaked out earlier. Eventually, we both run out of tears.
“What happened?” I dry my cheeks. “Can I see her?”
“She was drugged.” An edge laces his voice. “When I find who did it, you won’t want to be there.”
“Don’t worry,” I sigh. “I’ve hung up my cape.”
Derek examines me before standing. He extends a hand, and I take it.
He enters a keycode and the door unlocks.
There’s shelving in the med bay with staple medical supplies – bandages, ibuprofen, the like.
A second set of doors separates the exam room.
Derek holds the door open, and I walk in.
Well, I like to say that I walked, but as soon as I saw Sparks sleeping on the cot, I dashed to her side.
An IV bag drips into her pale skin. I kiss her forehead gently and stroke her hair.
Her eyes flutter open and meet mine, dazed and confused.
“Astrid?” Her voice is hoarse. “What happened?”
“You’re okay,” I soothe, trying not to cry for the millionth time.
“Camera,” she stammers. “Clicking noise in the alley.”
“Shh,” I hush. “Just rest. You’re safe now.”
“Hey there, Sparkie.” Derek sits on the other side of the bed and squeezes her hand. “Don’t think this gets you out of sparring practice tomorrow.”
Sparks smiles at his joke. Derek offers her some water, but she strains to sit up. I guide her back down to the bed and use my powers to bring the water to her. She takes a drink from her personal water fountain before falling back asleep.
The medic, who I learned is named Luca, keeps Sparks under observation for a few days.
Derek and I rotate keeping watch at Sparks’s bedside.
She insists that she’s fine and that we have better things to do, but you can’t pry us away.
I practically move into one of the spare rooms after Derek sends one of his men to pick up some of my clothes.
Licorice also gets to come into the med bay for playdates and cuddles.
Luca grumbles about the sterile field, but a stern look from Derek shuts him up.
Eventually, Sparks is back to her normal self, bouncing at the walls to leave the med bay.
Luca insists she needs more time to recover, but she just rips out the IV and walks out.
Derek drags her back by her ear to have her hand bandaged, but then relents and lets her escape to the rest of the compound.
On one condition.