West Ten #3
I choked out a desperate whisper, “I can barely breathe.”
He hissed. I had struck him with something he understood well. “Baby Boy and I planned on taking his Noma home with us, but…” His lips pursed and moved, as this strong man fought not to cry. “She will have to wait a little longer.” He coughed. “Caleb is the one going home with Maddox.”
Holding my stomach, I groaned, so happy Caleb would rest somewhere safe, yet miserable he had to rest at all.
Then I jolted. ‘…the one…” “Why did you say only one?”
His large hand smoothed over the wood. “I know you guys have seen some of Maddox’s changes.”
Glowing blue eyes to start. “Yes.”
“And… I know you guys have experienced some of your own changes since the blood oath.”
Studying him, I rubbed my scar with a thumb.
Styx clicked his tongue while pausing, seemingly in thought. Then he finally admitted, “Someday you will learn more, but ‘Johnny’ has had eyes on him since before he came to you years ago.”
Mostly clueless about how or why Maddox was evolving, and quite confident Styx wasn’t going to share such sacred details yet, all I could do was trust I was being told all that I needed to know for now.
“The same goes for you and your friends since—” He held up his palm.
Blood oath. My mouth gaped as I observed the four other men present, starting to realize the magnitude of all Styx was truly saying. Whatever Maddox was, or became, it was very possible we would all experience more changes. Hence, being guarded since Johnny left and not even knowing it.
Styx’s palm was slightly covered by his thumb as he folded it in. “Only four men here to watch over five special beings. And a new little girl.”
Oh… I suddenly realized Kristen knew nothing of our acquired talents.
She’d been told we Misfits would prefer to stick together, be on the run, rather than be separated.
Although that was true, it was also a fact that these men needed us together for security purposes.
If we got rehoused, it would be extremely challenging to keep us safely covered.
My voice cracked because I knew this man’s mind was made up, but I had to try. “Even better reason to keep us all together. Don’t you think?”
“At first glance? Absolutely.” Styx warned, “But it has taken a lot of effort to keep Maddox in check. He hasn’t learned how to completely control these ‘changes’ yet.
And more are coming, I assure you. Nor has he learned how to regulate his feelings for you guys.
Something goes wrong? He will defend. Violently and supernaturally, as you’ve already witnessed.
In front of strangers, that will expose him to small minds who can’t comprehend the bigger picture. Then he becomes a government lab rat.”
I covered my face, breathless. “Please stop.”
Gently, he pulled down my hands to show me a man who loved and treasured my friend. “He is key to all this. He’s in direct line of a magical source. Let me get him out of here. I’ll make sure you guys can escape this madness, then follow.”
“To where?” Ethan asked, shocking me because I didn’t hear him approach.
Styx smirked. “I like you, kid, but that’s a no-go, silly rabbit number-two.”
Silly rab—huh?
Styx pulled out his wallet from his back pocket.
It was attached to a chain. Then he handed me a credit card.
“My men have plenty of cash, too, but this card is also safe to use. All protected. Won’t lead back to Maddox.
Order anything Bluebell needs, or anything else for you guys.
Just be sure to use the laptop inside. I have it rigged so that no one can trace you—or at least find your true location.
They will search China first. Mail the stuff to P.O. Box zero-four-nine-nine…”
Why do those numbers sound so familiar?
Styx kept talking. “As you now know, my men are staying with you guys. They can pick up or get anything else you need.”
Dazed, all I could do was nod, because arguing or placing Maddox in more danger wasn’t an option.
That night, shifts were taken to watch over Caleb. There was no garage. I wanted him inside, but no one thought that was healthy for Bluebell.
I was denied the chance to watch over Caleb in the dark. That made me very angry until Finn reminded me I had watched over him for years, and insisted now it was their turn.
Hand to my heart, grateful again for the love of my fellow fosters, I gave up the need to control the situation. I simply… let it be.
With beds limited, Ethan and I crawled into the one with Maddox, each on one side of him. He hadn’t woken during the day. Styx wasn’t worried, claiming Maddox was still in the process of shifting, and shifting made Saleeni tired, too.
Closing my eyes, I thought about how magical it would be to meet her. I thought about how now I understood how perfect she was for Maddox. I wondered what he looked like when with her. Did he stare at her in amazement?
Over Maddox’s body, I reached for Ethan’s hand.
He was already staring at me.
Holding hands on our friend’s chest, my eyes slowly drifted shut…
In the night, I was floating in the water, my eyes peering above the surface. The moon lit the shoreline I kept watching, hoping… to see him. Hoping for him… to see me—
I gasped awake, sitting up, grabbing my chest as her dreams tended to cause me to do.
Maddox and Ethan jerked awake, both studying the room, expecting an attack.
Looking to them both, I said, “She’s here.”
I don’t know how he knew who I was speaking of, but he did. Maddox’s eyes began to glow.
I smiled, his blue light on my face. “On our coast. Where she has been before.”
Leaving sleeping bikers behind with a sleeping Bluebell, the Misfits were all in the black SUV, racing toward the coast. To the beach where we once were watched by a mystical creature. This time, we were bringing one to her.
Once the vehicle stopped, Maddox jumped out and ran full-speed toward the water, the gentle waves, and the one waiting for him.
Arm in arm, the rest of us stood under the moonlight, our bare feet in the sand, and witnessed what so many would never have the chance to: A young man who loved a young mermaid more than anything in this world.
Out in the water, the two embraced. They kissed, and they gave us hope. They gave us the strength for a goodbye we couldn’t avoid any longer.
To keep them both safe, we’d suffer another separation.
Ethan knew it before I said anything. Gage and Finn noticed, shimmering stars in their eyes as they faced the beautiful couple in the water.
When we got home, Kristen was in the front yard playing with Bluebell. She was smiling until she saw us. Her expression silently spoke of our lives changing, with no chance of it stopping.
Slowly, we got out of the SUV, understanding Dale and Harmony had been found.
Inside, the bikers stood in front of the TV, watching it intently.
On the news, a morning anchor reported, “… This story feels like it was taken right out of a horror movie and has officials scratching their heads. According to text messages found on cell phones, two highly respected officers were apparently involved with a child trafficking ring. Also involved was a local pastor… The foster parents were found in a grave in their backyard. One officer said they were placed in there by someone, or perhaps more than one individual, who cared for them deeply. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Weathers were even holding hands,’ the officer reported.”
The newscaster seemed emotional as he added, “So, if anyone sees these foster children…”
Pictures of us flashed across the screen.
Shit.
“…Call nine-one-one. It seems possible they might be scared and on the run, not knowing what else to do.”
As a group, we instinctively moved closer to one another. Hands reached out and held, clasping against healed scars. We might have lost Dale and Harmony, but we had one another.
And we had Maddox.
The bikers in the room exchanged glances before shifting their attention toward us. A collective decision had been made without any verbal confirmation.
Maddox was forced to leave us behind. He had to keep Saleeni safe and take Caleb to his new home. A place we would all eventually claim as our own.
The rest of the Misfits? We were forced to a new location—the backup plan Noma had set in place long ago, in case her grandson needed a new area to hide.
What would come next for us all was undetermined.
Fate. Or maybe a little nudge from the River Styx and his ferry through the Underworld.
But knowing we would someday be together again, that we’d reunite with our leader, was enough.
We lifted our chins and were so very proud to be Sinners. Maddox’s Saltbone Sinners. Because…
We are life… for each other.