Page 93 of Resurrection
“Si.” Her gaze widens at my simple truth, so I repeat it in a soft, even tone. “Yes, I knew.”
“And you two call me insufferable and incorrigible.” Her lips form a thin white line as she darts her gaze from me to Marcus and back. “Take a look in the mirror before you point a finger at me. Now get the fuck out of this room. I don’t want to look at you two for a while.”
“You heard the woman.” Eshe walks through the door holding it open for us. “Scram.” Her hand whirls in circles, hurrying us out.
“This is absolutely insane.” Scrubbing a hand roughly over my face, I regret it the same second when a chunk of my cheek stays stuck to my palm.
“What’s insane is that no one is telling me the truth, if you want to know,” April tells me on a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. “I hate being caught off guard because all of you are keeping vital information from me.”
“We never had time to discuss certain things, not with everything that’s been going on since the moment I found you, Tesoro.” I take her hand and bring her fingers to my lips, unable to stop myself, although I’m covered in soot and blood. I didn’t clean up because I didn’t want to leave her side for a second. “That is on me, and I will remedy that as soon as you wish to speak to me.”
“Later. I’m too riled up right now, and I can barely think.” She pulls her fingers from my hold, and I take that as being dismissed.
She is as stubborn as me, and if I push her now, I’ll get nowhere. With that knowledge, I climb to my feet, and after anod to April, I turn to leave, dragging a reluctant Marcus with me. Eshe glares at us when we walk by her, but I pay her no mind. The soft click of the door closing behind us is like a nail in my coffin. I would’ve preferred she slammed it because it would’ve hurt less.
“Sebastian …”
Marcus starts, but I press a finger to my lips to shut him up. My feet are moving as if I’m walking, although I do not move from the spot while I bundle my power inside me, shutting it almost completely out. My long-time friend knows me too well and follows suit, both of us as silent as death in the empty hallway. After a few long moments, voices float out from behind the closed door.
“I never thought I’d see the day when you kicked Sebastian out of your room.” Eshe chortles, and a muscle ticks in my jaw.
“I still liked you better when you talked like some ancient creature that had just freshly walked out of a tomb.” April sasses back at her dryly. “I’m upset with him, but I don’t appreciate you talking shit behind his back, no offense.”
“None taken.” If I’m not mistaken, there is pride in Eshe’s tone that does my head in. What’s her game? “So what’s your plan after successfully managing to almost kill yourself again?”
I hold my breath while keeping my gaze locked on Marcus’s.
“Are you sure they’re gone?” April asks.
“I can’t feel his power. They left.” Was Eshe’s perfect mistake what will work out in my favor this night. I know April is plotting something and there was no way in this life or the next that I would leave anything to chance anymore.
“I’m going into the tunnels tonight.” Marcus looks comical when his eyes bulge out of his skull as April’s words float to our ears. “One way or another, we are putting a stop to this.”
“I’m coming with you.” There is no argument left in Eshe’s tone.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. We just need to wait and sneak out the moment the coast is clear.”
I drag Marcus away with me, silent as a ghost down the hall. When we are far enough away that April can’t hear us, he turns to me, tugging his arm out of my hand with a sharp yank.
“What now?” he asks through clenched teeth.
“Now we follow behind her,” I tell him, squaring my shoulders. “I hope you can handle a little pain and still do what needs to be done.”
“Always,” is his immediate reply. “After that, I will slap her silly when we survive this shit.”
My chuckle is strained.
Chapter Eighty-Four
APRIL
The storm is still holding strong when Eshe and I slink out of our home, the pouring rain plastering our hair in less time than I have to blink. Claps of thunder follow our crazy dash across downtown, the noise akin to lazy applause for our efforts to stay hidden even though not a soul stirs outside, thanks to the damn weather and all. But I’m not worried that people will see me moving around. Not really. I’m fearful that Sebastian will catch me before I escape, and instead of threatening to punish me, he will decide he’s had enough of my shit and leave.
Heart heavy, and with a lump clogging my throat, I dart from dark corner to dark corner, avoiding the weak yellow glow of the streetlamps papered all over the damn place. It’s LA for fuck’s sake, you can see it glow from outer space. There is absolutely no need for this many lights. I thought the same thing while hiding as a human, and I’m thinking the same thing now while I glare at the tall polls as if they’ve wronged me somehow. When the Bank of America building appears across the street, a ping bumps against my ribs like I’m seeing an old friend.
Eshe doesn’t have any misgivings or consideration about the concrete jungle we are traversing, striding confidently over thefew lanes of the abandoned street and heading straight for the dark alley on the side of the tall building. Both dressed in all black, we look like thieves sneaking through the night. Fighting a shiver from the icy downpour soaking the fabric and drenching my panties, along with my bra, I blink away the moisture from my eyes and follow on her heels. My friend is leading because I lagged behind, too busy making sure we are not being followed.
When I enter the familiar alley, a different kind of pain stabs me when I remember Sara and Eddie waiting for me down in the tunnels while I scuttered like a rat all over the city to bring them food and everything else they needed, like a dumbass. Lost in my thoughts, I fight against the anger so it doesn’t entirely consume me. Eshe has the manhole open and pushed to the side by the time I join her above it. She doesn’t speak, just gives me a firm nod and steps into the gaping hole without a thought. My head pops on top of the tunnel entrance when she plummets down, but I don’t even hear a splash or a thump when she lands in a crouch. Following her example, I do the same, leaving the lid open in case we need to run for our lives.
