Soon enough, the south side of the house is sparse with people, laden with butterflies and billows of fog that obscure that demonic version of me splattered in blood over the side of the house.
I stagger to the woods in search of darkness, in search of peace and quiet. A dull glow emanates from behind a cluster of evergreens and I head on over. I’m not afraid of anything anymore. Not after what my mother has thrown at me. Certainly not after Gage yanked my heart out of my ass.
I come in close and note a glowing being that looks all too familiar—in fact, she looks exactly like me.
“Please don’t be Rory,” I mutter under my breath, and she perks to life with a gasp.
“Skyla.” Her shoulders straighten. “Sad to see me, per usual, I see.” She makes a face.
“That’s not it,” I say as I carefully embrace her as best I can. “I’m in active labor. I need our wily mother to show up and spare me of the pain. I am having Logan’s child. You would think this could buy me an ounce of mercy. Could you get her for me?”
“Sure.” She pulls back and lands her hand to my bulging belly, and I let out a hard cry as a contraction grips me with unnatural force. I swat her hand away and pant my way through it, and shockingly it goes as quickly as it came.
“Don’t touch me again. That was terrible.”
“It looks as if your little darling adores me as much as her mother does.”
“So, it is a girl?” I pant out a dull laugh. “Oh, I just knew it.”
“A girl.” She gives a little wink. “You always get what you want, don’t you, Skyla?”
“You wish.”
“I do wish. I love you, and I love our people. There are rumblings in the heavenlies of wonderful things to come. I’m proud of you. I can’t wait to see what you have planned. Care to share?”
“Heavens no. The woods have eyes and ears. But pay attention. If you fall asleep, you just might miss it. That’s a huge hint.”
“Then it happens tonight.”
“Maybe.”
The sky rumbles with thunder. “I’d better go. I think I’ll take Shaddai far away from this place in anticipation of your vengeance. Paradise just isn’t the same without him. Little Sage just loves to ride him. I’ll be back. Look for me in the days to come. I have a spectacular gift for you.”
“Oh, my sweet Sage. Please bring her to see me. I can’t bear being apart from her like this.” My voice grows faint as another contraction comes on strong.
“We’ll see.” Rory zips off like lightning barreling through the trees as if they were never in her way.
“Rory, wait! Come back.” I try to shout, but it comes out lower than a whisper.
A horrid cry comes from me as I grip the bark of the evergreen, the serrated edges sawing through the flesh of my hands and it feels like a relief.
“Skyla?” a familiar deep voice calls out from my left, and I groan harder as my suspicions as to whom it might belong to are quickly confirmed. “Skyla.” Gage takes me by the hand, and as much as I want to smack the hell out of him with it, I’m paralyzed with agony. “You’d better get inside.” He pulls out his phone and his fingers dance over the screen before he buries it back into his pocket. “I just texted Logan. I can carry you if you like.” He leans in close and I take in the familiar scent of his cologne, of his body, his sweet minty breath. They all belong to Chloe now and I hate him for it.
Another contraction seizes me, and I pitch my head back and scream as much as my weary vocal cords will allow.
“I can’t do this,” I moan as I pant through tears. “You’ve done this, Gage. You’ve caused all this misery. You’ve ruined my people. You’ve ruined me. And now I’m suffering for it in every single way.” Each word comes out an elongated whine and I hate myself for it.
“Come here.” Gage pulls me forward by the shoulders, bracing me as he steadies his gaze into mine. His blue eyes illuminate the night, and for the first time in a year it’s as if I’m seeing him, the real him, not some trumped-up Demetri version. “Skyla. What I’ve given you is a gift.”
Without thinking, I hock up everything I’ve got in my body and spit in his face. He turns his head and wipes it over his shoulder, over that precious West jersey I used to worship like a fool.
“Gage?” Chloe’s voice cuts through the fog as she comes into view. “What’s going on?” Her voice is dark, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s an errant thread of fear in her voice. Chloe doesn’t realize that I would never take Gage back. A dog might return to its vomit, but I’m not his bitch anymore.
“What’s happening?” Chloe breaks his hold on me and lands her own hands on my shoulders. “You’re about to squeeze this kid out, aren’t you?”
“Yes, she is.” Gage tries to take my hand, but I yank it from him.
Chloe pulls me in as if she were trying to protect me. “Get out of here, Gage. You’re only going to make things worse. I need to get her inside. If you want to be of help, get Dudley.”
