As I took the first step toward my mom, all of the food I’d just eaten swirled in my stomach, threatening to come up. “Callie, I’m so sorry,” my mom said as she took a step forward. One of her arms had been crossed over her chest, and she let it fall forward now, billowing out her sweater.
That’s when I noticed the device strapped to her chest. My feet halted. I blinked and blinked, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my mom was standing there, her chest covered in wires and metal.
“I think it’s a bomb,” I said, my voice low and wavering.
I heard curses from behind, and my hand was suddenly in Emma’s, who gripped it tightly, and I squeezed back, grateful for the support. “We need to get everyone out of the school,” she choked out in a panicked wheeze.
“What do you want, Mom?” I called out. She almost fell as she stumbled another step forward. We were about ten feet apart now. “Why are you here? What does Laous want?”
I’d never seen her look this weak; it made me sad in a way I didn’t expect. This was a woman who had never loved me … never hugged or comforted me … who did nothing except lecture, and hurt, and belittle me … but I couldn’t stop the tears from silently tracking down my cheeks. Inside there was a young girl who just wanted her mom to love her, who had no one else in the world and needed someone in her corner.
“He needs you, Callie.” Her voice was thin and reedy. She sounded nothing like her normal self. “Your blood was tainted last time. The floor must have had a substance on it which degraded the blood. He promises that if you come with me now, he will not hurt anyone in the school.”
We were starting to attract a lot of attention. Students milling in the hall realized something was going on, and when someone noticed the bomb, screams rang out. Bedlam erupted as students started running and pushing, everyone panicking as they tried to escape.
Except for the Daelighters. Members of the four houses started to gather, some behind my mom, others to my left and right. For once, none of them were segregating themselves. The four houses were mingling, forming an alien barrier.
“All of the houses have minor powers,” Emma murmured, reiterating what Daniel had told me this morning. “Each is different, and they’re pretty weak this far from their network, except if you’re an overlord. But they might be able to help contain the blast if Laous does detonate.”
That was not going to happen, if I could help it. “Why don’t I just give you more blood to take to him,” I suggested to my mom.
She shook her head. “My orders are to bring you to him … alive.” She stumbled, almost falling. “He won’t wait much longer.”
As she held her hand out, I centered myself, reaching deep for composure. “Okay, Mom, I will come with you.”
I tried to take a step forward, but Daniel wrapped an arm around me, lifting me off the ground and into his body. “I will not let you go with her,” he said, voice no more than a growl of fury. “Not on your own. We’re a team.” His eyes bored into mine. “You don’t have to sacrifice yourself. We can contain the blast.”
Freeing one hand, I lifted it up to press against his face. This might be the last time I saw him, and I needed to touch him. “You know I have to do this. I can’t risk all of the humans. I won’t risk them. Please don’t ask me to.”
His jaw clenched, and I could tell he was having trouble speaking through his rage. Finally he said, “Okay, here is the plan … because I can feel your energy, I think I might be able to track you. You’re going to lead her out of the school, and then stall as long as you can until I get to you.”
He was working with me. He truly meant it when he said we were a team. “I can do that, or try at least. If Laous is there, this might be our best chance at taking him down once and for all.”
He dropped his forehead down to gently rest against mine, and that action had my insides rolling. “Don’t freak out on me,” he said softly, “but I need to tell you something … I believe Emma’s theories. You and me, this is about something so much bigger than even our souls being bonded. You captured me from the first moment I saw you. I can’t … I won’t let you go now.”
My heart just about beat out of my chest in that moment. I could barely breathe, but I had to tell him how I felt. “You’re the first family I’ve ever had,” I said with conviction. “Now that I’ve found ahomewith you, I won’t give it up without a fight.”
I lifted my face and pressed my lips to his. If this was my last moment – again – I didn’t want to miss out on kissing Daniel. I needed to know how it was, at least once.
He parted his lips, and before I could react, he took control of the kiss, his tongue stroking mine as our mouths moved together. The life and death situation faded from my mind and I lost track of everything but this moment.
Was there a way I could kiss Daniel forever?
With a growl, he pulled away and I had to fight back tears again. It had been short and fast, not a classically “perfect” first kiss. It was so much better than perfect. It was real.
“Do not antagonize him,” Daniel warned as he lowered me back to the ground. “Stall him as long as you can. I will be right behind you.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead one more time and then released me. I shuddered, taking one last look at his face before turning to my fate. A tearful Emma and Star caught my eye.
“Stay strong,” Emma whispered. “Laous is going down this time.”
I liked her confidence, but we all knew there was a huge chance Daniel’s ability to track me would fail. Laous seemed to be multiple steps ahead of us at all times; he probably knew a way to block our connection. But I had to try. I had to hope.
As I took a step forward, there was a blast of heat at my back but I didn’t turn around. It was only as I reached my mom’s side, when a rumble shook the ground, that I looked back. Lexen, Xander, and Chase were all holding Daniel, who appeared to be fighting his resolve, trying to come after me. He was actually gaining ground, even against his three powerful friends. His marks were swirling; flames danced across his skin. I let out a gasp as he shook his friends off and fire rippled up his body. Lucky the humans had all taken off earlier, because no doubt someone would be filming him right now.
Before I could say anything or go back to him, which is what my instincts were urging me to do, my mom wrapped her bony fingers around my wrist, and then, moving at unnatural speed, had me outside in a blink.
How … what … how in the hell did she just do that?
