Bitter Demons

28. Someday

A strong hand grasped mine and hope flooded my chest. I opened my eyes and tried to see through the tears.

Jackson!I had no idea how he'd been able to find me all the way out here, but there he was. He was shouting something at me, but I couldn't hear him. All I could hear was an awful hissing sound as my skin continued to burn.

He pointed to my neck, and at first, I didn't know what he was talking about. The pain was too intense. I couldn't think clearly. Then, I understood. Against my body's screams of protests, I leaned into the circle, allowing the burning barrier to touch my sapphire pendant.

A dark shadow swirled around the marble statue in the clearing. I blinked hard, but my vision wouldn't clear. Aerden? The demon moved over to where Jackson stood, then seemed to step into his body. I felt Jackson's grip tighten. A wave of cold rushed up my left arm, through the middle of my body, and finally, mercifully, down my burning arm. My breath became puffs of white smoke in the air.

The hissing near my ear stopped. Something snapped. Like a crack moving through ice. Jackson pulled on my arm, and I slid out of the circle of roses, the black stone still clutched in my fist. Below me, the roses shattered into thousands of pieces. I turned my head to shield my eyes and found Jackson's welcoming arms.

My knees gave out and we slid to the ground, my head against his chest. He held me tight, rocking me back and forth. I sobbed into his t-shirt and cradled my injured arm close to my body.

"Are you okay?" he said. He pulled back so he could study my injuries.

"Caroline," I sobbed, swiping at my eyes so I could see her. I tried to stand and walk to her, but my weak legs wouldn't hold me.

"She'll be okay," he said, trying to pull me back to him. "You're both going to be all right."

I crawled toward Caroline, shards of black glass cutting through my jeans and into my knees. Her breathing was labored and her eyes were closed tight. I laid my head down near her shoulder, completely exhausted. Thank god she was alive!

"Caroline," a voice behind me said. I felt the rush of fabric against my skin.

I sat up. Caroline's mother kneeled beside her. She was wearing a long black skirt that spread out across the grass around her. She took Caroline's hand in her own and held it up to her face. Her eyes filled with tears and she looked at me with wonder.

"How did you..." Her body broke down into choking sobs as she lifted her child into her arms and began to rock her back and forth.

People rushed out of the woods. Zara, her mother, the sheriff and others.

Mrs. Ashworth walked into the circle and grabbed my arm. "What did you do to her?" she hissed into my ear.

"I tried to... I mean I wanted to reach in and grab her from..."

I couldn't form the right words to explain what had happened. My brain was fried from all the tension of the last moments.

"Harper saved her life," Jackson said. He stepped forward and stood so close behind me, I could feel the warmth of his body against my back. I wanted to lean back against him, but resisted. I didn't like the way Mrs. Ashworth was looking at him. There was hatred in her gaze.

Eloise Sullivan stood, her black skirt billowing in the breeze. Her shoulders tensed as she glared at Mrs. Ashworth. "She's your future Prima," she said, her face stained with tears. "You need to learn to treat her with respect. She just saved my daughter's life."

"Then why is this demon here?" Mrs. Ashworth said. "If you have something to do with this girl's disappearance-"

"If it wasn't for Jackson, I would have died too," I said. Jackson tugged on my hand, as if to pull me from the fight.