Black Stars - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 1

Chapter 13 - An Unfortunate Situation

"Fine. What's the other reason then?"

"I —" Leah cut off and glared at him. "There isn't another reason. I just want to see her before I leave."

Jared's eyes flashed a darker blue. "What about your parents? You don't care about them?"

Leah turned from him, knowing her expression would give away too much.

"They aren't my parents," she said softly. "And they wouldn't let me go. I can't see them."

Jared was silent for a moment. "I don't know. From what I heard around town, that drunk you call a father wouldn't really care. He'd probably kick you back out the door."

The bitterness in his voice was so extreme she felt winded and she rounded on him.

"What the hell is your problem?" Leah snarled. "Why are you helping me? You obviously don't want to."

When his eyes connected with hers they were astoundingly dark.

"No, I don't. But whatever sent you down here screwed with your memories. Taking you back to the live world is probably the only way you'll get them back."

Leah sneered at him. "And you expect that I'll tell you whatever you want to know the moment I remember?"

"Obviously," Jared snapped.

Leah turned away, glaring out the windscreen, and they stayed silent for the next hour as they made their way back into Narra.

Once they were a block away from Zarah's street, Jared pulled over and grabbed a hoodie from the back seat. They were still in an area dominated by bushland and low hanging eucalyptus leaves grazed the roof.

"Put this on," Jared said, throwing her the jacket.

Leah looked down at it. "Why?"

"Because you've been missing for over a week. If someone recognises you, they'll report it."

"You aren't coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay here. You have an hour."

Leah smirked and pulled the hoodie over her head, vision momentarily blocked. "You're eager to leave. Scared you're going to get arrested?"

When she pulled her eyes free of the material she found Jared closer than before, leaning across the arm rest. Startled, Leah flinched back into the door and he smirked.

"No, I'm not," Jared said, his voice low. "The police couldn't catch me, and even if they did, I'd kill them."

Leah snorted, trying to hide her rapidly rising pulse. "Was that speech meant to scare me?"

"No, it's meant to warn you," he said, reaching across her to open the door, his arm brushing her waist. "Don't do anything stupid, Leah. I promise, you'll regret it."

Leah glared and jumped out, slamming the door behind her.

"You have an hour!" Jared called, voice muffled by the glass.

Leah turned and started to jog away, pulling the hood up as she went.

...

By the time Leah reached Zarah's house her skin was thrumming with impatience. She'd controlled her speed the whole way there, cautious not to draw attention, but it'd cost a few precious minutes.

She glanced around, checking no one was looking, before she scaled the bricks and slipped through Zarah's window.

Someone gasped and Leah turned to find Zarah sitting on her bed, book in hand and mouth hanging open. For a moment, they just stared at each other, but then Zarah made a strangled noise and launched forward, barreling into Leah with a rib breaking hug.