Embracing The Shadows (Shadow Series #5)

22 - Espresso

"Just say the word and I'll turn the car around," Isaac softly spoke up as he turned down the road toward Stiles' house. His foot eased up on the gas pedal to bring the car down to the neighborhood speed limit. He glimpsed in my direction through his peripheral vision at my tired state. "We still have time."

A sigh escaped past my parted lips as I rested the back of my head against the headrest of the passenger seat. My hands automatically tightened around the to-go cup from the local coffee shop in town, reveling in the warmth the hot liquid provided. The vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso temporarily brought a wave of alertness throughout my body that I wished would last all night to give myself enough energy and focus for what was to come tonight.

Perhaps, the extra shot of espresso wasn't the best idea I've ever had, considering my hands were already shaking before I even had the caffeine in my veins. Yet, I found myself continuing to sip from the paper cup as if it was the only thing keeping me alive.

Exhaustion heavily weighed down on my body like two cinderblocks were tied to every one of my limbs. Personally, I wished we would visit Eichen House tomorrow after school instead of going tonight. My body desperately yearned to be asleep in my own bed with Isaac curled up next to me.

My father never warned me about the days I would push myself past my own limits. I never experienced a day like this, where exhaustion and stress took fully control of my body and I was forced to try to keep up with everything.

"You must not know me very well if you think I'm just going to let our friends go to Eichen House without me," I responded in a dead tone without tearing my gaze from the road ahead of us, recognizing the familiar houses as we neared Stiles' house.

Isaac lightly shook his head. "No, I know you too well," he corrected me with a small glance in my direction. "Like I know how you asked for an extra shot of espresso while I went to the bathroom. You think it will help you stay more focused during the visit, to protect everyone better."

My butt slid across the leather as I sunk further down in the passenger seat and held the latte closer to my chest. I knew Isaac wouldn't have approved of the espresso added to the latte, much like how he voiced his opinion about the latte not being the greatest option either. He noticed how my hands shook even before I had a drop of coffee in my system and often zoned out. The coffee was a bad idea and we both knew that, but I needed to stay awake.

The truth of the matter was that I had no other choice. My friends would potentially be in danger tonight inside of Eichen House and I needed to be ready for anything. I couldn't risk falling asleep or losing focus tonight. They needed me.

"I also know you didn't bother to bring your bow with you tonight because the guards at Eichen would never let you bring it past check-in, so you hid two daggers in your jacket instead. Allison's jacket," he clarified.

The daggers safely tucked out of sight inside of the jacket grew heavier after his words. I nervously swallowed as I stared straight ahead at the closed glovebox, unsure of how to respond. There were times like these were I feared the consequences of what would happen from someone knowing me so well.

When Kate was still alive and determined to turn me into a copy of her, she burned the words into my mind that love was a weakness, to let someone in your life in such a way would surely result in your own death. I knew it wasn't the truth, but, in times like these, I found myself thinking back on her words, consumed with fear that the ones I loved would be harmed instead...or worse.

The car pulled up to the curb in front of the Stilinski household. Lydia's car was parked directly behind the blue jeep with Mr. Stilinski's vehicle nowhere in sight.