Hadley
My head hurt. I couldn't think of anything else beyond the pounding of the drum in my skull. Taking a few deep breaths, I pushed through the pain. The building panic racing through my veins helped. I couldn't remember anything. Cracking my eyes open, I winced at the fluorescent light overhead. I rolled onto my side, groaning as I surveyed the unfamiliar room.
No windows, one flickering light, one large steel door, and cold stone surrounded me in the small room. I scrambled to my feet, stumbling as I moved to the door. It felt like I was wading through mud. I slumped against the door and pounded on it. There wasn't a handle or any obvious way to open it. It didn't budge. I slammed my hand into it in frustration.
"Hey!" I shouted, my voice cracking. There wasn't an answer. Adrenaline had my heart racing, but I needed to think. I moved away from the door. With each second that passed, my body felt more like my own again. I paced around the room before settling in the far corner, away from the door. A cool breeze drifted through, making me shiver. I pulled my thin jacket tighter to me.
I hadn't thought my life could have gotten worse, but I was obviously wrong. After years of weird and bad, I should have been used to it by now. I was probably a horrible person in a past life, and karma was dealing out the punishment. I'd been on the streets for three years and had avoided any serious trouble. Until now.
Wracking my brain, I tried to remember what had happened. I remembered leaving work. A local motel hired me as a maid a couple weeks back. As long as I only worked at night, the manager agreed to pay me cash. It was not the sort of place a girl wanted to find herself at night, but I had to take what I could get. I had just turned eighteen, so I was planning on quitting, but I needed enough money to pay for the last month at the warehouse.
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"Girl, where are you at?"
Nick's voice drifted in from the hall. It echoed from the moldy carpet to the chipped ceiling, all the way to the room I was currently trudging through. I knew tonight had been going too smoothly. I had finished most of my work, and it was never a good thing when my boss was looking for me. Groaning, I stood up from the stained tub. No matter how much I scrubbed it, it would never be spotless.
"Girl!" Nick's voice was louder. I could tell he was running out of patience, not that he had a lot of that on a good day. I rolled my eyes and made my way to the door of the room. Stepping out into the hall, I spotted him standing down by the front desk.
The Sleepy Motel was small and straightforward. The central lobby forked into two hallways. There were emergency exits at the end of each hallway, but the main entrance was at the center. Nick's office was located directly behind the front desk. He usually stayed in it during my shift, only bothering me when I had to pick up my pay.
"Yeah?" I raised my voice so he would hear me. He glared at me as I slowly made my way over to him. I had a hard time keeping my face blank. I needed this job even if I had to put up with no-good-Nick.
"Suite 6 just checked out," he informed me. This wasn't unusual. People checked in and out throughout the day and night. I didn't know why the rooms were suites, though. There wasn't anything remotely nice about them. I bit my tongue to hold back a groan, because I knew what was coming next. "I need it cleaned and prepped tonight."
"It's almost three," I reminded him. My shift was over at three most nights. His eyes flared with anger as he took a step closer to me.
"I don't give a shit was time it is. You will do your job, or I will have a very interesting phone call to make."
His rancid breath warmed my face, turning my stomach as his threats made me hold my tongue. I pushed my anger down, even as I felt the air in the room moving around us. Ducking my head, I focused on reeling it in. I needed this job, at least for another day. Mistaking my downcast eyes for an apology, he patted my head. I flinched, whipping my head up to meet his smug eyes.
"Now I don't want to do that," he spoke in a falsely sweet tone. "So you just be a good girl and do as you're told."
The innuendo in his words made me want to gag. It was a miracle I didn't vomit on the spot. I knew he was a creep when I first met him. Unfortunately, I didn't have many options. I never have.
"I'll get it done," I choked out, taking a few steps back. I didn't wait for his reply as I headed down the hall. His eyes followed me like a shiver down my spine. I couldn't shake them as I walked away. Fighting back a shudder of disgust, I finally made it back to the room, rinsed out the tub, and collected my cleaning supplies.
Thankfully, it didn't take me long to clean Suite 6, and there wasn't anything mentally scarring left inside. That was always a plus. I locked the cleaning supplies back in the closet and grabbed my stuff. My green jacket had seen better days, but I didn't have the money for a new one. The holes added character. I huffed out a laugh at my own thoughts as I pulled the gray beanie over my head and my backpack on shoulder. Nick was leaning against his desk in his office, waiting for me.
His feelings washed over me, making my stomach twist. It was people like him that made me utterly hate what I could do, what I could feel. He stared at me as I waited. He knew what I was waiting for, but he liked to make me squirm. Sighing, he held out a white envelope. I took it and investigated the contents only to come up short. Looking up at him, he smirked before I could ask about it.
"You need to remember who's in charge here," he said. "Talking back to a superior has consequences." He emphasized superior, making my anger flare even hotter. The air whipped around us. He glanced at the door, confusion filling his face when he saw it was closed. Knowing I would say something I'd regret, I turned and walked out without another word. I hated that I needed that job. Only one more day, I chanted in my head.
The chill from the night air greeted me as I began my trek back to the warehouse. The warehouse was a common haven for runaways. But even havens can have their dark sides. A hierarchy of thugs controlled the warehouse. They protected the residents and kept the cops away, but everything has a price.
If you wanted to stay, you had to pay. If you couldn't pay, they would find...jobs for you. Well, not so much jobs, more like crimes. The girls had it the hardest. I shuddered at the memories of what I had witnessed. I would not allow that to happen to me. What was the point of running if I did? I might as well have stayed in that godforsaken house.
I was finally eighteen. I only needed to pay for this last month at the warehouse, and then I was leaving. It didn't matter if they caught me. I wouldn't get sent back to that house or any other temporary home. Freedom was finally at my doorstep. I could apply for legitimate jobs and get off the streets. I didn't need their protection anymore.
The few stars overhead caught my attention as I made my way through the streets. I wondered what they would look like without all the city lights drowning them out. The plan was to get out of the city. I would leave and never look back. Joe would come with me. The old hound would follow me, even if I tried to leave him behind. I patted my bag, hearing the crinkling of paper. I had saved some of my lunch for him. He was probably starving by now. Ducking into a familiar alley, I knew I was getting close.
Foreign feelings rushed through me, freezing me in my tracks. It was the only warning I received before a rough cloth covered my mouth. Fumes burned my nose as the twisted sensations overwhelmed me and the world faded into nothingness.
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And then nothing until I woke up here. I didn't know how long it had been. Poor Joe. He would worry. Hopefully, he found some food. The thought of him starving again wrenched my heart. Optimistically, it was probably just a few hours, but who knows what they did to me while I was unconscious. The possibilities raced through my head. I sucked in a choppy breath and forced the panic down. At least I still had my clothes on. Thank god for minor miracles.
Pulling my knees to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them, trying to stay warm. The frigid night air leaked into the cellar from all directions. I yanked my wool hat down so that it covered my ears. I tried to stop shaking, but the icy air was relentless. This place was the definition of a freezing hell.
I thought about using my powers. Normally, I hated even thinking about them, let alone using them. I spent most of my time suppressing them. They were usually only good at creating problems and questions. Problems I didn't have solutions for, and questions I didn't have answers to.
These powers were a curse that had followed me since childhood. I had no explanation for where they came from. I would, most likely, never know. My birth family had abandoned me on the steps of a church, and then the system abandoned me in a hell home.
No one was looking for me. No one was coming to save me. Waiting for a rescue was pointless. It was up to me to save myself. I wouldn't have it any other way. I learned long ago that you could only rely on yourself.
The metal door wasn't budging. I had heard nothing, but given the thick stone walls, that wasn't surprising. I was going to freeze to death before they did whatever they were planning. Honestly, it might have been a better way to go.
I rolled my eyes at that thought. I didn't come this far just to give up. Glancing around the room again, I checked to make sure there weren't any cameras. When I was confident I wasn't being watched, I reluctantly reached out to the elements. I leaned my head back against the icy wall and closed my eyes. It had been a while, but it was just like riding a bike.
The familiar, addictive rush of power filled my veins. I could feel everything around me. I was a part of everything, a part of nature itself. There were always consequences to using my abilities, but the actual act felt amazing. It scared me sometimes how good it felt to connect to it all. It was as if I found a missing piece of my soul. I was finally whole, but a part of something so much bigger than myself at the same time. Once I stopped, those feelings disappeared, leaving me empty with only the sad reality of my life.
Calming the air in the room, I encouraged it to warm, just enough to take the edge off. I opened my eyes and stretched my hand out so it hovered over the concrete. I tried to reach the earth. Nothing. There must have been too many layers of concrete. Letting my senses expand, I couldn't detect any other life besides myself. Not even a rat. I huffed in frustration. What kind of creepy, serial killer cellar didn't even have a resident rat?
I was about to give up when I felt something at the edge of my range. Two things, to be exact. Pain radiated off of one of them, getting stronger as they drew closer. It rolled through me as if it were my own. The other's aura felt startlingly familiar. For a moment, I was back in that alley. I pulled back to myself just as the door slammed open. My eyes flew open as the sound echoed through the small space. A buff looking meth addict tossed another guy onto the floor before slamming the door shut again.
The guy groaned but didn't move. Messy chestnut hair fell over his closed eyes. Blood and bruises created a path from his head to his hands. Tears and dirt peppered his t-shirt and jeans. He had fought back. I didn't even have that chance.
Wincing, I felt severe pain emanating from his ribs and gut. I fiddled with my gloves, unsure of what to do. He moaned and tried to push himself up. Looking around the space, he jumped when his eyes landed on me. Despite the situation, those chocolate irises pulled me in. Golden veins radiated from his pupil like rivers of caramel. His face was pale in contrast to his warm eyes, and, despite the cold, I noticed drops of sweat forming on his brow.
"Whoa," he said, the strain apparent in his voice. "Didn't know I had company."
I kept my face blank as I stared at him. I didn't know what to make of his appearance. The fear of being trapped with an unknown man in a small space was overriding the possibility of him being an ally in my mind. I pushed back into my corner as if I could melt into the wall.
"Are you okay?" His question threw me off. Not because of what he said, but because of the genuine concern coming from him. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Internally, I smacked myself. I was not a wimp, and I definitely wasn't weak.
"That's good." He winced, and a flash of his pain made me grimace. "Come here often?"
A surprised snort burst out before I could stop it. The light overhead flickered, plunging the room into complete darkness for a moment. I let out a sigh of relief that it stayed on. The mystery guy was still staring at me. His smirk slowly widened into a full-blown smile. It was an infectious smile. I felt my lips twitching with the urge to return the gesture.
"That's better," he told me. "I'm Finn." I hadn't ever met anyone like him. His aura was almost pure light. I could only see the faintest tint of darkness on it. It was by far the brightest I had ever seen.
"Hadley." His smile grew. If the room had been brighter, it would have blinded me.
"Well, I would like to say it's nice to meet you, but this situation sucks," he replied, looking down at his stomach. Another small hysterical laugh escaped, but I sobered as I followed his eyes. Even with the malfunctioning light, I could still see the dark stain spreading on his shirt.
"My brothers are going to kill me," he muttered under his breath.
I couldn't help but think they wouldn't get the chance if he bled out here. I didn't want to watch him die, and I really didn't want to be stuck with his decomposing body. A body of a person I could have saved. A person who apparently had family. Someone would miss him. His pain repeatedly plowed into me, and I couldn't take it anymore. I hoped I wouldn't come to regret my decision.
I stood up, stretching out my limbs that had gotten stiff from the cold and inactivity. Finn watched me as I approached him. I could feel his apprehension and curiosity, but I pushed it aside. Bending down, I examined his wounds. His bruises were darkening, but nothing was as severe as his gut. Pulling off my gloves, I stuck them in my pocket before looking up and meeting his eyes.
"Okay, that's pretty bad," I stated, pointing at his wound. "I can help. I know you don't believe me or anything, and you are probably going to freak out but I can help you."
He stared at me, and I held his gaze, trying to convey my sincerity without words. Taking a deep breath, he nodded. That took less discussion than I had expected. It was probably the blood loss. I wasn't about to complain. Maybe he wouldn't remember what happened if he was out of it.
I tentatively placed my hand on his arm and closed my eyes. I needed skin to skin contact. He gasped, but I blocked it out, focusing on the task at hand. My energy flowed into him. A bright map filled my mind, stained with dark blotches. I didn't heal them all the way, though. I didn't want to pass out, and I didn't want any of our captors to get suspicious. Once I finished, I released my death grip on his arm and opened my eyes.
Wide eyes met my own as his emotions railroaded me. Shock and confusion slammed into me. Those I expected, but the hints of happiness, excitement, and contentment confused me. He slapped a hand on the side of his neck, still gaping at me.
"How-," he cut himself off. His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. I shrugged and moved back to my corner, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around them. In my defensive position with the wall at my back, I felt better. It wasn't much, but I would take what I could get.
"What-," he cut off again, still at a loss for words. "This isn't possible."
"Look, it's just something I've been able to do since I was little," I reluctantly explained. "I don't understand how or why either." My explanation didn't help him at all. He looked more confused.
"What family do you belong to?" I arched an eyebrow at his question.
"I think I would need to have a family to belong to one," I quipped.
"What do you mean?" I really didn't want to get into this right now.
"I don't consider any of my foster homes family." His mouth dropped open as his hand slid from his neck, falling limp at his side.
"F-foster homes?" He asked, his volume rising, making me flinch. I could take a lot of things, but yelling was not one of them. He ran a shaking hand through his hair and finally broke eye contact. My arms pulled my legs tighter. I tensed, prepared for whatever he would do next.
Happy Update Day! The next chapter is already up on my Patreon. The link is in my bio! I'll also be releasing a special Finn POV from before he met Hadley tomorrow!
I hope you guys like this edit! I'm really proud of what I've changed so far!