The alley was dark and notoriously similar to the one where I first saw Lukas Herrington's dead body. There were piles of garbage overflowing from the trash cans pushed towards the corner, reeking of sewage. And there was a single street light which was spluttering and flickering. It would be dead within minutes. Above, the clouds have parted to reveal the moon, a side of it ever so subtly shaved away.
The cold, biting wind was harsh and relentless too. Which was why, I told myself, I seeked the warmth of Josh, who was burning like a furnace. It wasn't because I didn't want him to see the traitor tears that slid down my cheeks.
Stay strong, Mr Blackwell had said. I wondered if I would be able to, especially since my entire being was ready to break down into a wet weepy form.
Stay strong, I repeated, this time with more conviction. I had to. For Mr Blackwell, for Josh, for mom, for Carla and Rick.
But it was easy to lose confidence and give way to fear when we were all but collapsed in tiredness and fright in the corner of a dark, stinking alley with demons and people alike wanting to see me dead. Where would we go from here? How long until they captured me? How long until my own powers destroyed me? Or what if I ended up hurting someone I didn't want to? The tears came even faster now.
Josh having sensed his shirt getting wet, sighed and started running his fingers soothingly down my hair, as if I were a baby. I wish I were.
"We'll be fine, Ava. You'll be fine. I promise," Josh murmured against my hair, his breath hot on my face, his arms strong and firm. That promise was fickle, easily breakable but, in spite of knowing that, I couldn't help the assurance – although illusory – it brought. Right now I was ready to hold on to whatever scrap of hope I was given.
I let myself snuggle deeper into Josh and inhaled deeply. He smelled of blood, sweat, ash, but beneath it all lingered his familiar cypress scent, so faint almost undetectable. But it assured me nonetheless that at least he was here with me. Another person I had dragged into my mess, a part of me chided. But I pushed it away, as I have pushed away a lot of emotions. I didn't need that now.
Stay strong, I reminded myself.
Stay strong.
~*******~
THE END OF BOOK ONE