Evil - Tijan Page 0,74

limp.

“What just happened?”

“Shay,” Kellan clipped out, unloading the gun in a motion that looked like he’d done it thousands of times. “Heal Vespar.”

“What? I can’t—you told me I couldn’t. I don’t…” I swallowed, feeling a lump in my throat. “I don’t know how.”

“Oh my God,” Matt whimpered from his sitting position against the wall.

“Ignore him. Heal Vespar.”

“You told me I couldn’t.”

“I lied!” Kellan roared at me. “Do it now or he’s going to die. Now!”

My feet were frozen in place as I watched Vespar’s body turn different shades of colors. It went from pale to golden tan to a purple shade. As the skin started crawling over him, it turned to blue and then white again. When he started trembling and rattling the floor, I choked out, shaking my head, “I can’t. I…I don’t know…”

And then the house started to shake again, but it wasn’t Kellan. As he closed his eyes, I turned toward the door and something in me wasn’t surprised when Damien glided downstairs. He wasn’t there in his human form, but as his messenger. His eyes were black orbs, and his entire body had grown white. Bursts of cold air rolled down the stairs before him and swirled around the room. It was a dramatic event, one of too many that night, but then as Damien paused before me, his eyes met and held mine. I felt his request for permission, though I didn’t know what it was for, and I nodded, succumbing. He was there to heal Vespar. I couldn’t do it…

When he didn’t move past me, I followed his gaze and saw he was locked in a heated look with Kellan. They were talking through their thoughts, but I wasn’t privy. Neither wanted me involved, and then Kellan jerked away. His shoulders dropped slightly, and I knew he’d given his permission, but I didn’t know why. And then before I could think about it, Vespar’s body was jerked in the air. It floated toward us and Damien touched it. A bright light burst from him, blinding Kellan and Matt. I was immune, as was Damien and we both watched as the poison from the bullet retracted itself and then poured from the wound. The skin healed itself, and then Vespar’s body was laid back on the floor.

It was done as quickly as it started.

We put Vespar beside Gus in the backseat and Matt in the trunk. Kellan refused to leave him behind. He’d seen too much, but I wouldn’t let him kill Matt. Too much death had already occurred. Then Damien and I climbed into the front with Kellan behind the steering wheel. As we drove off, everyone was quiet. Gus and Vespar were unconscious. Aumae remained quiet beside them and I felt the tension between Kellan and Damien. It was thick, so thick I wondered what would spark it. It was going to happen. I just didn’t know when.

“Shay’s father is tracking us. I can feel him,” Damien murmured.

Kellan kept driving. “I know.”

“He waited for us to deal with the humans. He can’t interact with them. It’s not why he’s here.”

“I know that, too.”

“Do you have a plan?” Damien whipped his head around and glared.

I closed my eyes, just waiting.

“My plan? My plan was to get Vespar and Gus. We’ll need their help dealing with Shazaam.”

Damien bit out, “That’s not his name.”

“It is in my world.”

“And what world is that, Kellan? The underworld? Where you came from.”

Aumae sucked in her breath, as did I.

It was quiet for a beat before Kellan responded, in a quiet voice, “I’ve grown up with humans, among this world. I consider them family. Where I was born means nothing to me now.”

“What about who you were born to? Does your father mean nothing to you as well?”

Kellan grew silent, and I felt his anger start to churn. It was there, underneath his surface, boiling to the top. But then he replied, flicking some switch so he was calm once again, “My father ceased to be my father when I went to Shay. You know that. I know that. My father knows that. And Shay knows now. No, Damien, my father has no bearing on me anymore. He hasn’t for a very long time.”

Damien went silent this time, but I felt his tension, too. His hand fell and rested beside mine. It was an accident, but he didn’t move away, and his pulse started to skyrocket. It was rapid, steady, but now it was sporadic and racing. Something Kellan said