Torn Page 0,65

straightened as he accepted I was going through with this no matter what. Both of his hands gripped mine, "Remember, if something goes wrong...you know what to do. I'll heal you." The plan was if anything - anything at all - went wrong, I was supposed to effonate back to St. Bart's. Collin would follow me there, and already had the coal and milk mixture ready.

He tilted his head, looking into my eyes. "Okay?"

I smiled at him. I'd made up most of this plan. He and Al tweaked it where it had weaknesses so that Eric couldn't carry me off. I nodded, "I can do it. No problem. And later tonight, we'll have enough of that translated that we can figure out how to fix this whole mess." My hand rested on my chest near the site of the sapphire serum. Collin's eyes lingered there for a moment before coming back up to my face.

The conversation shifted, and we continued to talk and laugh like nothing in the world could possibly be wrong. I only hoped that Eric was still following me. I knew he'd take the chance to catch me alone, and that he'd do it at the most opportune time for him. After we ordered, I took my cue and smiled at Collin. My heart was racing in my chest. I kissed his cheek and said, "Be back in a second," knowing that this was it. Eric would show up as soon as I was out of sight. As I walked away, I mouthed over my shoulder, I love you. Collin needed reassurance, but Al couldn't sit out here with him. She was already in place, waiting.

My boots clicked on the checkerboard tiles, as I walked to the back of the diner to the ladies room. I passed an old guy holding a cup of steaming coffee in his enormous hands. He nodded as I passed, and returned his gaze to his newspaper. He had no idea what was about to happen. He'd sit out here and drink his coffee while a depraved Valefar was a stone's throw away. My heart began to crawl up into my throat with each step. Every time I passed another booth, my throat grew tighter and tighter. The last people that I walked past were a young couple with shiny new wedding bands. They were sitting on the same side of the booth with their heads tilted together, whispering, and laughing softly. They were lost in bliss, unaware of the terrible things that were about to go down around them.

Before I pushed the door open to walk in, I looked back at Collin. His thought brushed my mind, You don't have to do this. We'll find another way.

I answered back, There is no other way. I can do this. I promise. Just come when I call you.

With that, I pushed the door open and disappeared inside. Bare bulbs hung over a huge mirror and illuminated the room. The bathroom was fairly clean for such a busy restaurant. I looked around. The room had a large grated window that was closed and two red stalls. No one was here. Good. Pressing my eyes closed, I stood in front of the mirror. I placed my hands gently on the cold counter, and breathed deeply.

The metallic scrape was so faint that I almost didn't hear it. The back of my neck prickled and I could sense he was behind me, but I didn't look up. When Eric leaned forward, closer to me, his breath touched the back of my neck, and I startled and spun around. A wicked smile spread across his lips.

"Remember me?" he asked pressing me against the counter the second I turned toward him, using his body to trap me. I leaned back, arching my back over the countertop, unable to get away from him.

Momentarily stunned, I froze. For some reason, seeing him like this was worse than anything else that'd happened to me. Loosing those two seconds, the two seconds that I stood there motionless caused my plan to crumble. I was supposed to call to Collin using the bond. He was near enough to hear me. Al was somewhere nearby, waiting to pounce. As soon as I head the metallic click of the bathroom door locking, I should have called Collin. But I didn't. Something inside me froze, as if it broke and no longer had any desire to continue on with our plan.

Eric's legs pressed me into the counter