Midnight CEO

23.

I felt a sharp pain in my heart as I heard his words in my head repeat once again. I dropped to my knees with my hand over my heart. The pain was so sharp I could barely stand it. "He's dying. I can feel his pain," I sobbed loudly. "Carter, no. Don't leave me." I felt a sharp jolt of pain run through my chest like lightning surging through me. I screamed out as the pain shot through me, and then I felt nothing. Nothing at all. The pain was gone. I slumped to the ground, catching my breath and clutching my heart.

"Ebony, are you alright?" Henry said, dropping to his knees and touching my back.

"I think so," I sat up and waited for the pain, but I felt nothing. No pain, no ache, and no Carter.

"Ebony, you must go to him now," His mother called to me. "You must hurry."

I looked up, and through my tears, I could see a portal right in front of me, in the darkness.

"Did I do that?" I looked at Henry.

"You did something." He shrugged. "Do you have a hole in your chest?" He reached out with his hand and put it straight on my boobs and then promptly removed it. "Sorry, completely inappropriate. I apologize," he said, pulling at his jacket.

"You must go," His mother demanded, helping me off the ground. "Listen to that pain. It will guide you to him."

"But I don't feel anything anymore."

"Just listen to him, now go," she pointed.

I just nodded and ran towards the spinning portal.

"Wait, I'm coming too," Henry yelled behind me as I jumped through with Henry on my heels. We landed with a thump on hard, cold concrete. I gasped out for air and felt the cold wind fill my lungs. I was through the portal. I was finally home.

"What is this place?" Henry said, helping me up off the ground.

"This is the city, but how did we get here?" I looked around. We were close to Midnight Industries. It was about a block away from here. "Follow me," I said, running towards the building.

"This is the human world? It's amazing." Henry said next to me. "Where are we going?"

"We are close to my work. I can't feel him anymore. He's not responding to me," I was having trouble running as my body was still weak, and I had to stop to catch my breath.

"I can help," Henry picked me up in his arms. "Where do I go?"

"Keep running up this block. It's just on the other side. You can usually see the bright lights of it from there?"

Henry nodded and took off towards Midnight Industries. We were there within what felt like seconds, and Henry placed me gently on the ground on the opposite side of the street.

"What is going on here?" There was a huge crowd surrounding the block and all pointing and taking pictures. We pushed past them, and I gasped at the building that now lay before me. Midnight Industries was completely gone. It looked like it had been crushed as all that was left of the top floors was rubble and broken glass scattered on the ground, and a completely buried bottom floor. The fence surrounding the now-demolished company was still standing but barely. How is this possible?

"How do we get closer?" Henry said, looking around. "Hello," Henry said nervously to a pretty girl as she waved at him. "She seems nice." He smiled.

"Around the back quickly. I can't hear Carter at all."

"Oh, yes." He cleared his throat. "Come on, before more people arrive," he said, taking my hand.

We ran around the fenced property to the back and stood looking up at the fence.

"Get on my back. I'll jump," he said, bending down. I climbed onto his back, and he sprung up like a cat and onto the top of the wall.

We scanned the property, but there was nothing left but rubble. Everything was crushed under the weight of the smashed building.

"What now?" I sighed as my heart felt like it cracked inside of me.

Henry jumped down to the ground, and I climbed off. We searched through the rubble and broken glass for any sign of life.

"Ebony," I heard a slight whisper. "Help me."

"Where are you?" I cried out.

"Help me." The voice groaned.

"Here," Henry called from my right. "Quickly," he started pulling bits of concrete and glass off the ground. I ran to his side with my heart in my throat.

"Jake!" I yelled as I saw him lying on the ground. I collapsed next to him as tears ran down my cheek.

"Eb, I can't move. What is happening?" Jake said, looking at me with his big blue eyes.

"I don't know. Are you ok?" I started to remove more rubble and glass from his body.

"No, I'm a bloody pancake under here," Jake said dramatically.

"It's ok. We will get you out of her, but where is Carter?"

"Eb, he's gone," Jake said, closing his eyes slowly and shaking his head.

"What do you mean gone?" I said, holding Jake's hand.

"I mean, Carter turned. I saw it." Jake said, opening his eyes.

"Turned? I don't understand what you are saying," I said, touching his cold face.

"He's turned into the wolf, Eb. Right in front of me, Carter turned into the wolf. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen." Jake said, coughing. "He's gone, Eb."

"He turned into the wolf?" I was completely confused. "How is that even possible? He always said the wolf was his monster. He would never do that."

"Leon convinced him you were dead, and he lost control of himself. He brainwashed Carter at his weakest moment, and Carter didn't have it in him to fight it anymore. He was so mad, and then he turned right in front of us, and he threw me out of the window on the top floor because I told him you would never give up as he did. I told him family doesn't quit, and he lost it at me." Jake closed his eyes again, exhausted...

"No, I'll find him. He wouldn't just leave us. Where did he go?"

"The brothers are going back to the vampire world to create an army, an army to take over the world," Jake said as his hand held mine tightly.

"You just moved your hand, Jake," I smiled, feeling his hand squeeze mine again.

"I did? No shit? How did I do that?" He said, making a face as he tried to squeeze the other hand. "Son of a bitch, look at that." Jake gave a slight smile at his moving hand.

"Where is Callan?"

"He took Callan with him. He is trying to turn him as well. Hey, I moved my toe," Jake smiled proudly.

"Your bones are healing. It would help if you rested," Henry said, kneeling beside me.

"Holy titty balls, batman, you're prince Henry?" Jake said, staring at him in complete shock.

"I don't understand your words right now, but hello, Jake. I have heard many wonderful things about you." Henry bowed his head.

"I bet you did," Jake said, winking at me. "Did she rave about me? She did, huh? She saw me naked once, changed her whole life." he smiled.

"I saw you naked because you walked into my bedroom naked." I rolled my eyes.

"You had your eyes open. It counts you, little pervert," Jake tried to laugh but just groaned in pain instead. "Damn it."

"You deserved that," I said, smiling.

Henry had to carry a reluctant Jake to the portal as his body was still healing, and he was still weak. We needed to get back to Carter's mother and tell her this news. I need to find Carter before it's too late.

We were officially in the middle of war now.