Hello Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Five

Moments later I'm in the back seat of the car, Talum speeding down the street. My mind races with everything that occurred in the last half hour.

"Talum—please tell me what just happened?"

His eyes flick to me in the mirror. "I don't know." His face is still tight, anger smoldering beneath the surface. He is holding something back. "I can't be sure."

"What happened to Eve?" I urge, begging for anything. It's right there, if only he would just tell me. "Clearly you know something. What's wrong?"

He hesitates, glancing back at me in the mirror three more times. "All I know is you are in more danger than you can know or understand. And having me as protection isn't going to help you when he comes for you." A muscle in Talum's jaw twitches. He rolls his hands over the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

The way Talum said he sank in. "Who is he?"

His eyes flick to me again then back to the road.

"You know something. Why won't you tell me?"

"Because I want with every inch of my being to be able to give you something to ease your mind—to keep you from being afraid-- but I can't. You want to know what's wrong?" There's a slight shake to his whisper—like he's trying to remain in control. The words creep towards me, sinking in and forming a greasy knot in my chest. "I let myself get too involved. I let my guard down. I should have seen this coming from a mile away, and I was too distracted. And now... now it's taking all my willpower not to go find that bastard and rip his throat out myself." I swear that flicker of darkness returns to his eyes, but it's gone in an instant.

I blink. I'd taken his coldness this morning as a sign that he didn't care, but he was trying to protect me and refocus. "What should we do?"

He breathes sensing my fear as I shiver in the back seat. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"But what about you? And Breccan and Alma? I can't just sit back and let you all put yourselves in danger." Talum clenches his jaw. God, what could he possibly want to say?

We spin into the driveway, Talum just inches off Josie's bumper. My heart jumps like the red ball that bounces out of nowhere just in front of the car. My eyes travel in the direction in which it came and in all the panic, Lilly, the Parker's toddler stands smiling at me. Her blonde curls dance around her cheeks. She runs for the ball, her tiny hands outstretched. I should warn them to stay inside. At least for the night. I step from the car.

Talum looks at the small child, then back at the house. His shoulders tense.

"Lilly, where's mommy?" Lilly giggles and tosses the ball at me. I peek around the car. Strange-- no one is outside. I move toward her.

"Charley, stop." It is a command. "Something's not right."

I furrow my brow. "She's two. I can't just leave her out here, Talum."

He holds my gaze, his jaw tight before nodding.

"Come on, Lilly. Let's find Mommy," I say in the happiest voice I can manage. I scoop her up in my arms. Toys are scattered across the usually tidy front lawn. If she had time to do this... how long has she been out here? I don't want to think about it. I'm overreacting—on edge. Everything is fine.

I bounce Lilly as we walked making her giggle. The door is cracked just a bit. Mrs. Parker must not have realized it was left open. My chest loosens with relief. "Mrs. Parker," I call knocking before entering. "Jess, Lilly was outside." Talum is against my back, hardly inches between us. I step into the dining room, plates set and food waiting like they had just up and left before dinner.