Nightmares

Chapter forty-eight: Harper

I watched Carter freak out.

He kicked a chair. Yelled at the few people who stared. Swore. Flipped over a table.

"Hey." I said, grabbing his shaking hands. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. We're going to be okay."

"How do you know that?" He snapped.

He glared at the people who were still staring.

"What the hell do you think you're staring at?"

They disappeared and Carter seemed to calm down slightly.

I wrapped my arms around his trembling form and felt him slowly slump into my hold, as if scared to let me go.

"I will kill him." He said quietly. "I will hunt him down if I have to and I will kill him."

"No need." A voice behind us said.

We spun around to face Jake. He looked tired and scary calm.

"Jake."

He opened his arms as I ran to hug him. He held me tightly and spun me around making me laugh a little with hysteria.

He was alive. But–

How?

"What happened?" Carter asked.

He let me go with a sigh. Looking around him.

"Not here. I want to get somewhere private. I need to change and handle a few things." He said, careful to evade what he really wanted to say.

"I want you to get somewhere safe and warm." He told me. "Then I'll explain."

This did not sound good.

"Jake, what did you do?" I whispered.

"Not now." He snapped, his accent thick.

Carter tensed next to me and they exchanged a look I couldn't read.

"I'll tell you everything when we're inside." Jake said, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Now c'mon. It's getting cold."

~*~

We waited for Jake on the sofa, curled up. Carter was staring into space, stroking his mug of coffee. I could feel his heartbeat slow and steady as I rested my head on his chest.

He hadn't said a word since we got back and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried.

Jake entered in fresh clothes, his hair glistening with teardrops of water he didn't bother to wipe off.

He sat next to me deep in thought.

"Don't touch her." Carter spoke for the first time.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking between the two boys.

They were watching each other warily. Jake stood up and paced the floor.

"It was the only way to stop him." He said, pacing. "Take out one and the others will scramble around like ants waiting to be squashed. You weren't raised in this life, Cart. I was."

"Well I don't want to be involved in your world. And I don't want Harper to be involved either." He argued.

"Well then you should have stayed inside."

"Don't you think I know that?"

They glared at one another and I sighed.

"So what did he want now?"