Off With His Head

28. I have to admit that I will miss you

We pull up outside a small cottage with exposed brick walls. "I thought it was a double story?" I ask.

"It's a few places down. I don't want to park right outside it and draw attention to ourselves," Zach explains as he turns off the ignition. "Now." He glances at Caleb before turning to look at me. "Are you guys ready? This is a big one."

Terror grips me in its unforgiving claws and a sheen of sweat clings to my forehead. Now that we're here, my heart beats so hard against my ribcage that I'm almost worried it will burst out of my chest. Clenching my fists, I take a deep breath and count to five. It doesn't help as much as I'd hoped.

Seeing that Zach is still awaiting a response, I do my best to smile, swallowing my fear and nodding my head slightly. Caleb grins and climbs out the car, going to the trunk to grab weapons. Zach leans over and places a hand on my knee, as though he can see how scared I am. I'm reminded of my first mission, when he did the same thing, and the comfort that I drew from his touch.

His eyes meet mine, ocean blue as always. The same colour as my pendant and one that is starting to remind me of warmth and safety. I feel my heart beat start to slow and my fists unfurl as I take another deep breath.

"It will be okay, Peyton," he reassures me, removing his hand from my leg. I immediately feel cold, the fear threatening to creep its way back in.

"And if it's not?"

"Well then, I have to admit that I will miss you." He smiles and unbuckles his seatbelt, leaving me wondering if I have broken the poor guy. He seems to joke and laugh way too often now, even when the timing is completely inappropriate.

"Right," Caleb whispers as soon as I join him by the back of the car. "Stay close to me, Jennings." He pulls me toward him and places a soft kiss on my forehead. "We are making it out of this."

I nod and watch as Zach heads towards a house just down the road. His blonde hair, tall stature and broad shoulders making him easily recognisable, even in the moonlight. I stare at his retreating back, hoping that he was right and that everything will be okay.

Caleb counts to ten under his breath before following him, tugging on my hand as I trail behind. Every few steps he pauses, glancing around and listening to the soft whistle of wind. Finally, we stop in front of a beautiful double story house, the mailbox proudly proclaiming the number '213'.

The garden is immaculately kept, the flowers a riot of colours and the lawn beautifully mowed. The walls look like they could either be a soft yellow or cream colour with a dark brown roof. It's a stunning and well looked after house. But, in the moonlight, the front of it looks creepy and ominous somehow, with its many windows and the steps that lead up to a wraparound porch.

Or maybe it's just my imagination.

Zach's nowhere in sight, and I assume he's gone to around the back to find entrance, since it looks like all these windows are closed. Goose bumps erupt on my skin as Caleb and I approach the door and I remove my sweaty hand from his with my heart in my throat.

Caleb lifts his hand, rapping his knuckles twice on the door before stepping off to the side. I look at him in confusion and panic as he mouths something at me that I can't decipher. I'm about to follow his lead when the door slowly creaks open, and a tall man with long blonde hair looks out.

Drew Andrews.

"Henry's girl." He greets me with a grin, probably assuming I'm alone and not bothering to look further outside. I suddenly understand what Caleb had been trying to tell me a few seconds before, he had wanted me to be a momentary distraction. Drew's eyes search my face and I'm not sure if they flash red, or if it's just my imagination playing tricks on me. "Come in." He steps back to allow me entrance, leaning against the door.