Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(61)

Both girls glared at her.

“So this little crippled girl landed both of them.” She smiled bitterly. “I’ve got half what you have to offer them, and yet they didn’t choose you.”

Alexa strode forward and slapped her. Autumn laughed at the sting. Maybe she was hysterical, or maybe she just didn’t care anymore. Anger that didn’t seem like it was wholly hers was growing within her.

“You think that’ll hurt me after all I’ve been through?” she asked.

She shoved Alexa. The Dark teen appeared taken aback. Dawn, however, looked furious. Focused on Alexa, Autumn was aware of Dawn approaching but not what she did until the butt of the gun slammed into her cheek. She reeled at the impact and caught herself against the rock.

“Laugh again, skank!” Dawn snarled.

Autumn did, a low, quiet sound. “You have no idea what pain is.” She stood and faced them again. “I do.”

“Beck is mine!”

“No, he’s not. Did he dump you after he knocked you up or before?” Autumn taunted. “He’s too smart to be with someone like you.”

“If he won’t be with me – with our child – then he won’t be with anyone!” Dawn said and pushed her back onto the rock. She spun to Alexa. “We’ll do what we did to Summer instead of what you guys did to Tanya. You bring the knife?”

Alexa nodded and reached into the pouch she wore in place of a purse.

“What did you do to Summer?” Autumn asked. She struggled with her mind and relented. The answers weren’t coming from within her.

“Killed something she loved and watched her go Dark trying to save it,” Alexa said. She pulled the knife from its sheath.

Autumn gazed at it. There was blood near the hilt. It dawned on her that they meant to use her as the bait for Beck. If he tried to bring her back from the dead …

She couldn’t pull the full memory free, but she saw fragments, the earth’s magick being used to replace life. Then destroy it. Beck had that power. He didn’t love her, though. At least, she didn’t think he did, not enough to try to bring her back from the dead. He’d know to stop if she died. He was the protector of Light.

“He won’t fall for it,” she voiced out loud.

“You’ll be dead anyway. Then Alexa will give Decker a call to bring him here at the same time. We’ll make it look like Beck did it or something. Either way, one of them will kill the other,” Dawn replied. “They’re this close to doing it anyway.” She held up her thumb and forefinger an inch apart.

That Autumn believed, after seeing the tension between the twins at Thanksgiving. Part of it had been over her. Or quite possibly all of it, she admitted grudgingly.

“Let’s do this,” Alexa said.

The other Dark teen stepped forward and reached for Autumn. He grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Alexa stepped in front of her, the knife in one hand. Autumn didn’t want to die here. The singular thought fluttered through her, accompanied by fear. After all she’d been through …even though Decker was surrendering to the Darkness …what exactly did she have to live for?

She had to save him. It was all that mattered.

“Are you certain Decker won’t kill you?” she challenged Alexa. “He doesn’t believe in second chances for anyone.”

Alexa glanced over her head at the other Dark teen.

“Just do it, Alexa,” Dawn said. “You’re Dark. You’re allowed to kill, even with your magick.”

Magick. Reverse snow globe. Autumn breathed in air magick. She’d created a small shield against snow and wind. Was it strong enough to hold back a knife? Doubtful, she couldn’t think of anything else to try.

“Still a risk,” she said to Alexa. “What if Decker reads your thoughts, next time you’re in bed with him? You know he can do that when you touch, don’t you? You know he likes me almost as much as Summer.”

Alexa hesitated. Her gaze went to Dawn.

“If he didn’t see what you did to Summer, he won’t see this,” Dawn countered.

“Well, I told him about hurting Tarzan. I didn’t say anything about you or Summer, though,” Alexa said, pensive. “He’s –“

“Give it to me,” Dawn said, holding out her hand. “I’ll stab her first and show you nothing happens.”

Autumn eyed the knife. This was probably going to hurt. She steeled herself for pain and readied her air magick.

“Where do I stab?” Dawn asked, taking Alexa’s place in front of her.

“Depends,” the guy at her back replied. “Quick or slow death?”

Dawn gazed at her for a minute. “Whatever. Beck will be on his way soon.”

Autumn shook her head, horrified by the turn of events. Helplessness crept into her thoughts. She wasn’t able to run or move. They were going to kill her. The car accident, Decker, the magick …

She wasn’t dead yet.

“Lower abdomen,” Alexa said. “You don’t want it over before Beck gets here, and the roads are probably blocked by snow. We’ll let her bleed out slowly.”

“Thanks,” Autumn muttered.

“My pleasure.” Alexa smiled coldly.

Dawn’s gaze dropped to Autumn’s stomach. Autumn couldn’t help thinking they’d picked the one part of her body that hadn’t been scarred by the accident. Dawn moved closer and gripped Autumn’s shoulder to brace herself.