Insight (Web of Hearts and Souls #1)(19)

“I’m staying at your house tonight,” Olivia announced, holding on as Dane peeled onto the highway.

“Was that the new guy that’s staying at Chase’s?” Dane demanded.

“Yeah, Drake,” I said as I grasped my chest and remembered the pain of every single nightmare I’d endured.

“I’m glad I got there when I did,” Dane said through his teeth.

“What did I miss?” Olivia asked, confused.

“Nothing…he just tried to make a move, no big deal,” I said, dreading telling my father that Drake was there.

“I don’t know where that guy is from, but he needs to learn his boundaries,” Dane seethed, turning up the radio.

When we got to my house, Dane walked quickly inside. Once there, he climbed the front steps two at a time.

“Where are you going?” I called after him.

“To make sure your windows are locked,” he threw over his shoulder.

My father stepped out of his study and looked up at Dane, then down at me.

“I’m going to go call my aunt,” Olivia said, following Dane.

“What’s going on?” my father asked. “Is that kid’s name Drake?”

The fear that spiked in my father told me that it was. He pulled me into his study and closed the door.

“Did you see him?”

“Yeah, he’s been at the lake with me all day,” I answered, trying not to lose my calm.

“Did he try anything?”

“He had just gotten me alone when Dane showed up…he’s not what I imagined.”

“Don’t underestimate him, Willow,” my father said sternly.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

“I’m going to see if I can move our flights up,” he answered, still freaking out. My father never freaked out. This was bad.

He went to his phone and started dialing. I paced back and forth, more scared and confused than I’d ever been. Drake had made everything a reality.

Dane knocked on the study door. When I opened it I saw he was finally calm. He must have felt that I was safe now.

“Did you tell him?” Dane whispered.

I nodded.

We listened as my father went back and forth with an operator, then he hung up the phone, questioning himself.

“Dane, can you stay here until tomorrow morning?” my father asked.

Dane nodded, a little surprised by the question.

“I’ve managed to move my flight to an hour from now, but I can’t get theirs any earlier than 9 a.m. I just don’t want to leave them alone if Willow is shaken up.”

“That’s fine. I’ll call my mom,” Dane said, walking to the phone.

I motioned for my dad to come into the hallway. He moved swiftly thinking that maybe I had a better idea.

“Dad what’s the deal? Why are we still flying all over the place? Let’s just go.”

“First of all, we have to leave a believable paper trail for the people here. Second of all, we can’t pass through the string now. When Ashten called, he said the others were separated from him in the storm.”

“Are they hurt? Lost?”

“No, they know what they’re doing. Ashten is sure they’ll be here soon. He said Drake only uses the large passages. That is why he didn’t try anything, he has a different plan to get you to come with him.”

“Like what?” I said.

“I don’t know, but we’re not going to stay around here and allow him to do it. Do you think Dane can keep you safe?”

I looked back and saw Dane hanging up the phone.

“He did a good job tonight,” I said, still not believing that Dane was capable of being so angry.

My father nodded. “Okay, I’m going to tell your mother. Make sure you’re packed and ready.”

I hugged him and climbed the stairs, but not before glancing back at him, afraid that I might lose someone in all of this. About the time I reached the top of the stairs, I felt my mother’s emotion shift to panic and I knew my father had told her what was going on.

In my room, Dane pushed my bed to the wall with the window on it. He stretched out on it with heavy eyelids. Olivia was pulling out the futon couch, which was big enough for the both of us.

I went to my closet and pulled out the bags that I’d been packing to make sure I had everything.

“Do you need help?” Olivia whispered, trying not wake Dane, who had drifted to sleep.

“No, I think I have everything. I’m going to take a quick shower.”

She nodded, opened her book, and stretched out.

As I stood under the scalding water in the shower, I replayed the past few days. If I’d known what Drake had looked like, I don’t think those nightmares would have been nearly as bad. I regretted not just asking him what he wanted with me then I laughed at myself as I realized that I was considering having a sane conversation with someone that was clearly evil…or at least under the control of someone evil.

Then it hit me—if Drake were real, then the blue-eyed boy was, too. My eyes raced back and forth as I tried to think of a way to find him. I was afraid my father would make me wait another two years, or at least until after we’d solved this Drake issue. I turned off the water, a little excited about going to sleep. The memory of our first kiss brought heat to my already hot face. I dressed like it was a marathon to do so, packing my stuff as I went. There was a soft tap on the door. I sensed my mother on the other side. I pulled the door open and let her in.