Synergy (See #3)(52)

Sympathy washed over my expression. “I don’t either, but I know one thing: this is more about you than me. Your dreams, you knew this was coming -- and God help me, Madison, I tried to get you to talk to me about it, about all of your dreams, but you wouldn't, and now we’re right in the middle of this. This darkness is trying to destroy us, and you’re going to let it.” She looked down as guilt came over her. “If you honestly think that you’re going to die, if you have any emotions for Britain, any at all, you stay right here. I’ll kill Bianca and end this. I promise.”

“Bianca isn’t the end, and you know that. Like I’m going to let you face her or leave here without me.”

“I don’t think you can handle it. I love you, but I really don’t; your own mind is blocking you.”

“But you don’t have to. Tell me what I can’t see.”

I swallowed as I tried to find the words, a way to tell her that that boy’s name was Drake and that he was very real, but the words wouldn't come. It was just like I’d felt upstairs: an invisible force was holding me in place, forcing me to watch this. I didn’t know if it was Monroe or something else, but I couldn't tell her.

“Whatever is blocking your mind is taking my words, it has been – but, Madison, you already know. You have a pretty good track record with dreams coming true. Think about that.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to be like you, Charlie, like Willow. I will not let my heart be my weakness. If I don’t seek a soul mate, then I won’t find one. Don’t mention my dreams again, not that one. Not him.”

I started to say something, but she held her hand up. “I know what I’m doing. I know how to stay wide-awake and clear headed. If I know what’s coming at us, I can fight it. We’re leaving. We’re going to turn this nightmare around. We’re going to survive it.”

“Fine,” I said as I pulled my keys out.

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to Silas.”

“Not alone.”

“Madison, go tell Britain goodbye.”

“If he wants to tell me goodbye, then he needs to meet us at the park.”

I looked at her like she was crazy. “Silas and Britain in the same place? Are you insane?”

She let out a sigh as a half-cocked smile came to her placid expression. “I must be,” she said before she walked to the passenger side of my car and climbed in.

I let out a long deep breath, then climbed in the driver’s seat. “What is this, some kind of test or something? Are you trying to make him prove he loves you?” I asked her as I pulled my seat belt on.

“Trust me, whoever I give my heart to will have to face a far greater test than meeting me in a park.”

I backed out of the driveway knowing she’d never spoken truer words. Most people fight to fall in love; she was going to fight to stay away from it.

“Maybe I should take you to your mom’s. You can meet him there, say your goodbyes.”

She was texting on her phone, so she didn’t answer me at first. “I already told my mom goodbye.”

“How did that go?”

“Sad. She knew it was coming.”

“How does your mom know stuff like that?”

“The same way yours does, I guess. We had my birthday dinner, I heard the story of my birth again, along with all the things that made them proud of me as I grew up. They let me go. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

I didn’t push her to tell me more. I knew I had to start focusing on Silas if I were going to get him to show up. I doubted I had much time before we were leaving. As we drove, I thought his name, told him I had questions.

I felt Madison’s stare and glanced at my side at her. Her pupils were wide; she was seeing me, and once again, I made no effort to hide anything from her.

“You knew her,” she said after a few minutes.

“Apparently.”

“Draven was her friend?”

“Seems that way.”

“She said you were in a family of souls.”

“That, too,” I mumbled.

“No wonder Draven felt called back to The Realm last night, why he’s the one that’s gotten the closest to him.”

“What am I missing?” I asked her.

“Draven’s looking for someone to help him understand how to adjust to what he is. You always get what you seek. ”

“Nice big family,” I mumbled, holding Drake’s image in my mind, giving her every chance to see him.

“They’re older than us, and there’s no doubt that we’ve sought guidance from them before, from others in that family she was talking about. Britain told me I met you around that time you saw her.”

“Has he told you why you died? How you went from being undead to in this life with me?”

“Yeah,” she said, looking out the window.

“Well...?” I asked, noticing she wasn’t elaborating.

“I followed you. We’ve always been friends.”

“The only way I was able to die was because I loved someone. How did you do it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Madison?”