Synergy (See #3)(6)

The entire act left the band exhausted, to say the least, but it kept us on a tight schedule. We were all usually passed out by midnight, then up again at the crack of dawn. I knew we couldn’t keep this up much longer. Even though the band was pulling thousands of shadows out of The Realm each day, they didn’t make a dent on that place, not to mention the fact that there were shadows that were already here, ones that needed our help; by not helping them, we were basically ensuring that they’d end up in The Realm eventually.

We were spinning in circles, but honestly, it was all we could do at this point.

While the band’s little concert was going on, Madison and I would hunt Bianca. The first few days, we came close. So close. It was the basic war of words and wit. Bianca would manifest images that would make anyone sick to their stomach. We hadn’t been able to find her the last few times we were there; maybe that was why I felt this agonizing foreboding. I didn’t know where she was or what she was up to. I’d rather see my enemies than fear where they may be.

Britain told Madison that she’d moved on, that another source of power had her attention, but that didn’t make us feel any better. We didn’t want her to hurt anyone the way that she’d hurt us, so we continued to look for any sign of her. There had to be a way to stop her. I was determined to find it.

“Just looking for an old friend; don’t mind us,” I said to Aden.

“Charlie, let it go. She’s not going to get Draven,” Aden said firmly.

“Yeah, well, I don’t want her to do that to anyone else either. You know she made a sly comment about Monroe’s dad, and now Monroe is having dreams about Daddy Dearest. I hunt her for reasons beyond what she did to Draven. She knows stuff.”

“You think she knows stuff? Is Monroe alright?” Aden asked in a concerned tone.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Did you see a bright light earlier, a few minutes before you got to Wesley’s?” Aden asked.

I nodded as I slowed down a little. We’d reached the sidewalk area of town, and there were other runners out along with dog walkers.

“I did, too, and now they’re all gone again,” Aden said. “Wes saw it, too.”

I looked at Wesley. “Really?”

He nodded. “I didn’t hear anything before it. Glad I didn’t; it looked like it hurt,” Wesley said, looking across me at Aden.

“It was loud,” I confirmed, remembering what had happened at the edge of my driveway.

“Yeah. I called Draven and them. They saw the light come in from the windows, but they didn’t hear anything because they were in the house; you know Mom blocks stuff like that.”

“Right. Did you ask Madison?”

“Tried. No answer...and now I know why,” Aden said, nodding to the diner window that we were passing.

Madison and Britain were at the table by the glass in what looked like a heated conversation. I reached across Wesley and knocked on the window. She nodded, then stood. She knew we only had a half a mile or so left on our run, and she was probably ready to hit the books as soon as I was done.

“What did it look like, Wesley?” I asked.

“Like the sun got brighter for a second. I just thought a cloud had moved or something. I was more focused on your bodyguard; he was pretty much on his knees, and Princess was going nuts.”

“Weird,” I mumbled.

Wesley elbowed me, then nodded to a van that had ‘Austin’s Plumbing And Electrical’ on it. “Pack your bags, girl. He’s coming.”

“Maybe he was our light. Maybe Landen is here or something.” I mused not noticing that I did so aloud.

Wesley grinned boyishly. “I don’t know about that. I mean, Austin said Landen has been gaining new insights, but making some kind of blinding light appearance isn’t really his thing. He’s very human. I want you to remember that when you meet him. I know you think he’s your answer, but the truth is he may not know how to help you; from what I know of him, though, he’ll find a way,” Wesley said through broken breaths.

“Are you going home?” Aden asked Wesley.

“I’m going to tell him to take you guys first. We’re in no hurry to leave; I kinda like this town,” Wesley said, grinning.

“It won’t be cool without us, though,” Aden teased.

“True, true,” Wesley said as he whistled at Princess to get her to sprint the last block to his house.

“What was Draven worried about last night?” I asked. We were supposed to go out last night, just the two of us, but he canceled on me at the last minute and gave little excuse. He didn’t even call; he just sent a text saying that tomorrow would be a better day for us to be alone. I’m sure he assumed that I’d think he was just in a bad mood or something, but I never assumed anything. Madison and I went to the school, but they’d left for the night. He was at home. From my bedroom, I could see his studio; I saw him and the others arguing. I even thought I’d seen them see their way somewhere, but when I tried to follow, I just found myself in his house. I knew something was going on; something had him more on edge than usual.

Aden shrugged his shoulders. “The only thing he ever worries about is you.”

Whatever. Aden was relentless when it came to keeping his brother out of trouble with me. “What did he say when you called him about that light this morning?”