Synergy (See #3)(75)

“I guess.”

“Why were they looking at Aden like that? The two of you?” she pushed.

“Would you stop it! Seriously, you went into my head trying to figure out something about Drake, then come out asking questions about me and Aden - is it that automatic for you? That easy to put your own issues on the back burner?”

I heard a loud crash, and before I could turn around, a large dirty hand came around from behind me, holding my mouth closed and slamming me into the wall. My eyes were wide with terror; I doubted Draven could have heard any of this over his music. There was another man holding Madison. Instinct kicked in. I kneed the man holding me in the groin, and his hand moved away from my mouth. I didn’t yell for Draven; instead, I screamed, “Show yourself!” All at once, the shadows I was chasing a few minutes ago emerged into dark images, saying my name over and over again. The man I kicked regained his composure, then slammed me against the wall again. “Call your demons off!”

I squinted my eyes closed, praying for a way out of this, for someone to come looking for us - then all at once the man was gone. I heard Madison scream out in agony and opened my eyes: the man that had attacked me was pinned against the wall by some invisible force, and Madison was on the floor, blood pooling all around her. The man that had attacked her was feet away; he’d been thrust down the hall.

I tried to move to her, but the shadows I’d called were blocking me, growing denser. I had to get them to go away so I could get to Madison. I mumbled a few words, but then I realized I wasn’t entirely sure what language I was speaking, and I didn’t want to say the wrong words, so I just let my shield fall, then showed them my love for Draven. They became silent, then they exploded into light, giving me a path to my best friend as she lay dying on the floor.

Olivia was at Madison’s side, and Willow was standing in the center of the hall, full of what could only be rage. With a thought, she picked the man up that had hurt Madison and flung him against the wall next to the other man. The force of that man’s body, along with an eruption of thunder, caused the music down the hall to stop.

I dove across the floor to Madison, begging her to look at me. Her eyes were glassed over; she was slipping away. I felt someone pull me away; it was Draven. I struggled against him as Willow’s father and Aden went to her side. “He can help her! He can help her, baby!” Draven kept saying to me. I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't let me go to her, why he was keeping his distance, locking me in his arms.

Willow showed no mercy with those men. She was crushing them with her thoughts and would have killed them if Brady hadn’t pulled her away. I don’t know what he said to her, but he calmed her down. The hallway was filling with people, people I felt I could trust. Tears were streaming down my face; my best friend was dying feet from me, and I couldn't go to her. I led her there, knowing that it was dangerous, that she looked so much like Willow.

Olivia stood and ran from Madison’s side as Willow knelt down next to her. I could only hope that Olivia was going to get something for Jason, Willow’s father, something that could stop the pain I could see in Madison’s eyes. Sweat was pouring from her. Jason ripped her shirt open, and that was when I saw how bad it was. That man had stabbed her, just under her ribs. Blood was gushing from her body, and she was gasping for breath.

Willow asked how bad it was, and her father said she needed surgery, that a lung had been punctured. I knew he was a doctor or something, but I couldn’t understand how he knew that much about what was wrong with Madison; all I could see was blood.

What happened next seemed to occur in slow motion. Willow’s eyes grew distant, as if she were taking in some kind of lesson; I swear I saw her begin to glow. I stopped my struggle against Draven. I was now just as terrified for him as I was for Madison. I didn’t think he could handle seeing this. I pushed him behind me, but he refused to move. His body was as hard as a rock as his eyes stared at Willow and Madison.

Willow reached her hands for the wound; a second later, the glow I thought I saw around Willow intensified. Madison began to glow; it was like Willow was pushing a part of herself inside of Madison. It was terrifying and beautiful at the same time.

All at once, Madison gasped and sat up. The wound was gone. Blood still stained her skin, but that was the only evidence left. I felt Draven let out a deep breath. I turned to look at him; he was in a cold stare. I reached for his face and pulled him to look at me. “Draven!” He blinked and swallowed the hunger I saw in his eyes. “You’re OK,” I said. He nodded once, then let the hold he had on me go. As soon as I was free, I dove across the floor to Madison’s side.

Willow and Madison were embracing each other; Madison was whispering something to her that Willow clearly didn’t agree with. I broke them apart and embraced Madison as tightly as I could. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” I said over and over.

She squeezed me tight. “I felt what you fight for. I felt how soul mates feel,” she whispered to me.

I looked at her curiously as I helped her up. “I’m sure it’ll feel even better when it’s your love you feel.”

“I think a part of him is inside me,” she whispered as she blushed slightly. “His energy.”

I glanced at Willow, who was talking to Draven and Aden. Draven was keeping his distance, but the hunger in his eyes was fading. I knew I could see more of Willow’s life than Madison, that I was almost sure that Willow, Drake, and Landen had somehow shared their power, their energy with each other - and Willow had just pushed some of that into Madison to heal her.