Chapter 35

He really does show up at random times.

Zane helped my exhausted body through the window. When my feet finally planted onto the floor below I took a deep breath. David was still asleep on the bed. “The sun will be up soon, I should get going.”

“No,” I practically yelled. Zane’s eyes got wide and he looked down at David. “Don’t leave.”

“What?” It was almost as if Zane wasn’t used to being wanted. “Listen Zander, I can’t be seen by my family-”

“You’re the only one I can trust. Everything is so wrong and I can’t take it. Just stay for awhile.” My voice became frantic and I started begging him. His silver eyes looked down on me. His jaw clenched and he shifted uncomfortably.

I seemed to have gotten to them because he patted my shoulder. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” I nodded and carefully walked over to the bed. As I got in David rolled over.

“Zander, what’re you doing? Can’t sleep?” I shook my head and slid underneath the blankets over the whole mattress. I pulled them up over my shoulders and covered my chin. David smiled and put his arm around me. He pulled me in tight and squeezed me hard. “I think this will be alright Zander.”

“You think?” I laughed against his chest.

“I mean look at it this way. You still have me.” His eye lids shut over the dark circles in his eyes. “It can’t be that bad.” My hand spread on his chest and I closed my eyes. I felt Zane’s gaze on the back of my head. I slowly slipped away under the spell of tiredness.

 

The light was shining bright in through the window when I woke up. David’s deep breaths were still forming. I lifted my head from his chest and looked to see that he was still sleeping. Carefully I picked myself off of his chest.

My suit was still underneath my clothes. It was strange to have something constantly running over my skin but I was growing more and more used to it. I opened the door to his room and stepped out into the hall. I smelt pancakes cooking downstairs toward the kitchen. Instead of turning towards my room I walked down the stairs. When I rounded the corner I saw Rylan sitting at the table talking to Phoenix and Justin. Phoenix looked up to see me standing in the front room. Everyone stopped talking and Rylan turned around. When He saw me he quickly stood up. His legs stretched far as he walked over to me.

Without saying a word he wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me tight into his chest. No one said anything as I began to cry. My dad’s chin settled deep into my shoulder and he held my shaking and throbbing body. My hands clawed at the back of his shirt. This whole ordeal was just too much for any of us to handle.

He didn’t let me go. Not until he knew I was completely alright. We could’ve stood there for ten minute, I lost track. When I had finally calmed down he whispered into my ear. “I’ll take care of you on my own. We don’t’ need him.” I nodded and he kissed the side of my cheek. “I gave up everything for you and I’m not about to lose it.” A smile spread across my face and I rubbed his back soothingly. “We’ll get through this. I promise.” His hand stroked my hair behind my head.

We finally separated and I wiped the remaining tears out of my eyes. He put both of his hands on the sides of my face and gave me a great smile. He tossed my hair once before directing me back to the table. Phoenix smiled up at me and pushed a plate of pancakes my way. “Abigail made them.” Right as he said her name she walked down from the stairs. She spun on the banister and walked into the kitchen with a smile on her face.

“I love cooking. It’s my passion.” Quickly my head snapped to her as I remember the conversation Zane and I shared. Her eyes caught mine and they gleamed brightly. She’s talked to Zane. My mouth fell open and she smiled. I realized that everyone was staring at me. Abigail grabbed some juice. “I’m off to school now. Trevor’s picking me up.”

Trevor, he was still in the picture? After what happened the day before I could’ve been sure she was feeling the same way about me. I guessed wrong. My heart shattered and fell to the floor. My chin lowered and I looked at the pancakes below. Rylan passed me the syrup and said good bye to Abigail .Justin spoke up, “I hope Abigail ends up with that Trevor boy. He’s right for her. Not a hero someone who knows what they want. I wouldn’t want her with anyone else.”

Rylan followed, “Especially someone in our mess.”

I heard David say good bye to Abigail while he was coming down the stairs. He looked quite better. “Sleep well?” Phoenix asked and David smiled.

“Wonderfully, it’s almost as if someone cast some magic sleeping spell over me.” He smiled and walked over to the table. When he sat down he gave me one look and took my pancakes. David was always one to lighten a mood no matter how dark the times.

“Madeline’s coming over soon and we’ll be talking about our next move.” Rylan was sipping at the coffee in his cup.

Phoenix spoke up, “you’re welcome to say here as long as you need. All of you.” His eyes snapped to Rylan whose eyes shied away. He looked back over us with a slight smile on his face.

 

After breakfast Madeline finally made it. We all migrated to the main room. I sat in the center of a large brown leather couch. Madeline sat to my right and David was on my left. Rylan sat in one of the large chairs on the other side of the coffee table. Justin and Phoenix came in and sat on the love seat. We all sat silently for a moment before my dad spoke. “I don’t really know how to run one of these things.”

We all laughed, it was truth. Usually Shiloh was the one who ran family meetings. Phoenix spoke up, “Is there something pressing that we need to talk about? Is there anything that you need?”

The three of us sat silently for a moment. No one in the room was making eye contact except Phoenix. Finally I cleared my throat, “I want to talk about the hotel.”

“The Hotel?” Rylan asked with a twisted look on his face.

I nodded, “They’re reopening the hotel you were killed in.” That was a weird sentence to say.

He turned straight for Phoenix who nodded. “I didn’t know.” Suddenly Rylan’s eyes flashed on and he took a deep breath. His fingers dug into the leather seat.

The door opened behind us and all of our heads snapped. Tex stepped in with Kei attached to his hand. From underneath them popped a white curly haired kid. “Zachary,” I snapped and stood up. He jumped through his parents and ran over to me. I picked him up and spun him around a few times. Kei looked at us and then her eyes shot to Rylan.

She dropped her bag and ran to his side. I carried Zach over to the couch with me. We all watched Rylan as he tried to see something. Finally his eyes flicked off and he gasped for air. Phoenix sat on the edge of his seat. Rylan caught his breath, “That was weird.” We all waited for him to start explaining. “Shiloh’s going to be at the hotel opening and we’re going to save him.”

 We all discussed going to the hotel opening. Phoenix, Tex, and my dad were kneeled at the coffee table looking over their invitations. I was playing with Zachary on the couch. David and Madeline were sitting on the love seat talking to each other. Kei sat behind my dad and stroked the back of his head. “Can you find him anywhere?” Phoenix asked while looking at Tex.

Tex’s powers were on as he searched for anything. Suddenly his brows crinkled and he looked deeper into the wood of the coffee table. “Zane,” he whispered. “He’s here, he’s in Miami.”

I felt the whole room tense. “Is it him?” I asked. Fear ripped through me as Tex finally found where he was.

“I can’t tell where he is exactly, but he’s definitely in Miami.” Suddenly I felt something move past me. I looked over my right shoulder only to have my shirt grabbed and yanked up off my shoulder. No one was there.

I couldn’t see the hand that was grabbing my shirt. Warm breath grazed the back of my neck and I completely froze in fear. I just knew it, something was taking over and this would be the end. “Zander I don’t have all day. Excuse yourself and go into the bathroom.” It was Zane.

I moved Zach off my lap and stood up, “I need to use the restroom.”

Every pair of eyes went to me. Phoenix pointed toward the den, “There’s a bathroom over there.”

I nodded and started walking. Zane grabbed my shirt and started pulling me toward the stairs. “You know what I think I’ll use the bathroom upstairs.”

As I walked up the stairs I heard David whisper to Madeline, “That was weird.” She laughed and I ran up the last few steps to the bathroom.

The second I closed the door, Zane appeared in front of me. For the first time I saw him without his suit on. He wore tight black jeans with a tight dark blue polo. “David has that shirt.” I said as if I was making friendly conversation. Zane looked down to the shirt and then back up to me.

“I have to leave.”

My mouth dropped open, “But I’ve only started.”

“You don’t need to train Zander. You already know it all. You just need to believe in yourself and your abilities.”

I gasped, “I don’t even know what abilities I have.”

Zane started to pace back and forth, “We’ve gone through this. It doesn’t matter because you can create your own powers, remember?” I nodded. “Zander, Tex has found me. I can’t be here when-” he stopped and disappeared.

Someone flung the door open. It was Tex. “Uh, excuse me?”

Tex’s silver eyes were illuminated and they flicked over me. “Sorry Zander. I thought he was here.”

“In the bathroom with me?” his eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head.

“You’re completely right, I apologize.” The door shut and I locked it behind him. Zane was staring at the dark wood.

His eyes were almost looking through the wood towards where Tex was. “I do miss him. But the time isn’t right, not yet.”

My arms crossed over my chest, “What do you expect me to do?”

“You would’ve figured it all out if I hadn’t come along. It’s important that I leave. Tex isn’t the only one that can find me here now.” Zane’s head snapped around and looked out the window. “I have to go. Will you promise to be safe?” I nodded and uncrossed my hands. Zane took a few steps forward and his hand went to the side of my face. “Use your head and remember what I taught you.” He kissed the top of my forehead lightly then stepped away. Before he completely was gone he turned his head to look at me, “do me a favor and pay extra attention to David.” I nodded and he flashed me one last smile before completely disappearing.

In that exact moment I began to realize how real this situation was. Zane was gone and I was the only one left. I could save the world. A panic attack began to set in. I slammed the toilet seat down and put my head between my legs. Was the world really in my hands? Was this really such a big scale thing? I couldn’t know. Zane left before answering all of my questions.

Although… There was one person who spent more time with him than I did.

Abigail…