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Hallie: Caden had to work late again, so I’m catching up on some work at The Mystic Cow. Want to meet for a quick drink?
Skyla had texted Hallie earlier in the day to let her know they were on the way back. But it was so late already, and Skyla was exhausted. Her first instinct was to say no. But then she remembered Hallie mentioning something about doing inventory after the Books and Booze Event. That must be why she was there at this hour.
Skyla: Sure. I can be there in 20. Everything ok?
Hallie: Yep. Just come to the store.
There was something off about Hallie’s message, but Skyla couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She was barely able to keep her eyes open, so she ran inside and grabbed an energy drink. Her father wasn’t home and the house was dark. She longed to go past the kitchen and straight to her room, but Hallie needed her. With the energy drink in hand, Skyla sank back into her car, and drove to The Mystic Cow. She couldn’t believe how time had flown by. Had it really been that long since the event? Another thought dawned in Skyla’s mind just as she turned into the street where The Mystic Cow was located. She was late. And not just a day or two. Skyla swallowed hard at the realization. No. She couldn’t be. Not after just that one time. Could she? No. It was probably just stress, and all the healings she’d been doing for Arlo J.
The street was mostly dark, except for the street lights and the occasional headlights. All the shops were closed, and even The Mystic Cow looked closed other than the one light shining right over the register. There was a van parked a few doors down, but it was too dark to get a good look at it. Not paying much attention to it, Skyla parked in front of the store.
She was about to knock for Hallie to let her in since Hallie always locked the door after closing, but the door was ajar. “Hallie?” Skyla called out, letting herself in. The little chime dinged above the door, but other than that, the shop was eerily quiet, making the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “Hallie?” Skyla was tempted to run back to her car and call Hallie on the phone when she spotted movement coming from the back office.
A figure appeared in the doorway, but even in the semi dark store, Skyla instantly recognized it wasn’t Hallie.
“Vivian.” Skyla put a hand to her chest. “You scared me. Is this a girls night thing? Where’s Hallie? She messaged me and asked that I meet her here.” Skyla dropped her purse on one of the reading chairs, wondering how long they were going to stay here before going to Madigan’s. Skyla hadn’t planned on going there tonight, but she’d probably sleep better after seeing the place, even if it was just for a quick drink with friends.
Vivian crossed the room to Skyla, a smug look on her face that only added to the strange vibe Skyla was getting. “She’s here,” Vivian said. “Though she does need your help.”
“My help?” Skyla asked. “Okay. Where is she?”
Vivian pointed to the register. “Back there. Go ahead, see for yourself.”
Skyla had no idea what Hallie was doing behind the register for so long without saying anything, but fear and worry slithered up Skyla’s spine so fast, it nearly knocked her off balance. She rushed over to the counter, and gasped in horror at the sight of Hallie lying on the ground, bleeding from what looked like a stab wound to her abdomen. “Oh my God!” Skyla cried. “Did you call 911? What happened?”
Skyla started to go for her purse, but Vivian blocked her. “You have a choice to make, Skyla. And let’s not pretend that you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Skyla froze at her words. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you can choose to run, try to escape, or you can help your friend, and ensure that she lives. I can promise you that as of right now, her chances of survival without your immediate help, are not good at all.”
Skyla drew in ragged breaths of air, her body coursing with adrenaline. “We have to call an ambulance,” she said, trying to push past Vivian. Hallie and Orly’s warnings echoed in her mind. If Skyla used her ability in front of Vivian, there was no telling what this woman would do to her. “Please, we can’t let whoever did this to her get away,” Skyla pleaded.
“What are you going to choose?”
Skyla shook her head, standing between Vivian and her friend’s nearly lifeless body. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Stop!” Vivian demanded. “Don’t lie and don’t act all innocent. While you and Blake were away, I had a little chat with a friend of yours. I believe you call him AJ.”
Skyla opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
“That’s right. He told me all about you. About what you can do. What you’ve been doing for him. You are exactly the kind of person I’ve been looking for. But I know you won’t come willingly with me, so the only chance I have of taking you, is to get you weak. I could drug you, but that would defeat the purpose. AJ says you’re as weak as a newborn kitten after a good healing session. Well, time's ticking. Are you going to fight me, or heal Hallie? Either way, choose fast.”
At her words, Skyla turned and fell to her knees at Hallie’s side. There was never a choice. Not for Skyla. She might’ve fought Vivian to save herself, but she’d never risk her friend’s life. Not even if it meant a lifetime of government testing in some lab, just as her father had threatened.
The blood pooling around Hallie meant Skyla needed to act fast. She pulled out the knife and placed her hands on the open, bleeding wound, letting her energy work through her and into Hallie until she felt her friend’s life force strengthen.
Skyla didn’t know how long it took, but by the time Hallie’s wound was nearly closed, Skyla was nothing more than a rag doll, slumped over on the floor. Only Hallie still wasn’t moving. “What else did you do to her? Why isn’t she waking up?” Skyla’s words were more like whispered pleas.
“Oh, that,” Vivian said. “Yeah, did I forget to mention that I had to drug her? But don’t worry, she’ll wake up when I’m ready for her to join the land of the living again.” Vivian motioned for someone outside, and two men entered the store. One lifted a helpless Skyla, who could only sag in his arms with depleted strength, while the other hauled Hallie over his shoulder like she was nothing more than a heavy sack of potatoes.
“Leave her alone,” Skyla begged. “You’ve got me. You don’t need her.”
Vivian smiled and patted Skyla on the shoulder. “Silly girl. How else do you think I’m going to keep you weak until I’m ready to proceed with my plans for you? Besides, she’s the perfect specimen for you to play with.”
“No,” Skyla croaked, preferring torture or even death to this. She was carried out the door and tossed into the back of the van she’d seen when she first arrived. The man carryingHallie deposited her next to Skyla without taking much care.
One of the men went to the front, presumably to drive, while Vivian and the other guy climbed in back with them. The guy tied Skyla’s hands and feet, while Vivian ran a hand across Hallie’s forehead. “Looks like you chose to save her just in time,” Vivian mused, as if Skyla had just saved dinner from being burnt in the oven, rather than her best friend’s life, using every ounce of energy she’d had left after a grueling two days.
