Page 31 of Eclipsed Legacy

“Agreed. She don’t,” he says. I turn to leave but stop when I hear Ricky sigh.

“What is it?” I ask.

Ricky’s eyes plead with me as he sadly smiles. “Tala, ya’ know that I really didn’t know nothin’, right?”

I process for a second, wanting to answer him honestly. “I do know,” I finally say, and he releases a breath.

“Fer what it’s worth. I really am sorry, Tala.”

I smile the best that I can manage, “I know, Ricky.”

“Just feel ‘sponsible fer it all.”

I get it. It seems that everyone around me has somehow connected themselves to this new pack. I’m almost waiting to find out what else I’ve given them. “We’ve all made mistakes, Ricky. What’s important is that we don’t allow it to tear us apart, because if we do, they win.”

Ricky nods. “See ya, cuz.”

I smile, genuinely this time, before giving Ricky a quick hug. “See you, Ricky. Hang in there.” I pat his shoulder and head out to the car.

When I get in, Mel’s shivering in the passenger’s seat. I quickly start the ignition and turn the heat up as high as it’ll go but turn the fan down. The car’s so old, it’ll take a minute before it blows anything but cold air. Mel and I are both silent as I drive.

When we get to my apartment, I change my sheets and set Mel up in my room. She needs a decent night’s sleep more than I do. As I scurry about, setting up for my guest, Mel sits on the couch clutching the duffle bag that sits on her knees.

“Mel?”

“Hmm?” she says, not looking at me.

I swallow. I haven’t seen her this way before. “I’ve set you up in my bedroom. You know where the bathroom and the kitchen are. I’m afraid that I haven’t stocked up on much in a while, but you’re welcome to whatever is there.”

Mel just nods, still without looking at me.

“Mel?” I repeat, concerned.

This time she looks at me, her eyes flashing up toward me with a sharpness that seems profane on her face.

“I-if you need anything, let me know.”

She nods and gets up with her duffle, taking it to my room and closing the door behind her.

I sigh onto my old couch, realizing I never got sheets for myself. I pull a small throw blanket off the back and drape it over my legs. Even with a decent blanket, I probably wouldn’t be able to sleep. Mel is so not herself that it’s ridiculous. As much as I want to be hurt by her reactions, I can’t. We’ve all been taken for one hell of a ride. We’re all suffering and have lost people, but Mel had her emotions toyed with by a bastard she actually fell for…I can’t imagine how she’s feeling, and I frankly don’t want to. It’s one of the reasons I don’t ever want to fall in love. Opening oneself up to that, especially in this kind of world, only leads to pain. To allow myself that kind of pain is my worst fear. Yet, part of me knows love has always been Mel’s goal. It’s likely the reason she fell so quickly and was so easily manipulated by Aaron. Of course, it ended badly. But if love is what Mel wants, I can only hope one day she finds it again and that it doesn’t tear her apart…again.

It’s late when I finally manage to fall asleep. A set of tantalizing blue eyes and stone hard abs call to me, and in my dreams, where my mind doesn’t overanalyze my every thought and move, I give the forbidden answer. A set of arms envelopes me, but when I turn to look at who holds me, he disappears in a pillar of smoke. Elusive images surround me, gradually closing in, but they move so quickly that I can’t discern what they are. As I strain to make out the shapes around me, they disappear.

I bolt upright as the sound of my phone wakes me. It’s my mom. “Hello?” I ask.

“Tala?” Mom says. Hearing the fear in her voice, I immediately throw back the small blanket and grab my shoes.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Michael. He-he’s missing!” she sobs out the last part, and all feeling escapes me. My breath is caught is my throat. I was wrong. So wrong. This is it. This is my worst fear.

Chapter 13

After getting off the phone with Mom, I immediately call Lizzy and ask her to come over. As much as I have to find Michael, I can’t leave Mel alone right now. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, or if someone will come here looking for me and hurt Mel, who is helpless against a wolf.

Lizzy knocks on my door less than half an hour later. “Thank you so much,” I say as I let her in.

“Anytime, Tala. You know I love Mel, too, and you’ve got to take care of Michael. I’m just glad I was already patrolling around here.”