Bite Me Page 9

  Then she continued downward.

  “Where are you going? Come back!”

  If she heard him, she didn't respond. Trent went through his options, none of which were good. A growling, snapping sound arrested his thoughts.

  There was something down there at the bottom of the ladder.

  He craned his neck over the edge and was just able to make out movement on the ground.

  Growling and yipping sounded from below. Dogs? Wolves? If it was wolves, were they small or big? He'd heard of timber wolves nearly as long as a man in length.

  “Seffy, stop! There are animals down there!”

  When she refused to heed him, Trent angled himself onto the ladder and began a quick descent. Every step brought the sound of gnashing teeth and paws scratching against concrete closer.

  Despite his speed, his gut told him Seffy would reach the ground first. Why wouldn't she stop? He called to her over and over to no avail.

  Gripping the rungs, he leaned hard to one side to get a better look. A pair of pale yellow retinas stared back at him from the darkness below.

  Can they be that big? He broke into a sweat and went faster.

  Trent stumbled in his haste and lost his footing, his grip made worse by the wet metal. He grasped the rung to steady himself, then continued down. As soon as he reached Seffy, he swung down his hand and grabbed a fistful of velour.

  He wrenched her upward with all his strength until she was clutching the same rung with him. The creature below began to howl and hurl itself at the ladder, making it shake with the impact.

  Seffy glanced down and made a move to head in the direction.

  Trent took her chin and forced her to look at him. Her blank look terrified him. “Go back up the ladder now!”

  She blinked and regarded him with dark, solemn eyes. After a moment, she slowly made her way up the rungs. Another impact shook the ladder. It started to rain harder, with heavy drops that made a tight grip impossible.

  The animal did another body slam and he distinctly felt the ladder come loose from the side of the compound, straining at the bolts.

  Trent swore and scrambled back up the ladder. Another slam caused Seffy to lose her footing and slip down, crashing into him.

  They fell about a foot, before he threaded his arms around a rung, yanking them to a stop. Pain ricocheted through his bones and muscles, making him grit his teeth.

  When he caught his breath, he yelled at Seffy to hurry, and gave her a push upward.

  A massive slam shook him loose. Trent felt his bare feet slip from the rungs again.

  For a split second, he was in a free fall, scrabbling wildly to gain purchase.

  Just as his fingers tightened around metal, he felt a searing pain in his ankle.

  The agony galvanized him upward, his grip determined.

  Several frenzied moments later, he hauled himself over the edge of the roof and collapsed, the driving rain pelting him with merciless force.

  Seffy sat with her arms around her knees, her eyes wide with fright, her soaked hair clinging to her face.

  “Trent, what are we doing here?”

  ***

  Seffy sat hunched on the couch in her room, miserable and humiliated. A shower and clean clothes hadn't helped much to restore her equanimity.

  She peeked up at Trent, who prowled in a circle, his frown deep, his mouth pinched. Knowing that he'd been injured from her bizarre escapade only added recriminations.

  She was certifiably crazy. There was no longer any question.

  Trent planted his hands on his hips. “Tell me again what you remember.”

  She bit her lip, avoiding his eyes. “I remember waking up, the girl, then after that, being on the roof with you. The rest is a blur.”

  He pawed a hand through his shower damp hair. “I don't know how to protect you anymore, Sef. It seems like the only option left is to put a collar with little bells around your neck. That way I'll at least know when you leave me.”

  Seffy refrained from apologizing again. She'd already done it too many times.

  Trent closed his eyes. “The...animal at the bottom of the ladder. I'm pretty sure it's what chased me and Malone when we were all trying to leave. If it was a wolf—and I don't know what else it could be—it's bad. I didn't know wolves could get to that size.”

  She peeked up at him through her lashes. “Lani said Malone told her they've been getting close to the compound.”

  “They're here.” He walked over and dropped onto the couch next to her. “Every time you see this girl, Angelique, she leads you to danger. Have you noticed that?”

  She strained her brain, trying to make the connection. “I don't remember all the times clearly. The memories are random and disjointed.”

  “We need to figure out why she wants you harmed.”

  “So you believe me? That I really see her?”

  “There's more evidence that you do than you don't.”

  She released a slow breath, feeling a little bit relieved. “Thank you for coming for me. I'm sorry you got hurt.”

  “It's just a scratch on my ankle,” he said shrugging. “There must've been a jagged edge on the ladder.”

  Seffy wanted to touch him, but felt restrained somehow. Trent stared into the middle distance, apparently consumed with the idea that he was engaged to a nut job.

  She wished she had the guts to tell him it was okay to back off of getting married. But her wimpy soul resisted. She wanted him too much.

  He took her hand, his grip reassuring. “Tomorrow, we're getting married. I can see by the look in your eyes that you want to let me off the hook. It's not going to happen, okay?”

  She nibbled her lower lip and nodded.

  “I'm going to go grab us some breakfast then I have more arrangements to make. I'd like you to hang out with Lani and Malone for the rest of the day.”

  “I need babysitting. Yay.”

  “Just to be on the safe side in case this Angelique wants you to go on any more little adventures.”

  She looked away. “Why can't I stop myself? Do you think I'm under some kind of pharmaceutical influence again?”

  Trent sighed. “I don't think so, or I'd be affected too. My guess is that it's left-over influence your brain is still trying to purge.”

  “Now there's a lovely word.”

  He leaned over and touched his lips to hers. “You're getting better, slowly but surely. Think on that.”

  Seffy tried to wipe the doubt from her face, though she couldn't be sure she succeeded.

  As she watched him go, she leaned heavily against the couch cushions, determined to slap that Angelique silly the next time she saw her.

  Chapter Eight

  “So are you excited?”

  Seffy glanced at Lani's reflection and offered her a tight smile. “Super duper.”

  Her friend released a gusty sigh. “Well, do you at least like the dress?”

  She eyed the white dress with its tiny pale pink dots and pink satin embellishments. Lani had gotten rid of the huge, floppy lace lapels and puffy sleeves. The neckline was now scooped and the sleeves were long and fitted. “Trent will probably dig the fake corset detail.”

  Lani laughed. “Definitely.”

  Seffy turned to her friend. “Seriously, you did an amazing job. And because of your work, I won't have to have frizzy permed hair to go with the old balloon sleeves.”

  Lani lifted a tress of Seffy's hair. “How were you planning to wear it?”

  “An updo, with some loose curls, I guess. Nothing fancy.”

  Her friend sighed again and went to work with a hair brush. “I wish you had a little more enthusiasm.”

  Seffy regarded her downcast expression in the mirror, still remembering the humiliating jaunt onto the roof. Instead of feeling confident she was bringing something to this marriage, she worried she was dragging Trent into a downward spiral.

  But Lani didn't need to hear talk about the crazies. Somehow it would get back to Gareth
and he'd probably find some awful vindication in the idea.

  She shifted to her other worry. “It's not that I don't want to be with Trent...” Unexpected heat filmed her eyes, thickening her throat. “It's just that we have no future. Getting back to our time seems like a pipe dream, and the idea of settling in at Fugere is a non-starter. So all this...seems to be in vain.”

  Lani gripped her shoulders, facing her with a stern look. “I get what you're saying about the future. But it's something no one can control. Even if you were back in 2006 preparing to marry Trent under the best of circumstances, you still wouldn't know the future. Your perception would be that it was positive and bright, but you wouldn't really know. So today, your perception is dark and grim, but that doesn't mean it will be.”

  A corner of Seffy's mouth lifted. “Is this the part where you tell me to buck up?”

  “Yep. Now go sit down so I can do your hair.”

  Seffy carefully lowered herself onto the desk chair while Lani plugged in a curling iron. When she heard the door open, she stiffened. Was it Trent, here to call everything off? Addison to complain? Fiona to try and poison her? Gareth to gloat that he'd been right after all?

  “Oops, sorry ladies,” said Malone in his distinctive gravely voice.

  “You're fine,” Lani said happily. “You can keep us company until the ceremony.”

  Malone came around and stared at Seffy in her wedding finery. “I like the pink track suit better.”

  For the first time that day, Seffy's smile was genuine. “Thanks. I think I agree.”

  Lani swatted at him with the hairbrush.

  “Anyway, I'm here because I'm the official security escort to the chapel. Trent thought you'd like me over some generic guy.”

  “Trent was right.”

  He frowned suddenly. “You ain't gonna infect me with anything, are you?”

  Seffy opened her eyes to their widest. “I'll try very hard not to.”

  Malone's frowned remained. Apparently he wasn't convinced.

  Lani snorted, her brush strokes yanking Seffy's head. After a brisk styling session, Lani pinned her curls up so they cascaded from the top of her head.

  Seffy stared at herself in the mirror—wondering at the dark-eyed stranger staring back. With the upswept style and shiny hair, she looked innocent—which was ridiculous.

  “You know, a smile wouldn't hurt.”

  Seffy stiffened her spine. “It looks great, Lani. I'm sorry I'm so mopey.” She plastered a manufactured grin on her face.

  “There is one more thing and then we're done.” Lani lifted a small veil off the bed, consisting of a circlet ornamented with flowers around a short fall of sheer lace.

  “A veil?” Seffy tried not to wrinkle her nose. “It seems a bit much.”

  “I made it myself. See the lace matches the lace insets on the dress.”

  Seffy could tell it meant a lot to her friend. “It's beautiful. Thank you.”

  Lani blinked away telltale moisture in her eyes and gently nestled the circlet in Seffy's curls. “See,” she said breathlessly, “the flowers even match the ones on your dress.” As she fussed with a few strands of hair, she sniffed. “You look like an angel with a flowery halo.”

  It was on the tip of Seffy's tongue to tell her to nix the angel comparison, but she refrained. Instead she regarded her reflection, now blurred by the fall of lace that reached just past her chin. What would Trent's reaction be?

  “Okay, my turn to change. Don't move a muscle.”

  “But the ceremony isn't for an hour yet.”

  Lani shot her an outraged expression. “I told you we had to start early in case of emergency. Now you have an hour to relax!”

  Seffy looked in the mirror again. Relax?

  Malone sat on the bed cleaning his fingernails with the sharp point of a hunting knife. He darted glances toward Seffy while Lani was in the bathroom. Seffy wondered what he was thinking.

  She cleared her throat, eager to get her mind off her worries. “You know Lani and Addison have talked of starting a mani-pedi salon here—”

  “A what?”

  “They do manicures and pedicures, and they could help with your...” She waved towards his hands. “Using a knife is really hard on your nails.”

  As he stared at her with a grimace, Lani emerged, wearing one of the baby blue Gunne Sax dresses that had been in the pile. Her xippie persona bloomed under the gauzy fabric and ruffles.

  Seffy smiled. “You look fantastic, Lani.”

  “Thank you, sweetie.”

  “What's this about a salon?” Malone said, staring at his girlfriend.

  “Actually the nail salon is a no-go,” she said. “No one wants to come near us. You're not the only one they think is contaminated.”

  Seffy blew out a sigh. “Well, phooey. I suppose I owe you for that mani-pedi you gave me a while back, but my purse kinda got lost in the wormhole blast.”

  Malone made a noise of disgust.

  “She's just trying to lighten the mood, Malone. Don't look so fierce. This is a happy day.” Lani's brave smile wobbled a bit as she linked arms with Seffy. “And Gareth and Addy should be here with us now, not waiting in the chapel like second-tier guests.”

  Malone's walkie squawked suddenly. A staticky voice said something that made sense to him. “Copy that,” he said. He stood. “Girls, it's go time.”

  “What?” Lani squeaked. “It's not until five!”

  Malone shrugged, unconcerned. “You're ready, ain't you?”

  She looked like an outraged kitten in a blue dress. “Well, yes, but what if we weren't? This is unbelievable! Who's running this show?”

  He shrugged again and crossed the room to the door.

  Seffy stood up. Actually, this seemed like a reprieve. Waiting and worrying for another hour after already worrying all day surely had to be worse. “I'm ready.”

  Lani huffed. “How will the guests know to come now?”

  Malone conferred with his walkie. Garbled static answered back. “Everyone's assembled.”

  “I don't understand this. I will be having words with Fenn!”

  Seffy laid her hand on her friend's arm. “It's okay. Really.”

  “So did they give us the wrong time on purpose?”

  “I don't know, but in some ways, it's just the mode of operation around here.”

  They entered the hallway.

  Seffy blinked at the sight of votive candles leading the way down the hall, ostensibly toward the chapel. “Oh.”

  Lani was equally moved. “How beautiful!”

  Indeed, the soft, warm light lent a spurious glow to the dingy corridor.

  “Let's go, ladies.”

  With Malone leading the way, swinging his head to the right and left, sending killing looks along the hallway, it made for a very strange, trip.

  Twenty minutes—and hundreds of votives later—they came to an area Seffy hadn't been in before. It didn't look much different than the other parts of the compound she'd seen, but it was closer to where the residents congregated.

  No doubt they'd all been warned to stay away for the day.

  Her heart hammered when they arrived at the chapel and stopped at the threshold.

  Their arrival caused everyone to turn. Seffy's impression was of a dim, candlelit space with some glowy stained glass and short wooden pews festooned with silk flowers and ribbons.

  Malone slid into a pew in the back. Cynthia, Eva, and Jared occupied the next pew up. On the other side, Seffy saw Addison, who watched her with dark emotions swirling in her eyes. Gareth's gaze was stark, his face flushed. Suddenly she was glad for the veil, sheer as it was.

  A few other recognizable faces where there. Fiona sat in the front pew, her expression guarded. Olga had tears in her eyes, and Eugene and Baxter looked distant. At least they weren't in science lab garb. In fact everyone seemed to be in their Sunday best, which somehow warmed a corner of her heart.

  Lani picked up a spring bouquet of fresh daffodils, po
ppies, and daisies from a pew and handed it to her. “Fenn had these flown in especially for you,” she whispered.

  As Seffy's fingers tightened around the stems, she looked away from the flowers and directed her attention to the front of the chapel where Trent stood next to Fenn.

  Trent wore a dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt and light blue tie. His fervent expression—softened somewhat by the blurring of lace—made her surroundings fade.

  Suddenly she knew this step was more than silly sentimentality. The gravity of the moment weighed on her heart and she could only hope she was worthy of her groom.

  Lani gave her a gentle push forward. There was no music, so she focused on Trent and slowly walked toward him.

  As she neared, Seffy swallowed back a sensation of panic. God, this was real. Trent was here, ready to make vows. To her.

  For life.

  A startled murmur made her pause slightly. She realized everyone had turned away from her and now looked toward the front. As she arrived at the small altar, Seffy noticed Fenn staring at her, his lips white, his eyes glittering with some weird light. Movement to her left caught her attention. She turned slightly to see Fiona rising to her feet, gripping the back of the pew with a white-knuckled hand, impaling Fenn with a furious look.

  Seffy glanced at Trent, alarmed. His expression remained unmoved as he regarded her. Being so close, she could see the tenderness in his eyes, and she suddenly didn't care about Fenn and his eccentricities.

  Trent turned toward Fenn and cleared his throat. “We're ready to start.”

  The words seemed to bring Fenn out of whatever spell he was under. I hope he's not back on drugs.

  Fenn blinked a few times and some of the starch went out of him. He took a breath, attempting a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. After a few more awkward moments, he opened a small book in his hands.

  From the corner of her eye, Seffy saw Fiona sink down onto the pew.

  A collective sigh ran through the chapel.

  Before fresh worry could overtake her, she focused her gaze on Trent. He was, after all, the whole point of this thing.

  Candlelight gilded the lines of his face and made his eyes glow. She still didn't fully understand his desire for this moment, but she loved him even more for it.