Arcadia's Gift(62)

“Stop!” I cried, twisting my body to get out from the jail of his arms.
Cane snapped his head back in surprise as if just realizing what he did. The drunken glaze was completely gone from his eyes. He let go of me and stumbled back.
“Oh, Jesus, Cady. I’m sorry!”
Both of us had tears in our eyes. I felt a new remorse flood in alongside his original guilt. Without the heat of his body, the sharp coldness returned making my insides shiver.
“It’s all right, Cane.” I reached for his arm to comfort him, but he flinched away. Suddenly, an emotion hit me in the chest, causing me to stumble back against the truck. The freeze was so intense that when I gasped, a plume of fog came out of my mouth. Even if I had not been able to feel it, one look at Cane’s face told me what it was…self-hatred.
He shoved me out of the way and climbed into his pick-up.
“Cane, I don’t think you’re in any condition to drive.” I tried to reach for his keys, but he slammed the door in my face.
“Cane!” I yelled, beating on the window with my fists. “Don’t go! At least let me drive you!”
He lowered the window and fixed a hostile glare on me. “What? Are you afraid I’ll get into an accident? Maybe kill myself? It’s no less than I deserve.”
“Don’t talk like that! If you want to go home, I’ll take you. Let me in.”
“No, Cady. Home’s the last place I want to go.” With that he closed the window and threw the truck in gear. He tore out of the parking lot, his wheels spinning a black mark on the pavement.
I stood there immobile, my body rapidly warming with him out of my presence. But I couldn’t let Cane go off like that. What if he hurt himself? I tried to concentrate on whether any of his emotions indicated he was suicidal, but I couldn’t tell. Once again, I cursed the fact that my abilities didn’t allow me to read minds like Jinx. Jinx! I turned and ran to the building. The high school was on the edge of her range, but Cane must have been broadcasting loud enough for her to pick up on his thoughts in the parking lot.
Back inside the dance, the flashing lights and hard thumping bass attacked my aching head. Across the room, Bryan looked surprised when he saw me rush in, but I ignored him and ran straight to the coat racks to fish my cell phone out of my pocket.
“Cady, what’s wrong?” Bryan asked, coming up alongside me.
Ignoring his concern, I dialed Jinx’s number. “Crap! I can’t hear in here!”
I rushed back to the doors with Bryan on my heels.
“Jinx! Can you hear me?” I asked, tears springing to my eyes. I blinked them away before they could spill.
“Not sure if he’s suicidal or not,” she answered without me having to ask the question, “but he’s headed out to the Mines of Spain.”
“Oh, no!” I said, “He’s been drinking. He could get hurt out there.”
“Do you want me to take you out to get him?”
I looked over at Bryan. “No, I’ll have Bryan take me. Thanks.” I hung up. Turning to Bryan, “Cane’s in trouble, and someone needs to go get him.”
Bryan nodded. “Let me go get Aaron and Monica.”






 
    Nine by Night: A Multi-Author Urban Fantasy Bundle of Kickass Heroines, Adventure,   Magic
    
 


 

Chapter 24


Bryan disappeared back inside the dance. Sobs clawed at the back of my throat, but I refused to give in to them. My body shook from the wild physical changes it had experienced with Cane. I rolled my neck to loosen up my shoulders, but the knots were in there solid.
I couldn’t believe Cane kissed me. Even worse? I couldn’t believe I kissed him back! What came over me? It was almost like I’d had no control over myself, but at the same time, it was all me. For that one moment, I wanted him. I couldn’t dwell on it though because just then Bryan returned carrying both of our jackets, Aaron and Monica right behind him.
Aaron’s face clouded with concern when he saw me trembling. “You okay? What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you in the car.” I promised as we jogged off to the vehicle.
Once in the passenger seat, I turned the heat up full blast and pulled on my jacket. My teeth chattered uncontrollably. The fact that everyone else in the car was all keyed up and confused wasn’t helping me calm down.
“Head toward the Mines of Spain,” I instructed. Bryan nodded and turned south.
“Why?” Aaron demanded. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. It’s too dark and you don’t look steady enough to go tromping through the woods.”