Charade (Heven and Hell #2)(32)
Author: Cambria Hebert

He nodded. “So he wants to deck me, right?”

“There will be no decking,” I said firmly. “I asked him to try and be nice and I’m asking you the same.”

He regarded me with a look of serious concern and did not agree to my request. “Are you in trouble, Heven?”

I shook my head. “Please, Cole, just stay out of it.”

“I’m not sure I can do that.” His aura flared, magenta shooting out around his head in flames. I was momentarily distracted by the explosion of brilliant color.

He put a hand on my elbow. “Are you okay?” he asked, leaning down in my face.

“Of course.”

Sam appeared, slipping his arm around my waist and knocking away Cole’s hand. Okay?

Yeah. His aura is just so… overwhelming.

Sam steered me toward the back door and inside, where Gran was piling condiments on the table. “There you are!” Gran said. “Would you boys be a dear and take those platters outside to the grill?”

Sam dutifully picked up the first platter heaped with hamburger patties and some chicken and went out the door. Cole picked up the other platter filled with hot dogs and buns. Gran came over and patted his cheek before he disappeared from view.

“I didn’t know you were inviting Cole,” I said casually.

“I thought you two were friends.” Her aura was flashing with colors that were not her usual. What was going on?

“We are.”

“Good. I hope that he will be spending a lot of time here.”

My head was aching with renewed force as I struggled to make sense of how she was acting. I found the pain reliever, shook a few out into my hand and dug around in the fridge for a bottle of water. My hand was about to close over a bottle when the fridge and its contents fell away. I was left staring at a black stone wall. My fingers brushed over the rough cold stone and my hand snapped back in shock. I blinked several times, trying to clear my eyes and trying to see in the sudden darkness. I heard a sound behind me and I spun, barely seeing the trickling water dripping down the stone to splash at my feet. I was surrounded by stone with barely any light to see. I looked up. There was a circle of light beckoning me from far above.

I was in a well.

How was this possible?

One minute, I was standing in Gran’s kitchen, and the next, I’m trapped in a well. Panic began to build, tightening my chest and making my breathing shallow. I reached out, turning in a circle, my hand scraping over the rough sides, and finally, getting caught on a sharp edge.

“Ow!” I pulled my hand back and saw the puncture, blood trailing down my wrist. I cradled the hand against my chest as another sound at my feet caught my ears. I looked down. Even in the dim lighting I knew what I was looking at.

I screamed.

The snake slithering across my shoe reared up and bared its surprisingly long fangs.

I screamed again.

Hands grabbed my shoulders and I struggled.

Heven, it’s me. Calm down.

Sam?

Yes.

A sob caught in my throat as I collapsed against him. The well melted away and I was once again in Gran’s kitchen encased in Sam’s arms.

The door swung open and Cole charged in. “I heard a scream.”

Gran was following behind him, both staring.

I forced a laugh. “I’m sorry. I saw a spider.”

Gran chuckled, moving around Cole to place spoons in the baked beans and potato salad. “You never have liked spiders. Close the fridge door, honey.”

Sam pushed the fridge door shut as I peaked over his shoulder to stare at Cole. He was frowning. When he saw me looking, he scowled. Clearly, he didn’t believe my story. I shut my eyes tight, willing away the images. Seconds ticked by and I forced myself out of the comfort of Sam’s arms.

He bent down and picked up the pills that I dropped and handed them to me. Then he reached into fridge and pulled out a water bottle. I couldn’t help but peer into the fridge with fear.

What happened?

I looked down at my hand where I had cut it against the stone. There was nothing there. It was like it never happened.

Just then, Henry poked his head in the back door while Logan entered from the living room, carrying a brightly colored vinyl tablecloth.

“You found it!” Gran exclaimed, taking the cover out of his hands. “I wasn’t sure it would be where I told you.”

Logan beamed under her happiness. “It was right where you said.”

“I don’t want to alarm anyone,” Henry said. “But we need some ice out here.”

“Is someone hurt?” Gran asked, turning away from Logan.

Henry nodded. “Madeline stumbled into the grill and burned her hand.”

“Goodness!” Gran grabbed a huge ice pack out of the freezer and raced outside calling behind her, “Heven, get the burn cream!”

Logan followed Gran outside, still carrying the tablecloth. I hadn’t realized he had been in the house before.

I ran forward toward the cabinet with our medical supplies. “I want to know what is going on.” Cole demanded as I dug through the cabinet.

“Cole, please,” I begged. “Not now.”

He stared at me for a long moment then nodded tightly and stalked out of the room.

What’s going on?

“Cream must be in the bathroom,” I said and rushed out of the kitchen. Sam kept pace along with me easily. Once I had the cream, he grabbed my hand to stop me from rushing by.

Stop for a second. What happened back there?

I thought I saw something. It’s like my mind is playing tricks on me.

Your headache still hasn’t gone away. He touched my forehead. It wasn’t a question. He could probably feel my headache. I nodded in response anyway and prayed the pain reliever would start working.

Still have a sore throat?

I forgot about my sore throat with all the other drama going on around us. “Not really.” I made a move to walk past him. “I really need to go see about Mom.”

“Of course.” He towed me along with him outside where everyone was gathered around my mother who was at the picnic table with an ice pack on her arm.

“Mom, what happened?”

“Oh, honey, I’m fine. Clumsy me stumbled and my arm caught the grill.” She lifted the ice pack and showed me an angry red welt already raised on her arm.

I gasped. “That looks horrible! We should go get it checked out.”

“It looks worse than it is,” Mom said, shaking her head. “With the ice, it hardly hurts at all.”