"We see each other every day," she gasped.
"You know what I mean."
Backing her into the pitch-black closet, I shut the door behind us then lost myself in our kisses, not caring that I was growing light-headed and my knees threatened to give out. And then they did, but Savannah sank down to her knees with me, so it didn't matter. Nothing mattered as long as she kept kissing me. We were meant to be together. How could she ever doubt this?
A series of flashes broke us apart. My eyes flew open, only to be blinded by more bright bursts of light. A low whir and click followed each strobe. What the...
"Beautiful. Just beautiful," Dylan said in the darkness. "Honestly, I couldn't have staged the scene better myself." His voice circled around us toward the doors.
"Dylan, cut the crap. What are you doing?" I said.
One of the doors cracked open, spilling a bar of light over him. "You know, you almost make it too easy. I hated waiting all these months, but it was worth it. These pics are going to help me get you kicked out of the Clann, and maybe your dad, too. After all..." He smiled at Savannah. "We know how they hate Clann parents who can't control their...kids. And once your dad's gone, guess who'll be taking over?"
Dylan's dad, with Dylan next in line for the role.
Cold fury filled me, chilling me as I struggled to stand. I'd kissed Savannah too long, let her weaken me too much. My legs didn't want to lift me up. "I don't care. I never wanted to lead. And Dad doesn't have to lead the Clann to be more of a man than your entire family line combined."
"Famous last lines from the loser." Dylan ducked out the door and strolled away, camera and evidence in hand.
Great. Dad and Mom were going to be beyond ticked off this time. Using the wall, I staggered to my feet, Savannah helping at my side.
Then we heard Dylan's voice taunting from the top of the stairs. "I bet Savannah's family is going to love these pics. Should be some good ones for Grandma's scrapbook, don't you think?" He laughed, the sound echoing in the stairwell now.
She gasped. "Mom and Nanna...they're going to kill me."
Oh, hell. I had to get that camera. At least without it, it would be Dylan's word against ours. Shoving the closet door open, I stumbled out to the hallway then the stairs on legs that didn't want to respond. Dylan was already at the bottom of the stairwell.
I ran down the stairs two at a time, using the handrails on both sides to keep from falling down them instead. Kissing Savannah had taken way too much out of me this time.
But I had to keep going. And Dylan was running now, his sneakers slapping across the foyer linoleum. I pushed my body into a jog. I couldn't let him get out of sight.
He exited through the building doors.
I followed, gathering my will and remaining energy. By the time I got out the door, he was near the end of the cement ramp.
I focused on his back, and the energy burst out of me.
He flew three feet forward and down onto the cement stomach first. He lay there, apparently with the wind knocked out of him, giving me time to close the distance.
He rolled over. "Coleman," he gasped. "You...fight...dirty."
I straddled his chest and punched him across the jaw. As weak as I was, surprise was the only shot I had at winning this fight. "Where's the camera?" I checked his hands and pockets, then the ground around us. There, a few feet away.
Reaching out, I used my will to jerk the camera to me. It rose up then darted through the air straight into my outstretched hand. I flipped the door to the camera's compartment open and yanked out the memory card.
Pain exploded in my mouth and chin, twisting me around, and the card went flying out of my hand and into the grass on the side of the hill somewhere. Dylan hit me again, laying me out flat on my back as he got in two more hits. I had no energy left to fight or move or even lift my arms to block the blows. I had to draw some energy. The grass was only a yard or two from my outstretched hand. But I couldn't roll over to reach it.
He grabbed the camera, dug around in the grass, then looked up at the foyer doors and ran off.
CHAPTER 18
Savannah
Shock held me frozen for a moment. When I could move again, I ran down the stairs after the guys as fast as I could. Needles of pain burst over me as if I had run through explosions of fireworks, faded away, then returned. The guys were fighting with magic.
I shoved open the foyer doors and ran outside in time to see Dylan hit Tristan then grab the camera and run toward the front parking lot.
I started to go after him. But then I saw Tristan lying on the cement ramp. I ran to him instead.
He had a busted lip, his left cheek was starting to swell, and the knuckles on his right hand were cut and bleeding.
"Tristan, are you okay?" Kneeling, I lifted his head.
"Savannah, the grass..."
He didn't appear to be that beat up, yet he couldn't seem to move. Had Dylan used a freezing spell on him or something?
"Where are you hurt?" I asked, trying to stay calm. But my heart was screaming.
"Get me...to the grass," he whispered.
Huh? "I shouldn't move you."
"Please."
Maybe the cement beneath us was hurting him. I didn't understand, but it didn't matter. He seemed so weak. I'd do anything he asked as long as it helped.
Moving to his head, I grabbed him under the arms and dragged him backward toward the grass. I hadn't thought I'd be able to budge him. But it turned out not to be nearly as difficult as I'd expected. Maybe because he pushed with his feet to help.
As soon as I got him to the grass, my feet slipped on the wet ground. I landed on my butt. Good enough. I cradled his head in my lap. "Is this better?"
He nodded, spread his hands palm down on the grass and closed his eyes.
Prickling began along my neck and down my arms, faint at first, then growing more intense by the second.
"Ow," I gasped, rubbing my arms. It felt like a swarm of fire ants were attacking me.
"Sorry," he mumbled with a tired smile. "Had to get some energy."
"That's...you?"
He nodded.
"Oh. It's okay, then, keep going."
The prickling returned, grew, sharpened to tiny needles stabbing me all over. I knew what a pincushion felt like now. Gritting my teeth, I fought back a whimper. It would be over soon. Surely just a little longer...