Free Crimson Echo by Dusty Burns Page A

you.”
    “Okay, whatever it is, I’m sure we can figure it out.”
    “It’s not that black and white Tristan. It’s not something I can just divulge. Though if I told you maybe it would make everything easier… but it didn’t last time.” He mumbled to himself. I was sure he wasn’t talking to me anymore. He was arguing with himself now. “There are people after my family, people that want us dead.”
    “Why do they want you dead?” I tried to keep my face smooth.
    “That’s not important. What’s important is your safety and I’m afraid you being anywhere near me could put you in danger as well.” He shook his head. “I had to come back here and ex plain things a little better than how I left them. I knew you would be too curious to leave things alone.”
    “Give me some credit. I came straight home and I didn’t talk to anyone.” I felt my temper flaring.
    His head jerked toward the door and a maddened look painted his expression. “I remember specifically telling you to lock the door. How could you have forgotten that?” He waited for an answer and frowned when I didn’t have one. “I don’t think you’re taking this as seriously as you should. This isn’t a game, Tristan.”
    “You’ve sprung a lot on me all at once, do you think you could give me some time to process it all before you critique my reaction? How do I know this isn’t just some ploy to get me to stay away from you? If that’s what you wanted all you had to do was say so!”
    “I would love nothing more than your company, but that’s not what this is about. I’m fearful that you being in my presence will be used against us.”
    “Against you how?”
    “These people aren’t good, they know that saving an innocent will come before all else. And we can’ t take the risk of having you around. Do you understand?” He sighed.
    “Not entirely, no. But I have the feeling that’s the point.”
                He rose fluidly from the couch and stood by the window now, his shoulders hunched as he stared out into the sunset. “Time, it seems like such a silly thing. No matter how long you think you have to prepare for something or how hard you work at something it still ticks on. It’s never ending. So we wait it out until the moment comes and then we make our move.”
    “I’m not following you.”
    “Tristan,” he rushed to me, kneeling in the floor and held my hands in my lap. His ember scent swirled around me and I had to hold my breath to stay focused on what he said. “There may not be a threat, but I need you to stay away from me. I should never have come here, I can see that now.”
    “But I don’t want to stay away from you.” My face showed all the horror I felt.
    “I was afraid you would say that.” He hung his head.
    “Do you have to leave?” I could feel it coming, the knife in my gut dragging its way around inside of me.
                I knew he was too good to be true. No one could be as perfect as he seemed. I wanted to run up to my room and cry. I wanted him to leave and never come back and at the same time I wanted him to stay and tell me everything would be alright. I felt the knife dig deeper. The butterflies he had once given me were now daggers.
    “I don’t want to, but it may come to that. If these people who are after us are actually here , we will do what we have to do to keep what is rightfully ours.” He brought my hand to his cheek and inhaled.
    “What is it they are after? You’re still being very vague.”
    “I’m afraid I can’t say. The less you know the better off you’ll be.” He looked up at me and his eyes sparkled with hope.
    “Does this have anything to do with the lady in the cafeteria?” I asked out of mild curiosity.
    “What lady?” His body went rigid.
    “There was a lady today in the cafeteria serving food. I could’ve sworn her eyes were black. She was trying to warn me about something.”
    He moved so fast I had to do a double take. He