Page 47 of A Brighter Yellow
Anna looked at Ochre, and she realized that the power wasn’t just emanating from Brett.
“No,” said Anna, “get down.”
Charlie took one look at Anna’s face and then dropped to the floor. Anna followed, covering Charlie with her body. The last thing she saw was Ochre grin. Then he went white in a flash that seared her retina’s even with her eyes closed.
Episode 23
Escape
Anna
Anna staggered to her feet. Her ears were buzzing with what sounded like far away trumpets. The boomerang effect on Brett’s spell had sent him hurtling across the room and slammed him into the podium. She could see even with blurry eyes that he was dead. His head lolled at an unnatural angle—his neck clearly broken. Anna felt drunk as she swiveled around to look at Ochre and the world spun. He had gone down on one knee but stood up as she watched, swaying slightly.
“Sunshine,” he said, shaking his head.
“Oh, good. I liked that one,” Anna mumbled.
“We need to go,” he said. At least that’s what Anna thought he said. He was twenty feet away, and she was mainly lip reading. She turned to look at Charlie, then reached down to help her up. Charlie used Anna’s arms and hands for leverage and managed to get to her feet. Anna put her arms around Charlie feeling reassured by the heavy thumping of her friend’s heart.
“Anna,” said Charlie, looking up at her. “I’m not—”
There was a high-pitched scream, and she and Charlie swung around. Elliot was standing by the dais staring at Brett’s body. He screamed high and repeatedly, like a train whistle, then bent down and seized something at his feet before flinging himself at Ochre. Ochre, who had been walking toward Anna, repulsed Elliot with an elbow, much the way someone might rebuff a drunkard on the subway. But, as Elliot slammed into him, she saw Ochre grunt and stumble. Elliot staggered back, and Anna saw that he held a chunk of the black blade that Brett had been using.
Ochre looked down at himself and took his hand away from his side—it was covered in red blood. Anna felt her heart stop. It was only a moment, but in the time when her heart no longer beat, Anna realized quite clearly that Ochre was meant for her. He was her other half. The one who was fated to be with her. The one who could complete her circle and become her balance, her support, and foundation. He was her love and her mate. He was to be the father of her children, and he would hold her always in his arms and heart.
Her heart restarted in her chest, fluttering like a wounded bird. Elliot raised his hand and screamed again, charging toward Ochre. Anna left Charlie. She had never shifted so fast in her life. She intercepted Elliot, ripping across his torso with her left clawed hand and then across his throat with the other. Blood filled her vision and nostrils, and she snarled in rage and flung his body at the podium. It thumped down next to the dead hulk that had been Brett like the carcass it was, limbs and ribs splaying open.
“Ochre,” she gasped, turning away from her carnage. “Ochre!”
He looked surprised. Not upset. Just surprised.
“Ochre?” She ran to him, her hands trying to peel his arm away from his side.
“I’m all right,” he said with a grimace. He clamped his arm over his side.
“No,” she said, tugging at him. “There’s blood.”
“Yes,” he agreed, brushing a fingertip across her cheek. “But it’s not that bad. We’ll deal with it on the outside. We need to go.”
Anna hesitated.
“We need to go,” he repeated.
“Right,” said Anna nodding, although she felt on auto-pilot. “Right.”
She grabbed Ochre’s bag, and her pants and top fell out. Impatiently, she hauled them on, skipping the shoes. Charlie at least would be more comfortable. She picked up the walkie-talkie and dialed it to the correct channel.
“We’re coming out,” she said. “Fast.” She paused, trying to remember what she was supposed to say next. “Over.”
“Understood,” said Steve’s voice, reassuringly steady despite the brief amount of crackle on the channel. “We’ll be ready for you. Over.”
Anna shoved the walkie-talkie into the bag and hefted it over her shoulder. Then she snatched the gun out of Charlie’s hands and handed it to Ochre.
“It’s all ready to go. Just point and shoot.”
“Thanks,” he said, smiling at her. Anna wanted to kiss him, hold him, and make cooing noises over his injuries, but she knew they didn’t have time for any of that.
“Head in the game, fancy-pants,” she said sternly.
