It's gonna get bad before it gets worse - excerpt

            Karla was huddled on the couch when Bryan returned, rubbing a towel through his wet hair. She pulled her wrap tighter around her shoulders and hugged her long legs. Kidd was dumping the broken dishes into the garbage; he watched their exchange silently from the kitchen.

            Sitting next to her on the couch, Bryan examined Karla for a moment. Her black hair slid over her shoulder and provided an effective curtain while she gathered her thoughts. She knew he was waiting for an explanation.

            “Jayce was looking for me,” she said finally.

            Bryan couldn’t help the chill at her words. “How?”

            She looked up at him, “He can sense where I am. He . . . he did something to create a . . . tie with me.” Though her words were said vaguely Bryan and Kidd could read into her statement and imagine how Jayce had managed to do something so invasive. Unaware of their darkening gazes, Karla continued, “The others can’t sense me now. Or talk to me, y’know, telepathically because of him.” She glanced warily at Bryan.

            “Does he know where you are now?”

            She shook her head slowly, “I don’t think so. He was too angry.”

            “I need to understand how he almost made you leave,” Bryan asked. His voice was a quiet rumble of unease.

            Karla’s fingers closed tightly into a fist. “It’s hard to explain,” she said weakly. “The . . . tie . . . he can control me with it.”

            “The Café!” Kidd barked suddenly.

            Karla jumped, eyes wide.

            “That’s how he fucking got to you!!” He slammed his hands down on the counter. “Son of a fucking bitch!”

            “Kidd--?” Karla whispered.  She inhaled, “Wait—what?!” She stood up abruptly, the color draining from her face. “No! It’s not what you’re thinking! I mean he was there! But it was Jake! Jake--!”
            Oh shit, thought Bryan. He shot a pained glance to Kidd hoping the other man would get the hint and stop revealing how much they knew. Shut up you fool!

            Kidd came out from behind the counter. He held his hands out to Karla. “It’s okay! You don’t have to keep the secret anymore—”

            Bryan was pretty sure he heard when Karla’s heart stopped. “Goddamn it Kidd!!” he snarled.

            He jumped up as Karla shakily began backing away.

            Kidd ignored him. He didn’t dare look away from his girlfriend. Her eyes were filled with betrayal as she looked back and forth between him and Bryan. She shook her head. “No!” she moaned, “No! How do you know?!”

            “Sit back down Karla and I’ll tell you how, babe. It’s okay . . .” he spoke calmly.

            Her hand covered her mouth. She looked at Bryan, lost and devastated.

            “Fuck!” Bryan exploded, “Shut UP, Kidd!”

            He anticipated Karla’s next move and his muscles bunched with tension.

            They know about Jayce? Karla wanted to wrap her arms around her waist because she was convinced someone just gutted her. The cold feeling of losing all her insides in one swift shining arc reminded her of the nightmares she used to have after sword fighting with Alex. Only she easily would have traded her blood for what spilled instead. Oh GOD they know what my brother did to me!!

            Her reality began to fragment. I have nothing. Jayce was right. Darkness began to pull at her. I can never see them again; she decided dully, it’s over.

            Through their bond Kidd could sense something of her decision. “No!” he rasped.

            She had already spun around and focused her growing tide of desperation at the door. It blew open with an explosion of shame fueled panic. Karla leapt for the empty freedom waiting beyond.

Everything happened in a blur of motion but Bryan was only an arm length behind her and Kidd only seconds behind him. She’d hit the hallway at a sprint, trying to throw the door closed behind her to slow them down. Bryan plowed through it like a wrecking ball.

            As soon as Karla’s feet touched the carpeted floor of the hallway it was like a drop in a pond. An undetectable ripple began to spread out, reaching for a distant shore.

            Jayce sat to attention. Something shivered against his awareness. It was a touch like a feather against his cheek and then THERE she was.  A crooked grin spread across his face. He was back in business.

storyboard for chapter 3 - an other sanctuary