Stalked by Death

Chapter 25

No, no, no! This was supposed to help Alex understand how powerless I was against Chase. But instead, showing him how it felt was pushing him away.

“Alex, please. I only wanted to show you it’s not Chase. It’s the power.”

“That’s not true, Jodi.” He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “When you were kissing me, yeah I wanted more power, but I was still fully aware of you. I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted you before—and that’s saying something.”

I knew I was blushing from that last comment. “It’s not like that for me and Chase. I don’t think about him when he kisses me. I’m consumed by the power. I think it’s because I have more than a normal Ophi to begin with. When Chase increases that, it sends me into a frenzy. I forget everyone.”

“Including me.” Alex put his hands on his hips.

“Not necessarily. When Chase kissed me in front of you today, I was able to pull away from him the second he stopped transferring his power. You were the first thought that broke through. You were what stopped me.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Jodi. This is too much. I can’t compete with a guy who can make you feel so much. I see the way you look at him sometimes, even when he’s not touching you, not controlling you. You feel something for him. It’s not all about his blood.”

“I see glimpses of a nice guy sometimes, but they’re short-lived. I guess I try to hold on to those moments because they make me feel less like a monster.”

He reached for me, but stopped, probably afraid I’d use my power to convince him to stay with me. I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind. Maybe Chase and I were alike.

“You’re not a monster.”

“Not by choice.” I stepped toward him, but he backed up. “Alex, please. I need you.” He was up against his desk now with nowhere to turn. I reached for his face. Controlling him would’ve been easy. One touch and he’d do whatever I said. I struggled against the urge.

Alex reached for my hand, removing it from his face. “If you do to me what he’s doing to you, it will be over for good.”

He was dead serious. I turned from him and sat down on the bed again.

“I’m sorry. I’m just scared to lose you.”

“Like Chase is scared to lose you?”

“Are you defending him now?” My stomach clenched against the thought.

“Definitely not. I’m worried he’s changing you. You have to fight his power, Jodi.” He sat down on the bed next to me. “I saw what you did in the cemetery when I was hurt. I know you were trying to help me, but what I need to know is why you didn’t hurt him.”

“I don’t know.” I wanted to think it was because I’m a good person, but I knew it wasn’t as simple as that.

“Is there anything you aren’t telling me?”

If I said no, he wouldn’t believe me. I’d lose him. I searched for something, anything. “Medusa told me something. Hades is plotting against me. She couldn’t tell me much, because she’s bound by the deal the Ophi made with Hades to save her spirit, but she gave me a riddle to figure out.”

“A riddle?”

“Yeah. She said, ‘That which has the power to save, has the power to destroy.’ I don’t know what it means, though.”

Alex scrunched his face as he thought. “We all have the power to save or destroy.”

“I know, so it can’t be that simple.”

“What were you talking about when she told you this?”

I fidgeted with the bottom of my shirt, anything to avoid his eyes. “Chase and how his power affects me.”

“You talked to Medusa about Chase?”

I stood up and started pacing. “I had to. I’m supposed to be the most powerful Ophi, yet all of a sudden here he comes, and he can easily overpower me. It doesn’t make sense. Something is just not adding up.”

“Actually, it does.” He stood up and reached for my arm so I’d stop and look at him. “The answer is you. You have the power to save all the Ophi, but when you connect with Chase, you have the power to destroy all the Ophi, too.”

“What?” How could he say something so awful?

“Think about it. When Chase kissed you the day I left the school, what happened?”

My eyes widened, and my chest tightened. “Everyone died.” Images of Tony falling down the stairs, Leticia and Lexi collapsing in the living room, and Randy’s soul refusing to stay in his body flooded my mind. That wasn’t even all the evidence I had. There was Lucas when he walked in on Chase and me kissing, and there was also Leticia during movie night when Chase was touching my feet. “Oh, my God, it’s true. Chase could make me kill the entire Ophi race.” I felt weak, too weak to stand. Alex wrapped his arms around me, and I leaned on him for support. “What do I do? I don’t want to be the one who kills all the Ophi. Please, tell me how to stop this.”

Alex held both my arms and pulled me back just enough to stare into my eyes. “You have to send Chase away. He can’t stay here.”

I shook my head. “He’ll kill me if I reject him. He can dose me with poison and end me in seconds.”

“I won’t let him. We’ll tell everyone what’s going on, and we’ll all fight him. I’ll kill him before he hurts you again.”

I clung to Alex. As much as he wanted to protect me from Chase, I knew he couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough. No one here was strong enough to stop Chase. That was why I hadn’t been completely honest with Tony or Arianna. I was afraid they’d get hurt trying to protect me. I was the only one who could deal with Chase. Still, for this brief moment, I felt safe in Alex’s arms.

Too bad the moment had to end. A door slammed in the hallway, and someone yelled. Chase. Arianna’s voice followed his, but he wasn’t listening to her. She mentioned Tony’s name, and I assumed she was going to get him to help deal with Chase. She probably figured I’d be safe locked inside Alex’s room for the time being. I pulled away from Alex.

“He can’t find me here.” I could barely get the words out. I shook with fear, anticipating the punishment Chase was going to unleash on me. Would he finish the job this time and kill me? “Stay here,” Alex said. “I’ll go out and talk to him.”

“And say what? You and I got back together? Seeing you is going to send him over the edge.”

“No, finding out you’re in my room is going to send him over the edge.” He kissed my forehead, and for a second I had a flashback of Matt. Perfect human Matt. He’d always kissed me on the forehead. Before I’d killed him, at least. I shook my head trying to get rid of his image. Two guys were enough to handle right now.

“What?” Alex wrinkled his brow. “Did I do something?”

“No, I’m freaked out. You didn’t do anything.” No way could I tell him the truth. Finding out I still thought about Matt in a “he could’ve been the one for me” sort of way would definitely send Alex running.

“Stay here.” He headed to the door, and I wanted to call after him, but I couldn’t risk Chase hearing me. He shut the door behind him, and I locked it. I pressed my ear to the door, but that wasn’t necessary. Chase was so loud the dead probably heard him. Arianna wasn’t back with Tony yet. Hopefully they’d get here soon to break up the inevitable fight between Chase and Alex.

“Where is she?”

“Who?” Alex said. “Don’t mess with me, Alex. Jodi missed lunch and suddenly you’re not looking so under the weather. I’m only going to ask this one more time before I put you back in those bandages. Where the hell is she?”

“Hey, if you can’t keep track of your girlfriend, that’s your problem. I’m done with Jodi.”

I cringed. Hearing Alex say that was painful, even if it wasn’t true.

“I saw the way you looked at her. The way you stood up for her. Don’t try to tell me you’re not still into her. I’m not an idiot.”

“Doesn’t matter if I am into her. She’s into you. She’s made that clear.”

I smiled. Alex was good at this. Sure, he’d slipped in the cemetery, but he was recovering nicely now.

“So, you’re going to tell me you haven’t seen her? That she didn’t heal you?”

“Jodi’s never healed anyone. She raises the dead. I’m not dead.”

“Not yet,” Chase said. Shoes screeched on the hardwood floor and something slammed into the wall. My guess was Alex. I knew it would mean a great deal of pain for me, but I unlocked the door and burst into the hall.

“Chase!” I rushed to him, trying to pry his hands from Alex’s neck.

Alex reached his foot up and kicked Chase in the stomach. A loud whoosh of air escaped Chase’s lips, and he let go of Alex. He stumbled back, looking at me. He hit the wall next to his own door and fell to the floor.

I went to Alex first, checking out the red marks on his neck. He was in pain, but he’d be okay. I’d give him another dose of my power when we were away from Chase. Alex took my hand and laced his fingers through mine. I looked down, realizing Alex was taking a stand. He’d had enough, and he was done pretending. This was ending now.

Chase glared at me. “Jodi, come here. Now!” He did his best to scream, but his voice was strained from getting the wind knocked out of him.

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Alex said. “It’s over. All of it. You controlling her. You hurting her. It’s done.”

Chase laughed, which made him cough. “You think it’s that simple?”

Reality hit me hard. Chase knew something. Just like Medusa knew something she wasn’t telling me. I’d been in the dark this whole time. I had to make Chase tell me.

I stepped toward him, but Alex held me back. “It’s okay,” I told him. He shook his head, not wanting to let me go.

“See, she wants to be with me,” Chase said. “She might love you, but she can’t stay away from me.”

“Why?” I asked, trying to avoid the fact that what he’d said was true.

He laughed and coughed some more. “I can’t believe no one told you.”

Tony and Arianna rushed upstairs. I raised my hand, letting them know I was okay. I needed answers before anyone went pounding on Chase or throwing him out. The others joined us, trying to figure out what was going on. I was surprised it took them so long, considering how loud the fight had been. I ignored them and focused on Chase.

“Told me what?”

Chase got to his feet. “The real reason why I came here.”

“Spit it out already, Chase. I already know Mason is really your father.”

A chorus of “What?” rang out in the hall and everyone stared at Ethan.

“He’s not Mason. He’s Ethan, Chase’s dad. He and Mason switched places. He’s been lying to all of us.”

Arianna smacked Ethan on the back of the head. “Damn it, Ethan. You could’ve told us.”

“What’s with all the games?” I asked Ethan.

He looked back and forth between Chase and me. “How did you find out?”

“I went to see you,” Alex said.

“I told you I was out of town.” Ethan glared at Alex, clearly annoyed.

Alex shrugged. “What can I say? I didn’t believe you, and I needed to talk to you about Chase. I found Mason instead. He filled in the blanks for me.”

I stepped toward Ethan, trying to muster all the leader power I could. “I already know you and Chase orchestrated this whole thing. Coming here so you could force me to combine powers with Chase. You manipulated me, and it ends here.”

“Not quite, Jodi.” Chase was right behind me now. “Dad, should I tell her the best part, or do you want to?”

“Go ahead, son.” Ethan was smiling, so I knew I was in for some really bad news.

Chase walked around so he was directly in front of me. “You and I are destined to be together. It was decided before either one of us was born. Some sort of prophecy of the Ophi. Pretty cool, huh?”

My legs felt weak, and my stomach flip-flopped. Destined? It couldn’t be true. I shook my head. Chase smiled and reached for my hand, but I pushed by him and the others. I ran down the steps and straight to Medusa, grabbing her hands.

“Medusa!” Forget polite greetings. She’d kept this from me. “Medusa!” Her image couldn’t come quickly enough.

“My goodness, child. What has gotten into you?” She didn’t look happy. Normally I would never think of talking to her like this, being so disrespectful, but I was way past my limit.

“Chase and I are destined to be together?”

She nodded. “Yes, Jodi, you and Chase are destined to be together. He’s the only other Ophi who’s even close to being like you. You two are meant to be.”

“That is not going to happen. I can’t be with Chase.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t warn you. I tried to tell you to stay away from him. I thought, if maybe you never joined powers with him, you could avoid the prophecy.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? You could’ve stopped me!”

“I don’t think so. His pull was much too strong, and I was bound to secrecy. Hades may not have my soul, Jodi, but he can still keep tabs on me. If I interfere with what is destined, Hades can reclaim me.”

“To hell with destiny. To hell with Chase. I don’t care about any of that. I’m supposed to be the leader of the Ophi, and look at what I’m doing. I’m failing miserably. I don’t care about what I’m supposed to be doing, Medusa. I’m not playing by the rules anymore.”

“It’s not that simple. You can’t change a prophecy. This isn’t Chase’s fault either. He’s no more in control of his destiny than you are.”

“Are you defending him? A minute ago you said you’d hoped I would stay away from him so the prophecy wouldn’t come true.”

“It was foolish of me, but you are one of mine, Jodi. I was desperate to try to protect you. Now, I see I cannot.” She lowered her head, and the snakes transformed back into hair. “This is what I looked like before I was cursed. Before I became a monster.”

She was beautiful, but she’d always looked beautiful to me—with the exception of the snakes.

“None of us is free from fate. This was mine.” Her hair wiggled and turned to snakes once again. “Chase was no safer than you were.”

“What do you mean?” She was trying to tell me something in her own cryptic way.

“It’s easy for an Ophi to go bad.”

“But why is that?”

“Our powers are tied to our emotions. Every emotion we experience is heightened. So if you’re angry and feeling the need for revenge, that feeling is even stronger than it would be for a human.”

“So, what you’re saying is that Chase wasn’t always evil?”

“Probably not. I didn’t know him, so I can’t say for sure, but most likely something happened to him. Something that caused him to be this way.”

“Is that why I keep seeing glimpses of a different side of him? A kinder side of him?”

“It could be.”

“Is there any possibility that the old Chase—the person he used to be before this terrible thing changed him—is still there somewhere inside, buried by his emotions?” I was shocked that I was defending Chase, but if he and I really were destined to be together, I didn’t want to believe I was supposed to end up with someone evil.

“I wouldn’t put all your faith in that, Jodi. Something happened to Chase. We know that. Whether or not he’s strong enough to come back from it, we don’t know.”

“Doesn’t that mean we should at least try? I mean, do we just give up? He and I have such a strong power together. How do I turn my back on that? What if his power combined with mine is the only thing that can stop Hades from killing us all?”

“What if his power combined with yours is the thing that kills the entire Ophi race? Are you willing to take that risk?”