2 Minutes to Midnight by L.M. Hatchell

Author:L.M. Hatchell [Hatchell, L.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ALX Publishing

Phoenix huddled over the cup of coffee, as if its warmth might somehow chase away the chill that had settled in her centre. The watery brown liquid tasted like scorched piss and did little more than burn her tongue, but still she clung to it.

The rain had grown even heavier, teeming in sheets of water that made visibility non-existent, and when combined with her frazzled nerves, turned the treacherous country roads into a death trap. So, when she’d come across the ramshackle building that passed itself off as a petrol station, she’d done the sensible thing and pulled in.

Her automatic response after the call from Darius had been to drive, as if by doing so she could put distance between herself and the memories conjured from the mere sound of his voice. Some things you just couldn’t outrun, however, and now that she’d been forced to stop, she felt lost.

Was what he said true? Was the Council sending another Mist? The first had been bad enough, and she couldn’t deny it had been anything other than pure luck that kept them alive, but a second one just added yet more unknowns she wasn’t ready to deal with alone.

She blew out a breath and rested her head on the steering wheel. Hell, when had she become so reliant on other people that her biggest fear out of that whole scenario was the part where she was alone?

As if in response to her thought, her phone vibrated on the passenger seat. Her stomach did a full three-sixty and threatened to return its contents for visual inspection as she flipped the phone over to see the screen. This time, a name flashed persistently back at her and her head swam with relief.

“Abi,” she answered breathlessly.

“Phoenix? Are you okay?” Abi’s cheery voice immediately turned panicked, and Phoenix forced herself to take a slow, deep breath before answering.

“Yeah, sorry. I thought it was someone else calling. I … It’s just good to hear your voice.”

“What’s going on? And don’t say nothing. I can tell you’re upset.”

Phoenix leaned back in the driver’s seat and closed her eyes for a moment. “The Council found us. They sent one of their assassins. We barely managed to escape. And then Darius called. He said they’re sending another one to finish the job. He wanted to offer me his protection; a temporary truce, he said. Is he completely insane? How could he ever think I’d trust him after everything he’s done?”

The flood of words came to an abrupt halt, and she was suddenly aware of the stunned silence on the other end of the phone.

“Shit,” was Abi’s only response.

Phoenix started laughing. And as her friend joined her, an invisible weight lifted from her chest. The laughter turned to a hysterical fit of giggles until tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was no longer sure if they were good tears.

“I’m afraid, Abi,” she whispered when she was finally spent and the energy drained from her body.

“It’s okay to be afraid, just as long as you don’t stop fighting.

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