6. The first time in Six years

Chapter 5 Sage ran. She wasn't running because she had a plan. She wasn't even running because she knew where she was going. She ran because every instinct inside her was screaming at her to get away. The cat carriers slammed against her legs as she hurried down Main Street, drawing curious looks from the locals who had known her for years. Normally, she would have stopped to chat with Mrs. Henderson while she walked her Labradoodle or wave at the twins working at the bakery. She would have complained about the unpredictable Colorado weather with Mr. Thompson while he watered the flower boxes outside his bookstore. Today she couldn't see any of them. All she saw was danger. All she heard was the pounding of her heart. Six years, six years of running of checking over her shoulder. Six years of finally convincing herself she was safe, it was hone just like that. A loud meow erupted from one of the carriers. Mochi. The little orange menace had been screaming ever since she'd shoved him inside. "Stop yelling," Sage muttered breathlessly. Mochi screamed louder. Binx immediately joined him. Peaches began scratching furiously at her carrier. Sage nearly laughed despite the panic threatening to choke her. "Traitors." A woman walking her husky glanced at her curiously. "You okay, honey?" "No." The answer slipped out before Sage could stop herself. The woman blinked. "Fair enough." Then she continued walking. Normally, Sage would've found that funny. Blackwater Ridge had always been the kind of town where people minded their business while still somehow knowing everybody else's. Today, nothing felt funny. Because every few seconds she found herself glancing over her shoulder. Looking and searching, and every single time she did, she saw him. Jace. He wasn't shouting for her to stop. He wasn't running. He wasn't even trying to catch her. Somehow that made everything worse because he was simply following. Like he knew she'd eventually stop and he knew he could wait her out. Like she belonged to him. Fear squeezed her lungs. She pushed harder, ignoring the ache in her legs and the tears threatening to spill. She ignored the painful realization that she might never see Blackwater Ridge again. Her clinic, Her apartment and the yellow daisies growing outside her windows. God. Who was going to make sure Luka took his medication? The ridiculous thought nearly made her cry. A sob escaped instead. Behind her, Jace watched her disappear deeper into town, and every step she took felt like a knife twisting deeper into his chest. She looked terrified. The realization refused to leave him alone. He had spent six years imagining this moment. Finding Sage. Talking to Sage and wanting her to explain everything. Instead, she looked at him the way Titan looked at fireworks. Like he was a threat and the worst part was that he understood why. His phone vibrated and it's Cole. Jace answered immediately. "Tell me you found Yellow." The nickname punched him squarely in the chest. Now she wasn't even looking at him. Jace swallowed hard as his gaze followed her retreating figure. The panic in her movements and the way she kept looking over her shoulder. "No." The lie tasted bitter in his tongue "I lost her Cole " There was a heavy silence then Cole cursed. "What the f***k?" "I said I lost her." Before Cole could ask anything else, Jace ended the call. Because he couldn't bear hearing the excitement in his friend's voice. Couldn't bear admitting that Yellow was right there and she'd rather run herself into the ground than let him get close. Meanwhile, Harper had reached a very important conclusion, bicycles were evil. The seat hurt her ass so badly and the handlebars hurt. Her dignity hurt and whoever designed Colorado hills deserved jail time. Still, she kept pedaling. Because her best friend had run out of the apartment looking like somebody had announced the apocalypse. And Harper knew exactly who caused it. The annoyingly attractive giant biker. "Move!" A tourist jumped out of her way and Harper nearly crashed into a mailbox before swerving at the last second. She recovered immediately and looked around, she should call her boyfriend and borrow his car but he's busy. "Where is she?" Her eyes narrowed before widening. "There you are.” Half a block ahead, Sage was practically sprinting. And behind her….Jace Callahan. Harper pointed dramatically. "You son of a ugly thing! Why are you following her?" Several pedestrians turned but Harper ignored them. "You stop traumatizing my friend, I'll get you arrested I swear!" Jace didn't hear her as he was lost in his own world and that didn't stop her. "I swear to God, if she cries, I'll hit you with this bike!" An elderly man carrying groceries laughed as he watched her struggle with the bicycle. Harper pointed at him. "This isn't funny!" "You ropes are tied to wheels dear, it would take you forever to meet up with that big guy." the man replied and Harper gasped in betrayal and pedaled harder. She'll get to them, this friendship was exhausting. Ahead, Sage's chest felt like it was on fire. Everything hurts and She hadn't realized how much she'd come to love this town until she was leaving it. "Sage." Her entire body locked at Jace’s voice. He's far too close now and she immediately sped up. "Sage…. Wait!" No…No…..No. Her breathing became erratic. The sidewalks, the stores, the people around her all blurred together until the only thing she could hear was the sound of his footsteps behind her. The sound of the past catching up. "Sage, stop running." A broken laugh escaped her. Stop running? Was he serious? Running was the only reason she was alive.She glanced over her shoulder as that's a mistake. Jace was right there, gosh these guys? When did they get so fast? Only a few feet away and he'll be close enough to touch her to grab her. Panic exploded through her and she stumbled backward. Her heel caught the curb and the cat carriers swung wildly. Mochi shrieked as a horn suddenly blasted loudly and violently. Time stopped as an SUV barreled toward the intersection. People shouted, someone screamed, the cats began wailing. "Sage, look out!" The shout tore from Jace's throat. But it was too late. Because Sage had spent so much time looking at him that she never saw the SUV speeding toward the intersection. Jace moved. And before Sage could move and hit herself on the car, strong arms wrapped around her waist. The carrier slipped from her hands but it was caught. The world tilted violently and a horn screamed as tires shrieked. Jace's voice echoed somewhere above her. But all Sage could see was Jace. And all she could think was that he was going to take her back to the demons. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Please don't take me back," she begged, stumbling away from him. "Please…I'll leave. I'll leave Colorado. I'll leave Blackwater Ridge. You'll never see me again." "Sage—" "If you come closer, I'll kill myself!" The words ripped out of her throat. Jace froze. For the first time since she'd seen him, genuine shock crossed his face, his heart twisted in raw pain that he laughed.