The Presence

Chapter Thirty-Four: A Birthday No One Will Forget

I'm worried about Hailey and Megan, but for now I have to protect Cassie...

Looking at the door it unlocks and swings open.  "Tell your friends to get ready for a fight."  I say while closing my eyes, building my power.

"Chris, Bethany, get in here!" Cassie shouts.  They both run into the room and gasp.  They're surprised to see me standing there, my eyes glowing blue.  Chris starts to make a fist.  "No don't.  Max is here to help.  The real problem is outside... coming for me."

They both look confused.  Chris points at me, "I thought he was the problem."

We hear the front door bust open and Chris runs back out into the living room.  Aiden, dressed in black, walks in and looks at him.  Chris filled with both fear and anger charges him and is thrown to the side crashing into the flatscreen TV and falls to the floor.  With blood all over his face he slowly rolls over... and Aiden and Jessica are now standing over him. 

"Where's Cassie?" Aiden asks.

"She's not here," he replies.

"Oh really?"  Aiden holds out his hand and Chris grabs his throat as he's levitated into the air.  "Are you sure?"  Chris is about to pass out when he gives in and points to the den. 

He lets go of Chris and he falls to the floor gasping for air...

Aiden smiles, "Next time... you'll know better."

Cassie and Bethany have watched what's happened from the den's door. Pulling them back inside the room I quickly close the door.

"My God... What have I done," Cassie says in terror.

I look toward the window and it slides up.  "Get out and run across the street. Hailey and Megan are there."

"What about you?" Cassie asks.

"I'll hold them off," Bethany hurries toward the window while Cassie just stares at me, "Go!" I shout pointing at the window. Cassie finally runs to the window as Bethany is reaching the ground.

Suddenly the door's blown off it's hinges and hits me in the back knocking me down. Rolling over I'm now looking up at Aiden through blurry vision.

Smiling he shakes his head, "So this is the great Max Blackwell my Father is so afraid of," He laughs with disgust as I try to get up only to fall back down.

He turns to Cassie and she screams while reaching for the window. Aiden slams it shut with his thoughts.

"Where do you think you're going?"  Shaking, she slowly backs up until she's against the wall.  "I once thought of you as an asset when you were keeping everyone's attention on Max, but now you're threatening to post videos of me," he shakes his head as he slowly steps toward her. "I simply can't allow that to happen."

He raises his hand toward her and lifts her into the air.  Her eyes are filled with fear as she's pinned against the wall.  Aiden squeezes his hand and she screams in pain.

"Aiden please... You don't need to hurt her.  We're just here to scare her and destroy the videos, remember?" Jessica pleads.

He eases his grip on her and turns to his sister. 

"Oh I don't know Jessica," he turns back to her. "She looks pretty scared to me."