Soulsearch (Teen Paranormal Romance Series) (The Soulmate Series: Teen Paranormal Romance Book 2) (2 page)

“So, you think maybe you lived another whole life before you joined me?” Rachel asked, her voice a mix of surprise and concern.
 
She didn’t know why the thought of that bothered her.

“No.
 
I mean, I don’t know.
 
I don’t think so.
 
I don’t have any memories of a life before you, but maybe I just lost them, like I lost my memory when I entered Cameron.”

“But you got those memories back eventually.”

“Yeah, and they all came back, clear as ever.
 
So I’m wondering if…”

“You were just a baby!” Paige interrupted excitedly, fascinated by the theory.

“That’s what I was thinking, too,” Rider agreed.
 
“Maybe I was an infant, or even a fetus, and I was miscarried, or aborted.
 
That would explain why I don’t remember a past life.”

“I can see how you could take over Cameron’s body, since he was gone, but how could you enter mine when I was alive?” Rachel wondered, intrigued but not convinced.

“I’m not sure, maybe I didn’t.
 
Or maybe you were just an easy vessel to enter because you were so young, or weak or something,” Rider offered, no easy explanation at hand.

“Those are all really interesting ideas, Rider, but I don’t see how you could possibly find out the truth.”

“Well, Paige just gave me an idea,” Rider replied excitedly.

“I did?” Paige asked incredulously.

“Well, not exactly, but you gave me an opportunity anyway.
 
I was thinking maybe we could do some snooping…”
 
Rider went on to describe a convoluted plan that involved sneaking into the women’s clinic where Rachel’s mother had received prenatal care, in hopes of perusing their records system to determine if any other women had lost babies at the same time as Rachel’s mother had been receiving care.

“But how do you know it happened at the clinic?” Rachel asked, confused and dismayed by this strange new Rider.
 
She hadn’t realized how much thought he had given to his peculiar situation.
 
She knew it was unique, this symbiosis they shared, but she had always just accepted it as part of who she was, who they were.
 
She was surprised to realize Rider didn’t feel the same way.
 
It felt almost like betrayal, like the life they had lived wasn’t enough for him anymore.

“I don’t know.
 
I don’t really know anything.
 
It’s just a wild guess at this point.
 
But it’s a place to start anyway.
 
And Paige’s birthday gives us a perfect excuse to go back there, to Allendale.”

Rachel could tell that Paige was thrilled at this new development.
 
She always had been more spontaneous than Rachel, more of a risk-taker, always looking for some kind of excitement to spice up her life.
 
Rachel was happy with the status quo and preferred the safe over the unknown, but she could see the excitement shining in Rider’s eyes as he described his plan and she knew she could never deny him. They finished the conversation on a high, jabbering happily about the upcoming party and making promises to contemplate strategies for the mission ahead.

When the phone call was over, Rider took Rachel in his arms, his face alight with anticipation.
 
As he kissed her, Rachel’s mind was awhirl, but she felt the passion building up inside her and she longed for a way to release it.
 
She wanted more than just kisses and Rider’s tender embrace.

“Rider,” she spoke seriously, pulling away from his kiss to look him in the eye.
 
“I have an idea for how to get into the women’s clinic.
 
Besides sneaking, I mean.”
 
Rider raised an eyebrow in speculation.
 
“What if I just make an appointment and you go with me?” Rachel offered.

“Rachel, that’s a great idea!
 
Why didn’t I think of that?!
 
I guess I was just caught up in the possibility of espionage!
 
But that makes so much more sense.
 
I still might have to sneak in some other time to access their records, but going there for an appointment would give me a chance to do some reconnaissance first.
 
So what kind of appointment could you set up?
 
I guess you could just say you’re having some lady problems.”
 
Rider’s face bunched up in revulsion as he considered the scope of possible problems a female could have.

“I actually had something else in mind,” Rachel’s eyes gazed hopefully into Rider’s.

“Like what?” Rider asked, confused by the hesitation in her voice and the apprehensive look on her face.

“Like birth control,” Rachel admitted bashfully, dropping her eyes into her lap, their jean-clad knees touching as they sat facing each other on the bed.

Rider took her hands in his and squeezed, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.
 
“Rachel?
 
What are you saying?” he asked, a lump in his throat.

“I'm saying I love you, Rider, and I want to show you any way I can.”
 
Rachel’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, evidence of the intense emotions churning inside her.

Rider’s first response was to grab her and make love to her with all the passion of a thousand lifetimes but instead he simply took her cheek in his hand and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
 
“I love you too, Rachel.
 
More than you can possibly imagine.
 
I love you so much it hurts just to think about it.
 
And there’s nothing I’d like more than to be with you that way, but…are you sure that’s what you want?”
 
His voice had dropped to a whisper as he stared deeply into her eyes, trying to see through to her soul.

“I’m sure about you, Rider.
 
I’ve never been more sure about anything in my whole life.
 
I want to be with you forever.
 
I don’t ever want to lose you, Rider.
 
I want to have all of you.”

“You never have to worry about losing me, Rachel.
 
I’m yours for eternity.
 
I always have been,” Rider declared and brought his lips down to hers.

chapter two

Rachel was happy to see her friend Tara saving her usual seat for her when she boarded the bus Monday morning.
 
The first person to befriend her when she moved to Indianapolis, Tara was a self-proclaimed geek and one of the coolest people Rachel knew.
 
She also had connections with all the computer nerds at Indy High, being part of the science club, and, Rachel hoped, the discretion to help Rachel out with something a little unscrupulous.

“Hey Tara,” Rachel greeted her friend as she plopped down on the bench next to her with an innocent smile.
 
“How was your weekend?”

“Awesome!
 
The gang and I went to this maker fair at the auditorium and saw all these amazing creations.
 
There was this one booth that had this machine that….”

The rest of Tara’s description was pretty much gibberish to Rachel who had no interest whatsoever in the scientific pursuits that intrigued Tara, but she maintained eye contact and nodded occasionally to show support if not interest.
 
When Tara mentioned something about computers, Rachel took the opportunity to interject.

“Hey, you’re good with computers, right?” Rachel asked, hopeful.

“Yeah, I know my way around a motherboard.
 
Why?
 
Are you having problems?
 
Maybe I can help you out,” Tara offered with her typical thoughtfulness and generosity.

“Do you know how to make things on the computer?
 
Like maybe…,” Rachel scanned the surrounding seats for eavesdroppers before lowering her head below the seat and dropping her voice to a whisper, “a fake ID?”
 

Surprise then concern crossed Tara’s face as she contemplated Rachel’s request.
 
Tara had seen firsthand the trouble Rachel incurred several months before when she started hanging out with the wrong crowd and making poor choices.
 
Tara had tried to warn her, but Rachel’s infatuation with the school hunk had ended in a tragedy that had cost him his life.

Realizing the thoughts Tara must be having, Rachel tried to clarify.
 
“It’s not for buying alcohol or clubbing or anything like that,” Rachel explained.
 
“It’s for a doctor’s appointment.”
 
Tara looked dubious.
 
“I want to go to the doctor without my parent’s permission, but you have to be 18.”

Tara’s eyes widened in shock.
 
“Are you pregnant?!” She whispered, struggling to contain her emotions.
 
Her eyes focused on Rachel’s abdomen, still slim in her skinny jeans.

“No!
 
I haven’t even lost my virginity!” Rachel replied vehemently.
 
Behind her, a curious head popped up from behind the seat.
 
Rachel ducked down again, embarrassed.
 
“But I want to talk to the doctor about birth control, you know, for when I’m ready, and I’m definitely not asking my mom to take me!”

Tara nodded understandingly, a small smile on her lips.
 
She herself had been considering whether or not to take that next step with her boyfriend, Tyler, who she had been dating ever since Rachel had helped two awkward science geeks get together.
 
“You promise not to use this for any other illegal activity?” Tara demanded.
 
Rachel nodded eagerly.
 
“And you can’t tell anybody else about it, either!”

“I promise!” Rachel declared, crossing her heart with her fingers.

“When do you need it?” Tara asked.

“My appointment is this Saturday,” Rachel replied, remembering the awkward telephone call she had endured, setting up the appointment.
 
She had never made a doctor’s appointment for herself before, let alone an embarrassing one like that.
 
She had stumbled through the conversation with the receptionist, having no clue how to answer some of her questions.
 
She didn’t even know her own social security number or how to find it without asking her mom.

“Okay, I’ll have it for you by tomorrow or Wednesday.
 
I’ll need a headshot of you against a blue background.
 
The wall in the library should do.
 
We’ll stop by there before lunch and I’ll take your picture.
 
It won’t hold up to police scrutiny, but it should work just fine at the doctor’s office.”

“That’s fine.
 
That’s all I need.
 
You’re a lifesaver, Tara!
 
I owe you, big time.”
 
Rachel gave her friend a hearty squeeze and a giant smile.

When Rachel exited the bus, Rider was, as usual, waiting for her in front of the school, looking especially gorgeous in his low-slung jeans, his adoring eyes peeking out behind an unruly lock of hair.
 
“You know, maybe I could start picking you up for school instead,” he offered in greeting.

Rachel wasn’t sure how her mom would feel about that.
 
She hadn’t mentioned to her parents that Rider had been giving her a ride home from school every day, but it seemed pretty obvious since he was always at their house in the afternoons.
 
Ever since that fateful ride with her intoxicated boyfriend, Jason, Rachel’s parents had been a lot more cautious, monitoring every move Rachel made with a constant look of worry etched on their faces.
 
Rachel could understand why.
 
Jason had paid the ultimate price for his foolishness, losing his life in the accident, and Rachel was lucky to have made it out alive.

“I doubt the ‘rents would agree to that….unless YOU asked them,”
 
Rachel jabbed Rider playfully in the side.
 
Rachel thought her parents might be just as much in love with Rider as she was.
 
They didn’t know him as Rider, of course, they knew him as Cameron, the boy who had almost lost his life when Jason had swerved in front of his vehicle and caused the crash.
 
Because Rider had grown up with Rachel’s parents, he knew just how to charm them with his respectfulness and uncanny knack for flattery.
 
A few “sir”s and “ma’am”s and some effusive compliments about her mom’s Dorito casserole and they had welcomed Cameron as the son they never had.

“Aren’t you glad I’m so winsome?
 
Otherwise, they might not let you anywhere near me!” Rider replied, running his fingers down Rachel’s honey blond waves.
 
Rachel hadn’t even been given permission to date yet when her parent’s discovered her brush with fate had been at the hands of an inebriated boyfriend they knew nothing about.
 
The fact that they let a boy get anywhere near her now was a testament to Rider’s endearing personality.
 
He had an irresistible pull and Rachel leaned in for a kiss.

“Tara’s gonna help me out with our little project,” she announced happily after releasing her grip on Rider’s lips.