Alexander Ranch (15 page)

I looked away feeling self-conscious now. I hadn’t meant to give myself away. I knew what she was wondering now. And, she hadn’t sounded surprised. I braced myself. I knew what was coming. They had bared all to me so, I guess turnabout is fair play.

“I didn’t want to ask, because I felt like you weren’t ready. But, my intuition is telling me that you have a few secrets of your own.”

I said nothing. She raised an eyebrow and continued, “You can trust us you know.”

“I know,” I muttered resignedly.

“When you say you
felt
the conflict in him, you mean you actually felt his conflict don’t you?” she asked cautiously.

“Yes.”

“Are you also able to read minds?” She asked sounding excited now. She didn’t sound as though the prospect of me reading their minds was intrusive.

“Well, sometimes, but I rarely ever do. I try never to be intrusive,” I rushed to explain. “Besides, it takes a great deal of concentration and energy.”

“I knew it,” she squealed, “I knew there was more to it than just being able to resist a drainer. You still have to tell me how you did that.”

“Jordan asked me that already. I honestly don’t know besides, every fiber of my being rejected being a victim.”

“We’ll have to tell the others,” She said impatient with excitement now. “You don’t mind telling the others do you?”

“I guess not.”

“A telepath and something else. This is awesome,” she exclaimed. “Jordan said he knew you were in trouble because he heard you screaming in his mind.”

“What?”

“Read my mind.”

“I don’t know if I can. I’ve never tried.”

“What do you mean? Is my mind different?” She asked, her overly excited movements coming to an abrupt halt.

“No. I mean I don’t know. I’ve never tried to read your mind. I haven’t tried to read any of your minds.”

“Why not?”

“Because, it’s intrusive
, Daisy!” I said flabbergasted. “Do you honestly expect me to believe you would have wanted me hanging around all this time reading your mind without you knowing? Besides, I’ve found that I really don’t want to know what most people are thinking.”

“Well, ok, you might have a point,” a delicate frown crossed her face as she thought about that. “But, you said you felt what Jordan was feeling?”

“Yes, but I only got a taste of how he felt. I didn’t try to actually read his thoughts. Like I said, that’s intrusive. I try not to intrude on the personal private thoughts of others. I haven’t tried to read your minds.”

“Well, you’re about to start,” she grinned.

Chapter 20

Daisy was driving my car today and I’d noticed when we left that her car was go
ne. Jordan must have left in a grumpy huff. I shrugged it off as we set off for the ranch. When we got to the ranch, Daisy assembled everyone in a big meeting room I had not been in before. She left me sitting in a butter soft plush chair around an oblong table and ran to get everyone else. Jordan was the first to arrive followed by Grace and Logan. Once we were all together Daisy launched into a speech about how I was a telepath and could resist drainers, just as they could, and they needed to know how this was done. I sat there growing more and more uncomfortable as Daisy talked and everyone else listened intently while looking at her and then me. Everyone had been politely staying away from me, I assumed to let me assimilate all the new information I’d gotten about them in the last twenty-four hours. I still hadn’t decided how I felt about it. I had started feeling better until Daisy put me in the center of attention again. But, this time it was me whose secrets were being exposed to them.

“While this is very fascinating, Daisy,” Logan said during a pause, “I can’t say I understand where this is going.”

“Don’t you see? She can help us,” Daisy exclaimed enthusiastically. Jordan stiffened.  Logan put a hand up to stop him from speaking and looked at me doubtfully.

“I’m guessing you didn’t ask her if she wanted to help us?” Logan patiently asked Daisy.

“Of course she does,” Daisy looked at Logan as if he were dull witted. Logan sighed and sent a sidelong glance at his wife.

“Help you how?” I asked feeling like I had better jump in and do damage control. I wasn’t sure exactly what Daisy was thinking, but I had a feeling I might not like it.

“Help us with the case. You can read the minds, or feelings, or whatever, of the people we are investigating.”

“Daisy, I told you it doesn’t quite work that way. I can’t always get exact thoughts.”

“Then what
do
you get?”

“I don’t know, feelings I guess. Sometimes words.”

“Well, read me now. Let’s see what you get,” She began looking at me as if she were willing her thoughts to me.

What am I thinking?
The words popped into my head and my mouth and eyes popped wide in surprise.

“Well?” She asked.

I looked around the room and everyone was now staring at me.

“You asked me what you were thinking.”

“What is Grace thinking now?”

I paused for a moment, opening my senses. I hadn’t had to open my senses to Daisy. That was curious. Maybe that was why she’d been so plagued by the thoughts of others before she’d learned to lock them out. Maybe people had been inadvertently sending her their thoughts.

I reached out to Grace and I got no words, but I felt her curiosity.

“I don’t hear any words, but she feels curious.”

“I’m not sure I was thinking anything coherent enough for words,” she laughed, “but, I am definitely curious.”

“What about Logan?” Daisy went on excitedly.

Again, I opened my senses and reached out to Logan. “I don’t get any words from him either. But he feels curious as well, and skeptical.”

Logan’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t say anything.

“Logan, think some actual thoughts
to
her. That’s what I did.”

“What do you want me to say, uh, think?”

“I don’t know. Anything.”

Logan turned from Daisy back to me and gave me a concentrated look, and I heard his thoughts in my mind.
Is helping us something you would want to do?

I gasped again, looking at him wide eyed. But this time I was smiling. I’d never done this before. Then, the thought came to me that I should think something back and see if he gets it.
I don’t know. What would I do exactly?

Now, it was his turn to gasp.

“What? What did he say?” Daisy was practically jumping up and down now with delight. Jordan cleared his throat and then leaned forward in his chair catching everyone’s attention.

“Does anyone else but me see that while this may all be very interesting we are forgetting something?”

“Forgetting what?” Daisy asked.

“That we are supposed to be protecting her, not putting her in harm’s way. How can she help us without us making her a target, even if she can read feelings or minds or whatever?”

“She’s already a target,” Daisy pointed out. “By helping us she’s also helping keep herself safe.”

“How is exposing her to the people that are after her going to keep her safer?” Jordan bit out through his teeth. His rising ire was palpable now. I didn’t need to open my senses to figure that out. Daisy opened her mouth to respond, but Grace stepped in before she could.

“No, Jordan is right, Daisy.”

“Oh, come on, Grace. We can keep her safe.” Daisy threw up her hands in frustration.

“More importantly, you haven’t asked her if this is something she wants to do. You can’t just go around assigning people jobs, Daisy,” Logan chided. “Especially people who are under our protection.”

“I
am
curious though about your, uh, gift,” Grace went on before Daisy could argue more. She sat back in her chair looking contemplative. “Do you mind if we try a few more things?”

I nodded my head in agreement. I had never experimented with my gift this way. And, I definitely hadn’t shared my secret with anyone before, not even my brother. So I found myself sharing Daisy’s enthusiasm though not for the same reason. I wasn’t even sure of what I could do.

We ran more experiments. They
thought
questions at me to see if I could, not only hear their thoughts but, distinguish who was asking. I could. This was so cool. Then, they thought thoughts at each other to see if I could pick that up. This was a bit trickier. When they thought directly at me I could pick it up easily. I didn’t even have to try. It was as though the sound of their voices just entered my head. But when they didn’t direct their thoughts at me, I could sometimes pick up the thoughts of the person I concentrated on. So they took turns telling me to concentrate on them while they thought random thoughts to someone else who, of course, never received the thought. Well, everyone except Jordan. Jordan appeared to remain impassive, but when I reached out to him I could feel him brooding. It was clear that he didn’t like this at all. I kept glancing at his darkening face. Grace seemed to notice too.

“Fascinating,” Grace exclaimed.
“But, I fear you’re getting tired dear. We’d better let you rest.”

“I do believe you can help us greatly. However, ultimately, the decision is yours. Either way, we
will keep you safe,” Logan said, then gave Daisy a pointed look as he continued, “Think about it but don’t feel pressured.”

“
And don’t worry about Jordan, whatever you decide. He won’t brood too long,”
came a thought from Grace.

“We’d better get back to work,” Grace stated aloud. “Let us know what you decide.”

Everyone rose and filed out the door, leaving me alone with Jordan. Grace’s last words seemed to leave Jordan angry. Great, now I got to work with a grumpy Jordan all day. This was turning out to be a heck of a day and it wasn’t even 10am yet. First Jordan kisses me silly, then Daisy discovers my ‘gift’ and wants me to use it, thrusting me into the middle of her family and making a spectacle of me. But, oh! Jordan seems to hate the idea. And with all of this trying to find room in my head to be ruminated upon, I have to now contemplate if I want to use my ability to help protect myself. Oh, sure. No pressure there. As alluring and as fascinating as it had been to use and explore my ability so freely, I didn’t think I could take much more. My nerves were on edge. I was ready to run out of there screaming.

“Are you alright?” I looked up to see Jordan watching me with an unreadable expression.

“No,” I said after a moment. “I don’t think I am. But, I will be. Give me a minute.”

I had wanted to lie, but I figured it was pretty obvious that I wasn’t alright. I was practically vibrating with the need to run, run away from here as fast as I could. I felt like I woke up this morning in an alternate reality.

“About this morning – ” he began.

“Please,” I cut him off shaking my head, “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m at my limit. Just give me a moment.”

“Do you want to be alone? Would you like me to leave?”

I thought about that for a moment and found that I didn’t want him to leave. And, I didn’t want to be alone. I just didn’t want him to talk.

“No. I don’t want to be alone. I just – I just need to clear my mind for a moment. I can’t talk right now.”

I leaned back in the plush chair and rested my head on the headrest. I closed my eyes and took in deep slow breaths. I just focused on letting go. Letting go of whatever thoughts
came to mind. They could stay or not, I would just let them be. I let go of trying not to be tense and confused. I was already tense, and confused, and frustrated, and excited. I just let go of worrying about it. I only wanted to be in my happy place and ignore everything else. After a few moments I began to relax.

I don’t know how long I stayed that way, maybe 10 or 15 minutes, but when I opened my eyes Jordan was still there watching me. He actually appeared more relaxed as well.

“Better?” His mouth twitched as if he were holding back a smile.

“A little.”

“Enough to get started with work?”

“Might as well,” I signed and stood. He stood as well.

“Are you ok with going back to the barn?” He gave me that unsettling concentrated look of his, probably trying to gauge my reaction. I hadn’t been back in the barn since I had been attacked.

“I think I can face it,” I replied evenly.

We walked out of the house without talking. Jordan was walking very slow and seemed to be deep in thought as if trying to figure something out. I had a feeling I knew what was on his mind. I sighed and he looked down at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” I said, surprised at how comfortable I was with him now that he’d stopped being so aloof around me. Nothing like sticking your tongue down a girl’s throat to let her know you don’t despise her.

“I want to talk to you about what happened this morning,” he said, interrupting my wayward thoughts.