Awakened (23 page)

“No, he wasn’t your father. But after that, your mother decided she didn’t want to work for the council anymore. She disappeared. We heard from her on and off, but she didn’t come home for years. And when she did, she had you.” Grampa swallowed another mouthful of his drink and smiled. “You brought light back into your grandmother’s eyes.”

“So you never met my father?”

“Sadly, no.”

I shook my head, not understanding. “But you always said he was a wonderful man who made Mom happy.”

“The few times your mother called, she sounded happy.”

“But?” He stared at his cup for a very long time as though deciding how much to tell me. “Don’t hold anything back, Grampa. I need to know instead of hearing other people’s version of what happened.”

He put his drink down, rested his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers. His gaze locked with mine. “When your mother returned with you, she’d changed. She was withdrawn. She moved in with Janelle and became a recluse. I couldn’t reach her, your grandmother couldn’t reach her, and even Janelle said Tatiana never discussed where she’d been those past years. She spent her waking moments with you.” He paused, released a breath. “I was away that day.”

“The day of the accident?” I asked. Grampa’s lips pinched, and his eyes became shadowed. When he didn’t speak, my heart lurched. “Grampa?”

“I know I’ve always said that your mother and grandmother died in a traffic accident.” He measured his words.

I nodded.

“That’s not true.”

My heart slammed with dread.

Grampa looked at me with eyes that begged for understanding. “We lived in New England at the time, but we, the Cardinals Guardians, were in California fighting wildfire demons. I thought they were safe under the Council’s protection, but Coronis’ demons attacked our enclave. Other Guardians fought back. Flora couldn’t. She had no powers.” He paused, shook his head.

I wanted to tell him to stop, ease the pain apparent in his voice, but I couldn’t speak. I had to know the truth. A lump swelled in my throat, suffocating me. Grampa never wanted to discuss the “accident” that took my mother and grandmother. I thought the pain was too much for him to bear, the wounds too fresh. Now I understood he couldn’t tell me the truth until I got my powers.

“Tatiana used her clairvoyant powers and saw them attack Flora.” His voice broke. “But by the time she teleported home, your grandmother was gone. Your mother didn’t stand a chance against the demons. They drained her psi energy. Without it, we can’t survive—and no Guardian healer can ever reverse such an attack. We were alerted, but when I got home, Tatiana was barely hanging on. She had just enough strength left to telepath to me what happened and to ask me one thing, to keep you safe.”

Beads of sweat dotted Grampa’s forehead and his breathing was labored, but what sent my heart plunging to my feet were the tears. They swelled in his eyes, turning his dark eyes into pools of misery. I gulped.

“I didn’t protect them. I failed my only child and my Flora,” he whispered, his voice shaking.

My vision blurred as tears raced down my cheeks. What should I say? I kicked off the blanket, jumped up and rushed to his side. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and held him tight. For a moment, grief locked my throat in a chokehold. I pressed my cheek against his head and rocked him, each shake of his powerful shoulder a jab to my heart.

“It wasn’t your fault. The council should have been watching Grandma. They are the ones who failed to protect her, not you.” My voice grew firmer. “You kept the promise you made Mom. You kept me with you in your travels, homeschooled me and trusted only those closest to you with my safety.”

I talked and talked until Grampa patted my arm. “I’m sorry I’m being such an old goat.”

“No, it’s my fault for always pushing for answers.” I knelt down by his chair and looked into his red-rimmed eyes. “I didn’t mean to dredge up painful memories for you, Grampa. I just…needed to know the truth so people don’t blind-side me with lies about our family.”

He reached out, cupped my cheeks and smiled. “You have you grandmother’s fortitude and your mother’s stubbornness. You’ll need both in the years to come. But don’t ever lose your innate sweetness.

I smiled, or attempted to. “You really think I’m like Mom and Grandma?”

“Absolutely. You’re the great grandchild of the King of the Gypsies.”

For the next thirty minutes, Grampa talked and I listened. He covered how he and Grandma met, their courtship, the bride price he paid for her hand in marriage to the years he lived with her family. When he stopped, the twinkle was back in his eyes and a smile danced on his lips.

I leaned over and kissed his temple. “Go on to bed, Grampa. I’ll clean up.” I indicated the newspaper on the floor, the cups and plates.

“I think I’ll do that.” He patted my arm and got up.

“Love you, Grampa,” I added as he walked away.

“Same here, sweetheart. Don’t stay up too late. It’s after ten.” The door closed behind him.

I picked up the papers from the floor, hand washed all the cups and the dishes when I could have put them in the dishwasher, mopped the surfaces in the kitchen, the living room.

In my room, I rearranged my desk and then my closet, color coordinating my shirts, skirts and pants. I wanted to mourn the deaths of my mother and grandmother, but my tears refused to fall. Something I couldn’t explain settled deep inside of me and refused to dislodge.

At last, I slid between the sheets. With the comforter pulled to my chin, my room lit by the dim nightlight beside the door, I admitted what was bugging me. Bran. Did he know about the raid on the Guardians and the demons responsible?

16. THE MEETING

It was unusually chilly the next morning. Ice crusted the grass and the fallen leaves by my truck. Goose bumps spread on my skin even though I wore a long-sleeved top and jeans instead of my usual skirts. Kylie, when she stepped out of her trailer, had on plaid skinny pants and a black T-shirt with the word
Diabolus
plastered above a skeleton couple. The cold didn’t seem to bother her at all.

She slid beside me and gave me an impish grin. “The guy who writes the feature article for the Grizz is down with the stupid flu.”

“And you’re telling me because…?” I asked as I pulled out of our site.

“I agreed to help, which brings us to you.” She flashed another toothy grin. “I haven’t told the editor yet, but I want to do an in-depth story on C12, the dojo for the beautiful and the gifted. Can I interview you, the newest member of the elite team?” She thrust a rectangular electronic gadget under my nose. “For the record, are the instructors hot?”

Sizzling. I wrinkled my nose. “Old.”

“Eew.”

“Exactly.” I exited Motel 6 parking lot and entered the highway. The last thing I needed was my best friend snooping around the dojo, the back rooms where we trained. “There’s no story in that place.”

“That’s for me to find out,” Kylie said, speaking into the recorder. “How does it feel to get sweaty with Sykes and Remy? Is Kim a bitch during training? What about Izzy? Does she control everyone?”

She wasn’t giving up. And there was no way was I giving out information on my fellow trainees. They already had enough reason to not like me.

“Earth to Lil,” Kylie said, waving her recorder in front of my eyes.

I pushed her hand out of the way. “I’m trying to drive, you know.”

“I need help,” she griped. “Save me.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re going to hate me for this.”

“No comment?”

I nodded. “No comment.”

“Stinker. I’ll ask Sykes or Remy.” Kylie put her junior reporter gadget away, then asked, “So? Ready for tomorrow?”

I frowned. “What’s happening tomorrow?”

“Duh, the school dance, remember?”

How could I forget? So much had happened since I promised to go. The excitement of it all had waned. “I, uh….”

“Oh no you don’t. This is your first dance and I’m not letting you off the hook.”

Note to self…don’t make promises you may need to break later.
“I haven’t talked to Grampa about it yet.”

“Do it tonight, or I’ll do it for you.”

For the rest of the drive and most of the morning, I wondered what I’d wear, whether or not to invite Bran. At nineteen, a high school dance might not be his thing, but I’d like to think he wouldn’t care because he’d be with me. The thought improved my moods.

Mr. Johnson gave us a surprise quiz in pre-calc. Math was one of my favorite subjects, so I think I aced it. We started a chapter on naming molecules and compounds in chemistry, which wasn’t so bad. I’d already memorized the periodic table. Before heading to the cafeteria for lunch, I went by my locker to put books away and found Sykes and Remy waiting by my locker.

“Why the long faces, guys?”

They glanced at each other, then Sykes said, “You’re in a happy mood.”

I shrugged. “Why not. Tomorrow is Friday.” No training for two days. Kylie and I planned to hang out by the pool. “Are you guys coming to the dance tomorrow?”

They nodded, but still looked glum. I was used to Sykes’ perpetual smirk. And even the ever serious Remy often cracked a smile whenever our paths crossed. I put my books away then turned and faced them. “Okay, guys. Who died and when’s the funeral?”

“You and Kim need to talk,” Remy said.

I rolled my eyes and started walking toward the cafeteria. The guys stuck by my side. “Did she send you?” I asked.

“Hell no,” was Sykes’ immediate response.

“We’re a team, and whatever problems we have, we solve them together,” Remy added.

He had a point. “I have a better idea. She and I can duke it out at the dojo this evening, trainee-to-trainee, and call it a day.”

They continued to stare at me with sour faces, indicating just how bothered they were by what happened last evening. “Okay, fine. I hate holding grudges and I need to set Kim straight on a few things. Unless you want me to come now, I’ll join you guys after I eat.” I noticed the girls often came to the cafeteria late and rarely ate anything. I assumed they went home for lunch first.

Remy patted my shoulder. “I’ll let the others know.” He disappeared down a hallway. Sykes continued with me to the cafeteria. He and Remy ate with a bunch of jocks.

“So how come you’re in such a happy mood?” he asked.

Last night flashed in my head. The flight. The kiss. How could I not be happy? He must agree to take me to the dance. “I’ve never been to a school dance before.”

“No kidding. You’re going to be very surprised.” We stopped by the cafeteria entrance. “Your friends are already at a table.”

Sure enough, I spied Kylie, McKenzie and Amelia. “Kylie’s doing an article on the dojo, so be prepared when she ambushes you with her recorder.”

Sykes stiffened. ”You didn’t tell her anything, did you?”

I threw him an annoyed look. “What do you think?” I walked away before he could answer, got my food and joined the others. Before long, our table was full with the usual group. The girls were discussing what they planned to wear when I looked up and gasped. The conversation at our table became an insignificant background buzz.

What was Bran doing here?

As though he knew where I was, he turned and our eyes met. Then he started toward me, and everything appeared to go in slow motion. A wave of silence followed him as necks craned and heads turned to watch him. I didn’t blame them. The combination of black jeans, black loafers and a long black trench coat gave him a seductive and dangerous aura. His dark-green dress shirt made his eyes look darker and broodier. And his luxurious hair cascaded in waves to his shoulders, highlighting his gorgeous face.

When he stopped across from me, leaned over until our faces were only a few inches apart, I was convinced he’d kiss me. My breath stalled. Seconds stretched.

“Come with me,” he said, his voice low, and offered me his hand instead.

Reality shifted and time righted itself. Something wasn’t right. Up close, I noticed that his emerald eyes had darkened to the stormy green of the North Atlantic Ocean and a muscle ticked on his jaw. I slipped my hand in his and confirmed my suspicions. He was upset about something. I walked around the end of the table to his side, my gaze searching his face.

“Kylie, Amelia,” he said in greeting.

My friends responded, but I didn’t hear anything they said. I was busy trying to communicate with him.
What is it?

I’ll explain outside.

Please, let it not be something to do with me. I swallowed, trying hard not to panic. I was still stressing as we walked toward the door. Silent stares followed us. At a different time, I would’ve worn a smug expression, maybe even given the girls ogling him a he-is-mine look. Right now, I just wanted us to be alone so I could find out what was going on. I wound my arm around his and clung tight to his hand.

Kim’s table was still empty, which was a relief. I couldn’t deal with them right now. We passed the kids hanging out in the cafeteria patio and headed toward Memorial Bridge. Students were everywhere—on the wall of the bridge, behind it, on the grass beside the fence separating the track and football field from the school compound.

“Where are we going?” I asked Bran.

“The second bridge.”

He led me past the students, walked along the river, the trees and shrubbery, until we reached the second bridge south of the school. The rickety overpass with metal railings was secluded. A couple was already seated there, their feet dangling above the water, lips locked.

“Crap,” Bran muttered.

I took charge and hoped my powers wouldn’t fail me.
Leave. Go now. Don’t come back.

The students scrambled to their feet and dashed past us.

Bran smiled. “That was good.”

“Thank you.”

“When did you master the power of persuasion?”

I shrugged. “I can’t say I’ve mastered it. I used it a few days ago on a guy who was bothering me, and it worked.”

He frowned. “Someone was bothering you?”

“Nothing I can’t handle. What’s going on?” We walked on the metal bridge and leaned against the rail. When he didn’t speak right away, my anxiety shot up. “You’re scaring me, Bran.”