Fated, A Timeless Series Novella (A Timeless Series Companion Novel) (8 page)

“I won’t bite.” I winked at her. Finally, Cheyenne’s icy exterior began to crack, and she took my hand. Her fingers were so delicate, so small compared to my own. She’d not stand a chance against a Tresez.

“I’m Cheyenne, Cheyenne Wilson.”

Ah, an introduction! I knew I’d get through to her.

Running a hand through my hair, I pulled up a chair. Now I had her attention, I
needed to keep the conversation going. My eyes fell to her textbook, which was full of math equations.

“Whatcha reading?”

Cheyenne glanced at me, as if I’d spoken a foreign language.

“Calculus.”

She was going for the one word answer trick, a telltale sign she wasn’t in the mood to carry a conversation. Well, Cheyenne, you don’t know who you’re up against.

“Sounds like fun,” I said.

Cheyenne raised a brow.

“Should be, since we’re
in
Calculus.”

“Oh.”

Uh oh, the ice shield was forming again. I needed a different approach before she’d freeze me out.

I opened my pack and began rummaging through, taking out my books. Cheyenne watched—I wasn’t sure if she was amused or annoyed. However, as I checked through my stuff, I realized my calculus book was still in my locker.

What a perfect opportunity.

“You know, I thought this was my English Literature class,” I said. “Um…” I glanced at her sheepishly. “Do you mind sharing? It seems I’ve got my schedule mixed up.”
I flashed
another smile. “I’d run back to my locker, but I don’t want to get a tardy my first day in a new school.”

“Sure.” Cheyenne pulled her chair over and slid her book closer. Inwardly I grinned. Yes! I knew the sympathy card would work. She hesitated again, before sighing. “You know, you should probably have someone help you…”

“You offering?” My face brightened.

“Uh…” Cheyenne murmured to herself. She seemed to be having second thoughts.

“Don’t tell me you’re as disorganized as I am,” I joked.

She rolled her eyes, in a way that very much reminded me of Callon. She held out her hand.

“Alright, let’s take a look at your schedule.”

I grabbed the paper from my bag and let her have it. She scanned it quickly, her eyes changing to a bluer tint. I was spellbound. How could she do that?

“Hey, you have the same schedule as me.”

My smile grew.

“Wow, what are the chances?” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Guess you’re stuck with me, huh?”

“Looks like,” Cheyenne said. She was trying to sound disappointed, but I couldn’t help but catch the glimmer of hope in her voice. Maybe now, after keeping to herself for all these years, she’d finally be willing to open up.

The bell rang, and the last students flocked in. The teacher called for attention, then started to write on the board. Cheyenne grabbed a pen, and started to write. I followed her lead, taking down notes, and gave her an occasional smile. Gradually, she started to smile back.

And right then, I knew this was going to be the start of something incredible…

Chapter 3

“
There’s no point doing anything if you can’t have fun along the way
.” ~
Daniel

The wind screamed in my face as I sat in the upper branches
of the tall elm
.
R
ain splatter
ed
into my hood
, and I wiped my soggy nose
. I could barely hear the song playing on my iPod, so I pulled out
my
earphones and sighed. I’d been waiting since Cheyenne had come home from school, and the weather had just grown worse and worse. It was
getting
colder, too. Sooner or later it would start
hailing
, and then I’d be in for it.

Why did Colt always get the easy jobs?

Shivering, I hunched closer to the branch,
watching
the kitchen window.
Inside,
Cheyenne
was
eating dinner with her parents. Looked like pulled pork and salad
was
on the menu tonight
. My stomach growled. I bet it was really hot, too. Just the thing for a day like this. And thoug
h as a Timeless I didn’t eat
much, my mouth still watered. Callon had ma
de
us live off soup for
weeks
,
as there’d been a problem wit
h his bank account that
h
a
d yet to be sorted
, and I was sick of it
. In a way I was kinda tha
nkful for the breeze, as
the smell from the Wilson’s kitchen would’ve driven me crazy.

The patter of raindrops seemed to slow, and I
sat back against the trunk
. Just a couple
more hours,
and Cheyenne
would go to bed. Then
I’d head home. Gene and Alexis had taken a lot of precautions around the house, so I knew she’d be safe overnight
, and Colt would take over when he came to pick her up
for school tomorrow
.
The problem
s came when
s
he decide
d
to
go for
walk
s
alone,
which
was why I had to keep watch
every evening
. It would be just plain stalkerish if Colt
always
appeared
to escort her
everywhere
.

Still, I didn’t like
this
job
much
.
I was all for protecting Cheyenne, but
Callon said I had to be invisible, that I couldn’t approach her or talk to her at any time.
Because if we ran into trouble, I’d only be able to jump her away, and that would open up a
whole can of worms.
She was a
few
years from turning twenty
yet
, and it would be too much to drop the bombshell that she was Timeless this soon.
Especially when Callon was convinced there was something special about her; something Gene
and Alexis were hiding from us…

Movement caught my eye, and I looked towards the forest. I couldn’t see anything, but just to be safe, I jumped to the base of the
elm,
then to the border of the trees.
Last week Colt had caught a Tresez prowling, and had snapped its neck before it c
ould report to the rest of its p
ack. And while
I might not be able to match
my brother’s strength,
I
had my own tricks to keep Cheyenne safe
.

A quick search turned up nothing.
Disappointed,
I closed my eyes, wiping the water from my face. This
was
so
frustrating.
Every
time I thought
I
s
aw
something,
I’d be
proven wrong.
Of course, I’d rather not run into a Tresez if I could hel
p it, but it was so boring
sitting around
and
chasing shadows.

Also
,
wandering around
in the open
like this was dangerous.
Like
t
hree days ago
, when
I’d almost landed myself
in big trouble.
I’d been checking over the area where Colt had killed the Tresez, and had
come close to stumbling
into
Cheyenne
.
I hadn’t realized she was
in the front yard
when I
’d
jumped towards the house. Fortunately
I’d jumped out
again
so quickly I doubted she’d got
a decent look.
But s
ince then,
I
caught
her glancing around
more often
, as if she knew she was being watched
. I
t
drove a cold wedge in my heart
. I wasn’t
the enemy.
I was her
defender
.

And
as I’d kept an eye over her these past few
months
,
I could see she needed more than
just protection
. The way she’d close herself in her room and stare dreamily out of her window
, or curl up on her bed listening to music
…
it was
just like
me
after Dad locked me
up at
home in Ireland.
As the youngest son of the Consilador leader, I was a prime target for Marcus
. For almost four years he
’d
made me
a prisoner in my own home, and it had driven me insane.

It c
ouldn’t have been any easier for Cheyenne, who didn’t even know
the danger
await
ing
her
.
How much I wanted to be there
for her
, to let her pour her heart out as I’d wanted to
in those dark times. I knew exactly how it felt
to be so isolated
.
Surely I was the best person
she could
talk to.

Instead
Callon
had locked me away
from her
, too
…

A fresh blast of cold hit my cheeks, turning them raw. I pulled my
hood
up, and jumped back to the treetop.
Enough feeling sorry for myself; better get back to work.
I
glanced
through the kitchen window
again
. Cheyenne had gone, leaving her parents sitting at
the dining table. I noticed
half of Cheyenne’s plate was still there.
Seemed she was a
light eater, too.

I turned to the bedroom windows. Cheyenne’s room faced this side
,
so it was easy to keep tabs on her.
Usually she’d
start her homework
right about now
. Sure enough, she
sa
t
at her desk, scribbling away on some paper. Occasionally she’d stop
to take a sip from her glass
of water
, or to
tap her pen against her cheek, or check something on her laptop.
As she reached for her book bag, I caught the headphones dangling across her chest. I wondered
what
kind of music
she liked…

Suddenly my phone went off, and I flinched.
Renewing my grip on the branches, I
grabbed
it
from my pocket
.

“Hello?”

“Hi Daniel.”
That was
Gene’s voice. “
You must be cold out there. Do you want to come in for dinner?”

“Is it safe?” I asked, keeping an eye on Cheyenne.

“Cheyenne won’t come down,” Gene assured me. “Once she’s had dinner she usually spends the rest of the evening in her room. Alexis made pulled pork. I hope that’s okay?”

“Perfect!” I said. It’d be great to get out of this tree
and warm up with a nice hot dinner
.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket, and checked Cheyenne’s window again. She
was reclining on her
bed
, reading a book. She wouldn’t move for ages.
Making sure she wasn’t peering out her window, I jumped down to the ground, then to t
he front door. Gene was waiting
, and he
led
me into the warmth.
I pulled
off my coat
, shaking out the rainwater.

“You must be frozen,” Alexis said, pulling out a plate. “Sit down and let my pulled pork warm you up.”

“Thanks.”
I took a seat at the table and
soon I was tearing through the food
. The pork was delicious. I’d definitely have to convince Callon to start cooking again.

“How have things been so far?” Gene asked, nursing a mug of
coffee
.

“Nice and quiet,” I said. “A few movements in the forest now and then, but nothing that’s made me worry.”

“Good,” Gene said. “
Colt told me about last week
with
the Tresez
, but it’s reassuring
there hasn’t been much trouble since.
We’re really grateful for what you and your brothers are doing.”

“S’no trouble,” I replied,
cleaning my plate
with a piece of bread
.
I’d have to
get this
recipe.
As I finished my last mouthful, a sudden thought occurred to me.
“Hey, isn’t it
Thanksgiving
soon?”

“
Yes, in t
wo weeks,” Alexis said.

“
Wow, how times flies
,” I said.
It seemed like only yesterday when Callon had called me in Ireland
, asking me to help him
.
But
I had something else on my mind.
“
You know,
I’d really like to get
Cheyenne
a present
.
”

“Oh?” Gene raised an eyebrow. “What did you have
planned
?”

“
Nothing too fancy,” I said. “
I know she likes reading. Maybe a book?”

“She’d enjoy
that,” Alexis said. “Of course, she won’t be able to know it’s from you, but we’d be glad to give it on your behalf.”

I nodded, though inside I was a little
hurt
. My promise of silence to Callon couldn’t be broken
, I knew, but it wasn’t fair
.
Even without speaking to her, I knew Cheyenne and I were really alike.
Aside from my brothers, I didn’t have very many friends, and I would’ve given anything to be hers.
Colt didn’t know how lucky he was.
Still,
if my gift could
give her some happiness, it would be worth it
.

Even if she’d never know it was from me
…

“Would you like a hot drink?” Alexis asked
, interrupting my thoughts
. “Coffee, or hot chocolate, perhaps?”

“A hot chocolate would be
great
,” I said, licking my lips. Timeless or not, my sweet-tooth
hadn’t dam
pened. Much to Callon’s dismay. “You’re a very talented cook, Alexis.”

“Oh, it’s hardly a talent,” Alexis smiled, reaching for a mug.
She cast a glance over Cheyenne’s plate, and sighed. “
I only wish I could figure out a recipe to make
Cheyenne
finish her dinner for once
.”

“Has she always been a light eater?” I asked.

“That’s the thing,” Gene said. “She used to eat more than she does now, and I’
m not sure why
she’s gone off her food
.”