Gemini (2 page)

I bowed my head and gave an affirming smile.

“I’ve missed you, too, love.”

Zoe

“Damn.”

Did I say that out loud?

The beautiful stranger standing just twenty-some feet away stole my focus—and my breath—the second his gaze captured mine.

Well over six feet, his muscular silhouette stirred the butterflies in my belly.

Nearly blinded, I put a hand to my forehead to get a better view of his iridescent aura, illuminating in a way only I could see.

Genesis blood definitely coursed through his veins.

And he had a Gemini.

As the unilateral matchmaker for our bloodline, I could match soul mates by the color of their aura. My guardian, Sophie, said because I was the original Gemini and the first Twin Soul, only I could see their colors.

I was the official
Cosmic Cupid.

Whatever I'd been thinking disappeared without a second thought as our eyes locked, and the man’s gaze pierced my soul.

A second later, my wrist began to tingle and my feet slipped from their perch, nearly causing me to spill my favorite acoustic from my lap.

"Zoe?"

My bestie and bandmate, Phoebe Kinkaid, appeared beside me. She leaned down, her honey-blonde hair spilling over her shoulder as she peeled the Fender from my Kung-Fu grip.

As I chewed on my lip, analyzing the stranger’s aura, the Genesis birthmark on my left wrist flared to life, like a fire had been set inside. I glanced down to see if the mark was actually on fire, and inspected my ring, now playing some weird parlor trick—it was glowing.

I’m losing it.

The
Ring of Chayah
, as Sophie called it, was my mother's, who died when I was born. Sophie had given me the ring the day I turned eighteen. She said it would lead me to my Gemini, though she never said how.

I glanced around the room, but thankfully, nobody seemed to notice the light beaming from my hand.

Disaster averted.

Besides, I had enough to distract me tonight.

Somewhere in the crowded bar, a talent scout from Infinity Records was listening. Waiting to see me.

My advisor at Northwestern set up this meet-and-greet with the record company, and now my nerves were shot, wondering if tonight was the night my life would change forever—when this tainted day would finally earn its redemption.

Today was my birthday. My twenty-first, in fact. Any normal girl would be bouncing off the walls, using this as a perfect excuse to flirt with the college boys who frequented the club here on Navy Pier.

But I’m not normal.

Sure, this particular birthday made me a
little
happy. Finally legal, I didn't have to make up some lame excuse when a cute guy offered to buy me a drink, but this day was also a yearly reminder of those who deserted me.

Especially Eli, the boy who I thought was my Gemini.

“Zoe?” Phoebe stirred me from my internal ramblings. “You okay?”

"Yeah, I think so." I dragged myself from the barstool and inspected my ring, which was still glowing and now warm, heating up my finger.

At Sophie’s instruction, I'd placed the heavy platinum band on my left ring finger three years ago, but it had never done this before. The crystal opal in the center was shimmering with iridescent beams.

“Okay, girl.” Phoebe tugged at my elbow. “Let’s go.”

As she led me off the stage, the stranger’s Genesis aura recaptured my attention. He stood steadfast in the doorway, adorable grin on his face.

Ooh, dimple.

“I have to get out of here.”

With an awkward wave to the crowd, I pushed past Phoebe and hauled ass off stage. Lost in my train of thought, my heels betrayed me when I crossed the threshold, and I fell down the two low steps leading to the dressing room.

Phoebe reached out to catch my fall, but missed, and she landed on the wooden floor beside me.

"What was that?" She giggled.

"I seriously think I broke my butt. Geez, I’m a klutz.” I rolled around and lifted my back off the floor. “What’s wrong with me tonight?"

The heat in my cheeks returned as I glanced back toward the door, thinking of the enigmatic aura that eluded me.
And that dimple.

Phoebe stood and grabbed my hands but stopped short. She drew back like I’d shocked her.

"What's up with your mother's ring?"

"Um, I don't know.” I spun the ring around my finger. “It's never done this before. It just lit up after that guy—wait." My gaze darted to hers. "You can see that?"

"See what?" She narrowed her gaze. In less than a second, her eyes grew wide, and her mouth popped open. "Oh. My gosh." She pulled me to my feet and dragged me to the door. "Where is he?" Her excitement bounced off the walls. After a minute, she pointed toward the thing of beauty sitting at a table near the stage. "Him."

My heart pounded as I gripped the wooden frame and peeked around the corner to spy.

He sat with another guy, a few feet from my shameless stare. Worse yet, he waited beside an empty, reserved table—mine.

And he was beautiful.

Dark chocolate hair swept just above his brows. I couldn't see his eyes, but he had a straight nose and strong jaw, with stubble in all the right places.

Something about him called to me. Like gravity. I wanted—no. I
needed
to get closer.

"Is he?" Phoebe's voice became a barely audible whisper, like she was about to say a bad word. “The one?” She nudged my shoulder. “Is he your…?”

“No way.” I jerked out from behind the door, leaned against it, and crossed my arms over my chest like a stubborn child.

Could he really be my Gemini?

My ring was glowing and heating up my hand. Is this how the ring led me to him? I—wait. His aura. It was the same color as my ring. Gemini shared the same color. Of course I couldn’t see my own…

Ah crap.

Like his ears were burning, he turned around in his chair, and that adorable dimple sunk deep into his left cheek. His eyes, man, they're intense, practically lit up as he tipped his head to the side and uncrossed his arms to reveal a broad, muscular chest.

I held my breath and stared like a star-struck fan.

Seemingly unfazed, he tipped his head and mouthed my name.

"Girl, this is your night." Phoebe nudged me. "Look at him, he's all kinds of hot." She moved closer and whispered, "Happy Birthday."

Sophie said this would happen, but tonight? Seriously?

There was a talent scout out there right now, I sure as hell didn’t need a bout of supernatural déjà vu distracting me—even if it did come with a totally hot guy I couldn’t stop staring at.

No. It’d taken me three years to emotionally recover from that Genesis BS, and I wasn’t about to go back there. Not tonight.

Sophie and Eli’s abandonment cured me of wanting anything to do with my Genesis blood or the duties I supposedly inherited, although Sophie refused to tell me what most of those were.

Turning eighteen sucked.

Sophie, the only mother I’d ever known, bailed, and my heart was broken by my—well, by a guy who I
thought
was my Gemini, despite Sophie’s insistence that he wasn’t.

But all the signs were there: His Genesis aura and birthmark. The timing of his arrival. Our instant connection.

I was so sure Eli was my Gemini. So was he, but then out of the blue, he and Sophie left, and I lost all faith—in everything and everyone. I stopped trusting others, and worse yet, myself. Sophie said trusting my instincts was key.

But I’d been so wrong about Eli.

After a year or so, I settled into college at Northwestern. Met Dr. Lucci, my adviser, and my Genesis friends, slash family, slash bandmates.

Then the manager here at the lounge took a chance on us, and my sullen existence came to life.

I fell in love with music. With performing.

I found myself.

I blew out a breath, shook my head, and stalked backstage. I sat on the wooden bench in front of the practice piano, and Phoebe sat beside me.

"I know what you’re thinking," she said. "But it’s been three years. You have to let go. Look at what’s in front of you. Or rather, who’s waiting out there for you.”

Despite Phoebe’s blind faith in Sophie’s Gemini stories, I couldn’t fault my BFF. She meant everything to me. We grew up together in the foster home. When our foster
demon
, I mean
dad
, went crazy and lit our house on fire, Sophie kept Phoebe close, so I wouldn’t lose my best friend.

We’d sit for hours listening to Sophie’s fairytales, dreaming of my happily ever after… until Eli left. Then I just shoved the stories away in my
Never Going to Happen
file, and moved on with my life.

But not Phoebe. She always held hope.

Her fatal flaw.

Phoebe didn’t have Genesis blood like the rest of our small circle of friends, and no birthmark. She was human in every way but still the most amazing person I knew. And an Empath, according to Sophie. Probably why she could calm my nerves with her angelic smile.

“Ugh.” I rubbed my throbbing temples. All this unintentional reminiscing made my head hurt.
Literally.
I covered my face with my palms and bent down onto my knees.

Phoebe rubbed my back. “It’s all going to be okay. I’m sure of it."

She didn’t get it, but her voice soothed my nerves, nonetheless. Phoebe was my rock, and I never could have survived my childhood or the foster demon’s wrath without her.

I sat up, and my gaze locked onto my arms.

The scars the demon left behind were more vivid today.

It’s not like I hadn’t tried to move on, but my marred arms were constant reminders of the dark shadows that hovered over me.

And on this night, every damn year, it all came crashing back.

Sophie’s abandonment still stung, and Eli’s words still hung in the air…

“I’m not the one for you.”

Despite his assurance that we’d be together for Eternity just days before, Eli met me on my birthday, spoke those ruinous words then left me crying in Central Park. Alone.

Shattered.

Something inside me changed that day—a wall thick as steel grew around my heart.

Eli promised he’d always be there for me.

He lied. 

Zoe

"Happy Birthday!" Remie and Rainah Samuels chimed in unison as I stumbled backstage.

“You okay?” Remie reached for my shoulders to steady me.

I nodded to him. “Yeah, thanks.”

“You’re a hot mess tonight, Zo.” Remie’s twin sister Rainah smirked.

“Yeah, thanks for that.”

We’d just finished our last set, and I couldn’t be more relieved to escape the stranger’s unwavering gaze. He was turning me into a clumsy disaster.

“Finally legal.” Our drummer, Micah Peters strutted in, holding out a shot. He pushed the drink in my direction, wiggling his fingers around the glass.

"What is it?" I wrinkled my nose.

Micah raised an eyebrow. He cocked his head to the side and flipped his too long sandy hair from his eyes. "Don’t trust me? Awe, come on. Be brave.”

"Yeah, no.” Phoebe giggled and grabbed my arm, then dragged me out from the dressing room.

Micah just shrugged, toasted his glass to me, and tossed back the shot.

Phoebe led me into the crowded room, past
his
table, and we found two empty stools at the bar—far from the Genesis stranger’s gravitational pull.

"There's the birthday girl," Brennan Tucker, one of our summer bartenders, greeted me from behind the bar.

“Thanks.”

He glanced over my shoulder, and his slate eyes flickered red, so quickly, I almost missed it.

“You okay, Bren?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Never better.” He winked, handing me a wine glass. “Happy birthday.”

I took the wine and nodded, then downed the drink.
Mmm. Moscato.

Phoebe knew me so well.

"Thanks." I set the glass in front of him. "Another, please."

“I’m running to the ladies room.” Phoebe stood. “Be back in a minute.” She squeezed my shoulder and left me alone at the bar.

I sipped my wine, enjoying my first, no, second legal drink while waiting for someone I actually
wanted
to find me this evening, and avoiding the inundating stare scorching me from across the room.

“Zoe Adams?”

I sucked in a breath and spun around in my seat.

Here we go…

A tall, built guy, I’d say early thirties, stood before me, holding out his hand. Blond. Tan. Good-looking for sure.

“Yes?” I grinned, trying to play coy, though pulling off a poker face was never my specialty.

“Sam Gaits, Infinity Records.”

My heart beat against my chest.

I glanced at his hand and offered him mine, then recognized a familiar pattern of purple freckles on his wrist. I leaned closer to get a better look, but he grabbed my hand too quickly.

Whoa.
First a Gemini aura, then flickering red eyes, and now a
maybe
Genesis seal on the rep’s wrist.

Yep, losing it for sure.

He handed me a card. “I really enjoyed your set. You have one hell of a voice, a solid fan base, and I’d like more time to see if you’d fit with our label. You play here five nights a week?”

I was speechless. Twice in one night, must be some kind of record.

“I do. And thank you, that means a lot. Is Dr. Lucci here with you?” I scanned the room, looking for my adviser, but she was nowhere in sight.

“Uh, no? I’m not sure who that is. My boss called a couple of hours ago, said the scout who was supposed to be here cancelled. I was already in Chicago for another gig, but that band cancelled, so here I am. Must be fate.” He grinned.

Fate?
Please.

“Anyway. You have my card, and I have to go. But I’m interested. We’ll be in touch.” He nodded then disappeared through the crowd.

“Oh. My Gods.” I squeezed my eyes shut and began a happy dance, bouncing and spinning around in my chair.