ICE (The Benders Series) (9 page)

The woman’s stare into the distance was interrupted by a strong blink of her long-lashed eyes. “We’ve been around for a number of years. My family was originally Scandinavia. In fact, my sister still lives there,” she explained as if having a normal, happy conversation, which of course was a complete one-eighty from moments ago.

“Oh that must be hard to have a sister so far away,” Kenna sympathized. “Do you see her often?”

“Not in years,” Mrs. Colewell continued. “I suppose it must be difficult for you to be so far away from half of your family,” she added with matched sympathy.

Kenna sighed. “Sometimes it is. I still call my mother on a weekly basis though. I mean, it was weird not having everyone together for Christmas. It was just me and my dad.”

“I see. Will you go to Florida to visit?” the once-hostile mother asked.

“I’m not sure,” Kenna admitted with a shrug. “I’m happy here for now. But I suppose I might visit in the fall maybe.”

Mrs. Colewell nodded. Though her glower remained as fierce as ever, she seemed much more open and talkative. “Well, I doubt Jon has anything to do with that. He’s not exactly a charmer,” she went on to say, poking fun at her third son.

“I get it from you, Mom,” he shot back without a moment’s hesitation.

And so, for the rest of the dinner, the group chatted and joked, gossiped and jested. Though things started off quite a mess, they were ending quite seamlessly. Mrs. Colewell even walked Jon and Kenna out as the evening ended and Jon announced that he would be taking Kenna home.

As Jon held the door, Kenna turned to shake Mrs. Colewell’s hand. “Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Colewell,” she said kindly.

“Elisa,” the woman stated. “My name is Elisa. That’s what you should call me.”

Her lips couldn’t help but curl. Even her eyes began to glitter with joy at what the woman said.

“Perfect,” Kenna replied, doing a horrible job at maintaining her composure. “I can’t wait to come over again soon,” she added enthusiastically.

The woman nodded, the scowl on her face softening almost to a smile.

Kenna took the nod as a farewell and spun around to join Jon for the journey home. Once they got into the privacy of the rusted truck, Kenna couldn’t help but beam.

“That went well!” she boasted, her white and flawless smile prouder than an albino peacock.

Jon raised his eyebrows as he pulled out of the driveway. “It did,” he agreed with a rather surprised expression.

“What? You didn’t think I had any charisma?” Kenna laughed as she leaned closer to her rather happy boyfriend.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t think you stood a chance,” he admitted.

“I guess the hair comment sealed the deal,” she noted as they pulled onto the main drag.

“Yeah, my dad, well my brothers’ dad, used to always tell her how much he loved her hair,” Jon said, pointing out why the compliment had struck such a blow. “It probably meant a lot to her to hear that again.”

The girl swallowed hard at the insight, suddenly feeling more sympathy toward the harsh woman. But she wasn’t going to let such feeling ruin the absolute delight she felt in making a decent impression on the family.

Kenna smiled at Jon as she examined his concentration on the road. He was so perfect, and the honeymoon phase was drifting into a phase of very real emotional and intellectual passion. Somehow, she much preferred it to the awkward phases when one only really wanted to impress the other. Things were so natural now, so real, and so effortless.

She couldn’t stop smiling as she continued to stare. His eyes were so focused, so handsome and alluring. His muscles were rigid and toned, and every bit of him appeared manly and strong. From his chiseled cheek bones to his disheveled brown hair, from his solid arms to his quick legs, Jon was so much better than a ten, and easily the best-looking guy she’d ever dream of dating.

And it was a dream, better than a dream because it was real.

In a matter of a few short months, Kenna found herself falling for the Colewell…maybe even falling in love with him.

But the thought of love scared the girl. In the past, love appeared so weak and fragile and disappointing. She had a difficult time getting her hopes up about love…or at least she had until recently.

“Well, here we are,” Jon announced as he parked across the street from her house. She wished that the drive had been longer than five minutes and that she could have stared at him longer.

He turned to her as she leaned over towards him. Without a thought, he leaned toward her and kissed her quickly and happily on her smiling mouth.

“I hate that this day is ending,” Kenna sighed, putting on a pouty face. Jon couldn’t help but kiss her frowning face as well.

She smiled again at the gesture and was quickly reminded of how natural things had been. She was tempted to even tell him how she truly felt, that she might indeed love him.

No, too soon. You aren’t ready
, she reminded herself.

She shook her head as Jon reached for the ice water that he kept handy in his truck. She wanted to tell him and to give in to her feelings. She wanted to be vulnerable and to be in one hundred percent. But she wasn’t ready. Honestly, a small part of her still hung on the idea of him having super vampire power or something of the sort.

She took a slow exhale. And just as she was about to say her farewell, an idea popped into her head. “Hey, would you want to meet my dad?” she asked eagerly. Jon gulped down more water and set down the cut as he seemed to ponder the question. “It would mean a lot to me. He’s been asking about meeting you a lot lately.”

Jon nodded. “Sure,” he said to her surprise. She didn’t know if she expected him to be confident or scared. She imagined he was sort of a mixture.

“Really?” she asked to double check.

“Yea, I mean, I can’t go be formal obviously, but I can say hello quickly,” he said as he opened the door and let himself out of the vehicle. He then went around and helped Kenna out of her side as well.

Kenna couldn’t remember ever smiling so hard in her life. “Awesome. I’ve never introduced anyone to him before so I’m not sure what he’ll say, just a warning,” she said though words were beginning to become difficult to form through the smile.

Jon laughed, “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

But at the end of the sentence, he stopped walking. Kenna stopped too as soon as she noticed his hesitation.

Jon was staring at the front door of her house.

Staring.

Examining.

Studying.

She wasn’t sure what he was doing but saw that he face was forming a sudden and very severe glare.

“If another time would be better that’s fine too,” Kenna assured, a sudden fear coming upon her as she watched Jon’s face continue to morph.

“I can’t,” he stated shortly and angrily.

“Well another time then,” Kenna assured again as she reached for a good-bye hug.

“Not ever,” Jon corrected. “I have to leave,” he announced as he threw her open arms away from him and began a raging march back to his truck.

“Jon? What is it?” Kenna questioned as she followed behind the Colewell.

“I think I need space,” he called over his shoulder, his fury growing as he spoke. “I don’t think I can see you again.”

“What are you talking about?” Kenna interrogated as Jon scrambled into his truck and slammed the door behind him.

“I mean don’t call me or come over or talk to me or anything!” he snapped at her as he started the engine. “I need space. We are done! Got it?!” he elucidated as he shouted at the girl below him.

“I don’t understand,” Kenna refuted, a lump beginning to swell in her throat. “Didn’t we just have an awesome day? Jon? Please?” she begged as she stepped toward the open truck window. Kenna almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The day had been so perfect and so magical. He had just kissed her. Twice. He couldn’t really be breaking things off? Could he?

Judging by the look in his eyes, Kenna knew he was completely serious.

She could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes that were just moments ago glistening with happiness. Her muscles began to tighten, and she became suddenly frozen.

“I need space,” he said again with the same hostility as before. “Take your lying little self home to daddy. I don’t want to see you again.”

And with a final glare, he sped forward, leaving Kenna heartbroken and confused.

Lying?

He was the one with obvious secrets, wasn’t he?

Kenna couldn’t wrap her head around what had just happened as she stood there on the street.

In sixty seconds, she’d gone from filled with love and adoration to very empty and startlingly alone.

And she had no idea why.

INTERLUDE ONE

The door slammed so hard that it shook the house.

I didn’t need to see or hear him to know who he was or what was going on. Nevertheless, I briskly sat up from my lounging couch position to ready myself for what was to come.

He let out a blood-curdling yell before he found words to explain his uncontrollable wrath.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” he hollered as he stormed to where my mother was cleaning in the kitchen.

I couldn’t see them from where I was at. A large white wall blocked my view from the fiery scene. As a result, I scooted myself so that I sat on the edge of my seat, ready to pounce into action at the first sign that it was necessary.

“Jon,” she replied softly. In my mind, I could see her studying his face to determine what was meant by his question. She must have understood. “I thought you knew.”

“Bull shit!” he screamed back at her. “Do you really think I would have let myself get near her if I had known?!”

My other brothers had come into the living room as well. All three of us were waiting to step in, in case things got out of control.

“Well how’d you find out then?” she asked back, her voice still calm. It wasn’t like this was new to her, though this was the worst I’d heard him sound in almost a year.

He didn’t answer with words but let out another angry yell. This time, the yell was accompanied by the throwing of several pots and pans- and probably food- that lay about the countertops. Still, it wasn’t enough for any of us to flinch.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” he shouted again.

I could imagine what he looked like. He’d probably gone white. Whenever this happened, he took on a ghostly appearance, one that would surely frighten anyone who didn’t understand his condition. I’m sure that even his eyes were white with rage by now. I’d seen it before. I’d seen his pupils fade into icy madness as he lost control of his fury.

I felt bad for him.

He wanted control. He just didn’t have it.

Just like his father I imagine.

“Now you know. It wasn’t up to me to tell you. You had a right to explore the girl yourself,” my mother defended, again composed.

He yelled again. Each yell was growing in intensity, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before he lost it.

“Do you know what you’ve done?!” Jon fired back.

I could see icicles beginning to form upon the ceiling where a small portion of the kitchen was exposed to my view. By this time, I’m sure the kitchen had become a very frost ridden place.

“Jon, you need to cool down,” my mom ordered.

Up to this point, I hadn’t pondered the discussion that was taking place between the pair. I couldn’t fathom that my mother would intentionally keep a secret from my brother given his very temperamental personality. But, it wouldn’t have been the first secret that she’d kept from him either.

“I will not calm down until you give me a reason!” Jon shot back. We heard the breaking of ice now as it shattered upon the floor.

I stood up. The time to act was nearing.

“I didn’t think it would go this far,” she answered, her voice becoming stern and severe. “I thought you would figure it out before anything happened.”

At this, we felt the room begin to shake again. The three of us sprinted quickly into the kitchen where my mother and Jon were now facing each other. They were positioned several yards away from each other, each on one end of the room.

“Get out!” Jon snarled as he shot out his arm at us. With the movement of his arm, a large blade of ice came propelling at us through the air.

I immediately shot up an ice shield as we stepped back towards our mother.

“He’s right,” she agreed with her fuming third son. “This doesn’t concern the three of you.”

None of us were swayed by her words as we took our stances behind her.

Jon looked worse than I had ever seen him before. His demeanor was that of a large, muscular beast. His muscles were tight, and his jaw was clenched. Every trace of color in his eyes had fleeted, and there sat two threatening and hostile white spheres. His pale skin had become unrecognizably white, whiter than a perfectly designed snowflake.

He stood there ready. Ready to attack.

“Do you have any idea how far it’s gone?! Do you have any idea how I feel about her?!” he screamed as his arms shot in and out of intricate and powerful motions, producing more blades of ice and daggers of frozen water that came at us with unrelenting speed.

My mother was able to dodge most of them with ease but had to create momentary shields of her own to prevent the knives from making their blows. The three of us could only hide behind the woman in fear, only able to produce small shields and dodge the slowest of his bullets.

“You have a choice, Jon,” she reminded him as she began to shout as well. “You don’t need her.”

He hollered again as he spun and gestured his arms and legs about in swift, strong, and intending waves. Even his small movements produced stronger and more resilient ice than I could on a good day.

“I love her!” he screamed as he watched the products of his fury shoot towards his victims.

“She is FIRE!” my mother screamed back as she once again diverted his deadly advances while also managing to protect the three of us behind her. We weren’t his target though. She was.

As I grew bolder and stepped nearer to my mother, my shields became stronger as I was suddenly flooded with understanding and sympathy.

Kenna Rosen was fire
. In an instant, it all made sense to me. And in an instant, I could completely understand my brother’s anger.

I was so taken aback by the sweep of knowledge, that I let my rigid body become very relaxed.

“Wait,” I heard myself say. Neither Jon nor my mother took their eyes off the other at the interjection. “You knew?” I asked, coming between them, my back now to the strongest of my brothers.

“Not now Bryce,” she snarled back at me.

The moment that I spoke the words of support, I could hear Jon breathing begin to slow, just slightly. He could have taken this opportunity to get rid of me, to shoot his deadly daggers into my back and be rid of me, but he didn’t.

“Why wouldn’t you have told him?” I asked again.

I could see my other two brothers becoming confused at my questions. They clearly hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation going on between my mother and brother and were more concerned about fighting Jon off.

“Bryce,” she scolded.

I continued to take steps backward until I was only a few feet from Jon.

I was scared. I could feel myself trembling as I neared him.

But above my fear was compassion. Above my fear was love.

Jon was my brother, and his pain was resonating all about the kitchen.

Kenna Rosen was fire
. I don’t know how I would have reacted if I had been in his shoes. As far as we knew, she was normal. This revelation could not come without emotion, and my mother should have foreseen such a happening. She should have told him. She should have told him the second she knew, the day Kenna had come to the house the first time, before the two were even dating.

“You should have said something,” I argued, Jon’s breathing slowing with every word in his defense that I shot at my mother. “At least then he could have made the choice to avoid her. What’s he supposed to do? Forget that she exists?”

“Yes,” she retorted, “Let us not forget that she’s been keeping the secret from him as well. It was her responsibility to tell him, not mine!”

As she spoke, I could feel Jon’s anger beginning to grow again. Before I could think, I found myself flat on the floor. One of them had shot a block of ice underneath me as Jon once again began to fire at my mother.

“She doesn’t know!” he screamed back at her.

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” she shouted back at him. “She’s probably only a spy! She doesn’t have real feelings for you, Jon!”

I covered my head at this point as my mother began to take an offense. My brothers joined in, hoping to win some sort of favor if they helped to overpower their brother.

I didn’t know what to do. I felt helpless as I lay on the floor with spears, and spikes, and bullets of ice thrusting from one end of the room to the other. I knew it was only a matter of time before my mother would overpower him. Jon was untrained. He acted through emotion instead of skill.

But my mother. She was experienced. She still had the edge on him despite his growing strength.

We all knew what she was going to do, as we’d seen her control Jon so many times in the past. The second that Jon would take a breath to recharge, she could form ice from underneath him and swallow him up in a solid cube that even his power couldn’t break.

Of course, she would leave his head free to breathe while the rest of his temper cooled and his raging body temperature returned to normal. I hated the thought of it. I hated to think of Jon looked at and caged like an animal. He was not an animal. He was a person, a person who needed help.

Unfortunately, though, it was better that he be caged than we all be dead, I reminded myself as I controlled the urge to defend Jon.

Jon and I had always been close. I couldn’t remember a time that we weren’t best friends. Except now, I supposed. Now Kenna was his best friend. Some might have been jealous at the change in status, but I was happy for my brother, and I know that he would have been happy for me if I had fallen in love.

But Kenna was fire. I wasn’t sure how their relationship could survive such a reality.

As I thought, shards of broken ice fell onto me as their discs clashed and shattered downward. I could feel some of them tearing into my flesh as I continued to cover the back of my neck and my head with my hands. I could feel cold, red blood begin to drip down my sides.

Britney would have told you to put a shirt on
, I joked internally to distract myself from the pain of the ice slicing into my skin.

It couldn’t be much longer. They couldn’t possibly continue this battle with the intensity that it was at. All the windows had been broken, the walls had been dismembered, and the kitchen looked more like the battlefield of ice monsters than a happy place to cook.

This was by far the longest that Jon had held out against my mother. Normally, he’d get winded after a few minutes, but some fifteen minutes had passed since the first ice blade had been shot at the woman. And things didn’t seem to be letting up as ice continued to shatter above me and crash onto my exposed backside.

“Stop this Jon!” I heard my mother shout, breaking the silence of speech that had surrounded them for a time.

“You don’t know her!” Jon yelled back, the force behind his madness growing with every word.

“I know her kind!” she argued as she defended herself and shot ice back at the boy in hopes to wound him enough to snap him back to reality.

I was beginning to grow more scared. I loved my brother, but I loved my mom, too. I didn’t know if she’d be able to withstand his blows as they continued to strengthen.

Ultimately, I agreed with Jon, but that didn’t mean that I wanted my mother dead. And so I was forced to make the only decision that I saw fit.

Shifting around so that I could get a slight view of my brother’s ankles, I motioned an open hand towards them and struck him with a block of ice. I didn’t hit him hard, but he didn’t see the blow coming and was knocked off his feet. Seeing her advantage, my mother wasted no time in caging the boy’s body inside an immense block of ice that she raised up from beneath him.

Jon screamed and cursed as she did it, but had no control of his limbs as the ice forced him into one solid pose. I couldn’t watch any longer as I hid my face in shame. I hated seeing him like that.

My other brothers left, and my mother came over to me as Jon continued to shout his slanderous words.

“Are you okay?” she breathed, clearly fatigued from the battle.

“I’m fine,” I answered. I couldn’t make eye contact with her at the moment. I was angry with her and angry with the situation. But as I began to lift myself from the bath of shattered ice that sheltered the floor, I felt a terrible sting and let out an unintentional wince.

“Stay here,” my mom ordered, witnessing the pain that stung my backside. “Let me get some water.”

I didn’t want to stay there. I didn’t want to be near her or near Jon as he continued on his tantrum. In a few seconds, my mother returned with a bucket of cool water. One of the very fortunate parts about being an ice elementalist was that water could heal almost as well as it could damage.

The woman used her hydrokinetic powers and lifted the water from the bucket to let it sit on my several bleeding gouges. I didn’t wince this time, though the water bit as hard as the ice had when it made its first contact. Within a few moments, most of the pain was gone, and my mother returned the water to the bucket.

“Well, they are done bleeding, but you are going to be very sore,” she noted as she ran her skillful hands over one of the lacerations. “And thanks. That was good timing on your part.”

“Don’t thank me,” I said with a touch of hostility. She could sense my anger, not that I was making any attempt to hide it.