Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1) (38 page)

“You knew?”
 

I nodded.

“I didn’t want to say anything. It didn’t feel like the right time to celebrate.” Then she opened the box and gaped. “Oh my God, this is beautiful.”

I took the pendant from the box. “Here, let me help you with it.”

Shannon turned and lifted her hair, and her scent drifted around me. “Does it have a special meaning?” she asked.

Dad hadn’t explained that part, so I found myself giving it a meaning of my own. “We’ll never be apart.”
 

Shannon turned around after I secured the necklace. “How does it look?”

“Perfect as always,” I said, but I was looking at her face.

“I’m having a little get-together tonight. Mom wanted me to invite you, but I wasn’t sure you’d want to come. Can you get away for an hour?”

I thought about it. If Detherina intended to whisk her away tomorrow, I wanted a chance to say a proper goodbye. In the short time I’d known Shannon, my world had shifted to revolve around her alone. If this was love, then I might die of a broken heart before I could find out if she felt the same way.

My Prodian

Mom opted to stay home that night, which was understandable. She needed some time to mourn in private after the grueling days following Dad’s death. For safety’s sake, Matro left two Binarians with her to stand guard, and if anything were to happen, we could be there in an instant.

Dressed in my cleanest jeans and a plaid shirt, I walked across our lawn to Shannon’s. The front door opened the moment I reached the porch, and Gilbert greeted me with a bow.
 

“None of that, Gilbert. We’re cool.”

Gilbert reddened but inclined his head. “As you wish, sire.”

“No titles, either. It’s Brian.”
 

When I got inside, Mark and Darryl were already seated on the sofa with heaping plates of food.

“You’re late,” Mark said before he shoved more food in his mouth.

“Where’s Shannon?”

“We haven’t seen her.” Darryl swallowed fast, then whispered, “Who are these people?”

I looked around me. Some of them I’d seen during the funeral earlier, but there were unfamiliar faces, too. The men and women both wore the same type of clothes as Detherina and Matro, except theirs had more color. My guess was that these people were from Tranak. A few wore an air of supremacy that suggested they were the royalty Matro had mentioned earlier. They tracked my movements with interest, whispering among themselves. For once in my life, I didn’t feel nervous about being under a microscope. They all nodded in my direction, some bowing their heads to me as Gilbert had done. That would take some getting used to.

“Okay, what’s with the bowing?” Darryl asked through mouthful of food.

“Long story. I’ll fill you guys in tomorrow. Let me find Shannon first.”
 

I walked past the throngs of mingling guests, which parted like the Red Sea to let me through, and found Shannon in the kitchen with Detherina, Matro, and Car. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
 

“Is it true?” she asked.
 

My eyes drifted down to her hand. She was holding a dagger similar to the one that had been given to me, except hers had a half-moon shape. Just like the kordag, it contained a strange yellow liquid.

I stopped in my tracks and looked to Detherina for confirmation. She nodded. It looked like this was the moment of truth.
 

“Yes,” I said.
 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She closed the gap between us, and Car shifted uncomfortably in the corner.

“Can we speak in private?”
 

Shannon nodded.
 

To the rest of the assembled group, I gave my first official order. “No one follows us.”
 

Since the whole house was filled with guests, some even spilling into the backyard, the porch was the only private place we could talk. I took her elbow and escorted her out the front door.

The night was cool. Thanks to the rain earlier, the fresh scent of the wet grass tickled my nose. I also noticed that the stink of the Ergans was absent. I brushed off the steps before I invited Shannon to sit next to me. She still held on to the dagger and was brushing her finger along the blade.

The sight made me wince. My kind, sweet Shannon shouldn’t be dealing with this. “They told me when I found Detherina—er, your mother—talking to my mom. Everything happened so fast, and we haven’t had the chance to talk.”

Shannon stared ahead. “That was some news. All this time, I’ve been living a lie. Now, I have a
new
mother who I’ve just met.”

I tripped over my words as I tried to form a clear question. “How do you feel about Detherina?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know her at all. Ask me again later. It’s just weird. But it makes sense now why I never felt a real connection between Elizabeth and me.”

“I’m so sorry. We’re in the same boat. It blows, I know.”

Shannon sighed. “It is what is. Let’s get out of here?” She pulled at my hand.

“You’re ditching your own party?”
 

“Why not? Aside from Larry and Moe, I don’t know the rest of the people in there.”

I hesitated for a moment. It was a dilemma. I was the one who needed protection, if they were telling the truth this time. Did I care about that? Not really. Well, not at the moment. I wanted to get away, too, and escape the scent of death and Shannon’s looming departure.
 

Whatever happened tonight, I would make sure that Shannon got to celebrate her birthday like a normal human teenager. After all, eighteen was a big deal. It was a moment we waited for all our lives.
 

“Fine. Let’s go.” I jumped up and pulled Shannon to her feet.

“Should we tell them we’re leaving?” she whispered.

“Why don’t we live on the edge for a change? No babysitter, just the two of us.”
 

I coaxed her into my car and got the engine started, not turning on the lights until the car left the driveway. Then I floored the gas. At the sound, the front door of the house swung open and people came rushing out, but I saw Matro in the rear view window ordering them not to follow us.

“Watch where you’re going!” Shannon pointed back to the road.
 

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.” I glanced sideways and gave her a wink. “I’m going to stop by the store to grab something, and then we can go to the Observatory.”

“It’s late. Don’t they close off the roads to traffic after dark?”
 

“I’ve lived here long enough to know my way around. Trust me.”

We stopped at the local nearby grocery store, and I hurried in. When I got back to the car, Shannon eyed the brown bag, which I stashed in the backseat.
 

“What’s in it?” she asked, shifting to look over her shoulder.

I slapped her hand playfully and waggled a finger at her. “It’s a surprise. You have to wait.”
 

We lapsed into silence that lasted the rest of the way to the observatory. The area around Griffith Park was dark, visitors long gone at this time of day. The lights from the dome served as our guide while we drove up the deserted road. We passed a few vehicles on the road, most likely local residents. When we reached the dark spot where Mark, Darryl, and I always left our vehicles, I parked the car.
 

I took Matro’s calling card and made sure that my reumdag was hidden inside my jacket. “Better hide your dagger. I don’t think the rangers would be happy about a teenager running around with a weapon.”

“Oh, yeah.” Shannon tucked the weapon handle-first into the waistband of her jeans. I got the grocery bag from the backseat, and we headed down the path I’d hiked many times in the past, using my cell phone’s flashlight app to light our way.
 

The spot I had in mind was about a fifteen-foot drop from road level. No one would suspect we were there if we kept our voices down. Since it was dark, I had to rely on my memory to get us there. I turned off the light once we were clear of the bushes. The pale glow of the moon, along with my new enhanced vision, was enough for me to see what I was doing.

Shannon settled in while I rummaged inside the bag. I produced a small cupcake and stuck a candle in the middle. “I hope you like chocolate.”

“Curly, you didn’t have to!” Shannon said, but I could tell that my surprise had made her happy.
 

“I wanted to.” Next, I retrieved a bottle of apple cider and two plastic glasses. After I poured out a glass for each of us, I found the matches and lit the candle, and then sang happy birthday to her, although it was off-key.

When my off-key serenade was done, Shannon closed her eyes for a brief moment and then blew out the candle.
 

“Did you make a wish?” I asked.

“Yeah. I hope this one comes true.” Her tone was wistful.
 

I raised my plastic cup in a toast. “Here’s to us. Happy birthday, Shannon.” After I’d chugged down the cider, I looked up at the night sky, feeling content.

Shannon broke into my reverie. “Why don’t we eat the cupcake?” She moved closer to me until our shoulders were touching. “You take the first bite.”

She held it up to my face, and I took a huge bite, smiling like an idiot while I chewed.
 

“Oh, you’re such a dork. You have icing all over your face.” Shannon leaned forward, but instead of wiping my mouth with a napkin, she covered my lips with hers.
 

Time froze. I couldn’t move and didn’t dare close my eyes in case it was just a dream.
 

“You said you wouldn’t kiss me until I asked you,” she murmured. “Well, this is me, asking you.”

If I hadn’t been sitting down, I would’ve fallen over. Shannon was asking me to kiss her. I stared at her, not sure what to do next
. Do I pull her closer? Do I lean forward? What in the hell is the right way to kiss?

“Curly? Is something wrong?” Uncertainty crept into her eyes.

“I don’t know the first thing about kissing,” I admitted.
 

“There’s no right or wrong. From what I remember, you kiss just fine.” She smiled, closed her eyes, and lifted her face to me.
 

With nervous fingers, I reached out to cup her chin and then lowered my lips to hers.

Her lips were soft and icing-sweet, and I let her set the pace, exploring her mouth while my whole body ached for more.

My hands seemed to know just where they wanted to go. I let my fingers glide over her back, feeling the softness of her body pressed against me. Shannon clasped her hands behind my neck with a happy little murmur, and I started to relax, my heartbeat echoing in my ears.

When we finally surfaced for air, I was sure that Shannon’ satisfied expression mirrored mine.

“Why me?” I asked once I remembered how to speak.

Shannon shook her head at me and smiled. “You are a cute boy with a kind heart, and you are good to me. Why
not
you?”

“Does this mean we are . . .
 
well, you know . . . ”
Damn! How do I say it?

“What?”
 

“I want you and I to be, you know . . . crap. This is difficult, Shannon.” I traced my finger along the curve of her neck.

“I don’t know what you’re saying, Brian.”
 

“I want to kiss you again. And I want you to be my girlfriend.” I gave her another kiss before she had a chance to answer.
 

She gave my shoulder a little push. “Of course I want to be your girlfriend. All you had to do was ask.” This time, Shannon’s kiss was slow, steady, and mind-blowing.

A swishing sound came from close by. It took a few seconds for me to understand what was going on, but Shannon had jumped to her feet before I could react. Without hesitation, she aimed her dagger and flung it at our unseen attacker. There was a thud, followed by silence. Her dagger swung back to her, and she caught it like a pro.

“Wait here.” She glanced upward and narrowed her eyes, glancing left to right as if she were tracking something.