Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) (7 page)

It’s true. I can’t lie to him because of our link. Even if the link didn’t exist, I wouldn’t want to lie to him. He has been here for me, and I owe him the truth.

“I think I still have unresolved feelings for Xander.”

Nate closes his eyes. When he opens them, there is a bit of sadness reflected in them. “Look, Jes, I know I don’t have any claim on you, but I do care about you…so much. I don’t know if it’s because of the link or if these are real emotions, but when you told me you kissed him, I lost it.”

I know I’m going to hate myself for saying this, but I have to because I think it holds truth. “I think that you and I are mistaking the energy from our link for something more that isn’t there.”

Nate leans his head back and closes his eyes.

I continue, “Since the day we met at the facility, Nate, I’ve felt the intense energy between us. It’s intoxicating and addictive. We haven’t had time to feel anything else
, but the energy we share that has given us this bond.”

Frustrated, I sigh. “The Gettys—they’ve had time to build both a physical link and an emotional bond together. The same goes for Siobhan and Jake. When they combined their abilities in the facility, I could see that they had more than just a physical link. The thing both the Gettys and Siobhan and Jake have had is time for their emotional bond to grow. They’ve had years to feel more than just that addictive physical link that we feel.

“We haven’t had that time, Nate. With what’s to come and our purpose in this crazy, screwed-up situation, I don’t think we’ll have the time we need to see if we could be more than what we are right now.”

Nate leans against the wall across from me. His voice cracks as he says, “Jes, I wish you weren’t right, but I know in my gut that you are.”

We look at each other for a long time. I imagine for a split second that if we stand here staring at each other long enough, the emotional bond I want to have will appear, and everything will be okay with us. But, it isn’t that easy. None of this is easy.

Nate looks down at his feet and clears his throat. “We need to try to control the amount of physical contact we have. We should limit it as much as we can, so we don’t get…carried away.”

Nate looks at me, wanting me to validate or shoot down his limits for our bond. He’s trying to be the bigger man in this, but his soft blue-green eyes and racing heart deceive him. I sense he desperately wants me to shoot it down.

But, I don’t for both of our sakes. “I agree. We’re preparing for a big mission in the next few days, and we’ll need our entire focus to be on that goal.”

I look down at my feet. We are awkwardly quiet, waiting for the other one to speak.

Nate breaks the silence. His voice is sincere. “I will always protect you, Jes. I do care about you. That’s not going to change—ever.”

I know that we said we wouldn’t, but I rest my hand on his cheek one more time. “I will always protect and care about you, Nate. That will never change.”

My stomach twists with nerves as I think about the hefty weight the word “protect” carries between two guardians that are linked forever. We are two guardians, partners that will fight with each other and for each other in the same breath. I choke back the knot building in my throat.

Nate searches my eyes, and then he quickly pulls me to him and buries his face in my shoulder, knowing I need the comfort of his addictive touch in this moment. I wrap my arms around his waist, gripping on to him.

As he holds me tight, Nate whispers, “Okay, this hug doesn’t count.”

I snicker at his successful attempt at humor and whisper, “Good. I wasn’t counting it either.”

Nate chuckles a little, and then he’s quiet. He whispers into my hair, “Everything in me says that we will be alright, Jes. We will adapt, evolve, and survive this.”

I wonder if he’s talking about us or the intersection, but I don’t ask. I reluctantly pull away from our comforting and safe embrace. “I better head to bed.”

I slowly walk down the hall to my door. I stop and turn to look at him, thinking he’s still on the other side of the house looking at me. Instead, he’s standing a few feet away from me, and I can see his eyes are red and swollen.

I smile and whisper, “Good night, Nate.”

Nate smiles softly. “Good night, Jes.”

I slip into my room, closing the door behind me. I lean my forehead against it and run my finger along the grain. As I trace a small knot in the wood, I remember what Nate said about us being all right and surviving. Then, I recall that Ezra said almost the exact same thing earlier today.

We will adapt, evolve, and survive.

Chapter 11

Nate

I’m leaning against the wall that’s opposite her door, staring and burning a hole through it.
Tonight was the most amazing date I have ever been on.

I snicker a little, thinking about how I’ve been fantasizing about taking Jesca out on a normal date for the last two months.
I was so damn nervous to ask, but not because it was Jes. I knew if I asked her that she would have said yes. Mostly, it was out of respect for Ezra.

I was shocked when Jes told me he was her father. Looking back on the way they had interacted at the facility and the brief time I had seen them together here in Miami, it all made sense that he was her dad.

Then, Ezra approached me this morning before he headed out to run last minute errands.

* * *

I was lying in my room, thinking about what had just happened in the kitchen with Jes, and then I heard a knock at my door.

Ezra asked, “Hey, uh, Nate, can I come in?”

I sat up quickly. “Uh, yeah.”

Ezra closed the door behind him and sat on the swivel chair near the desk across from me. He was quiet for a moment, just looking at me with his hands resting on the arms of the chair.

“What’s up, Ezra?”

He eyed me, like he didn’t want to ask me what he knew he needed to. “A team of Sondians have been watching you and Jes, coming and going from Ms. Olivia’s, for the past week and a half.”

“How did they find us?”

Ezra rubbed his jaw. “Sam, I’m sure.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter now. They’ve been on to you two for long enough. An attack is inevitable.”

He stood up, walking to the window. “I need you to distract, Jes.” He paused, like he was thinking about the distraction. Then, he suggested, “Take her out to dinner.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ezra wanted me to take Jesca out on a date.

My voice cracked a little. “A date?”

Ezra looked at me sideways with his hands on his hips and fire in his eyes for his little girl. “Out to dinner.”

I didn’t say anything. I just nodded. Concerned for Ezra, I asked, “What are you going to do? Are you going to go after them?”

Ezra looked back out the window. “It’s best if you concentrate on keeping Jesca your priority. Ms. Olivia and I will take care of the rest when you leave tonight.”

“Ms. Olivia?”

Ezra snickered. “Don’t let her age deceive you, Nate. She is one tough old lady.”

The thought of sweet little Ms. Olivia being an active guardian dumbfounded me for a minute.

Ezra stood in front of me. “Look, after tonight, you, Jes, and I will be out of here. We don’t need anyone tracking us beyond this evening.”

He handed me a card with a name and number on it. “Nick Getty’s grandmother and grandfather live here in Florida. They own a beautiful restaurant. Give them a call and tell them who you are.”

“Nick Getty from the facility?”

Ezra nodded. “Give them a call.”

This wasn’t the ideal scenario I had played in my mind so many times when I had thought about asking Jesca out on a date. But, let’s face it, our life is not normal. I mean, we are protectors of the human race and all. This was the only chance I was going to get, and I wasn’t going to waste it.

* * *

Before we left for Ms. Olivia’s this morning, I decided to bring up the date.

She was shy about it, and her reaction drove me crazy—maybe a little too crazy. When she leaned against the counter and asked me if I wanted to drive, I couldn’t resist the chance to be close to her.

In that moment, she was a magnet, and I couldn’t stay away any longer. I was addicted in every sense of the word. With the way she melted into me, I knew she felt it, too. I could tell by the way she leaned into my hand as it ran along her delicate cheek, then jaw, and down to the base of her neck.

Our eyes were locked, and I felt pure energy coursing between us.

When I spoke, I sounded breathless. “I’m sorry. I just needed to touch you. I can’t explain it.”

It was true. I didn’t know how to explain the feelings I got when I was close to her.

Then, the phone rang, interrupting us.

My parents were as elusive as I thought they would be about Xander, my aunt, and my uncle.

“Didn’t you think it was important that I learn about my family?”

Dad’s voice was full of authority. “At the time, we were protecting you and keeping you safe, son. Introducing you to that part of our family would have pulled us into the life that your aunt and uncle chose for them and your cousin. We didn’t want to put our family through that.”

I retorted, “Instead, you let me discover this family secret from Ezra Kahn!”

From there, the conversation just got heated and ugly.

Mom was finally able to calm Dad and me down by changing the subject. She was a pro at diverting confrontations. I could have pushed the issue, but I thought it was pointless to go round and round about something that couldn’t be changed. The only thing I could change was my own future.

The conversation died off quickly after that, and I told them I had to go to work at Ms. Olivia’s.

Suddenly, Mom asked, “How is Jesca?”

I thought about our earlier encounter. “She’s fine. Hey, I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you soon, alright?”

After I hung up, I sat there for a while thinking about Jesca and me. Are we alright? I mean, I’m always in her head, and she’s always in mine.

I felt kind of bad for always knowing what she was thinking. Then, I considered the link existing between us because of the Copula. It was the one thing causing this intense physical attraction. I thought about how it could become more if we let it.

I decided to let her know my feelings before we left for the store. Well, partially. I only talked to her about blocking our thoughts for some privacy. She was completely cool with it, and I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

During the rest of the day, I busied myself with repairs around Ms. Olivia’s while she baked to my heart’s content. Everything that woman made was delicious.

I caught Jesca looking at me a few times throughout the day. I tried to ignore the familiar need I saw in her eyes. I had been guilty of this many times. It made me feel hopeful that, just maybe, tonight would be the beginning of our more.

It was impossible to call Mr. Getty to set up the date. So, I texted Nick and put him up to talking with his grandfather. Nick couldn’t resist the sleazy texts back after I told him whom I was taking on the date.

Later, as we drove to the restaurant, I tried to keep my mind off of the car tailing us, and instead, I focused my mind on this moment with her.

That’s when I caught a glimpse of her thoughts. She didn’t realize she had broken the block for just a split second. It was long enough for me to hear her concern for us, what we meant to each other, and if we could ever be something more.

I felt her sadness, and the urge to comfort her was too overwhelming. I reached over and put my hand over hers. Just my touch seemed to calm her, I could see this bothered her as much as it had been bothering me. That’s when I decided to let fate take hold. It was something that had never existed between us.

* * *

Now, I am standing here, outside of her bedroom door, wishing fate wasn’t cruel like it had been tonight.

Chapter 12

Jesca

It’s the same nightmare that repeatedly plagues my mind when I sleep now. Corinna is on a street near a busy Japanese market place, convulsing and grabbing my leg. Nate is trying to pull me along, and then we are in the forest where the battle between the Dobrian guardians and the Sondian guardians is taking place. The battle that I presume is the one induced by the Sondians opening a wormhole.

My alarm jolts me awake from the nightmare, and I gasp for air, like I’ve been holding my breath under water. I am slow to move, but it’s not from the sleep paralysis. I am waiting—waiting for the guy that has come to my door every morning for the past two months to comfort me after a nightmare.

Nate doesn’t come. I realize what he’s doing. He’s giving us space from what we were and what we’re going to be now after yesterday’s revelation and last night’s talk.

I think, for a twenty-one year old, you are one wise man.

I hear Nate think, For a nineteen year old, you are one insightful woman.

My smile is melancholy, but it’s still a smile. I breathe deeply in and out, then I climb out of bed. As I peer out my door, I see a light on in the living room and hear someone in the kitchen. I’m sure it’s Ezra making coffee. I walk across the hall and use the facilities before heading into the kitchen to grab some coffee.

Ezra is sitting at the table, fully dressed and drinking coffee. “Hey.”

I walk into the kitchen, going straight to the coffee machine. “Hey.”

As I knew he would, Ezra begins his line of questioning. “How was dinner?”

I grab a mug and pour. I try and keep my voice light. “Uh, yeah, it was fine.” I shift the tables on Ezra. “How was your evening? Who did you have dinner with?”

Ezra becomes nervous. “It was…nice.”

I sense his anxiety. “Something’s up. What happened last night?”

Nate walks down the hall to the kitchen. He stops as he enters the tense environment of the kitchen. “What’s going on?”

I take a sip of my coffee and look at Nate. “I’m not sure. Something happened last night, and he’s not talking.”

Nate moves his eyes from me to Ezra. “Oh.”

He quickly walks to the cabinet to grab a bowl.

His movement is suspicious, so I question him. “Nate?”

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he opens the refrigerator and grabs the milk.

I turn, set my coffee down, and put my hands on my hips. “What the hell is going on?”

Nate grabs the cereal and sits at the table, sighing. “Sondian trackers have been casing Ms. Olivia’s bookstore for a week now. They have been looking for you.”

Ezra interjects, “I didn’t want to tell you because the plan was to get you off the grid long enough for me to handle it.”

First, I look at Ezra with shock. Then, I turn to Nate. “And, you knew about this?” I start putting two and two together. “That’s why you asked me on a…” I pause, and then I correct myself when I remember who’s in the room with us. “To dinner?”

Nate lowers his head. “Ezra didn’t tell me about the trackers until yesterday morning. All he said was to not let you out of my sight. Mr. and Mrs. Getty are both guardians. Ezra knew you would be safe with them, so he suggested I take you to dinner at their restaurant. Safety in numbers, right, Ezra?” Nate looks to Ezra for confirmation of what he is saying.

Ezra takes a step toward me. “Ms. Olivia and I handled it. There were only two this time. Next time, they will send more.”

Ms. Olivia?

I ask urgently, “Did they go after her when we left her last night?”

Ezra shakes his head. “No, they stayed on you and Nate. I picked up Ms. Olivia, and we tracked them. When we were in close proximity to the Gettys, we took them down.”

I’m so curious that I have to ask, “How?”

Ezra is surprised at my question. “You want to know how we killed them?”

The way he repeats my question makes me a little embarrassed. I think it’s a valid question. For someone who has never killed before and for someone who will need to kill at some point to protect herself and others, I want to know how they did it.

My voice is steady when I respond. “Yes, I do.”

Ezra looks at Nate and me, giving us the impression that this lesson is for the both of us. “Along with possessing Latrosis, the ability to heal, Ms. Olivia possesses the ability of Telekinesis, the ability to move things without contact. Traffic was light last night, so she took control of the tracker’s car and steered it off of an overpass. They both died instantly, and it looked like an accident.”

I can’t believe sweet little Ms. Olivia is capable of killing someone. She’s a healer.

Ezra’s eyes study my reaction. “She is a healer, but she is also a guardian. Killing is never something we want to do, but as guardians, it is something we need to do at times. The Sondian fellowship sees you as a threat, and they are going to do what they must to eliminate you. Sam is behind all of this.”

Ezra paces the floor. “You and Nate need to focus on protecting each other and giving each other balance and strength. Your battle is just beginning.”

Ezra looks distraught and anguished, and I feel the urge to comfort him. I walk over to him to stop him from pacing, putting my hand on his shoulder.

“Ezra, thank you for protecting me last night. Nate took very good care of me.”

I look at Nate briefly as he glances up from his hands. He’s worried that I’m mad at him, so I let him know that I’m not.

Then, I take my hand, ball it up into a fist, and slug Ezra on the arm for withholding the tracker information from Nate and me.

Ezra winces. “Ouch!”

I add, “And, don’t try hiding this tracker crap from Nate and me again. Got it?”

Ezra stretches his arm out to soothe the muscle. He smirks. “Yeah, I got it, dear gentle daughter.”

I smile sarcastically back at Ezra. I grab my coffee and head toward the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower, so we can get this show on the road. When do we leave?”

Ezra hollers after me, “In thirty minutes.”

I mumble
as I enter the bathroom, “Great. Let’s do this!”

* * *

I finish packing up in record time and head to the garage door. When I open it, I see that Ezra and Nate have already packed the car. They’re talking with someone out front. I throw my bags into the trunk and walk toward the voices.

I round the corner toward the front porch of the villa and see Ms. Olivia sitting on a chair with Ezra and Nate standing around her. They all look at me.

Ms. Olivia greets me. “There’s my girl. Come over here.”

She stands, opens her arms, and beckons me to her. I quickly walk up the steps and into those warm arms.

I whisper to her, “Are you okay?”

I feel a trickle of energy run from her body to mine.

She whispers, “Yes, but I’m staying here while you all are away. It’s safer.”

She pats me softly on my back and releases me from our embrace. Ms. Olivia cups my face in her hand and whispers, “Are you okay, Jes?”

I know she’s referring to Nate and me, what happened between us last night, and what will happen today when we see Xander.

I close my eyes, focusing on letting only Ms. Olivia into my mind. I know she’s reading my mind when I feel Ms. Olivia place her hands on my head. A current of warm energy passes from my head over my entire body. Instantly, I feel an inner peace wash over me. She softly lifts her hands from me, and I open my eyes. I mouth the words “thank you,” hoping that my words let her know she has given me precious peace for now.

* * *

Ezra commandeered a private jet for our trip to retrieve Xander. The flight will take just over an hour.

I look out the window as we take off. The humming sounds of the jet engines relax me. I close my eyes, but it’s just for a moment. As soon as I feel the plane jump, I open my eyes again. The plane is dark, except for one small reading light shining down on a head in front of Ezra.

That seat was empty.

Ezra peeks his head over his chair and looks back at Nate and me. Nate’s head pops up over his seat. He glances at me, and then he looks past me with a questioning expression on his face. I follow his gaze over my chair.

There is a man sitting behind me. I shift away from the man and move toward Nate.

Nate and I both stand defensively eyeing the calm man staring at us.

Ezra calls out, “Sebastian and Balthazar.”

I look back at Ezra. Sebastian turns in his seat to face us. I look back at the man behind me, Balthazar. He nods at me and says, “We have something to show you all.”

A bright flash blinds me, and I instinctively shield my eyes.

* * *

When I pull my hand away, I am in the hallway of a house.

I see Balthazar, the same man in the plane, running his hand along the intricate scrolls engraved into the wooden panels on the wall. I watch as Balthazar smiles.

I sense he is remembering his time here as a child with his father, Sebastian. I observe as Balthazar lets his hands drop, placing them in his pockets.

I hear Balthazar’s thoughts. It wasn’t easy to astral project without the Copula any longer. It took me multiple attempts and two long hours to project to Sebastian the first time. Trying to focus my energy with painkillers in my system probably didn’t help. This time it took longer to project; my abilities are weakening without the Copula.

I see the double doors of the library are slightly ajar. I look down the hall to see what he is referring to. A light is bleeding into the hallway from the room.