The First Touch (63 page)

Grayton watched Ivan and
Autumn
fe
lt the tension building and
finally snapped
, “
Listen you two are going to just have to suck it up for a bit. Because the tension in such a small place is
stifling
for me
so sit back and relax, think soo
thing thoughts. Or I swear I am going to sing and you will both be holding hands and looking lovingly into each others eyes, so help me.
”

Both men looked at her surprised, and Gr
ayton said dryly, “Sorry.” She
shot a look at Ivan who
stared
straight ahead unmoving.
Autumn
smiled gloriously, as she put
the car
in drive, thinking a stream of profanity in her head.

Minutes later
she
parked her car in front of an all night diner, and opened the door. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment and saw the glow still pulsing off of Grayton and nothing coming from Ivan. She opened them to find Ivan by her side again looking down at her from the open door. He asked, “You are tired?”

She
smiled lying, “No I am fine just trying to adjust to the thumping.” Ivan nodded and then looked up at Grayton who was standing on the other side of the car still watching.
Autumn
slid her hand out and Ivan helped her to her feet.

Autumn
looked over at Grayton and watched him attemp
ting not to watch, so she
smirked and snuck a peck to Ivan. He smiled at her unexpected quirk and then she tugged
him playfully towards the diner.
Autumn
sat down at the largest table in the back corner and
she
cleared her throat as the waitress dropped the menus off at the table and walked off without even greeting them.
Autumn
slid her hand up to her temple and said, “Grayton can you dim the lights a bit love? My head is pounding and the light isn’t making it any better.”

Grayton blew out the bank of florescent lights near the table and looked at her to see if he needed to do anymore and
Autumn
smiled weakly and waved, “Thank you love.” Ivan shifted in his seat again as Flanagan’s friend walked through the door.
Autumn
smiled brightly, and waved at him to come to the table. He hesitated but the thumping continued to pull him forward again.
Autumn
watched his attempt to slow down sweat pouring down his face as his eyes widened.

Autumn
slid over Ivan’s lap and stood in front of the table telling her companion’s stay here. Flanagan’s friend seemed less alarmed by
Autumn
by herself, so she closed the distance alone. The two men moved to either side of the booth waiting for her command to jump.
Autumn
ignored them and began by apologizing to the man immediately, “I am sorry that I brought you here and I know that you must be a bit confused.” The male growled low at the two men at the table and
she
continued, “But I am a friend of Flanagan’s and he trusted you, so I am asking you on his behalf to protect me.”

The male stopped growling instantly and looked at
Autumn
bewildered, and
Autumn
smiled and continued, “I know that you of all people would be happy to see Mirth dethroned so to speak, and I am here to make that happen.” He eyed her suspiciously then and huffed disbelieving, and
she
replied frowning, “I know that I may not look like much, but I am the next eye.” The male leaned forward and sniffed her and then huffed again. “I know that this sounds bizarre but I can prove that I am who I say I am.” He huffed again, and
Autumn
beckoned him to come and have a seat with them.

This time he did not move and
Autumn
huffed
,
“F
ine, you and I can sit up at the counter and talk.
”
He nodded still eyeing the two males, and
Autumn
sat in between him and the other two males.
Autumn
smiled then and stuck her hand out introducing herself, “My name is
Autumn
what is yours?”

He looked at her again, “You do not know my name?”

Autumn
continued smiling, “No Flanagan did not tell me your name, he was busy the last time I saw you.” The man watched her and listened to
Autumn
explain the various lives, and her dilemma with Mirth and Gregory.

Then she ended with, “So my name is
Autumn
what is yours?”

The man replied slowly, “West.”

Then
Autumn
replied, “Thank you for listening to my story West, now that you know, I can explain the part where you come in.”

West frowned looking over at the two seated behind her, “I come in?”

She
frowned, “Grayton had no idea about the attack when he left,
I
tasted him to verify his story. He didn’t even find out until two weeks after it was already over.”

West nodded, and looked at Ivan, “And the other?”

Autumn
smiled again, “Ivan is my mate, bonded and loyal to me.”

West nodded, “Nice choice.”

She
frowned not understanding, “Why do you say that?”

“Ivan there is Mirth’s top soldier, with him protecting
you,
you will have a good chance of making it through the first stage alive.”

Autumn
nodded, “But once Mirth becomes aware of it he will likely bring an army to defeat him.”

West nodded, “If he finds him.”

“I think it is best to assume the worst. Mirth already knows I am awake and that I escaped his men and Ivan has not returned. If he hasn’t already made the connection he soon will.” West nodded and was about too speak when
Autumn
cut him off, “I will give you a seat on my council once I awake and finish off Mirth.”

West nodded, “Yes, so why are we still here?”

She
smiled, “I have a few more people to meet with like
yourself
and I need to rally them before leaving town and laying down to rest.”

West replied, “Well then we should at least keep moving.”

Autumn
nodded, “Alright but Sophia is close and I want to wait for her then we can leave.”

West smiled
politely
, “Very well
,”
Autumn
ordered a coffee and a water and the two sat silently waiting for Sophia.

Minutes later the door opened
,
sending a swish of cold air
and bells jingling into the silent diner
. As it clos
ed,
Sophia looked around the diner
nervously spotting
Autumn
quickly. The look of relief was
instantaneous
and
Autumn
smiled wide, and greeting her warmly. West watched the two and
Autumn
smirked
at him
noting
his
interest
.
She
put down some cash and then introduced
West
and her other two companions.

To the surprise of everyone in the room,
Autumn
stopped short of touching her arm when she smelled her. The hiss that followed her discovery was involuntarily but all three of the men were dark eyed and ready to pounce on Sophia.
Autumn
breathed out of her mouth trying to get the smell out of her chest and finally looked at Sophia’s face.

The bewildered look there was enough to bring
Autumn
back to center again. The change in the group was startling and
she
put her hand out gesturing for them all to sit again.
Autumn
apologized profusely to Sophia and said, “We are all a little on edge.” Sophia seemed confused
as
Autumn
smiled warmly
,
not
explaining anything. T
ur
ning
her attention to West, who
continued to watch
Sophia
.

“Can you do the honors for me West?” West stood up and pulled his
sleeves
up
bravely
. Sophia backed up a few steps eyeing
West
,
cautiously.

Autumn
saw her
fear and grabbed West’s arm pulling him back
wards
, “
Wait, I need to talk to Sophia first.” Sophia continued to back away her hands raised defensively still looking at West who licked his lips
at her his eyes darkening as he did.

Sophia could not seem to pull her eyes from him as she asked
Autumn
, “What is going on?”

Autumn
pulled her
sleeve
over her hand and tugged Sophia way from the men
, “
Let’s talk.”
Then she pushed her into the
familiar
bathroom at the rear of the
restaurant
.

Sophia instantly began her onslaught of questions
,
as soon as they were safely in the bathroom.
Autumn
raised her hands and slowly answered
.

Autumn
began
, “Why did you come here tonight?”

Sophia seemed taken aback by her words, “What? I came here to eat.”

“No you didn’t.

You came here to meet someone, who was it?”

Sophia continued to lie
, “
No I was hungry so I came to get something eat.”

Autumn
frowned, “Alone?”

Sophia huffed, “Yes alone. You should talk, in the past two years I don’t think I have ever seen you even have a single guest.”

Autumn
winced and murmured, “Well not everyone can be special like you Sophia.”

Sophia frowned
, “
What?”

“Listen it is nearly ten at night, well past your din
n
er time. It is also halfway
across
town, and you didn’t even do your hair or makeup. So what pulled you out o
f bed at ten o’clock on a Tuesday
night?”

Sophia averted her eyes
finally admitting
, “I don’t know.”

“
I do.”

Sophia looked up at her surprised
, “
So?”

“
You are special like me and my friends.”

Sophia’s eyebrows furrowed, “Special.”

Autumn
smiled, “Yes special. You see I have the ability to call my friends when I need them.” Sophia looked skeptically and
Autumn
smiled, “I can prove it.”

Then she leaned in and whispered, “West can you come here a moment?”

West pushed open the door and
peaked
his head in, “You called?”

Autumn
smiled and said
, “
I just wanted to prove a point. Thank you.” West nodded and winked at Sophia and then closed the door.

She
turned back to t
he wide eyed Sophia who
asked
nervously
, “
What do you mean special?”

Autumn
smiled again, “Well it’s had to explain, but
they call themselves, Vessels….
Genetically superior super
humans that
live secretly
among
us.”

Sophia raised her eyebrow, “What?”

“It is a gene, well a marker that you and I carry, that allow for us to bond with them.”

Sophia frowned, “bond?”

“Yes bond and change into one of them.” Sophia looked as if she were going to bolt, and
Autumn
stepped in between her and the door. “You didn’t ask me why they were superior.”

Sophia finally bit, “Why are they?”

Autumn
smiled, “Super speed, strength, faster healing times, sharper
senses
and a longer life span.”

Sophia tilted her head now
, “
How much longer?”

Autumn
smiled again
, “
Like hundreds of years longer.”

Sophia replied flabbergasted
, “
No way.”