DENTELLE
By Heather Bowhay
Published by Heather Bowhay at Smashwords
Copyright 2013 Heather Bowhay
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary, and all the characters portrayed in this book are fictitious and not intended to represent any specific persons, living or dead. At times, certain settings may be referred to by their true names, but the incidents portrayed or taking place there are entirely products of the author’s imagination. At no time should the reader infer that any of the events in this book ever occurred.
~To all the readers, especially those of you who have taken time to leave a rating, write a review, or contact me on my blog. I love hearing from you!
~And to my dad, I miss you! I will always remember your advice, “Two hands for beginners.”
~H.L.B.~
DENTELLE
By Heather Bowhay
Copyright 2013 by Heather Bowhay
CHAPTER 1 – UNWAKEABLE
Acadia National Park, Maine
Darn blood-suckers had swarmed in and launched an all-out attack. Squirming in my sleeping bag, I shook my head side to side and swatted the air around my face. But the damage had already been done. Perceiving me as a human buffet table, the mosquitoes had feasted unmercifully while I’d slept. What a frightening sight I’d be by morning light – with a face flared up like an acne mine field. So much for bug spray. After swiping the last of the nasty little buggers away, I grabbed the edge of my sleeping bag and pulled it to the tip of my nose.
The sky, an inky-black canvas for a million stars and a few scattered clouds, stretched endlessly. But it was the bright, waning three-quarters moon that captured my attention. I cursed under my breath.
The moon.
Oh yes, the moon. My evil nemesis. Worse than a pack of blood-sucking skeeters any day. And here it was shining down on me, like a friend from the heavens above. But I knew better. Really, it was taunting me.
Breathing deeply, I checked my emotions, reminding myself that only a full moon warranted my darkest wrath. For Guardians, a full moon meant broken links and a day of freedom, but for Ash and I, it meant nothing of the sort. Instead, it was a reminder of our indestructible bond. I don’t think the word linked even defined our connection; chained was much more accurate.
Six months of full moons and our link had not broken once. Why? Well, I didn’t know and neither did anyone else. There were no explanations, because I wasn’t a Guardian. I was a Dentelle – the only Dentelle. And apparently, I was writing history with every day I lived. At first we’d kept our perma-link a secret, only telling our closest friends. But after a couple months, we’d decided the secret was too big and came with too many unknowns, and in time everyone would start asking questions. Deciding the extra support would be beneficial, we’d told everyone in the Bellingham Circle – meaning the Walkers and the Nelsons. An astonished Mr. Walker had deliberated on the best course of action and eventually decided the Senior Council needed to be informed. By now, everyone in the Guardian Network probably knew there was a Dentelle in Bellingham.
Poor Ash; his misfortune had been linking with me. And together – we were trapped.
In an effort to focus on something more pleasant, I searched the sky for constellations. Immediately, I fixed my sights on Cassiopeia and wished I hadn’t. Hardly uplifting, gazing at a constellation named after an Ethiopian queen who was punished by Poseidon for her vanity. Punished. That’s how I felt, like the Gods were punishing me, too. But why?
Trying to ease the kinks in my back, I wiggled around some more and then stretched. Maybe the mosquito attack wasn’t the only reason I’d woken up. More likely it was the jagged rock digging into my spine. Or maybe it was just the unfamiliar sound of waves slapping the rocky shoreline below or the cool gusts sweeping off the ocean. Whatever it was, it didn’t really matter now, because I was wide-awake.
Except…something didn’t feel right. Goose bumps prickled my arms as waves of apprehension swept over me. My gut was telling me it was too quiet, even for our “off the beaten path” location.
Jason’s older brother, Michael, certainly had connections. Somehow, he’d gained permission for our group of ten to do a little backcountry camping in this primitive area of Acadia National Park. We were a good half mile away from the 300 close-knit sites in Blackwoods Campground. Despite the cool, crisp air, I felt stiflingly hot inside my sleeping bag. Even my thermal t-shirt and yoga pants clung to my body as if pasted to my skin with sweat.
Everything was quiet now. The breeze had stopped. The forest slept. Even the waves had stopped slapping the rocks. All I heard were warning bells ringing in my head. My instincts were telling me something was wrong. I bolted into a sitting position, looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Ash, Laci, and Max on one side of me all sleeping peacefully. Well, all was peaceful until Ash rolled onto his back and started snoring like Darth Vader. I smiled to myself. Totally normal, for sure.
My imagination must be working overtime. The only thing amiss in our campground, or the universe, for that matter, was Ash’s snoring – and our unbreakable link. For final reassurance, I turned the other way to make sure the rest of my friends were accounted for. On my left, looking like a goddess even in sleep, Madison’s thick mane of black hair flowed around her flawless face and cascaded over her neon-pink sleeping bag. Briefly, I wondered why the bugs weren’t swarming her. Knowing Madison, she probably had some secret insect-repelling beauty product that cost a fortune.
I’d learned quickly that Guardians were hardcore when it came to camping. They didn’t use tents or mats. Unfortunately, all this Essence of mine hadn’t alleviated any of the aches and pains I’d acquired while sleeping on rocky ground. I was seriously considering siding with Madison the next time she fought for camping upgrades, but then I’d have to admit I was a glamping-sort-of-girl after all.
Next to Madison was Jason’s sister, Hannah. Her blonde hair was still in a single braid, but wispy strands had escaped in all directions. When my gaze fell upon Jason himself, my heartbeat quickened. Even while sleeping, he stole my breath away. The radiant moonlight highlighted his short blonde hair and strong angular jaw line. I sighed.
Falling in love with him had not been part of my plan. I’d even fought off the attraction and the feelings, but something had kept me going back for more. More of his hurtful brush-offs, I should say. No woman should put up with that many rejections. I still couldn’t believe I had. Luckily for us, I’d found out in time there was a logical explanation for his cutting behavior: he’d been trying to protect me, and he’d been trying to follow Guardian protocol. Once he’d finally stopped fighting fate and admitted his feelings for me, our love had flourished. At least now I understand how love makes people do stupid things and I can empathize.
Besides being ruggedly handsome, he’s intelligent, well-read, and confident. I find his zest for life and self-confidence insanely attractive. I believe he is my soulmate, and I believe our love can last a lifetime, but the odds are stacked against us. First off, Amethyst-Guardian relationships are not permissible under the Guardian laws, so we are currently in violation there. Breaking Guardian code is something he struggles
with every day, but he’s told me our love is worth the risk and the fight. We even have our friends lying for us. And it still sucks that he gets burned every time he touches me – not beneficial from a romance standpoint. Worst of all, I have a link with Ash that might last forever. Complications stemming from our perpetual-link have only compounded over the last several months, and things are about to get interesting with the Senior Council stepping in to voice their opinion on the matter.
Yep. A future with Jason looks bleaker every day.
A mosquito buzzed around my ear again, triggering an urge to scratch all the bites. I slapped the rogue bug away and began rubbing my neck and cheeks. Generating a brilliant idea, my brain finally joined the party, and I launched a full-blown Essence attack on myself. The relief was instant. I snorted at my stupidity. Should have thought of that like ten minutes ago.
I lifted my gaze from Jason to his brother Michael, and then on to Michael’s girlfriend, Sienna, who also happened to be his Guardian partner. They attended Husson University here in Maine and were both majoring in business. When I looked at the last sleeping bag, I frowned, partly because it was empty, and partly because it was in disarray. Izzy, along with Michael and Sienna, was a member of the Bangor Circle of Guardians. But she was an Amethyst.
Maybe nature had called and she’d hurried off to a secluded area. I made a face – nothing more exciting than searching for a tree in the dark, squatting over poison ivy, and hoping you didn’t roll into a ditch or something. Guys had it so easy.
Odd, though; I hadn’t heard her or any other noises. And Izzy’s sleeping bag looked like it had t-boned and been dragged several feet away. Curious how her pillow was still in place next to Sienna. Rubbing my eyes, I considered going to find her. Slowly, as if that would make it any quieter, I unzipped my sleeping bag. But before I could stand up, I felt a pounding in the back of my head.
Snapshots. Not good! I closed my eyes and the swirling colors shattered the recesses of my mind. Quickly, the fragmented colors pulled together and formed images:
Two big, bulky figures, carrying Izzy through the woods and up the mountain
A bound and gagged Izzy being thrown into a van
Izzy, tied to a chair, surrounded by a group of people
A guy with glowing amber eyes, reaching out to touch her…a Ray-pac?
The images ended, the colors dispersed, and my eyes shot open. My heart sped up, and as I jumped to my feet, I tried to make sense of the premonition. It appeared Izzy had been kidnapped…and right under a bunch of Guardian noses. How was this possible? How could no one have noticed? Unreal!
As I shook Ash and Madison, I knew this was not a random abduction. Izzy was an Amethyst, and there had been a few other Amethyst disappearances in recent months. These occurrences were causing great concern throughout the entire Guardian Network. When I’d first encountered that psycho maniac, Kieran, up by Nooksack Falls, he’d informed me that an Amethyst’s Essence could not be stolen. But later, he’d made contradictory comments to Ash, and now we suspected the Ray-pacs had indeed found a way to strip an Amethyst of his or her Essence. Besides that, Kieran has attempted to capture me several times. I’m just lucky he’s failed each time.
Blood flowing through my veins turned to ice at the thought of Kieran. He was still out there somewhere, and we had unfinished business. Someday he and I would meet again, and it wasn’t going to be pretty when we did.
Diverting my attention back to the task at hand, I became frustrated. Why weren’t Ash and Madison moving? “Wake up, you guys,” I yelled. “Izzy’s been kidnapped.” But it was weird. Neither Ash nor Madison reacted to the violent shaking. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they’d both been knocked out cold. Reaching past Ash, I tugged at Laci and Max, but they were unresponsive, as well. Spewing several choice words, I looked around frantically. What now?
Taking a different approach, I decided to focus solely on Ash. Moving directly above him, I seized his arms, pulled him into a sitting position, and spoke telepathically, “Ash. Wake up!” I screamed in his head. I’d learned quickly that yelling telepathically was just like yelling out loud – it could easily blast out the eardrums. Totally bizarre, but that’s how it worked. “Wake up, now! Izzy’s been kidnapped.”
Finally, Ash stirred. “What? Just slow down and stop screaming in my head, woman. I can’t understand a thing you’re saying.”
“You need to get up. Now!” I said with renewed urgency.
He sat up, grabbed my shoulders, and gave me a cheesy grin. “Why are you sitting on me, Lexi? Don’t get me wrong, I mean it’s not a bad thing to wake up and find a crazed woman in your lap, but this screaming and with your boyfriend right next to us – don’t you think…”
“Ash, just shut up and listen,” I said aloud and dragged him to his feet. He immediately sobered when I told him about my premonition.
“What’s up with these people?” he asked after several unsuccessful attempts of his own to wake our friends.
“It’s like they’re comatose or something,” I said. Shaking Madison didn’t work, so I slapped her face a couple times. In the past I might have gained some satisfaction from that, but not anymore. Actually, I felt sorry for her. I think she really had been in love with Jason, and then I came along and stole him. If someone took him away from me, I’d be devastated. I’d hate that person with a vengeance, too.
Pulling a lifeless Max out of his sleeping bag, Ash shrugged and said, “We don’t have time for this. Send Madison a blast of your Essence; see if that works.”
“I tried that already. She’s totally out.” Standing up, I hurried over and knelt beside Max.
Ash grabbed my arm and looked at me, his eyes gleaming in the night. “That’s it.”
“What’s it?”
“If Ray-pacs are involved, then I’d guess one of them has a Flair that puts people in a deep sleep or something.”
“Seriously?” I gnawed on my lip. “Well, then why didn’t it work on us?”
Ash grabbed my chin. “I don’t know, Lexi. With us, things are always…you know, different. Listen though, I have an idea – your Essence blasts aren’t working, but maybe if I put Max’s hand on yours,” he smiled, “he’ll wake up when he gets torched by that famous Amethyst burn.”
My eyes widened. “Brilliant. Ash, you’re brilliant.”
“I know; I know. I’m just a regular old…”
“Oh, shut up!” I interrupted. “No time for inflated egos. We don’t even know if it will work.”
“Of course it will.” He jabbed his thumb into his chest. “I’m always right,” he said, and I swear he winked, too. I couldn’t help but stifle a grin. Even though his ginormous attitude could provoke random acts of violence, he always managed to get us through seemingly impossible situations.
The plan worked, and it worked rather well. Max’s arms and legs jerked out like he’d been electrocuted, and then he shot to his feet. Even though he knocked us over and emitted several choice words along the way, I was ecstatic to see him conscious. In the face of danger, we all turned to Max for guidance. He exuded confidence and maintained a clear, focused mind. I was always happy to have him on my side.
In no time, I’d zapped everyone awake and filled them in on Izzy’s disappearance. Before we could even formulate a plan, Sienna had a premonition, and we knew Izzy and the Ray-pacs were nearing the top of Cadillac Mountain – about three miles away. We determined our best shot was to reach them before they descended the other side on their way to the parking lot. Once they forced Izzy into a van and took off, it would be harder for us to track her. The one thing we had going for us was that the Ray-pacs couldn’t handle Izzy without getting burned. That meant they had a few middle-men, ordinary criminals – the kind of low-lifes even I could best in a fight.
A few seconds of strategizing and then everything happened fast. Max, Jason, and Michael had Flairs that would get them to our destination first. I worried they might be outnumbered, but they
showed no fear. Max shape-shifted into a cheetah, his animal of choice – when speed was a critical factor – and he tore into the woods. Jason, being an Imitator, followed right behind, but shifted into the animal he preferred most. With esteemed appreciation, I watched his body transform, growing in length and size, becoming slender and elongated, until eventually he was pounding the earth on four, soft-padded paws. My familiar, tawny-colored mountain lion swished his powerful tail and disappeared into a dense weave of trees. While I still marveled at his abilities, I no longer experienced shock every time he shifted. Michael, with his teleportation Flair, faded from sight soon after his brother.
The rest of us took off at record pace, relying on our linked powers of speed and agility to move us quickly up the mountain. Laci, who’d recently been successful in expanding her shield to protect several Guardians at one time, took lead position with shield up. I felt safer knowing she was protecting us from any number of things, since we didn’t know what kind of Ray-pac abilities we were dealing with. Proceeding with some caution might prevent us from flying right into a trap.
As we raced through the Pitch Pine forest, I could almost taste the nearby Atlantic Ocean with each breath. The forever-changing terrain during our swift elevation climb would have been challenging for the average person, but not for Guardians. Good thing I’d had six months to adjust to my new linked abilities. One minute we were sliding dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, and the next we were leaping over giant boulders or tearing through boggy wetlands. After running on flat rocks through an open area, we suddenly merged into a spruce-fir forest. The darkness caught me off guard, and a tree branch brushed roughly against my cheek as I flew by. I must have inadvertently spoken telepathically to Ash, because even though he was in front of me and couldn’t see me, he was suddenly in my mind.
Dentelle #3 Guardian series Page 1