Symbiosis (Scintillate Series Book 2)

by Karen Tjebben

  “Forever?”

  “No, but long enough for something to come along and kill you.”

  “Okay. Gorgeous fire flowers are dangerous. Anything else I should know?”

  “Innumerable bits of information, but for now we’ll just head home. Come on.” Alex took off down the path.

  I took one last look at the fatal flowers and then followed after him. It definitely seemed like he was running faster on our return trip. My sides ached with each intake of air, but I forced myself to keep up with Alex. He ran so fluidly, effortlessly. When would I be able to run like that? Would I have to wait for my transition to be completely over?

  Suddenly a pain shot through my leg. The leaves, twigs, and tiny stones dug into my knees and palms as I crashed into the ground. I screamed and grabbed my calf. It was as hard as a rock.

  Alex jogged up to me. His eyebrows were pulled down as he stared at my bulging calf. “You have a muscle cramp,” he stated.

  “Really?” I said sarcastically. I massaged my contracted calf, but it did me no good. The pain cut through me, and I couldn’t relax my muscle.

  “Just in case you didn’t know.” He chuckled as he helped me up. “Let’s get you over there, to the grass. You’ll be more comfortable.” His arm slipped around my waist, and I wrapped my arm around his neck. Leaning on him, I hobbled to the grass.

  . He knelt next to me and took my leg in his hands. His fingers gripped my leg. At his touch, my heart started racing again and the butterflies in my stomach flittered with excitement. His scent flooded my senses. He didn’t smell like sweat, but like sweet grasses and fresh meadows. His fingers gently massaged my calf, giving me goose bumps. “Does this feel better?” Those beautiful green eyes of his looked into mine as he waited for my answer.

  I wasn’t sure how to answer that. His touch was exciting me, and that made me nervous. “No.” I swallowed hard and tried to focus on the pain in my calf.

  He took off my shoe and pushed my toes back, forcing my calf to extend. The pain began to lessen as my calf began to relax. “It should start to feel better now.” He gripped my foot and rotated it with one hand while holding my calf in the other. Alex looked into my eyes and gave me a crooked smile. “I can feel your body relaxing.”

  I nodded; my heart beat wildly. When would his grip on me relax? “It feels better. Thanks.” I slipped my hands down my leg and freed myself of his touch while I pulled my foot free of his grip.

  His eyes sparkled as he smiled at me. It was as if he knew I enjoyed his touch. “Glad I could help. You should rest a minute before you get up.”

  “Yeah.” I leaned back on my hands and splayed my legs out in front of me. The cool grass cradled my bare legs. I looked around and tried to avoid Alex’s stare.

  Alex stood and picked a billowy flower off a tree. He held it close to his nose and inhaled the fragrance. “This smells like a gardenia,” he said. He held the bright pink flower out for me to see. “Would you like to smell it?” He knelt and offered me the flower.

  I felt the smooth texture of the stem, and then I brought the velvety petals up to my nose. He was right; it smelled exactly like a gardenia. “I love gardenias.” I twirled it between my fingers and the mass of petals waved like blades of grass in the wind.

  “That’s what you smell like,” he said.

  I chuckled. “What?”

  “Nick and I smell like grasses, meadows. You smell like gardenias.” His variegated green eyes burrowed deep within me. “I bet you didn’t know that.”

  I swallowed hard. “It’s your cologne, right?”

  He shook his head. “No.” He picked a long, emerald-green blade of grass from the ground and spun it between his fingers. “We smell like that because of where we’re from. Asteri take on scents that are significant in their home life. It’s a way to keep our past with us in our present. It’s also a way for other Asteri to recognize each other. It’s almost like a little marker, a tag.”

  “I guess you don’t want to grow up near a sewer then, do you?” I joked. He smiled and continued to fiddle with the blade of grass. “Why gardenias for me?”

  “One of the first things I noticed when we moved next door to you was that you have several flourishing gardenia bushes in your yard. My bet is that your mom brings those flowers in when they bloom. I bet the fragrance fills your house for an extended period of time, more than any other fragrance.”

  I inhaled the fragrant flower again and thought about all the times the gorgeous gardenias filled our house. “Mom puts them everywhere. They’re in vases, floating in bowls in the bathrooms, in containers in the hallway. There isn’t a place in the house that one can go to escape their scent. They’re her favorite. Dad thinks she goes overboard, but he isn’t around enough to stop her.” I twirled the flower, mesmerized by the dancing petals.

  “You like them?”

  “Yeah, they’re so distinct.” I inhaled the scent again and enjoyed the strong fragrance. “They permeate everything. The flowers are so white. They look almost pure.”

  “I know what you mean.” He placed his hand on the ground, next to mine. Our fingers brushed against each other, and I felt a connection with him, longed to be with him. “Purity is beautiful.”

  I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs. “Do you think we should head back?”

  “Probably.” Alex stood up and offered me his hand.

  I placed my hand in his and felt the strength of his fingers in his grasp as he pulled me up. I put some weight on my foot and felt some residual pain in my tender calf muscle.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. There was no way I was going to let him carry me back. I would hobble back if it killed me.

  “You should drink plenty of water when we get back,” Alex said. “You’re probably dehydrated. We should have thought of that.” He gave my hand a squeeze, and the butterflies in my stomach flittered about wildly.

  “Yeah, it isn’t that hot, so I wasn’t that concerned.” I dropped his hand. “I guess we won’t be running the rest of the way?”

  “No, but we’re almost home. We’ll get there together.”

  We walked the rest of the way, mostly in quiet. I wasn’t sure what to say, and I was glad he didn’t say anything. It seemed that whenever Alex opened his mouth lately it was to hint that he liked me, and I didn’t want the pressure.

  When we made it back to the lake, I couldn’t wait to get my water. The backpack zipper sung as it opened to reveal my prize. The hard shape of ice that had taken on the form of the bottle chilled my hand as I clasped it tightly. A light “pop” escaped as I pulled the stopper. Wonderful sensations flooded me as the ice-cold, refreshing water flowed over my tongue.

  I held out the bottle to Alex. “You want some?” I swiped my hand across my mouth.

  He shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

  I put the bottle back to my lips and continued to enjoy the water.

  “You did really well today.” Alex picked up a tiny rock and rubbed the sides between his fingers. “I don’t think you realize how fast you were going.” He turned towards the lake and threw the rock. It skipped across the smooth surface and left concentric circles expanding with each passing second.

  I gulped down the water. “How fast were we going?”

  He turned back and looked at me. “About 25 miles per hour. Maybe a little faster.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, that’s great for a sustained run.” He bent down and picked up another rock. “Do you see why we couldn’t run in our dimension?” He let the rock fly. It skimmed across the lake’s surface.

  “That means we ran…”

  “Well over fifty miles,” he finished. “You should be proud of yourself. I’m glad your calf cramped so close to home. It would’ve taken us forever to get home if you’d been walking.” He smiled at me and flipped another rock between in his fingers. “I guess I could’ve carried you, but I’m not sure how you would�
��ve felt about that.”

  I decided not to respond to his statement. I took another swig of water. What would’ve happened if I couldn’t have run sooner, if he would’ve carried me? How would my body betray me? Would I have been able to hide my growing desire for him? “I, uh, need to go to the bathroom.” I hopped up from the rock and pushed the bottle top down. “I’m going into the woods for a minute.”

  “I’ll wait right here.” Alex let another rock skip across the lake.

  I started across the clearing towards the woods. “Hey, Kate! Leaves of three, let them be,” he called out with smile.

  “I know what poison ivy looks like,” I shouted back and gave him a quick wave. “Thanks.” I walked until I couldn’t see him anymore and then leaned against a tree. I closed my eyes and listened to the birds, felt the breeze blow on me, and thought about his hands on my leg. The way his fingers massaged my calf, the sensations that stirred in my core, and the desires that awoke within me at his touch were too intimate. Almost like the intimacy at the Valentine’s Day Dance. His touch aroused something in me; something I didn’t know was there. He was right. How would I have felt if he’d carried me back? My stomach twisted, and I felt excited as I thought about possibly liking it. About wanting to wrap my arm around his neck and letting him carry me home. I didn’t need to go to the bathroom. I just wanted to get away from him for a minute. I needed to get control of myself.

  Instead of thinking about running my fingers through Alex’s dark hair, I felt the roughness of the tree bark against my skin. The course bark protected the tree, and I needed it to protect me, to distract me from this desire for Alex that kept bubbling up in me. For some reason, I was drawn to Alex, even though I didn’t want to be. There was something about him. Something inside of me wanted him.

  I closed my eyes and inhaled, hoping the cool air would refocus my mind. I tried to think about Nick, about our time together. How Nick had been with me from the beginning, protecting me. Sure, he wasn’t perfect, none of us is, but all the lies he’d told had been reasonable. I couldn’t hold that against him. Not really. What other choice did he have?

  Some twigs broke, and I realized that I wasn’t alone. “Alex, you shouldn’t be here?” I pushed off the tree and looked behind me. I saw nothing. Some more twigs broke, and I froze as the bushes shimmered and changed before my eyes. Chameleons have nothing on this creature’s ability to camouflage itself.

  He stepped towards me, appearing as if from nowhere, a naked man whose skin glowed white. I squinted, overcome by his brightness. Beautiful eyes shimmered like black opals and hypnotized me. I couldn’t move. He tilted his head as his beautiful face drew closer to mine. Strange markings, like ancient tattoos, covered his muscular body. He sniffed the air around me. My heart raced, thundered in my chest. This creature’s beauty did not mask its danger. Instinctively, I knew I was his prey.

  He raised his hand towards me. His fingers were long and sharp. He pressed his warm hand against my neck and felt my pulse with his long pointed fingers.

  “Alex.” I squeaked out. “Alex.” I said a little louder.

  With one hand against my chest, he pushed me against the tree. His other hand remained on my neck, still feeling my racing pulse. As he stared at me, the colors inside his eyes changed, like waves moving on the sea. No eyelids blinked, nothing cut his hypnotic stare.

  I knew what he wanted. He wanted the source of the thrumming that beat beneath my neck. He wanted my heart. It would be a prize for him. I had no choice but to fight. I thrust my knee between his legs and took off running. He bellowed a wicked laugh and tackled me from behind. I landed with a thud in the dirt. Between his weight and the fall, I couldn’t breathe.

  Twigs poked and scratched at me as he laughed in my ear. His tongue slid along my earlobe. “Delicious,” he whispered. “You will be a nice delicacy compared to the baser food I have grown accustomed to.” He sucked on my lobe. His teeth gently nipped me.

  “I’m not food!” I squirmed and tried to break free, but his strong arms encircled me and left me powerless.

  “Food? No, indeed.” He chuckled wickedly. “You are an exquisite feast. I shall not waste any part of you.” His fingers stroked down my neck and over my shoulder. “Juicy marrow, drippings for gravies, your blood shall season my wine and empower me.” His hand swept over my head, and his fingers ran through my hair and pulled my head back. “Your skull shall be my bowl. Yes, my pretty, I shall enjoy you immensely.”

  Anger welled up inside me. A heat filled my core and built, intensifying so quickly that I lost control. I pressed my hands and toes against the ground, arched my back, and yelled, “NO!” All the heat and energy that had intensified in my core propelled me up and forced him off of me. I landed on my feet and faced him.

  We stared at each other. His eyes wandered over my body, and then he smiled. In the blink of an eye, he was on me again, his powerful hands around my neck. I couldn’t breathe. His hands clenched tighter, and no air entered my lungs. Energy pulsed through me and radiated out from my core. I quickly brought my hands up between the gap in his arms and broke his grip. My foot made contact with his chest, and he went flying across the woods. “I said, ‘No’!” I yelled as he flew through the air. He crashed into a tree, breaking the branches he collided with. He fell to the ground, looked at me, and then ran off.

  “Kate!” Alex shouted. Confusion pulsed from him as he stood a few feet away, staring at me. “Did you just fight off a Dolum?” He stepped closer and touched my arm. “How did you do that?”

  At Alex’s touch, a burst of desire shot through me and melted every barrier I’d erected to keep myself from falling for him. Suddenly, I felt as if I was connected to him, like he was a part of me and I was a part of him. I shrugged off his hand, too confused by the emotions pulsing through me to answer him. Part of me was furious that the Dolum had tried to make dinner out of me, and another part of me was so distracted by Alex’s touch that I wanted to crush myself against his body. And as to his question, I had no idea where the power came from to fight off the Dolum. I certainly had the will to fight for my life, but I didn’t know I had the power.

  Alex placed his hands on my face. “This is amazing.” His fingers brushed my cheek, and my heart beat faster. “You’re very powerful.” His thumb grazed my lips. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  I panted, too shocked to respond. Alex’s questions brought me crashing back to the horrible reality of the attack. How did I fight off the Dolum? Where did that strength come from? Images of the Dolum filled my head. His stench still hung in the air, and I could feel his weight on me, pressing against me.

  I shook free of Alex and took off running. The trees raced past me as I headed straight for the lake. I pulled off my shirt and alternated hopping on each foot as I peeled off my shorts.

  Alex followed close behind. “Kate, what’s wrong?”

  “Don’t look!” I yelled over my shoulder.

  “What are you doing? Are you okay?”

  The water rose higher along my body the farther I went. “He touched me! He licked me!” I submerged my head. Water seeped between my strands of hair. I scrubbed at the spots the Dolum licked and bit. I tried to rid myself of his filth, his evil presence. I popped back up out of the water. “I have to get him off of me,” I yelled.

  Alex stood on the bank. Lines of worry marred his face. “Do you want any help?” Tension emanated from him. His hands were in fists at his sides.

  “No! I’m good. I… I just want to rinse off.” I went under again and willed myself to get control of my emotions, fears, and desires. What just happened?

  I entered the water for two reasons. I wanted to cleanse myself of the Dolum’s evil presence, but I also needed the cool water to abate the intense desire that was burning in my core for Alex. Perhaps the water’s coolness would dampen the overwhelming need I felt for Alex. I held my breath and swished my arms back and forth as I focused on the sensation of the water brushing against my skin
. The cool water calmed me. My heart rate slowed. I was safe in this protective womb of water. I popped my head out of the water and tilted my head backwards so my hair fell back, away from my face. “Turn around.” I spun my finger in a circle. “Would you mind getting my towel? It’s in my backpack.”

  “No problem.” He headed for the backpack. I heard the “zip” as he opened it. I watched him, hunched over as he dug through my things. Our relationship was built on trust, but there was so much I didn’t know, so much I had to trust them with. What did they trust me with?

  “Here it is?” He held up the pink and blue striped beach towel. “I’ll leave it over here.” He placed it on the grassy bank closest to me.

  “Thanks.”

  “I know the drill,” he said with a forced smile. He took a few steps and turned around.

  I rose up out of the water and quickly wrapped the towel around myself, covering my bra and panties. “You can look now.”

  The lines in his face showed the tension he held in his body. His eyes swept over me, not lustfully, but as if he was searching for something. “You said he licked you. Where?”

  I tugged on my ear. “Here. He even nibbled on me.” The thought was repulsive. That monster forced me down. I was powerless until… What? I got really angry?

  Alex stepped over and gently took my head in his hands. He examined my ear. His fingers cautiously caressed my ear. “He must have nipped you to scare you. It doesn’t look like he broke the skin. We’ll keep an eye it.” He gripped my shoulders. “Did he hurt you anywhere else?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “He started talking about how he was going to use my body for food, and that just made me furious. I got so mad that I exploded.”

  Alex nodded. “I saw him run off. You must have scared him. What did you feel before you exploded?”

  “Fear. Anger. I felt this heat swirl through me.” I inhaled and tried to recall all the sensations and thoughts that had passed through my head. “I just knew I wasn’t going to let him eat me. It was like this energy filled my core and exploded. It just radiated out of me.” As I pressed my teeth into the soft skin of my lip, I tried not to match the pressure I applied to my lip with the pressure I felt from the attack. Had Alex noticed that chewing my lip had become a nervous habit of mine?