Symbiosis (Scintillate Series Book 2)

by Karen Tjebben

  “Have you ever felt that way before? How about when Ramel attacked you at school?” Alex rubbed his neck and exhaled loudly.

  “I was terrified when Ramel attacked me. I fought back because my dad always taught me to fight, to never go willingly. But this time,” I shook my head, “it felt different. This felt like something come to life within me and burst free. It felt like I wasn’t in control. Something inside me took over and fought him off.”

  “I see,” Alex said. His gaze drifted downwards, at my chest and stayed there. I adjusted my towel in order to ensure that everything was covered.

  “I… I’m sorry.” He turned red and looked away. “I was looking at your necklace.”

  My fingers coiled around the butterfly that I’d grown so accustomed to that I never thought about it anymore. My amulet was a part of me, a part of my identity. “I guess it doesn’t cloak my presence from Dolums.”

  “Well, he’s not blind. But it still may have saved your life today.”

  “Probably,” I mumbled. This necklace was valuable in so many ways. Not only was it made of precious metal and stones, but the most valuable aspect about the necklace was its priceless ability to cloak me from other-worldly predators. Could it also be a source of power? “We should head back,” I said. I kept the towel wrapped high around my chest.

  Alex leaned over and zipped up the backpack. “I got this.” He slung it over his shoulder as we headed towards the portal.

  “Will you come back later and look for the Dolum again?” I already knew the answer. There was no way Alex and Nick would let that thing live. It was dangerous, and it had an obvious taste for blood.

  “Yes.”

  When we arrived at the SUV, Alex placed my backpack on the floor of the passenger’s side. “I’m gonna change in the SUV,” I said. “Would you mind waiting out here?”

  “Not at all.” He went to the back of the SUV and leaned against the bumper.

  I sat on the seat with my wet towel under me and gathered my thoughts. I’d been attacked by another monster, but this time, I’d fought him off. I didn’t need to be rescued by Nick or Alex. I’d rescued myself. Where did that power surge come from? I’d felt the energy building in me as the Dolum threatened my life. Did that energy come from the necklace? Was my amulet a source of power?

  I took my board shorts and tankini out of my bag, extremely thankful I’d brought them along. Then I slipped off my panties and pulled up my board shorts. I unhooked my bra and pulled my tankini over my head. I balled up my wet clothes in the beach towel and threw them onto the floor mats beside my backpack. Cracking the door, I yelled, “You can get in now.”

  Alex came around the driver’s side and buckled up. “Do you want to talk about it?” he said as he started the engine.

  “No.” I rested my elbow on the car door ledge and looked out the window. “Are you going to tell Nick?”

  “Yes, he should know that you were attacked and that you defended yourself.” He looked over his shoulder as we backed up. The car jostled slightly and little branches snapped as we rolled over them. “This is huge, Kate. This means you’re nearing the end of your fledging stage. You’ll be a fully functioning Asteri soon.” He put the SUV in drive and pulled forward.

  My stomach flipped at that. Would that mean Alex would let up on his interference concerning my relationship with Nick? “Then things will be as they should be? You’ll leave Nick and me alone?” I looked at him, unsure how I felt about that. What if he did leave me alone? Would my feelings for him dissolve? Would my relationship with Nick return to normal, or were things too far gone? What about that surge of emotions that I felt for Alex? It was almost as strong as the surge of power that I used to fight off the Dolum. Could I see Alex as just a friend, or was he more than that to me? He felt like more than that to me, and I didn’t know what to do about that. I’m not a cheater.

  Alex looked wounded. He blinked and furrowed his brow. “I… I wasn’t even thinking about that. But you’re right. You’ll get to make your own decisions. I won’t interfere.” He took one hand off the steering wheel and swiped it through his hair. “Kate, I want you to be happy.

  6. Night Moves

  The warm water cascaded over my body as the shampoo and soap washed away the Dolum’s residual stench and germs. The only problem was, nothing could wash away the memory of him, his hands pressed firmly against me, the moisture of his tongue against my flesh, or those hideous words whispered in my ear.

  I touched the butterfly that hung around my neck. I knew it was powerful because it cloaked my glow to predators, but did it also provide me with a power source? This seemed like news to Alex. Wouldn’t his Rod of Asclepius provide him with the same type of benefit?

  I turned off the faucet and squeezed the excess water from my hair. Stepping from the shower, I wrapped myself in the towel. Steam filled the bathroom and embraced me in a warm hug. I wiped my hand across the mirror, leaving a clear spot, and looked at my reflection. Dripping hair was plastered to my head, tired eyes stared back at me, and scratches from the fall could never reveal the intense emotions buried within me. I placed my hand against my throat, just like the Dolum had, and felt the pounding of my pulse beating out its constant rhythm. Life is in the blood. How long does it take for life to end once the blood spills from your veins? Seconds… Minutes… Is it painful, or does shock numb your senses to the deadly flow? Would he have killed me quickly, or would he have savored even that?

  I opened the bathroom door and screamed. “What are you doing here?” I said as I clutched the towel closer to my body.

  Nick lay on my bed, his hands behind his head and his socked feet crossed at his ankles. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckled and crossed the room in two long steps. “Alex told me about today. I wanted to see how you’re doing.” He placed his hands on my arms.

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let me get dressed. Wait here.” I grabbed a pair of panties and my pajamas from my dresser and headed back into the bathroom. Usually I was excited to see Nick, but I really just wanted to forget about today, not relive it again. I ran my fingers through my hair before entering my bedroom again.

  Nick sat on my desk chair. His arms rested on the backrest, and his legs straddled the seat. “You all right?” he asked.

  “I’ll live.” I leaned against the bed’s headboard with my legs drawn up to my chest. “We didn’t know there were any Dolums around.”

  “That’s why we don’t want you going over there without one of us. You never know what you may find. It probably heard you running and followed you from a distance. You’re lucky you got away.” He leaned the chair forward onto two legs and took my hand in his. “How did you get away?”

  I inhaled deeply and slowly let it out, thinking about what happened and how to explain it. “He was on me, telling me what he was going to do to me, and I got really scared and mad. This heat built up inside of me and then it exploded.” I turned and sat cross-legged so I could face Nick. “It was like I didn’t have control of myself. I just reacted without thinking and fought him off. I had like… mega-power.”

  “That’s what I heard. As an Asteri, you’ll get all kinds of powers.” Nick stroked my cheek. “You’re going to have to learn how to control yourself. You can’t do stuff like that in public. Hiding in plain sight means that you can’t use your abilities, even if using your powers would be the easiest thing to do. It can be frustrating, to protect people and have the ability to do amazing things and not be able to use them. But blending in is our top priority. We can’t compromise our identity. Too much is at stake.”

  “I know,” I whispered, “but it was amazing… to feel that surge,” I said more earnestly. I grabbed the pillow and tucked it under my arms. “When you developed your powers, was it fast like that? Did it just happen?”

  “It was more gradual. A building over time, but once my powers hit, they were there.” He rested the chair back on all four legs again. “Do you feel like yo
u could summon that power again? Do you still feel it in you?”

  I shook my head. “No, I feel like myself.” I shrugged and flopped back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. “All this power and I don’t know how to call it up or control it.” I looked over at him. “Makes me kinda dangerous.”

  “You were already dangerous.” The mattress shifted as he sat beside me on the bed. “Don’t worry. You’ll get through this. You’re becoming the woman you were meant to be. The path may get rough at times, but you’ll fight your way through and stand proud at the end.” Nick lay beside me and kissed my forehead. His scent filled my head and knocked out my concern and replaced it with peace.

  “Alex told me I smell like gardenias. I guess I’ve been wasting my money on perfume.” I wove my fingers between his and pressed our palms together. “All this time I thought you and Alex had the same cologne.” I chuckled. “I guess I should’ve known something was up once I found out about the whole Asteri thing.”

  “Do we smell the same to you?”

  “Yes, Alex knew that.”

  “We should smell a little different.” His thumb stroked my hand. “I guess you haven’t noticed the slight difference yet.”

  “How are you different?”

  He turned his head, our faces were inches apart. “I spent a lot of time on the water. I should have a slight salty ocean scent.”

  I laughed. “Good thing you weren’t around a bunch of rotten fish.”

  “Funny,” he said flatly. “How do you know I wasn’t?” His lips pressed against mine, and I opened my mouth to his and felt the moisture of his lips and tongue as he tasted me. A heat grew in me and melted me into him. My hands trailed up his back, mirroring his movement on my body. His hands traveled over my pajamas, exciting the butterflies within me, but for the first time, it felt like their wings were grating instead of tickling me. Their manic fluttering felt unpleasant, which confused me. I loved Nick; I wanted him, but something didn’t feel right. His hands pressed into me as he pulled me closer. I wove my fingers through his hair and tried to remember how it had once been long. I imagined him along the banks of the ocean. His fingers clutched my thigh and pulled my leg over his, bringing me even closer to him. My heart raced along as each kiss grew more intimate, and I ignored the unease that grew within me.

  The front door alarm chirped, alerting us that someone entered the house. We stopped and stared at each other, frozen. I was torn. I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to continue kissing. I wanted to turn around the unease that I felt until I only felt desire.

  “Your mom’s home,” he said softly.

  I could see the hunger in his eyes. The same hunger that had burned in his eyes the night we danced in the kitchen, before I found out the truth about my Asteri heritage. I placed my hand on his chest and felt the wild pounding of his heart. “You should leave. She always checks on me.”

  He kissed my forehead and slowly stood up from the bed. “I’ll see you later.” He opened the window and crawled into the night, taking a piece of me with him.

  I closed the window and locked it. I returned to bed and slipped under the covers.

  A light knock sounded on my door. “Katie Bug,” Mom whispered and slowly opened the door. “Are you already in bed?” Mom looked around the room.

  “Yeah, come on in.” I lay on my side and propped my head on my hand.

  “How was your day?” Mom sat down beside me and rested her hand on my hip.

  “Good.” I smiled. “We took a run.”

  “That sounds like fun. I hope you stayed away from Jordan Lake. I don’t want you anywhere close to where they found those dead animals.”

  “Alex and I didn’t go anywhere near that place.” In fact, we were in a different dimension.

  Mom tilted her head to one side. “You didn’t go with Nick?” she asked suspiciously.

  “He was busy.”

  “Are you two okay?”

  “Yes, Mom. He just couldn’t make it.” I draped my arm across my head. “Don’t freak out. Alex and I are just friends.”

  “I know that. But does he?” Mom raised an eyebrow at me. “I think he may have a little crush on you.”

  “He doesn’t have a crush on me.” It’s worse. I think he’s in love with me.

  “Okay. What do I know?” Mom leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Sleep tight. Love you, Katie Bug.”

  “Love you too, Mom.”

  Mom turned off the light and closed the door behind her. Darkness surrounded me. I rolled over and burrowed under the covers, like a butterfly in her chrysalis. Warmth embraced me, and I quickly fell asleep.

  The animal skins that made my bed were soft against my flesh. I snuggled my face against the pelt and the furs tickled my nose. I swiped at my nose in an effort to ward off a sneeze and that was when I felt it, the warm hand stretching across my stomach. I knew this was a dream. Another one of the bizarre dreams I’d been having lately, but I could already tell I didn’t want this one to end. Lips placed kisses on my neck and nuzzled my shoulder. His warm breath teased my flesh as he gently tugged at my nightshirt. His body curved along mine, our legs bent so that our knees molded together and my back was pressed into his chest.

  He rolled me onto my back. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his kisses on my lips. I opened my lips to him, tasted him, and enjoyed the gentle touch of his skin on my fingertips. His bare chest hovered over me. My fingers traced the grooves of his muscles as my hand grazed over his body.

  “I knew you were awake,” he whispered. His voice sent shock waves through me. Beautiful green eyes peered down at me.

  “Alex!” I yelled and pushed against his chest, startling myself awake.

  I sat upright in bed and caught my breath as I spiraled in shock from my dream. This was the first time I’d had a dream like that about Alex.

  A tap sounded at my window. There was Alex’s face, pressed close to the glass. He swiped his hand across the alarm sensor and then turned the lock. To anyone else, it would look like magic, but to me, it’s just a day in the life of an Asteri. I got out of bed and slipped on my bathrobe. The window slid open.

  “Are you okay?” He closed the window behind him. “You yelled my name.” He stood there, tall and manly, oozing masculinity. I tried not to think about the feel of his chest against my hands. “Do you want me?”

  Did he really just ask me that? “What… what are you doing here? I thought you were going with Nick to hunt for the Dolum?”

  “Evan and Zoe went.” Alex flicked his hand nonchalantly. “I said I’d watch over you. They understood.”

  “Oh.”

  “So, did you want me?”

  “No.” I shook my head and bit my bottom lip.

  “Why did you yell my name?”

  I swallowed hard, fighting back the image of him in my mind. “I must have had a dream or something.” I shrugged and sat back on the bed. “Evan or Zoe could have watched over me.”

  “Yes, but I feel responsible,” Alex said. He pulled out the desk chair and sat on it. His arms rested along the top of the backrest.

  Go ahead, pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. “Why?” I asked. I couldn’t take my eyes off of his arms, the same arms that had just been embracing me in my dream.

  “That’s hard to explain. You’re in transition. You’re going through a lot of changes and those…” he let out a heavy sigh, “those affect all of us. I just want you to know that I am here for you if you need me.”

  I nodded my head. I really didn’t want to get into this with him again. I didn’t want to hear about his feelings for me. I didn’t want to know that he was jealous of my relationship with Nick, and he certainly didn’t need to know that part of me was drawn to him. If he knew that I had feelings for him, he’d be relentless in his pursuit of me. “I know that, Alex. You’ve been a great friend to me since the beginning.” He’d truly worried about me as I learned about my Asteri heritage, and he never pressured me about a relationship
until our dance on Valentine’s Day when he thought I reciprocated his feelings. He’d been a faithful and unwavering friend all along.

  His eyes glanced up at the angel mural behind me. “I like the picture, but I have to say, it’s not exactly what I imagined for a seventeen-year-old’s room.”

  I smiled at the mural that spanned the length of the wall. “I used to have nightmares. These monsters would chase me. I wonder now if they were premonitions of demons and the other fun stuff that seem to fill my life,” I joked. I shuffled across the bed on my knees towards the angel with the glow-in-the-dark paint on its wings. “Mom told me that my guardian angel would always watch over me. She put him here to remind me that I was safe.” I traced the golden wing. “Each night, when she turned out the light, his wings would glow, and I’d see him hovering over me.” I looked over at Alex. “The nightmares stopped.”

  “You felt safe, protected.” His lips formed the smallest of smiles.

  I rested on my feet, my knees bent under me. “Yeah.” I shrugged. “I guess a lot hasn’t changed. I’m still protected by angels.”

  “We’re not angels… technically.”

  “True. You guys have way too much fun to be angels.” I chuckled. “I’m glad you’re here, all of you. I’d be dead if you weren’t or completely confused.”

  “We’d never let you go through this alone.” Alex pointed at the mural again. “You have a brother. Why did you mom put two girls in the mural and not you and Reese?”

  I laughed and rolled my eyes. “It’s kind of embarrassing. When Mom painted this, I had an imaginary friend. I talked to her all the time. Mom even had to set an extra place for her at the dinner table, stuff like that. Dad was getting worried about me, but I outgrew it.” I sat at the edge of the bed and tucked the pillow under my arms. “I’m completely sane now. I don’t have weird visions, hear voices, or experience bizarre things… ever.” I laughed as I tapped my foot against the side of the bed.