by Debra Kristi
I crane my neck to see what’s caught his attention. Thick, dark shadows slither from the alley Dohlan disappeared into. No sign of Dohlan. My heart leaps into my throat. Both guys were in the same place but not at the same time. I stare at Jaden, my muscles tightening. He slides onto the bike like it’s second nature, and then waits for me.
I hesitate. What if—
Dark shadows spill into the street, climb across the adjoining buildings. I jump onto the back of the bike, quickly adjusting to Jaden’s form, slipping my arms around his waist and holding on tight. Kicking the motor on, he revs the throttle and launches us out of the dreary warehouse district, slithering shadows at our back.
When we arrive at the diner, Ry is sitting at one of the booths, his fingers tapping anxiously on the tabletop. He’s on his feet the instant we walk through the door. I smile mildly, and relief washes over his features. Rushing to throw my arms around him, I almost can’t stop and practically crash into his solid form. He might as well be a small car, as solid as the collision feels. He tosses his arms around me, hugs me tight, the heavy thump of his hand pounding on my back. It’s a welcome comfort.
“You’re frozen!” He rubs his hands briskly over mine. “What the hell happened?” Stepping back, he gives me a good once-over.
Jaden steps forward. “She made a rather impressive exit out the rear window of a moving vehicle.”
“That must have been something to see.” There’s a spark in Ry’s eyes.
“Your car was stolen by a real wicked piece of work. I was planning on taking the car back, but...” I throw Jaden a worried glance. “I got the feeling I should adjust my plan.”
Ry looks from me to Jaden and back again.
Jaden touches my shoulder lightly. “How about you take the backpack to the restroom and get cleaned up? You should find everything you need. Ryland and I need to get acquainted.”
I shiver, pull away, but smile kindly.
Ry looks tired when he glances at Jaden. I mouth be nice to Ry and take the backpack Jaden offers.
“When am I ever not nice?” Ry squints his eyes at me.
I shrug and head for the restroom, glancing back before I reach the door.
Ry shoves Jaden into the booth, then takes a seat on the opposite side. “I need your phone number.” He jabs his finger at Jaden, all kinds of grumpy-old-man in his voice.
I bite my lip and turn away, then hesitate. Wonder what they’ll talk about. Maybe I should stay. I shake my head. Ry will behave. Maybe. In any case, he’ll figure out what’s up with Jaden. I slip into the bathroom.
Under the fluorescent lighting of the bathroom, I see what I look like since running through the mines and jumping out of the car. My face isn’t too bad, if you look past the ugly makeup smudge. Primps left over from Crystia’s service. Even with the ponytail, my hair has that rats-went-to-town look to it. The rest of my body is what’s all banged up.
Anything I can possibly want spills out of Jaden’s bag. He’s provided makeup, hair accessories, brushes, toiletries, a change of clothes. How did he know? How does this stuff even fit? I peek inside, reach my arm toward the bottom. I can see the end of the bag, but I can’t feel it. This is like something out of make-believe. There is no real end to the thing. I pull a bag of my favorite prophetic chocolates from the backpack. My heart swells, and I pop one in my mouth. I study the backpack while smoothing out the foil square.
The mind will mislead. Believe with the heart and the soul.
I set the foil on the counter, taking its message into consideration while I wash the cuts on my arms. I clean up as best I can, combing tangles from my hair and twisting it up with a clip. A dab of powder, blush, and mascara helps brighten my face. Then I slip into my new duds, an expensive-looking pair of black cargo pants, a soft ribbed, short-sleeve copper turtleneck, and my super-cool leather jacket and boots. My old clothes get stuffed in the trash, and my precious pictures of Crystia and the tiny chocolate foil find a safe place in the backpack’s inside pocket.
When I emerge from the restroom, their faces are both red from an obviously heated exchange. At first, my presence goes unnoticed. Then Jaden’s gaze turns on me, a hint of mist swirling in his eyes. The spark of his approval has me momentarily weak in the knees. It reminds of another guy I know.
“Come to me,” whispers through my mind. I inhale, blink.
Ry follows Jaden’s stare. “You clean up nicely.” He studies my new look. “I almost didn’t notice you were walking like an old lady.”
“Thank you. I owe it all to Jaden.” I momentarily smile at Jaden, ignoring the jerky comment.
I push Ry so I can slide in next to him, and my smile slips from my face. Jaden’s gaze bores into me before he looks down into his drink. I stare at him, the way his hair falls, the way his hands wrap around his mug, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s hiding something. Ry nudges me, motions to my drink. Three mugs of tea sit on the table. The third one is placed in front of me. As I turn the cup back and forth in my hands, the warmth radiates through my palms, tingling my fingers. Shivers roll through me.
I look between them. “How did your little powwow go?”
“It went,” Ry says bluntly. “Looks like it’s the three of us from here on out.” He glances across the table at Jaden.
I lean into Ry. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous,” I say with a lift of my brow. He grunts, and I roll my eyes, then turn my attention to Jaden. “I’m glad you’re joining us.” I think. “What did you do to make him so testy?”
Jaden smiles, then shakes and lowers his head.
That wasn’t an answer. I frown and study him between narrowed eyes.
The waitress places a full breakfast order on the table in front of me. My stomach grumbles loud enough to tell everyone how hungry I am. Steam rolls off the eggs and sausage, the delicious smell setting my mouth to watering.
“I took the liberty of ordering breakfast for you,” Ry says.
“Thanks, I guess. I am capable of ordering for myself you know.” I throw Ry a challenging scowl and he returns a smug sneer. “Whatever, I’m starving.” I dig in.
“Do you have the ashes?” Jaden asks, seeming only mildly interested.
“Don’t worry. They’re nice and safe.” Ry pats his belt below the table. “I have her covered.”
“Um, what ashes?” I look between them.
Ry answers with a mouth full of food. “Your sister’s ashes. You’ll need them where we’re going.”
I draw a huge breath. My mind starts to spin, and I straighten up in my seat, suddenly excited. “Oh my Gaea! That’s it! Do you see, Ry? That’s how it will work. The mystic will somehow use magic and her ashes. Crystia and the vision didn’t lie. I will get her back, just as she was.” I look down at the table, my mind running through the possibilities. “It should have been me that died, not her. Crystia should be the Bringer.”
Ry twists in his seat to look at me, his face drawn and serious. “Ana—”
Jaden throws up his hand, halting Ry and getting a harsh look in return. “Ana, do you believe Crystia showed you this vision?”
I furrow my brow. “Maybe not Crystia, but some-thing did.”
Ry nods at my answer. I want to punch him. Punch him for making me question Crystia. I glare across the table, wishing tiny arrows between his eyes.
Ry’s hands come down on the table, and he lurches upward. “What are you doing?”
I slouch back in the seat, not wanting to be a part of whatever comes next.
“Have you experienced the ways of a Balance Bringer before?” Jaden asks Ry.
Ryland’s eyes spark with outrage. “You know I haven’t.”
A look of satisfaction crosses Jaden’s face. “Then what exactly is the problem here, Ryland? Is it that hard for you to let another guy into Ana’s life?” His gaze falls on me, and I sense warmth and caring there. I can’t, I won’t trust it.
Ry settles back into his seat, grumbling. “I don’
t have a problem if Ana wants a boyfriend…or you.” He throws his hand toward Jaden and looks at me sideways. “But I don’t like this. If she gets hurt, so help me…” His eyes narrow in on Jaden.
My spine straightens. “Okay what’s next?” I say quickly.
“We need to find transportation. Jaden’s bike won’t do for the three of us,” Ry replies.
“So, what are we talking about?” I whisper to keep from being overheard. “We don’t have the money. Are you thinking about stealing something?”
Ry leans forward. “Got a better idea?”
I don’t. Still, I can’t believe we’re sitting here seriously discussing a crime. I shrug and turn my gaze to Jaden. He seems indifferent to the idea. Just like someone else would be. Or…maybe what we do here just won’t matter when we get to the other world.
Nursing what’s left of my tea, I watch the waitress, thinking she’ll know to bring a hot water refill through some telepathic power. I keep my gaze on her back and speak to Ry. “Where are we going, and how do we get there?”
Tossing money on the table, he pushes me out of the booth. “This is not the place to talk about it. We should get moving.”
My gaze darts across the table, connecting with Jaden. An unexpected jolt of electricity moves through me when our glances meet. Holy Gaea, he is…
Jaden releases me from my trance with a motion toward the exit. “Shall we?”
I follow him down the aisle toward the exit, fully appreciating the way his form moves with each confident stride. My brain singing with each step, Dohlan, Dohlan, Dohlan.
At the door, Jaden reaches for the backpack, gently taking it from my grasp. “Let me.”
I tighten my hold. “I can handle it.”
“I’m quite aware of that. But what kind of man would I be if I let you carry it, when my hands are free?” He pulls softly on the strap.
I roll my eyes, letting him take the bag.
He stands holding the backpack between us. “I can see you’re not used to gentlemen.”
Ry slaps Jaden on the back. “You did an okay job at blending in until now.”
Jaden opens the door for us to exit. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve been impressed with how well you’ve picked up the speech. You’re smooth. I haven’t heard you slip much.” Ry passes through the door behind me, making Jaden exit last.
“Thank you. I’ve had a lot of years to listen and learn.”
Ry’s gaze narrows. “I’m sure you have, from afar. Not the same. You failed to notice that most boys here don’t bother with the nice little gestures you’re offering her. Gentlemen are hard to come by.” Ry’s eyes twinkle, as if he’s just won a contest.
Jaden’s jaw sets hard. “In this instance, I wasn’t trying to fit in or blend. I only wanted to help Ana.”
“Yeah.” Ry steps out in front of us and leads the way down the street. The tension from the earlier disagreement still weighs heavily between them. Must be why he’s being such a prick.
I’ve never seen Dohlan interact with other guys—not really—but if he’s inside Jaden, I imagine he’d want to slug Ry right about now. I roll my eyes and wonder how Jaden has been listening from wherever he was. I’ll find out. “I assume one of you knows how to hotwire a car?” I wobble, my feet burning with cuts and lesions. Both men extend a hand.
“Got it covered,” Ry boasts. “The three of us will attract too much attention, and these busy streets are not the place to shop. A quieter street is preferable.” Ry rests his hands on his hips and surveys the area. “One hopefully stocked with enough vehicles that we can get something halfway decent. Maybe it’s best I do this one alone.”
“I don’t think—”
Jaden pulls me into his side, cutting off my words. “That’s a fine idea, Ryland. How about Ana and I wait for you in front of that corner store?” Jaden points to a twenty-four-hour convenience store half a block away.
“I shouldn’t be long. I’ll look for you there.” Ry jogs up a side street and into the darkness.
I watch Ry disappear, and my stomach churns.
Jaden swings me around to face him. “He’ll be fine. And this gives us some time to get to know each other a little better. I thought you’d like that, after all those times you stalked me at school.”
My breath hitches. “I did not stalk you!”
His brows arch. “If you say so.” Jaden tugs on my wrist, leading me toward the corner store. “Come on.”
I throw him sideways glances while we walk, all my defenses standing on edge. Maybe I’ll wake up in the morning and find this was all a bad dream.
“I can feel you watching me,” he says over his shoulder. “Not that I mind. None of this is a dream, you know. You’re really here, and so am I.”
Did he just read my thoughts? I tense up, and my muscles howl. Rigid and sore, my body refuses action, and my walk lacks grace or style. Jaden’s fingers brush my leather-covered elbow, and warmth tickles along my arm. I wish he wouldn’t do that. It muddles my mind.
He pulls me to a stop on the sidewalk. “Are you all right? You feel so tense.”
He runs his hands down my arms, trailing a trickle of calm. I remember how wonderful it felt at Crystia’s service, but right now it’s not enough. I still feel the confusion and tension and pain. Plenty of pain.
“I’m fine,” I lie, hoping my face is convincing.
“Are you?”
I nod.
“I beg to differ. Hold still. Let me fix this.”
I take a step back, away from him. “Fix what?”
“You, of course.” He steps forward, matching my distance. There’s something about the sparkle of his eye that reminds me of a game of cat and mouse. I feel like the mouse.
“There’s nothing wrong with me!”
“Of course. You’re strong and powerful. You’re simply out of balance due to the change you’re experiencing. Relax. This is one of the reasons I’m here.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ll explain once you’ve calmed down. Now hold still.”
I want to trust him, as if wanting to is built into my DNA or something. So I relax, and a tiny giggle escapes. I bite down on my lip, holding my laughter at bay. Whatever he’s doing, it looks silly. I can only imagine what it looks like to any cars passing by. With his eyes closed, he places his hands at the top of my head, barely touching. Slowly he moves them down around my head and shoulders, until he’s skimming my arms, stopping when he reaches just above my wrists, where he grabs hold. An electric shock travels through my arms and up my neck. I imagine my hair standing on end.
He smells good, standing this close. I want to kiss him, to throw myself at him. He keeps electrocuting me. His face goes out of focus. He’s shifting forward. My heart accelerates into overtime. His breath tickles the curve of my neck.
Then it happens, though I’m not even sure what triggers it. Did he breathe differently? Was it a word spoken? All I know is I’m overcome and lost all at once. It’s a rush like no other, as a surge of emotion catches me, lifting me to such incredible heights I think I might pass out from a lack of oxygen. It twists within and around me, all negative emotions rolling out. I reach a crescendo. I’ve never felt so satisfied. I hover on that plateau, suspended in space, a perfect moment, before the sensation of falling begins. Even though I know my feet never left the ground, I crash into Jaden’s arms, my strength sapped. When did he get behind me?
I’ve fallen backward, and Jaden caught me. Kneeling on the hard cement sidewalk, he holds me, brushing the hair from my eyes. It clings to the perspiration on my face.
“What was that?” I drag in a ragged breath. “It felt…it felt…”
He smiles devilishly. “Slightly erotic?”
“Well, yes.” I don’t want to let on how much so. I push away from him, trying to get up.
Before I can get away his hand wraps around my wrist, tugging me to him. “Since when did you start confusing me with another
guy?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I’ve momentarily forgotten my suspicions, thinking he and Dohlan were one and the same. Jaden made me forget. “I—”
“Please, never doubt me.” He threads his hands through the hair at my temple. “Feel me.”
What does that mea—
His lips descend upon mine, and the kiss I’ve only daydreamed about blooms into reality. I’m crashing into him, and he inhabits my soul. Lifetimes exist in that moment. Lifetimes of us forever together. All our incarnations living throughout the ages, and he has always been there. Nothing is more pure, more real, more eternal. And I never want it to end—but then it’s over.
He smiles playfully. “Come on, we should get off the street. Want me to carry you?”
“I can walk.” We say nothing of the kiss. But I will never confuse him with Dohlan again, ever.
“I thought you would say that.”
All I have to listen to for the rest of the walk is the light traffic and my internal monologue. If we were to talk, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I feel like I just got the highs and lows of sex without the deed. With Jaden. On a busy street. And I didn’t even get to inspect the merchandise. I have to admit, though, I feel less tense—tranquil even—and strangely energized. Then there’s the kiss.
We find a spot to sit and wait on a half-wall to the side of the store. It’s not extremely comfortable, although it’s a relaxing sort of quiet. We’re half-hidden in shadow, so we aren’t blatantly obvious, and Ry won’t miss us with his keen eyesight.
Sitting in the stillness of the parking lot, my questions threaten to bubble over. I open my mouth to fire the first one away, but Jaden speaks first.
“Sex, huh?” His eye catches the reflection of the store’s street sign.
“What?” I try to hide my shock at the mere mention of the word.
“You were thinking it was like having sex with me on a busy street.”
Holy shit! “Okay, mister. Explain how you know these things. If you aren’t reading my mind, what then?”
A muscle in his cheek twitches several times before he smiles a crooked grin. “You remember our conversation from earlier, don’t you?”