by J. Meyers
Quinn was already up to his elbows in soapy water.
“Sorry,” Luke said. “I got held up by Jorge.”
“I know.”
Luke’s eyebrows arched. “How?”
“Oh, I heard,” Quinn said. Then added, “Uh, that he wanted to talk to you.” Quinn handed Luke a clean bowl. “Good conversation?”
“He talked about my dad.”
“Yeah, I know,” Quinn said. “Tough topic right now, huh?”
“It’s not so bad.” Luke placed a dry glass back on a shelf. “I mean, it’s bad, don’t get me wrong. I’m not downplaying it. But I’m getting used to it. And so it’s not so bad. You know?” Luke sighed. “I’ll live.”
Quinn watched Luke closely, nodded. “That you will,” he said, and handed Luke another glass to dry. Luke wrapped the towel around the glass, twisted it back and forth.
“Hey, Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m really sorry about your dad.”
Luke felt that lump in his throat come back. He swallowed again, took a breath.
“Thanks, Quinn. Really.”
Forty-five minutes later Luke was drying off his hands and hanging up his damp apron. He turned off the lights, went out to the soup kitchen door where Jorge waited to lock up. Quinn already had his earbuds back in place.
Luke stepped outside into the cool dark night and stretched his arms up over his head. He said goodnight to Jorge and Quinn, and turned up the street toward his car.
Burlington’s streets were always quiet on Sunday nights. Especially in fall and winter. Luke zipped his coat against the chilly night air, and just stood there and breathed in the cool silence of the dark. His hand went to his back pocket, as it did many times a day, checking to make sure his dad’s flask was still there.
God, he missed his dad. Especially on Sundays. They used to finish up at the Food Shelf, then head to a diner to get a bite to eat and talk. It was probably his favorite thing to do all week.
But now he was alone. He worked alone, got out alone, and went home alone. Sure, Quinn was there, which he was glad for, and Jorge, and all the other volunteers. But he was still there by himself. Alone.
He found himself usually hurrying home each Sunday night to hang out with Sera, the one person who guaranteed he’d never be alone. But with what he’d Seen of the future, that guarantee was about to run out. And he still hadn’t figured out how to stop it.
So, he probably shouldn’t be daydreaming on the street when he needed to be home trying to change the future. He mentally kicked himself and headed to his car.
Quiet voices in the parking lot on his left and a prickly feeling up his neck made him turn his head. One of the Food Shelf’s clients—he thought her name was Gloria—was talking to some guy dressed all in black who he’d never seen before.
Luke paused, peered at them. He glanced back down in the direction Jorge and Quinn had both walked. They were gone. The street was empty. He looked back at Gloria and the guy.
Something felt wrong.
Gloria, who was not even five feet tall, always dressed in tight, bright colors, and was the loudest, most cantankerous person Luke knew. But she was staring at the stranger as if bewitched, demure and doe-eyed. And the guy looked off. Strange. He almost looked like he flickered, as if he were lit with a faulty bulb.
When the guy beckoned and Gloria obediently followed, goose bumps spread up Luke’s arms. Before he even considered what he was doing, Luke jogged toward them.
“Gloria!” Luke called out. She didn’t turn toward him, but the guy did. And snarled at Luke.
That threw Luke, but only for a brief moment. He put on a burst of speed and called out again, louder.
“GLORIA! HEY, GLORIA!”
She turned then, her eyes unfocused and looked at Luke. He reached out for her and touched her shoulder.
And she was back. Instantaneously. Her eyes sharpened, she scowled, and slapped Luke’s hand away.
“Don’t touch me, boy,” she said. She turned to the guy. “What are you looking at?”
Luke looked from the guy to Gloria. “You don’t know him?”
“Never seen him before in my life,” Gloria said. “Now leave me alone, I gotta get home.” She pushed past Luke and limped over to her rusty old sedan.
Luke eyed the stranger. Up close Luke could see him better. Light brown skin, dark hair, black eyes. He was much shorter than Luke and built solid.
“You should probably get home too,” Luke said.
The guy looked at Luke’s right hand, the one with the ring on it, for a long moment, then said, “Sure, amigo. Whatever you say.” He grinned at Luke, exposing sharp teeth.
Gloria cursed as she struggled to get her car door to open. Luke glanced at her, then turned back to the guy again.
But he was gone.
Luke whipped around to the sound of pounding feet behind him.
Quinn.
Luke’s eyes scoured the parking lot, but there was no sign of the guy. Quinn came to a screeching halt feet from Luke, bent over with his hands on his knees and wheezed loudly. Luke clapped him on the shoulder a couple of times, and Quinn held up an index finger in a just-give-me-a-moment sign.
When he’d caught his breath, he stood up, and said, “Is everything okay? I heard you yelling. Oh god, this hurts.” He squeezed his right side. “Why do people run for fun?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Just some guy bothering Gloria. Sort of.”
“Seriously. What could possibly be fun about running?” Quinn glanced over at Gloria as she pulled her car out of the parking lot and onto the street heading north. He looked up at Luke again. “What do you mean sort of?”
Luke shook his head. “I don’t know. It was just…strange, I guess.” He watched Gloria’s taillights disappear. “But he’s gone now.” He looked at Quinn again and smiled. “How far did you run?”
“Three and a half blocks. And running sucks, I’m telling you. I’ll probably have shin splints tomorrow.”
“I don’t know. Sounds like you need to get in shape. You’re whimpering like a total wuss.”
“I am a total wuss, and intend to stay that way. You jock-types think every problem is solved by exercise. Not all of us want to be like you, you know.”
Luke laughed and clapped Quinn on the back. “Well, thanks for coming to the rescue.” Luke looked at Quinn for a moment. “So you heard me yelling from almost four blocks away? Really? Wow.” Luke nodded. “You have dog hearing?”
Quinn half shrugged and shook his head. “You’re just exceptionally loud when you’re squealing ‘Gloria! Gloria! Oh, help! Gloria!’ It was really quite embarrassing,” Quinn said. “I mean for you. I just came to stop you from humiliating yourself any further.”
“Helpful,” Luke said. “And thanks.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Marc pulled into the school parking lot a few minutes after the last bell rang. Students were everywhere, and he carefully maneuvered to the back corner of the lot where Luke and Sera always parked. They were already at their car, chatting with a guy he’d seen a few times.
His heart pounded, and he felt the bite of anxiety like thousands of sharp teeth pricking his skin. He was suddenly aware of how fast he was breathing. This had to work. He’d given it time, but he needed to get closer to Sera now, to know for certain. The Shadows would want another update and he needed to have something more to tell them. And if he was going to hand them over to the Shadows he had to be certain.
If he was going to hand them over. No, he couldn’t think about that now. He just needed to focus on the task at hand. Cross that bridge, and all.
He’d been playing the part of the just-friend and his laidback approach didn’t seem to be working. Or perhaps it just wasn’t working fast enough. For he had been spending a great deal of time with Sera, Luke, and Fey, and felt like he was accepted. At least by Luke and Sera.
Fey was an odd one. He didn’t know what it was about her, but something was differe
nt. She was hot, no doubt. He’d never met anyone as beautiful. But there was something off about her.
Was it just that she didn’t seem to like him? Maybe. He wasn’t used to not being able to charm someone. Anyone. Everyone. He’d always eavesdropped on enough thoughts to find out just what he needed to do in order to win someone over. Of course, he couldn’t do that with Fey.
Sera and Luke seemed to genuinely like him. Sera, especially, he could tell. Which was good. He needed her to like him. He was banking on her liking him enough today to let him in. Really in.
He returned Luke’s nod as he drove past them to park at the end of the row, then walked back down a few cars to where they stood. Sera smiled at him. Good. A burst of adrenaline rushed his heart. He tipped his head down, looked up at her, and gave her a shy smile. That seemed to work with her.
“Hey,” Luke said, and reached out a fist to Marc.
“Hey yourself.” Marc bumped Luke’s outstretched fist with his own. He smiled again at Sera. “Hey,” he said softly.
“You coming to Muddy’s with us today?” she said.
Marc looked from Sera to Luke and back again. “Actually, I was hoping I could steal you away for the afternoon. Go down to the lakefront.”
Sera’s immediate smile gave him hope, but then she bit her lip, thinking.
“Just friends.” Marc held his hands up in front of him. “I promise.”
The way she worked her lower jaw side to side in a very slight movement mesmerized him. He really wanted her to say yes, and it suddenly had nothing to do with voices, headaches, or Shadows. Her lips curved up just barely at the corners and she squinted a little as she looked at him, her head tilted to one side. It took all his self control to not kiss her right there and then.
No. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t fall for her. He gave himself a mental shake, tried to clear his head. Focus, man. Focus. Eyes on the prize. Freedom. A normal life. He didn’t need a girlfriend. He didn’t need that kind of complication. He needed to concentrate on the task at hand.
Focus.
Fey walked up like a splash of ice water, and he regained his inner control. She eyed him suspiciously, glanced back and forth between he and Sera.
“Sure,” Sera said. She turned to Luke and Fey. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
Marc could feel Fey’s eyes burning holes in the back of his head as he walked with Sera over to his car. He didn’t need to hear her thoughts to know what she was thinking.
They drove down to Battery Park, left the car there and walked to the waterfront. For once there was no wind to blow the chill right into their bones. But still, there was a quiet, cutting coldness to the day. Marc shoved his hands deep into this jeans pockets to keep them warm, wishing he’d brought gloves. Though Sera would’ve teased him for it, he’d have liked to have them today. Hell, he’d have liked the teasing too.
“So,” Sera said with a sweep of her arm at the lake, “Does this remind you of home?”
“The frigid water? The chattering of my teeth? The loss of feeling in my fingers?” Marc said. “Yeah. Just like Florida.”
“I figured.”
“In fact, I’m surprised Vermont isn’t called the Caribbean of the Northeast.”
She laughed. “That should be the new tag line in our tourist campaign.”
They stood side by side, staring out at the water. There was no warmth to be had from the sun shining on them, but it was beautiful glinting off the smooth surface of the water. If they stood there long enough, they’d see the sun go down behind the Adirondacks across the lake, leaving a color-streaked sky. They weren’t going to stay that long, though. Not unless they watched it from the inside of Marc’s car.
“How are you doing?” Marc said. “I haven’t really had a chance to talk to you. Just you.”
“I’m okay.” Sera looked up at Marc, then sighed. “Mostly. I have to be, right?”
“No, you don’t. You can be how you really are.”
Sera was silent for a moment, then shook her head, and turned to look out at the lake.
“When I was a kid,” Marc said, “I had a turtle. Timmy.”
“Timmy the turtle? Really?” She turned to look at him.
“Don’t laugh. And yes, Timmy the turtle. He was my best friend for a long time.” Marc stared out at the water. “When he died, I cried for a week.”
“Over a turtle?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re comparing Timmy the turtle to my dad because…?”
“I loved him. And he was just a turtle. This is your dad. You have the right to not be okay for as long as you feel not okay. That’s all I’m saying.”
She pressed her lips together and looked back out at the water. “It’s hard for me to not be okay. I feel like I have to be.”
“Well, you don’t. Not with me.”
Sera was silent a moment. “Thanks.”
They fell still. Gulls cried as they swooped around the length of the park. A pair of moms pushing strollers jogged past, the little kids bundled up against the cold.
“I should have brought a coat,” Sera said. She was shivering.
Marc opened his coat wide. An invitation. And she hesitated for only a moment before slipping into it, wrapping her arms around his body. He closed the coat and his arms around her.
She leaned her head on his chest, and he had to work really hard to keep his voice normal when he said, “Better?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
She smelled so good—like a cool summer night—and the warmth of her body against his made him never want to move. He leaned his chin on the top of her head.
“Marc?” Sera turned to look up at him and he was caught completely by the sight of her lips. Man, he wanted to kiss them. She stared at his lips as she spoke. “Why did you come to Vermont?”
“Honestly?”
Sera nodded. “Always.”
“I was looking for you,” he said. Her mouth formed a silent oh, and before he thought about what he was doing, he leaned his head down toward her.
And she met him. Her lips were warm and soft, open. He gently explored her lips with his own, his heart wild, his mind on fire, his entire body tingling, growing more intense by the moment. He cupped her head in his hands, reveling in the silk feel of her dark curls. He didn’t want to stop.
He had to stop. What was he doing? He was going to scare her away, and that’s the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted the girl. This girl. More than anything else he’d ever wanted. She was amazing. And if she could do what he thought she could do? That just made him want her even more.
He lifted his head, opened his eyes, and saw the most beautiful shining silver eyes, looking just like the reflection of the sun on the water beside them. Below the eyes was a smile.
A smile!
“What happened to ‘just friends’?” She was watching his mouth, and it was all he could do to not kiss her again.
“You don’t kiss your friends?”
“Not like that, I don’t.”
“Hmmm.” Marc snuggled her into his coat a little closer. “You should.”
“All my friends?” She laughed, leaned her head against his chest. He wondered if she could hear how his heart pounded.
He paused, as if seriously considering her question. “Nah, just me.”
She laughed again, leaning back a bit so she could look up at his face. Though he loved the silence in his head when he was around her, he’d have given almost anything to know what she was thinking right then. He did his best to hold her gaze and appear calm. He wished she’d put her head back on his chest and stop looking in his eyes. He was afraid of what she might see.
“Okay,” she said.
“Okay?”
She gave a little nod. “Okay.”
“Really?” That was it? He was in?
“Really.” She leaned up toward him, and he was suddenly burning. His lips met hers again, but this time there was an intensity of sparks, like fireworks
going off all over his body. He brought his hands up to her face, his thumbs tracing the line of her jaw. His mind was blank except for one thought: Sera.
She was everything. She was all. And she was shivering again.
“You’re cold,” Marc said. “Let’s get back in the car.”
“I’m not ready to go home yet.”
He smiled. “I’ll turn on the heater.”
He could have danced her back to the car he was so happy. He had the girl. He’d won. Even without using his ability. He got the prize—he got to be with her.
And now he would know.
Oh. No.
And the Shadows would get her. Kill her. And Luke. His breath whooshed out as if he’d been punched in the gut. He turned to look at Sera walking alongside him, her warm hand slipped inside of his. He couldn’t do this to her. He couldn’t turn her in.
He’d have to figure something else out.
If he could.
TWENTY-FIVE
Josh’s mom, Anne, stared at Sera like she was trying to place her, and Sera was doing her best to not stare back or turn around and run away in a panic. She’d stopped walking toward the soccer field as soon as she’d spotted Anne. Sera’s eyes searched for something to focus on somewhere else. Fey, Luke, and Marc walked on without her, deep in conversation, oblivious to her absence. But Sera couldn’t move, the weight of Anne’s gaze held her still.
Anne appeared to make up her mind, and headed straight for Sera. She remembered, Sera thought. But that was ridiculous. Impossible. Anne had just woken from a coma the last time she’d seen her, and had been so loopy from the drugs that it wasn’t possible that she’d actually be able to recognize and remember Sera. It wasn’t.
Someone shoved Sera from behind, and she stumbled forward, almost crashed into Anne.
“Walk much?” Naomi said as she sauntered by. Her friends snickered.
Sera’s wide eyes narrowed to mere slits. If Anne hadn’t been standing right there she’d have exchanged a few choice words with Naomi.
“Friends of yours?” Anne said, looking after them.
“I wouldn’t say that.”