Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series

by Heather Bowhay

  “Actually, the ride was awesome,” I replied.

  “I don’t know how he does it?” Kai shrugged. “He’s totally obnoxious, but then after some one on one time, the ladies always fall victim to some mysterious, hidden charm.”

  I tapped Kai’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about me Kai, I’m not his victim.”

  Kai looked suspiciously from me to Ash but threw his hands in the air and said, “There’s no insight to be gained from those faces. So, good for you guys, I guess.” He turned back to Ben. “Don’t forget next Friday night. Come on over and listen to our band practice.” He grabbed my arm. “Lexi, of course you’re invited too.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “But I don’t know…” I paused and looked over at Ash.

  “Oh, he loves an audience,” Kai said. “You gotta come; then I can introduce you to my girlfriend Laney. Oh and Ben, thanks for the CD’s. I’ll get ‘em back to you then.”

  Ben nodded. “No problem, man.”

  Kai hopped on the motorcycle, and grabbed his helmet from Ash. “Later guys.”

  Ash looked over at me with piercing eyes. “Remember Lexi, any suspicious guys hanging out in the parking lot at work, go back in the store and call me.”

  Crossing my arms, I shook my head but promised I would. After they’d gone Ally, Ben, and I settled into the living room. Ben turned off the TV, stretched back, and plopped his feet onto the coffee table. Ally sat directly next to me, practically in my lap, like she was afraid if she sat too far away she might miss something exciting.

  For the next hour I filled them in on my adventures with Ash. I omitted the part about the snapshots, but Ally caught on immediately. Ben had tons of questions about the train incident, and he seemed to gain new respect for Ash after my recount.

  Ally had also learned a few details about Ash from Kai while I’d been gone. I wasn’t surprised to find out that he liked living on the edge and participated in tons of extreme sports. Apparently, he wasn’t always the most dependable person. He’d disappear for days without telling any of his roommates where he was going or when he’d be back. Reluctantly, Kai had told Ally that when Ash was younger, like 10 years old or something, his parents and older brother had been killed in a car crash. For some reason, Ash felt responsible, but he wouldn’t talk about any of the details. Kai didn’t know much more than that.

  Ash had lived in Bellingham for a couple years. He’d moved to the area so he could attend Western, but he didn’t seem dedicated to his classes, nor had he chosen a major. Kai said he’d never seen Ash work or apply for a job, but that was because he’d inherited a huge trust fund and was financially set for life. Kai thought Ash was basically a good guy who just hadn’t found his purpose in life yet. I could relate – only now, I felt confident I had one.

  “But more importantly,” Ally burst out, “is that he’s single.”

  “Not for long,” Ben teased and tossed a pillow at me.

  I just shook my head but wondered how, in only a matter of days, I’d managed to find two totally different but equally intriguing guys. My team had two, hot new rookies. And now that I was back in the game, it was going to be interesting to see if either of them could take my heart all the way to the Super Bowl. Of course, I had to get myself there, too.

  I’d been thinking, if saving people was my calling, I needed to view the premonitions as a gift not a punishment, and I shouldn’t be trying to escape them. I should be molding my life and my future around them. I had to stop worrying about making mistakes and know that giving my all was the best I could do. The daily disruptions would always be a challenge, but the victories would be momentous, because they would always mean life instead of death – especially if I was an Amethyst. Of course, everything hinged on me becoming an Amethyst, because then maybe I could fight fate and survive a mountain lion encounter.

  CHAPTER 10 – DISCOVERIES

  Jumping to my feet, I stomped around in the grass. “This is never gonna happen,” I complained.

  “Lexi,” Jessica laughed lightheartedly, “Give yourself a chance here. You weren’t born talking and walking, were ya?”

  I stopped moving and shot her a dirty look before slumping back down beside her.

  “Of course not,” she answered for me. “And what you’re trying to accomplish here will take time – weeks, maybe even months, so give yourself a break. Or at least give me one, because you’re driving me nuts with all the theatrics.” She whacked my leg with her orange juice bottle.

  We were sitting on the grassy bluff, a good 10 feet above the abrupt, rocky shoreline at Boulevard Park. The park stretched along the waterfront overlooking the marina and the islands. Walkers and joggers utilized the paved boardwalk behind us. Frisbees and soccer balls flew through the air in the open expanses of grass beyond that. Sitting in the shade of scattered trees, people picnicked while kids ran freely in play.

  My training had officially begun. The goal was for me to recognize, and then tap into, my own personal Essence, which was proving near impossible. Jessica couldn’t understand my frustration or my sense of urgency, either. I’d told her I was anxious to start helping people as soon as possible, and while that was true enough, I had to be alive in order to do that. Therefore, surviving my upcoming encounter with the mountain lions was paramount.

  Unfortunately for me, unless I could acquire the healing abilities of an Amethyst before then, I was likely to be mauled to death. That, in and of itself, was highly motivating, and for the first time in ages, fear hovered over me like ominous, thunder clouds. On a more positive note, at least I was experiencing fear at the thought of my own death instead feeling relief. Conveniently, the hallucinations from the bus accident had stopped and the headaches weren’t quite as bad, so I had to be doing something right. While I was resolute in my decision to spend the rest of my life devoted to protecting others, I was still working on forgiving myself for ignoring a premonition. I needed to release my inner demons and focus on the future as well as gear up for the fight of my life.

  Not to mention, there had been more strange occurrences in our town. Two more college students had been taken to the hospital, but lucky for them Jessica had paid them a discreet visit and shared her Essence. I regretted taking so long in making my decision to become an Amethyst, because maybe I could have learned something from her. At least I was here now, one hundred percent dedicated, and Jessica was still willing to teach me. In order to have a chance though, time was of the essence – literally. I’d been trying for hours but hadn’t sensed a thing.

  “Weeks, months, years…that’s too long. I need this to happen today,” I said, releasing a monster sigh. “Are you sure about my Essence?” I asked dejectedly.

  She shook her head and smiled. “Positive! You’re perfect Amethyst material.” Leaning back, she added, “Accepting yourself as more than just a physical being is hard, but this self-doubt stuff will destroy your chances of success. Take a couple deep breaths and chill.”

  I swallowed hard and nodded. Several times I’d been on the verge of telling her about my premonitions. I wanted to know if she thought I could heal myself after the cougar attack. But it was the strangest thing; every time I opened my mouth, I had to close it again, because a sudden wave of apprehension tore through my body. It was like some inner instinct prevented me from telling her about my ability. I figured I just needed more time.

  She cleared her throat. “I wish I could say I know how you feel, but I don’t. Since the day I was born my mother was there to guide me every step of the way. I had explanations even before I had questions. She taught me how to focus, how to share my Essence, and how to heal others with it.” She paused, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Lexi, your gift has always been a part of you too; you just didn’t know it. I promise you can do this.”

  Plucking a handful of grass, I threw it into the air and watched the pieces flutter onto my lap and over the blanket. “So, the only thing delaying my becoming an Amethyst is awareness of my own Essence?”r />
  She nodded, wrapping her arms around her legs she rocked back and forth. “Yes. You need to sense it within yourself. For example, you don’t always think about your heart beat, but right now if you concentrate, can you feel it beating in your chest?”

  I closed my eyes and blocked out the noises around me. “Yes, I suppose so.”

  “Okay good. Now you need to focus on becoming aware of everything your body is doing:swallowing, breathing, blinking…” she stopped herself. “Sorry, you know how easily I get carried away.”

  “And once I gain this insight into my own Essence, I’ll be able to heal people like you do?” I said my tone skeptical.

  “Of course!” She sat straight up and clapped her hands together. “Once you understand how it feels and how it flows, not only will you be able to sense Essence in others, you’ll also be able to direct yours and heal them. Not to mention heal yourself, if need be. You’ll never get sick anymore either. You’ll feel so absolutely, amazingly incredible. But,” she frowned, “self-awareness, the first step, is by far the trickiest.”

  “Hmm,” I mused, excited to hear I could heal myself if need be. “Well, how long did it take you? Or were you born aware?” I asked critically.

  She laughed good-naturedly. “Oh, I wish. I mean, my mother told me I had it, but…” she leaned closer and whispered, “I hate to admit this, but it took me a long, long time.”

  “How long?”

  “Well, I’m sure it won’t take you that long…”

  “Jessica, quit stalling.”

  “A year,” she admitted meekly.

  “What? A year?” I gnawed on my lower lip. I knew I had to get this figured out sooner than that. I had probably three months – tops. A ball of anxiety rolled around in the pit of my stomach.“And you think I’m going to grasp my own Essence in a few weeks when I’ve gone 18 years and never known it was there in the first place?” I asked incredulously. Panic caused the hairs on my arms to stand on end. “You’re insane!”

  “No. No, I’m not.” She looked at my wide-eyed. “I have complete faith in my teaching abilities and in your Essence.” Silence ensued. Then she giggled and pointed at two kids who were tackling a huge, granite boulder like it was a mountain. The boulder was cut and polished at the top, creating a flat edge perfect for sliding down.

  A guy with short blonde hair walked by, reminding me of Jason. I hadn’t seen him since he’d abandoned me at lunch, but I’d been contemplating tracking him down at work. A new thought popped into my head when I remembered the heat that sometimes emanated from him. “Hey,” I said excitedly, “what does it feel like when you become aware of, or recognize, another person’s Essence? I mean does it feel hot or something?”

  Jessica looked at me strangely and then said with a sharp edge in her voice, “Not usually.” She continued staring me down like she was contemplating what direction she wanted to go with this discussion. “Lexi, it’s hard to describe. I could try to give you some sort of analogy, but I don’t know how helpful or accurate it would be.”

  “Great! Go for it. I’ll take whatever I can get.”

  She sighed and thought about it for a long time. “Okay, imagine it’s a blistering hot summer day. Lucky for you, you’re hanging out next to a river, so you jump in and cool down. As the refreshing, cold waters rush around your body, you relax and enjoy the flowing sensations.” She looked at me and tilted her head.

  “Got it,” I said eagerly.

  “When someone’s Essence is normal, that’s what it feels like.” She rubbed her hands together. “Satisfying and refreshing.” She paused, so I nodded and motioned for her to continue. “Now imagine it’s that same hot afternoon, except there is no river. Your only option is to plunge your feet into a bucket of lukewarm, stagnant water. No flowing currents.” She crinkled her nose and frowned. “That’s what it’s like when you touch someone who is hurt or really depleted of Essence; his or her energy is so low it’s actually distressing to touch them.”

  “Oh,” I said with a frown.

  She nodded. “Now, let me explain how your Essence feels.” She reached out and grabbed my arm. “When I touch you, your Essence rushes, like Niagara Falls. Unstoppable! What’s amazing is that yours makes me feel energized, and I don’t even need energizing. That’s what it’s like.”

  “Really?” I said quietly, and she nodded emphatically.

  A loud bark caused us to turn simultaneously. A black lab, with slobber dripping from his jowls was bounding straight for us. Every bone in my body tensed. All I could think about was the Mastiff from the alley. The friendly lab jumped on Jessica, licking her face. His owner ran over and apologized profusely, before scolding the dog and leading him back to the boardwalk.

  Jessica just laughed and hollered back, “No worries.”

  “Yuck, how can you be so mellow?”

  “Oh, I love animals. Besides, a little drooling love never hurt anyone,” she said wiping her face on the edge of the blanket.

  An interesting question popped into my mind. “Jess, do animals have Essence too?”

  A funny look crossed her face, and her jaw locked. “Well yes, but it’s different from human Essence.”

  “How?”

  She bit her lip. “Well, I don’t know; it’s savage…more carnal I guess.”

  “Weird,” I said. “So, have you ever healed an animal?”

  She gave me a chilly look and shook her head. “No, we don’t mix human and animal Essence; that can be very dangerous.” Her forehead creased with worry lines. “We can talk more about that later, but now you need to focus on human Essence.” Rarely did she speak in a tone that signaled the conversation was over, but there was definite finality in her voice now.

  I nodded. “Okay, no biggie. Just curious.” Finding a small pebble next to the blanket, I tossed it towards the water, but it fell short and bounced across the rocks. “Hey,” I said excitedly and clasped my knees, “do Amethysts have any other abilities?”

  She gave me a tight-lipped smile. “What would make you ask something like that?”

  Again, I contemplated telling her about my snapshots, but thought better of it when my skin prickled. I sighed and gazed into the bay. “Oh, I don’t know; it seemed like a good idea. Superheroes in books always have a multitude of abilities.”

  She relaxed and let out a deep breath. Laughing she said, “Lexi, you’re a fiction nut. No, we don’t have any other abilities. We’re extremely fortunate, though; saving lives is not a gift to be taken lightly.”

  I nodded in agreement but had the feeling she was trying to convince herself, not me.Secretly, I was disappointed. That would have explained a lot. “Do you ever feel overwhelmed with responsibility because of your ability to heal people? I mean, do you ever wish you were just – normal?” I asked quietly.

  She sighed and looked at me thoughtfully. “Oh Lexi, I suppose there are times when I wish my life was simpler. But,” she shook her head slightly, “I stop and realize how lucky I am to have such an extraordinary gift. I’m able to affect so many lives in positive ways…even if most of the time people don’t realize it.” She stopped and pointed to herself. “I know, though, and that’s rewarding.”

  “I hear ya,” I said.

  She nodded vigorously. “Besides, I don’t even like the word ‘normal.’ It’s overrated and shouldn’t be applied to people. We all have different strengths, weaknesses, faults, and of course problems. Yes, my life is different from others, but it’s wonderful. I’m healthy, happy, and I have an amazing family and great friends. I might be different, but I feel like I’ve been blessed, especially now that I’ve found you.”

  “Thanks,” I said gratefully, bumping shoulders with her. What she’d said meant more to me than she could ever know. I sat up straight. “You can’t bring someone back from the dead…can you?”

  She chuckled. “I wish, but no. I can’t cure terminal illnesses either. My Essence is strong enough to give a person that extra boost in the right direction
, like someone who’s going through chemo treatment, though.”

  “Or like someone who’s in a coma?” I asked. With a grim face, she nodded slowly, and I continued, “You’d mentioned something about more people turning up in the same condition, and you were going to need my help. What is this all about?”

  Taking a deep breath, she looked down, and fiddled with her bracelet. “Lexi, there’s so much more for me to tell you and teach you. I’m afraid if I get too detailed right now it will overwhelm you and distract you from becoming an Amethyst. I shouldn’t have said all those things when I did.” She glanced up at me pleadingly. Do you trust me?”

  “Of course.”

  She nodded, but I noticed her clenched fists. “The college student that was comatose, he was like that because his Essence was all but gone. Fortunately, a little of my Essence was all it took to get his flowing again – his and the other two more recent victims.” She eyed me warily. “I think we’ll see more incidents in the future, and I have suspicions about what happened to his Essence,” she glanced away, “but I’m not at liberty to talk about it yet. Can you accept that vague explanation for the time being if I promise to give you more details when you’re further along in your training?”

  “I guess.” She’d totally piqued my curiosity, and I wondered why she wasn’t at liberty to say anything, but I, of all people, understood the necessity of keeping some secrets.

  Relief washed over her face, and she draped an arm around me. “Thanks. I promise there will come a time soon when I can tell you everything, and I will need your help.” Drawing away, she smiled and said, “Now, no more questions. It’s time to get back to work. You need to focus.”

  Eventually, the sun sank lower in the sky, and we headed home. She dropped me off at my house saying she’d call soon for an update on my progress. I promised to work diligently. Little did she know my life depended on it.

  Once inside, I was surprised to find it was already seven thirty. Ally would be begging for an update on the day’s episode of her favorite, real life soap opera: The Essence of our Lives. I found a good-sized box waiting for me next to the kitchen table with a note from Ally: