“She’s waking up. Step back you guys; give her a little room. She’s going to be freaked out enough as it is.” At the sound of Jessica’s voice, I opened my eyes and found five anxious faces peering into mine. Well, Jessica, Jason, Max and Laci looked anxious; Madison appeared more put out than anything else.
“How are you feeling?” Jessica asked. She was sitting next to me on an L-shaped couch, holding my shoulder with one hand and tugging nervously on her ponytail with the other.
“Crappy,” I answered groggily. “But, better and better with every second you share your Essence.” I smiled but shuddered when I touched a clump of matted hair on the back of my head.
Leaving some space between us, Laci dropped down on my other side. “We’re so glad you’re okay. We knew you would be, but that didn’t stop us from worrying.”
“Speak for yourself,” Madison muttered under her breath and plopped herself into a large, comfy-looking chair across from me.
“Madison,” Max scolded, shaking his head. He and Jason remained standing.
“Where are we?” I asked, looking around for the first time. The modest-sized room was snug but cozy. Cream colored carpets offset by cherry cabinets and matching end tables brought a certain amount of luxuriousness to the space, while black trim and glossy finishes added a touch of elegance. Nestled in one corner was a small kitchen; the other corner held two short sets of stairs, one leading up and one down. Large, slightly angled windows stretched all the way around us. Everything beyond the windows was blue. The light blue sky extended forever until it came down and met up with a deep, dark blue. Water!
“We’re on Jason’s boat out in the middle of Bellingham Bay,” Max said.
“Oh.” I turned and stared out the window behind me at the waves rippling across the ocean. The boat was rocking gently; that explained the swinging sensations.
“Well, technically it’s everybody’s boat. I just happen to be the one who lives on it,” Jason said and leaned back against the counter.
“What? You live on a boat?” I asked, looking at him incredulously. As my eyes swept over his white t-shirt, jeans, and the huge red marks on his neck, I suddenly remembered everything. The sunlit forest, the mountain lions, the Ray-pacs, the falling tree…
“Yes,” he said quietly.
I covered my face with my hands and moaned. “It’s all coming back. Oh crap! Everything is coming back.” My head shot up, I pointed at him and stuttered, “You…you turned into a…a mountain lion.” Panicking, I started breathing hard, and Jessica wrapped an arm around me. He nodded slowly with a pained expression, and I continued in a shaky voice. “That was insane…” I covered my face with my hands and then glanced back up at him, “but amazing.”
Tilting his head forward, he narrowed his eyes. Then his head snapped up, and he jabbed a finger my direction. “You didn’t listen to a word I said. I told you to stay hidden. But oh no, you jumped right in at the first opportunity. You put yourself in the worst kind of danger.”
Livid, I glared at him. He sure knew how to push my buttons. Startling Jessica and Laci, I pushed off the couch and shook my finger at him. “You were lying there helpless, and the odds were not in your favor. You’re lucky I didn’t listen to you. Or, or – you’d look worse off than you do right now.” I smacked my hand against his chest.
“Calm down you two,” Max said sternly and stepped between us. Looking at me, he said, “Lexi, you’re right. He is lucky you acted, because you saved his life.” Jason snorted, and Max looked at him severely. “Lexi’s stronger than you give her credit for. You should be grateful.”
Shamefully, Jason studied the floor. Eventually he gazed at me with unwavering eyes, and said, “I am grateful.” In a strained voice he said softly, “I’m only angry because I was terrified. I didn’t know what they would do to you, and I knew I was powerless.” He looked intently at Max and said with frustration, “Now they know about her being an Amethyst, and they won’t stop until…”
“Jason stop!” Jessica interrupted. She seized my hand and dragged me back to the couch.
Meanwhile, Max veered Jason over to the empty chair by Madison and shoved him into it. “You sit down and be quiet for awhile. Let me do the talking.” Jason nodded and slumped into the chair, refusing to meet my eyes.
Max exhaled loudly, drummed a hand against the counter and ran the other through his jet black hair. Standing before us in a red, button down shirt, he gazed out the sliding glass door towards the back of the boat. “Lexi, today has no doubt been shocking and probably frightening as well.” I nodded and listened intently as he continued, “It’s time we told you everything, but I’d like to start from the beginning and work our way up to today. I think a more chronological telling of events will give you a better understanding of who we are and what we do. Afterwards, you can ask as many questions as you want. Does that work?”
“Yes,” I said thankfully, sitting down and sinking back into the cushions. “Some history would be helpful, and I’m way past ready for explanations.”
For the next 15 minutes he talked and everyone else kept quiet. Some of what he said I’d already learned from Grandma Rose’s journals and some from Kieran. Basically, their kind had existed for centuries. They called themselves Seers until they linked and became Guardians. Linking took place anywhere between the ages of 16 and 23. Because they’d been gifted with special abilities, they believed their main purpose in life was to act upon their visions and protect the general population, the Innocents, from accidents and tragic deaths. Innocents, for the most part, were unaware Guardians even existed.
I wanted to tell them all, right then and there, about my premonitions and that I was a Seer, but I was afraid to interrupt. I decided to wait until I’d heard everything they had to say first. That way I’d receive unbiased information and wouldn’t be drilled with a bunch of questions before I’d asked mine.
Max cleared his throat. “Others, like us, exist all around the world. Basically, we’re there’s a huge network of Guardians. The ability to have visions is hereditary and usually passes on directly to offspring but has been known to skip several generations.”
“Which is why,” Laci broke in excitedly, “A college town like Bellingham is a good place to come across unknowing Seers – young people entering adulthood who’ve had visions all their lives but don’t know why and no one else in their family has them. We are always on the lookout and when we find a Seer, we bring them into our Circle, reassuring them they’re not alone.”
Madison yawned and interjected, “What they really need is to link and become Guardians; they just don’t know it.” She reached over and grasped Jason’s arm.
Max cleared his throat. “Wait, wait. We’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Come on guys, let me continue. It will make more sense.”
“Good idea,” Jason snapped, glaring at Madison. He pulled his arm away and jumped out of his seat. “Anyone want something to drink?” he asked, looking directly at me.
“Some water,” I said appreciatively, and everyone else chimed in as well. “Nice kitchen,” I commented.
“Galley,” five voices corrected me together.
“Looks like we’ll have to enlighten you on proper maritime terminology as well,” Madison said, brushing her brow and stifling a yawn. “Just so you know, this is the Salon.”
I didn’t dignify that comment with a response, and Max gave her a sideways glance before starting up again. Jason tossed water bottles around the room, and rather than sit down in the chair again, he leaned against the Galley counters next to Max and stared out the side windows. His neck looked horrible and his face scratched up and a bit swollen, but he was alive. That’s all I cared about. As if he could read my thoughts, he diverted his attention away from the windows and bored his eyes into mine. My heart skipped several beats.
“Lexi, are you listening?” Max asked.
Flushing, I looked guiltily at Max. “Yes. Of course I am. Keep going.”
; “As I was saying,” Max pressed his hands together, “when a Seer’s body reaches full maturity, the visions become more frequent – almost spinning out of control. The Seer usually develops flu-like symptoms, but regardless of whether they do or not – they must link.”
“Why?” I asked, deciding I wanted more clarification than what I’d read in Grandma Rose’s journal.
Max shifted his weight and gave me a dismal look. “Different people have different reactions. That’s what makes it so unpredictable. A few Seers have lost their ability to have premonitions, and therefore, never become Guardians and instead live normal lives as Innocents. Some Seers develop really high fevers which results in brain damage. But the majority of Seers who don’t link, die within days.” He wiped his brow. “Linking is paramount.”
Wide-eyed, I whispered, “Oh, okay.”
“Linking is not gender specific. Although, the majority of links tend to be male-female, because they’re usually stronger. The actual process of linking is really quite simple.” Laci jumped to her feet, faced Max, and held out her hands. Their fingers interlaced, and they tilted their heads forward until their foreheads were touching.
“They’re already linked,” Jason remarked for my benefit. “They’re just showing you what it would look like. They’d search for each other’s thoughts until they found them on the same metaphysical plane. Almost instantaneous, the process takes no more than a matter of seconds.”
“Once linked, are you linked forever?” I asked.
Biting his lower lip and wringing his hands together, Jason said, “Whenever there is a full moon, all links break. Guardians can choose to re-link with the same person or a different person anytime that day or over the next several days. But if a Guardian waits too long to re-link, he or she will face those same consequences Max mentioned a minute ago that a Seer faces if they don’t link. A very uncertain future awaits with death being the most likely, so typically we re-link within a couple days.”
Sitting up straighter, I said, “So, linking is crucial to your survival; I get that. You don’t really want to remain unlinked and gamble with your life. What about the special abilities you have? Do those come with linking?” I asked, thinking about Grandma Rose’s journal again and about what I’d witnessed in the forest.
“Yes,” Max said. “Upon linking, all Guardians gain extreme strength and speed, as well as telepathy with the person to whom they are linked.”
“Oh yeah, I knew that,” I said excitedly. “It was really weird. I was standing behind Jason—”
Cutting me off sharply, Jason said, “And I told her I’d spoken with Madison telepathically. I let her know you’d be arriving in a matter of minutes.” He sent me a weighty look, and I closed my mouth. Shocked to hear him lie so blatantly in front of everyone, I decided to follow his lead and ask him about it later.
“Okay good,” Max said. “So when linked, our bodies are able to heal themselves, but it’s a slow process. If we are injured bad enough it takes several days. In addition, using our abilities drains our Essence.”
“That’s where Amethysts and our powerful Essence come in handy,” Jessica said proudly. “We step in, and after a few seconds, or minutes, we can have them restored to health.” She smiled and smacked me lightly on the back.
“The most unique ability that linking presents us with differs from Guardian to Guardian and changes based upon who we link with,” Max said. “We call that ability our Flair.”
“Flair,” I repeated, tapping my fingertips together. Turning my attention to Jason, I said, “Kieran called you…”
“An Imitator,” he replied and crossed his arms. “Any time another Guardian uses their Flair, I can copy it.”
“Amazing,” I said in awe. “So, first you copied Andrew with his wild spheres—”
“He’s an Energy Manipulator,” Jason supplied, “and Kieran is a Shapeshifter.”
“So, can he change shape into any animal he wants?”
Max stepped forward. “Yes. But usually there is one form that feels most natural, therefore lending itself as the best option.”
Looking at Max in a new light, I suddenly realized he was also a Shapeshifter. “Ah ha, like you arriving as a cheetah because it’s the fastest animal, but changing back into a bear immediately after Kieran disappeared into the woods?”
“Yes,” he said and stretched his arms behind his back. “Once I saw you were safe, I immediately changed back into the form I’m most comfortable with – a black bear.”
“Extraordinary,” I said breathlessly. “And thank you; you arrived just in time.” He nodded, and I pointed at Laci.
“I’m a Shield–”
“A Shield?” I thought about that and a wild thought crossed my mind. Excited, I jumped to my feet. “That was you in the alley that night! The Mastiff smacked into your shield; he wasn’t repelled by the pepper spray.” Biting my lip, my eyes darted to Max. “And you were the Wolfhound.”
“That was you?” Laci and Madison said in unison.
“Yes,” I answered and listened as Madison recounted that night in the dark alley. Afterwards, I looked at Laci and said, “But, I didn’t see you in the forest today.”
“Jessica and I drove the car. We couldn’t reach you as fast as Madison and Max could on foot. I needed to stay with Jessica and shield her – keep her identity protected.”I gave her a funny look as she rubbed her hands together. “Amethysts are rare, and we don’t want to take any chances of revealing Jessica’s identity.”
Pondering that comment, I thought about the flying buckets and tree branches. I looked at Madison. “You’re telekinetic.”
She smiled, brushed her hair away from her face, and said smugly. “I can move any object with my mind and manipulate it to my will.” My water bottle lifted off the coffee table and fell into my lap. Of course, Madison would have to show off.
“We should eat,” Laci announced and walked into the galley. As a pleasure craft whipped past, she grabbed the counter and said, “Madison, will you help?”’
“Oh fine,” Madison huffed but hopped out of her chair. As they began preparations, Max and Jason sat down in the two empty chairs. Behind them, the sun appeared to be dropping rapidly in the sky; nightfall would be upon us soon. I wondered how long I’d been unconscious.
“This brings us to the Ray-pacs,” Max said. “Also known as the Rapacious—”
“Rapacious?” I repeated loudly. “I know that word. I think it was in my daily calendar, but…” Max was looking at me cross-eyed, so I frowned and mumbled, “Sorry. Never mind. What’s it mean?”
“It means living on prey or taking by force,” he said gruffly.
“Oh,” I said and shut my mouth so he could finish.
Pressing his lips together, he fixated on his hands. “As with every aspect of life, greed and the lust for power can corrupt even the most pure of hearts. As Guardians, we use our visions to act in the interest of saving the Innocents, but we must be careful in our interactions with them. When we are linked we have the ability to draw Essence away from people through touch.” I arched my eyebrows, but he kept talking. “Essence is powerful and energizing. It gives us more strength, as well as greater potential in our abilities. As we sleep it regenerates, but if we need it badly enough we can get it from others.” Max stood up and paced back and forth. Stopping, he looked at me and said, “A long time ago, a few Guardians started experimenting with drawing Essence from animals. They were rewarded when it made their abilities more prolific and recharged their Essence as well. Eventually, that need for instant gratification became innate. Those Guardians began stealing Essence from animals. Often the animals died.”
Shuddering, I whispered, “That’s so cruel.”
The creases at the corner of his mouth deepened. “Well prepare yourself; it gets much worse.” His hands balled into fists at his sides, and I sunk lower into the couch. I already had a good idea where this conversation was heading. “After some time, those Guardians becam
e like addicts who needed a fix. They also gained the characteristics of a well-fed housecat, one which will pursue wildlife not because of hunger, but because of the natural instinct to hunt and kill. With their linked talents of speed and athleticism, they were skilled predators.”
Gripping the edges of my shorts, I kept my eyes glued on Max and mumbled, “Like Kieran.”
He nodded, a dark fury raged in his eyes. “Feral and savage, they were condemned as outcasts and became known as the Rapacious.” He paused and drew in a deep breath. “Then the unthinkable happened,” he said and stared right at me. “They began preying on Innocents. More recently they’ve been stealing all of a person’s Essence, leaving them dead.”
I sat straight up. “That’s it, isn’t it?” I said aloud. “The Ray-pacs are responsible for all the bizarre things happening across the nation. It’s not some strange new virus. Those people had their Essence stolen.” Max and the others nodded at my understanding. “And the mysterious deaths, that’s when a Ray-pac has completely drained a person of all their Essence. That’s why there’s nothing in the toxicology reports that points to a cause of death.”
The room was silent. I looked from one stark face to another. “And now they’re here.” Looking at Laci, I added, “That’s what they wanted from the girl in the alley.” She nodded and I said, “And you happened along just at the right time?”
“I had a premonition of the jogger and the dog,” Madison interjected.
My mouth hung open. Interesting, so she and I had had similar premonitions. Not yet ready to come clean, I diverted my gaze to Jessica. “The college students?”
She nodded. “Yes, and luckily they were still alive. If the victims are still alive, I can help. And so can you. That’s the main reason we need your help. We need you to become an Amethyst and help save people who’ve been left almost Essence-less by the Ray-pacs.”
I nodded but continued with a frown, “Kieran was gloating about the B.C. killings.”
“I bet he was,” Max said in a deadly voice. “The four victims in B.C. last week were not Innocents, they were all Guardians. It was a great loss. Guardians have become a target, because their Essence is more gratifying. And, we believe they are searching for Amethysts as well.”
Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Page 24