True Connection (The Soul Mate Series)

by Walter, Rachel

  “Spit it out.”

  “It’ll come out as more than one question,” I warn him. “I’m having a hard time with wording.” I shake my head and smile. “Do you remember the first night you stayed with me?”

  He nods. “Yeah, that’s when we found out your nightmares were attacks.”

  I nod. “When you woke me up from our little nap, you looked so amazingly awake, and happy. My question is what did you do that morning?”

  His cheeks flush adorably as he looks away from me. When he looks back, his face is composed. “I watched you sleep,” he says, a bit uncertain. “You held onto me for those two hours and didn’t have the urge to roll away or anything.” He shrugs, and I feel my face heat slightly.

  His eyes darken as he focuses on my pinked cheeks. “My question is…” Sam chooses this moment to yell for us to come down. “Fine, we’ll finish this later,” Seth groans and helps me stand. We walk down the steps, following voices into the living room to see Avan and Charlotte.

  “Hello, Jasmine!” Charlotte practically squeals as she bounces on the balls of her feet. They both bow again. I’m still unsure if I’m supposed to bow back or do a little dance. I don’t know, so I just smile.

  “Sam, Seth, would you care to join us while the girls talk?” Luke asks, motioning to himself and Avan.

  They shrug and find a seat while Charlotte grabs my hand and pulls me out the back door to sit on the patio.

  She looks me over for a moment, and I’m careful not to look into her eyes. “Avan told me that you’re nervous to talk to me,” she blurts.

  I jolt slightly and fight a wince. “Well, yeah,” I admit.

  She smiles gently. “I guess no one told you about me.” I shake my head in a silent answer. “Well, I am Avan’s lifemate, a sorceress. Avan’s extra gift is that he can read minds, and mine is I see relationships.”

  I nod. “So, that was the freaky vortex eye thing?” I question, then wish I could gobble the words back up. That was rude.

  She blushes. “Yes. Sorry about that. It’s not that I can’t control it, but your pain was fresh and Rhenata’s mark drew my power to its greatest. You and Seth have a beautiful bond.” She smiles, and it’s my turn to blush. It sounds almost dirty the way she says it. Our bond is just that, ours. I’m not sure I like that she sees it, but there’s nothing I can do about that.

  “Is this why you wanted to talk to me?”

  “Not exactly, I wanted to talk to you because you and I have a friendship bond. You also have one with Avan. I’m sorry for throwing myself at you. I don’t mean to, we just haven’t been around new people in such a long time…,” she trails off.

  After I get over the awkwardness, we just talk. She tells me that Fane and Barry are permanent fixtures in my life, definitely no getting rid of Barry. We talk about her and Avan’s adventures, they like hiking and rock climbing, very outdoorsy people. She was right. I really do like her, and want to keep contact with her.

  Two hours later, Seth, Sam, and Avan come out with water for us all and we talk some more. It’s really nice to just be. I’m pretty sure it’s a first that our main discussion wasn’t something about my protection or the demons after me.

  “You two are lifemates?” I ask, and Charlotte nods with a smile. “How is that different from a soul mate or a wolf’s mate?”

  Seth snorts. “That’s not a fair question for the Bond Seer.”

  I raise a brow. “You have a title?”

  Charlotte’s cheeks flush. “Yes,” she nods. “But it’s a fine question, boy.” She jokingly glares at Seth. He grins and nods back to her.

  “A lifemate is pretty much the same thing as a soul mate,” she says. “Different species have different terms for their destined,” she shrugs a shoulder. “If we were human, Avan would be my husband and if we were Amaranthine, Avan would be my soul mate.” She pauses for a sip of water. “It’s all relative to destiny. I could guess that there’s a scroll with the Ancients that have you and Seth paired, and it’s been there for centuries, if not longer.”

  ‘We don’t have future scrolls. That’s a crack-pot.’

  I snort at Seth’s thought. Charlotte looks at me, then to Seth and back again. “Do that again,” she breathes out. “I really wish you could see that.”

  I frown. “Do what? See what?”

  A wave of calm washes over me and my eyes flutter with the mental caress. The image of him and me, staring into each other’s eyes dances behind my lids. I open them and look to the faces surrounding us. I still don’t get it.

  “The way you two communicate through your bond is beautiful,” Charlotte says.

  I blush. “I…” I stop talking when I feel Seth’s triumph at her words. He’s been trying to tell me that very thing for a while now. I glare at him playfully, and he smirks in return.

  As he reaches for his water, I remember the abandoned revenge list and my plan. He takes a drink, and I project the image of Turtle Barry. He snorts and water shoots out his nose. Avan and I laugh at the same time, and Sam and Charlotte look at us like we’ve all reached a new level of insanity.

  Avan delicately explains what I just did as I help Seth wipe off the table, then Avan surprises us all by magically drying Seth’s shirt.

  Charlotte and I exchange phone numbers before they leave. She said she’s addicted to texting, and if she annoys me I’m to tell her to “shut up.”

  “I’m going to shower and grab a few things for the night,” Seth says after Avan and Charlotte leave.

  “Okay, I’ll read or something.” I smile. He looks unconvinced. “I’ll be fine, don’t rush,” I promise and seal it with a kiss. I enter the living room as he heads up the stairs, and spy a book shelf. They’ve got to have something. I scan the shelf that’s eyelevel.

  “Hey, Jasmine,” Sam says and sits in the arm chair near the book shelf I’m standing in front of.

  I nod. “Hey.”

  “How are you adjusting?”

  “As good as I can, I guess.” I shrug and go back to looking at the books. “I’m still skeptical about this bracelet,” I say absent-mindedly. I rush to explain. “Skeeter told me as much as I need to know, and I know Avan is powerful, but I just don’t see how a bracelet can protect me.” I shrug and glance back at the bookshelf in hopes of something interesting.

  “I can see how you’d be skeptical,” he agrees.

  In shock, I ignore the books on the shelf, in favor of Sam. Usually, someone tries to explain to me how I’m being ignorant of the situation, or at least that’s how most explanations make me feel.

  “Can we talk for a minute?” He asks. I nod and walk to the couch to sit. He follows and sits a cushion away. “I think it would be a good idea to start your self-defense training soon.”

  I frown, wondering how he knew, but then I guess Seth, Avan or Luke probably mentioned it. “I want to, but I don’t know who would teach me,” I shrug.

  He smiles. “I could.”

  My eyebrows have probably vanished into my hair. “Is this one of those times where I should discuss this with Seth first?”

  He shrugs. “We can tell him when he comes down.” He smiles brightly.

  It feels almost awkward talking to Sam like this. There’s always been someone around. As the silence stretches, I begin to fidget.

  “Hey. You’re safe here,” he says. I nod. “If you don’t want to train with me, Athan and Fane can find someone else,” he offers.

  I shake my head. “No, no, it’s not that. That’s fine. I’m just, I don’t know. I think I’m messed up, is all,” I say carefully.

  He looks at me thoughtfully. “Can you talk to me about last night?”

  My chest heaves, heart clenches, and ribs burn. “Uh… No. I don’t really want to talk about it,” I tell him and look back over to the books.

  He nods and gives me an understanding look. “Judging from the bruises I believe…,” he stops at seeing my icy glare. He sighs and looks away from me. “When I was in middle school, be
fore thirteen, I was bullied terribly.” His eyes find mine. I have no idea where he’s going with this, but I can only hope there’s a purpose. “The jocks gave me swirlies, the punks would glue my books together, and the nerds gave me wedgies.” My mouth falls open. I never would’ve guessed that. He chuckles at my expression. “I had one friend, my science teacher.” He smiles. “She told me that everything happens for a reason, and one day things will fall into place and make sense. She said not to let my heart turn cold, not to shut down, because not everything in life is terrible, hurtful or evil.” He gives me a meaningful look. “Don’t take everything Derik is doing to heart. Things will be right one day, and you’ll be a stronger person for surviving this. The purpose doesn’t matter. It’s how you continue on that matters.”

  I sigh. “I get what you’re saying. I just don’t know how I can’t take this to heart.” I shrug and take a deep breath. “It seems like he’s either trying to wear me down or prepare me for what’s to come.” I look into Sam’s face. “I don’t care how we stop him. I just want it done, soon.”

  He stares past me for a bit, eyes unfocused, looking like he’s in a trance.

  A huge smile begins to form, a smile that reaches his eyes, making the resemblance between him and Seth even stronger. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a genius?”

  He jumps up from the couch and begins to jog away. He comes to a sudden stop and darts back to kneel in front of me. “Jazzy, stay strong, and talk to Seth about everything. Allow him the chance to heal you the way only your soul mate can.” He smiles sadly, and I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t have his other half, or if it’s because of what I’m going through. “I have to go see a few people. Thank you so much. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stands up, kisses the top of my head, and runs out the door.

  I’m too bewildered to resume looking for a book. I just stare at the spot Sam just vacated. What did I say to make him run off? All I said was I wasn’t sure I couldn’t stop myself from taking this bull shit to heart.

  Is there a reason for me being in this game of cat and mouse with a soul sucking demon? How can there be?

  “What’s all the confusion for?” Seth says as he sets down his bag.

  I jump slightly at his sudden appearance. “I was just having a conversation with your brother.” I must’ve paused too long because he pokes my arm. “It was kind of, I don’t know, a deep conversation. But then he just up and leaves without a reason. Like mid-conversation left... I don’t know what I said,” I shrug, and he chuckles.

  “He does that a lot,” he explains. “It’s the detective in him, I think. We’ll be talking about the weather and then, bam, he’s gone. It’s like, sometimes he’s working on something and can’t quite get it. A phrase, or a word, or a thought causes the missing puzzle piece to fall into place, and he has to take care of it right away.” He smiles.

  I sigh again and lean into his side. “Are you ready? I could use some relaxation and sleep.”

  “Let’s go get you some beauty rest,” he says with a smile.

  ***

  The cream works well enough that by Monday morning the bruise on my cheek is barely visible. Henry helped me explain to Mom that we were rough housing and reinjured my ribs, so she wrote me a note to get me out of gym. Luckily, she didn’t question it, but my guilt for lying is starting to skyrocket.

  Henry must be having a difficult time figuring out his wolf senses or something. He’s being abnormally overprotective of not only me but Skeeter, Seth, and Mom, too. So much so, that by Wednesday, I’m ready to scream.

  Mom wanted to go to the grocery store last night, and he had to drive her. Before he left, he practically yelled at me to not leave Seth and Skeeter’s sides.

  “What do you think is going on with Henry?” I ask Seth as we lay down.

  “I don’t know. Did Barry have anything to say about it?”

  “Not really. Just said that this kind of reaction is normal when a wolf’s mate is in danger,” I say and gauge Seth’s reaction. He doesn’t say anything, so I continue. “But Charlotte says that his wolf could be telling him something big is about to happen.”

  We talk about things we’d like to do or try, like bungee jumping, sky diving, and rock climbing. As well as, things we don’t like, snakes, deep water, liver and onions.

  Just as I start to doze off, I’m startled by a rustling noise from outside my door. Seth quietly sneaks over to the door and slowly cracks it to peek out. Then he opens it wide enough for me to see out. Henry’s wolf is curled up in front of my door. He lifts his head and huffs a breath out through his nose, then drops his head to his paws again.

  What is he doing that for?

  Seth shuts the door and comes back to bed. I snuggle close to him and lay my head on his chest again.

  In the morning, Henry decides he’s driving Skeeter, Seth, and me to school. I really don’t understand why he’s being so paranoid.

  Henry looks at Seth through the rear view mirror for the hundredth time before backing out of the driveway. “You swear to me that Miss Jaynie will stay until we get home, and she won’t let my mom leave the house at all?”

  Seth’s jaw ticks. “Yes,” he grinds out. “I promise. All will be well.”

  Henry nods and quickly gets us to the student lot. Then he walks each of us to our homerooms.

  I’m surprised he didn’t go to the office and have his schedule changed to follow us around all day.

  My morning classes whiz by, and before I even realize it I’m walking into the art room. Sitting in the seat next to mine, is Derik. I stop dead in my tracks just inside the door and ice fills my veins again. The person behind me slams into my back, shoving me forward, and out of my trance.

  I glance to Sam, and find him watching me. I look to Derik purposefully and back to Sam. I hope he gets what I’m trying to say, that’s Derik, demon boy.

  When he glares at Derik, I know he understands.

  Slowly, I walk to the back of the room to retrieve my painting, and sneak my phone out of my bag at the same time. I send a text to Seth, Henry, Barry, Tony, and Flynn to let them know that Derik is in class.

  I go to my seat, put my belongings between Skeeter’s and my chair, and sit as close to her as I can.

  A throat clears. “Hey, Jazzy. Long time no see,” Derik says with a snort.

  My hand stills on my canvas and I lock eyes with Sam.

  “Hi Derik, how are you?” I whisper.

  “I could be better,” he says in a tone so sincere, I make the mistake of looking at him. “You could take off whatever Avan gave to you.” My breath gets caught in my chest and my hands fall to my lap.

  He knows Avan is helping me. This can’t be good.

  Derik smirks and glares at me again. Mr. Becker calls for everyone’s attention, something he rarely does, and tells us that he needs the rest of the class to be held in silence.

  I breathe easier and I quickly look to Skeeter and offer a small smile. She smiles nervously, and both of us, shakily, return to our paintings.

  Ten minutes to the bell, Skeeter and I rise and take our canvases to an easel in the back. When I return to my seat, I find an up-side-down canvas on my desk. I glance out of the corner of my eye at Derik, he’s grinning.

  I will not look at this canvas.

  When the bell rings, I grab my belongings, and leave the canvas.

  Just as I get to the door I hear Steve, Derik’s best friend, the one Skeeter said he turned recently. “Mr. Becker, Jasmine didn’t put her project away.”

  I just got tattled on!

  I turn as Mr. Becker tells me to grab the canvas.

  I grab the damned canvas and walk out of the room.

  Barry is so close to the door I nearly smack right into him. He grabs my hand and yanks me through the halls, carefully but quickly. He leads me to the student lot silently.

  “Everyone’s here, let’s go,” Flynn says.

  “Where are we going now and why can’t we finish ou
t the school day?” I ask as I follow the guys with my hand still in Barry’s.

  “Pack house,” Flynn grunts. Barry pulls me to the Jeep as Tony grabs my stuff and tosses it in the back. Then he jogs to Henry’s car. “I call shot gun!” he yells, and Skeeter tries to trip him as he darts past her. We climb into Barry’s Jeep and set off in our mini convoy to the pack house.

  “Did Steve really just tattle on you?” Barry asks and looks into the review mirror.

  I roll my eyes. “Yes he did, and it wasn’t even my canvas,” I shrug.

  “Is he five?” Flynn chuckles from the front seat.

  I grin. “It would seem.”

  The laughing rises to hyena levels. “Mr. Becker, Jazzy didn’t put her stuff away!” Barry mocks, in a girly voice that has us all laughing.

  “Whose canvas is it?” Flynn asks me.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t look.” I shrug. Not mentioning the hunch I have that it’s from Derik.

  “Did you look at it?” Barry asks.

  “No, I didn’t, and I didn’t exactly have time to either,” I remind him.

  “Where’s that canvas at now?” Flynn asks.

  “In the back, wherever Tony tossed it to.” I shrug.

  Seth turns around and grabs it. He holds it so I can’t see it.

  I feel his disgust and rage through the bond as I watch his complexion whiten.

  “What? What is it?” I ask him. His knuckles whiten on the edges of the canvas and he won’t look at me. “Seth!”

  Flynn turns in his seat. “Dude!”

  Seth tears his eyes away from the canvas. “Barry. Turn the car around, and go to Jazzy’s house, now!”

  “Should I tell Henry to go ahead or what?” Barry asks calmly as he whips into a random driveway.

  “No you better have everyone get to Jazzy’s now. I’ll help make calls.”

  I pull my phone out and explain to Henry we’ve decided to meet at home and to get there as soon as he can. I watch him whip into the same driveway we just backed out of. It doesn’t take us long to get home with as fast as Henry was pushing Barry to go.

  I don’t know what’s happening, but I know something’s going on, something, or rather someone, is stirring up trouble. An ominous cloud seems to be hanging over us, seeping into the air and into me.