***
Facing Jack like a larger mirror image of himself, he calmed his nerves. Connor closed his eyes to focus his mind and pictured his new and ethereally beautiful mate. Fair and soft skin that heated his blood. Long and thick cascading brown hair that framed her curvy form. perfect rosy red lips that begged attention always. And her emerald green eyes that makes him feel like there’s nothing in this world except the two of them. The truth is, nothing really else came close. She’s the center of his world and nothing came before her. It doesn’t matter the circumstances because that is the only place that he felt he truly belonged.
“Are you ready?” Connor opened his eyes with Sarah’s perfect image fixated in his mind’s eye. Jack nodded and slowly tried to bypass Connor’s new fortified defenses. First it felt like a velvety soft feather brushing his forehead and over the course of twenty minutes the feeling became like driving down the highway at sixty miles per hour, on a motorcycle and not wearing a helmet. It was difficult, but bearable.
As Jack’s breathing started to be laboring Connor said “Jack, that’s enough. How much force did you put into pushing your way in?” The feeling of him trying to enter his mind ceased.
“I…” Jack took a deep breath. “I used everything I had. I didn’t see or hear anything in your mind, only a buzzing sound… like white noise.”
“That was my experience yesterday when I attempted to breach into Sarah’s mind too.” Connor said in all truthfulness.
“Did you feel anything?” He nodded and explained how it felt. Jack shook his head. “It’s unbelievable how strong and disciplined your mind has become. What I just did, was double what I used last week and you went unconscious.”
“Really?” Connor wanted to go on with this for his plan to work. “Ok, Jillian, could you and Sarah fortify Jack for me please?”
“I think we can handle that.” Sarah said, leaning down and kissed his cheek.
Connor cautioned to both of them “Not too much. You might need your strength.” Sarah looked at him as she held her father’s left hand. She heard the double meaning. Sarah and Jillian’s hands didn’t glow, but from the way Jack started to breathe better Connor knew they were gradually passing their strength to him. “Are you ready for me?” he stared at his father-in-law until he nodded. Their women let go and resumed their original positions.
“Ok Jack, here’s how I do it.” Pointing to his temple he said “You need to create a powerful, personal image in your mind and lock it there. Don’t allow outside factors shatter that concentration. I’m used to it because I’ve had to hold back my true strength for years now and it seems to help. Words, movement and stray thoughts will only hinder you so remove all doubt and focus on that image. Before you do that, I would like to ask if you felt me touch your mind earlier.”
“I didn’t. Would you please enter my mind and allow me to try and see if I can feel your intrusion? Maybe you can tell me what I should sense.” He said warily and Connor said “I can handle that.” They smiled at one another and looked directly into each other’s eyes. Pushing with his mind, Connor heard Jack’s thoughts immediately. “…nnor? Are you listening to me yet?”
“Yes, I’m here. Can you feel the touch of my mind?”
“I honestly haven’t a clue as to what I’m looking for.” His azure eyes spoke only the truth.
“Jack, concentrate on the center point of your forehead.”
“Ok now what?”
“Now I’m going to push gently. Feel for the pressure building on that point.” He pushed deeper into Jack’s consciousness as slowly and easily as he possibly could.
“Wait… yes I felt something… I never noticed that before. It’s faint, but it really is there.” He said aloud.
“Ok now that you felt the touch of my mind, I can tell you that each person’s mind has a certain feel to it. Like how I was able to distinguish between the ways each of your minds felt as you tried touching my mind as a human. A person’s mind is as unique as a person’s voice. Some can be similar, but never identical. Now it is time to try and block me from trying to get in.”
Jack closed his eyes for a minute and when he opened them he nodded. Connor pushed with his mind and saw a weak image in his mind and bypassed it easily. “That was pathetic, Jack. I told you to pick a powerful image, not a weak one. Use something that means the most to you.”
He didn’t like getting scolded like a child, but it worked. As Jack nodded this time Connor pushed easily and hit a firm wall. Jack’s image was of himself, Jillian and three little girls in dresses. He sat in a chair with Jillian sitting on his lap while the three little girls were playing with each other on the ground. One little girl had reddish brown hair, another had a pale brown hair and Connor knew the last was Sarah from her chocolate brown hair and green eyes. Jack’s image was of his family as he best could picture it. This was his hope that he’d never get to see. After the loss of Pearl he made up this image to always remember his children.
“I understand now, Jack.” Jack nodded, understanding the heartfelt meaning behind such an image. “I really don’t know how to regulate my flow perfectly yet. Tell me when you feel anything uncomfortable and I’ll stop.”
Connor used his mind to push deeper. He increased the flow of power from his mind as gently as possible for a beginner telepath. Jack’s expression started to furrow in pain the further the test progressed. “That’s enough, Connor.” Jack stated, breathless. Connor stopped pushing and Jack put his head in his hands, trying to relax himself from the ordeal. Jillian leaned down and sat next to Jack with a hand rubbing his back.
Something was seriously different.
“Connor what s wrong? I felt that you seemed confused.” Sarah said, crawling up to sit beside him. She looked at her father, but addressed Connor.
He took her gentle hand into his to stop the nervousness in his hands from shaking. She finally looked at him, waiting for a response. “I’m just a little worried about how strong I’ve become.”
“What do you mean?” Comforting was something she excelled at and it helped ease his inner worry.
“It’s that when your father said that he used everything at his disposal to get in my mind, it made me first feel proud that I am strong enough to resist him or anyone getting into my mind, without permission. But now…”
“Connor, just get it off your chest.”
“Sarah, I felt in here” He said while touching his chest. “that I barely used twenty to thirty percent of my power to break into your father’s mind.” Sarah had an idea floating in her head as she let him in.
She proposed a plan saying “How about you try and force your mind into me and see if I am stronger than they are as well.”
“I don’t know. What if I unintentionally hurt you?”
“You’re my protector. You will never hurt me. Plus if Mother’s theory is correct, I should be as strong as you anyway. At least in theory that is…”
“Ok, but I will only go up to fifty percent of my strength or whatever it feels like inside me.” Sarah scuttled to sit in front of him. Their knees were touching when Jillian asked. “Just what are you two doing?”
Sarah said to her parent sitting behind her “Just testing your theory, Mother.”
She didn’t need time to prepare because she nodded. Connor began pushing at about thirty percent strength and Sarah’s image didn’t waver and neither did her expression. They reached the limit he placed on himself five minutes later and nothing changed inside or outside of Sarah. “Ok, that’s the limit.”
She turned to her parents with more news, but she pushed herself up and back to sit on his lap. From the feel from her bond, she enjoyed the sitting arrangement. Her parents watched them with curious and cautious eyes. Sarah said “Connor, she was right, I do have your strength.”
“Sarah, could you please explain to us what you tested?” Jack asked curiously. His head was finally able to be raised now that his mental anguish and strain ceased.
; “Father, let’s put it this way, if what Connor says is true, you can no longer mentally dominate him. I believe him.”
“Sarah, dumb it down for me to understand.” Jillian asked.
“Mother, last week Father could have put Connor into a coma, but the way we are now…if Connor used half his strength on either of you…” She paused dramatically “He wouldn’t just place you in a coma, it would outright kill you.” And Jillian took in a shocked breath.
Jillian looked at Connor with concern. “Is she speaking the truth?” He couldn’t answer, but his worried expression didn’t get missed from under her golden gaze. “Connor, what’s the problem?”
“Will I become any stronger?” He looked up, unsure of what to do next.
She answered evenly. “Possibly you both will. If what you say is true I have one more theory.”
“I’m all ears.” He told her wanting to know her thoughts.
“Since the two of you can use all five elements, your bodies must develop to the point where they won’t drain you as quickly as they did today. You might even be able to exceed us all as Balancers.” She shook her head in wonder. “Who would have thought that our daughter could find someone so…remarkable.” She held Jack’s hand in her lap.
“If were such oddities, I need to ask the two of you for another favor.” Sarah stirred her bottom in his lap in a way that she shouldn’t have. She noticed the lower physical reaction because she turned her head to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll take care of that later.” She said mentally with a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“What do you need?” Jack asked pulling Connor’s mind back to his surroundings.
“Just your time and experience.”
“Would you care to elaborate?” He rubbed the back of his tense neck.
“We or should I say I need help not only focusing my abilities, but since you were a soldier once upon a time… I was wondering if you could give me some battle and elemental control experience. I can feel that it will be the quickest way for me to learn about my strengths and weaknesses.”
“Please!” Jillian sounded offended as she said “We want to see just what you two are capable of. Of course we will help.”
Just then someone knocked on the front door. Sarah jumped out of Connor’s lap and stood erect, followed almost instantly by the rest of them. Luckily his reaction slacked. They all looked at each other for a moment until Connor broke the room’s silence. “We need to clean up quickly. We need to move the dishes. Jack, help me quietly move the furniture back to its usual spot.”
They all went to work, using their inhuman speed, quietly, and Connor finally felt thrilled to call himself different. Accepting that fact that he was different lifted a burden from his chest. “That’s why Sarah didn’t seem bothered anymore, she accepted the fact as well.”
Within fifteen seconds, the living room seemed acceptable and nothing looked out of place. Jillian and Sarah put all of the dishes away while Jack and Connor moved the sofa’s silently back into place. When Jack nodded and left the room, Jillian answered the door. “Why hello, Kara. What brings you here today?”
Kara in her chirpy voice answered “Is Brother and Sarah here?”
“Yes they are. They arrived about twenty minutes ago. Come on inside.” And as Connor sat on the sofa, Sarah joined him before Kara entered the room.
“Hey Brother! Hey Sarah! Did you have a good night?” Kara looked like something was on her mind.
Jillian laughed, taking Kara by the hand and pulling her to the other sofa. As they were getting comfortable Jillian asked again “What brings you over here?”
“I had an idea that I wanted to bounce off my brother and I wanted Sarah’s opinion as well.” She looked nervous which is highly unusual and suspicious. She wore her usual pink top and white pants.
“What are you up to, Kara?” Sarah asked, putting her hand on his leg and scooted closer to touch her leg to his.
“Well I already asked Mark and he said it was a good idea…” She looked skittish and a little embarrassed.
“Spit it out, Kara, we can’t read your mind.” Connor blurted out. Jillian tried not to smile and succeeded, but she couldn’t keep a straight face for much longer. Sarah didn’t reveal any facial expressions, but he felt her reach in his mind. “Connor, stop that! You know how little it takes for my mother to laugh.”
“Sorry, I just hate it when my sister gets this way. It isn’t natural.”
“Well I was wondering if you would want to go on a camping double date?” She looked up at Sarah and continued. “I haven’t camped with Brother in over a year and I miss watching the stars before I fall asleep. I thought it might be fun.”
“When are you planning to do this?” Sarah asked in simple curiosity.
“The day after our graduating ceremony only because Mark will have that entire week off from the diner.”
Sarah turned her eyes on Connor to ask “When is graduation?” He told her “Three weeks from now?” Sarah turned her eyes back on Kara.
“Yep. It was just an idea though.” Her brown eyes looked at him hopefully.
“I think we can handle that.” Sarah said fulfilling Kara’s wish and throwing her an imaginary bone as it looked in his mind. Sarah saw the mental picture and telepathically told him to behave again.
“Oh, thank you so much. I will go tell Mark the good news.” Kara got up and stopped as she walked towards the front door. “Brother, when will I see you again?”
“We will see how things go. I would think in a few days.” Sarah was oblivious to his tone, but Kara caught it. Siblings almost have a sixth sense with each other. Her brown eyes widened and her parted lips became a wide grin. “Brother, are you going to…” He cut her off with a glance and a nod. Her smile became a wider grin and she ran out the door.
“What was all that about?” Jillian looked at Connor in a confused smile.
“Nothing you need to worry about yet.” He said and Sarah turned her face and gave him her smile that asked ‘What about me?’ to which he said “I’ll ask you later.” She nodded in acceptance.
Jack entered the room as Kara shut the door. “What are we planning next in our day?”
“I think we had better call it a day actually. Wait, I do have a question. With telepathy, what’s your range to hear someone else’s thoughts?” Connor asked him.
“With us it’s about a mile. Why?” Jack asked back.
“Just curious.” He said and turned to Sarah. “Knowing how much I ate today, I think we need to stop by the store and pick up some food.”
“Your right. Let’s go to the supermarket and buy some.” They stood up together and he smiled at his in-laws.
Jack sat down with Jillian as Connor said “Thanks so much for all of your help with us.”
“What’s family for!” Jack stated. “When are you planning to see us again?”
Before Sarah said ‘tomorrow’ Connor stated “Monday.” And he guided Sarah towards her car.
They pulled out the driveway and down the road as Connor sat behind the wheel this time. Sarah asked in the passenger seat “Why aren’t we going to see my parents tomorrow?” He smiled absently, trying not to spoil the surprise. Then he felt her trying to enter his mind.
“Uh, uh. Don’t spoil another surprise I have for you.”
They drove quietly while Sarah kept testing his mental defenses. He trained himself to concentrate no matter the distraction and the situation couldn’t have been easier. She didn’t even find a crack to look through. They made it to the market and filled the back seat and trunk full of groceries in under three hours.
As they were getting in the car again Connor saw a shiny piece of stainless steel and slid it in his pocket for later.
When they put away the rest of the groceries at their house Sarah went into the bathroom. It was around six in the evening as Connor finished taking a shower, then he reentered the kitchen. Sarah cooked a meal that would effortlessly sati
sfy enough for six starving people. They each ate half of the entire meal yet inside Connor still felt hungry. Without warning, Sarah took the empty plates and put them in the sink and walked quietly to their bedroom. He walked to the sink and cleaned the dishes and secretly washed off the piece of metal in his pocket as well. Connor knew he was in serious trouble because she hasn’t said a word since the car ride.
As he entered their room he soon found out just how much trouble he was in.
Sarah sat on the bed with her ankles crossed while leaning back on her arms, holding her like support beams. Her hair was all laying around her neck and down her breasts. The only thing she wore was a provocative ‘come hither’ smile and her anklet. Connor stood there like a deer caught in the headlights. She sat up straight and too quickly because she bounced; twice. “Come to bed, my mate.” Her velvety voice was laced with a passion he had no chance of resisting. He started undressing as he walked to the bed.
After a serious and passionate workout from the both of them Connor laid on his back as Sarah cuddled up beside him. “I promised I would work on it later.” She looked up at him with a coy smile which he returned. She didn’t sound the least bit tired and neither did he. It was great to be a Balancer. “Now will you tell me what you were planning?”
“Yes, I will. Sit up please.” She sat up and her hair fell down to her side. Connor sat up and searched for his pants. When they had been spotted he walked out of bed and put on some boxers. Picking up his pants he pulled the rescued metal from a pocket. “Close your eyes.” She did and he sat on the bed, cross legged in front of her. Connor held the piece of metal encased in his fist. “Ok you can open them.”
“What’s going on inside that head of yours, Connor?” She smiled again after gazing the scrapped metal.
Taking a calming breath wasn’t easy, seeing her look so elegant. “Sarah, I want to make everything official and legal. You’ve told me Balancers are older than many human notions, but that is a mood point. I know we are bonded forever, but I want to show others my commitment. My honest commitment.”
“How are you going to accomplish that feat?” She genuinely asked.
“Sarah, will you marry me?” He asked, flashing a smile at her.
Her face altered to shocked surprise. Even her thoughts were stunted. When she was able to utilize her voice again she shouted “Yes!” and threw herself at him and kissed him hard and passionately. When she pulled away to get some air she asked “When did you have time to buy me a ring?”
“I didn’t, but I can do what most men can’t possibly dream of doing.”
Connor opened his palm and shut his eyes for concentration. He heard her say “But…?” and she stopped when she felt him calling for his power. In his mind he pictured the jagged piece of stainless steel changing. It wrapped within itself and flattened. A hole entered the center and widened the circular ring began to become a continuous cylinder and then on the inside of the ring flattened to accommodate a perfect fit for Sarah’s ring finger.
Letting his instinct guide the power to the palm of his hand, Connor opened his eyes. The piece of scrap stainless steel levitated off his hand and hovered for a moment. It began to heat up at a tremendous rate and he could feel its toll being extracted from within his being. The metal began to instantly mold itself to the exact same way it had been imagined. As it finished taking shape and cooling, it fell into his palm and looked perfect.
She held out her left hand. Connor slipped it over her left ring finger. As he took his hands away she looked at the ring with reverence. “Connor, it is so beautiful.” She stopped and looked at him. “I only want a small and short wedding. Nothing extravagant. One with my parents present and along with your family. No one else is invited. I’ll want to get back home as soon as possible.”
“I agree. Neither of us likes dramatic events.”
“You know me so well.”
“Of course, I’m your number one fan.” She smiled his favorite smile. “I want to get married as soon as possible.”
“As do I. Do you have anyplace special you have in mind?” He showed her the image he recalled, which made her smile. “Well that is only the most perfect place for me as well.”
“Are we agreeable?”
“Yes, and did you know Father is licensed to wed?”
Apparently Connor did something right because she took care of him another six times before they finally went to sleep from exhaustion.
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