“Reigh, stay there. Don’t move,” Blaine called out to me. I looked at him wondering why he hadn’t tried to use his gift. He could shock things and sent electrical currents through anything so why wasn’t he using his gift?
My heart skipped beats standing there for what was seconds but seemed like a lifetime.
I squeezed my mom’s hands trying to reassure her that everything would be alright and let her hands go.
I let my hands fall at my sides reaching for my core once again.
“Let him go or else,” I called out to the strangers
The female turned her head to look at me and then back to the male she was there with and whispered something.
He said something back and glanced at me. He did a double take to stare at me. I stared at him right back reaching deep within myself to feel the depth of my power knowing I had to concentrate if I wanted this to go right.
I had never tried anything on this grand of a scale opening locks any day of the week but I haven’t done anything like this.
I never had to defend someone, but I knew I could hurt someone who intended to cause bodily harm to someone I loved. I wouldn’t let them hurt my mom or Blaine. No freaking way.
“Lady, you best back down now, hear? My sister is a shield got that? You can’t hurt us; she can block anything you do. Now sit down and sit on your hands there.”
He pointed to the front of the counter.
“Both of you sit down now or charming here is gonna feel roasted in two seconds.” With that threat hanging in the air my mom instantly sat hoping they’d move on.
I knew better though they’d take all out supplies. I couldn’t let them take my Mom or Blaine, I couldn’t let them take Beatrice or our supplies and leave us here with nothing.
I couldn’t. No, I refused. I started walking toward this strange pair.
“We just want to go about our business here. There’s plenty for everyone. We don’t want any trouble. Please release my friend from whatever you’re doing to him. Let him down and we’ll be on our way. No harm done.”
I slowly stepped forward again. My heart was pounding in my ears so loud I couldn’t hear what he was saying to the girl.
Butterflies shot off in my stomach.
What the? Why did it matter if it was his girlfriend or his sister? She was holding Blaine captive in a shield of some kind.
He looked at me again and had begun walking toward me speaking.
I shook my head chastising myself for getting so caught up in my head again.
“What?” I asked him
“I said where are you going?” he asked.
“South,” I replied, glancing at Mom and back to Blaine. Had Blaine told him already and he was just trying to get me to confirm it now?
Would we not make it there now or would they kill us and take our safe haven for themselves? A thousand things began to run through my head and I almost missed his next question.
“Heading to Texas?” he repeated make sure I had heard him correctly.
“South, we’re heading south. That’s all I’m going to say. We don’t know you, nor do we know your intentions. Here you are showing up making our quick clean stop into a beacon, screaming to every militia member or wanna-be to come hither. Are you Militia? Is that what this is?” I was freaking out.
I reached for my core instead of waiting on him to answer we weren’t going out like this. We were getting out of there. I brought my hands together to clap them right in front of me with my fingers pointing at the strangers. I heard someone yell, but I had no idea who. I was within myself focusing on bringing forth wind to push them aside.
I grabbed at Blaine and my mom mentally bringing them forth and pushing them past the strangers and out the door safely next to the Jeep.
The girl was strong. Shield...huh? We’ll see what she can shield, I thought. I felt much better seeing that Blaine grabbed my mom, shoving her into the Jeep. I knew he would protect her. He wouldn’t leave me either.
The girl grabbed her brother bringing him with in her shield bubble.
I gasped, seeing him clear for the first time. Butterflies. Why was this happening? I longed to reach out to him.
I rejected those thoughts and feelings. They weren’t friendly.
I kept pushing against the girl’s shield, walking toward the door when he burst into action.
The girl shielded him as he leapt to the top of the closest shelf that still held a few bags of chips jumping into a spin that surely defied gravity and put him within an inch of me.
I was so stunned I froze, losing focus of my core. I could feel his breath on my face.
The heat from his body absorbed into mine. Who is he? I stared hard at him. A noise alerted me to movement. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Blaine coming toward the building, obviously to my aid.
“What do you want from us?” I whispered so quietly I wondered if he had even heard it.
I’d meant to scream in his face. Something about this dark man made everything inside of me confused.
“Let her go!” Blaine roared from the doors.
I could hear the sizzle and hum of the electrical currents running over his body waiting to be forced out to do his will.
I gasped, my eyes going wide as this dark mysterious stranger jerked me closer to him, pressing my body to his.
Without thinking, my arms wrapped around him pulling him closer, the stranger looked down at me, his eyes locked with mine, searching.
His eyes were a soft, warm inviting blue that had hints of purple. I felt as if I were basking in the summer sky. Whatever resolve I had left at that moment melted, and on came Blaine.
I turned my head to look at Blaine he moved forward slowly. He was angry.
Was it because I was wrapped in another man’s arms?
“We need to go, please let us go,” I said calmly to the dark stranger.
He looked at Blaine and out to the Jeep at Mom. He looked to the girl between him and Blaine and gave a nod her way. She stood down.
I was baffled and immensely grateful.
Blaine didn’t stand down though. He still moved forward telling the stranger to take his hands off me.
A smile cracked the corner of his beautifully sculpted mouth. I sighed, feeling him relax and his grip loosen.
He looked back at me and pulled me in pressing his lips to mine in a blinding kiss that sent shivers throughout every single atom that made up my being.
He stole the breath from my lungs as if I was being suffocated.
My body betrayed me at that moment. Coiling itself into him, pulling him closer. I couldn’t get close enough to this dark stranger.
I wanted him. No, I needed him close. The kiss ended just as quickly as it began.
He left me gasping for air and unsteady on my feet.
I’d never been kissed like that. I’d never reacted to a kiss like that. Heat rose in my face, coloring me crimson with embarrassment that there were witnesses to that earth shattering kiss, and boy, was Blaine staring.
I watched his disbelief that I had enjoyed the stranger’s kiss. I started to say something to Blaine but he stopped me.
What was I going to do? Apologize for a kiss I hadn’t known was coming? And why should I? He isn’t my boyfriend or partner of any kind other than we are partners in fleeing.
He is my friend, nothing more. My heart still broke a little knowing that this hurt him.
“You can go. Take what you need,” The dark stranger said to us.
Blaine looked up as if he’d been punched in the face. Anger creased every line on his face and flashed dangerously in his eyes.
“We didn’t mean to cause harm,” the stranger said again but he was looking directly at me now.
“We’re on our way to Texas, my sister and I. We have family there and we’re hoping to get there in one piece if possible.” I looked back at Blaine who seemed ready to shoot a few thousand volts through the stranger.
“Get your hands
off her, NOW!” Blaine yelled again at the dark stranger. I looked down in disbelief; I hadn’t realized he was still holding me.
“We should go,” I said more to myself than Blaine.
My mom started grabbing chips and other food, shoving it into the bags I had dropped. I didn’t know when she had come back in. How did I miss that? I wondered.
I looked back up at the stranger who was still holding me as if he meant to never let me go. Our eyes met and it seemed as if everyone and everything else that surrounded us blurred.
I couldn’t hear anything but the sound of my heart pounding loudly in my ears. The sound of his breath and the warmth of it within close proximity to my face sent my mind into a tail spin.
“We should go,” I said again so quietly. I was sure that no one had heard but me.
One side of his beautiful lips twitched as if was going to smile again. “What’s your name?” he asked me so quietly only I could hear.
“Reighlyn,” I replied without thinking. Dang it! I yelled at myself. Why would you go and say something like that?! Because he is God incarnate! I yelled back.
Oh, my god I’m going crazy, I thought, not only am I talking to myself, I’m yelling at myself. I’m arguing with myself. I sighed when he let me go. I didn’t know why, but I longed to be back in his arms and to feel his lips press against mine once again.
I took a step away and looked back at him standing strong and sure with a cocky smile teasing one side of his mouth.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him with surprising strength and speed, even for a man of his size.
His hands were on my shoulders, his right hand cupped the back of my neck and his left moved down to the small of my back.
My lips parted, my body knew what it wanted even if my mind screamed it was wrong, that I didn’t know this person.
He leaned in as if to kiss me. I heard Blaine growling and stalking forward. My mom screamed at him to stop that I would get hurt, begging the stranger to please let me go. He brushed his lips against mine, sending shivers into the core of my being. His lips traced a pattern across my cheek burning like fire.
I never knew fire could feel so divine. His breath was hot against my ear. I melted. I’d never felt lust like this; a yearning to be so close to someone ever before.
Surely this is what this must be. My blood was boiling.
Then he spoke, “I’m Garrett.” With that he let me go. I was weak from my body turning rogue. I felt breathless, as if I’d ran for miles non-stop.
Blaine rushed up grabbing my arm and pulling me back toward him and way out of reach of Garrett and the girl who I now suspected to be his sister.
Mom rushed over with bags full of granola bars, chips and trail mixes, and a few other things that would keep for a while.
“Grab a case of water Blaine and let’s get out of here.” Mom said pushing me toward the door.
I hopped in the back of the Jeep taking the bags from mom and pushing them into the small space behind the back seat.
Mom hopped in the front slamming the door she apologized hearing me suck the air in between my teeth, knowing full well my reaction was at the slam of the Jeep door.
Blaine backed out of the store, electricity coursing over his hands and arms and a look of utter disgust across his face. I knew he was angry. I knew he loved me. I loved him too, but I was still hurt that he had broken up with me. Is that why I let Garrett kiss me? I wondered.
I looked out of the window back at the store. Garrett and his sister had come out and watched us go.
Garrett waved and said something as we pulled away. I didn’t hear it clearly but I thought he had said “I’ll find you again.”
I stared out the window, spacing. No one said anything after we got back on the highway, heading toward our destination in Sonora, and I liked it this way.
It gave me time to think. What did he mean he would find me again?
I thought of the kiss and my body instantly heated to a boiling point. I took a deep breath trying to temper my lust for this strange man.
I couldn’t help remembering his short black hair; messy as if it had a mind of its own it.
His eyes… they were dangerous. If you looked at them too long they would suck you in and make you feel like you were drowning in the Caribbean Sea.
I’d never seen someone with blue eyes like that. They almost looked violet.
I sighed, putting my forehead on the window, staring at everything and nothing. He was gorgeous. His olive colored skin, full lips, square jaw, and his body felt hard as if his muscles had muscles.
I wondered if his finding me again would be such a bad thing after all.
CHAPTER 5
“What were you thinking?” Avril screamed after she watched the Jeep pull out of the fuel station and on to the highway.
“Why would you do that? What were you thinking?” She screamed again, slapping her brother on the arm.
“Hey, calm down. I was just having some fun. Patrol gets boring and we’ll be able to find them again. See how careless they were. Actually pulling into town into a gas station to go inside and use the bathroom,” Garrett told Avril as he walked to the truck they used.
He climbed behind the wheel of his Ford F-150 throwing a bag of snacks they had picked up on their way out into the back seat.
“Why would you put us in danger like that Garrett? Did you see that dude? He had open currents of electricity running up and down his arms! That’s crazy. I didn’t even know there were gifts like that!” Avril said to her older brother.
“And that chick you kissed….What is with you?” Avril paused waiting for her brother to respond.
“Why didn’t we take them down? We could have turned them in Garrett. Our only mission is to secure this area, to make sure if anyone comes through with gifts, we bring them in. Now what is the General going to say when she finds out that we let not one gifted but two go? That girl had more than one gift Garrett.”
Garrett looked to his sister who was almost screaming at him by the end of her speech.
For a younger sister she sure acted older than he did sometimes.
“I don’t know why I kissed her, and I don’t know why I let them go, but I do know we can’t tell the General Avril… You know that. If we tell her, you know what will happen. You know what she will do to us. Think of Mom and Dad, Avie. I’m not sorry I let them go… There was something about the girl. I felt like I had to protect her.”
Avril gawked at her brother. He opened himself to her at that moment in a way he never had before. Of course she knew they couldn’t tell the General. Their very lives would cease to exist and so would their parents.
Her parents had escaped or so they hoped. Avril and Garrett had been picked up when the first raid happened. The Militia started with picking off the government, which wasn’t hard because apparently the majority of the government everywhere was gifted and a part of the Militia.
The Militia proceeded to quietly snatch kids from schools across the country. The news said it was some cult group of weirdos, but my Dad, ever the conspiracy theorist, thought different.
He believed it was some faction of the government trying to use the gifted as a weapon in warfare.
He thought the gifted were being corralled like cattle to breed in order to take possession of the children who showed potential for gifts at an early age and test on them or to warp their minds into emotionless killers on command.
We thought he was just crazy until kids began disappearing in our area. We weren’t the only ones with gifts. We knew that.
We were a part of a tight knit community in a rural small town in North Texas near Arkansas. Almost everyone in our town was gifted. It wasn’t something we bragged about and showed to the world.
It started with one at a time, and then whole families disappeared. I shuddered. A chill rolling down my spine thinking of how we were “bagged and tagged” as if we were dead.
No, we were captured working the
fields, feeding cattle and horses our family owned, when we were ‘convinced’ to join ranks with the Militia.
The General promised she wouldn’t hunt our parents if we agreed to help her cause and not run.
I rubbed my arm thinking of the brand, wishing we would have just let the cattle and horses starve if it meant we could be with our parents.
I looked at Garrett watching me and I knew he had traveled the same train of thought.
He reached over grabbing my hand. “Avie, we can leave. We can go to Texas. We can run. We can try to find Mom and Dad before she does. Avie, maybe we can catch up with those people. There are a lot of factions of rebels in Texas. Avie… Talk to me… I’m only doing this to keep you safe. I promised Dad that if anything ever happened, I would look out for you.”
“Garrett…” I swallowed hard. “I want to go…I’m scared, Garrett I want Mom and Dad.” That admission was all it took. I broke down and began to cry.
I’d been so strong throughout this whole ordeal. I just wanted to be weak and feel my mom’s arms around me again. I just wanted to hear her voice telling me it was going to be okay. To hear my Dad tell me to let it all out and I would feel better. I clung to my brother.
My only family left, with my mom and dad lost. I was so scared and the strong face I had put on wasn’t holding up much anymore.
“Avie...Avie...Avie...” Garrett said holding me “It will be alright. We’re strong individually, but stronger together than we could ever be apart. We should have run. I should have never convinced you to do this. I just needed to buy us time and keep you safe until we found Mom and Dad or a way out.”
“I know, Garrett,” I said through sniffles “I’m ready to go now. Do you think we can do it?” I asked looking at my brother, seeing that he had tears of his own streaming down his strong face.
“Avie...We can do it,” Garrett said smiling. “Like Dad always said….We’ll always have Sonora.”
Avril smiled back unsure, but willing to die trying. “We’ll always have Sonora.” She sat back in the seat watching Garrett run back in to the gas station coming back out with a bucket, funnel, and gas cans.
The Genesis Project Prophecy of the Seven Page 3