by Brea Essex
I pulled my gaze away from Rae’s retreating figure. I focused my attention on my parents, who were looking at me with concern.
“Nothing, Mom,” I reassured her. “I just thought I saw someone I knew. Never mind.”
My parents seemed appeased and returned to their conversation, which I promptly ignored. I glanced back at the door, but Rae had already exited. I sighed softly, returning to my churning thoughts.
Chapter Ten
Raena
Andrei drove slowly on the way back to my house. We still had some time to kill before I had to be home, but I figured he hoped to make a good impression on Genevra and Shane by getting me home before curfew. When he parked in front of my house, he shut off the car. Is he planning on walking me inside? I wondered.
He reached over, brushing my hair out of my eyes. His hand lingered there, and he ran the back of one finger across my cheek and down my jaw. “I had a great time tonight, Rae.”
I think I stopped breathing for a minute. “I—I did too,” I stammered. Is he going to kiss me?
His hand dropped to mine, and he encircled my palm with his fingers. “I hope we can do this again soon.”
“Sure,” I nodded.
His eyes bored into mine for a second, then he released my hand and pushed the button to unbuckle my seat belt. I sat, frozen, while he opened his door and came around to the passenger side to hold the door for me. He held his hand out for mine to help me out of the car. I appreciated his help because I felt dizzy from his proximity and what I believed had been a near-kiss. I felt a little unsteady on my feet, a fact amplified by my heels.
This time when he grabbed my hand, he held onto it as he walked to the door with me.
When we reached the front step, Andrei turned to me. He leaned forward a little and brought my hand to his lips. “Goodnight, my Rae. Sweet dreams.”
I took a deep breath to calm my hammering heart before I responded. “Goodnight. Thank you for dinner. I had a lot of fun.”
“So did I. I will see you soon.” He released my hand, and I fumbled for the doorknob. I stepped backwards over the threshold, still staring at him. Surprisingly, I didn’t trip. He walked back to his car as I closed and locked the door, and shut off the porch light. I leaned against the door and exhaled forcibly, shaking my head in disbelief. The whole night felt like a dream.
I spotted Tanis trying to creep out of the darkened kitchen. Had she been spying on me? “I see you in there, Tanis!” I called. “You might as well come out here.”
She sauntered out of the kitchen. “Well, well. You were gone for a long time.”
I glanced at the clock hanging in the hall. “I’m not late. I’m actually early.”
“I know. But you were still gone for a long time. Come on, tell me what happened.”
“Not now. Tomorrow,” I promised. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
I headed for the stairs, but she cut me off. “You know I won’t quit until you tell me. You just barely met this guy. You have to tell me sooner or later.” She winked at me and smirked.
I stopped at the top of the stairs and faced her. “Whatever. I’m going to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
I hurried to my room and shut the door behind me, locking it for good measure. Unfortunately the door to the bathroom only locked from inside the bathroom itself, so I pulled my desk chair over and propped it up under the handle as a barricade. Tanis had an annoying habit of barging into my room, and I didn’t feel like dealing with her anymore tonight.
I kicked off my heels, slipping out of my dress and into my favorite pajamas. Leaving my dress and heels where they fell on the floor, I called for Nuada as I changed, surprised she hadn’t come out to greet me when I’d gotten home.
“Nuada?” I tried again. I lay down on my stomach on the floor and checked under the bed. No Nuada. I got up and glanced under my desk. Not there either. I looked in my closet and even dragged the chair away from the door, checking the bathroom to make sure she hadn’t gotten trapped in there.
I rapped on Tanis’s door. After a moment, she flung it open. “Oh, now you want to talk? Well, maybe I don’t want to know anymore.”
“Is Nuada in there?” I asked.
“No. Why would your cat be in my room?”
“Well, do you know where she is?”
“Nope. Actually, I haven’t seen her since right after you left.”
“I’ll check downstairs, thanks.” I headed back through the bathroom and into my room. I paused to shove the chair back under the door before I ventured out into the hall. I searched the house high and low, checking every hiding spot I could think of. I pulled out a bag of her food, shook it, and poured some into her dish. That would usually bring her running, but she didn’t show.
I ran back upstairs and tapped on Genevra and Shane’s door. Genevra answered the door in her robe. “How did your date go, Raena?”
“Fine, thanks. Is Nuada in there?” I asked.
“No, she isn’t. I haven’t seen her in a while. Why?”
“I think she’s missing. I can’t find her anywhere,” I told her, near tears now.
“Oh, I’m sure she’s fine.”
“She’s a kitten, Genevra. She’s only a few months old. What if she got out? Did anyone leave any doors open?”
She hesitated for a heartbeat. “I don’t think so…”
“I’m going to go look for her. I’ll be back!”
She didn’t argue with me. “Take a coat! And your phone!” she called after me as I ran off.
I made a detour to my room to grab my phone and some slip-on shoes. I darted back downstairs, grabbing a coat out of the coat closet. I barely paused to slip it on as I flew out the door, not even stopping to lock it behind me.
At first I just stood in the front yard, calling for Nuada. When she didn’t appear, I started to run down the street, still yelling her name. I didn’t care if I woke the neighbors. I just wanted to find my cat.
I headed down to the park. I don’t know why, but I felt drawn there. Maybe I’d find her hiding in a bush, or maybe she had climbed a tree and had gotten stuck. I continued to yell for her, pawing through the bushes and trying to ignore the scratches I got from the sharp needles and poking branches.
Suddenly I felt a warm breath on my neck. “Looking for something?” a voice murmured in my ear.
I must have jumped ten feet in the air. I whirled, right fist raised. A hand closed over my fist, and an arm went around my waist, pulling me close. When I saw who it was, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Logan.
“Now Raena, you don’t want to damage this handsome face of mine, do you?” he asked.
The fight had drained out of me, but I still attempted to struggle away from him. “Let me go!” I demanded.
He leaned in until his face hovered mere inches from my own. “You don’t actually want me to let you go, do you?”
“Yes, I do! Cut it out!” I planted my left palm against his chest and pushed as hard as I could.
He finally released my waist, but he still had hold of my other hand. He ran his thumb across my knuckles. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you to make a proper fist? You’ll break your knuckles like that.” He tsked. “Someday I’ll have to teach you self-defense.”
I relaxed my fist, but he still held onto my hand. He lowered our arms and swung them experimentally between us. “I always wondered what it might be like to hold your hand,” he said softly.
“Huh?” I must not have heard him right.
“I said ‘I bet you’ve always wanted to hold my hand.’” He smirked at me. “Now, if I let you go, will you promise not to run away?”
“Of course I’m not going to run away!” I exclaimed. “Logan, let me go!” I wasn’t about to admit I enjoyed the cool feel of his hand, which slowly warmed against mine.
He let go, but didn’t move away. “Now tell me, Raena. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” He eyed me appraisingly. “Looking quite appe
aling in your lovely pajamas, I might add.”
My face burned, and I felt thankful the trees were hiding the moon. I hoped he wouldn’t notice. “My cat is missing. I didn’t have time to change.”
His expression changed suddenly. His eyes mirrored my concern. Funny, I didn’t think he had any level other than “jerk.” “Can I help you look?” he offered.
I stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out if he was being sincere or not. “Uh, sure. I guess so.”
“What does she look like?” he asked.
“She’s black, short hair, and tiny.”
“What’s her name?”
“Nuada.”
“Beautiful. It means ‘protector,’ you know.”
“I didn’t know. It was her name when we got her.”
“We?” he asked, intrigued.
“Well, just me, I guess. I just found her sitting on our doorstep one day, the day my mom died.”
“That’s a wonderful story.”
I didn’t respond for a moment. I couldn’t lose Nuada! I had already lost my mother. If I lost my cat, too, it would be like losing my last tie with her. My vision began to swim. “Can you just help me look for her? Please, Logan.”
He raised his hand partway. It hung there, suspended in the air for a moment. I didn’t quite know what he was doing, but he lowered his arm. “Of course, Raena. I’ll help you look.”
We searched the park, the school behind my house, and the parking lot of the church across the street. We wandered through the surrounding neighborhood, walking aimlessly up and down the streets, calling Nuada’s name. We didn’t find any sign of her. I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and plopped down on the curb. I drew up my knees and rested my head on them.
I felt the lightest touch of Logan’s hand on my shoulder. “Maybe we should call it quits for the night,” he suggested.
My head shot up. “I’m not giving up! My poor cat is missing.”
He sat down next to me and put his arm around me, pulling me close to him. “I’m not suggesting we give up. I’m just suggesting I walk you home so you can get some much-needed sleep. I can pick you up bright and early in the morning and we can resume our search. It will be easier to look for her during the day anyway. Since she’s black, she kind of blends in with the night.”
I twisted my head to try to look up at him—even with us both sitting down, he still towered over me—without accidentally brushing my lips across his neck or something else embarrassing. I leaned back a little so I could get a clear view of his face. “I guess you’re right,” I agreed.
His arm dropped from my shoulders, and he stood, holding his hand out for mine. I placed my hand in his, and he pulled me to my feet. “Can I walk you home?” he asked.
“Sure.” I nodded. “I suppose that would be okay.”
As we walked back to my house, we still kept our eyes peeled for Nuada. Logan walked me straight to the door and just stood there.
“I’ll come by for you first thing in the morning, and we’ll keep looking, okay?”
“Sounds good. Thanks for helping me tonight.”
“Anytime. After all, I couldn’t risk you getting help from some other guy. I don’t want to share you.” He winked at me.
Great. He’d gone back to his old self. “Logan…”
“I know, I know. Stop being a jerk.” He stooped to kiss me swiftly on the cheek. “I can’t help it if I’m confident, Raena. I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned and jogged down the street.
My hand flew to my cheek and pressed against the spot he had just kissed. It still felt warm from the imprint of his lips, and felt as though it thrummed with energy. Did Logan like me? If so, I hated to break his heart by telling him about Andrei. Even though Logan acted like a jerk the majority of the time, he did seem to have a semblance of a heart buried somewhere in his muscled chest. I just needed to put him out of my mind. He was a friend—of sorts—nothing more.
I began to feel chilled. I didn’t know how long I had stood on the porch, staring at the spot where he had disappeared around the corner. I should go inside. I tried the doorknob. Good. They hadn’t locked it. I went in and closed and locked the door. I shed my coat and hung it up. No matter how tired and stressed I felt, I knew Genevra would throw a conniption fit if I left it lying around.
My coat now in its place, I trudged upstairs. Tanis waited for me in my room, perched on the edge of my bed.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I just wanted to see if you found Nuada.”
Oh. I couldn’t be mad at her for that, even if she had come into my room without permission. “No, I didn’t. Logan and I looked everywhere.”
Her eyes widened. “Logan?”
“Yeah, I ran into him at the park.”
“Funny. What was he doing out at the park so late at night?”
“You know, I’m not sure. We got caught up looking for Nuada, and I forgot to ask him.”
“So, is something going on with you two now?”
“No! He was just being nice—for once.”
“Okay. Well, I can help you look in the morning, if you want,” she offered.
“Thank you. Logan said he’s going to come over in the morning to help me look again.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to be alone with him?”
“No, Tanis. I don’t want to be alone with him. It’s not like I’m afraid to be alone with him or whatever, but the more eyes, the better.”
“Okay then,” she told me. “If I’m not up when he gets here, just wake me.”
Of course she would be up. She always got up early. Now was not the time to remind her of that though. “Sure. I’ll wake you up.”
She slid off my bed and headed for the connecting door. “Tanis?” I called after her as her hand reached for the knob.
She paused. “Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“No problem. After all, what are sisters for?” She disappeared into the next room, shutting the door behind her.
I surveyed my room. It seemed sad and empty without Nuada. This would be the first night I’d slept without her since I’d gotten her. I didn’t know if I could fall asleep without feeling her warm fur against my arm or hearing her purring.
I sighed mournfully and climbed into bed. I fell into a restless sleep, with dreams filled with Andrei. At least, I thought it was him…
Chapter Eleven
I stood on the pier staring out at the ocean when a cold, unearthly fog rolled in. I’d been there before. I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew. The place seemed familiar. I started running.
*Flick* I was running, running through the surf. Laughing? Something was chasing me, but it felt like a game. Wait, hadn’t I just been…
*Flick* I was strolling down the sidewalk, staring at the sunset when he showed up out of nowhere. I turned around, grinning from ear to ear. He wrapped his arms around me, kissed me on the forehead, and intertwined his fingers with mine. I couldn’t make out his face, but his presence seemed familiar.
*Flick* His hand was warm and soft, but with a roughness I couldn’t explain. We lay with our legs in the surf, staring at the clouds. I was happy. Blissfully happy…
CRASH!
I sat straight up in my bed with a start. My room looked as black as midnight during a storm. I fumbled around for my flashlight. Why weren’t the streetlights on? I finally found the flashlight and almost knocked over my bedside lamp in the process. I eased out of bed. Trying to be quiet, I headed for the connecting bathroom door to see if Tanis had woken up, too. She had to have heard that… unless the noise had been her trying to open the door to my room when the power went out. Sure enough, the chair I had wedged under the door had toppled over onto the floor.
The bathroom was even darker than my bedroom. I jumped when I saw my reflection in the light of the flashlight in the mirror. I’d always been afraid of mirrors in the dark for some reason. Too many scary movies, I guess. I averted my eyes and gro
ped for the door handle.
I opened the door to Tanis’s room and called her name softly. “Are you awake? Did you hear that noise?”
I shone my flashlight in the direction of her bed. She wasn’t there! Then I looked closer and breathed a sigh of relief. She lay curled up in a tight ball under the covers. I wondered how she had slept through the giant crash.
I stumbled across the room to the bed and leaned over to shake her. “Tanis? Wake up!”
She rolled over and stared at me sleepily. She blinked a couple of times, then sat up. “What? Why are you in my room in the middle of the night? What’s going on?” she demanded.
“I heard a huge crash, and it woke me up. The power is out,” I told her. “Were you in my room?”
“Huh?” she asked. “No, I wasn’t in your room. I’ve been asleep. Obviously.” Even in the dim light of the flashlight beam, I could see her eyes roll.
“Then why was my chair knocked over?” I inquired.
“I have no idea! Now let me go back to sleep. Goodnight!” She lay down again, her back to me.
I sighed and made my way back out of the room, being careful to not look in the mirror as I passed through the bathroom.
When I reached my room, I sat propped up in bed with the flashlight beam pointed at the chair. I couldn’t figure out how it had fallen over, especially considering how tightly I had wedged it under the doorknob. I must have fallen asleep sitting up, because the next thing I knew, the sun streamed through my window.
Chapter Twelve
I could hear Genevra puttering around in the kitchen below me. I smelled bacon and sausage cooking, and I hoped she wouldn’t try to get me to eat any of it. She had been trying to force meat on me since I had arrived. She claimed she worried I didn’t get enough nutrients, but I knew she thought it was weird to be a vegetarian.
I contemplated getting out of bed and heading down to the coffee shop to look for Andrei. I had just decided I wouldn’t—I didn’t want to seem too clingy—when I heard a knock on my door. “Come in!” I called. I felt too lazy to get up and open the door myself.