Marked by Time (The Mark Series Book 1)

by Victoria Basnuevo

  “What was your first clue?” I snapped. “When I started to run away from you or when I started actively ignoring you? I mean, seriously. You go from being a happy guy who is easy to get along with to an epic jerk. I get that every parent is strict and all, but come on? Did you have to be so cold?”

  “Did you have to overreact?”

  I stood up and clenched my fists. “Overreact? In case you haven’t noticed, Daris, my life has been flipped upside down and dropped on its ass. Camille and Melanie, I could deal with. However, there is the small detail that I don’t go to school anymore. I don’t cook with my mom on the weekends or dance around the kitchen while brownies are baking. I have some messed up pervert who works for my father tracking me down. I’m not even living in my own apartment anymore! I don’t know how many times we have to fight about this, how many times this even has to come up before it gets through your head.”

  “Skyler, you have to—”

  “I don’t want to. I want to go back to school. I want to put up with Camille and Melanie. I want to fight with my mom and go for my daily run. I want to go home.” I dropped to the ground and lay on it. “I just want to go home.”

  Daris reached out tentatively and touched my shoulder. He sat me up and tilted my head so that I was looking at him.

  “I know it’s bad. I know you miss your life, but what you’re feeling is normal. Luxators may be exposed to the culture from a young age, but they still live normal lives. They go to school, make friends, do homework, and date when they have time. We all have to leave those lives eventually, Blossom. Your transition was just a bit more…sudden.”

  “That’s an understatement.”

  He brushed his hair back and sighed, clearly frustrated. “I was planning on training you while you still attended school and moving you once summer started. When Travis showed up, though, we had to leave. I didn’t know how many were following him and didn’t want to risk it.”

  He sighed, “Everyone has a hard time with the change. Some Luxators who are born to regular humans or, Earth forbid, Acerlums, like you were, the change is much more drastic and dramatic. Some goodbyes are heartbreaking to watch. Others try to stay in touch despite our warnings and just end up endangering their family. The list of possible separations goes on and on. There just isn’t an easy way. Some masters choose to returns to their families, but most limit themselves to visits.”

  “I was born into the Luxator culture and was already placed under extreme expectations without even knowing it. My mother is a leader. She pulled me out of school the day after I got my mark. She took my phone and removed all my contacts who weren’t other Luxators. I never got to say goodbye to my friends. I began training the next day, having to figure out the explanation that she so expertly avoided. Eventually, I forgot about the life I left behind and became more concerned with getting the forms and attacks precise, knowing that, one day, I would have to start training others.

  He paused and stared off into the distance, his blue eyes glazing over, lost in the past, “Even now that I’ve become a master and have mostly separated from my mother, she is still technically my boss. When she called and asked about your progress, she was hoping you would be further along than you were. There’s no arguing with the woman. She told me to stop messing around and to start actively training you as if we had just been watching TV every chance we got.”

  “But why did you shut down? She isn’t here to watch you.”

  “True, but I’ve always felt like I’m trapped in her shadow like she’s always watching me and monitoring my every move. Hell, sometimes she knows exactly what I’ve done if I haven’t been doing exactly what she said. It’s scary.”

  I pushed his shoulder. “I won’t bother trying to defend your mom because anyone could see how much she loved me, but I will say that she is a mom. It’s her job to know what’s going on in your head even if you don’t want her to. My mom used to do the same thing. She always knew how annoying Camille and Melanie had been just by reading my expressions. She knew when a guy hit on me or when I got a good grade on a test. It’s just what they do.” I thought back to my mom teasing me about Daris. I had thought it was annoying; I never realized how much I would miss it.

  “Yeah, I know, but she’s annoying at times.”

  “If she weren’t annoying, then she wouldn’t be a mom.”

  He chuckled. “I guess you’re right. It’s just weird. Even though it’s been like this for years, I can’t help but miss the kind of relationship that you had with your mom, one filled with jokes and fun. I miss not having to stress about her yelling at me because I’m never good enough.”

  “I can’t blame you, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop being happy.”

  He smiled sadly. “She used to encourage me when I was still in training, but when I got my mark, it’s like it flipped a switch.”

  “Just because your relationship with her is strained because of her expectations, doesn’t mean that you can’t develop ones with other people.” I threw a small piece of brownie into the pond and watched as small fish darted for it.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Then, I was in the pond, shocked and wet. Daris broke out in laughter at my plastered hair and wide eyes. He stopped when I smiled.

  Fear illuminated his eyes, but his smile stayed as he backed away from me slowly. “Blossom? Stay back.”

  “Why Daris?” I said in a voice exaggeratedly fake and sweet. “I just want to give you a hug.” I opened my arms and made my eyes as wide and innocent looking as possible.

  “You can.”

  I smiled and stepped forward.

  “Once you’re dry.” He added. I pouted and he looked sympathetic.

  “But I want a hug now.” I stomped my foot like a child who wanted a new toy.

  “All good things to those who—Ah!” He took off quickly when I rushed him, the dark clothes he was wearing blending with the night sky behind him. I followed him, happy I could once again sense his movements. We floated steadily, caught in a stare-down. This was the Daris I had grown attached to, the one who was willing to mess with me by dumping me out of bed and pushing me into the pond after the sun had set.

  “Where are you going?” Oh, Camille would be so proud. I flew closer to him and he flew away.

  “Where it’s dry.”

  I smiled slyly before dropping. My wet hair flew behind me.

  Daris looked down, watching me cautiously. I caught myself like he taught me and flew straight into the nearest cluster of trees. Slowly, I rose into the foliage and right behind him.

  He was looking around the ground in expectation, waiting for me to come straight up for him. I wish I could have seen his face when I let go of the air and flopped onto his back. I did hear his shout of surprise and feel him fall a bit, though.

  “You were saying?” I whispered.

  He groaned. “I’m waking you up in the cruelest way possible tomorrow morning,” he promised.

  “You got me wet first.” I tightened my grip around his neck.

  “You got me wet second.” Daris looked back at me out of the corner of his eye and it was my turn to me scared.

  “Daris?”

  He leaned back like he was ready to pitch at a baseball game and launched forward.

  “Daris!” Immediately, my hold began to slacken as he flew. My hands slipped from grasping my elbows to my clutching my wrists for dear life. My head was just above his lower back and my legs were dangling behind me. As the wind shot through my hair, I felt like a superhero trying to stop a missile while I pulled myself up until I could wrap my arms and legs securely around the human projectile.

  I heard our excited laughter bounce off the trees and echo in the air and smiled. I looked down and watched as the buildings passed beneath us in a web of lights.

  In my state of wonder, I didn’t notice Daris slowing down until I could hear what he was saying. “What do you think?”

  “It’s amazing,” I whispered.
I rested my head next to his and nestled into his shoulder. I felt his body loosen and relax.

  “I like to do this every so often. It calms me down. That, and it’s kind of fun to just be able to feel like I’m in complete control of my life when I fly. I know, I’m a sap, but it’s true.”

  “You might be the only guy I have ever met who can actually admit to a girl that he can be sappy,” I mused and he scoffed.

  “I’m serious! It was impossible to find someone at my high school.”

  “Blossom, I visited your school almost every day for almost a month. You had no one to find.”

  I giggled, “Very funny, Daris.”

  “I try.”

  I heard the smile in his voice. To say I was glad to have my best friend back was an understatement. I was practically glowing. I yawned and relaxed my arms a bit.

  Daris chuckled. “How about we head home? I think a certain someone needs to go to sleep.”

  “Ok.” I sighed. “You are looking pretty tired.” I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of the forest, feeling sleep sweep over me as he took us back through the night sky.

  Sometime during the flight back to the house, Daris had shifted me into a bridal carry so I was cuddling into his shoulder and one of my hands was softly clutching his shirt. I wouldn’t have believed it if I saw a picture, but I did wake up comfortable when Daris landed, safe, dry, and warm.

  The rest of my time awake was a constant battle to keep my eyes open. His slow walk and strong hold were lulling me to sleep. When my head hit the pillow minutes later, I was out before Daris had the chance to cover me with my blanket.

  The obnoxious sound of the vacuum roused me from my deep sleep and I cursed. Over the course of the past two or three days, Daris had barely stopped cleaning, only stopping to train me, use the bathroom, or get a minimum amount of sleep. I practically had to restrain him against a tree to get him to eat. However, I drew the line at waking me up with a vacuum cleaner; it was worse than the ice water bath he used about a week ago when he fulfilled his promise of a cruel awakening. Goosebumps rose at the thought.

  I stumbled out of bed and opened the door only to have to immediately start concealing my blush. My tired breaths picked up speed and I no longer felt cold. This is where I needed my mom. This is when I needed her to help me because Earth knows that it cannot be considered healthy to be woken up early by an annoying sound just for me to walk out and see a shirtless Daris with rumpled hair immediately after opening the door.

  I steadied my breathing and walked into the living room when the cleaning finally stopped. The house looked spotless and I felt kind of bad that Daris hadn’t let me help. Said stubborn person, however, decided that, after constant cleaning with little fun, it would be a good idea to jump out at me from around the corner to scare me.

  I jumped back with a scream, my heart beating fast and raised a fist in preparation. I wasn’t prepared for the laughter that floated through the air. I smiled and watched this 6-foot-something guy fall to the floor clutching his sides like a little kid who just played a prank on his parents. I faked a scowl before he noticed my happiness and I poked him in the side with my foot. He looked at me, and my breath caught when his eyes caught mine. I knew I was still blushing, but I kept my face stern.

  “Seriously?”

  His grinned widened. “Good morning to you too, Bed Head.”

  “Whatever.” Like he could talk. I turned, about to go back into my room and get ready for the day, starting with putting a brush through my unusually ruffled blonde hair. Too bad for me that Daris was feeling playful.

  “Oof!” I rolled over onto my back and glared at Daris who was smiling broadly after having successfully tripping me.

  “What?” he asked it so innocently like I had just been caught staring at him instead of having fallen on the floor because of him.

  I wrapped my legs around his and pulled. He didn’t move. “Nice try, Blossom, but you’re not knocking me down today.”

  He turned and I swiped my legs, catching him just below the knees and sending him to the floor.

  “Shit,” I muttered. I brought my hands up to cover my face and hopefully protect myself from the impact I was braced for. When I opened my eyes, Daris had his hands on either side of my head and was keeping himself from touching me. Damn, he was quick. I felt a cold breeze that he must have used to catch himself and I shivered.

  Daris smiled at me and I sank into the floor with an exhale, my face red. While I would never have admitted it at the time, I was his prisoner. He used his body to cage me, and his eyes were the cuffs that bound me in place. We stared at each other, the silence like a blanket over the entire house. I didn’t even notice that we had gotten closer to one another until my name ghosted across my lips. My eyes fluttered closed as he brushed his nose against mine. We were breathing the same air now and I realized just how much I liked him. I knew he was good-looking; I knew I adored his personality, but it wasn’t until we were this close that I felt the full force that kept pulling me to him.

  The moment ended with a bang. The front door slammed open and in the doorway, was one of the last people I wanted to catch us. Daris’s mom stood there with a prevalent air of power, watching me with warning eyes as Daris and I scrambled to our feet. My face was red and my heart felt sore, but I had never been more furious with a person. Daris was just as red, though. After all, there was nothing more embarrassing than being caught by your mom.

  “If this is how you’ve been training her, son, then she must be weaker than I thought.”

  “Um, excuse me,” I scoffed, “but she is right here.”

  She looked me up and down and took in my disheveled hair, flushed face, and wrinkled pajamas before turning back to her son. “Bring her outside, Daris. I’d like to evaluate her in a moment.”

  Daris put his hand on my lower back and led me back towards my room, but I turned in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Skyler.” His tone was one of gentle warning.

  “Give me ten minutes.” With that, I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and rushed into the kitchen before I could second-guess what I just did, leaving Daris to preoccupy his mother while I made a quick breakfast of eggs for myself and some bacon for Daris.

  “Would you like anything?” I called to his mother as I plated the food.

  “I would like for you to come outside.”

  “Someone’s impatient,” I murmured.

  I leaned against the wall and ate while sending the bacon to Daris on a small cloud of air. I guided the plate to hit his arm. He turned and smiled at me, grabbing the dish and moving to stand next to me so that our shoulders touched with the smallest movement. His mother, however, stayed where she was, her foot tapping against the floor to a beat that would rival that of a hummingbird’s wings. I finished my breakfast at my own pace, though, loving how this woman who had interrupted the, the…I didn’t even know what to call it. The woman turned around and I took the chance to glance at Daris out of the corner of my eye.

  I saw the change is his demeanor from earlier to now. It was as though the two were white and black. Before, when we had been goofing off, he was light and playful. Even when we had almost kissed, yes, his eyes had darkened, but the smile, the care, the person he was, was still there.

  Now, his eyes were nothing more than two empty voids, lacking any emotion, all because of his own mother. I can understand that I have “daddy issues”, but this woman ruined her connection through expectations.

  I put my plate in the sink and decided that, if she wanted to go by expectations, then I would shoot her thoughts of me to hell.

  The morning air was crisp and clean, carrying the sweet scent of the blossoms that Daris and I had taken to growing every time I ran myself through a training regime. The morning sun illuminated the clearing. To the side, protected by the shade of one of the abnormally large fruit trees, Daris and his mother watched my every move with scrutiny. Across from me, the targets grew on my comman
d. I smiled when I felt the anticipation of the fight, the energy, and adrenaline that flowed freely through my being.

  “Begin!” The woman’s commanding voice bounced off the trees. I swung several punches and the targets shatters and split and burned. More targets followed in succession, one after another. Several blows were shot before I added powerful kicks into the mix. I fired the hurricane and tornado that Daris had taught me and took a deep breath when I was done. I looked to the side and felt fury fuel the fight within me when I saw that, despite all her talk, she wasn’t even paying attention to me.

  Daris was watching me, his eyes glowing once more with pride and care. Then, it vanished and he looked expectantly at the woman speaking to him in hushed tones.

  “Done already?” she asked me. She looked back to Daris. “Is that all you taught her?”

  I answered for him, grabbing the dagger and throwing it, guiding it to hit the tree next to her. She looked at the blue blade then at me.

  “He taught me more than that.” I stuck my hand out and the dagger returned to my hand. It started glowing red.

  “Just because you threw and caught your dagger, doesn’t mean you’re anything above the average Luxator, regardless of your mark.”

  “That’s your legend, remember?” I sneered, “I’ve just been sucked into your world.”

  Her eyes narrowed and she shot a wind tunnel at me that almost knocked me off my feet. Roots rose to wrap around my ankles, though, keeping me steady and stable.

  “How cute. You have help. Daris, remove those roots from her.”

  His eyes flashed and, while his mother was too busy dealing with me, he sent a quick smile. “That’s no longer under my control.”

  She glared at him and his eyes dimmed at the look. She growled, “What?”

  “She has the respect of Nature. I can’t change its intentions if it wants to help her.”

  His mother faced me and crouched in a stance similar to the one Daris taught me. Her blue eyes darkened and I saw where Daris inherited his predatory gaze from. “Then I will deal with her myself.”