Chosen (The Last Guardians Book 1)

by C. V. Gregorchuk

  “And text me if anything happens.” Her mother added with a stern look at them both.

  “I will.” Mia agreed, trying for a solemn look.

  “I’ll take care of her,” Jake promised and let go of Mia’s hand to shake her father’s.

  “You better,” Tom said in an intimidating tone, but the corner of his mouth twitched, spoiling the effect.

  They said their goodbyes then.

  “Be good,” Mrs. Astor whispered in her daughter’s ear, hugging her tightly.

  “Mom,” Mia said and shrugged out of her mother’s embrace. “Good night,” She said firmly and stepped away, her cheeks flushing. Really mother, she shook her head.

  Chapter 11

  Mia and Jake stood watching as her parents clambered into the same car that had dropped mother and daughter off earlier in the evening. Jake’s dad had already taken off, content to walk while the night remained clear. “Ready?” Jake said when the car had pulled away and joined traffic, heading down the one way toward Columbus Circle.

  “Yup,” Mia agreed, wrapping her arms around herself. Jake made to hail a cab, but she stopped him, “Let’s walk through the park,” she said with a firm grip on his bicep, pinning it to his side. He looked down at her feet and then back to her face. He smirked, and Mia knew exactly what he was thinking. “What?” She grinned, taking the unsaid challenge. “You don’t think I can walk there in these?”

  “Five bucks says you take them off in the first two minutes,” He said, taking the bait. There was a playful gleam in his eyes, and it made her heart squeeze in her chest.

  “Ten says I don’t.” She smiled cheekily up at him. Did he know how handsome he was? He must.

  “You’re on.”

  She lasted about ten minutes. To be fair, it was quite the accomplishment considering her feet had started aching almost immediately. “You owe me ten bucks,” Jake said and hoisted her higher onto his back, pinching the soft flesh beneath her knees in the process.

  “I lasted longer than two minutes,” Mia reminded him and adjusted the precarious state of her dress, “besides, we didn’t shake on anything.”

  “But somehow I’m still paying.” He grumbled, but she could tell he was amused. Besides, he had offered to give her the piggyback ride; Mia refused to feel guilty about it.

  “You could put me down,” She suggested, but he only readjusted her again. “Actually Jake, just let me down.” It was proving difficult to maintain her modesty with the way her skirt kept riding up.

  “I got you, Mee,” Jake said, misunderstanding.

  “No,” She laughed, “my dress, its...”

  “Oh,” He came up short and did his best to help her as she slid down his back to the pavement. “I guess that’s not the best thing for piggybacks,” he said and watched unabashedly, as Mia pulled the skirt of her A-line dress down to her knees.

  “Yeah, not really,” Mia agreed, looking up from her ministrations with a sheepish grin. She took a few experimental steps and stopped. The damnable shoes rubbed painfully against the blisters on the back of her ankles and pinched her toes mercilessly. “Oh screw this!” She said, admitting defeat.

  “What are you-”

  Mia kicked the shoes off her feet, wondering how the waitress at the restaurant managed in six inch heels when she couldn’t last more than ten minutes in four inches. “Oh,” Mia let out an exaggerated groan of pleasure, “that feels so much better.” It didn’t matter if she was now standing in her stockinged feet on a damp, paved path in Central Park.

  “You’re nuts,” Jake said. He shook his head from side to side and bent down to scoop the discarded shoes up from the ground. Mia held out a hand to take them, paying no attention to his remark. “I’ve got them,” he said and started down the path beneath the arching trees.

  “How chivalrous,” Mia teased as she sidled up next to him.

  “Mhmm,” He looped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. They walked in silence, moving like shadows down the lonely path with its iron lamp posts standing every eight feet or so. A light breeze stirred the leaves above them, and a faint rustling filled the air. It was cool, and Mia shivered. Without stopping, Jake shrugged out of his blazer and draped the garment around her shoulders.

  “Thanks,” Mia murmured and pulled the jacket, still warm and smelling of his cologne, closer around herself. Instead of answering, he snaked his arm around her waist and kept walking. There was something off about him. He seemed lost in his own little world, distant and occupied, and he kept looking over at her like he was reassuring himself that she was still there. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about UBC myself.” Mia said, taking a stab in the dark at what was bothering him.

  “What?” Jake said looking down at her in surprise, then, “Oh. Don’t worry about it, Mee.” He tried for a smile and failed. If that wasn’t what was bothering him, then what was?

  “I’m going to miss you, Jake,” she said and leaned into him, feeling out of sorts.

  “Mee,” he started to say something but stopped. He tightened his hold on her, his fingers pressing into her hip.

  “Ya?” Mia asked after a long pause; she could feel the beginnings of anxiety in the pit of her stomach.

  “Never mind.”

  “Come on Jake,” Mia persisted, “what is it?”

  “It’s nothing.” He released her and strode out ahead. He came to a stop in a circular pool of light beneath a lantern, his tall frame rigid.

  Mia approached him cautiously, unsure. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out why he was acting so weird. Mia barely touched him, a light brush of her fingers against the crisp white shirt pulled tight over his shoulders. He twisted around. There was a panicky cast to his eyes, and his usually tanned skin looked pale in the glow of the lantern.

  “Jake, what’s-”

  “Don’t go.” He said it so quietly Mia wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

  “What?” She said stupidly.

  “Don’t go to Canada.”

  Her heart came to a complete standstill and any thought she might have had was instantly out of reach. Mia stared at him dumbly and realized he was dead serious. He didn’t want her to go, and it terrified him that she could. “Jake,” she said drawing out his name, trying to organize her thoughts.

  “Mia!” Someone shouted her name from somewhere to their right, and both of them jumped. “I thought that was you. What are you guys doing?” It was Tanya.

  She came strutting down the path the way they’d come, in sky-high platform heels and a fancy blue dress that reached midway down her pale thighs. Mia recognized Dave behind her and another girl with white-blonde hair she didn’t know. “Uh,” She was at a complete loss. Tanya really did have the worst possible timing. Mia sought out Jake’s eyes but he was looking past her to the new arrivals, the desperate look wiped from his handsome features. Mia had to wonder if it had even been there in the first place or if it had been wishful thinking.

  “We’re heading to a party on 91st,” Jake answered and stepped past Mia to greet the three of them.

  “What a coincidence,” Tanya said and threw herself into Jake’s arms for a hug, “so are we.”

  “How do you know Bella?” Mia asked in confusion.

  “We don’t,” It was Dave who spoke. He stopped next to Mia, his hands thrust deep into the pockets of his jeans. “Tanya knows someone who knows her.” He shrugged.

  “How do you know her?” Tanya extracted herself from Jake and enveloped Mia in her long, pale arms. She planted a kiss on her cheek with a loud smack. “Oh,” She giggled, “let me get that,” she said and rubbed at the bright red lips branded on Mia’s skin.

  “We went to high-school with her,” Mia answered, fending her friend off before she could rub the skin from her face.

  “Oh that’s sweet,” said the girl that Mia didn’t know and tossed her perfectly curled blonde hair over one bare shoulder.

  “Mind if we walk with you?” Tanya asked, directing
the question at Jake who shrugged his shoulders.

  “Sure,” the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We’re all heading the same way.” His gaze rested on Mia for a split second before flitting away. It was long enough for Mia to see how frustrated he was.

  “You look, foxy girl,” Tanya said in Mia’s ear, linking arms with her as the group set off. They were close to reaching the edge of the park; Mia could make out the light of the buildings through the trees.

  “Thanks, Tan,” Mia said absently. She was still rattled by whatever it was her friend had interrupted. Her imagination ran away with her, keeping her occupied for most of the walk through the park and the Upper East Side. Hadn’t part of her secretly hoped something like this might happen? That upon realizing that she was actually leaving, Jake would figure out he couldn’t live without her. What might have happened had Tanya, and her friends not found them?

  Images flitted before Mia’s eyes as they turned off 5th Avenue and started down 91st, each one more unrealistic than the last. Mia made herself stop. The cold, logical voice in her head told the truth she didn’t want to hear. He was only behaving this way because he was scared. Mia stole a sidelong look at Jake and found him staring at her over Tanya’s voluptuous red curls. She frowned and looked away, impatient with herself and the flutter in her belly.

  The front door of the three-story townhouse was open, spilling light and music out onto the street. The five of them climbed up the stone steps and shuffled in amidst the already overflowing foyer. There were people everywhere, some standing along the walls clutching red plastic cups and bottles of beer, others dancing in whatever free space they could find. The bass line of a Weekend song pounded through the tiled flooring, traveling up Mia’s stockinged feet and into her bones.

  “Let’s get drinks!” Tanya yelled over the music and started off in a random direction, bodily dragging Mia along with her. Mia craned her neck around to make sure Jake was still there and made a face when she found him. Tanya led them through a fancy sitting area with a fireplace and a dining room that had been converted into a beer pong stadium. She released her grip on Mia’s arm as they came into the kitchen. There were people everywhere; most of the Upper East Side youth must be here. The girls, all impeccably dressed in jewel-toned dresses teetered on their high heels while the preppy guys crushed one beer after another.

  The place was ripe with the strong smell of cologne, booze, and weed. “Here,” Tanya pressed a cold Heineken into Mia’s hands and turned back to the overflowing cooler on the floor for more. Mia considered drinking it before deciding that the consequences weren’t worth it. She’d learned her lesson. Mia passed the beer and the others Tanya handed her until everyone had one but her.

  “You’re not drinking?” Jake appeared over her right shoulder.

  “Not tonight,” Mia answered and felt her pulse jump. She turned to face him and found him so close that she had to tilt her head back to look him in the face. “I just got over my last hangover.”

  “Ha,” his laugh sounded strained even over the music, “probably a good thing then.” Someone bumped against him, and Jake fell against her. “Sorry,” he apologized, his hand finding her waist as he regained his balance.

  “It’s okay,” Mia said. Thinking about their almost conversation in the park was driving her crazy.

  “Mia, let’s go dance!” Tanya forced her way into the limited space between them, effectively halting anything that might have happened. Biting back an obscene word, Mia stared at her friend as Tanya made puppy eyes at her, begging her to agree. It took Mia a moment, but she realized that while Tanya was consistently getting in the way tonight, it wasn’t her intention. With a reluctant smile, Mia allowed Tanya to drag her back through the house to the living room where the impressive looking stereo was churning out some Drake. Tanya started throwing herself about, twisting and turning her body to the music with a massive grin on her face. It was infectious, and soon Mia gave in to the rhythm pounding through her body, deciding to forget about Jake. For the moment at least.

  In the middle of “Please Don’t Stop the Music” something happened. One second Mia was enjoying herself, swaying her body to the loud music, dancing with abandon. The next, she felt like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room.

  “Whoa,” her hand went to her now throbbing head. Lights flashed in front of Mia’s eyes, and she blinked furiously to clear them. Someone bumped into her, and she would have fallen if it weren’t for all the people keeping her up. Mia apologized to the skinny guy she’d used as a support and attempted to extract herself from the makeshift dance floor.

  The sick feeling in her stomach was back, like a ton of bricks it weighed her down. Her head was spinning dangerously, and she knew without a doubt that she was going to be sick. Mia pushed and shoved her way through the crowded house, searching for a bathroom. She’d lost track of Tanya and hadn’t seen Jake since they’d first arrived. She was utterly alone in a house bursting with people. The main floor bathroom was occupied, and there was a long line of people waiting. Light headed and hot, Mia dragged herself up the staircase by the polished rail. There must be an empty bathroom on one of the upper floors.

  On the second floor landing, Mia had to stop. She swayed alarmingly. The carpet beneath her feet seemed to dip and pitch underfoot. She moaned in distress. Her guts clenched and she gagged. “Oh no, oh no,” Mia stumbled down the landing, using the wall with its creamy wallpaper as a support. She recognized this section of the house; Bella’s room was at the end of the hall. She had an en-suite bathroom. It was oddly deserted up here. The partygoers remained downstairs on the main level with the booze and music. It was a huge relief that there was no one to bear witness to her discomfort.

  Mia let herself into Bella’s room and flicked on the light. It looked the same as it had in high-school. The bed was piled high with frilly pillows, and everything was still that same periwinkle shade, from the drapes to the plush duvet. Mia headed for the closed door of the bathroom, almost tripping on a cream area mat. Her ears had started to ring incessantly, and her mouth was bone dry.

  “Mia?”

  She squealed and let go of the crystal doorknob, flying around to face him. “Jake! What the hell?”

  “I saw you come up here,” Jake mumbled, “I thought I’d sscheck if you were okay.”

  Mia narrowed her eyes at him, taking in his ruffled hair and vacant eyes. “How much have you had to drink?” She asked, ignoring the way her head pained.

  “Doesn’t matter,” he said and lurched toward her. He caught himself before he fell against her, supporting his weight with a hand on the wall beside her head. “I need to talk to you,” he slurred, and Mia closed her eyes at the intensity of the alcohol on his breath.

  “Jake I-”

  “Jusht lishen Mee,” he said, cutting her off with a heavy hand on her shoulder. His eyes were big and unfocused in his face, the pupils nearly blotting out the blue.

  “Jake, you’re drunk,” Mia said, forcing the bile in her throat down.

  “No Mee, Lishen, Dont’s go to Canada.”

  “Seriously?” She was angry now as well as sick. “Can’t we talk about this later?”

  He continued as if she hadn’t said a word. “Mee I don’t want you to go. Don’t leave me. Mee,” He stopped, and at that moment he looked completely sober. Mia’s heart stopped, and now she really couldn’t breathe. Why did everyone’s timing have to be so off tonight? “Mee I think.” He paused again, “I- I think I, I-”

  “Oh crap,” Mia twisted away from him and wrenched the bathroom door open. She flew across the bathroom floor to the toilet where she was immediately and violently ill into the porcelain bowl.

  “Mia? You okay?” His voice echoed in the bathroom, loud with concern.

  “No,” She moaned gripping the cold porcelain with both hands.

  Mia felt his hands on her shoulders, warm and shaking. “Here,” he grunted and slipped his hands beneath her arms. Jake hoisted her to her
feet. Mia groaned but let him maneuver her from the toilet to the bathroom sink. Her head pounded intensely, and the ringing in her ears seemed to be getting louder by the second. Jake said something, but she couldn’t make it out. Jake opened the tap, and Mia plunged forward to drink the water, supporting her weight on her arms.

  She slurped water, rinsing her mouth before spitting it and the foul taste into the sink, then she gulped down the stream to soothe her burning throat. Mia turned the crystal tap and stood hunched over the sink, her whole body shaking. She rested her forehead against the cold surface of the mirror and concentrated on getting her heart rate under control one deep breath after the other.

  The ringing in her ears rose and came to a deafening crescendo threatening to split her skull. Jake’s fingers dug into her shoulders as he shook her urgently. Mia opened her eyes and was blinded by a bright white light. There was a weird ripping sensation that started in her gut, and a strangled cry tore from her throat. Then everything went black.

  Chapter 12

  He looked up from his work, the soiled hay in the stall instantly forgotten. Nostrils flaring widely, he turned his head toward the barn door and the expanse of trees beyond it. Every fiber of his body hummed with a sensation both alien and indescribably familiar. It was like a flame coming suddenly to burning life.

  The sound of hurried footsteps came to him from the yard. A moment later Orden appeared in the door, his massive frame cutting off the bright morning light. His eyes were wild above the thick grey beard that covered the lower half of his face. He was out of breath. Orden stormed across the hard-packed earth and grasped his arm in a tight grip. “Do you feel it?” He asked in a low voice, his steely eyes burning with intensity.

  “I do.”

  “Good,” Orden said with a ghost of a smile. He squeezed his arm and let go. “We must away at once,” he said and strode toward the tack wall at the back of the barn. “Take Rayne; we will ride for the farthest point of the ward and sweep the forest back this way.”