by Sarah Carter
Shifting Fate
Sarah Kay Carter
Copyright
This book is a work a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Shifting Fate ©2017 by Sarah Kay Carter.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without the express written permission of Sarah Kay Carter.
This book is dedicated to Judy Woolston.
She encouraged me to write and was my cheerleader when I needed it most. I was going to give up writing and she encouraged me to continue. Thank you for the time we spent together and your love. You will always have a part of my heart.
Contents
Chapter 16
Chapter 227
Chapter 345
Chapter 465
Chapter 587
Chapter 698
Chapter 7120
Chapter 8136
Chapter 9170
Chapter 10190
Chapter 11206
Chapter 12221
Chapter 13240
Chapter 14258
Chapter 15285
Chapter 16309
Chapter 17330
Chapter 18338
Chapter 19350
Epilogue362
Chapter 1
The house is silent. Suddenly, a hand comes out from the covers and holds itself over the alarm. Counting down with its fingers, it goes five, four, three, two, one. The alarm starts to go off. The hand gives it the finger, and the alarm goes flying across the room.
A voice says, “Lexi Rose Blakely, that better have not been your alarm clock!” through the door.
She groans. Lexi sits up and sighs. Looking at the pieces on the floor, she rolls her eyes. The pieces start to come together again. When it’s whole, the alarm clock places itself back on the nightstand.
“Are you up honey?” her mom calls out.
“Yes, Mom,” Lexi sarcastically drawls out. “I can sleep through the screaming.”
The door opens, and her mom walks in. “You need to get up. Seriously, you can’t be late for your first day of school.”
“Mom,” Lexi whines. “I know everything. Why in the hell do I have to go to school? I don’t want to wear contacts.”
Her mom presses her lips together. “Lexi, the purple hair could be a punk rock thing. The eyes. You know we can’t explain the eyes.”
Lexi frowns and looks at the floor. “I know, Mom.”
“Oh, honey,” her mom sighs, sitting down on the bed. “Don’t be that way.”
“What, Mom?” Lexi snaps. “Admit that I am the only one in this universe that’s like me.”
“There are have been a lot of guys interested in you.”
She looks up. “Mom, they’re interested in our line. I get called a freak. We all do. All of us kids. You don’t even understand.”
“Who calls you a freak?” her mom gasps.
“It doesn’t matter,” Lexi mutters. “I just think putting me amongst a bunch of humans is a bad idea.”
“Just don’t use your powers,” her mom instructs. “You will be fine.”
“Don’t do the one thing that makes me me,” Lexi snaps again. “Thanks.”
Her mom takes her hand. “Listen, I gave the same argument to your grandmother before she sent me to the rendezvous.”
“Mom,” Lexi groans. “It’s not the same.”
“It is. I thought I was a freak, but she made me go. And look, I met your father!”
Making a gagging face, Lexi says, “I don’t need to think of you guys hooking up. Barf.”
“What? We met. Who says we hooked up?”
“Thank God in heaven, that I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard you talk to Dad. Barf. Gag. Vomit.” She gestures puking on the floor.
“You know, honey, we aren’t that old. You don’t have to act like we’re dinosaurs.”
Lexi raises an eyebrow. “Thirty-three is old.”
“It is not!” her mom yells. “What? How is that old?”
Bursting out laughing, Lexi falls over onto her mom’s shoulder. “The look on your face...oh my god...priceless.”
“Funny, Lexi,” her mom says, a smirk twitching on her face.
“Mom, you’re not old, but I don’t want to ever hear you talk about sex again.”
“Well, I hope you talk to me about it before you have sex,” her mom whispers, nudging her.
She sits up. Lexi says, “What guy...in their right mind...would want to have sex with me?”
“You’re a bombshell!”
“Mom. Oh my god. I’m an alien to the aliens! How bigger of a freak can you be?”
“You’re not a freak.”
Lexi raises an eyebrow. “Mom, you’re the one who started the freak club.”
Her mom looks at her and says, “Oh god, I am old. I’m my mother.”
That makes Lexi laugh. “No, you’re just being a mom. I’m a freak. I’m the president of the freak club.”
“But, think of it, you’re not alone. There’s Kayla, Ariel, Aurora, Mason, Xander, Trinity, Jennifer, Ashe, Lana, and the most awesome, me.”
“Mom, none of you can top me. I see the everything. Future, past, now. Next Tuesday, last Wednesday. Right now. Olive just woke up.”
With falling shoulders, her mom sighs. “She was up until two this morning. I’m going to die.”
“Aren’t you the hard core fighter that can go on a little sleep?” Lexi teases.
“I’m the hard core fighter that has five kids,” her mom groans. “Ugh, twins are a work out.”
“Go. Go drink a cup of coffee. I will get her back to sleep.”
Her mom smiles. “I still say you have an ability.”
“An ability to do what?” Lexi replies.
“To calm people. To make people attach to you. I think it’s when you want them to.”
Rolling her eyes, Lexi says, “I doubt that. I’d actually have friends.”
“You have the other kids,” her mom states. “You are ridiculously close.”
“They live all around the world. They’re not here. They’re not going to go to school with me. I’m going to be alone. In a sea of humans, nonetheless. No powers. At all.”
“You better not,” her mom sternly demands.
With a smirk, Lexi says, “Not even a little bit?”
“No, Lexi.”
“It’s so much fun to screw with people!” she exclaims. “Why have powers, if you can’t mess with people’s heads?”
“Lexi. Rose. Blakely. You will do no such thing.”
She smiles. “You wouldn’t know either way.”
Now, her mom looks pissed. “Lexi. Don’t do anything. Could you imagine if you were outed? The ramifications?”
Her eyes widen, and then she rolls them and laughs. “I know, Mom.”
“I will know. I’m a mom. It’s a super power. You better behave.”
Lexi frowns. “Yeah, don’t worry I will. School is going to suck.”
“It’s not going to suck,” her mom replies, patting her hand. “You will make some new friends and maybe.
..you may even meet a boy.”
“I’m an alien, Mom,” Lexi snorts. “An alien to the aliens. There’s no one for me to be with. Neturu families don’t want me because who would want to tarnish their blood lines? I can’t be with a human. I could never share who I really am. I could never share who we really are. So, I’m stuck being alone for the rest of my life. ALONE.”
“Don’t say that,” her mom groans, putting her arm around her. “I said the same thing.”
She turns on her mom. “Mom, you’re at least fully Neturu. I’m not. I’m a freak. The freakiest of the freaks. No one will want me.” Lexi pauses. “Olive is going to start crying in thirty seconds.”
“Ugh,” her mom grunts. “I’m going to die from sleep deprivation. Super fighter or not.”
“I will go put her back to sleep,” Lexi says. “Go drink some coffee or catch a few more minutes of rest. I can get ready on my own. Phinn will be up soon if Olive is up.”
“If she wakes up her brother, I will scream. Plain and simple. I’m going to wake up the whole house. Just scream.”
Lexi stands up and kisses her mom’s head. “Go, take some mom time. I will take care of them.”
“Thanks. You do have an ability.”
“I guess.” Suddenly, there is high-pitched crying. “Gotta go. I’m being paged.” Her mom laughs, and Lexi closes her eyes. With an electrical current sweeping over her, she opens her eyes back up. She is in a room. The room is bright yellow, with splashes of color everywhere. A nine-month old baby is standing up in the crib, crying. “Olive,” Lexi whispers. “Shhhh.”
Olive stops, but her lip is still quivering. Lexi walks over and picks her up. “Hey, you are supposed to be sleeping.” Olive rubs her eyes. Lexi leans her on her shoulder and starts to walk around, bopping her as she goes. “Go back to sleep, little one,” Lexi whispers. Olive immediately goes limp and quiets down. “I think mom’s right,” Lexi whispers. “I do have an ability.” A few seconds later, Olive is asleep. Lexi lays her down in the crib. “Sleep,” she whispers, running her hand over Olive’s head. Taking a deep breath, she goes to get ready for school.
A while later, she is staring at the clock in her car. It says 7:45. She was supposed to be in the office fifteen minutes ago. Lexi seriously doesn’t want to go in there. She doesn’t need this. She doesn’t need an education. Slamming her head against the headrest, she decides she needs to go in.
One last look in the rearview mirror. Lexi sees her emerald eyes are now blue. It was the only thing that completely blocked the natural color of her eyes. Her hair is up in a messy bun, but it’s still bright purple, which she knows will make everyone stare at her. “I hate you guys,” Lexi whispers to her parents, who can’t even hear her. Finally, with a big sigh, Lexi gets out of the car.
Everyone in the parking lot stops and stares at her. She pulls her backpack close and starts to walk. Literally every person that she passes, stops and stares. Lexi has her mother’s body from all her training, and she knows she’s pretty, but she’s still a freak, and a freak outweighs everything else. When she gets to the school doors, she goes to open one. It suddenly opens in front of her, and she runs into a guy. He grabs her to keep her steady and says, “I’m so sorry.”
She looks up into his eyes. They are crystal blue and the most beautiful eyes Lexi has ever seen. His blonde hair is long. It’s slicked back with the sides shaved. Lexi can’t even say anything. She is just slack-jawed.
“You okay?” the guy asks.
Lexi finally shakes her head. “Yeah, sorry.”
“Conner,” she can hear from behind him. “What are you doing? Go.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Connor says, stepping all the way through.
A short blonde girl comes walking out. She takes one look at Lexi and starts laughing. “Wow, that must have taken a long time to do.”
Like a reflex, Lexi reaches up for her hair. “It wasn’t that hard.”
The girl snorts and says, “Trying to go for the punk look?”
“I have had it this way for a while,” Lexi mumbles, her cheeks lighting on fire.
The vibe Lexi is getting from this girl isn’t good. “Well, it’s going to be a bitch when you want to put it back.”
“I plan to keep it this way,” Lexi sighs.
“Yeah, okay.”
“I like it,” Connor says. “It’s a very pretty purple, and you pull it off well.”
The girl narrows her eyes at Connor and then looks at Lexi. “Well, good luck fitting in here. Don’t let people get to you.”
Lexi’s heart falls, and she can’t even speak because that comment was not meant as a nice one. “Yeah,” Lexi whispers. “I...I have to go.” She turns around and starts heading back towards the parking lot.
“Dude, Jackie. Don’t be such a bitch. Wait!” Connor yells.
Lexi ignores him and keeps walking. She gets to her car and gets in. “Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.”
With a sigh, she thinks, Dad?
He responds. Yes, honey?
I can’t do this. I can’t. I didn’t even make it inside of the building before people were making fun of me.
Lexi...
No “Lexi”, Dad. I didn’t even make it through the front door. Why do I have to do this? I can just do some top secret work for the Neturu. Live in seclusion.
You need to get an education.
Why? I know more than you!
Yes, I know, honey. This will be good for you. You’ve spent most of your life in seclusion. You have to learn to get out more.
Dad. You’re supposed to be my best friend. Please, don’t do this to me.
I am your best friend. Lexi, I love you. I would never do anything that would harm you. They’re just teenagers. You are way more mature than them. Just look at them for being as stupid as they are because they’re teenagers. You are wise beyond your years.
Lexi laughs. Nice dad. I’m a teenager. I’m stupid, too. Remember, I rear-ended someone in your sports car.
Yes. I know. Please, let’s not remind me of that.
Daddy, PLEASE. Don’t make me do this.
Daddy? Oooooo. You pulled out the secret weapon. Pulled out the Daddy card.
You know what. I’m not talking to you anymore.
She glares ahead and then grabs her cell phone. Lexi dials a number and waits. A voice picks up. “Lexi, go to school.”
“What? How do you know?” she gasps at Grandpa Drake.
“I’m sitting here with your father.”
“You OUTRANK him. Please, don’t make me go,” she whines. “Rule. Rule over Dad. Your decisions outweigh his.”
“Not when it comes to parenting,” her grandpa Drake sighs.
Slamming her head back, Lexi goes, “If you make me go into that school, I’m just going to run through it, and I mean THROUGH it. Then I will flip over every desk and just terrorize everyone. Then I’m going to scream that the Neturu exist.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Oh yes, I will,” she retorts.
“Lexi, there isn’t an all Neturu school,” Grandpa Drake says. “You need to do this.”
Tears well up in her eyes. “I hate you guys. I’m not going in there.”
“Lexi...”
Suddenly, there is a knock on the window. Lexi looks up. Connor is standing outside her car. He shoves his hands into his skull hoodie pocket and smiles. “Shit. I have to go.”
“Go to school.”
“Whatever.” She ends the call and rolls down her window. “Hi.”
Connor looks her car up and down. “Dude, nice car. What year is it?”
“It’s a 1965 Mustang Shelby,” Lexi whispers.
“Damn,” Connor whistles. “Your parents buy this for you?”
“For my 16th birthday.”
He raises an eyebrow. “How old are you?”
“I will be 17 in three weeks,” Lexi says, very quietly.
“You’re a junior,” Connor says. Lexi nods. “So am I. I just want
to apologize for Jackie. She was way out of line. Your hair rocks. She’s probably just jealous.”
Lexi looks down and whispers, “She has a thing for you.”
“Why do you say that?” Connor asks.
“That was her totally trying to lay claim,” Lexi exhales. “It doesn’t matter. This was a mistake. I’m leaving.”
“No, you can’t seriously leave because of her,” Connor laughs. He reaches in and steals Lexi’s keys.
“Hey!” she screams. Getting out of the car, she snaps, “Give me my keys, Connor.”
He shoves them into his pocket. “Nope, you are going to stay and enjoy your first day at Walker High. There’s so much to show you. So many people you need to meet. I’m by far the most important.”
A smirk twitches on Lexi’s face. “That’s nice of you to say.”
“Nice!” he scoffs. “Usually I’m a major asshole.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Seriously?”
Connor shakes his head. “No, I’m not an asshole at all. Sometimes if I’m defending people, but otherwise, nope. I’m the guy who everyone wants to be with because I’m hilarious and fun.”
“That’s good to know,” Lexi murmurs, shuffling her feet. Her hands are sweating out of nervousness. She tries to wipe them on her pants.
“So, I’m Connor Manning and you are?”
“Lexi. Lexi Blakely.”
“Daughter of Dr. Blakely?”
Lexi smiles and nods. “That’s my dad. He’s my best friend.”
“He looks so young to have a seventeen-year-old daughter. Holy cow.”
She smiles. “I was two when they adopted me. They were both nineteen.”
“That’s still a young age to adopt a kid,” Connor says, looking confused.
“It was an emergency situation, and I needed a home,” Lexi says. “You should go to class. The bell is going to ring.”
“Nah,” Connor scoffs. “The bells have been down for weeks. It’s been great. You can lie and be like, ‘My watch is a different time.’”
Opening her mouth, Lexi pauses before saying, “I have a feeling the bells are fixed.”