Empath: The Flawed Series Book One

by Becca J. Campbell

  “From one extreme to the other.”

  “So what have you been doing lately?” Why did you suddenly disappear from my life? she wanted to add.

  “I’ve been traveling a lot. Taking the time to do some personal evaluation.”

  How elusive. She wanted to know what he was thinking, but true to his normal self, he kept his emotions under wraps. She wasn’t getting even a hint of what lay beneath the surface.

  “How’s your camera?”

  “It’s still in the shop. They’re waiting on a part to be shipped.”

  “I still feel really bad about that. How much are the repairs going to cost?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Jade. I told you. I’m not going to let you pay for it. And it’s really not a big deal. I’m using an older one in the meantime.”

  She decided to let it go. She nodded at the photos in front of them. “Most of these are yours.”

  “Yes.”

  “But I thought you didn’t teach photography.”

  “I was a student once.” His lip curled ever so slightly. “Even though it’s been a while.”

  “You did these as a student? That’s amazing.” The black-and-white image in front of her featured gentle, concentric waves in pale sand, the sharp spikes of a yucca plant sprouting out in the foreground. The design in the sand was so perfect it seemed intentional, but appeared too delicate to have been crafted by any human means.

  “It’s a little shameful how much wall space I got. Professor Rodriquez was pretty blatant about his preference for my work.”

  “I love this one.” She gestured to the piece before them. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Thank you. It was taken in White Sands.”

  “I’ve never been there,” Jade said. “New Mexico, right?”

  He nodded. “The wind decorates the surface of every dune with soft, curving ridges. When people explore the dunes, their foot traffic destroys the patterns, but after only a short while, nature resumes its course. Cool, huh?”

  She nodded, awed with the hidden beauty he had found in such a small detail.

  “New Mexico has quite a different landscape than Colorado, but there are just as many great photo ops. I could spend a lot of time there.”

  “If your work was this good as a student, why didn’t you go into photography?”

  “Several reasons. The first is that I didn’t discover my love of the subject until my third year in school, and at that point changing majors would have sent me back to the beginning. Second, and more important, was the concern for a long-term profession.”

  “But couldn’t you get a job as a photographer?”

  “Sure, but it’s not the most secure line of work. For those who get a degree in photography, there are two primary routes to follow. The majority take that of journalism, since the pay is good, if you are successful. The rest end up doing portraits, either starting at a studio in a department store or on a freelance basis.”

  “So? What’s the problem with that?”

  “I’m passionate about photography as an art, rather than a means to an end. I love shooting photos of nature, but I’m not really into portraits. And I don’t think I could take the world of journalism.”

  “So you decided to be a teacher.”

  “Teachers will always be in demand, no matter what the location or the state of the economy. The thing was, I had no one to turn to if my career didn’t work out. When I left my last foster home—if you can call it a home—I was on my own. It was up to me to take care of myself. Under those circumstances, taking a risk on some whim wouldn’t have been the wisest course of action. There’s little chance of me getting published in National Geographic.”

  “Do you ever regret it? That you took the safe path instead of what you enjoy most?”

  “Honestly, I don’t. I love teaching. It’s a rewarding experience, and a good fit for me. I’ve told you a little bit of my story, but you may not realize that I’ve spent my life trying to avoid people almost as much as you have.”

  “Even after childhood?”

  He nodded. “As a kid, I learned how to get by without close friendships, and that naturally continued into adulthood. But I never wanted to be a recluse, and being a professor has been a great opportunity for intelligent discussion and social interaction at a distance. I’m fine with photography taking a backseat for now. Plus, the schedule’s nice. I have plenty of time off for my hobbies.”

  “That’s a good trade-off, I guess.”

  She gazed at the photograph once more, and as her eyes lingered on the picture, a plaguing guilt crept over her. She sighed and spoke with resolve. “Logan, there’s something I need to tell you. The last time we were down here, when you were showing me your work, you developed a photo—the one with the waterfall and the valley.”

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “Well, when we left that night, I sort of put it into my bag and took it home. It was wrong of me, and honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking… I’ve never stolen anything in my life.”

  “Stealing my photo?” Logan arched an eyebrow at her, and amusement played on his lips.

  “I hope you can forgive me.”

  “Jade. Don’t worry about it. It was just a copy. I can develop more whenever I want. I didn’t even realize it was gone.”

  “But I feel horrible for taking it. You should come by my apartment so I can return it to you.”

  “Not at all. You should keep it if you liked it that much. I’m serious. You could have just asked me, you know. I would’ve given it to you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course. Since you like them so much, I should give you some more of my photos. Most of mine are just lying around my house. It would be nice to have them somewhere where they’d be enjoyed.”

  “Thanks for sharing your work with me.” She almost admitted she had it hanging in her bedroom, but she stopped herself.

  “It’s nice to have someone appreciate what I love. I’m glad to have you as a friend, Jade.” He smiled. “You can have all the photos you want.”

  She returned his smile, but his words lingered, carving through the surface of her mind. Friend.

  She should be happy, grateful even, for a friend like him. Someone who knew her secret and would keep it safe. So why did she feel like her worst fears had been confirmed?

  ~

  Ethan needed to relocate. His few possessions, which mainly consisted of his treasured souvenir items, a small amount of clothing, and other necessities, were already packed in boxes and waiting back at his apartment. Now all he needed was a destination.

  He traveled the few short blocks to the downtown library, using his walking cane for guidance. The noise of cars on the streets and the conversations of pedestrians were amplified by his heightened sense of hearing. Their sounds were translated as visual cues in his mind, directing him around obstacles and on to his destination. He had the route memorized. Mounting the front steps and entering the library, he traced the now familiar path to the front desk.

  “Might someone be able to assist me with some Internet research?” he asked the librarian on duty.

  “Of course.” Her voice was full of tenderness. She was about his age, he guessed. He didn’t recognize her from his previous visits, so she must be new on staff.

  In the past, he’d heard radio station disc jockeys boast that they could tell if a woman caller was beautiful or not merely by the sound of her voice. He agreed that it was a starting point, but there was another factor that helped when one didn’t have the ability to see.

  Ethan reached out, waiting for her to take his arm and lead him to the computer station. It wasn’t really necessary since he knew the building well, but it would benefit him in another way. As she took his arm, he brought the fingers of his other hand over to gently trace the line of her forearm, from her elbow down, ending at her wrist, which he grasped lightly. He’d learned this technique for evaluating a woman’s beauty from a biography of Ray
Charles, who had been one rascal of a ladies’ man. While Mr. Charles had no way to ever confirm that his theory was true, Ethan had proved it time and again.

  The young librarian who led him to the computer was indeed a beautiful creature. She pulled up a chair for him, sat down at the monitor, and they began to research caves. She was a willing assistant, ditzy, and didn’t ask nosy questions about what a blind man wanted with caves.

  “Here’s one,” she said. “‘Carlsbad Caverns offers adventurers miles of underground trails that are ornamented with breathtaking spaces and cave formations. A series of underground chambers, the cavern reaches well beyond its public boundaries. Its full extent has yet to be discovered, but explorers guess that there may be miles of uncharted caves.’”

  Ethan nodded. “Yes, that sounds perfect. Can you print it for me? I’ll need directions. For my nephew,” he said with a smile. “The kid’s a cave fanatic.”

  “Of course.”

  He took her hand and thanked her with a gracious smile, his fine-tuned senses able to detect the slightest rise in her body temperature that came with a heated blush.

  The thought of complete and total darkness made him tingle. Now he just needed his plan to work. And it was almost Monday.

  “I’m so pumped about our trip this weekend!” said the vivacious surfer kid at the front desk, way too excited. It made Ethan want to eviscerate something, and he hadn’t even done that with the bawdy girl from the bar. Or the girl he’d incinerated in the warehouse. After all, he wasn’t a heathen. His religion was doing things tastefully. Scrupulously removing a woman’s beautiful eyes was one thing—sloppily spilling her entrails was quite another.

  “Another trip? You just got back. Where to this time?” asked the other guy.

  “Carlsbad Caverns.”

  Previously, Ethan had been trying to ignore the conversation, but he was hooked at that—like a deer with its antlers entangled. His bait had worked. He hadn’t even needed Plan B. On the treadmill, he pumped his legs furiously, staying faithful to the workout that had suddenly switched to a front for eavesdropping.

  “I saw that flyer lying around here yesterday. Was that yours?”

  “Nope, I thought it was yours. That looks like a pretty sweet place. After you told me about your trip a few weeks ago, I got the cave bug. Carlsbad sounds awesome.”

  “When are you going?”

  “Friday.”

  “You taking your girlfriend?”

  There was a slight pause before the surfer answered. “Hopefully. My brother and sister are coming, so they’ll convince her if I can’t.”

  The mention of the girlfriend—his new Kelsey—exacerbated Ethan’s distraction. He tripped over his own feet and was nearly launched off the treadmill. At the last moment, he regained his footing, and with it his composure. It would be a travesty if he screwed up the whole thing here and now.

  “Why wouldn’t she go?” asked the second guy.

  “Oh, she’s a little timid about some things. But I’m sure we’ll talk her into it. If she doesn’t want to crawl through passages with me and Josh, then she’ll explore the tamer trails with Chloe.”

  Ethan imagined the two women alone in the cave… in the dark. And while the guys were slithering through squalor, he would have his way with the women… the woman. He’d waited so long for her and soon it would be time. She would be his.

  ~

  Before she even opened her door, Jade felt the intensity of an emotion high blasting at her from three different directions and encircling her like a hurricane. There was no fighting this one. Despite her protesting mind, she smiled as she grabbed the knob and pulled it open. Three familiar faces beamed back at her.

  “Jade!” Chloe’s high voice trilled joyfully as she leapt across the threshold to embrace her friend.

  “We’re back!” Cam stole Jade away in a bear hug when Chloe let go, nearly knocking her off her feet.

  “Hey, Jade.” Josh was composed, but grinned at all the ado from the other two.

  As she stood in the entry of her small apartment, engulfed in the excitement of her friends, for the first time Jade could differentiate between their moods. Chloe’s variety of happiness was lighthearted, while Josh’s was more of a calm delight, and Cam’s intense pleasure was underscored with a deeper passion.

  “When did you guys get back?”

  “Late Sunday night,” Chloe said. “But we were so tired from the trip that we slept through most of Monday.”

  “Except for me—I had to work, of course,” Cam said.

  “We were going to come by the bookstore,” Chloe said. “But we didn’t see your car, so we decided to come surprise you at home.”

  “I do have to work today, actually—just for the afternoon. I’m getting ready to leave now.”

  Her friends’ faces fell in sync at her statement.

  “Are you free afterward?” Chloe said. “We could do some shopping, get dinner…”

  “Sure, that sounds great. I get off at five.”

  “Great! We’ll meet you after work.”

  They hugged Jade again, Cam last, and this time his arms lingered around her in the embrace. With his body pressed against Jade’s, his passion rose around her, drowning out Chloe and Josh. She took a deep breath, fighting to keep from getting sucked into the vortex that was Cam. Thank goodness they weren’t alone.

  Cam released her, kissing the top of her head. She wondered what their reunion would’ve been like without the presence of the others, and was grateful to have been spared.

  ~

  Jade exited Mountains of Books and joined her friends. Cam was back and she was going to tell him the truth. But first Chloe wanted to go shopping. The bad news could wait until later when Jade was alone with Cam.

  Cam and Chloe were waiting for her in the lot, but Josh was apparently not interested in shopping. Jade climbed in the backseat, refusing Cam’s offer to let her ride shotgun.

  “You know where we’re going?” Cam asked.

  “Just leave it to me,” Chloe said from the driver’s seat. “If anyone knows the best places to shop, it’s me. In Denver and Colorado Springs.”

  “So, how was your trip?” Jade asked.

  “Awesome,” Chloe said. “The family stuff was pretty boring, but I made a really cool friend. Her name is Alex, and we’re totally kindred spirits. I’m trying to get her to move to Denver. If I had a roommate, I could move out of Mom and Dad’s. Anyway, the trip was great.”

  “Except for Chloe’s little accident.” Cam shot his sister a dirty look.

  “What happened?” Jade asked.

  “Nothing,” Chloe said.

  “She dislocated a finger.”

  “Ouch!” Jade said.

  “It’s Chloe we’re talking about.” Cam said. “Ouch isn’t exactly the appropriate word.”

  “I’m perfectly fine. It didn’t hurt a bit.”

  “That’s my point.”

  “So, any other extreme-sport vacations planned for the year?” Jade locked eyes with Cam, hoping he would take the bait and lay off his sister.

  “Extreme, no,” Cam said. “But vacation, yes, actually. And we won’t have to listen to Uncle Clancy ramble on about his arthritis.”

  “And you are coming on this one, Jade,” Chloe said, quickly aligning with her brother in excitement once again.

  “When are you going? Where are you going?”

  “You mean when are we going,” Chloe said.

  “Next weekend,” Cam said. “Carlsbad, New Mexico. Can you come, Jade?”

  “Uh… I’m not sure. I’d have to ask off at work.”

  “Jade, you have to come. Please?” Chloe threw a look over her shoulder, giving puppy-dog eyes.

  “I’ll ask Mr. Thompson, but I can’t promise anything yet.”

  Chloe gave a satisfied smile.

  “I hope you can go,” Cam said.

  “Man, you guys just don’t take a break, do you? So what exactly are you—we—going to be
doing in New Mexico?”

  “We take plenty of breaks.” Cam grinned.

  “We’re going to explore the caverns,” Chloe said. “It’s going to be rockin’ awesome!”

  It always is with the Schuylers. Nothing less than thrilling.

  As Chloe pulled into a parking spot off the narrow, two-lane road, Jade surveyed the variety of shops lining the street. The tall buildings made long shadows in the afternoon sun, covering the narrow alley in a blanket of shade.

  They browsed a clothing boutique and a jewelry store with Chloe leading the way. The stores weren’t very crowded, but whenever they neared another person—a customer or salesman—Jade was careful to keep the reins tight on her emotional level. Staying close to Cam and Chloe made it easier, because she could cling to their moods for support, which helped to ward off the stray feelings around her. Two months ago she would’ve never dreamed of shopping for enjoyment in a public setting.

  She was growing comfortable with the idea when a swell of new emotions came at her. A group of protesters were gathered in front of a leather store, creating a buzz of chaos—external and internal. Loud, angry voices echoed across the street, chanting something she couldn’t make out. She did notice that they were all holding large posters, but she couldn’t tell what it was all about. Across the street by the camera store, some shoppers were returning jeers and flashing angry hand gestures, but most passersby were merely watching in curiosity and shock—the scene before them providing enough of a diversion to momentarily distract them from their errands.

  Jade wanted to run, but Chloe and Cam were undaunted. Not wanting to look like an idiot, Jade followed her friends toward the clamor, the intensity of the negative aura further enveloping her. After a few paces, she could make out the grotesque images on the signs, and her knees went weak. Some of the bloodied carcasses had eyes still connected or tufts of fur protruding from the flesh, but none were intact enough to indicate what the creatures had once been, other than the fact that they all seemed to be animal in form. The images made her head swim and stomach turn, forcing her to look away.