The Space Beyond (The Book of Phoenix)

by Kristie Cook

  “Did you guys feel any warning, because I sure didn’t,” I said.

  Everyone shook their heads.

  “Brock and I were sitting at a picnic table, watching and listening,” Asia said. “The last twenty or so people were all gathered around the bonfire. Except Bex and Ty.”

  “He could have been a very happy man tonight,” Jeric muttered. “His truck windows were all steamed up.”

  “And the Lakari came out of nowhere,” Brock said.

  Asia tapped her finger against her lip. “I did hear a scream from the woods.”

  “I did, too,” I confirmed. “It was Bex. She came running out of the woods with Ty. She sounded more surprised than scared, though, so I think he might have snuck up on her.”

  Brock’s chin tilted down, and he looked up at us under a wrinkled forehead. “The Lakari came from the woods, too.”

  I hadn’t seen when they arrived, although I’d felt the tingle on the back of my neck. By the time Jeric and I had turned around to see, a dozen of them in human form were sprinting for the party. Brock and Asia had already been yelling at everyone to run while they darted toward the danger.

  “So they could have come for Bex and Ty?” I asked.

  “They had to have been in his truck for a while by the time the Lakari showed, though,” Jeric said. “We can’t be sure based on that. Especially since we don’t know what shocked her.”

  “But we know for sure they’re hunting someone young and someone at that party,” I said. “As far as I know, that’s the first time Bex and Ty have really been together for years, if they were steaming up windows. Maybe the Lakari were trying to stop it.”

  “Why now, though?” Jeric asked. “They used to be together as a couple already. If they were Twin Flames, he wouldn’t have been able to leave her.”

  “Unless … can something block a connection between Twin Flames, like if they’re too young or something?” Asia suggested. We all stared at her. “What? It’s an idea. A possibility, right? I mean, nobody remembers anything worth remembering, so that could be one of those things.”

  “Enyxa could have figured something out,” Brock said, following the idea further. “And then figured out a way to send Ty off to be killed in Afghanistan before they ever Bonded.”

  I stared off into space, running this possibility through my mind. Until and unless we were able to remember any reason this couldn’t happen, I supposed the idea had potential. It didn’t feel right to me, though, in my gut. Not like the theory that Bex was Rebethannah did. Because if she was and Ty was her other half, then wouldn’t we recognize his soul, too? And why would Nathayden have sent us a message to save Rebethannah if he was already here? Ty had shown up back in town the same day we had. Of course, I didn’t know for sure if Nathayden had sent that message, or if he had, when. We also had no idea where Nathayden was—on this world or another. The two words had appeared magically, without a date stamp or postmark giving a location. How inconvenient.

  “Well, we all feel Darkness overhanging both of them,” I finally said. “But that would have gone away when he came back, right?”

  “Or maybe not until they really got together,” Jeric said. “Bex has been pushing him away, keeping him in the friend zone until tonight.”

  “We can watch for the signs over the next few days,” I said. “We should know pretty quickly.”

  “Maybe,” Asia said, “but since everyone’s reBonding is different, we may not notice anything. Especially from the outside.”

  “They’ll head for the Gate or get soul-sickness if they don’t, like Jacey and Micah,” I said.

  “Only if they’re Guardians. Not if they’re regular old Twin Flames. And even if they are, it could take a day or a few weeks for soul-sickness to set in. Sometimes longer.”

  I tilted my head. “Really? I thought it happened pretty fast.”

  Asia shrugged. “I just know every dyad’s experience is different when they first meet.”

  “Asia and I didn’t get sick at all,” Brock said. “And we’d been together, off and on, for a while. We just knew from the journal that we needed to go. Well, Asia knew.”

  “I think I felt the sickness coming on,” she said.

  “But there were the phoenix marks on your arms, the word dyad screaming in your head … all of that. Right?” I asked. “And what do you mean off and on? How could you even be away from each other? Jeric’s car exploded into flames when he tried to leave me.”

  Asia shrugged. “None of that happened with us. We read about those things with Jacey and Micah, but it took us a while to catch on because we weren’t like that. But even when we weren’t on, we weren’t that far from each other …”

  She trailed off, and Brock cleared his throat. “It just wasn’t like that for us, okay? We didn’t even have the phoenix marks until the day we decided to head for the Gate. That’s what made us realize we were like Jacey and Micah. But the point is, everyone’s different.”

  My gaze slid from Asia to Brock. Both of their faces had closed off, putting an end to any more personal stories from them. Jeric picked up my hand and gave it a squeeze. I’d thought before that our relationship felt tighter than theirs. I knew for sure now that it was at least different. Sparks flew immediately for Jeric and me—and Jacey and Micah. We thought that was standard for Twin Flames, but now my perspective changed on everything, including whom the Lakari could be targeting.

  “So, Bex and Ty are still possible options,” Jeric said, taking us back to the problem at hand. “Did you two find out anything else?”

  I hadn’t realized how tense Brock had been from that last tangent we’d been on until I watched his shoulders drop a few inches now that we’d moved back to our mission.

  “I heard one of the guys—the one who left early—say something about needing to get home to his girlfriend, because she was sick,” he said. “Mentioned something about getting test results next week.”

  “So someone who could be really ill,” Jeric said. “Except she has a boyfriend, so probably not going Dark.”

  Asia snorted. “That doesn’t mean anything. There are a gazillion unhappy relationships in this world. Millions of married people who are severely depressed. Millions more getting the shit beat out of them by people who say they love them.”

  Jeric scowled at Asia’s point. He knew this truth too well.

  “So she’s a possibility,” I said, pushing on. “We need to find out who she is.”

  “There was also a lot of talk about the new people, and not us,” Asia said. “I guess a few of the old high school crowd were back in town with new partners. A couple of them seemed pretty tight, too. Could be Twin Flames meeting up … or soul mates.”

  “More possibilities then.” I blew out a frustrated sigh—we still had no clear answers—and whimpered at the pain. The conversation had distracted me for a while, and I’d nearly forgotten about my injuries.

  Jeric jumped to his feet. “That’s it. Bedtime for you, babe. You need some Bonding action.”

  Brock chuckled and reached his hand out for Asia. “That’s our cue. You two have fun with that.”

  “Feel better, Leni,” Asia said as her other half tugged her out of the camper.

  “I’ll be fine.” I fought a grimace as I stood up.

  Jeric locked up the camper as I headed back to the bedroom and crawled into bed. A few minutes later, he climbed in next to me, and we scooted and wiggled until we were comfortable and I could breathe without pain. Then we projected and Bonded throughout the night. A couple of Lakari had already shown up, staying in spirit form over the trailer park. They sure did have an interest in this side of town. Ty and Bex had to be their target. Right? But who were they to each other? And to us? Anything at all? Or … nothing?

  I felt almost completely new the next day
. At least, my body did, but my mind still reeled with all of the possibilities.

  “You gave me a real scare last night,” Jeric said as he sat at our picnic table next to me with a cup of coffee in hand. He kissed my temple. “That’s exactly why I don’t like the idea of you fighting. Of us being here at all, doing this … thing that we do.”

  I cupped my hand over his cheek. “But this is what we do, Jeric. This is our choice and our reason for even existing. Please don’t try to take me away from it.”

  He sighed. “Doesn’t mean I like it.”

  He leaned in and kissed me on the lips, then slid his hand over my back and rested his chin on my shoulder. As usual, I had the Book of Phoenix in front of me. Too distracted last night, I hadn’t even thought about checking it, but I was dying to look this morning. Several days ago I’d had what I thought to be a clever idea to write a note to Nathayden in the Book, hoping that he might be able to answer me. Right below the words “Save Rebethannah,” I’d written, “Who are you? Are you on Earth or another world?”

  I checked the page morning, noon, and night for an answer. So far, there had been none. With a deep breath (that didn’t hurt), I opened the journal and flipped to the page.

  And there was still no answer.

  Chapter 15

  I am so going to hell. I sat in church the morning after the party with a pounding headache, a queasy stomach, and those words echoing through my head. Everyone who had been at the party sat silently in pews, some hiding secretive smiles behind their hands and others looking as green as I felt. At least, everyone who still went to church, which was almost all of us. We were born and raised to fear God, and boy was I fearing him now. I think the preacher always knew when there was a K-bomb—word traveled like fire in this town, so it was definitely possible—because every Sunday after a big party, his sermons focused on immoral deeds, imbibing in the devil’s brew, and living in sin. He basically preached for over an hour how much we were all heathens.

  Not only the drinking, or the dancing, or how far I’d gone with Ty when I shouldn’t have even kissed him, or thinking of Mason while kissing Ty had convinced me of my afterlife destination. The last image I remembered from the night—the demon that I still swore up and down that I saw—made it clear. It was after me. I felt it. The demon had come for me because … because …

  My stomach lurched. Oh, crap, I was about to toss my cookies. I bolted from the pew and ran for the ladies’ room with my hand over my mouth. Half the congregation broke into stifled laughter.

  Several minutes later, I pressed my face against the somewhat cool car window while I tried to drive myself home, wishing I could die while promising that I’d never, ever, ever drink hunch punch or anything else ever again. Relief washed over me when I pulled into the trailer park without puking a second time. Uncle Troy had seen me leave church early. I only hoped he got the message that I was in no shape to work.

  I stumbled up the steps and into my trailer and barely made it to my bed in the back room before collapsing. Never had hunch punch or any alcohol affected me so badly. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a hangover like this, if ever. If I hadn’t known the people I was with, I’d reckon someone had drugged me, but that wasn’t some nightclub in the city, and Ty had stuck too close to me for anyone to dare.

  I groaned as I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, thinking about Ty. He’d apparently brought me inside and left me here because I woke up this morning in my own bed, still wearing the same clothes except my boots. He’d taken those off, but nothing more. There was no evidence at all that he’d slept here, too. I sure hoped he hadn’t. I’d let things go way too far last night, and now remorse added to all the icky feelings tumbling in my gut. I’d never wanted to lead him on, and last night I’d done just that.

  But even now, I couldn’t help but think that maybe he was right. That I needed to get the idea of Mason, being with a doctor, leaving this town and lifestyle behind, out of my head, because this was where I belonged. This was home. Perhaps I even needed to forget the idea of there being someone out there who was my soul mate. Maybe The One didn’t exist. Maybe Ty was the best I’d ever get, and truth be told, he wasn’t all that bad.

  If I could trust that he wouldn’t leave me again.

  Something deep inside me stirred, though, letting me know that The One was out there. Or maybe right in front of my face. Either way, my soul knew he did exist. Somewhere.

  Without standing up, I managed to wriggle and worm my way out of my maxi dress, and I lay on top of my covers in only my bra and panties and fell asleep. Visions of men danced through my head. Lots of them. But they weren’t hot, lucky-me sex dreams I had. Just a variety of faces, their appearances very different, yet something felt the same about them. As if they were all the same man, even when they had different hair and eye colors, different styles like they came from more than one era. And with each one, I felt a strong connection. I thought, He’s The One. Every single time. When I drifted awake, the last face floating behind my eyelids showed a tan complexion, sharp cheekbones and jaw, buzzed hair, and light eyes, either gray or light green.

  Voices in my trailer brought me awake, and I figured my subconscious had intertwined the last face with reality because Mason Hayes was in my house.

  Wait. Mason Hayes was in my house? What the fuck?

  “Found her,” he said.

  My eyes opened. Mason stood over me, with Sissy in the doorway right behind him. I shot straight up, realized I was practically naked and yanked the covers around me. My head swam, my vision blurred, and I almost crashed back down on my bed, but Mason caught me and laid me down gently. Even with the frown that puckered his brow, he was so damn hot.

  “You’re so damn hot,” he said, echoing my thoughts, and my face flushed. The corners of his lips quivered. “Yes, in that way, too, but I mean your skin. You have a fever.”

  “Nah, just a sunburn.” I struggled to sit up, but he refused to let me.

  “I’m a doctor. I can tell the difference between a sunburn and a fever.”

  My eyes scrunched. “You think I’m sick? I thought it was a hangover.”

  “So you did go to the K-bomb,” Sissy said, a twinge of jealousy lacing her tone.

  Oh, crap. I looked at her and back at Mason, my lip tugging to the side with guilt. “Um … yeah.”

  His light green gaze swept over my face, and he shook his head while smiling. “Well, I hope you had fun, because you aren’t going anywhere for at least a day.” He stood up and towered over me. “I’ll be back in a few. But you might want to put something on. Once I get back, I won’t be going anywhere, either.”

  He strode out of the room and a few seconds later, the screen door slammed shut. I bolted upright again.

  “What the hell is he doing here?” I demanded of my sister. I couldn’t believe she’d brought him to our house. Our little two-bedroom, thirty-year-old tin can of a trailer house.

  “I was going to ask you the same thing!”

  “Me? You brought him here! And what are you doing here anyway?”

  She placed a hand on her shorts-clad hip. “I needed a break so thought I’d come home and see my sister. He, uh …” She paused and glanced out my window. “He followed me, I guess.”

  I looked out the window, too, and watched a newer model, black sedan leave the trailer park, turning for town. Sissy’s old beater sat outside next to mine.

  “To see me?” I asked, unable to mask my awe.

  She snorted. “Well, definitely not to see me. He hasn’t even called to see how Mama’s doing, until this morning. I told him well enough for Mama’s neighbor to hang out and take care of her while I came to see you. I think he was really calling to fish for info, you know, since he followed me and all.”

  I leaned back against the wall and pulled my knees to my che
st. “How’s Mama doing? If I’d have known Uncle Troy was going to give me the afternoon off yesterday, I woulda come to see you guys.”

  “You woulda come to see Dr. Hayes,” she corrected me. She crawled on the bed on all fours until she reached the other side and sat next to me.

  “I woulda seen you and Mama … first.”

  “Well, you’re not missin’ anything. She’s the same. No better, no worse. Her other doctors say it’ll take time for the new meds to make a big enough difference. Time she doesn’t really have.” She leaned against me and rested her head on my shoulder. Her next words weighed heavily with grief. “I don’t think she’s gonna make it, Bex.”

  I hung my arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer. “Think positively, Sissy. And pray. Hard. She needs as much prayin’ on her behalf as we can do.”

  She nodded and sniffed and pulled away. “Good heavens, Bex, you really are burnin’ up.”

  I snorted. “I still think it’s just a sunburn, but if Dr. Hotstuff’s gonna take care of me, I ain’t gonna stop him.”

  Sissy tilted her head. “Didn’t you just go to the K-bomb with Ty?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  “And weren’t you gettin’ it on with him in his truck?”

  “Good night, word sure gets around fast.”

  “Yeah, Kaylee called me, all excited. So are you gettin’ back together with him or what?”

  I sighed. “I don’t know, Sissy. It had felt so right last night, and even a little bit this morning, even though I haven’t seen him at all. But … I just can’t. I can’t let him in like that again. Ty is toxic for me.”

  Sissy rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. Ty screwed up by leavin’ you, and he knows it now. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? If you gave Mama one, surely he deserves one.”