Jai walked barefoot to the beach, prepared to give Sean the cold shoulder for the rest of the day. She was angry, upset by his behavior. No matter what, he didn’t want her to siphon with Zin again. She looked at the water, the sun’s rays hitting the waves as it began to set.
“Jai.” Sean’s voice startled her. She continued walking, not saying a thing. “Please,” he said, running up to her. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back into his embrace. “I’m sorry,” he said, nuzzling her neck. She closed her eyes, trying not to give in to the scent of musk and sandalwood emanating off of his skin. They stood, breathing in tandem. “I’m sorry for what I said, about Zin. I’m sorry, I am. For everything.” She knew what he meant. Sean understood how the MRI-OIS scan would make Jai feel: different and utterly alone. “I just,” Sean tried to say, “I just can’t stand the thought of losing you.”
“You’re not losing me, Sean. It was just an episode, a migraine.” Jai wanted to hope so, anyway. She told herself, It’s just one scan. She wanted to minimize it. She didn’t want to believe she was so different from other sentients. She didn’t want to lose what it felt like, to belong.
But, Sean spoke the truth. “No, it wasn’t just a migraine, Jai. You heard Kevin. Even the worst of migraines wouldn’t make your eyes change color. And, Kevin said the scan is clear. Your siphoning pattern’s the first of its kind. It hasn’t faded away. It’s still there, a day after you siphoned. It’s multi-colored. And, it has a crazy, defined shape. Everything that’s happening to you…it has to be because of the way you siphoned…because you synchronized your mind…mind-melded…whatever you call it, with Zin.”
Jai turned to face him, her long brown hair blowing in the wind. She swat it away with her hand. She had to admit, Sean had a point. Color-shifting eyes, piercing pain, blacking out, and, yes, the strange Mandelbrot shape. Those were all new. But, at least one thing wasn't novel. “Mind-synchronization’s not new to me,” Jai said. “Joy trained me.”
“She did?” Sean looked at her, surprised.
“Yes, for years before she died.”
“And, the eyes? Has this ever happened to your eyes?”
“No. That’s a first. And, I won’t lie. That pain was fierce, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t want you to siphon with Zin again.”
Jai shook her head. “Sean, I understand where you’re coming from, I do. I’m also afraid I might have another ‘migraine,’ for lack of a better word. But, being afraid’s not a valid reason to do nothing.”
“Well, why don’t you let me help, then? You haven’t given me a chance yet. Just rest, like Kevin recommends. We can see if you have another migraine; hopefully, you won’t. In the meantime, I can give Zin my blood. Maybe that will be enough to keep him stabilized, maybe even wake him. There’s just no need for you to siphon with him now, to jump right back in. Please, don’t do it. For me.” Jai looked down, feeling the sand between her toes, thinking. Sean touched her chin, raising it upward. Their eyes met. “Please.”
“Okay,” Jai said. She, too, was afraid. She didn’t know what might happen if she mind-synced with Zin again. “But, if things change and his condition worsens, then I’m stepping in.” No matter the consequences, she couldn’t sit back and let him die.
“Understood.” Sean said. He caressed her cheek and smiled.
Chapter 35
2121
The following weeks were a blur. Jai flew out of town for a two-week business trip with Caleb, then returned, eager to host the baby shower. She and Avena had decided to hold the party in the garden at the Long Island beach house. But, there was only one more week to go, and Diana’s parents had not responded to the invitation. Tonight was Jai's first night back, and she went straight to Avena's dressing room downtown, at the ABT.
“Should I call them again?” Avena asked, the soft tendrils of her auburn hair falling onto her delicate face. “I called them before rehearsal yesterday, and the week before.”
“No, let’s give it a few more days, then I can try again,” Jai said. She leaned against the table, beside Avena's dressing room mirror. Jai was beginning to lose hope. Each time she called Diana’s parents, the phone rang unanswered. Mach said the thought of trying to celebrate without Diana’s parents was crushing. Jai could only imagine how Diana felt.
“Ugh!” Avena cried. “How can they be so callous!” She looked in the mirror, applying a perfect swipe of lipstick to her lips.
“I know.” Jai had a hard time wrapping her head around it. “I wish they could just be happy for their daughter. Mach’s the same man they fell in love with originally. His parents are wonderful too. Why should that change now?”
“They’re bigots,” Avena said. As graceful and elegant as she was on pointe, Avena was unapologetically on point about most things. Jai smiled, watching Avena fashion her hair into a perfect bun.
“Well, the best we can do is try again,” Jai said. “I just don’t want to be on pins and needles about this. I’d rather we have some time to prepare Diana for their absence. They need to RSVP.”
Avena laughed, wriggling her way into her costume. “Apparently, they can’t be bothered.” Avena's patience with them was long gone.
“Well, enough of their nonsense,” Jai said, as she helped to zip Avena in. “You make a beautiful Odette,” Jai said, smiling again. “Sure is fun to watch you as Odile, though.”
“Thanks. I still haven’t decided which swan’s dance I enjoy performing more.” Jai watched Avena walk backstage, then took her seat in the box. No matter how many times Jai had seen Swan Lake, she couldn’t help but get lost in it. The steps remained the same, but each ballerina brought her own magic and imagination to the story. It was in the way they moved. Their arms and legs became extensions of their psyche. No words were necessary. The dramatic expressions on their faces said everything. Jai loved the moment, just before the show began, when the hairs on her neck stood on end, waiting in anticipation for the journey to begin. The spotlight hit Avena, and Jai watched, mesmerized.
Avena had a thin, but muscular, body. Due in large part to her, the days of emaciated dancers were long gone from the ballerina world. Avena wasn’t going to lose her period the way most dancers had long accepted. No, she fought to maintain a healthy weight, and she proved the performance would not suffer. In fact, the public came to watch in droves. Sales spiked, and the public psyche appeared to breath a sigh of relief. It wasn’t the rage to be rail thin anymore. Curves were more beautiful, natural and strong. And, it had a ripple effect. None closer than Diana, who had always hired only healthy models. Diana had never been a size-zero fan, but she became increasingly vocal about it. She encouraged other designers to do it too; no more waifs for the runway. Jai admired both of them. Her sisters had changed people’s perceptions. They protected what mattered to them. They didn’t give up the fight. And, neither would Jai.
As Avena performed the two swans of Swan Lake, Jai watched Avena become two, just as Jai had become. I’m the Jai my family knows, and I’m the Jai no one may ever know. Except, my dance may never end. Jai wondered how long she could keep her secrets, especially when it came to projection. Will I ever stop hiding? Be known, by anyone, completely? Simply caring if someone knew her secrets was a strange, alien feeling. She had never cared before. But, things were different now. She had Sean; a family who loved and cared about her; now, add Kevin and Zin. Kevin, who had vowed to give Jai answers, scientific explanations for why she was the way she was. And, Zin, who was, deep down, far more sensitive than he had ever let on. Since she’d mind-synced and siphoned with him, she had pictured him many times, being kind to her in his mental cabin. She often wondered, Could it be that Zin feels more deeply than most? Perhaps that was why he railed so hard against the world. Jai understood that. She had lived that life for decades. It was far easier to distance oneself, than to let others in.
But, so much had changed since Jai had promised her mo
ther she’d try. She wasn’t trying anymore. She was doing it. Jai was letting people in, feeling so deeply that she knew the best path to take. She knew it deep within her soul. For them, for my family, I am willing to hide these skills, no matter how painful hiding might be. It left her feeling isolated and depressed.
But, by the time Jai drove home to the beach house, she knew she was willing to suffer in silence. I won’t let my family become a target. If anyone’s going to be in danger, it’ll be me. She soaked in the bath, and looked out the bay windows. The sun had already faded to night, been reborn, and was cresting in the sky. She put on a light knit sweater dress, and admired its soft teal color. A quick look in the mirror and she made her way downstairs, to the kitchen. Kevin walked in from the study.
Jai waved hello and said, “I got your RSVP. Thanks for joining us.” She was happy to invite him. He'd only met the rest of her family once before, and something told her he’d be right at home with them.
“Of course. Thanks for inviting me. I look forward to it.”
She smiled, then noticed his disheveled clothes. “I'm also glad you're going to take a day off. Do you ever sleep?” Jai asked. Kevin looked tired. Since the night he’d run out to the pool, still wearing his pajamas and screaming for Jai’s help, she hadn’t seen him wear any bedtime attire. He always seemed to be in the study, performing some test or reading a research paper. He was sentient, but Jai couldn’t imagine anyone surviving off of such little sleep. Now, he stood, the tag still showing on his inside-out shirt.
“Sleep?” he repeated and laughed. “I haven't had the time, or the option, to sleep,” he said. “Your guy’s been keeping me up 24/7.”
“What?”
“While you've been away on business, Sean’s been donating his blood around the clock.”
“What?!” Jai understood Sean would be donating his blood, but not non-stop.
Kevin chuckled. “You know, you’re beginning to sound like a broken record. What, what, what,” he joked, imitating her.
“Sorry. Avena and I have been busy planning Diana’s baby shower, and I’ve been juggling that with my work. I just flew back and finally took a night off, to watch Avena perform.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear you’re taking my advice. It’s important you take some time to recuperate. Even one night off can make a difference. You know, we’ve been lucky. You haven’t had any new ‘migraines’ and your eyes seem to be back to normal. Since we've taken more MRI-OIS scans, the Mandelbrot siphoning pattern's still there, but it's a trace, like a fingerprint; it hasn't worsened. That could be due to lower stress levels.” Jai wasn’t sure if that was the best explanation, though. The more time that had passed, the more worried she was about Diana’s parents and the impact their absence would have on her.
“I can’t say the same for Sean, though,” Kevin said. “If anything, his stress levels have spiked. The longer Zin’s stayed in a coma, the more upset Sean’s become. He’s passed out right now. I keep telling him he’s too weak to donate more blood, but the guy’s on a serious mission to wake Zin up.” Kevin eyed Jai, trying to see if maybe she would shed some light on Sean’s sudden interest in the couch-ridden beast.
Jai shook her head. “Sean’s trying to keep me from siphoning with Zin.”
“Ohhh.” Kevin’s mouth fell open. “Now, things make sense. Those two were hardly buddy-buddy before this started, so I figured you must have factored in somehow. Please, try to talk some sense into Sean? He’s not doing so well himself.”
“He’s not?” Jai had never seen Sean in less-than-stellar form. It made her anxious to see him. “Where is he?”
“Follow me.” Kevin led Jai to the third-floor sunroom, where Sean was asleep on a chaise. “He passed out here, around 3 a.m. Try not to wake him. Let him sleep. It’s been ten days since he’s slept.”
We’re apart for only a few weeks, and this happens. Jai watched Sean’s chest heave, his breathing heavy. “He’s fine, otherwise? He just needs to sleep?”
“Yeah,” Kevin said. “I siphoned my energy for him.” Jai looked at Kevin disapprovingly. “I know,” Kevin said, his hands raised. He looked at Jai like a child who ought to know better. He didn’t make Jai state the obvious. “You can’t give what you don’t have, blah, blah, blah. The guy needed the energy, okay?”
Jai wasn’t having it. “Well, you know what?” She looked at the haggard expression on Kevin’s face. “I’m cutting him, and you, off. No more transfusions, of any kind, for either one of you. Just sleep and rest for you both.”
“Yes, Doctor Dean,” Kevin said, nodding obediently. “On that note, I think I’m gonna do like Sean and take a siesta.”
“That’s a good patient. Retire to your room,” Jai said, and waved Kevin away. Jai kneeled, resting her knees on the Persian carpet on the floor. She gazed at Sean, his hands crossed against his abs. The sun was streaming through the window, forming shadows along his chiseled face. Lightly, she stroked his chestnut hair. She pictured him, donating his blood to the point of exhaustion, a state she’d never seen Sean reach. A pang stabbed her in the chest. “I’m afraid of losing you,” he had said, that day on the beach. She worried, as she watched him sound asleep. What are my secrets costing you? she wondered. She thought back, to the many calls they’d had while they were apart. All those conversations, and he hadn’t said a single word. He’d never mentioned this marathon of blood donations. Her eyes fell to his mouth. What else aren’t you telling me?
Chapter 36
2121
Sean began to stir awake. Jai looked at him, his head in her lap.
“Good morning, sunshine,” he said, smiling up at her.
She blew him a kiss. “Good morning, sleepy head. I’m glad you finally got some sleep.”
Sean winced. “Kevin spilled the beans, huh?”
“Can you blame him? Four days without sleeping? I know what you’re trying to do, but it’s not going to work.”
Sean looked resigned. “I know. Kevin said I’ve donated all the blood I can. Zin can’t even take anymore transfusions, so Kevin’s storing my blood now. But, the blood’s not enough. Zin just won’t wake up.” Jai could hear the bitterness in Sean’s voice. It was rough, not smooth like usual. He sat up and turned to face her. “I had to try.”
Jai nodded, hoping that he’d stop. “I know you want to take care of me. Let me take care of you, too,” she said, and ran her hands down the length of his arms. She pulled him closer, until her forehead touched his lightly. Closing her eyes, she siphoned, letting her energy go gently into him, her mind syncing instantly with his. Though he didn’t realize it, her second sight had taken hold, her mind’s eye sensing how hard he had tried, how much he had strained, to donate his blood, to “save” her. Though Sean’s body was weak, he was sincere. She felt it deep in her bones. The more she tethered her energy to his, releasing it into him, the more powerful the connection and the visions became, until, suddenly, a burst of golden energy flashed into her eyes, rocking her body. As if in a dream, she felt herself lose her bearings, like she was falling asleep, barely aware of where she was, sitting there, on the chaise with him. The sensations became overpoweringly vivid. They became tactile ropes she was holding in her hands; her body moved, as if swinging from a cliff. She jolted awake, like a hypnic jerk.
Startled, Sean threw his eyes open and instinctively grabbed a hold of Jai. “What was that?” he asked urgently, and scanned her face. “Holy shit, your eyes!”
“My eyes?”
“They’re glowing, yellow tiger-eyes!”
“They are?” Jai wondered if they were the same golden color as she’d just seen.
Sean rushed out of the room. “I’ll get Kevin.”
Jai ran to the bathroom and flipped on the light. She leaned, hips against the sink, and stared at her eyes, two amber orbs staring back at her. They glowed and sparkled, iridescent as she moved her eyes back and forth.
“Jai!” Kevin called out.
She walked out to
the main room. “I’m here!”
Kevin waved her over to the windows. She met him there. “Stand,” he said, and positioned her in the sunlight. Touching his computer cuffs, he spoke, “Link, scope 6,” and put on a monocle, an ocular microscope, to get a better look. Monocle secured onto his left eye, he let the leather strap fall past his wavy brown hair, to the shorter hair, cropped close against his scalp. Jai looked at his hairstyle, a disconnected undercut, and noticed for the first time the blonde highlights in his hair. Each strand seemed more refined somehow, as if her vision had been enhanced. She watched each strand move as Kevin moved, the subtle colors of brown and blonde glistening in the sun. Jai found herself mesmerized, as if she were seeing the world for the first time, but Kevin’s mind was elsewhere. “Record,” he commanded. His cuffs flashed. “Jai, look slowly, back and forth, up and down.” She looked out the window, at the trees far in the distance. Suddenly, her eyes adjusted and she could see, far across the Long Island Sound. She scanned the tree tops miles away, watching the branches sway subtly in the breeze. Bright yellow warblers perched, their olive backs and blue-grey wings rustling as they hopped along the branches. One of the birds stopped to preen itself, fanning its wings and adjusting its feathers with its beak. Easily, Jai focused her eyes, zooming in closer, examining each feather, from the tip of each vane down to each downy barb.
“Amazing.” Kevin adjusted the monocle as he leaned in close. “Look at me, head on.” Jai looked straight into his right eye, and realized its blue-gray color was more gray than blue. Then, she looked to his left, where the computerized monocle was fixed. She watched the internal lenses shift the closer that he moved. “Absolutely gorgeous,” he said, watching her pupils contract and dilate. “Any pain when this happened?”
Obsidian: Birth to Venus (The Obsidian Chronicles Book 1) Page 23