by Aileen Erin
Mom sobered and stepped back to look at me. She seemed to realize something and then shook her head. “Of course she hasn’t. That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. Your father and I are one of the few who have a forever marriage. Your abuela made sure of it.” Growing up with my abuela made Mom able to block everything but what she wanted me to see. No one else I knew could do it. So when she reached out to cup my cheek, I relaxed my head into her hand and closed my eyes.
I was flooded with the twenty or so times that they’d said they loved each other today. She kissed my forehead, and I heard the echo from her mind that she loved me.
I opened my eyes and smiled. “Thanks. Love you too, Mom.”
She gave my cheek a couple of light pats before looking at my brother. “Be good, you two.”
Axel scoffed. “Are we ever not good?”
“Yes. Frequently.” With that, Mom slid back into her role as hostess.
“Let’s go before anyone else stops us,” Axel said.
We made our way to Dad’s office and locked the door. Thick law texts were haphazardly stacked in his now mostly empty shelves. Bankers boxes were piled high to the right of his large oaken desk. Two long file cabinets sat along the wall behind the desk. I had no idea where to even start to look for the St. Ailbe’s stuff.
“You find the file, and I’ll touch it.” I took off my right glove and stuffed it in the back pocket of my jeans. “I’m not touching anything I don’t need to.”
He dug through some drawers, and then started in on the Bankers boxes. My palms were sweating. The longer Axel took, the better chance there was that Dad would look for us, even if that was ridiculous when we had half of Hollywood in our house.
“Got it!” Axel stepped around the mess he’d made and handed me a folder.
I grabbed it and my father’s office disappeared.
Chapter Two
An image flashed through my mind. Five red brick buildings in a circle, surrounded by forest. Teenagers. Students carrying books walking through the center of them. Wolves running through the forest around the buildings.
Why weren’t the students scared of the wolves? Were they tame? Or maybe they were just large dogs. Or maybe it was a farm school. A giant-sized, wolfish-dog farm school.
Wind blew against my face. The scent of the trees and dirt filled my every breath. I’d never had a vision so vivid before. Usually it was just one or two senses, but this was all of them.
Someone brushed past me, and before I could react, my vision shifted to a one-room cabin. It was nighttime now. The two men—one about my dad’s age, one maybe a few years older than me—were sitting at a table discussing something. No, they were arguing.
“Trusting some unknown outsider with—” The younger one stopped, and looked straight at me.
I froze. He couldn’t actually be looking at me, could he?
“We’re being watched.”
No way. This was impossible. When I touched something, I only saw echoes of the past that had imprinted in the object. There was no way I could actually interact with a vision.
I had to test it. I had to know if he could see me. “Hello?” My voice cracked.
The younger guy stood up. “There’s someone here. In this room.”
“Can you see them?” the other one said.
The younger guy shook his head.
Then how could he hear me? Or could he hear me? Maybe he could just sense me? But how? I was looking into the past, wasn’t I? There was no way I could’ve linked with whoever signed the papers. Because that would be way messed up.
The younger one continued to stare in my direction. The look he gave me made my pulse race; it was like he was seeing through my soul. His muscles strained against his black T-shirt as he stepped toward me. His inky black hair made his amber eyes seem brighter. Holy shit. He was way sexier than my favorite Scotsman.
“They’re not going away. They’re still here,” he said.
“Do you know who it is?”
“No. But it feels familiar. I don’t know, but whoever it is, it’s like I know them.” He ran his fingers through his short black hair. “That doesn’t make sense.”
No. It didn’t. I’d never seen that guy before. I would’ve remembered meeting someone that hot.
The older man turned to me and said something in a language that I couldn’t understand. And then it was like something shoved me out of the vision.
The next thing I knew, I was on the ground in my father’s office.
Holy shit. What the hell was that? My vision actually interacted with me. The people in it knew I was there. That could mean only one thing.
Axel leaned over me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not sure.”
“What did you see?” he asked. “What’s the story?”
I swallowed. There was only one logical conclusion, but it seemed impossible. But Occam’s razor hadn’t failed me yet. The simplest explanation was usually the correct one. And if that were true, then holy shit. I connected with whoever signed the papers.
Out of all the visions I’d had in my nearly eighteen years, nothing like that had ever happened before.
Not only that, but the older guy pushed me out of my own vision.
Could there actually be more people out there like me? And if so, then how did I not realize this sooner?
There had to be something to draw Dad to his new job. If St. Ailbe’s was a school for the gifted, I wanted in. Maybe. Probably.
This was insane. I had to talk to Dad before I got my hopes up, but there was no chance of that happening tonight.
Axel was asking question after question, but I ignored him. I needed air. And fast. That sensory overload had blown my mind. Possibly literally. Well, not technically literally. But still, all rational thoughts had fled.
I hopped up and swung the door open.
“Wait. Let me pick up—”
I left Axel to clean up the mess he’d made in Dad’s office. I probably looked as crazed as I felt, since I somehow managed to get to the backyard without touching anyone.
Even with our decent-sized backyard, there wasn’t a spot to disappear into. The pool took up most of the space. The path around it was sprinkled with cocktail tables, and people were packed around them, mingling. A bar was set up in the back and drawing a sizable crowd. The bartender was making a rowdy group a bunch of chilled shots, and a DJ played off to the right of the pool while people danced in front of his table.
This was a disaster waiting to happen. I didn’t think I could make it to the stairs without bumping into someone, but there was no other option. It was worth the risk. Being alone right now was a must.
Before I could go back inside, a hand closed around my upper arm. Full-contact skin against skin.
Shit.
I slammed into a mind I was familiar with. The fact that he went out of his way to touch me when he knew what I was only made him that much creepier. Images of his fantasies flooded my mind. Sweaty bodies. Naked bodies. Ones he wanted to be with. Those he had been with. And to top it off—a few fantasies starring me.
Was it necessary for Axel to invite every asshole in his class to the party?
I wrenched my arm away and spun to face Caleb. If his visions didn’t already make me want to kick his ass, his skinny jeans and hipster smile did. Usually I’d just shake it off, but not tonight.
“What the hell is your problem!” I shoved him hard, and he stumbled back a few steps. “Do you really want me to see what goes on in your disgusting little mind? Do you think I want to see when you and Jessica were banging in your backseat? Do you think it turns me on? Because it doesn’t.” I poked him in the chest with my gloved-finger. “And if you think that I’d ever consider—”
“Tessa!” Axel said as he stepped between us. I don’t know how long he’d been yelling my name, but from the silence in the backyard, I could tell it’d been at least a few times.
Shit. Why did DJs always lower the music f
or a fight? Didn’t they know that drawing attention to it made it worse?
I swallowed and looked around. And there was Mr. MacAvoy in the flesh, staring at me like I was a complete nut-job. Just perfect.
“Freaky Tessa is at it again. Bitch doesn’t—”
My brother spun. I didn’t have time to stop him before he punched Caleb in the face.
Caleb groaned as he fell to the ground.
“No one calls my sister a bitch, you—”
Dad appeared behind Axel and grabbed him before Axel could do any more damage to Caleb. “What the hell is going on out here?” He looked from my brother to me and then to Caleb, who was holding his hand against his face. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, but it was the first time it’d happened during one of my father’s parties.
I stared at the ground hard. “It was my fault.” I didn’t choke on the words, but they didn’t come out easily.
“Tessa?” Mom said. “Why don’t you go upstairs, honey?”
I nodded, doing my best to not look disappointed and failing. It hadn’t been my idea to leave my room in the first place. Mom reached out to touch me, but I dodged her.
The crowd parted as I made my way inside. I tried not to listen to any of the whispers that followed in my wake. When I was halfway up the stairs, the DJ started playing again. By now, Mom would have taken care of Caleb, and Axel would go for a drive to wherever it was he went. And I would be here. Alone.
I couldn’t wait to leave LA. The less population density this new town had the better.
Still, I wondered if Texas would be any better. I hoped so, but Axel was right. If I didn’t learn to control these visions, my life would never be any kind of normal.
***
I was in bed trying to figure out how I’d let the night get so out of control when someone knocked on my door. Instead of waiting for an answer, Mom came in. She made her way around the boxes in my room and sat on the foot of my bed.
“On a scale of one to ten, how mad is Dad?”
Mom sighed. “He’s not mad, honey.”
I finally met her gaze. “I’m not buying that. I embarrassed him in front of all those people.”
“What’s a Hollywood party without a little drama?” She patted my leg. “We’re more worried about you.”
I stared at the ceiling. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“No. You’re not. But we’re hoping Texas will be better. That’s the whole reason we’re moving.”
I gathered my courage and hoped for the answer I wanted. “Is St. Ailbe’s a school for kids like me?”
She stuck her tongue out in a look of disgust. “No!” Then she laughed at herself. “No way. You would not fit in there. Trust me.”
Interesting. So who would fit in there? “Then why Texas? Why make Dad leave his job instead of making me switch schools again?”
I’d been through most of the private ones in Los Angeles while in lower school. By third grade, I’d exhausted all options. They finally sent me back to my original one. It was a good school, but that’s not why I went back there. The thinking was that my brother could keep an eye out for me. Their plan sort of worked. But my brother graduated, so that was that. Why my parents refused for me to do home schooling was beyond me. It would’ve made life so much easier.
“There’s really no one left who will take you besides Westlake, and I know you don’t want to stay there.”
Well that was embarrassing. “What about the public schools?”
Mom shook her head. “Not in this county. I want you to have an excellent education in a safe setting. And with your brother going off to college, it’s time for a new place. I always wanted an excuse to move back to Texas anyhow.”
“I could always do home schooling.”
“No way, kiddo. You’re already in your own head enough. I won’t let you become a hermit.”
“But Dad—”
“Why don’t you let me worry about your father? Okay? This job is a good one. He’ll be making the same as he was here with a fraction of the workload. After you leave for college, we’ll talk about coming back to LA, but I doubt we will. I have a feeling we’re all going to be happier there. Plus, we’ll be by your cousins. I think you’ll find that you have more in common with them than you think.”
That had me sitting up. “Seriously?” The crazy brujos? She thought I’d have more in common with a bunch of crazy people that thought they were witches. I knew my abuela had gifts like mine, but some of the stuff the rest of the family believed was really out there. I doubted they’d see eye to eye with me.
“It’s my fault really. I didn’t keep up with them after your abuela died.” Her voice was soft, and tinged with regret. “But I tracked down my cousin Ana, and her twins Veronica and Carlos both have gifts. They’re a few years younger than you, but it’s better than nothing.”
She had a point. They couldn’t be any worse than the kids at school. Plus, who was I to judge someone for being weird.
Mom stood up, and smoothed down her dress. “I know it’s been hard for you here, but it’ll get easier.”
“Thanks. As you can tell,” I motioned to the boxes, “I think I might be ready to move.”
She laughed. “Good. You can help me pack the kitchen tomorrow.”
“Sure thing.”
Dad popped in the doorway. “You okay, princess?”
I nodded. “Sorry, Dad.”
“Don’t apologize for things that aren’t your fault.” He turned to Mom. “People are clearing out.”
“I’ll be right down.”
“Great.” Dad winked at me. “Get some sleep, princess.”
Mom stopped at the door. “Light on or off?”
“Off.” She was almost out the door when I stopped her again. “Mom.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome.” It was too dark to see her face, but I could tell from the sound of her voice that she was smiling.
I lay in the dark listening to the sounds of the dying party. I had been excited about the move, but now I was seriously pumped. Cousins with gifts? This could change everything. But why hadn’t Mom contacted them before? What was different now?
The more I thought about it the more questions I had. And not only about my cousins, but about St. Ailbe’s. And those wolf-dog things. And that guy.
Mostly about that guy.
Chapter Three
I rested my head against the window as my father drove. We were almost to our new home. After all the build up, the next chapter in my life was just around the bend, and the anxiety of meeting it head-on had my knees bouncing.
At least Axel wasn’t in the car with us. He and Mom were following us in his Jetta. We’d switched on the last stop so that Axel could eat his grotesque snack of choice. He was more than annoying when he didn’t get his way. Dad and I had much more acceptable munchies in the form of M&M’s and Cheetos in his Lexus SUV.
Neither car was fully packed with stuff. The moving van would come later today, and Mom’s car was getting shipped here from LA. She didn’t want anyone riding alone, just in case we got separated. I was still hoping now that Axel was taking off, a car for me would show up. It’d be nice not to have my parents drop me off on the first day of my senior year.
I grabbed for some snacks, more for a distraction than because I was hungry. I was trying to think positively about the chances of pulling off the whole “normal” thing at my new school, but the closer it got, the more my confidence waned. “Want any?” I held the open bag of Cheetos to Dad.
“I better not. Those things are like crack. Once you start, you’ll never stop.”
I fake gasped. “Dad! You’ve done crack?”
He laughed.
“But seriously. You dare turn down day-glow cheese?”
“Hey, I’m trying to undo the damage I did to myself when I was your age.” He patted his stomach, which was mostly flat. He turned a corner into a gated complex. Al
though the word “complex” was a stretch. The gate opened onto a dirt road. Vegetation on either side threatened to swallow it.
“What’s the code again?” Dad asked.
“Eighteen thirty-six.” I scratched my head. “That sounds like a date.”
He leaned out of the window to punch in the code. “Yup. Year of the battle of the Alamo. Welcome to Texas, princess.” Leave it to Dad, the history buff, to know the answer.
Dad clicked his seatbelt back into place, and we drove down the bumpy road. I checked the directions from Dad’s new boss again. “Says here that we’re the ninth driveway. If we get to the fork, then we’ve gone too far.”
Dad grunted. “Well, we’re definitely in for a change here.”
“You could say that.” It seemed like these tiny driveways were more like trails in a national park. I couldn’t see any houses, and the “driveways” were really spread out.
When we reached the fifth, Dad cleared his throat. “So the head of St. Ailbe’s is meeting us at the house with the keys. I, uh, just…” Dad trailed off.
“What?”
He sighed. “Try not to touch anything or have any visions in front of him. I didn’t exactly say anything about—”
“Dad. Seriously. It’s not a big deal. I would rather not have one either, but in the event that I do, I’ll try to hide it. Cool?”
He patted my jean-clad leg. “Thanks, princess.”
“That’s nine.” I pointed to the driveway. It curved down a hill and finally opened up to a beautifully manicured lawn. A circular drive with a giant oak tree in the middle led up to the pale yellow stucco house. Butterflies filled my stomach as we stopped in front. It wasn’t as big as our house in LA, but almost. The white wrap-around porch drew my attention, especially the bench swing to the left of the front door. Off to the right was a white two-car garage.
Dad parked in front of the garage to leave the drive open, and Axel pulled up beside us. I slipped down from the SUV and pulled a pair of thin tie-dyed gloves from my pocket.
Mom hopped out of Axel’s car and put her arm around me. “How was the last of the drive?”
“Fine. But you still smell like chicharones.” I made a face. She tried to smother my face with kisses, but I pushed her away. “Nasty!”