by Elissa Daye
“Nope, she’s free.” Serena cut her off.
“Great. I’ll see you later then, Lyssa.” Hunter turned, gave her a half smile, and left the room.
“Later.”
Lyssa shook her head. Could they have been any more obvious that they were trying to push the two of them together? It wasn’t a secret that Hunter and Lyssa might have a thing going on right now, but it wasn’t exactly public knowledge. Lyssa wasn’t even sure what it was yet. A crush? Stolen kisses in quick moments? She was afraid to hope for more.
Serena smiled at her perceptively. “You’re afraid of him, aren’t you?”
“What? Why would I be afraid of him? He’s been nothing but kind to me.” Lyssa looked away uncomfortably.
“Well, it doesn’t take an Einstein to see you’ve been hurt before, Lyssa. Nor is it hard to tell that you have some confusing feelings about him.”
Lyssa sighed deeply. “You’re right, Serena. I’m every bit afraid of him. I’m just, well—”
“Afraid you might lose yourself?” Jackson interjected.
Damn it. He knew her too well.
“If you say so, Jackson.”
“I understand that more than you know. Things did not use to be the way they are now between me and Julius, but that is an entirely different story. We never had the history that you and Hunter do. For you, it is scary to crave someone more than air. You would do almost anything to hang on to it, even if you lost yourself in the process. You don’t have to lose anything, Lyssa. Love shapes you into something deeper than you could ever imagine, and it makes you do things you never dreamed you could do.”
“I never said anything about love, Serena. I don’t know what I mean anymore.”
Serena giggled at her last statement. “Oh, darling, you’re going to be in much deeper than you thought before you know it.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Heavens, no. Live. Love. Feel. You will only regret it if you don’t.” The redhead smiled softly at her.
“I think I may have misjudged you, Serena. I thought that you were, well….”
“A bitch?” Jackson and Serena answered at the same time.
Serena chuckled. “I can be. However, I should not have acted the way I did when we first met. Julius and I had just had a little spat that had absolutely nothing to do with you.”
“I was going to say you were out to get me. I try to save that other word for people who truly deserve it.” Lyssa smiled at her and was surprised to find herself laughing. “Serena, why didn’t you know what I was thinking?”
“Because I, unlike some of the others here, try to give people their privacy. Speaking of which, Hunter?”
Lyssa was not surprised to hear his voice behind the door. “I’m going.”
Lyssa sighed dramatically again. “Is it really hard to understand why I might need some space?” It’s not like she did not want to be around him, but everyone needed time and space sometimes. Yes, she did find herself completely attracted to him, and they had been spending more time together. Hunter had not attempted to push the issue with her since the day he had kissed her.
“My dear, you must understand that your face has haunted Hunter for years now. He’s been searching for you.”
“That’s so sad.” Lyssa could not help but feel sorry for the time he had wasted.
“That’s a little creepy. It’s like he was stalking you before he even found you.” Jackson shook his head as if to shake away something distasteful.
“It’s not like that, Jackson. I told you about the locket. I saw my life with him. I’m connected to him in ways I can’t explain. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.” For once, Lyssa did not want to explain herself. There was a huge part of her that wanted to chase away any doubt that circled around her. She wanted to fall hopelessly in love without worrying about the consequences. Why did everything always have to be so damned complicated? Would it kill her just to let go for a change? Hadn’t she earned that right with the crap she had dealt with in this life already?
“Why would that be creepy? I think it’s adorable. I know it does seem strange, Jackson. But his soul will always love her. You’ll understand when you meet your soul mate too.” Serena put a hand on Lyssa’s arm.
“Serena, he doesn’t really know her. He loves the idea of her.”
“Jackson’s right. What if I’m not the woman he loved before? I’m probably nothing like her. Every life is different. What if he wasted his time? What if there’s someone out there who would be so much better for him?” She was speaking from that empty part of herself, the part that did not feel worthy of being loved by anyone else.
“Well, first of all, I don’t buy that crap. I’ll smack the stupid out of you if you keep that up. You are beautiful, smart, kind, and loving. Any man would be lucky to have you,” Jackson fired back at her.
“Besides, Lyssa, you want him every bit as much as he wants you. You may not have known you were looking for him, but your soul always will. And Jackson’s right, that self-depreciation stops now. Do you think I ever once thought to degrade myself?” Serena clucked her tongue and shook her head at her.
“But, you’re….”
“What, beautiful? Of course, I am. Do you want to know why? Because I stopped hiding in the corner you keep stuffing yourself into. You haven’t had anyone take you under their wing before, have you? It looks like I have a lot more to teach you than I thought. Don’t worry, Serena will provide.”
Before she knew it, Serena had grabbed onto both of their hands, and they were careening through the air. Lyssa yanked her arm away from her when they touched solid ground. “Where are we now?”
“Just you wait. All in good time.” Serena sniffed the air once, then pulled on her hand before walking out of the alley they were standing in. Lyssa and Jackson followed behind her. She wished she hadn’t left her wand at home, but she was sure that Serena had her back. At least it was daylight out. The shadows usually preferred the cloak of night.
They walked down the sidewalk, and she could see different shops around her. Lyssa was surprised when Serena stopped before a beauty salon called Classic Clips. Still confused as to her intent, she followed Serena into the shop.
“Time for a makeover, my dear.”
“Oh, goodie!” clapped Jackson.
Lyssa tried to wave them both away, but Serena would have none of it. She pushed her into a seat and told her to wait there. When she returned, she brought a stylist with her. “See that girl there? Lots of hottie potential, right?”
As the stylist looked her over, Lyssa felt uncomfortable in her skin. Lyssa wanted to object to the scrutiny, but when the woman gave Serena a confident smirk, she knew she would easily be outvoted. “You’re right about that. Add a few layers here and there, maybe some high and low lights.”
“Definitely.” Jackson crossed his arms, raised his eyebrows, and said, “Well?”
“Fine.”
As they fussed over her in the chair, she refused to look to see what they were doing. Lyssa had never really cared about the style of her hair before. What would one hair cut possibly accomplish? It was all inconsequential because she would still be the same person she always was. But today was a new day, with new beginnings, so Lyssa decided not to worry about the moment and just let it all go.
“And don’t forget the nails,” Lyssa added halfway into her haircut. “They’re hideous.”
“That’s the spirit!” Serena patted her on the back. It was nice to have her friends fuss over her. She was surprised Jackson wasn’t turning cartwheels in the salon to show his exuberance. She wondered if he would get his nails done too. “Are you going to get cat nails, Jackson?”
“Oh, honey. You don’t have to remind me.”
When Serena looked at them in confusion, Lyssa put her out of her misery. “When we were in high school, Jac
kson grew out his nails and filed them to a point because he wanted to be ‘Catwoman’ so badly.”
“I rocked that bullwhip belt, honey.”
“Oh my gosh, I forgot about that belt.” Lyssa laughed and shook her head.
While Beth, the stylist, was putting various foils in her hair, another lady was filing her nails. When the color was setting, her nails were finished up with a French manicure. The ladies showed her how to keep them shaped nicely and put together a bag of things to take home with her to keep them pretty. Lyssa wondered how in the world they were paying for this, but when this thought popped into her head, Serena waved her hands at her to suggest that she need not worry about such things. She let out a deep sigh of relief and just enjoyed the attention.
When Beth turned her chair to face the mirror, she almost gasped out loud. The woman in the mirror looked nothing like her. The change was so startling; she almost forgot who she was. Lyssa found it hard to believe that she was staring at herself, but she knew it was her, still hardened on the inside, but softer on the edges. Once long stringy hair had been transformed into soft flowing tresses that hit her face at different angles. There was no way she would ever be able to hide behind her hair again. The colors were so different than she was used to, and while they were unusual, they actually fit her quite well. A dark brown layer on the bottom was considered low lights, and she had blonde and red highlights that contrasted with her natural color. Instead of the dull brown that she had always hated, there was more of a warm chocolate brown mixed in now. Every time she swished her hair around her head, she felt like she saw a different color.
As she sat there, she saw something else that she had never seen before. Bright lights were emanating from all around her. She knew instantly what it was: her aura. Lyssa had never been able to see it before. It was almost as if she had set the colors inside herself free, and they were broadcasting for the world to see.
“Wow.”
“That’s right, Lyssa. Wow. You’re gorgeous. Thank you, ladies. See you next week at the meetup. Let’s go, Lyssa.”
“But don’t we have to pay?” They may use magical currency to survive, but the rest of the world did not know that. It worked just the same as regular money.
Serena laughed quietly. “Did you notice the number on their wrists?”
Now that she mentioned it, Lyssa had seen the number thirty on Beth’s left wrist, but she had not made the connection. “Are they Guardians?”
“Yep. Hiding among the rest of the world. They thrive on showing hidden beauty to the world, and since you are a Guardian now, you get their best prices. The next place will not be free. Now, time for a wardrobe update.” Serena pulled a credit card out of her pocket and smiled at her.
“Is that real?”
“Of course…not.” Serena winked at her and put the card back in her purse. “But it works just as well as our money. A perk of being a Guardian. You can’t keep this fabulousness going without a little help.” Serena put a hand on her hip and touched her hair with the other.
Lyssa stifled a giggle, unsure how to react to her outrageousness. Jackson poked her in the side and gave her a bright smile. It was clear that he was enjoying himself. Lyssa smacked his hand away and followed Serena into the nearest clothing shop.
Jackson and Serena both picked out a handful of tops, paired up with jeans that were a little too tight for her liking. Her wardrobe of choice made it easier to hide her insecurity with her body, for baggy clothing hid some of the curvy places that were out of control. Serena must have caught on to her thought process, for she shook her sassy head and told her that she needed to quit hiding them. So there she stood in front of a mirror in jeans that were almost hard to breathe in, with a white cotton shirt with quarter length sleeves. It had a V-neck with buttons that went down her chest. Jackson suggested she leave the top three buttons open for extra sex appeal.
“Who am I trying to attract?” Did she really need to attract Hunter’s attention more than she already had?
“Just keeping up with the thought that you are not the woman he knew, Lyssa. There’s something much more inside you. It’s just time for you to figure out what it is. No more hiding.”
Lyssa glanced at the mirror again. Serena was right. No more hiding in the corners. No more hand-me-downs. These clothes were meant for her, and for the first time, when she looked in the mirror, she did not despise her curves. And while she’d thought her aura could not change any more, she was mistaken. It was like a rainbow of light had surrounded her. Her eyes were open as wide as they could be…the two blue eyes in the middle of her face, as well as the third eye that was invisible to the rest of the world. Lyssa was awakening in ways that she had never expected, and if the rest of the world did not notice, then they were blind. Did that mean she should be reckless? It was tempting…she was not ready to throw all caution to the wind, but she was ready to live.
When they were finished shopping, Jackson teleported back to the apartment to study, and Lyssa followed Serena back to the Watch Tower. Lyssa turned to Serena and put a hand on her arm. “Serena, you promised to help me learn to block my thoughts. If I am supposed to appear as confident as you say I should, then people shouldn’t be able to read the uncertainty echoing inside my head.”
Serena led her through some breathing exercises to start her off. Then she had her do some visualizations.
“It’s like your mind is a treasure chest. You have to make sure the lock is held tight before you encounter others. Only you can hold the key to open it. It sounds easier than it is, really. It just takes time. Give it a try.”
Closing her eyes, she took a deep, calming breath. Lyssa envisioned the lid closing and the key turning in the lock. When she opened her eyes, she looked over at Serena. “Ask me something, and see if you can read the answer.”
“What is your favorite color?”
Lyssa safely thought the word purple and waited to see if Serena would guess it. “Well?”
“Nada.”
“Are you trying?”
“Yes. You’re locked up tight, sweetie. Keep it up, and you should find yourself feeling a little safer around the rest of the group. It’s always good to have some privacy.”
“Thank you, Serena!” Lyssa could feel her smile brighten up her face. Yes, it was a brand new day indeed.
Chapter 12
As she waited for Hunter in the parlor of the Watch Tower, she could not help the thoughts that were racing through her head. Serena had brought up a valid point. Did she have real feelings for Hunter? Was there such a thing as love at first sight, or was this more of an attraction? Even though they had spent more time together on campus and at the Watch Tower, she had not known him long enough to be sure. Her past life memories were still buried deep below the surface. Perhaps it was the universe’s way of saying that not every life has to repeat the exact same cycle. Hunter seemed comfortable basing his emotions on memory, but she felt he was just in love with a faded photograph. If only it were that easy. Lyssa may not have had the emotional freedom he did, but what she did feel was enough to make her want to move further. Lyssa wanted to leap before looking for a change, instead of using the level head that ruled most of her life. She was infinitely curious about where this was going to take them and hopeful that something good might come of it.
If she tried to diagnose her current state, she would find one thing to be true; her heart fluttered in her chest every time Hunter walked into the room. His dedication to saving the world around him was certainly admirable. One night they had taken a walk on the quad, and he had bent down to look at one of the rabbits that was watching them both cautiously. Hunter had spoken to it softly and tried to coax it nearer. A little piece of her heart melted that night. How many men felt comfortable enough with their manhood to have a one-sided conversation with a wild animal where anyone walking by could see? He was an original, one of a ki
nd, and even if she had not had some preconceived memory of him, part of her would have been drawn to him. It certainly would be easy to fall for him completely, if only she knew it was her that he wanted, the one that existed in the here and now.
“Lyssa? You look amazing. Are you ready to go?” When Hunter continued through the doorway, he paused and took another long lingering glance at her. He could not seem to take his eyes off of her.
She cleared her throat and made sure her thoughts were on lockdown before she answered. “Sure. Where to?”
“My favorite place.” Hunter grabbed her hand, and they were instantly transported to a place she had never been before.
Staring out into the distance, she could see a valley of red rocks and sand below her. The mystery of the moment overwhelmed her, for it felt as if she could see another lifetime rolling through the valley below them. It was quiet, but it was haunting at the same time as the dry winds blew calmly around them. Lyssa felt trapped in a moment in time, a memory of a world long forgotten, before the wagon trains wheeled in between the rocky summits. She had never been anywhere filled with so much nostalgia before. “Why are we here?”
“Just sit. Take it in.”
The more they sat there, the harder it was to fight the images of the past. Their echoes haunted the air around like a sad lullaby. This was a time when people had been innocent from persecution and had lived in harmony with the land around them. If only the world had stayed this way, and human nature hadn’t taken over. Destroy, conquer, own. These were the words that still defined their society and the reason why the shadows had easily taken over. This place was sacred, and while she enjoyed the history lesson displayed before her, she didn’t understand why Hunter had brought her here. She looked over at him with a quizzical look on her face.
“You feel that too, don’t you? We’re in the Badlands.”
“South Dakota?”
“Yes. As I said, one of my favorite places. I thought you would appreciate something outside of the norm for a change.” He looked as if he wanted her approval for this date choice, and while she was enjoying the atmosphere, she wasn’t sure why this was better than, say, going to the movies.