Touched (Sense Thieves)

by Corrine Jackson

  With his hands tucked in his pockets, he shook his head. “Don’t think that. Don’t ever forget you’re in danger while Protectors are around.” I nodded to placate him, and he continued with a wry twist of his full lips. “Lottie is afraid. She’s worried about what will happen if others come for you, and they think we’ve been hiding you.”

  They called Charlotte “Lottie.” As intense as our conversations had been, we didn’t know much about each other. He didn’t say it, but I knew she worried about him, not me.

  Curious, I asked, “What about Gabe? Is he the pissed-off one?”

  His eyes met mine, and he frowned. “It’s complicated.”

  He didn’t expand. There was some conflict there, and I wondered what it could be.

  “Asher, my mother said something.” I was taking a huge chance telling him, but I’d come this far. “A theory the Healers have.”

  Asher’s tone bristled with a challenge. “They think they have the answer to stopping the Protectors. A Healer with the ability to cure immortality.”

  The statement was a test to see what I knew, and I didn’t blink. “And that’s what you want? To be mortal again?”

  He stared into the fog with fierce longing. “Almost more than anything.”

  I wondered about that almost. What did he want more than to be mortal? “Why?” I asked.

  His tired sigh sounded loud in the silent clearing. “I never wanted to be immortal in the first place. What do you know about the War?”

  I tried to remember my mother’s words. “Anna said the Healers were greedy and kept all the profit from the healing to themselves. And the Protectors used it as an excuse to go to war. In the end, though, they killed the Healers to become immortal. Only it backfired because they lost the use of most of their senses.” What had Anna said? Can you imagine living forever and never being able to feel another person’s touch?

  Asher leaned against a nearby oak tree, and his enigmatic expression gave no hint of his feelings. “She’s right. It backfired big-time. The first Protectors to kill discovered their mistake, but by then it was too late. We were at war. You have to understand, Remy, it was more of a class war than anything else.”

  That wasn’t how Anna had told it. “What do you mean?”

  “The Healers treated us like servants, not partners. They used our energy for healing and our bodies to protect them. We were expendable, and they didn’t give a damn about us once they started charging for their services.”

  The explanation made perfect sense. I could see how it would have happened. The Healers got all the glory, while the Protectors took a lot of the risk. I would have been bitter, too, in their shoes.

  Full lips tilted in a small smile, he crouched down on his heels, absently fiddling with a stick he picked up. “You would see our side.” Before I could comment on his odd remark, he continued. “My oldest brother, Sam, worked with a powerful Healer. A lot of wealthy people sought out Elizabeth, but no Healer was infallible, despite the promises she made. With the kinds of stakes she played at, failure wasn’t an option. When she couldn’t keep her end of the bargain, Sam had to protect her from the angry, very powerful people she’d duped.”

  With a slight flick of his fingers, the branch snapped in two, making me jump. Asher didn’t notice and brushed the dust from his hands. His accent thickened as he spoke until he sounded more British than American.

  “Elizabeth took stupid chances to feed her affection for gold coin. We tried to warn Sam, but he was loyal to a fault. I wish you could’ve met him. You remind me of him in a lot of ways.”

  He gave me a tender sideways glance that disappeared a moment later. “When Elizabeth failed to heal the beloved son of a particularly cruel merchant, he hired mercenaries to execute her. Sam died saving her.”

  I shivered as I listened. This was the most I’d heard Asher talk at one time, and it seemed impossible to believe he’d actually lived through it.

  “You could say Sam’s death was the catalyst that started the War. The Healers wouldn’t take responsibility for what happened. So many of my kind died during that time. . . .” The words broke off, and he picked up a small rock, tossing it from hand to hand.

  They’d been friends of his, too, from the shadows that crossed his face. It must have been hard to watch his brother die and the persons responsible walk away unscathed. It’s how I felt about Dean.

  “Anyway, the Protectors decided to go after the worst of the Healers as a warning to all. Without weapons against our kind, it was over for the Healers before it had begun. By accident, those Protectors discovered that they could steal a dying Healer’s energy to become immortal. At least, we think it was an accident.”

  I had to ask. “Were you there, Asher?”

  Absently rolling the rock in his palm, he shook his head. “No. Elizabeth had been targeted in that first wave of killing. To honor Sam, my father wanted to protect her. We didn’t know what kind of woman she was.”

  The stone exploded into dust when it hit the trunk of a nearby tree, but Asher betrayed no sign of having moved.

  “My father sent word ahead that the Protectors were coming for her, and we went to head them off. When we tracked her down, along with the other Healers she traveled with, she’d hired her own human mercenaries for protection. We told her why we’d come, and she laughed. Sam’s sacrifice meant nothing to her, and she insulted him like he was a dog.”

  His eyes lit with a fury I understood. “You fought with her?”

  Rising to his full height, he took a menacing step toward me, letting his guard drop. “No, Remy. I killed her.”

  Asher purposely frightened me, and a tremor chased its way down my spine, despite the fact that I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. “Tell me what happened.”

  Sorrow weighed his shoulders down. “Her human mercenaries captured Lottie. My sister was young, you see, very sheltered. Elizabeth could train her, use her more easily than a male Protector. When reason failed to sway Elizabeth, my family fought. Elizabeth held a knife to Lottie’s throat, and I attacked. When I tried to get the knife away, I stabbed her. It was an accident, but it didn’t matter. Gabe and Lottie both wounded and killed two of the Healers protecting themselves. But my parents . . . At the end of that day, what remained of my family had lost our humanity.”

  He stopped speaking, lost in a past I couldn’t begin to understand. With dread, I asked, “How old were you, Asher?”

  Body rigid with anger, he focused on me. “Eighteen. Don’t defend me, Remy. You’re not going to tell me I was too young to understand what I was doing.”

  My solemn gaze met his furious one, and I shook my head. “No. No, I’m not going to say that. We’re different, you and I. I don’t think either of us has had the luxury of being young. Circumstance forced us to grow up faster than we should have.”

  I thought of Dean. My actions could have killed him, and I’m not sure I would have felt the regret that resonated in Asher’s tortured eyes.

  He returned to kneel at my feet. “What happened with Dean is different. You’re a Healer, not a murderer.”

  When I grabbed for his hand, his face twisted in a grimace of pain. I’d forgotten I was poison to him and hurried to turn him loose, while raising my mental wall to shield him.

  Asher wove his fingers through mine and stared up at me. “You’re killing me here, Remy. It’s my job to protect you. Not the other way around.”

  Startled by his insight, I shifted on the bench, distracted by the heat of his hand in mine. Sometimes it seemed like Asher could read my mind. “I told you before, I can take care of myself.”

  He smiled and glanced at my sling. “Yes, I can see that.” The smile faded and disappeared altogether. “I don’t know what to do with you. I should hate you for being one of them.”

  “Why don’t you?” I asked, holding my breath.

  “You’re different. I can’t stand the idea of you hurting. And yet, I think I might be the greatest danger to you.”

&n
bsp; Strands of wavy hair fell in my eyes, and he smoothed it away with one hand. My heart beat a thundering pace in my chest until his hand dropped away.

  The sharp angles of his face tautened, and he seemed to make a decision. “Remy, it’s up to you. I know I scared you that last night we saw each other. I’ll stay away if that’s what you want.”

  At my unladylike snort, he looked confused. “Asher, what are you afraid of? That you’ll suck out all my energy in a crazed desire to be human again?”

  The color fled his face, and he backed away. That was precisely what he feared.

  “You wouldn’t do that.” The finality in my tone couldn’t be misread.

  Asher shook his head. “Remy, you don’t understand.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “I may not have a choice in the matter. With Elizabeth, I didn’t seek to steal her energy or even know it was possible. It happened, and choice never factored into it. Can’t the same be said for you? You told me yourself that your body started healing Brandon as soon as you touched him. It didn’t matter that you were drowning. You didn’t decide to heal him.”

  “So? You’re healthy. Eternally so, according to you. That wouldn’t happen with you.”

  One brow raised in disbelief. “Wouldn’t it? Your body senses mine is not . . . right. Your energy comes at me, and it takes everything I have to stay in control. You make me feel alive, and I ache for more. Long to steal more, even when I know it could kill you. For reasons I don’t understand, you’re not like other Healers. I don’t know how to protect you. Your instinct is to heal. Mine is to take. What if we both let our guard down at the wrong time?”

  “And what?” I mocked him. “Our bodies take over?” He stood and distanced himself from me. Ice dripped from his words. “You think I’m overreacting? You’re very naïve sometimes, Remy. Do you think I can’t sense how weak you are right now? I could take what I wanted, and you wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

  The threat was real. I felt his energy drifting in the air as a deliberate warning. Rising to my feet, I squared my shoulders as best as I could in the sling. “You’re wrong. I’m not naïve in the least. Wide-eyed innocence was beaten out of me a long time ago.”

  When he winced and would have apologized, I cut him off. “It’s my turn to talk now. You listen. I understand you could hurt me. You’re stronger and faster and you can steal my energy. Physically, you could kill me. I get that. You should understand something about me, though. This new power I have to hurt people? It’s not always something I can control. My body senses I’m in danger and reacts. I’m not the only one who would get hurt if you lose control. Because if you harm me to the point my body turns on you, you better believe I’m not going to heal any damage I inflict.”

  We glared at each other for a long moment. The sound of a car starting in the distance distracted me. The sun had come out, and I had no idea how long I’d been outside. I sighed and scooted around Asher heading for the path that would take me back to my house.

  Before I’d taken three steps, he caught my jacket. “Don’t go.”

  “I have to. My family is probably looking for me.”

  He frowned. “I didn’t think of that. I’ve kept you out here too long in the cold. You’re too weak as it is.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Asher, do you hear yourself? You’re angry at me, and you’re still worried I’ll catch a cold. That’s my point. You have the ability to hurt me, but you never will. For the same reason I won’t ever hurt you.”

  At his doubtful expression, I stepped close enough to feel his warm breath on my face and slid one palm along his whisker-rough cheek. Even as his body froze, he refortified his defenses, and his wall slammed upward. He hadn’t grasped yet that all his defenses were too little, too late. It was time to let him in on the realization I’d come to during the night.

  My voice sounded soft with affection. “You’re my Protector, Asher.”

  His eyes widened with comprehension as he grasped what I was trying to tell him. He staggered back against the nearest tree, and I strode out of the woods to catch up with my father.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I caught up with Ben as he backed the car out of the driveway. He and Laura were upset I’d gone out walking without telling anyone. They both acted embarrassed because they hadn’t bothered to look for the note on the fridge before jumping right into panic mode.

  After apologizing, I plodded upstairs to bed, my feet dragging with exhaustion.

  Lucy came in through our bathroom as I shrugged off my jacket.

  “Well, if it isn’t our resident runaway,” she said, in a singsong voice.

  “Could you be useful and help me with this thing? I’m dying to take a shower.”

  She ignored my glare when she walked over to help me remove the sling. “Oh, someone’s touchy. Didn’t the walk in the woods with Asher Blackwell cure your case of the grumps?”

  From behind me, she worked the strap of the sling off my shoulder, and I twisted around in time to see her innocent smile. She walked away to close my bedroom door and the door to the bathroom before turning on me with curiosity.

  “Remy, you tell me what you were doing in the park right now or else.”

  I raised one eyebrow. “Or else what?”

  “Or else I will make you laugh, which we both know is the worst kind of torture in your current state.”

  She held both hands in the air as if threatening to tickle me. Lucy looked so ridiculous with her heart-shaped face scowling, I laughed anyway, and then winced in pain. Immediately remorseful, she rushed to finish helping me out of the sling. When I sat on the bed, she settled cross-legged next to me with an expectant stare.

  I sighed and studied the ceiling. “He’s a friend.”

  That earned me a poke in the leg. “Are you sure that’s it? He called while you were in New York. He sounded so worried, I guessed something was up. What’s with the early morning rendezvous?”

  She sounded scandalized, and I grinned. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Luce. He heard about my mom.

  He was worried. We talked. That’s it. As if I could get up to anything. Seriously, have you taken a good look at me this morning?”

  Examining my tangled bed hair and ratty sweats, she gave a dramatic sigh. “What a waste!”

  I giggled because I’d thought the same thing, and then groaned at the jarring aches. I moaned, “Uncle!”

  Lucy laughed, too, and crawled off the bed. “Okay, I’ll let you off easy this time. Word of advice? Be friends with Asher, but leave it at that. He’s the kind of guy that leaves scars.”

  She left, and I drifted off to sleep wishing everyone would stop warning me to keep my distance from Asher Blackwell, including the boy himself.

  I managed to sleep away most of the weekend. Suffering new pangs of regret, I wished I could heal myself when I had to get ready for school. After ten minutes of trying to button my jeans, I stood half-dressed and my shoulder ached from jostling it. Lucy came to my rescue with a loose skirt and a wraparound sweater that belted around my midriff—no buttons. She zipped me into my knee-high boots, fastened my hair in a loose braid, and helped me back into my sling.

  On the ride to school, she shared how concerned our friends had been. They’d all called in the last couple of days to check on me. Lucy had told them what had happened with my mother and Dean so I wouldn’t have to spend all day explaining my latest injuries. She described how Brandon had returned to school after nearly drowning. I hadn’t said anything about the incident to Ben and hoped he didn’t find out from some well-meaning parent. It had been bad enough when Lucy berated me for not telling anyone. Of course, I’d had other things on my mind at the time, which she thought excused me.

  When we drove into the parking lot, I didn’t see Asher’s motorcycle and felt relieved to put off the inevitable confrontation. My friends presented a different story. Susan, Greg, and Brandon waited for us. Brandon opened my door to help me out of the car and stole m
y book bag before I could reach it.

  He slung it over his own shoulder and leered at me. “How did you know I find a woman in a sling sexy?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Greg, can you hit him upside the head for me?”

  Greg did and I laughed as Brandon grumbled. I hadn’t realized how I’d missed them all.

  When we separated from the others, I asked, “How’re you feeling, Brand? I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

  He waved one large hand. “No reason you should’ve. I was perfectly healthy, and you had enough going on ’Sides, the EMTs couldn’t find a thing wrong with me, except that I’d inhaled a bunch of water.” He frowned. “You know, I could’ve sworn I hit my head on the rim of the pool, but they didn’t even find a bump. We checked the edge for blood, but there wasn’t any.”

  Asher, I realized. He must have rinsed it off to cover my tracks when he went to check on Brandon.

  I smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “Ditto.” The leer resurfaced. “By the way, you look hot in a skirt.”

  Laughing, I shoved him in the side.

  After third period ended, Brandon led me to the cafeteria, telling me a joke along the way. I laughed as I settled in my seat next to Lucy at our table and glanced up into Asher’s forceful stare. My body froze. He must have arrived late to school. Sitting with his sister and their usual admirers, he looked beautiful as ever. He also appeared a man on a mission as he rose and stalked toward our table, his gaze never straying from me.

  Lucy whispered, “Uh-oh. Did you guys fight?”

  “Not really.”

  Asher arrived, greeted everyone with a friendly wave, and slid my chair back with easy familiarity.

  “You guys don’t mind if I steal Remy, do you?” he said, in a low voice full of polite charm.

  He didn’t wait for their objections. “Remy?” He waited with raised brows until I stood. When he turned to walk out of the cafeteria as if he expected me to follow, I veered off to the food line instead. We hadn’t spoken yesterday and a lot needed to be said. He’d called while I’d slept and probably thought I’d been avoiding him, which was only a little true. Now, in this mood, I preferred witnesses around to keep him in check.