We met Baxter at the tailgate of his truck, and together, we followed a fence to another parking lot, this one for guests. A trolley was parked off in the distance on a paved, curved driveway in front of another entrance that people were walking through. “Baxter!”
The three of us stopped and swiveled around to find a cute girl with blonde ringlets pulled up in what looked like a glorified golf cart. She wore a uniform that stated Zona Animal Sanctuary across her chest.
“Yeah, Trixi?” Baxter asked as she parked beside us and got out.
She didn’t bother acknowledging me as she walked over and spoke to him. She touched his arm briefly and tilted her head up to give him a warm smile. “The black leopard is acting up for the vet again, and you seem to have a soft touch with her. Do you think you can come and help?”
He smiled, but it was tight. “Sure. I'm always willing to help.”
Baxter could calm down a black leopard?
Trixi’s gaze then moved to Colten before her eyes landed on me, and she gave a practiced smile. One usually given to a customer. That was fine; we didn't know each other anyway.
“Oh! Didn’t notice you at first. You seem to disappear between these two. I haven’t met any of your family yet, guys.” She held out her hand. “I’m Trixi. Which handsome brother is yours?”
I shook it and gave a smirk. “Carly, and neither.”
She pulled her hand away as her gaze grew cautious, her fake smile dropping away. “Neither?”
“Come on, Trixi,” Baxter urged. “Don’t we have an anxious leopard to see?”
Her gaze snapped to him. “Yes, you’re right.” That smile returned. “It was nice to meet you, Carly.”
“Same.” I leaned back into Colten, who brought his hands to my hips.
She noticed and so did Baxter, who promptly leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Remember what I said.”
Trixi climbed into the golf cart and honked. Baxter pulled away and gave Colten a fist bump. “I’ll come and find you guys later. Have fun!” Then he got into the seat next to Trixi, and they drove off.
I turned around in Colten’s arms. “Is that his light gift? An affinity to animals?”
He grinned and held my hand as we walked. “Learned that in school, did you?”
I shrugged. “Among other things, yes.”
“Yeah, Baxter has a way with animals.”
“And you?” I asked, my inquiring eyes glancing up to his.
“Honesty.”
I stopped walking. “What does that mean?”
“I’m a living lie detector.” He tugged on my hand with a wild grin. “Come on. Let’s go play.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked, following him.
“I'm going to be your own personal chauffeur.”
“Not that.”
He had a twinkle in his eyes. “I know.”
I sighed. “And what does a personal chauffeur at an animal sanctuary do?”
“You’ll see.”
We walked to the trolley, where kids waited with their parents to board.
“Hey, everyone! Are you ready for the bus tour?” Colton greeted them. All the kids yelled their yeses, which caused me to chuckle. “Great! Let me open up the trolley, and we can all load up!”
He turned and gave me a wink as we climbed onto the bus. “You can take the seat behind me.”
I sat directly behind him and watched the other people filter in. When the bus filled, Colten turned and gave his welcome speech. He explained about the animal sanctuary and how they decided to make it into a zoo to help feed the animals and give them a safe place to live.
He continued to talk as he faced forward once more, and the bus lurched forward. We drove back through the customer parking lot, passing through the entrance where Baxter parked his truck and toward the mountain pass I noticed earlier.
As we drove alongside a guardrail, Colten talked about each of the animals that lived there. The goats, deer, wolves, and bears.
It was all wonderful and exciting. I'd never been to a drive-through zoo, and I regretted not coming here sooner. I guess that was what I got for not visiting my mom more often.
If it weren’t for Kenneth and his warning, I might have come up here more… or never left. That realization made my gut sink. Did I want this? Did I really want to try to bind myself to Kenneth’s sons and their friends, knowing full well my step-father wouldn’t approve? I enjoyed my time with Colten, but those nagging doubts crept up. I swallowed a lump in my throat. Maybe this wasn't the best idea.
When Colten brought the bus to a stop and people filed out, he waved and gave them a smile as he continued to talk to them. I sat behind him and watched, trying to brighten my mood once again and erase the lingering uncertainties.
When everyone exited, he glanced over to me and frowned. “Why the long face?”
I hesitated, because now I knew he could tell if someone lied. Mouth pressed into a flat line, his golden eyes grew dark. He reached over and ran his finger across my lips, which caused them to tingle. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. Don’t lie. Just promise you’ll talk to me if those dark thoughts persist.”
I nodded.
“Good.”
Not ready to talk about anything yet, I gestured toward an entrance where all the families and people seemed to be going. “Is that part of the park?”
He turned. “Yeah. Want to go?” he asked, taking my hand once again.
“Don't you have another bus route to do?”
He guided me off the bus and pointed to a sign with times on it. “We do one every three hours. I have time. People will look at that and come back for the next tour. In the meantime, we can see the rest of the park.”
I gave him my best smile. “Okay.”
We walked in together, and he took me up the steps to a food place and got us some ice cream. Passing me one, he asked, “Where do you want to go first?”
I bumped his shoulder with my own. “You're the leader. I’ll follow you.”
He gave me a grin as his eyes glowed. “Anywhere?”
I shrugged and dipped my spoon back into my ice cream. “Most likely.”
I wanted to shock him, but he shocked me. “You know, that’s a loaded answer.”
With a hand at my back, he stopped us at the first animal enclosure. They were otters. I turned to him and for a moment felt vertigo, but I ignored it.
Pointing my spoon at him, I tried to make the situation lighter. “Only if you take it that way.”
His gaze grew molten. “Don’t play with fire, sweetheart.”
“Colten, you kissed me once, a long time ago, but never acted on it after that. That was because of who you are, right?”
“Yes, but things are different now.” His eyes darted around, and he nodded. “Let's not talk about that stuff here. How have you been doing down in the valley with your dad? School and everything.”
I swallowed the knot in my throat. A stabbing pain came and went. “Well, I graduated.”
He nodded, and we started to walk. “Good girl.” My nose wrinkled at that. “I remember. It was this year, right? Your mom went down with Kenneth.”
“Yeah.” That had been awkward. “I graduated from high school and got a job at the Aquatic Center. Yesterday was my first day.”
“No shit, really? And then you had this happen. Must be overwhelming.”
“Yes, it is.”
He kissed my forehead. “Poor baby.”
He let me go when we passed by a trash can, and he threw his ice cream cup away. He looked to me. “You done?”
I scooped up the last little bit and handed mine over. “Thanks.” I’d much rather hold his hand than the ice cream cup.
He took it from me, threw it away, and promptly laced his fingers with mine. “Let's go check out the goats now that we don't have ice cream.”
“I know what goats look like. I don’t need to see them.”
“Ah, but these are pygmy go
ats. They're little and cute. You can brush and pet them.”
I fanned myself with my other hand as I started to feel hot and gave him a skeptical glance. “Really?”
He grinned and tugged me along. “You’ll see.”
When we got there, we went through two gates, and I realized he was indeed serious. “Why the two gates?”
“To make sure they don’t get out. Like extra protection.”
I blushed when he said protection. That word coming out of his mouth sounded seductive.
Shaking my head, I focused on our surroundings. Small goats in all different colors walked around a pond in the middle of the area and a barn off to the side.
I knelt beside one, folding the edge of my pencil skirt beneath my knees, and let my hands run across the coarse hair of the small goat’s back as it ate. Its triangular nose was hard, and its ears soft. They were like dogs, except they weren't.
Colten came back with a short-bristled brush. “Here, use this to brush them.”
He did the same with another one, and when a few families came and asked questions, he answered them.
We stayed until I felt achy from kneeling for far too long. My mouth was dry, and I started to sweat. I stood and gave myself a moment to ward off the dizziness. Colten stood as well, recognizing I was done, and took the brushes back. When he returned, we left the petting zoo area.
Hand in hand, we walked until Colten jumped in on the big question. “You've known that I've liked you for a while, but how long have you liked me?”
I ducked my head and pulled my hand away as a wave of heat covered my body. “So blunt, Colten.”
He chuckled. “Have to be, sweetheart, if I’m ever going to get answers.”
I cleared my dry throat and confessed, softly, “I’ve liked you for a while.”
“How long is a while?” His rough tone sent a chill racing down my arms.
I rubbed them, worried about the conflicting temperatures my body seemed to be going through. “Since the beginning.”
The silence became unnerving, and my eyes shot up to his. A satisfied smirk spread across his face, then he asked another shocking question I wasn't prepared for. “So how long have you liked your stepbrothers?”
My eyes went wide, and I stopped rubbing my arms. “Th-that’s not—”
He brushed a damp strand of hair out of my face, and his smirk turned downward, more concerned. “It’s entirely true.”
“I think you have that wrong,” I finally answered, almost trembling.
His frown thinned. “I think I have that right, but we’ll leave that alone for now. Why don't you come up here more often?”
“It seems those two questions go together.”
His hand dropped. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked roughly, demanding.
“Nothing. What do you do when you're not giving bus rides?”
He pressed his lips together but answered, “I do feedings for the animals, but I do that in the truck. The bears like a mixture of frozen berries, nuts, and, at times, a deer carcass. I also do the petting zoo, like we did just now.”
I swallowed, hot all over. “I don’t remember you being this into animals.”
His brows shifted downward, searching my face. He stopped our walk. “Carly, are you okay? You seem to be sweating excessively.”
I waved off his concerns. It was probably that time of the month. The dizziness, though... “I’m fine.”
His mouth pursed, and he touched my forehead. “I told you not to lie to me. You’re not fine.”
“Of course—”pain struck me hard, the same dizzy spell coming back full force. I grabbed hold of him and put my other hand to my head.
His arms surrounded me. “Fuck! Damn it! You’re not fine. You’re pale and sweating. I think you have a fever.”
He muttered more, holding onto me while he unclipped his radio from his side and notified someone on the other line that he was going to take a thirty-minute break. Then he practically carried me to a door that read employees only and stepped inside. Brooms, shovels, and other maintenance things filled the small room. A janitor's closet. Before I could ask what he was doing, he shimmed us back to my room at my mom's cabin.
“I don't like the way you look,” he muttered as he set me on the edge of the bed, which still had the blue covers from when Zander transformed it. I stared at the stars where a ceiling should be. They sparkled but without the night sky.
Colten bent down, slipped off my sandals, and swept his finger around until skirt and blouse turned into something else.
I glanced down to red-striped PJs. The waist cinched, the bottom of the pantlegs rolling up without anybody moving them, but the shirt remained baggy. I picked at them. “Whose are these?”
“Mine,” he muttered as he pulled back the covers and gestured for me get under.
“I was just dizzy,” I protested. “Don't you think this is a little overkill?”
“I told you not to lie to me.”
“You were never this bossy before.”
“I didn’t have a right to be.”
I sighed and scooted back. “And now you do?”
“Damn right. And there's one thing we haven’t thought about.”
My nose scrunched up as relief flowed through me to be laying down. “What's that?”
“You might be getting your mark. And if you are, you're probably going to have flu-like symptoms. You just lie here and rest. I have to get back to work, but I'll tell your mom you're here. She'll get Kenneth. And I’ll be by later.”
My eyes were already closing. “Great. Fine.”
“Good girl.”
With my eyes shut, I muttered, “Hate that.”
He chuckled and kiss my forehead. “Too bad.”
Chapter Seven
I sat up in bed when Mom came in to check on me. She brought me a sandwich and lime drink on a tray with a red rose and a note. “Eat up and see if you feel better. If not, I’ll get Kenneth.”
My lips pursed before I picked up the turkey sandwich. “No thanks. I’m fine.”
My mom’s eyes narrowed at my answer, and I took a bite of the sandwich. “We'll see,” she replied. “In the meantime, Myra and I are going to go shopping for you.” When I started to protest, she put her hand up. “Listen. You need clothes, and we’re happy to get some.”
“Fine,” I relented, and picked up the rose along with the note. “What's the note and flower for?”
Mom shrugged. “A Lydent guy from work gave them to me to give to you. It seems word got out that you’re my daughter.”
I arched a quizzical brow. “Really?”
Mom sat down beside me on the bed. “Ever since they heard about you, they've been coming by.”
“To what?”
A slow grin quirked her mouth as she patted my leg. “To see who you are. You're kind of a big deal for them. Even Zander and Hale have had to fend them off.”
“But none of the guys in my classes were doing that.”
“None of those boys are of mating age.”
“Hmm.”
“Well, I'm going to head out. Either Hale or Zander will check on you later tonight.”
That perked me up a bit. “Okay. I’ll keep a lookout for them.”
She gave me a knowing grin and patted my leg once again before she stood. “I’m sure you will.”
I let my expression sour. “Mom.”
She walked out of my bedroom door and, in a sing-song voice, replied, “Listen to your heart and see you later.”
After Mom left to go shopping, I wrapped a blanket around myself and took the envelope with my name scrawled across it to the backyard and curled up on the porch swing.
The sunset was halfway gone and rays of light glowed in between the trees, causing it to look like the forest was ablaze. A light twinkled to my left as the rays moved.
I tapped the note in my hand before studying my name scrawled across it. Who in their right mind would send a letter and flowers to a co
mplete stranger? Curious, I tore the flap that held it closed.
Carly,
As a new Lydent female with no mark, I would like to reach out and have you consider me as a possible mate.
My eyebrow arched as a dull pain nagged at my head, but I ignored it. I was more amused by what the hell this guy wrote. “Oh, really?”
While others might approach you with this same offer, few of them will have the qualities I do.
I am a pureblood. My mother and one of my fathers are on the Lydent council here in Flag. You might have met them. Myra and Gaston Frost.
“Some guy?” I snorted. “Mom, you knew exactly who it was, and now you’re out shopping with his mother.” I huffed and read on.
Typically, powers are passed down or inherited. My Lydent power is a rare one. Our children will inherit the power of telekinesis.
“Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you? Already thinking of children.”
Most say I’m handsome. I can’t say for myself, but if you agree to one date, you might find my charismatic disposition quite enlightening.
Think about it.
-Naylor Frost
I folded up the paper and shoved it back into the envelope. “Enlightening, my ass.”
“I told you to think about it,” an amused, masculine voice admonished from the left.
“Shit!” I screamed, shot up off the swing, and shimmed out of there.
Inside the house, I swayed, overcome by vertigo for a moment before I locked all the doors. My efforts went to waste as he shimmed inside. Tall and slim, he had a head full of blond hair and wore an amused expression.
I put up my hands. “Agh! Go away!”
“Come now, love. You haven’t given me a chance.”
As I glared at him, my hands came back down. I didn’t feel up to this. I wanted to lie back down. “Why? And how are you here? I thought there were wards on the house for unwanted visitors.”
He folded his arms and leaned forward with a glint in his eyes, thoroughly amused. “You really are new. Know what? I’ll let you figure that out.”
“Great way to gain points in my book!” I hissed.
There was a gentle tug on my hair. “Love the blonde.”
I pushed his power away. “You’re an ass.”
He drew closer and replied softly, “And you are beautiful.”
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