“Lex, wait!” Aidan called after her.
“Enough with the Lex crap!” She turned on her heel, swinging a punch before she could register what she was doing.
SMACK! Her fist slammed into his hand. She gaped at him, surprised by her uncharacteristic violence, as much as his quick reaction.
“How did you—why did I?” she sputtered.
“Relax.” He maneuvered them through the crowd and onto the dance floor.
“I’m going to make a crazy prediction and say that’s not going to be the last time you take a swing at me.”
“But—”
“Just breathe. Vince is an absolute idiot. Forget about him and your pathetic attempt at throwing a punch. Dance with me?”
“Pathetic?”
“Dreadful.” His tone was insulting. “I’ll have to teach you how to do that properly.”
“Cheers to that, next time I’ll be sure to hit your face,” she muttered.
“Sure.” He twirled her around. “That’ll never happen.” He was a fantastic dancer and they moved together so easily, as if they’d been partners for years.
“You play guitar and violin, which was totally awesome by the way—and you dance, and you’re smart. It’s kind of annoying.”
“You forgot tortured, broody and ridiculously handsome,” he added.
“And arrogant.” She rolled her eyes. “But thanks, Aidan. I needed this,” she said as they headed back to the bonfire.
“I don’t dance, but how about a walk?” Vince waited for her at the edge of the dance floor.
“Sure.” She accepted his hand with a smile.
“See you for another dance later?” She turned to Aidan.
“Of course, Lex, just come find me.” He winked and sauntered away.
“Listen, what you saw back there was so not what it seemed,” Vince said earnestly.
“You don’t have to explain.”
“But I want to.” They walked along the beach until the crowd was far behind them.
“Ella was someone I went out with a few times back over the summer, and I guess she thought we could pick up where we left off. I got rid of her two seconds after you left. She was never my type. Besides, lately I prefer redheads.”
“You seriously have to stop that crap if we’re just going to be friends.”
“I know. I can’t help it. The flirt in me rears his ugly head when I’m with you.”
“Well get it under control, because it’s confusing. If you just want to be friends, I’m cool with that, but this back and forth has to stop.”
“You know, I totally expected to find tears and drama when I came looking for you,” he said. “When I found you with McBrien, I thought you were trying to make me jealous. Then I realized you were just having fun with your friend and weren’t giving me a second thought.”
“I wasn’t going to let it ruin my night.” She shrugged.
“That kind of maturity is rare, Allie, and insanely attractive.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but is that whole ‘I don’t date Cliffton girls’ crap really code for ‘I don’t date high school girls?’”
“You see right through me, don’t you?” he said. “Yes, I normally date older girls, but I have my reasons. The last few years have been really rough, Allie. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and my dad was always working. I took mom in for her chemo. That’s how I met Vanessa. She had her treatments at the same time, and we became friends. She was twenty and I was only fifteen, but we just clicked, and it got really serious, really fast.”
“When my mom died, Vanessa was my rock, but then she took a turn for the worse and she died too. Not even a year ago.” He struggled to get the words out.
“Oh my God, Vin! I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
“Thanks, Allie.” He snaked his arm around her. “Sometimes I feel so much older than most of our friends. Since I lost mom and Vanessa, I’ve only thought about getting out of here. I promised myself I wouldn’t let anything tie me to this city. But then you showed up and you’re all different, with your pretty red hair and your uncanny ability to see right through my crap. I’m still kind of a mess and I’m afraid I’ll just hurt you. Part of me thinks it would be better if we didn’t even try to be friends, but the other part of me wants to say ‘screw it’ and kiss you.”
“Vince, I’m so sorry.”
“You’ve been a great friend, and there’s definitely something between us, but I just don’t think I’m ready. I feel so much guilt. Although, Vanessa would have thought you were awesome.” He smiled. “I need to take this slow and see what happens.”
“Of course, Vin. I know it’s not the same, but I understand the guilt. When I left Sydney, it was spur of the moment, and I had to say goodbye to my boyfriend in a rush. He didn’t understand, and wanted me to call when I got settled, but I still haven’t. I kinda thought it might be better for him if I didn’t, and I feel really bad about that, and even worse for liking you.”
“Slow works for both of us then?”
“Definitely.”
“We should head back. I’ve got work early tomorrow,” he said reluctantly.
“I know that wasn’t easy for you,” Allie said as they walked, “but thank you for sharing with me.”
“It’s easy to talk to you. You get me in a way no one else does. It’s like you just took one look at me and understood exactly who I am.”
“I’ve been told I’m very perceptive.” She smiled as he pulled her closer.
“So, my little redheaded freak, I hear your birthday is on Halloween? Can I be your date?”
“News travels fast,” she muttered. “Is that a date-date or a friend-date?”
“How about an exclusive-friend-date? Neither of us dates anyone until we see where this goes?
“Friends, huh?” she sighed dramatically, luxuriating in the very non-friend-like way he had his hand on her hip.
“Maybe friends with certain … benefits?” he amended.
“No. We should do this right.” She took an exaggerated step back.
“So I can’t kiss you at all? That won’t last a week.” He pulled her to a halt.
“Seriously, in the interest of taking it slow, we probably shouldn’t.”
“Alright, but that rule starts tomorrow.” They continued walking, skirting the crowd as they headed to his car along the path through the woods.
“Time to say goodnight.” He wrapped his arms around her, backing her up against the car. “If this is going to have to last a while, we better make it good.” His breath was warm against her throat as his teeth grazed her sensitive flesh. Allie’s pulse raced as he pulled her closer and she greeted his kiss eagerly, sliding her fingers through his hair. He held her tightly, his lips moving slowly with hers.
“You’re one fiery little redhead.” He finally backed away, leaving her to stand on shaky legs.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he promised, leaning in for one last kiss. “Yeah, that rule’s never going to last.” He ducked into his car with a smirk.
~~~
“Fireworks are starting soon, let’s find a good seat,” Aidan said. She found him waiting for her along the trail back to the beach and felt a surge of annoyance.
“You do know the guy’s a tool, right?” he sighed in resignation.
“I think I see him a little differently than you do.”
“He doesn’t deserve you, but if you like him I suppose I can tolerate him. But if he hurts you, I hurt him. Got it?”
“Thanks, Aidan.” She’d take that as a sign of progress.
“Hey guys!” Kayla called. “Come share our fire for the show?”
“Sure.” Aidan pasted on his fake smile as they joined her friends around the driftwood fire.
As the night sky burst into bright colors, they fell silent, watching the brilliant sparks trailing down to the water.
“Just don’t move too fast, Lex,” he murmured, the light reflecting strangely in his eyes. “You�
�ve got a lot on your plate.”
“I’ll be careful. I don’t want to rush into anything either.”
“Watch out!” someone shouted as a loud screech pierced the night. Allie watched the bottle rocket sail over them, landing in the dry willow branches above. They were sitting under a grove of kindling and the rocket was about to explode.
“No!” Kayla cried when the trees erupted in flames.
Scalding hot embers rained down around them in an eerie silence. Allie smelled her hair singing just before the excruciating pain hit her. Her jacket melted from the sudden intensity of the heat and she screamed in agony. Her skin bubbled and burned, melding with the oozing fabric of her jacket. She was so paralyzed with shock, she couldn’t move.
“No! Lex!” Aidan worked frantically to strip her jacket off, but it came away with chunks of her skin and some of his. She shrieked as her arms went numb and she choked on the gritty smoke filling her lungs.
Cries of alarm went up all around, but they were trapped when their driftwood fire suddenly raged, merging with the fire overhead. In mere seconds, they found themselves caged inside a blazing inferno. It was unnatural the way the fire spread so quickly—burning hotter and brighter than it should, as if there was an accelerant.
“Rein it in, Aidan!” She heard Quinn’s booming voice beyond the wall of flames.
A loud crack sounded and before Allie could register what was happening, Kayla pushed her to the ground just as large flaming branches crashed on top of her.
Kayla was pinned under the debris, screaming as her body burned.
“No!” Aidan cried, leaping into action, beating, cursing and pleading with the flames in a futile attempt to help his friend. Allie watched in horror as Kayla grew quiet, the fire consuming everything around her. Except her body.
Aidan worked feverishly, grabbing the smoldering branches with his bare hands, panting and sweating from the effort. He gagged on the stench of his own burning flesh.
“Get out of here!” He shoved the heavier limbs aside as if they were mere twigs.
Allie crawled across the hot sand, the tiny grains ripping into her wounds like shards of glass.
“Is she alive?” She choked on the thick black smoke. He finally freed Kayla and reached for her still form.
“I told you to run, you stubborn pain in my ass! Go!”
Holding Kayla with one arm, he reached to pull Allie to her feet with the other. She looked up just in time to see the fire in front of them snuff out, creating a convenient path to safety.
“What the—?”
“Run. Now!” Aidan shoved her.
When she stumbled through the smoke, Quinn swept her up like a feather and carried her far from the flames.
“Kayla’s hurt! We have to help her!”
“She’ll be fine with Aidan. Just try to breathe, Allie.”
“Kayla needs to get to the hospital now. If she wakes up she could go into shock,” Aidan said urgently.
“Paramedics will meet her at the docks at Gordon Park, but we have to get her over there now,” Quinn said. “Graham’s flagging in a speedboat now.”
Aidan carefully placed Kayla on the grass and leaned over her with a grimace. He clutched her hand with his badly burned ones.
“Aidan, you’re hurt!” Allie cried.
“I’m fine!”
“Stop, you can’t do this here!” Sasha sobbed.
“It’s Kayla!” He grasped her limp hand.
Allie watched helplessly as her friend drifted into consciousness, crying out in pain, her breath growing shallow.
As Aidan held Kayla’s hand tightly, Allie noticed how the charred skin around his fingers, flaked off, revealing healthy pink skin beneath.
“I’m so sorry. I-I can’t help you!” All the color drained from Aidan’s face when she passed out again.
Allie crawled to his side and gave in to the strange impulse to wrap her aching arms around him. She felt him shudder and her vision grew blurry as a wave of lethargy hit her. His trembling subsided and the color returned to his face.
“Allie, you’re amazing!”
“What was that?” She felt light headed.
“That was not me, but if you’ve never been patient a day in your life, now’s a good time to try.” He reached to wipe the trickle of blood from his nose.
“Please stop! You’re not strong enough!” Sasha begged.
Her words made no sense, but Aidan was turning a sickly shade of gray and he broke out in a cold sweat. He reached for Allie, still clutching Kayla’s hand with his perfectly healed one.
“This isn’t your fault,” Sasha insisted.
“Bullshit! Everyone here knows this is my fault!”
Allie felt completely disoriented as the world tilted, and the ground rushed up to smack her in the face.
~~~
CHAPTER
SEVEN
“Aidan?”
“I’m here, Lex. You’re okay. Just breathe.”
“Where’s Kayla?”
“She’s headed for the hospital now. I’ll take you to see her later. Just rest.” The ambulance doors closed and she sagged against him. They’d crossed the bay while she was passed out and were now speeding toward Cleveland Clinic.
“What the hell was that back there?”
“What was what?”
“Don’t do that—don’t make me sound crazy! Why do I feel so weak? What was that and why did I pass out? And how exactly were you flinging burning tree limbs around like they were nothing? And your hands! They were completely charred not an hour ago! How did we just walk out of that ring of fire?”
“Now is not the time to discuss it,” he said firmly, nodding toward the paramedics.
“Aidan, please?”
“Not now.”
“When?”
“Later!” he snapped.
“Fine!” She winced at the splotchy blisters covering her arms.
“I’m sorry you got burned.”
“It’s not as bad as I thought. I just don’t understand. How do you not have a scratch on you?”
“Not now, Alexis Ann!”
~~~
“Allie,” Gregg sighed in exasperation. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience! You’ve got severe second-degree burns along both arms and shoulders. You need rest, sweetheart.”
“I need answers!”
“I told you she’s stubborn,” Aidan said.
“Aye, you weren’t kidding.”
“Enough! I am not crazy! Strange things happened during that fire! Things that should not be possible and I want a rational explanation!”
“She needs to calm down, son.”
“Be careful, Da, she can hear you.” He sounded amused.
“Of course I can hear you! I’m not deaf!” Angry tears glistened in her eyes.
“No, you aren’t crazy—”
“Aidan!” Gregg reproached.
“I can’t stand this. Look, Lex, I know you’re confused and totally pissed off, but I need you to relax.”
“How?” She felt a fire burning in her chest and couldn’t breathe.
“Da, I don’t know how to do this. Help her! Please?”
“We’re different, Allie,” Gregg said gently but firmly. “I think you’ve known that for a while now, and I’m certain you’ve encountered others like us.”
She nodded hesitantly, taking another slow, shaky breath. She thought of Navid and the countless strangers she’d met in the past—the ones she was always drawn to. But every time she felt that connection, they moved almost immediately. She’d never put it all together.
It’s like I refused to see the connection!
“You are drawn to us because you are what we are,” Gregg continued. “How you came to be wholly ignorant, I do not know. You want logical answers, but I have none to give. I need you to trust that now is not the right time. I will not elaborate any further tonight, so don’t even ask,” he finished firmly.
“Alright, I’ll be pat
ient—”
“It’s a freaking miracle,” Aidan muttered.
“IF you can tell me when it will be the right time,” she added stubbornly.
“Alexis Ann—”
“Like you’d be any less irritating?” Gregg chuckled. “It will be the right time very soon, and it will be the right time because you’ll know it is.” He grinned mischievously at his complete non-answer. “Now, give him a break, Red.” He nodded at his son. “He’s a fixer. And he cannot fix this. It’s driving him crazy, which is driving me crazy.” He winked.
“Don’t look at me like that, Allie,” Aidan said. “I know you don’t understand, but you helped me save Kayla’s life today and I’ll never be able to thank you for that. But I need you to forget it. Don’t try to force it to make sense, just move on.”
“Look at your hands, Aidan! I can’t just move on! That fire was unnatural and it just went out. Poof! Like you willed it!”
“Do you trust me?” He leaned in close and took her bandaged hands in his.
“Yes, but—”
“Do. You. Trust. Me?”
“There’s no one I trust more, but—”
“No but’s. We’re done with the but’s and the why’s, and the tell me’s. Whatever else comes out of your mouth tonight better not be a question!”
“But what about—?” She couldn’t help smiling at his answering growl.
“Trying your patience, is she?” Gregg chuckled.
“I’ve always heard redheads were a handful.”
“Lad, you’ve no idea.”
“How’s Kayla?” Allie ignored their teasing banter.
“Still critical.” Aidan scowled. “She has severe second and third-degree burns along the left side of her body, face, and neck. The doctors are optimistic, but it’s—”
“Aye, the doctors claim she’s very lucky she did not go into shock,” Gregg said. “And they are attributing that to the very good care she received on site.”
Aidan glowered at his father, but Allie’s parents returned from chatting with the doctor before she could ask why he seemed so determined to take responsibility for the accident.
Immortals of Indriell- The Collection Page 5