“Warn a guy before you do that!” Darius flinched.
After careful experimentation, it was apparent that Allie was immune to Liam. An anomaly he enjoyed, but one that made others nervous.
“Hey, Darius!”
“Oh, am I special too?”
“Of course!”
“Good to see you too, killer.”
“We’ve got two days of hard training before we leave, and I mean to make the most of it,” Liam said. “Ems wants us to work on your gymnast training while she’s gone, so let’s get to it!”
They coached her on the vault, balance beam and rings, working on her control and upper body strength until her arms ached and her legs felt like mush.
“I wouldn’t mind spending more time on this and less on the sai,” she said as she did a graceful handstand on the rings.
“Allie, you have to get over your aversion to weapons,” Liam said.
“And how do you know I’m averse to them?” she asked tersely.
“You don’t exactly hide it,” Darius said.
“I’m perfectly willing to fight if I have to, but I don’t have to like it,” she said by rote, dismounting with a perfectly stuck landing worthy of team U.S.A.
“No one’s asking you to enjoy it,” Liam growled. “We’re just afraid you’re going to learn a very hard lesson one of these days.”
“Duly noted.” She gave him her best scowl.
“Stubborn little minx.” He swept her up in a massive hug. “I can’t tell you how much it means to relax with another person for the first time in my life.”
“We so need to work on your definition of relaxing.” She giggled.
“Get her out of here.” Liam lobbed a towel at Darius.
“So what are we doing today?” she asked as they headed for Naeemah’s underground terrarium.
“We’re going to try using your solar gift as a weapon,” Darius said.
“You’ve met me, right? Short redhead, doesn’t like weapons?”
“Your sarcasm is a weapon.” He rolled his eyes. “Today we’re going to experiment. I want you to study the process of reaching for your power without grasping it. It will be difficult, but you might discover some slight irregularities that may allow you to use your gift in different ways.”
“Sounds hard.” She flopped onto the grass.
“It actually helps if you relax.” He stretched out beside her.
Allie settled back and reached for that coil of warmth in her core, letting the layers of heat flood her body, but she refrained from embracing the hottest layer—her solar gift. It took all her concentration to keep her power at bay and she trembled with the effort.
She felt a sudden odd spike of excitement that didn’t fit the situation.
“That’s it! Now study it. Look for anything you might be able to grasp,” Darius said.
AIDAN? She caught his distant emotions. He was desperately trying to block her, but she saw flashes of naked arms and legs entwined and she felt things she should not be feeling.
I do not want to see this!
Back off, Lex.
“Focus, Allie!” Darius pulled her back.
She tried to block what she was seeing, but she needed all her strength to deal with the task at hand. She frantically shoved Aidan and his date from her mind, but ignoring them proved almost impossible.
Allie covered her eyes, her face flushed scarlet. His block just wasn’t strong enough. She muttered under her breath as she tried to grasp hold of that elusive thread, but it never gave purchase.
“Naomi?” Darius frowned. “What about Naomi?”
“What?” Allie snapped.
“You’re muttering—rather violently, about her and—Oh!” He grinned. “I do believe it’s date time in good ole’ Parie. Little brother’s busy, huh?” He waggled his brows devilishly.
“I’m never going to get that out of my head!” She threw herself into the exercise, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, but it did nothing to dispel the vivid images from her mind.
“Give the kid a break; Naomi has a soft spot for the McBrien boys.”
“You really want to piss me off too?”
“Definitely not. Bad Aidan!”
She couldn’t help cracking a smile at his attempt to distract her.
“How about you turn that anger on lover boy and think about using your gift to fry his ass when he gets home?”
Allie tried, but she couldn’t ignore Aidan and the older Naomi, lying naked wrapped in each other’s arms, talking softly and sharing the kind of intimacy he typically only shared with her.
I’m sorry.
“Screw your apology!” She reached for her gift. Beads of sweat rolled down her back as she teetered on the edge, keeping her power at bay. Every time she thought she had it, it vanished. “It’s like trying to catch smoke!”
“That’s enough for today, you’re losing control.” Darius pulled her up to sit with him.
Allie…
“Again!” she insisted.
Alexis Ann, answer me!
“So not talking to you, McBrien!”
“I’ll assume you don’t actually mean this McBrien, so it’s definitely time to stop,” Darius said.
“One more time.” She sat facing him.
“Alright, but focus on me. Hold my hands and look into my eyes. Deep breaths, Allie.”
She did as he said and immediately felt her anger diminish. Darius’ midnight blue eyes held her gaze as she took three long, calming breaths.
“Let’s hope you never get that mad at me.” His eyes twinkled. “Ready to try again, killer?”
She nodded, grasping his hands tightly. It was different this time. She felt stronger. Allie pushed herself, but she just couldn’t manage it.
A drop of scarlet landed on her sleeve and she reached to wipe the blood from her nose.
“Enough! You’re pushing yourself way too hard. We’ll give it another shot tomorrow.”
Lex, please don’t be mad.
Aidan, how could you?
~~~
“You seem distracted,” Vince said as they drifted further from the bonfire party.
“Just enjoying the silence,” Allie said dryly.
Yeah, silence would be great right about now! Aidan growled. You’d think with an ocean between us we’d get a break from this thing! He punched his pillow irritably.
Is that what you were counting on? Distance?
Allie, I wasn’t thinking. Period.
“It is nice having you all to myself for once.” Vince snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer as they walked along the jetty. “Watch your step, it’s slippery out here.”
She shivered when a spray of cool water showered them.
“Let’s sit.” He pulled her down in front of him. She settled back against his chest, eager for some alone time, but wondered if they’d ever actually get it.
“Better?”
“Much.” But she wasn’t. She wasn’t really mad at Aidan for sleeping with Naomi—he was a big boy and could do what he wanted, but she was furious that he’d done it knowing she’d be nothing more than a voyeur. And she was outraged on Kayla’s behalf.
We have an understanding—
I don’t want to hear it.
“You alright? You seem kinda tense.” Vince traced a kiss along her temple. His arms wrapped around her and she snuggled into his warmth.
“I’m fine, just cold.”
“I love you, Allie,” he murmured softly.
She couldn’t help her grin. It was the first time he’d said it. “I love you, too.” She turned to face him. She really did. It wasn’t, “I’ll-die-if-I-spend-one-minute-away-from-you,” love, but it was still love and it meant the world to her. With Vince, they had just the right amount of heat to make it interesting but not so much that it eclipsed everything else. She had her life, friends and commitments and so did he. The time they had together was the most stress-free time she had these days.
/> “The past six months have been crazy for me, Vin. So much has changed and you’ve made it all so easy.”
Do I really have to listen to this?
You did not just say that!
“I’ll always be here for you, Allie.” He smiled as his lips found hers in a slow, sweet kiss that made her heart pound.
This is payback, I suppose? I’m just laying here looking at the ceiling with nothing to distract me from what you’re feeling and thinking. You know, one day you’ll be ready for something a little more spicy and—
Back off, Aidan!
You know, I find it totally awesome to realize your boy Vince is a great kisser. Can’t get enough of that. Always wondered what kissing a dude might be like.
OUT! She pushed him as far from her thoughts as she could manage and tried to focus on Vince.
“Allie, you know you’ve been a lifesaver for me too?” Vince said. “I was in a bad place for a really long time, even before Vanessa died. You’ve brought so much normal back to my life.”
“Back atcha,” she said, trying not to laugh. The irony was ridiculous. “Excited for our trip?”
“I can’t wait to get out on the water!”
Enough already, Aidan sighed miserably. The trip’s great, the boyfriend’s great, and I’m an asshole. Can I go to sleep now?
Jeez, Aidan, no one’s stopping you, she teased. She knew she had to let him off the hook.
You’re mean. You know that, right?
~~~
“I’m not really accustomed to teaching,” Darius said as they headed for Naeemah’s office. “Training, yes, since my own is still a huge part of my life. I’m only twenty-five, which in our world, kinda still makes me your age.”
“That’s really confusing,” Allie said. “You look like an adult, but I can sense you’re really not.”
“It’s a tough age. Sometimes I think about going back to high school or college because it feels more natural.”
“So, when will you be an official adult?”
“Not until after my Proving, which could still be a few decades.”
“That kinda blows. You know you’re not making the next hundred years sound very promising.”
“It’s not all bad, but you should know what to expect. I’m guessing no one’s taken the time to really explain it to you?”
“Nope.” She dropped onto the couch beside him. “Although I had a vague idea that it would probably suck for a while yet.”
“Well, when it matters, I’m treated like an adult. I’m just not legally allowed to live on my own yet. The Senate mandates that all Unproven Immortals live with a guardian at least part time. Scott and I are roommates, but officially, he’s in charge. George is my mentor, and we’ve trained almost every day since I was six.”
“So why don’t you guys come around more often? You’re just across the bay, but we never see you.”
“We like to keep travel to the island to a minimum. It could draw the wrong attention if too many of us come and go.”
“It’s nice when you’re around,” she said. “I know Aidan and Sasha miss you too.”
“You miss me, killer?”
“Well, yeah. You never sugarcoat it.” There was something about the way he was with her. He wasn’t a teacher and he wasn’t one of her school friends—and he definitely didn’t feel like a brother. Darius was fun, never too serious, and she knew she could trust him to be straight with her.
“Tell you what. Whenever you feel the need for some Darius time, just call me and we’ll do coffee.” He winked.
“Cheers to that.” She added his number to her contacts.
You do realize my brother is shamelessly flirting with you? Aidan asked sleepily.
Darius is a flirt, a trait that runs rampant in your family. He’s harmless.
“We’ve gotten way off track, which I hear you are very good at doing.”
“Who, me?”
“Yes, you. Now let’s talk about this telepath situation.”
“Our dreams mingle and we can sometimes read each other’s moods.” She shrugged. “The time difference is kind of a bummer.”
“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” He rolled his eyes. “You two can communicate.”
“Don’t tell anyone! Please?”
He won’t, I already talked to him.
“So you know?”
“That the two most powerful kids I’ve ever met are sharing a brain? Yeah, I know.”
“We need to figure this out on our own.”
“I get it, but you’re going to have to come clean eventually.”
“I know, just not yet. It’s complicated.”
“I’ll lay off the questions, but this connection is going to be a very valuable tool when it really begins to unfold.”
If it unfolds anymore, I’ll be wearing dresses, Aidan grumbled.
~~~
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SEVEN
“Allie, it’s just not possible, even for you.” Emma shook her head in disbelief.
“I’m serious!”
“I know you think this is happening, but it’s too soon. Like years too soon—decades.”
“I saw the game I just played, in my dreams a week ago,” Allie insisted.
You’re going to have to tell her about our other dreams, Aidan said.
Uh, no, she’s already pissed!
Suck it up, Lex.
“Emma, this isn’t the first time,” she admitted. Aidan was right, she had to tell her.
“What? Allie, you know better than to keep your progress from me!”
“The first dream was just after spring break and it didn’t seem like a big deal. Aidan and I were meeting Kayla at my house for a school project and we were running late after training. We heard her crying when we came in, so we peeked into the kitchen and saw my mother comforting her. When we walked in they went back to the polite conversation of near strangers and Kayla discretely wiped her eyes. It was a stupid dream, but it happened just a few days later.”
“From now on I want total honesty from you, young lady.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“We’ll discuss this again next week after I’ve consulted with Daniel. You can go now.”
“I’m sorry, Emma.”
“It’s alright, sweetheart,” she said absently.
Why does she always freak when I show progress?
Jin does the same thing. Aidan shrugged. Now stop distracting me with your crap, I’m getting my butt kicked here.
Oh, my bad. Did I have sex with a random stranger and make you watch? Dude, I’m so freakin’ sorry! Allie immediately regretted the fleeting thought.
I thought we resolved this! How are you still mad? He lost his balance again and fell from the beam. Naomi’s a friend! Pardon me for connecting with the only girl who can stand to be that close to me!
She’s hardly a girl.
Alexis Ann, you’re jealous!
Am not!
You can’t have it both ways.
Aidan, this connection we share … it’s so confusing.
You don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either? He stumbled and crashed down on the mat.
I just don’t want to watch.
Neither do I. He rolled onto his back with a groan.
I don’t want to fight anymore, Allie sighed.
Me either, but I would really love to not be celibate at some point in my life, so we’re going to have to deal with this eventually. He climbed back on the beam again.
Having trouble staying on that thing today?
Out! Get out of my head right now!
I’m going, I’m going.
~~~
No dream date? Aidan asked as Allie slid into bed after a very long three-day marathon.
Mmmm, later.
Night, Lex, he murmured, but she was already out.
Her dreams came quickly, filling her with a sense of dread. It was dark and she couldn’t see. Allie could feel the cold damp e
arth beneath her. Her breath grew erratic when she realized she was back in the caves—alone. She heard muffled voices above, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. She couldn’t get a deep breath as she pounded on the low ceiling, but it wasn’t stone like she remembered, it was wood, like a coffin.
Allie screamed, clawing at her prison, her nails cracking and bleeding as she desperately tried to escape. She hammered her bloody fists against the barrier for what felt like hours and shrieked for help, but no one ever came.
Scraping through the rotten wood with her bare hands, she finally broke free. Earth and rock poured through the opening. Dirt filled her mouth as the weight of a mountain suffocated her.
“Allie! Please wake up!” Aidan begged. “You’re scaring me.” She heard him but continued to thrash in her sleep, gasping for breath, silent tears streaming down her face.
She woke with a start, reaching for Aidan in a total panic, still locked in the clutches of her nightmare.
“Just a bad dream, baby,” he murmured, holding her close. “I’m so sorry we made you do that stupid challenge. I had no idea it would affect you this way.”
She trembled violently, her heart still pounding in her chest. She knew it was only a dream, but it felt so real. Buried alive! She couldn’t shake the horror of it.
“That was some nightmare.” He stroked her back, attempting to calm her with his gift. She wouldn’t allow it, her power raged like a tempest inside her.
“Talk to me, Allie?” But she continued to shake, her eyes wide and unseeing.
“I-it felt so real,” she finally managed.
“I know. I saw it. But you blocked me right around the time you started screaming and clawing at the coffin. I couldn’t get you to wake up, so I came over.”
“You got here fast.” She still clutched him in a vise grip.
“Allie, I’ve been here for hours. It’s almost morning.”
“Hours?”
“The dream went on and on. I could hear your screams in my head, but you never uttered a sound. I couldn’t wake you.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve kept you up all night and I don’t feel like I slept at all.”
“Are you okay now?”
“I think so.”
“Then can you please relax your grip? I can’t feel my arms.”
Immortals of Indriell- The Collection Page 25