by TJ Hines
I figured that if he went against the Council’s orders they would send more people for me and put my family and friends in the line of fire so I kept trying to convince him to let me go quietly if it came to that because I didn’t want anyone hurt because of me. Not again. Not like Addison.
I was continuing my Switzerland agreement with myself, though it was getting harder because both Will and Caleb looked more scrumptious every day. Emily said it was normal for my hormone levels to rise closer to my birthday, but it was becoming unnerving trying to not picture them naked as they ate spaghetti.
My dream started like one of my normal ones, as of late. Caleb and I were hanging out at the skate park on a beautiful clear-skied summer day. He was shirtless like always which he always liked pointing out.
“You know this neutrality thing you got going on is gonna end soon. And it’s gonna end with me and you so why don’t you admit that you want me so we can be done with this only friend’s thing,” Caleb said.
“You are so full of yourself Caleb Jones,” I said taking a drink of my water, “I have will power and I know what I want. Friendship with the both of you.”
“Which is why your subconscious always has me half naked?” He asked wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“Shut up.”
We continued to skate for what felt like a few hours before we stopped to have dream ice cream. “I really enjoy all our dream dates, Kinz.”
“Me too,” I said.
That's when things got weird. We went from the skate park to the middle of that damn plane again. I managed to go months without having my recurring nightmare only to have it come screaming back when I least expected it.
“No No No,” I yelled.
“Kinz, where are we?”
“My nightmare,” I told him walking the cabin of the plane to find my parents.
“Your nightmare? Oh damn. That’s not good. You want me to wake you up?” He asked following closely.
“Not yet. I’m still trying to piece all of it together and maybe with an extra set of eyes, I’ll be able to learn something new. Here take one of these seats behind them.” I told Caleb as we climbed into the seats behind my parents, which was at the exact same time that the first jerky movements could be felt in the plane.
“This is bad,” Caleb said when he heard the pilot’s instructions.
“Yeah…wait are you afraid of flying? How can you be afraid of anything? You are the strongest person I know.”
“Nah I’m not afraid to fly. I just believe that we should stay on the ground where I can control the situation better.’
The plane started plummeting and then the cabin started to fill with smoke. This is where I needed the extra set of eyes but when I looked over at Caleb, he had his closed.
“Caleb!”
“This is so bad.”
“You said that already”
“It was worth repeating. How do you make it through these without losing your marbles?” he asked.
“I’ll tell you when we get out of here. Now help me search for whoever my parents are staring down. I want to see if it’s one of my uncles.”
“Okay, I can do this.”
We saw my parents stand up and get that look on their faces. We heard them say the word Equitum. The smoke got denser coming from the coach cabin and the screams became more deafening. The plane was still plummeting, but my parents were solid in their fighting stances. They were not going down without a fight. Caleb went towards the coach cabin to see if he could make out the sounds. He got about halfway there when a loud howl boomed out from what sounded like a large dog or wolf. Caleb immediately turned around and ran back towards me.
“We got to get out of here, now, Kinsey. Oh, this is bad. So bad.”
“Calm down, Caleb. It’s a nightmare remember.”
“No Kinsey there is a horseman on this plane. If he can dreamwalk we are in deep shit?”
“Okay, on a scale on one to Mexico, how deep are we talking here?”
“Australia, Kinsey. We are Australian deep in here. They can’t see you here. Go! Move to the back of the plan and I will come wake you up. Don’t let them see you!”
He gave me a quick yet passionate kiss. A kiss that promised he would be back for me. A kiss that told me to stay safe and that he loved me. It would have been the best kiss if I wasn’t in such close proximity to evil. It was still pretty awesome though.
I headed towards the back and took a seat in the last row of first class so that I could still see what was going on with my parents. The plane landed without a crash like last time. A man, average height with dark hair, wearing solid white with a black tie came strolling through the blue curtain that separated first class from coach. He reached out and stroked the cheeks of two people near him and they immediately developed boils on their faces and started screaming. Eww!!! That was just nasty. And how was that possible? He must have been the first horseman, Pestilence. My parents called him Alec. He was pure evil. I could feel the malevolence radiating off of him. He said something to my parents, but I couldn’t hear him through all the screaming. I needed to get closer, but I promised Caleb I would stay hidden.
My curiosity won out. I started forward slowly crouching to stay as hidden as possible while remaining on my feet. I needed to get close enough to hear their conversation. I needed answers. I deserved answers.
I finally managed to make my way to a few seats behind them. People were passing out all over and the screams were deafening. My parents were still in an intense standoff with my Uncle Alec. I heard bits and pieces of their conversation. Alec demanded to know where I was. My parents said they would never betray me and that the Equitum would never get their hands on me. Alec laughed, actually laughed, at that. “Oh, we will obtain her, and we will rule both realms with her by our side. There is nothing you can do to stop us. We already have someone on…” Then he stopped talking, tilted his head like he was listening for something and turned to me and said “Kinsey, you look just like your mother. Baelin come meet your niece.”
I woke up screaming with Caleb shaking me. When he realized I was awake, he stopped shaking me and wrapped me in his arms nearly cutting my breath off from the ferociousness of the hug.
“I thought I had lost you. I couldn’t get you awake, and I didn’t know what to do,” Caleb said still holding me. He pulled away slightly and gave me a firm and lingering kiss before he stood up. I wasn’t sure why he stopped the kiss like that until about two seconds later when Will, Jack, Drew, and Donte broke down my door.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” Jack asked.
“What did you do to her?” Will yelled at Caleb who just glared back at him.
“Nothing happened to me. I had a nightmare. Caleb was in here waking me up from it.”
“Why weren’t you protecting her, Caleb?” Jack asked.
“He can’t protect me from a regular nightmare, Jack. He can only protect me from someone who is dreamwalking. You know this. Caleb was with me until he came to wake me up. He never leaves my side anymore. Except when I am with Will. So, calm down a little.”
“It was your normal nightmare. Nothing new? Nothing out of the ordinary?” Jack asked yawning.
“Everything was the same,” I gave Caleb a look to not say a word. Jack let it go and everyone said goodnight to me before leaving me alone with Caleb.
Caleb stayed behind stating that he needed to be within close proximity to me in case I needed to be woken up. I didn’t argue because he was right especially since my Uncle Alec knew what I looked like now and could enter my dreams. I would have told Jack and Will, but I didn’t want them to worry until I knew it was something for them to be worried about.
“So, what’s new liar liar?” Caleb said after everyone had left.
“I didn’t want to worry them. But something happened after you left me in my dream earlier.”
“What?”
“Alec saw me and spoke to me and he tried to get my other uncle to come s
ee me. He called him Baelin.”
“Damn it,” Caleb said flopping back on my bed. His shirt rose up a little to reveal part of his washboard stomach. I tried to stay focused on the current crisis we were having but it was getting harder not to look at Caleb with a yearning to kiss him from head to toe. My hormones were becoming unbridled. I needed to reign them in before I did something or someone I would regret.
“So how bad is it?”
“Nuclear, Kinsey.”
“Should I tell Jack and Will?”
“Yeah but wait until morning because someone should have a good night’s rest around here,” He said yawning, “Get some rest Kinz. I’ll be in your head in a few.”
“No. You get some rest. I’ll practice dreamwalking or read or something. You need some sleep and I’m too wired to go back to bed.”
“Fine”, he said climbing under the comforter. I started to get up, but he pulled me back down and laid his head in my lap. “Stay with me tonight. I’ll sleep better knowing where you are.”
How could I say no to that? He gave up sleep daily to protect me. I sat up against the headboard, but I couldn’t get comfortable, so I snuggled down next to him. He adjusted so that I was sleeping in the nook of his arm with my head on his chest. It felt so good, so right. I knew it was just my overactive hormones talking but man it was wonderful. I wrapped my arms around his torso and snuggled into him even more.
“You’re not helping this friendship only thing.” He said startling me.
“I thought you were asleep.”
“Is that why you were seducing me? Because you thought I was asleep. I can go back to ‘sleep’ so you can keep going if you want.”
“Shut up.” I went to move away from him, and he pulled me on top of him.
“Just kidding. I know you want to stay only friends. It’s just hard sometimes especially when I am lying in the bed next to you. You don’t even realize how sexy you are. Or how funny. You are amazing and I can barely think when I’m around you.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me these things when we were growing up? Or did these feelings just now develop?” I asked.
“Kinsey Adams, I have been in love with you since the first day of first grade. I will always be in love with you. I didn’t tell you in high school because you had enough shit to deal with when you lost your parents. I knew you needed a friend more than anything else, so I hid my feelings for you. But now I just can’t anymore. I am trying to respect your wishes but…” I kissed him. I don’t know what came over me, but Switzerland went right out the window and I landed in Calebland. Where everything was steaming hot and passionate.
Caleb was a little caught off guard, so it took him a second to catch up but when he did. Oh, my word. I have never felt anything as wonderful as him kissing me and running his hand up my back. He broke things off before we did anything we couldn’t take back.
“Sorry about that,” he said through deep breaths. “You just drive me crazy. I think I need to sleep in the chair tonight to keep things PG up in here.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I said pulling down my shirt and sitting up so that way he could move. He may have been right, but I honestly was ready to take things further and that scared the hell out of me.
I told Jack about my dream from the night before like I promised Caleb I would do. Jack was very mad at me for not telling him last night, but he understood why I didn’t. Even Jack thought it would be better to not tell Will this information because he figured he would be mad at me because Caleb knew before he did. My talk about friendship only was working out so swell that maybe I could talk to my uncles about not starting the Apocalypse and everything would just be peachy. Yeah right!
Jack agreed with Caleb that he needed to stay close to me while I slept and to dreamwalk every night with me. Jack would have to inform the Council of this development to see if they had a better plan than he did. He doubted it. He actually agreed with Will and Caleb that we should keep my transition as quiet as possible because Jack was not trusting the Council much these days. The main two reasons were because they changed the location for Will to take me suddenly without consulting him first and secondly when they sent these new Protectors. They were literally new Protectors. Fresh out of the Academy to guard their most valuable person, according to Jack. Not that the new Protectors weren’t good because they were especially Peyton, who was built like a firehouse, and Rhys who was an excellent magic-user. Jack was angry because they had barely any experience and they sent them instead of veteran Protectors to guard the Princess. I could see his point but so far everything was fine except for in my dreams and Caleb was taking care of that threat.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The day had finally arrived. My birthday. Jack said once the powers ritual was complete all I had to do was wait for the actual time of my birth to have my powers mature. The only problem was that no one knew what time I was born so it was really a guessing game. Jack decided to have me do the ritual as soon as the clock struck 12:01 that morning just to be on the safe side.
The ritual was supposed to be intense, so I was kind of nervous about going through with it but at the same time excited to finally get this all over with. All the magic users at the house were going to combine their powers to put me into a deep sleep so that I could become one with my powers. Of course, that was a little difficult and dangerous now that Tyler and my uncle Alec were entering my dreams. But it was a risk we had to take.
“You ready for this,” Caleb asked before the ritual started.
“No, not really.”
“Everything will be fine. That’s why I’m here. I know you well enough to know if you are having a nightmare and if you do, I will wake you up. Easy peasy.
“Lemon squeezy.”
He held my hand while everyone started getting set up. Will noticed me holding Caleb’s hand but he didn’t say anything which was a good thing because I didn’t have the strength to play neutral right then. I was scared and I needed my best friend.
“Where are the other guys?” I asked Jack
“We are doing this with just this group. I don’t know the Protectors the Council sent well enough to have them help with this.” Which was his way of saying he didn’t trust them or the council anymore. That whole “lock your sister up” thing had put Jack on the outs with the Council. I was okay with it because I didn’t want to be put in a little cell for the rest of my life either. It wasn’t my fault I was the daughter of one of the Equitum. I was trying to be a normal girl with normal problems, like the fact that I have two gorgeous, wonderful guys in love with me and I didn’t know what to do about it.
“Okay. So, what do I need to do?”
“Just lie back and relax while we put you to sleep. There is nothing to worry about.”
I did as I was told for the most part. It was really hard to relax when you had a half dozen people in the room with you…watching you as you drift off to sleep. It was actually kind of creepy. Caleb still had his hand in mine when I closed my eyes. I could feel four hands on me and then I heard the words Altum Somnum. I really had to learn Latin.
The next thing I knew I was standing on a bridge overlooking a gorgeous creek. This is nice. I thought to myself.
“Hello Kinsey,” said a woman with long black hair and the fairest skin I had ever seen. She was beautiful, and I had the weirdest urge to run up and hug her.
“Hello. Do I know you?”
“Of course, but it has been a very long time since you have seen me.”
“Mom?” I asked.
“Yes, honey.”
“How do I know for sure you aren’t dreamwalking my subconscious and you are really a demon sent to trap me?”
“Oh dear. They found you, didn’t they? I hope your Aunt Melaine and Uncle Benjamin are keeping you safe from your uncles. We must hurry then just in case. Follow me, Kinsey.”
“No. Not until I know you are really you.”
“Kinsey Elizabeth Adams I am your moth
er and I need you to come with me. Now before they find us in here.”
“That works. No one besides my family knows my middle name,” I said as I hurried after my mom. My mom! It was so surreal being in this beautiful place with her. I thought I would never get to meet her. I had so many questions starting with was she actually alive and where was she if she was. She stopped when she reached a small cabin.
“Kinsey, we don’t have long, but I have to tell you a little about me and what to expect when your powers reach maturity today. You will get physically ill right before it happens. When that happens, you need to get somewhere alone and away from all living things. You are going to have some of my powers but not the full force of them. But you can still bring about the Apocalypse so it’s imperative that you stay away from your uncles. They are evil and they want the human world to perish. The only way to do that is to stay far away from them. I am Death so I, or you, will come last when its time. You will feel the urge to reign death from the skies, but you must resist the calling. It’s not who you are and it’s not who your father and I wanted you to be. Stay strong sweetheart and keep the ones you love close to you. Your powers will hopefully come more from your father’s side, but you may inherit some of my necromancer abilities. If that happens do not be scared. Unless you say the words to raise the dead you have nothing to fear. They do come in useful in a fight though especially against the demon hordes your uncles will bring down upon you until you submit to their will. You are stronger than them. Don’t forget that.”
