“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, little dove.” I smoothed the hair away from her face.
“The lady, Kyara, who is adopting you is really nice too. You will like her. She said you will have your own room and music tutors who will teach you everything you want to know about whatever instrument you want.” Her soft brown eyes were watery as she clung to my shirt. “But I will miss you.”
Tears fell down my cheeks as I laid a soft kiss on her forehead. “It will be ok. I will make sure to email and Skype with you all the time. You are going to have to send me pictures of all the fabulous horses you are going to get to ride.” I smiled as I thought of the young girl learning to ride the gentle giant creatures. They would help her anxiety tremendously and allow her for a semblance of socialization. I did not want to be separated from her but being placed in a loving and stable home environment was the ideal place for her to be.
I swiped away the wetness, frustrated with myself. I hated crying and showing weakness. “Up you go, little dove. I need to get dressed if I’m going to go downstairs and meet the houseful of people we apparently have.” I smiled even though my heart was splintering into a million pieces. With a final squeeze to my neck, Alexis bounced off the bed and resumed her packing of the small amount of possessions she owned.
She surveyed the wall of pictures, removing her favorites and placing them lovingly inside her suitcase. “I’ll leave some of the best just for you. You have to send me pictures of how you decorate your room, I know I’ll send you some of mine!” Her twelve-year-old energy was too much for me at the moment. I may only be four years older than her at almost sixteen, but I was already weary of life.
On bare feet, I selected clothes from the closet and dressed quickly before making my way downstairs to face the music.
I felt his amber eyes on me before I lifted my gaze to his. Sharp pinpoints of agony rattled in my skull as I lifted my head toward him. Flashes of memories assaulted me, my vision going hazy as I threw my arm against the wall to steady myself. A firm hand settled over my shoulder to keep me from falling.
“Lorelei.”
His accented voice was soft and lyrical, sending shivers down my spine with just a simple uttering of my name. I remembered him holding me right after my mother died, rocking me back and forth as I cried until there were no more tears left. He dropped me off at my first foster home, told me that it was for my protection that I was placed in this world. I needed to stay hidden. Safe.
He had driven off into the darkness and the only place I had seen him since that night was in my dreams.
Giggling, I dashed behind a large oak tree, trying desperately to hide from Kaniul as he made his way slowly toward me.
“I wonder where little Lorelei could be?” he called out as he took large, slow steps in the grass clearing. He rubbed a hand over his chin, and looked around, his movements exaggerated. “Is she behind this rock?” He leaned over and checked behind the bolder.
“No, not there. I just can’t find her.” I giggled louder, the sound echoing through the forest.
“I hear her, but I just can’t see her.” Kaniul sighed in frustration. “Oh well, I am just going to have to give up.”
I pumped my fist in triumph. “Yes, I win,” I whispered, then screamed as I was lifted off my feet and twirled through the air.
“Gotcha, kishka!” He laughed as he spun me around in the clearing. I loved our time together. It made me forget about the challenges of the day, the sorrows of losing my mother.
Shaking my head, I returned to the present and took a firm step away from my uncle. “Hello again, Uncle. Long time, no see.” I couldn’t help the venom that dripped from my voice.
The muscles above his lip twitched in a grimace at my jab. “Lorelei, you know everything that I do is for your protection and well-being. You are not safe with me.” He dropped down to one knee and placed a gentle hand under my chin. Even though he was kneeling, I was barely taller than his large frame.
“Your mother charged me with your protection, I will not fail her. Being around me would be more dangerous for you.” He patted my cheek and his lips touched my forehead in a gentle kiss before returning to his feet.
“Come.” He held out his hand. “I want you to meet Kyara, she is going to be taking care of you.”
I stared at the outstretched hand with a weary expression. I didn’t know who to trust anymore. My head was throbbing. My memories blurry and that other presence kept feeling around in my head. I was beginning to think that I might be going insane.
He wiggled his fingers impatiently and arched an eyebrow at me. “Well?” I gave up with a sigh and slid my palm into his and we walked into the next room. I knew that he wouldn’t let me walk in there without taking it. It was better to just give him this one bit of compliance.
A group of people were talking amongst themselves, smiles wide and arms animated as they carried on a normal conversation. Leah had pulled out all the stops to try to impress these people. There was a fancy tray sitting on the coffee table filled with beverages and a teapot. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from spitting out a sarcastic remark.
Rising from the couch, a beautiful woman, who looked to be in her late thirties approached Kaniul and I, a sincere grin on her face as she took one of my hands into hers. “Lorelei, it is so nice to meet you, I am Kyara.”
Forcing myself to return the smile, I bit out “Nice to meet you as well. My uncle here has informed me that I will be living with you. May I ask where that is going to be?” I did my best, but my tone was clipped, the words betraying the emotions I was trying to hold in check.
Her eyes flickered from Kaniul and back to my face. “Just outside of the suburbs of Portland. I think that you will like it there.” She nodded at Kaniul and retook her seat.
“Lorelei, this is Anna and James, they will be taking Alexis to their home in North Carolina. I know that you have been looking after her and will want to make sure she is going to a good and steady home. I can tell you that I’ve known both Anna and James for many years and Alexis could not be in better hands.”
This, I was more interested in. Anna and James stood as I took a few steps toward them. “Has anyone told you of Alexis’s severe anxiety?” I whispered, shooting a glare toward Leah. I’m sure Leah would try to twist it to her advantage to garner sympathy from the obviously well-off individuals in the room.
One glance at the four newcomers and you could tell that they had money. Their shoes were shiny and brand new, all of their clothes were name brand, the women had designer handbags and professional haircuts. I looked down at my tattered jeans and well-worn band shirt that I found at a goodwill, suddenly feeling insecure.
Sensing my uncertainty, Kaniul bent down and whispered in my ear, “No one here is judging you, little one. You are perfect just the way you are.”
I scoffed.
Anna’s smile widened. “We know all about Alexis as we were able to get her file from her current counselor. Her case was referred to us through our program. We knew once we read her story that we had to do something more to help. Seeing her affinity for animals, James and I decided to adopt her.” Turning her bright hazel eyes up at her husband, who wrapped his arms around her waist to bring her in for a quick hug, I felt their genuine love for each other and the desire to help my sister.
“Lorelei, you can speak with her anytime you wish. Talking with Alexis this morning, we know that we won’t be able to keep you two apart for too long,” James added warmly.
Nodding, I said, “Thank you both. She is very excited to see the animals.” I buried my emotions, keeping the pain of losing my only sister at bay.
I tried to turn and walk away before Anna stopped me, pulling me into a secure hug. “We will take good care of her Lorelei. It is time for you to spend some time on yourself,” she whispered softly into my ear with a final squeeze before releasing me and returning to her husband’s side.
Stunned, I couldn’t form any reactions to
her words, I just stood there staring at her. Leah had a smug smirk on her face as she jumped to her feet, “I’m sure the girls have a lot of packing to do before they leave this evening. Why don’t we leave them to it while we move to the porch?” Now she brought out her hostess skills.
Narrowing my eyes, I wanted to claw at her face. This woman was vile and if there were anything I was thankful about, it was leaving this awful place.
Kaniul gave me a knowing look as I mocked her behind her back. As she led them out of the living room, she just had to add, “I’m so sorry you couldn’t meet my husband, he is off on a business trip. He is a very important insurance adjuster and had to go and settle a very large account.”
Lies.
He worked in a call center as a middle management worker. Then he came home, drank too much and abused his foster children. Zach would eventually get what he had coming to him. Hopefully my compulsion would ensure that he wouldn’t hurt any other girls like me again. The memories of last night still puzzled me.
Letting out a disgusted sigh, I climbed the stairs once again to pack up the remnants of my life.
∞∞∞
The goodbye with Alexis was long and tearful. Her eagerness for a peaceful life was at war with her love for me and it ended up causing another panic attack. Anna stepped in and helped in a way that had her laughing in no time at all.
Leah gushed about how happy they were for Alexis and me. How we were such good children and deserved permanent homes that they just couldn’t give us. On and on it went before James stepped in and reminded her that they had a flight they needed to catch.
With wide eyes full of gratitude, I gave Anna a heartfelt embrace. “You have done such a good job with her. I promise you, Lorelei, we will take good care of her,” she whispered in my ear before squeezing my hands a final time. James gave me a hug as well, but did not linger, his eyes were soft as he nodded at me in acknowledgment. They loaded the meager amount of belongings that Alexis had into their rental car and they drove away as I watched. I stood there, arms wrapped around my middle, until the vehicle was nothing but a speck in the distance.
“Kishka, it’s time to get moving,” Kaniul’s gentle voice called out from the porch. The setting sun turned the sky various shades of orange and purple mixed with the bright blue. It had been a dry day today, so there were few clouds left on the horizon. I ignored Kaniul’s statement for as long as I could, just watching the sun set and enjoying the colors and the warmth on my skin. I heard his footsteps as he approached me and quickly wiped away the tears on my face.
“I’m ready.” I turned without even looking at him and mounted the stairs to grab my belongings.
The scenery gradually changed from the flatness of Spokane to the valley as we traveled along Interstate 90 eventually to Interstate 84 toward Portland. I loved the Pacific Northwest, the greenery, the wildlife, the smell of the rain as it fell. I was happy about moving away from Spokane, it had been much too hot in the summer for my tastes. I enjoyed having the snow in the winter, but triple digit temperatures in the summer had me hating life.
Kyara and Kaniul were quiet in the front seat. Kaniul was driving the immaculate 4-door Lexus SUV, his long fingers wrapped around the steering wheel in an iron grip so tight that his knuckles turned white. The tension in the car was killing me—we had been driving for several hours and no one had uttered more than two words to each other. I knew they were waiting for me to start any semblance of conversation, but it was frustrating.
“So, what is the plan once we get there?” I tapped my fingers on the center armrest.
Kyara glanced sideways at Kaniul, looking to him to seek permission before answering. She cleared her throat. “We will get you settled. Everything has all been arranged as far as clothing, toiletries and anything else you would need. If there is anything specific you want or need, we can always go out shopping for it tomorrow as it will probably be a little late by the time we get there.”
She paused briefly before continuing. “I know you are already ahead in your classes in school. Kaniul reached out to your administrators, and they agreed to let you do the last few weeks of the school year electronically. After that we can look and see what you would like to do for your senior year. There are some great music and audio engineering programs that we can discuss, if you are interested.”
Her body turned, and she gave me a wide smile. “Given how much you love music, you are going to love my music room. I’m not much for an artist or musician myself, but I have enough acquaintances that keep me supplied in all the latest and greatest when it comes to music technology. I also have a lovely baby grand piano that I know you will just adore.”
It was hard for me to get a good solid read on Kyara. Everything about her felt so genuine. One of my quirks was that I was always able to read people, their emotions and intentions. While there was something she was hiding, she truly wanted to help me. The one thing my mother always taught me was to trust my instincts, and my instincts were telling me that Kyara was worthy of my trust.
Kaniul made eye contact with me through the rearview mirror as if sensing my thoughts and gave a subtle nod. His lips twitched at the side, pulling into a slight smile as he turned his attention back to the road. We were now traveling along the Columbia River and I stared out the window, thinking about learning to compose and write music.
“I think that I would really like to look at the music programs.” She gave me the brightest smile, her hazel eyes sparkling as she bounced a little in her seat.
The rest of the drive passed in peaceful silence. Kaniul had gifted me with a brand-new iPhone, MacBook and iPad before we left, telling me that all teenagers needed fancy technology. He told me they were all hooked to his account and to buy whatever apps, books, music, and games that I desired. I rolled my eyes at him and arched an eyebrow. “You do realize you handed the world to a sixteen-year-old girl and said to buy whatever?”
His laugh was soothing. “If you were a normal almost sixteen-year-old girl, I would be cringing, but you aren’t and I know you won’t take advantage. Plus, trust me, my bank account can take whatever you throw at it, so get anything and everything your heart desires.”
The words threw me for a loop. If he had all this money, why wasn’t he taking better care of me. Why didn’t he come and get me before it got to the point that it did at Leah and Zach’s?
Stop that line of thinking.
This is the present and the future, I told myself firmly.
And I was not going to dwell in the past any longer.
Chapter 5
Lorelei
The house was breathtaking. I was speechless as it came into view from the long driveway we traveled along. In a secluded wooded area, the two-story house was a modern architecture marvel, with tons of glass mixed with wood and angles. There was a long front porch that wrapped around to the back. Kaniul pulled the SUV into the garage which was set off to the right of the house, and we walked in through the adjoining door.
“Welcome home, Lorelei,” Kyara said warmly, pulling me into a side hug. Kaniul smiled as he brought in my bags and set them on the living room floor.
I’m sure my mouth was hanging open in shock as I admired the massive living room. A large sectional took up one corner of the room and faced a large marble two-sided fireplace with a massive flat screen TV hanging above it. The floors were a rich mahogany wood that glistened in the low moonlight. Black and white photographs of nature scenes were arranged along the stark white walls in a geometric pattern.
“The security system is all set up. Vincent said you should have all the instructions you need,” Kaniul whispered to Kyara softly, thinking that I was far enough away that I wouldn’t overhear.
She nodded in response. “Do you think we will have to worry so soon?”
He shrugged. “As long as her power is kept contained and there aren’t any spikes, she should be hidden enough here that they won’t find her.” He paused and cocked his head. “Vi
ncent has assured me that he won’t make contact with her as it seems to be those are the time when the spikes happen the most.”
“I thought he was going to wipe her memory of him, but is seems he didn’t, why is that?”
Kaniul sighed. “He couldn’t. When he tried the first time it damaged her mind and caused her migraines. He alters her memories slightly to dull them, but doesn’t fully erase them. If he keeps himself in check and maintains a low profile, things should be quiet with the various protections he has put into place.”
I swallowed harshly. Who were they trying to protect me from? Vincent. That name always brought back such strange sensations of déjà vu. Like I have known him forever, but I couldn’t quite recall how or why. He was erasing and manipulating my memories. Just thinking about it was making my head ache.
The only thing I could seem to recall with clarity was the sound of his voice and his eyes. Red, with a black burst sprouting out of his pupil. The rest of his features were hazy, but his eyes were always bright and clear, etched permanently in my memories.
Discreetly glancing in their direction, I watched as Kyara gave a firm nod and then the mask slipped back over her face as she turned back toward me. “I know you are probably dying to see the music room I told you about, let’s go.” She grabbed me by the hand with a grin and pulled me toward the other end of the house.
My eyes widened and lit up as she opened the double frosted glass doors. The room was enormous, open with a phenomenal view facing out to the river. A sparkling black baby grand piano sat in the corner of the room facing the windows and outdoor scenery. Along the wall, several instruments were in cases carefully placed in racks, there was also a small room that was enclosed that looked to be a recording studio of some kind. Computers and sound equipment were strewn throughout on modern black desks.
Into The Shadows (Shadows Ascending Trilogy) Page 4
