I bloody knew better, but the urge to comfort her, even in this small way, was too strong to fight. I eased myself through her window and shut it quietly behind me. She was a deep sleeper; I doubted she’d wake up. I didn’t make a habit of hanging out around her window or breaking into her room, but I couldn’t be too careful when it came to Tori finding her. I was in the backyard when I heard her start crying. I tried to stay away, despite the churning in my stomach. That resolve didn’t last long, her pull on me too strong to ignore.
I pulled the covers back from her bed and gently picked her up, placing her on her bed and covering her with the quilt. Beautiful—that was the only word I could use to describe her. Here she was, all tear stained, and it just made me want her more to see how deeply she felt for the ones she cared about. I tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and ran my fingers over her cheek. The solid black star tattoo on the center of my wrist, the one that marked me as a Guide, was an all-too obvious reminder that I shouldn’t be here. That I didn’t belong in this world, or with her. As I was about to pull my hand away, she whispered something, and I froze.
“Telor.”
It was my name; she was saying my name in her sleep. She smiled, and I wanted to crawl into bed, hold her in my arms, and then slip away with the sunrise.
“Telor,” she said again.
If I didn't leave now, I was likely to stay all night. While I had no issue with that, I had to work in the morning. Waking up in her bed, uninvited, would not fare well for my position, either. Maybe I could afford to be a little extra nice to her tomorrow. One day wasn’t going to change things. Taking a last glance at her, I kissed her forehead quickly and left the way I’d entered. As always, the ache in my chest returned the minute I turned my back on her.
There were things that needed to be done tonight, regardless of how utterly exhausted I was. I was hoping that she’d be safe at home for an hour or so. I fished my phone out of my pocket, along with a bag of Lucky Charms— eating was something that often got overlooked—and opened my text messages to find the one I hoped was from Denny.
7809 Pine St. If my memory served me correctly, I was only a few blocks away.
I hustled to the abandoned factory right on the edge of U-Saebo’s campus. It was the right address, but I couldn’t see an entrance anywhere. No lights, no people about, no cars. Fine. I could wait. I’d sit here all night if I had to. Although, I was beginning to rethink the thin jacket I was wearing, the air much too cold for something so light.
Finding a crate I thought could hold my weight, I dragged it to the side of the building, intending on letting the brick wall act as a back to my makeshift chair. Before I could make use of my invention, a figure appeared from the side of the building carrying a bag. The way he held it, made it clear that it was not his. I jumped up and grabbed a piece of wood from a broken pallet that could easily be used as a weapon and stood at the ready.
“Put your stick down, Guide,” he said, thrusting the bag out at me as he approached. The sleeve of his jacket pulled back slightly, revealing a tree tattoo on his wrist. While, my star marked me as a Guide for Death, his tree marked him as a Weaver for Destiny. They basically worked in a sweatshop weaving the fabric of our lives. He had the arrogant aura that all Weavers seemed to possess. “Boss is busy. This should keep you satiated for a while.”
“I need to talk to him, now!” I insisted, dropping the backpack. “It’s important, I can go to him, just tell me where.”
“He’s aware, Mr. Conway,” he said. I didn’t like that he knew my name. “Mr. Smith said to tell you to take the bag, and the next time you attempt a meeting, you better make sure the girl is with you.”
“Leave Catalina out of this,” I growled. “This is my doing, not hers.”
“As if there is a differentiation anymore,” the guy responded, slinking back into the shadows and disappearing, ending our conversation rather abruptly.
Catalina needed to stay as far away from this mess as possible. She was not made for this game. She couldn’t do what needed to be done, and I couldn’t ask her to. I wouldn’t. I jerked the bag off the ground and opened it; a motorcycle helmet, a set of keys, an address, and a phone number.
“What the hell,” I muttered.
My night was going to be a whole lot longer than I’d planned.
Telor 18
It was difficult to keep my eyes on the road. She was sleeping now. That beautiful creature fell asleep humming my mother’s song. It was hard to tell what was worse: the times she didn’t remember or the times she did. I think it was the latter. When she remembered, it was like a knife in my gut. Or a bullet…I knew what that felt like. It made me wonder if I did the right thing in having Cheyenne take away her memories. Perhaps ignorance wasn’t the best course of action.
She moaned and turned so she was facing me, her cheek resting against the seat. Jesus Christ, I was going to run the car off the road if I didn’t stop looking at her. I was not surprised she was tired. I didn't suspect she got a whole lotta sleep last night. I wished the drive was longer, to give her a little extra rest. We only had about fifteen minutes left.
Her eyes opened suddenly, and she took a sharp breath. She looked around the cab of the van rapidly for a moment, before her gaze came to a rest on me.
“Sorry. How long was I out?” she asked, her cheeks turning pink.
“Only about twenty minutes,” I answered. “We should be there soon. What’s it called again?”
“Uh,” she said chewing on her bottom lip. “Ever After.”
We continued into the city part of Paris, which consisted of three-square blocks of town. Ever After was on the left, two blocks into town. We parked the van on a side street off the main road. Vendors were setting up on the other side of the street, the smell of popcorn already filling the air. Catalina’s eyes were wide with want.
“Let’s go check it out,” I suggested, jerking my head toward the other side of the street.
“Um, maybe we should get the donations first. Then, if we have time look around. They don’t really seem ready for people yet anyway,” she said, looking truly sad.
I reached out and took her hand, pulling her toward the noise.
“Come on, Catalina, ten minutes,” I coaxed, gently tugging her toward the tables. I could see the wheels turning in her head. When she finally made her decision, her smile just about knocked me to my knees.
“Fine, ten minutes. Since you want to,” she said with a blank face before cracking and shining a smile that would make any man break their necks to get a look at it. Luckily, this smile belonged to me and me only.
A banner across the marquee declared today “Customer Appreciation Day.” I kept holding her hand as we entered the theater. It looked like a small street fair all crammed into the lobby of the theater. Soon-to-be carnival games, boutique tables, and food booths lined the walls, their respective owners preparing for the upcoming festivities.
“Do you want to play a game?” I asked, and she nodded eagerly.
“No one looks like they’re ready for people yet,” she said. “Maybe we should come back afterward.”
“I’m sure we can convince someone to let us start a little early,” I said, still pulling her deeper into the room. She sighed, her shoulders relaxing. I knew there was a little bit of daredevil in her.
“How’s your throwing arm?” she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Probably a little rusty. Why?”
“Because I’m about to whip your ass in ring toss,” she said and sprinted four tables away.
She could whip my ass anytime and anywhere she wanted.
I’ll admit she was not bad at ring toss. All ten of her rings at least hit the bottles. Unfortunately, my throwing arm was better. She took the loss well, along with the free snow cone ticket that I won. I liked seeing her like this—carefree and happy. I only got confused and frustrated Catalina. The Catalina who was too curious for her own good. The one who I was const
antly hurting to keep safe. I didn’t have much, but I’d give it all to see that smile, just like this, every day. That was my new mission.
Lina 19
After a thirty minute impromptu detour, we were finally heading to Ever After. While Telor did beat me at ring toss, he also won me a choker and bracelet playing three-card Monte—he was scary good at it—so I guess I had to forgive him. He was being so playful today, I didn’t want to think too much on it and jinx myself.
“Thanks for talking me into going,” I said shyly, leaning my head down so my hair covered my blushing cheeks. “I had a lot of fun.”
He gave me a crooked smile, and said, “My pleasure.”
Telor grabbed my hand and pulled me roughly to his side. Our bodies were flush and my breath stopped.
“Trash can,” he said in my ear, nodding to the metal basket that I had almost walked into. “Are you always this clumsy?”
“Only lately,” I responded. “That trashcan came out of nowhere.”
“Obviously.” The remark would have been condescending if he weren’t smiling playfully. Reluctantly, it seemed, he released my hand and put a couple of feet between us.
Reflexively, my fingers busied themselves fiddling with the hemp choker around my neck. It was dark gray and had small inlaid beads. It wasn’t the same as my ring, but it had the same effect—it calmed and centered me. Maybe my ring was not as special as I’d thought it was.
I shook the bracelet down to my wrist. I wasn’t used to wearing something on my wrist. The only jewelry I ever wore was my necklace. An idea came to me, and I loosened it. Taking Telor’s hand, I slipped it on him. He raised his eyebrows at me.
“So you have something to show for your awesome three-card Monte skills,” I said, nervously. This whole morning was taking on an awkward first date feel. This was one of the reasons I was glad I didn’t date. I wasn’t good at it. Especially now, with Telor. His hot and cold attitude was hard to gauge. I was on the up and up today, but what about tomorrow? Hell, what about in an hour when we got back to work? “And thank you for the necklace.”
“I noticed you reach for your throat a lot,” he commented. How much did he watch me?
“I lost my necklace,” I said. “I’ve searched everywhere, it’s just gone. Fiddling with it has always been sort of a nervous habit. Before the necklace, it was my hair.”
“Are you nervous around me?” he asked, as he opened the door, his gaze locking with mine.
“No,” I lied. From the smug look on his face, he was not buying it either.
He put his hand on the small of my back and led me through the store. I wasn’t usually a touchy-feely type of person, but his hand was familiar and exhilarating. My stomach was doing all kinds of flips and turns, and I thought I might implode at any moment. He seemed to be perfectly at ease with it as well, his thumb moving up and down in steady strokes.
“Hello?” I said, stopping at the desk in the back and ringing the bell.
A middle-aged man with graying brown hair walked out of the office.
“You must be from the museum,” he said and shook my hand. “I’m David.”
“I’m Lina, this is Telor,” I said, and he shook Telor’s hand as well.
“Very good. I’ll get my wife out here to sign your paperwork,” he said to me, and then to Telor, “You think you can help an old man carry some boxes?”
“Of course, sir,” Telor said, and bent his head so his mouth was only inches from my ear. “Come find me when you’re done?”
I nodded as he followed David to a side door. A small thrill ran through me at the continued kindness in Telor’s attitude.
I scanned the glass cases against the wall. I loved antiques. It could be the history nerd in me, but I found the stories attached to each object fascinating. Scanning each shelf, I saw what looked like a framed map of Paris, Kentucky. An older one, from the looks of it, as some streets were not listed. It would make a perfect birthday present for Seline. She had one almost exactly like it for the other surrounding cities of Saebo.
“See anything you like?” a woman asked. I hadn’t even noticed that she had come out of the office.
“Oh, hi,” I said, holding my hand out to shake hers. “I’m Lina.”
“Bridgette,” she said, giving me a firm shake. “Were you interested in the map?”
“What? Oh, yes. It would make a perfect birthday present for my boss.”
She showed me the price tag, and I nodded. As she was ringing it up, Telor and David came back.
“Here you go, hon—” She stopped dead in her tracks. Coins went crashing to the counter, and Bridgette turned white as a sheet, like she’d seen a ghost. Telor was frozen as well, but recovered first, and started picking up the change from the counter. “I’m so sorry,” she finally said, breathlessly. Flustered, she reached for the remaining coins, giving his hands a wide berth. “You look so much like someone I used to know.”
“I thought the same thing,” I said, mostly to myself. There was a feeling in my gut that I was not entirely comfortable with. Dozens of bricks had fallen from the wall I’d been trying to break down, and I could see the light shining through from the other side. I’d bet I could blow on it, and it would fall to pieces, if only I could get close enough.
“I just have one of those faces,” he replied, only his accent was completely gone. He was hiding something. From her or me? Possibly both of us. “Catalina, I want to show you something before we leave.” He took my bag and the paperwork from her and led me out the back door.
“What was that about?” I asked him.
At first he didn’t answer, just shrugged.
“I’ll tell you later,” he said, and ushered me to a staircase at the back of the building.
The staircase led to the roof. This high up, the cold wind was stronger than it was on the ground. Telor led me to the far side and positioned me so I was standing directly in front of him, and whispered, “Look,” in my ear.
Goosebumps broke out across my neck and down my back and arms.
It was a truly beautiful sight, a person could see for miles. The building was not high, but it was the highest in this small town. Paris faded into houses then to small groves of trees, growing into large wooded areas and ending with vast fields of various crops. You could barely see the city from here. Paris seemed to be tucked away with its own natural bumpers, shielding it from the hustle of the city. It reminded me of why I loved Kentucky so much.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, turning so I could look at Telor. It took a little extra effort not to throw my arms around him. “Thank you so much. I needed that. It’s like you can read my mind.”
“Now, that, I think, would be the highlight of my year,” he said, taking a step toward me. His smile was mischievous, and his eyes were full of desire. “Your eyes are beautiful.”
I could have been wrong, but I was pretty sure he was flirting with me. Which didn’t make a whole lot of sense, since he didn’t even like me half the time. Today’s dreamlike quality was becoming surreal quickly. Caught in the moment, I stood silent as his eyes devoured me. The feeling deliciously tangible. He took another step forward, barely inches separated us now. Him being this close made it impossible to form any type of coherent thought. I needed space. I needed to think. Picking up one protesting foot, I took a step backward, away from him.
My calves bumped against the low barrier of the roof, and I lost my balance. I slipped backward, toppling over the edge. A terrified scream erupted from my throat, and I instinctively reached up to try to catch myself, and instead of seeing the wall like I should, I saw his eyes, his glasses gone. His mesmerizing eyes that mirrored my fear exactly. Deja vu shoved me straight through that pesky wall, and it crumbled to the ground in a heaping pile of rubble.
Memories that were lost to me filled my mind in a frenzy. Telor kneeling beside me in the snow, caressing my head and singing in my ear. Hearing Telor’s voice, seeing Telor and Cheyenne in Oasis, Cariad, sweet kis
ses on my forehead while I was sleeping, sleeping in the backyard, a large sterile looking apartment, and a motorcycle.
But most of all, I felt. I felt things that weren’t mine. An overwhelming sense of wanting—no, needing. The sense of rightness at an elemental, soul-serving level. Pure, raw determination.
I was brought back to the now by frantic whispering in my ear. Flashbacks faded and I could see again. I was sitting in Telor’s lap, his arms were wrapped around me, and he was rocking me back and forth, whispering words I didn't know in my ear. I didn’t recognize the language, but I could tell that he was worried. Beyond worried, he was terrified. His heart was beating frantically against my ear, and I could feel it as well as hear it. It matched the same fast rhythm of my own heart.
I should have been afraid. I should have been scared out of my mind. I should have run as far away as I could. But I couldn’t. The very core of my being wouldn’t let me. And I didn’t want to. I wanted…I needed this. My soul was feeling things my brain was scared to believe—that there was something going on here that we weren’t responsible for.
Telor’s anxious whispers became broken and desperate, and I didn’t think he’d realized I was awake yet. “God, please be okay. I’ll do anything, let her be okay,” he chanted.
“I’m okay,” I tried to say, taking one of his hands, but it came out as a hoarse whisper.
“Oh, thank God.” He took my face in his hands, looking me over, searching for any visible injuries.
His tense body relaxed slightly as he satisfied himself with the fact that I was indeed not dead. Then he shut off. The softness that had been in his eyes all day, the playful demeanor—all of it just stopped. In one swift blow, he went from the man I saw in my visions to the man I met three weeks ago. From fire to ice.
Telor 20
I needed to get myself together. It took every ounce of control I had not to throw my arms around her and tell her everything, then beg for forgiveness. Reminding myself that there was a reason I was keeping her in the dark, I stood and brushed off my pants. I had to force myself not to look back at her. The devastation in her eyes would undo me.
Flicker (Defying Death Book 1) Page 11
