by M. R. Polish
“Want your coat?” Jarak came up behind me with a warm coat Victor took from my apartment.
“Thank you.” My teeth chattered a little.
“Jeesh you two, just kiss and get it over with already.” Ailaina bounded around us, already wearing her faux fur trimmed coat.
I blushed as I remembered how his lips caressed mine, and then realized I hadn’t even told Ailaina about my kiss with Jarak.
“Come on, we need to get home. The sun will set soon, and we still need to stake out the place and make sure Nicholas or his Crossbreed hunters aren’t anywhere close.”
I nodded. It was still weird leaving Meadow and Victor back in Spain. They were making blind trails for Nicholas to follow, giving us time to prepare. Now that Nicholas knew I was alive and well, he wasn’t going to stop until he had me.
Being in the woods of Idaho gave us an advantage because Jarak knew the territory well. I needed the time because I had nothing solid to go off in order to find the other counteracting agent, and I was beyond baffled about how I would do it. Chemistry had never been my strong suit in high school so if I had to make a new potion, the world was basically screwed.
So much changed in the last month, and it pained as well as excited me to acknowledge it. Although, I could honestly say I never saw this in my future—not once.
Jarak led us to a parking garage right outside the airport where a parked silver extended cab truck sat. I wasn’t too perceptive in the whole vehicle department, but I knew this was a newer Dodge Ram. I let out a whistle, feigning the innocent flirtatious girl. “Nice. Yours?”
He smirked. “Yeah. This is my baby.” He ran his hand along the short bed railing, throwing our entire luggage in the back with one toss.
“Boys and their toys.” Ailaina shook her head. She was right. Never get in between a guy and his first love—anything with a motor.
He slipped his hand into the front pockets of his jeans, pulling out his keys. I glanced away, not wanting him or Ailaina to catch me staring. Pressing the unlock button he opened the passenger door and helped me up. His hand was warm and held mine a little longer than he needed to, making my cheeks hot despite the cold air.
“Scoot on over beautiful.” I did as he said, not minding at all. He helped Ailaina climb in too, but I noticed how he touched her elbow instead of her hand.
He shut the passenger door and jumped in, too. The truck came to life with a deep rumble. A silver beast that would growl down the road, daring other trucks to piss it off. I straddled the stick shift and blushed when Jarak grabbed it, making me all too aware of his closeness. His body heat radiated out, and his arm brushed against the side of my chest as he placed the truck in reverse, causing flutters in my stomach, and backed out of the garage.
I sucked in a short breath, a man who could drive a stick excited me, and sitting next to him was even better. His shirt was unbuttoned half way, revealing a white tee underneath, with his sleeves rolled up about two folds. His tight jeans moved with his thighs as he shifted. I had to look away before I was caught ogling.
“So, how far is your house?” Ailaina asked.
“It’s a ways away. Like I said, it’s secluded.” He smiled and winked at me at the last part, then turned the truck to head up the highway.
I asked Ailaina to roll the window down a tad, needing fresh air. I inhaled the sweet mountain air, the freshness invigorating me.
Warmth spread over my hand as he took it into his and squeezed. It felt so right to hold his hand, yet there was something off about it. The sunlight warmed my face through the windshield and I leaned my head back, soaking it in.
I opened my eyes and looked over at him. “How long till Nicholas finds us here?”
He took a deep breath. “I found him pretty easy in Barcelona.” That’s all he said, but it was enough.
“But, how long do you think we have to find what he needs?” I persisted.
“Hard to say. He might be here in a week or two, but it might take only a day. Don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt you again. You’ll find what you need.”
I swallowed the lump of fear that formed in my throat. I was more worried about Jarak and Ailaina getting hurt than myself.
Thinking about what he said when he told me about him being a Guardian gave me hope. “You remember the night we stole away to McDonalds?”
He guffawed. “Yeah, how could I forget our first date?”
Ailaina giggled ‘McDonalds…’ under her breath. I glared at her with my best shut-up look, and she pretended to zip her lips with her fingers.
I smiled back at him. “Well, you said something about a gift of magic. If you had that…”
He cut me off. “No. It’s too dangerous for you to do. When a witch gives a gift of magic, they give a part of themselves away, it’s more than you think. You need everything you have.”
I sucked in my bottom lip and bit down. He was being difficult. “I think I can do it without taking anything away from myself. It won’t hurt me.”
“Es, there’s more to it than just giving me a gift. I can’t explain it right now, but I can’t let you risk everything—that part of you, just for me. Save it for the one you spend your life with.”
I slid my hand out from under his. The last words he spoke shouldn’t have hurt, but they did. It was as if he said, ‘I want to be with you, but I don’t see us lasting.’ It was as if he already set us up for definite fail. Maybe we weren’t even becoming what I thought. We weren’t exactly dating or anything. He kissed me sure, but that doesn’t qualify as instant boyfriend status. Holding hands didn’t count. Did it?
I let out an exasperated sigh. “We’ll talk about it later.”
He turned off the highway onto a one-vehicle dirt road, maneuvering around all the bumps and holes. I would’ve had to slow down, but he drove as if he knew where each one hid, waiting for unsuspecting drivers.
We traveled up the mountain for about thirty minutes before the road ended, or what I thought ended. I was wrong. He shifted down into four low and used a trail that switched back up the mountain. It was as if the nose of the truck pointed straight up at the sky.
My arms sprung out as I reached over Ailaina, trying to grab the handle above the door, but failed. Realizing I wouldn’t be able to climb over her and hang like a monkey, I braced myself with my hands on the dash. I wasn’t some rough four-wheeling cowgirl-hick from the hills.
Yes, I grew up in a small desert town in Nevada, but that didn’t mean I rode horses and said ye–haw. The closest I ever came to four-wheeling was when Ailaina and I watched the boys up on the summit with their dirt bikes. We always came home covered in mud because the boys who flirted with us would get close and spin donuts, making their tires fling mud at us while we squealed and laughed.
I looked over at her. She had a broad smile and her eyes sparkled with life. I should have known. She loved to live a little wilder and have fun, even if it meant scaring me.
“Hold on, it gets a little rough,” Jarak warned.
I wanted to glare at him, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the hundred–foot drop off right out of the window. “Ya think?”
Ailaina laughed, so I elbowed her, causing her to get louder.
Jarak chuckled too. “About fifteen more minutes and it’ll level out somewhat.”
I thought that would’ve made me feel better, but it actually ruined every chance my nerves had to a happy ending. “What does somewhat mean?”
“You’ll see.”
“Please just make this ride stop.” Then I made a mistake, I opened my eyes and shrieked because the edge looked too close.
Jarak’s laughter filled the cab of the truck. Oh, I was so going to smack him as soon as I could let go of the dash, but fear immobilized me.
“Oh, Es, loosen up, he’s obviously done this before. You think you can fight warlocks and vampires, so this should be fine.”
“Great pep talk, Al.” I wanted to puke.
The road settled down and
became flatter and not such a steep grade. My stomach lurched.
I moved my shaky hands away and let them fall to my lap, watching as the dash returned to normal coloring. I thought for sure it would have permanent impressions of my fingers embedded in it. “I’m never leaving.”
“I hoped you’d say that, but I didn’t expect it so soon,” he teased, smiling at me as he drove on a small trail through the bushes and trees.
“Yeah, well, to leave means I’d have to go down. I about died coming up. There’s no way I’d make it downhill.”
Branches and brush swiped the side of the truck as we ventured deeper into the forest, making noises like nails on a chalkboard.
“It takes a lot longer getting down than it did to come up. You got to be careful not to flip the truck.”
Oh yeah, that made me feel so much better. I reached over and slugged him in the shoulder.
“Hey, what was that for?”
“For not warning me and nearly killing me on a mountain.”
Ailaina and he both laughed, but I just shook my head.
He maneuvered the truck up and over large rocks and deep holes just as before. Up ahead the trees cleared a little, and I could see a type of structure. He parked right before the tree break and turned off the engine. The window was still open from earlier, and I could hear the wind whistle through the trees and birds chirping. Other than that, it was peaceful and quiet. Ailaina opened the door before he came around and stepped out in awe. I scooted out behind her. Looking up, I could see the tall trees sway at the tops from their remarkable height. These majestic forms of nature surrounded us at every angle.
Jarak walked around and placed his arm around my waist. “Welcome home.” He took a deep breath.
“Home? Do you have a tree house you should tell me about?”
He smiled. “Come on.” He urged me forward but kept his arm around me. We walked into the clearing, and I gasped. A large cabin was nestled into the trees, and a babbling creek sounded not too far away. Not what I expected, not that I expected much, but this surpassed all of my thoughts.
The mountains were jagged and rocky but didn’t withhold any beauty from the backdrop. The sun began to set in reds, pinks and blues. The eerie shadows from the trees made the ground look as if it moved. A drift of snow sat undisturbed by the porch of the house.
Drawing my attention back to the cabin, it was two stories. Large windows plastered the front of it and the biggest part of the house with all the windows hung out on what looked like stilts, overlooking the entire mountain.
“It’s incredible.” I stopped to watch Ailaina’s reaction.
“I’ll second that.” She still twirled around in circles, taking in the surroundings.
“Wait till you see inside. The loft is my favorite.” He squeezed me in a hug.
He let out a whistle and both Maztic and Luna appeared in front of us. It startled me, but I tried not to show it. It would be something I’d have to get use to. I’d have to learn to feel her before she arrived.
“Luna.” Smiling, I bent over to greet her with a warm hug. Even though I’d recently met her, I could feel our connection, as if we’d been around each other our entire lives.
“We’ve already looked around, Nicholas isn’t here and there are no signs of any hunters,” Maztic said.
“That’s good. Keep checking, I don’t want any surprises.” Jarak picked me up and carried me up the steps to the house.
Ailaina followed, giggling as she bounded up the stairs. “You guys are so cute.”
“Put me down,” I tried objecting through my laughter, kicking my legs, but just enough to pretend to contest.
He set me down right outside the front door and opened it. He was right. The inside was stunning. Looking out the windows to the spectacular mountainous view was much better than looking in. A leather and wood scent filled the cabin, which seemed perfect for his house. It matched him. Although, I’ll admit, I never pictured him as a mountain boy.
I ran my fingers along the wooden walls as I looked around. He went back outside to grab our bags. Two dark brown leather couches faced each other, and a flat screen TV sat between them. It was definitely nice digs for a guy his age.
The kitchen was off of the living room and was open and spacious. It was incredibly modern with stainless steel and digital appliances. He brushed past me with our luggage, setting them down by the fireplace that sat nestled in the corner in between the living room and kitchen.
“How did you afford this?” I didn’t mean to blurt out the question, but my tongue moved faster than my brain.
“I inherited a sufficient amount of money. My father had his own business, and many supernaturals will pay extremely well for—help.”
I nodded and let my mouth fall open in an ‘Oh’… as if I understood everything. In reality only part of it made sense.
He lifted my suitcase up and gestured toward the stairs. “There’s only the loft with one bed—so I’ll take the couch. The bed in the room downstairs is uncomfortable.” He climbed the stairs until he was out of sight.
Luna walked in. Her claws tapped the floor as she strolled over to the fireplace and lay down. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey, where’s Maztic?” I asked.
“He’s doing the first watch.” Jarak chimed in before Luna had the chance. “We can’t take any chances with Nicholas showing up unannounced.”
I agreed, completely.
I gestured up to the loft. “We should unpack.”
“Ya, then I want to go outside and look around. Can you believe how pretty it is here?” Ailaina reminded me of when we were in kindergarten and everything intrigued her. Her eyes lit up, and she stared out the wall of windows as we walked up the stairs.
We’d been at the cabin for a week with no signs of Nicholas or his hunters. Standing outside on the porch, I relaxed in Jarak’s arm and rested my head on his chest. I wasn’t quite sure what we were, but it comforted me to have his arms around me. As soon as I thought we were a couple, he would get distant and push me away. Maybe we weren’t anything but a comfort to each other.
I sighed. The smoke from the fireplace wafted in the air and reminded me of the toasty heat that waited for us. We stayed with my head on his chest for a minute longer before returning to the warmth of the house.
“I’ll go make some hot chocolate.” He kissed the top of my head as he headed toward the kitchen.
Dozens of books and newspapers were open and spread out all over the living room floor. I read everything I could, but nothing stood out as a corrective for the cursed breeds. It surprised me that Jarak had so many mythological books in his house. It was like reading a history of all Witches and Guardians. One thing I found particularly intriguing was the Seers. They were always around witches and were usually female. I picked on Ailaina, telling her that she probably came from a family of supernaturals, too. Jarak always clammed up when I started talking like that, but I had the feeling he thought the same thing.
Ailaina’s whole life she had dreams of unique experiences. I just knew she was a Seer, and naturally drawn to me when we were children because of our unknown abilities, but she was still on the ledge about it.
“Anything?” I asked Ailaina as she sifted through a book on Seers.
Her head lifted, but her eyes never left the page. “Hum?”
I grinned at her. “Did you find anything we can use?”
She put the book down and scrunched her face. “You said Nicholas told you that he’d need to kill more witches right?”
I sat down next to her on the floor, crossing my legs Indian-style. “Yeah. I thought it was a scare tactic to get me to do what he wanted, but now I wonder how much truth is in it.”
“Okay, if I tell you something, don’t freak out. Alright?”
I gasped, my palms flinging to my chest. “Me freak out? I’m a witch, what could you possibly say to scare me?”
“Maybe you’re right about the Seer thing. I had a
nother dream. I think it was a clue to finding what we need to know, but it wasn’t pretty.”
That had my attention. “What do you mean?”
“Well, in my dream there was a death of a warlock. His blood mixed with a spell, but that part was fuzzy and I couldn’t see it all. After that, there was more death and blood. I’m not sure what it all means, but I can tell you that I’m glad I’m not a witch.”
“Why?” Jarak asked as he came back into the room.
Ailaina hesitated before looking away. I could tell she was intentionally avoiding my stare. “Because all of the blood used in my dream, all the dead people… they were witches and warlocks.”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I absorbed the revelations her dream gave us. One more reason I was convinced she was a Seer. “How are you sure? I mean, they could be anyone right?”
She folded her arms across her abdomen and leaned forward, still not looking at me. “Because I saw you.”
I swallowed the lump in the back of my throat. “Well, your dreams don’t always have a one-hundred percent forecast. It could be a warning. Don’t read too much into it okay.” I gave her the best smile I could, even though I didn’t feel it.
I peeked over at Jarak who stared at me. I winked at him, letting him know I was okay. He probably wanted to hide me somewhere else, and declare the whole world unsafe for me.
Ailaina let out a deep sigh. “I know, it’s just a lot to think about, ya know? Seeing your death, even in a dream, is hard.”
I leaned over and hugged her.
I wasn’t going anywhere. I would find out the reason for the magical blood, and maybe find out how Nicholas would use it to create his Crossbreeds. If I could do that, I might be able to put a stop to it before he could hurt more innocent people.
