Stepping forward, I found my voice. “That was insane! How did you throw those buckets?”
Her head tilted slightly upwards, and light glistened on her wet face. “Just one of my many talents. Now, let’s get out of here,” she said haughtily,
“Where did you come from?” I persisted, feeling like I’d been played in some way.
“From our car, obviously” she said, taking several steps forward and placing her hands on her hips. “The dog needed a pit stop. When he ran off, we chased him here.” She swept an arm around the alley. “No more questions. We don’t have time to stand around and chat.”
“I hadn’t realized the Wolfhound was yours,” I said, piecing it all together in my mind.
She gave a low, throaty laugh, and her white teeth glimmered. “Oh, that beast is not mine. He belongs to her.” She pointed at the soft-spoken girl, who supporting the whimpering jogger.
The soft-spoken girl nodded. “She’s right; we need to go. We’ll get you both to the hospital.”
“Not me,” I said adamantly. “I’m fine, and I’m going home. I live across the street and can get there by myself, but she’ll need a lift.” I nodded at the jogger.
“You should stick with us,” the soft-spoken girl said, her tone that of a concerned mother.
“No, I’ll be okay.”
“Let’s go already,” her friend shouted. “We don’t want to be here if they come back, and we need to call the police.”
She nodded and glanced my way. Rain dripped off her hood, obscuring her face. Gently, she pushed the jogger forward and turned to me. “Glad you had that pepper spray.”
I frowned and looked at her suspiciously. Something wasn’t adding up with these two. Actually, nothing was adding up, but I replied, “Yeah well, this stuff costs a fortune, but it’s supposed to hit hot, like a blowtorch. Guess it really does.” The jogger looked over at me, and I asked if she was all right. She nodded and thanked me. I was just relieved she was safe and I hadn’t gotten her killed. Gripping Ben’s bat, I shook my head and wondered if the rain had ruined Griffey’s signature.
The girls hurried us out of the alley and we parted ways before I could get their names. It was almost like they didn’t want to be known. If that was true, I didn’t care; I had secrets and problems enough of my own.
The power was still out at home, so I changed out of my wet clothes and towel dried my hair by candle-light. After climbing into bed, I clung to my pillow and pressed a damp washcloth against my pounding forehead. A cinnamon-spiced candle burned tall and bright, casting forlorn shadows on the wall.
Cold and shaky, I was emotionally and physically drained. At least the jogger was alive; that’s all that mattered. Not once in all my years of saving people had I ever been hurt or felt like I was in danger, but tonight I’d been sure it was the end. I doubted the jogger or I would have survived the night without help – help that arrived from two very unlikely strangers.
Complete madness.
It now appeared psychopaths were on the loose, and mysterious heroes patrolled the streets of this small town. The real question was which category did I fall under?
Burdened since childhood with premonitions of impending tragedy, my sole existence had always centered on saving people. While that had been rewarding when I was younger, it hadn’t been for a long, long time. The snapshots of disaster, as I called them, ignited images of people dying. They crashed through my life like colossal waves, throwing me off balance, commanding me with no mercy. I never knew when they’d strike or where they’d take me, but always, I was forced to drop whatever I was doing and race off to help. My strangely erratic behavior had made me an outsider at school and had earned me nicknames like, “crazy chick and freak girl.”
All I knew is that I didn’t want to deal with the snapshots, the guilt, or the burden of saving people anymore. I wanted out. Curled up in bed, blanketed with uncertainty and exhaustion, I drifted into a deep and welcome sleep.
CHAPTER 2 – A CLOSE CALL
I was sitting on a green plastic tub, one I’d strategically wedged onto the small balcony off my bedroom, when I heard Ally calling my name. Rising, I went inside to greet her.
With a concerned look and a frown she hurried into the room and gave me a big hug. “Are you all right? I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.” She held me at arm’s length and scrutinized my face with her big blue eyes. “I want to know what happened.” Taking a couple steps back, she kicked the door shut with her foot.
“I’m glad you weren’t here,” I said adamantly. “I wouldn’t have wanted you in that alley. Things were crazy out of control…and dangerous like it’s never been before. If something had happened to you…well, I don’t even want to think about that.”
“I can take care of myself.” She pulled me over to the bed so we could sit down. “I’ve been worried sick about you. Tell me exactly what happened, and don’t leave anything out.”
A half hour later, after I’d finished a full recount of the night before, she said, “How insane! I can’t believe I missed all that action. So much for moving to a small town without any drama.” She drummed her fingers on the mattress. “Thank God you’re okay. And you saved the jogger, too.”
I rolled my eyes. “I wouldn’t say she’s alive because of me.”
“You might have had some help, but you got there and did your thing.” Thinking hard, she tapped her chin. “I don’t like how you’re your life was in danger. That’s something totally new.”
“After what happened with the cyclist, I deserve–”
“You have to stop blaming yourself for that,” she interrupted in a furious tone. Her face turned several shades of red. “You can’t be everywhere all the time. You know that. Besides, you’ve helped so many people. I ought to know, because I’ve been right there with you. We’ve saved a lot of lives, so let’s just keep things in perspective here.”
My frown deepened. “The cyclist dying…that was my fault,” I said adamantly.
Taking a deep breath, she stared at the ceiling. “You have to let that go and forgive yourself, especially now that the premonitions are back.” She bit her lip contemplatively. “I promise I’ll be here next time. I shouldn’t have gone home for the weekend – not with how emotionally screwed up you’ve been lately.”
“Oh thanks.”
“Well sorry, but you are.”
I sighed because it was true. “Ally, you know you can’t be with me all the time. Besides, you need to live your own life. I won’t have my premonitions dictating your every move like they do mine.”
She shook her head. “Sorry, but I’m here for the long haul.”
I sighed and we exchanged sidelong glances. “Can we please talk about something else for awhile?”
“Okay, fine” she said and glanced around the room. Soon she was making a loud tisking sound. “Tell me this.” She raised a brow. “When are you ever gonna finish unpacking? I don’t know how you can live with such clutter when your brain works with such precision.”
“Procrastination is my friend,” I said, relieved to have moved on to such a mundane topic.
“Yeah well, you need to be an anticrastinater and find the rest of your summer clothes. Those denim cutoffs are so outdated.” She smacked my leg.
“Who cares? I’m comfortable,” I said, completely familiar with her lectures.
She made a sour face and ran a hand through her auburn hair. “Whatever. Hey, I know. We could take a walk. Maybe check out that bookstore we’ve been talkin’ about. What do ya say?”
“Sure, sounds better than sitting around here.”
She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ll let you change clothes and wash up.”
“Why would I want to do that?” I asked just to be antagonistic.
She snorted. “The number of eligible bachelors in this town must be phenomenal. And you,” she jabbed a finger into my chest, “are most likely to find your type with his nose stuck in a book.”
&
nbsp; “Doubtful.”
“In my opinion,” she continued in a bossy tone as if she hadn’t heard me, “this little trip we’re taking to the book store is exactly when you should dress to impress.” Vogue as always in her navy Capri’s and white, ruffled blouse, she was the die-hard fashion expert. Not me. “And you should clean up the paint you’ve splattered all over your face and arms.” I gave her the evil eye, but she smiled sweetly in return and said, “By the way, the finishing touches you did on the trim work looks really good.”
“Sweet talkin’ will get you nowhere,” I said, dragging her out of my room and down the hallway. “I refuse to change my clothes or wash up. I mean really, who cares about a few paint specks? If you’re so concerned with appearances, you can always walk a few steps ahead,” I teased.
“I just might do that,” she countered, but her eyes twinkled with mischief.
Fresh paint still lingered in the tiny kitchen. We’d tackled the mustard yellow walls with a tranquil sage green a couple weeks before, and I’d finished painting the trim just that morning before she and Ben had gotten back. I’d done whatever I could to stay busy.
“We’re off to the bookstore to find a good man,” Ally called to Ben as we entered the living room, which boasted a shockingly red accent wall. Of course, what did I know? Ally was the color master and she said it created a “vibrant statement” and gave the room “color punch.”
Ben was sitting on the edge of the leather sofa, wearing his beloved Ichiro t-shirt and watching the game. I elbowed her, and she smiled slyly. “Oops, I mean a good book.”
Ben’s dark eyes darted her way. “You,” he said gruffly, “may only look at books, and you,” he directed his gaze at me, “already have too many books and should only look at guys.”
Laughing, Ally walked over and gave him a hug. They were perfect for each other. I was envious of the love they’d found. Ben had proposed on stage in front of the whole graduating class when we’d received our diplomas. Ally had been shocked but totally delighted. Loud cheers had erupted from the student body as he’d placed the engagement ring on her finger. It had been one of those memorable moments they’d tell their kids about some day.
“Books are more reliable,” I said.
“Hey,” Ben said, frowning, “who messed with my bat? It wasn’t sitting right in the holder.”
Sticking out my tongue in hopes of covering my anxiety, I raised my hand and said, “Guilty.” Not great at making up stories, I went with the truth. “I um…I might have used it to fight off wild dogs in the night while you were gone.” Thank goodness Griffey’s signature was still intact.
“Yeah right.” he laughed. “You’re such a liar! You probably ran into it when the power went out.” With a dismissive wave he added, “Get outta here. I’m trying to watch the game.”
I stepped into the afternoon sunlight. The over-powering scent of roses reminded me of my mother’s flower gardens. “If he only knew the half of it,” Ally said in a low voice as she followed me out.
“I know, right?”
We’d all graduated from high school at the end of May and had immediately moved to Bellingham. The small Pacific Northwest town was in the state of Washington and was home to Western Washington University, where we were all set to start classes in the fall. Moving immediately after graduation had been more about strategy than freedom. That’s what we’d told our parents, anyways. We’d convinced them that the majority of students would arrive in August, and we wanted to avoid the mad dash for decent jobs and good house rentals. The mention of “slum lords” had proven very effective.
Ally and I trekked along the sunny, maple-lined sidewalks in comfortable silence. Light blue skies stretched forever, eventually meeting up with the frigid blue waters of Bellingham Bay. We were only a few blocks walk from the main hub of Old Fairhaven. Specialty shops, restaurants, and coffeehouses made it a popular area. Beautifully maintained historic buildings along with outdoor cafes contributed to its European flair. I glanced across the street and shuddered; the infamous alley wasn’t very far away.
As Ally began talking about a shoe store she wanted to investigate along the way, a sudden wave of nausea swept over me and a sharp pain exploded inside my head. Bending over, I rested my hands on my knees and inhaled deeply. Apparently, there was no rest for the wicked.
“Oh crap, another one already,” Ally groaned and rested a hand on my back. “You just can’t catch a break these days. Hold on Lex. At least I’m here to help this time.”
I nodded just as the snapshots shattered the darkness behind my eyelids:
a lady with toddlers in a double jogger stroller
a green walk signal
the lady stopped in the middle of a crosswalk
a red truck skidding down the road towards the lady and her toddlers
Once the snapshots ended, I stayed hunched over, breathing erratically.
“What did you see?” Ally yanked me to my feet. Sun glinted off her auburn hair, and her blue eyes narrowed as her brows pulled together.
Trying my best to ignore the pain in my head, I opened my mouth to speak, but out of nowhere, someone smacked hard into my side. The impact sent me crashing into Ally, and she fell to the pavement. Her purse flew open, scattering things all about. Somehow, I managed to keep myself upright. While Ally hastily threw things back in her purse, I glanced up at the maniac runner. He’d stopped dead in his tracks, like he’d forgotten why he’d been running in the first place. Before he spun fully around, I had enough time to take in tan legs, black shorts, and muscular arms in a yellow t-shirt.
Standing warily only a few feet away, he had some nerve…He stared at my legs and slowly worked his gaze upwards. How dare he examine me like that? Heat ripped through my cheeks and burned my ears as he blatantly checked me out. Then again, I probably looked quite a sight all covered in paint splatters with my blonde hair sticking out in all directions from under my Nike hat. I’d neglected to put on any make-up other than mascara, and my eyes were still blood-shot from lack of sleep. Still, I didn’t think that warranted his scrutinizing stare.
Wait, hold everything… As our eyes locked, a burst of pure energy surged through my body. He rocked my world! His striking aqua-marine eyes drew me in, stealing my breath away. They were exceptional – more so than the swirling blues and greens of the Northern Lights dancing across an Alaskan sky. His face was perfectly symmetrical with the exception of a small crescent-shaped scar nestled in his left eyebrow. With short, sun-bleached blonde hair, golden bronze skin, and an athletically-sculpted body, he was gorgeous!
A horn honked, and he took a step back. With a shake of his head, he blinked hard, and his lips parted. “Who are you?” he said harshly.
I felt like a doe standing in the forest, eye to eye with a cougar. Me the prey, he the predator. Only I wasn’t worried about losing my life. I was worried about losing my heart. Under his gaze, I felt more alive than I had in months. Unfortunately, I was speechless. “I um…I am…”
With a puzzled expression he cocked his head sideways, and for a brief instant the corners of his mouth curled slightly upwards.“Never mind. You do know you have something all over your face?”
Heat flushed my cheeks. Before I could think of a snappy reply, Ally, whom I’d completely forgotten about, yelled, “Hey! Excuse us, but we need to get going.”
After muttering something under his breath, he shook his head, smacked his hands together, and then bolted in the same direction he’d been racing only moments before. The whole incident lasted about 15 second but felt more like 15 minutes.
“What the hell was that all about?” Ally examined her scraped elbow with a grimace. “Well, whatever. Tell me what you saw in your snapshots.”
Shame flooded my cheeks. I had a job to do. Glancing down the block, I spotted the lady I was looking for. No way could she die. Pointing, I said resolutely, “See that lady with the double jogger?” Ally shielded her eyes with her hand and nodded. “We need to reach
her before she gets hit by a truck!” Immediately, we broke into a run.
Up ahead, the walk signal beeped loudly, indicating it was time to cross. A couple holding hands ambled into the crosswalk, followed by a man walking his golden retriever. The mother with the stroller started across. Something made me glance backwards, and I saw the red truck only a couple blocks away. Fear flowed through my veins. We were too late; we weren’t going to make it in time.
I looked back at the lady and choked down a scream. She’d simply stopped in the middle of the crosswalk, her arms pumping madly as she tried to propel the stroller forward. It didn’t budge. She tried nudging it with her foot until she was all but kicking it. Still, it didn’t move.
The walk signal stopped beeping, and the red Don’t Walk message flashed. Other pedestrians on the sidewalk were oblivious to the lady having trouble in the middle of the road. She looked over her shoulder in a panic, and terror transformed her face. The truck was sliding out of control. Brakes slammed and squealed and burning rubber soon polluted the air.
“Oh, dear God! We’re too late. Lexi, we’re too late!” Ally cried, clinging to me.
Every part of my body shut down. She was right. And I was responsible. Again.
Out of nowhere, a familiar yellow blur raced into the street, reaching the stroller with supernatural speed. It was the maniac runner who’d smacked into me. After loosening something down by the tire, he stood up and shoved the stroller forward. It cruised to safety where an onlooker secured the precious cargo. Then he pushed the petrified mother in the same direction.
That was the last I saw of him before the truck barreled over him. My heart ripped in two. I couldn’t comprehend a world in which I would never stare into those aqua-marine eyes again. A bone deep chill coursed through my veins, closing around my heart. I didn’t need Satan to show me the way to hell; I was already there.
Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Page 2
