Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series

by Heather Bowhay

  No one said a word as water lapped against the side of the boat, and an engine rumbled in the distance. I looked at Jason. “You would have died immediately after Kieran had stolen all your Essence?”

  Jason nodded slowly. “Yes. If you hadn’t stopped him, I wouldn’t be here.”

  I swallowed hard. “Then I’m glad I didn’t listen to you.

  He frowned but glanced over at Max and said, “Kieran’s strength was incredible; he must have taken most of the Essence from the B.C. Guardians for himself rather than sharing.” He slammed his fist into his hand. “I just wish we’d tracked them and destroyed them after your first meeting in the alley.”

  “That was a big mistake,” Max agreed angrily. We should have searched harder after the trail went cold. Instead, we assumed they were drifters and wouldn’t return.”

  I looked at Max and asked, “Did Kieran get away again?”

  “Yes.” He shifted his feet.

  “Andrew?” I asked.

  “No!” Madison responded furiously from the galley. A knife lifted itself off the counter like a jet plane, flew across the room, and lodged itself in the wall.

  “Madison!” Jessica yelped. “Control yourself.”

  “I won’t apologize for my Flair,” Madison said rebelliously.

  I started trembling, and Jessica tightened her hold on my shoulder. “What about Melanie? Did I kill her?” I asked in revulsion.

  “No,” Jason said, bending down on the other side of the coffee table so he was eye level with me. “You did not kill her. Max searched the woods and couldn’t find her. But even if you had, it would have been in self-defense. Remember that.” He grasped the table. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you before the tree fell on you.”

  I must have looked pale, because Laci called out, “You need some food Lexi. We’re almost done with sandwiches. Drink some water.”

  Jessica handed me my water bottle, and I took a small sip. After placing it on the narrow table in front of me, I looked down at my dirty clothes. “How many Ray-pacs are there?” I asked.

  “We don’t know for sure,” Max replied. “They tend to travel in packs – anywhere from six to twelve in a group, and now we’re thinking this new pack has set up a home base in B.C. Today’s Ray-pacs are part of that group, and Kieran is probably the leader.”

  I raised my chin. “So, now there will be another confrontation?”

  “Sometime, yes,” Max answered.

  “Thought so,” I said, biting my lip. I thought about everything they’d told me so far and said, “So, an Amethyst’s role is to supply the Guardians with extra Essence when they need it, as well as to heal Innocents when necessary.” I received several nods and then exhaled slowly. “I think it’s time I tell you about my grandmother’s journals, because I think I have an ancestor who was a Guardian.” That brought a lot of interested looks, so I told them about Grandma Rose and Gilbert. But when the opportunity came to tell them about my premonitions, I didn’t take it. For some reason, I still felt compelled to keep that secret, which was frustrating but felt right.

  Jessica hugged me. “You definitely belong with us. Amethysts are so rare,” she added, “not many Circles have them, and now we have two.”

  “I still have a couple questions,” I said, wiping my forehead. “First, what’s the deal with an Amethyst being able to touch a Guardian and it doesn’t hurt? But then,” I glanced at Jason, “when it’s the other way around, it’s painful.”

  “That,” said Jessica, “is thankfully our one defense! But it’s also our nemesis, because it makes living among Guardians lonely at times.”

  “When I first touch you,” Laci said, handing me a ham sandwich and apple slices, “it’s extremely warm. After only a few seconds it’s burning hot, like I’ve just scorched my hand on the stove. The longer I stay in contact, the more painful it becomes, until it’s unbearable. Unless of course, we’re unlinked, then there’s no pain. But,” she smiled brightly, “you can touch us and share your Essence anytime, and we’ll never cringe or turn away. It’s soothing and exhilarating.”

  Jason, who’d been watching me solemnly, bit his lip and averted his eyes. Knots formed in the bottom of my stomach, but it was my aching heart that hurt the worst. Now I understood why Madison had said a relationship between him and I was impossible. The walls began closing in around me, squeezing, until eventually they would crush my heart.

  “So you see,” Jessica was saying, oblivious to my emotional devastation, “we are very valuable to our Circle of Guardians. But what’s troubling, is that we’ve heard reports of a few Amethysts disappearing from Circles on the East Coast. We’re not sure if the Ray-pacs have finally found some way to steal their Essence…” her voice trailed off as she took notice of my distressed face.

  Only, she had no idea that at that moment, I couldn’t care less about what the Ray-pacs could do to an Amethyst. I didn’t care if they’d found a way to steal the Essence from an Amethyst and leave her for dead, because that’s how I already felt – dead. A life in which I couldn’t be with Jason was like living in an empty void.

  “Oh Lexi,” Jessica said and hugged me, “don’t worry. We’ll protect you. You’re one of us now. We’ll work together, and you and I will supply our Guardians with enough Essence to fight off the Ray-pacs when they come back...”

  “Or when we attack,” Max interjected angrily. “They have to be destroyed. I have a hunch there was another Ray-pac in the woods – with a Flair for tracking. That’s how they found you both. Probably picked up Jason’s link at Nooksack Falls and then later escaped with Melanie.” He looked from Jason to me and back again. “If I’m right, they’ll be tracking him again.”

  “Why him and not me?” I asked with renewed panic, remembering Kieran’s threat that he wouldn’t allow Jason to live the next time.

  “Because they can’t track Amethysts, only Guardians because of our link,” Max answered and looked at us. “You two will need to lie low this next week. I’m sure our parents will want you to stay out at the Retreat where you’ll be safer–”

  “Why will we be safer there?” I asked crossly.

  “What you don’t know,” he said, setting his sandwich down, “is that the Ray-pacs are susceptible to water; it is their biggest weakness. Their abilities lessen when around water, but their Flair is completely lost when in the water.”

  “With the exception of Kieran, however,” Madison blurted out. “For some reason he’s immune, which is why he was able to shapeshift in the thunderstorm.”

  “Yes, Kieran is a rare exception,” Max said. “With all the rain in the Pacific Northwest, this is not a Ray-pac destination hot spot. However, lately our summers have been very dry and warm. They’ve obviously perceived the nice weather as an invitation to explore the region.”

  “That’s why you told me to run and hide in the creek,” I said, glancing at Jason, who nodded.

  “Anyways,” Max carried on, “After some down time at the Retreat, we’ll need to keep you both separated when you get back to town. That way if they find Jason he won’t lead them straight to you. Their Tracker might look intently for the next few days but won’t have much luck with both of you on the island. Knowing this is our stronghold, they’ll need time to gather reinforcements and formulate an air tight plan before making any serious strikes against us. I would imagine they’ll be back, and if the rumors are true from the East Coast, they might really be more interested in capturing Lexi. We’ll need to be better prepared.”

  “Staying at the Retreat works perfectly,” Jessica added. “They’ve been placed on mandatory leave at work because of the bank robbery incident.” She picked at her sandwich.

  My mind couldn’t keep up with their plans. I was confused and irritated that my screwed up life wasn’t even mine to control. Again. I didn’t want the Ray-pacs anywhere near Jason, but I wasn’t too keen on being separated from him either. At least I’d have a week with him at the Retreat first. They could count me in on
taking out the Ray-pacs though. I’d so whatever it took to get them out of Jason’s and everyone else’s lives. Suddenly, the storm around my brain cleared, and I realized all might not be lost.

  Walking to the back of the boat, I gazed through the sliding doors at a crimson sun sinking into the horizon. Exactly one half of the sun sat perfectly balanced on the edge of the ocean. Without turning around, I took a deep breath and said nervously into the glass, “Do Guardians ever have strong enough Essence to be Healers as well?”

  I was surprised by the stone cold silence that followed. Finally, Jason said curtly, “Why would you ask that?”

  The tone of his voice caught me off guard, and before I could respond, Madison put her two cents worth in. “Isn’t it obvious?” she said impatiently.

  “No,” Jason and Max both said at the same time.

  For some reason I didn’t want to turn around and face them. The strange warning feeling I got when I wanted to reveal my secret, was sharper than ever.

  “You’ve just told her it’s impossible for her to have any kind of relationship with a Guardian, because her touch is physically painful. You’ve basically said, ‘You can heal us, but we won’t be coming near you anytime soon.’ Don’t you see? She’s searching for other possibilities. How do you think she feels right now?”

  “Oh,” Max mumbled apologetically.

  “I am sorry,” Madison said in a softer, almost sincere voice. “I know how confused you must be. I talk a lot with Jessica about how isolated she feels.”

  Without turning around, I said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “You’re right Madison. I was just trying to cover all the bases. Make sure I wasn’t missing anything. Sorry if I upset anyone. ”

  “Don’t feel bad,” Laci said. “You’re not exactly off track in your thought process.” My muscles tensed, and I waited for her to carry on. “Fortunately we’ve never known anyone like that in our lifetime, but we know a few Guardians with Amethyst abilities have existed, right Max?”

  “Ages ago, according to historical accounts,” Max said, his voice a gentle protest.

  “Historical accounts?” I asked in confusion.

  “Yes, we have volumes of records and personal accounts that previous Guardians have collected and written down during the course of their lifetimes. These volumes give us the knowledge and details of our ancestors. All Guardian Circles keep current records, so they can be passed along through the generations. Ours are kept at the Retreat if you’d like to read them.”

  “I would,” I said. Tapping the glass gently with my knuckles, I added, “Why is it fortunate you’ve never known one?” I waited breathlessly, my heartbeat hammering in my ears.

  “Well, I just meant because the life of a Dentelle is so tragic; it would be really sad to witness something like that,” Laci said.

  I went completely still. I was a Dentelle. I had the ability to heal, yet I also had premonitions. That set my wheels in motion. Now we were getting somewhere. I just didn’t know where. Opening the slider a few inches, I let the sea breeze wash over me. The salty air heightened my senses. In an interested but not overly demanding voice I said, “Something like what?”

  “Our historical accounts only make reference to a few different Dentelle’s ever existing,” Max jumped in. “But in two of the cases we’ve read about, the Dentelle and Guardian died when trying to link. For some reason,” Max added, “the linking process kills them both – the Guardian immediately, and the Dentelle within hours of the attempt. In one instance, the Dentelle tried linking with several different Guardians, but all of them died as well. Despite their formidable Essence, no Dentelle has ever survived linking that we’ve heard of. And the ones who didn’t try linking still died in the end. No one understands why.”

  “Like a freak of nature,” Madison added.

  Mentally, I should have been passed being surprised anymore. But I wasn’t. At one time, when I’d first had the snapshots of myself being attacked by the mountain lions, I’d actually welcomed thoughts of my own mortality. I’d seen it as an escape from a life I wanted no part of. But Jason and Jessica changed that. Jason made me realize, made me remember, life is a precious gift not to be taken for granted. Jessica helped me understand that there is no such thing as a “normal” person. Everyone is different, each with his or her own strengths, weaknesses, and problems. I’d been grasping for an ideal that didn’t even exist. Once I realized that and embraced the special talents I’d been gifted with, I’d gotten my life back on track. Dying was not high on my list of things to do anytime soon, but this time it appeared inevitable.

  All of a sudden, I felt the snapshots bursting from the recesses of my mind. I gripped the sliding door and closed my eyes as the swirling colors shattered the darkness behind my eyelids:

  Glowing amber eyes, staring straight at me

  A wood cabin on fire in the middle of a snow-covered forest

  Kieran clasping hands with me as he leans forward until our foreheads touch – all in an attempt to link

  Myself and another person, maybe Kieran, slipping through the cracks of an icy lake

  My eyes shot open, and I stared at myself in the glass. My reflection was clear, just like my snapshots had been. I was destined to link with Kieran. I would destroy him before dying myself, but in the end I’d save my friends. Instantly, a plan began formulating. There was no reason I couldn’t link with multiple Ray-pacs, and take several of them down with me. When the time was right, I’d allow them to capture me. Kieran would be coming after me anyways, so I just needed to remain elusive until it was my time to link. Then I’d take them all by surprise.

  Max interrupted my thoughts with a question, and I masked the shakiness in my voice as best I could. I couldn’t reveal my plan to my friends, or let them know I was a Dentelle. They’d be devastated. They’d never go for it. So keeping my premonitions a secret was paramount. This would be my way of joining them, protecting them…

  A short time later our discussion wound down. They officially welcomed me into the Bellingham Circle of Guardians and Amethysts, and we headed back towards Squalicum Harbor. We’d only be on land long enough that I could pack a few things for my stay on Towhead Island. Jason and I would remain all week, with everyone else joining us on the weekend.

  Excusing myself from the salon, I found my way to the upper deck where Jason stood alone, manning the helm. Darkness loomed on the horizon, but deep, red hues still radiated across the sky – beautiful and dramatic. They were not nearly as heart-stopping as his stunning aqua-marine eyes, which suddenly turned and gazed right at me.

  “Hi,” he said quietly.

  “Hi yourself,” I murmured back.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his chest expanding as he took a deep breath.

  I gazed at him with a confidence I didn’t feel. If anyone could see through me or ferret out my secrets, it would be him. His bright eyes studied me as he fiddled with the silver chain around his neck. “I am now that I’m with you,” I said softly.

  He sighed and stared into the gentle waves just beyond the bow. “Alex, you and I, we’re not meant to be together. Not now and not–”

  “Shhh,” I said, moving next to his side. I pressed my finger against his lips and rested one hand on his shoulder. “Please don’t say it. I can’t handle any more tonight.” He nodded slowly, looking at me with such sadness that my heart broke in two. “I know that my touch soothes you, and I understand now why you can’t touch me. But right now, I need to touch you and feel your warmth. And I need to share my Essence, because I know you could use it…”

  Briefly, his eyes closed, and he sighed inwardly. With his hands once again clutching the steering wheel, he said, “Alex, your touch is so much more than soothing. No one’s touch feels like yours. That’s what scares me. I think you’re…well I think a lot of things, but that doesn’t make them right.”

  I touched his cheek. “Jason, from that very first moment when you ran into me on the sidewalk, I knew you
were someone exceptional. Exasperating, but exceptional.” I gave him a lop-sided grin and paused. “I couldn’t have handled losing you then, and I couldn’t have taken the loss today, especially if I’d lost you because of Kieran.” I shuddered.

  “No Alex, you’re the one who’s extraordinary. We’ll protect you from the Ray-pacs. I’ll keep you safe. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Crinkling my nose, I sighed. “Don’t worry; I’ll keep you safe too,” I responded. His eyes cut through to my heart, and I offered him an unwavering smile. Bravely, I leaned into his body, and even though he didn’t reciprocate, he didn’t refuse me either. I stayed there with my arm wrapped around him, sharing my Essence but gaining strength from him solid body, as well.

  Yes, I would do whatever it took to keep him safe. When the time came, I would die trying. Literally. But for now, I needed to live in the present – grab hold of every moment. And the present was currently offering me one week alone with Jason on a private island. The cool breeze whipped through my hair, and I breathed in the salty, sea air. I smiled to myself at an interesting passing thought. He might not be able to lay a single hand on me, but nothing could stop me from loving him…

  ###

  Read the following pages for a synopsis of book two, Linked.

  Brief Synopsis for Linked, book two in the Guardian series

  Leading a double life as an Amethyst and a Dentelle is difficult, loving two men is tragic, but for Lexi Adams, planning her own death is totally insane. After narrowly escaping the Ray-Pacs in Amethyst, Lexi and Jason are now headed to the safe haven on Towhead Island. Heart-broken, she understands why a Guardian-Amethyst relationship is forbidden, but that won’t stop her from trying. Unfortunately, another problem demands her immediate attention – one which could destroy her standing among the Bellingham Circle of Guardians.