True Connection (The Soul Mate Series)

by Walter, Rachel

  I laugh and start walking towards the door, shaking my head. Brothers. Speaking of, after a few minutes of searching, I spot mine through the window, sitting on the hood of the Jeep.

  I might as well get this over with.

  Flynn comes around the corner. “I’ll stay up here on the porch,” he smiles.

  “Thanks.” I walk outside and up to the Jeep. Henry doesn’t look at me. “Hey, Stud. How you holdin’ up?”

  “Dunno,” he shrugs. Then he takes a deep breath and pins me with his intense gray-green eyes. “Actually, pissed off.”

  I nod. “You can talk to me. Ask me anything, I’ll answer what I can, and what I can’t answer, I’m sure someone inside can.” I lean over the hood and rest on my elbows.

  “I really don’t wanna talk to you right now, Jaz,” he says.

  With a sigh, I hop up on the hood next to him. I grab his chin in my hand and force him to look at me. It’s now or never, and he needs to understand that I couldn’t tell him or I would have.

  Chapter 12

  Kitty or Turtle?

  “You don’t have to talk, you just have to listen.” I wait for him to acknowledge me. He gives a slight nod, and I let go of his chin. “I’m sorry, okay? I know I usually don’t keep things from you. I’m actually kind of glad the guys told you, now I can tell you everything,” I sigh and start again.

  “I had no idea anything like this existed, at least, not until Saturday, when Seth took me to the lake.” I tell him everything, what happened at the lake, the footsteps that had me paranoid enough to talk to Miss Jaynie, and I told him about how I fainted when I found out the giants were shifters. It felt so good, freeing almost, to have no secrets with him again. Through it all, Henry’s face is like stone, leaving no indication that he’s actually listening.

  As I try stressing why I couldn’t tell him and that he can’t tell anyone the truth about any of this, I get panicky trying to explain it all. He’s not dense, I know he understands me, I just wish he would respond to me.

  Henry starts smirking as I ramble on. Finally, he interrupts me. “I get it, okay.” He offers a small smile and bumps into my shoulder. “I understand. You weren’t in the position to tell me,” his words relax me some. “I do understand things now, like your insane need for Seth, those dreams, the guys and their craziness,” he pauses and glances towards the porch, where Flynn is sitting. “Seth is alright, I guess. I just couldn’t understand why he was so important to you, even before you guys were dating,” he shrugs. “I do feel like beating the shit out of him for getting you involved with a demon. I know he doesn’t want you to get hurt or be in any danger, but he had to know this would happen,” Henry says, disgust and rage masking his features.

  I grab his hand. “You can’t blame Seth for this. It’s not his fault I mouthed off to a demon in disguise, and then associated myself with Seth and three shifters.” I laugh a little at myself. “Seth said devuxen hunt anyone and everyone, for little or no reason. No one is truly safe from them,” I shrug. “Fane assured me that even in those attacks, their pack is protection. In every single one, once the wolves show up, the shadow goes away. Derik twists their image somehow though. I’m not sure what the guys actually look like in their other form,” I glance away from Henry nervously, and try to think of something to change the subject. “Did you hear what they were all saying about the shadow stalking thing?”

  “Yeah, what is that anyway?” he asks.

  “I’m not positive, but I think that it’s what I feel when I’m alone in the halls at school,” I shrug. “I thought it was a ghost at first,” I snort. “The night I told Miss Jaynie, they had a meeting with the Elders, Skeeter’s family, and Seth’s family.” I go back to my original point, and repeat, “You can’t blame Seth for this. I pissed off the wrong person on our first day at the Birth Control Academy.” I try to laugh to lighten the mood, but my joke falls flat.

  Henry pins me with a hard stare. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask to be put into supernatural, demonic danger,” he spits and stares at the trees for a few minutes. “I don’t blame you and I am still proud of you for putting Derik in his place.” He glances at me, and when I smile at him, his eyes travel back to the trees. “So are you really not going to change your looks at all? Did you stop aging?”

  I feel self-conscious, it’s weird but I don’t want Henry to look at me any differently just because of the Ichor. “I’ll age, my body will grow, and my looks will change like they’re supposed to,” I say quietly. “It’ll just be a slower rate than you or any of your little fan club members.” That reminds me to ask about Gretchen, but now isn’t the time. “I don’t really know how it’ll be for me. I don’t know if I’ll look this way for fifteen years or something,” I shake my head. I still hate not knowing, but there’s nothing I can do to solve that mystery. “Did you know Miss Jaynie is one hundred and twenty years old?”

  Henry flips his head around to stare at me with huge eyes, and his jaw nearly on the hood. I chuckle.

  “I never would have guessed that.”

  “Yep,” I say, and emphasize the p. “There’s an Amaranthine in Greece, one of the Ancients, who’s over four thousand years old.”

  He looks at me like I just told him the grass is purple, complete disbelief and shock. “So… You’re gonna live for like… Ever, basically,” he stutters and glares at me. “All because you’re with that freak? How does this shit even work?” he practically yells.

  “It’s unlikely I’ll live forever, so don’t worry about that,” I say. I also tell him what Seth told me about the lifespan for Amaranthine.

  He sighs, “Okay, so how is that even possible?”

  I tell him everything I know about Ichor and how I would receive it, and the lesson and example Seth gave me of immortals with immortals, and immortals with humans. I also tell him that I will never be invincible. “It’s kind of like having a shelf life. I have the same worries as you, and any other human. I just have a longer shelf life, but I’m still me, your sister and best friend.” I glance at him wearily, while lightly tugging the ends of my hair.

  He’s clenching and unclenching his fists, and his jaw is locked tight. I sigh and look away. He asked and I answered. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him right away. The whole, your-baby-sister-has-a-supernatural-soul-mate, and she’ll-live-longer-than-you-by-two-hundred-years, must be too much for him.

  He blows out a breath and hops off the Jeep. “I’m kinda hungry,” he glances to his watch. “We should probably go get Barry and grab food.”

  I nod slowly and worry my lip as I slide off the Jeep. He obviously needs time.

  What if he never accepts the fact that I’m different? What if our relationship just sputters and dies, right here and now? Tears pool in my eyes and I suck in a deep breath through my nose to try and calm down.

  Henry slows his walk and waits for me catch up. When I do, he puts his arm around my shoulders. I smile and squeeze his side.

  Henry stops in front of Flynn. “Can I see your wolf?” he blurts.

  I gasp and stare up at him with wide eyes.

  “What? I’m curious.” He shrugs.

  “Jazzy, you got about a minute before I shift, you ready for this?” Flynn says, with a challenging smile.

  “Rain check,” I squeak and shake my head before darting into the house.

  I search the faces until spotting Skeeter leaning against the far wall, and weave through the crowd to get to her.

  “You and Henry okay?” she asks.

  “I think so,” I shrug. “He’s outside, with a wolfy Flynn at the moment.” I pull a face, and she laughs.

  “They aren’t that bad, kind of cuddly in a wild way,” she laughs and bumps my shoulder.

  “One day, when I know for sure I won’t pass out, I’ll find out.” I laugh this time.

  I look around and see Seth with Sam, Barry, and Tony, so I pull Skeeter in that direction. We’re almost to the little group when Seth looks at me questioningly an
d meets us a few feet away.

  He looks around, “Umm… I thought you and Henry were good?”

  “He’s with Flynn, being curious, like a cat,” I shrug. Skeeter elbows me and grins wickedly.

  She walks to the window and opens it. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty!” she yells before nearly falling over in a fit of laughter.

  Several people give her dirty looks.

  Barry comes over to us, looking mighty evil himself. “Ya know, Skeeter, making us dinner won’t strain your voice,” he laughs. “And contrary to popular belief, I don’t eat that kind of kitty,” he winks.

  Pervert number one has made his presence known. Henry and Flynn walk in bumping fists.

  “I’m glad to be surrounded by self-appointed, standup comedians but seriously, I am kind of hungry,” I say.

  “Princess,” Tony says coming over to us. “Would you want to eat with all of us or would you rather some alone time with Pretty Boy?” Tony asks with a grin.

  “Ya know what, my furry friend? I don’t really care where I eat or who I am eating with, I just want food,” I pin him with a glare. “And if you ever call me “Princess” again, I will figure out that whole neutering thing, and you’ll be my guinea mutt,” I can’t hold onto my glare and end up laughing with the rest of our group.

  “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Princess. He was just messin’,” Barry says, and crosses his thick arms over his chest.

  He wants to play like that?

  “Turtle, you don’t get to discuss my panties,” I copy his stance and raise my eyebrow.

  Seth, Henry, and Skeeter lose it and start laughing hysterically. Barry’s face is red with anger.

  “Uh, Jaz? Wrong animal… He’s a bit too big to be considered a turtle. Are you feeling okay?” Sam asks in concern.

  “You told Skeeter?!” Barry shouts.

  “I may have mentioned it to her, by accident,” I bite my cheek to stop my laughter.

  “Whoa, what did we miss?” Tony asks in confusion.

  “If you tell anyone else, I’ll…” Barry starts.

  Fane comes over and interrupts. “You’ll do nothing, isn’t that right, Barry?” Fane says as he claps Barry’s shoulder.

  “Dad, you don’t know what happened,” Barry glares at me.

  “You’re right. I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care. Now, why don’t you all go get yourselves some grub and head home?” Fane says, dismissing all of us.

  We all say our goodbyes and then head outside to the cars.

  “I’ll come over around 9:30 or so,” Seth whispers in my ear as he wraps his arms around my waist. I hook my fingers into the collar of his shirt, and pull his face closer to mine. He leans down and kisses me on the lips. I throw my arms around his neck and hold on tight, not wanting this kiss to end.

  Just then Barry honks the horn. I startle and lean around Seth to give Barry the nastiest glare I can manage, which makes Seth laugh.

  These next few hours had better go quickly.

  ***

  When we get home, we find Leland in the kitchen. It looks like a flour bomb went off in here. There’s flour everywhere, including all over Alex.

  “You do know that the flour is supposed to go into the bowl, right?” Barry laughs.

  “I know that, but Alex doesn’t. Baking with munchkins is never a clean experience, as you can see,” he smiles, and I notice he even has a bit of flour in his eyelashes.

  I giggle, “Sure, blame the one-year-old.” I kneel down to Alex on the flour dusted floor. “Mean Daddy,” I say and wipe some flour off his cheek.

  “Hey! No teaching him new phrases!” he laughs as he points his whisk at me.

  “Why are you making a cake?” Henry asks.

  “Your mother wants real chocolate cake. So, that’s what I’m doing, making her a real chocolate cake,” he says as he checks the recipe. “According to her, the hospital only serves fake chocolate.”

  “Fake chocolate?” Barry repeats, and Leland shrugs.

  “Do you need any help here?” I ask.

  “Bathe Alex?” he laughs.

  ***

  Filling the hours until Seth arrives is my goal, but as it turns out, I miscalculated by about an hour. I bathed Alex, cleaned the kitchen, helped with dinner, did my homework, and took a shower.

  I decide to sit at my desk and work on my soldier sketch, but my eyelids are so heavy. It’s an epic battle to keep them open. I keep trying to talk to myself and move my feet around, to stay awake.

  I give up. I should go bug Henry and Barry, they’re entertaining enough.

  I lean back in my chair to stretch and I freeze.

  My walls have gone from white to baby blue, like my old room. I look down at my desk, seeing my planner and a textbook in the place of my soldier drawing.

  What the hell?

  Someone starts knocking on my door. A constant rapping of knuckles, it echoes through the room and pounds in my eardrums.

  I can’t deal with this room, or that noise.

  I growl as I open the door.

  My mouth pops open.

  Standing in my doorway is my dead sister, Sophie, light brown, wavy hair that hugs her shoulders, slim pink cheeks, wide stormy grey eyes, and a small round nose. Exactly how I remember her.

  She raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow and taps her foot.

  I reach out and poke her arm, when my finger meets the resistance of skin and I gasp, she’s really here! I launch myself into her arms and can’t hold back my sobs.

  It’s a miracle!

  I saw them pull her mangled body out of Dad’s car.

  She can’t be here.

  “Jazzy? Honey, what’s wrong?” she asks as she pats my back.

  I blubber and stutter. “I don’t understand! How… When... How are you standing here?”

  “Silly, what’s gotten into you? You knew I was coming home this week for break!” she laughs.

  Then everything goes black.

  No! Not now! I just got her back!

  “Sophie, you have to run!” I yell.

  She screams and goes limp in my arms.

  “No!” I scream, as we fall to the floor in a heap.

  I roll her to her back and check her pulse. My heart breaks for her all over again.

  “You have to wake up! I need you!” I yell. “I just got you back. I can’t do this without you Sophie! Come back!”

  When I stand back up to find help, something invisible knocks me backwards. My head cracks off the corner of my nightstand, on the opposite side of the room.

  I try to roll over when invisible hands grab my throat and squeeze. I fight the invisible person but there’s nothing there to fight.

  Something scratches at the door, but I don’t remember it being closed. My vision starts spotting as a wolf finally bursts through the door, and I’m able to breathe again.

  My body starts shaking, the demented looking wolf, with two heads, trying to fight off something invisible sends me screaming all over again.

  “Jazzy, can you hear me?”

  I hear him, but I can’t find him. I can’t even tell who it is. The words sound garbled, like a bad cellular connection.

  “Wake up, dammit!” someone yells.

  “Squirt, I need you to open your eyes.” That’s my uncle. Where is he?

  “Nap time is over, Princess!” I hear Barry yell.

  My eyes open wide, everything looks clearer, sounds clearer and I’m looking up into three scared, and alive, faces.

  Yep, Barry looks scared, too.

  “Oh, thank God.” My uncle’s shoulders sag with relief.

  Henry and Barry are going to rip me a new one in about two minutes.

  I hold my breath and wait for them to shout.

  Henry leans towards me, puts his arm under my neck and the other under my legs, and stands.

  Holy shit!

  He lifted me off the floor! I was in my chair!

  My hand flies up to latch onto Henry, but seeing red I freez
e.

  “You’re the only one that knows what happened,” he whispers. “Barry is calling Fane, Seth, and Athan.” He sits me down on the counter in the bathroom and starts feeling through my hair for where the cut is. “They’re going to have to tell Leland, he’s really worried about you,” he sighs. I wince as he presses a washcloth to the back of my head. “It’s just a small scratch. Keep pressure on it and clean up. We’ll take care of your room, and I’ll bring you something comfy to wear,” he says with a sigh and shuts the door behind him.

  I hop off the counter, take a deep breath, and face the mirror.

  One stupid scratch on the back of my head produced gallons of blood? My blonde hair doesn’t look blonde anymore. Blood is streaked and smeared on my face and shirt. Damn, did I walk out of a horror flick or something?

  I set the washcloth down and begin to strip down, tossing my bra and shirt into the garbage can. There’s no saving the shirt and I wasn’t a fan of that bra anyway. Turning the shower on full-blast hot is not the best temperature for a head wound, but I need warmth right now.

  I step into the steam and spray and feel the heat cascade over my skin like a hot blanket. Here I can cry.

  So I do.

  I push as much of my devastation, hurt and grief down the drain as I watch the water swirl down - red, pink, clear - and wash my face and body.

  With a heavy, tired sigh, I shut off the water and pat myself dry. There’s no point in hiding out in the bathroom. I’ll have to face the music at some point, and sooner will probably be better.

  I dress in the clothes Henry hung off the knob for me and press the washcloth back to my head.

  I desperately try to ignore that attack. I’m not strong enough to deal with the details of what happened in this one.

  I’m so frustrated with having to rely on someone else just to sleep, that I chew on the inside of my cheek. This is ridiculous! Oh, hey, stop what you’re doing I need a nap. Yea, right.

  The guys left my light on, I notice as I walk down the hall. I push open my door to flick the switch, but instead I freeze.