PROLOGUE
Ethan poked his head around the corner of the alley; his gaze instantly darted to the diner across the street again. Light pooled from the streetlights, it spilled across the road and sidewalk, illuminating the cars parked along the street. Light from the diner blazed out of its big, plate glass windows. The woman that had captured his attention was sitting in one of the booths, her blond head bent over the table as she read through something. She looked oddly familiar. Biting on his lower lip, his brows knit together as he studied her more carefully. He knew he had seen her somewhere before, that he knew her somehow, he just couldn’t remember where or how.
He pulled his head back and leaned against the cool stone wall. He closed his eyes, searching his memory for any hint of who she might be. He had been doing the same thing for the last five minutes, and it was proving to be a useless endeavor.
“What are you doing?”
He jumped in surprise, his eyes flew open as Mike and Jack stepped out of the shadows of the ally. “Don’t do that!” he snapped.
They grinned happily at him as they exchanged amused glances. They knew he hated it when they cloaked their presence from him and popped out of nowhere to try and scare him. It often worked. The thing that aggravated him the most was that he couldn’t do it to the; that he could not control his powers as well as they could, and they knew it. “So, what are you doing?” Mike asked again, his blond eyebrows drawn questioningly together.
Ethan scowled at them as he glanced around the corner again. “I was looking at that woman in the diner.”
Their eyes widened as they stared at him in shock. “Ah hell,” Jack finally groaned. “Don’t tell us you’re going to turn into your mother and father!”
“Hardly!” Ethan snorted, the thought alone made his stomach turn. “She looks familiar, but I can’t place who she is.”
Mike and Jack exchanged a glance before Mike poked his head out of the alley to look. “Where?” Ethan leaned around him and pointed to the small, pudgy woman in the diner window. Mike frowned thoughtfully, then his eyes widened in surprise, and his mouth dropped open. “It’s Kathleen!”
“What?” Jack demanded, shoving his way past them. “Wow! It is! Crap is that what we’d look like now?”
“She seems to have aged pretty well,” Mike said thoughtfully. “She’s got to be what, forty seven?”
“How old are you dumb ass?” Jack retorted sarcastically.
Mike scowled at him before turning his attention back to the diner. “Forty seven,” he muttered.
Jack smiled triumphantly at him before turning his attention back to the diner. “There you go. Well, I guess she doesn’t look that bad. I’m just glad we don’t look like that. Wrinkles,” he said with a shudder.
“Shut up Jack. Ethan, go over there and talk to her,” Mike commanded.
“What?” Ethan demanded as he rounded on him in surprise.
Mike nodded toward the diner; his short blond hair was tussled as it fell around his face. “Go over there.”
Ethan stared at him incredulously. “You go over there,” he retorted.
Mike and Jack looked at him like he was an idiot. “We knew Kathleen in college, if she saw the way we look now, she’d probably have a heart attack,” Jack explained slowly, as if Ethan were dumb.
Ethan was jolted as he suddenly remembered exactly who she was. Kathleen had been his mother’s best friend in college, but he hadn’t seen her in over fifteen years. He glanced back at the diner in disbelief. “What am I going to say to her?”
“Just go over there and see how she’s doing. I’m sure your mom would like to know. Now, go on,” Mike encouraged.
Ethan scowled at him. “I’m a little too old for you to be ordering around.”
“You’re not that big yet, now go,” Mike replied with a bright grin.
He would have stayed and argued with them, but he knew that it was pointless. They always won, and besides, he was more than a little curious to see how she was doing. He left the alley, jogging easily across the rain washed street to the diner. The bell above the door rang as he entered and the smell of human food instantly assaulted him. Wrinkling his nose slightly in disgust, he glanced down the line of booths to the middle-aged blond sitting in one of them. Her short blond hair had been pulled into a ponytail, and strands of it had fallen free to curl around her small, heart shaped face.
For a moment he was unable to move as he stared at her. She was not the woman that he remembered. This woman had lines around her mouth and eyes, her forehead was creased, and her skin had begun to sag around her neck and chin. There were strands of gray streaked throughout her hair. This is what his mother should look like, he realized with a start. The thought was incredibly sad, and more than a little frightening. For the first time he truly began to realize his immortality.
“Can I help you?”
Ethan blinked in surprise as he was pulled out of his reverie. A pretty waitress stood before him, an admiring gleam in her dark brown eyes as she openly surveyed him. He returned her smile without thinking. She grinned at him and moved a little closer, the menus in her hand brushed against his chest. “Would you like to sit?” she asked softly.
“Oh, ah no,” he replied, casting a glance at Kathleen as he recalled why he was here. “I just came to see someone.”
Her mouth pouted prettily as she took a step back. Ethan brushed past her, instantly forgetting her existence as he made his way toward Kathleen. He hadn’t seen her since he was ten years old, and he highly doubted that she would remember him, but he might as well try and talk to her. Besides, Mike and Jack would be pissed if he went back with nothing, and he didn’t feel like dealing with the two of them. He also knew his mother would love to hear about her old friend, if Kathleen didn’t remember him, so what? It couldn’t hurt to talk to her, and he was fairly certain that she would remember everyone else in his life.
“Hi, Kathleen right?”
She looked up from the paper she had been engrossed in, her large blue eyes blinking in surprise as her mouth gaped open. “Liam?” she gasped.
Ethan smiled as he slid into the booth across from her. “No, Liam’s my father, I’m Ethan.”
Her eyes widened even more as a bright smile spread over her pretty face. “I’m sorry, it’s just… you look just like your father!”
Ethan grinned as he slid an arm over the back of the booth. “So I’ve been told.”
Kathleen’s wide eyes rapidly scanned his face and posture as she shook her head in disbelief. “I can see some of your mother in you though. How is she?” she asked eagerly, leaning across the table as her blue eyes twinkled eagerly.
Although she had gained some weight, and her face was more lined, she was much like the Kathleen that he recalled. She was bright and energetic, with an easy smile, and an amazing amount of warmth pouring from her. For a moment he felt a stab of pain for his parents, and their friends. They had been forced to let Kathleen go, forced to push her out of their lives in order to protect Kathleen, and themselves. He knew how much it had hurt his mother, and from the eager, haunted look in Kathleen’s eyes, he could tell that it had hurt her too.
“She’s doing well.”
“Are they still living in Oregon?”
Ethan nodded. “Yes.”
“Does she have the big family that she always wanted?” she asked eagerly.
Ethan snorted as he grinned brightly. Big was not the way that he would describe the mob that was his family. “Yeah, there are ten of us.”
Kathleen’s eyes widened in surprise, she chuckled softly. “Your father must be going insane with that many kids.”
“Nah, he likes it. Mike and David swear that t
hey’re going to keep going until they have a thousand kids. Fortunately, they’ve decided to take a break for awhile.” He bit on his bottom lip, stopping himself before he told her that they planned to have more later on. He wasn’t at all accustomed to having to speak to humans, and he knew that his comment would have only confused her.
“Honey, that’s not a break, its menopause; trust me I know.”
Ethan’s eyes widened as he chuckled softly. He had forgotten how blunt, and open, Kathleen was. “I guess so.”
“Mike and David are still around though?” she asked in surprise.
He nodded as he thought of the giant pain in the asses hiding in the alley across the street. “Yeah, so are Jack and Doug.”
“Wow,” she breathed. “I can’t believe it. I don’t know how I lost touch with everyone, but I guess as the years go by...” she broke off as she shrugged and glanced down at the paper before her. “Ah well, such is life. So how about yourself? What have you been up to?”
Ethan chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip. How was he supposed to tell this woman that he hadn’t been doing anything but living with Mike, Jack, Doug, and David in the house that they had built behind his parents home? He didn’t have to be up to anything. He didn’t have to do anything but lounge around, enjoy his life, and help keep his unruly brood of brothers and sisters under control. He could do other things, he simply didn’t want to.
“Ah, not much,” he hedged.
She grinned as she pointed at him. “That’s your mother.”
“Huh?” he asked in surprise, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion.
“She always used to bite her lip when she felt uncomfortable, or nervous, or when she was deep in thought,” she explained with a soft smile, her eyes suddenly wistful and distant.
“Yeah, she does.”
Kathleen sighed and her eyes snapped back to his. “Well, you have to be up to something. College?”
“I graduated,” he lied. He hadn’t felt like being bothered to go away to school. His father, mother, and his friends had told him that he would enjoy the experience, even if he didn’t need the education, but he hadn’t wanted to go. “I do odd jobs here and there.” Which was at least true.
Kathleen gave him a sad smile as she nodded and took a sip of her water. “I’m sure you’ll find your own way someday.”
“Yeah.”
Ethan glanced out the window. Mike and Jack were still hidden within the shadows of the alleyway, but he could see them clearly in the darkness. “What about you?” he asked, returning his attention to her. “The last I knew you were going to France, to ah, take pictures,” he fumbled as he struggled to recall the details.
Kathleen smiled softly as she leaned back in the booth. “That was my ex-husband, he was the photographer. My daughter’s and I went with him.”
Ethan barely remembered her daughters, and he couldn’t recall their names. He knew the one was two years younger than he, and had been closer to his sister, Isabelle. The other had been very young the last time he’d seen her. “I’m actually between jobs right now.”
Her voice grew distant and thoughtful as her forehead furrowed with worry. Ethan realized that the paper she was reading was opened to the classified section. He frowned thoughtfully as he wondered what it must be like to have to work, or to worry about how to pay bills, and survive. He was extremely grateful that he would never have to know.
“What about your mom and dad?” she asked, pulling him out of his wandering thoughts. “What are they doing now?”
He forced himself not to bite his lip as he met her steady gaze. “Dad’s a lawyer,” he lied.
“Never thought I’d see that,” she said with a rueful smile. “I never thought your dad was the type to settle down, at least not until he met your mom.”
He shrugged as his gaze darted longingly toward the window. He was growing more uncomfortable by the second; he just wanted to be back outside, where he was free. And where Jack and Mike were waiting to bombard him with questions, he realized with an inward sigh.
“Well, I just thought that I would say hi, and see how you were doing. I have to get going now,” he said softly.
He was very adept at lying. He should be, he had been doing it his whole life and he thought nothing of letting them roll off his tongue now. “Oh yeah,” she said quickly. “Of course. Tell everyone that I say hi, and tell your mom...” her voice trailed off as her eyes became distant again. “Tell your mom that I miss her,” she breathed.
Again, Ethan felt that pain. It was his mother that had given up her friends, more so than his father. He suddenly understood the wistful look that crossed her face when his father, David, Doug, Jack, and Mike recalled stories of their younger days in high school and college. Without thinking, Ethan reached out and gently squeezed Kathleen’s hand. She seemed as surprised by the gesture as he was. He had never touched a human being in order to offer them comfort, but this woman looked so sad that he had needed to offer her some kind of solace.
“I will,” he promised her.
She patted his hand gently and released it. “Are they still living at the same place?”
“Yes.”
She nodded her eyes still sad and distant. “Maybe I’ll give her a call.”
“I’m sure that she would like that.”
He turned to leave. “Ethan.”
“Yeah?” he asked, pausing to look back at her.
“Are they still as in love as they used to be?” Her voice was soft, and her eyes gleamed with a fierce wistfulness that tugged at his heart.
“Even more so,” he said honestly.
She beamed at him as tears filled her large eyes. “That’s wonderful,” she said in a choked voice.
Ethan left before she could start to cry. He didn’t deal well with humans under normal conditions; he sure as hell didn’t know how to deal with an emotional one. Not that his sisters didn’t get erratically emotional sometimes, but that was different. They were different, stronger and tougher than any human could ever be. He darted back across the street and was almost pounced upon by Mike and Jack.
“Let’s get to the car first,” he said briskly. “I’m ready to go home.”
They exchanged glances, but shrugged as they followed him back to the car. Ethan filled them in on the conversation as they left California behind, and headed into Oregon.
CHAPTER 1
“For God’s sake Ethan, get up!” Isabelle cried impatiently as she tugged at his arm. Her brother groaned as he stubbornly refused to look at her.
“Isabelle I’m telling you right now, if you don’t get out of my room, I’ll...”
“You’ll what?” she demanded angrily. “Nothing, that’s what, now get up!”
Planting her hands on her hips she scowled at him as he opened one emerald eye to peep up at her. “What the hell are you doing here anyway? Go back to your own house,” he growled, rolling over and burying himself beneath his sheet.
Her eyes spit fire at him as she reached down and ripped the sheet off. “Hey!” he yelled, trying to rip the sheet back. She refused to relent it as they got caught in a tug of war that she was determined to win.
“Ethan Joseph, get out of this bed right now!”
His eyes snapped to hers as he scowled fiercely. She didn’t back down as she met his look with one just as fierce, and even more determined. “What do you want?” he snapped.
“Kyle and Cassidy climbed up a tree, they refuse to come down.”
“Get Ian,” he growled, finally managing to wrench his sheet back.
She instantly seized it again. “Ian is with Mike, David, Doug, Jack, dad, and Aiden, so forget about Aiden too. They got out of bed this morning, unlike some people, and went to town to get more wood for the new house.”
Ethan groaned as he threw his arm over his eyes. “They’re immortal, tell them to jump.”
“Ethan!” she cried in exasperation. “They can still break bones, and what if they accidentally stake
themselves on the way down?”
She knew that he was trying to stifle a laugh at the image that conjured. The only thing that held him back from doing so was the fact that he knew his brother and sister as well as she did. The possibility of them accidentally staking themselves was very good. With a loud groan he threw the sheet aside and swung his legs out of bed. Isabelle took a step back, a victorious gleam in her eyes as she smiled smugly.
He didn’t bother to look at her as he tugged on his jeans and a T-shirt. “How the hell do they manage to get themselves into these messes?” he muttered.
“The same way that we did.”
He groaned as he shook back his tussled hair. “Who dared them to go up the tree?” he grumbled.
“Julian.”
He snorted in disgust. “Of course.”
Isabelle waited for him to slip his sneakers on before heading outdoors. She led the way down the path that cut through the woods toward the lake before veering off on another path that led further into the forest. They had spent many hours playing in these woods as children, and Isabelle knew the trails like the back of her hand.
“Does mom know?” Ethan demanded.
“Like I was going to tell her, she’s got enough on her mind right now.”
“Huh?” Ethan asked tiredly.
Isabelle shook her hair back as she cast a scowl over her shoulder at him. “Never mind,” she muttered.
Ethan stuck his tongue out at her. Isabelle forced herself not to laugh as she made a face at him. They may be adults now, but he was the one person that could always bring out her childish side. She loved that the most about him. She turned down the path that led to the tree house, a path that she could follow with her eyes closed. The distinct chant of, “Jump! Jump!” suddenly reached them.
“Ah hell!” Ethan muttered as he broke into a run. Isabelle was right on his heels as they burst into a small clearing. Willow and Julian were standing at the base of a huge sycamore, looking up into its high, leaf filled branches as they continued to shout at their younger siblings. Cassidy was scooting down a branch, trying to adjust her hold as she started to slide to the side. Kyle, the less daring of the twins, had a death grip on his branch. “Don’t you dare jump!” Ethan bellowed, causing even Isabelle to jump in surprise.
Destined (Vampire Awakenings) Page 1
