by Aleah Raynes
Rushing out of the closet, I shut the door so I could check out my choice of clothing in the full-length mirror. Dark slacks with a royal blue silk blouse that hugged my form perfectly. I held out my hand and summoned my black heels.
When I glanced back into the mirror, I noted Dalton standing behind me, staring at me. "You look nice. Your family will be pleased."
Sawyer or one of the others must have briefed him on what was going on for the day. "Thank you."
Dalton averted his gaze, and I turned to face him. He was so close, I had to grab his arm to steady myself. He was quick to reach out and help me when I stumbled. The skin-on-skin contact sent a shock through me.
A vision formed in my mind, making me tighten my hold on him. Heartache ripped through me and tears rolled down my face. A woman with long black hair with similar facial features as Dalton stumbled back and sank to the floor. A large dagger stuck out of her chest.
Sobs shook me, but I knew they weren't mine. Dalton's.
The woman was his mother. I knew it without asking.
I let go of Dalton's arms and wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek to his chest. It was several moments before he hugged me back, then sank to the floor, taking me with him. He shook slightly. Had he known what my vision was? If so, he was either telepathic or a mindbender.
At the moment, I didn't care which power he possessed. I just held him because it felt like he needed it.
What seemed like several minutes passed before he spoke. "Lucia Crane is my aunt. She killed my mother because she joined the Order to fight against her."
Everything clicked into place. My dad's concern about Dalton being on board. The dark energy Dalton had.
I pulled back and stared into his midnight-blue eyes. Framing his face with my hands, I asked, "What are your powers?"
"Noxrego, aquakinesis, and telepathy."
Noxrego was the power to control shadows and darkness. It was a dark power from the Crane bloodline—Lucifer's bloodline. That was the dark power I felt when near him.
The door to my bedroom opened. Dalton and I looked up to see Cal standing in the doorway. His brows dipped as he stared at us. "Everything okay?"
I nodded while Dalton stood, helping me stand with him. Then he stepped away from me, but still held onto my hand until I balanced on my feet. I was still a little disoriented from the vision. It always took me a few minutes to recover. This time it was faster. I guessed it was because I held Dalton afterward.
After another moment, Dalton left the room without saying anything to Cal or me. I wanted to call to him, to ask him questions. But he was gone before I could get the words out.
Cal moved closer to me. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes. Somehow his energy broke through my shield.” Cal’s eyes widened and I could sense the fear rolling off him. I cupped his cheek. “I’m fine. It wasn’t as bad as other ones.”
Cal closed his eyes and kissed my forehead. “You need to double up the shields. If you are feeling up to it tonight, I’ll help you build a large one around your mind.”
I hugged him. He was being sweet and overprotective. “I need to learn to control my powers, not lock them away.”
After a long paused he sighed. “You’re right. But until then, you can shield them.”
I laughed softly. Was that his way to compromise? I’d let him have that one. But only because I wasn’t sure what I was doing yet.
Suddenly he pulled back and looked me over. “You look great. Are those shoes comfortable?”
Actually, they were. “Yes, why? Are we going to be doing a lot of walking? Should I bring a pair of flats?”
“No. No extended walking. You should be fine if they are comfortable.”
“We should get going.”
A wide smile curved his lips. “Yes. Let’s go.”
He linked our fingers and tugged me through the apartment and out the door. The swarm of butterflies returned to my belly.
God, I hoped I’d survive the overload of people I’d be around today.
And that my new family liked me.
Chapter 7
Filling out the registration paperwork was easy. In fact, my dad had taken care of most of it. All I had to do was pick my classes. Cal helped me by making a few suggestions. I had a suspicion he or Kent or both were in most of those classes. Maybe all.
We exited the student services building and walked down the path to the Administration building. Cal was so close to me that our arms brushed. I found it comforting. Then he linked our pinkies and my heart fluttered.
Once we reached the Administration building, he held the door open. I let go of his finger and walked in. The glass double doors opened to a large room with chairs and sofas arranged in sitting areas throughout the bottom floor. The smell of coffee lingered in the air. I took a deep breath and sighed.
Glancing to the back corner, I found a small café.
Cal placed a hand to my lower back and whispered in my ear. “The café has good lattes.”
I almost asked if he wanted to get one, but I was nervous enough. I didn’t need caffeine on top of it.
Cal motioned to the stairs. “The offices are on the second level.”
Nodding, I followed him up the stairs. Once on the higher floor, I heard the low rumble of voices. I glanced up to see Reed, Kent, and Sawyer by the large widow. They turned to me. Kent smiled as he pushed off the wall of glass toward us. Reed and Sawyer followed.
“Y’all didn’t have to come.” I was glad they were there. It was odd how I found comfort in them being there when I just met them the day before.
Sawyer fell in step with me at my right side. “Your family needs to know you have all our support. Dalton will be here in a moment.”
My heart fluttered at the mention of Dalton. I wanted to talk to Sawyer about Dalton being able to break through my shields, but I wasn’t sure what to ask. My shields were in place. At least, I thought they were. Maybe I should ask Cal to check them.
We turned down a hall and my gaze instantly met Dalton’s as he leaned against the wall. His curly black hair brushed his shoulders. Then a girl about my age stepped out of a door he stood by. She was saying something to him and my heart skipped a few beats.
Was she his girlfriend?
She was pretty with long chestnut hair that curled at the ends. She had more curves than I did. The black jeans with rips up the legs clung to those curves and disappeared into black boats.
Just then, the girl jerked her head in my direction. A crooked smile formed and she advanced down the hall. Sawyer and Cal tensed beside me, but said nothing. Dalton reached for her, but she shrugged out of his grip. When she reached us, she stood in front of me, causing us to stop in the middle of the hallway.
Holding out her hand, she said, “Hi. I’m Peyton, Dalton’s sister.”
I lifted my hand to shake hers and Sawyer blocked Peyton’s. “Not now, Peyton.”
She pouted but rolled her eyes. “Forever being the protector. I have a right to meet her.”
Sawyer tensed further and I placed a hand on his arm then extended my other hand to her. “I’m Rylee.”
“Yes, everyone knows who you are. That’s why your team is so protective.” She narrowed her gaze to Sawyer before returning a warm smile to me. “Is it okay if I come by sometime? I’d love to have a friend who is a girl and not a bitch.”
I giggled then teased, “How do you know I’m not a bitch?”
Her smiled widened. “Oh, I know these things.” She winked and faced Dalton. “I like her.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ll check in later.”
Waving, she moved down the hall.
“Sorry about that,” Dalton said drawing my attention to him.
“For what?”
“Peyton can be a little much at times.”
Cal nudged me. “She’s not that bad. But don’t let her take over you or your clothes.”
Kent nodded. “And your shoes. Yeah, just don’t l
et her into your room.”
I pressed my lips together to hold in another giggle. Peyton and I were going to be friends whether I wanted it or not. The idea of having a female friend was refreshing. Being around the testosterone of five guys 24/7 was going to scare away my girly side. I liked my girly side. A girlfriend would help me keep that part of me. After all, I needed someone to vent to when the guys pissed me off.
A hand touched my back and slid up the base of my spine. When I glanced up, I stared into Sawyer’s chocolate depths. A ghost of a smile played on his lips before he asked, “Are you ready?”
I shifted my gaze to the closed door. The family I never knew about was in there. My heart pounded and my palms began to clam up. No, I wasn’t ready. However, I couldn’t stall any longer. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
Reed opened the door and motioned for me to go in.
The room was larger than I expected. My gaze instantly connected with my father, who looked stressed. After crossing the room, I wound my arms around him and hugged him tightly. Relief eased the tension I felt since waking that morning. And since the vision I had of his death—or what I thought could be his death—from the day before.
He hugged me back, kissing the top of my head. “You’re trembling. Is everything all right?”
I hadn’t realized I was shaking, but I nodded in reply then stepped back. “I’m fine.”
Dad stared as if he wasn’t sure if he believed me or not, then introduced me to three strangers in the room. “Meet your uncles and aunt.”
The larger man stepped forward with his hand out. “I’m Joel.”
A hint of panic rushed through me. I still wasn’t sure if the incident with Dalton was because my shields weren’t holding or something else. Crap. I should have had Cal check them with me before leaving.
As if reading my mind, which was highly possible, Cal moved closer to me and placed my gloves in my hand. Thank God. I could kiss him for being so thoughtful. “Thank you,” I muttered.
Cal tucked a stray hair behind my ear, allowing his fingers to brush my cheek. It was subtle and I didn’t think anyone saw it until Joel said, “You don’t have a reaction to Calvin, whom you barely know, yet you fear touching me? Why is that?”
“Just precautions.” I kept my tone low. I didn’t want to call Dalton out in front of everyone. Especially before I got the chance to talk to him alone. He didn’t do anything wrong. Besides, my family didn’t need to know. “I’ve been around my team for a little over twelve hours now and have barely learned to shield.”
Joel arched his brow and I realized I revealed too much. “So why the gloves?”
My aunt stepped forward, pushing her brother aside. “Put your gloves on, dear, if it makes you more comfortable. Sometimes, even with shields in place, meeting new people can trigger the psychometry. It’s how it works. We shield ourselves to keep from being overwhelmed, but when the Universe needs us to know something, the shields won’t stop it from activating.” She cut a glance to Dalton, then back to me and smiled. “I’m Amber. It’s so wonderful to finally meet you.”
I hugged her instantly, grateful for her words. She confirmed Tyler’s theory about the powers. I had so many questions and I knew Amber would be there to answer them. “Thank you.”
Amber pulled out of the embrace. Tears filled her eyes. “You look so much like Zoey.”
My other uncle closed the gap between him and Amber. Now that I paid attention to him, I noted how much he looked like Amber. They were twins. Somehow, I knew that. My intuition had grown stronger since I arrived the day before. Interesting.
Amber’s twin nodded to me. “I’m Adam.”
“Hi.” It was all I could manage to say. I didn’t know where to start.
Joel spoke. “All your concerns and questions will be answered in time. As you train and grow stronger, you will understand more and more. Some things are just better learned than explained. Are you settled in with your team?”
“Yes. Cal and I registered for classes for the fall semester. Sawyer will be going over the history and laws I will need to know before starting school. I’m sure the others have plans to train me in different areas.” I was rambling. Despite waking up a few hours ago, I felt tired.
Pushing away my fatigue, I straightened and tried to focus on Joel as he talked to the group. “We’re having a gathering at the mansion Friday night. It is important you be there.”
A party? Really? “Why do I need to be there?”
My dad cut me a warning look. I ignored him. He kept me in the dark long enough. I loved him, but I was—according to Capissian law—an adult. I could ask rude questions if I wanted.
Amber smiled wide. “The party is to announce your homecoming.”
Umm…wasn’t that exactly what we didn’t want to do? “According to my kidetos,” I pointed to the guys behind me, “Lucia has put a price on my head. Making an announcement would let her minions know where I was. What if she has spies? Someone could get into the party and kill me on the spot.”
My breathing grew shallow and my body tensed. I couldn’t lose it here. I’d never had panic attacks until my powers surfaced. Now, when I got stressed, I panicked. And I really didn’t know why.
Warm, steady hands settled on my shoulders. I took a deep breath and leaned back into Sawyer. It was odd how I knew it was him. I couldn’t explain how. It was just a knowing.
Sawyer wrapped his arms around my shoulders, hugging me to him. Cal took one of my hands while Kent took the other. It was Reed who spoke. “I understand the need to present her to the people, but I agree with Rylee. She’d be a sitting duck for anyone who doesn’t welcome her. Give us a few months to build her strengths.”
Sawyer’s tone vibrated at my back as he added, “Make the announcement if you wish. But it will be without Rylee.”
Amber gave a short nod, her smile still in place. “Very well. We will have a private family dinner on Friday. I will do a press release to announce the heiress has returned and Archangel Michael’s prophecy is being fulfilled.”
When the guys didn’t speak, I said, “Do you think that is wise? I mean Lucia wants me dead or locked up or something. Wouldn’t making an announcement tell her where I am?”
Amber lifted one shoulder like she wasn’t worried. “Lucia already knows you’re here. She knew the moment you set foot on school grounds.”
What? “How? I mean I’m supposed to be safe there.” Panic snaked around my lungs.
Amber reached out and touched my shoulder. Instant I calmed. “The school is open to all Capissian, the Cranes included, and because of that it has an anti-violence spell over it. Whatever is done in an act of violence or intent to harm will happen to the antagonist as well.”
I shook my head, not believing it was that simple. My own family didn’t even take my safety serious.
Amber added, “Our people need hope. If she doesn’t should it will only make them anxious.”
Sawyer placed a hand on my lower back and steered me closer to the door. “We’ll be there.”
Amber clapped her hands. “Great. Be there by six. Your kidetos and dad know where it is.” She paused and studied each of us. “The Order did a great job matching you. The bond is starting to form faster than I anticipated.”
Adam took his twin’s elbow and tugged her to the door. “We do have work to do.” He nodded toward that us. “We will see you on Friday.”
The twins left and Joel silently followed them. Something nudged at me, an awareness I couldn’t put my finger on.
“Are you all right?” Dad asked, stepping in my line of sight.
Blinking, I nodded. “Yeah. Just tired, I guess.”
He drew me into a hug. “You should relax today.”
Cal dropped an arm over my shoulders. “I got it covered. We’re going to relax and have fun.”
A snort escaped me. “Fun doesn’t usually involve relaxing.”
“It will be. You’ll see.” He turned to the others. �
��Who’s hanging with us?”
Kent bounced on his feet. “I am.”
Sawyer shook his head. “Reed, Dalton, and I have rogues to track.”
I frowned. Cal must have caught the shift in my mood because he tugged me out the door. I barely had time to wave to my dad watching us with a grin on his face.
Sighing, I allowed Cal to happily direct me to his car and off to God knew where to do fun, relaxing things. I had my doubts anything he planned could be relaxing.
Chapter 8
When Cal pulled into the apartment complex’s parking lot, I glanced at him. “I know. We’re going to hang out and watch movies.”
I was teasing, but the idea did sound good. I was such a loser.
Kent popped his head between the front seats. “We’re picking up a few things.”
I studied his features with narrowed eyes. Mischief danced in his green gaze. “What kind of things?”
“Swimsuits and towels and stuff,” Cal said as he turned off the engine. Then he faced me, his brows bunching together. “You do have a bathing suit?”
“Yes. But where are we going swimming?” I glanced from one to the other.
Kent chuckled. “The Narmik River. It’s a short walk from the apartments.” He pointed toward the woods at the back of the building.
I glanced in the way he pointed then back at both guys. “Isn’t it cold this time year?”
Kent got out of the car and stretched. Cal covered my hand and my heart raced at the touch. “It’s cold all year round. We’re in the mountains. Come on. It’ll be fun.”
“Okay, but you said we were doing something relaxing. Swimming in cold water is not relaxing.” I climbed out of the car and came nose to nose with Kent.
He smiled, while dipping his gaze to my lips. My insides shook and warmed at the same time. Strands of his red hair fell into his eyes, which were the softest green I’d ever seen. Reaching up, I brushed the hair off his forehead. He turned his head and pressed his lips to my palm, his eyes closing.
I froze. Every part of my body felt like it was alive, tingling and electrified.
