“Well then, you’re in luck, I have a can of repellant in the truck, you are dressed like an Eskimo and ...” Sam walks to his truck and opens the door; he emerges with a very large rifle and cocks it. “I'm a light sleeper.”
“You are a true Texan aren't you?”
“Yes ma'am.” He tips his cap with a sly grin. He is adorable. “How about we take a hike?”
“Sure.” It is nice enough out for a hike. I grab a water bottle and one for Sam from the cooler.
“Make sure all of your valuables are locked up in the truck before we go.” My purse is still inside so I guess I am ready. The hike up the mountain is slow going due to my extreme fear that a snake could be hiding under every rock we pass.
“Bren, it's too cold for snakes trust me.” The trail is beautiful, there is a light snow on the ground, and we have seen two deer so far. Sam showed me some bobcat tracks that has me strongly considering sleeping in the truck tonight. He has his rifle slung over his shoulder as a precaution. I am starting to feel the cold so I agree to quicken our pace. The higher up we get the more snow covers the ground. I spy a red cardinal and it seems to be following us playfully. Its bright red feathers stand out against the winter scene like our own personal live Christmas card. I haven't seen this much snow in my life.
“Come here I want to try this.” I take Sam's hand and drag him out to a small clearing of snow, leaving our belongings on the trail. I lie down in the powdery soft snow and make a snow angel. Sam sits down in the fluff and makes a snow ball. I rise to view my masterpiece and get nailed in the rear end with a snowball.
“Oh Sam, I can't believe you would do such a childish thing.” I scowl at him. When I have him convinced I am mad, I chunk my own hidden ball of snow right at his chest. He catches it and pretends to fall to the ground. I join him on the ground.
“Truce,” I say. He replies with a kiss. Snow is a very fun thing, but now my butt is numb. Sam helps me to my feet, and we continue to the top of the trail.
“Hey Sam, how did your sisters handle losing your mom?”
“Well they took it hard, I mean they were only six when she passed away. But my mom tried to make things as easy for us as she could. She made the girls and I each a video diary to be played on our birthdays other occasions. It's good you know, to hear her voice again whenever we need to. Christmas is hard on all of us though because she didn't get to spend it with us. She passed away early November.” I think about the time we had our last big squabble at the airport in November, it must have been around the time he lost his mom. Emily really did nail the reason for his emotional blip. Now I really feel like a jerk.
“She was pretty sick those last few months. Dad spent most of his time at the hospital and I stayed home with Mia and Macie. They needed something to get their mind off of how sick mom was so I helped them round up all of our old tee shirts from our family trips or team sports, whatever held a memory. We cut out the middle of them to make squares, then we each hand sewed a section of them together. My neighbor back in Ft. Worth helped us finish it out to a nice blanket. Mom cried so hard when she got that ugly old thing but she slept with it in the hospital and then it went in her casket at the funeral.” I like Sam's stories, this one was heartbreaking. I am glad neither of my parents had to suffer like that.
“Your mom sounds like a wonderful woman and mother.”
“She was. You kind of remind me of her, except you confuse the hell out of me most days. You are a mystery to me, girl. I am glad we finally get to spend some down time together though, maybe this is my chance to figure out what makes you tick.” I laugh at his comment.
“I'm not mysterious. What do you want to know?” I say with caution in my voice.
“See, that right there. I feel like you’re always hiding some truth from me just out of reach.”
“You're pretty good at reading me. But I am very down to earth I think.”
“Then what is it you aren't telling?
“Well there is one thing that I have been meaning to tell you.” I eye his rifle and give pause to the fact that no one knows we are up on this mountain. But I have a Keeper looking after me so I feel safer and he deserved the whole truth. So I take a deep breath and begin, “The night of the dance, after I went home, Elijah and I kissed before he left town, and he came back to visit for a couple of hours about a month after that as well. I love you Sam, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get over him. I just want you to know everything. I never want to hurt you again.” He continues his pace beside me silently for a few minutes and my fear of losing him begins to escalate. Finally he takes my hand in his and turns to me.
“If he comes back would I lose you to him, because I never want to be second in your heart?”
“I honestly can’t answer that. You know I want to say no but the truth is, I have never been in love before and now my heart is torn in two.”
“But he left you Brennen, I would never do that to you.”
“I know you wouldn’t Sam and that is one of the reasons I love you. I don’t want to lose you, and you could never be second in my heart. Don’t you see that?” I caress his cheek and draw his lips into mine. I part his lips with my tongue and explore his willing mouth. I place a hand on each side of his face and just an inch a way I murmur, “If you want to leave me I will understand.” This is it, I have laid it out on the line, if Elijah returns I don’t know who I would choose, and if he wants to risk having his heartbroken to love me then that is a risk he has to be willing to accept. I can’t turn off my feelings like a light switch and I won’t lie to him about it either.
His hands reach up to mine and I am convinced he is about to dump me. He squeezes my hands and his reddened lips softly suck and pull on my lower lip, he parts my lips and gently explores my tongue with his. His kiss speaks volumes about his decision. It goes on and on as his desperate hands seek to claim my body as his. I submit to him by allowing his hands to explore my torso and a moan escapes my throat from deep within. As he withdrawals his heated lips from mine, he lingers over my chin, panting out a white vapor between our accelerated breaths.
“I think I’ll take my chances,” he says with an upturned wry grin. I return the look and we continue up the mountain. A while later he resumes our earlier easy conversation.
“So are there any other deep dark secrets in your closet?”
“Nothing, I have told you everything. If my character is flawed then it is no surprise after what I have been through in my life. I am in therapy after all.”
“Bren, no I don't think you’re flawed. I think you're perfect just the way you are. I just want to know you, like really know you, because I love you.”
“Alright, well you like stories, here is one for you. In San Diego my mother had flown in to visit me for Spring Break. It was soon after the divorce and I think they were still trying to reconcile. I was young, probably about five or six and she took me to this pool in the hotel where she was staying at to go swimming. I was swimming around with my little water wings on and doing whatever little kids do in the pool and my mom started flirting with some random guy at the hotel room. A couple hours later she got invited up to his room. And she dragged me up there. I remember sitting on the sofa drinking a root beer all by myself in a stranger's hotel room, while she was doing God knows what in another room. I was scared but I didn't say anything. I mean I hadn't seen my mother in months and so naturally I was afraid to upset her. So when you talk about your mom and your sweet little sisters, just know that my life was very different from yours growing up.”
“So you weren't close with your mom and then you find out she was never even your real mother?” I nod and kick a rock. The view from the top to the mountain is gorgeous. I pull out my phone and draw Sam in to my side as I snap a picture of the two of us with the Appalachian mountains behind us.
“Here take one of me, so that I have proof for my dad when I get back.” Sam hands me his phone and I snap a quick shot.
“You remind me
of my mom because she commanded attention the way you do. She walked into a room and people would take notice. If you would let people get to know you, you would be the most popular girl in school.”
“No one notices when I walk into a room and I am nothing like the most popular girl in school. You put me on this pedestal that I don't deserve to be on. One of these days I'm going to fall down off of it.”
“And I'll be there to catch you when you do.” Sam scoops me up in his arms and kisses my lips. I sigh as he sets me down too soon and we hike back to our camp. “And yes Bren, everyone takes notice when you enter a room. Yours was the first face I saw when I walked into first period that day. You captured my heart the moment your green eyes glanced my way.”
Sam builds the fire and I pull down the tailgate to his truck and make us a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches and some tomato soup on the propane stove. I bring Sam a big steamy bowl and we eat by the fire.
“Oh Bren this hit's the spot, it takes me back to when I was a kid, this was my favorite meal.”
“Yes, I love a good hot soup when it's cold out.”
“And you brought stuff to make S'mores right?” I nod. I swear he is like a little kid sometimes. The night has set and the camp has come to life with the sounds of the mountains. I hear an owl hooting and something scampering in the tree nearby. A yawn escapes my mouth.
“I can make us some coffee if you want,” Sam offers.
“Yes, please keep the warm liquids coming.” He clangs around over by his truck quieting down the wildlife with his good intentions, returning a few minutes later with a cup of hot coffee and a bag of marshmallows. He hands me one on a stick. He sets down a plate of graham crackers and chocolate pieces.
He sits next to me on a large overturned log, and we twirl our sticks in the fire. It's nice just the two of us out here, listening to the pop and crackle of the fire. I kiss his cheek.
“You really know how to treat a girl right.”
“I'm glad you think so. I think it’s more about knowing you're the right girl to treat.” He looks at me with such loving eyes I can't help but reciprocate. That night in the tent Sam is the perfect gentleman, keeping to his side of the air mattress but by morning he is curled up around me like a cat. We are warm under our blanket and having him entangled in my limbs like a sailor’s knot is even warmer. I squeeze his body closer and bury my cold nose into his chest. I haven't had the nightmare in months, ever since the night I spent with Elijah. Maybe because my subconscious found out that he was the stranger on the plane my mind could finally put it to rest. I fall back to sleep with Sam in my arms.
Chapter 16~ The Gift
I hang up the phone after confirming tonight’s plans with Emily. She and half of the student body will be here tonight for a New Years and Birthday party for me. She has been making the arrangements for weeks with Sam offering to foot the entire bill. How much does he make off of selling a horse anyway? I wonder if they are from old money, but I don't dare ask. I will probably never get used to this luxury home. Growing up I wasn't poor, but my dad was frugal to put it mildly. I was never spoiled. He only bought me what I needed, and if it was something I wanted, then I had to save my allowance to get it. After moving here with Grandma she was all about spoiling her only grandchild, she claimed that it gave her an immense amount of joy.
Sam has been on his cell all morning and I have been trying to stick by his side because until I hear otherwise, I am assuming we are still under attack. I peek outside and see a large white tent going up on the beach. This is really too much. I frown at Sam. He gives a sheepish grin. The weather has warmed the day to a crisp seventy degrees. The doorbell rings and I get up to answer it. Sam cuts me off while his ear is still pressed to the phone and drags me back to the arm chair. I roll my eyes and watch him as he greets who ever has just arrived. He points them in the direction of the tent and resumes his conversation on the phone.
He closes the door to the bedroom and my growing annoyance has got me on the move. I walk outside to the driveway and find there are several vans parked down the entire length of it. I examine their logos as I make my way down to the mailbox. It looks like we are having a wedding here tonight, not just my birthday party. I would have preferred just my closest friends and a small cake. This, this is just pretentious. I find a few colorful envelopes in my mailbox, probably birthday cards, and one large brown one. It has no return label on it. I try and slip a finger under the tape to pry it open but it is too secure. I head in to the kitchen and use the scissors. Inside I find a small jewelry box and two folded pieces of paper. I open the top one first and immediately recognize my dad's barely legible handwriting. How? The blood drains from my face and I feel my legs suddenly grow weak. I fumble over to the stool and take a seat, my eyes never leaving the paper.
Dear Brennen,
Happy Birthday angel, I know I can't be there for you on this special day and for that I am truly sorry. If you are wondering how you got this well, it is something I do before every deployment. If has found you, then it means that something has happened to me. Don't worry about me, you know they love me where ever I am, cause I'm soo damn special. Bah! Well there ya go. I know you have grown into an exceptional young woman and I want you to know I am proud of you.
There is something that I have kept from you and I hope you aren't too angry with me for not telling you personally but I just never knew how. But you are eighteen now and you can't be considered a minor in my murder trial, plus I guess I am already gone, so there ya go. I never could quite grasp the reality of it myself. Okay, here goes nothing. Remember that I love you and you are my whole reason for wanting to keep the world a little safer place. Now apparently it is your turn to save the world.
On December 31st I found you wrapped in a soft pink blanket on your grandmother's back porch. You weren't crying and you were still warm and cozy in your basket. I was sure I was looking at an angel. I had never seen a child so new or one so small. I picked you up carefully and you stared into my eyes like you knew that I was your daddy. Those green eyes of yours held me captive for quite a while. Inside your basket there was a note and a small platinum charm. After reading it I knew that I had to keep it a secret. I am so sorry I had to keep the truth from you for all of these years. Go ahead and read it now, I know you and you are dying to. You can come back to me when you’re done. I’ll still be here…
He does know me well. I open the box and find the angel wings; the charm feels much heavier than it looks. It is very pretty. I hold the folded paper in my hand. Although I am virtually surrounded with a bustling crew I feel all alone in the world at this very moment. My heart is beating fanatically in my chest and it is the only sound I can hear. I can't read this here. I cut across my yard and down to the beach. I hope Sam doesn't come looking for me for the moment or this could be one very tragic birthday. I pass the tent, now fully erect and being filled with things like a dance floor and numerous round tables. It really could hold a large wedding reception. The paper in my hands feels like it is of high quality and worn from time. I take a seat on the sand and look out to the sea. A large wind almost rips the note from my hand and my knuckles are white before I feel safe enough to loosen my grip. I peel open the aged paper. The note is written in an elegant script. This is my mother’s handwriting. I notice the similarity to my own hand writing and find the resemblance amazing.
Dearest William,
This is our daughter Brennen Elizabeth. She is an amazing child, she has your heart and you have mine. I have loved only you in this world, and now I have to leave it. It is with great regret that I cannot stay and love the two of you. I hope that life affords you love and happiness and if it doesn't, I know that Brennen will. When you look into her emerald eyes, that match my own, remind yourself of our love dear.
Brennen is no ordinary child. I need you to keep this in your heart and never tell anyone of it. She is only half human. She has the soul of an Angel. When she turns of age, give her the charm and
it will act as a talisman. It will help her to see who she really is, and it will help her to access her gift. Brennen was created to help us save the world. You are a protector William, a great warrior in your world, and now I need you to protect our dear child from a world that will try to corrupt and destroy her. I have complete faith in you as always.
P.S: Please, when the time is right, tell Brennen that I love her.
Forever Yours,
Emmagen
My mother was an Angel. I repeat it over and over in my head. I take the necklace from the box and with trembling hands I put it on. It’s cool against my skin. It doesn’t burst into glowing rays of light or even sparkle. Just when I began to question my birth mother’s sanity, I see the world in a split view, when I blink the sky turns red and the war is still raging at my feet. I blink again and I see my gray skied beach, with only a lone gull soaring in the wind. I blink again and the demons all stop and look at me. Now they know what I am. The Keepers take the reprieve and slay the lot of them. Will swoops down and stands in front of me. His wings fluff reflexively, like a bird quelling the water from its down.
“Welcome Brennen.” I rub my eyes trying to adjust to the two scenes flashing back and forth. It is very disorienting. “Don't worry we will teach you how to use the talisman. For now just focus on the realm you want to be in. When you are here you will still appear in your world but you will look like you are staring off into a daze.”
“Did you know about, you know, what I am?”
“Yes, I knew your mother.”
“Is she here? Can I see her?” He shakes his head and his wings partially extend. He sees I am curious about his wings. He turns around and fully extends them. I reach out and touch the feathers. They feel strong and soft at the same time. They come right out of his skin and look like very natural part of his body. “What happened to her?”
“She is a Seraphim Angel, they live in Paradise,” he says it like it's something that is common knowledge in my world.
My Soul to Keep (The Soul Keeper Series - Young Adult Paranormal Romance) Page 19
