Sweet Sleep (The Children of Ankh Book 1)

by Kim Cormack

  It was a wondrous experience to witness the beginning of the enlightenment of Kevin Smith. His abilities had given him catlike reflexes. He swiftly had a response to every action. It was as though he had been fighting forever, when truthfully the only person that Kevin had ever thrown a punch at was his older brother Clay.

  Every experience that Kevin had absorbed from them became collected information in his subconscious mind. Kevin’s brain ached for more information. Knowledge was an addictive power. Kevin could feel the tension growing inside of him. It was beginning to bubble under the surface. The pained expression on his face made this obvious.

  Lily looked Kevin directly in the eyes, touching his shoulder gently as she said, “You just have to find something that makes you feel calm, Kevin. You need to try to use up the excess energy physically in some way in order to control yourself in the beginning.”

  Kayn looked concerned as she watched the two talking just out of earshot and tried to ignore the nagging feeling that had been plaguing her since she had found out about his connection to the Triad Clan. Kayn was desperately afraid that she was going to lose Kevin somehow, and she continued pushing those thoughts to the darkest reaches of her mind.

  Kevin grinned as he walked towards her. Kayn said, “What’s going on?”

  Kevin replied, “We can have a little break while Lily and Grey go hunt down Frost and your sister.

  Kayn said, “What do you want to do?”

  Kevin took her in his arms. He kissed her lips and gave her a playful shove into the grass.

  She lay sprawled out on the green carpet and laughed, “You’re a crazy person. They could come back at any moment.”

  He got on his knees in front of her and said, “It might take them a while to find us.”

  Kevin crawled towards her and Kayn laughed nervously but didn’t move away from him.

  She gently reminded him, “We are not alone.”

  “What do you mean we are not alone? Look around. We are completely and totally alone,” he teased.

  Kayn looked around, and they were alone. They were not even out in the open anymore. They were lying on a bed inside a small rustic looking cottage. She said, “Do I know this place?”

  Kevin rolled off of the bed and took her hand and pulled her to her feet. He led her over to the large picture window. He said, “Do you remember where we are now?”

  Kayn took in the surroundings and told him, “This is your family’s cabin at the lake.” Kevin grinned and said, “Obviously plans have changed. We will be long gone by graduation, but I had planned to bring you here. I just wanted you to know that.”

  Kayn stared out the picture window at the wide open span of the lake. “How would you have gotten me out of my house past the wardens for a whole night?”

  Kevin wrapped his arms around her from behind and whispered in her ear, “We would have had to sneak out your bedroom window and leave your brother a Dear Matt note. I would have taken my lumps when I brought you back home.”

  Kayn watched a bird swoop down and skim the water’s surface to catch a fish. It missed its intended target and did another fly by before skimming the surface of the lake once again. The bird flew away with a small fish. She said, “Don’t you find it hard to wrap your mind around the idea of leaving everyone you love behind?”

  Kevin replied, “I’ve had to accept some pretty insane things in the last year of my life. Leaving town to protect my family is the one thing that does make sense.”

  They both chose to omit the other option. What if they are already dead? What if it was always goodbye? She looked into his eyes and recognized that either her friend was in denial or he was so highly evolved it was crazy. She strolled over and sat back down on the bed. She smiled and patted the bed beside her, “Come sit down and tell me more about these plans of yours.”

  Kevin stood in front of the bed and groaned, “I don’t think I have it in me to start something with you we can’t finish. I just wanted you to know that I had something bordering on romantic planned for us. I thought we could use a moment of calm before the storm. This gift that I inherited is scary. I feel a pharmaceutically enhanced kind of aggression. Lily mentioned a natural cure for my condition, but I know this isn’t the time or the place for that.”

  Kayn teased, “Let me get this straight. Are you about to tell me that you are actually in pain, and we have to do this?”

  Kevin inched a step closer to the bed and said, “When you put it like that, it sounds like a cheesy line from a video from Family Planning class.”

  Kayn laughed. The cabin was exactly like she’d always envisioned it in her fantasies. She beamed and said, “You knew I had fantasies about this place … didn't you?”

  He grinned and said, “I thought I would try the whole astral projection thing a few more times. It's not fair, if you know all of my daydreams, and I know none of yours. I was happy to find out that you didn't ingest a gallon of cream cheese and a box of crackers every single night before bed. I knew you were thinking about being with me, as much as I was thinking about being with you.”

  Kayn held out her hand toward him. He took it, and she pulled him towards her. She looked into the always accepting eyes of her best friend. Kayn had gazed into them a thousand times in the past. Usually wondering what he was thinking? She knew with certainty what he wanted in this moment. She studied the familiar curve of his smile and thought about his lips that she now knew were capable of kissing her in a way that made her heart overflow with adoration.

  She said, “Touché … you have me there.” Her lips met his in a delectable dance of breathless need, and they began tugging at their very sparse clothing. They were laughing and tickling each other, for the more they attempted to rid themselves of the pesky material, the more difficult it seemed. It was like trying to create an origami swan with tissue paper while drunk.

  There were a few loud thumps on the cabin door. That was all the warning they were given before Frost barged in. He saw their disheveled state and sputtered, “Whoops, sorry you two. Carry on. We will all be waiting outside.” He shut the door behind him as he exited.

  Kevin and Kayn sprawled out flat on the bed began to giggle.

  Kayn rolled over and said, “I have a good idea. I say we jump up and down on the bed for ten minutes and then come out.”

  Kevin laughed, “If we walk out together in five minutes, you look absolutely mortified, and I’ll look confused. Now that would be realistic.”

  Kayn reached over grabbed a pillow and smoked him in the face with it.

  He grabbed the other one and whipped it at her and said, “Is that how you want it?”

  They got wrapped up in their pillow fight and then remembered where they were and who was waiting outside. Kayn thought of the sound effects they made during their pillow fight. She looked at Kevin with wide eyes. He knew exactly what she was thinking. They started to laugh hysterically again. They strolled out together holding hands. The group waiting for them looked genuinely concerned for their mental well being.

  Kevin smiled sheepishly and told Kayn not to move for a second. He reached over and took a feather out of her hair.

  Frost was carrying five swords bundled in his arms. “Are you two ready to learn something very cool?”

  Kevin piped up, “Had you given me five more minutes, maybe I would have.”

  Frost leaned over and whispered in Kayn’s ear, “It obviously wasn’t supposed to happen.” Frost handed her a sword. “Swords … You want me to sword fight?” Kayn said hesitantly as she accepted one from him. The sword was so heavy that she tipped right over and the tip sunk into the ground. Kayn tried to pull the sword out of the ground, but it wouldn’t budge an inch. What in the hell was going on?

  Frost chuckled, that means … you just get to watch for a while. How about you and I show them how it’s done,” he said to Grey, who held a hand out very casually and caught his sword midair.

  Grey grinned, “Now, now, you know you haven’t beat
me at a sword fight in the forty years we’ve known each other, so bring it on buttercup.”

  The boys began the fight so fluidly that it looked choreographed by a movie expert. Kayn watched with her lips slightly parted in unhidden admiration. Now this was awesome, she thought. She was still struggling to dislodge her sword from the earth. How did they make it look so incredibly easy? Their swords clashed and clicked together with the expertise of countless years of training.

  Kevin watched intently for a while before walking over to Kayn and pulling her sword from the ground like it was as light as a feather. He gave her a funny look and said, “Having trouble with your sword?”

  Kayn glared at him and attempted to hold her sword upright. It was as though her sword, and only her sword, weighed a hundred pounds.

  “I guess it’s my turn.” Kevin raised his sword towards Frost.

  “Bring it, little man,” Frost jested, grinning as he raised his sword in Kevin’s direction.

  Kevin scowled at Frost’s pleased grin. He always knew just what to say to get to him. Their swords clashed with momentum growing from casual play to furious competition.

  Kayn turned and noticed her sister beside her. Chloe held out her hand towards her and she smiled. Kayn wrapped her identical fingers around her sister’s. She felt shivers of warmth as she felt their mutual adoration fill her with an inner peace. Kayn turned and glanced at Chloe once more and then she looked back at the fight.

  Kevin might actually beat Frost, she thought. Kayn knew that Kevin had copied every single one of Lily’s and Grey’s memories. He had the information inside of his brain of every single battle they’d fought. This gift Kevin had was truly amazing. Frost’s confusion as to how he was having his ass kicked by someone who had never before wielded a sword was priceless. Everyone’s attention was directed at the almost comical sword fight. Kevin was handing Frost his ass on a platter.

  Chloe stood beside Kayn, she held her hand. Chloe paused a second as Lily made eye contact with her. She mouthed the word, “Goodbye.”

  Lily mouthed “Goodbye” back at Chloe and smiled as she disappeared.

  They had all expected fireworks or a magical glowing light; something showing that Kayn and Chloe had become one, but when it happened Kayn did not even seem to notice.

  The boys had turned a simple sword fight into a pissing contest. They were getting a little carried away, so Lily stepped in. She stopped the fight by standing between them, and gushed one word, “Amazing.”

  “How in the hell did you teach him to do that?” Frost stammered.

  Lily said, “You were otherwise occupied and missed out on the conversation with Grandma Winnie." So, she began to explain the revelations that he had missed during his little break from training with Chloe. When Lily was done explaining Kevin’s genetic line, Frost stood there in shock.

  Frost said, “Well now it all makes twisted sense.”

  Kevin wandered over to Kayn and placed his arm around her. She gave him an enormous bear hug.

  She winked and said, “That was hot."

  “Really … it was hot?” Kevin knit his brow. He questioned. "Since when do you use the word hot?"

  Kayn laughed and said, “I think it all the time. I don’t usually say it aloud.”

  Kevin looked into her eyes. Kayn noticed him stealthily surveying the birthmark on the back of her ear as he planted a kiss on her neck. Kayn thought it was a little bit funny that Kevin was trying to be all sneaky and check her identity. Kayn’s sense of humor being what it was, she decided to go with it. She bit her bottom lip pensively and then leaned in to kiss him.

  From behind them they heard Grey’s thick accented voice say “Oh, for the love of everything that is holy, you people, do not make me get the hose.”

  Kevin and Kayn both turned a few shades of crimson and backed away from each other.

  Frost said, “Okay Kayn, it’s your turn to learn a few new things from me. First you have to pick up that sword. Now make sure you have a good grip on it. This’ll be a good way to get rid of some of that excess energy.”

  Kayn lifted the sword out in front of her and Frost swung his sword and hit Kayn’s out of her hands. It dropped, and created a dust cloud.

  He chuckled, “I said, get a good grip on it.”

  Kayn bent down and picked it up. This time it was even heavier. She struggled to hold it upright. She asked, “Is this some kind of joke?”

  He knocked the sword out of her hand again, and said, “All right love, this is getting a bit ridiculous.”

  Kayn struggled to pick her sword up once again.

  Frost glanced at Kevin, “I have had the joy of being tortured by Tiberius on various occasions. I’ve experienced his frustration when things do not go as planned. The last time I had the thrill of spending time with my brother, it was a lovely afternoon of slow and excruciatingly painful disembowelment. It’s an extremely unpleasant way to die.”

  Kevin said, “Your brother?”

  Frost replied, “Yes kid, we are related.” He raised his arms and said, “Take a good look at the glorious genes you have inherited. Your Grandfather Tiberius is the leader of Triad. Thorne, our older brother is the leader of Trinity.”

  Kevin said, “Are you the leader of Ankh?”

  Frost smirked and said, “I started out as the leader, but I opted out.”

  Kayn picked up her sword again. She ran at Frost attempting to surprise him. She swung the blade at Frost with a vengeance, and he gently tapped it out of her grasp. She lost her balance and landed on her knees.

  He directed the next spar at Kevin, “Do me a favor, spend some one on one time with your girlfriend and teach her how to handle a sword.”

  Kevin ignored him and got down on his knees in front of Kayn. He whispered, “Are you okay … Where’s Chloe?”

  Lily towed Frost away from the others and hissed, “That’s just about enough Frost. You are being a complete douche. You’re panicking about what Tiberius is going to do when he finds out about Kevin. Yes, this situation has the potential to be one hell of a shit show. We have no choice but to own it.”

  Frost replied, “Who’s panicking? I’m definitely not panicking.”

  Lily whispered, “Go and make nice. You are supposed to be training her not teasing and brow beating her.”

  Kayn looked up at Kevin and whispered,” No, I think something’s wrong with me.” She tried to lift her own weight with her arms, and she couldn’t manage to get up. She looked up at a clearly frustrated Frost who now stood behind Kevin.

  She repeated herself, “Something’s wrong with me.” Her vision wavered, and she crumpled into a ball on the forest floor. Kevin and Grey were at her side in an instant. They began trying to revive her.

  Frost stammered, “Oh for Pete’s sake … What now?”

  Lily ordered, “Let her rest. While Frost and Kevin were fighting I saw Chloe disappear into Kayn. I think we just have to wait, and see if it takes.”

  Frost had been busy with their testosterone filled games. They could all tell by the stunned expression on his face that he hadn’t noticed Chloe was gone.

  Grey said, “I saw it happen. I didn't want to say anything, and jinx it.”

  Frost appeared to have been stricken in the stomach. He turned around and wandered away from the group.

  Grey attempted to follow him, but Lily stopped him, and said, “Give him a few minutes alone.”

  They watched Frost walk away. Lily explained, “Chloe missed her chance at anything real by losing herself in her siren ability during her mortal life. Frost knew what she needed in order to be able to let go. She needed somebody to love her because they chose to. Frost gave her what she needed. He allowed his heart to go for a jog. He’ll get over it. He always does.”

  Chapter 29

  The End of the Fantasy

  They had been sitting in the grass for almost an hour beside a peacefully sleeping Kayn. Frost reappeared as if he had solidified out of thin air. He sat down quietly i
n the grass beside the group of patiently waiting and somewhat worried immortals and said, “Has she opened her eyes?”

  Lily responded, “Nothing yet, she appears to be sleeping”

  Frost looked past Lily directly at Kevin and said, “Well then this is a golden opportunity to get to know my nephew. What can you do?”

  Kevin had been sitting in uneasy silence for quite a while when Frost blurted a random question.

  “Huh,” he said. He turned away from Kayn to react to Frost’s blunt question.

  “Not speech writing then, obviously,” Frost chided.

  Kevin replied, “I’m not in the mood for games Frost.”

  Frost said, “We should run you through a few tests and check out what you are actually capable of.”

  “Until today, all I could do was see the odd dead guy wandering around. Well, there were a few other things, but nothing dependable. I saw the yellow light around Kayn when she was climbing up the stairs after her first trip to the in-between. When the symbols started flashing at Kayn’s house, I knew I wasn’t supposed to come along. I also knew she had to get into the circle. I had no idea what that meant. I just trusted it, and told her to get into the circle. I had a messed up dream about a body on a couch wrapped in plastic. There were a whole bunch of houses on fire. When Granny Winnie died, she willed me her powers. I think it kick started other abilities that I didn’t know I had. I can see other people’s memories now.”

  Frost said. “Well, if you can absorb people’s information, all of their memories, without erasing them that’s good. Never erase anyone’s memories, if you can help it. You will have to trust me on this one. I hope you never have to experience it. Our memories are all we have. Losing them, now that’s a fate worse than death.

  Frost glanced at Lily who looked at him and said, “Huh … Why are you glaring at me? What did I do?”

  “My point exactly,” Frost grinned and continued, “Remind me to get you guys a dictionary so you can learn to start your sentences with something other than huh.”