Kelly gave him a gentle smile and nodded. “Show her, Garren. She needs to know.”
Rachel blinked rapidly, obviously completely confused and disoriented. “Wha… Show me what? Don’t come near me!” She jumped away from Garren as he came closer and stumbled over her own feet.
Garren reached out and grasped her arm to keep her from falling, and then in one, fluid movement, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers.
Kelly felt a twinge of jealousy for a moment, but knew it was just human reaction. She knew Garren had to kiss Rachel in order to show her what she needed to know, and he was holding her gently so as not to alarm her even further, but he was not kissing her with passion like he had kissed Kelly the night before. It looked like a rehearsed kiss, like a stage kiss, and nothing more.
After a few moments, Garren released Rachel, who gasped and stumbled backward again. He grasped her arm to keep her from falling yet again and steadied her.
“Oh my gosh,” Rachel all but wheezed. “Oh my gosh. I think I’m gonna hyperventilate. What’s going on?” Her eyes were wild and frantic as she sought out Kelly. When their gazes locked, her brow furrowed. “Kelly, what the crap is going on?”
She sounded on the verge of hysteria, and Kelly ran to her. “Rachel, breathe. Come sit down.” She helped her sister to the couch and Garren stood close by, but not too close, trying not to frighten Rachel anymore than he already had. Kelly glanced up at him. “The wings, Garren. Could you put them away? I think you made your point.”
He gave a sheepish smile, blushed slightly, and retracted his wings.
Rachel snatched the bottle of rum off the coffee table and took a huge drink out of it, then slammed it back down on the table. Several unsavory curse words came out of her mouth before she shook her head and let out a long, slow breath. “Okay, I feel better.”
Kelly and Chad exchanged a look, and Kelly snickered.
Rachel managed to gather herself with a great amount of dignity under the circumstances, and she turned a level gaze to Garren. She pointed at him. “First of all, you did not have to purposely scare me even more than you already had. Second, I’m sure communication would have been a lot more gentlemanly than manhandling me into a kiss that instantly flooded my brain with visions. Third, I want a freakin’ explanation, and I want it right now!”
Garren raised an eyebrow.
Chad chuckled. “Yeah, not related to you at all, is she, Kells?”
Kelly shook her head. “All right, Rachel, brace yourself. I have a lot to tell you.”
Chapter Twelve
Kelly didn’t know what to do with Rachel. She hadn’t really expected her to take things so hard. She’d explained to her about Garren’s race and the Creative Realm, and now Rachel sat on the floor against the couch with tears streaming down her face, nursing the remaining bottle of rum.
“Rachel, please get off the floor,” she pleaded. “Give me the rum.”
She clutched the bottle and scowled up at Kelly. “I just found out I’m a murderer,” she snapped. “I think that gives me rights to drink.”
Kelly’s heart twisted at her sister’s distraught expression. She never thought that Rachel would remember their game enough to be able to see Garren, and she definitely hadn’t expected her to believe so much that it would turn Garren solid. It was horrible, but she really hadn’t believed that there was enough humanity left in Rachel for her to be upset over the death of her guardian. She was happy that Rachel proved her wrong, but felt at a loss as to what to do.
“I killed an entire race of people,” Rachel murmured, more tears cascading down her cheeks.
Kelly shook her head and knelt in front of her sister. “It wasn’t just you, Rachel. It was all of us.”
She sniffed. “Speak for yourself, Kelly! Your guardian is standing right here in front of you!” She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. “I murdered mine.” She put her face in her hands, then snapped her eyes back up to Kelly. “I remember when I turned my back on you, Kelly. I thought I was too good for you. I thought I was too grown up to play silly games. I was mean and cruel, and I’ve been mean and cruel ever since then! I always thought I was so much better than you because I had a normal job and a normal life! I always thought you were a freak! What kind of sister thinks that?” She wiped at her eyes, but it was useless. More tears just replaced the ones she wiped away. “The whole time I was acting so superior, you were the one who was better than me! I’m so sorry, Kelly.” She put her face back in her hands and let out a little sob.
Kelly blinked in bewilderment. “Rachel…” She couldn’t even formulate words. She had wanted to hear her sister acknowledge her for the longest time, but she hadn’t envisioned it like this. Rachel was crushed, and Kelly had no idea how to console her. How could she when, even though the words she spoke against herself were harsh, they were true?
She felt a light touch on her shoulder and she looked up at Garren. He gave her a soft smile. “Can I?” He gestured to Rachel.
Kelly moved out of the way, more than willing to let him have a go at comforting her. She felt stuck and dumb, like someone had stunned her to the point of stupidity. She glanced up at Chad, who hovered nearby. He glanced at Rachel as Garren sat down beside her, and he snatched the bottle of rum from her when she wasn’t looking.
“Hey!” Rachel cried. “Give that back!” She lunged at Chad, but Garren pulled her into his arms. Rachel immediately buried her face against his shoulder and cried. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbled over and over.
Garren sighed and stroked her hair. “Rachel, listen to me.”
“You must hate me,” she wailed. “You should loathe the very sight of me.”
“I don’t loathe you,” he assured her. “Please, Rachel, stop crying.”
Kelly noted how soft his voice was. It was the most soothing sound she’d ever heard. It comforted her, and she wasn’t even upset. She let her eyes travel over him as he attempted to console her sister. He was so kind. He’d held no love in his heart for Rachel after her demeaning attitude and antics with Roger, but there he was, holding her and speaking soft words to her…like all the guardians had done in times past. Maybe it was ingrained in him to do so, to take care of the Kindred Spirit Sisters no matter what, but Kelly thought it was awfully selfless and very commendable.
“Rachel, look at me.” He took her by the shoulders and pushed her back so that he could reach up and wipe at her tears. “You cannot take all of the blame on yourself. There were five of you. All of you played a part in the obliteration of my race.”
“Even me,” Kelly added softly. Garren looked over at her, and she averted her gaze. She swallowed. “Rachel, I all but forgot too. Garren was trapped in nothing more than a prison for twenty years. I did that to him.” Her voice sounded faint in her own ears, raspy and whispering.
She looked up as she felt fingers encircle her wrist, and she let Garren guide her down to sit on the other side of him. He slipped his arm around her and pulled her close to him, directing all of his attention on her, even though he still held Rachel with his other arm.
“You brought me back,” he murmured, touching her face tenderly. “That is all that matters to me.” He turned his attention back to Rachel. “And you, because you remembered me and believed, you brought me back into solid form. I did not think I would ever be more than half a man, a semi-transparent representation of what I once was. The two of you, together, have done remarkable things.” He looked back at Kelly. “You in particular, my beautiful one.”
Kelly felt her face flush, and she buried it against Garren’s shoulder. She closed her eyes and relished how strong he was, how solid his body felt. She slipped her arm around his waist and snuggled close to him, needing his nearness and his warmth. She was coming to realize that it was something she needed on a regular basis.
“Garren…” Rachel shook her head as she searched for words. “I just don’t even know what to say, or what to think. Eamon…” Fat tears hung
on her lashes again, and her bottom lip trembled. “I can’t do anything for him? I can’t bring him back? I remember him now. Shouldn’t that make a difference?”
Yes, Kelly thought to herself. It should, and I believe it does, even if only on the smallest level.
Garren’s eyes were gentle, but he shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, Rachel. A creature of thought can’t be brought back once they’re gone.”
That’s a falsity. I proved that wrong. I intend to do it again, when I figure out how.
Rachel’s face contorted, and she started to cry again. “I didn’t know you were real,” she whispered. “I had no idea you really existed. I’m so sorry.” Her shoulders trembled with her sobs and she shook her head. “My life never had room for fanciful things. I didn’t have time to believe in the extraordinary.”
“It is common,” Garren replied. “You are not alone. Many people lose their belief after childhood. I was lucky.” He met Kelly’s eyes again with something close to blind devotion shining in his own. She reached up and ran her fingers across his jaw in a gentle caress. He closed his eyes and pulled his arm away from her so he could trap her palm against his cheek. Slowly, he slid it down to his lips, where he pressed an intimate kiss.
Chad handed Rachel a box of tissues he had managed to locate, and she blew her nose rather loudly. “This is stressful,” he commented. He sat down on the arm of Kelly’s couch and ran his fingers through his hair. “Invisible men, imaginary creatures coming to life, genocide…” He blew his cheeks out with a large exhale. “We need a vacation.”
Kelly giggled and looked over at him. “Right, where would we go? Find an amusement park and see if we can get Garren onto a roller-coaster ride before someone comes and sits on him?” Her sarcasm even made Rachel snicker.
Chad rolled his eyes. “Funny, but no. We should do something, though. Get out of here for a few days. It has been entirely too intense around here.”
Kelly arched her eyebrows as she relaxed against Garren, enjoying the feeling of his fingers playing absently with her hair. “What do you suggest? What exactly can we do with a man almost no one can see?”
Chad shrugged. “I don’t know. Camping, maybe?”
Rachel scowled. “I don’t do camping.” She blew her nose again.
Kelly slid her gaze over to her sister and smirked. “Well, Chad does have a point. It’s secluded so no one would have to worry about seeing Garren but us.” She shrugged. “Might be kind of fun.” She looked up at Garren. “What do you think?”
He seemed bewildered for a moment and opened his mouth to speak.
“No way!” Rachel protested. She gave Kelly a pained expression. “Come on, Kelly, I hate camping!”
Kelly sighed. “Rachel, Chad is making sense. You’ve only been traumatized for a few hours. We’ve been trying to wrap our minds around all of this for three days. It would be nice to get out of here and show Garren something other than my apartment, the roof, and the deli on the corner.”
She huffed. “Where exactly do you expect to go camping in New York City? The subway tunnels with the homeless men?”
Kelly rolled her eyes and chose to ignore her sister’s jibe. “There are some nice places in New Jersey along the Delaware River.” She sat up, enjoying the idea the more she thought about it. “I have a tent, and I think Chad does too.”
“I have to work, Kelly!” Rachel screeched. “And so do you! You have a book due in a month! Have you even started it yet?”
She waved her hand as if it didn’t matter. “I have writer’s block. It’s not like I can force my muse back into existence. It might help me to be out of this apartment for a while, actually. You can take time off. You have vacation time. What about you, Chad?”
“I can take a few personal days. It shouldn’t be a big deal.”
Kelly gave her friends a devilish smile. “All right, but no hair gel.” She pointed at Chad, who looked shocked. “And, for crying out loud, Rachel, no makeup or Armani. Nothing couture of any kind.”
Rachel and Chad exchanged pained expressions. “I didn’t even say I would go!” Rachel protested.
Kelly frowned. “You owe me,” she stated, more than serious. “You owe me, and you owe him.” She pointed at Garren.
Rachel looked down, and her shoulders drooped. “I’ll call the office. When do we go?”
Kelly grinned. “As soon as possible. I agree with Chad. We need to get out of here. You guys take care of work. I’m gonna go in my kitchen and see what I can find to take with us.” She stood and headed into her kitchen, closely followed by Garren.
“Kelly, what are we doing? I don’t exactly understand. I’ve never been camping before.”
She turned to face him and she smiled at his unsure and worried expression. “It’s fun, Garren.” She placed her hands on his chest and smoothed the fabric of his shirt. “Remember when we were little and we would camp out in my backyard sometimes? The girls and I?”
He nodded.
“It’s just like that. It’ll be good for Rachel and Chad. They are city folk like none other. If nothing else, watching them attempt to exist in nature will be very entertaining. Besides”—she gave him a flirty wink—“I’ll let you share my tent, okay?”
A brilliant grin lit up his face, and he pulled her into his arms. “That sounds like my kind of bargain.”
She smiled and reached up to tangle her fingers in his hair. She sighed and sobered. “Garren, I have no idea what you’re doing to me.”
He frowned. “What do you mean, little one?”
“The more I’m around you, the more I need to be around you. Your touch is an addiction. Your kiss is…” She shook her head. “There really aren’t even any words. It’s strange and abnormal for me. I don’t understand it.”
He pulled her close and nuzzled his lips against the side of her neck. “We are connected, Kelly,” he whispered. “In ways that go beyond what is normal.”
She gave a small giggle, but it came out breathy. She clutched at his shoulders and closed her eyes as she relished his sensual touches. “Garren, none of this is anywhere near normal.”
He smiled and raised his head so he could meet her eyes. He kept his arm tight around her, keeping her body pinned close against his. “I don’t understand it any more than you, little one. I have never known a creature of thought to…” He frowned as if searching for the right words. “Develop feelings of this nature for the human who created them. All I know is that I crave you every second of the day. I didn’t understand it at first, but after last night…I fear I can’t go without your touch. You are a beautiful necessity with so much more power than any human who has ever brought a creature into the Creative Realm. There are times when I believe that, because I am a creation of yours, I am different. I am…better.”
She gave him a quizzical frown. “Better? How?”
“I held out for so long in the Creative Realm. Yes, most of it was because you never truly forgot me, but part of it was because I just refused to give up. I wanted to live. I wanted to exist. None of my brethren had that kind of conviction. No other creature of thought has ever had it. My emotions and make up have always been slightly different.”
“And you think that has something to do with me?”
“With your power, yes.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and let the strands slip between them. “I am stronger because you are so strong. I feel the way I do for you because I am a part of you. You didn’t just create me with your mind, Kelly. You put your heart into me, and in doing so, you gave me part of it. A piece of your heart beats within mine.” He took her hand and placed it over his chest. “We are connected. We are a part of each other. I crave you because you are my other half.”
Kelly almost swooned. On the lips of any other man, those words would have sounded cheesy, like a bad pick up line. Coming from Garren, they carried the force of the strongest wind. They threatened to knock her right off her feet. The potency of his words hit immediately after their fo
rce, and it made her head swim. Ever since she’d been a young girl, after she’d gone to middle school and stopped calling to Garren, she’d felt alone. Part of her had always felt lost, no matter who she’d had around her. No relationship had ever been fulfilling. No friendship had ever completely taken away the ache. She’d chalked it up to her eccentricity making her always somewhat isolated, but now she wasn’t so sure. She didn’t feel alone when she was with Garren. She didn’t feel like something inside of her was missing. She felt whole, completed. Her heart raced when she was around him. It danced within her chest like it had never done before. Could Garren be right? Could she have poured so much of herself into him that he actually held a piece of her? Did soul mates really exist? And, if they did, could hers be the man she had brought into existence in a completely different realm?
She shivered, but she wasn’t sure why. She felt as if she’d just had an epiphany, but hard on the heels of that epiphany was a dark, ominous fear. She wasn’t sure if it was fear at thinking that another person could hold so much power over her, or fear of a different sort. Garren was not from her world. No one other than Rachel, Chad, and maybe a few other select people on the planet could see him. Relationships were difficult anyway. How could you make one work under those kinds of circumstances?
Kelly went cold, and she snuggled into Garren’s arms with the hope that his warmth would chase away the terrible feeling of impending doom that washed over her.
Chapter Thirteen
Garren was in the bathroom. Kelly had recently shown him the great luxury of a shower, and he wasn’t sure which he enjoyed more, Napoleons, or standing underneath that soothing, hot water. Perhaps if he could eat a Napoleon while standing in the shower.
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