‘I hope she takes all this well, I need her.’ Seth’s voice in my head startles me. I trip over my own two feet, ending up on my ass, again.
I put my head to my knees. He needs me? Why would he need me? What does he need me for? He just met me, for crying out loud!
“You know, it would probably be more comfortable on the bench, or even on the boat.” I look up to see Seth standing over me. He actually spoke those words this time.
“Don’t you worry, I’m f-fine right here,” I lie. I’m not fine. I’m hearing voices that aren’t mine. I have officially landed myself in Looneyland. I need that straightjacket, those padded walls, and some extra strong drugs.
Seth laughs as he pulls me to stand. “You’re not crazy, you don’t need a straightjacket, padded walls, or tranquilizers, and you are far from Looneyland. The only voice you hear is mine, and that’s a good thing,” he smiles.
I freeze a second before narrowing my eyes. “Oh, my God! How did you . . . Are you a mind reader? How is hearing any voice in my head a good thing?” I feel like I’m going to have a panic attack.
This day was supposed to be about him talking to me, not about my mental state!
“I will explain everything. I’m sorry for making you feel mental. I’m surprised this is happening, too. It usually doesn’t happen this soon,” he states as he steers us toward the water, and I suck in a startled breath.
“You knew this would happen to me?” I shouldn’t have left my phone in the car, I’d be able to call Henry and have him here.
“Come on, please? Let’s go talk on the boat. You need to know the truth, before I can let you leave, or take you home,” he’s looking at me so sweetly. “Please, I think this is a good thing, a really good thing. And I hope you see it that way, too.”
I stare at him for a full minute. He gives me a small smile, and I remember, this is Seth. He won’t hurt me. “Fine, but you do realize I can swim. So it’s not like you can trap me out there.”
“I know,” he replies.
I roll my eyes.
The saying my dad used to say, “Curiosity killed the cat,” is thrumming through my mind as we climb onto the boat. He rows us out, but we don’t go to the middle of the lake. He steers us to the far side, near some trees with pink and white blossoms. Birds are flying, and we can even hear fish jumping out of the water in the distance.
I take in the peacefulness surrounding us and feel myself breathing easier.
“Well, what do you have to say?” I ask him.
He carefully moves to sit on the bench next to me. He takes a deep breath and looks directly into my eyes. “The reason I say you’re not crazy is, I’m an Amaranthine, a descendant of the Greek Immortals.”
I’m speechless as I stare at him with wide eyes.
Chapter 6
The Town Loon Speaks the Truth
“My family comes from a long line of Amaranthine and Ancients. You’ve heard of the Greek gods, right?”
I almost laugh. “You’re kidding, right?” I really expect him to start laughing and say “gotcha!” “What are you smoking that you think I’ll believe you’re some kind of demi god?” I can feel the panic rising again.
I cross my arms over my chest. I knew he had a flaw. He’s got some kind of a mental illness! What the hell do you say to a psycho to get them to take you back to dry freaking land?
“Are you done?” he asks quietly. I raise an eyebrow but say nothing else. “I know how this all sounds, trust me.” I work to hold in my snort at his words. “I’m not a demi god. Amaranthines are relatives to demi gods.” He takes a breath and clasps his hands. “My mother is Amaranthine, and my father was human. Amaranthines are technically human, too. We just grow at a slower rate than other humans do. We can do things that normal humans can’t.”
My heart stutters and I see him in a whole new light. This is his way of coping with his father’s death. I feel sorry for him for making up such things. He needs help that I can’t give him. “Seth, I’m sorry,” I reach out for his hand, lightly. “There are people that can help you with grieving,” I shake my head. “I’m not the best person to help with that, but I’m willing to try.”
His brows furrow. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I frown, “Your dad. I’m sorry to hear he passed.”
He pauses and just stares at me for a full minute, looking more confused than I thought possible. Then he laughs. He actually laughs. My temper flares and I’m seconds away from flipping his ass off the boat. “I’m so sorry, Jaz! I didn’t mean my father died when I said “was human.” I meant that he’s Amaranthine, too.”
My mouth falls open and I drop my face to my hands. No wonder he sat there and laughed. I just made a fool of myself. “Jumping the gun” as my uncle would say.
“Since my mom was born Amaranthine and my dad was born human, he went through a similar transformation that the kids go through. It just takes longer than a month, and not necessarily over anyone’s birthday. It’s a much slower process.”
I raise my head to look at him. “You really believe this?”
He grins. “If you elbow your brother, does it break your elbow?”
“No, I can sometimes bruise him. And my elbow is not broken!”
“Not bruised.” He lifts his shirt and reveals his sculpted, bruise-free abdomen, while I’m trying to control my reaction to seeing his body. “I’m basically made of a soft stone, for lack of better words.” He lowers his shirt, and I look back into his eyes. I can tell he believes he’s telling me the truth.
“Boys change into their adult body at thirteen, and girls at sixteen. It happens over the span of a month, starting two weeks before their birthday. I’m basically done growing now. My features will mature over time, my muscles will become more defined, and if I lift weights, they’ll get bigger, like a human’s. Amaranthine live longer than humans and we’re stronger and faster, too.”
“How are you different then?”
“The way we form relationships, how long we actually live . . . ” he trails off, so I move on.
“Why do males change sooner than females?” I raise a brow at him.
“My mom said that it had something to do with certain internal organs.” He blushes slightly.
I blow out a breath and try not to focus on his pinked cheeks. “All right, say for arguments sake, that I believe you. What does this have to do with me?” I’m missing something huge and I’m betting I’m going to smack myself for it, too.
“Do you remember your first day here?” he asks me.
I snort. “Of course, how could I forget? Derik is a moron.”
He chuckles at my answer. “I saw you on your way to third hour,” he says quietly, as he looks down to his hands. “That was the first time I saw you. It was also the first time I felt another person’s emotions.” He looks up to my face. “You were nervous, depressed, worried, and annoyed.”
I remember the day perfectly, and I’m pretty sure I was all of those things.
He goes on. “I was so shocked that I skipped third hour and stayed in the hallway outside the door to your class, just so I could feel you. I felt everything you felt, and I didn’t want to lose that.”
I feel my chest moving, but I can’t feel the air moving in or out of my lungs.
He gives me a long look before continuing. “When an Amaranthine finds their soul mate, we have a true connection with them. Physical, emotional, mental, it runs bone deep.”
My eyes narrow as a vise squeezes my heart. He can’t be implying that I have some kind of connection with him, true or otherwise.
“My mom told me that there were other things that needed to happen, to know if we make that connection for sure. We feel the other’s emotions, hear their thoughts, there’s physical attraction, and when our skin touches, it tingles.” He reaches over and places a finger on the back of my hand. I just stare wide-eyed at him as I feel the tingles, again.
With a mask of uncertainty on his face, he continues. “But all o
f those things need to happen to you, too. She said that since you’re human, it could take a while for some of those things to happen.”
I feel the tingling when he touches me, but I stay silent, because I don’t understand what this means.
He clears his throat. “I heard a thought of yours that first day, too. When I came in late to math, your voice was like an angel’s song in my head. I’ll never forget it,” he shakes his head. “You thought about how you were wearing your sister’s favorite band tee, and how you dressed for comfort. I could feel your attraction and depression.”
Okay, I did not tell anyone that was my sister’s shirt.
Maybe this isn’t as much insane, mumbo-jumbo as I thought.
His voice breaks my train of thought. “I know we’re attracted to each other, I feel what you feel, and if you haven’t figured it out yet, you will. You’ll be able to feel my emotions. Maybe when or if our relationship gets stronger.”
I’m startled as realization dawns on me.
I would very much like to kick myself for not realizing what he’s been saying.
Panic has completely taken over as I process the information he’s given so far. “Back up. Are you trying to say that, that you, you’re, um . . . that I don’t have a choice anymore? You’re it for me? We’re soul mates? The man I am supposed to marry one day, way down the freaking road, is you?” I shriek. How is he not freaking out? He looks amazingly calm given what we’re talking about.
He reaches out like he’s going to touch me but falls short, like he thought better of it. “If you accept us, then one day down the road, we can take our relationship to that level. For now, I just want to get to know you.”
“So, we’re it for each other? Look no further, the ride stops here. No college parties gone crazy?” I muse to myself more than to him. “Well, that could be a good thing. But it’s like you’re saying my options are being taken away from me, and I’m forced to be with you.” I cringe. “That came out wrong! Don’t get me wrong, you’re great and all, well other than this crap, but . . . Okay, I’m just going to shut up now.” I mash my lips shut before I choke on my toes.
What the hell is wrong with me?!
“I’m sorry you feel I took away your options, or your possibilities,” he says quietly. He looks into my eyes. “I know you still think I’m the town lunatic, but I am telling you the truth.”
I stay silent. No point in beating a dead horse, I need answers.
He shrugs. “Anyway. I told you I had to travel to get permission to tell you any of this. I left on Friday with my parents to speak to the Elders about you. See, this is rather uncommon. Usually, our soul mates are of our own,” he shakes his head. “It’s not totally uncommon, look at my parents. It just doesn’t happen as often.” He shrugs.
I look away from him again, trying to make sense of what he’s telling me. But he doesn’t give me a minute to process any of it, he just continues on.
“After talking to my parents and the local Elder in our area, I had to travel to an island near Greece to get permission from the Ancients. They said I couldn’t tell you any of this, without meeting all of the ‘Soul Signs’ full term. It was determined that we met them, when you trusted me enough to let me in your world.” He pauses. “That’s why I was in such a bad mood on Tuesday. I thought I’d never get you to trust me with your brother and his friends hating me the way they do. When you came to me yesterday, I laughed because I finally knew I had a chance.” He looks back to my eyes. “I don’t want you to have another breakdown. I wasn’t even near you and I felt your utter devastation. It was awful just feeling that, and even worse, knowing I couldn’t do a thing about it, or even offer you comfort. The Elder in our area told me that you had some tragedies in your family and are very choosy with who you trust and for good reason.”
He’s sort of rambling now, and I wonder if it’s because he’s anxious. Whatever the reason, it’s kind of cute.
I need to make sense of this information swirling in my head. “What’s the difference between an Elder and an Ancient?”
He clears his throat. “An Elder is the oldest Amaranthine in a specific location. They’re like a counselor for a group, so to speak. The Ancients are a group of nine Amaranthines, the absolute oldest of our race.”
I nod. Then remember he said an Elder told him stuff about me. I frown. “How did your Elder know that stuff about me?” I think I should just make a mental list of questions to ask him when he’s done talking, might save time.
“She knows you. Jaynie Gill, Alex’s nanny.”
My eyes might fall out of my head with as wide as they keep getting. How many non-human humans are hiding out in my life?
He ignores my shock. “After you finally trusted me enough to let me in, I started picking up more of your thoughts.” He smiles. “One day we will be able to have an entire conversation in our minds. For now, it’s only a thought with a lot of emotion, not volume. It’s like thinking of someone important to you.”
Suddenly, it feels like someone is caressing my mind. The sensation makes my eyelids flutter and close, and I see a picture of a beautiful woman. She has long straight red hair, brilliant green eyes, and a familiar smile.
Shock takes place and my eyelids pop open. “Oh!”
I close my eyes again but the picture of the woman is no longer there.
“That’s my mom. Thinking about something that you love can do it, too.”
The same sensation overcomes me and this time, when my eyelids close I see the inside of a library.
I struggle to find my voice. “You love to read?”
“Yes, I do.” He smiles. “Your turn.”
I have no idea how this works, or if it’s even real, but I guess I might as well attempt. “Okay, someone important to me.” I think about Henry, and peek at Seth, he nods. I guess it worked. I shrug. “Something I love.” I think about the lake scene I turned in yesterday. It’s a combination of two things I really love: drawing/painting and water.
He nods again. “Henry is important to you, but I already knew that.” He winks. “Did you paint that?”
I feel a real smile form. “Yeah, it’s the lake behind Leland’s house. I’ve always loved to draw and paint. And I love water, too.”
I feel strange. There’s so much information and what we were just able to show each other, by thinking of it, it’s bizarre.
I begin to feel something else. The more I focus on it, the stronger it gets. Its happiness, but it’s not mine.
I look to Seth, and he has a gorgeous smile on his face.
“You’re happy?” I ask.
“Yeah, I am. We just did all of that in our minds, and you didn’t think either one of us were crazy. Thank you.”
I think about that and figure I should be honest with him. “Well, this is starting to become more believable, because I feel your emotions and hear and see some of your thoughts. By the way, your mom is beautiful. You have her eyes and smile.” I look away from him and look out over the water.
He laughs. “I get that a lot. I’m thankful for my dad’s dark hair. I could’ve done without the curls, though.”
“I like the curls,” I whisper. After a few minutes of silence, a thought hits me. “How does Skeeter fit into all of this?”
“She’s Jaynie’s granddaughter,” he says carefully.
I ignore my first reaction, and move onto sorting out my next thought. “Jaynie told me her parents died when she was in her twenties. If she’s Amaranthine, wouldn’t they have been Amaranthine and lived longer than that?”
“It’s not impossible to die from natural causes. Her father was military and her mother went where he was stationed, that’s how it is for soul mates, they need each other. A bomb was dropped on their camp, they were killed in their sleep.”
I nod slowly, and understand Miss Jaynie more.
Another thought crosses my mind. “So, Skeeter will be changing soon? Is it going to be a dramatic difference?”
He shakes his head. “No one knows how dramatic the change will be until it happens. Her parents are thinking of home-schooling her until senior year, depending on how much she changes.”
I think I’ve been overloaded with information. My train of thought keeps crossing wires with stray questions.
It makes me want to cross my eyes.
“This is what the giant triplets were referring to when they told Henry about your first year at Lupiterra. They said how scrawny you were, and when you came back to school the next year, you were practically a man.”
“The giant triplets, that’s a good name for them,” he snorts. “But yes, I didn’t exactly practice secrecy at first. After my body changed, I did all the things I’ve wanted to do, because I could finally do it. It was fun, but my mom was furious with me,” he snorts again.
“Do you have more to tell me? Or can I ask some more questions?”
“Actually, I was thinking we could go somewhere and get lunch if that’s okay. We’ve been out here for a while,” he suggests.
My stomach answers for me, and we both laugh. He starts to row the boat back to shore.
I take the time to get my thoughts straight.
He’s Amaranthine, not human. Well, not really. He ages slower than humans, but how much slower? How big of a difference will it be? When we get older, will we look like a twenty-something with a sixty-something? Ew. Why am I even thinking about this?
Duh, because you want him!
Proof that I have in fact gone crazy, I’m having a conversation with myself!
I just need to think of something else before I have a panic attack!
There’s a clan of Ancient Amaranthine, or whatever, somewhere in Greece, who know all about me. That’s fabulous, I snort at myself. At least, they demand secrecy.
Do the Amaranthine have special powers? Probably not, but what the hell, maybe one of them can fly. That would be kind of cool.
How are Amaranthine not demi gods, and how are they related to the Greek gods?
Do the Amaranthine have enemies?
I wonder if there are such things as wizards, zombies, giants, or vampires. Are there any conventions for such creatures? Like, a magical retreat, support groups for ogres, a blood convention, or maybe a ‘Brains ‘R’ Us’.
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