“Well, maybe there’s a pair of scissors around here.”
Oddily had a point. Maxim began to search inside the cabinets while listening to her next question. “Who ended up healing me?”
“A member from the High Council came and was able to return your body to the way it was.”
Oddily’s delicately arched eyebrows furrowed together. “Then why am I feeling so weird?”
Maxim found what he was searching for, and then headed back over to Oddily. “Tell me what you mean. Explain weird to me.”
While Maxim began to snip off the excess length of her fingernails, Oddily answered him. “I don’t know. It kind of feels as though I took a breath of fresh air and can’t seem to let it back out.”
“Is the sensation uncomfortable?”
“Ummm, it actually feels kind of exhilarating!”
“There! That will be good enough for now. Tomorrow you can get a professional manicure and have your hair done at the same time.”
“Do you want me to cut my hair too?” Oddily gazed at him curiously.
“If I asked you to cut it…would you?”
“I probably wouldn’t!” Oddily’s crooked grin unexpectedly brought her features to life. “I’ll just tell the kids at school that I got extensions.”
Maxim smiled at her in return. “You’ll have plenty of time to think it over; but for now, I want to take you home.”
After a long pause from Oddily, Maxim’s heart dropped. “Did I say something wrong?”
“Well…it’s just that we still need to talk about what happened in the meadow.”
Maxim became suspicious. “All right, go ahead and ask me anything you want.”
“Will you do something for me first?”
Maxim remained wary but agreed to do whatever she wanted.
“Ummm…I want you to disappear in front of me, and then come right back.”
“Are you serious?” Maxim was visibly stunned.
“I just want to make sure I can handle it before…!”
“No…not now!” He shook his head. “You’ve been through enough for one night.”
“Please my love! I need to know how I will react.”
Oddily was being persistent so Maxim created a distraction. “You just called me your love. Is that going to be my pet name?”
Oddily gave him a sheepish grin. “I thought I would try it out but it sounds kind of corny.”
When another long silence followed Oddily’s last comment, Maxim had to ask, “Why are you suddenly so quiet?”
“I’m waiting for you to go poof and disappear.”
Maxim’s typically straight posture began to slouch. “Are you sure you want me to do this?”
Oddily didn’t need to answer. After hearing her private thoughts, Maxim knew what he had to do. He stepped away from Oddily to give her a good view and began to flicker and fade like a dying light bulb. The last thing he saw was her face. She was gulping for air.
Oddily stared at the empty space where Maxim had been standing while she tried to regulate her breathing. The shock of seeing him disappear was nearly as intense as the first time, but she was able to keep her wits about her. By the time Maxim reappeared she felt the natural instinct to run, but she stayed.
Maxim kept his distance from her while waiting for some kind of a response. He finally got one when she slid off the table and slowly came to him. She reached out and touched his arm.
“You really are a time traveler.” She whispered.
“Oddily, it’s true but I have no desires to follow in my father’s footsteps. I want to stay right here with you.”
“Then Nero truly is your father?”
“Yes.”
“But why does he look like a teenager?”
“Nero is from the future. In his timeline, aging no longer exists for him…or for you.”
“What do you mean?” Oddily took a step back. She didn’t mean to back up, but her body seemed to have a mind of its own.
The one who healed you has left a small fragment of his essence inside you. He did this to prevent your body from any further mutation. One of the main side affects is that you won’t age anymore.”
“Oh!” Oddily’s mouth gaped open. “You mean I…I will look young for the rest of my life?”
“This is true.”
“Wow!” She moved back over to the table. “Okay…I’m ready. Go ahead and disappear again.”
Maxim wasn’t sure what was happening inside Oddily’s head. He had tried to read her mind again but her thoughts were muddled together in a chaotic dance. All he could do was give her what she asked for and disappear into a shimmering light.
When Maxim rematerialized, Oddily was no where to be seen. The grief that followed brought Maxim to his knees along with the heart wrenching sense of defeat. He had lost her! Oddily wasn’t able to accept him for what he was after all.
Without warning, Oddily jumped out from behind the table where she had been hiding. She was ready to make a silly comment about disappearing too, but she lost her train of thought when she saw the love of her life on the ground.
Instead, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him. “What happened? Are you okay?”
For perhaps the first time in his life, Maxim didn’t fight back his tears and allowed them to fall.
“I’m sorry.” Oddily tried to cradle him, but he reached around and pulled her into his lap. “I was nervous so I was trying to cover it up by playing a little joke on you. Now I can see that under the circumstances, it was a stupid thing to do.”
Maxim kissed her cheek. “Please, don’t let this stop you from joking with me in the future…okay?”
“I won’t.”
Maxim dried his eyes on his shirtsleeve. “I’m assuming that it wasn’t as difficult for you to watch my third disappearance.”
“Oh yes! It was much easier this time.”
“I’m glad; but I refuse to vanish in front of you again, so don’t ask me to do it anymore.”
Suddenly Maxim cupped his hand over her mouth and whispered, “Did you hear that?”
With wide eyes, Oddily nodded as she stared up at the numerous crevices above, but both remained quiet until the noise stopped.
“What was that?”
“It must be Nero and Nexa. They are searching for Willa.”
Oddily climbed out of Maxim’s lap and stood up. “Is she lost?”
Maxim stood up as well. “I’m not sure what’s going on. Nexa seems to think that she short-circuited somewhere inside the cavern.”
“Oh, how terrible! I hope Willa will be okay!”
“Please, you mustn’t worry about her. Nero will take care of the situation.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. Come on. Let me take you home so you can have a good night’s sleep.”
“But I feel so…alive!”
Without warning, Oddily darted over to the opening that led to the underground tunnel.
“Slow down!” Maxim went after her. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“I’m not sure,” she shrugged, “and it doesn’t seem to matter.”
“Wait a minute!” Maxim grabbed Oddily’s arm and spun her around. “Try to describe what is going on with you. What are you feeling?”
“Maxim, I already told you.”
“Yes, I know. You said you feel alive, but in what way?”
Oddily lowered her lashes. “I…I know this will sound crazy, but I have an urge to run through the woods. It’s like my body is suddenly craving to feel the night air.”
Despite Maxim’s doubts concerning Oddily’s unusual desire, he found himself smiling. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
34
Oddily ran into the night, her only light coming from the moon. She felt exhilarated by the chill of the air against her face and laughed at the feel of her long hair whipping around her head. Periodically, her luminous eyes would look over her shoulder to see if Maxim was still follow
ing; and each time, he was a stones through away.
“I love you!” Her voice rang out happily.
Oddily continued to run towards Maxim’s home, but then veered off in another direction. She was now heading for the spot in the woods like no other in the forest. She had stared at the strange ethereal plant life from Maxim’s bedroom window and now she wished to surround herself with its beauty.
Strange noises lurked everywhere, but Oddily ignored them all when she got a glimpse of the iridescent lights glowing up ahead. As she drew closer, the unusual plants began to crowd around her, illuminating her skin with rich shades of purple, blue, and greens.
Oddily’s emotional reaction to her late night run had finally caught up with her. When she stopped to catch her breath, she stared at the flickering insects. Were they fireflies? Whatever they were, they made a humming sound as they flitted from flower to flower.
An owl hooted and Oddily glanced up to see where the sound came from. She searched the canopy above until she got a glimpse of two yellow eyes staring at her from the limb of a tree. The not so typical looking owl reminded her of a parrot because of its bright colorful feathers. Maybe it was one of Nero’s genetically altered creations.
Then a whisper of movement came from behind her and Oddily remembered, with a start, that she wasn’t alone. “Maxim…I almost forgot that you were here with me.”
Smiling, Maxim reached to brush a windblown strand of hair from her cheek and suddenly his expression changed. His hand lingered and tenderly caressed her face.
“Are you still feeling all right?” he said softly, huskily, almost as though it worried him to ask. The tips of his fingers strayed across her features and moved lightly upon her lips.
Then, without warning, Oddily grabbed him by the neck and pulled his handsome face close to hers. “Is it true that I will never grow old, or is this just a dream?”
“It is true baby. Now we can have a long and happy life together.”
Oddily released Maxim’s neck and went back to staring at her surroundings. “Isn’t it romantic and mysterious to be roaming around in this enchanted part of your property?”
Maxim agreed as he stared at the light and airy fabric of Oddily’s blouse showing her slender delicacy. “Aren’t you cold?” he asked.
“A little,” she confessed.
Maxim took off his sweatshirt and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Oddily grinned when she saw how silly she looked in it.
Maxim smiled too. He knew he was large compared to Oddily’s small stature, but to see his sweatshirt on her made him feel huge.
“Maybe you’ll grow into it,” he teased. “At least you will be warm.”
“What about you?” she inquired. “Aren’t you chilly?”
“Not if you let me join you inside that sweatshirt.”
“Don’t you dare!” she backed away, taunting him with a wide grin. Then, for a second time, she raced off into the woods with the sweatshirt flying from her shoulders.
As she bolted, a surprised Maxim made an initial attempt to grab her arm, missed, then bounded off after her with a delighted laugh as he chased her through the trees. They acted like a pair of schoolchildren, ducking and dodging whatever tried to slow them down.
Finally, Maxim managed to trap Oddily between two boulders and chuckled wickedly as they came to an impasse. Making a silly face in a defiant gesture, Oddily tried to dart past him, only to slip on wet moss and stumble. Maxim, pressing the advantage, leaped to her side and threw his arms around her, carrying her to the ground with his backside taking the fall. She ended up sprawled out on top of him.
While Oddily tried to catch her breath, her chest heaved against his. Maxim’s body was already responding to her closeness. He wanted to remove her clothes and make love to her, to explore every inch of her, but he couldn’t—not yet!
Abruptly, Maxim lifted Oddily off him and sat up, his heart still pounding with desire. “It’s time I get you home. It’s been a long day for both of us.”
“But I don’t think I can sleep,” she protested. “I’m not tired enough. Besides, I want to watch the sun come up. I need to drink in as much of it’s warmth as I can so I will always have the memory with me.”
Maxim’s lips twisted into a half smile. “You sound as if you plan on leaving.”
Oddily shook her head in denial and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You know what? I’m probably still scared because of what happened to me and what could happen if I fall asleep. Suppose I don’t wake up!”
Maxim kissed the top of her head. “I’m not going to lie and say I understand what you’re going through, because I don’t. All I can say is that the rollercoaster ride we’ve been on, isn’t the way it usually is around here. In fact, my life before you appeared was fairly peaceful and simple. I think you will be happier once things settle down, but meanwhile, I am here for you.”
“Then you will stay up with me?”
“Absolutely, but lets find a place with a better view…a spot where we can see the morning rise in its full glory.”
Maxim grabbed Oddily’s hand and headed off in a direction Oddily hadn’t ventured before. The unfamiliar terrain slopped upward at a steep incline, making the journey difficult; but finally, their perseverance paid off. They made it to a moonlit plateau overlooking Maxim’s property.
Oddily let go of Maxim’s hand and continued to move forward. She was trying to get a better view of the scenery down below, but it was still too dark.
“It won’t be much longer.” Maxim spoke softly as he contemplated Oddily’s unusual behavior. Was this a side affect caused by the foreign essence left inside her? And if so, would there be more changes to come?
How long had it been since Oddily stumbled into his life? She had gained confidence, lost inhibitions, and become bolder; and yet now, he worried about the essence left inside her.
“Look Maxim!” Oddily pointed to the forest below.
Maxim looked to where she pointed and couldn’t miss the two lights beaming through the leaves. “That’s strange! I believe it is the headlights of a vehicle.”
“Who do you think is down there?”
“It’s probably Paul!” he admitted.
“Oh my gosh Maxim! I completely forgot about him. I’ll call him right now!”
“No! Wait just a little bit longer. If you call him right now, you’ll miss the sunrise.”
Oddily agreed and, several minutes later, the sky began to lighten. Within moments, the sun peeked over the horizon to bathe them both in warm light. Oddily spread her arms in a welcoming gesture to the new day and then ran over to Maxim and jumped in his arms. With her legs wrapped around his waist, he laughed at her show of affection.
“Mmmm—you’re all mine!” He hugged her close.
Oddily whispered one word in response: “Always!”
35
Paul was lost within the confines of Maxim’s property. Caught inside a giant labyrinth of roadways, he gave up on finding his way to the main gates. Instead, he parked on one of the roads. While remaining inside his vehicle, he considered using his powers to transport himself home, but it was almost morning. The sun was already beginning to peak over the horizon so he decided to stay put.
While Paul waited for the sun to rise, unsettling questions began to pop up in his mind. He became fidgety and soon had to vacate his car to take a walk. He thought about Thor. Bumping into his father for the first time was bizarre, especially under the weird circumstances surrounding the encounter.
He knew nothing about the man other than what he overheard during a few whispered secrets between his mother and her brother Patrick. Thor was said to have swept his mother off her feet with one kiss. For Paul, he easily walked away from his absentee father.
Then, there was the shocking news of finding out that he had a twin sister. This new revelation was impossible to ignore—especially when he discovered his sister was Zaylyn. Of all females in the world, why did it have to be
her?
He knew that this news would devastate his mother. There was no doubt about it! Just the idea of her finding out made him sick to his stomach; so he had to shrug off the notion and instead, focused his mind on something else.
Oddily! Just thinking her name caused an uncomfortable heaviness to settle in his chest. He had abandoned her! What kind of a person would leave their friend in the hands of a group of strange hybrids? Yes, it was true that he needed to get away from all the insanity; but, was that a fair enough excuse? No. In hindsight, he should have stayed. Now, because of his hasty departure, he had no idea what had become of the petite redhead.
The entity inhabiting Oddily’s body had announced the purification of her blood, but what did that mean exactly? Furthermore, in what way was Oddily’s recently cleansed body stabilized?
While Paul was absorbed in his thoughts, his cell phone began to ring. He assumed it would be his mom, so when he glanced at the caller ID, he was surprised to see Oddily’s name show up. To make sure it was no one else but her, Paul didn’t speak until he heard her sweet voice.
“Paul, are you there?”
“I’m here!” He replied. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, but I was wondering about something. Right before the sun came up, Maxim caught a glimpse of headlights below. Are you still here on his property?”
“Yeah, I got lost. Where are you? You guys must be somewhere high off the ground.”
“We were. Maxim and I had climbed to the top of a hill, and that’s where we spotted your car. We’re heading in your direction right now so stay put, okay?”
“Nah, don’t bother!”
“Why? I thought you said you were lost.”
“I am, but I’ve been on foot meandering through the woods for over twenty minutes.”
“Ummm…Maxim says to stay out in the open so he can spot your whereabouts on the surveillance cameras.”
“Okay, but before you hang up, there’s something I need to know. Has your body returned to normal?”
Oddily began to giggle. “You’ll have to wait until you see me.”
Paul smiled despite his frayed nerves. Obviously, Oddily had been healed because she sounded so happy; and yet, he still couldn’t ignore the undercurrent of doubt that plagued him.
MAXIM: A New Type of Human (Oddily Series #2) Page 18
