It made me angry. How ironic that while I was responsible for so many others' fates, I was never allowed to have a say in mine. I wanted to argue and tell her that this was my life and I had every right to know what was going on with it, that I was sick and tired of having no control. But I couldn't do it. It wasn't like she was an overprotective, domineering mother that needed to manage her child's life as if it were her own. The things she did were only to help me cope with a destiny I didn't ask for, because she'd been through it too. What scared me was that I was now experiencing things which she had never been through. It was new territory, which even she didn't know how to handle. I knew she wouldn't stop looking for the answers for me. That is why I couldn't argue with her. I knew she would do anything for me.
Still compelled to voice my frustrations, I managed to mutter, "As if my life could ever be normal," like a spoiled child, putting my head down in defeat.
Mom recognized my white flag of surrender and put her arms around me. "Everything is going to be okay, Cassie. I promise. We'll get to the bottom of this and you'll move on to what's 'normal' for us." She pulled me away and held my shoulders at arms' length. "I know you're frustrated by everything right now, and you feel like your world is filled with events over which you have no control. But never forget how special you are. This world needs you. People need you. You are their Guardian, and without you, their souls could suffer. Always remember that for me, okay?"
"Okay, Mom," I told her. I was so tired of fighting and trying to figure out my chaotic life. Add on the fact that I would now worry relentlessly about my mom until she returned. I expected I would soon pass out from sheer exhaustion.
I hugged her tightly. "Make sure you call me the minute you can. I don't care what time it is. I'm going to be so worried about you."
"I will, baby. I will. Don't worry. I'll be back real soon and everything will be okay."
I made my way to the front door and Mom followed. I turned and looked at her. "Thank you, Mom," I said, with all the love I had for her reflected on my face.
She brought her hand to my face and brushed my cheek. The motion triggered the memory of Hunter wiping away my tears. Their difference in touch was so extreme. My mom's was soft and feathery, emanating from love and compassion. His was just as soft on my cheek, but the energy that came from it was full of power and intensity.
"I love you, Cassie," my mom said, breaking me from my reverie.
"I love you too, Mom."
I went back to my car. Anxiety over my mom's mysterious trip should have overwhelmed my thoughts, but the memory of Hunter's touch seemed to push all other concerns out of my head. I drove home, reliving the intense pull that touch had on my body and soul; all the while berating myself for having such reactions to someone I didn't even know; at least, not in the flesh.
CHAPTER FIVE
By the time I got home, it was almost midnight. All of the lights in the apartment were off except for the small light we left on above the sink at night. I knew Nora was home since her car was in the parking garage. She must have been sleeping, which I was thankful for since I wouldn't have to make up some story for my being out later than usual.
I went straight to my room and into bed, not bothering with the usual bedtime rituals. I was too exhausted, and I fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. The day had been full of twists and turns that had me spinning, as if being consumed by the powerful winds of a relentless tornado, struggling to reach ground, only to be thrown back up by another force of coiling air. Sleep should have been a sweet repose after the storm I'd been through, but it, too, threw me into a whirlwind of unpredictability.
I was being chased in the woods by the same man as usual, which I knew now to be Hunter. I ran into him, but when he leaned in to kiss me, our surroundings changed from the woods to my car. These scenes flickered continuously back and forth with our bodies being the only constant, until finally, we were back in the woods. Just as his lips touched mine, someone took hold of my right wrist and yanked my body away from him.
I stumbled, but the hand that was wrapped around my wrist steadied me. Slowly, I lifted my head to face my captor – or was it savior? I wasn't sure anymore. Caleb tugged my wrist, bringing me closer to him and away from Hunter. I watched them stare each other down, as if their eyes held a magical power that would force the other to surrender.
"You're too late, brother," Caleb spit out. "You should have done what you were told. She belongs to me now." With that, he grabbed my hair, pulled my head back, and crushed his mouth over mine.
I woke up from the sound of Hunter's screams.
***
I sat up in my bed and ran my hand through my hair. It was drenched in sweat. Whenever I woke from the dream, I actually felt hot and exhausted, as if I were physically running through those woods. The new twist left me with the same emotions, and now, utter confusion.
I was sure now that the man that was haunting my dreams was the same man that I'd met last night at Luke's. For some reason, I'd been warned years ago that Hunter would enter my life. But why? What role did he play? My body and soul felt drawn to him when he was around me. But, because of my dreams, I also feared him. Why? Was I in danger?
As if I weren't confused enough, Caleb had been added to the mystery. Had I just dreamed of him because of the encounter at Luke's? Was my subconscious picking up on all of the testosterone I sensed in the air? Or did he play a bigger part in all of this? "She belongs to me," he said. His kiss was so violent and full of possession, it felt as if he were leaving his mark on me. I could still feel the pressure of his lips lingering on mine.
The clock on the nightstand next to my bed showed seven o'clock. I had class today at nine, but I wanted to check in with Nora before I left. We were supposed to study together after work last night, but things had gotten so crazy, I never even had the chance to call her and apologize for not making it. She was used to my unplanned absences, but normally, I'd call and give her some excuse. I definitely had to come up with something good this time. She'd be working at the health clinic today, but I knew she didn't start until ten o'clock, so I had time before we both had to get going.
I grabbed a pair of shorts that were lying on the floor of my cluttered room. Clothing was scattered everywhere due to an overdue trip to the laundry. I figured I'd take care of it tonight. It would give me something to take my mind off worrying about my mom.
I looked down the short hallway and saw that Nora's door was open. The light was out, and I peeked in to find her room empty. Her bed was neatly made, which was a clear sign she had left. It was a pet peeve of hers not to leave the apartment without tidying it up. Luckily, she didn't push her vexation with unmade beds onto me. It probably helped that I kept my door closed, whether I was in or not. Since I could see from the hallway that she wasn't in the living room or kitchen, I checked the bathroom quickly as a last resort, but she had already gone.
Disappointed that I hadn't caught her before she left, I went into the kitchen to grab something to drink. When I went to sit down at the breakfast bar, I noticed a note from Nora.
Hey Stranger,
What have you been up to? I'm starting to worry. Tried calling you twice last night and you never called me back. What's up with that? Gotta get with the peeps today for study group. Prof. Geiger is running us ragged with his essay exams. Plus side: I'm off work today. How 'bout dinner if you're not busy? Call me later. You do still have your phone, right?
Love n stuff,
Nora
Dinner with Nora sounded great. A nice, ordinary activity was just what I needed to get my mind off everything. I only had two morning classes at school, and then a short shift at the hospital, so I'd be home at a fairly decent time. I decided to call her later to suggest we order a pizza in and watch some movies tonight. If Professor Geiger were on a rampage, I was sure she could use a night of mindless tube watching. I jotted down a quick reply that dinner was on and I'd call her later about the details.
&
nbsp; Getting ready for school, I showered and threw on a pair of comfortable cargo-style capris and my favorite "Waitling U Psych Dept" T-shirt. After drying my hair, I haphazardly tossed it up in a semi-ponytail-turned-knot to keep it out of my way. The humidity had mostly subsided for the season, but there was enough in the air yet to play havoc on my curly locks, and I wasn't in the mood to deal with it. Not only that, but the way campus was set up, there were countless "wind tunnel" areas that rendered me blinded by my own hair if it weren't pulled back.
I walked to school, since I only lived a couple of blocks off campus. Waitling was a fairly good-sized University, with most of the housing within a ten-block radius rented by university students. I made it to class early and used the spare time to check my phone for Nora's messages. But when I checked my voicemail, I had none. I made a mental note to take my phone in to have it looked at, since this was the second time in the last twenty-four hours that something strange had happened with it.
The two classes went fairly fast and helped to take my mind off things. It was amazing how learning something I liked consumed my attention. That's what psychology did for me. Call me a total nerd, but I couldn't get enough of learning about the human mind and how it worked. It made me wish my dad were around so we could talk about it together. I imagined us staying up late into the night as he told me stories of patients he'd had, theories he applied, and how he came up with particular diagnoses. As it was, I settled for knowing that we shared a love of science and the human mind.
After my last class, I was on my way to the Union Hall to grab a quick sandwich, when some guy collided into me, his book bag sliding from his shoulder and smacking into mine. The crash wasn't powerful enough to knock me down, but I did lose my balance slightly. The student lifted his book bag back onto his shoulder and grabbed my upper arm, trying to steady me. After offering a quick apology, he continued on his way.
I said a quick, "No problem," to his back, and I realized he wasn't alone. Directly behind the student another man followed. He was extremely close behind him and matched him, step for step, almost as if he were his – shadow. Just as I processed the thought, the man looked straight at me and I almost passed out. It was the passenger! The man with the blue eyes! I'd never forget those eyes! He gave me an eerie smile as he continued to follow the student into the building.
I had myself almost convinced that I imagined the passenger in the car. I even contemplated that my vision was wrong for once. Seeing him here now, I knew it wasn't. This guy had something to do with my visions and I had to find out what it was, so I ran after them.
As I entered the building, I quickly scanned the area. It was spacious and bright inside, so it was not hard to spot the student, but the man was no longer trailing behind him. I frantically searched for him, scrutinizing the eyes of every person I saw. He was gone. I didn't know whether I felt relieved or terrified that I could no longer see him.
The student zigzagged through the crowd and reached a staircase that led down to a lower level. As he stepped to the top of the staircase, I saw him waver as if he were losing his balance. His body lurched forward and his arms flailed about, as if searching for something to grab a hold of. But the staircase was wide and he was too near the center, too far from either railing to reach them. There was no way that I could bridge the distance between us before he fell.
If I hadn't seen the man from the crash hanging around this guy, I may have assumed this would end as no more than a few broken bones. Somehow, this man, this devil with hypnotic blue eyes, had replaced the haunting Shadows in my visions. And for some reason, I was no longer dealing with premonitory visions; I was dealing with the here and now. By the looks of this particular here and now, I was going to have another death on my conscience.
His fall seemed unstoppable, but I had to do something. It was hard enough knowing that he was about to die, but to do nothing about it just seemed inhumane. I was a Guardian. It was my nature to do everything in my power to save people's lives, regardless of how hopeless it seemed.
I ran towards him, yelling incoherently, trying to get his attention. I closed about half the distance between us, when I was shocked to see his body jerk backwards onto the top step where it steadied. I pulled up short, confused. I was so sure I had lost him that it took me a moment to comprehend he had been saved without my help. It almost seemed as if some invisible force had pushed him back up before he'd completely lost his footing. I actually might have believed that, after everything that had transpired lately; until he took another step back, and I saw hands letting go of his forearms. I froze as Caleb appeared from the step below.
What in the hell was he doing here?
Caleb joined the student on the top step as they shook hands, the man obviously thanking Caleb for his rescue. The student took off down the stairway and Caleb turned towards me. Recognition registered on his face and he walked over to me with a friendly smile. I was rooted to the floor, dazed by what had just taken place. In the last twenty-four hours, I seemed to be swimming in a world of crazy coincidences. Since I'd learned not to believe in them, I was having a hard time coming to terms with reality even when it slapped me in my face.
My eyes came back into focus. He stood directly in front of me, concern replacing his smile. I must have looked like a complete psycho standing there, stunned and lifeless, caught up in my own thoughts.
He touched my forearm, "Cassie? Cassie, are you okay?"
"Uh... yeah." I put my hands over my face, fanning my fingers across my temples, symbolically wiping away the haze. "Geez, I'm sorry, I was completely out of it for a minute there. I'm fine, really. I saw that guy about to fall on the stairs and thought he was going down for sure. I was running to help him, but didn't think I had time, and then you were there, only I didn't see that it was you." I was rambling. Heat spread over my cheeks.
"Yeah, great timing on my part, I guess. You sure you're okay though? You're breathing kind of heavy." His eyes moved to my chest and I got the feeling my pulse wasn't all he was concerned with. I wasn't blessed with the kind of breasts that some women paid money for, but I did okay for my smaller frame. Apparently, Caleb thought so too.
I placed my hand over my chest, in a mock attempt to slow my breathing, but more so to avert his eyes back where they belonged. Fortunately, it worked, but it was a slow victory as his gaze crawled back up to meet mine.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I said. "What in the world are you doing here, Caleb?"
He kind of chuckled as he pulled at the strap of a backpack that was hanging on his shoulder, clearly noticeable to everyone but me, apparently. I was sure that he would ask for his number back any second now. "I just got out of class. Happened to be walking up the steps when I saw the guy lose his balance. Lucky for him, I stayed after to talk to my professor or I'd have missed him. I didn't know you went here. What are you going for?"
"Psych. I'm on my second year of the PsyD program. What about you? I can't believe I've never seen you around here." Just then, I got bumped from behind and stumbled into Caleb. He reflexively put his arms around me and I sank into his chest. I heard him say something like "Watch it," to the person that knocked into me. I knew I should pull back; it wasn't like I was in any danger here, but his arms felt good. They were strong; even stronger than his appearance led me to believe. The memory of his kiss in my dream flashed through my head and I jerked away, feeling a little too hot and too close all of a sudden.
"I... I'm sorry," I stammered. "I don't know what it is today. I must be invisible or something. That is the second person that has run into me in the last hour!"
"Cassie, you are definitely not invisible. Trust me on that," he said with a sexy smile.
If my cheeks stayed red from all of the embarrassment much longer, they'd be permanently stained.
"So do you have another class coming up?" he asked.
"No, I'm actually done for the day. Why?"
"How about we get you out of the line of fire and make good on
that date? And if you're not good with the date part, how about we just call it getting a bite to eat?" I'm not sure if I even considered denying Caleb's request because his smile made me forget everything but saying "yes."
CHAPTER SIX
We ended up at Grubs, a local diner on campus that was known for its great burgers. The only problem with the place was it was not big enough for the crowd it attracted during the lunch hour. I heard rumors of them relocating to a bigger building, but they had been circulating for almost two years now. People often joked that it was started by someone not willing to wait for one of their few cushiony booths. Most people ordered and took their food outside, especially in the spring and fall months. Midwestern winters posed more of a challenge to eating outside. It was hard to eat a greasy burger while wearing mittens, and don't even think about tackling the fries. It was more common to see students take their food into Waitling's Union Hall, which was less than a block away. There was a great TV room there with many comfy sofas and chairs to relax in.
Taking advantage of the warm weather, Caleb and I decided to eat our burgers in a park near campus. Park benches were filled with people studying intently while enjoying their own lunches, their motions robotic, as if food was merely a mindless necessity of the body. No one looked up to acknowledge if there were anyone else around, they were too absorbed in the books or papers on their laps.
We sat in the shade of a maple tree. It stood high and wide, providing ample room for us to sit comfortably in its protective shadow from the sun's rays. We faced a life-sized bronze statue of the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, which was set on a raised cement pedestal, surrounded by a bed of colorful hibiscus and daisies. I remember learning about how "the greatest American Architect of all time" was born and raised right here in the Midwest.
Guardian Of Fate (Fate Series) Page 4
