A hilarious image of Clara chasing Gran around the Westminster retirement community with a shotgun-sized syringe and a gleeful grin instantly pops into my head. I press my lips together to hold back the chuckle. The subject isn’t supposed to be funny, but half the stuff that comes out of my gran’s mouth usually is. Both ladies are full of life, yet the fact her friend isn’t feeling well is also a reminder that they’re in their late seventies and won’t live forever.
The thought of something happening to my great-aunt instantly sobers my amusement. “Oh no, Gran. What’s wrong with her?”
“She felt a sharp pain in her chest, so they’re keeping her in the clinic overnight for observation and tests. I should know more tomorrow before I come over to your house.”
“You’re coming over?”
“Yes, dear. Didn’t your mom tell you she invited me to dinner? How do you not know this already, Little Miss Dreams-a-lot?”
“Um, I haven’t been sleeping so well the past few days, Gran.” Mom had mentioned that Mr. Dixon was coming over tomorrow. She didn’t tell me she’d invited Gran. Introducing the man she’s dating to her deceased mother’s sister is a big deal. This dinner says Mom’s relationship with him is moving to a whole new level. Ugh, I wonder what Aunt Sage will think. Not that telling her will do anyone any good. We may never find my dad. Guilt tugs at me for introducing them, but I can’t begrudge my mom happiness. It has been wonderful to see her bloom after so many years of being alone.
“Hmm, that seems to be happening a lot more to you lately,” Gran says, pulling me out of my musings. “Make sure you drink warm milk before you go to bed. That’ll help. Now, about dinner. I warned your mom that I hope she’s ready for an honest opinion. I have no problem telling her if he doesn’t measure up to your dad.”
From what I can remember, Gran and my dad got along great. Maybe having her over for dinner to meet Mr. Dixon isn’t such a bad thing. Then again, as far as Gran knows, my dad just up and left us without a word. I grimace at the conclusion my great-aunt will come to in that area. Mr. Dixon seems to worship my mom already. I wonder what he’ll think of Gran’s unique way of saying things. “I’m sure Mom will appreciate your opinion, Gran. It’ll be like her own mom meeting him.” That’s how I feel at least. Corda’s my Gran just as much as my mom’s mother.
“Well, I don’t know about that. Your grandmother was much more open-minded when it came to men, which is why she got married and had a family. ‘Live your life so you never leave regrets behind,’ that was a motto my sister lived up to the day she died. Sometimes I wish I’d listened. I remember this one fellow from school chased me all over the place. Who knows what might have happened if I’d let him catch me. He was such a bad boy though. I didn’t think I could trust that one with my heart…” She trails off wistfully, then her tone turns upbeat. “I haven’t thought about that boy in years. He’s just the distraction I needed to get my mind off Clara. Going to try and get some sleep now. Good night, Inara. See you tomorrow.”
“I’m so glad you’re coming, Gran. Night.”
As soon as I hang up, I start to hit the button for my aunt’s number when I remember how late it is, so I send a text instead.
Me: Hey! Been busy with school and soccer, but wanted to touch base. Have you heard anything more about Dad?
Aunt Sage: I got one more box from his secretary yesterday. Nothing in it worth having you go over with me, but there’s something I want to give you. Am running errands tomorrow and will stop by your house later. Ok?
Me: Sounds good. See you then.
As soon as I set my phone down, my gaze tracks back to Ethan’s house. Both his and his brother’s cars are in the driveway and the house is dark. How had Ethan’s training gone? Had he and Danielle found Harper at that bar?
Ethan’s comment that he felt like he was the only one fighting haunted me all day. He’s right. I haven’t done anything since he returned. I’ve been too freaked out about his memory loss, worried about the whole Danielle thing, and too scared to make a move for fear of making things worse. But I plan to fix that.
It will definitely be easier to sneak into the house later without waking my mom with Houdini at CVAS for the night. When I went to take pictures earlier, I took him with me. Sally had asked me to bring him so she could take some pictures of us for the “success story” board. He had such a good time playing with the CVAS mascot Roscoe, she begged me to let him stay overnight. At least he’ll be there on time for his appointment the next day.
I start to unbuckle my seatbelt when Ethan’s front door opens, snagging my attention. I blink rapidly as he gets in his car and pulls out of the driveway, but doesn’t turn on his lights until he’s on the street that leads out of the neighborhood. Where is he going this late? Of course my mind conjures all kinds of bad scenarios: the whole nightclub thing was just an excuse to party with Danielle, or they’re grinding their hot bodies together on a gritty dance floor in some seedy dance club, or she’s living in some swanky hotel and Ethan’s heading over to do all kinds of kinky things to her perfect body on thousand dollar satin sheets. My heart lurches at any of those options.
Stomach churning, I set my jaw and start my engine. As soon as I put my car into Drive, intending to follow, I get a text from Lainey.
Lainey: Didn’t get to talk to you after the game. You feel better after meeting Danielle?
I’m following my boyfriend like a total stalker. What does that tell you? Putting my car back in Park, I shut off the engine and take a deep, calming breath.
I type out: Right now I’m thinking she’s a boyfriend-stealing ho-bag. Then hit the delete button.
Me: Not sure. What did you think of her?
Lainey: I don’t like how the guys drool all over her, that’s for sure.
You and me both, sister.
Me: But what do you THINK about her?
Lainey: She seemed nice enough. Told me she’d come watch us play soccer some time.
Bet she’s a star athlete too. Bleh. Even though texting Lainey a bunch of symbols, asterisks, and exclamation points would explain my feelings much better, I type my response.
Me: I don’t trust her.
Lainey: Ethan seemed more PDAish than usual today. That should make you feel good. Wish Matt would be intense like that every once in a while.
If only I knew for sure that Ethan’s PDA wasn’t mostly for Drystan’s benefit. And that I hadn’t just seen Ethan skulk out of his house, especially knowing he had plans to visit a dive bar with Danielle tonight.
Me: Yeah, he was in rare form today. Jury’s still out on Danielle.
Way the hell out!
Lainey: She hasn’t hit on our boyfriends yet. Seriously, I see the way he looks at you. I have an idea that might help you and Ethan get back in the groove. Matt, Drystan, and a couple friends of his are checking out this newly renovated club Mindblown downtown tomorrow night. Meet us there and bring your man.
Me: I can’t. Mr. Dixon is coming to dinner tomorrow and so is my Gran.
Lainey: That would be SO weird having dinner with my teacher. Bet your Gran will liven up the table. She cracks me up! You can still come with us. Most clubs don’t get hopping until at least 10pm. Say you’ll come and don’t forget your fake ID.
As soon as I read Lainey’s text, I look up at Ethan’s dark house and realization dawns. If he really is looking for Harper, or those who might know where to find her, it makes sense that he would wait until the bar is mostly crowded. Most places like that stay open pretty late.
I bite my lip, mulling it over as I type a message back.
Me: Put me down for a maybe. Might be fun.
Lainey: Good, you’re coming.
Me: I said, “maybe.”
My phone goes silent after that. Which is probably for the best. No point in arguing with her. I stare at the clock on my dash and wonder how long I’ll have to wait for Ethan to return. It might be the wee hours before I get home. Thank goodness my mom’s a heavy sleeper.
; Nara
After I’d put the key back under the eve on the front porch, I slip inside Ethan’s house. I’d waited another forty-five minutes once Ethan arrived home—two hours after he left!—before entering. My heart races as I tiptoe up the stairs to his room.
A board creaks halfway up, and I freeze, holding my breath. Please let the Harris boys be heavy sleepers. Several seconds of silence pass before I exhale and continue up the stairs.
Dim light from some lamppost outside highlights Ethan in his bed. He’s sleeping face down on top of the covers; it’s as if he’d fallen into bed in exhaustion the second he got back to his room. My pulse amps as I admire his broad, shirtless back and his muscular arms; one curves over his head and the other rests by his side. His fitted black boxer briefs outline his nice butt and hard-muscled thighs. My gaze lingers on his legs. I’m stunned by the corded strength of his thighs and his thick calf muscles. This is what I missed out on Saturday night? I swallow a sigh of longing and shake my head to clear it of sexy memories.
Focus, Nara!
Shrugging out of my shoes and leather coat, I pull off my sweater and remove the medallion necklace, laying it on the pile of clothes on the floor. I know the exact formula for seeing Fate and I don’t want to screw with that one. My crystal necklace swings as I move, so I tuck it inside my tank top, then set the vibrate timer on my phone before returning it to my jeans’ pocket.
I try to move the bed as little as possible as I settle next to Ethan. Exhaling an unsteady breath, I roll onto my side and lay my hand flat on the only part of him that’s clothed. My fingers want to cup the hard ball of flesh, but I keep them relaxed and I close my eyes.
If my phone doesn’t wake me in time, I hope you’ll pull me out, I mentally whisper to the Corvus inside Ethan, praying he can hear me.
My eyes float open briefly and skim over Ethan’s dark hair, then down to his handsome face as he sleeps. I hate sneaking in here like a sleep-thief in the night, but I know he wouldn’t let me do this. I’m determined to do my part to find answers.
Ethan fights his way, I’ll fight mine.
Chapter Fifteen
Nara
I squint and raise my hand to block the bright sunlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
Dark wood gleams under my feet and ornate, cushioned window seats line the wall of windows. I’m drawn to the French doors; a massive manicured lawn, sporting benches and its own maze hedge blends into a huge forest surrounding the property. Even though I can tell it’s cold outside, I touch the door handle, ready to open them and run down the stone stairs, past the huge columns. I want to explore this peaceful, tranquil place.
A vibrating sensation behind me draws my attention. I turn to see Ethan and Danielle in T-shirts and shorts facing each other. Standing in a battle stance on the room-wide workout mat, her fists in a defensive pose, Danielle says something and waves him toward her. Why can’t I hear her?
Ethan lowers the wooden sword he’s holding and shakes his head. As soon as he takes a step back, Danielle charges him and hits him with such force, he’s knocked on his ass. Before he can recover, she’s pinned him to the mat with the flat of her wooden sword across his neck.
Scene after scene repeats, Ethan and Danielle working out during the day. Sometimes with a sword, sometimes not. It’s hard for me to watch, but I do even as the knot in my stomach grows tighter. Their clothes and the training exercises they perform change, but their expressions only become more fierce, their fighting more dangerous. As the scenes progress, the bright light in the room grows dimmer until they’re combating each other in the dark.
I blink, confused by the darkness consuming the room, because I can still feel the sun at my back, warming the top of my head. I glance over my shoulder, and the sun is there, but it stops where I stand, like the wall of darkness they’ve created is too thick for the light to penetrate.
As I realize I’m seeing what Ethan did this past month he was gone, worry grips my stomach. It might just be a dream, but my concern is real. I call Ethan’s name, but nothing comes out. That’s why I can’t hear them; it’s like they’re in a dark void and I’m on the edge of it. I step forward onto the mat, intending to bring the sunlight to them, and I’m suddenly swallowed by the darkness too. I turn and try to step back, but the sunlight stays just out of my reach. Coldness seeps through my bones, surrounding me in its frigid grasp. I shiver and my eyelids grow heavy as sleep beckons. I try to fight it, but it’s too cold and my legs buckle.
Sudden softness glides around me, surrounding me in silken warmth. As I’m carried away by its comfort and security, I nestle against the warm darkness. When my body starts to warm, I grumble, “I’m such a lightweight” and I could have sworn a rumble of suppressed laughter vibrates against my cheek.
My feet are righted and the softness fades away. My eyes adjust to the bit of light in the darkened bedroom. Ethan leans over a dark-skinned man while he sleeps; the tip of his sword is a hair’s breath from the man’s chest. Firm resolution sets in the lines on Ethan’s face, and I gasp as he whispers, “For Marcus,” before he plunges the sword into the man.
The man’s body bucks once, then a cloud expels from him. As soon as the cloud dissipates, his body instantly relaxes back onto the bed.
When Ethan withdraws his sword, I ask, “Is he dead?”
He doesn’t look up, but the air grows thick with tension. I start to say, “Can you hear me—?” when my world begins to spin; I’m yanked into black nothingness. As soon as electricity crackles in the air, I know this is Fate’s doing and not one of Ethan’s dark dreams.
“If you can’t see, you can’t mess,” he hisses next to my ear.
His cold breath makes me want to shiver, but I don’t give him the satisfaction.
“Too chicken to show your face?” I snort. His body might be nothing but morphed smoke, but I hate being at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with Fate. Not seeing is a huge drawback.
The sound of a match being scraped echoes, and then a small flame glows near his face, like a kid getting ready to tell a ghost story at camp.
I roll my eyes. “Who knew Fate needed to depend on the dramatic for effect?”
Fate lets out a growling tsk and tosses the match behind him. In the blink it takes for the empty space to illuminate all around us, he’s towering over me in his shadowy-smoky humanoid form, the dark sockets where eyes should be narrowed in suspicion. “Before I snuff you out for good, I’m curious why you’d risk your life to come here again.”
I tilt my chin higher. “I need answers.”
Fate throws his head back, laughter echoing in the void. It goes on for so long, I set my jaw and raise my voice over the annoying sound. “I don’t care if this doesn’t concern you. It concerns me.”
Fate’s mirth dies, but he smiles, a cold, calculating, deep crescent moon. “It really doesn’t matter now.” He spreads his arms wide. “You have nowhere to go. Nothing to manipulate. You’re all mine.”
As a chill starts to rush over me, the first icy tendrils snaking around my body and moving toward my neck, I shrug off the cold as best I can and blurt out, “Can you see demons inside of people?”
“Demons!” Fate spats the word and releases me to fold his cloudy arms. “They’re the bane of my existence. And that’s saying a lot, considering my present company.”
As I rub my arms to ward off the chill, I pause as what he’s implying soaks in. “Are you saying that when a demon hijacks a body, the demon changes the person’s fate?”
Fate flicks his hand as if batting a fly. “You are chaos and will, bundled in a stubborn package.” His smoky hand curls into a fist by his side and he spats a loogie of wet smoke by his feet. “A demon-inhabited human is nothing more than a puppet on a string.”
He has to hate that more than me. Demons have been around forever. And there are far more of them. Give him a reason not to kill you. Maybe then he’ll negotiate. “You said Corvus are none of your conc
ern, but if they keep balance in the mortal world by killing demons, then they’re a necessity, even for you. I’m connected to Corvus somehow, but I don’t know why.”
Fate grunts, but doesn’t answer, so I throw my hands wide and huff. “Well? Do you know why?”
“Where your path connects to Corvus, sometimes it’s clear, other times it’s a void, but I do know—”
When he cuts himself off, I grit my teeth. “What do you know?”
Fate holds a finger up. “Give me something worth this information you seek. Your powers are still on the table. I’ll happily take them now. And no more deceit, little girl.”
He’s willing to deal, which means he’s not going to kill me, yet. I tilt my head and stare him down. “Will this information you provide send me into dangerous territory? I was told the Order can’t be trusted.”
Fate shrugs, unconcerned. “You asked about Corvus. The Order is the authority.”
I can’t decipher Fate’s expression to determine if he’s being deceitful or sincere, but I have to find answers, and he knows something. He wouldn’t be dangling it like a lifeline if he didn’t. I think about my missing father and all the lost years I’ll never get back, about all the heartache our family went through because of Fate’s hatred of our ability. My dad’s heartfelt request in the videos come back to me. “Please don’t follow my path, Nari…Live your life and only yours.”
I snap my chin up and lock gazes with Fate. “Fine. I promise never to take a job that uses my unique ability.”
“Not good enough! I want you to give it up,” Fate demands.
I shake my head. “You asked for a promise. You got one. Your turn.”
“Give me your ability, Nara.” Fate starts to vibrate at a rapid pace, moving up and down, then back and forth. When a shrill sound I’ve never heard before rings in my ears, I realize he’s beyond losing his temper; he’s going to explode.
My insides pitch and churn, but I hold my ground and shake my head. “I answered honestly and sincerely. A deal’s a deal.”
Destiny, YA Paranormal Romance (Brightest Kind of Darkness Series, Book #3) Page 16
