by Jamie Loeak
“So, what did you learn?” Kate asked after putting her cup down. Adriana had been right about the tea. Kate felt much better.
“Well,” Adriana said, leaning forward and twisting her braid in her fingers. “Rico and I have been busy finding answers to some of the questions that we’ve been asking. First, we’ve found out some information about the man that attacked you the other day. His name is Cole, and he was working separately from Kern. However, he found out that Kern wanted your soul so he sort of wanted to go get it first. You see, Cole and Kern are apparently angry at each other. Our source said that Cole used to work for Kern, but was betrayed. We don’t know what Kern did or why he did it, but we do know that Cole might come back for you. He’s seeking revenge and thinks that this is the best way to pay Kern back.”
Kate blinked, trying to grasp this information. Well, at least Cole and Kern weren’t fighting over Kate’s soul because of some unknown reason. Maybe coming over to Adriana’s was a good thing after all; Kate already answered one question on her growing list.
“Is Cole an elder demon too?” Kate asked.
Adriana smiled. “He’s not,” she said, a bigger smile spreading across her beautiful face. “That was the second piece of information we found, and believe me, it’s big news.”
“I guess,” Kate said, shivering.
“What, honey?” Adriana pressed.
“It’s just that it was so easy for him to pull me into the alternate reality. Won’t it be easy for him to do that again?”
Once again, Adriana smiled. This time she shook her head.
“I’ve spoken to people who know a lot about alternate realities. I know how you can fight Cole if he gets to you again. Rico went out to look for him; I went around asking the questions. Rico just came back this morning, and he’s been sleeping ever since. If I know Rico, Cole won’t be coming back for a long time.”
“Well, what do I do to fight Cole if he comes back?” Kate asked, intrigued.
“What you need to do, Kate, is find something that ties you to this world. What is it that you live for? What is your center of gravity? After you find what it is that will hold you to this planet, you must take a piece of it and keep it with you at all times. As long as the piece is with you, you are safe from Cole or any other demon that tries to disarm you by taking you to an alternate universe.”
“That doesn’t seem so bad,” Kate said.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Adriana said slowly. “A lot of people aren’t honest with themselves. They don’t know what it is that holds them to this world. The man I talked to said that most people think that they have the right talisman, but find out that they were wrong after they are successfully taken to an alternate reality.”
“Okay. I’ll make sure that I really think about it. I’ve got to get it right, though. If not, I’m afraid that Cole will take my soul before we find out what Kern wants with it.”
“Rico won’t let that happen,” Adriana said with a grin.
Adriana and Kate spent the rest of the afternoon bonding over nail polish and comedy movies. Kate’s fingernails were coral with turquoise stripes; Adriana’s were fire engine red with cream tribal print. Kate noticed that Adriana’s nails were her outlet for color, and she liked knowing that little quirk about her friend.
Rico stumbled down the stairs as the light began to fade. His hair was messy and stuck up in some places. He wore low slung jeans and a thin white t-shirt that showed the very bottom of his stomach when he stretched. Kate watched him push his hair out of his eyes, not realizing until now how big of a crush she had on him.
“Hey sleepyhead,” Adriana called.
Rico looked up, noticing the girls for the first time. He ruffled his hair and pulled his shirt down, aware of his appearance.
“Good morning Adriana, Kate,” he said before collapsing onto the couch.
“I went ahead and told Kate what I wasn’t able to tell you this morning because you looked like a zombie,” Adriana claimed. She went ahead and let Rico in on the good news. “All she has to do now is find a talisman.”
“Do you know what you need to look for?” Rico asked, turning to Kate.
“Not really. I’m going to start thinking about it tomorrow. Adriana said that you did something about Cole. What did you do? How long do you think he’ll be gone?”
“I basically sent him on a wild goose chase.”
Adriana stared at him like he was stupid.
“He didn’t take well to requests or threats so I had to throw a bone. I clued him in on an old victim of Kern’s, one that he gave up on a long time ago. The man is probably dead by now but I didn’t let Cole know that. If the man happens to be alive, though, he’s around ninety-five and won’t be of much use to Cole now.”
“How do you know that’s going to work, Rico?” Adriana asked skeptically.
Rico shrugged. “I don’t know if it’ll work but I had to try something. It was the only thing he bit on to. He was drunk with the idea that he would be able to possess someone that Kern was never able to. The thought of being stronger than Kern, of being more powerful than he is, intoxicated him. Look, I don’t know how long he’ll be gone but it’ll be long enough for Kate to find her talisman.”
“I sure hope so Rico,” Adriana said.
“I think the plan will work,” Kate said, piping in.
Rico looked at her and smiled. Adriana rolled her eyes.
Kate watched as Rico stood up and stretched. He began to walk toward the kitchen but then stopped, turning around to face the girls.
“I was going to make coffee but I think I want to go out and get some. Do you want to come with me?”
“Sure,” Kate said.
Adriana stretched this time. “I think I’m going to go take a bubble bath. I didn’t sleep all day like you did Rico. Why don’t you two go out and have some fun?” Adriana stood up and headed up to her bedroom. Kate heard the door close before Rico spoke.
“Do you still want to grab some coffee with me?” he asked. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to feel pressured since Adriana won’t be there.”
“That’s okay,” Kate replied. “I’m not afraid to be alone with you if that’s what you’re hinting at.” Kate got up and headed for the foyer, her navy sundress swirling around her legs. She waited for Rico when she reached the door, unsure of how they would get there.
Chapter 14
Rico walked up to the Ferrari when they got outside and opened the passenger side door for Kate. She got inside, feeling the cool leather against her legs. The interior still smelled new, and Kate wondered if it was new or if the owner took excellent care of it.
“Is this Donovan’s?” she asked.
Rico looked at her like she was crazy. “This is my car,” he said.
“How is this your car? Who bought this for you?”
“I saved up for it. It took me a while.”
“What do you mean it took you a while? You had to wait until you were eighteen to get your trust fund?”
Rico laughed. “Something like that,” he said to Kate before speeding off.
The coffee shop was a tiny place that sat on a boardwalk near the water. It was built out of a mixture of old wood and driftwood. A string of Christmas lights hung around the roof and wrapped around the supporting beams. There were four stools that stood in front of a wide counter that was rough, with splinters of wood sticking out. Kate was careful when she sat down on one of the stools, afraid that Rico would have to pull jagged pieces of wood out of her next.
A girl stood behind the counter. She was busy making another person’s order, her back to Rico and Kate. She was a small girl, shorter than Kate, and thin, with a tattoo that wrapped around her left ring finger; from where Kate sat it looked like a ribbon that was tied in a bow.
“What can I get y’all?” she asked when she turned around. The girl had a pretty face and exotic eyes; her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, shorter piec
es falling down to frame her round face.
“I’d like a coffee, black. Kate would like a Vanilla Latte,” Rico said, ordering for both of them. He smiled at Kate, and took the steaming mug that the girl set in front of him. He wrapped his hands around it even though it was still warm outside.
“Thanks for ordering for me,” Kate said. Wasn’t that something that people did on dates? Or did Rico somehow know that she wasn’t familiar with coffee?
“No problem,” Rico said.
Kate looked at him, sensing something different about him. He seemed calmer out here, away from the world of demons and alternate realities. She kind of liked this version of Rico. She didn’t have to worry about the probing questions. She didn’t have to worry about what she said and how she said it. She wasn’t even worried about a possible argument.
“I also wanted to thank you for speaking with Cole,” Kate added, making sure to say things so that no one thought they sounded odd.
“You’re welcome, Kate. It wasn’t too bad, really. I don’t want you to think that it was a hard or dangerous task. It just took some time, that’s all.”
“Well, I still appreciate it,” Kate said.
The girl set a mug down in front of Kate and let her know that it was hot. Kate pulled it closer to her, but let it sit there so that it would cool down enough for her to drink.
“I think we should talk about other things,” Rico said. “I’m curious as to who you were before all of this. I’m sure you’ve grown since Adriana and I popped into your life.”
Kate sat back and looked into Rico’s eyes. They weren’t stormy today, she mused. When Rico wasn’t upset his cobalt eyes were tranquil, peaceful like the waters near Bora Bora or some other tropical place. She noticed that he looked deep into hers, waiting for her answer.
“Truthfully, I wasn’t really anyone before you came along,” she said.
Rico nodded, and Kate continued.
“I was a lonely girl that didn’t really know what life was. I spent my life living vicariously through the girls in movies,” she admitted, blushing. “I spent a lot of time arguing with my parents because it was the only dramatic relationship that I could have.” Kate blinked and realized that she was staring at the mug in front of her. She carefully took a sip of the still steaming liquid before continuing. “I have grown because of you,” she whispered as she set it down.
“Kate, you don’t have to feel regret or shame for who you were. It’s made you strong and independent. Don’t fight that part about you. Don’t feel like you need friends to make you whole. Believe me when I say that friends come and go.”
Kate nodded, knowing that Rico was talking about what would happen when Kern didn’t want anything to do with Kate anymore, when he was ready to find another body.
“I wasn’t really anyone for a long time,” Rico admitted after a short silence. “I was alone until Adriana found me. I guess you could say she saved me from who I could be right now.”
“How did you meet?” Kate asked.
“Adriana and Donovan like to travel the world. Adriana found me in India; I was into some pretty bad stuff back then. I don’t really like to talk about it. Well, she found me and showed me what it was like to be someone’s friend. You see, back then I disliked people quite a bit.” Rico smiled a slow, sad smile.
“Adriana’s changed both of us. She’s the constant in all of this,” Kate said.
“She is,” Rico agreed.
Kate pondered Adriana for a moment. Adriana was kind and honest; when she cared about someone, she protected them. Kate could see that part of her when it came to Donovan. Kate wondered, again, who Donovan really was. She considered asking Rico but knew that it would only cause an argument. It wasn’t right of Kate to try to place Rico in between the trust issues that she and Adriana had.
Kate and Rico walked along the boardwalk in silence after Kate finished her latte. She had enjoyed this drink much more than the coffee that Rico was drinking, and finished it quickly. Now Kate’s fingertips, nose, and lips were buzzing with energy. Her mind was enveloped in a feeling of calmness, and Kate relished in the feeling. It was nice to be able to push every negative thought out of her mind when she was with Rico.
Rico stopped suddenly and lifted his eyes to the stars. Kate followed his gaze.
“Do you think alternate realities are real places?” he asked. “I know that you didn’t see yours clearly, but I’ve always wondered if they were actual planets. You see, I’ve never been to one,” he admitted.
Kate knew in her heart that an alternate reality was a tangible place. Her other half was probably there right now, laughing and holding hands with Rico.
“I don’t know,” she said instead. She knew that she couldn’t tell Rico the answer he wanted to hear because it would give her secrets away. She looked at the ground, the feeling of calmness replaced with a feeling of guilt and shame.
“I’m sorry that I brought your thoughts back to that,” Rico said. “I never meant to take away your happiness. I don’t ever want to,” he added.
Kate looked at him, a weak smile present on her features. Rico mistook her small smile for fear and continued talking.
“You don’t need to be afraid. I swear that I’ll protect you, body and soul,” he said earnestly. “I won’t let him take you away.”
Kate finally found her words. “I’m not afraid,” she said. “And I am happy right now. I’m probably the happiest I’ve been since I met you.”
“Yeah, it’s nice to feel freedom.”
Kate gripped the rail that was in front of her, steeling herself for her response. She knew that if she planned on letting Rico know how she felt about him, she would have to do it now.
She let out a breath before continuing. “It’s nice to feel the way I do; the way I feel with you,” she said, blushing fiercely. She sat there, staring at her hands, waiting for Rico to say something, anything.
Next to her, Rico ran his hands through his hair, laced his fingers, and rested them on the back of his head. His breathing grew heavy, and Kate was afraid that she ruined their easy friendship, that Rico was growing angry with her.
“You shouldn’t feel that way,” he said at last.
Kate’s cheeks burned further and angry tears threatened to choke her. She looked up at him bravely, searching his eyes for something other than what he had just said, searching for what she wanted him to say to her.
Rico tousled his hair and covered his face in his hands, hiding his emotions from Kate. She looked back down at the faded wood.
“I’m here to protect you. I can’t be anything else,” Rico said when he was able to look at Kate. “I’m sorry, Kate, but it’s the truth. I’m just a soldier.”
“No you aren’t,” she said, her voice small. “You’re pretending that you don’t feel but I’ve seen you laugh. I’ve seen you when you’re angry or scared or worried.”
“I don’t feel the way you do, Kate.” His voice sounded like it was on the verge of breaking and Kate felt the need to comfort him. Instead, she stood there, stoic.
Kate’s thoughts tangled with her emotions. She could feel Rico’s tension; his muscles were flexed, his breathing loud and quick. Kate couldn’t believe that Rico felt nothing for her. He had freaked out after scaring her at the beach; he had talked with her about her appearance, clearly stating that he thought Kate was more attractive with her curls. Kate couldn’t let that knowledge go. She knew that deep down, there was something hidden within Rico, something that he wasn’t telling her. Kate guessed that everyone was hiding something; it was human nature, and like Adriana stated earlier, there was no reason for her to be hypocritical about it.
“We should head back,” Rico said finally, pulling Kate from her swirl of emotions. “I’ll drop you off at your house. I’ll let Adriana know you were tired.”
“I’d rather walk. It’s not far from here,” Kate said in response.
“It’s not safe for you to walk. I’m not letting you.”
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“You aren’t my father, Rico. You aren’t even my boyfriend. I don’t think you have the right to tell me what to do right now,” Kate spat.
Rico took a step back, shocked at Kate’s outburst. He looked at her for a moment before trying to persuade her once more.
“Look,” she said calmly. “The only thing I have left when it comes to you is my pride. Please, let me keep just that,” she said, pleading with him.
Rico sighed, knowing he had nowhere to turn from here. He let her go and stood on the boardwalk watching her silhouette retreat, waiting until he could see it no more.
When Kate was gone, Rico got into his car and drove slowly along the road parallel to Kate, listening for her soft presence.
Chapter 15
Kate stumbled into her bedroom thirty minutes later. The walk had been calming, yet eerie. Kate had felt the sensation that someone was watching her as she walked and shuddered at the thought of Kern sulking in the shadows somewhere.
When Kate opened the door, Adriana sat on the bed, an overnight bag next to her. Her dark eyes sparkled with knowledge but there was no smug smile on her face.
“I need to be alone tonight,” Kate demanded.
“No, Kate. I know enough about being friends to know that the last thing you need right now is a cry fest. You need to talk about it,” Adriana said, worry creasing her brow.
“What do you know about being friends with me?” Kate asked. “As soon as Kern is gone, as soon as he doesn’t want my soul any longer, you’ll be gone too. You aren’t my friend because of something natural. This friendship is an excuse to watch over me all the time.”
“That’s not true,” Adriana said in a small voice. “It may have started out that way, Kate, but I really like you. You’re the first person that I’ve actually felt a connection to.”
“Wrong,” Kate said. “You have a connection to Rico and your hypothetical father. I’m not the first person so don’t lie to me.”
“Believe me, Kate. You are.” Adriana began muttering to herself about Rico and Donovan being angry with her. She was at war with herself for about ten minutes before she looked into Kate’s cloudy eyes, her dark ones determined.
