Ryan reached for my hand. “Em, don’t let her get to you. She’s not worth it.”
“Shut-up, Purple Teletubby,” Kallie sneered at Ryan.
The lights in cafe flickered and buzzed over my head. A calm power oozed inside me. The lighting whined in protest as energy flooded through the wiring. A spark shot out from one of the lights, breaking the dam holding them back. Tiny balls of fire rained down on the customers below.
Another burst of sparks exploded from the hanging lights. People screamed and scrambled to hide under the tables. I continued to stand there, a force building in me. I felt a connection to the bursts of electricity. It wasn’t the electricity I felt in my veins but the sparks of fire. Fire seared through my veins like it did in the wiring. One by one the lights blew, plunging the cafe into darkness.
“She’s the one who’s doing this,” Kallie’s shrill voice shot through the room, breaking the shocked silence. “It’s her! She’s a freak!”
It was dark with all the lights out, but I could sense dozens of eyes watching me, scared and suspicious. I did the only thing I could think of—I ran. It may not have been the wisest thing to do, but logic left me, and I reacted purely on instinct.
Within a few minutes, I was on the road in Mark’s truck, stewing in my shocked, scared, and angry thoughts. Kallie was right. I was doing it—first at the dance and now at the café. There was no denying it; I was a freak. It seemed I could cause things to explode when I got upset. That wasn’t normal or even possible, was it? So, what did that make me? Was I some hybrid X-man, or was it simpler than that? Something was wrong with me. You’d hear about these people who could make things happen and later you’d found out they had a tumor pressing on their brain. Whatever it was, I had the power to blow things up. I bit back the tears, alternating between mumbling to myself and screaming profanity as I drove down the road.
I turned down the dark, winding, country road that took me home. My phone buzzed relentlessly with calls from Ryan and Kennedy. I needed to come up with some explanation before I called them back—if there was one. In my state, I found it hard to concentrate on the curvy route. Rounding the corner right before my turn-off, the headlights reflected off something in front of me. I squinted as a flash of light assaulted my eyes.
A polished Harley pulled onto the road, the metal of the bike reflecting back. Something gripped my stomach as I recognized both the person and the black bike. His bike was followed by six more pristine Harleys of various models. The rumble of the engines hummed in my chest as the riders revved them to gain speed. I knew it was the same group who had circled Mark and me a few nights earlier. My heart pounded faster at the thought of Eli being only yards away. They quickly picked up speed, leaving my truck in the dust.
My road came and went, but I continued on. The impulse to follow Eli was too strong to deny. Why was he near my house? Was it a coincidence? Did he live out here, or was he watching me? There was no way he knew I was behind them and seeing where they went might give me a clue about who Eli was. I had to find out what was going on. I hit the gas, not wanting to lose them. The truck swerved and weaved through the twisty roads. I had just gotten their taillights in sight when red and blue lights flickered in my rearview mirror.
“Dammit!” I hit the steering wheel, pulling over to the side of the road. I watched through my side mirror as a cop got out of the car and headed towards me. I recognized the officer instantly. “Oh, you’ve GOT to be kidding me?” I exclaimed, leaning my head back on my headrest, before taking it forward and banging it on the steering wheel. I swore that man was hiding out in the bushes, just waiting for me to cross his path. Reluctantly, I rolled down the window.
“License and reg—” Sheriff Weiss trailed off as he looked inside the window.
I would have found Sheriff Weiss’ expression humorous, if it wasn’t for the fact his shock turned into complete and utter joy.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Brycin.” His eyes danced. “We just keep running into each other don’t we? You must really enjoy making my day.”
“I really do,” I retorted as sarcasm came flooding out.
“Do you know how fast you were going, Ms. Brycin?”
Keeping my head facing forward, I had a “let’s just get this over with” expression on my face. I didn’t trust myself not to say something snarky, but he remained silent, waiting for my answer. Finally, I sighed. “I’m sure you are about to tell me.”
“Sixty-five in a fifty mile-per-hour zone,” he stated.
“See, you didn’t need to ask me after all.”
His lips pinched together in a thin, white line as he stared at me. “Have you been drinking, Ms. Brycin?”
“Does a bottle of tequila laced with heroin count? I also had some battery fluid—was that not a good thing?”
“Get out of the car.”
I really needed to learn to keep my mouth shut. I sighed heavily, unsnapping my seatbelt. I opened the door and slid off the driver’s seat to the ground. My eyes widened as he unhooked the handcuffs from his belt.
“Aren’t you going to give me a breathalyzer test or something first?” I demanded. Even if I had been drinking, I knew I would have passed it. For some reason alcohol didn’t affect me the same way it affected others. My tolerance had always been extremely high, especially compared to others my age.
“You see, I only need to suspect that you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol to take you in.” His smug expression was just begging to be slapped off his face.
“So, you’re taking me in for having a caffeine-high?” I asked. “I confess . . . I’m a junkie. Lock me up.”
“I plan to.”
Something in his determined expression made my shoulders sag. I was tired of this man. He was making my life miserable, adding to the tremendous stress and exhaustion I felt already.
Abruptly, a motorcycle raced around the corner, heading straight for us. Like a deer caught in the headlights, I stood motionless and wide-eyed as the biker got within several yards of us before skidding to a stop. He flipped off the sheriff, and then tore back in the direction from where he had come. Sheriff Weiss didn’t even think twice. He raced back to the cop car, turned on the siren and lights, and sped after the biker.
I stood there in shock before a sly smile came over my face. In the darkness, I couldn’t make out who was on the bike, but I had no doubt it was Eli or someone in his group who came back to distract Weiss’ attention off me. Hurriedly, I climbed back into the truck and drove away before Weiss lost them and decided to come back for me.
Sighing with relief and happiness, I pulled into my driveway, jumped out the truck, and ran to the door. I slammed it behind me, feeling I was safely away from the fiasco that might have been tonight’s ending. The one thing I kept thinking about was how Eli knew I needed help. When Sheriff Weiss pulled me over, I was behind the motorcycles and in Mark’s truck. I didn’t even have a car, so how would he have known it was me? It just didn’t make sense although I knew in my gut it had been Eli who saved my butt.
Twelve
Eventually I called Ryan and Kennedy back, bumbling out some excuse about being freaked out that the cops would show up and I just needed to get away. They accepted my pathetic excuse, but I knew they didn’t believe it. They weren’t stupid or blind. They could see something was off about me. It left me feeling even crazier and more alone.
I spent most of the night squinting at lamps, willing them to explode. When I wasn’t doing that, I was doing internet research about how someone could cause electrical equipment and lighting to blow-up. I did find lots of crazy-sounding people claiming they could control stoplights and turn on lights without touching them. They called it technopathy, the ability to control and manipulate electronics with the mind. Unfortunately there were no scientific facts included, just a lot of people on the Internet declaring they could affect electronics. The result: an incredibly horrendous headache. It was past three in the morning before I crawled i
nto bed to catch a measly few hours of sleep.
I could barely keep my eyes open during school the next morning. At least I had Josh. At lunch, we sat together again. We seemed to find easy companionship with each other. In group therapy that day, it was his turn to share. I learned about his home life, and it made me feel sick inside. Being constantly beaten up and told that you were nothing by people who were supposed to protect and love you was not an easy thing to get over. Most didn’t. I hoped he’d be different. I already was protective of him and, ironically, I felt like beating up anyone who would hurt him in any way. Josh made me happier when he was around; he was like my Ryan here at Silverwood, although a younger, taller, gawkier model.
When two o’clock came around, I wasn’t sure if I was dreading or looking forward to O.A.R.
“Em, wait up,” Josh called out to me, his gangly body catching up with me. He was growing too fast for his motor skills to keep up, leaving him awkward, clumsy, and self-conscious of his body. I smiled warmly at his approached. He was kind of a “dufus” but such a friendly, good-hearted guy.
“So do you think Mr. Attitude is going to give you anymore crap today?” he asked.
“I hope not. The last thing I need is another asshole on my back.”
We arrived at the O.A.R. meeting point. I thought about my words when I felt a strange tingling sensation on my skin. Eli came from behind and brushed his arm against my shoulder; it was only a slight graze, but it sent a hot shockwave down my arm. I winced.
“You okay?” Josh asked.
I rubbed my shoulder. “Yeah, just a spasm or something. This old lady’s body is already creaking and complaining.”
“Oh, come on, you’re only, like, two-and-a-half years older than me.”
“Then you have two-and-a-half years before you’re creaking and moaning like this old, brittle biddy.”
“Whatever you say, Miss Daisy,” he said, laughing, causing me to start giggling along with him.
Eli shot a cool gaze at us, his icy voice cutting through our laughter. “If you two are done, maybe we can get some work done today,”
Samantha walked up, catching the tension in Eli’s body. She followed his gaze to me. Something flashed in her eyes too quickly for me to really grasp before she pivoted and briskly headed for the garden.
***
Four o’clock came too soon again. Josh and I had laughed as we raced to see who could fill their wheelbarrow with soil and dump it the fastest. Once, we crashed into each other and ended up in a heap, covered in dirt. We giggled until our stomachs hurt. Eli didn’t say anything, but he watched us, a permanent frown on his face, which only made us laugh more. I would never want to admit it, but I was having fun and wished O.A.R. lasted longer.
I stood up, brushing off my jeans. Everyone was starting to put away supplies and get their stuff together. Eli leaned against the garden shed, pulling his sweatshirt back on. He hitched up his t-shirt, exposing some of his toned, muscular torso. He had a man’s body; nothing about him was undefined or still growing. A warm buzz danced through my body as I watched his muscles ripple and move under his skin.
The entire left side of his body was covered with a giant, looping Celtic tattoo. My eyes followed the thick, curving line all the way down to where it was cut off by his jeans. I longed to see more, to see how far down it went. As if my wish had been granted, he stretched again, making the top of his jeans dip lower. My gaze greedily slid lower, following the muscular indention of his V-line. I gasped as a hint of hair captured my attention even more, locking my gaze on his raw, powerful body.
Eli’s voice sliced through my reverie like a hot poker. “See something you like?”
I jerked my head up, briefly meeting his eyes, and confirming that, yes, he did in fact just catch me checking him out.
I flushed so hot I could already feel the sweat coating my skin underneath my clothes. I glanced around to see if anyone else, especially Sam, was a witness to this. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be doing his or her own thing. I looked back at Eli. A smirk played on his lips as his electric, green eyes moved over me, making me blush more.
“No,” I declared. “I was just looking at your tattoo.”
“Uh huh.”
“Whatever . . . believe what you want.” My embarrassment turned to anger quickly. “Seems your ego needs no help in believing what it wants.”
He shoved off the wall. “And I thought you had a sense of humor.”
In a blink, he had moved so close to me that I could feel his warm breath on my face. I froze. He looked back and forth between my eyes, his brows furrowing, as if he was trying to understand something. The glint in his eye turned my body to liquid. I was afraid if I moved, my bones would turn to mush, and I would be left in a puddle at his feet. We stayed like this for a few seconds as I tried desperately to gather up my willpower. His eyes moved down my body, blanketing me in a wave of heat and desire.
Fear finally made words crawl out of my throat. “See something you like?”
A small grin pulled at the side of his face as he stepped back. Touché, his eyes said to mine.
I halted, realizing something amazing and unsettling had just happened between us.
“Hey Em, you ready?” Josh yelled from where our bags were.
“Yeah,” I replied, my eyes never leaving Eli’s. I felt something change as we stared at each other. It was as if I now understood the language his eyes spoke.
You want to challenge me? Eli’s lips curled into a half smile.
My heart picked up speed, but I tried to keep the cool, nonchalant appearance on my face. Bring it on.
I had no doubt he understood because his eyebrow cocked up in surprise. I could have sworn, for a brief second, that shock and alarm flew over his face.
This wasn’t the same as what I experienced with Torin. Torin could communicate without looking at me. I couldn’t hear Eli’s voice speak directly into my head like I had with Torin. This was more as if Eli’s eyes were conveying to me what he was thinking. I couldn’t really explain it. It wasn’t even humanly possible. But, it was only the logical part of my brain that was freaking out; otherwise, I found it strangely normal and natural.
You really want to do that little girl?
I smiled sweetly. Oh yeah.
Fine, but you’re going to be wishing you didn’t. He gave a slight shrug.
We’ll see about that. I gave him a smug smile of my own. I did not want to show him the true fear I felt. I turned and walked away, not at all sure what had just happened, but knowing something had changed between us—something I might come to regret.
***
Josh and I were on our way back to Silverwood’s main building when Tim found me. “Hey Em, Mrs. Sanchez wants to see you in her office.”
“Did she say why?” I asked nervously.
“Nope, sorry, but I don’t think it’s anything bad.” He smiled and patted my arm as he walked away. He was one of those people who were always happy. People like that mystified me.
I headed to Mrs. Sanchez’s office, and knocked on her door.
“Come in,” she said.
I opened it and stepped in. Mrs. Sanchez waved me in from behind her desk. Even though it was only a few days earlier, it felt like months since I sat in her office. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, sit down.” She motioned to the seat in front of her desk. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing bad, not completely. I just wanted to see how you were doing. I’ve heard such positive things about you from Tim. You know, Ember, I think the whole situation that landed you here is complete bull-honkey, but I can’t say I mind you being here. You are doing well here and people seem to take a natural liking to you.”
I almost choked on the last part. In general, people didn’t take a natural liking to me. If anything, it seemed like the opposite. Then I thought of Ryan and Kennedy, and some of my old friends from Monterey, few as they were. They were all in some way outsiders, just like the people here, just li
ke me. Even if you didn’t look like an outsider, that didn’t make you any less of one. I looked like an average teenage girl—except for my eyes—but people sensed I somehow didn’t belong. Here I did. In the land of outcasts and outsiders, I was home. Go figure.
Then I felt a presence behind me and immediately stiffened. I knew before I looked who it was and that troubled me.
Mrs. Sanchez motioned to him. “Ah Eli, please, come on in.”
Eli moved into the room with a silence and swiftness that was unsettling. He didn’t sit but stood behind the empty chair, as far away from me as he could possibly get.
“I asked you both in because Sheriff Weiss called me this morning, adamantly stating he is adding two days a week and weekends of community service to each of your sentences. Whatever the both of you have done to this man, he seems determined to make sure your every waking moment is being controlled.” She shook her head in frustration.
“What?” I exclaimed. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m afraid not. You make him incredibly nervous, Ember, which I don’t understand. You shouldn’t have been placed at Silverwood in the first place. It’s a pleasure having you here, so I’m not sure what it is about you that unsettles him so much. Unfortunately, he can do this, even if you don’t deserve it. If you fight it, he will say you are being uncooperative and make life here a living hell until you graduate. He can make sure your school files show you as ‘troubled.’ I just want to be honest with you.”
This was his revenge. After seeing how his mouth watered at the idea of locking me up this past weekend, I shouldn’t have been surprised. He was out to get me, no matter what it took. He would do what he could to keep me under his thumb.
“Although you might be happy because, in the absence of the couple who used to run it, I have convinced him to let you run the ropes course for me instead.”
Eli’s voice was low but firm. “Marisol, I don’t think that is a good idea.”
“Why? I think it’s a perfect idea,” she responded. “I need someone to run A.E.R.C., our Adventure Education Rehabilitation Course, and you need community service hours. It’s a perfect fit.”
Darkness Of Light (Darkness #1) Page 7
