I can always count on Kasper to come running to Tam's defense. Ever since I got here to Aurora, those two have been attached at the hip. They are both quick to defend and protect each other. It's actually adorable but I try not to pay attention. It makes me think of Jax and our lack of a relationship.
"Levitate that chair over there," Tam demands.
That was a shot. But I focus on the chair, and after a few minutes it starts to vibrate. My right hand flinches and the chair begins to rise. I glance at Kasper and he's clearly pleased. Tam, on the other hand, is in shock. I can tell because she's quiet—and she's never quiet when it comes to criticizing me.
Kasper whispers, "Alexa, can you raise it any higher?"
I bring my arm up to my waist and the chair follows suit. "Like that?"
"Yes, wonderful." Kasper's reaction is somewhat gratifying considering he has been working with me since I got back. This time around I'm much more focused. I will thank Miri for that once I get her back. I also owe Kasper my life. He helped me escape the Pumalian compound when I was originally brought to this planet. He didn't require anything from me. He simply picked me up on his scooter like Elena requested.
"Set it on fire," Tam teasingly offers through her clenched jaw.
"Really, Tam? Must you always take it to that level?" Kasper whispers with wide eyes.
I close my eyes and imagine my illuminated fingertips. I pictured the glowing yellow light turning varying colors of orange and red. Heat gathers in the pit of my stomach, and with no warning the chair is ablaze.
"Stop!" Tam cries, and I couldn't help my satisfied grin. She didn't think I could do it. That's why she offered her chair for my experimental trial.
Slowly, I bring the chair back down to the ground. The flames also dissipate as soon as I imagine it. That's not too bad. This may be fun. According to Tam's and Kasper's expressions, I did well.
Tam is the first to congratulate my efforts. Well, sort of. "Good work for a rookie." Tam smirks. Kasper pulls in behind her and places his hands on her shoulders. This instantly calms Tam down and she actually smiles at me. If only that calming effect he has over her would last for more than a few minutes the two of us would always get along.
I humbly thank Tam and Kasper for their time. I didn't realize how late it was so I excuse myself and make my way to the assembly hall for Jax's gathering.
I arrive a few minutes before the gathering begins, and I have enough time to observe Jax circulate through the room. I watch as he checks in with each alien, welcoming them into the meeting and thanking them individually for their attendance. His cordial actions are clearly why he's meant to be such a figurehead in the militia. I can see how everyone is drawn to him; he's approachable but powerful.
Actually, this get-together was Jax's idea. He thought calling together a good representation of the whole galaxy was due especially since my arrival after being held on Mapu. The beings that reside in Aurora represent all of the planets that make up the galaxy so anything we can all do to improve our lives will benefit the greater good. Most of these life forms are in hiding. Either their planet has self-destructed or was taken over by the queen. Aurora has been the only place to hide from the tyrannical rule of my mother. A wise being from Plito cast a magical spell that would last two hundred years unless broken by a stronger power. With Michael showing up twice now, I'm beginning to wonder if my dear mother will be next. It's obvious this place is no longer a safe haven but instead a ticking time bomb. But how is this possible? Has the enchantment ended? Did my mother use someone's power to unlock the location leaving everyone at risk?
"Thank you all for coming." Jax moves to the center of the room and stands tall, taking command. He exudes confidence in a room where everyone is looking to him for a plan. I move to the side and wedge myself between two beings.
He's so hot. Okay, Alexa, deep breaths, I coach myself. I need to focus here on the big picture, not the good-looking being standing close enough to hear my heart pound out of my chest. He intercepts my thoughts with a quick glance and a playful grin. Oh no, can he read my mind?
"I want to be very transparent with what we know and what we plan on executing." He takes a minute to breathe. "You've all been down here, hiding for too long. Even if you are new to Aurora, this isn't a place you should be banished to. We are going to take back our galaxy, and we need your help to do it."
The room of at least twenty erupts in chatter. I don't have to hear what they're saying to know it's not good. "You can stop with the negativity. I know what you're all thinking and it can be done," Jax replies to no one in particular. "It will be done, as the alternative is too grim to entertain."
"If we don't do something now, who knows how much longer she'll go on like this," a girl's voice from the back adds. She's hidden in the crowd so I can't see her face but, oddly enough, her voice sounds familiar.
A tall, silvery being steps forward. "What do you suggest we do?" He stands there for a minute, staring at Jax, waiting for an answer. One I know he most certainly will not like.
"We attack. We go in there and take back the galaxy. It won't be easy; there will be casualties. But if we stay here, that could still happen," Jax answers. "She knows we're here. She's sent people down here. This place is no longer a secret refuge but instead a ticking time bomb."
"That's her fault," a voice shouts in the crowd.
"It's not her fault. She's our chance at surviving this fight." Jax is quick to defend me, but I let the words resonate. It is my fault. If I hadn't come here, this place would still be a sanctuary. My face heats and my stomach tightens.
"We have reason to believe that the queen has known about Aurora for a while. Our sources tell us this place is no secret." Michael must be the source I think to myself.
I look around the circle and see the look of gut-wrenching shock splayed across the faces circling Jax.
"Do we need to flee?" someone asks from the back of the room.
"Where would you go?" another questions quickly. He's right—where would everyone go? I'm not sure emerging above ground in Pumalia is the answer either. Chills run down my back as I recall the event leading to my confinement at the compound. I won't put myself in that situation again, or anyone else for that matter.
"That's why we're here." Clenching his fists, Jax responds, "We are trying to determine the best course of action for all of us."
"I have an idea," a familiar voice adds. Who's talking? I stand on my tippy toes, trying to find the source. The crowd separates and she steps forward. Blinking repeatedly, I try to shake the image from my view. I take a few steps forward revealing myself to the crowd. But none of that matters because she is standing before me. I turn and look at Jax, waiting for him to laugh, or admit that the joke is once again at my expense. Alexa duped by another fixture in her life.
He says nothing. Does he know?
I take another step so I'm only inches from her face. The crowd is silent. I know those eyes. They may be a different color, but I know. She may be more pale now, but that's her. The bubbling heat from within me starts to rise and before I can control it, my hands have given away my mood.
Red flames bounce from palm to palm and my fingers let out puffs of smoke. This is not the soft glow Jax once witnessed. Instead, the heat is felt throughout the room. My face warms and my eyes water, not because I'm hot but because I'm in shock. My best friend, Sheri, is standing before me.
"Alexa, I wanted to tell you." Sheri tries to reach me with her soothing voice but all I hear is the ringing in my ears.
"Don't even try to talk to me!" I scream.
Jax takes a hold of my arm, and in that instant the fire snuffs out, leaving me wondering if I imagined the whole thing. His calming touch turned off my crazy, leaving me with an electric impression, a sensation not caused by my abilities but from his contact.
"Do you know who this is, Alexa?" His voice wavers between anger and shock.
"I thought I did, but I guess the answer is no. T
he girl I once knew would never lie to me like this."
Sheri's eyes fill with tears and her bottom lip quivers. And like that she's off. I watch as she weaves through the crowd making her way to the exit.
The horde stands gaping at me while I'm left with a hole in my heart. My best friend—I told her everything. How could she have betrayed me? Another person in my life that has lied to my face. I practice my deep breathing and find a chair to sit on so I don't shrink to the floor.
The silence in the room has passed the weird stage and is now bordering on uncomfortable. Jax must sense my uneasiness and excuses us from the gathering. He grabs my hand and leads me outside. On the way out he motions to the being beside him, a follower from his days as the Pumalian militia leader. Jax instructs the being to follow Sheri and report back. Like that he's off in pursuit of my traitorous friend.
"What happened? Who is she?"
He really doesn't know. If he did, he wouldn't look this surprised.
"That was my best friend. We used to live next door to each other on Earth until her family moved out of state. We talked weekly on the phone, we texted, we told each other everything, every dirty little secret. Well I thought we did, until now." Tears spill down my face. "Why am I the last one to know everything?"
"We'll get to the bottom of this. I'm going to have her brought to us for questioning. We need to know how and why she's here." Jax stops walking and pulls me in toward him. My face meets his hard pectoral muscles and his strong arms envelop me. He gives me the best hug I've ever had. I don't want him to let go of me. I could easily get used to his affection.
Before he lets go, he kisses the top of my head. A shiver travels down my spine and a warm feeling fills me. "Thank you, Jax."
"For what?"
"This. I needed—" Before I could finish, he cuts me off.
"Never thank me for holding you. It makes me feel a whole hell of lot better too." He winks and I jokingly push him away. He grabs my arm and pulls me back in. This time it's not for a hug. His warm, soft lips land on mine, catching me by surprise. I close my eyes and fall into him. Losing myself in the moment, I try to imagine that all is right with my life and we are two normal teenagers falling for each other. He pulls back, squeezes my hand.
For one brief moment his lips on mine erase everything wrong with my life. That one moment is perfect until he pulls away and I realize Miri is still missing.
Chapter Four
I move throughout the room in a continuous loop while Kasper watches. Jax dropped me off here like I'm a child needing to be babysat. However, I think it was a good idea. I won't tell Jax that but I do think staying with Kasper while Jax is off looking for my former best friend is for the best. Who knows what would happen if I was unsupervised with these abilities I have little control over, especially in this state of mind. How can Sheri show up here? Why is she here or, for that matter, how? So many questions are firing off in my head, it's hard to focus.
"Please, stop moving in the same circle over and over again. You are making me dizzy," Kasper mutters.
"Do you even know how weird this is for me?" I quickly respond. "My life really was a lie. Was nothing in my life real?"
With a nod, he answers, "I can only assume how you must feel. My life may be complicated, but yours is off-the-charts strange. But I do think you need to hear her out before you accuse her of whatever it is you think she's done. You should know by now things aren't always what they seem. Also, I hate to burst your bubble, but there are much bigger issues going on here."
I don't respond. I let what he said sit with me. Was she going through something? Did she know who or what I was? There are too many unknowns to accuse her of anything. Yet I can't help but still feel betrayed. I'm the only one in my life that didn't know what was happening. That's beyond infuriating. But he's right. There is too much going on to dwell on something I'll probably never know for sure.
The door swings open, freezing me mid-step. Tam's gaze meets mine and a cold shiver runs down my back. What's she doing here?
"What's going on?" she asks in a huff. Her large eyes are wide, taking in the sight of me panicking. Before she can give me her usual death stare, I look away. Tears sting my eyes as I try and hold them from falling. I know this state of shock may upset Tam, and I don't need another reason for her to detest me.
"Let me fill her in, Alexa," Kasper says. "Apparently, Alexa's best friend of nearly fifteen years has not been honest with her. Shockingly enough, this friend is a being from our galaxy. She was in attendance today at Jax's meeting. Unfortunately, she ran off before anyone could get any answers. I think she may have been frightened at the sight of fire emitting from Alexa's hands." Kasper draws in a short breath and continues. "Needless to say, the meeting was cut short, and I think it caused more confusion than answers."
"You lit your hands on fire?" A smirk spreads across Tam's pale face. "Like, in front of an audience?" Before I can respond, Tam follows up her question with something unusual—praise. "That's great. The more you practice, the better you'll be. Can you do it again on command? Should we practice now?"
"Really? That's all you have to say after the news of yet another person in my life deceiving me?" My voice cracks, revealing the hurt I feel from her unemotional reaction. Now it looks like I care what she thinks, although I don't.
A scowl quickly replaces her enthusiastic grin. "Actually, yes. Your whole life has been a lie, Alexa. It's time to get over it and get to work. You—yes you—have the ability to turn this all around and do something good. So stop whining and do it." The look of shock on my face must say it all because she spins around and storms out as quickly as she came in.
Kasper trails closely behind her. "Maybe she's right. You need to focus on the present, not the past. I'll give you some alone time to think. I know things have been extremely difficult, but you have a whole lot of beings counting on you—not to mention Miri. If you need anything, I'll be in the center trying to meet with the concerned and confused citizens of Aurora."
The door slams and I'm alone. Maybe she's right; maybe they're both right. A large part of me wants to believe that Tam doesn't know anything, but another part of me thinks that what she said may have some truth to it…not the whining part, though. I can do something about my life. Right now, I can choose to move forward and not look back. I was lied to by many people, probably for many reasons. But now I have things to do, and the negativity can't weigh me down any longer. Like Kasper said, there are a lot of beings counting on me, the most important my sister.
I continue to pace when there is a knock at the door.
"Come in," I yell.
"It's me." With slight hesitation Jax opens the door. "I didn't want to scare you. Are you okay?"
"Yes, fine. Did you find her?"
"No, but I have someone on it. She couldn't have gotten too far." He strides over to me and takes my hand. Electric currents pulse through me, warming my body. I jerk my hand away, afraid the warm feeling will turn into something more, like an uncontrollable raging fire.
"Sorry." His face tightens.
"Don't be. I need some time." I breathe in slowly and let it out. "I-I don't want to hurt you." The admission falls from my mouth so freely. My body temperature rises as I picture him touching my hand again.
"You're not going to hurt me. You may think you can't control your abilities, but I know you can." Confidence exudes from him, and for a moment, I think wholeheartedly he's right. However, the tiny bit of self-doubt in the back of my mind rears its ugly head.
"I hope you're right. I don't know what I'd do if I hurt you—or anyone, for that matter." Fear enters my mind, paralyzing my few confident thoughts.
Ignoring my request, Jax moves closer. He places his hands on my shoulder and peers into my eyes. The warm sensation quickly follows. This time, I don't pull away. I let go and enjoy the reassuring warmth. "We'll get through this, Alexa. I promise you, we'll get Miri and everything will work out." He reaches for the stray
hair obstructing my view of his gorgeous features. He pushes the flyaway strands back, anchoring them behind my ear. The blue pools staring back at me transport me to the field where we met in my dreams. The familiarity of him comforts me, and before I know it I find myself curled into him. We stand there slowly rocking back and forth, and all the anger, worry, and hurt dissipate. How does he do this to me?
"There's something else, Alexa," he continues. "I came to find you because Michael has some news and he wants to share it with the both of us."
I take a deep breath, trying to force myself to keep my composure. "Would it be so terrible if everyone would leave us alone for a short while?"
Jax untangles himself from our embrace. Our eyes meet and a devious grin spreads across his face. "Why do you want time alone with me, Alexa?"
My face instantly flushes in response. "I want to relax a bit longer. I find being alone with you can be relaxing. That is, when you're not trying to kidnap me or rob me of my sleep." I squeeze his arm.
"We could wait to speak with Michael if you want to 'relax' a bit longer. If it was that important, he would have most likely told me right away." He pulls me back into to our rocking-hug stance. He's always so comforting; what would I do without him?
I swallow hard, thinking of our last time alone and the kiss that turned me into a pile of mush. "It's probably best we speak with him. If it has anything to do with getting Miri back, then I want to know right away."
"Okay then, let's go find him." Jax pulls me to the door. A moment of disappointment seizes me when I realize our short time together won't end with a kiss. Jax peers over his shoulder and witnesses the hesitation in my eyes. "Don't worry. I didn't forget."
The sparkle in his eyes glows wildly as he leans in and meets me halfway. Gently, he kisses me, resulting in instantaneous sea legs that I can barely control. One. Short. Kiss. "That'll have to do until later." Jax winks while simultaneously pulling me along and then briefly halting. "In case you're wondering, Alexa. I have never felt this way about another being. The energy between us is indescribable."
Disorder (The Stellar Series Book 2) Page 3
