Touched

by Allegra Skye

  Amanda seemed to notice it as she came right in.

  “Mom and dad may not let you stay here,” she said, her voice trembling.

  “Don’t worry about me, “ Keira said.

  “But I do,” Amanda said. “Things are different since you left. Mom’s changed a lot since I went into the coma. Every day she has fits of sobbing and believes all kinds of strange things. She thinks all the people in town are talking about her, because you ran away.”

  Keira wondered if the Shadows had fed on her mother, taken her courage, inserted more pain. Often they did it at night, when people were sleeping. When they went for the mind, some people went crazy and lived in terror, others just completely forgot who they were. It certainly sounded possible. Her mother never had been strong, but this was a whole new level.

  “Mom was never so stable,” Amanda said.

  It surprised Keira to hear Amanda say that. She and her mother had always been so close. It was Keira who’d always been on the outside. Now Amanda was coming closer to her. Probably because their mother was sicker.

  “I can’t base my life on fighting mother,” Keira said. “If she wants me to go, I have to. It will be better for both of us.”

  “But where will you go?” said Amanda, tearfully. She wasn’t the old twin Keira had known. Amanda had feelings for her now. When they spoke, she looked her right in the eye.

  Keira reached out for Amanda’s hands, and pulled her sister slowly to her, so they could sit and talk in a way they hadn’t been able to before.

  “I had to leave,” Keira said. “I changed after the accident. Greatly.”

  Amanda looked frightened. “You went with Cooper? That strange guy?”

  At the sound of his name, Keira felt her heart sink. She missed him so badly, she could barely stand it.

  “He wasn’t so strange,” Keira said softly.

  “Everyone at school thought he was,” Amanda replied.

  Keira resented that, but said nothing. Not one of them could ever understand Cooper, see the powerful creature he really was, see his beauty, his grace. No one could ever understand why she loved him.

  “It’s terrible,” Amanda went on.

  “Not so terrible,” said Keira. “Good things came out of it, too. Being with him helped me in lots of ways.”

  “Not one person in the school could relate to him, and he wouldn’t relate to anybody,” Amanda said.

  Keira didn’t want to go on talking about Cooper.

  “And something else has happened, too.” she tried to change the subject.

  “What?” Amanda asked.

  “I have certain powers now,” Keira whispered. “Being with him, I became able to see and do things I wasn’t able to before.”

  Amanda seemed fascinated and terrified at the same time.

  “What kind of powers? What are you talking about?”

  “An indigo light comes to me and helps when things are very rough. It gives me strength and tells me things.” She’d been longing to tell her sister about it. “Sometimes I can read people’s minds – not all the time – but when I really need to. For example, before, I was just able to hear what dad was thinking.”

  “What was he thinking?” Amanda seemed terrified.

  “And then, when there’s danger,” Keira went on, “energy runs through my veins. I suddenly get so strong, I can defeat anyone!”

  Amanda put her hands over her ears. She couldn’t take it. It was way too much for the moment.

  Keira became silent. She might have been wrong talking to her sister this way. She’d just wanted so badly wanted to share everything with her. After all, they were twins.

  Amanda’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh my God,” she murmured. “You’re going crazy, too. Our family’s being destroyed.”

  “Not destroyed-- just changing,” said Keira.

  “You make it sound as if you’re turning into some kind of strange creature,” Amanda said, shaking.

  Keira smiled. “Maybe I am.”

  “Maybe?” Amanda couldn’t put it together.

  At that moment Amanda seemed so much younger, like a little girl. Keira realized how much she’d grown these past weeks, developed way past what others could relate to.

  “Creatures aren’t all terrible,” Keira said slowly then.

  “What are you talking about? Vampires or something?” Amanda was biting her lip hard. “People have been talking about Vampires at school a lot lately. I don’t know why.”

  “They’re not all terrible either,” Keira said. “It depends on their mission and tribe. Some are out to kill. Others aren’t.”

  Amanda’s eyes grew very wide. “Which one do you think you are?”

  “I’m not saying I’m a vampire,” said Keira. “I just have new powers. They could come from all kinds of things.”

  “You sound just like mom now,” Amanda gasped, “filled with crazy ideas.”

  Amanda was trying to make everything fit into a logical scheme. Only it didn’t. Life didn’t work that way-- it was vast with worlds no one ever dreamt of, that couldn’t be understood rationally.

  “I love you, Amanda,” Keira said then.

  Tears flowed from Amanda’s eyes. “I love you too,” she said, “and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I don’t want you to run away, or get sick or go crazy.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

  “I don’t want to lose you either,” Amanda whispered.

  We all lose everybody, Keira thought then, but didn’t want to say it and upset her sister even more.

  “Promise me I won’t lose you,” Amanda spoke with urgency.

  “We all lose each other for a little while,” Keira replied, “and then we meet up again, sooner or later.”

  Amanda couldn’t grasp what she was saying, though.

  “Please come with me to school tomorrow,” Amanda replied, and tossed her hair over her head the way she always used to do, trying to re-gain a sense of normalcy and control. “You’ll get back into the routine at school. Things will return to the way they were. And, besides, there’s someone new at school, someone wonderful that I want to introduce you to.”

  Keira smiled, “A new boyfriend?”

  Amanda grinned. “It looks that way. And he’s unbelievable! I never experienced anyone like him before. Makes me way happier than Tom ever did. And, with all the trouble at home, this new guy’s the one who’s lifting my spirits, making me feel like I can go on.”

  Keira raised her eyebrows, curious, and a bit uneasy as well. “I’ll meet him tomorrow at school,” Keira said.

  “Can’t wait,” said Amanda and gave her a hug.

  After Amanda left Keira felt exhausted. Should she actually go to school with Amanda tomorrow? The idea made Keira uneasy. She lay back down on her bed for a few minutes and fell asleep. In her sleep, she dreamt of Cooper, back up at his compound, with the new woman he loved. It was painful watching them together, and Keira awoke suddenly, her face covered with tears. She couldn’t stay with Cooper at his compound, and she also couldn’t stay here. There had to be some place she was wanted and needed. She was determined to find out.

  Keira sat up in bed and decided at that moment that she’d go back to school with Amanda for the day tomorrow and meet her new boyfriend, and after that, she’d leave.

  *

  It was strange walking back into Bertram High the next morning with Amanda. When they walked through the front doors this time, the kids flocked around Keira, asking what had happened, where she’d been. Even the ones who never cared for her wanted to hear her story.

  Keira just smiled and said that she’d tell them later. There was no way, of course, she would say anything. There were worlds between them now.

  “You have to go into admissions and check in with Mrs. Heighten,” Amanda said. “After so many days out, you have to check in. And you know, the authorities have been looking for you. You may have to check in with them as well.”

  As they walked
to the admissions office, Amanda stayed right at Keira’s side. It felt good to have her close by-- and also different. Before Amanda had been surrounded by friends, had hardly given Keira the time of day. Now Amanda was afraid of losing her, and Keira could feel it. It made her sad, because she didn’t know how much longer she could stay around.

  Mrs. Heighten looked up the moment she and Amanda walked into the office.

  “Keira?” she said startled.

  Keira smiled as if nothing unusual had happened, as if she’d just been out a few days. “Just checking in,” Keira said lightly.

  Mrs. Heighten was speechless for a moment. “Where were you?” she finally said.

  “I had to leave for a little while,” was all Keira could answer.

  “I have orders to call the police if I see or hear anything about you again,” Mrs. Heighten said throatily.

  “You’re listed as a missing person. Posters are up. People have been searching.”

  “I’m sorry,” Keira said, and meant it.

  “Sorry’s hardly the word for it,” Mrs. Heighten replied.

  “I tried to call,” Keira said in a low voice. But it was a lie and Mrs. Heighten saw right through it.

  Just then, fortunately, the door to the office opened, and a tall, magnificent, dark haired young man walked in. His dark eyes were shining wildly and his energy filled the room. He went right over to Amanda, and put his arm around her shoulder possessively.

  Keira’s entire body contracted on the spot. Her teeth began to chatter fiercely and she felt as though she were gasping for air. Keira felt his energy resonate all through her veins.

  He was a Shadow Vampire as sure as day. She recognized them in every cell of her body.

  This was Amanda’s new boyfriend? She was looking up at him completely enthralled. My God, it was a ploy. He was using Amanda to get to her. He was on Keira’s trail, hungry for a kill.

  The guy then turned to Keira and looked at her. The minute he did his eyes grew wide and dark, and he began trembling. He saw instantly who she was. She had to get out of there immediately.

  “My God,” said Keira suddenly, “I forgot something at home. I’m so sorry, I have to go get it,” and she flew out of the office.

  “Wait!” called Amanda.

  Keira ran through the main door of the school, down the road towards home, paying no attention at all to the people calling behind her.

  As she ran a fierce energy rose through her. She was running for her life, deflecting her scent. They were closing in. Keira ran from one road to another camouflaging her energy.

  Keira ran all the way home. When she got there she dashed up into her room to pack and get out immediately. It was horrifying to realize that the Shadow Vampires had now pulled Amanda in. She had to stay there until Amanda came home, and tell her everything. Amanda was in danger now, too. It was easy to see that she was desperately in love with him and convinced that he loved her too. Keira had to tell her the whole truth right away. Amanda’s life depended on it.

  CHAPTER 15

  Keira packed hurriedly, taking only what was truly important to her. Her life had changed so much in such a short time. She could hardly remember the days when she was just like everyone else, went to school, had a family, some place to come home to. Now she couldn’t stay around.

  In a few minutes, she heard a knock on her door.

  “Let me in,” it was Amanda, breathless. She had chased her home.

  Keira opened the door and let her sister in. “Thank God you’re here,” said Keira.

  “Are you completely crazy?” Amanda was furious. “What in the world is going on?”

  “I’m so sorry for all this,” Keira started.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Amanda’s eyes filled with tears again. “You ran away suddenly for no reason. Mrs. Heighten was waiting and was going to report it, but I told her you were fine. I said you had a stomach ache, that our parents knew you were home, everything was okay. I lied for you.”

  “Thank you,” said Keira.

  “Don’t thank me,” Amanda said. “I don’t like to lie.”

  “I know you don’t,” said Keira, “and neither do I. But sometimes there’s danger.”

  Amanda’s tapped her knuckles against one another. It was something she had done since childhood when she tried to block bad news out.

  “What kind of danger? What are you talking about?” Amanda asked, her voice getting high.

  Keira took a deep breath. She no longer had a choice. She had to tell her sister everything. She didn’t know if Amanda could take it, but time had run out.

  “Listen to me, Amanda, she said. “I know this will sound far out, but every single thing I’m going to tell you is true.”

  Amanda’s eyes grew larger. “I’m listening,” she said. “I have no choice but to listen, do I?”

  “I told you some of this before and now I have to go into more detail. I told you that I started getting weird powers after the accident, right?”

  “Right,” Amanda said, as if she couldn’t bear to hear another word.

  “It was when I was close to Cooper.”

  “And?” Amanda said.

  “Cooper wasn’t a strange guy,” Keira went on, “he wasn’t human.

  “Oh God,” Amanda said then, taking a quick breath. “This is getting crazier than before.”

  “Hear me out, please,” said Keira. “Cooper was hybrid, part Shadow Vampire, part Torch.”

  It didn’t mean a thing to Amanda. Her face grew tighter and sterner. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she cried.

  “I know you don’t, but you have to listen to me. There are creatures among us that are unlike anything you can ever imagine. They’re not part of the human race. Some of them are Vampires. Some feed on humans and destroy them. The Shadow Vampires feed off misery. They make it worse, drink a human’s vital energy and then consume the thoughts in their brain.”

  “You sound totally insane,” Amanda’s face was stark white. She seemed about to turn away.

  “I know I sound that way, but believe me, I’m not. I’m smarter than ever,” Keira cried loudly. She couldn’t let Amanda get away from her now. Amanda had to hear what she was saying. She had to realize that she was in danger, too. Keira felt a vein pulsing on her neck and her blood rushing. “Listen to me,” she said again, her voice getting darker and rougher now.

  Amanda shuddered and tried to go.

  Keira focused her energy on her and kept her where she was. Even though Amanda tried to move now, she was frozen, stuck to the spot.

  “This guy you’re with, your new boyfriend,” Keira continued.

  “You mean Percy?” Amanda’s voice was thin and scared.

  “He’s not your boyfriend, really.”

  Keira watched Amanda struggle to move, as if she were caught in quicksand, unable to. Clearly Amanda didn’t want to hear another word, but Keira forced her to stay put.

  “He’s NOT your boyfriend,” Keira repeated.

  “Percy loves me,” Amanda spit back. “You’re jealous of me. You always were.”

  “He wants you to think he’s your boyfriend,” said Keira. “But he doesn’t feel a thing for you. He can’t. He’s one of the Shadow Vampires. I recognized him right away. And he recognized me.”

  “You’re completely insane,” Amanda started crying, “worse than mom. You belong in a hospital.”

  “I’m telling you the truth. He’s with you because he wants to get to me. He’s on a mission to kill me.”

  Amanda desperately tried to regain control. She shook her shoulders as far as she could, trying to toss away these horrible ideas.

  “Keira, think a minute. Why would Percy want to kill you? He doesn’t even know you.” She refused to take any of this in. It was way beyond what she could fathom.

  “I destroyed the Shadow Vampires a while ago in an attack,” said Keira. “They’ve reconstituted and are out for revenge. I’m one of their prime targets. They’re
afraid of what I can do to them. Their bigger mission is to destroy all goodness, to plunge the world into an era of fear.”

  “Keira, you’ve gone insane. Insane, insane!” Amanda started weeping. “Percy loves me more than anyone in the world ever did. I never felt so safe and good as when I’m with him.”

  “That’s how I felt with Cooper, too,” Keira felt like crying too. She saw that Amanda wouldn’t believe her, no matter how hard she tried. “I never felt so loved by anyone, or so much love for anyone as I did for Cooper.”

  “And?” said Amanda, “it didn’t work out for you so now you want to destroy my happiness too?”

  “That’s not it,” said Keira, “not at all. Believe me.”

  “So, what happened between you and Cooper? Everything you thought was a lie?”

  Keira couldn’t say that. “No, it wasn’t a lie. It was just that we came from different worlds, maybe even different species. We only met for a little while. But Percy’s different. He’s not hybrid. He’s all Shadow. And his shield is up.”

  “What shield?”

  “The Shadows don’t have human feelings, they just seem to. They have energy that pulls you in, intoxicates you, makes you feel so special. And adored.”

  “Yes, that’s right,” breathed Amanda.

  “But they feel nothing back inside.”

  “It’s not true,” Amanda spoke louder now. “Percy loves me. I feel it in every bone.”

  “It only seems that way, believe me.”

  Desperate, Amanda wrestled as hard as she could and finally pulled herself free of Keira’s grip. She stood up suddenly and stared at Keira with pure hatred.

  “You just want to destroy something precious to me,” she yelled. “You want to destroy everything. Mom’s right, you were like that from the moment you were born.”

  Keira put her hands over her ears. She couldn’t hear another word of this, couldn’t bear to take in Amanda’s hatred.

  Just then there was a knock on her door again. “What’s going on inside there?” It was their mother.

  Amanda flung the door open, and her mother rushed in.