My cheeks burn, and I throw my hands over them to hide my blush. “Cut off the cuteness, Marc. I can’t take it.”
Marc looks over his shoulder then back to me. “You ruined my game of checkers, knocked me out of my chair, and now you’re telling me what to do, Ky.” He comes for me, full speed.
I giggle, jumping out of his path and pushing him away from me. We wrestle, and he pins me to the ground. In a matter of seconds, he lifts me by my waist, throws me over his shoulder, and then I’m airborne. Flailing until I feel the sting of the ice-cold water, I’m submerged in the pool. My foot touches the floor of the pool, and I push myself up out of the water. Hair sticking to my face, the wind biting my soaking skin, I find Marc near the edge laughing.
Teeth chattering, I say, “That. That. Was not. N-not pleasant.” I swim from the side of the pool that looks over the edge of the floating island to where he stands. I intend to grab him by the ankle and yank him with me, but he jumps over my head and into the water causing a volcanic splash.
“Shit,” he yelps, popping out of the water. “It’s cold!”
I grab the edge of the pool to lift myself up and out, but Marc grabs me by my waist and pulls me back in. I twist around. “Are you trying to get sick or something?” Something a regular Creation wouldn’t have to worry about, but now I do.
He shakes his head, shoving his hair from his face with his free hand. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I ask, “But why? It’s so silly to jump into a pool for no reason.”
“Because we can. Freedom. Our own will.” His teeth don’t chatter like mine. “Watch this.” Around us, the water lights a silvery-blue and begins to warm.
My chattering teeth settle, and I sigh as the chill shaking my skin rests. We wade through the water to the middle of the pool where the water is up to our chin. There’s something about the freedom that we have here at the Trade headquarters. The lack of eyes and, seemingly, cameras on us, and the comfort in Marc I only saw behind closed doors back at the base.
“Better?” he asks, pulling me closer.
I laugh once. “Have you always been able to do these things?”
He nods.
“And you never trusted me enough to tell me? Not even after I told you about my Vojin connection?”
Marc presses his lips together and drags his gaze away from me. “Did you see how excited Jord became when he discovered you only might’ve been Itteix? Those who know about Itteix are the ones who’ve been notified by the Guidance to look out for them, maybe to turn them in. I don’t know.” He shrugs. “And I trust you. I trusted you. It’s not something we talk about, ever. We don’t think about it; we don’t bring it up.” He lifts his dripping arm out of the water and gestures toward the building to our right. “Here we can, freely, without worry. But no.” He shakes his head. “It had nothing to do with trusting you, but everything to do with my lack of exposure.”
I wipe the drops of water rolling down my forehead. “I exposed myself to you, Marc.”
He lets out a harsh breath. “And I exposed myself to you, maybe not directly. But from the moment I told you I loved you. It was over for me. For us. Had I told you I was Itteix, you would’ve had no idea what it was, and likely would’ve told Luke, and you and Luke would’ve discussed it likely under mics or on camera. I’m sure they had mics and cameras even in our rooms with alerts on the word Itteix.”
“I feel like you’re trying to justify for your lack of trust in me.” I throw my head back. “And it’s not that I don’t get it.” Marc nips my chin and kisses it after. I bring my head back forward and meet his violet eyes. “I guess I just wanted a little bit more of you when you weren’t willing to give it, though I offered every bit of me to you.”
“Hey, Ky. You know what,” he says in a desolate tone that causes him to squeeze my side tighter and drop his gaze down to the water. He chews on his bottom lip and then says, “I’m just an eighteen-year-old Creation; my mother and father were Itteix, so I’m that too. I’ve buried that part of what I am since the day I was born, okay? And I don’t have the answers you’re looking for. All I can say is, you’ve got me, as I am, wanting every bit of you that you’re willing to give, and I can give you every ounce of me that you’re willing to take, and I can only hope that’s enough for you.” He meets my gaze. “Can that be enough for you?”
I ask, “Do you have any other secrets?”
He snorts. “Shit. I should be asking you that, Kylie.” He laughs once. “You are a rare species I’m holding in my arms. I should be so lucky to be in your presence.”
I laugh and crinkle my nose at the statement, hating everything about it. “Never say that again. I’m just a girl, on a date with her boyfriend, who so disrespectfully threw her in a pool of freezing cold water because he’s mean and doesn’t care about her getting sick.” I nod once, finalizing my statement.
“Let’s get out of here, grab a bite to eat, and get some rest.”
I yawn at the mention of sleep. “Yep. How long does it take to, well, recharge? Forcing myself to become consumed by my light and…light jumping…is what I’m going to call it, is very draining.”
We swim to the edge of the pool and jump out, water rushing from our clothes like a waterfall, darkening the dry concrete. Marc says, “It is. I’ve not accessed mine in a very long time. The first time in years actually. But I’m pretty connected with that part of myself. My mother wouldn’t let us forget it.”
We pick up the checkers board and game pieces and head through the revolving doors, soaking the floor on our way in. “Marc?”
“Hmm?” We stand in the middle of the lobby, and he looks up. “I think the food is up there. I know our rooms are.”
I ignore his search for now. “Thanks for helping me figure all this out.” I’ve learned a lot from him. Without him, and even his mom and Danny, I’m not sure what would’ve become of me.
Marc makes a sort of pfft sound with his mouth and starts for the stairs. “Of course.” He extends his hand behind him. I take it, following him, quite certain of this feeling warming my neck and numbing my tongue. It’s funny how an emotion can be felt throughout the entire body. How does my neck know I love Marc?
It’s getting late, but we get a bite to eat that we take back to his room. We eat and move from the floor to the bed once the food is finished. We lie staring at each other; the color of my blue eyes and his purple mixing together make a deeper purple hue cast on our faces. Our stares advance to kisses; our kisses advance to touching, and our touching transitions to acts that would be frowned upon if performed by two Creations. But we’re more than just Creations. And free to be ourselves, we surf through my new found freedom to a point where we don’t care about the bright shine of our bodies and affection drawn thoughts. We give in to them…finally.
I fall asleep on his bare chest with his arms wrapped around my bare body, with the thoughts of what tomorrow may bring weighing heavily on my mind. A constant thought circles my mind. Will we ever experience an evening together again?
Chapter Thirty-One
The sun cuts through the curtains, shining directly into my fluttering eyelashes. I pull the sheets up to my chin and wait for Marc to wake up. Today, the world feels at peace. I’m at peace. The air enters and exits my lungs with ease, and I exist without the worry I had yesterday after hearing all Trade Officer Grandin had to say. Wherever my life takes me from here, I’ll travel with it. For the America, I’ll uphold my oath.
Marc grunts as he wakes, stretching his arms over his head. “Morning,” he says.
I kiss his chest and sit up. “Good morning. I’ll go.”
He closes his eyes and tugs my arms for me to lie back down beside him. “Why?”
I take in a deep breath through my nose and hold it. Looking away from him, I release it and say, “I just don’t want the moment to last forever for you.”
Marc snorts. “I want all the memories. If there’s a chanc
e I’ll never see you again, years from now I want to remember seeing you today.” He tucks my hair behind my ear, and his fingers trail over my neck to my shoulder. His brows knit as he says, “Don’t rob me of that. Or just agree to the suggestion I gave you yesterday.”
“Hush, Marc.” I slip from the bed and head for the bathroom to shower and dress. I avoid looking at my reflection in the mirror as I run my fingers through my damp hair. I want the memories to be as minimal as possible.
Marc silently comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. He kisses the spot behind my ear, and the heavy rasp in his voice when he asks, “You’re ready to head back down?” makes me want to go back to bed.
I avoid looking at our reflections in the mirror, our uniting as one in an image. I don’t want that picture stuck in my mind, knowing I may only have hours to enjoy it. Or to have it be the last thing to cross my mind and force me to reconsider my commitment.
A knock on the door saves me from indulging in this moment.
“Yes. I’m ready,” I say to Marc, heading out of the bathroom and to the door. “See if we can help gather any details about Richard and Arletta before the Vojin attack.” No one knows when this will happen. Could be in five minutes, five days, or five years. But the Trade predicts it will be soon, based on communication they’ve intercepted between the Vojin and Richard.
I open the door to Sean. “You two coming out for breakfast? Our mom’s waiting for us,” he says.
I nod and ask, “Any news about the Guidance?”
“Nothing yet,” he says and nods to his left when Marc pokes his head out of the bathroom to speak to him.
Sean stands in the doorway, thumbs stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans, and holds his shoulders high near his ears.
I tighten the corners of my mouth as I survey his awkward disposition. It’s nothing like the laid-back, always joking Sean I’ve grown used to. “You…Uh. Want to come in?” I ask.
He waves his hand in front of us. “Nah. Just um,” he slaps his hand down on the back of his neck and rubs it roughly. “You two just come down when you’re finished.”
“Okay.”
Sean turns to his left and heads down the hallway in the direction of the only flight of stairs in the entire building. I push the door closed and hear the shower running.
The Trade equipped me with boots my size and a tactical armor vest that fits perfectly. They also ensured we had weapons and ammunition required for battle against Vojin and Zombies. My hopes are similar to Grandin’s. If we can cause enough damage on the Vojin, they will be forced to retreat, and they’ll never set foot on Earth again.
Marc and I join his mother and Sean for an uncomfortably quiet breakfast. The only communication is between the silver forks and ceramic plates and chewing before sipping orange juice. Trade Officer Grandin joins, but he does not eat. He watches the table, and once the last of us has finished eating, he says, “Kylie, we think it will be best for you to preserve as much of your energy as possible. We’ve prepared a parachute for your descent back down.” His gaze slices over Marc, Sean, and Lovett as he says, “You all are also welcome to the parachutes or way of travel of your choice. The aircrafts and traveling carts are not an option as we want to keep a low profile during these times of uncertain allegiance.” With a smile, Grandin rises from his chair and leaves us.
We’re in what the waitress who sat us referred to as a sunroom breakfast den. Three of the four walls and the ceiling are glass, letting in the sun. The sunlight makes Lovett’s beautiful black hair shimmer as it cascades over her shoulders, her dark eyes sparkle, and her full lips are plump. Color has returned to her warm-toned skin, and she wears a light smile that doesn’t particularly say she’s happy, but it doesn’t say she’s distressed either.
She flicks her gaze toward me, away from passing clouds outside the window. “Kylie. Your parents would have been proud of what you’re doing. It may not do anything for the freedom of Itteix, and while I can’t speak for all of us, I can say for myself, I’m not looking for freedom. More so, we want peace.”
A snap of thunder shakes the glass and rattles the dishes on the table. We scoot back and watch the table tremble as a shadow darkens the sky and turns the white clouds gray. There’s a low rumbling, as if the sky is clearing its throat, and then another snap like a cough.
The windows explode, spraying glass around us. We guard our heads, diving under the table.
Sirens sound from below, fading as it coasts from one end of the city to the other.
I’m the first one on my feet, racing for the desk in the lobby. “’Chute, now.”
The receptionist, calm and composed, dips behind the desk and comes back up with a black bag. She hands it to me and then dips back down, bringing up three more when she sees the others quickly coming up behind me. I head for the door, stuffing my arms through the straps and snapping the belts around my chest and middle. After I’m secured, I break out into a sprint, shove open the front doors, race over the sidewalk to the edge, and jump.
I pull the string of the ’chute and cascade to the city below me. Beside me, I see Luke smiling with the wind smashing against his cheeks as he gives me a thumbs up. I blink, and he’s gone. But I’m flooded with his strength and courage, and driven to give this my all, even knowing that means my life.
Metal fireballs fall from the murky sky along with me, racing for their destination, hitting buildings and exploding on impact. The explosions send gusts of wind thrashing me back and forth through the air until gravity angrily pulls me to the roof of the Guidance building.
Vojin erupt from the explosions throwing acid-flaring balls around the city, melting walls and burning down houses. The disruption sends Normals into the streets, fleeing their homes, running into the oncoming herd of Zombies. Their screams bleed through the streets of Highrum, joining the rumbling of the groaning Zombies, and explosions from their attacks. It’s like an orchestra playing to the destruction of Earth.
Marc, Sean, and Lovett land on the building across the street. I wave to them and point to the door of the Guidance building, letting them know I’m going in. There’s truly only one way to stop the hunting of the Itteix. I have no intention of saving Arletta and Richard for the Trade. If they require I give up everything, I’m doing this my way.
Chapter Thirty-Two
*Marc*
I throw myself in front of my mother, guarding her from the explosion of the building beside us. The heat blazes my back, and Sean yanks us to our left.
We throw our arms over our eyes, blinded by the flashes of explosive light destroying Highrum. Oval shaped vessels and zipping Vojin crash and soar through the whipping clouds of smoke. Beyond the clouds, lightning strikes of blue, green, and orange taint the sky.
Sean steps to the edge of the roof we landed on, just across the street from the Guidance’s headquarters. “This is really happening,” he says in awe.
My mother and I step to his side.
The pink and blue Vojin land, rising from their circling pits of dust, and begin circling the Guidance building seemingly to form a shield. Others march through the streets, snatching up anyone they can get their hands on. They shove the Normals into each other, lining them up. Other Normals stand back at a distance, wrestling to pick up their children. They race for freedom, but the Zombies are coming.
A bloated herd, covered in blood and grime, charge through the streets like an avalanche, taking down everyone in their path.
“Hey!” I scan the ground, seeing Jord on the corner waving for our attention. I run to the other side of the roof. He stands with a crowd of Creations at his back. He shouts over the mayhem, “Give Kylie the backup she needs. We’ll take care of this down here.”
I nod. It was a true honor fighting at his side. There isn’t enough of us to make it out of this, but it’s in our blood to run into the fire and fight to the death.
The roof is an even surface of grass and dirt growing shrubs. A Normal pokes his h
ead out from the opening of a hatch. I point, “Get back down there, and don’t come up until the silence falls.”
He nods and shuts the hatch.
I tell Sean and my mother, “We have to get over there and give Kylie some backup. She’s likely going to warn those in the bunker.”
Sean rubs his hands together. “Let’s fly across and make this shit hit the fan. I’ve been waiting my entire life for a war like this.” He looks to our mother. “You get somewhere safe when we get over there. You know Marc and I got this.”
She pats his shoulder and fades out into a thin line, using the light within the air to help carry her over to the roof of the Guidance. Sean and I are right behind her, landing in full form. We rush to the door.
My breath thrashes as adrenaline rushes through me, ready for the fight that’s coming. I draw my gun, loading it as I hold it near my waist, waiting for the right second to use it.
My mother stays between us as we rush down the stairs to the fourth-floor door in the stairwell.
Sean jiggles the knob. “It’s locked.”
“Keep moving,” I say.
He starts down the stairs, and we check each door, finding each of them locked, with the exception of the one on the first floor. Sean shoves it open, and we slip into the hall. A man screams to our left.
I take the front of our line, quickening my steps to make it to the nearest opening.
It’s not long until I see a door. It’s ajar. Whimpers and frightened whispers come from within.
I peek inside.
A long table with empty chairs surrounding it makes the room appear empty, but the shuffling footsteps going on inside tell me otherwise. I push forward, nudging the door open with my shoulder.
Huddled in a corner, fear pouring tears from their eyes, the Guidance members we previously held hostage in the bunker under the building beg for their lives. “Please don’t do this.” A man with deep brown skin stands in front of the cowering group, knees trembling, shaking hands raising over his head. “We mean you no harm. Just let us go. Please?”
Ominous Order Page 27
