As I pulled up to her house and watched her approach the car, I could see she’d stuck with the darker theme today. She wore green leggings and a cute green dress she’d probably got at some yard sale. Her green shoes were dressy, closed toe with a thick buckle over the top. Her makeup was green, her dangling earrings were green—shamrocks, by the look of them—and she had on dark green lipstick. Who knew they even made something like that?
I’d been picking her up for school ever since I’d gotten my Hyundai Elantra, but I wondered if my car would have been able to recognize her as the same person through all of her extreme fashion changes. Several weeks ago she’d been gothic, after all, and a hippie before that. There really was no knowing with Lee. I wondered what she’d look like come Monday.
Lee slipped into the car and Josie spoke immediately, unable to hold the words back. “Um, St. Patrick’s Day is in March, Lee.”
“Yeah, well, you try wearing green stuff for a week. Sooner or later you run into something Irish-y.” She gave me a quick smile. “And how are you, Kate?”
“Great. I love the lipstick; it’s better than what you used Monday.”
“Yeah, I had to special order this one. Bit more expensive than I like, and it didn’t get here until after school yesterday. But I got the shoes and dress at this really awesome garage sale. I mean, this lady had everything. I’m just about ready for next week too, I think.”
“Which is?” Jenna asked, a little nervously.
Lee only grinned. “Nope, not telling. I want it to be a surprise.”
Josie laughed once. “Don’t worry, Lee—everything you do is a surprise, whether you give us warning or not.”
The drive to the elementary school was pretty much an opportunity for Lee to quarrel lightly with my sisters. I didn’t contribute much to the conversation, but they didn’t seem to need my input.
Once at school we followed the usual routine. The twins slid out with half-hearted good-byes, and once they’d walked far enough away, I popped the trunk. Toni pushed it open the rest of the way and hopped out, invisible to everyone but me. Lee got out of the car to shut the trunk, casting an apologetic look to the concerned-looking lady behind us, and then on her way back to the car she muttered a quiet good-bye to Toni.
“I love her,” Toni told me, grinning at Lee as she ducked back into the car, oblivious to his presence. “She knows how to show gratitude.”
“Have a good day, Toni,” I told him.
“Hey, you—”
His words were lost when Lee slammed the door closed.
She looked over at me belatedly. “Oops. Did I cut him off?”
“Nope,” I lied, shifting and pulling away from the curb, leaving Toni frowning on the sidewalk. Once back on the road, I shot a look to Lee. “You know, you handle all of this really well.”
She was holding my iPod, searching for a new song. “Yeah, I’m great and wonderful. So, did you have the dream again last night?”
She always knew what was on my mind, and she wasn’t afraid of getting to the point. I sighed, my fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “Yeah.”
“The same?” Her concern was obvious, though she was trying to hide it.
“Mostly. Only this time, I didn’t drop the knife.”
Her hunt for a song was abandoned in an instant. She looked over at me, her voice soft. “What did you do with it?”
I snorted, eyes on the road. “I did what he told me to do. I attacked him. I woke up before it actually hit him, but . . . I made the decision to kill him. I wanted to kill him.”
She didn’t look as disturbed as I thought a normal person should; even her voice was too calm. “Kate, you should tell Patrick.”
“What? Why? He doesn’t need to know I’m having nightmares about killing his brother.”
“You’re not sleeping well. You’re getting edgy. It’s becoming obvious. I think you and Patrick need to work this out. I mean, you haven’t really talked about it since coming back from Vegas, and the topic needs to be addressed. Sean is messing up the both of you.”
“You talk about all this so easily . . .”
“Yeah, well, when you have a weird psychic Seer for a best friend who’s dating an ancient, immortal Guardian, you get used to strange things.”
Her light words tugged a smile from me. “I guess you’ve got a point.”
“I’ve got a few good points. Really, I think you should talk about this.” There was a slight pause, where neither of us said anything. Then, “Will you at least consider it? Just because you can see emotions doesn’t mean you always know what’s best for people.”
“I can’t see Patrick’s.” As if that justified anything.
“I know. But if you’d look a little closer, you’d see how worried he is. And all that worry can’t be just about you. Suddenly learning about his brother had to be a shock. He needs to talk to someone, but I don’t think he wants to burden you with that. I mean, after everything Sean did to you . . .”
My stomach tightened at the memories. “Yeah. You’re right. I’ll try and talk to him.”
“Good. That done . . . Any plans for this weekend?”
I sighed. “I’ll have to discuss that with my probation officer.”
Lee laughed, and the happy sound lifted my face with a slow smile.
Two
We were nearing the end of the semester. In American Literature we were focusing on Edgar Allen Poe. We had an essay due next week that I was trying really hard not to think about, because I already felt like I had enough horror in my life without reading Poe’s gory stories. The great thing about American Lit was the same great thing about all my classes—Patrick O’Donnell. My Guardian, the man I was in love with.
It was amazing how my fears and frustrations could melt away the second we were in the same room together. He was early as usual, the only one in the classroom. He was sitting at the same desk he’d been sitting in for what seemed like forever, silently waiting for me. He was thumbing through the slim book of Poe’s most popular works, but he glanced up when he heard me enter the room.
He was wearing a light-blue button-up shirt, sleeves rolled at the elbows. His faded jeans made him appear tall, even when he was seated. A black leather bracelet circled his wrist, a gift he’d received from Toni years ago. He was quite pale because immortals couldn’t get tans or sunburns. He had a light dusting of freckles on his face and light-brown hair that brushed over his forehead and curled delicately around his ears. He had a prominent jaw and a heart-melting smile. But it was his eyes that always seemed to capture me. They were startlingly blue, piercing and clear. The way they focused on me—as if there was nothing else in the world that mattered more. It made me wonder what I’d done to deserve this level of devotion.
He laid the book down on his desk, Poe’s words no longer worth noticing as he stood to greet me. “Kate,” he said, half-grinning. The smile was somewhat cautious, and I knew he was trying to measure my expression. Judge to see if today was a good day, or one of my harder ones.
I didn’t make him wonder long. My smile came of its own accord, unable to resist him. I stepped right into his waiting arms, which encircled me easily—backpack and all. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling closer against his muscled chest.
He chuckled in my hair, which I’d left down in slightly unruly waves. “I gather your day is going okay, then?”
“Now it is.”
He laughed again, pleased that I was in such an improved mood. He pulled back so he could place his hands on the sides of my face. He looked into my eyes for a short moment, his fingertips stroking my sensitive skin, then he leaned in and our lips met softly.
While we kissed my own arms slid down from around his neck. One hand wandered to cradle his slowly moving jaw while the other brushed at the hair around his right ear. His skin was so warm and smooth, his hair wonderfully soft and the perfect length: long enough to run fingers through, while not so long that it covered his face. His lips
slid gently around mine, making this otherwise mundane moment completely poignant. Patrick’s mouth shifted away from my lips. My eyes were closed, and I didn’t bother to open them yet, content to enjoy the feel of this moment. My fingers continued to play with the ends of his hair, his hands still warm on my skin. His forehead tipped to rest against mine. “The bell’s going to ring soon.”
We were both breathing heavier than could be considered normal, but that didn’t stop me from pressing my lips back against his. I pulled away almost as quickly and his fingertips tightened against my face, fighting tenderly to keep me close. I smiled and spoke carefully. “You’re embarrassed to be seen with me, then?”
“Hmm, I was thinking of your feelings, actually.”
“You don’t think I like PDA?”
“What?” He laughed lightly, leaning his head back so he could see my face. “PDA?”
“Public displays of affection,” I explained patiently, my eyes fighting to remain serious. Actually, he was really quite good at modern terms, for being over two centuries old.
He shook his head at me. “Texting has become a language unto itself. I suppose I’ll have to practice it some more.”
I grinned. “I’m happy to give you a lesson any time.”
“Yes, but do you think we’d get much done?”
“Oh, I think we could accomplish a lot,” I said, leaning in for another kiss.
When the warning bell rang we slid into our seats, though he wouldn’t stop flashing me flirtatious smiles. So much for calming my heart rate before the room filled with students.
I decided to distract him. “So, Lee was wondering about my plans for the weekend.”
He nodded once, watching me closely as I dug in my backpack for my copy of Poe’s works. “What did you tell her?”
“That I’d need to consult with my guards first.”
“Ouch. Is that all I am to you?”
I smiled and jokingly nodded, pressing the top of my mechanical pencil to force out some lead. “You’re the grumpiest of them all. Toni’s the most annoying, though.”
“Oh yes? And just what is it he’s done now?”
“You know Toni. He enjoys making a nuisance of himself.”
“Quite true. Anything specific?”
I thought I’d be able to relay the story without blushing, but that was a lost battle after the first couple words. “He was in the bathroom this morning. I walked in on him. I kind of thought he’d be texting you all about it.”
Patrick frowned and rolled his eyes. “Toni . . . I don’t know what to do with him.”
“Let’s face it—you’ve spent like twenty-five years trying to civilize him. I don’t think it’s going to work.”
He winced a little. “Are you ruined for life?”
“Maybe. It really wasn’t that bad.”
“You’re blushing,” he stated.
The flush deepened. “I guess living with only sisters has made me more innocent than some.”
“I love you exactly the way you are, Kate. And as for Toni—”
“I think I properly dealt with him. I hope.”
“Didn’t we have the stair rule?” he asked suddenly.
“I’m glad someone remembers that, other than me. He claimed ignorance.”
“He would.”
The first of our classmates began meandering in, so our conversation died. He went back to sending me very distracting looks, and I tried to glance over the reading assignment we were going to be quizzed on today.
When Aaron stepped into the room, he called out a quick hello to both of us before settling into his desk across the prearranged circle from us. My old boyfriend was happy today. His aura was bursting with yellow. I hadn’t bothered to ask him about his increased happiness, even though his aura had been getting steadily brighter over the past week. Now, however, didn’t seem like the appropriate time to question him. It could wait. Instead, I watched him surreptitiously over the next couple minutes, waiting for feelings of regret or even a hint of nostalgia to come.
He’d been my first boyfriend, one of my best friends for so long. I’d had so many good times with him; sometimes I wondered how my heart had let go of him so quickly. Sometimes I wondered why I hadn’t doubted my decision to break up with him. Aaron was just so perfect; so natural. Our life together would have been predictable and pleasant.
Patrick, on the other hand, was a big unknown. Our relationship would never be normal. While loving him was as easy as breathing, nothing was easy about our complicated future. Demons aside, we had plenty of other problematic roadblocks to fairy-tale happiness. One of them being the fact that Patrick would live forever, and when I died I would go directly to heaven. We would be separated forever at that point.
Of course, my more logical side argued that I was still getting to know Patrick. We’d known each other less than six months. Should I really be worrying about these sort of long distance things? Then again, was my possible death really that far away? If I continued opposing the Demon Lord, I could be dead by Christmas, easy.
In the end, it was always my heart that tried to still these inner dilemmas. It didn’t matter what conclusions I reached on a logical level, because I knew Patrick loved me, and he’d always be there for me—no matter what.
I was still stealing glances at Aaron, but no twinges of regret came. They didn’t come because there was nothing to regret. There was only love. Love for a chapter of my life now gone and a remaining love that would fill me for the rest of my life.
***
Patrick held my hand while we walked to the cafeteria for lunch. Moving through the busy halls, he reminded me of the question I’d posed before first hour—our plans for the weekend.
I shrugged a little. “Honestly, I don’t really care. But . . .”
“Yes?” he pressed.
“I was sort of hoping we could do something without the whole twenty-four-hour guard.”
Immediately, his face grew concerned. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“Patrick, I think I’m going a little crazy under all this protection. I mean, I’d be with you, right? I just want to go somewhere without an invisible bodyguard, that’s all. It’s not like I’m proposing we go to Vegas or anything.”
He didn’t seem to appreciate my attempt to make light of the situation. “Kate, I know we’ve been a little overbearing, but it’s for your own safety. No Seer has ever escaped the Demon Lord.”
I sighed and tugged on the strap of my bag, which was slipping down my shoulder. “I wish he’d just try something already,” I muttered.
Patrick blinked quickly. “What?”
“I hate this waiting. It’s making me go insane.”
“You want the Demons to come after you?” He nearly choked, struggling with the thought.
I nodded once, unrepentant. “At least then we’d know if all this protection is even worth the effort. I mean, knowing we haven’t deflected any of his attempts doesn’t exactly make me feel safer. All it proves is that the Demon Lord is taking his precious time to come get his revenge.”
“Kate. I didn’t realize you had so little faith in me.”
He construed things so personally sometimes. Regardless, I felt bad for letting my frustration out. “No, of course I trust you. That’s not what I meant at all.”
He forced a somewhat pale smile and squeezed my hand. “I know.”
I sighed deeply. “Forget it. Forget I said anything.”
“No. If you need a break . . .” He shrugged. “I should be grateful you invited me along.”
I smiled thinly up at him, searching his face carefully. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “What is it you’d like to do?”
“I didn’t think that far ahead. But as long as I’m with you, and there’s no Toni involved . . . I’ll be happy with whatever.”
He smiled fully. “Very well. I’ll pick you up tonight at six, if that works.”
“You’re taking me on
a date?”
“You sound surprised. Isn’t that what a boyfriend is supposed to do?”
My lingering smile was still wide by the time we’d gotten our food and taken seats at our usual table. Patrick reached over to help Jason open his water bottle, simultaneously offering a warm hello to Landen. All of the kids at this table were happy—no denying that. But Landen’s aura seemed brighter than most. More content than most. He hardly ever spoke, and on the rare occasions he did, words were scarce. Emotions were always strong with him, and they flared brightly in his aura. When Patrick asked him once what he loved most, the answer had been simple: “Mom.”
Today, Landen merely nodded at Patrick’s greeting.
Trent started asking me if I was having spaghetti, which pulled my attention from watching Landen eat his spinach salad.
“Nope, just a sandwich,” I told him.
Trent’s smile was still wide. “Spaghetti?”
“What are you having?” I asked, deciding a different approach might better further the conversation.
“Spaghetti,” he informed me happily.
“He is not!” David called out accusingly. “He’s having pizza!”
“No, spaghetti,” Trent insisted calmly.
“No, it’s pizza!” David whined.
I gave him a firm look. “David, it’s okay.”
“Patrick . . .”
Patrick looked up from helping Jason. “David, Kate’s right. Don’t worry about Trent.”
“Fine. I’ll never worry about him ever again. Ever.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes, and luckily I had the distraction of turning to see Olivia taking her seat next to me. She mumbled a quiet greeting, and then she started eating her large chocolate chip cookie.
I began unwrapping my sandwich but paused and looked up when I heard Lee’s happy voice. “Much more of this, and I’m going to go insane, that’s what.”
Rodney, who was walking beside her, chuckled. “I don’t know that anyone could tell the difference, actually.”
She was holding her lunch tray, but she managed to thrust an elbow into his side. He groaned and favored his side with a bent arm, his tray tipping precariously. “Ow, Lee. That’s what I get, after helping you with the music? Nice, really nice.”
Guardians (Seers Trilogy Book 3) Page 4
