***
“Aunt Mags, I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately. School and making new friends is a lot to handle.” School really has been tough lately, but that’s not at all my biggest distraction.
“I know, sweetie. I understand what that is like. I just miss you and am always thinking of you.” Her voice always seems to soothe me.
I nod at her through our video chat. “I miss you too, you know. How have you been all alone over there? Are you still doing that book club thing?”
She smiles. “Oh, I’ve been fabulous, hon! It gets lonely around the house without you, but I do love going to the club with the girls, and of course I still have Star. Although, I am pretty sure she misses you as much as I do. She sleeps in your bed almost every night.”
“Awww, my poor little girl.” Her mention of my tabby cat makes my heart clench. I found her outside our door almost four years ago when she was just a wet and freezing kitten, looking for shelter. With no tags, and no word of a lost cat in the neighborhood, Aunt Mags said I could keep her for myself.
“She will be fine, just as I will, my darling. Auntie Morgan is coming to visit me soon, and I’d love for you to take a weekend trip over here with that new boy of yours!” She points a finger at me, shaming me for keeping Gavin a secret.
I gasp. “How do you know about that?” I know the answer before she even says it.
“Kassy,” we say at the same time. I shake my head at my best friend.
Aunt Mags chuckles at me. “Don’t fret too much. All she said was that you two met some guys and are very happy. She said his name is Gavin and that he is heaven-sent.”
I blush and can’t help but grin back at my mom. “Well, I do agree with that statement. Even though I wanted to tell you first.”
She just waves her hand at me, erasing my worries. “I’m sure you would have eventually, but I also know that you aren’t the easiest child to pry information out of. Just remember to be careful and stay out of trouble.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I promise, I will do my very best, Aunt Mags.” I check the clock and it’s almost time for my date with Gavin. “I really should get going, but I’ll call you tonight. Don’t worry about me getting into trouble, okay? I love you.”
She shakes her head and smiles at my image on the computer. “I know I don’t have to worry about you, sweetie. You have so much powerful protection surrounding you, and you always have. I love you.”
The video call ends, and I am dumbstruck from her parting words. Powerful protection surrounding me? I realize there is something so familiar about those words, and it’s not just Aunt Mags being eccentric.
The memory of Barron’s dream visit last night comes into my mind. His words fill me. “Someone very powerful is protecting you… the power that surrounds your existence.”
Maybe I was wrong about my life always being completely ordinary before a month ago. Something or someone powerful has helped me along the way. Now I just need to figure out exactly who or what that is.
Chapter 5
Just as I’m getting my shoes on, I hear a soft knock on my bedroom door. Technically, it’s one of Gavin’s guest bedrooms, but I have gotten pretty comfortable here over the past few weeks.
“Coming!” I yell and hobble over to the door with only one of my Nikes on and the other still in my hand. I pull the door open and my handsome date stands on the other side.
My insides can’t help but do a little flip-flop when I see how good he looks today. His usually disheveled hair is combed to the left and glistens with a hint of gel. Without the small curls on his forehead, all of his features pop out more than usual, especially his striking metallic eyes and strong jaw.
For the first time since I have met Gavin, his face is smooth and perfectly shaven. He wears a collared dark gray shirt with the top button undone and his signature dark blue jeans. Everything about him is breathtaking, and my newfound puberty kicks into overdrive.
I move in closer to Gavin, and the hand not holding my forgotten shoe reaches up to stroke his smooth jawline. His eyes close at the contact and the zing that radiates when we touch one another fires off. I stand up on my tippy toes to get closer to him, and the smile that spreads across his face, along with his entertained voice, brings me back to reality.
“Aella. I really would like you to continue, but you do realize that you’re currently holding a shoe and we haven’t even said hello to one another yet, right?” He cradles my cheek in his warm palm.
I close my eyes and take a deep steadying breath, dropping my forehead to his chest. “Hello, Gavin. How are you this afternoon?” I say, wanting to crawl in a hole somewhere to stop my never-ending embarrassment as of late.
The deep rumble that radiates from within Gavin has me shaking my head with a huge understanding grin. “Hello to you too, Aella. You look beautiful today, although I’d really like to see your face, if you don’t mind.”
I take my head off of his chest and smile sheepishly up at him. “Thank you, and you look very handsome… which is probably why we might need to start greeting one another through the door for now.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think that will be necessary. I’d never want to speak through a door when I could hold you in my arms like this.” He snakes both of his arms around my back and kisses me sweet and slow on the cheek.
I sigh, relishing in the contact with both my mind and my out-of-control body. I return his hug. “I very much agree. I wanted to thank you for the knife belt. It’s really beautiful, and I love the engravings.” I look up into his eyes, so grateful to have him.
“Your welcome. I saw all of the potential you had with my throwing knives, and I had to do something.” He smiles down at me. “Should we get going?”
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going for lunch?”
“Nope!” Gavin picks me up and swings me around in circles. I laugh uncontrollably and hold on tighter to him even though I know he wouldn’t drop me. The beige walls fly past us as we spin, and he sets me down on the bench at the foot of my bed. “You will definitely be needing shoes though, so hand it over.”
He takes the shoe I’m still holding and slides it over my pink polka-dotted sock. He ties the laces in half a second with supernatural speed and my eyes go wide. “I cannot imagine ever being used to that. Though, I’m super excited to be able to do homework in half the time as usual.”
“It does have its perks at times,” he says with an evil look in his eyes. He raises a single eyebrow at me, and the corner of his mouth lifts up in a teasing smirk.
“Gavin…” I say in warning, knowing I might not be ready for whatever he has planned.
Before I can say another word, Gavin lifts me in his arms and the world around us becomes a blur. I squeal in both fear and delight as the house disappears from our view and a comforting evergreen scent fills my nose.
As quick as he started, Gavin stops running and my back is against the lush green grass. The ground is cool, but the high sun overhead warms us in the open meadow. All around us are wild flowers and an almost perfect circle of different colored trees. The entire setting is magical in its beauty. No wonder Gavin thinks of this as one of his favorite spots. I can’t even imagine how beautiful it would look covered in glistening snow.
Gavin leans over me, and his previously neat hair is now loose and hanging across his forehead again. I reach up and ruffle his hair to the usual messiness and giggle at him. “I like it better this way,” I say.
He rolls his eyes. “I knew it! I told Lex that the gel was unnecessary, but she insisted that I needed it.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ll like you no matter what at this point, Gavin.”
His grin stretches and he shakes his head at me. “Can you promise me something?” he says in almost a whisper.
I nod. “Anything.”
His eyes flick to my lips. “If I kiss you, will you promise to do your best to keep your hormones under control? I’m trying my best to be
good, but I really need to kiss you right now.”
I stop breathing and all I can do is nod again past the thick lump in my throat, before Gavin’s soft lips crash into mine. The kiss is desperate but gentle. Gavin’s hand rakes across the dewy grass behind me and finds the back of my head, pulling me closer to him. It takes all that I have to not grab onto him, as I’m fully aware of my lack of control when touching him. I grip the patches of ground on both sides of my hips and let Gavin’s lips continue their marvelous assault.
Every inch of my body heats up and the earth beneath us begins to rumble. Gavin pulls away and completely separates himself from me. He scans the area around us, and I follow his gaze. As the ground continues to shake, I notice small plant roots from below the ground start to break through the dirt, and entwine themselves around my arms and fingers. I gasp and try to pull myself free, but my freak-out only quickens the Earth’s assault.
Gavin turns my face to look up at him. “Aella! You need to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Please, don’t freak out. Get your mind under control.” Too late.
“What is happening? Why can’t I get away?” I shout and keep pulling harder.
He brushes my hair from my face and touches his forehead to mine. “You are doing this, Aella. It’s one of your gifts and only you can stop it, so please just breathe.”
I am doing this. The realization of his words sinks in and I try to follow his instructions. I close my eyes and I steady my breathing. I pull in the scent of Gavin with each deep breath and release as much worried energy as I can with every exhale.
My body feels lighter and the ground beneath me ceases its movements. I chance a look at my arms, and they are completely freed from the roots. I sigh in relief and drop my head to the ground, completely exhausted now.
Gavin stands and pulls me to my feet. He studies my face, worry etched into every detail of his. “Are you hurt?” he asks and I shake my head.
“I’m fine, but that was insane.” I wipe my dirty hands on the new pair of skinny jeans Kassy got me during her last trip to the mall with Liam. “My clothes are definitely ruined, though,” I say with a nervous chuckle.
Gavin rubs his hands through his hair and smiles. “Can you explain to me what on literal earth just happened to you? I was pretty flipped out, and about ready to pull out my knife and start chopping at some plants.”
I shrug and throw my hands up. “I figured you’d know better than me! I was just trying to keep my hands off of you, I wasn’t even thinking about killer weeds!”
Gavin’s loud laughter echoes off the tall evergreens. “Well, it seems like you must’ve had to fight so hard to keep yourself under check, that you needed to call in the cavalry to hold you back.” He waves his hands around, gesturing to the forest. “It must be nice to be so one with nature that nature always has your back.”
I laugh humorlessly. “If only my oneness with the earth didn’t also leave me feeling exhausted and starving.” I plop back onto the grass and shake my head at the treacherous ground.
“Hey, I can fix one of those problems!” He runs over to a picnic basket and blanket that were left hanging from a tree branch. “Get ready for some PB and Js!” he exclaims.
Gavin lays out the large, handmade quilt and waves me over to him. I join him on the plush blanket, and he pulls out sandwiches, two water bottles, and various treats for us to pick from. I smile at him and he shrugs.
“I know it’s not a gourmet meal, but I told you once that I’d make you a killer peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so here we are. Light on the jelly, heavy on the peanut butter, just for you.” He winks at me and my heart skips a beat.
“I honestly couldn’t imagine a better date. Who would ever settle for gourmet when you have ‘killer’ PB and Js, sunshine overhead and the forest surrounding you?” I take a bite of the sandwich, feeling like I haven’t eaten in days.
Gavin nods in agreement. “And hey, what’s a date without an earthquake and mutant plant attack, huh?”
I choke on my bite of sandwich and can’t control the ridiculous laughter that pours out of me. Gavin chuckles along with me. Yup, nothing could be better.
***
Following my date with Gavin, we met up at the house with Kassy, Liam, and Alexa for a movie in the living room. Alexa got a call from her mom, Camilla, inviting us all over for dinner, even Liam. I was initially nervous about him being around all of the Seers, but they assured me that they’d all be on their best human behavior.
We all walk up to Camilla’s house in the chilly night air and Liam falls behind to walk next to me. “El, I wanted to talk to you about Kassy’s birthday next Friday. I have a plan but she can’t know about it.”
I silently clap my hands together and try to keep my voice at a whisper. “Oooh! That’s great, I had no idea what to do this year.”
He grins, showing all of his teeth. “I was thinking we could all go together to the theater for a play, and then walk around Ashland for the night. It’s not really my thing and I’ve told Kassy that she’d have to knock me out cold in order to drag me to a play, but she talks about the Shakespeare festival all the time, and I know she would really love it. Plus, it’s the last thing she’d expect from me.”
“That sounds so fun, Liam! I’m totally in, and I’ll tell Lex and Gavin.” I whisper back to him. He is seriously the sweetest boyfriend, and Kassy will be ecstatic.
Kassy waits at the front door for us. “You guys are so slow. Get your butts in here!” She waves us on. I smile at Liam and run into the house, sticking my tongue out at Kassy on the way.
“Rude!” she shouts after me with absolutely no real anger in her voice.
I catch up to Gavin and Alexa in the kitchen and Gram is there, slaving away as usual. She turns and gives us all a big happy grandma smile. “Hello, all you cuties!”
“Hi Gram!” I shout and give her a big hug. She is wearing green contacts and it makes her seem so much less powerful than I know she is underneath.
She looks me up and down. “Look at you, El! You look better than ever today, and that rotten cast is off!”
Alexa hugs her grandma too. “Rotten is right. That thing stank.” She holds her nose for emphasis.
I gasp. “It did not!” I shove Alexa softly, and of course she doesn’t move at all.
Kassy comes into the room with Liam. “Hi, Gram. We brought you some new blood who can’t wait to taste your cookin ’.”
Liam smiles and waves at the Cole family matriarch. “Hi, uhh…Gram?” He chuckles nervously. “I was told to call you that, so I hope it’s okay.”
Gram pulls Liam into a bear hug and he slams into her with an oomph. “Of course! That’s my name and it’s the best one I’ve ever had.” She pokes Liam in the ribs. “You really do need some good food, you skinny minnie!”
Kassy laughs. “Trust me Gram. He eats way more than you’d ever expect.” She wraps her arms around Liam’s waist.
Liam scoffs at Kassy and tickles her. “If you don’t want me to finish off your food, then you should eat it all!”
Gram laughs at the cute couple. “You all go ahead into the dining room. Everyone else is in there chatting away.”
Gavin grabs my hand and the five of us go to find the others. With Gavin’s soothing touch, I am at complete peace.
Gram was right. Almost all of the Cole family is around the dining table. Hagan sits at the head of the table with his wife Danielle by his side, and Jed on the other side. Next to Jed sits Jack and then his beautiful wife, Sophia who is holding my favorite little Cole, Ethan in her lap as he throws bread pieces across the table at Gavin’s mom, Camilla. Camilla throws her head back in laughter and returns his last throw back at him. The whole scene is so normal, especially with everyone’s eyes not magically shining back at me like usual.
Hagan’s other two sons still aren’t present. I haven’t met either of them yet. Alexa told me they have been in England for the past two months, visiting the eldest’s fiancé and her fam
ily. I’m a little worried to meet either of them because, although Jed and Danielle have been nice, Hagan has been more surly each time I see him.
Camilla jumps up when she sees us. “Oh! My babies!” She runs over to the group of us and pulls me into a warm hug first. She does the same body scan that Gram had just done. “I’m so glad you’re free of the cast, El!”
I nod. “Me too! It’s still a little tender when I try to run, but nothing terrible.”
Liam shoves my shoulder. “El, you shouldn’t be running the day after getting your cast removed. Of course it’s sore!”
I roll my eyes at him, knowing full well that I can’t reason with my overprotective “brother.” “Cami, this is my friend, Liam. AKA Kassy’s boyfriend. Liam, meet Gavin and Alexa’s mom.”
Liam smiles at Camilla. “Are you going to hug me too? It seems like this is a pretty huggy group.” He side-eyes her, unsure.
Camilla giggles and hops up on her tippy toes to hug Liam. “We sure are, young man !”
Liam returns her hug and steps back. His eyebrows press together. “So, I’m hoping this comes out as a compliment and not rude, but you look way too young to have adult children…”
We all laugh at Liam’s cluelessness. Camilla brushes her long, red locks back from her face and grins. “It’s a complete compliment. Thank you. Eating healthy and regular exercise can be heaven-sent. Remember that.”
He gives a sharp nod. “I’m getting a gym membership,” is all he says, and everyone laughs harder.
We all take our seats at the table. Gavin and Kassy sit on either side of me, across from Jed, and Jack’s family. The beefy Uncle Jack reaches across the table to shake Liam’s hand where he sits by Kassy, and Liam returns the gesture.
I smile at Danielle. “Hi, Danielle. When are your other sons coming home? I’d love to meet them.” Kind of...
She grins back at me, happy to talk about her boys. “They are heading back on Monday, actually. I can’t believe just two days left!”
Jed groans and his muscular shoulders slouch. “Right, two days and I’m back in my old room, so Cy can take over the basement again.” Jed practically pouts.
Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 Page 21
