Linked (The Guardian Series), page 2
Gasping, I clapped one hand over my mouth. “Oh crap! I don’t have any clothes,” I said with despair, “they’re still in the Jeep.”
Jessica touched my shoulder. “That’s okay. I keep extra clothes on the boat, so you can borrow some of mine. There’s also new toothbrushes in the cabinet.” I sighed and smiled gratefully as she continued on, “I also texted Ally and let her know you’d be staying the night with me and you’d call her in the morning.”
“Thanks. You’ve thought of everything,” I said with a weak smile.
“We’re just glad you’re safe,” Laci chimed in. “Max is seriously pissed with himself for not protecting you better.”
“Please tell him not to be,” I said. “None of us could have predicted they would try again in the same day.”
“We should have considered the possibility,” Laci said gravely.
“I’m fine, and this is no one’s fault. Make sure Max knows that I said that.” I gave Jessica a quick hug and then reached out for Laci but instantly thought better of it and pulled away.
Relief washed over Laci’s face. “Thanks. And remember, you can hug us and share your Essence anytime, because it’s always an energy burst for us. It’s only when we reach out and touch you that it burns. You’ll find yourself in high demand, but you’ll have to remember not to take it personal when we don’t return the affection. Just know we’d give you a hug if we could.”
“Got it,” I said shaking my head. As if Ray-pacs, telekinesis, and Dentelles weren’t enough to deal with.
“There is one exception though,” Jessica interjected. I raised my eyebrows. “You never want to grasp or hold hands with a Guardian. Not even when you’re the one reaching out to them, and not even when they’re unlinked.”
“Why?”
“For some reason hand to hand contact burns immensely.”
Laci nodded emphatically, and I tried to stifle a yawn but she caught me. “Forget all this stuff for now,” Laci ordered, “And go get your hot shower. If you need anything in the middle of the night, Jessica and I are in the stateroom just past your room – also on the left. Jason is in the master stateroom at the bow of the ship; although, I doubt he’ll be doing much sleeping.”
“Thanks you guys.” With a final smile I headed to my room. After grabbing a nightgown and a few other things, I proceeded to the head and took a quick shower. After towel drying my hair, and brushing my teeth, I snuck back into my room and closed the door.
The room was small but luxurious. A velvet red comforter and silver throw pillows adorned the bed, and an array of seashells decorated the cherry nightstand. Once I drew the gold curtains over the oval portholes, I crawled into bed and sighed as I slipped between the smooth, silky sheets. Marveling at the expensive décor, I yawned and reached up to turn off the lights. Very quickly, the engine’s soft hum and the boat’s gentle swaying put me to sleep.
CHAPTER 2 – ON BOARD
In the morning, I rummaged through the cherry cabinets above the bed and found some of Jessica’s clothes – a bit tight in the hips, but not too bad. I washed my face, brushed and flossed, and tried to run a comb through my unruly hair. Luckily, I found eyeliner, mascara, and a tube of cherry Chap Stick; at least I wouldn’t look completely zombie-like. Ready for some company, I peered up and down the hallway but didn’t see anyone or hear any voices in the salon. The droning of the engines was constant, and even though the side to side swaying was minimal, I had the distinct feeling the yacht was moving swiftly through the water.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I headed toward the bow of the boat. Just past my room I found another small but empty stateroom. Royal satin amethyst comforters and silver throw pillows were perfectly placed on the two bunks as if they had never been disturbed during the night. Bewildered, I wandered further down the narrow hallway and found myself in a large, masculine stateroom – Jason’s room.
The royal blue comforter on the queen-sized bed was pulled up to the headboard but not quite as meticulously placed as the two on the bunk beds had been. An absence of decorative pillows had me smiling. Natural light seeped in through the four oval portholes on the back wall and through the two frosted escape hatches on the ceiling directly above the bed. Utilizing every inch of space, cherry wood shelves lined the walls and surrounded the bed, curving naturally with the bow of the boat, and six large storage drawers were visible underneath the mattresses.
Taking my time, I gazed at the items Jason had chosen to display on his shelves. There were lots of books: classics, modern fiction, and fantasy. Scattered between books and across the shelves, was an eclectic collection of nautical knick knacks, like an antique sun dial, an old oil mast lantern, a small brass porthole, and a couple shiny maritime tools. Sea-green glass floats, unique shells, and ornate pieces of driftwood were tucked amongst the mementos on the shelves.
A perfectly round, solid sphere, a little bigger than a baseball, rested on a wooden, cylinder base. The vibrant swirls of blues and white caught my eye. I walked up and gently took it off the stand. The sphere was surprisingly heavy and very smooth – a huge chunk of rock that had been molded into a sphere and given a professional polish. It was beautiful. I noticed a couple more on the other side of the room: one different shades of pink and the other an array of rolling greens. Strolling over to investigate, I stopped short when I noticed a familiar item on a lower shelf.
Frowning, I reached down and picked up my black Nike hat. I’d completely forgotten about it. In fact, the last time I’d worn it was…that first day he’d bumped into me on the sidewalk. I’d taken it off when I’d given him CPR. How had he ended up with it though? Better yet, why did he still have it?
Bending down to place it on the ledge, I gasped. The hat had been sitting directly on top of a copy of Pride and Prejudice. My heart danced, I didn’t bother curbing the broad smile crossing my face. He wasn’t as immune as he pretended. After carefully replacing my hat and examining the pink and green spheres, I found something else unexpected.
Lying next to the spheres was the rock I’d found at the bottom of our waterfall; the one he’d swiped from me and put in his pocket. I picked it up. Dark gray with sparkles on one side – covered with white crystals on the other. Not as stunning as the spheres but magical in its own right. I was surprised that amidst all the chaos of the previous day, he’d remembered to take it out of his pocket, let alone place it alongside his other possessions.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled slowly through my nose. The room smelled like him. A sweet, yet masculine outdoorsy scent. Upon opening my eyes, I decided I’d snooped long enough and needed to vacate his room before I got caught. After one last reluctant glance, I hurried down the hallway and eventually found my way to the very top deck of the boat where Jason was standing all alone at the outdoor helm. The morning sun hovering over the mountains to the east highlighted his blonde head. From the back he looked good in faded blue jeans and a slim fitting black shirt with vertical, gray lines.
I glanced behind us and saw hundreds of docked boats in a variety of shapes and sizes at the crowded the marina, but we appeared to be heading away from Squalicum Harbor and out towards the islands. “Hi there,” I called out, slightly flustered.
“Hello sleepy head,” he called over his shoulder. Turning, he gazed at me with wide-eyes and a look of surprise. Despite the scratches on his face and his red neck, he looked damn sexy.
“What?” I demanded.
He motioned with his hand and said, “Curls?”
Crinkling my nose in disdain, I instantly reached for my hair. “Oh yeah. Well, this is what I’m stuck with when I don’t straighten it.”
“I wasn’t criticizing.” He grinned broadly. “I think they’re nice and feminine; they frame your face well.” I gave him a funny look, and he shrugged. “So, how ya feelin’ after your midnight dip in the icy waters? That was crazy; I still can’t believe you did that.”
“Umm…excuse me, but I was only trying to survive. Besides, that wasn’t nearly as crazy as the rest of the day – watching all you Guardians with your insane abilities.”
“You’ll get used to it,” he said, cracking a smile. “You just missed Jessica and Laci. I dropped them off about 10 minutes ago. We should be at the Retreat in about,” he glanced at his sports watch, “an hour or so, unless we take the longer, more scenic route.”
“What time is it?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“Scenic is fine.” A gentle wind brought goose bumps to my skin, and I tucked my hands under my sweatshirt. Although sunny and clear, the morning felt quite chilly. Bellingham Bay rippled in hues of deep violets and dark blues, and the vast sky was cloudless.
“That’s Portage Island off to our right, and the bigger one back in the distance is Lummi.” Jason pointed in front of us. “Soon, we’ll pass around the tip of Lummi and make our way down between Sinclair and Guemes Islands. Then we’ll turn north between Cypress and Sinclair and cruise until we reach Towhead, which is basically off the northern tip of Cypress. The day is perfect. You’ll enjoy the scenery during our sail.”
I studied his profile and decided the scenery was already as good as it was going to get. As my eyes drifted over his face and took in the fresh marks and scratches left on his body from the previous day’s battle, I had the distinct urge to reach out to him; soothe him with my touch. His nearness sent my heart racing. Heat rose to my cheeks as I remembered the kiss I’d planted on his lips before he’d stepped out to face the Ray-pacs. I wondered if he’d thought about that.
Making a bold move, I stepped closer to him and placed one hand firmly on his shoulder. He drew one shaky breath but didn’t speak or move. He kept his eyes focused on the waters in front of him. “Does this bother you?” I asked.
His jaw locked. “No…yes…I don’t know,” he sputtered.
“That’s an awfully contradictory answer,” I said. Stepping behind him, I began massaging his shoulders. They were broad and strong, but they were tense. Eventually, he relaxed and tilted his head slightly to the side. Max and Laci had said that an Amethyst’s touch always felt good – revitalizing, because the Essence transferred from one to the other. I wished I knew whether Jason liked my touch or just couldn’t help himself because of my Essence. Since he couldn’t see me, I closed my eyes and reveled in the moment. One real question remained: How did he feel about me?“Laci said I’d be in high demand, but if I’m making you uncomfortable I’ll stop.”
He shook his head and said quietly, “No, it’s okay. An Amethyst’s touch is always calming to a battered body, and I’ll heal faster this way.”
“So physically I’m helping. What about emotionally? How do you feel?” I persisted.
He sighed. “That part’s complicated. I don’t know.”
That hurt. “What don’t you know?” I asked.
In a gentle protest he said, “We’re not meant to be together Alex. We talked about this yesterday.”
Okay, just wrench my heart out through my throat, because that would be less painful than his words. Fearful my voice would crack, I didn’t respond. Even more so, I didn’t want to reveal the depth of my feelings, or worse yet, start crying.
“But,” he spoke cautiously, “I can’t stop certain feelings…”
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “What feelings?” I asked, swallowing hard.
“Alex, let’s not go there. We shouldn’t even…this can’t even be open for discussion.”
The sharpness in his voice told me to back off. I’d have to wait and broach the subject another time, which was fine, because my heart needed a reprieve. I stepped alongside him but kept one hand on his shoulder. “Okay,” I said when his eyes locked with mine, “but sometime we’re gonna have to talk about it.”
With an unreadable expression he regarded me silently but offered no promises. I leaned against him once before moving away. The sun’s rays penetrated my face, and I focused on the white caps as the wind whipped through my hair. We were quiet; except, occasionally he’d offer the name of an island or point out a bald eagle. Finally, I broke the silence and asked him what it was like to be a Guardian, or more specifically an Imitator. I wanted to know what it felt like to shift.
He talked openly and willingly, offering intimate details and painting a vivid picture of what it felt like to transform into a wild animal and fight in that form. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other moving about in the air, he spoke about his responsibilities as a Guardian and his unique experiences as an Imitator. His descriptive stories amazed me and gave me the chills more than once, especially when he was talking about the Ray-pacs. I felt like I was reading a good book and had been sucked into the story – his story. Listening to his deep voice, I watched his facial expressions and interpreted his emotions as he spoke, taking care to keep my distance and simply enjoy his company.
After awhile, when I could tell he was tired of talking about himself, I said light-heartedly, “So, how big is this fancy yacht of yours?”
He smiled and tapped the steering wheel. “This baby is a 49 foot Pilothouse with all the amenities. I’m spoiled, really.” He motioned with his arm towards the huge open space and the L-shaped lounge, seating area. “It’s just as roomy down a floor in the interior pilothouse. My stateroom, the salon, and the galley are pretty sweet, too.”
Studying the pristine white bridge deck, I took note of the dinghy and crane behind us. “So, are you like the Guardian of the Bay? The one who transfers needy passengers back and forth between the city and the safe haven – a.k.a. the Retreat?” I giggled.
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. Kind of like the Greek God Hermes who protects and takes care of travelers.”
I frowned. “Didn’t he also protect miscreants and thieves?”
He made a face. “Oh, well scratch that last part.”
“I think you’re more like Poseidon,” I joked. “He was much more important, and sailors always prayed to him for a safe voyage. Not to mention, he was a hottie.” I winked.
“I don’t know about that, but maybe he is a better choice.” He grinned wickedly, “After all, didn’t he hook up with Aphrodite?”
I slapped him on the back. “Maybe once or twice, but Ares was her true love.”
“Hmm...” He bit his lip. “I’ll have to watch myself around you. Way too much Greek knowledge. Guess I’ll just have to nickname you Athena.”
“Oh yeah, goddess of wisdom,” I mused. “But you better watch out. She was also the goddess of war.”
He shook his head in defeat. “I always knew you were trouble.”
“You got that right,” I said playfully and breathed in the salty, ocean spray. After a couple minutes I said, “That day when you ran into me on the sidewalk…”He gave me a sideways glance which I chose to ignore. “Was it my Essence that stopped you dead in your tracks?”
He continued looking straight ahead. “Yes.”
“I’ve been thinking…”
“Uh, oh.”
“Hey now.” I sent him a severe look. “But really, I was wondering if the reason you were running in the first place was because you’d had a premonition about the mom and her toddlers?”
His jaw tightened, and he shook his head in the affirmative. “Yes, and I was almost too late…”
“Because of me.”
“Alex, that was in no way your fault. The circumstances were…well, I was just so shocked to bump into you...you an–”
“Amethyst?”
“Yes, an Amethyst. But I shouldn’t have allowed that to stop me from my mission, which was saving that lady and her children. The delay in reaching them was entirely my fault.”
Changing the subject, I said, “So, when you up and abandoned me during lunch, I’m guessing you had another vision?”
He tapped the dash of the helm. “Actually, Madison was communicating with me telepathically. She wanted my help because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle the outcome of one of her own premonitions by herself.”
Rubbing my hands together, I blew warm air between them. “Mmm…That explains a lot.”
Slowly, he turned and gazed at me with his aqua-marine eyes, and my heart lurched. “I’m glad we don’t have the secrets between us anymore.” He spoke with stony resolve, but his eyes narrowed like he was questioning whether I was still hiding something.
Right, I thought. Except you’re still hiding your feelings, and I haven’t bothered sharing with you that I have premonitions. Other than that, things are just hunky dory between us. “Yeah, me too,” I managed to say in a subdued tone. But all the while my mind was shouting, Dentelle, Dentelle, Dentelle. Funny how that sounded a lot like don’t tell, don’t tell, don’t tell. This was not the time to ask him more about Dentelle’s.
“Speaking of secrets,” I said, narrowing my eyes suspiciously, “why did you stop me from telling everyone I could hear your telepathic conversations with Madison?”
Swallowing hard, he took his hands off the wheel and rubbed his cheeks like he was agitated. “Alex, I don’t like to keep secrets. But I felt for your own protection, it would be better if they didn’t know.”
“That sounds lame. Why not? Can’t Jessica hear telepathic conversations between Guardians?”
“No,” he said simply. “You’re different. You have an ability I’ve never heard of, and that can be dangerous. I want you to promise, even if it’s the only promise you ever make me – you will not tell anyone else about that ability unless I say it’s okay.”
“That’s ridiculous…”
Grabbing my arm, he didn’t let go. That freaked me out, because now that I understood things, I knew my touch had to be hurting him. If he only knew how much it broke my heart that I caused him physical pain. “Promise me,” he seethed and tightened his grip.
Worried about his sanity, I finally agreed. “Fine. I promise. But, I want to know why.”
