Prologue 3 страница

“Architecture. ”

I remembered Caleb telling me that’s what he was doing.

“Is that a family business? ”

“Mmhmm, ” he mumbled around a bite.

I pursed my lips and waited but he didn’t say anything further. So we ate. He asked me about school, why I’d dropped out of everything. Why I hardly came to school anymore and stopped eating lunch with them. This whole time, he thought it had been because of my dumping Chad.

I told him everything. I don’t know why. I just did. Things I didn’t even tell Rebecca and she was the closest thing to a best friend I ever had but I even felt withdrawn from her lately. I told him how my mom left, taking everything of value with her: all our plates and dishes, the money, our savings, my college fund, my parent’s bed. My dad had slept on the couch in the den for ten months. I told him how she used to call me and try to explain how much she had hated her life and everything in it. I told him how my dad was bitter now and spiteful, his life just spiraling down and he was slowly taking me with him. I told him how I had to get a job to help out because my dad lost his.

He listened quietly as he ate. He waited to see if I was done, watching me closely.

“I’m sorry, Mags. Everyone just assumed you’d ditched Chad and just didn’t want to hang out with us anymore. No one knew-I mean, we knew your mom left but the rest... you should have said something. ”

“I didn’t know what to say. How do you tell someone that your boyfriend dumped you three days after their mom left and their dad sits in his room and doesn’t even speak to you. No one wanted me around anymore, ” I said softly and stared at the ravioli I no longer wanted.

“I wanted you, ” he admitted just as softly. I looked up and caught his hazel brown gaze. “I’ve always wanted you. But it was always you and Chad. And now, it’ll be you and Caleb. And not only that, but I’ll have to see you together, everyday, because you’ll be family. ”

“Kyle. ” I pushed my plate away and began to toy with my hoop earring. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. ”

“No. ” He sighed roughly and grunted. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I still want to be your friend, Mags. Now I get to be your cousin too. ” He forced a grin. “The Jacobson’s are a weird bunch, I’m warning you now but, they are fiercely protective. You don’t have to worry about anything anymore. Your mom and dad are idiots for leaving you, but you have a new family now. ”

I didn’t know whether to smile or run at his comment so I just bit my lip and chuckled under my breath.

“So, you ready to get out of here? Wanna see a movie? ”

“Sure. We can’t go back to your house can we? ”

“No. Not tonight. There’s gonna be a lot of crap going down tonight at my house with the whole family there. Believe me you don’t want to be there anyway. ”

I could beg to differ. Caleb was there and whatever this imprinting this was, it wasn’t a joke. I could still feel his heart beating if I thought real hard about it.

“Ok. What do you wanna see? ” I asked as he flagged down Callie for the check.

“Anything you want, even a chick flick if it’ll cheer you up. ”

I wrinkled my nose.

“I’m not really into chick flicks. I’m more of a Sci-Fi girl. ”

“Ah, you’re gonna fit right in, ” he grinned and took my hand to pull me up. “And I know just the movie. ”

I let him pull me to the car, again feeling that ping of wrongness for holding his hand, but not before Rebecca and the rest of them saw us. Her eyes bulged and I saw her glance at our hands. Then I saw Chad, sitting in the very back of the group. I should’ve known. That’s why Callie was asking about him.

He was here.

His face was a textbook description of hurt and confusion and anger. He looked like he wanted to stand but thought better of it. He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and glared at Kyle. Boy were they all wrong about what was going on but I’m sure it still looked bad. It might have been better if he saw me with Caleb instead, they didn’t know Caleb, but he knew Kyle. This was like betrayal to Chad.

I quickly turned and left the restaurant before any of them could move towards us.

“Kyle. You shouldn’t have done that. Those are your friends. Now Chad’s gonna be all weird around you. ”

“I’m leaving and so is he. It’s not like I’m gonna talk to him anymore. We only hung out in our group and at football. I wasn’t really his friend. Besides, from what you just told me back there, he’s a complete idiot anyway. ”

“Still. ” Then a thought hit me and I pulled him to a stop. “Did you do that on purpose? Did you see him back there? ”

“No. But I might have done it on purpose if I had. He’s not worth your time. He cared more about football than you. He proved that when he ended it when you guys could have tried to work out some long distance relationship or something. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. ”

“I know, ” I started as he towed me again. “But that doesn’t mean I want to hurt him on purpose. ”

“You’re too sweet, you know that. You can’t let people just do away with you. You are too good for him, even your parents, if they can’t see how great you are. ”

He opened my door and put me in, reaching over to do my seatbelt.

“Uh, Kyle, I can do it. ”

“Oh. Right. ” He smiled bashfully before going to his side. “So, are you a popcorn or candy girl? ”

“Popcorn, ” I answered.

“Ah, ” he groaned and shook his head. “You’re killing me here. ”

“What do you mean? ”

“Nothing, just... you’re pretty awesome. ” He gave me a sidelong look at the red light, staring with a little smile and I blushed involuntarily, looking away. “Huh, ” he said smiling wider, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Maybe Caleb’s got some competition after all. ”

“Kyle-”

“Ok, I know. I know, ” he said, his hands raised in surrender before taking the wheel and turning into our spot in front of the theater.

It was literally two blocks from Pablo’s.

I opened my own door this time, feeling a little more like my old self. I was even starting to wonder why I was taking everything so well. I mean, I just found out there are people out there with powers or abilities or something. Not human. I have bound myself, unintentionally, to one of these people I just met and couldn’t get him out of my mind. Shouldn’t I be freaked?

“Two for Battlestar National, please, ” Kyle said to the attendant then smiled at me. “You’re gonna love this. Have you seen Lord of the Rings? ”

“Of course, ” I scoffed.

“Well, this is nothing like that. ”

I laughed and he laughed too. The attendant rolled her eyes as she passed him the tickets. He took them and we made our way in the doors and to the concessions stand. I took off my jacket, stood behind him and waited.

My mind drifted to Caleb. I scolded myself. I’d never been so smitten in my life. I mean, this was borderline boy crazy. I didn’t even remember being like this with Chad. I felt a little foggy thinking of Caleb. I had an urge to leave, right then. Head out the door and straight to Kyle’s where I knew Caleb would be. A lump grew in my throat the more I thought about it. My hands twitched at my sides and I took a deep, steadying breath.

Kyle looked back at me and frowned.

“Don’t think about him, I told you. ”

“What’s happening to me? ”

“It’s just new. It’ll fade. ” He grimaced. “Some. ”

“You both keep saying that. What does that mean? ”

“Just stop, ok? Don’t think about him and you’ll be fine, ” he said irritated.

He turned to place our order and handed me a drink while he squirted butter on our huge bucket of already pretty yellow popcorn.

We started towards our theater and I heard someone call Kyle’s name from behind us. I groaned as I turned, thinking it was guys from school but it wasn’t. I’d never seen these guys before. There were six of them and they were all black haired and tall. Kyle groaned beside me so I didn’t feel much better.

“Jacobson, ” the guy said lilting and sardonically. “What brings you out? Oh, I see, ” he said like he hadn’t seen me already. I raised an eyebrow at him as his eyes perused me openly. “My, my, I do see. Hello. ”

“Alright, Marcus, enough, ” Kyle barked and I balked at his tone.

“What? I only said hello. So, Kyle, you breaking your clans rules now? I always knew you were a rebel at heart. What movie are you seeing? ”

“Not interested in adding to our group, but thanks. ”

Kyle tried to turn us but Marcus grabbed my arm. I had another jolt and for just a second I worried than I was imprinting with someone else. But I realized, that was the last thing I was doing. My veins screamed in protest and my skin burned hot on my arm. My body was warning him. My blood, whatever, however it worked. This guy’s intentions were not to keep me safe and the imprint reacted.

He released my arm with a curse like I shocked him. He and his group eyed me with wide, scared eyes and something else, anger.

“She’s your significant! Impossible! ”

“Not mine. She belongs to Caleb. Now back off. ”

“She’s human. She’s what... fifteen? ”

“Seventeen, ” I butted in annoyed.

“Impossible, ” he repeated but this time he growled it and I stepped back, Kyle pulling me behind him.

“Don’t freak out. You’ll call Caleb and all hell will break loose. Breathe, ” he told me quietly and waited for me to take a deep breath, then turned back to Marcus. “Back off. You know now that Caleb’s imprinted, it’ll only be a matter of time until he get’s his ascension. You’re not stupid enough to mess with his girl, are you? ”

“Marcus, let’s go, ” one of the guys said behind him. “Enough already. ”

“For now, human, ” Marcus spat and eyed me evilly before they moved on.

One guy hissed at me. Hissed. I shook my head.

“What was that? ”

“Bad news. Crap, why tonight? They are a rival clan. They haven’t been imprinting for a while either. This will definitely stir up the pot now that they know about you. ”

“Why is everyone so hard pressed to date? I don’t get it. So you don’t find your soul mate. There are tons of single people of there. It’s not like you can’t live that way. ”

“No. You don’t get it. Wait. ” He looked around and pushed our theater door open, taking us to the very back to sit down. “See, if we don’t imprint with anyone, we don’t ascend. If we don’t ascend we don’t get our abilities. It’s not just about being single. This is our whole life, our heritage, being an Ace, protecting our family, having the power to do that. But without finding our mate, we can’t do that and it’s crippling our clans, making us vulnerable. ”

The full weight of what he’d been trying to tell me hit me like a ton of bricks. That’s what Caleb meant when he said I was special. This was a big deal. No one had imprinted in years. Caleb was the first one of his kind in a long time and they were gonna make a fuss about this, good or bad, and I was stuck in it with no way out, but wasn’t sure I wanted out.

The screen blinked with an advertisement for concessions then went straight into a movie preview. I settled back in my seat and tried not to think about Caleb. Whenever I did I felt a zing in my chest, an ache but a pleasure as well. It was all very confusing and frustrating. While I sat and pretended to watch the movie, my mind was somewhere else. On a blue eyed, brown haired boy. And though it made me feel anxious, his heart beat coming to me in waves and pulses the harder I thought, and I fought to stay in my seat, I did it anyway. I thought about this boy.

A boy that apparently now belonged to me.

Four

I woke the next morning and felt terrible, like I had the flu or something. I rolled over in my bed and clutched my queasy stomach, feeling a pounding in my head and chest. The pound coincided with my heartbeat.

I sat up and saw stars. That had never happened before. At first I was alarmed. Maybe it was something worse than the flu. I stood and went to the mirror. I looked haggard.

Kyle had brought me home right after the movie last night. It wasn’t that late when I got home but dad was no where to be seen. As usual. I went straight to bed, feeling more exhausted than I had in long time.

And now, I could see my face was dark with fatigue. My eyes were dull and shaded. What in the world? I lifted my arm to push my hair back to check the little gash on my forehead and froze. There was a black handprint burned into my skin, black and grayish like it was charred, right by my elbow on my right arm. What the—

Then I remembered. My arm burned hot when that Marcus guy grabbed me yesterday. And now, I had a strange black grip burned into my skin. What was going on here?

I heard the phone ring but didn’t answer it. It was probably Chad, looking for answers, though he had no right to any claim over me anymore. So I went to take a shower instead.

That was one of the best showers I’d ever had. I still felt bad but better, the hot water did wonders for my skin color. My face seemed back to normal and my eyes were brighter. But, I still needed some serious makeup. Then I remembered. Caleb. He said he was coming to get me today.

I scrambled to my room and pulled some clothes out. I actually thought about what I was putting on. I had jitters. I was freaking out. I slipped on my blue chiffon peasant blouse over my black cami and some jeans with some silver hoop earrings then I went to fix my hair and slick on some make-up.

All the while, I felt a bubble of anxiety and nerves. What had happened last night? I couldn’t believe I saved some guys life. I couldn’t believe I was bound to him in some, twisted soul mate thing. I couldn’t believe Kyle had a crush on me. I couldn’t believe I was so crazy about some guy I barely knew. I couldn’t believe they weren’t human.

I started to have a mini-panic attack, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Then it began to escalate to full blown.

What if Caleb didn’t come today? Why did I need him to so badly? What was going to happen to me? Would I just marry some freak guy and live in their cultish community forever? Could I run away before he got here? Did I really want to? No, I didn’t and if he asked me to marry him right now I’m not sure I could say no. What was going to happen to me now?

My breathing was crazy out of control and I grabbed the sink to hold myself up. I felt all wrong and my muscles twisted in my body as I kept Caleb in my thoughts. I was just about to really worry, maybe call somebody, though I didn’t know who, when I felt arms around me. Turning me and pulling me to them.

“I’m sorry. ” He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me and whispering in my ear as his hand ran up and down my arm. “I got here as fast as I could. ”

Caleb.

I sighed in relief as I felt a release of all the tension, the queasiness, the aching muscles, the painful breaths, everything, as I settled my arms around his waist. I felt brand new, like he was a drug and I’d just gotten a hit.

I pulled back to look at him slightly and was wowed. He was even better looking in the daylight. I blinked up at him and he looked back down at me. I could see into his mind as if it was made of glass. He had felt me begin to panic he was already half way here. He ran. He knew I’d be upset when reality crashed down on me this morning. He was feeling withdrawals for me too and pestered Kyle for over an hour before he got out of bed to give him my address, though once the panic attack hit he didn’t need it. He could find me anywhere. He also loved my freckles and thought I looked gorgeous in blue.

I smiled and bit into my bottom lip at his thoughts.

“Hi, ” I said.

“Hi, ” he said smiling widely, his arms still around my back. “Are you ok now? ” He reached up and brushed my hair back from my forehead. “How’s the head? ”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore. ”

“Did you sleep ok? ”

“Yeah, I slept great, actually. ” We both seemed to realize the awkwardness of it all and stepped back to give a little space. “And I was fine, I mean I felt a little weird, like I had the flu, ” he nodded to confirm, “but it wasn’t until I started to think about things-um, you, that I freaked. ”

“I know. It happens, especially the first few days after an imprinting. ”

“Why? ”

He shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter I’m here now. And I have no intentions of going very far. ”

“Good, ” was all I could say.

He seemed to like my answer.

“Did you have fun with Kyle last night? I didn’t have a chance to talk to him much. I waited up for him last night but he went straight to bed. I’m sure he would have told me if something had happened. ”

“Yeah, we had an ok time, mostly. ”

“Why mostly? ” he said suddenly concerned. “What-”

He saw my arm and his eyes went wide. I’d forgotten, the angry black burned hand print. His face twisted in anger.

“What happened? I can’t believe Kyle didn’t tell me about this. Who did this to you? ”

“Some guy called Marcus, ” I rubbed it like it could come off.

He pushed my fingers away gently to run his thumb across it, almost reverently.

“Marcus touched you? ” he said softly and I knew not to mistake the softness for anything but fighting for control.

“He grabbed me when we tried to walk away. But as soon as he knew that I-you- we... ”

“That we imprinted. ”

“Yes. He left. I didn’t see this until this morning. ”

“It’s what happens to warn them that you don’t belong to them. ”

“I know, I felt it but, why didn’t it do that when Kyle touched me? ”

“Kyle touched you? ” he said with a slight edge.

“He held my hand a couple times, ” I explained truthfully. “Mostly to make me keep up with him but, it never did that with him. ”

“It only happens if the person’s actions aren’t of pure intention. Your body can sense it when someone means you harm. ”

“So, that Marcus guy wanted to hurt me? ” I said breathlessly at the prospect.

“Don’t worry about that just yet. ” His big hand came up to my cheek, making me want to shudder. “One thing at a time. I’ll explain it all to you but, right now, I need to get you over to Kyle’s. The family is all there, waiting for us. ”
“Eh, ” I cringed. “I don’t like crowds. ”

“You’ll like this crowd. There were so happy last night when I told them what happened. They can’t wait to meet you. ”

“Caleb, ” I said and he sighed, closing his eyes like he was in ecstasy at the sound of his name from my mouth. “I have no idea what’s going on. I mean, what does all this mean? Why am I meeting your family after only knowing you for one day? ”
“Well, ” he looked slightly unsure. “I, uh... you’re my significant. I mean, I would never force you to do anything but, this means something to us, to my family. You are so important and the sooner you learn all about what’s going on, the sooner you can make a decision if you want anything to do with it or not. ”

“I thought I didn’t have a choice. ”

“Kyle and his big mouth, ” he muttered. “There are so many things you don’t know. So many things that I need to tell you and explain. But if after you hear everything today you want nothing to do with any of it, or with me, I won’t stop you from leaving if that’s what you’re asking. ”

“Ok. I’m ready to go. ” I nodded. “I need to tell my dad where I’m going. ”

“Alright. Should I go wait outside since I burst into your house without knocking, ” he said with a cocky grin. “I’m sure your pops would love that. ”

“It’s fine, ” I said laughing slightly. “He won’t know whether anyone’s been up here or not. ”

“Are you sure? ”

“Yeah come on. ”

“I guess it’s only fair if you’re meeting my family that I meet yours too, right? ”

“I don’t think the word ‘family’ constitutes as one person. ”

“Sure it does. ” He stopped in the hall at a family picture of us four in front of the Christmas tree from two years ago. Bish had his arm around me and I was poking his stomach, making him laugh. “Is that your brother? ” I nodded. “Wow. You really look like your mom. ”

“Yeah, everyone has always said that. ”

“What happened to her? ”

“She left, ” I said, shrugging before heading downstairs.

“I’m sorry. That sucks. ”

“Yeah, ” I agreed and then called to dad before we went into the den. Just in case he was in his underwear: “Dad? ”

I heard him grunt and felt a grip on my hand tighten. I didn’t realize we were holding hands. Caleb smiled at me and I tried to think of how in the world to explain him to my father.

“What, Maggie? ”

“Uh, dad, I’ll be leaving for a while. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. I just wanted to let you know. ”

“Fine, as long as you don’t miss work. ”

“I’m off today, dad. ”

“Fine. ”

“Dad. This is my... friend, Caleb. ”

I glanced up at him and he was fighting a smile, the twinkling of amusement in his eyes giving him away. My dad barely glanced at him, looking right back at the television and scratching behind his ear.

“Uhuh. ”

“Dad, ” I said more pointedly.

He looked up again. I really regretted not letting Caleb wait outside. Dad was sitting on our couch in the den, his boxers and a white t-shirt, with white socks up to his mid calves, watching the Today Show of all things.

“Oh, yeah. Hi, Calvin, nice to meet you, ” he muttered and returned to his show.

“Caleb, dad. ”

“It’s fine, Maggie, ” Caleb assured me with a squeeze of my fingers. “Nice to meet you too, sir, I won’t keep her out too long. ”

“Mmhmm. Fine. ”

As we made our way out into the hall, I remembered when my father always used to joke about how when I finally started dating he’d be all mister-shotgun-on-the-porch about it. He sure gave Chad a hard time, though most of it was in jest. It’s like an alien took over his body or something. He’s not even my dad anymore. And the only reason the house is clean right now, is because I cleaned it before leaving for graduation yesterday. I can’t remember a time I’ve been more embarrassed.

Caleb was apparently tapped into my thoughts again.

“Hey. ” He bumped my shoulder as we walked. “Don’t sweat it. Your dad is apparently going through something. He’ll come around one day. You don’t ever have to be embarrassed with me, ever about anything. ”

“Caleb, I barely know you. Why do I feel so... ok with everything? This is all so strange-”

“I know and I’m not gonna rush you to understand everything. But other people don’t get to decide who you are to me, not even your parents. Just know, you can’t ever say or do anything to make me not want you anymore. ”

I sighed, wanting to sag in relief, because that’s exactly what I always wanted someone to tell me, that they wanted me for me, no matter what.

“Thank you, Caleb. ”

“You’re welcome, ” he said sincerely. “Do you need to grab anything before we leave for Kyle’s? ”

“Uh. My phone. It’s in my jacket pocket upstairs. Be right back. ”

I ran up to get it and ran back down. He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me with a smile. He didn’t take my hand this time, just opened the door for me and we walked slowly, side by side but not touching all six blocks to Kyle’s house.

I was thinking and listening. Listening and absorbing his feelings as he worked through what we were about to do. He was scared. Scared that I was not gonna be able to accept what his family would tell me. Scared that I was gonna hate him, blame him and want nothing to do with him for taking my choices for a different life with someone else.

This confused me because yesterday, he seemed so sure that I would take everything fine. Accept it and want it. Now he wasn’t so certain. I wondered what I had said or done since then to make him change his mind about me.

We reached Kyle’s front yard and I stopped, taking a deep breath. Caleb saw me and came back to stand in front of me.

“I’m a freak, aren’t I? ” I asked.

“What? Why would you say that? ”

“You said this doesn’t happen to humans. ”

“I said it’s rare. ”

“What if they don’t like me? ” I spouted quickly and shot my gaze to the grass, my insecurity raring its ugly head.

“What’s not to like? ” he said sweetly.

“What if they think your imprint made a mistake? What if they think I’m too naï ve and young? What if they think that you’re definitely gonna have your work cut out for you with me? I’m scared of walking through that door and hearing what they might say. I’m nobody, mediocre, I’m not special, I’m not rich. I’m boring, I’m shy and I’m only seventeen. ”

“Maggie-”

“And I’m terrified that the more you get to know me, you’ll realize it too. ”

He put a tentative arm around my lower back and pulled my face up with a finger under my chin making me automatically lean towards him and his warmth. He smiled and it was gorgeous.

“Imprints don’t make mistakes, Maggie. All an imprint is, is our souls seeing what’s perfectly right for it in someone else. In here, ” he palmed his chest “I saw something in you that I couldn’t live without. I chose you, inside of me, and you chose me. It’s not one sided, it only works when both people imprint on the other. You are perfect for me in every way. I don’t want to scare you with it all. I mean, you’re so young and you don’t know me. Yet. But... we will always be drawn together. We’ll always crave each other. We’ll always be in tune with each other, physically and mentally. There is nothing that can change or break that. And even if there was, I wouldn’t want to. Not for the world. ” His hand moved to my cheek and he caressed it with his thumb. “I’ve seen you. You can’t fake or glimmer what’s inside you’re mind. And you are sweet and caring and absolutely lovable in that head of yours. I promise you my family will love you. In fact, I’m sure they already do. You’re one of us now and they can sense how I feel about you. ”

“How you feel about me, ” I repeated and nodded.

“Yes. They all know how it is. How we feel... about each other isn’t uncommon. It’s normal for you to feel so pulled and drawn to me even though you don’t know me, just like I am to you, but worse. It gets better and with all our connections and abilities we’ll grow to know each other very quickly. ”

I couldn’t deny that and I definitely felt something for him. Especially right now with his arm around me, tentative, fighting with himself because he wants to touch me more but also wants to make sure I’m ok with it too. His concern for me was extremely endearing.

“This is all so strange, ” I said breathlessly.

“Just wait, ” he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “It’ll only get stranger. ” He chuckled and the vibrations gave me goose bumps. “Come on, ” he pulled back to look at me. “If you’re ready, let’s go on in so everyone will stop staring out the window. ”

I didn’t dare turn to look but I shifted my eyes that way and sure enough, there were more faces than I could count, all packed in and peeking out of the curtains. I felt my cheeks blaze red as I groaned and he chuckled again.

“Don’t worry about them. I promise. Look at me. ” I did but slowly. “They will love you. Don’t let them overwhelm you, ok? Everything will be fine. Ready? ”

“No. ” I did turn then. I looked at them. They were all smiling, watching us. A little girl waved frantically to me. I waved back and she jumped up and down and even though I couldn’t hear her I could tell she was squealing. I took a deep breath and smiled. “Let’s go but, be prepared to answer about a million questions. ”

“I’m counting on it. ”

We made our way to the door and before he could even reach the handle the door was snatched open and I was enveloped in a hug by a large woman with gray and brown hair who smelled like Freesia. She swayed me side to side and all I could do was let her.