Prologue 6 страница

“Yes, ” I said, pushing away the weirdness. “I’m sorry about Beck. She’s a little quirky. ”

“It’s fine. My best friend is pretty quirky too. Vic. He’s pretty much insane. ”

I followed him out to his car... only it wasn’t a car. It was a motorcycle, a sleek, black Yamaha.

“I thought you said... ” Convertible. Oh. I get it. “Ha ha. ”

He grinned and laughed.

“Hey, I didn’t lie. This is as convertible as you can get. ”

“I guess I have to agree with that, ” I said laughing.

“Ok. First things first. ” He grabbed my bag and put it in the compartment under the seat. “This won’t do. ” He motioned to my dress and lifted his seat again to pull out a jacket. He placed it around me and pulled the zipper up.

“It’s pretty warm out, ” I said mildly, wondering why he thought I needed a jacket on May.

“Not on the back of a bike it’s not. ”

“If you say so. ”

“Here, ” he came and put a small black helmet on my head, buckling it under my chin. “Now you can keep that pretty head all nice and in one piece. ”

“And where’s yours? ”

“Right here. ” He pulled one off the handlebars and put it on. He climbed on and looked back at me expectantly. He flipped a switch on his bike and I could hear him in my ear in the helmet, “One leg at a time. ”

I sighed and climbed on behind him. I settled myself close to him as I could get. Ours legs lined up and touching all the way down. I blew a breath to steady myself and tried to play off my shakiness as anxiety about the ride instead of being so close to him.

“I have never ridden a motorcycle before. ”

“I assumed as much so I promise to take it easy on you; this time. ”

I heard him laugh as he cranked up the beast. I got queasy as I could feel it’s every rumble. I dreaded this ride now, for more than one reason and wondered if there was some way to back out of it. I thought I was trembling but couldn’t tell.

His hand came back to pat my bare knee, easing and soothing me.

“It’ll be fine. I promise you’ll love it. ”

“I’m ok. ” I lifted my feet to rest of the foot props. “I’m ready. ”

“Arms around me, ” he ordered. “And hold on tight. ”

I did as he said and leaned against his back as my arms hugged his midsection. I smiled at how comfortable it was. I felt him swirl his hand once on my knee before grasping the handlebars and slowly pulling away from my house. Then my street. Then my town.

Eight

The helmet did an okay job of shielding my hair from most of the wind. He blocked a lot of it himself. He’d been right about the jacket. My legs were freezing.

We drove for about thirty minutes that way. We talked through the mics the entire time. He told me some about his family members other abilities. Like his Aunt Kelly and uncle Max, Kyle’s parents. She can decipher any language or code. Anything that is meant to hinder and confuse, she can figure it out. She can do any crossword puzzle and learn any computer password and then turn around and speak Chinese even though she never learned it. And his uncle can learn anything and teach anything, which I’d learned earlier today, at a crazy fast rate.

Then he told me his dad’s ability was that he can detect the earth elements. It’s one way they have enough money to pay for college for everyone and get the real estate they want. He can find precious metals and gems. They go expeditions once a year for it.

Wow.

And his mom, Rachel, she can move and bend metal. The family jokingly calls her Magneto, but she can only move small objects. The biggest thing she’s ever moved was a Volkswagen and that was pushing it.

And his grandfather, the one he looked so much like, he could look at someone and see their intentions. Good or bad, he could see if you were planning something malicious or helpful, if you’re lying to hurt someone. He couldn’t see the actual act but could decipher and sift through it and see if your intentions are good or evil.

There are many more people in his family that I had not met. Some didn’t make it to Kyle’s for the meet and greet. I tried to imagine what having such a huge close family would be like.

He also told me that the families are clans. Each family is separate from the other and most are civil but some are rivals who vie for land and ‘territories’ or areas. They don’t like to be close to each other and they don’t ever mix if you are a rival clan, there has never even been an imprint between rival clans before; ever.

Once you imprint with someone, generally they would then be part of the clan of whoever the male is, since they share the same last name. For instance, he said his mother was from the Mitchell’s clan and when her and his father imprinted, she became part of the Jacobson family and clan. She does see her original family some but scarcely. For the most part, you gain a new family.

I was fascinated by it all. I was a sponge and soaked up everything he told me but soon we pulled into the parking lot and he stopped the bike under a tree on the edge of the lot. He kicked the stand and let me get off first. I was wobbly, my legs tingling and unsteady.

He grabbed my arms to steady me before removing his helmet and laughed softly as he removed mine. I can only imagine the nest it was but he smoothed it back for me with his fingers, running them through and giving me shivers.

“You did well for your first time. I was worried you’d squeal and shake the whole way. ”

“You say that to all the girls who ride on your bike? ” I teased but the thought of another girl on his bike made me tense with something...

Jealousy?

He smiled as his hands coasted down my arms and then to his sides.

“Never had a girl on my bike before. ”

He motioned his head for me to follow him.

“Why? ” I asked as we moved slowly through the parked cars to the door.

“Well, our family has this rule. When they realized that we weren’t going to imprint, some of them wanted to try to find a wife or husband without being imprinted, when they got older than the rest of them did when they found their significant. The clan decided it was best for no one to date at all since they didn’t know what was going on. They didn’t want anyone to marry someone and then imprint on someone else. Therefore, there has never been a girl on my bike. ”

“You’ve never dated anyone, at all? ”

“Nope. ” He waved to the hostess as she made her way to us. “Hey, Mrs. Amy. ”

She was about forty I’d say. Pretty with a high ponytail and I could tell right away she would be quirky and loud.

“Hey there, Caleb. What have we here? ” she asked as she looked me over.

“This is Maggie. Maggie, this is Mrs. Amy. The owner. ”

“And the cook, waitress, dishwasher and hostess. He always forgets that, ” she said sweetly and laughed. “Well come on you two. I’ll give you a table in the back, ” she said conspiratorially and winked at Caleb.

We followed her and passed a packed dining hall full of laughing people and waitresses wearing cowboy boots to the back. She sat us at a corner table and left with our drink order.

It was a small booth that only fit three people, if tightly, so we sat beside each other instead of across from each other. I wondered if that had been Mrs. Amy’s plan.

I turned to him a little so I could see his face. I fiddled with my silverware and put my napkin in my lap so my hands would have something to do.

“So, if you’re not supposed to date, why was Kyle taking me out that night? ”

“Only I knew about it. His parents didn’t. He told them he was going to a grad party. That’s why he wanted to text you about leaving. ”

“Aha. So you brought me to his house thinking he’d get caught, huh? ” I smiled and bumped his shoulder.

“Maybe. He was breaking the rules. ” He smiled crookedly. “Plus, I was pretty disappointed when I found out that you were the one Kyle had been talking about. ”

I bit my lip to stop the smile and looked towards our new waitress as she placed our drinks on the table. I told Caleb since we hadn’t looked at the menus at all to order something for me. Whatever was his favorite and so he did. Then I started to quiz him again.

“So. What sport do you play at Tennessee? Maria said you played something. ”

“Swim team, 400 Meter, freestyle. ”

Oh boy. That thought brought a whole new line of thinking. shorts, arms, legs, water...

“Mmm. Are you any good? ”

I leaned my chin on my hands and watched him as he scratched his chin.

“Uh, yeah, I’m ok, ” he played off modestly. “I guess. We made it to conference this year. Do you play any sports? ”

“I ran track. ”

“You any good? ” he smirked.

“I guess so. ”

“What did you run? ”

“200 meter. ”

“My sister ran too. But she wasn’t very good. Don’t tell her I said that. ” We chuckled. “So, did you place? ”

“State, two years. ”

“Nice. So, uh-”

“Caleb. Hi, there. ” I looked up at a sweet voice and saw a face just as sweet. It was a girl, looking at Caleb like he was everything she ever wanted. She was blonde, of course, tall and slender with a blue halter dress, very pretty. “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, ” she said sweetly and lifted one bare tan shoulder.

“Hey, Ashley. How’s your summer? ” he said not looking at her and twirling his straw in his glass.

“Well it just started, silly, ” she giggled and fiddled with her necklace. “But it’s good so far. My parents are making me do a summer internship at a law firm in Chattanooga. ”

“Sounds fun. ”

“No way. It’ll be torture. The last six weeks of my break will be spent working like a dog with no pay and no credits for it. ”

“Yeah, but you get the experience. ” He turned to me before she could say anything else. “Ashley, this is Maggie. Maggie, this is Ashley. She’s in my Economics class. ”

“And your Geometry class. But you’re always so focused that you barely notice anything in there. ” She turned to me and fixed a not very pleasant smile on her face. “Nice to meet you, Maggie. Is that short for Margaret? ”

“Nope just Maggie. ”

She perched her petite behind on the edge of the seat next to Caleb and I felt an instant irritation. I could only assume this sweet faced girl would be trouble. And then trouble started to spew from her lips in the form of sugar coated degradation.

“So. Are you Caleb’s cousin from out of town? ”

“Uh, no. ”

“Hmm. Are you his sister? I always assumed from the many times Caleb and I have talked that you were older. ”

“No, I’m... ”

Boy, oh boy. I had no idea what the crap to say. What was I? Would Caleb be upset if I said I was his girlfriend? Was I his girlfriend? Could I blurt out soul mate? I could tell this girl was interested in him and waiting anxiously for my reply. But I just couldn’t fit an explanation in my mouth.

Once again, Caleb came to my rescue.

“Maggie and I are on a date, Ashley. ”

“Oh? ” she asked, her voice shrill and vexed. “And how did you meet? You don’t go to school with us, I know. ”

“She graduated with my cousin, Kyle, the other night. ”

“Oh. ” She looked genuinely crushed and hurt and then pissed. “I thought you said you didn’t date. ”

“I didn’t date, ” he answered and seemed to look for an explanation that wouldn’t hurt her feelings.

“So, what? You just didn’t want to date me? Is that it? I’m not good enough for you? You could have just said that instead of making up some stupid ‘I don’t date’ story, ” she sneered.

“Look. I didn’t date, that wasn’t a lie, but Maggie is... ” he looked at me “different. ” He looked back to her. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings but I wasn’t trying to. Besides, aren’t you leaving for Vassar in a couple semesters anyway? ”

“That’s not the point. ” She glared at me. “Can you even enroll in college yet? You look like you just got out of preschool. ”

“Ok, that’s enough. ” His hand came around the front of me as if to shield me. “I’m sorry if you think I led you on-which I didn’t-but you will not sit here and talk to her like that. ”

She got up, huffing and stomped her sandaled foot before walking away swiftly. He turned to me quickly.

“I am so sorry about her. ”

“It’s ok. ”

“I’m sorry about this too. ” He pulled his hand back. “I got this feeling like I needed to protect you or something. I don’t know. Weird. I really am sorry about her. ”

“It’s pretty obvious she has a crush on you. ”

“Yeah. ” He rubbed his face. “She’s pretty persistent. She’s asked me out since the beginning of freshman year but... ” he shrugged.

“The rule. ”

He nodded.

“So, would you have dated her if the rule wasn’t there? ” I asked and felt a ping of guilt for acting like a jealous girlfriend when I had no idea what I was to him.

“Uh, no. ” He smiled. “She’s definitely not my type. I prefer girls with morals and substance over new cars and attitude. ”

I nodded and looked down at my hands but wasn’t so sure. I had to find out what I was to him. What were we doing? I know I only met him yesterday but this was far from some crush. We were soul mates.

He didn’t seem too bothered by the whole no dating thing but maybe he regrets it or wishes some other girl, an older different girl, had imprinted with him. Someone that lived in his city so it would be easier for him. He already had to move to Kyle’s to stay the summer because of me, changing his plans and barging in on family. All because he’d imprinted with me, the only reason.

If he’d never touched me, I wouldn’t be here right now with him. She could have talked to him like they apparently did normally and she wouldn’t be all upset. And he could’ve talked to her and not felt the need to come to poor little me’s rescue.

He was only with me because of the imprint. I knew it. His body reacts to me and needs me but other than that, I’m nothing to him. He would never have picked me over Ashley if he had a choice. A real choice.

I felt a warm, calming finger under my chin as my face was pulled up and I tried not to look at him but his gaze pulled mine to it. He looked serious and his blue eyes were blazing.

“That is absolutely not true, ” he insisted, reading my feelings, before laying his forehead against mine.

I felt the push and tingle of our skin, his heartbeat steady beside mine, and then I was seeing him, a vision of him. Standing at a stoplight. Listening to Cage The Elephant on his mp3 player and thinking about Kyle coming up to join him at Tennessee the next semester. He looked back and did a double take as a beautiful young girl made her way to the cross walk stop.

I couldn’t believe that’s what I looked like to him. I didn’t look like some silly high school girl. I looked pretty and confidant, distant and a little sad.

The girl looked around and even in the dim light he could see her freckles. He liked them. She checked her phone and stopped behind him to wait. He wanted to turn and get a better look but didn’t want to seem like he was checking her out so he peeked back and smiled and nodded when she caught him instantly. He turned back and wished he could talk to her. But there was no point. It would just make it worse.

He waited impatiently for the light to turn so he could leave and get the girl out of his mind. He had no idea why he was so struck by her anyway. The light turned and he peeked back once more and started to cross but she wasn’t looking, she was checking her phone again. He didn’t look both ways before crossing because he was looking back, to get one last peek before never seeing her again. Me.

When he turned back it was too late, then he felt a jerk on his back and tumbled backwards on top of something. When he rolled off and realized it was the girl he was at a loss for words. Then he realized what had happened. The sad, anxious, beautiful girl had saved his life.

He didn’t know what to say or do. He asked if she was ok and when he finally heard her voice saying that she was, he thought it was the sweetest sound ever to hit his ears.

He could see a cut on her brow and reached his hand to push back her hair. It was soft and curly. He could smell her shampoo and it was doing marvelous things to his senses. Add that to the sweet green eyes looking up at him and that was it.

He started to question right then if he was imprinting with her but no visions came, no jolts or tingles or fire as was described by his family. Just butterflies and a racing pulse.

And he was disappointed.

He’d never found anyone he really wanted before. There was no one he ever thought about breaking the no dating rule with, no one that made his heartbeat race and trip, until now. And he was so very disappointed that he couldn’t have her, especially after she saved his life.

He asked if she needed an ambulance or ride but she refused. She seemed dazed by him when he got close which made him smile. He flirted with her a little. He wanted her to like him, no matter how pointless it was.

He convinced her to let him walk her but then he found more disappointment when she told him that she was headed to see Kyle. So this was the girl Kyle was breaking the rule for. He’d talked about this girl for two years. No wonder, he thought. She’s pretty awesome and funny and sweet and thoughtful. And those green eyes...

She asked him questions and they laughed and talked all the way to Kyle’s. Caleb couldn’t hide his disappointment anymore and used her injury to touch her hair once more. Then Kyle had shown up and gave him the look of death over the girl’s shoulder while Caleb’s hand was in her hair.

Kyle asked if the girl was ready to go, she wasn’t, he could tell by her hesitation and it thrilled him even if just to piss off Kyle for being a jerk.

Then she came to him. She said her name was Maggie and she smiled. All breath left his body. He managed to mutter his name and took her hand and was shocked by a bolt of lightning in his veins. His hand felt on fire where he touched her and his lungs burned for breath that wouldn’t come. Visions swam in front of his eyes.

I couldn’t tell what the visions were and I got a sense that I wasn’t supposed to see them. Those particular visions were just for Caleb just like mine were meant for me. So all I saw were swirls of light and haze as I watched Caleb’s face change from happy to elation as he witnessed each vision.

Then he was jolted back to himself and looked at my odd expression of confusion along with longing. He knew exactly what had happened. He could feel her heartbeat banging against his just as loudly as his own and his body knew exactly what to do to comfort and protect her.

He knew it. He had just imprinted with the girl he wanted more than any other, the girl who had saved his life, the girl he thought he’d never have. She was his.

I was brought back to the present when Caleb pulled his head back a little but kept his face close.

“Now, you see. Don’t doubt how I feel about you. This has nothing to do with an imprint and everything to do with you. ”

I was breathless and in awe of what Caleb had shown me, his memories. They were clear and vivid and had seemed all too real. It was strange to watch the same event through different eyes.

What was stranger still was that Caleb had wanted me before the imprinting. Before. I couldn’t stop the smile that spread my cheeks.

I knew I needed to say something.

“You almost got hit by a truck because you were checking me out? ” I joked and he laughed loudly.

“Yeah. Good thing you saved me. It would have been your fault if I didn’t make it, ” he said through a grin.

I laughed, nodding and then stopped. I looked at him, really looked at him. He wanted me. Me. Not imprinted me, not high school me, not track shorts me. Just me. I decided that was all the proof I needed. I leaned into him and laid my head on his shoulder.

“I’m really glad I was at that stoplight, Caleb. ”

He sighed happily and placed his arm around me, his hand brushing my arm making us both shiver. I noticed a tattoo of a half circle or moon on the inside of his wrist.

“Me too, Maggie. Me just a little bit more than you, I think. ”

I giggled silently and felt him shake with a chuckle.

“So, was that one of your abilities or can we always do that? ”

“We haven’t ascended yet, all significants can do that with each other, among other things. ”

“Healing, ” I chimed.

“Yep. Healing. What we just did is called memory transfer. I know. Sounds romantic, right? ” I laughed again. “But it’s useful sometimes to figure things out, to get another point of view of something. We can also find each other. And if ever you are in trouble or extremely anxious or distressed, your body calls to me and I can find you anywhere and you, me. I can also feel your pain or if you’re uncomfortable. ”

“Mmm. That’s... ”

“Freaky? ”

“No. I was going to say neat but I was looking for a less dorky word. ”

He laughed just as our food came and Mrs. Amy gave him a knowing smile as she topped off our sweet tea. I tried all his favorite foods. Corn nuggets, beef brisket on garlic bread and baked sweet potato with cinnamon butter. Then for dessert we had blueberry cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream.

I was stuffed and felt happier than I had in a very long time.

We finished up and made out way up to the cash register to pay. Then back out to his motorcycle. He started to put his helmet on but stopped and looked at me.

“I’m not ready to take you home yet. ”

“I’m not ready to go home yet. ”

Nine

“Well, ” he grinned. “There’s a pond in back. People fish and swim in it during the day but it should be quiet tonight. There’s a walkway and benches. Do you want to go sit with me for a while? ”

“Yeah, I do. ”

“Good. Here. ” He reached under his seat, got the leather jacket and once again reached around me to wrap it around my shoulders. “It’s getting a little cold. ”

“Thanks. ”

He held his hand out to me and smiled crookedly. I slipped my hand into his and felt the familiar calm wash over me. He started to pull me with him but I stayed my ground and looked up at him.

“Caleb. ”

“Yeah? ”

“I thought you were pretty great too. Before all this. I was disappointed when I thought I’d never see you again. I just wanted you to know that it’s not just the imprint to me either. ”

He came closer and took my face in his hands. For a second I thought he’d kiss me. But he just looked at me for a long time, smiling, so I just stared up at him. Finally he spoke.

“Thank you, Maggie. ”

He kissed my forehead and it burned a good burn where his lips touched me and my eyelids fluttered. Then he took my hand again and led the way to the path and benches. There were a lot of them lined up on the boardwalk under Dogwood trees and the moon was casting a hazy glow on the water.

“Wow, ” I said as I sat and looked up. “You can see every star out here. ”

“The darker it is with lesser city lights, the more stars you can see. ”

“Wow, ” I repeated as I leaned back to get a better view. “Thanks for dinner. I really like this place. ”

“It’s my favorite. Mrs. Amy is an old family friend. We’ve been coming here since as long as I can remember. ”

“And does she know about your family? ”

“No. We don’t ever tell anyone. ”

His pocket buzzed and he pulled out his phone.

“So, I can’t tell Rebecca? ” I knew the answer but felt the need to ask anyway.

“I’m afraid not. Sorry, ” he said as he typed something into his phone and then slipped it back in his pocket. “Sorry. My friend, Vic, texts me like a jealous girlfriend. ”

I laughed.

“No. It’s ok. And I kinda figured that I couldn’t tell anyone but it didn’t hurt to ask. ”

He stretched his legs out beside me, not touching me, and crossed his ankles, laying his head back against the seat. As if he was settling in for a long haul talk. I smiled to myself.

“So, how long have you known each other? You and Beck, ” he asked.

“Birth. ”

“That right? ”

“Yep. ”

“And what about your brother? Where is he? ”
I told him about my parent’s adoption of Bish, how he moved to New York and I never see him anymore but we text all the time. That he left for school before mom left so he missed all the drama.

“So, ” I asked. “What about Jen? I didn’t remember seeing her husband there this morning. Where did she meet him? ”

“Uh, ” he sat up slowly, setting his elbows on his knees and looking uncomfortable. “Well, remember we told you that no one has imprinted in a long time. ”

“Yeah, I remember. ”

He waited, watched me and I thought hard because it seemed he wanted me to figure something out. Then it clicked. His sister couldn’t be but a few years older than Caleb. So, she couldn’t have imprinted with anyone if no one has in twenty years. Yet she had a daughter. Hmm.

“Yeah, I remember you said that. So, if she didn’t imprint, and didn’t get married what happened? If you don’t mind my asking is Maria adopted? ”

“No, she’s not adopted. ” He turned to look at me and smiled sadly. “That sweet little girl is the product of a crazy end of the summer party and the date rape drug. ”

I gasped and covered my mouth with a hand.

“It’s ok, ” he assured me.

“Caleb. Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry for her. ”

“Don’t be, ” he scooted closer and placed his hand on my elbow to draw off some of the anxiety that had my heart racing. “She was angry. Extremely angry for a while. She was a different person, dropped out of school, which was understandable. You see, there is usually more than one of us from the family at Tennessee together, we watch out for each other. It just worked out that her first year she was alone. Remember I told you there is still a lot of family that you haven’t met. Well, we’ve never had any problems, except that one year. That one time. This is why we stay together. This is why they want us to go to school and work together and live near each other. Because things happen and it’s just easier if we’re all there to help each other or prevent stuff from even happening. I know it happens to humans too, but we have so much to hide. And things like that could expose everyone. ”

“Yeah. So, she had the baby anyway. ”

He scoffed and chuckled.

“Of course she did. The police told her they couldn’t find out who did it and she should just have an abortion and even set her up an appointment at the clinic before telling her. Well, you don’t tell Jen what to do. She dropped out of school, came home and sulked and was a zombie for nine months. Then Maria was born and that was all it took, one look. Maria was born with a full head of dark curly hair. ” He smiled remembering and I picked up bits and pieces from his mind but mostly just listened. “She was herself again after that. She said as morbid and twisted as it seemed, she was happy, because she wouldn’t have imprinted and never gotten a chance to have a baby otherwise. That she considered it a gift and wasn’t angry anymore. ”

“Wow. ”

I couldn’t imagine that. But Maria is pretty adorable. And I’m sure his close knit family made a huge fuss over her and cared really well for them both. It made me smile.