Prologue 13 страница

“Nuhuh, ” he crooned and kissed my lips sweetly. “Not your fault. I’m just so glad you’re ok. ” He kissed my lips again and I started to feel warmer and more energized. “For the future, when your significant dies. You know it. You can feel it. It’s excruciating, like you’re dying too. ”

“That sounds fun, ” I said dryly.

“You won’t ever have to worry about it. I told you, I’m not leaving you. ”

I closed the distance to kiss him and he let me for a few seconds but then pushed me back gently.

“You know I want to but you need to rest, Maggie. You’ve been through a lot tonight and so have I, worrying like crazy about you. We have plenty of time for that later, ” he said completely concerned.

“Just give me what I want, ” I said as I took his mouth again more forcefully.

He chuckled against my lips and gave in. In no time his humor turned to passion and his hand found my side as he pulled me closer to him. Then he braced himself over me and though I felt his excitement, I could also feel his restraint, which he had claimed the other night to have none of. I mentally shook my head at him. He’d been so worried, so utterly devastated by what happened. He wanted to kiss me until I couldn’t think straight but knew I was hurt and planned to take it easy with me.

He didn’t press me into the mattress as he had done before. He hovered above me and though his kisses were eager, they were gentle. When I moved my hand up into his hair to tug, I felt and heard his breath catch and exhale in a weird pattern.

I bit his lip gently, he groaned and pressed me harder for just a second before pulling back and giving me a comically stern look.

“Maggie. Sweetheart. Are you trying to kill me? ”

I just giggled and shrugged under him in innocence.

I also thought about how much I loved it when he called me sweetheart. It zinged me in all the right ways to hear it.

He leaned down to my ear and whispered.

“Sweetheart. ” I closed my eyes, savoring, and smiled. Then he kissed the side of my neck once, which he’s never done before and it did nothing to calm me down, and leaned back on his side before gathering me up in his arms again. “Go to sleep, Maggie. We’ll have all day tomorrow for anything you want to do. ”

“But I have work, ” I protested.

“Do you remember when I said I was going to be a tyrant? ” I wrinkled my nose and he chuckled. “We’ll talk in the morning. Go to sleep. Sweetheart. ”

I smiled at his tactics and closed my eyes to block out everything but him. I fell into a peaceful, healing sleep.

I woke several times to a light. When I peeked over Caleb I saw Gran or Rachel or Peter, someone peeking in on us every hour or so. It was annoying and sweet all at the same time. Caleb’s face was turned away so he never woke. Sometimes there would be two of them and I could hear them worrying over us. Two male voices but I couldn’t make out who.

“I could kill them for this. How dare they go to this extreme, for someone who didn’t even grow up in this. ”

“That isn’t the way of our clan. ”

“Maybe it should be. Richard and his idiotic son are just gonna get away with this. It’s not like we can go to the police. ”

“We’ll keep her safe. We underestimated them, is all. We won’t make that mistake again. We did all we could do. He heard her call and went after her. If we hadn’t been so far away, it wouldn’t have been a problem. ”

“Yes, but now we have a new problem. How do we keep her with us and safe and not disrupt her relationship with her father? ”

“I don’t know. Gran’s family disowned her so, honestly, I’ve never thought about having to deal with the humans before this way but I won’t force her to choose. It wouldn’t be right. We’ll just have to find a way somehow. ”

“No other way about it. ”

“Yes, but I don’t see how. Her safety is paramount to anything else, and Caleb. He is adjusting remarkably well. He told me he has not only heard her heartbeat from the first second of the imprint but also has been able to read her feelings. ”

“So soon? Really? Fascinating. ”

“Yes. And apparently, she is advanced as well. She is already reading his thoughts and feelings at will and her withdrawals haven’t been as severe as I feared. ”

I paled thinking about the withdrawals being worse that they already were.

“Well, that’s great but first things first. For her safety, Caleb has to convince her to stop working at that diner. ”

“She won’t buy it. She’ll think he’s trying to control her. ”

“No, she won’t I don’t think. She’s smart. She’ll understand the need for such an act for safety. Besides, I think she’ll probably be more prone to want Caleb’s company from now on after what happened. ”

“Did you see her? She was fantastic. That idiot went down with little effort on her part. ”

“I know. She’s pleasantly surprising us all, I think. I just hope she doesn’t feel pressured by all the attention and concern. ”

“How could she not? But she’s a remarkable young woman with a good head. Caleb is a lucky man. I’m very pleased by all this. It’ll be good for our clan. ”

There was a pause.

“I’m sorry it wasn’t Kyle. ”

“Don’t be. Maybe it’s coming back. Maybe in a few years when he’s of age he’ll imprint. Maybe they all will. Maybe this is the catalyst for the comeback we’ve been waiting for. ”

“I hope so. I don’t know how long we can keep up the celibacy of our clan. It’s not fair and soon we’ll have to worry about carrying on our name and heritage. What’ll we do when there’s no one-”

“Don’t even speak it. There’s nothing we can do but wait. And I think watching your son and his new mate will be just what this clan needs, to give them hope. ”

And the little sliver of light from the door closed to darkness and the voices stopped for a while. All I could do was cling to Caleb’s sleeping body and hope beyond hope that they were right about everything.

When light was full in the window, I opened my eyes. Though I’d slept fitfully and restlessly, I still felt refreshed and tons better. My throat still hurt and my head ached a little but nothing like what I had felt like the night before. And no withdrawal pains. That was the best part. The past couple nights, sleeping with Caleb, made me feel brand new in the morning and I wasn’t sure I could go back to sleeping without him again, even if there wasn’t an echoling trying to hurt me.

I turned my face from the window to see Caleb watching me, leaning on his elbow, with a little concerned frown furrowing into his forehead.

“Are you better today? ” he asked as his hand coasted down my arm.

I ran my finger over the wire filigree tattoo on his arm. He shivered making me giggle.

“Yeah, I’m better. ”

As he looked at my face full on for the first time he winced, closing his eyes for a few seconds.

“Oh yeah. ” I palmed the black mark I knew was there. “Maybe we could see Gran now. ”

He nodded.

“She’s already been in here but I told her you needed to sleep. She’s downstairs waiting. Everyone is. ”

“Why? ” I said pulling the blanket up to my neck like that would help shield me somehow.

“Everyone was worried sick about you and apparently peeved at me for bringing you upstairs instead of letting them check you out last night. Quite a few have been in here this morning to chew me out already. ”

He smiled crookedly.

“Really? ” I smiled bashfully. “Wow. I’ve never had anyone so concerned for me before. ”

“Welcome to the family. ”

That thought made me smile wider. He leaned closer.

“That’s what I like to see, ” he whispered and then kissed me. He let his hand coast down my upper arm to my elbow. His next words were whispered against my lips. “Your skin is so soft. And you are really…beautiful in the morning. Did I ever tell you that? ”

“No, ” I breathed and felt him tap over my heart with his forefinger, feeling it beating erratically, and smile in satisfaction against my cheek.

“Did I also mention how adorable you look in my shirt? ” he said huskily as he fisted the large shirt I was wearing in his hand, pulling me closer to claim my lips.

As soon as I wrapped my arm around his neck and Caleb deepened the kiss we were interrupted by a loud banging knock and then an exasperated sigh as someone came in without waiting.

Kyle.

He had the worst timing ever, always.

“You can’t even leave her alone when she’s recovering, cuz? ” he said and even I could hear the hurt and anger in his voice.

“What, Kyle? ” Caleb asked harshly against my lips.

“I came up to see how Maggie was. I didn’t know you’d be in here, too. ”

Caleb turned to frown at him.

“You know I’ve been with Maggie at night because of the echoling. What are you doing? ”

“What? ” He shrugged innocently. “Nothing. ”

Caleb moved to lie on his back as he made noises of annoyance. I sat up and tried to tame my hair to some degree while Kyle came to flop himself down on the end of the bed.

“I’m fine, Kyle. Thanks. ”

He looked at me and I saw it in his eyes. The sympathy, the anger, the guilt because of this black handprint on my face; as I sighed and covered my face with my hands.

“Kyle, can you tell Gran I’ll be down in a few minutes, if she’ll help me with... these things, please. ” I peeked through my fingers. He continued to look at me with a soft grimace. “And go, so I can get dressed. ”

“Oh, yeah. Right. ” He got up and stopped at the door. “Uh, Caleb, she said she needs to get dressed. ”

“Yeah, ” Caleb sang dragging out the syllables.

“So, come on. Be a gentleman. Get out. ”

“Kyle, ” I said a little sharper than I meant to. I softened my voice and continued. “Kyle, we talked about this, remember? You promised me. Caleb and I are going to be together and we’re all going to be family and you’re gonna have to get over it. He doesn’t need to leave, in fact, I don’t want him to. Ok? Please, make sure Gran is still here. ”

“Fine. ”

He left in a huff and the door slammed a little harder than necessary.

“Whoa, ” Caleb muttered.

“What? ”

“That was so... ” he didn’t finish out loud but in his mind he thought it was ‘hot’ that I straightened Kyle out and was looking at me with those eyes that told me exactly what was about to happen.

He took my face in his hand and pulled me to him. His lips slid over mine. His hand found my leg and I assumed he was going to pull me into his lap when I heard a faint knock and then the door creak open. I pulled back from Caleb, licked my lips and peeked to see Peter at the door with a cocked brow with a concerned and amused expression as I settled back down to the bed and Caleb rubbed his face in his hands in frustration.

Peter cleared his throat before speaking.

“Good morning. I hope you both slept well. Maggie, Gran is here and more than willing to assist you with the offense marks whenever you’re... finished up here. ”

“Dad, ” Caleb groaned.

Peter just chuckled and said for me to text an excuse to my father before he left, shutting the door behind him.

“There are too many people in this house, ” Caleb muttered and threw back the blanket.

I giggled as he helped me up and I texted a quick ‘Left early. See you later on tonight. Love you’ to dad.

Apparently, Kyle’s mother had found some clothes somewhere for me to borrow and they were folded neatly on the end of the bed. I looked around and saw no other door in the room to escape to but tried not to be concerned with modesty. Caleb was my soul mate after all and he’d seen everything there was to be seen last night anyway when he changed my clothes for me.

So, I pulled his boxers off me, leaving his long shirt to cover me as I slipped on the jeans. Then I turned to look over my shoulder at Caleb and saw him watching me with a look that made me blush crimson as he fought to get his shirt on.

I smiled a little, bit my lip and pulled my shirt off over my head, keeping my back to him. When I did a quick peek back he looked about ready to keel over so I quickly put on my new shirt and turned around to find him right in front of me.

“That wasn’t nice, ” he said softly.

“Oh? ” I said with fake innocence.

“Ooooh, ” he groaned in mock anger. “No, not nice at all. ” His lips touched mine softly as he took my hand and pulled me out of the room. “I better get you out of my room while I still have some sanity. ”

I just shook my head at him as he stopped on the stairs.

“I want to warn you, I know how you are about crowds. There is definitely a crowd down there. And they are all going to fuss and bother over you all day, maybe more, and it’s gonna aggravate the tar out of you. ” I wanted to giggle. Who says tar? “But if it’s too much, say the word and I’ll-”

“Caleb, I’m fine. You’re family is so sweet. ”

“Our family, ” he corrected and I smiled.

“Don’t worry about me... I think I’m falling in love with them. ” I held my fingers thumb and index finger up an inch apart. “Little bit, ” I said and smiled wider.

He stepped up to be one step under me, our heights matched.

“You’re amazing, ” he said and lifted out entwined hands to kiss the back of my fingers and then led me down the last few steps to a kitchen full of watchful, weary and worried eyes all fixed on me.

Seventeen

“Well, come on, pretty girl. Let’s get this over with, ” Gran insisted as soon as my foot hit the bottom step.

I looked around at the packed red brick kitchen. There were some faces I recognized and some I didn’t but, there was a blast of titters and whispers at our arrival.

“Gran, ” Kyle’s mother protested and I couldn’t help but think I needed to learn everyone’s name. “Let her eat some breakfast first. I made coffee and honey buns. Caleb told me it was her favorite. ”

“I’m sure she’s ready to not have that thing across her face anymore. Come on, ” she beckoned me again and took my hand to pull me into the next room. Her skin was cold and soft but I could feel her bones as she gripped me. “Caleb and Peter, you too, this isn’t going to be fun. ”

I felt my eyes bulge at her words and wondered what she meant by that. She pulled me to lay on the chaise lounge and propped a pillow under my head as I saw Peter and Caleb come into the den with us.

“Now, Caleb, come sit right here, ” she instructed and pointed to the spot on the floor by my head.

“Is this going to hurt? ” I asked unable to not ask. “It didn’t really hurt the last time you removed one. ”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is. ”

Caleb looked at her sharply and I realized he hadn’t known that either.

“What do you mean? ” he asked forcefully.

“Caleb, I’m sorry, sugar baby, but it was different last time. Yes his intent wasn’t pure then either but, this time it was pure malice and deceit. She’s gonna have to feel that when I take them back and she’ll relive every attack. ”

“No. ” He started to get up and grabbed my hand to take me with him. “No, she’s not doing it then. ”

“It has to be done. ” She held him in place with a hand on his shoulder. “She won’t get her energy back until we take them off. Plus she doesn’t want to walk around with those things forever. ”

“No, I don’t, ” I answered softly.

“I didn’t know it was going to hurt you, ” Caleb said softly, squatting down in front of me, pushing my hair back. “We don’t have to do this today. You’ve been through enough already. ”

“I want to. I want it over with. It’s ok. ”

Caleb looked none too happy about that but nodded tersely to Gran and stroked my other cheek with his fingers before scooting over to my head as I laid back down.

She motioned Peter to sit by my feet so he pulled my legs up to sit under them, pulled them into his lap. He patted my leg and smiled weakly at me.

Then Kyle ran in.

“What are you guys doing in here? ”

“Healing Maggie. Now get over here and make yourself useful or hit the road, ” Gran said as she knelt beside me.

For an older woman, she sure got around really great.

“Help how? ”

“Hold her hand and the rest of you... hold her down. ” I heard Caleb sigh inwardly in aggravation. “Alright, ” Kyle moved to kneel on the floor on the other side of the chaise and grabbed my hand. He even laced our fingers and his other hand held my arm by my elbow. He and Caleb glared at each other. “Let’s get started. Maggie. You heard what I said. It’ll be different than the last time I healed you because his intent was different. Before he was just trying to upset Kyle, this time, he was intentionally trying to hurt you. So it’ll be worse but we’ll get through it. ”

I swallowed and nodded. Caleb bent down to kiss my forehead and whispered that he was there and I knew his intention had nothing to do with Kyle being there. In his mind, he was extremely upset, pissed about the whole thing, and wanted to grab me and run upstairs. I wondered how he would react when he saw me in the pain from doing this. It was in his blood to protect me.

Gran didn’t do my face first and I wondered why but didn’t say anything. She did the one on my hand, placing her fingers and palm in exact alignment as the black handprint and as soon as she was in place the vision hit me and I felt his hatred for me as I watched and felt the scene as it’s ran its course backwards of how I received that mark. It showed Marcus grabbing me to push me in the open car door but it was in reverse and disorienting.

It choked me, burned in my skin and I yelped. Then it ended. When I opened my eyes everyone was watching, looking ill and angry. All I could hear was my erratic breathing.

Caleb grunted and breathed hard through his nose.

“Are you ok? ” he asked gruffly.

“Yeah, ” I breathed.

He leaned his head on mine and I saw that he felt what I had felt, saw what I saw and was actually experiencing it for himself with me. It was killing him inside to see and feel what had happened to me before he got there to save me.

“Marcus better pray I don’t ever see his sorry hide again, ” he growled.

“Go, ” I said to him as he lifted his head.

“No, ” he said firmly, knowing exactly why I was trying to send him away.

“You don’t need to be here. The others won’t relive it with me like you. Just go. ”

“Absolutely not. ”

“Caleb, ” I protested.

“Maggie. ”

“Did you know it was going to be like that for him? ” I asked Gran not unkindly.

“No. ” She looked at him curiously. “No, I most certainly did not. Caleb, maybe you should go wait in the kitchen. ”

“Not gonna happen, Gran. She stays, I stay. ”

“So noble, ” Kyle muttered sarcastically under his breath but everyone ignored him.

“Caleb, I’ve never seen it where one significant feels another’s removal of offense marks or anything else I’ve ever done. I’m not sure it’s a good idea-”

“Gran, I’m not leaving. ” He looked down at me. “You still want to do this now? ” he asked and I nodded. “Then let’s finish it but I’m not going anywhere. ”

“Peter, ” Gran implored.

He shook his head and twisted his lips.

“Caleb knows what he can and can’t handle, Gran. If this was Rachel, I wouldn’t leave either. ”

“Well, you’re of no help are you? Alright, you two, brace yourselves. ”

She did all the ones on my arms next. There were four between the two of them and each one was excruciating, horrifying and I hated that Caleb had to go through it with me. And I hated that I had to go through it all twice.

Then she lifted my shirt and we all saw the long arm print with fingers wrapped around my side as Marcus’s friend had grabbed me around the middle. She lined her arm up and began as I felt the pressure of Peter’s grip on my legs and Kyle’s on my arm. I tried not to scream, tried to ride it out with grit teeth. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. When she released me this time she told us all to take a minute because the last one, the one on my cheek would be the worst.

I barely contained my whimper at her words and dreaded it being worse than it already was.

They all took their place a minute later, holding me down tighter this time. Caleb gripped my shoulders and laid his forehead on mine. I heard a small girly gasp behind Gran and looked up to see Maria.

“What are you doing? I heard screaming. Uncle Caleb? ” she squeaked and looked at him like he was a monster.

“Maria, we’re helping Maggie. ”

“Why are you hurting her? ”

“Maria, ” Gran stepped towards her. “Listen, baby, sometimes you gotta do things you don’t like in order to do something good. ”

“I’m fine, Maria, ” I told her as strong as I could, “Really. It’s not pa-, ” I was gonna say painful but knew that was a lie. “It’s just sucks that’s all. ” I smiled weakly at her.

“Mama says I’m not allowed to say ‘sucks’, ” she whispered and gave me a look like I was in trouble.

We all burst out laughing, even me.

“You know you’re right. I shouldn’t say that. It’s not very ladylike is it? ”

“It’s ok. I won’t say anything. ”

“Thanks. ”

“Alright, child, ” Gran said. “Get gone. We’re almost done and we’re gonna be a hungry bunch when we are. Why don’t you tell your momma to have some plates ready, hmm? ”

“Ok, ” she said reluctantly and turned to go but then looked back at Caleb. “Don’t let her be hurt her anymore, ok? ”

He didn’t nod or say anything as she walked out, just looked at me with regret and guilt and I felt it pouring out of him. I needed to tell him but didn’t want to in front of everyone so I focused in my mind and tried to send it to him. It worked surprisingly easy. And I felt the familiar beat of his heart as I always did when I focused on him or shared my mind with him.

Caleb.

His eyes jumped to mine and he leaned down to look at me upside down and stroke my cheek with his fingertips.

Yeah, gorgeous?

I smiled. And he smiled. But then I got serious.

You will not blame yourself for this. I was stupid. I was the one who let him tell me something that I should have known wasn’t true. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were out trying to help me.

I should have known they’d try something. I shouldn’t have gone with my father.

That sounds a lot like blame. I’m serious. None of it.

He chuckled out loud and I glanced around and saw Peter watching in awe, Gran looking pleased and Kyle looking disgusted.

“I can’t believe you’re doing that. You know, ” Peter leaned forward on his elbows, my legs still in his lap, “your mother and I tried to do that for months after we imprinted and couldn’t, until much later. It’s amazing the things you two can do already. ”

“She started it, ” Caleb said and winked at me.

“Caleb, I mean it, ” I resumed my plea out loud since he’d been diverted. “Please. ”

He sighed.

“I’ll try. But I mean it too. We gotta figure out a way for us to be together. I can’t just let you go home and pretend everything’s normal when I know that this isn’t over. Marcus isn’t going to just stop. We have to keep you safe and I can’t do that sneaking in your window every night. ”

“Sneaking in her window! ” Gran said scandalized.

“Gran, what else was I supposed to do? He was hurting her in her-” Caleb said while Peter said. “Now, Gran. You know with our kind there have to be exceptions. ”

“I know but... Lord have mercy. Back in my day you’d have been shot for sneaking in some girl’s bedroom. ”

“Well, her dad doesn’t know, Gran. Otherwise it wouldn’t work. ”

She threw her hands up.

“Alright. Enough! My poor ears can’t take much more. ” Peter and Caleb chuckled but then Gran knelt beside me and everyone sobered. “Ready, pretty girl? Last one, worst one. Let’s be done with this. ”

“Ok. ”

Everyone grabbed on and Caleb resumed his previous spot, forehead to mine like he could take some of my pain away. She took a deep breath and laid her hands in line with the hand print and then pulled back.

“You’ve got a fever, Maggie. ”

“I’m ok. ” I glanced at Kyle and he rolled his eyes guiltily. “I’m ok, really. Go ahead. ”

She leaned over me, her gray eyes swirled green, making me dizzy to watch it. She realigned her hand and I saw her half moon tattoo on her inside wrist with ‘Raymond’ wrapped around the curved side right before the reverse vision came. In reverse and slow motion, I saw Marcus and his friend yelling something and Marcus grabbing my stinging wrist. Then a hand coming across my face and his hand dropped back to his side right after I pushed off the door, Marcus’s mouth open in a scream, then kicking him in the shin as he tried to push me into the open car door.

The whole time the vision was hitting me not only could I feel his hatred for me, I could taste it. Just like I know Caleb’s feelings, I could feel Marcus’s. And taste. The taste was bitter and acidic, burning my tongue, pulsing the burn along with the flare of his emotions as the scene played out.

I also felt my fear, as ripe as it had been when it was really happening. I didn’t realize I was crying. I didn’t realize I was yelling. I was trying to kick and push them away. I felt their grips tighten on me and with the vision at the same time it frightened me even more.

When I opened me eyes, Peter was holding my legs with both arms, Kyle was fallen back on his butt looking at me with a ‘what the-’ face and Caleb was still grasping my shoulders and hovering above my face with his own. Gran was standing over us with a tired expression.

Once I realized what I had done I immediately started to apologize.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. ”

“Don’t you dare, ” Peter consoled gently. He patted my leg once more. “Are you feeling better now? ”

I examined myself. There was no residual pain or weird feelings from the visions. My tongue tasted normal, my skin felt normal. And I felt normal again and completely energized. I hadn’t realized how much those things were draining me until they were removed.

“Yes. I do. Thank you. I am sorry-”

Peter shook his head at me, smiled, patted my leg again and got up.

“I’ll tell Rachel we’re all done in here, and starving. ”

“You fought back from the very beginning, ” Caleb said sweetly and proudly. “Good girl. I’m so proud of you. ”

“Alright, let’s go eat, ” Kyle blurted and stood up.

“Go ahead. I need a minute with Maggie, ” Caleb said.

“What? She’s hungry, let’s go eat. ”

“Kyle, ” Gran said sharply.

“Fine, ” he said as he stalked out.

As he waltzed out, I knew right then I’d have to have another talk with him about everything because he apparently wasn’t getting it. I also felt horrible that I was the cause of their tension. They’d been best friends until literally ten minutes after I met Caleb. That one incident changed everything.

“Hey. ” I looked up to Caleb’s voice and saw that Gran was gone as well. “He’s being an idiot. If the situation were reversed, I wouldn’t egg him on even if I did have a crush on the girl. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them and with the imprint being so phenomenal anyway, like this is, they wouldn’t need me being an ass. ”

“I know. I can’t help but feel bad though and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t stand that you guys aren’t friends anymore because of me. ”

“Not your fault. ” He slid his fingers over my cheek before coming to sit beside me on the chaise. “He’ll get over it one day. He has to. And then, we’ll be friends again. ”