Archaic (15 page)

I was even more nervous now that I was in a car with two Archaics. I fidgeted with my hands as Tyler got into the driver's seat. He started the car up and pulled away from my house.

Their mom, Jennifer, didn't like me very much, but they were very friendly and I was pleasantly surprised by this. They acted like any brother and sister would: they spent most of the ride arguing about who was going to be driving the SUV back home after school. Apparently they had to share the SUV so they took turns driving it.

"Do you have siblings?" Neve asked me.

"No."

"You're so lucky!" she exclaimed. "You don't have to share with anyone." She threw her brother a glare. He just laughed it off as he shook his head at her.

As an only child, I'd always wondered what it would have been like to have a sibling. By the end of the short ride to school, seeing Tyler and Neve interact, I had a glimpse into what it would have been like to have a brother.

Maybe it was a good thing I was on my own. As Tyler pulled into the school parking lot, he'd crowned himself the winner of their argument.

"Why do you win?" Neve asked as she glared at her brother.

She looked like she wanted nothing better than to wrap her hands around his neck and throttle him. He switched the car off as he turned to face her.

"Because I'm older than you," he replied smugly and I had a feeling he used that reasoning on a regular basis.

"That's so unfair," she said. "You're only ten months older than me."

Ten months. That was close, for siblings.

I got out of the car and when I saw Felicity walking toward the car with a scowl on her face, I had an urge to get back in the car and hide. Tyler had walked around the car and stood beside me. Neve stepped forward and pushed Felicity toward the school, but not before Felicity turned back to me and threw me one more look that said,
I wish I could make you disappear
. They walked into the school entrance.

"Don't worry about her," he said. I pulled my gaze away from the school to look up at him.

"Easier said than done," I muttered back. He smiled.

"Her bark is worse than her bite."

I didn't believe that for one second.

"Give me your phone," he said. I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my jeans and gave it to him.

"Jared isn't going to be at school today so I'm going to be keeping an eye on you," he explained as he keyed his number into my phone.

"I'm giving you my number so if anything happens you can call me, okay?" he asked as he handed my phone back to me. I nodded.

I wondered what rumors would be going around school today when the rest of the students saw Tyler following me around. I was going to get a serious reputation as an easy girl. One day I was with one boy and the next I was with another. It wasn't true--they were only protecting me, not dating me--but that is what they would probably think. I couldn't control what people said behind my back, though.

As always Stacy was the first to ask, "Why is Tyler walking you to class today?"

"Jared isn't at school today so he asked Tyler to keep an eye on me."

"So there is something going on between you and Jared?" Kennedy asked. I shrugged. It was no use trying to deny it because my friends would think what they wanted. I thought it was better they thought that something was going on between Jared and myself than me being the type of girl who went through boys like underwear.

Tyler followed me around for the rest of the day. I missed Jared. I knew I was nothing more than a responsibility to him, but I couldn't help missing having him around. On the other hand, it was maybe better that he wasn't around, because I was scared he was going to figure out what I was hiding.

CHAPTER TWELVE

I was hungry when I got home, so I made myself a sandwich.

I was becoming compulsive about checking my features in the mirror, looking for anything that would confirm what I was becoming. In my bathroom I studied my reflection in the mirror but there were no changes. It seemed my changes weren't noticeable on the outside. I opened the bathroom door and as my hand wrapped around the door handle I felt a shock shoot through my arm. In that same moment a thin film covered my eyes before disappearing.

Ouch!

Disconcerted for a few moments, I blinked to see if it happened again. Then I stared at my hand, not believing what had just happened. For a few moments I stood staring at the palm of my hand, still struggling to take in what had happened. My hand still tingled. I could definitely heal faster than humanly possible; could I also be developing their defense mechanism as well?

How could I test it? I'd only seen Jared do it once in the clearing. He'd held his hand out and then the energy had shot from the palm of his hand. I wondered if it was that simple. There was only one way to find out. I had to try. I needed to know what I was capable of.

First I needed to get out of the house and to the clearing without anyone seeing me. The clearing was the only place I could think of that was well hidden, but I would have to be quick.

I left my phone on my bed so if Jared came home and checked my tracker, he would think I was safe and sound in my house.

Before I stepped outside my house, I glanced around to make sure no one was around. Leaving my house, I headed toward the forest hoping nobody saw me. I didn't look back over my shoulder as I disappeared into the trees.

Quickly, I walked through the forest and into the clearing. I wanted to try and do this before anyone noticed I was gone.

When I got to my destination, it was empty. I scratched my head, trying to figure out how to expel energy like the Archaic did. I looked down at my hand and tried to imagine a ball of energy but nothing happened.

They made it look so easy.

I stood in the clearing with my legs a little apart. I put my one arm out, turned my face and covered my eyes with my other hand and waited for energy to leap out of my hand.

Nothing.

I thrust my arm out quickly and opened my hand, and aimed my palm to the grass in front of me. Still nothing happened.

This wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I thought back to when Jared nearly lost control in his bedroom while I was telling him how Mason had attacked me. He'd been upset. Maybe the energy was linked to emotions: the higher the emotions, the more powerful the energy. I needed to think of something that would make me angry. I thought of Felicity, but I just felt annoyance. It was difficult trying to think of something that would upset me. I finally thought of Jared, and then thought of Felicity putting her hands on him.

My anger ignited and flowed through me as I imagined her lips on his. Her mouth moving against his. That did the trick. The negative emotion built, and I felt a slight surge of energy. I put my arm out and opened my hand. There was still nothing.

Perhaps I wasn't angry enough. I thought about Mason and how he had smiled when he had hurt me. He hadn't even really known me, but he'd attacked me. My anger rolled through me. I felt a bigger swirl of energy inside me and I tried again. This time a weak twirl of white energy sprung out of my hand, and evaporated when it touched the grass. My vision turned translucent silver.

Wow!

I was stunned. I looked down at my open palm, not quite believing I'd actually done it. My eyesight returned to normal as I continued to stare at my hand in wonder. It was nothing like what Jared or the other Archaic were capable of, but I was still in awe.

My fingers touched my eyes. Jared's eyes changed when he harnessed his energy. My thoughts turned to Mason. His eyes had also changed to silver initially but they had darkened to the scariest dark eyes as black as night. Did it mean something that my eyes hadn't gone dark like his?

Excited and holding on to a little hope, I spent another hour in the clearing, trying to get a bigger burst of energy to shoot from my open hand, but no matter how hard I tried or even how angry or upset I got, only a small flash of white energy would spring from my open hand.

It was getting late and I needed to get back before Jared discovered I was missing, so I left the clearing and headed back to my house. Deep in thought, I walked back. I saw Jared's Jeep parked outside his driveway, which meant he was home. He would still think I was at home because my phone was there.

I rushed into my house and when I closed the door I sighed with relief. I was home safe and no one had noticed I'd been gone. Relieved I hadn't been caught, I went to the kitchen and drank some water. Quietly I made my way up the stairs and to my bedroom. I opened the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" Jared yelled. He was standing in the middle of my room. My phone was still lying on my bed. I looked from my phone to his furious face. I felt the fine current of energy in the air around him and the hairs on my arms stood up.

"I--" The look on his face killed any excuse I was about to make up. He'd caught me out and no excuse was going to get me out of it.

"Do you know I've had everyone out looking for you?" he said angrily. He walked over to me and grabbed me by the arms. His hold was firm as his fingers dug into my skin. "I've been worried out of my mind!"

All I could do was stare back at him. I'd never seen him this angry.

"You're hurting me," I told him as I tried to pull out of his painful grasp.

"Sorry," he said before releasing me quickly. My hands rubbed my arms. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

My eyes held his but then he turned around. Dragging a hand through his hair, he let out a heavy sigh.

"I thought that Mason got into the house and got you. I had thoughts of finding you like I did the last time," he said hoarsely. Thinking back to that event affected him on a level of emotion that I couldn't dispute and it made me feel bad for putting him through even a second of it. Then he paused and whispered, "Or worse...dead."

I had known he would be angry with me if he found out I went out, but I hadn't expected him to be this furious or upset.

"I came around to check on you but no one answered the door."

I stood there and continued to watch him while holding my arms across my stomach. After several moments he seemed to have calmed down enough to pull his phone out and call someone. All he said was, "I found her and she's safe."

He was calling off the search party. I felt worse.

For a few minutes, which felt a lot longer, he continued to look out the window. It was like he couldn't stand to look at me. I couldn't look at him anymore so I dropped my gaze to the carpet, dropping my arms to my sides. It had never been my intention to upset or worry anyone. How did I explain to him that I was changing? How did I explain to him that in probably in a few short weeks my life might not be worth saving? I might be a Hue, a psychopath.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. He turned my face, and my eyes lifted to meet his.

He let out another deep sigh before he walked closer to me. I felt the sting of tears when I thought about all the things I wanted to tell him but couldn't.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you like that," he said softly. His hand reached out and touched my cheek gently.

"I'm sorry for hurting you," he added. His fingers brushed over the skin gently, soothing it. A touch of warmth from him and the slight pain eased.

My eyes dropped to where his hands made contact with my skin. A glow of light seeped from his hands into my skin. After he stopped healing me and the glow disappeared, I lifted my gaze to his. My breath stilled at the soft, brief touch while my eyes held his. His eyes drifted down to where his fingers still touched my skin as he stepped closer, putting his body so close to mine that I could feel the heat emanating from him.

"I just want you to be safe," he whispered. His deep green eyes caressed my face and I felt something come alive in me beneath his watch.

He dropped his hands as his eyes met mine again. It was like time stood still just for those couple of seconds. His hand cradled my face and I covered his hands with mine. Waiting. For what, I wasn't sure. His eyes flickered to my lips and he leaned closer. I felt the soft touch of his breath against my lips before he kissed me. It was the softest of touches, but a strange feeling rushed through me and I didn't want it to stop. My knees weakened. His mouth covered mine and I slid my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. It was my first kiss and I was unsure of what to do so I mirrored his actions as his lips moved against mine. Then, unexpectedly, he pulled away from me.

I swear I'd felt the earth move.

We were both breathing hard and he looked as unsettled as I felt. His dark eyes watched me as I touched my fingers to my lips, holding his gaze. Breaking us out of our moment was the sound of his phone starting to ring. He released me as he pulled it out of his pocket and he answered the call.

"Yeah. Are you sure?" he asked and he frowned. "I'll be there in ten."

He ended the call and shoved his phone back into the pocket of his jeans.

"I have to go. I need to check something out," he told me. "Danny was on his way back from searching for you and he passed the clearing. He says there's evidence the Hue have just been there."