Ascension (Book 4, The Watcher Chronicles) (29 page)

As far as how my first Valentine’s Day with Mason was spent?  Well, let’s see. He woke me up. We made love. He made me breakfast in bed. We made love. We got up and took a shower together. We made love. We got dressed determined to go out for lunch in a public place but ended up shedding those clothes and spending the rest of the day in bed until we absolutely had to get ready to go pick up Caylin and Joshua.

It was a perfect day.

“Joshua is having trouble with something at headquarters,” Mason tells me. “I’ve asked Aiden to take you over to Brand and Lilly’s home in Lakewood while I go help him. We’ll meet you at the concert.”

I wait for Aiden in the living room of the beach house. When he arrives, I have to admit he looks more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him and very rock n roll. His jet black hair is messy cool and he’s wearing a pair of tight black jeans, black v-neck T-shirt, and black military style long coat. I feel a bit under-dressed in my jeans, sweater and purple jacket. I’m sure Deon will be disappointed in my choice of apparel, but rock sexy just wasn’t what I was going for that night.

“Missed you at the wedding,” I tell him. “But Mason said you had other plans. Mind me asking what their names were this time?”

Aiden grins like he’s embarrassed. “Josephine, Odette and Margareta.”

I shake my head at Aiden. “Ok, let’s keep in mind we’re going to a PG home this evening full of little humans.”

“I’m fine,” Aiden assures me. “I’ll behave myself, Jess. Don’t worry.”

“Ok,” I say, holding out my hand to him. “Do you know where we need to go?”

“Yes, Malcolm showed me Lilly’s homes in case I ever needed to take you to one of them. I’ve only met her a couple of times. I’m not sure she’ll remember me.”

“Well, let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”

Aiden phases us to the front door of Lilly and Brand’s Lakewood home.

I knock on the door and Malcolm answers it.

“Ahh, so you’re the designated phaser this evening,” Malcolm says, crossing his arms in front of him. “Apparently, I’ve been grounded for the night.”

“Come on in, Jess,” I hear Lilly call from somewhere inside the house. “Don’t mind the ogre at the door.”

Malcolm rolls his eyes and steps away from the entrance so we can walk into the house.

Lilly gets up from her stool at the kitchen bar and walks over to us.

“Aiden,” Lilly says in greeting, proving that she does indeed remember this particular Watcher, “how nice to see you again.  It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

Lilly gives me a hug and Aiden a smile.

“Nice to see you too, Lilly. It’s been too long.”

“How are you doing?” Lilly asks Aiden, her real question obvious to anyone who knows Aiden’s problem.

“I’m dealing with it,” he tells her. “As soon as Jess and her group seal the Tear, I should be able to have what I’ve been working for.”

Lilly nods. “Good. I’m glad you took Him up on His offer, very few did.”

The front door opens and I hear Caylin’s laughter fill the house as she and Brand walk inside arm in arm.

It’s the first time I’ve seen Caylin dressed up and wearing make-up. I know she can only be about fourteen and a half years old but wearing the red chiffon double tiered dress, white half-sweater and high heels makes her look like she’s at least seventeen. It’s a glimpse into the gorgeous woman she will become in just a few years time.

When Caylin crosses the threshold, I feel a tension fill the air that wasn’t there before. When I look over at Aiden, I notice the tension I feel is coming from him. His eyes are locked on Caylin like she’s the only person in the room, and I instantly wonder if he’s about to attack her and drink her blood. Then I realize the way he’s looking at her is the way Mason sometimes looks at me.

Malcolm steps in front of Aiden blocking his view of Caylin.

“No,” Malcolm growls in a low, menacing voice.

Aiden simply looks over Malcolm’s shoulder to find Caylin again.

Brand seems to notice what’s going on.

“Caylin,” he says to his daughter, “I think we left your roses in the car. Why don’t you go get them, sweetie?”

“Ok, Daddy,” Caylin says, completely oblivious to what’s going on just a few feet away from her.

The sweet smile Brand gave his daughter changes into a threatening scowl as he looks over at Aiden.

“My daughter is off limits to you,” Brand says to Aiden in no uncertain terms. “Is that understood?”

Aiden remains silent as he looks at Brand.

“I would never do anything to harm her,” Aiden finally tells him. “I would die for her.”

Malcolm grabs Aiden by the front of his jacket and lifts him up easily, throwing him against the far wall making the house shake.

“She is too good for someone like you,” Malcolm thunders. “So get her out of your head….now!”

Aiden stands up from the floor but doesn’t say anything.

“Aiden,” I say, “maybe you should leave. Mason can come get us and take us to the concert.”

Aiden doesn’t look like he wants to leave but he nods to me and phases.

I turn to Malcolm. “Ok, what the hell just happened?”

Malcolm ignores my question to ask Brand one of his own.

“Caylin can’t be his, can she?”

Brand looks worried, more worried than I’ve ever seen him.

“I don’t know,” he answers. “God help us if she is because he won’t be able to stop himself from wanting to be with her and vice versa.”

“His what?” I ask, completely exasperated.

“His soul mate,” Lilly answers, showing concern herself for Aiden’s reaction to her eldest child. “If they are, there’s no way we’ll be able to keep them apart, Brand.”

“I could kill him,” Malcolm says confidently. “I have no problem doing that.”

“And ruin Caylin’s life?” Lilly asks in exasperation. “If he is meant for her, I will not deny her that kind of happiness.”  Lilly turns to me. “Jess, when you have time, speak with Aiden and ask him what he felt when he saw Caylin. If they are meant to be together, I need to know.”

I nod. “Ok, I’ll speak with him. He’s not ready for her anyway. He has his own problems to deal with first. And trust me,” I promise Lilly, “I won’t let him near her until I know she’ll be safe around him. You have my word on that.”

“I know you’ll protect her,” Lilly says. “I know I can trust your judgment.”

“I still think I should just kill him,” I hear Malcolm grumble behind me.

Caylin walks back inside the house with a bouquet of a dozen perfect pink roses on her arm.

Lilly smiles at her daughter like nothing just happened. “Oh, they are just as lovely as last year. Your father has always known where to get the best roses.”

Caylin giggles and shows the flowers her father gave her to me and Lilly.

While Lilly helps Caylin place them in a crystal vase in the kitchen, I call Mason and tell him he and Joshua will need to come pick us up.

“Why isn’t Aiden bringing you to the concert?” Mason asks.

“It’s a long story,” I say, not wanting to go into any details while I’m so close to Caylin.

Thankfully for us she never saw Aiden. If she had, I’m not sure what might have happened. Would she have felt the same connection he seemed to?  I would have to assume so if they really are soul mates.

But for now, Caylin is giddy with excitement about her first official date with Joshua.

“Do I look all right?” She asks, twirling around in front of me. “The dress didn’t get too wrinkled in the back did it?”

“No, I don’t see any wrinkles,” I tell her. “JoJo probably made it wrinkle proof.”

“I hope Joshua likes it,” Caylin says looking down at the front of the dress.

“Caylin, you could be wearing a paper bag and any boy would only have eyes for you.”

Caylin smiles. It’s the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen, and I vow to keep Caylin as innocent as she is now for as long as I can.

There’s a knock at the door and Brand answers it.

“Hey Mason… Joshua,” Brand says, letting them inside the house.

Joshua is carrying a clear plastic container with a red and white rose corsage inside it. It seems a bit old fashioned, but I find it cute. Poor boy looks like he’s about to sweat a bucket full though.

“Thank you for allowing me take Caylin to the concert, Mr. Cole,” Joshua says to Brand. “I promise to treat her with the respect she deserves.”

“Humph,” I hear Malcolm say beside me as he stares straight at Joshua with deadly intent.

I elbow Malcolm in the ribs. “Stop it,” I whisper. “He’s a good boy.”

“Humph,” I hear Malcolm say again but this time with less aggression. “We’ll see I guess.”

Caylin walks up to Joshua, smiling shyly.

Poor Joshua doesn’t look like he knows what hit him as he stares open mouthed at Caylin.

“Ca –Ca- Caylin, you look beautiful,” Joshua finally stammers out. He opens the plastic container in his hands and pulls out the corsage. “I hope you like this. I wasn’t sure what to get you. I know it’s a little old fashioned but, I don’t know, it looked like something you would like.”

“I love it,” Caylin says, smiling sweetly at Joshua. “You can pin it right here,” she tells him pointing to her sweater right over her heart.

Joshua steps forward to do it, but Malcolm phases in beside Caylin and snatches the corsage out of his hands.

“Not on the first date,” he tells Joshua.

“Uncle Malcolm,” Caylin complains. “It’s just a corsage.”

“It’s not the corsage I have a problem with. It’s the touching.” Malcolm says, pinning the corsage to Caylin’s sweater himself.

Afterwards he turns to Joshua and says, “No hand holding and absolutely no kissing on the first date. Do you understand me, boy?”

I see Joshua’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallows hard.

“Yes, sir.”

When I look at Brand, he just seems amused by Malcolm’s rules.

“Have her home by eleven,” Brand tells Joshua, “and never let her out of your sight. Is that understood?”

Joshua nods. “Yes, sir. I won’t. I promise.”

Brand walks over to his daughter and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

“Have fun, sweetie. And listen to whatever Jess and Mason tell you, ok?”

“I will,” Caylin promises.

Before she leaves, Caylin leans up and gives Malcolm a kiss on his cheek.

“Don’t worry so much, Uncle Malcolm. You know I can take care of myself if I need to.”

Malcolm grumbles. “You shouldn’t have to though. You’re powers are only to be used as a last resort.”

“I know,” she tells him. “So stop worrying. I’ll be fine.”

Malcolm’s stance relaxes a bit, and I take that as my cue to grab the kids and go before he comes up with some excuse to keep Caylin home.

The word ‘sheltered’ comes to my mind, and I plan to have a talk with Lilly when I have more time to see if we can do something about Caylin’s over protective uncle. If he doesn’t let her spread her wings soon, she’ll find a way to escape on her own without his knowledge.

Chandler’s concert is held inside the Pepsi Center in Denver. We find him in his dressing room and he’s dressed in a similar Goth rock god outfit like the first concert of his I attended.

I introduce him to Caylin and Joshua who both look completely awestruck to meet my friend. While he’s entertaining them with tales of life on the concert circuit, I feel someone tug on the sleeve of my sweater. When I look behind me, I see Horace.

“I need to speak with you,” he says out the side of his mouth, “in private.”

He tilts his head to a nearby supply closet.

I suddenly feel like I’m in an episode of Spy vs. Spy.