Awaken (5 page)

             
“Yeah?”  Finn’s voice came out rushed and hoarse.

             
“The lighthouse is coming up on our bow.  I think we’ve passed the house,” Ricker informed him.

             
“I’ll be right there!” he called out, sitting on the edge of the bed.  I crawled over to the where he sat and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him square on the cheek. The rush of adrenaline still running through my system had made me a little hysterical and I couldn’t stop giggling.  Unfortunately for me and my need for oxygen, Finn grabbed me and began to tickle me relentlessly.  Laughing so hard that my stomach began to hurt, he finally relinquished his attack; leaving me gasping for air. 

             
“As soon as...I find your…weakness, you’re in…trouble,” I threatened him through shallow breaths, falling short of convincing.

             
“I’ll be sure to sleep with one eye open,” he laughed at me and kissed me one last time, leaving me gasping for air all over again.

              While Finn hastened down to the control room to right our course, I strolled back out onto the deck.  From this viewpoint I could see only water, but as the yacht made a wide left turn, a thin strip of land appeared.  A towering lighthouse rose majestically from the sand, silently watching over the Cape and surrounding ocean. The black and white diamond design told me that this was in fact the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.  Past the regal lighthouse, long expansive beaches were backed by massive rolling sand dunes and a forest of trees that resembled the live oaks on Bald Head.  The lighthouse was the only sign of civilization I had seen thus far.  There were no vacation homes, shops, or sunbathing tourists dotting the beaches.  I leaned over the rail trying to pinpoint our exact destination, only to find more vacant beach and cresting waves. 

             
With a thrilling rush of excitement, I dashed downstairs to join everyone else.  I found them on the bow of the boat admiring the untouched landscape. 

             
“This part of the Cape is actually called the Shackleford Banks,” Liam pointed out to us. “It’s still mainly uninhabited and looks exactly like it did in the time of Blackbeard.”

             
“Who was Blackbeard?” Phoebe inquired, still gazing at the beach.

             
“He was a pirate who frequented the waters around North and South Carolina.  Eventually his ship, The Queen Anne’s Revenge, ran aground sailing into Beaufort Inlet which is just north of here.  He was killed in a bloody battle at Ocracoke Island,” he explained further as his eyes turned wistful. 

             
“Wow,” Phoebe marveled, eyes wide.  Willow was eyeing Liam with glowing admiration and I could tell she was impressed by not only his good looks, but his mind as well.  I smiled to myself and searched again for our elusive destination.

             
The yacht slowed and came to a complete stop in a seemingly random spot.  The sound of the anchor dropping had us all looking at the other Sons standing on the deck with one question on our faces.

             
“How are we going to get to the beach?” Carmen was the first to ask, skeptically measuring the distance between the yacht and the beach.

             
“We’ll just have to make a swim for it,” Ricker said as he shrugged his shoulders with a twinkle in his eye.

             
“Swim?” Phoebe peered over the side of the yacht apprehensively. “But won’t our stuff get wet?”

             
“Then, I’ll be staying on this perfectly dry yacht,” Carmen clipped; regarding Ricker with a chilly expression.  The massive yacht still wasn’t large enough for both of them.  They were too much alike.

             
“Be my guest,” Ricker stepped towards Carmen with hostility apparent in his tone.

             
“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Not to be outdone, Carmen stepped towards him as well.

             
“As a matter of fact I would,” he challenged her.

             
“Good.  ‘Cause I’m not staying anywhere near you!”

             
“Oh, my feelings are
so
hurt!” He pretended to clutch his stomach, then narrowed his eyes at her, “You think I want to stay anywhere near you?”

             
“Well, good!  I don’t want to hear your annoying voice and smell that god awful cologne that’s been making me gag for the last six hours!”

             
“You think that’s bad?!  How about hearing you complain and whine for the last three ye-”

             
“Nobody’s making a swim for it,” Finn interrupted him; appearing behind us, “so stop fighting about it.” He shot a look at Ricker who immediately looked down at the deck and stepped away from Carmen.  It still surprised me how much the other Sons revered Finn.  Liam threw his strong arm around Finn’s shoulders and smiled wickedly at everyone.

             
“Who’s ready for a little James Bond action?” he wiggled his blonde eyebrows at us.  The guys took off towards a miniature elevator, while the girls trailed behind uncertainly.  After three trips (it was a
really
small elevator) we all stood in a snug, darkened room.  Someone hit the lights and a nice sized dinghy materialized before us.  It was completely black and matched the stealth appearance of the yacht it was housed in.

             
We piled in along with our luggage and Finn hit a few buttons on his phone.  Suddenly, we were drenched in sunlight as a ramp slowly lowered from the back of the yacht, providing immediate access to the ocean.  Sharing a tentative look with Phoebe, I held on tight as a conveyer belt below the dinghy moved us to the top of the ramp.  I heard myself shriek as the boat flew downward, landing hard in the water.  With another command via Finn’s smart phone, the ramp lifted; disappearing into the bottom of the yacht.  He started the dinghy’s small motor and we were on our way.  As we neared the breakers, Finn leaned over and dragged the tips of his fingers through the water.  The waves ahead of us immediately stilled, providing a smooth channel of passage leading to the beach. 

             
Finn’s gaze flickered up; meeting mine.  His deep blue eyes danced right across that small raft directly into the depths of my heart.  Our friends, the raft, and the ocean disappeared when he smiled, and an explosion of tingles shot through my body. 

             
“Is that the house?” Phoebe exclaimed.  Her voice broke through my thoughts and I followed her awestruck eyes.  Past the wide beach and expansive sand dunes, a sprawling estate blended in perfectly with the landscape. 

             
“That’s it!” Ian smiled with pride.  We all lurched forward as the raft ran up onto the beach.  We gathered our things and trudged up the sand toward the house’s boardwalk.  We walked above the dunes and small brush that skimmed the bottom of the wooden slats.  The full estate came into view and my first thought was that it belonged in the Hamptons, not on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  The white cedar shake exterior complemented the mass of trees that skirted the grounds, and we followed the winding stone path around a sparkling pool and up to an inviting patio.  Ian stepped forward, produced a set of keys, and we entered an elaborate sunroom furnished with lush plants and wicker patio furniture.  A glass door led us to the main living area. 

             
“Wow,” Willow gasped, and I agreed with her astonishment whole-heartedly.  Crisp shades of white, cream, and brown greeted us as we took in the overflowing couches, chairs, and pillows.  I was immediately drawn to the substantial wooden coffee table sitting amidst the furniture.  I ran my fingers along its length, mesmerized by its beauty.  Surprisingly, it sent that familiar tingle up through my arm that typically only sea animals could evoke.  The wood itself was dark, very weathered and smooth to the touch.  I could tell the wood of the table was extremely old - this was only one of the many identities it had taken during its long life.  I looked around the rest of the room and noticed several other pieces made from the same wood.

             
“This place looks like a Pottery Barn showroom!” Phoebe chirped; coming to stand beside me.  “Did you see the kitchen?”

             
We explored the rest of the residence and were blown away again and again by each new room we entered.  We eventually found the bedrooms which were quickly claimed.  Willow and I would be sharing a room, while Carmen and Phoebe commandeered the one across the hall.  Finn and Liam grabbed the next one, while Ricker, Ian, and Cage immediately headed for a loft overlooking the main room that contained several beds and one massive flat screen on the wall.   

             
“Oh my god you guys, come look at this deck.”

             
I followed Carmen’s voice out to what I thought was just a patio, but after stepping outside, it was anything but.  An outdoor gathering area constructed of stone was spread out before us.  The biggest grill I had ever laid eyes on was encased in gray stone, and faced an elaborate fireplace that reached at least ten feet tall.  A litany of beautiful couches and chairs had been set up for conversation and relaxing.  Past the deck was an extensive back yard full of colorful gardens that were divided by winding walking trails. They overflowed with everything from hydrangeas to impatiens; the array of colors was magnificent.   A small gray stone bridge crossed a sparkling creek that ran along the outside of the property and disappeared into the yaupon trees beyond.

             
As my gaze drifted to the elaborate fountain that adorned the center of the gardens, my heart stopped as my blood ran cold with fear.  She was wearing a blue dress that skimmed the top of her bare feet.  Long blonde hair fell below her shoulders, untouched by the summer breeze, and her thin arms hung limp at her sides.  The pale skin of her face offset the bright green eyes that were staring straight at me.  Not completely opaque, I could actually see through her body and onto the stone path behind her.  Expressionless and unblinking, she stood completely still while a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. 

             
“Are you okay?” I vaguely registered Carmen’s voice next to me.

             
Her bare feet became transparent as she turned languidly and drifted away.  I contemplated going after her, but the grotesque sight of her back stopped me dead in my tracks.  Her skull appeared caved in and her blonde hair was matted with dark blood.  The back of her blue dress had been shredded; revealing long jagged gashes in her skin.  A blood curdling scream began to fester in the pit of my stomach, but I clamped a hand over my mouth before it escaped.

             
“Stasia?”

             
As she disappeared amongst the trees, I deliberately turned my head towards Phoebe; not trusting my legs to remain where they were.  They wanted nothing more than to run as fast as possible back to the yacht and back to Lorelei.  I lowered my hand and took several deep breaths.

             
“Please tell me you guys saw that,” I managed; my tone deadpan.

             
“Saw what?” Phoebe glimpsed back and forth between the back yard and my still panicked expression.

             
“The girl.” I stared at them wide-eyed, and realized I was alone in my terror.

             
“What girl?” Carmen wrapped her arms around my shoulders and led me back into the house.  “Come on, let’s go inside.” Once inside, my phone began to ring in my pocket, so I found a quiet hallway and answered it.  Shock still fresh in my system; I reminded myself I had to talk.

             
“Hello?”

             
“Hey girl, how are you?”

             
“Hey Kira!” I attempted to sound chipper.

             
“Are you okay?” Apparently I’m not a good actor.

             
“Um…yea, yea I’m alright,” I stumbled, “I just have a lot on my mind,”

             
“You didn’t go home for Fall break?”

             
“No, we actually decided to come to Cape Lookout with Finn and his friends to stay at their beach house for the weekend,” I explained.

             
“Really?  I’ve heard it’s beautiful out there,” she gushed.

             
“I love it so far, but we kind of have an ulterior motive for coming somewhere so remote.” I went on to tell her our plan for the weekend and my attempt at contacting my mother. 

             
“Do you think it will work?” she asked; her tone full of doubt.

             
“I don’t know.  But Finn seems to think it will, so I’m going to give it a try.”

             
“Just be careful, okay?”

             
“I will, I promise,” I assured her. “I’ll come see you as soon as we get back to Lorelei.”

             
“I want to hear all about it and if you need me, don’t hesitate to call.”

             
“Thanks Kira.”

~~~~~

              “Are you sure we can’t just Google it?”  Phoebe threw out to the group.  After stuffing ourselves with the delicious lasagna Willow had made for dinner, we were all hanging out in the living room discussing the unfortunate nuances of my ever-complicated life.  Finn and I explained my most recent dilemma: not knowing my true birthday and its effect on when I would make the journey to the Underworld.  Phoebe was completely convinced that we could figure it out using the internet, but I think she was just trying to make me feel better.

             
“Why can’t you just ask her?” Cage, who had been quiet for the entire conversation, asked Finn.

             
“You know that’s not how it works,” Finn retorted, his voice clipped.  My memory sparked to life and I recalled a conversation that Finn and I had about my mom.  He told me that she had been ecstatic that I had chosen the name Anastasia when I came to Lorelei.  So…he obviously had a way of communicating with the dead.