Chrysalis: The Emergence of Emery (The Gifted Series Book 1) (6 page)

“Here.” Kade passes me a helmet. I look between it and him. “Put it on. I’m taking you home.”

I’ve never been on a bike before, and although I don’t know Kade well, I’m sensing this is one of those times when I shouldn’t argue. So even though I’m not entirely sure I want to, I grab the helmet he’s offering me and slip it on. He nods and gets on the bike, nodding for me to climb on behind him. The moment I do, he grabs my hands and pulls them around his waist.

The ride we take to the house is probably one of the top five moments in my life so far. I’m not sure if that makes me really sad, but I don’t care, not at this moment on the back of Kade’s bike, feeling the wind hitting my body, my cheek laid against his back. And when we get on the freeway, for those five minutes Kade places his hand over mine allowing his thumb to drift back and forth. I don’t think he even knows he’s doing it. I’ve been pinned in a corner for so many years, shunned and humiliated, feeling confused and alone. But this moment right now, I feel free. I feel like I’ve broken out of a shell, a prison I’ve been trapped in. I pull my visor up when we pull off the freeway and close my eyes, allowing the wind to blow in my face.

Happy.
It’s a feeling that has often evaded me.

We arrive back at the house and Kade helps me off his bike. “Are you okay?” he asks, a soft look on his face. One that I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing yet. It’s breathtaking.

“Yeah, thank you for saving me… again,” I tell him staring into his hazel eyes. “How did you know?” I ask and bite my lip waiting for the answer. Kade says nothing as his eyes move over my face and I can sense he’s trying to work something out. “Did you feel me? Because Elijah says you might be my other half, and honestly, I’m still trying to understand it all. But I thought, maybe you could tell me if it’s true?” I play with my fingers hating that I’ve exposed myself, but I have so many questions and this would just be one more answered.

Kade's face changes. His eyes narrow on me as his jaw ticks. “It wouldn’t matter whether we were or weren’t. I will never be with you.
Never,”
he barks and walks inside.

In that moment, right at that second, I know the answer to my question.

He
is
my other half.

I realize it the instant his words jolt me backward, and my body goes stiff because I feel like the bottom has just fallen out of my world.

“What happened?” Before I’ve had a chance to pull myself together following Kade’s departure, Elijah appears in front of me.

“Nothing. I want to leave.” My voice sounds hollow even to my own ears.

“Sure, where do you want to go?” Elijah looks around while moving into my space. “We can go somewhere away from here, maybe have a night out?”

“No Elijah, you don’t understand. I want to leave
here
,” I demand, pointing at the house. “I can’t be in there anymore, with them… with him.” My voice trails off as I look down at my feet, fresh humiliation coursing through my body as I remember Kade’s cutting words.

“What happened, Em?” he asks slipping his arm around me and bringing me into his chest. I sigh ruefully, determined not to cry.

“I just want to go,” I repeat, swallowing. My throat feels like it’s coated in chalk, all dry and dusty.

Elijah looks back at the house then down to me. “Sure, come on.” Grabbing my hand he leads me to his car, settling me inside and moving around the hood to slide in. The car comes to life with a roar, and I don’t look back as we peel away. Sitting in silence for the whole journey, and obviously both inside our own thoughts, I only start taking notice as we pull into a hotel downtown.

“Where are we?” My voice is tired and suddenly I feel drained.

Elijah stares ahead, out of the front window of his car. “We’re at the Vallarta Hotel. I figured we need to talk, and you need to be away from the house.” He sighs and then turns to face me. “You need to understand that you’re not leaving me, Em. Never again.” His tone is sharp like he’s annoyed. But right now I don’t care, even if it’s me that’s upsetting him. I nod my reply and follow his lead as he walks up to reception, asking for a two-bedroom suite. Remaining silent as he guides me to our room, Elijah unlocks the door, checking the whole place before he relaxes.

“Tell me what happened,” he demands firmly but gently before I’ve even sat down.

“Tomorrow,” I whisper.

“No, Em, not tomorrow. I want to know what happened back there. Why you’re suddenly all quiet and withdrawn. You look pale, and I’m worried about you.” He slumps down on one of the brown leather sofas in the living room area as if exhausted, then leaning forward, he lays his head in his hands. “I need to know you’re okay.” It’s a plea, and I feel it deep inside tugging at my heart.

Padding over to the sofas, I gently lower myself into the seat next to him. “I’m okay, at least I will be. This is better, I know where I stand.”

“What do you mean this is better? What’s better?” Elijah raises his head from his hands and turns to look at me.

I bite my lip and contemplate how much to tell him. My eyes slide to the left and I take a moment.

“Emery, I need to know everything. I need to take care of you, until you’re in a position to look after yourself, to control your powers. You need to be completely honest with me, it’s the only way I can protect you,” Elijah explains clasping my upper arms and making me look at him.

I blow air out from between my lips and nod. “Kade. He said it doesn’t matter what we are, or what we’re meant to be.” I pull my eyes away from his, looking over his shoulder, gazing at the skyline. “He said he would never be with me.” I shake my head shrugging from his hold and stand up, taking the few steps over to the window. “It’s not like I asked him to be with me, I only wanted to know if we were joined. There’s so much I don’t understand, so much I want to understand. I really only asked for clarification. It’s not like I’ve ever had a boyfriend, so I wasn’t asking him that. But he was so…” I break off and turn back to Elijah. He’s grinding his teeth and I can feel a coiling in my stomach which surprisingly isn’t from me. “Elijah,” I whisper.

“He was so what, Em?” he asks, his tone controlled.

“Cold, he was cold,” I answer, feeling my insides deflate and this time I know it’s all me.

“Stay here,” he orders.

Before I can answer I feel a gentle breeze and he’s gone, the door slamming behind him.

I walk around the suite. There are two bedrooms both exactly the same. I make my way to the bathroom and decide to take a shower. When my legs are struggling to keep me up, I step out wrapping the fluffy turquoise towel around me. Kicking my clothes to the side, I’m annoyed that I have nothing to change into
yet again
. Shuffling into one of the bedrooms I find a white robe and throw it on.

I slide between the sheets of my bed, snuggling under the covers burying my way under the pillow and try to ignore the constant jabbing, both in my head and heart. It’s a feeling that’s been there since the moment I realized Kade was my other half—then just as quickly found out he’d never want me. It’s all so confusing. I’ve never had a boyfriend, I’ve never really had the opportunity. Although, there’s never been a boy I’ve been interested in. Let’s face it they were all horrible to me. Kade hasn’t exactly been welcoming, but he has saved my life. More than once. That has to count for something, right? He’s probably been acting on instinct, I mean he does know when I’m in danger. He’s a good guy, his hero personality wouldn’t let him leave me to die. Even if he wants to stay away from me.

God, he must hate being connected to me.

I need to help him. I’ve got to do the right thing and get as far away as possible. He can’t leave that house and those people. They are his family.

He can’t leave, but I can.

I know that Elijah said not all of the
other halves
get together. In fact, it sounds like most of them choose not to. Through fear maybe? Whatever the reason, I need to let Kade have some peace, and being able to always feel when I’m in trouble is not going to help him. I need to get out of his life.

It’s amazing, I’ve come to life, and now I have all the feelings that have somehow ignited inside me.

Right now, though, I need sleep and can feel it pulling me under.

“Emery.” Elijah’s muffled voice pulls me from my dreamless sleep. “Emery… Em…” I twist my head and force my eyes open. He’s sitting on the side of my bed, and the room is almost entirely dark.

“What…” I smack my lips together and reach over to the bedside table which seems to now hold a bottle of water. Flicking the lamp on and grabbing the water I take a big gulp. As I put it down and turn back to Elijah a screech escapes me. “What happened to you?” I ask reaching up tentatively and touching the cut above his eye, then moving my hand down to the bruise forming on his cheek and lastly the tear on his lip.

“Just a little… disagreement. Listen, I’m sorry I woke you, I wanted to say you have clothes now.” He turns his head nodding, and I follow his gaze to the chair in the corner, which has a blue duffle placed on it. “I got some things for you. For us. We’ll be here as long as we need to be. I’ve sorted it with the hotel. Booked us this room for the next few days, then after that… well, we can see what happens.”

I say nothing but grab his hand for comfort. I can feel his emotions, but not clearly, and I’m not sure if that’s because I’m half asleep, or if he’s holding back from me.

I wonder if I can mask my own feelings.

“You can,” Elijah tells me with a smirk, and I fake punch his chest. Which makes him hiss through his teeth.

“What happened, Elijah? Tell me!” I practically shout at him.

Sighing, he rubs his chest where I punched him. “Kade and me… got into it.”

“Oh God, Elijah. Why did you do that? I didn’t need you to defend me. Kade didn’t do anything wrong!” I feel my heart pick up speed and start using the breathing techniques that Elijah explained to try and calm myself.

“I know,” he replies, and it throws me.

“What?” I ask.

“I know that Kade wasn’t doing anything wrong. I mean I was pissed with the way he spoke to you, but that’s kind of Kade’s way. He always seems grumpy. When I left here I wanted to hurt him. The short time it took me to run back to the house, I realized that he can make the choice not to be with you. We can’t control people, that’s what the others want to do.”

Others?

“That’s for another time, Em,” he tells me in reply to my unspoken question. “When I got back to the house I was annoyed, but I knew there was nothing I could do. Kade is within his rights to not want to be with you. It’s not like you have even dated. Hell, you didn’t even know him a few days ago.” Elijah rubs the back of his neck, and I can see another bruise on the underside of his forearm.

“Then why did you fight?” I mutter.

“Because I wouldn’t bring you back. And I wouldn’t tell him where you were.”

My chest seizes at his words. “What?” I huff out.

“He can feel you, but only when you’re in danger or when you’re near to him. It’s so complicated, Em, and not really a two in the morning discussion. Just trust me when I say he’s pissed that you’re out here, and this…” he stops and points to his face, “…that was him getting his point across. It shows just how deep he truly feels for you because believe it or not, he actually likes and respects me. I may be a level eight, but I’m not stupid. I know what Kade is capable of, but I also know he wouldn’t seriously hurt me. These bruises will be healed by morning. Still, I could see the control on his face when we went at it. He might be telling you that he will never be with you, but his actions are saying something entirely different.”

I pull my hand away from his and rub my eye. “This is a lot to digest. We need to have a longer chat tomorrow, Elijah.”

“Yes, but after you’ve been to school,” he replies. I open my mouth to protest, but he continues talking before I can get a word out. “I know what happened today, that’s one of the reasons I’m so late. After Kade calmed down he explained about school. That guy, Michael, he won’t come near you again. If he doesn’t heed Kade’s warning… well, simply put… Kade will end him. One thing we have on our side is that Kade can feel when you’re scared or in danger. He will always come for you,” Elijah tells me rubbing my shoulder. “It will be okay.”

“What if he’s too late?” I ask, biting the inside of my mouth.

Elijah chuckles and I arch my eyebrow at him. “Sorry
,
Emery it’s just, there’s nobody faster than Kade. You’ve seen what he can do. He ran back to the house with you in tow after that attack in the alleyway, right?” he asks.

“Well yeah. But even though I knew we were running fast, it felt weird, kind of like we weren’t running at all.” I lay back down in bed, snuggling under the duvet and wait for Elijah to explain. He must know what I want because he smiles at me. I can sense his love for me, it’s pouring out of him in waves. It makes me feel warm, knowing I finally have a family.

“Kade can manipulate time, and before you say it, he can’t time travel or anything like that. He has the ability to slow things down, or maybe it’s just that he’s so fast everything else seems slow. I’m not sure. But no matter how fast one of us… or one of them are, Kade is faster. Always”

“When he saved me from Michael, I felt like everything was in slow motion,” I say trying to stop my eyes from drifting shut. “Michael had just sniffed my hair,” I mutter sleepily and immediately I feel Elijah tense. “He pulled back but was about to stroke my cheek… I think. He never got that far because Kade must have slowed everything down, and then he pulled Michael’s arm away before he touched me.”