Gemini (6 page)

She became irritated, pulled her hand from mine, and wrapped her right hand around her left wrist.

"Is everything all right?" I asked.

"No, actually. It's not." Her gaze drifted over my chest and down to my wrist.

"Would you care to discuss it?”

She stared into my eyes, opened her mouth as if preparing to speak, but quickly pressed her lips together. She took a deep breath and shook her head.

“No.”

"Take all the time you need. I’ll be here when you're ready. I promise."

By the time we arrived at her building, the sun had fully risen, and the heat level had increased. Raz said Chicago could be humid in the summer, especially along the shore. The sweat forming above my brows served as evidence.

We reached the entrance, and Zoe turned toward me, her eyes glistening from the sunlight's reflection. "Thanks for walking me home."

"Of course. And please. When you’re ready, I’d be honored to take you to dinner. If not this evening, perhaps tomorrow?"

Her stance became proud, and for the first time this morning, she appeared pleased.

"I'd like that. If you want to come by the lounge tomorrow night, I guess we could have a—um, a drink or something after my last set?"

Zoe stepped closer. Her gaze skimmed across my chest again, then she shifted between her feet and began to chew her bottom lip, which now stood just fractions from mine.

Oh, how I wanted to kiss her, to crush my lips to hers, but the timing wasn’t right. In spite of her telling body language inspiring my desirous thoughts, she wasn’t ready.

Patience was a virtue I’d not yet mastered.

"Of course." I held my resolve and inched back. "I would love nothing more.”

“Good.” Her body relaxed. She removed her phone from her pocket. "What's your number?"

After we exchanged phone numbers, she reached for the door and pulled it open, preparing to go inside. She stopped briefly, and then craned her head back toward me. "See you soon."

I bowed my head and smiled.

“See you soon, love.”

Zoe

It was nine o'clock when we got back to my building. Cade was sweet, almost chivalrous. It still hit a nerve that he just happened to be there when I broke down. It was only like, seven-thirty. I didn't think normal people were out so early.

I jingled my keys loose and opened the door of my apartment. The entire family sat in my front room, staring.

Intervention?

I barely made it in the door when Phoebe tackled me. "Oh my gosh, I was so worried about you." Her grip was merciless.

"I'm fine." I peeled her arms off, dropped my keys on an end table, and sat in my brown leather recliner.

Everyone glared in my direction.

"Okay, what's going on?" I asked.

Phoebe sat beside Rainah on the couch, while Micah and Remie stood beside the wall by the flat screen. Each had an indistinguishable look.

"Spill it." I grumbled.

Micah shoved his hands in his pockets. "Remie told us what happened. Who is that guy?”

Seeing Cade's mark confirmed everything. So many questions were burning in my brain.

"His name’s Cade. And he's—one of us."

"He said his last name was Adams," Remie said.

“Yeah? Wait. Son of a B—” I pressed my lips together.

So we have the same last name. So what? If he is my Gemini, I guess that would make sense. Not the biggest shock of the day. He knew about my healing, too. He obviously had less of a learning curve than me.

Maybe we had met before. That would explain this weird connection I felt pulling me to him every time he was near.

"Okay. So what’s the problem?” Silence. And more blank stares. "What’s going on?" I glared at Remie.

He blinked. "I know who you are. And Cade."

“Ohhh—you know who I am. Am I supposed to be shocked by this discovery?” I couldn’t hold back my snark.

He tilted his head and wrinkled his nose, then blew out a harsh breath.

"Spare me.” Rainah jumped in. “This dumb blonde routine is starting to piss me off. This affects all of us, tell us what you know.”

"I'm serious, I have no clue what you're talking about. And after the morning I've had—” I stood from my chair. “I'm
so
not in the mood for any of this."

Phoebe came over and grabbed my hand. "Does your ring always glow like that?"

“What glow?” Remie asked, eyes narrowed.

I glanced down and pulled my hand from hers. “How can you even see that?”

I pushed my way toward the door, but Micah moved in front of it and stood guard, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You can't bail every time something needs to be hashed out." Remie moved toward me. "You can't run from who you are."

"Well, why don’t you tell me who I am, then?" I huffed, sat back down and kicked up the footrest.

Sure, I knew about being part of some supernatural bloodline, which explained why I could heal myself. But Sophie never really said what being Genesis meant. Just told me I’d find out in time and to focus on reuniting with my Gemini.

"You have the Genesis birthmark, like us,” Remie said. “You know what that means, right?"

"Not really,” I admitted. “I only know a few random things Sophie told me. And apparently, she wasn't very forthcoming.”

"Okay." Remie scratched his chin. He walked over and kneeled down next to my chair. "Did Sophie tell you the legends of Aravot?"

“A few.” I shrugged.

“Like what?” Remie prodded on.

I scanned the room. The entire family was silent, waiting for me to speak.

“She told me I was some leader of this Aravot place, and someday, my Gemini would find me, sweep me off my feet like Prince Charming, and we’d live happily ever after. The end.”

He glared.

I blew out a breath and held in my eye roll. “That’s literally all I know. She said it didn’t matter yet and not to worry about it. Eventually, I just stopped asking.”

Remie glanced over at his sister, who was chewing on her nails, then returned his attention to me and sat on the couch beside me.

"My mother called Aravot the Eternal City. It's where Eternals, who protect humans, live. Some are Angels, and some are humans who died and were turned into Eternals. Made immortal. And others were children of the Eternals—like us. We're called Firstborns."

Am I immortal?
"Sophie never told me any of that."

"It's okay," Remie continued. "Genesis is the first immortal family. Some are part of the Elder Council, made up of Gemini. Each is a couple, an Angel and an Eternal, and because they have human blood, they're able to have a child every thousand years. Those children go to earth until the Firstborn Daughter finds them, and then finds her Gemini.

"The Firstborns have the Genesis birthmark. Eight dots, Mom called them stars. They represent the eight Eternals of the Elder Council. When the Firstborn Daughter finds her Gemini, the others get their marks, their full powers, and go back to Aravot to be assigned roles by the Council."

“How could she keep all this from me?” I grumbled. "So we're the children? The Firstborns?"

"Well, we are." He gestured around the room.

"Okaaay?" I was so confused.

"We are." He pointed to himself, and then to Rainah and Micah. "But we think
you
are the Firstborn Daughter."

"Me?"

I looked over at Micah, still standing next to the door, probably expecting me to bolt.

Everyone had their eyes on me, waiting for an epiphany.

"So…what is, or who is this Firstborn Daughter? How’s that different from you? And what makes you think I'm her?"

"You have the Ring of Chayah. And Phoebe just said it’s glowing?"

"What?" I sat up. "How did you…?"
Dumb question.
How did he know anything? Geez was I behind the curve here.

"Chayah is another word for Eternal Mother." He reached for my wrist and turned it over. "And your Genesis birthmark. It's connected now." He showed me his mark. "So have ours."

My gaze darted through the room. Each of them pushed their palms up toward me. Everyone had a tattoo, similar to mine.

Everyone but Phoebe.

"Do you know what this means?" Phoebe’s eyes got wider, and she threw her hand over her mouth. She jumped up and came over to the other side of my chair. "I told you, it's Cade. He’s really your Gemini. I knew it."

"It also means we'll be leaving Chicago soon," Remie said. He moved toward Phoebe and put his arm around her.

She gave him a knowing look and buried her head under his chin.

Phoebe didn't have the Genesis mark. She’d be left behind.

I never really thought about what it would mean once this Gemini thing took hold.

Phoebe may not have the seal, but there was no way I could ever leave her. She was one of us, and she belonged with us. And how could I have matched them if she wasn't Remie’s Gemini? I saw their lights, both of their lights—the same color. They merged. I'd never seen any other human's color before.

"This is all my fault," I said.

"Nobody's blaming you," Remie said. "You have no control over this. It's our destiny, there's no controlling that."

"Like hell I don’t,” I scoffed. "This is my life."

I grabbed my keys and headed toward this door. This time, Micah moved aside.

"And I'll be damned if I won't have a say as to how it turns out."

Cade

It had only been an hour after leaving Zoe when something buzzed in my pocket.

I removed the phone Raz had given me. Zoe's name lit up the screen. I hadn't expected to hear from her so soon. My heart pulsed with anticipation.

I fumbled with the device, perplexed how to answer the call. Zoe had to place her number in the damned thing because I had no idea how it worked.

Using technology would take some getting used to.

When I needed to contact Zoe, I had only to use my thoughts. No words were necessary, but that was a gift we weren’t allowed to utilize here. Not until Gabrielle confirmed our union, and our souls Converged.

For now, we’d resort to this archaic form of communication.

"Zoe, what a pleasant surprise."

"Cade." Her tone was stern and unyielding.

"What’s the matter? Has something happened?"

"You," she said. "We need to talk. Right now."

"All right. Shall I meet you somewhere?"

"Where are you? I'm already on my way."

I gave her directions and within minutes, she was knocking on my door. Loudly.

A brooding glare greeted me when I opened the door.

"I’m pleased to see you again." I smiled to soften her mood, but I could tell by her expression my attempts would be in vain.

I recalled this look, and it was seldom followed by pleasantries of any sort.

She darted past me, through the foyer and into the great room. Glancing around, she found the doors leading to the balcony and went outside.

Her aura was as bright as the June sun. I could not deny how being near her brought my body to life. She clutched the black iron railing and rocked onto her toes to peer at the lakefront below.

I stepped behind her while she stared out toward the horizon. I wanted so badly to take her in my arms, to feel her body pressed to mine. To kiss her velvet lips.

It had been ages, and it took all my reserves not to embrace her when she rotated around and folded her arms over her chest.

"I need some answers." Her cheeks were reddened from either heat or anger, I wasn't sure. “I need to know about this whole Firstborn Daughter thing.”

Her gaze pleaded for answers, but there were few I could give. Laws to the Doctrine were precise, and I refused to risk our Eternal union over broken rules.

"What has happened?" I asked.

“So, you’re my Gemini. You have a Genesis mark. And an aura. I assume that also means you’re part of the Genesis bloodline.” She paused, staring at my wrist. "Although I'm not entirely sure what that means."

I placed my hands into my pockets. “Is that your question?”

With a narrowed expression, she shook her head and thrust past me into the apartment.

Behind her, I followed as Zoe wandered the great room, inspecting the sparse décor.

She stopped. Her eyes widened and lips parted, seemingly stunned by what she beheld.

I knew immediately what had caught her attention as innocent awareness glazed over her features.

She turned and stepped reverently toward the white instrument that beckoned to her from the corner of the room. It was the only item of our life in Aravot that I brought to Chicago.

Zoe circled her Grand Piano, ran her hand along the top. She pulled out the seat and lowered herself.

With trembling hands, she lifted the keyboard cover. Placed her fingers in playing position and held them steady, though not depressing the keys.

Zoe’s gaze glowed with intense focus. Her aura grew brighter and stronger.

Music was her second love, though I often wondered how close a second it was.

As if in a trance, she closed her eyes and began to play. A hauntingly familiar melody drifted through the air—a song she had written for me hundreds of years ago.

A blast of her emotions flowed through me.

Her memories were returning.

Zoe stopped playing mid-chord, her eyes opened, and she inhaled a cavernous breath.

Sensing her anxiety, I stepped behind her and rested my hands on her shoulders, running them down her arms.

"This piano," she whispered, staring at the keys. "It's—familiar."

"Yes."

"I don't understand any of this." She turned to face me. Her shoulders sank, and her gaze fell to the floor.

I crouched before her and lifted her chin with my fingers. "Come. Let's sit on the balcony." I stood and offered my hands, helped her to her feet and led her outside.

We sat on a bench on the terrace overlooking Lake Michigan.

"Remember Remie?” She asked. “You met him in the park."

"Yes, I do.”

"He told me a lot this morning. About Aravot, and the Firstborn Daughter." Her gaze was pleading. "Is that me?" When I did not answer, her cheeks reddened. "Am I your Gemini or not, Cade? It's a simple question."