Grounded (Grounded #1) (8 page)

Chapter Ten

It had gotten harder and harder to fill my days in Putnam Valley as the inevitability of telling Jensen and us leaving for Michigan drew closer. That day, waiting for the guys to get to Jensen’s parents’ house was hardest of all. My boyfriend and new best friend were working, which left me with nothing to do in the hours before meeting them. That had never been me—bored, without a guy to entertain me.

If I were home, I’d walk the shores of Lake Superior or journey into the depths of the copper mine until I just couldn’t stand the power coursing my body and had to tear ass out of there before I exploded. I could practice my power, although I didn’t need the extra practice, or train with some of the guys, which was always fun. I could usually find something to do at home. I could just be me. It hit me that I was actually homesick. Yikes. That was a cold slap of reality. I’d wanted to leave home for almost as long as I could remember. Now I was gone and I wanted to head back.

I glanced at the clock and saw it was after seven. I could finally get out of my motel and meet them.

His mother was a bit nicer this time. She even invited me in, like I was a guest, but Jensen’s eyes popped in surprise when he saw me come around the corner into the living room. I asked if we could talk, privately. After thinking about it for a few seconds, he pushed himself out of the chair and led me up a flight of stairs, to the second room on the right, with Aric following.

“Your room?” I asked while Aric shut the door gently. Jensen didn’t have any siblings, so this was most likely his room, but it was little more than a shrine to the teenage boy he had been. It didn’t reflect the man I’d grown to care for.

“It was. I don’t live here anymore, remember?”

“Right, sorry.” I waited. He didn’t say anything else. “Okay, I shouldn’t have sprung anything on you at lunch and I’m sorry for that. Maybe a little lead in or something would’ve helped.” I was starting to ramble. “Whatever. Look, what I said is true.” He pushed off the desk to leave the room. “Let me start over.”

“Are you trying to prank me or something?” He asked as he got closer to Aric. “Are you two in on some sort of gag? I’m not falling for whatever this is.”

“Just listen to her, Jensen.” Aric spoke for the first time. He was leaning against the wall and out of the way. “We aren’t pulling a fast one. What she’s trying to tell you is true and she can prove it. It’s important.”

“We? What the fuck, Alyssum? You know you sound crazy, right?”

“I do. But just give me a minute, please.”

He sighed heavily before coming back to me. I was grateful Aric stayed by the door. If Jensen tried to leave again, Aric could stop him.

I laid it all out for him and told him that he was part of a race of people called Gremalian, which humans bastardized into tiny, green troublemakers that had a lot of rules, most of which were false. Although it is true that if a Gremalian eats after midnight, but before five in the morning, they’ll be left with a hellish case of debilitating heartburn. I never knew what that was about.

In reality, we’re not all that different from humans. We just want to live our lives and be happy with our families. I skimmed over the war part. Even without bringing up the war, it was a lot to take in when you’d lived your entire life thinking you’re a regular human.

Jensen pointed to where Aric was standing. “Why does he know about this?”

“He’s a Gobel.” Like that would mean anything to him.

“A goblin?” He clawed his hands down the front of his face.

I giggled, more from being nervous, but it did strike me as funny. Aric laughed too. “No, Gobel. It’s basically the same as Gremalians, but different. I know that doesn’t make sense.”

“None of this makes any sense. Do you expect me to listen to this? Or, better yet, do you expect me to believe this?”

Jensen yanked the door open and left the room, sliding past Aric, who didn’t try to stop him.

“You just let him leave?” I gave Aric a little push.

“It looks like he needs some air. If this is sinking in at all, he’d need to do something. What’d you expect? You’d come in and say, ‘Hey, you’re a gremlin,’ and he’d be all ‘That’s cool.’ Don’t think so, Alyssum.”

Before I left the room, I gave Aric my best death glare, mostly because I didn’t want to admit that he hit the nail on the head. I thought Jensen would believe me right from the start. That was why I wanted him to get to know me before I told him. Aric was right behind me as we went looking for Jensen. Mr. Burkhardt said Jensen had gone out the front door. It wasn’t until we checked behind the garage, the very same place I came to tell him I’d chosen him, before we found him.

His chest heaved, rising and falling rhythmically, but his eyes were wary when I got to see them up close. His trust in me was wavering.

“Maybe you two should stop following me.”

“We can’t. Jensen, we’re normal people, just not completely…human.” His shoulders tensed even more. “I know that sounds terrible, but it doesn’t change who you are or who I am or that when you woke up this morning, I was your girlfriend. You work in a garage. All of these things are exactly the same as the fact that you were Gremalian when you woke up this morning. The only difference is that now you know it.”

Silence hung in the air, thick and stagnant, like an uncomfortable corset squeezing my lungs. It seemed like forever before he spoke again.

“Why do you need to save your people?” He was skeptical. I could hear it in his voice.

“Our people,” I corrected. “We’re natural enemies. Us and the Gobel. Control of power, control of the land where the copper mines are…I don’t know.” I sighed.

“It’s all of that,” Aric said from his spot against the garage.

“Think of it like this. We’re the Hatfields and they’re the McCoys.” Since he wasn’t running away, I continued, but moved a bit closer to place my hand on his shoulder. The muscle there jumped. “If you concentrate, Jensen, you’ll know I’m telling the truth. You have to know it.” I thought for a minute. “Don’t you feel it whenever Aric’s around? A prickling up your neck and your hair stands on end? Anything unusual at all?”

He threw a smirk over his shoulder to me. “And here I thought I was just bi-curious.”

“What?” I smiled back. At least he was talking to us. That was something. He turned to face us. I hoped it was a sign that he was starting to understand what we were trying to tell him.

“There was a time, a very short time that I thought I might be…attracted to him.” He said the last three words very quickly, so that they came out as one crunched together word. Aric and I still heard it and we both howled with laughter, Aric louder than me.

“I am pretty sexy,” Aric said through his laughter.

“Asshole,” Jensen said back with a smile.

I had to get myself under control. Two quick breaths eased the pain in my stomach from the laughing, but I had to wipe the tears from my eyes to bring myself back to normal.

“I know things. I can convince you,” I promised.

“Like what? What do you know?”

“You’re adopted—”

“I could have told you that.”

“But you didn’t. You showed up at the hospital your mom works at, right? After your parents were killed in a car accident.” I left out that they were being chased by a group of Gobels. That was for later. He remained silent. “Your birth parents’ names were Glen and Saffron Sorrel.”

Jensen thought about that for a minute, biting his bottom lip the way he did whenever he was really trying to figure something out. I struggled to keep my breathing steady. I was ready for just about anything and hoped whatever was coming wasn’t anything that had to do with our relationship. I had to wonder when a relationship became more important than the safety of my family. We’d only been a couple for two days. I didn’t want that to end.

“How much of this was real?” He waved his finger between us. I took his face in my hands, which made it nearly impossible for him to look anywhere but at me.

“All of it, Jensen. I swear, all of it. That’s why I had to tell you. You had to know.” Jensen’s eyes slowly searched the landscape of my face to see if I was telling the truth. I wasn’t hiding anything anymore. “And I’m going to have to leave soon. A war is about to break out and we need everyone we can get.”

“How does he fit into this?” Jensen pointed at Aric as if I wouldn’t know who he was talking about without the gesture.

“He’s a Gobel.”

He blew out a breath like he didn’t understand. “I’m so confused. I thought you are at war with them.”

“We are, but Aric wants to help stop it from happening.”

“How is he going to do that?”

“You, or the threat of you, might be able to stop it. With my help, of course.”

“You?” He shook his head.

“Yeah, I know I don’t look like much, but I’m pretty badass.” I gave his shoulder a playful hit.

He smiled at me the way he had before I told him all of the stuff about Gremalians and Gobels. “Somehow, I can see that. But why don’t you prove it?”

I smirked and Aric snorted from behind me. “All right, but you get to explain what happens to the lights.”

His eyebrows shot up. Pulling his arm out in front of him, I took a deep breath and lightly touched my finger tips to the sensitive skin on the underside of his forearm. The lights in the house dimmed as I drew the power to me. Flashes sparked across his skin.

I kept the flashes small. I didn’t want to hurt him. Jensen started to squirm. His eyes widened and, little by little, I increased the voltage just enough to create a warm tingling sensation that would drive him nuts. The house came back to full power when Jensen broke our connection. When he yanked back, we started to fall. His arm circled my waist, pulling me on top of him as we hit to the ground.

“What did you do?” His words came out slightly breathless.

“I promise I’ll explain everything,” I said, my face only inches from his, “but we don’t have much time.”

Chapter Eleven

I wanted to leave early the next morning but, because his mother’s birthday was that weekend, Jensen wouldn’t dream of going before that. He said he needed to make some arrangements, but I think he also needed some time to process everything we’d told him and showed him, so Aric and I gave him as much space as we could for the rest of that week.

Jensen and I talked on the phone. He told me that Aric had given his dad a week’s notice and that his dad gave him the go ahead to take a vacation with me. Jensen said he’d never taken a vacation, but his dad would manage. Actually, he said his dad was pretty excited that we were going together. Jensen clearly wasn’t planning on staying in Michigan forever. Our relationship would take a back seat for a while.

Flint told me I didn’t have much time, information I shared with both Aric and Jensen. The last thing Jensen wanted was a bunch of Gremalians storming his town to yank his girlfriend home by the collar. I didn’t want that either.

Apparently, his mother’s idea of heaven was the backyard, a BBQ, her two favorite guys and a few friends, Aric included. I didn’t think I fit into the equation, but she didn’t bat an eye when I showed up at Jensen’s insistence.

Truthfully, I couldn’t imagine anything better. With my family, there weren’t any cook-outs, not a lot of together time at all. That wasn’t true of all Gremalian families, just mine specifically. Dad was always busy running our government while Mom acted like she didn’t notice how busy he was. She tried to spend time with me, but sometimes she had to go with him.

While Jensen worked the grill—who knew he could cook?—I leaned back in a chair, raising my face to the sun, allowing the heat to warm my body. With sunglasses hiding my eyes, I figured Jensen couldn’t see me looking at him. I was wrong.

“Stop watching me like that.” He snapped the tongs in my face, jarring me out of the trance-like state I was in from thinking about him. He manned the grill the entire time I was there and looked like he knew what he was doing. He probably did this all the time.

“How can you even tell?”

“I can feel it. And you’re gonna make me burn the steaks.”

He leaned over me, a hand on each armrest, slowly lowering himself to kiss me. It was quick, and he pulled back like he just realized there were twenty people around us. I didn’t care, but his mother definitely would.

When Jensen told his parents that he was going home with me to meet my parents, it wasn’t technically a lie. We couldn’t exactly tell them the entire truth. Alice voiced some concern over the road trip but backed off after finding out Aric would be going with us.

She liked me just enough to not hate me, but I think she was worried that I might get Jensen in trouble somehow. I usually have a good handle on people. I was certain her worries had less to do with drugs or bank robberies and more to do with sex and babies.

His mood turned grumpy as we packed the car outside his apartment after leaving his parents’ house. He complained about taking my car because it was small. Said there wasn’t enough space for all of our things. I’d only brought the one bag with me and somehow, even with the purchases I’d made while in New York, I was able to stuff everything inside it. Plus, he was only taking a large duffle bag.

“Why can’t we take my bike?” It sounded more like a complaint than a question.

“It’s a long drive and I wouldn’t be able to walk once we got there. My thighs would be mush from squeezing you.” I heard the sexual innuendo as soon as I said it and a raised eyebrow from Jensen told me he heard it too. “Plus. you know he,” I jutted my thumb behind me to an approaching Aric, “has to go with us. And we have to stop to pick someone else up. I think that would be a pretty tight squeeze.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind,” Jensen mumbled. I shoved his shoulder playfully.

After giggling over the two giants squishing themselves into my tiny car, I drove the first leg of the trip until we were an hour across the state line. I hadn’t been sleeping well all week, and my lids started drooping from the monotony of the road. While we had some special talents, none of us were immune to dying in an accident, so it was time for a break.

I pulled in to a rest stop and, after stretching my legs, went in to splash some cold water on my face. It felt good, but I wouldn’t be able to keep driving without some rest first.

When I came out of the restroom, I headed for the car but saw that Aric and Jensen were no longer inside. I thought it was safe to assume that they also had to pee. Instead of sitting in the car longer than necessary, I stretched my legs a little more by walking over to the large map of Pennsylvania behind a Plexiglas window. I stared at it so long that I wasn’t really seeing it anymore until a voice beside me brought me out of my trance.

“Hey,” a tall, blond boy said. He was right next to me with another guy, a dark haired one, a few steps away.

“Hi.” I smiled back but quickly returned to focusing on the map, willing these guys to leave me alone. I really didn’t want things to get ugly.

“I’m Andy. Where ya headed?”

Okay, in another world or another time, that Andy kid might have been cute. But, seeing as how I’d been hanging with possibly two of the finest men to walk the earth, Andy…he just looked young. Who tries to pick up girls at a rest area?

I didn’t answer his question, didn’t introduce myself or tell him I was headed home. Even Gremalians are well versed on stranger danger.

“See ya,” I said and started to walk away, but he followed, obviously tenacious.

“What? Did I say something wrong? Because girl, you’re hot, and I’m just looking for some fun.”

Scratch the ‘in another world he’d be cute’ crap. He was heinous. Spinning on my heels, I faced him. “Look, leave me alone or you won’t like the consequences.”

“That’s hot. Threaten me again.”

His smirk set me off and I started to throw a punch, but he reached out and grabbed my wrist, squeezing just tight enough to hurt. I was about to unleash some serious violence and a torrent of threats and words he most likely wouldn’t understand when his eyes widened and his body tightened. Suddenly, he let go and walked away.

What the hell?

I thought his complete change of heart was weird, but I found out why he walked away so abruptly seconds later. As I turned back toward the car, Aric and Jensen stood just three feet away, both arms crossed, causing their muscles to bulge. Their glares were so dangerous, I’m surprised the kid didn’t piss himself.

My jaw clenched and released. “I could’ve handled that myself,” I said as I passed them.

“Oh, we know you could,” Jensen said.

“Just having some fun, Alyssum.” Aric chuckled.

“Whatever,” I said, coming back to the car with them trailing behind. “I need a break. Someone else is going to have to drive.”

“I’ll do it,” they said together.

I rolled my eyes. Boys. “Whatever. I’m resting in the back seat either way.” I climbed in and waited for them.

Aric got behind the wheel and slid the seat all the way back until it slammed into my knees, then Jensen got in back with me.

“Christ, Aric, thanks for leaving me a little room.”

He snorted. “You’re like a little person. I think there’s plenty of leg space.”

I hit the headrest in frustration, which only made him chuckle louder. Jensen rested his hand on the inside of my thigh; my head fell onto his shoulder. With my eyes closed, I still felt like someone was watching me. When I opened my eyes up, I saw Aric glance in the rearview mirror, then back to the road. Our eyes locked for seconds at a time before I reclosed my lids.

When I woke up, it was dark. It took a few minutes for me to get acclimated to my surroundings. Jensen was driving, Aric riding shotgun, which left me the whole backseat to myself. I took advantage, stretching my arms and legs to their fullest.

Cars didn’t make the most comfortable beds. As de facto decision maker, I declared it was time to stop for the night. We’d made it all the way to Akron. Solid sleep sounded very good.

“They only had one room available.” I dangled the key in front of them. It was a mom-and-pop roadside motel that had old fashioned keys instead of the card swipey things. I saw the look on their faces, though, and neither was too happy about sharing a room.

“Seriously?” Jensen scoffed.

“Yeah, I think they’re cleaning blood from the others.” Neither laughed. “Look, we’re all friends here. It’ll be a little cozy, but we’ll manage.”

Not waiting for them to comment, I popped the hatch and grabbed my overnight bag, then opened the door to the room. I was extremely happy to see a bed. They could sleep outside for all I cared. Instead, they followed.

We found very little, just two full beds and a TV, but at least it was clean. I checked the time and sent Aric out for food. If we waited too long, I wouldn’t be able to eat, Jensen either, whether he believed it or not. I didn’t know about him, but I was starving, so waiting ‘til morning was out of the question.

“So, what’s the sleeping arrangement here?” Jensen asked as soon as Aric left. I dug for some pajamas in the brown leather bag I’d brought with me.

“What do you want it to be?” I turned to face him and decided to break some of the tension I’d felt hanging around since we left New York. “If you want to share a bed with Aric, test out that whole bi-curious thing, I’m okay with that.”

He shook my comment off. “He still has feelings for you, Alyssum.”

“And what do you have for me?” I crossed the bed between us on my knees, coming to rest only inches in front him. I could feel his body heat without touching him. It radiated, warming me from head to toe. He warmed parts of my body the sun couldn’t reach.

“I have all kinds of feelings for you.” He sighed, watching me intently. “Maybe I’ll just sleep out in the car.”

“Really?” I smirked. “You’re going to sleep out there and leave me in here alone with him? I doubt that.”

We locked eyes. His were hard; mine were soft, hopefully flirty.

“No.” He sighed again. “So, I’ll sleep…”

“You can sleep with me. I mean, if you want to.” My stomach dropped at the thought. “It’s not like we’re going to have sex with Aric right freaking there.”

And I’d never had a boy in my bed for the whole night before. Ah, never had a boy in my bed period. What was I getting myself into? Yet the thought of having Jensen beside me was an attractive one.

“Not the first time, anyway.”

I smiled big. “Was that a joke, Jensen Burkhardt? I do believe I’m rubbing off on you.”

Balling his shirt in my fists, I pulled him in for a kiss. It was only meant to be a reassuring kiss but, as was becoming habit, I got carried away and it lasted longer than expected. All that desire and need left me flushed and both of us out of breath.

“He knows, don’t worry about it. But I can’t have a bunch of jealousy mucking everything up.”

Jensen relented, nodding as if he understood.

In the end, I got one bed alone. After a bunch of macho bravado over which of them would sleep on the floor, Jensen “won.” Apparently, neither would admit they wanted the comfort of a mattress and, at that point, I just didn’t care.

The room was set up in such a way where Jensen could use the maroon-flowered bedspread from my bed to make the carpet between me and the wall as comfortable as possible. That’s where there was the most room, so that’s where Jensen slept.

Aric passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow, his light snore the only sound in the room. Of course, my ever present insomnia didn’t disappoint. I tossed around so much that I started to worry I’d keep Jensen up since his head was near the squeaking springs.

After using the bathroom and getting a drink, I tiptoed back to bed and stopped short just to look Jensen over. He seemed comfortable enough; the blanket I’d folded in half draped over his waist, leaving his bare chest free and one hand lying heavily on perfectly etched abs. He might be even cuter asleep than he was awake. Even when his muscles were relaxed, he looked strong. Quietly, I scooted into the crook of his arm and laid my head on his shoulder. I wanted to be close to him but not close enough to disturb his sleep. When an arm tightened around my waist, I knew I had.

“Sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s a great way to be awakened.” The parking lot lights peeked in through the curtains, creating a glow in the room. He had to cast his eyes down to see me.

“Couldn’t sleep?” I shook my head. “Something wrong? Not that I mind having you in my bed…or floor, rather.”

“No. I’ve always had trouble. Used to drive my parents nuts.” The muscles in my body started to relax up against his body. He had muscles I hadn’t even realized were tight. “But this feels pretty comfortable.”

“Come on, you don’t want to fall asleep on the floor. Let’s get in bed.” He tried pushing me off, but either he wasn’t trying very hard or I was stronger than even I thought.

“I don’t want him,” my thumb jutted in Aric’s direction, “to wake up to that, you know. I just don’t want to throw it in his face. Wasn’t that your point earlier?”