Independence

Copyright
2012
Shelly Crane
This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to give or sell this book to anyone else.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing services provided by Jennifer Nunez
Printed in paperback and available in Kindle and E-book format through Amazon, Create Space and Barnes & Noble.

Printed in the United States

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

More information can be found at the author's website
http://shellycrane.blogspot.com
ISBN-13: 978-1480207219

ISBN-10: 1480207217

This Book is Dedic
ated To The FANS!

The last book of the series… Bittersweet doesn't really cover it for me.
And SO much has happened to me personally this year.

I'm dedicating this book to the fans that have been with me from the beginning.
The ones who ask me how I'm doing and not just when the next book is due.
The ones who've sent me mail and tweets and email saying how much you love the books.
Without you,
this book would not be
.

And to my bestie, Jen N.

Eermmmegeeerdd…… I heart you.

To the Hellcats,
you gir
l
s have made this year bearable. And you rocked the Indie world's face off. I couldn't be m
ore proud of you or happy to bas
k in your glows. I love you!

Maggie

"Lynne, listen." I knelt down beside her
and tried not to glance at the scar glaring from her cheekbone that was a constant reminder of what had happened
. I had been in her shoes before, just weeks ago, and it was still fresh in my brain. "For some reason, the powers are taking their time figuring out what they want to be. Caleb didn't realize his until…well, you remember. And you and Kyle will learn what your powers are, too, soon enough. I'm sorry that we were all too wrapped up to even really pay attention to you guys."

Kyle and Lynne had ascended on the roof of the palace and mutualized right after. Everyone had been so focused on what was going on
with us and worrying about the bigger problems
though, that we hadn't had time to dwell on the fact that neither of them were getting a feeling for what their ability was going to be.
Or the fact that Lynne was h
uman and had gotten the tattoo on her wrist.

"No," she said quickly. "I don't want the spotlight. It's ju
st that Kyle…" S
he sniffed in a way that showed me she'd been crying way before she came to see me. "He's upset about it. I just know it. How could he not be
, right
?"

I smiled. I knew this one firsthand as well.
I felt my cell buzz in my pocket, but ignored it.
"Caleb and I went through the same thing. I felt like he'd been cheated because he was an Ace and I wasn't."

"Yeah," she said and nodded. "That's how I feel."

I knew it was mere minutes before Kyle came and found her. She was so upset, there was no way Kyle couldn't feel her. "Don't worry, Lynne. Kyle is a big boy. I promise you you'll both get your abilities when
you're ready and it'll be something great
. And Kyle isn't upset. I'm in his head remember?"

"Well, then get out of it!" she screeched and stood.
She blushed all the way into her hairline.
"His brain in private now."

I pursed my lips so I wouldn't laugh at her.
"I just mean that I'd hear him if he was upset.
He'd be broadcasting it out if he was.
"

"Whatever," she grumbled and wiped her cheek furiously. "This whole thing has turned me into such a chick."

I laughed just as Kyle bolted through the palace roof door.
He practically flew to her and gripped her arms. "What's wrong?" He looked around for thre
ats and found none. He looked between
us and then finally focused on Lynne. Hearing her thoughts he heard it all and grimaced. "Lynne, it'll be fine. I told you that already."

Her mouth opened and then closed. Then she said quickly,
"But it-"

"Uhuh," he said to cut her off and put his finger over her lips. I smiled at the
sudden
death glare she was giving him.
"I have complete confidence in my kind
. The abilities will come when they're ready. A
nd
I have faith in
our new Visionary." He smirked at me. "She's a goody two shoes that's making the universe
a
very happy and giving
entity
. Teacher's pet."

"Bite me, Kyle."

He laughed. "See?" He turned back to Lynne and his smile changed. It was the one he saved just for her. "She's totally harmless and on board. So
,
can't you be?"

She sighed and chewed the inside of her cheek. "I'm on board, too. I'll chill out."

"Really? All the way on board?"

"Choo, choo," she joked wryly and he grinned, taking her face in his hands.
But then his thumb swept over the scar and he let his breath go slowly.
"G
ood," he muttered
,
and I heard his guilty thoughts. He thought he let her down. He had been so upset about Rodney that he wasn't able to heal her cheek and knew she'd be stuck with it forever, because of him.

"Stop," she whispered harshly. "Stop, Kyle." She gripped his face, too. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't cut me."

"But I should have been able to heal you."

"You lost your cousin," she whispered back. "Stop this."

He
thought about it before smiling
. "Right back at ya."

She groaned at being caught in his trap before laughing
softly. "Fine.
"

When she reached up on her toes to kiss him, I was outta there. I
skipped down the stairs, my steps light and
curiously
worry free. Just yesterday, we'd learned that Haddock was my real father, and then Jen and Bish had imprinted…
finally!

But today, I just felt better. I felt like there was so much mo
re to solve, but that we'd be OK
. I hadn't felt that sense in my bones in a long time and I craved it. Things were falling back into their right place.

Lynne had found me on the roof before. I was
trying to
ca
ll
Beck before she interrupted with her cute little tirade.
I tried Beck's
cell several times, but always got voicemail.
And Beck
, who was driving up to the mountains with Ralph,
was furious with me in the only way a best friend could be
as I checked message after message from her that said
, "How could you not tell me you were going to freaking London! Why haven't you called me all week?" And of course my favorite. "When am I going to get the juicy details
of you and college boy
?
You better call me back before I got postal on your cute butt!
"

I smiled thinking about that. I missed her. She was my slice of normal pie and I could have used an extra helping.

I
heard his thoughts
around the door
just a second before his arms closed around my waist. I was pressed, but went willingly, to the wall with my back and then it was all warm lips and closed eyes and soft, but needy hands.

Poor Caleb. Maria had taken it upon herself after our big reveal with Jen and Bish to come and sl
eep with us to give them
some privacy. Caleb grumbled about
needing
our own privacy in his mind, but it was just one night, right?

So when I felt his fingers teasing the skin just under my shirt,
to soak me in as much as I was him,
I knew he was making up for lost time. The hand in my hair gave me goosebumps as it massaged and swept through my hair gently. I shivered
,
ca
u
sing him to groan. I pulled back just a bit and looked up at him.