Predestined (14 page)

Then there was the fact that I
missed Dank. It felt almost as if I was betraying Wyatt to miss
Dank but it couldn’t be helped. I loved him. But I wasn’t ready to
face him just yet. Maybe after we’d buried Wyatt and adjusted to
life without him I’d be able to talk to Dank. To look him in the
eyes and not scream out in fury. I’d had enough time to think about
it and I knew there must be a reason Dank didn’t tell me. But I
just wasn’t ready to hear that reason yet.

My attention drifted to Leif as he
walked inside and hugged Wyatt’s mother then shook Wyatt’s dad’s
hand before taking a seat among the other students who’d come
today. Which was just about everyone. He just walked among them
like he was one of them. Like he cared about Wyatt’s death. It made
me angry to think of how disrespectful his presence felt. Wyatt had
thought Leif was his friend. He’d trusted Leif. All along Wyatt had
never been more than a tool for Leif. A way to get close to me.
Shifting my attention away from Leif before I completely got myself
worked up I scanned the room.

The funeral didn’t start for
another thirty minutes. By that time the place would be standing
room only. My gaze drifted over everyone I recognized from school.
Some I knew, others I didn’t. It’s odd how when one of us dies we
all come together as one. Even if we don’t know each other or if we
hate each other we come together for that one day.

I searched for my mother. She’d
flown back home as soon as she’d heard and would be leaving again
tomorrow. I’d assured her I wouldn’t be leaving Miranda’s for a few
days so there was no need for her to stay home and miss the last
two days of the convention for me. She was sitting beside Miranda’s
mother and father. I was glad she was here. Seeing her gave me some
much needed strength.

The doors opened and in stepped
someone I hadn’t expected to be here today. Jay Potts had been my
boyfriend from ninth grade up until the end of school last year
when he’d decided to go off to college and his parents moved away
as well. We’d broken things off because long distance relationships
never worked. Seeing Jay saunter down the aisle I felt tears well
up in my eyes. The four of us, Miranda, Wyatt, Jay and I had been a
group from freshman year until the end of our junior year. So many
of my high school memories of Wyatt were ones Jay was also a part
of. His dark brown eyes found mine and he gave me a sad
smile.

“Jay’s here,” Miranda whispered as
she lifted her head and watched as he spoke with Wyatt’s
parents.

“I know.” It seemed fitting that he
was here at the end. Wyatt would have loved to see him.

“I’m glad,” Miranda replied through
her sniffles.

“Me too. Just seems right,” I
agreed.

Miranda laid her head over on my
shoulder and we sat there huddled together while the preacher spoke
and then the casket was closed and carried to the gravesite already
prepared for Wyatt.

“I can’t watch them lower him into
the ground,” the anxiety in Miranda’s voice mixed with the
trembling in her body told me it probably was a good idea for this
to be as far as she went. I led her over to the steps on the far
side of the funeral home so that we couldn’t see the
gravesite.

“Let’s just sit here until they’re
finished.” I coaxed

“Okay,” she agreed and sank down on
the cold cement beside me.

“That was awful, Pagan.”

“Yeah, it was.”

“Do you think his soul was around
long enough to see it?”

I knew it wasn’t but I didn’t think
that was the answer she wanted to hear.

“I don’t know. Maybe. I guess
anything is possible.”

She nodded and twisted the
handkerchief in her hands. I stared out over the cemetery and
noticed a few lost souls hovering over gravesites. Those were the
ones who’d seen their own funeral. They’d not wanted to go. I was
glad Wyatt hadn’t put up a fight. It was easier knowing he was
going to have another life soon.

“Why’re you mad at
Dank?”

Miranda’s question surprised me. I
didn’t think she’d have noticed my separation from Dank the past
two days. She’d spent most of her time crying and
sleeping.

“I never said I was mad at Dank,” I
replied.

“But you are. You don’t have to say
it.”

Sighing, I rested my chin in the
palms of my hands and leaned forward pressing my elbows into my
knees.

“Just a little relationship drama.
Not something worth talking about right now.”

Miranda nodded and reached over for
my hand.

“I love you, Pagan,” she declared
in a raspy voice.

“I love you, too.”

Dank

Pagan and Miranda sat hip to hip
holding hands as they stared out over the cemetery in front of
them. I stood off to the side hidden from Pagan’s sight and watched
them. I knew she wouldn’t want me here today. The thought made it
difficult to function. She ran her hand over Miranda’s curls in a
comforting gesture I’d seen mothers use with their children. As
much as I wanted to talk to her, to explain, I knew right now this
is what she needed to do. It helped her grieve to comfort Miranda.
They’d both lost someone special in their lives. Wyatt may have
been the soul that was connected to Miranda’s so therefore her pain
was more intense but Pagan’s soul was a kindred to Wyatt’s. This
was Pagan’s first life and Wyatt’s soul attached itself to
hers.

Miranda laid her head down in
Pagan’s lap and Pagan reached up and wiped a tear from her eyes. I
wanted to do that for her. I wanted to comfort her the way she was
comforting her friend. But I couldn’t. This was so damn
hard.

Movement out of the corner of my
vision caught my attention and I turned to see a guy making his way
toward the girls. He was tall with long blond hair pulled back in a
ponytail. The dark suit he wore meant he’d been at the funeral but
I didn’t recognize this kid from their school. Pagan had noticed
him and Miranda was now sitting up. Both girls stood up to greet
him. I watched as he hugged Miranda tightly and she cried softly in
his arms as he spoke to her. He was assuring her that Wyatt was out
there watching over her. He even said, “We know he can’t stay away
from you long. He’ll always be hovering around you protecting
you.”

Then Miranda stepped back and he
turned his gaze to Pagan. The translucent glow that intertwined
connecting souls to their soulmates slowly wrapped around Pagan and
the boy. Frozen in place, I watched in horror as Pagan stepped into
his arms and he held her tighter than he’d held Miranda. With more
familiarity. She’d been in his arms before. When Pagan stepped back
from their embrace he seemed reluctant to let go. My legs began to
move. This was not happening. His soul could go find itself some
other soul to connect with. Pagan was mine. I already had a
freaking voodoo spirit claiming her; I didn’t need a damn human
soul doing the same thing.

Pagan’s eyes lifted and met mine.
Instantly, she stepped back putting distance between her and the
boy. I knew the blue in my eyes had gone from the normal human
color to the glowing orbs that manifested when I felt emotion. I
couldn’t control their glow when I couldn’t control my
fury.

The guy finally tore his gaze off
of Pagan and turned his head to see what had caught her attention.
A small frown appeared on his face until he noticed my eyes. Then
the fear all humans felt when met with Death’s gaze came over his
face. That’s right buddy, I’m Death, now move away from my girl. I
didn’t say a word. Instead, I walked up the steps passing the boy
and stopped in front of Pagan.

She swallowed nervously as she
stared up at me. Then her gaze shifted toward the boy watching us.
“Um, Jay, this is Dank Walker, my boyfriend.”

I wanted to fall on my knees and
beg her forgiveness. Hearing her still claim me as hers sent relief
pouring through my cold form. Reaching for her hand I squeezed it
and her thumb gently caressed the side of my hand. That was all the
reassurance I needed. The soul behind me, obviously the soul meant
to be her mate here on earth, meant nothing as long as Pagan wanted
me.

“Dank,” she said peering up at me,
“this is Jay Potts. He’s a, uh, friend of mine. He graduated last
year and moved away for college. He and Wyatt were very
close.”

Jay Potts hadn’t just been her
friend. He’d been her boyfriend from the time she was a freshman
until he broke it off at the end of last year. I knew she was
worried about upsetting me and I couldn’t blame her since I’d
stalked over here with glowing eyes and a snarl. I turned my head
and glared back at him. It couldn’t be helped, I’d never like this
guy.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jay,” I
managed to say in a calm even voice.

A small snicker came from Miranda
and I felt Pagan’s body ease some. This was amusing Miranda and
right now Pagan would suffer through anything that would put a
smile on her friend’s face.

“Uh, yeah, you too,” he studied me
a minute. My eyes were no longer glowing so he was probably trying
to decide if he’d imagined it. His human brain would convince him
it had been the sun hitting me just right or some other concocted
story in order for it to make sense. Then something lit up his
eyes, “Wait, Dank Walker, aren’t you the lead singer for Cold
Soul?”

The excitement and awe in his voice
caused Pagan to completely ease up and she moved a little closer to
me. I didn’t want to talk to this guy. I wanted to wrap my arms
around her and beg her to listen. To forgive what I was. But she
wanted this meeting to go well. I could read it in her
emotions.

“Yes, I am,” I replied but as much
as I loved her I could not even force a smile his way.

“No way, oh man, wow,” he began
shuffling through his pocket and pulled out his wallet. An old
ticket stub from one of Cold Soul’s concerts and a pen were shoved
in front of my face. “Could you sign this? I’m a big fan. My ATO
brothers will never believe this. This will get me out of clean up
for at least a week.

Before I could even begin to
understand what he’d just said Pagan replied, “Oh, congrats, Jay. I
didn’t know you got into Alpha Tau Omega. That’s awesome. I know
that was your main goal when you got accepted at UT.”

He was a Greek. I knew what that
was. I’d been to more frat parties than I cared to recall due to
drunken stupidity.

Jay beamed over at Pagan, “Yep,
rush was hard but I suffered through.” He was still standing there
with his pen and concert ticket in my personal space.

Pagan squeezed my hand and then let
go. She wanted me to do this. Okay fine. I’d do it for her but I’d
do it my way.

I took the ticket and pen and wrote
a short note to Jay then scrawled the signature I’d adopted when I
started the group Cold Soul. Shoving it back at him I then reached
for Pagan’s hand again and brought it to my lips.

“I miss you,” I whispered and tears
welled up in her eyes. I kissed her hand then brought it back down
and let it go. I had somewhere I needed to go. Nothing was going to
interfere with us again. I was tired of waiting around for Leif to
make a move. I was ending this today.

Stepping back from her I nodded my
goodbye and left the three of them there. I didn’t worry about
leaving Jay with Pagan this time. I was sure he’d get the message
when he read his ticket.

After all when a guy
reads,

She’s mine. That’s your one and
only warning.

Dank Walker

He knows if he isn’t ready for a
fight he can’t win then he’d better back the fuck off.

Chapter
Thirteen

Pagan

Today was Valentine’s
Day. And I knew there was no way I’d be able to leave Miranda to go
on a date with Dank. Wyatt had planned a romantic evening and he’d
been teasing her with little notes for weeks that left hints about
what they would be doing. I walked into Miranda’s bedroom and she’d
taken all those notes off her mirror and had them on her bed in a
circle around her. The bear he’d given her last year was sitting in
her lap and the necklace he’d saved so long for was in her hand.
She was rubbing the smooth diamond as she stared at the notes in
front of her.

When I closed the door behind me
her head shot up and a small smile touched her lips. “Hey, I didn’t
expect you here today of all days. Don’t you have a
date?’

I shook my head and walked over to
sit on the corner of the bed careful not to move or sit on one of
those small slips of paper that were now treasures. “No, today I’m
here with you. Dank can wait. I think you need me more than he does
right now.”

Miranda’s smile wobbled and she
squeezed the bear in her lap tighter. “I’ve reread all these hints
a million times and I can’t figure it out. He’d been planning it
for months. You’d think...” her voice broke and she took a deep
breath, “you’d think I’d have managed to figure out the surprise by
now. But Wyatt was so good at keeping secrets. He didn’t want me to
figure it out. He wanted to surprise me.”