Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels (23 page)

"Kaylee..." Tears spring to my eyes and my
throat closes up with emotion. I don't want her to go home.

"Don't worry, I will be back before you know
it. If I can save up enough I will be back here in Kauai with you
within a year." She gives me a weak smile.

"I will be saving too. I owe you big time. I
love you lady!" I say giving Kaylee a big hug.

"You know it sista!" She says jokingly. "I've
got to run if I'm going to make it on time. I’ll call you when I
land." She grabs her bag from the ground and says, "I’ll talk to
you soon!"

"Okay." It's all I can say. I watch as tears
fill Kaylee's eyes and like the strong woman that she is, she turns
from me raises her shoulders and walks towards security.

I watch her the whole time until she gets
through security. She waves to me as she turns down the terminal
towards her gate.

I feel like a piece of me just left and in a
way it has. I wipe away the tears that I just realized were falling
down my cheeks. When I get back to Tristan he gives me a big hug
and says, "It will all be okay."

I know I shouldn't take anymore from Tristan
than I already have, but I take his comfort at this time and I hope
that he's right.

We walk side by side towards the Jeep. A
feeling of peace passes over me. Something tells me that he
is
right. It will all be okay. It's not going to be easy
telling the truth to my dad or trying to find a way to create a
friendship with Tristan or being away from Kaylee again. No, this
will be one heck of a bumpy road that I'm going down. But, it
will
all be okay.

Epilogue

“Dad,
slow
down!” I scream at him with
nervous anxiety rising in my chest. My father is once again driving
my
convertible like a bat out of hell. I'm going to have to
think twice next time I hand him the keys.

"If you didn't take so long to get all
beautified I wouldn't have to! Do you want to make it on time or
not?" My dad chides back.

I smile at him and reply, "Well you know I
can't really answer that since I have no idea where we’re going!"
My dad made me get in the car this morning and said he had a
surprise for me.

It's nice to be on speaking terms again with
my dad. He was none too happy when I brought Kai home over a month
ago and I explained all that had happened which included the part
about deceiving my dad and Kaylee's mom.

Thankfully Kai was there to help me explain
the craziness that has been our lives for the past few weeks. The
paranormal investigator part of my dad was über intrigued by the
whole situation including the Night Marchers and the Menehune's.
(We conveniently left out the whole chiefs bones and possible
immortality part. No need to give my dad a heart attack.) The
parental part of my dad on the other hand was mortified and
infuriated that I, his only daughter, was put in the line of
danger. Not to mention the fact that my best friend and I, plane
hopped from Texas to Hawaii without his knowledge. When all was
said and done though, my dad let me off pretty lightly by only
grounding me until I graduated, which was yesterday.

I look to the backseat to see Kai sitting
there smiling back at me. My heart hasn't yet gotten used to being
near him so often. I still get all of those wonderful butterfly
feelings fluttering about when I see him. I hope it never goes
away.

Kai and my dad have really hit it off since
the first day they met. He even allowed Kai to hang out with me at
the house while I was grounded. (Under his supervision of course.)
At first I was mortified when my dad grilled Kai for hours with
questions about the Night Marchers. Kai assured me though that it
didn't bother him. My dad was just amazed that a supernatural group
like the Night Marchers could actually take a living human being
and enslave them or force them to join their ranks. He's been
researching other possible spirit wanderers throughout the world.
My heart saddens when I think about his purpose for doing this. I'm
sure he's hoping that maybe, just maybe, my mom may have been taken
by a group similar to the Night Marchers. It's such a far, I mean
really far off idea. I don't say anything to my dad though since I
can see that there is a small bit of hope inside him. He hasn't had
a lead or a hope of finding out what happened to my mom in a very
long time. I could never squelch that for him. The Kealoha's
offered to financially back all of his future research and
documentaries, which only encourages him more.

If anyone knows what it's like for a loved
one to go missing without a trace, it's the Kealoha's. No words can
describe the over abundance of joy that they had upon being
reunited with Noa, their lost son.

My dad slams on the brakes jerking me from my
thoughts. "Here!" He says loudly.

Ah, the airport. I have many mixed feelings
about this place and not many of them are good. I look at my dad
anxiously.

"Don't worry, I'm not shipping you off
again." He laughs. "Your graduation surprise is here though."

Still a little nervous, I hop out of the car.
Kai holds my hand and as we walk to the automatic doors. I feel
relieved to see the arrivals sign posted boldly above it. I look
back at my dad who has a beaming smile pasted on his face. He's
proud of whatever surprise he planned.

I barely have time to walk through the
doorway when my name is shrieked out from across the room. My heart
leaps with excitement as I start running and screaming,
"Kaylee!!!"

We meet halfway and collide into a huge bear
hug. "Emma!" She yells excitedly in my ear. "I know it's only been
a month but I've missed you sooo much!"

"I know me too!" I say, unwilling to let go
of her. We jump up and down giddily.

"Well, that's why she's staying permanently."
My dad who must have approached without either of us noticing
chides in proudly.

I look up at my dad and then to Kaylee who
must have been in on this whole thing. "What do you mean? You
haven't even graduated! "

Kaylee winks at me and gives me a sly grin.
"You aren't the only one who can get their degree in no time with
online home schooling. I booked it like nobodies business and
finished up yesterday too!"

"What? You home schooled? Why?"

"Emma, we always said we would graduate
together. I couldn't let you go and do that alone could I?" She
smiles big. "Your dad just kept me updated on your progress. Man
seriously, I had to pull some all-nighters to catch up with you
lady!"

"I can't believe you've been able to keep
this a secret the whole time," I say while giving Kaylee and my dad
both the stink eye. I don't hold it long before I start cracking
up. They both join in. I can't help but feel so encouraged and
honored that Kaylee would give up walking across the stage to
graduate at the same time as me. I have no idea how I landed such
an amazing friend. A thought pops into my head. "By the way, how on
earth did you save enough money to move here in only a month?"

"The Kealoha's chipped in." My dad interjects
for Kaylee. "They said it's the least they could do for one of the
girls who helped save her son."

I look to Kaylee and give her a knowing smirk
then drawl, "Mmhm... I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact
that
said son
has a huge thing for
said girl
." Both
Kaylee and I break out into a giggling fit.

Kai and my dad grab her numerous checked
bags, eight in all and head outside. Thankfully the Kealoha's
driver came in time to help shuttle the excessive luggage to our
house. There's no way it would have been able to fit into my small
convertible.

My dad ends up riding back with the driver so
it's just Kaylee, Kai and I for the trip back home. I let Kai take
the wheel. He only recently got his license but he's already a
better driver than I am, plus he knows this island like the back of
his hand. He is one of their longest living human residents after
all!

With him driving it leaves Kaylee and me
distraction free to talk and catch up. She delves right in telling
me about staying up all night texting and Skyping with Noa nearly
every day. She laughs about how she is falling for a guy that she's
never even kissed.

"So, what's your plans for the summer
Kaylee?" Kai chirps up from the front seat.

Kaylee happily starts diving in with a list
of all of the things she wants to do this summer. I can tell she
did her research by Googling all of this Island's hot spots. She
shares the only two things that are on her 'avoid at all costs'
list: camping and running into Night Marchers. I second her on
both!

I let Kaylee and Kai talk for a little bit as
my mind wanders off staring at the gorgeous scenery that is Kauai.
I am so happy that Kaylee has found someone that she really cares
for. I hope Tristan is able to find the same too. He had to return
to training a week ago, (since he hadn't completed his last round.)
My heart sinks a little when I remember the trip I took with him to
the airport. He asked me to drive him, even though his mother
offered to do it. He wanted to talk to me, he said. When we got to
the airport we had over two hours to spare so we sat in the car for
a while talking. His aquamarine eyes had a bit of a sad hue to them
that day. It was like he knew that we were done for, at least in a
relationship way.

"You know Emma, I kept hoping that maybe one
day you would just wake up and change your mind. You know, like you
would just look at me and exclaim that you love me and
only
me." He said.

My heart plummeted. I hate making Tristan
hurt. "I'm sorry Tristan."

"Don't be sorry Emma. I didn't ask you to
drive me so I could make you feel guilty. I just want to be honest
with you. While I feel this way about you, I want you to know that
I see how happy Kai is making you. It is enough for me to really
know that you are taken care of. I will always be here for you." He
says sincerely while brushing my hair behind my ear.

I close my eyes grateful for his touch, that
contact which tells me that not
all
is lost in our
relationship. "I know Tristan. I will always be here for you too. I
want the best for you, I love you, you know that right?"

He smiles and lets out a weak laugh. "Yeah, I
know. Not in the way that I love you, but I will settle for your
love as a friend. That alone will get me through my darkest
days."

I smile sadly and hug him tight. I hate him
leaving broken hearted but time might be exactly what he needs to
mend his heart. We get out and I walk him to the departures gate. I
stand with him until he has to get into line at security.

He brushes a light kiss on my lips and I
blush at the gesture. He really needs to get used to kissing me on
the cheek soon, I'm sure Kai won't put up with the lip kissing
forever. Upon seeing my blush he pulls me into a tight hug and
whispers in my ear, "Keep me in mind though, if you ever get
lonely...you know."

I pull away and laugh at his comment only to
see him standing there seriously. "You are crazy." It's my best way
to try to brush it off. "You stay safe." I say.

"Yeah!" He laughs. "I would say the same for
you but we both know you will be just fine. Bulletproof, that's
what you are." He hugs me again and then disappears amongst the
other travelers herding through the security line.

I'm brought back from my flashback when I
hear Kai and Kaylee laughing hysterically. I guess one of them said
something funny. I think back to Tristan's last words and in a way
I'm grateful that I told him about my rapid healing before he left.
I hate having to keep secrets from him.

I look over at Kai who is smiling
unabashedly, his grey speckled eyes sparkling with the reflections
of the sun. He and I share that bond now, the rapid healing and the
possible immortality, which I don't know too much about. I haven't
taken the liberty of trying to test that out yet and I don't plan
to. We have done tests though on our healing abilities. We've even
timed it and found that when cut, Kai heals faster than I do by
several minutes. We don't know what that means but we have several
of the Menehune's researching it as we speak. What Kai and I still
don't know is how such a small amount of that berry caused the
similar outcome in me as the whole one did with Kai. I mean, I
didn't even eat it; the berry was only mixed in with some tea. Kai
told me though that he doesn't regret having given it to me. He
said that without it, I surely would have died. I couldn't have
made it to safety with the loss of blood and severe wounds. While
we don't know much about this gift that was somehow past on by this
'Mana,' we do know one thing: we have to protect this secret. If
that berry or the chief's Mana, were to fall into the wrong hands,
horrible things could happen. I could only imagine the war that
would commence if the world knew that there was something out there
that could allow you to live forever or even extend your lifespan
by a considerable amount.
No!
We can't let anyone else know
about this. We've already taken too much of a risk by telling
Kaylee and Tristan. Not that they would tell anyone, but even
knowing of such a secret could be dangerous in and of itself.
Luckily nobody, including myself, knows the whereabouts of where
the chief's bones are hidden, other than Kai. And Kai will do
anything to protect their location, as I will do anything to help
him with his mission.

"Are you okay?" Kai asks looking at me
through his peripheral vision.

I think about it for a moment and look around
at my loved ones sitting in this car. "Yes, definitely." I say
happily. This is one crazy world and my life is a roller coaster
that has no hope of ever resembling "normalness" again. I'm fine
with that though; normal is the new boring after all!