See How She Runs (16 page)

I looked up at him and realized he was
right. While the anger felt good and it allowed me to pull myself
out of the grief just that morning, I couldn’t allow it to drag me
under. It would be just as destructive as my grief if I allowed it
to be. Like my mom always said, it was all about choices. I could
choose to focus on the loss or I could focus on the memories left
behind by both of my parents. I chose the memories, but I allowed
some of the anger to linger. I was more than a little pissed off at
the people that had taken them from me. That was not going to go
away anytime soon.

“How about I just direct my anger in their
direction? See, that seems like a healthy outlet right?" I smiled
at both of them, hoping that I sounded convincing. Somehow I don’t
think either one of them was buying it.

“Whatever, I am famished. Let’s cook some
dogs!" Ian said, once again changing the subject.

“Sounds like a plan man," Kennan said as he
headed toward the fire and skewered a hotdog on a stick.

We sat around the fire, cooking the hotdogs
and eating in relative silence. Relative was the term of choice
where Ian was concerned. I was pretty sure he felt physical pain if
he did not talk every few seconds. He would totally lose the quiet
mouse game. I ate one hotdog and between the other two guys the
three packs disappeared. I did not know whether to be disgusted or
impressed. We sat there, digesting for a while before Ian jumped to
his feet.

“I challenge you to a dual of swords, good
sir," he said with a mock British gentlemen’s accent.

“I accept your challenge. What shall we
wager my good man?" Kennan asked in an equally horrible accent.

“I wager the couch. If I win, I get to sleep
on the couch and you must retreat to the floor like the dog you
are," Ian said with a flourish.

“Aye, we have a gentlemen’s accord. On with
the dual. Izzy shall be an impartial observer. Although I must warn
you, I imagine she will be more on my side than yours," Kennan said
as he looked toward me.

I was afraid they would pull out real swords
at any moment. Instead, they picked up two of the sticks we had
used for cooking the hotdogs. They took up what I imagined was a
sword fighting stance.

“On guard, you pigeon," Ian shouted before
lunging toward Kennan.

Kennan blocked the blow with grace and
swirled in the opposite direction, swatting Ian on the back as he
went.

They both looked at me expectantly, like I
was supposed to do something.

“What?" I asked, honestly unsure of what I
had missed.

“You are supposed to say strike to whomever
landed the blow. In this case it was me," Kennan preened.

“Fine, one strike to K.O," I said.

“K.O.?" Ian asked.

“Yeah, all of the girls back in Chicago
called him K.O., mostly because they thought he was a knock out,
but also I am guessing because of his initials," I said.

“Not all of the girls called me that,"
Kennan said with a knowing look.

“Whatever, I have called you K.O. before. It
just feels weird," I said rolling my eyes. He did not need me to
stroke his already inflated ego.

“Hm, we should come up with a nickname for
me," Ian said hopefully, before regaining his stance.

“How about I.T.O.?" I asked.

“What does it stand for?" Ian asked as he
and Kennan circled one another.

“Ian the Obnoxious," I said as Kennan landed
another strike while Ian was distracted.

A mock look of affront graced his face as he
blustered, “First, that strike does not count. That infernal woman
distracted me. Second, that was not very nice Izzy. I know not if I
shall ever be able to forgive you for wounding me so.”

“Two strikes to Kennan. You shouldn’t allow
yourself to be distracted Ian. Really, if this were a real battle
would some maiden be able to distract you?" I asked.

“If she were as pretty as you, and her
tongue as venomous, I imagine she might," he said with a wink in my
direction.

The two of them went back to circling one
another. Blocking each other’s blows with the experience their
lives had given them. They circled and blocked the strikes,
becoming more aggressive the longer the fight went on. Ian circled
around Kennan and finally landed a strike.

“One strike, Ian," I said, trying not to
sound impressed.

Ian circled closer to me and landed a kiss
on my cheek, causing blush to rise to my face.

“Kissing the judge won’t help you win Ian,"
I said, trying not to show how he had affected me. Kennan was the
only guy that had kissed me in any way for the past few years. I
looked up at the man in question to see fury brewing behind his
eyes.

“Are you going to play at courting or come
and fight me, man?" Kennan asked.

“Uh oh, I think someone is a little upset
that I sullied his Seer’s virtue," Ian said to me in a stage
whisper, only inciting Kennan more.

They went back to fighting and Kennan landed
three more strikes consecutively.

“Five strikes Kennan. How many are we going
to anyway?" I asked.

“Five strikes is the winning amount of
blows. Sad really, I was quite looking forward to sleeping on the
couch. Alas, the floor she calls to me. Who wants some s’mores?"
Ian asked before practically skipping back toward the fire and
food.

“You got a little serious there buddy.
Everything alright?" I asked Kennan once Ian was out of
earshot.

“I just don’t like the idea of the two of
you. He is a player Izzy. Just be careful with him, okay?”

I burst out laughing, unable to control
myself. I knew that the only reason Ian was flirting with me was to
piss Kennan off. There was no way I could ever see myself with Ian.
Granted, he had kind of grown on me. Much like a fungus grows on a
tree. But, I would never entertain any serious notions of a future
with him. He was gorgeous in his own wacky way. But I was already
taken with someone else. Not that I would ever admit to that.

“What? Why are you laughing at me?" Kennan
asked, stunned by my outburst.

“There is nothing to worry about there from
either front Kennan," I said, before heading back to the promise of
a blackened marshmallow.

Kennan followed me back to the fire with a
confused look on his brow.

“Lovers quarrel?" Ian asked as we approached
the fire.

I slapped him on the arm and realized how
happy I was to have met him. He was the comic relief I needed and I
wondered if my mother had any hand in him coming.

“Hey, did you know my mom?" I asked as I
loaded a marshmallow on a stick.

“Yep, she was like a little sister to me. I
loved her as much as anyone who ever met her did. You are a lot
like her, you know?" Ian said in a rare moment of seriousness.

“My gods woman, what are you doing to that
marshmallow?” Kennan asked disgusted.

The marshmallow in question was currently on
fire and turning a delicious black color.

“I like my marshmallows blackened. They are
crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside," I said before
blowing the flame out and eating it.

Both of the guy’s faces cringed, like they
had just witnessed something truly disgusting. I ignored them and
put another marshmallow in place of the first and went about
setting it on fire.

“That is really gross Izzy. Seriously, and
your teeth are covered in black specks now. It looks like your
mouth is rotting," Ian said.

I just chomped my teeth at him like I was a
deranged zombie. Before all was said and done I had eaten five
burnt marshmallows and the guys had consumed the rest of the bag
and all of the s’mores supplies.

We sat around the fire joking around. It
made me realize how much I had missed out on by not making more
friends. I could see how my mom would like Ian. He sort of brought
out the happiness in everyone he was close to. Even Kennan seemed
more his old trickster self with Ian around.

“So, Ian, have you met your girl yet?" I
asked, wondering if Ian had a Seer out there unprotected.

“Izzy, that isn’t something you should ask a
Guardian," Kennan admonished.

“Well, how was I supposed to know? There is
no guide book. Or is there some sort of welcome pamphlet I didn’t
get?" I eyed Kennan quizzically. “Sorry Ian. I really didn’t mean
to pry, well I suppose I did. Sorry all the same," I said.

“You are fine Izzy, and no I have not met my
one and only yet. But I am holding out for someone with a
remarkable sense of style and panache," he said with a wave of his
hand.

“Maybe she can teach you a thing or two," I
said laughing as Ian threw a stick at me.

We headed in as the fire turned to embers. I
said goodnight to the guys and headed to bed. I wanted to try and
find my mother in my dreams that evening. However, when I finally
did drift to sleep, I felt the void. She was really and truly gone.
No longer would she fill my dreams with her calming and sometimes
alarming presence. No longer would I be able to reach out and
connect with her. I sighed as I walked through the fog, wondering
if I would ever find Xavier again. As soon as the thought danced
across my mind, Xavier was standing before me.

**********

“
Well hello dear, did you want to talk?"
he asked me condescendingly.

“
Not really. I just want to know where
you are so I can come and punch you in your stupid, smug throat," I
said, wishing I was better at the whole tough talking
thing.

“
Funny, I want to know the same thing.
Where are you?”

I felt him try and pull from my thoughts and
quickly constructed a mental brick wall hoping that it would deter
him.

“
Interesting talent you have there. Did
your little protector teach you that?" he asked with a curl of his
lip.

I was amazed at how someone so handsome
could be so unbearably ugly all at the same time.

“
Nope, natural talents and all that. So
why don’t you tell me where you are little man. Because I am coming
after you and I am going to rip everything you hold dear out of
reach. I am not going to stop until you have lost everything you
have worked so hard to gain. I am coming for you. With or without
your help, I will find you and you will pay."

Ooooh, that sounded tougher. Sweet.

“
I don’t doubt you will try. But I must
go. Hey, do me a favor. Tell my brother I said hello will you?"
Xavier asked.

The look of confusion on my face spoke the
words I could not.

“
Oh, how rich, he didn’t tell you? That
is priceless. Oh well, I shall see you again soon. Tata for now,"
Xavier said, before disappearing back into the fog.

**********

SIXTEEN

I sat up in my bed and threw the covers off.
I looked down to make sure I was decent. After all, there was a
pinky promise to abide. I stormed to my door and threw it open,
shouting in the process.

“Kennan O’Malley, you deceptive son of a
biscuit eater! I swear, if I were as big as you, I would seriously
be able to do some sort of physical damage. But as I am not, just
know, that I am incredibly pissed off that you would keep something
like this from me. Aaaaaahhhh!" I yelled.

I was madder than a wet hen.

“What are you talking about Izzy? In what
way have I deceived you?" Kennan asked tiredly.

“He is your brother. YOUR BROTHER!" I
shouted as I chucked a pillow at him.

“Who is my brother? What are you yapping
about woman? Maybe try and make some sense.”

“Let me break this down for your Neanderthal
brain. Xavier. Is. Your. Brother. And you DID NOT TELL ME!" I
shouted, looking for something else to throw at his stupid enemy,
brother-having head.

“When did you talk to him, Izzy? Does he
know where you are?" He sounded scared which deflated my anger only
slightly.

“Just now, I was walking through the fog in
my dreams and looking to see if my mom was still lingering, which
she is not. But then I thought about trying to find Xavier and poof
he was there. And no, before you freak out, he does not know where
we are. I built some sort of brick wall so he couldn’t go digging
in my head. Don’t try and change the subject though, your brother.
He of evil bastardness is your brother. Not like we are all part of
the same brotherhood, but like hey we have the same parents. Also,
we should do some sort of memorial for my mom," I said with a stomp
of my foot.

Ian snickered from the corner. “Bro, you
didn’t tell her he was your brother. Oh, you are in the doghouse
man," Ian laughed as he turned over and went back to sleep, tuning
out whatever we might say next.

“Can I come in your room and talk so we
don’t wake sleeping beauty over there?" Kennan asked tiredly.

I nodded and he got up and followed me into
my room, shutting the door behind him. It suddenly felt very closed
off with Kennan so close to me. The anger having dulled my sanity,
I suddenly felt the desire to climb him like he was some great
tree. I shook myself and looked up at Kennan waiting for an
explanation. I would deal with my lust later, for now I wanted
answers.

“Yes, he is my brother. His real name is
Xavier O’Malley. The way Guardians come into existence is similar
to yours. When a Seer and a Guardian have a child that child will
either be a Guardian or a Seer based on whether they are female or
male. Can I sit? This is a really long story and not one I have
told many people," Kennan asked and moved toward the bed to sit
when I patted the mattress.

Kennan’s body heat soaked into me and I
found it hard not to get distracted by his closeness or the shape
of his mouth. His lips just looked so dang kissable. Hard and soft
in all of the right places. Jesus, Izzy, put that on the back
burner. Long story, muddled past, big bad brother. Priorities. I
tuned back into Kennan just as he began to speak again.