Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) (39 page)

               
He shakes his head.  “We help the human race as much as we can.”

               
“How?”

               
“We are all doctors, scientists, and such,” her dad replies.  “We don’t
want what happened to our race to happen to humans, though at the rate they’re
going, we won’t be able to do much.”

               
Kayla puts her finger up. “Hold on, I need some water.”  She walks over
and opens the cupboard.  “Does anyone else want some?”

               
“I do, but I can get it.”  Damien steps beside her.  He gives her a
soft smile and she smiles back.

               
After she has the water, Kayla turns back to her dad.  “So what did you
mean by what happened to our race?”

               
Her dad sighs. “On our planet there were two races, our race and the
Kenga.  The Neturu are the shapeshifters, and the Kenga are telekinetic.”

               
“Whoa, they could move things with their minds?”

               
“Yeah,” her father says.  “Not to boast, but the Neturu are a far more
superior race.  We are extremely intelligent.  The Neturu had all the
technology and exceeded the Kenga.  We shared our technology as much as we
could, but they didn’t quite understand it.  Trying to help them led to our
downfall.  The Kenga grew bitter about what we were capable of, so they
did what they could to retaliate.  They found out what hurt us and used it
to try to kill us off.”

               
“How?”

               
“Biological warfare. They tried to wipe out our species, but by doing that,
they started to kill the planet.  The Neturu are a peaceful species, and
the council refused to start a war.  Since the Kenga wanted us gone, and
they were killing the planet in the process, we left.”

               
Kayla frowns. “Did they follow us?”

               
“No, they didn’t have the knowledge on how to build and fly the ships.  We
gave them what they wanted.  We left and never went back.  It took a
while before we found Earth.”

               
“How long have we been here?”

               
“For about 300 years; intellectually, we were so beyond the human race, we had
to hide.  The major advances that the human race has had are mostly
because of us.”

               
With a snort, Kayla says, “Way to take credit.”

               
“It’s the truth,” Damien interjects.  “The doctors use their knowledge to
help find cures.  The scientists use their skills to advance the human
race.  Everyone has a reason for what they do.”

               
Kayla smiles. “And as botanists, what’s your contribution?”

               
“There are a few of us that have a wide knowledge of the plants that help
humans, but we also help the Neturu.  We only have a few native plants
from our planet.  Kiej being one of them,” her father answers.  “We
don’t generally get sick, but there are plants that help sustain us.”

               
“So Kiej is poisonous to humans?”

               
Her dad nods.  “Yes.”

               
“Interesting. This is a lot to take.”

               
“That’s understandable,” her mom says.

               
“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hendrickson,
”
a voice says from behind them.
“
I’m
glad you’re back.”

               
Everyone turns to see Jackson walk into the room.  Kayla instantly
smiles.  He looks at her and smirks back. 

“Jackson, it’s wonderful to
see you again,” Kayla’s mom says.

               
“You too,” Jackson replies.  “Kayla, I have your homework.”

               
“Thanks.”

               
Pointing at Kayla, Jackson says, “Can I borrow her for a minute?  I have
something I want to show her.”    

               
“What’s that?” Damien asks.

               
“Just a minute, something between the two of us. You can come if you want,
Damien, since I doubt you’ll stay behind,” Jackson retorts with an annoyed
tone.

               
Kayla looks at her parents. “I’ll be right back.”

               
“Okay, honey,” her mom says.

               
Jackson nudges his head and Kayla follows him out of the kitchen.  “Come
on, it’s in my room.”

               
“I bet it’s in your room,” Damien snaps sarcastically from behind them. 
Jackson just rolls his eyes.

               
“Okay, what’s up?” Kayla asks when they enter his room.

               
Grabbing two manila envelopes off his bed, Jackson replies, “We got our papers
back.”

               
“Oh, you cheat!  You looked, didn’t you?”

               
“Nope,” Jackson replies.  “I had the teacher put them in the
envelopes.  I wanted to do this fairly.”

               
She sticks her hand out. “Give me yours.”

               
“Okay, but you can’t open it until I say so,” Jackson states as he hands it to
her.

               
Kayla leaps toward him.  “I want to see it.”

               
“What are you going to do when I win?” Jackson inquires snidely.

               
“Nothing, you’re going to be my slave when I win,” Kayla declares.

               
Holding his envelope out, Jackson says, “On the count of three. One,
two…three.”

               
Giddily, Kayla rips hers open and takes out the paper.  She looks at it
and frowns.  “Holy crap, Jackson.”

               
“No, no, no, you have to read it first, and then we’ll share scores.”

               
Kayla smirks and sits down on one of the chairs.  With a sigh, she reads
his paper.  When she’s finished, Kayla groans. “I can almost bet that you
beat me.”

               
“I don’t know; this is a really good paper.  You got a pretty high
score.”   

               
“What was it?”

               
Jackson walks over to her.  “Okay, you show me mine and I’ll show you
yours.”

               
“Okay,” Kayla replies, standing up.  “Ready…one…two…three.”  She
flips the pages over.  When her eyes fall on her score, her jaw
drops.   “I did it.  I beat you!”

               
“Crap, you did.” Jackson laughs.

               
Leaping, Kayla jumps into his arms.  “I won! Hahahaha, you have to be my
slave
!”

               
“You beat me by one point,” Jackson murmurs in her ear.  “Don’t let it go
to your head.”

               
“Uh-uh,” Kayla retorts, looking at him.  “I won, fair and square. 
You are my SSSLLLAAAVVVEEE.”

               
He chuckles against her.  “All right, I will be your slave for one
day.  You have to pick the day.”

               
“Oh, I’m going to save it for something epic.” Kayla giggles as she pulls away
from him, though she doesn’t leave his arms.  “
Epic
.”

               
“All right, all right,” Damien interjects.  “Enough about him being your
slave.  I willingly volunteer to be your servant whenever you want.”

               
Kayla laughs lightly and steps away from Jackson.  “It’s not as much fun
then.”

               
“Yeah, I can’t wait to see what you make me do.” Jackson sighs.  “Okay,
let’s go back to your parents.”

               
Kayla skips to the doorway.  Turning around, she yells, “I am the
champion.  I am officially smarter than you!”

               
“Oh really?” Jackson murmurs mischievously.  “I say we haul out trivial
pursuit and see who comes out on top.”

               
“That would be me,” Damien snips.  “It wouldn’t be fair to play against
you guys.”

               
Jackson looks at Kayla.  “That sounds like a challenge.  What do you
think?  Think he could take us?”

               
“Let me say this,” Damien inserts.  “I will let you two be on a team
against me.  That sounds fair.”

               
Kayla crosses her arms. “I will school both of you.  So why don’t
you
team up.”

               
Damien laughs. “My dear, you will be mad at me if I beat you.  That’s not
nice.”

               
She cocks her eyebrow.  “Oh, it’s on!  Dinner, my parents can ask the
questions.  Wait, I hope you own trivial pursuit.”

               
“Yup,” Jackson replies.  “What does the winner get?”

               
“The losers have to answer a question.  The winner can ask anything,”
Kayla offers as an idea.  She grins.

               
Damien smirks.  “Oh, I like that.”

               
“That may end up blowing up in our faces,” Jackson mutters.

               
“No, I think it’s an excellent idea,” Damien chirps.

               
Nodding, Kayla agrees. “Me too.”

               
Finally giving in, Jackson says, “All right, I’ll get the game.  What are
we doing for dinner, anyway?”

               
“Pizza!  Come on, board games and pizza.  It’ll be fun.”

               
“Okay.” Jackson chuckles.

               
Snapping his fingers, Damien declares, “I’m going to check what her parents
want on their pizza and then order it.  Meet you guys in the dining room.”

               
“Sounds great!” Kayla cheers.  Damien turns and leaves the room. 
Kayla turns to Jackson.  “I beat you.  You know that right?”

               
“Yes,” he groans.  “You had a better paper.”

               
Kayla dances around the room. “I am going to make you serve me breakfast in
bed…paint my toes.  Oh,
and
you
’
re going to have to give me a massage.  Yup, damn it,
I love massages.”

               
Jackson’s eyes widen.  “Don’t you think Damien may have a problem with
that?”

               
“But see, if he did it, it would turn all sexual, and I know you will keep it
platonic.  Besides, it’s not like he’s my boyfriend.”

               
“Do you want him to be?”

               
Kayla stops dead in her tracks.  “I don’t know.  It’s a little soon
to say that, but…I did just let him buy me a car.  I mean, technically it
was his dad, but still.”

               
“HE WHAT!”

               
“Bought me a car,” Kayla whispers.  “It’s an electric car.  He
remembered I wanted an eco-friendly vehicle.”

               
His eyes don’t move from her.  “Kayla, what did you do today?”

               
All humor leaves Kayla’s face.  “We kind of went for a drive.”

               
Bringing his hand up, Jackson covers his face.  “Those brownies were to
keep you from shifting so he could take you somewhere.”

               
“Maybe.”

               
“Okay, well, I’m glad it didn’t blow up in his face.  That’s good, but
Kayla, you aren’t impressed with guys that throw money around.”

               
She bites her lip. “No, not usually, but his dad wanted to do it, and you have
no idea how much I want it.  It’s so cool!”

               
“Whatever,” Jackson mumbles.  “That’s between you two.  Let’s go.”

               
“Are you mad?” Kayla asks quietly.

               
With a heavy sigh, Jackson replies, “Yes, I’m furious.  Damien should
never have taken you out of the house.  It was stupid and reckless,
especially over something like a car.  You can’t even drive right now.”

               
“I know.  I guess it was a bad idea.”

               
“Kayla, I don’t want anything to happen to you.  Do you understand
that?  Your safety is my number one concern right now,” Jackson states
with pleading eyes.

               
“Thank you.”  She looks at him for a minute and then says, “I was
fine.  I didn’t get hurt or anything.  Had a creepy guy pop in on me
when I was in Shima, but other than that everything went fine.”

               
Shaking his head, Jackson retorts, “What?  What about a creepy guy?”

               
“I was in Shima and this dude appeared, had to have been around twenty-one,
blond hair, blue eyes.  He said his name was William Caster.  He said
horrible things about Damien.  He said he knew who you were too, and that
your parents must have hidden motives about getting you and me together. 
I didn’t want to say I agreed with him, but anyway...”

               
“Where was Damien?” Jackson snaps.     

               
Kayla looks down.  “He was signing papers for the car.  I was in his
car and safe.  The guy didn’t hurt me; he just creeped me out.”

               
“He shouldn’t have let you go to Shima alone,” Jackson growls, clenching his
fists.