Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold) (11 page)

Xander walks over to stand in front of Nate. He sighs before speaking. “Finding out that you’re related to me was definitely an insane moment, but now knowing that you are my blood makes me want to fight alongside you and not against you.”

Xander extends his hand to Nate and waits for Nate to respond. Nate reaches for Xander’s hand, shaking it firmly. They both nod and look intently at each other.

Watching Xander now, I remember the last thought I sent him before he left me standing alone the night he left. I hope your path leads you back to me someday.

Xander releases Nate’s hand and moves around him so that he is looking right at me. “This is the path I need to be on.”

Instantly, my legs go weak, and I lean my body against the sofa for support. I think to myself, He heard me.

Ezra interrupts our stare. “We will start your training tomorrow, Xander. We need to get settled tonight. We have to prepare this place for the next few days.”

I move my gaze from Xander to Nate. Nate’s arms are crossed, and he’s looking down at the ground. I feel torn all of a sudden and need to find a way to escape the feeling.

I quickly say, “Yeah, I’ll pull the car up, so we can get unpacked.”

I move toward the door, but Ezra stops me by heading me off.

“Jesca, you stay inside. Nate, Xander, and I will get the bags. We don’t know who could be watching us. We’ve risked ourselves just by being here.”

I stand at the doorway for a few minutes as the guys bring in bag by bag. How much did we fit in that trunk? I recognize our suitcases, but then I see duffle bags and black metal cases with handles being hauled in. I guess Nate and Ezra put all of those in before I made it into the garage.

Needing to make myself useful, I head into the kitchen to rummage through the pantry, cabinets, and refrigerator for our dinner options. Xander kept his refrigerator well-stocked with food, and my stomach is thankful for it.

Xander carries in one of the cases, leaning awkwardly because of its weight. He asks in a strained voice, “What the hell is in here, Ezra?”

Ezra follows behind him and heads for the kitchen table to set down his briefcase. He begins taking out his laptop. “No one knows we’re here right now. We need to keep it that way for all of our safety. But, while we are here, we need to have protection. Do you have a basement in this cabin?”

I wonder what kind of protection Ezra is talking about.

Xander puts down the box next to the kitchen table. “Yeah, right over here.”

Ezra follows Xander to a door with two duffle bags, one in each hand. Xander opens it, and Ezra follows him down the steps.

Nate comes in with another box.

I start filling a pot with water. I turn and ask Nate, “What’s in all of those boxes?”

Nate looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “I have no idea. Ezra packed these on his own before I got up this morning.” Nate puts the box down next to the kitchen table, walking toward the front door again.

I watch him as he heads to the door, remembering how he looked when Xander spoke to me about his path. I hated how wounded he appeared to be by my interaction with Xander.

Nate stops suddenly and turns to me with his hand on the door. I turn off the water and wait for his move since I’m at a loss for words in this instance.

His eyes look peaceful and warm, and his voice is low and comforting. “Jes, I’m not mad. We are linked, and Xander and you are…” Nate hesitates before finishing, “Something else.” He walks over to the counter in front of me, keeping his eyes fixed on me. “I understand where we stand, alright?”

I hear Ezra and Xander making their way back up the stairs. Before I can respond to Nate, he turns and heads back toward the door to continue unpacking the car.

When Ezra and Xander get to the landing, they both look at me.

Ezra asks, “What are you making in there?”

I blink away my thoughts of Nate. “Uh, just making some spaghetti and meat sauce.
I thought I would make dinner while you guys get us unpacked.”

I can feel Xander staring at me.

Ezra heads for the door. “I think Nate and I can get the rest, Xander.”

Xander walks up to the kitchen island while I am browning the meat and placing the spaghetti into the pot of water on the stove. Not wanting a confrontation to happen right now, I nervously keep my eyes and hands focused on cooking our meal. He wants to talk, but it’s not the right time, not with all that has been unraveled tonight.

Xander doesn’t say anything. He puts his hands on the island and sits on the stool, facing me. “Can I help?”

I reply too quickly, “Nope. I got this.”

Xander sighs and walks around the island to stand next to me.

Being this close to him
, after our time apart, does things to me. Just from this closeness, my body becomes warm, and I’m taking shallow, quick breaths, anticipating what he might say or do.

I stir the meat more vigorously to distract my wandering thoughts—thoughts about him and me and the memories I still hold of him.

Xander puts his hand on top of mine, stopping me from stirring. He turns off the flame on the stove and takes the wooden spoon from my hand. A smile pulls at the side of his mouth while he eyes me cautiously. “Let me help, please?”

Our eyes linger on each other before I move, creating distance so I can watch him work. It’s kind of amazing, observing him in the kitchen.

Nate and Ezra come back in with the last of the boxes. I move farther away from Xander and sit on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. I swing around to face Nate and Ezra. Ezra is already kneeling down, busying himself with unpacking boxes of wires and what looks like a dozen or so radio-controlled Tonka Trucks.

I ask, “What is all of this?”

Ezra keeps unpacking. “Drones and monitoring robots for our protection, just in case we have unwanted visitors.”

Nate opens one of the boxes and pulls out an object resembling a bear trap on wheels. Spinning one of the wheels, he says, “These aren’t the types of trucks I played with in the past.”

Ezra places his hands on his thighs, leaning back to look at Nate. “High-tech Tonka Trucks, kids.” Ezra takes one in each hand and stands. “Nate and Xander, grab some, and let’s set them up around the perimeter of the cabin.”

* * *

After dinner, I volunteer to clean up the kitchen while Ezra, Nate, and Xander are setting up the drones. After about a half hour, Ezra walks into the cabin without Nate and Xander.

Nervousness creeps into my chest. I ask quickly, “Where are they?”

Ezra answers, “They are programming the last of the drones.”

Ezra looks at me like I’m worrying about nothing.

I question cautiously, “Is that wise?”

I’m concerned about both of them, considering they just found out that they’re related and their recent past experiences with each other hasn’t been bright and rosy.

Ezra walks over to the kitchen sink to stand next to me. He leans his back on the counter. His voice is low and firm. “They might as well start getting acquainted right away.”

I keep my eyes on the same dish I have been scrubbing for well over a minute. I can’t help but worry that one of them is going to blow up and hurt the other. Ezra puts his hand on my shoulder. I stop scrubbing and meet his eyes.

“Jes, they’ll be fine. You heard Xander earlier tonight. They both know their purpose.”

I close my eyes and nod. “Yeah, I know.”

Ezra keeps his hand on my shoulder, tightening slightly. I look back up at him, and he’s staring into the living room at nothing in particular.

I ask, “What is it?”

Ezra lowers his hand and looks to the ground. He rubs his hands together quickly for warmth. “Nothing, just had a thought.”

Ezra moves away from the counter. My eyes follow him as he walks to the basement door. He’s blocked me from entering his mind.

“Dad, are you alright?”

Ezra looks back at me from the open doorway. His smile is small, and then he turns, disappearing into the basement.

Chapter 17

Jesca

When Xander and Nate finish setting up the traps, the storm is in full swing. The wind is howling through the attic space, rattling the windows. Ezra briefly comes up from the basement to say he’ll be down there
for a couple of hours, and that he’ll sleep on the sofa tonight. I figure he’s messing around with whatever he had in those duffle bags. The rest of us are tired, so Xander shows us to our rooms.

Xander shows Nate to his room first. I’m watching Nate from the doorway as he drops his bag on the bed and stretches his arms over his head.

Before pulling the door shut, Xander says, “Good night.”

Suddenly, Nate forces the door open and leans against it. Nate and Xander size each other up.

Nate looks at me with softened eyes. “If you need me, just holler, Jes.”

Xander rolls his eyes and turns away from the door. He mumbles to me, “C’mon.”

Repositioning my bag on my shoulder, I glance at Nate and quickly say, “Thanks.”

I catch up with Xander, following him as he heads up the stairs of the cabin. When we get to the landing, I notice only two doors on this floor, and I assume one is his, and the other is mine.

I feel a flutter in my stomach that I haven’t felt in two months. Xander pushes the first door open and walks in. I follow him and put my bag on the bed. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and watches me as I take in the surroundings of the room.

All of a sudden, I feel like I need to explain to Xander the interaction Nate and I just displayed. “When Nate said for me just to holler if I needed him, you got tense. I want you to know that he’s just watching out for me because of my nightmares.”

He doesn’t say anything.

I sit down on the bed and cross my legs under me. I fiddle with a seam on my black cargo pants while I continue explaining the situation. “The nightmares are like premonitions, and they get pretty intense. They’re a part of my abilities.” I brush my hand over my crossed legs and take a deep breath. “Nate is linked to me. He can sense them. That’s why he said what he did.”

With his hands still in his pockets, Xander walks toward me. His eyes never leave mine as he says in a low voice, “You don’t need to explain. I can see that you and Nate have a bond.”

I quickly correct him. “It’s a link because of the likeness of our abilities. That’s all.”

Xander is still looking at me, studying me, as I continue to fidget with my pant leg.

Xander smiles. “That’s all?”

It irritates me the way he says that. How can he be possessive over me when we’ve been here—what—a couple of hours?

I stand up and start unpacking my bag. “Yes, if you must know, that is all.”

I feel him still standing there, looking at me. I really didn’t want to get into anything tonight. “I really need to get unpacked, Xander.”

I hear him walk back toward the door. I don’t look up from my mindless sorting of tops and pants as I put them on the bed.

Xander asks, “Jes?”

I glance at him while pulling my boots and tennis shoes out of my bag, still trying to keep him at arm’s length in the conversation department. “Yeah?”

Xander has his hand on the doorknob. He smiles the same gorgeous smile he wore the day we met.

“I’m glad you’re here. Thank you for finding me.”

He opens the door and leaves quietly.

* * *

I don’t know what wakes me. Maybe it’s the moonlight flooding in through the window of my room. It’s a surprising sight, especially after falling asleep to the rain hammering on the rooftop.

An unexpected feeling tells me that I’m in a dream. I look around the room, wondering if Sebastian will make an appearance. My eyes keep moving back to the window. It seems too bright to be just the light of the moon.

I stand up and walk toward the window. When I look out the frosted glass, I see a burst of stars in the distance. They are moving toward me. The explosion of stars is spreading across the sky, like a celestial wave breaking through Earth’s atmosphere.

With its powerful appearance, I expect its approach to be thunderous. I move closer to the window, listening for any sound from this magnificent show, but there is only pure silence.

A flash of light shoots across the sky, shining directly into my room. I duck and shield my eyes instinctively. When I think the light is gone, I open my eyes.

I’m kneeling in an unfamiliar room. I look up and notice soft incandescent lights zigzagging across the ceiling. I stand and follow the patterned trail of lights to a solid wooden door.

I close my eyes, listening for the humming vibration within me that always alerts me to danger, but it’s not there. Opening my eyes, I reach for the doorknob. As soon as I make contact, I freeze. What’s on the other side of this door?

I quickly pull the door open. Before I can see what’s beyond the door, another flash of light strikes. I don’t close my eyes this time, but I still see nothing.

When the brightness of the light fades, I’m in the middle of what looks like an open farmer’s market. People are maneuvering around me, talking loudly in a foreign language.

I am being pushed and jostled by them. Where the hell am I?

I search for signs of where I could be. I see unfamiliar writing—Chinese or Japanese, maybe. I try to focus on the faces of the people moving swiftly around me, but they are blurred and unrecognizable. I try to find a telltale sign of where I am. I see a flag on one of the vendor’s tables. It’s the Rising Sun. I’m in Japan.

There has to be a reason why I’m here. My dreams are signs or premonitions. I look around frantically for any sign of what my future might hold.

A flash of long red hair catches my eye. Another wave of people pushes me forward, deeper into the crowd. I know the red hair is the key. I push against the crowd, searching for the red hair again. There it is! It’s Siobhan!

I try to yell her name, but it only comes out as a raspy whisper. “Siobhan.”

She doesn’t hear me, and she keeps walking, briefly turning to look at someone close behind her—a girl. I don’t recognize her. She is younger than me, but not by much. Siobhan leans back, whispering to her discreetly. The girl moves closer to Siobhan with apprehension written all over her face. She is frightened, like a new guardian. Who is she?

I feel the solidness of someone occupying space next to me. I turn to see Corinna standing there, looking out among the sea of people. She is looking for someone. I try to reach out to touch her arm, but my arm will not move from my side. I close my eyes and concentrate hard on moving my arm toward her.

Slowly, my arm moves, coming to rest on her shoulder. From the moment my hand touches her, Corinna’s face shifts from stoic to concerned. She turns her head to face me. Her eyes are cold onyx. Her face distorts inhumanly, and then it quickly changes back.

My skin begins to tingle from fear because I have seen this distortion before in reality—from the files of the abducted. Her face distorts inhumanly again. Her cheekbones are protruding now, and her skin is sallow. She turns her head to the side inquisitively as she studies me.

With great speed, she pulls me by my shoulder to face her. Her eyes and brows pull together with malevolent intentions glowing behind the onyx orbs. My pulse quickens.

I tell myself, It’s not Corinna anymore. Get out of here, Jes.

I don’t think in this moment. I just react. My body begins to vibrate, and vertigo sets in. Then, I astral project myself to the other side of the street.

From this angle, I search the crowd for Siobhan and the girl, finding them quickly. I see Corinna’s eyes watching them, stalking their every move. A man comes up beside her. It’s Sam Crest.

Corinna looks across the busy street at me, and Samson’s eyes follow hers. When he sees me, he and Corinna move in unison off of the curb, going after Siobhan and the girl. Without hesitation, I’m after them, using my speed to try to beat them to their prize.

I have Siobhan and the girl in my sight, and then another flash of light floods my vision. When the light fades, I’m in a forest. Near silence is all around me. The only sound comes from the whistling of the wind passing through the crippled tree branches. I look up, seeing lush, green leaves filling the twisted branches. The air is thick with mist, blurring my sight beyond a few feet. It is dark within these woods, but the star-infused sky and the light of the moon have made it as bright as an overcast day.

There is a path cut between a canopy of trees. A small creek runs along it. I can hear the trickle of the water’s movement. I follow the path next to the creek to an opening, leading into a meadow. The meadow is still with a thick mist hovering just above the ground. The explosion of stars from earlier in my dream has expanded to cover the entire sky. There are millions and millions of them. Beyond the meadow is a body of water that divides the meadow from the base of a mountain. My mouth gapes open as I tilt my head, taking in the mountain’s sheer mass.

Suddenly, Ezra snaps me out of my gaze. “Jesca!”

His voice sounds like it’s coming from the meadow. How is that possible? It’s vacant, right? I look back at the meadow, and the sight is heart-stopping.

I watch as average men and women battle with these beings that are double the size of them. What are they?

Just then, I find Ezra and Nate in the sea of chaos. They are fighting side by side. Then, Nate is struck in the face by a man twice his size, and plummets to his knees like a sack of potatoes. I can sense what the being will do next, and I’m afraid for Nate going against this massive thing.

Before I can move toward Nate, the man drops to his knees, crumbling next to Nate. Standing behind the crumbled mass, Ezra pulls the blade from his back. With strength and speed, Ezra pulls Nate up onto his feet. Ezra pulls Nate toward me.

I look at both of them, shocked by what I just saw.

Out of breath, Ezra yells at me, “Jesca, grab hold of Nate!”

Before I can react, Ezra is shoving Nate into my arms.

Ezra continues, “He will heal, but it will take a while after that blow from the being.”

Then, Ezra runs back into the makeshift battlefield.

I yell for him, “Ezra! Come back!”

I see him disappear into the mist that is slowly disguising the crowd of fighting bodies.

I ask Nate, “Are you able to stand on your own?”

He nods and shifts his weight away from my arms.

The sounds of screaming and yelling pull my eyes from Nate back into the field. I search the meadow for Ezra, but I don’t find him. As I continue to scan the bodies that are multiplying on the ground, I look into the distance and see something strange.

Humans, both average and giant, are coming through a group of pine trees, except the trees are blurred and distorted. I move from the path onto the edge of the meadow and blink, thinking I need to refocus my eyes. A hand pulls on my arm. It’s Nate.

Nate warns, “Don’t get any closer, Jes.”

I don’t resist him, but I return my gaze to the cluster of pine trees. I look deeper now, focusing between two trees within that cluster. The distortion becomes dark and shadow-like there. The shadow swirls, becoming a wave for a moment.

Without warning, a woman with a small child in her arms departs from the dark, swirling shadow. Then, without a doubt, I know that this is a wormhole, and it’s not just any wormhole. It’s the wormhole that must be closed to prevent an all-out invasion.

My throat tightens and goes dry while I focus my eyes to look at the trees on a grander scale. The gravitational pull from within this gateway is so strong that the nearby brush and trees are bending and bowing.

The woman gripping the child runs into the woods to escape the battle safely. I worry about where they will go for protection. Who are they? Are they Sondian, Dobrian, or neither? What if they are something else entirely? I feel the urge to go after them, so I pull away from Nate’s grasp.

Nate scrambles to grab hold of me again, but I’m too fast.

He hollers after me, “Jesca, No!”

But, I keep running in the direction of the baby’s cries.

The ground beneath me begins to shake, and I topple over, falling. I scramble to my feet, but I immediately fall again, unable to keep my balance on the quaking earth.

When the shaking stops, I try to push myself away from the ground once more. I can’t. There’s a weight forcing me down. I roll away onto my back, ready to fight the attacker holding me, but no one is there. It’s just the mist.

I push myself up on my elbows, and that is when I see it. The dark, familiar presence is creeping along my legs. I try to scramble back from the darkness, but I can’t make my legs move. I can’t feel them. It climbs onto my thighs, and then it’s on my stomach, pushing me more deeply into the hard ground. Its heavy weight radiates to my chest, pushing every ounce of air out of my lungs. It’s suffocating me. I can’t breathe.

Quickly, I close my eyes and center my mind on my life force, my Qi. I feel it building fast, and I envision releasing it directly at the dark entity. In that moment, I feel the buildup of energy push out from my body into the darkness. Swiftly, the heavy weight releases my body, and I gasp for the air my body has been deprived of.