Chosen (3 page)

Meredith moaned, and Julia wanted to slap her own forehead.

“I can make that happen,” Edan said.

“How exactly? How do you do it without an imprint?” Drew asked, referring to the shadow of energy the rest of them would leave if they used their gifts; Edan had said he didn’t leave one. “And what about the people whose cars we take?”

Edan, sitting across from Drew, patted his knee. “No good deed goes unpunished.”

Drew’s cheeks seemed to maybe blush; his skin was so dark, Julia couldn’t tell for sure, but she wouldn’t put it past Edan to bother Drew on purpose, the man whore. “How exactly do you do it?” Drew asked again.

Julia winced, already penciling in a perverse answer, but Edan didn’t go there—for once.

“Same way Cayne does things,” he said smoothly. “Except I don’t leave a trace. As the only one of my kind, my ‘shadow’ is unique. I’ve been told that only others like me can track it.” Edan shook his head sadly, but in a way that didn’t really seem sad. “But I’m the only one…alive right now.”

“That’s so horrible,” Carlin said.

“Meredith, we’ve lost them,” Cayne said, looking at Julia and clearly not following the conversation. “Pull over when you can.”

Julia watched Cayne in return as Meredith turned off the freeway—‘the A51’, according to Carlin—and onto a smaller road, which dead-ended at a cafe on the water.

Julia wanted to scream “Are you kidding me!”, but she remembered that, as Carlin had pointed out, there was water everywhere; they couldn’t really avoid it just because of Drew’s premonition.

Edan took the keys from Meredith and got out, and Julia wondered if they were safe just sitting there. Cayne reached out and stroked her knee.

No one said anything, and each second the tension in the car seemed to double. Fortunately Edan pulled up beside them within seconds, driving the same model van, but this one painted white.

“Carlin, could you re-set the GPS?” Meredith asked after they all piled in.

“Certainly.”

“Wait—where are we going? Specifically,” Drew said.

In Julia’s still-swimming head, everything seemed to have an echo, but Drew’s English accent was the worst.

“We decided on St. Moritz,” Meredith said, back on the A51 and weaving through traffic.

On the way to the airport, right after the attack on the Chosen compound, Mer had filled everyone in on the resort that was supposedly a haven for ‘ex-pat’ Chosen. She’d claimed that Monte had told her a bunch of details about the place and the people—“But that was like a year ago. I don’t really remember much—except that there’s a tiger on the resort’s helicopter landing pad. Or maybe it was a lion.”

“This sounds like something you invented,” Drew had said.

He said it again this go ’round. “You don’t even remember who told Monte those things! How are we to know this is even remotely reliable?”

“Because it is,” Mer insisted. “He didn’t tell me who told him because I never asked.”

“Therefore it
still
sounds like something you made up.”

“Why do you think I’ve been studying German for the last year, dummkopf!”

“I don’t know,” Drew said, still skeptical.

“He said it was a popular resort town on the border with Italy. And that it had a tiger on the helicopter landing pad,” Mer reiterated.

They continued to bicker until Carlin settled the argument. “This is the only lead we have. We’re going and we will check it out and move on if it isn’t right.”

St. Mortiz was in the Graubünden region, where rich people liked to hang. Carlin pulled a fold-out map out of her coat pocket and started sharing St. Moritz facts; to Julia’s dismay, there was a lake there, too.

After Carlin folded the map back up, silence fell over them, and Julia used the moment to try to shake the spacey fugue that seemed to have overtaken her mind. Out of nowhere, she remembered Harry’s super-secret 30
^th
anniversary surprise trip for Suzanne. He’d planned a two-week tour of Europe, with stops in Italy, France, Germany, and yes, Switzerland. He’d let Julia in on his secret just a few months before Samyaza ruined her life—and ended theirs. Harry’d had a secret savings account for three years, putting away money. Just two more…

Drew cleared his throat. “So. They’re really here.”

“Oh, yes,” Carlin said. “And they sent the best.”

“For Julia,” Edan said, arching a brow at her.

“Well they’re not getting her,” Mer snapped.

“No. They’re not.” Cayne leaned forward and put his hand on Julia’s knee.

Julia wished she could disappear. Cayne’s eyes were on her, worried and loving and she didn’t want it. She didn’t want anything to be happening at all.

Behind her, in the two front seats, Meredith and Carlin started talking softly—so softly Julia could hardly hear them, but she definitely caught the name “Adam” and the word “immobilized” before her apathy bubbled into temper.

She turned around toward the front, feeling uncharacteristically angry. “You know, there are other people back here, too. Other people in the same situation you two are. And at least one of them doesn’t know anything about being
immobilized
.” The word caught in Julia’s throat as she imagined herself unable to move, spirited back to the compound, placed in front of The Three.

And okay, the compound wasn’t there, and The Three were supposedly old men.
Old men that have a ‘leash’ on you…

Carlin leaned into the back seat, her hazel eyes wide. “We weren’t meaning to be rude.”

“I know.” She frowned. “But you kinda were.”

Julia saw Meredith’s eyes meet Carlin’s in the rear view.

“What?” she snapped. “Seriously. I heard you mention Adam. What’s his deal?”

“He can immobilize people,” Meredith said slowly.

“And that’s what happened to Drew? Not Dizzy?”

Drew nodded, tight-lipped, and Julia felt a rush of guilt and gratitude.

“He was aiming for me, wasn’t he?”

“He didn’t get you,” Cayne said.

“Thanks,” she said to Drew, who shrugged. “It’s not often I get to look gallant. And—” he said, with one of the sweet smiles he reserved for those he really liked— “I’m a bit fond of you.”

“Did you guys see Theirry?” Carlin asked. Her voice was high and squeaky.

“I did,” Meredith said.

“And? What’s his power?” Julia prodded.

“Gift,” Meredith corrected.

“Thank you, Nathan.”

Meredith winced, and Julia felt awful. She was so busy thinking about The One that she wasn’t thinking of anyone else. “So…”

For the longest second, Cayne’s concerned gaze pinned her and everyone else just held their breath, refusing to meet her eyes.

Well, really just Carlin and Drew. Edan seemed bored. “Theirry is good at transportation,” he said. “Kind of like time-travel, but on this time plane. He can take someone and zip across the globe in seconds.”

Chatter filled the car, but Julia’s mind was frozen.

Adam could immobilize you and Thierry could spirit you away.

And she never would be heard from, ever again.

CHAPTER THREE

“I call king, far left!”

Meredith bobbed up and down like a cork in a choppy sea, her long, black hair bouncing.

“King, middle!” Carlin laughed, dropping down onto the cushy white comforter.

“King, right.” Edan’s gray eyes narrowed naughtily, and the look he gave Carlin was seriously wicked.

“If anybody is sleeping beside Carlin, it’s me,” Julia said, crossing her arms. “Edan, you’re on the floor with the dust mites.”

“Harsh.” He widened his gray eyes in that obnoxious, faux shocked way guys had that said
you’re being ridiculous
.

“Whatever. Just go away so we can get ready for bed.” She waved toward the door; Cayne led the way, probably more out of fear than kindness. When the door was shut, Meredith walked over to Julia and put both hands on her shoulders, the way a parent might do to a child having a tantrum.

“How ya holding up?”

And Julia could tell from her softening eyes that Meredith was figuring it out for herself, using her special “sensing” ability.

Julia took a step back, making a face. “Why don’t you tell me?”

“Or me,” Carlin put in, hugging a pillow to her chest. “I need to know what’s what.”

Meredith shook her pretty head. “I’m not spilling anybody’s secrets. But I will cast one vote in favor of Julia staying in the room with Cayne while Drew gets a hot shower for the pulled muscle he’s been whining about and you, Edan, and I go check the roof for tigers.”

Julia smirked in a very Cayne-like way, then wiped the expression off her face; she wouldn’t have his smirky Cayne-li-ness rubbing off on her. “Are you sending me to boyfriend therapy?”

“I think she is. You need it, grouch.” Carlin chucked the pillow at her, and she and Meredith headed for the door. Mer turned around and mouthed ‘talk to him,’ and half a minute later, Cayne stepped in.

Julia glowered. “Where’s Drew?”

“He went with them. Edan promised Shirley Temples.”

“Isn’t that a
non-
alcoholic beverage?”

Cayne took a few lazy steps in her direction, and Julia couldn’t help but stare at his chest, ripped and totally on display now that his thrift-store military jacket was hanging on the hall tree of the president’s suite in their swanky hotel—one of the only ones on the north side of St. Moritz whose helicopter landing pad was visible from the ground.

“I don’t think Drew knows that. Edan made reference to the bar…” Julia frowned as she lost her train of thought, her eyes distracted by Cayne’s amazing lips.

He reached her side and laced his fingers through hers, his sharp eyes never leaving her brown ones. He squeezed lightly, sending butterflies through Julia’s belly, and tipped his forehead down to hers. 

She allowed herself to close her eyes—just for a second. To inhale him. To pretend they were on an Amtrak, headed somewhere else.

“How’re you feeling?”

She opened her eyes. “I’m fine,” she said, too fast.

“Is this the fine that means ‘not fine’?”

“Not that I know of.”

Cayne pursed his lips. “Are you speaking Venetian?”

Only that cute little quizzical expression could lighten her mood. Julia laughed. “How do you know about that book?” Julia had seen the relationship guide on Suzanne’s bookshelf years ago.

“Saw it in the airport bookstore,” he said, a shade proudly. “I miss Mars.”

Julia shoved him gently and let go of one of his hands, leading him by the other to the bed.

“I’m allowed on it, eh?” He sounded so…Scottish…she grinned a big, smitten, if-a-tad-reluctant grin.

“Aye, you are.” She hopped up and pulled him behind her.

“Aye, meh lass.” Cayne wrapped his arms around her and eased her back onto the pillows, feathering kisses over her nose and cheeks. She shut her eyes, wanting more…but when she opened them, she found him balancing his weight on outstretched arms, hanging there over her as if he was doing a push-up. Hanging there and looking very serious.

“What?”

He dropped down onto his elbows, his lower body easing gently onto hers. One of his hands drifted down to stroke her hair out of her face and Julia’s breaths started coming in pathetic little pants.

“Cayne…” It was a high-pitched whine. A protest? The others…were coming back…
Weren’t they?

She reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt collar, pulling his mouth toward hers, and the last thing she thought before his lips touched down was
how had she become like this?
Like one of the girls from group home who’d gladly do any menial punishment for the crime of sneaking a boy into their room…

Julia’s eyes flipped open. Cayne’s mouth never had touched hers. Nope. And it wasn’t going to, either. His face was inches above hers, his eyes looking tortured, his lips pressed flat.

“What’s wrong?”

“That’s what you were supposed to be telling me. Wench.” He rolled off her, lying on his side with his head propped on his hand, an expectant expression on his handsome face. His hair was still short from the cut she’d given him…back when they were in that random hotel room, trying to find Samyaza and figure out the Stained. That felt like a billion years ago.

She sat up, crossed her legs, and placed her palms on her knees.

“Cayne…I really am fine. Tired? Yes. Ready to find the tiger? Yes. Ready to get to a safe place? If it even exists? Yes. But there’s nothing wrong with me. My head feels normal. Physically, anyway.”

She’d meant her update to be more lighthearted, less exasperated and tired; instead she’d made Cayne’s expression darken.

“Please tell me the truth,” he said, and his body shifted, just a hair closer so his hand could reach out, the tip of his pointer finger brushing her knee. “You haven’t said anything about what Edan told you.” She looked at him blankly, and he arched his brow—the shrewd bastard. “About being the Chosen One.”

“I know, I know.” She sighed and covered her face with her hands, like a pouty kindergartener. “I think it’s just The One, not the Chosen One. And I have no thoughts to share.”

He shot her a chastising look.

“What? I’m not thrilled about it, okay? And I’m ready for it to be over with. If it’s even true.”

“Over with?” At first she wasn’t sure if he was protesting her syntax or the idea itself. “What do you mean ‘over’?”

“Well, there’s got to be someone who can make sure I never get another bad headache. Someone who can not only make them go away at the moment but make sure they never happen again. I’m sure we’ll find out something when we find these other Chosen. In the meantime, let’s just focus on getting there.” She forced a smile. “You should consider yourself lucky. Some women talk for days on end.”

In a second, he was sitting up, his lithe arm reaching out, his warm hand closing around hers. “I like to hear you talk.”

Julia batted her lashes, covering the pleasant shock she truly felt at how…sweet Cayne was being.

And it just popped out. “You’re pretty romantic for an über villain.”

*