Dentelle (3 page)

My insight alerted me that Mr. Fat Face was back
in action and about to clobber me from behind.

“I’ll take care of you…you little wench,” he
barked.

I spun around. “Good luck with that,” I yelled
back. Grabbing his leg mid-air, I surprised myself when I lifted him off the
ground. Spinning his body around in a circle several times, I waited until I had
plenty of momentum, and then I sent him spiraling into a bushy spruce tree.

 
About
that time, and much to my surprise, Mr. Squashy Nose, who was now Mr. No Nose,
managed to stagger to his feet. His face and shirt were covered in blood, and
he was holding one hand against his face. “You’re one of them, aren’t you?” he
said warily. “You’re just like Neo.”

“No,” I said calmly, rubbing my hands together.
“I am nothing like Neo.” Even though I wasn’t sure who Neo was, I had a feeling
he was the mastermind behind the kidnapping attempt. Hoping to gain some
information, I said, “If you tell me why this Neo wants my friend, I won’t
obliterate what’s left of your nose.”

He glared at me with his beady eyes and shook
his head. “I’m not sayin’ nothing. But you should be scared little girl. Neo is
gonna rip you apart.”

“Fine. If that’s how you want to play,” I said
calmly, “then so be it.” Frustration and anger had built-up in the pit of my
stomach and was ready to burst. These violent inclinations scared me, because normally
I was a peaceful person. And as a member of the Guardian Network, I’d vowed to
help people – dedicated my life to it, in fact. But the Ray-pacs triggered a
darker side. It was like I became a short-fused stick of dynamite – ready to
blow without any thought to whom or what might be destroyed in my explosion.

Both Jason and Ash had assured me such feelings
were normal, healthy even. In order to save the right people, there would be
times we’d have to eliminate the wrong people. One time Jason had been really
angry with me, though, saying I wasn’t concerned with my own self-preservation.
I’d never forgotten the words from his lecture that day. “Alex,” he’d said,
“There are going to be times when you are in a do or die situation. So if
you’re going to stay a feline when you’re surrounded by a bunch of rapacious
canines – and yes, I meant that word literally – then you better choose to be a
cougar, not a kitten. I love you and I will not lose you again.” He was right.
But what I didn’t like now, were the feelings of anticipation and satisfaction
that accompanied my violent tendencies towards the Ray-pacs.

Banging my fist against my leg, I realized my
morals could be pondered on a different day, because Mr. No Nose wasn’t about
to give up. As he launched himself at me, I blocked left, side-stepped, blocked
right, and then brought my hand up in a blur and grabbed his wrist. When he
splayed his fingers, my other hand shot out, and I yanked his fingers, twisting
them until I heard several snaps. Horrified, I let go and backpedaled a few
feet, almost tripping over a rock.

“You broke my fingers!” he screeched, pulling
his arm into his body. Howling, his faced scrunched up in rage. For a moment,
nothing happened. Then his one good hand shot into his jacket pocket.

 
Not
feeling one bit sorry for him and outraged at the part he’d played in Izzy’s
kidnapping, I spun my body around and released a reverse side kick, which
pretty much destroyed his mouth and whatever was left of his nose. His head
flopped back, his hand fell from his pocket, and he tumbled to the ground. I
shuddered; with a ripped off nose, twisted fingers, and bloodied body, his
zombiesque qualities were daunting. At least he was no longer moving.

Hurrying to his side, I reached in his pocket
and pulled out his gun. The overwhelming stench of blood, smoke, and body odor
polluted my lungs. Gagging, I moved away from him and removed the magazine from
the semiautomatic pistol. After pulling the slide back, a cartridge ejected
itself from the chamber. While I still didn’t like guns, I had a basic
understanding of how they worked and knew how to shoot one. Jason had given me
private lessons, which had been rather fun. Our last practice had been during a
full moon, and the memory of the rewards I’d received for hitting the target
brought heat to my cheeks. Bulls-eye for a kiss. Let’s just say that by the end
of the lesson, my lips were bruised – in a good way, of course.

 
With Mr.
No Nose down and out, I glanced over at Mr. Fat Face. Stock-still against the
tree, he didn’t look like he’d be moving anytime soon, either. And while he
probably deserved much worse, I didn’t have it in me to finish him off. I shook
my head and exhaled loudly. My Guardian friends would not have been so lenient;
they would have sent him to the afterlife without a second thought. Grumbling,
I slipped the pistol into my waistband, turned on my heel, and sprinted out of
the clearing and into the trees. Time to find Laci and Izzy.

Three hours later, the battle was over, Izzy was
safe with us, and everyone in my group was alive. That’s not to say everybody
looked great. Michael, Jason, and Max bore some nasty abrasions and deep
injuries. Then again, being in the vanguard always meant taking the brunt of the
battle wounds. Two of the Ray-pacs had been shifters, which had launched
something equivalent to a wild animal rip-each-other-apart battle. Izzy and I
had revitalized all the Guardians, but Jason and Max needed a little extra
attention for those broken bones and internal injuries. Essence still had no
effect on physical appearance, so while the guys might feel great, they’d look
pretty banged up for a few days.

Just to liven the mood, I’d given them each one
final, intoxicating blast, which had been described by Ash as “a dizzying rush”
and by Michael as “a mind-blowing blitz.” The result was an amusingly chatty
group of Guardians all sharing personal narratives from our midnight
adventures. After I’d officially joined the Bellingham Circle of Guardians, it
hadn’t taken long before I understood why daily martial art training was an
unwritten requirement for all members of the Network.

Sitting atop an outcropping of granite boulders
on Cadillac Mountain, we awaited the much anticipated sunrise. That’s why
Michael had taken us all to Acadia National Park in the first place.
Apparently, because of the height of the mountain and its eastern Maine
location, it was supposed to be one of the first places in the U.S. to witness
the sunrise. Michael and Sienna, who lived only 50 miles away in Bangor, made
it here on a regular basis, and said they were always spectacular. Currently,
the moon and stars functioned as soft-glowing night-lights, keeping us from
being completely enshrouded in the early morning darkness. But I wondered what
landforms might be revealed when the sun crested the horizon.

Settled between Jason and Ash, I rested my hand
discreetly on Jason’s leg. Discretion where Jason was concerned was still
necessary. Especially since not everyone in our group knew we were together.
With the exception of our tight-knit Bellingham Circle, our relationship was a
secret from the rest of the world. As Jason’s woodsy scent cut through the
salty, humid air, my heart rate spiked. I wanted nothing more than to lean over
and kiss him. Instead, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to contemplate a
life where he and I were linked. How amazing it would feel to be all alone up
here on the mountain, snuggling in one sleeping bag. I always felt safe in his
strong, protective arms. In that perfect moment, mingled Essence and skin to
skin contact could easily lead to a night of passion and…

“Sienna, Madison, and Ash really brought the
heat,” Michael boomed with enthusiasm. My eyes popped open and I jolted
sideways, causing Jason to glance at me suspiciously. I grinned, showing all
teeth. “Perfect warfare Flairs,” Michael added his voice laced with admiration.
“I’ll be first to admit I’m jealous. I knew the Ray-pacs didn’t stand a chance
once you guys joined the party.”

“Damn straight,” Madison said, her tone exuding
confidence, as always.

“That’s what we’re here for, man,” Ash jumped
in. “Impressive the damage done with a few energy spheres, huh?”

Madison responded promptly. “Don’t know what
you’re so proud of?” she remarked sourly. “If you were truly skilled, you’d
cause less damage to nature and hit your mark more often. Accuracy and
appropriately sized spheres would save us a lot of clean-up time afterward.”
She cleared her throat. “Bigger is not always better.”

Her comment produced several snickers, but Ash
was quick with a comeback. “No way, sweetheart. That’s where I completely
disagree with you. In fact,” he said, lowering his voice and speaking in a more
evocative tone, “I’d be more than willing to prove you wrong. Size totally
matters.”

I squeezed Jason’s leg and giggled. We were
always debating whether Ash or Madison possessed the biggest ego. In fact,
everyone in the Bellingham Circle placed bets on who would win the most
arguments that week. Let’s just say I usually bet on Ash and lost more money
than I won. It was like those two had been cut from the same cloth but were two
completely different patterns. In general, they acted like they despised each
other, but deep down, I think there was a fatal attraction.

“Not a chance there,
Kurzon
,” Madison said, using the nick-name she’d coined for Ash.
She used it when she really wanted to annoy him, which was frequently. The
first time she’d said it, he’d been baffled and hadn’t known how to respond.

Later, he and I had actually googled it and
found out Kurzon was a powerful demon from the hit series, Charmed, who had
been banished to the Underworld for inciting a failed coup. Madison claimed Ash
would never be a true Guardian because of his short stint as a Ray-pac, and she
constantly questioned his loyalty and his abilities. I hadn’t figured out if
she’d nicknamed him Kurzon because she really thought he was a degenerate or if
it was because she thought he’d screw up and get himself cast out of the
Guardians like Kurzon had been cast out of his group.

“You need to spend more time training and
practicing or you’re going to get burned by your own over-sized fireballs next
time,” Madison added.

“They’re energy spheres,” Ash replied crossly.

“
Ohhh,
Ash. Let it go,”
I said telepathically.
“Quit now, before she annihilates you.”

“Whatever,” Madison said. “Anyways, I was
surprised at how skilled that one Ray-pac was. Better than Kurzon here. His
downfall was that he had me for an opponent, and I’m a genius when it comes to
war tactics. While he was busy launching tree branches and boulders everywhere,
I pelted him with several
small
jagged rocks, which penetrated the skin and sliced him up pretty good. Took him
out of the action…hopefully left him with some scars, too.”

Even though I couldn’t see her very well in the
moonlight, I could hear her scraping a stone against the boulder as she spoke.
I still hadn’t figured out why she was such an egomaniac; Max and Jessica were
exact opposites. Humble.

“I wasn’t much help,” Hannah admitted, a hint of
dismay in her tone. “Having a defensive Flair sure has its disadvantages in the
heat of the moment.”

Jason flinched next to me. “Hey, you weren’t
supposed to come up to the top of the mountain anyways. You’re a mom now, and
you need to be more careful.”

“Yeah, I’m not happy with you either,” Michael
called out.

“I know my limitations. You guys need to stop
worrying about me.”

Jason blurted out, “Hey sis, we just want to
make sure our little nephew has his mom around, especially when he hits the
terrible twos, and later when he…”

 
“When he
becomes a mouthy teenager,” Michael interrupted, completing Jason’s sentence. A
smile was evident in his tone.

Hannah sighed. “Hardly an issue when we have an
Amethyst and a Dentelle around.”

Jason whispered, “That’s true enough, but don’t
tell her I said so.”

“I do miss my two guys, though” Hannah said.
“Don’t get me wrong. I loved hangin’ with all of you and being part of the
action again, but I’m glad I’ll be skipping the Guardian Competitions this year
and flying straight home instead.”

Sienna jumped into the conversation. “I can’t
wait to meet little Thomas Jason. I bet Dan will be happy to have you home. But
Hannah, we were fortunate that Spoiler found you first.” I’d learned Sienna had
some kind of electrical Flair and had been the one responsible for the
lightning strikes.

“I know, right?” Madison quipped.

Okay, they’d lost me. “
Ash, what are they talking about? I don’t want to sound ignorant,
especially with Madison dishin’ it out ugly today. So just tell me quietly.”

He laughed.
“Afraid
you’ll take a beating?”

“Absolutely,”
I admitted freely.

“
You’re
gonna owe me big time.”

“Fine. Now
share already.”

“Oh, the
things I do for you.”
He elbowed me and continued, “
A Spoiler can absorb someone else’s Flair and use it – all while
rendering the person he stole it from “Flairless” for a while. The downside for
the Spoiler is that he is stuck with that Flair and can’t absorb a different
for some time. Basically, he needs to be vigilant before making his choice.”

“Okay,”
I said with sudden understanding. “
That
means the Ray-pac today made a big mistake when he absorbed Hannah’s Flair.
Since her ability to erase memories is defensive, it basically took him out of
the main fight, giving our side another advantage.”

“You got
it, sweet cakes,”
Ash said, and I shook my head. Thank goodness Jason
couldn’t hear him. They might have a “working relationship” but Jason wasn’t
fond of Ash’s easy flirtations. At least he was that way with all the girls –
not just me.

I tuned in and listened as Laci described our
rather uninspiring encounter against the guys who’d been trying to abduct Izzy.
We’d been successful and escaped without even a scratch, but that wasn’t saying
anything since the three big buffoons didn’t have any special abilities.
Changing the topic of conversation, I said, “So, of the seven Ray-pacs, there
were two, now-dead, Shifters, a Telekinetic, a Spoiler, and…” I let my voice
trail off intentionally.

“One girl had the ability to fly until I whacked
her out of the sky with a few fast-flying spheres,” Ash said.

Madison blew through her lips. “I think you’re
mistaken there. I’m pretty sure I did that. And for your information, someone
who can fly is called an Arial.”

Ash groaned but didn’t bother commenting back.

Max cleared his throat. “There was also a
Concealer and the Hypnokinetic who put us in those trance-like states. Waking
up from that usually takes hours. I can’t believe I’m saying this,” he added
good-naturedly, “but we’re lucky Lexi burned us.” That comment triggered
laughter.

“Glad I could help,” I said.
“Ash, what –”

Before I could even ask the question, Ash said,
“A Concealer has the ability to conceal
links, which is why we never sensed the Ray-pacs coming. Even when we were
fighting, and they were all around us, I couldn’t detect their links, and that
was weird.”

“When did
you get so smart?”
I teased.

“Why do you think the trance didn’t affect
Lexi?” Michael asked.

Everyone from the Bellingham Circle responded simultaneously,
“Who knows?” And we all laughed. We asked that question a lot when it came to
why I could or couldn’t do certain things.

I jumped in and said, “Would you believe a bunch
of stinkin’ mosquitoes woke me up. But it was weird. Something didn’t feel
right from the moment I opened my eyes. After I had the premonition and then
none of you would wake up, I was freakin’ out. I hate to admit it, but I
slapped some of you around a few times – pretty hard, too.”

“What?” Madison cried out.

I ignored her. “It wasn’t until I screamed in
Ash’s mind that he woke up, and then you guys know the rest.” I tapped my hand
against Jason’s leg, taking comfort just being next to him.

“Wow!” Izzy exclaimed. “I can’t believe I missed
everything. I didn’t even know I’d been kidnapped. I was out for the whole
thing and didn’t wake up until Lexi blasted me with Essence. Which, by the way,
was a total shock. Since I’m the one always healing others, being on the
receiving end was a total eye-opener. It felt something like a tidal wave of
energy crashing over me.”

Jason laughed. “Yeah, she has a tendency to do
that to people.” Sobering up, he added, “All laughter aside, I think we need to
assume you were targeted before today, Izzy. It’s too coincidental the Ray-pacs
would find us and you out here.”

“I agree,” Max interjected. “I can’t imagine
this is a regular hang-out of theirs – not with the ocean so close by,
weakening their abilities. There’s no way they could have known Izzy was an
Amethyst just by looking at her.”

All was quiet for a moment as we pondered the
implications of what Max and Jason had said. Crickets chirped around us, which
was a good sign, indicating the natural environment was back to its normal
state. I wondered if animals or insects had been affected by the Hypnokinetic,
too. I crinkled my nose. If that was true, why hadn’t it knocked out the
mosquitos? I decided it was probably because they were distant relatives. They
both enjoyed sucking the life out of people – blood-suckers and
Essence-suckers.

 
Interrupting
our quiet interlude, Izzy said with quiet certainty, “I know I didn’t bump into
any strangers while we’ve been here at the park today, so you’re probably
right.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Michael said
somberly. “I think this proves the rumors are true: Ray-pacs are scouting
Guardian strongholds for Amethysts and then kidnapping them.”

“They stalk their prey, hunt in packs, and wait
until the Amethyst is alone or in a small group like ours before making their
move,” Sienna mused aloud.

“They must have felt confident we weren’t going
to be a problem,” Laci said.

“With a Concealer making sure their links were
undetectable, a Hypnokinetic who could put us all to sleep, and a few hired
thugs to carry Izzy out of our camp, I can see why they were confident,” Max
added.

Madison sighed loudly. “Well, they totally
underestimated us.”

“No, not really,” Ash said. “Mostly, they didn’t
count on us having a Dentelle. If Lexi had fallen under the sleeping trance,
Izzy would be gone, and we’d still be out cold.”

Annoyed, I banged my heels against the rock.
While I appreciated Ash’s vote of confidence, I hated being the center of
attention all the time. “Thanks Ash, but really, it took all of us to get Izzy
back.”