Dentelle (43 page)

Just when I started feeling rejuvenated, ready
to stand on my own two feet, intuition told me something big was about to rain
down on us. Jason must have sensed it too, because he grabbed me, flung me over
his shoulder and started to run for it
.
“Hold on tight,”
he said. Over his shoulder, I watched as a massive shower
of chairs, tires, metal scraps, pipes, and oil drums pelted the ground behind
us. He kept running, and the ride was bumpy; his shoulder blade jabbed into my
stomach. But that was the least of my worries. There was no way he could dodge
every piece of debris even though he knew exactly where each one would land. It
was impossible, just like it would be impossible to avoid getting wet in a
thunder shower. A group of telekinetic Ray-pacs had to be teaming up on us. The
sound was deafening. Others, Guardians and Ray-pacs alike, were getting
pummeled, punctured, and knocked over. It was insanely messy – a bloodbath.
Soon the path behind us would be an industrial junk yard, and we’d be at the
bottom of the pile.

Then, out of nowhere, Laci was there. With her
invisible shield, she repelled the junk and protected us. Not just Jason and I.
There was Ash, Madison, Mr. Nelson, Trevon, some Guardians I recognized from
the Houston Circle, and a few others who looked familiar. Jason set me down
carefully but pulled me close to his body. Wrapping his arms around me, he
leaned forward and rested his cheek against mine. His face was soft and smooth,
but the sight before our eyes was rough and chaotic. We watched in awe as a
spray of metal and junk came within two feet of us and then reversed
directions, scattering in disorderly flight back throughout the building.
Goosebumps popped all over my body. I noticed the smell of oil getting
stronger. The scent was deceiving because it didn’t smell like tar or gasoline;
it was mellow…softer – a sweet crude oil.

I glanced at Laci and realized she was exerting
a lot of energy to maintain the shield – one that kept growing as more and more
Guardians crowded inside with us. Shields were rare, and I wondered if she was
the only one here. Her normally bouncy curls were damp and frizzy. She was
sweating profusely, but her blue eyes were clear and determined.
“Laci needs my Essence,”
I said to Jason
and hurried to her side. She jolted in surprise as I touched her shoulders and
walloped her with Essence.

She smiled but didn’t turn her focus away from
the scene in front of us. “Thank you! I needed that,” she called out.

Jason sidled up next to me and draped an arm
over my shoulder.
“We stick together.
Remember,”
he whispered in my mind.

As one of the oil drums soared through the air,
the lid flew off, and the black liquid poured out of the drum spraying in an
arc like a sprinkler. A fireball shot right through the jet streams of
petroleum, and they ignited in a fiery aerial display. It reminded me of the 4
^th
of July fireworks over Lake Union in Seattle – more specifically, the ones that
resembled weeping willow trees. Except that’s where the beauty and similarity
ended. When the burning tendrils reached the warehouse floor, the explosion was
massive. I could even feel the heat through Laci’s shield. Huge clouds of thick
black smoke began filling the room. Hissing and spitting sounds accompanied the
explosions that tore through the compound.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ash shouted.

Laci nodded. “Stay tight. Compact. And move
fast. We’ll head for that left corner door,” she yelled, and we all started
running. Once outside, we cleared away from the building. The full moon was
still shining brightly, which was good, because it was dark – only a couple
hours until sunrise. The battle was already mostly over – with a Guardian
victory imminent. I learned there were members from the Houston, Bangor, Tulsa,
and Bellingham Circles, so the Guardians had actually outnumbered the Ray-pacs.
The injured Guardians were gathered in one area so Amethysts could heal their
injuries. We needed to work quickly and get out of the area before the fire
department and police cars arrived.

That’s where I was reunited with Jessica. With
arms wide open and her ponytail swinging side to side, she ran towards me and
engulfed me in a monstrous hug. “You’re alive! I knew you would be,” she rushed
on. “But I was so worried when I found out you were with Kieran.” She squeezed
me tighter and pulled back. Shaking her head, tears fell down her face. “You
might be shoeless and a complete disaster, but at least you’re all in one
piece.” Digging her fingers into my arms, she shook me. “You’re in crazy
trouble, you know that? I promise I won’t be too hard on you though, because
you’re gonna get your butt kicked by everyone else.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” I said, casting my eyes
downwards.

“I’m just glad you’re finally safe. Now, let’s
get to work and get out of here.”

“Have you seen Izzy?” I asked, glancing around anxiously,
wishing we had a little more light.

“No worries,” Jessica said, perking up. “She’s
in a safe location with Ava Rose, and they’re going to meet us in Houston.
That’s where we’re heading for now, and then we’ll catch a plane back home
after we get everything sorted out.”

We worked alongside each other, healing the
injured and giving energy boosts to those who were spent. When I spotted James
lying motionless in the bushes, I assumed he was dead. I didn’t feel an ounce
of grief for that child abductor. When I noticed his key card, an idea hit me.
Knowing we had little time, and remembering the Guardian journals Kieran had
mentioned, I asked Ash if he would try to find them. I explained where Kieran’s
bedroom was on the twelfth floor. Happy to comply, he and Madison went on a
quick search. I noticed they were hand in hand as they dashed away, and I
smiled.

As the flames from the burning compound began
lighting the night sky, we heard sirens in the distance. That was our cue to
exit. Even though the Guardians had fared well, we’d still had some casualties.
I was deeply saddened when Shelby told me Kathy and Collin from Bellingham had
been killed as well. There were tears, hugs, and then lots of rushed good-byes
as the sirens drew closer. Then the Tulsa Circle headed north and we headed
south with the Houston group. Almost everyone from Bellingham was present,
including the Nelsons and the Walkers. Nervously, I asked Jason about the
absence of his sister, Hannah. I sighed in relief when he informed me she was
already in Houston, awaiting our arrival. She hadn’t been allowed to join the
battle. Apparently, there were strict rules for new mothers. But because
Houston was safe, and her ability to clear Ava Rose’s memories of Oklahoma City
was necessary, she’d been allowed to go there. So, it was destination Houston
for all of us.

And while I still had to deal with the fall-out
from all my lies, the nightmare was finally over. Kieran was dead. Izzy and Ava
were safe, and Jason and I were linked.

“Have I
mentioned what a stunning Dentelle you are, even in that filthy, ripped up
purple dress?”
Jason chuckled, a radiant smile emanated from his handsome
face. I laughed. It felt so good to laugh.

I laughed a lot more over the next couple weeks.
I cried some too. But it was all good. The best laughter, though, came from six
little girls squealing in delight as they raced down a huge blow-up water
slide. An Orca killer whale water slide, at that. Our tight-knit group of
Bellingham Guardians, along with Ally and Ben, were celebrating Ava Rose’s
ninth birthday on Towhead Island. In addition, we’d brought five of Ava’s best
girlfriends, and we’d been joined by Michael, Sienna, and Izzy. They were just
visiting for the weekend while the Senior Council settled on a safe place to
relocate Izzy. Sienna had also thought it would be therapeutic for Izzy to
spend time with friends, especially me. After the traumatic experience we’d
endured, we’d formed a special bond, and it was important to stay in close contact.

We were all seated comfortably, relaxing in the
outdoor living space while the girls splashed each other in the pool area at
the bottom of the Orca slide. A few feet away, Max, Michael, and Dan, Hannah’s
husband, had just fired up the two grills. Steaks and hamburgers were on the
evening’s menu. Earlier in the afternoon, Jason had made good on his promise to
take Ava Rose out on the yacht in search of Orcas for her birthday. We’d
cruised over to the west side of San Juan Island and into Haro Strait. With
clear blue skies, temperatures in the high 70’s, and smooth waters, we couldn’t
have asked for a more perfect day.

Wearing their matching Orca t-shirts and Orca
visors I’d ordered on-line, the girls had been all smiles. In major competition
with each other, they’d kept their eyes glued to the ocean, each one impatient
to be the first to spot a whale. I’d just hoped for Jason’s sake, the whales
intended on making an appearance. I guess birthday wishes do come true
sometimes, because the killer whales did not disappoint. Ava Rose was the first
to spot a dorsal fin, and soon after, a black and white body breached the
ocean’s surface. Six mesmerized little girls danced around excitedly, clapping
their hands while oohing and aahing. For the next hour, eight Orcas put on a
show, spraying water from their blow holes and leaping out of the water. I’d
never seen Ava so happy.

“How in the world did you get a rental place to
bring that slide out here to the island?” Hannah asked incredulously. She was
bouncing an adorable and babbling 9-month old Thomas Jason on her knee. He kept
pointing to Ava and her friends. Beyond them, gorgeous western views of the
Pacific Ocean and the outlying islands provided a breathtaking backdrop.

Jason chuckled under his breath. He was sitting
next to me on the deep-cushioned sofa.

“Don’t you
say a word,”
I warned.

Ash snorted. “Rent? Ha! She didn’t rent it. She
bought it!”

“What?” Hannah and Sienna said at the same time.

“Hey, big mouth,” I said, giving Ash a dirty
look. “That was supposed to be a secret.”

“How was I supposed to know that?” He raised his
hands in bewilderment and Madison elbowed him.

I looked suspiciously at Madison. “And where did
you get your information?”

Madison shrugged and examined the ends of her
shimmering black hair as if looking for split ends. Not that she’d ever find
one.
“I’ll never tell.”
She smiled.

“You just
did.”
Her eyes widened but she refused to look at me. Placing a hand on my
hip, I turned to Jessica, who was sitting on my left. “I thought I told you it
was a secret.”

She pressed her lips together and tipped her
head. For once she was wearing her hair down, and I couldn’t see her face.

“Jessica!” She peeked up at me. “You are so
guilty. I can see it written in those green eyes.”

“Oh, fine!” she huffed. Sitting taller, she
said, “I might have told Madison.” At that point, Laci cleared her throat and
Shelby coughed. “Okay! Okay!” she said with exasperation, flinging her hands
about. “I might have mentioned it to a few other people, too.” There was a lot of
laughter at this point, and I found myself smiling as well. “But, really. You
shouldn’t be ashamed. You have every right to spend that million dollars on
whatever you want. Mrs. Zimmerman would be proud of you right now. If anyone
deserves to be spoiled rotten, it’s Ava Rose.”

“I agree,” Ally chipped in. “But it’s also been
good for you too, Lex. You’ve had so much fun ordering all these party favors
and planning the perfect birthday party for Ava. It’s occupied your mind and
made you happy. You’ve even been amped about spending money, like I get when
I’m shoe shopping.” Ben, who was sitting next to Ally on the loveseat, didn’t
say anything but nodded his head emphatically at her words.

I sighed, and Jason placed his hand over mine. I
looked down, marveling at that little gesture. So common for others but so new
for us. I would never take anything or any moment with Jason for granted. Not
even something as simple as a hand touch. Glancing up at Izzy, I said, “I never
thanked you properly for getting Ava to safety. It was pretty crazy in Houston
and then before I knew it, we were on a flight back home. So, thank you, from
the bottom of my heart.”

“No,” Izzy said adamantly. “Thank you for
getting us out of there, Lexi.” She jumped up and came over to give me a hug.
Tears sparkled in her eyes and mine.”

“You guys are going to make me cry. Stop it,”
Jessica said.

“I know, right?” Laci muttered, swiping a hand
across her cheek.

Izzy sat back down, and I looked at Jason’s sister.
“And Hannah, thank you for taking away all of Ava’s memories of Kieran. I still
feel bad we had to do that to her, but I know it was for the best.”

“It was the right thing to do,” she responded.

“Yes, it was,” Jason added, squeezing my hand.

After that it was silent for a while. As we
watched Ava and her friends giggling and running around, everyone seemed deep
in their own thoughts. I was thinking about how blissfully ignorant Ava would
remain of Kieran and anything associated with him. What a blessing! Hannah had
erased Ava’s memories while she was sleeping, and then Max had put Ava on the
front porch of her house, rang the doorbell, and immediately shifted into a
cat. I felt bad from the standpoint that Ava was unable to remember a whole
week of her life. She couldn’t explain where she’d been or how she’d gotten
home.

The police and everyone had been completely
baffled, but her foster family had just been happy to have her home safe and
sound. It was a weird situation, though. I had to pretend to be just as
surprised and excited to see her again. I had to remember not to mention
anything about our time in Oklahoma City, because even though we’d both lived
it – she now hadn’t. The doctors had checked her out and said she appeared
perfectly healthy. They diagnosed her with temporary amnesia but thought
eventually her memories would come back. They had no idea how wrong they were
on that account.

Sometimes, I almost wished my memories of
Oklahoma City could be erased too. But I knew they couldn’t. They made me
mentally stronger and more resilient. And without Kieran and Oklahoma City, I
never would have discovered I could multi-link – or that Jason and I could be
together. I stole a glance at him. He bit his lower lip, raised his eyebrows
seductively, and said
, “Want to sneak off
and fool around?”

“Not
fair,”
I said, crinkling my nose.
“You
know I can’t disappear with you and have a make-out session while Ava’s here.”

He looked aghast.
“Who said anything about making-out? I was talking about practicing some
martial arts moves out on the practice mats.”

“Sure you
were.”
I giggled. Dang, his smile was so disarming and those full lips just
begged to be kissed.

After we’d returned home from Houston, I’d
thought for sure he’d be steaming mad at me. What with my mountain of lies, and
all. And yes, he’d been upset, but he’d forgiven me quickly. As it turned out,
he knew firsthand how Kieran’s threats compelled people to do things they
normally wouldn’t. Jason had experienced an ultimatum from Kieran as well – and
had been ensnared the same way Ash had. Madison had been with Jason at the
time, and with Kieran promising to murder Ava Rose and me if they didn’t come
willingly with his men, they’d had no other choice. Madison had never received
Ash’s text, because she’d no longer had her cell phone by then.

What no one could have foreseen, was that Miss
Palo would be visiting Oklahoma City at the exact same time the Ray-pacs were
swooping in for Kieran’s big event. Miss Palo had been there to partake in an
annual 20K charity run and had become worried when she detected an
overabundance of links all over the city. There was no Oklahoma City Circle of
Guardians. Not all cities had one, but Tulsa and Houston did, and they were
just a hop north and south. While Miss Palo had been trying to figure out what
was going on, she’d had a premonition of the Guardian–Ray-pac battle. She’d
been shocked to see me in her snapshots.

Immediately, she’d called Houston and Tulsa for
back-up and then placed a call to Jason’s dad. It didn’t take long before they
had put it all together. Michael and Sienna had already started wondering why
Jason hadn’t shown up for lunch. Then Jessica had Ally call and chat with my
mom. A few seconds into that conversation and Ally knew there was no dying uncle
and that I wasn’t with my parents. Luckily, Ally had been discreet, and my mom
never knew I was missing or that there was a problem. By the time the
Bellingham Circle was on a plane bound for Oklahoma, a frantic Izzy called with
more detailed information and a location of the compound. The rest was history.

Ava Rose yelled to me from atop of the water
slide, “Lexi, watch this.” I waved and watched her glide down on her stomach.
When she got to the bottom she looked at me expectantly, and I gave her two thumbs
up.

“Burgers will be ready in ten and steaks in
fifteen,” Max called out, waving some big utensil in the air. The grill
sizzled, bringing with it that great barbecue smell blended with a pepper
medley mix Max had seasoned the steaks with. I could almost taste the juicy
tenderloin.

“What is that weapon?” Trevon called out.

Pleased, Max smiled. “This is the Stake
all-in-one tool. It transforms from a spatula to a fork to a set of tongs. It’s
brilliant! Thanks again, honey,” he said to Laci. “You’re the best.”

She shook her head. “He’s such a gadget guy.”
Lowering her voice, she turned towards us. “You should see what I just bought
him.” We all leaned in. “You know how he’s always telling everybody to slow
down when they eat because it’s so much healthier?”

Madison snorted. “Yeah. It’s so annoying. He’s
been doing that with me ever since we were like eight years old.”

Laci nodded vigorously, her curls buoyant once
again and her blue eyes crystal clear. “Well, I found a fork that talks and
tells you to slow down if you start eating too fast.”

We all cracked up. Then Ben and Trevon started
talking about some other cool gadgets. I called out to Ava and the girls,
letting them know dinner would be ready in ten minutes.

After handing Thomas Jason off to Dan, Hannah
came back and collapsed into her chair. “Wow! That little guy is the light of
our lives, but he sure knows how to keep me on my toes. I don’t think I’ve read
a book or relaxed in the tub since the day he was born.” We laughed, and then
she looked at Jason and said, “So, everything’s squared away with the Senior
Council?”

“Yes!” Madison broke in before he could answer.
“That’s the one good thing about this mess. Now that we’re all linked with
Lexi,” she paused, shook her head, and sighed deeply, as if it was still too
terrible to believe, “We’re staying. You know how they’ve always frowned upon
linked partners who opt to live in separate cities, so they can’t very well
change the rules on us; wouldn’t make any sense to separate us now. But thank
goodness,” she said dramatically, “Dakota has asked to stay in Montana, and
they okayed that for now.”

“I don’t think anyone knows what to do with us,”
Jason said with a troubled frown.

Ash laughed and smacked his hands together.
“Yeah, especially Mr. Wright and Carlos. While Mr. Wright and some of the
others were trying to decide if Lexi should link with more Guardians, Carlos
was worried Lexi was already too powerful and that one day she might usurp the
whole Council. Really, it was a riot. They’re clueless.”

“They just piss me off,” Jason said angrily.
“They don’t need
to do
anything but
leave Alex alone. The way they always try to control everyone, and especially
her – it’s not right. And most the time it’s for their own personal gain. They
don’t seem to care about her feelings or what she’s been through.” He realized
he was digging into my leg and said, “Sorry.” He took a breath and said, “At
least you stood up and gave them a piece of your mind.”

“Yeah, that was definitely the highlight!” Ash
said. Leaning back in his chair, he clasped his hands behind his head.

“Why? What did you do?” Hannah asked,
practically falling out of her chair with impatience.

“You mean what didn’t she do?” Madison said, a
rare note of respect in her tone.

“I want to hear this,” Michael said, rushing
over from the grill.

I tensed, remembering the impromptu Senior
Council meeting. Jason, Ash, Madison, Izzy, Dakota, and I had all been there to
share our stories in front of the entire Council. We’d just gotten back two
days before. It was nice to have Miss Palo there, imparting her side of the
story. It had also been good to see Ahanu again and have his support. Luckily,
we’d had the meeting in Seattle, so I’d driven straight there after a short day
visit with my parents.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and fiddled with
my earring. “Well,” I said guiltily, “first thing I did was blow my temper. I
kind of went off about how I wouldn’t be linking with anyone again unless I
chose to do so. And then I told them if my current links remained permanent I
most certainly would not be adding any additional ones. Besides that, it was a
good time to let my feelings for Jason be known. I told them that watching him
nearly die made me realize I was in love with him, not Ash, and then…”