I Can Hear You (10 page)

Amber

Walking through the portal, I found myself back in the garage apartment in Chicago.   I didn’t want to lead them to Sanstone or to Sarah.

As I left the apartment, Vanessa spotted me as she walked out of her house.  “Amber?  What are you doing here?” 
Was she coming out of the apartment?

“Hi Vanessa, I was looking for Brian. Is he here?”  I lied but I didn’t know what else to say.  As I started to hear her thoughts, I pictured a big thick wall, the way my father had taught me.  It was tall and nothing could get past it unless I let it in. 

“He’s at work.  I was heading that way if you need a lift.”  I smiled, even though I wasn’t happy that my imaginary wall wasn’t working.

“Thanks that would be great!”  Now I just had to make up an excuse to see Brian.

Thirty minutes later, Vanessa dropped me off at the station.  I had to see him now because she had called ahead.  I waved as she drove off.

I walked up to the desk and asked for Mr. Woodard.

“Amber, it’s so nice to see you again.”  I turned to see Brian coming my way with a huge grin on his face.
I’m glad she’s back. I’ve worried so much about her.

My eyes lit up as I said, “It’s really nice to see you too but I’ve only been gone for about a week.” 

He gestured me into an empty room and after we both took a seat he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing and everything,” I laughed.  I could hear the sincerity in his voice.

“Amber, I haven’t told anyone what you can do, not even Vanessa.  You can trust me.  Tell me what been happening with you.” 
I will never tell anyone and endanger her life and nothing she says will surprise me, not after the things I’ve seen lately.

“You really want to know?  You think you can handle the truth?”  He nodded so I continued.  “A month or so ago I started seeing things…creatures that don’t belong here.  I thought I was going crazy.  That day in the alley when we met, three of them fought and I was the only one that saw it.”

I listened for a moment,
It’s so hard to believe but she hears thought for goodness sake!
  He smiled when he realized what I was doing and said, “Go on.”

“The white stone I found in the alley?  It was a transport crystal.  I didn’t know it at the time.  When I was at the funeral, these
things
started chasing me and all I could think was that I wish my mom or dad were here to help.”  His face took a softer appearance.  “The next thing I know, I’m at my dad’s house.”

“What? How?”

“This is going to sound unbelievable and frankly I don’t know why I’m even telling you.”

“I’m glad you are. Go on.”

I took a deep breath and continued.  I liked Brian and I really felt like I could talk to him.  Unlike Sarah, I knew he could handle it.  “I learned there are three different realms: the Human realm, the Cusaleon realm, and the Santiarn realm.  Humans are unaware of the others. The Cusaleons are a peacekeeping race who protects humans from the Santiarns.  The Santiarns look like something from hell and are everywhere.  That day in the integration room, there was one standing behind the man that killed Becky.  He was whispering into his ear, almost as if he were the man’s conscience.”

“Are you trying to say it wasn’t his fault?”  He asked incredulous.

“No, no, no, I think they somehow find evil inside a person and help it to grow, but that’s just a theory.”

Brian started to pace and all I could do was regret my words.  Maybe it was too much for him.  Heck, it was almost too much for me.  How could I expect him to believe in things such as other realms and evil creatures when I had a hard time…even after I saw them?  I didn’t even want to believe in witches.

“I’m sorry Brian, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

He stopped and looked at me before saying, “I’m glad you did.  It explains so much.  I’ve always wondered how people could be so evil and do the vile things that they do.  It actually makes sense now.”  He sat back down.  “Tell me the rest.” He smiled a little.

I laughed a humorless laugh. “The Cusas has a law that says they can’t interact with humans but here I am.”  I grimaced. “They forbid my father from being with my mother.  They whipped him and killed her and now I am the one that will decide the outcome of this war.”  I snorted at the absurdity.  “And they are not allowed to interact with humans.”

He took my hands as he gave me a grandfatherly look.  “So you have to choose between a race that is evil or one that killed your mother.”

“Yes! How can I possibly help either of them?!”

“Because Amber, even though they hurt your family…and you, they’ve helped so many others.  Think about how many people that man terrorized and murdered before we caught him.”

“I know, but it’s so hard.  I don’t belong anywhere Brian.  I want to be with my father but he could get hurt again if they found me there.  I don’t know what to do.”  I lowered my head and buried my face in my hands.

“Amber, you are much more mature than any eighteen-year-old I’ve ever known.  I’m sure that when the time comes, you’ll do the right thing.  You’re a good person.”

“Thanks Brian.”  I smiled sadly.  It was nice to have someone on my side and it did make me feel better.

“You’re welcome.  Now that you’re here, want to help me on a few cases?”

I grinned.  I didn’t have anything else to do today.  “Sure, why not.”

As we walked down the hall he said, “I’m not going to tell you anything about them, you can tell me.”

“Deal.”

As the day passed by, I felt happy to be making a difference.  I found out the name of a drug supplier and the date and time of the next drop.  I told Brian where a jewelry thief had hidden the merchandise and told him why a man would kill his best friend.  There would always be evil in the world but maybe I could make a difference.

“Thanks for all your help Amber.”  He smiled knowing I’d made his job much easier.

“You’re welcome.  I’m going to head out.  Thanks for everything Brian.”  He hugged me before I turned to leave.

As I was walking to a nearby hotel, I heard the sounds of swords clanging together down the alley.  Even though it was dark, curiosity got the best of me and I turned to watch what was happening.  As I watched the fighting, I realized I’d seen this before.  I’d dreamed it.

I stood frozen in an unfamiliar alley surrounded by darkness as I watched swords clash together with the strength of ten men.  Sparks flew and a thunderous noise had me covering my ears and hiding my face.  I could feel my body shaking, worried for the dark-haired man as his muscles bulged with every swing.  Evenly matched.  As I tore my eyes from the swords, and the man that wielded it, I looked at his opponent and gasped with fear.  Its eyes shot to mine and I saw his hate-filled red ones staring back at me.  I couldn’t help but take a step backward.  With his eyes on me, the dark-haired Greek god swung his sword true, taking the creature to its knees.  When he delivered the final blow, his turquoise eyes turned on me, almost glowing.  My heart stuttered before setting a rapid pace.  The only thought that entered my mind; RUN!

That was the exact scene in front of me except this time, I wasn’t as scared but I didn’t want to be caught either.  I turned to run when a deep commanding voice said, “STOP!”

I hesitated and then stopped.  I palmed my comforting stone, which was really a transport crystal.  I slowly turned around to face the dark haired Adonis.  I felt connected to him somehow, even though I didn’t really like him very much.  My body though had other ideas.  I wish I knew what he was thinking, but it was complete silence.  We both just stood there staring at each other.

“What is your name?” He asked and I just smiled.

“Amber.  What’s yours?”  He shook his head.

“No, I asked you your name,” he stated.

Slowly I said, “Aammbbeerr.”  I watched as he clinched his jaw and tightened his fist in anger.

“I can hear your lie, human.  What is your given name?” 

I stared at him while thinking,
I don’t think so buddy!
  There are only two people alive who know my name and I’m not telling this guy.  I also didn’t like the way he said
human,
as if I were beneath him. 

I felt the warm sensation from the transport crystal and since he was still a good ten to fifteen feet away, I smiled and thought of my father.  The portal opened and this time I stepped through it, leaving him alone in the alley.

Mikal

I had been searching the city all day.  I could feel that she was near and that worried me a little.  I shouldn’t be able to feel anything with the protection necklace in place.  The invisible bond between us was getting stronger when there should not be a bond at all. 

As I fought in the dark alley, I could feel her watching.  I couldn’t lose her again.  After I dispatched the Santiarn, I turned and our eyes locked.  My heart sped up to match her own, to beat in harmony together.  True mates hadn’t been heard of in over a 1000 years, but my body was telling me that she was mine. 
Impossible!
  She’s just a human and it was forbidden.

She turned to leave and I almost panicked. “Stop!”  I commanded.  She slowly turned around and I asked, “What is your name?”

“Amber.  What’s yours?”  Why was she lying to me?  It’s just a name.

“No, I asked you your name,” I asked again, a little more firmly this time.

Slowly, she said, “Aammbbeerr,” and I had to fight my anger.  She dares talk to me as if I’m stupid!

“I can hear your lie, human.  What is your given name?”  I was not used to anyone acting so defiant. I gave orders and others followed them.

I watched her consider the question and before I knew what was happening, a portal opened up and she stepped through it. 
Shit!
  I ran for the opening but it closed before I could reach it.

I pulled out my own transport crystal.  I knew she would go to Des’.  That’s the only place she could go.

Stepping through the portal, I didn’t see her or Des anywhere.  Avis stepped out from behind a tree drawing my attention. 

“Commander,” he bowed his head waiting for acknowledgement. 

“Avis, did you see the girl here?”

“Yes and when she spotted me, she opened a portal again and left.  How does she do that without a transport crystal?” 

“It seems Avis that she found the one you lost.”  I felt weary and I didn’t know how to fix this problem, how to find the girl.  I needed to get the transport crystal away from her.  I needed to talk to Des again.

I knocked on his door and waited patiently for him to answer.  When he did, he wasn’t in a very good mood.  “What do you want now?” he asked.

“I would like to speak with you again.”  Des hesitated and then waved me inside.  I didn’t know what to say or how to start.  I finally just decided to ask what I needed to know.  “Was that woman your true mate?”  I gestured to the picture.

After an uncomfortable silence, he said, “Yes, she was.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“I did.  They said it was impossible because she was human and there hadn’t been true mates in over 1000 years.”  His tone was not as harsh, but sadder.

“Is that why you live out here alone?”  I needed to understand.

“When you meet your true mate, you’re drawn to her.  You can’t help yourself.  When the bond is complete, you feel as if you can’t live without the other.”

“But you’re still alive.”  So it has to be possible.

“I am breathing, but I am not alive.  After you find and lose your true mate, you cannot stand the touch from another female.  There is no joy in the world.  When my daughter came back, that was the first time in nineteen years that I felt anything but anger and sadness.”

I sat rubbing my forehead, which spoke of my fatigue.  “I don’t know what to do.”  I finally admitted.  “I found her today and she wouldn’t even tell me her name.”

“Did you ask, or demand?”  I cocked my head at the odd question.  What did it matter if I asked or demanded?  Looking at him, I just shrugged.  “Commander, humans are different.  They don’t like to be told what to do.  They are ruled by their feelings, their emotions.”

“How do I find her?”

He sighed, “I don’t know Mikal.  If you were true mates I’d say just close your eyes and think about her.  The transport crystal will take you to where she is.  That’s how I always found Amaya.  I had to use my heart and not my head.  But I don’t know how to go about finding a normal person.  Sorry.”  Now he shrugged. 

I didn’t miss the slight of him using my first name, but I let it go.  “Thanks for talking with me Des.”

Standing outside, I closed my eyes and thought of dark auburn hair and bright blue eyes.  My heart beat with anticipation as the portal opened and I stepped through. 

I saw her sitting on the ground near a grave.  Instead of alerting her of my presence, I just listened to the cadence of her sad voice.

“I miss you Becky.  I’m so sorry that you died because of me.”  I could see the sadness on her face.  “My life’s a mess.  I found my father but I’m not allowed to be near him because I’m
human.” 
The way she said the word made me wince.  “I don’t belong anywhere Becky.  I’ve always thought that, but now I know for sure.”  She broke down and sobbed and I couldn’t take it anymore.  I wasn’t use to whatever that ache was in my chest.

I walked up behind her but didn’t know what to do.  I wasn’t used to this type of situation.  When I stood right behind her, she startled and looked over her shoulder at me with wide, glistening, scared eyes.  I couldn’t help but rub my chest and try to ease the ache I felt.

She looked back toward the grave and said, “What are you doing here?  Haven’t I been through enough?”

I stood there unsure what to say until I remembered the reason I came.  “We need your help.”

“Ah, that’s right.  I’m supposed to help a race of people that killed my mother, beat my father and thinks humans are beneath them.”  She never looked my direction as she spoke, but I could hear the sarcasm.

“If it matters, I’m the leader and I never ordered your mother’s death nor what happened to Des.  That was before I took Command.”

“It really doesn’t.  You still think I’m beneath you and if these things had occurred while you were in charge, you would have done the same thing.”  I winced, knowing she was right.  She stood up but still never looked at me.  “I have to go; they’re coming for me.”

“What do you mean?  Who’s coming for you?”

She quickly glanced back at me then and said, “The demon people.” 

I didn’t know who she meant.  “You mean the Santiarns?”

“Yes.”

I saw the portal start to open and yelled, “Wait!”  This time she actually stopped.  “Let’s go back to Des’ place and talk.”

“And you won’t take me from him?”

“No.”

“And I can leave anytime I want?”

I wanted to tell her no, but instead I gritted my teeth and said, “Yes.”  She nodded and I knew she wouldn’t run from me this time.  That was a start at least.