Marked by Destiny (4 page)

I couldn’t hold
back the laughter. “I won’t say a word! Unless of course you tell
Michael something about me that you’re not supposed to.” Thank
goodness the focus had gone back to her, not me and Michael.

“Like what?”
She was suddenly interested in what I might have to hide.

“Sorry to
disappoint, the only thing I haven’t mentioned is...” I pointed to
my shoulder blade. “And you already know that one.”

“Yeah, I can’t
tell him that one or you’ll never speak to me again.” She glanced
out her review mirror and added in a quiet voice. “Have you noticed
any changes from it? You know, like the urge to turn into a
Grollic?”

I laughed.
Nobody would be watching us, and the way she asked if I was turning
into a wolf seemed too comical. “Well,” I said pretending to play
with the hem of my shirt. “I did feel like howling at the moon the
other night. Think I’m going to change?” I batted my eyelashes and
tried to look innocent and worried.

Grace slapped
my arm. “Not funny!” She laughed despite the fact. “If you start
changing into a Grollic, Caleb’s going to skin you alive. First
he’ll take you to the lab torture chamber and then he’ll skin
you.”

I straightened.
She may be joking but that’s probably what Caleb would do. “I’m not
a Grollic.” I said with more fierceness than I meant. I had no idea
if I could be or what I was, but I didn’t want to be one. Maybe I
could will it away. “Let’s just drop it and head to school. We’re
already ten minutes late.”

Grace checked
her watch, suddenly probably not wanting to have this conversation
anymore. “I would hate for Ms. Graid to have a nervous breakdown
before tomorrow.”

“True.” Ms.
Graid was Port Q’s high school secretary, I was pretty sure she had
been there when the school had originally opened in 1922.

Grace drove
straight to the school and parked in her usual parking spot. I
looked at the school and actually had a tiny little pain of regret
about graduating. All my life, I couldn’t wait for this day, and
now that it was finally here, I actually felt a little sad. I had
loved the architecture of the building and had enjoyed my
classes.

“Grace, I’m
going to miss going to high school with you. I had fun.”

“Fun? You’re
here one year and in that year, you find out that Grollics exist,
your best friend and boyfriend are living dead people, you’re
kidnapped by some Grollic only to find out you have a gift to
control those mongrels! Yeah, definitely a year you would want to
remember!”

“I should write
a book and sell it.”

“That my dear,
could make money.” Grace laughed and then looked at me slyly.

“What?” I
didn’t get what the look was for.

“You plan on
staying with Michael forever, right?

I nodded, not
quite sure where she was going with her train of thought.

She pointed to
my necklace. “That’s Eternal Love. Not a couple of years or fifty
years. I don’t want you growing old while Michael and I stay this
way forever. We’ve got to find a way to make you one of us.”

“That’s not
possible.” I blinked and swallowed. My throat ached with the
pressure of trying to hold back painful tears. I wasn’t one of
them, I had Grollic written all over me – all over my back.

“I’ll find a
way. Even if Michael won’t. Just remember that okay? It’s a promise
between you and me – our secret.”

She jumped out
of the car before I could say anything and started walking towards
the school. I jumped out and ran to catch up with her.

“Our secret.” I
confirm without saying another word.

Grace looked
over and smiled as she gave me a quick hug. “Just so you know
Michael’s not the only one who loves you. You’re like a sister to
me and I want you around forever as well!” She pulled me towards
the gymnasium. “I can hear Ms. Graid calling out attendance and she
sounds agitated. Sounds like we aren’t the only ones who are pretty
excited to be graduating tomorrow!”

Inside the gym
Ms. Graid stood on the stage with a microphone in her hand, trying
to call out names. The physical education teacher finally blew his
whistle and hollered for everyone to find a seat before he threw
one at anyone still standing.

Grace saw
Simon, a friend of ours, and we headed over to sit with him. No one
noticed we had just arrived. Simon planned to head to Florida for
university. He decided Miami was where all the girls would be going
that he wanted to get to know.

With everyone
finally quieting down, Ms. Graid explained how we would be
accepting our diplomas, where we would need to walk and when we
were to flip the tassel on our hats to the other side. She went on
and on, most the kids already ignoring her and chatting amongst
themselves.

“Your gowns are
already hung in alphabetical order with name tags on them,” Ms.
Graid drone on. “You will be sitting in alphabetical order during
the ceremony. No exceptions.”

Grace leaned
over and whispered, “I’ll make sure our names are beside each
other.”

I raised my
eyebrows at her but she just winked at me as she sat back in her
chair. After another hour of practice run through we finally headed
out of the school for the last time as students. Tomorrow we would
be walking out as graduates, entering the real world. I already
felt older than the typical eighteen-year-old. To me, this piece of
paper was the final evidence of my freedom. It was hard to explain,
but after spending my entire life in the foster care system and
never being allowed to make my own decisions, I was finally going
to be handed the piece of paper that allowed me to be considered an
adult, and be left on my own.

I had already
had a taste of this freedom back in January when I had been thrown
out of my foster care home. My foster folks Jim and Sally were no
longer going to be received government checks for my care so they
had given me the honour of kicking me out. Sally had mumbled
mysterious things before she took off, and I planned to find her
back east when we got there. I had no idea if Jim was still here or
what had happened to him. I didn’t care. Thankfully, Grace’ family
had come to my rescue and invited me in without a second
thought.

This diploma
was the one last piece of paper that had kept me sane and held
everything together when I wanted to fall apart.

Grace and I
headed towards her yellow Beetle and parked beside it was Michael’s
mustang. My heart skipped. Suddenly everything felt much brighter;
the sky, the grass, all the colors around me.

Michael stepped
out of his car carrying a bouquet of white freesias. I knew I had a
big, goofy smile on my face. I didn’t care because all I thought
about was my prince had come to see me. Dressed in jeans and a dark
blue polo top, he looked beyond amazing. His skin was tanned like
Grace and his dirty blonde hair looked lighter in the sunlight. He
casually smiled in our direction but I could feel from his
Sioghra
he was very excited. The necklace gave me a glimpse
of his emotions when he was near me. He was up to something or had
some kind of surprise in store. I could feel it.

“Hello Red.” He
had taken to calling me Red since last January, when I had saved
him from the Grollics. It had caught on and Grace began using it as
well. I was their own little red riding hood who had saved them
from the big bad wolf.

“Michael! No
‘hello’ for your sister?” Grace shook her head and pointed to his
hands. “Your twin, your own flesh and blood?”

It took an
effort to tear his gaze away from me. “Yeah, hi sis.” He rolled his
eyes heavenward and then winked at me as Grace’s mouth opened to
speak again. He cut her off before she had a chance. “Relax Grace.
There’s a gift for you. I didn’t forget. It’s on the passenger seat
of your car. For the record, you’ve not officially graduated yet so
technically, I don’t have to give you anything until tomorrow.”

She stuck her
tongue out at him but went to the passenger side of her car to see
what he had bought her. She groaned as her head popped above the
car and she pulled out a new pair of bright orange fuzzy dice.

“Seriously?”

Michael shot
her a beaming smile before turning back to me. He handed me the
flowers. “Almost congratulations.” He kissed me on top of the
forehead.

“Thanks,
they’re beautiful.”

“And smell
almost as wonderful as you.” He murmured.

“So Caleb let
you leave the office?” I tried digging for information without
appearing too obvious. “No autopsy’s to preform today?” I
joked.

“Funny girl.”
He knew me too well. “I’m curious to know what all Grace has told
you. And for the record, Caleb doesn’t control everything –
especially me.” He gently reached for the flowers and set them on
the back seat of his car.

I noticed my
Wolf Book lay there beside them. I stared trying to fight the
burning urge to snatch it up and protect it. I hadn’t seen or
touched it in months and suddenly it was the only thing I wanted. I
stuffed my hands deep into my pockets to appear less obvious.

Michael either
didn’t notice, or pretended he hadn’t. “Caleb ran all the tests he
needed.”

I knew there
had to be more to Caleb giving the book back so quickly. Fast as
the supernaturals were, they couldn’t rush science. “What does he
want?”

“He just asked
me to mention he
hoped
you might take a peek at the book
before we left.” Michael shook his head. There had obviously been
some words between the two of them.

“He wants to
know if anything’s changed since January, right?”

Michael sighed
and leaned against his car. “He’s concerned you have been looking
but can’t read the book anymore and that’s why you haven’t said
anything about it. I tried explaining the truth, but when Caleb
gets something into his head, there’s no stopping him.”

Caleb was not
one to give up easily on something. “I’ll have a look.”

“Please don’t
do him any favours.”

Grace piped
into the conversation, “It’ll only go to his head. He’ll expect it
from you time and time again. Look at the book only
if and
when
you feel ready!”

“Thanks,
Grace.” Michael threw his sister a dirty look and opened the car
door for me. “She’s right,” he whispered, “Just don’t tell
her.”

“I heard you!”
Grace said as she jumped into her car. “See you later. Don’t be
back late, big day tomorrow.”

He saluted her
as she drove off. I waved and got into the Mustang. “So where are
you taking me?” I leaned into the back and grabbed the old, worn
leather journal. It felt warm in my hands and wonderfully soft
against my fingertips.

Michael started
the engine and pulled out of the school. “Just thought we could
take a little walk before we head back home. Or I can walk and you
can sit and look at the journal if you want.”

“Where? The
park? By the water?”

“Somewhere less
busy.” He drove past my old street and in a few minutes pulled into
a cemetery. Not the average place a boy would take his girlfriend
but it did make me smile. This was actually the first place we had
met almost a year ago. I had been out running and he had just come
back from… I actually had no idea what he had been doing that
night.

“Want to walk
or read?”

“Let’s walk,
and maybe stick to the paths.” I said with a smile, recalling that
the first time we met. “I promise not the fall over any
benches.”

“Or decapitate
any angels?” he teased. We got out of the car. “Don’t forget the
Grollic book.”

I flinched.
Michael sounded like Caleb.

Chapter
4

I hesitated,
unsure if I needed to walk first and build the courage to look at
the book. I knew it was ridiculous, but that didn’t change the
fact: I was scared of it.

Michael came
around the car and held his hand out to me, and I instantly reached
for it with my own. His hand was warm to the touch and felt
wonderful in mine. He didn’t mention the book, just locked the car
doors and pulled me toward the nearest path.

We walked for
several moments without talking, just enjoying the silence
together. I watched him as we walked, enjoying all his features in
motion. He was tall and slim but his physique was extremely strong.
It was obvious in the way he held himself as he walked or even in
the casual way he would lean against the car to talk with me. His
entire body was hard like the marble stones here at the cemetery,
but he created a heat inside that was unbelievable.

He turned to
look at me and smiled. “What are you thinking about Rouge?”

Heat rose to my
cheeks. “Well, first I was checking you out and thinking about how
handsome you are. Then I was thinking about how lucky I am to be
with you. I still think you’re crazy to be interested in someone
like me, but I have no intention of trying to convince you to
change your mind.”

He laughed and
pulled me closer to him. His lips brushed my forehead and teased my
ear. “You’re the crazy one for choosing to be with me. I’m nothing
without you. I would be empty inside if you left me.” He nuzzled my
neck. “Plus you’re incredibly gorgeous.”

The pendant
around my neck warmed against my skin, sharing his emotions. “I
think you need to have your eyes checked,” I teased.

“My eyes?” He
pulled back slightly, cocking an eyebrow. “I have better than
perfect vision, thank you very much.”

“Maybe your
brain has fogged your eyesight then.”

“What in the
world are you getting on about?”

I shrugged and
looked past him to stare at some of the monuments. “I’m nothing
special to look at, just your typical average teenager.”

“You are by no
means typical
or
average.” He stepped back and let his gaze
wonder slowly down and then back up. “You’re tall, lean and
physically fit from all the running you used to do. Your face is
like an angel and those amber-green eyes are breath-taking. Plus
you have this mahogany red hair that is crazy-curly one day and
then straight the next. You look sexy in a pair of jogging pants
and sweats!” He shook his head in disbelief and then pulled me up
tight against him. “All this,” he trailed his hand up and down
along the side of my body, “is just an added bonus. It is what is
in here,” he pointed to my head, “and mostly what is in here,” he
pointed to my heart, “that makes me fall in love with you more and
more every day. I’m the lucky one, trust me!” He kissed me softly
on the lips. “Mind you, with a taste like that, maybe I am just
after your body!” He kissed me more urgently and pressed me closer
to his body.