The Awakening (Entangled Series Book 1) (9 page)

“I guess you could say I had a vision.”

“Of?”

“What did Jessie say?” he asked, taking a drink of his beer. She could tell he was stalling but knew that he had his reasons.

“Just that it didn’t work.” She shrugged. “It’s like there’s this…”—she motioned her hands in a circle— “secret between the two of you.”

“No, no secret.” He took her hand. “Just weirdness.” He chuckled. “For lack of a better word.”

“What kind of weirdness?”

He closed his eyes and leaned back. “You’re not going to let this go are you?” She shook her head slightly. “One moment I was kissing her, then… I wasn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was… kissing someone else.”

“Who?” She waited, watching his dark eyes focus on hers.

“You,” he said softly.

“I… I don’t understand. How were you kissing me?”

“We were there, on Jessie’s sofa, and I looked down at her. Her brown hair turned darker, her gray eyes turned green, and her lips…” His eyes moved to hers and she had to swallow when she saw pure desire behind them. “It was you. I hadn’t met you, but it was you.”

“Okay,” she said after she swallowed again, then reached across the table and took a gulp of his beer. “Wow.” She shook her head.

“Yeah, wow. What did you see from Jess?”

She opened her mouth to tell him, but then the pizza arrived and the conversation changed. She was thankful since it was a little strange to tell Michael something intimate from her friend.

When they finished their pizza, they piled back into her car and headed to the edge of town.

As she drove, she thought about her visits to her grandmother. Each trip was harder and harder to deal with. Not that the old woman was a saint, but Xtina had always had a fondness for the woman. And seeing the rate at which she was declining was wearing on her.

Before this trip, the last time she’d seen her grandmother, she’d been a very frail woman in her early seventies. Now she was pushing eighty and looking at least twenty years older. She wasn’t just frail anymore, she was rickety.

Her grandmother could no longer walk and was confined to a wheel chair. Her hands shook and she was so thin that Xtina thought that if a big wind blew through, the woman would topple over.

But her mind was sharp as ever. She talked to her about her parents, about how she’d been raised.

Xtina had asked why she’d gone along with all of their craziness and had been highly disappointed at her answer.

“Well, dear, we did what we thought was best. You were always a very odd child.”

After that, Xtina had avoided touching her, since she didn’t want to experience any history she might get from the contact.

It had been hard to refrain from comforting the woman, up until that point.

“What are you thinking about?” Michael broke into her thoughts.

She glanced over quickly, then turned down the road she wanted. “My grandmother. I’ve seen her two times.”

“And? How is she?”

“She’s fine.”

“Are you going to keep her in Stockbridge?”

“Yes,” she said, knowing she had to tell him more. “She’s where she belongs.” She felt a shiver run down her back.

“What’s wrong?” He reached over and took her hand.

“She knew and, worse, she actually justified the way they treated me.”

He was silent for a while. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged, trying to rid herself of all the negative thoughts that were flooding her mind.

“I have an uncle who killed his wife,” he blurted out.

She glanced over at him as she pulled to the side of the road. “What happened?” She leaned so she could look more closely at him.

“He came home to find her beating their kid, so he pulled her off of the child and she hit her head against the stove. Killed her instantly.”

“How terrible.” She reached over and took his hand. “What happened to him?”

“Oh, he’s living in Jersey with his seventeen-year-old daughter. My cousin was ten at the time and testified that the abuse had been going on for years. The marks on her body had been enough to corroborate his story. Actually, he’s a pretty cool guy.” He shook his head. “Just got a bum rap for a few years. But now he owns his own shop downtown and has made a pretty good life for them. Even found a pretty awesome woman and married her last year.” He smiled.

“Why…” She shook her head. “Why tell me this?”

He leaned closer to her. “You had a bum childhood, but look at you now.” He reached up and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. “You’re an amazing person who is kind and full of amazing things. Your parents were asses.” She chuckled, causing him to smile. “But you don’t let it affect you. That’s pretty amazing in my book.”

“Thanks.” She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I’ve never had anyone deliver a pep talk to me before.”

He chuckled. “Now, are you going to tell me why we’re out here”—he glanced out his window to the darkness— “in the middle of nowhere?”

She nodded, her smile falling away slightly. “We’re here to see a ghost. A real one this time.”

M
ike’s entire body went on guard. “A…”

“Ghost,” she broke in and smiled slightly, sending more shivers down his body.

“I…” He tried to think of a million reasons to not get out of the car, but when she cocked her head slightly, he knew the challenge was on. “Lead the way.” He got out of the car, but before he could open her door, she was beside him.

“This way.” She had brought a flashlight and took his hand as she led him through thick bushes.

The farther into the trees they went, the more his anxiety rose. Finally, they entered a clearing and the sound and smell of rushing water hit him.

“What is this place?” He glanced around. The moonlight was bright enough to see, so she switched off the flashlight.

“This is Starr’s Mill Waterfall.” She nodded to a dark building he could see across the way.

“The make-out place?” He glanced down at the few parked cars, which no doubt had steamed windows. Everyone in town knew that the old mill was the perfect place for teenagers to go “watch the submarine races.” He turned to her, his arms going over his chest as he smiled down at her.

“Yes,” she said, not giving him any attention.

“You know, if you just wanted to…” His words fell away when he felt it. He spun around so fast that he almost toppled over the edge of the cement pathway they were standing on. Her arm reached out and steadied him.

There, hovering less than a foot away was… well, a ghost. A real one.

Xtina was right. This one looked… different. Instead of a figure of a woman, this was just a puff of smoke with long brown hair. He felt his entire body go on guard and he pushed Xtina behind him.

“It’s okay,” she said in a soft voice. “Here.” Xtina walked around him and took his hand. Instead of just holding it, she raised their joined hands until their fingers brushed the mist. He jerked his hand away quickly, but she just took it again. “Trust me.” Her eyes met his and he was powerless to deny her.

This time, when their fingers touched the mist, an onslaught of emotions inundated his mind. Pain. Sorrow. Happiness. Fear. Love. It all hit him at once, like he was a child uncertain of how to control his emotions.

“Try to focus,” Xtina said softly into his ear. “See past all the emotions.”

He did as she asked and soon, there was only one emotion. Betrayal.

He dropped his hand, Xtina letting hers fall too.

“What happened to her?” He watched the figure hover over the water, as if permanently tied to the spot. Then he turned to her. “I thought you said you didn’t know anyone who had drowned before?” He remembered the night at her place, the image she had described after that night when the three of them had… an episode.

“She didn’t drown.” Her eyes moved to the water. “It’s her grave, not where she died.”

“Where did she die?” he asked, wondering why he couldn’t let it go.

“Over there.” She nodded to where the cars sat. “Almost thirty years ago.” She turned to him. “By her lover’s hand.” He waited. “Her husband was an ass, so she had started having an affair with one of her son’s schoolteachers. They met here on occasion, but when she became pregnant, she demanded he leave his wife for her, promising to leave her husband. Instead of running away together, she ended up here.” Her eyes moved to the dark water.

“And the teacher?” He drew her closer to him when he noticed her shivering.

“Lived a happy life until her body was discovered a few years back. Her husband had spent fifteen years in jail for her death, until forensic evidence proved him innocent. The teacher, Carl Simon, ended up killing himself a few days after her body was found. He left a note for his wife. He had been riddled with guilt and confessed to killing Beth.”

“Then why is she still here?” he asked, looking at the mist once more.

“To see the happiness.” She nodded towards the cars. “The love she never was allowed to have.”

“Why don’t you…” He waved his fingers towards her. “Do your magic and send her on her way?

She laughed. Not a little chuckle, but a full-blown laugh. “I’m not Samantha.”

He tilted his head in question.

“You know, from
Bewitched
?”

He shook his head again.

“There are some serious holes in your knowledge of old television shows.” She shook her head and took his hand, once again leading him down the pathway, only this time they were heading back towards her car.

“I haven’t sent her on her way yet”—she glanced over her shoulder— “because she isn’t harming anyone. Besides, no one else knows she’s here.” She stopped at the hood of her car. “And I think, underneath the hurt and betrayal, she rather enjoys where she’s at. I get the feeling it’s the first time in her… life, she’s actually happy.” She smiled.

He nudged her until her back was up against the side of her car. “Like I said, amazing.” He leaned in and laid his lips gently over hers. He doubted he’d get used to feeling the spark that happened each time he touched her. Or the desire that welled up every time he looked at her.

His hands roamed over her hips as her fingers pulled his head closer by closing around his hair. When her nails scraped the skin along his neck, he felt his control slip slightly.

“I don’t know how much longer I can wait,” he said between breaths. He felt like he’d just run a marathon.

“I know,” she said under her breath.

“Why wait?” he asked, pulling back and looking down into her green eyes. “What’s the reason?”

She leaned back against the car and shook her head. “Right now, I can’t think of one.”

He smiled. “How about you let me drive?”

Silently, she pulled her keys from her pocket and handed them over to him.

***

Talk about nerves. Xtina thought she would get herself back under control by the time he pulled into his driveway, but instead, she felt even more nervous than when she’d handed him her keys.

She’d done a few really stupid things in her life, and she was starting to question if being with Michael would be one of them. There was no way she would be able to hide the way she felt about him if he took her inside. Normally, she would be able to mask her feelings by focusing on what the person touching her was feeling. But now. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths as he shut off the engine. But before she had a moment to cool down, his mouth was covering hers in a kiss that had all those emotions she’d been so desperately trying to hide surface full force.

Her hands went into his thick brown hair, holding him closer until she felt her entire body shiver with desire. She didn’t know if it was her own, or if she was feeling the desire that was clearly radiating from him. Either way, she knew she’d been a fool to question being with him. This was right. This was what should be happening. And the sparks between them were proof.

His hands moved under her shirt, brushing across her bare skin, and she moaned with delight.

“My god,” he groaned across her skin just under her ear. “I want you so bad.” He trailed his mouth down to just above her shirt collar.

“Michael,” she said as she leaned her head back against the headrest. Then she laughed when he tugged lightly on her shirt to expose more skin. His head jerked up and then his eyes met hers.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Going too fast?”

She shook her head. “Not if we were inside.” She nodded towards his front door.

“Right.” He pulled away and quickly got out of her car, leaving the keys in the ignition. Reaching over, she shoved them in her purse and waited for him to open the door.

When the door opened, she reached her hand out and took his. At that same moment, there was a flash in her mind. Pain shot up her arm towards her temples. A blinding light flooded her eyesight until a new scene unfolded in front of her.

She was outside an old hotel, the one that looked like it was off of Highway 23. The place had been in desperate need of remodeling when Xtina had been a child. Now, it appeared as if it should be condemned instead.

Laura was there, reaching for the door handle to room number 18. When she opened the door, she saw her husband on the floor, his massive body slumped near the edge of the bed. Laura rushed over to him, taking his shoulders and shaking them. When her fingers came back soaked in blood, she started screaming as his body rolled to the ground.

Leaning down, she listened for a breath, but didn’t hear anything. She felt for a pulse with shaky fingers, as tears began to form in her eyes. Her mind had just jumped to the idea of calling for help when, from the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure before everything went blank.

Xtina fell backwards against her car as her body convulsed. She could hear Michael yelling at her, but his voice sounded too far away.

Then she was being carried towards the house and she snapped free of the panic.

“No,” she jerked, trying to break free. “I have to…”

“Get a drink of water.” He set her down, none too gently, on his sofa as he walked over and poured her a glass of water. “Drink first, then tell me what you saw.”

His face had gone completely pale. When she was finished drinking, he took the glass from her, making sure not to touch her fingers.

“Was it the alley?” he asked, soberly.

“Alley?” She shook her head, not understanding. “I…” Then it dawned on her. He’d been touching her. He assumed she’d finally seen what had happened to him that night his partner had died. “No, it’s Laura.” She stood up, feeling steadier. “I have to call the police.” She reached for her phone, only to realize that she must have dropped her purse outside.

“Who’s Laura?” He stood up and followed her towards the door.

“A… friend.” She glanced over her shoulder. “She’s in trouble.”

“I’ll drive.” He reached down and picked up her purse from the front porch, where she’d almost absently stepped over it.

Taking out her keys, she handed them to him and then pulled out her cell phone. “The little motel off 23,” she said, following him to the car. “Drive fast. I think someone’s going to kill her.”

He stopped, then turned towards her. “You stay here.” He started to rush back to the door. “I’ll get my gun.” She jerked him to a stop.

“There’s no time.”

His sarcastic laughter stopped her. “What?” she said impatiently.

“You tell me that someone is at a motel room, trying to kill someone, and you want to rush in without a weapon?”

“Yes,” she growled. “We have to go now.” She felt a pulse in her skull and almost hunched over with the new pain. “Now!”

He shoved her back into the car, then sped out of the driveway, spraying rocks as the car whipped around.

“Call the cops.” He cursed when the car fishtailed slightly as they hit the main road.

“On it.” She took out her phone and called. Suddenly, she realized she didn’t know what to say. So instead of a long story, she lied.

“I saw a man hurting a woman at the motel on 23. Hurry, it looks like she’s bleeding.” She hung up and tucked the phone into her purse. She knew they would have her number and she would have to explain exactly how she’d seen all this from behind closed doors, but she figured she’d deal with it later.

By the time they pulled into the hotel, she was no longer getting anything from Laura and was pretty sure they were too late.

“There.” She pointed to the door.

“Stay here,” he growled out. He turned and looked at her. “I mean it.” When she nodded, he jumped out of the car and knocked on the door.

“Housekeeping,” he called out, trying the door handle, then he leaned his ear against the door.

She watched him take a step back and kick the door open with one quick motion. When he disappeared into the room, her heart completely stopped beating. Her eyes were glued to the front door, counting the seconds until he appeared again.

He moved over to her side of the doorway and motioned for her to roll the window down.

“What?” she asked, fear emanating from her entire body.

“I think you need to come in and comfort your friend.”

“She’s…” She swallowed.

“Alive. She has a pretty big bump on her head, but her husband…” He shook his head. “Come on.” He opened her door and held out his hand. “Stay with her until the police arrive.”

She nodded, then followed him inside. It was just as she’d seen in her mind. Her husband, Daniel, was laying just where she knew he would be. Only this time, she knew there was no way anyone could revive him.

Laura sat in the corner in an old green chair, crying into a towel while holding another bloody one up to her head.

When she noticed Xtina, her eyes closed. “I…” She shook her head. “I tried to save him.”

“I know,” she said, rushing over to her side. This time, she mentally prepared for the onslaught of emotions before she touched the woman to comfort her.

“We were supposed to meet.” Her eyes met Xtina’s. “For a date night.” Xtina blocked the images she’d seen in the coffee shop. “I was late getting off work. When I came in…” Laura’s eyes moved over to where her husband lay. “He was barely breathing.”