The MORE Trilogy (37 page)

Ava shrugged. “I wondered if you’re going to go back to being a Protector. I mean, your mother’s back there, and it’s got to be hard.” She was unsure what she was trying to say. “But you said you weren’t sure if you still wanted to do that.”

Caleb chewed on another cube. “I was thinking I might join up with the Guardians.”

Ava snorted. “Your mom will love that.”

He laughed. “Yeah.”

The silence hung between them for a moment, then Ava cleared her throat. “So, I guess I probably won’t see you much. I mean, when we get back.”

“Oh, I think I’ll probably be around,” he said.

She turned to him in surprise, only to find him smirking slightly, his eyes sparkling. She tried to appear nonchalant, shrugging one shoulder. “You think?”

Caleb paused, as if giving the matter great thought. “Well, someone’s got to keep an eye on you.”

Ava couldn’t keep back the grin. “I think I’ve proven I can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, well, maybe so,” he agreed. “But who knows how many Rogues are out there? And the Council won’t give up on you so easily, you know. You’ll need someone to watch your back.” He stepped toward her, hesitating a moment before sliding his hands around her waist.

She blinked up at him in surprise before dropping the water bottle and linking her arms around his neck. “Isn’t this dangerous?”

“You’re Race. There’s no law against it now, not that it would have mattered. Not to me.” He eyed her carefully.

“Me neither,” she admitted, her voice trembling a little. “Still, the Council won’t be happy about it.”

He laughed. “That’s nothing new.” His grip tightened as he drew her closer, so close his breath tickled her lips.

Ava gasped, her heart racing and stomach flipping wildly.

He sobered as he examined her face, gaze trailing over her cheeks, her lips, and finally back to her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said, and he bent to kiss her.

Ava inhaled sharply, shocked at the intensity of a mere brush of lips.

Caleb smiled against her mouth, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, and she sank into it, clinging to him in an effort to keep from falling to the ground . . . or flying away.

Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, any deeper, she felt the telltale tingle of her power—and another low hum filtering into her body wherever Caleb touched her. It danced within her, Caleb’s power tangling with her own in a twisting whirl, until she wasn’t sure where hers ended and his began. A warm glow encompassed them as they embraced, somehow safe and exhilarating at the same time, and when Caleb finally pulled back, Ava’s power reached for his like it was unwilling to let go. They stepped apart, and Ava’s eyes fluttered open, locking with his, her body still humming as the remnants of Caleb’s power trailed over her skin like a lover’s fingertips.

“Wow,” she said.

He smiled. “Yeah.” His hand slipped beneath her hair and he winced when his fingers brushed her scar. “Sorry.”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“That’s not what I meant. If I’d left it alone, it would have healed on its own—without a scar.”

Ava frowned. “You didn’t know that at the time. You were trying to help me.” She bent to pick up the discarded water bottle and tucked it into her backpack. “Besides, I kind of like it. I’ve never had a scar before. I’m sure if anyone could see it, it would make me look tough.”

Caleb laughed. “Definitely.” He reached out to take her hand, and they continued down the mountain in companionable silence. The sun glinted off the frozen snow, bathing everything around them in near-blinding light. Ava huddled in her coat, but her hand was warm where Caleb gripped it, strong and firm.

She wasn’t naïve. She knew the days ahead were anything but certain. Yet, in that moment, she couldn’t help feeling hopeful for the future. Somehow, knowing Caleb would be there made her feel even stronger than she had in the Council chamber.

When the ground leveled and she finally caught her breath, she glanced at him shyly. “I’m glad you’re going to be sticking around.”

“Me, too,” he replied, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “After all, you know you’re going to need me.”

“In case of Rogue attack?”

“Well, that, too.  But no.”

“The Council?”

“No.”

“What then?” She stopped, turning to face him.

He grinned widely. “Someone’s got to help you pass physics.”

Ava laughed, and he tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her.

“Take a deep breath and hold on tight,” he said. “This is going to be a big one.”

Ava locked her arms around his waist, closing her eyes as the world fell away and she floated and spun, Caleb shifting her closer toward home. And for some reason it didn’t make her dizzy or nervous or even the slightest bit nauseous.

She just laid her head on Caleb’s strong chest and held on for the ride.

Chapter 1

A loud crack overhead was the only warning. Ava’s head snapped up, and she caught a glimpse of black and blue before a thick branch fell toward her. She threw out a hand—more reflex than out of any real need—and the branch shifted its trajectory, landing several feet away on the spongy forest floor.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” she said quietly, well aware he could hear her.

She continued down the path, every sense on alert. The call of a crow in the distance obscured the faint crunch and splinter of debris underfoot.

Is that—

A rustle of movement to her left had her ducking behind a tree trunk, peeking around the edge into the thick forest. She caught the faint whooshing sound behind her and spun just in time to stop the large rock hurtling toward her. She smiled, bouncing the rock up and down a bit in the air, testing the limits of her telekinetic ability.

Show off
, she heard whispered through the trees.
 

With a smirk, she sent the rock shooting back through the forest in the direction of the voice, laughing at the surprised yelp in response.

“Come on!” she shouted. “You going to hide in the trees all day or fight like a man?”

Ava stood with her feet braced apart and head thrown back, listening intently. For a long moment, only the quiet sounds of the forest met her ears. She closed her eyes, focusing on her enhanced hearing, listening deeper . . . farther.
 

There.

The faint in-and-out of breathing grew louder as she focused on it, and she opened her eyes, turning in the direction of the sound. Pushing her eyesight beyond normal human levels, she spotted him hiding behind a tree—a peek of denim, a glimpse of pale blue cotton.

She ducked behind her own tree, heart pounding as she considered her next move. There was no way she could catch him. She wasn’t fast enough. She could try to throw something, though.

She glanced around frantically for something—pinecones were useless, the scattered sticks too small. A boulder several feet away was too big—she wasn’t sure she could even lift it, let alone force it between the trees. She’d need to try something else.
 

Ava took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing her mind as Caleb had taught her. She pictured the tree where she saw him hiding and tried to will her body to shift to that very spot.

Visualize your body . . . your very cells dissolving, dissipating into the air. See them coming together where you want them to be
.

Easier said than done.

You’ll feel yourself growing lighter, almost floating, and before you even realize what’s happening, it’s like you’re there . . . but you’re not.

Ava frowned. Caleb didn’t always make much sense.

She forced herself to breathe slowly and evenly, blocking out the sounds around her and focusing on her own heartbeat. She pictured herself floating, coming apart in the air. A tingle worked its way across her skin, now easily recognizable as her Race power coming to life. Her pulse quickened. Maybe she could do this.

Strong arms imprisoned her—one across her neck, another at her waist—not tight enough to cut off the air supply, but she was definitely immobile.
 

Ava cursed under her breath.

“So what now?” a low voice growled in her ear. “You going to try and push me? Throw some rocks at my back?” His arm tightened slightly, making her gasp. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

“You cheated.”

He laughed, loosening his hold to step back. “I did not!”

Ava turned and leaned back against the tree, glaring at the sight of his bright blue eyes sparkling with mirth. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You did, too.”

Caleb grinned and reached out to tweak her earlobe. “And how exactly did I cheat?”

“Well, I’m sure there’s a rule against
 . . .
” Ava scrambled for an answer, then smiled smugly. “Distracting me. It’s very dangerous to distract me when I’m trying to shift. I could end up inside a tree or something.”

He laughed. “That wasn’t going to happen.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.” He stepped toward her, toying with the strings on her hoodie. “You weren’t going to shift, Ava. I would have felt it.”

She deflated, knowing he was right. “Why can’t I do it?”

“Not everyone can.”

Ava exhaled heavily. “It would just be so cool, you know?”
 

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lightly.
 

Ava felt the familiar tingle of his power meeting hers.
 

“You can do lots of other cool stuff,” he reminded her.

She could. Since her, for lack of a better word,
breakthrough
at the Rogue lair, Ava’s telekinesis had proven to be a powerful gift, and one she was getting better about controlling. The same could be said for her enhanced senses, another Race trait that was becoming second nature to her. She no longer had to concentrate quite so hard to access her superior vision and hearing. If anything, it had become more instinctual. She had tuned in to conversations across campus, for example, before she’d even realized what she was doing. She felt kind of bad about that, to be honest. Just because she was a superhuman being didn’t mean she had a right to be rude.

But shifting continued to elude her. Caleb made it look so easy, disappearing and reappearing without breaking a sweat. Long distances were more challenging, but Ava was still a little jealous of his innate gift. It would be so handy on those mornings she overslept and was late for class.

Caleb was quick to remind her that not everyone was the same, and although Race members all shared certain traits, things like shifting and telekinesis were hit and miss. She knew she should be happy with what she
could
do, especially since she seemed to be more powerful than many others already. The face-off with the Council had proven that.

It wasn’t that she wanted more, really. She simply wanted to be prepared—prepared if the Council came after her again or if the Rogues staged another attack. She knew, deep inside, that it wasn’t over, and Caleb agreed, even though he’d never said as much out loud. He’d been true to his promise to train with her, pushing her limits and working to develop her gifts. He could also become easily distracted, however—as he seemed to be at that moment.