The Stone Sisters: Lyssa (The Stones Sisters Book 1) (15 page)

“Sorry.
 
I don’t know about you, but listening to them fight was super embarrassing.
 
I’d hate for people to listen to me and Lyss fight.”

Anna nodded and Lexa was about to turn away when the reflection of a man in the window behind her gave her pause.
 
He was looking at them.
 
No, he was downright studying them. It was a dark overcast day, but he was wearing sunglasses.
 
Lexa remembered when she and her sister arrived on Earth.
 
They had a hard time keeping their eyes adjusted on overcast days and always wore sunglasses to hide the change.
 

But, maybe she was wrong.
 
Maybe he wasn’t a Hunter.
 
However, he sure was interested in her and Anna.
 
She had to do something to protect both Anna and herself.
 
Maybe he was just a pervert.
 
But, if he was a Hunter, he’d kill Anna to get to Lexa.

Grabbing Anna’s arm again, she took them down Grant Street.
 

“What are you doing?”

“Just exploring.”

“But there isn’t very much down here.”

Anna was right, after the buildings that were on the main drag, it was just a parking lot.
 
Glancing behind her, Lexa noted the man was still following with earnest.
 
Shit.
 

She smiled brightly at Anna and kept dragging her along.
 
Anna glanced behind them and then turned to meet Lexa’s gray-blue gaze with her own fearful brown eyes.
 
Softly she said, “Is he following us?”

What could she do except answer, “Yes.
 
I think so, so let’s keep going.”

Lexa knew she’d be easy pickings for the Hunter.
 
Anna more so.
 
She could see a bike path coming up and there were houses after that.
 
She could get Anna some time to get to a house.
 
When they got near them, she’d force Anna to run to a house for help.
 
While she did that, Lexa planned to lure away the Hunter by going in another direction.
 
They got pass the bike path and kept going.
 
Lexa glanced back one more time and her eyes went wide.

Lyssa was running up the street at full speed, not even bothering to pretend to be human.
 
She sprung up into the air and landed on the Hunter’s back like a spider monkey.
 
Wrapping her arms around the Hunter’s head, Lyssa twisted and jerked up.
 
Lexa knew his neck had snapped like a twig and he started to go down, her sister released him in time to land on her feet.
 
Lyssa’s eyes flicked to Anna and then back to Lexa.
 
Lexa knew she had to keep Anna from seeing what just happened.
 
She nodded just as Lyssa grabbed the now cooling corpse and dragged him onto the bike path.

Anna was about to turn and Lexa was not sure how far out of sight Lyssa had gotten so she grabbed Anna and said, “Run, now!”

They ran and made a right onto Sherman.
 
They kept running until they hit Fletcher and took another right, quickly making their way back to Massachusetts Ave.

Mass Ave, Lexa reminded herself.
 
A lot of people in the area just reduced the name to Mass.

Anna kept up surprisingly well; Lexa had to give her props for that.
 
When they finally started back up the street towards the area they had left Ben and Missy, Anna finally spoke.

“Who was that?”

“Don’t know.
 
But he’s gone now.”

“Gone?”

Lexa kept her eyes steadily ahead, “Yes, not following us.
 
Maybe I was mistaken.
 
I thought he was like a pervert or something.”

“Maybe.”

Lexa shot Anna a look.
 
She seemed a wreck.
 
Lexa was sure she herself looked just as worn-out.
 
When they finally found Missy and Ben, they had, blessedly, stopped fighting.

“Hey, isn’t that Lyssa’s car?”

Lyssa must have not been sure where to catch up with them at first, because she had parked on the street in front of a café.
 
Shit.

“Could be.
 
If it is, she’s probably just wandering.”

“Does she know we’re here?
 
Is she looking for us?”

“Doubtful.
 
Lyssa said something about exploring the area this morning.
 
She didn’t tell me where though.
 
Lexington’s interesting so she probably thought she’d look around here.
 
If it is her car.”

“It looks like her car, Lexa.”

“Hey!”
 
Lyssa came towards them with a bag from a jewelry shop.
 
Lexa was grateful once again for Lyssa’s sight.
 
“What are you guys doing here?”

Ben’s eyes nearly bugged out.
 
He’d probably never seen Lyssa before because, from what Lexa understood, he wasn’t exactly book smart.
 
Anna looked hurt and Melissa elbowed him.

“Down, jerk, she’s going out with Kyle Adams.”

“You’re going out with Adams?
 
He’s a total nerd.”

Lyssa being Lyssa knew exactly how to handle this guy, coldly she said, “I’m a total nerd and he’s totally hot.
 
We’re a perfect pair.”

Missy covered her mouth, trying to not laugh.
 
Anna openly gaped at Lyssa and Ben’s brows shot up in shock.
 
He probably wasn’t used to someone who wasn’t interested in him.

“Um.
 
Ok.”

Lyssa turned a sweet smile on the girls, “Have you guys eaten yet?”

Ben brooded, but Melissa smiled brightly, “No we haven’t.
 
Want to eat somewhere?”

“I saw a Japanese restaurant…”

“No, mom makes Japanese food once or twice a week,” Ben said.
 
Melissa rolled her eyes.

“Well we could do something else.”

Lyssa seamlessly entered the group dynamic.
 
Or at least the girls’ group dynamic.
 
Ben seemed put out by her presence and now that Anna knew that Lyssa wouldn’t take Ben away either, she was happy.
 
Anna walked next to Ben and Lexa wondered if he even realized she liked him.
 
Anna was pretty and cute and Ben could do a lot worse than Missy’s quiet and sometimes brooding friend.

The rest of the afternoon went off without a hitch, but Lexa kept wondering if there would be a report about a pile of ash on or near the bike path.
 
Lyssa could do a lot of things others of their kind could not and when she was angry, there was no telling what she’d unleash.
 
Lyssa had been furious when she jumped on that Hunter’s back.

Dread made its way into Lexa’s belly and killed her appetite.
 
What if Lyssa decided this random attack was enough to force a move?
 
Lexa feared that when they got home, Lyssa would say “ten minutes.”
 
If she did, that meant Lexa had to get what she needed and they’d be gone in ten minutes.
 
But, it was a random attack.
 
Just one Hunter who got lucky enough to see Lexa and know who she was.

After they ate, Lexa slipped into Lyssa’s car to go home.
 
It made no sense to drive back with Ben, Missy and Anna.
 
She waited for Lyssa to speak.
 
But, she was silent the whole ride home.
 
Glancing over, Lexa realized Lyssa was full of regret for having had to once again take a life.
 
Lyssa might beat some would-be rapist senseless and wipe his memory, but she hated killing.
 
And that was what these Hunters forced her to do, kill.

When they walked inside, Lexa started, “I don’t want to leave.
 
I have friends.
 
You have Kyle.
 
It was a random attack.
 
You would have sensed if he had partners.”

Softly, Lyssa replied, “You’re right, I would have.
 
As I drove to Lexington after the flash of sight, I kept searching for another.
 
He was alone.
 
He must have landed nearby and that was his first place to search.
 
We’re lucky Anna didn’t know what was going on.
 
You did well with her.”

Lexa’s heart swelled from the praise and she smiled, “Thank you.”

“You’re street choice was much to be desired.
 
What if I hadn’t made it in time?”

And there it was, the lecture about being careful.
 
All heartfelt swelling ceased as she sat down and listened to Lyssa lecture about studying maps and learning streets before going to a town she didn’t know.
 
Lyssa was right.
 
Lexa knew in advance she’d be going there, she should have prepared.
 
The truth was, she’d come to rely upon Lyssa’s sight so much, she sometimes forgot to do her own prep-work to make sure she was safe.
 
Nodding, she silently took the lecture, which lasted over an hour.

After, she hugged Lyssa.
 
Lexa understood the disquiet within her sister.
 
Understood that after killing someone, Lyssa felt depressed.
 
So she hugged her sister tight and made pumpkin pancakes, Lyssa’s favorite, for dinner.
 
That didn’t take away the pain, but at least it showed caring.
 
And, hopefully, it was a bit of a distraction from reality.

Chapter 12

Kyle
was excited.
 
Lyssa was coming to dinner to meet his parents.
 
Well, as much as he loved his parents, it wasn’t her meeting them that excited him.
 
In fact, he wished they were out for the night.
 
That it was just him and Lyssa.
 
They’d sit on the couch… Focus.
 
She was coming to meet his parents.
 
This was the first time his parents had ever wanted him to bring the girl he was dating home to meet them.
 
He wondered why they wanted to meet her and he had to admit to himself at least he was nervous about that.
 
Why did they suddenly want to meet her?

Walking into the kitchen, he found his mom hard at work on lasagna.
 
“Hey, honey, think I should make your girl some garlic bread too?”

He laughed softly, “I’ve never seen Lyssa turn down food.
 
She loves to eat and isn’t embarrassed to eat in front of me.”

His mom cast him a brown-eyed gaze, “You seem smitten.”

Blushing, he looked away, “I might be.”

He could feel his mom staring so he turned his eyes back to hers.
 
His mother grinned, “Is she pretty?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Kyle looked away.
 
Discussing girls with his mom was not something he ever did.
 
Lyssa coming to dinner must have made his mom feel like the topic was up for discussion.
 
This meant he now had no choice but to answer her question. Shi… Shoot.
 

“She’s gorgeous.
 
Smart.
 
You’ll like this, she doesn’t swear and she actually asked me to tone down my language.”

“And are you?”

“I am, but it’s hard to do.
 
I’ve tried to curb my language elsewhere, too.
 
Otherwise, I’ll probably swear in front of her out of habit.”

His mom started laughing.
 
Hard.

“Hey!
 
It isn’t that funny!”

“Yes it is.
 
I’ve been after you to clean up your language for the last three years and she gets you to stop in a matter of weeks.
 
I like her already.”

“Mom, when she gets here, don’t crowd her.
 
And please, please don’t start taking pictures or show her my baby pictures or anything weird like that.”

His mother let out a roar of laughter, “Ooh.
 
Such good ideas.”

“Shouldn’t you have put that in the oven a while ago?”

“Why?
 
I wanted to spend a little time with your girlfriend before dinner.
 
You trying to rush this?”

“Honestly, just a little.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I want to show her my room and avoid all of this.”

His mother folded a dishtowel that she was using and folded her arms, “What do you think we’re going to do?”

“Scare her off with all the questioning.
 
Lyssa,” he paused and took a breath before starting again, “Lyssa is private.
 
It takes a little while before she shares.
 
It’s one of the things I like about her.
 
I always learn a little something new.”

“What if you learn something you don’t like?”

Kyle shoved a hand in his jean pocket and looked out the kitchen window, “When that happens, I’ll take the good with the bad.
 
I really like this girl.
 
I want to know everything about her.”

The next thing he knew, his mom was giving him a big hug.
 
His mom was a hugger and long ago, he had learned to just accept the hugs and feel the love.
 
He wrapped an arm around her and returned the affection.
 
She’d never let go if he didn’t.
 
And, he actually enjoyed his mom’s hugs.
 
But, he’d never tell anyone that.

“I can’t wait to meet her!”

“Mom!
 
Don’t scare her.
 
I’m serious about that.”

His mother just laughed as he went into the living room to check on his dad.
 
His father was sitting on the lounger, reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
 
Man, his dad had weird tastes.
 
He sat across from him on the couch.
 
Quietly, he waited.
 
If his father was in the middle of a paragraph, he didn’t want to disturb him.

With a laugh, his father looked up at him and smiled, “Nervous?”

“Yes.
 
The closer we get to her being here, the more I am thinking this was a bad idea.
 
I should have had her over when you’re not around.”

Seriously, his father said, “No.
 
You don’t have her here without us.
 
Have you met her parents yet?”

“Not yet.
 
I’m sure I will soon.”

“Done anything fun?”

“Still waiting for the new guy to start so I can take her out on a real second date.”

“Don’t worry.
 
It’ll happen.”

“Hey, you aren’t going to leave that book out are you?”

“Why not?
 
You said she likes sci-fi.
 
This is a classic.”

“It’s not really sci-fi.”

His father laughed at him, “I beg to differ.
 
It may be comedy but this is also a classic sci-fi.”

Rolling his eyes, Kyle looked around the room.
 
His father usually left magazines and books everywhere.
 
He didn’t use an eBook reader, he thought eBooks were the end of an era.
 
Kyle on the other hand loved the idea that he’d have his whole library at hand anytime he needed it.
 
Not that he read anywhere near as much as his father.
 
Or Lyssa for that matter.

“I’ll try not to embarrass you by talking about books.
 
But, I could have sworn you said she was smart and reads.”

“Yeah, but…”

“But, you want to make this big impression on her.
 
Don’t worry about it.
 
If she really likes you, nothing I say or do will change that.”

Kyle sighed.
 
Lyssa really wasn’t the type to judge him based on the people in his life.
 
If she had, she would have broken it off when she learned he’d gone out a few times with Tori.

Speaking of Tori, he didn’t know how Lexa had pulled off that stunt with coloring everything in her locker, but when Lyssa had told him, he almost applauded.
 
That is, until he realized Lyssa was angry with Lexa for doing such a thing.
 
It was weird too.
 
Lyssa seemed worried that Lexa pulling such a prank would have extreme consequences.
 
Beyond what was normal.
 
He kept his mouth shut and no consequences happened.

The doorbell rang and he sprang to his feet.
 
Taking a deep breath, he went to the door and opened it.
 
She was standing in the moonlight, staring up at the stars.
 
Her blond hair was like a halo, shimmering around her.
 
He wanted her so damn much.

When she turned to him, he realized he wasn’t the only one who was nervous.
 
Her gray-blue eyes were wider than normal, she seemed a little jittery, and not in the way she usually got around him.
 
She smiled up at him and he wanted to just kiss her and run off to be alone.

“Is that her?” his father called from the living room.

Lyssa’s cheeks turned cherry red.
 
Cute.

Stepping aside, he held open the screen door, “Come on in.”

With short quick steps, she came inside and waited for him right by the door.
 
They were out of sight, so he kissed her brow and said, “You look beautiful.
 
Come on.”

Taking her hand, he led her to the living room and his father stood up with a smile sparkling in his green eyes, “So, Lyssa.
 
I’ve heard a lot about you.
 
It’s so nice to finally see you in person.
 
I’m Tim Adams.”

His father shot him a “way to go, son” look while he extended his hand.
 
Lyssa smiled and said politely, “Mr. Adams.
 
It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Kyle’s mom bustled into the living room, her blond curly hair in a bun on her head, and smiled brightly, “You must be Lyssa, I’m Clara.”

Lyssa took her hand and said softly, “Mrs. Adams.”

“Well, I must say, my son has taste,” his mom said, much to his chagrin, “you’re lovely.”

His mom shot him a wicked grin and he felt the skin on his cheeks heat.
 
Leave it to his mother to say something embarrassing right off the bat.
 
Lyssa was not blushing however.
  
Apparently, only he made her blush.
 
That was good to see.

“Thank you,” she said graciously, “Something smells delicious.”

“I’m making lasagna and garlic bread,” his mom beamed with pride.

“I love Italian.”

There was an awkward moment where they all stood there silently, and then his mom smiled before heading into the kitchen.
 
Kyle and Lyssa made their way into the living room where they sat down.
 
Lyssa suddenly noticed his father’s book.
 
She looked at Kyle excitedly.

“Is that your copy of Hitchhiker’s Guide?”

Kyle’s eyes rose to his father who was behind her.
 
His father gave him a smirk.
 
Everything in his dad’s gaze said I told you so.
 
Kyle fought the urge to roll his eyes.
 
Instead, he shook his head.

Kyle’s father chimed in, “Nope, it’s mine.”

Lyssa turned to his father with a grin, light sparkling in her eyes.
 
His father blinked a moment and then smiled as she gushed, “I love that book.
 
It’s so funny!”

After that, the two of them launched into a half-hour long discussion about the book which eluded Kyle.
 
Apparently, there was a series of books.
 
The two got into an almost heated debate about which book was best and which was worse.
 
Maybe he should read it, too.