Linked the guardian seri.., p.1
Linked (The Guardian Series), page 1
LINKED
By Heather Bowhay
Copyright 2012 by Heather Bowhay
All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary, and all the characters portrayed in this book are fictitious and not intended to represent any specific persons, living or dead. At times, certain settings may be referred to by their true names, but the incidents portrayed or taking place there are entirely products of the author’s imagination. At no time should the reader infer that any of the events in this book ever occurred.
~To my good friends and first readers, Michelle, Heather and my mom, Bobbi
~And to my first listeners, Dan, Dawson, and Laci
Thank You!
~H.L.B~
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 – TRACKED
CHAPTER 2 – ON BOARD
CHAPTER 3 – MORE ANSWERS
CHAPTER 4 – REALITY BURNS
CHAPTER 5 – FRIDAY HARBOR
CHAPTER 6 – DAY BY DAY
CHAPTER 7 – ASH RETURNS
CHAPTER 8 – TIME WITH ASH
CHAPTER 9 – PARENT VISIT WITH A TWIST
CHAPTER 10 – BUSY DAYS
CHAPTER 11 – A NEW BABY
CHAPTER 12 – NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
CHAPTER 13 – SPARKS WILL FLY
CHAPTER 14 – A NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY
CHAPTER 15 – A MOMENT OF TRUTH
CHAPTER 16 – YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE
CHAPTER 17 – UP IN FLAMES
CHAPTER 18 – THE FINAL SNAPSHOT
CHAPTER 19 – NO MORE SECRETS
CHAPTER 1 – TRACKED
Glowing amber eyes, staring straight at me
A wood cabin on fire in the middle of a snow-covered forest
Kieran clasping hands with me as he leans forward until our foreheads touch – all in an attempt to link
Myself and another person, maybe Kieran, slipping through the cracks of an icy lake
Shuddering, my eyes shoot open and I clutch the leather seats in the back seat of Max’s jeep. An erratic pounding emanates inside my chest, and I press one hand against my heart willing it to slow down. I’ve never had a recurring premonition before, and I’m stunned by this turn of events. That’s twice today. Apparently, my destiny to link with Kieran is stronger than ever, and falling into the icy lake will surely be the end of us. Blinking hard, I try to shake the vision away.
Without warning, Max slams on the brakes. Momentum slaps me against the backseat, then reverses directions and launches me forward like a torpedo. Streaks of light explode in my head, leaving holes in my vision. Luckily, my seatbelt locks and stops my forward motion just before my face collides with the head rest. The bags I’d packed for my week-long stay on the Nelson’s private island are not so lucky; one rockets into the front windshield and the other flies into Madison’s lap. I reach for my neck, instantly feeling the effects of whiplash.
Max is first to react and shouts at Madison, “Tell Jason the Ray-pacs have found us. I’ve already let Laci know we’re gonna need help.”
I’m momentarily confused about how he has done this, until I remember his telepathic connection with Laci. All Guardians have telepathic abilities with the person they are linked to.
Whiplash or not, my brain jumpstarts at the word Ray-pacs. Only minutes before I’d been questioning my sanity, wondering if I’d imagined this whole day….the hike, watching Jason (who I now know is a Guardian) shape-shifting into a mountain lion, and of course, the attack by the Ray-pacs. But as I consider Max’s reaction and look out the front window at two Hummers blocking our path, I know everything about this day has been real – real crazy, and it’s about to get even more so. I’m shocked they’ve tracked us down already. It’s only been a few hours since our encounter in the forest, and my Guardian friends felt sure the Ray-pacs had grabbed their injured and left town in a hurry. We didn’t think we’d be seeing them anytime soon; obviously, we’d underestimated them.
Max spins around and holds my gaze with his piercing green eyes. “Lexi, don’t even think about getting out of the car. We’ll handle this. You got it?” It’s not really a question, so I just nod in response. Despite his unwavering voice, worry lines crease his forehead.
My already accelerated heart-rate zips into hyper-drive, and I feel like my ribs are being crushed by a sledgehammer. As Max flings off his seatbelt and bolts out of the Jeep, Madison’s head of lustrous, black hair whips around. Her green eyes, identical in shape and color to her brother’s, meet mine with a scowl. She utters a few choice profanities under her breath, and throws my bag to the side. Finally, she jumps out of the car and slams the door behind her.
In a delayed reaction, I open my mouth to protest but leave it hanging open when I spot a large, vicious-looking, gray wolf running straight at Max. I forget to breathe, and finally my heart does stop, because if my best guess is correct – that gray wolf is none other than Kieran, the coldblooded Ray-pac who vowed he’d find me again. The last time I saw him though, he was a reddish mountain lion, but one glimpse at his glowing amber eyes confirms my suspicion, and I gasp for breath.
Pressing my nose to the window, I keep my eyes glued on Max, eagerly anticipating his next move. When he does not disappoint, I gnaw on my lower lip and watch wide-eyed as his clothes begin splitting and his muscles begin rippling…changing, adapting to a new form. In a matter of seconds he’s completely shifted from a man into a shaggy grizzly bear. Even though I’d seen him shift from a cheetah into a black bear earlier, I hadn’t watched the transformation from man to animal – and I find it incredibly shocking.
Charging in a rhythmic, surefooted way, the grizzly crashes into the wolf. The head-on collision doesn’t discourage either one from a fight, and they continue lunging at each other. At one point, the grizzly stands on his hind legs and swats at the smaller, yet ferocious-looking animal. Baring bone-crushing teeth, the wolf sinks low to the ground and dodges at the grizzly’s legs. With his mouth wide open it’s obvious his goal is to claim a chunk of grizzly flesh. The bear responds by dropping down on all fours and smothering him, but almost instantly the wolf slips out from under him. Their vicious assault moves further down the darkened street and out of my sight, but a combination of short barks and howls continue shattering the night air.
Clenching my fists, I lean back into the seat. The only reason Kieran and his group of Ray-pacs have tracked us down is because they want me. They want me because I am an Amethyst. Only, I’m not really; I’m something else – a Dentelle, but they don’t know that, and neither does anyone else. My chances of annihilating the Ray-pacs depend on me keeping that secret. But I’m not ready to face them yet. I need time to prepare – to learn about my Dentelle abilities before I can kill those merciless psychopaths one by one.
With a loud thud, something crashes onto the roof and the Jeep rocks sideways. My body jerks, and I hit the floor. As I size up the large indentation, I wonder what object was strong enough to bend steel. Through the window I can see Madison close to the car; her face is hot with fury. Her outstretched hands move wildly about, and just beyond her, an object that looks very much like a concrete road barrier hurtles through the air. I’m not surprised though, because I’ve witnessed her unique ability, too. Each Guardian has a unique talent, their Flair as they call it, and Madison’s is telekinesis. She can uproot trees and pick up huge boulders with a flick of her wrist and then fire them as if they weigh no more than a handful of skipping stones. Large, heavy objects appear to be her specialty.
What I wouldn’t give for one of those wicked abilities right about now. Regardless, I can’t cower in the back seat forever; I need to find a way to help the Nelson twins. But how? Taking a couple deep breaths, I glance at my clothes and consider my options. Jeans, tennies, and a t-shirt – not much for body armor if I step into the middle of another Guardian/Ray-pac battle.
A wave of power surges through my body, and I’m reminded of my Essence. Absent-mindedly, I touch my neck and realize I no longer feel any pain or dizziness. Well, at least my Essence is good for something – healing. Before I can formulate a plan, someone flings the door open, grabs me by the shoulders, and hauls me out of the car. I squirm and kick until I finally manage to slip out of his grasp. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to find my feet before a bulky, spiky-haired guy smacks me across the face. Deep pain and double vision stun me into silence as I lose my balance and tumble onto the pavement.
Swearing, he seizes me again; only this time he throws me over his shoulder. Moving quicker then I would have thought possible for his beastly size, he takes me further down the street – away from the Jeep and away from my friends. Not good. I thrash my arms and legs in all directions, and beat on his back with my fists, but he digs his fingers into my flesh and tells me to stop moving or he’ll knock me out. Considering his strength, I decide to heed his advice until I find an opportunity to fight back.
Although nearing midnight, the star-scattered sky and a couple dim street lights offer sufficient light and I scan my surroundings. The road is deserted except for us. A light breeze off the bay carries the growls and grunts from the bear and wolf fight. Loud booms reverberate up and down the street from the chaos created by Madison and her rivals. The moon glistens off the shallow waves in the bay...
Wait a minute – the bay! A plan starts to formulate and I study the coastline on my right. I’m probably only a couple miles from Squalicum Harbor and the yacht, which was where we heading before Kieran and his motley crew showed up. If I can get away, get into the bay and swim, I might have a chance at reaching Jason and my friends in the yacht. Since the Ray-pacs lose their Flair, their abilities, in water, they won’t have an advantage if they follow me, and even though Kieran is an anomaly to this rule, he’s tied up with Max at the moment.
What’s more, I’m a strong swimmer – spent all four years of high school on the swim team. My Essence should come in handy and might even prevent hypothermia. Besides, how cold can Bellingham Bay really be?
Apparently, very, very cold I soon discover.
Acting purely on adrenaline and survival instincts, I sink my teeth into my captor’s bristly, unshaven neck – which is beyond nasty, but it works. The instant he loosens his grip, I land on my feet and kick him in the groin, then I run full throttle towards the edge of the road. As I dive into the bay I don’t even stop to consider whether the water there will be deep enough. I can only hope I don’t crash headfirst into the rocky, ocean bottom. All I know is that a scuffed up face is preferable to being captured by the Ray-pacs. The mere thought of them trying to extract my Essence, in any number of horrible ways, has me highly motivated.
Hitting the frigid water is a shock to my system. Bellingham Bay feels like a glacial lake, but at least the water is deep enough to complete a semi-successful dive. I scrape my knees as I skim the gravelly bottom, but I’ve lived through much worse and don’t have time to worry about it. After swimming several meters, I surface for air. Once above water, I take a huge breath and turn around to see if I’m being followed.
The burly guy is pointing at me with one hand, and holding his groin with other. Good, I think and smile despite my chattering teeth. But when another figure appears next to him, one who looks leaner, meaner, and more then capable of jumping in after me, I gulp down a mouthful of air and plunge beneath the surface again. I have no intention of being caught. I’m confident I can out swim them, but can I make it a couple miles and locate the yacht before I freeze to death? I continue further out into the depths without another glance back.
When I stop for a break it feels like I’ve been swimming for hours, but it’s more likely that only minutes have passed. My body is numb, and I’m losing my ability to move swiftly through the water. At least I’ve put enough distance between me and the embankment that I can no longer see the burly guy or the spot where I jumped in. I’ve followed the curve of the land northward, knowing I will eventually run into the harbor. From what I can tell, no one has followed me into the water – I don’t hear any splashing or see any disturbances in the surface. A steep, pointed crag which juts about twenty feet high into the air is a perfect spot to take refuge. For several minutes I dog-paddle and catch my breath.
Land is only a few hundred yards off, but I have to assume the Ray-pacs can see me and are following my movements from shore. They are probably waiting for me to tire out and swim back to solid ground. At least I’ve been careful, swimming mostly underwater, but now exhaustion and the bitter cold are slowing me down.
Leaving my hiding spot, I paddle forward and after a bit I’m more than relieved to see Squalicum Harbor not too far away. Unfortunately, I don’t remember where Jason’s yacht is moored, and I don’t have time to search through hundreds of boats either. My arms and legs feel useless – stiff and pointed like icicles. My body is shutting down, and I fear my brain isn’t far behind. Distant voices break my reverie, and I glance around in a panic. A couple figures are wading in the shallow waters just off the shoreline; the one stocky figure is undoubtedly my original captor. Fear propels me into a rapid free-style, and I realize too late that my wild strokes are making my location obvious. In fact, I might as well have lit a flare and waved it at them.
Flustered, I stop moving and look back at the beach where four figures have now gathered. A tremor of fear flutters through my chest when three of them dive into the water. The Ray-pacs might lose their special abilities in water, but they obviously don’t lose their ability to swim. Then it hit me; the guys in the water are probably hired thugs or something. If that burly guy had been a Ray-pac, he wouldn’t have been able to touch me at all; he would have been burned.
Regardless, I’m screwed, because now they have plenty of man power. Hope sinks to the pit of my stomach, and I consider allowing my frozen body to sink to the bottom of the ocean; drowning might be the only option. Desperate to escape, but bordering on insanity and hypothermia, I make another go for it and swim for my life. But the oppressive cold has muddled my brain, and I end up spinning around in circles. Feeling directionally challenged, I finally spot the boat harbor again but can’t seem to force myself onward. My breath comes in ragged gasps, and my waterlogged clothes suddenly feel anchor-weight heavy. A shrill ringing in my ears makes it difficult to form a coherent thought, and I struggle to stay afloat.
At first I think I’m imagining the hum of a boat motor. But soon the engine is rumbling louder…until it’s almost upon me. I stop struggling and float. Frigid, yet strangely still, I know I’ve lost. The Ray-pacs are coming at me from all directions, and I can’t out swim their boat. My mind runs wild with images of all the torture I will endure during their attempts to steal my Essence.
Even though I’m out of options, the will to survive sparks a flame inside of me – a flame of need – the need to see Jason again and the need to destroy the Ray-pacs so they cannot hurt my friends. That spark is what it takes to finally ignite my Essence. I focus mentally and internally, grabbing hold of its power as it funnels through my body, sending shockwaves of warmth into my hands and feet.
Suddenly, the boat roars alongside me. I grit my teeth and look up; I may not be prepared to fight off the Ray-pacs, but maybe I’ll be able to inflict some damage before they get the best of me. Except when I look up, it’s not a Ray-pac staring back at me; it’s Jason. His aqua-marine are practically glowing…but not with warmth.
“Damn Alex, what were you thinking? You could have drowned out here.”
“Happy to see you too,” I mumble between chattering teeth.
Once on board, Jessica and Laci smother me in towels and Jason powers the boat to full throttle, whipping us far into the bay and away from shore. We might be safe, but as we speed away, I worry about Max and Madison. I also know Kieran will want revenge against Jason and my friends I escape.
Luckily, Laci soon receives a telepathic message from Max that they are okay. He and Madison have received some much needed help and have driven off the Ray-pacs from the last ditch effort to find me. Apparently, Jessica’s cousin Shelby, and Shelby’s boyfriend Trevon, were first to arrive. Not long after, Max and Madison’s parents along with Jason’s parents joined the action. At that point the Ray-pacs were outmatched by Guardians and had no alternative but to flee, especially since they’d already lost some of their cohorts earlier in the day. Most of the assailants this time had been ordinary men, just like I’d suspected, all of whom held no chance against the Guardians, and also whom the Ray-pacs obviously considered expendable. I was just thankful it was all over for now and none of my friends had lost their lives.
While our friends and their parents remained ashore to clean up the mess (and bodies, no doubt), we were to remain anchored in the bay overnight. In the early morning, Jason would drop Jessica and Laci off at the harbor so they could return home, and then he and I would set sail for Towhead Island. We’d stay all week, but on Friday evening Laci, Shelby, Trevon and the three Nelson siblings would join us. Then Saturday, the Nelson’s and Walker’s would arrive, and we’d make retaliation plans against the Ray-pacs.
“Lexi?” Jessica said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Lexi.” I glanced up at her. “We need to get you out of those sopping wet clothes, and you need a hot shower followed by some sleep. You look exhausted,” she said.
“I am,” I said, teeth still chattering. “Sorry about this soggy mess.” I pointed at the puddled floor.
She put her arm around my shoulder. “No worries. There’s a shower in the guest head just down the stairs on the right. The first stateroom on the left will be yours.”
