Awakening: A Timeless Series Novel, Book Four (7 page)

His eyes darkened
, and he towered over me.

“Well
, you’re Marcus’s property now.” His accent thickened.

“Watch it, Maes,” I replied with
a brutality that surprised even me. “You’re treading on dangerous ground.”

“Why do you continue to blame me for your own mistakes? You need to take responsibility for your ill-informed choices.”

Anger boiled in my veins. No matter how many times I repeated this, they didn’t get it.

“I
was created for this! My sole purpose in life was to finish what my mother couldn’t! Why can’t you see this?”

He grabbed my arms as if he wanted to shake
some sense into me, but he was the one who needed it knocked into him. Not that I could give him any clearer explanation. I was as clueless as the next how I would accomplish this feat.

“You gave Marcus the Consilador’s powers. Our clans are on the verge of destruction! You’d risk our lives like that without even asking? Without even warning us?”

I shoved against his chest till he released me. He breathed heavily, his eyes focused.

“And how would you have liked me to warn you? A carrier pigeon? How the hell was I supposed to let you
know when I only figured it out right before the ceremony? How do you think it made me feel that I was right all along? That I was created as nothing more than a weapon.”

He stepped back, his gaze lowering.

“You should’ve found another way before charging in without thinking.”

“
I didn’t charge in, but you refuse to see that.” I shook my head. “I told you before, my destiny was planned out way before any of us knew about it. It was thought out, and not just by you.”

Jade-rimmed eyes met mine.

“I want to trust what you’re saying, but I can’t.”

“Because betrayal runs deep
. You have no more trust for me because all I’ve ever done is let you down. I’m the one who can fix this whole mess, so just leave me to it.” I pushed past him and headed down the deer trail.

“
I—I don’t want to lose you,” he said quietly.

“You already lost me…”

My legs couldn’t take me fast enough away from him, and away from the falls. I was tired of explaining myself. Tired of being reminded that I was as unsure as they were how I’d accomplish this task. I was never going to get their approval. What was done, was done. I needed to start concentrating on how I was going to kill Marcus, how I was going to end it once and for all for everyone.

Maes didn’t follow me. By the time I’d reached the outbuildings again, a light drizzle had started. I
headed for the shed I’d cleared out. The door creaked as I opened it, and the gloominess outside darkened the small space. I cranked open the potbelly stove and tossed a few logs in. Reaching over to the workbench, I grabbed the matches and lit one. A flicker began as I carefully lit the kindling. I blew on the flames, causing them to grow. Closing the stove door, I pulled the rickety stool closer.

It was better this way. Maybe it’d be best if I slept out here
. It wasn’t like anybody would miss me. They’d probably be happy I was gone.

I rubbed my arms. The fire wasn’t warming up quick
ly enough to chase out the chill in the room. But then again, more than the chill in the air was bothering me.

How do you plot another’s demise knowing it could be your
own?

I rubbed my temples.
Maes was right. The clans were falling apart, and it was because of me. Callon had always been the one who held them together, and even when I said I’d step up, it was met with disbelief and disapproval. But then again, I was never meant to lead. After all, I was the weapon to destroy Marcus—would I even be around afterwards?

Callon should have been here to help me figure this out.
Where was he? Did anyone know? I couldn’t believe he would abandon his family like this. Was he in contact with the others, but refused to show himself to me? Was Colt’s promise just something to keep me busy? To keep my focus away from the others who knew his whereabouts? Nakari had been distraught when he left and now she focused all her anger on me. Had he been contacting her? Was he even alive?

I shook my head.
No, I refused to believe he was dead, but Nakari had said he’d been through things before. My gut told me she’d been the one to bring him out of the deep pit of despair. They had a connection, like Colt and I did.

A bout of curses caught my attention. I stepped outside and peered around the corner. Brogan was gutting a deer; droplets
of blood were spattered across his unshaven cheeks. Dex came up from behind him and they began talking. Lilly must have sent Brogan out hunting. It was well beyond our time to eat; yet I wasn’t hungry. Timeless could easily go several days to a week without food.

“We need to go out tomorrow, Dex,
” Brogan said. “I’m growing tired of waiting for Maes’s contacts. You and I both know something is up. We haven’t caught sight of any Trackers or Tresezes.” He shook his head. “It’s like they’ve given up or something, which makes absolutely no sense.”

Dex scratched his chin
. “I have to agree. In all the years of battling Marcus, he’s never pulled back unless he has a trick up his sleeve.”

The
ir conversation continued, but the wind shifted so I couldn’t hear any longer.

So they hadn’t seen anything of Marcus yet
. Why? What was he up to? I watched for a little while longer, trying to catch their words with no success. I was scratching my brow when the familiar tingling began in my fingers. My eyes grew wide when I saw the blue hue glowing in my palms.

“No!” I hissed and tried to slam my hands
down. Without warning, the bolt snapped to life before I’d reached the ground. What sounded like a whip crackling echoed in my ears, and Brogan’s curses could’ve rivaled a sailor’s.

I looked up, my palms
firmly planted in the wet soil. The lightning had struck his deer, exploding the carcass everywhere, including over him and Dex.

His eyes met mine and
then darkened. He rose, breathing heavy, and stalked towards me. I scrambled to my feet and shoved my hands in my pockets as I pushed up against the wooden structure. I had no idea if I was going to explode again. This time it had come closer than the last.

“What the hell did you do that for
?!” Brogan bellowed, blood and chunks of deer dripping from him.

I didn’t reply as he towered over me.

“Cheyenne,” Dex said and pushed Brogan back. His hazel eyes narrowed and then moved to my hands. “Why are your hands in your pocket?”

“They’re cold
,” I said quickly. I needed to get away from them before it happened again.

“Let me see them.”

“No.” I tried to inch further away.

“Cheyenne Alexis.” His lips straightened
into a thin line, and his fatherly tone had come out.

I
tried to slide around the corner of the building when Dex caught my arm.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” I
protested. “It just happened.” I gripped the inside of my pockets tightly. If something happened again, it would hit me, not them.

“Sure, like we’re to believe anything you say,
princess,
” Brogan sneered.

Dex eyed me
carefully. “Let me see.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

Dex looked over his shoulder. “Go get cleaned up, Brogan, and then have Maes go with you to get another deer.”

“Have our princess go hunting.” He wiped the blood from his mouth.

“Brogan, I’m not going to ask again,” Dex ordered.

Brogan’s upper lip bent in a snarl, but he turned and left us.

“Tell me what’s going on, and don’t hold back, Cheyenne.” Dex pointed towards my shed, and I led the way.

What was I going to tell him? I didn’t
know what was happening, and if the past weeks were any clue, he wouldn’t believe me.

I sat in the rickety chair near the stove while Dex leaned against the workbench, his arms crossed.

“What do you mean it
just
happened
?” Dex questioned.

“I can’t explain it,” I replied.

He sighed and shook his head.

“You’re not sixteen anymore, Cheyenne
. Explain ‘
just
happened’
.”

I pulled my hands from my pockets and warmed them over the stove. I might as well tell someone before this got out of control. At least Dex was willing to listen, and he’d more than likely offer the best explanation.

“A few days ago, I was sitting in the meadow when my palms began to glow, and then without warning, power shot from them.” I hesitated, unsure what he’d think. “Today while I was with Colt, power randomly shot from me again, narrowly missing him.”

“And
now with Brogan and me,” Dex finished for me.

“Yes. I can’t explain it
. It’s like I have too much power running through me, and it needs a release.” I looked up at him.

He frowned and rubbed his chin. He too had grow
n whiskers; our supplies were limited.

“I’m not sure what to make of this…” he said. He began pacing back and forth. “What happened before this power shot from you?” He paused a moment
, waiting for my reply.

“Nothing,
just normal everyday stuff.” Except the vision I’d had the other day…

He raised a brow. “You’ve never had normal everyday stuff, Cheyenne.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Does something happen before it shoots from your palms?” He went back to his pacing.

I decided to focus in on what I knew for sure, not the unknown.

“My hands begin to tingle
, and my palms get a bright blue hue to them.”

He stopped again, but this time his eyes were distant, like he was focusing in on a memory. He headed for the door.

“Stay here until I come back,” he said and nearly ran Daniel over as he passed him. “Stay away from her, Daniel.”

Daniel stopped outside the doorway
. His brow puckered and then his eyes saddened. I turned away.

“
Chey,” Daniel implored.

“Listen to Dex, Daniel, and stay away from me.”

I peeked over my shoulder. Daniel was slowly walking away. Every time I saw him, he looked more and more fearful. I’d caught Bree and Nakari’s worried stares. They wanted to help him, but were unsure what they could do. His ever-present smile had disappeared. Even his touch, one that had always brought me peace, now brought me uncertainty, fear, and regret. I already had enough of that myself. I didn’t need to add to the growing pile.

I opened the stove and added another log. It was getting warmer, but I’d made a poor choice in buildings. This was going to be a long, cold,
lonely winter…

The room darkened
, and I glanced back to see Colt standing in the doorway. I rubbed my hands over the fire again.

“Dex said you’re to stay away from me, Colt.”

He moved further in the shed, ducking to miss a beam. He raised his arms and lifted down an old dusty chair from the rafters. He planted it next to the stove and sat beside me.

“
I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

I
didn’t reply, but instead focused on warming myself.

“
I shouldn’t have pushed you. And I should’ve believed you when you said it just happened on its own.”

“You should stay away from me, Colt.
I don’t know when or if this will happen again.”

“
I’m not leaving you ever again. I did it once, and it was the biggest mistake of my life.”

It was the biggest mistake of his life…he’d delivered me to Marcus. He’d tormented me
, and he’d been the one who caused me to find my mother’s journals. None of which could be taken back.

He reached over and grasped my hand before I had time to react. I pulled back, but he refused to let go.

“Colt, please, I don’t want to hurt you,” I pleaded.

Determination set in the planes of his face. “You’re not going to hurt me
, and I’m not going to fear your powers. You can control this. We’ll work on this together. This is why I’m staying.”

“What if I can’t? What if I
really cause harm?”

“Those were minor blasts compared to what I’ve seen you do before. Yes
, they’d be painful, but survivable.”

“You don’t have your powers anymore to defend yourself,” I countered.

“No, but I am Timeless.” He tapped his chest and winked. “Harder to kill. And I’m not as weak as you think I am.”

A damp blond lock fell into his eye. He wasn’t weak,
just not as strong as he had been, and it would hurt him in the end. I needed to figure out a way to get the Consilador’s powers back. And I needed to do it now.