The First Touch (64 page)

She
was serious now, “Way.”

Sophia lifted her eye brows then
, “
So aliens?”

“No they have lived along side man for a long
time,
I think they are simply a different strand of mankind. They hide though because they do not want to become pet science projects for the government.”

Sophia nodded, “And how do you know that I
am
a...what did you call it?”

“
A
vessel,
”
She offered.

Sophia smiled, “Yes how do you know?”

“When I called you, you came to me.”

Sophia stepped away
denying her connection adamantly
, “I didn’t hear you.”

Autumn
frowned, “Oh
,
but you did, why else would you come here?” Sophia looked disbelievingly at her and
Autumn
said, “Would you like a test?”

Sophia nodded, “Yes.”

Autumn
said, “So I am going to go out and sit next to West. I want you to try and stay here for say three minutes?” Sophia looked down at her watch and
when
she looked up
Autumn
was gone.

Seconds later
,
Sophia came running out of the bathroom making a bee line straight for
Autumn
.
She
smiled and said
, “
That only took like ten seconds.”

Sophia blushed
, “
How did you do that?”

“
I am special too.” Sophia eyed her now in a new way and then looked at West and the other two sitting at the table.

Then Sophia stepped closer to
Autumn
and whispered, “So how do we bond with them?”

Autumn
smiled wider speaking normally, “I thought you would never ask.”

Sophia blushed a darker crimson and
Autumn
smiled, “I
t’s just a kiss.”

Sophia looked at her relieved, and
Autumn
smiled even wider. Then she grabbed West’s shoulder and shook him
roughly
, West here has even volunteered to be your
guinea
pig this evening. Sophia smiled coyly at him and pulled
Autumn
by the arm away a few steps, “Do we have to do this right now?”

Autumn
smiled, “No of course not. But you have probably hurt West’s feelings so you should be extra nice to him and stuff.”

Sophia glanced over
Autumn
’s
shoulder and said seriously
, “
He doesn’t look upset.”

Autumn
frowned, “He hides his emotions
well,
most of them are good at hiding how they feel.” As
Autumn
said that she glanced at Grayton who sat scowling at Ivan, while Ivan s
at watching the two women. She
smiled and looking at Ivan
,
watching
a small smile creep onto his lips. Then she turned her attention back to Sophia who leaned in and asked, “Who did you kiss?”

She
smiled, “My mate Ivan
,”
then she gestured at Ivan who gave no sign of seeing her then.

He was watching the door intently now and
Autumn
was just about to turn when Sophia asked, “Your mate?”

Autumn
smiled, “Yes, I have bonded with him.”

Sophia seemed anxious now, “So when we kiss them we are bonded for life?”

Autumn
frowned, looking at the empty doorway, “No, the kiss just starts the change in our genes nothing else.”

“
So how long have you known your... mate?”

Autumn
smiled, “Technically about five months, but this Ivan I have know for less than a day.”

Sophia looked puzzled now, “What?”

Autumn
finally turned her attention back to Sophia, “I am a little different than most Vessels; I have a little more power than most.”

Sophia seemed a bit excited now, “Really?”

“Yeah, but I also have a problem now.”

Sophia’s brows furrowed
, “
Yeah what is it?”

“Well since I have this extra power, the current guy in charge of the vessels wants me dead.”

Sophia sucked in, “Dead why?”

She
frowned, “He feels threatened, so he wants to eliminate me. That’s why I am rallying all of my friends to help to protect me while I sleep.”

Sophia seemed worried now
, “
You mean protect you every night?”

Autumn
frowned, “No because I am different, I will sleep for a month or two during my first phase.”

Sophia asked surprised, “How long will I sleep?”

Autumn
replied looking at Grayton
, “
A
few days or so, then when you awake. After that you will eat and then your change should be complete, right?
”
Grayton nodded though his eyes did not leave the door either.
Autumn
finally closed her eyes and felt
Drake
in the parking lot, so
she
gave him a little tug. She felt him take a few more steps and stop.

She
opened them again and sighed to herself, “Another one of my friends is in the parking lot, I need to go and talk to him alone. Can you go and sit with West while I deal with him?”

Sophia looked at West’s bulky frame leaning against the counter and frowned
, “
Yeah I guess.”

Autumn
smiled, “He is actually a really good guy,
I
know you will like him once you get to know him.” Then she gestured for Sophia to go to West, as he continued to watch the door as well pretending not to listen to their conversation. Sophia snapped him out of it as soon as she grabbed his arm to gain his attention.

As
she
brushed past the two, she watched West snatc
h his arm back. Then saw as he
now looked at Sophia with renewed
interest
, and
Autumn
smiled to herself as she put her hand on the door. Then she turned back to the two men who were now standing to follow her and said, “Sit I will be right back.” They both continued to stand but they did not follow.
Autumn
shot a smile at Grayton through the front windows of the
restaurant and said inside her head,
Relax I won’t take long.

He sat down instantly his eyes never leaving her face until she
disappeared
at the end of the building. Ivan on the other hand began pacing as the waitress finally came back to take their orders. Grayton faked a smile and ordered two coffees, she smiled back
politely
and shot Ivan a look as he continued to pace in the empty
aisle way
. West continued to
stare
at Sophia who ordered hers
elf a slice of pie and two coffees for her and her newest companion.

New Plan

Drake
stood anticipating Mirth’s arrival, shaking wildly his hands beginning to smoke involuntarily. He was surprised to see a female come out of the building instead though. Tall and lean
with long shaggy brown hair
that half covered her face, completely average looking, save her eyes. They peered out from behind her hair, sharp and ... deep.

Deeper than he had ever seen on human, but
she didn’t smell like a human, that was l
ike a vessel, save those oh so human looking eyes. That and the thumping of her heart that continued to pull him forward. Now that she was this close there was no doubt, she was who had called him. His voice came out thick, “What do you want?”

The woman frowned under
neath her Ma
ne, “I am sorry
Drake
,
I
hope you are not in too much pain.”

Drake
growled then, “How do you know my name?”

She
smiled, “It’s a long story.”

Drake
growled, “I am not going anywhere.”

Autumn
giggled nervously, “Yes I guess you aren’t.”
Drake
’s hands began to smoke and
she
scowled
, “You really need to learn to control your temper.” He growled low and hollow, and
she
huffed, “Fine, I knew you were going to be an ass, but I can always hope can’t I?”

Drake
stopped growling but continued to scowl, as
Autumn
began her painful story again leaving out the juicy bits about their kiss and subsequent skinny dip together. Then she ended by telling
Drake
the truth about Mirth’s involvement in the death of his first.
Drake
snapped as she predicted, and asked, “Why should I trust you?”

She
smiled, “Because I trust you.”

He
huffed and
she continued
, “And I already know you, well one version of you and there is this.”

Autumn
handed
Drake
a piece of paper towel that she had scribbled on in the bathroom
,
while she had talked with Sophia in ‘private’.
Drake
read it and then lit it on fire watching it burn and then asked, “When are you planning to sleep?”

Autumn
smiled, “So you’ll stay with me then? I mean while I sleep?”

“Mirth will find you,
”
he warned.

“Yes I know, and that’s why I need people like you. Someone I can trust.”
Drake
nodded, and
Autumn
frowned, “I just want a chance at a fair fight.”

Drake
nodded again, “How many do you have now?”

Autumn
Replied stoically
, “Right now I have four, five if you join.”

Drake
hissed, “Five against his supporters, you will be dead within hours of his discovery.”

Autumn
nodded slowly, “Well he already killed the rest of my intended clan, save Galen. I haven’t spoken to him yet, though I doubt he will join, he has no reason for turning.”

Drake
asked, “Why did Ivan join then?”

Autumn
smiled knowing
Drake
’s thoughts, “I told you I bonded to him already, and he will not turn on me.”

He
huffed, “I would not count on that.”

Autumn
frowned, “Well I need him as much as he needs me, even if he is not aware of it himself yet. Besides if he changes his mind then we will all fall. He already knows that he is Mirth’s strongest man, and without him Mirth will be severely weakened. Hell
,
if we are lucky, maybe Mirth will not be able to get members from other clans to join him to kill me before I awake.”

Drake
nodded smiling, “Good idea I will remember to use that as a last ditch effort when they close in on us to kill you.”

She
frowned, “I hate this crap.”

Drake
smiled, “You are different than I thought you would be.”

Autumn
smiled, “Ivan thought the same thing,
I
wonder what it is?” Then she scrunched up her face and pushed her hair back and huffed,
Drake
did not answer her.
Autumn
smiled, “
Well
I end up looking more like you and Mirth, only darker. And if I remember right, hotter, well at least you seemed to think so.”

Drake
stored that in his brain, “I said that?”

Autumn
frowned, “No but you thought I was beautiful.”

Drake
frowned raising his eyebrow, “Beautiful?”

Autumn
smiled, “Well you said, ‘Not disgusting.’ But you looked at me in a way that I don’t think I will ever forget.”
Autumn
blushed slightly then and
Drake
looked at her sizing her up again and nodded slowly.
Autumn
cleared her throat, “Alright well I will give you a call right before I finally go to sleep, and if you are still in you can come. If not I will probably be dead soon after that. You were able to resist me fairly well now
,
so if you do decide to take the other route, I hope you will not be in too much pain, for too long.”