CHAPTER TWENTY
My body trembled as I followed Carter to the parking lot. He, on the other hand, didn’t seem at all disturbed by the idea of someone lurking in the fog, watching our every move.
I slipped into the passenger seat of his car and quickly locked the door.
He smirked. “You don’t have to be afraid. You’re safe with me.”
I relaxed into my seat and took a deep breath. “When you said someone was watching us…”
“No, I don’t know who it was,” he said, zipping out of the parking lot at an uncomfortable speed. “But, trust me. Someone was watching.”
“So what does this mean? Do you think it’s the same person who took the book?”
“It had to be. It’s too narrow a time frame for it to be a coincidence. Chances are that noise you heard was a distraction to lure you away from the book.”
I was outraged. Not only by the devious scheme itself, but also for the fact that I so foolishly fell for it.
“Who would do that?”
He was quiet for a while, focusing his attention on the road, but I wouldn’t let it go that easy.
I settled back into my seat with a small sigh. “I thought we were passed the secrets.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t look at me with those innocent eyes when we both know you’re trying to manipulate the truth out of me.”
“Wow,” I said, still recovering from the shock. “I can’t believe you just called me out on that.”
He gave me a vague look and returned his concentration to the road. “You know, this honesty thing goes both ways.”
I sighed. He was right, but having just been exposed was disarming.
Sure, I could tell him he was right, but there was no way I was going to. The weird looks and uneasy silence that seemed to surround everyone in my life was starting to get on my nerves. I wanted the truth, and I was more determined than ever to get it.
We sat in silence for a few blocks until he pulled in front of Jane’s house. I hadn’t spoken to her since the whole group basically banned me from stepping foot on the third floor. I wasn’t exactly sure what I would say to her now that I knew the truth, or at least part of it.
I stared at the house. “Why are we here?”
He cut the engine and stepped out of the car. He opened my door and waited as I very slowly and reluctantly stepped out. “I need her help.”
I folded my sweater tightly across my chest. “You think she’ll be able to figure out who took the book?”
“Not exactly.”
I was deliberately taking my time, stalling for as long as possible as I mentally debated what I would say to her. I felt guilty making her choose between me and the kids she had grew up with, the same kids that she had shared such a heavy secret with for as long as they could remember.
According to what I had read in the book, I knew Jane belonged to one of the seven founding families and that meant she belonged to a secret society. I wondered if this made her… well whatever Carter is. And to think, I was so unwilling to try and understand the position she was in.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she slammed the door on my face.
“Then why are we here?”
“Like I told you, I need her help.”
I stopped, halfway up the path to the porch. “Must you always be so cryptic?”
He tilted his head to the side and stared back at me.
“She’s going to help me by helping you,” he explained. “Next to Alec and me, Jane knows the most about our history. She will be able to explain it to you, especially since I can’t. Not right now at least.” He shoved his hands into his pocket and shook his head. “I’ve got to find that book.”
My gazed drifted to my feet as I kicked at a cluster of grass sprouting up between the cracked concrete block.
“Hey,” he said, lifting my chin. “It’s not your fault.”
“Yeah, well it’s still gone,” I said, meeting his gaze. “How are you going to find it?”
“I’ll grab Alec and head back to the school. See if I can find anything that will help me figure out who this guy is.”
“Alec… is he…” I started, not bothering to finish the sentence as his lips pulled into a ridiculously smug smile.
I smiled too. It was a relief to know he didn’t carry the burden alone.
I glanced over my shoulder at the front door. “What about Jane?”
He shook his head. “It’s just Alec and me.”
“How is that possible? I mean, how does this whole thing work?”
He placed his hands on my shoulders and slowly guided me backwards until we were both standing on the porch, in front of the door.
“That’s why you’re here,” he insisted. “Jane will explain.”
“What if she doesn’t want to see me?”
“Why on earth would I not want to see you?”
I spun around, finding Jane leaning up against the door frame with one hand on her protruding hip.
“Jane,” I said, flashing a giant smile.
She smiled and wrapped her arms around me. “Welcome to the society. You’re finally one of us. Full fledge and everything.”
I giggled. “I’m not sure if I know what that means.”
“Well, then the two of you better get started,” said Carter, stepping up and giving me a quick kiss on my forehead.
“Don’t worry. She’s in good hands.”
Carter gave her a grateful smile and then hurried back to his car.
I watched as Carter’s car turned at the end of the block and disappeared from sight.
“Don’t worry,” said Jane. “He and Alec will figure this all out. They always do.”
I nodded and followed her inside. We made our way to her room, Jane stopping halfway down the hall to peer inside the room next to hers.
“Good. Lamar’s gone.”
“He doesn’t know?” I asked.
“Of course not. The others want to tell him, but he doesn’t belong here. Besides, he’s not like Carter and Alec, so he doesn’t need to know.”
“Jane, don’t you think he deserves to know.”
Jane paused, her gaze trailing to the floor. “I just can’t.”
I nodded. “Well, I didn’t see his Jeep; it wasn’t out front.”
“I’ve fallen for that one once too many times,” she said, giving the room another scan. “Anyway, I really shouldn’t take any chances on someone overhearing us with all the ‘stuff’ going on right now.”
I furrowed my brow.
She paused, her hand resting on her bedroom doorknob. “Wait, how much has Carter told you?”
I shrugged. “He didn’t so much tell me anything. He showed me.”
She smiled and threw her bedroom door open, gesturing me to enter. “Well then, we’ve got a lot to go over today.”
I sat on the bed, legs crossed with a notepad and pen in hand.
“What are you doing?
“I’m taking notes.” I paused. “Maybe I should make myself a timeline to refer to later.”
She gave her head a quick shake and waved off the notion with a flick of her hand. “Whatever. Let’s just get started.”
She flopped down on the bed and propped a pillow against the swirling white designs on the footboard. She pulled her legs to her chest and settled back against the cushion.
“I’ve never really had to do this before, so forgive me if I forget a few details here and there. I mean, we’ve all grown up knowing about this stuff.” Her gaze found mine and settled there. “Annabelle, our families have been bound to secrecy since they first settled in Burnwood, and you, too, are bound.”
I nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, the secret’s safe with me.”
“It’s not just our secret, Annabelle. It’s yours too.”
“Just because I come from a generation of Burnwood Kennedys?
Jane’s mouth dropped open. “You are a part the beginning. Our families, you
rs included, founded this town. They started it all.”
I shrugged. “Every town has to start with someone.”
Jane gasped, placing her hand over her heart. “We’re not just founding families. We’re hybrids.”
I arched my brow.
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, well at least Alec and Carter are hybrids, but the rest of us carry it in our genes. We’re pure bloods, meaning we’re as human as anyone else out there.”
“You mean the supernatural abilities Carter and Alec have?”
She nodded and shuffled closer. “Yes, but aren’t you at all curious how he can do those things?”
I smiled, putting my pen to the notepad. “Yes! I want to know all about it.”
Jane glanced down at the notepad and frowned. “You really are a bookworm.”
“Jane.”
She raised her hands. “Okay, okay, back on track.” She settled back against the pillow and began. “Annabelle, what do you know about dragons?”
“I… I don’t know how to answer that.” I paused. “Does this have anything to do with the drawings I saw in that book?”
Jane smiled. “It has everything to do with it.”
“How?” I asked, fearing I already knew the truth.
“The founding families are descendants of a long line of dragons.”
I shook my head. “You mean we’re descendants of mythical creatures? No, Jane. That can’t be.”
“They’re not mythical, Annabelle. They were once very real and very powerful.”
I shot up from my place on the bed and paced the room. “Dragons!”
“I know this is hard to believe…”
“Hard to believe. Jane, it’s just not possible.”
“But it is possible and it is very real. I promise you.”
“Then why do Carter and Alec look like us. Why do any of us look like… well, regular human beings?”
“Ancient dragons had the ability to shapeshift. They could transform to human form, which is how they stayed hidden from most cultures.”
“Does that mean Carter is…?” The words caught in my throat as I imagined him looking like the creature in the book.
She shook her head. “No. No one can anymore. During the hysteria following the discovery of our kind, many of us were hunted down and massacred. Those of us who survived spread out, hoping to hide in their human forms. Our kind were too few to stay united, so we integrated. Our bloodlines were diluted by the humans and many abilities were lost. People won’t admit it, but our lineage is only getting weaker with time. That’s why we call ourselves hybrids.”
“And Alec and Carter?”
Her gaze shied away. “They were the fortunate ones of the group… or not so fortunate. It depends on how you look at it.”
“After all this time it’s just the two of them?”
She shook her head, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “There are others. People from all over the world. We even have a council to govern our kind.”
“You mean your group at school… Cruz and Kendrick…”
“No, no, no. And, Cruz actually isn’t a Burnwood founding family. It’s a long story, but that’s beside the point.”
“So Cruz isn’t a… hybrid,” I said, stumbling over the last word. “That is what you call them, right?”
“Yes… and no.” Jane shook her head in confusion. “Hold on. Let me try that again. Yes, Cruz is of dragon blood, but not a hybrid like Carter and Alec. Those of us who never developed any abilities are referred to as ‘pure bloods.’ People like Carter and Alec are known as hybrids. Cruz isn’t a founding family, but he is one of us, which is why he belongs to our group.”
“And what about this council you spoke of?”
“The council is our government and it is led by our Elders. It maintains order and ensures our secret is kept safe.”
“Elders?”
“The oldest and most respected of our kind. Many of them with abilities just like Carter and Alec.”
Buzz. Buzz.
Jane jumped to her feet and retrieved her cell phone off the nightstand. “Hello.”
I watched as a smile spread across her face.
“Really!” she exclaimed, racing out her bedroom door and thumping down the staircase.
I heard the front door swing open, clashing against the wall.
Jane’s voice carried upstairs and as much as I didn’t want to eavesdrop, it was impossible to avoid.
“I can’t believe your actually here,” she said.
“Well, my dear, I owed you an explanation for my absence.”
Now this voice was all too familiar. I tiptoed down the hall and peered down over the railing. Just as I had expected, it was Yury. Jane had her arms wrapped tightly around him, but he didn’t seem interested. Instead, he looked nonchalant and a little distracted, anything but loving.
“I didn’t think you were coming over today,” she gushed, still clinging to his arm.
He reached out and took her hand in his. “It is called a surprise, my love.”
I couldn’t understand how his voice managed to make my skin crawl, but it did. I wanted to leave and find somewhere his presence wouldn’t bother me, but since there was no such place, I stayed and listened.
She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Well, what a surprise it is. Did you want to come up…?”
“Actually,” he interrupted. “I’m afraid my visit must be brief.”
Jane stepped back. “But I haven’t seen you all week. You haven’t even returned any of my calls.”
He stepped forward and caressed her arm. “Darling, you know my family requires a lot from me. I wish that every moment was a moment I could spend with you, but that simply is not the world we live in.”
“But…”
“But if I wish to present you to them, I must have proven myself worthy of your company. After all, you are a founding family member.”
Jane smiled. “When do you think we can move forward with… you know?”
Yury looked troubled, a façade I could see through all too easily.
“You see, that is why I have come today. My family has asked me to locate one of Burnwood’s artifacts. We have a buyer, someone who wishes to establish a museum here in Burnwood. It is the only thing standing between us at the moment. If I can find this artifact, I will finally be able to prove myself. We will finally be able to be together.”
I wanted to puke. Was there no limits to his charades?
“What is it that you’re looking for?”
“A medallion.”
Jane stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you need to know about some medallion?”
Yury titled his head ever so slightly. “My apologies. I can see that I’ve upset you. I shall be leaving now.”
“Wait. You don’t have to go.”
He took a few steps for the door. “Ah, but I can see that I’ve made you uncomfortable.”
Jane stepped in front him and reached for his hands. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable. It’s just that I have no access to the founding family artifacts.”
“But, there is indeed a medallion among those artifacts?” he asked.
She shifted uncomfortably. “Well yeah, but there completely hands off.”
Yury smiled and I immediately realized what had just happened. He never came here to see Jane, he just needed her to confirm that the founding families had the medallion he was searching for, and she did just that. In fact, she basically just disclosed that she not only knew of the medallion, but that it was also here in Burnwood.
As I anticipated, Yury continued towards the door.
“How foolish of me,” he started. “I have let my mind run wild with thoughts of you and have neglected my responsibilities to my own dear family. I apologize, my darling, but I must leave you now.”
“Oh,” said Jane, the disappointment tangible in her face. “Okay, well I don’t have any plans tonight if you wanted to come back.”
br /> He turned and kissed her on her forehead. “For you, I shall try.”
“You know, you really shouldn’t be eavesdropping.”
I whipped around, finding myself face-to-face with Lamar.
He laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I smiled and shrugged. “It’s okay. I frighten far too easily nowadays.”
He nudged me to the side so he could glimpse around the corner.
“Ah,” he said. “Him again.”
“You know him?”
He shook his head. “Nah, but I don’t like him.”
I furrowed my brow. “For Jane’s sake or your own?”
He grinned. “Maybe both. Something is seriously off with the dude.”
“My thoughts exactly,” I muttered.
I peered around the corner again. Jane was fumbling desperately to keep his attention and nothing was working. It was almost too painful to watch, but before I could look away Yury disappeared behind the doorframe with only the black of his hair and clothing momentarily revealed.
I gasped. I’d seen this before. The dark stranger in the school hallway was Yury.