Eight lives. You'd think Dominique would get it right, but she's failed every time. Now on her final life, Dominique must discover the secrets of her past before confronting the Transhuman hunter who wants to kill her for the last time. Farrell, a mysterious Transhuman protector, and Trent, a hot guy from school, want to help her. But it's up to her to get it right this time—or she’ll be dead. For real.
FINAL LIFE
Book One in the Transhuman Chronicles
By Rose Garcia
Copyright 2012 by Rose Garcia
Published by FML Books
ISBN: 9781476135427
For Augie
This is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical and public figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical or public figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
CHAPTER ONE
Thumping music and howls of laughter echoed from the end of the dark cul-de-sac while I walked to the home of Infiniti Clausman—a girl I hadn’t met yet. She found me on Facebook when I posted that I had moved to Rolling Lakes. And now, I was going to her party. With each step I twisted my hair tight around my finger, my heart beating fast because I sucked at meeting new people. And then a mosquito bit me, right on my arm. I smacked it and examined my hand under the streetlight. Its crushed body oozed with blood, my blood. I wiped it on my jeans. How could there be mosquitoes the day after Thanksgiving?
So far, I hated everything about Houston.
Infiniti’s house ended up being just five away from mine. The two-story red brick structure looked like every other house in the neighborhood. There weren’t any porches like back home in Elk Rapids, Michigan. Worse than that, the tiny backyards were all fenced in. Like prisons.
Bodies poured in and out of the house. Beer cans littered the yard. Even though Infiniti seemed nice enough when we messaged each other, fear of walking into a party alone and not knowing a single soul settled in. I turned to go back home when I heard my name from a group of people standing around the front door.
"Hey! Are you Dominique Wells?"
Crap, now I was stuck. I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans before turning back around. "Uh, yeah. Are you Infiniti?"
She had long wavy black hair and wore tight cut-off shorts with cowboy boots and a black shirt with a purple peace sign. She came up and took me by the arm, as if we had known each other for years. “I’m glad you made it!” Her eyes were big and brown, her smile wide, and her tiny frame barely reached my shoulders. "Come on, you’ve got tons of people to meet!"
The first person I met was Veronica, Infiniti’s best friend. She was about as tall as me, with long bleached blonde hair that cascaded down her back. Dark foundation and heavy pink blush made her face way too dark for her light-skinned neck. Her tarantula-like eyelashes fluttered almost disapprovingly at me while she scanned every detail of my clothes. I had always avoided girls like that back home. Luckily, we moved on pretty quick through the smoky and crowded house as Infiniti led me through the den and to the kitchen. By the time we got there I had met around a dozen people, all seniors like me, and everyone seemed pretty cool.
Infiniti grabbed a beer, opened it, and shoved it in my hand. "I know it sucks being new because I’ve so been there. But if you stick with me, I'll help you out." Before I could say anything, someone from across the room shouted her name. "I’m coming!" she called back. She brought her attention back to me. "I’ll be right back."
I chugged the beer in three gulps, hoping it’d help me chill, but it didn’t. Instead, I felt more out of place than ever. The music grew louder, and everyone started dancing. I definitely didn’t belong here. I tossed the beer in the trash and made my way to the front door.
"Hey! Dominique! You’re not leaving, are you?" It was Infiniti rushing up to catch me before I walked out of the house. The pungent woodsy stench of weed hung thick on her clothes. "I mean, you just got here!"
The last thing I wanted to do was stay, but I didn’t want to be rude to my first new friend. Plus, with school starting in two days, I figured I may as well meet some more people. "Well, I’m pretty tired from all the unpacking, but I guess I can stay for a little bit."
Infiniti smiled. "Good! Come on. Let’s go upstairs to my room for a quick sec. I wanna show you something."
She trotted upstairs and I followed. I half-expected to see her mom come out of one of the bedrooms, but I didn’t. "So, your mom around?"
"Infiniti’s mom is never around." I turned to see Veronica behind me and gulped. There was something about her I didn't like, and it wasn't just her caked-on makeup.
"Yeah," Infiniti said. "She works a lot, and she’s a single mom, so most of the time it’s just me." She stopped at a black door with a giant purple I painted on it. "Okay, you guys ready for some fortune-telling?"
My stomach clenched, my spine tingled, and something inside me said not to go in.
"You know, uh, it’s late," I said. "I should really go home."
Infiniti’s mouth fell open. She placed her hand on her hip and stuck her right foot out. "You can’t leave now! Not before the fun part! Besides, now that we’re neighbors, we should get to know each other. Consider me your…" She stopped. I waited for her to finish, but she seemed to be searching for the right word. "I got it! Senior advisor! That’s it! I’m your senior advisor!"
Infiniti tossed her head back, her wild black hair flying all over the place, and broke out in a unique sing-songy laugh. Immediately, the tension inside me eased up, until I glanced at stone-faced Veronica.
"Hey! Chill out! You’re pissing me off!" Infiniti said to her.
Veronica gave a fake smile and started playing with her long blonde hair. "Let’s just hurry, okay? Trent’s supposed to show up, and I don’t wanna miss him."
"Trent?" I asked.
"Trent Avila," Infiniti explained. "Veronica’s ex. They broke up two months ago, and she’s trying to get him back."
Veronica narrowed her eyes at Infiniti. "Seriously? You gonna tell everyone?"
Infiniti rolled her eyes. "I’m sorry, but everyone knows!"
Veronica crossed her arms and huffed. "Let’s just play the cards, okay?"
Their friendship reminded me of a soap opera, and I was beginning to wish I hadn’t come over after all.
When we stepped into the room, Infiniti turned off the light and shut the door. Darkness enveloped us. I squinted, hoping to find a sliver of light to focus on, but couldn’t find one.
"We need to hold hands and stand in a circle," Infiniti said. "I need to announce our presence before we open the cards."
Cool fingers touched my arm, and I jumped.
"Dominique, it’s just me," Infiniti laughed.
"Sorry," I said. Her small hand made its way to mine, and she took it with a firm grip.
I extended my other hand and searched the shadows for Veronica when her long and slender hand met mine.
"Are we all holding hands now?" Infiniti asked.
"Yeah," Veronica answered. "Now let’s get on with it."
After a few seconds, Infiniti began whispering words I couldn’t make out. I tried to pay attention, but my thoughts kept straying to my messed-up life. I had moved thousands of miles to a new city during senior year, and now stood in the middle of a pitch-black room with two girls I didn’t even know. Wo
rse yet, we were about to play some sort of fortune-telling card game. The loud thumping of the music downstairs vibrated the walls, almost in unison with my pounding heart. As much as I wanted to leave, I didn’t. That was my first mistake.
"Okay," Infiniti said when she finished. "Let’s do this!"
Infiniti released my hand and strode past me, the odor of weed following her every move. She fumbled with her lamp for a few seconds when I heard the crank of the switch. The dark room illuminated with a hazy glow. I blinked a few times before noticing a sheer purple scarf covering the shade. In fact, her entire room oozed purple from top to bottom. The only break in the color scheme was her black comforter.
When I looked at Veronica, I caught her staring at me. Her brown, shallow eyes studied me for a moment before she sat on Infiniti’s bed. I wanted to ask her what the hell her problem was, but stopped myself. The last thing I needed was drama before my first day at a new school.
Infiniti lit some incense in the corner of her room. She opened her desk drawer and took out a black box. She came back and sat next to Veronica, making room for me. Her personality switched from playful to serious.
"These are the new Oracle cards that Jan gave me the other day. They’re designed to help you manifest your goals, life purpose, and divinely inspired dreams." Infiniti opened the box. She brought out a sheet that explained more about the cards. "These cards can help you swim into the ocean of your unconscious mind, where profound thoughts and feelings can create—or block—your heart’s desire."
She rubbed her hands all over the box. As she did, I could've sworn the room darkened. Infiniti and Veronica didn’t react, and I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me.
"Um, who’s Jan?" I asked.
"Jan’s the cool woman who lives right across the street from me," Infiniti said. "I’ll have to introduce you guys, Dominique. She’s totally into all this stuff, and she’s very," she held up her hands and made quotation marks with her fingers, "spiritually connected."
Infiniti shuffled the cards. The aroma of incense, which had started out faint, grew strong. My nostrils filled with a heavy, earthy fragrance. My head started to spin. I grabbed my knees without them noticing, hoping to steady myself so I wouldn’t faint.
Infiniti handed the deck to Veronica. "Think of a question."
Veronica held the cards with both hands. She closed her eyes for a moment before handing them back. Infiniti fanned them out on the bed. "Now pick one," she said.
As Veronica scanned the cards, Infiniti leaned toward me. "The card’s message will answer the question. And the question must never be revealed."
Veronica picked her card and showed it to us. On one side was a picture of a mermaid brushing her hair. On the other, the message. She read the title on the top of the card. "Self-Forgiveness.” She moved on to the message on the bottom. “Let go of old guilt and release your past mistakes. Remember to guard yourself from evil thoughts."
Infiniti’s mouth fell open. "Holy shit. It’s Trent. You need to let go of him and your guilt for cheating on him. You know, move on."
Veronica looked down, and just before she did, I thought I saw her eyes water. I gulped, feeling more uncomfortable than ever. Maybe Veronica wasn't so bad after all. Infiniti rested her hand on Veronica’s leg. "Hey, you okay?"
"I’m fine." Veronica’s back stiffened before she continued. "Come on, let’s do you now."
"Whatever you say," Infiniti muttered. She took the cards, closed her eyes, and then handed the deck to Veronica. Following Infiniti’s lead, Veronica fanned the cards out on the bed. Infiniti picked one fast. It had a picture of a forest with young mermaids having a tea party on a stone in a river. "Friendship," she read. "Make a date for a play day with one or more friends. Release yourself in laughter and love."
She sighed, looking disappointed with her selection, but then cheered up quickly. "Hey, let’s hang tomorrow!"
We laughed—except Veronica who had taken out her phone and started texting someone.
Infiniti ignored her while she gathered up the cards, shuffled them, and handed them to me. "You’re next, Dominique."
Thick incense coated my throat as I reached for the cards. When I touched them, a jolt of electricity shot through me. I pulled my hand back and winced hard. When I opened my eyes, I saw a red landscape—empty and quiet. Where was Infiniti’s purple room? The booming music from downstairs? The odor of incense and weed? Where…was…I?
I spun around, seeing nothing but a red sky and red sand, when a flicker of familiarity registered with me. I knew this place, but how? My eyes settled on the dirt at my feet when a dull, throbbing ache crept up my neck, hovering right at my hairline. I reached out to touch the spot when a stinging clap hit my face. I blinked, then saw Infiniti’s tiny frame in front of me, her hand raised. She had just slapped me, and was about to slap me again when she stopped short. "Whoa, Dominique. Are you okay? Are you tripping or something?"
"No! I just…I uh…" I rubbed my sweaty palms on my jeans. My heart beat so fast it hurt. The hazy purple room seemed to close in on me. Everything started to spin.
"She’s totally high." Veronica sat on the bed, her arms crossed, her head cocked to the side. I had no idea what I’d done to piss her off, but she definitely didn’t care for me. And I really didn’t care for her.
I brought my hand to my cheek, at the spot that now burned. "You know, I’m not…" I stammered for a moment, trying to figure out what to say, my thoughts taking me back to that red vision, "…feeling well. I better go."
"No! You can’t!" Infiniti stood in front of the door, arms spread wide. "The cards are in play. If we don’t finish, that’ll bring bad luck on all of us. We don’t need bad luck."
Everything inside me said to leave, but at the same time I wanted to see if I would go back to that red place. Infiniti sensed my hesitation, made a move for the cards, and extended them out to me. "Here, ask your question."
The hazy room grew smaller, the darkness thicker. With a slow reach, I touched the deck. A shock connected at my fingertips, then faded away.
"Whoa," Infiniti said. "I saw that! I saw a white spark at your fingertips!"
Veronica leaned forward, suddenly interested in me. "What? A spark?"
"Yeah, Dominique shocked the cards when she touched them."
My hands wrapped around the cards fast. I waited to see the red desert again, but nothing happened.
"That was way cool," Infiniti said. "You must have good energy."
Good energy? I didn’t think there was anything good about what I had seen, or the pain at the back of my neck. In fact, the whole night sucked. And then I wondered if she had seen the spark the first time I touched the cards. "Did you…see anything before? When you first handed me the cards?"
"No." Infiniti inched closer to me, her eyes growing wide again. "Did you?"
"No. I just, uh, wondered."
"Come on," Veronica whined. "This is taking way too long, and I want to get back to the party, to the real fun."
"Fine," Infiniti answered, taking a deep breath before addressing me. "Dominique, think of your question."
I closed my eyes and concentrated on my question. I thought of how miserable I was with my move, how pissed I was at my parents, then my thoughts turned to the red desert I had just seen. There were way too many things crammed in my head, so I thought to myself, tell me what I need to know.
When I handed the deck back to Infiniti, she fanned the cards out on the bed. I drew one and studied it for a moment. It had a picture of a young mermaid pushing a dolphin down into the water, helping it reach the other dolphins below the surface. I cleared my throat. "You’re Being Helped. There are heavenly forces working behind the scenes to help you, even if you don’t see results yet."