In Embers (The Ember Series Book 3)

TWENTY-FIVE: ARIZONA

  ~ Don’t Go Away: Oasis ~

  “You’re leaving?” Lewis asked, with dread.

  “Sorry, Brother, it’s time. I’ve been hiding out in this wondrous hole for far too long. I need to face reality again.”

  “Hole?” he sounded offended.

  “Not this house, the location. We’re literally in the biggest hole on the planet,” I joked.

  “Oh, yeah,” he said, easing his tone. Just then, Star walked up to me with a large smile, lovingly holding Oz in her arms. She had earbuds tucked in her head and she quickly removed them, placing them at the sides of her neck.

  “So, you’re coming back with us?”

  I let out a huge breath and scratched Oz behind one of his ears. “Looks like it. You think your sisters will remember me?”

  “Silly rabbit…” she teased.

  I tried not to laugh out loud, but it was hard not to. She sounded just like me.

  “Have they grown as strong as you, Star?”

  “Yes and no,” she shrugged, and let Oz jump from her arms to the floor in a dull thud. He shuffled back to the kitchen to get a drink from his water dish. Star continued, “Lennon pushes her powers all the time, so she’s advancing much quicker than the rest of us. King refuses to practice hers. I think she thinks that she will hurt someone if she pushes herself.”

  Asia chimed in, with a look directed my way, “Sound familiar, Max?”

  With a rush of embarrassment, I said, “I guess.” Star giggled softly and continued.

  “And Pepper is having the hardest time adjusting. She doesn’t trust anyone, except Aunt Asia,” she said, proudly. Asia blushed ever so slightly. It was hard to see on her naturally almond skin, but it was there.

  “Aunt?” I asked, with a silly grin.

  She nodded yes. “I officially adopted them a few months after we left the island. There was no official paper trail of their existence, so I created one for each of them. They are legally my family now,” Asia placed a loving arm around Star. “What’s mine…”

  “Is theirs,” I finished for her. She once told me the same thing when she gifted me half of her fortune. I lost my train of thought as her words bounced around my head. They reminded me of the year that Asia and I disappeared together. It was magical, crazy, and unforgettable. Now, Asia had shared the same amazing experience with them. I hoped that each girl enjoyed it as much as I had.

  “Aunt Asia, can we tell him now?” Star asked, quietly. It rocked me from my daydream.

  “Tell me what?”

  “Where we were,” she said, full of restlessness.

  “I guess it doesn’t matter now, go ahead,” Asia said.

  “Auntie said you’d know exactly where we went with one word,” she spoke, anxiously.

  “I’m listening,” I hesitated, a little.

  Star leaned forward, and whispered, “Heaven.”

  Lewis interrupted, confused, “Huh? I don’t get it.”

  My mind was overflowing with images before he even said anything. That one word was all it took to level me.Heaven.

  “Fiji,” I whispered. Asia filled with goose bumps and thunder echoed outside the window. The first place Asia and I gave everything to one another. The one place we were able to drop off the face of the planet and get away from everyone. Our heaven.

  “Yes!” Star exclaimed. She quickly turned to Asia, “You were right!”

  “She usually is,” I added, with a wink.

  “Fiji? Why Fiji?” Lewis asked.

  “Asia has some property there…a couple islands,” I smiled. “It’s very remote, but has everything you’d ever need. First and foremost, privacy,” I explained.

  “How many islands?” Lewis asked in awe.

  Asia answered back, robotically, “Twenty-three, give or take.”

  “No way,” he said with a slap of his hand to his leg. “Can you spare one?” he joked.

  Without missing a beat, Asia said, “Of course. I’ll have my lawyer draw up the paperwork tomorrow and send it over ASAP.”

  “What?” he squeaked. I had to cover my mouth to hold back my laughter. He thought she was kidding, but I knew better.

  “You now own an island on the coast of Fiji. It’ll be nice to have a neighbor when Max and I are on vacation with the girls,” Asia assured him.

  “Is she being serious?” Lewis asked me.

  I laughed aloud. “What’s mine is yours.” I grinned.

  “Your Max’s best friend, that makes you family. End of story.” Asia nodded, absolute. “I could never say thank you enough for helping him find his fires again, but I’ll start with the island.”

  Lewis removed his glasses and wiped them off with the bottom of his shirt still not believing his ears.

  Asia smiled wickedly. “Don’t worry, Lewis, I’ll just give you one of the little ones, no big deal.”

  “Welcome to the family, my friend!” I congratulated with a slap on his back. Oz jumped up on his legs with a bark as if to join in on the celebration.

  “This is unbelievable…” Lewis gasped.

  “You kept my Max safe all these years, it’s the least I could do,” Asia added.

  She called me, her Max. Her eyes spun with electric fire when she spoke and I wanted to kiss her.

  “Safe is one way to put it.” Lewis finally eased with a short laugh. “Do you know how bad his temper is?”

  Thunder shook the trailer, startling Lewis and Oz. My little bodyguard leaped into Lewis’ arms in an instant. Funny, that’s what he used to do with me. He really had grown to love Lewis.

  “Mad Max,” Asia sighed, with a crooked smile.

  “That’s perfect!” Lewis roared.

  A few hours passed as Asia and I shared some of our past adventures with Lewis and Star. I cooked one last dinner for us and even made Oz his own plate. Afterward I packed the handful of things I needed, some concert T-Shirts, my guitar, and the envelope that Detective Steele had given me. It was still unopened, but worn from all the times I dared to peek inside of its paper walls. Asia made arrangements for a private flight out of Las Vegas, Nevada for the early morning. She also had her lawyers fax over the electronic deed and invoice for one island in Fiji. The look in Lewis’ eyes when she handed him the signed documentation was priceless. She even went online and printed up a picture for him. Lewis and Oz retired to my guest bedroom a few minutes later, completely exhausted, and fell quickly asleep. I guess owning your own private island can be draining.

  As the night wound down, Star slid up to Asia and I as we snuggled on the couch. She quickly found Asia’s protective arm and tucked herself under it.

  “Is it safe to go back?” she asked, scared.

  Her question rocked me to my foundation. I had no idea. It had been so long since I had seen anything to make me worry about the past.

  Asia squeezed Star tighter and whispered in her ear, “Of course, my shining Star. Do not worry.”

  “But why are my sisters still in hiding if it is really safe now?” Star asked, unsure.

  “Where are the other girls, Asia?” I asked.

  “On Maui.”

  “What?” I couldn’t believe it.

  “They’re safe. Locked away in my new house I built last year,” she said, with a nervous quake in her throat. “With your mother.”

  Feeling like I had been stabbed in the chest, I sat up and groaned. “My mother is back on Maui?”

  “Yes. She’s there for the wedding.” Asia tried to ease my anger with a soft smile. I let out a hot puff of air and stood up.

  “Are we sure they’re safe?” I asked worried.

  “Why wouldn’t they be? Avery hasn’t tried anything since we left Maui five years ago. I’ve had my people watching him ever since. I think he’s given up. It really is no use to try and take the girls from me…from us. He knows we’re too strong.” Asia stood up and took my hand in hers. “Besides, he never even came close to finding us.”

  “That’s not exactly true,” I s
ighed. My memory rushed back to a few years before when that mysterious white van had been outside my room, watching me. I explained everything to her and her face fell cold.

  “Your mother told me once about a white van with no markings driving around her neighborhood one afternoon.” Asia seemed to fall into a trance of her memories.

  “Did it have blacked out windows?” I asked, growing tense.

  “Yes,” she frowned. “We were on the phone talking when it happened. I had her describe the scene to me, every detail.”

  “What happened?”

  “The van circled her block and eventually parked under a downed power line that was damaged from the night before, in a snowstorm. After a few minutes it drove off and she assumed it was someone who was assessing the damage for the city or insurance company.” Asia looked down at a newly scared Star.

  Quietly, I asked, “How long ago, Asia?”

  “Last year.”

  Thunder cut through the night and I grabbed my cell phone. “I think we better find an earlier flight back to Maui. If it was Avery then he’s known where to find me and my mother this whole time. Maybe he was just waiting for you to find me,” I said, with my hands already steaming.

  “Do you think he’s aware of the wedding?” Asia asked, already knowing the answer.

  I dialed out my mother’s cell number, but it was busy.

  “I hope not.”

  Ten minutes later one of Asia’s expensive helicopters landed a few hundred yards from my front yard. She grabbed Star and headed for the door. The sound of the chopper blades woke Lewis from a dead sleep. He and Oz stumbled out of the guest room in a zombie-like stagger.

  “Max, what’s going on? I thought you weren’t leaving until the morning.”

  “Lewis, I don’t have time to explain, just trust me that I have to go. You know my past. Well, it seems to be threatening my future again. I have to finally fix things, no more running.” I reached out a hand for him to shake. He ignored it.

  “Are you coming back?” he asked. Oz sniffed the air as Asia opened the door and dust flew inside my temporary home. He barked once and then looked up at me with big confused eyes. I leaned down and picked him up.

  “Count on it,” I smiled, and handed him Oz. “I’ll have to come back for my little king,” I announced. My warm hand slid over Oz’s furry head and back. A long whimper escaped his chest and he licked my fingers before I pulled my hand back.

  “You’re not taking Oz?” Lewis asked, stunned.

  “No. It’s better for him here.” I turned to walk out the door, but whirled back around. “You’re better for him.”

  “Max, are you sure?” Lewis’ voice grew shaky.

  Oz whined louder for me, but he kept himself tucked snuggling in Lewis’ arms.

  I walked up and kissed Oz on the top of his head, then smacked Lewis on the shoulder. “It’ll be okay, fellas. I’ll call you when we get there.” I forced a smile.

  “Be good, Max,” Lewis smiled.

  “You too,” I said. Quickly, I scooped up my stuff and slipped out the front door. Asia was already waiting inside the helicopter with Star by her side. Lightning trickled through the darkness above us and I inhaled the smell of the desert one last time. Asia waved to me to hurry and rain started to pepper the dusty ground. I took one shaky step forward and then stopped. I dropped my bag and guitar down and ran back inside my house. With a smack, I embraced Lewis with Oz still in his arms and hugged them both tightly.

  “Thank you, Lewis.”

  “For what?” he asked, choking up.

  “For helping me find my way home.”

  I ran back out the door and into the buzzing machine of twirling blades and flashing lights. Lewis stepped out on the porch and waved to me. I waved back with a wry smile and pointed to the table just outside my door where a potted cactus lived. Laying along the faded paint of the surface was the keys to my old truck. The one he helped fix up. The one he loved more than me. Lewis grabbed the keys in his hands and a huge smile almost split his face in two. With one hand he offered me a final thumbs up.

  The chopper flew off into the night and I left the best of me in the cracks and caverns of Arizona.

  TWENTY-SIX: NEST

  ~ If You Could Only See: Tonic ~

  Maui, Hawaii

  Sunday morning - 9:22 a.m. - June 16th

  Asia’s private jet had us back on the island in record time. A fancy black car and snooty driver met us at the entrance of the Maui airport. Without catching our breaths, we were on our way to see my mother and Asia’s adopted girls. The car rolled along the main road before turning off onto a very familiar street.

  “Wait a sec…where are we headed?” I asked, confused. Asia had told me her new house was built on the same land as her last home, and this was not the way there.

  “It’s okay Max, we’re not going to my house,” Asia softly spoke. Before I could comment, it became clear that we were driving down the road that led to my uncle’s old house, my house. As we pulled into the cozy driveway my mother was already waiting for us outside. She stood with a smile and a wave, and three curious young women. Asia stepped from the car first and the three girls ran up to her excited, with arms full of love. Star joined her twin sister, Lennon, with a quick hug too. It was obvious they were still very close.

  “How was the desert?” Lennon asked her sister. Star looked back at me as I exited the car.

  “Awesome!” Star flashed an embarrassed smile my way, and whispered, “He’s exactly like Aunt Asia told us…soooooooo hot.”

  I pretended not to hear her comment and made my way over to my mother, stopping only long enough to kiss Asia on the cheek as I passed her by. Thunder rippled along the mountainside and she bit her lip playfully.

  “Max!” My mother squeezed me tightly. I thought about fighting her hug, but changed my mind quickly. It felt nice. Actually, it felt overdue. Most of all, it felt right.

  “Aloha,” I smiled, shyly.

  “I can’t believe you came. Asia really does know you, doesn’t she. She promised me that you would come.” Her eyes welled up with tears. It had been too long since I had seen her. I never even told her where I was the last five years, just that I was safe and healing.

  “Well, I’m here, but I’m not sure why I am here, at my house. Weren’t you all holding up at Asia’s new digs?” I asked, turning toward Asia and her four rays of sunshine.

  “Asia messaged me that you’d be heading here first, so I packed up the girls and drove over.” My mother pointed with her thumb, “It was all her idea.” From the doorframe of my house stood a redhead with a ball cap atop her curls and a shotgun along her waist.

  “Detective Steele,” I said, unsure. Her red lips tightened in disappointment.

  “I can’t believe you just left like that, Max. I think I deserved at least a phone call,” she scolded. “And call me Kris…you know better.”

  “Sorry,” I mumbled. I reached out with a nervous hand for her to shake. She looked down at it curiously, then smiled.

  “Something’s different,” she announced. Asia walked up behind us and lightning slid along the bright blue sky. Kris peeled back a large grin. “You found your flames, didn’t you.”

  Star chimed in, quickly, “You should see him, he’s like a superhero.”

  “Really?” Kris filled with excitement.

  I blushed. “Star’s exaggerating.”

  “No, I’m not,” she corrected. She turned to her three sisters and said, “He’s like Auntie Asia, but with fire!”

  All of them gasped at the same time with one word, “Whoa!” Asia laughed softly and kissed my mother on her cheek.

  “Have they been gracious and helpful young women, Vivian?” Asia asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “They’re all amazing, my dear,” my mother said, proudly.

  “What are we doing here?” I asked, breaking up the awkward family reunion.

  “It’s been a long time since you’ve been back, Max, I
wanted it to be as stress free as possible,” Asia subtly explained. “I was able to contact Detective Steele on the flight here. She has been keeping an eye on things around the island while I’ve been gone.”

  “There hasn’t been an Avery sighting in years, Max.” Kris winked, and rested her weapon against the back of the door.

  “Did you explain about the unmarked vans?” I asked, troubled.

  “Of course,” Asia said.

  “Max, I have this island on lock down, you’re safe, the girls are safe, your mother’s safe…” she paused for a moment and continued gently. “Your daughter’s safe.”

  “Madison…” Her name slid effortlessly from my lips. Thunder shook the walls softly, causing all the girls to fidget with excitement. Heat popped inside my fists and I brought one hand up to wipe the building moisture from my brow, but found my fingers already ablaze. My mother reached for my arm, locking it in place so I wouldn’t burn my face.

  “Careful, Son!” she shrieked.

  I looked at her and smiled. “It’s okay, Mom, I’m fireproof again.” I placed my burning hand in front of her face and blew with a hot puff of air that made the fire disappear. “See.”

  “Oh my…” she shrank backwards.

  Asia’s girls all giggled amongst themselves.

  Star turned to all of them and said, “I told you so.”

  Shaking her head, Kris stepped up between Asia and I. “Holy crap, it’s like an X-Men movie up in here.”

  “So, Sam and Madison are already here?” I asked, ignoring everyone else. Asia watched me closely, but calmly.

  “Yes. All three of them arrived two nights ago. Don’t worry, I’ve had an unmarked police unit monitoring them twenty-four hours a day, just in case,” Kris said, still keeping a close eye on my hands.

  I slowly turned to Asia. “Asia, I…”

  “You need to see Madi,” she said, directly.

  I grabbed her hand in mine and nodded yes.

  She softly smiled with complete trust. “I know, Max.”

  Quickly, we unpacked our things. Asia pulled out a set of keys from her bag and walked me to the backyard.