CHAPTER TWENTY
Ty stiffened at first, but a moment later, his hands found the curve of my hips and pulled me closer.
His lips were warm. I shivered as Ty reached up to cup one of my cheeks, his thumb tracing lines across my cheekbone. I tasted the spearmint gum on his breath, and I gripped the front of his shirt, pulling myself closer.
It wasn’t a hurried kiss, but as Ty’s soft lips moved against mine, a fresh rush of adrenaline surged through me just the same. Like fire, it burned through my veins, warming my skin and speeding my heart. I was so acutely aware of the loud hammering of my own heartbeat that I barely registered the rumbling sound in my ears. It was only when the rain began to pelt us that the noise made sense.
Ty pulled away first, looking around in surprise. Thick raindrops poured from the sky, but all I could focus on was the feel of Ty’s warm hand trailing what felt like fire down my arm. He smiled at me and leaned in once more, pressing his lips gently against mine. Standing on my tiptoes, I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, running my fingers into his hair as the rain fell around us.
The kiss deepened. A strange sensation began to hum inside my chest. Warm wisps of energy danced across my skin, and a sense of magnetism enveloped me. The impression was so intense, I broke away from Ty with a gasp.
“I’m sorry, I—” I began, but stopped. Ty was staring down at me, his blue irises tinged with a ring of golden light.
“I knew it was you,” he said. His voice was low, almost a whisper.
“Ty?” I took a step back. A gust of wind whipped my hair across my face, and a low peal of thunder rumbled across the sky. “What’s going on?”
He stared at me for a moment. The golden light had faded from his eyes, returning them to their normal color. “Lainey, there’s something I need to tell you.”
I’d seen that look before. On Serena’s face. And on Gareth’s.
“Stop.” I held up my hand. My stomach rolled with nausea. “I know that look, and what you’re about to tell me is going to change everything again, isn’t it?”
He didn’t have to reply. His face said it all.
“God!” I cried. “I’m so sick of this. Every time I turn around, someone is lying to me or keeping some massive secret from me. I can’t trust anyone!” I rubbed my forehead where a pounding headache was building in my temple. “What is it this time, Ty? What’s your big secret? Tell me!” I spat out the words. A loud clap of thunder seemed to echo my anger.
A thought struck me, and I glared at him. “You walked by Auntie Marmalade like you were invisible.” I swore under my breath. “When Serena said I was a witch, you didn’t even blink an eye. What happened in the graveyard—you weren’t surprised at all, were you?”
I sucked down a quick breath, squeezing my hands into fists. “Of course you weren’t. Because you must have seen it all before.” Another loud clap of thunder responded to my words.
Ty looked up at the sky and then back at me, a peculiar expression on his face. I’d seen that look cross his face before but could never identify it. Now it made sense. My heart sank.
“You’re a part of this somehow. Aren’t you?” I took a step backward.
Ty hesitated, but reached for me, his eyes full of guilt. “Lainey, I—”
“Just answer the question.”
“Yes.”
That single word was a slap in my face. I recoiled, wrapping my arms around myself.
Ty started to move toward me again, but stopped when he saw the look on my face. He plunged his hands into the pockets of his jeans instead. “You’re right. I wasn’t surprised. I know about Supernaturals . . . because I am one.” He shrugged, his face one of resignation. “I’m a Praetorian.”
I stared at him.
“It means guardian,” he continued. “It’s what we do, what I do—protect other Supernaturals.”
“Like a bodyguard or something?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Yes.” Ty moved closer to me. “We’re like . . . marines, or the army, or something, but we’re faster and stronger. We train our whole lives to be the best at what we do. Weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, tracking.” He ticked the items off on his fingers. “We do it all.”
“Right . . . and what? You just go around protecting and saving random people?”
“Well, no. It’s a little more complicated than that. We’re drawn to the people we’re meant to safeguard, and they to us—like magnets. It’s . . . the Calling. I wish I could explain it more than that, but it’s just a feeling we get. The instinct to travel in a particular direction, to be in a certain place at a certain time, to speak to someone we’ve never met.”
“And the whole glowing eyes thing?”
Ty’s flush deepened, and the look in his eyes intensified. “I knew it was you from the moment I saw you. And in the gym, when I touched you . . . I’ve never felt so drawn to anyone in my life.”
I swallowed, remembering the spark of electricity. “So, I’m your . . . your Calling, then?”
“Yes.”
I didn’t know what to say. The rain began to pick up, coming down in solid sheets.
“The street fights?” I asked, eyeing the almost faded bruise on his cheek. “They’re not just for fun, are they?”
“I have to stay sharp, strong.” Ty shrugged. “It’s easier to practice with an opponent.”
“Serena knew, didn’t she? When she spoke to you at the shop?”
“She could See what I was,” Ty confirmed. “Apparently Praetorians have a different color aura then everyone else.” He cracked a smile. “She threatened to flay me alive if I hurt you.”
I didn’t laugh. “What am I supposed to do with all of this?” I asked. “I barely know you, but you’re supposed to be some kind of protector magically assigned to me? Sorry, but I’m not a ’knight on a white horse’ kind of girl.”
“I never thought you were,” Ty said, his brow furrowed. “And it’s not like that. Being my Calling doesn’t mean I fight your battles for you. It means I stand beside you.”
“I don’t even know who you are,” I whispered. “And yet, when I’m with you, things seem clearer . . . Is that really how I feel, or just some magic trick?” My lower jaw started to tremble, and I bit down hard on my lip. I would not cry.
“Lainey, I—”
“No, don’t say anything else. Pretty sure I’m at my limit of magical confessions for the day.” Brilliant streaks of lightning flashed across the sky. Breathe. Just Breathe.
Kissing Ty had been an impulse, a rash action with very little thought behind it, much like standing in front of the train. Remembering his guarded expression from the boxing studio, I’d half expected him to push me away, but instead he had wrapped me securely in his arms and kissed me back.
I flushed at the thought of his fingertips pressing into the small of my back, his warm breath on my skin. In spite of the fact that my life was a hot mess and I knew nearly nothing about him, kissing Ty had felt so incredibly right.
Now with the declaration of who he truly was hanging in the air, the kiss itself felt like a lie.
Everything is so screwed up right now.
The small semblance of acceptance I’d gained in the graveyard earlier that morning had evaporated after the conversation with Gareth; the pangs of hurt, anger, and betrayal stirred up by the whole situation refused to be ignored. I already felt like I was at my emotional capacity—but then I’d kissed Ty, and I’d been woefully unprepared for it.
It wasn’t just the physicality of the kiss; it was the warmth that radiated from Ty himself, a sense of certainty and purpose. The notion that even if everything in the world was wrong, this was right. He was right. But now, everything felt even more jumbled and confused.
“What do I do?” I whispered.
Another loud crack of thunder jolted me back to reality. This time it was so loud, the ground rumbled beneath my feet.
The wind picked up, and the rain fell even harder. Nearly everyone from the party had already made a mad dash for the row of parked cars, and the only remnant of the gathering was the smoke from the dying bonfire.
I tried to look at Ty, but the wind was howling around us, whipping my hair into my face. I tried in vain to wrangle my hair into place, but the wind was impossible and the rain was starting to come down so hard that it was like tiny nails pricking my skin. It was dark, but overhead angry clouds swirled together. Panicked, I scanned the surroundings for some kind of shelter from the storm.
Ty shouted, but I couldn’t make out the words over the wind. A flash of lightning split the sky about us, and I shrieked. Ty grabbed my arm and pulled me close, his lips at my ear. “Lainey!” he shouted over the storm. “I think you’re doing this.”
“What?” I cried. Had I heard him correctly? I wiped the rain off my face and leaned forward. “What did you say?”
“The storm! It’s you, Lainey!”
I shook my head. He wasn’t making any sense. Ty grabbed me by the wrists, pulling my hands up in front of my eyes. A startled cry erupted from my lips.
Tiny sparks of green light flashed like lightning between my fingertips.
“No!” I wrenched myself away from Ty. “No!” I stared at my hands, then looked up at the clouds rotating dangerously above my head. “What do I do?” I cried as a loud crack of thunder echoed across the trees. “Ty, what do I do?”
As if in response, a streak of lightning struck a tree several feet away from where we were standing. Wood splintered everywhere as a large branch crashed to the ground. I shrieked and nearly tumbled to the ground. Ty shouted again, and gestured with his hands, but all I could focus on was the fear shooting through my entire body. “I don’t know how to stop it! I don’t know what to do!”
The physical storm and the torrent of emotion raging inside me were too much. I turned away from Ty, covering my face with my hands. I just want it to stop. Please let it stop.
A loud peal of booming thunder shook the ground. Accompanying bolts of wild lightning streaked across the sky.
I would’ve collapsed, but then there were hands gripping my shoulders. Ty pulled me closer, trying to shield me from the violent wind. I could tell from the vibrations in his chest that he was talking, but his words were lost to the storm. Despite the fact that the earth whirled around him, he radiated steadiness.
Taking deep breaths, I closed my eyes and leaned into Ty, trying to block out the storm. I refused to allow myself a peek at my hands to see if the light was still dancing between my fingertips. Instead, I forced myself to take deep breaths, keeping my eyes squeezed shut. Just breathe, Lainey. Just breathe.
“That’s it,” Ty’s voice murmured in my ear a few moments later. “It’s almost over. Just relax.”
Opening my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the sky. The rotating clouds were scattering. The wind, though still blowing, was no longer a howling gale, and the rain had dissipated to a light sprinkle. I turned to face Ty. His blue eyes were wide and fixed on my face. “Are you hurt?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” I disentangled myself and took a few steps away. I looked around; the sky was clearing, and the stars were peeking out brilliantly overhead. The only evidence of the storm that remained was a few mud puddles, the damp smell of the trees, and a palpable humidity.
“But how?” I looked back at Ty. “I wasn’t trying to—” Realization smacked into me. “This isn’t the first time it’s happened, either.” I remembered the warmth that had spread across my skin as the rosebud had started to bloom, the feeling of strange acceptance as the plant came to life before my eyes.
Ty’s eyebrows rose. “You mean the dryad?”
“Well, that, but earlier today in the graveyard. I made a dead rosebush bloom. I wasn’t trying; it just kind of happened.” My mind flipped backward through my memories, and I gasped. “The red lights . . . and the clock. The morning of the SATs. That was . . . me.” I stared at Ty, my mouth hanging open. “Is it possible that every weird, unexplainable thing that’s happened to me the last few years . . . was my fault?”
I staggered backward. “But those were small things. I just nearly unleashed a freaking tornado on top of us.” My voice was getting higher and shriller the more I talked. In the distance, there was a low rumble of thunder.
“I could’ve killed someone, and I don’t even know how I did it!” I bent over, clutching my knees for balance as a rush of vertigo had me swaying on my feet.
A streak of lightning flashed across the sky, and there was another low rumble of thunder. Ty looked up at the sky and then back at me. “You have to calm down. I think it’s reacting to your emotions.”
“Calm down? I don’t think I can.” Raindrops pelted my shoulders.
Ty quickly walked over and grabbed me by the shoulders. “Lainey, look at me.” With one hand, he pulled my chin up so that he was staring into my eyes. “It’s going to be okay. Just breathe.”
I mentally urged my lungs to function, and using Ty’s eyes as an anchor, I took a few deep breaths, forcing my mind to go blank.
After several long minutes, Ty broke his gaze and glanced around. When he looked back at me, he was smiling. “See? You just can’t freak out.”
I looked around. Ty was right. The rain had disappeared and the sky was clearing once again. I exhaled sharply. “My powers are linked to my emotions,” I stated, not really needing the confirmation.
“Yes, it would appear that way.”
“Well, that’s just great,” I groaned. “Not only do I have power that I can’t control, but it’s influenced by my emotions.”
I began pacing, throwing my arms around as I ranted. “What kind of sick joke is that? Is the universe trying to make me go completely insane? I’m a teenage girl! It’s in my genetic code to be a big ball of mess! How do I know the next time I get stressed out, I’m not going to accidentally blow up a building or turn the entire swim team into goldfish?”
“I doubt you’ll blow up any buildings, Lainey,” Ty replied, his face kind. “But turning the swim team into goldfish? That I might like to see.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You just have to learn how to control it,” Ty continued.
“But how?” I twisted some of the water out of my ponytail, eager for even the smallest sense of normalcy.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure. But you’ll figure it out. You have to . . . I’ll help you.”
I groaned. “There’s just so much about all of this that I don’t understand. I’m trying to make sense of things that shouldn’t make sense.” I looked over at Ty, almost pleading. “I’m a witch. My uncle is a Faerie. You’re some kind of magical bodyguard. I have lightning that apparently shoots through my fingers when I’m overwhelmed. It’s absolutely crazy! This kind of stuff just doesn’t happen in real life, and it certainly doesn’t happen to me.”
“You make it sound like a death sentence.”
“Well, isn’t it? There are people out there who would literally kill me for my powers. Powers that I didn’t know I had and certainly don’t want! Am I just supposed to accept all of this with a grain of salt? Don’t I get a say at all?”
“I won’t try to tell you what to feel,” Ty said. “But have you stopped to think that maybe all of this is what was meant to happen? I mean, what if your destiny is something bigger than even you imagined?”
I was at a loss for words. Ty’s sapphire eyes stared deep into mine, and for a moment, he looked much older and wiser than his eighteen years.
“But I’m nobody,” I whispered. “There’s nothing special about me at all. I’m just . . . Lainey.”
“Well, Lainey Styles, I haven’t known you for very long,” Ty said, “but from what I can tell, you’re far from being a nobody. Besides, no one can tell you who or what you’re going to be. Destiny or not, you get to choose.”
Ty was silent for a moment. Then he reached out and took my hand. “The point is, you can do this, Lainey. I know it. I mean, come on,” he continued, the half smile curling on his lips. “How many girls do you know who can create thunder like that? Maybe I should start calling you Thor.”
“You sound exactly like Maggie.” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Thank you . . . for helping with the storm.”
“You don’t have to thank me for anything. You were the one who stopped it. It was all you.”
“I’m also the one who started it.” I sighed. “But you know what? I don’t want to be the kind of girl who finds out her life is about to change and just freaks out about it. I’m angry, don’t get me wrong, but the sooner I stop yelling and start accepting that this is what my life is going to look like from now on, the better. Like you said, the universe has a bigger plan for me than I have for myself, right?”
Ty nodded. “Just remember, it is your choice.”
Gareth’s words echoed in my thoughts: A person’s destiny is not a concrete certainty. There are people who live their entire lives and never fulfill their true purpose. Free will and choice, you see, are powerful tools of alteration. A simple choice can change everything.
“It’s my choice,” I whispered. “I have a choice.”
“Yes, you do.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, squeezing Ty’s hand.
He reached out with his other hand to cup my cheek, running a thumb across my cheekbone. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
We crossed the tracks and started walking to where I’d parked my car.
A familiar sensation filled me, tugging at me as we walked. I stopped, my wet shoes sinking into the mud.
Josephine stood a few feet away.
Her eyes, both lovely and sad, were trained on me. She didn’t speak this time, but we stared at each other—a thousand words between us.
I don’t want to be afraid anymore.
The words echoed all around me, mimicking the fire that burned in her eyes. When it ignited inside me, I knew I’d never be the same again. I took comfort in that tiny spark; it was small, but steadily growing warmer.
I have a choice.
Too many decisions had been made for me, but no longer.
It’s up to me. It’s my choice.
Like molten steel in cold water, my resolve was forged.
I gave Josephine a tiny smile, finally understanding. It’s my choice, and I choose my destiny. I won’t walk away.
I didn’t need confirmation, but as I turned away, I heard a soft word in my ear.
One last time, my name whispered in the wind.