"Emrys?" I said, spinning around, searching for the Trader who had been with me just moments before. "Damn, no reason to go away mad," I said to the empty beach. "You forgot your jacket," I added, hoping to entice him back out.
I waited several more moments to see if he'd return, but finally gave up when I realized he wasn't coming back, at least right now. Trudging through the sand, I headed toward my house with trepidation. This wasn't going to be pretty.
I stepped through the patio doors to an overflowing family room. Seven pairs of eyes pivoted around at my entrance, all staring in dead silence.Shit, nothing like calling in the cavalry, I couldn't help thinking bitterly as my eyes scanned the room.
Any further thoughts were pushed aside as a small dark-haired torpedo hit me at top speed, nearly knocking me over. "Lynn?" I said, shocked to see her as she wrapped her arms around me.
"Jordyn, don't ever do that to me again," Lynn admonished, holding me at arm's length.
Her scolding raised my hackles. "You came all this way because I went on a date?" I asked, putting on an act like my actions were no big deal.
"I thought we saidnobeing alone with the Soul Trader!" Krista said in a raised voice, taking in the leather jacket I was wearing.
I shrugged my shoulders, trying to hide my surprise over Krista's anger. She was usually so even tempered.
"Seriously? I'll be eighteen in two months, guys. When are you going to realize I'm practically an adult?"
"When you don't act like a toddler by going off with a stranger," Mark said in an even tone that was more effective than Krista's shouting.
"Oh god, it was no big deal. We just hung out," I said defensively, sinking down on the couch as all of them eyed me like some alien species.
"Jordyn, you don't justhang outwith Soul Traders. They always have a secret agenda," Krista said, sitting next to me.
"Secret agenda? Come on, you've already told me they're here to collect souls. Obviously, mine is safe, right?" I asked. "Besides, Emrys is different," I said stubbornly.
"If by different, you mean cunning, you're dead on," Sam grumbled across the room. "I watched how he manipulated you, snatching you right in front of Haniel like that."
"He didn't snatch me," I argued. "Haniel can tell you that," I said, looking at him for confirmation.
"Correct. He did not snatch you. You went willingly," Haniel answered, not moving a muscle as he studied me intently.
Haniel's judgmental stare was piercing. I drug my eyes from his and studied the floor instead, debating whether I should answer him. How could I sum up how Emrys made me feel to a bunch of angels? They didn't want to hear it. When I was with him, I felt daring, rebellious, and more importantly, free. I felt alive. My every movement over the last year had been scrutinized by the individuals in this room. At times I felt like nothing more than a lab rat to them. For just the briefest of moments tonight, Emrys helped me forget my status as an Anomaly.
"Jordyn?" Lynn asked, sounding confused. She was used to the more vocal version of me. I didn't shy away from situations. I embraced them.
Not sure how to answer, I finally shrugged again. "I don't know," I finally mumbled.
"He is obviously mind bending you," Robert said trying to pacify the situation.
"Mind bend?"
"You know, compelling you to go with him. Mind bend means the same thing. Your mind is bent so it no longer belongs to you." >"What? The guy was a freaking jerk!"
"You can't just drop a guy like that without consequences. You were going to break his neck because he knocked into you and touched me. This isn't training. That wasn't some Daemon you were fighting there. That was a human. You know, people we're supposed to protect!" Sam said, shaking with shock. "I'm going to go do some damage control. You go to the car," she demanded, stomping away.
All my fury seemed to dissipate in a rush and suddenly I was the one having trouble breathing as I thought about what I had just done. Sam was right. I fought that guy much like I would have a Daemon. I'd let my anger dictate my actions and compromised our family secret by doing so. Despair filled me, and I walked away from the side of the building, but instead of heading toward my car, I headed to the empty field behind the theater. I wanted to get away. I needed to get away.
The farther I walked from the theater, the easier it became for me to be able to breathe. Finally, I stopped in the middle of the open field and looked up at the stars, letting the rest of the adrenaline slowly seep from my body.
"Out for a nighttime stroll, huh?" a voice asked behind me.
"Emrys," I said, not turning around even though my pulse sped up into a high gear.
"Where's your bodyguard?" he asked, stepping up close behind me.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon," I answered, finally turning around and silently begging him with my eyes to keep his promise from earlier.
"You want to get out of here?" he asked huskily.