The Zeuorian Awakening Read online

  “So, are you ready to give up and go home?” Everett said.

  “Never.” Tyler stood up with his hands balled into fists. “You have to kill me before I leave you alone with Lexi.”

  “I think I know another way to get rid of you.” Then Everett said telepathically to Lexi, “Can you give me a hand.” He hinted for her to use one of her abilities.

  She knew exactly which one to use.

  He cocked his arm back and swung. She lifted her hand and gave Everett’s arm a telekinetic boost. When his hand connected with Tyler’s jaw, it made a loud crack and Tyler’s body went limp. He collapsed to the ground.

  The fight was over. Now she had to face the aftermath of revealing herself to Tyler and maybe Stephan.

  “I’ll check to see if he’s close by and saw what you did,” Everett said, frantically glancing around the area. “You should listen to everyone’s thoughts in the area and see if anyone saw what had happened.”

  Damn, she hadn’t considered her neighbors could’ve seen her redirect the lightning. What if they’d already told someone or posted a video of her on the web.

  “Relax.” Everett took her hand and squeezed it. “If anyone posted a video of you on the web, I’ll use my power and make them remove it. Now stay here, I’ll be back in a minute.”

  After watching him run down the street, she cleared her thoughts and focused on the voices humming in the back of her mind. “What happened to the power? . . . How am I going to find out how the game ended? . . . I wonder why we lost power. . . . Damn weather again.”

  “I didn’t see Stephan. Did anyone see you?” Everett asked, running toward her and breathing heavy.

  “No, they were either busy doing something else or they believe the weather caused the black out. So only Tyler knows what I can do.” That scared and confused her. Would he use his knowledge of her ability to control lightning to persuade her to go out with him? Or would he tell others? “What are we going to do about him?”

  “There’s not a lot we can do. Other than dump him at his house and hope Stephan doesn’t hear his thoughts about what you did. But he may find out by morning since Tyler isn’t going to let it go I kicked his butt and kept him from convincing you to be with him.”

  She bit her lower lip and fought back the tears. Her worst fear was coming true: exposing herself to a half-breed hunting her all because she’d lost control again.

  “Don’t worry about Stephan finding out about you. I’ll figure a way out of this mess and keep you safe, but first we should take Tyler home before he wakes up.”

  “Yeah, we should and fast. Irene will be home in thirty minutes. Well, if I’m still alive by then.”

  “Oh, you’ll be alive and on time,” Everett said with certainty. “Now drive to his house and I’ll follow you in his Hummer.”

  26 MAKING A STAND

  Fifteen minutes later, Lexi drove home. Her mind raced over various scenarios in which she died at the hands of the half-breeds, using scenes from horror movies as a reference, none of which were pleasant.

  She turned to Everett sitting in the passenger seat. “So how are you going to make sure Stephan doesn’t figure out I’m the full-breed? I’m not particularly interested in being tied to a stake before my heart is cut out of my chest or something just as horrifying done to me.”

  “I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Everett squeezed her hand resting on the stick shift. “But we need to leave before Stephan comes to my house.”

  She couldn’t believe it. “We’re still going to MIT?”

  “No.” He leaned his head against the headrest. “We can’t go there anymore. Once Stephan reads Tyler’s mind, he’ll know you’re the one I had been watching and come looking for me. The first place he’ll go is MIT.”

  If he could connect Everett to her through Tyler’s thoughts, he would also be able to connect Irene to her. “I’m not going to run and let him torture or kill Irene so he can find me. I’ll figure out a way to keep him from attacking me even if I have to befriend the entire cheerleading squad and hang out with them 24/7.”

  “It won’t work. He’ll find a way to kill you without alerting the police or The Community, but if we run,” he traced his finger on the top of her hand, “it would give us a chance to spend time together, maybe even a life together.”

  Her heart ached at the thought of living a life with Everett. “I want to spend more time with you, too, but I can’t live with myself if they hurt Irene.”

  Everett sighed when she pulled her hand from his and parked in the driveway. “I’m not going to let you get yourself killed,” he said.

  “I don’t want to get killed either.” She thought for a few seconds and an idea came to her. “What if you made Tyler forget what I did by pushing a thought into his mind? And you can make him forget about obsessing over me, too. Then the Stephan won’t ever find out about me.”

  “I thought about that too, but I have to stand in front of him for at least a minute to push a thought into his mind. After what I did to him, he’s not going to stand a second in front of me before trying to kick my butt. Even if I pin him down and force him to stare at me, Stephan could’ve already read his thoughts.”

  “You could still try,” she said, pleading with him.

  He stared at the scar on her arm as his shoulders sagged forward. “Okay, you win. We can stay. I don’t want you doing anything crazy and getting hurt again. I’ll figure something out to keep him from discovering you’re the one I’m watching.”

  “Thanks for understanding.” She squeezed his hand. “I just can’t lose someone else I love over this.”

  “I know.” He got out of the car and surveyed the area for anyone watching them. “Come on. It’s safe. I don’t see Stephan anywhere.”

  She followed Everett along the dimly lit paved path to the kitchen door. The day seemed to be turning into one of the worst days of her life or what was left of her short life.

  “You mean long life.” Everett cleared his throat as he stood in front of the door. “I was thinking. Stephan doesn’t have any immediate reason to listen to Tyler’s thoughts. Maybe we can go with your plan and try to wipe out his memories before school started. Then your aunt would be safe and we could go to MIT.”

  She unlocked the door and opened it. “Do you really believe you’ll be able to wipe his memory before Stephan listens to his thoughts?”

  “It’ll work.” Everett pulled her into the dark kitchen and shut the door. “As long as I can hold Tyler long enough to push a thought into his mind.” He drew her closer to his body. “I’m going to sneak out your bathroom window to be safe, but first . . .”

  He cupped the side of her face and leaned forward. Lightning flashed outside her kitchen window as she closed her eyes in anticipation of what was to come next.

  He kissed her on the forehead. “I better go before someone notices the weather or Stephan finds me over your house.”

  “Wait.” She grabbed his wrist and stopped him from leaving. “You don’t have to take it that slow and kiss me like my father used too. I can handle something more intense.”

  She wasn’t going to let him waste this moment playing it safe. For all she knew tomorrow could be her last day alive. She pulled his face to hers and kissed him. Their lips met, and with that touch, an electric current shot through Everett, and whatever he’d just been worrying about faded away.

  His lips moved with hers, gentle at first, and then hard and hungry. He pressed her back against the wall, crushing his body against hers and knocking the air right out of her lungs. She ran her fingers through his hair while enjoying his desperate, breathless kisses filled with fear, longing and passion. Until a loud explosion jolted her back to reality and she broke apart from his passionate embrace.

  Breathing heavy and teetering toward Everett, she debated daring to take a chance to feel his lips and warm body against hers again. By the look on Everett’s face, burning with passion and concern, he was torn the same as her.
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br />   But she couldn’t take the chance. No matter how much she wanted to be with Everett and man did she want to be with him. She didn’t want to risk leading Stephan to her over a couple of hours of passion even if tomorrow would be her last day. She didn’t want to chance Everett or Irene getting hurt or killed because of her.

  Everett ran his fingers through his messed up hair. “I should go now before I don’t.”

  “Yeah you should,” she said with a deflated tone to her voice. “Irene will be home any minute now.”

  “No matter what you think,” he brushed a few strands of hair off her face, “we’ll have many more days together, if I can help it.”

  “You promise.”

  “Promise.” He kissed her forehead. “Just to be safe. Don’t block your thoughts. If he does a sweep of the area with his telepathy, he may be able to pinpoint you that way.”

  “What if I need to talk to you telepathically?”

  “You should try to avoid it at all cost, but if it’s the only way to get hold of me, use a code name. I’ll be calling you Angel.”

  “I suppose I can call you Fox, like in the TV show.” It seemed fitting, considering she was an alien and he wanted to foil a major conspiracy. Although this certainly wasn’t a TV show. This was reality and others were hunting her.

  “One last thing. Remind your aunt and Angie not to think about what you can do. Don’t tell them anything else about your abilities or me.” He hesitated for a moment. “Actually, I think it would be safer if I wipe their memories.”

  “Can we give them a day and see how they do blocking their thoughts before you decide to erase their memories?”

  She enjoyed having Irene and Angie to confide in. She didn’t have to constantly worry about hiding her abilities from them. And she had a feeling Irene may know more about her than she realized. She would never be able to question her if Everett wiped Irene’s memory.

  “You have a point about your aunt,” Everett said. “I should hold off wiping her memory. I don’t see any immediate danger of Stephan reading her thoughts unless he does a scan of the neighborhood. Angie, on the other hand, it’ll be too dangerous to let her remember what you can do. Stephan is more than likely going to do a sweep of everyone close to me at school, including Angie and you.”

  Lexi hated to admit he was right. Angie knowing the truth about her would be just as dangerous as Tyler with Stephan hanging around the school looking for her. “Okay, you can wipe her memory,” she said with a sad tone to her voice.

  Everett kissed the soft spot on the inside of her wrist, lingering for a minute before he said, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning at school. Meet me there at 7:40 A.M. and have Angie meet us there at the same time.”

  She agreed with a forced smile and watched him walk up the stairs. Once he disappeared into the darkness of her hallway, the smile quickly faded as a nagging thought in the back of her mind bubbled to the surface: What if Stephan already knew she was the full-breed?

  27 STEALING MEMORIES

  Lexi read on her cell phone for the second time, “Meet me beside the cafeteria by the bushes.” She surveyed the area for any sign of Everett, but she couldn’t see him anywhere. However, her premonition was warning her someone had to be close by.

  Slowly she walked toward the bushes, searching for anyone standing behind them. When she came within a few inches of the branches, she spotted Everett staring back at her with a grin dancing on his lips.

  She couldn’t help smiling despite being upset at him. “You almost scared me to death. You should’ve said something instead of letting me think Stephan was standing behind the bush.”

  “I can think of something else I would rather do than scare you to death,” Everett said, pulling her into his arms.

  “I bet you can.” She ran her finger along his lips and remembered how it had felt to kiss him the other night. She wouldn’t mind kissing him again, but first they needed to take care of Tyler. “Did Stephan follow you?”

  The corners of Everett’s mouth turned down as he loosened his grip on her. “Yeah, he followed me, but I managed to ditch him near the beach and left my car there so he wouldn’t realize I took off. I figure I have at least a half-hour to erase Angie’s and Tyler’s memories before Stephan discovers I’m at school.”

  “Angie will be here soon,” Lexi said. “I haven’t text Tyler yet. I wanted to wait so I didn’t appear too eager to meet him, but I’ll do it now.” She lifted her cell phone and entered a text message, “Meet me near the cafeteria entrance in 10. We need to talk.” She hit the send button and then said aloud, “Now let’s see if he’s willing to talk to me.”

  “Oh, he’ll talk to you. I’m sure of it.” Everett pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “He’s not the type to walk away, especially from someone like you. I know I wouldn’t.” Her phone buzzed and he grinned. “See what I mean? He didn’t even make you wait for his reply.”

  “Okay, so you’re right.” She lowered her eyes to avoid the smug look on his face and read Tyler’s text message aloud to change the subject. “‘I’m already on my way.’ . . . Damn, I’d better go find Angie before he gets here.”

  “Wait.” Everett grabbed her waist before she could step out from behind the bush and drew her closer to him. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” He tried to suppress a grin. “Did you pack your bags and place them in your car?”

  “Yes. I’m ready to leave for MIT.” She stroked the side of his face covered with beard stubble. “But if you can’t wipe Tyler’s memory, I’m not going to leave Irene. I’d rather die than let Stephan hurt her like the other half-breed had done to my parents.”

  “It’ll work,” he insisted. “And then we can go to MIT and continue with my original plan.”

  Her phone buzzed. She read aloud another message from Tyler, “I picked us up breakfast. Be there in 5.”

  “I should go now and find Angie.”

  She stepped out from behind the bush as Angie walked around the corner of the building, clutching her Gucci bag. “There you are,” Angie said, her voice squeaked in excitement. “I can’t take the suspense any longer. Do you know who your Watcher is?”

  Lexi glanced at Everett, peeking around the bush at her. She didn’t know how to tell Angie about Everett erasing her memories. She stammered, “Uh, um, no that’s not why I wanted to meet—”

  “Oh, my, God, it’s Everett.” Angie stared at the bush. “But why is he hiding? Is he planning on hurting me?”

  “No.” Lexi lifted her hands and motioned for Angie to calm down. “He only wants to erase your memories of me being an alien so no one can use your thoughts to find me.”

  Angie shook her head. “My father’s going to kill me, but I rather you hear it from me than find out when Everett can’t erase my memories of you.”

  “What are you talking about?” Lexi asked.

  Angie moved closer to Lexi so no one could hear her talk. “I’m a half-breed.” She glanced around the area before continuing. “I can block others from controlling my mind. I would’ve told you earlier, but my father wouldn’t let me. He said it would be safer for you since he’ll be able to keep an eye on you without any half-breeds realizing it.”

  “That’s how you knew I could read your mind after a week of us hanging out together.” Lexi backed up to distance herself from Angie. She didn’t know how to take Angie being a half-breed and debated whether Angie could be a friend or foe.

  Everett stepped out from behind the bush and blocked Angie from moving closer to Lexi. “Go stand by the wall while I talk to Angie,” he said to Lexi.

  No way. She wasn’t going anywhere. She took a few steps before pretending to dig in her backpack so she could listen to what Angie had to say.

  “Do you or your family want to use Lexi?” Everett said in a threatening tone. “Is that why your father is protecting her?”

  Angie dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand. “Lexi is like my sister. I wouldn’t do anythin
g to harm her and neither would my family. They adore her and believe she has the right to live on Earth like everyone else. They’re willing to help make that happen despite The Community’s law prohibiting anyone from helping the full-breed.”

  Everett didn’t move an inch. “So why are you here?”

  “We left The Community when I was a year old and moved to Brookings.” Angie watched a boy walk by before continuing to say, “My parents knew a few people who lived in town. They offered to help my parents hide from The Community since they broke the law having a baby before the legal age.”

  Lexi moved closer to Angie, but Everett kept his body between them. “Did you know who I was the entire time?” she asked.

  Angie pressed against Everett, sandwiching him between Lexi and her. “When we first met, I thought you were a half-breed and somehow ended up being adopted by humans. I didn’t realize you were the full-breed until your looks changed. My father, on the other hand, told me recently he always suspected you were the full-breed, but he didn’t want to tell me until he confirmed it.”

  Angie shoved her long fingernail into Everett’s chest and spoke in as low and menacing tone as her high-pitched voice would allow. “I’m pissed at you. You should’ve told Lexi right away who you were instead of scaring her. I contemplated having her run away, because I thought you were one of the half-breeds hunting her until she told me you were protecting her and a boy she met in Colorado. Then I knew you had to be someone close to her. I thought at first Tyler could be the boy, but I’m not surprised you ended up being him. The vibes you’d emit when you were next to Lexi—oh, man.” She fanned herself. “So, are you two together? ’Cause I’m getting some strong vibes between the two of you.”

  Lexi glanced around the area and did her best to ignore the eager look on Angie’s face. Everett stood still and concealed his emotions, but they couldn’t fool Angie. She blurted out, “Yes, you two are—”

  “Don’t say it,” Everett said sternly. “You can never tell anyone about us. They’ll use me to find her and for that matter, they’ll use you, too, if you ever reveal what you are to them.”