Chapter 14

    That was something Jay needed the most now. She felt like a coward, but she couldn’t help it. After she left Bryan’s flat they haven’t met even for a short moment. He called her so many times that she wasn’t able event to count it in the end. When he finally texted her, asking if everything was alright, Jay just wrote him back that she couldn’t answer the phone, and she promised to call his as soon as it will be possible. It seemed that he accepted such an answer, because he stopped calling her.

    And now she was in Purple Creek, spending the last two weeks of summer holidays far away from him. She tried hard to convince herself that it would be better that way, but at the same time she felt like a bitch! They have spent a wonderful night together and she didn’t regret that. Bryan is a great guy. Friendly, carrying, loving and definitely honest. ‘And damn fucking sexy!’ She thought and instantly felt hot.

    It was already two days since she left his bed and it was about time to call him back. She couldn’t keep him at bay forever, right? She went to her bedroom and closed the door carefully, so her brothers wouldn’t come in suddenly and uninvited. She also focused hard to block all of her thoughts and emotions. In Bryan’s case she didn’t trust herself at all! She sat comfortably on the bed and dialed his number. He answered it immediately.

    - Hi! – She could hear a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

    - Hey! – She uttered. Her mouth was already dry, voice shaky. And she only heard one single word from him! But still, his voice has that impact on her.

    - Why did you leave? – He asked resentfully.

    - I had to be back before my brothers would get up. – She explained. ‘Liar!’ She scoffed in her mind.

    - You perfectly knew that they won’t open their eyes before noon! – He pointed out. – Besides, you could have woken me up, so I’d give you a lift back to their place. But you didn’t. – It sounded like a grudge.    

    - I could walk! – She took a defensive position right away. And the better defense is? ‘Yeah, that’s it! Attack!’ – And you look so peacefully, that I just have no heart to interrupt you. – ‘Sweetness? Seriously, Tyler?!’ She rolled her eyes at herself.

    - You never disturb me! – He assured her. – Can we meet? – He asked.

    - Bryan, I just… - She started but he cut her off.

    - Please, Jay! – He begged. – Don’t push me away! You want to withdraw, fine! But just have enough courage to tell me this into my face! – He sighed. – I think that at least I deserved this one thing! Don’t you think? – He growled with anger.

    - I’d like to see you! – She had just fully realized it. – But the problem is that I’m in PC. – She almost whispered.

    - What?! – He was definitely surprised. – When did you leave?

    - Today morning. – She said. – I know that I should’ve informed you, but Jess was with me for all the time. Like a freaking watch dog!

    - You think she suspects something? – He asked.

    - Yeah. No. I don’t know! – She was confused. – But I don’t want to risk.

    - I’ll be fine! – He chuckled. – They won’t kill me!

    - I wouldn’t be so sure! – She warned him. – I thought it over! It was really bothering me, so just couldn’t help it.

    - And? What conclusion did you come to? – He asked a bit worried. ‘What if she wants to stop this?!’

    - First of all, they can’t find out!

    - But why? – He couldn’t understand her. – Sooner or later they will!

    - Then I prefer later! – She demanded. – I really don’t want you to get hurt, and yet, I know my brothers all too well!

    - Fine! – He agreed. – I’ll keep it secret. And second?

    - I think we should slow down. – She said quietly.

    - I don’t push you Jay! – He defended himself.

    - No you don’t! – She assured him. – But it’s really going too fast! It’s just so new and unexpected! – She explained. – Two months ago you were my brothers’ best friend. My besties' loving, sometimes annoying brother! For fucking goodness’ sake, you were my friend! – She yelled.

    - And I’m still the same guy. – He said calmly.

    - Don’t you feel that something isn’t right here? That we’re doing something wrong? Something reckless and kind of forbidden stuff? – She asked, amazed.

    - No. – He simply said.

    - How comes it? – Her voice broke a bit. – How’s it possible that you don’t have any doubts or obstacles?

    - You’re right! – He admitted. – It’s not fair of me. I had much more time to get used to it. Maybe too much time.

    - What amount of time are we talking about? – She asked suspiciously.

    - It’s been two years Jay. – Bryan said softly. – Two years since I realized that’s you who I want. Two years, during which I tried, and you need to believe me that I really tried hard, to just forget about you! To convince myself, that it just can’t be! To erase you from my mind! – He took a deep breath. – But I just couldn’t! I couldn’t forget your smile, your touch, your smell! And above all, I couldn’t forget your eyes! They just haunted me!

    - I had no idea! – She said finally. – Why you never said anything?

    - Because I felt exactly the same as you feeling now. – He chuckled nervously. – You were my friends’ little sis, so I hoped that it was just temporary. – He confessed. – When I came back this summer, I was doing quite well. But God! As soon as I saw you, smelled you, felt you, all my confidence just flew away! But it was the kiss that convinced me that there was no hope for me. – He made a pause. – I’m totally lost in you, Jaysabel!

    'What should I say?’ She panicked. What he said touched her heart. Really deeply. But she wasn’t sure about her feelings at all. Her thoughts were complete mess! She couldn’t define herself. Not right away! ‘I need time!’ She thought. It seemed that Bryan understood her.

    - I won’t push you Jay! – He broke the silence. – Just take your time. I’ll wait. I’d like to say forever, but I’m not that patient. – She laughed.

    - I can’t promise that I’ll make up my mind in few days. – She said apologetically.

    - And I don’t expect that. – He calmed her down. – We’ll meet in two weeks time. Hope you’ll know the answer by then. But if not, I’ll have no choice.

    - What do you mean? – She asked suspiciously.

    - I’ll have to help you decide, and I’ll do everything in power to keep you with me. – He promised.

    - How can you be so sure? – Her rebellious souls spoke up.

    - Just trust me! – He cut off. – I miss you. – He said.

    - We’ll, I don’t know if that’s good, but I miss you too. – She admitted and a warning bell rang in her head.

    - That sounds promising. – He said pleased. – See you soon, Jaysabel!

    - Yeah, see you!

    - Say it. – He demanded.

    - Say what? – She asked surprised.

    - Say my name. I love the way you say it. The way you put your lower lip with ‘b’.

    - I do not! – She denied.

    - You do! Just say it. – He asked.

    - Bryan! – She wanted to protest and that's how he got her.

    - Thank you! – He chuckled. – By beautiful! – And he hanged up.

    ‘What just happened?!’ She wondered. ‘What was he talking about? There’s nothing special about the way I pronounce his name!’ She snorted. But it bothered her, so she went up to the mirror and formed her lips to say his name. ‘Bryan.’ She did that few times. ‘Holy shit!’ She thought. She watched her lower lip retract slightly with the first letter, and when it appeared again it was wet. It for sure could be attractive. ‘No fuck! It’s damn inviting! In a come-and-fucking-kiss-me-the-fuck-right-now way!’

    She watched her reflection for a while. Jay didn’t perceive herself as an attractive girl. She was rather a hoyden type and wasn’t convinced that any guy may look at her like at a woman. Even Bryan. ‘Stop saying his name, stupid witch!’ She scolded herself. She shook her head and decided to leave for a walk.

    It was still early, so she took her favorite horse for a ride to the woods. It’s been almost two months since her seventeenth birthday party, and she haven’t visited it for the whole summer. Was she scared? No! Never! But the fact was that she avoided going there. She even didn’t ask her bothers if they went o the woods since that creepy morning. But she supposed that they would have told her.

    She allowed Thunder to choose the way. And as always he took her to the clearing. Jay wasn’t sure if she would come here if she was going on her own. But her horse knew better! She needed it. She had to see the place her other died, so as to feel her presence and remind herself of the vow. ‘That’s one of the reasons I should keep Bry at distance.’ She thought bitterly.

    Later on they arrived at the lake. It looked so beautiful. And peaceful. It was hard to believe in what happened here few weeks ago. But their powers were the best proof. And the mark. She already forgot about the pain. Their gift made up for everything. She got off her horse and went closer. she stopped by the very shore.

    - I’ve wondered which one of you would come here first. – Her voice froze Jay in place. – I supposed it would be Carter, as he’s the eldest. But it’s you. My only daughter.

    - It must be a dream. – She thought and turned around slowly, her eyes closed tightly.

    - You’re not dreaming, Jaysabel. – Isabo assured her and Jay opened her eyes.

    She looked so real! She was wearing light blue skinny jeans and creamy cotton shirt. Her long hair was loose, falling down her shoulders and back. And she just stood there, in the middle of the clearing, watching Jay with a smile on her face. That beautiful face she missed so much!

    - Hallucination! – Jay said. – That’s the explanation.

    - Just stop it! – Isabo scoffed. – I’m here! For real! Okay, maybe not for real, but in spirit! – She laughed.

    - But how? – Jay uttered.

    - It’s simple. – She said. – I didn’t close one case. And apparently, it’s you who’s gonna do it on my behalf.

    - I don’t understand. What case?

    - You’ll see in right time. – She waved her hand. – Now you have to decide.

    - On what? – Jay definitely didn’t like it.

    - As I said in our last meeting, you were woken up. And you are to be the leader. But choose wisely, because what you’re going to do is dangerous. – She warned her daughter. – You will be chased after. And many will want you dead.

    - Just tell me what’s going on! – Jay demanded. – No clues! No riddles!

    - All in good time! – Isabo said. – I know you well enough, to be aware of the fact that you want revenge. So be it. It will lead you to your destiny.

    - What destiny? – She got impatient.

    - You’ll see. – She smiled and begun to vanish.

    - Mum!

    - Just talk to your brothers. Though I know that you’re a lonely wolf. – She added sadly and disappeared, leaving Jay confused.

    ‘What was this all about?’ She thought. Her mother had some mission for them that was obvious. Some unclosed case. ‘This must be something important! But what is it?’ She needs to talk to her siblings. As soon as possible! She got on her horse quickly and started for home, when a thought hit her.

    ‘She said that someone will chase after us! That they’ll try to kill us!’ Jay thought of her brothers. It was obvious that she had no doubts that what just happened wasn’t dome illusion. She believed her mother. And so she couldn’t risk her brothers’ lives! She can’t tell them! That would mean putting them in danger! Risking their lives! ‘It seems you were right mum! I’m gonna deal with it on my own!’ She added in mind and let the horse take her home.