Keeper, Page 2

  Chapter 2

  “When you get to the cabin, take the car. Don’t stop—don’t even look back until you reach the Authority.” The memory of Delmari’s rule echoed in my head. Most people grew up being taught not to lie and steal—good qualities which would keep them out of trouble. Not me. Delmari spent hours upon days upon years teaching me to survive. When he said jump, I leapt. When he said run, I got in the Honda, ignored speed limits and all other traffic laws and hauled ass to the Authority building just outside of Boise, Idaho.

  Which was exactly what I did.

  The fifteen minute drive felt more like rowing a boat over gravel: frustrating and slow. I never let up on the gas pedal, but I kept checking the rearview mirror, expecting Delmari’s black Hummer to pull up behind me. Every time we found ourselves in this situation, I got all jittery and anxious. He always caught up to me before I got out of Meridian.

  Not today.

  What if something went wrong? The enemy wasn’t a stupid Rygon keen on siphoning my life and ability away like all the other times. It was a deranged Kember—one with two very different physical abilities. Impossible.

  Maybe that’s why I couldn’t slow my breathing or racing heart as I drove through Boise. I guessed I should’ve expected it’d take Delmari longer. He needed time to unleash his deadly moves and pulverize the guy. Then he’d escape. Delmari was an unstoppable force of nature. No one could take him away from me, not even some super-fast, fire-blasting Kember. No, Delmari would send him straight to hell.

  A painful grinding came from beneath my car as I cut across a small slab of manicured lawn, creating my own entrance into the parking lot. Lurching forward, I clenched my teeth and glanced in the rearview mirror at the thick piece of cement which almost ripped through the floorboard. The curb had been a little high, and those flowers—well, what was left of them—were the least of my problems.

  I didn’t even know why I worried about Delmari. He always fought for both our lives. He knew he was all I had. My mom, who apparently had been a Drea like me, died. My deadbeat father ran off. Delmari figured my dad must’ve been a Norm—a regular human without an ability. Obviously, whoever he was, he didn’t want anything to do with our world, or me. Delmari was the only one with enough balls to step in and take on a three-month-old baby. He was my savior, my best friend. There was no way he’d leave me alone.

  I zipped past parked cars, jerking the steering wheel from side to side. My head bashed the ceiling as I sped over speed bumps, heading directly for the front doors of the big building. The tires screeched when I stomped on the brake. The back of the car skidded to the side, half on the sidewalk and mere feet from the glass doors.

  Ripping the keys from the ignition, I glanced at the tall tower of bricks. Delmari never clarified whether he meant get to the Authority building or to the head honchos themselves. I wouldn’t half-ass this. Straight to the source. I barreled out of the car, through the revolving doors and crashed right into the front desk.

  A chubby lady with red, curly hair grimaced. “Can—”

  Through gasps of air, I choked out, “Ian—uh, I mean, Authority Alvarez. Now!”

  She leaned back in her chair and started filing her nails. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “I—no, but—”

  “Get in line.” She gestured to the full waiting room, without even looking up.

  I slammed my fist on the counter, earning her full attention and most likely everyone else’s in the room. “No. Delmari’s been attacked. It’s an emergency!”

  She sighed, holding my gaze with an expression just short of a glare. Tossing her file onto the counter, she pulled a form from a drawer and handed it to me. “Write down everything—”

  “I’m not here to fill out a freakin’ form.” I crumpled the page and drilled it at her.

  She flinched when it bounced off her forehead and sat with her mouth agape, eyes the size of golf balls. I jumped over the half door, next to her desk, that led back to the Authority offices.

  Unfortunately, the shock didn’t last long. She sprang from her chair and intercepted my path. “Ian can’t see you right now. Get back over that gate, Missy, or I’ll—”

  I didn’t have time for empty threats. If Delmari needed help, I couldn’t waste time talking to the old-school Strawberry Shortcake. I stepped around her.

  She grabbed my arm, digging her freshly-filed nails into my skin, and jerked me around.

  One impulse came across stronger than mind control. I punched her, right in the eye. Probably a lot harder than necessary, considering she staggered into the wall behind her, screaming. I didn’t pause long enough to care.

  Delmari…

  I took off down the hall and ripped open the first door. Through the sea of shocked faces turned in my direction, one came in clear. Blond ponytail. Bright blue eyes. Black Kember uniform. Ian.

  “Taylee!” He stood abruptly from the highest judge’s bench.

  Only a few people could brag about Ian putting a name to their face. For me, it wasn’t something brag-worthy. Like so many others, the majority of the time it left his mouth in a yell.

  I sprinted down the aisle and leapt over the gate that separated the bench and the audience.

  The two burly Kembers who stood on either side of the podium rushed toward me. One grabbed my arms and twisted them tightly behind my back. I stepped forward—or tried to—but the Kember jerked me back so hard I nearly fell backward.

  “D-Delmari,” I said, sucking in jagged breaths. “He’s b-been a-at-tacked.”

  Ian’s jaw clenched, and I swore I’d never seen anyone go so long without blinking. For a moment, it seemed he didn’t know what to do. Beside him, the Authority with auburn hair, Favian—if I remembered right—leaned over to Ian and whispered something.

  In the middle of the room, not far from where I struggled, a heavyset man, wearing shackles and an orange jumpsuit, smirked at me. A jury consisting of at least fifty Dreas and Kembers lined the wall on the left. They all looked down their noses at me. Some shook their heads. Others’ mouths hung open in shock.

  Great. Nothing like stealing the entire courtroom’s attention. They might as well have handed me a microphone and put me under a spotlight. I glared back, hoping they got my “go off yourselves” message.

  I knew the Authorities constantly had Kembers and Dreas to discipline, so a trial wasn’t all that shocking. The rules had to be enforced somewhere. Depending on the laws broken, a Kember could be stripped from their guardian rank and thrown in the slammer. Dreas also had a prison. I heard it was literally hell in there. Special walls confined them, trapping their mental abilities inside with them. Some went crazy and eventually killed themselves; others were moved to asylums. Yeah, not a place I ever wanted to be.

  Ian stepped away from his chair and nodded. Xander, the second Authority, pushed his dark, shoulder-length hair behind his ear and took Ian’s spot. Relief flooded through me, even though I knew a “talkin’ to” was coming. Ian would know where Del was. He’d know who attacked him.

  Did he really have to walk that slowly? Come on! I wanted to yell at him. Since when did a fifty-year-old Kember move like a half-dead bear? As his foot made contact with the last stair, Ian nodded at his fellow Kembers. He freed me.

  I jerked my arm away and rushed toward Ian. Before I could say a word, he gripped my elbow and dragged me into a room to the side of the courtroom. His office.

  “Taylee.” He released me. “That was unacceptable. Do you realize—”

  “Yeah” The more important question was: did I care? Not in the least. “I’m just doing what I was told.”

  “Delmari told you to barge in my courtroom screaming?” He folded his arms across his chest.

  “No, but—”

  “Where’s Delmari?” He raised his hand. His cell phone zoomed from his desk and landed into his palm. Telekinesis. Cool.

  “Didn’t you hear a word I said? He’s been attacked. This
guy, he—”

  Ian held his finger to his lips, flipped his phone open and put it to his ear. Apparently he’d heard enough. I tapped my foot until, seconds later, he closed his cell.

  “No answer.” He secured the phone on his belt next to his special gun and knife. All Kembers carried them. The Titanium bullets and blade acted as instant poison when piercing a Rygon’s flesh. They were the only things capable of killing Rygons.

  “Are you gonna listen? Fire and water were exploding like geysers! There’s no way his cell made it through.”

  Now Ian didn’t answer. He pressed a button on his desk and talked into a speaker, “Cindy, come sit with Taylee. Find out what happened.”

  “Where’re you going?” I stomped toward him.

  He pointed to a chair. “Sit and don’t talk.”

  “No, that’s—”

  “Now. Before you really find out what ‘not fair’ is.”

  I didn’t like being threatened, not even from Mr. Badass-Head Honcho himself. I planted my feet stubbornly where I stood. Before I could retort, the door opened and in walked Cindy.

  Ian froze upon seeing her. I did, too.

  Strands of frizzy red hair sprung from her head like she’d been electrocuted. She held an ice pack on her left, swollen eye and cast me a murderous glare with her good one. Her knuckles blanched against the thick binder she gripped, most likely preparing to use it as a weapon.

  An hour later, Cindy’s nasally voice still assaulted my ears. By the smirk on her face, she probably thought the bitch-session made us even. I watched the door Ian left through, assuming he and Delmari were having one of their long, drawn-out conversations. They were possibly even coming up with a punishment for my punching the Norm. I sighed. Come on, Del, let’s get out of this hellhole already.

  “Taylee, pay attention,” Cindy snapped.

  “You’ve already asked me these questions. Twice!” I balled my fists to keep them from flying in her direction. Again. “I’m done. Where’re Ian and Del?”

  Her round cheeks flushed. Whether she felt embarrassed or pissed off, I couldn’t tell. “One more question.”

  I kicked my feet up on the glass coffee table and slumped back onto the leather couch. “That’s what you said five questions ago.”

  Cindy smoothed her blouse over her red pleather skirt, scowling. I had that effect on people. In fact, I felt the urge now to point out to the poor thing that plastic leather died with the ’80s. Glancing down, I bit my tongue. I didn’t have any room to talk in my mud-splattered jeans and torn green hoodie.

  “I need you to tell me what happened after you got to the cabin.”

  I stared around the office, remembering how stupid I thought it was when Delmari made me practice escaping. Who knew I’d ever be grateful for those middle of the night interruptions. “I grabbed the cash he hid, jumped into the car and followed the GPS he programmed for me, to here.”

  “He prepared you well.”

  “Duh, it’s Delmari. He plans for everything. He built the cabin not far from our house and left everything I’d need there in case of an emergency.”

  “How lucky we are he did.” I didn’t miss her condescending tone as she brushed her hand over her black eye. She cleared her throat and scribbled notes in her binder.

  I craned my neck to see what she wrote about me. Probably nothing good. She snapped the binder closed and narrowed her eyes. “Now—”

  The door swung open. Thank goodness.

  I put my feet down and reached for my bag. Finally. My hand stopped midair. I blinked. A man, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, stepped inside the room and closed the door. Standing in front of it, he held his hands behind his back and stared at the wall across the room.

  Black slacks and button-up shirt. All muscle: A Kember. A hot Kember. Maybe Ian sent him to make sure I hadn’t rendered Cindy unconscious. Whatever the reason, it was fine with me. My eyes wandered over his shirt, which he left untucked, concealing his weapons. His dark, shaggy hair held a slight wave and curled around his ears, almost covering them entirely.

  I’m a Drea. I’m a Drea. I’m a Drea. I quickly averted my gaze, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. Did I really need to remind myself how messed up being attracted to a Kember was? No. I didn’t. I risked another glance at the dark-haired hottie and cursed myself under my breath.

  “Are you my relief?” Cindy asked.

  “No.”

  I think I sighed louder than she did.

  Why was she here again? Norms didn’t know about us—not usually, anyway. She probably slept with one of the Authorities to get the job. What else explained it? After about ten minutes of listening to Cindy gripe and tap her pen against the folder, the door opened again. This time, Ian walked through.

  “About freakin’ time,” I muttered.

  He whispered something to the Kember and then proceeded over to where Cindy and I sat.

  I looked at the door for Delmari, but the Kember closed it before I could see into the hall. This wasn’t the time for Delmari to go all social on me. Hadn’t I been here long enough? Putting my feet down, I stood, hands on my hips. “Where’s Del?”

  Ian pointed at the couch.

  Never a good sign. My stomach tightened. “I-I’d rather stand.”

  He settled into the chair across from me. Leaning forward, he stared at me for several seconds without saying a word. “There’s no easy way for me to tell you this, Taylee…”

  Immediately, my suspicions snapped into place. I’d punched his receptionist. What was with the gentle, rabid-animal approach? Shouldn’t I be getting reamed? The fact I wasn’t made my heart hammer. “What do you mean?”

  “Our officials in your district discovered his...” He swallowed. “His body about forty minutes ago.” Ian’s gaze dropped to his hands, and he took a deep breath. “He’s gone. I’m sorry.”

  Gone? Delmari?

  I laughed. No one could kill a god.

  “Look, I’m sorry for punching your Norm over there.” I motioned to Cindy. “I’ve learned my lesson. Fists away.” I shoved my hands into the pouch of my hoodie and took a step toward the door. “Catch you guys later.”

  “Taylee. Sit.” Ian pointed to a chair. “This is no time for jokes. Delmari’s gone, and I need you to focus.”

  I stared at Ian. My smirk gradually fell. The normally stern, authoritative glimmer in his eyes disappeared. Now there was only pain and…pity. I kept waiting for a wink or the long lesson on self-control he had down pat.

  When none of them came, I collapsed onto the chair.