Keeper(53)

“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!”