Kissed (The Thorn Chronicles) (18 page)

“Yeah.”

I shivered at the word Master. That reminded me of the Master at church.

“What is Kai?”

“Kai is a council Guardian. He has no distinct territory and answers only to the Master Guardian. I don’t know much, but I do know that he is stuck in some podunk town in Arkansas and that he’s not allowed to leave. He doesn’t even come to the council meetings. Rumor is that he works some undercover mission to overthrow the Master Destroyer. But what that has to do with the hick town is beyond me.”

The sun had set and we were finally back to our tent. Puck climbed in first and wiggled into his sleeping bag.

I lay down as well, but I stared at him. After a few minutes he rolled over and faced me. He didn’t seem surprised that I was still awake.

“Is Kai okay?” he asked.

“He was the last time I saw him. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Did you know him?” I asked and yawned.

“He’s my brother. And I haven’t seen him in three years.”

Kaiser Wilhelm + Tuscany Superb = Heartache

Puck rolled over after that and wouldn’t answer me when I tried to get his attention, but my head spun with the implications. Puck was Kai’s brother. As in, he grew up with him. He knew all about him.

Puck rolled back over, but I could tell that he was fast asleep. His eyelids twitched a little and his breath was deep and even. Kai and Puck were so different, yet now, I could see slight resemblances. The shape of their eyes and they had the same nose. I watched Puck for a while, then the waves lulled me into dreamland.

The next morning Puck was already gone when I woke. I found him on the beach watching the waves. He spoke before I could even ask a question.

“When Kai and I were little I never knew our life was odd. We lived in east L.A. Gang country. My dad was hard-core. He always talked about how Kai and I would follow in his footsteps. Be a leader in the street gangs. He died when I was eight, so I don’t really remember much about him. I was kinda a mama’s boy anyway.”

He laughed and blushed. I could tell this was hard for him. I reached for his hand and he wove his fingers through mine.

“But Kai followed him around like a puppy dog. Hung on his every word. Kai was there when he was murdered. It wasn’t even a drive by or anything. Whoever wanted him dead did it execution style. Shot him right in the back of the head. Kai never talked about it.

“Mom couldn’t handle the death, plus she felt like we were in danger so she brought us to Alejandro six months after the funeral. He lived close to here at the time, in Santa Barbara. While we lived with him we learned the truth about who we were and our dad.”

He stopped speaking.

“You mean that he was a Guardian? Was he one of those council Guardians?”

Puck snorted. “Hardly. Dad was a Destroyer. In fact he was the Master Destroyer.”

I shivered again. I hated that word. Master.

“What’s a Destroyer?”

“They are the opposite of us. They seek to bring misery and pain to the world. And they do a damn good job of it. They also have a twisted way of dealing with their leadership. See, Destroyers don’t follow their leader because they want to, or follow because they think he knows what’s best for their kind. They follow because they have to. A Master Destroyer helps keep their power at bay. He actually makes it harder for them to do what they want.”

“Why?” I asked, perplexed.

“Because of power. Guardians actually give up power fairly easily. We want the most powerful of our kind in charge and if one comes along that is more powerful than the current Master Guardian, they take over. No questions asked. But a Master Destroyer has the opposite intention. He wants to hang on to his power, so he makes it harder for those who follow him to exercise anything other than minor power. It’s a good thing, actually. Well for us anyway.

“Sometimes though, a Master Destroyer becomes a little lax in their rules. When they do, the world goes to shit quickly. That’s the only time we intervene.”

Something seemed odd about that statement. “Wait,” I said. “Is that what Kai’s doing?  Intervening?”

“Probably. Come on, I’m done talking for a while. We’ll talk later.” He picked up a surfboard next to him and pointed to the waves.

I shook my head. “That looks fun and all, but I haven’t been swimming in nine years. And I don’t think I’ll have enough balance to stay on the board. Let’s talk more about the kissing thing.”

He sighed impatiently. “What about it?” “Why do you sneak into girls houses and kiss them at night?”

“Well, I don’t. Not yet. But kissing is an amazing source of positive energy. We do it to build up our stores.”

“But,” I started when he interrupted.

He shook his head. “I told you, I’m done talking. Go change. I’ll wait here.”

On the way back to the tent the truth behind Puck’s words hit me. Kai didn’t love me at all. He had used me to build up his energy so he could do whatever it was he needed to with the Master Destroyer or whatever. I changed quickly and headed back out to the beach. I needed a distraction because I couldn’t stand thinking about Kai.

#

Three hours later, I dragged the board onto the sand and collapsed. Surfing was not my thing. I swallowed enough salt water to make a jellyfish happy. The sand warmed me for a while and Puck showed no indication of coming back in. The beach curved around a cliff and when I was out on the board it looked like there were some interesting rocks on the other side. I left the board on the sand and wandered around the cliff. Not a soul was in sight. The rocks were enormous. Coal black and taller than me. A few rocks had handholds to climb up with. I found a rock that looked like it had a nice flat top. From that view I would be able to see Puck.

As I reached up a hand seized my arm. His touch burned. I spun, expecting to see Mother or Father, and found myself facing a dirty old man.

He had deep lines etched into his face and his breath smelled of rotting gums and onions. His tattered clothes hung loosely on his shoulders. The sun showed bright in the late morning sky.

“Been lookin’ for a pretty one like you. All alone.”

“Let me go.” I squirmed against his grip and moved back toward the water. The waves lapped up against my heels. Fear sliced across my insides. I panicked and tried to think of how I could fight him, cause him pain so he would let go. I tasted blood again and explosions filled my ears.

The man jerked his hand away and looked at me with surprise.

“Didn’t know they were recruitin’ little girls. This is my territory, you’ll need to go find someplace else to haunt.”

“Naomi, you okay?” Puck stood a few feet away, dripping wet, and I moved quickly toward him.

The old man groaned. “Effin’ Guardian gettin’ in the way.”

“You know the rules, no physical contact with your victims. Or are you too stupid to remember that?”

“Ah, now well, the rules is changin’ ain’t they. We can touch ‘em if we want to. Besides she ain’t no victim, she’s like me. So I can touch her all I like, ‘cept she hurts me. Never felt a sting that strong. Course I don’t go accostin’ my own very often, ain’t worth the trouble. Now git outta here, both of ya’s or I might hafta do somethin’ dumb.”

“What do you mean one of your own?” Puck asked.

“You too green to spot one of us when you see one?”

The old man cackled as Puck grabbed my hand and dragged me back to the campsite. He tore down the tent and packed up the car, barking instructions to me every once in a while. Then he pulled out of the parking lot so fast I thought he was going to hit the gate. Mercifully he missed it and before I knew it we were back on the freeway.

“What did he mean I was like him?”

Puck squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. “No idea. He was accusing you of being a Destroyer, but if you were Alejandro and I would’ve known. What did you do to him?”

I shrugged, honestly baffled.

Puck took a different route home through the desert instead of along the coast. It was dead boring.

“Puck, can we talk?”

He shrugged. “I can’t answer any questions about that old man. I honestly don’t know what he was talking about.”

“What about Kai?”

He sighed. “Alejandro started training us while we were very young. Both Kai and I were talented. It was inevitable given who our father was. Three years ago, a new Master Guardian ascended to power and Kai was chosen to be on his council. It was around that time we became aware that the Master Destroyer wasn’t following the rules. You saw how that man grabbed you. Five, ten years ago he wouldn’t have been allowed to do that. He could’ve influenced a civilian to do it, but he couldn’t touch you on his own.

“Anyway, the Master Guardian sent Kai out to find the Master Destroyer so that the balance can be restored.”

Holy smokes. That meant that….

“The Master Destroyer lives in Arkansas?”

He chuckled. “I guess so. I didn’t know where Kai ended up. He wasn’t supposed to contact us until after the job was finished. He’s working deep undercover.”

That would explain how he knew Mr. Yerdin. I bet he and Dwayne were those Destroyer things.

“But what does he have to do?”

“Naomi, I’m just a minor Guardian. I’m not told that sort of thing.”

“Who’s the Master Guardian?”

“No one knows except the council and the old Master Guardian. It’s a secret so that the Master Guardian is kept safe. The council meets every once in awhile with the Major and Head Guardians. They bring instructions from the Master Guardian.”

“Wait. A letter. I have a letter from Kai. I had completely forgotten about it.”

Puck slammed on the brakes.

“What the hell? How come you didn’t tell me this before?”

“I seriously just remembered. It’s at home, but it’s for you, I think. When we get home, I’ll show you.”

He started the car again, but didn’t say anything. He seemed a little angry.

My head swam with all the information. What did all this mean for Kai? And what about my father? Was he a Destroyer? I looked out the window and stared at the desert. Eventually the monotonous landscape lulled me to sleep. I woke to find Puck weaving up the driveway to Alejandro’s place.

“How long was I asleep?” I asked.

“A few hours. I sped all the way home. It should have taken us around seven hours to get home. I made it in five. I’ve been thinking too. This is a strange situation you’ve gotten yourself in.”

He opened the door for me and took my hand, slowing down a little, taking in the various cars in the driveway. There were about fifteen. Some were older and falling apart and some were brand new. I even spotted a Rolls Royce.

“Shit. Assignments. I forgot about it. You were probably my assignment this week anyway. But this can’t wait.”

When Puck and I entered the library every head turned toward us. Teenage boys had scattered themselves around the room. They lounged on couches, spread out on the floor, and leaned against bookshelves. Each boy oozed confidence and had unnatural good looks. The kind that every cheerleader eagerly tossed her virginity to. I could see why Puck had chosen to go the goth route. Puck was charismatic and charming, but he didn’t possess the airbrushed appearance of the others, so went the complete opposite. I spotted Jason across the room and waved. He smiled.

“Puck, didn’t you know? You can’t bring your girlfriend to assignment night,” A tall boy in the corner drawled. He wore gray khaki shorts and a wrinkled white button down shirt with flip-flops. He brushed his wavy hair out of his eyes. “Course she’s way out of your league, so perhaps she’ll be going home with me instead of you.”

“Shut it, Romeo, she’s not yours to mess with.”

I snorted. Romeo looked down at me. “What’s your problem, Princess?”

“I’m not Puck’s girl anyway, but I’d much rather have him than you.”

Alejandro’s voice came from a far doorway. “Okay, I need three of you to go—” He stopped dead when he saw me.

“Puck, I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.”

Puck rushed over to Alejandro and began whispering furiously. Alejandro listened intently.

A smooth, golden hand slithered into mine and tugged down. Sitting on the ground next to me was another Ken clone. “Come sit next to me, Puck doesn’t know what to do with his girls. I can show you a good time.”

“I’m not Puck’s girl.” I jerked my hand away, but he held fast. “Let go.”

He smiled a perfect white smile. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, anger crept upon me this time, but it wasn’t as bad as with the old man. A salty taste filled my mouth, but it wasn’t blood and instead of an explosion, I heard the roar of a tiger. The effect was the same though.

The boy jumped up.

“Destroyer,” he growled. Boys leapt from all the over the room and closed in on me.

Alejandro and Puck were at my side before I could move. Puck put his arm around me and Alejandro spoke.

“Naomi is not a Destroyer.”

“But she stung me!” said the Ken clone.

“Naomi is special, but she is not a Destroyer. She’s Kai’s girl, so you’ll leave her alone while she’s with us.”

The boys began to murmur at that. I even heard one deep voice mutter, “Kai’s girl and he let Puck watch her. That was stupid.”

“Now, I’m going to give out assignments and you’ll all behave.”

Puck and I found a couch and sat down. Jason sat down on the other side of me. Puck kept his arm possessively around me, as if he could protect me from the fierce gaze of his cohorts. Alejandro moved around the room and the guys left in groups of two or three. Finally only Puck, Romeo, and Jason remained. Alejandro hunkered down in front of Puck.

“Puck, I need you to go reinforce the protections around my house. I was going to have Romeo and Jason do it, but I need them here with me and Naomi. When you are finished, you’ll wait for us out by the pool. Do you understand?”

“What are you going to do to her?”

“Test her abilities.”

“Why can’t I help?”

“Because you’re too close to her. Besides, you’re the only one who can handle my perimeter on your own.”

Puck nodded and took my face in his hands, staring at me with those intense eyes of his. I felt warm again and could smell orange and clove. A smell I didn’t think I’d ever smell again without thinking of him. I thought for a moment he might kiss me, but then Alejandro interrupted him.