Kissed (The Thorn Chronicles) (20 page)

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The next morning I awoke to Ginny screaming my name. I raced out of my room, afraid that something had happened to her.

“Look at them!” she squealed.

Ginny stood in front of her Baby Secrets and beamed at me. They had bloomed overnight. Not just the two buds that were there the day before but the entire plant. There must’ve been nearly thirty blooms.

Hmm, my so-called gift is good for something at last. Ginny was typically so reserved. It was strange to see her so excited over something that didn’t involve Prada or Gucci. She stuck her nose down in one of the roses. Then grabbed her purse.

“I’ve got to run. I’ll probably be gone all day. Will you be okay?”

Someone knocked on the door. Ginny answered it and I swiveled around the chair. Alejandro stood there, dressed in khaki shorts and flip-flops. He had a huge goofy grin on his face.

“Oh, Ale, I forgot,” said Ginny. “I’ve got to go help a client today.”

Alejandro’s grin fell, but he seemed to recover quickly. He came in and sat down next to me.

“Looks like Ginny’s abandoning us today. I was going to take you two to the beach, but I guess that will have to wait. You want to come play in my greenhouses today? My roses need work.”

“Yeah,” I said without hesitating. Tending roses in this tiny apartment was not nearly as fun as spending all day in a greenhouse.

By the time I’d showered and dressed Ginny was gone.

Alejandro stood up.

“Before we go, Puck told me you have a letter from Kai. May I have it?”

“Oh, yeah.” I went back to my room and hesitated. This letter was all I had from Kai. I didn’t want to give it up. Then I took a deep breath and took it out of a drawer. Kai asked me to give it to someone and even though the letter didn’t make sense to me, it would to someone else. And Kai needed help. Help that I couldn’t give him but that Alejandro and Puck probably could.

He raised his eyebrows at the open envelope.

“You read it?”

“Yeah,” I said, guilt lacing my tone.

He pulled it out and read for a few minutes. I couldn’t read his expression.

“Well, I need to get this to the Master Guardian. And you. I guess you’re stuck in Vegas. Come on, let’s go play with the roses.”

Once we got back to the greenhouse, Alejandro handed me a pair of gloves and pruning shears. I took the shears but not the gloves.

“I don’t use gloves.”

“Ginny’s not going to like it too much if you mess up your hands and nails.”

“Ginny will have to live with that. Where do you want me to start?”

Alejandro pointed at a corner.

“Work that wall, I’ll start over here.”

We worked in silence for an hour or so and I tried to collect my thoughts and my questions. I clipped off dead blooms and trimmed back stalks that had gotten out of control. The work was soothing, comforting. When we met in the middle, Alejandro pointed outside. We worked side but side in the courtyard.

“Does it seem odd to you that we both love roses?” I finally asked.

“Not really. Most Guardians have a passion of some kind that feeds their energy. Puck surfs, Jason works at the animal shelter, Romeo has his music. Plants are fairly common among us.”

“But you told me that I’m not a Guardian. You said I was a Shade. And Shade’s are bad.”

“Shades aren’t bad, just undecided. There are literally thousands of Shades out there who don’t even know they have a power. Only once we find them do they make a choice to be a Guardian or Destroyer. You’ll have to make that choice someday.”

My fingers slipped and I caught my pinky on a thorn. Blood seeped out. Alejandro set down his clippers and dug in his pockets. He pulled out a band-aid.

“Here. Gloves would fix that.”

“But if I wear gloves I can’t connect with the roses the way I want to. You are the one who keeps going on about energy. Don’t you think physically touching them is better than gloves? I’ve never used gloves.”

“Yes, physical touch is better. You seem to know a lot about how roses work for a Shade who’s never heard of Guardians and Destroyers before.”

“My grandma taught me.”

“Ah, yes, your grandmother. She was an amazing woman.”

I jerked my hand out of his. “How did
you
know her?”

“The world of roses is small. Come on, let’s go work with something that’s not quite so dangerous.”

We walked into a different greenhouse. Tomatoes hung heavy from vines and a peach tree in corner was filled with the fuzzy fruit. Along one wall grapevines sprawled. The middle of the greenhouse had peppers and green beans.

Alejandro plucked a peach from the tree and tossed it to me. “Looks like it’s a good day to harvest. Pick anything that looks ripe and put them in the baskets.”

I turned around and saw ten large baskets sitting by the door.

I grabbed two baskets and set to work on the peach tree with him.

“You know it seems kinda strange that this all started with a piece of fruit.”

Alejandro grinned. “But it wasn’t the fruit. That was just a vehicle. It was the spirit that started this all.”

“You said that they, I mean we, could only use powers to influence, not do anything else, but I can physically hurt people. And Kai healed my back when, I uh, got hurt.”

“We’ve evolved. It’s a little scary actually, some of the things we can do. Those who have only a little power can do minor influencing. But with those that have a lot of power, there is no telling what they are capable of. I used to be pretty high up in the ranks of the Guardians. I saw and did things that I wouldn’t have thought possible.”

We moved from the peach tree to the veggies. My fingers smelled like tomatoes. Questions swirled in my mind, especially about my grandma. I bet she knew about the Guardians. And the roses. There was more to them than Alejandro let on. They did things to me the same way a Guardian does and my father never entered my greenhouse. I wondered if he was a Destroyer and somehow the roses repelled him.

“What do you mean you used to be?”

“When someone with more power comes around, we easily give up our ranks. I stepped down along with several others when a new Master Guardian came about a few years ago. I was only there for a few years. Though I remained on the council. Now, I’m happy just being a Major Guardian over Las Vegas. I still get consulted occasionally.”

Okay, whatever that means.

“You know, Puck said that his dad used to be the Master Destroyer. How did he and Kai become Guardians instead of Destroyers?”

Alejandro grinned. “Luck. They were young when their father died and their mother was a close friend of mine. She brought them to me while they were still Shades. Powerful, the pair of them. Almost as powerful as you.”

“Speaking of my power. How am I possible?”

“Ah, now you’ve touched on something that most Guardians aren’t aware of. There are a lot of girls who are Shades. But we don’t train them. Ever. It’s against the rules. So they live their lives without realizing that they have this power inside of them. Most Guardians can’t even sense the power in women, because it feels different.”

“But why wouldn’t you train them? That seems a little sexist.”

“It has nothing to do with us thinking they are weak. It is because women have a power that men do not. A power that would destroy both the Guardians and the Destroyers if the wrong woman discovered it. Training women is just too risky. You’ve already manifested a strong gift and so we don’t have a choice with you, but I won’t do it again.”

I stopped digging up the carrots I’d been working on.

“What are you talking about? What can I do?”

He didn’t stop plucking the bright colored peppers.

“I only told you about that so you would understand why you are so unusual, but I will not tell you of the forbidden power. You will have to accept that. It is a power that even in the hands of a Guardian would be evil.”

“Wouldn’t the Destroyers want women to be among them then?”

“No, the Destroyers fear their power more than the Guardians do.”

I am no stranger to pain. My father inflicts most of it. But sometimes when my insides feel hollow and my cheekbones are bruised, I crave the pain of the thorns. It is those times that I dig deep into my Seafoams, Mermaids, and Dr. Van Fleets. My hands come out bloody from the thorny stalks, eventually laced with scars. Until one morning, after Kai had come to visit. He removed my scars.

I pestered Alejandro about the power for most of the rest of the day, but he wouldn’t budge. He did look a little nervous though when I said I would just ask Puck.

The next day I got up early, intent on finding Puck. Ginny still wasn’t done with her client, so I was free for the day. I declined Alejandro’s offer to go sightseeing with him.

The doorbell rang.

“You’ve got to tell me everything. You and Puck. I never would’ve put you two together. Seriously. Spill.”

Ricki stood in my doorway in her teensy bikini and a towel in one hand. “But put your suit on first. We’re going down to the pool.” She chewed on the edge of her sunglasses. “Come on, what are you waiting for?”

Hanging out with Ricki was the last thing I wanted to do. She hadn’t spoken to me in three weeks and was a brat on top of that.

“I’m busy today,” I said and moved to shut the door.

She shoved past me and threw herself on the couch. “Look, I’m sorry, okay. Ginny was my best friend ‘til you came along. I’m unbelievably jealous. I know I was mean. I’m good now, so we can move on.”

I shrugged. “But I’m still busy today.”

She wiggled her eyebrows at me. “With Puck?”

“Yeah,” I said, distracted. I had no way to get a hold of Puck. “Wait, how do you know?”

“Puck called me last night to talk about Jason and he mentioned that he had spent some time with you.”

“Hey, do you have Puck’s cell number?” I asked.

“Yeah, you mean you don’t?”

“Can you text him and tell him to meet us down at the pool?” I asked while I walked back to my room to change. If she was my connection to Puck, I’d have to hang out with her for a bit.

“Only if you promise to dish before he gets there.”

“Sure,” I yelled without thinking. I had no earthly idea what I was going to tell her, but life had been boring up until I moved to Las Vegas. A little scandal could be fun. Plus, since I couldn’t tell her the truth about Puck and me, he’d be expecting me to make something up.

I changed and jabbered on as we walked down to the pool. The pool at our hotel was more like a small lake, but cleaner. It curved and flowed and had tiled benches all along the sides. Occasionally, you would find a small waterfall. Cabanas and little bar huts surrounded it.

“Puck took me out to a beach in Santa Barbara and tried to teach me to surf.”

“Did he kiss you?”

I shrugged. Afraid to tell her that no, he didn’t, but I wanted him too.

“That so does not count as dishing. Either he kissed you or he didn’t.”

“No, he didn’t. But we came close.”

“Well, that’s progress I suppose. I’ve heard he’s amazing. But, you knew that already because you made out with him at the party.”

I smiled.

“You’re holding out on me. What else happened?”

“Nothing, I swear.”

“Whatev.”

A guy with long dreadlocks walked past us. A board hung from his hand. It had all sorts of patterns painted on it. Both Ricki and I watched him as he set up the board and dug out paints from a bag.

“Tattoos,” Ricki said and got up.

“I don’t think I should a get a tattoo.” I said, following her. If by some stupid chance I ended up back at home, I didn’t want my skin burned off of my body.

“These aren’t real. They’ll wear off in a few weeks. Come on.”

I picked out a pretty rose and had the artist paint in on the underside of my forearm. Just below my wrist. I thought it would be small, but it ended up about eight inches long. Ricki got a bunny on her hip.

We found a couple of lounge chairs and spread out our towels. “Tell me about Jason.”

“Oh, we are so over. He’s such a jerk. I guess he and Jasmine have decided that they are officially together. It makes me sick.”

She sighed and fell into her chair. “You can help me scout for someone new.”

“Puck’s got a few nice looking friends. Preppy surfer boys. Do you want me to ask him about them?”

“I think I’ll ask him myself.” Then she groaned. “Why’d he bring the asshole?”

I looked up and saw Puck and Jason striding over to us. Jason sat next to me and Puck went to Ricki.

Jason spoke. “On a scale of one to ten, how pissed is she?”

The sun beat down on my back. “I’d say an 11.”

“Shit, I’m supposed to distract her so that you and Puck can go on a mission.”

“What’s a mission?”

“An assignment from Alejandro. But since it’s secret, Puck thinks it’s become a mission.” He rolled his eyes and I laughed.

I saw Ricki and Puck deep in conversation next to me. “Good Luck.” I said.

Jason looked across me to Ricki who laughed at Puck and shoved him in the shoulder.

“Right. I think I’ll split once you two have left, thank-you-very-much.”

“Hey Puck,” I said, “You want to go for a walk?”

He helped me out of my chair and then didn’t let go as we walked around the pool.

“What’s the mission?”

“You asshole!” I heard Ricki scream before Puck could answer me. She was standing next to Jason screeching at him while flailing her arms. Puck looked over at them and shook his head.

“Give them two days and they’ll be back together. You and I are going recruiting. We’ve got wind of a new kid who is showing potential. Word is the Destroyers have already got to him, but Alejandro wanted me to try anyway. I don’t like the fact that we didn’t even know about him until after the Destroyers had snatched him. Usually we get there first.”

Puck’s phone buzzed. He handed me the piece of paper he had been holding and looked at his phone.

“Shit. I gotta go. Alejandro just got back from visiting with the Council. He wants us ASAP. I’ll come get you after the meeting and we’ll go.”