The Stelter City Saga: Ultranatural (34 page)

“
Ace! Good morning!” she
exclaimed the moment the door swung open.

“
Lee!” was all he managed to
croak before she snatched onto his hand. The back of her hair
seemed frizzier than usual and she was still wearing yesterday’s
pastel jacket. Lotus hadn’t been joking about the sunburn-pill.
Lee’s face had calmed to a salmon color and a slight puffiness to
her eyes alluded that she hadn’t slept last night, but the
cheeriness in her tone could have fooled anyone.

“
I have to show you
something!” she practically sang as she tugged him down the
steps.

Damp morning air rippled through Ace’s hair
as he used his free hand to rub the last of the sleepiness from his
eyes. Once more it was a cloudless day in Heleow and against the
flat horizon; the sun’s perfect circle seemed larger than usual as
it brightened its way into the sleepy sky. From the ledge of the
rooftop, Ace could see the long stretch of tower shadows, perfectly
spaced between buildings like fingers reaching for the dark
ocean.

“
What’s all this about?” he
questioned as Lee marched along the penthouse pool.

“
Last night, Lotus showed me
something.” she replied. “It’s so cool! You’re going to freak out
when you see.”

“
Am I?” Ace answered
skeptically, “Now I’m dying to know. Where is Lotus
anyway?”

As if on cue, the elder Stelter emerged from
the glass door and she greeted them with a groggy smile. “I just
got a text from Michael. He says he wants to bring Ithaca over now
since apparently she has plans for later today.”

“
Isn’t it kinda early?” Lee
asked. “We haven’t even had breakfast yet.”

Lotus shrugged but held the door open for her
sister. “That’s just what Michael told me. Have you showed Ace
yet?”

“
I will right now!” Lee
beamed. “To the kitchen!”

Ace couldn’t help but to chuckle at her
enthusiasm and followed the sisters into the kitchen.
Instinctively, he sat on one of the stools lining the stone island
and watched as Lee hurried over to the blender by the sink.

“
You found a smoothie
recipe?” Ace guessed as Lee unplugged the device from the
wall.

She was still smiling as she set the blender
in front of him. “Nope. But prepare to be amazed.”

Ace watched as Lee acted out a silent film.
First she took the unplugged chord and held it up for Ace to see.
Then she gestured to the immobile smoothie making device. Ace still
had no idea what she was about to do and that cluelessness only
increased when she pinched her fingers against the prongs at the
end of the cord. Suddenly, the machine was on and chopping
furiously at nothing.

The sudden roar of the machine sent Ace
jumping back with surprise and his jaw dropped with a startling
curiosity. He was too astounded to even say a word. How was that
possible? His first thought was that this must have been some sort
of magic trick- but no. In his world the closest thing to magic was
the supernatural…

Lee giggled as she let her fingers fall from
the chord. “I’m like a human battery, and that’s not even the cool
part!” Lee announced before hopping up on the stool beside Ace and
pinching her fingertips together. “I’m a half-natural, Ace!” she
squealed. When she inched her fingers apart, bright blue sparks
danced off the tips of her fingers.

Ace watched in bewilderment. He had no idea
what to even think. First she was just an orphan, then she became
the daughter to the richest man alive, now she was like Ace. She
had powers. How had he known her for so long and been so blind?

“
Isn’t that cool?” she
asked.

Every detail to Ace’s face continued to mask
with astonishment. “How is this even possible?” he finally
gasped.

“
I’m not sure,” began Lee
hesitantly, “I think since I’m only half; all I have is the
phenomenal ability. Isn’t that what you said?” she asked glancing
over to Lotus.

Lotus nodded. She looked a million times more
exhausted than Lee and rested her forearms against the far corner
of the stone island. “I don’t know much about it. Just what
Kasper’s told me. Apparently we’re really rare, even more so than
the supernatural.”

“
We?
” repeated Ace, “You’re one of-” his eyes jumped back and
forth between the sisters, “of these too?”

Lotus nodded wearily. “I can’t make sparks,
but water does what I want it to.” She replied.

Lee couldn’t stop smiling. She had waited to
see Ace’s reaction all night; to know what he thought when she
showed him. It had taken hours just to get the sparks visible on
her fingers and Lotus had dozed off several times as Lee struggled
to perfect her human battery technique. But the astonishment still
plastered to his face was the exact expression Lee had waited all
night to see.

She stood by his side and clasped onto his
hands eagerly. “What do you think?” Lee was dying to know.

“
What do I think?!” Ace
sputtered. “Lee, you can make lightning come out of your
hands!”

She giggled and hopped a little on her toes,
“Yeah, and…?”

“
And I… I don’t even know
what to think!” he finally sputtered. Ace studied her for a moment.
Her tired eyes masked by the charismatic smile engulfing her
cheeks. It was contagious, and soon enough, Ace had slid from his
seat to wrap his arms around her waist.

It might have been too early in the morning,
and holding Lee like that in front of her sister wasn’t something
he should be doing. But he couldn’t help it. Lee had powers. She
was more like him than he thought and as his surprise turned to
admiration; he was also relieved that this discovery set her
somewhere within his reach. There wasn’t such an enormous gap
between them- both metaphorically and literally since he was now
holding her so close everything from their chest and down was
touching.

“
Oh, jeez,” Lotus muttered,
“I’m sorry Hails, but in my mind you’re still a little
girl.”

Lee hadn’t even heard her own sister because
now all she could think about was feeling Ace’s lips on hers.
Almost reflexively, she stood on her toes. Their lips were on a
course for collision, then-

“
Oh jeez!” another voice
sprang into the atmosphere. The startled tone and the unfamiliarity
of the voice sprang the two apart.

Ace was the first to whirl around. Who was
the fourth person? It was a woman’s voice; that much he figured
before his eyes rested on the most stunning beauty he had ever
seen.

Ithaca Iglesias stood in the kitchen with
Michael Caster right behind her. “Did I interrupt that?” she asked
her gaze falling upon Ace. Even her voice chimed with
attraction.

When their eyes held, it was like nothing Ace
had ever experienced. From the shape of her eyes to the way her
lashes fanned around the deepest shade of hazel, everything about
her gaze managed to suck all the air from his lungs. Thick brown
hair draped down her torso like a chocolate waterfall and as she
glided into the room, a faint smile crept its way to her very
kissable pale lips. “My apologies,” she smirked.

Ace couldn’t stop staring. Every curve to her
long lean body, every feature to her face captured his attention to
the point that the ocean could be on fire and he wouldn’t even
notice. Ace didn’t know how long he stared. He wasn’t even sure
what she was wearing, all he knew was that when her eyes hit his,
he was mesmerized.

Ithaca grinned but finally glanced away.
“Let’s get this over with.” She said. “Michael tells me we have a
bit of a misunderstanding, Ace.”

Startled, since hearing his name was the
first thing to snap him from hypnosis, Ace cleared his throat.
“What?” he finally managed to sputter.

Another smirk made its way to Ithaca’s face,
this time it was half hidden by the curtain of voluminous brown
hair.

Lee nudged Ace a little harder than she might
have given a normal circumstance. She wasn’t blind, she saw the
same thing he did and she couldn’t help but feel the monster of
jealousy clench a fist in her stomach. Ithaca was stunning, not
only that, an air of unmistakable power seemed to cloud her
presence. Like a sort of enchantment, a blind man would not be able
to see her appeal, but he would be able to feel her enticing
pull.

“
You tried to kill me?” Lee
questioned. All cheeriness drained from her voice. The first time
Ace had stared at Ithaca was with an expression that took Lee
several months to earn. And she did not like that at all. Lee had
never really been an envious person. Instead, she was usually one
to praise the wellbeing of others. But the fact that Ithaca was
able to capture all of Ace’s attention to the point that he had
forgotten Lee was even beside him- that did not sit well with her
at all.

Ithaca glanced up at Lee. If looks could
kill, Ithaca’s would have slaughtered Lee a hundred times. “That is
a misunderstanding.” Her words managed to pierce into Lee’s veins
like icy poison.

“
She’s here to explain the
truth, mate.” Michael cut in. The look over his face conveyed that
he was exhausted too and therefore oblivious to the scene before
him.

“
According to what Michael
tells me,” Began Ithaca, her eyes still penetrating Lee’s, “an
assassin sent by his Majesty tried to kill you. Am I
correct?”

Lee swallowed but nodded. She didn’t want to
look away, but Ithaca’s eyes were such a combination between
gorgeous and venomous that even Lee forgot to breath and she
glanced down at the island.

“
And I, being the Council’s
discipliner, am responsible.” She concluded. “Well, I don’t suppose
an apology would clear things up?”

“
Are you saying that was
intentional?” gasped Lotus who had remained silent beside the
stranger all this time. This wasn’t the first time Lotus had seen
Ithaca, but it was the first time she had seen her up close. Lotus
recalled several Grammy nights and perhaps other occasions where
Ithaca would be a phantom in the party. Sometimes when Lotus
listened in on Michael’s conversations, her name would be
mentioned. But this was the first time she was able to put a face
to the name.

“
Intentional?” repeated
Ithaca. A moment of silence lingered before she said, “Yes, I will
admit to that. I did send out an assassin, but not to kill
her.”

“
How could you even do
that?” exclaimed Lotus, her voice laired with disgust. “You
intentionally wanted to murder someone?”

Ithaca studied Lotus, “You’re smart, Stelter.
I’m sure you are well aware of all the vile things that happen in
the underground. Death is hardly the consequence.” Her voice was so
sinister, even Michael couldn’t retort. “There was a woman,” Ithaca
continued, “She lived in Tarrillian North Side. She threatened to
reveal who we are. She had to be punished.”

“
And you’re okay with this?”
Asked Lotus spinning around to face Michael.

The rock star ruffled the back of his head.
Normally a scowl accompanied this gesture, but this time, a solemn
haze draped over his eyes. “There’s so much you don’t understand,
Lozey.”

His comment would have sparked a retaliation
from Lotus. Michael Caster- mocking her intelligence? For once
though, Lotus knew he was right. There was so much she didn’t
understand.

“
So then explain.” She
grumbled brushing a stray hair from her eyes.

“
I would,” inputted Ithaca,
“However, I’m running a tight schedule and all matters concerning
the Legend tend to be lengthy. Allow me to cut to the chase.” Her
eyes slid across the room until once more they rested upon Ace. “Do
you mind if I have a private word?”

Ace gaped. Why would Ithaca want to speak
with him? She was here because of Lee, because of a mistake, not
because of him whatsoever. “Sure.” He finally managed to reply and
a grin slid over Ithaca’s lips.

He followed her to the living area without
glancing back. In no time at all, Ithaca was sliding open the glass
doors as if she owned the place. “We need to go somewhere distant.”
She remarked in a hushed tone. “I can’t have Michael
eavesdropping.”

Ace hardly acknowledged her. The sun shone a
little brighter, the shadows cast by the towers shorter, and a
light ocean breeze rippled over his baggy pajama shirt. It wasn’t
until she stopped walking along the pool’s waterline that he
remembered they were out here to have a private conversation. He
stared at the pool’s clear blue surface as he waited for her to
speak, but when she didn’t even utter a sound, Ace finally glanced
over.

This time when Ithaca smiled, her cheeks
dimpled to flaunt her cheekbones. The sun magnified the brilliant
shades of gold in her eyes once more captivating him. “Well, well,
Mason.” She began, her expression unchanging, “I haven’t seen you
in a long time.”

Her statement sent Ace
recoiling with confusion. Had she just called him
Mason
? Was she indicating
that they were previously acquainted? But that was absurd! Ace knew
he could never forget a face like Ithaca’s… unless…

“
Oh, yes.” Ithaca remarked;
the smirk still planted to her lips. “We were friends before the
Stelter fire. But that’s just one of the many things you forgot,
isn’t it?”

Ace arched his brows but no words managed to
escape his lips.

“
There was a tree.”
Continued Ithaca, finally pulling her gaze from his, “You carved
our names into a tree. HGS III MD.”

Ace had never put much
thought into the three vertical lines. But it made sense now. They
were letters as well- Ithaca’s initials. With a number of things
spinning around his mind, one was able to burst forth. How could
she have possibly known? How could a
complete stranger
know?! Ace recalled
never telling Michael about the tree and even if he had, there was
no way he could deny that her name was carved into the one piece of
memory he had.