Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy) (28 page)

             
"
Don’t get ahead of yourself. We barely know anything about each other. How can I be in love with someone that I have known for a couple of months, and spent most of that time yelling and screaming at? Even if it is love, there is nothing I can do about that. I have a duty and a responsibility to you and Terra. I can’t be distracted at all. You know as well as I do that we are very close to something happening, it’s only a matter of time. They attacked us on the island, and there have been rumors around here. I can’t ignore all that and follow my feelings toward him.
"
She was pacing next to the bed now, gesturing with her hands.

             
"
You’re kidding right? When are you going to think of us as four now? He’s a part of this remember? You wouldn’t be going off away from us. You might be making you and him stronger. You can’t be more united than being in love. Anyway, when it comes to those kinds of feelings you don’t really have a choice. Sure, you can let them fester inside of you. But they come out no matter what. You can make this the time to get to know each other too. Neither you nor him are going anywhere, and will be working pretty closely together. You think you can ignore your feelings for him if he gets attacked? Or if you two end up alone together in the woods?
"
She wiggled her eyebrow at her.

             
"
Hopeless, that’s what you are.
"
Aylin gave El’s shoulder a shove.
"
My lusty friend always on the look out for matchmaking and lovemaking.
"
She winked.

             
"
Mark my words, Aylin. You can’t ignore what has already sparked between you two.
"
El grabbed her arm and tugged her back to sitting next to her.

             
Aylin bit her lip.
"
I’ll think about it.
"

             
El nodded.
"
There is something else I wanted to talk to you about. I met the man that Terra was telling us about. You know, the guy that’s asking all the questions? He was in the coffee shop yesterday and he tried talking to me. He asked if I grew up here my whole life and I told him no. He gave me his business card and insisted I make time for him to interview me. He’s cute, in a nerdy kind of way, and I didn’t really get a sense that he was dangerous.
"
She shrugged, looking down at her hands.
"
But he definitely is interested.
"

             
Aylin listened with complete concentration. Her dilemma with Blake was pushed back, out of the way.
"
Tell me exactly what he looks like.
"

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

             
Aylin woke early before the other two and decided to sneak out. She enjoyed watching the town wake up from the windows of the coffee shop with the bold scent of coffee mixing with the buttery pastries. Customers hurried in the door, ordering their usual and running out the door to open their own store or business for the day. Very few had the pleasure of just sitting in the shop and lazily clearing the deep sleep fog from the mind.

             
She missed having her own shop to open. The smell of fresh cut flowers always revitalized her no matter what her mood was. She missed the satisfaction on customer’s faces when she presented the arrangements she designed for them. She missed her friend Jordan who would take one look at her and knew exactly what she needed whether it was time to herself or a shoulder to cry on. She missed Mr. Christiansen, a man that laid a bouquet of daisies every Saturday morning on his wife’s grave.

             
It’s not like she felt unwelcome here. Everyone had a friendly smile for her, but she didn’t stop to catch up with anyone. The town was unpredictable to her, and she liked having routine. Maybe she should look into the floral shop. She could work there part time, and she could meet some of the townspeople. Designing arrangements once again would give her a creative outlet.

             
Maybe she would swing by the bookstore and see if anything interested her there. Terra had hundreds of books at her house, but nothing on gardening or horticulture. That’s Aylin’s passion and she loved to surround herself in it. She could pick up a few plants to put around the house too. Terra’s home was warm and cozy, but it was missing houseplants. If they were still there, she hoped to expand Terra’s garden next summer.

             
Aylin turned her head slightly as she became aware she was being watched and out of the corner of her eye she saw a man staring at her. She turned her head and squarely looked back at him. Startled, his eyes widened and he straightened his glasses and looked down. His table was stacked with books and notebooks. There was an empty coffee cup teetering on the edge of the table.

             
Returning her gaze to the window, she became aware that the man joined her at her table.
"
Sorry about that,
"
he said.
"
I didn’t mean to be staring at you. You just seemed off in another world, and I was wondering where that was.
"
He shrugged.

             
She was leaning away from him, but gave him a quick smile.
"
That’s quite alright.
"
She nodded. By El’s detailed description she knew who he was, and it unnerved her that he singled her out in a coffee shop full of people.

             
"
Are you from here? I’m doing some research on the town and trying to get interviews with people that have been here their whole life. Though, you don’t look much like you’re from around here. You don’t have the midwestern look. If I could make a guess I would say you are from somewhere on the west coast.
"
His voice was kind, but she couldn’t trust it. It was too convenient that he picked her out.

             
"
I’m sorry, I really have to be going.
"
She stood.

             
"
Man, I’m really bad at this. You’re the second woman that I’ve scared away. Look, I can show you my I.D. if you want. I’m trying to write a book. I thought I would find that Minnesota Nice that everyone talks about, but I seem to be rubbing people all the wrong way.
"
He now slumped in his chair.

             
There was something about him that made her want to sit back down.
"
It’s not you, I’m just running late is all. Do you have a card or something? Maybe I can give you a call then.
"

             
He looked up at her with hope and jumped out of the chair.
"
Yes!
"
He hurried to his table and pulled out a business card out of his briefcase.
"
I’m Corey.
"
He held out his hand.

             
"
Aylin.
"
She shook his hand and said goodbye. She tucked the card in her fleece jacket pocket and walked out the door. She didn’t get that filthy vibe from him that she associated with the witches. He seemed genuinely to be what he said he was. She could calm El down now, but they would still need to keep this man at a distance.

             
Not ready to head back to the house yet, she wandered the streets of the downtown. Most of the shops were on winter hours now and some wouldn’t be open again until May, which meant there were a lot of empty buildings with dark or covered windows. Just a few weeks ago those windows displayed paintings, pottery, and jewelry that local artists made.

             
She turned the corner and found Blake getting a paper out of a machine.
"
Hi.
"
She walked right up to him.

             
"
Hey.
"
He was surprised to see her, but happy. His smile was wide.

             
"
Do you ever work?
"
she asked him.

             
He chuckled.
"
Yeah. I’m on my way in. But it’s a paperwork day so I’m not in any hurry. Paperwork never goes anywhere. What about you? Getting ready for your big girls weekend?
"
He tucked the paper under his arm.

             
"
Yep. The girls were still sleeping, though, so I thought I’d come get some coffee.
"
She held up her cup.

             
Blake was dressed differently. He had swapped out his well-worn denim jeans for khakis, and instead of the long sleeve cotton shirts and flannels he was wearing a white button up shirt under his jacket.
"
You look nice.
"

             
He looked down at his clothes.
"
I’d take my flannel any day.
"
He smiled.

             
She smiled back at him when she noticed the blue sky darkening. There hadn’t been a cloud in sight, but the light dimmed quickly. Before her eyes the sky became black, the moon was out
in
a starless sky. She looked at Blake, who watched her with concern. She tried to speak but she couldn’t get air. The air was too thick to breathe. Her hands flew to her throat and she dropped to her knees.

             
Aylin tried looking around to find the witch, but she and Blake were alone on the sidewalk. She felt her back hit the sidewalk and Blake hovered over her. His mouth was moving, he was shouting down at her, shaking her with his hands, but she couldn’t hear or feel him.

             
That’s when she saw the fog. It crept along the street toward her from the direction of the lake, sucking the thick air away. It reached her fingertips; it was so cold that it stung her skin. She needed more time. She could fight against it if she had more time. She needed El and Terra.

             
Aylin squeezed her eyes shut and escaped deep into her mind. She imagined her surroundings and thought of El and Terra. But when her mind reached out to them she was met by a wall, her projections bounced back to her. Her mind was closed off from everything. She couldn’t feel anything but the cold. Numbness crawled into her skin, slowing her blood.

             
She needed heat. Heat needed to fill her hands. She could fight against it if she could feel her hands. She forced her mind to think of her hands. Remember the feeling of light touching them, warming her skin. Sunlight. Moonlight.

             
The moon.

             
Aylin opened her eyes and focused on the moon. She willed the light to reach her. Please, I just need light, she wanted to call to it. There it was, just on the tips of her fingers. Warmth. She held on to that feeling. She imagined it stretching to her palms. She closed her hands into fists and closed her eyes again. Her palms were burning hot.

             
Aylin opened her eyes up to the blue sky, bright sunlight streaming down on her, clean, crisp air moving in and out of her lungs.
"
Aylin!
"
Blake shook her shoulders.

             
"
Blake.
"
She focused on him.

             
"
Oh! Thank god.
"
He ran his warm hands over her face. She took deep breaths, trying to figure out what just happened to her.

             
"
What happened?
"
She tried to sit up, but he held her down.
"
Let me up,
"
she demanded.

             
"
You tell me.
"
He pulled her up so she was sitting.
"
You were talking, then you collapsed. You were staring up at the sky, and then you started shaking.
"
He put a hand on his chest to slow down his heart.
"
You tell me.
"

             
"
I don’t know. It was like the dream.
"
She took a deep breath. Her hands shook horribly so she crossed her arms over her chest.
"
I couldn’t move, I felt like I was dying.
"
Her whole body trembled.
"
Everything was cold, and numb. I couldn’t hear you.
"
She put her head on her knees.

             
"
Okay, okay.
"
He wrapped his arms around her.
"
You’re with me now. It’s okay.
"

             
She welcomed the heat from him, now she didn’t cringe away when she felt it soar through her limbs. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the pine scent that seemed to always linger around Blake. Pine and leather.
"
I need to get back to El and Terra.
"

             
"
I’ll drive you.
"
He helped her up and walked her the few steps to his truck. He started it, cranking the heat on high, pointing the vents to her. She was silent the entire drive, and he could see how pale her skin was, the scared look in her eyes. When he pulled into Terra’s driveway he turned to her.
"I don't want you to leave town now
.
They might follow you, and I want to be there if they attack you again."

             
She shook her head.
"
No. We need this. Leaving town is exactly what we need.
"
She looked at him sharply.
"
Don’t say a word, Blake.
"

             
"
Aylin-
"

             
"
No. I will tell them after this weekend. They don’t need to get all worked up.
Think about it, Blake. Be logical. You're thinking with your heart. Your concerned, and I understand that, but I can take care of us. You can't make decisions when you think of it on a personal level. It's a weakness."

             
"Your right I'm concerned! What if you were by yourself on the street? They could have done a lot worse to you. But I was there, keeping you safe! The only way to think about this is on a personal level. I won't let them have you, Aylin." Blake's face reddened and a vein protruded on his neck.