Souls (Runes series) Page 13

  Blaine drove like a maniac. Lucky for him, cops rarely lurked around the roads leading to the large vineyards near my farm. He didn’t slow down until he reached my place.

  A familiar car was in front of my house. I grinned. Echo.

  “Looks like you have visitors,” Blaine said.

  “Echo.” I jumped out of the car, eager to find him. “You coming in?” I asked.

  Blaine glanced toward my house and shook his head. “No, thanks. You sure you don’t want me to fix your car and drop it off?”

  “No. The Grimnirs—”

  “Didn’t do it, Cora,” Blaine said. “Slashing tires is a Mortal thing. Someone at school did it.”

  Who? Only one person at school hated me enough to want to hurt me. Drew. The problem was I couldn’t see him vandalizing my tires.

  “Maybe. Thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow.” He sped off while I headed for our front porch.

  10. MOM AND ME TIME

  No one was in the kitchen. “Mom? Dad?”

  No response. I angled my head. No sound. I grabbed a pear from a bowl and left the house. Shading my eyes, I looked toward the fruit trees then the barn.

  Could Echo be out there with my dad?

  I bit into the pear as I started toward the barn. The barn was empty. Where were they? I headed back to the house. Then a thought occurred to me. What if he’d told my parents who he was and had whisked them away through a portal? Mom would freak out, but Dad would want to see how everything worked.

  I shook my head and ditched the thought. Echo would never tell them who he was. Norns had a rule everyone lived by. Humans were not supposed to know they existed, and that rule extended to Valkyries and Grimnirs. The consequences of breaking that rule were severe.

  Back in the house, I grabbed my backpack and started for the stairs. Mom appeared at the top of the stairs.

  “Hey, hun. I thought I heard a car, but when I looked outside I didn’t see your car.”

  “Blaine dropped me off.”

  She frowned. “What happened to your car?”

  “Flat tires. Someone deliberately slashed them.”

  She shifted into mother-bear mode, eyes flashing. “I’m calling your school first thing in the morning.”

  “No, Mom—”

  “The school is responsible for whatever happens in school. They should have better security and a surveillance system.”

  I took the last few steps that brought me to her side. I grabbed her arm. “It’s okay, Mom. I know the people responsible.”

  “Good. I’ll need their names before I talk to the principal tomorrow.”

  “Mom, no. I’ll take care of this.” She didn’t look convinced. “Please. It was a misunderstanding, and they promised to fix them all.”

  “The school should at least know. This is a form of bullying. Who are they, and why did they pick on you?”

  I shouldn’t have mentioned the slashed tires. “Mom, I’ve got this.” She wasn’t budging. “If things get worse, I promise to let you know. Right now, let me handle it.”

  “Only if you promise to report it.”

  Yeah, like that was going to happen. “Promise.”

  She pressed a kiss on my temple. “I guess I keep forgetting how grownup you are. You don’t need me to fight your battles anymore or kiss your boo-boos.”

  “Boo-boos, Mom?” She laughed. “Where’s Echo? His SUV is outside, but I can’t find him anywhere.”

  “That’s because he and your father took the truck. They said not to hold up dinner.”

  “They went to dinner without us?”

  Mom chuckled. “No, they’re at the Blue Bird.”

  Blue Bird was a sports bar where Dad and Raine’s father would hangout on Saturday afternoons to watch sports and drink beer. Professional basketball was in session, and NHF draft was around the corner. Dad liked to watch them live with his buddies.

  “Why?”

  Mom took my arm and led me to my room. “I think they wanted to talk without us listening and interrupting.” She gave me a pointed look.

  “I never interrupt.”

  “You’re very protective of him, which is perfectly fine.”

  He was protective of me, too. “Do you need help with dinner?”

  “No. I thought we’d run into town and get some Chinese food.”

  My eyes widened. Mom was not big on eating out or takeout. “Really?”

  She nodded. “I don’t feel like cooking tonight, and it’s just the two of us.”

  “Can we drive by Blue Bird?” I asked.

  She laughed. “No. We’re definitely not spying on your father and Echo.”

  Oh, we were so spying on them. I grinned and walked back to hug her. “You’re the best.”

  “We’re still not going. I’ll call Chang’s.” I started to walk away, but she added, “Oh, before I forget. I made an appointment with Dr. Steiner. She expects you tomorrow at four.”

  My face warmed. Dr. Steiner was her doctor, an obstetrician and gynecologist. I’ve always seen Dr. May, a pediatrician. “Mom, I don’t really need contraceptives.”

  “You don’t just see her for that. You can talk to her about anything. You’re a woman now, and I believe a woman should know certain things about her body, so she can take charge of her health.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know my body, and we did have the talk.”

  “I know, honey. But an OB/GYN can answer questions I can’t. Just go see her, okay?”

  “So, you won’t be there?”

  “No. At eighteen, you earn the right to see the doctor without me hovering.”

  “I never minded. Do you remember when I had a high fever a couple of years ago but Dr. May was out of town, so we went to the clinic? You ripped that young doctor a new one when he insisted I didn’t need more tests.”

  She laughed. “Nothing is stronger than a mother’s intuition.”

  We didn’t leave the house for another two hours. Chang’s was crowded and even the takeout had a line.

  “Can we stop by Blue Bird?” I whispered to Mom.

  She shook her head. I waited until we’d picked up our takeout and she was backing out of the parking lot. “Mom…”

  “No.”

  Whining ensued. “I swear I’ll be in and out. I just want to make sure he’s okay.”

  She signaled and entered Main Street. Blue Bird was several blocks ahead of us. “You don’t think he can handle himself around your dad?”

  “No. I mean, yes, he can, but it’s not only him and Dad. Dad is probably in there with his poker buddies. They are a bunch of mean old men.”

  “Your father is not old. He’s in his prime.”

  “You know what I mean, Mom. Jake’s Dad made it clear he considers me his future daughter-in-law. He’s going to dissect Echo or worse, go on and on about his perfect, Navy Seal son and me. Echo won’t like it.”

  Mom chuckled. “You’re like a mother bear with her cub.”

  “He needs someone to watch out for him. He’s been alone for too long.”

  The smile left Mom’s face. “It couldn’t have been easy losing both parents at such a young age. He told us how he was raised by an aunt who died when he was starting high school and how Blaine’s father became his legal guardian.”

  “But it’s not the same,” I murmured.

  “No, it’s not.” Mom stopped at the traffic light and glanced at me. “You really love him.”

  “With all my heart. He’s perfect.” A tiny smile that showed her skepticism drifted across her lips. “I’m serious, Mom. He’s loving, generous, and protective.” I grinned. “He’s the one.”

  “Okay,” she said laughing, “I believe you, but you still can’t go checking on him in a bar. First of all, beer and sports brings out the worst in men, so if you walk in there, Echo won’t be the only one breaking noses. Don’t let your father’s geekiness fool you. Second, Echo will think you don’t believe he can take care of himself. Men have delicate egos, sweetheart. And w
e, women, must learn when to stroke it.” The light turned green and she stepped on the gas. “I’ll pull up outside the bar. You text him and ask him to come outside. Make this about you, not him.”

  Echo didn’t own a phone. I’d pushed and begged, but he’d insisted he didn’t need Mortal machines to know when I needed him. Super big ego.

  “Echo hates modern technology and rarely carries a phone.”

  Mom glanced at me. “Really? How unusual. What if he wants to talk to you?”

  “We make a new date every time we end one.”

  “He’s old school. I like that.” She left Main Street and headed west toward Blue Bird. “Okay, I’ll go in and check on your father. I can’t have him drinking if he plans to drive.”

  “So, why is it okay for you to go inside and not me?”

  She parked and shifted to smile at me. “Because, your father and I have been together for so long we’re secure in our love. Catcalls from other men will only make him proud.” She fluffed her hair. “How do I look?”

  At fifty-nine, Mom still had it. Her hair might have grayed, but it was still full and luxurious. She had amazing cheekbones I wish I’d inherited, and she still had curves in just the right places. If I ever aged, I wanted to look just like her.

  “You look beautiful, Mom.”

  She chuckled and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you, sweetie.”

  I watched her leave the car and disappear behind the blue door. Above the door was a sign with a blue bird. A few couples left their cars and disappeared inside the bar.

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, my eyes not leaving the door. Waiting sucked. Every time the door swung open, I expected Echo to come out.

  I was slowly losing my patience when the door opened and Mom stepped out. I frowned. She looked up and down the street as though searching for something.

  “Where is he?” I called out.

  “He’s gone. He left a few minutes ago with the Chapman boy.” Mom started toward the car. “He’s the designated driver, so he’ll be back. You’ll see him when he brings your father home.”

  ***

  The first thing I noticed when we got home was my car. The guys must have driven it here, which meant Echo knew someone had vandalized it. Knowing him, he’d want to know who, then hunt down the person responsible before asking why.

  “Your car is home,” Mom said, not masking her surprise.

  “Echo and Blaine must have fixed the tires and brought it home,” I said.

  “Oh. How thoughtful. We’ll reimburse them for the tire, and you must still report what happened to the school.”

  “I will.” As soon as I entered the house, I texted Blaine. “Thanks a bunch for NOT listening to me.”

  Seconds later, my phone bleeped and a smiley emoji with “U r welcome” appeared on my screen.

  Didn’t he get that I was being sarcastic?

  “Derp!” I texted back.

  “What do you want to watch?” Mom asked.

  I looked up from my phone and stared at her blankly.

  “Put your phone away, dear, and let’s pig out in front of the TV. You choose something.” She headed toward the kitchen. “I won’t even care if it’s one of those teenybopper movies you like.”

  I pushed the phone into the back pocket of my pants. “I’m so offended you think I watch such movies.” I had at least a dozen of them on my list on Netflix.

  “You could at least pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about,” she teased, serving us. Mom would never eat out of Chinese cardboard boxes or use plastic utensils that came with the food. But she removed the spoon and fork from their plastic containers and placed them in a drawer.

  “I’m checking the TV guide to see what’s on Lifetime. Nothing like a good chick flick movie and Chinese food on a Monday night.”

  Mom ignored the dig and smiled. We rarely had these girls-only nights or ate in front of the TV. While I flipped through the guide, she poured us orange juice, placed our dinner on a tray, and joined me.

  I ended up choosing a movie about a woman who’d lost her child in a plane crash, but believed her son was still alive. At first, I rolled my eyes. Mom might complain about teenyboppers, which had a wealthy boy falling for a poor but spunky girl, but most Lifetime movies were about women losing something and finding the strength to pick up their lives and move on. They were just as formulaic.

  I even spaced out and sneaked a look on my phone to make sure I didn’t miss a text from Blaine. But then the movie got interesting when everyone started to deny the woman’s son ever existed. Halfway through, I was so invested in the story a phone call or text would have been a distraction. Memories erased left and right, people being sucked into the sky. It all seemed possible if one knew about Norns and their meddling. When the movie ended, I was on the edge of my seat.

  “Wow,” I said.

  Mom chuckled. “That’s one of my favorites. There’s nothing in this world like a woman’s love and intuition when it comes to her child.”

  Just like the way Norns erased Torin’s memories, yet he ended up falling in love with Raine again. Sci-fi movies like this made me realize how close people were to the truth about what went on under their very noses.

  I stood and took Mom’s plate. “Do you want more juice?”

  “No, thanks, hun. I’ll have some water and watch the news until your dad gets home.” She turned and watched me walk into the kitchen. We had a floor plan that was open from the alcove, or Dad’s writing cave, past the living room to the kitchen. “Are you heading upstairs?”

  “Yeah. I have homework, then bed.”

  “I’ll call when Echo and your father come home.”

  I would see them the minute they pulled up. So I waited. Finished my homework and reading, showered, and changed into my pajamas. Then I realized what I was doing. I had become one of those annoying girls who ceased to function because her boyfriend was out bromancing.

  I texted Raine, but when the portal didn’t open and she didn’t return my text, I crawled into bed.

  ***

  I woke up crabby. Echo had come and gone. I must have fallen asleep, and he wasn’t around when I woke up or went downstairs. So much for hounding me until I forgave him.

  The drive to school was uneventful. I pulled up just as Sonya and Kicker stepped out of Kicker’s older brother’s truck. I waved. By the time I got out, they were talking to Naya. Naya kept throwing glances my way. Then the three girls walked toward me.

  “Hey, guys.” They exchanged a glance that said they wanted something. Please, not another person wanting her hair fixed for prom. “What?”

  “You need to talk to Drew,” Naya said.

  Drew was the last person I wanted to talk about. He was still my number one suspect in the tire-slashing caper. “Why? He hates me.”

  “He’s hurt, and from the way he goes on, hate is the last thing on his mind,” Naya explained.

  Damn Maliina for sleeping with him. “What am I supposed to tell him? I thought we had something but I’ve moved on. Why can’t he see that?”

  “You’re dating a guy in college, who’s never around,” Kicker jumped in.

  I pointed at her. “Hey, hey, you stay out of this. You’re my friend, and friends stick together like glue. Echo is around plenty, thank you very much. I see him during lunch and most evenings.” Except for the last two days. “Look, I’m totally into Echo, so tell Drew to move on already.”

  “I think he needs to hear it from you,” Naya said, making a face.

  Not going to happen. Then an idea popped into my head. “I’ll be at the prom on Friday with Echo. If that doesn’t convince him, I don’t know what will.”

  A car stopped beside us and a window rolled down to reveal a familiar face—the girl I’d locked out of the bathroom yesterday. “Hey, blondie. How’s your car? Have a nice drive home yesterday?”

  I stared at her with round eyes. “What?”

  “The car. You know, that box wit
h wheels under it,” she added as though talking to an idiot. Her friend in the passenger seat laughed. “I hope you drove it home okay yesterday.”

  Realization hit me hard. These three idiots were the ones who’d poked holes in my tires. All because I’d locked the stupid bathroom door? “You! You slashed my—”

  “Oh, she finally gets it,” the first one who’d spoken said.

  “Dumb blonde,” her friend said.

  “Next time, don’t act like you own the damn school.” They drove off laughing while my thought process slowed down to nothing. Rage washed over me.

  “What happened?” Kicker asked.

  “They called me dumb. Those two wannabe rung crawlers think they can take me down?” Their car was disappearing around the row of cars. I started after it, but Kicker grabbed my arm.

  “You can’t fight them,” she protested.

  “I don’t plan to fight.” I yanked my arm from her grip. “I’m going to let them know they can’t mess with me.” I brushed past them, but the next second a firmer grip locked around my wrist. “Darn it, Kicker.” I tried to break free, but it tightened. One look over my shoulder and I realized why. “Blaine, let go.”

  “Your friend is right,” Blaine said.

  “They slashed my tires. They’re not getting away with it.”

  “Go,” he ordered the three girls, and they scurried away without protesting. “You come with me.”

  He led me back to my car and nudged me into the front passenger seat. He slid behind the wheel. Through the windshield, I could see Kicker, Sonya, and Naya cross the street. They glanced toward us.

  “Engage your invisibility and speed runes,” Blaine instructed.

  “My speed runes are iffy.”

  “Then go with invisibility.”

  “Why?”

  “You want payback, don’t you?”

  I engaged my runes. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Do you have your artavus?”

  I pulled one from inside my boots.

  “I’m going to come around the car and open your door, so people don’t see it open and close by itself. You go off and slash one of their tires.”