Amethyst - Book One of the Guardian Series Read online

  AMETHYST

  By Heather Bowhay

  Published by Heather Bowhay at Smashwords

  Copyright 2012 Heather Bowhay

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Disclaimer

  This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary, and all the characters portrayed in this book are fictitious and not intended to represent any specific persons, living or dead. At times, certain settings may be referred to by their true names, but the incidents portrayed or taking place there are entirely products of the author’s imagination. At no time should the reader infer that any of the events in this book ever occurred.

  ~To my wonderful husband Dan,

  For sharing life, laughter, children, mountains, and waterfalls,

  And for loving me when I couldn’t stop writing and we had to eat pizza,

  Again!

  ~H.L.B~

  AMETHYST

  By Heather Bowhay

  Copyright 2012 by Heather Bowhay

  CHAPTER 1 – BURDENS

  Lashing out, I jerked the power cord out of the wall, but it was too late. The table saw’s high-pitched screeching had already triggered horrific images, reminding me that a man was dead, and I was responsible. I yanked off the safety goggles and hucked them across the shed. After grabbing the tattered board, my third failed attempt at a curved cut, I slammed it against the workbench but gained little satisfaction as it split into pieces.

  Still, the memories persisted. Poignant. Taunting. I felt like I was there again…I could even smell the burning rubber and hear the metal bicycle parts grinding into the pavement.

  Guilt swept over me like an angry flame devouring a trail of gasoline. I’d just stood there and watched as the city bus had crushed the cyclist beneath those massive wheels. Afterwards, I’d raced to the cyclist’s side, but he was already dead. Numbing blue eyes from his lifeless body had cast an accusatory glare straight into my soul. Even now, a bitter chill swept through my veins, freezing my heart with shame. It was as if, even in death, he’d known I could have saved his life.

  What’s worse, he’d been right.

  Saw dust stung my eyes and burned my nose, snapping me back to the present. As the saw blade finally whined its way to a stop, my shaky legs gave way, and I collapsed onto the stool. Woodworking no longer offered refuge from my burdens; instead it reminded me of my sins. I grabbed a wood shard and ran my finger along the splintery edge until it pierced my skin and drew blood, momentarily sustaining a need for self-inflicted punishment.

  Trance-like, I stared as bright red droplets trickled off my hand and blotted the concrete floor. I wiped my bloody finger on my jeans and allowed the tears to stream down my face. My foot slipped off the edge of the stool, and I grabbed the edge of the work bench, leaned my head back, and looked at the ceiling. A large spider maneuvered effortlessly through an intricate set of webs in the corner, and I wondered if I’d ever move through my life with such ease again. But more importantly, I wondered if I was worthy, let alone capable of saving people anymore.

  Exhausted, I eventually turned off the shop lights and made my way back to the house. I hoped sleep might come easier tonight.

  It did not.

  Hours later, I still lay tossing and turning when a sharp pain pierced my head, followed by an explosion of bright colors and scattered black dots. They filled the recesses of my mind and distorted my vision. Clutching the folds of my blanket, I shot into an upright position.

  They were back. And they were back with a vengeance.

  Irregular heartbeats hammered my chest like flying shrapnel. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my arms around my trembling body. The fragmented colors pulled together and formed images. I’d been dreading this moment, wondering if it would come. Wondering if I could handle it.

  In a flash, the snapshots invaded my mind:

  A girl jogging along the sidewalk in the rain

  The girl, a look of terror on her face, backing into a dark alleyway

  A massive dog with long, sharp canines, cornering her

  The dog attacking the girl as she lay struggling on the pavement

  The images ended, the colors dispersed, and my eyes shot open. The sudden loss of equilibrium was expected; the continued blurred vision was not. Regardless, I had no time for uncertainty this time around – only the burden of acting in time. No matter how much I wanted the snapshots gone, I’d vowed never to ignore them again.

  Adrenaline pumped through my body, forcing me out of bed. In a mad dash, I stumbled for the closet and glanced at the clock. What was the jogger thinking? No one in their right mind went running all alone at eleven o’clock at night.

  My stomach muscles tightened; I would not be responsible for another death. I scrambled into an old pair of Levi’s, tucked my long, honey-blonde hair under the hood of my rain jacket, and grabbed my sneakers. Frowning, I glanced at the popcorn ceiling. Showers pounded the roof like a stampede of wild horses escaping captivity.

  Lucky for the jogger, she was only facing a wild dog and not some psycho-maniac, serial killer. Get a grip Lexi! Stop freakin’ yourself out.

  All I knew for sure was that the jogger was either about to be seriously injured, or about to be killed. The thought of her being mauled to death by a massive dog had bile rising in the back of my throat. With my best friend Ally, the only one who knew about my ability, out of town for a couple days, I was on my own. There was no time for doubt or hesitation, only commitment.

  Slapping my forehead, I refocused my train of thought. I might need a weapon. I glanced around. But what? Damn, if I’d only ordered that taser off Amazon. Of course, I’d been too afraid I might shock myself out with it, so I’d wimped out and opted for pepper spray instead. Disgusted, I grabbed the pepper spray out of my dresser drawer, shoved it in my pocket, and darted through the house.

  Another idea presented itself, and I stopped short in the living room. Wincing guiltily, I whispered a silent apology to Ben, my other roommate, who also happened to be Ally’s fiancé, as I grabbed his beloved baseball bat, the one with Griffey’s signature, out of its special holder. His parting words, which had been intended as a joke, jabbed at me. “Now Lexi, don’t let anyone mess with my bat while I’m gone.” Yeah well, apparently, I couldn’t be trusted.

  A transformer “popped” in the distance and darkness encompassed the room. Muttering profanities under my breath, I fumbled my way to the front door and charged outside. Raindrops assaulted me, and I pulled the drawstrings on my hood a little tighter. Despite the humidity and warmth of the dark June night, the rain was relentless. My shoes slapped the pavement as I headed towards Fairhaven – the small business district only a few blocks away.

  Somehow, after a premonition, I always knew which way to go.

  Breathing hard, I rounded a corner and scoped out the streets before me. Solar-powered lamps flickered dimly in the darkness; the absence of cars and people was disconcerting. Of course, anyone with any sense at all was snuggled up inside, like I would be if I was just an average, ordinary girl. But I wasn’t.

  It wasn’t long before I caught sight of movement between two brick buildings. Quickening my pace, I could see I was still too far away to make my move (whatever that was going to be
). I watched as two bulky figures advanced towards a much smaller one. Suddenly, one of the bulky figures lunged, seemingly growing in size as he knocked the smaller figure to the ground. In fact, the bulky figure didn’t look like a person at all. Well, not anymore at least; instead, he looked like a massive…four-legged beast?

  No. Couldn’t be. Tripping over my thoughts, and literally over my own feet, I barely avoided a face plant. I staggered forward just as a woman’s screams pierced the night. Shock waves ripped through my body, and my heart exploded like a sonic boom. Determined not to lose another life, I raced across the street. As I entered the alley, I spotted the girl from my snapshots. She was lying on the ground a few yards away from the dog, who was now pinning a struggling, bare-chested guy to the pavement. How had I missed that bit of action?

  I vaulted forward, and as much as I hated to hurt an animal, I swung the bat with all my might at its glistening orange fur. The element of surprise was on my side, and I hit my target dead-on. Well, not really. If I’m being honest, it was a pretty haphazard swing, and I hit the beast’s hind leg. The dog yelped, jumped off the guy, and spun towards me. Staring at me with wide-set, amber eyes, the tan-colored dog raised one paw into the air and growled.

  “Crap,” I muttered, grinding my teeth. Not only was the dog ugly and completely intimidating, he was the largest beast I’d ever seen. In fact, he looked like a Mastiff, only twice the normal size. My eyes widened when his lips curled back, because he appeared to be grinning.

  Defensively, I held out the bat, swinging it slowly side to side. I took a few steps backwards but bumped into the building. Running one hand over the rough bricks, I edged my way towards the girl. Since my eyes were locked on the Mastiff, I wasn’t overly surprised when I banged into a garbage can and sent the lid clattering to the ground. Pungent odors of rotting fish wafted under my nose, and I gagged but hurried on. When I reached the girl, the Mastiff snarled. Standing strangely balanced on his two hind legs, he scrutinized me with a predatory stare. I knelt in front of the whimpering girl and reached for her shoulder. In a glance, I noticed her short hair was plastered to the side of her muddy, swollen face, and her eyes were closed.

  “H-help me,” she rasped between ragged breaths, her eyes fluttering. “Those g-guys were attacking me, but then all of a sudden a d-dog…” she gasped, not finishing her sentence.

  “What guys?” I asked, glancing around. There was only one guy, one dog, and the two of us girls in the alley.

  A belligerent voice cut through the pounding rain. “Fearless but foolish. And not much of a designated hitter are ya?” A low, guttural laugh followed, and the hairs on my neck stood on end. I glanced up at the speaker, and found myself in a stare down with the bare-chested guy. He’d regained his feet and was standing next to the dog, running one hand down his long, slick pony-tail. Snidely, he added, “But that’s okay. I enjoy a good game. And honey, I’m good at battin’ in home runs.”

  My eyes widened and my stomach churned as images of his threat played through my mind. My thoughts were cut short when all at once he rushed us. To my amazement, the dog intervened and pounced on the guy, which sent him spiraling into a puddle. Lightening streaked across the sky as the guy slammed his fists into the pavement and bounced right back to his feet, like he’d hit a springboard. He turned and faced the dog but received a vicious snarl and an exposed set of dagger-like teeth.

  The guy put his hands up and backed away. “Fine, you take ‘em both,” he spat. “You always do. But I want my share when it comes time for their…” Thunder boomed, cutting off his last words.

  And here I thought I was the mental case. This guy was having a one-sided argument with a dog, and the dog was winning. Apparently they were together; although, not on the friendliest of terms, and strangely enough, the dog was the Alpha.

  As if things weren’t bad enough, the Mastiff turned his attention and bounded for us. Behind me, the girl gripped my legs and let out another blood-curdling scream as lightening once again burst across the sky. Chilled to the bone, sopping wet, and shivering uncontrollably, it finally dawned on me that we were screwed. This was no longer a rescue attempt on my part. In fact, we were probably both going to die. I clutched the bat and wondered if being mauled by a Mastiff was my payback for ignoring a premonition – one in which a man was smashed under a bus.

  All I’d wanted was to begin my freshman year like any normal college student – excited about my newfound freedom and overwhelmed with ordinary things. Unfortunately, being normal would never happen while I was prisoner to the premonitions. That’s why I’d made the decision to disregard one, thinking it might not come to fruition, and that just maybe they’d go away forever.

  How wrong I’d been. And, now they were back; only this time I wouldn’t be able to save anyone, not even myself. A calm resolve swept over me as I realized death offered an escape from the pain, the guilt, and a lifetime of responsibility. Dying wasn’t so scary; it was retribution, but the thought of experiencing the bloody assault on my body was horrifying. Not to mention, I’d be responsible for another death – the poor girl at my feet. I closed my eyes and imagined being somewhere safe – swimming laps in the warm, chlorinated waters of my old high school pool.

  That’s why I don’t know exactly what happened next. A predatory howl preceded an explosion of barks that reverberated around the alley. My eyes shot open, and I gasped at the sight of the Mastiff intertwined with a smaller, but still good-sized, gray dog. They rolled across the pavement biting at each other. Just past them, in the shadowy mist, the bare-chested guy was engaged in a serious physical battle, with what appeared to be a very capable, female opponent.

  What was this craziness? Kung fu night? Still possessing some of my wits, I remembered the girl and realized I still might have a chance to save her. I grabbed her elbow and yelled, “Get up, let’s go!”

  “I can’t,” she said in a panic. “Something’s wrong with me. I feel so…so drained, like I have no energy.” She slumped forward, her head drooping.

  “We gotta move,” I cried and hauled her to her feet, all but dragging her to the back of the alley. Empty buckets blocked our path, so I kicked them out of the way and leaned her against the chain link fence. Thoughts I’d had of climbing over the top diminished when I caught sight of barbed wire encircling the upper bar. The girl slouched over again, so I propped her against my legs. Readying myself, I gripped Ben’s bat in one hand and held the pepper spray in the other. If this wasn’t my day to die, then so be it, but I wasn’t going to let the girl from my snapshots die either. Clinging to me, she buried her face against my sopping wet jeans.

  I directed my attention towards the dog fight. The powerful Mastiff had the scruffier gray dog pinned down on the asphalt. I cringed as he sunk his teeth into the poor dog’s jugular. But with a sudden burst of strength, the gray dog thrust the Mastiff off, rolled over, and stood on all fours. He might be scruffy, but the gray dog was tough and looked a lot like my aunt’s Irish Wolfhound – tall and fearless. Growling, with tails whipping, they attacked each other again. Savagely, they tore at each other, spewing clumps of wet fur into the air. The stench of blood infested the alley.

  I wiped my face and peered through the rain, trying to discern who was winning the other battle. Both humans were unbelievably fast, but maybe that was just an illusion created by the mist. Dancing around each other, they threw punches and kicks from all angles like they were at a martial arts competition. The girl swooped in and delivered a swift upper cut to the bare-chested guy’s face. His lip split and began spraying a fountain of blood. Staggering back, he finally regained his balance and launched himself forward, kicking her mid-drift. The force of impact sent her hurtling to the ground; she landed flat on her butt.

  “Now you’ve really pissed me off!” she yelled, rising to her feet. All at once, buckets flew through the air, one right after another, clobbering him from all directions. I knew she was quick, but how was she…? I rubbed my eyes and watched a
s she hurled those buckets faster than I could blink. In fact, I don’t know how her arms could move that fast. One of the dogs yelped, causing me to glance away for an instant, so I missed how she executed her next move. But when I looked back, the bare-chested guy was sailing backwards through the air. He slammed into the brick sidewall, his head snapping forward.

  At that moment, another cloaked person entered the alley, dashed past the dogs, and rushed towards the back of the alley. I held out the bat, but the person said, “We’re here to help. Are you all right?” The voice was soft and definitely female.

  Before I could respond, the whimpering girl at my side sputtered, “I don’t think I can…” but suddenly her voice morphed into a shriek, and she pointed in front of us.

  I looked up. The Mastiff had broken away and was bolting our direction, his droopy jowls lurching side to side. Raising my hand in the air, I fired a jet-stream of mace into his face and then swung the bat. The bat never made contact though, because unbelievably, the Mastiff stopped dead in his tracks, like he’d just run into a brick wall. His amber eyes sealed shut, and his face twisted in pain. My jaw dropped, and I looked at the pepper spray with new respect. Who needed a taser? Right? Talk about overrated.

  Taking advantage of the situation, the Wolfhound attacked and tore a bloody chunk of flesh from the Mastiff’s hind leg. Howling, the Mastiff’s strange yellow eyes popped open. He leaped several feet in the air, glided over the Wolfhound, and tore from the alley. How he did that, I don’t know, but the snarling Wolfhound followed in hot pursuit.

  That’s when I noticed the bare-chested guy had disappeared as well. His impressive opponent yelled urgently, “Let’s go.” She didn’t come any closer, just brushed her hands together at a task well done. I couldn’t make out her facial features, but long, drenched hair clung to her back.