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“Yes…, Logan did this to you in a roundabout way but it was my fault… I’m supposed to protect you, Claire.”
Rage boiled inside of me on the verge of erupting. Not just towards Brent but also towards my parents. I was tired of the secrets. I wanted out of the dark.
“Would you please quit talking in circles and just tell me what the hell is going on. Why does everyone treat me like I’m made of glass? Obviously I’m not,” I shouted, pointing towards my chest. It was then I realized I was still in my bra. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I suddenly felt smothered by my discomfiture.
Brent removed his t-shirt and handed it to me. His body was pure perfection with muscles sculpted like an athlete – maybe a swimmer. He had broad protective shoulders and underwear model abs. Catching me staring at him, his mouth formed a half smile. I slid his shirt on, smelling his familiar smell, so good, powder and spice. Even his scent was familiar to me. He said we didn’t know each other, but the more time I spent with him, I was positive I knew him from somewhere. I wanted to hold his t-shirt to my nose and breathe him in. My cheeks blushed. Should I crawl away now? I was not even sure why I was mad anymore.
“Look Claire, it’s a long story and…” Brent started.
I interrupted, remembering that I was upset because he continued to treat me like a fragile child.
“Then give me the short one. You can fill in the rest tomorrow but I’m not going to bed until you talk, so start talking, Brent,” I demanded.
Running his fingers through his hair hastily, I knew he was giving in and he let out an exaggerated sigh.
“I know your parents told you that you’re special, Claire and in our world, you are. What I can tell you for now is that…I am your Aegis. My purpose in your life is by design, to keep you safe. I was chosen because of my loyalty toward you. I am your protector. I’ve been in your life for a very long time, most of your life, in fact.” He paused as though my thoughts interrupted him.
“But how can that be? I just met you?”
“I was getting to that,” he explained. “As your Aegis, I attain certain abilities as I age, things that help me to protect you. One o
f my abilities is trans-semblance and I have had it since I was a small child.” He noted my confusion and continued. “Some would call it morphing, but that’s just an urban term. I have always been in your life but never as myself. Since you returned to Northfield and were so close to eighteen, it was determined I no longer needed to conceal myself to you. You see, at age eighteen, you’ll come into your own abilities. We would have to tell you everything, preparing you for who you are.”
“And who is that?” I prompted.
“The Locket,” he replied proudly as though I should have a clue what he was referring to.
My mind was trying to sort things out.
What the hell is a locket?
I would get back to that later. For now, I was curious as to how he had been in my life all this time, yet I had never met him before yesterday. This explained why he felt so familiar to me. He was. I did know him.
“If we only met yesterday, then who have you been to me all these years?” I asked curiously and hesitantly.
Brent took my hand, steering me towards the sofa. He sat, pulling me down to sit next him and started filling me in.
“Different people, Claire, depending on where we lived. I have followed you everywhere. It’s probably easier for me to show you,” he pointed out, inhaling sharply.
A warm light shined around his skin and I saw Becky in front of me, a childhood friend I met just before I left Northfield. I wondered why I had not seen her at school. The light returned and I saw Gaby, a girl from school that was nice to me when we lived in Illinois. Again he shifted and he was Brian, a boy I knew in Florida. Slowly he continued, changing faces, each one familiar to me. The face I saw next was the man I saw yesterday talking to Maggie, Mr. Marshall. The glow returned and he was Brent once again. He looked at me intensely, measuring my concern.
“I’m fine,” I reassured him. “Just a little confused, I don’t understand. Maggie told me that Logan’s dad said he would leave me alone.”
“That wasn’t Mr. Marshall. It was me. I assumed incorrectly that Logan was harmless so when I saw your curtain move, I shifted to Mr. Marshall thinking it was logical for him to be there after what happened. You have to know Claire, if I had thought Logan was a danger to you, I would have never done that.” He paused and looked down. Pain reflected against all of his features, tormented by the decision he had made. “I failed Claire. I’m not sure how yet, but it won’t happen again. You’re safe with me,” he finished, looking as though he was defeated.
I didn’t doubt his words – I felt safe and protected with him – and had since I first laid eyes on him. Thinking about it, I had felt safe with him my entire life.
“I am so confused, Brent. Why would Logan want to hurt me?”
“He doesn’t exactly. He’s just the Anchor, Claire. Sort of like a host. He’s just entertaining an Adherent. Adherents are much like henchmen. They can’t get to you directly because they can’t show themselves to humans. To be effective, they must adhere to a human. The Adherent anchors to someone they feel is full of hate and usually one that has a strong dislike for their target. This allows them to have complete control over the Anchor. In your case, it was obvious to them Logan already felt hostile towards you, so he was easy to adhere to.”
I interrupted. “Why do these Adherents want to hurt me?”
“Kace sent them, because of who you are,” he replied.
“Who is Kace?” I asked, ignoring my growing fear.
“He’s just a bad person, Claire. Our kind has battled him for centuries and he found you despite our efforts to shield you from him. You see, Claire, you are the one who will stop him.”
