Jade

Chapter 3

Thankfully the drive home was uneventful.  I pulled into the driveway, turned the car off, got my belongings and headed to the front porch.  Stranger-danger did exactly what he said he would do.  He drove right behind me, hugging my bumper the whole way.  At one point I even considered slamming on my brakes, but thought better of it.  I don't need a wreck on top of everything else.  He walked at a brisk pace and caught up with me at the porch.  He opened the door for me like a gentleman and entered behind me.  We both took our coats off and hung them in the entryway closet.

“So what now?”  I asked.  “Follow me,” he answered.  He led me to our library.  It is interesting how he seems to know his way around my house.  I could hear raised voices as we walked down the hallway.  I tugged on stranger-dangers sleeve, “What's going on?”  “We are both about to find out,” he answered.  He opened the door, cleared his throat, and in a loud voice, “may I present to you, Jade.”  The bickering immediately stopped.  It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.  Everyone but Rosa and Jeffret stood up to look at me.

I took the time to take in the scene.  Rosa and Jeffrey sitting on a beige loveseat in the corner, heartbreaking sadness on their faces.  Three men that resemble Stranger Danger stood in front of a chocolate colored sofa facing Rosa and Jeffrey.  They were studying me as I took them in.  Long, light brown, wavy hair, hanging loosely about their shoulders.  All four at least a foot taller than me.  Athletic build with broad shoulders. I am pretty sure that two of the men standing by the sofa are identical twins in every way.  The third has a small scar above his left eyebrow.

“My name is Theo,” Stranger Danger broke the spell.  “The twins are Kale and Antony.  At the end is Ripley.”  The twins did a small wave as Theo called out their names.  Not that it matters.  I honestly can't tell them apart.  “We are your guardians.  There are more of us.  It is just unnecessary to bring everyone in here.”
“How many of you are there?”  I asked, “and guard me from what?”

“My name is Yaris,” a deep baritone, I recognized from this morning, said from behind me.  I hadn't realized there was another.  I turned and looked.  I am pretty sure my mouth dropped open.  His hair was just like mine.  I slowly walked toward him.  It was like I was on autopilot.  “Your hair, it's just like mine,” I whispered.  I reached out to touch it.  He didn't stop me.  It is soft and silky, just like mine.  I had never before seen anyone with hair like mine.  Except he had a few strands of gold along with silver.  “Are we related?”  He graced me with the most beautiful smile, “not in the way you mean.”  “How are we related then?”  I asked.  “I will explain it all in due time,” he answered, “but right now we need to get you to safety.  I need you to pack what you want to bring with you and change into comfortable travelling clothes.”

I looked at Rosa who nodded her head yes and started sobbing.  Jeffrey nodded yes with a small sad smile.  I turned to go to my room.  “Can I come with you?” Yaris asked.  “I would love to see your room.”  I nodded yes and he followed me up the stairs and to my room.  Once inside, I shut the door and turned to face him. 
“I’m not supposed to leave with anyone who doesn’t know my real name.  Do you know it?”  “Yes,” he answered.  “I will tell you once I have broken that mind-link that Ethan has initiated.  As of now he can hear everything that you hear and see everything that you see.”

“I knew he was a creep,” I grumbled.

“How much time did you spend looking into his eyes?”  he asked.  “How did you know?”  I asked, puzzled.  “I just do,” he answered.  “I don't know,”  I replied, “maybe a minute.”  He nodded, “get changed. Then I will work on undoing the connection that he created.

I walked to my dresser and picked out a warm, maroon jogging suit, “do I have time for a shower?”  “You do.  Just make it quick,” he answered.  I got clean underwear and a bra and went into the bathroom.  I took a quick shower, washing my hair this time.  I got out, dried off and got dressed.  I put my hair up in a wet ponytail.  I never dry it.  It's too thick and it takes forever.  I exited the bathroom.  He was standing in front of my vanity studying the pictures I had stuck in haphazardly around the mirror.  “Your friends?” he questioned.  “Yes,” I answered.  He kept looking as I got socks and sneakers, then sat on the bed to put them on.  “Do you have a boyfriend?”  “No.”  His well toned shoulders visibly relaxed.  He turned around and sat down beside me.  “You smell so much better now,” he professed, “I could smell him on you.”  “Smell who on me?”  “Ethan.”  “Oh.  His scent was pretty powerful, it made me sick,” I commented.  “What do you mean by, it made you sick?”  “It gave me a headache, nausea and made me really tired.”  He nodded, but didn't question me further.