Keepers of Time

13. Theory

13. Theory

As I got closer to the library I felt someone following me; the hair on the back of my neck standing up.  I whirled around peering into the torch lit corridor, but finding only the shadows of the fire as they danced on the walls.  Uneasily I kept walking, listening intently to the sounds I made on the wooden floorboards. 

I had been trying to get into Gabriel’s mind to see where he was, but I was having no such luck.  He had shut me out for reasons unbeknownst to me.  Whatever he was hiding was affecting him in a way that I had never seen him act before.  Not even the infamous Gwen Hampton could have this kind of negative effect on him.

Or maybe it was her…he’s finally gone mad after all these years. 

I heard the faintest sound of something drop behind me and I turned around to catch the sight of long hair disappearing around the corner.  Backtracking, I saw a figure lurking behind the shadows of a column.  As quietly as I could be I stepped closer only to hear the heavy still breathing of somebody.     

Without giving it another thought I crept forward grasping the person’s arm, pulling a surprised Kimberly from the shadows.  I pinned her to the wall of the column, anger rearing its ugly head in my veins. 

“What the hell are you doing?”  I asked through clenched teeth.

She gulped, her eyes wide with fear only to turn into surprise that then turned into determination all in a matter of seconds; her eyes turning into a wide set of different shades before my eyes at her ever changing moods.  “I want to know what’s going on.”

“This has nothing to do with you.”  I said, my voice clipped around the edges.  I let her go, watching her closely, concentrating on reading her mind.

He’s such an ass.

Well, that wasn’t new.  Calling me an ass seemed to be the perfect word to sum up my character.  I scoffed, turning on my heel and continuing towards the library where I thought Gabriel might be.  Unfortunately, getting rid of Kimberly served to be a different matter all together.

“If something is going on it concerns all of us, Calder, not just you and Gabe. You can’t handle whatever the threat is by yourselves.”

“We’re not.”  I said, walking briskly but she was right there beside me – determination laced in her voice.  I could practically fell the eager energy coming off of her in sonic waves, unrelenting and incalculable. 

“Okay.  Well, what’s going on then?  What was that Keeper story you guys were talking about and the demon and-”

I spun around pushing her against the wall, my body pressed to hers as my hand covered her mouth.  “Not here.”  She nodded, her crystal blue eyes widening at my abruptness.  I took in a deep breath, my nostrils filling with the scent of watermelon and something else - something that smelled vaguely like lilacs. My hand slowly fell to my side as I stared into her clear blue eyes.  Curiosity flickered in them for a second before she dropped her gaze; a strand of hair falling into her eyes.

Fire ignited in my brain and traveled south.  The want –no, the need was too impossible to ignore.  I stepped back as a burning sensation formed within, making my breath labored.  “I-I,” I started but was unable to form coherent words. I cleared my throat, taking a few more steps away from her.  “We need to go and find Gabriel.  I’ll tell you what’s going on when I can.”

“Okay,” she said softly.  “That’s all that I was asking for.”

No, I wanted to say.  No, there was more that she wanted, but did not voice.  It was the same thing that I found myself wanting like never before.  There was a deep sense of longing settling itself in the middle of my chest with no sign of leaving any time soon.  It had taken residence there and as much as I tried to deny it – I could not any longer.