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Chapter 195: Homecoming Checklist
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The True Nature Series Chapter 196: Incentive
"NOT ME, NO," SAID Maverick. "But our people here. They're just doing what Ira wanted us to do.""Polaris spies are following me?" My voice rose higher with each word. I didn't want anyone spying on me."Tru," he said gently. "You've always had Polaris watching you to some degree. Ira knew how important you were, how important you still are. Let's just say some of the people in your life are there to keep an eye on you, to protect you, and we've increased security.""Who?" I demanded, wanting to know which one of our friends was a spy. Who wanted a fake friend?"Don't worry," he said, a little contrition tinting his voice. "It's not like your whole life is a lie."He was so wrong. My entire life was a lie. My mom and dad had never told me I was adopted, or whatever it was called when you took over someone else's kid. From what I'd gathered in my vision, I wasn't sure it had been done legally. "Tru, your mom and dad love you as much ... I mean, you're related to them ... gah! You
The True Nature Series Chapter 197: Intervention
I PUT THE FINISHING touches on my makeup, checked myself out in the mirror one last time, and smiled at my reflection. My hair was behaving, my skin-tight pants hugged my hips and thighs in all the right places, and my pink shirt made my skin brighten with color. As I grabbed my jacket and wallet, a pile of letters fell to the floor. I paused, contemplating what those letters might say for the umpteenth time. I checked my phone. No text from Ruthie saying she was on her way, which meant I had time to read them.Maverick had said that Mom and Dad were unaware of the supernatural world, but I knew my mom had been gifted. It could be laughed off as extreme intuition, but now that I knew she'd come from idimmu parents, I wondered how much she had known. Ruthie had been full of suspense when she'd given the letters back to me. She'd read most of them, the little sneak! But true to her word, she hadn't breathed a word of their contents. She'd only suggested in a gentle voice that I should r
The True Nature Series Chapter 198: Bad Idea
MY FRUSTRATION REACHED A boiling point. Zander had conspired with Ruthie to force me into confronting Caroline despite knowing how much I didn't want to talk to her. I felt so betrayed. Wrenching around to glare at him I found him squinting back at me, his eyes slightly unfocused. Was he trying to read my mind? We'd been practicing it a little, but now was definitely not the time to go poking around in my head. Pressing my lips together, I pictured the wall that I'd been trying to break down all week, but this time, instead of trying to disintegrate it, I imagined adding bricks. I piled them up, layer by layer and felt them slamming into place. Zander twitched, his eyes widening before turning down with disappointment. It worked! I'd blocked him out. A wave of guilt batted at me, but I brushed it away. It served him right for tricking me like this. He definitely hadn't thought it through."And what do you think is going to happen when you show up at the Efoti's cabin, huh?" I said. "Y
The True Nature Series Chapter 199: Meet the Parents
SCOWLING, ZANDER SLOWLY PULLED onto the road. He wasn't the only one as tense as a wind-up toy. I looked over my shoulder at my friend in the back seat. "Are you all right?" I asked. Her face was still a little pale, but otherwise, she seemed unhurt. "When I get my mojo back, I'm going to drop-kick Isaac in the nards," she vowed.I darted a glance at Zander to see the corner of his mouth inch up. "Just make sure I'm there to see it," he said, some of his stiffness melting away. I smiled at Ruthie. That had been unpleasant, but the biggest hurdle was still to come. I hoped that the Efotis would see the Zander that I knew and loved.A few minutes later, we pulled into their gravel driveway and parked next to the Range Rover again. The familiar wood house stood before us, framed by towering trees and a darkening sky. It looked the same as before, but this time I knew exactly what I was walking into.Isaac was already waiting for us on the front porch, dressed in jeans and a t-shi
The True Nature Series Chapter 200: Enchanted
"ZANDER!" I YELLED TO him through our mental connection. I renewed my struggle against Caroline, but she held tightly, her grip like super glue. All I could do was stare at Zander and watch events unfold. He stood straight and tall, regret and resignation filling his face. My mind called to him again, but he didn't answer. Then I remembered the bricked-up wall that I'd raised on our drive here. I imagined a bulldozer swinging at it, and a second later it tumbled to the ground. "Zander!" I tried again."It's going to be okay," he answered, keeping his eyes on Iosefa. "Stay where you are.""What do you think you are going to do? He's trying to kill you. And if he doesn't, Isaac's parents will. And then there's crazy Caroline."Zander smiled and although I knew he'd been smiling at what I'd said, it seemed to inflame Iosefa. He responded with a menacing snarl that almost made me pee my pants. It was a predatory kind of growl that reminded me of the sound the dinosaurs on Jurassic P
The True Nature Series Chapter 201: Superstitions and Sirens
SITTING ON THE EFOTIS' couch in an uncomfortable silence as everyone looked at one another awkwardly reminded me too much of the last time I was here. Sure, we'd discovered Isaac was a siren. But so what? This house was full of supernatural oddities. Why was everyone acting like he was a freak now? At least Iosefa had put on some clothes. He sat across the room near the hearth of the fireplace with Caroline tucked under his arm. She hadn't protested when Zander pulled me down next to him on the couch, tucking my hand in his, but she still stared at him warily, like he was going to pull out a gun and start shooting.Phoebe sat near Isaac, leaning against his arm, somehow bolstering him. It was as if she was recharging him, like a battery. I thought about my comparison and realized that's exactly what was happening. Somehow, she was giving him strength. The dark circles under Isaac's eyes were starting to fade, his skin gaining more color. In contrast, Phoebe had grown pale and limp.
The True Nature Series Chapter 202: Supernatural Hickeys
I LET HER PULL me all the way over to her car before I finally came to my senses. "Ruthie," I said, yanking my arm out of her tight grip. "I can't leave Zander in there alone with them!" I tried to turn back, but she grabbed my wrist. "Ow! You're hurting me.""Good!" she yelled. "You seriously have some explaining to do because I think I just saw you doing that brain talking thing with Zander." My jaw dropped to the ground. "Yes!" she yelled. "I knew it. You and Z can speak in your heads like the twins." She let go of me and leaned on her car. "I can't believe you didn't tell me that. I thought we were best friends." She stuck out her lip, pouting.I frowned, rubbing my arm. "You are my best friend." But was she still? Had Zander taken her place? No. That was stupid talk. Zander may have become as important to me as air, but that didn't mean Ruthie wasn't important, too. "Ruthie," I said, reaching out to her with one hand. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. But you're right
The True Nature Series Chapter 203: Shotgun Wedding
I'D NEVER BEEN SO uncomfortable in my life. Caroline grilled us for at least thirty minutes and she gave Ruthie a run for her money when it came to squeezing out information. My hands had begun to sweat within minutes and I soon pulled them from Zander's grasp to fold them into my stomach, wishing I were anywhere but here. He tried to tell me in my mind that it was going to be okay, but Caroline somehow guessed that we were talking and demanded we desist our mental communication. What the heck?! How did she know? Then she laid out a new set of dating rules for us that had me grinding my teeth. My only comforting thought was that she had no way to enforce any of them. I just sat there silently, wanting this to be over as soon as possible. Suffice it to say, she was no longer worried about Zander dragging me off to Eden and the Nasaru. Now she was worried we'd sneak off and have sex every chance we got. She said that although the aramusatu attraction was difficult to resist, we had to
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The True Nature Series Chapter 230: The Promise
ZANDER WAS STILL GROGGY, and I helped him lean up against the railing of the general store. I wanted to stay with him, but another problem had cropped up. Polaris was trying to move Dad, and Knox wouldn't let them. No one wanted to risk getting close to his teeth and I feared they might try to drug him or something worse. I sighed and pushed myself up."I'll be right back," I told Zander.I headed across the road and carefully approached the growling Knox. "Hey there, buddy," I said in a soothing voice. "You still have me, remember?" I reached out my hand, letting it hang in the air like Dad had taught me the first time Knox and I had met. Knox's ears flattened, and he whined as he pressed his nose into my fingers. If dogs cried, I'd say Knox was crying now. His eyes looked sticky wet. I ran a hand down his neck, coaxing him off Dad's body and toward me. With a hand on his collar, I eased the two of us several feet away, allowing the others to move Dad. When his limp head dropped t
The True Nature Series Chapter 229: Picking Up the Pieces
BOTH POLARIS AND THE Efotis arrived within minutes of each other. The folks from Polaris had found several locals disabled or dead outside the park, as well as two empty police cars. Someone must have called the authorities about the gunshots or the helicopters. Others had probably been curious enough to investigate the noise themselves. The Nasaru had silenced them before they could see anything. With heavy faces, Polaris began searching the perimeter for more victims and loading up bodies on stretchers to take them away. When the Efotis arrived, Caroline rushed up to me, her eyes wide and desperate. She grabbed me and hugged me like she was never letting go. Despite my reluctance to admit she was my mother, I found her arms comforting. It just felt right. Thaddeus stood as still and straight as a fencepost watching us with soft but wary eyes. I completely understood. My reintroduction to Caroline had been rocky. In fact, it had been like meeting her for the first time, because I'
The True Nature Series Chapter 228: Of One Mind
THADDIE AND I JUMPED away from each other, our eyes wide as saucers. "Shanna!" I breathed out in surprise. But her voice had faded away. "What the heck?" Once again, I'd lost my connection to her."Your eyes turned blue," said Thaddeus with surprise. "Does that happen often? Was that our sister?"I pressed my lips together, frustrated that we'd been so close to talking to her. "Yes, it was Shanna. But she's gone now. Dang it." He opened his mouth to say something else, but I beat him to it. "Wait. Did you just say my eyes turned blue?" "Yes," he answered, looking at me strangely.I thought my eyes had done that before, too, when I'd heard a strange voice. But at the time, I'd convinced myself that it was my imagination. Did this happen every time she talked to me? I held out my hands to Thaddeus, hoping that together we could bring her back. He looked at my outstretched arms with confusion."Just testing a theory," I said. "Take my hands. Maybe we need to be in physical conta
The True Nature Series Chapter 227: Retreat
"THADDIE!" I choked out."You know him?" asked Maverick in surprise.I huffed out a deep breath as we heaved another dead body off his wing."Yes," I said, giving him a watery smile. "He's my brother."Maverick stared at me slack-jawed. After tonight I didn't think anything could surprise him. "You're kidding," he muttered."Yeah, I was going to tell you about him. Turns out, the other sharum guy was my biological father. Is," I corrected, reminding myself that if they took him, he must still be alive."The other guy with Dr. Frankler?""Yeah, I know," I nodded. "Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder."Maverick grunted an agreement.I examined Thaddie, who still struggled with consciousness. "Let's carry him to a brighter area. It will be easier to help him there."Together, we maneuvered him onto Maverick's back. Amid grunts and gasps, he carried Thaddie to the center of the main street and set him down near Zander, who was still unconscious and oblivious to the
The True Nature Series Chapter 226: The Aftermath
I GAVE MAVERICK A wan smile. "There're gone," I sighed, standing up to move wearily to the next body. Kneeling by the woman from Polaris, I gently closed her eyes. There was no fixing her. The other Polaris soldiers were no better. The rest were Gerard's men. My heart pounded, knowing I'd have to face my dad's body now. I dragged myself to my feet and looked toward Dad. A furry head rested on top of his chest. I ran over to them, wondering how Knox could still be alive, not to mention how he had moved. As I dropped next to them, Knox whined softly. I bent over to press my head against his. "Oh, Knox. You're okay," I wept, running my hands along his fur. Blood matted in several spots, but I couldn't find any injuries. Shaking my head at the miracle, I hugged him. "I know, boy," I crooned. "Dad isn't ... he's not waking up. But you still have me." Knox's tail pounded on the dirt, but he remained pressed against Dad.I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Maverick. "I'm
The True Nature Series Chapter 225: Just Like Dante
THE CIRCLE OF SOLDIERS tightened around us, drawing my attention away from my disappearing friends. Zander pulled me to his back, spinning us around as we faced their weapons. It quickly became clear that even with our abilities, we wouldn't be able to overpower them. "Tru," Zander said, mind-speaking. "This is going to hurt, but you can heal yourself. Protect your head." "What?" I barely had a chance to gasp before he grabbed me, lifted me up in the air, and threw me over the heads of the soldiers. I cleared them by at least five meters and landed in a dense thicket near the line of trees. Branches jabbed me, cutting my skin and shredding my already ruined dress.I groaned. What the heck did Zander think he was doing? I started to crawl out of the bushes and yelped when I felt a sharp pain in one hand. It felt wrong, like broken wrong. Looking up, I saw a few of the soldiers peel away from the circle around Zander and head toward me. "Run!" Zander yelled in my mind.The path
The True Nature Series Chapter 224: From the Frying Pan ...
I GASPED, RECOGNIZING Gerard's creepy grin. "No! It can't be!"He laughed, throwing back his head and clasping his hands together. "You've done me a favor, my dear. I may have lost my mate." A fleeting look of sorrow crossed his face. "Trust me, you'll pay for that. But now I have an even more powerful aramusatu, one that will link you and me together forever." He laughed again, and then held out his hand. "Join me, Tru. You belong with your family."I gagged and stepped away. Had I only made things worse by killing Gerard? "No!" I yelled. I felt the world caving in as Wynona's words flitted through my mind. She's a soul jumper. At that time, she'd meant Ruthie. But apparently, she wasn't the only one. Somehow, Gerard Hughes's spirit had taken over Peter's body. I had a feeling that I'd just leaped from the frying pan into the fire."What happened to Peter?" Gerard's eyes swirled, shifting to yellow slits. He squeezed them shut and shook his head. When he opened his eyes, they w
The True Nature Series Chapter 223: Backfire
OBVIOUSLY, I WAS A healer. But I was definitely no savior. But what about destroyer?The thought of that destiny had filled me with dread before, but now I wanted it so badly that everything but my enemy faded away. I wished I could channel my healing ability into a weapon. Then it struck me. If I could heal wounds why couldn't I un-heal them? I stared at my hands, wondering if it was possible. A dark feeling swirled inside me, like attempting such a thing was straight up wrong, but as Gerard stepped closer to Ruthie, and as Zander continued to bleed out, I knew I had to do something. With shaking hands, I laid Dad's head on the ground. It was too late for him but I might be able to help the others. A fiery rage whipped up inside of me and my eyes locked onto Gerard. He wore a demented look of his own as he considered the chaos around us. I took off toward him. When I was almost upon him, he saw me and pulled out his gun. I plowed forward anyway and tackled him, sending the weapon f
The True Nature Series Chapter 222: Inconceivable Choice
I YANKED AWAY FROM the guard holding me and ran back to Zander, who gasped, "I'll be fine, Tru. Go to him." I knew he meant my dad and that he'd realized the same thing I had. Ignoring the guns pointed at me, I rushed toward Dad and Knox. Donavitch was grinning at me, clearly enjoying my terror, and Knox was barking out a warning to Mrs. Taylor as she pointed her gun at Dad. "Look out, Dad!" He looked from me to Mrs. Taylor and flinched when he saw the gun pointing at him. "No, Eleria!" yelled Mr. Taylor.Crack!In the blink of an eye, two bodies fell to the ground. At the last second, Mr. Taylor had raced after his wife and thrown his body in front of my dad. They both went down. I fell to the ground next to Dad, frantically searching for his wound. A bright red stain in the center of his blue flannel shirt expanded to the size of my hand within seconds. Had the bullet gone through Mr. Taylor and Dad? Of course! The gun had been loaded with cutters, the Nasaru's usemi-killin
