Then slowly, I loved him at my own pace until we reached that point where the sensations became magnified, a sum of his and mine. When the crest swept us, he was there with me, shouting my name and his love.
I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. The rest of the world could crumble into pieces, but my Echo would always stay the same. He was my anchor. He steadied me when I could have fallen. I didn’t want reality to intrude, but the thoughts wouldn’t let me go.
“Did you go to the farm?” I asked, speaking against his neck.
“Yes. I knew they’d be worried about you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“They love you, and no matter what you decide to do, they’ll support you. You can stay here for as long as you want.”
“They have no say in what I do with my life anymore. I’m eighteen.”
He didn’t argue. “Do you want to watch something after this? Go to the hospital with Dev? Swing by Raine’s?”
“Dev already left, and Raine is on her honeymoon. Besides, what does she know about this?” If Raine knew… I leaned back and studied Echo’s face. “Does she know?”
“I don’t think Eirik talked to anyone about the orphans, except to the people in Helheim. Those kids had a shitty life, running and hiding, always looking over their shoulders. It’s not a life I would have wanted for you.”
“You are forgetting one thing. They all knew they were adopted. I didn’t. They probably knew about their parents being Immortal. I didn’t. My parents knew I could see souls when I was young, and they blocked it. So drop it.” When he sighed, my frustration shot up. “Are you reaping tonight?”
“Syn is covering for me.”
“Maybe you should join him.”
He chuckled. “Am I annoying you?”
“Yes. For someone who hates being betrayed, you are excusing my parents’ betrayal so quickly. Why?”
“I’m not, Cora-mia.” He stroked my shoulder. “I see possibilities. If you are from the other realm, you could visit…”
I growled.
“I guess this is not the time to discuss that.”
“No.”
“Okay.” He studied me, his eyes shifting to my lips. “Can I make love to you now?”
“Only if you promise not to discuss my parents or other realms.”
He was more than eager to make up for annoying me, and I forgave him. How could I not? He loved me and knew how to make me happy. Knew how to make me fly and fall apart, because he was also there to catch me.
The water was cold when we moved to the shower. He washed my hair, wrapped a towel around it, and cocooned me in a thick robe. Echo had always taken care of me, and it didn’t cross my mind once to complain that he was babying me. When we left the bathroom, I paid more attention to the décor.
He’d done a good job with the furniture we’d ordered. He’d asked me where I wanted everything and had followed my instructions. The paneled rooms were smaller and cozier than those in his house in La Gorce, Miami. The fireplace dominated the living room, and facing it was a burgundy leather sectional. A giant smart TV was in the family room by the kitchen. There was another sectional there, too.
He fussed with the remote until I took pity on him. He usually showed no interest in watching TV. News bored him, and the inaccuracy of action movies drove him nuts. He solved most detective series way before the TV cops did, and according to him, documentaries were so rife with inaccuracies he refused to watch them.
We curled in front of the TV, and he didn’t complain when I found my favorite demon-hunting brothers. I fell asleep after binge watching for a couple of hours.
When I woke up, it was morning and I was in bed. Echo was tinkering in the kitchen. He didn’t say anything when I told him I was skipping school.
“I won’t be able to focus,” I said.
“I’ll keep you company.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Go reap. I’ll be fine.”
“I need to be here for you, babe.”
“Whether you are here or reaping, I know I can count on you, Echo. Go. I’ll feel guilty if you don’t. I like Syn, and I don’t want him thinking I’m this helpless Immortal you have to baby just because… because…” My parents had lied to me. Just thinking about them hurt too much. I was going to dull my senses with TV. “I plan to binge watch something. I’ve been meaning to watch a new series, and this is the perfect time. Have you seen or heard from Dev since last night? He went to help Mr. Reeds and mentioned swinging by the cancer ward.”
“To do what?”
“Help coma patients find closure.”
Echo frowned. “I hope he didn’t fall off the wagon.” He gave me a long kiss that would have easily translated into something else if I hadn’t pushed him away. “Your father said he’d call the school and excuse your absence.”
“What does it matter? I’m going to Lavania’s school with Raine in the fall. They can’t stop me now.”
Chapter 3. Another Orphan
My parents sent text messages, but I didn’t respond. I was taking a bathroom break when Dev floated in. He crawled into my phone and mumbled, “No school?”
“What do you think?”
“You’re in a nasty mood. I feel your pain, doll-face, so I’m here if you need to vent. And FYI, I helped about twenty people in the last twelve hours, including your friend. I don’t understand Mortals. They are so vicious with each other. You’d think when people are about to die they’d mellow out. Nope. All the nastiness just kept pouring out. There were a few I wish I hadn’t helped.” There was silence before he added, “You’re not responding.”
“That’s because I don’t care.” I went back to watching TV, and he stopped bothering me. I presumed he went to sleep.
Echo brought lunch and left after we ate. Dev mumbled something a few hours later and must have left because he wasn’t in my phone when I tried to talk to him.
Days blurred. Pain and anger with a large dose of self-pity ruled my waking hours. Poor Echo did his best to take my mind off things, but for once he wasn’t enough.
On Friday evening, I was trying to decide what to order for dinner when a portal opened and Raine walked in. She was so radiant it hurt to look at her. Her hug was exuberant and long until she realized I wasn’t responding. She leaned back and studied me.
“What’s wrong? You mad at me?”
“I’m attending Mystic Academy next year.”
She frowned. “That’s great, so why the long face? Your parents said no?”
“I haven’t told them.”
“Okay.” She looked even more confused. “I know you were worried about how they’d react to your abilities and to Echo. Did that not go well?”
“I really don’t want to discuss them now. I’m so angry I haven’t seen or spoken to them since Tuesday.”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “Just a sec.” Raine walked to the living room.
“You staying or leaving?” I asked. “Maybe you can help me decide between pasta and pizza.” I didn’t pay her much attention and continued to scrutinize the two menus.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jemison, I hope you don’t mind the intrusion, but we need to talk.”
Crap! I should have known she’d open a portal to confront my parents. I ran to the living room mirror portal, and sure enough, she was in the middle of my parents’ living room.
“Raine!” I walked through the portal and grabbed her arm.
“Do not blame Cora for keeping her abilities a secret or helping souls. She wanted to tell you for a long time. She is truly gifted, and she’s helped so many find closure. Her runes might draw them to her, but her kindness and selflessness is why she does it.”
“You don’t need to explain anything to them. Come on.”
“But I’m not done. They must know how you’re working with Dev to help people before they die, too. And Echo is an amazing guy.”
“They don’t care about that,” I snapped, pushing her toward the portal, my strength runes engaged.
“Cora, we care, and we are so proud of you,” Mom called out. “Please, talk to us.”
Ignoring my parents, I pushed Raine back into the cottage. “What’s wrong with you? Since when did you become such a buttinsky?”
The portal closed behind us.