When Lightning Ignites [COMPLETED]

Chapter 5: A Secret Enemy

Julie and Jamie sat on the beach, watching the water. It was the first time she had been outside in the last week, partly out of fear of running into Rory or Luke and partly because she was still pretty weak.

She leaned her head back and soaked in the sun, letting its warmth caress her body. It was a bit odd sunbathing with her brother, but it was nice hanging out with him. Besides, she wasn't sure he would let her come out by herself. He had appointed himself her guardian. Julie figured he was trying to make up for the last year.

Dinner with Andromeda's parents had been interesting. It was like the years just fell away and she had her grandmother and grandfather back—yet awkward since they were part of the whole lie for so long. She would see them again, but she would take it slow.

Rory and Luke both stayed away, but that didn't prevent them from sending stuff to her—purple flowers from Rory and yellow ones from Luke.

How did he know that her favorite roses were the yellow ones with red tips? Sure her favorite color was purple, but even Rory had never figured that out. And she hadn't told him because she figured the purple ones would always be special to them.

She glanced sideways at Jamie. He wasn't with her all the time. Sometimes he wasn't home. Was he hanging out with Luke? She turned her head back to the sun and closed her eyes. She didn't want to ask and get in a fight.

"Thanks for coming out here with me. I got tired of staying inside." And thinking. And avoiding her parents.

He shrugged. "It's the least I could do. Besides, I missed hanging out with you. Now I don't have to worry about what I do or say around you. I think it's helping."

Her mouth was dry. She could't drink enough water as she recovered from draining herself two times now in a week.

Draining—that's what they called it when a Fey sucked herself dry of all her energy. Except she didn't feel drained right now. She was restless, her skin itching with the need to dance.

"What's wrong?" Jamie muttered next to her. She cracked an eye open to peer at him. He was sitting up and staring at her. She pasted on a smile. She had to get used to him sensing stuff from her sometimes. Even if it did creep her out a bit. She hoped he didn't hear what she was thinking now.

"Oh, I wish I had brought some water. I should have remembered." Sometimes she caught him staring, as if he was afraid she might just close her eyes and never wake up again. Had she come that close to dying? Julie pressed her lips together. If she had, she wouldn't expect anyone around here to tell her.

"I'll go get some." Her brother's eagerness to do any little thing for her was starting to get weird. She had enjoyed it at first, as only a sister could, but now she just wanted him to go back to how they used to be, before all this started. As if anything ever could.

"No, I'll be fine," she called as he skipped away. "Jamie, wait. Crap. Now I'm trapped out here till he gets back."

She crossed her arms. She was still too wobbly to walk all the way home by herself. Seriously, had she almost died?

Julie stared at the water and tried to clear her mind of the bad thoughts. Instead it drifted to the tiny island with Rory, laughing and playing in the water with him that day. Her body tingled, the wind on the beach running softly over her like his hands.

"Damn it." She clenched her fists in the sand and threw it in the air to her sides, sputtering as the wind blew it back into her face. She didn't want to think about Rory or Luke. She was mad at them both.