Summer Solstice

A Special Guest

I stood, very still, and tried to gather my thoughts. But instead, I blurted out, “You’re driving me crazy.”

Konai chuckled, his breath floating through my hair. He leaned closer, his lips dangerously close to my skin, “Why, because I won’t tell you who it is?”

The air around me heated a few degrees, and I turned my head to look at him. My gaze focused on his lips instead of his eyes. I licked my own lips, without really thinking, and Konai smiled. I held my breath in an effort to keep my heart from overreacting, knowing he would hear. My eyes finally met his, and I watched as they changed from their warm brown to a deep black.

I swallowed hard, “Yeah, something like that,” I said nonchalantly, then grinned as he frowned. No, his silence wasn’t why he was irritating me, and he knew it. Pretending not to care that he was within kissing distance, which I did, I turned around and stared out at the horizon. I crossed my arms in front of me, as if his nearness didn’t wreak havoc with my mind. I craned my neck to the side, trying to see where the car had disappeared to.

Konai slid behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “You won’t be able to see them and the road curves back around those hills for a few miles before they’ll get here,” He pointed out into the darkness, “It’ll be a while.”

“You could tell who it was?” I asked, trying hard to sound as though I didn’t care. I tilted my head to look at him, and he grinned. No, he still wasn’t going to tell me.

“You didn’t see them?” Koda leaned over and stuffed the extra water bottles into his pack.

“Well, sort of.” I glanced up the hill towards the tree line, then back at the younger guardian, “Okay, not really. And how could you tell who it was? All I saw was a flash of light.” A blink later the car had been gone.

Koda pulled one bag over his shoulder, and tossed the rest of the camping gear into the trunk of Konai’s car, then smiled, “I could tell by the sound of the engine. Or maybe it was the headlights, they don’t make them like that anymore.”

So, it was an older car…

“Kaida!” I gasped and twisted around as Konai started laughing.

“Yes, my annoying little sister should be arriving shortly.” He kissed the end of my nose, “Joe was still in town keeping an eye on things, so he decided to give her a ride out here. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you.”

“I think you mean ecstatic,” Cailan shook his head as he picked up his drink and poured it over the fire, “She was so angry when we told her she couldn’t come down to Teddy’s house while you were there.”

“You wouldn’t let her go to Teddy’s?” I moved to help Cailan douse the fire, but Konai stopped me.

“Don’t put it out just yet, we have to wait for the others.” He pulled me back to sit on the log, then stared at his hands for a moment, as if he wasn‘t sure what to say. “There were a few things going on at the house, things that she can’t be a part of, and a lot of conversations that she couldn’t be allowed to hear. Keeping Kaida away was in her best interest, and not meant to be mean in any way.”

I sighed, “I know, but for her to be stuck up at the house, then told she can’t see me… she must have been worried.”

“Worried?” Tin laughed, “She was furious. But then Teddy’s mom got on the phone and calmed her down. I swear, that woman has the voice of an angel.”

Konai laughed, as did some of the others. “Yes, she does. I think it’s a mate related thing.”

I was confused, “What do you mean?”