3. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Key
Tomorrow was the beginning of the end.
Key had foreseen the future for centuries. Today, tomorrow, a year from now: every possible outcome of her actions and those around her played through her mind. The visions could be brief flashes or lengthy narratives, but each of them was a possibility.
In most futures, their kind was destroyed. Immortals became extinct.
Since she’d begun seeing the bloody future twelve centuries ago, Key had strategically moved pieces around the chessboard to ensure the species’ survival.
The one thing she knew for certain was that Jax Hunter was important. He was a human serving in the United States Armed Forces, a Captain by rank when she’d last checked. When his parents had both passed in a car accident, Jax had thrown himself into his career. As a result, he had been given an assignment that’d shape the offensive capabilities of the terrorist organization plotting the downfall of the immortal nations.
The Citizens of the Light.
Led by a man named Torrin Scayde, the Citizens now had the ear of the US military, and with it came a force that was nearly unstoppable. But Key would deal their game a fatal blow—so long as everything fell perfectly into place.
Jax was integral to her plan, and his unyielding devotion to her was essential. If Key failed with him, the plan she’d designed for their ultimate survival would collapse.
The problem was that she had no idea how to approach him. She had never foreseen their meeting, and any attempt she’d make to find out more personal details about him ended with her cursing the fates. Worse still was that she couldn’t ask for help navigating human technology—Jax needed to remain a secret in her back pocket until the proper time.
If she didn’t figure him out soon, the opportunity for his involvement would end.
Her tears mixed with the rain. Seattle weather was notoriously wet, and that was partially the reason she had chosen this spot. It was quiet and secluded, and few hikers made their way up here on any given day.
The other reason was far more selfish. Here, the ley lines were distant, and the stone that surrounded it made her foresight weak. It was a place where she could get a welcome reprieve from the visions that’d hounded her for centuries. Her mind was clearer, and she could form a coherent thought without it being interrupted by a steady stream of foresight.
Few of her race were blessed with the gift, and there was only one other she knew of currently living. Cassandra’s visions, however, were far from reliable.
Occasionally, Cassandra’s dreams were just that: dreams. Prophetic or not, the other foreteller’s imagination tended to run away with her, warping the truth of what’d come with her own interpretation of the event.
Despite that, Cassandra had seen the end as surely as Key had. When the time had come, the other woman had played her part and then swiftly recused herself from further involvement.
Key didn’t fault her. Like Cassandra, she wanted no part in the inevitability of their future, but Key was imperative to their success. All plans required an architect.
Building a suitable team had required hundreds of years of meticulous planning, and they were nearly there. Soon, she’d disclose the nature of their impending doom, alerting the heads of the four immortal societies to what would become of them.
With it, she’d also reveal the sins she had been forced to commit. Each atrocity had been a necessity, but the repercussions of her involvement came at a steep cost. Torture, obsession, pain, and suffering: all of it a direct consequence to the path she had driven them onto.
At times, it became too much to bear. Key had carried responsibility for the survival of the species for centuries. Desperation had become her constant, an emotional and physical tax that ate away at her soul.
Soon, it would all be over.
Tilting her face up toward the soggy clouds, Key cherished the sensation of the chilled water streaking along her cheeks. Living fully in the present was a gift that so few could understand.
The sound of another hiker approaching made her briefly consider teleporting away. She didn’t want to make conversation. Then again, returning home meant facing the joy of her clanmates, and that somehow seemed worse.
Committed to remaining at the summit, transfiguration recolored Key’s fickle eyes to the amber that was her true shade, and not the frosted white associated with her gift. It’s been ages since the unmarred amber had been real. The future never let her go. Not willingly.
The vibrant, royal purple form-fitting top and yoga pants fit her curvy frame like a glove. Key tangled a hand through her pale-blonde hair to complete the appearance of a hiker that had been walking through the rain for a while. These days, her hair was nearly silver, but it hadn’t always been. As the years wore on and her gift held its sway, it’d bleached away the original golden.
The hiker ventured closer, quiet in a way that said they were experienced, but loud enough that her enhanced hearing could easily pick it up. She refrained from turning around to watch as they appeared out of the woodwork. A surprised noise sounded behind her.
“Oh, hey. Sorry to drop in on you,” a male voice announced. “Didn’t think I’d find anybody else up here. Especially not in this weather.”
Key turned to find a face staring back at her that she knew as well as her own: Jax Hunter.
Magnetic hazel eyes, dark brown near the pupil, were set beneath a strong, masculine brow. Rain-slicked dark hair was plastered against his forehead, a stark contrast from the visions that’d always shown him well put together. Though he was flushed with exertion, his olive skin tone gave away his Greek and Hispanic lineage.
His sharp jaw was faintly shaded with stubble today, a dereliction of the dress code he enjoyed while he wasn’t required on base. Key could stare at those lips for hours, and she wondered absently if they were as soft as they looked.
Her fake surprise turned real at his appearance, and she grappled for the right words. “I don’t mind sharing.”
His tentative smile turned blinding. Sitting down on a rock a comfortable distance away, he rooted around in his backpack before catching her staring. “You don’t hike with a backpack?”
“I travel light.”
He set out a water bottle beside him before handing her a second one and tapping the unbroken seal. “Hydration is important.”
“I think I’m soaking it all in through my pores, but thanks.” Reaching out for the bottle, she dipped her chin and took a drink. “What brings you out here in the rain?”
“Needed some fresh air. Plus, it wasn’t raining when I started.”
“Ah, me neither.”
The lie tasted like poison on her tongue, but it was a habit she’d had to develop. Sometimes, the falsehoods tied so closely with the truth that they were nearly indistinguishable. It was yet another reason why her sovereign had begun to doubt her. Her distaste must’ve shown on her face, because Jax frowned at her.
“You alright?”
The question surprised her. For a foreseer, that was nearly an impossibility. To engage in a conversation with absolutely no idea where it would lead was oddly refreshing. The earnestness in his gaze made her reply honestly.
“Not really, no,” she admitted. “Sometimes it all gets to be too much, you know? Sometimes I wish life was … easier.”
He nodded, solemn. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Nothing is ever simple anymore.”
“Feels like things haven’t been simple in a long time.” She recognized the depressed note in her voice and instantly set about resolving it. “For me, anyway. Something about hiking seems to clear my head.”
That breathtaking smile made a reappearance, and she could feel herself become lighter as he said, “Ditto. That’s why I’m here. Getting away from it all. Strongly contemplating giving up on society altogether and living out here like a recluse.”
She snorted. “You think there’s space enough for two?”
Jax made a point of scouring the landscape before saying, “Barely. But it would definitely be even more stunning with you around.”
“Arguably more so when there’s not rain.” She offered her hand in greeting. “I’m Key, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Key. I’m Jax.”
The moment his hand slid into hers, a kick of endorphins flooded her system. His skin was calloused but warm, and she held onto him for a second too long. She fought a blush as she straightened on her rock.
“What are you escaping from, Jax?”
“Oh, the end of the world as I know it,” he chuckled, but it was a bit too bitter. “You?”
“Oddly enough, the same thing.” She took a swig of water, then asked, “What do you do?”
“I’m a captain in the Army. Just got reassigned to the base here.”
“Oh? You like your new assignment?”
He grimaced, as if he was trying to find the right answer. “No, not really.”
Though she latched onto the dissatisfaction like a barnacle, the empathic side of her was disappointed on his behalf. “I’m sorry. What don’t you like about it?”
“If I told you that, I’d probably have to kill you.”
The mischievous twinkle in his eye clued her into the humor of the statement, and she laughed out loud for what felt like the first time in ages. “Ah. That type of work. I see.”
Sharing a smile, Jax offered her a granola bar and she politely declined. It was surprising how easily he’d knocked down her walls. Seeing him here of all places had come as a surprise. Key had been coming to this smaller summit for years, and she had rarely seen hikers make their way to this cliff face.
“I’m not sure I like the look of those clouds,” Jax said. “Perhaps we should save our getaway for another weekend.”
The bad thing about Seattle was that storms could turn chilled mountain air into blizzard conditions quickly. “Perhaps you’re right.”
As she moved to stand, her hiking shoe hit a particularly slick section of slate. The sudden whimper she let out was quickly silenced by two strong arms cinching around her waist. He’d moved so swiftly that he’d caught her before she even started falling.
“Careful,” he warned.
A flare of heat ran through her despite the escalating chill of the air. Inhaling deeply, she stiffened as his intriguing scent washed through her. The blend of spice and leather stirred something unknown deep inside her.
This close, it was impossible to deny how attractive the man was. His arms slowly loosened as she caught her balance.
“Thanks. Probably wouldn’t be good to sprain my ankle the day before my best friend’s wedding,” she chuckled.
“That would probably put a damper on the night,” he agreed. “But, on the plus side, fewer men asking you to dance. You might not have to beat them off with a stick if you had a cast on one leg. Crutches have a longer reach.”
Key was impressed by the strategy. “True.”
Together, they began walking down the mountain. It had been ages since she’d been on the trail, choosing instead to teleport to the top whenever she felt compelled to get away.
The spitting rain turned colder as the wind picked up and the temperature began dropping. Beside her, Jax shrugged off his windbreaker and offered it to her.
When she gave him a look, he simply said, “It’ll give me peace of mind. My parents would be rolling in their graves if they knew I stayed toasty warm while you shivered beside me.”
She shrugged into it, subtly inhaling that same mix of leather and spice she noticed earlier. Jax had been right: she was warmer, even if her supernatural nature would keep her from hypothermia. In the immortal society, chivalry was still alive and well—and Jax had just proven it hadn’t died out with humanity either.
As they approached a split in the path, Key took the opportunity. “I’m this way.”
He shook his head when she started to unzip his jacket. “Keep it. I have a shockingly large collection of windbreakers.” He paused, then asked, “Can I see you again, Key?”
It took great restraint not to leap at the chance to secure the future where Jax Hunter was her in with the Citizens . “I’d like that. Especially when I’m not drenched or depressed.”
“The wet look works on you.”
“Well, I’m flattered, but you should see me when I’m dry.” She grimaced. “Wow, that was terrible. Sorry, I’m absolutely no good at flirting.”
“Tell you what,” he said conspiratorially, “I’ll pretend that was the best joke I’ve heard all year, and you can pretend I’m suave and debonair. Deal?”
“Deal.”
Unable to withhold the grin, he pulled out his cell phone. “What’s your phone number?”
“I don’t have a cell phone.”
Though she’d forced Nero to get one recently, she’d never gotten one herself. Telepathy was readily available and far more reliable than any human means of communication.
“You’re really going all in with this recluse thing, aren’t you?” As she hid a blush, he suggested, “How about we plan for dinner tomorrow, then?”
“Awfully forward of you, Captain Jax of the U.S. Army.”
“What can I say? You’re awfully easy to talk to, and I’d definitely like to get to know you better.”
Though she was genuinely taken aback by his forwardness, she wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Playing the coy card, she said, “Alright, dinner. When and where?”
Even as the words left her mouth, she realized how odd they were for her. Usually, Key was the one with the answers. The tables had turned in this conversation, and while she felt like a marble cast into a stadium of jacks, it was uniquely refreshing.
“Do you like Italian?”
“ Do I like Italian?” she scoffed. “Is there a better cuisine?”
It seemed to be the answer he was looking for. “Mario’s on Sixth Street at five, then?”
“Can’t wait.”
Lightning cracked overhead. Jax cast a suspicious look at the sky before saying, “You sure I can’t walk you back to your car?”
“I’ll survive, cross my heart.”
Though it looked like he wanted to say something more, he gave a dutiful dip of his chin. “Try not to drown on the walk back.”
“Aye aye, captain.”
He offered her a real military salute. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
Parting ways, Key snuggled into the windbreaker he’d given her. Something about the interaction had given her cause to feel lighter than she had in centuries. The man who’d floated in and out of her visions for centuries, the last remaining unaccounted-for piece on the chessboard, had finally walked into her life.
His appearance was a pivotal turning point in the war. Tomorrow, she would lay it all on the line with the heads of the immortal races. There would be conflict and fear. Aggression and disbelief. But eventually, they would trust her.
They had to, or their lives would be forfeit.