Eric cleared his throat. His voice sounded amused. “Yes. There are too many here for it to be a coincidence. The Martis are gravitating here as well. That is only supposed to happen when the girl in the prophecy forms.” He paused, “Unless you believe there is something else going on?”

“No. I think you are correct.” Julia said. “And, the prophecy is still hidden, so they cannot take it. They must be looking for her. You have more guard here than usual?” Her voice was tense.

“Yes,” Eric answered. “And we have been working closely with the Seyer to make certain we know when the girl is within reach.” The words began to sink in as the shock melted through my skull. Eric and Al were looking for me. My heart raced as my eyes bugged.

“Ah,” Julia scoffed, “Seyers are a dead breed. You do not need to rely on her kind. Logic and discernment, that you did not possess last time, will lead you to this girl. The prophecy must not come true. Protect your kind.”

“I will.” His voice steeled, “She will be captured. And I will kill her myself, permanently—if required.”

Eric turned his head, and saw me in the doorway.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Hey Ivy,” Eric reached for me, pulling me into the room. I wiped the expression off my face before they could see the full-blown panic in my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. Eric was the Seeker. He was looking for me. “We’re done here. So what’d she say you are?” They waited for me to answer. Terror pushed my pulse to an ungodly rate, as I fought to suppress my panic.

“Yes. Tell. What she say? I need to document your vocation before I leave.” Julia’s face held a bemused expression.

The one they were hunting was staring at them, but they had no clue. I held my voice steady, shoving my shaking hands in my pockets, “She said I’m a Seyer.” Eric’s mouth opened slightly.

Julia scoffed, “Heh. A Seyer!”

Eric’s eyes darted between Julia’s face and my nervous stance. He rubbed my forearm in a comforting gesture, “That’s great. And rare. Wow.” I smiled weakly, trying not to flinch away from his touch. They were reading my nervousness wrong—thank God. They thought it was because I was a Seyer.

I asked, “Really? Al made it sound like it was no big deal.”

“And it ain’t,” the old woman’s voice rang out behind me. “Each of us got a different part in the bigger picture of things. Ain’t that right Julia?” Silver hair framed her face.

Julia sighed, waving her hands as she spoke, “Si, si. We know how you feel Althea.” She looked away, rolling her eyes. It seemed like they had this discussion before.

Al took a step toward Julia, gesturing to me, “Ivy will help us with the prophecy.”

My heart dropped into my toes. What did she say? “Excuse me?” I squeaked.

“Really?” Eric questioned, looking excited.

Julia humphed and folded her arms. “We know the prophecy. Our warriors will eradicate the problem—not this little girl.”

“That’s not what I’ve seen. It’s this little girl who will be the one to eradicate the problem.” Her old eyes looked at me. Panic was gripping me from my throat to my toes. Its tendrils laced into my stomach, and squeezed.

Al knows what I am. She's going to turn me over. I fought every urge of self-preservation that was franticly flowing within me, and kept my feet glued to the spot.

“Psh. You do your way. We do ours. I’ll report your new Seyer,” she said it with disdain, “and your prediction.” Julia picked up her patent leather purse. Sister Al walked her out, leaving Eric and I alone.

“So,” Eric turned towards me with a proud smile on his face, “A Seyer. Wow.” Heart pounding, I nodded, avoiding the urge to run screaming from Eric.

Why did it have to be Eric? What was I supposed to tell him? That I was the one he was trying to kill. Faking what I was, was going to get much harder. Looking into his face, I saw peaceful amber eyes, not the warrior hunting me. I only saw Eric—sweet, thoughtful Eric. How could I be so incredibly wrong about people? Was my perception that bad? My stomach was in knots, as I held my fists tightly in my jean pockets. “I'm gonna meet up with Shannon, if that's okay?” It was difficult to look him in the eye, but I managed a weak nod.

Eric smiled, “Sure. You all right?”

“Yup. I'm good.” I pulled my hands out of my pockets, and folded them over my chest. Slowly, I turned to walk away from him, and out the front doors. Shannon's little red car was waiting, just like we planned. Silently, I slid into the seat, and closed the door.

“What's wrong with you?” she asked. The sunlight gave her hair a golden glow. She put the car into drive, and pulled into traffic.

I sat there for a second, unsure of what to do. The tension in my forehead wouldn't ease up. I pressed it with my fingertips, as we drove in silence. The truth slammed together in the back of my mind. I desperately wanted to deny it. Eric's words mixed with the things Shannon had told me earlier, and it made me feel sick. But, I knew it was true.

The tightness of my throat choked my voice, making my words barely audible. “Eric's the Seeker.”

Shannon gasped, swerving the car slightly when she looked at me. “How did you find out?” Her voice was several octaves higher than usual. “Ivy, what happened?”

“I heard him talking to someone named Julia. They think I'm a creature...and they know I'm nearby. They just have no idea how close.” My voice faded into shocked silence.

Shannon's foot turned to lead. We arrived at my house much faster than normal. She turned and asked me, “What are you going to do?”

Unbuckling, I shrugged. “They don't know it's me.”

“Julia's trouble,” she said. “Eric has to listen to her.”

Still shocked, I stared out the windshield, looking at nothing. “Eric was told to help me—and kill me.” Shaking my head, I exited the car.

Shannon called behind me, “Ivy, do you want me to come in? You don't look good.”

Turning to her, I said, “No. I just want to be alone.” My hand pushed the door shut, and I walked up the sidewalk, shocked into silence.

As night fell, the feelings that I suppressed were flowing to the surface. I had severe control freak tendencies, and when I had no control—I freaked out. The urge to repeat my past behavior was consuming my thoughts. I had to do something to lift the chaos. Staring at my reflection, I assessed my outfit. Black chiffon shirt with a fitted bodice and flowing sleeves paired with a little black skirt. I grabbed my black boots and shoved my feet in. These were made so that I could run, if necessary, but they looked awesome too. Stabbing Apryl's comb in my hair, I arranged a half up and half down style. Porcelain skin absorbed the purple pigment as my mark disappeared.

The crumpled invite was on my dresser. I’d gotten it via a guy at school over a week ago. I had no intention of going, until now. The party was in Babylon. That wasn't too far from here. There would be kids from other schools, and lots of boys I didn't know. Resigned to easing up some of the chaos, I turned and launched myself out my window and into the night.

When I arrived at the house, the party was well underway. It was one of the huge homes that lined the waterfront, with an equally huge lawn. It had a brick circle drive that was full of cars, with a huge three tier fountain in the center. Kids were milling about, unaffected by the crisp night air. Most had a drink in their hand, talking loudly over the throbbing music emitting a BOOM BOOM BOOM from the house.

I ducked through the door and navigated the crowds of kids, until I found the dance floor. The large room was filled with the smell of sweat, and lingering smoke. Windows opened to the back of the house, showcasing the waterfront. There were way too many kids in the space. It connected to another room that had an equal abundance of people. Hoping to get lost in the crowd, I shimmied my way through the maze.

Nicole and her drones stared at me as I passed. “Come to get laid, Virgin?” Nicole yelled, laughing at me. Her gaggle of friends sniggered. Her words caught the attention of a few guys standing nearby.

I walked up to her, looking into her perfect face, and answered loud enough for others to hear, “Yes.” Nicole was at a momentary loss for words. As I stepped away from her, a boy with brown hair and brown eyes smiled at me. His hair was hanging in his eyes. I walked over to him, and whispered in his ear. He put his hand on the small of my back, and grinned at Nicole, as we walked away. I smiled at her over my shoulder, waving, and said, “Thanks!” Her face pinched into a scowl.

We walked toward the back of the house, toward the darker corners of the room. Brown-haired boy leaned in, speaking loudly in my ear, “Hey. I'm...”

Turning toward him, I put my fingers over his lips to silence him. “I don't want to know who you are.” Sliding my body up against his, I pushed him back into the wall, lacing my arms around his neck.

A smile spread across his face, as he realized what I was offering. His hands slid down my back, cupping my butt, as he pulled me to him. “Perfect.”

“Stop talking,” I commanded, pressing my body into him. My hands slid up to his face, and I pulled his mouth down on mine. I didn't know who he was, and I didn't care. It was perfect that way. Only a stranger could offer the escape I needed, and help me feel like I still had some control over my life. We stayed intertwined in the dark corner of the room, with hands sliding, touching, and tasting. The couples around us were moving at a slower pace, but I didn't care. His lips moved down my neck. I started to melt, my knees buckling at the sensation. The rush of emotions was flooding me, and numbing my pain. It wouldn't last long, but I might be able to make it last longer if I didn't hold back this time. Thoughts ran through my mind, and I realized I'd decided what I came here to do before I arrived.

Did this really hurt me? I couldn’t remember from last time. It damaged my reputation, but I couldn’t remember anything else. Other sensations were slowing my thoughts. One strong hand was sliding under my low neckline, as his teeth grazed my neck in sharp kisses. A sigh escaped me, and I leaned into him. I threaded my fingers through his hair, and pulled firmly. His face came up from my neck with a boyish grin. He was breathing hard, and glistening. The room was warm before, but now it felt incredibly hot. Closing my eyes, I inhaled his scent. He smelled like spicy aftershave.

“Take me upstairs,” I said breathlessly. Smiling wide, we turned to walk up the stairs. His hands moved roughly over my body, as we stumbled up the stairs, and into a dark hallway. The guy was cut like a skater, with strong forearms, and an athlete’s tight body. I slid my hands under his shirt, as he pushed me into a wall at the top of the landing.

His lips moved across my neck, making me feel wonderfully warm. A hand slid under my shirt, and over my bra. The intoxicating bliss surged through me, and I moaned. He responded by sliding his other hand up my thigh, well under the hem of my skirt. Leaning into his hard body, I felt found for a moment. The overwhelming sense of being lost faded. It felt like everything would be fine. Strong arms held me, and nothing else could touch me. At least, I didn't plan on it.